The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

grandmanerd

Happy New Year to all Fencers. I had a lovely time away at DS1's and darling daughter-in-law's (and my grandpuppy). They were both off work so we all got up when we felt like it. They had invited a couple of friends and their 3 yo for lunch on Christmas Day but apart from that it was just the 4 of us. I had taken books to read and the last few pages of my puzzle books. DS1's an excellent cook and made an enormous Christmas Day feast with lots of leftovers to eat subsequently.

They had bought me several lovely thoughtful (and useful presents). I have a new walker (the 2 I have were mum's and her partner's respectively - the older one caused problems when I met them in Mc for a meal and a few days later a wheel  fell off, luckily just after I'd got onto the bus), 2 pairs of leggings, 2 pairs of warm fluffy socks and a new dress. They had done 'fill your own' crackers and mine had a sweet little owl sitting on a crescent moon brooch. 

My coughing got worse for the last 2 days I was there (back to sleeping sitting up) and I elected to have a taxi home. I've been ill ever since. I thought the low point was last weekend but I'm still very weak and have stayed in bed for the last two days. I'm feeling a bit brighter this morning - going to occupy the front room for a couple of hours until DS3 gets up. I was on top of the rubbish/ recycling, the washing and could see nearly all of the kitchen floor but I haven't been down the yard for 3 days so there are sacks up here, at the bottom of the stairs and in the kitchen.

If I'm downstairs I can unload the TD (gave in as there was just too much washing to process), put a new lot in and fill the WM (think there are only 2 more loads - one in a rubble sack done when I sorted the bottom of the stairs area for New Year and the bedding I've thrown down since. I cooked the brisket with a load of casserole veg and 4 chicken breasts at the beginning of the week. I cut up the brisket and ate most of it but the chicken breasts have been frozen individually - I know what I plan to do with them but will work my way through the veg and salad and leave them for another time.

My mother's cousin died on January 1st so I've committed to going to a funeral in Blackpool, mainly to support her daughter. The mother was vain and needed to be the centre of attention and attracted sycophants (usually bey promising to leave them some/ all her money). Her daughter's been led a fine dance and she refused to meet her grandson but last autumn she decided her daughter should give up her job and devote her time to looking after her - the daughter declined and the mother retaliated by refusing to even attempt to walk and finally to get out of bed.

A few toxic hangers on and relatives are circling so I'm going to channel my grandma (little but fierce, think they will still be afraid of 'Auntie Minnie'). Going to go now as DS3 is stirring, I want to get things done without him in the way.

pollyanna_26

I have managed to keep up with most of your news GMN mainly on the Turtles or decuttering threads. I hae no idea why you were including possible fares to and from Keightley in your budget  planning. It reminded me of the Railway Children on the Keithley and Worth line a journey very familiar to us over the years,

The recent follow up with Bobbie as a grandma caring for wartime refugees was quite a let down compared to the original series and of course there was no Mr Perks dashing about at the station now. It's always sad when a main character passes away in real life and Mr Perks was such a dominant character .

As for going to Blackpool you have been picking up various bugs throughout the pandemic by carrying on as normal a lot of the time , you were even ill at your sons for Christmas.

I understand you get stir crazy stuck indoors but all the going here and there does leave you struggling to function again and risks infecting others.

The logical way ahead is to see the bungalow sold. Your exs vinyl to auction and ds3 and beloved off to a home of their choice.

That should allow you to simplify your home without dealing with all sorts of rubbish on a constant basis.

I honestly wouldn't be exhausting myself clearing up after others to the extent you do.It's sending a message that is what you're there for and very wrong.

pollyx

MrsCD

Polly, when you say you can see your e books on the cloud, do you mean in your am**on account?! I can see mine in the account, and if I want to read on the computer or my phone, I needed to put the Kindle app on that device, via the Appstore. You then sign in with your ama**n account and download your book to read it.
I have a Kindle but mostly use it for reading blogs or forums.

pollyanna_26

I owe you a much delayed apology MrsCD. Having returned from the long planned up the west coast to Scotland and then down the east coast to home Camper trip delayed to  the death of the queen and the amount of traffic on the roads  I've now seen your reply re the ebooks. So have them online and 2 new ones very cheaply.

Arrived home yeaterday in a rare snowstorm it was bitterly cold last night but no snow now though there is a possibility of more.

Hope all fencers are well the forums seem very quiet at the moment.

