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Life in Ambridge
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Nothing to do with the current story-line but rather cute
AmbridgesMrsPAugust 6, 2023 at 12:46 PM
ReplyDeleteBeetroot is a superfood, and I don’t eat enough of it although I love it.
I remember it often being boiled in my mothers kitchen, and yet I don’t remember it being grown on my father’s allotment, which seems to me now, strange.
I never much liked the smell of it cooking, and it was always drowned in vinegar.
Why ?
And only ever eaten with/ as salad.
Many decades later we became friends with a couple and she was Polish. She taught me to serve beetroot hot as a vegetable with a white sauce, a revelation to me.
Now I’m frequently eating beetroot as both sons in law cook with it, usually roasted and with skin on.
I tend to cook a single bulb to eat with cold meat or as a salad ingredient.
Over recent days, not eating anything, I’ve been thinking back to when my girls were small and I fed them with a macrobiotic ethos. ( I’m not sure that phase lasted very long ) these memories were kicked off by a friend writing about her day out with family to Bristol and visiting St Martins market, where I used to buy my grains.
I used to make huge bowls of grain and vegetable salads for parties and picnics, but couldn’t remember the ingredients that I used beyond red or white cabbage.
So I trawled some recipes on line and now I have a list of ingredients and intend (?) to try to eat better than I have in recent years. This includes grating raw beetroot into my salads - think carrot and beetroot together .
And NO VINEGAR !
I can find no motivation to cook for myself alone, clearly a huge gap in my self esteem. I think that for me, cooking is an act of love, or nurturing of another, and obviously I’m not worthy.
I remember as a young woman I consciously ate well in order to lay down good health in my old age. Now here I am in my ‘ old age’ and not eating at all well.
I must change.
Thank you, KP, much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteArcherphileAugust 6, 2023 at 10:00 PM
ReplyDeleteI ended up using my Lidl veg box beetroot to make a thick soup with garlic and a horseradish cream swirled through. To be honest, I enjoyed the taste of the horseradish more than the beetroot!
My daughter told me medical studies have found that drinking beetroot juice daily helps keep blood pressure down, which would be good for me. I obediently bought a carton of beetroot juice (expensive) but couldn’t stand the taste. Mixing it with some orange juice might have helped.
DELETE
SarniaAugust 6, 2023 at 8:03 PM
I can identify with that Mrs P. You may have gathered that I am much more interested in airoplanes than in cooking for one.
REPLYDELETE
Sarnia August 6, 2023 at 11:51 PM
I always spell it aeroplanes with an 'e', but my phone corrected it. To me the word looks wrong with an 'i' in it, so I stand by my convictions:
Aeroplanes!!
Google says airplane and aeroplane both British words but airplane mostly used in America so if using Apple will no doubt correct to the i - but seems wrong to me!!
DeleteNot too keen on cooking for two either Sarnia & Mrs P 😂 love eating though!
Mike's not an i-phone, it's called Wileyfox, but its idea of correct spelling is equally idiosyncratic.
DeleteProud to be Yorkshire.August 7, 2023 at 9:00 AM
ReplyDeleteArticle in the Mail online today about the scouts jamboree. It sounds horrific. 🤞 for Griff.
Absolutely 🤞🏼 ptby
DeleteThe Jamboree has been curtailed early for all participants due to an incoming Typhoon!
DeleteI can’t help wondering why it was decided to hold it there, in the typhoon season, in the first place. I remember being worried whenGriff first told us where it was going to be held.
Finding alternative accommodation for the 4,500 British Scouts and helpers has cost the BritishAssociation well over £1,000,000 which will affect plans for a long time to come
What a fiasco!
Anecdote for Mistral:
ReplyDeleteYears ago, on holiday in Guernsey with young children we were plane-spotting at the old airport building, where everything was more accessible.
First in was the biggest in service at the time, a Vickers Viscount, at which a small lorry emerged from the hangar towing a small, but regal-looking staircase.
Next came the smaller Handley Page Dart Herald, which triggered a uniformed airport official pushing a wheeled flight of steps.
Last of all was the Aurigny Trislander, whereupon a mechanic in oily overalls came rushing out carrying a little wooden crate with 'Guppy's minerals' written on the side.
It reminded us of John Cleese and the two Ronnies.
Sarnia, I can imagine. There was a real charm about the aircraft though, it was always an adventure. I was sad when you said they had upgraded though, it was such a great start to our trips. I didn't know the old airport.
DeleteIt was a standard 1930s airport building like a stack of white sugar cubes.. Shoreham airport was still exactly the same last time I saw it. The old Southampton airport used to have the same wicker basket chairs and round wicker tables with glass tops.
DeleteThe new Guernsey air terminal came as a shock when I first saw it - so huge for the Island that like the giant Le Friquet Garden Centre and massive hospital it must be visible from space!
Love your two pictures KP. Very appropriate alternatives.
ReplyDeleteOnly a small complaint - there is no glider amongst the planes so I choose beetroot!! 😄
Guernsey by glider, AP? I'd rather not think about that!
DeleteAmazing as it may seem, the channel has been crossed by glider several times. I fact, Lasham, my husbands club, was the landing point for a glider all the way from Switzerland last year! And one pilot manage to cross to France and return without touching ground.
DeleteVery good pilots and very appropriate weather!
I am going to try and cleverly merge three topics here, to keep everyones' attention:
ReplyDeleteTomatoes, like beetroot are a favourite of mine, I use them in almost everything, and they are super good for you, (great for your salad bowls Mrs. P.) When flying over Guernsey I was always struck by the dilapidated glasshouses (and swimming pools). I recalled that as a child when there used to be proper greengrocers, we used to get Guernsey Toms - I think the logo was a fat tomato wearing a beret. Whatever happened to them? My son in Jersey said its almost impossible to buy Jersey Royals there, they are almost all exported. Such a shame.
Like Mrs. P and Lady R, I can get very de-motivated cooking for myself, so like Miriam I cook larger quantities and freeze portions, in this way I only really 'cook' about twice a week, would this approach work for you Mrs.P? It's great in the winter, lots of soups. I have been eating winter food all week, wearing thermals yesterday and wooly jumper today, it's so cold up north.
