Wash Day

 It’s nearly 2.30 pm 

Time for writing and then a siesta 

I’ve been on the go since 8 am

Today’s blog is a chatty one, 

Nothing heavy, emotional or arch,

Just observations of a day of jobs.

First chore was dog showering.

This is the most onerous 

For it entails a certain amount of bulldog wrestling.

Now no matter how nonchalant I act Dorothy always knows what’s coming and for a solid and heavy bitch she can hide herself in the most surprising of places. This morning she managed to get into the lowest shelf of the bedroom bookshelf and I was sure she was holding her breath as I scanned the room for her. 

Dorothy hates showers.

Now that’s not entirely true as she hates getting wet and being washed but when I have to get the Fanny cloth out to give her tuppence the once over, she gently warms to the theme of the experience and embraces it totally. 

It’s just the thought of the shower she detests.

Now the Welsh love a hot shower. They would have one everyday if I left the shower door open. Their only negative is afterwards both will career around the cottage like loons, wetting bedclothes and furnishings in their wakes.

Today I didn’t mind as all the washing was done. Bedspreads, duvet cases, pillowcases and towels. All washed and hung on bushes, walls and the field gate to dry.

The ancient floorboards in my bedroom were swept and washed and left to dry, and I washed the carpet in the living room free of wet paw prints and doggy smells.

Underwear hung on the garden chairs

I cook linguine for lunch with a tiny bit of olive oil and Parmesan and drank tea as the mokka pot is soaking in the sink.

Then I water the patio planters by hand ( there are 47) and then the front garden basket and pots and lay the spare bed duvet on the front lawn to dry.

The cottage smells of detergent and honeysuckle 

The honeysuckle flowers have bloomed overnight around the front door 

And smell glorious .

Time for a kip in the armchair.
 

The Future and another “Happy Birthday”

 

I wrote the previous blog whilst in the library in college.

It’s boring as it is bland.

I picked the dogs up from a friend in Craig Y Don, who had been watched them and we drove into Conwy

Where I had to ask a stranger to hold the dogs when I went into the famous Edward’s Butchers for a chilli Scotch egg. 

In the end I bought a black pudding scotch egg too, and we sat on the quayside and shared them together

Bloody lovely they were too.

I went to Conwy for a think.

From September things will be rather different 

More academia, more need for personal discipline, and some serious self reflection 

Between then and now I have Venice, Barcelona and Rome to enjoy then it’s knuckle down and work

Funny how things can change 

Five years ago, I had retired and was planning to leave the village

Now I’m embarking on a new career and a new direction, a journey which is scary and exciting all mixed together and I’m part of village life more than I’ve ever been.

We sat in a line on a bench. Dorothy to my left, the Welsh to my right.

I kept the chilli scotch egg for myself , but the dogs loved their third each portion with a small bite taken out for me. 

It’s four of us against the world now

And sharing a scotch egg is a luxury only we know how beautiful

We were all late back home after a full tiring day. So much so Dorothy refused to leave the back seat and had to be carried into the cottage. 

I missed choir 

Which was unfortunate

But this video was sent to me by Hattie 

Our choir’s tradition of celebrating everyone’s birthday 

It moved me greatly 

And perfectly ended the day 

Interview

 Today’s small treat was an iced latte.

I bought it after going for my level four counselling interview.

I try to get myself one small treat a day.

We also had a chance to talk to a group of the level 4 trainee counsellors without the tutors being there which was illuminating . My application is in and so are my references . So it’s fingers crossed

I’ll start in September .

Dandy’s Flag and Le Otto Montagne

 

I think I’ve told you before that the city of Chester is located a stones throw over the Welsh border into England. It is the city I did my psychiatric nurse training in and is now one I visit often for film, theatre, book club and coffee. 

For ages now I have always been impressed with a giant Ukrainian flag flying high over Dandy’s landscaping Business on the Welsh side of the border. The flag is immense, some  45 feet by 25 feet and I’ve always wondered just why the company has chosen to fly such a huge flag.

Now apparently the yard used to fly a normal sized Welsh dragon flag,but changed it to a similar sized Ukrainian flag at the start of the war, and some small minded Welsh nationalist complained, and questioned just why a Welsh business should support a country so many hundreds of miles away .

