murder!

Monday
Stella and Kpie and Cpie came for dinner ~ well it was just pasta and then an unusual interpretation of Eton Mess: pastry instead of meringue, blackberries instead of strawbs and evap instead of cream ~ but it was a 'scratch meal' and actually very nice!

Here we are in the conservatory: Kpie, Cpie and Moi





 
We finished the jigsaw! ~ the murder mystery that is!  It was quite hard since we had no picture of how it should turn out but it did get really exciting towards the end.  All four of us were rushing to complete ~ great team work and great fun.  (I wrote about this on 6 January ~ I would do a link but that's a bit too techy for me haha)


Today
I feel like murdering someone!  G had an appointment at the hospital and, since I have hardly any leave left this leave year and it would have been difficult anyway, I had booked with Travel Line on Monday for them to collect him, take to the appointment and then take him home.

The office phoned me to confirm arrangements on Tuesday.  The chap said:
' . . . and the address is 11 R . . . . R . . .'
I said 'No it's 11 H . . . . . . which is in R . . . R . . .'
'Oh ok, and we will collect him after 11.40'
'No, his appointment is at 11.40'
'Oh yes that's right we are picking him up at 9.40'

Yesterday a woman phoned and said 'are you sure he is going toWatford General?  We can't find the Princess Michael of Kent Building on the map'
I explained that PMofK was the main outpatients' department, it has A&E and is where almost everyone has to go for virtually anything.

When I visited G this evening he told me what had happened:
He saw the mini bus going up the road and then he saw it going down the road but it never came to him.
Fortuately the house manager was there and phoned someone (the office I suppose)
It was confirmed that they would come back for him.
No-one came so he didn't get to the appointment.

Last time the lift was so late that he missed his appointment and had to hang around for ages waiting to be slotted in.

A shambles!

Another day, another moan haha

Po xx

Cpie and Lpip came to stay

We had a lovely time.

We watched Button Moon on Friday evening which, although really much too young for them, they really enjoyed ~ I suppose on a different level to how Stella saw it.  I have a Nursery School photo of Stella aged 4 wearing the Button Moon badge that Boogy bought for her when they went to see a 'live' version at the Palace.  I got the photo out and showed the girls ~ neither of them recognised Stella!

Today we went to the Palace too ~ to see The Little Match Girl.  I hadn't realised quite how the story would be tackled ~ in fact it was a song, dance and mime production ~ no speech and all the songs were in Italian.  The ballet and the mimes made it totally understandable though.  All three of us really enjoyed it although it was a little dark in parts and Lpip, who is very sensitive, did hide her face a couple of times.  

Then we went to visit G.  Frankie and Kpip were already there when we arrived.  It is Kpip's second birthday today and she was in fine form.  They only stayed a little while after we arrived and then G and I chatted while C and L played 'hide and seek'.  Which was ridiculous in G's tiny flat but hilarious too.

We went home after that and had tea and Frankie arrived to collect L and Stella to collect C.  So I guess I am in for a quet evening.

Oh the curtains . . . . Well the ones in the sitting room are fine although there is a sight problem with the track but that will be sorted that out.  The dining room end is only having 'dress curtains'.  They should have been two widths each.  They are one  width each and look ridiculous!  John Lewis are having more made up.

I told you!!!

back soon

Po x

State of Wonder

Tuesday:  Eric came down and took G to see Care Home G which we felt deserved another look as G really hadn't seen it at its best on Sunday.  The day went well, they met the manager and some residents, filled in the assessment and G even had lunch.  The day seems to have been a success and there is the distinct possibility that he will go for a few weeks' stay with the option of staying on permanently.  

In the evening I went to C's for Women's Group ~ good evening.  It turns out that H's mother is in Care Home G and H was very complimentary about it.  H was a nurse and Health Visitor so I value her opinion.  Her mother sadly has dementia so her experience will be different from ours but hopefully G will be happy there.  

Wednesday:   Book club last evening at Mair's house.  We had been reading State of Wonder by Ann Patchett.  Not one of my favourites.  This book was very well written with some well executed descriptive and moving passages.  I found the first quarter, set in Minnesota, interesting but once the main character travelled out to the rain forests of Brazil I became rather bored and had to force myself to read it.  An interesting, but to me totally unbelievable, concept but sadly I felt unable to engage with or care about any of the characters and was so bored by it that I found I was reading the words with my mind on other matters.  I was in a minority of one, however!

