Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

Most definitely a day of 2 halves.
This morning we were in town - wandering around in Debenhams, of all places. Nothing wrong with Debenhams, of course, but it is rare for us to be browsing the stock where the clothes are new.
But then, second hand knickers are a big no!
And it was undergarments we were both there for - reduced for the Debenhams spectacular.
Bill came home with Calvin Kleins!
But then I also persuaded him to buy a dusty pink shirt by John Rocha.
Then we followed up a thought I had this week - maybe I should get myself into the late 20th century, at last, and have a monthly contract on my mobile phone. It is a simple phone - just phone calls and texts.
I was alarmed at how much I was spending on Pay as You Go.
On Monday I put £20 on the phone and then used almost half of it by calling French Julie. She is old and lonely and thus it would be hard not to allow her to chat. It is much cheaper on a monthly contract. I am paying £10.50 a month.
The people in the Vodaphone shop were very helpful. It is why we used them in the first place, because we were not treated as second rate people for only needing a basic phone.
Eventually we got home and then embarked on the second half of the day.
We took a picnic to Devil's Dyke. It has been beautifully sunny and hot and being high on a hill seemed a good place to be.
One is never alone at Devil's Dyke. It is very popular and there is a pub. Today the ground across the top of the Downs was strewn with people and their paragliders.
Paragliders are good to photograph, elegance and colour.


That's the village of Fulking down there.














Getting ready for take off.















Two sails and the view to Truleigh Hill.
Actually, views were very hazy.
Heat haze!













We have been learning the difference between hang gliders and paragliders.
We also learned that paragliders travel loaded, with a parachute on their backs; paraglider sails have a tendency to collapse at inopportune moments.















Blue sail, yellow rape flowers.












Green grass, yellow field.
















Dandelion clock....do children still tell the time by blowing the seeds from a dandelion clock?








































Off for a walk along the top.















We seemed to be drawn to different views for photographs.



















I went down the hill a bit.
This meant climbing back up. Hard work!
But oh, dear - I do look like a bent old woman.












Meanwhile, Bill found a pleasing view of his own.















The old boy looks quite pleased with himself, doesn't he?














Looking back to the Devil's Dyke pub.
We stopped for a drink before leaving.
I enjoyed a long ice cold soda and lime.
It is a cheap option and so good on such a day.









Today I used my new small camera.
I have found a downside to it. Sometimes it is hard to see what I am pointing the camera at because the bright sunshine means the image on the screen  is very hazy or completely invisible. There is no viewfinder.
But I think you will agree it takes good pictures.

I will end by confessing that I have been quiddling; indeed I have been a lifelong quiddler.
Yesterday when playing on line Boggle I typed the word 'quiddle' for a laugh - and was amazed to find it was accepted.
I had to look up the definition.