Cut Off

I posted a somewhat stressed blog entry last night after I lost my wallet
After cancelling all of my cards and worrying about my Grandmother's wedding ring which I foolishly tucked into a compartment for safety, Mary found said wallet which had fallen behind the living room draught excluder.
Ok , just a minor stressor after all that but it was an on line sharing last night that was pulled because a persistent troll who has been asked politely ( and impolitely) to stop commenting here, felt that they wanted to comment of the whole shebang
The commentator , I think has failed to grasp that I just don't want any of her comments here, no matter how they are phrased and under whatever pseudonym they have picked for that day.
If that seems unfair , I don't care.
I don't have to give a reason

Anyhow back to today......Two adorable looking bearded workmen were knocking on the door at 8.45  this morning.
They arrived all big booted and manly to turn off my electricity
I went all girly for a few moments and Winnie went hysterical
It looked as though a tribute band for the Village People had just walked through the back door.

They were replacing the electricity cables to the cottages on our lane and have done so quickly and professionally watched from the bedroom window by Mary and Albert and from the living room window by Winnie .

I had already stoked the fire so the cottage was warm, but without power the place was totally silent which proved to be rather nice and calm, especially after yesterday's hysteria of wallet searching.
I sat at the kitchen table with a flask of coffee and answered the first two dozen of the postcard entries who had return addresses written on them and I will post these a bit later before I go to bed.
I'm on nights again tonight.

The sexy cable men returned a few minutes ago to " reattach me" and one used the loo with Winnie in tow ( she entered the bathroom with him and he locked the door on both of them which amused me)
The other workman played with Mary in the kitchen when he was waiting and noted my pile of paperwork on the table
" are you working from home today?" he asked , making small talk
I agreed, resisting the urge to say " Just answering my fan mail !" 

37 postcards delivered today....I haven't got time to post them until tomorrow 

Being Nice

People are suddenly being nicer to me,
At work someone brought me a cake and two scotch eggs were put in the nurses' fridge for my break!
and I received hugs from members of staff that won't see me next weekend when I finally complete my last shift.
"I won't see you again!!!!" one menopausal colleague wailed
" I am retiring NOT dying of cancer!" I reminded her.
It just so happens that four of my favourite nurses are leaving roughly when I do. One is going into nurse education, one into Student support and the other is moving to an ophthalmic ward where the hours and the physicality of nursing is better for her back.
We shall have a joint leaving do, which means more people there but increases the chances that someone who does not like you but likes someone else turns up......
What larks Pip!
Even Ursula or Petra might say something nice to me this week! 

So my question to you all this sunny Sunday afternoon is this?

What was the best compliment someone has ever given you?

 I am reminded  of my grandmother here, who was the Queen of the backhanded compliment.....on seeing that I had made an effort to get my unruly hair neat and tidy for a family do, she commented " oh your hair looks lovely.....from the back!" 

Answers on postcards please!

Blind Women Climbing the curtains and Other Postcards

but is it art?

If my friend Naomi was perplexed by the sight of two visually impaired performers swinging from black curtain material in a modern day Japanese themed London Hall in sort of homage to the biwa hoshi (Travelling blind storytelling performers in ancient Japan, she had the good breeding not to let on.

Having said this both of us turned to each other after Flight Paths at Theatre Clwyd and mouthed the words "What the fuck?" 

535 cards! the final is tomorrow

Going on............

Things that I have noticed that we don't see much of any more

Wasps
Little Boys running around in gangs.
Hedgehogs
Brown Suits
Moustaches
Square ice cream in a wafer
Rain hats
Little red spiders on hot paving stones
Old lady bloomers
Doilies
High Tea
Headscarves
Typewriters
Fishmongers
House martins
Cinzano
Wooden ball car seats
Vicars in the street
Sugar puffs
Personal, hand written letters
Dirty postcards
Children's dens in the countryside
White dog poo

....And What we see too much of?

Old men in sportswear
Fat people ( me included)
The institutionalised unwell ( people with pseudo beck problems and sticks)
Cars
Bad Tattoos
Common people
Flesh
Litter
Modern parents
4 x 4 s
Mobile phones
Charity shops
Big print wallpaper

I could go on

Disappointment

I'm doing ok
Not great Not brilliant but ok.
Over the last couple of months I have found out I have a lot of good friends and a good family
I have been of the receiving end of thoughtful thoughts and touching gifts
I have received cards and postcards, strange gifts of food and jam and even an anonymous bunch of flowers.
and people who I would have never have expected have stopped to say something when driving by would have been easier...... it is that small effort of saying "are you ok?" that has helped.... it really has
I have also been dreadfully disappointed by a handful of people I care for   and that I expected better from.
I guess that's common when people think that they have to take sides or they know not what to say.😟

A dear friend of mine said something similar to me recently. He  felt let down by a close friend of his who seemed crass and insensitive when dealing with my friend's serious illness.
My friend recognised the fact that serious illness can paralyse some people into inactivity, but the hurt was real and understandable.
unfortunately , for many reasons some friends cannot say what needs to be heard he said......and I agree with him many can't  BUT THEY BLOODY SHOULD

I have some advice for those that feel, for whatever reason, that they cannot say something supportive to people like me or like my friend.....people going through a shitty time
make the effort and say something, email something, message something
You don't have to take sides , you don't have to provide a counselling service , you don't have to lend a supporting ear daily until your ears bleed.....no
you just have be nice and ask
"are you ok?"

Monday Cards

More entries in the postcards competition and one hand drawn  one to challenge 

Mr artist from South Yorkshire!

If you have any entries

please send them to  me @

Bwthyn Y llan

Cwm Road,

Trelawnyd.

Flintshire

North Wales

LL18 6EF

If you want a reply please include your address