Friday, April 22, 2011
Special people.
What a lovely day!
The early morning was clear and bright and very quickly the little nip in the air had been warmed by the sun.
We went to a small charity car boot sale held at Collyer's School.
We browsed, but bought little. I have 7 books of 1930s cigarette cards and a couple of other items with a masculine interest.
We met Jo there and other people we know to chat with.
We came home via Asda to pick up bread and milk.....etc. There is always something extra.
I do not have a Christian faith, but it does feel kind of inappropriate for shops to be open on Good Friday.
We call ourselves a Christian country and yet this day of mourning amongst Christians is now ignored. In my youth shops would not have opened....except a small baker's which opened for a few hours on Good Friday morning to sell the annual hot cross buns; only available on this day. Both Bill and I can remember going to the side door of Hibbs the Baker in Horsham Road to buy our Good Friday buns.
Another really special part of today is that through a random thought, I have made contact with a special friend who I had lost contact with over 30 years ago. We are now facebook friends and have enjoyed a facebook chat - catching up with those areas of interest so important to older women, grandchildren and ailments!
Although Marianne is hardly an older woman, aged only 57.
Welcome back to my world Marianne and her husband Len, who many in both mine and Bill's family would have known in their childhood.
And this afternoon we met up with another special person.
We are so lucky to have over 30 very special great nephews and nieces, some who we rarely see and some we sadly have never met.
Caleb comes to visit his grandmother, Bill's sister, Pam, quite often and I do so enjoy spending some time with him and our niece Fiona.
We had a gift for him today - not an Easter egg - a special plaything.
Bill had made sturdy wooden garages for our boys to store their toy cars and to brrm them around on and in. That would be about 40 years ago.
We no longer need them in our house.
It is a shame that young John couldn't have one - but postage to Thailand would have been a ridiculous price.
So today we have passed it on to Caleb's world.
Time for sleeping soon. I slept so badly last night - I have taken an antihistamine this evening to counteract the effects of a clean bedroom! I think there was too much dust disturbed and polishes had been used.
Up early tomorrow for Ford and Littlehampton.
The early morning was clear and bright and very quickly the little nip in the air had been warmed by the sun.
We went to a small charity car boot sale held at Collyer's School.
We browsed, but bought little. I have 7 books of 1930s cigarette cards and a couple of other items with a masculine interest.
We met Jo there and other people we know to chat with.
We came home via Asda to pick up bread and milk.....etc. There is always something extra.
I do not have a Christian faith, but it does feel kind of inappropriate for shops to be open on Good Friday.
We call ourselves a Christian country and yet this day of mourning amongst Christians is now ignored. In my youth shops would not have opened....except a small baker's which opened for a few hours on Good Friday morning to sell the annual hot cross buns; only available on this day. Both Bill and I can remember going to the side door of Hibbs the Baker in Horsham Road to buy our Good Friday buns.
Another really special part of today is that through a random thought, I have made contact with a special friend who I had lost contact with over 30 years ago. We are now facebook friends and have enjoyed a facebook chat - catching up with those areas of interest so important to older women, grandchildren and ailments!
Although Marianne is hardly an older woman, aged only 57.
Welcome back to my world Marianne and her husband Len, who many in both mine and Bill's family would have known in their childhood.
And this afternoon we met up with another special person.
We are so lucky to have over 30 very special great nephews and nieces, some who we rarely see and some we sadly have never met.
Caleb comes to visit his grandmother, Bill's sister, Pam, quite often and I do so enjoy spending some time with him and our niece Fiona.
We had a gift for him today - not an Easter egg - a special plaything.
Bill had made sturdy wooden garages for our boys to store their toy cars and to brrm them around on and in. That would be about 40 years ago.
We no longer need them in our house.
It is a shame that young John couldn't have one - but postage to Thailand would have been a ridiculous price.
So today we have passed it on to Caleb's world.
Time for sleeping soon. I slept so badly last night - I have taken an antihistamine this evening to counteract the effects of a clean bedroom! I think there was too much dust disturbed and polishes had been used.
Up early tomorrow for Ford and Littlehampton.
Labels: home and daily life
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Spring Cleaning
I hate the sunshine!
Not what you would expect to hear I am quite sure!
And of course I do really love it, but doesn't it show the dust up more?
