Wednesday, June 30, 2010

 

The day we changed the carpet.

The pictures tell the story of the day.
It has been a day in which Bill has worked extremely hard.



By this stage almost everything that could be moved from the room had been moved.
The sofa was staying. Carpet man and boy could work round that.


Most of it had been moved into the back garden.
So, a blessing that we have had no rain.
That dark blue chair is now in Frieda's garage.
We think it will be going. It is comfortable - but I have never liked the dark colour which matches nothing that we have.
Ashley would be very happy to accept this chair - but he won't get it until November.
Meanwhile we might find another that Bill can fall asleep in.


And then the trusty carpet was lifted, cut up and put into black plastic sacks.
After almost 36 years we were reminded of the awful black tiles that were the original flooring.
For the first years in our house we used rush matting on the floor (to hide the nasty black tiles), which we had had in the flat.


More black tiles.
Farewell carpet!

Hello new carpet!
Bill is admiring the uncluttered look.


Tomorrow, things will be arranged on all the shelves.
We have one set of shelves less now.
There was one we didn't like.
If we find we really must have more we will buy another set which matches better in Ikea when we go next week.

I have put my cabinet of memories back together.
How I enjoyed handling all this stuff.
Every single item reminds me of a person, an event or a place.


Bill enjoys a bottle of beer.
I am sure he could successfuly doze in that Ikea chair.
And that basically has been our day.
A few more items have been listed on EBay.
Men have played tennis at Wimbledon.

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

 

Raindrops on Poppies

Guess what?
I am so tired!
More tired than yesterday evening.
I am not sleeping through the night at the moment - come 4 o'clock, I am awake.
I took an antihistamine to help me, maybe, get a longer night. Perhaps it has kicked in a little earlier than I would have wished.
Or maybe I am just tired.

I have plodded on today, but not really achieving enough.
I am happy that the dining room table is now clear.
I t did take a while to clean up one of the items - the 1950's file for storing 45s.
You can see a picture of it on the shop blog.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/
My theme was the heat of the summer.

Today has been a bit cooler - but without the sunshine for much it, the air felt very muggy.
We had a little rain this morning - not enough to benefit the plants.
One consolation of summer rain is that raindrops can look fantastic on the lush summer greens and flowers.


Here is one of our poppies.

Bill has been busy today.
The wall which is was a dull coffee colour is now cream - or "ice cream" as the name on the tin suggests.
Bill has taken up a little bit of the carpet - after 36 years there are problems.
It was laid on the cheap black floor tiles that were provided with this house.
As he lifts carpet, the tiles start to break.

I hope that the man and son coming to fit the new carpet might know best how to lift the old one.
Bill will have to dispose of it - we can take things to the dump, as private householders for free. If the man and son take it, as business people they would have to pay.
Shame really cos when they finish with us they will return to their place, which is about 50 yards from the entrance to the dump.

If you have the time do have a look at Jamie's blog.
His most recent posting on the Phuket blog is about Radar Hill. The first time he went there was with us, 4 years ago.
His words and pictures tell a good story.
And once on that page you will see a web site for Flickr, where he puts photos. The most recent show the local village festival. Kathu (Katoo) was once the centre of the tin mining industry on Phuket and there were many Chinese immigrants who settled on the island.
Jamie has some really good observational pictures and some enhanced superbly with great techniques.
https://www.jamiesphuketblog.com/

That's it for today.

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Monday, June 28, 2010

 

Sleepy now.

It was a busy day in Dorking.
We have bought and we have sold.
Perhaps we are not the only ones having a clear out of unwanted items. There were 3 lots in this morning - and of course sucker that I am, I offered money for things.
A couple of women had things that had been donated for a leukaemia research charity - hard to say no to them. But I did reject all the naff, fairly modern, cute ornaments.
I gave them £25 for things and so did Monika.
The women told us that the charity has an arrangement with one of the banks that whatever they make on things will be doubled.
So in effect we have helped them raise £100 today.
The sales today were mostly of low value items - that suits me very well!
I sold one of the lanterns I bought recently and I know I shared with you.
I sold 4 items in all.
I am looking back and wondering what was so busy about the day - but really there seemed to be little time for chatting amongst ourselves.
Towards the end of the day I hurriedly took a few photos for the shop blog - the colour of heat.
I have a few things at home I can photograph in the morning to boost it up a bit.
Right now I am tired and yawning.
I want to lie down - early night for me.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

 

Epsom and round the world and back in sport.

