A drippy town visit, but we're happy!

 I'm taking a leaf out of  Angela's blog and in future any anonymous or unnamed comments will be deleted.

On Saturday's we like to go to town, just for a coffee and a mooch around. I wanted to see if the fruit shop had any Victoria plums, and it did! We do have a plum tree and did have some this year, one each!! But we have high hopes for next year, as it is a new tree. We will feed it and prune it where necessary and top dress the roots, it will have all our TLC!

We have been desperate for rain and we had some Thursday, in fact it was a deluge. We drove to the front prom and watched it come down like 'old women and sticks' from inside the car..Happy memories of the times we did that with Nell having a car picnic, which she loved so did we! Remembering the time we had cream puffs and the icing sugar on them floated off, all over us and her nose!

And on Saturday as we came out of Costa (new toilet code c2468z.) there were just a few spots of rain, so we hurried along, to the veg shop, and bought the plums, to the Spar for a TV times (its in the old Coliseum cinema) and then to the Kitchen shop, so Dh could buy me a new china mug, as he'd had a mishap in the kitchen. It is a lovely shop, one of the six Maple franchised shops and has beautiful china and bits, they all have wonderful gifts, or clothes, or jewelry, just amazing things and I think an asset to the town.

Of course we had to but two, pricy but worth it! The design by Clare Tupper, heard of her? Neither had I!

By that time the rain was a steady drizzle, no mac, and no umbrella, so we got wet walking back to the car. It didn't bother me because I didn't have to worry about getting my £27 hair do wet, because I just do it myself.. we did have to change our clothes when we got home and with a quick flash of our heating and a cuppa all was well.. The rain we were so desperate for has arrived! All I want now is, for it to rain at night and leave our days pleasantly dry!

Chrisxx

When you're down..

 ....this is what I look at. Isn't she a 'love' ? I have reversed photo searched this and all that came up was her dress, so guess its an AI pic. But I love it and look at it when I feel down.

She reminds me of my Grand daughter who had a lot of sass when she was little with a mind of her own.

When they used to visit me, we always went to Grandma's shop in town... 'Woolworths!'

I used to give her and her brother money to chose what ever they wanted, as long as it conformed to their mum's rules! No army stuff for my grandson and no plasticine. It seems it had ruined a carpet in the past!

On one occasion my granddaughter had chosen a pink vest and knicks with a Sindy pic on them. All was ok with some colouring books and pencils and a few small packets of sweets. 

A week or so later I had a phone call from my daughter to tell of my granddaughters 'crime!'

It seems she had been dressed accordingly that day for a PE lesson in school in a white vest and knicks, as they used to strip down to that for the lesson, she was 4.

But unbeknown to her mum she had gone back upstairs and changed into her Sindy set, which wasn't discovered till bed time!!

Cricky it was like the crime of the century, all my fault, but fortunately for me, they lived 64 miles away and I could replace the phone receiver! 

She loved that outfit and I thought it looked very pretty. Just thinking about this and my granddaughter when she was 4, has  lifted my spirits!! She's really very nice now too at 31 years!

Chrisxx

When you have a little visitor.

One of  Dh's twin daughter's and husband and grandson have come for a holiday here, not staying with us, but an Airbnb.. they like to come every summer. So Dh has gone to the beach to play at being grand dad. He's wearing his bathers to go in the sea! I have reminded him of his age and that the Coast Guard had put out notices of extremely high waves, so to approach the sea with care!

They arrived Monday later than expected, with the holiday traffic and came here for a very late lunch. 

Dh had planned all sorts of things to suit his7 year GS.. Food was a selection of BBQ meats, baked potato and green salad with coleslaw and a French stick of bread. But his grandson has decided to become vegetarian, altho'  his mum said he really a pescatarian as he eats fish and also a Cheese Burger! I asked like a burger with cheese.. emmm she said, but we don't say anything!! It seems some friends at school are vegetarians. 

