Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

I should be full of life, telling you of a busy day at the shop.
But adrenalin has flown and I feel far from full of life now.
There have been loads of people in the shop and sales were good - but not one for me today!
Never mind, the week has been good enough. I sold 19 things since last Monday.
I took in, perhaps about 8 items to be absorbed onto the shelves. It took me all morning!
That is because I felt the need to change things around.
I do love my area. I feel it is good and interesting and that people like it.

This morning was quite like old times - and my mind was full of memories too.
We went to the car boot sale held at the Ardingly show ground and met up with some ex Rocking Horse people.
We bought a few things to sell and we bought clothes.
By my side is a bag of 10 T shirts of the XL or XXL variety - they were 50p each. They are all good makes in excellent condition and are suitable for Ashley and Bill.
From the same people Bill and I bought a jacket/coat.


This picture shows most of the things I bought, over the weekend, spread across the dining room table.
Enlarge it so see all the interesting things!
Pride of place must go to the art deco bowl in the centre, in which the doll is placed.
I could see that the bowl had all the appearances of a Clarice Cliffe design and the manufacturer was Wilkinson, who Clarice designed for. In her early days she was just an employee and didn't sign her work.
The rim of the bowl is hallmarked silver - tomorrow in the shop I will check the year.
But I have already checked the design and it is a Clarice Cliffe.
The bowl has a hairline crack on the inside and the seller at Ford yesterday sold it to me for £5. He had also wondered about the Clarice Cliffe connection.
My first estimate at a price - and prices are always guesses - is to put it out for £65.
I'll have a chat with Monika tomorrow and she might persuade me to go higher (or maybe lower!).

Yawning!
I can't stop yawning!
I am not enjoying this overwhelming feeling of tiredness, but at least the nausea has worn off.
Have we been here before? You bet!
I am assuming that this is self inflicted exhaustion and discomfort ( I won't go in to that!). I have succumbed to wheat once again.
At least I know the cure. All will be well.
Patience and discipline must be my medicine.

The day began early. We went to Ford. I believed the Met Office web site and, again, they had things perfectly right. It was damp and dark when we left home, by the time we reached Arundel there were some patches of blue sky and at Ford there were was strong sunshine.
I have an interesting collection of things on the table beside me to get written up when I have energy tomorrow.

We breakfasted in Littlehampton - maybe for the last time in Wetherspoon's for a while. The Balaton is open again and we almost went today. Next week I look forward to breakfast by the river.

We had noticed that as the skies cleared, the temperature dropped a bit - maybe it was the northerly wind that caused it. We decided we didn't fancy being out in the wind anymore and we chose a completely different thing to do after our meal - we went visiting instead.
Bill's cousin, Pat, lives at Goring, which is only a short drive from Littlehampton.
We had a very pleasant three hours chatting and catching up with news.
The plan is to arrange a get together when more of the cousins can meet up and chat. Pat specifically asked after cousin Ann of Godstone, who we see quite often.

We got home about 4 o'clock.
And what have I done since then? Nothing!
Idled, watched TV and slept.
I have an unopened envelope beside me - I know it is a cheque for an EBay item and I must acknowledge that before I go to bed.

I am hoping that a lack of response from a distant cousin on Facebook means that instead of sitting by the computer waiting for news, she has been away meeting her mother and sister off the last plane out of Tripoli.

Time for drink. Wheat eating always leaves me terribly thirsty.

Today doesn't feel right.
Maybe it is because last night wasn't really right. I didn't sleep much.
Later on I did drop off and slept quite deeply for while.
After breakfast we went out - to Lidl for vegetables and things.
Then to Burstow Nurseries to see what ornamental trees they might have.
We came home with a small prunus, which will give us blossom and lovely autumn colours. If it survives!
And Bill got tempted by one of those plants with curly branches and produces long catkins.
And I chose a plant with reddish stalks carrying dark green evergreen leaves and will have small white flowers.
I don't know where the labels are just now - so the names can remain a mystery to you.
After lunch I fell asleep.
I am not sure if I have actually woken up properly since.
But I did make a fish pie, using some smoked cod that was in the freezer.
We also have some stewed apple for supper.
I think I will have a shower, then a cup of tea and then get to bed early.
I want strength back tomorrow because I am pretty sure we will be going to Ford. It may well still be raining at 6 o'clock, but should soon clear up.

