NOT DEAD WORKING IN TESCO IN ABERGAVENNY
It was sad news indeed to learn of the deaths of two very famous people Farah Fawcett Majors, an original Charlie's Angel and the very contraversial Michael Jackson.
It seemed that the latter had not left the hospital before the text messages and emails were being passed to and fro, not very p.c., jokes seldom are, most were in very bad taste indeed.
Now excuse me but wasn't it only in the past few weeks we were being fed the usual claptrap in the press about missed photo calls cancelled tours etc etc. Then boom, suddenly the man in question was the best thing since sliced bread and a hero to go all hysterical about. We were treated to that rubbish when Jade Goody died.
Too much emphasis is placed on the celebrity culture now and gullible minds consider themselves to be confidants of the deceased and weave a cocoon of misbelief around their lives.
I will be the first to hold up my hand to love a lot of Jackson's music, legend, well perhaps, misunderstood maybe, but certainly a troubled soul. No doubt we'll hear of how he's alive and well and working in Tesco's in Abergavenny in the near future. One thing is certain, we'll get a copious amount of Jacksonomania in the coming week. I feel sorry for his children, father dead and mother disowning them completely, who is going to care for them and their little troubled lives?
I guess the promotors behind the O2 concerts will be crying into their champagne tonight! and not for the death of their star.
Went to Scalby Fair last Saturday. That was fun, except for when the heavens opened, luckily we were on our way back to the car at that point. There were the usual stalls vying for our custom, St Catherine's, Samaritans, Lions etc etc. The Nags Head did a roaring trade and the Morris dancers and Irish dancers were enjoyed by all. Britain at it's best that is all I can say!
Taking the dogs for a walk yesterday, all quiet apart from the buzzing of bees and twittering of the birds. Out stepped, just twenty yards in front of us a beautiful sandy coloured deer. It looked straight at the dogs and I. We stared straight back, the dogs do not chase stuff, they really couldn't care less having being disappointed on so many occasions in their youth. It was just such a special moment, the deer after a minute or so just disappeared into the undergrowth. Yet another missed photo opportunity for me, I never do get things absolutely right.
Published Date:
26/06/2009
Modified Date:
26/06/2009
MORE LAMB, BUT NOT IN THE FREEZER!
What a week of highs and lows!
One of my little dogs was taken seriously ill, digging holes in the garden and lying in them, sickness and unmentionable other complaints. I rushed her off to the vets, to be met with a don't know what it can be but an injection and a course of antibiotics and a promise of x-rays if things didn't improve. The following day the other dog showed the same symptoms, to be rushed off to the vets for a repeat of the previous day's remedies. Luckily, whatever it was that was wrong with the pair cleared up after a couple of days.
We were all on a high note on Monday, when Chrit was granted (by a decision of eight to three) to have planning consent on the plot he bought a few years ago. This euphoria was quickly dashed later in the week, when the ex-missus started making unreasonable calls, causing distress and more upset in the camp.
More bad news when a friend of ours, came to give advice on the cabinets we are wanting to sell, it wouldn't be in our interest in the long term to dispose of them now, but where are we going to put them when the new furniture is delivered?
Never mind the sun shone today, the evenings are very cold though and the central heating has been on a couple of nights, can't save money anywhere.
I overheard a conversation last weekend about the polling day. One lady asked another if she was going to vote. Yes the reply came but am voting BNP. Now that thought had crossed my mind until ever cautious, I read the BNP's constitution on the net and decided it was perhaps a bit too radical for me. I couldn't resist a slight smirk to myself when the other lady retorted, best put a few three year olds in government perhaps they may do better.
It was the meeting of the parish council on Wednesday evening. We spent time discussing the colour of the parish hall, ahhh these domestic matters follow me everywhere!!
Grumpo, the new shepherd of the family has acquired two more ewes with lambs at foot. I am not certain of how this new venture is going to pan out, given his ability to have the most well fed and longest living animals of whatever breed he fancies to keep. One thing I am not going to rely on having lamb in the freezer at any time in the near future. Watch this space.
Published Date:
12/06/2009
Modified Date:
12/06/2009
MY CABINET RESHUFFLE
As in most households, we have been thinking of a re-decoration job for at least the last year. Sadly, the case, as most homes where one of the workers is a tradesman, the last thing on their minds is their own. Always playing second fiddle to paying customers and coming well down the list of things to do on a weekend.
