Sunday


I was going to say it's a lazy day today, but already I have walked Mary in a power walk, ambled with the others, cleaned the cottage, prepared a roast lunch and cleared the ash from the woodburner.
It's fat club weigh in tomorrow and because we went out for a nice meal with friends last night where I had a baked Alaska to  myself, I need to keep activity levels up.
A farm lorry broke down on the school crossing this morning which caused a temporary gridlock in the village, a traffic jam only beaten by the moment Winnie decided to open her bowels on the zebra crossing at the end of school one summer's afternoon.
I stopped to say hello to Mrs Trellis who was on the way to church. She told me she was off to Spain on her holidays.t
Some new people were moving into ( or moving out of) one of the rented cottages on the main road, and I had to walk into the road with the dogs in order to pass their white van.
Short term lets do nothing for the village community. People come, they sleep, keep to themselves then go. It's a shame.
I spied Sandra C in her wellies as she ambled to her allotments behind Bonc terrace and Terry M who was out walking his dogs gave me the thumbs up when I called to him that the next Flower Show Meeting was due next week. Trelawnyd Val, who, comments here from time to time has agreed to join our committee though made it very clear that she doesn't DO scones! 
She will be a very welcome addition to our team of twelve.
Cameron the teenage boffin, is no longer the short geeky adolescent from last year, sporting longish studentish hair like Carl's  from The Walking Dead I caught him out jogging, a practise run for a half marathon he's doing to raise funds for his School's cricket pavilion.
I promised we would sponsor him , I think he's off to University this year!

The weather is warm and clear today, and all I can hear through the open cottage window is the crowing of the bachelor cockerels, the cheep cheep cheep of the sparrow flock on the stone wall and the dulcet tones of the Prof as he yells lustily at Winnie for accidently stepping on the tulips

32 comments:

  1. so another perfect day in the little village.

    I was just thinking last evening about auntie glad and big mary and gaynor and trendy carol and jason the despot.

    I will once again have some knit goods for your group to sell at the flower show.

    smooches to all at your cottage!

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  2. Cameron is such a nice lad a credit to his parents, please tell him I'll sponsor him £5 I'll leave it with A or T. Wish there were more like him...enjoy the rest of your day.......

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  3. Your last paragraph made me think of Mrs Miniver!

    I've got the Tiny Tim album, 'God Bless', which includes 'Tulips'. It's brilliantly bonkers.

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  4. Such an idyll and all so perfectly underscored by the Prof's dulcet tones.

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  5. About "short term lets" ... For people in cities and elsewhere who cannot afford or are unable to move to a village like yours, the next best thing is to be able to afford to rent there for a short amount of time and enjoy the beauty of the area.
    We used to rent houses in Montauk NY every year, so the children could be in the sea air and away from City life for the summer. If people are lucky enough to be able to afford that, they often return every summer and become a half-time resident and even possibly friendly with anyone who is open to them.
    Being a short term let, if they became friendly with someone in the village, it would just be so sad when they left ..

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  6. At least you have tulips. I don't even have daffodils yet.

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  7. What a wonderful morning in the village, wish we were there.

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  8. Anonymous1:19 pm

    The village really needs a new scone maker. Now that you are retired......

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  9. Ah- your village. Thank you for letting us peep in and visit.

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  10. What did I just read? The village report is starting to read like a classic novel opening! Can't wait for the chapter ;-) !

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  11. A day in the life of John Gray . . .
    Wish I was "one of the twelve" Flower Show Committee members . . .
    I DO scones . . . love flowers!

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  12. Winnie's got big feet. Cut her some slack PROF.

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  13. Sounds like paradise.

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  14. I love the picture you put in today's blog. Laugh In was a great tv show! Good luck on your weigh in - just wear light weight clothes :) -Jenn

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  15. Good lead in scene to a movie, John.

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  16. Was that Goldie Hawn ushering off Tiny Tim? (I ask myself) It looked like 'Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In' and she was one of the originals.
    I first heard his recording of 'Tiptoe' when I accidentally caught it when surfing European radio channels. I'd have been 22 at the time (1968). Both my mother and father were also in the room and we were all highly amused, despite assuming that the performer had been female.

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    1. omb, I have not seen that clip in a long time! judy carne took tiny's cape and goldie hawn ushered him offstage. in 1968, I was 14. tiny is now deceased.

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    2. Yes, he lived to a ripe 64 (Don't know what that makes me!) but I hadn't realised he'd been married three times. Like millions of others I watched his first wedding on the Johnny Carson show.
      In an annual musical survey by our leading pop music newspaper of the time I voted for Tiny Tim as being 'Most Promising Act'. I say no more.

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  17. A day in the life of..... I've just gotten up after a sleep in this morning... made the coffee and now drinking the first cup.. Its a cool morning .. but the windows are open.. it will be too warm soon enough so these cool spring mornings are savored.. Jinx the cat has been fed, hubby warmed some milk for Jinx who likes just a taste every morning... I put some bird seed out for the birds...I noticed the bird bath and the concrete bunny i have are knocked over... Something tells me the local raccoon paid us a visit... I heard the coyotes last night... I was up late reading... always hear them about midnight and their howls,yips and barks and exuberance for life always make me smile...Today is a day off from working on the remodel of the house...that doesn't mean a day off from work.. i need to wash dishes and clothes and figure out something to eat... maybe tacos. Love hearing about your day to day life John... As i sit here i hear wild birds.. the occasional tinkle of the windchime on the deck...some crazy people target shooting.. one shot after another.. drives me up the wall and disturbs my peace... Moving to the country in Arkansas did not mean peace and quiet... It means people fascinated with guns, four wheelers and clearing the land of trees...I do wish i had known.. Hugs! deb

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    1. You day minus the last part sounds rather nice.

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  18. I hope the Spanish authorities have been warned that Mrs Trellis is on her way. Benidorm waiters must be especially anxious about her impending arrival.

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  19. Winnie is probably just getting her own back for some other wrong she's committed in the Prof's eyes !

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  20. We have new next door neighbors and they have an 8 yr old bulldog and a darling 6 month old bulldog. Every time I go near their fence the puppy barks his head off. Should I ask for a meet and greet with bacon or just steer clear of the fence till he grows up a little?

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  21. The Prof yells lustily? Is that his mating call?

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  22. I can just imagine Winnie tip toeing through the tulips!

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  23. Lovely !

    cheers, parsnip

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  24. Slice of life, John Gray style! I agree with Jenn above - wear light weight clothing to your weigh in!

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  25. Tulips? I must plant ours. And wince in sympathy with the Prof when Winnie puts her hoofers on them.

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  26. You live a good life John Gray

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  27. You give us such a good sense of village life! I'm sure the homeowners on our street complain about us renters too, for the same reasons, and I see the point. But at least we're taking care of the place. Hopefully your village renters are being considerate, too!

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  28. I can't believe that you are actually moving on? Well, where ever you will go, I am certain you will take us with you. Last year , when I found this blog, I was taken aback by this nurse and his lively household, the villagers portrayed and THE FLOWER SHOW!!
    I do wish the best for your retirement and the Prof breaking new ground, but I look forward to next Flower show, a bit more auntie Gladys and a lot more Winnie, Albert and the Welsh terriers. I can do without the Walking dead, though, call me a bore! Thank you John, for this passed year and keep writing!!!

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