this post is closed
Life outside Ambridge
Life outside Ambridge
Life outside Ambridge
Popular posts from this blog
Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments' - Episode 8 Life Outside Ambridge Beach Chairs
Love it Gary 🤣
ReplyDeleteNow I've seen the video - brilliant!
Delete🤣🤣🤣👏👏
DeleteNOW I understand why so many of you keep dogs!
ReplyDelete🤣🤣😂That is great, Gary ! And I can still see the nibbling bunny, he's still busy even if his blog's no more.
ReplyDeleteDogs might draw the line when it comes to mowing, & Cats ? ! So not on their agenda for living the good life, Don't waste your breath. People pleasing for it's own sake - forget it.
GG 🤣🤣🤣can't see our Merry demeaning himself with all that!!
ReplyDeleteGG Brilliant 😁😁
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a puss-cat though. Mine is reminding me it's time for tea, so off to feed her 😺
Maybe I’ll have to think about getting a dog too - after a lifetime of being hating and being terrified of the creatures!
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps I could train a pusscat (no, not the one called Lilian) to do some chores? 😸
Pl. delete first ‘being’, doesn’t make sense!
DeleteHow I wish we could amend posts after publishing, so as not to look like an illiterate fool!
Very appropriate.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gary.
You are very clever with these title pictures and now videos Gary.
ReplyDeleteThis one is very amusing.
Thank you for your ongoing management of us.
Archerphile- are you really frightened of dogs ?
Did something happen when a child ?
If it's too difficult to discuss, then my apologies.
You can train a cat. Well, perhaps I am just lucky, as mine sits on command and gives me a paw, comes when I call her, but the advantage is, she goes in and out to suit herself, be it day or night.
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing Gary.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ev. - re. last blog.
ReplyDeleteWow! That’s a clever dog! 🐶👏😂Think the Shih Tzus will have to go!!!
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome, Janice!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!! Gary I love it. Well done.
ReplyDeleteMust try it tomoz with my list and one of our dogs. Think I’ll end up with just a chewed list but worth a try! Lol.
Mrs P: 7.49
ReplyDeleteGot it in one! As a child I had to walk home from the school bus past a house where dog was kept in the garden as a guard dog. It would bark furiously every time someone walked past.
One day it managed to slip its moorings and leap over the gate in front if me, barking and snarling. It seemed like a huge animal to me (a German Shepard dog, in fact). It managed to wrench my school bag away and I just ran all the way home. Later my parents had to go and see the owners, I don’t know what was said but my mangled and chewed school bag was returned and afterwards the bus driver was persuaded to take a slightly different route so I could avoid going past that house again.
Many years later we became friends with a couple who decided to buy a German Shepard Dog and I found it almost impossible to visit them unless the dog was kept, very firmly in another room. One evening, we were invited for dinner and said dog got loose, bounded up to me and launched itself putting its front paws up on my shoulders! “He’s only being friendly” they said, but it ruined my evening and I was reluctant to visit again!
I was similarly put off cats when I was about 5. I stroked said cat and it snarled and scratched me. Have always loved dogs but remember a man walking his dog along our street. It was to me a very ugly Bulldog and I would run and hide if I saw them coming! Can well understand your fear of German Shepherds after your experience, Archerfile and putting paws on your shoulders must have given you the shakes. They are usually gentle giants but should be taught to restrain themselves because of their sheer size. If you do get a dog opt for a small one!
ReplyDeleteArcherphile 7.17
ReplyDeleteThe dog putting its paws on your shoulders as you describe is a dog trying to Dominate you. German Sheperds have a reputation for suffering from nervous aggression.
I too was and still am nervous of big dogs, having said that when I went to the Dogs Trust to get a companion for my other dog, her choice, she chose an alsation type, who had bitten. He did suffer from nervous aggression and the first time I had visitors to stay, he barked aggresively for over 1/2 an hour, next lot of visitors it lasted 5 mins and after that he was fine. He loved children and was very gentle, but a very strict rule always kept, he must never be alone with them. Although in those first few months I wondered what I had taken on , I was determined he wasn't going back He had spent 3 years with the Trust. Like Misty he chased everything in sight, unlike her he learnt quickly and eventually he could walk through a field of sheep, off lead without turning a hair. He was in the end a most wonderful dog, loved by all who knew him.. We had 10 years together , I always saw it as my job to protect him. His past history was unknown so what he had gone through we don't know, but his last years were happy ones.
We were always cat people up to about 12 years ago. Wasn’t bothered about dogs at all. But after starting out getting a Labrador pup (friend of my sons pups) that all changed. We like big dogs though so you aren’t tripping up over them. BUT I am still frightened of German shepherds and give any a very wide berth. Why? Because as a kid there were loads of adverts, and on the likes of blue peter, of German shepherds attacking people in training for the police force. The ones with the man with the mega padded arm running away and the dog sent to grab hold of him. That has obviously stayed with me and caused the fear.
ReplyDeleteI still have a faint scar on my bum where a German Shepherd bit right through my elephant cords when I was about 8 years old. I had to get stitches. And my wrist still has two small dents either side where a rottweiler grabbed me and wouldn't let go - that was particularly terrifying as a small skinny 14y old. I can still picture the blood arcing out either side when the owner managed eventually to drag it off me. Still love 99% of dogs though!
ReplyDeleteWell done Japan! What a game.... 🇯🇵🏈
ReplyDeleteJust texted son away at Scout camp. He couldn't believe it!!
DeleteGood game!
What horrible experiences regarding dogs. Dreadful to have such painful memories.
ReplyDeleteI have only good memories of dogs, probably because, in hind sight, I can see that my father loved dogs and taught me from an early age how to be with them.
We couldn't walk past dogs without talking to owner and petting the dogs.
We often passed two Chows and my dad always told us jokey stories of them having black tongues because they ate children. But we knew they were tales to amuse us.
Several relatives had dogs, one aunt and uncle a succession of alsatians, another with a wire haired terrier, and another aunt with that ones pup, who became my favourite dog.
But I was always taught to let the dog approach you, never put your hand over the dogs head, always to keep your distance if a dog was eating or had a bone.
But the most important lesson was never to run in the vicinity of a dog, since the dogs instinct was to chase anything that ran.
My previous dog was a fear biter, and like CG I viewed it as my responsibility to protect her from ever wanting to be fearful enough to bite. I always warned children that she was a dog that must not be approached, but explaining at the same time that not all dogs were the same and that they need not be frightened of dogs altogether, but should be careful.
