Away with the Doldrums

Following the post I wrote last week about my families, I was struck by the serendipity of this article appearing in the Guardian today, written by my delightful and talented Sister in Law.*
She writes and lives with all the zest and courage that her mother had and this article was, for me, a clarion call to get out the oars and row out of the New Year doldrums. Well, paddle out anyway.
It's a fabulously written piece. Enjoy it :)
So, now I'm going to stop whinging (for a day or two) and embark on a giant tidy-up.
Oh and on the subject of books, I've just finished reading Legs Up and Laughing which the lovely Frangelita bought me for Christmas and it's another fantastic read, full of laughter and courage.

One small whinge I must have though.
I want to know who, in their wisdom, decided that dustpans should be redesigned without a cover to stop all the little bouncy and fluffy bits bouncing out over the back of the dustpan, back onto the floor? Yes I know the topless dustpan allows the neat disposition of the dustpan and brush as a stylishly matching pair**, clipped together. But the main purpose of a dustpan, surely, is the efficient disposal of small dry waste from the floor, not to be a design statement? Perhaps I am the only one who hasn't mastered the use of the modern, topless dustpan and brush?
Also, it's much harder to catch a live mouse in the topless variety.
No pics tonight. Picasa is doing something very, very slowly. In fact I think it may not be feeling very well.

Goodnight. And as my children used to say, have lovely dreams and wake up freshed in the morning :)

*See also a Handful of Earth

**Well, no, not really stylish, I mean dustpan? Stylish? No. But with pretensions?