Grandma P's Ramblings Through Life

There is not much to say about today.
The snow remains, but we had very little more - unlike to the east of the county.
The icicles are longer than yesterday.
The temperature is low - feels a bit of an anti climax at merely minus one.
More snow is forecast for tomorrow and the biting easterly winds will continue.
Outdoors looked very unwelcoming for a while this afternoon as snow blew horizontally past the window.
We have not been anywhere.

This morning we got up late.
After breakfast we got a bit of housework done.
I wielded the iron and Bill attacked with a duster and vacuum cleaner.

At lunch time I watched sport on TV.
Not football, of course. There was hardly a game being played anywhere today, despite the top clubs having under pitch heating.
Today there was a big cross country running meeting in Edinburgh, Runners are not deterred by weather - and nor were the organisers and spectators.
I can remember Jamie running a cross country race in quite deep snow when he was about 15.
Where was that Jamie?
Top class runners have such grace and poise that they can be a delight to watch - and if a race is close it can be exciting too.
The tiny Ethiopian woman, Dibaba, looked almost balletic in pink, striding so gracefully over the snow.

This afternoon Bill and I got busy describing things for EBay. I have a bid on one of the books - about the Bognor Branch Line (railway) already. Bill has attracted some watchers.
We need to sell - for the shop has been shut for most of the week.
Apparently only one antiques shop in West Street has been open and that is where the owners live above the shop.
My January sale might have to continue into February.
I shall describe a few more things tomorrow - for there will be no car boot sales to attend.

And that's about it for me.

Jamie has completed his review of the year Part 2.
https://www.jamiesphuketblog.com/

And if you like really good bird photography have a look at this blog.
http://stmargaretsphotodiary.blogspot.com/
The writer said yesterday that roads were generally clear in East Kent - where we holidayed last October.
Not today, they are not.

It has been warmer today - the calm before the storm.

Labels: home and daily life

The pictures tell the story.
We had to go into town and chose to make a detour to include Goffs Park.
The sun was shining and the sky was blue.
The temperature didn't rise to above zero all day. It was minus 7.3 degrees when we got up.
It was a glorious morning and some of the snowy views were enough to make me gasp with pleasure.

The first 3 pictures are from our house, before breakfast at sunrise.

Labels: Sussex

Snow dominates in these parts.
Our area seems to have had more snow than many places.
Bill went out this morning with a ruler and measured a 6 inch depth.

Later he went out to clear paths - which I call "playing". It was hard work and he came in feeling really warm.

It was tempting to get out and take a walk - but the skies were very grey and leaden and more snow was promised.
We have tomorrow to get out when we are promised sunshine and the snow will still be there for we are also promised temperatures of minus 5 degrees.
We will have to walk into town to collect medication and buy some bread.
But I think we could detour back via Goffs Park.
I expect some of that snow has been well flattened today by children on sledges. There is a good hill in the park.
Schools have all been closed.
Gatwick Airport could not operate this morning - as fast as snow ploughs cleared the runways and taxi ways the snow had covered them again.

I look forward to being out in it tomorrow. Maybe we could even have a bite to eat in town to make an occasion of the day.

The photos that follow were taken last evening.
Snow was falling fast - and more came through the night.





This last one looks like it could have been a morning picture. But it was taken at the same time as the others.
It was taken using the light of a streetlight only - no flash.
I am not sure where the falling snow flakes went.


The streetlight is not really that bright - but the white of the snow is a very powerful reflector.

We have not got round to much today.
Played computer games, watched a drama on TV and generally lazed.

Tomorrow will be different.
But we will not have to go out tomorrow evening to be timekeepers for that meeting has been cancelled.
Postcard club on Friday is also off.

