It happened even back in 1800's

I am back to being awake at night, so annoying because it steals my days.. Thursday it rained, what a surprise, raining in Wales!! So we thought, as we couldn't get out to the garden, we'd do some much needed cleaning.. All planned for when we got back from the hair dressers, atho' by the time we arrived home it was more or less lunch time. 

We sat with a cup of tea and then oooops suddenly it was nearly 4 o'clock! We had both dropped off to sleep, too late then to start the cleaning, as everybody knows OAPs knock off time is 4!

I was so tired.

This is John Keat's (1875=1821)

To Sleep 

.O soft embalmer of the still midnight!

Shutting, with careful fingers and benign,

Our gloom-pleas'd eyes, embower'd from the light,

Enshaded in forgetfulness divine;

O soothest Sleep! if so it please thee, close,

In midst of this thine hymn, my willing eyes.

Or wait the Amen, ere thy poppy throws

Around my bed its lulling charities;

Then save me, or the passed day will shine

Upon my pillow, breeding many woes;

Save me from curious conscience, that still hoards

Its strength for darkness, burrowing like a mole;

Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,

And seal the hushed casket of my soul.

We studied the poems of Keats when I was in school and I fell hopelessly in love with him, just like teenagers love pop singers today!

Chrisxx

When the Rain Ends.

 

This was the first book I've read by this author and it was an easy and pleasant read. However, the names really annoyed me, Dani, Rosie and Bella.  One of those is a dog, it confused me and I had to read the first few chapters, twice to get hang of who was who. Perhaps I was tired, as I was reading it in bed, so that's maybe why I was lost, but it was Rosie, she was the dog!!

The book was about loss, love, grief, romance and  friendship. I think the author dealt with really well with the many emotions, especially when dealing with profound loss.

The grief camp for children was wonderfully handled and I liked the whole idea of it. It was what Bella the daughter needed to walk that grief journey, while her mother, Dani walked her own road of a very different loss.

 A well written story and the ending was 'warm feeling' ending. Worth reading and good if you have had a sad loss.

However, I don't know if I'd read another Mary Ellen Taylor book at the moment.

Chrisxx

Catching up.

 We've started to get our garden straight... but it does still look winter weary. (That's a nice way of saying, it looks a mess.) Our front garden is an odd shape so we do very little to it. We have these tubs right outside our front door. These are our winter ones, the Wall flowers are still to flower.

Because of its odd shape and because its small, we planted daffodils all around it. Down the side of the path and....

.... in front of the front door. We planted 350 bulbs three years ago and they have increased.

So always a nice show as we approach the bungalow, they're always lovely to see as we drive up.

Yesterday we were up and out for a coffee to our favourite coffee shop before10:00am. The sun was shining and then after lunch we started in the back garden! The grass hadn't been cut since beginning of October, it was long. But our super-duper power mower and Dh took the top off easily, so we can now start to get it back to look like lawn and not a field!

I sowed some more seeds, Cosmos, Sea holly, Dahlias,  Asters, Tagettes, and Antirrhinums. All are in my seed containers on the middle bedroom window sill. 

I take our gardening seriously and we always have colourful flower beds. We'll carry on now, two flower beds still to top dress and feed. I check the peach tree every day, we will have peaches this year, it has buds, so I'm delighted.

I admit I don't find it easy these days, but I do what I can, and supervise Dh doing the things I can't!

How are your gardens?

Chrisxx

The Lonely Feeling!

 

Have you seen the stories about this money Punch, who was bullied and ostracized by the other monkeys. The zoo keepers took pity on him and one gave him the toy chimp. 

He took to it right away and was seen carrying it around and hugging it and  even seen preening it, parting the fur just as monkeys do to each other, (Are they looking for fleas??)

But then Go-chan arrived, he had been in a circus. He was used to noise, bright lights and colours and just didn't fit in, and the other monkeys pushed him out of the group. 

He was moved to the zoo where Punch was and Go-Chan was the first monkey to sit along side Punch!

It was almost as though Go-chan recognised that Punch was lonely too. The first to reach out, no hesitation, no fear, just understanding. 

Their bond didn't fade after that first embrace, it grew.

They sit together, move together, support each other quietly.