A lovely morning seems to be a long time ago - was it really today?
We left home at about quarter to seven and drove to Epsom.
Actually the sum total of our purchases left us to wonder why we bothered.
The sun shone and all was relaxed. I actually spent too much money on some Beswick ornaments and a 1950s book for storing records - 45s. The record book is very typically 50s and I assumed the records would be of a similar style. They may well date from that time - but it is packed full of Mantovani, Russ Conway etc and other very uncool performers.
Never mind - it will all work out.
I bought more clothing for Ecky.

Then we went into the centre of Epsom for a small breakfast in Wetherspoons.
It was lovely, sitting by the open window, watching the world go by.
We must have been in there an hour or so.
You will see when you get to the pictures one of the attractions of this Wetherspoons.

Once home, the TV went on.
First Bill was transported to Spain for a Grand Prix. ( I left the 'S' off Spain when I first typed it - do you think that was a sub conscious slip on my part?)
The Grand Prix was won by a German!

Then I was transported to the ironing board and to South Africa.
I thought maybe it was just me, when I wrote on facebook after 30 minutes that the Germans were showing us how to play football well.
But the TV pundits were extremely scathing too.

I have a theory. Sweeping generalisation coming up! In countries where rugby is played it attracts the more educated man. The yobs play soccer. Hence England, France and Italy have failed. In Germany there is no rugby. So people with brains in Germany play football.
The best manager in the world cannot give our team brains!
Now lets get behind Germany and keep the World Cup in Europe.
I loved the facebook banter about the match!

Sport continued - I was transported back to Birmingham for the UK athletics trials.
At least we beat Germany at athletics last weekend.
I wrote up some of my recent purchases whilst people ran, jumped and threw. I now have a box of things ready to take to the shop tomorrow.

And now I take you back to Epsom.
Wetherspoons is housed in the old assembly rooms.


This was the view as we ate breakfast.
The palm trees and blue skies could almost be the south of France.

Before we left I went up the stairs to the loo.
This was no ordinary visit to the loo.
I had to get my camera!


This was the sight that greeted me as I came through the door.
One could almost imagine characters from Jane Austen at leisure in this room




Looking through to the wash basins.


Look! Lovely Delft Ware wash basins.


There is a tall clock tower in Epsom - just along the road from The Assembly Rooms.
The clock tower has an interesting history. It was built in 1848.


I like clock towers.



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Saturday, June 26, 2010

 

Working, yet relaxing.

The sun has shone and the day has been relaxing.
Tomorrow is predicted to be even hotter.

I got up early and went to the Faygate boot sale and just like last Saturday I bought mostly clothes.
Lots of good quality T shirts/polo shirts, mainly for Ashley at 50p a time.
Bill and I banter about what is and what is not a T shirt. He says it is only a T shirt if it has a round neck and no collar.
There were some bits for me and Bill too, but not much.
I bought chutney, apricots and strawberries.
I bought just 2 things for selling on.

We were at the track by just gone half past twelve.
I was chief timekeeper at a Southern Women's League match.
And what a lovely team of timekeepers I had.
There was Bill of course and two men from Exeter, one from Brighton and one from Blackheath.
There should be timekeepers from the 8 competing clubs, but that rarely happens and today we had enough.
My men were fit and healthy - though older than I had assumed.
Perhaps that is just a sign of me getting older.
John from Exeter was surely no older than Bill - but it turns out he is 82 and has had triple by pass surgery.
The other timekeeper from Exeter was tall and slim with flowing locks - very hippy! Turned out he is 58.
The programme for this match is very laid back, so there was time for fetching drinks and chatting.
And Crawley won - which is really as it should be at a home fixture. It is so much easier to get young women out for a Saturday afternoon - providing they still have their Saturday evenings free.
They were not all young - but all over 17.
Jamie might be able to spot Ann Tulip (as was - now Bucket) in the photo.
Older than you Jamie!


