I never gave much thought to being old but lately its hit me I am old. I used to laugh with my friend when she used to say .. ' This getting old is bloody awful' And she was so right.
Thursday, 6 March 2025
Is this it... aging?
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
A present.
Knitted with a lot of love and I'm thrilled that the toe grafting now seems easy!! Packed and sent to my grandson and in another little box, 4 Welsh cakes as its his birthday on the seventh.
Monday, 3 March 2025
Ruth Mancini
Ruth Mancini is a new to me author, who I first read last year. I've now read three of her books and all have been well written with a strong story that is compelling with a good ending.
This last one 'One Dark, Two Light,' was an excellent read and I couldn't put it down. The main protagonist, Sarah Kellerman is a criminal defense lawyer and mother of an autistic son, Ben, whose father Andy left when Ben was first born, because he couldn't cope with Ben's disability.
Sunday, 2 March 2025
A Treat!
St David's Day.
When I spoke to my daughter after his birthday last year, he complained to her, that he hadn't had a present from her and his Dad, but that I had sent him hand knitted socks! They had sent him money, but it is still nice to receive something through the post it seems, even when you're in your twenties!
The Welsh cakes are delicious..
Recipe.
8 oz SR Flour
4 oz Butter or marg
3 oz Castor Sugar
3 1/2 oz of Sultanas
1 mean Tsp nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
1 med Egg
METHOD
Rub flour and fat together till it looks like bread crumbs
Add salt, sugar, nutmeg and sultanas and mix together.
Make a well in mixture and drop in the egg
Folk together till it looks like a dough, if a little dry add a drop of milk.
Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness
Using a cake cutter, cut into rounds (makes about 15)
Bake on a lightly greased bakestone on low heat, if no bakestone, dry clean pan.
Cook on each side 3 mins or until pale brown, check frequently/
Place on cake wire to cool
Sprinkle with sugar
Ready to eat immediately!
I hope you enjoy them, we did!
Chrisxx
Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!
Saturday, 1 March 2025
WW3???
What did you think when you watched the TV news with Trump berating Zelenskii? I was flabbergasted that the President of America could be so rude to another President.. it was awful and if I was given a vote onto whose side I'd be, I'd chose Zelenskii every time.
CNN's Dana Bash was speechless while watching the shots of Trump's outburst, 'Never ever have I ever seen anything like this' she said. While chief Anchor Christiane Amanpour, declared that, 'Never in the history of modern diplomacy, war, peace, or whatever have I ever seen anything like it.; we just have to hope for the safety of the free world and the American people, for the European people and the Ukrainian people that these two Presidents iron out their differences.'
Of course we ( the UK) are not siding with Trump who openly accused Ukraine of starting the war! Or are we? I personally don't think Starmer can stand up to that bully Trump. He took a personal invitation from the King inviting Trump to visit... I'm saying .. no way I, one of the everyday people would not want him here and I don't think I'd be alone in saying that.
What country would sign a peace agreement and give a big chunk of its land to the invading country. It would be like the UK giving up Kent or American giving up a large piece of its West coast.
Zelenskii is frighting for his country and needs help to defend his country from Russia, while Trump is saying that Putin is talking peace and Zelenskii still wants war! Trump said that Zelenskii would start WW3 if he won't do a deal..
Its terrifying to think our world could be at war, because there's a mad man lacking intelligence, and the head of one of the most powerful countries in the world thinks he holds the reins!
I just hope and pray that Trump is just full of hot air, and like some will burst. I can imaging his followers watching his outburst, shouting him on encouraging him like boys fighting in the playground, egging their 'man' on.
Wake up the rest of our world and don't let that bully boy win!
Just had to get this off my chest!
Chrisxx
Friday, 28 February 2025
Getting ready for summer
Wednesday, 26 February 2025
The Blues..
I look every day to see if spring is really here. On sunny days like yesterday I do feel excited..I so want the cold dull days gone! But even with the sun yesterday I didn't feel like doing any thing. I have TATT...Tired all the time! I get up 3 times in the night for the toilet and although I go back to sleep, when I get up in the mornings, I'm tired and even after a shower I'm still bleary eyed.