I try to teach children too, to pet a dog around the ears or under the chin, rather than on top of the head.
It saddens me to see how few children are educated about dogs, and will run and worst of all skateboard nearby or past them.
Lady is especially gentle with small children and it is a joy to see her with toddlers.
I always tell people that she is a safe dog, if they have little ones when she is nearby.
We have a Syrian family that come to our Sunday Social and most of the family are very wary of Lady, except for the six year old, who is very outgoing and in love with Lady and spends ages cuddling and petting her.
I've always had cats, normally strays that have just appeared! but am familiar with Welsh border collies as my father always had a sheepdog. One he found curled up soaked through and terribly thin in one of the cliff fields. It may have crawled up out of the sea. He spoke to it but it was terrified and he couldn't get near it, but it followed him at a distance back down to the yard, and then there followed a long process of my mother putting out food for it until gradually it plucked up the courage to creep in in front the Rayburn. The first time my mother picked up the sweeping brush he bolted out the door again, and it took him a while to realise he wasn't going to be hit. It was a bit too late to train him properly as a sheepdog, but he was very good at standing in a field gap or open gateway and barking to keep cattle/sheep moving past on drives. He was much loved by us, and we never found out who had had him before, which was just as well really.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely story Janice.
ReplyDeleteMy dads love of dogs came from one following him home from school, and later in life another following him home to the barracks from Colombo.
That one became the barracks dog.
He never had a dog of his own, until after he retired he used to disappear for several hours, and eventually someone told us that he was dog walking in Putney.
We took him to Battersea, and he and mum adopted a Kerry Blue.
Dad was very proud of his ' first dog' at such a late age.
We met some small children once at Quarr Abbey. Buddy was firmly on his lead and he had. the habit in younger days of standing on his back legs and waving the front paws around for attention. When nowhere near the children they cowered and I thought what a pity that they are so frightened even of a small dog like him. Yes, you have to be careful with children and dogs but such a shame that some parents instill a fear of animals in their children when they have the potential to be such good companions.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely dog stories which have been so interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteTempted though I am, my house is far too small with the downstairs totally open-plan, so a dog would not be viable.
I will stick to cats -
Besides I need to keep up my appearance, a single cat lady 😿🙀
I have a yellow warning of very heavy rain, in my area, for the next 3 days.
ReplyDeleteI hope it is wrong!
To Add.
ReplyDeleteMy nightmare neighbours had a massive big "fight" this morning, shouting, screaming and things being thrown against walls. It's all quiet now, as I think only one is at home.
It was quite disturbing at 9.00am, as it was whilst I was eating a leisurely breakfast and watching last nights Coronation Street. I always watch this after recording, so I can miss all the tedious, + meaningless, adverts.
Just returned home after spending a really lovely day on our daughter & s.i.l’s new narrowboat, “Charity” cruising along the Kennet & Avon Canal. The weather was dry, intermittently sunny but with quite a chilly wind. I was amazed that our daughter handled the 60ft boat so well while s.i.l and grandson did all the work on the locks and at a swing Bridge. It was really difficult getting out of, and back into, the marina at Newbury due to the wind and current on the water. Lots of to-ing and fro-ing, 10 point turns really, not easy with a 60 footer but she managed very well, and avoided hitting the bank or any other boats. I was very proud of her! A lovely picnic lunch at a quiet spot accompanied by several swans, ducks and other water birds was the highlight, before heading back to Newbury and then home.
ReplyDeleteSounds idyllic and just my sort of a wonderful day out.
DeleteVery envious of your daughter and S in L Archerphile. I have always wanted a holiday on a narrow boat, but so far have only ever managed the odd day here and there.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely form of travel, and so peaceful and at a pace of life that we should experience daily.
I am meeting a friend at Hungerford next Friday, and hoping to have lunch on or near to the canal.
Miriam, you haven't kept us up to date with your neighbours, I thought they had gone their separate ways.
Obviously not.
Yet !
Not yet!! But ever hopeful 😀 🤞 They are not the neighbours they once were - which is actually quite sad.
DeleteI went to the RHS Malvern autumn show yesterday and the weather was great, no rain and lots of sunshine. Not sure if the following is for here or the other blog. Anyhow, there was a very large marquee with an advert saying ‘The Gin Experience’, and inside a lot of gin people with their bottles of various gins and botanicals. Round we went tasting a variety of (IMO) disgusting concoctions.
ReplyDeleteWe were approached by a woman who asked if we would like a taste of her gin, and while we chatted I inquired if Toby Fairbrother was exhibiting his Scruff Gin. She replied she didn’t know who he was, and when I explained she was extremely amused.
A second exhibitor offered his gin, a mix of cherry and orange bitters, he explained that when he went into the gin business it took him nearly a year to get the ingredients right, but he still couldn’t make the gin work. He then resorted to using a larger distillery [in the business for 19 years) who tested his ingredients over a period of two months until they were satisfied with the product. They now produce his gin.
It might have been a good idea for the S/Ws to explore the difficulties and time needed to research the use of botanicals before handing over to TB.
Then suddenly I tasted a very nice drink I thought was gin. It turned out to be vodka infused with passion 🍈 fruit. Maybe Toby should expand his business and have another drink in case the Scruff gin loses its popularity. Then the only person we hear drinking it is the ever tipsy Lilian.
Ooo, that sounds like a good day out Stasia! 🤪
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible windy, rainy + cold day. My puss cat is sitting by the catflap, keeps putting her head out, as she is judging when to dash out for the "necessities". She must be desparate by now.
ReplyDeleteI hope others, have fared better.
Still I am looking forward to the athletics to be shown, soon.
Very wet here too Miriam, so glad I cut my grass yesterday. As the sheep wern't in the field opposite I took Misty there for her walk. She spent the time sniffing for mice/moles and digging, whilst I got cold !!
ReplyDeleteSounds lovely. I so wanted to mow lawns yesterday, but couldn't do, as were treated on Thursday with moss control, weed control and a feed. As a result I couldn't do (needs 3 days to get things working their magic).
DeleteI made a list today. Several birthdays in the offing, and one or two other things to do soon. Only one task today, now ticked off.
ReplyDeleteAs well as walking the dog I did over an hour in the garden.
This was not on my list, but part of a massive job of clearing, which will be ongoing.
Also two ten minute sessions of training ( door desensitisation ) with Lady.
She did well.
How lucky you were dry enough - to be able to work in the garden today. I have given up, and the fire is now lit for the first time.