Dandy’s replied with the towering flag.

I loved this simple yet effective statement of support and of rejection of blind nationalism.

This afternoon I went to see Le Otto Montagne ( The Eight Mountains) 

A slow, beautifully paced Italian film chronically four decades of friendship between Bruno ( Alesandro Borghi) and Pietro (Luca Marinelli), this film takes its time examining the complexities of male relationships and underlines how difficult it is for men to verbalise their feelings and rationalise their thoughts and motivations . 

The piece has unfairly been termed a straight Brokeback Mountain , which is lazy, as this film is a nuanced , incredibly sad, story of an intense relationship forged from loneliness and need. 

Surprise

 I had to look surprised when at the family barbecue I was presented with a “surprise “ birthday cake 

Strange Things

 It’s a lazy blog today thanks to Ali who requested I share more of my odd bits so to speak.

It’s a beautiful day and the garden and planters need watering .

The shooting range in nearby Trelogan sounds busy but the putput of the shotguns are muffled by the circle of hills to the west and are not too invasive.

I’m going to a family barbecue later which will be lovely 

My wolf and Badge salt and pepper shakers standing guard over my homemade letter rack

My gargoyle of course

My obese camel 

The first thing I made in pottery my horse

My little homage to Gormley’s terracotta crowd

Blogger Gayle’s sketch on wrapping paper framed

My bathroom puffin

My 2£ tetradactyl plate

My 5£ plastic toucan 

Bearded man with a big cock

My carved eagle, a gift from villager Colin Endres before he died

Albert The Dinosaur

I saw my birthday dinosaur on Facebook ( link below)

https://www.facebook.com/judypembertonceramics

And he intrigued me so much , that I had to buy him.

Judy who made him, kindly sold me him at friends rates as she likes Going Gently

I was asked if I would post more photos of him 

So here he is

I have several such pieces hidden away in plants and in corners, the gargoyle in the fireplace, my fat naked man looking gloriously buff on my desk, my homemade camel with the enormous hump in my window.

Nu’s homemade daisy fruit bowl on my bedroom drawers, my stone family figures on the kitchen art wall

Funny what pleases eh? 

Cottage Sun

 

My sister Ann gave me a plant pot stand for my birthday so , today as it’s sunny, I have been playing around with it as well as filling the hanging baskets with delicate pink annuals, which replace the pinks underneath the honeysuckle 

It’s Mindful work which I’m good at treating myself in between with glasses of iced coffee laced with agave nectar.

The cottage shines in the sun

It kind of comes alive and seems even to breath with its windows open and a breeze wandering the rooms from the south west.

The dogs mooch into the back garden to lie in the sun and I play ludovico Einsudi and Christopher Beck’s Under The Tuscan Sun as I plant up and water in.

I found myself scanning the shaded bit of wall for Albert too

Chic Eleanor called around this afternoon, with a bunch of peonies, she stayed for coffee

I’m working tomorrow as a favour for a colleague 

So I will be mindful and quiet for the rest of today.

Thanks to everyone for my best wishes yesterday 

They were gratefully received 

61

 I wrote a whole post this morning and read it then binned it.

Suffice to say I feel a little odd

61….

Yes just a little odd. 

Shortly I’m going to wash my face, put on a clean new shirt and my lovely and lurid green shoes and will meet a friend for breakfast at Bryn Williams. 

Early evening I’m going to see the Finnish action film Sisu which is a real horror fest by all accounts.

I have opened a few gifts this morning (my nephew sent me a new pencil case for college in September which was lovely) and I will fit in a cry this afternoon, birthdays get you like that sometimes

Thank you for your kind wishes, cards and messages .I’m very lucky to have so many, and I appreciate each and every one….

Look at the photo carefully and you will see Dorothy asleep with a tea towel in her mouth

I had used it to wipe up some sweet Korean dipping sauce and she’s been sucking the drips

Ps 

Thanks to an anonymous friend a pair of Albert Socks 

My birthday gift to myself my own red footed dinosaur sculpture

Jog On

I’m going into work later on overtime

So the Mocca pot is on and it’s chill morning time.

I’ve opened birthday cards which have arrived a day early ( I’m not one for saving them for the actual day) and I’ve had a row with a hiker who complained that Roger had frightened her when she went to pat Dorothy on the head.