However, the time is nigh so to speak. We are going to decorate and have a mini refurb in our dining/garden/ all things to all room. Unfortunately this means getting rid of two cabinets that have been in my family since 1912. I think it is called a crisis of concience on my part. I do want to update but some part of my brain is telling me don't do it.
My mum (bless her) was a mistress of quaint sayings and one of them was "never swop a fiddle for a gew gaw" The fiddle in this case is the antique cabinets and the gew gaw being new furniture.
I have played around with boxes, tape measures and pieces of string, trying in vain to find alternative places in our house for the furniture, all to no avail. Grumpo has no such sentiments, the furniture being from my side of the family and has said in no uncertain terms, that it must go.
My boys have lovely homes of their own and show no interest at all in taking the cabinets of my hands so I expect that I will be making a call to David Duggleby or some such for ideas.
Why is everything so much of a trial as we get older? All I want is a new dining set and a quick decorating job, not out of the realms of reason one would think.
Went to the In Bloom group meeting on Thursday. We have some great ideas for the parish, then spent Friday morning dishing out "Best kept garden" flyers to the local shops. I hope that we get a good response as this is our first attempt. After the success of the resurrection of the produce show last year, there is going to be another in July but my feeble attempts at floral artistry and gardening will definitely not be in the list of entrants.
I must admit to feeling more than a little sorry for the beleagured Gordon Brown, not that I am in any way a great fan of his. He is getting stabbed in the back from all and sundry but he did his best when the world was in such great financial crisis. There again the greedy ministers and bankers led us all up the garden path didn't they! Anyway my cabinet reshuffle is more important to me right now.
Published Date:
06/06/2009
Modified Date:
06/06/2009
PLANE PANIC
It was very sad to watch and listen to the news of the Air France plane that had disappeared with 223 souls on board, none of which would have stood a chance of survival, if, as it is suggested, that the aircraft crash landed in the Atlantic.
I would be the first admit that I have been a frequent traveller by air, but am always aware that although it may be the safest way to get from one part of the world to another the obvious risks to life if engine failure occurs or some other emergency when travelling so far up in the sky are ever present in the back of the mind.
On one of our recent flights, I was struck with a panic attack. I knew it for what it was. The plane was standing on the runway, awaiting the transfer of a passenger's passport that had inadvertantly been left on the her flight prior to the one we were on. How many pilots would have waited? certainly not one employed by EasyJet or Ryanair or any of the package company flights. However, there I was drenched in a cold sweat, trying my best not to let Grumpo know of how I was feeling. The overwhelming urge, to unbuckle my seat belt and make a dash for the door was almost too much to bear. My head bumped and thumped, my heart felt as if it would burst out of my tee-shirt at any moment, every second was an eternity. At last the take off was complete and I made a sudden dash for the galley, explaining to one of the stewardesses how I was feeling. She said she hoped I wasn't going to be trouble, that, however was the furthest from my mind. I gasped for breath and just asked for a drink of water. Luckily, a more sympathetic steward offered me a stewards seat and gently talked to me until the feeling passed over and I was able to go back to my own seat and try to at least get through the flight without that dreadful feeling returning. Ever mindful of panic attacks, I normally would take a calmer tablet before a long flight but had neglected to do so on that occasion, I have in the past been to a hypnotist to help overcome these attacks and know how to deal with them myself but on that occasion was blase and came a cropper.
How must those poor souls have felt on that doomed flight, it could be any one of us that go on holiday by air.
On a lighter note, or not, just depends on how everyone feels on the current expenses scandal. How come the Chancellor of the Exchequer, guardian of the finances of the entire country, had to pay an accountant to sort out his best deal of paying his taxes, and that we mugs had to pay for that little advice. Something just does not add up there or is it me with the feeling that we are being led up the garden path when it comes to ministers of this and that when in truth they probably know less than the man in the street on how to manage their budgets!, sort out the judicial system, care for the sick and educate children. It's all happened before and will happen again. Voting tomorrow, what joy, I haven't seen one of our local councillors who have been very good at posting leaflets through the door but not wanting to visit the locals in case we may ask pertinent questions and want definite and direct answers. I saw the back log of cars on Filey Road, last Tuesday, reaching back as far as the Plough at Lebberston with an empty park and ride. Who do they think they're kidding park and ride success what rot!!
Published Date:
03/06/2009
Modified Date:
03/06/2009
ALWAYS STAY HOME ON BANK HOLIDAYS
Another beautiful day! what have we done to deserve this and what has the weather in store for later.
