Auld Lang's Syne

For Auld Lang's blah, blah, blah: Poll finds most people don't know the words to Burns' classic New Year's Eve song

• Poll found that some 37 per cent do not know a single line of Robert Burns’s piece, written in 1788
• And many will be singing it at home this year as more and more opt for a night in on New Year's Eve

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Last updated at 1:26 PM on 30th December 2011

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080078/Auld-Lang-Syne-Poll-finds-people-dont-know-words.html#ixzz1i22z9nf0

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I can’t believe this is still true but clearly it is and for those of you who don(t want to follow the link and read the article here are the actual words to the age old classic!

 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
CHORUS

For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And to really impress here are verses two to five...

And surely ye'll be your pint stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

A Happy New Year to all and thanks for following my Blog

Nativity Plays!

I just read this article and It made me very cross!

Anger of parents CHARGED to see their own children's nativity plays

By VALERIE ELLIOTT

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2069648/Anger-parents-charged-childrens-nativity-plays.html#ixzz1fZAlaJdU

 

As if it's not bad enough that many schools are bowing to the pressure of 'don't upset the ethnic minorities', they are now charging to see the shows that they do put on for Christmas (and I say shows because 9 times out of 10 that's what they are) the Nativity is not something that is seen as politically correct nowadays even though our schools bend over backwards to observe Diwali and Ramadan and so on. While I certainly don't object to children being taught more about all religions, so long as it is ALL religions, this is Britain, and British people celebrate Christmas with nativity plays, let them go ahead as they have done for decades and in this time of financial crisis have the good common sense to see that charging for the show is discriminatory, there are actually people out there that simply cannot afford to pay for the show and refreshments, and the old system of a collection is a much more balanced way of raising reasonable funds to cover overheads (after all, the parents often supply most of the costumes and props so overheads can’t be that much and refreshments are sold at ‘for profit’ prices on the nights). The Nativity should not be a source of raising school funds via the back door!

Check out your healer properly!

As a spiritual healer myself I was appalled to read this article today. Take notice.... I know of no form of spiritual healing that requires the client to strip off other than 'hot Stone' or 'Thalasatherapy' (both names for the one thing as I understand it and as I haven't had any I can't say for sure if it involves massage along with the stones) and absolutely no way does any healing style require kissing or touching of bare bodies other than in a proper massage. Always check out the healer you are going to and where possible go on personal recommendations from someone you know and trust. Golden rule! if in doubt, get out and report the 'healer' or at the very least talk to another healer to see if what has occurred is a genuine part of the session.

Spiritual healer to the stars 'ordered female client to strip naked and then fondled her'
Student claims she was 'groomed' over several visits
He stripped off during appointment prompting call to the police
Client list includes actresses Joely Richardson and Tamzin Outhwaite
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2068975/Graham-Dare-Spiritual-healer-stars-ordered-female-client-strip-naked.html#ixzz1fNbMactG

It's STILL A Wonderful Life

It's STILL A Wonderful Life: After 65 years, James Stewart's classic tale of redemption is Britain's favourite festive film

• The Muppet Christmas Carol was voted into second place
• Richard Curtis's Love Actually was third

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2067487/Its-A-Wonderful-Life-voted-nations-favourite-Christmas-film.html

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Many of you reading this will never even have heard of this film but if you haven’t, get a copy and watch it!; and if you have, watch it again! it is rivalled only by ‘that’ moment in The Railway Children’ for sheer ‘lump in your throat, I’m not going to cry, I’m not! oh begger, I’m crying, I hope no-one’s noticed’…ness, and if you have, watch it again!

It is what one can truly call a classic! get a copy, watch it, better still get a copy of it and watch it AND White Christmas – The real Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye version, nothing less will do – and I defy anyone to come out of it with dry eyes and no spirit of Christmas!

 

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Where’s the respect?!

4ft swastika and human excrement smeared on British war memorial in 'despicable' act of desecration

· 16-year-old arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2056688/4ft-swastika-human-excrement-smeared-British-war-memorial.html#ixzz1ca8sRmbW

 

I just don’t know where to begin…….

