Third day!
I organised a few little trips to several beauty spots and interesting places. I wanted to take Bill to all the surroundings where I grew up! We got along like Sister and Brother! He took his camera just about everywhere and the highlight of the trip was when we went to the English Lakes for a whole day.
It was one of the most enjoyable weeks I'd ever spent. Time just flew and soon he was returning to campus vowing to write as soon as he got back. He kept his word! We continu
Put a lined sheet of paper and a pen down in front of me and I can't resist it! I tingle with excitement. I don't know what it is, I've never been able to put my finger on it! I just love to write. I've never been a clever person, I flunked quite badly at school. Numerics were to me what letters are to a dyslexic person -- I often think that I'm dyslexic with numbers!
I could hold my own in English language. I was never brilliant but I sure could write a story, even if it made no sense at al
Phew! Respite indoors -- are we never satisfied? It's true that the English prime topic of conversation is the weather. It's too hot, too cold, too wet -- never just right. Is it that we are a nation of moaners? -- perhaps!
We happily jet off to warmer climes and never complain about the sun -- oh no, because we know that in a couple of weeks we'll be back home to the freezing rain and inclement weather conditions. We bake ourselves in the heat of the mid day sun whilst other European buddie
Today is simply gorgeous! If you could look through my eyes you would see that I'm looking at a picture of spring. The birds are singing, cockerel crowing -- in fact my two exuberant males are having a competition for the loudest crow! The sun is just coming up over the hill -- picture this: Grass with a sprinkling of dew glistening like a dark green sheet of paper with a hint of dust! The old oak tree waving in the gentle breeze and a myriad of colours in the hedgerow. Blossom on the cherry t
Spring has finally sprung, my daft hubby said
Sure the birds are singing and waking me from bed
But to start a project of massive scale with all but full attention
We're taking down a gable end and part of an extension
Now not being gifted with all that many brains
My hubby set about the job avoiding any rains
But this being England they're never too far away
And when they start falling they're definately here to stay
The wind was blowing up a storm and dust flew everywhere
I had
I've been thinking about this for a while. I attend a meeting in Manchester, which has roughly 10 members each month. We've all become great friends as well as raising funds for The Raynauds And Sceroderma Association here in the UK. I live some 25 miles from the meeting place and quite frankly it's becoming too much travelling for me of an evening. Sometimes it's quite late when I arrive home and then I don't feel like driving home most times!
I thought it would be great to start my own loc
Yikes! Must get some corn for my chickens -- greedy lot ate the full sack! I'll call at the local corn mill on my way home from my daughter's college.
Must remember to pay the coal merchant, need to get some ham for dinner and finish off a small project I started last night. There's piles of rubble all over the area and frankly I'm going to break my neck if it doesn't get cleared away. Last night was quite pleasent weather wise and a good opportunity to tidy the very place which will become
Sshhhh! The sun is shining, I must say this quietly not to upset Mr Ray! I woke this morning with more than expectations. The remainder of the wall, however small will be demolished today! So with small hammer in hand, little chisel, hardwearing gloves and a heart as big as a pumpkin, I set about taking down the last 10 or so bricks. I thrust my hammer at the chisel -- missed and hit my knee. The air was blue and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both! The phone rang so I limped in
Just when you thought it was safe -- the weather turns back to winter! My Gran always used to say, "Never cast a clout till May is out" She was right of course but then, she always was! We've lost the old values of our grandparents, so many "Old Wives Tales" happen to be true! Like the month of March -- Comes in like a Lion, goes out like a Lamb! It did! And now we've got April showers that will probably last till September!
There happened to be many berries on the trees last fall. Their si
Wet Sunday morning, expectations are low
The day will never get going it has no place to go
All the plans we made last night suddenly in free fall
We'll never finish this old house or that stupid wall
Puddles of dirty water collect in driven rain
looks like the sun will never come out again
This is good old England I say! as I squeeze my sodden mop
When it starts raining here, it doesn't know when to stop!
The skies look grey and heavy, and the outlook isn't good
All we need is a
We had a lovely day out yesterday. It was lovely because after the rain the sun shone and I picked my aunt up from her residential home, collected my dad from his and off we went for a drive in the countryside. I'd been cleaning bricks earlier until enough was enough and since I'd got my car back from the garage and the day was good, it was just too much of a temptation.
Up we went into the Pennine hills, called at a quaint little pub and had lunch at 2pm. My aunt had lemonade, I had coffee
7.30 am--rain stops play! The events over the last couple of days have seen us tear down a wall and clean over 1000 bricks. My job today was to clear the remaining rubble all set for weekend when we'll lay the foundations prior to rebuild. A very disappointing start to the day nevertheless!
I've just finished a telephone conversation with a lady who appeared to sympathise with my situation, as they all do! Then went on to tell me that she's been through the mill recently with a new kitchen,
After much deliberation as we met round the table
The decision was made to take down the gable
The house had stood since old Cromwell was a lad
And not a lick of paint since then it had, had!
The walls were crumbling becoming a ruin
And our friends said -"Do you know what you're doin?"
