Summer

The village from the West

 The temperature gauge says 22 and sunny but it feels hotter than that. Dorothy  couldn’t take a long walk so we took advantage of there being no sheep in Graham’s fields and the girls ran around for just five minutes before wanting to go home to lay their nipples on cold concrete, 

Albert joined us as per, but he too found the sun too fierce and so retired under a giant Beech tree like a lion.

We left him watching a couple of foolish rabbit pups with narrow eyes.

He’s still bad tempered .

It’s Sunday morning and the shooting range over in Trelogan is in fine form. The putt, putts of the shotguns echoing around the valley hills like fireworks at New Year.

I’ve heard a cuckoo, just once which is rare

There is a heat haze over the village and it feels deserted , like a Spanish village at noon

Thank goodness the elderflower cordial I prepared three days ago is ready to drink.

Sisters

My sister Janet had her beloved dog Jess put down today.

We were meeting up with our elder sister Ann for dinner tonight 

That dinner carried on without her…

It was understandable she couldn’t attend.

and We missed her.

I felt better that I gave Janet some flowers yesterday, I sort of preempted today’s decision…

And as I left Ann’s this evening SHE gave me a bunch of sweet peas 

Too and fro 

Back and forth …

Ann and I and the family talked about songs and memory tonight

Songs that spark memories that are everlasting 

I have one such memory from decades ago

My sisters and I were driving home after a concert or a theatre visit and it was dark on the country road, 

We burst into a spontaneous version of  drink drink drink from The Student Prince

And as we sang the main words my sister Ann who can’t sing a note burst into an operatic “ arrrhhhh” an acomptiant  to the libretto…It was so bad that we laughed and laughed  until we cried.

Such memories make a family’s love 

The Church Meeting

 In the graveyard there is an ancient prayer cross. 

It dates from the 13 th Century and was a focus of prayer and the sharing of news long long before the church was built.

Yesterday the amiable and rotund Vicar with his sexy young curate in tow held a meeting around the cross to discuss the future options for St Michael’s.

I thought they looked a little like Batman and Robin in their black.

I was worried that few people would turn up, but was pleasantly surprised that in addition to the smattering of regular worshippers many of the non practicing residents of the village arrived.

A good thirty to forty people were stood or seated in between the gravestones and the cross. 

I looked around from where I sat on the grass, my bare feet itching on the clover, Affable Despot Jason with Liv, Mrs Trellis with her surgical mask firmly in place, Pippa from the Rectory, many of the members of the Community Association and the Women’s Institute were there, Sailor John too as well as a smattering of younger people I didn’t know.

The numbers were encouraging 

Some of the Villagers 

Islwyn , the village elder, who had single hand idly transformed the new cemetery from disrepair to bowling green chic stood under the shade of the sycamore and made a strong speech about community spirit, as did Tim from Plas y Dre Ucha. Who I would like to introduce Chic Eleanor to. And there were many questions asked as the vicar gave us the four options the Church has.

It was a sobering listen. 

1) The Church could stay as a Parish Church but that would mean a new Church Committee would have to be formed with the responsibility of raising their allotted share of money for the Diocese yearly. The upkeep of the Church coupled with these costs were guessed to be around 12 thousand pounds a year

2) The Church could be adopted by Friends of Friendless Churches who would keep the building but would show it as a sort of museum

3) The Church could possibly become a Pilgrim Church supported financially and physically by the village. In this guise it could still be used as a place of worship ( approx 6 services a year not including funerals ) but it could also be used for other purposes, such a meeting place, food bank, community venue or whatever to be used by the general community.

4) The Church could be sold off, although access and use of the graveyard would be carried on

Village Leader Helen , led the meeting and people were asked if they would like to volunteer their help to whatever choice they thought fitting.

I looked at my laburnum, standing tall , just off the path behind us.

And hoped that things will work out for the best.

The Horror Of Old Cat Food

 

Ever since he was a kitten, Albert has been fed on the window ledge in the kitchen.

Like most cats, he’s a faddy eater, so at any one time , foul smelling , pieces of meat, licked clean of gravy , sit in his bowl like some nasty witches’ brew. 

I have to remind myself to empty and clean Albert’s bowls and in an attempt to recycle any old food, I tend to hurl the contents over the garden wall, and lane into the Churchyard where the rooks from Well Street swoop down to consume it.