We collect dust at an even faster rate than things. It seems to be displayed to best effect in the bedroom!
So today became Spring Cleaning Day.
The bedroom is clean and sparkly and very much refreshed.
There has been some decluttering of things - as well as a major discarding of dust. I cleared out quite a lot.
I had a basket full of necklaces, thick with dust. They are hardly ever worn.
The quickest way to clean them was to dump them in the washing up bowl and hang them out to dry.
Photography was far from our minds as we worked - no photos of thick dust for you to feel superior about!
Here are a few, taken when we had almost finished.
Bill sees no dust!
The proud housewife surveys the shiny dust free shelves.
These are shelves above the bed on my side of the room.
A few memories and pleasures on those shelves.
Do you see our wedding photo? Taken almost 46 years ago.
But I have rejected quite a bit which had been held on to for all sorts of mixed reasons. I once held a kind of guilt about even thinking of removing things from my life which have been given to me or associated with the past.
I feel so much more free of that guilt these days.
I hope it is a sign that at my advanced age I now know who I am and no longer need a lot of things to prove it to myself.
These are all souvenirs - so let nobody think that I have rejected everything. But there was just too much on those shelves. I sat on the bed and looked at shelves that were a bit overpowering.
These are holiday souvenirs - mostly from the last 20 years. I guess that these last 20 years have been very strong in formulating who I am now.
On the bottom shelf are some things from Slovenia; above that we have Thailand and above that there are things from many places, Wales, Ireland, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark and the Isle of Wight.
Enlarge the picture to see all.
The silly wooden toy with fluffy hair was bought in Denmark before we were married.
Bill has been collecting wind ups for many years - not just any old clockwork toy, but characters from TV, films etc.
Some have been put aside - but I think he felt a bit bad about discarding characters!
Bedtime will come as most needed for our weary bodies and we will enjoy feeling as though the room is new.
Not what you would expect to hear I am quite sure!
And of course I do really love it, but doesn't it show the dust up more?
We collect dust at an even faster rate than things. It seems to be displayed to best effect in the bedroom!
So today became Spring Cleaning Day.
The bedroom is clean and sparkly and very much refreshed.
There has been some decluttering of things - as well as a major discarding of dust. I cleared out quite a lot.
I had a basket full of necklaces, thick with dust. They are hardly ever worn.
The quickest way to clean them was to dump them in the washing up bowl and hang them out to dry.
Photography was far from our minds as we worked - no photos of thick dust for you to feel superior about!
Here are a few, taken when we had almost finished.
Bill sees no dust!
The proud housewife surveys the shiny dust free shelves.
These are shelves above the bed on my side of the room.
A few memories and pleasures on those shelves.
Do you see our wedding photo? Taken almost 46 years ago.
But I have rejected quite a bit which had been held on to for all sorts of mixed reasons. I once held a kind of guilt about even thinking of removing things from my life which have been given to me or associated with the past.
I feel so much more free of that guilt these days.
I hope it is a sign that at my advanced age I now know who I am and no longer need a lot of things to prove it to myself.
These are all souvenirs - so let nobody think that I have rejected everything. But there was just too much on those shelves. I sat on the bed and looked at shelves that were a bit overpowering.
These are holiday souvenirs - mostly from the last 20 years. I guess that these last 20 years have been very strong in formulating who I am now.
On the bottom shelf are some things from Slovenia; above that we have Thailand and above that there are things from many places, Wales, Ireland, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark and the Isle of Wight.
Enlarge the picture to see all.
The silly wooden toy with fluffy hair was bought in Denmark before we were married.
Some have been put aside - but I think he felt a bit bad about discarding characters!
Bedtime will come as most needed for our weary bodies and we will enjoy feeling as though the room is new.
Labels: home and daily life
Friday, December 10, 2010
Quiet day.
No blog posting yesterday - too busy, until late, having fun.
Ooh, I am tired this evening!
Mind you, I would think fatigue is due to the gipping flut - and I confess that has been largely self inflicted.
But I did enjoy the toasted ham, onion and tomato sandwiches!
Not once - but twice.
Can't just blame those sandwiches though - the gipping flut has been a problem for some weeks.
Yesterday evening we were at the pantomime....shouting out "He's behind you" and "Oh no he isn't" and things like that.
