My road is being dug up to put in new gas pipes … they had a practise run with the block opposite – ok I thought – that's it …
Do you remember this song sung by Bernard Cribbins in 1962 … The Hole in the Ground …
Don't dig there, dig it elsewhere.
You're digging it round and it ought to be square.
The shape of it's wrong, it's much too long,
And you can't put a hole where a hole don't belong.
I've mislaid the will to get things done … but a quick update … I had my hospital consultant 'meet up' … it looks like no op … just various other alternatives … ongoing into 2026.
I just feel exhausted, disinclined to get up and go … so I move forward in my own time frame. Also just to add to the fun and games ... my right knee is causing me problems, to compound it my left achilles has come out in sympathy ... 
Record Cover 1972
I'm sure my mojo will return – the brain tells me it will … it just needs the body to be more willing or feel able to ...!
Oh – life is fun!!
Sorry – no cake going here … I can offer you lots of noise, lots of men in very dirty work-gear, lots of road mess, lots and lots of badly maintained road … lots of pretty squiggles on the road …
Oh that looks delicious! c/o BBC
... anyway Christmas is coming – the goose is getting fat … if bird flu doesn't get them first …
Oh dear – I can easily become a misery guts!!
I will get back in the mode …
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
26 comments:
Wretched road works. I hope they work reasonable hours. but even a short period of heavy machinery quickly becomes too much.
I hope your treatment is kind and effective and also that your energy returns soon.
Hari Om
Devil and deep blue sea... the work must be done, but if only it could be done in silence!
Wishing you lots of recuperative rest and postive treatments... YAM xx
They never seem to be done digging up roads here. I do remember that song - nothing much has changed in the intervening decades!
If the left achilles is out, then I hope it tackles the job of massaging the right knee. Road work in my very large city tends to take many years. When a change to a highway entrance was made in my area, I think it took about five years to be completed. I'm not even sure it's completed now.
I never see any misery with you. I know you're not feeling your best, but your optimism still shines through.
Love,
Janie
I know what you mean. Sometimes I wish we could hibernate. It sounds like that's what you're doing. Which is cool. Spring will be here eventually. Maybe you'll have more energy then? Sorry about the ongoing work. That's always a pain.
Sorry your knee is bothering you.
Road construction of any kind is always a pain as it's slow and never done correctly the first time.
You wrote your right knee is causing problems, and to compound it, the left achilles came out in sympathy.
I hear you, sister. When I broke my lower right leg and expected pain up the right side last Nov, walking put pressure on the left leg and hip. 12 months later, the original pain is still compounded :(
@ Janice - wretched road works ... dreadful, but necessary - though the finish of the holes dug so far isn't brilliant - who knows! Thanks re the health future .. I sincerely hope I feel easier soon - still it could be a lot worse ...
@ Yam - yup ... you're so right the devil and the deep blue sea ... it could be less noisy certainly! Thanks for your thoughts ...
@ Anabel - I think that's right roads are always been dug up ... creating places for more potholes! Such is life on the roads as you say ...
@ Janie - achilles and knees are troubling ... I'm hobbling along. Large cities will always have lots of digging holes! Thanks for your thoughts re my positivity ... I don't do 'down' thankfully: I tend to switch off, but manage to do what I'm committed to do.
@ Liz - yes I could hibernate ... and I'm almost doing it. We're lucky here ... the weather isn't awful (usually). I await Spring - nearly the longest night of the year ... so getting nearer.
@ Alex - thanks ... my knee etc all frustrating - I don't like being slow. Road construction/repair ... is it ever done right?!!!
@ Hels - thanks ... life continues on ...
Cheers to all of you ... I'll get my mojo back and get on with things - take care - Hilary
Hope your knee is better soon! Glad there's no operation on the horizon.
There's a children's song called "There's a Hole in the Bucket," which I thought was Southern US folk, but it appears to have originated in Germany (!)
Road construction is so incredibly frustrating. Hope they'll finish up and stop soon.
The Bernard Cribbins song reference is perfect; it captures that absurdity of roadworks so well. Fingers crossed your body cooperates soon and your mojo comes back fully you’ve got the right attitude to navigate all this mess with a smile.
Oh dear this does not sound good. I have been keeping away from the computer but just spotted this. Two months now since the first eye op and 1 month since the second. Only discovered yesterday in the check up why my head is struggling to cope with the situation. Left eye is set for reading and right eye for long distance. Why was I not told this before the op?? They say my brain will learn, give it 6 months!!!! Take care and you will hopefully bounce back. Cheers Diane
Hope December brings back your mojo.
We've had road construction on a major intersection in our town and I wish they had worked day-night-Sundays! It's taken forever and they are just clogging up traffic converting everything to one lane.
Oh goodness, I hope they finish the work soon! But, aww, you gave us Bernard Cribbins, so that's a plus. I loved him in Fawlty Towers <3
Oh no we are having the same problem here. They dig up the road put in pipes, close the road and than break parts up again What a pain lol Sorry to hear about your struggles Hopefully things get better soon ❤️ and that goose yum Hope indeed the birdflue doesnt get him haha
@ Elizabeth - I'd forgotten the Hole in my Bucket song - another earworm ... and yes it seems to have first appeared in a German collection of folk songs ... and more history. Thanks re the note re health ... ongoing and frustrating ... but 'awake' enough to get frustrated with the road works! I believe they're meant to be finished - well this part - by Christmas ... others will be irritated in 2026!!
