Blessed is he/she who expects nothing for ..... And such is the case now. It was such a good idea to take photos - it was an even better idea to charge the camera battery before leaving the charger in my car in Reading. Pity I didn't!
It's lovely being with the family - particularly immediately after Hannah found the book "The 12 knits of Christmas" and immediately ordered 150 pounds worth of wool for me to knit a complete set for NEXT Christmas. (You know the one ... 5 gold rings, 4 turtle doves, 3 french hens, 2 calling doves and a partridge in a pear tree - going up to 12 of the last item. Fortunately I have NEVER sewn up such things and Hannah is particularly artistic and makes something out of nothing, with the greatest of ease. So that's 78 items that need to be completed within the next 12 months!)
We've been terribly tempted to have a play - so the last 2 nights have seen us both up until 2.00 am knitting/sewing practise items with bits and pieces of leftover wool (9 items, thus far). It's as well I leave here on Wednesday.
And while I was here mainly to assist with packing ... and James has been out and purchased bubble wrap and boxes ... today has been the first day that we have actually gotten round to using any of it. We've managed to wrap all the pictures from the first floor (30 odd) and tomorrow the intention is that we'll box up some books (well - that is, after a small shopping expedition in the morning after blood tests for Hannah).
Rachel and Will have been round for a meal and I've been around to her house on a couple of occasions too. It's lovely being with family, so close to Christmas - the children are a delight (all 5 of them) and appear to believe their Great Aunt's explanation of 'secret squirrel' who reports to Santa about any bad (or good) behaviour ... there seem to be plenty of squirrels to chose from in the gardens here.
We're still uncertain about Christmas Day, but even so I've managed to sort out and wrap all the presents for the immediate family now - which I can leave with Hannah. I've never been so organised!
Ho ho ho - I'm off to Kent on Wednesday. Not too keen on all these farewells.
Monday, 28 November 2011
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
MODREB CALLING ...
Enfys, now 2, is attending a welsh speaking nursery for 3 days a week, and flits between welsh and english at a whim. It can get quite confusing at times!
She's a dear wee girl, very attached to her 'mumgu' (grandmother) - and accepting of her strangely accented modreb (aunt) from New Zealand. I hope her mum (Kate) isn't reading this, she'll be pulling her hair out. Kate was the bride at the wedding I attended in Port Meirion in July/August and is expecting a little brother for Enfys in the new(ish) year.
As ever I loved being with my Welsh cousins - we had lots of laughs, long walks (with the dogs) and ate too much food (of course)
The canal where Shirley takes her various "homestay" dogs for a 2 hour morning walk ... I went twice, over the four days that I was there. That bit's flat - but the fields are up quite a steep climb.
About to let Chico and Minnie off their leads for much enthusiastic chasing and rushing around (the dogs, not us!). The Great Dane had to have a rear leg removed (cancer) about a year ago but you'd never know it, the way he gallops around.
Kate's two dogs (Kilo and Trojan) in the kitchen with Minnie. Minnie and Kilo (tail end to the fore) are the same breed but Kilo is about 3 or 4 years older.
On the Friday night we went to an ABBA show with a group from Sweden performing all their hits. Of course it featured a lot of tunes from the "Mama Mia" show and two other granddaughters came with us (aged 5 and 7) and sang along, word perfect, all evening. It was a lovely night, from start to finish - the lights in Cardiff making a show all of their own.
On Monday - Shirley and I took Enfys and Evie to "Jump" - a children's indoor playground. Shirley did the climbing through a two storey block of slides and mazes etc and returned to tell me it was my turn!!
So trampoline it was ... having manoeuvred the minuscule entrance and fallen immediately, I was then left alone while the children decided to do something else. And then I was cast - with Shirley and me cackling like a couple of school children, while I struggled to reclaim my dignity.
I left on Tuesday morning - a beautiful sunny day again - and returned to Steph and Ray's in Reading. Steph's slightly less trussed up with her sling, but has another 5 weeks before it is finally removed. So last night I managed to do a bit of ironing for her and helped cook the dinner.
