Tuesday 31 July 2018
Tuesday 2.
Showed this year's hibiscus flowers (on two trees) yesterday taken by flash after dark. Above are the same two trees taken in full sunlight this morning. When I was a boy the only hibiscus that could be grown in this country (or so we thought) was a mauve (ish) flowered tree called, if memory serves, Blue Bird. There are some lovely ones to be had nowadays, including the above white flowered, reddish centred, specimen, which looks lovely, and flowers for some weeks from mid summer to the early autumn.
Tuesday.
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The Ipomias are giving their usual glorious display, but have noticed something a bit different about this year's flowers, though. The below flower is the normal five lobed (petalled ?) flower, but the plants are occasionally throwing four lobed flowers, as shown in the upper picture. I've never noticed this before. Can any of my readers suggest a cause for this? The four lobed jobs are still lovely, but do look a little odd.
Motored over to have tea with friend Helga this afternoon. She bust her right arm a few weeks ago, and is still a little shaky, although the arm has healed well. She's a few years older than we are, so I suppose Anno Domini could have something to do with it.
Goodnight All.
Monday 30 July 2018
Monday.
Just a corner of the garden, showing mainly hibiscus, taken with flash about an hour ago.
Goodnight all. Will try and blog better tomorrow.
P.s. See above entry for Tuesday showing same view by daylight (and sunshine).
Thursday 26 July 2018
Thursday.
Today was absolutely lovely weather wise, so we (that is Ann, meself and granddaughter Beth) decided to go to Felixstowe and have a look at the North Sea. Pausing only to book a table at the Orwell Hotel for three, at one pip emma, we drove down the A14 (mostly ) to Felixstowe, and to the Orwell, where we partook of a light (but very satisfying) luncheon. After lunch we drove to the seafront, strolled along the sands for about fifteen minutes, then found a vacant seat and
watched the world go by - very restful.
I tried to take photographs for the delectation of my readers, but found the camera being totally non cooperative. Handed the camera to granddaughter Beth, who found the problem- I'd forgotten to replace the memory card after doing yesterday's blog. I must admit to being not altogether high tech. However Beth, who is altogether Hi-tec, took these photos on her camera, then when we got home, transferred them to my blog. By magic, I suppose! Being called upstairs for supper. Goodnight All.
P.s. Reopen this to say that although the temperature in the garden was really uncomfortably high,this morning ; by the time we got to the beach, the temperature, although warm, was not uncomfortably so. It was much warmer a few miles inland than at the seaside.
watched the world go by - very restful.
I tried to take photographs for the delectation of my readers, but found the camera being totally non cooperative. Handed the camera to granddaughter Beth, who found the problem- I'd forgotten to replace the memory card after doing yesterday's blog. I must admit to being not altogether high tech. However Beth, who is altogether Hi-tec, took these photos on her camera, then when we got home, transferred them to my blog. By magic, I suppose! Being called upstairs for supper. Goodnight All.
P.s. Reopen this to say that although the temperature in the garden was really uncomfortably high,this morning ; by the time we got to the beach, the temperature, although warm, was not uncomfortably so. It was much warmer a few miles inland than at the seaside.
Wednesday 25 July 2018
Tuesday.
Been a busy day.
Ann had to go into Ipswich Hospital for a check up on her eye operation. She was taken into Ipswich by a good friend of ours, John Goldbourn. Granddaughter Beth is staying with us for a few days, and made lunch. She made a chicken casserole;which I am shown (above) adjusting with the addition of a few chopped herbs from the garden, variegated sage, garden mint, chives, etc.
The above photo shows, from left to right - Granddaughter Beth, great granddaughter Astrid, Great grandmother Ann, Astrid's Mama (granddaughter Amelia), and Amelia's Mama, senior daughter Sarah.
Granddaughter Beth, at work preparing lunch for us all in the kitchen. She's staying a few days, looking after the senior generation -us. The youngsters have been SO GOOD! over the last few weeks. It really does restore the faith in human nature.
