20 mins read?

 

Isn't this so true? At the moment I'm reading the latest Patrick Gale book.It has the same character Harry Cane as his book,' A Town Called Winter,' and I'm loving it.

He is such a talented author. We've heard him talk as a guest of an Essex Literacy Festival, when we lived in Billericay.  and he was amazing. 

He takes two years to write a book, researching it and the first draft is hand written. He showed us one of his A4 note books with lines crossed out and the new writings underneath. 

He read a section of his last book, 'A Perfectly Good Man,' and you could have heard a pin drop in the silence when he finished, before the loud clapping of hands started. 

We thoroughly enjoyed the talk and then as I was the person, who ran the book group, with a couple other members we served the drinks and snacks.

It was a super evening. If he is ever talking near you, do go, its very worth it.

And I am thoroughly enjoying his latest book,' Love Lane,' If you haven't read any of his books, I recommend them.

Chrisxx

Finished at last!!

When I first saw this jigsaw, apart from its very pretty sea scenes, I thought as each picture was enclosed, it wouldn't be too difficult. How wrong I was!! 1000 pieces is what we usually tackle, but as each scene has a white border, it wasn't an easy one at all and there was a lot of blue sky and sea.

When we started it, we had nothing planned and being on a board, it was easy to move to one side at meal times. Then suddenly we were within days of expecting visitors, (July). So it was lifted down and slipped under the sofa!! And there it stayed till after Christmas!! 

Dh has finished it in the last few weeks and we have a piece missing, very annoying. All the furniture has been moved, vac bag emptied too, but we've not found it.. we'll look again when we spring clean the lounge. It might turn up who knows where these odd pieces go? 

Perhaps Sister Veronica (Call the Midwife) sneakily took it??

Chrisxx

 

Dripping Tap?

 A text message that a parcel had been delivered yesterday, caused Dh great anxiety, because it hadn't arrived.  He walked all around our bungalow, but no parcel.  'What did the text say?' I asked..

'Left in back porch by green sacks,' he replied. Oh no! Not good, because we don't have a back porch..He went next door as he has a porch and some green garden sacks were beside it. No answer when he knocked.. So next step was to phone Yodel. He was ages on the phone, getting more and more impatient. (irate!!) Yes he was talking to an ibod! (Is that what they're called)

He hadn't said what it was, he has his secret buys, mine are kindle books, which don't show, his are CDs! It doesn't bother me one bit, but he doesn't like to show how many he buys. 

Anyway he was back on the phone and it stopped ringing as it got through... probably because his number was recognized and may be blocked, well he had phoned twice and was on the phone quite a while. The search for the missing parcel was like a dripping tap, Dh could not let it go.

'What is it?' I asked.

'A wind up torch, in case the war disrupts our energy supply,' He admitted.

What?? Honestly what is he like?? I suggested using a different phone, mine or the house phone. It was answered by a real person.. the result of this was, that they would email a photograph of where the parcel had been left. He felt better and decided he'd have another look around by one of our side entrances.. by our green garden sacks.

And that's where it was in dark grey plastic packaging! I think in all it took over an hour, whew!

And it works, so if there are power cuts and its dark, we have a wind up torch.. incase you wanted to know!

A man toy?

Do you think we'll need it?

Chrisxx

My Walking Mantras

 Heel toe, heel toe....lift your feet higher than you think you need to, take your time on steps, always use the hand rail, stand up straight and look ahead.

These were words said to me by physiotherapists, after I tripped and broke my arm. They are still in my head coming up to 16 years later! I take care all the time and they were brought home to me last week, when we saw someone trip over in our main road in town. It is paved in blocks to be a pedestrian way, there are broken ones and out of alinement ones. I walk very carefully, as there deep dips too, where possibly heavy delivery lorries have been.

It all looks very nice, but it's a like an obstacle course trying to avoid the trip hazards.

 When I saw that lady fall, I started to cry, I get very emotional. Fortunately she wasn't hurt and with help was able to get up. Unlike a gentleman who fell just before Christmas, and was on the ground for over 3 hours waiting for an ambulance! People got blankets for him, poor man.

So you can understand why I keep in mind those physio instructions.. and of course I have Rhett Butler, my wheels.

Councils don't seem to care about pedestrian safety and repairs are very slow to be done... money? What are your walk ways like where you live?

Chrisxx

Longevity?

 I'm dreadful in supermarkets often drooling on the contents of other peoples trolleys. I whispered to Dh when seeing the contents of a  trolley load totally different to our own..'I'll go home with them.' Yes, they had cakes and desserts, sausage rolls,  white crusty loaves of bread, while we had fruit and yogurts.

