An enjoyable distraction

Today we went to our nephew's sixth birthday party, and it was such a relief to be able to spend a couple of hours forgetting our stress and worries to just focus on this little boy who we adore.

Yesterday was his actual birthday, but the party was held today at the local bowling alley. About eight of his class mates had been invited along with two little cousins and the eight year old daughter of a close family friend. When we arrived the kids were already bowling (if you can call just dropping the five pin bowling ball and letting it run where it may...lol) and truly enjoying themselves. The scores weren't bad considering that most of them had never bowled before today! After the bowling was done we all withdrew into a party room where pizza and pop was quickly demolished because the serious business had to begin! Gifts were then presented and opened in such noisy excitement and Jackson was truly spoiled.....what else is new? A large birthday cake was then put in front of him and we all gathered around to watch him blow out his six candles. The cake was absolutely delicous...I ate a far bigger slice than what I had intended, but it was worth feeling the sugar rush afterwards! Chocolate with cherries in the middle and lots of cream topping to die for!

Sometimes I think the reason we moved to Windsor is that we had to be in this place so that we could share in the life of this little boy. We have another nephew, Michael, but he lives in the States and we rarely get to see him....about three or four times a year, and then when we do, we have to share his time with the rest of the family. We rarely get time alone with him. When Jackson was born we were at the hospital within two hours of his birth! I held him for the first time when he was two hours old, and my husband and I were the first ones to babysit him when he was only one week old! Up till he turned four years old and started Montessori Kindergarten, we saw him every single week, babysitting at least one night a week, and having him with us sometimes overnight or even for just a couple of hours while his Mother went shopping. Whenever I would get the call I would drop everything, change plans, do whatever it took to make sure I spent time with this precious little boy. For two Summers running, he would come to our house for one full day each week while his mother worked at a part-time job. We shared babysitting rota's with his two Grandmothers. This boy never knew what it was to have a non family member babysitting him! This is the way I was raised and I love that Jackson is having the same type of experiences. As a result we are very close to him, and I know that even though one day he will be much less involved in our lives, I would hope that he will always remember his times spent with his Uncle and Aunt. Happy Birthday Jackson!

This day in history

If you're my age or older or even a bit younger, you probably have often been asked "Where were you when JFK was killed?"......and most people can probably tell you and seem to remember that day as if it was yesterday and yet it's hard to believe that today marks 45 years since that terrible event! On November 22nd, 1963 I was 19 years old. My friends and I were not really into Politics at that time but when John Fitzgerald Kennedy had become the new American President just about three years before we all had sat up and taken notice. He was young, (for a President), handsome, charismatic and had a glamorous wife and family. He seemed to have it all. On top of that we saw him as a sign of hope for better things to come in the World. He was different to the usual fuddy duddy older Politicians that we had in Britain at that time! We wished he was our Prime Minister. We watched him on the TV as he gave his speeches in places like Berlin and London, and we were full of hope for peace and prosperity and equality in the World. So it was with great shock and disbelief that on the Friday night of November 22nd we learned of the assasination in Dallas. I was at home getting ready to go out with friends to our usual Friday night haunt...a jazz club in Newcastle. As I was getting ready my Mother was watching a popular TV program 'Double Your Money' (a quiz type show) and I was half listening to it. Around 7:15pm (British time is five hours ahead of the Eastern United States) the program was interrupted by a BBC announcer........."the news is just coming in that John Kennedy, President of the United States has been shot....we will bring you further information as we get it...we return you now to the program already in progress"......I came dashing out of my bedroom and asked my Mother had I heard right, and she said yes! Just then the program was cut into again and the announcer came back on and told us all the terrible news and immediately the program was switched to the newsroom, and so began the constant 'updates' and reports from reporters as fast as the technology would allow in those days! Finally when they told us that in fact the President had died......my mother and I just looked at each other and cried! About an hour or so later I was with my friends, Marilyn and Marie, and as we walked to the bus stop to catch the bus into Newcastle, the assassination was the total topic of conversation! When we went into the Jazz Club that seemed to be all that people were talking about. Everyone was in shock! Some seemed to think there would be trouble over this, some even mentioned the possibility of War.....maybe it was the Cubans, maybe it was the Communists, maybe it was just a 'one off' crazy man....constant speculation. Of course 45 years later there is still no clear answer and we will probably never know! It won't be till long after that this generation....my generation....the ones who remember...are dead that the truth will come out! Who knows? Little did we know that JFK would not be the only good and decent man to be gunned down by a madman...or a bunch of madmen......within five years John's brother Robert would be gone just a short time after the great Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King! Gone but not forgotten. Now we have another charismatic, intelligent, handsome and articulate man preparing to step into the Presidential shoes and I pray to God that he will be kept safe. Surely this time peace, truth and hope can survive?!