Do I get mad at the 16 year old that did this (and the countless others that urinate on Cenotaphs or steal the Roll of Honour off of memorials up and down the country)  for being so ignorant as to commit this disgusting crime, or do I get mad at the people responsible for our school curriculums etc, that have all but removed any lessons that might actually instill a modicum of respect and understanding of what these memorials actually stand for, or do I get mad at the media that bury a story like this at the very bottom of the online page where the majority of people don’t even bother to read down to (because looking at online newspapers is usually something one does for speed and convenience) when it should be blazoned on the front page in total outrage that such a thing should ever happen in this country where so many, gave so much, for so few!; and this just one week from Remembrance Day which is the only time you can be certain that people are indeed remembering!

The Daily Mail says that ‘thefts from war memorials have more than doubled since last year, with vandals now targeting them at the rate of one every two days’ and that ‘
Earlier this month, vandals knocked over the First World War memorial in Prestbury, near Cheltenham’ to give just two more examples…

I for one am ashamed to be British at the moment.

Crystal Moon

Serendipity at it’s best!

I’m working away from home again and was killing time during my two hours break on Saturday in Goring, Berkshire. So I’m walking through the village, minding my own business , doing a spot of window shopping and certain that that would be all I was doing, when I am suddenly yanked back (think big long shepherds crook à la vaudeville stage) and into what turns out to be a lovely New Age shop with the usual assortment of crystals, incense, ornaments etc; and a range of lovely gift ideas and jewelry that would make wonderful Yuletide gifts for anyone looking for that special spiritual gift. The key thing I noticed though was how incredibly cheep they all were, not ‘on sale’ not ‘end of line, hurry offer must end soon’ just cheap, good quality items. (wow, sales pitch over, you’d think it was my shop wouldn’t you).

The shop has a lovely atmosphere and the owner was very friendly and welcoming but the bonus was that, today, for one day only, she had John and Caitlin Mathews in store doing Tarot readings with his new set: The Wild Wood Tarot – Wherein wisdom resides; and selling that set and other works by both Caitlin and himself. I did buy a set and he duly signed the book therein, but sadly couldn’t stay for a reading or his talk later on, and when I looked at the book cover I realised I had already seen this set! We cannot work out how as it is new but I definitely knew the image on the cover so it was absolutely meant to be that I should go into that village at that time on that day! The set is lovely by the way, I can definitely recommend it, and both John and Caitlin were very nice to talk to and the whole place made me wish I had two days instead of two hours break, I shall definitely be going back there (even if I haven’t got any more money to spend right now)

Oh yeah – The shop is called Crystal Moon, if you are in or around Reading I say take a little detour and go visit, you won’t regret it I’m sure.

Blessed Be!

Moria

Halloween poem

I received this from my lovely friend Eliza about fifeteen minutes ago and thought I’d share……….

An off-the-cuff-original from Eliza…

Set out the food~~~Make a blessing~~~Stop ‘em small ones from their messin~~~

Make a noise~~~bang the drum~~~’cause something wicked this way comes~~~

Light a candle~~~make it bright~~~guide your loved ones thru’ the night~~~

As it was ~~~So mote it be~~~Merry Part and Blessed Be!

Author: Elizax of Sheddielf. 31^st November 2011

Witches continue to be burned at the stake in this Century!

Today, while researching the information for the ‘On This Day’ feature in my Book Of Shadows here at Moria’s Place, I came across this story (which I do seem to recall Angel telling me about when researching her dissertation for her recent Degree studies – Yes, she did have a tutor with enough of an open mind to allow her to do a dissertation on Witchcraft!!).

It beggars belief to me that as recently as 2009, people are still being, not only accused and charged with the CRIME of Witchcraft, but are in fact being BURNED AT THE STAKE for said crimes! I thought we were meant to be enlightened people, I know that people talk of being open-minded when in actual fact what they often mean is ‘I know certain things happen but as I don’t have to be a party to them I’ll just say I’m tolerant of them’, but this is just medieval in it’s reaction and what’s more unbelievable is that this extreme reaction in Papua New Guinea is not an isolated one, It is happening all over the World, no wonder many people who follow the Pagan/Wiccan pathways are very reluctant to be open about it when these types of reactions are still occurring around the world!