But yesterday the man behind us in the queue, loaded up his items ready at the check out,  and it included a huge packet of what looked like wood chippings. Of course I had to ask about it.  'Its like a muesli he said, but with larger chunks of oats, so they take a bit of chewing!'

So a healthy load of groceries and what did I read about today.. a longevity tip is to eat healthily.. and what is healthy?

An expert has said, foods that people ate 100 years ago, 

Beans

Whole grains

Vegetables

So the foods that us oldies ate when we were young.

There's hope for me then?? 

But sometimes often I want that greasy Chinese meal or that sweet cake and ice cream, rather than the healthy foods.

What about you?

Chrisxx

RIP.

 

I feel very sad to learn that Jenni Murray has died, of the dreaded breast cancer. She hosted Woman's Hour on the radio for over 30 years.

I was a faithful listener as a young housewife altho it wasn't Jenni but Sue MacGregor, Martha Kearney and others then. I loved it and  missed it when I started work, but fell right back into it when I retired! It was on that programme I heard about the wonders of Stinging Nettles and it works... sting yourself where you have arthritis and the heat of the sting acts like one of the arthritis creams, but lasts 2 or 3 days and no arthritis pain! Who would have believed that!

So RIP Dame Jenni, you were loved by many and will be sadly missed.  

Chrisxx

A Good Thing?

 The meningitis outbreak in Kent Universities and schools is really frightening, young people don't think they can get ill. I feel very sad for the families who have lost someone. My cousin's daughter died age 31 from meningitis.

When I was a student nurse in the sixties, there was an outbreak of small pox and we were all given the vaccine right away. Clinics were set up to offer vaccines and us junior nurses were 'lent' to help with the crowds, who arrived for the vaccine. 

We had talks on what to do and what not to do. They frightened us to death and  those of us, who usually went out partying,  stayed in and I avoided travelling on buses, so missed going home for a few weeks.

There were notices pinned up around to remind us......

1.Wash your hands always, especially when you've been out.

2.Keep your hands from your face.

3. Don't touch handles of doors. (I still don't!)

4. Avoid handling money, ie coins.

And these have stuck with me all my life. I still don't touch door handles when out and use a tissue. Dh and I had a meningitis vaccine at age 71, along with pneumonia and shingles later, and today, I have an appointment for the RSV. vaccine, Respiratory Syncytial Virus. vaccine.

The NHS offers these to protect us.. I'm always incredulous that people don't have them. They obviously have never seen real illness, nor been really ill.

I have had all the covid jabs and flu jabs.

I think they are all a good thing to have, what do you think?

Chrisxx

Driving Home.

We can take several ways to drive home from town,  but our favourite way is driving along the front prom, yesterday the sea was gently coming in.

There were a lot of people walking enjoying the sunshine. 

We drive up to Rest Bay, 

Here this grassy area often has mole hills and cowslips. When its cut, they mow pathways in the long grass. 

And wild flowers grow all round in the rocks at the top of the bay.

Then down through Nottage estate, where they are nearly all bungalows. I keep a commentary as we drive along; 'Neat hedges at my cousins, her gardener has been,' I say.

Down all the way to the roundabout, to pass the field where there are four Shetland ponies, they are sometimes separated, I think its because they bite each other! But they are so small and pretty!

We pass an allotment and then further on we pass the Meadow, now with a large Lake, presently there are large geese there, Canada Geese? 

Opposite is the Buttercup field where the Beach ponies live. 

All the way is different, from beaches to fields, and hills in the distance. Often sheep grazing, and the wind turbines slowing turning. We can see them from the end of our road, slowly turning against the blue sky.

When we turn into our road we can see our golden daffodils,  'fluttering and dancing in the breeze,' Wordsworth's poem.

It was beautiful yesterday, a sunshiny day and our town looked beautiful and we love it, and when it rains, we say thank goodness we're not on holiday!

Chrisxx

You could have knocked me down with a feather!

 This post won't  have the same meaning to readers who don't live in UK.

Something medical that has been bothering me for a few months, got worse over the weekend, I had to try for a Dr's appointment yesterday morning. I dread the  8 o'clock scramble, as its called. Before now I have been up to an hour listening to the voice saying are 'number 23' or what ever number is next. So I was ready and started dialing the Medical centre number at 7:57 and kept redialing and as soon as it started to ring. I quickly pressed 2 + 1= #2 for English and #1 for reception and I was speaking to someone right away. I think I was one of the first patients!! I had an appointment at 9:00am Wow!! I've never had that before.

I saw one of the new Dr's, Dr Jenny Jenkins, she was very nice and gave me the medication that is sorting me out.  I don't know why I leave problems so long, but I suppose it's how I was brought up, not to be a nuisance!! 

