Birthday Lunch

25th February
Hooray for the girls I had a very enjoyable Birthday Lunch Wednesday. I have been really surprised this year by the very thoughtful gifts I have received from near and far. Where would we be with out friends, thanks to everyone who helped me through that week. By the 22nd I was feeling more myself and motivated enough to read at Middleton. Went to see the movie Slumdog Millionaire that has been winning all the awards recently and I feel it deserved them, it’s a great film. Finalised all the arrangements for our Holiday in May. Dorothy and I have decided to stay overnight in London the day before we meet up with our tour. We leave on the Eurostar for Paris, stay for a few days in Milan, Turin, and eventually Venice. A Rail and Culture “ Tour of Vintage Italy”
Can`t wait!

Happy Birthday Val.

My back garden Jan 09

Had a sudden burst of Spring Fever last Monday when we had a mild dry day. I planted my Petunias and decided to clear out the Greenhouse and sweep the patio. This led to much more work but I was enjoying being outside. Tuesday I took my car back to the garage on Recall. It appears Fiat Puntos are developing problems with their Bluetooth and Cooling System. Enjoyed the Fiat Panda experience for a few hours as I continued my day driving this courtesy car . It’s a nippy little car very responsive and easy to drive but too small for me, I like a bit of weight under me and more room behind the wheel.
Spring fever continued for a few days, I had got the bug now we are having more daylight hours I feel energised.. Dusting polishing, emptying drawers and cupboards sorting and actually throwing stuff out, its very painful but I have to make room for new “Stuff” dont I.
Lunch with the WI at the local Catering College Restaurant. Excellent food and service but we had to vacate the building during the meal due to a fire in the kitchen. Some delay on returning but the food was soon replaced .
Saturday was my Birthday. I am not hot on Birthdays anymore they seem to drag me down. Valentines day is always in your face for weeks prior to the event. It’s a constant reminder, my birthday can never just sneak up and surprise me. I had lots of cards and phone calls. Cathy rang from Australia it is always good to catch up with them. Amy starts University on the 23rd we are all very proud of her and Ben is still enjoying his Rugby playing for Joondalup Brothers Perth. Stuart and Andy called both working and being Valentines day preferring to be with there significant others,you can`t blame them. I had a ride out, mooched around the furniture stores looking for a dressing table, but no one makes a decent sized dressing table any more they are all miniscule. I am going to have to compromise but not a recycled one. I felt much better by Monday but still object to adding another year to my life. “You are as old as you feel Val “ YAH
Passed on the Poetry Sunday just didn’t have it in me to read. Speakers Club last night cheered me though, they are such an uplifting group we had a very enjoyable evening. Everyone had prepared a three minute speech to a photograph or picture of their choice, that was varied and well done. I am looking forward to U3A Philosophy this afternoon we are discussing `God` that should be interesting.

U K under snow.

Taking a rest on the Great Wall of China

Wild Goose Pagoda Buddist Temple Bejing November 2008

Took my laptop and projector to a Ladies Group Tuesday evening to do a short talk and show photographs of my visit to China last November. I always enjoy these talks, they are very informal and there is often quite a bit of interaction which I like to encourage. Thursday I had a walk around a Garden Centre looking for some colour, its very early for most bedding plants, but I did get a few pretty Petunias for my pots. The country is in grid lock at the moment with deep snow mainly in the south . 6,000 schools closed ,here up North its been very different, a smattering of snow on a couple of days that soon disappears ,but boy is it cold.
Sunday - Its snowing today and it looks as if it might stick as it was freezing this morning minus 1 degree. I have been in Standish all day at the ASC Area Conference we heard some very good Speakers, it was excellent. I managed to get home before the snow caused problems on the roads. Oh yes, we finally got the steel shutter out of the fireplace and removed the dead bird along with two buckets of sooty dirt. What a performance, Andrew did well but then the work was getting the shutter back up the chimney. We managed to wedge it until we can find out how to secure it better I hope it doesn’t fall down in the middle of the night it would wake the street.

Harrogate North Yorkshire

Very soon the town will be full of colour with carpets of multicoloured crocus ,narcissi and daffodils covering the Stray, a large grassed area which surrounding the town. Its a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year. Stuart has lived here for 20years so I have worn a groove between home and Harrogate over the past twenty years.

