The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

pollyanna_26

Nargleblast said:

Absolutely true, mothernerd. Christmas is what you choose to make it. I detest the elf tradition, just another thing causing stress as the parent (usually the mother) has to think of something different to do with the elf every day. And Christmas Eve hampers!? For goodness sake, don't children get enough presents on Christmas Day? I don't mind letting them open one small family gift on Christmas Eve, but not a whole box full of yet more stuff. 

A few years ago I got a book called Merry Midwinter by Gillian Monks. It covers all the festivals between the end of October and beginning of February, looking at the changing season, signs in Nature, traditions from past times, and stories of the author's family and her childhood memories of seasonal celebrations. It includes ideas for gifts, decorations, and recipes. I get this book out every year in October and read it, following the passage of the days. It's a welcome break from the crass commercial gimme! gimme! Kerching!! 

I have the " Merry Midwinter" book and can recommend it. Her online blog is really interesting and worth following. She is very down to earth literally when out foraging, watching the seasons come and go or just travelling around. It's a nice calm place in uncertain times. One of the things my beloved Auntie Joan spoke of was the lack of any useful information during WW2. The press for security reasons were witholding the true picture and most people only knew what was going on in their local area. The two grandads had a few hens for eggs fed on odd scraps and closely guarded and would grow potatoes in barrels from the eyes of about to sprout potatoes before the potatoes were cooked. They did a lot of foraging. Most people didn't recognise some weeds were edible but having been raised on the land in Ireland the Grandads did.

Herb soup seemed a common meal as they knew every one and a few spuds added filled empty stomachs.

Every time over the years I've made Gary Rhode's Vegetarian Scotch Broth to feed the family I think of them.. I'm peeling , chopping and slicing a large variety of vegetables as I make a large amount which freezes well or keeps in the fridge for about a week.

I find myself wondering if they could access pearl barley which is in he soup. It was a store cupboard staple in my childhood but I know from talking to my dad the convoys he and his shipmates plus the Merchant Navy and RAF were protecting were bringing grain from the USA and Canada mainly for flour for the National Loaf and other baked goods.

They carried all sorts from machinery to weapons, cloth which was ironic bringing it back to Liverpool where the slave trade began with King Cotton. The first series of A House Through Time was about the house on Faulkner Street built for a cotton trader and went through every owner and the history to the present day. I'd hoped they would bring that out on DVD or something but they never did.

It was such a lot of history at one point an owner ended up in the American Civil War having fled abroad in disgrace. One was a murderer and through the weeks the various owners or later lodgers were revealed. It went through Aids , The Swinging Sixties,The Toxteth Riots and so much more. In the final episode David handed the present owner her book with all the stories , photographs etc. That beautiful Georgian house was soon on the market at a much heftier price.

Not long before the pandemic youngest dd and I decided to make the trip to Liverpool we'd planned we were getting various hospital appts out of the way. David O spent a lot of time in the Liverpool Central library researching and would sit in the section where I used to sit in the 60s and 70s. That looks untouched by the modernisation and is still known as The Picton Library although the rest is Central.

BBC repeated the series twice so I hope they may again. It was made by a small independant company who haven't brought it out in any format.

Going back to books the paperback colouring book version of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady from the original Edith Holden one is a lovely way to pass the time. I was looking for something to send to a few family members and a couple of friends either far away or in nursing homes last Christmas. I sent one to each of them along with a tin of coloured pencils in lots of shades. Royal Mail did the rest and they passed the hours. I had some thank you calls from the nursing homes who said the more reserved guests welcomed a peaceful pastime during the jollity.

pollyx

MingVase

I watched that episode on iPlayer Polly, look on there and see if they have more of the series.

Floss

@pollyanna_26 the series is back next week - Leeds this time.

Bigjenny

Thanks floss, have set the programme to record. I like series like that.

pollyanna_26

I looked during the night Mar and nothing on Iplayer.

There are conflicting reports online Floss is going ahead or is delayed due to the pandemic. I'll just keep an eye open.

