A different book.

This is a very different book compared to my usual reads, I chose to read it because a FB book group said, it was like the book 'Eleonora Elephant is Completely Fine.' And I loved that book.

Clover is a Death Doula, an occupation, which I didn't even know existed.. like birth doulas help mothers through their pregnancy and birth, a death doula helps people in their final weeks of life and then death.

She hasn't had the best of lives; her parents left her alone a lot when she was a child. Then they were killed while away and Clover went to live with her grandfather. She has good memories of her life with him, reading books and Sunday breakfasts out with him. But in my view it didn't really help her with living life.

As a death doula she makes written collections of her 'clients' thoughts, regrets and advice shared with her in their last few moments.

The only thing is, she isn't really living her own life. At first her emotional amour prevents her from moving forward, eventually when she lets her guard down, a transition takes place and she opens up to her neighbour and a feisty client who helps her to start to value her own life.

Slowly we see her start to live, experiencing love, friendship and the rich rewards of relationships.

It wasn't a book I would have chosen if it hadn't been recommended to me, but I'm glad I've read it and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Try it and make up your own minds?

Chrisxx

PS, I getting used to my new chair, which arrived this morning, it's comfy but a bit low, altho I sat in it this afternoon and slept for 2 hours!

A new chair and........

Yesterday we decided to get out and drive to a well known chair firm..and I bought one! Although we have a new sofa and arm chair coming next week, I wanted a chair where I could have my legs up. These recliners do all sorts of things, but I wanted one where I could still stand unassisted at this moment in time, maybe chuck me out of it, in some years in the future! It also has a back section to support your lumber region, which I found very comfortable when I tried it. I suppose I could lie back in it if I wanted. It was quite pricy, but recently my cousin Vera's words have echoed in my mind, 'No pockets in a shroud!' And having spoken to the lady in the Banking Hub last week, I thought yes, I'm going to spend my money! At the moment I prop my feet up on a stool, that was my Grand mother's, which must be at least 100 years old if not more and it's falling apart, altho' I have repaired it several times. 

When I spoke to friend about spending my money rather than opening yet another savings account, she laughed and ask was I thinking of buying a yacht, but there weren't any around that I fancied, so I bought the chair!  This was the third showroom selling these chairs I had visited, so I had thought about it over a period of months.

We were quite a while there in the show room, so stopping for a coffee and a snack seemed the right thing to do, it was lunch time.. The Costa we go to is near to Dunelm Mill, so we went in there to sort out curtains to go with the new furniture. I love them, big ferns pattern, with a mixture of our lounge colours, that will go with the new furniture, the carpet and the teal painted alcoves.. The wall where the window and French doors are is painted a straw colour, so these will suit perfectly. All ordered and they will be ready in about 7 to 10 days.. so quite a big spending day. 

Fortunately a new Food Warehouse has opened next to Dunelm Mill and several members of our slimming group have bought some different flavoured chicken in there, so we thought we'd have a look.. Well we didn't see the chicken pieces, but we did find some pkts of KFC and French Fries and some times you just have to have a day off dieting and we were tired and so we bought it and then some Magnums slipped into our basket!  We argued we needed the extra calories to compensate for all that money we spent!

Sometimes you've just got to do what you're body wants, never mind second thinking about if its good for you. 

What do you think, go outside of your planned life, which is good for you, and do something contrary now and then?

Chrisxx

Our very own,,

Doesn't this  cabbage look superb, its our first one this year!

Our Sunday dinner was delicious, roasted chicken, stuffing and with our own first picked cabbage, our own carrots, with Jersey new potatoes, cauliflower and gravy.. followed by rhubarb couflutis and squirty cream and it was our own rhubarb.

Only if you're a gardener would you appreciate what a feat this is. A cabbage takes a while to grow from a seed and then there is the threat of the cabbage butterfly, so that's why ours are protected with an  environ-mesh to keep the pesky things off.

We really enjoyed it and for tea we had salad and it was our own lettuce and radishes with the chicken.

In the evening we sat in the garden and admired our hard work, and listened to the birds.

Do you enjoy growing your own food?

Chrisxx

Things happening....

 I'm very welsh or is it nosy? Yesterday morning we had 2 ambulances and an ambulance car in our road. It definitely needed an outside look, so I walked out onto our drive. Our next door neighbour has regular carers, so I presumed it was her that needed the ambulance. I was about to ask whether she was alright, but someone else, who had also come out asked and I heard that our neighbour Betty was ok.

