WOYWW #604

 So . . . we made it!  

After some of this . . .

. . . . .and some of this . . . .

. . . . .and this  . . . 

 . . . .a little of this  . . . . .

. . . it's time for this  . . . .

 . . .and of course this!!

lots of clearing out and updating!!

I am working on my Vintage Trains Membership lists ready to start again in the New Year.

I so hope that 2021 brings us all able to move healthily and freely, without fear. . . . . seems so long since we could walk in freedom . . . .

I am thankful that my little and large birds are still ok, even the field mouse that's taken up residence in the garage . . . . . too cold for little ones to try to evade the local owl!!

I am thankful . . . . .

WOYWW #603

 Hello

Remember me?

I'm still here although not crafting, not in my craftroom actually . . . . .

I have no interest here, my laptop is sooooo slow and then to add the Awful New Blogger . . . . . just no.

I do have to come here today though to wish you all the best Christmas you can have under the circumstances . . . . 

I cannot add a label to my post.

I cannot add a picture.

I can type, I hope I can save and publish . . . . . . .

Have a good Christmas, hopefully I will see you after we've had our fill of food, drink and tv!!

After all the above and leaving the laptop for a couple of hours it looks like we have lift off!!!

I have been knitting and generally sorting (seems as though it has been going on forever!)

Yesterday we went to the local park to visit the Memory Tree . . . . we added our bauble for Peter and wished him Happy Christmas.

In case you wondered . . . .

A golden train for a golden man . . . 

We shall all be together on Christmas Day, having ourselves our mad, glad time.

I hope you will be too but if not, then enjoy the day and remember the real reason for Christmas.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season . . . . .

WOYWW #600

 So we finally made it!!!

Well done Julia, with a nod to Jan . . . I am so pleased that I found you.  

I blame that MaryAnne and her Blog . . . Thank you MaryAnne

So many laughs and so many tears of happiness and sometimes sadness but so much friendship.

My Desk

As you can see, not a lot going on . . . 

I am downstairs trying to set up our Christmas Village.  It used to take Peter and me a couple of days to get this up and running to our satisfaction . . .  I am hoping to do it in a week . . .  I have the help of incredible Dx to do the fiddly things and the girls are also helping so we shall see.

The tree is up and the railway is running, two 'houses' are unpacked so we are on our way.  The line across the picture is the tram, which was added last year, as you can tell this is only the central third.  Lots more to do . . . . 

Happy WOYWW #600 everyone, enjoy your visits.

WOYWW #598

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top of the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

The desk . . . .

Yep!  I'm crafting!  

I decided to take a couple of days away from sorting out paperwork etc.  I know time goes on but I have to craft . . . . . it's me!

I am making all the swaps for this month and shall continue until they are finished . . . . some stamping and now diecutting . . . .whoopee!!

The decs and the tree are going to appear downstairs later in the week and I will need a couple of days to set up our Christmas 'corner', thankfully Dx has agreed to help me.  He always helps at Christmas, makes sure the tree is erected correctly (we'll have to put the lights on ourselves this year but he's ok with that), the baubles and tinsel is added.  Then we have to set up the train which usually needs some 'exercise' to make sure it is running right!!!

As DDC says "Happy Days".

Stay warm, stay safe, stay crafting . . . .

Chicken fun!

I have had a bit of excitement round here this morning!!!

I went up the garden to feed the birds, Tom is still here, and let the chickens out to play.

After they had all come out and were busy foraging for the seed etc.  I went into the ranch to collect the eggs, check the food and water . . . .funny noises . . . . Checking the water,very cold water, I found Petunia having swimming lessons!!

I fished her out quickly and placed inside the coop.  She was soaking and shivering, I had no idea how long she had been in there . . . .

I fetched a nice thick bath towel and then scooped her up in it and gave her a good rubbing (heavy stroking) to get her circulation going, her bare bits were quite blue.  She just let me do whatever, I don't know whether it was shock or cold, poor thing.

Eventually I unwrapped her and put her back in the coop, added lots of bedding round her and some corn (corn keeps them warm - I don't know, it's something Peter said).

I checked the water container which was filthy, them chickens have had themselves a mud bath with all this rain!!  After I had washed it out, I then left it to fill up with fresh water!

I went back after a couple of hours with the last pumpkin half and lo!  there she was at the front of the queue.

Nothing wrong with her now, thank goodness.

WOYWW #597

 WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top of the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

Look very carefully at this photo . . . . . what is missing?

NO List!!!

I have given up keeping one as more 'schtuff' keeps arriving as I cross things off my list!  lol

I have taken up my knitting again and just started the sleeves to little small item . . . . .