The day has run away with me and I feel tired now.

I got up quite early to make a cup of tea and prepare for the day.
I hung the washing outdoors - such a lovely day was forecast.

I was occupied with business things for the morning.
I described and listed some more books - all with Kent interest.
I wrapped the art glass posy vase and I walked to the post office with it.

Bill did house work - cleaning. Bless him.
Then he continued in the garden. We certainly have the best and tidiest in the row.
The bird table - the hanging one on a pole is in position. The pole is a bit short really and so the tray with bird food on is below our line of sight from a seated position in the lounge. That is a bit of a pity.
I do fear a bit that it might be a temptation for somebody to walk off with.

I have enjoyed the banter on the wordsplay game ( boggle is the traditional name for this game). Lots of people are joining in with the sarcasm, teasing and accusations against the one who has tapped into a programme which helps him win every time - and by a huge margin.
Why bother?
I can only assume that what he wants (and I do believe that it is a he) is to be the centre of attraction.
Roger and Sue who play the game might at some point come across "pastraminator" at the top of the board.

If you would like some pictures to look at - not much text, then have a look at this week's installment of the Pilgrim's Antiques blog.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/

Time for a cuppa.

I think I'm in love!
We spent time today with a gorgeous young man - our great nephew, Caleb. He is 18 months (about) old.
Caleb is the son of Fiona - who is Bill's sister, Pam's daughter.
We had a very pleasant afternoon, admiring Caleb and he enjoyed a chance for some amiable showing off.

Well, I said it would have to be a rest day!
I don't seem to have done very much at all.
I certainly haven't got round to photographing my little valuable teddy or anything else.

This morning we were visited by Nigel, who will tomorrow morning remove the giant plant that is close to our front entrance and tends to block the pathway.
It was good to catch up with an "old" athletics person. His son is now a member of the club.

Bill went to see the osteopath this morning. Bill reported to him that I had wondered if one leg was longer than the other (like Ashley). The osteopath measured and checked and said his legs were fine - but his back is not.
Well, apart from the osteo arthritis in the knees of course.
One leg may look shorter because of Bill's posture.

This afternoon we went to the local garden centre. Last week we bought a hanging bird table, thinking it would be hung from Solly's tree. Bill decided it would be more squirrel proof and more able to be moved around if it was hung on a metal pole. We could have ordered one with the bird table of course. But now we have one and Bill will sort it out tomorrow after the giant plant has gone.
We went to buy bread and milk - and of course other bits. I remembered that we needed more sunflower oil. I had heard that the price is rising dramatically....maybe there has been a run on it. The only vegetable oils on the shelf were a few 3 litre bottles.
On the way home we called in on Bill's sister. She'll curse us - she had almost finished the vanishing ironing pile trick. But she stopped and had a cup of tea with us and we made arrangements to go to the next Barn Theatre production together to see Cranford. We'll also go together to see Pam, who has our niece Fiona and young Caleb staying this week.

This evening I have been rowing - that's arguing, not travelling in a small boat!
It was very manageable rowing. You will know of the word game I play with players from all around the world. We are all part of the Boggle Tribe and there is a lot of camaraderie and caring for each other. Just now we are worrying about those "friends" in New Zealand.
In the game you are set to find as many words as possible in 3 minutes from a grid of letters. Some people are very good at it and very quick at typing. The results are published after each game. But it is impossible to find every word in most of the games, for there are far too many and there are words that nobody would have heard of.
Tonight there was somebody who got perfect scores every time. There are programmes which allow you to cheat I think - but why bother?
It is just for fun.
One of the other players and I made some gentle sarcastic remarks. She changed her playing name to one that commented about cheaters.
More people then joined in.
I found myself being accused by another of complaining because somebody was better than me. Ridiculous, I am well used to that!
I have just started a facebook discussion with the boggle tribe's facebook group.
Good grief - you will be thinking that I am just pathetic!
I am well used to that too!
Time for a cuppa - and maybe I will allow myself a piece of Bill's bread - apricot and orange bread. Looks and smells yummy.

