last of the weekend tales

Sorry I didn't get back in yesterday.  I was quite tired all day as I had a rather disturbed night...needlessly so, as it turned out....around 4am I woke to the sound of my fire alarm bleeping...indicates a new battery require..after 1/2 hour I could stand it no longer as I feared that it might go off altogether, then I would have to get a stick I keep handy to poke it with (it is up on the ceiling and to high for me to reach normally) anyway around 6.45 I figured that Peter would be up and getting ready for work so I called him and he came to take the battery out. At first he could not do this so took the whole thing down and went off with it...a few secs later I thought I heard it go again !  PETER...he came back and we stood in the kitchen looking around only to discover it was the carbon monoxcide alarm that was bleeping and in need of new batteries..It sits under the gas boiler and of course had I known it as that I could have taken action to silence it at 4.30am..... No wonder I felt tired all day !!!
Anyway back to the weekend. Once we left the castle we made our way to my friends house where we were staying till Monday. It was great to see Fiona again. we have been friends for over 40 years. we started our friendship when I baby sat for her and her Dr husband now the "bairns" are around 46 44 and 42  !!
We all went out for a nice meal in the evening. Sunday dawned a lovely sunny day and after breakfast we made our way over the Forth Road bridge and on into Fife.  My dear friends Jane and Meme live in Elie a tiny fishing village...well it was once fishing now it is a holiday village.  Jane has been very very ill for a while now and it may well be the last visit I will be seeing her. so it was very special. We did not stay to long as I could see that she was very tired after about 11/2 hours.  Once we left we dove along the coast visiting a few of the tiny villages and ended up at the real fishing village of Anstruther. Here in Anstruther there is a Fish and Chip shop that has won the award of the best fish and chip shop in the UK for last 4 years...so we just had to stop there. The sitting area in the shop was full but as it was such lovely day we just sent Max in to Q. and Beth and I found a seat on the harbour wall and waited and waited it was at leats1/2 hour before he returned with our orders...I had the very best smoked haddock I have ever tasted in all my life.  Beth had battered prawns and Max had lobster....all freshly caught that morning....All in all except for the sad part of seeing Jane look so poorly and Meme having aged so much it was a lovely day and we were so blessed to have brilliant even warm sunshine.  Oh I forgot whilst we were sitting having our lunch we were entertained by a puppeteer who was one among around 7 Harley Davidson motor cycle enthusiasts.. There bikes were so beautiful There was even a three wheeler that I got quite envious of..I could just see Mary and I sitting astride that one going through the village !!!
Monday we left after breakfast for the long drive home. It is approx 400 miles from Edinburgh home to Box. Max drove all the way and we made good time and arrived in time for Mary getting the kettle on for tea at 3.30...
I will be back after the weekend with more news. I am soon leaving to collect a Friend from London who is coming for the weekend.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Edinburgh weekend

Morning Friends,
Back once again from my short trip up north to Edinburgh.  It was a really good visit and thankfully the horrendous weather forecast for Friday did not materialise. Max and Beth collected me around 8am. and Max made good time on the motorway. In fact I have rarely had such a good journey there are usually accidents and road works to contend with but this time both going up and coming home the M.ways were all clear.   we arrived in Edinburgh around 3,.30pm.  In the evening as it was still dry I suggested that we go up to Arthur's seat with John and Sarah's ashes before we did anything else.. I felt that that would be better for Beth...This we did. It was a beautiful evening. We stopped by a small lake and Beth went off by herself...at her request...she took the ashes to where her Dad had taken Jacqueline's ashes, and so once more Jacqueline, and her Mum and Dad were intermingled...if you know what I mean. It was as I say a beautiful evening and when she came back Max and Beth and I had a hugging session and enjoyed the sounds of the birds and the views of the loch and further away the river Forth and the coast of Fife.
Saturday dawned very wet...However we had planned for that and decided to visit a new exhibition area...at least new to us...Planet Earth..I think it was called.  It was a good choice as we spent 21/2 hours there and were fascinated by all the facts and figures. The exhibition started with the big bang theory and continued in that vein as we were taken through ages. There were many interacive buttons to push etc etc and areas where we were enclosed and felt the effects of the ice age. earthquakes, volcanoes...at times quite scary !! towards the end we had a 4D film show.  We had never seen a 4D show and it was truly magnificent with our glasses on we really felt part of the Astronauts flying through the air and visiting various planets etc etc. all in all a good morning.  Afterwards we drove up the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle.  There we had quite exceptional attendance. The esplanade was closed to general traffic so we asked where the nearest disabled parking was..the soldier on duty said no trouble Sir  (to Max) and opened the barrier told us top drive right up the esplanade to the sentry box right At castle gate !!  next a private hire limo arrived and took us including of course the wheelchair right to the top of the castle pointing out various places on our way up and dropped us of right at the top and said when we were ready to come down wherever we might be just to ask any guide and they would call them up and they would come..  and they did.     I will stop here as the day has started and Mary will be over any moment now and I will have to get he breakfast toast ready.  I will try to pop in tonight perhapss to share the rest of the weekend with you.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