Now a while ago now , I once flung a bowl of wet left over pasta into the graveyard only to pepper the side of a farmer’s land rover as it passed unexpectedly and I’ve narrowly missed shaving the top of village Leader Ian’s electric “Creeping Jesus” car, with a stale hard half bagel 

Today I peppered neighbour Mandy with two day old kitty Kat as she hurried past, but at least she was laughing as I belted out an apology. 

It’s a beautiful day today.

It’s the vicar’s meeting this afternoon outlining the possible future of the church, he’s meeting on the grass near the prayer cross

I won’t tell him I’ve been chucking kitty kat into the cemetery 

The Curse Of The Village Wardens

The new lavender borders on the village green

 The Trelawnyd Women’s Institute have centred some of their considerable power base to spruce up the flower beds and borders of the village green. They asked for donations and plants to help the work and

As I got home fairly early, I went out to lend a hand.

The conversation not only centred around plants and shrubbery but also the fact that that many of the village wardens have had mishaps recently. Karen M had sustained a fall in her garden as did Nick from Well Street and village leader Ian has a surgical boot after snapping a ligament as he was pottering at home. All this tempted  fate, as when I was showing off humping watering cans full of water from Affable Despot Jason’s house , I felt my back twang painfully.

I knew what to do, I went home , took a painkiller and tried to keep moving, but the pain was rather intense so I plumped for plan B which which was Valium.

Back pain is often all about managing spasm and Valium or diazepam is often an emergency drug of choice. So I rang a friend in the village who I knew had some and he kindly popped two tablets to me within twenty minutes.

I thought I had taken 4 mg of diazepam but as the tablets kicked in I suspected I had in fact taken 10 mg so by 8 pm , I was nicely off my head and giggling happily at shit on the tv.

The pain is back today , but not so sharply, and I am trying to potter to keep myself going

Tears Before Bedtime

 

I’m relaxing at home with a cup of tea with Sheffield all done and dusted.

The drive home clocked up just under two hours, and that was from Dronfield ( where I’d had coffee and cake with friend Kathryn ) over the Derbyshire Moors and down Snake Pass…..a glorious drive.

The one thing that can be said for a divorce is that it’s made me a better driver. 

I really enjoyed the drive, much nicer than the train.

I arrived in Sheffield just before four and met my friend John for a late lunch at Browns at St Paul’s Chambers at five. I haven’t seen him for the best part of a year,  

Now John, on his best form can be described as a performer par excellence. Arch, camp, funny, waspish……think Tallulah Bankhead crossed with Bette Davis sprinkled with a bit of Sondheim and you will get the gist. 

Over the last few years John has been dealing with cancer. He’s upfront and open about it and indeed has faced his condition with all of the fortitude of Carlotta Campion out of Follies , but even though I am up to date about how things are, his recent weight loss caught me a little by surprise.

We talked about it, but then, as always, we laughed and gossiped and laughed over a leisurely dinner where 2 hours flew by like swallows in a blue sky.

I had planned to meet two other friends in All Bar One and was delighted when John joined us. He is at his best when playing to an audience. And we all had a riotous time, like the silly, boozy ones we had when we first met way back in the 90s..

John was the first to go, and there was much swishing and “ darlings” bandied about as we hugged our goodbyes. I watched John walk off for the tram to Hillsborough his figure very slight, almost frail but his wave jaunty and pure Showgirl and  I promptly burst into tears

My friend Mike, a burly, very straight Yorkshireman understood, as did Jane and both of them each held my hand until I sniffed a few times and felt better through the tears.

Sheffield

 Post lockdown …..we all needed a blow out

Hummm I have a hangover

We had a blast xx

Sheffield

I’ve got up early today and after a tepid bath ( the log burner wasn’t on long enough to heat the water properly) I walked the dogs , had my weight watcher’s breakfast of eggs on dry toast and am just about to drive to Sheffield after I finish my bucket of coffee.

I’ve just bought a twenty quid ticket for Come From Away when I’m next in London, there are bargains galore to be had if you look….

The cottage is tidy for dog sitter Ruth’s arrival 
Ive changed sheets, cut flowers for every room including the living room bookcase and her treats are in the fridge all ready, but all I can really think of is the thrill of meeting up with old friends after  so long.

Flowers on the bookcase

It’s a lovely day today,

I feel brighter after my night shifts

Off in Bluebell now, heading East over the Pennines 

To my home town