And now, Wednesday, I'm back with Hannah in London. Tomorrow we are going to brave the tubes to go to a Christmas show in Chelsea. We WERE supposed to be packing for her move early next month, but the way sales work over here are fraught with 'dangers' - not least of which, there is no certainty that a sale will even take place right up until the day of the move. So we're not going to tempt fate by even looking at a box, it seems.
Not a very scintillating blog today I'm afraid. I've had three comments about lack of communication over recent days so thought I'd better quickly write up the past week before receiving any more abuse!!!
I shall (as my school reports used to say) "try to do better".
As ever I loved being with my Welsh cousins - we had lots of laughs, long walks (with the dogs) and ate too much food (of course)
On the Friday night we went to an ABBA show with a group from Sweden performing all their hits. Of course it featured a lot of tunes from the "Mama Mia" show and two other granddaughters came with us (aged 5 and 7) and sang along, word perfect, all evening. It was a lovely night, from start to finish - the lights in Cardiff making a show all of their own.
I left on Tuesday morning - a beautiful sunny day again - and returned to Steph and Ray's in Reading. Steph's slightly less trussed up with her sling, but has another 5 weeks before it is finally removed. So last night I managed to do a bit of ironing for her and helped cook the dinner.
And now, Wednesday, I'm back with Hannah in London. Tomorrow we are going to brave the tubes to go to a Christmas show in Chelsea. We WERE supposed to be packing for her move early next month, but the way sales work over here are fraught with 'dangers' - not least of which, there is no certainty that a sale will even take place right up until the day of the move. So we're not going to tempt fate by even looking at a box, it seems.
Not a very scintillating blog today I'm afraid. I've had three comments about lack of communication over recent days so thought I'd better quickly write up the past week before receiving any more abuse!!!
I shall (as my school reports used to say) "try to do better".
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
BLIND DATE
We didn't quite wear red roses in our buttonholes, but having mobile phones certainly helped - today I managed to meet up with Anne's ex neighbour in Geraldine ... what a lovely lady.
We managed to talk for an hour and a half without any breaks and could cheerfully have continued but Maureen had another appointment and I was due to leave after lunch, to have final farewells with the Kemps before travelling on to Wales.
Maureen has been back in the UK for 18 months after 20 years in NZ, mostly in Geraldine. We talked about the difficulties of 'slotting back in' after such a long period and she told me that she had joined the local golf club and, having been quite involved in Geraldine, the local patchwork group.
Now there's a reason for all this - and here you were, just about to dismiss this blog without giving me a chance... read on!
Evidently all the UK patchwork groups have been invited to make a pendant to be used at the Olympic Games next year. They were given a variety of designs on a website and Maureen decided to do one with a English Oak leaf and an acorn. She is not entirely certain what they are going to be used for but it may be for the opening (or closing) ceremony - or something that will be given out with the medals.
However (the whole reason for this exciting chapter), before making her pendant, Maureen decided she would do some research and was amazed to read that the English oak is the only tree whose leaves have no stalks but are attached directly to the twig, and whose acorns have stalks on them. All other oak trees have leaves and acorns the other way around.
Now be honest - I bet you didn't know THAT before did you?? (OK well you might have - but I certainly didn't) And won't we all now be interested to see what those pendants are eventually used for?
Remember - you heard it here first!!!
Maureen has been back in the UK for 18 months after 20 years in NZ, mostly in Geraldine. We talked about the difficulties of 'slotting back in' after such a long period and she told me that she had joined the local golf club and, having been quite involved in Geraldine, the local patchwork group.
Now there's a reason for all this - and here you were, just about to dismiss this blog without giving me a chance... read on!
Evidently all the UK patchwork groups have been invited to make a pendant to be used at the Olympic Games next year. They were given a variety of designs on a website and Maureen decided to do one with a English Oak leaf and an acorn. She is not entirely certain what they are going to be used for but it may be for the opening (or closing) ceremony - or something that will be given out with the medals.