Oooh, I am tired this evening.
When we left home this morning I commented to Bill that as it was half term week, we might not be very busy at the shop.
Wrong!
We saw many people through the door and I guess Bill and I did most of the work. No, that wasn't a guess! I know it!
I took over a dozen parcels to the post office - good..... I got Reg again. He is my favourite counter clerk. He doesn't look down his nose at me because I already know the charges for the parcels and have a certificate of posting already written up.
Some can be so snooty about their extra special skills and think they should be on some sort of pedestal.
Reg thanks me for being organised and making sure we can get through the work without undue delays.
Both Bill and I spent money today - makes up for no hunting trips at the weekend.
I bought a small old teddy bear. It is made by Berg, an Austrian company who blossomed on Steiff coat tails. It is about 1920s, straw filled and wearing some cotton check dungarees. I had already spent some time trying to find out what I could about Berg bears - they are still being made.
I actually believe the old couple that other people in the business had told them it is worth about £100.
I will not lose on the £50 I gave them and hopefully there will be some profit there for me.
I will photograph him tomorrow.
But right now I am looking forward to a cuppa and then bed.

I must add that I discovered this evening that I have some very distant relatives in Tripoli.
I am in facebook contact with Natasha - on a branch of my mother's family tree. Natasha's mother, her sisters and her niece live there.
Now my fears for an imminent implosion in Libya seem to feel much stronger fears.
In Iraq, we caused it to happen.....remove the evil dictator and leave a vacuum and instability results.
In other Middle Eastern Countries (or Arab countries, for Libya is hardly Middle East) people are attempting to create that same situation.
If Gadaffi is felled, others will struggle to get into that vacuum and seize the power.
It might sound like that I am in favour of backing the evil dictators - but that is very far from the truth; just be careful people about what you wish for.

Cup of tea in bed again this morning.
Somehow there seemed no point taking ourselves off to either Dorking or Horley to see dull stalls in dull weather.

After breakfast I decided to colour my hair. I think the best compliment to be paid about my hair is that it wasn't noticed!
Inside me there is a hidden urge to colour hair brightly and crazily- but I guess the time for that is past.
I just want it to look good, shiny brown and not dull dark grey.
It looks natural.

This afternoon I have been busy.
It was the last match of the series in the young people's sports hall athletics competition.
Can it really be 30 years since I took the first team along to compete in sports hall athletics?
There was no doubt really that both Crawley boys and girls would take home the trophies.
The atmosphere was good, racing was intense and each person's contributions were valued.
Timekeepers were few in numbers - I was chief.
Lots of timing and paperwork.
We were joined by a young woman (not so very young, now in her 40s) who is interested in taking up timekeeping.
Now that would be a bonus!

We arrived home, had a quick cup of tea and then we were busy with wrapping and invoicing etc.
I had 6 Cherry Ames books for sale - a nurse character for young girls to read about in all sorts of nursing situations where all sorts of mysterious goings on have to be sorted. Cherry triumphs of course. They all sold and one sold for over £12 to an American.
Certainly it was all a bit frantic with action and paperwork for a while.

So the afternoon was spent involved in things I know I am good at. The best sort of satisfying afternoon.

And now sadly I am missing South Riding on TV - will have to catch up with it later. I don't think I have ever read it, though I am sure it would have been on a long ago things to do list.

I must gather together a few things to take to the shop tomorrow now, before I snuggle down to sleep.

People who say they never watch football have, today, been entranced by a football match.
Crawley Town were up against the best in the land - Manchester United.
It was just a game, but for a short while this town feels proud of itself, we all feel proud to be a part of it.
It was a good match to watch and the general feeling is that Crawley played well and could have been deemed to be the better team on the day.
It was played in a very sporting way - no bad feeling; though maybe Rooney looked sulky, but I don't think that was the fault of Crawley.
The final result may well have been the best one.
Those who have invested big money in Crawley Town football club have one ambition - to have the team in the Football League.
This seems to be very likely.
Now the lads can return south and concentrate on the next matches - all to be played over the road at the Broadfield Stadium.


Until the medical centre was built this was more or less the view from our house.
Bill went out the other morning to take this picture.