Mistral, I do cook in batches and freeze portions, just not very often, and mostly casseroles.
DeleteAnd no, it doesn’t really help much at all, as I’m too lazy or not motivated enough to even get something out of the freezer.
As for tomatoes…… I didn’t buy them for years because they were so sub standard compared to home grown, but I’ve recently discovered that they are much tastier now and have been buying them again.
As for growing them, my wayward lifestyle would probably mean that I forgot to water them.
I’m not actually that fond of toms. But I do love them when over ripe and then fried and on toast. Certainly one of my favourite breakfasts. But since they come packaged encased in plastic I don’t get them very often.
There was a grocers in Stroud where I discovered that he would keep some over ripe ones for me. Here it’s supermarket shopping only, unfortunately.
But I do love dried Italian tomatoes in oil and often have a jar to dip into.
I also like the two pictures KP. They are very apt for this blog with topics covering what is high up in the sky, down below the ground and many things in between.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, my son has just introduced me to flightradar24.com, by which it is possible to identify and track every aircraft in the sky with all flight information and destination. As a displacement activity it sure beats solitaire!
ReplyDeleteIt’s a brilliant site Sarnia, Mr A and I spend far too long watching it - he has a superior version to me and can watch military manoeuvres as well as commercial flights.
DeleteI mostly use it when one of the family are flying and watch their journey from take off to landing.
I also have that site on a "short cut". As said before, I am 26miles due south of Liverpool airport and also Manchester airport is not much further to the east. Sometimes the arrival and departure routes are close by and find it so fascinating when I hear a plane, to find out where its come from and where it's going to.
DeleteI obviously often track the Belugas going in and out of Broughton, which known to me as Hawarden airport.
It is quite addictive.
Have also found out that the Red Arrows will be based there again August, for the Rhyl Air Show.
One year they flew in sequence over my back garden on there way to land. I almost, but not quite, needed a "tena" lady as so excited!
My first flight was aged about 11yrs, and was shortly after my family moved here. I was on a British Eagle flight, as an "unaccompanied minor" so was always with a stewardess, flying from Heathrow to Hawarden. In those days the Heathrow to Liverpool flight used to stop at Hawarden.
I still have my British Eagle Airways badge, but the flighg bag (remember them with airline logos on) didn't last very long, as used it as a school bag.
What were others first flight?
Wonder if it can pick up flying saucers 😉
ReplyDeleteDoes that include all the noisy low flying military planes & helicopters that race through the skys here.?
DeleteDoes that include all the noisy low flying military planes & helicopters that race through the skys here.?
DeleteChinook helicopters and all, KP. Doesn't tell me if it's my gallant captain flying over my house, though.😢
DeleteHow sad Sarnia 😧 you will just have to book another of his flights soon and hope he will not be on his own holiday!
DeleteLike you KP we are within spitting distance of the home of the Chinook helicopters but I quite like it when they do nighttime flying practice weirdly I find it soothing 🤭
Janice, I'd rather not know!
DeleteI do believe though that there has to be life elsewhere. I remember a very controversial book titled something like - "Was God an Astronaut?"
As said, very controversial and very upsetting to many, which is so understandable.
Unfortunately for us, the field opposite our cottage is where Odiham Chinooks practice their night time landing and taking off! The noise is horrendous and the vibration causes all the China and glass in the house to rattle.
DeleteBut I am prepared to put up with it because I know they have to train somewhere and they go on such brave sorties and rescues around the world.
Ooh dear AP that is a very different kettle of fish, but agree with your reasoning. How often does this happen? Dark earlier in the winter of course but would have to be right in late nighttime in the lighter months!
Delete'Circuits and bumps' all night, every night? AP, that's grim!
DeleteNear to me was an Army Camp used in WEII. It became a terratory army camp for weekend training. All living nearby were given notice of any excercises - but it was still not nice waking up hearing gun-fire, either during the night or on an early Sunday morning.
DeleteI believe there are still practice bunkers preserved on the site..
My son has just reminded me that I'm now the head of the present generation and has suggested that we should plan a family meal to which all are invited. In fact, we used to do that but the SiL always made their excuses. Next time I will arrange for the invitation to be made by cousins to each other and then they can bring their mother if they wish. Still no way of guaranteeing that our pilot would be captain Matthew, though, even if we fly at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI have had two pesky flies buzzing around for a couple of days.
ReplyDeleteOn doing some research, I now have a small dish of powdered cinnamon on a small table...and seems to be workimg. Apparantly flies hate the smell of cinnamon - but will wait patiently.
Apparently it is international cat day today so have just been giving my two a treat that they like.
ReplyDeleteLazy day tracking aircraft. My new best friend flies right over my house at 17,025 ft on his way to Birmingham.
ReplyDeleteNot a lot of people know that.
From Jersey, that is.
ReplyDeleteHad a lovely evening yesterday. For the first time for ages we had both halves of the family all together (except for the grandson still stuck in Korea). We booked a table fo 10 at our local hostelry and had a splendid meal, all very convivial and swopped seats around half way through so that each of us got the chance to speak with different people.
ReplyDeleteOur eldest grandson had just returned from one of his jaunts, to Romania, Moldova, and hair-raisingly to Transnistria which is not advised by the Home Office. Unbeknownst to us he had seen Russian tanks through a forest clearing, preparing for possible invasion!
I dont know! What the younger generation get up to these days.
Still I suppose all these trips will help with his training to be a geography teacher which starts soon.
Good gracious AP such travels - impressive! Good to have such a lovely family gathering too - and as having a local venue worth visiting as a group can be few and far between these days that was good to hear 🤗
DeletePS How long is it since you have had to revert to using two sticks? More for the hip or knee? Your hip operation must be coming up for 4/5 yrs now? I recall it was near your birthday so this month sometime!
I was alarmed to hear that AP was using two sticks LadyR.
DeleteAP - how did you get on with the OTAGO exercises ?
They are pretty simple and do build your strength and especially balance.
