Friday 31 July 2009

Friday.

 

Scene of unbridled hedonism outside riverside pub at teatime last Sunday. There's a good reason for printing yet another shot of last Sunday's get-together, which I will eventually get to in the course of this blog. Patience!

Been a very busy last few days. On Tuesday morning we drove to London. Viewed Arms and Armour auction at Bonham's, Knightsbridge in afternoon. Slept at Lizzie's. On Wednesday morning we both pottered (with granddaughter Beth) around Chiswick High Street, and eventually had lunch outside a rather nice little restaurant in Devonshire Road (mostly omelettes) (that word always looks wrongly spelled- have mentioned this before I think, when spelling it differently, and it still looks wrong.) (Mem. toooo many brackets in this blog). After lunch Ann and I went back to Bonham's and bid (note alliteration! more brackets though - sorry.) Got three lots-none very exciting, but, let's hope, eventually profitable. Back to Lizzie's, had early supper with Beth and Danny, then drove home to Suffolk (back home 9.30- ish). Thursday drove over to Whittlesey for annual get-together with old friends Barbara and Alan. Ann and Barbara were next door neighbours as children. This, being in the Norfolk fens, meant that they lived about a quarter of a mile apart. These days Barbara and Alan spend half their year exploring the outer reaches of the continent in their mobile home, so that we meet up annually in summer. They have a glorious garden, of which I took copious photographs for this blog. This gets me back to my remark in the first paragraph regarding the above picture, in that when we got home I found I had forgotten to replace the memory stick in my camera, so cannot publish photographs of glorious Cambridgeshire garden!!!! Had lovely lunch, afternoon and evening meal with them, but had to leave immediately after breakfast this morning in order to be home for one o'clock wedding at which we (the choir) were singing. It's a thing we notice every year, that although we haven't met up for a twelvemonth, we are immedialtely able to pick up the threads where we left off. Comes of having known people all our lives, I suppose. The wedding, and singing, went quite well. Now I must get some fresh photies together for benefit of blog. Cheers, all. Mike and Ann.
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Monday 27 July 2009

Still Monday.

 


Son-in-law Mikey, three ganddaughters, Sophie, Amelia, Lucy, and senior daughter, Sarah.
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Still Monday.

 


Threatening Sky. Rainclouds High. Thunder nigh. Late July!!!!!!!!
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Monday.

 

The tea party. There were three more of us on the bench from which I took this photo. More later perhaps.
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Monday.

 

Snapshot of grandson Guy and Ann, also enjoying tea in pub garden.
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Monday.

 

After lunch yesterday we eventually adjourned to the garden and ordered a very large pot of tea, where I took this photo of great Gran enjoying her cup of it.
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Monday.

 

Two new great nephews - Herbie, in the arms of his father, and Theo being held by his maternal grandmother. The other gentleman in the picture is his maternal grandfather, Ann's youngest brother, Tim. The photo was taken yesterday, at lunch in Waterbeach.
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Sunday 26 July 2009

Sunday.

 

Old steam launch on the river Cam at Waterbeach.
More tomorrow (D.V.)
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Sunday.

 

Today we set out at 9.45 a.m., stopped off at Church to wind the vestry clock, then continued on to Waterbeach near Cambridge where we were holding a family get- together. We had hired a private room at a riverside pub and had lunch. The above photo shows the party. There were 28 present ranging from Great Gran, at a hundred, to the latest great nephew, Herbie, at a few days old. After lunch sat outside on the river bank with some of the grandchildren, when a series of six (mostly Edwardian) steam launches went past. After the third I asked Guy to run in to Grannie and get my camera. He galloped back with it in time for me to photograph the last one, which I'll put up in the next blog.
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Saturday 25 July 2009

Still Saturday.

 

Photo is of a bit of our own garden.

Haven't played the Diss game lately:- A Norfolk town that is a bit smelly so its neighbours stay away from it?????
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Saturday.

 

And lastly, Sue and Ann chatting, with a view along the garden, down to the wicket gate giving on to the vegetable garden.
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Sue's Wendy House was very popular with our granddaughters when it was first installed.
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Saturday.


Our friend David 'phoned yesterday to say they've got a glut of courgettes, marrows, etc., and would we drink coffee with them this morning and collect some courgettes, etc? Photo is of Ann outside their home with Sue and Cocoa. Sat on their lawn in dappled shade of a crab apple tree, drank coffee and caught up on all the topical news of the day (i.e. local news of friends and aquaintances, and generally what's been happening in the town- important stuff). Their garden is long, very well stocked, and quiet; and they really are the best gardeners I know. Not only flowers, but shrubs, fruit trees, and at the far end of the garden is a small wicket gate giving onto another large area, of vegetable garden and a big fruit cage. David not only grows fruit, he makes it into jams and preserves, which are very saught-after in our area. It used to be quite a little business enterprise, but he has cut back a bit this last year or so. It's still very popular stuff locally, though. More pictures of their garden coming up, (I hope).
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Friday 24 July 2009

Friday.


Been a good summer for butterflies. Started with a Painted Lady in the herb garden on 24th May, and today I was able to take this snapshot of Peacock butterfly on one of the garden chairs.

