WEP Get Togethers # 5 … Languorous me …

 

Unsettledness perhaps … life leads me very slowly forward … the brain is very active, the typing fingers less so!

Rather too many 'games' going on … both physical and political – some very interesting, others not so much – yet the brain tacks across all subjects …

I know a few blogging members have been having some challenges – I wish them and their families well … and an easier future …

Perhaps some time down in Marseilles ... 

I think perhaps the meaning of 'languorous' … it suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity … does not describe where I'm at … I'm definitely not bored – overwhelmed with ideas I'd like to explore is more like it ...

The Olympics Paris 2024 Cauldron:
not quite a balloon ... but near enough ... 

... so where to start … when my mind is a star burst of thoughts – where to start is a challenge … as my mother used to say – for goodness sake get on with it … bless her!! So best get on with it!!

Another 24 hours, 48 or more hours later … probably!

Eastbourne - Devonshire Park tennis set up

Tennis – lots of tournaments down here … County Week, Over 35s et al – lots, then the Olympics taking me back to 1972 when I worked for the British Olympic Organisation and fast forwarding to the 2012 Games … and to the 2024 Para-Olympics coming up …

Teahupoo, Tahiti - where the surfing is being
held - not the kind of waves we get here
in the English Channel, along our seafront

We've got Airbourne with the Red Arrows … along the seafront in ten days time … lots of noise, ancient and modern aircraft, wing walkers – the thought appals me! Fun for the town though … but be prepared rattling windows ahoy …

Pampered pooch with punctured pouch

However to finish off and I hope give you a big smile … how about a pampered pooch prompted to enjoy their ping-pong patrols with a punctured pouch on board … spreading those tiny wild seeds out and about.

One of the emblems for the next Olympics
in Los Angeles 2028

Interestingly and apparently the aim is to replicate the activity of wolves before they went extinct in the middle of the 1700s … strange but true!

Better go to catch up a little … take care one and all …

Olympics - Paris ... information vision ... 

Railways Land Project ... pottering pooches ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

WEP Get Togethers # 3 … Fish Bananas …

 

It is April Fool's Day isn't it … so we could have Fish Bananas … I've come across them – more anon … but for now some funnies – other than fishy bananas!

First bi-monthly: June, August, October
and December in 2024

Predictive text cropped up for me today – when I commented on a blogging friend's post … that became a glogging friend (since repeatedly globbing – though could also be a drinking glogging friend as it's a holiday) … how often do words slip through uncorrected, particularly in text form on the phone …

Beech tree - happily living on ... many lives,
with an undergrowth of Spring cyclamen

When I was on the Committee as the dinner administrator (see my post 30 January 2023) we'd wanted to know the dinner menu as the Ukrainian Ambassador was our guest speaker and we needed to ensure the evening went smoothly.

The hotel sent up the menu for us … including a chicken dish:

"Sauteed supreme of Chicken in a Groer sauce, caramelised apples, thyme scented wild rice with chanteney carrots”

The wise old owl typing here -
sensibly realised she'd need
a photo of the guarding owl

Fine … but I didn't recognise Groer as a sauce – I checked in Mrs Beeton, in “Louis Saulnier's Le Repertoire de la Cuisine book”, on the net … nothing.

I did dig a little further – but the only thing that popped out was an Austrian Cardinal, who served as Archbishop of Vienna from 1986 – 1995.

He DID NOT have a sauce named after him – his only claim to fame was as a paedophile … he denied those allegations unto his death … I had to laugh at the sauce's name though - I'm glad I picked that one up!

Deer statue ... 

The next menu also had – to me – a glaring error in it … which had gone from the hotel to the Chair, to the administrator for the dinner bookings, back via the same route to the hotel for printing out the menu card put on the dinner tables … no editing or checking …

Vegetarian option: Mushroom, leak and broccoli short crust pastry pie, roasted vegetables and seasonal vegetables.

Still Life with Leeks by Carl Schuch
(1846 - 1903)

The Leek Pie was very tasty … but I'm glad it was leek, the vegetable, and not a plumber's leaky pie!

I had a lovely Easter day over with my brother in the still very wet Alfriston … with roast lamb, an Easter egg hunt in the garden – as shown … with family and friends … all in all a good last day of March.

Banana Wrasse - to be found from
Sri Lanka to the Hawaiian islands

Happy Spring and I do feel easier and ready for the longer days ahead … as Denise mentions life is flashing by ... to one all happy thoughts …

(PS I used to put in diacritical marks ... but omitted them here) 

and the other thing re Groer ... was it should have read Cider sauce ... 

# 3 WEP Together from the administrators ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

WEP Get Togethers # 2 … winter blues …

 

February was not the most brilliant – not helped with lots of that wet stuff, excess wind … too many things that could have been done quickly took forever … which frustrates me to say the least, apart from being so time wasting …

It says it all .... 

