New Year

I know that some of you will be well into your New Year by now.

Some may not be there yet.

Whenever you reach 2020 I wish you a joyful, peaceful.....and healthy New Year.
For us, it has been a year of ups and downs, too many downs, but also many things to be so thankful for.
Long hospital stays have been balanced by care from so many of our family and friends. Recuperation, equally long and ongoing, has been helped by visits from a marvellous Physiotherapist.
Having my daughter back in England has been a huge blessing, and she is now moving forward with the purchase of a property.
A new job for a son, messages from Sydney from eldest son to say they are not in danger of fires, grandchildren who are all successful in their own fields.
Whatever we go through, we know that we are guided and watched over by the Lord.

Christmas

'For unto us a child was born.'

Wishing you all a peaceful and joyfilled Christmas

and a very healthy New Year.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on our Anniversary.

Anniversary.

It's a very significant day for us today.

For my husband, who in February was so unwell that the hospital told me not to expect him to make it through the night....he is so very grateful to be celebrating our 40th Wedding anniversary.

Our Lord was with us.

And so there are roses, celebrations, and a special afternoon tea later with family at a very nice hotel in Truro.

Neighbours, carers, friends and family have all sent flowers, wine and cards , helping us to celebrate.

How very blessed we are.

A tree and hyacinths.

It's just a little tree but I'm rather fond of it.

Some years ago when I had decided not to bother with a 'real' tree, my son presented me with this little not-real one, insisting that I should have a tree of some sort..

It comes out every year and cheers a corner.

My Hyacinths have been sitting quietly in a dark corner of the garage, and are now enjoying a warmer room and beginning to 'green'.

I'm so looking forward to the Spring like feeling when they bloom.

Candlelight

During a pretty wild storm this week, all our electricity cut out.

There was something very nostalgic about lighting candles and sitting in the semi dark.

Flames glimmered and shone and we remembered our childhood evenings.

My little Angel 'windmill' spun happily around.

The scents of the winter Candles filled the room and took us to another time.

The Carers arrived while it was still dark, and although we couldn't make hot drinks (we dont have gas), one of them said that their previous clients were enjoying fish and chips from the weekly village van, and she would go and get some for us! 

We did enjoy them, and as it was the two carers' last call, they stayed and shared some of the chips with us. A candlelit picnic of sorts.

The electricity came back on later, it had been off for about five hours, and over two hundred houses were affected.

We rather enjoyed our time by candlelight.

My pretty gift.

Isn't this pretty?

I was given this Christmas cactus by an elderly lady who had won it in a raffle, and decided that I should have it.

It was such a surprise.

I have never had one before but admired them on other windowsills.

Its proper name is Schlumbergera, but I think Christmas cactus suits it better.

It seems to have a lot of buds, and I've looked up on a website as to how it needs to be treated.

A friend said airily 'Oh, it's bomb proof, you don't need to worry about it'.

I hope she's right!

Thank you for your kind good wishes. The virus turned out to be much nastier than I had expected, but I'm gradually recovering, though I dare not drive at the moment as the light headedness sometimes returns. I'm slowly getting the house ready for Christmas, a wreath on the front door, my little Christmas tree decorated....little by little.

Colds etc.

Big box of tissues, check

Paracetamol, check

Copious glasses of water, check

Thermometer, hot water bottle........

and so on.

It's that time of year when some evil thing hits me.

A bad cold turned into Labyrinthitis, never experienced before and rather daunting to find that the minute you sit up, you pass out with dizziness.

Or, as the nice Dr said jovially 'like having a bad hangover ha ha?'

Ha Ha.

Very quiet here for a few days.

Thanksgiving.

With best wishes to all my American friends.

Card making

I was asked to help with a Card making afternoon at our local Health and Wellbeing hub recently.

I thought it would be fun to make a few cards for examples....and found that I've got the card-making spirit again.
I am not proficient in die cutting or stamping so these are simple designs.

Some years ago my daughter bought me a cutter and all sorts of items, and I made cards for a while, then lost enthusiasm.

I'm really enjoying cutting and sticking again!

I use a combination of cut out photos from magazines, mounted, bows and felt and bits from my own collection of....things, and some of the stick-ons supplied by HobbyCraft.

People enjoyed making their own cards, and asked if they might buy the ones I had made, with a donation going to the Hub, which was very pleasing.

Now I have orders for more!

Nightdress part 2.

Thank you so much for the really helpful comments and suggestions about my Nightwear! I was so interested to read all your viewpoints

I looked all of your recommendations up, and saw some really lovely nightdresses. Sadly most of them (in USA) would have  cost almost more on postage than the garment itself....and then there is Customs Duty.

So this is what I eventually found, after much searching, and an unsuitable buy from John Lewis, returned.

It is cotton jersey, three quarter length, and with half sleeves. I don't want long sleeves as they can prove to be too tight.

It's made by a company called David Nieper, who pride themselves on making all their clothes in their workshops in Derbyshire.