It was fun, and good to be out with Bill's sister Julie and Roger.
Of course we all thought that our nephew, Antony, was the star of the show - a true pantomime villain!
But Widow Twanky was very funny too.
The willingness of the audience to participate also added to the show.
We went back to Julie and Roger's after the show and drank and talked until we all knew we should be in bed.
Today I haven't done so very much.
I have sold some of my Ameliaranne books - straight off our shelves. I loved Ameliaranne when I was a child. I still find the illustrations quite charming.
I still have the very tattiest editions.
But I am happy to let these childhood things go.
So I have been wrapping and invoicing.
I have composed an annual newsletter. I can attach it to an email for many people when I wish people a happy Christmas. Just a few will need posting.
I had been tempted to print off copies of this brief resume of the year, using selected things I have written on facebook.
It is possible to read it if you click on it and then have your computer magnify to 150%,
Labels: home and daily life
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Nymans - walk in the snow and craft in the potting shed.
Today was one of those special days when we wake in the morning and have no idea what lies ahead for the day.
Were we just going to sit around and hibernate?
It is still cold and the snow has not disappeared.
We cooked some breakfast and then pondered.
Yes, we would go to Nymans.
Nymans is the National Trust property closest to home - about 4 miles away.
Having joined The National Trust we can visit as often as we like at no extra charge.
We thought we would pop in for an hour or so's fresh air and exercise.
But the visit gave us so much more.
We were greeted by an angel in the snow.
There were a few such Christmas decorations around.
The snow is very crunchy now over the grass and very slushy where feet have trod. Most of the pathways had been cleared and gritted for the benefit of visitors.
Pampas grass in front of a favourite tree. I like the needles, soft and ferny, on that tree.
And to walk underneath it is like being in a glorious childhood camp.
That tree really did look red - standing out on the snowy slopes.
Bill can't resist a dragonfly.
The sun came out for a while, creating fantastic colours across the wooded valley.
Winter trees. 
Footsteps to the winter tree. 
A Nymans robin.
The Lord of Nymans waits to greet you at the gateway, festooned with Christmas garlands.
We were both attracted to the piles of ornamental bricks in the snow by the gateway.
Nymans ruins in the snow. 
This part of the building remained to be the family home. 
That is what I am doing here.
Bill went first - securing his glass pebbles and making them appear to be in a silver setting.
Bill, of course, had soldered things before. 
I wasn't as adept as Bill at it. 
We had already down loaded photos at home when I realised we had no picture of our work. So Bill put them in the scanner.
Were we just going to sit around and hibernate?
It is still cold and the snow has not disappeared.
We cooked some breakfast and then pondered.
Yes, we would go to Nymans.
Nymans is the National Trust property closest to home - about 4 miles away.
Having joined The National Trust we can visit as often as we like at no extra charge.
We thought we would pop in for an hour or so's fresh air and exercise.
But the visit gave us so much more.
We were greeted by an angel in the snow.
There were a few such Christmas decorations around.
The snow is very crunchy now over the grass and very slushy where feet have trod. Most of the pathways had been cleared and gritted for the benefit of visitors.
Pampas grass in front of a favourite tree. I like the needles, soft and ferny, on that tree.
And to walk underneath it is like being in a glorious childhood camp.
That tree really did look red - standing out on the snowy slopes.
Bill can't resist a dragonfly.
This carving hovers above the ice covered pond.
The sun came out for a while, creating fantastic colours across the wooded valley.
Winter trees.
I love winter trees, creating silhouettes.
Footsteps to the winter tree.
I think the pathway round to the left could be the road less travelled.
A Nymans robin.
The Lord of Nymans waits to greet you at the gateway, festooned with Christmas garlands.
We were both attracted to the piles of ornamental bricks in the snow by the gateway.
Nymans ruins in the snow.
Much of Nymans was destroyed by fire.
This part of the building remained to be the family home.
And then we began to walk back to the car park; the path took us past the potting shed and I had determined that we should look in.
I had seen in the entrance as we came in that there were opportunities to make Christmas decorations there.
We sat ourselves down at a table with lots of children - and some adults too.
The table was strewn with coloured glass pebbles and pieces of plastic mirror.
The simplest method of creating a decoration, which was the option of the young ones, was to arrange some glass pebbles on a piece of mirror and a helper would then stick them on with superglue. A hole was then drilled so that they could be hung.
