New Year, old Holiday thoughts..

Hello Friends,
I am so sorry to have kept you all so long awaiting news from this end.  Thank you for the various e mails asking that all was well.    It has been  it just seems that 2012 has already started to rush along at breakneck speed.  Perhaps also I should blame FB.  I just knew I should never have become involved with it....( I soon may not as there are things going on that I do not like...we will see)  Then I began to think about what I could actually write and tell you that might be new and fresh for a fresh new year and my old brain was blank..I could say my excuse is down to being another year older !!  Mary and I have had quite a few meals out with various friends celebrating said birthday...nothing new about that... I have been visiting my sister MMargaret who unfortunetly is still very very poorly...nothing new about that...then tonight I have been tryng to clear out some documents etc. and started to read some of the diaries I have kept from our various holidays and thought....well that might be "new news" to some of my friends so that is what I am going to do so you can stop right here if you like....you now know that I am alive and kicking...or you can read on about the first day of a holiday in South Africa...

After landing in South Africa there followed a 3 hour coach drive up to Bushlands Lodge Game Reserve, where the first 5 nights of our holiday was spent. We were a great group only 8 of us and we all got on so well. We were all very like-minded and so that was a bonus. Bushlands Lodge was WONDERFUL It is centrally situated in Zululand and surrounded by over 300,000 acres of national park that is rich in wildlife. It had it's own viewing hide close to a waterhole where we could go at any time The comfortable wooden lodges are set on stilts and connected by elevated walkways above a sand forest .This was the only thing that had worried me about the holiday as I hadn't a clue as to how the wheelchair could be got "up there" !!  Never fear Saga here..the walkway leading to our room instead of being up steps was actually ramped the first little bit was on the steep side but only for a yard or so and I hopped out of the chair and then jumped in again and drove it up the rest of the way. I can't adequately describe Bushlands it was in such a wonderful spot. We were surrounded by bush..lots of monkeys, deer, other animals to many to mention. We had only a short walk/trundle to the restaurant and the bar.  The Chef prepared succulent meals every day, the bar GREAT...prices fantastic a martini and lemonade for £1  !!   The bar was further enhanced when the fire was lit beneath the starry sky and drinks were served by the boma (bonfire)


