THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE.

The mayonnaise jar and coffee.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes!”
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognise that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.
“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.
“Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked that. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

A friend e-mailed me this, and I wanted to share it.

FRIDAYS HERE and

Thank goodness for little sisters, who loan you their spare car, so that you can still go to the coast at the weekend.

My son and his girlfriend are going to try and join us tonight, if not tomorrow. The weather is looking good for the weekend, here in the UK anyway. So have an excellent weekend, back on Monday...................

AIDA.....

Everything was going well, fantastic seats, at the end of the row, no seat in front, ten rows back from the stage. My elbow crutches parked, I could sit comfortably with my jelly babies on my lap ready to be devoured (which part do you bite first? I'm a leg woman.)

Strange to think that one of the reasons the British ended up with the Suez Canal is Verdi's opera Aida. Ismail Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt, spent so much money he had to flog off his Suez shares to the British to make ends meet (he didn't, the British and French ended up taking over the economy.)

One of his loves was music and opera. He spent no less than 150,000 gold francs to bring the premiere of Aida to Cairo.

Ellen Kent, who brought the Chisinau National Opera version of Aida to the Royal Theatre in Nottingham last night, had spent a bob or two on it as well. The costumes are sumptuous, gilded and bejewelled. The set is huge and marvellously decorated--it takes seven men to lift one of the pillars, apparently!!

Ellen Kent must have done a considerable amount of research to have ensured the authenticity of the wall paintings.

None of this would have mattered of course, if the singing was not good. But it was very good indeed.

I was surprised by Patrizio Ha, a South Korean tenor with a firm, strong voice, how he seemed to have a total grasp of of the Italian idiom.

The young female leads, Nadejda Stoinova and Galina Bernaz, both looked and sounded as if they were born for the parts of princesses.
There was a spectacular fire throwing/juggling display, in act 2 scene2.
Of course I sobbed like a hungry baby at the end, when Radames discovers Aida has hidden herself in the crypt to die with him. That most familiar line to the audience that translates: "My heart forewarned me of your condemnation. In this tomb that was opened for you I entered secretly. Here, away from human sight, in your arms I wish to die."

So sad, just like Romeo & Juliet, Cleopatra & Mark Antony, Bonnie & Clyde, lets not forget Jack & Jill who went up that dam hill!! Why do we enjoy these real tear jerkers??????
Well if you have stuck to the end of this post about my trip to see Aida, you will remember I started by saying things were going well. I will conclude my story. Maths car is poorly sick, we have been quoted up to £3,000 for the spares we need if second hand ones can't be found. Being as I am unable to drive at the moment he has been driving my little Matiz. She drove us to the theatre no problems, we returned to her for our journey home at 11.00pm. Key in ignition, and.......nothing, not a groan, absolutely nothing. We phoned the RAC who told us they were extremely busy and would be at least one and a half hours.

Well I won't harp on about how cold it was, or about the unsavoury figures that seem to be wandering about the city at that time of night. Only that we are now car less, until mine is repaired on Monday (even more money.) Now isn't that a sad story??????????????????

A HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP......

Arrived back home, late afternoon. Sorted the mail, no letter saying I had won a life changing amount of money, just the usual bills, and advertising bulk telling me the life changing amounts of money I could borrow. Last of the washing in the machine this morning, ready for our departure back to the coast on Friday.
At least this coming weekend it will be more of a rest for Math, last week we spend most of the time opening up, mowing the grass and weeding. I say we, but its a 'royal we', poor Math had to do most of the jobs (all say Arrrrh). We will go away most weekends, up to the end of October, or until I'm called in for my operation. The weather was brilliant, apparently better than Spain. We spent most of Saturday on the beach, would love to have some photos to show you, but our camera wouldn't take any shots, so I guess it needs looking at by the experts!!!
On the Sunday we called at a little country pub, out in the middle of no where. We were sat out side enjoying our liquid refreshment (beer), when two vans pulled into the car park. The back doors flew open and out piled an assortment of men, women and musicians all dressed in a weird uniform. The main feature of this uniform were the bells about their ankles, and the white hankies tucked in their black short trousers. Yes you've guessed haven't you, MORRIS DANCERS. They were fantastic, everyone in the garden area was tapping their toes to the melody's they played, and clapping their hands to the rhythm of their sticks as they clicked them together.
I have taken some snaps with my phone, but will need Maths assistance to load them on my blog. I'm not sure of the quality, but will get them posted asp.
Out again this evening to see AIDA at the Nottingham Theatre, will tell you about it tomorrow........

Food For Thought.
Before I go, whilst sat in the pub garden a little boy went up to his mummy and asked "what do you call men Ladybird's"??????????
Which made me think, whilst we're on the subject, "what do you call lady Daddy long legs???????