Glad you’ve found me – I live in Scotland with my husband and son. I seem to be stupidly busy so often fail to post regularly instead posts appear during holidays, weekends or the best of all breaks from work – the snow day. It has been said that I’ve blown my pension on stickers and crafty ideas which is true (though I’m sure those 1980s stickers are now collectibles).

Thanks for visiting! Kateri

P.S. All the opinions expressed in the blog are mine and mine alone and they do not represent the thoughts or opinions of the various organisations I’m a member of or work for.

P.P.S. Bahoochie is Scots for bottom, bum or backside. Pronounced ba-hook-ee, it is used in a friendly manner, often with children. Since Scots is a spoken language there are different spellings of bahoochie including bahookie and behouchie.

It was a soggy day so Thorfinn and I had some space related fun. We watched a programme about Tim Peake's space station time, read a book about a space shuttle, made a space mobile and made straw rockets (idea from bug and bunny).

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It is well known amongst the Scottish Lone Rangers that the letter P is the best letter and to prove it I've created a challenge badge. You can get the syllabus here and it includes the order form for the super cute badge designed by moi.

I've become an expert in best laid plans. So far the plans include (but are not limited to):

1. Make my child a Duggee costume (having already given him Squirrel toys this has potential for super cute photos).
2. Family Challenge badges - actually do some of the badges I've bought with my family. Plus this links nicely to the 'Hey Duggee' idea.
3. Make fabric versions of 'Hey Duggee' badges.
4. Watch all the new 'Hey Duggee' episodes (reckon have have at least two still to catch).
5. Stitch badges onto camp blankets (and continue to write up the badge log for child's blanket).
6. Really need to sort out life insurance.
7. Also need to sort out house (in particular my room would be good if I could have an accessible wardrobe again).
8. Wash floors (and get a new mat for back door).
9. Write that story that is in my head down.
10. Make child the photo album of family so he can flip through pics and learn people's names.
11. Christmas - craft, shopping etc do something about that.
12. Blog - write about some of my adventures on blog.
13. Read and stop buying more books until I've made a dent in pile.
14. Have a plan for work with Lone unit and actually do it on time.
15. Sort child toys in a rotation or at least so that it can be tidied away better.
16. Bake cookies with child. (Testing allergy free recipie)
17. Actually plan meals for week and try and eat some as a family (clear table to allow this).
18. Read up on potty training.
19. Eat less, move more.
20. Stop making to do lists and instead do stuff.

Least I would but I can hear my child crying so better make cheering him up the first thing to do.

This Easter holidays we did a family Alphabet Challenge;

A - Art, Thorfinn went to see his first art exhibition (Roy Lichtenstein) with Granny and Mummy.
B - Baking, while Thorfy pretended to mix things in a bowl Mummy made Banana Cake.
C - Chocolate Pancakes (made by Daddy by using Chocolate Oatly)
D - Duplo building
E - Egg rolling (with weighted plastic eggs) and a plastic egg hunt
F - Feeding Dewey - Thorfy really enjoys feeding Dewey and now demands to give him any food Thorfy is done with (lots of carrots suspiciously little banana cake)
G - Giving Easter gifts - Thorfy was enthusiastic about handing these out to the family (not so good at not taking them back)
H - Hey Duggee - new show on Cbeebies that we all adore, Thorfy enjoyed doing a magazine based on it.
I - Inhaler - Thorfy ended up in hospital for a few days with asthma so daily inhaler is now an important part of the routine.
J - Jar shakers - various plastic containers filled with various dried foods = lots of fun and noise
K - Kisses and hugs from Thorfy - proper and unprovoked
L - Lie in for all though not at the same time
M - Making Easter cards
N - Nesting as we clean house and do some spring cleaning
O - Outside, Thorfy loves back garden though can now open gate so new lock required
P - Prawn Crackers - everyone plus rat enjoying
Q - Quiet times enjoying stories
R - Reading many including current favourite 'One Gorilla'
S - Shoes, new proper walking shoes for Thorfinn
T - Trolley fun during Tesco shopping
U - Up and Away as Thorfy masters getting on his feet from the ground without holding anything
V - Visiting family
W - Watterson, Bill - Calvin and Hobbes inspired outfit
X - X in alphabet shaped potato
Y - "Yeah" Thorfy's word of the moment
Z - Zzzz as Thorfinn sleeps through night (mostly)

 

When the S6 left for the last day this note was on the floor crumpled up - I don't know if Fiona ever got cake.

Scottish Society by Alec Morris and Alan Wilson was published in 1986 and was weeded from my library collection in 2011 (it's taken me a few years to share it). Why it was even still there at all is a mystery as it was out of date before I started here. A modern studies book that can legally be as old as the parents of a pupil is less modern studies and more curious historical record.

Turned out devolution wasn't dead. The Scottish people voted for devolution in 1997 and the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999.

The SNP currently hold power in the Scottish Parliament and current predictions suggest at the General Election they will win the majority of UK Scottish seats. There is only one conservative MP in Westminster from Scotland currently (that is one fewer than we now have pandas - something else we didn't have in 1986).

To see more of books which shouldn't be in lending libraries have a look at Awful Library Books blog.

I am a fan of Found who post photos of letters and similar that have been found. Usually what I find lying around isn't worth recording but today I came across something in a drawer in the library that is worth sharing - I have no idea who Amanda is (as the note dates before my time) or if she ever gave the note writer a much desired kiss or if the letter writer really did learn his lesson.

Ingredients
200g gluten free self raising flour. 
100g sugar.
1 level tablespoon of arrowroot.
Splash of oil.
Oatly to mix. 

Method
Mix dry ingredients then add oil and enough oatly to make a batter. Cook in oiled frying pan on medium heat until bubbles form and batter looks like its about to set. Flip and cook on other side until golden brown. Place cooked pancakes in clean tea towel on a plate to keep warm. Once cooled pop in sealed container and eat within 24hours.

Caught Reading at Work

I set a challenge for staff and pupils to read 10 books this term so here are my 10 or so. One quick note - I haven't listed every book I've read Thorfinn (though I did make a rule in the challenge that for every five picture books you could count it as a book). The reason I didn't count Thorfinn stories was partly I didn't need to and partly because we read at least four a night so it would have filled up the list pretty fast.

 

 

1. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
I love this book it is the umpteenth reading but the first time in eBook form.

2. No.1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
I really enjoyed this. I tried before but found it too slow , this time I loved escaping a dreary winter to Botswana and the way the seemingly irrelevant stories wove together into a captivating mystery.

3. Horrible Histories: The Big Fat Christmas Book by Terry Deary
I liked the idea of this one chapter for each of the twelve days of Christmas. It made an interesting daily read post Christmas.

4. As You Wish by Cary Elwes
I love the Princess Bride and Elwes tales of his experiences making the movie made for an enjoyable and diverting read.

5. Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy
I love this Whitehouse Chef series, I didn't like this story as much as previous books in the series (I think because it wasn't in the White House so much and was less about cooking) but it was still a fun read.

6. Quantum and Woody vol.1: The World's Worst Superhero Team by James Asmus and Tom Fowler
I liked this graphic novel, bits made me smile and I liked the two unlikely heroes. I would happily read more.

7. Supernatural: Bobby Singer's Guide to Hunting by David Reed
Set around season 5 its a entertaining read for a fan of the show.

8. Wonder Woman/Superman vol.1: Power Couple by Charles Soule and Tony Daniel
I wasn't crazy about this imagining of the famous pair but what bugged most was reference to action other series in the All New 52 leaving me with the feeling I missed a page of text.

9. Calvin and Hobbes: Weirdos From Another Planet by Bill Watterson
I adore Calvin and Hobbes and this could well be my favourite of the collections. I loved reading this again as a mum, it opens up a whole new layer to the strips I'd missed as a kid.

10. 1411 QI Facts to Knock You Sideways by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson
As always a quite interesting read.

11. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexis
An interesting read, I love his writing tone and the insight into Native American culture and reality.

12. I Told You I was Ill: The Last Words of the Rich and Famous by Maria Pritchard
This was a fun bathroom read. Interesting trivia on a very wide mix of people.

13. Popular: vintage wisdom for a modern geek by Maya Van Wagenen
Maya decides to try out a 1950s popularity guide to try and improve her Middle School experience. This is a great story, it was really enjoyable to read and rather inspiring. Plus she loves libraries and librarians!

Here is Thorfinn's favourite banana loaf recipe, he loves it so much he tries to fit a whole slice in his mouth at once.

Mummy's Banana Loaf

Makes 1 Loaf (Dairy-free, egg-free, soya-free, wheat-free, barley-free)

Ingredients

• 285g/10oz Doves Farm Gluten Free Plain White Flour
• 1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2tsp salt
• 225g/8oz Caster Sugar (granulated works fine as well)
• 1/4tsp Xanthan Gum
• 110g/4oz Dairy Free Margarine (I use Vitalite )
• egg replacement equivalent to 2 eggs (I use 'Orgran No Egg' ).
• 4 mashed overripe bananas (you can do it with ripe but you need to do a lot more mashing)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Line a loaf tin with a silicone wrapper (or grease it).
• Mix dry ingredients together
• Mix in Dairy Free Margarine - you can cream sugar and margarine together separately but I find it doesn't make any difference.
• Add egg replacement equivalent to 2 eggs.
• Add 4 mashed overripe bananas.
• Mix it all together (if it does need more liquid you can add Oatly or another milk replacement but I find its OK without).
• Pour into lined loaf tin and bake for an hour or until golden brown and cooked through.
• Remove from from tin and cool on rack.
• Nom!

Thorfinn is now 18 months old and it has been both the longest and shortest 18 months of my life. The time flies by but days seem twice as long - partly because they are since I am still getting less than eight hours sleep. Despite being awake for longer I am achieving less in terms of my interests - as the 12 month gap in posts may suggest. A good day is one where we are all dressed, fed, watered and out and about.

Since today is Mother's Day it seems like a opportune time to share what I've learned thus far:

1. Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell cannot come in enough variations or copies.

2. It is a good idea to pick a bedtime book that you like, since if you go down the idea of reading one book to signal this is the last story you have to read it a lot!

3. Like dogs, children like to vomit on carpet.

4. If no carpet is available they will vomit on you.

5. The only thing worse than a poo of doom is a sneaky bath poo when there are bubbles masking it from sight.

6. Teething = drool - crazy quantities.

7. You can't have too many bottles of baby paracetamol (or adult cold and flu medicine) in the house.

8. You can have too much laundry to do in a day, generated over the course of one day.

9. If seeing friends (complete with your child) be prepared with plenty of snacks and distractions for child.

10. If your child is allergic to eggs, dairy, wheat, barley and soya it is still possible to make them pancakes and have them taste like normal pancakes.

Motherhood continues to throw challenges at me. These past two months have seen me and Thorfinn go dairy free, he has start weaning and his interest and interaction with the world around continues to develop in leaps and bounds. I think my favourite development is laughter (proper giggles that started around five 1/2 months).

We also had a naming ceremony - a lovely afternoon with family and friends where my Dad formally introduced Thorfinn to the family. While Clair and Chris agreed to be Odd Parents (well if the shoe fits ... :P )

We asked everyone to write something for Thorfinn - "a book he should read, a place he should go, a thing he should do, anything at all as long as it comes from you." Which has resulted in a lovely selection of thoughts ideas and doodles.

So as is now becoming a feature here are the things I have learned since I last posted:

1. Bourbon cream biscuits are dairy free (as are Party Rings, Oreos and Jammy Dodgers).

2. Any activity now takes twice as long - except your shower/dressing that has to take less time.

3. I am really excited at only being woken at 6am - less so if woken at 1am, 4am...

4. There is also something very exciting about having the evening again now Thorfinn is off to bed about 8pm. If only we could get it as a regular thing!

5. Fisher Price Little People can indeed be cleaned in dishwasher but you need to pierce the base of them with a barbeque scewer to get all that pesky water out.

6. Sometimes only a mummy hug will do.

7. Five months seems to be the point where babies become properly interactive fun and the possibilities for crafty fun expand.

8. Real food = real poo :(

9. I am enjoying beginning to wear non-breast feeding friendly clothes again (six months will be enough for me plus with Thorfinn's dairy intolerance I really miss cheese).

10. You cannot have too many bibs - food and drool mean constant changing.

Right so it turns out it is really hard to do anything save care for Thorfinn. Not that he doesn't sleep but the breaks are short. In the beginning I was too shattered and now he doesn't want to sleep too long in case he misses something. Not that I need to hold him but I have noticed if I walk away to do something a wee cry goes up when he realises.

Here are 10 things I've learned so far:

1. You can't have too many nappies - Thorfinn can go through 14 in a day! (He is very sensitive to being damp).

2. Rat ownership is a useful introduction as over the years we have had to use eye drops, trim nails and inject medicine into mouths. Since we can do things on a small scale the process on Thorfinn seems easy in comparison.

3. If the nappy is off a pee is imminent - all the literature says how great it is for the baby to have some nappy free time but it's worth having some cleaning spray (again something useful with rats) on hand! Also don't leave the clean nappy too close or you will waste it as the pee will hit it (along with the new outfit you just laid out).

4. Being up, dressed (you and child) plus both of you fed for the day (you getting all three meals) is an achievement. (I have had to reduce expectations on what can be done in a day rather a lot).

5. The kettle boiling triggers the need to feed. I never thought getting a hot cup of tea would be such an exciting and rare thing.

7. Nature hasn't quite got it sussed as it takes around 6 weeks before you get a smile - but it is a joyful thing when he starts to smile when he recognises you.

8. For eczema buy some Scratch Sleeves (you need three pairs - one to wear, one in the wash and one waiting to be worn). These are amazing and save me worrying he'll claw his face in the night (or day when I turn my back).

9. Your medicine cabinet needs to contain Gripe Water (for puggy pains) and saline nasal spray (for a cold). Another benefit of rats is we had spare syringes to be able to inject the gripe water into his mouth. Trying to do it with a 5ml spoon was just too hard.

10. Costumes brighten any day - if you can dress the baby as a panda, dinosaur or even Marty McFly the day is already awesome.

Oh and the Delorian is my only crafty output so far. It's made of felt and has a squeaker.

Well after 41 weeks O finally arrived after 16 hours of labour, forceps and an epidural, Tom was the one who revealed the sex - male - and got the first cuddle. Weighing in at 7 lbs and 9 oz, Thorfinn and I got an extended stay in hospital but we are both doing well now.

The support of the Midwives and the rest of the labour/ post-natal staff was brilliant. I had issues breast feeding as Thorfinn had to be formula fed at first due to jaundice so he took a bit of time to get the idea of working for his meal. I got loads of support and encouragement from everyone and (as I was doing a formula/breast milk combination) a lot of help. So a massive thanks to everyone who helped (especially those that pulled the night-time feed/ changes when I was at my lowest).

Well our wee boy is nearly two weeks old and life is beginning to get a rhythm of sorts so I thought it a good time to reflect on five things I wish I'd known/ realised before labour:

1. Breast feeding isn't as easy as the DVD suggested.

When you are producing less colostrum than you give antibiotics to a rat, it is frankly a depressing activity. Hard work and support may well let you continue (as I found) but when you are exhausted it does seem like a hard option for something that is supposed to be so natural. If you can do it though it does become rewarding (though you do feel like a cow at points when demand feeding).

2. An epidural is a good thing.

Getting an injection in your spine sounds scary and the 'things that can go wrong' speech they have to give doesn't make it sounds less so but it sure does help with uncontrollable pain. When I was first admitted I got gas and air but because the contractions were so constant I found it almost impossible to get fresh air. This meant I vomited like something from The Exorcist after about two hours (I really don't recommend that especially as it then requires you to get out of the bed and go for a shower and get re-dressed, all without pain medication). The epidural allowed me to focus (things like pushing require you to concentrate) and answer important questions (like can you sign this document saying we can take you to surgery) or take on information (the baby is at the wrong angle we need to move it with forceps). It did make me shake and I had to have a catheter but that was a small price to pay for the relief and comfort it brought.

3. The hospital bag list didn't tell me...

That when it says an outfit for the baby, the best option is a front opening sleep suit and a short sleeved base layer (saves you trying to pull multiple layers down little arms). Front opening is great as Thorfinn didn't like having his head shoved into outfits, the doctors could get easy access to feet to check his tags and it is much easier to fit over a tiny hand with a cannula. Oh and pack on the assumption you'll be kept in for 2 days, although Tom was allowed in every day between 8am and 8pm he was so shattered the first day that the spare clothes he brought were a rather random mix.

4. it also forgot to mention...
That you want to pack at least a pair of baby socks even if you have packed an outfit that doesn't need them. These can be used as scratch mits or to protect a cannula - allowing doctors easy access but preventing baby from pulling at it. It does not stop baby from hitting themselves in the face with it - swaddling does that. Oh and some bibs won't go amiss espcially if you do end up formula feeding.

5. Pack a notebook and pen
This was one of the most useful things I packed. Thorfinn had eyes that needed cleaned and antibiotic drops, nappy changes, formula feeds plus I had to express what little I was producing and all of that needed a range of resources, plus set timing. Writing down the times and lists of what I needed to be able to feed etc. meant I felt I had some control and was sure I wouldn't forget anything as sleep is a luxury and I certainly was doing well if I had 3 hours a night when we were in.

I'm at the stage now where it's very much just a case of sleeping and waiting for O to put in an appearance. We've even got to the stage that the spare room is now being referred to as 'the baby room'. Mostly as it's now fully set up complete with my homemade Ikea rat mobile :) Inspired by Pinterest we used Ikea picture ledges and my picture book collection - plus the few books O has been given so far. Not all the toys on the shelves are O's as some are from my collection but I'm working on the theory we can replace mine with O's as he/she gets more.

 (The Batman poster is from Tie Dye Jedi and the rat sun catcher is by Diomo Glass)

On top of this we also have a moses basket. It's a family heirloom - Gran used it for Mum, Mum used it for me and my sister and it's been loaned to various other family members over the years (Gran reckons it's had about 7 babies in it to date). Anyway as a present for O, Mum and Dad have done it up, complete with new mattress, sheets, lining and quilt. It looks amazing!

 

Of course Mum isn't stopping at one quilt project. She's also given O an beautiful quilt for the pram as well! (These photos really don't do justice to just how lovely Mum's work is).

So after the baby shower I still had some onsies and bibs (the plan changed at the event so we didn't use that many). So I decided I should pimp them so O has some awesome geek fun.

I did some free hand and some using stencils - I can't claim credit for the ideas as I hit my stencil board on Pinterest, Googled for librarian ideas, set images, Ratatoullie came from Poster.Inspired on Etsy and took inspiration from Mental Floss t-shirts.

I also did some other baby grows (what can I say it's addictive and I think it may be my version of nesting - window cleaning sure as heck isn't).

I had a Perry the Platypus stencil I really wanted to use but it was too large to fit on the front (I know I could have sorted it but I was impatient to get the project done - after all who knows when O will make an appearance) so instead I did it as a wrap around - I think it works quite well.

However, my favourite are these three Star Trek inspired baby grows.

I made a stencil of the badge, used gold fabric paint and then used black pen to add the detail and colour in the collar. I've even ordered some black trousers to complete the outfit. Tom reckons I'll need to make some mini skirts if O is a girl :)

My sister threw me a baby shower - it was a lovely afternoon and basically was just a great excuse for tea, cake and for me and my friends to get together.

At the end everyone decorated a bib for O. Given I hadn't warned anyone this was happening it was fun to see what everyone did. Plus it'll be a fun memory to think about as I switch out the bibs on O.

June saw me stitch a pile of critters - a birthday pressie and five thank you's for the library monitors.

The needlefelted Cthulhu is a favourite of the batch I think, though I really like how the leopard turned out.

On one hand not much - still pregnant (due in the next two weeks) but on the other hand life has been pretty hectic. Clair and I decided to put the 4D challenge on the back burner, odds on we'll do something similar in the future but right now neither of us can fit it in.

That is part of the reason I've not been blogging but a bigger reason is I don't know where this blog is going. I don't know how much of O's life I want to share online, I'm not sure where I'm going or how life will change and I'm not sure what I want to share.

On the plus side I have been crafting so I can share that :)

The Lones residential was Dr.Who themed so I had to make a themed costume - given my growing size that left me with limited options so I went with a Dalek.

I used a blue dress I already had, pinned on some ribbon for the white stripes and safety pinned on large pom-poms for the half circles. Now I realise better versions have been made (not least by one of the Lones) but this has the advantage of being a version you can sit down in and adjust to accommodate the growing bump. The outfit is finished off with a plunger, whisk and a hairband with two plastic shot glasses glued on.

"Miss, what does Fascism mean?" asks pupil A. I explain the meaning to pupil A.

Pupil A then yells "I am not a fascist, you fanny!" across the library at the bloke who apparently just called her a fascist.

"No-one around here knows what fascist means." pupil B in response to another pupil asking me what it meant.

"You know how you just said no-one knows what fascist means? I just realised there is book here." Says pupil C lifting up book called 'Facisim' complete with picture of Hitler on cover.

"Yes and in typical fashion no-one has read it." - me.

"That looks like Hitler!" says pupil D.

"It is Hitler!" says pupil C.

March was probably the busiest month this year so far, finally got to a stage of regular exhaustion - my pregnancy, save for the growing indigestion issue and my girth, all seems to be going well. Though the 20 week scan was a bit disappointing since the baby was spine to the camera. Still second chance in April since they couldn't get all the measurements they needed. Fingers crossed we get to see more baby then.

So how did I do with the 4D challenge this month?

1. Blog a photo montage - see above

M - Musicals and theatre - saw the school show, a Gilbert and Sullivan and The Importance of Being Ernest.
A - All decked out for Easter fun
R - Red Nose day fun at school
C - Cocktails (non-alcoholic) and one of the two nights I helped with Senior Section stuff locally.
H - Hard to believe it's spring due to lots of snowy mornings

2. Read the same book - mutual choice - cheesy crime. We read Button Holed by Kylie Logan, Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy and Affairs of Steak also by Julie Hyzy. Very enjoyable, silly and totally gripping.

3. Earn a badge - yeah I totally failed this but I did sew a pile of the ones I had got on to my camp blanket.

4. Craft – I made the Zombie goodies for the Lones newsletter (tic-tacs and a bar of chocolate) based on an idea from Crack Two. Plus I made a Blockbuster game for a DofE session I ran (went down really well).

5. Try something new – I attended a school show - first in 8 years. It won't be my last.

6. Exercise Challenge – Pelvic floor exercises count right?

Catch what Clair did this month here

Me: Who painted The Mona Lisa?

S2 pupil: Leonardo DiCaprio

Also overheard by a colleague, an S6 pupil asked "Is Gypsy a religion?"

February was a quiet month, still exhausted with the pregnancy meant that save for work and sleeping there wasn't much else happening. This does make the 4D challenge mildly challenging.

So what did I get up to for it?

1. Blog a photo montage - see sleeping isn't great for photographs and I didn't really go anywhere too exciting either.

 

F - fed up Brodie who'd rather play than listen to our chat
E - endless juice -pregnancy has made me thirsty
B - baked goodies at the Grange Centre CEA meeting
R - rat costume pattern purchased
U - upside down and squished three fat rats in a sputnik
A - a tasty prawn and pineapple pizza (loved this since I was a teenager - no food cravings yet).
R - Rat toy for the new baby
Y - 'you're the dirty wee rascal' - Tiberius is king of the castle

2. Read the same book - Clair's choice - Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D.James. I borrowed it off mum but it took me until now to read it. How was it -enjoyable, it made me fancy some Jane Austen.

3. Earn a badge - easy this month as Clair gave me the Thinking Day patch and I earned the postcard exchange patch.

4. Craft – I made some badges for the Lones newsletter as well as badge challenge books for Chris and Clair.

5. Try something new – erm... I'm now 18 weeks pregnant, never been that before.

6. Exercise Challenge – total fail though the loo trips are way more frequent so given that's a walk or a stair climb surely that counts?

Catch what Clair did this month here

So I'm pregnant - 14 weeks today - and as a result 2013 is going to be a very different year from the preceding ones.

The app on Tom's phone told him that I should record a pregnancy memory but the problem is that save for the scan I don't really have many memories so far.

The first trimester went well with no morning sickness (though I do get nausea) but the real killer has been exhaustion. No-one mentions it before you get knocked up but as soon as you come out as being pregnant everyone goes "Oh, isn't it awful, like having your batteries removed." Yes, yes it is.