On the way up from Durban Charmaine our young guide (who was lovely nothing was ever any trouble to her) had said she had good news and bad news for us...we asked for the good news first  she said our first Safari had been organised for next day...GREAT WE ALL SAID...bad news...we had to start at 5.30AM !!!!  we all groaned and she said..... well...we could make it 5.45am !!  we voted for the 5.45am start !!  We slept like logs that first night but all were up and ready for our early safari. We met our guide a great guy called Anton. He insisted that Mary got in the front up by him ( it was easier for her to get in the jeep that way) I was right behind, higher up and all the others were behind me, we all had a side seat..no windows..it took aprox. 35mins. to arrive at the Hluhuwe National Park....there the fun started. Anton had told us that sometimes nothing is seen other times a few animals all depended so we were not to be too disappointed if we didn't see much.   We were in the park about 5mins and turned a corner and we were confronted by a whole herd of GIRAFFE  (Mary's fav.) and ZEBRA (my fav.) words cannot describe the feelings at being so near to these magnificent creatures it was AWESOME as you can imagine the camera was hard at work..oh I do hope I can share some of them with you...after a wee while we went on and passed many many animals deer of all sorts/ I am afraid I will never remember which was which !! buffalo's Eland, Duiker, Impala, kudu and Nyala then around another corner...and...What should be right in front of us.... a HUGE bull elephant.  He got quite a surprise....as we did...started taking photo's at once the suddenly this big beast started to swing his trunk wave his ears and paw the ground...our driver Anton very quickly got into reverse and we reversed back round the corner by which time the elephant had started to walk rather quickly towards us !!! he rounded the corner..Anton reversed again...the Whew...old Nellie, or maybe as it was a male he should be called old Bill !!! decided we were not a threat and he shook his trunk at us, turned into the bush grabbing a branch on his way and disappeared into the bush...how an animal that size can disappear so quickly is a mystery.  but disappear he did.    Shortly afterwards Anton stopped and served us all tea/coffee and biscuits  before we eventually after about 3 hours  returned back to the lodge for breakfast.  What a start to the holiday... The food at the lodge was wonderful, well cooked, plain and plentiful. At breakfast we could help ourselves to all kinds of juices, cereals, yogurt (best we have ever tasted!) the waiters produced whatever cooked food we might want. Even cheese sausages !! yes cheese sausages we just had to try them they were ok. but a bit on the salty side as indeed was the ordinary sausages, eggs of any description, bacon etc. etc.  plenty tea/coffee.    It was a very lazy breakfast no hurry so it was almost lunch time by the time we were finished !!  the afternoon was spent unpacking and getting our breath back. Mary and I had a wander along the walkways to get the lay of the land, and arrived at the viewing hide. As it was mid afternoon there wasn't much to be seen. It is best there early morning or evening.   We had all arranged to meet up in the bar at 6.45.  Again it was easy for us to get there it was just behind the restaurant really and to get there we crossed an open area where the Boma (bonfire) was lit under the starry skies, it had the most wonderful atmosphere...and smoke !! (by the end of our 5 days visiting the bar! we were almost pickled !! by SMOKE !!!!)  The drinks were great and so cheap it was almost ridicules only a £1 for Martini and Lemonade...in fact all the drinks I think were £1 and the glasses of wine were huge..No fiddling about with measures in that bar.  When our dinner was ready we all trooped round and first three of nights sat outside (4th 5th nights the Germans arrived and grabbed OUR table !!!)  Dinner was again delicious at least 4/ 5 starters, Then as many different kinds of salads as you could imagine. Also every night there was a roast, beef, pork, ham, chicken, with all the hot vegetables.  We never managed to get to the puds. but the others did and said they were great again a huge variety.  So we certainly never went hungry.    After dinner some of our party went back to the bar and watched the TV there as the rugby matches were on. We usually didn't. As we were actually quite tired by that time. So strolled back to our cabin surrounded by all the sounds of the bush. During the night we could hear squabbling monkeys sometimes !! And the sound of the bullfrogs went on and on. Thankfully I am a bit deaf so didn't bother me...occasionally Mary threatened to do them an mischief .....
So there you are something different to read as a start to my new year....
Again thank you for your letters, e cards phone calls, etc.  You are all the bestest friends one could ask for and I thank God for you all each and every night.
Remember to thank God for your friends as well and to tell them that YOU LOVE THEM

Christmas/ New Year 2011/2012

Hello Friends,
I know from reading all your lovely blogs that most  of you have had lovely Christmas celebrations and I am  sure you realised that I was not looking forward to Christmas  with my usual passion, however we had a very pleasant weekend.  Beth and Max came over Christmas Eve and we all went out for supper which was lovely.   Christmas day started for me around 5.30am !!  could not sleep so decided that I was as well up and getting on with preparing the turkey that our local butcher had kindly delivered at lunch time on SSaturday. As I stood there rubbing the  garlic butter under it's skin etc. I had a sudden thought that it was actually the first time....ever....that I had done a turkey !!  well Mum had always done it, and for the last 35 years at least Sarah and John had done all the Christmas dinner preps !!  anyway I soon had it basted to perfection....I hoped !!........Mary came over at her usual time and we were soon on our way up to the early morning Christmas service, It is always such a lovely service to be able to greet our friends etc on such a special morning. It is a short service as our minister Rachel has to go to one of her other churches shortly after being out at Box.. Nice we were back home Peter came along and we allowed ourselves to open a few presents which is always exciting....the bulk of them we left till after dinner..........this was a real change for me as it must have been the first Christmas ever that I had not opened our presents around midnight..ever since I was a child Mum and Dad had got me up and allowed me to open gifts and go back to bed with a fav.  probably knowing that then I would sleep long into the morning !!!     Anyway lunch turned out to be very good and enjoyed by the three of us.  We had Melon to start then the Turkey with roast potato and roast parsnips (that Peter had done) sprouts, carrots, and swede and beetroot, then we had the usual Christmas Pud. with double cream/single cream and brandy butter....mmmmmmmm 
Once things had been cleared away we got down to the serious business of opening all the exciting parcels..Mary and I are so very lucky and have such kind loving friends. Our gifts are to numerous to mention but I have to say that my gift from Mary has been a real winner...it was a lovely  "kindle! reading "book" I just love it already,  Thankfully Peter is good at getting all our "teccy" things working for us and before long I was able to start having books downloaded....he also got Mary's new mobile from me all set up for her.                   The days between Christmas and New Year I always think of as funny days it is difficult to settle at anything.    I have been over a few times to see Margaret my sister who has been quite poorly over this period....and now we have only a few hours left of 2011.  Mary is sitting knitting and the TV is on in the corner we are watching the surfers and life guards on Bondi Beach in Australia.  I will not be staying up this year as has been done most times,....I expect we will have a few wee drinks before Mary goes over home though....  And so dear friends I just have to say a very BIG thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support that you have given me during what has been a very difficult year. What better words can I leave you with than the words said by our late King George V1's

I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, 'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied, 'Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be better than light, and safer than a known way.'"

