Monthly Archives: June 2010

hey, look, we have nearly caught up!

Sat it was raining, as anticipated! so we got up, sorted all the inner bits of the tent so just the shell left, and had breakfast. that gave us a break in the rain, so tent down! hooray!! Chris bought some things from much wenlock to take to the party, and we sang with c in the shelter of the toilets as now raining a fair bit! Our journey to SOTP was not so brill tho. M6 like a carpark, and when we came off, we were instantly diverted [not in a good way!] but we made it via a v scenic route!

popped up our little evolution in the party field – where lots of other tents popping up, and discussion on wind factors etc were taking place. then in for tea and cake and chat, whilst awaiting everyone to arrive. startling new haircut on one of hosts soon got used to! girls fell in love with trampoline, and after a bit of the usual hesitancy and parental proddings, got down to the serious business of playing. BB, J and R in particualr made a cute threesome bouncing around. SB had a bit more variance than normal in the friends she played with. Big and E, who she often hangs out with, were rather taken by an older boy present, and stretching away in age to be older, and SB really not entirely sure how this works as yet. So she played with a wider range than usual, and only needed an occassional shunt to get going in a different direction. Since she usually bemoans the fact that she hasn’t played with the full gamut, i am expecting her to have been happier with this outcome. She only had a couple of trampoline accidents too – not bad!

I was both sad and wobbly, and migrainous, so apologise for total lack of sparkling wit and humour [no real change there is there!] But did have a lovely time, so thanking everyone for that, in partic J and J. Did get to have lots of chats and friendhsip moments, as well as playing a game [always good!] It did mean chris got to have a late night or 2 instead tho. Think the patchwork cake worked better than anticipated! and looking forward to seeing the photos as they come out. Chris has flickred ours! will add one or 2 to this post! SB enjoyed the geocache walk with others, and was kicking herself about not going to the stables to see the new pony, as she thought everyone was going to staples  Also loved the swingball matches that went on! we have some sparkling athletes amongst the husbands – not!!

But mostly a lovely warm memory of hospitality and friendship. Thankyou

not sure how much i am going to blog, because i am utterly shattered! must go to bed soon. however, think i should get going to catch up with today! chris is hopefully sorting out photos from the weekend to flickr. think so behind with flickering may have to go backwards!

anyway, wednesday of our holiday! i had a late start as feeling a bit wobbly over various family things, so stayed in tent reading for a bit, but was ready to go out for a walk and geocache into much wenlock. the clues were mostly straightforward [shame that one was missing tho!] and we paused to have a rather fab lunch from the deli – i would recommend much wenlock deli! we had a picnic in the churchyard and the girls played climbing trees and catch. carrying on with the caching, we went past much wenlock priory, and decided to go in. they had those interesting audio thingies, which we enjoyed listening too, and even BB liked it. unfortunately she had a total melt in the shop over the issue of money. aargh. the worst for quite some time really. so with a bit of gritted teeth and quiet talking we managed to get back to a sense of balance and carry on! much of the cache was related to the olympics of much wenlock, but finished not far from a windmill and BB managed to swap a pinecone for a stuffed horse keyring [much to michelles disgust - but she had carreid the pinecone for ages specially]. most of us went back to the tent, but marcus took SB and C for a smoothy. SB loved geocaching tho, and remained her usual cheerful self. unfortunately the heavens opened and they got completely drenched. oh dear!! we have a fab kebab. BBQ tea.

thurs was a migraine day for me – grr! one which lasted in the end 5 days, with sat being the worst. but we went to enginuity. this was smaller than i expected, but the girls all found things that they really enjoyed about it. i liked moving the steam train best! the girls both liked the ‘xray’ viewer best. lots of interactive things, but like in a lot of places, the ones that needed you to move between levers were ruined by wild inconsiderate play by others. SB gave up with these! we spent a long time there though I am glad there weren’t many others. we had lunch at the museum of iron and then explored the museum. this was prob my fav one. i thought it was a really well thought out and interesting display of how the iron industry grew in the area, and how various bits of it worked. SB was quite interested in the wife and sister running the industry for a while, and making it make a good profit. by now my migraine reaching epic proportions, so although i enjoyed a wander around the darby furnace, i then went back to snooze in the car whilst chris and the girls went on to the darby houses with the manorborns, and enjoyed dressing up in victorian clothes. when they returned we went to the rather lovely tea emporium in ironbridge. we crossed and marvelled at the bridge as well. pasta for tea! as the manorborns ate out, we did some reading around victorians in the eve, and a couple of other books.