It's a exhaustion that limits what you can do, I go to work, I come home and I sleep and that's been pretty much the story for the past 14 weeks. It's hard to make memories when you can barely keep your head up.

There have been a couple of high points in January one was getting the ultrasound scans. We'd had a scan at 8 weeks (I have PCOS and as a result had to take Clomifene to ovulate) which was exciting in that the Nurse confirmed a heart beat but since the baby was the size a kidney bean the scan really didn't show us anything (nb: the baby is between the crosses).

The 12 week one was awesome and it looks like a little human (the only disappointment was the fact that it confirmed I really am not having a panda).

Another high was telling people. We told our families back in December when we first knew I was pregnant. We even decorated mugs for my parents (it'll be their first grandchild). There is something lovely having all your friends and family telling you how thrilled they are for you and wishing you well.

Now the 4D challenge is still on going so here's what I did in January.

January was a fail for exercise (unless I can count going to the loo every hour - it is a wee walk at work or up a staircase at home). I made my own badge (which I've totally earned), crafty wise I am making a baby and it's grown from the size of a kidney bean to a lemon (which may explain why I'm so shattered). Clair and I both read 1,227 QI Facts To Blow Your Socks Off by John Lloyd and John Mitchinson and I managed to get five of the facts I learned into everyday conversation. My something new is doing less and I am slowly cutting back on my activities.

Fingers crossed that by the end of the month I'll have shaken off the exhaustion and be in that warm glowing phase people keep talking about.

The bun in the oven is made by me and Tom -the badge made by me ;)

The last 6 challenges of 2012 sort of completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

D is for dinky ickle AT-AT in the Lego Advent calendar.
E is for explorer now I have a pith helmet (thanks Clair) there is nothing I can't do!
C is for the cookies shaped like Perry.
E is for every rat remembered on the Christmas tree.
M is for movies for Christmas including cinema trip to see Gremlins.
B is for birthday - mine. Tea and a cupcake with friends.
E is for everyone searching for Wally.
R is for Rat (Tiberius) with a cold on 5 kinds of meds.

2. Read the same book - this month we read the excellent Murder She Wrote: A Little Yuletide Murder.

3. Gain a badge- this month I got given a badge by library monitor Raspinky who went to Netherurd for a weekend Christmas camp - sounded awesome.

4. Craft - Not as much crafting as I hoped but I did manage a few bits. Highlights include the geeky baby grows for my friend's new baby, a Christmas jumper pimping for Tom, Flying Spaghetti Monster tree decoration for Dad and a wreath out of spare baubles.

5. Try something new - this year we had an unconventional Christmas dinner cooked by Tom -it was excellent.  Slow cooked apple scented venison, lentil and fennel gratin, potato bake, broccoli and beetroot with spiced apple and cranberry sauce.

6. Exercise Challenge - who would have thought 7 hours would be such a challenge. I have struggled all year and December was no different. I can give excuses - I was really busy, I was really tired - but ultimately I just failed. I did manage a few hours of archery but didn't manage the 7. Perhaps 2013 will be more successful.

You can catch what Clair got up to for December on her blog.

Last year I did a post analysing what I'd read and looking at any trends. Although I read more books this year I reckon by Clair's count only around 70 would be counted by her. She certainly wouldn't count the 31 picture books I read and enjoyed.

The 119 books broke down into:the big change is in the quantity of picture books and junior fiction. Part of this was because last year I only counted books that met the challenge, this year I just counted everything save websites, single comics, newspapers and magazines that I read. I haven't marked e-books as a category as I only read about 4 e-books fully, it is certainly a form of book that I'm reading more (to the extent that Tom just bought a Kobo). Having books on my iPhone has proved a handy and practical way of always having a book.

Last year crime and fantasy dominated my list, this year crime was still a major genre but there was a bigger mix amongst the others 

I once again looked at the male /female split in the authors and the same as last year more titles I read were written by men than women.Once again I borrowed more than I bought:Finally I had a look a what I enjoyed. I certainly felt I read more books I enjoyed this year and the ones Clair and I selected as the monthly challenge books were all excellent.

There were only 2 I hated - 'Who Moved My Cheese?' by Dr.Spencer Johnson and 'Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No-Whip Latte' by Diane Keely. Compared to 22 that I would happily be trapped on a desert island with. Of these 22 the ones that still stand out clearly are:

A Bear Called Paddington - Michael Bond
Wishful Drinking - Carrie Fisher
All My Friends Are Dead - Avery Monsen and Jory John
Perks of Being A Wallflower - Stephen Chobosky
Great Dog Bottom Swap - Peter Bentley and Mei Mastsuka
The Monster At The End Of This Book - Jon Stone
Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus - Mo Willems

I did notice that many of my favourites are kids books and I think that is because of the way I rate books. To earn five stars I must have loved it enough to want to keep it (or buy my own copy). Most books I enjoy I have no desire to keep forever and a three or four star book may well be very enjoyable but I'm usually happy to donate it to my library once read.

So that is it another year done and a decent stack of stuff read.

The full 2012 reading list:

January
1. Quiet Please: dispatches from a public librarian by Scott Douglas**
2. Zac and the Dream Pirates by Ross Mackenzie **
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson ****
4. Treasury of the Lost Litter Box by Darby Conley ****
5. Masters of the Nonsenseverse: A Get Fuzzy Collection by Darby Conley ****
6. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher *****
7. The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle ****

February
8. The Most Sensational, Inspirational, Celebrational, Muppetational Muppets Joke Book Ever! Editor Brandon T. Snider ****
9. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews ****
10. Adventures in the Rocky Mountain by Isabella Bird ***
11. Wookiee the Chew: The House at Chew Corner by James Hance *****
12. Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews ****
13. A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton ***
14. Flash Gordon: The Tournament of Death by Alex Raymond (from 1935)***
15. Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien****

March
16. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith***
17. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy***
18. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger***
19. Stop What You're Doing and Read This! by Various ***
20. Beauty by Robin McKinley****
21. Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews****
22. Books can be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay***
23. Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down by Nicey and Wifey****

April
24. Horrible Histories - London by Terry Deary***
25. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins****
26. Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger*****
27. Sherlock Holmes and the House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz****

May
28.Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie****
29. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond *****
30. A Piano in the Pyrenees written and read by Tony Hawks***
31. All My Friends are Dead. by Avery Monsen and Jory John*****
32. All My Friends are Still Dead. by Avery Monsen and Jory John*****
33. The Avengers vol.2 by Brian Michael Bendis***
34. Sold as a Slave by Olaudah Equiano ***
35. Astonishing X-Men: Gifted by Joss Whedon ***
36. Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall written and read by Spike Milligan *****
37. "Rommel?" "Gunner Who?" written and read by Spike Milligan****
38. Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr Spencer Johnson*
39. A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde ***

June
40. A Brewing Storm by Richard Castle (eBook)****
41. The Queen's Knickers by Nicholas Allan ****
42. How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran*****
43. Mr. Stink by David Walliams ****

July
44. Horns to Toes and in Between by Sandra Boynton***
45. Moo, Baa, La La La! By Sandra Boynton***
46. But Not The Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton*****
47. The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton****
48. Happy Hippo, Angry Duck by Sandra Boynton*****
49. Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews***
50. Ultimate Captain America by Jason Aaron***
51. Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett****
52. Astonishing Animal ABC by Charles Fuge****
53. Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinnley****
54. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L.James**
55. London Olympics 1908 and 1948 by Janie Hampton****
56. Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles: a Muppet Sketchbook by Alison Inches****
57. Stardust by Neil Gaiman*****

August
58. The Great Dog Bottom Swap by Peter Bently & Mei Mastsuoka *****
59. Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton ****
60. Zoom by Banyai Istvan ****
61. Re-Zoom by Banyai Istvan *****
62. Mr. Underbed by Chris Riddell ***
63. The Gloomster by Ludwig Brechstein (translated by Juila Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Schefffler)*****
64. Whiffy Wilson by Caryl Hart & Leonie Lord ****
65. Trouble Maker by Janet and Alex Evanovich ****
66. Tiny Titans - Field Trippin' by Art Baltazar Franco ****
67. Wonder Woman: Bitter Rivals by Greg Rucka****
68. Green Arrow: Road to Jericho by Judd Winick****
69. Death at Wentwater by Carola Dunn ****
70. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury ***

September
71. Women of Marvel by Various***
72. Robin Ince's Bad Book Club***
73. The Hounds of Death by Agatha Christie **
74. Batgirl: The greatest stories ever told ****
75. The Monster at this end of this book by Jon Stone*****
76. It's Not Easy Being Green and other things to consider by Jim Henson ****
77. Wonder Woman: Ends of the Earth by Gail Simone****
78. A Small Surprise by Louise Yates ****
79. The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers ****
80. Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? By Julie Middleton ****
81. Again! By Emily Gravett ****
82. Indiana Jones Omnibus Vol.1 ****

October
83. Biscuit Bear by Mini Grey ***
84. The boy who cried 'Ninja' by Alex Latimer ***
85. Don't let the pigeon Drive the bus! by Mo Willems *****
86. Otto the Book Bear by Katue Cleminson ****
87. Wolf won't bite by Emily Gravett ***
88. Three by the Sea by Mini Grey ****
89. The Witches by Roald Dahl (read by Richard Biers) *****
90. Storm Front by Jim Butcher***
91. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobosky*****
92. Jim Henson's Return to Labyrinth by Jake T. Forbes***
93. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich****
94. Frozen Heat by Richard Castle****
95. The Interrogative Mood by Padgett Powell**
96. The Secret of the Fortune Wookie by Tom Angleberger****
97. The Guild: Knights of Good by Felicia Day ****
98. Where's My Cow? by Terry Pratchett ***

November
99. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews***
100. The very best of Linda Smith compiled and edited by Warren Lakin and Ian Parsons ***
101. Agatha Christie Dead Man's Folly by Marek***
102. Death, Taxes, and a skinny no-whip latte by Diane Kelly *
103. Mouse Guard: Autumn 1152 by David Petersen****

December
104. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier****
105. The Nativiy Play by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen***
106. Merry Christmas, Splat by Rob Scotton****
107. Father Christmas Needs a Wee! by Nicholas Allan****
108. Kipper's Christmas Eve by Mick Inkpen***
109. Murder She Wrote: A Little Yuletide Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain ****
110. Ottoline goes to School by Chris Riddell****
111. Diary of a Baby Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley****
112. Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley*****
113. Ottoline at Sea by Chris Riddell *****
114. The Dinosaur Who Pooped Christmas by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter *****
115. A Highland Christmas by M.C.Beaton ***
116. Victorian Undead:Sherlock Holmes Vs. Zombies! by Ian Edginton ***
117. A Raging Storm by Richard Castle***
118. Miss Flora McFlimsey's Christmas Eve by Marianna (read by Alan Wilson) *****
119. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn***

In case you are wondering how I went from 97 to 100 it turns out I can't count and had made an error in April and July - fixed it now in the list but not in the posts.

So what were the last books of 2012?

100. The very best of Linda Smith compiled and edited by Warren Lakin and Ian Parsons
A collection of Linda Smith's writing and sketches. Like many comedy things it would probably have been better to hear her saying the stuff but despite that it made an excellent bathroom read and made me laugh out loud a number of times.

101. Agatha Christie Dead Man’s Folly by Marek
Graphic novel version of Christie's Poirot classic. It was ok, the story was good but it lost something being turned into a comic. Possibly a good place to start if the books are a bit daunting, I'd certainly recommend it to pupils.

102. Death, Taxes, and a skinny no-whip latte by Diane Kelly
This was awful. I expected something similar to the other silly crime I enjoy but the reality of this was that it was just rubbish. The heroine was irritating, the plot predictable and the only reason I finished it was I was stuck with a broken down car for three hours!

103. Mouse Guard: Autumn 1152 by David Petersen
I loved this. Heroic mice, sword fights, secrets, danger and adventure. It's a wonderfully illustrated series as well.

104. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
My birthday present in 2011 from Clair finally made our joint read for the month for Novemeber. Highly readable, not as good as Rebecca but it does still make me want to read some more of her work.

105. The Nativity Play by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Story of a school nativity play - sweet and if your kid was in a nativity (or at school) probably something they might enjoy. Not much to impress an adult alas.

106. Merry Christmas, Splat by Rob Scotton
I liked this. Splat is a cat and very cute. Well worth getting.

107. Father Christmas Needs a Wee! by Nicholas Allan
Clair loves this one (as did her girls) I did enjoy it, though not as much as she does. I didn't love the illustrations but the story was fun and I can see why kids would enjoy it.

108. Kipper’s Christmas Eve by Mick Inkpen
Kipper is a sweet character and this is much as you'd expect, set prior to Christmas Eve and featuring a number of the other characters from the series.

109. Murder She Wrote: A Little Yuletide Murder by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain
Our December read. It was exactly what you'd expect from Murder She Wrote. Quaint, fun and with a murder to solve. Excellent festive read.

110. Ottoline goes to School by Chris Riddell
This wonderfully illustrated book by Chris Riddell tells the story of Ottoline solving a haunting. It is charming and totally engaging - I reckon any child who is starting reading chapter books would love it.

111. Diary of a Baby Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
So cute and adorable. I preferred the original
112. Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley
though not by much. Both are written in diary style and describe a wombat (and a wombat baby's) week - which mostly consists of food, digging and sleeping.

113. Ottoline at Sea by Chris Riddell
Even better than Ottoline goes to School, this featured special glasses, hidden messages, polar bears and penguins. What is not to love?

114. The Dinosaur Who Pooped Christmas by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter
My favourite of the kids Christmas books I read, the story is all about a greedy boy who is given a dinosaur who eats everything and then poops it back out. The illustrations make the story.

115. A Highland Christmas by M.C.Beaton
A Hamish MacBeth story, charming and quaint as you'd expect.

116. Victorian Undead:Sherlock Holmes Vs. Zombies! by Ian Edginton
Ever wondered what if Sherlock Holmes had to fight against zombies? Wonder no more this graphic novel explains what would happen. Enjoyable, silly and good fun.

117. A Raging Storm by Richard Castle
The second of the e-book series this one saw a cliff hanger ending as Storm is trying to locate missing Communist Party gold and uncover who killed a US Senator. Silly, action adventure - much as you'd expect Richard Castle to write.

118. Miss Flora McFlimsey’s Christmas Eve by Marianna (read by Alan Wilson)
Ok so what makes this is that it's my Dad reading it. A family Christmas favourite Dad made a CD for us all the other year of him reading it and it is one of my favourite presents ever. That and it is a lovely Christmas story.

119. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn
Enjoyable murder mystery, I'm enjoying the plucky heroine and the 1920s setting. Going to request the next one when I get back to work.

Another 6 challenges sort of completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

N is for nifty tequila sunrise.
O is for over the rainbow.
V is for the very first Gingerbread Latte of the season.
E is for everything stops for tea, Tiberius enjoys a cuppa.
M is for making weeping angel snowflakes at work.
B is for bang in the center!
E is for everyone loves table games.
R is for Raleigh. Our biggest and oldest rat finally said goodbye after 30 months.

2. Read the same book - My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier. Ok so technically I didn't manage to finish it until the 1st of December but it's been a busy month. It wasn't as dramatic a read as Rebecca but just as thought provoking in many ways. Du Maurier's style is so easy to read and keeps me gripped until the end - I really need to read some more.

3. Gain a badge- This month I sadly gained my Raleigh badge for my camp blanket. Now he's with his brother forever.
4. Craft - The problem with November crafting is that most of it is as presents. Instead I am going to offer up my SS13 badge design as this month's crafty joy.

5. Try something new - I tried 'Ticket to Ride' for the first time, I met a new friend at work and discovered the joy of a baked sweet potato.

6. Exercise Challenge - This month I managed the seven hours a mix of the wii and archery.

You can catch what Clair got up to for November on her blog.

Aren't my rats adorable! James, Kirk and Tiberius were out on the couch for the annual Christmas photos and Tom managed to get this great pic of all three! (I know not in quite the right order but getting all three to be still enough at the same time is a massive achievement).

It is once again time to develop badge designs for Scottish Senior Section camp - SS13 (mark up your diaries folks it's the 6th to 8th of September 2013). As it's number 13 we've opted for a superstition theme. I've only drawn up one idea but I really like it (fingers crossed the rest of the planning team do as well). I can't claim credit for the idea it was suggested by Katie (a library monitor).

I'm thinking glow in the dark eyes and shiny silver thread for the horseshoe... need to contact suppliers though and see if that would be possible (or affordable!)

More fun thanks to Raspinky

Today was an excellent day for dumb comments in the library. My two personal favourites were:

"Wait, did you just say testicles?"
"No! I said hibernation."

and
on a pupil survey for a fake on-line dating agency called Loners 'r' Us-
"You've misspelt soul."
"So, a sole is a soul."

Raspinky was responsible for this fun.

This is a really simple way to make your own badges for your camp blanket.

You will need:
T-shirt transfer paper
Computer and printer
Old white T-Shirt
Iron
Felt
Scissors
Thread and needle

Method: 
1. Choose the image you'd like to use from the computer and make up a page of them. Remember to reverse any image with letters or if direction matters. You can make the image any shape or size you want but remember the badge will be slightly larger in size.

2. Print your page of images onto the T-shirt transfer paper (follow any instructions given on the product).

3. Trim round the transfer paper (being careful to leave a border round your image).

4. Using an iron transfer the image onto an old white t-shirt (again follow instructions on your transfer paper).

5. Now trim around your image and select the felt you want to use. Cut out two pieces both larger than your printed design and one slightly larger than the other. I used two complimentary colours of felt.

6. Stitch on the printed design onto the first of your felt pieces, leaving a border of a 1/8" or more between the edge and your stitching.

7. Trim round that leaving a thin 1/8" or more border of felt. Place onto the second colour of felt and stitch that in place. I decided to hide the second set of stitches by gently turning up the printed piece and stitching underneath.

8. Trim round the outer layer of felt and you are done. All ready for it to be stitched onto your camp blanket.

Best of all you can do this with any image and because it's transferred onto t-shirt fabric it won't fray. So what badges will you make?

I also made some Oscar Pistorius patches for Clair.

87. The Witches by Roald Dahl (read by Richard Biers)
This was the book chosen by me and Lexie for her Brownie book lover badge and I admit that I decided to listen to it on the drive to work. It was excellent, I had read it before but I had forgotten just how scary an idea it all was. I found myself sitting in the car parked up at home but unwilling to stop listening.

88. Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Clair read this last year and really enjoyed it. I wasn't that fussed by it. It was fun to read and not a challenge but I never really connected to the main character so ultimately didn't really care what happened. I'm not rushing to read more in the series but if there was one sitting around, and I needed a read, I'd be happy enough to pick it up.

89. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobosky
This was fantastic - it's written as a series of letters which came from a teenage boy who has some mental health issues and is trying to fit in at High School. As you read the letters the full story is revealed and it is more heart breaking and heart warming than I expected.

90. Jim Henson’s Return to Labyrinth by Jake T. Forbes
I adored Labyrinth so when I discovered this manga style book I leapt at the chance to have a read. The book sees Toby (now a student) return to Labyrinth when a goblin pinches one of his assignments. I enjoyed it enough to want to read the next book.

91. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
I've not been a big fan of this series by Evanovich but this story I really got into. Fast paced and full of colourful characters as you'd expect it was a very enjoyable read.

92. Frozen Heat by Richard Castle
The tie-in books have got better and better. This one had lots of little nods towards the TV series (as you'd expect since it's supposed to be written by Richard Castle and inspired by his work with the NYPD).

93. The Interrogative Mood by Padgett Powell
I probably would never have read this had I not been on holiday and I'm not sure what I think of it. The entire book is written as a series of questions. No answers, just questions. I did enjoy it, I doubt I'd read something like that again and I'm not rushing to recommend it but it was a curious read.

94. The Secret of the Fortune Wookie by Tom Angleberger
I adore this series and this was no different. Not quite as good a story as the Darth Paper instalment but still very enjoyable. I do love the Fortune Wookie and Han Foldo!

95. The Guild: Knights of Good by Felicia Day
My love of this comic book is probably a direct link to my love of 'The Guild'. I'm not sure if non-Guild fans would enjoy the comic or not but as a fan it was fun to read. There were comics on the various members of The Guild (save Codex) allowing me to learn more about the characters.

96. Where’s My Cow? by Terry Pratchett
A picture book that is a tie-in to the Discworld series should be my favourite book. However I was slightly disappointed - what at first appeared to be the storybook read by Commander Vimes to his son in the series, is in fact a mini story of the book being read by Commander Vimes to his son. It was enjoyable and it was fun to see the characters from the Discworld illustrated. As a kids book goes it wasn't great but for a Discworld fan it was worth the read.

97. Serenity: Those Left Behind by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews
Supposedly this links the end of the TV show 'Firefly' to the movie 'Serenity' (which I am yet to watch). It reads as an episode of the show, it assumes knowledge of the characters and I doubt if it would have been as good a read if I hadn't seen the show. Still it was fun and I'm now looking forward to watching 'Serenity'.

Another 6 challenges sort of completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

O - Overdue lobby for school librarians
C - Canonisation - Kateri Tekakwitha was made a Saint
T - Tiberius nearly dies as he contacts bad cold (he's ok now)
O - Ooooo spooky newsletters for the Lones
B - Bears and critters finally have a display case
E - Expensive but totally worth it, the Scottish Parliament looks great.
R - Ray of Sunshine as the seasons change

2. Read the same book - Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. I loved it (and the movie) would highly recommend it. Even using a quote from it on my window in the library just now.

3. Gain a badge- I made myself a Kateri badge (plus one for Lexie Kateri) to commemorate our special Kateri Day together. 

4. Craft - Finally made use of all those library badges I've been collecting - by hot gluing them into a frame.

5. Try something new - I looked after my God-daughter Lexie Kateri for about 6 hours despite the fact she is under 8 and had a mildly dodgy tummy thing going on. Not only that but we had lots of fun together celebrating the Canonisation of Kateri Tekakwitha. At this point I should perhaps mention neither me or Lexie Kateri are Catholic so our celebration were perhaps not the same as you might be expecting. To try and make it linked I did add lillies or crosses to any bought materials (from Baker Ross). I made Lexie a A5 booklet of information and goodies using materials found online - I've collected them here if you fancy a look. We even spoke to my Aunt Kateri in the USA!.

6. Exercise Challenge - I did manage some archery but only clocked about 5 hours over the month. Still an hour a week is better than past months.  Room for improvement I think.

You can catch what Clair got up to for October on her blog.

More fun thanks to Raspinky

The lobby in support of school libraries was a success with around 50 people gathering outside the Scottish Parliament on Saturday. Julie Bertagna spoke on behalf of authors while Duncan Wright spoke on behalf of SLA(S) and school librarians. It closed with us handing a letter to Alex Salmond over to the SNP MSPs that had attended.

It was a fun event and not only did I get to spend time with my fellow SLA(S) committee members, meet other librarians, authors and MSPs, I also met my old flat mate! Turns out Angela is now a school librarian though when we lived in the same flat neither of us were working towards that career! It is as Disney claims 'a small, small world.'

So it's time to support School libraries why not come down to the Scottish Parliament with us on Saturday at 11am and show your support for School libraries.

You can also ‘like’ the facebook page and get more information and lobby your MSP (there is a draft letter here you can use), tweet your support with the hash tag #lobby4schlibrary and spread the word – school libraries matter, they change lives and are key to a successful school!

Coming to the Rally? - why not make a placard.

Step 1 - collect materials - A1 Foam Core boards, marker pens, pencil and rubber.

Step 2- Choose your slogan (suggestions from friends, me and online)

• School Libraries create successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.
• School Libraries: the best place to be in a zombie apocalypse
• Don't Shelve School Libraries
• Don't ssshhh School Libraries
• I <3 my school library
•  Improve Literacy - Fund School Libraries
• A library without a librarian is just a room
• A school with no library means a curriculum with no excellence
• Where else will the weak find refuge?
• School Libraries: Where differences are nurtured and geeks are loved
• Don't Screwy with Dewey
• We're out of the stacks and on the streets
• Cutting Libraries in a recession is like cutting hospitals in a plague
• Don't make me get Batgirl on your ass!
• School Librarians are heroes everyday
• Libraries: where dinosaurs and pirates are always options
• School Librarians: an endangered species
• Support School Libraries - it's long overdue
• Know your s@#t. or know you're s@#t. Librarians can tell the difference.
• School Libraries the place to go when you know *@#! all.
• Don't close the book on school libraries

Today one of the monitors gave me a  present from their recent Spain trip - A Pez Perry! not only that but she also brought us Phineas and Ferb cookies to enjoy on our Fun Food Friday!

