Good Evening friends,
I hope that you have all had a wonderful Christmas. I already see from various blogs that I have read that you all seemed to have had !! I am glad that Mary and I were able to get up to Sarah's. It had been doubtful right up to Christmas Eve as the snow and ice had prevented us from getting anywhere. Thankfully the slope down to the main road here was cleared mostly by Peter and a few other neighbours and up at Sarah's it was the same. Max and Beth had cleared all the ice from the driveway so that I could park so all was well. It was a very very cold day the temp was -11 in the early morning and never rose above-6 all day. However at Sarah's all was lovely and warm and cosy. Beth did the most wonderful Christmas lunch with all the many trimmings, her Dad would have been so proud of ...we all were...Sarah coped really well and even manged a good meal. we did not stay too long as we wanted back down before the big freeze came down again but the time spent with Sarah, Beth, Max..who was also great doing all the washing up etc...Margaret and Mitch and of course Mary was so very happy. How thankful I am to have such a loving family.
So now we are only two days from 2011... On Saturday the 1st. I always have Margaret and Mitch to me for the first meal of the year...a Scottish tradition of making a huge steak pie will be on the menu !! with the usual trimmings. I haven't yet decided on the starter but I have tomorrow to think something up...
Until next year I will leave this New Year greeting to you all...
Happy new year to friends, family. Thank you for your kind comments, delightful emails of support and friendship, and your continued visits throughout 2010. I am hoping for peace, Love, Health and happiness in 2011 for everyone. At times this last year has been tough, but with the kindness of regular and loyal friends, getting through the year has been tolerable. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for being you.And throughout 2011 alwasy remember to
LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
God Bless you all, and a very Happy New Year!
Travel Tales, and family news,
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Christmas Love top you all
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| Greeting card generated with Smilebox |
Hope that you can all "see" this greeting. If I don't get back please have a wonderful Christmas and a wonderful 2011 from Mary and me xxxx
Love One Another xxx
Thursday, 16 December 2010
snow news, good news, turkey news !
Hello Friends,
Well the days are going fast towards Christmas, I wonder if you are all almost ready. Mary and I are almost there I think, just perhaps a few odds and ends to buy. well at least we hope to be able to but however the weather forecasters keep warning us of snow and ice for the next week or so and if that happens we will be marooned !! so fingers crossed they are all wrong. My poor friends in Scotland have had it really bad. There was more snow in Edinburgh than they have had for over 40 years...They ended up getting the army lads to come and help clear the streets and pavements, to enable folks to get out and about. This weekend is the last weekend for the Christmas Shoppers and it is not looking very good...The poor shop keepers are going to be very worried indeed.
Mary and I had a nice morning shopping in Bath last week. It was not quite so cold and it we were in town just after 9am. so all was quiet. I managed to get Mary's Christmas for her, she has wanted a really good nativity for a long time and we had kept looking for just the right one to no avail...but on Wednesday, there it was waiting for us in the Wood Shop. It is really lovely the stable and all the animals etc etc are carved from English wood..she is delighted with it. Only wish our John had been here as he could have told us what each of figure was made from which type of wood..
Some better news of Sarah, she is definitely getting a little better. We have to admit that physically she is not ever going to be the same, however she seemed better mentally and has started making the odd decision so that is good news. Beth and Max are coming over to Mum's for Christmas and Beth and Max are making the Christmas dinner, for Mary, and me, and Margaret and Mitch. I think next Thurs. weather permitting I am going with Beth to do the food buying !! I have already ordered the Christmas Turkey from our local village butchers, to be collected Christmas Eve.
More good news. This is the very latest news as I just had a phone call about an hour ago from my Great Niece Barbara (Margaret's Granddaughter) She was so excited I could hardly make out what she was saying at first, but the news was GREAT she has been given a place at Plymouth University from next year. (unless she really flunks her next exams, and she will never do that!!) we are so very proud of her. Samantha has been a diabetic since she was 6 years old and just a few months after being diagnosed with the diabetes as if that was not enough she was diagnosed as being a Celiac. Her diet has been severely restricted all her life and she and her Mum and the rest of the family have been so good. I have never heard her complain, although like all teenagers there must be times when she wants to forget both the diabetes and the celiac....She has done well at school despite having had lots of time away. she will be studying Music at Plymouth Uni.
I found this poem the other day and thought that I would share it with you as a little light relief for Christmas (would also have bee a good poem for Thanksgiving !!)
Will be in to see you all before Christmas, till then Love one another...and watch the poor turkey.
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas
Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun
Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked
An every turkey has a Mum.
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,
Don't eat it, keep it alive,
It could be yu mate, an not on your plate
Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.
I got lots of friends who are turkeys
An all of dem fear christmas time,
Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans destroyed it
An humans are out of dere mind,
Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys
Dey all hav a right to a life,
Not to be caged up an genetically made up
By any farmer an his wife.
Turkeys just wanna play reggae
Turkeys just wanna hip-hop
Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying,
'I cannot wait for de chop',
Turkeys like getting presents, dey wanna watch christmas TV,
Turkeys hav brains an turkeys feel pain
In many ways like yu an me.
I once knew a turkey called...Turkey
He said "Benji explain to me please,
Who put de turkey in christmas
An what happens to christmas trees?",
I said "I am not too sure turkey
But it's nothing to do wid Christ Mass
Humans get greedy an waste more dan need be
An business men mek loadsa cash'.
Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
Invite dem indoors fe sum greens
Let dem eat cake an let dem partake
In a plate of organic grown beans,
Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
An spare dem de cut of de knife,
Join Turkeys United an dey'll be delighted
An yu will mek new friends 'FOR LIFE'
Well the days are going fast towards Christmas, I wonder if you are all almost ready. Mary and I are almost there I think, just perhaps a few odds and ends to buy. well at least we hope to be able to but however the weather forecasters keep warning us of snow and ice for the next week or so and if that happens we will be marooned !! so fingers crossed they are all wrong. My poor friends in Scotland have had it really bad. There was more snow in Edinburgh than they have had for over 40 years...They ended up getting the army lads to come and help clear the streets and pavements, to enable folks to get out and about. This weekend is the last weekend for the Christmas Shoppers and it is not looking very good...The poor shop keepers are going to be very worried indeed.
Mary and I had a nice morning shopping in Bath last week. It was not quite so cold and it we were in town just after 9am. so all was quiet. I managed to get Mary's Christmas for her, she has wanted a really good nativity for a long time and we had kept looking for just the right one to no avail...but on Wednesday, there it was waiting for us in the Wood Shop. It is really lovely the stable and all the animals etc etc are carved from English wood..she is delighted with it. Only wish our John had been here as he could have told us what each of figure was made from which type of wood..
Some better news of Sarah, she is definitely getting a little better. We have to admit that physically she is not ever going to be the same, however she seemed better mentally and has started making the odd decision so that is good news. Beth and Max are coming over to Mum's for Christmas and Beth and Max are making the Christmas dinner, for Mary, and me, and Margaret and Mitch. I think next Thurs. weather permitting I am going with Beth to do the food buying !! I have already ordered the Christmas Turkey from our local village butchers, to be collected Christmas Eve.
More good news. This is the very latest news as I just had a phone call about an hour ago from my Great Niece Barbara (Margaret's Granddaughter) She was so excited I could hardly make out what she was saying at first, but the news was GREAT she has been given a place at Plymouth University from next year. (unless she really flunks her next exams, and she will never do that!!) we are so very proud of her. Samantha has been a diabetic since she was 6 years old and just a few months after being diagnosed with the diabetes as if that was not enough she was diagnosed as being a Celiac. Her diet has been severely restricted all her life and she and her Mum and the rest of the family have been so good. I have never heard her complain, although like all teenagers there must be times when she wants to forget both the diabetes and the celiac....She has done well at school despite having had lots of time away. she will be studying Music at Plymouth Uni.
I found this poem the other day and thought that I would share it with you as a little light relief for Christmas (would also have bee a good poem for Thanksgiving !!)
Will be in to see you all before Christmas, till then Love one another...and watch the poor turkey.
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas
Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun
Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked
An every turkey has a Mum.
Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,
Don't eat it, keep it alive,
It could be yu mate, an not on your plate
Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.
I got lots of friends who are turkeys
An all of dem fear christmas time,
Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans destroyed it
An humans are out of dere mind,
Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys
Dey all hav a right to a life,
Not to be caged up an genetically made up
By any farmer an his wife.
Turkeys just wanna play reggae
Turkeys just wanna hip-hop
Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying,
'I cannot wait for de chop',
Turkeys like getting presents, dey wanna watch christmas TV,
Turkeys hav brains an turkeys feel pain
In many ways like yu an me.
I once knew a turkey called...Turkey
He said "Benji explain to me please,
Who put de turkey in christmas
An what happens to christmas trees?",
I said "I am not too sure turkey
But it's nothing to do wid Christ Mass
Humans get greedy an waste more dan need be
An business men mek loadsa cash'.
Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
Invite dem indoors fe sum greens
Let dem eat cake an let dem partake
In a plate of organic grown beans,
Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
An spare dem de cut of de knife,
Join Turkeys United an dey'll be delighted
An yu will mek new friends 'FOR LIFE'
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Pultney Bridge Bath
Just a very quick entry friends, it has been pointed out to me that some of you were unable to get into the last entry due to a problem with adobe...or something like that...The only changed I thought I had made was the picture that I realise was too big, so I changed it...still a problem, then I remembered that I had tried to add a "counter thing" so removed that and all now seems to be well....hope so anyway.
My friend Cait tells me I will have to change the blog as in the previous one I make reference to the nativity scene picture !! I sometimes wonder at the things that I get into !!! Now the picture at the top is one of the famous Pultney Bridge in Bath actually taken by my friend Cait last year (with all the snow we have had this week I know that it will be covered in even more snow) It is a lovely bridge that has many small shops on it and also a lovely tea shop where you can look at the river below and watch some of the many narrow boats passing along...
We are still having very cold weather. Even here in Box we had a few ins. of snow overnight and temps of -5 tonight they forecast that it may drop to -10...Thankfully I have a lovely wee cosy home. Some places in the UK are having their snow measured in Feet rather than Ins.
Take care friends wherever you are.
God Bless and Love one Another xx
My friend Cait tells me I will have to change the blog as in the previous one I make reference to the nativity scene picture !! I sometimes wonder at the things that I get into !!! Now the picture at the top is one of the famous Pultney Bridge in Bath actually taken by my friend Cait last year (with all the snow we have had this week I know that it will be covered in even more snow) It is a lovely bridge that has many small shops on it and also a lovely tea shop where you can look at the river below and watch some of the many narrow boats passing along...
We are still having very cold weather. Even here in Box we had a few ins. of snow overnight and temps of -5 tonight they forecast that it may drop to -10...Thankfully I have a lovely wee cosy home. Some places in the UK are having their snow measured in Feet rather than Ins.
Take care friends wherever you are.
God Bless and Love one Another xx
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
The North/East Winds doth blow
Hi Friends,
How are you all as the season of our festivities begin ? Thanksgiving has past and now Christmas looms ahead. Are you ready or like me just beginning to think about it. For our family it will be a very different one from our previous Christmas Day celebrations.. we all go to John and Sarah's where John is usually in charge..or so he liked to think ! Sarah having been ever present at his elbow giving various instructions LOL....This year Beth says she is going to try to give us all as near to normal a Christmas as possible and that will be different. However before all that happens a lot of days lie in between and no doubt they will pass just as quickly as the whole of this year has.
I have got all my cards written and stamped...also Mary's, so they will be posted fairly soon..maybe even at the weekend....weather permitting.....most of the overseas ones are now well on their way....Yesterday we spent a few hours wrapping up some gifts and finding out if any more needed to be bought...thankfully not much more. You may have noticed that I said that the cards might go at the weekend ...weather permitting....The reason for that statement is that we are having a very early start to our winter. We don't normally get very low temps. and snow much before January and even then not a great deal of snow....however this year it has all started far to early for my liking...Since Friday our temp. has not risen above 0 indeed yesterday morning it was at -7 and we have had snow. Thankfully for us here in Box not an awful lot but enough to me inconvenient as it froze on landing making the roads like ice rinks. I stay at the top of an incline and no way can I get the car out when it is like that and so I have been stuck indoors...until that is this afternoon when the temp rose to the dizzy heights of +2 !! frost melted and I got the car out and up to see Sarah. i was so pleased as I hadn't seen her since Friday. I knew she was ok as we keep in touch with phone calls and the carers have managed to get to her each day. They could not get their cars down the hill but parked on the main road and then walked up through the garden to get to her...(tonight the carer had to come to get her to bed at 4.30 !!! as they had been instructed not to attempt to get to her after it was too dark !) poor Sarah, however she is quite snug in bed and has the TV etc all on hand so will be ok. It just makes it a very long night and a short day...carer comes any time between 8.30 and 10am in the morning !! I am praying that perhaps when she is stronger ..soon ...she won't need the morning and evening carers.
You might have noticed that I have changed the photo on top to a new one for the Advent season..It is the nativity scene that I have had for many many years..around 50 years I should think as it is one Sarah sent to us when she lived in Germany as a Nanny..and that was in the mid 50s !! gosh can it be that long ago !!
Now I am going to TRY to add a URL for you so that you can perhaps listen to it. It is of a young man playing the accordion. He was a young lad at the school where Mary was a house mother he has cerebral palsy and use of only his left side...he has turned into an amazing musician and is much in demand in Scotland, he has even gone with another ex house mother to South Africa to help her in setting up a charity to help a village there he was teaching the children how to play music and recording it for them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V-mQkleGQc
Good night all. remember to keep LOVING ONE ANOTHER.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Engagments...
Hello Friends,
Oh my it's overcast today. Quite a grey and miserable looking morning outside. I don't feel miserable today though. I feel pretty good. I slept well, and have no aches and pains, so I was ready to face today.
It has actually been raining almost all day. So I have not been out at all and neither has Mary. Our kind neighbour brought down our morning paper so that saved Mary getting wet...how we are blessed with good neighbours. I decided to make a start on the Christmas cards today..and between Mary and I we got well down the list, perhaps Friday we will get Mary's list started...and finished !! Tomorrow Margaret and Mitch come over so it will be a busy day. Mary is going out to a local garden centre with one of the clubs she goes to so she won't be in for lunch, but will keep her some back for later.
Congratulations yesterday to our lovely Prince William on his engagement to Kate Middleton. I don't know about you all, but I think they look a lovley pair.I thought that is was so lovely of William to use his Mothers engangement ring. I just wish I could get some photographs included in the text as there have been some lovely ones in our press. However I expect they have been flashed across the worlds press and so therefore you will have been able to enjoy them as well. On tonights news we hear that a decision will be made before the end of the week as to the date and place that the wedding will take place. It appears that Westminster abbey is the most likely venue...
Thank you for remembering Sarah Mary, Beth and I in your prayers. Things are still very difficult for Sarah and as we love her so...difficult for us....However we continue to pray that one day soon she will come out of the deep depression that I think is holding her back...
Goodnight.....LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Oh my it's overcast today. Quite a grey and miserable looking morning outside. I don't feel miserable today though. I feel pretty good. I slept well, and have no aches and pains, so I was ready to face today.
It has actually been raining almost all day. So I have not been out at all and neither has Mary. Our kind neighbour brought down our morning paper so that saved Mary getting wet...how we are blessed with good neighbours. I decided to make a start on the Christmas cards today..and between Mary and I we got well down the list, perhaps Friday we will get Mary's list started...and finished !! Tomorrow Margaret and Mitch come over so it will be a busy day. Mary is going out to a local garden centre with one of the clubs she goes to so she won't be in for lunch, but will keep her some back for later.
Congratulations yesterday to our lovely Prince William on his engagement to Kate Middleton. I don't know about you all, but I think they look a lovley pair.I thought that is was so lovely of William to use his Mothers engangement ring. I just wish I could get some photographs included in the text as there have been some lovely ones in our press. However I expect they have been flashed across the worlds press and so therefore you will have been able to enjoy them as well. On tonights news we hear that a decision will be made before the end of the week as to the date and place that the wedding will take place. It appears that Westminster abbey is the most likely venue...
Thank you for remembering Sarah Mary, Beth and I in your prayers. Things are still very difficult for Sarah and as we love her so...difficult for us....However we continue to pray that one day soon she will come out of the deep depression that I think is holding her back...
Goodnight.....LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Friday, 5 November 2010
October Days.
Good Morning Friends,
I was not a happy bunny last night as for the first time in almost a month I got down to updating this blog...only to see it disappear into thin air after i had spent an age doing it !!!
However today is another day and before I get started properly I feel I must get back even if it might be a bit shorter than last nights edition...............you will never know LOL.........
Things here continue in much the same manner. My dear sister is home now from hospital and just trying to keep herself together. She is now on oxygen 16 hours a day and is finding things very hard to come to terms with. We keep saying that it is early days yet and to try to keep calm, but at the same time we are trying to encourage her to look forward even if it is only a day at a time..It is very difficult for us all, Sarah has always been the kind of person to take control over things and it is hard not to be able to ask her advise, she just feels so tired all the time.She cannot see a way forward that she wants...
