Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

I would have loved to blog long - but not to be.
I had a bad night.
I awoke with cramp - sometimes almost too severe to bear 8 times during the night.
Gut was bad too.
So, very little sleep.
But I had promised a car boot sale. We only went to Pease Pottage - but it was enormous; the biggest I have known.
Ecky gave up after 1 row and Bill was happy to go back to the car with her.
I couldn't do it all.
Ashley saw everything.
I bought a couple of Russian ornaments of colourful men with concertinas and tambourines.
And I bought a home made Humpty Dumpty; what makes him very special is that he is wearing a very fine AA Man's uniform. I'll photograph him tomorrow maybe.
I slept for an hour during the morning.
Ashley and I went to Asda to get very easy things to eat.
We were at the sell by date bay at super reducing time. Everything becomes about 1 quarter the original price.
Home to sort pictures. They are on Facebook - that's quick and easy.
I planned to have quite a lot here - but bed is calling.
Monday tomorrow - I mean it customers....stay away! Though sitting in the shop is not a patch on sprawling on the sofa.
Time for bed.
Good night.

We did it!
Now, at gone 10 o'clock in the evening my body is not sure how I did it.
We caught the train at 9 o'clock this morning to Victoria and then by bus to The Albert Hall.
Ecky and Lois were into conversation from the first - seem to have hit it off very well.
We were at The Albert Hall in good time - plenty of opportunity to enjoy being in the building and watching people.

This Horrible History was a combination of the horrible histories of kings and queens and life through the centuries and also the horrible history of music though the centuries and the composers. This latter gave plenty of opportunity for the full orchestra to play a wide selection of music, specially arranged and shortened so as to be able to include lots.

At the interval we met up with the Musical Arranger and organists' wife - that's my friend Barbara's daughter.
And somehow or other Helen managed to get to her husband at the organ with her daughter, Lois and Ekatarina.
We look forward to seeing Helen's pictures that she took - Almost certainly better than the ones we took from across the hall.

And then it was over - we had experienced fantastic music, humour and songs from the actors, dancing - and lots of references to poo and wee!
The children in the audience and their families were very enthusiastic in applause and cheering.


The plan had been to picnic at the Diana Memorial Playground.
Unfortunately half of London and tourists had a similar idea - the queue to get into this free facility was long.
We plonked ourselves down, exhausted and picnicked close to the queue.

Then we caught the tube back to Victoria.
We had a cup of tea there out side Wetherspoons - with views across the platforms with trains coming in and out and people scurrying along.
One of the trains was a steam hauled pullman special.

We walked to our platform - the girls went into Accessorise and tried on some hats.
FInally we were gliding smoothly over the rails back to Sussex.

The new friends didn't want to sit with the adults.

Barbara and Lois came back to our house for a while and had a cup of tea, waiting for Martin (husband) to drive up from Steyning.
The 2 girls escaped upstairs and I know email addresses have been exchanged.

My legs ache - I keep getting cramp.
And I am so, so thirsty.
But I have enjoyed a  very special day. We have loads more photos - so more may appear.
And do you know it was so cheap....£29 for the 6 of us to get to London, travel round London, enjoy the concert and have a programme.

For a while today, first thing, I felt almost human.
Lunchtime we went to Asda to get things for picnic tomorrow - do I really want any food?
I was almost happy that Ecky felt so weak and nauseous that she needed to go back to the car.
This evening I have felt just like that too - except I have a bedroom to escape to.
Making sure Ecky was bathed, and washing her hair totally exhausted me.
Nevertheless we will make it to London - it would be awful to miss The Horrible Histories at The Albert hall after Ashley's extreme good fortune in getting tickets.
The picnic will be at the Diana Memorial playground in Kensington Gardens ....no, no not food!
The playground looks superb.
After that who knows - collapse I should think.

