The Terrorist and the BBN

 

Holly.  Hungry and Hopeful.  

I've written about my canine friend Holly before.  She's a border terrorist who lets me into her life when Gilly, her regular staff is going something away from home.  She used to have an older sister called Hiccup, but Hiccup, alas is no more.  

She has a "cousin" though, a Havanese Cross, who runs the life of Gilly's daughter.  S is away at the moment.   I refer to this dog as The Bouncy Black Number because that's what Scout is.  Completely black and incredibly bouncy.  And just as loveable as Holly.  

Hasn't Scout got a wonderful tail!

Christmas in June

 Why wait to have Christmas in July?  Let's have Christmas in June!

Last Christmas my friend E and I decided to have a special day out rather than give each other Christmas presents.  We both have more than enough "stuff" so it seemed like a good idea.

One of the great things about it is that we gave each other the gift of anticipation.  For six months we have talked about our day, thought about it and come up with great ideas.  

We decided to go to Eden Hall, a day spa in Nottinghamshire.  It's many years since I went although E went a few years ago with one of her daughters.  It's about an hour's drive from home.  We decided that a little pampering wouldn't come amiss.  

Neither of us would have spent £119 on the other's Christmas present but this seemed worthwhile.  £119 was the basic cost of the day but I also treated myself to a massage and we each had drinks.  

Will we have a treat as our Christmas presents to each other next year?  Absolutely!

Trying to get off the naughty list

 Back in March I said I would report on my Christmas projects on the twenty fifth of each month.  April came and went.  May came and went.  I reported nothing.  

But I wasn't idle - honest!  I decorated some candles by sponge dabbing them with paint and then using (home made) stencils to create a design.  (The mottled effect looks better in reality than in the photograph!)

And I used paper napkins and PVA glue to decorate some shells which I then edged with a gold nail polish rim.  All these are now in my Christmas present drawer.

"She hasn't got a family"

 

My nephew on one of his vintage Minneapolis-Moline tractors

I've just had a few days in Worcestershire visiting my nephew.  I decided that it would be too risky for me to stay with him as his house has a lot of stairs and, sadly, my legs continue to deteriorate.  Instead I booked into a hotel and just spent Saturday and Sunday with him.  Saturday he cooked a lovely barbecue and Sunday I took him out to lunch.

Carrie and I over sixty years ago

Today is my cousin Carrie's birthday.  She lives about half a mile from me and two or three times a year I need to phone her for urgent help.  Last month I took her, her brother and another cousin out for lunch as all three of them have birthdays in May or June. 

My Father (centre) with his parents and siblings

Several of my cousins are generous with their help and support.  I'm really grateful for each one of them.  I've heard people say of me "She has no family" but that simply isn't true.  Originally I had twenty nine cousins (my father was one of eight siblings, my mother one of four) of which sixteen remain and I had one sister who left one son (my nephew).

My Mother (left) with one of her brothers and her sister

I value my family.  I work hard to stay in contact and good terms with them.  I send them all Christmas cards although several never respond.  I have no brothers, sisters or children but, when the chips are down, I have family I can rely on.

Thank you, each one of you.

May is out!

I remember my parents and grandparents saying, "Cast not a clout till May is out" and being totally confused as "clout" usually meant a thump or slap!  Here it means an article of clothing, often a vest and the saying was a reminder that even after May begins, cold weather can still return.  "May" can also be the hawthorn tree, which flowers in late April or early May. When the hawthorn blossoms are "out," it signals the end of spring's cold spells, making it safe to leave winter clothes behind.  Either way, May is definitely out!

On the whole, it's been quite a good month.  I had a few days dog sitting, but not as much as I had hoped as my legs suddenly became very painful.  (Things are improving again.)

I've been out for meals with quite a few friends.  I'm going to have to try and do this a little less often as I like to consider meals out to be a treat.  I need to think of a way of doing this less often and maybe inviting friends to eat at my house.  

Jack has been three times and my garden is definitely showing the fruits of his labours.  I'll show you some photos soon.  

