parsley - 16April 12, 2021 at 10:48 PM Loved Tim & Prue's canal trips, still have their journey down the Douro, memories of our visits to n Portugal.
Sarnia - April 13, 2021 at 12:56 AM I thought the West Ham chant was 'I'm forever blowing bubbles'.
Janice - April 13, 2021 at 9:51 AM I think the " Knees Up " is an older one associated with the North Bank fans. Have just looked it up and apparently before seated stadiums became more common people could do the jig at the same time as singing the song. "I'm forever blowing bubbles" is a lovely song BUT it does have the rather despondent line "then like my dreams they fade and die"!
MrsP Ambridge - April 13, 2021 at 2:02 AM Parsley, did you see the posts a while back between me and ( I think ) esscee or it might have been annieveggie, about living in nearby places as children. She lived in Penge, I grew up at Southend Pond and went to school in Forest Hill / Sydenham. Many decades later my daughter spent her early married years in Peckham / East Dulwich borders, so I was re treading my past haunts. I really enjoyed taking my grandchildren to Hornimans where I had spent so much time myself when young. I'm not a pub person myself, but do know the Woodhouse.
parsley16 - April 13, 2021 at 9:19 AM Interesting Mrs P, I lived in Sydenham for a while (v good butchers at the top of the high st, also 2nd hand bookshop further down) before moving to Clockhouse then Chislehurst. Used Forest Hill station regularly. Worked in Bromley & SE London. My aunt & uncle lived in Upper Norwood since the late 60's, so I knew the area quite well.
parsley - 16April 13, 2021 at 9:20 AM Previous life!
Yes it was me Mrs P and Parsley. I grew up in Penge then we moved to Beckenham. I remember going to Hornimans museum one summer on the bus with some neighbourhood friends. We played in Crystal Palace Park and I remember the dinosaur like statues which I think are still there.
I also come from that neck of London. I lived about 1/2 mile from Dulwich Woodhouse, I used to play in Dulwich Woods, I went to school in Sydenham & Dulwich, got married in St Stephens (next to Sydenham Hill station) and had the reception in the conservatory behind the Horniman museum ( I think this went up in mid to late 80’s, it wasn’t there when I was a kid)
Since some of us were talking about canal boats I thought I would post a little video I found of one of my regular cycle journeys along the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, taking in The Kelpies. I can cycle all the way to Edinburgh along these two canals and barely ever have to encounter any traffic at all. On a summer's day it's hard work, but an absolute joy.
Just after the Falkirk wheel there is a 630 metre long canal tunnel you can cycle through and not long after that there is the Avon Viaduct which is 442 yards long, has 23 arches and reaches a height of 92ft. And that takes you almost right to Linlithgow Palace where Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1542. Here endeth today's class...
Oh wow I'd love that place! Last Saturday the picture round included a picture of the horses. I had no idea what country the were in but I guessed Scotland. They are magnificent.
It's a fantastic sight isn't it? At night all lit up it's surreal. I live just 500 yards from a canal and 2 hours on the bike in one direction takes me to them - but 2 hours in the other direction takes me to the shores of Loch Lomond. Lucky me!
I was in the Kelpies when I was a Brownie! Made it to Seconder, then ‘promoted to Sixer of the Leprechauns! Scottish and Irish ‘little people’ but never English. 🥲
Looks fantastic Gary. I enjoy walking near water and am lucky to have both a canal and river close to where we live. Had a walk along the canal this morning and back along a disused railway line which runs parallel to the canal, so much wildlife to be seen.
Gary, thé canal network in the UK has produced some wonderful and innovative architecture. From the days of Brindley with his tunnels and Thomas Telford with his aqueducts to the modern wonders such as your Falkirk Wheel and the Middlesbrough Bridge Lift. It’s one of the reasons I’m so interested in Canals and love to explore them.
That's wonderful GG - but I don't understand (yet) how it works. When more time, later, I shall investigate further. It's something completely new to me. Thank you for the introduction and I am extremely envious of your ability to access the canal system.
Quite a number of us from outer south London on here. Connections !
Parsley - At 16, in a flat above shops near the station in Clockhouse, I took my clothes off for my first ever sitting as a life model. For free ! This became a reasonable method of making a little extra money throughout my life, and I still model from time to time at the age of 79.
Also did part of my cadet nurse course one day a week at lovely little Beckenham Hospital. Beckenham and the Prompt Corner coffee bar, and the George were the centre of my life for two years.
Well your post certainly endorses the interesting snippets of bloggers personal lives that pop up here Mrs P 🤗 So on Wednesday (birthday 🎂) will you be joining Lanjan or is it to be what you have mentioned above. I remember the date as it is also my nieces anniversary.
Well, to be honest, we didn’t! Apart from having a rather nice dinner of Roast Lamb with all trimmings followed by Plum Cobbler with cream and a good bottle of Shiraz it was just an ordinary day really. We didn’t see or hear from any family or neighbours. Too cold to do anything in the garden, just the Sunday papers to read, jigsaw to do and an episode of Line of Duty to watch!
Lady R. Sooo jealous about your hair cut 🤢 I have to wait until May 7th for my "chop". I hate my lockdown curls. I am like:- There was a little girl, Who had a little curl, Right in the middle of her forehead.
At last. The Masterchef Final is being broadcast tomorrow night, but it replaces a new episode of, The Repair Shop! It is "swings + roundabouts", if you know what I mean.
Miriam the “new” Repair Shops are in the afternoons unless of course you didn’t see the other programmes at that point before then the evening one will still be new to you. 3 weeks to your chop Miriam which might not be too long in the scheme of things but when waiting for THAT cut will feel more than long enough! Enjoy your MC Final tomorrow 🤗
I hadn't realised they were duplicated. I just picked up that there was a new one, on BBC1 Wednesday. I thought is was the 1st new episode of a series of 3, with a teddy bear, a clock in the shape of ship, plus a vintage ceramic night light being repaired. Thanks for the info. to look at an earlier time to see the same.
I had a bad night, as to sleep last night. This was due purely, to the new covid rules..which should be good. I still feel anxious, as to going out and about again, after an awful lockdown situation, which has really affected me. I dreamt that I was working again, with very, many problems. It was an anxiety dream only, but I woke up grinding my teeth, the 1st time for ages, after whatever sleep, I had. Thank goodness for my bed-side radio + my pusscat, both of which helped.
At times I have very real dreams that I am back at work Miriam (and paranoid about being late is one of them) it is very strange when I wake up. Thank goodness you have 🐈⬛ Know what you mean about the opening up process too even though it is what we have all been waiting for....
For once, my meal is ready to be eaten at 7.00pm with TA, A simple one tonight, a portion of home-made lasagne (from freezer) with lots of veg. - carrots, green beans, cauli and brocolli.
We were online with Graham Hall talking about his book which we have, teaching us how to train our dogs. Trouble is the dogs don’t watch it! We had a takeaway Italian so it was a night out but in! Bonus was eating in our dressing gowns, being able to have wine with meal and a Cointreau afterwards. Katy never has a drink when she has to drive!
Buddy had a training class this afternoon in a field. Although he hasn’t been able to attend classes for a year he did very well especially with his recall and Katy was very proud of him. He is a friendly little dog and after restrictions are over she hopes to make him a PAT dog taking him into nursing homes etc to cheer people up. Dudley is a typical Shih Tzu and will only do as he’s told if it suits him! Up to now we have only been able to teach him to sit and wait. He is good at being deaf to both though! Gypsy of course is a princess and way above these things!
I had planned a simple meal, but once back from walking Lady I felt exhausted so got back in the car to get fish and chips. My ankle is not good. The steroid injection has reduced the pain, but after only a short rest, its agony to walk again. It's not pain, just pretty poor discomfort. And the tension that accompanies that discomfort is very tiring.
Had my telephone consultation with my GP this afternoon. I had all my ducks in a row, and written down in bullet points. She agreed with my request to re jig my replacement therapy and all sorted in less than four minutes.
Like others I'm feeling anxious about ' going out' but it's my birthday tomorrow and I'm having a day out. Not far, but far enough to warrant a sense of occasion. One birthday, two Mother's Day and two Easters alone and I'm going to make the most of this one, although it's just me and the dog.
I went shopping this aft. It was fine. Marks and Sparks quite quiet. Got a new, cheap bra from the Debenhams clearance sale so was very happy. Weighed daphne at pets at home , 29.7kg. She’s getting a big girl now. Finally called in at a lovely little oak furniture shop in a village on the way home and found the perfect dining table and chairs that I’ll be buying if the moving house all goes through. Much better to support a small family run business than oak furniture land. All in all a lovely afternoon, sunny and felt like being back to normal.
Also on a brighter note I’ve finally got a consultation with the Dr that I want to do my eye op on the 27th of this month. It’s been a real struggle to get ct scan results to send to him.
Miriam, I understand from the news that the England/Wales border is now open. Does that mean you will be able to link up with some of your family soon?
Re Welsh border: my son is coming to visit on Thursday 22nd AT LAST, but only for the day as he's not allowed in the house. We'll have to hope it's not cold.
Have just got a hair appointment for 2nd June! They will let me know though if there is a cancellation before that. I’m in for a lip and chin wax on Friday though! Whatever happens in this world, hair keeps a growing! 💇🏼♀️💁🏼🤙
I’m with you Ev having had hair cut next step is “sugaring” all face and an eyebrow tidy plus my legs / knees 🤣🤣🤣 (not that their whiteness goes on show)
Mrs P. "Happy Birthday, to You..."🎶 I hope is a lovely day and you are enjoying it, now that there is more freedom. 🍰
Sarnia. Yea 😁, as the Welsh border is open again. This has been closed, for very many months, due to the Tier systems in England, Lockdowns etc. as the difference in Wales with their rules, was so different.
I am off to see family in Wales, on Friday morning It is just a meet up with Big Sis + Hubbie, with Coffee + snacks in the garden, can't wait. I will also stop at my favourite farm shop, which is on my route, for the 1st time for very, many months.
Hopefully, after this trip + outing, the feeling of normality will begin again.
My hair appointment is May 7th. I am more excited about this, than my 2nd jab, which is in the following week.
Good news, but this really only relates to me, which is my car insurance. It has gone down dramatically on its renewal this year. I had to pay a big supplement, when I took over my new wheels, last October. Due to the time scale involved, I just accepted it (only had 24hrs to get new car registered + taxed), so no time to do anything else constructive.
The difference is, the fraudulant claim made against me, for personal injury/injuries, in 2017 which took over a year to resolve. This was shown on my insurance as, Accident-Non Fault. This seems to have now gone, and rightly so.
I was wrong, as to the Accident Non-fault, as is it still showing on my insurance documents. However, I am now insured with LV, who seem to have not taken this into account, as to my new annual payment, over £250 less than last year. Big Sis, put me onto them, and I have not had to reduce my cover, in any way.
I have LV as well. They give a reduction if you have both car and house insurance with them, and I found them very nice on the phone recently. There is normally no-one ever at the bottom of our track, and I gaily reversed down it straight back into a very posh Mercedes that had been parked there. I didn't half get shouted at by the lady owner who had left it there.
I was woken up at 7am this morning by someone crashing their car into a car parked outside our house! The had swerved trying (successfully) to avoid hitting one of the local cats. Everyone was ok, but I must admit to hoping that the person who parked outside our house now never parks there again. It REALLY annoys me on the odd occasion when someone leaves their car there - I just don't like looking out of the window and seeing a strangers car parked up.
Thank you Janice. I put it down to the good examples set by our parents. Mine managed 55 years and the in-laws a similar total. And even better, our offspring look as if they are doing the same. Or perhaps it’s just good luck 😄
I think it is good luck, Archerfile. I don’t think in general that anyone marries with divorce on their mind but sometimes the spouse doesn’t show their true colours until the ring is on the finger! Also over the years there can be a drifting apart. You grow as individuals but hopefully grow together. I only managed 43 years as Mike was nearly 11 years older than me. There was a generational difference but one important thing was that we shared a sense of humour!😊😂🤣
My parents were married for over 50 years and Mike’s for nearly 50 years but neither marriage was happy. His Mum realised within 6 months she had made a mistake and by then Mike was on the way. Her mother said she had made her bed and had to lie on it. His Dad worshipped her and the problem was really more on her side. Ever after she leaned too much on her children n with Mike’s sister bearing the brunt as he would have none of it although he did try to help where he could. My Mum was very volatile and walked out several times but inevitably came back as there was nowhere to go. There were constant rows mostly about money and I couldn’t wait to get out of it and left home at 20 having been at school until I was 18. So, no we didn’t model our marriage on our parents’! It is sad how that generation were trapped into unhappy marriage. I think if I hadn’t been basically happy I would have ended it as you only have one life but I was lucky. We had our ups and downs so no rose coloured scenario but at the heart we remained close.
