The Promise…can it be broken?

The ‘airy fairy’ promise, the ‘rash’ promise, the late night ‘on a promise.’ From the colloquial to the world renowned promise, we have all come across our fair share.
Promises can be both passive – I promise never I will never be late again, please don’t be angry at me and aggressive – I promise you that you will be sorry if you leave me waiting here for you, you just wait and see!

A ‘Rash Boon’ or a ‘Blind Promise’, dating back to folklore tales where a promise is to be indebted for a reward is often quickly made without hearing what the request is. Normally this would be for the impossible love of a woman whom men will quickly pledge to do anything for in return…suffice to say that this never seems to end well. Not much changes over the years!

Fairy tales will lead us in the direction of seeing where a promise ends. Will the evil villain stay true to type and double cross the pure heroine? Will the handsome prince return to his kingdoms with the fair maiden as his bride? The more traditional tale having the moral clear for us to see. These are read with the hopeful intent that they will lead our youngsters on the right path. Just before bed, knowing that honestly will help in their quest to become prince or princess of their land – or their very own small box room in the case of our youngest.

But do they really take this in or is there an innate nature over nurture principle at work here which no amount of prince charming chiseled perfection will be able to dampen.

Tonight I had a great example, the situation and conversation went like this….

I heard a crash from the lounge – I entered and there was ‘G’ our 7yr old standing there with a piece of the ceiling chandelier in his hand. At his feet, bright orange football.

“What have you done?” I said,

‘Nothing mummy, it wasn’t me,’ he replied, all wide eyed.

“But you’re the only person in here darling and there’s a blow up football there which you are not allowed to have inside.”

‘I know mummy but I promise it wasn’t me, it just happened – on its own!’

“G, I’m not happy about this and you know I don’t like lying.”

‘I know mummy, but it wasn’t me – anyway don’t get angry and lets just “put it behind us” it won’t happen again.’

Now the thing is G is not a huge liar but he sometimes has a burning self preservational need to get out of things. I’m curious to know more about where the saying that a promise is made to be broken comes from. They often do get broken, either with forethought and intent or with a naivety of a child stumbling through the their first years.

Promises and lies have such a close path, its no wonder that they sometimes cross over with each other.

I surmise and hope that it is as basic urge in some that using the ‘promise’ in whatever form is used as a short term gain rather than anything more sinister.

 

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10 Facts About Seahorses … and how to help them

1.  Their scientific name, “Hippocampus” comes from the Ancient Greek word hippos meaning “horse” and kampos meaning “sea monster”.

2.  Even though they are fish they are really poor swimmers and can often die of exhaustion in storms. They also might just hang around clinging onto to a piece of seaweed or eelgrass for a few days just resting.

3.  It’s the males who give birth…yep its true! The female seahorse pops the eggs into the male and he waits out the gestation period and then contorts his body until the live young are pushed out. They even have contractions!

seahorse3myrealfairy

4.  Their eyes work independently of each other! One eye can look forward and the other back!

5.  The smallest seahorse is the Pygmy Seahorse and is around 2cm long and the largest is the Australian big-bellied Seahorse at around 35cm. However, there was a massive one caught in Poole, Dorset in 2015. It was thrown back unhurt which but was 34cm which is huge for a ‘spiny’ seahorse.

6.  You can keep up to date with local conservation to see how you can help out. In the U.K. there is a project close to where I am which is the Dorset Wildlife Trust. The Trust supports Seahorses and other marine life. Read here to learn about Studland Bay and the amazing conservation work the they carry out.

7.  It’s thought that they are at risk of extinction so what can we do to help? Well, firstly, steer clear of buying dried seahorses as souvenirs. Secondly, as they are used in some countries as herbal medicines, it’s best to try to find an alternative product so that using them starts to get less and less profitable. Thirdly, do not buy as pets for aquariums as they may of been taken from the wild and imported to the UK.

blueseahorse.myrealfairy.com

8.  Seahorses are thought to hold magic qualities and there are stories of them wrapping their tail around people’s fingers and emitting a healing feeling to the person. This is the tale of folklore and not certified

9.  There are organisations and charities who assist in the conservation of seahorses, there are some pointers below if you wish to become more involved in areas of marine life conservation.