And I ended the month having a few days visiting my nephew.  When I have visited previously I have stayed with him, but I decided this time to stay in a nearby hotel which has facilities for disabled people but spend the days with him.  That solution worked well.  

Rural retreat

 I was supposed to be dog sitting for six days starting last Sunday but Holly Dog had to go to another friend until Wednesday.  Anyway, Thursday I went to my rural retreat.  

Here's Holly Dog welcoming you to my blog.  She likes me to go as I take treats, especially carrots.  We still have to renegotiate each night as to which one of us has most of the bed but we rub along OK.

This glorious sight is the view from the front porch.  It was warm enough a couple of times to sit out there and knit.  

And here's the village post box. 

The notice reads, "Birds are nesting in this postbox. PLEASE DO NOT USE!" followed by details of a nearby box.   

Who wouldn't want to stay in a village with something like this!

My Mass Observation Report

I thought you might like to now what I wrote for Mass Observation.  This is going to be a really dull post but the brief is to write about just this one day in my life and 12th May was really dull!  

"Today I am feeling a little bit sorry for myself.  I was supposed to be taking care of a friend’s dog at her house but I have a lot of pain in my legs so I can’t do it.  I enjoy doing that particular favour as my friend’s house is high on the Lincolnshire Wolds and has magnificent views.  I regard it as a holiday with self-catering accommodation. 

 Instead, I am at home in my bungalow.  I am a tenant of The Church of England Pensions Board and the Board is an excellent landlord.  I am disabled (but usually in better nick than I am today) and my bungalow has ramped access front and back, a wet-room and an accessible garden.  Many older people have gravitated to the cul-de-sac where I live and we keep an eye on each other.  My housing situation could not be better. 

 As today is the twelfth of the month my pension for the early part of my working life arrived in my bank account.  Although I finished my working life as a vicar, until I was thirty, I worked in local government and the civil service.  These last few years have been a period of high inflation and I have had to economise, cutting down on car usage, food and energy bills.  The rate of inflation has started to drop and the latest consumer price index is 3.25%.  

 I wrote a post for my blog: indeed, I wrote about Mass Observation!  Blogging is a declining activity and seems to attract only older people but I enjoy it.  I have met a few fellow bloggers “in real life” and have written letters to a few overseas.  I read blogs about ordinary, everyday life, and people’s hopes and reflections.

 I’m very sleepy today, probably because I am taking pain relief.  The great joy of retirement is that it doesn’t matter how sleepy I am!  However, I can’t be bothered to do anything which is rather unpleasant.  I just keep nodding off. 

 Whilst I’m not able to do much I have had a few video calls with friends.  I think video calls are great.  The idea of being able to see friends miles away seemed like a fantasy only a few years ago.

Normally I enjoy cooking good food for myself from scratch but I don’t feel up to that today.  Breakfast was a sandwich which I had in the freezer and lunch was canned tuna, canned sweetcorn and mayonnaise.  For an evening meal all I could be bothered with was mashed potatoes from the freezer with a scattering of cheese.  I’ll survive.  But I shall be glad to eat properly again.

 This is probably my most boring day of the year!  I can’t move far, I feel “spaced out” on pain relief and my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone.  But it’s an honest record!"

In case you are feeling concerned, life is looking better today and the only way is up!

Mass Observation Day 2025

 

I really enjoyed the film "Housewife, 49" with Victoria Woods as Nella Last, an ordinary housewife living in Barrow in Furness.  She contributed a diary from 1939 to the mid sixties, detailing the events of her life and how she felt about things.

Earlier than that, on 12th May 1937, people were invited to record the events of that day.  Why that date?  It was the coronation of George VI.  

In August 1939 when war was already seeming inevitable, Mass-Observation invited members of the public to record and send them a day-to-day account of their lives in the form of a diary. No special instructions were given to these diarists but 480 people responded to this invitation and their diaries are now held in the organisation's archive.

The original project ended in the mid-sixties but was revived in 1981.  These days it is not day-to-day diaries which are requested but responses to specific topics.  The spring topics are post-pandemic reflections, VE Day and Good News.  I am an observer and am writing about all three.

