Archerphile - June 25, 2021 at 3:07 AM Condolences from me too Ev. Even as a notorious un- doggy person, I do appreciate how much the loss of a much loved pet can hurt. You all did your very best for Gypsy , which is a wonderful thing. She was a lucky animal to have you all looking after her,
Spicycushion - June 25, 2021 at 8:09 AM Condolences to Ev in her loss of Gypsy. She'll be remembered in silly ways and things in future years so she will not be lost forever. 🌹🌹🌹
Zoetrope - June 25, 2021 at 8:25 AM Ev, sorry to hear your sad news. Our pets become so much part of our lives. Thinking of you, Katy and 'the boys'
Ev - June 25, 2021 at 8:50 AM Thank you all so much for your kind words. Very much appreciated.
Esscee - June 25, 2021 at 10:15 AM Ev, just popped in to say how I am sorry about Gypsy. We had to make the same sad decision with our spaniel last November. Dogs sneak into our hearts and leave a big hole when they’re gone. We’ve only ever had dogs so can only speak about them.
KPnuts - June 25, 2021 at 8:52 AM Ev, sorry to hear about Gypsy, but take comfort from knowing you did your best by her .
Thank you for the Rainbow Bridge, Gary. It made me cry but that’s a good thing to release the feelings. Have a heavy heart today but thinking of her free of illness is cheering and yes if the Rainbow Bridge is there able to see again! We are having her ashes back and will scatter some in the garden and some on her favourite walks.
Lanjan, well done to your son for comlpeting Lands End to John O'Groats. My younger brother and his friends decided to tackle the Pennine Way after O levels. Their practice walk, and my brother's *first* walk, was rather shorter and more local. But they still got lost and delayed. Eventually that evening I got a phone call, 'I'm at the Fox and Hounds, come and collect me.' He had got fed up with the detour and stopped there while his friends went on. I couldn't find my car keys (they were found later in Mum's handbag - we never worked out why) so I ended up booking a taxi and then phoning the pub to tell them to tell my brother it was on its way.
On the journey home, the taxi driver managed to convine my brther that perhaps the Pennine Way was a little ambitious for a complete novice! I'm not sure if the rest of the group went ahead, with the project or whether they stayed at home to practise their map reading!
OMiaS and a shoedweller, on the other hand, have been doing the Pennine Way in stages. THe plan is to finish the final leg over several days this summer. I will not comment on which of the walkers is more likely to get them lost ; )
1). Son, after Uni, walked (and climbed) the entire length of the Pyrenees, starting at the Atlantic end and taking 2 weeks to reach the Mediterranean. This included climbing various peaks, like the Pic du Midi along the way and bivouacking overnight. We were absolutley amazed as he has very twisted feet and had to wear specially adapted shoes all through childhood (much to the delight of the bullies at school). But he found some comfortable walking boots, put the hospital orthotics inside and off he went. And hasn’t stopped hiking & climbing since. The Pyrenees were a watershed moment for him.
2) Mr A’s French Odyssee , about 10 years ago. Inspired by son but definitely not a climber, he decided to walk entire length of France from the English Channel to the Med. Picked up a beach pebble near Calais and deposited it in the Med at Palavas. He used the excellent French Randonnée system, planning well in advance to include visits to interesting towns and areas. Looking up chambre de hôtes along the way, never actually having to camp out. It took just over a year, in 4 stages, coming home inbetween. Just wish I could have done it too!
3) Me - a couple of weeks ago. From Cottage down to village and back (It does have a steep hill)
I had a pet moment this morning. I woke up for a loo trip, whilst it was still dark. I threw off the duvet (no lights put on) to find my cat, who was curled up beside me and un-beknown to me, being catapaulted onto the floor! She was asleep, so we both had a shock. I was obviously forgiven, as on awaking, she was again curled up, asleep against me. I was more careful this time!
We took the boys on a long walk through Firestone forest. The sun was dappled along the path and it was so peaceful. There is a small coffee wagon on the car park so had a lovely latte with heart shaped pattern on top! When Katy went to agility class with Buddy earlier in the week the training lady gave her an ostrich tendon as Buddy like many Maltese terriers has a tendency to bad teeth and chewing on these is good. Yesterday he buried it in a small heap of hardcore but Nigel the garden man found it this morning. I gave it a good wash and Buddy then went all around the house looking for a place to hide it. As he later showed great interest on my bed I had a good look and finally found it under my pillow which was under a big cushion neither looking disturbed. Still can’t figure out how he did it! In the midst of sorrow these two boys will keep us well occupied!
My long awaited new sun-lounger, is due for delivery between 29th June + 2nd July. It will be typical that I will be out when it arrives, after over 3 months of waiting!! Still at least it will arrive soon 🤞
Back home from La Cenerentola (Cinderella) at The Grange, first opera we’ve been to in nearly 2 years, first live performance we’ve seen since last February. The orchestra was pre-recorded with the conductor just guiding the singers. The auditorium was only at half capacity and everyone wore masks, but it was wonderful to be there, we took a picnic supper, the sun shone and we felt like part of society again, next Friday Britten’s Midsummers Night Dream 😀
Was that at The Grange I know KP - at Northington, not far from The Woolpack Inn?
How wonderful to spend the evening there and, hopefully forget about all the current problems for a few hours. Should have love to have gone myself but still in Zombie- like state at the moment. Did a Barn Owl fly across the field over the heads of the audience, as one did when I was last there?
What a lovely evening KP. Ive yet to go to the Grange. I like Britten’s Midsummer Nights Dream - can send shivers down my spine. I’m going to see Cosi at Glyndebourne in August. I think you’ve said before that Glyndebourne isn’t the place it was; I agree but I still enjoy it. I was lucky enough to be there on the closing night of the old theatre - the opera was Queen of Spades not an one that I knew but the whole experience that night was so memorable. There were no corporate groups just members - it was a bit dowdy I suppose just people who were there for the music and to say goodbye to the place we knew and loved. It is good that you could experience a live performance again. I believe we all need that live entertainment so much. Fingers crossed that it will return in all its many forms.
Spicycushion thanks for the greeting from your scouts. My 11 year old granddaughter is also a scout. They have packs with both boys and girls. Both grandchildren go away camping with their scout groups though Eddie, my grandson will have to miss out on camping trips this year.
My 10yr old female is also a scout, in a mixed group. She so loves it - esp. as they are often on some nearby water in kayaks. She always is so wet afterwards!!
Thank you all again for your kind words. It makes such a difference. To many people it is just a dog but they become so much a part of your life. It’s lovely to know there are such good people out there like yourselves who make the world a better place!😊
Today I took Dudley on a shorter walk down to the creek while Katy took Buddy to Firestone again. Katy and Buddy have more energy than Dudley and me! The boys were glad to see each other again after their walks especially Buddy who was over the moon! Dudley was more interested in having breakfast! Gypsy’s pram is being recycled today to a lady who needs one for her dog so it will be good to see it being used.
Solicitor emailed late Friday requesting large sum of money so it’s all systems go. In middle of cleaning the oven. Hate it. If oven needs cleaning at new house I shall get a man in!!! Ruddy daphne was sick on the hall carpet yesterday so I’ve borrowed a friends carpet shampooed. So there’s another job now. Wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t for the fact I hate cleaning. Right, back to head in oven….😩
So glad that things, are literally on the move. I also have had to clean cat sick, up today. Why does puss-cat come in from the garden, to just do this?
I started watching my film last night, but couldn't concentrate on it. I have however, watched it this afternoon, whilst doing the ironing. This was done via All4. This film is definitley a Sunday Afernoon one, which would appeal much more to females.
Finding Your Feet. It might appeal to some, but then perhaps not, to many others. It is personal likes.
Trying for 8th time to answer Lady R! In desperation I managed to leave a message on t’other blog but just want to see if it works here now using phone rather than iPad
Sitting outside A & E Basingstoke in the rain. Mr R pain in big toe radiating to his much operated revision right knee . Tried 111 very busy. Members of Benenden so rang their 24/7 (usually) Dr due to virus not available weekends…. First time we have used that service- so here we are doing as his Surgeon has always instructed him to do. He has an appointment with him 3 weeks tomorrow. First drive in dark for a long time and the rain is just topping it off! Will be in touch.
Thanks Mrs P. Mr R is in the hospital I went on with him but asked to stay outside at least parked right outside A&E and not down in the big (no doubt) deserted main car park. Nearly 1 and a half hours so far. The rain is absolutely tipping down still. Listening to a podcast on my phone no data usage 🤗
Am thinking of you Lady R. Try to get some coffee to keep you awake , as I expect you will be driving back very late tonight. Hope the weather has improved by then. We attempted our usual after Sunday lunch walk and ended up soaked.
Got home (with antibiotics for toe) just after 1am. The medic we saw was so nice and checked info I gave him and was thorough with knee check for both Mr R’s - mine and Surgeon and was happy infection not affecting it as of now but was quick with the AB as the toe affected is on the same side as the “knee that is always in the infection danger zone” My Mr R admits to being weak with relief the onset of the knee pain really frightened him sepia once was enough I doubt he could take so much major surgery like that again. Good job I am that night owl 🤗 At least the rain had stopped when we arrived home. Ramble over! Goodnight or should I say morning.
Goodnight, Lady R. What a day, you must be exhausted. I'm about to retire - up very late composing helpful info for my daughter. It's all kicked off again in NZ and she's back with the domestic violence unit. This time he was taken away in handcuffs, so perhaps the end is in sight at last.
Oh Lady R What an awful night for you both, and I know exactly what it’s like sitting in you car outside that A&E. Dept, with the ambulances coming and going around you. Still, would have been worse down in the big carpark with all those steps to climb I suppose. When I first read your post I immediately thought ‘cellulitis’ as we have had emergency admissions twice for that and it can be very serious for diabetics. Hopefully the ab’s will get to grips with the infection very quickly before it can affect the knee. I think we are keeping Bas Hosp quite busy between us lately! Love and my thoughts to Mr R.
Hope Mr R is more comfortable today. Sarnia, what a worry for you being so far away. I hope it will indeed be resolved. I can imagine that lovely delphinium blue, my favourite colour!
My back garden is all prepared and weather permitting the “grass” will be laid today. It will save a lot of work pulling weeds! The front garden is very extensive and all laid with pebbles which have let weeds flourish over time. I tackled it over the weekend but some remain. I will discuss with Steve today but am wondering about having large sones laid randomly just to cut down the weed laden areas. The ideal solution would be to have it all dug up, new weed control matting etc but that would be very expensive. The bungalow was built in the 60’s when the fashion was for massive front gardens and resulting narrow roads. I would willingly give up half of mine to widen the road but of course that won’t happen! Being not far from the main road but tucked away we often have people parking in our road rather than paying at the hitherto free car park. This makes it difficult to get a swing into the drives around here. It also means that bigger commercial vehicles have to swing onto the pavement breaking that down. You can’t reason with selfish parkers who disregard problems they create for residents!
Sending positive thoughts all still struggling with health issues and worrying about family members. Lots of life on the bird feeder these last couple of days: juvenile greater spotted woodpecker, greenfinch and nuthatch, in addition to the regular blue tits, great tits, pigeons, robins and rooks.
Sarnia I have two enemies in the garden - slugs and bindweed. In friday’s GQT it was suggested that slugs were trained to eat only weeds! I have a slug free hospital where I nurture little slug ravaged plants which had been planted optimistically but lost the battle. The answer for pots is wide bands of copper tape; unfortunately the tape doesn’t always blend in with the decor but it can work ( as long as there are no dangling leaves overhead for the little darlings to use as parachutes.) On a more serious note, I do hope the situation in NZ eases. It is horrible being the other side of the world offering advice and not being able to physically do anything.
A big thank you from us both to all you lovely bloggers for your concern and wishes to Mr R. Thankfully a calmer atmosphere today. Mr R slept well after a drink and the first dose of his AB x2 four times a day for a week, I on the other hand did not sleep until past 4.30am and still woke for the bathroom at 8am went back until 9am but then got up and showered. Probably drop off this afternoon 🤣
Sarnia what an awful situation your daughter (and for you being so far away) has been in I do really hope she will now begin to be free ofanymore distress of this nature at least physically- mentally no doubt a longer road. Thoughts to you both 🌻
Thank you all. It's a complicated situation with historical roots in Mr S's dysfunctional post-war childhood when, like many other children at the time, he was being shunted from pillar to post with a father he had only just met suffering from what is now known as PTSD. Add to that a baby sister who arrived just as Mr S was starting school and you don't get a blueprint for harmonious family life in that generation or the next. I'm hoping to persuade my daughter that understanding the background is halfway to being able to deal with the consequences, but at the moment it feels like a losing battle. I know about the copper, but have no means of getting to the garden centre other than a very expensive taxi ride. I only make internet purchases if the website carries a telephone number, which so far has not been the case for purveyors of copper tape. Given the NZ situation, the crumbling kitchen tap, the hose that keeps splitting and the mice setting up house in the outside cupboard, both slugs and bindweed have been having a field day behind my back. I spend all day trying to work out where to start, by which time it's too late to do any of it!
Gosh. What very interesting posts I have just read.
Lady R. I hope "Lord R" is starting to improve with his ABs. What caused this problem, did they say?
Delphiniums. The ones I bought + planted a while ago, are now wonderful. I think that I have the same one as AP's, a vibrant blue one. The others are:- pale blue with white centre (3 spikes) and pink/lilac also with white centres (4 spikes).
I am lucky as I had no rain, so that they are still upright.
SARNIA. What a nightmare for you. I wish you well.
SARNIA I have seen copper tape in a garden catalogue, which came through the post last week. Sadly it was recycled on Friday. If I can recall the name of the firm, I will let you know. All I know is that is a reputable firm, a subsidary of one that I have used many times, and trust.
Sarnia, I read today about someone who had mice in the roof and managed to throw them into the gutter from where they made their way into the garden patrolled by an owl. She didn't succeed with every single one but the idea was to move them outside to become prey to predators. Yours are already outside and on the ground I take it, but no circling owls or buzzards I guess. Failing all action, just sit outside, the plants emit secondary metabolites to protect themselves from the environment, but we benefit from these emissions. Well, I read all this in a book.