However (the whole reason for this exciting chapter), before making her pendant, Maureen decided she would do some research and was amazed to read that the English oak is the only tree whose leaves have no stalks but are attached directly to the twig, and whose acorns have stalks on them. All other oak trees have leaves and acorns the other way around.
Now be honest - I bet you didn't know THAT before did you?? (OK well you might have - but I certainly didn't) And won't we all now be interested to see what those pendants are eventually used for?
Remember - you heard it here first!!!
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
2 Days meetings and 2 godchildren
Yesterday I got an email from Anne, mentioning that her old neighbour in Geraldine lived close to Cirencester, in Tetbury. She'd lost touch so wondered if I could get a phone number etc. The phone book sorted out one problem, but when I rang, she wasn't at home.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained and when I asked Philip where it was he said they'd been thinking of taking me over there for a drive (20/30 minutes away), so though I still couldn't get any response we all drove over there in the afternoon.
It is a lovely village really full of antique shops - all very affluent looking - and equally expensive looking clothing shops. This photo couldn't be resisted - see all those pigeons roosting on top of the grey building? There must have been about 50 of them - all sheltering from the prevailing, bitterly cold, wind.
It is also close to Prince Charles' residence and he has a shop which sells produce from his garden and business ventures (he's not the shopkeeper you understand!) in the centre of town. All very posh (pronounced poash) with serving staff incredibly well dressed and wearing burgundy full aprons (male and female alike).
We 'took tea' in a lovely tea shop there - but sadly, there was still no response from Anne's friend.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained and when I asked Philip where it was he said they'd been thinking of taking me over there for a drive (20/30 minutes away), so though I still couldn't get any response we all drove over there in the afternoon.
It is also close to Prince Charles' residence and he has a shop which sells produce from his garden and business ventures (he's not the shopkeeper you understand!) in the centre of town. All very posh (pronounced poash) with serving staff incredibly well dressed and wearing burgundy full aprons (male and female alike).
We 'took tea' in a lovely tea shop there - but sadly, there was still no response from Anne's friend.
However, this morning I tried again - and managed to get hold of Maureen who coincidentally is coming into Cirencester tomorrow- so we've arranged to meet for coffee in town in the morning. Her family lives here and she is taking her grandson to the Hospital tomorrow. I hope I can find her!!!
On Sunday I got an email from the oldest of the Sydney godsons, telling me he is to be confirmed on Sunday. I'll be sorry to miss that, but with four more following after, I guess there is time enough to join them in the future.
Then on Monday, my goddaughter Alisha (a doctor who spent 12 months in Afghanistan at a Mission Hospital) phoned to say that they were in Reading and preparing to travel up to Birmingham today (Tuesday) ... was there anywhere we could meet? So today I've been across to Oxford (just over an hour away) and we spent a lovely 2 hours at the Oxford Services (just off the M40), catching up and meeting Noemie (Naomi in french).
Tomorrow I leave Cirencester en route (via the Kemps in Gloucester) for Wales. This really is the beginning of saying my final farewells. I wish the antipodes were closer.
Sunday, 13 November 2011
AROUND CIRENCESTER
Today was Remembrance Sunday. My friends Sally and Ken, of narrow boat fame (see blog 23/10) will have been flag bearers for the service in their village - a strenuous task which they have undertaken over recent years, involving very heavy flags, training with army personnel to "get it right", marching, lowering the flag to a halfway position and holding their elbows away from their bodies for the majority of the time. They will, no doubt, be grateful it is over for another year.
Cirencester held a service around the War Memorial this morning after the 9.30 a.m. church service in the centre of town. Philip and Rosemary attended ... I didn't. People have been wearing poppies all week - and some vehicles even have them on their front grilles. And of course, there is the two minutes silence which is observed at 11 am on 11/11 (last Friday, Armistice Day)
Philip and I took a stroll around (part of) the Earl of Bathurst's estate this afternoon. The 8th Earl died in October and only last week there was a remembrance service held in his honour - so now his son takes on the mantle of 9th Earl of Bathurst. The public are permitted access to the grounds (14,000 acres) and if today is anything to go by, they certainly make the most of the opportunity. It has been in the family since 1695.