Older children could try a more complicated method - suitable for old age pensioners too!
We chose our glass and then took a coil of adhesive copper strip and wrapped it round each pebble.
The copper needed to be buffed and smoothed and burnished, so that there were no creases or bubbles or loose edges.
That is what I am doing here.
By the way - no mention of the hat, please! I know now that it is too small - pity Bill didn't tell me!
When we had all the stones fully prepared we settled on an arrangement and took them over to the work bench where a soldering iron was set up.
Bill went first - securing his glass pebbles and making them appear to be in a silver setting.
Bill, of course, had soldered things before.
I am quite sure that I had watched other people at work with a soldering iron. I have memories of holding the solder for my Dad.
But I had never worked with a soldering iron before today.
I wasn't as adept as Bill at it.
I dabbed too quickly.
We had already down loaded photos at home when I realised we had no picture of our work. So Bill put them in the scanner.
Mine actually shows up best in the scanner picture - but Bill's is sturdier and very lovely.
The day was an example of grasping any opportunity that comes your way.
We could have walked past the potting shed - we had been out for longer than intended anyway.
We could have chosen to think it was just for children.
But the end result was two smiling happy people who had stumbled on something satisfying and interesting.
Labels: home and daily life, Sussex
Friday, December 03, 2010
Ice in Crawley
It has been below freezing all day - but no more snow has fallen.
This evening the temperature is rising. At 6 o'clock it was minus 6.7 degrees and 4 hours later it is 4 degrees warmer.
We are in for a wet and soggy and slushy weekend.
Having been very busy on EBay through November, we had more parcels to post today.
So, it was off along Wakehurst Drive yet again.
Talk about stating the obvious!
Close to warm houses icicles were forming and melting and extending. 
Crystals were growing too on strands - cobwebby strands.
Through the snow window. 
The old square of the old town centre has been improved.
Icicles on a hanging basket outside The George Hotel.
Beautiful hung tiled wall with icicles framing the window.
Part of The George Hotel.
A blue plaque on the George Hotel. 
Look - blue sky at last, over the Ancient Priors building.
As we arrived at our front door we noticed that icicles hanging from our gutter had dripped onto the rose bush, forming more icicles.
And the clear sky gave us a sunset.
This evening the temperature is rising. At 6 o'clock it was minus 6.7 degrees and 4 hours later it is 4 degrees warmer.
We are in for a wet and soggy and slushy weekend.
Having been very busy on EBay through November, we had more parcels to post today.
So, it was off along Wakehurst Drive yet again.
The red Mini was photographed yesterday - and I commented on its eyes peering at us.
It seems we were not alone in seeing that - today a nose and a mouth had appeared.
We dealt with the parcels and continued on into town.
Talk about stating the obvious!
Close to warm houses icicles were forming and melting and extending.
This is in Malthouse Road.
We always stop on the footbridge and hope for a train to come along.
We always stop on the footbridge and hope for a train to come along.
There were trains today, but a greatly reduced timetable.
We didn't see one.
We saw ice crystals forming on the edge of the snow that had fallen on the iron work of the bridge.
We saw ice crystals forming on the edge of the snow that had fallen on the iron work of the bridge.
Crystals were growing too on strands - cobwebby strands.
Through the snow window.
The Railway Hotel, which after taking on other names has returned to the old name is there.
Just beyond is the old signal box.
Once we had arrived in town we headed for The Jubilee Oak, the Crawley Wetherspoon's pub.
We got beautifully warm and chatted with some nice people and felt very relaxed over a meal.
The Jubilee Oak is at the north end of the High Street - I think it was once Woolworths - in my childhood.
The old square of the old town centre has been improved.
It is no longer the place to catch the bus back home to Ifield as I did as a child.
It is paved and there is art work.
I like the Crawley Crows.
Icicles on a hanging basket outside The George Hotel.
Beautiful hung tiled wall with icicles framing the window.
Part of The George Hotel.
The menu of a Thai restaurant there looked both interesting and
reasonably priced. We will treat ourselves over Christmas.
A blue plaque on the George Hotel.
I grew up always knowing about Mark Lemon - he was buried in Ifield church yard.
Look - blue sky at last, over the Ancient Priors building.
