Fish & Chips

 When I was a child fish & Chips were a treat.

Sometimes they were bought out of necessity as when for whatever reason my mother was not able to cook 

Rarely they were bought as a planned meal

But covered in vinegar and smothered in salt, they were always a welcomed change from my mother’s bland cooking.

On impulse I bought fish and chips for supper last night.

It was from the chips and kebab house in the next village, the one that got fined for dreadful hygiene.

I remember Boffin Cameron writing ebulliently in the comments of the paper that it wouldn’t stop him going 

Funny what you remember eh.

Anyhow I haven’t eaten fish and chips for over three and a half years, so I had to buy some vinegar to douse the meal properly

It was lovely, with the girls snapping up the fatty bits of batter from my fingers and Albert carefully taking the fish from the window ledge out of reach.

Red Nose Day

 Blast from the past tonight.

Friday night, Comic Relief ,bottle of white ,massive  big tears, 

And A fish and Chip Supper 

( I haven’t had one for over three and a half years) 

After the high of yesterday…………

Comes the fall 

Warm enough for a bare Arse

The weather has dictated the pace of the day and in the spring weather I’ve planted out delicate looking violas, cheerful Bellis, and primulas of firework yellow and cream.

The work is easy, and the sun has warmed the South facing front garden so the soil isn’t chilled.

“When the soil is warm enough to accommodate a bare arse, then it’s ok to plant out”

Meirion Ellis gave me that bit of advice when I ran the flower show 

I always add a hour or so on gardening in the front, as passers by tend to stop and chat.

Mr Poznań discussed the Ukraine and Della chatted about retirement, Nick from Well Street chatted about blood tests and Louenna ( Gentlemen Farmer Ralph’s widow) reminded me it was the anniversary of her husband’s death and remained ever graceful and poised. 

Old Trefor ambled past cheerfully, his ninety seven year old knees in better shape than mine

I replaced the hanging basket by the front door which is filled with healthy sea Pinks and watered in the bulbs and flowers that guard the path.

The postman has just been, he saw Mary bristling at the gate and refused to come any further. He dropped me off a new knife rack, I had treated myself to for my sushi work and a Korean monster movie dvd The Host.

Mandy from next door has just marched up the lane and Irene has bleated at her from the livery stable fields, demanding bread crusts. 

I can hear Pheasants panic from down the Felin and from somewhere across the fields a woodpecker is hammering.
 

Serendipity Number 5

 

I don’t make it any secret that sometimes I find full time work tiring. 

The work itself, isn’t a problem for me, but runs of 12 hour shifts are, and even though I need the money, I  also need to balance work, money and home.

Today I was informed by the hospice that the nursing staff are to be given a rise in pay. 

We are currently paid substantially less than equivalent grades in the NHS Trust and in a bid to attract and retain staff the hospice has addressed this deficit. 

My increase of pay is robust and will be  backdated and unexpectedly it will now be possible for me to reduce my hours and to work part time.

How fucking fantastic is that? 

I met a friend today for lunch and we talked about this new gift of serendipity as we walked on the beautiful West Shore in Llandudno.

This is the fifth financial “gift” I have received in the last few years and the extent of my good fortune is not lost on me. 

I am so pleased.

We celebrated with coffee and bagels and cake

And I treated myself to  a ceramic curlew from the Mostyn Gallery Shop

When I got home, I found out that the fourth piece of serendipity had finally reared it’s head too…. My tax free lump sum arrived in my bank account from my unremembered pension ….I can now afford my new bathroom !

And work can now commence

Old Tom

 

Albert is not a cuddly cat

He has never sat on my knee.

He has never slept curled up next to me in bed.

He is aloof and remains very much a supporting actor in the everyday life of the cottage but just occasionally he will have a sudden rush of the affections and will rub heads energetically, like he did this afternoon as I was reading a book.

He’s fourteen years old 

A good age for a cat 

I didn’t realise that he was quite so old.

He purred as we head butted each other and for the very first time in fourteen years he let me kiss him gently on the cheek.

What Day Is It?