DeleteThere are red flood alerts out for nearby rivers - but not close to me.
It was dry enough to take the dogs to Quarr Abbey this morning but was a bit windy! Dudley is astounded by the pigs there as I don’t think he is a country dog! He takes his guarding duties very seriously so we have an issue with barking every time there is a noise. He does stop if I go to the door, look out and say all is well so I hope we can calm down his reflexes a bit!
ReplyDeleteArcherphile Sept 28th 6.27pm
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful day I felt relaxed just reading about it 🤗
This being the narrow boat Mr A helped to bring to its new home in recent times...
Sorry everyone, but we in Glasgow have had warm(ish) sunshine for the past 3 days - it's been lovely!
ReplyDeleteSettling onto the sofa now to watch Scotland v Samoa...
I see they won GG and are still in with a chance!
DeleteJust want to share my good nights sleep as it is so rare.
ReplyDeleteI woke at around midday, actually feeling that I had slept peacefully.
Not sure what time I dropped off, but it was after a couple of chapters of my current book, and probably about two o'clock.
I have no memory of trying to sleep so think I must have dropped off quickly and didn't wake at all throughout the rest of the night.
Wonderful !
There must have been something in the air yesterday, as I too slept really well. I went to bed, listening to Ed Reardon's Week, and woke up at 8.20am..which is late for me. I haven't slept that heavily for months.
ReplyDeleteGood result for Scotland GG : fingers crossed other results go their way..
ReplyDeleteMiriam : 1st fire of the autumn for us last night, lovely! Close the shutters & snuggle up😊
...and I have started knitting again, which is a sure sign the seasons are changing. I spent over an hour in the wool shop today, choosing patterns + wools.
DeleteFirst project is for my new grand-niece due in Jan.2020. It is small + quick to do, so a good starter, to get me going again.
I watched Country File last night .
ReplyDeleteThe winner of the Calendar photography competition was mentioned.
The people’s choice was of a little mouse eating an apple.
Lovely
Except......
The photographer had set it up in her studio with all her equipment
I think that is cheating .
Surely the idea is for ordinary folk to take a photo with their IPhone or box brownie?
..........actually outside in the country.
ReplyDeletePusscat will not go out, due to the high winds and torrential rain.
ReplyDeleteStill, I hope if she gets really desparate, she will perform in the bath, as she has done before (as she won't use a litter tray). At least it is easy to clean up 😹😺😩
Just had an enormous anchovy and garlic pizza whilst watching "Annie Hall" in front of the fire with the noise of the heavy rain beating against the windows.
ReplyDeleteBliss...🍕📺🔥
Anchovies and garlic Gary sounds bliss indeed, plus Annie Hall.....
DeleteA perfect evening in.
I'm envious
LanJan: 7.59
ReplyDeleteI thought exactly the same about the Countryfile calendar winner. That’s cheating, I shouted at the television. Rigging up a sort of cage arrangement indoors, putting a mouse and an apple in and waiting for mouse to show interest in the Apple!
Mr A disagreed and thought it was legitimate but I thought of all those other amateur photographers, walking miles, in all weathers searching for genuine natural scenes and wildlife to create their photos.
I’d be p.s..d off to hear an ‘engineered’ photo had won, however cute it was!
I agree.
ReplyDeleteAlso not a Woody Allen fan.
Anchovies & garlic à volonté !
ReplyDeleteArcherphile, we are not alone.(me 7:59pm,you 10:18pm yesterday)
ReplyDeleteThere is a piece in The Times agreeing with us.
Other viewers ,like us ,thought it was cheating.
Lanjan. I also watched Country File and was astonished 😮 at the contrived photo arrangement. The winner appeared to be very professional not someone who would use a box brownie or iPhone.
DeleteI was given a box brownie when I was about 9 years old. I think they maybe obsolete in the photography world.
Lanjan: 8.38
ReplyDeleteJolly Good Lanjan! I’m glad we’re not alone. They usually say, at the start of the contest that pictures should not be submitted by professional photographers and not have been entered in other competitions.
I think they need to add another clause about photos being genuine scenes and wildlife taken outdoors and not in mocked up studios with captured animals or false backgrounds.
Which makes me wonder - how did the winner get hold of that field mouse ?
Stasia : 9.24
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not I still have my Kodak Box Brownie in its little brown canvas case!
My first ever camera. The case is a bit tatty now, mildewed, with the strap gone all stiff and cracked. But I wonder if the camera would still work - if I could possibly get a film for it?
Archerphile. I think the little door mouse was provided by a sanctuary/preservation trust.
DeleteFeels slightly bizarre to be sat in the garden reading about the warnings of truly dire weather in the South of England. It's glorious sunshine here in Glasgow and will be again tomorrow. Hope nobody here has any problems - hear there are major issues on the Isle of Man. Take care all!
ReplyDeleteHow lucky you are GG.
DeleteI also hope that others are safe, well + dry.
The area of Norfolk, where my younger sister lives (luckily she is away from the coast) have had some compulsuary evacuations today, as the coastal defences are expected to be breached tonight, due to high tides + winds.
Those likely to be affected, had to leave by 10.00am this morning, for at least 24hrs.
I had some wonderful, but not unexpected, news today.
ReplyDeleteMy nephew-in-law, has had it confirmed today, that he is now officialy, a level 3 professional cricket coach.
This is a wonderful, personal acheivement for him (as a an ex-alcoholic + gambler) as he has turned his life around.
...and he's still only 38yrs! I am proud of him and I am so delighted for my neice, who stood by + supported him throughout his dark times.
DeleteThey are moving soon, and will have their first child, a daughter, in January.
It just shows that after adversity - good times can follow, for both now + the future.
DeleteWhat super news Miriam 👏🏻 - a very inspiring story and you n-i-l deserves his hard earned success (and your lovely niece too for living through the dark times with him.)
DeleteThank-you Lady R.
DeleteThey recentley celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, but their marriage has not always been a bed of roses! Still with help + support from both families, they are still together and are very happy and content, with a good life + future, ahead of them, along with their "bubba" when she arrives (a new grand niece for me).
I've only just looked at this blog so apologies for being late with this. Thank you Gary for the adorable dog video. I've had a lifelong love of dogs and couldn't consider living without one. I am always wary/suspicious of people who don't like animals.
ReplyDeleteMe too !
DeleteStasia: 10.05
ReplyDeleteI was trying to remember if it was a field mouse or dormouse used in that photo, thank you for confirming it for me.
