Chess

 Another fact, that you may not know about me is that I’m a passable Chess player. I haven't played for years, so I was more than happy to receive this set from my sister Janet, a late gift for my birthday.

Another new start, and this one is magnetic so here’s a 

Message to Weaver

When I lived in Walkey in Sheffield, I joined the local chess club, which was based at walkley Library which I’m pleased to see is still open

I met my first proper boyfriend at this club. A floppy haired, student called Alan who always wore a green jumper with a hole in the collar . He once saw me studying at the central library and dropped his telephone number onto my desk in a fit of confidence. I was twenty nine he was in his yearly twenties and it took me weeks to muster up the courage to ring him back. 

Our first date was at the chess club. 

Which, in retrospect sounds rather sweet.

Alan was a sweet boyfriend too,  sorted and real Yorkshireman with deep flat vowels and a steady manly manner, but he left Sheffield months down the line to travel the far east and Australia. 

I cried when he left and as a parting gift he gave me a small travelling chess set with a kiss and a handshake

It was something I eventually and very sadly lost when I eventually moved to Hillsborough 

Catty Kindness

 Mary had joined me in bed. She does this every night now and sleeps by the wall, her head peeping out from the eiderdown. 

Any time after 2 pm Bun joins us and curls up in the left hand corner of the duvet

I usually scratch her a welcome scratch with my big toe.

It’s a habit we have all gotten into since Mary became poorly.

Last night I watched a catty Kindness

A small moment between two species that lightens the heart and is worthy of a short blog entry.

Bun walked two steps from her warmed sleeping spot and sniffed at Mary’s blind eye. It’s been looking sore recently and I’ve cleaned it with hypromellose eye drops, nevertheless the cat started to lick the closed eye gently and Mary turned her head to allow her to continue her work which Bun did with some precision and tenacity . 

It’s not much of blog news. 

It’s a little thing really .

But like noticing the honeysuckle in flower yesterday

And the fat man flying around the garden, the day before.

It’s part of the fabric of Bwthyn y Llan 

And the small lives of the five creatures that live here.

Honeysuckle, the Winifred Rose and a mystery

 

One of my pottery figures has disappeared 

I’ve only just noticed. 

8 benign faces watched me eat my breakfast this morning before counselling 

There should have been nine. I searched the kitchen, behind the radiator , in the cushions 

On the floor

And….nothing

It’s a mystery for sure

The wind is up and both cats are lying on the couch when the dogs are at Trendy Carol’s.

The garden has dried in the wind, and the honeysuckle around the front door has bloomed fully over just one day. 

The “ Winifred” Rose ( bought for me after Queen Sãlote Tupou died) has finally flowered too , showing great sweet smelling blooms the colour of custard tinged with raspberry. The rose was planted just under six years ago but has never properly flowered until now 

I spent a good hour in the garden. 

Just sitting and day dreaming about nothing

My hands folded in my lap like Auntie Gladys used to hold hers.

Fat Man Flying

 My twin sister always buys me a nice birthday gift 

I call this metal sculpture “ fat man flying”

It pleases me.

Enjoy

June 1st

 

It’s raining today…it never rains on our birthdays😫

Lots of messages and calls and cards ….all very appreciated 

I met a friend for a breakfast at Heavenly Desserts ( that name needs to go) and had a wonderfully scented fusion Brunch of beans on sourdough, with eggs, lamb bacon, pickles and herbs 

I ve slept a few hours then opened cards and gift at the kitchen table before venturing out to see my twin sister with her gift…I’ll tell you later what it is…..

Thank you again for your kindnesses

Pizza For Breakfast

 

There are bonuses to be had for being single. You can take a dump with the bathroom door open. You can watch any shite you like on tv and you can dance when you know no one else can see or critique you. 

Today I had a sloppy pizza for breakfast and bloody lovely it was too. 

I listened to The Archers spoke to the German and sat in my boxer shorts until someone called across the kitchen wall. 

Several calls in fact

A cousin with a potted plant, The Randas with a tastefully bagged gift and Mrs Trellis with two low calorie/ high fibre snack bars wrapped in a blue serviette. 

People are very kind. 

Thank you to the blog readers who sent cards and to The Lancaster Lurker for your gift ❤️🤪

I’m going to bed shortly before a night shift and tomorrow a friend from Llandudno will meet me around 9 am for breakfast at someplace called Heavenly Desserts which sounds camp as Christmas. It also sounds like a diabetic’s nightmare but does a balanced brunch menu too which will be a treat.  

Lunch

 This photo doesnt do the view from Bryn Williams' new resturant justice but the back drop of the Clwydian Range is just glorious. Im meeting myfriend Colin for lunch,but hes going to be late which is fine . Ive bought birthday cards from the shop and have perused the what's on.

It’s all rather civilised. 

In the end, he turned up all very breathless Joan Collins , with a big bunch of flowers and a flounce that would put Liberace on edge. 

Lovely to see him, and lovely catch up over pork chops to kill your mother for. 

A nice birthday treat

Home again ..the hot weather has broken and it feels fresh and comfortable and springlike again ….fuck global warming. Trendy Carol darted out in something cool and floaty when I took the Welsh for their dusk walk to show me photos of her new puppy , a wire haired fox terrier called Gracie. What fun! The village go green group have cleared the pond weeds and the beds at the hall. ( I’m not quite up to that at the moment) 

I’ve just noticed that Janet has planted out more daisies and other annuals in pots and have left them by the front door. Four birthday cards delivered today …post on consecutive days ! Unheard of

Dream

 Last month my former mother in law died. It was peaceful by all accounts and I was informed by my nephew in messenger and a few days later by my ex husband by email. I’m still not quite sure how I feel about it. It’s been over eight years since we spoke last, and that , in the great scheme of things is a long time, especially when you have processed a grief once already. 

I was back to work last night, and so had a nap on the trendy blue sofa with Mary and Bun before I went .It wasn’t a restful sleep, the anxieties of returning to work with a catheter in situ , put paid to that, but I did dream about My ex mother in law, and saying goodbye to her on the station. 

She would always cry when we said goodbye, invariably my husband would already be at work when she left for Kent, so it was my job to get her safely on the London bound train, but I remember her bottom lip would always tremble as she tried to be brave, and I would chivvy her along with a bit of banter and a hug.

I wasn’t really dreaming was I?

I was remembering