Dh thought I was being nosy, but I put him right, this is Wales everyone comes out into the street to see stuff happening I told him!!

Years ago I was staying in my old home with my aunties and I was woken by my bedroom door opening. It was my aunt, urging me to get up and get on a dressing gown, as a fire engine had just gone past the house.

A house 12 doors up from us was on fire, the road was full of people all standing around in dressing gowns watching the firemen. The family were all out of the house and safe. As we stood there mugs of tea were being brought out! And as the jets of water were damping down the flames, people were cheering.. honestly would this happen anywhere else?

When we lived in Suffolk just 5 years ago, we were alarmed one night, when our lounge was suddenly lit up through a chink in the curtains. When we opened our front door a very large fire engine was there on the road with 4 very large spot lights shining on us and the 2 houses down the road from us. We could see flames coming out of the chimney of the second house. It seemed the man who lived there only had a fire to heat and cook in his Victorian terraced house and it had set the chimney on fire. Next door had been in bed but they both got up and were outside in dressing gowns too.. We all had a good 'ol chin wag, the most that had for weeks as we'd been isolating. Other neighbours were out on the road too, but no mugs of tea! Perhaps we should have made them!

When it appeared to be under control, we went to bed but then could hear men talking outside. We could see firemen walking up the long garden with torches checking the back of the house. It was all sorted and after a cuppa we went to bed.. from then on we called Alan, whose house chimney was on fire,  Smoky Joe! (Not to his face just Dh and I )

He used to buzz saw logs every Sunday morning.. our house was fine as we were detached but his immediate neighbour had a fire barrier put in their loft, because although there wasn't any fire damage, they said they had a lot of smoke in their upstairs.

So nosy people are all over, not just the welsh!

Would you go out to see if there was something happening on your road?

Chrisxx

You plan, then life happens!

 Sometimes you just have to sit and 'wool gather.'  And sitting looking at this view of Rest Bay would have suited me yesterday. 

Next week we have the Book Group on Wednesday afternoon, which we really enjoy. We've both read the book, 'The Other Side of Night,' by Adam Hamdy. Not an ending we thought of, but it did sort of conclude the story satisfactorily.. but now we have several other things to contend with.

I don't like too many things in the same week it makes me feel too rushed and woozy headed.

Emmanaus can only collect our old sofa and arm chairs on Wednesday instead of Friday. We daren't put them off  to another week, because we would have had our new furniture by then.

Our odd job man was booked for the week after next and wants to come next week instead. So I've had to delay him. 

Then we drove off this morning to chose new curtains,  I made sure I had the fabric samples and Dunelm Mill is by a coffee shop we like, so our first stop was coffee and a shared ham and cheese toastie.. It was really pleasant so we decided to sit outside. Remembering that three years ago and 5 days, in the early morning, we had sat there on our way to our bungalow after staying over night in a Travel Lodge. We had Nell our dog with us, on our journey down from Suffolk, I suddenly felt weepy thinking about her. Then while we were enjoying our coffee, I suddenly remembered we had forgotten the measurements for the curtains!! What are we like??

But no matter we still went to the DIY store to buy the stain for the new steps, £40!! We are so out of touch with the prices of paint etc, so it was surprise! 

We both felt flat when we got home; I was annoyed with ourselves, the main reason for going out was to look for new curtains.. but after lunch, I sorted out somethings and Dh cut all the grass back and front. It all looked very nice and he even cut the edges.

I looked at the calendar to check dates and noticed the Chiropodist is booked for Thursday, oh no something else next week too! Can I cope?? Same day and time as our grocery order delivery is booked for! And we still have to chose the curtains and Dh reminded me we were going to Cardiff to chose a recliner chair for me on Monday, guess my 'wool gathering' will not happen for a few days.. 

Its all too much!

Chrisxx

Marmite?

 Dh and I love to watch tennis, I never played as a child but had all the gear bought for me,  but I was too feeble to hit the ball hard enough.

But I love to watch it and so does Dh, so we were really sad to see that Andy had to pull out of his match at Queens yesterday. 

BUT then the BBC replayed the Jack Draper match against Mariana Navone 6-3: 6-2  What a match I think Jack is going to be the new Andy, an amazing serve and powerful player and as my friend in Scotland said, 'fit to go with it!' I think we're going to have many happy hours watching him play.

We're trying to get the garden right up to date so we can enjoy Wimbledon due to start July1st.. 

Last evening Dh got his bean sticks up and planted the beans, I had started on the window sills in the end bedroom.