I’m pleased to say I do actually feel a little stronger today.
Still nothing like normal ( for me ) but not actually dragging myself around.
Whatever virus I’ve has has really taken it out of me. This is the third week of being incapacitated.
What a great idea as to moving places half-way through a meal when so many family members are sitting around the same table.
DeleteI will remember this for my families next big get-together.
Regarding using two sticks - this is not really because it is painful to walk, but for balance. My balance has never been good and has been much worse since the two ops, especially on uneven ground where I can stumble and fall. Or going up and down steps.
DeleteI downloaded the exercises Mrs P, and you are right, they are very easy to do. I can’t honestly say they have improved my balance yet but am sure they are helping to stop me ceasing up! What with those, and the pelvic floor exercises my GP prescribed to help with the big doses of diuretics I now have to take, I am fully exercising! Inside and out!! 😆
What a fabulous sunny and hot day. I didn't feel the need to take my Vit D tablet for once!
ReplyDeleteI was very energetic in garden, in lawn mowing etc. but after lunch it was far too hot to continue with further garden jobs..
It's the total temperature difference in just a very short while, so have not adapted yet!
At last I am picking my runner beans, which are delicious, but it has been a long wait.
AP will understand this - on eating lunch today I heard a loud 'plane noise. I didn't need the flight app. as on looking out through my lounge window, I saw a huge plane with a grin so close and was low overhead - a Beluga XL on its way to land at Aerospace (Hawarden Airport to me).
It's a wonderful to see.
Just asked Corrin, who is still here, what would have been inside the Beluga.
DeleteIncoming they would be just be bringing some materials.
Outgoing they carry wings for any of the Airbus aircraft these day as no more A380s are being made. Hawarden is the main manufacturing site for Airbus wings.
The one I saw was coming in from Hamburg (I think). It was lovely to see so close.
DeleteJust 2000 ft altitude...
DeleteArcherfile, your description of your grandson's travels bring to mind those of our girls during their gap years and while at university. I'm sure I don't know the half of it but what I do know was enough to give me grey hairs!
ReplyDeleteI've also spent the day in the garden catching up with some desperately needed jobs. The produce is coming on well at last but my pelargonium are suffering from being constantly wet during July.
I am sure you are right CC. I don’t really understand why Max is so fixated on visiting ex-communist countries. His dissertation was on Russia since Glasnost and what Putin has done for the country, so I suppose that influences his choices bu I’d be happier if he’d stick to Spain and France!.
DeleteAs for the garden, our dahlias are now coming into flower, also the pots of agapanthus, but we still have huge gaps where shrubs didn’t survive the winter.
I put some pots of indoor hyacinths (bought from supermarket over the winter) onto an old patio table, to then plant into garden in aurumn. One pot of three, now has leaves and flowers starting to appear..
DeleteSo strange.
I’ve had my first long drive on my own today to meet a friend for lunch. Quite enjoyed the feeling of freedom. Backside and hip a bit stiff after being sat down for a couple of hours chatting but it was good to be independent again.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing surgeon last week and limitations being removed things are a lot easier.
Will have a lazy, easy day tomorrow.
Some gentle weeding perhaps.
Re cooking….I used to like cooking but the mood has definitely left me over the last few years. Now I tend to do something that is enough for 2 or 3 days with the tweak. Tomorrow I plan on roasting veg to add to cous cous and make a dressing. Next day we would have it maybe with some chicken or fried halloumi. Saves a lot of thinking and faffing about.
I cook important things like flapjack and Christmas cake. OMiaS cooks boring things like meals!
DeleteYou mean you have a husband who actually cooks!!!
DeleteYou are a very lucky woman.
We got married because I needed a cook and he needed a taxi service : )
DeleteNow he's both cook and taxi service.
That worked out well!
DeleteGood to hear that your recovery is going to plan PtbY. It's a nice feeling as each milestone is passed.
ReplyDeleteMr CC does most of the cooking in our house. The deal is that I do the meal planning and shopping and he cooks. It all started when he retired before me and I did nothing to discourage the arrangement when I retired. He does main meals and I do the baking and desserts on the few occasions that we have them.
Thanks CC. Just walked down to my friends to watch gardeners world like linford bloody Christie!!! Arrived 10 mins early. Mind you in only half a mile. 😁
DeleteWe went to Jodrell Bank yesterday evening to watch a show in the new space planetarium. It was set to the music of Pink Floyd's album 'Dark Side of the Moon' to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its release. We used to listen to the band in our student days and it's our golden wedding anniversary year so it seemed fitting. We really enjoyed it in spite of me having to close my eyes a few times due to the fact that I suffer from motion sickness! I thought that the building was impressive also.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a wonderful evening CC.
DeleteWe are hoping to see a great show of Perseids this evening with lots of shooting stars.
But it’s clouded over this afternoon so we may not be lucky.
Can’t beat dark side of the moon. My ring tone is the great gig in the sky.
DeleteNo Perseids. Loads of clouds. 🙇♀️
DeleteLots of gliders circling round Basel though.
DeleteJust a short "But In" if I may, to just let you know that my experiment with the cinnamon vs pesky flies, worked really well.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow I shall hunt out our cinnamon supply : )
DeleteThe other week we had ants in the kitchen and put out one of those round tins of bait. Very soon there was a whole parade of ants scurrying too and from their nest carrying the precious cargo. Clearly word had gone around that the kind shoe dwellers had just provided this wonderful new food and they were busily taking it back to feed all their babies. I almost felt their excitement at being able to gather such bounty. It made me feel quite guilty to think how very soon they would be disillusioned.
But not guilty enough to remove the bait : )
It's the way you tell them, OWiaS!
ReplyDelete🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜
Another handy tip just discovered by accident:
ReplyDeleteSlugs and snails just LOVE milk and will come from all over the garden to leap into it.
At least they must die happy!
...but my 🐈⬛ would find + drink it, so slugs + snails wouldn't get their come-uppance.
DeleteEven when it's sour, which is the way they prefer it?
DeleteMy cat. And dog will both drink sour milk.