Ha. My mother said the same to me when I left home......” you’ve made your bed now, you won’t be coming back” and she meant it. We worked through any difficult times, especially me as I knew I had no where else to go and no career. I was a full time mum. This year we will have been married 32 years! There’s been some times when I’ve wanted to kill him but when we are together on our own we are fine. Lockdown hasn’t been a problem for us. I think if you both have a bit of a separate life, different friends, interests etc life is much easier.
My total was 52 as far as it went, but I put that down to resilience and self-restraint - and lack of anywhere else to go, of course. Hope you had a good day with Lady, Mrs P.
Interesting posts on the reasons behind the length of marriages. I do rather agree with Ev regarding growing together or apart. But of course there are also many other reasons and circumstances within marriages to enable a marriage to last the course. My parents apparently did last the course but with a great deal of unhappy bitterness throughout, which certainly marred my childhood. I think for many, the union of two people and the creation of a family unit, are two different aspects of a relationship defined as marriage. I have observed throughout my life, that many people stay married despite a lot of unhappiness because they still want to maintain the family unit, which may have become more important than the marriage itself, sometimes well beyond children becoming adult.
Yes I did have a good day thank you. I went and had a look around Upton on Severn, north of me in Worcestershire. This was where there was much flooding recently. And walking Lady in the town fields there was much evidence of dried mud in what are clearly flood plains.
Just being able to drive some distance away from home was a treat in itself. I wandered across country to get there but came home via the motorway.
Sounds like a lovely birthday, Mrs P. and you enjoyed it, in your way, with Lady. Our pets are so important, to us. I really need to get my act together, to start returning to a more normal life again. I still have a "Lockdown" outlook, but I am hopeful this will soon disappear. It will be little steps, for just a short while, yet. I am just hoping for the weather, although sunny, so much warmer.
I am lucky, as there are rarely strange cars parked near to me, for any length of time.
My lovely neighbours are sorting their garden out. Mine is just a shambles in comparison...Perhaps this is the incentive I need, to get going again. Lots of plans, but none being started yet. Put it down to my Lockdown mode, which I haven't shrugged off yet. This reminds me of my Pusscat, who when in the Cattery, completely goes into "Kennel" mode, which is just curled and huddled up, in a non- responsive/active way.
I have just sorted out my trip into Wales for tomorrow, I am arriving late morning, complete with sarnis for lunch, so we can have a chat, a picnic lunch, in the sunshine, though might be still a bit cool. All will have to do is, to still stay socially distanced, with no hugs, but that it now just accepted. I am so looking forward to this, my 1st true outing + visit. We will also be doing a swap of, books + jigsaws 😂
Last post, which is a selfish one. I so enjoyed the Masterchef Final shown last night. I watched this whilst eating breakfast, this morning. I "picked" the winner, but this was with my head, my heart was for another.
Now for the Sewing Bee! I just love this type of show, where just very, home-skilled and talented amateurs, can show-case their basic skills. They learn, improve and change their outlook of life, but it is also fun. That's me for today. Meal tonight is - spicy pork meatballs (home made) with, as yet undecided veg + mashed pots. It will be a tasty mess, nothing iike Masterchef! I I just do basic, tasty, home-cooking, to suit me.
I have just read, the guest list and how the funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, will take place on Saturday. What I am finding upsetting, if what I have learnt is true, is that, HM Queen Elizabeth and the other 29 memembers of the congregation, will be wearing face masks throughout. This will be a Covid funeral, just as so many others, will have endured, in this awful time, so they are doing this, to the guide-lines. I think that this will make it, even more meaningful, personal + memorable.
I was having a shower this morning when a Herring Gull landed on the overhead skylight cackling madly and with his great plates of meat splayed across the glass. Now when I lived far from the sea I loved the sound of gulls when we did get to the seaside but no longer! They are thieving, wicked birds especially the big boys! I grabbed the opening and closing baton and bashed on the glass not wanting an offensive splat on the outside. He would have expelled a large one! Eventually he flew off in his own time!! In our local news a lady on the island found a heron in her kitchen! She shooed it out but a big bird like that indoors can be scary. It was bad enough when I had a pigeon in my kitchen a while back. What next? Will they want to move in with us?!!😉😂
I had my second Pfizer jab yesterday afternoon and have had no reaction at all! I had my right arm prepared so I could sleep on my left side but have not even a slight soreness. Wonderful. There was a delay at the doctors while I told the nurse, who told a doctor, who then rang my doctor to ask if I could have the jab. It was a stroke, (and I had a new prescription too) but then there was a medical fact that I had my stroke dead on 40 days later than my first jab. Doctor said okay so here I am. I had the occupational consultant yesterday too and she delved into my feeling about not going out once I had my second jab. She and her assistant are going to get me out and about, just going for a walk for a little while. You see I am afraid I will suffer a second stroke and fall down among crowds, shopping or crash my car. Perhaps I'll settle for a while but I need some encouragement! Jon said that he had already discussed with the doctor at the hospital whether I could drive. Now the occupational therapist will test my ability with a driving school. So perhaps I'll know in a while if I can drive. Mind you the car has been left standing some months. Perhaps I can start it up! 🚗 Now to get out into the garden!
Great to hear you are receiving such good support Spicy it is understandable that right now you are feeling tentative about certain issues but every day will bring little improvements I’m sure. Enjoy your gardening 🤗 it is a beautiful blue sky day here in Hampshire -so far anyway.
All the best,Spicycushion. I know everyone is different but a close friend has had two strokes comparatively recently and she is driving now. She lives in a beautiful area on the Devon/Somerset border but there are no shops where she lives and the buses only come along every Preston Guild (an exaggeration on my part Preston has a. a guild every 20 years the next one being in 2032 ) She doesn't know what she will do if she is stopped from driving.
I had my second Pfizer jab last week and had no reaction . Just been for my first haircut this year. Wonderful. Now ,like Spicycushion , I am about to tackle the garden.
Hope all continues well for your friend LJ living where she does being able to drive so important. I’m sure your garden is a great comfort to you right now being out in the air tidying and creating new life 🌷 No doubt 🐈⬛🐈⬛🐈⬛ will keep an eye on you 😉
I had my second Pfizer jab on Wednesday. Yesterday felt very achy all over and an effort even to walk but today am sprightly! 😊 Went up to the village for lip and chin wax and feel quite glam now! We are lucky having so many facilities so near but this was part of our choice when we moved here. Lanjan, it’s lovely living out in the sticks but not so good for communications. Your friend will possibly eventually be unable to drive and it would be very difficult for her. Hope it doesn’t come to that.
So good to hear from you and to hear that your getting what sounds like excellent support. Now we on here must support you too. When you get to be with a driving instructor do let us know so that we can send you positive vibrations.
You haven't mentioned recently, and hope it's acceptable to ask.... how is the skin condition ?
Thank you MrsP. In fact i'll pick up more confidence as we go along. The skin condition had to take a break whilst I was in the hospital so now again I have to start again! Once again I started to get blisters and flares-ups again. When I visited the consultants he prescribed some cream which healed the blisters up. Yet again I am on three tablets a week, then four for next four weeks. then five for four weeks then start reducing them yet again, one per tablet every four weeks. Till I get a right balance! Well hopefully I have had the pempaghoid (!) very nearly two years! Hopefully it will soon to decrease to nothing!
Interesting to see everyone's comments on their Covid immunisations. We had our second Pfizer one this morning, hopefully won't have too many side effects. It's a lovely day here so will spend the afternoon in the garden. With so little rain recently I've had to do a lot of watering and my water butts are nearly empty now.
Spicycushion and anyone else who enjoys watching County Cricket, I am watching Lancashire VNorthamptonshire on my IPad at the moment. Kent are playing Yorkshire though P tbY won't care about that but Mr P tbY might.
I am having more reaction to my second Pfizer jab than the first one. The vaccination site, and all around it, for about 2 inches is swollen and red, very itchy and very tender as if I have been punched very hard.
I felt exhausted yesterday and really ‘not with it’ at all. Stupid of me then to decide to go into town for the first time since last summer, because our branch of Debenhams is about to close and I knew there were huge reductions on the remaining stock. I trailed around all three floors, picking up some wonderful bargains (my favourite ‘Doreen’ bras at half price, lovely shirts for Mr A from £3.25 - £10), then had to queue for ages to pay. I was exhausted as I walked the long distance back to the car park and when I got there the car had gone!
It is a huge multi story carpark & I’d had to park in an area unfamiliar to me but was sure it was on level 3. I trailed up and down rows of cars for nearly half an hour getting even more exhausted, upset and quite panicky. Fortunately a very helpful and considerate young assistant saw me and offered to help. I felt so stupid having ‘lost’ the car but within 10 minutes he had found it......on level 4! He insisted on accompanying me back to the car and carrying my armfuls of bags. I was so relieved and very embarrassed! Today I sent an email to Festival Place admin Dept with my grateful thanks. I hope he gets a rise.
That is what I call - Personal Service...after a frightening experience. Congrats as to the 2nd jab. I always park my car, in the same area of the supermarket car park, so I know where to find it!
Oh, Archerfile, just the sort of thing I’d have done forgetting which level I was on! I have got confused on the ferry as to what level we are on but mercifully had someone with me!
Me - I had a lovely trip into Wales today, for the 1st time since last July. It was a lovely catch-up with Big Sis + Hubbie. The last time I saw them, was when we broke, the then rules in December, to exchange Xmas pressies, in a home in Cheshire, which was for only a 10mins, overlap. I had a "shock" on seeing her today. Due to the differing lockdowns, the tier systems, and borders being closed, she has not been able to have hair done for longer than most of us. This is as her hairdresser's is in England, though she lives in Wales - yes, it's complicated!. As such, she has been trimming her hair herself, but the colours have now gone. When I got there and went into the back garden, after ringing the front doorbell - she appeared, and it could have been Mum!! The likeness is so striking.
Anyway. It was alovely 4hour long chat, in glorious sun-shine, with individual packed lunches. I needed the loo, but this was all planned out as before - so Covid free. I am so good at opening doors etc. with elbows these days. I did volunteer to pee behind a bush though, but I was trusted.
I just loved driving my car again, but it did take a while to remember how to use the 6 gears, along with no hand-brake, again. I had a bad moment, when stopped at temporary traffic lights. I moved off into the single lane, to then stall the engine! The traffic lights went back to red I had to then reverse back, with sweaty palms etc. Luckily the van behind me, with 2 young blokes in, realised my dilemma, and were able to go back, to give me plenty of room to do so. It took me a few miles - until I calmed down! But, this was what I needed, to know the differences with this car again. PS I went down the country lanes route, with plenty of bends, hills, tractors, + cyclists!
This round trip, of over 50miles, as given me the get-up and go, plus dare I say confidence, to go far afield again. It was so needed.
Good to hear your progress Spicycushion. Keep going! Pleased to hear that you got help Archerphile when you couldn't find your car. Isn't it wonderful when a kind person helps in times of need. Pleased also to hear of your enjoyable family time Miriam.
Spiceycushion, sorry that the condition is still ' alive' but hope so much that the next round of treatment gets it under control. Understanding that your confidence is lowered is the key to regaining it In my experience. Keep going !
Archerphile I'm so sorry that you've had a reaction to your second vac. Hope your over it in a couple of days. I was fortunate that I had no reaction at all. Continuing listening to the science behind it all, I am refreshing my thoughts and instinct that the cold which I caught from an elderly man in the fracture clinic, December '19, and passed on to others over Christmas, who were then extremely ill, was Covid 19 and I was a symptomatic. We might never know of course.
Well done Miriam. I know how you feel, gave me some hope for a future driving sixty miles on my birthday, although I have beeñ driving short distances most days throughout these difficult months.
Be grateful it's dead, Miriam, live ones running around the house terrified are a problem. A previous cat of mine brought them in, alive, regularly. I remember once waking up and idly looking at the floor by the bedroom door. My Ugg boots were on the floor and suddenly this head popped up. A mouse.
I shall be watching the broadcast of the funeral on my IPad. I love that jeep that Philip had made to. carry his coffin. Good for him. If it's what you want, make your own arrangements. Simple and no fanfares.