@ Melody - yes the song is just perfect isn't it, as too the one Elizabeth recommends above. I do hope my body gets its mojo into gear ... yes, I'm very fortunate I'm positive.
@ Diane - oh dear ... sorry I haven't been over to see you recently - laziness seems to be the order of the day here. Your eye/s mismatch seems a little strange - but interesting to know about ... 'give it six months' - how very frustrating. I do hope it doesn't impede you too much. We'll both bounce back - I'm sure!!
@ Diane - oh I do hope so ... December is here and things really need to improve. Sadly we have to go with the flow re roadworks ... rhyme and reason seems to disappear ... good luck with yours ...
@ Deniz - I hope they finish the roadworks soon ... further up the road will suffer next! Yes - always good to have a laugh ... improves our lives ... I must look at the Fawlty Towers one - I'm not sure I've ever seen it.
Thanks everyone ... life goes on doesn't it ... we just need time out occasionally - cheers and look after yourselves - Hilary
Hi Marja - sorry you popped in as I was writing up my comment replies to the others. I guess it's the same everywhere - roads need repairing, services need updating and so it goes ... My health - I too hope it improves ... 2026 is coming!!! Cheers and yes I'd enjoy the roast goose ... Hilary
Sorry to read that you're struggling healthwise. I do hope it improves soon.
I do remember that song. I sing it every time I drive past men digging holes in the ground, and it ends with just his hat on the filled in hole. Loved Bernard Cribbins. At least it makes me smile a little rather than being thoroughly annoyed at their presence.
As for Christmas Cake, maybe you should buy one this year... from M&S... not as satisfying as making your own but much less messy!
It's an annoyance for sure when our roads/streets are worked on. This happened to me three months ago. They decided to pave our country road. So messy and loud, but OH WOW the new road is heaven. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Hilary, I'm sorry about the torn up street and crazy health. Life is just grumbly sometimes, eh? I hear you on the energy gripes. It's so hard because you want to get out and do things but finding enough energy to get out... Well, slow and steady, eh? Do what you can as you're able. In the meantime, I'm wishing you a merry Christmas and much joy and laughter!
It's the time of year for road work...here too. I know they are trying to get done before the snow flies, but then we have rutted, bumpy roads for the winter. Road repair is a fact of life, but not a fun fact. Hope that you start feeling better soon. You bring so much joy with your positive blogs. Sending you a heartfelt hug.
Road work is never done! Is that a fruit cake in the top picture? I've never seen one with icing!
@ Ros - life goes on doesn't it ... I'm impeded, but not down and out thankfully. Oh yes - those songs ... they are ear-worms. Yes I don't tend to get annoyed now-a-days ... just have to go with the flow. Yes - smiling definitely helps. Re Christmas cake ... I buy small rectangular ones from Sainsbury's so far so good ... one a year is enough. But I agree M&S would probably be better ... and as you say no mess from making them ... but I do love home-made cakes.
@ Teresa - good to see you ... but I've just realised the bus is stopping outside my flat ... by the time I want to use it - they'll be back to the usual stop!!! That must have made such a difference - I can understand that ... new road surface = bliss! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too. ...
@ Crystal - life is life ... I've just been told it's a complex set of health issues - but not serious ... thankfully. Yup - I'm trying to work my way round the difficulties - easy come easy go. Thank you so much for the fun and laughter over the Christmas season ... I'll do that ... you all have loads of fun ...
@ Liza - yes road works everywhere seemingly ... especially here where our infrastructure is somewhat aged. I feel ok - but just not with much get up and go. Thanks - re the positivity aspect ... I'm fortunate my nature is that way inclined ... and I'll enjoy that hug and send one back to you ...
@ Sherry - road works ... they're breaking up the road opposite - where they were doing it three weeks ago ... communication has gone out of the window!
Yes - that is Christmas fruit cake with a marzipan topping covered with icing ... delicious!!!!
Cheers to you all - keep cheerful during this hectic time - Hilary
You WILL get back in the mode, remember the power of positive thought - your blog is called Positive Letters after all!
I'm going to the Towner Cinema Sunday, I've not been to it before. I'll be seeing the Andre Reiu Christmas Concert - as a superfan I can hardly wait!
I'm sorry that life has thrown you so many curves this year, Hilary! Here's hoping the new year will be a big improvement. All the best for Christmas and beyond! ♥
Ha! A misery guts! Love that. Sorry about the sympathetic body parts giving you fits, but I know your mojo is just taking a winter snooze and will wake up soon.
I laughed when I opened your blog and saw Christmas Cake! If you visit my site, you'll see why. Great minds on the same track.
Hi Keith - oh you're right ... not much keeps me down: thankfully. I'm permanently in the power of positive thought .. as per my blog name. Oh what fun ... the Towner Cinema on Sunday - they'll be delighted to see you ... so pleased you're going - enjoy!!
@ Debbie - yup life has struck me down with some very funny lurghies. All will be well - I'm managing life as far as I can ... thanks for your wishes ...
@ Lee - 'misery guts' = not me, as you note. Winter snooze would be the thing ... after Christmas I'll be going in that direction I think.
Great - you had the same thoughts ... I'll be over to see your Christmas cake tomorrow ... and oh yes great minds think alike!
Cheers to all of you and thanks so much for visiting - Hilary
Post a Comment