I've never seen so many dogs - or people walking, for that matter. It was a pleasant, though invigorating, day, as can be seen by all the coats, hats and gloves!
Philip tells me that Cirencester is "twinned" with a town in Germany and as a goodwill gesture the City Council here gave them a tree (I think) to plant. As a result, the german town named the area "Cirencester Park". Evidently, just to remind the local council who owned what, the Earl closed THE original Cirencester Park for a day, to jog their memories!
A view back to the "house" with the tower of the Church of England church tower in the background. The church is in the centre of town with the Estate right on its outskirts.
I liked the way the sun settled on the church tower - it appears I was further away from it than I thought, so that little bit of artistry is wasted!
Believe it or not. them's horses under those covers ... not freisian cows. Just beyond are 7 polo fields provided by the Earl. Originally he organised and allowed hunts through his grounds but when he stopped those, he provided polo fields instead. Evidently, some time ago, the Earl was incensed to see a car driving through his grounds at a speed greater than the 20 mph he allowed, so he gave chase - tooting, flashing his lights etc., only to be stopped by Prince William's body guard who were following!!! He plays there on quite a regular basis by all accounts but there was no sign of him today. (It is also the grounds where Prince Charles broke his arm or dislocated his shoulder when he fell off his horse playing polo - remember?)
A better view of the house from a different angle.
Walk out of the Estate and you have Cotswold Street - a very attractive street very close to where Philip and Rosemary live. I don't know whether it is easily detected, but some windows (particularly dead centre on the second and third levels) have been bricked out. It is quite a noticeable feature around the town and it seems that when the Window Tax was brought in a few centuries ago, many people closed them in so that their fees were not so great.
I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I really DO like this place.
As a postscript, it appears Hannah and James have been successful in their offer to purchase a new home - a very nice birthday present for Hannah on her 39th birthday. Fingers crossed they will not be gazzumped again - I can't imagine why the UK has such an archaic method for purchasing a property.
Cirencester held a service around the War Memorial this morning after the 9.30 a.m. church service in the centre of town. Philip and Rosemary attended ... I didn't. People have been wearing poppies all week - and some vehicles even have them on their front grilles. And of course, there is the two minutes silence which is observed at 11 am on 11/11 (last Friday, Armistice Day)
Philip and I took a stroll around (part of) the Earl of Bathurst's estate this afternoon. The 8th Earl died in October and only last week there was a remembrance service held in his honour - so now his son takes on the mantle of 9th Earl of Bathurst. The public are permitted access to the grounds (14,000 acres) and if today is anything to go by, they certainly make the most of the opportunity. It has been in the family since 1695.
I've never seen so many dogs - or people walking, for that matter. It was a pleasant, though invigorating, day, as can be seen by all the coats, hats and gloves!
There are a number of outdoor groups that have activities within the Estate - maintained by the Earl - as can be seen (with binoculars) this is the tennis courts ... far more impressive than it appears - perhaps the photographer isn't quite as crash hot as she tries to make out.
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I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I really DO like this place.
As a postscript, it appears Hannah and James have been successful in their offer to purchase a new home - a very nice birthday present for Hannah on her 39th birthday. Fingers crossed they will not be gazzumped again - I can't imagine why the UK has such an archaic method for purchasing a property.
Thursday, 10 November 2011
House Hunting
Today we went to meet up with Hannah, who was wanting to have a second look at a possible new home near Welles. Either it is getting late as I write this, or I really am going to have to do something about my memory (probably that!), but because Philip was driving, I can't even remember exactly where we went. It was interesting to see exactly what real estate people do (or don't do) over here from a professional point of view. (Not a lot it seems). Rosemary tells me they are not know as REAL estate agents ... just estate agents, evidently. And it is fascinating to see at first hand how 'gazzumping' works (it happened to Hannah in a previous attempt) and how uncertain things are until the 11th hour. Not the way I'm used to at all.