March has come in favouring its name … after the Roman god of War … but that was this morning – this afternoon we have blue skies, big whitish cumulus clouds and some sun – bliss … till more tears drop forth from those towering clouds …

Statue of Mars from the
Forum of Nerva, 2nd C 

There's a wormy moon around the 25th March … a way off yet – and who knows what the weather holds or life for that matter … if only … if only … kindness and peace could prevail …

… but the days are getting longer and then the northern hemisphere will have its 2024 heyday for that wonderful period of longer days than nights.

I let the worm rest in its blue-cheese delight

I'm feeling the blues … but also feel the shackles are coming off – and easier days loom ahead … I do intend to sort and clear out the flat – last year with the high blood pressure I felt maggoty and didn't feel inspired to do much – also to get posts ready for the blog …

Daffodil - the flower for March

Denise says let us know what's burning in your heart … my desire to leave the claggish congelation behind … and to enjoy March and the year ahead in an easier more settled state of mind …

This is where my brother lives – it's often flooded around there … and they've been without water, not for long thankfully …

Alfriston - where my brother lives,
and where he gave his niece away, when
she married in the summer

That's it for now – I have lots of other posts to write up – more sparkly than this one … but I'm here and posting # 2 for the WEP Get Togethers … happy days to you all …

PS Could someone let me know what 'the C box' is ... Denise asks that we put the link into the C box ... I'm out of it!!! .... thanks!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Crumbs Crumbling Chalk Cliffs

 

The tiny hamlet at Birling Gap has had many ups and downs in its short existence … eight cottages were built for the Coastguard in 1878 before passing into private ownership after WW2 …

Birling Gap hamlet pos 1930s

Birling Gap is iconically situated atop those crumbling chalk cliffs between Eastbourne and Brighton ...from where historically it has been possible to realise how much the chalk is a-crumbling into the English Channel below …

Using step ladder pos 1980s

I hadn't been out there for twelve years or so … and though it perhaps wasn't the most inspiring day for the driving friend … but suited the muffled overloaded new birthday girl, who had the winter blues and was wanting to recover her wits …

Demolishing cafe ... 2024

We pottered around – it was a grey day … but we checked out the National Trust shop, cafe, bookshop and 'museum' … last time I was there – the 'museum' was much more informative – showing chalked timelines along the walls and on the floor … that sadly had disappeared – showing how much erosion had been going on.

Coastal side of demolition in process (2024)

Sue is another African – English born, but brought up in Zimbabwe – so we're on the same wave-length – and had come with me to my brother's for Christmas … gave her a break – she was free to join us.

Looking west ... 2024

She remarked this is living history – as we peered from the scaffolding over the edge … we didn't go down the 'staircase' to the beach – though as you can see some have.

Showing the scaffolding stepway
(uncertain as to date)

We went off to a pub – only to find it closed for maintenance – fortunately nearby the Hiker's Rest was open … so to save energy driving around wondering where to go – not something I felt inspired to do: I was still not feeling up to much …

In recent years the buildings around
The Tiger Inn, inland a couple of miles, have
been done up and are now in use - as here: a cafe
for wilting elders! or as B&Bs etc

I know I had a spiced parsnip soup – which was warming and cheering, Sue had a baguette – the other half she ate for supper later on.

It was an ideal day out for a wilted elder! I do feel slightly better now – but still not out of the woods – I hope to be by mid February … another interesting dinner is in the offing – all grist to this girl's organising mill!

This shows the area with the scaffolding
steps, the cafe with its picnic seating,
a view from Beachy Head on the way 
down towards Birling Gap with its
few cottages still in use ... 

So this post tells the tale of Birling Gap and its eroding cliffs … via the odd images I've posted …

Thanks for visiting – while I've just been reminded about another post-WEP type post that's due on Thursday – the first of the month … so another coming up then …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

16th year and counting …

This yearly count strikes me as extraordinary - not something I thought would last 15 full years and now about to go beyond …

Happy Birthday to me!

I was really lucky at Christmas a great friend, from South African days who now lives north of London, brought her daughter - my goddaughter - down for a couple of days ... which really enlivened my life, as I was nursing a cold, and things go quietish at that time of year.  

I'm afraid we had too much champagne with lots of chats - and picnicked here ... ie a real mix of sort of antipasto goodies - gave us a chance to be just us.  Nothing like a great friend to appear with a backpack full (perhaps not quite full!) of champers ...

1915 ad ... definitely
not me!!

I've had a funny year … and can't say I feel brilliant now – so hope to find out what's going on – I don't feel ill – just 'off' …

Not much change – still organising the European Movement dinners – just had one this past week … and another important one we're already planning for February ...

New play about the Blue
Stockings society 

… and I've a history talk to give on the Blue Stockings Society (1750s – 1790s) … 

… but my energy is sapped – and I'm just posting this to at least start blogging in 2024 – it/I might be slow for a few weeks yet …

Map of Rainforest at Victoria Falls -
'my Africa' ... 