Tomorrow:  long awaited curtain fitting day and I have taken a day's flexi leave.  Given all the problems I have had in the past with John Lewis I am not expecting it to go well!  I was somewhat surprised to arrive home yesterday to find a note through my door from the woman 3 doors away, with I had never spoken, to say that she had a parcel of mine.  I had not been expecting a parcel but it turned out it was the curtains.  I didn't get them out of the box but at least they are the right fabric and colour.  I phoned JL this morning to make sure that the fitter will come tomorrow and said that I had expected him to bring the curtains with him.   The JL woman said she was very surprised, that wasn't supposed to happen: they should have been delivered to the store but confirmed that someone would definitely come in the morning to hang them.  

The Glass-Half-Empty Woman says 

'something is bound to go wrong' 

Po x

spoke too soon . . .

. . . about it being a successful weekend!

email from Eric today detailing how he had got on with phoning the two care homes we liked:

There is actually a waiting list (!) at Care Home R ~ we were not told this on either of our visits (why??) ~ we were lead to believe that there would probably be a vacancy in early February.  Eric gave G's details yet again and asked for him to be put onthis waiting list.

There are now no rooms at Care Home G although we are pretty sure we saw two yesterday!  Eric hopes to speak to the manager tomorrow and firm up on the details.

As Eric said: it is a bit like swimming in treacle! 

I am now wondering if we should think again about Care Home L.  This had a couple of features which the others didn't have but which I think G would really like.  My reservations, however, were that the bedrooms were rather a funny shape and also that it had fewer residents than the others so in a sense less chance of finding like-minded 'pals'.  Also the nurse who appeared to be on reception duty (she was the only staff visible anyway) was a bit impatient and said she couldn't help us as she was 'going home in a minute' so a very nice relative of one of the residents went off and found another member of staff to help us.  Which was very nice of her but was really the duty of the woman at the desk I would have thought but hopefully not indicative of the rest of the staff.  (The one who showed us round was lovely!)

Ho hum

Po xx

Fifty Sheds of Grey

I woke suddenly at 3.15 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep (this is happening more and more frequently!) so I read this book which Eric had lent me last time they were down. 

It is subtitled 'a parody'.  I'm sure it is although since I have never read the 'shades' version I can't confirm.  

I did find it funny though and it only took about half an hour to get through. Some very nice black and white (well grey obviously!) photos of various sheds ~ hahaha.

Needless to say it has not inspired me to read the 'original'! 

Po x

A great weekend with Janey and Eric

Let's be honest: Weekends with J and E are always great. But this weekend was successful as well!

G seemed very keen on the care home we visited on New Year's Eve ('R') but we wanted to have a look at a few more to get a balanced view so  we visited another one ('G') on Saturday morning which we liked very much and then zipped back to mine for lunch of bread and cheese washed down with coffee.  Then out again in the afternoon to see two more ('A' and 'L').  We 'scored' both G and L very highly although none of us were too impressed by A. 

L is very close to where Cat lives so popped in there for a visit afterwards which was lovely.  Then back to mine for a Chinese takeaway and a long and in-depth evaluation of all the homes in order to decide which would be best to show G.  In end we decided that the two we liked best were R and G. 

Needless to say we also had 'some' wine and lots of laughs along the way!

Today we collected G early-ish and zoomed over to R.  He loved it!  Lunch at the Essex: very nice as usual!  Then off to G.  I was very hard pressed to chose as they both had lots of really good points: lovely staff, lots going on, comfortable rooms, excellent amenities, friendly residents, nice gardens and good atmosphere.  G stuck with his first decision though so it looks like R will be the one!

This is a home in Watford and quite near to where G grew up.  He will go for respite care first as soon as a room becomes available and then see what happens after that.

I have rather enjoyed going round the homes and seeing what there is but lord! I am so so grateful that Janey and Eric were there to 'bounce' ideas and views on the matter.  Not a 'job' for one person!

Back soon

Po x
 

moaning . . . again!