But 12th May is very special each year.  Today is the day everyone is invited to record and reflect on the events of their day.  

And one of the events I shall record is that I posted an entry on my blog!

May I?

This last week has made me feel as though summer is definitely on the way!   I have a few plans.

I'm going to stay with Holly Dog for a week.  That's a bit like going on holiday!

I'm taking the funeral of an old friend.  I feel very privileged as she left explicit instructions that she wanted me.

I am hosting a cousins' lunch.  The other three cousins who come all have birthdays in May and June so a rather nice pub meal is my gift to them.  

I have a lunch out and an afternoon tea planned.  These catch-ups with old friends are such a pleasure.

The Monday Mermaids will be splashing.

Jack is coming again before long so that we can get the garden in the best order possible.  

Those are the definite plans but I also have dreams.  I want to sit in my garden and do some crafts.  I want to try some new recipes.  I want to increase my walking.  And I want to dream dreams.

The delights of April

 

April went undercover as far as this blog is concerned.

I did courses on "MacBeth" and "Dr Faustus".  And my usual monthly sessions on drawing and journalling.  

I led a gloriously noisy service at Easter.  And several other not quite as noisy services throughout the month

I celebrated a friend's birthday with lunch at a local pub and very nice it was too.  

I had my Trundle Truck serviced so I will be able to go places this summer.  

I went swimming with The Monday Mermaids three times.  

I did some doggy day care.

Jack and I made a start on decluttering the garage.  Just a start.

In disgrace

 I don't suppose it's a surprise to anyone that I am in disgrace with Jack.  He came yesterday.

His first complaint was that I haven't written anything on this blog for a month.  As you can see I have remedied that. 

Then he moaned about the number of plants I had acquired.  There were carrots, beetroot, rocket, tomatoes, mimulus, sweet peas, gazania, salvia, begonia, antirrhinum, geraniums and African marigolds.  So he sorted all of them.  Except the geraniums which I have been growing on and they are still a bit small.  

And anyway he added to the quantity by bringing me a daphne, a cotoneaster and something he couldn't remember the name of.  Fortunately I like surprises.  

He planted up my vegetable garden but we have plenty of room for other crops.  The "snake" is a porous hose.  It's the easiest way for me to water the garden.

He filled pots and beds so that I will have a glorious show in the summer.

And he went home with six portions of home-made soup and twelve savoury ducks.

He can't complain about that.  But he'll find something else.  

That was March

 

The great thing about March is that we have finished with February!  There are more sunny days, less bitter cold, more looking forward, less moping.

My month started with eight days with the lovely Holly-Dog.  (I have been mis-spelling her name.  Sorry, Holly).  She made me very welcome and has invited me for a few days in May.  

I've had quite a few meals out.  Some time ago I made the decision to reduce the number of times I eat out and so make going out much more of a treat.  This month I have had lunch out thrice and brunch once, as well as a couple of meets for coffee.  

I've been swimming three times.  I'm in a group of five who call ourselves Monday Mermaids.  We are all "ladies of a certain age" and we hire a small private pool for an hour.  It's great.

Jack has been twice and made a start on the garden for this year.  He also came with a friend for afternoon tea and with his son for coffee.  Many years ago I conducted the weddings of both his son and his daughter and it's a real pleasure when I see either of them.  

I've been leading a lot of worship as one (non stipendiary) priest has been away on a cruise and another (stipendiary) has been in hospital.  

275 sleeps

I like to make Christmas presents but I am not the best organised person in the world.  My aim this year is to do one Christmas project (presents, cards etc.) a month and blog about it on the 25th of the month.  Please keep me on the straight and narrow!

So here is my first project.  A covered notebook which will be a gift for someone.  That poppy fabric has been doing sterling  service for quite a few years!   I bought it to make a skirt in 2019 and it has been used for several projects since.  

It has made a very cheap notebook look like a worthy Christmas present.  

Looking back 4

 

Actually, that title isn't true.  I'm not looking back, I'm thinking of the things which the pandemic changed, possibly for ever, although of course most things are the same as ever.  

