What a shiner!!

 The goose egg has more or less disappeared from my forehead but the black eye, which surrounds  my eye completely, is dramatic this morning but oddly enough hardly hurts at all.   As for the rest of me - well aches and pains here and there and I am stiff but hopefully that will all go.   So no long term damage and when I finish this I shall go on to Amazon Prime and see what they have in the way of Computer chairs - this one has a loose arm (happened a fortnight ago and certainly contributes to my black eye yesterday so it was my own fault.)

It worries me rather that my family are coming at the week-end - my Great grand daughter is five and I worried about me greeting her with a black eye - they live in Glasgow and I have not seen her (apart from Zoom) since before Covid lockdown.   I rang my son earlier to ask him if he had a pair of sunglasses I might borrow.  He thought a)I might look more scary opening the door to them wearing dark glasses andb) she might think I am in the Mafia!   After a discussion we decided (they are calling there for lunch first) that he would explain what I had done so it didn't scare her (she is probably right, I will report back)

Well to today.   Obviously there has been some rain overnight as the patio was damp when I drew the blind this morning.   But after a good going over by my gardener it looks much better - predominently pink - scabious, valerian, geranium (perennial), poppies and osteospermum.    Antirrhinums have as usual seed themselves.   They are predominently yellow ones (this happens - I have never sewn them but they come every year)   There are touches of red - antirrhinum, poppies, montbretia (can't remember its updated name.)  **crocosmia (memo to over 60's - this happens - the name pops into your head a moment too late!  It is frustrating that most of my plants are up steps so I can't get up to them but as I am brilliant at falling perhaps it is for the best.   A new osteospermum which is white my gardener planted this year up against the wall at the top of the garden has taken off like a rocket and is spreading and falling down the rock garden beautifully - I can see it from here as it pushes through the scabious.

Well off to  Amazon to look for a new chair.   See you all anon.

A Hiccup!)

I got up this morning to a wet morning and it does look as though it has been a really wet night - and my garden looks better for it.   My grand daughter e mailed me to say they are no longer vegan and have gone back to being vegetarian so I went back to my Tesco Friday order and removed anything vegan and added a few vegetarian things - much easier for me because apart from the lunches my carer provides I am more or less vegetarian anyway.I had a spam e mail which needed deleting and I needed to inform my tax adviser.   I couldn't remember her address so went into the sitting room for my address book.   On the way back I caught my foot on the leg of the computer stool and went down 'like a ton of bricks' as they say!

My specs flew off, my hearing aid flew out and I banged my forehead with a crack on the computer shelf.   Luckily the bed broke my fall so it could have been much worse as I fell on my 'good' hip (the one I didn't break a year ago ).   I pressed my safety button but as my hearing aid had flown out I had difficulty hearing the instructions.   My son was gardening which is why he had not heard the call to come round.

Eventually, to cut a long story short, he heard and came round.   I had lunch, sat in the chair, put a rug over me and went to sleep.  I have slept all afternoon and woken up with a large 'egg' on my forehead which will most likely become a black eye tomorrow and a splitting headache but otherwise unscathed. 

My tax advisor confirmed that I needed to delete the e mail from  the tax office as it is a scam going round at the moment.  So here I am at half past six in the evening having done very little today.   But at least it is the final of The Sewing Bee this evening and I look forward to that and hopefully I am no worse for wear after my fall.  The sky is black and it looks like another downpour but the garden really needed it especially after the gardeners had been.

Other than that it has been a largely uneventful day - but 'sufficient unto the day' as they say. 

Just as predicted.

As predicted - as I type this my gardener is mowing the lawn, his helper is busy cutting off all fronds of Mares Tail at ground level and cutting back where necessary and I must go and put the kettle on for their morning drink.   Back later after my return from the hairdresser.Everywhere looks spick and span and so much better so I am really pleased.   This even applies to my hair which has been shampooed and cut this lunchtime. 

Outside the sky is black and it looks very much like rain - but no rain has been forthcoming for days.   Most of it is falling in the West - still I expect Wimbledon is pleased. I watched the magical performance of Raducanu (wearing £35,000 worth of jewellry) as she beat her opponent in straight sets - being still so young she has many years ahead of her and is certainly one to watch.   Andy Murray got through his match too al though I can't really see him beating the top seeds at his age - but every round is an achievement.   And then there is the "whitewash" of England's cricketers over New Zealand too.   Aren't we doing well this week?

It is very sad that all the happenings this week on the sports front, plus Glastonbury and plus the lovely Jubilee weekend when everything when off so swimmingly should be overshadowed by events in Ukraine.   Would that we could all, everywhere, manage to live together in harmony.

