What Do We Do?

The migrant crisis in the Mediterranean seems to be ever growing

Ever desperate and

I have no idea of a solution  

Non of us have. 

But to all of those that call these people scum

To all of those that scream " Keep out, Go Home"

Take a long look at this photo

And scream your hate and fear again eh?

Guilty TV Pleasures

It's pissing down. I got soaked at lunchtime and now I'm cold and shivery. It's the sort of day that you want to snuggle down with your favourite Tv programmes.
Now I don't have the tv on during the day. It's a throwback to my mother who said it was " dreadfully common "......
But if I could pick 10 tv programmes to watch back to back on a cold wet afternoon ....what would they be?
Here is my list

Number 1 ....what a surprise!

Now what does any self confessed gay man loves above all other things on tv?

Yes ......sassy women suffering hardship and winning through

In Tenko we had more gay icons crammed together than in any fancy dress birthday party thrown by 

Elton John

An elderly dutch nun, ( Sister Ulrica) Plucky Leader Marion Jefferson, bulldog faced Dr Mason

Tart with a heart Blanche and the snobby Mrs Van Mayer were just five of the  massive female cast of   

Japanese POWs interned in wartime Sumatra 

Wonderful 1980 tv viewing

My 3rd place winner is a precursor to the disaster movies of the 1970s

a science fiction tv series by Irwin Allen

When I was ten years old I was totally obsessed with " LAND OF THE GIANTS" 

I lived, breathed and loved it with a passion. 

And ( how gay is this) my favourite character was the stewardess Betty Hamilton 

" Betty? What a cracking name)

Now number 4 on my list is a sentimental choice

It's the dreadful " Dickenson's Real Deal" 

Now for those that have never seen this orange faced antique dealer programme - I shall try to 

explain ......members of the public drag in their old nic nacks and haggle their sale with a selection of 

Odd looking antique dealers

Its a pile of shit.....but shit that me and my brother used to watch and kind of enjoy every thursday when I used to go up and " babysit" him when he was dying.

Halfway through, and number five is the quiz show ONLY CONNECT fronted ( and what a massive front she has) by  Victoria Coren Mitchell 

I love it.

I love Coren's wit

I love the fact that most of the teams are painfully enept in social situations 

And I love that no one wins anything

Number 6 is what The Prof refers to as my " tv porn" 

I am a sucker for tv reality cop shows 

Road Wars, Chopper Coppers, 24 hours in Police Custody 

I watch them all! 

I love a man in uniform

Number 7 Has to be " Bake Off" but a very specific Bake off episode. My favourite was back in series four when the mousey Deborah accidently nicked Howard's custard before he could construct his trifle. 

Television has never been as cutting edge as this

In 1974 a well spoken and groomed to the hilt Faye Boswell ran a tight ship

The ship in question was a women's prison called Stone Park and Mrs Boswell 

Was played by the veteran film star Googie Withers 

My 8th choice was camp as christmas " Within These Walls"

My 9th choice is a blast from the 1970s and that is the international " It's a knock out" 

jeux Sans Frontières

It was ideal family entertainment made even better by the hysterical giggling of front man Stuart Hall

Pity where he ended up eh?

10. Thunderbirds must be my final choice and my very favourite episode was " Attack of the Alligators" where our heros had to save a group of scientists ( and their mysterious housekeeper Mrs Files) from mutent Alligators .....for a kids show it remains rather " dark" given the fact that certain characters are killed and eaten and the reptiles are machine gunned to death at the end! 

I was Out Last Night

I was on a  SAMS shift last night....when I was out my husband TWEETED this photo

Obviously he is packing for his OZ trip , he leaves on Thursday.....
I had to titter.....can you see the  bag of Tea Bags? ( right next to the diarrhea  pills )
My shit will be in a bin bag before I prepare to join him...
Don't you just love him 

A Post About Nothing

Forgive the second blog of the day....I've just stopped for coffee.....
It's a sunny day and I have one of my get-on-top of the shit heads on.
Windows cleaned, floors scrubbed..you know the drill
The front and back doors are opened and the breeze is airing the cottage like disinfectant.
I'm in the middle of making lentil dhal and the kitchen is devoid of animals.
It's afternoon and I know where they all are.
William is hiding away in his den under the bed in the spare room he has a passion for sleeping in the dark.
George is in his arm chair, waving his stubby legs in the air as he snores.
Albert, tired of killing things, is curled up on our eiderdown, dreaming his psychotic dreams
And Winnie, oh I know where Winnie is.....
The council workers are cutting the Churchyard grass
And she is standing at the front gate
Blowing kisses as them as they pass.
What a slag.

Moving On

John Parry of Trelawnyd 

This morning there was a call from the lane as I was right in the middle of tackling a regurgitated rodent which had been deposited on the living room floor.
It was " Trendy Carol " from the last house. We go to the same fat club.
She was collecting signatures in a large " Sorry to hear that you are leaving card", a card that was earmarked for an elderly couple who are due to leave the village after a lifetime in Trelawnyd .
The couple are now frail and at times in poor health, so they have reluctantly made the decision to sell up and move to an inner city house which is around the corner from their daughter.