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friday saw us early up and out [ok, not so very!] as we decided to have a lazy breakfast at the tea emporium, which was v lovely! we explored the rbidge and walked down to the ironbridge gorge museum. quite a tiny museum, with a lot about fish! liked it too. then we took c with us to the tar tunnel – unfortunately closed due to low oxygen levels. i bartered with lady though that we could stand inside and not go beyond trucks! so at least we got an impressions. the girls all decided they could tell the oxygen was low and didn’t stay there long! a nice wander back along the canal to where we had parked the car past the china museum by the youth hostel – may stay there winterish! we then drove to the jackfield tile museum [lead me not into temptation!!] where m and m where having a sneaky quiet tea and cake! this was my second fav museum. i love tiles, and could v well imagine them throughout my house! by the end BB coming to the end of her museum ability, so we waved the manor borns off to the pipe museum and returned to tent for chilli and enchilladas [yum!] and a bit of a tent tidy as leaving early next day and rain expected.

we have been away. we went to coalbrookdale camping in much wenlock with the manorborns. we had a fab time! we learnt a lot about the area from the variety of places we went too, from the early times with the much wenlock priory, through the industrial revolution times to the modern. also a lot of back discussion about victorians, steam etc.

we arrived on sunday at sytche camping and put up tent and tarp in the scorching heat. unfortunately we wer not pitched near the manor borns, but instead about as far away as poss. they could still hear BB tho, so failed there! anyway, i did get sunburnt putting the tent up, as it was that hot!! the manorborns followed later and were pleased to share a cool beer and cup of tea!

monday started off with music theory for c and sb. c v enthusiastic, sb somewhat less so, tho i think she has now sorted tonic triads! some cwaft [ as pronounced by BB and mimicked by c!] and set out to blist hill and got their fairly soon after opening. loved the intro hall of the noises of smelting and steam, but BB not so keen, so we went up into the sunlight and to the bank to change our modern money into blist hill old pennies, farthings etc! [what a fab idea!] we played dosie doh the school groups and the big 2 girls did the maths challenge. this was really good, but let down by a couple of things – some shopkeepers emphasised how hard it was or gave the answers!, and when a shopkeeper wasn’t there [cf candemaker] you couldn’t complete. so anyway, that minor grip aside we had a really good time, the post mistress, wood turner and printer were especially good to talk to. SB has really got into the swing of asking questions and listening to the answers to feel how things were. its not that long since we were at the black country museum, which is also turn of century victorian, so she is pretty clued up on their tools and kitchen paraphernalia anyway. also i remember little nanny’s stories, so retell them whilst i can. [we should revisit gressenhall, but i think it might make me cry.] I love the steam things, and also spending time seeing how things worked. i loved the addition of some pigs and veg gardens. unsurprisingly we were pretty much the last ppl out! will hopefully add some photos in to show what a fab day it was. we brought back c, so she got to choose car cd’s too. these were the ones played in the week:

back to a shared meal of camp curry and chat until late in the night! girls all playing v happily and just chilled really!

next day we went in the other direction to the victorian farm. I think this might have been BB’s favourite day. would again really recommend it! i loved the lengthsmans house, the milkable cow, and watching the shire horse plough! BB loved the piglets, lambs, ducklings and being able to explore. she had a minor ‘fairness’ moment about the blacksmith and a minor money moment in the shop, but otherwise was pretty happy. SB also loved it, and we mostly pootled round together. i love spending time with SB, as she talks as she thinks, so you get a stream of SB consciousness as you go round of marvelling, wondering and asking. she would quite like a drop spindle, but i have no idea how to use them – anyone?? i think we pretty much saw most things, and she was most happy to have a go at bellowsing for the blacksmith, and getting a piece of knotted iron as a reward!! [the bb not fair moment] and also chatting to the chap tht sorted the 4 calves to getting some milk, when only the biggest belonged to the cow. we were pretty much lasterers there as well [surprise!] and, somewhat mistakenly, sent chris and marcus to effect shopping whilst the rest of us went home in michelles car. unfortunately chris did his timewarp thing, and marcus had no powers to speed up the process!! late dinner of ken hom! but girls nibbled and played nicely, and me and michelle had cucumber sandwiches and tea followed by wine, so v civilised!

i did it, whenever it was first mooted – was it a year ago? these are my results.

You scored 4.7 out of 5 for Openness

You scored high on Openness.

This trait is sometimes known as ‘Openness to experience’. People with scores like yours tend to be imaginative and curious about a wide range of things, from appreciating different art forms to exploring new places, cultures and foods.

Generating lots of imaginative ideas probably comes very easily to you. However, it’s likely that you are prone to daydreaming too.

Innovators, investigators and creators often score highly on this trait. It has also been suggested that Openness is related to a person’s likelihood to hold unusual beliefs. Do you enjoy the odd conspiracy theory?

You scored 3.8 out of 5 for Conscientiousness

You scored medium on Conscientiousness.

Conscientiousness describes how dependable, organised and hard-working a person is likely to be. This may be the reason why, of all the personality traits, Conscientiousness is the most consistent indicator of job success. People with scores like yours are less likely to be workaholics, instead achieving a good work-life balance.

Conscientiousness often gives clues to the amount that a person plans. You probably enjoy planning aspects of your life and may indulge in occasional list-making, but you are unlikely to be averse to behaving spontaneously.

Some studies have shown the more Conscientious an individual is, the more disciplined they are likely to be about exercise and diet.

You scored 3.8 out of 5 for Extroversion

You scored high on Extroversion.

