A service Industry?

I thought I would add a brief "ps" to Chris' Birthday pic (see below)

This morning I have been on the receiving end of the Great British service industry
The first was excellent

I went into a doctor's surgery at the neighbouring village
Big smiles of welcome
And a  bright "hello" was the order of the day
Can I change my doctor and register here?" I asked
"certainly" came the reply "Just fill in this form for me and I will do the rest"
"Lovely " said I...."could I also make an appointment to see the doctor?"
The receptionist smiled broadly again flashing me a genuine smile
"when would you like to come?" she asked
Me, rather hesitantly "Tomorrow?"
"wonderful" she said " pick a time"
After my experience with the great unwashed "bunfight for an appointment"  at the nearby town's health centre
I could have kissed her....

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Recently I took several slides into a nearby town's chemist for printing.
After several weeks I went into the shop to collect them (I did this twice)
Finally I received a phone message stating that they had finally been located in Lancashire
The next day another message stated that they had indeed been found

So today I went in to collect them
Me " I have come to collect my photos I recieved an answer phone message saying you had found them , they had been delivered to the wrong branch, my name is Gray"
Customer service operator: (very loudly) "Oh I know, I spoke to your wife"
Me: "No you didn't, I am not married"
CSO: "was it your partner?" (even louder this time)
Me: No, my partner is 6 foot 1 and called Christopher"
CSO: " OH! i've been on holiday, I haven't been here! .... who did you speak to?"
Me: " there was two different messages from two different women I dont remember who they were...they said they had located the prints and I presumed that they were here"
CSO: rummaging through drawers" They are not here....I think the message meant that we had found them in Oldham not that they were here"
Me signing..... "ring me when they arrive"
CSO: " ok"
Is it me?

Iwill leave you with a photo of  Jo and Russell enjoying the warm sunshine this morning..hi lameness has inproved ( thank you for asking Mrs Fickle) but Constance has now taken over his limp!

Happy Birthday to Him Indoors

I am off to bake him a cake

x

ps this video is on my sister's blog...its worth another showing

It may be beautiful...but there is only ONE Waitrose!!!!!! how barbaric

Middle age Naps

Weeding the back garden or napping?

I am getting to an age when an occasional afternoon nap is a rather essential part of life rather than a just a holiday indulgence. Yesterday was a remarkably busy shift where I had a patient to get ready for discharge to a medical ward in addition to an emergency  ventilated admission through A& E. For  12 hours I was on my feet and whereas those ever cheerful 25 year old staff nurses seem to cope with the physical slog day in day out....my aging old bones feel as though I have been gang banged by a troupe of the Dagenham Girl Pipers!

So after walking the dogs, planting out cabbage and leeks ,and lashing down the wind battered polytunnell yet again, I sneaked upstairs to the bedroom and had a blissful 40 winks under the eiderdown.

So why feel guilty? the Greeks and Spaniards have a snooze most afternoons whether they are old farts like me or not..so why on earth should I worry......in the end I didn't worry...I crawled onto the bed and within seconds was dribbling away in wonderful middle aged slumber.......

Its a wonderful indulgence.......AND in this time of recession..........it's free!!!

Went the Day Well?

?

This is one of my favourite movies......I wonder why?
"A strange group of British villagers fight off the bosh!"
It could have been filmed in Trelawnyd
Complete with the Post mistress running amok with an axe!

Its been a long, long, day,

Off to bed

Its been a long day
We went to Llandudno which was holding its authentic "Victorian "weekend (Forgive me but did they have bouncy castles in 1870?).....not a good idea when you are trying to buy a somewhat irate partner his birthday pressie

I nearly punched a beer swilling oik who stepped on my foot without apologising in the crowds
(I was sure he was dressed like Ye Olde Bill Sykes)

We got home to find my polytunnell in the road. ( the wind was gusting)

The hens had eaten over 150  seedlings and shat all over my gardening gloves

I want to live in Bath

A new start

Well they have done it yet again.

Thanks to some impeccable planning, a noticeable shaving of of unwanted pomp (ie a fleet of minibuses crammed to the gunnells of minor royals), a self made and extremely photogenic in-law family and a delightfully charismatic bride.....the royal family has been re branded, re launched and re energised for the 21st Century.
...and it has all been a bit of a surprise..............
The intimate television coverage ( and I have to congratulate the BBC here) captured a rare event.....no not just that of a Royal wedding...no......it actually chronicled the debut of a new star.
Kate Middleton has star quality, not only is she  beautiful (she comes from one of the most photogenic families I have seen in a long time) she also possess a warmth which the camera captures in bucket loads...if she was not now a Royal Princess she would have made a cracking movie actress.

From the girlish "wow" she uttered when she walked out to face the crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony...to the graceful way she bowed her head when her husband saluted his senior officers from the royal coach, Kate quite naturally has pitched yesterday's opening performance just right...and in a similar vein to Queen Salote's barnstorming introduction to the fickle British public at the Coronation, Kate has literally swallow dived into everyone's affections......

We now have a class act in line for the throne. The couple are ordinary enough to tick the anti pomp brigade's boxes while at the same time keeping the staunch royalists happily waving their plastic Union Jacks with amended  royal protocol. She comes from a self made "northern family" , has a sexy and classy sister ( Pippa almost stole the show herself) and looks as though she actually loves her husband....
The Middletons have proved themselves to be a cracking set of role models

I wish them well, I really do.
And I wish the new Royal family well........

Having a sexy brother helped

and an even sexier sister!

 Anyhow, off to Llandudno to get Chris' birthday pressie ( his Birthday is on Tuesday) I am working all day tomorrow......and we have ANOTHER bloody bank holiday on Monday to endure.........

hey ho

Westminster Cartwheel Royal Wedding - Ben Sheward?

The cartwheeling verger at the Royal Wedding did make me smile
People can be as cynical as can be about the Royal Wedding but it's nice to have some nice news about for a change

The Wedding and a Welcomed Gift

The Cottage this morning

Understandably the village was deserted when I took the dogs out for their walk. Curtains and blinds have been drawn so that people can get a good view of today's event on their flat screens but I did smile when I saw Peter at Anchor house saluting me merrily in his garden under his newly planted Union Jacks!

Someone had put red,white and blue bunting around the the Memorial Hall and the Crown pub is decked out with flags, so the village has a small "touch" of  festival about it

Last night I found a long homemade thumbstick  stuck untidily in the hedge by the lane. It was a beautiful and old piece of  wood, which had been well loved and well made and was completed with an ancient metal base and layer after layer of simple clear varnish.

I fell in love with it the moment I saw it, and took the staff carefully back to the cottage in the hope that no one would claim it .

But alas, this morning I noticed the red faced Welsh farmer scouting around the lane in his red landrover and I knew he must have lost this stick when he helped me set up my new fencing earlier in the week.

A little reluctantly I showed him the lost stick and the farmer beamed  a big red face beam at its return.

"I've had this stick a long long time" he explained hooking his thumb comfortably into the "v" at the top of it

Then he reached into the back of his landrover and pulled out another similar home made staff

My thumbstick

"There have this one I made it a while ago" he said gruffly handing the staff to me before roaring away down the lane.

I am so made up with his kind gift.....



Anyhow the wedding is about to start.....so I will get off and watch it.....

I am not a style guru as you all well know but Kate looked fab!

I know I am in risk of sounding like a sycophant but she did look rather classy!

mind you Beatrice (right) did look a real twat in her "antler" hat