As the crematorium is just 400 yards along the road from our cottage, Mr A has insisted that when the time comes, we are not to waste money on a hearse but wheel him down the road in a wheelbarrow! (Or more probably in the trailer behind the car) I shall be having a woodland burial so a Landrover might be a good choice for me.
My instructions, verbal so far, are a woodland burial, in a shroud, ( which I still intend to make myself ) and wheeled by my son in laws and grandson, on a wooden market barrow. Of course they all laugh. But I'm serious ! I think my eldest daughter does take seriously the fact that I want to be covered in Queen Anne's Lace. However this will require me to die around the time of my birthday, so I must manage the next twelve months at least.
I was very shaken by Helen McRory's untimely death. Not someone I knew or particularly liked but a life cut short always echoes with my own.
As I told my sister, I reminded her that I left a playlist for my wake and stressed again that I want no eulogies, I am certainly not the best who ever lived. At the nearest crematorium they tip the ashes into the garden, I want the minimum of fuss. If they want a religious ceremony I don't want to be present in any shape or form.
I was shocked to hear of Helen McRory’s death too. She and her husband Damian Lewis had decided not to reveal her illness and she had been fund raising for NHS staff up to just a few weeks ago. I must admit that I never enjoyed her very much as an actress but Damian Lewis has been a real favourite since seeing him in Band of Brothers and the Forsyte Saga. I am so sorry for him and their children losing her at such an early age. ( and far more of a tragedy than the death of an almost 100 year old man)
P.S. Despite my last sentence, I hasten to add that I shall be watching the whole funeral broadcast today because it is, as I think Miriam said, an important event in our Country’s history and because Prince Philip did a lot for the nation, particularly for the young.
Sounds like a few of us have been cautiously venturing out a tiny bit more - long may it continue. I know we are all at different stages of our various lockdowns and I hope all that are still confined in one way or another get to join us soon.
Yesterday we drove up past Loch Lomond into Argyll to visit Inveraray Castle and a few lochs and glens. It was a joy to be out and about. And in the middle of a forest we bumped into the actors Claire Foy and Paul Bettany filming a movie about the Duchess of Argyll (of "The Headless Man in the photograph" infamy!), so that was pretty surreal to say the least. The weather up in Scotland has been wonderful the past few days - and everyone seems to be a bit more positive to boot.
I've only recently become aware of Helen M in Peaky Blinders, but like others shocked at her death at 52, since both my daughters in their early fifties. It brings it home to one.
I shall be watching the funeral today along with much of the nation. As said, an historic occasion and a man who gave great service to a country that he chose to be adopted by.
Thought of you yesterday Gary when the news that Scotland was opening up again was announced. A friend in an email today is suggesting a meet up soon. Let us all hope that what must be lived with but managed, will allow us to be in contact with distant friends again into a cautious future.
A glorious day on Thursday when we had a booking to visit Lyme. We had a 9.30am slot as it was the only morning one available so had a wander round the lake by which time the cafe was open so had a coffee. We then did our walk which took about one and a half hours. The weather was so lovely that we didn't feel like going home so we bought a sandwich and coffee and sat in the garden. It felt like a real day out which we haven't done for ages.
I lost it when the coffin came out, followed by her car! Not sure why though.. I actually stood up, when the National Anthem was played as she appeared. This was my 1st sheet of kitchen roll...😀
I have decided to give my thoughts, being they right or wrong. These are based on how simplistic it was, due to the restrictions, in this Pandemic time. What I admired was the total dignity + recognition, along with many more simplistic thoughts These are only mine:-
a) The Land-rover b) The carriage, with its horses + meromies in it, as the cortege went by c) The Cap + Sword, placed on the coffin. d) The insignia on the Alter. e) The 4 singers, pitch perfect, and singing socially distanced, and often, unaccompianed. f) The lone piper, who faded away, in such a touching way.
I also admired the TV broadcast. This was due, to the subdued lighting, with very little focus on the chief mourners, esp. HM Queen Elizabeth 11.
Agree with all comments above. Simple, solemn, dignified and with contained pomp without ceremony. A very good send off for an inspirational man. And with thanks to Covid, a family funeral.
Yes, a very fitting and moving funeral, even the weather had the decency to be perfect.
I did think the Queen looked a very, very small figure, so sad and lonely in her widows weeds. The Royal family could have opted to ignore COVID restrictions but had the good sense and compassion to carry on as so many families have had to over the past 12 months. I think, to those who have had to attend funerals in this pared back manner, the fact that the Royal Family did likewise might be a small comfort.
I certainly did not cry, because we both felt the Prince would have been pleased by the way everything was carried out and that everything was conducted with such precision and love.
I cried buckets and went through umpteen tissues. The music always gets to me, specially Jerusalem and Nimrod. I thought it was a beautiful ceremony and the military performed magnificently. I felt for those coffin bearers having such a huge duty to perform in front of the eyes of the world. Well done.
I admired the pall bearers, who had to hold the coffin, whilst paused, half way up the steps for the 2 minute silence. That must have been so hard to do. I also loved all the music, esp. the 4 person choir singing, For all abide in the Sea..or whatever it is, which many will know.
Eternal Father strong to save .... there are also verses for the Marines and the Fleet Air Arm. This hymn is so often sung in Naval circles. Mike used to say that when you have spent time at sea you learn to respect it and realise there is a great power behind it.
I was thinking of the weight those men had to bear and was awestruck at how they negotiated all those steps. The military did the Prince proud!
This is another page of a Modern History Book, now being written. This is - A Royal Funeral, held whilst still in a world-wide pandemic, with what it meant, and how it was done. In the future, will any-one actually understand this situation and it's problems? I hope so.
I picked up, in a very simple bit of the commentary, but to me, was so poignant. This was along the lines of - This is the first, and the last time, HRH the Prince Philip, is preceding HM The Queen, instead of being a pace or two, behind her, which he has done throughout her reign, as Queen.
This morning - A lie in, breakfast in bed with the Sunday Times, bath listening to TA Omnibus, pricking out seedlings in greenhouse, starting to clean out greenhouse ready for tomatoes & cues and making lunch in about 20 mins time. This afternoon - more greenhouse work, trying to persuade Mr A to start planting trees we bought from Longstock Nursery last week, tea + cheese scones in garden then back in the start cooking Sunday Dinner.
That’s my day, or at least what is planned, Lady R.
I'm spending every available minute down in my courtyard, re-charging my batteries after a truly dreadful, energy-sapping winter. This afternoon a family friend is coming for his weekly visit and we will continue to potter in the garden, potting up, planting out and generally tidying up after the chaos - once sufficient time has been devoted to sipping Greek iced coffee, of course.
Bacon sarni sat outside local cafe in the sun followed by a daphne dog walk. ( Mabel refused to come) Bit of light gardening before our son called in to collect 6 boxes of his stuff from the attic. He was over from Manchester to play cricket for a local team. Madness! Then as I got settled on my swing seat my brother and sister in law turned up for a cuppa. Now finally having 5 mins peace and quiet on my own. God knows what I’m cooking for tea. Got no inspiration and can’t be bothered attitude on.
Gypsy made sure we had an early start today!After a cup of tea Katy took the boys to Quarr for their walk. I made pancakes for breakfast. Our favourite with squirty cream and maple syrup. I did a few chores and thinned out my tomatoes to one a pot. Then we had hot chocolate and watched recorded Bargain Hunt. Katy’s main Christmas present was a velvetiser from Hotel Chocolate. It makes lovely hot chocolate and she tops it with more squirty cream and marshmallows! Much to Gypsy’s disgust she had a haircut! Hopefully the groomers will resume for the boys soon but she finds it too stressful nowadays. Katy can take her time and give her sufficient breaks so that she doesn’t go into full blown stress but even so she wasn’t best pleased! Sun is shining here and it is quite warm outside. I’m thinking it is time to turn the heating off! I have it set just for evenings and mornings just now. Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday! 🥰
Wrapped in a blanket on the sofa since 10am watching Star Trek:Enterprise and eating boxes of Cadbury Fingers and packet after packet of cheese and onion Square Crisps. I have probably never been happier in my entire life.
Lovely newsy posts. I hope that there are many more to come.
I haven't done much today. I admit that I had too much wine last night, after that funeral. By accident, I watched the highlight programme of it last night. It was only then, that I put things into perspective, as to why I got so tearful + emotional. This is that I hadn't properly grieved, for my late father. There was so much to do, after his sudden dying at Christmas, with the Coroner having to be involved in the post-mortem, and what was needed to be put on the death certificate, as there was thought a hint of malpractice re insulin doses given, but wasn't the case. There was then the sorting and selling of the property (with so many of Mum's things still in it), along with maintaining the garden, as well as my own. This took 6 months and it was a relief when it was all finallised. Having 2 solicitors, though in the same firm, one for probate + one for the bungalow sale, also caused a slight complcation. I think, that I have now grieved, in the way I should had, but somehow didn't - over 5 years ago. Sorry for this, but tears have now dried up, just.
On a more cheerful note, I hope you are all enjoying your gardens, and the start of a much less "claustraphobic" life. I am loving the longer, brighter + warmer days, as is Pusscat, who now curls up in the sunshine in the garden.
I am decided on my evening meal - a chicken, chorizo, red pepper, mushroom and brown rice dish, all cooked in the same "pot". Easy to do, but so tasty!
We are having a chicken and mushroom risotto topped with toasted pine nuts. Running a bit short of vegetables but have just made a Barrow Boys order to be delivered on Tuesday. Still not confident about going into shops! I was lucky with the second jab and after achy joints next day am now feeling fine. I just hope we don’t get any awful variants but I’m sure we’ll cope if so!
My favourite risotto is, salmon with asparagus. I also love a chicken one, with porcini and oyster mushrooms. I feel fine, to go to shops again, but as long as I can still be socially distanced, in a good way, when wearing a mask. My area and all the surrounding ones,, are now almost Covid free. I will still take care and be sensible.
After another massive amounts of holiday brochures via the post and e-mails - although tempted, I am not booking anything. The reason is, not to get too complacent, too soon. It would be lovely to venture further afield, but the not knowing who you will be with on a trip, plus the situation in visiting countries, makes me think hard. It is the unknown factor, as to further, unknown variants as yet, being contracted + then transmitted. I have made my decision for 2021, though a difficult one, no holiday outside of the UK.
At least I have time to renew my passport, which expires in July this year. This will be done, after my lockdown locks have been chopped off, so my photo will, at least, be sort of OK!
My quandrary re hols. even in the UK. is Pusscat and what do I do with her. She hates going into the cattery, the last time being about 4 years ago, and did not do well. Do I go along with my holiday plans, knowing she will have to go to the Cattery again with problems? Or should I do what I want to do, keeping 🤞 that all will be well? It's a dilemma -as to what is the most important - Me having lovely breaks away vs. Pusscat, in her "holiday home" totally unhappy. It is a difficult one to decide.
I've decided that my knowledge of plants and trees that we see on our walks is not as good as I'd like it to be so, from now on, I'm going to make a point of identifying the ones I don't know. Learning new things is supposed to help keep the brain going so, hopefully, I'll kill two birds with one stone.
My son has something on his phone, an app?, that if you take a photo of a flower etc and enter the photo on the site it tells you what it is. Very clever stuff, and useful.
Had a lovely day. Got up too late to join the usual Zoom service (that wasn't what made it lovely 😉) Cooked a roast dinner for daughter, son and daughter-in-law. The latter brought a really nice fruit pie she had made, and we topped it with ice cream. I laid up the garden table to look pretty with serviettes that had a picture of spring flowers on them, and a vase in the middle with pink camellias and mauve honesty. Just thankful the weather was sunny enough to do it, being mindful we still aren't supposed to mix indoors yet. Then afterwards we went up to a reservoir on the edge of the moor and walked a path through trees to the bird hide by the side of the water. There weren't any unusual birds to see, just the usual ones like the Canada Geese, but birdwatching is such a peaceful thing to do and there was no-one else around.
Hoping this post will happen have done all usual things AP to try and correct but just one of those days. Thanks everyone you did my am request proud filling in the detail of your day, really enjoyed reading them all. I did some chores then enjoyed a relaxed walk in the sun (as Mr R attended the Grand Prix on his computer 🤗) I usually go with my neighbour but she was awaiting a phone call from her nephew in Scotland - and where Gary was lounging upon his sofa 🤣
Ooooo Parsley! One of my all time favourite meals! I really do miss our visits to France and restaurants serving Confit, Magret, Salade de Gésiers and cassoulet! A British company (Gressingham Duck) recently added Confit to their range of duck ready meals. So I tried it, as I do like their Duck in Orange or Cherry sauce. But it was a travesty! Just a lump of duck packed in a fat-filled plastic sachet that was impossible to open without getting everything, including me, covered in duck fat. And it was tough and flavourless. I’ll just have to wait until France is off the red list for travel!
