Friday, January 02, 2009

 

Today and yesterday.

Well, I will mention today before sharing with you the joy of yesterday.
Actually most of today has felt quite joyful for me.
It was a little warmer - a few degrees above zero, the sun shone for a while, we put our limited Christmas decoration display back in the boxes (some pictures tomorrow) and it felt like Spring is now on the way.
We had to do a little shopping and opted for Asda because it is the nearest place. It was crowded.
Bill bought some slippers for £2.45.
It was good too to see Bill's sister, Julie in the shop and we could catch up on her Christmas time.
This afternoon we sorted out photos. Bill has printed all that we want and is now up to date in our albums. And I of course have pictures on the computer for the blog.
Then I made a mistake. I had some chocolate - I don't mean the sugary stuff that you get round Cadbury's Roses which I have had a few of, but real chocolate.
Instantly I felt horrible nausea and a blinding headache - a sort of migraine I guess.
I just had to lie down.
Happily I found Mary Poppins on the TV.
It is a strange musical and can be viewed on many levels and is certainly not just for children - they probably don't hear the excruciatingly awful Cockney accent from Dick Van Dyke! There is stuff about the suffragettes and about banks and banking.
Quote from the film - If the banks of England fall then England itself falls. I suppose Gordon Brown must have seen this film and followed the advice.
There was a run on the bank when a voice was heard (the voice of the small boy) screaming out "I want my money" - a mere matter of tuppence (2 old pence, I translate for you young people!).
Anyway I did feel a bit stronger and cooked the pork cranberry and apple sausages with various veg and maybe some solid food might neutralise the effects of the chocolate.
Crumbs, I hope I haven't set off a nauseous spell like the last one.
And so back to yesterday.
I took very few pictures of things as they happened - especially not at the table with people chewing and swallowing!
So I had a few posed shots with received gifts.




For many years both Bill and Roger have produced photographic calendars. Ours this time mostly features the Isle of Wight and Roger has concentrated on Scotland.
The book shows the 1950s - that post war time of poverty, yet much hope.


I am not clutching a jar of Marmite. The jar contains Sue's home made pumpkin chutney.
And there was one of those serendipity moments concerning the garden tool.
I was explaining what Ecky and I had bought to wrap up for her mother and I wondered if they had seen these attractively decorated tools with flowers and at the same moment I was actually unwrapping one.
Lovely!


Roger's first present of the day was like many a train these days - late.
It is a birthday present, but we forgot to take it with us to his party.
Actually they tell us that trains are much better at running to time now.



So it was trains for his birthday and trains for Christmas. This map of the Isle of Wight shows the railway lines on the island as they used to be. We commented that we would happily pay the asking price of 8 shillings for a 7 day rover ticket.
Some lines now have gone - in fact almost all of them.


Sue likes to cook.
I do to a certain extent of course.
And just to show you that we do not go to vast expenses to find presents to wrap for our loved ones, I will point out that the baking tin was in my cupboard until October, when I cleared everything out for the new kitchen. I decided to only put back what I really thought I would use.
Some pans were in a dreadful state, but I felt Sue might be glad of the better ones.



Roger received a kit for creating a bonsai potato.
I assure you it was genuine - but also genuinely funny.
The booklet explains that following the instructions is guaranteed to lead to inner peace and harmony.
I think Matt, the donor, had better watch out - for I feel sure there are ways of retaliating on this one!



Christmas Past in Sussex. Actually Sue has only a short part of her life as a Sussex resident. But having got closely involved with Frost Sussex family history she certainly knows the county well.


There are always second hand books. These two match a couple of Roger's interests - local history and bell ringing.



Simon and Nicki enjoying the gift of love! It is delightful to have Nicki as part of the family.



Nicki in serious and frustrated mood - trying hard to solve a sudoku puzzle.

Simon had the fez out in response to something I told about something Dad (his Grandad) had once said.
Little did Simon realise that his position in front of the plant and balloon would so wonderfully make an adornment to the fez.
No pictures of Megan or Tom - back in London. It was a shame not to have seen Megan at all during the festive season.
But then there are lots of loved ones who we have not seen.
There are 364 other days in the year.
Time for bed soon.
Bill is coughing well - not in such good health as yesterday.
The temperature is dropping again and so I feel it is not wise to whizz down to Ford in the morning. Hunting will have to wait another week.
Goodnight.

Today and yesterday.
posted by Grandma P on Friday, January 02, 2009