Aha, Basia! My little family was deeply ensconced in Mr S's as yet undisturbed collection of at least 10 years' worth of old, damp clothes kept for gardening, in damp cardboard boxes. The inner rodent was well-fortified on £1 worth of black sunflower seeds which had mysteriously disappeared from view some time ago. I had become aware of a noxious pong in the cupboard, used as a veg store (me) and general dumping ground (him), but put it down to rotting of the box of potatoes which he said he had left me in 2019, but which I couldn't find. It was the teeth-marks in last week's Charlottes from Sainsbury's that alerted me to the reality of the situation - they'd obviously eaten all the sunflower seeds. My son-in-law and wife made short work of the rubbish and the inhabitants made themselves scarce.
My best wishes to Lord and Lady R with the hope that things improve very quickly . I admire you greatly for being able to drive in the dark ,Lady R and for remaining so positive and my thoughts are also with you and your daughter , Sarnia What a sad situation not helped by the distance between you and your daughter.
Oh Lord, I don’t want to spend another afternoon like today Last week had to connect new modem/router, took several hours. Then Printer wouldn’t work as it couldnt recognise the new routers signal Spent An entire afternoon trying to solve the problem. No good. Saturday, Mr A had to buy a new printer from Argos so that hopefully it would automatically connect up with the HP Smart App Today, 3 and a half hours trying to connect it up. None of instructions work Crawling round on floor under desk swopping wires, plugging in, plugging out HP Smart says it can’t find a bl..dy printer!!! Eventually discover we had to fit ink cartridges in printer before any electronics would connect up Didn’t say that anywhere in instructions., of course!
But oh, eventually, the absolute joy of hearing the printer start up and disgorging a sheet of printed papier, I could have wept! All I want now is a nice cup of tea! ☕️
Hello dear blogger friends! After a busy few weeks I have now caught up with the blog ( though not TA as yet) and send condolences to those of you who are sad and sympathy to those of you with health problems or family worries. All is well and the whole of Italy is now “ white zone” - ie lowest tier so as from today masks are no compulsory outdoors, except where distancing is impossible. Not venturing out today though as it’s 32 degrees. I am so glad to have had airconditioning installed last month!
This is of absolutely no importance, but my long awaited sun lounger, is now in the Hermes main depot. At least I can track it, as to when it will finaly arrive, chez moi or should that be at, la mia casa?
Lovely to see you back again Hilary. How lovely to be able to go out without a mask. I wonder if we are allowed to visit Italy yet? I don’t suppose you want us us bringing Variation Delta into the country. The UK seems to be being shunned by most of Europe for the time being.
Ciao Hilary ! 1st outing to the cinema this evening, v brave, courageously wore our masks throughout The Father, at least the snuffling was absorbed...
Oh I do love this blog! It is so heartwarming to read all your welcome-backs! Thank you! Archerphile, my elder son and wife (expecting their first child in November - yippee!) visited this weekend from Switzerland and had to have covid tests the day before travelling but there are no formalities on reentering Switzerland. Unfortunately Italy does have Variation Delta too but new daily cases are now only a few hundred. I wear FFP2 masks - bought very cheaply online from Hong Kong - which protect the wearer, unlike the ubiquitous turquoise surgical masks which protect others and will continue to do so yet awhile. I have my second AZ jab on Saturday, 12 weeks after the first but read that it offers only 60% protection against Delta. Just read that Andrew Marr caught covid despite double jabs so caution is still definitely necessary.
Yes, I saw Andrew Marr talking about that on Sunday. It said it was really quite nasty although only lasted a few days But at least he didn’t end up In hospital .
Just back from Breast Screening all very quick an efficient.Both have a cuppa to hand now and Mr R is watching BBC1 ready for footie I will be on iPad for Federer but keeping an eye on the tv too. Shades of 1966 good luck England 🏴
My sun lounger finally arrived today. It will soon be used, as it very hot + sunny, now. I spoke too soon last night, as I had heavy rain, shortly afterwards. Enjoy whatever you are watching - be it football, tennis or something totally different. There is also the radio. I am listening to "The Smithfield Murders" which I have downloaded. Many of you, however, might just be having a relaxing evening in the sun, in a well tended garden and enjoying the ambience.
It has stopped raining so I’ll be out on the vegetable plot. I think my husband is very noble - he is doing the milking so that the others can watch the match. I’m not really bothered about football but I can remember that in 1966 I had to go for a walk - It was too nailbitingly close.
I remember the 1966 match very well We, ( me and my first fiancé, the Jewish one who dumped me) were driving back from a weeks holiday in Margate, where we’d been staying with his family. The A2 back to London was absolutely chock-a-block. No M25 in those days. There were long hold ups at frequent intervals. The Game was on the car radio, on everyone’s car radio. Every time a goal was scored there was huge cheering and hooting of horns. Drivers got out of their cars and were dancing in the road. We were just approaching North London as the final goal was scored, pandemonium on the North Circular I’m not a footie fan, but that drive was unforgettable
I am bemused watching Wimbledon. This is that, there is a massive crowd watching and really enjoying the tennis. The players + officials are wearing masks, but the spectators aren't. I cannot grasp, nor understand this difference.
The crowd are part of a “crowd experiment” Miriam with no restrictions by the end it (finals) will be a full crowd of 15,000. Shame for the French man and on his birthday too 😟
Not a sports fan but well done, England and Andy Murray.😊
What a day today! Yesterday my cleaning lady spotted a hissing sound under the bathroom sink. This morning finally got hold of the chap who did my shower room improvements. It is a leak under the floor and he advised turning off the water until I needed it. He is coming tomorrow and will take up floorboards in Katy’s room which is next to bathroom to gain access under the suspended floor to see what is going on. In the process of moving furniture Katy cut her hand on a piece of glass underneath said furniture. We drowned our sorrows with a Chinese takeaway accompanied by prosecco. After coping with the garden improvements the water problem was the last straw and I gave up, put my feet up and had a sleep this afternoon! Realistically,Paul is very efficient and all should be well tomorrow. How I miss my man at times like this!
I know that feeling, as a single home owner. It can be hard at times but help is always, not too far away. Tomorrow is another and a better day. Sleep well...
Hope you and Katy have a better day tomoorow, Ev. Years ago, my parents had their double garage converted into a sitting room. After a while, the new carpet began to wrinkle and needed stretching. All was well until the carpet fitter came to tell Mum, 'I think you need a plumber'. He had been nailing the carpet strip along the side wall and gradually came to realise that each nail had gone into the water pipe to the radiator! Hence lots of little fountains happily watering our nice new wool carpet. He did suggest his mate in the van could help solve the problem; Mum thought it safer to call the original plumber. (In the guy's defence, apparently the pipe hadn't been buried deep enough in the concrete floor. But he did make quite a few holes before spotting the problem!)
I didn't watch the football, or the tennis. But I knew England had won when I heard the local fans walking home. Clearly the pubs weren't showing any tennis today so that news had passed me by until now.
OWIAS, we had the same plumbing problem last month in our flat when the air-conditioning was installed. The pipe was not deep enough and we had hot water gushing down from the ceiling! Luckily there were two technicians present at the time and they managed to avoid a flood by catching the water alternately in two buckets for about half an hour until the water could be turned off at the mains - crazily located in the upstairs neighbour’s garage.
Ev I know how you feel. In April I ordered some furniture and after many 'phone calls the firm promised to deliver them today. The van arrived about 9:00 am . The driver and his mate were outside for a while and then they knocked at the door to say that they were sorry but the two items were not on the van. Did nobody check that there were the correct number of items in the van ? Presumably not. I telephoned the Warehouse to find out why that was and was told that it was human error and the items had been put into the wrong van!
I am afraid I really lost my cool when the person I spoke to said that she could ONLY apologise. Why do they always say that? I am hoping for a delivery tomorrow afternoon!
I am so pleased there is so much sport to watch on TV. Loved the Match today. In 1966 I watched the World Cup in a Maternity Hospital ,my younger son having been born the previous day. I was not allowed to watch the whole game though as it was thought it might be too much for me! How times have changed.
As said before, I am not normally interested in football, but I did watch last night and actually enjoyed the match and all the emotions it stirred up. A good night for the country and for our morale generally.
On another topic, just heard that 14 yr old grandson, and his whole year group at school have been sent home to self-isolate for two weeks. One child in the year was in contact with a suspected Covid case, so every child, even those in different classes but same year, have to suffer. He is devastated. This weekend he was due to play in his first cricket match for the new village team he has joined, go to a race day at Thruxton on his days birthday treat, attend 4 scouting events as a newly promoted Leader and miss a DofE hike. All things he’d been looking forward to for a long time. To say nothing about missing two weeks of school lessons of course.
Is this really the best way to deal with Covid in schools? Thousands of children are missing so much education, teachers are run ragged trying to cope and now there is a possibility that every child will have to be tested every day on reaching school Who, may I ask, is going to test, possibly 1000 children, every morning. Just don’t ask my daughter!
I’m amazed that mask wearing is no longer required. Katy has to attend a head of departments meeting in a room. If one had the virus all could be affected. She continues to be a lone mask wearer and has a screen round her desk. Before the meeting she’s going to go in and open doors! As for testing this is left to the teachers among their other duties! It isn’t being properly dealt with in schools no matter what the government says.
Our 10yr old grandson in Dubai has to wear a mask for the entire day at school, as do all the staff. They stay in the same classroom all day, even eating lunch at their desks which each have a screen around them. The 13 year old still only attends school on alternate days, masked, with the days in between studying at home. At the school where my daughter-in-law teaches, all children and staff wear masks all day from age 5 -18. Children use corridors in single file and only one class moves at a time. So much stricter regulations than here.
The family are desperate not to be in contact with Covid for the next 3 weeks when they return home to France, because if any of them has a contact or positive test it could stop them travelling. When they reach Toulouse they may have to isolate in a hotel for 10 days ( at their own expense) before being allowed to go to their own home. It will be a huge relief when they are just living on the other side of the Channel again, but goodness only know when we shall be allowed to see them
I can identify with that, AP. I haven't seen my daughter since the funeral in Sept. 2019, I can't do anything to help her, and goodness only knows when it will be safe for her to visit again.
My daughter and family in Bath are now halfway through their enforced isolation at home. Grandson 14 tested positive, has not been too unwell but granddaughter due to take her A level mocks next week is desperate to stay uninfected. Their sister home from university had gone to Brighton for a few days, when brother tested positive, and although she has returned has not gone home. She is staying with a friend in a nearby town and traveling into Bath for her evening job. Mum is now back working from home and dad continues as he has since March 20. His office is in Washington DC and he has no expectation of being able to get there in the near future. We have all known that if there ever was a worldwide pandemic, then we would all be disrupted, wherever we lived in the world, but we continued, as a society, to live our lives with our collective heads in the sand.
I concur with above last paragraph! Those measures in Dubai should be enforced here too!
I now have water again. Problem solved. It was a faulty joint put in by a plumber about 4 years ago and had been dripping for some time. It explains relatively high water usage. It is expensive on the island anyway so hopefully our consumption will stabilise now. Never rains but it pours. Pardon the pun! Am much happier!
If anyone having new bathroom fittings can recommend Plumbworld based in Evesham. Toilet seat on new toilet has been loosening quickly so I asked for new bolts. They are sending a new seat although I didn’t ask for one, and don’t require the old seat back. It is arriving tomorrow. I’ll put it by so it’s always there if required in the future as it’s only the fixings required. I’m impressed with this prompt action and aftersales service. So many firms loose interest once they have sold you something. A big👏👏 for them!
I like to think that my head is not in the sand, Mrs P. My daughter's decision to emigrate, especially given the chosen company, was not necessarily a wise one, but it was hers to make. Generally speaking she seems settled in NZ, but we are in the process of analysing the reasons why she consistently makes such ill-advised choices of companion in the hope of avoiding any more crises.
Mrs P, The Father : best film we've seen for a long time. Gripping, extremely disturbing, what a tour de force from Anthony Hopkins. Really drew you in, several scenes were v difficult viewing, however would be extremely interesting to see it again viewed from the "other side". Our small local cinéma was around 1/3 full, mostly Brits but some French, VOST (version originale sous-titrée)
Thanks Parsley. I've got my ticket for tomorrow afternoon.
Sarnia - I did say..... society had its head in the sand...... collectively ! The nearest wording I could use to make my, shh ! (political ) comment.
We all make our decisions for ourselves wise or otherwise, but the fallout is often in the lap of others. I learned about marrying ' out ' when my sister married an American and watched with my parents from a vast windswept airfield in Suffolk as she flew off to the other side of the world. This was in the days when to speak to ones loved ones a telephone call needed to be booked ahead in the very early sixties. My mother was distraught at the loss of her teenage daughter, who was eventually brought back to the UK and then dumped. That experience taught me a lesson that I did not actually appreciate then, but as I aged something always stopped me from making commitments that might incur geographical disruption at some stage. Half a life later my ex husband formed a relationship that eventually took him to live in Australia and now with co morbidity conditions has to live half a world away from his daughters and grandchildren. And of course they suffer too. I'm very glad I stayed put.
Oh, dear, as I'm finding to my cost, I'm afraid there is no escaping fallout, even if you do stay put! When I married I made it plain that I wasn't looking for someone to father children. If I was I would have looked elsewhere! The result has caused my daughter continual suffering through her adult life and my chosen course of action 53 years ago is partly responsible.
Sarnia, that is so sad, but please don’t blame yourself for a decision you made over 50 years ago. Regrets, perhaps, but you are not solely responsible for all that has happened in those years and going too far down the self-blame road won’t help you, or your daughter. That way madness lies, as the saying goes.