My son had already planned a day- visit this Thursday, but after careful study of the official Covid websites for both England and Wales it would appear that 'bubbles' are not suspended as we both thought was the case, and he is free to come and stay overnight. He will therefore arrive early Thursday afternoon and return to Wales on Saturday morning. I haven't seen him since September!
Hope you have a lovely time with your son Sarnia. You must really have been missing him. He will be amazed by your garden renovations so I hope that weather is good enough for you both to spend time out there.
I'll have to apply myself to some serious house-tidying and cleaning - not just for appearances, you understand, but to make sure that the dining room floor can accommodate both of us and that he will be able to trace a path to the bed he is to sleep in! My SAD was the worst it's ever been this winter: one cold, grey day and I was off down the slippery slope, two in a row and it was 'all systems shut down'. This warm sunny weather hasn't come a moment too soon. I was quite surprised to find that I still exist.
Great news 🤗 Sarnia and your son will be arriving in time to enjoy the glorious weather forecasted (full sun for Thursday & Friday) with you in your lovely garden 🌺🌸🌼🌷
No, I haven’t dared Parsley. Don’t know where I’d get enough duck fat in England. It only seems to be produced in expensive little jars at Christmas for roasting potatoes! I might look online to see if it’s possible to buy the tins of confit we bring home from Carrefour after our visits. They are quite good.
Don’t know much about footie but gather whatever happens they can’t get relegated. Reminds me of a sports day at a “progressive” school Katy attended in Dartmouth. Nobody won or lost and after a short time there I left as I was so bored!
OMiaS's side of the family has always supported Spurs. (Me? I 'support' Arsenal out of pique 😉) One of the younger shoe-dwellers has already stated that if it goes ahead he will transfer his allegiance.
I refer to your post off 7:35 pm yesterday ,Miriam. I don't see why it is difficult for you to decide what to do. You say your elderly cat was not happy in a cattery so I can't understand why you would contemplate sending her to one. There is no way you would enjoy your holiday if you were worrying about her all the time. However there is another choice for you. You could get a Cat Sitter who would stay in your home for the period of time you were away . I gather that there is a fee to join the site but there would be no cost to you after that as there are people (vetted) who are happy to spend time in an area they do not know Living where you do I would think many people would jump at the chance.
Great News Sarnia. Your meet-up will be as great as mine was, went I went into Wales last Friday. I so agree about what you said concerning SAD syndrome. I have a mild version of this, but like you, my lovely home, could be a bit more sorted....
After a lot of gardening in the glorious sunshine, I am dirty + dare, I say, not as fresh as I was! Off for a long soak in the bath + a hair wash.
Garden - how neglected it is -which hopefully soon, this will be changed to - "was". 😀
Phew! What an exhausting day! Apart from the Monday wash and trying to power wash the greenhouse without breaking any more of the very elderly glass panes, Mr A and I have planted 3 trees today. A Hornbeam and two Prunus avium (wild cherries), all quite large trees that had to be delivered by lorry. There are filling in the large gap where the conifers were felled to give us privacy from the road. Because there were conifers there before it was a difficult job to dig 3 holes large enough due to old tree roots and masses of flints which all had to be extracted. In fact, it’s taken most of the day. But all done now, staked and wire cages put around each one to prevent pesky rabbits gnawing the bark. My own personal Adam Frost has slogged away and now deserves a cup of tea and another cheese scone! 🌳🌳🌳
Well Done! Mr A, deserves much more than just a cheese scone.
You both put me to shame, as to what you have achieved today...esp. Archerphile with your replacement hip + knee! Good for you, and I 👏 👏 you both.
PS Big Sis showed me a jigsaw she was sent (via Amazon) from a daughter in OZ. It was a Peacock, and no way did I want to borrow it...the pieces were very small and only just fitted onto the 1000 piece board. I reckon it was actually 1500 pieces. On finally breaking it up, they spotted letters on the reverse side, which if these had been known, the jigsaw would have been put into 8 different areas. A typical "chinese" product, with the only english, the size it was!
Miriam ........ LanJan has given you a solution that I too would have suggested for your Cat/ holiday conundrum. I would also echo a suggestion from ( I think ) Lady R, your new next door neighbours. Since you live in a cup de sac, I would have thought a neighbour would be your best choice. You in return could offer to feed other neighbours cat when they need a holiday. This is the way most people manage.
Miriam, I must confess I didn’t do any digging - in fact my replacement knee & hip actually stop me from doing anything like that. My balance is dreadful and I can’t stand on one leg & push a fork or spade with the other. So no praise is deserved, I’m afraid. I do the planning, buying of plants, hold things in place, make wire cages, do a bit of weeding and deadheading. Do stuff in the greenhouse but Poor old Mr A has to do all the hard slog!
As for the jigsaw, I had one like like that recently, bought on eBay. I think I wrote about it on here with its very badly translated instructions. All of those pieces had letters on the back too, to make it “educational for children”!! 😂
Mrs P ,I think it is fine if neighbours offer to feed a cat whilst on holiday but two things occur to me. It can be a worry for the neighbours though . A pet cat may need companionship too as well as food Percy misses his" master " so much that for several weeks I put Mr LJ's woollen jumper on a chair for Percy to sit on. Now Percy has taken to sitting on my knee. Poppy who likes her own company and rarely joined us has decided that she is going to keep me company at night . Apart from visiting the bonding bench she keeps herself to herself the rest of the time. At first she perched at the bottom of the bed but now she sits on the blanket chest over night but taps me between 6:30am and 7:00am each morning.
I hope Miriam thinks about my suggestion I believe they the animal nurses at our Vet's do pet sitting too before and after work . That could be another option for Miriam.
My problem is, my PussCat only responds to me. She is the original "scaredy cat". As soon as some-one comes into the house, she does a runner and hides for hours + hours. When the window cleaner last came, she was in the lounge with me, On hearing the brush on the window, she disappeared. I found her, many hours later, still cowering in the wardrobe She does not react to any-one, but me. This is why, the cattery have spoken to me re her pining, not eating and not responding, in any way. She just curls up in her bed, sleeping on a jumper of mine with my scent, and becomes ' "comatose". I have been given an alternative idea. This is an automatic feeder, loaded with the dry food, my cat eats. It is programmed to issue a set amount of food at set times. It's worth looking into.
How long would you intend to be away Miriam? Because I think all the while you have your now much older puss you are not going to be able to have more than days out (if you are to retain peace of mind) maybe chance a night away....
Disgusted Lady R. It is all about greed. I can't see it happening. I remember when footballers(we had three players of what was then the first Division living close to where I lived in the 1960s) were paid £20 a week!
Half time in the Leeds Liverpool match match which Percy and I have been watching Poppy thinks it is rubbish.
Disgusted Lady R. It is all about greed. I can't see it happening. I remember when footballers(we had three players of what was then the first Division living close to where I lived in the 1960s) were paid £20 a week!
Half time in the Leeds Liverpool match match which Percy and I have been watching Poppy thinks it is rubbish.
*** FROM PREVIOUS BLOG ***
ReplyDeleteparsley - 16April 12, 2021 at 10:48 PM
Loved Tim & Prue's canal trips, still have their journey down the Douro, memories of our visits to n Portugal.
Sarnia - April 13, 2021 at 12:56 AM
I thought the West Ham chant was 'I'm forever blowing bubbles'.
Janice - April 13, 2021 at 9:51 AM
I think the " Knees Up " is an older one associated with the North Bank fans.
Have just looked it up and apparently before seated stadiums became more common people could do the jig at the same time as singing the song.
"I'm forever blowing bubbles" is a lovely song BUT it does have the rather despondent line "then like my dreams they fade and die"!
MrsP Ambridge - April 13, 2021 at 2:02 AM
Parsley, did you see the posts a while back between me and ( I think ) esscee or it might have been annieveggie, about living in nearby places as children. She lived in Penge, I grew up at Southend Pond and went to school in Forest Hill / Sydenham.
Many decades later my daughter spent her early married years in Peckham / East Dulwich borders, so I was re treading my past haunts.
I really enjoyed taking my grandchildren to Hornimans where I had spent so much time myself when young.
I'm not a pub person myself, but do know the Woodhouse.
parsley16 - April 13, 2021 at 9:19 AM
Interesting Mrs P, I lived in Sydenham for a while (v good butchers at the top of the high st, also 2nd hand bookshop further down) before moving to Clockhouse then Chislehurst. Used Forest Hill station regularly. Worked in Bromley & SE London. My aunt & uncle lived in Upper Norwood since the late 60's, so I knew the area quite well.
parsley - 16April 13, 2021 at 9:20 AM
Previous life!
Yes it was me Mrs P and Parsley. I grew up in Penge then we moved to Beckenham. I remember going to Hornimans museum one summer on the bus with some neighbourhood friends. We played in Crystal Palace Park and I remember the dinosaur like statues which I think are still there.
DeleteI also come from that neck of London. I lived about 1/2 mile from Dulwich Woodhouse, I used to play in Dulwich Woods, I went to school in Sydenham & Dulwich, got married in St Stephens (next to Sydenham Hill station) and had the reception in the conservatory behind the Horniman museum ( I think this went up in mid to late 80’s, it wasn’t there when I was a kid)
DeleteSince some of us were talking about canal boats I thought I would post a little video I found of one of my regular cycle journeys along the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, taking in The Kelpies. I can cycle all the way to Edinburgh along these two canals and barely ever have to encounter any traffic at all. On a summer's day it's hard work, but an absolute joy.
ReplyDeleteJust after the Falkirk wheel there is a 630 metre long canal tunnel you can cycle through and not long after that there is the Avon Viaduct which is 442 yards long, has 23 arches and reaches a height of 92ft. And that takes you almost right to Linlithgow Palace where Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1542. Here endeth today's class...
Oh wow I'd love that place!
DeleteLast Saturday the picture round included a picture of the horses. I had no idea what country the were in but I guessed Scotland. They are magnificent.
It's a fantastic sight isn't it? At night all lit up it's surreal. I live just 500 yards from a canal and 2 hours on the bike in one direction takes me to them - but 2 hours in the other direction takes me to the shores of Loch Lomond. Lucky me!
DeleteI'm glad to see that that wheel spins rather more slowly than it did towards the beginning of the clip!
ReplyDeleteThanks GG, I think the Kelpies are wonderful. I love them.
ReplyDeleteFalkirk Wheel - wow!!
I was in the Kelpies when I was a Brownie!
DeleteMade it to Seconder, then ‘promoted to Sixer of the Leprechauns!
Scottish and Irish ‘little people’ but never English. 🥲
Looks fantastic Gary. I enjoy walking near water and am lucky to have both a canal and river close to where we live. Had a walk along the canal this morning and back along a disused railway line which runs parallel to the canal, so much wildlife to be seen.
ReplyDeleteGary, thé canal network in the UK has produced some wonderful and innovative architecture.
ReplyDeleteFrom the days of Brindley with his tunnels and Thomas Telford with his aqueducts to the modern wonders such as your Falkirk Wheel and the Middlesbrough Bridge Lift.
It’s one of the reasons I’m so interested in Canals and love to explore them.
💇🏼♀️ 🤗 💇🏼♀️ 🤗 💇🏼♀️ Hurrah hair cut this morning (plus Mr R back only required plus eyebrows!!!!)
ReplyDeleteMobile lady but mask and open windows of course.
That's wonderful GG - but I don't understand (yet) how it works.
ReplyDeleteWhen more time, later, I shall investigate further. It's something completely new to me.
Thank you for the introduction and I am extremely envious of your ability to access the canal system.
Quite a number of us from outer south London on here.
Connections !
Several visits to Selhurst Park to watch Grimsby Town get slaughtered by Palace....
DeleteThe dinosaurs had their toenails painted!!!
Sang in the choir at St George's, Beckenham.
DeleteParsley -
DeleteAt 16, in a flat above shops near the station in Clockhouse, I took my clothes off for my first ever sitting as a life model. For free !
This became a reasonable method of making a little extra money throughout my life, and I still model from time to time at the age of 79.
Also did part of my cadet nurse course one day a week at lovely little Beckenham Hospital.