Remember, remember the 5th of November........

Immortalized in this nursery rhyme, the Gunpowder Plot is introduced early into the young minds of children throughout the United Kingdom. Remember, remember the fifth of November, Gunpowder treason and plot. We see no reason Why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! Guy Fawkes, guy, t'was his intent To blow up king and parliament. Three score barrels were laid below To prove old England's overthrow. By god's mercy he was catch'd With a darkened lantern and burning match. So, holler boys, holler boys, Let the bells ring. Holler boys, holler boys, God save the king. And what shall we do with him? Burn him! This day brings back so many happy memories for me. As children we knew this to be 'Bonfire Night' which meant bonfires built in back gardens, on spare pieces of ground and fireworks as soon as it got dark! For days leading up to this day it was a common sight to see boys and girls with their home made effigies of Guy Fawkes standing on street corners yelling out "penny for the guy!" Whatever little money was given to them (usually small amounts) was then spent on fireworks and eagerly taken home to wait for the big night! In the days and weeks before the big event gangs of children would be seen carrying any kind of offerings such as old clothes, mattresses, wood and anything they could get their hands on to build what they hoped would be bigger bonfires to rival other groups in the neighbourhood! Of course there would be rivalries and as such a lot of 'stealing' from other bonfires carried out under darkness while 'lookouts' were posted! (Darkness sets in early in the North of England in November!) On the actual night, the Guy Fawkes effigies would be raised to the top of the bonfire and the fathers would set light to the fire. We then would stand around the bonfire in little huddles, and then the excitement of the fireworks would begin. My friends and I would be holding our 'sparklers' while annoying boys in the group would set of 'jumping jacks'.....a firework that would scoot along the ground making us all jump out of the way. There was lots of 'ooohhs' and 'aaahhhs' as all the other fireworks were set off, and then the food came out! Mother's would bring out trays of potatoes which were tossed around the base of the bonfire into the glowing embers, and if we were really lucky that year, hot dogs were also roasted in the fire! Nothing beats standing around a roaring bonfire on a cold November night, watching fireworks, munching on blackened potatoes and hot dogs and drinking Tizer (a popular soft drink of the day)....and knowing that up and down the country the same thing was happening and most kids would go home happy, full, and plotting for next November 5th! These days the back garden bonfires have usually given way to more large public displays of fireworks with giant bonfires built on open land for whole communities. Still it's comforting to know that the tradition continues even after more than 400 years! This November 5th will of course be remembered around the World for a different reason! The day after the American Presidential Election which made history. Barack Hussein Obama became the first black President in American history. Today is the first day of the 'Obama Era', (even though he won't be sworn in till January 20, 2009) and already the emotions that this has evoked is so evident. People are feeling more hopeful and positive that maybe we will see better things to come not only for the USA but for the rest of the World too. I'm so happy to be alive to see this day happen. I congratulate our American friends to have the courage to make real change! So....remember remember the 5th of November..............! http://www.bonfirenight.net/remember.php (I've posted a link to a website that explains the history behind the traditions of Guy Fawkes Day)