Getting This Thing To Work!

I’ve been trying to add this post for a couple of days but every time I try to add pictures it crashes me off the Internet. Maybe one day AOL will get their act together and I will post them then. So without pictures, here it is :-

 

 

After a few reminders from people, almost bordering on threats, I’m adding a new entry here.

When I last wrote I thought I was starting with a cold which was also giving me a thumping headache. It turned out to be ‘Flu and three days after it’s fairly gentle start, had me in the grips of pain and fever I haven’t known the like of before.

I know I had ‘Flu when I was fifteen and was in bed for a few days. That was a rarity in itself! My Mother modelled her maternal role on the Victorian Workhouse principals, if you had a pulse and could stand up, then you were well enough to work.

So I must have been quite ill to be allowed off school. I am the only person I know who was sent to school who Whooping Cough.

Anyway, I digress, I don’t remember the ’Flu I had back then being as awful as this was. I spent a whole week in bed and my GP insisted on coming out to see me on the day we had all that snow and for once Worcester had it worse than almost anywhere.

I was supposed to be flying to Germany for the half term week and if my daughter and grandaughter hadn’t been recovering from the same thing I wouldn’t even have considered it, as I wouldn’t want to pass it on to anyone else.

On the Saturday morning I said if I could manage to get to the Bank to get my Euros, then I would attempt going to the airport that evening. After all, all I had to do was sit and be transported. Catherine said I could go to bed when I got to hers and stay there until I felt well enough to get up.

So off I went and as it turned out I didn’t suffer too much but the next day I was very tired and slept a lot until the Wednesday, when I finally got dressed and we walked down to the town for the Market and then had Hot Chocolate with whipped cream, in a lovely café.  The waitress there is besotted with Isabella but then who wouldn’t be? No, I’m not biased.

Thursday we went out in the afternoon to a nearby small town called something that sounds like Bad Berlaberg. There is a castle there and the grounds are a public park. We had a walk round the lake and then went to the Tea Shop just outside the castle walls. It’s a lovely little place and is also an Antique Shop, full of old household and kitchen items, which are displayed all around you. They don’t open until the afternoon, we think this is because they make their own cakes in the morning and I have to say their Black Forest Gateau is nothing like the rubbish we get in this country! Their cakes are like something the Angels made.

Vera, Flo’s Mum, came with us and she told me a funny tale. Her husband had to have an operation to remove some pins in his foot, from a nasty break last year.

Vera decided she wanted to be in the theatre to watch the operation. I don’t know, it must be a German thing. Although having seen their telly programmes I can understand the need for some alternative entertainment. So there she was and she passed out and had to be taken out of the theatre. Not once but twice! You have to applaud her stamina for going back in.

Friday, we walked down to the town. By now Flo was ill in bed, he was suffering from the virus but in a strange way, as he had good and bad days. So we had to walk to the other side of town to get to the supermarket (Catherine won’t drive Flo’s car as she is used to an Auto). As it was a long walk we decided that Waffles, with hot cherries, ice cream and whipped cream with a large Cappuccino were necessary fuel on our walk, so we called into the Café with the nice waitress.

Can you see there is a bit of a theme going here? Cakes/ Teashops? At least this time I avoided The Sonner and their illegally fattening but gorgeous pork schnitzels, stuffed with cheese and mushrooms!

Thankfully, due to the ‘Flu I’d lost nine pounds in the week before I went and only put back on four while I was there.

Since I returned home I’ve had a week at school but I’ve needed to have a sleep in the afternoons, as I’m still not back up to strength.

Simon and Tori came up unexpectedly for the weekend. They were looking at wedding venues. As usual with them, one liked one and the other liked another. But it looks as if Tori is having the final say. I can see the next 8 months will be a nightmare of ‘discussions’ over the arrangements .

Saturday night we went to my sister’s for a family get together for my niece Emma, who has returned from her year around the world. She looked really well and is hopeful she might have got onto a Journalism course, something she has quite a skill for, shewrotesome very good features on her travels.

On Sunday Tori and I went to Birmingham, where she chose and bought her wedding dress. That was fun. Oh and I had Waffles with Maple Syrup!

Not much else to say, I’m still feeling a bit brain dead after being ill.

If this works, it’s a short clip of Isabella when she had just woken from her afternoon nap.

 

Willow Watching U- Tube.

This is for Stevie, I know some people that call in here also know him, so they may find it amusing. I was watching his short clip on U-Tube, on my laptop, with Willow sat beside me.

I wish I'd had the camera with me for the first time I played it, she was trying to get in the screen with him. But she does give the keyboard a cute little kiss. Stevie was over on the right of the screen, where she is looking.

 

Not a Proper Entry

It's been two weeks since my last confession. Sorry, I mean entry!

I have very little to write about. Nothing much seems to have happened, except today I've gone down with a cold, which is just typical as we are going out for dinner and the theatre tomorrow and a big family dinner party on Saturday.  I hurt everywhere and feel awful. Somehow, although I don't seem to have done much I haven't had any spare time. 

So, to save my aching head I'm going to do an ABC Meme this week (whatever that means) that I've been tagged with by several friends.  I'm feeling thoroughly wretched so if it's a bit 'warts and all' you'll have to excuse me.

 

A     Apple or PC?

PC, a constant source of, mine’s better than yours arguments, with my sister’s partner as they are Apples.

B     Banking... online or in person, and if in person, drive thru or inside the bank?

