Oiling The Cogs

Well after yesterday's marathon, I think we will go back to some normality.
It's true to,say that I have been suffering from a severe bout of post Australia blues.
The weather, the good humour, the change of scene , old friends, snogging on the beach, the colourful wildlife and the Opera house bar....everything at home seemed rather dull when we returned .
Yesterday the sweet nature of fate, of kismet of whatever conspired to lift the mood and I am very grateful for it......
Here how things went.
  • Being in Australia, I missed the local hedge trimmers at their work. Usually I catch one and bunging him a twenty quid note, the hedge on the field would be trimmed and neat and tidy. This year I was late and I have been worried that I have missed the boat so to speak. On the way back home yesterday I spied Ralph the gentleman farmer. He waved a cheerful hand and shouted from his car that another farmer Basil, had informed him that my field needed a haircut  and it was all in hand. 
  • Out dog walking down Bron Haul, we were stopped by the familiar bellow of " HELLO FLOWER!" Gay Gordon came limping out of Big Mary's bungalow carrying what looked like a large brick wrapped up in tin foil. " Here you go !" He called out giving me the package..." IT's A CHRISTMAS CAKE ! I'VE JUST MADE 6!" It was so large, I could hardly carry it home
  • A little later, I was busy bleaching the toilet when I heard  a tap-tap-tap on the kitchen window. It was Mike who lives down the lane. He was having a sort out and had brought us a collection of gardening books he thought we may like and use. 
  • Next door neighbour "Sailor John " made sure that a hose connector was replaced on his outside tap. Now I am able to connect the field hose to his water in order to fill the lurid purple paddling pool for the geese. I use their water daily without any charge !
Filling the field water butts
  • Oh and I need to thank village Elder, Islwyn  for locking up the birds on Saturday night....it freed the Prof and I so we could pop over to Osborn House in Llandudno for a a nice, post Australia meal and bottle of wine...
Little kindnesses like these oil the cogs of banality .....they lift the mood and make ordinary life just a little bit better.
As does the quiet friendship of an old bulldog bitch when watching crap tv 

57 comments:

  1. You have lots of wonderful people around you John. It is because you go the extra mile for people that they do it for you in return. x

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  2. It sounds like a good and busy day, take care,

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  3. Sounds like a great, communal village you live in!

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    1. Some of it is tom...some isnt....i just report the nice bit

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    2. Oh, I hadn't thought about the axeman that stares through your window at night.

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  4. xmess cake already? do you soak it in brandy and hide it away for 3 months?

    shame you didn't see mrs trellis and auntie glad yesterday. that would have been the cherry on top of the sundae!

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  5. Anonymous10:20 am

    Post holiday blues used to be something I experienced. I liken it to a child leaving the bright lights of a circus tent out into the cold, dark and wet. Now, I just always feel such relief at being home after a holiday.

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    1. Me too. I can't stand to be away longer than ten days

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  6. There's nothing like village life and caring neighbours to bring you out of your "funk". Not a big fan of fruit cake though (your Christmas cake), so I might have regifted that. -Jenn

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  7. awww...turn off that crap tv and read a good book. I've written a few you might like *big smile* ... and I've been known to share

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  8. A soothing comforting post to read.

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  9. Glad that you had such kind affirming moments in the village. An especially sweet photo of you and dear Winnie.

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  10. I don't know why, maybe the sweetness of the last photo , but this made me cry :)

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  11. Truly, there's no place like home.

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  12. On all the trips I've made to the UK and Ireland coming home is such a let down. But I look at my photos and dream of the next trip. I have a little flat face that helps me watch telly!

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  13. I see what you mean John.x

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  14. This is a sweet post John; isn't it grand to have your place in so many lives -- and they in yours.

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  15. I think it is a wonderful place to live in, even if you are telling us only the positive things.

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  16. Beautiful post......and not a fanny flannel in sight. X

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  17. You have some lovely neighbours. One of ours rang the doorbell last night to give us some raspberries and a butternut squash.

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  18. There are still good people out there....

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  19. Anonymous12:56 pm

    There really is no place like home!

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  20. Routine is good; it's the other ends of the bell curve highs.

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  21. There, now things are 'right with the world' once again, John. Have a wonderful day.

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  22. Village life at its best.

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  23. Anonymous1:58 pm

    such a lovely picture of you and your best girl..and what a lovely place you live in with such caring folks

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  24. That blog has just restored my faith that there are still lovely people in the world and you are very lucky to have so many of them around you x

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  25. we do get reminded why we love home.

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  26. Now that's a very fine "Snap out of it!" You have so much to be grateful for... and you are so deserving.

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  27. That just goes to show what goes around comes around. Kindnesses being repaid. X

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  28. You do have a very friendly village. That Christmas cake - are you going to wrap it in cheese cloth and give it daily sprinkles of rum or brandy until the season? It was a thoughtful gesture - looks huge!

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  29. Love hearing about the characters in your village, where I live it's like coronation Street minus the murders and with more cats on the back wall.

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  30. Love hearing about the characters in your village, where I live it's like coronation Street minus the murders and with more cats on the back wall.

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  31. And that is the joy of living in a village :-)

    You could cut that cake into four and ice each once separately so you can enjoy them all over the Christmas period, or even give one as a gift to someone on their own.

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  32. Your ordinary is lifted to the extraordinary by the thoughtful acts of your neighbors.

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  33. In short: There's no place like home !

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  34. love the selfie with winnie!

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  35. This is exactly what I like about country living - the sense of community and the kindnesses offered regularly. We all look out for one another here. Envious of your haul of gardening books!!

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  36. I guess that you often say to your next door neighbour, "Hello Sailor!"

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  37. What a wonderful photograph John. I smiled at the hedge cutter man. We never ask for ours to come I just look out of the window one morning and there he is going up and down the fields trimming in all back. As for the Christmas cakes, thanks for the reminder, I shall begin buying the dried fruit on my order next week as I usually make four.

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  38. You have wonderful neighbours. And you and your dog are starting to look like each other!

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  39. You and Winnie make a lovely couple, John, it's a wonder the Prof. isn't jealous !

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  40. You get back what you give and you do help others so much, lovely post John and great photo of you and Winnie x

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  41. As happy as a pig in shit!
    Sorry, had to do another.
    Nothing like the countryside at home is there? X

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  42. I see you've got a Hattatt in the gardening books.

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  43. Full moon eclipse in Aries opposite Libra will have lifted your mood.

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  44. Nothing beats good neighbors.

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  45. Yes the little things are what matters, and noticing them is what keeps us happy. Snuggles to Winnie.

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  46. A little karma coming back to visit you, and it has been beautifully observed and recorded by you.

    That cake IS a generous size, isn't it? Looks delicious. Don't let Winnie near it :)

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  47. As glorious as things were down under, life in your village is the best! And the resemblance between you and Winnie is remarkable! We really do start to look like our pets...

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  48. It makes a difference having wonderful neighbors--that cake looks divine!

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  49. I love the greeting "HELLO FLOWER "!!! It makes me giggle every time I read it. How could that not cheer you up? :)

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  50. That's a Christmas cake and a half. It looks like it could easily feed the entire village!

    I know what you mean about post Australia blues. I just love the place. I especially long for Australian heat whenever Britain is endlessly wet, gloomy, cold and windy

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  51. Truly blessed....that's YOU! Sweet!

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