A dream

Now I usually write my blog on an evening, as it is my way of relaxing after a days pottering. Today I am writing this in the morning sunshine with a cup of coffee. The reason for this is that I have just got up after the most vivid and moving dream I have experienced in a long long time. I know we all dream, but remembering ones that I have experienced is a rarity for me, and this morning I dreamt of my Grandmother who was walking with Finlay!

In the dream I was walking with Chris in the Peace Gardens in Sheffield. It was raining slightly but very warm and there was crowds of people walking around. (strangely they were all Afro/Caribbean) By Bar HaHa I could see my Grandmother who was reading the menu (go figure that out?) She was wearing a cream knee length coat with large cream buttons, a queen mother hat and carried a large white leather handbag in the crook of her left arm. Finlay was sitting next to her but turned and saw us and barked and I remember my Grandmother turning and waving. Now in those Hitchcockian (sp?) dream sequences my Grandmother should have been screened by the passing crowds and would have disappeared with me searching frantically for her, but that didn't happen. She looked both ways on the pavement and with that formal old lady sort of walk, she came over to us and greeted us warmly with Finlay jumping up and down madly. The emotion of meeting them again seemed very real and raw yet I don't remember how the dream ended . I woke with the smell of both of them in my head and with a huge knot in my throat.
Why did I dream this dream this morning? And why was it so vivid? who knows....it just stuck in my mind

Holiday!!!

Very excited as we have just booked our flights to New York in November. Staying at the New York Helmsley on 42nd st, which is lovely as we have stayed there many times before. Enjoying New York so much sometimes feels a little "out of vogue", but I don't care, it is one of my most favourite places to go

Wild flower borders and the hookers settle in

Thank god for the sunshine this week. In a sudden burst of activity my runner beans,French beans, sweetcorn,salad potatoes and parsnips have blossomed. Not only that, but the wildflower border I planted in the spring to screen the allotment from the road is showing its colours.

The black "hookers" have settled in remarkably quickly and have laid three beautiful chocolate brown eggs in the ebay hen house this morning. They are still striking a ghetto-ish attitude compared with the gentler and shyer original girls

New girls arrive,The Flower Show Meeting and George Bush

The second run is up and running!. I found another hen breeder near Corwen and went over to buy a few Buffs. The hens he had looked a bit knackered so I decided not to buy them and bought six healthy, older black hens with a lot of attitude instead. After I had clipped their wings, they stalked around pen number 2 like angry hookers looking for punters. Me thinks they are going to be a bit of a handful.


Hopefully in a few weeks the breeder will have reared some runner ducks, and has agreed to save me four, who will go in with the new girls.

We had the final flower show committee meeting (pre actual show) tonight at Auntie Glads. Carol will be steward for the Cakes and Jams, where I will be the steward for the veg! I have also been volunteered to man the door and raffle tickets, and I need to be there to set up on the previous Thursday AND Friday AND I am helping to make cakes for the day, so it looks as though I will be fairly busy !

Committee meeting are usually fairly uneven affairs as Gladys is very deaf and tends to shout over all other speakers on the "floor". At times John (from next door) was reduced to fits of giggles as the whole thing resembles A league of Gentlemen.

I was reading Nick Robinson's political blog with amusement today:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/nickrobinson/

He recalled an interaction with George Bush at a recent news conference. Robinson had famously fallen foul of the President over his "denial of Iraq" comment, and Bush obviously remembering him quipped "You still hanging around?" Later during the questioning Bush turned to Robinson who was sweating and stated that he should cover up his bald head. Robinson replied by saying "I didn't know you cared!" and the President resorted by saying waspishly "I don't!!!"

Now I was amused by the informality of all this and although I really hate Bush and his politics, I rather admired the informality of his conversation. Would a British Prime Minister be quite so "ordinary?" I very much doubt it.

ps Looking forward to see you soon Nia! xx

Very Funny

I know , it is another bloody you tube item, but it IS funny!!

Being Pickled

I am never adverse to being "pickled", but instead of a vinegar, I prefer a nice crispy Chardonnay!
The first of my onions and beetroot have now been preserved for posterity.
Dug up 16 kilos of salad potatoes, which I have already sold at work and froze a ton of broad beans, so it has been a joy working outside all day in the sun.

Plan to go over to Sheffield for Mike's birthday next week and Jane and Micky will be playing out too , which will be nice. Planning to take Kathryn out for Lunch too. Might take them a few pickled shallots!

A lesson learnt and a pickling marathon

Having a haircut takes it out of Meg and she has spent the evening curled up fast asleep dreaming of matted hair and blow dryers. In between sorting her out ( an hour's round trip to the dog "salon") I went down to Janet's to help her with her old cat Hattie, who she was having put down at home after a long illness. The vet and animal nurse that carried out the euthanasia were the epitome of professionalism and could have taught many medical doctors and nurses how to deal with patients with sympathy and thoughtfulness but even so Janet was awfully upset. I was very glad to help,though I am afraid that it did remind me of loosing Finlay a great deal.


Picked my shallots this afternoon and in the next 24 hours I hope to pickle at least 5 pans full!!! Chris is a picked onion fiend, so I am preparing to hide jam jars all over the house. My award winning Beetroot will be pickled later this week and ,my second large crop of potatoes need pulling too as the girls at work are desperate!

Chris had a session of hypnotism this afternoon to help with the dreaded ciggies! I am not sure that he actually felt the benefit of the session, but I think going was a very positive move in itself

Little April Shower (English)

The song is being shown on a telephone advert I think and it reminded me of the original quite charming!