A ROUND BLOGGING LETTER

It's traditional at this time of year to send a Round Robin Letter to friends and family you've not been in touch with for a while...so here's my Round Blogging letter...to let all my blog pals know that I'm thinking of them and wishing you all a truly Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years.

My studies are going really well and I really enjoy University.....I just hope I can continue there!!! I'm struggling financially to stay on..........we are lucky in England to have a Benefits system...but it seems ludicrous that I can stay at home doing nothing and receive money to live on plus get my rent and council tax paid...yet if I go to Uni all my student loan gets me is enough to pay my rent!...and Babergh District Council (unlike other student's councils) still expect me to pay full council tax!!!! But I mustn't complain..... I'm sure many have been hit by the recession that we are all going through.

So let's put that behind me ....'cos it's CHRISTMAS!!!!.....time to worry about that in the New Year.

So first of all a bit of 'own trumpet blowing'.....I was the only one to get a '1' for an assignment...Yahoo!!! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks????

To be honest I'm quite boring at the moment....all I do is READ!!!!....everything I'm learning is so fascinating....I'm reading everything I can get my hands on!

I did have a brilliant trip to London to see the Capa photography exhibition and a a play about Thomas Hobbes at Wilton's Music Hall...you can FEEL the history in the theatre!!!

Typical!!!! it seems I can't upload any more photos...even though I've PAID my Google account....I sometimes think the 'God of Capitalism' is working against me.....and it's put a bit of a damper on this post as I had SOOOOOOO many photos I wanted to show you.

So no photos...no fancy Christmas Wish Glittery animations......................

All I can do is wish all of my blogpals a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and the HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS.....

and to a special blogpal who is recovering from an operation....FORTE!!!!!!

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Father's Day is a special day for everyone! We use this day to honor our fathers all over the world! We celebrate this holiday on the third Sunday in June. A woman named Sonora Smart Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Her father, Henry Jackson Smart, had raised Sonora after her mother died and she wanted him to know how special he was to her.

THUMBS UP

Today is the first Blogaversary of a very special lady; she has been of great support to me and I am proud and honoured to have her as a friend. She has the most marvellous blog in which she shares her life and her wonderful motorbike trips with us all and her sense of humour is BRILLIANT. She is one of those people who, though busy herself, will always find time for others......truly "the salt of the earth".

It was she who instigated the booklet that I received after Mick's sad passing and she who made the Memorial Cards for his funeral...if you haven't seen them click HERE and HERE .

I'm sure most of you realise by now that this lovely lady is Denise....so stick out your thumb; click on the motorbike below and hitch a lift over to her blog.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

The oldest and most important festival in China is called the Spring Festival. Many people call it the Chinese New Year. No matter what you call it, it is a time of celebration for millions of Chinese people all over the world.
The Spring Festival celebrates the Earth coming back to life and the beginning of plowing and planting. Because the Chinese use a lunar calendar, the date of the Spring Festival changes each year. It takes place at some time during the end of January or the beginning of February. This year it falls on February 18, 2007.

WISH SOMEONE HAPPY NEW YEAR IN CHINESE:

Cantonese: Sun Nien Fai Lok ! (Happy New Year)
Cantonese:Gung Hay Fat Choy! (May prosperity be with you)
Mandarin:Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Happy New Year)

2007 is the Year of the Pig (boar) It is also known by its former name of Ding Hai.

I thought that as it was the Chinese New Year I would try growing a lychee from seed as part of the Great Pip Challenge.



In China it is believed that the Lychee nut represents strong family relationships

To read more about the traditions and superstitions of the Chinese New Year click on this icon.