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. .




 

Post Christmas Joy.

The snow has arrived

18th  January 2013

I'ts been quiet since New Year, I guess its because we all have to recharge the batteries. Most are talking about holidays  but I can't get my head around them just yet. Took  down the decorations and Christmas tree as you should on the 12th night  and the house  now looks so bare!   This month I spent some time with my youngest Grandson.  Due to my being away over Christmas and then sickness  in the family I wasn’t able to see him until last week.  He is a darling child, 10years old, bright intelligent, tall and good looking like his Dad.

 I treated myself to a post Christmas treat, Super Fast Fibre Broadband . The engineer who installed the router to my surprise was a young woman, she was super efficient and soon had it up and running, I love it. 

Speakers Club this month was different we played Call My Bluff a team word game..  Each member of the team had to find a really obscure word in the dictionary. Then  in turns, one member would give the true definition of the word and the other team members would provide false ones. The other team had to guess the true definition to gain points.  We had such a laugh  I really enjoyed  the evening even though our team lost 8-10

I have been looking for inspiration for my next 8minute speech B9 Audience Rapport . After much deliberation I have chosen Laughing Yoga !! If you have never heard of Laughing Yoga than  Google it, yes it is a science. It’s believed to improve your life, reduces stress,  blood pressure and regulates blood sugar  in diabetics it  is also reported to help  to stop the progress of condition.
I have tried it and at first you feel so foolish but  believe me you do feel good afterwards.

Watch Laughing Yoga

It was my eldest son’s birthday this month. My how fast they come around, its only when you realise their age that you begin to think of your own mortality, not  a happy thought at times. But it's only a number I tell everyone I don’t do numbers, I refuse to be defined as a number. Its my birthday in four weeks, I will be celebrating with my friends as usual, I will be 21 again.   

Went to see the movie “ Les Miserable’s” with three  of my friends. Loved the cast, their acting, the scenery and the music but the singing, sung live by the leading actors was unexpected. When you have heard the score sung by professionals singers it leaves a lot to be desired, but I did enjoy it much more than the stage show I saw in 90’s and I  just love the score.

Alfie Boe was in the stage production he has a brilliant voice 
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkQXbmTpXkE

Well the snow  has arrived and once again we are at the mercy of the Gritters.  We never seem to have enough salt grit, for the past few years there is has always been a deficit and we are gridlocked for days . The trains don’t run and the roads are closed, we have been reassured  that this will not happen this year but time will tell.  I feel for the people who are elderly, unemployed or disabled, as the price of electricity and gas and good wholesome food is off the scale for them. Heating their homes and eating well is not an option these days, many will die. But I won’t go on, we all know  the country is in a financial mess  and its  too painful to contemplate.  

I hope you are all sufficiently refreshed after the holiday. We now face another year, a year in which we could realise our wildest dreams,what a thought.
 Love you all XXXX 



    

Christmas & New Year 2013

                                      

                                                   A Very Sincere Belated Greeting to You All

                    

As you can see I have been so busy in the run up to Christmas this year I haven’t posted since November. In fact I have hardly been home most days. Eight Christmas Dinner/Parties are more than I am use too but I felt a needed to go and see people, I must say I enjoyed every one. Speakers Club was a  Costumed Murder Mystery, set in the 1930s.  I was Esmeralda a popular leading lady in the Theatre, a suspect throughout but totally innocent, everyone joined in the spirit of the evening and we had a great time.
In between a hectic few weeks visiting friends who I don’t get to see very often and Christmas shopping a nightmare in itself, I managed to get my  Christmas Tree up.   Nearly bought another one,  but at the last minute decided against it as I was spending Christmas with my son.  When I finally got the tree out of the loft……… I remembered, silly me I  replaced it last year. Then I had to search for the timer plugs for the lights.   I thought I had a system,  to put things back where they came from, but then sometimes I forget where they came from and put them somewhere else. Bought two new timers and then found the missing ones!! 

Sunday a Emergency Plumber was sent for when  I found the toilet floor flooded and the water pipe that fills the tank leaking, in fact squirting up the wall. Thankfully the damage was minimal as the carpet tiles dried easily and the wall was ok.  He fitting a completely different new system that is very quiet and efficient, minus ball cock!!.

This year I had decided to travel up to my sons in Harrogate on the train, as the weather forecast was threatening heavy rain and snow. It would be different, I could relax, read a book and in 2hours he would collect me at the station.     At Christmas I usually choose to give money instead of presents but this year I went shopping, bulking stuff, so I had more luggage to take up to Harrogate. The train then seemed a problem, plus there where changes to the timetable..  so I  decided to drive there, the weather was fine, in fact better than it was at home. ….I have requested a refund of my fare, minus £10 admin fee!  will see how much I get back.
We  did manage a walk with Bob on Boxing Day and amazingly the sun shone, but it was very boggy underfoot. I had a wonderful Christmas with my son and family, far to much to eat but  I am not complaining the food was excellent, he just loves to cook.