While agreeing with AP, I will suggest a different view. Human biology is so precise to each individual it is not possible to be sure that the genes of one parent or the behaviour of any parent can be anything other than contributing to how a child develops into an adult. Contributing yes, but not creating the whole person. So many other aspects of what that person experiences through childhood and beyond will influence the development into adulthood. You appear to be attempting to support your daughter through her present troubles and will I'm sure continue to do so perhaps beyond her present relationship. At this time that is probably as much as it is possible for you to do. In future there may be more that YOU can contribute in any attempt that might be made to overcome and move beyond any previous damage. You have had so much to come to terms with since the death of your life partner. Do not add to your present troubles, or your daughters, by taking blame upon yourself. There will be more for you to reflect upon in the future I'm sure. When there is more emotional space for you to do so, add your present concerns then.
My niece in OZ is feeling isolated. She has just moved into a new home, in what in OZ is a "large plot". As such she has no close neighbours and they are still are not part of their new community. They are now in a surprise 3 day lockdown. She so wants the vaccine, and she is going to be done in 15days time. I wouldn't say, that she has any intention of relocating back to the UK, it is just that they are all missing their UK families.
More slips at Wimbledon. I wonder if:- a) the closing of the roofs, have caused problem b) playing on grass Or c) the latest footwear being worn by the players, is the problem..
I say this as most tournaments are played on either clay or concrete, not a grass surface. This could make a difference.
As much as I enjoy watching Wimbledon, I am hating the commentary. New commentators are so needed. In my opinion the current ones are just inane + banal. I have tried with no sound, but then miss line calls etc.
Switched on at 9pm for Death in Paradise repeat, which was the only entertainment I could find. TENNIS. So I turned to All 4 for some catching up and returned to BBC1 for News at 10. And guess what - TENNIS. Grrr! Mrs P and AP: I wasn't really thinking of it as self-blame, rather as acknowledging and taking responsibility for my own unwitting contribution to the present sorry state of affairs. I shall be making practical suggestions, such as purchasing a phone with only fingerprint access to safeguard her messages (why has it taken her dinosaur of a mother to think of this?) However, it won't be sorted until she can recognise the problem as the result of the harm done to her father in his childhood and forgive him, but she's not ready for that yet.
Then I apologise SARNIA for misinterpreting your post. Perhaps taking my que (?) from AP, I rather assumed you were 'blaming' yourself. Acknowledging ones part in a relationship and taking responsibility is the healthy option, rather than blame. I agree that forgiveness rising from knowing truth and understanding why and how, brings acceptance. I'm sure that with your continued support your daughter will in due course,and as you recognise, when she is ready, come to terms with her experiences.
The emotional landscape ........... is often a hard road.
I was also musing on Mrs P's suggestion that 'staying put' avoided a great many complications in family matters, and reflecting on how many others there were lurking in the wings to take their place.
Interesting thoughts Sarnia, which has had me reflecting too. Looking back on my life, any problems I have had seem to stem from secrecy. Keeping important facts hidden, not being upfront or completely honest with me, especially in childhood. Secrets that have had profound effects on my life.
Which is why, when I married and had children, I swore that I would never do the same to them. They would always know the whole truth about themselves and their family so there would be no traps to open up and ruin things for them, no skeletons to fall out of cupboards. And I am very glad that they, whether they live nearby or have moved afar seem to be unaffected by the same sort worries/concerns/uncertainties/self-doubt that I experienced.
Just a quick change of subject, sorry. We finally moved yesterday. Now, I wasn’t born when it was the 1966 World Cup so bluntly put, I am not old. I can hardly move today, I am so stiff. And that’s with just cleaning. We had removal men for the lifting etc. I never want to go through the last 3 months ever again. So…..Archerphile…..get on with moving sooner rather than later. Likewise Mrs P.
P tb Y snuck in with a comment when I was typing a response to what Archerphile,Mrs P Sarnia and others were talking about. Unless someone else has snuck in my response will be just below this.
I am so pleased you have made your move P tbY and agree with you about not leaving it too late before taking the plunge and moving somewhere which is going to make life a lot easier Take it easy today-you won't! Hope the swing seat is in situ .
On Tuesday morning I had a visit from the lovely lady who used to bring John's prescription tablets. I had invited her for coffee and she was here for almost four hours. I don't know how it happened but I got to hear about her background and believe me regarding skeletons in the cupboard etc her story made "Long lost families "look tame. She found out in a terrible way that she was fostered by the couple she thought were her parents when her birth mother turned up and wanted her back .She was seven years old. She is one of the kindest and well adjusted people I have ever met . I don't think she had any professional help to deal with things. What I am trying to say is that hopefully ,however bad your background ,things can move on . My son has told me to take each day as it comes and not worry about tomorrow . I was a Queen's Guide and was told to "Be Prepared " I am not sure that is right.
I came to terms with my background and parents in my 40’s. Dad lost vital years in the war when amongst other things he was there when they relieved Belsen. He was a dreamer who thought one day he would make his fortune but it never happened. He worked hard all his life and never gained that much. We have his wartime diary which was only over a three month period but it shows he worshipped the ground my mother walked on. She was a silly little girl of 18 when they married, he was 7 years older. Her head was full of romance gained from films! Over time though poverty ground them down initially and the romance was lost replaced by constant arguments mainly over money. I learnt early in my marriage to cut my cloth in accordance with our resources, a lesson she never learned but I am more like my Dad! I could go on but my feeling is that resentment resulting from a less than perfect childhood can follow you all your life if you let it. You can’t change the past but the present and the future are largely in your own hands and you must live with this in mind.
I can confirm your last sentence with reference to my own family, Ev. My two sisters were both very angry people, all because of the probably accurate perception that each had had been replaced in mother's affections by the birth of the next. The younger one went to her grave still fulminating over the fact that my birth ousted her position as the youngest in the family, which I thought was ridiculous. Our mother's parenting style certainly left a lot to be desired and I suspect it did a fair amount of damage to all five of us, but she in turn was the victim of her own appalling background and was doing the best she knew how with the meagre resources she had. It's taken me a week to get my head round the knowledge that my long-held suspicions re the source of my daughter's difficulties were correct, but once the sadness is assimilated it's time to encourage the search for solutions. Unfortunately, my husband's strategy was to believe he had put the pain of childhood behind him, which meant it was simply buried, emerging from time to time in unreasonable behaviour and bursts of terrifying rage which took me decades to fathom out. My philosophy is 'assimilate, understand and move on'.
PtbY, you've given me a fright. Your move sounds exhausting, and if someone years younger than me finds it such a struggle, in choosing to remain in my temple of 'make do and mend' and attempt to put it to rights rather than trying to downsize, I've had a narrow escape!
Yes, Sarnia. I realised that my parents both had difficulties due to personality and experiences of life but in spite of that they did their best in the circumstances and you can’t ask for more. Your sisters let bitterness win. My mother just loved babies and cute children. I was dressed like Shirley Temple! Then when I was 10 and big brother 14 she had my younger brother which many years later she admitted to me wasn’t a mistake! I don’t think I worried about no longer being the youngest but actually quite liked being the middle child. I was old enough to help with feeding him and doing small tasks which I enjoyed. I have never been baby mad like Mum but am do lally about dogs! Strange or what?!! Anyway, once again thinking of you and daughter and hope she can get the help she needs.
Ptby wishing you many years of happiness in your (forever?) new home 💐 Even when a youngster 😉 such as yourself moves still a daunting task - not that I really know having hardly ever moved however my middle sister has done so around 35+ times. Yes some with RAF in the past but many since as well 😱 currently on IOW which she and b-i- l really love it will be 2 years in August!! (Ptby I hope your new abode was as clean as you left yours)
I moved many times mostly to Married Quarters but we also owned three houses at various times and one at a time! That includes this one which I don’t intend to leave! Yes, Lady R, I love the island too and have been here for 6 years now.
The dogs love the new faux lawn especially stretching out on it! It is much nicer to look at than the previous pebbles dotted with weeds. I am really enjoying today having no workmen to work around and no brewing endless cups of tea! The boys went to the dog walker this morning. Gypsy and I used to do a little toddle while they were away so it’s a missing her time. At least though I can go to the shops in the village without worrying too much about time while the boys are away and I don’t have Dudley protesting about me going out! She’s left a hole but I’m going to hold out about not having another dog. Two is quite enough! No doubt Katy will come up with a sob story before too long but I am resolute! Mind you I was similarly so before we had Dudley! Katy was saying the other day one lady online has 7 Shih Tzus! Madness!!😉😂
I am eternally grateful, that for all their faults, both my parents did the best they could, without having had anything like the best themselves. Famously my father saw my mother across a dance floor and stated to his comrade, 'I'm going to marry that girl over there ' I have always believed that he instinctively realised that they had both been emotionally neglected, ( possibly abused) and understood that they shared certain emotional hinterlands. There were difficulties for my sister and myself, but all in all they were good parents. Like your sister, mine has never been able ( or perhaps willing) to release the anger. I have a great deal of understanding and no anger.
Archerfile, I finished reading the last of the series of Cooper and Fry books yesterday afternoon. We had a booking to visit Lyme this morning, a beautiful summer's day here. We climbed up the hill to get a view of Kinder Scout and I said my goodbyes to Cooper and Fry, then we took the scenic route home through the Peak District national park. All very satisfying.
I should love to do the same CC. The descriptions of locations in Stephen Booths books are so accurate you can follow the plot on Google Earth, and with the aid of their street view facility, even travel along the same roads as they do in the books. He has written another book I have read in the last year called Drowned Lives. It is about the history and modern day happenings on a canal. Obviously very carefully researched again but for me, it didn’t have quite the same appeal.
I had to do a major "defrost" of my freezer today. When I tried to open it today, I had to prise it open as it was frozen solid and the motor was in overdrive. I am not sure what the problem is. I could have not closed it properly yesterday so just iced up, or it has just not working properly now. It is back on again, with all contents back in so it is wait + see. I managed this is just an hour, so no food was lost (hopefully).
As a final comment is to do with parents. Mine were so loving and taught me many things. In a concise form these are:-
Family is wonderful and just needs to be embraced, even if they irritate at many times.
How to cook on a strict budget
How to manage monies - mortgages, pension etc.
These lessons have been so useful, throughout my life.
Just a quick extra, about how caring a family can be. Today is the birthday of one of my nieces hubbie. He was the alcoholic, who is now totally dry + tee-total. Our WattsApp group have all sent messages to him, and all family members remembered to not include an emoji referring to a drink. This is how family can so support all their members... It was a simple thing, but all
On a completely different topic - we seem to be jinxed at the moment. Not only have I had to have another appt at the hospital for my throat problems this morning and am booked in for a CT Scan next week, but Mr A finally left for Shropshire and his gliding trip yesterday. (After ensuring I was OK to be left, and happy for him to go)
This morning I had a phone call to say the car had been playing up on the journey to Long Mynd. He just about made it up the steep winding road to the Gliding Club but thought he should get the car looked at this morning. So drove down to a garage in Church Stratton where it conked out completely. Result - cannot be driven, major repairs required, estimated cost over £2,500!!, It’s simply not worth spending that much to repair a 15 year old Lexus. So, Mr A will leave car there, come home with gliding colleagues, speak to our own garage where both our cars are due for MOTs next week. If they think they could do the repairs more reasonably, he’ll hire a trailer, go up and fetch car, but this is very unlikely. So we’ll be probably be looking for a replacement car and just hope my 21 year old Micra passes its MOT or we shall be careless, with hospital appts looming and no bus service This is exactly what I’ve been warning could happen!
I shall try and refrain from saying ‘I told you something when he gets home! 🤨
Lordy Archerphile life has certainly been throwing (constant) curved balls at you both in recent times and the car giving out seems like the last straw 😩 Your list of unexpected expenses is growing longer - knee, cataracts, roof and now “wheels” . Sending best wishes for next week - don’t forget the Care Car system should you need to use it best booked early if possible though. (I am assuming that Basingstoke area offers a similar service to ours via volunteers for a suggested donation (unless as is the case for some unable to pay then that is covered by others who can pay more than the suggested amount) How is your throat can you open your mouth a little more than recently and what are you eating 🤔
Archerphile.... I do hope you can restrain your comments. This might be the point where he thinks..... ' hm... she may be right !'
Been to th CINEMA.......... went to see The Father. A brilliant performance, very moving. For some reason unknown to me, I don't like Olivier Coleman but she was very good. Hooray for independent cinema !
Archerphile. You do sound very jinxed at the moment. I really hope Mr A. will enjoy his time at the gliding club and meeting up with his many friends (is the one who sadly lost his wife there?) and can just enjoy himself with his fascinating hobby.
PytB Many congratulations in your new house. I hope you will be very happy for many years, mr PYTB and the doggies too! I do hope your eye gets sorted too! Archerphile - I do hope your car gets sorted out, whether it's a newbie or emergencys repairs. My car started first time after six months and then passed its MOT! Even though it was an 07 Megane ! Hopefully your's will too.
I had a Megane and loved it. I traded it in at 6 yrs old,when I gave up work. The replacement did not suit me but had to keep it! I now drive a Captur which is lovely.
Well I went to a wedding! My youngest son's wedding on Tuesday! My youngest sister arranged a whatsapps group and linked with my daughter in Melbourne and daughter in law in Frankfurt so they all viewed the ceremony and then the speeches at the reception. I started at 10 am for hairdressers. I insisted to drive to the church for 12.30. Later the reception for a meal and various speeches went on to 7.30pm. I did have to sit at top table and thoroughly did NOT enjoy my conversation with my ex-husband. Never mind it was for the the sake of my son and daughter in law! My second sister then told me, because I was absolutely exhausted, two brothers in law would take me home with a driver and then the second one would take them both to the reception. I was totally exhausted! My driver Malc, told me that he was exceptionally proud because I had been so very ill but didn't make a fuss. My daughter in law (the new one!) told me that she was astounded at how much weight I had lost! I have lost just over four stone since my stroke on 27th Feb. I think I to speak to doctor telling me when to stop! I have an appointment a week later to get some sort of drug test because of all the drugs I have to take. Hopefully they will reduce some. Doctors want to reduce stress in case of second stroke and I do not have more tablets, but say I need counselling because I do tend to go to bed and wonder whether I will wake up again! Jon enjoyed the wedding but I left him at the reception and he returned later at 10.30 so we had a cup of coffee then I went to bed. Slept through till 9.15am! Lots of photos which may or may not include me so I haven't seen them all! Maybe one will be publishable!