Mid October saw Mary, my friend Pam and her husband Henry go away for a 4 day coach tour. We were staying in North Norfolk. ( If you look at a map of the UK you will find the county of Norfolk just above London it is the part that juts out into the north sea) that is a significant statement as I say it juts out into the North Sea and consequently it is the first place to be hit by the cold North winds travelling down from the far north !!! Yes it was blowing whilst we were there....I being an optimist said it was "bracing" others said it was bitterly cold !! We were staying in a small village called Mundesley right on the coast there is a small complex of holiday cottages there actually it is called MundesleyHoliday Village and includes an entertainment centre etc. It was the first time we had been there and we were very impressed with the quality of the food and the accommodation especially as it was a very cheap short holiday..Each day the driver took us out around 9.45 and we would be taken a short drive o see the various small towns and villages around returning about 3pm. Just long enough for us to enjoy ourselves. We went to Cromer one day this is an old fishing town unfortunately I say old as there is very little fishing done from there nowadays...in it's hay days it was very famous for it's Crab and Cromer Crab is still enjoyed whilst there...the same day we went to Sherringham another lovely seaside town as it was lat October most of the "holiday shops" had closed down or were about to, still it was nice to imagine what it would be like at the hight of summer. The next day turned out to be a very special one for me...we stopped at a village called Holt, famous for lots and lots of art galleries and antique shops. As we entered the village I saw signs for a Rolf Harris Painting Exhibition. Now this eshibition is touring the country and I had wanted to see it very much and had been disappointed to see that the nearest place to Box that I could have seen it was Birmingham and therefore I had put it out of my head. so you can imagine my delight on seeing the sign, in fact I really couldn't quite believe that it was there in this small village...Just near where the coach driver set us down I saw a gallery and two people standing outside I said did they know where the Rolf Harris Exhibition was being shown....yes it was that very gallery, once I had found out that it was accessible I was pulling Mary in like a shot.. I was not disappointed as he had some very spectacular paintings and some sculpture on display. Then as I turned a corner there in front of me was a picture that took my breath away...I immediately "saw" it hanging on my sitting room wall... it was one of only 195 and so was actually out of my usual purchase price !!!! However Mary said she would give me money towards it for Xmas and I called my Brother in law and asked if he and Margaret would like to make a donation as well....and before I could change my mind I was whipping out the credit card and saw "my" painting come off the wall to be taken downstairs to be wrapped and sent to me the following week. The painting is called "Fishermen by moonlight" and although I love it, I realise that art is very much in the eyes of the beholder and it may not be to every ones taste. The main colours are dark blues, pinks, and greens just as the sky can be like just as the moon is shining down reflecting on the water.. So really that was a most exciting day...Other than when I bought a diamond ring in South Africa I have never spent so much money on myself.. as Mary said I rarely buy anything but when I do.....well credit card, look out LOL
Since we got home the cold I developed when we were away is refusing to go away and I think that is making me feel to lethargic and that is why I haven't been around very much. Please forgive me I haven't even been making comments on your blogs, but many days it is reading them that has raised my spirits so thank you. I have been enjoying the wonderful weather we have had this early in November we have only had one really cold frosty morning so far and I can't remember the last time we have had such a wonderful colour in the Autumn leaves it has been breathtaking.
Last Monday at our Wesley Guild meeting Pam my friend had us all making coasters. she brought lots of cork mats, and paints, stamps, and other "bits" that we could all use. None of our members had ever done anything like that and I think most of them enjoyed the change, It was amazing to see the deigns and colours that they came up with. Pam has taken them all home now and Henry is going to varnish them for everyone.
Thank you all once more of all your encouraging words these last few awful months.
I was not a happy bunny last night as for the first time in almost a month I got down to updating this blog...only to see it disappear into thin air after i had spent an age doing it !!!
However today is another day and before I get started properly I feel I must get back even if it might be a bit shorter than last nights edition...............you will never know LOL.........
Things here continue in much the same manner. My dear sister is home now from hospital and just trying to keep herself together. She is now on oxygen 16 hours a day and is finding things very hard to come to terms with. We keep saying that it is early days yet and to try to keep calm, but at the same time we are trying to encourage her to look forward even if it is only a day at a time..It is very difficult for us all, Sarah has always been the kind of person to take control over things and it is hard not to be able to ask her advise, she just feels so tired all the time.She cannot see a way forward that she wants...
Mid October saw Mary, my friend Pam and her husband Henry go away for a 4 day coach tour. We were staying in North Norfolk. ( If you look at a map of the UK you will find the county of Norfolk just above London it is the part that juts out into the north sea) that is a significant statement as I say it juts out into the North Sea and consequently it is the first place to be hit by the cold North winds travelling down from the far north !!! Yes it was blowing whilst we were there....I being an optimist said it was "bracing" others said it was bitterly cold !! We were staying in a small village called Mundesley right on the coast there is a small complex of holiday cottages there actually it is called MundesleyHoliday Village and includes an entertainment centre etc. It was the first time we had been there and we were very impressed with the quality of the food and the accommodation especially as it was a very cheap short holiday..Each day the driver took us out around 9.45 and we would be taken a short drive o see the various small towns and villages around returning about 3pm. Just long enough for us to enjoy ourselves. We went to Cromer one day this is an old fishing town unfortunately I say old as there is very little fishing done from there nowadays...in it's hay days it was very famous for it's Crab and Cromer Crab is still enjoyed whilst there...the same day we went to Sherringham another lovely seaside town as it was lat October most of the "holiday shops" had closed down or were about to, still it was nice to imagine what it would be like at the hight of summer. The next day turned out to be a very special one for me...we stopped at a village called Holt, famous for lots and lots of art galleries and antique shops. As we entered the village I saw signs for a Rolf Harris Painting Exhibition. Now this eshibition is touring the country and I had wanted to see it very much and had been disappointed to see that the nearest place to Box that I could have seen it was Birmingham and therefore I had put it out of my head. so you can imagine my delight on seeing the sign, in fact I really couldn't quite believe that it was there in this small village...Just near where the coach driver set us down I saw a gallery and two people standing outside I said did they know where the Rolf Harris Exhibition was being shown....yes it was that very gallery, once I had found out that it was accessible I was pulling Mary in like a shot.. I was not disappointed as he had some very spectacular paintings and some sculpture on display. Then as I turned a corner there in front of me was a picture that took my breath away...I immediately "saw" it hanging on my sitting room wall... it was one of only 195 and so was actually out of my usual purchase price !!!! However Mary said she would give me money towards it for Xmas and I called my Brother in law and asked if he and Margaret would like to make a donation as well....and before I could change my mind I was whipping out the credit card and saw "my" painting come off the wall to be taken downstairs to be wrapped and sent to me the following week. The painting is called "Fishermen by moonlight" and although I love it, I realise that art is very much in the eyes of the beholder and it may not be to every ones taste. The main colours are dark blues, pinks, and greens just as the sky can be like just as the moon is shining down reflecting on the water.. So really that was a most exciting day...Other than when I bought a diamond ring in South Africa I have never spent so much money on myself.. as Mary said I rarely buy anything but when I do.....well credit card, look out LOL
Since we got home the cold I developed when we were away is refusing to go away and I think that is making me feel to lethargic and that is why I haven't been around very much. Please forgive me I haven't even been making comments on your blogs, but many days it is reading them that has raised my spirits so thank you. I have been enjoying the wonderful weather we have had this early in November we have only had one really cold frosty morning so far and I can't remember the last time we have had such a wonderful colour in the Autumn leaves it has been breathtaking.
Last Monday at our Wesley Guild meeting Pam my friend had us all making coasters. she brought lots of cork mats, and paints, stamps, and other "bits" that we could all use. None of our members had ever done anything like that and I think most of them enjoyed the change, It was amazing to see the deigns and colours that they came up with. Pam has taken them all home now and Henry is going to varnish them for everyone.
Thank you all once more of all your encouraging words these last few awful months.
Please never ever forget to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Friday, 8 October 2010
New Day's
Hello Friends,
I am back again after a difficult week or two after the funeral which went as well as they can do. There were over 150 people there and many fine tributes were paid to John. So now we must try to pick ourselves up again and start a new phase in our lives.
These three weeks inbetween have been busy ones as my dear Sister Sarah, John's wife, became increasingly poorly after the funeral and the following week was admitted into hospital where she still is. However the good news is that she will be home on Monday and we will all be so happy. Sarah has a breathing condition called CPOD and her breathing became much worse, this resulted in her becoming so unwell that she hardly had any strength however she is on the mend now and after a few weeks recovering at home with extra oxygen and some help I am sure she will slowly recover.
As I say these last three weeks or so have been busy...mainly visiting hospital, shopping, etc. so I have no "real" news. Just wanted to pop in to let ou know that soon I hope to be back to more regular blogging.
Thank you all for understanding....love Sybil
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
I am back again after a difficult week or two after the funeral which went as well as they can do. There were over 150 people there and many fine tributes were paid to John. So now we must try to pick ourselves up again and start a new phase in our lives.
These three weeks inbetween have been busy ones as my dear Sister Sarah, John's wife, became increasingly poorly after the funeral and the following week was admitted into hospital where she still is. However the good news is that she will be home on Monday and we will all be so happy. Sarah has a breathing condition called CPOD and her breathing became much worse, this resulted in her becoming so unwell that she hardly had any strength however she is on the mend now and after a few weeks recovering at home with extra oxygen and some help I am sure she will slowly recover.
As I say these last three weeks or so have been busy...mainly visiting hospital, shopping, etc. so I have no "real" news. Just wanted to pop in to let ou know that soon I hope to be back to more regular blogging.
