Yet another event has been sabotaged by torrential rain.
Yesterday, what should have been a garden party and musical entertainment for about seventy people became an indoor event for a much smaller group of brave but rather bedraggled souls, wearing very damp clothes. The "bulldog spirit" prevailed and the entertainment went ahead. The audience participated enthusiatically and then we all enjoyed a delicious tea.
The uncertain weather seems set to continue for a while (typical British weather, some would say!) so I shall be keeping my fingers crossed for next Saturday when some friends are involved with boat trips and other activities on and around the river.
Monday 5 September 2011
Wednesday 31 August 2011
The end of the month, already!!
August 31st - I cannot believe this month has passed so quickly.
The variable weather has prevented me from getting out and about as much as I had planned and my garden remains overgrown but I have managed to get some of the other domestic problems under control and parts of the house look much better.
During quiet times I have been looking at some of the blogs which appear at random - I am amazed by the range of subjects covered - family life, beautiful crafts, delicious recipes, philosophy, politics, comparative religion, to mention but a few - and full of admiration for the uninhibited way in which difficult topics are discussed. What a talented set of people you are.
Today I have taken my first step into the world of ebooks: I downloaded Kindle and a selection of free ebooks to my computer. The whole process was much easier than I had anticipated and, although I cannot imagine life without traditional books, I feel that a new world lies ahead of me.
September promises to be a busy month but, no doubt, there will be some unexpected twists and turns ...
The variable weather has prevented me from getting out and about as much as I had planned and my garden remains overgrown but I have managed to get some of the other domestic problems under control and parts of the house look much better.
During quiet times I have been looking at some of the blogs which appear at random - I am amazed by the range of subjects covered - family life, beautiful crafts, delicious recipes, philosophy, politics, comparative religion, to mention but a few - and full of admiration for the uninhibited way in which difficult topics are discussed. What a talented set of people you are.
Today I have taken my first step into the world of ebooks: I downloaded Kindle and a selection of free ebooks to my computer. The whole process was much easier than I had anticipated and, although I cannot imagine life without traditional books, I feel that a new world lies ahead of me.
September promises to be a busy month but, no doubt, there will be some unexpected twists and turns ...
Sunday 14 August 2011
A rather mixed month
First the good news - the friend about whom I wrote in my last post has recovered sufficiently to return home where she is managing with the aid of carers - the drastic treatment which she underwent is keeping her problems at bay and we are hoping that the remission will not be too short-lived.
Sadly, however, another dear friend died very suddenly, without any prior indication of ill-health, leaving all of us, especially her family, "shell-shocked". A loyal and most generous person who was never afraid to stand firm and speak her mind, she is very greatly missed.
Meanwhile life goes on: attempting to keep my overgrown garden under control (the unsettled weather has produced an explosion of weeds etc.) has given me plenty of fresh air and additional exercise.
Sadly, however, another dear friend died very suddenly, without any prior indication of ill-health, leaving all of us, especially her family, "shell-shocked". A loyal and most generous person who was never afraid to stand firm and speak her mind, she is very greatly missed.
Meanwhile life goes on: attempting to keep my overgrown garden under control (the unsettled weather has produced an explosion of weeds etc.) has given me plenty of fresh air and additional exercise.
Sunday 10 July 2011
The best laid plans ...
The last few days have been rather different to what I had anticipated.
Late on Friday afternoon I received a phone call to say that the friend whom I was planning to visit yesterday was going into hospital so I "dropped everything" and spent the evening with her there.
Yesterday, I had lunch with friends (about thirty of us) - the original idea had been to eat 'alfresco' but torrential rain drove us indoors!! Nevertheless, we enjoyed a delicious meal of cold salmon with a splendid array of salads, followed by strawberries and cream.
Then, it was back to the hospital again; thankfully, she was more settled and beginning to respond to treatment.
Today, I should have been at a garden party but, unfortunately, it had to be cancelled at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances! As a result I have had a "domestic" day catching up with chores and then popped down to the hospital for a quick visit.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I haven't got any specific events planned, but you never know ...
Late on Friday afternoon I received a phone call to say that the friend whom I was planning to visit yesterday was going into hospital so I "dropped everything" and spent the evening with her there.
Yesterday, I had lunch with friends (about thirty of us) - the original idea had been to eat 'alfresco' but torrential rain drove us indoors!! Nevertheless, we enjoyed a delicious meal of cold salmon with a splendid array of salads, followed by strawberries and cream.
Then, it was back to the hospital again; thankfully, she was more settled and beginning to respond to treatment.
Today, I should have been at a garden party but, unfortunately, it had to be cancelled at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances! As a result I have had a "domestic" day catching up with chores and then popped down to the hospital for a quick visit.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring? I haven't got any specific events planned, but you never know ...
Thursday 7 July 2011
Returning after a long absence
Well, here I am - back again after more than two months.
Why have I been silent for so long?
At first, it was a combination of lack of time and slight writer's block - several drafts which were not finished before the topic was out of date. Then I lost my broadband connection for nearly six weeks! Total misery, being unable to research anything (how quickly one has become dependent upon modern methods), write a few words, check my emails etc.
Enough of grumbling - we have had some glorious weather during which I have enjoyed several afternoons in the garden with friends and a very pleasant barbeque.
A rather short post this time, but I am determined (all other things being equal) to write more frequently from now onwards.
Why have I been silent for so long?
At first, it was a combination of lack of time and slight writer's block - several drafts which were not finished before the topic was out of date. Then I lost my broadband connection for nearly six weeks! Total misery, being unable to research anything (how quickly one has become dependent upon modern methods), write a few words, check my emails etc.
