I have decided to end this blog in May as it has been six months of blogging. It is the beginning of a new era for me. I will try and write about three more blogs, one each week until the first week of May.
Yesterday, after burning through our last lot of wood when a neighbour cut down a tree, we decided to we needed to get more or face a shortage. The friend I have who lives in the country is a long way away for us to drive to pick up a load of wood. So we decided to check a favourite source our local and some what historical cemetery. As drove along the road on the south side we seemed to stop a lot of wood ready to be taken on cleared. We drove around the roads of the cemetery itself to get to the wood but could only pick over some pieces as it was soft wood and some pieces to long to fit in the car. We decided to drive on the north side and across which is actually under a bridge to the western side. This property now as it is the city must make the property developers wince from the size of it. Thankfully it is also an tree sanctuary. It gives the city some much needed oxygen.
After our drive, we went to the lowest ravine area and found a pile of wood chips then got out of the car and there it was a huge amount of wood. A lot of large trees that had been taken down but some wood was scattered around for the taking. Happily we loaded the car and headed home with our find. Thankful for the preservation a cemetery can be to plants and animals and to people who love a fire in the cool weather.
I have become a radio person. I know longer have television cable etc. I find myself listening to radio on a daily basis. I have a few stations I switch to to suit my mood. In the morning I sometimes first listen to the news channel then switch it to a station geared for people my age. I sometimes flick over to the classical or Jazz stations. If I am sick of the rest I put on the French language station which has some really interesting music. It is my idea of a crossword puzzle to listen in French and get the gist of the conversation. I am determined to go to the library and pick up French children's books and work on vocabulary. It is better then crosswords which I find annoying. I am glad that radio hasn't totally gone the way of the dinosaur.
Over the winter I have slowly developed a problem. We now have bed quatro. That is myself and my partner and Fred at my feet and now Rooster has decided except on nights when he wants to join my offspring. This isn't comfortable and they mostly like to sleep at the end of where I sleep. Fred is a small cat built for serious mouse chasing. Rooster is another story. He is double at least Fred's size. When he is lying down he does become somewhat compact. However I have a cat bed in the room and they ignore it. I have a pad beside the bed and they ignore that. What can you do when it is half love and warmth. One leg comes out the side and another squeezes between cats.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Strange weeks, Time to say adieu, Easter.
I have just been through some strange weeks. I do read my stars and wasn't prepared for the odd week or so I have had.
One friend is looking after he Dad in palliative care, one friend and her partner have signed his 91 year old Mother into a nursing home for 54 days will they have a wedding in the Dominican. Her grand daughter. My partner has discovered he has a job looking for elevators to film in for a possible game/reality show pilot.
My offspring and I fell out for the millionth time. Offspring was hear on the weekend and looked old for his age. I blame computers that the kids never seem to get off of. I thought a comment was made at dinner that sleep was an issue. I sent a message saying he should see the doctor is he was having trouble.
I got a reply to leave me alone. That is the offspring I have worried over for years who still keeps me awake at night. Talented intelligent, sometimes you get the feeling that you have nothing to say. I see offspring as the beautiful baby, sweet child and the young person making his way in the world. Now he is a man the concern doesn't end and you are always a parent. Offspring sees an interfering mother unit from another planet. You can't win.