We will be meeting Barbara and her grand daughter, Lois at the station in the morning and we will share the day with them.
Barbara had the bug a week ago and feels it has taken a week to feel fully recovered.
Because of that Bill and I have more or less agreed that the proposed trip to France should be missed.
Maybe we will manage the Isle of Wight instead.
Time for bed - I had planned to do the food this evening, but now have opted to get up half an hour earlier tomorrow morning instead.

Cameras will be with us tomorrow - at some point you will see the results.

Message to Rog and Sue - the buyer of the silhouette is not related. Her husband is a John Frost who was born in Wiltshire! (Warminster).

Short and not very sweet!
No blogging for the last 2 nights.
On Tuesday I began to feel so, so tired and so, so nauseous.
This was yet another attack on my gut, I think.
First there was the inability to deal with cream - understandable and could have been avoided.
By yesterday morning I was so nauseous, I really could have done with a day curled up on the sofa. This time - it was the bug that Bill had invading me.
But we had arranged to go to Wiltshire.
I just thought I could sit down at Roger and Sue's and let the others get on with things.
But I did join them for a walk.
First it was me - I puked up in the churchyard and thought I would pass out.
Within a very short time, Ecky puked up in the churchyard.
We were both very grateful that a friend of Rog and Sue's could drive us back to the house.
Ecky and I didn't take a look at Sue's very fine tea.
Ashley made a bold attempt at tea - he was beginning to feel the nausea.
The journey home was punctuated by  frequent needs for P &P - puking and poohing! Thank goodness we had 2 plastic ice cream pots for the puking!
Home - 3 of us were immediately into bed.
Thank goodness Bill is feeling somewhat stronger.
The night was not good - for P and P continued.
Today we have loafed about like zombies, slept and felt horrible. But nobody has puked today.
Tomorrow I hope will be a bit better - though I don't expect instant return to strength and fitness.
On Saturday we must be fit - a trip to The Albert Hall for the children's prom is very much looked forward to.

Oh woe is us!
It was a bad night - a very bad night.
We all know (or think we know) why I had lots of bother - wonderful fresh cream cakes and Eton mess.
At least those things confirmed that the situation with dairy products hasn't got any better.
But Bill was worse than me - and we don't know why. Maybe, for him, it was just one of those things.
It was the night of the 3 P's .......as he so bluntly put it! Pee, puke and poo!
He didn't go to the shop.
I did and was joined by Monika, also feeling queasy.
What is going on?
The morning was quiet.
After a trip to the post office I needed to sort out Bill's area - a whole shelf in his cabinet was empty! He has had a very good week!
I enjoyed playing with and rearranging his stock of models and things.
And then the customers came in their droves and also people wanting to sell things to us.
It was crazy...but somehow Monika and I kept on top of things.
We even sold the shop telephone! Stephen, who deals in collectable old telephones had decided that we should use an item of his stock. So, I had to disconnect it and then connect one of his other phones.
At the end of the day I rushed home to sick Bill - doing OK, but feeling fragile, like I am.
Ashley and Ekatarina are with us now. Harry cat loves Ashley, so is not too alarmed; though he tends to dart off if Ecky moves a bit rapidly.
I don't know what time either of them will go to bed.
Bill and I need some sleep.
Tomorrow we will have to do a bit of shopping - I couldn't decide what yoghurts Ecky might be liking now.
Maybe we will take a walk to Tilgate Park.
Bill is going for a blood test.
Now, time for a cup of tea. Fluid badly needed by both of us.
Then bed.