For the full story follow

https://itdawnedonme.wordpress.com/2009/01/11/suspected-witches-burned-alive-beaten-stoned-cast-out

Suspected witches are being burned while still alive in Papua New Guinea. The Salem Witch Trials were in Massachusetts in 1692 – 1693. Out of 150 people arrested, 19 were put to death for the felony of being a witch. Many more people today who are charged with being witches are being burned while still alive.

Today they don’t get a trial…they are just taken from their homes…just like a young woman between the ages of 16 and 21 who was recently dragged, stripped, gagged, tied to a pole, and burned to death after being accused of having an affair, giving the man AIDS, and being a witch. (Excerpt)

Royal Wooten Bassett

We here at Moria’s Place are absolutely delighted that Her Majesty The Queen has seen fit to award the title of Royal to the town of Wooten Bassett. It is absolutely the right response to the outpouring of support and respect the people of this beautiful little town showed on the return of our armed forces men and women who have given their lives in the performance of their duties.

Therefore Moria’s Place would like to extend a very hearty well done and a well deserved  congratulations to the people of Royal Wooten Bassett on their new status.

http://bit.ly/pePAKw

He’s a poet and he knows it!

I was busily working away researching trivia for the ‘Did You Know’ section of my Book Of Shadows (B.O.S) here at Moria’s Place and discovered it was the birthday today of this poet and so…………………  Just because this tickles me…. A tribute to Shel Silverstein (poet) who was born in 1930.

"I cannot go to school today,"

Said little Peggy Ann McKay.

"I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I'm going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I've counted sixteen chicken pox

And there's one more--that's seventeen,

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut--my eyes are blue--

It might be instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I'm sure that my left leg is broke--

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button's caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,

My 'pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb.

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is. . .Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play!"

tp://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16480

Remembrance Day Poppies

WHAT IDIOT DID THIS!

‘The Royal British Legion has been banned from selling poppies in a city centre in the run-up to Remembrance Sunday because of council red tape.

The charity is forbidden from collecting in parts of Birmingham in the days before November 13 because other charities were granted a license to do so first.

Birmingham City Council has changed its application system to allow only one charity to collect in any street at once, meaning the day before Remembrance Sunday there will be no poppy sellers in the city.’ Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2037611/RBL-poppy-sellers-banned-city-streets-council-red-tape.html#ixzz1Y1cTZBfi

It is ridiculous that only one charity can collect at any one time in the first place, but how the heck could anyone NOT think that, given this ruling, that the only one that should be collecting in the days approaching Remembrance Day should absolutely and unequivocally be The Poppy Appeal!

I get the fact that they were refused permission for the 12th (The legion is also not permitted to collect anywhere in the city on November 12 as 'Birmingham Marrow on behalf of The Anthony Nolan Trust' has booked the slot Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2037611/RBL-poppy-sellers-banned-city-streets-council-red-tape.html#ixzz1Y1ditF7O) after all it does seem reasonable to expect that people would have bought their poppies by then, but to not be allowed to sell them on the 11th is unbelievable.

Get real Birmingham City Council!

Presenters and Interviewees

I was watching the channel four news last night and it made me so cross but it wasn’t the content, it was the interviewee that set me off! Why, oh why, must people jerk about like demented marionettes, waving their arms all over the place,  jutting their chin out and nodding their heads in time to what they are saying? If you were talking to someone in real life and they kept jerking their head, shrugging their shoulders and flapping their arms around in support of their punctuation you’d think they were mad!, or that they had St Vitas Dance or something.

It seems to me that we now have a nation of Gordon Ramsey’s on T.V. (visually, not verbally) and I for one, find it very distracting and rather than emphasising what they are saying, it detracts one from focusing on the actual content of their discourse.

Get a grip you people, stop flapping around and just talk, it would be so much more effective and you would get your messages out to so many more people!