Adieu. This is for my friend's Father Eric who is in the last stages of cancer. At eighteen he was in the Indian army as an officer near the place they found bin Laden. It is now Pakistan. This was WWII. He was from a small town on the edge of Wharfedale in Yorkshire called Otley. His Dad had been the local shoemaker and repairman. His Mother was the quietest woman I think I have ever meet. Above his house was the Chevin talked about in Ikley moor bar tat. I was there when I was eighteen years old. He came back and tried to finish his degree in chemistry but quite to get work then marry his sweetheart Kathleen. They married and a year later their daughter arrived. They both felt they should immigrate. The war, the struggle to make a living and the desire for a new life in Canada or Australia. Like a lot of Yorkshire people of that era, it was Canada. Eric is also the Father of a son and now there are two grand daughters. A life spent working at Underwriter's Laboratories. Eric and Kathleen rented a house in a little village on the edge of a bit city. It was a place where Yorkshire people had immigrated to before WWI. Their home has been a welcoming place for friends, children and neighbours. They had a cottage on a tiny lake that was near one of the tiny towns of in cottage country. They sent their daughter to be educated in a London acting school. Sold the cottage and bought the house they where in on the side of a lovely park. In recent years, they cared for their two little grand daughters in their late seventies. Now are both are mid eighties. Eric has only a few days to live. A life well lived, quietly in ones own way. Godspeed Eric.
Easter, I have survived this holiday after two or three days of cleaning, on day of shopping and on the day, cooking and serving and cleaning up. Everyone enjoyed there meal and got Easter treats. I had not planned to spend more days cooking and cleaning but needs would have. I guess with one offspring and his partner away the holiday is quieter. One holiday down and next one May 24th. Victoria Day.
The Australian's who never fail to be original have decided to adopt a new creature and replace the Easter Bunny with a Binny rat or something to that effect to give it a more OZ flavour. I saw all right.
One friend is looking after he Dad in palliative care, one friend and her partner have signed his 91 year old Mother into a nursing home for 54 days will they have a wedding in the Dominican. Her grand daughter. My partner has discovered he has a job looking for elevators to film in for a possible game/reality show pilot.
My offspring and I fell out for the millionth time. Offspring was hear on the weekend and looked old for his age. I blame computers that the kids never seem to get off of. I thought a comment was made at dinner that sleep was an issue. I sent a message saying he should see the doctor is he was having trouble.
I got a reply to leave me alone. That is the offspring I have worried over for years who still keeps me awake at night. Talented intelligent, sometimes you get the feeling that you have nothing to say. I see offspring as the beautiful baby, sweet child and the young person making his way in the world. Now he is a man the concern doesn't end and you are always a parent. Offspring sees an interfering mother unit from another planet. You can't win.
Adieu. This is for my friend's Father Eric who is in the last stages of cancer. At eighteen he was in the Indian army as an officer near the place they found bin Laden. It is now Pakistan. This was WWII. He was from a small town on the edge of Wharfedale in Yorkshire called Otley. His Dad had been the local shoemaker and repairman. His Mother was the quietest woman I think I have ever meet. Above his house was the Chevin talked about in Ikley moor bar tat. I was there when I was eighteen years old. He came back and tried to finish his degree in chemistry but quite to get work then marry his sweetheart Kathleen. They married and a year later their daughter arrived. They both felt they should immigrate. The war, the struggle to make a living and the desire for a new life in Canada or Australia. Like a lot of Yorkshire people of that era, it was Canada. Eric is also the Father of a son and now there are two grand daughters. A life spent working at Underwriter's Laboratories. Eric and Kathleen rented a house in a little village on the edge of a bit city. It was a place where Yorkshire people had immigrated to before WWI. Their home has been a welcoming place for friends, children and neighbours. They had a cottage on a tiny lake that was near one of the tiny towns of in cottage country. They sent their daughter to be educated in a London acting school. Sold the cottage and bought the house they where in on the side of a lovely park. In recent years, they cared for their two little grand daughters in their late seventies. Now are both are mid eighties. Eric has only a few days to live. A life well lived, quietly in ones own way. Godspeed Eric.
Easter, I have survived this holiday after two or three days of cleaning, on day of shopping and on the day, cooking and serving and cleaning up. Everyone enjoyed there meal and got Easter treats. I had not planned to spend more days cooking and cleaning but needs would have. I guess with one offspring and his partner away the holiday is quieter. One holiday down and next one May 24th. Victoria Day.
The Australian's who never fail to be original have decided to adopt a new creature and replace the Easter Bunny with a Binny rat or something to that effect to give it a more OZ flavour. I saw all right.
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