From The Square we headed to Asda for bread and milk - with some trepidation.
Woman we chatted with in Wetherspoons reported that Sainsburys in the town didn't have any.We needn't have worried - there was plenty in Asda.
As we planned to walk home we forced ourselves to take care that we didn't buy too much.
As we planned to walk home we forced ourselves to take care that we didn't buy too much.
As we arrived at our front door we noticed that icicles hanging from our gutter had dripped onto the rose bush, forming more icicles.
And the clear sky gave us a sunset.
At home there were more EBay sales to deal with.
Temperature is another degree warmer now.
I hope Mam and the children have enjoyed seeing all the snow.
I expect they will see the pictures on facebook.
They are/have been in Bangkok, for Mam's sister's wedding.
They will stay in Chumphon for a couple of days.
Labels: home and daily life
Thursday, December 02, 2010
The snow was deeper today.
There were differences between our walk, yesterday and today, to Southgate shops.
Today it took a great deal longer.
Walking was hard work.
Talking was fun - lots of talking. We spent a while with a young woman - a teacher, who teaches in south London, chatting about this and that. Bill took a picture of her in the snow on her blackberry so that she could brag to a friend about the amount of snow we have!
We spoke too, to policemen - not sorting out major crimes, but collecting medicines from the pharmacy for somebody.
Another difference between the two days is that Sandra in the post office failed to make it - the post office was closed. So parcels have not been posted.
We went into the little minimart for basic supplies - but there was no bread or milk to be found.
Bill has just about enough bread - and maybe he will have to enjoy black tea and coffee, like me.
We gave up any ideas of walking on into town.
And by the time we got home I was glad - my hands were very cold.
I had an idea in my head about building a snowman. That can wait until tomorrow.
Now for some photos.
Come on Bill - it's fun.
The picture of the bird bath gives a little idea of the depth of the snow.
Taken from the front door.
A new small tree which has been planted by the fence of the medical centre.
I said it would be fun!
Having left our own front garden, we made our way up Wakehurst Drive. 
It looks gloomy doesn't it? It didn't actually stop snowing all the while we were out.
Christmassy holly berries brighten the gloom.
Cars were almost lost under the snow.
The same red Mini - keeping a pair of eyes on the passers by!
Pigeons and icicles.
Pigeon in the tree.
Nearly back home - the children just round the corner had made a snowman outside their front door.
The back garden - from the back door.
Cat face in the path that Bill had cleared in the back garden.
Today it took a great deal longer.
Walking was hard work.
Talking was fun - lots of talking. We spent a while with a young woman - a teacher, who teaches in south London, chatting about this and that. Bill took a picture of her in the snow on her blackberry so that she could brag to a friend about the amount of snow we have!
We spoke too, to policemen - not sorting out major crimes, but collecting medicines from the pharmacy for somebody.
Another difference between the two days is that Sandra in the post office failed to make it - the post office was closed. So parcels have not been posted.
We went into the little minimart for basic supplies - but there was no bread or milk to be found.
Bill has just about enough bread - and maybe he will have to enjoy black tea and coffee, like me.
We gave up any ideas of walking on into town.
And by the time we got home I was glad - my hands were very cold.
I had an idea in my head about building a snowman. That can wait until tomorrow.
Now for some photos.
Come on Bill - it's fun.
The picture of the bird bath gives a little idea of the depth of the snow.
Taken from the front door.
A new small tree which has been planted by the fence of the medical centre.
I said it would be fun!
Having left our own front garden, we made our way up Wakehurst Drive.
Bill decided to snap the post box.
It looks gloomy doesn't it? It didn't actually stop snowing all the while we were out.
Christmassy holly berries brighten the gloom.
Cars were almost lost under the snow.
The same red Mini - keeping a pair of eyes on the passers by!
Pigeons and icicles.
Pigeon in the tree.
Nearly back home - the children just round the corner had made a snowman outside their front door.
Look how deep the snow is - almost over my knee high boots.
The back garden - from the back door.
Cat face in the path that Bill had cleared in the back garden.Tomorrow they say we will have some sunshine.
That will be nice.
But the snow will remain - temperatures going down low again tonight.
So, I assume that there will be another day of problems for people making journeys.
Today there were no planes, no trains and no buses. Not many cars were on the roads either.
Labels: home and daily life