The fact that it came from a sanctuary makes it even more of a cheat to me - it was caught or bred and not an animal out in the wild.
Think I’ll take a photo of my neighbours cat sitting by the hearth next year and see If I get away with it!
Very mixed weather in my neck of the woods, constant change between sun and rain, the plus-side was seeing 3 rainbows as I drove home from work 🌈
ReplyDelete3 pots of gold then! Hope you find at least one of them.🌈🏆😊
DeleteWe have had strong winds, spells of torrential rain, really impressive waves rolling in, part of a cliff hedge collapse, and my lovely newly met daughter in law from the Philippines said " but I didn't think you got typhoons here" !!!! And there was me hoping we would have good weather so the climate change wouldn't be too much of a shock for her.
ReplyDelete😁
DeleteBeautiful blue sky and warm-ish sun here today after a miserable day yesterday.
DeleteSo nice, in fact, that Mr A is taking his glider up for a cross-country flight today, probably the last one of the year before the glider is packed up for the winter.
There have been a number of references to FOSO On the TA blog this morning.
ReplyDeleteI too miss FOSO but when I have said so in the past there have been a number of replies from others that were pretty negative about him.
He did look in here a couple of times in the last year and was welcomed.
However he disappeared again, and I doubt will be back.
My feelings are that having re appeared he took time to read back to the closed blogs, found the many disapproving and negative posts referring to him, and decided to give us a miss.
I could of course be wrong, and if he is still reading our blog, he may choose to speak for himself.
Off to the sun drenched deck of my local for a few well deserved drinks! Been in the garden for about 4 hours planting bulb after bulb after bulb after bulb.
ReplyDeleteIf I don't get too squiffy I will attend a talk by the eminent clever clogs A.C. Grayling this evening entitled "The Idea of a Moral Constitution" - could be very interesting given recent events!
Ooh Gary..... was in a restaurant some years ago and he was at the next table smooching a young woman.
ReplyDeleteYes a clever clogs.
But not a person I would want to know.
I like FOSO .
ReplyDeleteHe came to my support when someone had a go at me!
A.C. Grayling - very interesting philosopher, Gary; enjoy your well earned drink, but please don't be completely out of it because he's an engaging, clear & accessible speaker, as well as writer. Heard him at the Hay Festival some years ago.
ReplyDeleteAgree Carolyn regarding him in his professional capacity.
DeleteOn a personal level....... a different matter perhaps.
Mrs P., Lanjan, I certainly made some negative comments about FOSO in the early day of this blog, & wouldn't retract them, even if he did bother to look back following his brief appearance here. We did spar on the BBC blog, often. Can understand you approving of someone who was supportive of you, Lanjan, perfectly natural, but he wasn't above taking pot shots himself !
ReplyDeleteYes Carolyn, you and others, Stasia at least, I think, ( if wrong, apologies) made negative comments about him. Basia says no memory of this, but those comments were on this blog, not the BBC blog Basia.
DeleteI think FOSO was a ' marmite' character, love/hate.
On the whole I was prepared to spar with him, when it suited me to do so, but he could be very waspish and I recognised that.
What I found so difficult to take was his lack of recognition of women's intuition.
( not to say men don't have intuition, of course )
MrsP I was not very keen on some of Foso’s comments I sometimes felt as though he was a tad patronising and teacherish in his responses. I didn’t personally get into arguments, but do remember receiving a long reprimand on my use of the term et al.i thought I was perfectly justified in including in my comment. We can all become a bit negative about some characters but his unrelenting love of St.PIP was a little over the top.
DeleteMaybe he will read this discussion and pop back with his 👩🎓hat on.
Today has been a lovely cool, but sunny + slightly breezy day. It's the lull before the next rain + winds, which will start again tomorrow afternoon. At least, I have managed to get a big wash, dried outside today and did a good shop, so can stay dry + warm for the next 2/3 days.
ReplyDeletePS A potential overnight frost, is forecast for tonight, but still resisting putting CH on.
This might well change soon, it depends how good the bed-socks are.... along with my own HWB-my puss cat. 😺
I believe FOSO (in his last contributions) said he was either going into hospital for an op. or some sort of 'investigation'. Of course I may be wrong. I enjoyed his 'Marmite' contributions. Imho it makes a blog much more interesting than just cosy chit-chat. There is a place for both, however. Each to his own. I've noticed the few men who do contribute, on the whole, have much more 'off-kilter' and humorous observations!......So more male contributions would be welcomed by me.🤔.......I'm not talking about contrariness either.......where's the fun in that I ask myself🙄
ReplyDeleteWell, I’m sticking up for FOSO, I really enjoyed his contributions about his extra-Archers activities and thought he was a very interesting man who enjoyed similar pass times and activities to me.
ReplyDeleteTrue he did speak his mind on occasion and got into one or two spats with other contributors but I never seemed to be at crossed swords with him, and I do miss him
There were one or two other bloggers on the BBC blogs who could be downright nasty and vindictive at times - one in particular made me decide to leave twice, though I later returned when I had licked my wounds - but FOSO wasn’t like that. Outspoken yes, but never cruel.
I came across FOSO on another blog. I believe he was/is having a medical problem, if I recall correctly. Perhaps this is why he is not posting at this time.
DeleteIf so I wish him well.
FOSO, yes he told us he was under medical investigation, though he didn't expect it to amount to much. Very disappointing that he never came back to give us the results. I often wonder.... so if you look in. let us know how you are please.
ReplyDeleteI believe he was a great fan of strictly come dancing and used to blog there.
Well Done Dina Asher-Smith
ReplyDelete🥇🇬🇧
Marmite and spats or not, I too wish FOSO would return.
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten that he told us about a medical issue.
I also hope it was, as he anticipated, not very serious.
And if he is looking in I wish him well.
Stasia on the other blog you said you are a hard wired feminist. I feel that regardless of gender, race or mobility we all deserve to fulfil our potential so to that end yes I am a feminist too. However, sometimes and I’m sure not in your case feminism manifests in deep Rooted hatred of men which I can’t stand as I love Male company in general and feel the sexes need to pull together in our world. My husband, Mike and I once sat at a table for eight on a cruise. We were subjected to a continuous tirade from one female attacking men. Mike would only stand so much of this and finally said “Did you ever have a man and if so did it last for less than a year?” There was shocked silence but I think we all thought it! After that she pointedly turned her head away when she saw me around the ship as if I was responsible for what he had said! I often hear this attitude on Woman’s Hour and feel sorry that they have to be so derogatory about half the population!