Beckenham and the Prompt Corner coffee bar, and the George were the centre of my life for two years.
Well your post certainly endorses the interesting snippets of bloggers personal lives that pop up here Mrs P 🤗
DeleteSo on Wednesday (birthday 🎂) will you be joining Lanjan or is it to be what you have mentioned above. I remember the date as it is also my nieces anniversary.
Second Pfizer jabs for us today. So far, so good.
ReplyDeleteFantastic.
DeleteI hope you both stay well..👍
💉💉 👏🏻👏🏻 AP & Mr AP
DeleteArcherphile. I am eager to hear as to how you and Mr. A. celebrated your 51st wedding anniversary yesterday.
ReplyDeleteDo tell.
Well, to be honest, we didn’t!
DeleteApart from having a rather nice dinner of Roast Lamb with all trimmings followed by Plum Cobbler with cream and a good bottle of Shiraz it was just an ordinary day really. We didn’t see or hear from any family or neighbours. Too cold to do anything in the garden, just the Sunday papers to read, jigsaw to do and an episode of Line of Duty to watch!
Lady R. Sooo jealous about your hair cut 🤢
ReplyDeleteI have to wait until May 7th for my "chop". I hate my lockdown curls.
I am like:-
There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
But my so hated curls, are all over!
At last.
ReplyDeleteThe Masterchef Final is being broadcast tomorrow night, but it replaces a new episode of, The Repair Shop!
It is "swings + roundabouts", if you know what I mean.
Miriam the “new” Repair Shops are in the afternoons unless of course you didn’t see the other programmes at that point before then the evening one will still be new to you.
ReplyDelete3 weeks to your chop Miriam which might not be too long in the scheme of things but when waiting for THAT cut will feel more than long enough!
Enjoy your MC Final tomorrow 🤗
I hadn't realised they were duplicated. I just picked up that there was a new one, on BBC1 Wednesday.
DeleteI thought is was the 1st new episode of a series of 3, with a teddy bear, a clock in the shape of ship, plus a vintage ceramic night light being repaired.
Thanks for the info. to look at an earlier time to see the same.
Appreciate this. 😀
DeleteI had a bad night, as to sleep last night. This was due purely, to the new covid rules..which should be good.
ReplyDeleteI still feel anxious, as to going out and about again, after an awful lockdown situation, which has really affected me.
I dreamt that I was working again, with very, many problems.
It was an anxiety dream only, but I woke up grinding my teeth, the 1st time for ages, after whatever sleep, I had.
Thank goodness for my bed-side radio + my pusscat, both of which helped.
I was like Eleanor Rigby, as per The Beatles song - in that the mask put on behind the door - had somehow slipped with me!
DeleteIt was just a blip.
At times I have very real dreams that I am back at work Miriam (and paranoid about being late is one of them) it is very strange when I wake up. Thank goodness you have 🐈⬛
DeleteKnow what you mean about the opening up process too even though it is what we have all been waiting for....
For once, my meal is ready to be eaten at 7.00pm with TA,
ReplyDeleteA simple one tonight, a portion of home-made lasagne (from freezer) with lots of veg. - carrots, green beans, cauli and brocolli.
Same here Miriam (except sprouts instead of cauliflower) and the Lasagne was from Waitrose 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
DeleteA truly massive homemade pizza for me tonight!
DeleteWe were online with Graham Hall talking about his book which we have, teaching us how to train our dogs. Trouble is the dogs don’t watch it! We had a takeaway Italian so it was a night out but in! Bonus was eating in our dressing gowns, being able to have wine with meal and a Cointreau afterwards. Katy never has a drink when she has to drive!
DeleteBuddy had a training class this afternoon in a field. Although he hasn’t been able to attend classes for a year he did very well especially with his recall and Katy was very proud of him. He is a friendly little dog and after restrictions are over she hopes to make him a PAT dog taking him into nursing homes etc to cheer people up. Dudley is a typical Shih Tzu and will only do as he’s told if it suits him! Up to now we have only been able to teach him to sit and wait. He is good at being deaf to both though! Gypsy of course is a princess and way above these things!
I had planned a simple meal, but once back from walking Lady I felt exhausted so got back in the car to get fish and chips.
ReplyDeleteMy ankle is not good.
The steroid injection has reduced the pain, but after only a short rest, its agony to walk again. It's not pain, just pretty poor discomfort. And the tension that accompanies that discomfort is very tiring.
Had my telephone consultation with my GP this afternoon.
I had all my ducks in a row, and written down in bullet points.
She agreed with my request to re jig my replacement therapy and all sorted in less than four minutes.
Like others I'm feeling anxious about ' going out' but it's my birthday tomorrow and I'm having a day out. Not far, but far enough to warrant a sense of occasion.
One birthday, two Mother's Day and two Easters alone and I'm going to make the most of this one, although it's just me and the dog.
Sorry that your ankle is still giving you problems Mrs P. I hope that you have a good day tomorrow.
DeleteSee my earlier post re birthday.
DeleteEnjoy your 🎂jaunt with Lady 🦮 💐
I went shopping this aft. It was fine. Marks and Sparks quite quiet.
ReplyDeleteGot a new, cheap bra from the Debenhams clearance sale so was very happy.
Weighed daphne at pets at home , 29.7kg. She’s getting a big girl now. Finally called in at a lovely little oak furniture shop in a village on the way home and found the perfect dining table and chairs that I’ll be buying if the moving house all goes through. Much better to support a small family run business than oak furniture land.
All in all a lovely afternoon, sunny and felt like being back to normal.
Also on a brighter note I’ve finally got a consultation with the Dr that I want to do my eye op on the 27th of this month. It’s been a real struggle to get ct scan results to send to him.
Good luck with both of those things PtbY.
DeleteYou’ll not be alone Mrs P because I’ll be celebrating with you - in spirit at least! 🎉
ReplyDeleteMiriam, I understand from the news that the England/Wales border is now open. Does that mean you will be able to link up with some of your family soon?
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Mrs P 🎉
ReplyDelete🤞PtbY
ReplyDeleteRe Welsh border: my son is coming to visit on Thursday 22nd AT LAST, but only for the day as he's not allowed in the house. We'll have to hope it's not cold.
DeleteThanks Parsley.
DeleteLady R.... I had not seen your earlier post.
ReplyDeleteThank you for remembering.
Happy Birthday MrsP!
DeleteHappy Birthday Mrs P.
DeleteHappy Birthday, Mrs P. Enjoy with Lady!
DeleteHave just got a hair appointment for 2nd June! They will let me know though if there is a cancellation before that. I’m in for a lip and chin wax on Friday though! Whatever happens in this world, hair keeps a growing! 💇🏼♀️💁🏼🤙
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord for tweezers!!!
DeleteI’m with you Ev having had hair cut next step is “sugaring” all face and an eyebrow tidy plus my legs / knees 🤣🤣🤣 (not that their whiteness goes on show)
DeleteHappy Birthday Mrs P and may this coming year be a good one for health and happiness.
ReplyDeleteMany happy returns of the day Mrs P. I hope the sun shines for you and that you have a nice trip out. 🎉🎂🎁
ReplyDeleteHope you and Lady have a lovely day Mrs P. It’s beautifully sunny here, so I hope it is with you, too.
ReplyDelete🥳 💐
Mrs. P, Happy birthday, I hope you have a lovely day out and some treats :)
ReplyDeleteArcherphile, Congratulations on your goldeney-first anniversary :)
Thank you Mistral. I love the name, much nicer than 51st!
DeleteThank you all for my birthday wishes.
ReplyDeleteMrsP
Happy birthday, Mrs P! Have a lovely day! Day OUT even more special now!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Archerphile!
Mrs P.
ReplyDelete"Happy Birthday, to You..."🎶
I hope is a lovely day and you are enjoying it, now that there is more freedom. 🍰
Sarnia. Yea 😁, as the Welsh border is open again. This has been closed, for very many months, due to the Tier systems in England, Lockdowns etc. as the difference in Wales with their rules, was so different.
I am off to see family in Wales, on Friday morning
It is just a meet up with Big Sis + Hubbie, with Coffee + snacks in the garden, can't wait. I will also stop at my favourite farm shop, which is on my route, for the 1st time for very, many months.
Hopefully, after this trip + outing, the feeling of normality will begin again.
My hair appointment is May 7th. I am more excited about this, than my 2nd jab, which is in the following week.
Good news, but this really only relates to me, which is my car insurance. It has gone down dramatically on its renewal this year.
DeleteI had to pay a big supplement, when I took over my new wheels, last October. Due to the time scale involved, I just accepted it (only had 24hrs to get new car registered + taxed), so
no time to do anything else constructive.
The difference is, the fraudulant claim made against me, for personal injury/injuries, in 2017 which took over a year to resolve. This was shown on my insurance as, Accident-Non Fault.
This seems to have now gone, and rightly so.
I was wrong, as to the Accident Non-fault, as is it still showing on my insurance documents. However, I am now insured with LV, who seem to have not taken this into account, as to my new annual payment, over £250 less than last year.
DeleteBig Sis, put me onto them, and I have not had to reduce my cover, in any way.
I have LV as well. They give a reduction if you have both car and house insurance with them, and I found them very nice on the phone recently. There is normally no-one ever at the bottom of our track, and I gaily reversed down it straight back into a very posh Mercedes that had been parked there. I didn't half get shouted at by the lady owner who had left it there.
DeleteI was woken up at 7am this morning by someone crashing their car into a car parked outside our house! The had swerved trying (successfully) to avoid hitting one of the local cats. Everyone was ok, but I must admit to hoping that the person who parked outside our house now never parks there again. It REALLY annoys me on the odd occasion when someone leaves their car there - I just don't like looking out of the window and seeing a strangers car parked up.
DeleteHappy Birthday Mrs. P!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary Archerfile. A real achievement. 💐
ReplyDeleteThank you Janice. I put it down to the good examples set by our parents. Mine managed 55 years and the in-laws a similar total. And even better, our offspring look as if they are doing the same.
DeleteOr perhaps it’s just good luck 😄
I think it is good luck, Archerfile. I don’t think in general that anyone marries with divorce on their mind but sometimes the spouse doesn’t show their true colours until the ring is on the finger! Also over the years there can be a drifting apart. You grow as individuals but hopefully grow together. I only managed 43 years as Mike was nearly 11 years older than me. There was a generational difference but one important thing was that we shared a sense of humour!😊😂🤣
DeleteSense of humour is so important Ev. Whenever I get cross with Mr CC I end up laughing!
DeleteMy parents were married for over 50 years and Mike’s for nearly 50 years but neither marriage was happy. His Mum realised within 6 months she had made a mistake and by then Mike was on the way. Her mother said she had made her bed and had to lie on it. His Dad worshipped her and the problem was really more on her side. Ever after she leaned too much on her children n with Mike’s sister bearing the brunt as he would have none of it although he did try to help where he could. My Mum was very volatile and walked out several times but inevitably came back as there was nowhere to go. There were constant rows mostly about money and I couldn’t wait to get out of it and left home at 20 having been at school until I was 18. So, no we didn’t model our marriage on our parents’! It is sad how that generation were trapped into unhappy marriage. I think if I hadn’t been basically happy I would have ended it as you only have one life but I was lucky. We had our ups and downs so no rose coloured scenario but at the heart we remained close.
DeleteHa. My mother said the same to me when I left home......” you’ve made your bed now, you won’t be coming back” and she meant it. We worked through any difficult times, especially me as I knew I had no where else to go and no career. I was a full time mum. This year we will have been married 32 years! There’s been some times when I’ve wanted to kill him but when we are together on our own we are fine. Lockdown hasn’t been a problem for us. I think if you both have a bit of a separate life, different friends, interests etc life is much easier.
DeleteMy total was 52 as far as it went, but I put that down to resilience and self-restraint - and lack of anywhere else to go, of course.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a good day with Lady, Mrs P.
Interesting posts on the reasons behind the length of marriages.
ReplyDeleteI do rather agree with Ev regarding growing together or apart.
But of course there are also many other reasons and circumstances within marriages to enable a marriage to last the course.
My parents apparently did last the course but with a great deal of unhappy bitterness throughout, which certainly marred my childhood.
I think for many, the union of two people and the creation of a family unit, are two different aspects of a relationship defined as marriage.
I have observed throughout my life, that many people stay married despite a lot of unhappiness because they still want to maintain the family unit, which may have become more important than the marriage itself, sometimes well beyond children becoming adult.
Yes I did have a good day thank you.
