The hint

If you didn't get the anagram of orchestra, this picture should help. Got it yet?

A mixed up orchestra

Regular readers of this blog will know how much I love anagrams. The best kind of anagram is when a whole word makes another whole word. Here's an example but I won't post the answer until tomorrow. So what whole word can you make out of the word ORCHESTRA?

Comfort Food

I met someone today who says she can give up cakes, biscuits, puddings etc. but not crisps. It made me think. What would I have difficulty giving up? I've decided it would be tinned rice pudding. I love the stuff, especially on these cold wintery days. It is the highlight of the evening meal to open up a tin of rice pudding. Not necessarily this Ambrosia sort. In fact the cheap 19p a tin variety are fine by me. But I must have it hot with a spoonful of jam at the bottom of the bowl and demerara sugar sprinkled on top. Yum! That's my comfort food.

Is it snowing?

This is the only thing anyone is interested in today. Especially school children. And is the school closed?

For others, it raises concerns about travel to and from work, hospitals, shops and family.

I don't mind whether it snows or not and what is or isn't closed or cancelled. What I find so hard is the not knowing. All this looking out of the window and trying to guess what it will be like in 8 hours time is driving me mad. And all this checking forecasts and websites. Ah well, it keeps us trusting doesn't it?

"I know the plans I have for you....." Well, I am glad someone does!

Smelly!

I learnt today that the sense of smell is one of the most neglected aspects of education. It is a well-known fact that the more senses you use to learn something, the better you will remember it; eg. background music, reading, writing etc. will all help you reproduce information. So learning algebra with a background lavender smell for example could help you remember the work next time you smell lavender.

One way the sense of smell can be used in school apparently is in the lost property box. Children faced with a pile of identical red jumpers all without names sewn in can smell which one belongs to them and may even be able to identify the owners of some of the others!

Fair hotchin'

Does anyone out there know the phrase "Fair Hotchin'" ? My Dad who is from Lincoln used to
say that to mean a busy crowd of people. Well we had our open house today and although the crowd of happy friends didn't look quite like this picture, the phrase "Fair hotchin'" sprang to mind. Thanks to everyone who came.

The Parcel

The New Year has arrived on my doorstep like a parcel.

I am excited and want to open it all at once but the instructions are to open it one day at a time.

I hope it has good things. I know there will be some special birthdays and a significant anniversary. There's a new job to discover too. And precious friendships to deepen. But what else is there in the parcel?

I can prod it, sniff it and rattle it but must be patient. One day at a time.

Thank you God for the gift of a New Year. Help me to open each day remembering that you are the giver of all good things.