Grumpo wanted to go to Selby this morning to view the collection of poultry and small animals that get auctioned every Monday alongside Crow's auction of any thing you care to mention.
Up again at the crack of dawn we mosied on down the A64 which was surprisingly quiet for once.
Arriving in Selby, we quickly found a parking place, unusual, this is a busymorning as a rule. As I have the blue cards I can park anywhere in the town free of charge, take note Scarborough Borough Council parking commandants!
Our visit lasted about fifteen minutes as there was nothing there to catch Grumpo's eye and the collection of goods for the ordinary auction was very scant apart from lots of dvd and video players, not a good buy at all. We set off back down the A64 and went off to Rufforth Park, always good for a market and car-boot, again though that was disappointing. The heat was getting high in the car even though the air-conditioning was on and the traffic horrendous around the York ring road. By this time I was driving being all the time advised by Grumpo and shall we say, tempers were getting a little frayed by the time we hit Scarborough and we've decided that the best thing to do on Bank Holidays is stay at home or go up to our pond.
Sure enough the rain started late this afternoon, someone somewhere must have done the rain dance as we've organised a barbie tomorrow to celebrate Grumpo's birthday. Better get the wellies out then.
Published Date:
25/05/2009
Modified Date:
25/05/2009
ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
My alarm clock beeped at 6.00 am this morning, the time was saying get up but my body was telling me to stay in bed!
After our latest adventure abroad, my bank balance is looking extremely sick. This added to the fact that Chrit has moved back in with us until his next house is complete and Tony is having a refurb have all added to loads of "stuff" surplus to requirements being deposited in the shed and attic. So, being Bank Holiday weekend Lebberston car boot beckoned and my niece, who had lots of baby items to dispose of and myself opted for the challenge.
The morning was just beautiful, a lone fat pigeon pecked at the grass on the Peasholm roundabout and an all to infrequently seen sun gleamed down on the sea visible through Peasholm gap. I couldn't help a fleeting thought that this is the best time of day!
Was it really only one week ago since my body clock was all out of sinc, dropping sound asleep at 7.00pm and up and raring to go at 3.00am. Most of the time spending days in a haze caused by jet lag.
We set off for Lebberston in convoy, stopped at all the traffic lights en route, the one particularly I remember is seeing the red lights at the far side of Valley Bridge, stopping and a lone cyclist pedalling furiously through whilst a queue of traffic behind me waited for the lights to turn green. So much for home sweet home.
At the car-boot, we were amazed at the queue of would be sellers waiting their turns to be guided in by the parking commandants, creeping forward inch by inch until a somewhat indescript line was decided by said commandant. Feeling somewhat downhearted at the mass of sellers making the most of the lovely day and Bank Holiday crowds we unpacked our "stuff"and waited for buyers.
I am always amazed by the amount of dogs toddling up and down with their owners and in the main how well behaved they all are. My hooligans have only made one visit to a car-boot and I vowed never again after a few near misses with crockery etc.
I had a phone call from Grumpo, who is always there with advice on what to do but has never set up a car-boot or indeed tried to sell. He was busy painting his shed, feeding livestock and generally doing not much of interest.
By 2.00pm my stomach was saying lunch, my body was telling me rest and my head was thumping out a tune reminiscent of the gorilla on the Cadbury advert. The day was not a complete waste, I did get rid of lots of surplus to requirements articles and have spent the rest of the afternoon doing what my body has been telling me all day, chill, do a bit of gardening, listen to the birds and smell the roses!!
Published Date:
24/05/2009
Modified Date:
24/05/2009
SACK THE HOUSEKEEPER PONSONBY-SMYTHE!
All good things have to come to an end and so here we are back home after our long holiday to Australia.
The garden looks as though any minute a lion could appear from the undergrowth, the cobblestones on the front are more dandelion and moss than stone and the dogs have only just started talking to us again. They must have thought they'd been abandoned at another family home and did behave rather badly according to reports, well perhaps badly is the wrong word, little messages left on the kitchen floors overnight, registered their disappointment to the alteration of their daily routines.
Grumpo, true to form moaned his way around Singapore, where we stopped over for a few days on our way home, about the scandalous cost of half a lager. Well he did have a point on one occasion.