God Bless you all and remember to take every opportunity to LOVE EVERYBODY each and every day throughout 2012

Hello Friends,

Thank you so much for all the lovely letters e.mails and phone calls regarding the death of my poor wee Dee.  I have to admit that the last couple of weeks have not been easy but life goes on and with Christmas fast approaching I have just got to let go and get over his death....Indeed today I was perhaps able to help by writing a few words to a near neighbour who has just had to have her little dog put to sleep.

On Friday 9th Dec. We had a Christmas Celebration Evening at church.This took the form of singing carols, which were intercepted by readings, poem etc.  Pam my friend and I were both involved I did a reading of a poem about Christmas Eve and the reindeer's...It was well attended and we had a closing collection and managed to raise over £250 for the homeless charity in Bath.  That set me to thinking about poems and ones that we liked best etc... for me the John Betjmen poem "Christmas" has always been a fav. a friend of mine actually added an extra verse...we hope Mr Benjemen would not object.    As this will be my last blog before Christmas I think I will leave you with the poem including Bronwyn's last verse...

May you all have a very Blessed Christmas, and may each day bring Joy your way in the year to follow..

Christmas by John Betjeman

The bells of waiting Advent ring,

The Tortoise stove is lit again

And lamp-oil light across the night

Has caught the streaks of winter rain

In many a stained-glass window sheen

From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.

The holly in the windy hedge

And round the Manor House the yew

Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,

The altar, font and arch and pew,

So that the villagers can say

'The church looks nice' on Christmas Day.

Provincial Public Houses blaze,

Corporation tramcars clang,

On lighted tenements I gaze,

Where paper decorations hang,

And bunting in the red Town Hall

Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'.

And London shops on Christmas Eve

Are strung with silver bells and flowers

As hurrying clerks the City leave

To pigeon-haunted classic towers,

And marbled clouds go scudding by

The many-steepled London sky.

And girls in slacks remember Dad,

And oafish louts remember Mum,

And sleepless children's hearts are glad.

And Christmas-morning bells say 'Come!'

Even to shining ones who dwell

Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.

And is it true,

This most tremendous tale of all,

Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,

A Baby in an ox's stall ?

The Maker of the stars and sea

Become a Child on earth for me ?

And is it true ? For if it is,

No loving fingers tying strings

Around those tissued fripperies,

The sweet and silly Christmas things,

Bath salts and inexpensive scent

And hideous tie so kindly meant,

No love that in a family dwells,

No carolling in frosty air,

Nor all the steeple-shaking bells

Can with this single Truth compare -

That God was man in Palestine

And lives today in Bread and Wine.

But is it all? No, there is more

In compassion and love for us, God came himself

To earth; forsaking heaven’s glory

For suffering, injustice and death itself.

That same God still reigns supreme

And lives today in you and me.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.



Hello Friends,

This will just be a brief posting as I know one or two of my readers are wondering what has been happening in my neck of the woods.

I think it is with Christmas fast approaching that I am feeling a bit "blue"  This will be the first Christmas in over 30+ years that we have not all been celebrating together at my sister Sarah's....Oh what fun over the years we have had...so many fabulous dinners etc etc. including one very memorable one when there was I think 23 of us crammed into the dining room including friends from New Zealand. I have never seen so much food eaten in all my life !!...and laughs...what wonderful remembrances.. This year I have said to Beth my niece that I think we should try to start our own new traditions...and to that end I will stay here at home with just Mary and of course Peter our neighbour who although he has a Father down south he prefers to to stay home..it will certainly be different....To cap all last week my wee dog Dee started to take fits during the night of last Sunday.  I took him to the vet Mon. and again for blood tests wed. the upshot was that he was diagnosed with a serious liver problem that really could not be treated as well as the fits..and so I decided as I loved him so much that it would be kind to have him put to sleep...It was even harder that I had imagined as he deteriorated so fast I had to call the out of hours vet and take him to be put to sleep after midnight on Thurs/Frid.  I even had to call  Peter out of bed to come with me....Those who have lost a loved pet will understand just how empty I am feeling and so not really up to doing a longer post.