The lass who met us at the house is a 'local' who turns up and shows people around - she didn't appear to know very much but happily gave out very splendid brochures all round and said very little. I guess it worked a bit like PA's do at home - but I didn't quiz her on whether she had a licence etc so can't say. To be honest, I didn't let on about my past life and quite enjoyed being an appendage.
Time will tell the outcome I guess - but she seemed pretty interested and with 7 bedrooms PLUS a 2 bedroom coach house, I guess she had every reason to be.
En route, we passed the village where returning (dead) soldiers from Afghanistan landed, with the locals standing in respectful silence as the hearses passed by. Wootton Bassett. The location has recently been changed so that doesn't happen any more, but as a result, the village has been granted the right to use the word "Royal" before their name from now on. It's way out in the middle of nowhere - which makes their actions seem even more poignant, somehow.
Tomorrow is Remembrance Day here - red poppies etc. One of the radio stations this week has been interviewing mothers/wives of men who have died in service. As I was driving to Cirencester on Monday I heard one of the interviews and it's haunted me ever since ... the mother of a 19 year old ... telling about her son who had joined the army at the age of 17 and who was due home on leave only 10 days after he was killed (blown up by a land mine) two years ago. It was a pretty raw interview, with a very sympathetic interviewer, and it really brought home the awful sacrifices these families make.
They must be told, before they leave, to write a letter that they can leave for the family in case they don't return. When his body was returned, there was a letter from his buddy telling the family that he and the son had made a promise to each other that if one of them was killed, the other one would tell the family where to find the letter. As it happened, the mother said that the letter wasn't where he'd said it would be, and it took them several months to find it! However, his brother read it out at the close of the interview and I doubt there was a single dry eye in the country at the conclusion of the letter.
On that happy note I shall close!
The days are getting shorter - it's dark just after 5.00 pm now. It's reasonably mild - well, I'm not wearing thermals yet - and this is really the first week that it has been a bit bleak, overcast and misty. There are Christmas lights up in the pedestrian precinct here and I went into a shop yesterday that had a secular type Christmas song playing.
Only 50 days until 2012 - by which time I shall be home and you can stop reading these ramblings!
The lass who met us at the house is a 'local' who turns up and shows people around - she didn't appear to know very much but happily gave out very splendid brochures all round and said very little. I guess it worked a bit like PA's do at home - but I didn't quiz her on whether she had a licence etc so can't say. To be honest, I didn't let on about my past life and quite enjoyed being an appendage.
Time will tell the outcome I guess - but she seemed pretty interested and with 7 bedrooms PLUS a 2 bedroom coach house, I guess she had every reason to be.
En route, we passed the village where returning (dead) soldiers from Afghanistan landed, with the locals standing in respectful silence as the hearses passed by. Wootton Bassett. The location has recently been changed so that doesn't happen any more, but as a result, the village has been granted the right to use the word "Royal" before their name from now on. It's way out in the middle of nowhere - which makes their actions seem even more poignant, somehow.
Tomorrow is Remembrance Day here - red poppies etc. One of the radio stations this week has been interviewing mothers/wives of men who have died in service. As I was driving to Cirencester on Monday I heard one of the interviews and it's haunted me ever since ... the mother of a 19 year old ... telling about her son who had joined the army at the age of 17 and who was due home on leave only 10 days after he was killed (blown up by a land mine) two years ago. It was a pretty raw interview, with a very sympathetic interviewer, and it really brought home the awful sacrifices these families make.
They must be told, before they leave, to write a letter that they can leave for the family in case they don't return. When his body was returned, there was a letter from his buddy telling the family that he and the son had made a promise to each other that if one of them was killed, the other one would tell the family where to find the letter. As it happened, the mother said that the letter wasn't where he'd said it would be, and it took them several months to find it! However, his brother read it out at the close of the interview and I doubt there was a single dry eye in the country at the conclusion of the letter.
