1. Winnie fell in love with the visiting electrician yesterday and I think the feeling was mutual.
She adores workmen
It's a blue collar lurve.
Luckily he was used to dogs, so when she followed him up into the airing cupboard, he didn't batter an eye and when he flashed his head around the hot water tank and she jammed her head alongside his to see what he was doing, I could hear him talking to her in a sweet paternal type way.
When he left , she walked him up the garden path and blew him kisses from the gate.
2. I was caught photographing a fellow villager's face over the garden wall yesterday afternoon. He was " striking a pose" reminiscent of Madonna in a Vogue period which looked even more surreal given the fact he is 80. The farmer driving past looked rather wide eyed ....I must admit.
( The reason that I was ipad photographing my friend was the fact he has had cancer surgery on his face and because he is worried about the resulting scar tissue, I have arranged to photograph the area every few days, in order for him to check the progress of the wound)
If I die tomorrow at least The Prof will understand that just why I have a dozen close ups of my neighbours face tucked away in the ipad.
3. A nameless villager complained to me that another nameless villager was leaving their side door to the garden open all of the time.
" They are showing off" the complaint went " they only want passing people to see just how lovely their back garden is"
I didn't quite grasp the upsetting nature of it all so muttered a nondescript " oh dear!" in way of a response
From left to Right, Mrs Trellis, The Vicar and unhappy unnamed villager!
4 The number of International Novelty Veg/ fruit photo entries is worrying low at present! Mrs Trellis suggested that the quality of the first entries have paralysed the other potential exhibitors.
I told her she would need to start whittling away at a cucumber and polishing her Polaroid if more didn't come in soon!
So please! Send your novelty veg entries into email jgsheffield @hotmail.com as soon as possible please! We need to beat last year's 60 entries!
5. Affable despot Jason and wife Claire now have picket fence! I adore it as it looks sooooo 1940 American movie Studio set......I am so reminded of Starlings - The Miniver house in Mrs Miniver
I am however slightly disappointed that Jason has not painted it white as yet! All picket fences should be white!
Claire
I have written to local squire Nigel Steele- Mortimer to see if he will open this year's show, the vicar
wasn't keen last year!
Squire Mortimer
7. Mary's ear infection has returned. The Prof has allowed her to sleep with us as a result.
I feel as if I know so many of your neighbors, particularly Claire. I can't imagine why. :)
ReplyDeleteLovestruck Winnie is adorable.
Winnie the shameless flirt has immense charm.
ReplyDeleteI love peeping into other peoples' gardens. I can imagine Winnie picking up a tool to a request of " pass the spanner please "
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about Mary's ear….my schnauzer has recently had 3 weeks of ear infection. He started with an injection and a week of antibiotics, then another visit to the vet, followed the next day with sedation, and ears cleaned out and swab taken. That resulted in more antibiotics, and steroid tabs. A week later, still not good, but result of swabs had arrived, so he was then on more steroids and ear drops. Cost of nearly £300 !! I have just purchased some " Malacetic" ear wipes from the vet…..£30 for 100. Antibacterial and anti fungal and am poking my finger down his ear with them on a regular basis. Vet says it should help prevent a return.( His ears are hairy and folded down like your Welsh terriers ) I hope that Mary is soon feeling better…horrid when the dogs are not right. X
ReplyDeleteTell your friend not to worry, The cancer scar on my forehead is now almost completely invisible (so much for looking like a dashing buccaneer). If he moisturises properly and looks after it, it will soon fade.
ReplyDeletePeople are often asking me if I want to look around their house. I always reply "No". Much the same goes for their gardens.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cro - the last time someone gave me an unwanted guided tour of their little house, I threw myself on their neat bed (it was a gay couple, if that makes any difference to anything) and they were horrified. There are unwritten rules about this sort of thing, it seems.
ReplyDeleteYoung Madonna and Dick Emery characters. Well you made my morning John.
ReplyDeleteWinnie's in love - bless her. I do hope that you have some more electrics that need attending to, otherwise the poor girl will be heartbroken!
ReplyDeleteJohn, will your non-British followers recognise Dick Emery as Mrs Trellis, the vicar, and the unnamed villager, and Leslie Phillips as the Squire? Don't know who is doubling for Claire though !
it's the mother from the "little house on the prairie" tv show. I can't remember her name.
DeleteKaren Grassle - it is claimed she hated Little House on the Prairie...
DeleteCan sympathise - so did I
DeleteThat show was a travesty, considering how wonderful the books are.
DeleteThat show was a travesty, considering how wonderful the books are.
DeleteI loved it and am glad that two of my children were around to watch it. It sure was better than the killing shows on TV today in the states.
DeleteWhy not get North Wales footballer Ched Evans to open the flower show? This would attract national newspaper coverage. Ched is very fond of Violets, Daisies and Roses but spends much of his spare time nurturing his red hot poker.
ReplyDeleteI've met him. Lives not far from me in fact...
