Silence

 The CBM sings loudly and badly. 

It’s fun to listen to , but what with the banging and hammering in the claustrophobia of a 17th Century cottage it feels amplified and overwhelming.

My morning dog walk wasn’t restful as Dorothy was in one of her yappy moods and fearing more tree felling activities when I returned to the village , I dropped the girls off at Trendy Carol’s and took myself off for a quiet coffee.

Y Shed was packed with walkers with their dogs when I got there and there was a loud snarling fight between a poodle and a sheepdog just as I raised my americano to my lips.

I took myself off to my sister Ann’s house and let myself in.

It’s a large family house, full of antiques and paintings and memories 

And it was silent , save for a ticking clock and the odd creak Edwardian houses always seem to encourage when floorboards contract during the heat of the day.

No chainsaws.

No bulldog snores

No singing of power ballads 

No coffee chatter

Nothing.

The shower was hot and the sheets crisp 

And the silence of the old house was the best time I’ve had all week

Too Much Activity

 I knew I needed to get out of the village today.

The council tree fellers have started on the dead and dying ash trees that border the old grave yard and the village is buzzing with the sound of chainsaws and wood cutters.

I had to stop for a moment to say goodbye to one particular tree which used to house Alf,Hughie and Ivy, my spirited trio of guinea fowl in years gone by.

It’s devastating to see the demise and destruction of the Ash Trees and I hope the conservation group may be able to replant some of the losses. 

At least my laburnum looks robust and healthy.

The noise from the field and the cheerful banging from the CBM was all too much so I joined a friend in Liverpool for a sunny lunch outside an Italian restaurant in Liverpool One. 

It seemed calmer than Trelawnyd.

Over a very nice chicken salad and a small Pinot  the CBM called to say that there had been a “bit of a leak” and there was now a hole in the kitchen ceiling 

I refused to get stressed by it . I’m sure it will all get sorted

After lunch I bought a glass shelf from John Lewis.

I got home after four and went to vote. It’s our local elections as well as our community council election and I’m one of 6 new prospective community councillors putting themselves forward in a bit to ensure some balance on the council .

The cottage looks a bit rough when I got home.

Hey ho

Toilet news, Towels, The Northman and Chewbacca saves the day

 There seems to be a bit of interest in the location and origin of my second loo! It’s located in the shed outside and was, as far as we were told, non functioning and not plumbed in .

The shed has been the repository for my bike and dog crates for years so I’m delighted to see it resurrected  back into a working, if basic bog! 

Bless the CBM, he got it working and cleaned it up and left some toilet paper inside for me.

That’s going beyond his remit.

I’ve been out for the day, as the rest of the bathroom was ripped out, the new bathroom was delivered and all of the electrics were put in for the shower. I met a friend for breakfast then , not being far from work , I called into the hospice for a long shower, before popping into TK Max to buy some impractical but delightfully fluffy white towels for my new heated towel rail.

After that I went to see the dire Viking “ epic” The Northman which was an hour I’m never going to get back again. I walked out early, tired of the mud and gore . It wasn’t a total waste of time as I popped into the new  flash Marks for some tahini paste and practiced with my news at nav on the journey home.

My nephew texted about our forthcoming visit to comic con. Apparently some of my heroes from Tbe Walking Dead will be there! How exciting….

I’m reminded of this incredibly moving clip of “ chewbacca” meeting one of his fans

Now that comic con character has class

A 2 Toilet Household

 

CBM was a miracle worker yesterday.  

Not only did he remove a cast iron bath single handedly but managed to get it down the stairs and into the garden without any help.

A phone call to village elder Islwyn was all it took to have his brother, who lives on High Street to come and collect it for scrap. 

Bish Bash Bosh 

All done and dusted. 

CBM also found out that I have a small outhouse that has an old non working toilet in it. In minutes he had repaired the loo thus providing me with a spare ! 

I am now an official 2 toilet household! 

My mother would have been very proud indeed.

Up early today as I’m not getting caught with my pants down again . 

I’m going out for the day after walking the dogs 

Garlic eye level

I’ve just watched Van De Valk on sky 

And remembered that  I actually bought this single in 1973

Meanwhile earlier

 This is the view of the wild garlic groves just north of Trelawnyd at Dyserth this evening 

The scent is almost overwhelming 

A Poo In Sainsburys

 I'm in Sainsburys 

Feeling a bit shell-shocked. 

I set the alarm for 8.15 and slept the deep jet lagged sleep of the night nurse until there was a merry bang on the door just before 8am. 

Cheerful Bathroom man (CBM) was ripping the bath out minutes later.

I gathered the girls up and took them to Trendy Carol's. Booked a skip then made CBM a coffee before I realised I needed to "go" 

My routine is often down to the minute! 

That's what I like

A nice long "sit" and a read of the news.

Bliss.

Anyhow the bathroom already looked like Coventry during the Blitz so

I came to sainsburys for an anonymous poo.

I've only just "come round" and that was after a rather robust cooked breakfast and two large Americanos.

My head is still on nights.

YooHoo

 

Mary was in-fact asleep sat up in the photo

There is something really satisfying when big jobs are completed at home.

After a sleep , I’ve  prepared the cottage for the workman tomorrow.jobs which included clearing the bathroom and filling the log store so that the workman can park his van in the cleared driveway. 

It’s overcast but warm so the lane has been busy which has been nice as it’s refreshing to see non hospice people .

Affable Despot Jason and his girls stopped to chat and Eve ( above) grabbed the opportunity to cuddle Mary.

And as I watered the flower beds I caught Pippa from the Rectory having a long conversation with Sailor John from next door. 

Mrs Trellis walked past too and waved calling “ You hooo” like old ladies often do

She was eating an ice cream bought from the ice cream van that still visits the village in an afternoon and which plays just one cornetto on its speakers 

Bluebells

 

I’ve always loved Bluebells.

This is the best time of year for them.

That and wild garlic which now fills the senses with smells of France and Italy as it carpets the woodlands around Trelawnyd in white

Those woodlands now fly the colours of Greece and Argentina or even Finland depending on the intensity of the bluebell’s blue.

My garden bluebells are robust and dark. I stole a few bulbs from Bodnant Gardens over a decade ago and the tiny plants have repaid me by filling the cottage borders in early May 

I have a day off before the bathroom man arrives. 

So after a sleep , I will clear the decks ready

But will also cut a few bluebells for the front room. 

In a tiny Art Deco vase and against the gentle yellow paintwork , the flowers seem, at their best