I had a call the day before Christmas Eve to tell me that G was being picked up by ambulance and taken to Watford General with a suspcted blood clot.  I met him there, at the Ambulatory Care Unit, where he was diagnosed as having DVT and asked to return the following day for a scan. 

The scan showed that he did indeed have a clot in his leg and he was prescribed with Rivaroxaban. 

Happily, the swelling subsided pretty quickly and he was asked to go to the Anticoagulant Clinic yesterday. 

Unfortunately, none of us could take him (Frankie and I were working, Stella's car is temporarily out of commission waiting for repair, Cat can't drive and Eric was on the Naughty-Boy-Speeding Course) so I organised transport for him. 

I don't know what happened but the transport didn't arrive.  I couldn't quite work out what did happen but anyway he managed to get to the clinic and also get home safely.  

In the afternoon the nice nurse at the clinic phoned me because she was concerned that G had not understood all the instructions / warnings she had tried to give him.   (G is now profoundly deaf).    She explained that he had that morning taken the last of his Rivaroxaban and the clinic had prescribed a further course.  She impressed on me that it was vital that he take these every day starting today.  When I asked how I could get the prescription she said I would have to phone the surgery and request them.  

I phoned the surgery; they said they couldn't take instruction over the phone (fair enough!) and that the hospital would have to fax over the presecription.  

I phoned the hospital back and asked them to do this.  They said they would do this straight away.

I phoned the surgery 40 minutes later to check but the fax hadn't arrived.

I phoned the clinic again and was promised that they would do it straight away.

I phoned the surgery and they had, this time, received it but when I asked about collecting the tablets they said I would have to phone the pharmacy to make arrangements.  

I phoned the pharmacy and they confirmed that they collected prescriptions from the surgery every day and that they would deliver to G next day (today).

I have been terrifyingly busy today so didn't phone the pharmacy until just after 5.00 to check that the tablets had been delivered.

They didn't have the prescription!

I then phoned the surgery and, after what seemed like a lot of hunting about, the receptionist told me that the prescription was still there and unfortunately, since collection had been missed, would not be ready until Monday. These are the pills that he must take every day!  When I asked whether I could collect them she said that I could and that the surgery was open for a further hour.  Phew! Just as well I work only about five miles away! 

When I did get to the surgery the receptionist apologised and said that this vital prescription had been 'put in the wrong box' which was why it had not been collected!

Fortunately the pharmacy was also still open so I got the meds (only half actually, the rest to be delivered on Monday) and took it round to G.

So All seems to be Well and has Ended Well!  But if this sort of treatment is general one wonders how the elderly manage when they do not have friends or relatives to help them? 

End of Moan!

Po x
 

Ten a.m. on a Tuesday morning . . .

Thinking of the quiz last evening caused me to remember the only other time I have been to that particular 'quiz night'.  I went last September with both Stella and Frankie and it was on the anniversary of mine and Boog's wedding day ~ so a bit of a celebration too.  

The quiz always features a 'picture' round and one pic was of a chap playing golf (it turned out to be Hugh Grant).  I am always useless at recognising people in photos so made a deduction and said 'could it be Tiger Woods?'.  The daughters looked at me in amazement and Frankie said 'but Tiger Woods is Black!!'

Did I say that I had no interest in either sport or 'celebs'? 

The men are here from JL putting up my curtain tracks right now.  Hopfully not long now until the sitting/dining room is finished ~ hoorah!!

Have a nice day

Po xx

Mealtimes

a good few days:

Tea with G:
visited G onSaturday afternoon.  He had read the brochure for the care home which we left the other day and liked the sound of it ~ so much so that he wanted to go . . . tomorrow . . . for a week . . . or a fortnight . . . or maybe even a month . . . or he might just stay there! Phew!  Whoa: let's just take this s l o w l y !  G is not usually so impulsive but it's nice that he is keen.  J and E are coming down next weekend and we will look at a few more homes and then see ~ we really don't want to rush this.  The family visit often but I think he is sometimes a little lonely so this could be a good move.  Will wait and see  . . . 

Anyway we had tea and a game of cards and read the newspapers and all in all it was a nice relaxing afternoon.