More fun thanks to Raspinky

More fun thanks to Raspinky

More fun thanks to Raspinky

77. Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad? By Julie Middleton
A boy and his father visit the museum but the dinosaurs aren't as dead as they should be. Fun and wonderfully illustrated.

78. Again! By Emily Gravett
A little dragon demands the story again and again and again. It is brilliant, the mummy dragon gets more and more exhausted, the story characters get more and more mixed up. The illustrations are brilliant - a joy.

79. Indiana Jones Omnibus Vol.1
Any one of the three stories in this collection would have been better the that last movie plot. Fun and enjoyable graphic novel collection of original Indiana Jones adventures. I'd definitely pick up volume 2 from the library if I saw it.

80. Biscuit Bear by Mini Grey
A little boy bakes a biscuit bear who comes alive in the night. Can he find somewhere safe for a biscuit bear to live forever? Sweet story, though the end felt abrupt, like there was a page missing just after the bear was found to be missing. It did have some great illustrations - the knife throwing biscuits were my favourites.

81. The boy who cried ‘Ninja’ by Alex Latimer
A little boy tells the truth but his folks don't believe him so punish him for lying, when he tells them a lie he still gets punished for miss behaving. Finally he comes up with a plan to show his parents what the real truth is. Brilliant drawings and a fun twist on what you might expect.

82. Don’t let the pigeon Drive the bus! by Mo Willems
The plot is simple the driver has left you in charge of his bus and whatever you do don't let the pigeon drive the bus! The pigeon tries lots of lines to convince you to let him drive the bus and the combination of drawings and words are brilliant.

84. Otto the Book Bear by Katie Cleminson
Otto the book bear comes out of his book and has a play but when the family he lives with moves, Otto is forgotten and sets out to try and find a new place to call home. This just adorable, the illustrations are charming, the story really sweet and it involves a library - what's not to love?

85. Wolf won’t bite by Emily Gravett
The three pigs are in the circus and the wolf is on display. Wonderful illustrations but the story wasn't as clever as some of her others.

86. Three by the Sea by Mini Grey
A mouse, a cat and a dog all live together in harmony by the sea but one day a mysterious stranger from the Winds of Change Company arrives and all of a sudden life isn't quite as harmonious. I loved this, the story the illustrations - all of it.

So today the van run appeared and once again there was a mix of ex-public library stock. None were as racy as the last selection but it remained an eclectic mix of titles. Here are the top three:

The cover of 'The Song is You' by Megan Abbott was the most racy and the blurb suggests a "super-sexy" tale of 1949 Hollywood glamour and some quality crime fiction. It certainly makes me want to read it. 

 'There's an Awful Lot of Bubbly in Brazil: The life and times of a Bon Viveur" by Alan Brazil had a cover that wasn't exactly looking like something pitched to the youth of today. To be frank it seemed to be a bit of an odd option but on closer inspection it's the biography of a football fan from Glasgow, with plenty of talk about footballers from the 1980s.

Given the pupils in the school were all born mid-90s I'm not convinced they will want to read it but you never know.

To prove this let me share my favourite of today's selection;

'The Complete Encyclopedia of Sailing Ships: 2000BC - 2006AD' by John Batchelor and Christopher Chant. Thanks to my studies in Maritime Studies, I've ended up with a soft spot for boats, so I enthusiastically pulled this from the box for a read. I was fairly sure I was probably the only person in the library who would be interested but, when I mentioned the book to the library monitors hanging around, one was quick to ask for a look. Apparently it'll be perfect to find out more information for his story. Not sure that means there will be lots of others keen to read it but perhaps I shouldn't withdraw it just yet.

Another 6 challenges sort of completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

S - Small, fat versions of Mortimer and Wheeler by Megan Brown
E - Enjoyable session of Archery as we move back indoors.
P - Pistorius, Oscar (the photo is of Brodie doing his impression of him)
T - Tidy craft supplies and spare room!
E - Edinburgh
M - Munching Nelson
B - Bacon and pancakes for breakfast
E - Everything crafty in this case a fortune telling Chewbacca
R - Resting Nelson (he's gone but not forgotten).

2. Read the same book - neither of us managed 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens instead we blogged books we loathed and loved.

3. Gain a badge- Nelson was added to the blanket

4. Craft - this month I did a bunch of crafting - mainly for others. The one I can share is the Oscar Pistorius themed fun I sent Clair. Now I alas forgot to photograph it all but lucky for me /clair did and blogged it. There were pin badges, camp blanket badges, a stand-up and a scrapbook. I did make up a pin-board collage that worked rather well.

5. Try something new - ANZAC biscuits and Japanese Cotton Cheeesecake. Both enjoyable though the biscuits are more likely to be eaten again.

6. Exercise Challenge - I did manage some archery but alas not enough. Nor can I even argue I moved enough. Total fail - must try harder.

You can catch what Clair got up to for September on her blog.

This month Clair and I have both failed to read the book we challenged ourselves to read (A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens). Ultimately I failed because I am still reading the massive pile from the library (only 10 left). So Clair (it was her month to choose the book) suggested instead of reading a book we blog 5 books worth reading and 5 books that weren't.

5 Books Not Worth Finishing

It was the best of starts.
It was the worst of ends.
All of these suffered from exactly the same problem - very enjoyable till the last few chapter/s.

1. The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold
Murdered girl looks down from afterlife and sees how family are coping after her death - ok. Murdered girl takes possession of living girl so can sleep with 'first love' - not ok (my issue was simply that it was ridiculous wish fulfilment and I didn't like the moral questions it raised about having sex while using someone else's body).

2. The Desperate Journey by Kathleen Fidler
Family flee highland clearances - ok. Entire rest of lives fitted into a single chapter - not ok (I have an imagination, I can think about what happens. You want to tell me the rest of their lives write another book, otherwise leave it to my imagination).

3. Bubbles all the Way by Sarah Strohmeyer
Hairdresser come reporter solves crimes - ok. She is actually European princess and everyone around her are bodyguards etc. - not ok. (Really, really not ok - it wasn't even a 'well now you mention it there were all those clues in the text'. Nope it was out of the blue, incongruous and just downright infuriating.)

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Boy wizard fights to save the world - ok. Last chapter tells rest of life - not ok (I have an imagination.. wait did I already have this rant?)

5. Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion by L.J. Smith
Girl in love with Vampires fights evil - ok. Girl having been killed comes back to life - not ok (I know it doesn't sound so bad but it was a seriously lame explanation, just man up and accept you killed her off and it's a tragic ending.)

5 Books Worth Reading

It was the poorest of pitches.
It was the best of reads.
For this selection I'm opting for books that I was hesitant to read but turned out to be very enjoyable.

1. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Girl meets handsome rich guy, marries him, returns to his place and finds everything still under the influence of his previous wife - Rebecca. It was great, totally worth reading and nowhere near as worthy as I feared.

2. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
The story of a woman deciding if she should leave her husband after he cheats on her while she’s pregnant doesn't sound like a load of fun. Yet it reads like you are chatting to a friend and was a joy to read.

3. The Specialist by Charles Sale
A short book about a man who makes outdoor toilets. It is wonderful, you should totally read it.

4. Adolf Hilter: My part in his downfall by Spike Milligan
A short biography full of funny stories and wit. Since it's about Milligan being called up to fight in WWII, and his training before deployment, there are some heart tugging moments (not as much as the sequel - you should read that as well).

5. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
A black girl grows up and begins to realise that not all is equal in 1933 Mississippi. It's an enjoyable and thought provoking read that I can't believe took me so long to crack open.

(You can thank Raspinky for these)

We had to say goodbye to Nelson recently which was really sad - he was such a wee personality.

I have now imortalised him on my camp blanket (alongside his buddy Horatio).

This patch was specially commissioned from Dr. Chameleon over on etsy to look like him - he's obviously got his bad eye facing the blanket.

'Oh, there you are Perry.'

You know it's a good day when one of your library monitors makes you a Perry - just so you can play 'Where's Perry?'

NB: If you want to make your own and bring joy and happiness to your day you can get it here from Disney Family.com

70. The Hounds of Death by Agatha Christie
One of the weakest Christie's I've read. This one was less murder mystery and more supernatural wonder - strange happenings and spooky occurances which sometimes were resolved with real world solutions but not always. Although the stories had their moments few were very good and often the solution was either unsatisfactory or too apparent from the beginning. The strongest story was 'Witness for the Prosecution' which has a wonderful twist in the tail and was made into a play (that I saw recently and really enjoyed).

71. Batgirl: The greatest stories ever told
Collection of Barbara Gordon as Batgirl comics. It was fun to see how she had been reinvented over time. My favourite story remains her origin - as aLibrarian at Gotham Public Library is heads out to a masked ball in a batgirl costume and ending up fighting Killer Moth. I liked that she was a strong independent young woman in those early tales, in some of the later stories in the collection she is treated much like Robin rather than a capable adult. I loved the fact her everyday work clothes transformed into her batgirl costume.

72. The Monster at this end of this book by Jon Stone
There is a bit of a Sesame Street/ Jim Henson theme going on in my reading just now and when this book was referenced in an episode of Supernatural (Season 4 episode 18) I decided it would be worth sourcing. It totally was worth getting - I loved it.  There is a monster at the end of the book and Grover keeps doing more and more extreme things to stop you turning the pages. It made me laugh and I found myself reading it with Grover's voice in my head. You should totally read this book!

73. It's Not Easy Being Green and other things to consider by Jim Henson
Quotations and doodles from Jim Henson, his creations and his friends. It's a lovely thought provoking little read.

74. Wonder Woman: Ends of the Earth by Gail Simone
There are two different stories in this book but the main one sees Wonder Woman's soul under attack and she must join with Beowulf to destory the Devil himself. Both worked well as complete tales and it was an enjoyable read. I started to read it in bed and couldn't stop will I'd finished the story so it was compelling stuff.

75. A Small Surprise by Louise Yates
This was a lovely picture book with charming illustrations that made me smile. It is all about a little bunny who is too small to do much but is brilliant at disappearing and reappearing.

76. The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers
A little girl places her heart in a bottle to keep it safe after her Grandfather dies but life moves on and she can't keep it in the bottle forever. A lovely, moving tale, charmingly illustrated.

So I work in a school library and it is, therefore, unsurprising to learn that 95% of my library users are between the ages of 11 and 18. What is surprising is that the public libraries don't seem to consider this when they pass on dead stock (stuff no longer wanted for the public library).

Sometimes the stuff they send is great - teen fiction like John Green's 'Looking for Alaska' for instance or comic books like Jodi Picoult's 'Wonder Woman: Love & Murder' which are a great addition to my stock.

Sometimes they miss the mark spectacularly. I had thought the recent batch - which included 'Psychic Cats' by Theresa Cheung - was as off the mark as they could go. In that batch there was a range of books pitched at middle aged women who want to communicate with the dear departed, angels or just self-help themselves to happiness. While I have no doubt there are many public library users who are after such reads there are, to my knowledge, no 11 to 18 year olds who are.

So it was with some trepidation that I viewed the batch of books they sent this week - stock weeded from the 'supernatural' section of the local public library. There was the usual '3rd book in the series' titles that aren't worth adding (I don't have the other books and can't afford to buy them from the budget), a few nice titles I could add and this -

'Succubi Like It Hot' by Jill Myles- is inappropriate for stock for two reasons.

To start with it's the second book in a series. The first book is:

The second reason is that the content is totally inappropriate and I mean really inappropriate. I know some parents are happy to let their kids read 'Fifty Shades of Grey' but I really can't justify a school library stocking erotic fiction.

Now I know it is hard to tell how adult the content of a book if you haven't read it. I also know there is no way you can have read every book in the library. I would suggest, however, that the rippling six pack on the cover would suggest it might be a bit sexy and ring some kind of warning bell that it might not be suitable for a school.

You can't judge a book by it's cover? No? There might have been an argument for that if the quotation on the cover didn't describe the book as:

So the public libraries are still not worrying you that it might be more of at 18+ read than a PG-13? No? Then what about the blurb on the back:

Sounds like a sexier version of Buffy or Supernatural right? A mini skirt clad archaeologist who is mixed up in a supernatural element and happens to have more than one date - what is inappropriate here?
Clearly nothing - must just be my mind that is making it sound naughty.

Given the pristine nature of the book (only two issues) I can only assume that the person sorting the stock in the public library never opened it.

When I opened it it was a bit racy and clearly heading south (or should that be South?) as our heroine tried in vain to get her 'Itch' scratched.

When I shared it with one of my colleges they page they opened it on gave them such as shock they managed to crack the spine. So now it automatically falls open on this:

So that settles it - despite the fact that I am sure this would be a very popular title there is no way it's making it onto the shelf! Though it may make it on to my 'to read' pile.

I just want to check that a brainy vixen in a miniskirt can outsmart the forces of evil.

Tom is away for the weekend so I am enjoying my guilty pleasure - teen movies. From Easy A to The Breakfast Club I can watch them for hours. You'd think working in a High School during the week would mean that more teen drama would be a like a busman's holiday but movies aren't like real life.

In fact I can feel a list coming on:

10 Ways the movies aren't like actual High School

1. There is rarely a pop music soundtrack.

2. Teachers aren't always full of wisdom and you are never made to read a book that is totally symbolic to what is happening in your life.

3. Lessons are rarely simply lectures and we don't have chalk boards any more.

4. Pupils rarely say profound or meaningful statements or quote great literary works.

5. The library isn't quiet and being there isn't a punishment.

6. Not everyone in school is good looking and a change in hairstyle won't be enough to change that.

7. School politics is nothing like as dramatic as the movies make out - I am yet to see a placard.

8. Not every kid has a locker and if they do there is no way anyone would fit inside.

9. Uniforms are standard and all that a short skirt and knee high socks will get you is detention.

10. In actual High School the pupils are all under 18 and look it.

 

"Look, I... I may not be an explorer, or an adventurer, or a treasure-seeker, or a gunfighter, Mr. O'Connell, but I am proud of what I am."
"And what is that?"
"I... am a librarian."

I say it loud and I say it proud regularly - I am a school librarian. To call myself that I had to gain a post-graduate degree in Information and Library Studies and charter with my professional body CILIP. I have worked as a school librarian for 7 years and I am secretary for the School Library Association (Scotland).

So it is with the weight of all this knowledge and experience that I say that the school library is more than just books and it is under threat.

A room filled with books and computers dosen't make a library. Librarians and School Library Support make a library - they are vital to running a successful and innovative school library and it's these that are being 'trimmed' across the country in council budget cuts.

My job is to inspire a love of reading and learning and support students to learn key information literacy and study skills that will, ultimately, help them throughout the rest of their lives. This is needed now more than ever. I just did a survey of my pupils at Easter and there is a desperate need for improved Information Literacy skills across the school. 1 in 3 of all first year pupils can't find what they want online and 1 in 10 in sixth year can't either. It's not just the pupils I have had staff struggle to find a range of things online and asking me for help or recommending poor quality websites to pupils as acceptable places for information.

I believe that every student and member of staff has the right to access useful and well-selected library resources and to get support from a qualified librarian at any point of the school day. I believe that the library should be open to everyone all day during the school term and be a welcoming and helpful space that places research and learning at its heart.

I work both alongside and to support fellow staff to support our students. To do this I require a wide range of skills, from social worker, book expert and walking encyclopaedia to educator, role model and computing trouble-shooter, and much more besides. I've shared an example of my day before and every day requires me to multi-task and act in many roles.

I believe that full-time, qualified librarians in our schools are essential to ensure students learn how to handle information, avoid plagiarism and develop a love of reading. These essential literacy skills are required not only by a Curriculum for Excellence but also, increasingly, by today’s society. It doesn't matter if you want to buy tickets for a concert or research a university paper the skills are the same.

School libraries are increasingly finding staffing and budgets cut, school library services closed or greatly reduced. As budgets tighten in local councils and yet more cuts have to be made school library services remain at risk. Scotland is not alone in facing these problems School Library Services are at risk across the country and a lobby has been arranged at Westminster on the 29th of October to raise this issue with the UK government.

In support of this The School Library Association (Scotland) are lobbying the Scottish Parliament  on Saturday 27th October 2012 at 11am.

So why am I telling you this? I want you to join us.

• I want you to come down the Scottish Parilament with us and show your support for School libraries.
• I want you to 'like' the facebook page and get more information
• I want you to lobby your MSP (there is a draft letter here you can use)
• Tweet your support with the hash tag #lobby4schlibrary

and, finally, I want you to share this with everyone you know - spread the word - school libraries matter, they change lives and are key to a successful school!

This month has seen me sharing the excitement of my library with fellow school librarian @closedbookofme after a glowing recommendation from @RhonaEA .

During that chat @closedbookofme mentioned she was thinking about visiting an academic library since it had been a while since she was in one. Well it's been a few years since I graced the steps of a University library as well, and since one of my projects this year is to improve my S5 information skills lessons, finding out what academic libraries are promoting seemed like a good plan.

Lucky for me I was heading to Napier University for Higher Education Convention anyway and handily enough it is held in the building that contains the library. So for half an hour I nipped in and had a chat with the librarian - Keith - who was lovely and happy to share.

So what did I learn? Nothing shocking and things haven't moved on much in terms of teaching information literacy. I was involved in the programme at Forth Valley College (some 8 years ago) and the basic 'things we want them to know' hasn't changed. What has is the format for sharing the information.

Napier has an internal network that has lots of information and tips for students (plus access to databases). They do have a really basic external site In:Form which is like online introduction to Information Skills. It's limited in detail and easy to use and could easily be used with High School pupils as well.

The conversation also ended up on YouTube and internet evaluation. Keith recommended two videos - one called 'Why Can't I just Google?' which is made by La Trobe Univeristy and the CRAAP test for 'Evaluating Websites' which has been created by Western Univeristy. I reckon the 'CRAAP' test is probably only suitable for S5/S6 pupils - I'll need a different acronym for the younger years!

So totally worth the quick visit and hopefully my lessons will be all the more interesting and relevant because of it!

During a discussion on the Scottish Independence debate one pupil asked;

"If we get Independence does that mean we'll be separated by water?"

(many thanks to PL for sharing).

In honour of the end of the London 2012 Paralympic games here is a special sport related way to ask courtesy of Clair.

"Have your husband's sprinters made it across the line?"

Another 6 challenges sort of completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

A - Anstruther for fish and chips.
U - Umpteen craft projects including freezer paper stencils
G - Giant biscuit from the wide game at SS12.
U - Über Cute Rats
S - Sport with the Olympics and Paralympics have dominated TV viewing.
T - Tidy Library the calm before the storm as the library looks amazing prior to school starting up.

2. Read the same book - Trouble Maker by Janet and Alex Evanovich - read and enjoyed

3. Gain a badge- SS12 camp badge (which I designed! It is a real highlight for me seeing just how my design turns out - especially this year after the redesign).

4. Craft – Loads of crafty fun this month in the name of SS12 - camp booklets, I heart Lones badges (for the girls now too old to be in Senior Section), felt biscuits, freezer paper stencil aprons, Tunnocks Caramel Waffer and Teacake pin badges (for the Lones at camp) and helping make a giant party ring at SS12.

5. Try something new – Pandas! I saw the Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo.

6. Exercise Challenge - Like the panda above, my position this month has mostly been seated. I did some walking (including the zoo trip) and moved every book in my library (and changed shelving) which was very physical. I reckon I managed over 7 hours of exercise but there is still room for some improvement (ok so lots of improvement). Maybe now I'm not watching so much sport on TV I'll find a moment to actually do some!

You can catch what Clair got up to for August on her blog.

Turns out I last posted a review of my reading back in July so I thought it was about time I wrote my customary couple of sentences.

50. Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinnley
I love these cupcake mysteries yes they are silly but boy are they fun. This one sees our cupcake crime solving bakers heading off to a rodeo. Not only do the cupcakes sound super tasty the books include the recipes!

51. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L.James
I really should learn that popular does not equate to quality. Distinctly average, not so rubbish I couldn't read just repetitive after a bit and lacking enough plot between sex scenes to make me care for either character. Certainly too adult for school and even if that wasn't my issue the quality of the writing would be. This could have been an amazing Mills and Boon length tale - as it is, far too long.

52. London Olympics 1908 and 1948 by Janie Hampton
This was a great wee read. Really interesting look at the last two London Olympics, lots of fun facts and interesting stories.

53. Jim Henson’s Designs and Doodles: a Muppet Sketchbook by Alison Inches
Based on an exhibition this book pulled some of the illustrations it featured along with a biography of Henson in the run up to the Muppet Show and Sesame Street. I loved it, it was a great look at the origin of two of my favourite TV shows and a man who has inspired me my whole life.

54. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
This was Clair and I's July read and it was great. A wonderful fairytale totally worth a read.

During my Falkirk Library Epic Fun Day I read a few books and I reviewed as part of the epic library fun posts:

55. The Great Dog Bottom Swap by Peter Bently & Mei Mastsuoka
56. Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton
57. Zoom by Banyai Istvan
58. Re-Zoom by Banyai Istvan
59. Mr. Underbed by Chris Riddell

60. The Gloomster by Ludwig Brechstein (translated by Juila Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Schefffler)
It's a poem about a guy who's depressed. It was excellent. The illustrations cracking. Well worth a read.

61. Whiffy Wilson by Caryl Hart & Leonie Lord
A picture book about a smelly wolf who refuses to wash. I loved the illustrations and the story was enjoyable enough, though similar to other non-washing lead character stories.

62. Trouble Maker by Janet and Alex Evanovich
August's read for Clair and I was a graphic novel. I did enjoy the story that saw a range of silliness and adventure you'd expect from Janet Evanovich. I liked the graphic novel format, it suited the story well my only complaint is that it lacked the chemistry found in the Stephanie Plum novels.

63. Tiny Titans – Field Trippin’ by Art Baltazar Franco
I really enjoyed this. It's a graphic novel based around kid like versions of superheros (Batgirl, Robin, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Flash, etc. they are all here and all young) sees them deal with kid issues.

64. Wonder Woman: Bitter Rivals by Greg Rucka
This was excellent. It read as a complete story rather and while it's clear the story continues it worked well as a collection. There are two key story lines one involving the Medusa myth and the other problems closer to home for Wonder Woman as someone tries to blacken her name.

65. Green Arrow: Road to Jericho by Judd Winick
Green Arrow has failed and heads off to a retreat (complete with family) to train up and avenge himself. I really liked it, worked great as a collection with good beginning and end.

66. Death at Wentwater by Carola Dunn
Daisy Dalrymple is a 1920s lady, her brother dies in WW1 and rather than live with her mother she's sharing a flat with a friend and has taken on a writing career. The only problem is that on her first assignment she comes across a murder. Very enjoyable read and a curious mystery to boot.

67. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
I can see why this is well respected and English teachers love it. I enjoyed it and the ideas and questions it posed, it is certainly just as relevant now as it was when it was first published.

68. Women of Marvel by Various
This was a fun read - a collection of comics from the Marvel archives where a female character was the focus. It was a interesting look at the changing roles of women in society. I think I liked Shanna - the She-Devil best from 1972. Despite living in the African wild with a couple of big cats like a female Tarzan, and single handedly defeating some nasty poachers, she's still ensured of a marriage proposal at the end.

69. Robin Ince’s Bad Book Club
The nice thing about this was the reassurance that I'm not the only one loving bad books. Robin Ince's reading is eclectic and many of the books sound truly awful but often strangely alluring. His love of Mills and Boon is close to my own though I notice my favourite title
'Santa in a Stetson' by Vicki Lewis Thompson didn't make the cut.

Tom and I, joined Clair and her family, for a trip to Edinburgh Zoo and it poured. The weather forecast had suggested light showers but in reality these 'showers' were in the form of biblical style flooding.

Despite this, it was an excellent zoo trip, thanks in part to the company, but also to the animal fun. Plus the weather meant the zoo was quiet so we got to nip into cafés or the covered lunch area and all get seats without any issues.