I've discovered the little Coop where I've shoppped during the pandemic has been raided yet again 2nd time in the past year. No idea if they will relocate but they will be missed if they do.

pollyx

MrsCD

Hope you had a lovely time in the camper, polly. I love the west coast of Scotland. We've had many holidays there over the years. If I'd known you might have been passing through County Durham, we could have had a cuppa together!

pollyanna_26

Finally back three daysof thunder and lightning and no sleep. I had FreddieMercury in my head singing thunder and lightning very very frightening so I hope to catch up on sleep tonight.

Last night wasn't so bad and the TV decided to work soI watched the last George Gently episode still trying to rememberwhich beach that was filmed at.

I wondered if it was Saltburn by the sea but that's Yorkshire. It's the one with the Cliff Lift and I've been there in the past. Partway through my sister in Devon emailed to see if I was ok she's only a few years younger thsn me but seems to think I'm older than I am. I asked her if she'd ask Mallcolm born and bred in the NE if he knew which beach it is. I knew I'd been there but no idea when.

She's going to put that episode on Tv later on today and ask i he knows what beach it is. My poor friends with the camper must be fed up with my wonderings. Shewont mention me it seems Man U want to exchange Jadon Sancho for Moussa Diaby who plays for  his beloved Newcastle so he;ll give me an earul although I'd never heard of the guy.

I haven't been on MSE much but did see some posts   from you Mrs CD about you and your husband needing to sort out your fathers belongings and it sounded like hard work..

My youngest sister sorted my mums as when the dementia came alongmum had to go in to a nursing home as ahe was still managing to get out of sisters house at night although all doors and windows were locked.

he local beat bobbies brought her back but she was still giving them the address she'd lived in before she couldn't live alone.

She'd refused to move .here with me and the two eldest calling it the back of beyond

I've been wondering if Monna is ok so I'm glad to see shes posted.

Lack of sleep is playing havoc with my inconvenient memory as Monna used to call it. I was talkig to someone recently about the refugee situation and they reallly got my back up calling people running for their lives leeches and wasters.

idoubt they were listening but  i told them to read the Brian Bilston poem Refugees and when they have to read it from the bottom up which changes it totally.

I doubt they would bother but i used to read his poem for the day and was shocked when I read it but then read it  from the the bottom up and it's one of his best poems.

Monna was another who read his poems. It still feels strange not to start the day  with her thought for the day. Often thought provoking other times hilarious. I do hope she;s ok.

I;ve got to try to remember where Iposted about Rhonda Hetzels blog. There was a reply and the poster was going to follow the blog. Last night I looked at the blog myself and up came her final post.

She exsplained she will leave all 2995 posts and replies on her instagram feed. I used to just read online.has been blogging daily for 16years will be 75 in April and has a benign brain tumour . She looked much frailer when her beloved husband Hanno passed away.

I'l work my way through al those posts , pictures of her garden and her crafts and upcycling. She has fsmily and I think she's earned a less active life. I stil have her two big hardbacks and the ebooks I downloaded years ago. when I had the Dell. It was quite a surprise to discover all the ebooks in my cloud when I finaly figured out what you meant   Mrs CD.

I just need to identify that beach now.

I trawled through umpteen online threads about that final episode and earlier this morning actually worked my way through a lot o f pages on the Sun website rejecting cookies as I went. It was supposed to list the locations for George Gently but didn't.

I;ve never bought that paper in fact it would be almost impossible to find a copy in the NW.

Their reporting of the Hillsborough disaster created havoc and i remember players and managers of the local teams venting their fury.

The years it took to get justice meant many shops no longer sold it. I remember when justice came a young Andy Burnham and managers from many teams finally set about making sure that justice did come it's just a pity it took so many years and some family members never lived to see that day.

There was one tiny woman who'd lost her son and fought throughout. Watching the families on the steps of St Georges Hall when the verdict was announced was a day many thought they'd never see but she was there hugging the liverpool Manager and players.

pollyx

Think I'll have to search my posts to see if find where Iposted about the blog.

Think it's going to be another scorcher here today. pollen levels very high again. Istarted sneezing when I brought the milk in at 7am this morning so grateful for 12months worth of Hayfever and Allergy relief tiny tablets expire June2024.

Take care all

pollyx

grandmanerd

It is Saltburn, polly. I had to look it up, it was niggling me. We did holiday in the area with some friends when DS1 was  small. We actually stayed near Brotton in an ex mining village (just 2 streets really) but had lots of days out.

pollyanna_26

Thanks GMN. Iwas thinking Newcastle but remembered MrsCd posting a while back about how she and her husband would try to identify where George Gently, Vera and other series were filmed.

I never figured out where Veras home was . iused to get annoyed by the way she'd ram that old hat on her head and get in her land rover and head for home refusing invitations from Joe and his wife to go to theirs to eat.

it used to seem quite sad she'd head home to the home she'd shared with her dad and open the whisky bottle.