Eldest dds village is under the Leeds postcode and she knows a lot of people from all walks of life. I'll send her an email to see if she's heard anything.

Thank you both for the info. I did a search during the night on the big river site to see if those series were finally available to view. No mention but I did discover David Olusoga co wrote a book last year  on houses towns , villages . living conditions etc .

I was so excited I clicked twice  but luckily noticed at the last minute and altered it to one copy.

pollyxx

ivyleaf

Ooh Polly, DD1 enjoys colouring so I'll see if I can get her a copy of the book you mentioned  as a Christmas present! Thank you 
😀

pollyanna_26

ivyleaf said:

Ooh Polly, DD1 enjoys colouring so I'll see if I can get her a copy of the book you mentioned  as a Christmas present! Thank you 
😀

I bought it for youngest a few years ago then another for myself. it's quite relaxing and quite cheering in the Winter to see the light returning soon and the seasons unfolding.

Youngest still hasn't coloured any of the special edition Terry Pratchett book she's had for years . She was on the verge of starting it then along came the pandemic. I'd told her many times the man in the hat wouldn't mind if she went over some lines when her hands were struggling but it's back on the shelf and she's become involved with house plants. She raised a large amount of Spider Plant babies then emailed me in a panic because she had them in too much water and the roots were in trouble and she'd killed them! Reply Go online to Wilko . Roota just a couple of £s that'll save them. It did and she has a lot of heathy spider plants.

The nursing home next door has a landing window with a clear view into  the kitchen so boyfriend  created lovely white shelves to her instructions to block the view . They're covered in various plants, she can see out but no one can see in. The light floods in and all is well.

There are lots of blackberries and other soft fruits in the back garden so she's been baking and also freezing some. Plenty to keep her occupied while BF is working from home plus the two daft cats.

pollyxx 

pollyanna_26

You're both right Mar and Floss so apologies , there's so much online about those series I must have been looking in the wrong

place.

After Maddie's kind reply about CD/DVD players when you discover discover your laptop has neither I mentioned it to youngest. She would have to look for the right one then BF the tech expert needed to look himself to approve it. Well neither seem to have looked as they haven't mentioned it.

BF has had a holiday paid since last week using up his holidays owed from the NHS role and setting out a proper office for the new one supporting the NHS not employed by them. A big step up and the role of his dreams.

He'll be watching the clock now as he has a big online meeting at midday , cats barred from the room.

I don't want to copy, burn or whatever anything. It would be good if I could record things but the main thing is to play DVDs and CDs.

 They have not forgotten the long Dell disaster years but I'm a different person now and don't run around the room like aheadless chicken. There have been some hopeless temporary laptops while they searched for THE ONE

 

I asked about an Asus on another thread not realising some had CD/DVD drawers and others didn't. I'd never had one without. Being told the best way to learn was to teach myself didn't help all those years ago.

So if I want to watch all the David Tennant dvds including the Christmas specials this year. Hannah Hauxwell battling her way through snowdrifts in the Yorkshire Dales and all my Winter favourites plus  listen to music on CDs I'm going to have to sort it myself.

Oh how I miss the lovely patient Nuatha.

pollyx

MingVase

I can't help Polly, not techie at all. I just buy quite expensive laptops as they seem to always have everything in them.  From John Lewis.  Worth it in the end for me as the internet is my social life..

MrsCD

Polly, This looks like the sort of thing you're looking for.... You can play CDs and DVDs on it, and you don't have to use the other functions if you don't want to.
If you want to record programmes on freeview you'll need a different HDD recorder type DVD machine.
Hope this helps a bit.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/External-Portable-Desktop-Windows-Macbook/dp/B093BNQG58/ref=sr_1_21?crid=2ICHTKLX5UVG0&dchild=1&keywords=dvd+player+for+laptop&qid=1630440665&s=electronics&sprefix=dvd+player+for+laptop,electronics,205&sr=1-21