PtbY, good luck in your new home. Archerfile, I hope that all your woes will be resolved in the not too distant future. Spicycushion, what a wonderful day for you and glad that you were able to cope so well.
Oh Spicey..... So pleased you had your day with your family for the wedding. Earlier this year you hoped to be able to see your little brother and to see your son married. Now you have achieved both. Well done. You are an extraordinary woman !
Glad you had a good day, Spicy. It’s always a bit awkward meeting up with ex’s on these occasions. At my stepdaughter’s wedding I had to walk down the aisle afterwards with her stepfather who had occasioned Mike’s divorce from her mother. Of course their dalliance had done me a favour. It happened a good while before I met Mike but of course freed him up for me! Truth was though I couldn’t stand the man. I didn’t have time for Mike’s ex wife either as she had caused him so much anguish and he was still getting over it when we met. Anyway, as you said needs must for the sake of the young couple! Wishing them a long and happy marriage!
Spicy - i’m so you had such a wonderful, if tiring, Day. It all sounded so well organised and you were looked after very well. Do publish a photo of yourself in your posh outfit if you can.
And thanks to the rest if you for your good wishes. Yes Miriam, our friend who lost his wife to Covid is up at the club and will be bringing Mr A home. But no, they haven’t had a good time due to poor weather, the glider developing a problem and Mr A didn’t even get a single flight!!
Thank you all for your good wishes. I’m afraid the house we’ve moved into is pretty filthy. Wasn’t when we viewed it. It is going to take a long time to sort out. Just going about it steadily. So pleased Spicey that you got to the wedding. I always find them exhausting from having to have that forced smile on all day.
Oh PtyY - that’s not on! To leave a house in a filthy state for new occupants is beyond the pale. I’m so sorry your life in your new home has to begin like this.
But I think there are various things that a seller cannot do, by law, these days, that we were burdened with when we moved here 39 years ago The previous owner had stripped all the light fittings out of walks and ceilings, in most rooms naked wires were left hanging, not a single light bulb anywhere! Their old bathroom suite, loo, basin and bath were left in the garden, bath full of dirty water and dead leaves, though they had promised it would be moved. Likewise the cellar was full of junk they’d just left behind which we had to pay to have cleared and taken away.
I hope you are not having to cope with anything like that and at least had a light bulb to see your way in!
So often you don’t realise the problems until you move in. In spite of paying for a full survey we found it was damp indoors. A single bed was put along the wall and later had to be thrown away as it was covered in mould. We had used that room to park things in prior to unpacking so didn’t detect it in time. During periods of heavy rain water flowed into the back garden from a car park on the other side of the fence and to the side of that an industrial building. We had to have a drain put in the back garden along with fierce discussions with the owner of the property at the rear. He had the cheek to say we didn’t know what we were talking about! I made him come round to see the raging torrent! There were many problems which are just about ironed out now. The damp was solved when I had the roof re felted and tiles then replaced. We also have dehumidifiers in the winter as being so near the sea we have some damp in the air. You never finish getting things done in a house!
That’s rotten leaving a dirty house. My pride wouldn’t let me do that! We were quite lucky there as the lady who lived here had died and the beneficiaries had the whole house repainted (Magnolia!) and new utility carpets fitted which did a turn for us. I still have that carpet in conservatory and in the bedrooms. It was all emptied out of furniture etc so a clean canvas apart from the dreaded mould which showed up later, presumably having been concealed by the new paint!
I felt very "guilty" when my late fathers bungalow was sold. The asking price was K20 less than the market value as it needed updating. The buyers surveyor reduced this by a further K10 due to a damp problem I was horrified after the property was finally emptied. I found dried mould on walls behind where furtniture was, in both a bedroom and the lounge. I just cleaned it, so it was not obvious. Although I cleaned through, I did not clean the oven!!! That was one step too far. The sale went through quickly, but I expect the new owners had a horrible shock, when it next rained. They were just expecting to have to pay for a new bathroom, carpets + decorating, not anything more costly, such as replacing windows, patio doors, flooring, gutters etc which obviously were causing the many problems. But we were very genarous in agreeing low prices for all the white goods, solid wood dining room furniture and I left all the mtm curtains, vertical blinds, lampshades etc for free.
Don’t think you need to feel guilty as it looks as if they paid a fair price. Mould thrives where air isn’t circulating as in behind furniture so maybe didn’t come back. Also unlike us they were forewarned about the damp!
A good listen last night on R4ex at 9.45pm for 15mins. It was Multi Story Shorts - Within in the Rules. I found this very heartwarming.
After my emergency defrost of the freezer yesterday, I am having bad back pain today. In my haste to do this, I obviously lifted the full and heavy drawers out, in a bad way!
Archerphile….they had taken the nice light fittings and replace them with a dangly wire fitting and yes some had no light bulbs in!!! Have had no hot water so far but my boiler man came this aft and sorted that. Cleaning can start in earnest now I’ve got hot water.
Didn't your solicitor get the document detailing what was to be included In the sale ? Those ' nice light fittings' should have been detailed as staying or being removed and replaced. The days when what you describe, have long gone in my experience. In our house in Malmesbury I had designed and built along with assistance from my husband a double bunk bed and fitted out underneath area for our girls. We knew it was an important feature and so had said in the details that this could be included in the house sale if required. The couple that bought our house had two young children so we expected them to make the request, but it never came. So the very last task on the morning of the move was to disassemble this very large construction, only to find when they arrived that the buyers were devastated that it was removed. I continue to feel guilty about this to this day. I think there was so much of this sort of thing going on that property law was changed to accommodate and prevent such difficulties. I may be wrong, perhaps it is not law, but is considered good practice. I shall consult the oracle...... my daughter.
That is SO mean, PtbY, especially when it all looked fine when you viewed. On house we looked at before this one had been re-painted from top to bottom, but unfortunately for the seller, we had lived in a student bed-sit with a plastic mac stuffed into the skirting board that had shrunk with dry rot, so I recognised the familiar smell lurking beneath the fresh paint. This house was pretty unsavoury in places - the previous owners had produced three boys in five years whose house training had been sadly lacking... ...
I had a pingpong ball in my loo. I wasn't sure whether to be encouraged or discouraged when a friend said they needed one for her son - he was 16 at the time!
OMiaS had a meeting at home once and one of the attenders used our loo. 'There was a table tennis ball in your toilet.... So I took it out for you.'! I said 'Thank you very much,' and rather pointedly went to replace it. Either she didn't have boys or she'd been more successful in training them. Or perhaps less, who knows?
You will forgive my ignorance I hope OwiaS. I have never heard of anything like, or to do, with your above post before... ever ! Extraordinary what one can learn as one travels through life. Probably just as extraordinary is what one can be ignorant of.
I imagine you are referring to some form of target practice.
I am onto my Wimbledon thoughts, yet again. A lot of the commentators are so annoying me, in that - don't they realise - that Less is More? I am hating a lot of the irrelevant comments, being constantly said.
Miriam, I agree that some commentators just don’t know when to shut up! I don’t watch Wimbledon but so enjoy Snooker, especially the World Championship from the Crucible in Sheffield. John Virgo especially infuriates me, he just drones on and on hardly taking a breath and keeps observing the bl…ding obvious. I ended up watching with the sound turned off whenever he was in the commentary box this year!
I turned on BBC 2 for GW at 9.30 - No, TENNIS. I waited till 10pm on BBC 1 for News at 10 - No, FOOTBALL! I'm obviously the only viewer on the planet who wants something other than wall-to-wall sport.
Not when I was around, Soz, but I only switch for specific programmes. This week the RT was a waste of money because the schedules are a work of fiction.
Same here Sarnia The BBC seems to think all the public are is interested in is Sport! How are they fulfilling their charter by giving wall to wall tennis & football on a Friday night? I ended up watching the news on BBC News, then raided my recordings of Public Eye with Alfred Burke from Talking Pictures TV, which I seem to be turning to more & more often these days A treasure trove of old films (some very old) and TV series
Oh, and just to add - I think the BBC, if not other channels, should be *required* to broadcast a news programme at the specified published time. If sporting event is at a critical point in a match or game on BBC 1 it should be transferred to another BBC channel. The news should *not* be delayed as has happened this week, sometimes for hours. I watch BBC1 at 7.45 on Saturday mornings when Samira Ahmed has a 15 minute slot of viewer comments on the news programmes of the past week during the BBC Breakfast programme. A sort of feedback on the BBC’s news output. Always very interesting.
Today it was full of complaints about the scheduling of news programmes having been disrupted by sport. Thé public were very disgruntled about it. They always have someone from the BBC News production team to answer, usually the typical brush off but today the excuses didn’t satisfy me at all.
I've got a store of recordings that I made in preparation for this summer. Trying to record anything at the moment is very hit and miss with the schedules all over the place. I don't mind them putting the sport on but there must be a way of making it easier for those of us who would still like to watch our regular programmes like Gardener's World.
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ReplyDeleteArcherphile - June 25, 2021 at 3:07 AM
Condolences from me too Ev. Even as a notorious un- doggy person, I do appreciate how much the loss of a much loved pet can hurt.
You all did your very best for Gypsy , which is a wonderful thing. She was a lucky animal to have you all looking after her,
Spicycushion - June 25, 2021 at 8:09 AM
Condolences to Ev in her loss of Gypsy. She'll be remembered in silly ways and things in future years so she will not be lost forever. 🌹🌹🌹
Zoetrope - June 25, 2021 at 8:25 AM
Ev, sorry to hear your sad news. Our pets become so much part of our lives. Thinking of you, Katy and 'the boys'
Ev - June 25, 2021 at 8:50 AM
Thank you all so much for your kind words. Very much appreciated.
Esscee - June 25, 2021 at 10:15 AM
Ev, just popped in to say how I am sorry about Gypsy. We had to make the same sad decision with our spaniel last November. Dogs sneak into our hearts and leave a big hole when they’re gone. We’ve only ever had dogs so can only speak about them.
KPnuts - June 25, 2021 at 8:52 AM
Ev, sorry to hear about Gypsy, but take comfort from knowing you did your best by her .
So sorry Ev. You and Katy will miss her.
DeleteMy condolences too, Ev.
ReplyDeleteArcherphile, I hope your throat is conytinuing to improve.
Thank you for the Rainbow Bridge, Gary. It made me cry but that’s a good thing to release the feelings. Have a heavy heart today but thinking of her free of illness is cheering and yes if the Rainbow Bridge is there able to see again! We are having her ashes back and will scatter some in the garden and some on her favourite walks.
DeleteIt made me cry too Ev, remembering all the pets in my life that I too have loved.
DeleteThe Rainbow Bridge is very moving. I too cried, thinking of 3, very special long lost cats.
DeleteKnow what you mean Miriam. Gary such a 🥰 beautiful article/poem
DeleteMy three special cats were:-
Delete16 + 18 months old and one at 8yrs old.
All went far too soon.
At least my current cat, is like me, an OAP and is very content.
Lanjan, well done to your son for comlpeting Lands End to John O'Groats. My younger brother and his friends decided to tackle the Pennine Way after O levels.
ReplyDeleteTheir practice walk, and my brother's *first* walk, was rather shorter and more local. But they still got lost and delayed. Eventually that evening I got a phone call, 'I'm at the Fox and Hounds, come and collect me.' He had got fed up with the detour and stopped there while his friends went on.
I couldn't find my car keys (they were found later in Mum's handbag - we never worked out why) so I ended up booking a taxi and then phoning the pub to tell them to tell my brother it was on its way.
On the journey home, the taxi driver managed to convine my brther that perhaps the Pennine Way was a little ambitious for a complete novice! I'm not sure if the rest of the group went ahead, with the project or whether they stayed at home to practise their map reading!
OMiaS and a shoedweller, on the other hand, have been doing the Pennine Way in stages. THe plan is to finish the final leg over several days this summer. I will not comment on which of the walkers is more likely to get them lost ; )
Long Walks in our family
ReplyDelete1). Son, after Uni, walked (and climbed) the entire length of the Pyrenees, starting at the Atlantic end and taking 2 weeks to reach the Mediterranean. This included climbing various peaks, like the Pic du Midi along the way and bivouacking overnight.
We were absolutley amazed as he has very twisted feet and had to wear specially adapted shoes all through childhood (much to the delight of the bullies at school). But he found some comfortable walking boots, put the hospital orthotics inside and off he went.
And hasn’t stopped hiking & climbing since. The Pyrenees were a watershed moment for him.
2) Mr A’s French Odyssee , about 10 years ago. Inspired by son but definitely not a climber, he decided to walk entire length of France from the English Channel to the Med.
Picked up a beach pebble near Calais and deposited it in the Med at Palavas. He used the excellent French Randonnée system, planning well in advance to include visits to interesting towns and areas. Looking up chambre de hôtes along the way, never actually having to camp out.
It took just over a year, in 4 stages, coming home inbetween. Just wish I could have done it too!
3) Me - a couple of weeks ago. From Cottage down to village and back (It does have a steep hill)
Ev ❤️
ReplyDeleteI had a pet moment this morning.
ReplyDeleteI woke up for a loo trip, whilst it was still dark. I threw off the duvet (no lights put on) to find my cat, who was curled up beside me and un-beknown to me, being catapaulted onto the floor!
She was asleep, so we both had a shock.
I was obviously forgiven, as on awaking, she was again curled up, asleep against me.
I was more careful this time!
We took the boys on a long walk through Firestone forest. The sun was dappled along the path and it was so peaceful. There is a small coffee wagon on the car park so had a lovely latte with heart shaped pattern on top! When Katy went to agility class with Buddy earlier in the week the training lady gave her an ostrich tendon as Buddy like many Maltese terriers has a tendency to bad teeth and chewing on these is good. Yesterday he buried it in a small heap of hardcore but Nigel the garden man found it this morning. I gave it a good wash and Buddy then went all around the house looking for a place to hide it. As he later showed great interest on my bed I had a good look and finally found it under my pillow which was under a big cushion neither looking disturbed. Still can’t figure out how he did it! In the midst of sorrow these two boys will keep us well occupied!
