About Me

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Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Born in the year of the Coronation, I'm a Baby Boomer. In April of this year I decided I too would have a Diamond Jubilee celebration and completely change my life and that of my Husband's in the process

Sunday 23 April 2006

Sailor's Return!

It’s been a long week!

 

Easter Monday started fair, the wind dropped and we decided to try to reclaim our garden. Every winter it gets out of control. The soil is very heavy clay, apart from the herbaceous border, which has pretty good soil, unfortunately it is backed by a Leylandii hedge, which takes a lot out of it, AND needs a death defying trim each spring. (Death defying because it is about eight feet high and on a slope)

 

Mike went up the stepladder, with the electric hedge trimmers, the steps slipped and he cut his wrist. No surprise there! Mike cannot go in the garden without acquiring some sort of injury. In fact he can’t do the washing up, any form of housework or decorating without acquiring some sort of injury. Can you see a pattern emerging here? After 22 years of marriage I have learnt to take no notice, unless he gets a doctors note, even then I will still require him to perform these duties, as I am not doing them all on my own.

 

We went to Homebase bought a different type of ladder and returned to do six hours of none stop gardening. At the end of the day, you could see a difference but there is an awful lot still to do. From midday until four there were people on the field at the bottom of the garden on motorbikes and quad bikes. The noise and fumes were unpleasant to say the least, I shall be keeping an eye on their activities and if necessary finding out if we can do anything. Our next-door neighbour was very upset about it.

 

Tuesday was another gardening day but we went off to a local garden centre first, to fetch some potting compost and bark chips. As my car is a hatchback we went in that and so I was driving. I’d gone a little way up the road, when I had to cut down a side street back to our house. Mike was a bit puzzled by this early return home. The reason for it being, I had just realised I’d gone out in my slippers! Now I know I’m getting old.

 

Another six hours of gardening and at least parts don’t look like a field now but still a lot to do.

 

Wednesday was lunch at the house of one of my colleagues, we had to take a dish each. As it was Queen’s 80th birthday on 21st April, the day after mine and I was born in Coronation Year, I did Coronation Chicken, I thought it was appropriate, the ladies all thought it was very good, which was a relief.

 

Thursday was my birthday and the day Simon was due back. His girlfriend and I spent much of the morning sending texts to each other. We were both worried that, as they were due in at 9.30am, he was in some sort of trouble, as we still hadn’t heard from him by lunchtime.

 

I finally got a call at 3pm. All was well he’d just been busy closing things down, or whatever it is they do on submarines. He sounded annoyingly alright considering he’d been shut away for three months and even said it felt like he’d only been away a couple of weeks. Tori and I had been driving ourselves mad with worry for the last few weeks. I was convinced he would have gone crazy with claustrophobia and thumped an officer but everything was fine.

 

This is the badge he gets to wear to denote that he is a submariner, not worth a lot in itself but a considerable amount in his pay packet.

 Preview

Simon also passed all his Boards whilst on the trip, which means he is now a Petty Officer and gets to wear an Officer style uniform, (Fore & Aft) which I’m sure will suit him better than the bellbottoms (Square Rig), which I think looks rather camp.

Hello Sailor!

 

In his team of 5, the other four were all Scottish, as Simon isn’t, they nicknamed him Jock! Is that called irony?

 

We went out for a meal in the evening and  one the waiters heard Mike say it was my birthday. They made a big fuss of me and at the end the brought out a specially decorated  pudding, with a candle in the top. How polite to not try to guess my age and put the right number of candles in .

 

The newspapers this week were full of the fact that the Labour party paid £7,700 to have Cherie Blair’s hair done whilst hubby was electioneering. I have one thing to say to that………..You were robbed luv! Ask for a refund!

 

We were expecting my mother and Wilf over for dinner to day and in anticipation have defrosted half a cow to roast. Unfortunately Mum had started with a streaming cold this morning, so they won’t be coming. So it will just be Simon, Tori Mike and I. Anyone want a beef sandwich?

