Midsummer Sunshine

The Buxton Well 

Buxton Opera House

31st July 2013
Hi everyone,hope you are having as much fun as I am.  This summer our weather has been so different from the past few years, we have suffered  cold wet summers but this past few weeks has been a gift, a real summer with lots of sunshine  that has lasted for weeks. The gardens have suffered by the lack of rain but it has been worth the extra effort watering every evening. Curiously we haven’t had hosepipe restrictions  like in previous wet summers ! anyway it’s the end of July and we are  thankfully having some rain. But not for long though, we are told the prediction is more sunshine. Great for I have booked a holiday in a few weeks time so I am expecting good weather. I have really  enjoyed  being in the garden this year watching the flowers grow and tending to their needs, I  grew many from seed this year,  my sunflowers are special and the Yucca Palm has certainly excelled by sending out a huge flower that I have never seen before, in the ten years I have had the plant. It was a tiny cutting from my cousin Pam in Cornwall  and look how it has thrived, in spite of being up in the colder Northwest. I have spent most days in the garden,the days have been wonderful, warm sunny quiet afternoons ideal time to have a snooze under the trees, love it..   The rain is welcomed too because, the earth was so dry and dusty, the air needed refreshing  and the buildings and pavement a good wash down, now we can continue with the sunshine.

My beautiful  Yucca

Decided to have a hair cut last week  after seeing it grow into a neat bob, but with the humidity and the heat was hard to manage.  Now I feel more comfortable and do not look as if I have been dragged through a hedge backwards anymore. Then to escape the heat one afternoon I went to the cinema to see ‘Under the Candelabra ’ the Liberace story. I found it entertaining, interesting and good to hear his piano again.

Also travelled to Buxton a famous Victorian watering place, in the Derbyshire hills, to attend their annual Music Festival,this year  celebrating Gilbert and Sullivan. I went with two  friends and it was a wonderful sunny day, the town was buzzing with people. We had taken picnic lunches which we ate in the Pavilion Gardens, sampled the local water from their Well, it was warm and slightly salty but is reported to be very beneficial health wise. People where filling large canisters with the water which comes from deep inside the Derbyshire hills and filtered by numerous limestone rocks. This Spar town offers hydrotherapy and other treatments for those with specific ailments.. Very picturesque, unique architecture and atmosphere.  We had some retail therapy as is expected, then relaxed at a pavement café listening to live music that was being played by various buskers around the place…very relaxing.

Later we saw ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ at the Buxton Opera House, another unique building that was in superb condition inside and out. Enjoyed the show, the music brought back memories of  my father  playing these tunes on the piano, from memory, self taught with a perfect ear for melody.  I remember sitting around the piano, with a roaring coal fire providing both heat and light singing along to his favourite tunes….magical.    I did have lessons as a young girl, but had not the patience or dedication that is required. I can carry a tune and do have a keyboard  to play on for my own enjoyment, though I am  not very good!!

  Check out Buxton - Check out Buxton

Pirates of Penzance      you must watch this video to the end,I just love their energy and the singing. Hahha

Lovely Lovely Sunshine

The Halifax Piece Hall Courtyard

The Halifax Piece Hall Shops

Stubbins Wharf

Mummers

7th July

Hello again

It seems ages since I last wrote, the days just seem to fly by. At the moment we are enjoying a few days of sunshine and its wonderful. I love to spend hours in the garden just  relaxing, reading entertaining and pottering about  but  these days it seems to pan out, a few days of rain, which the garden loves and then a few days of sunshine. So I expect we will have to pay the price for this lovely day. I know the  weather is very unpredictable and I suppose I should be used to it, as this is a typical  English Summer rather annoying but at least we don't suffer floods here in Bolton and neither do we have earthquakes and fires that are a constant threat in California and Australia. It seems all over the world the weather patterns are changing or becoming extreme.