Dinner with many:
Saturday evening I went to Jac's to finalise the camp accounts and have supper. Except that supper turned into a Dinner Party (which I have to say was preferable to doing the books!) with lots of really lovely peeps: there were thirteen of us altogether and then Ma and Ke arrived at around the Cheese Stage!  It was lovely to catch up with everyone : an enjoyable evening!

Lunchy type Tea with the Pies:
Stella, Rich and the Pies came round on Sunday afternoon and I rustled up a pasta-ish meal which was lovely and sociable and then the Pies watched a film while Stella and I did some more of 'The Jigsaw' which we had started on Boxing Day.  I am not normally a fan of jigsaws but this is something else!  Stella found it for a pound in a charity shop and it's a murder mystery!  There is a little pamphlet inside the box which gives a very short scenario and then the finished jigaw will show the solution to 'who dun it'.  The picture on the box bears no relation at all to the jigsaw ~ in fact we did the outside edges without even knowing which was top, bottom or sides and then had to piece it together from there.  It is 1000 pieces and we didn't finish it and still don't know the answer.  Very intriguing and good fun!

Pudd'n with Stella:
Stella and I went to the King Harry for the Monday Night Quiz.  We were useless!  I mean really useless!  although to be fair there was a preponderance of sport and celebrity questions and neither of us have any interest at all in sport and even less (if that's possible!) in 'celebs'.    It was a very relaxed evening though and we did have a drink, a coffee and a really nice pud each . . . and nice chatty company!

Back soon I hope with photos ~ Stella recommends just buying another plug thing ~ which sounds like the best idea!

Po xx

back to work . . .

. . . wasn't too bad!

It was fairly quiet as most people had extended their hols to the start of next week.   I rather like it when the office is fairly empty and quiet but it was good to catch up with those who were in and hear about their various Christmasses.  In our little section it was just P and J and me in.  We took all our decorations down ~ it looks somewhat sparse in there now!  Still have to do the ones at home.

My poor neighbour Ly has finally been admitted into hospital for investigations into her suspected slipped disc. She has suffered with this for many months now and has been in agony for much of the time.  I visited on Thursday evening and have to admit to finding it very depressing!  She mentioned it on fb and called it 'a very dark place'  ~ I can see what she means!

The weather has been deplorable!  Severe warnings of floods and high winds throughout the country and some fatalities.  Hertfordshire has not been too badly 'stung' so far but is is very wet: the ground is saturated and in many places the drains seem unable to cope.  I am writing this sitting in front of a window which looks down the road and there is an enormous puddle outside one house which cars are unable to avoid ~ so huge splashes every time a car comes down.  There are no children playing out and it is all very depressing and grey ~ even the cars are mostly a grey or silver colour ~ and no prospect of sunshine for the next few days.   We are the lucky ones, however: many places in Britain are under water and people are having to take precautionary measures. 

Now that my new furniture is in and the sitting room is comfortable again (curtains still to be hung and sofas recovered but I am getting there!) I have taken to looking at  TV in the evening and knitting!  I have been making a pink hoodie for Kpip for ages ~ she will be 2 this month so I hope it fits, I started it before she was one! ~ and it is finally nearing completion.  No doubt the sleeves will be half way up her arms and the buttons not meet!  Ho hum . . . .  If I find my camera plug thing  will take a photo . . . . maybe

Po xx

2014 . . .

The year has started well!

Janey and Eric came to stay and we went to look at a care home for G ~ for respite care at the moment but possibly long term in the future.  G stayed in a lovely home in Watford back in November but at the end of the fortnight we were all agreed that it was not quite right for him.  Whilst he is certainly getting more frail, his mind is good and he is generally able to care for himself with a little help morning and evening from a lovely support worker.  The home we visited yesterday, however, seemed to be more suited to his needs.  We will see . . . 

E, J and I spent New Year's Eve in usual fashion ~ ie at the home of lovely friends who made a splendid meal (9 of us in total plus B, the lovely black Lab).  2014 was ushered in with the singing of Auld Lang Syne, quaffing of Champagne and phone calls and texts to absent family members.  Home to mine tired but very happy.

Annual New Year's Day Visit to the Essex for lunch though sadly no pre-lunch walk as the weather is just dire (There was no possibility of taking a walk that day).  All the usual suspects from the Night Before plus a few other family members.  Then E, J and I visited G to tell him about the home ~ he seemed quite impressed ~ and have a cuppa then back home and E & J have now departed for home.  

