The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

sugarpuss27

I have followed this thread off and on and I hope you won’t mind if I pop in and share some thoughts of my afternoon with you.
I am sitting with my cup of tea and biscuits reflecting on my walk to the end of the lane. I thought I would get some eggs from the bungalow that sells them at the gate. They have hens and a couple of pigs. When I have wanted them and have had my pound on me they have sold out, when I haven’t wanted them or I haven’t taken my pound there they are! Any way I digress. It’s a sunny afternoon so no pockets so my mobile is in my bra, my purse down my knickers and my fold up bag in my hand off I trot at a reasonable pace.
I live on the border of Norfolk and the Cambridgeshire Fens so there are wide blue open skies with almost sculptured white clouds. Two church spires in the distance almost being hugged by trees and fields of paddock grass with the horses and ponies taking advantage of it. Row upon row of earthed up potatoes and the beginnings of a wheat crop green and tight. What a joy! Amongst the crop and along the bank red field poppies and white Feverfew combine to create a delicate, bygone tapestry. Oh, if only I could paint! In the hedgerow Bramble flowers are coming into bud with the promise of successful forages later in the year and the Elderflower, hanging so heavily in places it’s nearly touching the ground. In the far distance are the slow moving Whirligigs as I call them. Wind turbines to use the correct term. I know they divide opinion but, at this point in time and to me they look majestic. I get my eggs and have a chat with the chap and ask if his chickens would eat any leftover greens and peelings, he said if the chickens won’t the pigs will! On the way back I take it all in again, would I rather be any where else? No way, that hour’s walk has done more to lift my spirits today than much I could think of. I have a feeling of timeless contentment. Priceless!

ArthriticOldThing

Whew!!! Thank goodness I've found you all. What a lovely introduction to this new thread Fuddle, thank you. And I love the name.
I haven't been posting recently as have been feeling really down with just no energy for anything. The arthritis is playing up (I understand the technical term for what I am experiencing is Flare-Up). On top of that these last 10 days are some of the most difficult in the year for me as they include Fathers Day, our wedding anniversary and my late DH birthday - today!!!
Enough with the whinging and excuses.. When I read of the struggles and bad times some of you lovely people have/had I consider myself lucky.
Your mention of Darlington South Park brought back some lovely memories of warm summer days spent there many years ago Popperwell - before I moved further north. I hope you get to enjoy time there this year.
Having just found this new thread I'm now going back to read from the beginning. Good wishes to you all.:beer:

alfsmum

sugarpuss27 wrote: »

I have followed this thread off and on and I hope you won’t mind if I pop in and share some thoughts of my afternoon with you.
I am sitting with my cup of tea and biscuits reflecting on my walk to the end of the lane. I thought I would get some eggs from the bungalow that sells them at the gate. They have hens and a couple of pigs. When I have wanted them and have had my pound on me they have sold out, when I haven’t wanted them or I haven’t taken my pound there they are! Any way I digress. It’s a sunny afternoon so no pockets so my mobile is in my bra, my purse down my knickers and my fold up bag in my hand off I trot at a reasonable pace.
I live on the border of Norfolk and the Cambridgeshire Fens so there are wide blue open skies with almost sculptured white clouds. Two church spires in the distance almost being hugged by trees and fields of paddock grass with the horses and ponies taking advantage of it. Row upon row of earthed up potatoes and the beginnings of a wheat crop green and tight. What a joy! Amongst the crop and along the bank red field poppies and white Feverfew combine to create a delicate, bygone tapestry. Oh, if only I could paint! In the hedgerow Bramble flowers are coming into bud with the promise of successful forages later in the year and the Elderflower, hanging so heavily in places it’s nearly touching the ground. In the far distance are the slow moving Whirligigs as I call them. Wind turbines to use the correct term. I know they divide opinion but, at this point in time and to me they look majestic. I get my eggs and have a chat with the chap and ask if his chickens would eat any leftover greens and peelings, he said if the chickens won’t the pigs will! On the way back I take it all in again, would I rather be any where else? No way, that hour’s walk has done more to lift my spirits today than much I could think of. I have a feeling of timeless contentment. Priceless!