ReplyDelete💛 🐶
DeleteEv Sad to hear about Gypsy. The right decisions are often not easy to make. At least you know she had a very happy last few years with you.
ReplyDeleteEsscee hope to see you popping in again soon.
My long awaited new sun-lounger, is due for delivery between 29th June + 2nd July.
ReplyDeleteIt will be typical that I will be out when it arrives, after over 3 months of waiting!!
Still at least it will arrive soon 🤞
After reading all the comments I'd like to add my condolences to Ev for her loss of her beloved pet. We never forget those animals we love.
ReplyDeleteNever. 😔
DeleteBack home from La Cenerentola (Cinderella) at The Grange, first opera we’ve been to in nearly 2 years, first live performance we’ve seen since last February. The orchestra was pre-recorded with the conductor just guiding the singers. The auditorium was only at half capacity and everyone wore masks, but it was wonderful to be there, we took a picnic supper, the sun shone and we felt like part of society again, next Friday Britten’s Midsummers Night Dream 😀
ReplyDeleteWas that at The Grange I know KP - at Northington, not far from The Woolpack Inn?
DeleteHow wonderful to spend the evening there and, hopefully forget about all the current problems for a few hours. Should have love to have gone myself but still in Zombie- like state at the moment.
Did a Barn Owl fly across the field over the heads of the audience, as one did when I was last there?
What a lovely evening KP. Ive yet to go to the Grange. I like Britten’s Midsummer Nights Dream - can send shivers down my spine. I’m going to see Cosi at Glyndebourne in August. I think you’ve said before that Glyndebourne isn’t the place it was; I agree but I still enjoy it. I was lucky enough to be there on the closing night of the old theatre - the opera was Queen of Spades not an one that I knew but the whole experience that night was so memorable. There were no corporate groups just members - it was a bit dowdy I suppose just people who were there for the music and to say goodbye to the place we knew and loved.
DeleteIt is good that you could experience a live performance again. I believe we all need that live entertainment so much. Fingers crossed that it will return in all its many forms.
So sorry to hear about Gypsy Ev.
ReplyDeleteSpicycushion thanks for the greeting from your scouts. My 11 year old granddaughter is also a scout. They have packs with both boys and girls. Both grandchildren go away camping with their scout groups though Eddie, my grandson will have to miss out on camping trips this year.
ReplyDeleteMy 10yr old female is also a scout, in a mixed group. She so loves it - esp. as they are often on some nearby water in kayaks. She always is so wet afterwards!!
DeleteThank you all again for your kind words. It makes such a difference. To many people it is just a dog but they become so much a part of your life. It’s lovely to know there are such good people out there like yourselves who make the world a better place!😊
ReplyDeleteToday I took Dudley on a shorter walk down to the creek while Katy took Buddy to Firestone again. Katy and Buddy have more energy than Dudley and me! The boys were glad to see each other again after their walks especially Buddy who was over the moon! Dudley was more interested in having breakfast! Gypsy’s pram is being recycled today to a lady who needs one for her dog so it will be good to see it being used.
Is this local so that you will you see it still? I hope so as it will be a memory, in such a nice way.
DeleteI don’t think so as Katy advertised on our free cycle site and could be anywhere on the island. I am just pleased it will go on being useful!😊
DeleteThat's me for today.
ReplyDeleteMeal cooked, wine now opened (a Vernaccia di Sam Gimignano) and a film later - Finding Your Feet.
Enjoy your evening all. 😁
😱 where is everyone? Archerphile and all others currently going through health issues how are you? Possible storms due this afternoon- we shall see!
ReplyDeleteSolicitor emailed late Friday requesting large sum of money so it’s all systems go.
ReplyDeleteIn middle of cleaning the oven. Hate it. If oven needs cleaning at new house I shall get a man in!!!
Ruddy daphne was sick on the hall carpet yesterday so I’ve borrowed a friends carpet shampooed. So there’s another job now.
Wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t for the fact I hate cleaning.
Right, back to head in oven….😩
So glad that things, are literally on the move.
DeleteI also have had to clean cat sick, up today.
Why does puss-cat come in from the garden, to just do this?
I started watching my film last night, but couldn't concentrate on it.
ReplyDeleteI have however, watched it this afternoon, whilst doing the ironing.
This was done via All4.
This film is definitley a Sunday Afernoon one, which would appeal much more to females.
Finding Your Feet. It might appeal to some, but then perhaps not, to many others. It is personal likes.
Wimbledon tomorrow 😁😁
ReplyDeleteAnd no more Doctors until September Miriam.
DeleteWonder if Rob will survive?
Doctors always leave, for the summer break, with a cliff hanger.
DeleteThey are worse than TA, due to the time-scale..
Rob, I have no idea.
Ah, I wondered where he'd been hiding. Do they know what a rat he is?
DeleteOh, sorry, wrong blog. Probably not Mr T ... ; )
Trying for 8th time to answer Lady R!
ReplyDeleteIn desperation I managed to leave a message on t’other blog but just want to see if it works here now using phone rather than iPad
You are here.
DeletePerbaps that's the answer to your problems.
Checked out your reply on other blog AP. Glad to hear from you anyway 🤗
DeleteSympathise with the oven cleaning PtbY, quel horreur 😱
ReplyDeleteThe plus side of cat vs dog sick is there's less of it to clean up .. (probably..)
2nd jabs last Friday, OK yesterday, v fatigued today. Mr P fed me G&T, better now.. 😉
ReplyDeleteSitting outside A & E Basingstoke in the rain.
ReplyDeleteMr R pain in big toe radiating to his much operated revision right knee . Tried 111 very busy. Members of Benenden so rang their 24/7 (usually) Dr due to virus not available weekends…. First time we have used that service- so here we are doing as his Surgeon has always instructed him to do. He has an appointment with him 3 weeks tomorrow.
First drive in dark for a long time and the rain is just topping it off!
Will be in touch.
Poor you Lady R...... and poor Lord R with his painful toe.
DeleteHope your soon inside being ' seen to '
Thanks Mrs P. Mr R is in the hospital I went on with him but asked to stay outside at least parked right outside A&E and not down in the big (no doubt) deserted main car park. Nearly 1 and a half hours so far. The rain is absolutely tipping down still. Listening to a podcast on my phone no data usage 🤗
DeletePopped in to see what is happening told I can stay 🤗 only one lady on front now.
ReplyDeleteAm thinking of you Lady R. Try to get some coffee to keep you awake , as I expect you will be driving back very late tonight. Hope the weather has improved by then. We attempted our usual after Sunday lunch walk and ended up soaked.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I am anyway get owl Janice but appreciate your kind thoughts 😊
DeleteWhat a load of rubbish - I am a night owl but better get that coffee 🙄
DeleteGot home (with antibiotics for toe) just after 1am. The medic we saw was so nice and checked info I gave him and was thorough with knee check for both Mr R’s - mine and Surgeon and was happy infection not affecting it as of now but was quick with the AB as the toe affected is on the same side as the “knee that is always in the infection danger zone” My Mr R admits to being weak with relief the onset of the knee pain really frightened him sepia once was enough I doubt he could take so much major surgery like that again.
ReplyDeleteGood job I am that night owl 🤗
At least the rain had stopped when we arrived home.
Ramble over!
Goodnight or should I say morning.
Goodnight, Lady R. What a day, you must be exhausted. I'm about to retire - up very late composing helpful info for my daughter. It's all kicked off again in NZ and she's back with the domestic violence unit. This time he was taken away in handcuffs, so perhaps the end is in sight at last.
ReplyDeleteOh Lady R
ReplyDeleteWhat an awful night for you both, and I know exactly what it’s like sitting in you car outside that A&E. Dept, with the ambulances coming and going around you.
Still, would have been worse down in the big carpark with all those steps to climb I suppose.
When I first read your post I immediately thought ‘cellulitis’ as we have had emergency admissions twice for that and it can be very serious for diabetics.
Hopefully the ab’s will get to grips with the infection very quickly before it can affect the knee.
I think we are keeping Bas Hosp quite busy between us lately!
Love and my thoughts to Mr R.
Just been into garden to photo the new delphinium we planted a few weeks ago, which is now in bloom. The most stunning blue, if a little wet!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous delphinium Archerphile 👏🏻 🤗
DeleteHope Mr R is more comfortable today. Sarnia, what a worry for you being so far away. I hope it will indeed be resolved. I can imagine that lovely delphinium blue, my favourite colour!
ReplyDeleteMy back garden is all prepared and weather permitting the “grass” will be laid today. It will save a lot of work pulling weeds! The front garden is very extensive and all laid with pebbles which have let weeds flourish over time. I tackled it over the weekend but some remain. I will discuss with Steve today but am wondering about having large sones laid randomly just to cut down the weed laden areas. The ideal solution would be to have it all dug up, new weed control matting etc but that would be very expensive. The bungalow was built in the 60’s when the fashion was for massive front gardens and resulting narrow roads. I would willingly give up half of mine to widen the road but of course that won’t happen! Being not far from the main road but tucked away we often have people parking in our road rather than paying at the hitherto free car park. This makes it difficult to get a swing into the drives around here. It also means that bigger commercial vehicles have to swing onto the pavement breaking that down. You can’t reason with selfish parkers who disregard problems they create for residents!
Sending positive waves to AP, Lady R, Sarnia 🤗
ReplyDeleteLady R and Sarnia, thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteArcherphile - thank you for the update on your garden.
Sending positive thoughts all still struggling with health issues and worrying about family members.
ReplyDeleteLots of life on the bird feeder these last couple of days: juvenile greater spotted woodpecker, greenfinch and nuthatch, in addition to the regular blue tits, great tits, pigeons, robins and rooks.
I so envy you those delphiniums, AP. In my garden, like lupins they are simply fast food for slugs, so they have been taken off the menu.
ReplyDeleteSarnia I have two enemies in the garden - slugs and bindweed. In friday’s GQT it was suggested that slugs were trained to eat only weeds! I have a slug free hospital where I nurture little slug ravaged plants which had been planted optimistically but lost the battle. The answer for pots is wide bands of copper tape; unfortunately the tape doesn’t always blend in with the decor but it can work ( as long as there are no dangling leaves overhead for the little darlings to use as parachutes.)
DeleteOn a more serious note, I do hope the situation in NZ eases. It is horrible being the other side of the world offering advice and not being able to physically do anything.
The young swallows have been doing their circuits and bumps around the yard, Lily is of course fascinated...
ReplyDeleteA big thank you from us both to all you lovely bloggers for your concern and wishes to Mr R.
ReplyDeleteThankfully a calmer atmosphere today. Mr R slept well after a drink and the first dose of his AB
x2 four times a day for a week, I on the other hand did not sleep until past 4.30am and still woke for the bathroom at 8am went back until 9am but then got up and showered. Probably drop off this afternoon 🤣
Sarnia what an awful situation your daughter (and for you being so far away) has been in I do really hope she will now begin to be free ofanymore distress of this nature at least physically- mentally no doubt a longer road. Thoughts to you both 🌻
Thank you all. It's a complicated situation with historical roots in Mr S's dysfunctional post-war childhood when, like many other children at the time, he was being shunted from pillar to post with a father he had only just met suffering from what is now known as PTSD. Add to that a baby sister who arrived just as Mr S was starting school and you don't get a blueprint for harmonious family life in that generation or the next.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to persuade my daughter that understanding the background is halfway to being able to deal with the consequences, but at the moment it feels like a losing battle.
I know about the copper, but have no means of getting to the garden centre other than a very expensive taxi ride. I only make internet purchases if the website carries a telephone number, which so far has not been the case for purveyors of copper tape.
Given the NZ situation, the crumbling kitchen tap, the hose that keeps splitting and the mice setting up house in the outside cupboard, both slugs and bindweed have been having a field day behind my back. I spend all day trying to work out where to start, by which time it's too late to do any of it!
Gosh. What very interesting posts I have just read.
ReplyDeleteLady R. I hope "Lord R" is starting to improve with his ABs. What caused this problem, did they say?
Delphiniums. The ones I bought + planted a while ago, are now wonderful. I think that I have the same one as AP's, a vibrant blue one. The others are:- pale blue with white centre (3 spikes) and pink/lilac also with white centres (4 spikes).
I am lucky as I had no rain, so that they are still upright.
SARNIA. What a nightmare for you. I wish you well.
SARNIA I have seen copper tape in a garden catalogue, which came through the post last week. Sadly it was recycled on Friday. If I can recall the name of the firm, I will let you know. All I know is that is a reputable firm, a subsidary of one that I have used many times, and trust.
ReplyDeleteSarnia, I read today about someone who had mice in the roof and managed to throw them into the gutter from where they made their way into the garden patrolled by an owl. She didn't succeed with every single one but the idea was to move them outside to become prey to predators. Yours are already outside and on the ground I take it, but no circling owls or buzzards I guess.
ReplyDeleteFailing all action, just sit outside, the plants emit secondary metabolites to protect themselves from the environment, but we benefit from these emissions. Well, I read all this in a book.
Aha, Basia! My little family was deeply ensconced in Mr S's as yet undisturbed collection of at least 10 years' worth of old, damp clothes kept for gardening, in damp cardboard boxes. The inner rodent was well-fortified on £1 worth of black sunflower seeds which had mysteriously disappeared from view some time ago. I had become aware of a noxious pong in the cupboard, used as a veg store (me) and general dumping ground (him), but put it down to rotting of the box of potatoes which he said he had left me in 2019, but which I couldn't find.
DeleteIt was the teeth-marks in last week's Charlottes from Sainsbury's that alerted me to the reality of the situation - they'd obviously eaten all the sunflower seeds.
My son-in-law and wife made short work of the rubbish and the inhabitants made themselves scarce.
They must have been desperate, to start on the potatoes, glad they've moved on.
DeleteMy best wishes to Lord and Lady R with the hope that things improve very quickly .
ReplyDeleteI admire you greatly for being able to drive in the dark ,Lady R and for remaining so positive and my thoughts are also with you and your daughter , Sarnia
What a sad situation not helped by the distance between you and your daughter.