Yesterday we did have a plan, compost to get, fill up the car, bananas, peppers, mushrooms, birthday cards and paracetamol, although, we forgot honey.. So we were showered and on our way before 10.. First stop Costa for a coffee and my 'blue mood' went. Was it the sunshine? the coffee? no... and it was good... the SW Hi-fi bar? no!... altho it is a lovely chocolate taste, no. None of these, because sitting behind us were two ladies with the cutest dog, pretty little cream coloured, ball of fluff. She was absolutely gorgeous, snuffling around and looking up at me. If she didn't have her mistress there, I'd have run off with her! I hardly spoke to Dh I was so busy watching that cutie.. we left there and my blues had gone..I remembered all the times we'd sat outside coffee shops with Nell, under their awnings getting cold, because they weren't dog friendly then.
We enjoyed Tesco. I found some super cards for the men in my life and we bought the bits we needed and came home to eat bacon and eggs and mushrooms. We cleaned the kitchen (me) the shower (Dh) and then he pushed the vac rround the lounge, I cant as the super duper vac Dh chose is too heavy for me! That is not an excuse, it really is.
So do I need a dog, we have talked about getting another one, but decided at our age, we're too old.. and Dh worries that the Vet is not in our town, so what if we didn't have a car. So no dog for us, but it doesn't stop me talking to them, when we see them out, and remembering our Nell.
Chrisxx
Monday, 24 February 2025
Best laid plans.....?
I think it was John Lennon who said, 'Life is what happens, when you're busy making other plans. And that's been me these last few days.
I did not have a good slimming world food plan weekend, but from Monday I was determined to keep to the plan, I'd got used to having a biscuit with my mid afternoon cup of tea, so said to Dh ..'no more.' And would you believe it, at the afternoon craft group I've joined, it was someone's birthday and she had made scones and flapjacks biscuits. To refuse would have been very rude, wouldn't it? So I had a flapjack. It was delicious with nuts and fruits, and I loved it, think I need the recipe!
Saturday was so sunny and warm, I planned to sow some seeds yesterday in my little seed trays with lids. Lupins, Sweet peas and Zinnias that need heat, so I'd have the trays on our window sills.
Something I usually do outside as I get compost everywhere.. and it has poured down all day. So that put paid to that idea..
As its half term, we don't have a Welsh Lesson today, which in some respects is good, because it will be a day for us to catch up on some 'extra' cleaning. The bits that aren't an every week task. We need to empty our little pantry. We have some free standing shelves in it and we really need to move one to the other side of the entrance. Then paint the walls, which were done when we moved in, but now need re-doing. Its going to be at least a 3 day job so we need to get started.. but then we had a message to remind us the Gardening Group we belong to is still on a Monday afternoon and doesn't change to Tuesday till next month.. more plans gone array! Can we face the kitchen worktops filled with tins and packets for days??
So dare we plan to do it Tuesday, although I remember Dh saying we need some compost and with Homebase closing, he'd seen some at a good price at B&M, so lets get a coffee at Costa by Dunelm and then go to B&M to get a few bags.. Tuesday??
Ah well Ce le Vie!
Chrisxx
Sunday, 23 February 2025
Spring, is it here?
This wasn't my planned post for today, but our crocus in our front little lawn were so beautiful, Dh had to take photographs.
Saturday, 22 February 2025
Emotions spilling over!
I've always followed certain programmes, be it radio or Tv with a loyalty, that gets right into the story.. when I was a young wife and mother many years ago, my then husband was in the Merchant Navy, so I spent a lot of time alone. I listened to Mrs Dales' Diaries and The Archers.
So on one occasion when he asked how things had been, when he had been away, I said I'd had an awful week, because Jim, Mrs Dales husband had had a heart attack, and a character in the Archers had died. I was really upset about them. When John Archer was killed in a tractor accident, in the episode of his funeral, I was driving to visit my daughter, and because I was crying so hard I had to stop in a layby, to recover.
So this week in Eastenders' live performance of the explosion in the Vic (The Queen Victoria Pub) with Martin and Stacey trapped in the rubble.. then declaring their love for each other, it was all very teary, the actors and me. Even Dh had a few sniffs! Martin was trapped under a heavy beam, we were fearing he'd be paralyzed for life, but no, his crush injury caused a fatal heart attack, and shock horror he died!