After it, we went into town to Costa's for coffi and a Cheese toasty, which was very nice. Not the SW food plan but we called it our breakfast!

How do you find getting a Dr appointment where you live?

Chrisxx

Mumisms

 THE TOP BEST LOVED BRITISH MUM-ISMS:

Money doesn't grow on trees

Don't talk with your mouth full

Don't eat that, you'll spoil your dinner

If someone asked you to jump off a cliff, would you?

Do not slam the door

I've got eyes in the back of my head

If the wind changes, you'll be stuck like that

If you don't finish your dinner, there'll be no pudding

Wait until your dad gets home

Were you born in a barn?

I want never gets

I don't care who started it

Eat your greens

I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times

Don't say what, say pardon

Ring me when you get there safely

Don't put your coat on inside, you won't feel the benefit outside

Don't put your feet on the furniture

Sit properly on your chair

Did you have any of these said to you and as a mum have you said them yourself?

Chrisxx

Exhausting!

 Some friends and I have been reminiscing about things we did in the past, always dangerous as we age! I can't believe how tired I get  now after some simple household chores. 

Years ago when I lived by myself and working full time, on my weekends off, I spent Saturday getting sorted for the week ahead. I had a cleaner for years, but when I downsized to a small three bedroomed house, I did it myself. Saturday was my turn around day when I did everything. By 9 o'clock I'd have done a load of washing, and pegged it out on the line, I'd then make up the clean bed, clean the bathroom, and vac all the bedrooms and landing. By 11 o'clock I would have whooshed around, cleaned the kitchen and down stairs cloak room and run the vac all through down stairs. After lunch I went into town, did my food shopping, visited the library. I usually met some one for a coffee before returning home. 

I used to spend some time doing the garden, but always sat down at 5 to watch the soap 'Brookside.'

I nearly always went out with friends, either to the cinema or we all liked dancing and there was a club not far from Billericay, where we went. I rarely stayed in on a Saturday night!

Sunday morning I ironed some clothes and the bedding before I went to church. I always cooked myself a Sunday dinner and then, I usually met up with friends and we went off somewhere. London was was easy as Billericay was on the Liverpool St. line train line.

These days, I tidy the bed, clean the bathroom, tidy in the lounge and I'm whacked! I never realised how much I did in one day, all those years ago and never thought I would find it all so exhausting when older! And now I wonder why I did so much cleaning?

Still as my friend said, we're still here albeit slower!

Yes dangerous to look back! What do you think?

Chrisxx

A Flood but all's well.

What a shock the weather was yesterday morning,  our weather station said  the temperature was 5C and as we went to leave the house at 9, it started to hail! So we waited till it had past before we set off for SW.. I keep my plastic hat with me incase and altho it flattens my hair, it all bounces back when I run my fingers through it. We didn't hang around after the meeting and drove straight home, glad to get back into the warm.

After lunch we had look my seedings in our little plastic green houses.

They are looking ok now, but when we looked in, the top trays were full of water..we hadn't noticed the clear plastic had  disintegrated and the rain had poured in! 

Oh no! But my tomatoes, pelargoniums, lupins, Sweet peas and lavender all survived. All the plants bought as bare root plants are growing too, but my cosmos are leggy, so I'll sow some more next month

A small primrose plant now 3 years old has spread, so I'll separate some shoots and spread them around the garden.

And a lovely cowslip growing well. We get them free from the birds!

I'm very hopeful of  garden full of colour again, I love sitting outside as often as I can admiring it.

How's your garden?

Chrisxx

Do we need Spam?

 Our weekly food order arrived yesterday morning and all was there as ordered.. Dh asked me was there anything I thought we might need  when he was doing it, and I remarked to him that, some bloggers had noticed the emptying of shelves in supermarkets with the rumours of war ( You're all so informative Thank you!) I did say perhaps check our water and dried goods situation, but we're fully stocked up, as we have a pantry so always keep ahead of what we need. Jokingly he asked 'Did I want spam??' 

'Only if I can have it battered and deep fried in beef dripping,' I replied!! I never had spam as a child, although there was spam around I suppose, but I didn't know of it. 

But my Grandmother did make me battered chips with an egg cooked in the chip pan too! It was all delicious with a slice of white bread and butter.  

I should have been fatter with all that dripping cooked food, but photographs of me as child showed this stick thin child, with curled hair and brown as berry. I did play 'out' all day and every day except Sundays of course. Sundays were chapel days and quiet times at home.

Do we need spam or extras?

Chrisxx

Heart ache.

 

My youngest son, Michael and I often watched TV together..his sister and brothers were all of an age where they were either out or doing homework.

And we loved this series..I think we probably watched them all. It was such a happy family story.