Yesterday was quite busy. In the workshop in the morning. We sung at a wedding in St. Mary's at noon. Home for lunch, then Bill, my barber, called (by appointment) at 3p.m. and gave me a haircut, of which I'm afraid I was much in need. Bill collects antique guns, so we always have plenty to natter about. At 7 p.m. to the Eight Bells, where I had dinner with the local Rotarians Club where I was guest speaker. Gave them my talk on the history of clocks and watches. Went well. Spoke for twenty minutes (as requested) then threw it open for questions. Good many intelligent questions (most of which proved they had been listening). One question was from the senior member (a nonagenarian) about the Prague Cathedral clock, which he had seen in 1933. Fortunately was able to answer this to his satisfaction. Last question was a stinker about whether 'Time' was man made or God made. Was able to answer it by pointing out that everything by which Man measures time was made by God, i.e. earth revolving against the sun (one day), earth revolving around the sun (one year) and the word month was originally moon- eth - so that nobody was offended. Ann's gone to Wisbech to see her mother today. Hope she's not too late home, as we'd arranged to go to the Cinema Club this evening. Talking of which I'd better go and get changed ready. More later perhaps.Posted by Picasa

Wednesday 22 July 2009

Wednesday.

Snapshot taken a fortnight ago showing (left to right) our senior daughter Sarah, granddaughter Amelia, Sarah's second daughter (who is making an unsuccessful attempt to emulate her grandfather's whiskers - disrespectful baggage) and our second daughter Ruth.
Spent yesterday in workshop catching up on backlog. To early service this morning where I was serving as Deacon with the new Dean at communion - my first time- went off reasonably well. Most of afternoon spent in workshop - more or less up-to-date. This evening must get things ready for a talk I'm giving tomorrow evening to a men's group on horology 'the History of clocks and watches'. Haven't given that one for a year or two. Quite looking forward to it. Supper time now, must go.
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Monday 20 July 2009

Monday.


Rosebush full of buds outside my forge - which doubles up as a potting shed.

When we got back from Manningtree took above photo and then changed into working scruff and into my workshop, which I'm afraid I've been rather neglecting this last few weeks. Spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on the backlog to some extent. Went well. Repaired, polished and tidied stool, candle stand, snuffboxes and candle snuffers. Shall miss having youngsters about, but it feels good to get back into harness. And I've got a busy week coming up. Being called upstairs to supper now. Cheers, Mike.
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Monday.


Grandson Matthew and your blogger enjoying the comforts of Manningtree Railway Station waiting room, prior to his departure.
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Monday.


Matthew and Ann on Manningtree Railway Station waiting for his train.
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Monday.


Matthew being seen off by Ann.
This afternoon we drove over to Manningtree and put Matthew on a train back to London. He's been with us for just over a fortnight. It's been a lovely summer so far.
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Saturday 18 July 2009

Saturday.



Can anyone identify the plant Ann is holding. We were given it a year or so ago, since when it has lived happily on a north east facing kitchen window sill. It is a small shrub type plant, and has pannicles (if that's the right word) of small star shaped white flowers with red centres. The flowers look as if they are made of wax. We have no idea what it is. Any ideas ? Anyone ? Jude ?
Yesterday evening we had supper with our good friend Terry. She has a problem in the shape of a small rabbit which lives (with his Mama and siblings) outside Terry's small garden, which he visits regularly. Terry showed us him last night on her lawn. He has some form of myxamatosis. He is active enough, but has very swollen eye sockets and is obviously blind. I volunteered to go over and do the necessary with a .22 air rifle this morning.
Matthew immediately offered to come with me. We both dislike killing sick animals, but it is a necessary duty. This morning we sighted up my old air rifle, and it became obvious that although we have both been awarded the army cadet Marksman First Class badge (meself a very long time ago) Matthew is a better shot than I am, and is much more in practice. We then motored over to Terry's (knowing she would be out), and waited for bunny for an hour and a half, meself sitting on a garden bench, and Matthew squatting at a corner of the house with the air rifle across his knees. I found meself dozing in the sun, and as you'll have gathered by this time, bunny failed to show up. Could be just perversity on his part, or good sense, or, which I think more than likely, a fox did the job for us during the night. Hope so anyway.
Ann's helping with the refreshments at a choral evening to be held at St. Mary's this evening, so Matt and I went to scrabble club this afternoon. Two excellent games. We shall both be going to the concert at sixish, so must knock off now, get us a bite of tea, and tidy meself up. More later perhaps, depending on when the Concert ends.
Cheers, Mike.
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Friday 17 July 2009

Friday.


We invented a new dish yesterday. Instead of toad in the hole - sausage in a batter pudding for the benefit of my colonial readers (sorry Lori) - we used Cumberland sausages, and called this one snake in the grass. The grass is chives chopped into inch lengths and mixed in to the batter. With new potatoes, and our own runner beans, and of course gravy, it fed Ann, Matthew, and meself nicely.
More later perhaps. Blog not pudding.
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Thursday 16 July 2009

Thursday.

Matthew polishing some of the stock (brass). He and Ann went into Ipswich by 'bus this morning - he wanted to find presents to take back to his family when he goes home on Monday. While they were out, I spent the morning repairing and cleaning candlesticks, etc. When Matt saw this he said "Pa, I was going to help you do that this afternoon". I assured him there was plenty left to do, and he's now doing it. Making a decent fist of it, too. So much so that Ann is now getting out some of the household brassware for him to clean. That'll teach him not to be too keen. He's a good youngster and usually sees a job and does it before you tell him about it. More later perhaps.
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Thursday.


Inside Linsey Church, with Ann and Matthew in the background(though you'll probably have to embiggen the picture to see them).
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