Welcome Sugarpuss, what a lovely word picture you have painted :)

[Deleted User]

Hello SUGARPUSS27 what a beautiful post, I can see it, your description is so vivid and so beautifully worded I can actually see that landscape in my head, thank you, I envy the beauty that so obviously touches your soul. Welcome to the thread, it is always lovely when we have new friends come in to chat, when they bring gifts like yours with them it is a huge added bonus, welcome in and thank you, Cheers Lyn x.

sugarpuss27

Thanks Alfsmum and MrsLurcherwalker, I'm glad you appreciated the walk as much as I did. Sometimes just simple pleasures are all I need to be inspired for the day. I find as I get older these times are more and more precious and worth passing on to others who may also need a little boost. Thanks for making me so welcome, lovely to chat to like minded souls.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Sugarpuss, maybe you can`t capture the scene with paint but you sure did a great job with words there! I love the bit with the wind turbines too - and I agree they look majestic. Folks protest about all sorts of things that do or may cause them nuisance, but these I`d happily live near (closest we got was a caravan holiday with the windfarm 2 fields away, I fell in love with them then!)

ps - glad you got your eggs!

sugarpuss27

Hi Emm thanks, yeah personally I love them but I know lots that don't. Oh and dippy eggs for tea tonight another simple pleasure. I'm pretty easy pleased.:D

monnagran

Hi all,

I read through the posts and was all set to write my own when the doorbell went and my DIL and the baby came in. Long break for playing peep-bo, making drinks, admiring the new tooth and enjoying lots of giggling, kissing and bouncing up and down. She did her best to copy me when I whistled at her but only succeeded in blowing and spitting which made her roll round on the floor with laughter.

Anyway, I've forgotten what I was reading about now except that it's Pooky's birthday - Have a Happy One - and Fuddle is bothered about butter and has posted a beautiful picture.

Butter....(reminisence alert!) Back to the forties - when the butter/margarine ration sank to its lowest, my Mum used to make what she called 'extender'. This involved melting the fats down, mixing the oil with corn flour, pouring it into a basin and letting it set. This is what we had to spread on our bread. Horrible isn't the word. Even atrocious doesn't come close. So I have never been tempted to eat the sundry spreads that have come on to the market. It has to be butter, preferably L*rp*k, or nothing.

Bit of a funny day today. Someone delivered a plastic carrier to me and inside I found the clothes and one or two items that were found on the body of our Drop-in friend who died on the park bench. How sad is that? The nearest person to him was someone who didn't even know his surname. I have put the bag in the cupboard because I didn't feel up to dealing with it just then.

Okey Dokey, there is a church magazine waiting to be written. Yes it's that time again.

x

[Deleted User]

Oh God wind turbines (they always remind me of swans, I don't know why but they do!) and Dippy Eggs for tea, please say there will be soldiers too? Two of my most favourite things in life, along of course with small black Lurchers and a He Who Knows it doesn't get closer to heaven than that does it? Cheers Lyn xxx.

MONNAGRAN don't be sad, you touched his life and made him feel loved in a world where he wasn't noticed by others, how fitting that his posessions be given to perhaps the only person on Gods earth who did give a damn for him, it is beautiful and almost poetic but I can believe it's hard to deal with. You might not know his last name but you're probably the last person to make him smile and feel happy, you're a good soul and he knew it, would that there were more like you, it would be a much better world, Love Lyn xxx.

savingqueen

Hi folks, just grabbing 10 mins for a skim read (hope to read at my leisure this eve, some eves are too full of chores)

Happy Birthday Pooky! Hope it was a nice one and fluffy kitten is on the mend.

Peony - I couldn't possibly offended by your post, no need to worry. More like the other way around, hope I haven't offended your beliefs, just retelling my experience. I love that people are unique with different tastes, views and experiences. makes the world a richer place.

I actually got into some alternative therapies and personal growth many years ago before I has psychotherapy when my stress, anxiety and depression were much worse. I like listening to relaxation tapes at classes and have done a little Tai Chi, Yoga, aromatherapy, reflexology, had homeopathy for hayfever and tried other stuff but can't remember now. I found them all helpful in differing degrees and some very relaxing.

I like different colours and can see how some are more soothing/restful, others more energising etc but the course was just too alien to me and as you all say frustrating as it wasn't what I thought it was! Being a Capricorn, I need to find some practical benefits and I don't do well with people telling me how things should be, I have my own mind. The tutor didn't seem to like my questions, about non-rainbow colours like brown. I am discovering a naughty side that has been a bit latent I think!

Thanks fuddle - yes it does take an effort for some of us, me for one, to do new things, get out of our comfort zones. Just meeting a new group of people is nervewracking enough for me though I usually enjoy it at the same time.

Ok can't hang on here as dishes, both clean and dirty, laundry, both wet and dry waiting (taunting me!) and dinner to cook and DS9 to collect from a friends later, baths to supervise and eventually will get to sit down again!

Hugs and hi-fives all round, my wonderful friends

sq:)