Memories and mess

Had a brilliant idea. Got bored halfway through.

All of this - and more - came out of the tall boy cupboard in our bedroom. I was driven to my brilliant idea by the fact that every time I opened a door something fell out. But surrounded by 'stuff' I got bored

Went and put the kettle on. Came back and restarted.

Most of the stuff on the floor is no longer in the cupboard - either thrown away or 'put in pile to be put in attic when roof is finished', but my cupboard is still full. But I know what's what and what's where now.

The trouble with having a creative family and seven grandchildren is that I am compelled/want to keep every piece of art or card they've ever made me. (To go in attic pile.)

I also found memories.

Way back in 2005 Husband was invited to the corporate hospitality box at the Millennium Stadium for the annual Wales versus England rugby international. Unusually I was invited too. (We were discussing this week how many work/fun trips Husband got to go on without me.)

Most of the people in the group were there for the hospitality. The vice-chancellor of the university and I were there to cheer Wales to win the rugby. (Husband was there to cheer England.) That was the start of the good days for Welsh rugby. Wales did the Grand Slam that year beating the other five nations. This afternoon Wales take on Scotland. I am not expecting a win.

The other particular memory was from our 2008 holiday in the west of Canada. This was in the days before grandchildren and Husband and I were accompanied on our holiday by Daughter (who arranged the whole thing brilliantly) and Son-in-law.

One day we visited Banff and Sulphur Mountain - and we walked to the top. 

I'm starting a new paragraph because you need time to think about walking to the top of Sulphur mountain at 2,281 metres. 

We rode back down in the gondola.

Now I knew there was a reason why we did it that way round so I just searched my blog and here's the explanation:

We decide we'll get the cable car up and walk down.

Husband to boy on ticket desk, 'Four singles, please.'

Boy-on-ticket-desk, 'Sorry, you can only buy singles at the top.'

Husband, 'But we want to get the cable car up and walk down.'

Boy-on-ticket-desk, 'We only sell singles at the top because it's easier to walk up than it is to walk down.'

We go into a huddle and discuss this logic. We decide he has an honest face and we'll walk up.

When we must be three-quarters of the way up at least I ask a hiker on his way down, 'Are we nearly there?'

'Oh, no, you're not even halfway there yet.'

I would swear but I am polite. And I must save my air to breathe.

As the path zig-zags under the overhead cable cars, I think how terribly unlucky someone would be if they were killed by a falling cable-car. I make a point of running - okay, walking faster - underneath the wires.

When we reach the summit all I want is a bed, intravenous tea and an oxygen mask. I don't care it's a world heritage site.

Can you see the pained grimace on my very red face?

Ticketed!

I got a parking ticket this morning!

I'd been in Zac's sorting out clothes into ones we can use, ones for the charity shop, and ones for the tip piles. I fetched the car and parked opposite Zac's so I could load it up. No, I wasn't in a proper parking bay but I was only going to be there a few minutes and I wasn't in anyone's way.

I went and fetched a load of bags and came out to the parking warden looking embarrassed. He'd just been told by Kit, who'd been helping me, why I was parked there. The poor warden was very apologetic and regretful but explained that once he'd taken the ticket out of the machine there was nothing he could to reverse it.

I came home planning to appeal but Kit later messaged me and said he'd paid the fine. Wasn't that kind of him? 

Traffic wardens are keen around Zac's after one of our volunteers complained to them about Muslims parking all over the place when they went to Friday prayers in the mosque opposite - something that bothered her more than it should have. Perhaps I should have asked her to pay the fine!

Came home, had lunch, wondered what to do next. Decided, as it had stopped raining, to tidy the top of the drive.

We used to come up the drive and park in front of the garage but Husband banned me from doing that because I kept driving into the post at the bottom. (Once I did it! Okay, maybe twice. But no more.) So for a long time we've parked out the front. But now with two skips and sometimes a builder's lorry out there we've had to return to the drive. And the top was looking very overgrown, unkempt, and generally uncared for. 

This is after clearing, by the way. Where you can see the dug-up bits of mud is where I worked. Before that it was much worse than the bit you see in the middle. The area above the little bit of wall at the side I've been using to transplant day lilies and some sort of geranium, I think, that I wanted to move from the main garden. Surprisingly they seem to have taken well. The plants along the bottom of the wall are forget-me-nots, which will look lovely when they flower so I didn't dig those up.

Nobody else is going to notice my hard work but I'm pleased with what I did. And now I've made some chocolate raisin slice to take out to the working girls tonight.

Time to sit and read I think.

Turning Japanese*

 

Octopus Teapot by Japanese ceramic artist Keiko Masumoto #womensart #CeramicsArtWeek

I saw this teapot on twitter. isn't it beautiful? It wouldn't last two minutes in this house though.

I've had an arty day today. Well, not exactly arty but I did go to visit the artist who's running an art workshop for me in aid of Zac's. She lives in a lovely cottage down a little lane, looking out at fields and trees. There were some beautiful sheep in the field and Jo told me they were Dutch spotted sheep.

Jo's going to be doing a paint along type thing, so she will be demonstrating at the front and we will each be creating on our own canvases.

Jo is the artist who put on an exhibition of her work in aid of Zac's in the autumn. Her work is amazing (and expensive naturally) and really stunning.

Back to Japan, two things.

First, the Japanese ambassador to the UK is an absolute star on Twitter. He travels all over the country, tries the local delicacies, makes friends, and, best of all, takes Paddington bear with him wherever he goes.

He is a delight.

Second, the book I'm reading is another Japanese book. I've read a number over the last year or so and most are slightly surreal - but not as surreal as the Korean book I read last. That was something else.

