The Warnhope Park Bulletin

Ice Cream Wars – Sindy’s Clothes for Spring 2012!

poorlittlenell — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:17:15 +0000

I’ve finished sewing lots of lovely Sindy clothes for my Spring Collection “Ice Cream Wars” and they are all now available at Doll Fashion by Xavier and Xenobia. As the name might suggest, the new collection’s colours are ice cream shades – strawberry, pistachio, and parma violet as well as some funky fizz. Let’s bring some sunshine to Spring, Sindy! (And any pink-haired Barbies lurking out there!)

I’m selling my old laptop, a Toshiba Satellite A200 Model: PSAF6A-0QH01N

poorlittlenell — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:28:42 +0000

I’m selling my old laptop computer – it’s an old discontinued Toshiba Satellite A200 Model: PSAF6A-0QH01N bought at Officeworks, Australia, in 2008 and comes with its power pack, a UK plug and flex and an additional Australian plug and flex. I’ve also included my old wireless mouse, which is very heavily used, scratched and worn, a bit cantankerous and may not always work!

The laptop is operational but it’s been really heavily used. While there isn’t any large material damage to the machine and it’s had no heavy impacts, its appearance is one of heavy usage. The outside casing has some light scratches. The display quality is very good but one pixel is “out” – the computer has always been this way and the unlit pixel never bothered me when I was using it, but it is something to be aware of. Physically, the screen is fully intact with no scratches.

The keyboard is another story – it has been so much used that the letters have worn completely off some of the keys – the above picture should give some idea of this. No problem to a touch typist but the laptop would be difficult to use by someone who needs to see the keyboard markings. Some of the keys are a bit stiff. The casing around the keyboard is also heavily scratched and marked.

The auction for the laptop will end on 9th April 2012 at 21:33:54 British Standard Time. I will post the computer by First Class Recorded Delivery within the UK at £12.77 postage. Unfortunately I can’t ship it overseas.

Here are what I believe are the specifications of the Toshiba, but since it’s a discontinued model and I’m not that “up” on computers, I haven’t been able to establish these exactly. I may have made mistakes:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0Ghz
Operating System: Linux – Windows Vista was originally installed and you will see a sticker on the base of the computer proclaiming this – I didn’t receive the installation CDs, however, and when the hard disc was wiped, Windows Vista went too. Linux has since been installed and the computer is operational
Display: 15.4″ Widescreen TFT Display (1280×800)
Optical Disk Drive: DVD SuperMulti Double/Dual Layer – sometimes this doesn’t work although it did work the last time the computer was used
Sound: Stereo Speakers plus Microphone / Headphone Jacks
Webcam: Integrated Web Camera (1.3MP)
Expansion: 1 x VGA Output / 1 x HDMI Output / S-Video Output
Expansion: 4 x USB 2.0 Ports / SD Card Slot – one of the USB ports does not work, the others do!
LAN: Atheros 10/100 Base TX Ethernet
WAN: Atheros 802.11(a/b/g)
Modem: Internal 56Kbps V92 Dialup – WiFi enabled
Dimensions: 362mm x 268mm x 40mm
Weight: 2.7kg approx

Ringing the Changes with Santa Sindy

poorlittlenell — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:53:46 +0000

Lots of changes have been going on here and if all goes well I will be blogging much more in the near future!

One of the biggest changes has been that I’ve decided to switch from Etsy to Folksy, where I’ve been focussing on my Sindy fashion. My sparkling new Sindy and Barbie fashion shop, Xavier and Xenobia, is now open for business!

Sindy Heralds in the Festive Season

To celebrate the festive season, Sindy can wear her own Santa hat. I have made two styles, no less, for this 11.5″ fashionista – a Santa hat with a white pom pom and a Santa hat with a small cowbell on the end. Bon Yule, Sindy!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

poorlittlenell — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:01:59 +0000

I am busy updating Lexicopoly 1, which has now been officially released, and my Etsy shop, where I’ll be selling my hand-made bags. I am hoping to get the whole site shipshape very soon!

