Lakeside

Has a whole new meaning now. However, I think 'Ship of Fools' is worth a look. The Henry VIII lookalike is rather alarming.

Firestarter

Who says young people of today have lost the plot; not here anyway, what encouragement some of them give to retired educators.

I wonder what happened to this class of 67?

40 Camel Girl

40 Camel Girl (Letters from Turkey) is the name of a book by E.Grace Beyler going round my family. The letters were written between 1969 and 1971, from an American girl to living in Turkey with the family of her fiance,back to her parents in USA.

This was a good time for me, my liberation in London, my first job in Battersea, shopping in the Kings Road on Saturdays, concerts several nights a week, Gauloise and David Clulows , Kaftans and old fur coats gleaned from ancient aunts.

Grace Beyler stayed with PTB(Poor Turkish Boy) and his parents in Kavakli after an amazing overland trip from London in a VW called Dagmar. It reminded me that my flatmates travelled to Istambul and back ,in 1970 ,in a group from London in a Transit , for a holiday. I thought it was such an exciting thing to do , but did not have the courage to join them.

Grace remained en famille whilst PTB did his National Service. The letters were so funny, details of all the intimate family members, and extended family;the moslem conventions for the role of women in Society were so alien to me from those of the west. I learned more about Turkey in this book than I have ever before, it is a compelling read. I am trying to get some more copies of this OP book, and have e-mailed the author who is sending me some. Sometimes a book is so good you want all A level students to read it or all teenagers, this one should be read by all moaning women.

Adult Baptism

I had the privilege of being at an adult baptism on Fathers Day, albeit by sprinkling. P is the father of two teenage daughters who became Christians at a Pathfinder camp(or the like) at Criccieth in North Wales. The place is well known to Bridteacher Emeritus as it is the place where her own mother became a Christian in the 1930s at a CSSM meeting on the beach.
Anyway, P became a Christian just after his eldest daughter left to go to a Scottish University. He prayed the prayer,took the small step , made a commitment and then decided he ought to tell his Away daughter. She told him to look underneath her sister's bed. Explain here that Away daughter had slept in a bottom bunk bed. When P looked under the bed he found his name DAD writ large. Away daughter had prayed for him every night before she went to sleep, after becoming a Christian herself. I love this true story.

Echiums 2

Is ours Echium Pininana or is it Echium wildpretii xE.pininana ? The ones in the Chelsea Physic Gardens have long been the inspiration for spouse and I, every year we look hopefully at the 'For Sale Table' by the shop, longing for a tiny seedling of a different variety from our familiar friend. Our original one was bought at Burton Agnes gardens near Bridlington about six years ago: they have a formidable grove of them by the gate to the Potager Garden. I have just sent off to Chiltern Seeds for E.boissieri, and we have six seedlings of E.russicum in the greenhouse.
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/chilternseeds/
I see sadly they are out of stock. This is becoming a search for treasure.

Echiums

Just incase I have not laboured this enough,

I am delighted that my Echiums have got through the winter.

Facebook again

I had meant update the blog with details of my wonderful pilgrimage to Israel. I have hundreds of photos to upload, pithy comments to make, observations worthy of Lady Hester Stanhope, and much enthusiasm and a renewed interest in the Bible BUT I have just discovered Visual Bookshelf on Facebook so all will have to wait.

A study of Shellfish by Chantal Scott Anderton

'Shellfish' is the picture hanging in our cottage kitchen

Master of the Robarts

Introducing to the world again the noble visage of my ancestor Benjamin John Elder who died in 1856. Master of the sailing ships the 'Lady Susan 'and the 'Robarts' he is resplendant in plaster on our hall table. A forerunner of the digital photograph a plaster bust was the resort of the not so rich ,who wanted posterity without notoriety. At the moment I am using his face for my profile on Facebook where I hope every one of my five friends will appreciate him. I am hoping for notoriety for posterity.