A New Year ~ time for resolutions!  I have given up on making them but I am hoping that 2014 will be better than 2013 ~ nothing dreadful has happened but it has been a tiresome year (boring is what I really mean!) so I have high hopes for this one.

Po xx
 

the day before the last day of 2013

This is the one day of all my Christmas holiday days when I am not 'doing something' so a chance to catch up on odds and ends . . .

I started by doing a bit of stitching for a birthday which is coming up and then Frankie, Alex and the Pips came round ~ Alex to put back the door between the kitchen and dining room : off since the new carpet was fitted ~ phew! ~ I was getting so cheesed off with it leaning against the gap and falling down every so often! 

Lpip and Dpip played outside for a while but it was really cold  so they didn't stay out too long and came in and went up to Frankie's old bedroom where I had stashed all the toys while the work was being done.  

Kpip will be 2 next month and makes us laugh all the time now ~ she is very cute! (and she knows it!).  To my great regret I have lost the plug thing that the lead thing from the camera goes in so am unable to charge my camera ~ no doubt it will turn up at some point but it's a darned nuisance right now when I would like some catch up pics!

It is dark now and the Pips have left and I shall go and have a sandwich of left-over gammon from when Stella, Rich and the Pies were here and then later on watch TV and knit. I hardly ever watch TV but tonight there is an adaptation of 'The Thirteenth Tale' from the book by Diane Setterfield which I enjoyed so much.  Not only that but it stars not only Olivia Colgate (from 'Broadchurch') but Vanessa Redgrave too!

Toastie time!

Po x

forgotten . . .

. . . or so I thought . . .

I haven't looked at my blog in months ~ no really! in fact not for over a year ~ not since my last post in fact . . . and I haven't been following other blogs either ~ which seems rather rude and impolite ~ like ignoring a friend perhaps?  Well in point of fact because I was not blogging it seemed kinda 'stalky' to be reading other blogs and not commenting or sharing . . . so I just stopped . . . 

But today I suddenly wondered whether my poor blog had been wiped off the face of the Earth and so I had a look . . . the odd thing was that it looked like four (4??) views today! Who, I wondered, was looking when I was totally ignoring the thing?  Maybe I should pay it just a leetle more attention?

2014 is just around the corner ~ I would like to catch up withe blogs I have enjoyed in the past and feel I am only justified in doing so if I share doings of my own . . .

Back soon with news of the Pies and the Pips, Tully (no longer terrifying said Pies and Pips ~ they are mostly bigger than he is now!), family, house renovations, knits, stitches, books, visits, fun times and more . . . .

Po x

1 pm

Saturday 28 April 2012

Just arrived to visit G and this was the time.  This was O's watch and G gave it to me after she died.  I wear it almost every day.

~~~~~

Circle

Sunday 29 April 2012

Quite a number ofcircles actually!

~~~~~

Something that makes me sad

Monday 30 April 2012

Well, not really sad ~ more nostalgic I suppose.  Eric and Janey gave us the clock when we married ~ 40 years ago this coming September. And time passing is quite sad really.

The photo is of Frankie aged 20 months and Stella aged 3 years 9 months.  Cpie looks like Stella and Lpip looked like Frankie when she was that age.  I love this photo and it always sits on my mantle piece but it is sad that it was so long ago. 

Well that is the first month done (last half at least) and I am still continuing.  But now I am going to post them all on my Annus Mirabilis blog ~ and at the end of each month.  It has certainly helped to concentrate the old mind! and I have messed about a bit to see how to get better shots.  All good.

The weekend

I had a great weekend ~ Janey and Eric came down and we nipped over to Enfield to collect the photos, went into Porcelanosa and laughed at the ridiculous prices, collected G, had lunch at mine, took G home and then, after E and J had left, I went for a walk in the lovely Whippendell Woods.  So peaceful!

On Sunday it was the Confirmation Mass which was beautiful.  But now I know I am getting old!  It was a 'new' bishop whom I had never seen before and my first thought was 'Goodness, he's young'.  I expect that reaction with policemen but Bishops???!!!!!

continuing the challenge ~ day 5

vegetable

Monday 23 April 2012

An onion.  Not much more I can say really . . . .

~~~~~

 

Something I am grateful for

Tuesday 24 April 2012

A peaceful room at work in which to sit and read at lunchtime.  Ok so it's unsociable, but I like to be away from the hurly burly for a while!