She is standing next to the coloured girl.
I liked the way they all worked together and painted colours and the word Crawley on their legs. Some wore black and yellow ribbons in their hair.

Well done Crawley!

Well done Raffa too - my favourite tennis player had a hard match.
Well done Ghana - so far! It would be good to have an African nation proceeding in the world cup.

But for now it is time for supper - water melon and sorbet for me.

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Friday, June 25, 2010

 

Sorting out the useful, the beautiful and the sentimental.

Today we have continued to sort out possessions.
Many records, videos and more books were taken to the hospice shop.

All the shelves are now empty.
The walls are ready for a lick of paint.
Though we have decided to keep the wall paper as it is for a while longer.
Bill cleaned it down today.
The wall paper has been there for many years now - probably 25 years. That would be when we got rid of the oranges and reds with the bold pattern - so typically 1970s.

This afternoon I washed all my commemorative/souvenir china. I have been collecting almost anything connected with Crawley and also china (either transfer printed or crested) connected with places where both our families have lived.
This photo was taken a while ago - and this collection has moved since then to other shelves.
It gives people who have not been to our house an opportunity to see just how cluttered our house is - very neatly cluttered, I always say.
The glass fronted cabinet houses pieces which remind me of special people and places.



Look now! Empty shelving!
Apart from the TV - with Wimbledon matches being played.
This shelving was built by Bill very many years ago. It has grown through the years.
It began with just the base - and with no cupboard doors. It was good for storing children's toys underneath and also to sit on.
Then the shelves were added.
Then another set of shelves was built to link in with this set, with a long shelf over the door.
The doors on the bottom were part of the last reincarnation - sounds like Dr Who!
The long wall opposite the TV has the sofa and the rest of it has shelving and a glass fronted cabinet.
In this picture some of the shelving has been moved into the garden. It won't rain will it?
At the beginning of this week, we had no idea that all this would be going on.
But perhaps that's the best way to deal with tasks like this - plunge in.
The new carpet, by the way, will be brown. So, not much change there.
There will be no more swirly lines - and they only exist with any definition where feet have not walked much during the last 36 years.
Ashley's comment was one of nostalgia for the swirly lines - which were part of play - ideal for roadways.
Bill is pleased that we have done so much.
We will have a weekend mostly doing other things. We will be in the shop on Monday and painting can be done on Tuesday.
The carpet will laid on Wednesday.

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

 

Falling asleep again....never wanted to. Can't help it!

My body has decided once again to issues orders.
I think it has been attempting to get through to me for weeks - but brain was not in gear.
So, I am back to the no wheat, no gluten regime. Tough, but I am looking forward to improved well being.
I have been so tired today. That is my fault. I was having a bad night with the "gipping flut" and in the end took tablets and antihistamine to give me some sleep.
The trouble is that I know the antihistamines tend to make me want to sleep about 12 hours after taking them.

It was a good morning - but we didn't do as much as planned.
The weather was wonderful and I enjoyed being at Ford.
The Thursday boot sale is very relaxed and peaceful.
I think I bought well - you can judge for yourself when you see the pictures at the end.
We actually made a sale as well. We were chatting to a book dealer - selling books for 25p each. So, he knew we had books in the car to take to the Oxfam shop. He said he would love to make an offer on them.
We got very little, because he protested that he didn't really need most of them - but £3 is not to be turned down.

Then it was time for breakfast in The Balaton at our favourite table by the window over looking the river, which this morning was at high tide.
Later we walked along to enjoy the sparkly sea.
The air was good.
But we didn't have the energy to enjoy anywhere else.
And Bill had things he wanted to get on with.

This afternoon the shelf unit down one length of the lounge has been cleared.
It was mostly records this afternoon.
Which ones would we ever listen to again?
We have probably kept some for sentimental reasons - but there is a vast pile to be taken to a charity shop tomorrow. Some record dealer will have a field day.
Now we have the other long length of the room to deal with - my family history commorative china, many more books and all sorts of odds and ends.
We are being very brutal - if there is no good reason for keeping something, then it will go.

Others with little energy this afternoon must have been those two tennis players who finally brought their epic match to a result.Of course it seemed cruel that somebody should lose. But I was happy that the Wimbledon committee saw fit to make awards to both the players to mark the fact that they had played out something unique.