DeleteGood news for the slugs and snails, I guess.
DeleteGood News, well for me. As you know I have moaned about the nearby empty house + the overgrown garden, but the sale has now completed. Only know this as has some-one was trying to take down the hayfield of the back garden today, and could see windows in house were open.
ReplyDeleteI doubt anyone will live in it for a while yet, as has been empty since Dec.2020. At least something will soon start to happen, at last.
The dividing beech hedge (planted on my side) is so overgrown on the bottom of the property's garden, it has completely obliterated the flower beds and roses are now in bloom above the top of the hedge!
You didn’t go and offer a welcome cuppa Miriam ?
DeleteFar too soon at the moment...
DeleteAhh !
DeleteBiding your time.
December 2020 Miriam goodness it only seems like yesterday that you told us about the seemingly abandoned house…
DeleteYes, you don't want to jump the gun. They may yet turn out to be like my charming new next door neighbours: really lovely people, but who also park a 20-seater minibus with blacked-out windows outside my gate and like to relax in the back garden with a pungent glass of beer, while listening to 'music' with a thudding enhanced bass which sends vibrations up through the floorboards.
ReplyDeleteOh no Sarnia how long have they been your new neighbours? Does it help that they are nice people? Over many years when I have experienced same (only twice thank goodness) that was not the case. Thankfully for the last 18 yrs our most immediate neighbours have been and are our very good friends, but can certainly be a minefield which Miriam endured for a long time!
ReplyDeleteSadly, Lady R, the 'MafiaMobile' is just as big and the pounding bass just as head-throbbing, although I suppose if they were horrid people I would have complained by now
DeleteWhere are you Lanjan? Still potting up plants for the local business- if I’ve got that right? Anyway I do hope you and puss-cat are ok.
ReplyDeleteLike you Lady R, I’ve been missing LanJan as well.
DeleteI think she has said that she isn’t listening to TA very much any more, and perhaps this blog has fallen off her radar as well.
Perhaps her life has taken her to new pastures since her John died, and although we may miss her I hope she is happy and busy.
Absolutely Mrs P so long as she is in good health and happy 😍
DeleteThank you Lady R and Mrs P for mentioning my absence from the blog.
ReplyDeleteI do try to listen on a Sunday to the omnibus now but not if there is any cricket on the ztV.
I am not really enjoying any of the story lines though.
The main reasons I am not contributing is that to be honest I have not a lot of subjects of interest to report about added to the fact that I never seem to get a spare moment.
Yesterday for example I spent a lot of the day stripping a table of varnish.
Today after returning from our monthly Reading Group meeting (Last book was "Far from the madding crowd" -superb -am reading "The Woodlanders " now Really enjoy reading Thomas Hardy books.Prefer him to Dickens.) I have completed the table by sanding and waxing it.
Lovely smell.
It being a Sunday (and as everyone knows ,God made Sundays longer -ask Tony Hancock) I had a bit of spare time but I watched Liverpool draw with Chelsea.
Garden needs doing badly but it still looks colourful.
When I get time I do read the blog .
Is it too late to try to organise my time better?
Good grief LJ !
DeleteYou think you need to organise your time better ?
You have always struck me as a woman who organises her time brilliantly, and most certainly in comparison to me who organises nothing and floats thru’ each day wondering what to do next whilst surrounded by unpacked boxes after being in my new home for over one year.
Sounds like yesterday was very well organised and task completed.
As for being too late……… ?
I think it is too late for me.
I’m pleased to say I’ve just completed a more than satisfactory walk up on North Hill with Lady, felt hungry for the first time in over three weeks, and have just supped cheese and apple and bread and butter on my return.
I do hope I’m not being too optimistic in feeling that I’m returning to my normal self.
LJ and others and only if interested -
Deleteif do a search on Sounds for Hardy's Women, there are several of his books serialised and done as radio dramas.
Always pleased to find a fellow Hardy fan : )
DeleteHardy is the reason I didn't discover Austen until my 40s. We were given a choice of books to read as a group in our English lesson. My group chose Animal Farm until we read the introduction: 'This is a fairy story ...' As big, grown-up 14 year olds we had no truck with fairy stories so we picked Far From the Madding Crowd instead. This started a love affair with Hardy that was abruptly terminated when I read A Pair of Blue Eyes or The Well Beloved, I forget which. The plot went 'Girl meets unsuitable boy. Girl meets suitable boy. Girl is unsuitable because of unsuitable boy. Girl dies.' I thought, 'I've read this before, it was called Tess of the Durbevilles.' So he was out of favour for several years until I picked him back up a few years ago. I think, on reflection, he's easier to read as a matter of fact teenager than as a mother. (Although 'Done because we are too menny' is still a great line, and Jude remains a particular favourite.)
Smallish Person Currently in a Shoe for the Summer is busily reading The Return of the Native ready to study it next term. I hope they will become another Hardy fan.
I too prefer him to Dickens - Charles seems too fond of coincidences for my liking. And Miss Haversham needed to be told to pull herself together and get Rentokil in to deal with all those mice.
Where did Austen feature in all this? I was too busy reading Hardy to give her a look-in. So I only really started reading her when I did P&P as part of my OU English degree and discovered what I'd been missing out on for all these years.
Lanjan hurrah so pleased you are busy happily filling your days, I’m with Mrs P mostly bungling along but you have no spare time left to organise 🤭 Carry on enjoying life👏🏻
ReplyDeleteMrs P I was reading yesterday of a new strain of Covid and wonder if you had this it particularly mentioned headaches etc?
That’s interesting LadyR , my daughter is convinced I’ve had covid.
DeleteBut I did test negative.
Good to know Mrs P did not realise you had (very sensibly) done a test. Apparently this strain is gathering momentum, oh Lord we really don’t want another outbreak. Must keep on washing / gelling hands which I do especially when out and about.
DeleteDid you test more than once Mrs P? I only ask because when my daughter had it she tested negative when she first felt ill but then a couple of days later she tested positive. It seems to be increasing in this area again but that may be because of the influx of summer visitors.