ReplyDeleteSomeone I know received such abuse when he opened a door for a woman that he said he never would again unless he knew the woman well. Such a shame because there is a lot to be said for old fashioned courtesy.
DeleteWell said Ev. And I agree that while I wish everybody, regardless of their sex, to have the same opportunities and rewards as everyone else I do get fed up with the anti-male attitude of some programmes and individuals. One example being Jennifer's reaction to Lexi having a male midwife. Just as there are many ‘men’s jobs’ that women are perfectly able to do, it works the other way round as well!
ReplyDeleteEv and Archerphile. Thank you both for your opinions re the anti men version of feminism.
ReplyDeleteI have worked with some remarkably able women and agree that women can do almost any job.
I raise a glass to Ev's husband for his stand against the so called feminist on the cruise.
Ev 10.12pm
ReplyDeleteI think I became a feminist at the age of seven, of course I had never heard the word until I was in my late teens. My mother brought us up without the physical support of my father who worked and lived elsewhere, but provided lots of money, later they divorced. I am the eldest of seven and was expected to help mind my younger siblings. Except for my two youngest brothers we were mostly an all female household. My father would turn up several times a year and play the role of Mr bountiful and of course we all loved him being there. He wrote letters (individually) every week, and phoned, but essentially he and my mother had relationship difficulties.
These experiences I now know pushed me into psychiatry as a profession. When I was a student I joined a women’s group and became active in women’s causes. I also was a member of a mental health women’s group looking at the role of women as professional carers and how psychiatry intervenes in the treatment of women.
I am not antagonistic towards men and never have been, however there is a group of radical feminists who do alienate themselves by choice. I have never been interested in joining such a group.
I suppose my background and where I grew up influenced me enormously in the choice and decisions I made in life.
I shall stop using the term hard wired! Just another one of my hyperbolic ways of making a point. 😄
Thank you for telling us your history Stasia and about your ‘ type’ of feminism. It is very interesting to hear your views on this topic and how your childhood helped influence your development.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone here knows I was adopted as a baby and grew up with a much older Mum and Dad. Our family ran on very Victorian lines - Dad worked and brought in the money; Mum stayed at home and did all the housewifey things like shopping, cooking, housework and my childcare. In fact my Mum had never, ever had a job because she had to look after her own family from the age of 14 when her Mum died.
So, I grew up thinking men did the important things, like earning money, and women stayed at home. It has taken me many years, and the example of having a very feisty, feminist daughter, who went to University and got a first-rate job as well as producing three children, to learn otherwise.
I now find it very difficult to believe I allowed my Dad to dictate that I couldn’t cut my hair until I was 21, couldn’t join the WRNS (strange for an ex-Navy Officer) or go to University because I was a girl, and would have to give up work when I got married! Thankfully I have learned better!
I think it a shame when low wages and the consequent need for two wages forces a woman, who may genuinely love the homemaking role, into paid employment.
ReplyDelete...and then back into the unpaid employment at 5 o' clock to prepare dinner ..do the laundry ... take the kids to polo lessons and take care of elderly relatives!
DeleteArcherphile, you are not the only one......
ReplyDeleteI had no intention of becoming a teacher but because my best subject was maths and they were short of maths teachers I was told by my head mistress that I should become a maths teacher!
My parents who both left school at 14 were thrilled .
They thought I would get married and give up work anyway
I just went along with it!!
Of course what actually happened was exactly what Autumnleaves mentioned including of course the gardening and decorating.
Janice I am not sure that it is just the low wages that force women to take paid employment nowadays.
ReplyDeleteEvery young person I know has a car, is able to eat out regularly, is able to take foreign holidays and has loads of clothes etc.
If people were prepared to cut their cloth according to their means ,it might not be necessary for both parents to go out to work.
On the other hand it is good for both mother and young child to spend time apart during the day and if a suitable nursery can be found and both parents take equal shares regarding work in the home(which was not the case for me) then it isn’t a bad thing.
I think that yes in some cases that may well be true, but here in Cornwall , in an area of low wages, there are many couples who both work and who would never be able to afford to go abroad for holidays or eat out except perhaps for a once a week trip to the local fish and chip shop.
DeleteWent into a bakery today to treat Mr LJ to his favourite loaf of bread !
ReplyDeleteI could not believe it .
A seeded bloomer cost me £2:60 !
There was a tray of cup cakes ,each one costing £1:60 and a slice of millionaires shortbread was £1:90.
My favourite Chelsea buns which I last bought when they were about 70p were £1:60 .
I was speechless.
LJ Have you looked at ready-prepared bread mixes, to make your own?? These are cost effective, and easy to use, though can take time.
DeleteDon’t like baking,Miriam!
DeleteI found looking after elderly parents, was far more demanding + time consuming, than looking after youngsters. This was due to being them being so set in their ways, and would not accept any changes.
ReplyDeleteI still wish they were here though, in spite of this.
Ev yesterday 10.12
ReplyDeleteI can understand your views on the unacceptable behaviour of your fellow passenger.
You say you cant stand deep rooted hatred of men in feminists.
I don't believe that any of us are born hating. We are all coloured by life experiences. Life can be very cruel and harsh for some and maybe this has influenced their views.
We are taught to forgive, but forgetting can be very difficult.
Therapy hasn't always been around, and like alcaholics, you have to be ready to accept it.
It is a sad fact of life that men continue to abuse women, there was some startling facts on rape at our universities on the news this morning.
I acknowledge that women do abuse men, but the numbers are small by comparison.
Abuse of power , by men still exists in every aspect of our lives, we do need to stand up and be counted.
I am not an ardent feminist, but lifes experiences has taught me to be wary.
I’m sorry to hear that CowGirl. I have not had bad experiences with men and you have to balance it up. There are many decent men out there to counter the ones who do abuse women.
DeleteAutumnleaves 11.11am.
ReplyDeleteThere was a feminist group in the eighties who were very vociferous in their demands for ‘Wages for housework’. I believe they are active in the US. Many women I met professionally felt that their brains has gone to mush with childcare and house work and couldn’t waist to get back to work. They felt isolated and reduced to baby/child talk and always tired.
Interesting as research out today is indicating a rise in sexism and violence towards women in the universities.
Cowgirl4.51pm
ReplyDeleteInteresting we have both made the same comment. Are you telepathic or am I?
stasia 4.55
DeletePerhaps both.