Thank you all for understanding....love Sybil
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Hello Friends,
I have not a lot to write tonight but just wanted you all to know that my dear Brother in law John died this morning peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones just as he would have wanted. He had a very quiet weekend and was pain free. We want you to know how much we have appreciated all your prayers, thoughts and good wishes during these past 10 weeks. John was a very much loved gentleman much more then he could have ever realised as has been shown by all the visits, flowers,cards, and telephone calls from all over the country. I am glad that he was able to know fully how much we all loved him. I will miss him so very much, it is hard at this time to imagine our lives without him. whatever was needing done, ask John, John will know what to do, was always the first thing we would say. When John retired almost 10 years ago it gave him more time to enjoy his hobby of woodworking. One of his friends wrote a poem to him that I am glad to say he was able to read and it says more about him than I could ever say, I have asked my sister Sarah if I can print it here and so I end my tribute to John with the following words,
I have not a lot to write tonight but just wanted you all to know that my dear Brother in law John died this morning peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones just as he would have wanted. He had a very quiet weekend and was pain free. We want you to know how much we have appreciated all your prayers, thoughts and good wishes during these past 10 weeks. John was a very much loved gentleman much more then he could have ever realised as has been shown by all the visits, flowers,cards, and telephone calls from all over the country. I am glad that he was able to know fully how much we all loved him. I will miss him so very much, it is hard at this time to imagine our lives without him. whatever was needing done, ask John, John will know what to do, was always the first thing we would say. When John retired almost 10 years ago it gave him more time to enjoy his hobby of woodworking. One of his friends wrote a poem to him that I am glad to say he was able to read and it says more about him than I could ever say, I have asked my sister Sarah if I can print it here and so I end my tribute to John with the following words,
MY FRIEND JOHN.
The tree stands steady, through autumn mists
The biting cold of winter and summer droughts.
Birds, insects squirrels and dormice are his friends.
His spirit is strong
Until he becomes the chosen one,
The perfect plank. Cold, spiritless, waiting.
The man stands steady through toil and turmoil,
Stress and bereavement.
The people he meets are his friends.
They tell him their troubles
He holds their hands and comforts them.
His spirit is strong.
He takes the wood from the dead tree.
And lovingly breathes life
Into the perfect shape his hands create.
The tree's spirit wakens and remembers
The man and the tree are one
Their spirits intertwine
For ever.
I know that John would always join me in reminding you all to never forget to
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Quiet days.
Good Morning Friends,
I am sorry that I have not been around much these past couple of weeks. However I have not been out and about very much as I like to be as near home as possible certainly within phone range and as I have had problems with my mobile reception from Vodaphone this has made things even more difficult...I hope though to go into Chippenham at some point this week and get into the shop to complain...yet again.... So what have we been up to...in a word NOTHING !!
I had a very welcome e mail from my dear friends in New Zealand to say that they were safe after the awful earthquake that they have had..although Bob and Mary are in the north Island and the quake hit the south it is not such big country that it was nor felt "up north"
Just wanted to keep you all up to date especially with John news. We have had a real roller coaster time these past two weeks. There have been days when we have thought that the end was very near...even the nurses have not given us much encouragement on these days....Then a couple of days later he has perked up...indeed last week he was so well he was even got out of bed helped by dear Beth and into the wheelchair able to get out on the deck in the sunshine for an hour or so...they were able to have great chat together which was wonderful...at the weekend he again went down quite badly especially on Saturday. Beth arranged to stay overnight and Max came over as well...by Sunday he once again came "back to himself" so as I say it is all a bit of a roller coaster..I promise I will try to keep in touch as and when I can. Thank you all for all your prayers E.mails and thoughts that I have felt travelling over all the miles between us....
I am going to try to add a new picture..it is a bit of a nuisance that I still have not managed to get pictures in between my printed work....never mind just another thing to try my patience...or what I have of that it is in short supply at the moment LOL
Love to you all and remember always to LOVE ONE ANOTHER
I am sorry that I have not been around much these past couple of weeks. However I have not been out and about very much as I like to be as near home as possible certainly within phone range and as I have had problems with my mobile reception from Vodaphone this has made things even more difficult...I hope though to go into Chippenham at some point this week and get into the shop to complain...yet again.... So what have we been up to...in a word NOTHING !!
I had a very welcome e mail from my dear friends in New Zealand to say that they were safe after the awful earthquake that they have had..although Bob and Mary are in the north Island and the quake hit the south it is not such big country that it was nor felt "up north"
Just wanted to keep you all up to date especially with John news. We have had a real roller coaster time these past two weeks. There have been days when we have thought that the end was very near...even the nurses have not given us much encouragement on these days....Then a couple of days later he has perked up...indeed last week he was so well he was even got out of bed helped by dear Beth and into the wheelchair able to get out on the deck in the sunshine for an hour or so...they were able to have great chat together which was wonderful...at the weekend he again went down quite badly especially on Saturday. Beth arranged to stay overnight and Max came over as well...by Sunday he once again came "back to himself" so as I say it is all a bit of a roller coaster..I promise I will try to keep in touch as and when I can. Thank you all for all your prayers E.mails and thoughts that I have felt travelling over all the miles between us....
I am going to try to add a new picture..it is a bit of a nuisance that I still have not managed to get pictures in between my printed work....never mind just another thing to try my patience...or what I have of that it is in short supply at the moment LOL
Love to you all and remember always to LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Friday, 20 August 2010
Vistits, Balloon Trips,
Hi Friends,
Sorry for long silence however things have been quite hectic around here this last week or two. I last wrote the day my dear BIL John came home from hospital, such a happy day for us all as it is all we had prayed for that he could get home amongst us and as well as possible for as long as possible. I am glad to say that it has been such a delight to have him home, he has slowly got a little more poorly but still retains his old humour and has us laugh at times. He is now very tired and sleeps a lot but that to is good for us, as we are just happy to have him here amongst us.
Just before the news that John would be home I was saying that my friend Sheila had visited from Edinburgh. she was here for a week and we did enjoy her visit. On the Saturday I had another visitor this time the lady who originally owned this home. it was a long time since she had been here and it was so good to see her again. Also was nice to be able to share with her the alterations that have been done over the years. As it was a nice sunny afternoon we all managed a walk along the dog walk (in my case a trundle!!) Janet hadn't seen the new walk and the lovely pond at the end of the walk she was most impressed, we ended with a walk through the rec. and along the main road, it was so lovely to be sharing the village.When it was time to go back to her friends I drove her to Warminster with Mary and Sheila, it was a very wet drive down and back but I was more than delighted just to have had a few hours with her company. Thank you Janet..come again soon...
Monday saw us saying a sad farewell to Sheila, she was off to visit her daughter in Cardiff . Next day Mary had to do her packing for her trip up to Edinburgh. she had been very hesitant about going as she did not want to leave with John being so poorly but I am glad in the end she did as she missed her annual visit last year. I have heard daily from her and she has enjoyed herself. she will be home on Tuesday late.
Friday 13th. saw Peter and I and my friend Pam om our way to Bristol the to annual Balloon Fiesta. we have gone each year for the last three years. The weather this year was not bad...at least it was better than last year as we had only one brief rain shower, however there was a very gusty wind that prevented the balloons from getting blown up. It also curtailed the hoped for mass assent. still we had an enjoyable say as there are lots of other things going on and many many people for us to be looking at !!
This week I have had yet more visitors. This time a friend that Mary and I made on the cruise who is English but is married to an American (dear Skip who so much helped us on the cruise) she was over visiting her Mum and called to say she would come and visit and bring her Mum. I hadn't met her Mum, but Oh what a delight I was in for, she is so so lovely. They came down from London by coach Tues. am. and returned Wed. late afternoon Wed. so we had plenty time to do the tourist visit of Bath and surrounding area. They loved Bath and I am sure it won't be long now till "Mum" comes back down to visit. Yesterday my sister Margaret and husband Mitch were over as it was Thursday and they come that day. we went out for a nice lunch in Chippenham and I had to go and buy a new vacum cleaner. It was good to get it when they were here as Mitch got the job of carrying it and when we got home putting it all together !!
Today after the visit to see Sarah and John I have had a very lazy day, I did clean my cutlery drawer !! other than that I have read a book for a while and now watching, whilst writing this...Coronation street...
Thank you all for your prayers and love. It is very much appreciated.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Hospital news
RED LETTER DAY................
My Darling Brother in Law has come home from hospital
Thanks to everyone in the great National Health service and all my dear friends for your prayers and encouragement..
Remember always to: Love one another...
more news later
Friday, 6 August 2010
Visits and visiting
Good Evening Friends,
Sorry for long silence however things have been fairly busy this end and really not that much news to report...First my darling Brother In Law is still in hospital after various ups and downs...He has been on a special antibiotic this week and thankfully it is working and today I have to say was the first day that he has been looking better and indeed was almost like his own self, laughing and teasing..Probably I know the results of the antibiotics working and the correct dose of painkillers....however it was just a delight to see him. We are hoping that he will be home by Tuesday. but will not get our hopes up to high as we have thought he might be home various days this week. everything is on hand and planned for his return home. A special hospital type bed was delivered this morning and our local Dr. and nurses are all primed to care for him and my dear Sister...So please just keep praying that we have the strength to keep going in the days to come. My niece Beth has come home to stay with her Mum, and Dad when he gets home. (She lives in Bristol and should be away to France on holiday with Max and Alex but has insisted that they go and of course they will be keeping in touch daily.) what a wonder to live in such an age that although many miles away we can be so close..