Oh Lord, I don’t want to spend another afternoon like today
ReplyDeleteLast week had to connect new modem/router, took several hours.
Then Printer wouldn’t work as it couldnt recognise the new routers signal
Spent An entire afternoon trying to solve the problem. No good.
Saturday, Mr A had to buy a new printer from Argos so that hopefully it would automatically connect up with the HP Smart App
Today, 3 and a half hours trying to connect it up. None of instructions work
Crawling round on floor under desk swopping wires, plugging in, plugging out
HP Smart says it can’t find a bl..dy printer!!!
Eventually discover we had to fit ink cartridges in printer before any electronics would connect up
Didn’t say that anywhere in instructions., of course!
But oh, eventually, the absolute joy of hearing the printer start up and disgorging a sheet of printed papier, I could have wept!
All I want now is a nice cup of tea! ☕️
Hello dear blogger friends! After a busy few weeks I have now caught up with the blog ( though not TA as yet) and send condolences to those of you who are sad and sympathy to those of you with health problems or family worries.
ReplyDeleteAll is well and the whole of Italy is now “ white zone” - ie lowest tier so as from today masks are no compulsory outdoors, except where distancing is impossible.
Not venturing out today though as it’s 32 degrees. I am so glad to have had airconditioning installed last month!
How lovely to see you posting again. 😀
Delete😊
DeleteWelcome back Hilary !
DeleteThis is of absolutely no importance, but my long awaited sun lounger, is now in the Hermes main depot. At least I can track it, as to when it will finaly arrive, chez moi or should that be at, la mia casa?
ReplyDeleteJust the weather Miriam, thunder and lightning round here ⚡️
ReplyDeleteNothing here as yet Sarnia/ KP a peculiar light outside at the moment so maybe you are sending the ⛈ our way but hope not 🙏🏼
DeleteDonner und blitzen round here as well - in sunshine!
ReplyDeleteNothing dramatic happening in North West Hampshire yet.
DeleteAnd, having lost all my lovely peonies to yesterday’s heavy rain I don’t want the delphiniums to go the same way too.
Very exciting tennis, made me tired and achy just watching. Well done to Andy Murray
ReplyDeleteAgree 100% and this is only day 1! Draper put up a jolly good show against Djokovic earlier today too 🎾
DeleteLovely to see you back again Hilary. How lovely to be able to go out without a mask.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we are allowed to visit Italy yet? I don’t suppose you want us us bringing Variation Delta into the country.
The UK seems to be being shunned by most of Europe for the time being.
Hello Hilary 👏🏻 🤗
DeleteCiao Hilary !
ReplyDelete1st outing to the cinema this evening, v brave,
courageously wore our masks throughout The Father,
at least the snuffling was absorbed...
Oh I do love this blog! It is so heartwarming to read all your welcome-backs! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteArcherphile, my elder son and wife (expecting their first child in November - yippee!) visited this weekend from Switzerland and had to have covid tests the day before travelling but there are no formalities on reentering Switzerland.
Unfortunately Italy does have Variation Delta too but new daily cases are now only a few hundred.
I wear FFP2 masks - bought very cheaply online from Hong Kong - which protect the wearer, unlike the ubiquitous turquoise surgical masks which protect others and will continue to do so yet awhile. I have my second AZ jab on Saturday, 12 weeks after the first but read that it offers only 60% protection against Delta. Just read that Andrew Marr caught covid despite double jabs so caution is still definitely necessary.
Yes, I saw Andrew Marr talking about that on Sunday. It said it was really quite nasty although only lasted a few days
DeleteBut at least he didn’t end up
In hospital .
It's all happening .
ReplyDeleteWell done Switzerland.
Good Luck England.
I think even I, as a known avoider of football, might watch the match tonight!
ReplyDeleteNot me though !
ReplyDeleteOr the tennis.
Parsley ?
What did you think of 'The Father '
Please share.
Won't be watching the football but would like England to win.
ReplyDeleteGood luck England!!
ReplyDeleteJust back from Breast Screening all very quick an efficient.Both have a cuppa to hand now and Mr R is watching BBC1 ready for footie I will be on iPad for Federer but keeping an eye on the tv too.
ReplyDeleteShades of 1966 good luck England 🏴
What a dilemma I am in
ReplyDeleteFootball or Federer??
Think Federer is my choice, but I will be probably be channel hopping.
Mr R TV me iPad but multitasking with the footie. William, George and Catherine at the FB. George not too impressed. William beaming at goal(s)
DeleteMy sun lounger finally arrived today.
ReplyDeleteIt will soon be used, as it very hot + sunny, now.
I spoke too soon last night, as I had heavy rain, shortly afterwards.
Enjoy whatever you are watching - be it football, tennis or something totally different.
There is also the radio.
I am listening to "The Smithfield Murders" which I have downloaded.
Many of you, however, might just be having a relaxing evening in the sun, in a well tended garden and enjoying the ambience.
It has stopped raining so I’ll be out on the vegetable plot. I think my husband is very noble - he is doing the milking so that the others can watch the match. I’m not really bothered about football but I can remember that in 1966 I had to go for a walk - It was too nailbitingly close.
ReplyDelete1966. Who can forget that match, watched on a b+w tv.
DeleteI remember it well...
I remember the 1966 match very well
ReplyDeleteWe, ( me and my first fiancé, the Jewish one who dumped me) were driving back from a weeks holiday in Margate, where we’d been staying with his family.
The A2 back to London was absolutely chock-a-block. No M25 in those days. There were long hold ups at frequent intervals. The Game was on the car radio, on everyone’s car radio. Every time a goal was scored there was huge cheering and hooting of horns. Drivers got out of their cars and were dancing in the road.
We were just approaching North London as the final goal was scored, pandemonium on the North Circular
I’m not a footie fan, but that drive was unforgettable
I'm not a footie fan either, but this rivallry is very strong. This is in such a way, I am just intrigued. ⚽️
DeleteI have to own up, even I can remember watching in 1966.
DeleteAnd I did watch V W win Wimbledon in 77.
...as did I. 😁
DeleteI am bemused watching Wimbledon. This is that, there is a massive crowd watching and really enjoying the tennis.
ReplyDeleteThe players + officials are wearing masks, but the spectators aren't.
I cannot grasp, nor understand this difference.
The crowd are part of a “crowd experiment” Miriam with no restrictions by the end it (finals) will be a full crowd of 15,000. Shame for the French man and on his birthday too 😟
Delete…and now Williams - slippy court and so far two retired through injury 😱
DeleteWell done England ⚽️ 👏🏻
but S W had strapping on a thigh, so did she had a contributing problem...💁♀️
DeleteWell Done England.
ReplyDeleteIf they don't progress further, then that is not a worry for me, as they beat their nemesis.
Not a sports fan but well done, England and Andy Murray.😊
ReplyDeleteWhat a day today! Yesterday my cleaning lady spotted a hissing sound under the bathroom sink. This morning finally got hold of the chap who did my shower room improvements. It is a leak under the floor and he advised turning off the water until I needed it. He is coming tomorrow and will take up floorboards in Katy’s room which is next to bathroom to gain access under the suspended floor to see what is going on. In the process of moving furniture Katy cut her hand on a piece of glass underneath said furniture. We drowned our sorrows with a Chinese takeaway accompanied by prosecco. After coping with the garden improvements the water problem was the last straw and I gave up, put my feet up and had a sleep this afternoon! Realistically,Paul is very efficient and all should be well tomorrow. How I miss my man at times like this!
I know that feeling, as a single home owner. It can be hard at times but help is always, not too far away.
DeleteTomorrow is another and a better day.
Sleep well...
Hope you and Katy have a better day tomoorow, Ev.
DeleteYears ago, my parents had their double garage converted into a sitting room. After a while, the new carpet began to wrinkle and needed stretching. All was well until the carpet fitter came to tell Mum, 'I think you need a plumber'. He had been nailing the carpet strip along the side wall and gradually came to realise that each nail had gone into the water pipe to the radiator! Hence lots of little fountains happily watering our nice new wool carpet. He did suggest his mate in the van could help solve the problem; Mum thought it safer to call the original plumber.
(In the guy's defence, apparently the pipe hadn't been buried deep enough in the concrete floor. But he did make quite a few holes before spotting the problem!)
I didn't watch the football, or the tennis. But I knew England had won when I heard the local fans walking home. Clearly the pubs weren't showing any tennis today so that news had passed me by until now.
Hope it gets sorted without too much disruption Ev
DeleteOWIAS, we had the same plumbing problem last month in our flat when the air-conditioning was installed. The pipe was not deep enough and we had hot water gushing down from the ceiling! Luckily there were two technicians present at the time and they managed to avoid a flood by catching the water alternately in two buckets for about half an hour until the water could be turned off at the mains - crazily located in the upstairs neighbour’s garage.
DeleteEv I know how you feel.
ReplyDeleteIn April I ordered some furniture and after many 'phone calls the firm promised to deliver them today.
The van arrived about 9:00 am .
The driver and his mate were outside for a while and then they knocked at the door to say that they were sorry but the two items were not on the van.
Did nobody check that there were the correct number of items in the van ?
Presumably not.
I telephoned the Warehouse to find out why that was and was told that it was human error and the items had been put into the wrong van!
I am afraid I really lost my cool when the person I spoke to said that she could ONLY apologise.
Why do they always say that?
I am hoping for a delivery tomorrow afternoon!
I am so pleased there is so much sport to watch on TV.
ReplyDeleteLoved the Match today.
In 1966 I watched the World Cup in a Maternity Hospital ,my younger son having been born the previous day.
I was not allowed to watch the whole game though as it was thought it might be too much for me!
How times have changed.
As said before, I am not normally interested in football, but I did watch last night and actually enjoyed the match and all the emotions it stirred up. A good night for the country and for our morale generally.
ReplyDeleteOn another topic, just heard that 14 yr old grandson, and his whole year group at school have been sent home to self-isolate for two weeks. One child in the year was in contact with a suspected Covid case, so every child, even those in different classes but same year, have to suffer.
He is devastated. This weekend he was due to play in his first cricket match for the new village team he has joined, go to a race day at Thruxton on his days birthday treat, attend 4 scouting events as a newly promoted Leader and miss a DofE hike. All things he’d been looking forward to for a long time. To say nothing about missing two weeks of school lessons of course.
Is this really the best way to deal with Covid in schools? Thousands of children are missing so much education, teachers are run ragged trying to cope and now there is a possibility that every child will have to be tested every day on reaching school
Who, may I ask, is going to test, possibly 1000 children, every morning.
Just don’t ask my daughter!
I’m amazed that mask wearing is no longer required. Katy has to attend a head of departments meeting in a room. If one had the virus all could be affected. She continues to be a lone mask wearer and has a screen round her desk. Before the meeting she’s going to go in and open doors! As for testing this is left to the teachers among their other duties! It isn’t being properly dealt with in schools no matter what the government says.
DeleteOur 10yr old grandson in Dubai has to wear a mask for the entire day at school, as do all the staff. They stay in the same classroom all day, even eating lunch at their desks which each have a screen around them.
DeleteThe 13 year old still only attends school on alternate days, masked, with the days in between studying at home.
At the school where my daughter-in-law teaches, all children and staff wear masks all day from age 5 -18. Children use corridors in single file and only one class moves at a time. So much stricter regulations than here.
The family are desperate not to be in contact with Covid for the next 3 weeks when they return home to France, because if any of them has a contact or positive test it could stop them travelling. When they reach Toulouse they may have to isolate in a hotel for 10 days ( at their own expense) before being allowed to go to their own home.
It will be a huge relief when they are just living on the other side of the Channel again, but goodness only know when we shall be allowed to see them
I can identify with that, AP. I haven't seen my daughter since the funeral in Sept. 2019, I can't do anything to help her, and goodness only knows when it will be safe for her to visit again.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and family in Bath are now halfway through their enforced isolation at home.
ReplyDeleteGrandson 14 tested positive, has not been too unwell but granddaughter due to take her A level mocks next week is desperate to stay uninfected.
Their sister home from university had gone to Brighton for a few days, when brother tested positive, and although she has returned has not gone home. She is staying with a friend in a nearby town and traveling into Bath for her evening job.
Mum is now back working from home and dad continues as he has since March 20.
His office is in Washington DC and he has no expectation of being able to get there in the near future.
We have all known that if there ever was a worldwide pandemic, then we would all be disrupted, wherever we lived in the world, but we continued, as a society, to live our lives with our collective heads in the sand.
Nuff said !
I concur with above last paragraph! Those measures in Dubai should be enforced here too!
DeleteI now have water again. Problem solved. It was a faulty joint put in by a plumber about 4 years ago and had been dripping for some time. It explains relatively high water usage. It is expensive on the island anyway so hopefully our consumption will stabilise now. Never rains but it pours. Pardon the pun! Am much happier!
If anyone having new bathroom fittings can recommend Plumbworld based in Evesham. Toilet seat on new toilet has been loosening quickly so I asked for new bolts. They are sending a new seat although I didn’t ask for one, and don’t require the old seat back. It is arriving tomorrow. I’ll put it by so it’s always there if required in the future as it’s only the fixings required. I’m impressed with this prompt action and aftersales service. So many firms loose interest once they have sold you something. A big👏👏 for them!
I like to think that my head is not in the sand, Mrs P. My daughter's decision to emigrate, especially given the chosen company, was not necessarily a wise one, but it was hers to make. Generally speaking she seems settled in NZ, but we are in the process of analysing the reasons why she consistently makes such ill-advised choices of companion in the hope of avoiding any more crises.
DeleteMrs P, The Father : best film we've seen for a long time. Gripping, extremely disturbing, what a tour de force from Anthony Hopkins. Really drew you in, several scenes were v difficult viewing, however would be extremely interesting to see it again viewed from the "other side".
ReplyDeleteOur small local cinéma was around 1/3 full, mostly Brits but some French, VOST (version originale sous-titrée)
Thanks Parsley.
DeleteI've got my ticket for tomorrow afternoon.