I have been out today and spent much time thinking about what I was going to say, as a Yorksire Lass, I can be rather blunt! not always helpful
Stasia. 4.52
DeleteYes agree. I'm sure the majority of new mums can't wait to get back to the " real world "and to have conversations that don't revolve around their babies.
A dear colleague of mine had twins 3 years ago ...she came back to work for just 2 hours a day ..she said it was her salvation that she wasn't going "doo lalley"
In fact when I lived in the U.S. in 80's it became common for fathers to stay at home with the kids "Mr. Mom" . ..it depended on who got the the much coveted benefits.mum or dad
DeleteChanged days indeed from when when I grew up
Sadly, the High Court Judges, have discarded the case and appeal, for all of us 1950's born females, as to the delay in claiming their well earned SSP.
ReplyDeleteIt was decided that there was no sex discrimination and there was no lack of information. I don't agree with this, but I am in
a minority, as I am one very much affected. Born Sept.1954 and SSP due - Sept 2020.
Rant Over!!!!
I:shall rant with you. Many of these women are living on the bread line or even below it.
DeleteI am retired, and am still soley financing my income + life. I am lucky, as I can manage this, but it is getting more difficult, as my income has not changed for 5 years.
DeleteStill I have a roof over my head, drive a car, and have a good life. What should I moan about..nothing really, apart for the principle.
CH on for the 1st time!!
ReplyDeleteSo cold here, with very high winds and rain just starting.
I am keeping it on a low setting for the time being.
Autumn has well and truely begun. 😥
I was born in 1948 and got my pension at 60. However in this category I had to have the equivalent of 39 years of contributions. I gave up work on marriage as we took on Mike’s two girls from his first marriage. Also the moving around every two years wasn’t conducive to having a job. I was also happy to be a homemaker but was offended by people saying “do you work?” I used to say “yes I work really hard!” I was given credit for childcare and then had a shortfall so we paid some £4000 to make up my pension. Even so it wasn’t possible at that time to make it up to full pension and I ended up with 93%. Subsequently the number of contributions required did go down so that if I had been born in 1950 or so I would have qualified for full pension. Maybe a lot of ladies born later did not realise the pension age was going up so didn’t have the opportunity to plan ahead. We certainly didn’t realise early enough that I had to have my own contribution record and it would no longer be based on my husband’s. Whenever you are born you are caught in the changing regulations. I do think there should have been more stages in equalising pension age for men and women and not this sudden jump from 60 to 65. Incidentally at 60 I felt far too young to have a State pension!! So sorry many women find themselves in poverty as a result of these changes.
ReplyDeleteIt suddenly jumped, in my case, to 66, in spite of the full and neccessary contributions,being all paid. I was not informed of this (my last info was a SSP in 2018). It was a massive shock, as I had already given up work. As I said, I can still support myself, and how lucky I am.
DeleteI left school in the week of my fifteenth birthday and started work three days later.
ReplyDeleteI worked for ten years before marrying and giving up work at 7/8 months pregnant.
I spent the next eleven years as an at home mother bringing up two daughters with a husband constantly in debt, and being physically impaired myself with illness.
I was kept unaware of the debts until the bailiffs called and remained unaware of the fact that my husband never paid his self employed stamp.
When I became a single parent I returned to the world of employment and continued to work spasmodically until retirement at sixty, when I would have liked to have continued.
But due to my fluctuating health issues which had plagued my life since my teenage years and were particularly bad at that time I took my pension.
During the years of work I had paid extra subscriptions to allow me to get a pension at all.
When I did get it, the pension was not a full amount due to the lack of contributions from my husband. But interestingly the bulk of my pension is made up of my contributions as a single young woman before my marriage.
I too could look at my situation and claim it to be unfair.
Better to get on with life as it is, whether treating you good or ill, rather than constantly moaning about it.
We live in a generally civilised country, most of us with a roof over our heads and some food in our bellies.
It's all relative.
Ev, I agree, there are many decent men to counteract those who are not.
ReplyDeleteBut some women have had such poor, or even bad experiences with men that they do become man haters, such as some of the radical feminists that some of us might have known or had experience of.
I volunteered for many years on women's help lines, and heard appalling tales of abuse and coercion, as well as experiences of women abused by men as children whether in the family or outside of it.
I grew up in a family with a dictatorial father but a spirited mother and I had witnessed her being physically abused when a very small child. She learned to become tough and to stand up to him. I learned to stand up to him and to take him on in argument.
But he had throughout my life also held up to me as example, strong spirited women, often in professional life, who clearly led lives without male partners.
He gave me very conflicting messages.
But we were also a family within the Salvation Army, and all my experiences within that world were that women were equal to men. An Army Officer must have a female partner who is the equal in rank of him, ( it may be different now, I do not however know.) and there was no division of labour as far as our ' clergy' were concerned.
This gave me a very strong sense that as a woman I could do anything that any man could do despite not being able to do woodwork at school as the boys did, but housework and cookery instead.
So I for one have never felt the need to be a radical feminist and I have never hated men or indeed any particular man.
But I do have an empathy for women who do, because I have some understanding of what might have led them to such radical attitudes.
As an adult woman, I have taken on woodwork, built several of my own kitchens, renovated several houses including building walls, and have never said I can't do that because it's men's work.
Good for you, Mrs P! It is interesting to talk about gender stereotyping. Are men better at the tasks you have set out by nature or are they taught that they should be because they are males? Do we give little girls dolls to condition them or is it more in their nature to nurture and look after? Very difficult to say!
ReplyDeleteAs for your father I have always wondered how people with a real faith can abuse others in any way. How do they reconcile one with the other?
Perhaps because they cannot separate the God they believe in from their own personalities i.e. a rigid authoritarian person believes in a rigid authoritarian God, so their own behaviour then seems to have divine justification.
DeleteWell put, Janice. I think you are right.
DeleteEv and Janice - my father was abused as a child by both parents, but in different ways.
DeleteHe was kindness itself to all children, always claiming that there were no bad children, only bad parents.
Each of us has the capacity to hold within us good and bad.
And each of those can be manifest in so many different ways.
Did anyoneone listen to the radio programme Growing Pains with Grace Dent??
ReplyDeleteIt included "The Ambridge Guide to Teenagers" - fascinating.
It had original clips of a very young Ed talking with Fallon, Eddie taking Ed to The Bull on a New Years Eve, Alice cooking with Chris in Home Farm, before she left for Southampton (with Jennifer interfering as normal - nothing changes) along with mentions of John, Emma Grundy and Jazzer.
It was very interesting.
Oops I made a mistake....