One of the great tourist spots in the "Lion City" is the famous Raffles hotel. Of course we paid a visit and wandered around the shops and in and out of the covered walkways oohing and aahing at the shops that normally we wouldn't venture anywhere near, Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton etc. A chef stood behind an empty servery in the tropical courtyard, we did have a look around the little museum reading original letters from people who had travelled for six months by ship to stay at Raffles and looked at sepia photographs of days long ago when Singapore was part of the British empire. As in all tourist places you had to go through a little shop on the exit, all I could afford was a postcard which came already stamped. The lady at the counter wrapped it carefully and then put it in a brown bag emblazoned with the Raffles motif. Well that looked good at least.
We followed the signs for the Long Room where it is the thing to have an original Singapore Sling. It was a dark L-shaped room with raffia fans wafting air from the ceiling. As we found a table and sat down, I couldn't help noticing that there were peanut shells scattered all over the floor, underneath the tables and chairs. Thinking to myself that the housekeeping staff hadn't been doing a very good job that day, my jaw dropped when the barman flicked his hand over the bar top and yet more shells fell about everywhere (apparently it is part of the custom in the Long Room) We settled down to our Singapore Slings and Grumpo his half a lager, laughing and joking and generally lapping up the atmosphere. We asked for the bill and I thought Grumpo was going to croak, when, the cost of two Slings and a beer was $75.80 equivalent of about £38.00. No wonder there are no lager louts over there!! Retreating at speed we went in search of the famous doorman of Raffles the most photographed doorman in the world by acclaim. One of the minions told us he was unavailable but he appeared and was only too happy to pose with us outside. He was a sikh and soooo tall about 7 foot I thought and a very charming man, I did however resist the temptation to ask him to hold Flat Stanley for my grandson's school project, that, methought a tad too cheeky!
Published Date:
17/05/2009
Modified Date:
17/05/2009
BOOZE CRUISE WITH POSH NAME
The words cruise and wine ought to have been clues to what the trip was all about yesterday that we took on the Swan River from Perth.
According to the literature the trip included tours of two vineyards and wineries, lunch, wine tastings and numerous other delights too many to mention.
The boat left Number 1 quay on Barrack Square at 9.45 am and we allowed lots of time to negotiate the commuter traffic and get parked. Unfortunately all car parks were showing full and a feeling of foreboding filled our car as we cruised around looking for likely places to leave the car for the rest of the day. Eventually we left it at an over priced hotel park in a last ditch effort to get to the dock in time.
There were not too many people joining the cruise as it is out of season over here so we all had prime seats and viewing areas. The stewards were very attentive and we left Perth listening to the very descriptive information from the captain as to scenes on the left and right of the river. We saw black swans, after whom the river was originally named and were accompanied for a while by a school of dolphins which raced alongside and jumped out of the water to the oohs and aahs and flashing cameras of the passengers.
All the while the stewards were wheeling around little trolleys with different wines to be tasted along with little platters of cheese and biccies to "cleanse to palate" We were told how to firstly look at the offering in the glass, sniff it, swirl it, look to see how it dripped down the glass and finally sip it through clenched teeth. We, however, were not advised to spit it out as done by serious wine tasters. After tasting about four or five of the said wines everyone was getting shall we say slightly louder and more sillier with comments on the vintage.
We arrived at the first vineyard and a little bus awaited for all who wished to ride instead of walk up to the winery. As it was a very hot day, I took that option but was on my own with the driver, a bit like a private chauffeur in a way. On arrival yet another tasting of a about half a dozen wines and a port, followed by a mooch about the shop but I must say no one hassled us to buy anything. We came away with a bottle of the vintage port which Grumpo had taken a liking to.
Back to the boat and more information stopping at a most salubrious hotel for lunch. Much to our surprise it was the crew who served us with our food and more to our surprise one broke out into song accompanied by a pianist. Afterwards, yes, another tasting at the winery. The gardens to the hotel were magnificent with roses and frangipani but the atmosphere was spoiled entirely by the gardener with a overly noisy strimmer cutting the grass between the rose trees.
We saw Rolf Harris's old home on the river bank and were told he used to swim 5 kilometres a day up and down in preparation for the Olympics. Well it was quite a while ago and I doubt that he would like to do that now given the colour of the river.
Having had all the wine a great number of the passengers were more than a little drunk and some of the crew burst into song, La Vida Loca, Mambo No 5 and many other songs that everyone knew and dancing in the aisles and much much more wine was the order of the day on the return trip to Perth. We were just happy to sit and watch and sip!!
Published Date:
02/05/2009
Modified Date:
02/05/2009