Anyway, the one I'm reading is called My Grandfather, the Master Detective.

A young woman got her love of mystery stories from her grandfather, who is now suffering from Lewy Body dementia. In each chapter she encounters a mystery that she takes to her grandfather for a solution. It's much more straightforward than some of the time travel Japanese books I've read, and very good.

* Turning Japanese is a pop song from 1980 by The Vapors. Apparently it's about the desperation, anxiety, and mental state following a breakup, rather than a direct reference to Japanese culture. Who knew?

Zombies and cake

GrandSon2's 14th birthday today. The plan was for all the local family to come to our house for cake at lunchtime but the number was reduced because people were ill or looking after others who were ill. So it was only a few of us who enjoyed Daughter's chocolate cheesecake and sang happy birthday to the birthday boy.

Conversation ventured into zombie territory with a discussion about how best to get away from a zombie. (Stand behind a lamp-post.) And whether the same techniques could be used if bull-running. Alternatively being faster than at least one other person would work in the case of zombies but not necessarily bulls.

* * * * *

Last week the new managers of Rough Edges put out a little pot of salt and a candle to represent us being salt and light to the community.

Apparently nearly all the customers were interested in buying the salt. At least that gave the opening for Kathryn to tell them the reason for the display.

It was the same when we had piled up rubbish in the yard ready for the skip. Everyone coming in headed straight for the rubbish and had a good rummage through it, and even bought stuff. Stuff they didn't buy when it was on the shelf.

I'm sure there's a moral in there somewhere.

* * * * *

On Zac's Facebook page I'm doing a #LentPhotoADay following the word list from United Methodist Church.

Today, Ash Wednesday, is Day 1 and the word is consume, based on Matthew 4:1-11.

Queen of the dirty dishes

My Sainsburys order arrived this morning. I looked at the contents of the two boxes the delivery man brought.
"That doesn't look very much."

Then I realised that I'd amended the order but must have forgotten to confirm it.

That was after I'd dropped Husband off in town for the optician's and nearly drove into a No Entry road. How's your day going?

Anyway, we had lots of milk so I thought I'd make some mini custard tarts for Zac's this evening. For some reason that took me the rest of the morning.

I was following a new recipe and, although it had lots of stars, the quantity of liquid they said wasn't nearly enough to make the dough. Then the filling was way too much.

Twenty-four small tarts, two larger ones, and a bowl of egg custard. They look more like the Portuguese Pastel de Nata than traditional British custard tarts but they taste good. Though possibly a bit too soft. Hm. 

Husband grumbles about the number of dirty dishes I create when I bake; on this occasion I have to admit he's right.

I'd written Portugese and spellchecker was telling me it was wrong, that there should be an extra u in in it. No, surely not, say I but it seems spellchecker is right. I would have argued on that. 

Nothing happened

I had a conversation with someone this morning. Thinking about it now I ask myself, "Did I just imagine that? It can't be true, surely?"

No reason to suspect the person of not telling the truth but just such an amazing revelation.

* * * * *

Hidden treasures

Just filed a paper and discovered the half-full tin of Heroes chocolates I'd hidden in the drawer. Admittedly lots of them are the creme egg sort that we don't like but, still, I consider it a win.

Have also been in touch with the sexual health nurse and have arranged to collect some condoms on Wednesday. So my day's going well so far; how's yours going?

Normally autocorrect on my phone is keen to leap in and suggest the word I might be typing. But I got as far as 'sexua' and it still didn't identify it or offer a suggestion. Even when I typed it in and finished the sentence I noticed my phone had changed it to serial. It obviously thinks I shouldn't write such shocking words!

I looked out of the window when I got up this morning and the roofer's van wasn't there so I was safe to wander into the bathroom. Imagine my surprise then when, as I was passing the window, what looked like a little orange goblin head suddenly appeared at the top of the scaffolding. 

I haven't treated you to one of my amazing pieces of artwork for a while so here's my take on it.

Admittedly he looks more like a zombie in my drawing but you get the idea. In real life he looks perfectly normal I assure you. It's just my eyes - and my drawing talent - that makes him look otherwise.

Not too bad

When your team loses 54-12 and you say, "Well that wasn't too bad," you know you're a true fan.

* * * * *

I cooked a new recipe for dinner tonight. Pan-fried hake in lemon and caper butter sauce, served on a bed of mash with tenderstem broccoli. It was very nice too.

Hm, looks like meat in the photo but that's because it's skin side up.

The life I lead

On the streets, Friday night, in prison Sunday morning. What a life I lead!

Martine, the prison chaplain, was on fine form this morning. With her blue hair and her rainbow-heart-covered clerical shirt and dog collar, you can't miss her in a crowd. She spoke about mental health and showed the video of Lewis Capaldi's breakdown at Glastonbury in 2023, and then his song, Survive. 

She has a very different style from the other chaplain. She goes with the flow, takes questions, and is relaxed, and very loving. I tried to find a photo online of the shirt she was wearing but failed sadly.

* * * * *

We don't do Valentine's Day so yesterday I spent it washing, shopping, cooking, gardening, and jigsaw-ing. I even managed to fit in watching Scotland beat England at rugby. Husband was disappointed but admitted Scotland was the better team on the day. Last week Scotland was beaten by Italy and there were calls for the manager to resign, and so on. It looked as though the team was in the doldrums, then they come out and play their socks off. 

So it looks as if Wales will be getting the wooden spoon again this year! This afternoon it's Wales against France. Not sure if I can cope with watching it: it could be a massacre. I will watch of course but I'll definitely be accompanied by a box of Maltesers.

* * * * * 

Completed my latest jigsaw.