I didn't sleep very well last night so am walking round like a zombie today. I have sent Anna to school despite the very obvious signs that she's coming down with it too. I stuffed her bag full of tissues and cough sweets because she has an after school Eco Club that she's been looking forward to for weeks starting this evening.
However, in the spirit of Fraulein Maria, when the cold strikes, or the bee stings, or whatever, I resolve to concentrate only on good things to cheer myself up.
Firstly, look what Anna and I found in the garden this morning:
This little purple crocus bud is a sign that this hellish Winter is hopefully coming to an end. It's probably a cue for the next load of snow to arrive, but it's an unmistakable declaration of intent from Spring. My favourite season of the year, with cute lambs, leaves and flowers is almost here.
Also this week, I should be getting Sarah Brown's memoir, Behind the Black Door, which is published on Thursday. Whilst I baulk at the idea of giving the likes of Blair and Mandelson any money, I am happy to invest in this one. I am a complete sucker for real life stories of what it's like to live in the White House or Number 10, which is why my bookshelves are full of books by US Presidents and first ladies or children. I couldn't bring myself to buy Cherie Blair's book, but I like Sarah Brown. She's personable, approachable and real and I'm really looking forward to reading her account of her eventful years in Downing Street.
Not that I'll have much time to read it over the weekend as I'm off to Perth for Scottish Lib Dem Conference. This is the first time in 3 years I've been well enough to even contemplate going and I really can't wait. Unfortunately it's only a 2 day event this year, on Friday and Saturday, to encourage people to get back to their campaigns, motivated and invigorated (or tucked up under the duvet, sleep deprived and hungover, more like) on Sunday. There's loads to do, and, of course, all the things I want to go to are on at the same time. My big dilemma is whether to go to the Conference dinner, featuring Alistair Carmichael, or to the Liberal Youth Scotland quiz on Friday night. I love Alistair and he will be so funny that most of the diners will be spontaneously bursting out laughing for days afterwards, but there is a fairly relevant £35 price difference between the two events. The LYS event is apparently legendary, though - a quiz which morphs into a debate about all sorts of stupid things
I am also going to have to get the measuring tape out to see if my Handbag of Awesome, my wonderful, totally perfect for me handbag given to me by one of my best friends for my birthday last year, is small enough to go through the security scanners, a by-product of us being in Government. It is pretty massive, easily big enough to transport all the crap I routinely insist on carrying about with me. It has to be less than 640mm x 430mm. If it isn't, I shall just cry because I don't know what I'll do without it.
Anyway, I now have a hot date with a very large pile of Residents' Surveys so I shall love you and leave you for the moment.
4 comments:
I think the conference might be a sombre affair after the Barnsley by election. Coming 5th behind the BNP etc might be a precursor for total wipeout at the Scottish elections in May.
Whatever happens in Barnsley on Thursday, you might do well to remember that we came 6th behind a save the local football team in Hamilton in 1998 or so and then not long after, were in coalition at Holyrood.
It would be very foolish to write us off.
Well I think your leadership will be worried. There was a local council by election in Angus the other week and the Lib Dem guy got some votes from family and friends but that was about it. I just don't think you realise how low your party is now thought of in Scotland and the UK.
No pledge is too solemn to be dumped.
Mr Huhne's mad scheme to build windmills is now lampooned. During the worst winter for 50 years they all froze and provided next to nothing in energy.
Your love of the EU /ECHR is driving away true democrats.
And when the nation has it's citizens stuck in a despotic country fearing for their lives Nick flies off to ski with his family and forgets he's in charge.
The first priority of our leader is to protect his citizens. He may have washed his hands of Gary McKinnon but he can't do the same with the rest of us.
Sadly "non sandal wearer" (what kind of name is that?) has no evidence to support his/her increasingly frenetic claims about the health of the Liberal Democrats.
I'm pleased to see Caron mentioning the Hamilton by-election and anyone who is getting over-excited about Barnsley would take well to study Hamilton and then what happened at the next couple of national elections after Hamilton.
Despite that I am slightly sad to see Caron, a wise and perseptive blogger, taken in by Sarah Brown's spin. The woman was a master of PR long before she got married and like many other feminists who marry politicians seemed happy to ditch her career for the sake of her husband's.
Post a Comment