On that happy note I shall close!
The days are getting shorter - it's dark just after 5.00 pm now. It's reasonably mild - well, I'm not wearing thermals yet - and this is really the first week that it has been a bit bleak, overcast and misty. There are Christmas lights up in the pedestrian precinct here and I went into a shop yesterday that had a secular type Christmas song playing.
Only 50 days until 2012 - by which time I shall be home and you can stop reading these ramblings!
Monday, 7 November 2011
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO ...
... Cirencester. The planned vacuuming before I left Steph's was aborted, when instead we had a visit from Sarah (Steph's daughter in law) - a much better way to spend an hour. I'd been sending her texts and even tried phoning a couple of times but to no avail - then realised she'd changed her mobile phone number! So it was particularly good to catch up this morning. (Sarah and Richard visited me in NZ several years ago and we often chat on Skype etc. so I was getting somewhat concerned that I wasn't getting any response).
I decided I'd drive to the service station to get some petrol before putting Tom in the passenger seat. He's been sitting in my glove box - turned off - for the past week and of course Steph and I have been out about in the car most days during that time. Suddenly, his voice boomed out of the glove box, telling me to turn right at the next roundabout. He wasn't plugged in - if I'd left him turned on his battery would have run out days before - and I wasn't anywhere near a roundabout at the time.
Don't ask me for explanations - I'm just "telling it like it happened". It just seems that he had decided I wasn't going anywhere without him and, as always, we arrived in Cirencester about 1 hour 10 minutes later without a hitch.
It's nice to be with Philip and Rosemary again - the day has passed very quickly and already it's past midnight as I write this. Meanwhile I hope Tom isn't chatting up strangers as they pass him in the street. He's clearly NOT to be trusted.
I decided I'd drive to the service station to get some petrol before putting Tom in the passenger seat. He's been sitting in my glove box - turned off - for the past week and of course Steph and I have been out about in the car most days during that time. Suddenly, his voice boomed out of the glove box, telling me to turn right at the next roundabout. He wasn't plugged in - if I'd left him turned on his battery would have run out days before - and I wasn't anywhere near a roundabout at the time.
Don't ask me for explanations - I'm just "telling it like it happened". It just seems that he had decided I wasn't going anywhere without him and, as always, we arrived in Cirencester about 1 hour 10 minutes later without a hitch.
It's nice to be with Philip and Rosemary again - the day has passed very quickly and already it's past midnight as I write this. Meanwhile I hope Tom isn't chatting up strangers as they pass him in the street. He's clearly NOT to be trusted.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Tomorrow morning, I will be leaving Reading for about 10 days with Philip and Rosemary in Cirencester. I have a couple of "dates" organised while I'm there and will be catching up with my Oxford (Bicester) friends for lunch one day and Karen (Gloucester) another day.
Steph has been a great 'patient' with her arm out of action for another 7 weeks yet. For the past couple of days she's insisted on making cups of tea and one handed folding of the washing and the like, but I've managed to do a couple of batches of ironing and will, again, vacuum through tomorrow before I leave.
I've been more use to her from the 'mobility' point of view, so we've done quite a bit of driving around to deliver prescriptions, shop, etc. She's almost as good as Tom with her directions but she DID make comment when I drove through a red light (which was about 100 yards from the next traffic light which was green) and she DID mention the tree that I backed right up to when I took her to choir practise. Tom would never have done that.
I almost got picked up for shop lifting when we went to do some grocery shopping yesterday. We'd had our usual "who will pay" argument prior to going in to the supermarket, so I know it was going to be Steph - which meant that when I saw a DVD on special for the King's Speech, I propped it up where children usually sit in the trolley, out of her way... then promptly forgot all about it until the security man responded to the alert alarm buzzing and took it out again. He wouldn't just keep the DVD but insisted that I return to the counter to make the payment ... all rather embarrassing, but at least no-one knew me there!