So what were my top 3 animals? Well the Pandas were very cute - though rather sleepy (only beaten by the Koalas who would win Gold in an Olympic sleeping contest), the European Otters were on excellent form - playing and nomming. However, the best animal was the tree porcupine! Ok so it was wrapped around a branch sleeping but it was super cute and it's spines are antibiotic so it doesn't die when it falls and stabs itself! You gotta love a clumsy critter!

Actually, on reflection my visit to Milwaukee Zoo back in 1989 when the city had flash floods might have been wetter - it was certainly too wet for the dolphin show!

So how was my day of Epic Library Fun with Clair and her three daughters? Fun!

We visited all of the public libraries in Falkirk - Larbert, Denny, Bonnybridge, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Bo'ness, Meadowbank and Slamanan.

We took at least a book out at every library -

Personally I took out 25 books (and returned 3 during the day) - 4 picture books, 5 non-fiction, 3 crime and 12 graphic novels.

Lexie even found a forgotten bookmark in one of her books - a card from a Monster High doll;

Now I need to read some of these books!

Clair, me and her three girls have managed to visit the public libraries in Larbert, Denny, Bonnybridge, Falkirk, Grangemouth, Bo'ness and Meadowbank. It's been 5 hours of intense library action but it is now the back of 4pm and the libraries close at 5pm! So it was a quick dash over to Slamanan to complete our Epic Library Fun Tour.

Slamanan was the smallest of the libraries we visited but despite that it had a varied stock and for the first time in my hunt I found a craft book I fancied reading - Paper Made! by Kayte Terry. (101 ideas on recycling or using paper and many would be great for me, work, Lones or doing with Clair and her girls - I've now added the book to my to buy list). Plus I found a copy of Whiffy Wilson by Caryl Hart and Leonie Lord. I liked this story all about a little wolf who refused to wash. Once again with me it was the illustrations that won me over.

We've been to Larbert, Denny, Bonnybridge, Falkirk, Grangemouth and Bo'ness and I've read five picture books so far in our day of Epic Library Fun and now it's time to head to my local library - Meadowbank- via the very road Brad Pitt used when they were filming part World War Z!

Meadowbank is the newest of the libraries and I do love it. Designed for the whole community it's got a great Graphic Novel collection. Despite the smaller size of collection there always seems to be books I want to read or haven't seen before and I love the teen area (unusual within Falkirk libraries which tend to have teen and children areas together). I do feel guilty using it, I feel a duty to Grangemouth and their issue numbers, so despite the proximity find myself only occasionally popping in.

So far in our day of Epic Library Fun, Clair, me and the girls have hit the libraries in Larbert, Denny, Bonnybridge, Falkirk and Grangemouth. Now we headed off to Bo'ness.

Bo'ness was another of the libraries I worked in during my time working for Falkirk Libraries. Made from a collection of old building linked together, with the main entrance down a close. Had I not worked here it would have been the hardest to find. What has changed since my time was the inside - lighter and brighter it is still quirky but I really liked the feel of the place now.

It was also the only library I visited that inspired me for my school library. Firstly the 'Bo'ness Library Teen Recommendation' dots worked really well and added colour to the teen area. I also discovered 'Zoom' and 'Re-Zoom' by Istvan Banyai. These picture books have no words instead using a series of pictures zooming out from one initial image to tell a 'story'. They were clever and fun and I reckon these would be an excellent addition to my growing collection of this type of book.

So as previously mentioned Clair and I (and her kids) visited every library in Falkirk in one day so far I've shared - Larbert, Denny, Bonnybridge and Falkirk plus my car reads. Next up - Grangemouth!

Ok so I am biased, Grangemouth was where I was a Saturday worker for nearly 10 years and where I still have friends. It was the library I visited every week as a kid and it is always a place I feel at home in. The recent refurbishment has made it look a bit more modern and friendly but I was a little disappointed by the children's display. I remember past summer displays which were epic and covered the area but this year it seemed modest and small. This might be a result of recent refit meaning sticking stuff to the walls is not as acceptable or perhaps a change in the staff creating the displays but I was secretly hoping Grangemouth would be better than Bonnybridge for the display.

So as previously mentioned Clair and I (and her kids) visited every library in Falkirk in one day and as we drove around I took the opportunity to read three picture books in the car.

The best was actually read first - The Great Dog Bottom Swap by Peter Bently & Mei Mastsuoka. It's all about why dogs smell each others bahoochies. The illustrations are fantastic and story made us all laugh.

Next I read Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton. A board book, it is simply a cheery book about pajamas and going to bed - I liked this a lot and again the illustrations were great.

The final car read for me was Mr. Underbed by Chris Riddell. It is a similar story to 'Horatio Happened' where various monsters are in the a child's bedroom and appear in the night. I prefer 'Horatio Happened' but this had a lot of fun in it and I do just adore Riddell's illustrations.

So as previously mentioned Clair and I (and her kids) visited every library in Falkirk on Friday. Our first stop was Larbert, then Denny, Bonnybridge and next Falkirk.

During my time working for Falkirk Libraries I worked some shifts at Falkirk. It's a large library but despite plenty of space and light I have never found it to have the warmth of some of the other libraries. The stock selection was the one of the largest (if not the largest) but it didn't inspire me as much as elsewhere - though I did like the extensive Mills and Boons section for the fun titles and amusing cover art. The book I did eventually pick was from the Teen section and has a blurb on the back that suggests fairytale reworking and pet penguins.

So as previously mentioned Clair and I (and her kids) visited every library in Falkirk on Friday. Our first stop was Larbert, then Denny and then on to Bonnybridge.

Another first for me - Bonnybridge Library. It's a newish build and from the outside it doesn't look like much but inside it was lovely. I think it was my favourite of all of the libraries we visited - the displays were great, the place was light and welcoming and the lady on duty warm and friendly. There was a good varied collection and I really liked the layout.

The kids really loved the range of picture books - they had ones that made noises (that Minnie loved but Mummy less so) and finger puppet ones - my favourite being 'Little Dino' though I didn't read the story just liked the finger puppet.

So as previously mentioned Clair and I (and her kids) visited every library in Falkirk on Friday. Our first stop was Larbert and then it was a quick drive out to Denny.

This was a first for me I've never been to Denny Library before. Although small the selection was good and although I only picked up one book it wasn't due to lack of choice. In fact all of us found at least a book we wanted in every library! Denny is waiting for a refurbishment - the whole of the town is - but despite that the library had a friendly vibe, though lacked the light and display space of the more modern builds.

One plus side of Denny was the proximity to the bakery so a quick stop for lunch was in order. Plus it gave me a chance to see this excellent shop sign:

For reasons which remain elusive (even to me) Clair and I decided that we'd visit all of the Falkirk Public Libraries in one day complete with my God-daughter and her two sisters.

Friday was the day chosen as both of us were off work and all the libraries were open. I headed over to Clair's about 10 but we finally made it out the house about 11am. Surprisingly it was a proper challenge to get round all 8 libraries and we finished our visit to the final one about 15 minutes before it closed.

So to make it less of an epic post I'm going to do a library a day plus a couple of extra posts. Up first - Larbert!

Larbert is Clair's local so she visits regularly, I have only been in once before since the refit. Some ten years ago now I worked there as a part-time worker during my time working for the Library Service. Larbert at that time was dark and dingy, though well stocked and staffed by friendly people. The town centre was run down so the whole thing felt very tired. The centre was refurbished a couple of years ago and part of that included the library - it's lovely. Open, sunny and most importantly a warm and welcoming place. Clair's kids love it and rushed in when we arrived to hand back books and went straight to look for new books (once they showed me how far they were in the Summer Reading scheme!)

Another 6 challenges sort of completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

J - Jumping for joy over my new superhero shoes.
U - Upcycled black t-shirt became a Batgirl costume.
L - Lego that would be Team GB Olympic minifigs - got them all.
Y - Yonder blue sky - an unusual sight this month.

2. Read the same book - Stardust by Neil Gaiman - read and enjoyed, though I was cutting it fine getting it read - last few pages read at 12:08pm on the 31st!.

3. Gain a badge - Olympic celebration badge from Girlguiding.

4. Craft – there were the curtains for the main bedroom, batgirl costume and I managed the 24 hour zine challenge - 16 pages of hand written fun.

5. Try something new – the new camping equipment including a lovely comfy Ladies Therma-rest (so nice).

6. Exercise Challenge - ok so Clair did loads so I get to count some of hers right? After all we are the same person? No? Nuts. Right in that case I probably have the time thanks to housework and the limited walking I did for DofE but I admit it is clutching at straws. For August I promise to try harder.

July has seen me read a run of kids picture books so while the memory is fresh in my mind I wanted to share my thoughts.

Horns to Toes and in Between by Sandra Boynton
Moo, Baa, La La La! By Sandra Boynton
But Not The Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton
The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
Happy Hippo, Angry Duck by Sandra Boynton

I was drawn to these by the illustrations - which are simple and charming. It was 'Happy Hippo, Angry Duck' that I got and read first (it's bottom of the list as I re-read it having failed to add it to my list when i read it the first time). It was brilliant and funny and I loved it so when The Book People had an offer on another four I jumped at the chance to get them.

Of the four new ones 'But Not the Hippopotamus' was best and I could see 'The Going To Bed Book' making excellent last book of the night reading with toddlers. The other two were good, quirky and a bit different from the usual body parts or animal noise books but ultimately that's all they were - still liked them but would let a child touch them.

Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews
Not a kids book rather one of the silly crime books I enjoy so much. This one was good and fun and while it isn't going to be regarded as high literature it was well worth reading. It saw a murder at Meg's brother's software company and once again she decides to investigate. Very much like Murder She Wrote but with a bird theme.

Ultimate Captain America by Jason Aaron
Four comics combine to tell the story of the Steve Rodgers replacement, created during the Vietnam war, who has turned against the US and taken Rodgers hostage. The parental advisory is for the torture and violence in the story, though it wasn't as shocking as some comics I've read and made sense in the context. Although enjoyable enough the debate on ideals lacked meat and the solution ultimately felt clichéd.

Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett
Clair gave me this for Christmas but I only just found time to enjoy it. It is the story of a meerkat who travels the world staying with his various meerkat relatives and sends postcards home. It was (as with her other books) a detailed and beautifully illustrated book. I loved the idea and the postcards, the fake stamps and the little details that make Gravett's books so special. It wasn't my favourite of her stories but it was very enjoyable. I reckon it would be a good storytime read - I can totally see a afternoons activities based around it and summer holidays.

Astonishing Animal ABC by Charles Fuge
I love Fuge's illustrations! They are wonderful. I liked this book a lot - all the way to Y (particularly the Viking hat wearing Vole) but alas Z was disappointing. It was a made up creature with a made up name. Not sure why this bothered me, I accepted a Unicorn earlier without question. Still it did irk - even on a second reading. So with that in mind I'm forced to mark it as book I love but might have to stop reading on the second last page. Still I reckon kids would adore it and would like the alliteration of the Z creature so it's totally a possible option for Christmas pressies.

I think I mentioned before Clair and I are writing a bit on the Girlguiding Laws and Promise for the Lones newsletter this year. It's been a personal exploration at points so I've decided against sharing all of them but I decided I wanted to share this month's article on the line in the Promise to serve 'my country'.

I think the choice of the words being ‘my country’ was very deliberate - ‘my country’ can be many things – Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe,… As Marvin Gaye would say “wherever I lay my hat that’s my home” even if that’s far away or split between various places.

So if “my country” can be anywhere then what does it mean to ‘serve’ it. When people talk about ‘serving your country’ they often mean through one of the branches of the Armed Forces. From the heroes of the World Wars who sacrificed their lives to the women working in the munitions factory lines, they all ‘served their country’ to help protect their way of life. Sometimes people mean working for the public sector - politicians, nurses, social workers, teachers, etc. and working to help make society better. Without these people willing to do these jobs our society wouldn’t function.

In Guiding we mean serving through volunteering and playing a role in the workings of the country. We sacrifice our time to help others and by doing so we help our country. We make it a better place and provide services and opportunities that wouldn’t be available if we didn’t. I was reflecting on my own volunteering this year - I chair my local community centre group, run a DofE Open group, I’m on the SS12 planning team and I’m a leader for you. Even at a conservative estimate I reckon I’m clocking somewhere around the 400 hour mark and I bet many members of Guiding are pulling these kinds of numbers and probably more! Volunteering saves ‘my country’ money and if I was paid minimum wage (£6.08) to do the volunteering jobs it would have cost ‘my country’ £2432 to provide the same service. Never underestimate the value of the volunteering you do and the contribution to the country and our society.

The Millennium Development Goals we’ve been talking about this year are all about playing a role in the country – raising awareness, advocacy, fundraising and taking action to change things. The UK is a democracy, so you can have your say on matters affecting it, you have the chance to take part in decision making, to change it and (from 18) vote on it.

Serving ‘my country’ isn’t just about giving of my time it’s about being involved in the country and the decisions that affect it. We all have opinions and ideas and sometimes we don’t always agree. We should all be proud of the country we live in, after all it’s what we make it and if you aren’t proud of it then you have the power to change it.

I think the Olympics and Paralympics provides another chance to ‘serve’. The eyes of the world are looking at the UK (in particular London) and there have been lots of opportunities to get involved and be part of the event from volunteering to cheering on the torch. Why does it matter if you get behind the Olympics? Well if the world is watching, should we not show all that we can be, rather than all we can be bothered to be?

June proved to be a poor month for reading - two kids books, a novella and my bathroom read - but then I had beggar all time. That doesn't mean I wasn't reading but books were put to one side in place of blog posts and magazines that could be dipped in and out of (plus some more of the eComics I have on my DC/ Marvel Apps).

A Brewing Storm by Richard Castle (eBook)
A novella of the fictional character created by a fictional character on a TV show I love. It was only available in Kindle and my new iPhone has that app. Having an iPhone did make reading the ebook easy and convenient. I still can't see me buying a Kindle or similar just yet, but I can see the benefit of having a book always with you. As for the story it was exciting and fun to read - Derek Storm is called in to help solve the mystery of a kidnapping and try and get the hostage back. Stupid and silly but like the TV show I love enjoyable - I've already downloaded the next one.

The Queen’s Knickers by Nicholas Allan
I won this book and it's brilliant. It is a picture book all about the Queen's Knickers - seemed appropriate reading with all the Jubilee madness. I could see this making a fantastic display or storytelling session in a public library where kids could decorate pants etc. Or perhaps a bigger 'pants' display including the likes of Captain Underpants? Shame my pupils are far too old for it really.

How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran
I like Caitlin Moran. I read her fantasy novel as a teenager and at times over the year some of her journalism stuff and I've always liked it. So on finding she'd written a book I picked a copy up (admittedly because it was on offer and I was waiting for a train). 'How to Be a Woman' isn't a guide book, it's also got rather strong language for the first few chapters, making it a tough call as to appropriateness for the school library. What is making me think about adding it despite this is that it is excellent and thought provoking. I didn't agree with everything she said, in particular the chapter on not having kids, but overall it was pretty close to my way of thinking and I think I can say loudly and proudly that I am a feminist.

**** RANT WARNING *****
There was only one bit that I found myself disagreeing with in more than a superficial way - the chapter of not having kids. I felt it made it sound like if you don't have the good grace to breed then you could only become the well rounded person a 'mother' is (simply by having a child) by doing something amazing with your now freed up life.

I have two issues with this idea;

1. I don't think childbirth makes someone a better person (I'd agree it can change people but I'd contest the use of the word 'better'). Frankly a worrying number of the mothers I've met over the years have been disobeying Wheaton's Law. For the love of all that is fluffy, any 'mother' who utters the words "You don't really do much..." or "I don't see why you just can't..." to anyone who volunteers and helps provide opportunities for their beloved sprogs should be made to give community service - preferably with children in large numbers and over a weekend.

If Miss Moran is seriously telling me that they are in some way superior because they managed to make a human with their genitals then I think we will need to agree to disagree.

2. Those who by choice, or biological failure, don't have children don't need to change the world to be amazing human beings.

I'd argue that every woman should strive to be a amazing human being by taking responsibility her actions and making the most of every day. Kids are no more a vital part of this than the need to own a shed. Some people do, some don't, but you shouldn't be judged on it. As Caitlin Moran asks throughout the book - if this was a man not having kids would it matter? No. Then women should be judged by the same standard.

****RANT OVER****

Finally Mr. Stink by David Walliams which was the choice of Charlotte for her Brownie Book Lover badge and the book both Clair and I read this month. It was enjoyable and the illustrations by Quentin Blake were wonderful. I'll not rush to read his others but I can see why kids will love them and I'll look into getting more for the library for the kids who are stuck on Roald Dahl.

Right quick review of Storify - easy enough to use seems to do what it says on the tin and you can login via twitter/ facebook so no need to create yet another account. Possible uses with the JYHS Library twitter feed perhaps to share say an event record i.e. World Book Day fun etc.

Last time I posted about my camp blanket was way back in December 2009 at that time I had only just started to work on a camp blanket so it was pretty empty -

Now (a frankly worrying) 3 years on and it is a bit fuller -

NB: the buttons were added as it had a tendency to slip off during physical campfire songs.

As for my favourite badge? Well it's getting harder and harder to choose only one.

So I'm going to go with my favourite one from my Mum and Dad -

We had to say goodbye to Horatio back in May, but it was only today I managed to get him he’s added to the camp blanket. This is one I specially commissioned from Dr. Chameleon over on etsy . It might be a month late but he's still missed.

Another month another 6 challenges completed in the name of the 4D challenge.

1. Blog a photo montage -

J - Jollity at the Prom and playing 'Munchkin' in school
U - Up high on the 'vertical challenge' and Unusual mail (who could have sent me a fork?)
N - New shop (for Shan and Peter) and Naughty rats (stealing human food and nomming through clothes and blankets).
E - Excitement at holding Olympic torch and attending the Tartan Gig.

2. Read the same book - Mr.Stink by David Walliams (read and enjoyed now all I need to do is discuss it with a Brownie for her Book Lover badge).

3. Gain a badge - Big Gig and my Glasgow County badge thanks to the Lones Residential

4. Craft – a bear for Dionne (my now ex-Head Library Monitor) she's crazy for Vampires (though outgrown Twilight)

5. Try something new – mowing the lawn;

I also worked at Firecrest Motorcycle Outfitters for a day (never worked in a shop before), joined in the S6 team building day where, despite my fear of heights, I tried the 'Vertical Challenge' (see montage photo), tried using glass eyes on the bear and saw Scouting for Girls live.

6. Exercise Challenge - Dancing at Prom and Chris Horne's Retiral Do, climbing stairs and walking round Glasgow at the Lones Residential, taking part in the S6 team building day (archery, vertical challenge and survival skills) and mowing the lawn! (Seriously that took me like 3 hours + to manage and my arms did not work the next day).

Oh and how high did I manage on the Vertical Challenge - not very high at all.

(Many thanks to the ladies in my team who helped me even get that high! They were a great group and looks like this new S6 will be in the words of Aunt Teri "a hoot".)

So this weekend was the Lones Gathering in Glasgow and, since she couldn't make it,Clair issued me a photo challenge - 30 photos inspired by books.

From the Left hand side - top to bottom
Tanka Tanka Skunk - The Armadillo
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Cup of Tea
Cupcake Bakery Mysteries - Cupcake Bites
Robert Burns Poetry - Red, Red Rose
Catch 22
Fahrenheit 451
Pride and Prejudice - romance classic
A Christmas Carol - Rottenrow sounds like exactly the street Scrooge would have lived at.
Brideshead Revisited
Poirot - Cat Among the Pigeons
Guinness Book of World Records - Loudest Screams Ever!
Famous Five - lashings of Ginger Beer
Of Mice and Men
Sherlock Holmes
Odyssey
Twilight - Lion sleeps with the lamb
Paddington Bear - he has a rain hat just like this but in red
Discworld
Spike Milligan Poetry - Rain
Princess Bride - Dread Pirate Roberts
Wonder Woman Comics
The Bible
James and the Giant Peach
Oxford English Dictionary - a word that should be included!
James Bond - My secret agent disguise
Meg Langslow Mysteries - Pink Flamingo photo bombing
Harry Potter
A Brief History of time - Prometheus
Wind in the Willows
That's not my... safety pin it's too large!

So this is the final part of my photo challenge from Clair of photos to take at my day at Firecrest Motorcycle Outfitters in Glasgow.

Belief - A 'lucky charm' on Peter's racing bike
Love - Steve (Shan's brother) helps out for the day
Guiding - my Pax Lodge shirt (original outfit choice for day)
Giving - Shan and Peter gave us a goodie bag as thanks for helping
Philosophy - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Peter's racing bike innards
P-bird - Penguin on Tom's iPhone (yeah I know but it appears there are no P-birds associated with motorbikes)
Dancing - dad style dancing as performed by the racing suits - do, do, do the funky chicken
Social Networking - did I mention Firecrest are online via Twitter and Facebook?
Photo Bombing - Tom photo bombs my attempt at taking a photo of 'many' boots
Father's Day - Peter's Dad and Mum came by to wish them luck.

So my day at Firecrest Motorcycle Outfitters saw me trying to take 30 photos to complete a challenge set by Clair as well as hand out Monster and goodie bags.

For those who can count you might have spotted yesterday I only managed 9 of the 30 as I popped in two photos of food. So I'll kick today's 10 off with a bonus extra photo challenge - Where's Whalley?
Did you see him?

Cold - poster showing snowy scene
Olympic - that is the Union Jack, we are hosting the Olympics this year!
Numbers - price tag, style and size numbers
Bright - that neon jacket is very bright (good to be seen on the road people)
Sealife - Shark helmet
Holiday - a shot of a extreme holiday video taken with GoPro camera
Glass - Firecrest sign on the main door glass
Stripes - stripes on more jackets
Commonwealth - the United Kingdom is part of the Commonwealth
Future - Tom wants this jacket to be in his future :)

Today Tom and I helped Shan and Peter at the grand opening of their motorcycle outfitter shop. I took the opportunity to tweet about the event and Clair set me a photographic challenge (made harder thanks to being in the shop all day). There are 30 photos in the challenge so I'm spreading it over three days.

So here are the first 10 -

 

Many - helmets
Gold - lettering on Shoei worn by Stuart Easton
Food - special cake made by my Sister
Laughter - Tom enjoying the craic
Teeth - teeth of the zipper on a bike jacket pocket
Loyalty - see me wearing that Monster t-shirt and hanging around all day that is loyalty to my friend right there (in case you are wondering that handsome chap next to me is British Superbike racer Graeme Gowland - fyi his favourite reads are Lance Armstrong's biographies)
Food - Hog Roast!
Trees - a display stand made of real trees
Women - women's gear is labelled with special pink ribbon and lettered tags (men's have orange)
None - an empty shelf (because of a sale)

Kids, Crafts and Chaos is the most enthusiastic person I know about the Olympics (seriously Clair is super excited). I on the other hand, am less enthused (though frankly I think everyone is less enthused than her) so in an attempt to get me in the spirit Clair has tagged me in this Olympic Meme. So Olympic spirit here I come...

1. If everyday tasks were Olympic events what would you get a gold medal in?

See a Gold medal would suggest I was the best internationally and I can think of people who could beat me in anything I can do. I could compete in the geek decathlon or perhaps the pitching of a canvas ridge tent team event. Reckon I'd hold my own in those and if not win I reckon I could make the final.

2. As a child (or even now) did you excel at a particular sport and, if so, which one?

I enjoy archery now but I have limited skills in it.

As a kid I sucked at every sport. In school I got a C for PE but an A for effort. Not enough co-ordination, rhythm or ability to remember sequences to be successful in any of the sports I tried over the years which included badminton, javelin, kayaking, long jump, hurdles, running, abseiling, touch rugby, climbing, wind surfing, hockey, football, rounders, table tennis, orienteering, aerobics and gymnastics (even managed to sprain my neck doing a forward roll).

3. Michael Phelps (swimmer) or Michael Johnson (runner)- which sport appeals to you more?

Ok, so out of those two people Michael Phelps wins. On my quick read of their wikipedia entries (which are always accurate) I think Phelps came across better. He seemed to be slightly more of a flawed human who has tried to set a good example and help his community. Plus he's cuter.