Extroversion is characterised by positive emotions and the tendency to seek out pleasure-stimulating or risk-taking activities. People with scores like yours are often perceived as gregarious, expressive and energetic. You are likely to be someone who enjoys socialising and be quick to form new friendships.

Personality studies have shown that scoring highly on Extroversion often translates to a natural capacity for leadership. High Extroversion may also indicate a tendency to earn more than those with lower scores, but the reasons for this are unclear.

People with high Extroversion are more likely to lead risky lifestyles and take greater risks in pursuit of rewards. Health studies have shown they are more likely to smoke and less likely to get enough sleep than people who score less highly on this trait.

You scored 4.6 out of 5 for Agreeableness

You scored high on Agreeableness.

Agreeableness measures how sympathetic and considerate a person is likely to be. People with scores like yours are likely to find it very easy to get along with other people. You probably find that you are sensitive to the feelings of others and that people find it easy to warm to you.

As a ‘people person’ you will probably be very comfortable in situations that require teamwork.

You scored 2.6 out of 5 for Neuroticism

You scored low on Neuroticism.

In the context of the Big Five personality traits, the term ‘Neuroticism’ relates to a person’s response to threatening or stressful situations. People with scores like yours are often seen as being calm and even-tempered. They cope well with stressful situations and may seem tranquil despite adverse circumstances.

Some scientists have suggested that Neuroticism was beneficial in evolutionary terms. Early man may have found it advantageous to live in a population where certain individuals had a high sensitivity to threats to the group’s survival.

There is evidence to suggest that Neuroticism, when combined with high scores in personality traits such as Conscientiousness, can result in a powerful work ethic and a will to succeed.

Life satisfaction

6.4/7

The questions you answered about your life satisfaction have been used to reveal the degree to which you feel contentment in key areas of your life. Data from this part of the Big Personality Test will help scientists understand the relationship between personality and life satisfaction.

You scored high. Research has uncovered relationships between personality and life satisfaction. People with high Extroversion consistently score more highly than others on scales used to measure a person’s level of wellbeing or happiness.

You scored high on Extroversion. This is consistent with research that shows that people with scores like yours tend to score high on measures of wellbeing.

Extroversion relates to how much positive emotion a person experiences. This may help explain why they often score highly on measures of wellbeing.

Relationships

4.4/5

The questions you answered about your relationships have been used to generate a score that indicates how satisfied you are in your current or most recent relationship. Data from this part of the Big Personality Test will help scientists understand the connections between personality and relationship quality.

Research shows that there is an association between relationship satisfaction and the trait of Agreeableness.

You scored high on Agreeableness. This neither supports nor contradicts research that indicates an association between relationship satisfaction and the trait of Agreeableness; successful relationships are often based on concern for the feelings of others. It is important to remember, however, that many factors can influence satisfaction in a relationship, not least the similarity of the couple’s values.

Agreeableness relates to a person’s ability to understand other people’s thoughts and feelings. It may be this greater awareness of the feelings of others is what leads them to experience generally higher relationship satisfaction.

Job satisfaction

5/5

The questions you answered about your job satisfaction have been used to generate a score that indicates how happy you are in your job. Data from this part of the Big Personality Test will help scientists understand the relationship between personality and job satisfaction. Good job satisfaction is seen as a key feature of a well-balanced life.

You scored high. Research indicates that a low Neuroticism score in a person’s Big Five results is the best predictor of high job satisfaction.

You scored low on Neuroticism. This is consistent with research that shows that people with scores like your tend to score high on measures of job satisfaction.

The reasons behind the relationship between job satisfaction and Neuroticism are not clear. However, it is known that those scoring highly on Neuroticism generally report a less positive outlook on life. Accordingly, this could be reflected in their feelings towards work.

Health

68.8/100

The questions you answered about your health have been used to generate a score that indicates your general level of health and wellbeing. Data from this part of the Big Personality Test will help scientists understand the relationship between personality traits and physical and mental wellbeing.

Research has uncovered relationships between personality and health. In particular, Conscientiousness has consistently been shown as a positive predictor of good health.

You scored medium on Conscientiousness. Research shows that people with Conscientiousness scores broadly similar to yours are more likely to score highly on measures of health. It is important to remember, however, that there are many other factors that affect also your health, from your environment to your genes.

One reason that has been suggested for the relationship between Conscientiousness and health is that highly conscientious people can be disciplined and controlled in their daily habits, such as diet and exercise. Behaviour such as completing a course of medication prescribed by a doctor is thought to be an example of how a personality trait can contribute to a measurable outcome in our lives.

Life goals
Relationships

The questions you answered about your life goals have been used to reveal common themes in how you live your life and the things that are important to you. Data from this part of the Big Personality Test will help scientists understand the relationship between personality and life goals.

Your results showed that your goals are predominantly to do with your relationships; you value harmonious family relationships. Research has uncovered relationships between personality and life goals. It suggests that people with high Openness scores tend to pursue aesthetic goals, while people with high Extroversion scores tend to pursue hedonistic goals.

Scientists would like to know more about the personalities of people with life goals similar to yours.