So it’s not been that chilled really…

Now before I am lectured by some psychobabble amateur about having an anger problem, I will assure you that I do not, but like many people in their sixties, I won’t put up with bad or stupid behaviour 

The woman in question had obviously seen Dorothy dozing and had made a fuss, so true to form Dorothy had galloped over to the wall in the hope of a face rub or even better something edible. As that was going on , Roger gave his usual protective bark and bounced up next to his sister in order to see what was appertaining .

The woman shrieked and jumped back, so Roger barked even more. 

and that’s when I walked out to intervene. 

“ He’s a bit vicious “ the woman said pointing to the still bouncing Roger 

“He nearly bit me” she called out as her fellow hikers stopped next to her.

“Rubbish” I said and the woman puffed herself up, ready for an indignant disagreement

“Don’t try to pet dogs you don’t know” I told her

The woman glared at me and started to huff and puff

Which I dismissed with a Curt “ Jog On “ 

A phrase I like almost as much as  “Cheap Shoes”

Jog On covers more bases me thinks.

I’m 61 tomorrow….bloody hell John 

JOG ON !!!

.

Radishes at Choir

 

Only at a Welsh Country Choir

I walked in after nearly a year away and was presented with a handful of radishes from Alto Diane fresh from her garden. 

Like all supportive groups , It took off roughly where I left it.

Gentleman Farmer nodded brusquely and whispered “ You’re back then”which was sweet and Heulwen , Di and Claire gave me a big hug. 

Jamie and his 1940s RAF moustache welcomed me back too, but quietly as I left. 

And clutching my song sheets, radishes and water bottle I felt just a little emotional as I turned for home

Evening The Same Day

 

The sun shines on the sycamore in the corner of the Churchyard with a certain glow at dusk.

It reminds me of the trees that border the Royal Botanical Gardens and the Sydney Opera House 

The ones that are filled with chattering flying foxes at Dusk

The sycamore is devoid of wildlife but the glow on its bark is the same as the one I remember from Oz.

I love this part of the day 

My sister had visited when I was at work and had filled more terracotta plants with geranium, pinks and annual colourfuls. All gifts for my birthday . 

The planters look lovely .

I watered them all and my existing planters in the front garden , the ones filled with hydrangeas, hostas and mock orange. 

It a relaxing pastime after working all day. 

I had baby oak trees in the car , a gift from a girl at work and I watered them too. I will plant them in a suitable place in the village .

It’s almost quarter past nine and I’m disappointed that the bats are not out yet, but that fox is barking again

And the dogs are all straining on the back of the trendy couch in the vain hope of seeing something

The Morning After the night before

 

6 am returned too quickly

Not even the dogs wanted to get up.

A hot shower

Lots of Clinique Happy

A strong flavoursome MacDonald’s coffee

I wanted to finish The Passengers by Will Ashon today

I haven’t time to précis it

But have a look , it’s intriguing ….totally intriguing

No bats or foxes in the lane this morning

Just You

I got to sit down late  tonight

It’s was  a long day

A mixture of a friends’s personal problems kept me busy by phone  and the need to have fresh air after a day shift kept me going still

At 10 pm I was walking the dogs down the lane and it was lovely to see that the bats are back , flitting like mini devil  shadows.under the one lane lamp 

Roger had never seen bats before and he barked quietly at them , not sure that barking was allowed

It is warm tonight too   and there was  no moon 

A fox was screaming  too and the dogs were on point quietly  listening ….spring/summer fox calls are usually ones in response to territory rather than romance ( these are in winter) and dogs were frightened by their alien make up.

Hey ho ……I had no one to tell of such treasures tonight 

Just you

Choir

I missed joining the other members of the TCA at the pub yesterday after we tidied the hall.

I went home, fed the dogs and sat for a moment on the kitchen reading chair 

And woke up almost two hours later, with an ear ache and with dribble down my new summer shirt

It was a shame as my fellow villagers are a nice bunch. 

Instead I tidied the cottage, and did washing and cleaned the spaces now free of clutter. 

And suddenly missed Albert when I collected cat food in a carrier bag to give a neighbour who has a cat. 

Cats are always the supporting actors to a home, and seldom a lead. 

