Wednesday 23 July 2008

In which Maggie has a birthday and Smudge gets an ASBO

It's my birthday today and the family are out in force - although personally I'd rather ignore birthdays from now on. I've had an IOU for a Wii Fit from Fiona and her brother (impossible to buy at the moment), plus a super necklace and some smellies. Clive went mad and got me a bracelet with black onyx stones to match the ring I bought in Oz many years ago. I've been looking for a match ever since.






Awaiting the other daughter, plus the four kids, for more pressies. And I've been out to lunch and had a day off. What more could one ask?


Aaaah! The day has gone downhill as I have just spent hours 'talking' to BTinternet about why so many of their customers (our subscribers) have not received their passwords. Apparently, BT has taken upon itself to decide that all group messages are spam and then put them into a folder that their clients cannot access without asking BT to unlock it. Once you are blacklisted within that folder all emails from your server are withheld from the subscriber even if you hit the reply button from a received email from their client. I shall have to contact all our BTI folk to tell them this and I'll have to do it by post! The wonders of the internet. If any Btinternet subscribers are reading this, let me know that you're on the case, please.


Then I had a phone call from the folks who do the furniture hire at the shows asking us why we hadn't booked our tables. I had and I sent a cheque so that is another muddle, not of my making. I think they are out to get me.

Interesting comments from you all.


Sue - it was the illustration and sculpture that we felt lacked oomph this year. Also the Asian arts.



I do think you are right about going every other year, Jackie. It was a biennial show until quite recently and better for it. I do agree that the ambience is a big part of it - the sitting with pancakes, Pimms and music is priceless. I also think that it was partly me - I was very tired when I went and just walking around seemed exhausting. Walking on grass is hard work. I think the brain has to keep re-adjusting for the surface levels. Interesting that the experience of viewing can be so affected by ones own mood and state of health.

Karen, I think you are right about the source to design not being covered and the success of the recent book by Leslie, Claire and Jane bears this out. Mine will also cover techniques - both for sketch book and stitched piece so, hopefully we'll cover all the bases. I am enjoying working on it and yes, I have been working on the Earth from the Air book, Sue and the designs and work will appear in the new book. Will show some pics next week, so I'm not teasing too much.

Chrissy, I would love to see the kozo ruff. Can you put a pic on your blog?

Diana - I'm inclined to agree that Interpretations is a bit heavy. What about Textile Translations? Any other ideas from blooger unanimous gratefully received.
I am collecting work for the Festival of Quilts - here are a couple of details of Naomi Renouf's wall-hanging. She was in the last Quiltwow. I found her in Jersey and I love her work. May even start quilting. Actually I am making a large 'quilty' piece, with lots of gesso, for the book.















Smudge has been given an Anti-social Behaviour Order and excluded from the sitting room. This is due to his habit of launching himself from the sofa onto a pot plant - now a late pot plant. Added to the chewing of TV wires, attacking Stevens, running up the curtains and coming perilously close to knocking over a laptop. All of these we thought were beyond his reach - some hopes. On the plus side, he still has three rooms to run through and Stevens, who is a glutton for punishment, goes in to keep him company.

20 comments:

Lorraine said...

Maggie,

Happy Birthday! Revel in the day and in every year you have one. Birthdays mean we are alive and that is something to truly celebrate. I lost my husband in January at the age of 66 and know well how very precious each day is.

Love the bracelet!

Carole said...

Hurray!! I am using email remotely and have not been able to recall my password for your blog. I really wanted to wish you a very happy birthday and that focus helped me remember the password. Ah, what influence you have! It has been a rainy summer at our cottage and it has been so nice to tune into your blog to take me away from black flies and mosquitoes which have been exceptional this summer in Ontario Canada. My son is getting married on Saturday and unfortunately the weather forecast has just changed to thundershowers; it almost looked like Saturday was going to the one sunny day this week. Not so sure how the outdoor wedding will fare but maybe we will be lucky.
Many thanks for writing such a fun blog. I am sure it is a lot of work but you do a wonderful job and I find your style of writing helps connect everyone.

So, a very Happy Birthday. Clive did rather well on his choice of a bracelet; it is lovely.