Enough of grumbling - we have had some glorious weather during which I have enjoyed several afternoons in the garden with friends and a very pleasant barbeque.
A rather short post this time, but I am determined (all other things being equal) to write more frequently from now onwards.
Monday 25 April 2011
Happy Easter
First a big thank you to those of you who have signed up to follow my blog and next an apology for my long silence - I hope to post more frequently, if not regularly, from now onwards. A Happy Easter to you all.
The recent dire warnings of the dangers (potential encouragement for burglars and other criminals) of publishing details of one's whereabouts make me very cautious about discussing future activities and events in which I may be involved; for the present, therefore, my remarks are likely to be about what has been rather than what might be to come.
As part of a lazy weekend, I took advantage of the glorious weather to visit Priory Country Park. This area, on the eastern outskirts of Bedford, has been developed over the last thirty years to provide facilities for sailing and canoeing (we already have rowing on the river), together with a nature reserve and a superb area for walking. Even on a holiday weekend, it is possible to find a peaceful and secluded spot for a picnic - we are lucky to have this oasis of tranquility so near to the town centre.
I came down to earth this evening when I remembered that I needed to put out my various wheelie bins ready for waste collection in the morning. We have a black bin for general rubbish (emptied each week), an orange bin for recycling (emptied once a fortnight) and a green bin for garden waste (emptied alternately with the orange bin). As part of my attempt to get rid of four generations of accumulated rubbish - anything for which there could be any possible future use has been kept - I try to ensure that the black and orange bins are always full.
A delicious smell is coming from the kitchen where my final Easter treat - roast duck - is cooking ...
The recent dire warnings of the dangers (potential encouragement for burglars and other criminals) of publishing details of one's whereabouts make me very cautious about discussing future activities and events in which I may be involved; for the present, therefore, my remarks are likely to be about what has been rather than what might be to come.
As part of a lazy weekend, I took advantage of the glorious weather to visit Priory Country Park. This area, on the eastern outskirts of Bedford, has been developed over the last thirty years to provide facilities for sailing and canoeing (we already have rowing on the river), together with a nature reserve and a superb area for walking. Even on a holiday weekend, it is possible to find a peaceful and secluded spot for a picnic - we are lucky to have this oasis of tranquility so near to the town centre.
I came down to earth this evening when I remembered that I needed to put out my various wheelie bins ready for waste collection in the morning. We have a black bin for general rubbish (emptied each week), an orange bin for recycling (emptied once a fortnight) and a green bin for garden waste (emptied alternately with the orange bin). As part of my attempt to get rid of four generations of accumulated rubbish - anything for which there could be any possible future use has been kept - I try to ensure that the black and orange bins are always full.
A delicious smell is coming from the kitchen where my final Easter treat - roast duck - is cooking ...
Monday 28 March 2011
Not a typical Sunday!
Here in the UK, the clocks went forward one hour but at least we are not burdened with the permanent "summer-time" of the early Seventies or the double "summer-time" of the War years.
Fortunately, the clock on my computer changes automatically - a good reminder! - so there were not too many clocks to adjust (several electronic devices had not been altered last October - no wonder my friends say that I am the most eccentric person they know!); just one problem, the winder on my watch is stuck so it will have to go back to the watchmaker who fitted the new battery last week - a boring, but necessary chore ...
The lost hour saw me rushing to get ready for lunch with friends at a delightful pub in one of the pretty villages on the outskirts of Bedford. We had delicious roast beef and yorkshire pudding with all the trimmings including perfectly steamed vegetables, followed by a wickedly indulgent treacle tart.
Driving back in the afternoon sun, we were talking about how the area had changed.
There are many pretty villages particularly to the north of Bedford where any new development has been well planned to preserve and fit in with the character of the original village - not something which can be said about parts of Bedford itself where developers ran amok from the late sixties until the early eighties.
Over the last fifty years, massive housing developments, excellent schools and a good train service have transformed a sleepy market town into a haven for commuters. However, Bedford town centre retains many original features with imposing Victorian houses in tree-lined avenues and along The Embankment overlooking the splendid gardens alongside the river Great Ouse which flows through the middle of the town.
Sorry, I will stop before this turns into a travel guide but you will probably hear more about Bedford in future posts!
Fortunately, the clock on my computer changes automatically - a good reminder! - so there were not too many clocks to adjust (several electronic devices had not been altered last October - no wonder my friends say that I am the most eccentric person they know!); just one problem, the winder on my watch is stuck so it will have to go back to the watchmaker who fitted the new battery last week - a boring, but necessary chore ...
The lost hour saw me rushing to get ready for lunch with friends at a delightful pub in one of the pretty villages on the outskirts of Bedford. We had delicious roast beef and yorkshire pudding with all the trimmings including perfectly steamed vegetables, followed by a wickedly indulgent treacle tart.
Driving back in the afternoon sun, we were talking about how the area had changed.
There are many pretty villages particularly to the north of Bedford where any new development has been well planned to preserve and fit in with the character of the original village - not something which can be said about parts of Bedford itself where developers ran amok from the late sixties until the early eighties.
Over the last fifty years, massive housing developments, excellent schools and a good train service have transformed a sleepy market town into a haven for commuters. However, Bedford town centre retains many original features with imposing Victorian houses in tree-lined avenues and along The Embankment overlooking the splendid gardens alongside the river Great Ouse which flows through the middle of the town.
Sorry, I will stop before this turns into a travel guide but you will probably hear more about Bedford in future posts!
Saturday 26 March 2011
What would you like me to write about?
My first blog begins with an invitation to all (or, do I mean any(?!)) followers to tell me what they would like me to write about. Please let me have your ideas.
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