DeleteNo Janice, I didn’t test again, and my daughter clearly felt that I should have done so.
DeletePerhaps that was a mistake !
And, of course my daughter is, like you, in Cornwall.
Lady R, where did you see the report you have referred to ?
I did try to find it myself but could only find a report from the USA of a symptom of conjunctivitis. Nothing about headaches.
I've seen about this new varient which seems quite active and has caused a small increase as to hospitalisations.
DeleteIt doesn't seem anything worse than previous muations - if what is read is true.
Like Lady R, I still use handgel and always wash my hands thoroughly on returning home. It's just normal for me now.
Besides, I saw an interesting article about what germs can be picked up from self check out screens etc...
Mrs P not found it again - so far! It could have been on Google news which has a small section of local news, (I think it was concerning the South East in particular) 🤔
DeleteLight-hearted interlude:
ReplyDeleteCC, Lady R or anyone in a whimsical mood -
Re my lovely pilot, my 'knight in shining armour'. I now know his surname and there are no prizes for guessing what it is!
Wright?
DeleteNearly!
ReplyDeletePrince 🫢
ReplyDeleteHad a glorious dat trip today to Pagham in West Sussex, weather absolutely glorious. Wonderful lunch in “ The Walnut Tree” at Runcton followed by a view of the sea as near as we could get to it with Mr R’s F1 chair the first time we have seen and smelt the sea for a long long time a lovely breeze too. We feel renewed!
Lady R, it's much more obvious than that!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful day, and so well deserved.
Sounds lovely Lady R.
ReplyDeleteSarnia, Mr. Perfect, Mr Goodenough?
Thank you Mistral.
DeleteSeems like we must keep guessing for a little while longer to solve Sarnia’s challenge 😳
Sarnia: Mr Knight!
ReplyDeleteGold Star, BB, he's Mr Knights. And my favourite aircraft has just taken off over the Greek courtyard on its way back to Jersey where they are based, apparently. No idea who's ying it if course, but that doesn't matter.
ReplyDelete😊
Delete👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻to BB and so glad a blogger managed to solved your quiz Sarnia!
DeleteYour Captain Knight (in shining armour) 💘✈️
KP
ReplyDeleteSarnia commented on "Life outside Ambridge"
Delete10 hours ago
The mornings here are beautiful and still, although it is now definitely autumn. To all intents and purposes my life has not changed since John's funeral, and yet it has changed out of all recognition.
The angry woman who did her utmost to prevent me from attending is the last of the monstrous regiment of women who had ruled the family since my father's death in 1955, and I'm afraid the unpleasantness was mostly over my birth upsetting the entire applecart.
However, as an in-law she can only influence her own four children. She has no clout with the rest of them, particularly as she had now lost the only weapon in her arsenal! The daughter has just gone to Australia and it seems unlikely that the sons, now in their 50s and 60s will be ruled by their mother's petty jealousies. We'll have to see.
However, as my daughter has pointed out, for me Guernsey is now a safe for the first time since my father died. While it's still fine I'm out in the garden before 8 with my phone, tracking in the first flights from the islands. As they land and take off I to the wind I can usually only see them one way, but this morning, after they had come in over the house the wind (such as it is) changed and they flew back out over the garden. I'm connected again at last, and it's wonderful.
I flew out to that funeral as an outcast for 35 years, smuggled in under the radar by a conspiracy of my son and two of his cousins, one of whom he didn't even know.
I returned as the new head of the family with a tribe of nephews at my disposal and a plan in place to draw John's sons into the fold.
Honestly, when I landed back here to be escorted down the steps hand in hand with the Captain I felt like the Queen returning from a State visit! He played his part to perfection, both ways; couldn't have done better if he'd been briefed as to the situation. I don't think I've ever been so happy.
What a wonderful post Sarnia and I am so happy for you - better late than never as the saying goes and your new status amongst your family is going to bring you and them much belated joy 👏🏻🤗
DeleteThat's lovely Sarnia. From what you said before about your birth, if correct, then you are likely to be an older half sister to one or more of your nephews/nieces. You very sensibly said it was all a long time ago, but as a less sensible person I would be racking my brains trying to think things out, but I know peace doesn't lie that way.
DeleteBack in my great grandfather's time ( on my mother's side) there were some puzzling things that didn't add up when my cousin decided to create a family tree. It took a while and talking with older ones, now long gone, to fathom it out. There's nowt so strange as folk.
I'm so glad for you Sarnia, how brilliant of your son and his cousin to arrange all this. I hope you will return to your beatiful island very often and make new, happy memories.
DeleteThank you all, so much. If it is so, Janice, there is one, 13 years my junior who is the most likely candidate, the son of my elder sister. Although I always had more to do with the children of the younger one, mother's favourite, yet A had always said he thinks of me as his big sister. He said it in front of his mother once and she blew a gasket! His sister, K, is 7 years younger and the bond, though still there, is not as strong.
DeleteNo, there is no point in pursuing it further - when I tried, decades ago now, the answers were so ambiguous as to be completely useless, and you can only ask the question once.
As I was saying before I was prematurely published, KP, one of my posts has just disappeared. It was a long one, but important to me but I haven't the umph to go through it all again.
ReplyDeleteI over did it yesterday !
ReplyDeleteTrying to run before I can walk.
I found myself early evening trying to navigate very dry soft sand walking Lady on the sand dunes. I could hardly put one foot in front of tother and then needed to do a shop. I did manage it all but was exhausted then couldn’t sleep. I had pottered in the garden in the afternoon.
Must have a quieter day today.
Am taking kind neighbour upstairs out to tea to thank her for her help when ill.
As my Danish chiropractor used to say, you have been overexuberant!
DeleteOh dear Mrs P unfortunately it is so easily done, if only we could all learn our lesson 🫢
DeleteA lovely gesture taking your neighbour for a thank you tea a much more genteel way to spend your time too🫖 🍰 🤗
I hope that you managed to rest MrsP and are recovering.
DeleteDog - Lovers post;
ReplyDeleteI applied to the Dogs Trust to be a Foster Carer last week, have the induction tomorrow and already been asked to bring a lurcher home, I am so excited.
