Another bout of nasty weather approaches, so I thought it the right time to open the cat flap.
Weaver left the cottage first followed by Bun and as I predicted both didn’t venture too far in the cold and wet. Roger was beside himself and kept looking at the cat flap then to me as if to say “what’s happening Dad.?”
I tried to keep busy like parents do when their toddlers go to play school for the first time
As usual , I parked in the mother and child spot and almost had a row with a woman who took umbrage with my explanation that the Welsh ARE my children. I say almost, I’m not in the mood for battling , not today. I just smiled sweetly
She didn’t smile back.
Sometimes , I get a little weary of being the one who hires and fires all of the time.
I have an appointment at the doctor’s surgery on Monday to discuss my recent blood tests and it was nice that a friend at work, who knows, gave me a kiss on the cheek as way as a support last night.
Like I said , I’m a little tired doing everything on my own.
But there is no alternative and we plod on, don’t we ?
I’ve cooked butter beans and chillies, and made a thick fish soup with cod steaks and park Choi , walked the dogs and lit the fire .
Tomorrow I’m going bowling in the village hall, which sounds rather third age but all rather fun, but tonight I’m hunkering down on the couch
I woke to the roar of the wind and Weaver angrily swiping claws at my toes.
The wind has a real edge to it, and even the Welsh who love a leisurely walk and sniff, kept their heads down and pulled for home.
The ponies, as she had predicted stood with their backs to the wind in the shelter of the hawthorn hedges and the private windmill at Marion Mawr ,far across the valley, whirled crazily.
I checked the village Facebook page,
The Arla cattle crossing near Sarn had been closed by fallen trees, but no one has suffered power cuts yet.
I think the school is closed too
I’m working a single night shift tonight which will be fun getting to, I will add to the post later
York which is the backdrop of the new police drama Patience
Patience is a police researcher who has autism , so that twist is the whole nuance of the series.
It’s a little predictable but it’s watchable and well done but more importantly it visited an old haunt I haven’t returned to in thirty six years.
In last night’s episode I grabbed a glimpse of the Hole In The Wall pub which still lies just inside Bootham Bar ( or gate in the Walls)
I had been the new psychiatric nurse for only a few weeks when I joined the staff on a Christmas Night out at The Hole In The Wall, and as I walked in, all fearful and shy I was met by a roar of warmth by my new colleagues . Geordi Pete, Cath Sylvester, Tracey Birkin , Mandy, Anne O’Neil, Linda M, Brid, Gordon, and others
An hour or two later , arm in arm with whoever was near I found myself belting out the chorus of ABBA’s Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie ( a man after midnight) feeling I’d come home
The story comes full circle soon as I’ve planned to meet with one of that group, namely Tracey Birkin in York in the spring.
We reconnected on Facebook recently amid much emotion
A couple of years I went to the Storyhouse to see a showing of the 1922 silent version of Nosferatu complete with a live musical score. One famous scene had Max Schreck climbing slowly out of a ship’s hold and this stands up to this day as one of cinema’s famous horror moment. The 2024 Roger Egger’s version pays homage to the original by presenting some amazing visual set pieces and truly impressive cinematic moments but by the end of 160 minutes I was praying for someone to dispatch a rather disgusting looking monster quick stix!!!
It just wasn’t very scary
I had a Phad Thai as a treat afterwards
I will leave you with another fine blast of the lisping choir, I was there watching from the back row
College until mid afternoon, before I took Trendy Carol’s hubby to an appointment in Prestatyn. I went to Tesco’s as I was waiting for him and got cruised by an attractive older man with a big beard who was working on the checkout. Lots of direct stares a couple of smiles and a big hello there as I passed his till.
I heard the clip clop of the ponies’ hooves when I was sipping coffee in the kitchen. Roger barked as they passed the kitchen window and I could hear the twins scampering across the bedroom floorboards to watch from the window seat.
The ponies return is a big deal on Cwm Road
Not fully caffeinated, I marshalled the Welsh and we drove to Parisellas in Colwyn Bay for breakfast. It was cold but we sat outside and shared a table. By force of habit Mary sat on her own seat. Roger sat on the floor making googoo eyes at any passing dog.
I ordered a flame hot americano and a sausage bap which we shared
A group of people opposite seemed amused by Mary’s politeness and asked about her.
She’s my old girl I told them and they smiled at her obvious age, the slightly milky eyes, the patchy coat then they “ oohed and aahed” as she sat on my knee, warming herself inside my coat flaps
She is an old gal, not that long for this world now
And as I thought that, I enjoyed the thump, thump thump of her heart as she pushed herself against my chest, and I sipped at my coffee