As for the sports - I am against running as a concept, mostly because I am as slow as a slug, but swimming is equally awful an idea, as looking like a giant white whale is a swim suit is a hellish idea. So if I can dress like a Victorian I'll opt for swimming. Otherwise, I have here a note from my mum saying I can't take part.

4. How fast can you get out of bed and ready to go out the door if you miss the alarm and sleep in?

20 minutes - unless you just mean to put the bin out in which case I can do than in under 5 minutes.

5. What fantasysport would you like to see made into an Olympic event?

Calvinball.

6. Claim to fame time- Have you ever met an Olympian and who was it?

My Grandfather - Jock Caldwell - trained and coached speed skaters and was involved in getting short track accepted as a Olympic sport. I'm sure there are lot so people he knew but I know there were a few that competed in the Winter Olympics - namely Wilf O'Reilly (1992 at Albertville -when short track was a display sport- and 1994 at Lillehammer), Bryan Carbis (1984 games at Sarajevo) and Tom Dawson (1964 games at Innsbruck). Tom Dawson (you can watch a video of him skating from 1965) remains a family friend to this day.

As for the Summer Olympics I have a couple of links to this year's games. A friend of ours at Archery - Murray Elliot - is competing in the Paralympics in, unsurprisingly, the archery. While a pupil at school (just left) - Craig Benson- is in the swim team. Obviously the library skills I taught him are going to be key to his success in the games.

7. What event in past Olympics can you remember most vividly?
I can remember watching Roger Black compete as me and my sister fancied him. In the recent games I can remember watching Usain Bolt winning by miles in the 100m sprint, the excitement of watching Steve Redgrave get yet another gold and watching the archery (the Korean ladies have the best chest guards). I tend not to remember specifics very well more the feeling or the outfits.

8. Tuning in at home, not for me, or tickets clamped ready into sweaty palms?
I would quite happily have gone to the games but we decided against even entering the ticket draw (mostly because neither of us liked the 'pay for tickets but don't know what you got' system or the fact you had to pay with a certain type of credit card). So I'll be watching at home, probably on the iPlayer, red button or the evening catch up unless they hold the events after work is done.

9. Who do you think deserves a gold medal? (any walk of life, not just Olympians)

The actors in Horrible History, and Terry Deary, who wrote the series as it has totally got me interested in history again and should be compulsory viewing for the nation.

Thanks Clair for getting me to write about the Olympics and get me enthused in time to write the Lones Olympic themed newsletter.

And who to tag in this meme... how about Library Quine because I know she likes a online challenge and Mamacook because I want to see what Olympic themed food Heidi is planning!

27. Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie
A Poirot short story collection it was a very enjoyable read. I am pretty sure I had seen all the stories adapted on TV but even so I failed to remember what happened so it was still a riveting read. I really liked the Dead Man's Mirror story.

28. A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
I adored this. I'm sure I read Paddington as a child but I didn't remember it well. The book was an absolute delight to read and the illustrations by Peggy Fortnum are charming. I found myself laughing out loud as I read this, especially at the wonderful illustration of Paddington trying to eat a grapefruit.

29. A Piano in the Pyrenees written and read by Tony Hawks
This was an audio book I listened to while driving to work. Hawks was witty and enjoyable. While the story wasn't as funny as some of his other adventures it was well worth listening to and made the better I think for his reading of it to me.

30. All My Friends are Dead. by Avery Monsen and Jory John
and
31. All My Friends are Still Dead. by Avery Monsen and Jory John
These two short books are wonderful. Essentially they are just adult picture books but they are really funny albeit in a black humour way.

32. The Avengers vol.2 by Brian Michael Bendis
Having seen the Avengers movie in May (as well as the lead-in movies like Iron Man and Thor) I was happy to delve a bit more into this universe. An actual book this collects six Avenger comics into one volume. In traditional fashion a super villan has stolen something that can control the universe (in this case a set of orbs). The Avengers (plus pretty much every other heroic character you've heard of as they seem to pull in a massive assortment of characters) have to work together to save the planet. This is made more challenging as there are same big trust issues thanks to Tony Stark. He (plus a group of others) had hidden the existence of these orbs from Captain America and the other Avengers. It was clear there were bigger story arcs you weren't getting in that volume and a number of plot points remained unresolved. Overall I enjoyed it but won't be rushing to read volume 3.

33. Sold as a Slave by Olaudah Equiano
I watched 'Amazing Grace' (not just because Ioan Gruffudd was in it) and was keen to do a bit wider reading on the topic of the slave trade. Olaudah Equiano (and his book) are featured in the movie as he was part of the movement to end the slave trade. Handily I had the Penguin Great Journeys series version in the library. Equiano travelled widely from West Africa to the Caribbean to the USA to Britain, either as a slave or fighting with the Royal Navy. There is some controversy about the first part of the story (from Africa to America) and questions were raised about wither this was true but it is accepted that even if it's not, it is an accurate account - presumably based on the accounts of of slaves who did make the journey. The slave trade bits were horrific (as you'd expect) but it is an interesting window onto the world as it was.

34. Astonishing X-Men: Gifted by Joss Whedon
I've been reading a few comics thanks to the DC/ Marvel Apps on my iPhone from their free selection (though I'm not going to review them) and there is a demand at work for them as well. This book brings together vol 1-6 of Astonishing X-Men. A reformed X-Men (led by Cyclops and Emma Frost) face a threat that could destroy them - a 'cure' for the mutant gene. It made for a good read - clearly the story continues but this first part worked well as a collection and asked some interesting moral questions.

35. Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall written and read by Spike Milligan
and
36. “Rommel?” “Gunner Who?” written and read by Spike Milligan
I read 'Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall' last year and despite enjoying it I felt I was missing some of the jokes. Listening to Spike Milligan read these two volumes of his autobiography was brilliant. He sings, puts on voices - it's great and really brings to life the stories. The second book is darker than the first as it sees him in action but it was still an excellent listen.

37. Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr Spencer Johnson
This classic self-help book claims to help you cope with change. Perhaps if the story was being told to me at some kind of CPD event it would have had a a better impact but as it was I thought it was poorly written and overly simplistic. It only got a star because I like the quote "What would you do if you weren't afraid?". The only other thing to redeem it was the fact it was short. As Waldorf and Statler would say:

It was dumb!
It was obvious!
It was pointless!
It was...short.

We loved it!

38. A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde
This month's 4D challenge read. Clair and I have both read quite a lot of Wilde over the years but turned out this play had never made it onto the read pile. I enjoyed it, partly as it contained a number of quotes I had heard and it was fun to get the context. The story was like his other plays and used social expectations and restrictions to move the story along. The closing line was perhaps predictable but it did leave me wanting to applaud.

May also saw me fail to read a couple of books. I gave up trying to read;

'Stoneheart' by Charlie Fletcher - I have wanted to read this book for so long and the idea is great- statues in London come alive and it turns out there is a good vs evil fight going on. Peril, danger, running around London - what is not to love? Alas despite the idea sounding great, the author speaking really well on it and the reviews being great, it just wasn't as gripping or as exciting as it should have been. Yes it is a kids book, but the Narnia stories keep me hooked and the basis for that story doesn't sound half as exciting when you write it down. Ultimately, I found it failed to capture my attention so I'm giving up on it.

and

'Postcards from the Edge' by Carrie Fischer - I found it all rather depressing. It starts (and for all I know ends) in a rehab centre where a actress is trying to recover after accidentally overdosing. The main problem was that I just didn't connect with the main character and I was really annoyed by second character who joins after about a week in the story. Perhaps it's an age thing, or life experience thing, or maybe just I'm not in the right frame of mind but I've decided to call it quits on trying to read it.

So for this months 4D challenge I’ve:

1. Tried something new – Played lasergame tag at Megazone. Really enjoyed it and managed to go from 10th of the group to 5th over the two games. Reckon that's alright for a first shot. Apparently I'm too polite - my apologising for shooting people resulted in me revealing my location and being killed a number of times - doh!

2. A badge for my camp blanket – Earned a pile of them during my London fun including not being eaten by bears!

3. Exercise – ticked off with London trip but struggling otherwise to have done enough.

4. Read the same book as Clair – A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde.

5. Do something crafty – London activities, Felt Superheroes and designing my own badges. (I am so counting that as done).

6. Blog a montage of the month – done.

London - Day 3 (last day)

Ballgown exhibit at the V&A (Lexie's favourite was the yellow one worn by Princess Alexandra) and then home.

Five words to sum up the trip - exhausted, laughter, excited, successful and fun.

London - Day 2
Pax Lodge tour (excellent and well worth a visit), underground everywhere, spotting Prince Charles and Camilla at St-Martin's-in-the-Field (before we did brass rubbing there), Hamleys (where I got an adorable new bear) and Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain show (excellent - 'divorced, beheaded and died, divorced, beheaded, survived...').

London Day 1
Plane down (easyJet even let the girls meet the captain and see the cockpit), London Eye (girls so excited by this idea) and crafting in the hotel room (all the badge fun and activities went down really well and totally worth the effort).

NB: Lexie was my 'designated child' for the trip so most of my photos feature her as a result (that and Clair was the main photographers).

M is for mourning - we lost Horatio and Clair's mum Jane lost her battle with cancer.

A is for Alexandra - spent a lot of this month with my god-daughter.

Y is for Young Rats - three new ratty boys in our home - James, Tiberius and Kirk.

So I've done lots for the kids but it's a holiday for us as well so I decided to make Clair a challenge just for her. I started with an Altoids tin and made a label for the top (with the help of the Keep Calm-o-matic).

Next I filled it with a range of things.

• googly eyes
• photo challenge zine
• paracetamol
• Freddo bar (chocolate)
• Scotch tape pop-up tape refill
• Hair bands
• Mini Sharpie
• Lip Balm
• Mini frog
• Magnetic letter d (or p)
• Plasters
• Stamps
• Where's Wally?
• Moustaches

The mini moustaches were attached to matchsticks (you can get lots of printable photo props online). Wally came from a gift tag and I glued it to a matchstick as well.

The main thing is the photo challenge. 3 days and 30 photos to take. Only two rules - a photo for each challenge and they should be taken between us meeting up and us returning to our own homes.
It was done as a mini-zine and you can get a how-to and template over on Tangled Crafts.

So what does she earn for achieving this challenge? Why a unique badge hand-crafted by yours truly.

Pax Lodge is one of the four World Centres for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Girls from all over the world visit the centre (it's a big thing in International Guiding) and Clair and I went last year and had a great time, so visiting it with the girls was a large part of why we are going to London.

I've booked us a tour and pinning ceremony (where the girls will get a special Pax Lodge pin) but I wanted to make sure they got as much out of it and got as involved with it as possible so I made us a wee challenge (or two).

First up I went through the Girlguiding Goes Tartan badge from the World Conference that we didn't get round to earning last year and made sure we managed that in our challenges.

I made another wee booklet of challenges for the girsl to complete:

1. Make a swap for the swap box.
Using the stuff provided make a swap for the box. Add your name and unit number to back. Poke the safety pin through the corner. (I pre-cut the self adhesive foam into the Scottish icons from the Tratan pack - they cna make Nessie and Highland Cow).

2. Pin a badge on the World Map.
Pax Lodge has a world map in the dining room that is used to keep a record of the guests who visit during the year. (I packed some of the old Scottish neckie badges for that).

3. Solve the World Flag jigsaw
The flag has a golden trefoil on a blue background. A white blaze in the lower right-hand corner represents worldwide peace, which all Guides and Girl Scouts work for in their families, communities and the wider world. This is crowned by three golden blocks symbolising the threefold Promise. (Printed an image of this from online and cut it up)

4. The flags hanging outside Pax Lodge are the flags of the countries the girls and leaders currently staying there come from. How many different flags are there? Draw some of them (I gave them four boxes to fill in)

5. Draw a peg doll a uniform from another country. (Pax Lodge has a display of these so hopefully that will inspire them).

6. Mark on the map the countries you spot (colour in map provided plus a photocopy from an atlas of a World map)

7. Play World Badge beetle
The World Badge has a golden yellow trefoil on a bright blue background which represents the sun shining over the children of the world.
_ The three leaves represent the threefold Promise.
_ The flame represents the love of humanity.
_ The two stars represent the Promise and the Law.
_ The vein pointing upwards represents the compass needle pointing the way.
_ The outer circle represents our worldwide organisation.
Each person passes the dice around the circle, taking turns to throw it. As soon as someone throws a six, they can colour the blue background circle. Continue to take turns to throw the dice, trying to colour all the pieces. 1 – the needle 2 – a star 3 – the flame 4 – a leaf of the trefoil 5 – the outer ring 6 – the blue background circle
(Printed off colour-in version of the World Badge so we can colour them in (rather than collect the pieces as you would normally) and packed a dice!)

Bonus Badge - Brazil
Girls aged between 6 and 8 are called Cirandas.
Guiding with Jewels has a Brazil uniform colour in sheet
I got some blank masks from the crafty stash to take with us so they could make a mask for Carnival and took some Brazil music for them to make up a cranival dance to.
A picture from the movie Rio to colour-in of a carnival dancer from Free Kids Coloring Pages
Plus I packed some balloons so we can try and play Pateca.
Apparently it's a Brazilian game, traditionally played with sand filled bag, but we will played this with a balloon. Players stand in a circle and start volleying the balloon about. Say a letter when you hit the ball (A…B…C…) trying to get to Z. Players may not touch the ball twice in a row. If the ball hits the ground or touches the ceiling, start over.
(I don't know which of my Guiding resources I found this in though so alas can't give credit - apologies).

So once in London there are yet more activities to do and badges to earn. The challenges were based around what we were going to be up to.

I made up a wee booklet with some challenges in it for the girls to complete and carried with me a selection of bits so they could complete the activities.

The idea is that they complete as many of these challenges as they can:

1. How many differnt forms of transport can they spot or use?
2. Can they find any places or characters from books?
3. Make yourself a London Bookmark (I got a set of foam London bookmarks from Baker Ross)
4. Send a postcard home (buying one there and Clair has stamps in her special challenge)
5. Make a Brass Rubbing (We are intending to hit the Brass Rubbing Centre)
6. Visit Hamleys
7. Photo challenge - take photos to record your favourite sights (this links with Charlotte's Brownie World Traveller Badge)
8. How many birds can you spot beginning with P?
9. What can you spot related to the Olympics?
10. Design your own Olympic flag and medal (Free-For-Kids has a nice prinatable sheet for this)
11. Using the Usborne ’50 Things to Spot in London’ cards make a list the Landmarks you manage to spot
12. Go on the London Eye
13. Take in a show
14. Visit a Museum
15. Bonus Badge! (The fancy crown one)
a. The Queen owns all the Mute Swans in the country – try making an origami swan (Origami Resource Centre for pattern and packed some paper to fold)
b. Make yourself a Diamond Jubilee bookmark (Baker Ross Colour-in bookmarks)
c. Go and see Buckingham Palace.
d. Design your own stamp. (Template from Activity Village)
e. Make a card and send it to the Queen to congratulate her on her Diamond Jubilee (Packed some blank cards and made sure I printed off the address to send them to as well)
f. Learn the first verse of the National Anthem (I printed off a copy of this).

So what badges did they earn of doing all this work?

The 2012 Challenge badge is from 25th Colchester Guides, the theatre and museum badges came from Making Friends and the others are from the Clothes Plasters - London set which I ordered via the V&A. I'm going for a drip feed over the three days with the London 2012 one being the final badge they get.

This week I went on a trip to the National Museum of Scotland with Lexie (and her sisters and her mum). While it re-opened last year this was the first chance I'd had to go and it was worth the wait. The museum is excellent and the feel hasn't really changed with the refurbishment.

Lexie wanted me to sniff the smelly skunk and essentially to touch everything she could. Fortunately the museum staff clearly had kids in mind and there are plenty of child friendly bits plus lots of more quiet adult bits for me to visit next time.
Given the short visit I really only saw a small portion - Ancient Egypt and the Animal Kingdom sections mainly. Still there was plenty to see as we wandered around. I particularly liked:
Spiky Knees - worthy of any Munchkin.

Fighting Peacocks (Peacock being a favourite P-Bird) I discovered that I am as heavy as a Dragon - ok so a Komodo Dragon but still a dragon (Lexie was as heavy as a koala bear).A Fat Dog Pot
A Totem Pole -where the bottom section was a beaked animal eating a child

The wonderfully titled badger with kettle

and Rats!

My God-daughter, Lexie, is big on Batgirl. Apparently she and her friends play 'Batman' at playtime in school - she gets to be Batgirl. In fairness I am big on Batgirl, mostly thanks to the fact that her alter ego, Barbara Gordon, was a librarian. So I decided to make her a little Batgirl doll (small enough to fit in an Altoids tin) as part of our London fun.

Thing is she has two sisters, and Clair said it was unfair to only make one for Lexie, so I made another two mini dolls. I opted for Wonder Woman (who I also admire) for Charlotte and (at Tom's suggestion) Black Canary (who is the wife of the Green Arrow) for Minnie.

The nice thing is they are pretty easy to make so I thought I would share the pattern and how-to (for personal use only of course). I'm giving the how-to for Black Canary and hopefully you can work out how to do the others (if not drop me a message and I'll try and help).

Right the first step to your very own mini Black Canary is to print out the patterns -

Next you need to cut out the felt pieces (being sure to reverse the templates as needed).

To make up the doll you layer it together like a jigsaw. I started by adding the front of the hair to the head.
Next I worked on the body. Essentially this was the same thing twice - once with the back and once with the front. Black Canary wears a jacket so I stitched on the bodice then added the sleeves (on the reverse body the bodice is a straight line and the jacket is a solid piece).

Then comes the fishnet tights which I embroidered on. As a rule it was easier to embroider the details on one layer and then stitch that piece in place.
Adding the boots and gloves to finish it off. (The back of the body is the same again).

Now it's time to join the body together

Leave the neck open and stuff it lightly (I used felt scraps). Once it's stuffed stitch it closed.
Next we need to make the head up. Embroider the eyes and mouth at this point.
Stitch the back of the head on - leaving a gap for stuffing.
After stitching this closed, attach the head to the body.
Finally attach the back of the hair - I only attached this around the sides and top.
There you have it a mini Black Canary.

NB: I freely admit that at various points I trimmed felt to make it fit better so feel free to do the same.

For Wonder Woman the pattern is:


For Batgirl the pattern is:

So planning for the London Trip has had me thinking about badge we could work towards. Shan suggested one based on the A.A Milne poem 'Lines and Squares' for not being eaten by bears.

The poem, in case you didn't know this, is all about being careful while walking on London - as if you step on a crack there are bears just waiting to nom on you.

And the little bears growl to each other, "He's mine,
As soon as he's silly and steps on a line."

The best thing though are the illustrations that accompany the poem by E.H.Shepard.
So I decided this was a badge worth making. I got some badge blanks, sketched out the design based on the E.H.Shepard illustration, embroidered the outline and then used fabric stamping ink to add colour.

Now all I need to do is miss the cracks so I can earn it.

and I have the balls.

SS12 continues to charge ahead in planning alas the badge is back in design mode. The design I had created back in January was deemed too large by the planning team when the company producing it said it would be 3" diameter at smallest.

So it was back to the design board. Still limited by the new branding requirements of using the trefoil (that along with it would need to say Girlguiding Scotland and SS12 at least) it was decided that to make the small badge the planning team wanted we'd drop the trefoil entirely and only have the event name. So now there is a new problem how to make it look like a Guide thing without a trefoil. Plus something that says Scotland, oh and if it can have a biscuit theme all the better.

Not sure any of these manage all of this but these are what I've cleared with SHQ and are now being passed to the manufacturer to see what size they can make them or if they can even make them.

This first one is a small version of one of the original ideas featuring a Viscount, Custard Cream and a Party Ring. Biscuits - yes, Scottish - not really, Guides - not at all.

The highland cow i've suggested annually but never accepted (not because they didn't like it just there was always a more suitable option or in the case of the Aberdeen way camp it was too close to another camps badge).  Biscuits - no, Scottish - yes, Guides - yes thanks to neckie.

Custard Cream -  Biscuits - check, Scottish - not really, Guides - not at all.

Westhighland Terrier (aka Westie) -  Biscuits - no, Scottish - yes, Guides - not at all.

This one is shortbread, a very Scottish biscuit, but the fact I felt I had to explain that here means I think it may be a fail.  Biscuits - yes, Scottish - yes, Guides - not at all.

This features the new Girguiding Scotland logo (it can be used on it's own - I checked).  Biscuits - no, Scottish - yes, Guides - yes, dull as ditch water - totally.

So what'll it be? At this rate you'll have to be at SS12 to see the answer.

Having all got to the airport it's time for our first challenge badge - Sweetastic. The badge was created by DEVA Senior Section and basically it's a bunch of sweet related challenges. I used it on my last London trip with a bunch of Guiders when we went by train and it worked really well.
This time the challenge will be done on the plane and each girl gets a booklet of challenges and a bag of goodies. (The bag label is from Chica and Jo.)

The idea being that at least some of these goodies are use in the challenges. SO the girls are challenged to:

1. Design their own Jelly Baby - including name, colour, flavour and characteristics.
2. Make themselves some Candy Bling using the elastic and sweetie beads.
3. Design their own chocolate bar - including name and contents.
4. Make a candy aeroplane (as inspired by Disney Family Fun) using the rubber bands, polos, refreshers and chomp.
5. Play tic-tac-toe with the lime and orange tic-tacs.

I'm off to London soon with two small children - one is my God-daughter (the Rainbow) and other is her sister (the Brownie). Luckily for me their mum (aka Clair) will also be there and as we are all members of Girlguiding what could be better than some London Badge Challenges. So epic are the challenges that I'm going to have to do the challenges over a series of posts despite the fact we are only there for three days!

So first up Travelling.

The first treat is a snap bracelet each with a contact mobile number for mum on them (these were bought from Baker Ross and decorated with a fabric pen) and a union jack hairclip (from a supermarket though I've forgotten which one).

We are flying down, so I wanted to pack things we could do to fill the time waiting around. I've got a pack of Olympic Top Trumps, mini notebook and pen, a Littlest Pet Shop toy each (on sale so about 50p each) and a pencil case each with crayola twist up HB and colouring pencils, rubber and pritt stick. Each girl will also get an A5 folder with activities. The idea is that they will carry these items in their bags.

I decided to make the girls an A5 pocket book folder of distractions but also turn it into a journal of their trip. The folders I got have a pocket on the front so I added a title page with their name and the trip dates on it - I did the letters in an outline so they can colour them in. The image of the skyline I pulled off  scurri.com (I did look but I can't see an original source).  I've then collected a bunch of stuff - mainly from various websites to fill the books;

1. Guy Fox - London Children's Map (bought from Amazon)
2. A map of the UK with London highlighted so we can mark off where we travelled from (from Activity Village)
Plus a I-Spy for the airport from Kidstravel2
3. Two pages from 'I'm going on Holiday' I found in a doodle pack on trunki.co.uk the first records the journey and the second is 'holiday masterpieces' where they doodle the highlights of the trip.
4. Three of the journal pages from trunki.co.uk which we can fill in at the end of each day.
5. Printable pictures to colour-in -
From Activity Village - A London Bus, Big Ben and the London Eye. Plus their Jubilee Colour-in of the Queen.
From i-Child Westminster Abbey
The WAGGGS flag via leaderlobby.net
The London 2012 Olympic mascots via Dutch site kids.flevoland.to
Kylie dress up doll from the V&A Museum
6. A model bus From the London Transport Museum
7. Paddington Bear colour-in and maze from the official Paddington Bear website.
8. Horrible Histories - brain buster form the CBBC site and a couple from the Horrible Histories website (I opted for Spot the difference on Shakespeare and Where's the Rat?)
9. Muppet Theatre from Disney Family (nothing to do with London but we all love the Muppets). I made it all up in advance (I opted to make the theatre without the floor) and stuck the characters onto lolly sticks rather than as stand ups.
10. A London Eye info/activity page from the DK book 'Cool Stuff Exploded' via the London Eye website.
11. A set of the Olympic mascot stickers (I got them in Tesco for about a £1).

I had to make them all A5 size (I did that by just adjusting my printer so they printed in A5) and cut out anything that needed cutting out (no scissors allowed on planes people). Anyway, at any point they have something they can be doing - so no excuses for being bored.