Monday 16 July 2018
Monday.
Just come across this photo taken ten days or so ago. It shows part of the family on the Cam, with senior daughter Sarah demonstrating to the gondolier just how she'd like things done!
No, not really. He was teaching Sarah how to quant. She did quite well.
Sunday 15 July 2018
Sunday.
Youngest daughter Lizzie stayed with us over the weekend. Took the above photie of Ruth, Lizzie and Ann at teatime yesterday. Asked them to look langurous (even I wasn't sure about that word, so changed it to 'glamorous')......... and the above photie was the result of their efforts!!!!!!!!
Liz told me last night that she intended to hit the road this morning at 6.30 a.m. so got up at about five past six to see her off and found her gone. Didn't want to go back to bed as I knew it would wake Ann (who rarely seems to sleep well), so have spent the last hour and a half pottering about the computer. This blog entry is the end result of said potterings.
Must go and get dressed - I shoved on a workshop shirt, trousers and an old dressing gown to come down in --- it's enough to frighten the horses.
Have a good day.
Friday 13 July 2018
Friday.
Been a busy day. Early service this morning. This afternoon Ruth ran me into the hardware shop in town to purchase a refill for the gas bottle I use in the forge. Ruth spotted a french blue and white skirt she liked in another shop, so I bought it for her. She has been so good - looking after her parents over the last two or three weeks - that it was a real pleasure to find something for her that I could see she really liked. As you can see from the picture above the skirt fitted her perfectly and really suits her. When senior daughter Sarah was sixteen she asked if she could go on a dress allowance rather than her pocket money. It's a long story and I won't bore you with it; but eventually I used to teach all five of our children that if you are shopping and see a garment that you like, and it suits you, and you can afford it- buy it then and there. If you leave it till you really need a garment, you will never find one that is perfect. It's the old rule of "Bag it when it's by."
Oh Dear! The times I've been reminded of that fatherly counsel!!!!
We've got our youngest daughter coming to stay tomorrow -to help Ruth look after us I suppose.
Ann was very much in demand as a babysitter when our childrens' families were young (actually we both were); but now two of them have grandchildren of their own to baby sit, so we both feel grateful and privileged that they can take time off from work and their grandchildren to look after the great grandparents when necessary.
Must go and water the garden before bed.
Goodnight All.
Thursday 12 July 2018
Thursday.
but I think I've shown you most of them. Can't stay awake much longer, so - Goodnight All.
Wednesday 11 July 2018
Wednesday 2.
Yesterday was the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the R.A.F. so we drove out to a disused airfield a mile or so from home to see the fly-past of aircraft towards London. It gave us (and around forty or fifty other people who'd had the same idea) a good view of the fly past.. We talked to an elderly lady (even by our standards - she told us she was 92) who wanted to know if any of us knew about her favourite aircraft she'd ever flown in -the Walrus? Well of course I knew of the crate - it was a 'pusher' amphibious aircraft of (I think) the thirties. She also told us (she'd arrived by car - she'd driven herself) that her family didn't really approve of her still driving, but she'd consulted her doctor, who'd examined her, and then given his opinion that she was as safe a driver as she ever had been. I carefully did NOT give my opinion that this remark could be taken two ways. I think her family had shown great restraint by not pointing this one out - they must have spotted it, I'd think.
In the top picture I'm sitting on an old shooting stick I keep in the car, supported by walking sticks - nice and easy to get up from. In the second picture Ruth is holding the shooting stick. A pleasant morning's outing.
Monday 9 July 2018
Saturday 7 July 2018
Saturday.
The crossbow illustrated is my next major restoration job to be done. I purchased it last week in one of the major London auction rooms. It was made by J. Blancher of Attleborough (in Norfolk) probably in the mid / late 1600 -s ,and is (in its way) rather a handsome weapon.