I haven't written up any of my purchases yet - all still strewn across the dining room table.

There is very much a 1950s/60s theme dominating.
The tray is in wonderful condition.
I think the black and yellow pouffe will polish up well.


I was going to say that everyone would remember the Max Factor animal perfume bottles, but of course most people are not as old as me.
I think the cat bottles date from the very early 1960's.
It was about 1959 when I worked one Christmas at the local Co-op department store, selling items suitable to give at Christmas.
That year the Max Factor perfumes were sold with black or white poodles.
The salt and pepper pot have a Clarice Cliff signature, but I think they have been reproduced for the C C collector's club.
I just couldn't resist these hand made and hand emboidered baby's bootees.
What love went into them!
I am still yawning.

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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

 

Renovation and clearing clutter - that's our sport.

Downstairs is in the middle of a revamp!
The kitchen is now complete.
Today, first, it was the turn of the cupboard under the stairs. There can't be many souls who don't tend to just throw things in and shut the door.
Today Bill pulled it all out and we could see that we had a surplus of many things.
Just how many pairs of gloves and scarves do even cold hands and necks need?
How many shopping bags could one carry at the same time?
It was time to concentrate on the things we really need.
But before things could go back, Bill decided to carpet the cupboard under the stairs! We have carpet tiles now doing nothing - the ones that had been used in the kitchen/dining room.
Carpet was fine - but Bill, don't waste time and money on painting the walls.

Does everybody gather lots of different cleaning products?


The garden full of the necessary and the unnecessary.
The old bread bin had been my mother's and that remains necessary in my book, although I do not use it for bread.


Small time carpet fitter.


Tidy cupboard - with shelves at the end.
And here is a view of the dining room end of the kitchen, which serves as my office too.
This afternoon, as 22 men kicked a ball around in South Africa, our attention turned to the lounge.
The new carpet will be laid next Wednesday.
Help! There is so much to move.
Our lounge has shelves all round the walls - full of books and things.
Everything will have to come off the shelves and be put in boxes.
This gives another opportunity to decide if we really need all of it for the rest of our days.
We have two boxes of books to take to the Oxfam book shop in Littlehampton tomorrow and lots of other things for the local hospice shop.
And this is only the beginning.
And yes Bill - you can wield the paintbrush on the lounge walls.
I described some maps today for EBay. They are printed on a satin like fabric and were issued by the war office in the 1950s. They would appear never to have been unfolded by any service man - straight out of the stores and into a box. I know so little about them - was not sure where to pitch the opening bid.
No watchers as yet - but these are not days for too much EBay browsing.
Lots of sunshine and lots of sport days.
Of course I am glad that our footballing English men just about came good.Their standard of play was better - and they proceed to the next round.
The defeated Slovenia almost made it through too.
It saddened me that the USA scored right at the end of the other match - because that knocked Slovenia out.
That must sound like meaningless nonsense to somebody who doesn't follow the world cup.
Then there has been tennis.
We left a match with the players at 34 all in the final set.
Wow, we thought - that is incredible.
They played on for 3 more hours and play was suspended when it got dark when the score was 59 games to each player.
We didn't see the evening's play. We were involved with sport for ourselves. We have been timekeeping for a Crawley Athletics Club Open meeting. It was very pleasant and relaxed.
Tomorrow we are looking forward to some time out - off to the car boot sale at Ford.
I am sure we will have breakfast in Littlehampton, but we have talked of the possibility of a walk on Cissbury Hill afterwards.
Time for a cuppa and bed. Goodnight.

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

 

Chores day Tuesday.

This has been a day of chores - and feeling rather tired.

I dealt with some EBay sales and then we posted parcels.

The next stop was B & Q. Bill had bought too much wood for the floor - I guess that is why its best to call in a professional right from the start.
We were expecting to get our money back on 4 packs.
At first there was a problem - returns are supposed to be done within 45 days.
Well we couldn't do that because we were waiting for Mick the floorman.
The manager then agreed that we could have a credit note, but not cash.
We then set about spending a little of it.
Bill wanted brass strips to go along by the doors at the edge of the wood flooring and we also looked at a mat for my computer and office chair to sit on - the one we bought was a bit too big, but looks very well on the wood floor.

