... and
believe it or not I got sick ... one of eleven in Oxford apparently struck down
with a virus ... I don’t remember much, it’s left me lightly scarred, but I was
isolated in my boarding house ...
 |
| Marks & Spencer's bouquet of South African flowers: fynbos & proteas |
Stuck in
small room for a while – eventually I was sent home a week early – but during
the time I slept .... played clock patience, and other patience games ....
there was no tv – I’m not sure if I had a radio, I probably did – but they
weren’t that ubiquitous ...
 |
| Jug of early daffs, narcissi and yellow and red tulips |
...
however the house mistress had The Telegraph delivered as this was the ‘news’ I
remember ... the huge spread of photos of the Thames in full flood – water,
water everywhere but not a drop to drink ...
 |
| Thames catchment area: Kemble, Swindon, Oxford on the river, Reading and then the greater London area as 'circled' |
... I
loved geography – so the descriptions would have interested me ... and to see
the full extent of these floods would have kept me amused in my imagination for
hours and days ...
I would
hope that this year I am not sick in March – it is not my norm to be sick ...
so let’s hope this bout has been it for the year and foreseeable future. I am slowly improving – and do feel better,
but am still coughing and feel nauseous occasionally .... and my taste buds
seem to have been affected ... let’s hope they come back!
 |
| Exeter Railway snaking through the floods in 2012 c/o The Times Nov 23rd 2012 |
Enough
of that – I celebrate another year of life ... as I get more wizened with
excessive wisdom – one advantage of becoming older ... the family are taking me
out later on to see Quartet – a feel
good movie a la mode of The Best Exotic
Marigold Hotel – appropriate for this golden oldie! – then a pizza ...
 |
| Proteas and Fynbos in close up ... |
These
remembrances have reminded me of other things – so part 3 will bring the brain
back into gear for a more comprehensive post ... suffice to say for now ...
... the
snow snowed for two months, the bleak mid-winter continued on – it must have
been terrible ... then the thaw came ...
 |
| Poster for Quartet: with Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Tom Courteney, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon ... |
... we await our weather in 2013 ... apparently it is snowing further north, but nothing serious as yet .....
The blog is becoming chock-a-block with posts ... this is the 488th .. so I can see easily reaching 500 before the A - Z of 2013 comes around ...
 |
| An image someone posted for me after a comment I wrote on her blog about why I was blogging (march 2009) ... re my mother and being prepared for conversations .... |
Lovely having family and friends around the world ... I've had calls from South Africa and Australia ... and from around the UK ... lucky me - and I see lots of FB timeline connections .. so I'd better catch up tomorrow probably.
Many thanks -
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
83 comments:
I hadn't heard about the film, The Quartet but have just got in from a walk with friends who were discussiong going to see it. Enjoyed The Marigold Hotel so will probably give this one a go too. Hope you have fun.
Hilary your blog is truly a treasure and I am so glad I have found a friend "across the pond" :)
A very fun time indeed. I hope you have an incredible time.
I didn't know you were sick, but thank goodness you're getting better. Your blog is one of the better ones. Happy 2013.
Happy anniversary, Hilary! And may the sixth year be blessed with good health and the return of vibrant taste buds to complement your typical zeal and savor of life entire.
Happy blog anniversary! How very neat and a wonderful accomplishment!
That's one flooded river.
Happy anniversary!! Did you ever imagine you'd be blogging for five years?
Wow, five years of blogging. Not bad! And who doesn't enjoy celebrating another year of life? Enjoy your movie and feel better. :)
Oh, and here's hoping you all have a dry-ish spring. Enough with the flooding already.
Congratulations on four years of blogging, I wonder if I will last that long :) Take care Diane
I hope you don't get sick in March. Think positive thoughts!
Congratulations on your blogoversary! You have a great blog here.
Happy blogaversary. May you have lots more of them.
I remember the winter where the Thames and Medway froze, think that was 62/63
Hope you feel better.