I will be with you again tomorrow dear friends and hopefully sometime soon I shall be able to add Cro and Tom back to my list of contacts.   At present, however often I click on 'click here to comment on Google' nothing miraculously works. 

Better Today

Slightly better today in that there is only one blog I can't leave a comment on and that is Cro's write up on his tomatoes back in UK - I can read it but it asks me to go to Google in order to leave a comment and it doesn't matter how many times I return to Google it does nothing to help me.   But at least it is an improvement.

Well Wimbledon begins today which means almost certain showery weather for the next fortnight.   Up here = 'Far from the madding crowd' so to speak it is quite sunny and a briskish wind and with plenty of cloud blowing over.   Not particularly warm either.

What news is there today?   My cleaner came this morning.   She really is splendid.   I can only imagine what her own house is like but when she leaves here the whole house shines and smells of polish -and we have lovely chats as she  goes back and forth during her two hours here.   She has three sons - one of eleven - one about to go off to College and one about to depart for University so we always have plenty to chat about.

This afternoon my Chiropodist came to tittivate my feet so I feel now to be walking on air.   Once I finish this I shall go outside and water my pots and then after a bit of tea I shall settle down to watch 'Today at Wimbledon'.   I keep expecting my gardener to arrive and at the very least mow the lawn and cut down to ground level the Mares Tail weed - but so far  no sign.   It could be that he is working in the village closed by - it is their Open Gardens on Sunday.

See you again tomorrow friends. 

The Sun is up!

And there is a strong wind blowing so it is not very warm.   Last night was a pizza night(for those who asked I am not adventurous and always have a vegetarian one with extra pineapple) and greedy as I am where pizza is concerned, I ate it all!

My son and his wife left at ten so that she could take her medication and I quickly settled down in time to watch Macca at Glastonbury.  A very enthusiastic crowd (as my son pointed out - not many black faces in the crowd and a very middle class looking crowd but as he pointed out the price of the tickets it did rather all add it.)

I worried that as he was 80 Macca's voice might not go the course but it did.   I didn't watch it all - a quarter of an hour of it was plenty and then I switched on again a bit later - just in time for Hey Jude.

I had to be up early this morning to tidy a bit before my relief carer came.   At present they have a really seriously ill patient and are both working very hard in quite distressing circumstances so I try to make my hour of care as easy as I can for them.

My son had a good sort out of my computer (thanks Dom) -still not how it used to be but he did show me a few things.   My ability on it is so limited to things I do more or less every day and straying away from this always seems to throw a spanner in the works.  There are still one or two posts I can't get on, read and coment - I can read but it says comment with Google and then doesn;t allow me to.   Cro and Sparrow Tree Journal are two if you are reading this.

My carer has left me salad again for lunch today - I would love it every day at this time of the year but she gets cross with me because when it is salad I tend to graze at the salad all morning and by lunch there is not a lot left  for lunch.  So far today it sits in the fridge (might just have a look what I might graze when I go past in a minute with my morning coffee).

  

Half way there.

Well at least it has righted itself in so far as I can now get on to more of your sites  and leave comments - that is better than nothing.   One step at a time.   So many of you have tried to be helpful (especially Rachel) but I follow step one and then I am totally lost.   But without blogging I really would be totally lost - it keeps me going in so many ways.   I have made so many friends and look forward to their comments almost daily.  It exercises my brain in that I have to keep thinking of something to write about - then about putting it together - then typing it up - then reading and commenting on your posts - and before I know it a couple  of hours have passed - a goodly part of the day when like me you are more or less house- bound(this week's house visits twice on jollies plus a lovely long visit from a friend is an exception).

Well the weather had been the typical English example - a week of very hot weather with temperatures up in the thirties in the South of Englad but now today a sudden drop and a chilly wind to boot.   Saturdays are my day for attending to all my pots.   I managed to water them all but had to give up on the feeding - it was just too windy and I was in danger of being blowing over. 

A nice evening to look forward to my son and his wife coming round for a pizza, so the table is  set ready and my carer did a covid test this morning.   My  son and his wife have not had covid and because of his wife's poor health he would rather she didn't go down with it so we try to avoid it.  Luckily my flow test came out cheerily in good form. 

So I shall go and make myself a cup of tea.   See you tomorrow. 

Anybody there?

Is there anybody there said the traveller,

Knocking on the moonlit  door?

 

I feel a bit like that.  Why has Google suddenly made it so difficult?   I said I was having a couple of day's break but of course, after a good night's sleep I feel more or less back to normal. 

So - here is today's attempt - sometimes it works, then sometimes it doesn't.   I have answered  some of you, others reject me out of hand.   I will keep going - perhaps it will right itself.

