Cinema

Paris Memories

Last Night I did an extra night shift

and so in compensation I've arranged a few cinema trips with friends from Saturday.

Saturday I'm meeting Nigel for Lunch in Chester then we are going to see the classic Midnight Cowboy

at the Storyhouse.(it will be great to have a proper adult pot mortum) Sunday I'm meeting my friend Colin for an early dinner then we are gong to see the Italian L'immensita with Penelope Cruz also at the Storyhouse.

Its a triple whammy on Monday when Gorgeous Dave and I also venture to the storyhouse for the Asian comedy Joy Ride

Tonight Im on my own for the french drama Paris Memories

phew

With a heart of a lion

When I’m pottering, I leave the back door open.

The small patio is enclosed on four sides by wall, one adjacent to the lane.

This wall is known not unsurprisingly as the kitchen wall .

This is where most visitors to Bwthyn y Llan stop and chat.

Four steps lead up to a gateway into the back garden and usually this is blocked by old crate which acts as a gate when the dogs are mooching on their own.

I was making my bed when I heard the Welsh terriers barking,

Dorothy was with me as usual and immediately she and I picked up on the tone of the barking which was fearful rather than just warning.

She let out a woof and leapt for the door and was down the stairs before I could turn.

A stranger was in the kitchen and she went for him without any hesitation, chasing him across the patio where he jumped the crate.

By the time I got to the kitchen he was panting by bluebell and had shut the metal gate under the Montana arch.

Dorothy was stood against the crate with flint eyes

The man said something about window replacements but was already walking away.and her eyes  followed him very carefully. Bulldogs are benign characters but I have seen this look before. When they turn, they turn totally into different dogs. Fierce and icy cold.

God alone knows what would have happened to him, if the crate hadn’t been in place. 

As small as she is, I suspect he would have been badly bitten. 

The Welsh had been woken by the man as he entered the kitchen , they had been asleep on the reading chair . Neither moved until Dorothy had chased the man out of the door.

I took some Flowers

 I took some flowers and “crap” magazines to my sister tonight, 

She’s sore, but  brighter than she was.

She asked me about my date….she’s always hopeful, like a Jewish Moma

And I said it was ok with a smile 

And she nodded 

“Don’t settle for ok “ she said kindly

“I  won’t” I replied 

It was a hollow smile

The Rain On Your Face

 I’m doing a few single nights with breaks in between.

This fucks with my body clock something dreadful and whereas I can usually sleep well, long and hard when I need to recently I’ve been left fidgety and restless.

There is a remedy for this, especially if it threatening light rain

And that is to lie down in the field for a while.

Now if I had a private garden, I good stretch out on the wet lawn would suffice ,

But as my garden is overlooked by anyone walking down the lane

I’d cause a bit of a stir, lying there like a corpse .

No the privacy of the field is ideal.

Yesterday I had a lie down just as it started to rain lightly.

It was 1pm and the dogs had been walked and returned to bed

I flopped down heavily

Face to the sky

Bum on flattened long grass and ragwort , a plant which needs to be removed before the ponies arrive back.

The trick is to lie there until you feel refreshed but before you feel chilled by the rain.

It didn’t  take long, and I almost fell asleep before opening my eyes to the grey clouds scuttling across the sky and the three caw warning calls of a crow in the Churchyard.

I didn’t bother to towel dry.

I just crawled back into bed next to Dorothy who rolled over with a piggy fart

And slept the rest of the day until six

The Sounds

 My elder sister has been in surgery this weekend. She’s ok

But she’s been on my mind and I’m dreaming of childhood Sunday mornings circa 1967 

With songs like this playing constantly from her bedroom

Serendipity returns

 

I’ve talked about serendipity before.

Ever since my husband left, when I’ve desperately required money

It has arrived, out of the blue

Just when it was needed….

When I had no car a PPI claim came in.

When solicitor and tax bills came in unexpectedly a mortgage rebate turned up

And when I had vets bills a galore a pension underpayment was acknowledged 

I’ve been very lucky. 

Only yesterday me and my counselling chums met up for dinner and Some of the conversation centred about the cost of the course which the three of us are all self funding. 

Of the three of us, my worries re paying course fees seemed most precarious.

Well today I received an email from an organisation that supports nurse education and development. I had approached them an age ago regarding an application for grant support. 

Well that support came through today and will pay for the whole of my first year’s University fees!

How fantastic is that? 

Perhaps more good fortune than serendipitous but great whatever the definition. 

I sat in Churchyard this morning and reviewed my good fortune after watering my laburnum which is going from strength to strength. It feels as though, financially , I have been watched over by guardian Angel of sorts  

It’s a nice feeling. 

As I sat there, I noticed that Auntie Glad’s gravestone had been updated and renewed 

I touched it before walking back home 

And how did the date go. ? 

I hear you ask

Well it went nicely 

Mark talked easily and seems like a very nice man

He’s a widower from covid time and I think, not quite over his husband’s death.

I will meet him again for coffee

Breaking Bread

My counselling besties Caroline and Donna 

There’s a lot to be said for meals out with loved ones.

Monday my family met up for a barbecue  for my brother in law ‘s birthday, 

relaxed, funny and chatty.

I loved it.

And yesterday I met a friend for breakfast which proved to be a gossip and laugh over sausage sandwiches and great coffee.

Great fun.

Last night I met up with my counselling friends at Pen y Bryn in Colwyn Bay and three hours around a table of food which included wild boar apple  pie and gravy to die for, shot past in an instant. 

We start our course in a month and all have felt mutually supported before the challenge starts …it’s nice to have our clique in place.

Im also pleased that my idea of a group get together means that the  numerous members of the Trelawnyd Community Association are getting together for a curry night inside the hall in a few weeks time. 

I thought we deserved some down time , using the hall as a venue , just for us….

Bring your own booze…..I intend to weave my way home late that night……

There is something fundamental about breaking bread together. Sitting with those you love and like, with food and drink and talking and laughing and telling stories.

No phones, no tv, no other distractions . 

Just gossip, and chatter, and sharing the odd morsel 

Around a table 

Face to face

Karl Jenkins - " THE ARMED MAN " Benedictus

A fellow scruffy Welshman Karl Jenkins The Armed Man is a piece of music you have to see live and in a big venue. 

I saw it in London over twenty years ago and realised then I would never tire of the Benedictus .

I listened to it this morning with the cottage windows wide and with the music floating over the graveyard