24. Horrible Histories – London by Terry Deary
With the London trip I decided to have a read of this and enjoyed it. I find with Horrible Histories they all tend to be of a similar standard, though I don't think I copuld have passed my Social History exam based on the contents of this one. It was an enjoyable tour through the history of London (although only the horrible bits as you'd expect).

24. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I already talked about this here. I will probably read the next two books (though I'm not feeling any great rush to do so). I enjoyed it and I'd certainly recommend it to others, though didn't think the story was as stunningly original as some fot he reviews have made out.

25. Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger
I loved this. Even better than Origami Yoda it sees the boys a bit older and Darth Paper out for revenge. It's brilliant, funny and totally worth reading plus it comes with instructions on how to make origami Darth paper.

26. Sherlock Holmes and the House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
I really enjoyed it, very much in the style of Conan Doyle but with lots of little nods to the old stories and characters. Just like Conann Doyle's tales I found the plot compelling and the solution not exactly what I had been expecting. The 'bogey man' of the tale was certainly a more 2012 issue, not that it couldn't have happened in Victorian times, more that it's something we fear in the criminal underworld now.

April's 4D Challenge -

A - Aberfoyle - DofE training weekend at Dounans
P - Presents for my wonderful hubby Tom who is a year older.
R - Romance - Susan and Andy got hitched
I - Irritable Horatio's been with us for a year and so has
L - Little Nelson!

Try something new - Baklawa - Mediterranean Treats made from filo pastry, honey and nuts (tasty and happy to eat them again) or I could count doing an Orcadian Strip the Willow down the side of the pitch at Murrayfield.

Book - Anthony Horowitz - Sherlock Holmes and the House of Silk - read an enjoyed.

Exercise - Archery for the 7 hours. I'm thinking that while archery is a sport it isn't high impact and it doesn't really rise my heart rate (unless Tom tries to tell me to change five things at once but that's more anger induced). So from May the challenge will be that only 3.5 hours of the 7 can be use on any one sport or physical activity.

Badge - WAGGGS 2012 celebration badge.

Craft - Super productive but some of it has to be kept under wraps so the only thing I can currently share is Hibee - a bear I made for Susan and Andy as a wedding present (Hibee is the nickname of the supporters of the football team Susan follows).

"Is there a blossom on your branch?"

This spring themed option comes from Chris - cheers mate.

"Is this how thick the book is?" (while holding the book).

"Yes."

"So this is the whole book?"

"Yes."

"I'll still only read a third."

"Is there a key in your lock?"

Cheers - Becky!

"Name a title of a book by Cathy MacPhail"

"So who is the author then?" - Query from teacher!

 No they don't mean a certain Vampire filled town but the actual eating utensil. The library has a had two famous forks - one that never landed and the other is one the wall above the clock - a tribute to library monitors past.

Two pupils in the library - one was showing off his new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt.

"Have you noticed how kids tv today is shit but when we were kids it was epic?"

So I asked what tv shows were so epic and they came back with:
Gummi Bears, Balamory, Teletubbies, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers and Bob the Builder. Though the TMNT t-shirt wearer was quick to point out that "Bob the Builder is over-rated".

No these are not epic kids tv shows my young library user - Sesame Street, Bagpuss, Button Moon, Rainbow, Mr.Ben, Paddington, Thundercats, Dogtanian, Dangermouse, He-man - now these are epic kids tv shows.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins seemed to be a bit of a theme over Easter weekend. I read the first book (Tom finished the third), we saw the movie and Tom brought me breakfast in bed of slightly burnt bread (hot-cross buns to be exact) :)As for my thoughts on book and movie - book was better and well worth a read. The movie changed a few bits as you'd expect but the only one I objected to was the origin for the Mockingjay pin Katniss wears (and the iconic image seen everywhere).  In the book it is given to Katniss by a friend for good luck once she's volunteered to be tribute for District 12.  In the movie the friend is cut out so a new origin has to be created.

In the movie Katniss gets the pin on the day of the 'reaping' from a old lady at the market and she then gives this to her sister for good luck at the 'reaping'. The odds are against her sister when she is selected to represent District 12 at 'The Hunger Games' - Katniss volunteers to save her.  Given being chosen is pretty rotten luck I'd suggest the pin is now bad luck, but despite this her little sister gives it back to Katniss for luck at 'The Hunger Games'. I like the idea the sister gave her the pin but can't help but think there must have been a luckier way for it to have been passed on. Still shouldn't let that spoil the movie as the rest is enjoyable, though I'm definitely Team Gale now.

Excitingly is that there is a Katniss Barbie due out in August!
Since it's archery linked, do you think Tom will let me have one?

There are more details over on the Barbie Collector website.

16. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
This was the read of the month for me and Clair, it's been on and off my read pile for a while. It is one of these books that a bunch of people claim they love and as we all know they can't all be wrong. So what was my verdict? I enjoyed it until the last page where it seemed to stop rather abruptly. Now I have complained about a story being tied up with a bow in the past but the way this was written you kind of expected that. Yes at the end all the characters are accounted for and the loose ends, while not tied off, at least matched up, it felt like it wasn't finished, like I was missing a chapter or perhaps a second book. I did really enjoy lots of the story though and it was worth the read.

17. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy
This one threw me as it was described as a crime but it was more political thriller, well a political thriller if Jessica Fletcher had written it. It was good and I'll be reading the next one. I did find it was a bit patriotic at points (given it's set in the White House this is perhaps not overly surprising) and the politics a bit idealistic but I did like the main character and I'm hopeful not every book will see the President save the world or force American ideology on the rest of the world.

18. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
A collection of reports from various children on whether or not a origami Yoda finger puppet is giving good advice or not. I really enjoyed it, similar in style to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, it's got fun little doodles through out and includes a origami pattern for Yoda.

19. Stop What You’re Doing and Read This! by Various
A collection of short essays about reading by various writers. Some were inspiring, others a bit dull. Overall worth reading but probably only by those who enjoy reading and books already or are looking for arguments for why books and reading are good.

20. Beauty by Robin McKinley
A very enjoyable retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, very much along the traditional lines but despite this I was still wondering how it would turn out.

21. Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews
3rd in the series it sees our heroine Meg uncover yet another dead body and sees family/friends being arrested or suspected. I know these are stupid but I do enjoy them.

22. Books can be Deceiving by Jenn McKinlay
At times this was a bit clunky in writing but still very enjoyable. Set in a library all the big issues are covered - weeding stock, plagiarism and what a modern library is really like. Oh and being a librarian rocks - well duh.

23. Nicey and Wifey's Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down
This has been my bathroom read for a while and was a funny read. Reviewing biscuits and related items, I actually found myself pondering what biscuits to buy for a good ten minutes the other day in Tesco as I debated the virtues of the Jammie Dodger compared to the potential tainting properties of Ginger Nuts and against the tragically misnamed Nice biscuits. Never has a book spoken so well on a topic so dear.

M for manicure and cocktails
A for archery
R for rat - Walter to be precise
C for cake, my little sister is 30!
H for hairy hound aka Brodie

So for this months 4D challenge I've:

1. Tried something new - a manicure! I also tried polenta cake though that is getting filed under not doing again - so grainy.

2. A badge for my camp blanket - not earned one but I did get one to remember Walter who we lost to cancer in March.

3. Exercise - ticked off with dog walking and archery.

4. Read the same book as Clair - I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

5. Do something crafty - stitched all my badges on my camp blanket and baked a cake for my sister's 30th birthday.

6. Blog a montage of the month - see above.

Month number 3 is done and dusted.

This month the library got a new fridge. This is the first fridge I've ever had from new so when the pupils suggested we get magnetic letters I was happy to oblige.

First words of wisdom from the fridge -
WWDD?

As part of their study skills classes I tell pupils how to do bibliographies, evaluate websites and offer note-taking advice. So as last week was folio week for English, large numbers of stressed pupils were frantically printing essays and asking for help.

At one point a group of five lads came up to print off their essays. One was struggling to remember how to do bibliographies and came and asked for my help. I wandered over and we started to work through his list, checking for authors and so on.

Beside him one of the other lads asked to print and as I glanced over I noticed his bibliography mentioned only a single URL. Ignoring the fact that he should have had more, I told him to get it into the correct format. "How?" came the response - "go to the website and see if you see who wrote it" I replied.

He clicks on the link, the site pops up and his mates look over to see which site it is. The one beside me pipes up "Isn't that one of the sites you said was fake Miss?"

Yes. Yes it is. As his mates started laughing, we debated how to help him fix this problem.

For a recent Swap-bot swap I wrote a letter containing 100 lies. The one I got back was a little book with each page telling a new lie and a wee drawing which was a lot of fun but different to mine. I opted to make mine more of a story and doodled little pictures on the margins. Since it took a bit of time, was a challenge, and a bit of fun, I thought I'd share the letter I sent (minus the illustrations alas). So here it is - 100 lies and counting:

"My name is Dr.Timothy Blashford-Snell. No doubt you recognise it from my many memorable achievements. Or perhaps from listening to my award winning radio show called “Stupid Things People Say”. I’m sure you’ll have heard such classic episodes as “I’ve got knees!” and “We have two options but one of them means dressing as a pirate.” As you can imagine hosting the show is a huge amount of effort but I think it’s worth it for the joy I bring to my zillions of listeners.

Being on the radio means the public rarely get to appreciate my stunning good looks and magnificent moustache. So? I hear you say, being handsome and famous isn’t everything in life. You are of course completely correct, and it is through this letter I hope to demonstrate to you that I am so much more than a mere sex god.

What you may not be aware of is that I am also a very clever man – some might even call me a polymath. I’ve an undergraduate from Oxford University in Astrophysics. My PhD from Harvard resulted in my discovery a inhabited planet – home to the now infamous Space Monkey. Yet this was not my only scientific work, as an undergraduate I invented something I’m sure you use everyday – the pencil.

I was born in England, to an archaeologist father (it’s from him I get my wonderful moustache) and a mother whose role on site can now be best described as a forensic scientist (at the time such work was just starting to be defined). My childhood was spent travelling the world and helping to make new discoveries. I’ve been to Egypt, Nepal, Iran, Iraq, The Gambia, Wales, Peru but the list goes on and on. In each of these places we would be involved in the discovery, excavation and identification of human remains. At about the age of five my parents put me to work helping photograph and record.

I remember many happy afternoons spent playing in the dirt and trying to help reconstruct human remains. Of course it wasn’t always perfect, there was the time our dog (Whisky, a small grumpy Scottie Dog) pinched a femur from a Roman burial and refused to give it back. Lucky for us his love of haggis won the day and a plate of the stuff managed to lure him away from the bone. Then there was the time I accidentally trod on a skull after Dad had left it sitting behind me and forgotten to mention it. Still it was ok we managed to reconstruct it and Mum’s skills meant it looked like new.

Home schooled I learned my lessons from life and many of my experiences involved hanging with amazing people. At a film premier on the life of my Father ‘Archaeologist do it in a trench’ I was saved by Cary Grant - he told me one of my shoes laces was undone. Einstein hung out regularly over dinner (his favourite food was my wonderful Kung Po Chicken) and we’d discuss the wonders of the universe. In fact without me energy would never have equalled mc2 he was all stuck on badgers equalling and it and one night I just turned to him and said “Al” (that’s what I called him), “Al”, I said, “you need to rethink that idea, what about energy?” and that was that.

My desire to pursue a degree in astrophysics came from reading ‘The Little Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. So inspired was I by this magical tale that I wanted to explore space for myself. Alas due to my wooden leg being an astronaut was never going to be an option, so through a telescope was close as I was ever going to get. After the excitement of discovering the Space Monkey home world (and the subsequent destruction of the Western Isles as result of miscommunication) I found myself looking for a new profession.
At that low point in my life I tried to escape with the help of alcohol but lucky for me it was during this phase in my life that I met Sophie (now my wife). A wonderful woman, we met at a bring your own Aardvark gathering and it was very much love at first sight. Our love for aardvarks might have brought us together but our passion for each other is what has kept us together all these years. I remember one Christmas around that low ebb when we were stuck in the Swiss Alps, after a rather ill fated ski trip (I’d broken my good leg). Sophie was an absolute star and kept me in hot toddy and bourbon creams for the duration of our stay.

It was thanks to Sophie that I managed to get my life back on track and it was her brother that gave me a job at his planetarium to help me get back on my feet. Though this was a short lived post, after an incident involving a lion and a chocolate biscuit, I once again found myself looking for a new direction. It was while hanging out in my local public library looking through the job adverts that a chance overheard conversation left me in fits of laughter and the seeds of an idea were planted. If I found the little snippet of conversation so funny perhaps others would be equally amused. So I started to record what I overheard people say in a little red book. I used a five star system and eventually compiled the best of the bunch into a bestselling book – “ “Pass me the Platypus” and other amusing things overheard in the Library”.

Based on the success of this venture not only were we able to afford to move out of my parents spare room again, I was approached about doing a radio show for the BBC. At first I was concerned over having enough content but I soon discovered that people are happy to share their overheard conversations (isn’t email and online networking a wonderful tool) and my weekly two hour show was filling itself easily.

So many opportunities have been made available to me as a result that I felt I must give back to the community and share my good fortune with others. Initially I gave money but it quickly became apparent that my fame could help the charities that I love more than my income ever could. As UN Ambassador for Children, I campaigned all over the world for the safety of children and their rights. One memorable trip took me out to Uganda where I helped to build a school for orphaned HIV/AIDS children.

Freshly inspired I ventured out to do more good deeds. After a chat with Dr. de Bono we decided to combine our talents and get peace in the Middle East. Now I can’t claim this was not a challenge but as my Mum always said ‘If it isn’t worth fighting for, it isn’t worth doing.” My work with Dr de Bono resulted in the ‘Marmite Solution’. I spoke at the UN, negotiated with the countries involved and my contribution was acknowledged at the time when I received a joint Nobel Prize for Peace with de Bono. We were featured on the cover of Life magazine, photographs and interview requests were a constant occurrence for about a year after. Now my role is mostly forgotten but the lasting peace is testament to my work.

After this amazing high I found myself looking for a new way to help the world. It was at that point that I returned to my science routes and tried to work out a way to make invisible clothes. My testing was originally done on rats in hats and while I could turn the rats temporarily purple by placing a hat on them, I was somehow unable to make the leap to invisibility. Then one day while drinking a cup of tea the answer came to me – leaping up (and spilling my tea) I ran to the lab and within ten minutes I had disappearing rodents. Though this in itself was problematic, as they had a habit of escaping and eating all my biscuits.

I created a bowler hat of invisibility for myself (and between you and me the UK government). As my Uncle Ben says ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ - so I started a life as a secret crime fighter linked with MI5. Q in the James Bond stories is actually based on me and my inventions. I also developed armour and non-lethal weapons to ensure that the UK Secret Service won’t be beaten. I consulted with some of the greatest minds on the subject including Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne. The government secrecy act allows me to keep this part of my life private which suits my current lifestyle well.

What with my radio show, public appearance s and secret service work there is little free time left. Sophie and I do enjoy a spot of camping now and then. Nothing like getting back to nature and cooking on an open fire. Have you ever eaten damper? It’s a wondrous Australian creation well worth making if you get a chance. I do love a spot of bird watching, I’m partial to birds beginning with the letter b, and have even been over (to places like Madagascar) to photograph them.

We are animal lovers and have range of animals including guinea pigs (James, Tiberius and Kirk), Komodo dragon (Brian) and a pixie (Mackenzie) that I discovered at the bottom of our garden last Tuesday. So far I’ve found Mackenzie to be very good with the others as long as he has his own bottle of milk and a plate of porridge every day.

That’s really it, now you know all about the real me. I’ve been told they are putting my faces on buses in the US in advance of my radio show being rolled out stateside this month. If not I’m sure it’s on iTunes these days if you fancy catching the show."

Thanks to Elaine over on School Library Displays for featuring the Monkey Madness display!

It's National Science Week this week and Dionne (head monitor) thought that making monkeys with teacher's faces would be funny. Personally I had my doubts as the planning had various ideas about using computer programmes or covering bits of their faces and the concept became increasingly complex. In the end though the display was much more basic and ultimately she was right - monkeys with teacher heads are funny. Especially when the teachers were so willing to make funny faces and even monkey noises for the photos.  Originally the monkeys were to have been in space (with a sci-fi theme) but that idea was bumped for a jungle setting to link with National Science Week and biology linked books (Dionne is keen on biology).

Twelve members of staff were willing to be turned into monkeys, the pupils took the photos and together with me created the display. The monkey bodies were printed off from cool-kids-craft-ideas.com onto A4 sheets and coloured in and the teachers heads scaled to match and glued on. The rest was done free hand, save the letters that were just printed off the computer. Pupils have two weeks to enter the competition and name all the monkeys and win a book and a monkey related prize.

We had to say goodbye to Walter today but, like Bothwell, he’s been added to the camp blanket. This is one I specially commissioned from Dr. Chameleon over on etsy to have Walter's markings.  Gone but not forgotten.

So another month done and it's time to reflect on the one just gone and how I got on with the 4D Challenge

Challenge 1 - Photo Montage - done see it here.

Challenge 2 - Read the same book as Clair - done read all about it here.

Challenge 3 - Gain a badge for the camp blanket - failed to earn one, though I did attend a Thinking Day Service alas no badge for me so instead I'm counting my Bothwell blanket badge.

Challenge 4 - Craft - this month had a few craft projects - badges by the ton, new bedding and my kermit inspired t-shirt.

Challenge 5 - Try Something New - new words learned, read about them here.

Challenge 6 - Exercise - for reasons unclear the aim is 7 hours and I managed this (just). It breaks down into 4 hours of Archery, 2hours and 40 minutes of dog walking and just over 30 minutes on wii fit.

So I am claiming this as a success, though it's mostly thanks to it being a leap year and having the extra day - I reckon I made my bonus day really count this year.

I thought I hadn't read much but it seems I did manage a few, though three might be a bit short by Clair's standard (not mine though I'm a librarian and as such I should read books at all levels).

So with my Muppet fever reaching breaking point it's no surprise that I picked up The Most Sensational, Inspirational, Celebrational, Muppetational Muppets Joke Book Ever! (Editor Brandon T. Snider). This stylish collection of lines from the Muppet Show and Muppet movies features glossy pics and not a lot of content but what their is is great. A quick read but one that was very, very enjoyable.

Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews is the latest in the line of American silly crime that I've picked up. This is the first in the series and I really enjoyed it. The main character, Meg, is trying to organise three weddings and deal with her family when a murder threatens it all. It is perhaps unsurprising that I read the second one in the series this month as well Murder with Puffins which sees Meg on an island with her family trying to solve another murder. Ok so there might be a theme going on here but it had a lot of puffin jokes and I do love a P bird.

Clair has read a few of the Penguin Great Journeys series and since I had them in the library I thought I should give them a go. First up Adventures in the Rocky Mountain by Isabella Bird. An interesting read and a interesting woman. Composed of Isabella's letters to her sister in 1873 when she was travelling America alone. Well worth a read but I can't help but wonder what her poor sister thought and feared on getting some of these.

Artist James Hance has written a book - Wookiee the Chew: The House at Chew Corner. It's exactly what you'd expect a retelling of The House at Pooh Corner with a Star Wars twist. Fun, charming and well worth a read.

A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton was recommended by one of the pupils at school. A teen book it's pretty much what you'd expect - young girl moves to new town, discovers she's actually a witch and then she and her friends are nearly killed plus there is some hot lad as well. What it was, was enjoyable and clearly a UK book unlike so many of the popular USA authors who write similar stuff. Worth a read if you like that type of story.

Flash Gordon: The Tournament of Death by Alex Raymond was a pop-up book written in 1935! What can be more fun. I found it online at childrensbookstore.com they have a few vintage pop-up books there plus a nice bit on the history of pop-ups. The illustrations in the book are cool and the video of the pop-up pages fun. Despite the fun of reading a 1935 Flash Gordon book I can't help but feel the pop-up doesn't quite work as eBook.

The book of the month for me and Clair was Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien (you can read Clair's review here). Tom read this as a teen and had said I'd enjoy it, he made me watch the movie (which was ok) a few years ago. The story is easy enough - Mrs. Frisby is a mouse, whose son is sick, does everything she can to save him and gets the help of some mysterious and very smart rats. It took me a few days to get into but after the first four chapters I read the rest in a few hours. Very enjoyable and totally worth a read plus it's pro-rat, so what's not to love?

World Book Day was a big success this year at the school. More than 75 members of staff took part in showing off their favourite reads. How did I make this happen? Simple - posters and badges.

I asked staff to tell me their favourite book and I made them up a poster;
and a badge:
What was good was that I created a simple template using 'Hello My favourite book is' which made it easy to mass produce badges and posters. Getting people involved was harder. I sent emails out and that got a lot, plus the poster/badge combo is very obvious so quite a few teachers saw others wearing their badges or displaying their posters and wanted one as well. Finally it was good old fashioned encouraging by Sheila down in English, monitors and myself that meant that every department was included plus the support staff.

The monitors felt left out so I made them all badges as well so they could also wear a badge with their favourite book on it which made them happy.

Plus you can listen to Between the Covers Episode 3 my library podcast on favourite books.

Part of the 4D challenge is to create a monthly montage (after all everybody needs a montage).

F-Flower - the first flowers of spring in my garden.
E-Easy being green (it ain't)
B-Bothwell - a cuddly wonderful rat who is sadly missed.
R-Run for President - watching too much West Wing and making my own badge.
U-upcycled (sort of) from two single bed sheets I made us a double bed set.
A-Archery - back in the gold!
R-Reflection on Thinking Day with my God-daughter and her sister.
Y- Yeah Librarian bling! (made by Tatty Devine)

This month for the 'something new' part of the 4D Challenge I learned some new words:

Horology - the art or science of measuring time (as seen listed as a career choice for those who like history).

Hogget - a year old lamb who's incisors have grown in (Saturday Kitchen)

Pre-pubic - as in the abscess on the rat is pre-pubic i.e. situation infront of the pubis (conversation with Cameron)

Calummy - another word for slander (p.174 of Murder with Peacocks)

Epergne - a centre piece for a table that has a central stalk and then little baskets or similar hung off it. (p.176 of Murder with Peacocks).

Samizdat - in the USSR books banned by the government were produced in secret or exile. (Stop What Your Doing and Read This p33)

Parvenu - a person who came from nothing but is now a celebrity, wealthy or influential. (David Mitchell's Soapbox - Authenticity)

Asunder - make into peices, apart (Flash Gordon: Tornament of Death by Alex Raymond)

Proselytizing - trying to make people change what they think to agree with a different opinion (Martin Sheen's forward to The West Wing -official companion)

Other new things tried this month - deviled eggs are tasty (Tom made them), plus haggis, cheddar and sweet chilli sauce goes well together on a panini.

"Have his torpedoes sunk your battleship?"

I can't imagine who you could ask this question to either someone who is a massive fan of the classic game 'Battleships' or I guess someone in the Navy. Cheers Clair.

We had to say goodbye to Bothwell today but he'll be forever remembered on my camp blanket. I've bought patches that were made to look like my rodent buddies from Dr. Chameleon over on etsy. Perfect for immortalising my little buddy.

This Tuesday one of my Library Monitors came in super excited (she was actually bouncing). What was the source of such joy? The fact that one of our favourite books - 'One of the Money' by Janet Evanovich has made it onto the silver screen. Released today it looks like it'll be as fun as the books. On discussion our only concern is that we are not totally sold on the actor playing Morelli - we are hoping he'll be more attractive through seeing the movie as he's not quite what either of us had in mind (neither is the actor playing Ranger but that seems to be less of an issue). To celebrate this exciting event I made us some badges - the question is who to choose?

Given my love of The Muppets (movies, characters, show, nail polish, handbags,...) it seems only appropriate that they make an appearance in this list. So you all ready for this?

"You been making little tadpoles with your Kermit?"

Thanks Clair.

World Thinking Day (22nd Feb.) is all about us being part of a movement with 10 million girls in 145 countries. It’s a day when we all think about each other and give thanks for the sisters and friends we have locally and internationally, so what could be more appropriate to reflect on Law 4?

"Law 4 - A Guide is a good friend and a sister to all Guides."

Before I sat down to write this I have always thought of this law as simply being a case of being nice to people. A bit like the line from the Bible that says
“Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
Yet now I’m really thinking about it, I can’t help but think maybe it means more than that.