This is the worst time to be doing this as still decorating and the estate agent is coming next week to value the house and put it on the market, but I miss my dog so much, really my life revolved around her needs, and I'm finding being here alone very sad. So, whilst I feel it's a really daft decision, I am really delighted. The fostering could be as short as two days or a few weeks until the dog is re-homed. She is called Josie and is on the D.T Darlington website if anyone is interested.
Josie looks lovely Mistral.
DeleteGood luck - well done - there never is a ‘ right ‘ time, so now is as good a time as any.
I think you’ve been very brave and I hope it all works out well.
Keep us posted including your induction tomorrow.
Josie looks a handful. Good luck with her. Well done to you for doing such a good thing.
DeleteThank you both. i've spent the afternoon rolling up rugs and sheltering things I don't want chewed. One puppy i had ate through a whole row of books, chair leg, radiator cover and had a good go at the kitchen door. In the email the DT re-homer sent me, she said this dog doesn't want much exercise due to the hip problem, just short lead walks, and most importantly, she loves her bed. it's her favourite thing. So that sounds good. I've never had a whippet/lurcher before so I'm very interested in having the opportunity.
DeleteSarnia, I have re-published your post at what I think is the appropriate point
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you KP, it was about 9am, after I had finished watching the aircraft returning to the islands. To be honest, now I've seen it I wish I'd kept my euphoria to myself!
ReplyDeleteNot at all Sarnia, see my reply to it!
DeleteNothing from Archerphile on either blog since the 13th - hope all is ok 🤔
ReplyDeleteI have had a lovely few days: Sunday we went up to London to join friends at the Globe to see Macbeth, Monday we went to Kenwood Place, which we’d not visited before, a tremendous selection of artwork, including a Vermeer which didn’t make it to Amsterdam in February as it is too fragile to move (only 4 left to view to complete the set now!) Yesterday I went to Chawton House gardens, and today we went to Old Sarum & Salisbury Cathedral, all of which have been most enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteYes, don’t worry Lady R. Just didn’t want to bore people with even more news about grandson in Korea, but he has been relocated to Seoul, been on trips around the country including the DMZ (demilitarised zone on the border with North Korea), and doing other things until he comes home on Sunday. I saw Bear Grylls has written a page in next weeks Radio Times asserting that the Jamboree ‘wasn’t a disaster’ and just proved how résiliant Scouts are and that it was a good learning process. Jolly expensive learning process!
ReplyDeleteThen, we had our son, d.i.l and 2 French grandsons here for last week so I was busy. They had been on holiday in Eire staying in a cottage in Sligo and came to visit us for a few days on their way back to France. James, 15 is now taller than our son, voice has broken and has become very mature. Elliot, 12, still likes a cuddle thank goodness but is just as difficult as ever to feed!
We had been planning to drive down to Toulouse in the autumn to stay with them but my present health and the drug side effects would make that very difficult, sadly. However, my lovely son has give us his Avios (airmiles) to pay for flights from Heathrow for a 2 week stay in October. So that is really something to look forward to.
Heath wise I am still getting incredibly tired and unable to do much or walk far without getting breathless. BP is staying down but the plethora of drugs I have to take make everyday life difficult and I cannot go out in the mornings because the strong diuretics I have take necessitate me staying very near a loo!
So pleased to hear from you AP - certainly been a busy time for you and Mr A but lovely to have had that family visit and witness the growing up of your GC Elliot now very much a (young) man and good to hear you can still able to get a cuddle from Elliot 🤗
Delete🤞🏼your meds will settle enough for you and Mr A to really enjoy the October trip to France.
Are you being well monitored either by phone and or surgery visits?
Surgery visits??? Can’t remember what they are like! I am lucky to get a phone call and only if send a request with an important reason. In fact, I had the temerity to complain that since November I have been passed from GP to GP to locum to trainee and am not getting continuity of care - resulting in changed prescriptions and dose changes, completely wrong medication last month, no real follow up after hospital and always having to go over and over my history every time I speak to someone. They just dont seem to bother reading my notes!
DeleteI think this also sounds like Sarnia’s experience . Is it just Hampshire?
No it's not Archerfile! I'm so glad that I am retired, I would have had no job satisfaction working like that. I find the piecemeal approach to patients so frustrating.
DeleteGood to hear a retired GP speaking of the piecemeal approach of todays medics CC. Thank you for speaking up.
DeleteIt is not so everywhere.
In Stroud, in my designated practice, where I felt I had been badly treated, I wrote an account of what had happened and then made an appointment with a female doctor in the practice who had been recommended to me by a neighbour, saying, she is a friend, but I cannot imagine she is not a good GP.
When I went in to see her on that first appointment, after polite greetings between us, I asked her if she would be kind enough to read what I had written and presented her with my IPad.
She read, and then commented in a sympathetic manner on some of what I had written, ( which pertained to my immediate presenting condition) and suggested a solution to my problem which astounded me, that she should make a referral for me to see my former NHS endocrinologist in London.
There followed six years of a very good relationship between she and I and I noticed extended to another, again younger male GP in that practice.
Leaving Stroud, this was the one aspect of my life there that i regretted needing to leave behind.
I am yet to find a similar relationship here.
I hope that in time I shall.
I have every sympathy for ARCHERPHILE in this respect.
I would suggest that you write a report of your experience and send it to the practice patient forum group.
AP Have you had a "follow up" appt. at the hospital at all? If not is it worth ringing the hosp. and seeing if that can be done, as your daily life is being affected.
DeleteLike CC has said, I am so glad I am no longer a pharmacist..
I left work when just 58yrs due to ever increasing work pressure and the many changes happening.
As a WASPI, I was hit with finding out my SSP age had been increased by over 3 1/2yrs which I didn't know about, until too late!
But that's another story, and I survived.
Miriam- I, too am a WASPI woman, who took early retirement and was informed that I wouldn’t get my state pension until I was 66 years old (just another year to wait). Thank goodness I had always contributed to a private pension so my plans didn’t change but my spending has altered.