I missed seeing his shadow , flitting briefly in a doorway 

Or still on the bedroom window chair

I sipped my bucket of coffee this morning after making a chicken salad with noodles . 

It’s 6.20 am ish and I have fifteen minutes before I leave for work 

So its short blog written in a sunny dawn

I check my Filofax diary for the week ahead 

I’m working all day on the bank holiday and have agreed on overtime Wednesday afternoon…it’s my birthday on Thursday and on Friday I’m at the theatre with a friend oh and on Tuesday I finally return to choir.

It’s a lovely thought to be returning at last.

Singing stops sadness in its tracks 

In its tracks 

Hey ho

Attic Sale

 I had to laugh.

Last night while I was waiting for the youth club to depart the hall

I head a slightly exasperated volunteer called out

“ Amy, don’t put that much toilet roll down the toilets again please “

I couldn’t  supervise the youth club if they paid me.

Anyhow it was the attic sale today and thing were quiet given the glorious weather. 

My sister made 85£ on her quality stall. I made considerably lesson mine but sorted a profit out nevertheless. It was therapy too as everything I had brought was taken to the charity shop afterwards.

Nothing of mine came home with me.

I saw a lot of faces not caught up with in a while The Gop Farm Matriarchs, Boffin Cameron’s mum, Moterbike Jean, and others, and was home by 2 pm in time to water the plants Janet had planted up for my birthday and wake the dogs up for dinner.

I buried Albert in my old field.

Right in the corner by the pig pen.

In the spot he adored murdering rabbits in.

Green Shoes

 Apologies for deleting the blog and its more balanced reader comments , but I’ve just got home to briefly witness the bunfight which ensued earlier.

What a palaver ….

Anyhow I took my painkillers and washed my face and went to Liverpool 

Nu is over there seeing family and she squeezed me in for lunch at Mowgli 

The best medicine ever.

I even did some shopping, buying a few lurid shirts for my holiday and these great shoes

Thank you for your kind comments about Albert

He’s buried in a shady corner of the field 

Fate

 I had pain in my ear and down my jaw all yesterday. Last night the pain was suddenly  so severe I rang out of hours and by mid evening I was collecting antibiotics and painkillers for a suspected tooth abscess 

I went to bed early and woke up feeling as though Shelley Winters had sat on my head all night

I took more antibiotics and painkillers and by ten was starting to feel a little more human but still quite nauseous 

I think fate wanted me to be home today for when I sat at the kitchen table looking at a cup of tea, I heard coughing from outside .

It was Albert  and he was being sick . 

His damaged leg stuck out at an odd angle and looked suddenly useless. 

He looked very unwell. 

I scooped him up and I cradled him on my knee ( something I have never done before) and we sat in the garden as the dogs sniffed at his black fur until they grew bored and dropped one by one to the floor.

Albert died soon after

As Roger gleefully got up and chased a bumble bee up and down the gravel path in the sun like a loon.

Meet Up

 I’m meeting one of my fellow bloggers . 

It’s Libby and she’s on holiday in Llandudno .

We are meeting at Osborn House , the boutique hotel/ restaurant where I was married. 

It’s ok, I’ve been once before and that visit didn’t trigger any sentimental reactions . 

Now I don’t go out of my way to meet my fellow bloggers. Blog friendships are odd and often just one sided as perhaps they know all about the you, well the you want them to know and you often don’t them as much. 

Having said this , all of the bloggers or followers I have met have been delightful characters,  David Travel Penguin , Steve ShadowLight, Ilona Meanqueen, Diane and Gary who came to my biggest Open Allotment days are just a few that spring to mind and I have around five or six others that I just know I would get along with very well if they turned up in Trelawnyd with a few beers and a scotch egg or two .

There are also a couple I’d dearly like to meet over a glass of wine and a romantic meal but that would be telling lol

Today’s cooking

Spiced Korean pork, wrapped in cabbage leaves and homemade mini pork and herb patties

 

Laburnum and Marina

 Mrs Trellis was more chatty today. She was hurrying because she’d left stew simmering but stopped long enough to call “ Your Laburnum is glorious “ over her privet.

I went to see it 

Indeed it does look glorious 

This afternoon I drove to Conwy Marina to meet my college friends for dinner. I’ve never been to the marina before and it was as glorious as my laburnum.