News Rant!

Do you know - I'm heartily sick of the News. I was listening to Radio 2 this morning to Terry's show and at 8.30 for about 2 and a half minutes the world was plunged into a nightmare full of perverts who keep their children prisoner, teenage murderers, slimy politicians, illegal wars, petrol shortages, rampant inflation and pessimistic outlooks for our awful futures. You know - the usual stuff. The miserable political spin and Fleet Street sensationalism that daily chips away at any optimism you might naturally have. I know there's a lot of crap happening in the world but I'm utterly sure that there's a hell of a lot more good stuff happening out there than bad. Constantly hyping tragedy and thuggery does not, in fact, shock and disturb us as is it's intention. It normalises it. And that in itself is shocking. It's not that I think that we should ignore injustices. Not at all. My problem is that News Media skew the image of the world so that it appears to be a thoroughly awful, hopeless place. I refuse to believe that's the case. Every day I see good people helping each other, caring about their communities, their environment and the planet at large. Most people I know help people who maybe aren't as fortunate. There's so much kindness and goodwill around and this world we live in is, on balance, still a great place. I'm sick of my energy being drained out of me by endless News Misery and speculation as to how much worse it can get. I'm choosing to only give my attention to improving the world and bigging up all the great people out there who make it a better place.

It's a question of perspective.

And funnily enough it wasn't all the awful news that I heard today that pissed me off so much as the tag on at the end that was supposed to be the bright and shiny bit that sent you off on your way with a spring in your step.

I'll have to paraphrase here but essentially what they were saying is that Australian Scientists are very close to inventing a pill that will speed up your metabolism and allow you to over-eat with impunity. Apparently it works by removing "angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)". They are, of course, dressing it up as a medication to help with metabolic disorders and diabetes prevention. But one might suspect (if you're cynical like me) that the drug companies didn't fund this kind if research to help a minority with an actual disorder. The marketing potential in Westernized, obese, sedentary societies must be huge! Their lab mice are apparently stuffing their faces and staying slim. Kerching! This is supposed to give us overweight westerners hope for a healthier future.

I'm overweight. I could do with losing a good 30lbs. And I know how I can do it.

Eat less. Move more.

Apparently there's a world-wide food shortage. Instead of pouring huge resources into solving this we're working out how to let the fat over-eat without consequence. And this was the good news today. Well here's what I think......

There are always consequences.

And one of the consequences for having a celebrity-obsessed, negative, sensationalist, unbalanced, biased media is that our beautiful world is diminished and tarnished so that we no longer value it. And worse than that the true injustices that might light a fire in our bellies and make us reach out to our fellow man in need are ignored for better ratings.

Earth is beautiful. The vast majority of people who inhabit it are decent and good. Celebrate that.

Mr Murdoch and his negative hoard no longer command my attention. The lady who lives two doors up who looks in on all the elderly people around and just looks out for her neighbours is my Hero of the Day.

A Walk in the Bluebells

Today almost felt like summer as the warmth of the sun teased our freckles and invited us into short sleeves at last. I've been waiting for this feeling all month as I've kept an eye on the sprouting bluebells. April is their month as they wake up before the tree canopy robs them of their nourishing light. And when the sun came out today I just knew they'd be out at long last too. But what lot of other jewels we saw too when T and I took the doggie for her walk.

Not May yet but the Hawthorn in the hedges is already looking incredible. In Irish mythology the Hawthorn is sacred. It's also revered as the home of the Little People or Faerie Folk. A Hawthorn must never be damaged or cut down in case you enrage them. If you're ever driving through Ireland and you see a tree in the middle of a field with a little fence around it - that's why. Old superstitions still live on sometimes, even if it is rarer and rarer to find them these days.

Not everything is coming to life. I think that this gnarled old monster may have had it!

When we reached the woods my expectations were met with a glorious purpley-blue haze that these pictures can't even begin to do justice to.
I know it's not yellow but Robert Frost always springs to mind whenever I see two roads diverge in any coloured wood!
I love the way the delicate flower grows up through the stinging nettles. Nature happy with yin and yang.


We also saw many Apple Blossoms, again something I'd normally associate with the month of May but welcome any time.

In the undergrowth the plant that will, in time, replace the bluebell as the carpet of the wood is uncurling. Fern is such an ancient plant and I love it but goodness! It does look like it crash-landed from another planet.


Finishing up walking past the village pond I am reminded of why it is I love Cherry blossom so much. If you can see a little orange in the water that's the carp swimming away from the quiet click of my camera. They're very camera-shy!

I love the English country-side.

Big Plug!

Today marked the official publication date of The Accidental Wife by Rowan Coleman. The Amazon synopsis describes it as follows

"How do you know if your life has taken a wrong turn? Alison James thinks she might be living the wrong life. She loves her husband Marc and their three children but somehow, in the process of building a perfect life for her family, she seems to have lost herself. And sometimes she worries that she's being punished for how it all started - for the day she ran away with her best friend's boyfriend. Catherine Ashley knows she's living the wrong life. She adores her two daughters, but she'd always thought that at thirty-one she'd be more than a near-divorcee with a dead-end job.In those dark middle-of-the-night moments that come all too often these days, her mind still flicks back to the love of her life: Marc James. And she still wonders whether Alison stole her life as well as her boyfriend. Alison and Catherine have been living separate lives, a hundred miles apart, for fifteen years - since Alison and Marc ran away together. But now Alison's moving back to Farmington, the town in which they both grew up. And they're about to find out just how different both their lives could still be..."