The next stop was the council rubbish dump.
But our mind was still on flooring.
Bill has talked of replacing the carpet in our lounge for a while. But you know me - make do with things. And Bill would always add "the trouble is, there is so much to move". "Well," I thought, "we don't want any trouble.
But the carpet has been down since November 1974 - 36 years, and it is rather thin in places.
Bill I think wants to get everything straight whilst he can.
The people who did our stair carpet have a little showroom close by the dump - we had to pass it.
So we stopped.
The husband and wife who run this set up - just the two of them and one son are very pleasant and helpful.
Before we knew it we had agreed that Mr Carpet would come and measure up today, which he has done.
We have a couple of weeks to clear all the shelves, which are free standing and will have to be moved - these are the shelves which Bill constructed many years ago and have served us very well - and will continue to do so.
Though perhaps there might be a little less on them - time for a bit more clearing out.

This afternoon I had a blood test. Now lets hope I get a blood test result.
The blood has to be specially treated for this test and the results don't come back for a couple of weeks. Twice now there has been no result.

We popped into Asda to get milk and rice cakes.
We also bought some smoked haddock from the "sell by date bay".
I planned to use it tomorrow - but we have commitments tomorrow, so although I felt rough I did it today.
I made 2 fish pies.

We have also picked up medication from the chemist.

And I enjoyed completing another blog posting about the shop.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/

I have not given much attention to The Budget - read about it on the computer.
We could be very badly affected.
I have long felt that maybe I was no longer entitled to my health benefits.
I did once try to get the amount paid cut - but was told that perhaps I should be having more.
I shrugged my shoulders and accepted what had been offered - and offered for life.
I suppose when it was awarded to me my life span was expected to be quite short.
In 3 years time, both new and existing claimants will have to be assessed.
I expect to lose quite a sizeable benefit.
Ah well - its what I deserve.

Monday, June 21, 2010

 

A positive slant.

It has been a good day with a very positive feel to it.

My first thoughts were "oh dear". I switched off the alarm and immediately wondered where our safe was. Surely not!
But no, Jonathan had been in and moved it to a better place.
Jonathan is full of ideas about to improve the shop.
Strangely as I mulled all this over with Monika I realised that much Bill and I had thought of has been in the minds of many others too.
There will be improvements, if we all put in some extra time.
We have all thought that strip lighting would be more efficient and ultimately less expensive than the many bulbs being used for lighting at the moment.
And we have all thought that some storage heaters would help to keep the chill off the shop in Winter and draught excluder round the doors is a must.
The passageway, which is horrible, and named The Pilgrims Way would be closed off. It is a wind tunnel.
There will be a weekend in July when people will gather at the shop on a Saturday evening and then the Sunday to make a start. Some people might wield paint brushes to freshen up the walls.

I spent time this morning writing up some of the things I bought over the weekend and finding places for them.
I removed a shelf of books.
They are not selling at all well - all books about Surrey, so they are not paying their way.
Bill also cleared out some books from his area.
We already had a bag full of books that I rejected whilst doing my stock check.
It was hard work taking two heavy bags down to the Oxfam book shop.
That's about the only charity shop that are happy to deal with interesting non fiction books.

Finally we had some time for lunch.
Bill had his, sitting outside the back of the shop and watched as parent blackbirds flew back and forth to a nest in some climbing evergreen on a trellis - not very secluded.
He took my camera over and photographed the nest.


This would be a second brood for the blackbirds - just like the pair who are nesting in Frieda's back garden.
I am not sure about this brood - one of them seems very much bigger and stronger than the others.
Perhaps he is getting all the juicy bits that his parents bring home.
If he is an intruder he would be a cuckoo - and I cannot believe that, not within the town.

We got busy during the afternoon and took quite a bit of money for people.
I was very pleased to sell a Clarice Cliffe bowl for Mick, who joined us recently. He had not been selling very well so far.
He was pleased too when I phoned him!

Bill and I had minor sales today.