DeleteArcherphile (and others) so appalled at the service you don’t receive from your surgeries Mr R and myself are at different Practices but even throughout lockdown neither of us had any trouble with either phone calls or necessary Surgery/ Hospital appointments. How very very fortunate we have been. Fortunately of late we (🤞🏼) we have not needed to ask for any appointments and if needed to do so may find things somewhat changed. Could you consider a change of Practice Archerphile?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately all 3 surgeries around us are in the same group, Watership Down health Care, so that wouldn’t work Lady R. But having complained, Mr A managed to actually see a doctor today about more lumps on his head and they immediately referred him to the Dermatologist at BDH - he’ll probably be back on that nasty cream again, but some might need excision.
DeleteSame problem here, Lady R: there are 7 surgeries covering an area which extends for miles beyond the city on this side of the river, all part of the same partnership.
DeleteArcherphile and Sarnia even though Mr R and myself are at different surgeries they along with one other practice work together as “ The Primary Care Network” A31group of practices.They also have Patient panel groups and take note of Carers among their patients. Apparently it is now a thing for practices to join up but neither of your groups seem to be up to much ☹️
DeleteAP good to hear that at least Mr A has been quickly referred re his reoccurring head condition it is a nasty complaint as we know and wish Mr A all the best.
ReplyDeleteI have been following the trial of the peadiatric nurse accused of killing all those prem. babies. I was aware of this very many years ago, as the COCH is the major hospital to me and where I go. There were reports concerning this neo-natal unit at that time, as to it's care, work with such an increase in babes not surviving.
ReplyDeleteThe police were finally called in, with a long investigation resulting in this long trial.
What upsets me is, how long it took to realise what the problem was, but that's hindsight..
I so feel for the parents of all those innocent babes.
I would have hated to be on that jury.
It would appear that it wasn’t so long that it took to realise that something was wrong, but rather that the hospital authorities- not the medical authorities - refused to take any action upon the suspicions held by the senior medical consultants, who were insisting upon the hospital management authority to act and call in the police.
DeleteIt would seem that the hospital management team chose to support the nurse against the consultants who believed that she, the nurse, might be the perpetrator.
And this type of inaction by hospital management teams seems to be happening all too often. For example, How many maternity units have been under investigation in recent years because action has not been taken by the management who seem more interested in keeping their own highly paid jobs rather than the safely of their patients.
DeleteIt is shameful
I find it very hard to believe that she did such things, and hope she isn't being scapegoated for failings in the unit as a whole.
DeleteI've been wondering about that, Janice.
DeleteI would have been interested to see if the death rate remained high, but care of seriously ill babies has been removed from the hospital's neonatal unit.
DeleteI believe I read that the deaths did stop once she was removed from the unit.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteShe was removed from clinical practice in June 2016, and then in July 2016 the premature seriously ill babies were shared out between other hospitals, so a comparison of before and after can't be made. Only the less seriously ill babies, and only those delivered after 32 weeks, have been cared for since that date on the Chester neonatal unit so it isn't surprising the death rate is lower.
DeletePerhaps I am naive but having followed the case I just find it very difficult to believe she would have deliberately killed babies.
One of my grandsons was born at the hospital at the centre of this story but not until 2020 so I too have been following this dreadful story and giving thanks that my family have not been unduly affected. I am so sorry for the families that have had to endure this trial.
DeleteI will watch the football tomorrow, but will only switch on, after the TA omnibus has ended.
ReplyDeleteI know my priorities.
My runner bean crop is a bumper one this year, so much so that I now need to research how to freeze them.
Miriam, I have a special utensil which cuts runner beans, I then blanch them and freeze in plastic bags in two or more servings.
DeleteI have frozen runner beans in the past and they haven't turned out as well as frozen French beans. I may try again this year although mine have been well and truly battered by the wind and rain. Apparently it helps to freeze them with your freezer at as low a temperature as possible, and to open freeze them on trays before bagging them up, this ensures the middles as well as the outsides freeze quickly. I will give this a go. They are my favourite veg. Good luck with yours.
DeleteMy favourite vegetable too Janice.
DeleteWhen we had a vegetable garden I used to pick them and cook very quickly and serve them with butter as a starter.
Mouth watering now at the memory.
You've almost made me want to go out in the dark at this time of night and pick and cook some!!
DeleteIt seems like it's a good year for beans. I don't grow runner beans but my climbing French beans are producing prolifically, far more than we can eat. I'm freezing some and giving the rest away.
DeleteHaving read Janices advice - I will blanch the beans, pack in single portions spread out and flat in bags, and so can stack.
DeleteI have just packed even more!!!
Happy birthday P tbY
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day which I take it will not include watching the Lionesses,and don't do too much in the
Happy birthday from me too.🎂🎉🎈🎁
DeleteI heard yesterday from my younger grandson who lives in the Okanagan Valley ,British Columbia .He has had to leave his home which he now thinks has been burnt down .
ReplyDeleteThe main thing is that he is OK and is "camping out " at his boss's home.
ReplyDeleteIt must be terrifying for people there, and very sad if his home has burnt down. Hope he was able to salvage important things before he left.
DeleteJust awful LJ of course the main thing he is safe but still a very traumatic event for him and all affected.
DeleteWhat a nightmare it must be. At least he is safe and well.
DeleteCC Happy Birthday indeed 🤗 🎂 enjoy your sunny one !
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY PTBY
ReplyDeleteHave a great day.
Ditto PTBY from me.🎉
DeleteCondolences to all - I have notification that the Lionesses have lost !
ReplyDeleteNot watched personally - can’t stand the noise - never could.
Didn't watch football as planned. Instead I was glued to the World Athletics Champs. much more my
DeleteThanks everyone. Had a lovely day pottering in the garden a bit, a rest, then a bit more pottering. Then a glass of wine with midsomer murders tonight. I know how to live it up!
ReplyDelete💐Happy Birthday Archerphile 🎂☀️🍷 hope you are able to enjoy your day health issue’s permitting.
