4 September 2007
Another in a series of three (if that constitutes a series) days of beautiful sunshine and blue sky. OH and I consider ourselves fortunate to be here as on Saturday we went out shopping rather later than usual as I had sung at a wedding in the morning in my new church and we had to have lunch before we went. I decided I would like to go to the big supermarket in our nearest town as the trunk road through our village is set for major roadworks which will mean that getting home whilst they are on-going will be a bit of a trial so we needed a stock up on things not readily available at our local shops.
The traffic was quite heavy and we were patiently waiting in a line of traffic, on a left hand bend, queued at traffic lights for a crossroads with single lane traffic in all directions. We were startled at a loud noise hurtling past us; at first I thought it was a motor bike but then I realised it was a black Porsche travelling at a minimum of 40 miles an hour which simply overtook the standing traffic on the wrong side of the road.
The most curious thing about this was that although we were probably only 60 yards from the traffic lights we heard no horns, crashes, oaths or anything; considering the oncoming vehicles must have had to mount the pavement for their own safety and the suicidal driver must have successfully negotiated the lights which were probably not in his favour it was as though he had passed into thin air. Perhaps we dreamt it?
Another in a series of three (if that constitutes a series) days of beautiful sunshine and blue sky. OH and I consider ourselves fortunate to be here as on Saturday we went out shopping rather later than usual as I had sung at a wedding in the morning in my new church and we had to have lunch before we went. I decided I would like to go to the big supermarket in our nearest town as the trunk road through our village is set for major roadworks which will mean that getting home whilst they are on-going will be a bit of a trial so we needed a stock up on things not readily available at our local shops.
The traffic was quite heavy and we were patiently waiting in a line of traffic, on a left hand bend, queued at traffic lights for a crossroads with single lane traffic in all directions. We were startled at a loud noise hurtling past us; at first I thought it was a motor bike but then I realised it was a black Porsche travelling at a minimum of 40 miles an hour which simply overtook the standing traffic on the wrong side of the road.
The most curious thing about this was that although we were probably only 60 yards from the traffic lights we heard no horns, crashes, oaths or anything; considering the oncoming vehicles must have had to mount the pavement for their own safety and the suicidal driver must have successfully negotiated the lights which were probably not in his favour it was as though he had passed into thin air. Perhaps we dreamt it?
9 September 2007
The roadworks in the village which constitute re-surfacing the trunk road which runs through the centre are, as predicted, causing havoc with tailbacks of two miles or more which do not merit even a mention on websites or local radio, possibly because this is on the border of three counties and local authorities. I emailed the chap in charge a couple of weeks ago and asked what bright spark thought that closing off access to all the roads to the east of this main road, thus depriving us villagers of any escape, was a GOOD IDEA.
He replied (at least he did which is more than the Parish Council did) that he was in charge and that this was a brilliant plan because it obviated the need for three way traffic lights which would be very disruptive as opposed to just disruptive. Well that bright idea lasted all of five days into the roadworks. This is a crucial crossroads which has become a three way crossroads as one of the entrances has now lost the top eighteen inches of it's surface and for the first five days the traffic from the minor road was not controlled by lights. This, of course, resulted in the boy racers chancing their arm when they considered that the north or south flow had been halted and they could take a chance. The confrontation of a 46 ton truck and a go-faster Capri has meant that we now have three way traffic lights!
Tonight, whilst going to Evensong at my new church, I waited patiently in my queue, accepting that although these lights are a pain, they are necessary from a safety point of view. There was a whoosh over my right shoulder and a Fiat Punto shot past me on the wrong side of the road so that the driver could wait at the head of the queue to turn right instead of waiting with the rest of us. I watched, fascinated, as in the brief hiatus as the lights north and south changed and yes, the Fiat could not miss the chance and without waiting for our lights to change, shot through on red, closely followed by the lead car in the lane to turn left, who was also unable to wait.
I reflected as I moved sedately (and legally) through the lights on the mentality of those who cannot and will not wait and never mind that they are putting other road users at risk. I suppose our experience last week with the Porsche probably was colouring my judgement but I have built in a delay factor into my travel arrangements as these road works are ongoing for ten weeks and I either get worked up about them or accept them.