I'm waiting for it to be delivered now.

Once again, thank you!

Nightwear.

 I'm looking for a new nightdress.

I've come to the somewhat reluctant conclusion that I am growing old, and bracketed in the 'elderly ladies nightwear' section of most catalogues. Sensible, warm....and not very pretty.
I don't want glamorous, just pretty.

Getty images.

Now that Winter nights have set in, I do feel the cold in bed, and my Summer nighties are not enough. I have a real aversion to pyjamas for no reason at all, but I love pretty nighties.

I remember nighties that my mum made me, in white seersucker, full length and with lace and smocking round the bodice. I loved them and felt a bit princessy in them.

Now so many are short, way too short for me. I like a nightie that wraps itself around me. I'm having a problem finding one that is long, warm and also pretty (but not too expensive).
However, M/S came up with this, which I bought and which is lovely....but with short sleeves.

I'm wondering if this one would be a good idea?
Not exactly a nightie, is it?!

But, so cosy!
(Yes, Angela, I know....I could make one myself.......)

Words

Words are important to me.

In fact I become a bit over picky about the incorrect use of words, often in advertisements.

I had a brilliant English language teacher at school and have never forgotten how particular she was.

I think today I would be regarded as old fashioned.

I found a new word today.

Occasionally I keep Marks and Spencer's ready meals in the freezer for emergencies. They are good healthy options.

I looked at the instructions on one and read.....

Do not put this dish into the oven.

Decant into an ovenable dish.

Do you have ovenable dishes?!

Apparently 530 new words were added to the Oxford English Dictionary by September 2018, including slang words such as sumfink (something), whatevs (whatever), and with Social media in mind 'Nomophobia' (anxiety about not having access to a mobile phone)

Deep sigh.

Thoughts.

Christmas, in October, seems to be the way of life here.

I went into our local Garden centre today to be confronted by wall to wall Christmas....or as they would have it, 'Noel'

There were trees brightly lit, singing Santas (would you really want one on your mantelshelf?)

There were reindeer, gifts, baubles, cards....any amount of 'things'.

It saddens me somewhat.

Things were different 'in my days'.
Which makes me sound old.
But we had such excitement over the little things that made up Christmas.
Nothing started until well into December.
We spent hours secretively making presents for the family. Shops were not full of ready made decorations.
The same old tree lights came out every year, with my Grandpa struggling manfully to find a spare bulb  for the one that wouldnt light up.
Anticipation was in the air.
I think maybe the anticipation now is outworn by the time Christmas really comes around.

And sadly, there is very little in our shops that points to why we celebrate Christmas.

I'm not being Mrs Grumpy about all this, but I can't help feeling that the way we grew up was somehow more real, less commercial, and had more room for the birth of a Saviour.,

Home again.

Home feels good.

Although it has been a lovely time on our respite trip to Brighton, there is a relief in  being back where you belong.

As ever, the Care at the centre was so kind, thoughtful and attentive. So many of the staff have been at Blind Veterans for many years, and it is good to see friendly faces...and to find that they remember you too!

We did some of the usual things. I swam in the beautiful pool, my husband had some time in the Gym which is extraordinarily well equipped,

we ate far too much, went to Brighton Marina and pottered, had coffee there...and so on.

But a lovely day was spent with Betty (Wood Fairy) who had kindly arranged tickets for a building that I had wanted to see for some time.

She and I arranged to meet at the Royal Pavilion, an amazing building which was built as the holiday home of King George 1V.

The beautiful dining room captured my attention, with splendid chandeliers and a table laid ready for a sumptuous meal.

But I think that the kitchen was one of the most interesting rooms.
Here you can see the collection of copper pans and other implements. I do wonder who polishes them.
On the long table there are 'birds' ready for preparing for the oven....including the swan!
Instead of being down in the basement as so many kitchens were, this one is close to the Dining room. Guests would have enjoyed hot food.

A quick glimpse of the beautiful wallpapers in so many rooms.

 Chinese inspired, and with much conservation, I believe.
I wanted to take the blue one home and paper my hallway with it.

Back home now and the garden needs attention.

Nearly ready to go.

Packing.

Making lists.

Sewing nametapes on my husband's clothes.

Panicking, gently.....

It's always a big endeavour getting ready for a respite holiday. So many things have to be remembered, medication, clothing, coats, hats, glasses....

The photo below shows the Blind Veterans Centre, lying just outside Brighton, and overlooking the sea.

There are around 90 bedrooms, with almost one to one Care staff, who are just wonderful.

My husband will spend some time in the workshops which offer woodwork, soapstone carving, crafts of all kinds.

But I will swim in their beautiful heated pool!

This pretty garden was brought from Hampton Court Palace Show last year, where it was designed specifically for BVA , winning a Gold medal.

I think by this year it will have grown up a lot more.

Hoping for a bit of sun, a bit of exploring Brighton, a meeting with Betty (Wood Fairy) and a visit to the Pavilion.