Anyway Dh being very much himself, trimmed chopped and shaped a variety of veg, including carrots, celery, beetroot, baby home grown tomatoes. tiny mange tout peas and cheese, displayed on a very pretty plate it did all look rather nice. He had already set up one of the bags we've used to grow potatoes, which had soft dry soil, for his grandson to dig for his own potato! That was exciting for him.. and he ate all the potato that had been baked with butter and his crudités! 

Followed by strawberries, meringue and ice cream, and so did we..

Honestly it was all delicious, the BBQ  meats, coleslaw, baked potato and butter; all foods that are not our SW meal plans, especially the ice cream, it was truly 'lush!'

So nice to have a change of food now and then, and we didn't need a breakfast yesterday.

Chrisxx

Blogs

 Why do some people write a blog and why do some people who don't blog, read them and even leave comments or don't? I have been approached by some one who reads my blog, doesn't blog nor leaves a comment. She might even be reading this?

Everyone has a reason; a diary; a point of view; venting about life; or teaching a life skill; or ??

I write mine, just because its a sort of life experience record and I take enjoyment in sharing and I love reading others. I did find it upsetting,  that some people could no longer access my blog and it might be their anti-virus has an ad blocker, because I was being bombarded with an anti-virus firm, even though we already have one. I wasn't the only one being targeted by it,  when we looked on line there were hundreds of people asking how to get rid of it. Dh eventually sorted it out and it stopped. 

But those people never came back to read my blog and I'm slowly losing my inquisitiveness to read theirs. I do read blogs and not always comment, probably because we don't have anything in common, but I like reading their blog! Also I've stopped following some blogs if their writing is blasphemous or they use swear words and some have left what I think is a 'I'm superior to you comment. on mine!' Is that their vanity or mine??

Very sad when a blogger dies and sad too when their partner dies, I really feel for them. But also sad when someone decides to stop blogging like Rhonda. I have  followed her blog for years and have already missed her.

I've made so many friends on line through my blog and l hope to keep reading about them and making new. Why do you blog?

                                      Chrisxx

Tottering by Gently

 This is  my new rose, apply named 'Tottering by Gently' 

Cerainly for me a 'totterer!!' But isn't it beautiful.

Thankyou for all the very kind comments in my previous post, I won't be going on a travellator ever again. It's made me nervous about using the bus too. 

My 'tail' is very uncomfortable to sit. I'm not just bruised, but the skin had split too. Fortunately I had bought some Rescue cream for a skin abrasion, where my bra had rubbed on my side, in all the hot weather, and its been amazing, sooths the soreness right away, so with pain killers I'm surviving! I've a few weepy times with some flash backs remembering of falling backwards, while my feet were still going forward with the 'ground' moving up! But I hung onto the hand rail so went down gently with Dh holding my head up, so it could have been a lot worse.

I'm making my way around all your blogs, reading them and leaving comments. Thank you all again.

I had ordered the rose last week, I think I saw it on Gardeners World and bought it from David Austin's and as soon as I opened the box it came in, I was delighted. Nothing like a present to yourself to lift your mood. And I should also add that ice-cream has helped too!!

Chrisxx

It was ok my knickers were clean!

And I am very thankful!

Although we have our groceries delivered  each week, we also pop to Tesco's to take our soft plastic to the recycle bin there. about twice a month and top up with fruit, or something we forgot to include on our order.

Usually on a Monday afternoon as its quiet then. So we set off with the intention of me buying a new phone and getting some salad bits last Monday.

We thought phones were upstairs, so proceeded to the Travellator.  I stepped on and then I don't know what happened, it was all so quick. I was falling backwards, my screaming could be heard for miles I'm sure. I hung on to the rail as I went down and the Travellator stopped. Dh was supporting my back to stop my head hitting the surface.. then and suddenly I was surrounded by Tesco staff.

Everybody was very concerned and gave me time to get myself together. The First Aider was holding my hand and said he knew how to get me up..When I was calm, I managed to turn myself around so I was facing down and with a towel folded into a strip shape, it was wedged under my 'bum' and two strong men had me on my feet in no time.  Thank goodness!  And I held onto the man infront of me. 