I had a lovely day with my friends over from Grange over Sands, what's better than a nice relaxed, civilised lunch out with friends?   But by golly I was tired yesterday.    In the afternoon friends S and T called for a nice chat (don't forget I would love a look at the Sea Salt catalogue please S!) and then friend S called; we all had a nice chat and then S and T went home and S stayed until 7 - so another super day.   Tired again today.   But frankly, don't know about anyone else but what with the terrible world situation - earthquakes, wars, famines - I just need to be tired in order to sleep well.   None of us can do anything about it so best we can just get on with our lives.

Last evening as darkness fell I think we had twenty drops of rain but it was still very warm and I think at least ten of them dried before they hit the ground.

As far as the garden is concerned, my gardener will be pleased that this hot spell is bringing out my poppies.   They are not his favourite and they are everywhere - semi wild - all the same darkish purple and they are lovely.   As is the Birds' Foot Trefoil in my front lawn (more of it than grass) - such a pretty weed and it brings back so many happy memories of my father as we collected wild flowers for me to try and draw and write about.   My Dad was such a wonderful Dad - sharing his love of poetry and nature with yme - loves which have never left me throughtout my life.   I wish I could tell him - but then there will be many of us in that position.

Looking out of the window the garden is full of pollinators - many of them very large bumble bees like giant bombers flying low just above the ground.  And there is plenty for them to go at now - apart from the poppies the other things which seed freely and I always leave are antirrhinums - mainly yellow ones which I have never sewn - they just appeared - this year a dark red one too.

Luckily as you know I trying to maintain a non political stance on this blog.   Good job this morning because there is such a lot I could say!!!

Hopefully see you all tomorrow if I can get on. 

Help

 Can anyone explain to me what to do to leave messages please?   I can get on to my blog and leave a post but at the top right, instead of giving the usual  info it just says create a blog and sign in.   Well I thought I used Google anyway for my blog and however hard I try I just can't leave  replies on most (but not quite all) other posts.   Help

Lovely Day

 But very tired now.   My dear friends came over from The Lakes this morning; we had a lovely chat,packed away  all my Tesco order, met friend W and all four  of us tootled down toTennants in Leyburn for a super lunch in their Bistro.   (Prawn and crispykale linguine followed by Lemon Possett with  shortbread for  me).   A nice leisurely meal and then a stroll round the shop fo r me to buy wrapping paper and a card then along to the Garden Centre for rose food for me and a couple of plants for P and D.   Then it was home for half an hour's snooze before a salad tea and they have just set off back to Grange over Sands.It has been a super day out for me but very very tiring as I am just notused to it.   I will be back tomorrow once I have had  a good sleep.  Night night.

Standstill

Well almost - our railways are on strike today so anyone wishing to go anywhere by rail is having a hard time of it today.   I don't think we had a strike in the Teaching Profession during my working life - if so I certainly can't remember it.

I do remember other professions striking  but when strikes are mentioned, what I remember most of all are the early days of the Labour movement (my Dad was avid Labour all of his life.) and as a child I used to hear the story of The General Strike over and over again.   He used to tell it and at the slightest excuse would launch into a colorful, blow by blow account of the whole thing.

There is absolutely no doubt about the strength of feeling just as there is no doubt about the suffering many went through and the bitterness felt against anyone who was a strike-breaker.   When my sister married (she was twenty two years older then me) the father of the bridegroom had been a strike-breaker and my father took a lot of persuading to speak to him at the wedding.   He used to tell how the striking picket line had thrown him into the river (not that it mattered - he was a champion water-polo player and a strong swimmer.)   But feelings in those days ran high.   I am not sure whether this is the case these days.   The likes of me, who never goes anywhere on the train anyway never really gives it a thought.

But how we do take the whole idea of travelling around the country both here and further afield quite matter of factly as not worth a mention.   When I look back to 1952 - the first time I went abroad by plane (there on an Elizabethan and back on a Viscount) from what was then London Airport we had to promise my mother we would not give her the date we were going or coming back as she said if she knew she would be sitting on the toilet all day!

Still I - and I am sure thousands like me - do hope that the strike is soon resolved before it involves many more professions (all justifiably in need of a pay rise).

Oh dear I try to rise above and not think about the many serious problems we seem to be facing - the war in Ukraine, the lack of labour as so many have gone back to their own countries to find work now that we are no longer in the European Union - I am thinking here of seasonal work on the land at times of fruit and vegetable picking, packing etc.   All the problems with cancellations of flights which seem to be mainly due to  and lackof staff.