Carole (from Kelowna,BC)

Unknown said...

Happy Birthday Maggie. Clive has areally good tast, what a gorgeous bracelet!

Writer in Residence said...

Hello Maggie,
Name this tune:
HBTY,
HBTY,
HB Dear Maggie,
HBTY . . .
...and many more!
Yes, we're all singing in perfect harmony, and here's the cake. Now make a wish and blow out the candles!

Hope you have a lovely celebration and a wonderful year ahead full of love, joy, peace, and creativity.

All the best from Canada.
Marjorie in Toronto

pascale putz said...

All my best wishes for your anniversary.

maybird said...

Happy Birthday Maggie!It all sounds very hectic, you'll be glad when it's all over so that you can have a rest!
I went to Art in Action for the first time this year and loved it, will certainly go again. Thought the textiles were brill,enjoyed the Kathak dancer but agree that the Asia tent could have been more dynamic.The catering was exceptional, being a veggie means that you don't often get any decent food at these events but this was great.Sounds like smudge is in the 'dog' house!

hippopip said...

Happy Birthday Maggie, Clive has such good taste but then you know that he chocse you

Doreen K. said...

Happy Birthday!! Love reading about Smudge......been there...done that.

Wendy said...

Belated Happy Birthday, and congratulations to Smudge on his first asbo.

I have had problems with my wow passwords too. I use Outlook Express to read my mail and wow was in my 'allowed list' but I still didn't receive them. Not in the spam box but not being returned to you either. I can access my mail from anywhere by logging onto the Virgin site. I have never bothered but had a look yesterday. Within that site there is a spam folder. The messages are only kept for a week but I suspect that is where my passwords were going. It was easy to set up a filter to allow your messages through. With any luck I won't be sending any more frantic emails to Fiona pleading for my password. I HAVE to be able to read WOW the minute it is published or I stress.
I hope this helps, maybe other servers have a similar system.

chrissythreads said...

Happy belated birthday Maggie. I hope your bt tussels didn't spoil your day. I will pop a picture of the ruff on the blog plus the half completed 'waterlily'.

Genie said...

Happy belated Birthday wishes Maggie,.

jac said...

A big happy birthday wish from sunny Norfolk is sent to you Maggie.
As for the that little terror a firm hand and stern words might help and for the fluff bundle a cuddle and wispers . VBG:)

Carol said...

I got my Gizmo today Maggie, thank you very much and was an excellent start for the holidays and hang over cure two for one! Thanks again and happy birthday.

Julie said...

Belated Happy Birthday for yesterday Maggie! Hope you had a lovely day.

Kate said...

Belated Birthday wishes to you Maggie. Sounds like you had a lovely time, albeit a tad hectic.

We're with BT internet, but we never sussed out the email set-up and have always used hotmail. Didn't realise passwords were being sent through at the moment. Not sure what to do next. Help!

Fiona Rainford said...

Maggie,
Belated happy birthday. I'm with BT and I think I've had all my passwords for WOW and a recent renewal reminder

Wabbit said...

Happy Birthday! The bracelet is lovely.

Perhaps you need to start using one of those services such as Constant Contact so that BTInternet won't think you're a spammer. Part of the problem is that you can get on spammer lists and then nobody will allow your emails through. It happened to me at work once when my boss wanted me to spam, I mean email, lots of people at one time. It's www.constantcontact.com. They do a rather good job though I've no idea of the cost. The nice thing is that you can do an HTML email with photos and colors to entice the readers and use it for marketing to try to lure back past subscribers.

Judy said...

Dear maggie,

Happy Birthday for the 23rd, and how I covet that bracelet I know coveting is a sin.

We have raised a Lilac Tabby Point Siamese from a kitten and can understand all your problem. Smudge is just gorgeous.

Digitalgran said...

Belated Happy Birthday Maggie! I shall always remember your birthday from now on. My GD Amy was 18 on the 23rd too.

Diana said...

A belated happy birthday to you Maggie and may you have many more (I think little Smudge will keep you young!!!).
I'm scratching my head over title suggestions for your next book - will let you know if I get any inspiration but I'm sure that your way with words and the combined creativity of everyone here will make sure you come up with the right thing.