We, Flump and me, had a visitor in the garden yesterday . . . .

Certainly enjoyed the seeds that were out for the birds, I thought it was a dove or something as it had such a pretty face.  Looked it up and Mr G seems to think it's a pigeon!!  I think it's the red stockings that give it away!!

Short and sweet today as I have to clear out the chicken ranch and fill up the feeders, it's all go round here you know!!  Can't leave it too late or it is too dark, such fun!!  lol

Off to put the wellies on . . . . 

Happenings on a Friday . . . .

Friday 6th November 2020

The Funeral went without a hitch, the family and a few friends attended.

The music for the Celebration was chosen with care by myself and the girls.  The songs were different from the usual Christian music but each one played a significant part in Peter's life and therefore also in ours.

We had Ralph McTell singing 'The Streets of London' for the entry song, one that Peter always played when practising on his guitar.  He busked on the London streets when he was a student and then, a few years ago, met up with Ralph and they swapped stories of the early days.

Our next choice was not exactly a song, more a story, but was really BIG in our house.  Back in the 80's when we all came to know God in a personal way, a young guy came to our Church and performed some mime.  He became our friend and we had some really good times so we chose The Champion as the music but in our mind's eye we were all watching this . . . . .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7oZKXIVkWE

The next song was by Don Fransisco.  It held resonance for two reasons:

1 - Our first date was to go to a Don Fransisco concert.

2 - When we journeyed out to Nigeria, Peter always included this song in his repertoire . . . .I'll Never Let Go of Your Hand.  

I saw him playing his guitar out the front of the Church, happy memories for me and our Nigerian brother and sister.  

After the blessing, the strains of Acker Bilk could be heard as we left the chapel.  When asked if he could play his clarinet, Peter always played this tune. 

I don't think it was the sort of celebration folk expected but then we are not the usual kind of family.  Peter and I travelled all over Europe, into America and Africa.  We made friends wherever we went and always, always managed to find a local Church . . . . in Africa there were lots!

To celebrate a life is to rejoice for the honour of knowing the man.  One friend said it all when she said:  It was a privilege to know such a character as Peter.

 . . .  and it was . . . 

Anniversary

Remembrance Sunday 

So many memories come flooding back but today is also the Anniversary of my First Blog Post, November 8th 2008.

I started out just recording the family history and stories so they would not be lost to time in my first Blog - My Recollections . . . . .

Then I added another Blog so that I could record my cards which I so enjoy making and swapping - Cardius Bloggus . . . . . 

Then along came another Blog, recording the ATCs that I had discovered and started to make and swap - Artful Thoughts and Colours. . . .

Gradually my paid employment became quite stressful as I climbed the ladder of success, so I closed the first two blogs and continued filing my life more or less as it happened.

I love Blogging, I love looking back for the memories, to check when I did something . . . .

I am grateful for this Blog at this sad time. . . . . .  so many happy memories to relive . . . . so many new adventures to record . . . . .

Happy Anniversary little Blog. . . . . long may you bring happiness to all who share these jottings, amazement to those who discover you for family history purposes. . . . 

WOYWW #596

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top of the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

Still chasing my tail here .. .. . .  

No cards being made as yet . . . .  printouts, new lists, phonecalls etc. etc. etc.

Next week WILL be different, how do I know that you ask?  

Peter's funeral is on Friday at 11.00hrs.

I hope to catch up with my life, which will be different and just as exciting!  Lockdown means nothing to me as we spent most of this year on our own, except for my glorious girls, so I will fill the time with sewing, knitting, painting  . . . . .oh! you know how it is . . . . .

I must say that Friends of Vintage Trains have been very good in allowing me to continue with Peter's work as Membership Secretary.  There are days when I can shut myself away, just reconcile accounts and pretend I am Credit Control again!!  

No, I don't want to go back to paid employment, thank you!!

Have a good week everyone and I hope the sun shines on you all.

WOYWW #595

Welcome to What'sOnYourWorkdesk where we show and tell . . . . .

My Desk:

As you can see not a lot.  

I am taking a day off from my list today . . . . apparently Peter's Death Certificate may take up until middle of December to come through . . . covid19 doncha know.

Without the Death Certificate most banks, utilities and Insurance companies will not carry out your wishes.  The Bank kindly froze the bank account, that's the upshot of the face to face meeting with a member of staff, so we will have to wait and see . . . . .  I know that I am not the first widow to arrive on the bank's doorstep but I do question why in this day and age there is not contingencies for this event!!