I have had visitors these last two weeks. Week one saw an old friend, the Father of one of the children I baby sat for some 48 years ago !! he is now very deaf and almost blind. He always tries to come down from Edinburgh once a year however the last time he was due to visit was the time that Jacqueline died (for new friends, Jacqueline was my Goddaughter Sarah and John's eldest daughter she died very suddenly and unexpectedly at age 47) then last year he discovered he was going blind but he did manage this years visit. He had only been gone over the weekend when another friend arrived from Edinburgh. Sheila and I have known each other for around 45 years. It has been lovely having her as she is a very easy visitor and just settles in so well. I have been visiting the hospital most days so we have not gone perhaps as far as we might have but she has just delighted in being in our lovely village.. I have also set her to work whilst she has been here !! she has re planted the window boxes as the dry weather has left the plants sadly dried up...also re did Mary's raised bed for her. Last night we three went out to dinner and as it was such a lovely evening we went for a little drive afterwords...Sheila has only visited here once before so the countryside around is all new to her. we went on roads that even I had never driven on before, taking little narrow lanes no wider than 8ft they were so little used that the grass was growing up the middle...I was praying that no car was coming the other way or someone.....who might it have been?? would have had to reverse a long long way !! thankfully all was well. Although a bit scary at times. when we were nearly home we passed a field full of rabbits and round a corner were delighted to see roe deer... Tomorrow I am having another visitor this time only for the day. It is the lady who lived here before Mum and I moved in 17 years ago..we have only met a couple of times since then as she now lives up in the Lake District, we will have so ouch to chat about and I will have so much to show her that has changed...Thankfully Sheila is still here so she will be helping me with the entertainment and getting the food ready. We went this morning to Chippenham and bought salad things also some strawberries that I will make into a pudding !!
Keep happy friends, and always remember to LOVE ONE ANOTHER,
Sorry for long silence however things have been fairly busy this end and really not that much news to report...First my darling Brother In Law is still in hospital after various ups and downs...He has been on a special antibiotic this week and thankfully it is working and today I have to say was the first day that he has been looking better and indeed was almost like his own self, laughing and teasing..Probably I know the results of the antibiotics working and the correct dose of painkillers....however it was just a delight to see him. We are hoping that he will be home by Tuesday. but will not get our hopes up to high as we have thought he might be home various days this week. everything is on hand and planned for his return home. A special hospital type bed was delivered this morning and our local Dr. and nurses are all primed to care for him and my dear Sister...So please just keep praying that we have the strength to keep going in the days to come. My niece Beth has come home to stay with her Mum, and Dad when he gets home. (She lives in Bristol and should be away to France on holiday with Max and Alex but has insisted that they go and of course they will be keeping in touch daily.) what a wonder to live in such an age that although many miles away we can be so close..
I have had visitors these last two weeks. Week one saw an old friend, the Father of one of the children I baby sat for some 48 years ago !! he is now very deaf and almost blind. He always tries to come down from Edinburgh once a year however the last time he was due to visit was the time that Jacqueline died (for new friends, Jacqueline was my Goddaughter Sarah and John's eldest daughter she died very suddenly and unexpectedly at age 47) then last year he discovered he was going blind but he did manage this years visit. He had only been gone over the weekend when another friend arrived from Edinburgh. Sheila and I have known each other for around 45 years. It has been lovely having her as she is a very easy visitor and just settles in so well. I have been visiting the hospital most days so we have not gone perhaps as far as we might have but she has just delighted in being in our lovely village.. I have also set her to work whilst she has been here !! she has re planted the window boxes as the dry weather has left the plants sadly dried up...also re did Mary's raised bed for her. Last night we three went out to dinner and as it was such a lovely evening we went for a little drive afterwords...Sheila has only visited here once before so the countryside around is all new to her. we went on roads that even I had never driven on before, taking little narrow lanes no wider than 8ft they were so little used that the grass was growing up the middle...I was praying that no car was coming the other way or someone.....who might it have been?? would have had to reverse a long long way !! thankfully all was well. Although a bit scary at times. when we were nearly home we passed a field full of rabbits and round a corner were delighted to see roe deer... Tomorrow I am having another visitor this time only for the day. It is the lady who lived here before Mum and I moved in 17 years ago..we have only met a couple of times since then as she now lives up in the Lake District, we will have so ouch to chat about and I will have so much to show her that has changed...Thankfully Sheila is still here so she will be helping me with the entertainment and getting the food ready. We went this morning to Chippenham and bought salad things also some strawberries that I will make into a pudding !!
Keep happy friends, and always remember to LOVE ONE ANOTHER,
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Chippenham market
AT LAST...
Enjoy.... I hope Chppenham MarketGood Evening Friends, tonight I thought I would take you with Mary and I on a walk around our nearest Market town called Chippenham. It lies aprox 7 miles west of us here in Box and is where we mostly go to do local shopping as it is easier to park there than it is in Bath. About three weeks ago the usual Saturday market was moved from the very top of the town down into the centre and the main road through town pedestrianised. It gives the market much more space and seems to have much improved everyones view of it. I hope that gradually it will grow to include many more stalls. I don't think it will cause much hardship to the shops in fact it may even bring them more cutomers. So here we go.... Well sorry that was a failure !! I was trying to put the pictures under the text but first one appeared above and the second one above that !! not what I wanted at all. I always seem to have had this problem....anyway I will perhaps do a smilebox and add that. We are still enjoying some lovely summer weather and whenever I can I am sitting out on our deck just enjoying the feel of the sun on my face. I do hope that you have been able to do so as well. Thank you all very much for all the kind words, prayers and e.mails regarding my dear Brother in law John. We did get news on Friday and although it was not all together unexpected it was still very hard when we heard the Dr. say that unforunately there were very few options available. The one that might have been was sessions of chemo. this was discussed however John and Sarah agreed that they would much rather live every day of the life they have left together in as good health as possible and if John had chosen Chemo it might have given him a couple of more months but at what cost... We now just want him home as soon as possible. He will have to have the external drain out and replace it with one internally and we hope that they will do that this week as soon as possible and then we can get him home. As I write this I am looking out of the window and can see three hot air balloons slowly drifting overhead. They look so beautiful and colourful. There is a red one a black and white striped one and a blue one with white bands round it. Having been up in one of these beautiful balloons I can just imagine how exciting it will be for "them up there"...wish it were me !! Goodnight God Bless. and always remember to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. (Sorry even my smilebox has let me down tonight so I will have to try another time) Wednesday, 21 July 2010News and non news !!
Good Morning Friends,
Another glorious morning here in Wiltshire. We have been so blessed with our Summer this year, after what seemed like a never ending winter and very short cold spring !! There is not a lot of news from this end so this is really just a short update as all of you have been so kind in E mailing and phoning to ask for news of John and Sarah. I have not been giving updates as really we are in a kind of a void at the moment it is just a waiting game. Last Friday John had an external drain put in and that is still there. It has certainly helped to reduce both the itch and the jaundice so that alone is an improvement. He has had some trouble in so far as his blood count dropped just before they put in the drain so he had 3 units given overnight and then again on Sunday night.l Monday they did another 'scope and it showed he had a bleed in is lower intestine which they have managed to stop.. so fingers crossed that has sorted that out. When we saw him yesterday he was much brighter and had been out f bed all day so we felt happier ourselves. Our next news should come on Friday after a meeting of the senior Drs. Regionally which is held in Bristol. They hopefully will be able to tell us what will be able to be done next. Other than visiting hospital almost every day I have not been doing very much at all.... Mary and I did do a wee visit to Chippenham our nearest Market Town. It was again a lovely day and it was nice just to wander around. Mary treated herself to a new mobile phone ( I had treated myself to one the week before) Good old Peter to the rescue as he set them up for us. Unfortunately since then neither of us have been able to get a signal. I have e mailed Vodaphone to ask for help but none has come so far....It works perfectly well anywhere else but here in Box ! Mary especially needs one to work here as if she has a fall when out and no one around she can always call for help...so we are not very happy with Vadaphone....at one time it was only that provider that we could get a signal from and we have been happy with them for a long time... Today is Wednesday and we have a bible study this morning....not that it should be called that, as since our minister left us on our own, we continue to meet we should rename it the chat show !! with Christian content !!!! I seem to have been elected leader and it sure aint one my "forte" !! If the weather remains as it is at the moment I think I will "walk" up the village for a change, I always usually use the car !! I am having a day off visiting John, Sarah's friend is taking her this afternoon and my other sister Margaret and a friend are visiting this evening. So that's it from this end for now. Take care everyone...Thank you all for prayers. It does help to feel everyone so near. LOVE ONE ANOTHER.... Sunday, 11 July 2010Good and not so good news
Well friends here I am for the second time. My last attempt this morning, after I had checked it etc., decided to fly away into thin air...so I am now hoping that this will go in the right direction.