My post is garbled, mainly because I really don't know exactly what I am talking about.   I listen to the News once a day and that's it.   But I do see and hear the effects of all these things and  I am sure somebody will put me right (Tom) if I have seriously misread the situation.   The one thing I am sure of is that nothing seems right at the moment and there seems to be absolutely nothing the likes of you and I can do about it.

 

Busy

 Another busy day.   I don't like to have nothing to do but sometimes lots of things crowd in at once.   But that is life I suppose.   I slept in this morning - quarter to seven and my carer comes at seven - so it was out of bed, blinds drawn swiftly - just in time as J pulled into the drive.

My first job was another good watering as it promised another hot day.   This watering took an hour of my time and I suspect it will be the same again this evening.   But the pots are all looking very nice.

My son called by with the bits and pieces he had got on his Tesco order for me. I put these away and said good-bye to him just as H next door crossed the road to post a letter, so she came in for a chat and a coffee as we hadn't had one yesterday and by this time it was lunch time.

Friend M rang to say she was walking round for a coffee and a chat and friend W rang to  say she was calling to make arrangements for our lunch outing on Wednesday.   So the three of us had a pleasant afternoon talking about this and that and they have only just gone.   Half past five = it has been a lovely day weather-wise - sunny but with a nice cooling breeze.   I fear I may now have to go round again with that watering can.   But it is the price I pay for my lovely pots.

Take care everyone.   Until tomorrow.

Surprise!

 Lovely surprise day today  .   I had a business letter to write - these days as my trembling has got so much  worse this is always a real chore.   Various tidying jobs intervened and then it was cross the road to the post box and carry on round the block on my morning walk, arrive home and make myself a coffee.   I had just sat down to drink my coffee when a text pinged up on my mobile :"Thought we would go out for a drive - fancy coming?   Can you be ready in a quarter of an hour?"

Can I be ready ?   I was already half way to the sink to throw away my undrunk coffee (think loo and how long can I manage without paying a visit!) and I just about managed to be ready when S and T arrived, loaded Priscilla into their car and we set off.   The countryside was at its best - although very dry everywhere the fields are all silaged and I would guess it has not been a bad year.   Rain needed now I guess to make the grass grow again but this is not an arable area and the fields were full of contended milk herds, beef cattle with their young calves and sheep with their half grown lambs.   The wild roses are coming out in the hedgerows (is there a more beautiful flower?). the hedges are full of elderflowers (soon berries for anyone keen to make elderberry wine)  and the cottages had climbing roses up their walls and round their doors.    The sun had brought Sunday diners out in force, many to sit eating out amongst the pub roses.   A lovely British Summer Sunday.

We went through the villages, over the A66 and eventually to the little Roman town of Piercebridge by the River Tees, here to call at the farm shop for a coffee and a cake (no I  shall not tell you what kind of cake except that it had a million calories in it!) - and a mosey round the tools (don't ask), the fancy kitchenware and plants which all looked very happy and healthy (this is by no means always so at present in this hot spell when many plants look exceeding thirsty by early afternoon).

We came back by a slightly different route as T kindly had a little job to do for me in town.  I went through many places  I have not seen for the last four or five years and never really expected to see again.

I had a lovely time, so thank you T and S for a lovely 'jolly' .   Half past nine in the evening now and soon to bed for me I think.   Tomorrow is another day - see you then.

 

 

Back to the old weather

 Well everyone seems to have been sweltering and steaming in the record temperatures but here in The Yorkshire Dales it has just been pleasant Summer weather - that is until yesterday when it clouded over at lunchtime and got blacker and blacker until a thunderstorm seemed inevitable.   But although it was still like that  when I went to bed - no rain and today just back to the normal pre summer weather - temperature about 18 cloudy, breezy and pleasant.

Saturday is my day for watering my tubs - a great chore but I like to see them so I shall go on doing them as long as I feel able.   This year they are filled - all six of them - with a mixture of creeping plants, dahlias, pelargoniums, bedding plants - a real mix and I am very pleased with them.   This morning, as they are all along the front of the bungalow I decided to water them with the hose before their weekly feed.   As I started who should come along but friend E who immediately took over and did it for me as she "didn't want me falling over the hose."   It was good of her - people are so kind.   Now they are all fed and watered well and I can relax for a couple of days.

E tells me you are reading my blog L and that you usually tell her what I have been writing when you meet at the village coffee mornings.   I had forgotten you read me so welcome aboard.   Why not try and have a blog yourself.   I can't tell you how much I enjoy mine - it is a true lifeline for me.  Most of my contributors have been around for years now and are old and valued friends and I hope they all realise just how much they mean to me.

