How big can an Aspidistra grow

The leaves on this plant are 32 inches or 82cm from tip to the top of the plant pot.

Our windows are particularly tall so the picture could be a little misleading. However, the question remains in my mind. Will this plant keep getting bigger? Or is there a point where it will grow no more. Any ideas, or suggestions or just knowledge about Aspidistras would be welcome.

In case you are wondering, the plant currently has 45 stems and leaves. It is in a 13inches 33cm diameter pot and I’m wondering if it will need a larger one.

It was whilst carrying this upstairs to make way for the Christmas tree that I fell and injured my foot.

Always stay on the side of the angels

For some unknown reason this saying has stayed in my head for most of today.

This saying was a favourite of one of my former headteacher colleagues Peter W.

At the time I was working as a head of department (now called a curriculum leader) in a 11-16 high school. So I was working with a team of 8 other professionals. Inevitably, there would have to be decisions made or actions taken that were not always universally popular.

In reflecting on the saying “always stay on the side of the angels”, one wonders what prompts that? In dealing with difficult situations, the demons or red mist can try to prevail. However a conscious effort is needed to ignore them and stay on the side of the angels. In practical terms I see it as meaning where there is a choice to say something hurtful or take an unjustified action it means to stop and think and make the choice that is not hurtful to others.

All leaders have to take decisions and be responsible for their actions but a path can and should be found when dealing with others to explain the reasoning behind the decisions or actions in a calm and balanced way that carries people with you. It will not always work and we may have to agree to disagree and not bear any malice or grudges.

Over time you hope that people will respect you for the decisions made and the way you went about implementing them. I’m realistic enough to know that not all will. But staying on the side of the angels will mean that most will! Respect is hard to gain but very easy to lose.

Unsubscribe

During the last two days I have been reviewing the emails received and deciding to Unsubscribe to those that are just marketing and very annoying.

If you look towards the end of each email there is an option to unsubscribe or adjust your email preferences. Clicking on that gives you the choice to unsubscribe.

Some senders are not as good as others at allowing this to happen by asking you to enter email accounts etc etc. However, I have found it worth persevering and making sure I unsubscribe from senders who behave like this.

So, as a result, my email inbox is not getting cluttered as it was before. And I am much happier!

As an aside I have started not to empty the bin or trash on my apple devices. Simply deleting them from the account is enough now. This is as a result of inadvertently deleting two offers of work! It was at a time I was getting lots of emails from a well known online retailer and I just wanted to tidy up all my emails. It is possible to set the amount of time that deleted emails stay in the bin or trash before being automatically deleted. This range from 1 to 30 days or so and can be set in the settings or preferences on the apple device.

The exam board who had set the invitation were happy to re-send them and said it happens quite a lot. So all is well, but a lesson learnt!

Poem read at dad’s funeral on this day 2017

Peter butterfield

Huddersfield Crematorium

He is gone
You can shed tears that he is gone
Or you can smile because he has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday You can remember him and only that he is gone
Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on. David Harkin (1959 – )

Winter Solstice (shortest day)

Today is the Winter Solstice. Greenwich say it occurs at 3:59pm on 21st December in the UK

Today is the shortest day, lasting 7 hours 49 minutes and 42 seconds in London. (8 hours 48 minutes and 38 seconds shorter than the longest day)

For more information visit http://www.rmg.co.uk. (Royal museums Greenwich)

For many cultures the winter Solstice is an important event. However, for many, including me, it marks the time, the days start to get a little longer. I don’t think you really start to notice this until late January. But inevitably time marches on.