What a lovely post. I am so glad I met you in bloggy land, Hilary. Your posts are always interesting and fun to read. Good luck with the health. Here in the U S we have a scary flu epidemic going around. I have my flu shot, but last winter it didn't protect me from one kind of flu. Hopefully, we will stay well this year though.
I hope you are better now. And happy blogoversary! I'm glad I finally made it over here.
Happy Blogaversary. I'll have to look into Quartet. If you like it, then I probably will.
Love,
Janie
Congrats on five years.
Flooding is always scary, especially around here.
Stay warm, dry, and healthy.
Hi, Hilary. CONGRATS on your blogiversary!
A blogaversary and going on 5 years. That is a deciding mark. I like your reminiscing stories and especially about the big snows. That was a huge temp difference so I can imagine the flooding. Take care and love
Glad you're on the mend, Hilary.
There's a lot of flu going around in my neck of the woods. Mom and I are still fighting sinus infections, but thankfully not the flu.
If I read between the lines correctly, I believe on top of the 5-year blogoversary, you've also had a BIRTHDAY! Cheers, cheers, cheers, and Happy Birthday! I hope you had a wonderful one, and here's to many more. Congrats on the 5-year mark on blogging, too.
Five years? Wow, you've been blogging a long time. Congratulations!
Congrats on the blogaversary! 488 posts is amazing; I'm impressed.
Weather cycles seem to have no consideration for humans. And they can vary by occurring every 20, or even 50 years - flooding, warming cycles, etc. Thanks for sharing this interesting post.
Feel better soon Hilary. Hope you enjoy the movie.
.......dhole
@ Suzanne - the film was fun - all the actors are so good and I loved the classical music ..
@ Keith - that's lovely thank you ..
@ Teresa - it was an easy evening!
@ Richard - just a dose of flu that's taking it's time to disappear .. and thank you for the compliment ..
@ Suze - four years is quite a long time .. so the fifth year too is a good start .. I hope my taste buds come back ..
@ Betsy - thank you ..
@ Alex - the flooding has been terrible for this little island ... and no I never thought I'd be blogging for so long!
@ Luanne - into my fifth year .. but a long time. I hope we have a dryish spring .. snowing this morning!
@ Sherry - I don't think I'll get sick .. not a normal occupation of mine .. thankfully. Appreciate the thoughts re the blog ..
@ Jo - I sure hope I have many more of both anniversaries .. birthday and blogversaries ..
Yes - it was the Medway and the Thames froze at their estuaries in 62/63 ...
@ Inger - thanks so much .. it's wonderful having a Californian Swede to correspond with and learn from ... I don't do flu jabs ... never have .. so avoid them, reckon I'm ok and usually am ...
@ Karen - that would be fun .. to recuperate with other bloggers - good idea ... I'm nearly 100% thankfully ..
@ Lynn - good to see you ..
@ Janie - Quartet was acted marvellously ... sad, but true to life .. and lovely hearing the music and singing ...
@ Diane - thank you. Flooding anywhere is scary .. but I can imagine places in the States can so easily get overrun with flood waters ..
@ Susanne - many thanks ..
@ Manzanita - it's quite a long time ... though doesn't feel like it I must say ... so pleased you enjoy the reminiscing stories ..
@ Susan - we've got lots of flu here ... and sinus is very horrid to have - I hope you both heal soon ..
@ Susan - I have had a birthday - so thank you .. both fall on the same day ..
@ Ciara - moving into my fifth year ... it doesn't seem like it ..
@ DG - 488 posts surprises me too .. still I've enjoyed the learning curve and all the friends I've met along the way ..
While the weather doesn't have consideration for humans ... and puts us into the microscopic world that we should be - a tiny part of the whole ...
@ Donna - many thanks I am considerably better ... and the movie was fun ..
Cheers to you all - and much appreciate all the congratulatory thoughts for birthday and blog posting ... Hilary
@
Those floods in Exeter! We had some pretty serious flooding here in Kuantan at the end of last year too.
Hope you're fully recovered soon!
Duncan In Kuantan
Happy birthday Hilary!! Hope the film and pizza were fab!! I also wish you good health and good blogging!! Today the floods are gone but the snow has returned! Merry Christmas again!!