A Bird in My Chimney

31st January
Last Saturday I had a terrible day . A bird had fallen down my chimney and was trapped behind a steel shutter that we had placed in there when we took out the fireplace 20/30 ? years ago. We had lined the space with green slate and fitted a fancy electric fire inside the hole. It looked very nice indeed.
On coming downstairs that morning I heard frantic scratching coming from the front room, I could see there was dirt on the carpet in front of the fire and the noise was coming from inside the fireplace. I was terrified I thought it was a rat because we have been told, we are never more that a few feet from a rat at any one time!! Whoo Woo I was so scared this scratching was very loud. I knew my chimney was capped so I was convinced that nothing could have fallen down the chimney this “Thing” must have come out of the wall cavity. I rang for help but every one was out and no one responded to my calls. So running into the street I tried my neighbours and fortunately David from across the road came to my rescue. But we couldn’t shift the steel plate because it appeared to be bolted . I was also unsure whether I wanted the Thing to be set free in my lounge covered in soot and dirt, there was so much debris coming into the room from down the sides of the shutter, and we were choking from the dust. I was convinced the Thing would eventually burrow through into my house. Well, it went quiet and after a short spell of listening intently we realised that it had probably died or gone back where it had come from. Sweeping up the mess and checking the shutter again with a torch I found a tiny feather poking through the gap down the side. What a relief, but oh that poor bird I was so sorry we couldn’t get it out. Later in the day Andrew came in response to my calls, the shutter requires an Allen Key so he is going to return later in the week to remove the bird.
I could taste soot for day it was everywhere. I hope it never happens again. The chimney is capped but there are openings on two sides it must have gone in out of the rain poor thing.
After that the week was a breeze. I started a Philosophy Course at the U3A this week and really enjoyed the discussion on “What is Self” I am looking forward to next months session on "God". Attended three poetry gigs this week and went out to lunch twice; all very pleasant.. Today Saturday I drove up to Harrogate to catch up with Stuart and Sam. It was sunny and bright too, after all the dire weather warnings we have had, so we had a nice visit. Enjoyed the drive up there, as I can now open up the Punto and see what she can do, I wasn`t dissapointed kept within the speed limit like a good girl should.
Bye

Spring is on its way

January 23rd
What have I been doing this week apart from getting to grips with my new computer`s format . I know I will have to buy a wireless printer soon, as transfering work to the other PC to print out is getting fiddlie. Sunday evening was the Gig at WriteOutLoud. It was well attended 30+ poets shared their poetry, quite a diverse selection which adds to the enjoyment and the atmosphere was great I always come away with a buzz. It’s the Middleton Gig next Sunday, the atmosphere there is rather different, should I say quieter, refined, middleclass well more people wear ties! The Club Topics Contest at Speakers went smoothly I was timekeeping with Chris . A surprising outcome was that three of out newish members where given the opportunity to go forward to the ASC Area Contest in November as Winner, Runner Up and Reserve. They had to talk “off the cuff” for three minutes about Energy. We learned so much at the end of the evening about various forms of energy it turned out to be a very interesting evening. I have had very good news from Australia this week. Amy my granddaughter has been accepted at University and starts this February. I am so pleased for her she is an intelligent and smart young lady with the world at her feet, I am sure she will enjoy the challenges that University will bring and be successful in her studies.
Two of my good friends left the UK to spend the rest of the winter with family in the sun . Its true what they say “You never truly miss someone until their gone“ but they will be back in May.
We have had a heavy fall of snow and for a few hours on Monday and it looked as though it was here to stay. Then it rained the usual scenario slush and ice, then the sun came out and the snow was gone. I had a lovely day yesterday, out to lunch with my friends and afterwards shopping although I didn`t get anything. Once a month I meet up with girls who went to my secondary school Derby Street School for Girls(I the building was demolished last year) a regular date for the past 7 years. We have made contact with many who have left the Northwest or live abroad and I enjoy being in with this lively group. I am pleased to say there is evidence that Spring is on its way, the bulbs tips are showing and in some areas the snowdrops are out.

I hope you are all well and looking forward to getting out more. I know I am feeling somwhat housebound and would love a walk by the sea.

New Computer

January 14th

Well all my decorations are back in their boxes and up in the loft for another year. I am seriously thinking about taking a cruise next Christmas to a warmer clime, it has been so cold these past weeks.
I have just spent an interesting few days researching a new computer. I have been concerned about my Computer for some time now. It kept freezing and the pixels would dance around the screen, until I rebooted. I downloaded a new Graphics Driver and it is now more stable but it was getting me down. Also knowing I am constantly downloading Microsoft security patches, upgrades and service packs and a multitude of Norton`s Virus upgrades. It was no wander my loyal friend of five years was giving up the ghost, it was just too much for its little memory to cope with. I knew it was not going to get better and could die at any moment. So I finally got my head around buying a more powerful Machine. (500gig hard drive 4gig RAM) also bought a 500Gig external hard drive to help me transfer my work to the new computer and for backup . I now have the challenge of Microsoft Vista . For those who don’t know much about PC`s all my Windows XP peripherals are incompatible with my new machine, printers scanners modems etc. I decided too that I would go online via a wireless router I thought it would be exciting to have a complete new experience. After a few false starts, I have the system up and running the PC is brilliant and I love the wireless connection. I can use my laptop anywhere in the house and even in the garden. I Find Windows Vista interface isn`t a problem and once I find where things are I feel sure I will enjoy using it.
Last Sunday with three friends from Speakers Club we took a tour of Manchester Art Gallery. The Tour Guide was Chris one of our members, so it was a special treat for us all. They had an Exhibition of Holman Hunt`s paintings, he played a central role in the radical Pre-Raphaelite art movement in the 19thcentury. I love the Pre Raphaelite style, each painting tells a story and the colours are so vivid The gallery was quite crowded but it was fun, I really enjoyed the afternoon.
www.manchestergalleries.org/whats-on/exhibitions/index.php

Go see his paintings at
www.abcgallery.com/H/huntwh/html