showers and Sunshine.

Good Evening friends,
Just a quickie tonight before I leave in the morning.  we didn't do much yesterday as there were lots of heavy showers.  when Peter came home from work he came along as usual.....his excuse as usual.."why should I make my own coffee when you can make one for me !!"  We decided that we should try to pick up some potatoes. It is the first year that I have grown them  ( my garden in too small for a veg. patch) however in the springtime when I was in the garden centre they had on offer, potato bags and the compost and potatoes to put in them...so I thought I would have a try.  Peter to the rescue once more as he planted and tended them..Last night we/he ! dug the first lot up. They were a fair size (Peter did say that if he had have watered them even more and they might have been bigger) but I was delighted.  There was enough for a few dinners. Peter took home a few for last night and today I made them for lunch boiling them with some nice fresh garden mint....delicious...I could have just enjoyed them on their own but did have some chicken fillets and peas and carrots..  Margaret and Mitch were over today.  It is very sad to see Margaret getting ever weaker she seems to spend most of her time sleeping or dozing...However she was quite cheerful ...when she was awake !!  when Mary goes up to Edinburgh on the 4th July and Margaret's friend Anne is coming down for a few days. Anne's flight gets in...turns round...and will take Mary up to Edinburgh. So it will be a case of dropping one and picking up the other !!  Margaret and I are looking forward to Anne's visit, she will be staying with me for a few nights and visiting Margaret during the day..
Today has been a day of sunshine and showers at the moment it is lovely. I am hoping that tomorrow will be good for driving. This will be the first time that I haven't done the driving myself. This time we are not taking my car and Max will do the driving...it will seem strange...

Till I get back...Look after yourselves and don't forget to   LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

New picture

Morning Friends, 
Just in for a quick change in the picture.  On Saturday when Peter was along we were talking about our meeting with Rolf Harris and wondered if it would be possible to get a copy of the photograph that the official photographer took.  The out come was that I called  the art Gallery and asked where and if we could get a copy...They were so good and said that they had them and if I could wait she would see if she could find us !! apparently they were in a very large file and after a few mins. when we tried to remember what I was wearing....well it was a week ago LOL....It was found. Both Peter and I are pleased with it especially after a friend was able to adjust the picture a bit by removing some of the people who were standing behind me.
It is another lovely morning here and promises to be a warm day...last for the week the weather woman is saying there are to be rather  heavy showers next few days...
we are off to Bible study this morning and afterwards we are going to a new ASDA store that has opened in Melksham a small town near us here in Wiltshire.  It has been open now I think about 3/4 weeks so should be a bit quieter...
Thank you everyone for your prayers regarding the selling of the house. It has now gone up for sale I went up on Saturday for one last look round. It was a rather sad visit...
We, me niece Beth and Max are going up to Edinburgh on Friday for the weekend but will try to get back before we leave..

LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Busy Days

Hello Friends,  I hope that this finds you all well and happy... we have been having quite a busy time here what with one thing and another. at the end of my last "report" we were still having some gorgeous weather and n Friday the 3rd. when we woke we still couldn't decide exactly where we should go. It was the children's school holiday week and so the thought of hoards of children and trying to park ruled out quite a few destinations.. In the end we thought why don;t we just go into Bath and be "tourists" and that is just what we did. We went into Bath and were ever so lucky to find the perfect parking spot.  we wandered into the Bath Abbey Churchyard where 100's of tourist congregate there Churchyard and once again found the perfect seat. There are many many buskers in Bath all of a high quality and especially in the yard directly by the entrance to the Roman Baths they seem to be extra good.  Mary and I sat quite entranced listening to a young fellow called Hang playing an instrement that I have never heard of called a Hedge Monkey...yes a Hedge Monkey. you really have to hear it for yourself and if you would like to listen you can find it on U tube. I loved it and although we were surrounded by hoards and hoards of tourists speaking in every language  imaginable and I found I could even cut out all the noise just to listen... He played for about an hour and sat chatting with Mary and I for a wee while afterwards explaining about the Hedge Monkey and telling us that it was developed  in Switzerland and can only be obtained by going there to buy them. Mary and I bought one of his CD's  After he left a trio stared to play and sing, they were very good as well but didn't grab our attention as much as Hang had.  After a while we moved up the town and sat outside a cafe where I had an ice cream and Mary a cool drink still enjoying all the people passing by....some of the "styles" had to be seen to be believed.. I always think I am fat but when I see others I have to agree with Mary that I am actually quite slim, you are permitted to ROFL at that idea !!    SSaturday was another exciting day as I had an invitation to meet Rolf Harris in a new art gallery in Bath. Actually I was taking Mary and Peter with me but Mary decided she would stay at home as we knew that there would be crowds of people and she dosn't do crowds very well..They just don't see her crutches and she either trips them up or they trip her up !! so it was Peter and me. when we arrived at the gallery there was already a big queue that we had to join even though we had a 1pm appointment.  It was eventually just after 2 by the time we managed to get in and had a lovely chat with Rolf.  Peter bought a limited edition book he had brought out that contained two prints of Rolf and signed. He also signed the book. I had taken with me the book that I had been given when I bought his painting of the Fishermen by Moonlight,  just in the hope that he might sign it...There was a notice to the effect that he would only sign things bought in the gallery...however when the gallery owner saw me clutching it she took it and gave  it to him..I said that I had bought the picture whilst on holiday and we chatted about that, he then kindly signed it. I have taken a photograph of the pages and will put it on as a header perhaps today just for a short time...
Sunday 5th. after church we met up with Max and Beth and Alex for lunch. It was a hard day really as it was 3 years to the day since Beth's sister, and my beloved Goddaughter Jacqueline died..so much has happened in these intervenening years. It is only 9 months since her Dad John died and 2 months sinse Sarah left us.
This week has been a week of Dr.s appointments...for Mary she has high BP and has been put on some extra tablets, however just before she went to the Dr. she was washing her hair and I checked the time of her appointment only to discover it was in 5 mins time!!  I called over to her and she came rushing out hair still with shampoo on it rubbing as she came ! I drove her up so it was little wonder that it was up !!  hopefully it will have settled by her next appointment..  Next day I had a hosp. appointment nothing to worry about, it was just that my leg needed a bit of "refurbishment" to make it a bit cleaner and fresher for the summer months !!...the day following that it was yet another hosp. appointment this time for Mary. she got on ok and will go back in 6 months..the Dr. there said that he thinks once they get a knee brace that actually works it may well help....
Now we are once more almost at the end of another week.  we will go shopping in the morning to Chippenham and on our way back go up to Sarah and John's house for the last time. Beth and Max will be up there all weekend and then they think that will be all they can do to make it ready for sale. it should go into the newspapers next Thursday.  Please pray that in this hard economic time that someone will find it their "dream home"...
Take care everyone and rememebr always to   LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Vallage affairs..