We have been having such wonderful weather these last three weeks here in Box, it is amazing to think we have actually had summer time this year....... Well at the end of my last posting I was saying that Mary had a birthday coming up the following week, and as usual birthdays won't wait...So on Monday June 28th my friend Pam came over from Bath and took us out for lunch. we went to a new place in Chippenham a very nice pub where we had good attention and an excellent meal. Tuesday her Official 64th.birthday we went out for another lunch to the Chinese, again we went to a new place to us, it was very good although we didn't think it had as much atmosphere as the one we usually go to. Wednesday we didn't actually go out, Mary brought down a lovely piece of quiche for us. We have a new shop in the village that is serving sandwiches, tea coffee etc. one can either eat in or take away. by the taste of the quiche she should do very well. Thursday once again she was out for a lunch this time with some friends that she meets at a coffee morning....well come Friday it just didn't seem right for me to start cooking !! so out we went once more...So you can imagine we have had a good week and probably put on a few pounds to boot !!! After that great week I am afraid things went rather downhill. You will have remembered that in my last posting I said that my dear Brother in Law John had jaundice and it was suspected that he might have Hepatitis, well, he was taken into hospital on Tuesday after it was decided he did not have hepatitis and they needed to do further tests...Unfortunately on Thursday we were told that he had cancer of the pancreas it is one of the cancers that is very difficult to detect and equally difficult to treat. At the moment he is waiting to have an external drain put in that would relieve the itch and the jaundice and once that has remained in for a couple of days they may be able to replace it with one internally, then we would expect he can come home. Meanwhile I drive Sarah to hospital twice a day, it is funny that neither of my sisters have ever learnt to drive. I love driving so it is a pleasure for me to be able to go into Bath.....just stop me I say ....when she feels I should be getting tired ! So there we are friends a letter of good and bad news. It would be nice if those of you believe in prayer could keep us in mind... Always remember to Love one Another.. Saturday, 3 July 2010Sunday, 27 June 2010lazy June days
Good Morning Friends, Sorry for delay in writing howev June has been a very quiet month.I hope that you like the new lay out. I was not happy with the Edinburgh picture that I had as my topper so thought that the June rose was much better....... On the 31st. May my friend Pam and of course Mary and I went to a wonderful craft fair. It was held in a beautiful old mansion house in a village which is actually quite near where I live but one that I had never heard of let alone visited...What a delight it was. When we drove in I found parking right in front of the house..good point...get out of car chair and all....STEPS..to entrance..oh oh..fear not a very nice young lass by the door, said no trouble, I will get someone to bring a ramp, and within a few mins a ramp was produced and it was with that welcome we entered and what a great craft show it was..very small..but such delightful things. Mary spent some money buying a few pieces of jewlery and I bought a magnificent Cockerel/hen that is a door stop actually and that will be a Christmas present for a friend who loves hens...as I do...it is a bit of a sacrifice to give it away !! We had a lovely cuppa and home made cake before starting back home. As it is an old mansion house there were steps in other areas and without us even asking a ramp magically appeared.. Such kindness without any fuss was greatly apprecated.. if you type in Cleeve House I think you may be able to view the house. ...
Otherwise the month as I say has been very quiet. Since we came home from Edinburgh by dear BIL John has been quite poorly. He has developed Jaundice that the hospital think is a form of Hepatitis ut as yet after about 6 different sets of blood tests nothing positve has turned up. It has bee a great worry as John is never ill and we all have come to depend on him so much. we just pray that the jaundice will go down soon and that he will be back to his usual bouncy self.. It is Mary's birthday this coming Tuesday so I expect we will go out for a meal a chinese I expect. We were in Bath yesterday and I got her a new purse that she admired, whilst we were looking at the purses I picked on up and opened it and found it full of notes ....yes about £35 I think...I said to the assistant about it and she was at first quite puzzled, then remembered someone had brought a purse back saying could she exchange it for a bigger one..and had...she thinks it must have been the lady so I hope she discovered her loss !!! we have been blessed with the most wonderful weather this last week or so. I am just listning to the weather forecast and she tells me that today will be the hottest day of the year with temps up to 30+deg think that is around mid 80f which for us is hot !! I will have the fan on all day for sure. how blessed we all are. This afternoon I think there will be lots of BBQs burning and lots of parties and TV watching as England play Germany in South Africa... I am not much of a football fan but even I, I expect. will have the TV on in the background and will be shouting for England...but secretly wishing it could have been Scotland !!! Remember during these lovely summer days to LOVE ONE ANOTHER Friday, 18 June 2010Edinurgh weekend...BP....
Hi Friends, How are you all this lovely sunny and dare I say it even warm day! over here in Wiltshire. I am glad to say that our trip up north to Edinburgh went well. We all had such a wonderful weekend. I met cousins that I had not seen for many years so it was lovely to catch up on their news. My sister Sarah and John had booked us all into a wonderful restaurant for lunch. It is called "the Kitchin" and has a wonderful young chef called Tom Kitchin. He has been on some of the BBC Food Programmes and in fact it was there that Sarah first saw him and decided it was a place that would serve interesting and exciting food. He did..it did... The area in Edinburgh where we stayed has been redeveloped out of all recognition to us. The area called Leith was always at the heart of the docks and you might guess as to what it was like, also it had long long streets full of Whisky Bonds. The Whisky has long been gone and these same buildings transformed into smart very up market shops, restaurants etc. They have built a lovely new building called Oceanterminal. It is from there one can now go on cruise ships and docked there permanently is the Royal Yacht Brittania where one can tour all the ship (that is the one that the Queen used before it was moth balled) We did not have time to do that but maybe another time we go north we can. we didn't get many photographs taken other than family ones but I will look some out sometime to share.
Now I might be going to be a bit political ! I don't usually say much on internation matters but I have become more and more disturbed about the what has been reported ...on both sides of the atlantic...about BP and the oil situation. So here goes !!. BP was indeed called British Petroleum but this was when it was a British company. Some 10 years or so it joined with an American company called AMOCO and changed its name to BP. This was because around 40% of the ownership was American. Of the remaining shares, 40% are British and the remainder from other countries including Russia. This means that BP is equally as much American as it is British. I would also ask you to think on this. The oil rig was owned by an American company who moved to Switzerland to avoid taxes. The company who ran the rig was a wholly owned American company. BP only owns the site, so why is it their fault? If you consider that the American companies involved in Torrey Canyon, Amoco Cadiz, Piper Alpha and Exxon Valdez did all they could to avoid their responsibilities, is it fair to berate a company that did not actually cause the problem yet is still committed to clearing up at whatever expense that which was caused in their name? I am not even going to think in detail about how the American bosses behaved when thousands died at the American-owned facility in Bhopal! You might like to note that the American company Transocean has been in the Texan courts trying to limit their liability. However, the Judge refused. BP has not tried to limit their liability in any way. I am not a fan of oil companies in general; but as a Christian, false witness is just not right, and the way people have behaved in your country is no less than that. Your president seems bent on trying to destroy BP. Just what would that do? If BP was to take Chapter 11 then it would be the people of America who pay for the cleanup. Are the dividends that important? They are to the hundreds of thousands of pensioners whose income comes from these shares held by their pension companies. There is no doubt this is a disaster but muck slinging is not the way to solve it. Working together is. Love Sybil x Always remember to Love one another. Thursday, 3 June 2010Good Morning Friends, well for sure I have never ever been sitting at my computer writing to you all at this time it is only 4.30am over here in the UK. I have just phoned over to Mary to wake her up as we are leaving for a short trip to Scotland around 6am... The reason being that it is my sister and brother in laws Golden Wedding tomorrow when they will have been married 50 years. At that time of course we lived in a small village near Edinburgh and although Sarah had left home long before that (she was a Nannie and traveled all over Europe) she had ended up in Bath where she met John and so of course came home to get married. It was a great day I remember as I was one of the two bridesmaids actually it turned out to be the hottest day of the year...and for Scotland that was a big thing especially as a lot of the guests were not exactly dressed for summer heat !! And so we all return home for the weekend. Tomorrow we are having a special lunch with friends and a few cousins. We are all looking forward to It very much. It will be interesting I think for Beth's (my niece) husband Max as he has yet to go up to Scotland so Beth is going to be showing him our old home and the haunts she and her sister went to on their visit up to Grannie and Papa's. Our visit will also be touched with sadness as we visit Arthurs Seat (you may remember I told you that my God daughter asked that her ashes be taken there) We will be visiting Arthurs seet on Saturday and it will be exactly 2 years since that awful day of her death... The last time I wrote we were just back from our cruise and expecting our great friends from NZ. They duly arrived and we had a wonderful few days with them much to short a visit but we managed to pack quite a lot into these few days. Including a visit to a beautiful garden quite near here that is gardened is that a word!!..by a coulee well know as the Naked Gardeners!! yes they garden mainly in the nude !! my friend said "what even in the rose bushes" LOL fortunately/unfortunately we did not see them at work the day we went...well I did see Mr. but he had a T shirt on and a thong !!... We were also able to take them so see other friends they had made some years ago in a place called Blanford Forum which is quite near Salisbury. Salisbury is famous for having the Cathedral with the highest steeple in Britian. After Bob and Mary left it gave Mary and I time to come down to earth for a week or so and now we are away again...Till we get back look after one another and always remember to say I LOVE YOU to all your loved ones and friends.. Take Care xx Saturday, 22 May 2010Photographs of our cruise..
