Blogging from A to Z April Challenge

So I've now signed up to the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge (as if I'm not busy enough already). 

We start on Sunday April 1st (April Fool's Day) and post every day (with the following Sundays as a rest day) starting with the letter A for April 1 and letter B for April 2 and so on and so forth.  I'm looking forward to the challenge and have done some preparation already but wish that time (oh so elusive) had been more available.  So wish me luck everyone as I do for the other participants.  It is a very popular challenge as there are still three days to sign up and my entry is No. 1,327.  (Yikes!)

BRITISH SUMMER TIME

CLOCKS GO FORWARD

Sunday 25th March 2012 at 1.00 .a.m. British Summer Time begins.

We put our clocks forward by one hour.

The history of daylight saving time

In 1907 an Englishman, William Willett, campaigned to advance clocks by 80 minutes. He proposed four moves of 20 minutes at the beginning of the spring and summer months, and to return to Greenwich Mean Time in a similar manner in the autumn. The following year, the House of Commons rejected a Bill to advance the clocks by one hour during the spring and summer months.

Summer time was first defined in an Act of Parliament in 1916. The clocks were moved one hour ahead of GMT from the spring to the autumn.

During the Second World War, double summer time (two hours in advance of GMT) was introduced, lasting until July 1945.

Since the 1980s, all parts of western and central Europe have co-ordinated the date and the time of their clock changes.

Spring Forward, Fall Back.   

Clocks go forward in the Spring

Back in the Fall

People moan that they lose an hour’s sleep but we gain extra daylight in the evenings so it stays lighter longer.   We all start to feel better as the days grow longer and don't feel as tired after getting home from a long day at work.  We have more energy and a bit of a spring in our steps (sometimes only figuratively speaking).

When my father left the Navy after 25 years service he began work for a manufacturer of plastic piping (drainpipes, guttering etc.).  The company operated 24 hours a day and employed a mixed shift system, 12 hours of days and nights on a rota of three days/four days.   Every time we came to changing the clocks he missed out. 

On the ‘long’ night (putting the clocks back one hour) he was always on the night shift and therefore had to work the extra hour.  On the ‘short’ night (putting the clocks forward one hour) he was either on 12 hour days or on days off and therefore never worked less than 12 hours.  

One year my grandmother got confused and put her clock back when she was supposed to put it forward and consequently dished up her Sunday roast lunch at 11.00 .am. instead of 1.00p.m.

After all it is only time and time is precious.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Today (Sunday 18^th March 2012) is Mothering Sunday in the UK more commonly called Mother’s Day.

I consider myself very lucky to still have my mum in my life and also three very special ladies, my daughter, step daughter and daughter-in-law (to put a label on people).

I received the above this morning which made my day.  It’s so nice to know that you are in somebody else’s thoughts.

I am also being treated to a wonderful roast dinner by my lovely daughter, so we can chat about everything and nothing in her kitchen while my grandson and my hubby make paper aeroplanes or build wonderful things with pieces of Lego.

A picture in my album

A cuddle with my mum

Enfolded in her arms

Away from any harm

Love that is passed from mother to daughter

With love and joy and lots of laughter

Lucky 7 Meme and More

Lucky 7 Meme and More

The wonderful Caitlin from http://caitlin-lane.blogspot.com/has tagged me for the Lucky 7 Meme!

This is what I had to do:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy down the next 7 lines - sentences or paragraphs - and post them as they're written. No cheating.
4. Tag 7 authors.
5. Let them know.

I'm not far enough forward to have 77 pages (paid work keeps getting in the way) so I went to P.17.

Here it is:

It was a vision but not a very nice one and she certainly couldn't say anything about it or Florence Townsend would think she was mentally unstable.

Faith quickly got up from the table taking her cup of tea over to the side and proceeded to scurry about putting up the ironing board and setting the iron to heat up.

Florence sighed and took the hint that try as she might she couldn't get Faith to treat her as an equal.  Yes, she worked for her but in Florence’s mind that didn't make her any less of a person but Faith was of the old school and wouldn't let any personal matters come into her working life.

So there you have it - one day I'll get (a)round to it -

ROUND TUIT

An circular object giving its owner the ability to get done everything that would have otherwise been put off to a later date
(Wiktionary online)

Finally, finding the time to accomplish something.
(Urban dictionary)

A POEM ABOUT THEM

This is a Tuit, and Tuits are rare,
Especially the round ones, so guard it with care.
How many times have you heard someone say
( or said it yourself at least six times a day )
“one of these days I really will do it….
I’ll do it as soon as I get around Tuit”
Well here’s your round Tuit, And good luck to you
Now there’s no limit to what you can do!

(Author unknown)

 

The Great Divide

Second Campaigner Challenge (of my Fourth Campaign, February 2012)

Prompt 1:

Two people are sitting together under the remains of a concrete bridge. Their backs are against a rusted bridge support.  One person's leg is cut.  The other person has wet hair.

 

I decided to compose a poem using the prompts in less than 200 words

THE GREAT DIVIDE

Jill’s long wet ginger hair cascaded down her back

She turned her face to her brother Jack

His bleeding knee was covered with orange rust

Disrupted as they fell from the broken bridge trusses.

They leant back gathering their strength against the remaining concrete wall.

Across the river they could see a boy chasing his ball

Along the sunlight path shadows flitting through the balustrade

No cares in the world, he didn't seem to be afraid

Nothing lay before him of danger in the outside world.

On the other side of the stream were young urchins

Searching and seeking treasures to auction

At the great festival held in honour of the candy floss bosses

Magically suspended in centrifugal forces

The shimmering confection suspended upside down on a wooden ladle

Promises of sweet aromas to savour leading into transportation of delights

Losing themselves in the incandescent luminous patterns that excites

All their senses and leaves the body bereft and the soul wanting more

Jack and Jill held hands and sighed together as they knew no cure

The power and the influence of the great human race divided

As spirit energies came down into their world crashed and collided.