Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday - chores and things.
The years have rolled together as one today.
In 1965 I would have sat in our furnished rooms with Gladys to write Christmas cards.
Forty four years later many of the same names appear in my address book.
The difference now is that we send a long letter - 5 sides of A4 - with news and pictures; we wish people much love and happiness and hope that all will enjoy their festivities as they want.... but we don't now include a Christmas card.
Cards can be good for special occasions and specially chosen, but the sort of cards we could afford at Christmas are from boxes and bought as cheaply as possible - not very special to receive and nothing we feel proud of having sent.
Instead where possible we use the money for something quirky. Last year it was a pig and a year's supply of pig food for an African family.
I have the Good Gifts catalogue, but as yet I have done nothing.
We will.
Another difference between now and then - and who would have thought it could be possible all those years ago - is that many of the annual letters and greetings are sent via the computer.
I will do that next week.
Tomorrow we can post 25 to people we do not have computer contact with - or at least not recently or often.
Those home addresses seem to flow automatically from the pen - written just once a year, they leave an imprint on the brain. Some of those homes we have never visited and no doubt never will. Some of the people we will not see again and gradually we do decide to let some go.
Bill is now sorting out the Christmas letter for me. I prepared it on Lotus WordPro, which I always liked.
But few people have that installed on computers these days - so they wouldn't be able to open it.
He is having to transfer to Word. The text is OK - but I sense he is having a bit of trouble with the pictures.
Just as well Bill thought of it though.
I have spent more time investigating books bought yesterday - the atlas of 1842 is very impressive and could be worth a great deal more than I envisaged.
This morning we were both pleased and alarmed.
The metal fencing that has cut us off from "our field" has been removed.
Hooray!
It looks like it should again.
I can only dream that suddenly the powers that be have changed their minds and no medical centre will be built.
The reality is that the removal of the fence actually means that building will begin very soon.
Bother!
It took a very long time for the two men doing the job.
They got their truck completely stuck in the mud.
They saw Bill in the house and borrowed a spade - but digging around the wheels did not help.
They had to wait to be pulled out.
This afternoon we shopped.
I sensed Bill picking up some Christmas madness - encouraging us to buy things "Go mad" he would say.
Maybe Asda is mad!
I picked up some bargain meals - at their use by date.
A woman at a trolley nearby turned and asked if I would like her to reduce them further!!!
Well, OK then!
Bill bought a huge tasty pizza from their "finest" range - £3 down to £1.20.
Chicken Dopiaza down from £3 to a pound!
We also bought a chicken for this weekend reduced to £2.53.
We will eat well for next to nothing.
The weather has been good - not very warm, but that doesn't matter if it is bright.
Tomorrow morning we will be up at 6 o'clock and off to Ford.
Who knows where we will have breakfast!
I look forward to the hunt - the thrill of the chase!
In 1965 I would have sat in our furnished rooms with Gladys to write Christmas cards.
Forty four years later many of the same names appear in my address book.
The difference now is that we send a long letter - 5 sides of A4 - with news and pictures; we wish people much love and happiness and hope that all will enjoy their festivities as they want.... but we don't now include a Christmas card.
Cards can be good for special occasions and specially chosen, but the sort of cards we could afford at Christmas are from boxes and bought as cheaply as possible - not very special to receive and nothing we feel proud of having sent.
Instead where possible we use the money for something quirky. Last year it was a pig and a year's supply of pig food for an African family.
I have the Good Gifts catalogue, but as yet I have done nothing.
We will.
Another difference between now and then - and who would have thought it could be possible all those years ago - is that many of the annual letters and greetings are sent via the computer.
I will do that next week.
Tomorrow we can post 25 to people we do not have computer contact with - or at least not recently or often.
Those home addresses seem to flow automatically from the pen - written just once a year, they leave an imprint on the brain. Some of those homes we have never visited and no doubt never will. Some of the people we will not see again and gradually we do decide to let some go.
Bill is now sorting out the Christmas letter for me. I prepared it on Lotus WordPro, which I always liked.
But few people have that installed on computers these days - so they wouldn't be able to open it.
He is having to transfer to Word. The text is OK - but I sense he is having a bit of trouble with the pictures.
Just as well Bill thought of it though.
I have spent more time investigating books bought yesterday - the atlas of 1842 is very impressive and could be worth a great deal more than I envisaged.
This morning we were both pleased and alarmed.
The metal fencing that has cut us off from "our field" has been removed.
Hooray!
It looks like it should again.
I can only dream that suddenly the powers that be have changed their minds and no medical centre will be built.
The reality is that the removal of the fence actually means that building will begin very soon.
Bother!
It took a very long time for the two men doing the job.
They got their truck completely stuck in the mud.
They saw Bill in the house and borrowed a spade - but digging around the wheels did not help.
They had to wait to be pulled out.
This afternoon we shopped.
I sensed Bill picking up some Christmas madness - encouraging us to buy things "Go mad" he would say.
Maybe Asda is mad!
I picked up some bargain meals - at their use by date.
A woman at a trolley nearby turned and asked if I would like her to reduce them further!!!
Well, OK then!
Bill bought a huge tasty pizza from their "finest" range - £3 down to £1.20.
Chicken Dopiaza down from £3 to a pound!
We also bought a chicken for this weekend reduced to £2.53.
We will eat well for next to nothing.
The weather has been good - not very warm, but that doesn't matter if it is bright.
Tomorrow morning we will be up at 6 o'clock and off to Ford.
Who knows where we will have breakfast!
I look forward to the hunt - the thrill of the chase!