Boot sale at Epsom this morning - nice and warm.
Bought lots to take to Thailand for children.
We also bought a second hand luggage trolley - for Bill to use. My £2 one is just a bit better quality than his £5 one - but £7 for two good trolleys is excellent value.
Breakfast in The Assembley Rooms at Epsom - Wetherspoon's.
Back via Crawley Asda to pick up supplies for the morrow. Asda's are the provider of the "fatted calf" these days as we seek to make sure we have things needed for the return of a son and a grand daughter.
This morning highlights a personal achievement for me - my complete and utter relaxation about a bag leak.
During the first year or so I would panic and believe that it must be dealt with immediately, and often the pressure would lead to failure.
Now I reckon to catch it early and make sure the bag is kept empty - an empty bag can't leak. Then I carry on as normal - apart from visiting the loo as frequently as possible.
Breakfast, travelling home and shopping continued despite knowing that the situation was delicate.
Then home to rest....and how we needed it.
But then Bill set to work making up beds and hoovering. I dealt with some payments and tidied my purchases.
Bill saw the Grand Prix - a British winner today. Then we saw the last stage of the cycling - with another British winner today.
How's the cricket going? I must check.

I have been through about half the photos that I took at George's party.
Michaela will get them all.
Here are a few for family to enjoy.



Charlie and the football.

We have been to a birthday party.
It was lovely.
The birthday boy was our great nephew, George - now 1 year old.
The party was held at the home of Ann and Steve - Ann is my sister in law. The weather was lovely and we were able to be in their wonderful garden. This was ideal for all the young children, who played on the bouncy castle, the trampoline and lots of other toys - and were running down to the woods.
The barbecue was magnificent.
The cakes were works of art - I took lots of photos of cakes.
Indeed I took lots of photos - over 100.
Here are a few. I may put a few others on tomorrow, so as to share with family.






























This is the birthday boy. We were all thinking that he has the looks of his grandfather, my brother Robin, who would now be 64 and would have been so proud.

Now a couple of family groups - I just couldn't decide which one I liked best.





























Clive holds George, and Michaela, our niece, has an arm round Robert.





























This is the best.....I love it!

I also loved the cakes.... I think I said that already!
They were made by Ann - fantastic!





























My cup cake had syrup at the base - and was just as described on the label.

As you see I didn't just have a cup cake!
I resisted a few things - but wanted to try as much as I could.
I don't expect any sympathy for my fragile gut! It was a calculated risk and I will not regret it.


Bill had a plate full of cake too - we all did!



























Charlie - another great nephew.
Not Boris Johnson as his uncle suggested!























Felix and Otto are nephews - half nephews?
My half sister, Ruth is their mother.
They loved the bubble machine.

There is another birthday tomorrow.  The party was also today. How I would have loved to be there with Jessica in Thailand, now 10 years old. I'll put some of her birthday pictures on tomorrow.

Today has been at home day.
Parcels, payments and post office...took me out of the house for a while.
I thought I might buy some hair colour at the local chemist. This chemist shop will soon be much more local, because the owner has caved in and accepted that his shop needs to be at the new medical centre.
But I still won't be buying hair colour there. There was very little to choose from and the price was very high. For the same money I could get two packs, on special offer in Asda.
This afternoon I wrote up yesterday's purchases whilst watching Le Tour - the last day of serious road racing. And it was exceedingly serious work today.
Tomorrow is the time trial and then on Sunday the long ride, almost a formality into Paris.

And now for a look back to our gentle stroll round Washington.

The Church of St Mary.





































The church was a hive of activity. There will be a wedding tomorrow, Saturday, and the bride and members of her family were busy decorating the church.
There was still much to be done...but it will look quite beautiful.
Tomorrow the organ pipes will ring out for the bride and groom.
Later we had a good chat in the village street with the brides father - a farmer from Pembrokeshire. He had escaped and gone to the pub, taking the bride's toddler daughter with him.


An unusual ceiling for an old Church of England building. (B)
















The church and the yew tree. (B)
The yew tree survives - just. It has been propped up on posts.

Buddliea - a pernicious weed apparently, but beautiful. I like the detail of the red centres that Bill has captured.










Cow parsley with buddliea as a background (P)














Ragwort - another weed. And dangerous to horses.
But the bright yellow adds to the scene. (P)



The dog had seen Bill and run along to greet him at the gate. (B)













A bent old man strokes the dog! (P)

















A Washington cottage (P)
















There was an additional graveyard, a little way away from the church.
Washington nestles under The South Downs.
These are both my pictures.
Are daisies weeds? Surely not, when growing on the top of the old church wall. (B).

