~~~~~

Looking down

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Stella and the Pies usually visit G after their violin and recorder classes and I generally manage to meet them there before they go home.  Looking down as they wave goodbye.

~~~~~

Black and White

Thursday 26 April 2012

My purse ~ and me in the mirror taking the photo ~ also in black and white.  This is at around 7.00 in the evening and I was at work waiting for the Development Control Committee meeting to start.

~~~~~

Somewhere I went

Friday 27 April 2012

Work! That's where I went. And then I went home again. But it was a Friday ~ and time to relax!  Like today, really.

I have a good weekend ahead: Janey and Eric are coming down tomorrow early and bringing a Boeuf Bourguignonne for lunch.  We will go to Porcelanosa to choose some tiles for their new bathroom, nip over to Enfield to collect the 'Kpie' photos and then collect G and bring him for lunch.  I'm not sure what we will do in the afternoon and evening but then J&E will go home.  On Sunday it will be the Confirmation Mass in the afternoon and then maybe a quiet evening with a dvd or the tv or reading . . . .

and a Fourth Day . . .

Orange

Thursday 19 April 2012

I was reading 'Room' by Emma Donoghue ~ Orange short-listed.

~~~~~

 Something I drew

Friday 20 April 2012

It was the Grand National Horse Race the following day and the office held a Sweepstake.  I drew State of Play.  Needless to say it didn't win.

~~~~~

Bottle

Saturday 21 April 2012

On my kitchen window sill.  I love coloured glass.  The tall triangular ones I brought from Austria last time I visited and the bulbous one with the leaning neck is just a random one that once had wine in it that I shared with G.  

~~~~~

Last thing I bought

Sunday 22 April 2012

I had to cheat with this one ~ it was the last thing I bought but I bought it on the Saturday.  I had organised a studio shoot for Kpie and Stella and I had been to choose the photos we wanted.  On the way home we called in at Starbucks in Chiswell Green. 

Back tomorrow

Po x

Third Day of Photo Challenge

Flower

Monday 16 April 2012

Trisha planted up this pot for me in memory of Boogy.  It blooms every year without any help from me.