Its not loud, its not dramatic. Its steady and sometimes that's the most powerful kind of love.

So Punch isn't alone anymore he has Go-chan.

Chrisxx

What a glorious day

 

Sun rise yesterday morning (Taken by a FB follower) And it was a beautiful sun shiny day..We went into town after lunch and it was crowded, so was the promenade.

And it's still winter!

Although March 1st is heralded as the start of Spring, it was only 8.6 C and felt it too!

It is St David's Day the patron saint of Wales today. I used to be dressed as a Welsh girl, with the big hat, when I was little. We always had the afternoon off school on a school day, which was nice.

The photo is not me, but how I was dressed, and yes with the high hat too.

It seems it was an extension of the 1800's riding high hat and has become synonymous with the Welsh Costume. It was promoted by Lady LLanover, born 1803, died 1886 who wanted to ensure that the Welsh dress and culture was kept.

It was a glorious sunny day, roll on Summer!

Chrisxx

Happiness?

 A survey of 2000 people reported that the happiest every day sights included a rainbow after the rain,  a baby's smile and a clear night sky full of stars. Just some of the things that gave them that happy feeling, while 28% said they'd crack a smile at a dog wagging its tail excitedly. Others said, that seeing an older couple walking hand in hand gave them a warm feeling too. 

What does gives us that burst of a warm feeling and makes our hearts skip a beat?  I get that squishy feeling seeing baby animals, a soft warm plump little belly of a puppy stretched out on a blanket, a line of ducklings waddling behind  their mum, the soft nose of a kitten rubbing your face saying hello, I love those.

There are so many things that cause us humans to have a happy smile; sun shiny days, cherry blossom in full bloom, waves lapping gently on the shore, the first sun's rays in an early morning, those early spring flowers,  foot prints in fresh snow, a toddlers' giggle, a child's drawing, a window with twinkling lights on a dark night, a fluffy clean towel warm from the drier, the scent of freshly baked bread and the smell of coffee. These are just a few, I could include that letter or email you've been waiting for, the phone call and that unexpected but wanted visitor, they give me a joy I can't describe. 

So what are yours, more I'm sure and just as joyous?

Chrisxx

Interesting Books V Kindles?

 

I've only ever had one nasty comment, anonymous of course. Shame, otherwise I'd have visited their blog and been 'sweet! And I do mean kind and generous with my reply.

I love to read what other people write and the comments and I try to be careful not to say something that could cause hurt, when I write.

So I'm not fazed by comments that damn kindles and declare they're not as good as holding a real book. There are some aspects , which can be difficult to do with a kindle, until you really get to know how to use their idiosyncrasies. 

I read real books, I like the look of them, the feel of them and the smell of a new book, however kindles have their uses too.

I have a Paperwhite kindle, its my second kindle so I've had a kindle since they were first came on the scene in 2007. I took it on our second visit to Australia  in 2008.

 It is very convenient to read in bed as its back lit, so when I'm awake at three in the morning, as I often am, I can read without my bedside light and not disturb my husband. (Actually it wouldn't bother him if I did switch on my light) And just one aspect that I need, is  that I can enlarge the font. Our book group's book a month ago had faint small print.. so I bought a kindle copy for ease to read. A while ago I wrote about things I hated about books and size and depth of print being faint and small was just one of them. 

So please don't knock kindles, because there are those of us who rely on the convenience and ease of using them. Having a case like this one pictured here, which is mine, makes it more like a book.

I love my kindle! What do you think?

Chrisxx

Do you like to chat?

  It seems phycologists and Educationist are increasingly concerned with the lack of vocal interchange between children and how young people speak less too.

The convenience of touch screens, the use of phones to pay for items, self service tills and working from home, all need no vocal interchange between people. And then there was lock down in the pandemic, thousands of people had no contact with anyone for months. 

I often smile at other people when we're out and about, I like to chat. I haven't ever been snubbed, in fact those people I've spoken to are only to pleased to chat, and I've been pleasantly surprised with the reaction from some people. But is it only the older generation, who are willing to talk and chat?.. Although I have spoken to young mums with children too, and the mums have filled me in with all the antics of their children and we've laughed together. I like it and don't find it difficult to start a conversation. 