I managed to find the address I was looking for and several others as well, so I created some simple cards just to write and update friends and former work colleagues.

I am taking a day off to catch up with Vintage Trains paperwork as I am carrying on working with the memberships.  'The ship still sails, different hand on the tiller' is how I am explaining it all.  This will take up most of the day if not all, I may have to take a nap to recover, but it is going to be done.  I have wonderful support from the Committee Chairman, always seems to find an excuse to phone me every day and make me laugh over some small thing.  He arranged a meet up in Stratford last Saturday, details to follow, and it was wonderful to be outside among folks again . . . . socially distanced of course!! 

Well, must get on . . . will be visiting later if I am able, otherwise tomorrow.

Have a good day, stay warm and  . . . . stay safe.

WOYWW #594

 Remembering Aberfan

My Desk is boring today, yet another box to sort through and find more paperwork so I can get in touch with more folks . . . . .

My 'To Do' list is getting shorter, making some cards is pretty near the top . . . . there are some friends who have moved and I can't find their email addy or telephone number so they need a card to update them.  

There is a big change in the weather outside my window today, dull and wet.  The chickens will be staying inside the Ranch but I do have some greenery for them to peck on . . . that's if HouseMouse has not started on it!!  lol

I don't think that I will be clearing and sorting the vegetable patch either!!   Probably I will be watching a good old fashioned film . . . .Gone With the Wind is a good story and  . . . it's loooong!!

 . . . . but that is after I have linked up with Julia today, hoping to get round some of the desks and catch up with what is going on in the outside world . . . .

UPDATE

Thank you for the comments ref list getting smaller and meeting with friends.  

Back post will tell of the death of Peter

Clearing the veggie patch

 DDC came round today and we (meaning DDC) managed to clear all the green Beans, Nasturtiums and Sweet Peas.

The garden went from this . . .

to this space, ready for tidying up!

Our little helper today was rewarded with new slippers!

How he loved them . . . . . 

    

Altogether a good day except for the computer work (and Blogger of course!!) but DDN is coming round later to see if she can help out there . . . .

Catching up. . .

 I cleaned out the Chicken Ranch today, to the best of my able anyways!!  

The chickens seemed pleased with it although most of them stayed outside to see if they could find any more seed in amongst the straw . . . . This is the second bale Nade has helped me put down, the first bale was mixed in in no time as they found out they like Melons, spent ages scratching around to see if there was any more!!

My new curtains have gone up, they need to be hemmed at the new level and I prefer to do that whilst they're hanging . . . easier to see the level after they've dropped.

Found out we have a small visitor in the garage, maybe not visiting . . . . probably nesting in the old cat basket . . .  lots of food for him and shelter.  

He's been here for about six months but was nesting in the greenhouse until Peter started

clearing out the tomatoes . . . . we wondered where he had gone!!!

I see Blogger has still not improved much . . . still placing text and photos where it wants to.

ah! well!  least of my worries . . . 

Two weeks

It's two weeks since PJ died. 

I think I am beginning to realise that he isn't coming back home.  The funeral arrangements are nearly complete, most folks have been told, paperwork nearly sorted.  I didn't realise that so much was involved.  We had often spoken about what we would do if one of us was left behind . . . . . . we had no idea . . . .

We have had such exciting times together, God promised to show us wonderful things and take us to marvellous places . . . . and He did.  He gave us sooooo much . . . . . 

Thank you Lord for keeping your promises to us.  Enjoy Peter's company, cos I have for all of these years . . . .

I'm Fine Thank You

 There is nothing the matter with me,

I'm as healthy as I can be.

I have arthritis in both my knees 

And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze.

Sleep is denied me night after night,

But every morning I find I'm alright.

My memory is failing, my head's in a spin,

But I'm awfully will for the shape I'm in.

How do I know my youth is all spent?

Well, my "get up and go" has got up and went.

Bit I really don't mind when I think with a grin,

Of all the grand places my "get up has bin.

"Old age is golden" I've heard it said,

But sometimes I wonder as I get into bed,

With my ears in the drawer, my teeth in a cup,

My eyes on the table until I wake up.

'Ere sleep overtakes me, I say to myself, 

"Is there anything else I could lay on the shelf?"

When I was young my slippers were red, 

I could kick my heels over my head.

When I was older my slippers were blue,

But I could still dance the whole night through.

Now I am old my slippers are black,

I walk to the shop and puff my way back.

I get up each morning and dust off my wits,

And pick up the paper and read the "Obits".

If my name is still missing I know I'm not dead.

So I have a good breakfast . . . . and face what's ahead.