Upstairs Downstairs

Spouse has borrowed the whole set from a friend. We have done Series 1 and Series 2. We have re-aquainted ourselves with Mrs Bridges, Ruby and Sarah. Lady Marjory has gone down on the Titanic and we await the first World War. I dont know how much more I can stand.

I thought I would add my own picture from 1972, better than Upstairs Downstairs, no 3 or 4 court Wimbledon , think its Fred Stolle.

Facebook 2

I have got the hang of the Photo Album thing now. It took 50 minutes to upload a few pictures without the benefit of Broadband, so had a trip to the Library , what a difference, minute or so to load 17.

Broadband next - Waitrose is my preferred option but everyone seems to have BT. Perhaps I 'll just wait another 10 years and go to Filey Library.

The piece of elegant red metal street furniture is a VR postbox, splendid and proud in China town ,Newcastle, just along from the Red gate which is the piece of street furniture people everyone goes to see.

Gypsey Race

I have noticed with delight that for the last week the Gypsey race has been flowing through Burton Fleming. Whether or not the good people of that post office and publess village , not a hamlet, thanks to the church, share my delight is debatable. I recall that the last time it flowed about four or five years ago it flooded across the road.
Part of my weekly pilgrimages to Beverley to live bones of Saint MVB always include the slowdown into second at the Burton Fleming crossroads and past the butcher and the bridge to view the water or lack of it. I am a fishermans daughter. Looking at the water is ingrained. Further along the flow of the Race is always visible, though sometimes only just, at the road to Woldgate a few miles from Bridlington. One could even fancy a rod and fly at some times as it wends to the sea. Further downstream , next to Bridlington Hospital , onwards to Tesco's one could only catch shopping trollies and bicycle wheels, laced with non recyclable plastic bags.
I love the name Gypsey race, I love all that is written about it in that wonderful bed side book of Topography, 'The landscape of the East Riding of Yorkshire' by K Allison. All Three sentences, and one map. Why did he write so little about it , and yet pages on Sunk Island. I am going to find out more.
Meanwhile , I persuaded to spouse to let us come home from Scarborough Hospital the scenic way today in the interests of didactic driving.
So our route was thus:
Brompton by Sawdon, a stop to look at the Derwent, sandy roadsides to Sherburn,West Heslerton and the pretty drive up to West Lutton, Weaverthorpe merely damp Gypsey race, Boythorpe , past the Burtons farm where I saw my first ever Combine Harvester, indeed it was one of the first in the East Riding. On to Wold Newton, Oh! good! water in the Gypsey Race, watch it Colin , watch it ,I have to drive, Is it still there and full . The anticipation builds- wait till you see it at Burton Fleming. Amenable spouse is trying to get enthusiastic by now. An hour after leaving the hospital, he wants to get home but is trying to be kind ,he suggests a charming divertion.Lets drive to Rudston and see how the race is doing there. I dont hesitate, this is a field trip ,not the ride home. Rudston does not disappoint, quite full past the Recycling bins. Drive straight across and through a narrow lane he says there it is , and there it is , a charming stream , a beck ,always there he says, always got water in it and I never knew. Me the East Yorkshire girl , he the London boy. He knows about the Fleet though.

Facebook or 'On a bandwaggon'

Cant decide about this one. Young people seem to leave such rude comments on the walls of their friends. Was I like this? I need to decide what I actually gain from this networking site. Understanding another generation is a start. I did the Movie Quiz Ok. Looking for a clever picture now.

Laterooms

My latest discovery is 'Laterooms'. I have been directed to this site by well travelled partner of less well travelled son. I need to find a comfortable, clean and convenient double bedded ensuite in the same spot as Malmaison, Newcastle , but for a quarter of the price and the same view of the Millenium Bridge and the Sage. I am hopeful that the price of somewhere wonderful will go down to £50 with breakfast. Will keep you posted. I am having much pleasure choosing wonderful suites, reading the reviews and deciding if 0.3km is too far. It is called Virtual holidaying or maybe Virtual booking would be better.

