Monday 31 March 2008

Tuesday.

Illustrated above is a collection of six pocket tinder boxes, two full sized tinder boxes, two tinder lighters, and (in the foreground), a douter, which I've put together for a customer. I've never had (or seen, come to think of it) such a selection together at any one time. They won't be here long, so I thought you might like to see them. This morning we walked into town, as I had an appointment with my Doctor to renew my prescription. He was on good form, and as we agreed on nearly everything it didn't take long. Later we picked up Hilary and motored up to Joyce's where we had a scrabble lunch. I took her a small, French, potted lavender plant. Bought Ann one too, for her herb garden. Game of scrabble, then a soupy lunch with bread and cheese, and wine. Joyce had made everything (bar the cheese - cheddar- and the wine - a claret, I think). She'd made some of the bread rolls in the shape of hedgehogs -very clever. Then we had two more games of scrabble, followed by a pot of tea with date crumble. Before we left Joyce gave us (that is Hilary, Ann and myself) some water plants for our ponds (her's really is very crowded) and a plastic bag of frogspawn - of which again she has plenty. It was really a very pleasant visit. We played (and ate) with the french windows onto the garden open as it was such a mild sunny day. Home and worked in the workshop. This evening we had cold beef and pickles for supper - and a jacket potato to turn it into a hot meal. Very nice too. Nearly bedtime, so must knock off now. Goodnight all.
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Saturday 29 March 2008

Saturday.

This is a snapshot of Saxstead post mill taken from our car window about a year ago. Impressive, isn't it ? I remember reading as a boy a poem about a windmill, It starts ' I am monarch of all I survey ....' and I always think it must refer to a tower mill and although this one is the earlier and more primitive post mill it's still pretty dignified; well, sure of itself anyway. Yesterday we went by coach to London to see the Terracotta Army Exhibition at the British Museum. It was very interesting, but I really know very little of Chinese history. The one thing I found really of use and interest was that I was able to have a good, close look at a bronze crossbow lock. Curiously, after looking at the exhibition, we went for a walk, and I looked in the window of a shop that deals in antiquities (it's been there for 45 years to my knowledge - I was pleasantly surprised to find it still in business) and in the window was a Chinese bronze crossbow lock exactly like the one in the B.M. exhibition. It was priced at £240 which was not unreasonable, and rather put the exhibition stuff in it's place. I don't know why I didn't go in and buy it, except perhaps that I was not in buying mode, but in day out and looking mode. We then walked to Ann's old training hospital, The Royal London Homeoepathic (hope I've spelled that right) Hospital, then back to the back door of the British Museum where we picked up the coach home. I slept most of the way home, and am now going to do some more (sleeping that is). Goodnight all.
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Tuesday 25 March 2008

Ann's Birthday.

Took this photo in garden first thing this morning. It is a very unusual pale mauve primula, with multi headed flowers. Today is Ann's birthday ( her harrumphety eighth one) so we went off to Wisbech and took her mother out to lunch at the Oliver Twist at Guyhirn. Very good food made on the premises, and designed to feed fenland farming folk, so it is solid, hearty, and plentiful. Ann and Gran had roast turkey and I had steak and mushroom pie. Ann ate two thirds of hers, I ate about three quarters of mine, and Gran manfully waded through perhaps a third of hers before declaring herself beaten (she is, after all, in her hundredth year). The waitress cleared away and then bought back Gran's uneaten Turkey for her to take home (at Gran's request). I reckon it will keep her going for at least two days. On our way home we stopped off at Bury St. Edmund's and collected the new car, another Honda Jazz. If it performs as well as the last one we shall be well pleased. Must close and do some work. Good night all.
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Monday 24 March 2008

Easter Monday.