I was wheel chaired to the café and had a cup of tea, giving me time to recover. I didn't hurt myself falling, but I did bruise my bum turning around on the hard metal surface of the Travellator.. and it is still very tender to sit. But I am thankful that, that's all. 

And the silly thing is, there is a customer lift and the phone shop is downstairs just inside the main entrance, we had never noticed

Dh was very concerned and kept asking was I really unhurt.

And I, between saying how stupid I felt, I was ok, because I had on clean knickers!!

Chrisxx

Town.

 Doesn't this look just lovely four friends relaxing on a bench on a fine day and looking at the view?

There are many local people who go around Porthcawl taking photographs and post them on FB.

One young woman is very prolific and even has had  photograph on the  Alan Titmarsh TV show. This photo showing the sea crashing over the light house is often shown on our TV news, when the weather is stormy.

But I like the photos of the dawns and sunsets.

And the woodlands and fields too.

And are these the same four I wonder??

Hope they had fish and chips while they waited!

Chrisxx

Soaps!!

 It seems channel 4 is bringing back 'Brookside'!! A TV soap that ran from 1982 to 2003. It will just be a one off follow up show.

I used to watch the Saturday omnibus. On Saturdays I did my washing, cleaning, shopping and my weekly visit to the library, but at 5 to 5 I was sat down with a drink and a packet of crisps for Brookside!

It was the only regular TV I watched, and I had been introduced to it by my youngest son!

It was the first show to have a pre-water shed lesbian kiss, the murder of a husband and the body hidden under the patio by the wife and daughter; the shocking news of the one couple being siblings, drugs and couples swapping partners were some of the story lines... So just the every day stories in 'soap life'  I missed it when it finished and I never took to Holly Oaks, but then made time in my evenings twice a week to watch 'Eastenders' which these days Dh watches with me!

Such fun I had a weekends when I worked! 

Chrisxx

Just a few minutes.

I'm guessing that we all have a few little jobs hanging over us to do that only takes a few minutes, but we just can't get around to doing them.? Well that's certainly me. I think the problem is that I look at them as a whole and not one at a time. So this week I decided to do one each day.

And I have, first there were some new knicks I'd bought from M&S, the same as I'd bought a while ago and they're too loose. I didn't realise how loose, till we went out walking on the prom and they kept slipping down, to the extent that I had to stop and with Dh trying to cover me, I slipped them off and popped them in my bag! So a little tuck sewn in each side seam at the waist was all they needed. I did two and have had the other two waiting for those couple of stitches for months, but now they are done!

The bedroom chair had grown cardis and bits, the odd bit of packing from where I had bought something and kept it, because it might come in useful, it had become my 'Chair-robe' again! And was  mountain of clothes, dresses worn once and may be ok to wear again before washing,,, All sorted and put away and the packing in the recycle, took less than 5 minutes!

Some tops flung on the spare bed waiting to be sorted.......should it be a charity shop; cotton cut up for quilting; or dusters? This did take a while, because I had to decide, and then having thought if they were good cotton, cut into reasonable sized pieces to go in my fabric store.. And then folding the good ones neatly for the charity shop, the rest, binned. Do I want dusters?? No!  I buy sets because I like the colours!

The other little job is quite big. I bought a dress because I liked the bright lime yellow colour, but it was sleeveless. I thought it would be ok even with my old looking arms, but the scaring on my right arm shows it and it is horrible.. It was a bit long, so I cut off the bottom frill and cut out two short sleeves, quite a big job. I have the sleeves all cut, and one tacked in place and it looks ok. All I have to do is the other one, but it seems such a big job. Then I'll have to get out my sewing machine, can I do it before the summer ends? I don't know, wait and see. When it's done there'll be a photo, but don't hold your breath! I might have just worn it with a cotton bolero. but that went to the charity shop! Its true you never need something till you've chucked it.. 

Chrisxx

Hot!