Washington gardens were full of flowers.
Hanging baskets and hollyhocks (P)



The structure of a dahlia is quite perfect (B).

















A golden dahlia (B).

































Lupins and lilies (P)                                      Teasel beside the old brick wall (B)



Bill does love to photograph insects. (B).
















The village is rather spread - and we discovered a little more as we drove back to the main road. There is a pub, village hall, school and church - but no shop.

Labels: Sussex

It will soon be midnight....so, a brief posting tonight.
There will be some pictures tomorrow.

This was the day in a few sentences.
Up at 6 o'clock.... browsing stalls at Ford by 8 o'clock.
It was a book and magazine day.
Breakfast in Littlehampton and a stroll out to see the sea.
Had a walk in Washington - no, not USA, of course! A small tucked away village in Sussex. I had never been there.
Called in at a garden centre - one I have always liked the look of. Investigated a craft activity that Ecky might like.
Home to watch cycling - tremendous spirit and will showed by the main contenders in The Alps.
Out this evening to The Ifield Barn Theatre. The play was Outside Edge and was very funny, performed with life, vitality and good timing.
Well done to our nephew, Antony once again.

A day when housework took on the wonders of magic!
The disappearing trick has been achieved more than once. Dirty dishes have disappeared, magically transformed into clean dishes. The clutter on the table has disappeared. The ironing pile has vanished. Food I cooked disappeared.
What fun!
I have ticked off quite a lot on my list. Clearing the dining room table involved me creating a red velveteen board to display jewellery on. I don't "do" jewellery, but the people I bought from at the A3 boot sale had some examples that I am sure will sell.

This afternoon we entertained our elderly neighbours. We had intended to go and call on Frieda, but she came to us with a request. Then we saw Rose on her way to see Frieda and invited her into to us instead.
Rose, like us, had a package and card for Frieda's birthday. She will be 90 tomorrow. Rose is only 82!
Ages ago we discussed Frieda's back garden with her. It is very small, of course, like ours. But things grow. Frieda is still reasonably fit and could cut some of it back - but the very idea frightens her, because she has never done anything like it. "It is alright for us" she thinks. "because we know about gardening". Come on, Frieda! We don't know very much really , but have picked up some ideas over the years.
We had told her about Mark - who as a boy had been in the athletics club. He is now owner of a thriving gardening company and will tackle tasks, both big and small.
He will come tomorrow afternoon and I think we must ask him to estimate for a brief tidy up and a maybe for something a bit more substantial. Frieda is worried about the cost.
I think her son and daughter should pay for it, but I am sure she won't bother them with it.

The weather forecast is OK for tomorrow - grey, but not wet. We will go to Ford.
This evening we watched the Weather Show. It had no depth and didn't prove to be very interesting. And the members of the Cloud Appreciation Society who featured were made to look, not just geeky, but complete idiots!

Lovely - a much more lazy day!
Though there are not enough ticks on my things to do list.

The day began for me with some confusion. Somebody at the doctor's is trying to find the results of my bone scan.
She rang me a couple of times - the second time was to tell me that I hadn't been to the clinic on the day of the scan and that no bone scans were done on that day!
She asked me to ring the clinic - because they would have given the results directly to me - if I had had a scan!
Who is loosing their marbles here?
I rang and found myself talking to the receptionist at the natural health centre  in Three Bridges, where Bill goes to see an osteopath. They can do bone scans there.
But it is not where I had the scan!
I have talked again to the woman at our doctor's and told her where I went and gave her the phone number.
It is the Three Bridges Medical Centre - a normal NHS doctor's practice who employ somebody to do bone scans.
I have left it with her.
One day I'll find out if I have any potential problems. Maybe it will have to be done again.
I think I will leave it until later in the week to find out results of the recent 2 urine tests!