Latest news of Cathie she has decided to move to Bunbury as she feels that Bridgetown,delightful as it is, does not have the potential that she was looking for. For one I am pleased, as I felt it was too isolated from everything she has been used too. Bunbury is perfect, a vibrant place with lots going on, situated by the sea,where I feel sure she will be happy and where everyone will want to visit.   Hahaha

Last week I went on a trip with the WI to visit three of Yorkshires famous landmarks.  Holme Firth where the Last of the Summer Wine was filmed, a brilliant BBC series which ran for years. On to the  Halifax Piece Hall an historical monument building that is being restored. It is a unique area where in the last century wool merchants would  gather to display their wares to buyers in a enormous courtyard surrounded on all four sides by offices. Today the courtyard is home to small independent shops and cafes and where concerts and other events also take place...  Halifax is a large town that is full of architectural wonders I love old builds and Halifax has many plus some good shops,so there was  plenty time for some retail therapy.
On from there we stopped at  Hebden Bridge a small village community on the Rochdale Canal and  enjoyed a  pre - booked dinner  at Stubbins Wharf a local pub where some time later entertained by Local blackfaced  Mummers doing the rounds of the area.

Holme Firth

Halifax Piece Hall

Hebden Bridge

Mummers history

At the weekend I drove  to Earby a quiet little village on the edge of The Yorkshire Dales  .My friend Betty was Volunteer Warden that week and as she is always free in the afternoons. Skipton   was the  nearest interesting place, a very busy market town that was buzzing with life,with market stalls lining the main street and the sales where on,  50% Off  in the main shops. Tempted, we did buy a few bargains and after returning to the car to store our spoils we  returned to the shops to start again..... a wonderful day.
Finished in Bizzie Lizzies a famous Chip Shop by the canal.

Skipton

An evening at  Bolton Little Theatre to see  "Drowning on Dry Land" a comedy,it was different.
Attended a craft session at the WI and made a terrific (though I say it myself) Tote Bag. Its feature was Fractured Flowers  (Patchwork) but I didn't have any flowers on my William Morris material  but it worked, I shall make another one soon.

Enjoyed watching  Wimbledon today on TV. Andrew Murray wins the  Men's final against Djokovic in straight sets a magnificent game, tennis at its best thus  ending 77 years of British defeats.

Bye for now ,love to you all. X
 

       

    

Chaff & Grain

Patio looking good

Repairing the Inspection Chamber

New metal  cover, a perfect finish

Just love this random seedling, Natures gift. 

My Dear Friends

Oh the inexpressible comfort

of feeling safe with a person; having neither

to weigh thoughts nor measure words,

but to pour them all out,

just as they are,

chaff and grain together,

knowing that a faithful hand will take

and sift them, keep what is worth keeping,

and then, with breath of kindness, blow the rest away. 

George Elliot

The first really nice day we had in May I drove  to Harrogate to see Stu and family. He had been down to Bolton prior to me going to Australia but I hadn’t been up North since Christmas.  Oh how time flies, I am always amazed by the passing of the  weeks, days, and hours, I can't believe it's June already.  In January my GP suggested I had my hips X-rayed, as during the winter I had been having increasing episodes of severe cramp in my legs and recently acute pain on standing and climbing stairs.  Well the result is I have arthritis, mainly in my right hip now with the medication and rest it has improved but it is always present so I will have to grin and bear it.

I decided to overhaul the Vitamin & Mineral supplements I take, not every day but most days. I  introduced Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium and Zinc. Also started taking Korean Ginseng for a few weeks as it always picks me up and  I didn’t take it in December like I usually do.. So after a few weeks on this regime I am  feeling more alert and energised, whether it is auto suggestion or  due to taking the supplements I don’t care.