I promise I will be in before Christmas..

Till then remember to  LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Hello Friends,

I do hope that you have all had a good week and that you have been able to get out and about to enjoy it.  We have been blessed with warm days not at all like November, when I think back to last year we had deep snow and Mary and I were marooned !!!....The forecaster tells us that perhaps the mild spell will end this weekend and it will become more winter like....we will wait and see...I for one would be quite happy if it stayed this way till spring came !!!

Two weeks ago on Thursday we had a lovely day as my sister Margaret felt well enough to come over to me for our usual Thursday visit and then the 4 of us went out for lunch. we went to a very old Inn called The George set right beside the Kennett and Avon canal as it meanders into Bath some 4 miles away. It was some time since we had been there and it is now under new management. It was excellent. Even more so as I had a voucher and Mitch and I were able to have two wonderful sirloin steaks with all the trimmings at 2 for price of one...yummy....It was all the more special as Margaret got quite unwell the day after and has not been able to get out at all since....

I collected my new glasses last Wednesday, They are varifocals and glad to say I have got used to them very quickly there are only occasional times whon I have to move my head up and down to get things into focus. Such as at our church quiz night, I kept getting the question master out of focus LOL.  Pam and I were doing a raffle st the quiz and everyone was very kind to want to have a go, we did have some nice presents so that helps. I think that we made almost £97 and altogether the evening made just over £300 for church funds. Pam Henry, Mary Peter and I I am afraid did not do as well as we have in previous quizzes coming 7th out of 12  boo hoo,  although Peter did win some biscuits in the raffle !!!

I am going to change my header picture tonight and will keep it up for a few days.  It is a very old picture...the reason I am putting it up is to let you see what my dear Mother looked like at around age 6 tomorrow my Mother would have been celebrating her 100th birthday. what celebrations we would have had...She is the only one with a ribbon in her hair...she hated that ribbon as none of the other children had to wear one. Mum was brought up by her spinster Aunt who always insisted in the ribbon....little did she know that it was removed as soon as Mum got out of sight...but the day of  the photographs of course she knew better than have it removed.  I actually think it is an amazing thing to think that 94/5 years ago a school photographs was taken especially as it was a very small single class primary school the headmistress must have been well beyond her years to think of such a thing....

To all my friends in America may I wish you all a Very very Happy Thanksgiving weekend whatever you are doing I hope that you are surrounded by love and friendship.and take that opportunity to tell everyone that means anything to you that YOU LOVE THEM....

Hello friends,
How are you all this week. i can hardly believe that we are half way through November already. Christmas will be here before we realise it.  I will have to get my Christmas hat on and try somehow or other to get into the mood.  I know that this year is going to be particularly hard with out my dearest sister but for the sake of other people I will put that smile on the face and get going...just that it is taking a bit longer this year ..
i have a friend Marie who writes a daily blog....ayearfromoakcottage.org....it always amazes me that she can write such interesting stories every day...now me...it takes me all my time to wrote to you all once a week...and even then I never think that it is very interesting.  On a Tuesday Marie writes each week what she calls a simple woman's page...or similar ! so i thought that maybe this one week I will give you a taste of what she writes by doing a simple page of my own...

Outside my Window.
It is all dark with just a few orange glows that indicate some street lighting in the village. up near the top of a far hill I see a white light travelling along that must be a car bringing someone home from work perhaps. I hope he/she has had a good day.
I am Thinking.
How lucky I am to have such a lovely warm house. Mary has just gone home and tells me that the temp. outside is now 3deg.c. quite cold as we have not had real cold for some nights now..actually the weather forecast tells us that the clouds will soon be covering us and that will bring the temps up again.
I am Thankful For.
All my wonderful friends and family and all the encouragement the give to me.
I am wearing.
Black trousers, and a short sleeve pink top. I did have on a navy cardigan a wee while ago but the heating has come on now and it isn't needed.
I am creating.
I have started to knit a few scarfs some will hopefully sell at the church table top sale in December perhaps others will be for extra Christmas presents.  I am also sewing up blanket squares that Mary has been knitting, it is a lovely child's blanket this time in lovely colours of yellow green and a brilliant orange and will have a white border all round when finished...
I am going.
After  I finish this to do the drying up of the dinner dishes. Tonight we have had some ham that I roasted at the weekend with new potato's and some mixed veg. Peter our other neighbour joined us tonight direct from his work...Mary always washes up but is not so keen to dry up and put away !!
I am reading.
Running out of Tears. it is the moving personal stories of Childline's children over 25 years by Esther Rantzen.  My sister Sarah was quite involved with childline right from the start and indeed was partly responsible for making childline available worldwide in particular in India.  It is quite a hard book to read it is so disturbing to read of the effects adults treatment has been to young people.
I am hoping.
That tomorrow when I go to Bath to collect my new lenses that they will be good varifocals and that I very soon get used to them. Also that when I see my dear Sister Margaret she will be a bit better. She has been very poorly this week.
I am looking forward to.
the quiz night at church on Friday evening..not exactly for the quiz ! but for the good company and laughs that we all share not forgetting the great ploughman's supper !!