:-)
Take care
x
Lovely flashback memories, Hilary. I only really remember 62/63 because I was so cold all the time, I was in tears..haha. I still hate the cold, so have been glad of the milder winter this year. The downside is the damp and gloom which makes my bones ache....getting on a bit now. Great that you have so many contacts around the world. Here's all my best wishes from the flat lands of the Netherlands - although I could wish I was sending them from my spiritual home in South Africa now!
PS I wrote this on your last post, but don't know if you'll see it, but you might be interested to know that my book, the Skipper's Child, is set in the 62/62 winter on the waterways of Europe. I felt the cold as I was writing it :-)
enjoyed your flashback =)
and
double happy birthday!!
Hope you feel better soon . I think every one has something these days. There is no escaping it.
lol
@ Duncan - the flooding in the West Country was terrible - but I know other areas of the world are badly affected too .. thanks re my recovery - just about there ..
@ Old Kitty - many thanks for the birthday and blogversary .. and good health - the most important part for us all - our health.
Snow on my birthday yet again .. sounds like it's got worse today ..
@ Val - you wrote about the Winter of 62/63 .. it was freezing ...but the damp and gloom is almost as bad ... and the bones do ache ... I'd join you in SA!! Your book sounds historically interesting ...
@ Tara - many thanks and for the double birthday wishes!!
@ A Lady's Life .. yes there's a lot of bugs flying around - I hope mine have disappeared for this year!
Cheers everyone - thanks for your birthday wishes et al ... and let's all have a healthy year ahead .. Hilary
You said: I celebrate another year of life ... as I get more wizened with excessive wisdom
How lovely those words are.
I hope to live like that this year as well.
Happy blogversary.
I hope you don't get sick in March either!
Interesting recollections! So funny that what you remembered was the flooding.
Oh my! I hope you're feeling much better, Hilary. Also, CONGRATS on your 5th year blogaversary! I'm sure it's only going to get better from here :)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
My heart has always pulled toward England, but chance hasn't been kind and I've not been able to visit. Hilary, your blog is the next best thing. Your depicts of your country, your stories, your photos, they have been a great source of happiness for me. Thank you for years and years of truly delightful posting. You are a dear sweet girl!
I hope you feel much better very soon. I've been missing from the blogging scene but not because of illness. Lots of things are pulling me in different directions. I wish I could spring back more easily from all of the stretching!
Congrats on your blogiversary. It sounds like you're celebrating in fine style.
Happy Birthday too!
+++FIVE YEARS+++ Hooray for you. And you do such a brilliant job, Hilary++
I loved the Marigold Hotel and so did many of my young friends. Starting anew is a wonderful theme--in youth an in age.
Hope you continue to feel better. Congratulations on celebrating another year of life and on your blog's anniversary. I always enjoy your posts even though I don't comment as often as I should. They are entertaining, informative and take me to places I will never be able to visit in person. Continue to get well.
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Happy birthday Hilary! I love those flowers. (We have been fighting the flu here too).
Hi Hilary,
And now you are into your fifth year of sharing your thoughts, your eloquence, your positive interaction within this great blogging community.
And suffice to say you shall soon reach the milestone of posting 500. And note, I shall make no mention of that alphabet challenge! :)
Much contentment and fulfilment to you, my good friend. And it be snowing 'oop north'!
Cheers and all the best. Thanks to you.
Gary
Happy Bloggerversary! You have enriched all our lives through the years. I hope you feel better soon
@ Clarissa - those words were fun to write - just came out! That's wonderful to hear you'll join me later in the year ..
@ Holly - I sincerely hope I don't get sick in March ... the snow was awful and that was part 1, while the impact of the newspaper pages were the flood photos ..
@ Nutschell - I'm sure blogging will get better - I enjoy it and that's the main thing ..
@ Joylene - I can feel your love for this little island .. so I'm glad you enjoy my stories, notes and photos which bring it to life for you in a different way ... and I'm a girl - that means something too!!!
@ W2W - many thanks ..
@ Lee - starting the fifth year .. and appreciate the tick mark!!