Don’t do banking online, as all my bills are paid by direct debit and if I want cash I get it from an ATM. Drive thru banking???? Over here we’d call that a Ram Raid!

C     Coffee and Chocolate!  The two most important 'C's  Favorites please.

Bit of a coffee Tart, I’ll try anything. Lindt is my favourite named brand but you can’t beat going to Belgium and trying all the handmade chocolates in the little shops there.

 

D     Dogs.  Do you have one?  If yes, what kind and it's name and why you named it that.  If no, then if you had one what kind would you choose?

No, not now. Ours died last month. He was called Harper because he had red/blonde hair, the same as many of my Harper family.

 

E     Elvis.  There was only one.  Favorite song, and if you ever or your parents ever, saw him live.

Living in England, no, I never saw him. Favourite songs…Suspicious Minds and Burning Love.

F     Flowers.  Do you have a favourite to receive and/or a favourite to give?

Tricky one this, I really like mixed bunches, like a slice of an old English country garden, with lots of scents. The sort of bunch you only get from expensive flowers shops.

G     Grandparents, do you have any left and if you are one, to how many?

One Grandfather died the year before I was born, which was sad, as he was desperate for a granddaughter but had six grandsons when he died. Both my grandmothers died in my early teens. My remaining grandfather died in the early 80’s. We went to visit his second wife after his death. I promise, I had told the children. When we got in the car to come home after the visit Catherine asked where Grandpa was. I said, I told you Catherine, he died. Three year old Simon piped up “He’s DEAD! Who shot him?”

I’m a Grandma. Two of Mike’s and one of my own.

H     Handy or call for help?

I’m fairly handy and will have a go at most things but that’s my tight Scottish blood coming out, I don’t like paying for things I can do myself.

I     IOU's any out there to a person, a friend or family?

I don’t owe anything but I am the Bank of Mum and if my kids ever pay me back I’m going on a cruise.

J     Jello.  Love it?  Hate it?  Favorite flavor?  With whipped cream or cool whip or neither?

I presume this means Jelly. If you Americans are going to use our language, I wish you would do it properly! LOL! And, for goodness sake learn how to say Aluminium properly. It’s not Alooominum.

Jelly? Only in a trifle with lots of Sherry soaked cake and custard. For that it must be Raspberry.

K     Kiss.  Do you remember your first real kiss?  Where, who?

I’m cross to discover I’ve forgotten his name but it was 39 years ago. It was at a local boy’s boarding school and I still remember the musky smell of him. I’m afraid that was the death of my, already terminally ill, interest in things academic. My brain didn’t surface above sexual urges for another 10 years.

L     Language.  Do you speak any others?  Fluently or a little?

I remember a little French from before sex got the better of me. I also have a Masters in Obscene and all the rude Anglo Saxon words.

M     Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck?

No, I can honestly say I never fancied either of them.

N     Neighbors.  Do you know their names?  Occupations?  Phone numbers?  Or not?

I know well the two houses, to the left and the right. They are all lovely and there is sharing of gardening chores and feeding each others cats when we go away. Over the the road is another matter. There we have Mr Nasty. So called for the night he was drunk and was hanging out of his bedroom watching my daughter park her Mini. He came running out, fell over and said if she touched his F...ing, he’d F…ing kill her. Oh yes, I’ve got his number alright!

O     Olympics.  Do you watch?  Which is your favourite winter or summer?

Not very keen on either but I have to say there is a certain amusement factor in what some of the male athletes have in their lycra body suits, especially in the slow motion replays. My only ever big interest was the beautiful, Welsh hurdler, Colin Jackson, one of the loveliest men on TV. When we lived in South Wales we used to see him at the Supermarket.

P    Pluto.  What is your take on the planet being downgraded? 

I thought that was a bit mean, was it hurting anyone?

Q   Quiche.  Have you ever had it?  Do you like it and what is your favorite?

I don’t eat pastry much, so not a big fan.

 

R   Refrigerator.  Name three things in your refrigerator that you think are unusual.

Nothing really, although I suppose I’m in the minority with eggs laid just outside the dining room window.

S     Safari.  Have you ever been to Africa on one?  A theme park version?

I’ve only been to North Africa, so no Safaris there. We have a Safari Park just a few miles from where I live which has White Tigers and once we went to a wedding reception in the Georgian Mansion there. As the manager was a friend he laid on some extras and I got to hold a lion cub. I can’t describe how wonderful that was.

T     Telescope.  Have you ever looked thru a telescope? 

Not a really big one.

U     Umbrella.  Do you have one and what is its design?

A black one, suitable for all occasions and folds up so tiny that it’s been in the bottom of my handbag for three weeks and I thought I’d lost it. I also have a cheap white and turquoise polka dot one that I bought in a storm in Germany. It's very good for lacerating fingers.

V     Vintage.  Do you have a favorite wine to share?  Or drink?

I usually like Chilean Merlots and for champagne I prefer Verve Clicquot (I drink it but not sure I can spell it) 

W     Willies.  What gives you the willies?  You know, that shudder you can't stop? 

 Nothing these day. 

X     X-ray.  Last one?  What body part and why?

Bone scan of hips and thighs, yes old age is catching me up!

Y     Yolk.  How do you like your eggs?

Laid by my own chickens.

Z     Zodiac.  What's your sign and does it fit your personality, in your opinion?

Born on April 20th means I am truly on the cusp of Aries and Taurus. I think it must be a dangerous combination. I share my birthday with Adolph Hitler.

Tag you're it!!!!