And here is Monika modelling one of my sales.
She went out and bought carrot cake for us all and brought us down cups of tea.
I had asked her to put the pinafore on, so that I could photograph it for the blog. Tomorrow there will be photos of new stock I have spotted round the shop on the shop blog.
But the pinafore will not be for sale - Monika has bought it!
She says she does wear aprons in the kitchen and commented "How sad am I? I now have a best pinny!"

We had thought of eating at Wetherspoons after the shop closed.
But we were late getting away and even later getting out of Dorking because the main road south was closed due to an accident.
Fortunately we know other routes and so were not delayed as much as some.
I decided to get home, because I had things finishing on EBay.

Tomorrow we have a number of chores to do and will catch up on some relaxing.
One of my chores is a blood test - my turn this week for a medical appointment. This will be the 3rd time an attempt has been made to to do this test to check how my parathyroid glands are doing and the levels of calcium and vitamin D.
The path labs seem to be getting something wrong. The sample should be frozen fairly promptly and if the person taking the blood doesn't know that, I fear it might not be done. Do I dare tell them how to do their jobs?

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

 

Bootsale buys.

I will tell of the this day through my pictures.
But the pictures can't portray how chilly it felt early this morning - people everywhere were talking of it.
At Pease Pottage we were not just chilly, but also despondent.
Nothing to buy!
I bought just one 50p book to sell.
And I bought 2 white tops for me and a T shirt for Ashley.

Soon we were on our way a little further south to the boot sale at Poynings, in a field below Devil's Dyke.
It is a devil of a field - on a slope and rutted.
But I was pleased to have the shopping trolley with me, for we ended up well loaded.


This was my first buy. I nearly didn't bother, because the man wanted £7 for it "It was my mother's" he said.
But I liked it - it is so like the traditional honey pot. And I did understand that the mother's treasures must mean a lot to a son - and at £7, there was still some profit for me.


I bought these bottles yesterday.
You can clearly see the brown one is from a Dorking brewery.
The other one is from Guildford,


I mentioned the flour bags yesterday - also bought at Faygate.


I bought a few things from one stall today at Poynings and we chatted for a while with the stall holders.
The things I bought are not very old - made yesterday!
Though I do wonder if the glass in the lanterns is old.


I think they are attractive and will enhance my area in the shop and I would be quite happy to have a couple of them on display somewhere at home - if they didn't sell.
But as I only paid £2.50 each for them, my selling price can be low enough to tempt the Dorking buyers.


The knocker and the cupboard, from the same couple, are also recently made.
The cupboard has slots inside to take CDs - but I feel it has many more uses.
I think the wood has been recycled from an older piece of pine furniture.
We continued to buy clothes.
I think Ashley has 6 T shirts waiting for him, so he needn't pack any when he comes to visit.
Bill bought T shirts, a sweatshirt and lovely jumper.
I have a pile of interesting things - so I have another new outfit to wear to the shop tomorrow.
I found some High School Musical three quarter length trousers for Ecky - which could be worn with the T shirt I bought for her yesterday.


Today we also bought jam and chutney.
There is rhubarb and mandarin chutney, rhubarb and elderflower jam and also kiwifruit and yellow plum jam.
Thank you lady from Cuckfield for supplying us with these interesting items.
This afternoon I did the ironing whilst enjoying the athletics - what we used to call The Europa Cup. GB did well, coming 2nd behind Russia.
I have not yet written up my purchases - I think I will do it whilst at the shop tomorrow and then attempt to get things slotted in.
After I had taken photos of some of the weekend's treasures, I turned the camera briefly on the garden.

The garden is beginning to remind me of a gaudy, blousy, over the top, heart of gold wench!
It is all colour and a bit out of control.
We bought 4 geraniums this morning for 50p each.


This little standard rose was from a boot sale last summer.
It is doing really well this year.


Foxgloves are old friends - sprouting up to see us this time every year.
I like perennials.


Bill came out to refill the bird feeders.
We could hear the young tits in Solly's tree. Bless them, they just couldn't wait to get eating again and came down to feed just a couple of feet from us.
Well we are also fed and watered.
I did a mashed carrot, squash and sweet potato mash with nutmeg and whole grain mustard this evening, which turned out very well indeed.
There are no left overs for tomorrow!
We watched a programme about clouds this evening, presented by the man who runs the Cloud Appreciation Society. We will join this society I think - it will only cost £4. Maybe I can even learn to love the nimbo stratus clouds, otherwide known as gloomy grey.
So, time for a cup of tea and off to bed soon.