Reading Sue's blog "My Quiet Life in Suffolk" this morning about how she begins to wonder if her life has become  just that - a quiet life in Suffolk - and whether perhaps she should be spreading her wings a little more, I thought of my own life.    And I thought - surely it comes to us all if we are lucky (?) enough to survive to old age - we slow down and our pace of life and ability to get around get less - but we have our memories don't we?  And by golly I am lucky enough to have plenty of them.

See you tomorrow.

This and that!

 My taxi driver is a racing man.  Horse racing I mean and I don't man he actually gets on a horse - he just 'loves horse flesh' as he says - yes - likes to waste a bit of his money on betting.   My father would have been a racing man if my mother had let him.   She was a beautiful and gentle woman, my mother, but by golly she held the upper hand and had that hand on the purse strings because there was never all that much of it  about.   Obviously he spent a bit of that on 'the horses'  but never a big splash out.   He also did''the pools' (are they still going strong?) but as far as I know the most he ever won was something like three and six pence.   I don't know whether he handed over his wage packet and she gave him back his 'pocket money' - he never seemed 'short of a bob or two' - but they certainly had a sensible arrangement where money was concerned.

But for some years The Lincolnshire Handicap one of the Classic horse races was held in Lincoln  and the whole city came more or less to a standstill as crowds poured in to see it.

But one year (1964 it left Lincoln when the Race Course there closed down and the race moved to Doncaster) when I was a small child - maybe five or six -my father took me to see it.   I remember it well - catching the bus into Lincoln (we only lived three miles away but my Dad never learned to drive) and walking  down to the Racecourse on the West Common.   I couldn't think what all the full was about - I wasn't very big - a lot of shouting and cheering and the horses were past in a flash.

I was reminded of it yesterday  when I got into the taxi -  Gold Cup Day - the Queen** in her Carriage, all the Ladies in their huge hats, the top hats, the grand clothes and the best in the world of horseflesh - in some cases worth millions of pounds.

When I got into  the  taxi I said to M - my taxi driver - ' Good Morning on Gold Cup Day M'.   A mournful voice greeted me from the driver's seat "Ouououou - I'ld luv t'go'. "  My journey to the hairdresser's was not long enough to complete why he couldn't go so he finished it up on the return journey  an hour later. Prices of absolutely everything exhorbitant, hotels too, booking three years in advance.

What is it that grips men (and some women too) with the whole business of breeding horses I wonder.   My taxi driver's wife has horses because she lovess riding - she takes in the odd horse she feels sorry for and cares  for them lovingly in old age.  But some of the horses cost millions both the breeding, the maintenance, the tip top best of everything.  Some of the top ones then earn millions in stud fees.   Sad really that money rules everything isn't it?  ** HM The Queen didn't go yesterday -  Prince Charles took her place in the carriage procession down the course I believe.

Goodmorning bloggers all!   We are having one of our rather rare spells of warm weather - two days so far up here in the North of England and promised to cool down by the week-end.   But every spell is a bonus.  My carer has just gone leaving everywhere spick and span.   She has even watered my new Joie de Vivre for me.   My gardener gave it a good watering for me when he put it in at the  week  -end but he promised to call mid week and top it up - with a bit of luck she might get two tops up.  I find it very frustrating not being able to get up four steps into the garden.  I will be back later on my return from the hairdressers.

It is now scorching hot.   My gardener and his assistant have called to water my rose again and whilst they are here they have also watered all my tubs  - an enormous help as I am totally unable to do it alone being too unstable on my feet.

 Ladies amongst you - isn't it a nice feeling going to the Hairdressers?   My taxi calls and takes me into town - less than a mile - and when I am ready to come home I ring him and he collects me.    As it is now too hot to do anything, a shall take The Canterbury Tales into the garden shade and read it.   It is a really good read and not at all difficult to read in its 'modern' translation.  M in our Book Group always chooses good books which seem to suit us all.

They seem to have found an Anglo Saxon burial site on the route of the HS2.   I only caught the end of the news just as they were speaking of the artefacts which seem to suggest people were more sopisticated than was thought.   Manicure sets - toothpics, nail cutters and the like.   I expect it will all the in The Times  tomorrow,

Enough for today dear friends- see you tomorrow, 

Good Afternoon

 Good afternoon friends. Blue sky has taken over and for the first time this year I was able to walk to the top of the road and back and in just a cardigan too.   Then to add to the feeling that it was Summer, the gardeners came to cut the various pieces of council owned grass - so now - not only a newly painted post box but freshly cut sweet-smelling grass everywhere.   All the front gardens look lovely - everyone cares for their gardens around here - one front lawn is a bit shaggy and full of birds -foot trefoil, white clover, and buttercups -and as I stopped to look I saw it was also covered with pollinators.   There is a lesson to be learned there somewhere.