ReplyDeleteI went and had a look around Upton on Severn, north of me in Worcestershire.
This was where there was much flooding recently. And walking Lady in the town fields there was much evidence of dried mud in what are clearly flood plains.
Just being able to drive some distance away from home was a treat in itself.
I wandered across country to get there but came home via the motorway.
Good to hear 🤗 🎂 Mrs P
DeleteSounds like a lovely birthday, Mrs P. and you enjoyed it, in your way, with Lady.
ReplyDeleteOur pets are so important, to us.
I really need to get my act together, to start returning to a more normal life again.
I still have a "Lockdown" outlook, but I am hopeful this will soon disappear.
It will be little steps, for just a short while, yet.
I am just hoping for the weather, although sunny, so much warmer.
I am lucky, as there are rarely strange cars parked near to me, for any length of time.
ReplyDeleteMy lovely neighbours are sorting their garden out.
Mine is just a shambles in comparison...Perhaps this is the incentive I need, to get going again.
Lots of plans, but none being started yet. Put it down to my Lockdown mode, which I haven't shrugged off yet.
This reminds me of my Pusscat, who when in the Cattery, completely goes into "Kennel" mode, which is just curled and huddled up, in a non- responsive/active way.
I have just sorted out my trip into Wales for tomorrow,
DeleteI am arriving late morning, complete with sarnis for lunch, so we can have a chat, a picnic lunch, in the sunshine, though might be still a bit cool. All will have to do is, to still stay socially distanced, with no hugs, but that it now just accepted.
I am so looking forward to this, my 1st true outing + visit. We will also be doing a swap of, books + jigsaws 😂
Have a lovely lovely day Miriam 🤗 🥪 🧁 ☕️ 🤗 Look forward to hearing about your (socially distanced) gathering.
DeleteLast post, which is a selfish one.
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed the Masterchef Final shown last night. I watched this whilst eating breakfast, this morning.
I "picked" the winner, but this was with my head, my heart was for another.
Now for the Sewing Bee!
DeleteI just love this type of show, where just very, home-skilled and talented amateurs, can show-case their basic skills. They learn, improve and change their outlook of life, but it is also fun.
That's me for today.
Meal tonight is - spicy pork meatballs (home made) with, as yet undecided veg + mashed pots. It will be a tasty mess, nothing iike Masterchef! I
I just do basic, tasty, home-cooking, to suit me.
I have just read, the guest list and how the funeral of HRH The Prince Philip, will take place on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am finding upsetting, if what I have learnt is true, is that, HM Queen Elizabeth and the other 29 memembers of the congregation, will be wearing face masks throughout.
This will be a Covid funeral, just as so many others, will have endured, in this awful time, so they are doing this, to the guide-lines.
I think that this will make it, even more meaningful, personal + memorable.
I am changing my wording to - a funeral being held under the covid situation rules, rather being a Covid one.
DeleteI hope you understand what I mean.
✔️👍
DeleteI was having a shower this morning when a Herring Gull landed on the overhead skylight cackling madly and with his great plates of meat splayed across the glass. Now when I lived far from the sea I loved the sound of gulls when we did get to the seaside but no longer! They are thieving, wicked birds especially the big boys! I grabbed the opening and closing baton and bashed on the glass not wanting an offensive splat on the outside. He would have expelled a large one! Eventually he flew off in his own time!! In our local news a lady on the island found a heron in her kitchen! She shooed it out but a big bird like that indoors can be scary. It was bad enough when I had a pigeon in my kitchen a while back. What next? Will they want to move in with us?!!😉😂
ReplyDeleteOh dear Ev what a way to start your day 🤣
DeleteGood job the window was not open (if indeed it does) as it could well have been one in the eye for you 🐦 🤗
Yes it does open and thank the Lord it was closed!!
DeleteAha! Plates of meat - I'm learning.
DeleteI had my second Pfizer jab yesterday afternoon and have had no reaction at all! I had my right arm prepared so I could sleep on my left side but have not even a slight soreness. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThere was a delay at the doctors while I told the nurse, who told a doctor, who then rang my doctor to ask if I could have the jab. It was a stroke, (and I had a new prescription too) but then there was a medical fact that I had my stroke dead on 40 days later than my first jab. Doctor said okay so here I am.
I had the occupational consultant yesterday too and she delved into my feeling about not going out once I had my second jab. She and her assistant are going to get me out and about, just going for a walk for a little while. You see I am afraid I will suffer a second stroke and fall down among crowds, shopping or crash my car. Perhaps I'll settle for a while but I need some encouragement!
Jon said that he had already discussed with the doctor at the hospital whether I could drive. Now the occupational therapist will test my ability with a driving school. So perhaps I'll know in a while if I can drive. Mind you the car has been left standing some months. Perhaps I can start it up! 🚗 Now to get out into the garden!
Great to hear you are receiving such good support Spicy it is understandable that right now you are feeling tentative about certain issues but every day will bring little improvements I’m sure. Enjoy your gardening 🤗 it is a beautiful blue sky day here in Hampshire -so far anyway.
DeleteAll the best,Spicycushion.
ReplyDeleteI know everyone is different but a close friend has had two strokes comparatively recently and she is driving now.
She lives in a beautiful area on the Devon/Somerset border but there are no shops where she lives and the buses only come along every Preston Guild (an exaggeration on my part
Preston has a. a guild every 20 years the next one being in 2032 ) She doesn't know what she will do if she is stopped from driving.
I had my second Pfizer jab last week and had no reaction .
Just been for my first haircut this year.
Wonderful.
Now ,like Spicycushion , I am about to tackle the garden.
Hope all continues well for your friend LJ living where she does being able to drive so important. I’m sure your garden is a great comfort to you right now being out in the air tidying and creating new life 🌷
DeleteNo doubt 🐈⬛🐈⬛🐈⬛ will keep an eye on you 😉
I had my second Pfizer jab on Wednesday. Yesterday felt very achy all over and an effort even to walk but today am sprightly! 😊 Went up to the village for lip and chin wax and feel quite glam now! We are lucky having so many facilities so near but this was part of our choice when we moved here. Lanjan, it’s lovely living out in the sticks but not so good for communications. Your friend will possibly eventually be unable to drive and it would be very difficult for her. Hope it doesn’t come to that.
ReplyDeleteSpiceycushion
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you and to hear that your getting what sounds like excellent support.
Now we on here must support you too.
When you get to be with a driving instructor do let us know so that we can send you positive vibrations.
You haven't mentioned recently, and hope it's acceptable to ask.... how is the skin condition ?
Thank you MrsP. In fact i'll pick up more confidence as we go along.
DeleteThe skin condition had to take a break whilst I was in the hospital so now again I have to start again!
Once again I started to get blisters and flares-ups again. When I visited the consultants he prescribed some cream which healed the blisters up. Yet again I am on three tablets a week, then four for next four weeks. then five for four weeks then start reducing them yet again, one per tablet every four weeks. Till I get a right balance!
Well hopefully I have had the pempaghoid (!) very nearly two years! Hopefully it will soon to decrease to nothing!
Interesting to see everyone's comments on their Covid immunisations. We had our second Pfizer one this morning, hopefully won't have too many side effects. It's a lovely day here so will spend the afternoon in the garden. With so little rain recently I've had to do a lot of watering and my water butts are nearly empty now.
ReplyDeleteSpicycushion and anyone else who enjoys watching County Cricket, I am watching Lancashire VNorthamptonshire on my IPad at the moment.
ReplyDeleteKent are playing Yorkshire though P tbY won't care about that but Mr P tbY might.
Hahaha Lanjan. Too ruddy right I don’t give a monkeys.
ReplyDeleteBoyo says Yorkshire are winning....
I am having more reaction to my second Pfizer jab than the first one.
ReplyDeleteThe vaccination site, and all around it, for about 2 inches is swollen and red, very itchy and very tender as if I have been punched very hard.
I felt exhausted yesterday and really ‘not with it’ at all.
Stupid of me then to decide to go into town for the first time since last summer, because our branch of Debenhams is about to close and I knew there were huge reductions on the remaining stock.
I trailed around all three floors, picking up some wonderful bargains (my favourite ‘Doreen’ bras at half price, lovely shirts for Mr A from £3.25 - £10), then had to queue for ages to pay. I was exhausted as I walked the long distance back to the car park and when I got there the car had gone!
It is a huge multi story carpark & I’d had to park in an area unfamiliar to me but was sure it was on level 3. I trailed up and down rows of cars for nearly half an hour getting even more exhausted, upset and quite panicky.
Fortunately a very helpful and considerate young assistant saw me and offered to help. I felt so stupid having ‘lost’ the car but within 10 minutes he had found it......on level 4!
He insisted on accompanying me back to the car and carrying my armfuls of bags. I was so relieved and very embarrassed!
Today I sent an email to Festival Place admin Dept with my grateful thanks. I hope he gets a rise.
That is what I call - Personal Service...after a frightening experience. Congrats as to the 2nd jab.
DeleteI always park my car, in the same area of the supermarket car park, so I know where to find it!
Oh, Archerfile, just the sort of thing I’d have done forgetting which level I was on! I have got confused on the ferry as to what level we are on but mercifully had someone with me!
DeleteSpicy- You are doing so brilliantly, and are sounding so very much more positive + stoical.
ReplyDeleteKeep at it...🤗
Me - I had a lovely trip into Wales today, for the 1st time since last July.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely catch-up with Big Sis + Hubbie. The last time I saw them, was when we broke, the then rules in December, to exchange Xmas pressies, in a home in Cheshire, which was for only a 10mins, overlap.
I had a "shock" on seeing her today.
Due to the differing lockdowns, the tier systems, and borders being closed, she has not been able to have hair done for longer than most of us. This is as her hairdresser's is in England, though she lives in Wales - yes, it's complicated!.
As such, she has been trimming her hair herself, but the colours have now gone.
When I got there and went into the back garden, after ringing the front doorbell - she appeared, and it could have been Mum!! The likeness is so striking.
Anyway. It was alovely 4hour long chat, in glorious sun-shine, with individual packed lunches. I needed the loo, but this was all planned out as before - so Covid free. I am so good at opening doors etc. with elbows these days. I did volunteer to pee behind a bush though, but I was trusted.
I just loved driving my car again, but it did take a while to remember how to use the 6 gears, along with no hand-brake, again. I had a bad moment, when stopped at temporary traffic lights. I moved off into the single lane, to then stall the engine! The traffic lights went back to red
I had to then reverse back, with sweaty palms etc.
Luckily the van behind me, with 2 young blokes in, realised my dilemma, and were able to go back, to give me plenty of room to do so. It took me a few miles - until I calmed down! But, this was what I needed, to know the differences with this car again.
PS I went down the country lanes route, with plenty of bends, hills, tractors, + cyclists!
This round trip, of over 50miles, as given me the get-up and go, plus dare I say confidence, to go far afield again. It was so needed.
On driving into their hamlet, the bloke who lives across the road from Sis, saw me + gave me a big wave. This little gesture, meant a lot.
DeleteMind you, I have spent many a "do" with him and his wife.
DeleteGood to hear your progress Spicycushion. Keep going!
ReplyDeletePleased to hear that you got help Archerphile when you couldn't find your car. Isn't it wonderful when a kind person helps in times of need.
Pleased also to hear of your enjoyable family time Miriam.
Spiceycushion, sorry that the condition is still ' alive' but hope so much that the next round of treatment gets it under control.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding that your confidence is lowered is the key to regaining it In my experience. Keep going !
Archerphile I'm so sorry that you've had a reaction to your second vac.
Hope your over it in a couple of days.
I was fortunate that I had no reaction at all.
Continuing listening to the science behind it all, I am refreshing my thoughts and instinct that the cold which I caught from an elderly man in the fracture clinic, December '19, and passed on to others over Christmas, who were then extremely ill, was Covid 19 and I was a symptomatic. We might never know of course.
Well done Miriam. I know how you feel, gave me some hope for a future driving sixty miles on my birthday, although I have beeñ driving short distances most days throughout these difficult months.
Tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteMy day will be being done so very differently.
I will be watching the TV from about 2.00pm onwards.
It will be a sad, yet poignant time, as to the funeral of HRH. The Prince Philip.
This is modern history in the making, and as a true Royalist, this means at lot, to me.
I appreciate others will think differently, which I so accept and understand.
I have a new box of tissues ready...🤣
PS My elderly cat, has just brought a dead mouse in 🙀
Be grateful it's dead, Miriam, live ones running around the house terrified are a problem.
