Lessons On The Playing Field

 It was 30 degrees here in North Wales

My counselling room was oppressive and humid I couldn’t open the windows wide on the sunny side of the building in case confidentiality was compromised.

My client was tired and hot and bothered

It wasn’t the ideal counselling environment for both of us

Suddenly I had an idea and asked my client

Do you remember those hot rare days in primary school when your favourite teacher took a class on the playing field ?

They smiled and nodded at the memory

Let’s go for a walk and a sit in the shade 

And that’s what we did . We walked to a knot of trees behind the counselling building and sat in the cool shade of some silver birch 

Disregarding marking our clothes on the cool earth

And there my client talked

Eva Braun

 I never tell anyone that I’m a nurse when I am a patient in the care system 

I almost did today when I attended day clinic for an injection into my right eye

The nurse doing the preliminary tests was cool and efficient

And after I had told her I was eye phobic 

She continued to be cool and efficient

I informed her that I had taken 2 Valium 

A fact she ignored 

And the rest of the consultation was completed in silence

I remembered Victoria Wood’s famous you’ve a look of Eva Braun comment

The consultant was gentle and reassuring which helped and when the injection came it was unpleasant but not horrendous 

When I left I mentioned to the staff nurse in charge that things would have been easier for me if that nurse had been friendlier 

I’m beyond keeping quiet about lacklustre care

THE BONEY M experience and a Father’s Day perspective.

I never liked Boney M when I was 18 but

Loved this interpretation 

It’s 6 am and I’m doing my first long day at the hospice today in two and a half months ! 

My arm weakness is no better….physio booked for Thursday 

😟

And changing the mood somewhat ……..

It was Father’s Day in the Uk two days ago.

I wasn’t really a good son

I was angry and petulant at my father for the most part when he was alive

He was distant, and often angry and not skilled in the art of parenthood 

We were not a good fit.

I reconciled much with him, in the year of his death  

But it was never quite enough.😞

Years later I know I compensated when I was a good son-in-law to my ex husband’s father

We talked often after my husband disappeared to bed on his father’s visits to wales 

Sat in the living room together, or on the back patio, with the dogs on our knees

We put the world to rights

And he shared family worries to someone who didn’t judge. 

A flawed man who knew he was flawed

As we all are….

I remember him telling me, after many gin and tonics how proud he was at me joining his family and we shook hands clumsily in the dark like conspirators. 

Me and my father in law in the early days of the Ukrainian village

I still, remain proud that I always made an effort with him.

That’s why I went to his funeral, an event I should never have put myself through

Hey ho

I wish I had known my father as well as I knew my father in law

I wish I had been a father too🙏🌈

Leaving On a Jet Plane

 Travelling still can be a bit of a palaver as in the olden days most of the leg work was done by your travel agent . But at least we don’t have to order travellers cheques any more. 

Oh the ease of debit card. 

International travel, for the most part is easy. 

I’ve just booked a car to pick me and Ruth up at Madrid airport for peanuts

30£ for peace of mind

I’ve worked out our metro journey to the Auditorio National, sorted tickets out for The Museo National Centro de Arte Reina Sofia

Everything is organised. 

It will be hot so my hastily ordered linen pant Amazon purchases have arrived 

I will look cool and collected and floaty in cream and pale green

( trendy Carol eat your heart out) 

Gone has those gauche days when travel was terrifying

When me and my sister first went to Spain in the 1980s and she followed the toilet instructions printed in almost English All Solids To Be Placed In Bin TO THE LETTER 

And SHAT in the bin

Bidets were something you washed your feet in 

And the water from the taps was something to be feared like leprosy 

My ex husband and I went to Malta in those early days and it was only his second time on a plane

He was terrified which amused me greatly 

I felt a seasoned traveller back then having a few trips to New York already under my belt 

I still get nervous on take off

But I still see flying anywhere as a treat

And I think I always will

Hey ho

Ma Manley’s Book

 

I’m not the only village historian of sorts. My history blog https://trelawnydhistory.blogspot.com/ has been complemented and surpassed by Ma Manley’s beautifully designed book Trelawnyd Map 

Karen has been working on the book which is a work in progress and it looks at points of local historical interest, with gossipy asides and home drawn illustrations. It’s quite charming

 

As well as the book, Karen hopes to organising a quilt map of the village in a similar style which hopefully bring villagers together with their own corners of Trelawnyd to sew or stitch.

I’d love to be a part of this initiative .

On the way home I noticed that the beautiful Flower Show posters are up

And the village Telephone Box is suitably packed

Leg rubs

I’ve just found Weaver’s weak spot 

 

Bodrhyddan Hall

The ceramic fayre was busy and quite lovely. Roger gets much attention which he secretly likes

Lots of exhibits to see and we shared a small pizza and watched the world go by

Finally I bought these metal hens for the garden

 

Seguidillas de La verbena de la Paloma- Grupo Talía

The lisping Choir at their very best, that final note from the sopranos lifted the auditorium’s roof as I recall

This “new” view of part of the Zarzuela ( a typically Spanish staged drama, comprising of popular songs, Opera, and dancing) features the happy anticipation of the townsfolk to an 1894 towns fair- The Fair Of The Dove

I can’t believe I will see them again in just two weeks time.

Those that know Madrid, any suggestions to visit?

I’m trying to be frugal until then, but I have splashed out for a 5£ ticket to go to the ceramic Fayre at the nearby Bodryddan Hall on Sunday. It’s beautiful ..have a look below

https://www.bodrhyddan.co.uk/

Watch the video, you can see Gop Hill in the distance to the right