I'd like to big up Rowan because we used to live in the same town, her Dad was T's godfather and she very kindly came to Child #3's Christening with her wonderful family. She's lovely! But most importantly I would just like to say that Rowan is a truly gifted, witty and clever writer. She writes for women and young girls. Some would describe it as ChickLit some would call it a Romantic Novel - whatever your particular turn of phrase - she writes with warmth, humour and intelligence. For the younger woman (my daughter's 10) her Ruby Parker books are a huge hit with Child #2 who generally doesn't go in much for reading. Any author who can persuade a reluctant reader to settle down with a book is a treasure as far as I'm concerned.

So if you fancy a good girly read, why not pick one up. Apparently Waterstones are doing a 2 for 1 on Rowan Coleman books at the moment!

Best of Luck Rowan! And now that it's finally published is there any chance you could let me know what happens on Day 8?

I've Been Tagged!

So last night pjd snuck in and tagged me. I have to come up with 6 random things about myself. Well I've been thinking about this since last night and I've come to the conclusion that I'm quite a Dull Doris. I did consider making it all up ... ah my Walter Mitty lifestyle ... but that would be cheating!

The rules:
a. Link to the person who tagged you.
b. Post the rules on your blog.
c. Write six random things about yourself.
d. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
e. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment at their blog.
f. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.


So this is 6 random things about me.

1: I once worked on a rock video for Metallica doing talkback (that's the headphones with mics that all the techie folk wear in order to get direction during a show). It was completely pointless because the rig was so loud we couldn't hear a thing anyway. It was filmed in Wembley Arena just before a concert called Clash of The Titans. It was a Thrash Metal Extraviganza! Also on the bill were Suicidal Tendencies and Megadeath (actually the video might have been their's - lousy memory!). All the band members I met were lovely, courteous and gentle people. The music was awful! I was backstage for the concert, behind the rig, wearing ear plugs and ear defenders and I still had tinnitus for a week afterwards!

2: I went to the same secondary school as Richard Harris. (Not Hogworts!) Obviously not at the same time!

3: I do not have a gall bladder.

4: I have a BSc in physics even though I loathe the subject and really can't remember much about it! I still love science though and I have subscriptions to New Scientist and National Geographic.

5: I did not learn to cycle a bike till I was 17.

6: My first pop-star crush was Donny Osmond - I was 4!

This is the hard bit because almost everyone I know has been tagged already...uuuum I got 5...

i) Absolute Vanilla
ii) Her Indoors
iii) Sympathy for The Moon
iv ) To Taste a Peach
v) Barrie Summy


I look forward to reading some random things about you guys if you want to take up the challenge!

Sunday Sunny Sunday!

The weather was so gorgeous yesterday that when we got up we went to the garden and pretty much stayed there for the morning. My Hubby, T, gave all the bikes an over-haul ready for a summer of cycling (although we still have to work out how to manage with Child #3 who's only 4 and can't cycle yet). Child #1's bike fared worst needing two new inner tubes but my fabulous 16 year old wonder is still in fine fettle! While T toiled away, my VIP guest and I sat in the warm sunshine chatting and generally commenting on how fabulous it all was. My tummy was churning a wee bit still but was so much better than the previous day it didn't bring me down at all. At about midday I started on The Sunday Roast which was ready for 2pm and went down really well. So good in fact - I even had an ikkle bit of pudding! After dinner we decided there was nothing for it but to drive up to the top of The South Downs and have a gander at the scenery.

How disappointing then that as we started to ascend to the top a great haze came in and the view was shrouded in mist. Even so the place was beautiful. I just wish we could have seen it all!

Still there was something about the light!

Amazing to think actually got a bit sunburnt in the morning!

First Post!

Welcome! Welcome! to the new look blog of JaneyV. I'm a bit all over the place at the moment. I have lovely guests from Ireland and I'm a bit under the weather. I thought it was just a bit too much wine on Wednesday night (when the lovely rellies came) leaving me a bit frail but as we're into the third day and I'm still nauseous and er... dodgy (I'll spare you the detail!), I'm guessing that there may be a little tummy bug acting the git in my system. Still I've had a dose of Andrews Liver Salts now which is a kill or cure medication so hopefully I'll get my appetite back soon.

If you've ever read The Secret, Rhonda Byrne's theory is that by letting your mind dwell on any particular thing and giving your energy to it, you draw it into your life. I guess reading and re-reading my poem on gastric discomfort has obviously not done me any good then. I must put a warning on it the next time I publish. Sincere apologies to anyone who may have been adversely affected.

On the news front, any budding comedians out there should check out Ello's competition. I'll give it a try if my tummy lets up! In the meanwhile I'd better get my act together and show my guest some hospitality!