@adadcalledspen, Author at Zeit My Geist

Mar 11, 2016

The words for this week’s spelling test are…

What do the words mendacious, jocular, desultory, insouciant and furtive mean to you? For some it might mean their ex-husbands, but not for us at Chez Us. The words for this week’s spelling test are… Yep. Seriously. I put this to Twitter the other night, in the following way: I received a number of responses, from parents, from those in the teaching profession and from some who’re both, and all seemed rather surprised that these words were in a spelling test for 9 – 10 year olds. Should we be? Should this be so surprising? Do you think this is…

Mar 10, 2016

Who the f*** do you think you are?

I don’t know if it’s something one does when one gets to a certain age but I signed up to a website which allows you to search public records to find your family history. For a free, two-week trial period I can search millions of records, including census records, birth, marriage and death certificates, immigration documentation and much much more. I can piece together my family’s history and, through research and investigation, watch my family tree grow before my very eyes. Or something like that. As I was growing up I didn’t pay a great deal of attention to the whos…

Mar 05, 2016

Put it away for Mothers Day

Imagine someone who’d go out with their nearest and dearest, loved ones, friends and family, and then get their phone out and spend that precious time checking Facebook? Difficult isn’t it? WHO WOULD BE SO INCONSIDERATE? I mean, what’s so effing important that you’d not be able to keep your effing phone in your effing pocket for the duration of a meal? This week I found out that Beefeater are bringing in a ‘No Phone Zone’ in their restaurants for Mother’s Day, in response to research that states ‘constantly checking phones at the table’ is the number one behaviour that can…

Mar 03, 2016

Is this a new golden age of television?

Media Technologies Concept as a Video Wall Background

This post was inspired by reading Carl at A Blokes Eye View who wrote about his favourite TV shows. I’ve wanted to do something along those lines for some time and, as there’s so much good stuff on, a new golden age of television drama no less, now seems like the best time to do so. What am I watching and loving? Well I’m glad you asked that question… The Wire. Okay, so it’s old but I never saw it first time round so it’s all new to me. Sky Atlantic have repeated it from the start and we’re up to season 4. Each…

Mar 02, 2016

The joy of socks

Multicoloured socks in a box on a wooden table in front of the window

Had one of those days when it seemed like the chores wouldn’t end. You know? Tuesday morning I went out to my swimming lesson. Loyal readers of my drivel will know I’ve started swimming lessons and I’m pleased to report all is going well. Teri has me swimming across the pool without one of those polystyrene noodle things some people call woggles or sausages. This is more swimming than I’ve done in 34 years. Okay, so I ingested half the pool and got overtaken by Elaine, a grandmother in her 70’s, but it’s progress. I got home, had lunch and decided to sit…

Feb 26, 2016

Happy feet

Last week I found the courage to deal with something that’s been bugging me all my life. My feet. My horrible, Hobbitty, cracked and ugly feet. Over the years I’ve spent a fortune on creams, balms, balsams and unguents, all promising baby soft feet, and guaranteeing to remove the dreadfully painful and utterly disgusting hard skin on my heels. I’ve pumiced, scraped, grated and sliced at it and used the creams, all to no end. I somehow ended up with these. People of a nervous disposition please look away now. I don’t take pictures of my feet, just in case…

Feb 11, 2016

What do you think of Valentine’s Day?

It’s time to crank the Barry White up to 11 and talk about LOVE. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we at ZmG HQ have asked some of our friends what Valentine’s Day means to them. It ain’t all crotchless panties, a romantic meal à deux at Taco Bell and anal beads you know? Kate Tunstall tells us; Historically, Valentine’s has always meant a weekend away. I’m not a fan of the clichéd romantic getaway, just because it’s mawkish and that’s not really me. But, it so happens February 14th falls bang between mine and my hubby’s birthdays. So we’ve…

Feb 05, 2016

In At The Deep End

As regular readers might know, I’m on a health kick because I’m terrified of dying at the age of 63, like most of my family. This being the case I’ve decided to take on another form of exercise, a sporting activity unusual to me. I’ve decided to learn to swim. Now, before you all stand up and shout ‘WHAT? YOU CAN’T SWIM?’ let me explain how and why I can’t. There are good reasons. Mum could swim. Like a fish. Sadly that wasn’t the only ichthyic quality she possessed as she could drink like one too, but I digress. Mum…

Jan 14, 2016

When did I suddenly get so old?

I’ve got to face the facts. I’m old. I’m not getting old. I simply somehow got old. And to be honest I don’t like it very much. This is my first blog post of the year for ZmG and, I don’t know about you, but the first post of a new year always feels like a hard one to get out, as the actress said to the Bishop. It’s like the Christmas break robs you of inspiration, makes you hypercritical of your abilities, and you sit and question whether to ever put fingers to keyboard again. Surely a New Year…

Dec 14, 2015

The most important decision any parent will make.

The most important decision we make for our children isn’t their name, nor choosing whether to feed them by bottle or breast. It isn’t which school to send them to, nor when to teach them about sex or savings or both. No. The most important decision any parent will make when bringing up a child is the order in which the child should watch the Star Wars movies. By the way, if your child hasn’t seen them yet, it’s all about to go off like a frog in a sock as the new movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, comes…

Posts Written By@adadcalledspen