Today has been such a busy day - busy with visitors - just the sort of day I like.  It is the day in the week when J, my carer doesn't come so it can be a lonely day - but not today.   First of all came G a member of our Book Group and also a great walker,  who called with the next month's book - Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.  (in modern English I hasten to add);  hardly had she gone when the District Nurse called to look at my heel (on and off I have skin problems with my left heel);  then I decided to walk up the road with Priscilla - I managed to get to the top and back.   On my return M next door was weeding her front garden so we had a chat and by this time it was lunch time.

I have resolved to up date all my business affairs and am trying (not very successfully as I have to be in the mood) to take one topic a day.  Today's topic is to finish sorting out insurances and relabel a file.  I started doing this but the  door bell rang and it was H my other said neighbour with last week's local paper.   She came in and we sat and chatted and she has just gone.   Tea time calls.   See you tomorrow.

This, that and the other.

Well, not maybe 'the other' - just about past that I am afraid although when I asked my gardener (he called with a new rose bush he had bought me (Floribunda Joie de Vivre') if he could 'do me a favour' his reply was rather risque (I didn't hear exactly what he said and had to ask his help mate and partner to repeat it).  The favour was to give the farthest outdoor pot its weekly jug of feed as it is a long journey round the bungalow to do it and he was standing quite close to the pot and is, in any case' quite nimble footed.

Things appear to be back to normal so far thank goodness.   But the temporary gap in communications did make me realise just how much I valued our almost daily chats. I have to think about what to say, I have to actually go into my computer room and put my words into the computer, I have to read your comments and your blog for the day - all these things mean using my brain.   On the days when I can walk round the block I still try to chat to six folk if I can but there are days when my mobility is not up to it.   Without you all some days would be very lonely - so it is certainly good to be back - even if all the things I was going to say have flown the nest that is my brain these days.

Well - one week to the longest day and this morning I have had the central heating on while I ate my cereal and banana and drank my first cup of coffee.   In spite of the weather forecasters telling me we are to be sub tropical by the week end it is breezy and cloudy here and I still am wearing many layers.

Looking out at the garden (D my gardener, gave it a good going over at the weekend including all Mares tail being cut back to ground level.   It is actually quite a pretty weed.   I shall never get rid of it - it is a pre historic plant and actually quite pretty - but according to authorities keeping it cut to ground level and NEVER pulling it up, does eventually weaken it and that is what we are doing.  Aquellegia - now that is another matter.  Such a pretty plant.    I have one which I bought - large flowered - pink and yellow but so far it hasn;t self seeded so just one plant.   But the garden is full of purple ones, white ones, pink ones and here and there a blue one.   They are very pretty but you can have too much of a good thing   So they are   welcome to flower but then , before they go to seed,we intend to go through the garden and cut down all but  just the ones we want next year.  Sorry but there it is.

Because I have been feeling a bit low being unable to walk out in the gale which has been blowing for days and because we discussed our last two books at Book Group last Monday and I have been waiting for our next read to arrive (Chaucer's Canterbury Tales) I have been re-reading Clare Balding's 'Walking Home'  from my Bookshelves.   It is an easy read and it is very enjoyable, full of snippets about the places she has walked, about the horse racing world (her father and then her brother are trainers to H M) and about her broadcasting snippets.   I am much enjoying it and can thoroughly recommend it for anyone wanting really light reading.

Well, lunch calls - don't know what it is until I switch the microwave off but I know there will be lots of veggies and a tasty plateful.  

See you tomorrow.

 

Good morning!!!

Good morning all bloggy friends if you can read me loud and clear.   I do hope so.   It is comforting to know that I am not alone in my blog post struggles.   I am afraid  your helpful hints mostly fall on a muddled brain and I really don't think I can pass the problem on to a blog savvy person - none of my friends blog and the chap who 'looks after' my computer knows nothing at all about blogs and freely admits it.

It seems to be something about Google v  Blog or something but for now I shall try someone's advice in answer to my last post.   I shall switch off, go and do something else (pull a few reachable weeds out?) and then switch on again in the hopes the problem has righted itself.

 

Only a short post

Blogger has been playing up for the last couple of days and I have notbeen able to put a post on as it has been directing me to Google all the time.   Now, suddenly, just as I am about to watch Michael Palin it seems to have righted itself - so fingers crossed for tomorrow.  Night night.

What has happened?