Because of this new lease of life and  lots of lovely sunshine I have been busy catching up on chores that had been put aside, really until I was in the mood. Well I surprised myself,  eight jobs where tackled and successfully completed.   New cords in the window blinds, two big loads of rubbish to tip,I am emptying my loft of years of accumulated junk ,Fixed the leak in the garden water butt, fixed new bathroom LED lights,  bought a grass trimmer  to ease my weary back then new dining room chairs, curtains/cushions to brighten the rooms,feels great.  I also  had treated myself to an I-Pad before I went to Australia and it has been such a joy to use, certainly much better than my Google Android tablet that is so slow.. It is definitely the way to go, I don’t feel tied to my PC any more and I haven’t used my laptop since I got the I-Pad.  Its so convenient and  easy  to use, every day there is something new to discover. It syncs with my PC so  work can be transferred instantly and I just love the camera its brilliant.
One rather annoying situation that has been around for 30 years or more has  finally been resolved. We had a raised Sewer Inspection Chamber situated on the boundary between my neighbours drive and mine, servicing both houses,a real eyesore and a hazard to car tyres.   Over the 50 years I have lived here the structure has gradually deteriorated and  my new neighbours are parking heavy vehicles on the  metal lid.   I could see it deteriorating during the very wet winter and when I returned from Australia it looked as though it was in danger of collapsing .  So I rang  United Utilities Water Board  to ask them to come and assess the damage.They responded within the hour and within the week it was repaired and a new metal plate supplied. I thought we would have a rather large bill to face for the repair ,shared between the two properties it could still be quite a significant amount. But we where informed that in 2010 Unities Utilities  had taken  responsibility for  maintaining these sites and we wouldn’t get a  bill. Now its been leveled with the drives and looks so much better I can reverse out of the garage with out the worry of hitting the raised manhole cover..
Another surprise I had was a wonderful telephone conversation with my cousin Leonard in Butte Montana. He is a widower living in an assisted care complex and I haven’t heard from him since his wife  died a few years ago.  But some Angel who is caring for him now,found one of my letters and arranged our conversation, wasn’t she the best. It was so special we have been  such good friend, visiting Butte regularly since 1985 .It was  good to hear his voice and sounding no different, still with that strong American accent that I  remember  so well.  He was a navigator in the US Air force during WW11, stationed in England where he met and married my cousin Mona and took her home to live in Butte Montana.  Big Smile, happy days.

Blooming Blossoms

The Lockmasters Cottage

Lots of Locks

The Hilton Hotel

I love the cobbles

 Mooring Basin for Narrow Boats

 May
 At last Spring  has returned adding colour to our gardens and hedgerows. Because of the long hard winter weather, the bulbs unfortunately where delayed and  gave  a rather poor showing this year, usually the hedgerows are full of daffodils but not  this year many have been lacking their yellow tops. Happily most of the Cherry Trees are now in bloom after  a late start and everywhere's looking more like Spring is here.  I got busy in the garden, cut the lawns, pruned the Hydrangeas and Camellia and generally cleared away  the debris that  had accumulated over the  winter months.    Trimmed bushes that where  untidy, but had help to  top the Leylandi Trees before they got beyond reach, they grow very fast but  are an excellent wind break and screen.  Kept busy outside all the weekend as the weather was  warm and sunny, but did too much and spent a couple of days resting a severe backache, but looking out on the garden now, it was worth it.
The March Winds this year again, have been very fierce, it seems every year they get stronger and  it  can be frightening as they do cause a great deal of damage. I  lost some of my fences but thankful nothing major needed repairs.  It felt good to get back into my usual routine after my trip, a little jet lagged for a few days but soon back to normal. I had a wonderful time in Bridgetown so different to the  fast pacing Perth City. There was time to relax with the family, which is why I like to go. Since coming home its been catch up with my family and friends, lunches, suppers and  birthdays the usual  whirlwind, of eating to much.

Read some of my poems at an Open Mic Poetry Evening in the local library and really enjoyed myself as it has been ages since I read out loud . The evening was very well attended and the response was excellent, we heard  a range of  poems from a dozen talented local poets, it was good.

Now that the weather appears to have settled I decided to take some real exercise and went with the  WI Walking Group on a tour of the Manchester Canal system that has been restored over the last decade and has seen warehouses along its path turned into luxury apartment's, offices, Wine Bars and Restaurants. I was amazed at the transformation and glad to see gardens and community areas dotted  through out the tour.
The Manchester Ship Canal brought wealth and industry to Manchester in the late 19th century.It is 36 miles long starting in the Liverpool Estuary, we walked along the City Canals which joined on to others in the northwest.  It was very interesting, a demanding walk, but I did it !!

The Manchester Ship Canal's History

After saying the weather was improving look what happened the day after the walk.  Hailstones!.