Sarnia -
I did say..... society had its head in the sand...... collectively !
The nearest wording I could use to make my, shh ! (political ) comment.
We all make our decisions for ourselves wise or otherwise, but the fallout is often in the lap of others.
I learned about marrying ' out ' when my sister married an American and watched with my parents from a vast windswept airfield in Suffolk as she flew off to the other side of the world. This was in the days when to speak to ones loved ones a telephone call needed to be booked ahead in the very early sixties. My mother was distraught at the loss of her teenage daughter, who was eventually brought back to the UK and then dumped.
That experience taught me a lesson that I did not actually appreciate then, but as I aged something always stopped me from making commitments that might incur geographical disruption at some stage. Half a life later my ex husband formed a relationship that eventually took him to live in Australia and now with co morbidity conditions has to live half a world away from his daughters and grandchildren.
And of course they suffer too.
I'm very glad I stayed put.
Oh, dear, as I'm finding to my cost, I'm afraid there is no escaping fallout, even if you do stay put! When I married I made it plain that I wasn't looking for someone to father children. If I was I would have looked elsewhere! The result has caused my daughter continual suffering through her adult life and my chosen course of action 53 years ago is partly responsible.
ReplyDeleteSarnia, that is so sad, but please don’t blame yourself for a decision you made over 50 years ago. Regrets, perhaps, but you are not solely responsible for all that has happened in those years and going too far down the self-blame road won’t help you, or your daughter. That way madness lies, as the saying goes.
DeleteSarnia -
DeleteWhile agreeing with AP, I will suggest a different view.
Human biology is so precise to each individual it is not possible to be sure that the genes of one parent or the behaviour of any parent can be anything other than contributing to how a child develops into an adult.
Contributing yes, but not creating the whole person. So many other aspects of what that person experiences through childhood and beyond will influence the development into adulthood.
You appear to be attempting to support your daughter through her present troubles and will I'm sure continue to do so perhaps beyond her present relationship. At this time that is probably as much as it is possible for you to do. In future there may be more that YOU can contribute in any attempt that might be made to overcome and move beyond any previous damage.
You have had so much to come to terms with since the death of your life partner. Do not add to your present troubles, or your daughters, by taking blame upon yourself.
There will be more for you to reflect upon in the future I'm sure.
When there is more emotional space for you to do so, add your present concerns then.
My niece in OZ is feeling isolated. She has just moved into a new home, in what in OZ is a "large plot". As such she has no close neighbours and they are still are not part of their new community.
ReplyDeleteThey are now in a surprise 3 day lockdown. She so wants the vaccine, and she is going to be done in 15days time.
I wouldn't say, that she has any intention of relocating back to the UK, it is just that they are all missing their UK families.
Her hubby has 8 siblings and my niece has 2. Along with their parents, there are very many nieces + nephews, none seen for nearly 2 years.
DeleteMore slips at Wimbledon.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if:-
a) the closing of the roofs, have caused problem
b) playing on grass
Or
c) the latest footwear being worn by the players, is the problem..
I say this as most tournaments are played on either clay or concrete, not a grass surface. This could make a difference.
As much as I enjoy watching Wimbledon, I am hating the commentary.
ReplyDeleteNew commentators are so needed.
In my opinion the current ones are just inane + banal.
I have tried with no sound, but then miss line calls etc.
That's my current gripe over...😀🎾🎾
How much more can we take Miriam 😱 Come on Andy - I’m worn out 🤣
DeleteSwitched on at 9pm for Death in Paradise repeat, which was the only entertainment I could find. TENNIS. So I turned to All 4 for some catching up and returned to BBC1 for News at 10. And guess what - TENNIS. Grrr!
ReplyDeleteMrs P and AP: I wasn't really thinking of it as self-blame, rather as acknowledging and taking responsibility for my own unwitting contribution to the present sorry state of affairs. I shall be making practical suggestions, such as purchasing a phone with only fingerprint access to safeguard her messages (why has it taken her dinosaur of a mother to think of this?) However, it won't be sorted until she can recognise the problem as the result of the harm done to her father in his childhood and forgive him, but she's not ready for that yet.
Then I apologise SARNIA for misinterpreting your post.
DeletePerhaps taking my que (?) from AP, I rather assumed you were 'blaming' yourself.
Acknowledging ones part in a relationship and taking responsibility is the healthy option, rather than blame.
I agree that forgiveness rising from knowing truth and understanding why and how, brings acceptance.
I'm sure that with your continued support your daughter will in due course,and as you recognise, when she is ready, come to terms with her experiences.
The emotional landscape ........... is often a hard road.
I was also musing on Mrs P's suggestion that 'staying put' avoided a great many complications in family matters, and reflecting on how many others there were lurking in the wings to take their place.
ReplyDeleteInteresting thoughts Sarnia, which has had me reflecting too.
DeleteLooking back on my life, any problems I have had seem to stem from secrecy.
Keeping important facts hidden, not being upfront or completely honest with me, especially in childhood. Secrets that have had profound effects on my life.
Which is why, when I married and had children, I swore that I would never do the same to them. They would always know the whole truth about themselves and their family so there would be no traps to open up and ruin things for them, no skeletons to fall out of cupboards. And I am very glad that they, whether they live nearby or have moved afar seem to be unaffected by the same sort worries/concerns/uncertainties/self-doubt that I experienced.
Just a quick change of subject, sorry.
ReplyDeleteWe finally moved yesterday. Now, I wasn’t born when it was the 1966 World Cup so bluntly put, I am not old. I can hardly move today, I am so stiff. And that’s with just cleaning. We had removal men for the lifting etc. I never want to go through the last 3 months ever again.
So…..Archerphile…..get on with moving sooner rather than later. Likewise Mrs P.
P tb Y snuck in with a comment when I was typing a response to what Archerphile,Mrs P Sarnia and others were talking about.
DeleteUnless someone else has snuck in my response will be just below this.
I am so pleased you have made your move P tbY and agree with you about not leaving it too late before taking the plunge and moving somewhere which is going to make life a lot easier
Take it easy today-you won't!
Hope the swing seat is in situ .
On Tuesday morning I had a visit from the lovely lady who used to bring John's prescription tablets.
ReplyDeleteI had invited her for coffee and she was here for almost four hours.
I don't know how it happened but I got to hear about her background and believe me regarding skeletons in the cupboard etc her story made "Long lost families "look tame.
She found out in a terrible way that she was fostered by the couple she thought were her parents when her birth mother turned up and wanted her back .She was seven years old.
She is one of the kindest and well adjusted people I have ever met .
I don't think she had any professional help to deal with things.
What I am trying to say is that hopefully ,however bad your background ,things can move on .
My son has told me to take each day as it comes and not worry about tomorrow .
I was a Queen's Guide and was told to "Be Prepared "
I am not sure that is right.
I came to terms with my background and parents in my 40’s. Dad lost vital years in the war when amongst other things he was there when they relieved Belsen. He was a dreamer who thought one day he would make his fortune but it never happened. He worked hard all his life and never gained that much. We have his wartime diary which was only over a three month period but it shows he worshipped the ground my mother walked on. She was a silly little girl of 18 when they married, he was 7 years older. Her head was full of romance gained from films! Over time though poverty ground them down initially and the romance was lost replaced by constant arguments mainly over money. I learnt early in my marriage to cut my cloth in accordance with our resources, a lesson she never learned but I am more like my Dad! I could go on but my feeling is that resentment resulting from a less than perfect childhood can follow you all your life if you let it. You can’t change the past but the present and the future are largely in your own hands and you must live with this in mind.
DeleteI can confirm your last sentence with reference to my own family, Ev. My two sisters were both very angry people, all because of the probably accurate perception that each had had been replaced in mother's affections by the birth of the next. The younger one went to her grave still fulminating over the fact that my birth ousted her position as the youngest in the family, which I thought was ridiculous. Our mother's parenting style certainly left a lot to be desired and I suspect it did a fair amount of damage to all five of us, but she in turn was the victim of her own appalling background and was doing the best she knew how with the meagre resources she had.
ReplyDeleteIt's taken me a week to get my head round the knowledge that my long-held suspicions re the source of my daughter's difficulties were correct, but once the sadness is assimilated it's time to encourage the search for solutions. Unfortunately, my husband's strategy was to believe he had put the pain of childhood behind him, which meant it was simply buried, emerging from time to time in unreasonable behaviour and bursts of terrifying rage which took me decades to fathom out.
My philosophy is 'assimilate, understand and move on'.
PtbY, you've given me a fright. Your move sounds exhausting, and if someone years younger than me finds it such a struggle, in choosing to remain in my temple of 'make do and mend' and attempt to put it to rights rather than trying to downsize, I've had a narrow escape!
Yes, Sarnia. I realised that my parents both had difficulties due to personality and experiences of life but in spite of that they did their best in the circumstances and you can’t ask for more. Your sisters let bitterness win. My mother just loved babies and cute children. I was dressed like Shirley Temple! Then when I was 10 and big brother 14 she had my younger brother which many years later she admitted to me wasn’t a mistake! I don’t think I worried about no longer being the youngest but actually quite liked being the middle child. I was old enough to help with feeding him and doing small tasks which I enjoyed. I have never been baby mad like Mum but am do lally about dogs! Strange or what?!! Anyway, once again thinking of you and daughter and hope she can get the help she needs.
ReplyDeleteNo, it wouldn't have bothered you as much, Ev, because the newcomer wasn't another girl!
DeletePossibly so but I did want a sister! Quite disappointed to have another brother at the time!
DeletePtby wishing you many years of happiness in your (forever?) new home 💐 Even when a youngster 😉 such as yourself moves still a daunting task - not that I really know having hardly ever moved however my middle sister has done so around 35+ times. Yes some with RAF in the past but many since as well 😱 currently on IOW which she and b-i- l really love it will be 2 years in August!!
ReplyDelete(Ptby I hope your new abode was as clean as you left yours)
I moved many times mostly to Married Quarters but we also owned three houses at various times and one at a time! That includes this one which I don’t intend to leave! Yes, Lady R, I love the island too and have been here for 6 years now.
DeleteThe dogs love the new faux lawn especially stretching out on it! It is much nicer to look at than the previous pebbles dotted with weeds. I am really enjoying today having no workmen to work around and no brewing endless cups of tea! The boys went to the dog walker this morning. Gypsy and I used to do a little toddle while they were away so it’s a missing her time. At least though I can go to the shops in the village without worrying too much about time while the boys are away and I don’t have Dudley protesting about me going out! She’s left a hole but I’m going to hold out about not having another dog. Two is quite enough! No doubt Katy will come up with a sob story before too long but I am resolute! Mind you I was similarly so before we had Dudley! Katy was saying the other day one lady online has 7 Shih Tzus! Madness!!😉😂
Meant to say, wishing you every happiness in your new home, ptby!🏠
DeleteLike you EV
ReplyDeleteI am eternally grateful, that for all their faults, both my parents did the best they could, without having had anything like the best themselves.
Famously my father saw my mother across a dance floor and stated to his comrade, 'I'm going to marry that girl over there '
I have always believed that he instinctively realised that they had both been emotionally neglected, ( possibly abused) and understood that they shared certain emotional hinterlands.
There were difficulties for my sister and myself, but all in all they were good parents.
Like your sister, mine has never been able ( or perhaps willing) to release the anger.
I have a great deal of understanding and no anger.
Breakfast place.
ReplyDeleteArcherfile, I finished reading the last of the series of Cooper and Fry books yesterday afternoon. We had a booking to visit Lyme this morning, a beautiful summer's day here. We climbed up the hill to get a view of Kinder Scout and I said my goodbyes to Cooper and Fry, then we took the scenic route home through the Peak District national park. All very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteI should love to do the same CC. The descriptions of locations in Stephen Booths books are so accurate you can follow the plot on Google Earth, and with the aid of their street view facility, even travel along the same roads as they do in the books.
DeleteHe has written another book I have read in the last year called Drowned Lives. It is about the history and modern day happenings on a canal. Obviously very carefully researched again but for me, it didn’t have quite the same appeal.
What a wonderful post by EV at 8.27am today.
ReplyDeletePtbY At last!
I hope you will be very happy, in your new home. Now to unpack!! 😁😀😂
I had to do a major "defrost" of my freezer today. When I tried to open it today, I had to prise it open as it was frozen solid and the motor was in overdrive.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what the problem is.
I could have not closed it properly yesterday so just iced up, or
it has just not working properly now.
It is back on again, with all contents back in so it is wait + see.
I managed this is just an hour, so no food was lost (hopefully).
As a final comment is to do with parents.
Mine were so loving and taught me many things.
In a concise form these are:-
Family is wonderful and just needs to be embraced, even if they irritate at many times.
How to cook on a strict budget
How to manage monies - mortgages, pension etc.
These lessons have been so useful, throughout my life.
Just a quick extra, about how caring a family can be.
ReplyDeleteToday is the birthday of one of my nieces hubbie. He was the alcoholic, who is now totally dry + tee-total.
Our WattsApp group have all sent messages to him, and all family members remembered to not include an emoji referring to a drink.
This is how family can so support all their members...
It was a simple thing, but all
remembered his previous major problem.
DeleteOn a completely different topic - we seem to be jinxed at the moment.
ReplyDeleteNot only have I had to have another appt at the hospital for my throat problems this morning and am booked in for a CT Scan next week, but Mr A finally left for Shropshire and his gliding trip yesterday. (After ensuring I was OK to be left, and happy for him to go)
This morning I had a phone call to say the car had been playing up on the journey to Long Mynd.
He just about made it up the steep winding road to the Gliding Club but thought he should get the car looked at this morning.
So drove down to a garage in Church Stratton where it conked out completely.
Result - cannot be driven, major repairs required, estimated cost over £2,500!!,
It’s simply not worth spending that much to repair a 15 year old Lexus.
So, Mr A will leave car there, come home with gliding colleagues, speak to our own garage where both our cars are due for MOTs next week. If they think they could do the repairs more reasonably, he’ll hire a trailer, go up and fetch car, but this is very unlikely.