 

After four 12 hour shifts I’m aching today and it’s taking me longer than usual to get going

It’s midday and I am still sat at the kitchen table after a walk, nursing a coffee and thinking of what to write.

It’s not quite a spring day yet, but I’ve opened the cottage windows wide to freshen the place.

I’m glad I have a jumper on.

I’ve got necessary paperwork to do but for the past hour have been watching YouTube videos and reading texts from my nephew who is excited at the prospect of having his first date very soon.

We have a new postman who mistakenly pushed the letters through the letterbox instead of the clearly labelled plastic box by the front door.

I could hear him swearing after Mary nipped his fingers.

The workmen who are titillating the monstrous new cottage behind me are blaring out Lady GaGa hits which I don’t mind much

Mrs Trellis left a Snickers bar on the kitchen wall wrapped in a red napkin.

She must have left it days ago as the napkin is sodden.

The daffodils have suddenly appeared onto of the field wall.

They had been planted there by Trendy Carol over a decade ago

And are mature and bunching up nicely

No choir tonight, four of the sopranos have covid 

After Love

 

Twenty five thousand people in the UK have officially said that they would support a Ukrainian person in their own homes. 

And that is in three hours. 

No matter the cynicism, or the red tape, or the potential problems that can be thrown into the melting pot .

It’s an impressive number.

I listened to this news as I was driving home on an extra long diversion on the dreaded A 55

As I zigzagged through country roads with barn owls swooping over the hedge tops nearby.

I also heard the news that welsh actress Joanna Scanlon won the BAFTA for best actress for After Love

I wanted to Twitter her a congratulation message but couldn’t find her when I got home

I was made up for her.

Lovely days off now.

Crufts

 

I caught the very end of Crufts when I got home tonight. A flat coat retriever won with the cutest of owners.

I was looking at him more than the dog .

I’m now watching a sort of exploitative documentary into the exploitative reality Jeremy Kyle Show.

I’m lazy

Mary doesn’t watch dogs on tv , so fell asleep

Dorothy is busy with my feet

Weak sun

The sun is weak today and the village feels cold. 

Everything feels a bit cold today.

Chic Eleanor messaged, asking me to the cinema tonight. 

I’ve refused as I don’t really feel up to it tonight. 

Yesterday I worked alongside a Finnish Doctor in dealing with a family who are hurting badly.

I took the lead in the interaction, which felt the right thing to do and in our debrief the doctor thanked me.

She told me how well the session was handled and the validation buoyed me up during a challenging day.

Before the interview I took my mask off, which surprised her too.

I weighed up the need to communicate well in that particular session with any other “risks”

Communication with others, especially written communication, is effectively masked sometimes. Meanings and intentions can be misconstrued or lost or inferred especially on blogs, in emails and in messages and texts.

And I don’t need or want to react to that, certainly on days like today when the sun shines weakly and there’s a coolness to the air.

I love my job, I love my “little” world but I am aware that sometimes I’m running on a tank two thirds empty. That doesn’t mean the challenges of work shouldn’t be there……of course they should 

But today, at home, instead of the good book , I want to start reading, or that film I would like to watch or that friend I could laugh and talk with…or indeed that kitchen floor I could mop at or those beautiful cyclamens that need potting out ….

…….all I want to do is to have my hair stroked gently as I lie on the trendy blue couch 

Listening to the crackles of the fire and the moan of the wind.

 

Let it go

The way they all fall silent to listen is wonderful 

Kind

 I wish I hadn’t got out of bed today

I’ve been very busy at work  I’m tired, I was supposed to be off tomorrow and my off duty wasn’t amended as it had been originally agreed so I am unable to go to the theatre tomorrow night as had been arranged 

Paperwork regarding my pension claim has been processed by an absolute moron ( I spent my lunch time on the phone to said  moron) 

And when I got home I opened a fine for 60£ for unknowingly driving through a bus gate in Sheffield last week.

On a positive note there was a casserole ( and a pudding! ) left for me on the doorknob by my sister 

I listened to radio 4 on the way home 

I think the moral maze was asking the question when we’re you last kind? 