Hailstones

Distant Horizons

                                                                               

Log Felling Competition

Fashion at County Show

Bridgetown

Balingup

A typical country road

April

You may be wondering where I have been since the beginning of March. Well I have been visiting my daughter  Cathie and family in  Western Australia. It was quite unexpected  I made my mind up whilst talking to her on the phone, booked a flight and was on my way within a  few days. When Cathie emigrated to Australia in 1996 she opened up a new horizon  for me, it’s a very long way and the journey is rather tedious but well worth the effort. I have seen much of Australia during this time, it is a vast continent and I doubt I will see it all..  Now after 17years in Perth City Cathie and my granddaughter have moved to Bridgetown  a Historic Colonial township 270 kilometres south of the city and classified in 2002 by the National Trust of Australia as a Heritage Town, the only one in the south west.. It was exciting after many years visiting Perth City I was going outback into the unknown.   I  had decided to drive down to Bridgetown.. I flew  Manchester to Dubai and on to Perth a 20 hour  flight that  was ok, I did manage to sleep. Within the hour of arriving I collected my hire car at the airport and set off it was 1pm.  I was so confident I had maps and  precise instructions from Google and estimated my arrival in Bridgetown around 4pm  but after driving a fair distance  realised I hadn’t seen any of the names on my map.  The  Tonkin Highway leading from the airport was excellent, long and straight, in fact endless. But for whatever reason I was lost, heading east instead of south.I stopped and some very friendly Librarians in a small township somewhere far way from Perth directed me south again towards Bunbury where I was to find the Great Western Highway to Bridgetown. I was miles away from my original route heading for Albany. I couldn’t get in touch with Cathie to explain my delay as there was never a  signal and the land lines didn’t take mobile numbers, so she was very pleased to see  me when I finally arrive 2 hours late. Going home it took me 3 hours straight up the Freeway and into the airport, on time.      
Bridgetown residents number approximately  2,500 they have every amenity plus a 24 bedded Hospital and Flying Doctor Service a very self contained community, Cathie has made a good choice. At the moment she is renting a large 4 bedded Queensland style bungalow in 2 acres of land.   There is plenty going on all year round and the people we have met have been  very friendly. We ate out often and attended a Rock Concert at the Local Pub where Darryl Braithwaite a well known Australian rock singer entertained us, he was good I enjoyed the experience. Cathie and I spent much quality time together it was great we toured the hills and dales  and visited almost all of the  nearby towns. Donnybrook County Show was colourful and busy, full of interesting events and in Nannup we became embroiled with a Forest  Car Rally.  Balingup is  a pretty town small and neat with scarecrows dotted all around and wonderfully delicious sausage rolls.. My grandson came down for Easter he preferred  to stay in the city, it was a full on weekend but I enjoyed having them all together.  My granddaughter commutes to Perth during the week she is in her final year at University and its a rather stressful time for her but I have no doubtsthat she will qualify as a teacher soon.
It’s mainly a tourist area with  farming logging and mining being the  main industries in the Shire
Even though it was autumn the weather was exception 34 degrees C most days and we had roses in the garden, as well as  a fairly big black lizard living behind the bins. One day we saw the cat playing with a  snake  I assumed he had dug it out of hibernation and for a few days the garden was a no go area. Then I found a frog in the toilet and following a rainstorm  millipedes covering the patio for days with a variety of beetles and biting insects..  Being a Townie all my life I don’t think I will ever be truly comfortable living in the countryside, never mind the Australian Bush.. On saying that over time I did feel less anxious about the wild life, but the thought of it now makes me shiver.
Whilst I have been away enjoying the sunshine, most of my news for home has  been about   the  bitter cold days and high wind, thankfully it has improved and we have had sunshine over the weekend. My crocus are out and some daffodils are in bloom,  I will soon be mowing the lawns..
One week on I am back into my routines, picking myself  up and moving on.
Bridgetown Website