DeleteEd mentioned Emma Carter (not Grundy as previously wrote).
Regarding the change in pension age for women - I was sorting through old paperwork last week (thank you to all the bloggers who gave hints and tips about lists and avoiding procrastination). I came across a letter from the DWP (or whatever it was called then), informing me that my pension age was changing and would be at 66. I am 62 now. The letter was sent maybe 10-15 years ago. I remembered receiving it, so did not have the shock of being informed at the very age I was expecting to receive the state pension. I am away from home now, so cannot check the date on the letter. I do agree that a stepped change would have been fairer, but given that the age had been set at the start of the welfare state when a post retirement life expectancy was much shorter than now, something surely had to change.
ReplyDeleteExactly Zoetrope. I remember there were many advance 'warnings' that the pension age was rising so I don't know how the recent court case could say they had no time to re-arrange their plans for retirement.
DeleteIt was phased in so some women had their pension at 62, some born a little later until they were 64 and then as the men's pension age was increased women's came into step with it.
As you say it was the post retirement length of life , as well as the continued demand for equality of the sexes (my belief only), that drove the change. I particularly remember someone saying,
" Women get their pension at 60 and get 15 years to enjoy it, whereas men get theirs at 65 and die!"
Why would someone want to get to a date and then want, and expect, that they could now just sit around and do exactly as they want for twenty odd years!
I am 71 years old and could not imagine not 'working' in some way!
I fit in some tutoring every week , the occasional catering job, exam marking in the Summer, as well as weekly 3 hours with a Cub pack, interacting with children and parents, and five or six whole day activities during the year with them; and during the summer about 12 hours voluntarily catering each week at the cricket club.
All these lead to stimulate the mind and stop me concentrating just on myself.
I also meet four different friends for coffee each month, one a week! 😀
I am not unusual by a long way!
Day time TV, occasional trips to the shops, but no conversations with real live people? Ugghhhh!
Slight blip at the moment healthwise but I have not dropped any of my 'commitments' at all! 😀
Spicy - you make me feel ashamed! I am in relatively good health for my age apart from the hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and creeping arthritis, but I am not nearly as active as you.
DeleteI do watch daytime TV around lunch-times, visit one or other of the local towns to shop once a week, have no real friends to spend time with, but spend most of my free time gardening, doing jigsaws on rainy days and visiting NT properties etc in the summer months. This must sound like anathema to you, but I suppose I am used to it.
I very much regret the cancelling of local authority evening/daytime classes because they were a source of great interest, the chance to learn something new (in my case, watercolour painting, pottery and Italian) and somewhere to meet up regularly with other folk of similar age.
I used to belong to a WI for many years but our local one became very ‘cliquey’ and a bit of a gossip-shop, reluctant to recruit new younger members and resistant to any changes in their years-old routines and customs - very much ‘but we’ve always done it this way’-ish
I believe it has now closed down.
I did enjoy looking after my 3 local grandchildren before and after school and for some of their school holidays for many years. They kept me young and were a constant source of joy and wonderment but they are all now much too old to need a Grandma looking after them! I regarded that as a proper, if unpaid, job and loved it.
But now I am content to sink into relative inactivity, enjoy my hobbies and one or two good holidays a year. This might be due to living in the country with few facilities around and many local institutions having closed....
....or it might just be that I have become lazy in old age?! 🤔
My understanding was that the age of 60 for women was supposed to reflect the fact many of them way back looked after elderly parents etc so had less time to make contributions and needed the pension earlier than men. I could be wrong of course but have always been puzzled about the differential as women on average live longer than men.
ReplyDeleteSpicy I do admire your commitments which are many! I don’t sit around either but am one of those people who can’t stretch myself too far or would have a nervous breakdown! Today am picking apples and pears from the garden before they all fall off, walking dogs, doing housework and general pottering around then might go up to Majestic to order some wine as there are some special prices! Have checked my bank online and paid a further deposit for Tenerife holiday next year. So it goes on! Have a good day everyone!
I’ve just had a good news telephone call. My new varifocal lenses have arrived including the prisms in that I am needing to correct the double vision I am suffering with at the moment with my thyroid eyes. I’ve had some prisms in just long distance lenses for a couple of weeks as an experiment and the optician wanted to wait to see what the doctor would advise but I couldn’t bare it any longer. I have some cheap reading glasses and I’ve been swapping glasses on and off all the time depending what I’ve been doing. Total nightmare. I could only use one eye with the reading glasses because of the double vision.
ReplyDeleteI’m very excited to be going to get my new ones this aft. It makes you appreciate your eyesight and I feel for anyone with impaired vision.
My mother had macular degeneration and was registered blind before she died so I have seen just how devastating it is to lose your sight. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Hope you get on well with the new glasses PTBY. I made an a long overdue appointment with the optician last week (about 2 years overdue! ☹ ).I have had varifocals for about seven years at least, much better than bi-focals.
DeleteI go to Vision Express and took in one old pair of glasses and chose a lovely new pair of royal blue frames (very Prue Leith!) and as almost everything is half price there at the moment got both sets of lenses, one frame and thorough test for just over £200!. Very pleased with this as I had to pay over £500 for two pairs four years ago!
The opthalmist told me that she wanted to see me again in 12 months time as I have the beginnings of a cataract in my left eye and the steroids can speed that condition but nothing to worry about now.
I have had prisims before as I tend to get double vision especially outdoors. Last summer we were at a match one fine afternoon and I heard the distinctive sound of a Spitfire engine. I went outside the club house and watched a beautiful aerobatic display over the Medway/Thames estuary. It took a full five minutes for my eyes to focus and realise that there was only one aeroplane, not two syncronised flying!!
I keep myself busy because I have no partner I suppose. Those of you lucky to have partners to have days out and holidays together I envy! On the other hand I only have to please myself and if I want to drive myself on a whim and visit somewhere I can. There is always my Sat Nav to talk to me!!!🤣
Spicycushion. You are an inspiration. 👏😆
DeleteAnd very brave too I think.
DeleteSpicycushion as Stasia says you are an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHowever you are still relatively young
Don’t feel bad if when you are 6 or 7 years older you don’t feel like doing all you do now.
When I was your age I thought nothing of driving 70 +miles there and back to watch a cricket match.
Until a year or so ago I power walked round Richmond Park with my Nordic Poles.
I could work all day in the garden.
Not any more.
I don’t watch daytime television.
So far I have never been bored.
I pace myself .
Work in the morning(includes shopping and gardening) -afternoon at leisure.