                                                    from a teatowel . . . .

WOYWW #586

WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top to the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.
The Desk . . . . .

Not much going on round here at the mo . . . .Just the laptop and a bottle of water . . . Having spent yesterday at our local hospital being cared for by all the angels and saints, I am 'resting' today.  I had awoken in dreadful pain, which had every indication of being a kidney stone so it was fast tracking to the local!
After administering painkiller (Thank you Phillip) examinations and CT Scans, it was decided it was not kidney stones, although I may have passed them during the day as I was encouraged to drink water . . . .  and drink water . . . .and drink  . . . . .
They hoped that it was just a pulled muscle or two after I had helped DDN move some furniture around . . . . . in my effort to get the house sorted.
So here I am, updating paperwork, clearing old paperwork and, at times, painting patterns  . . .  and watching the wind blow the bamboo almost horizontal . . . . in between the showers of course.

Hope your weather is better than ours but if it isn't then button down the hatches and sit tight . . . . I understand Gin helps!

Lego Day!!!

We have always been big Lego fans in this family, we have two rather large containers full of the bricks and instruction pages up in our loft.
PJ had made his mind up that Little Soldier (no longer a little soldier but DX!) was able to have a go . . . . .
Now it just so happened that we had to go out over to the Northside so we made a detour to Smyth's (the toyshop!!) and managed to find some Lego that made us all happy.

Once we were home and settled, we started to open the boxes . . . . we decided on the Spider-man Robot and were suprised to find three bags of bricks inside.
We sorted the 'map book' and opened the first bag.

Now 'we' have a routine for building with new Lego kits so of course Dx was taught this way. 

He found page one, sorted the bricks he needed and started to fix them together. 

Grandad needed to help as neither Dx or I could push them together tight enough.

The first page completed!!!


Dx was hooked on Lego!!!  Yeah!!!



Concentration was full on . . . . . . just a check now and again . . . .



Something was being built . .


. . and then the second lesson of the day . . . .  you can't break Lego . .

. . if you play rough it dismantles and you have to build it again!!

After two hours we have Spider man nearly completed . . . . to be finished next visit!!!

What a brill day!!

Can't wait to see his face when, eventually, the Lego tubs come downstairs!

It takes a lot of patience to let a child begin a new adventure and not show the way,  just to tell him what to look for, what to do, but it is so worthwhile when they see what they have achieved.

WOYWW #585

In the cool, using Legacy Blogger and hoping I remember to publish and . . . . link up . . . Hello to fellow deskers!
There's been a lot going on round here and I really was so disheartened by the 'New' Blogger that I have not been using the old laptop until this last weekend.  There has been reports by fellow bloggers that the 'new' Blogger has some amendments so I came back . . . no different to me so I have reverted to Legacy . . .
But you are here to see the desk . . .

I am working my way through the box of magazines.

It's a very interesting time I must admit, although very discouraging to see how much MORE stash I have!!





I break while the rain stops and go pick some beans . . . .  our first pickings.


I am not allowing them to grow to a 'reasonable' size as I tend to leave them to grow on and then they are stringy and get wasted.

We have lots more waiting in the wings or should I say atop the nasturtiums!


I had a little walk round while out in the fresh air and notice that the 'Arrow Head' plant in the pond has come into flower . . .  rather pretty . . .

Just for your information, if you happen to visit Buckingham Palace, we had our 'Wind Anemones' before the Queen!!  

They have spread themselves all along the wall under the Pieris and look as though they will be exceptional this year.

We are still self isolating somewhat as neither of us has much confidence in going out.  We have managed some outings for the necessities, not crowded small places except for Castle out at Studley.  I just love their fruit and veg, reasonably prices, no plastic and fresh, FRESH!
My Bite (The one on my back where I thought some monster was hanging on for grim death sting) is starting to go down now after DDN gave me some cream and PJ's bruises are starting to appear . . .  we have to laugh at ourselves sometimes.   We are using the wet weather as an excuse to stay indoors, not that we are any safer inside . . .  lol

Flump is two!!

We are still not going out very much, just for necessities and to places that we know won't be crowded.
Flump's birthday cannot be missed!
So here we are all gathered . . . .socially distanced in the garden!



The birthday boy wore his own special birthday suit to open his presents and this duck was the best!!!

There was lots of food, it kept appearing until everyone declared they were almost full and only had room for some cake.




The cake was duly brought out with candles ablaze and then, only then, could the cake be inspected . .


. .   and it was agreed it was the perfect cake!!

The Birthday Boy had the first slice and said it was really good!

Of course we all agreed!!!