 The new Eastern Prom, super for walking if you're a bit doddery and hate paving slabs like me. We walked along here yesterday although hot,  we were out before it was too warm.         

It's near to where I grew up as a child and I always get a whoosh of memories remembering those days, when my friends and I played here.

To me it seems like only the other day sometimes,  and then others years ago! How many children of today play on the beach without an adult supervising them?

But it was pleasant walking and there were quite a few people around. We met two  friends from our SW group and had a lovely chat with them, but didn't join them for coffee, because we'd had one earlier and even a de-caff one can be an irritant, to my iffy bladder.

And another deterrent was it was at Sidoli's who have the most delicious ice cream so a definite place to swerve!

It was nice to get out and it did me good socialising.. all this too hot weather is keeping us inside, it worse than lock down! How are you managing in the heat?

Chrisxx

Upside down!!

 A big thank you to everyone who commented on that last post, it was just a test to see if some bloggers could still access my blog without being warned of bugs. My laptop has been scanned and it's completely covered, but appreciate some people aren't able to access my blog. Joy had a similar problem a while ago (retired teacher) and it righted itself.. machines???

But moving on, my life seems to be upside down at the moment, I go to bed yawning and lie there wide awake. I wake feeling tired and am shattered and sluggish.  An aqueous cream I've used for years, instead of shower jell and soap has started to irritate my skin, so annoying, so now I have to find something else instead. My hair with a natural wave has gone curlier and unmanageable! But these are still looking good.

I stopped having my hair styled a while ago, its such a nuisance to set aside a morning each week, just to have my hair washed and styled. I manage quite well one handed and with a good cut it looks fine. So can I be bothered to have it styled weekly again?

The very hot weather has returned and I don't like it, I hate the rain and I'm complaining about the sun! I'm just a crotchety old woman!

Some of our cosmos have turned out doubles and the bees love them.

This is our favourite flower bed at the moment, just love those white Shasta daisies, the blue Asters and that red Dahlia with

 the pink rose. 

At least the garden seems to be growing and looking beautiful every day, thank you garden and my gardener, Dh, in his 'Keep Calm I'm a Gardener' tee shirt!

Chrisxx

Not mine but so good worth posting,

 Alice Grayson was supposed to bake a cake for her church’s bake sale, but she forgot until the morning of the event. In a rush, she whipped up an angel food cake, but the center collapsed. Desperate to make it look presentable, she stuffed a roll of toilet paper into the center and covered it with icing. It looked perfect!

She told her daughter to buy the cake at the sale before anyone else could. But when her daughter arrived, the cake had already been sold. Alice was mortified, imagining the horror of someone discovering the toilet paper inside.

The punchline? At a fancy luncheon the next day, the cake was served as dessert—and the snobby hostess proudly claimed she had baked it herself. Alice just smiled and thought, “God is good.”

I thought this was so funny.

Chrisxx

Blog problems

 I am not posting for a day or two while Dh tries to sort out what's wrong

Chrisxx

I'd never have thought that!

There hasn't been seating outside Costa for weeks and we've missed it. We always sat outside with Nell, because dogs weren't allowed inside. These days they are welcome, and some days there are several inside, all quiet and wolfing down their puppacinos!!

There was scaffolding up for quite a while, we assumed it was to allow the flats above to be painted. But the scaffolding came down last week and still no seats.

When we were there on Wednesday, we asked were they going to put seats outside again? Jodi who seems to be in charge told us, they were waiting for a firm to clean the awning of gull and pigeon droppings! The scaffolding had been there, so that the poop mess could be cleaned off the building. Evidently the firm contracted to do this had been booked last summer but still hadn't done the awning! 

So one of the problems of being in a seaside town.. Opposite Costa is the old Coop building, now a Pound Shop and they have a hole in the side of their roof overhang and we watch the pigeons fly in and out.

Our dawn chorus at 5 ish is the squawking of gulls!

Isn't the Costa building grand? I think it might have been a bank!

Chrisxx