At least it is for those two tete-a-tete daffodils who, at the first hint of a sun-ray reaching them, decided to open their petals to greet it. Sadly, by the time they really managed it the sun had gone behind a cloud as it crossed over on its way out to sea(I hope), The weather man says there will be the 'odd bright spell' this afternoon so perhaps they won't live to regret it.
I am still quite well and enjoying a somewhat limited life - but as that situation has approached stealthily rather than happen overnight I have gradually adapted to it.
An hour's chat morning and evening as my Carers scurry around doing their allotted chores - lots of laughs and a good start and end to the day. (7am morning shift and 6pm evening). I am still able to put myself to bed thank goodness and need only to remove my dressing gown and slippers.
The middle of the day passes quickly - various friends pop in (yesterday T and S came for the usual Sunday chat with tea and kit kats and as they went D and J, my gardeners and friends, arrived with a very large bunch of roses. Red ones, yellow ones and apricot ones. This morning they have all opened out and the apricot ones in particular are an absolutely luscious colour.)
Already this morning soon after J, my morning carer, had gone, friend and carer K arrived on her way back from Tesco with some bananas to top up my fruit bowl. She arrived in windy weather, cold with bright sunshine, and stayed a quarter of an hour for a quick chat before going home to put her frozen stuff in the freezer before it began to defrost. Now it is cloudy and light rain is falling.
When I read Rachel and Derek I feel I shouldn't complain about a little rain shower - really poor old East Anglia has suffered greatly throughout February (and I rather think most of the winter) with awful rain. I suppose it is the price they pay for sticking out into the North Sea and catching the worst of the cruel East Wind. I don't know about them but I always feel rather smug up here in the North of the country when the weather map shows horrible weather in the South and sunshine up here (a somewhat rare occurrence though).
Nothing much to tell you today. Last evening, after two lovely visits from friends, I was very tired indeed. I made myself a milky drink and dozed until time for Channel 4's 'Great Pottery Throwdown' - last night was a real cliff-hanger with tears never far away from the contestants left in the competition (and I suspect many of the viewers too).
Today is quiet so far. Mondays usually are these days but thinking back to my young days when Dad lit the copper before going off to work and Mum slaved away in the wash-house washing heavy twill sheets (no non-iron fabrics in those days) and lugging them in the clothes basket down to the line across the lawn to peg them out after first putting them through the big old mangle with wooden rollers (keeping a close eye on the weather) - Lincolnshire, the second largest county in England, carries on North from East Anglia and is not noted for blissful weather on Mondays - in those far off days the obligatory 'wash day'.
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29 comments:
I love the mental picture you paint: a gentle woman sitting in a cozy room surrounded by flowers and happy memories and people who love her coming and going regularly.
You weave beautiful stories, creating a lovely tapestry of life.
Daffodils are always hopeful, some come early and glow brilliantly until the cold comes back. Some open slowly, almost afraid of the cold but eventually turn their heads to the sun. The last to open burst out and stay as long as the temperatures are not too high. I love to watch the wave of yellow come to the garden. It is nice to start the week with a quiet Monday.
You are an amazing writer...you represent those words, "A life well lived..." and you are living your life in such a positive way. prayers
I’m still writing my essay but it’s finished just needs typing up
Just popped over for a gossip and a kitkat
Xx
Good to see you nice and perky again Pat.
We had yet another night of rain last night, causing even more flooding on the nature reserve and then all day today we have had a cold NE, gusty gale, blowing straight off the sea. Household rubbish bins put outside for collection have been blowing over and litter from them has been scattering across many roads.
I spent the weekend at my partner's house in Surrey and for the third month running we, and other volunteers (mostly getting on in years), spent three hours yesterday with a local Ranger cutting down invasive Silver birch trees and too much gorse, on one of the local heaths. Very hard work that left my old body aching, but very enjoyable.
John - I wish!
I would really love to see you and my favourite John get together. It would be so good and would make me cry I'm sure.
Wendy (Wales)
It's wonderful to see you appreciate all that's good and lovely in your life,
Thank you for sharing it with us,Mary
I was thinking the same as WendyAnn. John, is it possible to visit Pat and give us a photo of the two of you together? , Jackie
We have a few tete-a-tete that we planted out after having them in the house a few years ago, and they've come out much earlier than all the other varieties. Maybe they don't need as much sun, being so little! Lovely and sunny here in West Wales today, but cold in a stiff north wind.
Pat, my mother would light the copper on Sunday nights ( 1950, Dublin ) and keep a watchful eye on the weather on Mondays when - if it all went wel -l she would wash, dry, air, iron and put away the week's washing all in the one day.