Better late then never !  Perhaps that should be my new motto..
However here I am again,  How are you all ?  do hope that you are able to spend some time outdoors now tha the summer is supposed to have arrived.   Most of my days seem to pass fairly quietly when I look back on them before going to bed.....however when I look at the diary I see that in actual fact the weeks seem to be quite full.... wonder if it is the same with everyone.
Last week ended on with a nice surprise. Mary has a very nice choropodist Helen who comes here to do her feet and has for some years now. Amongs other things we were speaking about clothes and how hard it was for me to get anything. (My dear nighbour Muriel has made me a few dresses over the years and has offered to do another two for the cruise and I had got the materiel and Helen was looking at it)..I was saying that although Muriel can make me a dress it always has to be the same style as she usues a dress that fitted and  I cut up as a pattern.  Helen said but you can just change it Sybil...I said well some might be able to but not Muriel.... Then she delighted me by saying sh would try to make me one.......I know that she is wonderful with the sewing machine as I have witnessed on many occasions .....so she has also taken an old dress and is going to play around with it to make me something different.  I am so happy at the thought and only hope that she can manage. (I have had many many clothes made over the years and none have really ever realised how difficult it can by)...so fingers crossed.  I have a feeling if anyone can do it Helen can.
Muriel came back from her Mum's on sunday after having been up with her for a week. It was "Grandma's" 100th birthday on Saturday. Muriel said she had a wonderful time surrounded by lots of family and friends and had a lovely card from the Queen which took pride of place.  It was good to have her back again as we miss her when she is not around.    Sunday was what is called Rogation day in the village. It is the one day in the year when all the churches get togther and walk around the village stopping at various places to worship and pray for that particular place.  i.e.  the school. the housing estate, the sheltered housing complex,the market place and shops, and ending at a support housing area called Queens Square to pray for the Queen and country. This Sunday for I think only the second time I didn't join the walk (in my case the trundle!!) the weather wad not very bright with rain imminent..it didn't come to anything though...I did miss my Sunday service though.  Monday was Revels day...now Revels day is a big day in the village callender and has been for many many years probably over 100 years (with a few interuptions)... I was for many years very involved as a committee member etc etc. The Revels is a chance for all the village organisations to raise money in whatever way the  like by hiring a space on the Rec. and selling whatever. There are also commercial  stands. and to aid the day the committe organises fun things like train rides, donkey rides, and usually on a main stage a band, singer or some kind of entertainment..it is always a themed day this year it was "all the fun of the fair"  one year we even had a crane offering bungee jumps !!    ALAS ALAS Monday dawned  WET  every organisers dread...It was such a pity as it was the first really wet day we have had in weeks...and typically the sky broke up to let the sun shine at....around...4pm....just as everyone was closing up. It was too wet for even me to go over and probably end up helping at the church stand...some memebers were doing a few games I think... I havn't yet heard how they got on or indeed if they stayed the course..
I think that is the first time in 18 years that I have missed going over.....mind you looking on the good side I didn't spend any money buying things I didn't need or eating things that are not good for the waistline !!.. Pam and her husband Henry came over and we did go out for a nice lunch so it wasn't a completely wasted day. Henry was asking many quesions about our cruise in Spetember and we checked out the various ports that we stop at and the various shore trips we could do.  As a consequece on Tuesday I was able to contact Royal Carriean to ask them to check out the feasability of the ones we think we could manage with my wheelchair and Pam's scooter...I wait a reply...
Yesterday we went back to hospital with Mary's knee brace that she got last week. It is not a good fit and keeps slipping down her leg!! so not much good.. The result is tha they are going to order another one of a different design..we will await the results if that..we also showed them that it was completely hopeless for Mary to get it on herself and I might not always be around to do it for her...fingers crossed that a new style will be easier to put on and off and stay on !!!      I am writing this unusually during the morning. Mary goes always up the village on a Thursday morning to a coffee morning and Margaret and Mitch are usually here. However M&M won't be over as Maragret has a friend visiting this am. and a Dr's appointment this afternoon so I have opened the laptop and do an update !!   It is lovely and warm today very little wind so it may even get a bit too hot sitting out...Tomorrow looking at the diary seems to be a free day so think as the forecast is to continue nice we will take the opportunity to take a wee trip somehwer nice.  It would have been nice if our friend Cait had been around as we could have taken her to the sea, however she is looking after her daughters house and dog for a couple of days...Next time I write with news I will tell you where we ended up.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.