When we went to buy new bean sticks, we couldn't get the really long ones that Dh wanted, so he ordered them on line. However. there was a delay in the delivery because they were too long for the delivery van!

So Dh is happy and we are both looking forward to many hours watching tennis, will we be shouting 'Come on Jack' like we have over the years for Andy, you bet your bottom dollar we will!

Can't wait, do you like watching tennis or are you like another friend of mine screaming when its Wimbledon, because the BBC has it live on both channels and then all the re-runs again in the evenings. Guess its a bit like marmite you either love it or hate it?

Chrisxx

An All Sorts of Day!

Yesterday we had coffee in town with someone I went to school with when we were age 8.. She does like to moan, but we listen as she's by herself, so we're happy to be a listening ear. Its no hardship to us and we hope she feels better getting stuff off her chest! And the coffee was good and Dh and I shared a Tiffin, wooow they're gorgeous!

After I went to the new Banking Hub, as on Thursdays the Halifax is there. I wanted to sort out one of my accounts. She was very helpful and enquired if I had an ISA this year, as the interest is higher than the savings account I have there. I said I wasn't bothered, as at 81 I was going to spend my money rather than more savings! (I didn't say I have other saving accounts with a Building Society)  She was really amazed that I was 81, as she thought I didn't look anywhere near 81. I was quite flattered. My friends say I don't look my age, but have always thought they were being nice! She asked did I use creams .I do,  but also... no sun, no soap and I drink a lot of water and I do use a serum and moisturisers. It was very pleasant chatting to her, she told me she had started working for the Halifax in 1988, I had a mortgage there 1987 .. I told her the counter assistants in the Halifax in Billericay, were renowned for being a bit miserable and we both laughed, but it was true!

After that, we popped to a super market for some yogurt, and fruit as we had eaten a lot over the weekend, I picked up a tray of cherries, which are my favourites, and peaches.. yum! 

We came home and had a cold drink in the garden under our umbrella, our south-west facing patio was 27C Too hot! My favourite cold drink is a 'Mimms' A SW  Pimms, its a mock Pimms = glass of lemonade, add 2 tsp balsamic vinegar and several slices of an orange and ice.. very nice, not sweet but not sour either, just right!

So bitty day..... an All Sorts of Day!

Chrisxx

Tea in the garden!

 It was  a beautiful day here yesterday, a bit too hot to be honest! Dh was up early as he had a blood test appointment for his annual check up. He left me in bed, but I was up and drinking tea when he got home.

I asked how it was, 'The sharp prick was sharp,' he said! Ooops! It will be my turn next, hope I have someone different.

It was a bit too hot to garden first thing, so we caught up with some house work, and the washing. I did my 'tiara' job and thought of Princess Catherine at the Trooping of the Colours' on Sunday. She looked as usual absolutely gorgeous, but even slimmer. Get well soon Kate. I loved the clothes of both Kate and Charlotte, both in black and white. 

When it was cooler, at about 4 we went out to tackle next door's ivy and 'mile a minute,' which grows on their fence on our shared boundary at the side of our bungalow. They have never cut it and we usually get it cut when we have our hedges cut, but the last fellow hardly touched it. So it had grown so much it was taking up our pathway, so Dh cut it right back and I helped to bag it up. It filled 4 green sacks. It took us 1 1/2 hours!

It was still warm, so we had our evening meal outside. It was lovely to sit out in our own garden.. We are so very blessed! 

                                  

Hope you had this lovely weather too.

Chrisxx

A low cal snack.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

Medium sweet potato grated

Medium courgette grated

Medium onion grated

1/2 cup cheese (cheddar) grated

100g feta Cheese grated

1/3 cup wholemeal flour

4 eggs

Season to taste if you want.

METHOD

Combine all ingredients

And spoon into a lightly greased muffin tin

Makes 30 mini muffins

Cook 180c for 20 mins

Ideal for a snack 2 muffins = 70 cals

I like these with a chutney and an apple!

Enjoy!

Chrisxx

A different point of view?

 Did you see the interview with Rushi  Sunak when he complained, that as a child they didn't have Sky?

The interviewer had asked him, had his family  suffered any hardships  Rushi was taken unawares and looked embarrassed and answered 'lots of things'  several times repeating just that. But pushed to answer something specific, he said that his family couldn't afford Sky, when he was growing up. His father was a GP and his mother was a pharmacist running their own chemists, and they had put their money into paying for private education for himself and his sister.