The Marigold Hotel was so funny .. Quartet was lovely, and funny but with more pathos ... it was a delightful film though ...
@ Mason - I'm really malingering now - and am better! Wonderful to read that you enjoy the posts so much - really grateful for your words ...
@ Julia - the flowers are really cheering me up ... nothing like fresh flowers ...
I know the flu seems to be everywhere at the moment ..
@ Gary - well I'm amazed at the interaction .. just surprises me but I'm so grateful and lucky.
500 posts loom large - and that alphabet challenge is great fun ..
Dusting of snow yesterday .. lots of rain last night .. and now its cleared and there are lovely blue skies (cold ones though!) ... doesn't look like we'll get more snow for the time being ..
@ Heather - good to see you ... and thank you ..
Cheers everyone ... wonderful to see you all - have great weeks ahead .. Hilary
Happy blog anniversary! You made me realize I'll be at 4 years at the end of August.
You sounded quite sick. I hope that doesn't happen again.
Happy Birthday and happy blog birthday! I'm so glad we'll be having you join us again for the A-Z! I hope you end up in my group (we divided the list so everyone gets host visits) but of course I'll sneak by as often as possible!
As to joining twitter and fb, I say go for it! I joined twitter over the weekend because I was the only co-host not doing it...peer pressure. Still learning...but I think it's going to be lots of fun.
I hope you feel 100% soon. You know how much I can sympathize with illness.
Take care dear friend,
Tina @ Life is Good
http://kmdlifeisgood.blogspot.com/
Co-host, April 2013 A-Z Challenge
@TinaLifeisGood, #atozchallenge
Happy blogoversary! You have a marvelous blog. It's such a wonderful accomplishment.
Happy blogoversary! I'm coming up on my first year of blogging and time seems to have flown by...too quickly... but it has been amazing meeting so many people and finding so many great blogs like yours. I'm so glad you are still blogging and happy to hear you are doing better, rest and give yourself time to get back to feeling 100%. (:
@ Theresa ... well done - the years do go by quite quickly ...
The virus stuck around ... but I think it's gone now - just got to catch up ...
@ Tina - that's a lovely thought and I'd love to be in your section - let's hope and see .... but everyone does such a great job that the A - Z Challenge is fun .. and my theme this year is one I'll love doing and I think everyone will enjoy reading!!
I'm on Twitter and FB .. just a matter of getting to grips with them ... I can see peer pressure taking over - and I want to do them - so I suspect I'll get there properly soon ... had lots of birthday wishes on FB .. so need to get back to answer - FB decided it didn't want to take my reply comments ... irritating!!
I'm about 100% now .. just would like to catch up with everything .. reckon by Thursday I'll have done that ... then one final swoop through blogging stuff and then I'm off ..
... but I'm a wimp compared to you and illness - I'm just malingering as I said!! But have been dragged down though ... hugs to you and hope you're year is better ...
@ Christine - many thanks - so appreciate your thoughts ...
@ Elise - it's a fun time isn't it - and we set out with fear and trepidation - but this group is so brilliant ... I'm so happy to amongst everyone - just makes so much difference ...
Thanks everyone re your thoughts ... I'm definitely not ill any more - just quietly malingering so I get a chance to catch up ..
Cheers - and I'm ready to rock and roll again ... Hilary
488 posts is amazing. Well don. Your plogs are so well researched and interesting.
congratulations on everything, an all round pleasant time is indicated, in the blogworld, at home, with friends and relations.
Let’s not hop for a repetition of winter 62/63.
488??? Amazing! Weird to think we *just* connected, Hilary! I love your blog. It's so unique. :D
Facebook and Twitter are awful, but your blog is terrific! Have another great year.
I love your blog, Hilary and yay that you're doing the A to Z again!
That flooding looks awful with the train tracks running through it.
Stay healthy and happy!