How could the script writers do that??? He was main key character, I was devastated and loyal Eastender fans like me are very, very upset.
But while all that was going on, Sonia was giving birth in the rubble, that was the kitchen with her sister Bianca and Cousin Lauren. There were some hilarious line liners as the two tried to help Sonia delver In fact I'd be more than happy to watch it again on iplayer..
The episode ended with Stacey's scream that could be heard out in the square with Martin's death.
Not a fan? Well you're missing a treat!
Chrisxx
Friday, 21 February 2025
What's going to happen?
If like me you've studied History, todays news about Trump, Putin and Ukraine then the 1938 Appeasement between the British Isles and Germany will leap out at you.
It was a foreign policy of pacifying an aggrieved country through negotiations to prevent war. Britain's failed policy against Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, resulted in no action was taken and Britain sought to accommodate Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 and took no action when Germany absorbed Austria in 1938. When Hitler prepared to annex ethnically German portions of Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain, our then, Prime minister negotiated the notorious Munich Agreement.. which permitted Germany to the annexation of Sudetenland in Western Czechoslovakia. Then the Czech Government were asked to cede the Sudetenland to Germany. Sound familiar? There was even a meeting of the main European countries, but not including Czechoslovakia, to come to some sort of agreement which was reached on Hitlers terms!
Much of Europe celebrated the Munich Agreement, but it came to be known as a byword for the futility of appeasing expansionist totalitarian states.
The one thing in our favour is Trump doesn't like Starmer so I'm hoping if we Britain have to take sides, we group with Australia, New Zealand and Canada.. together we'd be stronger than Europe.
My heart goes out to the people of Ukraine and President Zelensky, who America has told 'to tune down his words!' I just can't believe what's being said.. he said he's KING, who's he kidding???
Chrisxx
Wednesday, 19 February 2025
A Holiday Read
I choose books for various reasons, recommended to me, read about it on someone's blog, seen reports about it in the media or an author I know. This book had all these but I nearly gave up on it.
Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Salmon on Croute.
(This a Waitrose recipe)
Monday, 17 February 2025
None so strange as folk!
In the past whenever I've seen an episode of 'Long Lost Family' I used to long for a sister perhaps out there, waiting for me to meet. However not these days, because a cousin with whom I hadn't had any contact for years, decided she wanted to play 'happy families,' and got in touch. It was to tell us that her mother, my mother's sister had died. They all hadn't spoken to me for over 20 years, It was all to do with the house, where I grew up here in Porthcawl. My aunt had given it to me, and when they discovered this, they thought they should have a share. They had lived in the house in the late 40s, but moved from there in 1950, so I wondered why they thought the house was part theirs. Anyway I went to the funeral, sad, because I did love her mum and had stayed with them when I was a child.
But from that meeting, my cousin invited herself to stay.. She had stayed before the 'break' when my daughter got married, in the big detached 4 bedroomed house I bought after my divorce. So staying in my little three bedroom semi, which I loved, brought various comments about it being very small. But the size didn't stop her inviting herself again, so she could come with us to a Christmas concert in London. And we were then invited to stay with her in her new large converted barn. Gosh were we cold, it was freezing there, because the main living room had a wood burning fire and no other heating in that room. Never again I said to Dh, as we drove away.
She pushed and pushed to stay with us in Suffolk, and our large Victorian Villa, met with her approval! So when I said we were moving from it, she couldn't understand. But Suffolk was lonely and lockdown had brought home to us we were 'townies!'
She has pushed to stay here and I've said no, always saying we were having building work, or something doing. She did phone and I answered, it was one long moan about how she missed visiting Porthcawl, especially, as I had sold the house where I grew up and she had stayed so many times and enjoyed holidays there. . I couldn't afford the upkeep of the two houses and although I didn't really want to sell, someone had to pick up the costs of my daughter's wedding and her father didn't even offer to pay for any part of it.