Sky TV!!!! When there are people who can't afford to eat and pay their bills? One of Dh's daughter's works for the Charity, 'Christians Against Poverty.' And she has said its difficult not to cry listening to some people, who through no fault of their own, now are not able to afford to live in their own homes, because the costs of energy, and household costs mean their salaries no longer cover the costs.

So I had no sympathy for Rushi Sunak, but last evening while chatting to my eldest son on the phone, he could see the other side of the coin. 'Rushi is 10 years younger than me,' he said, 'and at that point in time, everyone of his age group had Sky, so as a young boy, he would have felt he had missed out, because they didn't have Sky.'

He went on to say that he could remember when he was desperate for roller skates, because all his friends had some. He felt he was missing out because he didn't have any. But he had some a few days later as my Aunty had sent some money for him. 

And at the same time I bought him a quality pair of football boots.  Albeit second hand, they didn't look warn and were very, very nice, he loved them.

He went on to explain that when you're young and everyone else has the latest toy, it feels as though you are the only one without the toy. I love the way he says to me 'Mum, you have to realise some people value some things, you haven't even thought about.' Which is very true, I haven't lost my little Welsh Chapel ideas, so a bit narrow and I'm not in the real world some days.

And I didn't have this problem when I was young, because being a War baby, lots of children were like me and we played with what we had.   As a matter of interest, when roller skates were the thing to have, when I was about 10, my aunty bought me some and my other aunty made me a pleated skirt to wear. But I was hopeless and spent a lot of time on my bottom, rather than skating!

So I feel I need to listen to two sides of stories and be a more understanding.. but I bet Rushi's parents didn't have to go without food, so their children could eat!

What's your point of view?

Chrisxx

Steps... ok at last!

 When we moved here 3 years and a day ago, these were the steps from the French doors on to the patio. It doesn't show here but that bottom step had a drop of 8 inches and no hand rail. I quickly phoned around builders to get a handrail.. I was able to find one for that second  weekend and they were very nice and competent and suggested a wooden area to step out on to. Seemed a good idea at the time, and to be honest I was desperate to get them sorted.

    

And they build these, I must have said more than once they were a bit steep.. but their argument was, if they made them shallower we'd lose patio area.. Don't they look good?

 They cost £1900 and for a while I used these, because the rail was sturdy and aided me getting down and up.. but I wasn't happy and they were too deep with a step depth of 6 and 7 inches.

On one of my sleepless nights thinking about the steps, because my operated knee had started to be a bother.. yes my covid lockdown weight gain was causing me bother, I thought about how to sort out the steps.  They were becoming difficult, so I thought why do the steps have to go down in the front, why not to the side against the wall of the bungalow?

Yesterday and today our odd job man has built these super steps. Just what I needed and only 3inch depth to the steps... wonderful!

At last I feel I can go out into the garden, when ever I want with no fear of tripping. I 've been outside looking at them in the rain, I am so happy with them. A new handrail is on order which will make it even safer for me.

At last, steps I can use effortlessly!

Chrisxx

Is it an illness?

 To me insomnia is a condition which isn't listed as an illness, but until you have suffered with it you have no idea how debilitating it can be.

I have it night after night, some times I dread going to bed. I've read about it and follow all the recommendations. What is mostly suggested, is not to stay in bed when you wake in the night. So I get up and read, although if I'm comfy and warm I stay in bed, trying not to think thoughts that will keep me awake. 

Sometimes my mind races and thoughts fly through my mind, and then when I check the time, an hour has gone, so have I been sleeping and was I dreaming?  Three years ago one Dr did prescribe some sleeping tablets, whooo I was like s zombie all day, so didn't take them. after trying them once.

I saw a different Dr, young and new, and she said I needed estrogen, as post menopausal women lack this hormone and also prescribed an anti histamine tablet for sleep. It has helped but I still have nights when I wake for the loo about 3 and can't get back to sleep. I have to be completely comfortable, pillow just right, nightie  covering my nether regions, and duvet not on my head and feel warm.

Strange but sometimes I feel uncomfortable even though all the above things are ok and I've come to realise, that its my body that's not comfortable, little niggles keep me awake. Mostly its my arm, not extreme pain but definitely uncomfortable, so I leave 2 paracetamol ready to take and then I go to sleep and its the best sleep of the night.

Being awake at night, steals my days and I'm lethargic and slow all day. Its not good for trying to lose weight, well its not good for anything. And horror of horrors I 'm getting bags under my eyes!