Over night something strange has happened in Blogland and I seem almost unable to put on a new post.   'It' keeps telling me to 'sign into |Google'.   My skills in such things are pretty limited - can somebody with time and the right skills talk me through what to do in easy steps as I have only been able to leave about two comments so far.  Without my blog life would be very dull for most of the time as I am almost 90, almost unable to walk and rely on you lot out there to keep me sane!   Thank you

Memories are made of this

 When I married my first husband in 1952 it was often the custom to live with the bride's parents for a year or two  to save for a home (remember the war had only been finished for seven years) as housing was really in rather short supply.   We  lived there and happily joined in the household for several  years.

This morning, while tidying the breakfast pots away, an attractive black Tomcat strolled through my garden as though he owned it - as far as I am concerned he does - if there is one thing I find it very hard to resist it is a black Tom.   Why?   Well possibly because of the time when we lived with my parents.  In those pre TV days almost everyone took The Lincolnshire Echo - a nightly evening paper.   One night, while reading I, I spotted an ad in the 'Pets' column.

Male kittens.   Free to good homes.  (followed by an address).   My immediate reaction was 'can we have one?'  ' No 'said my mother -' I don't want a  cat.'   My father, who could never resist me anything, questioned her - what was wrong with a cat, keep the mice down (we didn't have any that we knew of).   The argument fizzled out during the week-end.  My husband worked three miles away in Lincoln at the time and cycled there each morning.   That night on his return from work, as he passed the kitchen window, sticking out of the bag behind the saddle of his bike was    a little black tail!   When we left to live in our own house two years later we wanted him to come and live with us,   Did he come?   Of course not.   My mother categorically refused to let him go!   He lived to a ripe old age on the fat of the land - she could refuse him nothing so if they managed to get any thing special he shared it.

BIts and bobs.

 Sad this week to say good-bye to Paula Rego.   I loved her work; it is always good to see a woman up there in the forefront of art and at the age of 87 she has had a good innings.   However good their work I still think women are swimming against the tide when it come to getting their work recognised - maybe not as hard as they did in the past but still not easy.

It's an odd sort of day here today;  not cold at all but quite a stiff breeze we just can't seem to shake off.  I am going for short walks again but just can't seem to get up the enthusiasm to go far - or the energy.   I sometimes wonder if I shall ever be able to go 'round the block' again or are those days over.

It is three weeks before my two great grand-children come to see me - for the first time since Covid began.  U is almost six and H is 6 months and I haven't seen him at all yet.   Did I tell you I had bought some small presents for them.   For Ula a ballet tutu in rainbow colors, a sketch book, pencils and crayons . And a very kind lady I blog with (and I am sorry to say I have forgotten your name) machine embroidered her name  and a toy in the corner of a special facecloth and a toy and and name on a bib for H.  People are so kind.   A long time ago, before H was even a twinkle in his father's eye (as my father used to say) I started knitting a teddy using materials left over from one friend C had made.   Eventually I got to the almost finished stage but my shake meant I could not do any more.   Friend S has finished it beautifully, sewn it up and stuffed it.   It is lovely.   H's presents  as well as the bear,come in the form of a twenty pound note so that U can buy something for him with her Mum.   It will be lovely to see them.

Well after a delicious lunch brought by my carer (I can't tell you how good it is to have her back) -salami. blue stilton, green grapes, small salad tomatoes, cucumber, iceberg  lettuce, sweet baby beetroot, all in a lovely dressing, I am just wondering what to have for my tea.   I have just bought myself a new kettle and toaster and I have a fancy to try the toaster out so might have a poached egg on toast.   Friends S and T have hens which roam most of the garden , not the raised veggie beds) and their eggs are a golden yellow yolked and taste delicious.

It is The Sewing Bee on UK television tonight and the subject tonight is underwear and sleepwear (can't imagine how the men (only one or two left I think) will cope with frilly knickers).   I love the programme - how on earth can any amateur sewer make a parka in four hours - if that was me the zip would be in either upside down or inside out

See you all tomorrow.

Where has it gone?

 Another fortnight and we are half way through the year, the longest day will be here and it will be all downhill  then  until we get to the shortest day in December and  start all over again.   I would say that up here in the   Yorkshire Dales we have not had a really warm day yet.   Perhaps today (14 degrees) is as warm as it has been here yet this year.  Sunshine?  Yes indeed  but such a lot of wind off the North Sea and that has kept it chilly.

I would quote 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' but I know Tom likes to be first with that and in any case to me September is the month for that.   It always strikes me as odd that the first day of Summer is officially June 21st and yet June the 24th - three days later - is mid Summers Day.

My Laptop has an umbrella up in the right hand corner and tells me rain is on its way.  We desperately need it here.   We have had dribs and drabs of rain but no real downpour for weeks so I hope it is correct.

I have been tired all day today and slept most of the afternoon.   I am happy when my body tells me to do just that.   I usually wake up at around four in the afternoon feeling refreshed and I did just that today.   It is now 11pm - so goodnight until tomorrow.