I have been browsing the internet a little, trying to learn a little more about our players.
Just like in most professional sports these days, people go where their best chances for career enhancement and money lie. The club will be going places and so footballers were keen to be on board.
Most of them are British - Crawley can't yet afford to import players in the main; apart from Torres. Poor brother was confused - he saw somebody called Torres playing for the better team and therefore assumed it was Manchester United!

Some might like to read a piece from The Independent, written by their travel editor, Simon Calder. Crawley is/was his home town.
When Simon was 11 he was at a school in Furnace Green and his class teacher was a young and very inexperienced Mrs Monk.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/crawley-the-town-thats-so-easy-to-leave-2219281.html

What happened the rest of the day? It rained.
We didn't go to a car boot sale.
A Saturday lie in - accompanied by disappointment and envy! It was raining - so no Ford car boot sale for us (disappointing) and we sat in bed with a cuppa watching people and coaches arriving at football stadium for a grand day out to Manchester (envy).

We did a bit of shopping - got some very cheap steak (at sell by date) which we enjoyed this evening.
I described and listed 10 more things for EBay - and watched or listened to things happening at a big indoor athletics meeting.

We will be timekeeping tomorrow at a much smaller athletics meeting - but Crawley are almost guaranteed to raise the trophy at the end of the afternoon.

I have not been any further than the garage today - not even as far as the back gate.
Vegetables are stored in the garage -I collected potatoes and cabbage in a basket.


I just thought the cabbage in the basket looked attractive.

It became part of a roast dinner later in the day. I had a lovely turkey breast in the freezer, which had been reduced to £1.50 on its sell by date.
We opened a bottle of white Chilean wine to enjoy with a good dinner.

Bill has been further from the house today.
He got things he needed from the back and then went to continue tidying the front garden.
Later he was back to the local rubbish tip to dump the boxes of fading foliage.
We finally decided that "the triffid" should go.
It is the huge plant with long spiky leaves which has taken over a patch of the garden.
It has been discussed for a long while. It will be a hard task and that is why finally, Bill agreed that somebody younger and stronger should do it.
We phoned young man Costiff (his first name escapes me) who was once involved in the athletic club, as were his parents. He has a small business doing work in people's gardens.


Here is Bill hard at work.



And he couldn't resist showing me that a bent old man was wilting with the work.

We have ordered a hanging bird table, which can be placed in Solly's tree.

I don't know what we will be doing tomorrow - rain is promised for the morning, so it is unlikely that we will be at Ford this week.
I know what 11 men from Crawley will be doing tomorrow and also about one tenth of the Crawley population! They will be at a football match in Manchester.
Of course there are dreams of a gigantic footballing upset.
It will be televised live tomorrow early evening.

Somebody else from my world died today. I have to admit that I didn't actually know Mary, but somehow having spent days with her husband David on the timekeeping steps, I felt as though I knew her and the whole family.
I have been timekeeping this evening and found it quite hard to concentrate. That's not a plus point when you are chief timekeeper!
I feel a complete empathy with the two grieving families this week.
My mind thinks of them and also the people I have lost.
Just now we are in the period of the year that takes me back to when my Mum was in her last days. I was so lost and confused, not mature enough or wise enough to work out very much, despite my 22 years.
But the day was bright and breezy.
Bill went out and tidied the front garden - a process which involved taking out the bird table. It was in a very poor state. We will replace it soon.
I walked to the post office with a couple of parcels.
I met Sylvie - glad to see her looking quite healthy. She has had almost everything going - Crohns Disease, cancer, a stroke; but she is not knocked down by it.
Every day of living for some of us feels like a bonus and inconveniences like leaking bags and aches and pains must be endured with some sort of gladness.
I am still a bit behind on ticking items on my things to do list.
Never mind, we enjoyed a cup of tea and natter with Isobel this afternoon instead.
Time for bed now - I am assuming that most people who read my blog are already tucked up and asleep. It is nearly half past eleven.
Though maybe the family in Thailand have already stirred to the sound of the alarm. I wonder which beds they are all in - Mam wrote that Jessica and John had gone to parent's bedroom to watch The Wizard of Oz on the TV and then fell asleep.
Sleep - that's a good thought.