Part of it is that Girlguiding is about allowing girls and women to be themselves. A girl only space, with people who make you feel welcome regardless of who you are. However, while I’m happy to be friendly and welcoming towards fellow Guides, am I really willing to treat them like my friends or sister? In my ten plus years as an adult leader in Guiding, I haven’t agreed with everyone I’ve met in the movement, I’ve been disappointed by some and there are a handful I haven’t liked - I’m sure, my fellow Guides would say the same of me. But the law doesn’t tell me what to think of my fellow Guides, just that I must treat them as a good friend and a sister.

If my sister or good friends are in trouble I would move the earth to try and help them. I’ll stick by them in trouble and I’d celebrate with them when things are going well. I have driven miles to help them out, I’ve let them cry on my shoulder and if they asked me to help them to hide a dead body I'd do that as well (though I really hope they never test that).

So that brings me to another challenge– how? On a purely practical level how can I be a friend and sister to all Guides? I struggle to find the time to see my actual friends and my genetically linked sister, let alone 10 million strangers! Plus that 10 million is current members, what about those Guides I’ve known who’ve now left the movement? I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be dropping them just because they have left.

Clearly I can’t go for coffee and cake with 10 million women, but if I’m thinking being nice when I meet them isn’t enough, what more can I do?

I think the answer is that we support them, we fight for them and we stand up for them – it doesn’t matter if we’ve never met them, their problems are our problems. In a famous speech, John F. Kennedy once said;
“...for in the last analysis we all breathe the same air, we all drink the same water, we all inhabit this small planet, we all want what is best for our children, and we are all mortal!”
If we have the opportunity to stand up for women and girls we should be taking that chance and making our stand. Girlguiding provides an opportunity for women and girls to help themselves and their communities, but it also provides a way for us to help each other.

So often what we do here seems remote from the suffering and the challenges of the world that we learn about. All too often it’s easy to see these issues as someone else’s problem, far away and affecting someone we’ll never know. Many of the programme activities we do, like the Millenium Development Goals in ‘Together We Can’, challenge us not just to know about the issues but to do something about.

Law 4 demands something else, something more powerful - it demands that we care. In 145 countries there are women and girls with the same values, same morals and same ideals for the world as we have. Those women and girls aren’t strangers they are our friends and our sisters.

"Is there a joey in your pouch?"

Thanks Clair for this Australian twist.

Frankly these are getting more disturbing - to me this suggests is that a lima bean sized baby has climbed into my 'pouch' for nine months. Ew.

A pupil reading aloud - "this joke is against our atheists."

Upon closer inspection the joke was against 'our aesthetics'.

Later...

A pupil who claimed never to have seen A Muppet's Christmas Carol explained that he watches;

"movies that make me cry - like Armageddon."

"Do you need to tie your apron a little higher?"

Clair claims is a classic way of asking if someone is pregnant. I can't find this listed anywhere but it is a much more subtle option than the others so far. Though possibly more dangerous to ask, especially if the person being asked is unaware of the phrase. After all a 'food baby' would cause the same effect. If that was the case then this can sound much more like asking if someone is piling on the pounds due to eating too much (rather than the just as offensive but well meant pregnancy query you intended) and puts you in danger of having kitchen utensils hurled at you.

This might be a good moment to remind people that asking if someone is pregnant is not always a good idea. (Said the woman famed for her tact in all situations).

So the new Muppet movie comes out on Friday! Could I be more excited? Probably not but I decided that this event should be marked by some crafting (which will also count for the 4D Challenge). Friday is also a school dress down day with the theme of 'wear green' to support the school's Fair Trade work (no I don't know why green is the chosen colour either). Anyway, what can be better than a top I can wear to work and then to see the movie? Nothing, that's what.

I saw a cute idea for a Kermit collar over on 'In Words and Pictures' but this wasn't quite what I needed -after all as the Depute Head likes to tell the pupils 'it's dress down not dress up'. I needed something more subtle.

So I picked up a £4 t-shirt from my local supermarket, found a pot of Dylon Fabric Paint (No.37 green for dark fabrics to be exact), raked out the masking tape and paint brush and set to work.

First I masked off every other triangle and painted them, then repeated with the spaces.

Next I painted the collar.

Then I followed the instructions on the dye bottle which said to let it dry and fix with and iron. So I did that and voilà -

My very own Kermit inspired t-shirt!

All that's left is to dig my Kermit back pack out the loft and I'm all set for a most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, muppet-ational Friday.

Big thanks to Caron who featured post on a day in my library life on the Scottish Round-up last Sunday.

Also cheers to Elaine for featuring my Dickens' display on Library Displays.

Speaking of my Dickens' display it's Charles Dickens' 200th Birthday today - whooo hoooo! So to celebrate here is a photo of the display in the library in his honour.

The kids get a big kick out of him wearing a funny hat.

"Everyone in my buddy class loves me - except the boys and girls."

and

"Ginger people are easier to get on with."

and

"I HAVE KNEES!"

Ok so this wasn't so much overheard as directly asked.

"Non-fiction is the true stuff right?"

What makes this notable is that it wasn't a pupil asking but someone who should have known better.

Maybe it's not just the pupils who should be listening to my lessons.

Pupil 1 - "Why is it so dark?"

Pupil 2- "Because it's night time."

The pupils in question are playing Minecraft (a game that they adore playing). The first child was also heard questioning how you got a door, why you couldn't keep going forward at a cliff edge and how everyone else got a whole range of things.  Though apparently "There's not a single circle in this whole game." Finally the cry came "How do I get off this?". Escape love, Escape.

"Is there a ship in your dry dock?"

Clair's inspiration for this came from the Burrell Collection.  There she saw a Victorian 'Expectancy Glass' (a vessel with which you toast a new baby's health) which bares the message "May the launch of your little ship proceed well."

(Just to be clear here Clair's continued asking does not indicate that I am a pregnant merely that she wishes I was and I said if she couldn't think of new ways to ask she wasn't allowed to keep asking).

Created by Bobbi Newman of 'Librarian By Day' the 'Library Day in the Life Project' is all about sharing what you do as a librarian and seeing what others do given how varied the profession really is. So I thought I'd share my day with you in honor of National Library Day and the 'Library Day in the Life Project'.

So let's start at the beginning in case anyone reading doesn't know me - I am a school librarian. I work in a Scottish High School meaning I am dealing with pupils aged from about ages 12 (S1) to 17 (S6). These 6 years of school include the exciting highlight of the national exams and as a result pupils are usually split in two main camps - those that spend lots of the year worrying about exams or those trying to ignore them altogether. The library is a busy a popular place with most days seeing every period being booked by teaching classes and outside of school the room full of pupils. For the sake of full disclosure the day I'm about to describe was Tuesday 31st of January.

My day started with picking up the newspapers from the school office, laying them out and tidying away the old ones. Least that's how it's supposed to start in reality as I walked towards the library a pupil asked to renew books and when I got to the library I helped mediate an argument about why it was or wasn't rude to tell someone to go away.

Tutor brings a welcome break and for 15 minutes the library is quiet save for the couple of pupils querying my request for them to do a detention for overdue books and a couple of pupils handing books in or taking them out.

Period 1 was supposed to see me teaching an S1 class but all the S1 pupils had headed off on an educational trip to the National Museum (I am so jealous I totally want to go but have yet to find the time). In fact within about ten minutes I'd gained the whole morning as my period 2 cancelled and my period 3 was another S1. So with about four hours I decided to tackle some of the backroom tasks I usually ignore until the holiday.

Least that was the plan, instead I spent the first hour checking the budget and making sure I wasn't owed money for the books I bought and that I'd spend all the library budget for the year. Then I sorted the CPD budget book requests and made up that order. Luckily for me I pass the request down to the office for actual ordering so the process isn't as time consuming as it could be. I asked some S6 studying in the library to talk quieter (repeat this for most of the morning) mostly as I don't want to hear their versions of world history (we are all descendants of Irish and Vikings) or their take on politics (if the Falkland Islands were attacked we'd loose them) as it makes me want to either correct them or debate them.

I also sorted the overdue notices (with pupil help), this also involved finding tutor group codes for all the pupils and working out who stilled owed books, requesting letters home and detentions for those long term overdue. All of these letters went in the pile to take down to the pigeon holes. I replaced a vandalised celling tile, logged two lights that were out and requested the replacement of two locker locks.

Then there was the daily check and update of email, blog, twitter, and tumblr. I've a bunch of posts for the blog just now as pupils have done reviews in class and S1 were doing recommendations for the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. So I sorted some of these as well.

At some point during all this break happened. Fifteen hectic minutes when pupils request a varied range of thing including computers for homework, paper, scissors, staplers, and some even asked for books. It was a quiet break with only about 80 pupils thanks to the S1 trip.

Next I catalogued the books that pupils had already marked up for me. Plus I marked up and catalogued the pile that had been ordered to fill requests.  Added stickers to them all showing where they get shelved and checked them all in.  Next I wrote the request slips for those books and the other requests that come from other libraries (pupils had checked the two boxes of books in for me already), found the tutor groups for the pupils and added them to the pile to go down the the pigeon holes.

My head monitor was full of motivation and enthusiasm in her free period so helped me arrange a monitor meeting for the next day and updating the monitor lists (I sacked three this week, four have left school and I recruited five new S1 pupils). She also helped create a competition for National Library Day - a simple prize draw for a book if people gave us their favourite books. Even better this can be combined with World Book Day when we will share the choices everyone made with the wider school population.

I also headed off to the religious, moral and philosophical studies department to claim the free stapler, hole punch and warning tape they were offering. I'm thinking a banned books display with the tape, the other bits were for the pupils to use.

By the time lunch came round I was looking forward to a wee break, enjoying my current book and some bran muffins (made in the microwave I acquired just recently for the library). Alas three different members of staff called  or dropped in one with a book query and two looking for computer bookings so in the end I managed five minutes and about two pages.

Lunch is 45 minutes but the library is closed for the first fifteen minutes (so that should my lunch fail in the half hour before, I still get time to eat) and I enjoyed chatting with the monitors (40 pupils who help in the library). Conversation included such fun topics as being told 'I own more than the Pope' (the premise for such statement being that the library is bigger than Vatican City - it isn't and I don't), what animal is currently on  my desktop (baby otters -squee!) and pondering if yellow can be worn by white people (it can't). At 1pm the library opened to a throng of enthusiastic pupils and, with the S1 back, numbers were back up to the usual 100 plus. When the bell finally rang, I made sure pupils were leaving out the correct door as (and say it with me people) 'the library is not a corridor'. A quick tidy round revealed lost property consisting of two craft and design technology folders, a pupil's own book, and a wallet, all of which I sorted and left messages for the real owners to collect.

The afternoon saw two teaching classes, both S2 English. For the first one we talked about books vs movies (sadly they weren't the keenest readers so choices were things like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Cat in the Hat). The second class typed up their folios of work rather than the genre lesson I'd planned (less effort on my part, though not as interesting for any of us). While supporting these classes I fielded queries for books and more requests to book computers. When the school day ended I encouraged those staying on to talk in quiet voices then I picked up my bundle for the pigeon holes and office and headed off to the office.

I picked up the post from my pigeon hole, apart from the usual stuff there was a free book from Pan Macmillan (thanks!). I dropped in the overdue notices, request slips and careers appointment slips (I support the Skills Development Scotland Careers Adviser who comes into school two days a week) to the various tutors trays.

I also caught an English teacher and chatted about resources in particular the continuing supply of the teen review magazine Teen Titles for the library and picked up yet more paper for the printers. Back up to the library to fix the printer, issue the two books I'd requested to myself (Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher and Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle), check my email one last time and sort request for books not on the catalogue. Then it was a  final tidy round, lights out, doors locked and the librarian has left the building.

To read another example of my day have a look at another (more teaching filled day) as tweeted by Rhona Arthur and my post on what I did last year for World Book Day (or more accurately what I didn't).

The final part of the 4D challenge is exercise and trying something new. Now I can't (apparently) count the exercise as something new despite the fact that the last time I did so much I was still in school.

I managed to use the Wii for the 420 minutes we decided for the month - well at least over 17 days since I've been able to use the living room. It went well, lots of personal bests and I'm finding I am improving (most of the time). So not dreading doing more next month as much as I expected I would.

So this left me with the final challenge - something 'new'. First I thought some of the Wii fit games could count - after all a lot of them were new to me- but if the exercise didn't count then the method of exercise was probably off the table as well. Next I tried some Sharon Fruit which was actually off (as in the fruit was bad not that it wouldn't count). As a result it tasted well minging.

While this disappointing foray into unusual fruits might have counted, I felt it was a sad indictment of my life that my 'new experience' of the month was bogging fruit.

So I then looked around my life for other 'new' things. New to me this month include Carrie Fischer as an author and a range of new books but somehow these don't feel like pushing boundaries, since by the very nature of me being a librarian, I see and read new books and authors daily.

I did use a PS3 for the first time - not yet for gaming (I've lost Tom to Skyrim so there is no time for me to play a game) rather Blu-ray DVDs and video streaming. In fact we watched a movie streamed through it from Love Film (as well as some other shows) and I reckon this could count as I'd never seen the movie. Tom recommended and I have to say he was right. So what was this exciting new discovery? 'The Two Way Stretch' a comedy crime which I'd recommend anyone to watch.

Just in case Clair feels this is still a bit weak (after all I have seen movies before and enjoyed streaming video) I picked up some cookies and cream Hershey's Kisses. Despite what might be expected these are new to me (though not the kids in school one of whom was on three packs a day before Christmas) and they have the added bonus of being rather cute. As I have had Hershey's milk chocolate before (up there with the Sharon Fruit frankly) I had low expectations but I was excited to discover that the white chocolate is much nicer, albeit very sweet.

So month one - done.

Part of the 4D challenge is to create a monthly montage (after all everybody needs a montage).

J - Just the two of us - Tom and one of his nephews have a snooze.
(Not only has January had a fair bit of family fun it's also been quite a lazy month with lots of snoozing).
A - Ailments Abound - Raleigh (bottom right) has his icky abscess, Horatio has a cold, Bothwell cut his eye and Tom and I have had a bit of a cold.
N - New Year - pic of the clock at Tom's folks just after the bells.
U - Up with the Lark - on the plus side being late meant I got to see this pretty sunrise, rather than the dark I usually see.
A - Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock has featured a lot this month with my reading and the new TV series. Love it.
R - Rats - for once not mine but rather the puppets in 'Mongrels' a BBC series I've been enjoying watching this month.
Y - You looking at me? - Nelson showing he's still the cutest rat.

Part of the 4D Challenge is to read the same book as Clair and this month we choose The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

So what was my opinion? I enjoyed it, very readable. Not my usual style of crime but a distracting story. I didn't think it was as amazing as the hype would make you believe though the characters were very likeable. The crime story was a locked room style mystery where only so many could have done the deed but the truth had yet to be revealed. My issue was that the solution was predictable and as a result a tad disappointing. Having said that the other story strands meant that you were rooting for the main characters in a range of different areas making it a very easy and enjoyable book to read. I'm not rushing to read the next two books, or to see the movie, though I might well pick them up in the future.

As for the rest of this month's reading:

Treasury of the Lost Litter Box and Masters of the Nonsenseverse by Darby Conley were both collections of one of my favourite comic strips - Get Fuzzy. If you haven't tried it you really must so many of them having me laugh out loud. It's a guy (Rob) his Siamese cat (Bucky) and a Labrador-Shar Pei cross (Satchel), it's clever, funny and has so many wonderful lines.

One of my favourite strips is in 'Bucky Katt's Big Book of Fun' and was a part of a series of strips of famous cat quotes. It saw Bucky ripping off 'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost.

"Two slugs slithered on a yellow wood,
And sorry that I could not trample both,
Being one trampler, long I stood
And looked them down as feirce as I could
To where they sat in the undergrowth...

I will be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere sitting upon a fence:
Two slugs slithered on a yellow wood and I--
I ate the slug less trampled by,
And that has made all the difference."

Genius. Everyone should read these. If you want a sample you can get a daily comic over at gocomics.com

I also loved 'Wishful Drinking' by Carrie Fisher. Based on her one-woman stage show this autobiographical tale is excellent. Funny (as in I laughed out loud in my library at it), I couldn't put it down (clearly at no point did I encourage all my classes to read just so I could whip it out) and short (I reckon it took me about 3 hours to read at most). It's made me want to read her other books in the hope that, while not as personal, they will contain her wit and flare for storytelling.

'The Return of Sherlock Holmes' by Arthur Conan Doyle wasn't my favourite collection, though many of the tales were new to me. I wanted to read it after the dramatic conclusion to both the last collection and the BBC programme Sherlock. While I'm no clearer how the TV Sherlock will be resolved, I did feel Conan Doyle brought his character back using the Mark Gatiss method. (Wonderful ideas but not enough development of characters or plot before it is all resolved resulting in an unsatisfactory feeling of having missed a bit of they story). I can't help but think Sherlock was very lucky that Watson was such a solid chap not to kill him for faking his own death.

So the 4D Challenge includes doing something crafty every month and earning a badge. This month I designed the SS12  camp badge and earned my Postcard Exchange patch.

The SS12 badge was easier than past years as it was a very clear vision of what we wanted (there is a biscuit theme to the camp this year). There was a second design with some biscuits on it but this was clearly the winner before I even shared it with the committee.The real challenge came with conforming to the new Girlguidng UK rules on badge desgin.
 All one colour (despite what my limited computer skills suggest) - Senior Section Aqua and as far as I can tell all in line with the new guidelines. You might think this design looks a little like a Tunnock's Teacake wrapper but since the trefoil can't be part of a design this is clearly just coincidence.

My badge this month was the Thinking Day Postcard Exchange. It's the units second year of being involved and it's a fun and easy activity. You sign up to the list find people to swap with and send each other a postcard before Thinking Day. So I sent off postcards of pretty bits of Scotland  (and the girls are also doing this) so hopefully we'll have a fun mix of postcards to share with each other for Thinking Day. There have already been about six through the front door from Germany, England and the USA.

and I earned a pretty new badge for my camp blanket.

A while ago I was given this Weeping Angel painting by James Hance and when we moved to our new abode Clair helped me to ensure that it was packed facing a mirror (after all the as we all know the image of a Weeping Angel also gains the abilities of an Angel and will eventually become an Angel - frankly it makes you wonder how much this was a 'gift' giving someone something so dangerous).

So in my new place it is vital it faces a mirror.

The issue is that as you climb the stair you can block the view and you will also block it as you come down the stairs. So to give house guests a chance of surviving (and not being sent back to the past) I bought a 'Keep Calm and Don't Blink' poster. 

I also provide a handy book on the subject - Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris which will hopefully help anyone unfamiliar with the danger they are in when using my bathroom.

I've accessorised with Tardis blue towels and bath mat plus a few other Dr.Who themed items including a clock. Though it looks worryingly like the Angel very nearly has the phone box. 

(and no of course I didn't buy the kids Dr.Who magazine just for the free clock).

I've also acquired (a few were gifts including the Tardis that Ailsa gave me) some of the Character Building Dr.Who models.

The best thing about these is that while they may look like this today the regularly move into new positions (if Tom is involved it usually sees the Doctor being defeated). I also have a Tardis (no I didn't buy the Dr.Who Monster Invasion magazine to get it) to store the extra bits in on the windowsill.

"Is there a bun in your oven?"

Oldie but goodie especially if the person you are asking actually cooks (though as Tom pointed out the only bun in my oven would have frosting and be cooked by him).

This classic line was suggested by Heidi who does actually cook lovely food - see for yourself at http://mamacook.blogspot.com

Clair shared her badge tab a wee while ago and it got me thinking about what can it tell someone about of your Guiding life? I think it can tell you a lot, so I thought I might share mine to prove my point. Straight off you can tell the section someone works with by the coloured band on the top - mine is the one for a Senior Section Leader. Then you have the badges, what do I value highest among my Guiding achievements and moments?

My tab has evolved with me as I've grown as a Leader. My original tab had four badges - my Leader promise badge, my Baden-Powell award, my Gold DofE award and either the World Badge or the Girlguiding Scotland badge depending on what I was doing. More recently I've worn the shiny gold centenary Girlguiding Scotland thank you pin (for my work towards SS100) and the Scottish Chief Guide thank you badge (for my work as Scottish DofE adviser,a post I finished back in 2010). However, only one of all these badges is still on my tab.

Starting top left  - my shiny for managing the camp and holiday scheme (albeit just for Senior Section/ Guide residentials), my centenary promise badge (I can only wear that till the end of the year and then I need to go back to the dark blue promise badge), my 10 years service pin, Pax Lodge promise pin and my Gold DofE award (the only one I also had on my first leader tab).

While they are perhaps not the most exciting mix it's a good view of my Guiding life and the fun times I've had so far. Every time I wear it I remember the good times. From the stupidity that was the Lones residential (India themed chaos), the Pax Lodge Trip (7 adults, 3 days and lots and lots of laughter), my current role as DofE leader (my memories of working on the award and my term in the Scottish adviser post), the highs that I had in the centenary year (from 100+ people all singing Edelweiss in a restaurant at SS100 to seeing my God Daughter make her promise as a Rainbow) and of course my ten+ years of being a leader (starting with Guides, moving to Senior Section and now with the Senior Section Lones). All good memories full of laughter and friendship.

So I realise you might not get all of that but I reckon you'd get the gist of it just by looking and if nothing else it's a handy conversation starter when you meet other leaders to ask about the badges you don't recognise.

I've a passion for library promotion and a fondness for library pin badges from my past. When I came across a badge maker at school I seized the opportunity to make my own promotional badges (well that was the professional reason, the fun reason was simply who doesn't want to make badges?). I opted for a few that I could wear to help promote a display theme;

Then I decided to do a jokey one based on a slogan I'd seen online;

and finally given my love of Dr.Who (and as David Tennant comes from the County of Scotland where my school is based) I went with the classic quote from the episode Tooth and Claw.

"You want weapons? We're in a library! Books! The best weapons in the world! This room's the greatest arsenal we could have - arm yourselves! "

I've discovered I have rather a lot of vintage library badges (I've a crafty plan for what to do with them so it's not totally pointless) but since some of the slogans might inspire I've decided to blog one a week, every Sunday until I run out or I actually complete the crafty project.

The Times are running a series of pull outs called "How to give your child a private education without paying a penny." Today the subject up for grabs is Secondary School English and it came as no shock that the way get a better education in English is to read.

Despite this obvious point (and one much laboured by English teachers and Librarians in all schools) the article had at least one interesting thing- the modern definition of an educated person. Apparently this is "someone who reads fiction before lunch". On a personal note I might well be in danger here since fitting in my book before I start work would probably kill me (I really do need 7 or 8 hours sleep) - I do, however, read when I wake at weekends so perhaps that will count.

Clarissa Farr (a 'High Mistress' at one of the public schools in the article) said "There is no doubt that those students who gain most from the subject - and who do best at it- enjoy reading for its own sake." In fact she makes a number of excellent points about having a wide reading list and using the texts in school as a jumping off point. I liked her quote:

"Reading is what helps to form us as people and the books we read at school, especially those we study in detail, remain part of our internal landscape for life."

So true! The scars from reading 'Death of a Salesman' and 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller will never be fully healed. I have clear memories of a few of the set texts we did including 'Flowers for Algernon' by Daniel Keyes (a depressing tale) and Romeo and Juliet (which I got to study 3 times! Meaning that even now I can quote chunks and I could almost regurgitate an exam answer).

Of course the most obvious point she makes is that your kids will read if you read,  telling them to won't work if they see don't see you read. I'd go further and suggest books should be part of the house, found in every room (I can totally tick that one). "But what books should we read?" cry those parents reading the article - fear not The Times provides two reading lists to help. One provided by author Alexander McCall Smith and the other the list of books that Clarissa Farr's all girls school sends out as recommendations. I have two issues with these lists.

1. The list from the school is meant for girls (it being a girls school) so what about those boys looking for something to read? (though a number of titles will work for either)
2. McCall Smith's list is 10 classic books and none date past 1960.