 

 

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your garden looks absolutely lovely I think the little bridge is really pretty ~ shame about the quad and motor bikes making a lot of noise ~ hope you will be able to do something about them ~ fanchy going out in your slipper lol ~ Thursday was your birthday "Happy belated birthday" that badge looks lovely I expect he will wear it with pride ~ I agree about Cherie Blair's hair~do she should get all our money back ~ and put it back where it belongs ~ 2 beef sandwiches please and can I have horseradish on it please lol ~ Ally

Anonymous said...

Your garden sounds big ,I think the parts we saw looked good especialy the little bridge ,well maybe the herb garden would benefit from some T.L.C ,but its hard work ,lol at going out in your slippers ,Loved Simons badge ,Yeh hes home how lovely ,great he is now a submariner ,and for passing his boards and more money ,Bet he looks good in his uniform ,pictures please ........Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda, LOL you went out in your slippers, whoops :-) Love your garden, the bridge, pond and everything !!  Well done to Simon and so happy for you to see him !! As for the quad bikes in the field, if I were you I'd get on to the local Council ~ around here they would be responsible under Environmental Health ~ I know, I've had dealings before! Love Coronation chicken and beef so now I'm starving lol
take care,
lots of love Debbie ~xxx~
http://journals.aol.com/debbiewebb4465/TheLifeTimesofanEssexGirl

Anonymous said...

Heavy clay and Leylandii's - sometimes think I lost the plot, the day I planted those nightmares, they remind me of that old film "The Day of The Triffids"!! Only one thing in their favour, the birds love nesting in them. Mine are currently at least 12ft high, son's a landscape gardener and has all the equipment, but gives me every excuse in the book, when they are due to be trimmed. Did have the local gypsies knock the door recently and offer to cut them down - declined their offer, knowing them it would have cost me both arms and legs.
Re: The motor and quad bikes. We have a track nearby, just outside the village, but managed to a restraint order on their activities. They can only hold a small number of meetings each year, but unluckily they managed to get away with having every meet on a Sunday.
Take care.
Sylvia
http://journals.aol.co.uk/sylviam4000/YeOldeEnglishPosy/

Anonymous said...

Your garden looks huugge, we have enough problems with our clay bog, so you have my sympathy

Anonymous said...

I havnt got a garden just a windowsill but ive managed to grow a green pepper plant and a pumpkin plant from seed and a couple of unknowns, im quite pleased with myself as i usually only manage to keep cactus alive!Beckieboo.

Anonymous said...

hi linda its lauren, just under a differnet screenname, just letting you know i have a new journal.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/tinkerbell876838/Lifewithme

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda,
Your garden will soon look great with all the hard work you are putting in. I have clay soil too unfortunately. Will be tackling it as soon as our landscaping is finished. We have a new house, so everything is being done from scratch. So glad that your Simon is home.
Kate.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/bobandkate/AnAnalysisofLife/

Anonymous said...

Your garden puts mine to shame - wish I hadn't looked now! Mike isn't styling himself on Frank Spencer is he? You should try environmental health at your local council about the quad bikes etc, you don't have to put up with that, especially if it is preventing you from enjoying your garden. Belated birthday greetings! I'm so glad you've heard from Simon, I'm sure that cheered you up. I'm with you on the Cherie Blair hair thing. I'll steer clear of the beef thanks, we've had 2 cases of cattle with anthrax here! xx

Anonymous said...

Glad Simon is home and all is well and you enjoyed your birthday.
Andy

Anonymous said...

Hi, well done Simon, petty officer, mmmm everyone likes a sailor, it's the uniform..lol
Talk about quad bikes, although we have one on the farm, and it doesn't bother anyone, especially when I am on it..Handy for carrying hay for the horses..but we have a beautiful bridle path near us, and every sunday, about eight of them tear around on them, it terrifies the horses, because when I do ride, I keep off the main roads and now it is too scary to ride along a bridle path.I wish they had their own tracks away from dog walkers and horse riders.I know it's fun for the quad riders,but what can we do? Put some jumps up someone suggested,but then my jumping days are over...or those stingers the police use..
Rach.xx

Anonymous said...

thanks Lin, just cured it when i got your comment, Kerry