Short & Sweet

 Whalley Abbey Ruins

Clitheroe Castle

6th March 2013


Oh dear I am so behind in my Blogs, as you will have noticed by the date of the last one.
February was just one of those months that flew by and was over before I realised . Sorry.
My Birthday was all I expected, I  enjoyed spending time with  my friends and being spoiled it  is the high point of birthdays.  Unfortunately I injured my hip in December  and was somewhat incapacitated by the  increasing pain especially getting upstairs .  I saw the Doctor who sent me for an X Ray and found there are signs of some arthritis in my right hip. This was good news, as I was imagining so many other more debilitating condition like you do when you have a back ground in nursing..  The medication is working I do feel improvement and the inflammation  is reducing, hopefully all  will be better when the weather gets warmer.
On saying that my hip was painful, I did go walking around the ancient towns of  Clitheroe and Whalley one weekend , when the sun was shining it was impossible to sit indoors. Climbed too many steps up to Clitheroe  Castle only to find it was just a museum and a ruin. Stopped off to see Whalley Abbey and peruse the shops,anyone who is anyone shops in Whalley!
I will be glad when Spring arrives and everything  is green again, there are a few brave snowdrops around and many green shoots showing themselves due to the warmer weather. I have so many bulbs in the garden, every year I am  always surprised by the numbers that come up, they seem to multiply every year.
Been out  on the garden this last week tidying up, cleared another mountain of dead leaves and twigs from the many trees that surround me. I love the trees and would  not be without them but in Autumn and Spring they do require some backbreaking work. Lots of  little birds around too, which add to the joy of working outside.
I presented my B9 Audience Rapport at Speakers Club but let myself down by running over the 8 minutes allocated for the speech, which is fatal… I will repeat it no worries.

Just a note on my wonderful ceramic kitchen knife by ‘taylor eye witness’ its brilliant will cut through anything, like a knife in butter, love it.
A short and sweet report this time, to keep in touch with you all.
Byeeee  XXX

Snow Snow, Quick Quick, Snow

From my kitchen window 

9th February

Well we certainly got more snow, eight inches fell overnight on  Saturday 26th January, it was  winter wonderland when I opened my curtains that morning.  But within twenty four hours, after the rain it was  gone, what an amazing weekend.  The previous Monday it  had  snowed and that was deep too, stopped all traffic and our Speakers Club was cancelled then it rained and everywhere was normal again..

To every ones surprise this week we enjoyed two wonderfully sunny days. It was a treat to get out with out being wrapped up like Eskimos. But hovering in the background is this ever presence of snow . Canada and the  US eastern coast is suffering from the worst snow fall in decades and it could be heading this way.  I am not surprised as it always snow on Valentines Day, my birthday.

I have had a fairly uninteresting month all in all with the weather putting paid to getting out and about . Caught up with some reading “Game of Thrones by  George R.R.Martin  a Fantasy  Trilogy. It had a slow start at first before it became interesting, now I can’t put it down.  Thought I would fill the day organizing last years paperwork, before storing them away. Sorting the `Wheat from the Chaff ` reducing the junk that may have been filed in with the bills and receipts.  Its been my habit to  keep receipts and bills some dating back to 1960's, all filed and stored in the loft,  it has proved interesting and  useful sometimes.  

The refund on my rail ticket of  £17-50 was £3-60 after paying £10 admin fee and £2 recorded delivery to return the tickets. So  I enjoyed a special delicious coffee after my lunch with the girls.

For few weeks now I felt rather down when I look into the mirror and this stranger looks back at me.  It's so annoying that my hair soon looks like an old brush, it grows so fast. Unfortunately my hairdresser was unavailable due to  knee surgery so I decided on D.I.Y cutting the fringe back and sides.When I looked at the pile of hair in the sink  I was horrified,but  after a shampoo and set I  looked quite  reasonable. When I eventually did get to the hairdresser he never said a word and believe me he would have had he noticed the cut.

 Last year there was a campaign on fire safety in the home, so  I signed up for a visit. This month  two very efficient Firemen  came to check on my home. I was pleased that I was doing all I should and knew the safety drill, they replaced my smoke alarms with ones that will last 10 years.  Won't have to worry about batteries for many years..   Also provided by the NHS because I live alone, there is a small container displaying a red cross  in my fridge door, with a record of  my medical history , in case of any emergency. Hope I never need either services coming to the house….

I was acting Chairman at Speakers this week really enjoyed the role, it wasn’t as complicated as I expected. We had a busy evening, with three excellent Speakers and  interesting Topics Session.. Working on my B9  because I have changed  direction,as I do and Laughing Yoga has been relegated to the Archives File.

2013 is going to be an exciting time for my daughter and family in Australia. She has sold her house and  is starting a New Life in a different town, miles and miles away from the old one. I'm excited too for them  and hope all goes well in this move....  really looking forward to seeing them  happy and settled in their new home.

Love and Happiness winging your way.
Bye  for now. .