So if a long lost sister did turn up, she could turn out like my cousin, pushy, over bearing and a snob! And I wouldn't like that. Its strange because she and her husband (but now divorced) always gave the impression of being well off, while I worked to keep a roof over me and helped with Uni costs for my children. She had the income from her parents house and said she said a good settlement from her divorce..but now pleads only just enough money to live.
So I don't want a long lost relative to be found, unless like me they don't think it strange to turn up to visit, with a home made cake, a pot of home made marmalade and a rooted snippet of a favourite plant from my garden, rather than a bottle of wine and an ornament!
I hardly drink these days, nothing worse than alcohol for an iffy bladder and ornaments to me = stuff!
Chrisxx
Sunday, 16 February 2025
What generation were you?
I was the generation who walked to school in all weathers.
I was the generation who did my homework as quickly as poss. to play outside.
I was the generation who played hide and seek in the dark.
I was the generation who made mud pies and daisy chains and believed if you picked a dandelion, you wet your pants!
I was the generation who played kiss chase with the boys, although nobody got kissed, we just ran about screaming!
I was the generation who played marbles, and yoyos
I was the generation that loved one penny sweets and fizzy pop.
I was the generation that collected photos, cards and scrap books and had a stamp Album.
I was the generation who made paper toys with my own hands.
I was the generation who coloured in pictures, when it was too wet to play outside.
I was the generation who knocked for friends to come out to play and played outside all day.
I was the generation who played cowboys and Indians, Germans and the English and Robin Hood and Maid Marion.
I was the generation who rode my bike with friends for miles and miles.
I was the generation who went to sleep, after sneakily reading under the bedclothes with a torch.
I was the generation who did as I was told.. well maybe but not always... what did you do?
Chrisxx
Saturday, 15 February 2025
Cheese cake? No!
Since Christmas our SW group has doubled with a whole lot of new members, trying to get rid of their Christmas 'exra eats' me too!
We try to get there early, otherwise we have to wait ages to get weighed and as we eat our little one slice of bread, a sandwich, of butter and marmalade, after we're weighed our tums are screaming! So we try to leave the house about 9 , which means we get there round about 10 minutes past.. But oh my, was it cold yesterday morning, the car thermometer said 2C and it was bitter. A cold wind with icy rain drops was horrible. As I trundled along the path to the scout hut with my wheels, I was moaning to Dh, 'why are we doing this?' I had on a winter dress, but not a thick one and although I was wearing a half slip under it, it is so thin, its like gossamer! My thicker one weighs 12 oz which is practically a pound so I can't wear that one! One young girl had on just a spaghetti strap top with her leggings! Brrrr
And after all that what did I lose?? Half a pound, is that all I said! Ah well its a new week, and our planned Valentine's meal was steak, baked potato and a huge green salad, so on plan...but yes I did have ice cream after it, but it could have been a lemon full fat cheese cake, but we resisted and made do with just ice cream, which was delicious..and tomorrow it's the start of a new week!
Chrisxx
Friday, 14 February 2025
No change, but I wanted new!
Thursday, 13 February 2025
GILMORE GIRLS
Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Are we warmer?
Tuesday, 11 February 2025
New chocolately, creamy and gooey!
Terry has even suggested the gooey creamy centre is even better when left at room temperature, or if hidden in a pocket, if hiding it from others! Who'd do that??
A shopper who has tried it, has described it as lovely truffle orange cream, with a crisp dark chocolate surround.
Sounds good enough for even me to eat!
Chrisxx
Monday, 10 February 2025
Are dreams real, what do you think?
I don't usually remember dreams but last night's was very vivid.. I dreamt we'd moved house, Dh's worst nightmare. He has said never again.. yes it was hard moving here and the extra cost was a surprise, especially the removal firm... but I think maybe we might, who knows?
I've watched a few of Kate Humbles TV programmes where city people moved out into the country side, for a 'better' life, with reduced costs. They've had to work extremely hard to make a living there. But that wasn't the hardest part; the hardest part was when lockdown hit and the women mostly, were hit by immense loneliness. And that was me when we moved to Suffolk. Although I had Dh and we were comfortable in a super house, I was overcome by anxiety and loneliness.
I wanted to move back to Billericay, where I knew people, the area, the surrounding towns and my church, I had lived there for 44 years. Of course we didn't and tried to settle there. But I couldn't, I was suffering from insomnia, I was anxious and some days I was very, very down.