ReplyDeletePtby I confused your 🎂 with CC but glad to hear you lived it up anway 🤭💐
I assumed that your wishes were intended for PtbY Lady R.
DeleteHaha. No worries. I assumed you’d had a senior moment! Lol.
DeleteIndeed 🫢😂😳
DeleteHappy birthday Archerphile…..I hope you have as nice a day as I did. 🍰💐🥂
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday and hope the sun shines for you Archerfile. 🎂🎉🎈💐
ReplyDeleteHave a good birthday ARCHERPHILE- best wishes
DeleteHappy, happy Birthday PtbY, a day late!
ReplyDeleteI had completely forgotten yours is the day before mine and I didn’t log in yesterday to see the messages. Hope you had a lovely day.
I am expecting daughter & family to arrive in a few minutes and have been invited to a barbecue next door tonight - if I can make it up all those steep steps to the pavillion!
Thank you to everyone else for good wishes too.
Happy Birthday ,Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day .
Happy Birthday Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the BBQ and your evening.
My evening is simple - the World Athletics - which am so enjoying and unlike Wimbledon, the commentators are great and informative. It makes a big difference.
To my horror this morning I found that moths had got at my wool cardigans and sweaters..
ReplyDeleteI wash them before summer because they are not supposed to go for clean clothes but the wretched creatures didn't know that.
I have used spray in the. Wardrobe and have had cedar wood balls etc in there
Today I sanded the cedar wood and sprayed lavender oil on them.
I also washed every woollen item and when dry I got out the mushroom and darned the ones which were not too bad
Is there something else I could do .
Any advice would be welcome
Thanks .
Yes LJ - your supposed to put each woolly in a polythene bag, seal it and put in freezer for ( i believe) forty eight hours.
DeleteI have to admit I’ve never done the freezer part.
I understand that freezing the buggers is the only way of dispelling (killing?) them.
I do hope that you have managed to save at least some of your cardigans.
London is a nightmare for moths I’m afraid.
You can get plug-ins for getting rid of moths. A sister of mine used these after having a similar problem, and was horrified as to the result.
DeleteHow did the 🎈celebrations go yesterday AP?
ReplyDeleteActually , one of the most enjoyable birthdays I have had. Michelle brought over a complete birthday tea, posh little sandwiches, scones, cream & jam + lovely cakes that they had all helped make. We had it in the garden in beautiful sunshine (+wasps !)
DeleteI was given 10 beautiful new goldfish for our pond, a fiendishly difficult looking jigsaw and Richard Osman’s latest book. All perfect!
The barbeque went well, loads of food, (though I was quite full already) . The other 3 got through a lot of wine but I was abstemious due to my drugs and a lot of moaning about the local surgery and putting the world to rights was done.
At lease *I * haven’t got a hangover this morning. 😇
Goodness - what a lovely birthday bash.
DeleteWas the birthday a milestone ?
Not quite yet, Mrs P
ReplyDeleteThank you Sarnia - bad enough though!
DeletePleased to hear that you enjoyed your birthdays Archerfile and PtbY.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you get your moth situation sorted out Lanjan.
We're busy getting ready for a family get together this weekend. For various reasons we've struggled to get all 14 of us together at the the same time, this will be the very first time that it has happened since the youngest grandchild was born 20 months ago.
The very best type of birthday AP no effort required by you other than to sit back and truly enjoy being loved and spoiled 🤗 ⭐️
ReplyDeleteOver the last few weeks I am seeing a lovely site. A person down the road has always been seen walking a dog, for many years. It has obviously got older and seemed to be struggling, not long ago.
ReplyDeleteIt now is walked with its hips supported in a harness which has a metal frame on wheels, so all 4 legs of the dog are still walking. They go at a much faster speed now, and the dog seems content and happy.
It's a grand thing to see.
It's a border collie with arthritic hips..but still has a quality of life, for now.
DeleteOf course we can’t see your local dog Miriam, but there was a dog in Stroud and there is one here too, both quite small dogs but who have paralysed back ends, and are in frames with wheels.
DeleteIt’s not such an uncommon site, but i do remember the first time I encountered such a site in London. Many years ago, but I can remember the admiration and excitement at seeing it, so can understanding your feelings now
Sorry… sight not site
DeleteHad a lovely evening out last night with a delicious meal at cowgirls with Lanjan’s son. Just think, without this blog it would never have happened!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to hear ptby and all those who have met have the BBC closing their site and the lifeboat arriving on the scene. How many in total have met one way or another maybe 10-12?
DeleteSounds a lovely evening PtbY and all thanks to The Archers. Who’d a thought it?
DeleteHow is Cowgirl?
DeleteTell more...as sounds like a fun event.
Just a little boast from a proud Grandma….
ReplyDeleteYoung Griff, just back from the non-jamboree in Korea, got his GCSE results today.
Been waiting on tenterhooks to hear.
Despite the deliberate lowering of grades this year he got 7 grade 9s and 3 grade 8s. The old equivalents being A* and A. So he is guaranteed a place at the Peter Simmonds 6th Form College in Winchester to take A levels.
As my daughter pointed out, he wins the trophy for the best GCSE results in family, much to his brother and sister’s annoyance!
AP congratulations to your grandson. How does he choose his Alevels when he’s obviously good at everything? I hope he enjoys Peter Simmonds, I gather it’s huge, more like uni than school.
DeleteYes KP, Peter Simmons is very large and has very a good reputation. Griff’s elder brother & sister went there rather than Queen Mary’s in Basingstoke where their Mum & Uncle went. It’s very easy for him to get to, bus outside the door, all the way.
DeleteHe’s hoping to do Maths, Physics + one other subject, as recommended by the college for a future career in some sort of Engineering. He’s also keen on statistics ( not ‘damn lies’) so who knows?
AP You are right to be so proud..A great acheivement and a brilliant and bright future for your grandson.
DeleteWell done Griff a wonderful acheivement!
DeleteI have just realised that it is a BH weekend. The "little one" in my family and her mum, are travelling up tomorrow, to stay with Big Sis. So looking forwards to a lovely day with them on Saturday
ReplyDeleteNew thread opened
ReplyDelete