~~~~~

Something I don't like

Tuesday 17 April 2012

A rainy morning ~ who would like a rainy morning?

~~~~~

Hair

Wednesday 18 April 2012

From the left: 

Kpie: brown, thick and glossy like Kate M's

Jpie: a double crown

Cpie: gentle red ~ like marmalade

yay! catching up!

Second Day of Photo Challenge

How you feel today
Saturday 14 April 2012

This was the day Lpip and I went to see Joseph and these were some of the sweets she didn't eat!  It was a funny day all told.  I felt: grumpy, confused, unsettled, frustrated, angry, intolerant, undecided, hungry, annoyed, happy, enthralled and ultimately contented.  A real mixed bag all day ~ just like the sweets.

Sunset

Sunday 15 April 2012

The view from the bedroom that used to be Stella's.

Hmm!  well putting the photos on was a little quicker today!

Back soon

Po xx

Photo a Day Challenge

Something you found ~ Friday 13 April 2012

I have taken up the challenge!  The challenge is to take a photo a day and the subject for each day is on a list which I found on a blog whilst browing.  I rarely take photos and when I do they are usually hopeless so this has been a good way of focussing the mind and experimenting too.

So far I have only missed one photo and that was because I really couldn't 'get it'!  More of that on the day though.  

This is my first and was 'something I found'.  I found it on the computer at work ~ a 2-for-1 ticket offer for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' at the Watford Colosseum.  I took Lpip the next day and it was amazing!  and we both loved it ~ Lpip wants to go again!

it has taken me half an hour so far to upload this photo ~ here must be an easier way . . . . 

Back with more anon I hope

Po x

Some Questions and Some Answers

Kim tagged me with these questions aeons ago in January and this is my first chance to answer them ~ they mostly hold as true to day as they did in January though.

1. What was the best thing that happened yesterday?
     A request for annual leave was approved
2. What book could you read once a year and never get bored?
     The Diary of a Nobody
3. What was the last good idea you had in the shower?
     To visit the second hand bookshop in Stow on the Wold
4. Mac or PC?
     PC
5. What is your first thought when you hear that snow is in the forecast?
     Yay! Get indoors and batten down the hatches!
6. Favorite beach?
     Gillan Cove~ by the Herra
7. If you could do one sport very well, with no fear of injury, which would it be?
     Tennis
8. What is your favorite piece of jewelry and why?
     My wedding ring ~ for the symbolism, of course, but also because it is an unusual design
9. Do you get excited when the mail arrives?
     NO!
10. If you have a superpower where anything you knit would be finished, flawlessly, in a week, what would you knit?     
     A fair isle cardigan
11. DPNs or circs?
     DPNs

And the answer to the question 'What did Frankie have?' is: a beautiful baby girl weighing in at 10lb 5oz.  Lpip and Dpip think she is the Bees Knees and truly is she adorable.  She was born on 18 January ~ arriving much later than any of us thought ~ and she is growing, thriving and laughing. 

Almost ready to re-appear . . .

Everything has changed and I had forgottten by password . . . oh dear! 

BUT!! . . .

Stella came over this afternoon with the Pies and has helped me to reconnect with Blogger and I am hoping to be back on board soon . . .

I have photos, news and more ~ but sadly, less time than ever!

Po x

In which I feel miserable . . .

I didn't go back to work after all as I felt ~ and still do feel ~ really grim. 

And have spent my time sleeping, reading or with my head draped with a towel over a bowl of hot water ~ which is about the most boring occupation in the Whole World!

My foot is returning to a more 'normal' size although it is of a most unpleasant colour!

There is no News as yet in the 'Frankie and New Baby' section of the Po Et Familiares site . . . but hang on in there, folks, I'm sure it won't be long . . . .

I have also done a tiny bit of knitting: on the pink scarf which I started for Frankie about two years ago.  This sounds worse than it is  ~ I have done loads of stitching and even some knitting on the way!

I am reading 'Mr Pye' and 'Introducing Chaos'  ~ which says it all really!

A bientot!

Po x

2011 Books

I am losing my touch ~ or probably I never had one I the first place. In any case I don't seem to be able to post comments on other blogs now: PAH!!!
Kim asked me what I had read recently that was good and although I tried to post back it just didn't work somehow. I will write it all here . . . .

Crace: The Pesthouse ~ not an 'easy' read and quite harrowing in parts but well worth the effort
Ali: Brick Lane ~ a story of life for a Bangladeshi woman in an arranged marriage and her life in London's East End. This story spans many years and chronicles the changes in her life and how she copes. I loved it.
Dawkins: The Greatest Show on Eath ~ a Reading Group read or I would never have picked it up. I'm pleased I did, however, as although I dislike the way he writes and disagree with many of his ideas, the subject WAS fascinating.
McMahon: The Rose of Sebastopol ~ Strong characters and an engaging tale of two very different cousins and the impact of the Crimean War.
Bryson: The Lost Continent ~ Hilarious! and I now know where the 'Mid-West' is!
McMahon: The Crimson Rooms ~ Enjoyed this even more than the Sebastopol. A young, female lawyer in 1920's London and the murder case she takes on. Had me gripped to the last page.