It is a shame there have to be cancellations and worse problems because of the weather.
But I love it.
I love the reminder that humanity gets, that man is not all powerful and cannot completely control his world.
I love the good humour and extra friendliness amongst people as they compare stories and give aid where needed.
I feel sorry for those who were stuck on the A3 last night for 16 hours. Horrible!
But rather put into perspective by another news items on local radio this morning.
A man who lost both his legs in Afghanistan has won his battle to have a new purpose built bungalow built for him by his old home in Pevensey.
Now, learning to adjust to life with no legs far exceeds any problems of being stuck in the snow or not being able to go where you thought you wanted to be or ought to be.
In fact most children - and the teachers are no doubt delighted that they were not able to be where they ought to have been!
So - a shame for our Ecky. Her school opened. The school very close to their home in North Wales, where there is no snow was closed for the day. But her school 2 miles up the hill, where this snow, opened up.
So Ashley and Ecky have been walking today again.

Today has been a day for hibernation. I look forward to being out in the world again tomorrow.

Labels: home and daily life

Snow is falling.
It began late in the day.
The world is now white again and I wonder how much we will find in the morning.
We will not be as troubled as are people in other parts. It is a shame that a normal part of our weather can generate so many problems that people start to fear it.
In fact snow can bring out the best in people. Communities and neighbours show more concern for each other.
But if you are alone stuck in a car or alone battling the elements to get home then it must feel rather bleak and frightening.
Ashley has walked 6 miles in the snow today. It was the first day back at school. There was a bus this morning - but after that feet had to slip and slide up and down the hills of Bangor.

This comment on facebook might make Ashley smile - he can struggle up and down the hill (2 miles each way) in a fierce snow storm and then find there is no bus so Ecky had to walk back home down the slippery slopes.
But my contact feels she would be risking lives by getting her children to school!
Some people do like to exaggerate.
I expect its all Gordon Brown's fault!
If its as bad as last time I'm not risking my kids life to go to school !

But I have not been anywhere today. We did talk about getting out for a short walk - but there was plenty to do at home.

Bill has continued to sort model trains. He created a fine display box for the InterCity 125 out of the boxes that we bought crackers in at Christmas.
I sat and sorted and greetings cards - old ones.
These date from the late 1940s and early 1950s.
I am particularly pleased with a selection that marked out events in the life of a couple who must have given and received them. There are Valentines cards - mostly unsigned. There are cards congratulating them on their engagement and later their marriage. There is an unused birth of baby card and some wedding anniversary cards.
The couple were Willis and Sheila - he was in the RAF. Their baby was Lindy.
They were living in Scotland.
Now their cards are neatly presented in cellophane envelopes and have already given me pleasure and hopefully collectors will also enjoy them. It is possible that some young romantic might like to send one of the old fashioned Valentines cards.

This afternoon I posted the next instalment of life in Pilgrims Antiques.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/

I have quite a few readers now. There were 36 visitors during the last month - who mostly checked it out each week.
I don't know who they all are.
I suspect that at the moment many are my own family and friends.
Since I told the boggling friends about the shop and the blog there has been interest from them.
But things keep selling that I have photographed - coincidence of course!
And reflects my choice of things to photograph as well.

Jamie is writing a review of the year.
Part 1 is complete.
https://www.jamiesphuketblog.com/

He likes to write a blog to promote the things he most cares about - Phuket and Thai culture, history and people - and of course, his family.
But he does get very short of time.
He has to work 6 long days each week and what with working and travelling to and from work he has little time to enjoy with Mam and Jessica and John.
He would rather spend time with them than write about them.
But very often in his weather blog in particular there are snippets about family life and his own doings.
He does quickly get some photos onto Facebook sometimes - and there are always links to blog postings.

Tomorrow is another day - wonder what it will bring.
No school maybe for quite a few.
Looking further ahead we are timekeeping on Thursday evening in the indoor tube at Horsham - I think it will feel more than a bit nippy!

Life appears to be perfectly normal now.

Labels: shop and stock

Back to normal - and feeling tired!
I have nodded off a couple of times during today.

We were up early - before dawn.
We drove up to Dorking for the car boot sale.
The moon shone down brightly to lighten our way.
Bill, not knowing the poem, commented on the road as a bright moonlit ribbon.
The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes is a favourite of mine - this is the first verse.