One thing that has changed for me is colds.  Instead of one or two a year I get one every couple of years.  I think we have become more aware of protecting each other.

So many things never restarted.  A women's group to which I belonged folded, and sadly a lot of small businesses didn't survive.

We do more on line.  I think that would probably have happened anyway but isolation made it happen more.

I got to know my neighbours more which is odd as we were all at home alone.  My wonderful neighbours all contacted me to make sure I was OK and the weekly "Clap for Carers" has morphed into "Neighbourhood Nattering".  

And we all have a new way of dating things - "pre-pandemic" and "since the pandemic".

Looking back 3

 

So, what did you do during The Pandemic?

Not leaving the house and garden became a routine thing.  I didn't have to go shopping: Sainsbury's emailed me very early on saying that shopping slots would be available to me (as a disabled person) before they were released generally so I had a fortnightly delivery and a cousin fetched fresh food for me between times.

I quickly learnt how to made zoom calls and updated my iPhone so I could use Facetime with various family members.  I had a regular list of people to call on behalf of the church as well as personal friends.  I wrote letters.  Each week I went outside to "Clap for Carers" and indeed, the neighbours still go outside weekly to catch up on street news together.  

I was never able to "bubble" as everyone I knew had family members with whom they were bubbling.  At first I felt like a Billy-no-mates but I soon got over that.  

Eventually Jack could come and sort my garden but we stayed at some distance from each other and he didn't come into the house.  When the school summer holidays arrived Annie-The-Home-Enhancer was able to come and sort me out before restrictions were again imposed in the autumn.  

And so the long year of 2020 stretched out.  Wasn't it fortunate that it was a good summer!  I was able to get outside but I also decluttered in the house, sewed, knitted, and did a thousand and one little projects which I'd never got around to.

I'd hate to have to go through anything like that again but, on reflection, I didn't do too badly.

Looking back 2

When I read my "Personal thoughts during a pandemic" I can see those dreadful daily reports of the progress of the disease, the numbers of people who had caught it and the number who had died.  I read both the national and the local statistics  Looking back I can see the speed at which the NHS had to react by reorganising hospitals and rapidly creating Nightingale hospitals.  

No-one very close to me had covid mentioned on their death certificate but there were people I knew who died of it. However, four people close to me died from other causes during that first lockdown and I found it difficult to deal with grief without the usual rituals of visiting and going to funerals.  Neither of those things is easy at the best of times, but I have learned a new appreciation of how important they are.  I went to just one funeral: my aunt (who died of old age) was buried in the local cemetery and her son, daughter and I joined the minister at the graveside for a short open-air service.  

However, there were new rituals.  People stood in the streets to pay their respects.  Flowers were left on front door steps.  

Sorry that this is a sad post but the whole covid story is a tragedy.

Looking back 1

 

Part of the 500 metre covid memorial wall

11th March 2020 was the day the pandemic started to get serious for me.  There had been stay at home messages for several days and we knew a lockdown was on the cards.  I also felt that my pre-existing conditions made me rather vulnerable.  11th March was the day I decided I had to withdraw.

The next few days were a flurry of getting grocery deliveries, making sure I had suitable food and medication in case I caught the virus, sorting a support network and working out how I would spend my time.  

I started a journal: "Personal thoughts during a pandemic" and one of the first things I wrote was, "I want to use this as gift time: time to be used as a bonus in a weird sort of way."

And for the next nearly year-and-a-half I stayed at home.  Actually, for the most part I was happy to be at home.  The summer of 2020 was pretty good and I could sit in my garden.  I had plenty of craft supplies and I made things.  I sorted through a lot of possessions.  Although at the beginning of lockdowns I gained several pounds, I realised that this was a great opportunity to take control of my eating and lose weight.  

Happy Birthday, Jack!

 I visited you on Saturday and you seem set for a very good birthday which will last for several days.  I won't tell everyone how old you are but I thought this photograph from four years ago would be OK for today.  You mentioned a pretty good supply of birthday cakes which have been promised so I don't think you'll starve.