I am feeling quite drained today.
I can't find words this evening.
It has been an OK sort of day and there has been no rain.
This morning Bill and I walked into town for some special cards for those in Liz's family bereaved this week.
We needed a little food - and bought it in Marks and Spencers.
And the small market was in Queen's Square where we bought some greengrocery.
We caught the bus back home.

This afternoon I was out walking once again - only to the post box with the cards. It only added half a mile to the day's walking.
Bill spent the afternoon in the back garden tidying.
Bill does dislike a mess - and all gardens at this time of year are wet, soggy and messy. Apologies if your UK garden is not like that!

I have done a short blog about the single cabinets in Room 1 of Pilgrim's Antiques.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/

Time to boost energy with some sleep, I think.

A day to ponder on life and death, good fortune, stress and love.
Sadly, today our daughter in law, Liz, lost her father.
Our grand daughter, Ecky, has lost her Opa.
Ecky is 10 and has not experienced death of this magnitude before.

The death of a parent is hard - those at my time of life will have already learned about this.
It is a time with the mind flitting this way and that, not knowing quite how one ought to think, but knowing that much must be done.
Liz must be feeling very stressed today - tinged with a little relief that her adored father was not in distress at the end and the end was not too drawn out.
As if that wasn't enough stress for one person to bear, this is the week when her employment with the pensions company in Bangor comes to an end. The company is relocating and so Liz has been made redundant.
Now add to that the recent problems that have arisen with house buying. It was all going so smoothly for them!
Ashley and Liz have worked through the problems. They will be buying the bungalow having had £8,000 taken off their first offer.
They will move as soon as possible....but possible may mean a bit of a delay now.
They are ready for a fresh start.
They have each other and as the years go by they must be sure that others feel love and warmth towards them.

Today I have seen my GP - the one that I have completely accepted as being the best in the world!
I wanted his opinion and advice about the possible state of my bones.
He commented that, with my history and circumstances he would be very much surprised if my bones were not somewhat impaired.
He as added a calcium supplement to the vitamin D tablets I already have. I have been on calcium before - I know it is good for me, although how much is absorbed I don't know. It can create havoc with my digestion. We'll see. I shall be called for a bone scan at some point to see if osteoporosis or something has already taken a hold.
All I can say is that I am very fortunate to have a doctor I admire and trust.

I have done a fair few things on my things to do list - and that includes the disappearing ironing pile.

Bill has been tinkering with toy trains for much of the day. He bought a lot of model engines, coaches and bits last Saturday at Ford. At least, now, he can feel sure that he will make a profit. It is always worrying when you spend quite a bit on things.



One of the trains he tested was this little plastic one, probably made by Triang. I think it is charming.

Soon we will have a cuppa and a little supper. I stewed some apples today and it will be delicious with a little ice cream or sorbet.

And then my mind will ponder again on the great questions of the universe and I shall think of those I have loved who are gone. I hardly knew Liz's father - indeed he was a quiet introverted man and few people would have known him well. But it is daunting to think he is not now there, playing a part in my world.

Jamie has done his Phuket blog today - some of the pictures are the same as on the weather blog - but the ramblings are different!
http://networkedblogs.com/ejvQB

It was a busy day, with lots going on at Pilgrims.
Emma was in this morning, putting things back that didn't sell at the Woking Fair yesterday and later on, Monika was busy sorting out boxes to take to an Antiques Fair at Epsom racecourse tomorrow.
I took photos of things from the 3 single cabinets in room 1. I am not sure when I shall get them posted.
I arranged shelves to include all the stuff I took with me - the things I showed you yesterday, which had been bought over the weekend.
My only sale today was a book - a book that I had bought in Homebase!
Our homebase is supporting a cancer charity and people take books for people to buy. I bought a very interesting book called The Ypres Salient. Somebody else now owns it.
People were in buying all sorts today.
I enjoyed the day, though feel tired now.
I will leave you with a chance to look at Jamie's weather blog.
Yes, he is a bit of a weather nerd and has equipment to record the weather. But his weather blog contains a lot more than weather.....after all in Thailand at this time of year a weather diary would involve much repetition of the words "hot and sunny".
No - this diary is from somebody who likes to ramble. I guess rambling is a hereditary thing!
http://networkedblogs.com/efLO1