Then I thought of moving here, my home town, the town where I was born. It wasn't easy, as it was still lockdown and although we had buyers for our Suffolk house, there was a hold up with them getting a mortgage. By the time it was in place, the only bungalow left for sale was this one. It needed everything doing to it, so this is practically a new bungalow with new everything and now it suits us very nicely.
So why am I dreaming about moving? I do look up houses for sale all the time, I just like to know. And recently my daughter has moved house, so perhaps it is dwelling on my mind. But we are not moving or even thinking about it. In my dream the house we moved to was awful with an awful garden! So definitely a no no! Thank goodness it was only a dream, the garden was really, really awful!
Chrisxx
Sunday, 9 February 2025
10 Commandments for older people.
1.Talk to yourself, sometimes you need good advice.
2. 'In style' means clothes that still fit.
3. You don't need anger management, you just need people to stop irritating you.
4. Your people skills are just fine, its your tolerance for idiots that need work.
5. The biggest lie you tell yourself is..'I don't need to write that down, I'll remember it.'
6. On time is when you get there.
7. You've noticed people your age are much older than you.
8. Aging has slowed you down, but not shut you up.
9. You still haven't learnt to act your age and I hope you never will.
10. 'One for the road,' meaning peeing before you leave the house.
Hope these give you a laugh!!
Chrisxx
Saturday, 8 February 2025
A monument or a dangeroue building?
72 People lost their lives in 2017 when this building went up in flames
Friday, 7 February 2025
Sunshine and spring and a Dirty word!
We have lots of signs of spring and yesterday the sun shone.
Thursday, 6 February 2025
PS. A Way of Life but with fun!
Slimming World meetings can be really boring, if all the consultant does, is just go through each member's weekly efforts one after another, without a laugh and believe me it is boring, I've sat through a few...but our consultant is very animated and full of fun. And so is our Friday morning group members, we're always laughing.
Yesterday in town, we met Fred, who hasn't been coming for a few weeks and we had a good laugh remembering his weighing 'incident.' Most people remove extra bits of clothing before stepping on the scales, some young girls strip to strappy tops even in winter! That week Fred took off his shoes, watch and a leather belt. He stepped onto the scales and his trousers dropped.. those of us who were watching burst into laughter and soon the whole hall was laughing very loudly, he did have on boxer shorts, so was decent..meeting him yesterday, we were laughing remembering it in the middle of town.
Fred asked about other members, especially one younger man, who comes every week with his dog.. Just before Christmas he got to target and our consultant asked him, was there anything different now he was at his target weight. What he disclosed had us all hysterical with laughter , it seems that when he is in the shower, now he's lost his big belly, when he looks down he can see his 'willy.' It was difficult for our consultant to stop us all laughing. Of course now Dh and I know him as 'willy man'
It's good to laugh and on a frosty cold Friday morning you need some fun!
Chrisxx
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
A WAY OF LIFE.
Sad to read that Margaret Miles-Bramwell died this week, the founder of Slimming World, which she started in 1969. The original plan was based loosely on the Hay Diet, which was not eating hay, but separating protein and carbohydrates and eating them at different times.
Tuesday, 4 February 2025
A cheer up
Monday, 3 February 2025
Whats it all about?
I'm trying to think these thoughts but it has not been easy.
Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Yesterday!! What a day!
Yesterday was not my best day.. we were up washed, dressed and on our way before 8:00 am! My appointment was for 8:30 at the hospital. The nurse explained what was to happen, I was to have the catheter out and go home, and to come back at 3:00 pm to be checked and a bladder scan to check how well my bladder was emptying and I was given a fluid chart to fill in. Any problems, ie I couldn't wee to go back there right away. I did ask what was the chance I couldn't wee and she said 50/ 50! That did not fill me with confidence.