Disney

Christmas includes Cinderella's coach and horse in enormous box,Cinderella Slipper game (Batteries from garage as soon as it opens on Boxing Day), Winnie the Pooh game with bees round Honey Pot. Spouse aka Grandpa reads the Rescuers to small children sitting in bed two minutes after his wake-up cup of tea. Family all sitting around the log-burning stove , four generations , buffet lunch, real coffee, chocolates.
AND THE SOUND OF A RECORDING OF CAROLS FROM KINGS NOT DISNEY AND WILL NEVER BE.....

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Aged parent has announced her wish to travel to place of abode to supervise its complete Spring Clean in Winter before she takes up residence again after the F---d. I cannot take her on Friday. Don't worry dear I am going on the train. I am only 87. I do not go upstairs. I fall asleep in the car. My rail card will need renewing. It expired in 2001. I have not been on a train since 2001. I will manage . Dont worry dear. I can mind the gap. People are always so kind. I will get lots of help from the porters. The taxi will meet me so I dont have to go over the bridge. The driver will move the train for me so I can get on easily.
She went and they did.

Child is father of the man

The pantry in the Saltshouse Road house of my childhood was the place for Nigella type browsing amongst the shelves. I would take a spoon to Horlicks, Peanut butter and Ovaltine. I would take Twix bars out of the biscuit tin. Once I opened and ate a whole tin of Condensed milk. How would I get rid of the tin without Mother finding out. I know I will throw it behind the garage where the gap next to the wall is just wide enough for the evidence.
I have seen the jar of Peanut Butter in my cupboard, it is going down. It is not me, it is not spouse, it must be aged parent.

Look North

Sixteen years of Tyne Tees BBC TV have endeared us to the personalities we see and hear every day with the local news at 18:00. So when aged parent has a respite break from us with Cheshire Sibling, spouse and I take off for what is now known as a City Break, in Newcastle.

With a Metro Rover one day pass we go to Tynemouth Priory on a glorious day. The first delight is the wonderful Railway station, triumph ofVictorian day trippery. Abbey is closed so a walk to Cullercoates along the beach as recommended by elderly resident is rounded off with a great sandwich at the Queens Hotel, full of the retired of the 'Coast' eating tinned peas and carrots with chips and sloppy mince. Denture heaven.

When we access our hotel room in a dark lift with purple lighting we realise that for the view of the Millenium Bridge, The Baltic and the Sage, literally outside our windows it is worth every penny of the fortune we have to pay for the room , or suite, as it is euphemistically called because it has a sofa and a coffee table and a flat screen TV. I am entranced with the view, the changing colours of the lights on the bridge, the lights period. The Quiet.

So Carol Malia-thank you. We loved it all, the bus drivers, the Q1 and the Q2, the exhibitions, the Blaydon Races, the Get Carter car park, Jesmond Dene, Armstrong Park, Heaton Park, The Old Biscuit Factory, the ferry across from North Shields to South Shields, Fenwicks Sushi Bar, The Shout at the Sage, the glass pavement outside the Laing and the architecture of the University of Northumbria. Never have we had needed a break as much as this. The people of Newcastle were all so helpful and kind and so proud of their city. We feel as if we have been away for Two weeks, which of course we could have been with the price of a two night stay , breakfast extra, at our guinguette.

History repeats itself

Progeny are back in Wincanton Road this weekend staying with Godmother of the best sort. They have been to the Sound of Music, worn gladrags, travelled and giggled, and hit Primark . They send earnest texts about Birkenstocks. Number one daughter has left behind spouse , mother in law and sleepless nights, number two, spouse the naughty step and all things organic. Its so Dr. Johnson, bless him.

Pegs and Jif lemons

Just an experiment to see if I can get the hang of uploading on dial up