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

 

Athletics


Your country needs you! Oh and I mean England, not Thailand.
Sorry - I forgot....John has a brain, so probably that rules him out of the England squad!

I started the day with a trip to Faygate for the small car boot sale - Bill decided not to bother.
I came home loaded with things for Ashley and Ecky - clothes mainly.
There were also clothes for us.
Bill gets bored with hunting for clothes, but today I felt a little freer for searching.


I also got some things to sell. I am really delighted with 2 cloth bags for MacDougall's self raising flour. I am not sure when the cloth bags stopped being used. I'll photograph them tomorrow and maybe somebody can comment on a possible date.



Whilst at the boot sale a fleet of police cars, fire engines etc sped along the road and the air ambulance came in too. Somebody along the road was in a bad way. I never like knowing of these things.
The dual carriage way road to Horsham was completely closed.
It remained like that for some hours - certainly at the time we wanted to drive to Horsham.
We took the country road, through Colgate - absolutely full of traffic that had been diverted.

Our destination was the Broadbridge Heath track.
About 10 minutes before the meeting was due to start, I realised that my 7 timekeepers was in fact only 6.
So some instant jiggling with the duty sheet was required.
The others stepped in gallantly to take on extra duties.
The racing was good - the only disappointment was that Sussex came 4th.
But we are a small county (in terms of population) compared with Surrey, Kent or Hampshire.



After the meeting we popped into Tescos by the track and (oh excitement!) bought a new back door mat. We also bought a mop for keeping the new floor clean - one designed for wooden floors, not one that spreads masses of soapy water over the floor.



That's it - I feel tired. I have been over indulging in bread lately, including today - sandwiches were the provided lunch.
I think I had better ease off - it gives me tummy ache badly after too much. This gives me a head ache and makes me feel generally fragile.
I can get away with a little bread sometimes - but then I want more.



Weather forecast is good (ish) for tomorrow and I look forward to more hunting.
If only the north east wind would die down. I wore a hat at the track today, just to keep the hair out of my face.

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Friday, June 18, 2010

 

Football

Should I laugh or should I cry?
I am certainly having a laugh at the Radio 5 commentary on the England match.
"shambles" "pathetic" " a long way to come to watch this drivel"
Is it unpatriotic for me to hope that in the next few minutes England fail to score?
Quality deserves success and I fear the drivel could just get it.
"feeble, every single one of them"

But there have been good things today.
I am really enjoying glancing round the kitchen which now has a wooden panelled floor.
Love it!

I have worked with all my stock in the garage. My stock check is now complete. I now know where everything listed as being current stock is.
This afternoon I wrote a new list for all the Shire books that I have - 86 of them.
I am not sure that I have room for them in Dorking.
I watched a more entertaining football match whilst I was busy with books.
It almost seemed like Slovenia might beat the USA - a happy thought.
Slovenia is a charming, beautiful little country. Interesting fact - the population of Slovenia is only one third that of the city they were playing the match in.
But the USA fought back, and I have to concede their disallowed goal probably should have won them the game.

This afternoon I also sorted out the team of officials and their duties for the meeting tomorrow.
It is an south eastern inter counties schools match at the Horsham track.
I don't think it will be a hard match to deal with, but we are rather short of timekeepers it seems.

This morning we went to the farm for eggs and also bought some venison and red wine sausages.
Our main shopping was in Asda.

Eight more minutes to go....."they've all had a poor game" "lamentable"
Oh come on Algeria, put us all out of our misery!

The referee has ended it.
The spectators are booing.
I hate to say it - but - "I told you so". At least I was telling Gerry at last week's athletics meeting.... I told him that the England team were not actually any good and Gerry scoffed.

Oh well, time for a cheering cup of tea. Goodnight.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

 

Sleep. Floor. Ruben. Lunch.

Today's posting will be much shorter than I intended - for a couple of reasons.
Firstly there is sleep.
I have been dozing on and off all afternoon and evening.
And when I am awake I feel totally drained.
Secondly, there should be pictures and there are none.
I took my camera out, but all the chips were left at home.
I look forward to receiving some copies of photos that other people took.