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding—
Riding—riding—
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

In the first light we browsed the stalls and met Jo and Monika doing the same.
I bought items of Bunnykins china, which always seems to sell well.
And I have some books.
It was cold of course, but the skies were clear and the air was fresh.
It was a lovely morning to be out.
As we came away a huge orange sun rose above Box hill.

We cooked some breakfast when we got home.

Then it took me a long time to get going.

Finally I did wash my purchases, but I haven't sorted them out or written them up yet.
I had other things in mind.
I prepared 3 boxes of things to take to the shop tomorrow to have a January sale.
I shall have to do a rearrange to have one shelf unit devoted to items costing under £5.
Bill has made me some notices.

That's all really.
I will get back to watching The Antiques Roadshow - nothing valued at under £5 there!

Life is back to normal - almost!
We should have set off for a car boot sale this morning; but we peered through the curtains at 6 o'clock and saw a cold, dark world. There has been a minor snow fall during the night.
We climbed back under the duvet again and went to sleep.
Later we regretted this - for the day was sunny and it might have been good at Ford at Littlehampton.
But there was plenty to do at home.

We packed away our Christmas trinkets. The display does not take much room but I like the feeling of a little extra space and freshness when everything is stowed back into the boxes.

Later we walked into town. There was a need for a few basics like bread and milk. We certainly didn't buy much. But Asda was crowded with people buying food like there was about to be a siege.
We caught the bus back.

Lunch was good. Asda do a really good loaf with carrot and pumpkin seeds which we enjoyed with left over curry, made on Thursday.

After lunch I made a pineapple and apple crumble. There was pineapple that needed eating - always unwilling to throw food away.
I presume that many of the shoppers in the supermarket had just cleared their fridges of anything that had been bought for the Christmas holiday and started again.

This afternoon I got some things onto to EBay again at last. I have listed all the items that had not sold during November and December. I have a bid on one of them already - and some watchers.

We will soon have our main meal and maybe find something to watch on TV. If not, we could watch High society which I have on DVD.

So the Christmas holiday is over. We finished it with a flourish along with the traditional Morris Dancers and the Mummers Play.
We went to The Plough at Leigh - just beyond Charlwood.
In truth, I have seen more polished groups of dancers. But they performed with gusto and humour.
We had planned to eat at the pub but it was fully booked.
And so when the performance was over we drove into Horley where we ate a good deal more cheaply - the after 2 o'clock deal at Wetherspoons.
It was crowded in there too - and people were actually more friendly than at the village pub.
Bill stood at the bar to order our food and chatted a while with a young man who had wished "A Happy New Year" . He was originally from North Wales, but has been working at the East Surrey Hospital for several years now.
Random conversations with strangers are so pleasant and crop up often - or maybe its just the way we invite them to start.

Now for a few photos from the pub at Leigh - pronounced Lye.

We had bought our steaming mulled wine and gone out to the tables in front of the pub.
It was a chilly day for outdoors - but the sun shone from a clear blue sky.
We watched as the group of actors and dancers gathered.

Labels: interesting bits and pieces, Places in England

Well, here we are at the start of another new year.I hope there are lots of good things.

My first 31st December with Bill was at a dance held at one of the companies on The Manor Royal Estate. I presume that somebody Bill knew worked for that company. I won a bottle of gin in a raffle!At midnight I kissed my new boyfriend (we had been together for 3 or 4 months) and my resolution was that I would spend the next new year's eve with him.
That was in 1962.
Since then there have been occasions and events of all kinds - and sometimes nothing.Certainly Monk family parties have been important, either on Boxing day or New Years Eve ( or both).
It is hard to imagine now that we all had to get up for work on 1st January - well, students and teachers excepted of course.

We saw in the new year - the new decade - at a Monk party at Bill's sister Jane's.
For those that know us less well I will explain that Bill is from a large family - he is the eldest of 10 children.
Six of Bill's siblings were with us and a couple of nephews.

Each person features on the photographs below.