Since then I have been studying Sir Ralph Payne - Gallwey's book 'The
Crossbow'. It was first published in 1903, and has (to my mind) never been bettered as a text book on crossbows. There are four small iron parts to be made, which will fix the bow firmly into the stock , and two more slightly larger iron pieces that keep everything firmly in position. All are illustrated in Payne -Gallwey's book, and will have to be made to the correct sizes of the vacant holes in the stock. In a repair job of this sort the holes that remain in the stock, dictate accurately the sizes of the missing parts. It should take a while (and keep me busy). Must try and remember to take 'after' pictures to show when all's done -watch this space.
Just been called up for lunch by Ruth.
Friday 6 July 2018
Friday.
Above photo was taken in Cambridge last Sunday beside the river. It is of grandson Tom and meself about to embark on our exploration of the Cam. The two punts held nineteen of us (family) . We were well provisioned with a white fizzy Italian wine (Prosecco, I think) and fresh fruit, by daughter Liz. It was a grand afternoon, made unique in that, unlike other years, nobody fell in!!!
Thursday 5 July 2018
Very quick blog, thanks to a passing neighbour, who took a quick snapshot of the three of us. Ruth reminds me that we have an early start in the morning - hospital visit for an eye check up -me this time, and that reminds me that after Ann's cataract op yesterday, she has been reasonably comfortable today (largely thanks to doses of Para Cetamol).
Good night all.
Wednesday 4 July 2018
Wednesday
Been a hectic day. Ruth drove Ann into Ipswich this morning to have a cataract removed from her left eye. The above photo was taken when they arrived home this afternoon. All had gone well at the hospital I'm glad to report.
Daughter Liz, her three children, Matthew, Georgia, and Beth; and her granddaughter, Elsa, whose fourth birthday was today, came to lunch, bringing it with them.
Just before they went home this evening, the above photo was taken of great granddaughter, Elsa(the birthday girl) with her great grandfather Mike, meself, your blogger.
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Good night Readers, God Bless you all.
Tuesday 3 July 2018
Tuesday 2 or as Ruth suggests -Twosday.
The roses are now blooming so heavily that Ann found a few breaking off, and brought them into the kitchen as cut flowers. Ruth took Ann into the local hospital this morning for an eye check-up today, and they learned that Ann is to go back in tomorrow to have a cataract removed from her left eye, at 3p.m. Ruth will drive her in. I will stay at home, as Liz is bringing her older daughter and our great
granddaughter, Elsa, who is celebrating her fourth birthday tomorrow, and going to school (a Church school) in September. Liz is bringing lunch with her for all of us. Must just try and clear a few scrabble games, then bed.
So - Goodnight All.
Monday 2 July 2018
Monday.
Above photo shows our two great granddaughters ( they are second cousins and very good friends) enjoying a family high tea beside the river Cam at a hotel in Cambridge, yesterday,
Around mid day today, we motored out to the building shown above and below. It is the Bell Hotel in Kersey, where we had lunch in the garden. We have been using this hostelry for over fifty years. Ruth who is staying with us has always loved it.
The two antique items we purchased (by 'phone) arrived by carrier this morning. One of them will need a good deal of work doing, which I'm already planning. It's good to have something in prospect.
Sunday 1 July 2018
Sunday.
Today we met up with as many of our family as could make it (nineteen of us) to Cambridge, where we'd hired a couple of punts, complete with an undergraduate each as an outboard motor, and went quanting on the Cam. The young gentleman, on our punt, let two of me daughters (senior daughter, Sarah, and youngest daughter, Liz) have a go at quanting. Neither of them disgraced themselves. After that we had tea outside the hotel, on the riverbank, before returning home. It was a lovely afternoon out, which we all enjoyed thoroughly. It has a long family history, which started by taking everyone to a pantomime, but has changed a good many times over the years; but we think we may change our arrangements next year. We'll see what everyone thinks. I know they all like to get together with all the cousins and exchange family news and gossip.
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