Bliss !
I have had many wonderful holidays and now all being well I hope to go by train-first class- to North Yorkshire on Monday for a few days.
If someone had told me 10 years ago I would have settled for the life I have now I would not have believed him or her.
Yet I really enjoy the life I lead now.
I have reached the age where if I want it I will have it.
(I don’t want much anyway)
Carry on Spicy doing what you are doing but do feel free to give yourself time off.
Next Cricket Season if you don’t feel like doing cricket teas then let someone else do it.
If you still want to then obviously that is fine.
You are as old as you feel so they say.
When I go out in my bootleg jeans I don’t feel as if I am in my late 70s..
Re cataracts Spicy.
I have had one in each eye for several years and have now been sent three times to see a Consultant .
Each time I have been told that since my eyesight without glasses is fine for driving there is no point in having them removed.
The same thing may well happen to you.
Sorry this is long winded.
I wanted to say that if one is fortunate ,Old age can be most enjoyable.
Oh and another thing
ReplyDeleteTwo of the friends I value most are a lot younger than I am.
I love their company.
If you want to stay young the answer is to have young friends and a good sense of humour.
It works
👏👏 I'll second that
DeleteLanjan: 1.26
ReplyDeleteI recognise exactly what you say, that’s has happened to me too.
I remember, back in my 40s - 50s making all sorts of plans for what I should do after retirement.
I was going to stand for election to the County Committee of Hampshire WI, go to lots of meetings, become a County advisor and visit lots of different village WIs
I was going to go on a different course at Denman College every year or start an on an Open University degree.
I was going to join the Parish Council and get things sorted out locally.
I was going to do so many things that I couldn’t attempt whilst still working full time.
And I was really looking forward to it. What I didn’t reckon on was the ageing process!
The tiredness, lack of energy, dodgy hips and knees, failing eyesight etc etc.
As they say, the well laid plans of mice and men (or women)..........!
PtbY (9.49), good news indeed about your 'all purpose glasses'. Late afternoon now, so maybe you're already swanning around in them, & can read properly, in comfort now ! Let us know.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say to those with catarcts. I have had both mine done this year. One was quite bad, the other I didn't even know it was there, apart from a difference in seeing white (it was cream)
ReplyDeleteHowever the difference after both, is amazing. It showed to me how the better eye was deteriorating, without me really realising it. At all times I could drive, but I wouldn't drive after dark, due to the glare of headlights of other cars.
My advice is:- do not put off cataract procedures. It is quick (15-20 mins) and the outcome is very surprising re my sight.
For the first time in my life- I have almost perfect vision (no glasses or contacts needed for normal life) just reading + driving for one eye only.
To add.
DeleteBear in mind the long waiting times. It took over 18 months, from my optician/GP referral until the final outcome.
Re cataracts
ReplyDeleteI was referred this year and seen inside 4months.
I would not have known I had cataracts had the Optician not told me.
I do not need glasses for driving .
I do have reading glasses .
The Consultant I saw was most pleasant , knowledgeable and a person whose expertise was obvious.
He explained things to me.
He said if things changed I was to get in touch with him.
He knew what he was talking about and I trusted him.
Had he said I needed an operation I would have had one .
This was on the National Health.
The way I was treated at the hospital was exemplary.
It isn’t a case of putting off the procedure but if an operation is not deemed to be necessary there is no point in having it.
I was only giving my own experience.
DeleteI was referred at the age of 63 (June 2018) and had an appointment within 3 months.
I was listed to have both the ops. due to quality of life. I didn't hesitate and so glad I didn't.
DeleteSorry
What I forgot to add was of course if the Consultant advises the operation which happened in your case ,Miriam then it is better to follow the advice of the expert as you did and have it done..
I have spent the day lounging in the sauna, steam room and swimming pool. Wonderful, and now I feel totally 😌 relaxed.
ReplyDeleteArcherphile 3.24pm. My main ambition was to to have an allotment something new and different to the day job and all the hassles that work presented.
I also wanted to contribute to my community so got myself elected as a councillor. That was a waste of time, although it did give me an insight into petty in fighting. I lasted a year and resigned.
Now my contribution is to feed the neighbours and fill the fridges for the winter.
Like you I am also a member of the NT so wherever we go the book comes with us.
We have just returned from a wet week in Cornwall and will be heading for London on the 19th Oct. Then a few days in Cambridge and on it goes! I don’t know how I ever did a job.
I don’t envy any young person today heading out for the world of work and having to work much longer than I did.
I often left home at 7.30am and then not returning home until 6.45pm...but it just had to be done.
DeleteI don't regret it though
DeleteAs a community Pharmacist/Manager, I had to provide an NHS service, in conjuction with 2 GP practices. It was hard work, yet rewarding.
I just wanted to provide the best personal, professional care + attention possible, to the best of my ability to my regular clients.
So new glasses on. Can’t say reading is 100% clear but I can angle it so I can read in them. The real test will be a trip to the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteMust say as long as I’m not swapping and changing and if it stops the headaches I’ll be a happy chappy.
Sounds good, so far.
DeleteThis must be a great help.
I agree, a supermarket shop, is the real test.
I hope it goes well.
PtbY, so pleased you have the new glasses, and hope they help with the supermarket shop.
ReplyDeleteAnd hopefully you will be saying goodbye to the headaches.
I am off tomorrow morning, for a weekend away, on child-minding duties (but only 25miles away in Nantwich, Cheshire). This is for a great niece 8yrs, and a great nephew 5yrs. These are the grand-children of my Big Sis (who is now in the IOW).
ReplyDeleteMy niece (No#1) + her partner, are having a weekend away in Liverpool.
I am looking forward to it - I think!
My puss cat will be home alone, but she will be fine and I am not concerned about her in the slightest. 😼
PtbY, hope your new specs ease the sight and headaches.
ReplyDeletePtobY
ReplyDeleteHope your eyes improve.
If you cant drive on Thursday, I can come and pick you and LanJan up, no problems
Thanks cowgirl but driving is fine. It was the reading that was the main prob. Got to go pick Lanjan up cos I’ve got the promise of a rendezvous with her son in a signal box at goathland first thing!!!
DeleteIs it Thursday or Friday??
DeleteLol. It’s wednesday seasider.
Delete10 o’clock.
PtobY
ReplyDeleteLucky you.
Glad you said Wednesday as I had it down for Thursday.
And I had Friday 11th.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, nearly 3 different get togethers 😂😂😂
ReplyDelete