Thursday 23 September 2021

Sun has arrived again.

 Yes, just as I arrived in my taxi at the Bank the sun came out and it was so pleasant - bit windy in our Market Square though (notorious on really windy days for blowing over aged people).   The taxi dropped me literally at the door of the Bank and said he would wait as long as he could and if he went, to wait  exactly there (I had Priscilla with me so I could sit down).

There were ten people  in front of me in the Bank queue -all masked and all spaced covidly around the edge of the bank.   I was a good half hour and when I came out - no taxi - so we sat and watched the world go by.   Haven't done that for a long time.

My how dress has changed.   There were people wearing absolutely anything passing.   Hardly anyone was what I would called 'dressed up'.   Most folk were in jeans and a top - often with bare midriff, hardly any woman had short hair = almost all had long, straight hair.

Now I am home and have lunched.   There is something wrong with the toilet flush in the bathroom  so now I have to wait in for the plumber to call (he lives just down the road so may call in on his way home.)

I watched the tribute to Prince Phillip last evening - somehow I found it vaguely disappointing but there were some lovely tributes to him.   I suppose it was inevitable that The Queen wouldn't contribute but I did wish she had done because I do believe they had a very happy life together.   I found Prince Charles so very sad - it came over so clearly that he felt he had never lived up to his father's expectations.    And yet I felt that in spite of that they were very close.

Relationships are interesting aren't they?   The programme set me thinking about my family relationships.  Thinking seriously I would say that I loved my parents equally, had a very happy childhood, but now there is no doubt I think of my father every single day - the talks we had about nature, the walks we shared birds nesting, mushrooming, looking for and identifying wild flowers.   He left discipline entirely to my mother and he never, in all my days at Grammar School, came to a speech day or parents' evening - he always left it to my mother.   I do think of my mother - usually in relation to recipes, cooking, that kind of thing.

Looking back on the programme on the Royal Family, it was lovely to see both the Queen and Prince Phillip playing with their children, rowing on the water,barbecuing, just having fun.   They can never be like the rest of us but at least they tried to be as 'normal' as possible.   And quite obviously loving being parents.

See you tomorrow.

20 comments:

Rachel Phillips said...

I didn't see Prince Charles as you describe. I thought he spoke humourously as all of us probably have at some time when remembering our parents and expectations. I didn't seem him as sad, except that of course he was sad about his father's death, however inevitable that death was.

Derek Faulkner said...

As someone who basically has no time for the Royal family and especially Prince Charles, I shall watch the programme this evening and see if my views on any of them change much, although I have huge respect for William and Kate.

The Feminine Energy said...

Yes, I think you are exactly right.... Prince Charles was very upset with his father's passing, for sure. I didn't watch any tribute show but I did see how he reacted at his father's actual funeral. I guess it doesn't matter whether commoner or royal, some things in life are the same for all of us. ~Andrea xoxoxo

CharlotteP said...

I do love my Mom, who's 93, but probably had more affection for (and from) my grandparents, who looked after me most of the time. Mom was a single parent, and had to work, first as a social worker, later training as a teacher.
Mom and I went out to lunch today, with my sister-in-law. We sat in the garden of the cafe at Ditton Priors, overlooking Brown Clee Hill. It felt like high summer, and we were very glad of the shade from the table umbrella.
One more lovely day forecast here, then getting cooler...well it is almost October, so can't complain!
My kitchen fitter finished today, after 3 weeks chaos and an endless list of things which they did wrong (because they rushed...it took much longer in the end, and much angst. My plastere neighbour called in to say he has a few days free, and can fit in my hall, stairs and landing, starting tomorrow. Oh well...hopefully get all the mess over with in one fell swoop!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Charlotte P - lovely to read and be reminded of Brown Clee - when we lived in the Midlands it was one of the places regularly walked.

Heather said...

I enjoyed the televised tribute to Prince Philip especially the videos of him playing with his children. He must have loved that, having had such a strange childhood himself. What an amazing life he had and what a wonderful consort he was to our Queen.

Bonnie said...

It's good that you had an opportunity to sit and watch the world go by while at the bank. I have always found that to be an interesting thing to do especially as styles and times change. I hope to be able to see the tribute to Prince Phillip when available here. It is wonderful to see how William and Kate are doing what they can to give their children a more normal life despite living as Royals.

CharlotteP said...

I bet you parked in the same place we do...under the oak trees, along the road near the side gate to Burwarton Park! It's a beautiful walk, isn't it?

Tasker Dunham said...

It's strange remembering parents. My dad died fifteen years ago, my mum nearly forty, yet I remember things they said and did as clearly if it had happened today.

The Weaver of Grass said...

You are right Charlotte.

Joanne Noragon said...

It has been so long since my parents died: 45 years for my dad and 25 for mom.

Debby said...

I wonder if we will get that will televise here at some point?

People dress oddly here as well. I don't ever think I'll get over the shock of seeing women wearing pajama pants to the store.

Anonymous said...

People don't dress up for funerals either. Here some look like they're going to the beach. While respecting the mourners I find it curious. I just don't think its the place to wear flip-flops or halter tops...mainly the younger ones obviously. Pam, Aust.

thelma said...

Yes Prince Charles was rather sad, though I think the word used could be also grave. Prince Phillip a much loved family man that is what came out of the programme, it would have been lovely to see his early history when he was alive though. A fascinating story, and so it was Prince Phillip who put Charles through the horrors of Gordonstoun!

Rachel Phillips said...

There were plenty of documentaries on the night he died Thelma when all these things you mention were shown all through the evening on all tv channels. This documentary was thoughts on him from his children and the younger royals and as you said, he was a much loved family man, and that was what came out of the programme because that was what it was about and it was in fact made to celebrate his birthday and would have been shown that night had he lived. . I am sure if you search through Iplayer you will be able to find something to satisfy your hunger about his life in general. It has never been any secret that it was Philip who was the Gordonstoun connection.

thelma said...

Well Rachel I am watching 'The Crown' which to be quite honest will be enough for the moment of the Royal family.

Rachel Phillips said...

More fool you.

Derek Faulkner said...

Much was made of Philip having to give up a successful navy career after marrying Elizabeth, didn't seem a bad swap to me, given the 70 years of luxury at other people's expense that he had after that.

Sue said...

I enjoyed the Prince Philip programme and no doubt had he lived long enough he would have loved to have watched it too on his 100th birthday, as was the reason for the making of it. It was nice to see our Royal family looking so relaxed with the cameras, talking about someone they loved and respected so much.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you to you all - many varying views - but we are all entitled to them aren't we.