RSS

Category Archives: friendship

Orange, Blues, Pinks and Purples

Last night’s sunset was another pretty one with the golden light reflected in the windows across the road.

Our choir rehearsal was by the sea again today and the variety of blues, from turquoise to navy, was just lovely. My photo doesn’t do it justice.  The beach was full of people enjoying the continuing heatwave. (Unlike me. I melt.)

I picked a posy of our first Sweet Peas today and they smell wonderful. Whenever I pick a small posy, I am reminded of our dear friend Ti, whom we used to visit regularly and always took a garden-grown  posy to brighten up her room.

 

Another Good Read and A Postcard

Another scorcher out there today.   I did find some shade this morning to finish a book a friend has lent me, “The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans, that I started yesterday. What a brilliant, beautiful novel, full of humour but also bringing me to tears several times. I loved the heroine, Sybil, whose life is told through the many letters she writes and receives. All the characters are carefully drawn and utterly believable. It’s one of those stories where you feel as if you know all the people, their quirks, their loves and their lives and yet the story is full of surprises. Put this one on your reading list!

My reaction to the book reminded of a postcard I showed you recently and here it is again.

 

Tags: ,

Beads, Supper, Pink and Purple

Beads, Supper, Pink and Purple

I’ve had a little beaded ‘cap/beret/hat’ for many, many years. It was in the dressing up box when I was little and when ours were small but no longer has wearers so I took it down to the wonderful Make-A-Mends where all such wonders are welcomed.

We had friends round for supper last night and I made a delicious dish, Mediterranean Chicken with Lemon and Olives. Here it is, part cooked, as I added the vine tomatoes and olives to the part roasted chicken, new potatoes and lemon wedges. I served it with a mixed leaf salad and crusty bread and we finished with Eton Mess.

The Cornish hedge between us and our neighbours is covered in wild flowers. Here the Red Campion and our purple clematis make good colour companions.

 

Happy Fourth of July!

Sending love and good wishes to all my family and friends and all my readers in America on this your 250th anniversary.

Here are two of our fridge magnets collected on trips to your beautiful counrty.

 

Tags:

Lunch and A Poem

It’s been a bit of a day for one reason and another but we had a lovely lunch at home with a dear friend and together sorted out several theatre trips over the next few months – lots to look forward to.

 

This  little poem came to mind today, Celia, Celia by Adrian Mitchell.  It made me smile. I hope it does the same for you.

When I am sad and weary

When I think all hope has gone

When I walk along High Holborn

I think of you with nothing on

 
 

My Mum, Precious Words and Deeds

My lovely Mum died on this day in 1994 and  I still want to tell her stuff that excites me or that I need her wisdom on. That  doesn’t go away. She was a very special person and supported me every way  in everything I did.

Regular readers will have seen this photo before, a favourite taken at Carn Brea Castle on the occasion of Mum and Dad’s Golden Wedding celebration in 1989

I have been going through some treasures and found some letters from Mum, all relating to her care of me while becoming a mum myself.
A story for you – Very early in my third pregnancy , I knew that I was expecting twins. I had wanted to have twins since I was 9 years old! My GP told me I was being silly and that he would tell me if/ when this was so. My lovely parents believed me and bought us ‘multiple birth’ insurance at 8 weeks and the GP wrote a letter to the insurance company saying that he was sure it was a single birth.
Roll on eight months or so to September 9th 1977 and the doubting GP sent me to see the consultant at the hospital. She listened to me, sent me for an x-ray and there they were, arms and legs everywhere! Before taking the plates back to her, I phoned my lovely Mr S and my Mum to share my utter delight. What follows is the letter from my Mum that came the next day:

Letter dated 9/9/1977

Just a week later, our twins arrived on 16th and 17th September, and so did my Mum to help look after our other two, 4 and nearly 2 years old, while I was in hospital and then three more weeks to help – but that is another story.

 

Rijks Museum and Goodbye Amsterdam

The Night Watch by Rembrandt being cleaned, love the t-shirts

Miniature kitchen in one of the dolls’ houses

I Love this jacket!

Taken from the Eurostar on the way home after a brilliant holiday with our very good friends.

 

 

Books, Bikes and Cakes

On one of our walks around Amsterdam we came across an alley lined with arches and in each a book store. They were so tall,  a very long ladder was needed to reach the higher shelves.

As you will probably know, bikes are an important mode of transport in Amsterdam. Pedestrians really need to keep themselves very aware of the silent speeding velocipedes, bells being very few and far between! It was lovely to see whole families riding, the baby in a baby cart, the toddler on a frame in the front and children of all ages cycling along. There were also flower decorated bikes.

Parking for many bikes

WEdding bike

I really wanted to try Dutch Apple Cake and succeeded – one more a pie and one with a crumble topping – both absolutely delicious. We also shared a scrumptious tiramisu after an excellent Italian meal in Antonio’s.

 

Tags:

Two Stations, Saying Goodbye and Garden

I hope the Flowers in May, posted for your delectation, have pleased you. I scheduled them all, taken just before we went away for a long needed break – a train journey to Amsterdam with friends.  Over the next week or two I’ll share photos from then.

St Pancras station where we caught the Eurostar

Amsterdam Centraal

While we were away on our long planned train trip to Amsterdam, the funeral of our Dear friend and breakfast companion, J, took place. As we very sadly couldn’t be there to say goodbye and to sing for him with my choir, my lovely choir leader offered to take something precious of mine so that a part of me would be there.
I chose a small ribbon in purple, white and green that Daughter no 3 gave me some time ago. J appreciated my suffragette history and so it seemed an appropriate token to represent me last week.

Grown well in our absence

 

Tags:

Muguet, Happiness Calendar and Garden Birds

May 1st is La Fête du Muguet in France and our dear friend Kath, to whom this blog is dedicated, always gave me a bunch of Lily-of-the-Valley or, if they were away in their house in Meysaac, a card would arrive on the day. The flowers symbolise happiness and good luck and I grow them in the garden in memory of my lovely friend.

Here is the Meaningful May calendar of happiness.

It’s a lovely time of year for bird song. Here is what we heard in a 10 minute recording.

Happy Beltane to you all.