Soldier on leave party's

 

A young soldier on leave has been photographed dancing barefoot by a pool with other revelers and jumping in the pool fully clothed. The soldier in question has been working almost solidly for a whole year and has had just one weeks holiday in that time. He has crossed the Antarctic (or at least part of it) to help raise money for Help For Heroes and has, in addition to that kept up additional duties on the side throughout the year.

Nothing wrong with that do I hear you say? Well there shouldn’t be but as usual the soldier in question is being held to the ridged double standards that always apply where he and other members of his family are concerned. If it were any other soldier people would be saying how great it was to see him letting his hair down but of course it’s not! This soldier is Prince Harry and he of course, is not allowed to be ‘normal’, it makes me so cross! He serves with or forces and even if he’s not on the front lines he is doing the same service as any of the other soldiers currently not on the front lines but he also has to perform his royal duties and be extra careful in his ‘private’ life (and I use that term very loosely) watching everything he says, does and even wears, and all with that charming smile on his face, and yet any press coverage is always angled at sniping at the ‘childish antics’ of the Prince. Anyone who knows a young soldier knows that they work hard and play hard and rightly so!

For Gods sake let’s give the man a break! He is doing a fantastic job and should be allowed to let his hair down once in a while. 

Our wonderful justice systems strikes again!

 

While I deplore the actions of those who took part in the recent rioting that took place in various towns and cities across England, I cannot for the life of me figure out how it is right that a young man who stupidly acted on impulse was jailed for 16 months for stealing an ice cream, (read more: http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/7195758/the-danger-of-disproportionate-sentences.thtml) and an intelligent, adult couple get away with  a 9 month sentence for child cruelty and assault and a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, and a 100 hours of unpaid community work respectively, for subjecting (and allowing her to be subjected to) an eight year old child to extreme physical and mental abuse! Read more: (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2030631/Stepmother-starved-beat-girl-8-professor-husband-did-nothing.html#ixzz1WExiL8JL)

Don’t get me wrong, I was in London during the riots and I applaud the zero tolerance approach to the people who allowed themselves to be caught up in that madness but it cannot be right that sentences such as that stated are given to a young man who took an ice cream whilst these two people systematically abused a child of eight years old, ripped out chunks of hair, beat and starved her and in every way neglected her and all they get is that! It is deplorable! That poor child will probably suffer for the rest of her life in one way or another from the abuse she has endured and has even been separated from her brother as a result and her ‘parents’, and I use that term in it’s loosest possible sense, have basically been given a slap on the wrist and told not to do it again! How can this possibly be called justice?

If our courts are going to clamp down on crime and send a tougher message then surely this should be exactly the sort of crime that deserves real punishment!

Hurricane, Earthquakes and such.

 

I’m watching the various news reports and warnings going out across America and I’m thinking, wow, perhaps they did learn something from New Orleans. I’m hoping that all this preparation will mean that we do not end up hearing all the horror stories that came to light after the disaster in New Orleans and I’m desperately praying that ArchAngel Micheal will guard and guide those in danger.

I hope that the Americans can show the same restraint and dignity that we have seen from Japan in the aftermath of the recent disasters they have endured. The world could learn much from their responses to what happened there, the images of their people queuing patiently for food, helping their fellow man, and even the stories of the vast fortunes that have been handed in to the authorities from wallets, personal belongings and so on found in the rubble will surely go down in the annuls of history as examples of the best of mankind.

Please join me in praying to whatever deity you believe in that the impact will be as minimal as possible and that the emergency services and government officials etc; find the strength to do whatever is necessary to aid and support the American people in the path of this powerful hurricane at this time.

News snippets!

Just a few thoughts on the news from todays papers.

A new planet has been discovered that is carbon based and is basically a huge diamond in space. Makes the Koh-i-Noor diamond look like a discarded chipping if you ask me!

http://yhoo.it/rohJaY

I can’t help but wonder when will people learn not to put these events on Social Network pages, there are whole gangs combing them for places to descend on! http://bit.ly/rpQ7pB

http://bit.ly/rpQ7pB

www.dailymail.co.uk

Mother nature strikes again! My thoughts and support (all be it distance support and healing) go out to the 50 million people who will potentially be affected by the impending Hurricane. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/u-east-coast-irenes-path-scrambles-prepare-003433107.html

Angry!