There have been nights when Dh wakes too and we get up and have tea and toast in the middle of the night. Not good for the food plan as I have a liberal amount of butter, not weighed! 

The one good thing that comes out of this I get to read a lot of books.

Its so annoying, not a healthy things to happen, I've heard of  'Sleep clinics' but how would you get to one of those? Its not classed as a priority condition so no real treatments that help to prevent it, just tablets to help you sleep. 

Any women who suffer the same?

Chrisxx

Such a relief!

I've had my annual eye check today and it was with great relief to hear my dry macular degeneration has not made any further progress, thank God.. and the cataract that was diagnosed 18 years ago hasn't grown!

I was worried as my eye sight had deteriorated since last year, I can't see some fonts on my laptop, especially on some blogs, its very small.. So I enlarge it to read it by holding down the 'Ctrl key and tap the plus key and it enlarges that page. At night in our bedroom,  Dh has put a stronger bulb in my bedside lamp so that makes it easier,  and to read my Bible we have the over head light on.

I am having new prescription glasses to read better and in these same  frames as I really like them. So such a relief, I can sleep better tonight.

Chrisxx

Favourite for Dh and me? yuk!

 

My CD, radio has gone phut, it must be 20 years old, so I've had my money's worth. I'm not bothered about replacing it, as we have a DAB radio and that's all I need. But Dh loves his music and CDs. so we have this one in mind. It has Blue tooth, so that could be useful.

Dh is very serious about his music and had bought a lot of CDs lately.

He is so serious we stopped going to one Supermarket, because he didn't like their music that was playing! I hadn't even noticed the music!

 We have a running joke about the one group, Crosby, Stills and Nash, its his favourite.. A few years ago while we lived in Billericay, we went to a lot of London shows, as it was easy to get there.

So for his birthday one year I booked and bought tickets to see them, the tickets were £94 each. He was so excited, I hated them, to me it was just a cacophony of sound! I couldn't wait for them to finish, another time if he wants to see them, I will not be going!!

I used to go to Cliff Richards shows, but I think that part of my life has past! Do you have favourites?

Chrisxx

A healthy man age 67.

 Michael Mosley wrote books, did TV shows on the benefits of a healthy diet. He often followed diets to prove their worth. 

Dh and I followed his 5:2 diet when it first was published and it was so hard to follow Two days you were allowed 800 cals and the others you ate normally. It was so difficult and on our 800 cals days we went to bed very, very early!

Did we lose weight? Yes, we did but only temporally, once we ate normally we gained it all back! But we never gave up and later tried another one, a bit more realistic.

He was healthy, full of energy and was known as a very charismatic generous person, in fact a very nice gentleman.. so how can such a man die on a Greek Island? Reports are coming in that he took a wrong turning on the walk he had set out on, collapsed and died. 

So sad for his wife and four children. But I'm wondering why was he out walking in that middle of the day heat? Strong people are sometimes over confident of their capabilities. A few times I've said to Dh, 'No you're not doing that, it will mean you're over doing it, you're older,  there's no need to prove anything.'

Each time I had  holidays in very hot countries, the hotel guides warned about mid day heat, dangerous water for swimming, and walking alone at night, so we had a locals advice.

A life needlessly lost.

RIP Michael Mosley.

Chrisxx

Supercentenarians!

Is it because I'm old that I notice the news items about old people who have lived to 100 years old and older?  We saw those attending the  DDay celebrations. 99 and 100 years old!

If the aunt who brought me up was still alive, she would have been 115 on this day!

Ethel Caterham age 114, is the present oldest woman in Britain and the 5th oldest in the world! Isn't that amazing. Dh and I often wonder if it's to do with their diet. There were no 'take aways' and not a lot of meat. It was all fresh, unprocessed and meager, there wasn't a lot for the every day person.

I was born in the war years with the rationing of food.

Per person:-

113g bacon

227g minced beef

57g butter

57g cheese

113g margarine

113g cooking fat

3 pints of milk

227g sugar

57g tea

1 egg

So no extras although my gran had chickens in our small back garden and every now and then, my Aunty Glad used to take me on the bus to a friend, who had a small holding, and we came home with extra bacon and meat. Thinking about it now perhaps she wasn't a friend, but it was the 'Black Market' Who knows? Then,  people did what they could to get food. 

We had a dripping bowl and this was added to when meat was cooked. I loved dripping on toast for tea, especially beef dripping. Dh had the same. Although he was born after me, there was still rationing for a few years after the war ended.

My grand father had an allotment so we always had plenty of veg and soft fruit, rhubarb and a lot of apples. No citrus fruit, no bananas and no fancy vegetables, if you couldn't grow it you didn't have it. 

Looking back at my photos when I was little, I had stick thin arms and legs.

But I also suffered with styes on my eye lids and boils on my legs.. Lack of vitamins the most probable cause, although one bath a week didn't help. People just didn't bathe daily and I hadn't heard of showers till I was in my 20s!

But in spite of this some people are living past 100 years of age. I don't think I could cope with it.

This little lady will be 99 on Tuesday, she can be seen on dry days sitting on a bench round the corner from our little cul de sac. She watches the cars going past and is always swinging her legs!

We've always known her as the 'swinging legs lady!' She stops there for a rest on her daily walk.

So us oldies need to eat sensibly, walk, and look after ourselves!

What do you think about living past a 100?

Chrisxx

Vote?

 Dh and I have received our voting cards, ready for the general election, but who shall we voting for is ?? We don't know.

The previous MP was Jamie Wallis, who 'came out' as a trans.

He doesn't have the best record. He crashed into a telegraph pole late at night and was seen running away from the crash scene dressed in a black leather mini skirt, high heels and a pearl necklace. I'm presuming he was wearing something additional to the pearls, but this was all that was reported. He ran away, so he said because he felt venerable in his women's clothing, as he had been raped on a previous occasion while dressed as  a woman. His father drove him home after the crash. He had a fine of £2500 and disqualified from driving for 6 months,

A new would be candidate has withdrawn over wholly inappropriate comments about women!

There are 5 other candidates but Dh and I haven't a clue who they are.. will they be around 'door' knocking? Who knows and will it make a difference who ever gets in?

I think we'll be watching and waiting, but I'm not enthused; I will vote but haven't got a clue who for.

Chrisxx

Treats!

My lovely Dh and I worked very hard before our visitors on Wednesday , although can we say hard, as we have a vac that is powerful enough to suck the dust off the moon! And we believe in cleaning sprays, so we only have to give surfaces light swipe and they're done.  And of course we both had first jobs that taught us how to clean, Dh in the Navy, age 15, me a Student Nurse, just 18; we just get on getting it done together. And we did work hard in the garden, so that it looked good.

But being older, we had to have a nanny nap Thursday afternoon and we still slept that night! We've decided no more visitors for a while, we were so tired and we definitely needed a treat.

As we've had glorious weather for days, (Dh got sunburnt when we sat outside on Wednesday)... we planned to go to a big garden centre after our morning SW meeting and treat ourselves to a coffee and maybe (shhhh) a ham and cheese toasty and maybe a cake! Don't tell please! And I was looking forward to some new plants and a look around.

We also needed a new pot for a lovely twisted flowering cherry tree, that Dh's girls bought for his 70th birthday. It's telling us it needs a bigger pot!  But you've guessed it, when we came out from SW,  the heavens opened.. so change of plan, we went to a Costa near to a Homebase. We had a lovely coffee, ham and cheese toasty and a piece of their Tiffin..  and then we got a very nice pot from Homebase. And of course we had to buy some new plants, but we have justified it, by convincing ourselves, if we had gone to the garden centre we'd have bought a lot more and paid a lot more too.

So the gardening goes on and on! 

Why do gardeners have to keep buying plants even though it appears that their garden is full?

Dh's mother had stayed with us several times over the years, but always said she couldn't understand why gardeners always had to go round their gardens each day and what was so wonderful in garden centres? However when we took her to a big one, she loved it and mooched around the different areas and bought several items!

So not a lot happening here, except Dh chased a cat up the garden, he/she dashed through the hedge, but only after he/she had given Dh the stare. Cats are so daring aren't they?

Can't wait for the weekend so we can have a rest|!

Chrisxx

06/6/66

My eldest son was born on this date, a Monday and the piped music in the hospital ward was The Mamas and Papas, singing 'Monday Monday!'

It was a hot Monday afternoon, and most of the maternity staff had gone for a tea break, the one midwife attending my 4 bedded ward was a tiny little 'girl' who didn't look like she had left school!

But she was calm and pleasant. 

I hadn't seen her before, these were the days where you didn't have a dedicated one midwife to care for you. I saw a different one each time I had a check up. No husband holding my hand, he was away with work. A school friend had driven me to the hospital and I think her old low lying mini car, bumping along the 4 miles aided my labour!! It was my second child.

When the midwife came to my bed, at about quarter to five, she examined me and asked did I think I was near to delivery. I nodded my head with clenched teeth and a groan.. so she said for me to walk with her to the delivery room. I swear to this day it was at least a mile to walk, although really only a couple of yards that I had to shuffle along!

She helped me up onto the delivery table and while she washed her hands, she kept up a running commentary of what she had just done in East Africa the previous week. She had only just returned and said she could deliver a baby in a field if called for.

I don't know if it was what she was saying, or her voice or her gentle hands, but I had complete confidence in her. And with her guiding me, Simon was born at 5 minutes past 5 on the 6th of June, 1966!

Of my four children he is the most caring and we talk every week. He was always there if I had a problem when his dad and I first divorced. This morning I phoned him singing Happy Birthday.. he was at a Racing Track doing his photography job..  he was with people, as he lives alone in Suffolk, and a colleague had bought him a coffee and a cake. I'm hoping in the winter months, when he has a lull in his work, he'll come to visit again. He is my son who had Crohns. We're very close and I miss him the most.

 

So Happy Birthday Si!

Chrisxx

Alls well

The lunch went amazingly well,

Our visitors arrived bearing gifts, flowers and this little hanging maple leaf saying,  in Welsh.

This translated .... 'To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.' 

(Audrey Hepburn)

    Which lovely and shows a lot of thought.

I felt a bit mean  minded, but she hadn't explained herself to me. I'd forgotten she was a pragmatist so what you saw, was what you got.  

And not only did they eat everything, but had seconds. The extra large chicken was cooked the day before so we could have it cold; it was juicy and delicious, they loved the pickled cucumber and have asked to have the recipe, which I will email along with the red slaw recipe that Dh makes, everything was perfect especially the roasted baby tomatoes.  We have put the new potatoes we cooked on our order, as we hadn't ever had them ourselves before,  and they were really very nice. And the large green salad with red endive and water cress was so crispy, which I love..

(Thank you Jamie Oliver!)

Strawberries and meringues and cream, was desert.

She apologized and we both agreed texting can be misleading and can be misunderstood, and perhaps phoning is better. So we ended with a friendly hug, minding my arm! 

Roses are beautiful but gripped the wrong way,  could cause a thorn to prick a finger.

Dh and I were very tired and went to bed early! And we don't think we need to clean for a month at least!! LOL

She took a root of my Ladies Mantle, which we laughed about because the original plant was from her garden in  1990!!  I have had snippets of it in 5 gardens and this root has flourished in this garden.

She loved our garden and walked around several times.

'Felly, mae popeth yn dda.'

(So, all's well)

    Chrisxx

A friend? NOT!

A couple of months ago I had an email from someone I knew a while ago, saying they were booking a holiday here and could we meet up. She wanted me to recommend somewhere to stay. I replied saying I couldn't help her, but there were hotels etc on Book.com or something similar.

Two weeks ago I had a text saying she had booked a b&b. and they were free Sunday and the Wednesday and wanted to treat us to a meal, as I had helped when she moved house, many moons ago.. I don't like eating out, as my duff arm makes eating  without spilling food not easy and Dh has to cut some meats for me! I  replied that we weren't free Sunday, but Wednesday was ok. Dh suggested inviting them here..I wish we hadn't.

A succession of text messages kept coming. I hardly use my mobile and would rather phone than text. First it was,  she was now on a gluten free diet, which wasn't a problem for us. Then she didn't eat peppers or onions.. so we decided on a plain chicken, with a green  salad with optional gluten free dressing, new potatoes and roasted baby tomatoes, fruit for desert.

So we thought all sorted. Then more text messages, could we meet Monday or Tuesday for a coffee? So as were in town Tuesday, which is my hair appointment day, I  said ok. We suggested Costa, easy to get to and good coffee and a very good loo. Her answer, she'd have to check if they had oat milk.  Anyway although they did, it also had wheat in it and her partner finds the smell in there too overwhelming !!WOT?? So no to Costa,  yes there are 2 other coffee shops, but not to suit me, and I didn't want to anyway.  I was getting a bit fed up with my phone pinging with text messages, so I switch off the sound. Dh and I had a chat and I decided to say scrap lunch here, as it probably wouldn't be right! I'm too old to be bothered with people who I haven't seen for years.

    A long text back, to say they had come all this way to see me and would be disappointed not to. I had never said come and visit me, in fact apart from Christmas and birthday cards, we'd not had any personal  contact for years. I was not happy, and was ok if I never saw her. And I never liked her partner anyway, who used to have his phone on permanently, with it ringing every10 mins from his daughter.  Dh persuaded me to let them come. Monday afternoon we went to Tesco and bought a whole load of food. 