Our prayers at Evensong were for a father aged 41 who died of a heart attack and a lady of 59 who had died of ovarian cancer. Suddenly the world was in perspective again and I was so thankful to be alive.
The roadworks in the village which constitute re-surfacing the trunk road which runs through the centre are, as predicted, causing havoc with tailbacks of two miles or more which do not merit even a mention on websites or local radio, possibly because this is on the border of three counties and local authorities. I emailed the chap in charge a couple of weeks ago and asked what bright spark thought that closing off access to all the roads to the east of this main road, thus depriving us villagers of any escape, was a GOOD IDEA.
He replied (at least he did which is more than the Parish Council did) that he was in charge and that this was a brilliant plan because it obviated the need for three way traffic lights which would be very disruptive as opposed to just disruptive. Well that bright idea lasted all of five days into the roadworks. This is a crucial crossroads which has become a three way crossroads as one of the entrances has now lost the top eighteen inches of it's surface and for the first five days the traffic from the minor road was not controlled by lights. This, of course, resulted in the boy racers chancing their arm when they considered that the north or south flow had been halted and they could take a chance. The confrontation of a 46 ton truck and a go-faster Capri has meant that we now have three way traffic lights!
Tonight, whilst going to Evensong at my new church, I waited patiently in my queue, accepting that although these lights are a pain, they are necessary from a safety point of view. There was a whoosh over my right shoulder and a Fiat Punto shot past me on the wrong side of the road so that the driver could wait at the head of the queue to turn right instead of waiting with the rest of us. I watched, fascinated, as in the brief hiatus as the lights north and south changed and yes, the Fiat could not miss the chance and without waiting for our lights to change, shot through on red, closely followed by the lead car in the lane to turn left, who was also unable to wait.
I reflected as I moved sedately (and legally) through the lights on the mentality of those who cannot and will not wait and never mind that they are putting other road users at risk. I suppose our experience last week with the Porsche probably was colouring my judgement but I have built in a delay factor into my travel arrangements as these road works are ongoing for ten weeks and I either get worked up about them or accept them.
Our prayers at Evensong were for a father aged 41 who died of a heart attack and a lady of 59 who had died of ovarian cancer. Suddenly the world was in perspective again and I was so thankful to be alive.
13 September 2007
Glorious September days, sunshine and warmth and what a shame the children have gone back to school although in our road they make the most of after school play.
I remember being at my Grammar School in my winter uniform in September and being very uncomfortable because it was so warm in those Indian summers of distinctly rosy memory but this year, at least in this part of the country, has been beautiful and the garden is full of colour. This warmth must be because I have decided to put away all my summer clothes, including those dresses which have never been worn so immediately the weather turns! The downside is that I have to water the tubs and pots which have become very dry but at least the water butt is full.
The road works continue with inconsiderate drivers jumping the red light and in some cases waiting in entirely the wrong place so that drivers with the green light cannot get past. I wonder if I am just noticing more or if people really are driving in a much more inconsiderate, not to say downright dangerous manner than in days gone by - must be my age!
Glorious September days, sunshine and warmth and what a shame the children have gone back to school although in our road they make the most of after school play.
I remember being at my Grammar School in my winter uniform in September and being very uncomfortable because it was so warm in those Indian summers of distinctly rosy memory but this year, at least in this part of the country, has been beautiful and the garden is full of colour. This warmth must be because I have decided to put away all my summer clothes, including those dresses which have never been worn so immediately the weather turns! The downside is that I have to water the tubs and pots which have become very dry but at least the water butt is full.
The road works continue with inconsiderate drivers jumping the red light and in some cases waiting in entirely the wrong place so that drivers with the green light cannot get past. I wonder if I am just noticing more or if people really are driving in a much more inconsiderate, not to say downright dangerous manner than in days gone by - must be my age!
15 September 2007
Oh and I were having a leisurely Saturday morning, both using our computer which are side by side - mainly because our interests are so different that sharing would not be easy - and we watched the postman going on his rounds having passed our house. When I retrieved the post I was surprised to see a card which said that the postman had tried to deliver a parcel but that we were out and the time on it was 11.05 am. It was now 11.10 am so I was understandably a bit concerned that perhaps our doorbell was not working. OH would not come downstairs in order to speak to the postman so I had to do it wearing my pink pyjamas and feeling a little foolish. I called out to the postman who is luckily one of the regulars and said had the bell not worked? He replied that he couldn't give me the parcel as he did not have it; when asked what the problem was he just said that they were unable to get a van this morning so all the parcels were at the post office! Oh, and by the way, it shuts at 12.30.