Hope you had a great birthday Hilary. The movie sounds like an excellent choice, and you can't go wrong with Maggie Smith. Pizza and a movie is always a winning combination. Congrats on your Blogaversary too! I always look forward to your inventive posts. Hope you're feeling better. Julie
So sorry to hear of you being sick, and nice to see you emerging again. Quartet is on my movie list too - sounds like easy viewing, just the thing when life has been rather demanding. Get well soon, and wow what an impressive blogging history you have!
@ Francene - many thanks ..
@ Friko - I'd rather not have 62/63 again .. but what will the end of the week hold - we await and see ..
@ Morgan - 488 - it's a few isn't it?! Delighted you enjoy the blog - thanks ..
@ JJ - yes FB and Twitter are things to learn aren't they .. but appreciate the thumbs up for my blog ..
@ Laura - the A - Z with lots of friends and new ones is a fun time ..
The flooding has been terrible ..
@ Julie - thank you .. I had a lovely birthday .. and the movie was fun - Pizza too ...
@ Juliet - I am mended!! Quartet is lovely .. thanks re my blog history ..
Thanks everyone .. we'll see what the end of the week holds - they're threatening blizzards??? Cheers Hilary
I wish you a very happy and healthy new year and may the weather be ever in your favour.
Maria
Congratulations on your anniversary, Hilary! This blog is amazing and always one of my favorites, so I'm excited to see what you have planned for your fifth year. :)
So glad you are feeling better and hope too that this will be your only bout for the year!
Happy birthday, Hilary. Happy blogaversary. And I too remember the snow in 63. I was at school and had to get two buses each way. It was a cold journey.
@ Maria .. lovely to see you - sadly the weather will always have a mind of its own ..!!
@ Julie - many thanks re the blog - it's always lovely having your comments .. and your wishes ongoing into year five.
Definitely feeling better and this is the last ill bout for a while - that is a definite!!
@ Ros - many thanks ... gosh that was some journey to school - the buses ... we had to walk down the road from the house to school - but I don't remember the year of the snow .... interesting how we remember different things ...
Cheers to the three of you - from a cold south coast! Hilary
Hilary,
Just scrolling through the comments shows what a powerful voice you've become through your posts and blog.
I congratulate you on your blog anniversary and the upcoming 500th post.
Also, it's good to know you're on the mend. Did you see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel? I've wanted to see it, but haven't yet. I'll have to check it out.
Let's hope the winter stays milder than in 1963.
BTW I've a book to suggest for you. It's called "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey." My daughter gave to me for Christmas and I loved it. It's not about Downton Abbey, the program, but it was an interesting read. Check it out, if you want.
Stay well and warm:~)
Glad you're feeling better. That winter of fifty years ago sounds extreme! Interesting to read about it. Had some bad ones in Scotland the past few years, let's see what happens this weekend.
Congrats on four years! That's a long time around here. You have definitely enriched and educated the blogging world with your eloquent posts. Hope you enjoy the film!
Glad you are on the mend! Be sure and take care of yourself, alright?
Congratulations on your blogging milestone! I am so glad and thankful we met through blogging!
Have a happy weekend,
Karen
@ Sara - I'm very lucky with everyone seeming to enjoy visiting. Thanks re the blog and nearly 500th post!
I'm definitely on the mend - just those undone things needing to be done now - nearly there ...
I did see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and it was lovely - great fun ... so definitely one to watch.
Thanks re the 'Lady Almina' book .. I've noted it to get out of the library ..
We're alright down here .. the rest of the country I'm not so sure about - but thank you re the warmth!
@ Nick - that winter was very extreme .. and yes, in Scotland, you've had some amazing snows in recent years ... Norfolk seems terrible today ... the weekend - who knows!
Thanks re the 4 years .. and your comment - much appreciated. The film was lovely ... with a lot of pathos ...
@ Karen .. thank you - definitely on the mend .. and also so pleased we met too ..
Cheers everyone - and thank you for the wonderful comments ... Hilary
Get totally well and feel better soon. Enjoy your movie and pizza :)
And congrats on all those posts!
Hope you are feeling much better now, Hilary.
Sad to hear you have been unwell Hilary and may you continue to improve.
Truly an inspirational post (and blog) - and reading you previous post proves what a wonderful memory you have.