I'll see you in a couple of weeks time.

Not so much a book review as a history lesson!

I have just read this fascinating book by JoJo Moyes.

Her books are often romantic tales, but this is somewhat different as it is based round historical events.

Have you ever heard of the Packhorse Librarians?

If you live in Kentucky then probably you have. I hadn't, and the book immediately made me long to find out more.

When JoJo found a reference to the Librarians she knew that she simply had to write a story set around them. 

It was a time of great poverty after the Depression. The Work Progress  Administration (WPA) wanted to bring reading materials to those who lived in remote areas far out from a town centre, and so the Packhorse Librarians were set up in 1935. It seems to have been ladies only who rode ponies or mules far into the 'hollers' of the Appalachian mountains. They traversed rivers, forests, found their ways blocked by floods or deep snow, all to bring the written word to families who might not even own a book.

Jo Jo herself stayed in a remote cabin, riding out to get the feel of what it must have been like for the girls. She passed abandoned homes, rode up canyons where no one had lived for years, and fended off snakes....all in the name of research. Her story is centred round a small group of five women riders, and yes, there is both gentle romance, friendship and hardship, giving a well crafted feel of the lives lived by the women.

Up to 30% of the population could not read. and there were many picture books sent out for children, who would often help their parents read the words. 
Look at these two little things with their armfuls of books!

Some families believed that only the Scriptures should be read, but others revelled in the magazines with recipes and medication ideas. The librarians would sometimes be asked to read to the folk that they were visiting.

Once the books became too tattered to send out, they were cut up and made into scrapbooks full of tips and recipes. 

Over the eight years that the scheme was running, thirty groups evolved, serving thousands of people.
I perhaps haven't told you as much about JoJo's story as I might have done, but I thought the whole subject, as well as the book itself , was so very interesting.
Photos taken from the many in Google images.

This will be my last post for a while as we will shortly be going for a couple of week's 'respite' at the lovely Blind Veterans' Centre near Brighton.

August ends.

I hope this isn't the last rose of Summer.

Taken at the finish of August in all its loveliness.

This is a rose that we brought back from France some years ago. I believe she is available in England under another name.

Her name is Pullman Orient Express, not a very feminine name, but she makes up for it.

Now I have to start emptying my lovely pots of geraniums and getting them ready for Tulips. 

The seasons change, the garden changes with them.

And then there were three...

This is the time when I make apple jelly. I decided to make less this year as there was still some left from last year.

So made just half a dozen jars using the few Crab apples on my little tree, and windfalls from the Apple tree.

The jars were pounced on by members of my family.

Of course!

This is a time when I recall my dear Grandmother who faithfully made Apple jelly each year. We used to be given a thin slice of brown bread with jelly on it at tea time. Delicious!

I have never been able to cut the wafer thin slices of bread that Grandma managed. She was an extraordinary person.

Garden corner

Just a little corner of my garden.

So often I sit out here with a cup of coffee and gaze, planning next seasons planting.

Or just dream.

The pot in the front has old traditional Clarkia and a Godetia that crept in somehow. They are plants that my Grandpa used to grow and it is good to have them.

Tomatoes

Time for tomatoes again.

I didn't think it was going to be a very good year, but I am proved wrong. Tomatoes are growing thick and fast in the greenhouse.

From this....

 to this....

 To these!

The large Marmande variety are the first to ripen, and I have already put several boxes of tomato sauce in the freezer. It is such a good staple and we find that it usually lasts all Winter , depending on the crop. Simple to make , simmered with shallots, garlic if liked and a few Basil leaves. A shot of tomato puree, bubbling gently away till soft, and there you are.
The essence of Tomato will fill your kitchen.

80th

I chose to have a tea party for my birthday yesterday.

I sat in the garden at 7.30 am watching what the weather forecasters called 'fleeting showers', and prayed that we might have the gift of a fine afternoon.

By midday it was still showering, but miraculously everything changed by 2pm, the sun came out and friends and family were able to sit in the garden.

Of course, we over catered. (Not a good photo as someone stepped in front of me just as I pressed the shutter!)

I asked all our guests not to bring presents but if they liked, to make a small donation to a charity that I am fond of, called 
Horatio's Garden

Horatio Chapple was a young student working as a volunteer in a Spinal injuries hospital, where his father was a surgeon. Horatio felt that there should be a garden where people could be wheeled out, sometimes in a bed, or wheelchair, to enjoy the calm and solace that a garden brings.

He began to design the first garden. Sadly he was killed in Norway at far too young an age.

His parents continued with his work and now there are four Horatio's gardens connected to Spinal injuries hospitals in GB.

I know what calm my garden brings me if I am feeling stressed, and felt that this is a worthwhile Charity to support. Thanks to some kind donations we will be sending a good cheque to the Charity

A birthday

Preparing the garden for a tea party.

Praying that the good weather will last till Saturday.

It's also an important number that I dont really want to acknowledge.
More later