So we’ll be probably be looking for a replacement car and just hope my 21 year old Micra passes its MOT or we shall be careless, with hospital appts looming and no bus service
This is exactly what I’ve been warning could happen!
I shall try and refrain from saying ‘I told you something when he gets home! 🤨
Lordy Archerphile life has certainly been throwing (constant) curved balls at you both in recent times and the car giving out seems like the last straw 😩 Your list of unexpected expenses is growing longer - knee, cataracts, roof and now “wheels” .
DeleteSending best wishes for next week - don’t forget the Care Car system should you need to use it best booked early if possible though. (I am assuming that Basingstoke area offers a similar service to ours via volunteers for a suggested donation (unless as is the case for some unable to pay then that is covered by others who can pay more than the suggested amount)
How is your throat can you open your mouth a little more than recently and what are you eating 🤔
PtbY
ReplyDeleteMazel Tov in your new home. I wish you many years of great happiness and peace and hope you will enjoy your new surroundings
Archerphile.... I do hope you can restrain your comments.
DeleteThis might be the point where he thinks..... ' hm... she may be right !'
Been to th CINEMA.......... went to see The Father.
A brilliant performance, very moving.
For some reason unknown to me, I don't like Olivier Coleman but she was very good.
Hooray for independent cinema !
I am another one who does not particularly like Olivia C. However I do accept though, that she portrays the characters she plays, in a wonderful way.
DeleteArcherphile.
ReplyDeleteYou do sound very jinxed at the moment.
I really hope Mr A. will enjoy his time at the gliding club and meeting up with his many friends (is the one who sadly lost his wife there?) and can just enjoy himself with his fascinating hobby.
PS Do you have AA, RAC or similar?
DeleteIf so then they could help out in some way.
PytB Many congratulations in your new house. I hope you will be very happy for many years, mr PYTB and the doggies too! I do hope your eye gets sorted too!
ReplyDeleteArcherphile - I do hope your car gets sorted out, whether it's a newbie or emergencys repairs. My car started first time after six months and then passed its MOT! Even though it was an 07 Megane ! Hopefully your's will too.
I had a Megane and loved it. I traded it in at 6 yrs old,when I gave up work. The replacement did not suit me but had to keep it! I now drive a Captur which is lovely.
DeleteWell I went to a wedding! My youngest son's wedding on Tuesday! My youngest sister arranged a whatsapps group and linked with my daughter in Melbourne and daughter in law in Frankfurt so they all viewed the ceremony and then the speeches at the reception.
ReplyDeleteI started at 10 am for hairdressers. I insisted to drive to the church for 12.30. Later the reception for a meal and various speeches went on to 7.30pm.
I did have to sit at top table and thoroughly did NOT enjoy my conversation with my ex-husband. Never mind it was for the the sake of my son and daughter in law!
My second sister then told me, because I was absolutely exhausted, two brothers in law would take me home with a driver and then the second one would take them both to the reception. I was totally exhausted!
My driver Malc, told me that he was exceptionally proud because I had been so very ill but didn't make a fuss. My daughter in law (the new one!) told me that she was astounded at how much weight I had lost!
I have lost just over four stone since my stroke on 27th Feb. I think I to speak to doctor telling me when to stop!
I have an appointment a week later to get some sort of drug test because of all the drugs I have to take. Hopefully they will reduce some. Doctors want to reduce stress in case of second stroke and I do not have more tablets, but say I need counselling because I do tend to go to bed and wonder whether I will wake up again!
Jon enjoyed the wedding but I left him at the reception and he returned later at 10.30 so we had a cup of coffee then I went to bed. Slept through till 9.15am!
Lots of photos which may or may not include me so I haven't seen them all! Maybe one will be publishable!
What a lovely day and I bet you were so pleased to be with your family.
DeleteTake Care and keep positive as things will improve. 🤗💟
Spicy, I've noticed your absence and hoped it might be due to the happy occasion, I'm pleased for you, well done.
DeleteHear hear 👏🏻 What was the outfit of the day in the end 🤔
DeleteReally pleased that all went so well,Spicycushion.
ReplyDeleteSo many difficulties between you, AP and Spicy. May there be light at the end of the tunnel soon for both of you.
ReplyDeleteHear, hear.
DeletePtbY, good luck in your new home.
ReplyDeleteArcherfile, I hope that all your woes will be resolved in the not too distant future.
Spicycushion, what a wonderful day for you and glad that you were able to cope so well.
Oh Spicey.....
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you had your day with your family for the wedding.
Earlier this year you hoped to be able to see your little brother and to see your son married.
Now you have achieved both.
Well done.
You are an extraordinary woman !
And yes.... what was the outfit in the end ?
Glad you had a good day, Spicy. It’s always a bit awkward meeting up with ex’s on these occasions. At my stepdaughter’s wedding I had to walk down the aisle afterwards with her stepfather who had occasioned Mike’s divorce from her mother. Of course their dalliance had done me a favour. It happened a good while before I met Mike but of course freed him up for me! Truth was though I couldn’t stand the man. I didn’t have time for Mike’s ex wife either as she had caused him so much anguish and he was still getting over it when we met. Anyway, as you said needs must for the sake of the young couple! Wishing them a long and happy marriage!
ReplyDeleteSpicy - i’m so you had such a wonderful, if tiring, Day. It all sounded so well organised and you were looked after very well.
ReplyDeleteDo publish a photo of yourself in
your posh outfit if you can.
And thanks to the rest if you for your good wishes. Yes Miriam, our friend who lost his wife to Covid is up at the club and will be bringing Mr A home. But no, they haven’t had a good time due to poor weather, the glider developing a problem and Mr A didn’t even get a single flight!!
Thank you all for your good wishes. I’m afraid the house we’ve moved into is pretty filthy. Wasn’t when we viewed it. It is going to take a long time to sort out. Just going about it steadily.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased Spicey that you got to the wedding. I always find them exhausting from having to have that forced smile on all day.
Oh PtyY - that’s not on! To leave a house in a filthy state for new occupants is beyond the pale. I’m so sorry your life in your new home has to begin like this.
DeleteBut I think there are various things that a seller cannot do, by law, these days, that we were burdened with when we moved here 39 years ago
The previous owner had stripped all the light fittings out of walks and ceilings, in most rooms naked wires were left hanging, not a single light bulb anywhere!
Their old bathroom suite, loo, basin and bath were left in the garden, bath full of dirty water and dead leaves, though they had promised it would be moved.
Likewise the cellar was full of junk they’d just left behind which we had to pay to have cleared and taken away.
I hope you are not having to cope with anything like that and at least had a light bulb to see your way in!
So often you don’t realise the problems until you move in. In spite of paying for a full survey we found it was damp indoors. A single bed was put along the wall and later had to be thrown away as it was covered in mould. We had used that room to park things in prior to unpacking so didn’t detect it in time. During periods of heavy rain water flowed into the back garden from a car park on the other side of the fence and to the side of that an industrial building. We had to have a drain put in the back garden along with fierce discussions with the owner of the property at the rear. He had the cheek to say we didn’t know what we were talking about! I made him come round to see the raging torrent! There were many problems which are just about ironed out now. The damp was solved when I had the roof re felted and tiles then replaced. We also have dehumidifiers in the winter as being so near the sea we have some damp in the air. You never finish getting things done in a house!
DeleteThat’s rotten leaving a dirty house. My pride wouldn’t let me do that! We were quite lucky there as the lady who lived here had died and the beneficiaries had the whole house repainted (Magnolia!) and new utility carpets fitted which did a turn for us. I still have that carpet in conservatory and in the bedrooms. It was all emptied out of furniture etc so a clean canvas apart from the dreaded mould which showed up later, presumably having been concealed by the new paint!
DeleteI felt very "guilty" when my late fathers bungalow was sold. The asking price was K20 less than the market value as it needed updating. The buyers surveyor reduced this by a further K10 due to a damp problem
ReplyDeleteI was horrified after the property was finally emptied. I found dried mould on walls behind where furtniture was, in both a bedroom and the lounge. I just cleaned it, so it was not obvious. Although I cleaned through, I did not clean the oven!!! That was one step too far.
The sale went through quickly, but I expect the new owners had a horrible shock, when it next rained. They were just expecting to have to pay for a new bathroom, carpets + decorating, not anything more costly, such as replacing windows, patio doors, flooring, gutters etc which obviously were causing the many problems.
But we were very genarous in agreeing low prices for all the white goods, solid wood dining room furniture and I left all the mtm curtains, vertical blinds, lampshades etc for free.
Don’t think you need to feel guilty as it looks as if they paid a fair price. Mould thrives where air isn’t circulating as in behind furniture so maybe didn’t come back. Also unlike us they were forewarned about the damp!
DeleteQuick extra or two.
ReplyDeleteA good listen last night on R4ex at 9.45pm for 15mins.
It was Multi Story Shorts - Within in the Rules. I found this very heartwarming.
After my emergency defrost of the freezer yesterday, I am having bad back pain today. In my haste to do this, I obviously lifted the full and heavy drawers out, in a bad way!
Archerphile….they had taken the nice light fittings and replace them with a dangly wire fitting and yes some had no light bulbs in!!!
ReplyDeleteHave had no hot water so far but my boiler man came this aft and sorted that. Cleaning can start in earnest now I’ve got hot water.
There should be a law about leaving a place clean and with life’s basics 😡 if they didn’t like cleaning they should have got a team in to do it.
DeletePtbY
DeleteDidn't your solicitor get the document detailing what was to be included In the sale ?
Those ' nice light fittings' should have been detailed as staying or being removed and replaced.
The days when what you describe, have long gone in my experience.
In our house in Malmesbury I had designed and built along with assistance from my husband a double bunk bed and fitted out underneath area for our girls.
We knew it was an important feature and so had said in the details that this could be included in the house sale if required.
The couple that bought our house had two young children so we expected them to make the request, but it never came.
So the very last task on the morning of the move was to disassemble this very large construction, only to find when they arrived that the buyers were devastated that it was removed.
I continue to feel guilty about this to this day.
I think there was so much of this sort of thing going on that property law was changed to accommodate and prevent such difficulties.
I may be wrong, perhaps it is not law, but is considered good practice.
I shall consult the oracle...... my daughter.
That is SO mean, PtbY, especially when it all looked fine when you viewed. On house we looked at before this one had been re-painted from top to bottom, but unfortunately for the seller, we had lived in a student bed-sit with a plastic mac stuffed into the skirting board that had shrunk with dry rot, so I recognised the familiar smell lurking beneath the fresh paint. This house was pretty unsavoury in places - the previous owners had produced three boys in five years whose house training had been sadly lacking... ...
ReplyDeleteI had a pingpong ball in my loo.
DeleteI wasn't sure whether to be encouraged or discouraged when a friend said they needed one for her son - he was 16 at the time!
OMiaS had a meeting at home once and one of the attenders used our loo. 'There was a table tennis ball in your toilet.... So I took it out for you.'!
I said 'Thank you very much,' and rather pointedly went to replace it. Either she didn't have boys or she'd been more successful in training them. Or perhaps less, who knows?
You will forgive my ignorance I hope OwiaS.
DeleteI have never heard of anything like, or to do, with your above post before... ever !
Extraordinary what one can learn as one travels through life.
Probably just as extraordinary is what one can be ignorant of.
I imagine you are referring to some form of target practice.
I am onto my Wimbledon thoughts, yet again.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the commentators are so annoying me, in that - don't they realise - that Less is More?
I am hating a lot of the irrelevant comments, being constantly said.
That's me, getting it of my system...🤣 🤔 😣 😥
Thank you all, for just letting me do this, on this wonderful site..🤗
DeleteMiriam, I agree that some commentators just don’t know when to shut up!
DeleteI don’t watch Wimbledon but so enjoy Snooker, especially the World Championship from the Crucible in Sheffield. John Virgo especially infuriates me, he just drones on and on hardly taking a breath and keeps observing the bl…ding obvious. I ended up watching with the sound turned off whenever he was in the commentary box this year!
I agree too Miriam utter dirge some of it. Where is our dear Dan Maskell when you need him - those were the days “That’s it he/she/they’ve done it 🤗 🎾
DeleteThe Andy Murray match is starting and the commentators are - Boris Becker + Andrew Castle!
DeleteI rest my case....😣😣
I turned on BBC 2 for GW at 9.30 - No, TENNIS.
ReplyDeleteI waited till 10pm on BBC 1 for News at 10 - No, FOOTBALL!
I'm obviously the only viewer on the planet who wants something other than wall-to-wall sport.
No your not Sarnia.
DeleteBy chance I found GW on BBC4. Were there any announcements that it had been put on another channel?
DeleteNot when I was around, Soz, but I only switch for specific programmes. This week the RT was a waste of money because the schedules are a work of fiction.
ReplyDeleteSame here Sarnia
ReplyDeleteThe BBC seems to think all the public are is interested in is Sport! How are they fulfilling their charter by giving wall to wall tennis & football on a Friday night?
I ended up watching the news on BBC News, then raided my recordings of Public
Eye with Alfred Burke from Talking Pictures TV, which I seem to be turning to more & more often these days
A treasure trove of old films (some very old) and TV series
Oh, and just to add - I think the BBC, if not other channels, should be *required* to broadcast a news programme at the specified published time. If sporting event is at a critical point in a match or game on BBC 1 it should be transferred to another BBC channel. The news should *not* be delayed as has happened this week, sometimes for hours.
DeleteI watch BBC1 at 7.45 on Saturday mornings when Samira Ahmed has a 15 minute slot of viewer comments on the news programmes of the past week during the BBC Breakfast programme. A sort of feedback on the BBC’s news output. Always very interesting.
Today it was full of complaints about the scheduling of news programmes having been disrupted by sport. Thé public were very disgruntled about it.
They always have someone from the BBC News production team to answer, usually the typical brush off but today the excuses didn’t satisfy me at all.
I've got a store of recordings that I made in preparation for this summer. Trying to record anything at the moment is very hit and miss with the schedules all over the place. I don't mind them putting the sport on but there must be a way of making it easier for those of us who would still like to watch our regular programmes like Gardener's World.
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