Bit by bit

Bit by bit each year my garden reveals old friends I had forgotten about and new plants I have asked my gardener to plant for me and which I hope will become old friends as the years go by - perhaps even long after I have gone.

This year it has been the Red Valerian under the hedge which gets a bit bigger each year.   Many folk regard this as a weed.   I love it and welcome it freely to my garden.    I don't want it to spread or get any bigger but  it is an old friend and I wait for its arrival.   The same is true of the many Heucheras - I have forgotten where they are but gradually they appear here and there in the garden and I say 'welcome' glad to see you back again.' Ditto all the perennial Geraniums.  I do hope they return in spite of the drought we have endured.

This morning has been Book Group -only four of us this morning- but it was good to be back and to be talking about books - the love of books is one thing we all have in common.   The books we intended to discuss today we sidelined  after a discussion both being about subjects we found upsetting (mainly death in all its forms - war, childbirth, attitudes to it) and so we went on to wider subjects but still have  had such an interesting morning.   After lunch I began to put on a blog and friend W called for a chat.   Now it is almost time for my 'once a day' look at the News.  See you tomorrow.

  

Celebraion Tea

Lovely celebration tea.   Sixteen of us and my neighbour and I were told not to bring anything unless we wanted a special drink.   So we set off up the road at the appointed time - two nearly ninety year olds tootling along in the sunshine (sharp, chilly wind blowing in off the North Sea though).   It was only four bungalows up to walk - they were just erecting a wind break when we got there - we were first to arrive.

We sat and chatted and laughed and all had a drink and toasted H M.   The food - all home made of course - was delicious and the company fine.  I met one man I had not seen for many years who knew the farmer's family well and he reminisced about the old times - long before my time.

We stayed for almost three hours and then i came home, closely followed by H, and J who had gone home to walk the dog.   They are moving house on Monday so have not a lot of time to spare.

It was nice to get together with one's neighbours and get to know them a little better.  And of course we all agreed that an occasion such as this will never come along again.   (we are all getting on a bit)

I have been invited out to Jubilee Tea tomorrow by a couple higher up the road who I know slightly mainly because we are keen gardeners and chat about the garden as I walk past.    They are providing all the food and we just have to take anything we usually drink (in my case applejuice) and I intend take a bottle of sherry so that we can drink a toast to HM.   It may be a logistics exercise getting into the house (apparently it is an inside party) because I never take Priscilla in anywhere in case her wheels are dirty.   But H, my neighbour, has promised to carry my Zimmer if Priscilla turns it down flat (she is prone to jealousy).

 Did you watch Trooping thhe Colour?   I love it because of its history, and because of the absolute precision and spectacle.   I loved it on the Balcony where without a doubt Prince Louis stole the Show.

I am still without my carer, who is still testing but my relief carer is coming Saturday and Sunday so at least I shall have a shower in the morning.   Saturday is the day when all my outside pots have a birthday - 1   jug of water and then five minutes later a jug with Tomorite.   Friends S and T  called today and we had a pleasant hour's chat.   Now the dilemma - do I watch a programme on the Crown Jewels or do I watch Monty?                      

A Lick of Paint

 Well I don't know whether it is just coincidence or whether the Post Office is brightening up for the  Jubilee but yesterday a white van drew up outside my bungalow and out stepped a man in smart overalls and attacked the post box opposite my front lawn.   He scraped it all down - stalk, box and  all,cleaned up all the debris and then got a couple of tins of paint out of the van - black for the stalk and pillar-box red for the box itself and gave the whole lot a  coat of paint.   Today  it looks very smart.

Today - the last day before the whole place closes down unless you are in the Royal Family, Marching up and down the Mall or organising a Street Party- I had to be at the Hairdressers for half past nine this morning.   I got up at half past six and just about managed to be ready when the taxi came at twenty past nine.   I am really missing my Carer and although I feel it may well be doing my muscles good, I do have aches in places I had forgotten about.

Bunting is going up here and there - as yet nothing has appeared around here - just a smattering at the top of  the road,   As to a street party nothing has been said so I presume nothing is happening.   One  thing is ce rtain - I can't do anything about it.

Round here it also coincides with the Appleby Horse Fair.  I am sure there will be something about the Fair on your computer  if you are interested in reading about it further.   Local opinion is not as a rule pleased about it.   Many of the horses have travelled far to get here - the lucky ones have come by horse box.   And of course a horse pulling a caravan does rather hold up the traffic.   It has a long tradition.

Not warm here for June - let's hope her Majesty wraps up warm  for any public appearances.   Ninety five is too old to be leaving off warm woollies.