Ichaveall the Ken Stott Rebus episodes in a boxset. But knew all the locations due to the fact I'd been all over Scotland. i used to watch the night time walks the now Sir Ian Rankin

 took during lockdowns. Newtown and Old town around Edinburgh.could have done without him walking through the Cowgate in the dark once in the daytime was enough for me as I did a quick sharp left turn asa drunk was about to be sick all over my feet . it was hot day and Iwas wearing new sandals. DD1was supposed to be taking youngest and I to see the statue of Greyfriars Bobby and the graveyard and said it was a shortcut.

we argued all  the way there she'd lived all over Scotland but it seemed she'd never heard of the Cowgate. The minute Isaw all the drunks and druggies sitting in the sunshine Isaid I think you've come the wrong way she said oh it's a short cut. It took longer to get through her short cut than if she'd gone the right way.

She'd lived all over the UK and Europe but had no sense of direction.

I'd watched all the rebus episodes so knew the locations, When she was living near Stirling she'd oten phone me on her carphone .Thought i'd check how you are mum I'm stuck in another landslide  on my way to Edinburgh. I'd ask had she checked weather and flood warnings seemed not.

So we had the urgent phonecall from a station master in Amsterdam telling me he was passing the phone to her, She'd put her bag and laptop on the floor beside her while waiting for a train and someone had run off with them .

The station master was happy to let her phone Waterstones so they could get her back to her hotel but she wanted me to phone her bank or some unknown reason she hadn't moved her account from the one on the high street here her  bank cards money etc were gone and all she was saying was al mymake up and Jo Malne perfumes so I phoned the bank they'd seen me with her many times but I made sure I had ID with me.

She left Amsterdam and started running Scotland down to Preston which was when she had her bright idea of makiing me her secret shopper in the branch in our town so I could check the staff had followed all her instructions after a store visit it was a stupid idea they knew me as I'd shopped there  for evenyears and when she came home on holiday we'd be in the shop

together.  even durimg one of her suprise store visits.

She's a natural redhead but one day I opened the front door to a blond who looked slightly familiar. She'd calledi in Toniand Guy and gone blond. The stores opening then closing during lockdowns became an issue between her and Wee Nicola with phone calls flying back and forth I told her  the1st minister was following the rules unlike many here. It was a relie to get an email a few days later

Don't cry mum I know what it cost you to put me through uni but I've just been in to the CEOs ofice and handed in my notice he wanted me to stay but I'm leaving with a hefty payout and half price books for life. I don't have debt and the yorkshire cottage and all the taking it back to it's grade 2 status were paid before I moved in. I'm thinking of taking some of the courses at RHS Harlow Carrand seeing if I can go freelance.

That was a surprise as she used to hate garden centres and flower shows though she started to get interested when I helped her rescue a very neglected back garden and one at the front o the Yorkshire cottage she bought and restored to grade status. I'd never seen lime plaster being used but watched the trades she hired doing it the old fashioned way.

pollyx.

 Stil too hot here but no sign of another storm.

MrsCD

Hello polly! Glad you're ok with the hot weather and thunderstorms, but sorry it's stopped you sleeping.  🌩 So far we've just had the heat, not as hot as some parts of the country, but still too hot for me.
We did get my Dad's bungalow cleared out by the end of May, but we had to just bring boxes down to ours to sort later. We also brought some of his bedroom drawers and cupboards down too, so we had to empty ours, get rid of them and have space ready to put the others in. Problem is, we have more stuff than will fit in the new ones! So... I'm working through everything upstairs first, to get rid of a lot of junk, then I'll be able to sort Dad's boxes and decide where to put things. Today has been sorting through crochet/craft magazines. DH has been sorting through DVDs and had a pile of home recordings to get rid of. I'm sort of hoping I can make inroads by the end of July. We learnt a lot about the things that are important to us to keep, and what we weren't bothered about, so it's a good way to think when decluttering.
I think it might have been Saltburn beach where George Gently was filmed.
Also, I'm glad you found all your digital books at last!

pollyanna_26

Sleepless again last night. No thunder and lightning but very heavy rain lashing the windows. Whenever that happens I remember the night the sea wall was breached during a storm and we woke to helicopters, police and the fire brigade plus sirens from the lifeguard station and air sea rescue.

I was one of the lucky ones bungalows a short distance away were flooded and the owners out of their homes for over a year.

My bank wrote to me a while ago to say they were no longer operating their deed safe service which they've done since I made the final payment on the eve of the new millenium.