Recently there have been articles about some of the actors now a lot older. I don't really like reading about how they are now, I want to remember them as they were in the story, because it reminds me of Michel and myself and the dog I had then, Mari, all together on the soffa.

He is the son, who cut himself off from me and all his brothers and sister, over 14 years ago now. Its coming up to Mothering Sunday and I think about him at this time.

I send him cards, Birthday, Christmas and Postcards, but there has never been a response. 

He was such a lovely little boy, always helpful and loving.

When I think about him I remember the mornings when he, then age 8, would creep around the bed on his hands and knees to my side,...whispering, 'Mummy, its 6 o'clock, I've put the kettle on.' 

And we'd drink tea together in the kitchen before anyone else was awake.

I hope and pray that, that little boy is still there in his mind, so one day I'll pick of the phone and I'll hear, 'Hello Mum.' 

Hard to believe isn't it, that a child can turn his/her back on their parent, but it happens all the time, hundreds, thousands and more. And a parent like me will still wonder why.

Chrisxx

Then or Now?

 Honestly I do not think growing up in the 1940/1950s have the edge over todays children.  It seems it is believed that, young people of today lack certain attributes of my generation. 

Do young people of today mock Royalty? They might, but do the Royals deserve our 'regard?' I wonder myself with the revelations that have come to light in recent times.

I used to think the Royal family were sort of special. Queen Elizabeth 2nd had an amazing reign, but don't let us forget, she like all the family wanted for nothing. So I'm not so 'glassied eyed since certain things have been reported. It seems she took delight in mimicking people she met for a laugh. I think that's rather cruel, but who am I to criticize the Queen. Lets face it, have any of the Royals ever had to think, food or heating?

With the present scandals about her second son Andrew, does taking his royal titles away  punish him? So he won't be living in a 20 plus room house, but only a 6 bedroom, poor fellow!! Although it has been reported that the two jobs advertised, a Chef and house Manager have not had any applicants, so he might have to make his toast and jam himself! But I doubt his brother the King will be charging him rent money for the house. 

I do like and admire Catherine and William, the Prince and Princess of Wales, but they live a life of luxury too. It wasn't good news to hear that the Princess had been diagnosed with cancer and I'd hate her to be ill again. However the incidents of women with cancer is there all the time, I hope they too have the best of care and treatment as did Catherine, but deep down I guess all won't have. 

So am I like the youth of today, lacking respect for my elders and people of  'class?' I don't believe I have, I respect people who have proved their worth, especially women, who I know have to work twice as hard as men to get noticed. Leaders who stand up and tell the truth, not pander to common beliefs to gain rewards. Sometimes it the quiet people who deserve our respect and regard, the ones who help those less fortunate than themselves. 

I have never seen or heard young people of today talking in a whispered voice, when relating that someone they know is mentally ill. Years ago that would have been behind a 'hand' over the mouth. So I'm not knocking young people of today but I would like them better, if the songs they have had more of a tune to them! What do you think?

Chrisxx

It's juicy!

 I saw this on one of those FB pages and all thoughts of losing at least 8 lbs in March, left my head! I've been so focused losing every week, right in the 'mode' and just a picture was enough to throw me off course. For goodness sake, I screamed at myself you can't even smell it!

What is it that makes us crave some foods? I don't eat chocolate or drink wine or any alcohol, but some cake weakens my resolve. I won't make it, but I did think as an Easter cake? We don't make a Simnel cake any more, for the reason we're always dieting!

But Dates in a cake appeals to me, we do have Date and Fig yogurts and they are delicious! 

Chrisxx

Thank you for putting me right about the siskin picture

Here's the correct one,

A Dank Day with a pretty visitor.

This was our weather yesterday, dull and what I call 'air rain.'  You can't really see it,  but it sure does wet you. I hate days like this, wet, dull and dank!  This lane is near to where we live, but not one we walk. So we stayed inside after a delicious roast chicken dinner, followed by stewed rhubarb and yogurt, perfect!

Dh is happy finishing the jigsaw I abandoned and I read, the latest Ruth Mancini book, much more exciting then 'When the Rain Ends.'

We've been watching the birds, as we have  two feeding stations and both are well visited. 

In the last week, as well as all the Tits, we've noticed Green Finches. joining the Gold Finches and new yesterday was a Siskin.

Very distinctive with their forked tail and the males have a streaked yellow, browny, grey body with a yellow streaked black head and bib.

I think that brings us a total of 16 different birds that visit our garden, which is amazing, as the first few months we were here, we were lucky to see a sparrow!

I love watching them, they take their turn for the sunflower seed hearts, and are very entertaining to watch.

Chrisxx

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