ReplyDeleteA previous cat of mine brought them in, alive, regularly. I remember once waking up and idly looking at the floor by the bedroom door. My Ugg boots were on the floor and suddenly this head popped up. A mouse.
I shall be watching the broadcast of the funeral on my IPad.
ReplyDeleteI love that jeep that Philip had made to. carry his coffin.
Good for him.
If it's what you want, make your own arrangements.
Simple and no fanfares.
As the crematorium is just 400 yards along the road from our cottage, Mr A has insisted that when the time comes, we are not to waste money on a hearse but wheel him down the road in a wheelbarrow!
Delete(Or more probably in the trailer behind the car)
I shall be having a woodland burial so a Landrover might be a good choice for me.
We've got our plot already reserved in the cimetière just over the wall.
ReplyDeleteMy instructions, verbal so far, are a woodland burial, in a shroud, ( which I still intend to make myself ) and wheeled by my son in laws and grandson, on a wooden market barrow.
ReplyDeleteOf course they all laugh.
But I'm serious !
I think my eldest daughter does take seriously the fact that I want to be covered in Queen Anne's Lace. However this will require me to die around the time of my birthday, so I must manage the next twelve months at least.
I was very shaken by Helen McRory's untimely death. Not someone I knew or particularly liked but a life cut short always echoes with my own.
ReplyDeleteAs I told my sister, I reminded her that I left a playlist for my wake and stressed again that I want no eulogies, I am certainly not the best who ever lived.
At the nearest crematorium they tip the ashes into the garden, I want the minimum of fuss. If they want a religious ceremony I don't want to be present in any shape or form.
I was shocked to hear of Helen McRory’s death too. She and her husband Damian Lewis had decided not to reveal her illness and she had been fund raising for NHS staff up to just a few weeks ago.
DeleteI must admit that I never enjoyed her very much as an actress but Damian Lewis has been a real favourite since seeing him in Band of Brothers and the Forsyte Saga.
I am so sorry for him and their children losing her at such an early age.
( and far more of a tragedy than the death of an almost 100 year old man)
P.S. Despite my last sentence, I hasten to add that I shall be watching the whole funeral broadcast today because it is, as I think Miriam said, an important event in our Country’s history and because Prince Philip did a lot for the nation, particularly for the young.
Sounds like a few of us have been cautiously venturing out a tiny bit more - long may it continue. I know we are all at different stages of our various lockdowns and I hope all that are still confined in one way or another get to join us soon.
ReplyDeleteYesterday we drove up past Loch Lomond into Argyll to visit Inveraray Castle and a few lochs and glens. It was a joy to be out and about. And in the middle of a forest we bumped into the actors Claire Foy and Paul Bettany filming a movie about the Duchess of Argyll (of "The Headless Man in the photograph" infamy!), so that was pretty surreal to say the least. The weather up in Scotland has been wonderful the past few days - and everyone seems to be a bit more positive to boot.
Spicy - hugs and good vibes from us! Xx
I've only recently become aware of Helen M in Peaky Blinders, but like others shocked at her death at 52, since both my daughters in their early fifties. It brings it home to one.
ReplyDeleteI shall be watching the funeral today along with much of the nation.
As said, an historic occasion and a man who gave great service to a country that he chose to be adopted by.
Thought of you yesterday Gary when the news that Scotland was opening up again was announced.
A friend in an email today is suggesting a meet up soon.
Let us all hope that what must be lived with but managed, will allow us to be in contact with distant friends again into a cautious future.
A glorious day on Thursday when we had a booking to visit Lyme. We had a 9.30am slot as it was the only morning one available so had a wander round the lake by which time the cafe was open so had a coffee. We then did our walk which took about one and a half hours. The weather was so lovely that we didn't feel like going home so we bought a sandwich and coffee and sat in the garden. It felt like a real day out which we haven't done for ages.
ReplyDeleteI found that funeral, so very moving.
ReplyDeleteI went through 4 sheets of kitchen roll - but no idea, as to why, it had this affect on me.
PS I have just looked up, and the sun is shining.
DeleteLife is still here to enjoy + embrace.
Totally agree Miriam ( I did write more but blogger error mostly retrieved of late did not play ball this time)
DeleteLovely funeral. I really feel for the Queen, sat all on her own.
ReplyDeleteI’m now raising a glass of gin in a toast to the old lad! 🍸
Charles looked like a shadow of his former self....like all the stuffing had been knocked out of him.
Even if you’re not a royalist, a sad day for them all. 😢
I'm not a royalist but agree with you PtbY that it's a sad day for the family and friends.
DeleteIt was so dignified and so moving especially seeing Her Majesty sitting alone. I hope she felt we were all thinking of her.
ReplyDeleteSo do I Ev. As her car came into view I lost it. A moving and meaningful occasion although I did feel the Deans voice was monotone.
DeleteI lost it when the coffin came out, followed by her car!
DeleteNot sure why though..
I actually stood up, when the National Anthem was played as she appeared. This was my 1st sheet of kitchen roll...😀
I have decided to give my thoughts, being they right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteThese are based on how simplistic it was, due to the restrictions, in this Pandemic time.
What I admired was the total dignity + recognition, along with many more simplistic thoughts These are only mine:-
a) The Land-rover
b) The carriage, with its horses + meromies in it, as the cortege went by
c) The Cap + Sword, placed on the coffin.
d) The insignia on the Alter.
e) The 4 singers, pitch perfect, and singing socially distanced, and often, unaccompianed.
f) The lone piper, who faded away, in such a touching way.
I also admired the TV broadcast.
This was due, to the subdued lighting, with very little focus on the chief mourners, esp. HM Queen Elizabeth 11.
It's now another piece of History, sadly so.
I felt it was a true + meaningful, family funeral, which meant a lot, for those who were in attendance.
DeleteAgree with all comments above.
ReplyDeleteSimple, solemn, dignified and with contained pomp without ceremony.
A very good send off for an inspirational man.
And with thanks to Covid, a family funeral.
My thoughts also.
DeleteYes, a very fitting and moving funeral, even the weather had the decency to be perfect.
ReplyDeleteI did think the Queen looked a very, very small figure, so sad and lonely in her widows weeds.
The Royal family could have opted to ignore COVID restrictions but had the good sense and compassion to carry on as so many families have had to over the past 12 months.
I think, to those who have had to attend funerals in this pared back manner, the fact that the Royal Family did likewise might be a small comfort.
I certainly did not cry, because we both felt the Prince would have been pleased by the way everything was carried out and that everything was conducted with such precision and love.
I cry at any Wedding, Funeral etc. no matter whose they are, even if these are in a TV programme!
DeleteThat's me...😭😭
The music got to me AP and the Queen arriving (but MR R is used to me 😉)
DeleteI cried buckets and went through umpteen tissues. The music always gets to me, specially Jerusalem and Nimrod. I thought it was a beautiful ceremony and the military performed magnificently. I felt for those coffin bearers having such a huge duty to perform in front of the eyes of the world. Well done.
DeleteI admired the pall bearers, who had to hold the coffin, whilst paused, half way up the steps for the 2 minute silence.
DeleteThat must have been so hard to do.
I also loved all the music, esp. the 4 person choir singing, For all abide in the Sea..or whatever it is, which many will know.
Self correct - For those at Peril on The Sea.
DeleteA lead lined coffin too I could barely look at times when it was being manoeuvred. Brilliant work boys!
DeleteIt was a bit 🤞 for me also. I expect though, the "boys" were the best weight-lifters, in their regimements.
DeleteMy knees buckled, just thinking about it.
Eternal Father strong to save .... there are also verses for the Marines and the Fleet Air Arm. This hymn is so often sung in Naval circles. Mike used to say that when you have spent time at sea you learn to respect it and realise there is a great power behind it.
DeleteI was thinking of the weight those men had to bear and was awestruck at how they negotiated all those steps. The military did the Prince proud!
This is another page of a Modern History Book, now being written.
ReplyDeleteThis is -
A Royal Funeral, held whilst still in a world-wide pandemic, with what it meant, and how it was done.
In the future, will any-one actually understand this situation and it's problems?
I hope so.
I picked up, in a very simple bit of the commentary, but to me, was so poignant.
ReplyDeleteThis was along the lines of -
This is the first, and the last time, HRH the Prince Philip, is preceding HM The Queen, instead of being a pace or two, behind her, which he has done throughout her reign, as Queen.
Yes Miriam that was a very poignant comment.
DeleteNo comments at all today? All out in those gardens already 🤗 ah well coffee over back to a few chores for me.
ReplyDeleteThis morning - A lie in, breakfast in bed with the Sunday Times, bath listening to TA Omnibus, pricking out seedlings in greenhouse, starting to clean out greenhouse ready for tomatoes & cues and making lunch in about 20 mins time.
DeleteThis afternoon - more greenhouse work, trying to persuade Mr A to start planting trees we bought from Longstock Nursery last week, tea + cheese scones in garden then back in the start cooking Sunday Dinner.
That’s my day, or at least what is planned, Lady R.
Lovely newsy reply AP enjoy your afternoon- especially those scones 🤗
DeleteI'm spending every available minute down in my courtyard, re-charging my batteries after a truly dreadful, energy-sapping winter. This afternoon a family friend is coming for his weekly visit and we will continue to potter in the garden, potting up, planting out and generally tidying up after the chaos - once sufficient time has been devoted to sipping Greek iced coffee, of course.
ReplyDeleteBacon sarni sat outside local cafe in the sun followed by a daphne dog walk. ( Mabel refused to come)
ReplyDeleteBit of light gardening before our son called in to collect 6 boxes of his stuff from the attic. He was over from Manchester to play cricket for a local team. Madness!
Then as I got settled on my swing seat my brother and sister in law turned up for a cuppa.
Now finally having 5 mins peace and quiet on my own. God knows what I’m cooking for tea. Got no inspiration and can’t be bothered attitude on.
Gypsy made sure we had an early start today!After a cup of tea Katy took the boys to Quarr for their walk. I made pancakes for breakfast. Our favourite with squirty cream and maple syrup. I did a few chores and thinned out my tomatoes to one a pot. Then we had hot chocolate and watched recorded Bargain Hunt. Katy’s main Christmas present was a velvetiser from Hotel Chocolate. It makes lovely hot chocolate and she tops it with more squirty cream and marshmallows! Much to Gypsy’s disgust she had a haircut! Hopefully the groomers will resume for the boys soon but she finds it too stressful nowadays. Katy can take her time and give her sufficient breaks so that she doesn’t go into full blown stress but even so she wasn’t best pleased! Sun is shining here and it is quite warm outside. I’m thinking it is time to turn the heating off! I have it set just for evenings and mornings just now. Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday! 🥰
ReplyDeleteWrapped in a blanket on the sofa since 10am watching Star Trek:Enterprise and eating boxes of Cadbury Fingers and packet after packet of cheese and onion Square Crisps. I have probably never been happier in my entire life.
ReplyDeleteSalt + Vinegar Squares for me, and I have just re-discovered, Bounty Bars! Though the coconut gets stuck in my teeth (my own, of course!).
DeleteLovely newsy posts.
ReplyDeleteI hope that there are many more to come.
I haven't done much today.
I admit that I had too much wine last night, after that funeral. By accident, I watched the highlight programme of it last night. It was only then, that I put things into perspective, as to why I got so tearful + emotional. This is that I hadn't properly grieved, for my late father. There was so much to do, after his sudden dying at Christmas, with the Coroner having to be involved in the post-mortem, and what was needed to be put on the death certificate, as there was thought a hint of malpractice re insulin doses given, but wasn't the case. There was then the sorting and selling of the property (with so many of Mum's things still in it), along with maintaining the garden, as well as my own. This took 6 months and it was a relief when it was all finallised. Having 2 solicitors, though in the same firm, one for probate + one for the bungalow sale, also caused a slight complcation.
I think, that I have now grieved, in the way I should had, but somehow didn't - over 5 years ago. Sorry for this, but tears have now dried up, just.
On a more cheerful note,
I hope you are all enjoying your gardens, and the start of a much less "claustraphobic" life.
I am loving the longer, brighter + warmer days, as is Pusscat, who now curls up in the sunshine in the garden.
I am decided on my evening meal - a chicken, chorizo, red pepper, mushroom and brown rice dish, all cooked in the same "pot".
Easy to do, but so tasty!
We are having a chicken and mushroom risotto topped with toasted pine nuts. Running a bit short of vegetables but have just made a Barrow Boys order to be delivered on Tuesday. Still not confident about going into shops! I was lucky with the second jab and after achy joints next day am now feeling fine. I just hope we don’t get any awful variants but I’m sure we’ll cope if so!