I thought this was a distinct lack of customer service and no wonder the Royal Mail is being shunned by companies for their deliveries. We then had to rush round getting ready, filling the car with the stuff we wanted to take to the tip and then try to park in the village. This is not an easy task at the best of times but the roadworks have made it much worse. When I finally collected the parcel I was amused to note that behind the counter in the post office was a large waste-bin, full to the brim with the red and white cards with which the postmen advise their customers of the non-delivery of the items. You really could not make it up.
Oh and I were having a leisurely Saturday morning, both using our computer which are side by side - mainly because our interests are so different that sharing would not be easy - and we watched the postman going on his rounds having passed our house. When I retrieved the post I was surprised to see a card which said that the postman had tried to deliver a parcel but that we were out and the time on it was 11.05 am. It was now 11.10 am so I was understandably a bit concerned that perhaps our doorbell was not working. OH would not come downstairs in order to speak to the postman so I had to do it wearing my pink pyjamas and feeling a little foolish. I called out to the postman who is luckily one of the regulars and said had the bell not worked? He replied that he couldn't give me the parcel as he did not have it; when asked what the problem was he just said that they were unable to get a van this morning so all the parcels were at the post office! Oh, and by the way, it shuts at 12.30.
I thought this was a distinct lack of customer service and no wonder the Royal Mail is being shunned by companies for their deliveries. We then had to rush round getting ready, filling the car with the stuff we wanted to take to the tip and then try to park in the village. This is not an easy task at the best of times but the roadworks have made it much worse. When I finally collected the parcel I was amused to note that behind the counter in the post office was a large waste-bin, full to the brim with the red and white cards with which the postmen advise their customers of the non-delivery of the items. You really could not make it up.
16 September 2007
I have a new dressing table. It is splendid. I have never had a new dressing table before and I am really thrilled. In all the new furniture which I have bought over my various (well 16 to be exact) house moves, the dressing table has never been regarded as particularly important. This one we bought online (rather I did) because I knew the make. The company is now sadly in Receivership, and another company has bought up all their old stock and is selling it as clearance. It did not occur to me or to OH that measuring the space and checking these measurements would be important and it was only on delivery that I realised that this could be a factor in installing the said bit of furniture.
The delivery men were delayed by the road works and were bombastic to say the least; they asked where they should place the delivery and I told them in my bedroom. It was obvious that the dressing table was extremely heavy but as our house is on four floors they have only seven stairs to negotiate, not the usual thirteen and I did not think it was out of order to ask them to mount these stairs in the course of their job as delivery men.
Their thoughts were different and I was advised that it was only because someone else had paid £25 for their goods to be delivered that I was rewarded with this grumbling pair heaving and shoving and generally making a meal of the seven stairs. If the benefactor had not paid up I would have had only one delivery man and he said he would have left the dressing table dumped in the hall and this did not endear him to me. Usually all workmen are offered a cup of tea and the use of the facilities but in this case it did not seem appropriate.
I was amazed by the size of the thing when it was sitting in the space in our bedroom and wondered just exactly how it was to be accommodated in the available wall area. However, it all has worked out and it looks marvellous and I have spent a whole morning transferring all my stuff from the old (very old) model into the new. Needless to say I have a bin bag full of things which I have in the past thought to be invaluable; after several months of never using these items they are to be consigned to the tip where they rightly belong. All I need now is a stool and for the moment I have a chair from Ikea which is OK but is not new and I really want the whole deal, not half of it.
I have a new dressing table. It is splendid. I have never had a new dressing table before and I am really thrilled. In all the new furniture which I have bought over my various (well 16 to be exact) house moves, the dressing table has never been regarded as particularly important. This one we bought online (rather I did) because I knew the make. The company is now sadly in Receivership, and another company has bought up all their old stock and is selling it as clearance. It did not occur to me or to OH that measuring the space and checking these measurements would be important and it was only on delivery that I realised that this could be a factor in installing the said bit of furniture.