It's a huge very heavy envelope my former fireman riend who invested in property buying and renovating is buying this house has looked through it all and found no reason not to so I should be off to the village where my good friend lives just a short walk from DD2.

He has 2 bungalows and a victorian terrace there but I think I;m better without stairs now. Still afraid I;ll send another laptop flying down the stairs.It probably would have survived if the hall had been carpeted rather than wood.

I was terrified of thunder and lightning as a child. I would hear the ships on the river blowing their sirens and sounding the horns.

They normally did that on New Years Eve to welcome the NewYear but my dad having served in the Royal Navy on the WW2 convoys told me it could also be a warning of bad weather.

There was a blind spot on the Mersey called the Mersey bar and the little tug boats would go to guide both Royal and Merchant Navy back to the waterfront.

As the big sister I had to pretend I wasn't scared of storms but first rumble of thunder or flash of lightning I'd be under the covers glad my 2 sisters shared a bedroom Beingeducated by nuns at grammer school was a nightmare. The younger ones were quite nice but the older ones were tyrants We had one lovely teacher who wasn't a nun and she picked upon my fondness for books and poetry and would lend me books.

My favourite poet was Henry Wadsworth Longfelllow and I'd say his How beautiful is the Rain poem in my head knowing once the rain arrived the storm would calm down.

When the pandemic arrived it was The Land of lost content by AEHouseman.  I'd be looking at those lecterns on the TV news and the verbal battering Chris Whitty who'd helped in the fight against Ebola and was a very wise man was getting.

That poem summed up how far common sense was going.

I still have my Next Slide Please mug holding my pens near the landline.

I had to laugh reading an email yesterday from David Austin Roses- Your roses are thirsty.Do not forget to water your roses.

If my potted roses weren't in heavy ceramic pots with horticultural grit in the base and gtitty JI compost they may have dried out at some point but not after torrential rain.Geoff Hamilton my Mackintosh rose Nye Bevan and the rest of them are fine.

I overcame my fear of thunderstorms one night when mum and I were chatting . She was knitting as usual and the two sisters were in bed. .There was a tiny tap on the front door and the next door neighbour a very quiet lady who kept herself to herself was standing there. Mum said invite her in .I practically had to drag here indoors. Her son was going to be late home from work as the buses and trains were off due to a storm headig in. Mum said ask her in and put the kettle on. she didn't want to bother us but was terriied. I sort of dragged her indoors and it took a long time before she'd perch on the edge of a chair.

She was bothered about drinking our tea or having a biscuit.

Mum knew she was a war widow with just her son so said she couldstay with us until the storm went away; She became more upset so mum said I tell you what you'll go and sit with Mrs Metcalf until the storm moves away or her son comes home wont you love?

Love had homework to do  and a very early start for my two buses to grammar school next  morning but mum was on a mission.

I went next door and MrsMetcalf went to put the kettle on. I was wondering whether to sit on a chair. She came through from the kitchen ad said oh not there dear the lightning might come through the curtains,

Out to the kitchen and opened the door to the cupboard under the stairs identical to ours with a sloping ceiling but with two deckchairs inside.

I was leaning against a kitchen table and she said oh no dear the lightning wont get us under the stairs. She'd opened the kitchen curtains and left the cupboard door open so how the theory the lightning wouldn't get us worked I have no idea.

I'm tall like my dad was and being squashed in a deckchair wasn't ideal.

we  were there a few hours then her son came home.

She said I'll make us all some supper that's very kind I said but I have homework to do and school in the morning. Pop by whenever you like she said.

I realised she was lonely  but thought my mum would take her under her wing. Went home and mum said you've been a long time you'll be late or school staying up this late. I heard myself saying I'm not going to school you try sitting in a wonky old chair in a cupboard under the stairs.

If there are more storms you're best seeing if she'll come in here or you go in there. You could  take your knitting it was like the french revolution in there with her needles clicking away.

I stopped being frightened of storms but had to face her ever so grateful son chatting me up whenever I put my nose out of the door.

I did feel sorry for them both. my dad had come home After WW2 and the only thing my mum complained about was my home birth with Dr and Midwife a couple days before Nye Bevans health service went live. She  often complained about having to pay but how Iwas supposed to hang o a couple of days I have no idea.

Nye Bevan is in his pot and will   be moving house with me. All sales from that special rose bred during the pandemic  went to the NHS.

I  hope you manage to rehome some of your dads things. We're lucky here with charity shops. Our local Hospice, Lifeboat Service. Air Sea Rescue  Air Ambulance funded by donations . A couple of bookshops for animal rescue and some childrens charities.

pollyx