When I was researching GOING GENTLY's sister blog " VOICES FROM THE PAST" (http://trelawnydhistory.blogspot.co.uk) - a personalised history blog of the Village Characters- I interviewed a couple of dozen residents that all had been born, and will probably die here in Trelawnyd and I thought then that the population was much more staid and immobile than it is now.
How wrong was I .
The pre national health and benefit time depression years of the early twentieth century saw villagers venturing far and wide from Wales in search of a better life. In the 19th Century the 100 strong Mormon community led by John Parry left Trelawnyd to form a new life in Salt Lake City. He turned out to be the first conductor of the city's famous Tabernacle Choir and more shockingly had four wives  ( the dirty beast)
Anyhow I digress.
I have been thinking today about the leaving couple, Colin and Yola, as I look at the beautifully carved eagle that Colin gave me on the day of the Flower Show. and I suspect that the move will be ( and importantly feel ) more positive than expected, I hope it will.

When the Prof and I left my hometown of Sheffield , ten years ago, there was no " Terms of Endearment" moment when we pulled away from our house for the last time. ( do you remember the scene when Debra Ringer says " pull away slow" to her husband and he guns the car?)
Our life was IN the car.......a car crammed to the gunnels with dogs and cats and OUR loved life shit.
I hope that Colin and Yola share some of the excitement that  we , that sexually exhausted John Parry, and countless others experienced when home had to be changed for something new......

I wish them well.

R U Happy?

Last night I was asked the question " when in your life were you the most happy?"
This threw me somewhat as it implied that happiness was only a thing of the past and not part of the present, so I threw the question back  to the person who asked it.
" Happy " means different things to different people
To me " When in your life were you the most happy" actually means " when in your life have you felt most comfortable with yourself and those around you"
" Happy " there really means feeling content, safe, and balanced
And so I would answer " NOW...now I feel happy"
The problem with people that want to be " happy" is that they confuse the short term happiness of say a new relationship, a promotion, a goal reached or a holiday with life.
And if you are totally happy on the same level with all aspects of your life, then quite frankly you are an idiot ..
And Idiots are always happy.....look at William...bless ,

Thick as mince and happy since the day he was born

The person that asked me the original question seemed envious of my good humour last night
" In all of the years I have known you, I have never seen you unhappy at work" she said
." That's because I only work one shift a week " I replied with a grin

Sans Teeth, Sans Eyes, Sans Teeth ....Sans Everything

On his way to church the Prof stopped for a moment by the field gate and asked what I was doing.
I thought it was obvious
I was lying down next to Bingley as he ate a bowl of corn in order to stop the geese pecking him up the arse.
Bingley is in his seventh year, and after his usual spring and summer not really eating and posturing at anyone in dark clothing walking up and down the lane , his age is creeping up with him.
Like an old man getting out of a low arm chair, he is staggering somewhat when walking and is reluctant to leave his house in the mornings. I wonder if something more neurological is going on
but I have no way of knowing
Now before everyone leaves a supportive comment of " how sad" I have to say...stop and don't..... Bingley is reaching his twilight time and that's ok..he's a bird....and not a dog.....

I'll make sure he's got food and water and the odd small plate of dog food ( which he adores) and I shall watch to see if he's comfortable, but if he goes off his feet, well it will be his time to go...sentimentality? There's no real room for that I tell myself.

When I reach the same stage, when my turkey legs no longer can keep me going ....I hope to god that there is " dignitas" clinic just down the road where I can go with my family and friends with my dogs on my knee

I've only been to Switzerland the once ....and I didn't like it much.

Oz

I'm sat hidden away on the loo typing this....
The Prof is in a slightly " stress head" state given the fact that today is the only day he has to organise everything he needs for a pacific sailing holiday. He flies to OZ in the week, and will be working consistantly up to the time he goes.
" we need to get a sweat vest" he ventured this morning over eggs and toast ( in bed I may add)
The impossibly fit people he is sailing with suggested this by email this morning
" what the fuck is a sweat vest" I said...( not being very helpful) " and where do you get one in Trelawnyd on a Saturday?"
I fly to Sydney in the beginning of September, so I have time to sort out the factor 50, a set of clean underpants and my selection of Walking Dead T shirts....so my stress is low...well low until I have to check in ........all the animals have been sorted and the lady at the kennels has the name of a reliable house sitter for our next holiday " she does geese too" the woman said helpfully......" Ah but does she do headless rabbits?" I asked
The kennel lady said she would ask...

Bingley on his well behaved trip to the vets 5 years ago

So today, wish us both luck.......we may be heading for a pre holiday row-ettte!
Btw old Bingley the turkey collapsed briefly this morning as he manfully tried to eat a whole piece of white bread before the geese got to it....The old boy is fading a little now.but after a brisk bout of back slapping and feather rubbing he came to, albeit rather shakily.............I'll try to have some quality time with him later...............the circle of life eh

I'll leave you with this fabulous photo of some Flower Show Dahlias taken by the teenage boffin.....