Christmas cake … not!

 

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 …

... but oh no! … hell and begone continues – even on Sundays … I think they're behind … but men at work with toys for boys are mighty noisy!

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.

Record Cover 1972

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 ... 

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 ...!

I came back today after a couple of meetings to find that said men were digging 'an 'ole' under the block of flats next to me … not the lot opposite: 'twas a big deep 'ole … !!!'

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

Yakety Yak – no yaks, but final part 3/3!

 

Rites of Spring … short and sweet … the wonderful early vegetable and fruit season kicks in – for me … it's rhubarb and asparagus …

Concept design for Act 1, by Nicholas Roerich's
for Diaghilev's 1913 production of
'Le Sacre du Printemps'

Two things – when I asked my father's BIL whether he had any rhubarb in the garden … I hadn't noticed any – but he said 'yes' … my eyes lit up, my tummy came to life …

Rhubarb Crumble

… then came the denouement … he said: 'I can't stand the stuff, so I buried it under the compost heap' – well that took the deliciousness out of my brain sails yes I meant 'sails'! I had to laugh with him …

Asparagus
bundle

Asparagus is perhaps a little stranger – this year … having eaten a fair amount of asparagus – the ammonia – asparagus urine smell - hasn't occurred. For some reason – this leaves me wanting it back … my body seems to want it back … perhaps it's been bred out …

Moving on – Mike at A Bit About Britain wrote two posts about Monarchy – I understand: not that interesting to many – but part of our history.

NB - not Mike!  (Resting
not so elderly gardener)

He wrote one on Monarchy through the centuries … it's a long feature – but very thorough … the history of our country has reached another milestone … Mike is an excellent 'recordist' …

Then on the day, he and his wife decided to visit some of the Coronation sights – Slough, which is outside London, but made travelling easier; Windsor – you'll know about that place and castle – well I hope so! Then they went into central London … and then they travelled around … brave souls, I say!

Also not Mike,
nor my uncle!

However – both posts give us an honest overview of Coronation life today and over the centuries …

I haven't really enjoyed the Spring – a really cold wind … I'm still trying to deal with the blood pressure aspect – just need to get my act into gear and spur myself on.

Other things are on the horizon … as is my way – always lots going on … but I'm being sluggish … I will come through – positive by nature …

Cricket and tennis are upon us – again summer time sports – so good to enjoy!  I have a lovely cricket post to entice you to think positively about the game - through some authors!

Sketches of Maria Piltz
performing the sacrificial
dance - I think I need to try and 
copy - they might bring me back
to Spring like life ... 

It's really sticky here – so I'm glad I'm by the coast able to see the sea with its breeze … even if it's called 'a Channel'!

That's all folk – I'll now be getting back to normal posting – a WEP entry is due next week … enjoy your summers/winters – wherever you may be.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Slowly does it … excuses, excuses!

It was Wimbledon time … and the Beeb had re-winds for the fortnight … it’s easier to watch the tournament – as one can watch bits and bobs …

Wimbledon from the air

… whereas re-winds are always interesting with some excellent tennis – some of which occurred when I was in South Africa for those 14/15 years, the years my mother was ill, and the Canada year …

I’ve been distracted!   Seafront stretching eastwards - viewed through perspex canopy ... 

Hollyhock

… so some pics … of flowers … and some pics – what more can I say … lock-down – or semi in my case as I do carefully get out and about a bit …

Double hollyhock

Also I’ve never been on a ‘big wheel’ … there’s one on the seafront …which I can now tick off my list … no queues, small payment and easy peasy up I go …

The Big Wheel company ...

Our big wheel came down from Manchester (280 miles = 450 km) – the truck is driven by female operator, saying she loves it … 

Roof of Bistrot Pierre, where I had my birthday
lunch back in January; the Redoubt - a 200 year old
defensive emplacement

... four trips with the bits, the guys I guess put it all together … (35 metres high = 115 feet) …

 

Seafront plantings

… and last but not least I wandered past Camilla’s the bookshop that some pyromaniac idiot set on fire … it’s open again …

… and managed to grab a quick photo of Archie – better go back at some stage and get one that’s in focus!!

Illustration by
Keulemans, 1891

I will now attempt to catch up with your blogs and reading etc … better late than never … actually it’s the Beeb’s re-winding of the Olympics this week! 

Olympic Park, Munich

Again an interest – I worked for the British Olympic Association for the Munich Olympics in 1972 and was privileged enough to be flown out for it …

Hydrangea with bee

… I’m sure if it had been the previous one in Mexico – they wouldn’t have gifted me a 3 day trip - I have various marketing materials … can’t say I remember much … but I enjoy the various sports …

Better stop before this week disappears … I will see you all soon … thanks in advance for stopping by … and stay safe all of you …

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Spectacle Eyes on Halloween ...

All the better to see you through the woods and mists that hang low on this the last day of October …

 

… when the ghouls come out to play …

… or the creepy crawlies crackle through the undergrowth of fallen branches …

1897 First Edition cover

Will the lichen covered woods give up their secrets … will the orange glow of falling leaves, coloured trees, or the 1897 first edition of Dracula light our way …

The gravestone for the Stoker family
at St Peter's, Quamichan, Duncan

But this night of 1851 was born a novelist's younger brother:

… the moon will not be peering through the mists for Bram Stoker’s brother – Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel Richard Nugent Stoker (1851 – 1931) - he will rest surrounded by the rising moistness of the mellow gloomy night in St Peter’s on Vancouver Island …

… spectacles might be better to see your way  – here is Elton … labelled at the Raptor Centre (the photo is from Wiki - the eyes can be seen).

Spectacled Owl

These raptor eyes move silently waiting for an unsuspecting prey … so their nightly fill of warm flesh can be satisfied …

Have fun Halloweens – some of you are already into NaNo November month … enjoy one and all …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories