Rice Balls & Charles

 

Yesterday my nephew Pete rang me up to see if I wanted to go to a local food festival with him .He’s a total outdoorsy speed junkie so this was a change of direction for him so I was delighted to do something different . 

We were accompanied by my elder sister Ann and have just spent an enjoyable hour perusing the stalls and buying up tidbits not usually seen in Welsh high Streets.

I bought a selection of Italian Arancini rice balls and some overly expensive olives and after we had a nice chat and a drink in the gardens of the Glasfryn which is a restaurant overlooking Theatre Clwyd.

Pete showed me a photo on his phone, it was of when my father and mother met King Charles when he was a budding Prince Charles and was taken in the 70s

I hadn’t seen it for years

My mother looks terrified . 

My father just very proud

Queue

 I’ve been toying with the idea of going to London to see the Queen .

But common sense took over.

I couldn’t justify the expense, not with Bluebell’s service coming up 

The phenomenon of “ The Queue” seems to be hotly debated in some areas of the media with reporters accusing people of loving the spectacle  of queue over the prospect of showing respect to the Monarch 

I’m not sure that’s the case, I think throughout all this period the  turning up to watch the proceedings has been the only way that many can feel “ a part “ of things. 

During the processions applause has been the only other way of participation for many 

I get it, totally….

Today I met my friend Polly for lunch at Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias 

The portion size was small but the linguine was tasty enough.

The restaurant is situated in the Sea Activity Centre on the Prom which resembles a soviet bunker from its land side

It was nice to get the wind on my face afterward, and I stood on the Promenade for an age watching the white horses show themselves in the bay

With A Hint Of Orange

I’ve been busy today

Well I say busy…. I’ve been pottering

I’ve just come back after a walk and ate a sandwich on the way home whilst listening to The Archers.

I missed the Linda Snell/ Justin Elliot scene as Dorothy was barking too much.

Today I’ve finished painted my upstairs landing. I didn’t photograph my work because the landing is just too small.

It’s a gentle yellow with a new lampshade to match. 

William’s bum marks have now been painted over on the bedroom door corner where he used to enjoy himself so much

( for those few that don’t know, William was a welsh terrier and not a disgusting ex boyfriend) 

Hey ho.

My friend Neil , rang me to share that Sainsbury’s had orange glasses at a special offer price 

So I popped down and bought the last one. 

My black and white bathroom , has now been filled with accents of orange.

Too much? 

I’m not sure.

As I was painting Roger enjoyed himself in the garden with Albert . They didn’t play as Albert used to do with Winifred .They just watched each other , daring each other to move first. 

After Albert finally tired, I gave Roger a pink lady apple to chew on.
 

I’ve lit the fire again tonight. 

Bright, Bright, Sunshiny day

 

This morning I completed my second speed awareness course. As bad luck would have it I was sat next to a garrulous and rather irritating woman from Llandudno who never stopped spouting rubbish rather than being parked next to a brooding good looking Welsh farmer called Iwan who sat to her left.

“Chalk it up to experience”  he told me in his sing song welsh accent and I nodded gamely, in that way you do when trying to ingratiate yourself. 

The irritating woman monopolised his attention

The Cow ! 

Yesterday, I started my counselling diploma . 

It felt an important day, and was one that gave me a great deal of food for thought.

From yesterday, I now feel as though I have a life plan.

I sort of know where I am going.

Four years ago ( was it four?) I was financially in dire straits. I was retired, facing the prospect of losing my home, was carless, emotionally fucked and didn’t have a plan of what I was doing and where I was going.

Yesterday I saw the forward path for real, and it felt real and right and exciting.

Completing my counselling course will take me to the age of 63. 

If ( sorry when) I qualify I will be then able to take my own clients whether that be in a palliative care setting or privately, and that transition will allow me to retire properly from nursing after forty one years in the profession. 

The counselling course will push me and I need that. It will push me emotionally, professionally and most importantly academically and sitting in the classroom yesterday, looking over Google classroom and feeling slightly overfaced by technology felt all rather exciting.

I have budgeted for the costs and have set aside monies to see me through the training, and my part time status at work will allow me some balance and downtime.

I have a plan 

And it feels the right Plan 

Touch wood.

I’ve just taken the dogs to the beach. When I am driving now, Roger has got into William’s old habit of sniffing and licking my hair as we go. 

It’s a lovely feeling , all told and I am so grateful he has settled in to the cottage dynamic .

So home is sorted, work is going well and the future has a plan .

What was it the Jimmy Cliff song went ?

I can see clearly now ,the rain has gone ……….

Flip Flops

 “ oh Darling John , you are in flip flops!” 

Chic Eleanor was disappointed as she’d planned our early morning walk to be across the fields by the side of the Gop.

I had remembered by posh Northface jacket but had let the side down with my flip flops 

“ Only you” Eleanor tutted 

We walked across the wet fields anyway and typically I fell out of the said flip flops so many times my feet were stained with sheep poo by the time we got back

I didn’t mind too much.

It was refreshing enough

Moving

 This video from tiktok is extremely powerful 

Members of the Scottish public paying their respects to the Queen’s coffin, and bowing their heads without instruction as they pass 

Damp

 

I’ve got some jobs done today. 

This week I have no shifts as I’ve taken some holiday that I was owed….and I want to get those jobs done.

Living in an old building there is always things to do. 

I bought paint for the back of the cottage which is rendered white and I’m planning to paint the upstairs hall into the east wing the same gentle yellow of the living room.

This is a pragmatic decision as I’ve got far too much yellow paint left over from the living room.

Having said this, it’s humid and damp today so it’s not a day for painting.

I replaced the absent kitchen door knob ( it’s been missing over a decade) , and went out blackberry picking to get the air and to feel the fine rain on my face, but there were few fruits to be seen down the lane than I expected, but there are more sloes to be had on the field borders

It was nice to be soaked though, and my feet in my flip flops squeaked happily as I clip clopped home. 

I booked Roger’s first haircut, paid bills and made bean soup, spiced with garlic and chilli. 

And watched the Queen’s Coffin being taken up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. 

I see the line heckler that shouted that Andrew was a nonce was dragged backwards out of shot like an extra in one of the Alien films. 

Sunday Night

 The fire is lit and the dogs are all resting, Mary with her rubber Chicken by her side. 

I’ve repainted the fireplace wall today , in the same gentle yellow I did two summers ago , and gone have the soot marks which have so irritated me this year.

I have watched the journey of the Queen’s  coffin and loved the fact that a score of  Aberdeenshire farmers saluted the convoy with their tractors as did the horses and riders from a local livery 

It’s cold and wet outside and no bats flew in the lane at our evening walk