DeleteI trust that "met" is not a euphemism.
DeleteHusband is painting our picket fence white AS I WRITE THIS. As it is about the fifth DIY project he has ever done in 28 years of marriage, I am ASTOUNDED (and I have to admit, a little aroused :) )
ReplyDeletehope wee mary feels better soon. and winnie by the gate - priceless!
ReplyDeleteOh John, reading your blog with morning coffee is the best part of my day! It's impossible to guess what the next topic might be. Winnie in love...so sweet!
ReplyDeleteYour villagers look oh so familiar ;-)
ReplyDeleteSneaky, sneaky Auntie Glad, she'll have sold all her raffle tickets before you even begin!
A great post John, if I saw the Squire would have to say ding dong !!! We are going to enter your novelty veg show but every time I ask my son if he has any ideas, he says cock and balls, i blame the parents, well his Dad actually. Must have a think, when is the closing date ???? PS Winnie is gorgeous x
ReplyDeleteI know someone with a thing for workmen in tight jeans and tool-belts, pure infatuation. He knows just how she feels.
ReplyDeletemight you be describing yourself, dear?
DeletePicket fence. Tom Sawyer comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteAh, I love the news from Lake Woebegone. So, is that all it takes to sleep with the professor? I think my ear might be infected.
ReplyDeleteI think Winnie's like of tradesmen is learnt behaviour. But I have no idea where she may have learnt from. I have always disliked white picket fences after a training person at work told us we should all project an image of living in a house with a white picket fence, which so goes against the general diversity in my work place, back then. It is not so diverse now. Is that a surprise after such a training course?
ReplyDeletethe prof is such a softy!
ReplyDeleteWinnie at the gate is such a sweet image.
ReplyDeleteHaving had several Mohs surgery procedures to remove skin cancer from my face, I can let you neighbor know that the scars do heal and the coloration will fade. His dermatologist, or your own good self, has probably already let him know that applying gentle pressure on the scar will help to break up the scar tissue.
My most serious surgeries were back in the 1980s, and folks who did not know me then claim not to notice any of my scars...of course, I've got wrinkles now to help obscure them.
Best wishes to all in your community. I like your reporting. xo
Sorry, why have you got a photo of Caroline Ingalls for Claire, shouldn't that be Mrs Miniver (Greer Garson)?
ReplyDeleteEpshe's represently claire the despots wife
Delete4. I had every intention of entering the fruit and veggie competition this year. Tried to walk the produce isle with the eye of an artist. But early on I saw Rachel's entry and threw in the towel. Mrs. Trellis may be right. The competition is just too intimidating.
ReplyDeleteOh please do, people love to see them and more inportantly where they come from
Delete"Ooh, you are awful, but I like you"!
ReplyDeleteLove the news of the village. Winnie is so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteMichell beat me to it, Lake Woebegone it is.
I haven't had the time to work on the one I am thinking about. If I remember right you had so many entries last year with so many fabulous ones.
cheers, parsnip and thehamish
Winnie isn't always that easy, is she?
ReplyDeleteCould you remind us again when the deadline is? I'm not going to be able to do this until after the end of June; I hope that's not too late! I have my idea, just need TIME!
ReplyDeleteThat is baffling about the problem with the open garden gate. If my garden were worth showing and I had a garden gate, I might leave it open.
ReplyDeleteAm I right in presuming that the group of novelty vegetables are discussing the referendum results?
ReplyDeleteIt has always been one of my fondest dreams, to live in Mrs. Minvers' house!
ReplyDeleteLovely, update on the village. I hope Winnie would fall in love with me too, if I were to come to visit (even though I'm not a repair man). I certainly am in love with her!
And that veg. picture, spectacular!
Oh this was just perfect.
ReplyDeleteAnd a perfect antidote, to a bothersome morning, a drive that should have been short and of course took forever because I got lost ( again) ... it is not me, it is this place.
These cities that have outdoor malls and the same shops and fast food places on every corner have no landmarks of their own.
And of course, I don't pay attention to the names of the streets I pass, only the streets I am driving on.
So a quick run to the market took me over an hour and the cats were clucking their tongues and giving me disapproving looks and when I picked up Minette to apologize, she turned her face away. I have been duly punished.
I am now ready to pack up the cats and move to any cottage in the village and I will play the odd American lady with all the cats perfectly.
And you will have to introduce me to Winnie.
or else I am not moving there.
I love Winnie's blue collar love! I love the electrician for being so kind to her. Claire is beautiful and yes, picket fences should be white. I hope Squire Mortimer agrees to open this year's show.
ReplyDeleteThe picket fences in my (American) back yard are brown....sorry to bust your bubble! One in the front yard is cream.....
ReplyDeleteWho knew that Winnie could be so fickle.
ReplyDeleteI know how Winnie feels, watching a man working with tools is sort of sexy.....
ReplyDeletegotta love auntie Gladys' grit. The beautiful Winnie is lovely whwt a great companion you have.
ReplyDelete