The photo below was taken late this afternoon a few miles down river from us. Sunset over Suffolk. Some water still lying on the watermeadows. Snowed again today- intermitently. Didn't lie for long, but obviously a lot of water will soon be flowing down river. May well be some flash flooding on minor roads. As I said earlier, been a very social day, but I must say work done in workshop between times also went well; so an enjoyable and productive day. Goodnight all.

Easter Monday.

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Easter Monday.

Been a nice,sociable sort of a day. Tony and Yvonne, our ex neighbours, popped in for coffee and warmed up hot cross buns this morning, and we spent an hour or so catching up on family news. This afternoon we went round to Sue and David's for 'tea and buns' ( I quote Sue). Our friend Terry also turned up, with her son Jeremy, his wife, Vicky, and their son Alex. We hadn't seen Alex for a while, and he has turned into a very pleasant 14 year old, with a passion for computers and photography. Rather more rarely, he has developed along the way a sense of humour. During the course of a very pleasant afternoon Jeremy surprised me by reciting (in chronological order) all the titles of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, together with all the alternative titles. I thought I'd a reasonably good memory, but that will just 'larn me'. Alex showed us some photographs he'd taken this afternoon of a green woodpecker lunching on the contents of his grandmother's lawn. Very good and detailed they were too. Talking of snapshots, above is one of a Suffolk lane we took on our way home this afternoon. Typical Suffolk countryside in early spring. Must go and get on with some work. May add more later if feeling energetic. Oh, by the way, the embroidery I mentioned yesterday that Ann is doing, is, I'm told, Hardanger work. It's all white.
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Sunday 23 March 2008

Easter Sunday.

Snapshot of Ann in a corner of our sitting room. The photo makes it look as if we live in a cardboard box in the street, which isn't the case. It's rather nice to be able to see what's going on outside. The snow has now all gone. We must have had a good two inches this morning. It was the only snow of the winter, and anyway it's now officially spring. Spent this afternoon catching up on e bay snd in my workshop. Ann's been busy with some embroidery. For supper we had a pheasant Liz Allport gave us. We split it between us, and very tasty it was too. Followed by apple and cranberry crumble and custard. We had it yesterday hot and finished it today cold; don't know which was better. Must close. Goodnight all.
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Easter Sunday.

Sorry, haven't blogged for a while. Went to Paris for a few days. Handsome city. Cold. Enjoyed it, but haven't changed my opinion of the French. Food generally excellent- service, with one or two glowing exceptions, poor. Got back about 7pm on Maundy Thursday. Been a lot happening since then. Heavy snow this morning, first of the winter, mostly gone now. Nipped out at about 4.30pm and took snapshots of the watermeadows- see above. Will try and be more dutiful and regular about blogging. More perhaps later.
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Tuesday 11 March 2008

Still Tuesday.

Snapshot of aforementioned computer literate daughter in a corner of my workshop last Christmas. Just to add a touch of interest to previous blog.
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Tuesday.

Apologies to any of my commenters who may have found it impossible to comment over the last few days. I have been having problems with unwelcome commenters and one of my computer literate daughters suggested a means of making access more difficult for what she termed 'the creeps'. I didn't follow the instructions entirely correctly (not wisely but too well, as the chap said) and managed to lock out EVERYONE who wished to comment. She has given me more instructions, which I've tried to carry out to the letter; and, with a spot of quality control assistance from P.I. I think we're back to normal. Hope so anyway. Please comment and see. Many thanks, and may flights of angels guide you to your respective rests. Warm regards, Mike.

Saturday 8 March 2008

Saturday.

Fairly busy day. Workshop in morning. Went well.Scrabble club in afternoon. Won first two games (second by one point - good close game), Phyllis won third game handsomely. Then we drove to Terry's cottage (photographed above), and hung mended pendulum back on clock - now ticking away nicely. Had tea and fruit cake with Terry - also helped her with Times crossword. Then home, bit more work in workshop while Ann prepares supper. I think it's about ready, smells good, so will close and go up. Goodnight all.
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Friday 7 March 2008

Friday.