Tonight was the last episode of "Downton Abbey" and I was relieved to see that it was left "in the air", so presumably there will be a third series in due course. Strictly Come Dancing was on last night, with the half hour follow up tonight to tell us that Lulu and Brendon were voted off. It's ok, NZ, by the time it reaches "us" even I won't remember that fact. The final is just before Christmas, evidently.
The weather remains remarkably mild but the leaves are very autumnal now - with some beautiful scenery treats in unexpected places. A programme on the tele the other day was explaining why some leaves turn red but others don't ... all to do with the aphids evidently. I know that they're awfully slippery when on wet ground, too.
Julie sent me the DVD of the bus commentary in the red zone today. Very sobering but I was cheered to hear them say that it is hoped to have the Theatre Royal up and running again in 2013. I thought I'd heard that it had been demolished - so that was ONE nice surprise, at least.
I've been amazed by the number and duration of fireworks around the area. There have been a number of real "boomers" amongst them and Chai and I have jumped in unison at times. It's a miserable time of year for pets.
The days are certainly drawing in - and the build up for Christmas has begun. How this year has flown!
Steph has been a great 'patient' with her arm out of action for another 7 weeks yet. For the past couple of days she's insisted on making cups of tea and one handed folding of the washing and the like, but I've managed to do a couple of batches of ironing and will, again, vacuum through tomorrow before I leave.
I've been more use to her from the 'mobility' point of view, so we've done quite a bit of driving around to deliver prescriptions, shop, etc. She's almost as good as Tom with her directions but she DID make comment when I drove through a red light (which was about 100 yards from the next traffic light which was green) and she DID mention the tree that I backed right up to when I took her to choir practise. Tom would never have done that.
I almost got picked up for shop lifting when we went to do some grocery shopping yesterday. We'd had our usual "who will pay" argument prior to going in to the supermarket, so I know it was going to be Steph - which meant that when I saw a DVD on special for the King's Speech, I propped it up where children usually sit in the trolley, out of her way... then promptly forgot all about it until the security man responded to the alert alarm buzzing and took it out again. He wouldn't just keep the DVD but insisted that I return to the counter to make the payment ... all rather embarrassing, but at least no-one knew me there!
Tonight was the last episode of "Downton Abbey" and I was relieved to see that it was left "in the air", so presumably there will be a third series in due course. Strictly Come Dancing was on last night, with the half hour follow up tonight to tell us that Lulu and Brendon were voted off. It's ok, NZ, by the time it reaches "us" even I won't remember that fact. The final is just before Christmas, evidently.
The weather remains remarkably mild but the leaves are very autumnal now - with some beautiful scenery treats in unexpected places. A programme on the tele the other day was explaining why some leaves turn red but others don't ... all to do with the aphids evidently. I know that they're awfully slippery when on wet ground, too.
Julie sent me the DVD of the bus commentary in the red zone today. Very sobering but I was cheered to hear them say that it is hoped to have the Theatre Royal up and running again in 2013. I thought I'd heard that it had been demolished - so that was ONE nice surprise, at least.
I've been amazed by the number and duration of fireworks around the area. There have been a number of real "boomers" amongst them and Chai and I have jumped in unison at times. It's a miserable time of year for pets.
The days are certainly drawing in - and the build up for Christmas has begun. How this year has flown!
Thursday, 3 November 2011
READING
I won't have a word said against Tom - he's a smart cookie. Sometimes he takes me on a slightly longer route. I know some of my friends/relations have been "interested" to hear which way I got to them, but I take it as a compliment that he wants me to be with him that little bit longer. Without him, I'm sure I wouldn't have the confidence to make most of the journeys - driving AND navigating at the same time are worse than driving and talking on the phone, in my book!