I will ask you all the same thing as it’s a lazy post

So

When were you last kind? 

Volodymyr the sushi Stealer

Tomorrow’s lunch 

 The secret of making good sushi rice is to infuse and fold in the heavy seasoning, a little sugar and rice vinegar into the still warm rice before putting it somewhere to cool before assembling your Chumaki Rolls. 

I prefer to make chumaki rolls as they are more robust sushi and therefore are able to tolerate thicker fillings, so today as the rice was cooling outside on the patio table , I prepared fillings of pat choi slices, long strips of salmon , wasabi ,creamed cheese with garlic and dobs of sweet crushed peas.

Preparing sushi is the nearest I get to proper mindfullness .

Volodymyr the spunky bantam cockerel was watching everything and tiptoed into the garden under the dogs’ and Albert’s radar and managed to cop a dozen gobfulls before Mary realised what was happening and dropped her rubber chicken 

Volodymyr

Borscht

 I’m back to work tomorrow so today feels like that awful Sunday night knotty feeling you used to get the say before school.

The community Association put on a soup and roll lunch in aid of Ukrainian Refugees and in support the village school children had designed Ukrainian flags to stand on each table.

Polish Monika , the hall’s caretaker had made Borscht which was absolutely delicious as the obvious choice of soup to have, even the the Velvet Voiced Linda gave us a choice of six from the menu.

I sat with Affable Despot Jason’s father in law and we talked central heating and bara brith for a while.

Mrs Trellis sans her bobble hat was upset that the church was closing and village elders Ian, Nick and David seemed to be putting the worlds rights over tea and cake.

I gave Bron Haul Marion my raffle tickets and I wanted to get back to light the fire and to do jobs 

I’m working four long days in the next five

Moving On

I got home from London just after midday.

I was studying the film Stagecoach on zoom by 1pm

And I was fast asleep in front of the fire by 6 pm , so bloody well missed choir.

I think I needed the nap

Nuala told me yesterday that she texted a mutual friend on Sunday to remind her that they had started nursing on March 6th back in 1989. 

I suddenly recognised the date but said nothing

March 6th 2015 was the date of my wedding Anniversary 

And for the first time in seven years,  I had forgotten the day.

Cabaret

 

I adored CABARET 

From its flamboyant start to its somber , and given recent events in Ukraine, all too relevant  ending.

The whole of the Playhouse theatre has been transformed into the 1930s KitKat Club with many of the patrons sat at tables around the stage with drinks and lamp lighting. 

Nu and I sipped our champagne from real glasses and sat back and emmersed ourselves into a heady art deco Berlin galloping towards fascism 

Eddie Ramayne was suitably seedy, asexual and knowing as the ever present Emcee,  Jessie Buckley provided a rather different Sally Bowles with her plummy English accent and short stature but she truly smashed her big number " life is a Cabaret " with style. 

I found the sub plot story of the September love affair between the aging apartment owner Frau Schnieder ( Lisa Sadovy )and Jewish fruit seller Herr Shultz (Elliot Levey) 

 incredibly poignant, and when the Nazi threat started to show its teeth their predicament is wonderfully moving. 

A standing ovation summed up everything for me. 

The best show I've seen since Come From Away

Elliot Levey

Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley

Lisa Sadovy

Train

I enjoy travelling by train.

I’m so used to it now that I feel as though I’m a sort of seasoned traveller, and by being such, I glide into a well rehearsed routine of booking my coffee on line so it arrives at my seat moments after the train leaves Prestatyn station.

Coffee and iPad in place, I can plan the free time Ive got between reaching Euston at 1pm and meeting Nu for Korean food at 4 ish.

Today I’ve decided to go to the Curzon cinema in Bloomsbury, there are a couple of films I fancy to see there.

Later Nu and I are going to see Cabaret at the KitKat Club at The Playhouse.

I’ll be back home for lunchtime tomorrow.