Back to the beginning.
Bill got up early and dealt with emptying the kitchen/dining room.
The washing machine was moved out - for the 3rd time this year.
The table had to have legs removed in order to get it out of the room.
I knew none of this, I was deeply asleep until 8 o'clock.
I got up quickly - Glenn was due to arrive.
Glenn is floorman the second. He has ousted the previous one - who has not been able to turn up or contact.
Glenn is a worker and much has been done during the day.
And I very much like what I see.
All that remains to do is the little area by the back door and finishing off all the edges.
The kitchen floor is now lovely wood panelling.

We enjoyed a very good lunch out and so enjoyed the opportunity to meet one of our great nephews (Ruben) who is a real charmer.
We went to Goffs Manor and sat out in the garden with Bill's sisters Julie and Jane and Jane's husband Geoff - and best of all Julie's son Stephen, wife Fiona and little Ruben.
They live in Switzerland, so we don't see them very often.
The sun shone and we enjoyed salmon fishcakes.
Perhaps I should not have drunk wine - maybe that is what knocked me; though I tend to think it is just life.
And my body ached after almost 3 hours - I don't cope well with the traditional style picnic tables bench seats.
It is not far from home - less than a mile. But it was an opportunity for a walk.... just like the doctor ordered.
Of course I wanted to take photos of Ruben - but was not able to.
We have seen lots on facebook, so have been able to track his progress as he grows.
We heard that we are expecting another Monk great nephew or niece before the month is out - Scott and wife/partner are expecting very soon.
So our tally very soon will be 34.

Well, bed time soon.
I hope I feel more lively tomorrow.

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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

 

A day of rest and last memories of Bodnant.

There is not very much to say about today.
It has been an oasis of not doing very much - between the past days of athletics and buying and selling and the next few days of having a new floor in the kitchen, more athletics and more buying and selling.

This morning we took the advice of the doctor and had a walk. It was not a specially interesting walk for we had things to do en route.
We needed to go to the post office to withdraw money to pay the floorman and we needed to buy some milk.

I guess we might have covered 2 miles. It was actually quite warm, but the strong wind from the north made it feel a bit chilly if the sun was hidden behind a cloud.

This afternoon I described half a dozen things for EBay.
The old toffee tin with a picture of horses going over one of the high jumps of The Grand National has already attracted some interest.

I have done a shop blog today.
My interest is waning a bit - surely not because of that electricity bill, mentioned yesterday.
I guess I do start to wonder what future the shop has.
http://pilgrimsantiquesweststreetdorking.blogspot.com/

I think my computer will be out of action whilst the floor is being done - not sure if I can wheel it back tomorrow evening.
Never mind I can always use Bill's.

Now back to Wales for the last time - until about November, when we will make our next trip there.

Today I am using my Bodnant pictures, which show the beautiful gardens - but most of all show people.


Yesterday you might have seen me enjoying the fantastic laburnum walk.


Now you can see Liz and Ecky.
I love this picture.


Shortly before we left, nearly at closing time, I returned to the laburnums and hooray - an almost clear view.
This is not the complete length, because one obstinate person just would not move about 20 yards along, so I moved alongside them to take the picture.


There was much to experience.


Yes - I did flower pictures too.


And Liz had her notebook out to jot down a few plant names.
Poor Liz!
Her garden is even smaller than ours.


Bodnant House was built to enjoy tremendous views across the valley to the lower slopes of Snowdonia.


Ashley and Liz play on the rickety bridge.


Now they are all playing on the stepping stones.


This is a meconopsis. It is known as the Welsh poppy.
It is the only example of this species that grows in the UK - all others are in the Himalayan regions.

Typical poppy - gaudy and showy and wonderful.


I enjoyed a rest when we had climbed back up to the terraces. Liz borrowed my camera and set about photographing water lilies and damsel flies - just like Bill.


Ecky also borrowed the camera - I have chosen to use a couple of pictures she took of people.


Look - we have met up with Bill again.




Two lovely mother and daughter pictures.
So, tomorrow morning (early) the floorman cometh!
Not the original one of course - have not seen him for months.

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