Valentines Day Birthday

                                                                   The Birthday Girl                


Well it has certainly been a wild few days, with the wind and rain rattling windows and  blowing fences over. Fortunately I suffered no damage  like last time, when I lost slates and  guttering.  I feel for the people in Queensland Australia who have  suffered terrible flooding and now a Cyclone to contend with that his destroyed many towns along the coast.  Now we hear of fires over in Western Australia , fortunately its north of Perth well away from  the city where Cathi and the family live.  Due to all this extreme weather on the east coast my grandson, has not been  able to find work so  decided to cut short his trip and is now in  Perth staying with family, he will be  home  in March. Its great that they have this opportunity to meet up again, they emigrated in 1996. Sunday 6th February was Waitangi Day in New Zealand it’s a day I remember well.  In  2005 during my stay with Ann and Derek we were  initiated as an honouree Maori during a ceremony in the ` Marae`  their Communal Meeting House on the outskirts of Nelson.  The Lodge is build of logs and  had a very distinctive decorated entrance . The large hall was colourful  with carved totem poles, masks and  paintings around the walls.  The ceremony was held in their language by twelve elders in ceremonial dress, who recited their history and then spoke in English, after listening to their stories we each rubbed noses with all the elders and then they took us in procession  to enjoyed a feast, a great memory.
History this month was all about the rise of Quakerism  by James Naylor and George Fox two very unusual men who set about delivering their interpretation of Christianity in the 17th Century.  I found it  very interesting  as I didn’t know anything about the founding of the Quaker Religion.
As I am sure you all know that Valentines Day  is my birthday . I had a great week , out to a couple of  lunches, lots of presents  and heaps of love I am exhausted. Wonderful phone calls from everyone I had hoped to hear from.  We had a Valentine Poetry Evening  on Sunday it was a hoot, more funny - mad poems than usual. I once won the competition in Wigan, it was a good night I was totally surprised.
 Andrew is finally moving into his own house, next Friday he gets the keys. I know I will miss him but I’m  look forward to getting my space back. The house was almost taken over and filled with his possessions 12 months ago, the amount of stuff he had was incredible. We both will  have an exciting time finding all the things that have been squirreled away and probably forgot that we had. I am very excited for him he has been very patient waiting for this moment .

http://hubpages.com/hub/Waitangi_Day

Three Weeks into 2011

A winter walk

                                                                       

Hello my friends, I hope everyone has settled in to  2011, a New Year its always a challenge  and we sometimes set ourselves to many, I am optimistic and feel good about this year as so much is happening around me.   Sunday was this years first Poetry Evening, we have moved into a smart café bar in the centre of town called Butterflies. It has an excellent sound system and a guy to work it. For years we have frequented a local pub on the outskirts, but it changed hands last year and they  introduced gaming and video machines that attract  rather noisy  clientele, so I am very pleased with the move.
Three weeks into the New Year I am seeing bulbs pushing through the soil and  tiny buds appearing on the Hydrangea  bushes that I thought where dead due to the severe frost.  I know we are to have more snow because it always snows around my birthday in February, but I would like to think it won`t be as bad as the last time.    Also its coming lighter, every day a few minutes more, I would hate to live near the  North Pole where its night for six months.  History was interesting this month we learned all about the  English Origin of the Olympic Games by Trevor James Editor of Local History Magazine he was very good I really enjoyed what at first looked to be a dull lecture.
www.localhistorymag.com
I bought a new  HD webcam with integral mic, enrolled on Skype so if any of you fancy joining me for a chat let me know.  The gym is still closed, the flood must have really caused some  damage but we are hoping it will open on the 26th.  I am  walking as much as I can and dancing around to Abba, but  truly miss the gym.   I must apologies to those who received  weird E-mails apparently from me this month,  malicious adware had invaded  my address book. Its taught me a lesson though , my excuse is it was due to a lapse in concentration after  having more than one or two glasses of wine.  I thought it was sorted after  two hours of deep scans and was  sure it had  been erased, but it came back from nowhere and attacked my address book again. I got such a sick feeling when this happened again, it  felt like a personal assault. This time I was recommended to  change my passwords so I really do hope its gone..
Felt so energised last week I cleaned all through the house, and planning some changes this year..