The delivery men were delayed by the road works and were bombastic to say the least; they asked where they should place the delivery and I told them in my bedroom. It was obvious that the dressing table was extremely heavy but as our house is on four floors they have only seven stairs to negotiate, not the usual thirteen and I did not think it was out of order to ask them to mount these stairs in the course of their job as delivery men.
Their thoughts were different and I was advised that it was only because someone else had paid £25 for their goods to be delivered that I was rewarded with this grumbling pair heaving and shoving and generally making a meal of the seven stairs. If the benefactor had not paid up I would have had only one delivery man and he said he would have left the dressing table dumped in the hall and this did not endear him to me. Usually all workmen are offered a cup of tea and the use of the facilities but in this case it did not seem appropriate.
I was amazed by the size of the thing when it was sitting in the space in our bedroom and wondered just exactly how it was to be accommodated in the available wall area. However, it all has worked out and it looks marvellous and I have spent a whole morning transferring all my stuff from the old (very old) model into the new. Needless to say I have a bin bag full of things which I have in the past thought to be invaluable; after several months of never using these items they are to be consigned to the tip where they rightly belong. All I need now is a stool and for the moment I have a chair from Ikea which is OK but is not new and I really want the whole deal, not half of it.
23 September 2007
Well, the Songsinger household has returned from a week's holiday to the beautiful north east of England. We stayed in a castle, saw Alnwick Castle, Durham plus cathedral and Beamish and only got rained on once! It was thrilling that in the cloisters of Durham there are notices to the effect that some of their Pipistrelle bats are teenagers and having been out on the town at night, regularly cannot find their way back again! This means that as you are walking around the cloisters in full daylight you may find yourselves dive-bombed by a teenage bat - not as disturbing as a teenage child I have to say!
Friday was the day of our return because I was booked on a Singing Day locally with the maestro, John Rutter, CBE. It was brilliant, very well organised and I was pleased to see old friends from choirs which I have sung in from different places and in all we sang for over four hours. He was wonderfully amusing and I found the whole experience a delight. I have been with Ranger today to do some shopping and as always, I am really cheered to see him but the drive back was through some really low cloud and lots of rain so I am pleased to be home!
Well, the Songsinger household has returned from a week's holiday to the beautiful north east of England. We stayed in a castle, saw Alnwick Castle, Durham plus cathedral and Beamish and only got rained on once! It was thrilling that in the cloisters of Durham there are notices to the effect that some of their Pipistrelle bats are teenagers and having been out on the town at night, regularly cannot find their way back again! This means that as you are walking around the cloisters in full daylight you may find yourselves dive-bombed by a teenage bat - not as disturbing as a teenage child I have to say!
Friday was the day of our return because I was booked on a Singing Day locally with the maestro, John Rutter, CBE. It was brilliant, very well organised and I was pleased to see old friends from choirs which I have sung in from different places and in all we sang for over four hours. He was wonderfully amusing and I found the whole experience a delight. I have been with Ranger today to do some shopping and as always, I am really cheered to see him but the drive back was through some really low cloud and lots of rain so I am pleased to be home!
28 September 2007
Doctors are wonderful (well, at least mine is) but nurses are much better at taking blood samples! I have a bruise 3" long on my left arm with a smaller one on the outside where I had blood taken on Monday by my doctor in order that he can find out why every joint I have flares up, becomes hot, painful and swollen and this time hasn't gone down! I dread to think how I will get on with my flu injection!
Had a lovely dinner last night with some friends and had a lamb pie which wasn't a pie - it was minced lamb with a potato and leek topping in an oval dish, accompanied by minted mushy peas. I have never had anything quite like it before and it was delicious. I expect pies to have pastry on top or round about the filling but it seems that is old-fashioned. I really must get out more.
Doctors are wonderful (well, at least mine is) but nurses are much better at taking blood samples! I have a bruise 3" long on my left arm with a smaller one on the outside where I had blood taken on Monday by my doctor in order that he can find out why every joint I have flares up, becomes hot, painful and swollen and this time hasn't gone down! I dread to think how I will get on with my flu injection!