Seahorses, have now been listed as endangered under the United Nations Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species. They are also protected under U.K. law.

10.  There are further folklore tales of dried seahorses being used as good luck charms to assist in the production of breast milk for nursing mothers. Thankfully this was rare. Many cultures see it as a carnation from the seas gods and link it with strength and power.

A couple of additional links which I found useful are below.

http://www.projectseahorse.org

http://www.blueoceannetwork.com

http://www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

I must also thank Emma Rance, Marine Conservation Officer with the Dorset Wildlife Trust in assisting with the factual accuracy of the post. Not the folklore aspect of course.

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Little G’s first vlog….is that even a real word?!

Little G who’s 7 now is an eager beaver when it comes to helping around the house and in the garden. He is also desperate to go into the world of blogging with videos. Now many of the seasoned pros will know it by its cool name but I had to undergo the humiliation of my eldest ‘M’ who’s ten, languishing on the sofa, glued to YouTube saying ‘oh muuuuummm it’s “vlogging”, don’t you even know what it’s called.’

Right! so after I had thrown his second-hand phone out of the window and chirped manically triumphantly ‘oh darling thank you for putting me straight,’ off I popped out to the back garden to give it a go with ‘G’.

We love our plants and even though none of us (me!) are particularly green fingered, we love rescuing the dying plants reduced down in the supermarkets to silly pence when no one has gone out and given them a bit of water, or they’ve been forgotten at the back of the shelves.

‘G’ was excited and without further ado, here is his 30 seconds debut vlog blog thingie!

What I need to do is master the whole art of YouTube so that I can edit out all the bits and bobs I can see lying around in the garden and also not have the words over little G’s head. But as he said to me the other day – ‘mummy, did you have YouTube when you were little in the olden days’ ahhh bless!!!

Thanks to Karen from Two Tiny Hands who inspired me to put together this little piece as she is encouraging kids to get involved for her linky #abrandnewday. It gave me the little push I needed to take the step with the kids and the video.

A couple of examples of our little offerings.

How have you got on gardening with the kids? I remember when the boys were little that I used to spend more time taking the soil out of their mouths than putting it into pots.

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The Dimpled Monster Has Struck!

Recently I went on holiday with my mum and children to Spain which you can read about here. It was a great time with 3 generations of our family together and loving each others company.

However, just before I went I fished around in the swimming box that I have at home. This box, stashed on top of the boys wardrobe is where I have my various one piece practical ‘mum’ swimming costumes for when I’m at the pool for their regular swimming lessons each week. This time though I was searching around for my bikini.

I thought I’d give it a quick try on just to make sure that it wasn’t moth eaten or missing a hook an eye here or there. I got it on ok and thought I’d check it out in front of the long mirror in my bedroom. Well…. I was, mortified, heartbroken, fuming, slightly surprised to see that I had not only gained weight but had also gained cellulite and just looked ‘different’.

It was an eye opener to say the least. Over the years we change – children, life events, careers, the misery diet, the happiness spread, sadness, age and health all change us both inside and out. I’m now at a different stage in my life and have to embrace my age and my new body shape. Below is a lighthearted poem loosely based on that moment last week. It’s sentiment for me is humour, life and love.

The Dimpled Monster Has Struck!

It’s been tucked up for months

Proving, doubling in size

Stuffed in jeans

Gobbling down the pies.

———-

It’s been dark, it’s been grey

No one asked it out to play.

So what do you expect

As you stand there in shock

The changing room door

Clearly on ‘lock’.

———-

Did you not know

This bubbling mound

Would be the result

On your waist, all around.

———-

It’s a spell, it’s a curse

Please help! Bring me a nurse!

This bikini has shrunk, surely or worse!

No, wait…..I see it now, I’m so sorry

I must of got it wrong

I needn’t of worried.

———

 I have to sort this today

This holiday won’t keep

I know what to say

So I call out, not to weep

“Please be a dear and bring me a sarong,

hurry up now as I don’t have too long.”

Tweet to others to beware, the dimpled monster - it loves to share!Click To Tweet

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