But it isn't the norm and the lack of speech with young children in schools is causing concern in Educational circles. How many times have you seen a mum pushing a pram/ push chair with the child facing away from her and she is on a phone? And I've seen some children in their prams holding a video phone too, watching a cartoon.  I had my children facing me and I pointed out things we past, as we went along, colours of cars, trees and flowers, food items in shops, in fact anything and everything. We talked about them, did we like them, did we see anything different?

Teachers of Key Stage1 children on entry into school are reporting there are children, who have speech difficulties and are not familiar with books, trying to touch the pages as though they were touch screens. Learning to read is becoming a serious problem.

 Do you automatically say thank you to the person, who has served you Do you add 'its a nice day or ugh rain again today' in a shop? 

Have you chatted to someone you came across in a cafe, or sitting on a bench in town? Do you know sometimes I've been told about a whole life time, they must have been lonely. I hope they felt better after chatting, I was happy to listen and smile as they talked. 

Chrisxx

Worth reading

 HERE'S WHAT NO CASH ACTUALLY MEANS:

A cashless society means no cash. Zero. It doesn’t mean mostly cashless and you can still use a ‘wee bit of cash here & there’. Cashless means fully digital, fully traceable, fully controlled. I think those who support a cashless society aren’t fully aware of what they are asking for. A cashless society means:

* If you are struggling with your mortgage on a particular month, you can’t do an odd job to get you through.

* Your child can’t go & help the local farmer to earn a bit of summer cash.

* No more cash slipped into the hands of a child as a good luck charm or from their grandparent when going on holidays.

* No more money in birthday cards.

* No more piggy banks for your child to collect pocket money & to learn about the value of earning.

* No more cash for a rainy day fund or for that something special you have been putting $20 a week away for.

* No more little jobs on the side because your wages barely cover the bills or put food on the table.

* No more charity collections.

* No more selling bits & pieces from your home that you no longer want/need for a bit of cash in return.

* No more cash gifts from relatives or loved ones.

What a cashless society does guarantee:

* Banks have full control of every single penny you own.

* Every transaction you make is recorded.

* All your movements & actions are traceable.

* Access to your money can be blocked at the click of a button when/if banks need ‘clarification’ from you which will take about 3 weeks, a thousand questions answered & five thousand passwords.

* You will have no choice but to declare & be taxed on every dollar in your possession.

* The government WILL decide what you can & cannot purchase.

* If your transactions are deemed in any way questionable, by those who create the questions, your money will be frozen, ‘for your own good’.

Forget about cash being dirty. Stop being so easily led. Cash has been around for a very, very, very long time & it gives you control over how you trade with the world. It gives you independence.

If you are a customer, pay with cash. If you are a shop owner, remove those ridiculous signs that ask people to pay by card. Cash is a legal tender, it is our right to pay with cash. Banks are making it increasingly difficult to lodge cash.

Please open your eyes. Please stop believing everything you are being told. Almost every single topic in today’s world is tainted with corruption & hidden agendas.

Pay with cash & please say no to a cashless society while you still have the choice.

Written by Dave Ramsey

Chrisxx

Is this me? Yes it is!

I've come to realise I'm getting old!! I have all the signs!

I wear a vest in the colder months.

I go to bed and lie awake.

I like the heating on high.

I hate getting wet, so avoid rain at all costs.

I prefer being home for high days and holidays.

I don't like children running around in shops.

I don't like crying babies in cafes.

I like my cup of tea made just so!

My pillow has to be crease free.

I like my hair tidy rather than fussy. ( I'm still training my hair dresser)

I don't like the after effects of chili.

I have to clean my teeth after eating fish.

I talk about my aches and pains.

I take a lot of tablets.

But.... I'm enjoying some of the things that come with age.

I'm happy to pop to town for nothing more than a cup of coffee in my favourite cafe.

I'm very happy with a roast dinner on Sundays, then a nanny nap.

I love a quiet morning stroll around my garden.

I delight in seeing newly sown seeds germinating.

I love to see new buds on the trees.

I recognize different bird songs, that early morning Black bird's song is clear as a bell.

I can read all day if I wish.

And most of all, I can chose what I want to do or not do, the time I rise and the time I go to bed, its all my own choice.

What do you think, aging with joy or moans?

Chrisxx