We didn't feel the need to be up and out too early this morning.
The fair wouldn't be open until 9 o'clock.
We called in at the Dorking car boot sale on the way. The weather forecast was for much rain, so it its hard to comment on the new management of this sale today. But the dealers have forsaken it. It is dying.
Our reason for a visit was to buy cat food. There is somebody there who sells boxes of Whiskas sachets of cat food (12 in a box) at 5 boxes for £10. Asda cannot match that price, even on a special offer.
Where do these people get their stock from?
Another stall had foodstuffs. I bought 2 jars of Marks and Spencers chutney for £1.50. It is in date. I am glad too, that I bought a big bottle of orange and passion fruit J2O on that stall. I felt extremely thirsty later on.
The fair was at the Woking Leisure Centre. We have been to it before, occasionally.
I bought some things, but Bill found almost nothing. He spent just £2.
We also bought some postcards.
We talked about getting a drink and a bite to eat, but decided to go home instead.
It was pouring with rain.
This afternoon I wrote up much of what has been bought this weekend.

Labels: shop and stock

It should be bedtime - so this will be short.
I got waylaid from my intention to write something for the blog by a man - a gorgeous man!
Professor Brian Cox was on the Graham Norton Show.
I am looking forward to his new series about The Universe.

This evening we were at the post card club. The talk was professionally done about the history of the Sussex police.
I actually bought some postcards this evening - one of our road (which we might already have), one of the river at Littlehampton and one of Horne Church, where Bill's ancestor James Ridley Monk was married.

We have pottered semi busily at home today.
And we shopped at Lidl.

Ashley has found another house in the same district of Newcastle, which could be suitable. It has 5 bedrooms, so gives them all the indoor space that they crave. They would have to forego a garden and make do with a back yard. Ashley feels quite happy about it.
If the price of the bungalow is not lowered then they will make another trip to Newcastle at half term to check out this one.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-28674016.html

We plan to go to Ford in the morning - so ought to be sleeping now.
Good night.

There are ticks all down the things to do list today.
Hooray!
This morning I finished dealing with all the parcels and payments on ebay.
This afternoon we took 14 parcels to the post office.
Bill and I both described and listed more for ebay - and re-listed some things that have failed before.
Bill had his blood test today. I presume that his methotrexate continues not to cause too many problems - though the amount he is taking may not be enough. He gets pain.
I have pain too. The ribs will get better.
But my painful knee, which is giving me bother began to be bad before the fall. I wonder what has set that off.
Ashley had no news. I think they have been knocked sideways by this big hitch in their plans.
The garage, which they thought would be a useful extra and maybe could have been converted into a room, is useless. The survey advises that it is removed. A big job this - it has an asbestos roof.
The house has damp, the brick work needs attention etc etc.
There may well have to be some compromises or maybe complete changes of plan. But having been knocked sideways makes it very difficult to think clearly.
This bungalow had everything they wanted at a price they could afford.
Other houses with enough space and a garden are out of their reach.
Mother wants to scream on their behalf!
I have quickly put together some pictures for the Pilgrims Antiques blog.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/
The weather has been wet and dreary. So different from 2 days ago, when we were at Sheffield Park.
Time for some cosy sleep soon.

This day has slipped away from us.
The things to do list has some ticks, but not nearly enough.
Sometimes things take longer than expected, or one might deviate from the intended path - or maybe just never get started at all.
Wrapping and dealing with sales and payments has taken ages. Indeed I shall finish off that process in the morning. Shouldn't grumble - sales means money back in our purses for another day.
We couldn't tick off Bill's blood test; we arrived at the hospital and were told we couldn't go in. The fire alarm was ringing and crowds were being moved outside. Fire engines and men arrived and no doubt checked things over and proclaimed a false alarm.
Bill's blood can be taken tomorrow.
I have got my vitamin D tablets from the pharmacy.
We haven't been into the library, phone calls I planned have not been made.
I did sort out the pictures that were taken yesterday at Sheffield Park.
Scroll down to see the 12 from each of us that I liked the best and reflected our feelings about the day.
I must soon make my way to bed - feel weary.

Two postings now with Sheffield Park pictures.
I picked the 12 of Bill's I liked the best and then 12 of mine.
I think they need no words.
I hope you like all 24 pictures - each person would have their own favourites.
We have many more pictures of course.