Thank you for visiting and cheering me on … another year, another year … without much change – I'd love the world's life to be more positive … so here's to us all being kind to one another, and thoughtful about others …

Antipasto platter - we had lots
of goodies (various!)

PS - I will get around to your blogs soon as I can ... but ... 

Blogging friends I give up … lots going on!! Cheers …

Blue Stockings - play by Jessica Swale - details can be found here ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Lenny Lee's turned 24 …

 

I expect and hope many of you remember Lenny from days of yore … he and I keep in touch …

Lenny Lee's world

He was always brilliant for my mother – she loved all the prezzies he sent her … and enjoyed the repartee he gave us …

It was back in 2011 that many of us wrote a cheering post for him … as he was at the start of a loooong journey – still continuing today …

Hardwick, Muddy Hippo, Zdena

… and from me came, in 2012, another earworm (after my Phantom earworm) … Mud, Mud Glorious Mud by Flanders and Swann ...

… he then sent us Muddy Hippo, while later in 2012, after my mother had died, Hardwick joined in for Lenny's 13^th birthday …

Lots of choice

… then Zdena joined the party at the end of my Aspects of British Cookery …

Cheese and Wine

So please from all around the world wish Lenny an easier time ahead … apparently a friend came round for (what I call supper!) dinner, with some Chinese dishes, together with some vino … I'm sure they enjoyed themselves ... 

Damyanti's book arrived a day early ... 
Diaghilev's post still being worked on ... there's
a Finnish connection

My next post will not contain an earworm … and will be on Diaghilev … all things being considered …

Z is for Zdena … the follower of Bacchus, the wine god …

Lenny Lee – Fest … Spreading sunshine for him …

Hardwick's Nose … he smelt a Birthday Party – Hardwick doesn't miss much! …

Zdena - very cheerful, Hardwick ... really
wanting to sleep - he's a very old boy now -
getting on for 100 I think ... while
Muddy Hippo just makes a mess!!

I just remembered - Lenny won a WEP prompt back in June 2022 - which explains his situation a little ... a boy who grieves for the sudden loss of his mother ... a poignant letter ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

New Home celebration Dinner Party … 1/4

 

Frankly I cannot remember what I served as the first course for my father's party … but I do remember a few other facts …

Champagne Cocktail

I'm not sure how long he'd been in the Northamptonshire house – but it was as he wanted it … and we were expecting 80 for drinks beforehand, then 30 were staying on for dinner … my mother by then was in Cornwall, I was in London as well as betwixt and between ...

We were living in the 1960s era … so it was going to be pretty posh – not the relaxed way we (some) live today …

All expected drinks would have been available – but as the main on offer was a Champagne Cocktail … I remember a baby bath full of ice and champagne bottles … with brandy awaiting in the glasses …

… also sugar cube on the side … apparently it keeps the devil away, or slightly sweetens the champers – as in the early/mid 20^th century – it'd have been much drier than many champagnes tend to be today …

Angostura bottle

Angostura Bitters was also added … to aid appetite and digestion … and to balance out the drink … I enjoy a few drops of Bitters in a tonic water – it is very refreshing …

Cattle in the pasture by 
Thomas Sidney Cooper (1881)

My father had been putting in a lot of work in the garden – and it was looking tidy and well kept – until Tuesday morning … when, while he was in London, I was about to start preparing the food elements …

Muddy damaged bank

… 'about to start' being the operative part of this saga … I heard rather a lot of noise going down the drive towards the tidy garden – which had three tiers of grassy banks … towards the lawn …

'Separated, not divorced!' - the
title by 'Cow Cooper' (1874)

… horror upon horror – I looked out of the kitchen window to see a herd of cows walking through! They are large animals and that tidy garden was no more – I dashed round to the drawing room (as we called it) to look out to see a very muddy garden full of cows!

… there wasn't much I could do – though the after-effects, once the cows had been herded out along to their normal pasture, were pretty soul-destroying … ah well! … a distant memory now … but a good excuse to put up the paintings by 'Cow Cooper' …

... we carried on – my father's sister and hubby arrived to help – by now it was probably the day … as I was into making fruit salad … my aunt somewhat floored me by asking if she should de-pip the grapes … that was the era …

Grape - cross section c/o Wiki

We survived and everyone had drinks and mixed, no doubt admiring the house – and then dinner came around … as I mentioned – starters … I can't remember … next comes the dessert, which forms part of WEP … the mains I do remember!

Northamptonshire - a map by
John Speed (1611)

Intimidating cows in the garden – good memories, de-pipping grapes – I'm sure I paid a bit more attention as the years ticked by!

C is for Cattle … and Cow Cooper … 4 April 2017

WEP 'Chocolat' Flash Fiction Challenge runs from 16 – 18 August … Desserts shall appear!  Do join us ... it's fun ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories