Next week.

Lovely daughter has returned to Vancouver.

We talked, shopped, ate out, ate in, watched Television together and had time that was supportive and warm.

This is where we will be next week, at the Blind Veterans Centre in Brighton. 

Overlooking the water and with views towards Brighton, it is a well-run place to relax and be looked after.

Hopefully I shall spend some of my respite time in the heated pool! 

A meeting has been arranged with Betty.

I'll tell you about it all when we return.

Thanksgiving.

Although we don't have Thanksgiving in England,

I want to send all my best wishes to my American friends for a happy and peaceful time.

I love to read about your celebrations and look at the beautifully arranged decorations and tables.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Off for a while

Thank you for the very interesting comments on 'Too early'.

We all have differing viewpoints, and it was good to read all your thoughts.

I was so pleased that the Letter swap had begun in such a positive way.

Thanks for your notes about your letters.

I will not be doing much on the computer for a week or so, as

my lovely daughter is coming for a visit from Canada!

We are so thrilled, as it is two years since she was here, so we look forward to some catching up times.

After she leaves we are going to Brighton to the Blind Veterans centre, for a week's holiday. I'll have plenty to tell you on my return...and I'm hoping to meet up with another blogger while I'm there.

See you later.

Too early?

Do you feel that Christmas celebrations start too early?

There was quite a discussion on the West Country news after the lights in Plymouth were switched on......on November 13th. 

Yes, there were some who thought it added to the jollity of the season.

But many people felt it was all too soon and that by Christmas any 'magic' had gone.

I think it is more restrained in Europe. When we lived in France there were very few decorations until well into December. Then the village lights would be switched on, some Christmas trees would appear in the supermarkets, but there wasn't the same razzmatazz as we have in England.

Our stays in Austria during the Christmas period were lovely, and we so enjoyed the Christmas markets, where there were handmade and natural goods for sale.

The only lights were white ones, twinkling through the trees in the squares.

What do you think? 

Should we just accept that things may start earlier each year, or should we hope that the real meaning of Christmas might come across. In December.

Rain, and letters.

The rain returned.

An hour of damp sunshine raises the hopes, the laundry goes out....and is swiftly brought in again.

The forecast is bad for the next few days.

So on to more interesting things.

I wonder if we might have a sort of round-up of results from the Letter swap?

Maybe you haven't received one yet, or sent yet.

  Betty said...

I received my letter at the weekend and posted to NZ Monday. I think it will take about 5 days to get there. So little time in our busy lives for such a simple thing! It has made me slow down and think more about how I use my time in general.

November 13, 2014 at 10:28 PM

 

 Scrappy quilter said...

I've received mine and plan on sending my second one on the weekend.

November 13, 2014 at 10:51 PM

 

 Stephanie said...

Hi Barbara! I have sent mine off to Carol {which she received} and have also received a lovely letter from Carol. I plan on writing her again this weekend.

Thanks again for putting all of this together - it has been a blessing!

November 14, 2014 at 3:52 AM

 

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Sunshine

After a week of hammering rain and heavy gales, we have a sunny morning...at last.

Yesterday the wind was so harsh that our friend's garage roof collapsed, just a few minutes after she had taken the car out. Trees are down again locally and leaves are everywhere.

I went to town yesterday in such appalling rain. With a big umbrella covering me I managed to avoid the worst.

But now...the sun is pouring in through the windows and for the moment we can enjoy it.

I'm going to search in the garden to see if any bulbs are beginning to appear.

My husband's daughter and husband are down for a few days and have helped me so much.

All is good!

Remembrance Sunday.

Remembrance Sunday is today.

Though really it is the 11th November that is the designated day, on the 11th hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month.

How this installation of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London has captured the nation's hearts.

I haven't been there, but a friend went recently and said how very moving it was, especially at the reading of the names of the fallen later in the day.

The enormity of the sacrifice is almost too much to take in.

What can we feel but immense thanks, coupled with immense sorrows.

Thank you.

Your kind comments about my husband's health and recovery are so appreciated. I wanted to thank you.

We don't say much about personal things but in this case, maybe I will. Just a little.

Since an operation in April my husband has been in three different hospitals, with various severe infections, chest etc. That's been hard for him, in addition to his extreme sight loss and lack of mobility (due to a stroke in 2008). Falls in the home mean that he is never left on his own.

We are so blessed to have a wonderful Dr, Surgery, Community Matron and District nurses, all of whom visit him at home.

We have the Caregivers every day who are also a huge support.

As always, he is cheerful and uncomplaining, interested in everything around us, anxious that our lives are not impinged upon by his health problems. I worry about him...but I think he worries more about me and the amount of time I spend caring for him!

But for me and for many other carers, caring equals Love.

The Garden Centre.

Now that my husband is so much better, we are finding pleasure in picking up some of the things we used to do, albeit with a wheelchair now.

This is a very good local Garden centre not far away.

Having spent part of the morning in Falmouth hospital for a follow-up appointment, we decided to treat ourselves and have lunch at the Garden centre, where there is a good little restaurant.

To our surprise we found the lunch group from the Cornwall Sight Centre already there, and as it was ages since we had been to one of their lunches we were invited to join them.

 

We had meant to have a simple meal of maybe a baked potato, but this was a set lunch of roast beef or chicken, roast potatoes and beautifully cooked vegetables....far more than we would normally eat! 

This was followed by calorie laden desserts, so I opted for coffee.

While my husband enjoyed his coffee and a chat, I shopped, bought three bags of all purpose compost, some niger seed to entice the goldfinch, and some home made marmalade.

Although this Centre sells other things such as country clothing and home made produce, they are very knowledgeable and take pride in the condition of their lovely plants. It's always very tempting!

Calamity Jane

Singing along to 'The Black Hills of Dakota' the audience in Truro were enthralled by this production of Calamity Jane.

Our local theatre often has musicals and plays on tour from London, and as my husband had memories of seeing the film way back in 1953, he thought it would be good to see the stage show.

Sadly, not Doris Day and Howard Keel in the main parts, but altogether it was well produced and ran along at a zingy pace. All the music was well known and all the audience joined in. The setting was Deadwood City, there was plenty of two-stepping, pistol shots and a very clever stage coach built from ladders and wheels. Each performer had a musical instrument , guitars, cello, accordion, flute, spoons, and it seemed that most of the music was made directly on stage, no orchestra.

We did enjoy our evening out!