and so there we are, that is almost as much as I can think of to write tonight.  Oh I nearly forgot  Mary and I had a great Saturday afternoon at the theatre. The play was all about the last few months of Judy Garlands life. I can't remember who played Judy Garland but she was brilliant. She even looked like her and sang like her. there was a long standing ovation at the end.  we were so glad we went even although we had great problems finding a parking place !!...

Have a great week ahead, hope the days are sunny for you.  LOVE ONE ANOTHER    xxx

Guy Fawkes.

Hello Friends,

Another week has flown past and we now find ourselves in November. I can hardly believe it, we have been blessed with such mild weather. I still have my sandals on I don't think that has ever happened...

Trick and treat has been and gone and as always I have not had anyone knocking at my door. where I live in the village we do not have street lighting so I imagine the wee ones would not like that !! so all is quiet.  Our next event is on 5th. November when it will be anything but quiet....

For 400 years, bonfires have burned  on November 5th to mark the failed Gunpowder Plot.

The tradition of Guy Fawkes-related bonfires actually began the very same year as the failed coup. The Plot was foiled in the night between the 4th and 5th of November 1605. Already on the 5th, agitated Londoners who knew little more than that their King had been saved, joyfully lit bonfires in thanksgiving. As years progressed, however, the ritual became more elaborate.

Soon, people began placing effigies onto bonfires, and fireworks were added to the celebrations. Effigies of Guy Fawkes, and sometimes those of the Pope, graced the pyres. Still today, some communities throw dummies of both Guy Fawkes and the Pope on the bonfire (and even those of a contemporary politician or two), although the gesture is seen by most as a quirky tradition, rather than an expression of hostility towards the Pope.(not so sure of the politicians though !!) 

Preparations for Bonfire Night celebrations include making a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called "the Guy". Some children even keep up an old tradition of walking in the streets, carrying "the Guy" they have just made, and beg passersby for "a penny for the Guy." The kids use the money to buy fireworks for the evening festivities.

On the night itself, Guy is placed on top of the bonfire, which is then set alight; and fireworks displays fill the sky. when I was young my Dad was always in charge of the bonfire and fireworks. We usually had baked potatoes in the bonfire and when it died down we were able to grab those black half cooked potatoes and ate them with glee !! today we would probably die before we ate them and certainly health and security folks would probably be at our door  LOL   I do enjoy the wonderful display that the fireworks make but these days it is difficult as Dee and most wee dogs I know are terrified of the whizz, and bangs of the fireworks and so I have to keep indoors with the radio or Tv on at high blast to try to counteract the sound of the fireworks etc..It is bad enough on the actualy 5th. Nov. but it seems to go on for a week nowadays, although to be truthful this year it has been much quieter...thank goodness. But come tomorrow night I know I will have one wee cowering dog....

The extent of the celebrations and the size of the bonfire varies from one community to the next. Lewes, in the South East of England, is famous for its Bonfire Night festivities and consistently attracts thousands of people each year to participate.

Bonfire Night is not only celebrated in Britain. The tradition crossed the oceans and established itself in the British colonies during the centuries. It was actively celebrated in New England as "Pope Day" as late as the 18th century. Today, November 5th bonfires still light up in far out places like New Zealand and Newfoundland in Canada.

Please take great care if you are having fireworks or bonfire. There are so many accidents it is usually safer to go to an organised party.

Goodnight friends God Bless  and remember to..... LOVE ONE ANOTHER...