DeleteMy favourite risotto is, salmon with asparagus. I also love a chicken one, with porcini and oyster mushrooms.
DeleteI feel fine, to go to shops again, but as long as I can still be socially distanced, in a good way, when wearing a mask.
My area and all the surrounding ones,, are now almost Covid free. I will still take care and be sensible.
Favourite risotto is roast butternut squash with sage and toasted pine nuts closely followed by a lemony trout, fennel and kale one.
DeleteAfter another massive amounts of holiday brochures via the post and e-mails - although tempted, I am not booking anything.
ReplyDeleteThe reason is, not to get too complacent, too soon. It would be lovely to venture further afield, but the not knowing who you will be with on a trip, plus the situation in visiting countries, makes me think hard. It is the unknown factor, as to further, unknown variants as yet, being contracted + then transmitted.
I have made my decision for 2021, though a difficult one, no holiday outside of the UK.
At least I have time to renew my passport, which expires in July this year. This will be done, after my lockdown locks have been chopped off, so my photo will, at least, be sort of OK!
My quandrary re hols. even in the UK. is Pusscat and what do I do with her. She hates going into the cattery, the last time being about 4 years ago, and did not do well.
DeleteDo I go along with my holiday plans, knowing she will have to go to the Cattery again with problems?
Or should I do what I want to do, keeping 🤞 that all will be well?
It's a dilemma -as to what is the most important - Me having lovely breaks away vs. Pusscat, in her "holiday home" totally unhappy.
It is a difficult one to decide.
Lovely neighbours 🐈⬛ 🤔
DeleteI've decided that my knowledge of plants and trees that we see on our walks is not as good as I'd like it to be so, from now on, I'm going to make a point of identifying the ones I don't know. Learning new things is supposed to help keep the brain going so, hopefully, I'll kill two birds with one stone.
ReplyDeleteTake photos of what you see + don't know, to then identify,at your leisure, ready for the next time..
DeleteMy son has something on his phone, an app?, that if you take a photo of a flower etc and enter the photo on the site it tells you what it is. Very clever stuff, and useful.
DeleteUnderstand you’re funeral reaction Miriam after your explanation above. You must now feel in a much better place🙏
ReplyDeleteHad a lovely day. Got up too late to join the usual Zoom service (that wasn't what made it lovely 😉) Cooked a roast dinner for daughter, son and daughter-in-law. The latter brought a really nice fruit pie she had made, and we topped it with ice cream. I laid up the garden table to look pretty with serviettes that had a picture of spring flowers on them, and a vase in the middle with pink camellias and mauve honesty. Just thankful the weather was sunny enough to do it, being mindful we still aren't supposed to mix indoors yet. Then afterwards we went up to a reservoir on the edge of the moor and walked a path through trees to the bird hide by the side of the water. There weren't any unusual birds to see, just the usual ones like the Canada Geese, but birdwatching is such a peaceful thing to do and there was no-one else around.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lovely day Janice
DeleteWhat an idyllic day Janice so pleased for you all 🤗
DeleteTesting
ReplyDeleteJanice, your day sounds lovely. It was good to hear how everyone was spending this lovely sunny day.
DeleteTo identify plants I use the Google app, I just point my phone's camera at the object and up comes the answer.
ReplyDeleteI must get my son to show me how to do it.
DeleteHoping this post will happen have done all usual things AP to try and correct but just one of those days. Thanks everyone you did my am request proud filling in the detail of your day, really enjoyed reading them all. I did some chores then enjoyed a relaxed walk in the sun (as Mr R attended the Grand Prix on his computer 🤗) I usually go with my neighbour but she was awaiting a phone call from her nephew in Scotland - and where Gary was lounging upon his sofa 🤣
ReplyDeleteIn bed, listening to the nightingale singing...
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit of a birdwatcher, but have never seen a nightingale and would love to have one singing me to sleep.
DeleteMagret de canard /duck breast with lentilles for supper.
ReplyDeleteOoooo Parsley! One of my all time favourite meals!
DeleteI really do miss our visits to France and restaurants serving Confit, Magret, Salade de Gésiers and cassoulet!
A British company (Gressingham Duck) recently added Confit to their range of duck ready meals. So I tried it, as I do like their Duck in Orange or Cherry sauce. But it was a travesty! Just a lump of duck packed in a fat-filled plastic sachet that was impossible to open without getting everything, including me, covered in duck fat. And it was tough and flavourless.
I’ll just have to wait until France is off the red list for travel!
My son had already planned a day- visit this Thursday, but after careful study of the official Covid websites for both England and Wales it would appear that 'bubbles' are not suspended as we both thought was the case, and he is free to come and stay overnight. He will therefore arrive early Thursday afternoon and return to Wales on Saturday morning. I haven't seen him since September!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful Sarnia. You must be so looking forward to seeing him after all this time.
DeleteHope you have a lovely time with your son Sarnia. You must really have been missing him. He will be amazed by your garden renovations so I hope that weather is good enough for you both to spend time out there.
DeleteI'll have to apply myself to some serious house-tidying and cleaning - not just for appearances, you understand, but to make sure that the dining room floor can accommodate both of us and that he will be able to trace a path to the bed he is to sleep in! My SAD was the worst it's ever been this winter: one cold, grey day and I was off down the slippery slope, two in a row and it was 'all systems shut down'.
DeleteThis warm sunny weather hasn't come a moment too soon. I was quite surprised to find that I still exist.
Hopefully the continuing good weather and your son's visit will help you to continue feeling better Sarnia.
DeleteThat's wonderful Sarnia. You will have so much to show him in the garden.
ReplyDeleteGreat news 🤗 Sarnia and your son will be arriving in time to enjoy the glorious weather forecasted (full sun for Thursday & Friday) with you in your lovely garden 🌺🌸🌼🌷
ReplyDeleteSuch good news, Sarnia! 🌺🌺
ReplyDeleteAP, have you tried making your own confit?
ReplyDeleteDoes take vast quantities of duck fat tho'....
No, I haven’t dared Parsley. Don’t know where I’d get enough duck fat in England. It only seems to be produced in expensive little jars at Christmas for roasting potatoes!
DeleteI might look online to see if it’s possible to buy the tins of confit we bring home from Carrefour after our visits. They are quite good.
Ok football fans what are your views on the proposed new Super League? Mr R says 😡
ReplyDeleteIt gets a massive thumbs down from me! 🤬
Deleteditto. Grrr
DeleteDon’t know much about footie but gather whatever happens they can’t get relegated. Reminds me of a sports day at a “progressive” school Katy attended in Dartmouth. Nobody won or lost and after a short time there I left as I was so bored!
DeleteOMiaS's side of the family has always supported Spurs. (Me? I 'support' Arsenal out of pique 😉) One of the younger shoe-dwellers has already stated that if it goes ahead he will transfer his allegiance.
DeleteIt all looks like cynical money-grabbing to me.
I refer to your post off 7:35 pm yesterday ,Miriam.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why it is difficult for you to decide what to do.
You say your elderly cat was not happy in a cattery so I can't understand why you would contemplate sending her to one.
There is no way you would enjoy your holiday if you were worrying about her all the time.
However there is another choice for you.
You could get a Cat Sitter who would stay in your home for the period of time you were away .
I gather that there is a fee to join the site but there would be no cost to you after that as there are people (vetted) who are happy to spend time in an area they do not know
Living where you do I would think many people would jump at the chance.
Great News Sarnia. Your meet-up will be as great as mine was, went I went into Wales last Friday.
ReplyDeleteI so agree about what you said concerning SAD syndrome. I have a mild version of this, but like you, my lovely home, could be a bit more sorted....
After a lot of gardening in the glorious sunshine, I am dirty + dare, I say, not as fresh as I was! Off for a long soak in the bath + a hair wash.
Garden - how neglected it is -which hopefully soon, this will be changed to - "was". 😀
Phew! What an exhausting day! Apart from the Monday wash and trying to power wash the greenhouse without breaking any more of the very elderly glass panes, Mr A and I have planted 3 trees today.
ReplyDeleteA Hornbeam and two Prunus avium (wild cherries), all quite large trees that had to be delivered by lorry. There are filling in the large gap where the conifers were felled to give us privacy from the road. Because there were conifers there before it was a difficult job to dig 3 holes large enough due to old tree roots and masses of flints which all had to be extracted. In fact, it’s taken most of the day.
But all done now, staked and wire cages put around each one to prevent pesky rabbits gnawing the bark.
My own personal Adam Frost has slogged away and now deserves a cup of tea and another cheese scone! 🌳🌳🌳
Well Done!
DeleteMr A, deserves much more than just a cheese scone.
You both put me to shame, as to what you have achieved today...esp. Archerphile with your replacement hip + knee!
Good for you, and I 👏 👏 you both.
PS Big Sis showed me a jigsaw she was sent (via Amazon) from a daughter in OZ. It was a Peacock, and no way did I want to borrow it...the pieces were very small and only just fitted onto the 1000 piece board. I reckon it was actually 1500 pieces. On finally breaking it up, they spotted letters on the reverse side, which if these had been known, the jigsaw would have been put into 8 different areas.
A typical "chinese" product, with the only english, the size it was!
Miriam ........ LanJan has given you a solution that I too would have suggested for your Cat/ holiday conundrum.
DeleteI would also echo a suggestion from ( I think ) Lady R, your new next door neighbours. Since you live in a cup de sac, I would have thought a neighbour would be your best choice.
You in return could offer to feed other neighbours cat when they need a holiday.
This is the way most people manage.
Miriam, I must confess I didn’t do any digging - in fact my replacement knee & hip actually stop me from doing anything like that. My balance is dreadful and I can’t stand on one leg & push a fork or spade with the other.
DeleteSo no praise is deserved, I’m afraid. I do the planning, buying of plants, hold things in place, make wire cages, do a bit of weeding and deadheading. Do stuff in the greenhouse but Poor old Mr A has to do all the hard slog!
As for the jigsaw, I had one like like that recently, bought on eBay. I think I wrote about it on here with its very badly translated instructions. All of those pieces had letters on the back too, to make it “educational for children”!! 😂
Mrs P ,I think it is fine if neighbours offer to feed a cat whilst on holiday but two things occur to me.
ReplyDeleteIt can be a worry for the neighbours though .
A pet cat may need companionship too as well as food
Percy misses his" master " so much that for several weeks I put Mr LJ's woollen jumper on a chair for Percy to sit on.
Now Percy has taken to sitting on my knee.
Poppy who likes her own company and rarely joined us has decided that she is going to keep me company at night .
Apart from visiting the bonding bench she keeps herself to herself the rest of the time.
At first she perched at the bottom of the bed but now she sits on the blanket chest over night but taps me between 6:30am and 7:00am each morning.
I hope Miriam thinks about my suggestion
I believe they the animal nurses at our Vet's do pet sitting too before and after work .
That could be another option for Miriam.
My problem is, my PussCat only responds to me. She is the original "scaredy cat". As soon as some-one comes into the house, she does a runner and hides for hours + hours.
DeleteWhen the window cleaner last came, she was in the lounge with me, On hearing the brush on the window, she disappeared. I found her, many hours later, still cowering in the wardrobe She does not react to any-one, but me. This is why, the cattery have spoken to me re her pining, not eating and not responding, in any way. She just curls up in her bed, sleeping on a jumper of mine with my scent, and becomes '
"comatose".
I have been given an alternative idea. This is an automatic feeder, loaded with the dry food, my cat eats. It is programmed to issue a set amount of food at set times.
It's worth looking into.
How long would you intend to be away Miriam? Because I think all the while you have your now much older puss you are not going to be able to have more than days out (if you are to retain peace of mind) maybe chance a night away....
DeleteThoughts on the ⚽️ situation Lanjan 🤔
ReplyDeleteDisgusted Lady R.
ReplyDeleteIt is all about greed.
I can't see it happening.
I remember when footballers(we had three players of what was then the first Division living close to where I lived in the 1960s) were paid £20 a week!
Half time in the Leeds Liverpool match match which Percy and I have been watching
Poppy thinks it is rubbish.
Disgusted Lady R.
ReplyDeleteIt is all about greed.
I can't see it happening.
I remember when footballers(we had three players of what was then the first Division living close to where I lived in the 1960s) were paid £20 a week!
Half time in the Leeds Liverpool match match which Percy and I have been watching
Poppy thinks it is rubbish.