Anyway, I got to Steph's in time to pick up a tin of tomato soup and bread roll at Asda for lunch and have been pleasantly surprised to find how well she is coping with just "one arm" - her left one, at that. Ray is pretty independent and capable in the kitchen ... and indeed, was chief cook and bottle washer when Steph broke her ankle last Christmas. But he's allowing me to do my share once I pointed out that I'm only here for a week and that he'll have to do it for the next (probably) 7 weeks, so he may as well let me help. We went out for tea last night!!!
But I HAVE been able to take Steph out to buy tops which allow her to remain decent - even with a huge wedge between her body and her arm. And yesterday I took her to her "Rock Choir" class (see a much earlier Blog - probably in July, if you're in the dark on that one). I sat at the back sewing up two pairs of booties while they did their 90 minute practise. It really was excellent. I can't believe (though I know it's true) that one man can get 60+ women singing in 5 part harmony in such a short time (first class was in September). And they all seem to enjoy it - including the leader!
Yesterday we were out at 7 am, driving over to pick up Steph's granddaughters, to take them to school. Mum works as a share-teacher so each week Steph does the morning run on a Wednesday ... and dad works night shift, so is available for pick up after school, usually. The motorways are pretty hectic during peak hours (generally from 7.15 am onwards for a couple of hours) - hence the early start, to make sure we got there on time.
Now into my 3rd week of this third head cold, Steph has persuaded me to take a course of antibiotics for a week. I am limited in what I can "take" so always bring a supply with me when I come but even so, am loathe to take them in case I build up an immunity to them. For the first time in ages, I have used less than a box of tissues in the past 24 hours so I'm hoping that it will work.
So life carries on. I move on to Philip and Rosemary's next Monday (Cirencester). Count down has really begun with "last visits" beginning in earnest the week after that. The autumn colours are beautiful as I drive around and, as yet, I haven't had to don any thermals. Indeed, with all the houses having central heating, there is a large possibility I shall be warmer (inside) in the winter than I have been through the so-called summer. I spent last night with my feet outside the bedclothes.
Anyway, I got to Steph's in time to pick up a tin of tomato soup and bread roll at Asda for lunch and have been pleasantly surprised to find how well she is coping with just "one arm" - her left one, at that. Ray is pretty independent and capable in the kitchen ... and indeed, was chief cook and bottle washer when Steph broke her ankle last Christmas. But he's allowing me to do my share once I pointed out that I'm only here for a week and that he'll have to do it for the next (probably) 7 weeks, so he may as well let me help. We went out for tea last night!!!
But I HAVE been able to take Steph out to buy tops which allow her to remain decent - even with a huge wedge between her body and her arm. And yesterday I took her to her "Rock Choir" class (see a much earlier Blog - probably in July, if you're in the dark on that one). I sat at the back sewing up two pairs of booties while they did their 90 minute practise. It really was excellent. I can't believe (though I know it's true) that one man can get 60+ women singing in 5 part harmony in such a short time (first class was in September). And they all seem to enjoy it - including the leader!
Yesterday we were out at 7 am, driving over to pick up Steph's granddaughters, to take them to school. Mum works as a share-teacher so each week Steph does the morning run on a Wednesday ... and dad works night shift, so is available for pick up after school, usually. The motorways are pretty hectic during peak hours (generally from 7.15 am onwards for a couple of hours) - hence the early start, to make sure we got there on time.
Now into my 3rd week of this third head cold, Steph has persuaded me to take a course of antibiotics for a week. I am limited in what I can "take" so always bring a supply with me when I come but even so, am loathe to take them in case I build up an immunity to them. For the first time in ages, I have used less than a box of tissues in the past 24 hours so I'm hoping that it will work.
So life carries on. I move on to Philip and Rosemary's next Monday (Cirencester). Count down has really begun with "last visits" beginning in earnest the week after that. The autumn colours are beautiful as I drive around and, as yet, I haven't had to don any thermals. Indeed, with all the houses having central heating, there is a large possibility I shall be warmer (inside) in the winter than I have been through the so-called summer. I spent last night with my feet outside the bedclothes.
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