Hope that you can view and that it dos'nt take to long to download. Thursday, 20 May 2010Cruise ships, holidays
Hello Friends, At last I am getting down to writing after our travels on the cruise ship Enchantment of the Seas..to the Caribbean. We left the UK on a cold frosty morning and after a very good flight to New York and onward to Norfolk Virginia we were basking in +70 deg. We had such a great time on the cruise..the sea was such a beautiful colour..ice blue through to the dark indigo and every shade in between...and on the various Islands the sands were so white ..almost too white as we had to keep our eyes half closed !! we had such a wonderful holiday. The ship was beautiful much bigger than I could have imagined, we were thankful to have met a very kind couple whilst waiting to have our passports examined (the wife had a British passport although she has lived in Virginia for 31 years with Skip her husband) we were in a separate queue...They had been cruising before so showed us the way and kept looking after us. we were amazed with our stateroom...as the cabins are called!!...it was very large and had every convenience for the wheelchair the shower room was best I have EVER had and I have stayed in an awful lot of hotels etc... There was so much to do on board that there was never a dull moment. As for the food....well out of this world would be the description...everything one could ever wish for and more was to be had and we chose to use the restaurant where we were served at every meal and the waiters were just XXXXXXXXXXXXX I could have run away with one or two of them !!! The Captain was to die for...such a young man to be in charge of such a large ship. We had an official photo taken with him at the Captains champagne reception...no less !! but I will enclose one now that was taken a bit later when he was around on the ship deck a new friend Karen just went up and asked him to come and be photographed with us !! What I mean to say was that once I am organised I will do a smilebox and you will see our handsome captain !! I still have not discovered how to put photographs in between the paragraphs. anyway as you can guess I didn't have much time to miss you all, although I did mention one or two of you to my new found friends. The family and friends here all had asked that we bring some warm sunshine home with us and I am glad to say that we have been sucessful in doing just that, we have had a very good week since we got home on Sunday just a few hours ahead of Heathrow Airport being closed due to the volcanic ash !!
Well think I will go now, it has been a mad mad week since we got back Sunday afternoon. Our friends Bob and Mary arrived Monday at 10.20am from New Zealand they leave us again on Saturday but it has been great having them but still trying to gather my wits as they say !! so till next time don't forget to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. xx Monday, 26 April 2010walk in Box
Hi Friends, back again this time I thought that I might take you a litle walk through the village. I have added some photographs so I decided I would add a little about each of them.
Number 1 Box Tunnel is perhaps the most famous view in Box. It is always being photographed especially by the many train spotters who stand in wait on the bridge that runs over the railway, for the trains rushing through the tunnel. especially if it is a steam train which comes through on special trips or the Orient Express that does special trips....very expensive...from London to Bristol Number 2.. Is a slightly more modern house that would have been used as a Toll House when the main road was but a lane and the traffic...horse and coaches.. had to pay a toll at that point. Number 3,.. The school it is a Church of England school for children from age 4-12 it has been in constant use sinse it was built in 1875 The clock in the tower chimes each hour from 7am till 10pm. when we have a silent night !! Number 4. The Pound. This is a small oasis in the centre of the village. When it was first built it's purpose was to impound any stray animals pending collection by their owners who were then charged for their return... Number 5 The Manor House was originally 17c. although additions have been made in latter years. It was once the Home of the Northey Family who were considerable landowners Number 6 The Fountain. This is a delightful little area in the middle of the village and is of Gothic/Victorian design The other houses I just thought you might like to see the various styles that can be seen throughout my lovely little village. I hope you have enjoyed your little wander round Box in lovely Wiltshire, I have only lived here 17 years but fell in love with it almost as soon as I arrived. We are surrounded by beautiful green hillsides and meandering lanes with fields full of sheep and at this time lambs and also cows.. I always wish I could walk these lovely fields etc however I am blessed with lovely friends who go on the walks and always take photographs to share with me. I wonder what your surroundings are like ? Mary and I are away on our cruise next week but I will try to come back before we leave, if not we come home on 16th May and will hopefully have many a tale to tell of our Caribbean Cruise. Good Night, Bless you all and remember always to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Friday, 2 April 2010Thursday, 1 April 2010Maundy Thursday, April Fool, Concerts,
Hello Friends,
At last I am back and I can hardly believe that we are now into April....I wonder if anyone was caught out with an April fool before noon today ? I certainly was at 7.45am actually when my BIL called and told me some daft story that I believed...hook line and sinker !! before it dawned on me that it was April 1st. what a way to start my day LOL... As well as All fools day it is also here in the UK Maundy Thursday, a dear friend of mine a few years ago was very proud and honoured to be presented with the Maundy money from the Queen, I think that year the gifts were given out in Gloucester Cathedral. I found this about the Maundy Money that you might like to read about The Maundy Thursday celebrations in the United Kingdom today involve the Monarch (since 1952, Queen Elizabeth II) offering "alms" to deserving senior citizens (one man and one woman for each year of the sovereign's age). These coins, known as Maundy money or Royal Maundy, are distributed in red and white purses. This custom dates back to King Edward I. The red purse contains regular currency and is given in place of food and clothing. The white purse contains currency in the amount of one penny for each year of the Sovereign's age. Since 1822, rather than ordinary money, the Sovereign gives out Maundy coins.[38] which are specially minted 1, 2, 3 and 4 penny pieces, and are legal tender. The service at which this takes place rotates around English and Welsh churches, though in 2008 it took place for the first time in Northern Ireland at Armagh Cathedral. Until the death of King James II, the Monarch would also wash the feet of the selected poor people. No wonder my friend felt privildged to be receiving the Maundy Gifts. And so Maundy Thurs leads us on to Good Friday and then Easter Sunday...what an array of emotions one goes through in these short 4 days... The Easter Weekend is usually the first holiday weekend for people who are fortunate enough to be working, at one time in the not to distant past all the shops etc would be closed for Good Friday and Easter Monday but nowadays they don't and in most places these days pass as any other day. Thankfully the weather has mostly changed to real springtime and all the various spring flowers are fighting to see which ones can come out into bloom first...Having said that poor Scotland has been in the middle of another winter period with blizzards and people caught in their cars etc for hours in snow drifts even a train on it's way to Inverness was caught in a snowdrift and the passengers were faced with an 8 hour journey as opposed to the one they thought would take 2 hours !! March was quite a quiet month for me here so not much to report...We did have a great evening concert at church when we had a group from the village called Collerne up the hill, the group is called CAOS.!!..(Collerne Amatuer Operatic Soc.) The have been going for 25 years so they sang for us songs from all the performances that they have done...It was a great evening and everyone enjoyed themselves. Our next occasion at church will be next Friday when we are having a chinese Supper evening It is a sell out already so we are all looking forward to that very much. Chinese is my fav. food, other than good old Britsh food !! Also this month I will be making a quick visit to Scotland to see a friend, my sister and BIL come as well and we always have a nice time together... So there we are, always something to look forward to. I hope that you also have a great month ahead. And a wonderful Easter in particular... I will enjoy reading all your journals as the month passes. Whatever you do always remember to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.... Monday, 8 March 2010
Well I have made yet another start ! I have changed my header as all our snow has now gone....we hope for a long long time ! it was time for a change the flowers that are everywhere in our garden centres at the moment are the beautiful primroses. These primroses are actually one that will be appearing in my garden..hopefully..in a few weeks (these are last years) everything is behind this spring by at least 3 weeks I think. Usually when it is our Mothering Sunday which is next Sunday here in the UK all my daffodils are in full bloom..some years we even pray that they will still be in bloom! we make small posies up for all the ladies in the church, however this year there is not even one out so we will have to go and buy some for Sunday which is rather sad..not the buying..just the fact that there are none blooming as yet...
So what have I been up to lately. well to be honest not a lot ! The week before last I had a full week of knitting. Now knitting used to be my greatest pleasure and over the years I must have knitted 100s of jumpers etc etc., but for some time now I have had arthritis in my hands and they become quite sore when I knit so I had more or less given it up, however when my best pal came over couple of weeks ago and was knitting a jumper for her Grandson..I looked at it and said I thought it was a bit on the big side as her Grandson is only just 10...the jumper she was knitting almost fitted me !! the upshot was that I took it from her and promptly ripped it down and said leave it with me and I will try to knit it up again for her in the correct size ( we later discovered her daughter in law had given her sizes in cm and as Pam and I are "ancient" we are still in ins.and Pam was duly doing the said jumper in ins not cm.!!) anyway I set to and in 4 days or so had the jumper finished and ready for Fin. (He needed to wear it to a school book reading club it had to be made to represent one of his fav. book characters he had chosen Horrid Henry so the jumper had to be in blue with a yellow band on it !!) Last weekend we had a few days away to Weston Super Mare a Victorian sea side town on the west coast under 2 hours from us here in Box. we were attending the Bristol District Wesley Guild Annual Meeting. we took 12 of our members with us and we all had the most wonderul time. The forecast had been wild and rather wet but thankfully the forecasters got it wrong and we had a lovely if somewhat cold few days. we were able to take a nice walk along the front and to view the new pier that is growing by the day ..they say that it will be fully rebuilt for the summer season and having seen it I am sure it will be. These last few days we really seem to have seen the back of winter, as we have enjoyed lovely sunny days. It has still be very frosty first thing in the mornings yesterday I even thought maybe we had had snow overnight! but the sun soon gets to work and melts it by 9.30ish. Mary and I havn't gone far but most days we have made just a short drive just to experience the warm sun shining through the car windows... On Saturday a good friend Julie was down from London and we all enjoyed a great supper out at one of our Local Pubs. She had not been down for a wee while so it was as always great to see her. (It was Julie who went with me as my buddy when we went sailing on the Tall Ship we had such fun and lasughter together as well as hard work !!) So there you are not much news but just enough to keep us all in touch. Till the next time. Keep smiling and remember to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. x Monday, 22 February 2010snowy days..and sunshine,,
Hello Friends, Sorry for such a long time between last blog and this....No real excuse other than that each day passes in much the same way so there has not been a lot to write about...
