The Queen's Speech

Going Gently has been somewhat downbeat recently.
and again the news today has been somewhat distressing.
It feels as though damaged, mentally fragile people around the world have been pushed into acts of violence by the atmosphere of fear and publicity of hate.
We all need some good news.
A bit of lightness.

Now, I feel it's time for another novelty vegetable photograph but I think I have received most of the entries I am ever going to. We have almost fifty of them so far which is a wonderful achievement! So if there is any outstanding can you send them in asap! Closing date for entries is Monday 1st August.
Here is one I have been sent but cannot enter because it was not the work of the person involved.....sweet eh?

Anyhow, like I said it's time for good news.
I hope this will set a few smiles back on a few faces.

As the secretary ( and  the Chairman) of the Flower Show it is my responsibility to find an opener for the day. The job of the opener is pretty easy. You come to the show, sit on your own dainty table with tea and cakes and give a speech extolling the virtues of showing your best knitted cardi or prize winning marrow.
The Prof gave a stirring address last year and before that the vicar did his bit, and over the years we have had the Chair of the community council, leader of the conservation group and local double barrelled county council representative to do the honours, but the one person who really deserved to open the show has always eluded us.

Auntie Glad, the committee member who has been with the show 44 years, would never want to make a speech in front of the village she has spent her whole life serving. She is , quite simply , not the sort, but over the past few months, as Gladys has faded and become more frail, I have spent a little time talking to her around her kitchen table, making notes about what she would say if it ever was to happen .

Of course Gladys would never make that speech herself. Her natural modesty, her deafness and now her blindness would never allow her to take such a role on.
" The job should go to someone important in the village" she said at last year's committee meeting
The irony of such a remark lost on her

A few days ago, I spoke to Gladys' daughter, who has the incredibly hard job of trying to support a frail old lady who possesses the fiercest streak of independence since Boadicea rode her chariot. I accepted that we understood that Gladys may not be well enough to attend the Show but I wanted her daughter to know that Gladys ( or more specifically her words) will indeed open the show she has helped run for going on half a century.

I will read out Gladys' opening speech this year., and I shall be incredibly proud to be doing so

It will be her memories that will will be shared.
It will be her thanks that will be given
And for once, in public, it will her that will be given the limelight, in what we perhaps expect will be her last show.





74 comments:

  1. Well, this made me smile but it's a sad smile. I hate hearing that Auntie Glad is fading. She's such a treasure and will be sadly missed when she is gone. I hope everyone at the flower show just showers her with love. ♡

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  2. I'm so pleased you have the perspective and foresight to arrange Auntie Glad's speech. People should be honored before their funerals

    xo

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  3. Bravo! I'd half to make it funny, so I could get through it without blubbering.

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  4. I hope you will get her to sit with you when you read it.

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    1. +1000 for Peter's awesome idea!

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  5. What an absolutely bloody brilliant idea John.

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  6. Blimey that made me teary, what a lovely thing to do John x

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  7. How wonderfully apt. I hope it's recorded so we can hear and applaud this wonderful lady.

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    1. Anonymous3:16 pm

      I second that: I'd love to see a video of you speaking on behalf of Auntie Glad.

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    2. i want video and audio please!

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  8. My eyes are a bit sweaty here. But it is a happy leakage.
    Thank you.

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  9. Anonymous11:22 am

    Among the eye watering you have caused me with the death of your pets and non pets too, there is going to be one very sad post to come in the future, hopefully far, but possibly near. You'll do Aunt Glad proud.

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  10. A lovely idea John. I expect the opening speech will be very well-received.

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  11. Good news but sad news too!!! I had no idea that Auntie G was so frail that she may not even make the show! However, it will be great to hear the words of Auntie Glad in your opening speech. Do you think this will be your last show too John as you said in the past you will be moving on from Trewlawnyd one day?

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  12. What a wonderful thing you are doing John.

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  13. This brought tears to my eyes. But the good kind of tears! Thanks.

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  14. Terribly sad but wonderful at the same time. You are an incredibly decent man John Gray-x-

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  15. I think it's a wonderful idea, John. She has been such an important part of the event for so many years and is loved by all. It would be nice if she could come to hear you, but if she's not - could you have someone record it for her?

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  16. John- you are just the kindest man. This is simply perfect.

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  17. How wonderful! If everyone in the world were half as nice and wonderful and good as you are John there would be no problems at all! Aunty Gladys is good and so are you!

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  18. I hope someones films you, then you could show it back to her.

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    1. I doubt she could watch or hear it cro

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  19. John that is so sweet and an absolutely perfect idea. I hope someone film it and you could show it to us! Hugs! deb

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  20. Bless you. She is most deserving of this honor.

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  21. A brilliant idea, perfect in every way. It probably could happen in every small town in the world, and it's good you are there to do it in Trelawnyd.

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  22. What a terrific and entirely fitting idea! Yay Auntie Glad, long may she reign!

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  23. Good, good, good.

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  24. Would love to witness this.

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  25. I am verklemt. Thanks for the wonderful pick up. I would simply shower Aunt Glad with love and affection and attention.
    I volunteer at a Veteran's Hospital on Sundays. If all I can do is to bring someone a coffee or a newspaper, I know I've made a difference at that time. Tomorrow is another day, but I've done something great at that moment. I treasure your moments with Aunt Glad. Oh, I'm all verklempt, again.

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    1. Love the word verklempt, it really says it all.