This morning we had the TV fixed - no longer does it have 2 red vertical lines down the screen.
It has a brand new screen.
When we bought the TV, Bill was sucked in to get additional insurance. I was fuming inside as he did this!
It turned out to be worthwhile!

I began the task of clearing the dining room table.
But other tasks got in the way - like peeling the potatoes.
From one end of the kitchen I looked back at the table and was entranced by 2 of my Sunday purchases at the A3 car boot sale, catching the sunshine.

























That's my stock file - with a 4 leafed clover. Actually there are 2 of them.

This afternoon there were chores away from home. The Southgate Post Office had a systems failure and was closed - so we had to drive to another PO.
Medications were collected, bread and other bits were bought and I thought we were going to refuel the car. But Bill didn't want to join a queue.

I will just share with you a little of yesterday in the shop.
I rearranged my red area to include last week's treasure - the Murano glass man.
It was fascinating that the clear glass head picked up reflections of light and other objects, and no matter where you view it from it looks like a face.


The News of the World Scandal is turning into a tragedy/comedy drama.
Sadly the whistle blower man from the paper is dead - coincidence or conspiracy?
And then today Rupert Murdoch was attacked with a shaving foam pie whilst in Parliament. His wife was pretty nifty at stepping in to defend her man!
It does surprise me that suddenly everybody is outraged about Rupert Murdoch!
Didn't everybody know?
I knew that I wouldn't trust him and I wouldn't buy his newspapers or his TV channels.

By the way, if you find this blog layout is muddled on your screen try viewing it at 75%. My screen is very wide and it doesn't come up so well on smaller screens.

Sleepy now! Just stirred from my slumbers on the sofa.
The day at the shop was quite busy and we enjoyed celebrating Julie's birthday.
I wonder how old she is!
I sold well during the last week.
I sell things almost everyday - today it was a 1950s egg cup set and two small kitchen gadgets.

But now I will return to yesterday and share with you some pictures (too many pictures really) of our time at Mercedes World. It has been hard editing our pictures down to a something like manageable amount.
But I think the selection show what the place is all about and our story of being there.




I really liked the car on the right; I could imagine driving it.
I am not a car freak, but actually I do enjoy driving and I believe I am pretty good at it.
In fact I think the only thing my father ever told me I was good at was driving.

I liked the cars. I can appreciate design and can see a beauty in things that are well designed.
Above all I loved the building - superbly designed.

One of its best features, internally, was the escalator.......


The escalator sweeps from the ground floor straight up to the second floor.
I like the way the top of the escalator seems to merge into the arched ceiling feature and looks like it is curving on and up.
(P)


















Looking down was fun! (P)


A model of the very first motor car - a Daimler Benz.
The two men combined to form a company which later adopted the name Mercedes into their title.
A purchaser of one of the early cars insisted that it be called Mercedes, after his daughter. (B)


Now for the suspended, exploded Formula 1 car. These are Bill's pictures.










































Now we are in the VIP suite.
This is a Mercedes SLR, as owned by Lewis Hamilton.
He obviously had a spare £360,000.







The Maybach is a Mercedes - the creme de la creme.
It has its own bonnet badge.
I am not sure how much you would need to own one. But rest assured, you would have to be exceedingly rich.


"I'll think about it" she told him.

Outside the VIP lounge is a show room of cars, old and new. One new car being tested and appraised is one without a steering wheel - it uses a joy stick.

Bill and the first First Formula 1 car that Lewis Hamilton raced.


I liked the juxtoposition of the shiny car and the fine photograph of a man standing looking out over New York.







There was also activity outside.
People were paying to use the skid pans and paying to be driven fast round the track.
There are many options of driving training and activities available.












My eyes soon turned back to the building itself.


















On the way back through the building, I couldn't resist a bit of silliness.











We stopped on the road as we were leaving, for me to take another picture of the building.
Tomorrow is a quiet day - maybe waiting at home all day for the man to come and replace the screen on our TV.....any time between and 8.00am and 6 pm he said.