A Drone's View

Early May means just one thing
The flowering of the garden Montana .
I photographed the flowers covering the garden arch just as the velvet voiced Linda texted for a weekly "all is well!" check up!
I noticed on the app site that one of the wardens had brought a drone in to check the condition of the Church Bell and there has been much discussion about cherry pickers and who has a head for heights!
I have downloaded two photos from the drone visit
A different perspective of my cottage!

 Bwthyn y llan ( bottom left) a stones throw from the church .

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The West part of the village , lying at the base of the Gop.

I'm making soup at the moment , some for me and some for Marion and John over at Bron Haul Marion fractured her pelvis and is only eating easymade sandwiches at lunchtimes
I've left out the chilli,
" chilli plays havoc with old lady's  bowels!" Marion once told me
Mary was sat at the living room window looking out for Hattie who has just turned up to take her for a walk. I made Hattie soup, she left homemade scones .
The barter of the countryside continues.

I'm going to design my chess figures today. The clay is all wrapped up carefully under the sink in readiness.
I'm got the lawn to cut and a climbing rose to prune

I think I may wear my PPE when tackling the rose, those thorns will have an eye out

A steady stream of villagers have passed by today
Animal Helper Pat  has too many bedding plants so I have arranged to buy some . She looks well if  not a bit lonely  and old Trevor at 96 walked passed for his daily 2 mile constitutional looking mighty fine

My uniforms are cleaned and are hung up behind the back door,
They are turning gently in the breeze like silent blue wind chimes

I'm back at work tomorrow.
The weekend has drifted past like giant clouds on a faint wind
Slowly and rather silently
Hey ho

snowman

I've just amended my disguise to something a bit more friendly

Ghoolies

Apologies to the couple walking their dog down Cwm Road this lunchtime
They got more than they bargained for after looking through the lane window

Just making my disguise for the family competition for later

Pride

This is a story about one of my dearest friends
I met her when we worked together on intensive care at my local hospital

Seen in the press today

A 170-strong team of nursing staff have been trained to work in critical care units across North Wales and save as many lives as possible during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reinforcements have completed a fast-track course supported by Bangor University’s School of Health Sciences, more than doubling the numbers available to work in the region’s Intensive Care Units.

As a result, the upskilled staff are ready to start working on the coronavirus frontline at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan and the Maelor in Wrexham.

A key role in the three-day course was played by a team led by Health Sciences Lecturer and experienced critical care nurse Naomi Jenkins which brings the number of nursing staff available to work in intensive care in North Wales up to approximately 380.

I'm so very proud of her

Thank You

" Siri !!!! what FUCKING DAY IS IT TODAY??"
I asked at 6 am
She told me it was Friday the 30 th of April .
May tomorrow I thought.
Off to work all day today so I need to be brief
Thank you to the Going Gently readers who have supported my hospice by buying one of the new famous Goat tee shirts celebrating our town's new phenomenon of " Goats in the streets!!"

Some people have asked if they can get these tee shirts from overseas and so I rang the hospice PR lass today who said yes the tee shirts will be shipped worldwide!
Link

https://stdavidshospice.org.uk/shop/

Also a big thank you to Fi who nominated us to the Lake District Gingerbread  Company for some free Gingerbread which arrived today! It was lovely

Here is my dear colleague Diane showing off one of the donated packages !!

Soup

Good Morning Siri
Oh it's Thursday today is it? Thank you !
That's good...for I'm at work today!
6am bucket of coffee time

I didn't watch any movies yesterday a first for me
I painted and then started to sculpt my chess set figures out of clay

It was a good nite for tv btw
The Repair Shop ( why is this programme so emotional?) 
And The Great British Sewing Bee
Don't you love Esme?

Yesterday I made far too much soup . I left Hattie some last night when she returned Mary and this morning , before my commute, I will drop a pan off for Marion And John who live in the centre of the village . Marion had a fall a few days ago, something that was picked up and reported upon by the street wardens..the couple have supported the village well over the years

What goes around ......eh?

A Mixed Bag

Hello people!
Siri says it's Wednesday today.
The weather is colder and more unsettled of late, but the wild flowers in the Churchyard which have been allowed to flourish are still looking mighty fine
One of the ponies in the field caused some minor excitement yesterday by getting themselves entangled in the old pig pen fencing in an effort to say hello to a new colt across the lane . Graham the Sheep, knocked on the lane to inform me and in shorts I traipsed across the field to check.
Luckily the mare was ok save for a couple of small cuts which now have been treated
When I returned to the cottage I found a small hand written note in the post box

It was from a villager who wanted me to publish their thoughts on the blog today
A fair point for sure but also one  that perhaps underlines how inward we are all looking at this time .

I'm going to have an art day today. A year ago I bought some acrylic paints and brushes and canvases but didn't use them as I got sidetracked by my journey into pottery ! So I am digging out my inner Nancy Kosinski and will give things a go. A large lump of clay has also been delivered so I can start fashioning my new chess set pieces!!

Clay , paints and pastels 

Homemade soup today will be cauliflower and Stilton
My cottage mates remain well and excited at the prospect

Working long days Thursday and Friday.....been invited to a ' incognito' quiz via Zoom on Saturday night....
I must come in disguise !!!!

What larks pip!!!!

Your Tune

Jamie ,our Choirmaster ( Sans his1940 RAF moustache ) organised a few new sings tonight as well as some trusty old tunes at our choir Zoom
He picked one old favourite from before I joined the choir which caught me unawares, sat at the kitchen table like I was.
He chose Moon River
Now, Moon River , was the music that was played at my wedding . It was always  " our tune" 
And I haven't heard it publically since the wedding
Having it served as a curved ball at choir absolutely threw me.

After a minute or so , I slunk, hopefully unnoticed out of my  Zoom position in the left top corner of the computer screen
And I stood quietly weeping  in the rain, under the honeysuckle by the front door until everyone had finished singing