Happy New Year

                                                        
                                                      Walking over the Cricket Field

                                                   The River Nidd Christmas Morning

Well hello! its been ages since I felt like writing again. Happy New Year to everyone 2011 has to be a better year, even with all the financial restrictions and threatened unemployment, we must strive make it better. Yes the thaw has come there are still some mounds of snow along the road side but its good to see the grass again , my poor Hydrangeas have been hit by the frost and I fear they will never recover. I hope you have enjoyed yourselves over the festive two weeks . I found the long weekends a bit of a drag, after all the initial excitement, over eating and frenzied activities. I did manage to get over to stay with Stu & family for Christmas, the motorway was clear, with blue skies and sunshine I made good time, there and back. No snow after all, I had a wonderful time, it felt very special to spend Christmas with them.. I will post some photos of our walk by the river Christmas day with Bob Stu’s four legged best mate . I received some great gifts and saw almost everyone I had hoped to see. Cathi rang and we had a nice long chat, they are having a heat wave and extensive flooding in Western Australia as well as in Queensland, the weather has gone crazy.. New Years Eve my friend Betty and I saw ‘We Will Rock You’ at the Palace Theatre Manchester a musical based on Queen’s songs. There was a Rock Band playing and boy it was loud, but after a while we became accustomed to it and enjoyed ourselves singing and acting like teenagers, it was a good show.
I have had a look round the Sales,70% off in some stores, but I wasn’t tempted I feel a bit jaded after all the pre Christmas shopping. Thankfully all the extra food in the house has been eaten but some temptations are is still around . I need to cut back on the chocolate as I can’t go to the gym for a while as they are closed due to a flood, so I will have to walk more this next week, hope it doesn’t rain.



Christmas Time

22nd December


Well the snow and ice hasn’t gone, the roads other than the main highways are just as impassable and some people are still housebound . It seems we have a shortage of salt & grit and transportation is under threat. There is talk of shortages in the supermarkets and petrol stations, some households and businesses are experiencing problems obtaining oil for their central heating. Airports closed, trains delayed and roads blocked, its a terrible time for those trying to get away for Christmas. Fortunately I live on a bus route so able to get into town, mooch round the shops and go to the gym. I am still hopeful that I will get up to spend Christmas with Stu & Co this weekend, but we will have to wait and see if it snows again. I will have to use the Motorway to get up to Knaresborough along with everyone else, it will be horrendous so I have a lot to consider. Other wise I am feeling good and ready for the festivities whether its here or there I will relax and enjoy the weekend. Have a wonderful wonderful Christmas. To all my family and friends; I wish we could all be together on that day, what a great time we would have. Take Care love you.

My Seasonal Poem

Christmastime

                                                               Christmas is the occasion
                                                               For family and friends
                                                               To gather together
                                                           To renew, review, past times.

                                                           Grudges hopefully forgotten
                                                                  Slights forgiven
                                                                Opinions tolerated.                  
                                                          Their New Years Resolution.

                                                          Over eating and drinking
                                                             Common for most.
                                                          Children overindulged
                                                        Grandparents fussed over.

                                                    Commercial aspect of Christmas
                                                       Exciting entertaining and colourful.
                                                Money spent as if there was no tomorrow.
                                                      So all can have a great time.

                                                             But there are those
                                                       Who, lonely or homeless
                                                     Have not had a great time
                                                              For a long time.

                                                             Not for them gifts
                                                         Or a cheerful greeting.
                                                    Not for them the cosy chair
                                                           By a warm fireside.

                                                       Cold is their companion
                                                       Hunger is their penance
                                            Isolation and condemnation is their reward.
                                               Compassion is what they need.

                                  There but for whatever strengths they do not possess,
                                            Whatever support they do not have,
                                               Whatever love they do not feel …..
                                                                    Go I.

   Merry Christmas & Happy New Year xxx Valere






















The Lead up to Christmas

                                                              Snow covered country road



Well I certainly haven’t experienced anything like the ice and snow we have had this November. The whole of the UK was gridlocked -20 degrees in Scotland. It has cleared and feels a little warmer, but the forecast is, we have more to come. I was in Australia for three months last winter escaped the snow and ice but heard how horrendous it was, people where trapped in their homes for weeks; so I had better get stocked up on essentials and pretty soon too. Christmas is creeping up on us but I have most of my shopping done it’s the wrapping and the deliveries next. I haven’t been quite myself this past week, nothing significantly obvious just tired and this stonking headache that responds well to a couple of painkillers but then its back within 5 -6hours. I don’t know which is worse the headache or the side affects of these pills. Didn’t stop me from attending a couple of Christmas Dinners, some times I find distraction is as good as medication, to meet up with people you rarely see and catch up on their news. I have organised a Christmas party for the poets this month ,thankfully I am not catering , just hope the weather stays reasonable, last year because of the snow only a handful made it. I am hoping to stay with Stuart in Knaresborough over the Christmas weekend but of course every thing depends on the weather , after last year everyone remains sceptical. My grandson seems settled in Sydney and is keeping in touch with everyone via Face Book and Skype and by all accounts a having a grand old time before he buckles down to work. Face Book is a brilliant tool for keeping in touch with friends and family but some need to curb their language and watch what they say, I don’t think they realise that its much more public than an e-mail. A casual comment can sometimes offend and bullying is riff on these social network pages. There have been teenage suicides attributed to comment on social networking sites which is really unacceptable, I try not to read to much in to most of it, but it still can cause me concern. There are many safeguards on these social networking sites to protect information but some often do not bother and leave their pages open to the world. A local teenager recently stabbed another to death over a derogatory comment on Face Book about his sister.
New Year Resolutions guys -: I set out to do may be one a year, as I feel that is enough for anyone especially if it’s a tough assignment. So I am working on this New Years Challenge and will let you know when I start it. Last year a vowed to reduce the number of groups I was involved in to a manageable three. This I have achieved Women’s Institute, WriteOutLoud and History, I did start volunteering at the library, but I don’t feel that counts.