We took a hammer, a chisel and brute force
We took each brick down course by course
We cleaned off the mortar and chewed on the dust
But the work was essential an absolute must
I have this huge
Sat staring through the huge hole in my wall, rather like a viewing platform on the world! It wouldn't be so bad, although how can you say that without sounding like I actually enjoy having a huge hole in my house? But the truth is, it wouldn't be so bad if the farmer who tends our fields hadn't decided to scatter 10 tons of muck about the place on a week when an easterly wind blows right in the direction of my home.
My hubby get's blamed for most of the awful smells around the home -- this
I have a huge lump in my throat and a tear in my eye as I write this blog. It's not for me, or anything which relates to my condition, family or situation. I feel kind of guilty writing this blog after the very kind words Barefut wrote in her last blog entry.
Yes, you are right! The blogs look cute and very touching --- a very fine tribute to each other, so before we skip off into the sunset hand in hand, I'd just like to say a personal thank you before I get on with business as usual!
Thank you to Barefut for the cutest little rhyme
I thought I'd reply to you whilst I had a little time
You really are remarkable, you make my day complete
And doing all the things you do is certainly no mean feat
You run a home and family a great mum to your boys
I bet you roll around the floor, and play with all their toys
It's not just me that appears unique, but you my friend are too!
We may be a small minority but we always get through
You seem to be the greatest mum, by far yo
Looking out of my window as I very often do
Looking round the farmyard to see if anything new
When walking by a little hen and I gasped at what I saw
Five little fluffy chicks all following their maw
Where have you been hiding, we knew we were minus one
But now we had quite a few more as her back they climbed on
I felt a certain sense of pride as they walked around the yard
It was like a perfect photo on a springtime greetings card
Fluffy, small and yellow it really made you awww!
I'
I'm full of dust! I look like an accident in a flour factory. I'm stiff just about all over -- but at least I'm warm. I'm red hot, hotter than I've been all year. This demolition work sure is good for the circulation.
I've been bolstering down walls with my little chisel. I took out one brick, my hubby took down a full wall. Still my contribution however small will all help in the great scheme of things.
The final phase of our renovation is taking place. It's been a humungous task, much
Dismal Saturday morning! The sky is grey, it's raining. I'm here on my own. Husband at work, daughter on a sleepover and just the animals to keep me company. The chickens became agitated an hour ago wanting to come out of their shed but it was raining so hard that neither myself nor the chickens would have ventured any further than the step.
The house felt cold. We'd let the fire go out overnight, so I planned my attack on the day by first lighting the fire with new logs and coal from the b
Ever had one of those nights? I think last night was pretty close to being just that, no matter how I tried, I could not get to sleep! I tossed and turned, my neck hurt as usual and I arranged my pillows so many times that I ended up with 5 on my side of the bed -- hubby lay flat out and when that happens I may as well forget falling into slumber. He snores so loudly that my daughter shouts from the other room. So in between the snorts I turned over and tried to clear my mind.
The birds beg
Oh! The joys of spring, and I'm not about to burst into rhyme here, but it conjures up sweet little images of fluffy yellow chicks, buds bursting into life, birds singing merrily in the trees, well at least that's how spring should be.
I woke this morning to the manic barking of a Jack Russell Terrier, Geese honking and flapping, goats bleating so loudly, I thought they were in my bedroom, and the sound of heavy trucks, pneumatic drills and voices shouting up the hill -- If this is spring I
Having a chronic illness means you come to expect very little, least way's thats my opinion. Endless hospital appointments and the total misconception of a disease that no one has ever heard of, except the ones closest to you, it kind of makes you feel unwanted or just plain neglected.
It's no surprise that depression goes hand in hand with scleroderma or other related illnesses. The truth is that we've all had a life before the disease struck, it's not something we were actually born with,
Frustration! That's what it is? The whole world is out to get me! Of couse if that were true I'd be in a state of paranoia, which hopefully I am not. I would have just cause to feel that way, since my car was taken off the road by an un-attentive driver and since then much has happened to complicate my situation.
I have the grace of a courtesy car at hand. I have to say now that there's nothing like your own choice of vehicle, one which is chosen for you simply doesn't match up to the criter
It's lonely out here in blog land! Sometimes I can hear the wind howl
Sometimes I'm just by myself a place to moan and scowl
Am I just a lonely housewife, or a lazy idle mum
I've been at home so long now, that credit I have none
It's lonely here on the farm with no one to listen or chat
My life has been so wonderful doing this and doing that
I can testify to enjoyment for that I've had my share
And if you've been most places, well I'd surely have been there
And now I'm sick and lon
I think I may be entering a certain phase in my life where everything is a task. Just climbing out of bed in the morning is becoming more difficult as I battle to keep my nauseousness under control.
My car is due to be fixed after a collision dented my beautiful mode of transport, which even now my hubby suspects was my fault. I was up and about at 7am knowing that I had plenty to do. Living on a farm, especially in winter makes a **** of a mess inside your vehicle as you drag in most of wha