It really hurt having the catheter out, it never had before! We were home before 9 ! And I did wee a little, which was a relief.. but then the worst happened, horrible, horrible pain! Just like it was when I went to to the Emergency Dept in the middle of the night in November, because I could not wee! It was awful.. fortunately I had been given some Fosfomycin, a strong anti biotic, by my own Dr back in November when I first had the catheter, for just in case! However even with that and pain killers I had a miserable 10 hours, in pain and weeing every 20 mins.. At the follow appointment at 3:00 pm another nurse just said it would be ok with the Fosfomycin and the bladder scan showed my bladder was emptying properly!
So a horrendous very painful afternoon and evening till 1:30am when I eventually went to sleep.. woke about 5 I was able to wee with slight discomfort and then slept till 8
Feeling very weak this morning, but I survived.. thank you for the kind thoughts and prays yesterday, prayer got me through.
I'm having some easy days, keeping warm and drinking water!
Chrisxx
Tuesday, 28 January 2025
The day has arrived!
We haven't had the storms like some parts of the country but we have had some very wet and windy days.
Saturday was bright and sunny but cold. We did manage a walk on the prom in the afternoon, so did a lot of other people and their dogs, all nicely cosy in very colourful dog coats, doesn't this one take the 'biscuit?'
Monday, 27 January 2025
TIPS to Stop feeling bad about your body
1.Remind yourself that nobody notices things you obsess over.
2. Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident.
3.Stop comparing yourself to other people.
4.Practise positive self-talk daily.
5. Surround yourself with positive people.
6. Focus on what your body can do, not just how it looks.
7. Avoid negative self-talk, especially around food and exercise.
8. Remember everyone has insecurities.
9. Remember to celebrate small wins in your confidence journey.
10. Practise mindfulness and gratitude.
11. Set boundaries on people who comment on your body
12. Remember that confidence is a practice not a switch!
I must take these on board myself!
Chrisxx
Sunday, 26 January 2025
The most awful of crimes
So now there's going to be an enquiry as to why young men like Axel Rudakubana aren't dealt with at an earlier age.. yet another enquiry?? He armed himself with a kitchen knife and attacked and killed three beautiful little girls, Bebe, Alice and Elsie and attempted to knife more, injuring two adults and eight other children.
In summing up the Judge, having given Axel 52 years imprisonment, said that he wouldn't disagree with people, who had branded Axel as evil. In fact he would have given him a life sentence, but under British law for under 18s this wasn't allowed as Axil was 17, when he committed these violent killings.
The court heard that Axel had been referred to the Government counter terrorist scheme, 'Prevent' three times in the past when he had made violent threats and for carrying a knife. So he was known as a threat to society.
Some people are saying 'Bring back hanging,' but others myself included are of the opinion that 52 years incarceration would be a punishment indeed.
Child killers are not treated well in prison. He'd have to be aware of other prisoners, when he is allowed to mix with them. So one can imagine, he'd be in solitary confinement for years. No contact, no phone, no internet, only his own thoughts. I wonder does he have a conscience, will he feel sorry for the lives he has taken?
Its all very well the Prime Minister saying there will be investigations as to how Axel was able to buy a knife on line. But what about the other things that brought Axel to the point in his life, when to kill was his ultimate aim? What was he like in school? We know he expelled from High School in 2019, so age 12? And was referred to a pupil referral unit, but failed to attend, so wasn't in the Education System for a large part of his education. What ever people may think about our education system, the one thing it does do, is give a child a routine and even if the child does not achieve great Exam scores. they have the comfort pf planned days and somewhere to go! And even some pupils, who say they don't like school, arrive in school every day!
I've taught in Key Stage I and 2, schools, so ages 5 to 11, where when asked by OFSTED Examiners, what did a child like about school, there were various answers...
Likes were....Playtimes, games lessons, PE, when it was apparatus, painting lessons, the dinner, and a particular teacher. What they didn't like ... the toilets!! And the dinners! I wonder what Axel might have said.
His parents are said to be christians with a small c rather than Muslim etc.. So what went wrong? Were they like some parents that I met, who admitted at a Parents Evening discussion, 'that they couldn't do anything with him or her!'
Such an awful horrible crime, but we'll be ok because Starmer says, there's going to be a Government Enquiry!! And the parents of these lovely little girls are grieving. I can't imagine what they're going through.
Saturday, 25 January 2025
Am too childish??
Friday, 24 January 2025
This makes me laugh!