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  26. John, first of all, thank you for the photo of the very sweet snail. That provided a welcome transition from the international news stories I'd been reading a few minutes earlier.

    Your creative way of allowing Auntie Gladys to have the starring role at the flower show will be a lasting gift to your village. There is certainly a lot of love in your part of the world.

    Best wishes.

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  27. What a lovely gesture. I hope Auntie Glad appreciates it! Obviously someone VERY important in the village.

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  28. That is a perfect idea. It is a shame that she won't be able to hear or read the speech that you will give. Is she able to attend the flower show? -Jenn

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  29. Very moving - perhaps you'll post the transcript later. Your tales of the always elegant Auntie Glad inspire and shame (me, with my sloth) in equal measures.

    x

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  30. I think that will be a wonderful and fitting tribute....it would be nice of it could be recorded, I know she is deaf and blind but I still want her to hear the inevitable cheers for her achievements and dedication over the years. I would love to see it too ! X

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  31. An inspired idea. Sad to hear Auntie Glad is so frail now.

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  32. You've made me tear up, re Aunty Gladis. I love that sentence describing the effect the atmosphere of fear and hate has on mentally fragile folks.It rings true to me....

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  33. John what a sweetheart you are. I think the phrase, going the extra mile was invented just for you.

    Jean

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  34. You truly are a special man X

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  35. I think this is a great tribute to Aunty Glad. Will someone video or sound record your speech so she can hear it later? Turned up loud if her hearing is failing. She is so humble (someone important in the village should speak!), but I think she would get a smile from hearing your/her speech.

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  36. Auntie Glad came to my mind as I was half way through your third paragraph. It would be wonderful if she could at least hear the speech while she was still of this earth. I'd even honour her with a three-cheer salute by those present at the end of said speech.

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  37. Auntie Glad came to my mind as I was half way through your third paragraph. It would be wonderful if she could at least hear the speech while she was still of this earth. I'd even honour her with a three-cheer salute by those present at the end of said speech.

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  38. Good on you! Will you record it at the same time as speaking it so your village youth will know Antie Glad in years to come?

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  39. John John John, I would love to crack open your head and take a walk through your brain !
    You have the best ideas, interesting look at life and a naughty streak that makes me smile.
    Your idea for the opening is beyond wonderful. Yes, I did smile but I also teared up reading about Aunt Glad.
    So sad about the little snail it is/was a winner.

    cheers, parsnip and thehamish

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  40. OMG John you have made me cry again!

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  41. That is a thoughtful and appropriate thing to do, and I salute you, amid tears both sad and glad. She lives up to her name does she not? A Glad person if ever there was one.

    Will you consider posting your speech, either written or filmed? And somehow let Auntie Glad know that she is appreciated by not only those who know her in the village but world-wide via the internet, as a doer of good and a role model for how a person should contribute to their community.

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    1. P.S. And you are another role model yourself.

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  42. Wonderful idea.x

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  43. John - i just hope you know how proud she will be when you deliver a speech for her whether she can see it, nor hear it. but mark this post...and when the day comes to deliver the speech somehow get across to her how many people, not only in her village, but from all across the world, that cared to hear of her many experiences. i know that you will do her proud!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. oh and do please post the written speech, audio and video if possible. it will make us all feel like we were there, too.

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  44. I'm so happy that you are doing this while auntie Glad is still with us x

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  45. What a wonderful tribute to Aunty Gladys that will be. I’m sure there won’t be a dry eye in the house, mine welled up as I read your plan. Hope everything goes swimmingly for the show and that the weather god does his/her stuff.

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  46. What a lovely idea John. I hope I will be able to be there to hear it. I need to try and sort out some entries, but it has been a weird year for my vegetables and up to now there has been nothing that looks even remotely enterable :-(

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    1. Jam? Art work? Greetings card? Knitting ? Crochet? Painting?
      Cookery? Hint hint x

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    2. Splutters into her coffee!!

      What the bloody hell do you think I am Wonderwoman ;-)

      Jam potentially, no card making supplies left, I can only knit squares, ditto crochet, if you saw anything I'd painted you'd think Winnie had done it, cookery .... well the Aga is currently switched off so I doubt it.

      I'll pull up some carrots and see what's hiding under there, ditto potatoes and I'll pray for (or paint) the tomatoes red :-)

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  47. How wonderful! That made me smile after a day of reading horrible news

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  48. What a great idea. You are a good man John. Xx

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  49. What a great idea. You are a good man John. Xx

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  50. I bet you can't get through that speech without a few tears.

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  51. auntie glad should be honoured for the special person she is. but to hear about her being so frail...
    :(

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  52. I think it's wonderful that Auntie Gladys' words will be the opening speech, such a shame that she can't do the speech herself.
    I wish I'd had such an auntie to help steer me through life.

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  53. Perfect, John! Could perhaps someone tape record your speech so if it is played back loudly, she might hear it?

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  54. So glad you got so many entries, and kudos to you for arranging to read Auntie Glad's speech. I'm sure it will be a stirring occasion.

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  55. You are now officially my new hero. Up till now it has been the man with the shopping bags who stopped the tanks at Tiananmin Square. But with a 95 year old mother who refused to tell her life story when asked at her church friendship club on the the grounds that it was too sad I can totally unspderstand why you would like to speak on behalf of Aunty Glad.

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  56. How are you going to do that withou a tear in your eye, she seems such an amazing women,

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  57. This is the most perfect thing I've read of in quite some time.

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