My  New Year will be quiet as I am still getting over Christmas. Lots of  recordings to watch on  TV   good movies and shows. I feel very satisfied ,Christmas was a great success but  I will soon be back to basics, with less rich pickings,  no more cream, cakes and chocolate. But for the time being there is too much temptation so I will go with the flow and enjoy the moment.
Hope you all have had a great time over the holidays and   looking forward to what the New Year has to offer .  I do hope and pray we get a decent summer and less rain. 
Byeeee
Luv you XX
 

Good Health & Happiness to my Family & Friends 

 

      

Autumn Colours

                                                                              
                                                       Stream  running through Astley Park
                                                                          

                                                 A Golden Carpet of Autumn Leaves 

26th November

OK Christmas is in the high street, it started  almost as soon as the clocks went back an hour and the darkness became a reality from 5pm. I was informed by the Post Office information that the last posting for overseas surface mail (much cheaper) was in the last week of October . Having missed it last year I was on the ball and posted my overseas Christmas Cards and parcels. Much to my surprise some arrived at their destination within four days.!!!  Hope you don’t think I am losing it those of you who received these greetings.

 I have been to a couple of Christmas Dinners !!  in October, only because its cheaper and easier to get a table at certain places .  Enjoyed a Speakers Conference and outings in October, hectic but good times. Enjoyed meeting up with friends and retired colleagues who I haven’t seen for ages.

Over the past few months I have been  plagued with daily unsolicited phone calls about  free loft insulation and   help with cavity wall  insulation, its a government directive that insulation has to be enhanced due to greenhouse gases and all that EEC jazz . The (cold call ) phone calls are so persistent and  had become a real problem even though I had  barred the calls, they still got through. Worn down I requested a Survey from British Gas who where offering this free top up insulation. I explained that the loft was ¾ boarded and my Cavity Walls had been foam filled in 1965  they still wanted to come and look for themselves. What a farce, I was asked  to rearrange the loft so he could  have easy access, this I did and soon found myself deep into all the clutter that needed throwing away Thankfully I had started the week before the visit as it was taking longer than I thought . Any way the surveyor  came and quickly agreed that I didn’t need any help as it was OK.  Hopefully the phone calls will stop now my box has been ticked!       

My new bed arrived and I love it, even though it is higher now the bedding is in place than I anticipated, its great . I have to climb up onto it and I can’t just sit on the edge, my feet dangle almost a foot of the floor which is a little annoying but I can live with that, I may  get a foot stool…….

My friends have left for the Antipodes once again escaping this  gloomy cold wet weather that every years seems to stay on well into the Spring.  On saying that, we had a beautiful sunny Sunday  I went for a walk around Astley Park in  Chorley, wonderful trees in sunshine and colour, a good mix. Since then its rained constantly and once again floods are causing so much anguish in certain areas of the country.

Astley Park Chorley Lancashire UK

Remembrance Sunday was cold and wet and I was not up to standing outside for two  or more hours, so  I watch the coverage  of the London Service on TV. Remembrance Day always inspires excellent coverage on the BBC. This year I watched a feature on the War Horses role in the First World War. Incredible that so many returned home  after the carnage that was trench warfare, the whole feature was very emotional.  The first assault was the Cavalry but their swords and tactics where found to be useless against the fire power of the German enemy,it was the Infantry and the horses that won the war after far too many young men lost their lives.  Without these sterling mounts that tirelessly  clomped through the deep mud and  persistent cannon fire to deliver ammunition, food and men to the front lines we would have lost the war.



This month at the NHS Retirement Group a lady from Hearing Dogs for the Deaf came to talk to us on the organisation.  A brilliant concept that works so well for deaf people . I am sure mother would have benefited from having a  trained hearing dog, we always had family dogs but our Judy was mothers faithful friend. A small Manchester Terrier who was  just the very best companion for her being very deaf he was her eyes and ears, they where devoted. I feel quite emotional  these days when I am reminded of past times. ….. Which isn’t a bad thing.

Hearing dogs

I passed my BSC  B8 assignment on Humour this month, but it was hard work putting it together. I must have changed direction three or four times before I was happy with the concept. So happy me, on to the next stage the  B9  Audience Report and Engagement. I already have some ideas to work on. 

Attended Chethams Music School in Manchester with my friends Betty and Astrid, to a Lunch time Recital and Tour of the 600 year old building followed by tea and cake in the refectory. Astrid's father attended Chethams before it became a Music School.  It is now a Registered  Charity who  take children who have potential and  talent for music, from the age of 8 to 18 but only from EEC countries . Overseas applicants have to pay and its very expensive boarding school .  The recital was awesome, three young musicians on Cello Flute and Piano individually played, Vivaldi Mozart Reinecke  and Saint-Saens, really complicated pieces without sheet music it was incredible. A really remarkable afternoon.

Chethams School of Music

Getting ready to do my Christmas Shopping, German Markets will be coming to town soon that's always a good day out . We saw lots of  Festive Christmas Stalls in Manchester last week  in the square near to the Chethams Shool so I  will be going there soon .
Bye for now X