It's quite a long time since you first told me that my garden looked a mess and responded to my challenge to do something about it.  I don't regret the challenge - do you regret picking up that particular gauntlet? (or gardening glove?)

We've had very different life paths and I think we've each learnt quite a lot from the other but I'm sure you'll understand when I say I'd rather not learn your culinary techniques.  Maybe you haven't wanted to learn some of my gardening ideas either.  Tough!

I hope you enjoy the present I left for you when I came.  And I'm sure you'll have a lovely week.

Love, The Vicar. XX

February and March

The number of posts I managed in February wasn't exactly stellar.  Just the one.

For me January and February are usually difficult months and 2025 ran true to form.  Early in the month I woke one morning with incredible pain in my leg, worse than when I was waiting for the knee replacement.  Jim and Sheena, one of my cousins, managed to borrow a wheelchair so I could get to the car, and between them they took me to the doctor.  Strong pain killer and physiotherapy.  I felt more than a little light headed while taking pain relief but eventually everything settled down.

That had eased when I had a "digestive episode".  You don't want/need to know any more.  Except that things were a little miserable for several days until that settled.  

So, my post on being OK (which I wrote between these two incidents) was very necessary and hearing that lots of other people are also surviving by being OK was very comforting.  Thank you to everyone who commented.

I have high hopes for March!  I'm starting the month with eight days dog sitting which is going well.  When I get home I am looking forward to pottering around my garden and making a few plans.  Jack and one of his friends are coming for tea one day so I have to be on my very best behaviour and I have high hopes that his friend will make sure Jack is on his best behaviour too.  

The weather here is gloriously sunny at the moment so I may take advantage of that with a couple of days out.

And with good luck and a following wind I may get a few more blog posts written.

I'm OK

 I find myself saying "I'm OK" to myself quite a lot this month.

There's nothing exciting happening, but I'm OK.

The world seems to be becoming more frightening, but I'm OK.

I know there are lots of things I should be doing, but I'm quite happy relaxing and thinking and I'm OK.

Spring is still a few weeks away, but I'm OK

I'm not shrugging off all cares but I have done what I can and I'm OK.

Life isn't perfect, my own life definitely isn't perfect, but I'm OK.

I hope you, too are OK.

Mnemonic

 

Thirty days hath September,

April, June and November.

Unless a leap year is its fate,

February hath twenty-eight.

All the rest hath three days more,

excepting January,

which hath six thousand,

one hundred and eighty-four.

I think Brian Bilston has it absolutely right!

Pruinesence

 

Many words from the winter dictionary won't become part of my vocabulary but I think I could make an exception for pruinesence.  It's the beautiful white covering of frost seen on crisp winter days.  A much nicer term than hoar frost, I think you will agree.  It's easy to find lovely cosy words for the winter but beautiful outdoor ones are to be treasured.  

These days I admire the trees at a distance.  All too often the weather is too snarry for me.  Snarry?  Piercingly, bitingly cold.  It's much colder riding on a trundle truck than walking!  I will watch any snow blossoms from a distance.  And that's not just me being poetic - snowflakes were called snow blossoms (at least in written English) before they were called snowflakes.   

Aglidder ground

 

 

I've been looking through The Winter Dictionary again!  I haven't been outside even as far as the wheely bins because the ground is totally aglidder.  Is it slippery where you are too?   

Last night I think it may have blunked as the snow covering is very light.  Heavy snow isn't happening around here, thank goodness! Just a light covering or flindriken.   (Maybe you would call such a light snowfall a greymin, which sounds a very descriptive word.)  I haven't been around to see even a flother (single snowflake) falling as such snow as there is fell overnight. Instead everything is chibbly.  Chibbly?  That's right, crisp and crackly with frost.  I suspect it would creange if I stepped on it but I won't be stepping anywhere outside today so I won't hear the crackling of ice or frozen ground as it breaks under pressure.  

I think there was probably a glottening (partial thaw) yesterday as the sunshine was so lovely yesterday afternoon.   However, there just hasn't been enough for the children to make a hogamadog.