Fallada: Alone in Berlin ~ Such a sad book! Set in Nazi Germany and one man's attempt to sabotage Hitler and the Third Reich. It does end on an up-beat. Please read it!
Austen: Persuasion ~ This year's Jane Austen ~ say no more!
De Bernieres: Notwithstanding ~ I want to buy a copy for everyone I know! Very funny although so quintessentially English that maybe one would need to be brought up in the English countryside to really enjoy it.
Banks: The Crow Road ~ Second time read and just as good as the first time. Banks' books fall into two groups for me: the ones I have to read with my eyes closed (!!) and the others. This was an other!

I also read, amongst other books, Niffenegger's 'Time Traveller's Wife'. This was an interesting idea but I found the idea of the poor chap turning up naked every time he went back and forth, having to steal and the author's use of vulgarities right through the book off-putting and sordid. I didn't like it.


On to 2012 and I have started out with Mervyn Peake's 'Mr Pye', which is good although I should really be reading Nicholls' 'One Day' for Reading Group meeting on Wednesday week.


And a quick update on the NYE Dinner:
We did hold it at my house and it was great fun (as usual). Jane and Eric did most of the cooking (others brought Starters and Puds), we had fireworks in the garden and many a laugh. We all sang 'Auld Lang Syne' when the time came and a good time was had by all.


My right foot has now turned an alarming purple colour and is hideously swollen. I am resting it as much as poss and, when not, hopping about accompanied by a stick borrowed from G. Work again tomorrow ~ although I'm not sure how I will get there as driving is quite out of the question. Such is Life!

that was Christmas . . . this is New Year

. . . and so yesterday I was cleaning in the kitchen, slipped on a patch of wet floor, fell and twisted my ankle but Kept Calm and Carried on.
By evening the pain was getting worse and the foot was swollen.
Stella took me to hospital where we spent three hours in A&E, I had an x-ray and then came home.
No bones broken fortunately, but Rest has been ordered for the next 2 days (useful diagrams received showing a chap on a sofa with his feet up on cushions ~ aha! I get it!) and Ice Packs at regular intervals.
It is my turn to host the NYE dinner so I am a trifle perturbed about the two hunks of lamb which have yet to be cut up into 'bite-sized pieces ~ mainly becasue I am now forced to either hop about the place like a demented robin or crawl on all fours like a dim-witted tabby.
Like all things, this will pass and besides, it is funny really, but at the moment I am just so frustrated because there is so much to DOOOOO!!

Christmas 2011 . . .

. . . exhausting!
no more than most years I suspect ~ it must just be me getting older
One new pip expected early in the New Year
I have been off screen for ages for a variety of reasons and have had little time even to look at other blogs far less comment ~ although I have been keeping up to date as much as I have been able.
back later with news . . . . hopefully!

holidays in suffolk

dunwich
1986 ~ peter and frankie
2010 ~ kpie, lpip, jpie, g, dpip, frankie and cpie
2010 ~ lpip and jpie

books . . . .

It was lovely to hear from Kim in Oregon! and books! now there's a good subject for scrutiny!!
Kim asked me for the titles of a good book for the summer ~ which got me thinking . . . so here are a few ideas:
I loved Kate Atkinson's 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum' ~ it made me laugh out loud
Isla Dewar's 'It could happen to you' was another gem
Barbara Erskine is good for her plots which go back and forth in time ~ great for summer as you can gallop through them in no time.
Joanne Harris' 'The Evil Seed' was scary and a real page turner
I love the E F Benson 'Lucia' series ~ nothing to do with Lpip of course! ~ and they also bring back memories of lovely family holidays when the girls were young in Winchelsea/Rye
I have Philippa Gregory's 'The Other Boleyn Girl' on my shelf which I keep meaning to read ~ bought a very cheap DVD of it in Sainsbury's ~ if the book is as good as the film it's a winner.
William Trevor's 'Felicia's Journey' was wonderful ~ although no-one else in Book Group raved quite as much as I did!
Anything by Margaret Forster or Tracy Chevalier . . .
And Khaled Hosseini and Kazuo Ishiguro . . .
Old faithfuls like Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope . . .
One can hardly beat 'The Book Thief' ~ everyone loves it this side of the Pond!
We read Maggie (I think) O'Farrell's 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox' at Book Club ~ great praise from us all.
We read one per month at Book Club and I oftentimes forget them but Patricia Ferguson's 'Peripheral Vision' was good . . . and Peter Carey's 'Oscar and Lucinda'.
This month we are reading Nancy Huston's 'Fault Lines' ~ although I haven't started it yet ~ we all think it looks and sound pretty good!
Gracious!
I think I am making up for Lost Time.
Back again soon
Po xx

in which I attempt to catch up . . .

This is a blogging in which I attempted to 'catch up', dated 18 April! ~ it is in fact 22 June now!
I can't now remember what exactly mis-fired with the computer ~ but summat did and I gave up.
So this is just to let anyone who does still 'tune in' know: I am still alive, very busy and always hoping that I will be back some day.
I still read my fave blogs but feel so bad about not writing that I haven't even had the heart to comment.
Maybe I will be on the radar again soon . . . .
Po xx