She was given her first automatic washing machine in her late 70s but of course it was only EVER used on a Monday! x
You've brought some great memories back for me, I loved going out to the wash house in the back garden with Nana to put the laundry through the mangle. I used to stand on a stool to reach the handle, and it was the only childhood 'chore' that I enjoyed! X
Lovely memories! My mother always did the washing on Monday, too, but it was grandmother who had the rollers to squeeze the water out of the laundry.
I'm so glad you're feeling so good. Hope the tete-a-tete daffodils perked up!
Hugs!
I remember my grandmother's mangle which lived in a hut at the end of the garden. It seemed to be enormous to my small four-years-old self.
Rather chilly down here for a couple of days though spells of sunshine were very welcome. The snowdrops are going over but giving way to primroses, polyanthus and early daffodils. Far tougher than us on a cold blustery morning. I hope your tete-a-tete will cope with whatever your weather throws at them.
Lovely to read your memories. My Nan lived with us and I remember her wooden mangle. I think when Mum bought a twin tub the mangle became redundant. We had three wooden clothes horses, when not in use for drying clothes my sister and I used them as tents.
It's been a really sunny day here in the South West but the wind has been biting cold.
Glad you were able to have chats over the weekend.
Keep positive, Pat. It keeps you in control.
On Friday my daffodil leaves were peaking out through snow but today is bright and warm and I think they will bloom early this year.
I love your memories from your girlhood. All of the many changes you have seen over your life have been amazing!
it's great that a number of people make regular calls to you.
I was watching the pottery programme on Saturday (something to do with black and white) when my son arrived. So that was that, I never got to see the finished jobs.
You truly run an open house, Pat, getting more visitors in a week than I do in a year!
Yes, Monday used to be washing day here, too. Until well into the 1980s, we never had a tumble drier at home; washing was either pegged up out in our tiny garden or, if it was raining, on lines strung on hooks from wall to wall in the basement room where the washing machine was.
Where did your Mum peg it all up when it was raining on a Monday?
That basement room in our small terraced house was called Waschküche (literally "washing kitchen"). I have a Waschküche in my house now, too, but I always put my washing on the clothes horse set up in my bedroom. When I open the bedroom windows wide and move the clothes horse right in front of it, it is like drying the washing outdoors.
Regarding John (Going Gently) - we have blogged together ever since I started blogging and there have been times when his moral support from a long way away has been a great comfort - as it is being at present. Yes it would be lovely to meet him but Trelawnyd and Leyburn are a long way apart. I look upon him as a jolly good long distance pal. And I am sure he feels the same.
Thanks for your comments everyone.
Lit the copper? I am impressed. Apricot roses are lovely.
When my Mum bought a twin tub machine, I inherited the big old mangle - and it was a brilliant aid to my washdays when there were many nappies to wash and dry. It had the big wooden rollers, which had to be tightened down before use, to increase the pressure, then loosened off again afterwards. An occasional greasing of the springs and cogs kept it in good working condition. I always covered it with an oilcloth / table covering tied down securely. Then I came home from work one day to find it had GONE! A Rag and Bone Man had been round and helped himself, telling my neighbour that it had been arranged. ;{ Grrrrr!
Do you remember the days of starching? I am old enough to remember it as a child. over-starched serviettes as stiff as cardboard.
I have been bought up with tales of a hard-working lovely great grandmother, evidently a gentle soul, who had to do laundry in the 'big houses on the hill' to support herself, her mother, and 3 little girls just after the First World War. I find that Mrs. Tiggy Winkle is still my favourite Beatrix Potter character. I can almost smell the freshly laundered clothes in the beautiful illustrations, though Mrs.T W simply looks well-organized and not exhausted! - Pam.
Our washing machine had wooden rollers on it ,too.There is no fresher scent than laundry dried by wind and sunlight.Your writing is truly lovely,Pat .You help me appreciate having been raised in the rural area I came from
Mary
I am also enjoying some roses in my house, although I'm a little envious of your apricot ones :) Their colour is particularly beautiful.
The weather has picked up since I last commented and I've been able to hang washing outdoors. Xx
Pat...you are right..the potter and me watch the pots being made and I certainly have a tear for them when things go wrong...as I'm from Belfast...Donna is my favourite...though who knows who will make it at the end...finish is everything!!..x
Old habits really die hard - I still tend to dy laundry on Monday. But maybe this is because Monday is the only day I am always at home in the morning. Hanging the laundry outdoors to dry is one of my favourite household duties. I bought a tumble dryer in 2001 when our son was doing his military service and had to have his clothes washed and dried over the weekend and the fabric was so thick and stiff it took ages to dry. Since then, the tumble dries just stands about in my "Waschküche" (see Librarian´s comment) and is used may be two or three times a year when the grandchildren mess up too many clothes at once.
Hilde in Germany
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