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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

Saturday 24 May 2008

The Last Cuckoo (as opposed to the first)

I don’t know why the gaps between entries are so long, I keep meaning to write an entry but there is always so much to do.

Since last entry, I have had another practice walk with my friends for The Race For Life, we picked a hot Sunday afternoon and climbed up, over and around Wychbury Hill . For someone that would struggle to walk more than a mile, I did very well and some of it was very steep, so steep it even managed to shut the four of us up for a while! LOL.

If you want to hear talk, just put three middle aged Black Country women together for a while. It must be genetic.

The Bluebell Woods were beautiful

 

and the views

 

 

 

 

 

 

The old Obelisk is looking perilous these days and the graffiti refers to the remains of a woman found in a tree in the woods. Rumours abound as to who she was but she is known as Bella and may have been a German Spy in the war, or, more sinister, a victim of witchcraft, which was very widespread in the Clent Hills, of which Wychbury is one. "Who put Bella in the Wych Elm has been scrawled on walls for decades."

When I got home we had a barbeque and my sort of adopted daughter, Lucy came round. Mike is as bad as the children at school for rocking on his chair and it serves him right that I took this photo before I helped him up!

 

The allotment is coming on well, although slower than I would like. It was just a mass of weeds and clearing it has been hard work. There is Mare’s Tail everywhere, which is the devil itself to get rid of.

I will get some photos this week and of the garden too, which is starting to look good again after it’s drowning last summer.

Catherine, Flo and Isabella have been to seeFlo’s family in Germany for a week, which left me looking after their cats. That wouldn’t have been such a problem but Milly (the one that went missing for a month) got bitten by a neighbourhood Tom and developed an abscess on her hind quarters. So , twice a day I had to drive over there, give her anti-biotics and bathe her wound, remove the ‘lightshade ‘ she had round her head to let her eat and clean herself up a bit and generally clear up the mess that two, bored, housebound cats can make.

I mentioned in the last entry I went on a trip with year One at school. I said how I enjoyed being with the younger children. Guess what, in September I’m being moved to Year Two! I’m a bit disappointed, as I was looking forward to next year in Year 4 but no doubt I shall enjoy myself with the little uns. The teacher I will be with, I have worked with before and we got on very well, so it will be a challenge learning a new curriculum but I think also that it will be a little less exhausting.

Last week we finally heard a Cuckoo, here at George Mansions. This is the latest we have ever heard one and we kept saying how we wish one would arrive. Last year we didn’t have one at all and in previous years, we normally only hear them fleetingly. By careful what you wish for!!! This one has moved in and hardly stops, it’s going from 5am until dusk and yesterday for good measure it flew right past the open office window and cuckooed right in my ear!

From what I know of their habits, they are not a very nice bird, using other, poor unsuspecting birds to raise their offspring, at the expense of their own little ones. I imagine the call is basically, to attract any passing Cuckoos, in effect it’s shouting, here I am, come and get me. Which makes you wonder why we so look forward to hearing the blessed things.

We went to dinner at the new house of some very old friends last night. The bought the land and had the house built, it's beautiful with the most lovely view across Ledbury. Wehad a lovely evening, old friends are always so comfortable.

Catherine returned last night, they had a good time but Isabella was spoiled rotten. She isn't normally allowed too much sugar but she was fed ice cream and cake all the time. Catherine and Flo went out on their own and left Isabella with her german Grandma Vera (Oma) under strict instructions, NO CAKE!!

When they returned and got Isabella into the car, she straightaway volunteered the information 

"I did it, cake"

Catherine asked what she meant. She said "Idid it, cake, at Oma's house"

What sort of cake did you have Isabella? 

" Stwawbewy Cake" LOL!

I think you got caught out there  Vera!!

 

Were off to see Mike’s eldest grandaughter in a play in the Theatre in Bath this afternoon, so I’d better get myself ready now. I’ll tell you about it next time.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes there are gaps between entrys ,but like me you have this thing called life going on ,which is sometimes busy, time consuming, fast moveing etc etc ,great entry lots of news ,loved the Strawberry cake story ,little ones are so honest hee hee ,Good luck with your race for life ,Ihave sponcered my Granddaughter and a friend ,Did I read somewhere you are going to be seeing your son soon ? that is some thing to look forward too ,enjoy the Theatre ...love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

I've only heard one cuckoo in four years here.  There are birds with the same nasty habit in the states called  Cow Birds.  They aren't as pretty as a cuckoo or as big.  I'm glad that you are getting everything sorted after last summer's disaster.  I've been weeding like crazy too.  
Love,
Susie

Anonymous said...

Poor Mike!  I fell off my chair like that at work last year, we were having lunch outside at the end of an important meeting and my chair was on a slikht slope.  I went over backwards and I looked most undignified, but thankfully nobody had a camera!

Christine

Anonymous said...

Good luck on the walk!  You have such beautiful scenery to look at as you walk.  It will make the time fly.

Loved the picture of Mike - how did you manage to grab the camera and get a pic before he was up on his feet....lol... very funny!  But they never learn do they!!!!

And as for Isabella and her cake...that made me laugh so hard!  Trust kids to spill the beans!  You'll have to make sure what ever you give her in secret stays secret!

Hugs

Wendy in Oz

Anonymous said...

used to hear cuckoos so often as a child, now i dont think ive heard one for years, now though, i hear a load of woodpeckers all the time.One sits in a tree right outside my bedroom window and does its hysterical laughing cry it makes which then sets the parrot off, she calls back.Anyway, ive learnt to keep my windows shut.Ty is a monster when he has sugar, he really goes form an angel to the devils child :( beckie x

Anonymous said...

i know what you mean about entries never enough time in the day it seems:) enjoy your weekend and week:)

Deb

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda,
Thanks for the comment on my journal...filing almost finished! I did read your entry the other day but got interupted before I could comment so kept it as 'new mail' to remind me! My daughter did the Race for Life last year, this year she had too much going on to do it, I'll sponsor you instead if I can find your link in a previous entry.

You were very quick with the camera to get poor Mike on film, hope he didn't suffer too much although I expect his pride did! Love the story about the cake too, I can just imagine her telling them, she was probably so pleased that she had it she just had to let them know, bless her!
Looking forward to your next entry Linda, photos too!
Love, Pat  http:/journals.aol.co.uk/pm71blackfen/ramblings-from-pat/

Anonymous said...

Me again Linda,

I found your Race for Life page and I have already sponsored you!  I was more 'on the ball' than I thought!  Yes it was me, my entry is straight after Mike's!  
Pat x

Anonymous said...

Aww... love the Bella talk!  And these pics!  I missed them!  Good for you with the website above!  Best of luck with it!

be well,
Dawn
http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/