Busy day today. Worked, fairly successfully, in workshop all morning. Ann was helping at the Ansell Luncheon Club. Picked her up outside it at 2.45 pm and drove to Stowmarket for a haircut. Then on to Bury St. Edmund's, to the garage where we bought our car three years ago. They sent us a letter a few days ago, to let us know that they could offer us a really good deal if we would care to run it in against a new one. Deal turned out not to be quite as advantageous as they'd suggested (well not to us anyway- probably would have been from point of view of garage ) . After a good deal of discussion, hammered out a deal that 'we will think about and let them know'. On the way home we called in on our good friend Terry to deal with a problem that her clock has developed. I'd assured her on the 'phone that I'd be able to put it right in minutes but in fact couldn't deal with it in situ so had to bring it home (top had broken off suspension spring of pendulum) - so much for breezy self confidence - shall have to remember to sound much more pessimistic when diagnosing horological problems over 'phone - customers will then be more impressed when I do cure their clocks - mem. take leaf out of book of medical profession. In fact cured problem in five minutes when in workshop. Will take pendulum back to Terry tomorrow - hope she hasn't read blog in meantime, she being a member of the medical profession. I think the idea is given in Fielding's Tom Jones that Doctors always look gloomy when examining a patient. So that if he dies they can say 'told you so', and if he recovers they gain the more credit from dealing with the case.
Oh, by the way, above photo is of Terry and your blogger taken a while back at Sue and David's. Good night all.
P.S. Sorry Terry. Shouldn't tease.
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Thursday 6 March 2008

Thursday.

Took a snapshot this morning of the raised bed in the middle of the garden path. The yellow pansies have given us a splash of colour all winter and now these short stemmed, bright red tulips are coming up between the pansies. The colour of the tulips almost hurts the eyes. Today we motored over to Lavenham and had lunch with friends of ours, John and Margaret. Margaret gave us a chicken casserole with lots of fresh vegetables, followed by a summer pudding; not made with a bread outer lining, but with (I think) trifle sponge. Nice contrast with the sweet sponge and sharp fruit. Very refreshing taste. Choir practice this evening- went well- followed by fitting new choir robes - which didn't. Several of them will have to be sent back and altered. Dissapointing, especially for Sylvia, who is presenting them to the choir in memory of her late husband, who was a keen musician. One of the sleeves on her robe was a good two inches longer than the other. Mine was rather tight about the chest. Ann said, "You won't be able to wear your blazer under it in winter, and then you'll freeze". Had to agree with her, so mine is to be sent back for alteration, too. Ann has just gone up to bed, so I must go too. Goodnight all.
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Sunday 2 March 2008

Sunday.

Another quick pic of Ann's Amaryllis. There are three stalks each bearing four open blossoms. It really is an incredible great plant.
A week or so ago we received an invitation to 'Supper and a Social Evening' in the Church Room at the URC, which took place on Friday evening, and was an unqualified success. It was to thank everyone who had helped to make the Ansell Club Lunches so popular, and their partners. There was a choice of two hot meals (chicken casserole and jacket potato or Chilli Concarne and rice). We both had the chicken -very good it was, too. There were four tables of about eight people each, and four quizzes to be done during the meal. This was a very good idea as we only knew one person well on our table, and discussing quiz questions whilst eating is a good way of breaking the ice. The prizes for the four quiz papers were tickets to the cinema club, and our table won two of them (but by common consent we gave the second ticket to the only table that hadn't won one, so that someone on every table had a ticket. I should have said that there was also a good selection of home made puddings, of which your blogger is ashamed to confess he sampled two. At the end of the evening we walked home feeling that everyone on our table was now a friend. One of them, a young man Tom, is going to call round tomorrow evening to help me sort out a couple of minor problems on this machine. He is a computer technician. Must knock off now, got a couple of 'phone calls to make before going to bed. Goodnight all.
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