And nearly 500 posts too!
Kind regards
Anna :o]
Happy blogversary! I'm sorry to hear you weren't doing well.
www.modernworld4.blogspot.com
@ Carol - many thanks .. a holiday in your Tikki hut would be good! The movie was fun and the pizza delicious ..
@ Ellie - well today I hope you're not snowed in - some of the country looks as though you're in for the worst of it ...
@ Anna - I am feeling better .. trying to catch up and then blogging properly at the weekend I expect ..
@ Gina - good to see you ..
Thanks everyone for your wishes ..
Cheers Hilary
Sorry to hear that you had been so sick ! Hope it's getting better every day ! Yes, we have snow now after this awful rainy weather and rather unusual high temperatures. Now it's too cold - 9° ! in the center of Belgium. That's quiet unusual too. I talked to my friend in Langney via Skype, and she too complained, but her house is sitting on a hill so there is no danger of flooding ! Poor people, can't imagine to have my house sitting in the water !
BTW I started blogging in July 2006 ! when nobody knew here what a blog was, lol !
Hi Hilary, thank you for dropping by before doing your stuffs. May you enjoy great health in 2013. Sending you lots of blessings and love.
Have you considered starting a new blog from fresh? Then you could leave this one as it is.
Happy Blogoversary! :) Congratulations on four years--that's really impressive.
I hope you feel better soon!
I'm glad you're feeling better. Those photos of the Thames flooded are amazing. The Quartet sounds like a really nice film. I'll have to see it.
@ Gattina - so many have been ill .. I am much better thank you. The weather has been strange - so warm ... and now the snow - we need winter though.
Parts of Langney are set amongst the old flood plains here in Eastbourne .. Congratulations on blogging since 2006 - that's impressive!!
@ BK - thanks for your thoughts ..
@ Francene - I haven't actually ... I enjoy this blog a lot and the interaction I get with it .. so for now I'm definitely sticking with it ... just bringing it into 2013 perhaps! I'm plucking up courage to go into blogger ...
@ Golden Eagle - many thanks for both thoughts ..
@ Mary - I am .. and I'd better get on with things this weekend .. the flooding does get extraordinary ..
Quartet - the film .. is fun - very soft, gentle - sad ... but with some lovely music, excellent acting .. and just very British ..
Cheers everyone - have fun weekends .. Hilary
I love that picture of railway line Nr Exeter surrounded by flooded fields. We experienced much the same traveling from Monmouth to Oxford very recently. This time it was the road that seemed to be driving through a large, large lake.
Hi Mike .. the Thames in March 1963 was just spread everywhere ...
But I can believe there were much worse floods recently - though the Exeter railway shows the flooding well .. I haven't left the Eastbourne area - so only seen the tv pics .. glad you got through though ..
Cheers Hilary
Hilary, so hope you are feeling better by now. I have a bit of a lingering cough, but am pretty much well. Hope winter is not too hard on you.
Hi Linda - many thanks .. I hope to get a post up today ...
I'm still coughing and spluttering on occasions - and would be grateful if it would stop! Hope your lingering cough disappears too .. ah ah it's started snowing again today ...
Cheers to you - have a peaceful Sunday .. Hilary
I love reading memories about older English weather! The first time I came across a reference to the winter of 1947 was in the James Herriott books, and then he referred to the winter of 62, too! Now I see these references everywhere :-)
@ Deniz - James Herriott is based in Yorkshire and the weather there is always much worse ...
Interesting how books use the weather to tie atmosphere down ... and as you say this year the 62/63 and 47 winters keep being referred to ..
Cheers Hilary
Hi Hilary,
Good to be here,
sorry to note the sickness.
Hope you will be more energetic in the coming season especially at the coming up A to Z challenge time
Happy blogoversary!!!
Keep Inform
Best Regards
Phil
Hi Phil .. thank you for your thoughts re my flu - I'm better now I'm pleased to say ...
So the A-Z will be fine .. and I'm looking forward to it .. and am marching on in my 5th year of blogging ..
Cheers Hilary
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