Braved the snowdrifts this morning and headed into Aberdeen. Had wonderful lunch at the Lemon Tree ( in Aberdeen, edit in 2010 - has changed hands since but still does vegan food, not marked on menu as before). They have live jazz music on weekend lunchtimes – we all really enjoyed that. Love the way children are so welcome there – no-one bats an eyelid at them running around, climbing on things. I really don’t like shops where they have signs that say things like ‘no children in this part of the shop’. I walk out. Imagine if it were to say no people of specific ethnic origins or religious persuasions – the discrimination would, quite rightly, be illegal. But younger members of society are sometimes seen as second class citizens. My state school caste system observations, starting at the top: head, teachers, support staff, cleaners, dinner ladies, school property, with children in the lowest position (if you think this is far-fetched compare the disciplinary results of an attack on a teacher or school property with those of an attack on a pupil) as a virtually untouchable caste, quite literally if they’re hurt with the all the hygiene rules about plastic gloves etc. Contrast – so revealing of both good and bad…
Charlotte, Cat and headmaster at the Scotland st. School Museum, Glasgow
Nipped out quickly after lunch to do some little bits of stocking filler shopping on my own – shops were mad, spent most of my time queueing. Then returned to Lemon Tree to the theatre upstairs to watch the Snow Queen which was great fun – very clever. Daniel and Davie had their hands used as branches to help Girda through the swamp! Drove home through slush – snow just about gone now.
The Artists Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self - an intensely powerful and synchronistic way of clearing blocks, old psychological patterns and dysfunctions of the past. Get doing your morning pages, they're amazing!
fabulous guide to foraging in Britain.
amazing Russian books these: spirituality; growing; living naturally; raising children with love and respect; quite magical. Release any preconceived ideas of how life should be (or books) and create your space of love!
A very well researched novel which, alongside Picoult's usual 'heading to a trial' plot, explores many facets of and perspectives on Asperger's Syndrome. The potential and common effects of AS on siblings is especially well documented here. As gripping and informative a book as 
a great storehouse of food growing knowledge from Dirty Nails :)
"Girls just wanna have... wanna have fun...", and we still are :)