Tips to Prevent Sexual Assault

poorlittlenell — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:33:03 +0000

I got this from the Feminist Law Professors’ blog and wanted to spread the word:

Sexual Assault Prevention Tips Guaranteed to Work!

1. Don’t put drugs in people’s drinks in order to control their behavior.

2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!

3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to assault them!

4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.

5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON’T ASSAULT THEM!

6. Remember, people go to laundry to do their laundry, do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.

7. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.

8. Always be honest with people! Don’t pretend to be a caring friend in order to gain the trust of someone you want to assault. Consider telling them you plan to assault them. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the other person may take that as a sign that you do not plan to rape them.

9. Don’t forget: you can’t have sex with someone unless they are awake!

10. Carry a whistle! If you are worried you might assault someone “on accident”you can hand it to the person you are with, so they can blow it if you do.

And on this note, I am so disappointed the Edinburgh Slut Walk has been planned for 4th June as I am busy that day and can’t participate. Next time, eh? Next time…

Do you believe in…?

poorlittlenell — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:11:03 +0000

Yesterday, Young Sir was yelling up the stairs to me as we were getting ready to go out.

Himself: Mammy, do you believe in God?

Me: I believe in the power of the universe, diddums.

Himself: Do you believe in chairs, Mammy?

Me: Yes, I do, darling.

Himself: Do you believe in sun shining through windows?

Me: Yes.

Himself: Do you believe in a potato with liddle arms an’ legs an’ a liddle smiling face an’ it’s running around an’ singing a song?

Me: Uh. I’d believe it if I saw it…!

Lesson on Census and Demographics

poorlittlenell — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:52:06 +0000

Well, it’s Census Time in Scotland on Sunday, March 27th, as with the rest of the UK, so I decided to make a lesson on it for my class. I’ve made the lesson in the style of my forthcoming English Language Resource book, Lexicopoly 1, with a vocabulary bingo game, activity ideas, a word puzzle and worksheets on a relevant grammar structure and language function – in this case Active and Passive Voice, and expressions about recording current situations. There are also worksheets for structured practice and free practice of the target vocab, grammar and language.

Here’s where the lesson can be downloaded, and here’s a link directly to the PDF.

I was so excited to receive my proof copies of Lexicopoly 1 a few weeks ago. Less excited to open the shiny cover and realise I knew next to nothing about formatting a book! A quick crash course later and I am looking forward to presenting a beautifully-formatted Lexicopoly 1 to the world very soon!

Happy Censusing, Darlings!

Lexicopoly 1 Finished

poorlittlenell — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 08:37:52 +0000

As I type this, I am in the process of uploading my PDF files for Lexicopoly 1 to Lulu. I need to check that my source file margins are set properly, that none of my formatting has slipped, get my cover together, then Bob’s Your Uncle! Revising Lexicopoly and getting it up online is such a huge and positive milestone for me – it’s taken me ages but the end result is one I’m happy with. Watch this space!

The World’s Shortest Joke

poorlittlenell — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:03:18 +0000

My offspring and I were walking home from school yesterday. Young Sir: Mammy, do you want to hear the world’s shortest joke? Me: Ooh, go on then. Young Sir: Knock knock. Me: Who’s there? S I L E N C … Continue reading →

One Rodent I Do Like

poorlittlenell — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 07:05:40 +0000

Not only have I had the alarming saga, this week, of having rat-chewed groceries delivered to my house, but nobody – and here I’m talking Tesco, pest control, Food Health and Safety – apparently cares! Weird. When I lived in Japan and Australia the connection between rats and, you know, serious disease and stuff was taken much more seriously. Is the relaxed attitude in UK some kind of memetic throwback to the era that spawned the bubonic plague?

Anyway, if the rat wasn’t bad enough, last night I was woken up by a mouse scurrying around my bedroom! It was hiding in my wardrobe and peeping out at me then eventually took itself downstairs and I could hear its little weight going plop-plop-plot from one stair to the next.

It’s only Wednesday and I’m already fed up of vermin.

Apart from Rastamouse!

My little darling discovered Rastamouse on the Cbeebies iPlayer last night and we were both glued to it. I especially loved the Rasta ethics at the end!