But maybe I am a flindriken myself for delighting in these words for I am a little light headed.  How about you?

 

In praise of Dave

 

Smart meters have been a bit of a saga for me.  I'm quite motivated by "numbers" so I wanted them.  

My first one was fitted about six years ago when I was with Eon.  It wouldn't "talk" to EDF when I changed so it was changed to new ones which would talk to neither my supplier nor my in-home display.  And EDF couldn't fix it and refused to replace it so I had a dumb meter.  Eventually EDF was so bad I complained to the ombudsman and got some compensation but no new meter.

A few months ago I changed to British Gas.  They have been very keen to sort the situation.  The electricity meter was swapped before Christmas but there was a problem with the gas meter.  Today Dave arrived.

What a perfect gent Dave is!  He arrived with overshoes and immediately showed his identification.  He chatted but left me to eat my breakfast in peace.  He noticed that there was a bag of rubbish waiting to go to the bin and took it there for me, realising that I might be worried for my safety in this ice weather. There was a considerable problem in changing the meter but he persevered and it is now up and running.  He not only explained the in home display but he also told me about the app and gave me useful energy saving advice.  A wonderful ambassador for his company.  

I know we all have problems with different suppliers but wouldn't it be wonderful if they all employed Daves?  

Hollie

Hollie, a Border Terrorist, is one of life's little pleasures and she brings other pleasures with her. She's a bit sad at the moment as Hiccup, her older sister, died just before Christmas

Hollie invites me into her home when her regular staff goes away and she finds herself at a loose end.  That happened last week so I went for a couple of nights.  As you see, Hollie likes to get up close and personal.

She's very fond of my heated throw and she snuggles up very close when I'm using it on the sofa.  She's used to sleeping on her usual staff's bed so, unless I want a very disturbed night, she sleeps on mine too.  It's a king size bed and she generously allows me the outer six inches on each side while she luxuriates in the middle.  (I'm under the duvet, she's on top of it.)  I have no idea how she manages to control so much bed-space!

It's no longer practical for me to have my own dog and these little dog sitting breaks are definitely one of life's little pleasures.  

Baby, it's cold outside!

 

Anyone been barflogging lately?  Not you?  No slapping your arms crosswise against your chest and shoulders to keep warm?  Or maybe you are into cuffing or beating your arms against your sides. 

It’s been distinctly chilly in my part of Lincolnshire but we haven’t had the snow other areas have had.  We had a covering which was gone in a few hours.  It’s been bad enough to clumse me (numb me with cold) if I were foolish enough to step outside.  I’m just not frigostable!  (Possibly you can work out that means unaffected by the cold.)

I’d need to degomble when I came in.  Ha, I’ll bet you didn’t know that word for cleaning the snow and mud off your shoes!  The surprising thing about it is that it is a twenty first century word, probably invented by scientists in the Antarctic.

 You may have gathered that I continue to enjoy the winter dictionary. 

Hibernaculum

 

A few days ago my "suggested reading" from Amazon included included "A Winter Dictionary" by Paul Anthony Jones.  I had a quick look and was hooked!  It's full of obscure words often with their origins in English Dialect, and all so descriptive.  (I found "Daft Days", which I wrote about here, in this book.)

I want a "hibernaculum"!  It's somewhere to retreat to during the long winter months.  It was used to describe soldiers' winter quarters, or a place for over-wintering plants, or the lair of a wintering animal.

In it I can "hiemate", which is a less sleepy activity than hibernation.  My home is "howffy": in other words it is cosy and comfortable and snug and I can "moble" or dress in multiple layers of clothing.

Anyone care to join me?

Happy New Year!

The one job I always make sure I have done when I go to bed on New Year's Eve is empty the bins.  

For me it's about drawing a line under the sad or regretful bits of the old year.  This year may or may not be better but I am (mentally) starting with a clean slate.  Tennyson, the great poet from my county, wrote, "Hope Smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘It will be happier;’"  I've been pretty happy in 2024.  I hope 2025 will be even happier and I hope it's pretty good for you, too.