I try to be a nice person, really I do but I am fast losing the ability to be nice when every time I get a minute to check in on Moria’s Place I have to deal with spammers!, I have been forced to have a ‘closed to non-members shoutbox’ and to remove the facility for ‘commenting’ on the items in the shop in order to prevent them from posting their, at best annoying, and at worst, illegal and disgusting messages. However it would appear that this is not enough, oh no!; I in my naivety thought that all spammers were automated but it would seem I’m wrong, they’ve taken to registering as members to enable them to post their unwanted rubbish! Why can’t they just pack it in! 

Another new skill!

Well, having set out to re-arrange some of the articles in Moria’s Place, I have now learned how to build in new drop-down links and how to publish and unpublish my articles and I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself right now!

 

http://www.moriasplace.com

The Green Thing

This was sent to me in one of those circular e-mails, I don't normally bother keeping them, I read them and groan or chuckle or shed a little tear maybe (as appropriate to the message) then I bin them so as not to waste storage space. However, this one has struck a chord, being of the generation that did these things - all be it mostly as a child!) so I thought I'd share it here in the hopes that some people may return to some of these 'Green' ways as most, if not all, of them are still possible!

 

The Green Thing
In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."
The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. The former generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was  partly right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day.
Back then, they returned their milk bottles, bottles of pop and beer bottles to the store.
The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over.
So they really were recycled.
But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.
In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building.
They walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.
But she was right. They didn't have the green thing in her day.
Back then, they washed the baby's nappies because they didn't have the throw-away kind.
They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.
Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.
Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - not a TV in every room.
And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Montana .
In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you.
When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.
Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn.
They used a push mower that ran on human power.
They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.
They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water.
They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But they didn't have the green thing back then.
Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.
They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.
And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old folks were just because they didn't have the green thing back then?

Moria’s Place update

Well, having returned from the ‘day job’ where I have had very limited internet capability, I thought I’d check in on the world. It has taken me two days to deal with the e-mails, Tweets and Facebook messages alone!

The weather here in France has taken a slight turn for the better and all is semi-right with the world so now I have no more excuses, I have to get on with getting more content on Moria’s Place (http://www.moriasplace.com) and filling out the Directory of Crystals (probably a never-ending task) but it’s worth it. the response so far is very encouraging!

Websites

Wow, It really is a lot of work getting a website up and running but Moria’s Place has finally gone live and is getting very positive feedback from all quarters, but the sheer level of work that goes into setting it up and getting articles and features and so on has astounded me. Add to that the totally unexpected level of interest it generated as soon as it went live caught me on the hop, we’ve crashed twice just from sheer visitor numbers (thankfully my wonderful Guru is on top of all these little problems so no big issues there) but now comes my end of the deal and I have to deal with the day to day running of it all, approving input from members, checking in regularly to check it’s running smoothly and finding and writing up content and so on and so forth. Don’t know where I’d be without Henchgirl (and I’ll be away for the next two weeks and restricted to maybe three hours a day for this).

Oh well, it’ll all be worth it in the end….

Blessed Be!

Witchealer

at www.moriasplace.com

Hello

Just a quick hello to Baz, thanks for the message.

So True!

 

I was just checking out Tweets on my Twitter page and came across this post - If you are concerned with animal welfare you are considered kind. If you are concerned with animal rights you are considered a terrorist. – and I thought that was so true, What do you think?

I missed my internet!

Wow, there’s nothing like a month without internet to show you how much you use your internet, add that to the month spent in the highlands immediately preceding that month and you see how big an impact it can have!

Never mind – we are re-connected now and I can get on and do so there’s every good chance that I may have a website up and running in the next few days. (Watch this space!)

Blogging

 

It has just been rammed home to me how bad I am at this lark!; having been asked “what’s the address of your blog” I find I haven’t got a clue and don’t even know how to find out so here I am blogging in the hope it will result in said address coming up.!

Sad hu?