I have a film course studying Stagecoach at 2pm

It's a glorious day and I've found a lively sushi place in the Brunswick centre, Bloomsbury for lunch

I've booked to see the film Ali and Ada 

Lunch

 “ Darling John , you’re wearing a jacket ! It’s very becoming “

Chic Eleanor has never really seen me looking neat and tidy before and I was glad she was impressed . We drove down the coast to meet Mimi Fernandez our friend and partner of Pask who sadly. couldn’t make lunch this time and it was a lovely to have a civilised and robust Sunday lunch at Conwy’s Erskine Arms

The World Is Your Lobster

 

My trip was lovely, despite the weather and a Big Brother Airbnb host.

Such is life.

I’m home and the weather is glorious. 

Dorothy, as bulldogs have a want to do, is playing I love my home Diva and after a walk has taken herself off to sleep under my duvet with a contented sigh.

Mary is sunbathing on the back of the trendy blue sofa.

I have a day free today. I’m not planning anything more than pottering and cleaning and reading.

Tomorrow I’m having lunch with Chic Eleanor “Darling john I simply can’t wait” and Affable Despot Jason and I are going to the comedy club evening at Theatre Clwyd.

Today it’s home.

Mrs Trellis stopped as I was sorting logs out for the fire. She’s written to Putin about the war.

The cost of stamps have gone up , she noted. 95 pence for a first class now

Still good value we agreed.

We were still chatting when the postman dropped off a parcel 

In it was a lobster and a card which read simply “ The World Is Your Lobster” 

Mrs Trellis was intrigued as a while ago she had bought me a smaller one in a jumble sale 

Hilda Ogden used to say “ The world’s your lobster” on Coronation Street 

https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199916108.001.0001/acref-9780199916108-e-8821

Which was an endearing malampropism in itself.

There’s no return address or even a name on the card or packaging so I am intrigued too

Thank you to whoever sent it.

I’m making curried vegetable soup 

Albert has been sneezing at the spices 

Salad Day Thirties and an Airbnb Disaster

 Lol, well everything went tits up at the Airbnb 

I thought things may not be as stable as they could be after the owner refused to dog sit Dorothy after finding out out that her “aura”  was apparently “fraught” with anxiety. ( I had provisionally booked the service prior to coming over to Sheffield)

Dorothy was happily oblivious to this assessment but the apparently experienced dog sitter owner 

Said it was something she couldn’t possibly cope with! 

I let it go and rearranged by arrangements and those of my friends.

This morning I walked into the cottage kitchen wearing only boxer shorts only to see the next door neighbour looking through the kitchen door apparently checking up on me.

It was the same neighbour who contacted the Airbnb owner last night to say incorrectly that the dogs had been left in the kitchen, stressed,  all afternoon and into early evening when they had been left  after a six mile country hike,  sleeping together. between 3 and 6 pm only and then walked by myself and my friend Mike soon after. 

The cottage owner texted me her concerns and I told her that her neighbour was incorrect and misinformed .

She immediately apologised but the texts and invasion of privacy had upset my evening somewhat

This morning I felt under constant observation 

And so I loaded Bluebell and drove home with Dorothy quiet and sleeping in her crate which I covered in a throw like a parrot slumbering in a cage. 

I had a lovely break wed and Thursday and the girls were well behaved in their new surroundings  but I only saw half the people I originally planned to see. 

Which was a shame.

The four friends I did catch up I’ve known for over 33 years 

We are greyer ( except in Mike’s case) , we are older, slightly wrinkled, fatter, wiser, more sanguine perhaps. We have all been put through the wringer, at times, with losses and life brickbats ….but we hugged each other, just as we’ve always did, with love and gusto and with the warmth we’ve always had when we were in our salad day thirties.

Thursday pm

 

The dogs were walked until they dropped today.

I left them sleeping for a couple of hours and met my friend Sarah for tea in All Bar One which was lovely 

I then picked up my old mucca Mike from work and we walked the dogs then went to the pub ,just around the corner for a few drinks and chats which was also lovely .

I’ll leave you with a photo of the village hall in Trelawnyd

The collection for items to support the refugees in the Ukraine arrived today