Remembrance Sunday

11-11-11

                                     Eleventh hour on the eleventh day in the Eleventh month 
                                                         We will remember them

I have always supported the Armed Services and the Remembrance Service on the Town Hall Square with all the local dignitaries and representatives of the many branches of the services, has been an important event in my calendar. My father was in the Royal Navy during WW2 both my brothers served in the Army and my eldest son was in the Royal Navy and joined the TA on discharge. Because he is tall and very smart he was chosen as Honour Guard at the Cenotaph almost every year, and now is proud as a Policeman to march with them on that day. I have a high regard for the dedication and sacrifices these young men and women give our country, in the conflicts of the past and recently in Northern Ireland ,Iraq and Afghanistan. Seeing the young and old marching through the town accompanied by a Military Band is really something special.
Boy is it cold now. It’s surprising how you forget how cold the wind can be until you feel it whistling around your ears for the first time. It has forecast heavy snow soon, already there is snow in Scotland. Plus we have had dense fogs on occasions, something I haven’t seen for many years and with the amount of traffic on the roads it can be very dangerous. I shouldn’t really moan about the weather we have had some brilliant Autumn days sunny and warm. I was knee deep in leaves on the garden last week, filled the huge Wheelie Bin and this week there are just as many more that need clearing, one of the pains of being surrounded by trees. But the autumn colours have been magnificent this year, they say it is due to the very cold winter and the wet summer. We also had a bumper fruit harvest this year and that was due to the abnormal weather too. Went to the cinema to see the latest Harry Potter movie it was good but it was only Part 1. I have to wait now for the conclusion which will be at least a couple of years I bet I will have forgotten the plot by then. I have started my Christmas shopping and my writing my cards so I am feeling quite proud of myself as I am usually on the last minute. I am spending Christmas in Knaresborough this year with my son, so I have to get organised. My 19year old grandson is now on his way to Australia with a 12 months working Visa. He is in Hong Kong for a week or so then on to Sydney. Lucky guy he will have a brilliant time.



Saltaire,

No.6  Defender

                                                 Autumn colours in my back garden
The last few weeks in October I was out almost daily, it was certainly too much for anyone. But I soldiered on and must say enjoyed myself. Went with the WI to Saltaire Mills in Shipley North Yorkshire. It was a model village complex in its time, with educational and recreational facilities, plus a hospital and homes for the workers at the Woollen Mill built by Titus Salt and run by his family for decades. http://www.saltsmill.org.uk/contact.htm   Now it is a complex of apartments, offices, enterprising units, shops and the David Hockey Art Gallery. Quite impressive but I must admit the shops where the main attraction I don’t rate Hockey very much he is too modern. The following Sunday I was in Manchester to join friends in a guided tour of Manchester Art Gallery, my friend Chris is a guide at the gallery and occasionally takes these tours, so we went along to support her. I always find these tours very interesting as they have some brilliant collections, I especially like their large collection of Pre-Raphaelites Paintings as they tell a story. I like this one
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lady_of_Shalott
I had a nice long chat to my daughter before she left for a holiday in Bali. Since then the Merapi Volcano in Java has erupted and desiccated a large area followed by a Tsunami triggered by a earthquake soon after. Thankfully I have been assured she was not in that area. Bali is a small island far south of Java well away from the disaster. Its rather a coincidence that the day she returned from a previous holiday in Bali the area where she was staying was bombed by terrorists, many killed and maimed it’s a troubled area in more ways than one. And now in the past few days two Quantas Jumbo Jets have lost an engine on their flight to Sydney Australia from Singapore. Its really scary, I now fly via Dubai with Emirates, but I have been on the Singapore Route many times in the past.. My friends Ann and Derek are on there way today 7th Nov, to New Zealand for the winter via Singapore and Sydney I do hope they will be safe. I was pleased that I was able to spend some time with them before they went, I will miss them, they are good friends,this time last year we where together in New Zealand in Ruby Bay and wonderful holiday.
Last week I went to my cousins funeral she was 85yrs,it was lovely to see all her family together again, she had eight grandchildren and the same number of great grandchildren, I do miss children, mine have all grown up or live too far away. Yesterday Saturday I was up in Harrogate hanging out with my son and grandson. He is 19 yrs now and off to Australia at the end of this month for 12 months, hoping to play football and cricket in the sun. We watched him play football for his team,( they are top of their League) and I was surprise how much I enjoyed the excitement.