When I had yet another text, she was ok if we didn't meet for coffee, and not to worry about the food, what ever we did would be fine, we wouldn't poison her, it would just cause her some discomfort.. I was furious, how insulting, did honestly think we didn't understand about allergies! And also her partner only has black coffee or green tea. 

I am not happy, but I'm thinking  it's only once, then I will never have to see her again. grrrrr

What do you think am I being horrible?  Do you know what, if you think I am, I couldn't care less. I feel I've been blackmailed and manipulated!

Chrisxx

Such sad news

 

Rob Burrow has died at the age of 41 after his heroic fight against the degenerative neurological condition Motor Neurone Disease. His former team Leeds Rhinos shared a heartfelt statement: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our beloved son, husband, father, brother and friend

This has hit me as I know someone with this decease.

Probably won't be big news with everything else going on, but people like this need to be remembered. He has fought this with such dignity with his wife supporting him through out this awful illness. 

RIP Rob

Chrisxx

Salmon at its best!

 After an afternoon in the garden on Thursday, it was hot,  but we had done lots, and we were shattered!  Aimlessly we were sitting flicking through Channel 4 and stopped on a Jamie Oliver's cooking program. Dh saw this and decided he'd cook it for our evening meal on Friday. I think we had most of the ingredients except fresh chilis and olives.

Any way Friday he popped out and got them and then disappeared into the kitchen for the best part of the afternoon! It was delicious..

Ingredients

Heaped tbs Capers

Olive oil 2 tbs

Anchovy fillets (tin)

2 Sprigs of Rosemary

5 Olives

A lemon

Thin slices of a red chili

Salmon, 2 pieces for us, Jamie Oliver had a side of salmon.

Method

In a bowl

Add together all the above ingredients, tearing the anchovies into strips, stripping the rosemary off the stem, squashing the olives, zest of the lemon then squeeze in the lemon juice and add the olive oil. Mix all together and cover and fridge over night, if possible, Dh left it for a couple of hours.

Then make little cuts into the salmon and into each cut, stuff some the mix and decorate with the thin slices of chili.  Jamie's looked like this.

Ours looked like this; Dh really enjoyed himself doing this

Then some roasted baby tomatoes.

And with it we had new potatoes and a very crunchy green salad.

Absolutely delish, we'll have it again!

If you want to see Jamie's recipe, its on line listed as Stuffed Salmon.

Chrisxx

Mind calming!

 I have been watching the washing blowing in the wind, so mind calming, and I needed it!

There was a rift in our family, which I have mentioned in my blog a while ago, but out of the blue, my mother's cousin popped in! She had sided with the other branch of the family and hadn't contacted me for over 20 years. However since moving here, she has been in contact two or three times, she lives in a near by small town. So her visit was a surprise, she came with an invite for her 90th birthday. I smiled and kept up with the inane conversation, that happens between people, who have little to say to each other. And it wasn't easy as she had forgotten to put in her hearing aids.. I would have liked to have reminded her that, she hasn't sent me a birthday card for a few years! But I kept quiet and fumed after she had gone!

Then I had a conversation with a chair company, a recliner. I don't want to have one that allows you to lie back, but one where you can have your legs raised. I had sent for their catalogue, nice chairs but no prices. So I asked the woman who answered the phone for a price list. She went off straight into the spiel of all our chairs are individually made, so prices vary. I replied I knew that, but I wanted an idea of the prices. Honestly she went on like a robot, as if she hadn't heard me, so, I said, ' Dych chi siarad Cymraeg?' which means, ' Do you speak Welsh. She stopped and asked what did I say. I replied I'd asked her if she spoke Welsh, as she obviously hadn't understood my English, when I had asked if there was a price list. Well,  ha ha, I must have touched a nerve as she accused me of being rude and hung up! So I won't be buying from them! 

Why do these firms hide their prices all she needed to do  was to give me was a starting price and then up to, what ever, so I had an idea of the price. I'm not naïve I know they're upwards from £850 and was prepared to have a demo at home, if I had an idea of the price.. Ah well, I shall spend my money else where!

So I needed that quiet sit in the garden, which is green and lush looking, and my dahlias are showing growth hurrah! 

So I calmed down watching Dh's washing blowing on the line! And the daisies like white spots in the lawn looked lovely too.

Chrisxx