 

McCall Smith's list is interesting reading in itself he suggests that the '10 to read by 16' are:

1. Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
2. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
5. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
6. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
7. Short Stories by W. Somerset Maugham
8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
9. Collected Shorter Poems by W.H. Auden
10. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Of which I've read three, seen the movie version of three others. Perhaps my life is poorer for not having read them (I might still read them) but I can't help but feel there are perhaps more interesting books to have read by 16. I don't know what 10 books I'd choose and his picks are in the main as good as most. It is hard to suggest books everyone should read and not be swayed by the current popular titles but I'd argue that a few tweeks might make the list more useful to parents hungry for recommendations.

First off 'Much Ado About Nothing' is a much more enjoyable Shakespeare play to self study than 'Merchant of Venice', especially as an introduction to him without teacher support - the story is easy enough to follow and some of the banter is excellent.

If you are choosing only one poet Auden does have some excellent stuff including the famous 'Funeral Blues' (that the one that starts ''Stop all the Clocks").  Though I'd probably suggest Roger McGough or John Hegley if they weren't poetry readers to get them going.

I'm not totally sold that Tolstoy and Maugham are essential reading in life, having never read either I think I'm doing ok. (Though what do I know, maybe if I'd read them before 16, I'd be waking up at dawn to get in some fiction reading before work). What I do know is that the list is missing any fantasy or Science Fiction work and while I dare say Tolstoy is a good meaty choice, I'd replace Maugham with the likes of 1984 by George Orwell or 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams or 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R.Tolkein depending on how serious they wanted to be.

The comment is made in the article that "reading should be enjoyable, so book choice should reflect not just ability, but also interests." Yet the reading lists are full of worthy titles that aren't the best in the cannon of work by that author or ones the young people might have heard of. For instance they suggest 'The Magician's Nephew' by C.S.Lewis rather than the much more readable 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'. I'd argue if introducing them to an author choosing one to get them hooked would surely make more sense.  Certainly if they read all 31 titles suggested in the school's list they will have a varied read though I'd be surprised if many teenage boys found many of the titles 'interesting'. (It shouldn't be a surprise that boys aren't the intended audience).

On the upside for those parents looking to get recommendations for their teenagers there is one sure fire way to get persoanlised reading recommendations without parting with cash - by hitting the school library (or local one for that matter) and asking a librarian for help. How much cheaper can you get than borrowing the books and getting free advice from a professional who's job it is to know all about teen reading? Shame the article never managed to mention that as a way to improve your education without paying a penny.

 

The fairy image came from Twinkl (a primary school resource site) printed off. We then taped a simple folded card concertina to the back to make them a bit more 3D. The fairy wings came simply by printing the image out (I used this one from Drawbot) on coloured paper and mounting some coloured card.

 

"Is there a bat in your cave?"

Appropriate for bat lovers or Batman (and of course Batgirl) lovers.
(thanks Clair)

All parcels are exciting but few were as great as this one from Hoxton Street Monster Supplies.

For starters there are all the stamps around the outside;

(Do Not Expose To Holy Water)

But the best stamp was this one

I really wish the 'Flying Monkey Tracking Service' was real.

So the outside was pretty damn exciting. The inside didn't disappoint;

It was cursed with bad luck;

and as I lifted out the packing I gave out a scream as a cockroach dropped out the pile. Underneath was the stuff I'd ordered - Creeping Dread and Zombie Fresh Mints! Absolute genius.

There was one other piece of festive crafting - a bow-tie for my hubby. He wore it with pride at his works night out, Christmas dinner and New Year's Day. He won't however let me publish a photo of himself in it (don't know why I think he looked great) so instead I can just share this bow-tie close up.

The pattern came from Martha Stewart but something I didn't think about when I started was that one size won't fit all as guys necks aren't all the same size. So having made a lovely perfect bow-tie I had to cut it in half and insert an extra length of fabric! So that is something worth checking on before sewing.

So I've finally got to writing up Thing 23 - reflection - what next? To sum it up in six words - Exploration develops renewed passion for librarianship.

It has been an interesting journey and one that has provided me with lots of ideas, resources and food for thought. I've a few things I am now doing, a few I'm still doing and some I'll be saving for later (or possibly the right query). I think the next step is integrating this stuff into what I do and applying my newly acquired knowledge and skills. For instance the podcasting I enjoyed back in Thing 18.

I've done a second podcast - 5 min appears to be about the max I can talk for before the file is too big. I've started hosting them on one of my Glow blogs (that Scottish Schools network thing). I created this blog last year, decided not to use (as it couldn't import my blogger library blog) but couldn't seem to delete the damned thing. Anyway it's all worked out as now I have a wordpress blog I can use that isn't my personal blog so that's a win.

The latest podcast is all about banned books as that is the current external display. I'm thinking podcasts linked to the external display is probably a good way to go as I do them monthly so that'll fit together nicely.

As for a personal development plan - that is part of my job anyway. We do an annual plan and mine closely links with the library development needs. I find my CPD plan tends to focus on the bits of the job I want to develop or the school wants me to develop. I'm not going to share it (most of it is rather dull) but this years did include increased ICT use in the library and learning to make better use of my SMART board. I think I can tick the ICT development but the SMART board is still on the cpd list (maybe the Easter holidays will provide a chance). I also think development of my teaching skills is the next logical step in my school librarian CPD. As a school librarian I do find myself 'teaching' a lot despite this not being part of my training, so improving this aspect of my work will hopefully provide new inspiration for lessons and a better understanding for the pupils learning styles etc.

So that's CPD23 done, finished, completed. Now why didn't they make a badge for that?

So what is a holiday without a quick trip to a library? I'm like a homing pigeon for the things and our latest Orkney trip was no different. You might be familiar with Orkney Library thanks to the very amusing Orkney Library and Archive facebook and twitter feed.

The library is a new build and is really lovelyThe inside was light and open feeling despite the fact that it was quite a small library compared to what I have locally (least in terms of main book stock).

What it did have was a self service issue desk! I would love one of these for the school library but like a fingerprint scanner the budget will never stretch.

Something they did have that I could add to the library was a book of the day (I've seen these posh display stands before they are done by Opening the Book Furniture). Alas the official units are a bit out of my price range but I do have some more basic ways I could make this happen. What I did like was that the humour that I love about the twitter feed was present in the book selection.

A book of hangover cures seems very appropriate for just after New Year :)

Clair (of Kids, Crafts and Chaos) and I have set ourselves a challenge for the year. As we both tried to read 100 books last year we both noticed that we didn't do things we wanted to as a result. So this year we decided to make what we wanted to do the challenge.

I give you Dumbledore's Dastardly Daring Deeds aka the 4D Challenge. Hosted by our soft toy polar bear ruler (not the Wizard headmaster in Harry Potter) who'll make no doubt regular appearances.

Just like any good challenge it has multiple parts, requires co-operation, participation and body, as well as, the mind. So what is this wonderous challenge?

Every month we will -

1. Blog a photo montage (because everybody needs a montage) using the letters of the month as the theme.

2. Read the same book (we'll be suggesting books to each other or seeing if anything on out 'to read' piles match). Blog a review.

3. Gain a badge (probably either the one being done by our Lone unit or with Clair's girls for fun - failing that ebay might be an option...). Share the fun on the blog.

4. Craft - actually make something or do something crafty. Failing that we'll blog about the craft project that never was.

5. Try something new - food, place, activity doesn't matter just has to be new. Sharing our discovery via our blogs.

6. Exercise Challenge - we both own a Wii Fit and have both failed to use it. So since you need to exercise your body not just your mind we'll be trying to get fitter by using the Wii (might also have to cut down on the cakes but this is about an achievable challenge).

The rules are simple we can do it together or apart but all of the fun gets posted and if we can't do it we need to blog about where it all went wrong that month.

Can't help but feel if we manage we'll totally deserve a badge of this.

Zac and the Dream Pirates by Ross Mackenzie was the last book in my A-Z Challenge. This won a place on my reading list partly because it began with a Z but mostly as the cover is glow in the dark! (Not that such gimmicks should win me over.) So how was the read? I did enjoy it, it was easy to read and the action was quite fast paced especially as the end neared. It has set it up for sequels with a few questions unanswered or adventures clearly coming up but it was a satisfying read and didn't feel incomplete. For Harry Potter fans this does seem like a good fit though they might think a few bits are rather familiar (the Dream Pirates wear silver masks and there are flying cars, to name a couple) but it's not like Harry Potter didn't have ideas seen in older stories (there are after all only so many ways tell a story). Having said that it didn't read as a poor copy but as an original tale and one well worth a read.

So how did I get on with The Thoughts of a Book Junky challenge - 26 books read over the year and one matching each letter of the alphabet? In a period of 365 days I have managed though I think the idea was they were all supposed to be in 2011. Ah well, you can't do everything.

It was a fun challenge to do I enjoyed looking through my books to see what would count or searching the library for the missing letters. The list of books changed a few times over the year to meet with what I fancied reading (I just can't read a book if I don't want to). In the end only 6 came from my personal collection the rest from the library (and one from a friend). 8 are non-fiction, 3 graphic novels and 6 were teen/children's and only 8 were written by women (and only 6 different women at that). 8 are crime, 3 are super hero and 8 fantasy. So what does all this tell me? Nothing save this small sample is a pretty good account of my reading habits in 2011.

So for those who want to see exactly what I counted they were:

A - Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran
B - Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay
C - Confessions of  a Failed Southern Lady by Florence King
D - Dr. Horrible and other horrible stories by Zach Whedon
E - Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
F - Florida Roadkill by Tim Dorsey
G - Golden bats and Pink Pigeons by Gerald Durrell
H - Hero by Perry Moore
I - I wish that I had duck feet by Dr. Seuss
J - Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton
K - Kung Fu Trip by Benjamin Zephaniah
L - Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
M - Mad Dogs and English Men by Paul Magrs
N - Nemesis by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven
O - Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
P - Post-Mortem by Patricia Cornwell
Q - Quiet Please; dispatches from a public librarian by Scott Douglas
R - Recipe for Rebellion by Cathy Hopkins
S - Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay
T - Trouble on the Heath by Terry Jones
U - Universally Challenged by Wendy Roby
V - Valhalla by Tom Holt
W - Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
X - Xena: Warrior Princess by Roy Thomas, Aaron Lopresti and Robert Trebor.
Y - Young Sherlock Holmes - Death Cloud by Andrew Lang
Z - Zac and the Dream Pirates by Ross MacKenzie

Quiet Please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian by Scott Douglas. This memoir of the library career of Scott Douglas (until roughly the end of his 20s) is pretty close to my own library experiences. He took on the job as it paid money and helped through uni, then became a career and post graduate choice as almost an after thought. Then it became a real job.

The stories were readable (patrons with a range of amusing situations, the glow of a first successful storytime, etc.) - I liked the asides and extra thoughts best. It pretty much reflects my memory of working in public libraries. It also reminded me why I am in no hurry to return.

The book started inspirationally but it quickly moved to anecdotal. I did like his mantra that a library more than a librarian or a building it's about the community that use it and it reflects them.

So what is my review? **** and a must read for pupils who thinks of being a librarian but thinks it just means stamping books.

“WHAT I QUICKLY LEARNED WAS THE DARK TRUTH ABOUT LIBRARIANS: THEY SIMPLY DID NOT FIND TIME TO READ.”

SCOTT DOUGLAS - QUIET, PLEASE (P11)

So as I count down the last few hours of 2011 I've got to accept I will not have managed Book Chick City's 100 Book Challenge nor will I have managed The Thoughts of a Book Junky challenge to read the alphabet. I would probably have managed the A-Z challenge had I not caught some nasty holiday bug that left me unable to read for two days. I'm reading Q today (and enjoying it) and Z is next in the pile.

So I have failed to read 100 books but I did manage the most I've read in a while. I also read a nice mix of things though I admit graphic novels did feature quite a bit.

As did Superheros and Crime;

Clair read a study that suggested women read women authors but when I went back and looked at the male/ female split and I came in at 39% women and 64% men.

As for books I borrowed from the library, bought, was given or borrowed - comes out as 6 were presents, 2 borrowed from Clair and Mum, 34 borrowed from the library and 30 bought. So I'm pleased to say I borrowed more than I bought :)

The last two books were 'Golden bats and Pink Pigeons' by Gerald Durrell and 'Valhalla' by Tom Holt which I think illustrates the mix of reading rather nicely. So here are the last two quick reviews:

74. Golden bats and Pink Pigeons by Gerald Durrell****
This focused on his trip to Mauritius to collect some of the endangered species there - it was witty and informative. I've a few more of his on the shelf that I'm excited at the thought of reading them.

75. Valhalla by Tom Holt ***
This was all about an afterlife scam. Witty and very readable.

So there we have it the last reviews of the year. It's been a fun challenge but I won't be aiming for 100 in 2012 (or any fixed number). Instead Clair and I have something else in mind.

So to close the year here are the 75 in full -

1. The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes. *
2. Real Murders (Aurora Teagarden, book 1) by Charlaine Harris. ***
3. Heat Wave by Richard Castle **
4.Naked Heat by Richard Castle ***
5. Don’t Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs: She Thinks I’m a Piano Player in a Whorehouse by Paul Carter **
6. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie ****
7. The Black Butterfly by Mark Gattis ****
8. Wonder Woman: Amazons Attack! by Will Pfeifer and Pete Woods*
9. The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin***
10. Louis: Night Salad by Metaphrog**
11. Leonore: Wedgies by Roman Dirge ***
12. Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr **
13. Heartburn by Nora Ephron****
14. Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale **
15. Trinity by Matt Wagner ***
16. Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard by David Petersen (editor) ****
17. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell *****
18. Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton *****
19. Sunken Treasure: Wil Wheaton’s Hot Cocoa Box Sampler by Wil Wheaton **** (e-book)
20. Management for Martians illustrated by Chris Riddell ***
21. The Girls Next Door: Up close and personal with the stars of the hit TV series by Paul Ruditis ***
22. Dr.Seuss on the Loose!: a collection of rip-roaring rhymes from the master of verse by Dr.Seuss *****
23. Spy Dog’s Got Talent by Andrew Cope/ The Great Pet-Shop Panic by Katie Davis ***
24. A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris **
25. How the Girl Guides Won the War by Janie Hampton **
26. And then there were none by Agatha Christie ***
27. The Radleys by Matt Haig****
28. The Vampire Diaries: Stephan’s Diaries Vol 1: Origins *
29. Memories of the Future Vol.1 by Wil Wheaton ***** (e-book)
30. The Guild by Felicia Day and Jim Rigg****
31. Trouble on the Heath by Terry Jones **
32. Kung Fu Trip by Benamin Zephaniah**
33. Post-Mortem by Patricia Cornwell***
34. Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks by John Curran ***
35. Mad Dogs and English Men by Paul Magrs***
36. All my friends are dead by Avery Monsen and Jory John*****
37. I wish that I had duck feet by Dr. Seuss****
38. Lone Guides by Girl Guide Association (1st ed. 1929) ****
39. Planet X by Michael Jan Friedman***
40. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle ****
41. The PMS Murder by Laura Levine **
42. Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay ****
43. Florida Roadkill by Tim Dorsey*
44. Dr.Horrible and other horrible stories by Zach Whedon**
45. Lucky Man: a memoir by Michael J. Fox****
46. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman ***
47. Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay ****
48. The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers by Lillian Jackson Braun **
49. Recipe for Rebellion by Cathy Hopkins **
50. Nemesis by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven ***
51. Dante’s Divine Comedy adapted by Seymour Chwast***
52. Royal Flash by George MacDonald Fraser ****
53. Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich ***
54. Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady by Florence King *****
55. Doctor Who: Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris ***
56. Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life by Roald Dahl ***
57. The Best of Start Trek:The Next Generation by Michael Jan Friedman and John de Lancie **
58. Hero by Perry Moore ***
59. Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich **
60. Shakespeare by Bill Bryson ***
61. Castle: Richard Castle’s Deadly Storm by Brian M. Bendis **
62. Death by the Dozen by Jenn McKinlay ***
63. One Hundred Great Books in Haiku by David Bader ****
64. The Blurred Man by Anthony Horowitz ***
65. Heat Rises by Richard Castle ****
66. The Specialist by Charles Sale ***
67. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ****
68. Universally Challenged by Wendy Roby **
69. Adolf Hilter: My part in his downfall by Spike Milligan ****
70. Snuff by Terry Pratchett ****
71. Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich****
72. Xena: Warrior Princess by Roy Thomas, Aaron Lopresti and Robert Trebor ***
73. Young Sherlock Holmes – Death Cloud by Andrew Lang***
74. Golden bats and Pink Pigeons by Gerald Durrell****
75. Valhalla by Tom Holt ***

* = readable, possibly worthy, can see other people enjoying it more
** = enjoyable will feature in book recommendations to classes
*** = recommend to lots of people (friends, family, pupils, staff…) to borrow from the library
**** = really enjoyed, recommending to all and buying for library (maybe even multiple copies)
***** = loved it, keeping it, buying for the library and giving it to everyone for Christmas.

So having given out the final Christmas pressies I can now share what I've been up to craft wise for the past month or so.

It started with the sewing of travel tags (as seen on Design Sponge), Japanese Knot bags (from Making January 2012), embroidered tea towels (with designs from Sublime Stitching) and cocktail napkins (also seen on Design Sponge).

Next were the Christmas decorations - all originals by me though I'm happy to admit that the Death of Rats and Wally were based on an images I found online (I did look to link but can't find the Death of Rats image again).

However, the best decoration I made was this one of Rincewind and the Luggage based on the coaster from Paul Kirby.

I've decided to combine these two together, as Thing 21 is all about my skills and Thing 22 is about volunteering and I'd argue for me the two are so intertwined that the posts would just be duplication. The CPD23 post asks some questions so I'll use these as the framework for this post.

1. What do you like to do?
I like to do craft, Girlguiding, archery, reading, writing and playing with my pet rats. I like food (though not so much cooking) and hanging with my family/ husband/ friends. I like a night in watching TV or a movie (or a cinema trip). I like themes and decorating the house/ library in them. I enjoy working with young people. I like sleeping, lazy mornings and cups of tea. I like being warm, geeky fun and my glasses. I like libraries, book shops and online shopping. I love zines, handmade things and getting post.

2. What do you dislike?
Reality TV, small children and babies (in large numbers or if I have to be impressed by them or watch them as if they are amazing entertainment), people who don't read but instead just ask despite the answer being in front of them, people who don't read and are proud of their limited world view, accounts (though they don't like me either), sports (again the dislike is mutual) and cooked red peppers. I'll also not crazy about change, chipped nail polish or being told that by not having a kid I'm some how less of a woman. People who complain but won't do anything about it. Driving on overly busy roads, telephone sales calls and people who don't say thanks or at least appreciate that you made an effort for them.

3. Do you remember the last time you felt that feeling of deep satisfaction after creating, building, completing something? What was it about?
Library wise it was yesterday at doing the podcast but personal wise it was finishing the epic Christmas crafting off.

4. What skills do you need to do the things you like?
Enthusiasm, flexibility, commuication skills and creativity. Ideally I'd also have patience, tolerance, tact and diplomacy but I think those are debatable quailities in me.

5. Have you undertaken unpaid work to further your career?
Yes.When I needed to prove I could manage accounts I took on the unit accounts at Guides. Though my volunteering also gives me transferable skills and those skills have also helped though they weren't the reason behind volunteering. For instance the work with Girlguiding and DofE let me demonstrate my ability to work with 14 -26 years olds. I think these skills were key to me getting my current post as at the time I had no experience of actually being a librarian - I was library assistant or student before then.

6. Is volunteering a good thing, or by working for free are we in danger of devaluing our profession?
There are two parts to this question so I'll start with a reflection on my volunteering.

Is volunteering a good thing? Yes, yes it is.
I do lots of volunteering and for a range of reasons.

1. I volunteer and help run Scottish Senior Section Lones (for girls who can't make a local unit but don't want to miss out on the 14-26 year old opportunites Girlguiding has to offer). This mainly involves creating a monthly newsletter and phone/ email support. I also help run the Senior section Scottish camp and I'm on the planning team. I do this for fun, I like the leaders, I like the girls and it's a good laugh although it can be hard work.
2. I run a Open Duke of Edinburgh's Award group locally (there are about 50 young people on my books currently). I loved doing my award and I want others to have the chance to do theirs (I was also a Guide and Senior Section member in my younger years but I don't count that as a reason I do that now). I find DofE can be more of a part-time unpaid job as it can at points be a large time commitment thanks to the expedition section plus I have a lot of responsibility and act as a co-ordinator for a number of other volunteers. Quitting isn't really an option for me partly due to guilt, partly the fact my husband is my boss in this and partly because when it's going well I do enjoy it and the people I volunteer with.
3. I am chair of my local community centre and produce a bi-annual newsletter for the centre. Sometimes you volunteer and other times volunteering is thurst upon you and this role was very much off loaded on me by my lovely hubby. Despite not being the best chairman (I have major issues with neutrality and a low tolerance for people unwilling to take action) thanks to an apathetic group I got the job by default. Still it's been a fun ride (save for when I have to deal with accounts) and the centre has had a number of positive changes as a result of me taking on the role (though I don't think I can take credit for more than forcing decisions to be taken). I would happily let someone else do it but need to convince someone else or have a dramatic life change like moving out of Central Scotland (out of catchment won't cut it as it's where we do archery and my DofE group).
4. I am secretary of SLA(S) this is a CPD thing but the meetings are at the weekend. I do this because it's a fun way to mix with fellow school librarians and I get to be involved with trainings and write the newsletter. For similar reasons I am also willing to use some of my free time to attend the local school librarian meetings which take place on my afternoon off.

Now that is a lot of newsletters to write, meetings to attend and events to organise but it isn't as time consuming as it sounds and I am getting much better at asking for help, articles, free stuff and generally getting others involved. I do find delegating a challenge as sometimes people don't appear, do the work or it's sub-standard and fixing it takes longer than just doing it yourself straight off, still when people do come through I really treasure those people and encourage them to do a bit more whenever possible.  I firmly believe that you have to get involved and contribute to making the society you want, you can't complain about it if you aren't willing to be the change.

Now the second part of the question - is working for free devaluing the profession?
If that means me or someone else doing my current job at the level I do it at now, for no pay then yes, it does devalue the profession. I've worked hard to become qualified and skilled at my job and that should be recognised and valued. I don't think I'm irreplaceable but you can't use a volunteer get the same quality of service (especailly if they are not a librarian) nor do I think it's fair to ask anyone to do this level of work without paying them for it.

You pay for the knowledge and the skills - just as you pay an artist for their work. If this was the private sector it would never be suggested not to pay someone for their knowledge and skills but as Librarian is a job people think they know all about (after all everyone knows I spend my day reading books and drinking tea) getting some unqualified person off the street or asking a qualifed librarian to do it for the love is for some reason felt as being fair. No it's not! Cameron's Big Society idea where we all volunteer and help run our local community services is rubbish. Not only does it undervalue the skills, qualifications and talents of those running current council services.  To me it seems to be based on a vision of Britian where people don't need to earn money, instead can afford to give away their skills for free. In 1910 when Girlguiding began the women who ran it were volunteers but they were middle or upper class with no need to work and their volunteering was a hobby not a career. In 2011 the reality is modern society has changed and only a handful of people come into this category. Modern women (and men) have jobs, families and other interests and volunteering isn't about doing a job that someone should be being paid to do or working for free it's about supplementing the services available locally - making the community better.

What it comes down to is that you can get people involved (though often getting people to volunteer is a problem) but you need a support mechanisim for volunteers from paid, trained and commited staff. Volunteering doesn't work when there isn't the support available for the volunteers. I work full-time and do all as my volunteering, so this means I don't have the time to do lots of development work or extra bits for the groups I volunteer with.  This has to be co-ordinated by paid staff who can make this support part of their remit. Volunteers come and go and skill sets can vary hugely, you need constants and capable staff to support and drive the vision of the group and while paid staff will and do change they will at least be trained and skilled for the job.

I think people volunteering in the library can be a good thing. I provide volunteering options through Girlguiding, DofE and my role as a school librarian for young people to contribute to the library and my various groups. I have a team of 45 volunteers in the school library who help for a huge range of reasons from needing somewhere to go, needing stability, needing support to needing something for the CV. All of them help me provide the library service and without them it would be a very different place.

Volunteers can be a huge asset but they still need to be managed and I find that sometimes I spend as much time managing my helpers as I would just doing the job. So why bother? Well it gives people a feeling of ownership which is vital if the project is to succeed plus they can be brilliant for ideas, skills and just generally helping. After all many hands make light work.