Mary and I had a 5 day coach trip two weeks ago to the East Coast Town of Margate...when we told people we were going to Margate they all looked at us as if we were mad...having been now in February !! I can understand why. As we approached Margate on the afternoon of Monday it began to snow...just a little...no worry says I... As we got out of the coach I thought that perhops I had landed in the North Pole. The wind for certain was comming from there without a stop...it was freeeeeezzzzzzzzing...Thankfully the hotel was warm and comfortable and very welcoming and we had a good room that was also nice and warm...The first nights dinner was a time to really meet the other folks on the trip. They were mostly all very nice. One elderly gentleman who was travelling for the first time on his own since his wife died attatched himself to us, and that was ok. He was very attentive at meal time always arranging Mary's chair for her and putting her crutches safe out of the way, also making sure we both had all that we wanted ! Bless Him..we could have done it ourselves however it is always good to let someone think they are helping...Tuesday there was a morning trip to an aircraft museum so we decided to give that a miss and have a wee walk/trundle around the town. Were only out about 10mins when we had to give in and get back into the warmth of the hotel and to order their Special hot chocolate Toddy...hot chocolate with a dash of whisky cream and hazelnut...I never drink whisky but we were so cold we thought anything that would heat us up was to be recommended....it was delicious....Wednesday was a day visit to Canterbury with a short stop at a small village called Whitstable, thankfully for us the driver stopped in the High Street directly opposite a church that was having it's weekly coffee morning. I don't think the ladies had ever had an invasion such as they saw that morning when almost 90% of us piled in !! then it was on to Canterbury. Mary and I went there last year with the same coach company so we did not want to go and visit the Cathedral again so decided on a wander round the lovely lanes....well that was the plan...however less then 10 mins into our stoll the snow started and boy did it snow !! it was a complete white out we were glad to see a M&S store so dashed in there and after spending almost 2 and 1/2 hours there !! It was time to make our way back to the coach Mary having to go very carefully in case her crutches went one way and she the other LOL I have never spent so long in any shop in all my life !! Thursday we awoke to a lot of snow and the driver decided that there was no way he could take us out for the arranged trip to some open air market and so we spent the day in the hotel. I had taken, for the first time, my little notebook computer and there was free internet access so I was quite happy to spend time playing and Mary got to chat to other new made friends.. Thankfully by the time Friday came and time for us to leave the snow on the roads had been cleared and we were able to make our way home..so although it was an exceedingly cold it was a very pleasant few days.. Glad to say that there are signs of spring in the garden the snowdrops are such brave wee flowers It amazes me how such tiny thin leaves can force themselves through the hard frozen ground, also Mary has crocus flowers purple and yellow blooming...The sun actually shone for quite a few hours on Saturday it is such a blessing when it appears, and I was able to go out into the yard and cut back the clematis and various other climbers I wasn't out long but every few mins. helps. My sister and Brother in law recently bought me an evergreen clematis and Peter our nice neighbour has gone and got us a very large pot to transplant it into, so that will be the next thing that will get done.. I expect like us all you will be waiting for these first signs of spring and I pray that you will see the signs very soon.. till the remember to..........Love one Another Saturday, 30 January 2010Spring, Lambs, Snowdrops,
Hi Friends,
Well we are almost at the end of January, the first month of the year gone I can hardly believe it. Although there have been days when I felt that perhaps winter would never end. We have cerainly had a very hard January weatherwise. I could not believe that we had below freezing Temps. for over a week, one morning getting down to below -11...............but...............this past week I see real signs of spring, on Monday I saw my very first little lambs they were springing about on their wee legs full of the joy of the moment not a thought in their heads that only half an hour later they would be being pelted by heavy rain.. I was so sorry for them and hope their Mums would keep them close tucked in. (It seemed strange to see the signs of the new life when I was on my way to prepare for the funeral of a friend from church)Then in the garden I saw the winter jasmine coming into bloom and the trailing willow at the gate showing it's little white furry buds. A bit later in the week as Iwent into a friends garden what did I see....yes ..the first snowdrops their little heads bobbing in the wind.. so spring IS on it's way... Then this morning what did I see when I woke up....SNOW....not a lot but snow just the same it was a bit icy underfoot I actually had a laugh when our postman wasn't looking where he was going and slid on an iced over puddle....I know it is cruel to laugh at anothers misfortune but...well...I coudn't help it..he was ok of course ... As the day has passed most of the snow has gone but it is still white where the sun has not reached and the forecast is for below freezing tonight...(just hope these wee lambs are ok).... Yesterday Mary and I were in Bath to meet up with a cousin I had not seen for about 32 years ! she came from Rhodesia to South Africa and we lost contact for some years but due to the internet are back in contact. She was over visiting her son who has moved to the UK and joined the Army his wife was having their second baby and that was what brought Ina over ( it was a boy born on Sunday) We had a nice lunch together and did a lot of catching up on family etc. So all in all it has been a lovely week. I sure hope that you have had just as good a week. Love One Another.. Monday, 25 January 2010
Good Morning, Today is January 25th traditionally Burns Day to many Scots people throughout the world. There are Burns suppers by the 1000 I expect. Burns suppers are particularily popular in Russia where Robert Burns is well regarded. I actually had a burns meal with the family on Saturday evening as we had a freidn who had never tasted haggis so we all met together to encourage her !! she did enjoy it and actually had seconds ....If you do not know how a traditional Burns supper goes I will add what would be done and said at a trad. dinner.
If you have never tried haggis and can get your hands on one I would say go ongive it a try...it is delicious... Burns Suppers have been part of Scottish culture for about 200 years as a means of commemorating our best loved bard. And when Burns immortalised haggis in verse he created a central link that is maintained to this day. The ritual was started by close friends of Burns a few years after his death in 1796 as a tribute to his memory. The basic format for the evening has remained unchanged since that time and begins when the chairman invites the company to receive the haggis. THE FORMAT FOR A BURNS SUPPER Chairperson's opening address A few welcoming words start the evening and the meal commences with the Selkirk GraceThe company are asked to stand to receive the haggis. A piper then leads the chef, carrying the haggis to the top table, while the guests accompany them with a slow handclap. The chairman or invited guest then recites Burns' famous poem To A Haggis, with great enthusiasm. When he reaches the line 'an cut you up wi' ready slight', he cuts open the haggis with a sharp knife.It's customary for the company to applaud the speaker then stand and toast the haggis with a glass of whisky. The company will then dine. A typical Bill o' Fare would be: Cock-a-leekie soup*Haggis warm reeking, rich wi' Champit Tatties,Bashed Neeps*Tyspy Laird (sherry trifle)*A Tassie o' Coffee (Mashed potato, mashed swede) The Immortal MemoryOne of the central features of the evening. An invited guest is asked to give a short speech on Burns. There are many different types of Immortal Memory speeches, from light-hearted to literary, but the aim is the same - to outline the greatness and relevance of the poet today.Toast To The LassesThe main speech is followed by a more light-hearted address to the women in the audience. Originally this was a thank you to the ladies for preparing the food and a time to toast the 'lasses' in Burns' life. The tone should be witty, but never offensive, and should always end on a concilliatory note.ResponseThe turn of the lasses to detail men's foibles. Again, should be humorous but not insulting.Poem and SongsOnce the speeches are complete the evening continues with songs and poems. These should be a good variety to fully show the different moods of Burns muse. Favourites for recitations are Tam O' Shanter, Address to the Unco Guid, To A Mouse and Holy Willie's Prayer.The evening will culminate with the company standing, linking hands and singing Auld Lang Syne to conclude the programme Friends enjoy the day. I have a very busy one ahead as I am just about to go food shopping as my friend and I are catering at shurch for the funeral of one of our members...it is only 7.50am. I sure am up before I know it this morning LOVE ONE ANOTHER Saturday, 9 January 2010Sunshine, snow and ice
Hello Friends,
What a beautiful day it is here in Wiltshire. I could amost believe that it is summer time...except...that the temp. has not risen above freezing all day !! The sky is so blue and not a cloud to be seen....I expect that means that tonight we will have another sharp frost, this morning at 9.15am. I checked the temp.outside on the thermometer and it was still at -9 so summer it is not....but I can dream.... I am so pleased that you were able to look at the previous posting. No one was more surprised than me when I was able to post the "smilebox" so that is something else I have discovered how to do....now just find a way to get photo's in the middle of text and I might really have conquered blogspot !!! I hope that you are all keeping well and keeping warm, it seems that most of you have got the winter weather where ever you are with more, or less, snow. It is a long while since we had as much as we have had these past few weeks. We have even cancelled our church service tomorrow as we don't want any accidents on the way there. I have also cancelled Guild on Monday. Mary is keeping herself occupied today by doing a jigsaw and I am getting on with a few letters that I should have done a week or two ago... keep warm and safe friends, Love Sybil LOVE ONE ANOTHER... Thursday, 7 January 2010
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