Had a lovely dinner last night with some friends and had a lamb pie which wasn't a pie - it was minced lamb with a potato and leek topping in an oval dish, accompanied by minted mushy peas. I have never had anything quite like it before and it was delicious. I expect pies to have pastry on top or round about the filling but it seems that is old-fashioned. I really must get out more.
29 September 2007
Whilst I am resting my swollen ankles I enjoy needlework, knitting and in particular tapestry which I find very soothing. OH and I went shopping on Saturday to our nearest town for me to stock up on supplies. I bought several skeins of coloured tapestry wool and some fabric for backing cushions and waited in the queue, confident that I would be through the checkout in no time at all and I knew I had seven large and eleven small skeins.
Oh no, not at all easy. Every single skein had to be scanned through using a rather antiquated hand scanner and not a single one scanned successfully. The numbers had to be laboriously tapped into the till and by the time this ended and the customers behind me had swelled in their numbers to about thirty, I had lost the will to continue.
The most curious aspect of the whole thing was that a young man, who had confided during his conversation with the young lady serving me (whatever happened to interest in the customer?) that this was his last day at the store (and I am not greatly surprised), faffed around on the other till, tidying up, leaning forward to tannoy incomprehensible messages which I think were to the effect that someone else was desperately needed on the tills, until after about ten minutes my assistant said "could you stay on please as I am supposed to be doing the balloons?" and he then opened up his till and condescended to serve the people waiting behind me.
Is is any wonder that if possible, I shop on the internet?
Whilst I am resting my swollen ankles I enjoy needlework, knitting and in particular tapestry which I find very soothing. OH and I went shopping on Saturday to our nearest town for me to stock up on supplies. I bought several skeins of coloured tapestry wool and some fabric for backing cushions and waited in the queue, confident that I would be through the checkout in no time at all and I knew I had seven large and eleven small skeins.
Oh no, not at all easy. Every single skein had to be scanned through using a rather antiquated hand scanner and not a single one scanned successfully. The numbers had to be laboriously tapped into the till and by the time this ended and the customers behind me had swelled in their numbers to about thirty, I had lost the will to continue.
The most curious aspect of the whole thing was that a young man, who had confided during his conversation with the young lady serving me (whatever happened to interest in the customer?) that this was his last day at the store (and I am not greatly surprised), faffed around on the other till, tidying up, leaning forward to tannoy incomprehensible messages which I think were to the effect that someone else was desperately needed on the tills, until after about ten minutes my assistant said "could you stay on please as I am supposed to be doing the balloons?" and he then opened up his till and condescended to serve the people waiting behind me.
Is is any wonder that if possible, I shop on the internet?
11 October 2007
Having some small experience of aching and arthritic joints, I sympathise with Robinson on the days when his back legs will not function as well as he would wish and decided to seek some help from a message board to which I subscribe. Mostly, the received wisdom was that what works for humans is also, in proportion, good for felines so last weekend we bought some cod liver oil and brewer's yeast.
Both of these excellent sources of help have been a spectacular failure; Robinson does not just refuse to eat the food but casts such affronted looks at us that the guilt weighs heavily on us for daring to contaminate his nourishment. At the best of times he is a picky eater but this attempt to ease his aches has left us with two fairly expensive remedies which will stay in the cupboard until they go out of date. I have suggested to OH that he avails himself of the remedies which are, after all, intended for human consumption but his affronted glare almost matched that of the cat.
I just don't like to see things go to waste!
Having some small experience of aching and arthritic joints, I sympathise with Robinson on the days when his back legs will not function as well as he would wish and decided to seek some help from a message board to which I subscribe. Mostly, the received wisdom was that what works for humans is also, in proportion, good for felines so last weekend we bought some cod liver oil and brewer's yeast.
Both of these excellent sources of help have been a spectacular failure; Robinson does not just refuse to eat the food but casts such affronted looks at us that the guilt weighs heavily on us for daring to contaminate his nourishment. At the best of times he is a picky eater but this attempt to ease his aches has left us with two fairly expensive remedies which will stay in the cupboard until they go out of date. I have suggested to OH that he avails himself of the remedies which are, after all, intended for human consumption but his affronted glare almost matched that of the cat.
I just don't like to see things go to waste!
