Re: Hi Dita and all

[dita]

Good afternoon everyone. Today is my Daughter in laws 50th birthday, and it is also Prince Philips funeral too, don't know if I should laugh or cry. Vannin I was thinking about getting something organised with Oddie, maybe some kind of clocking on and off machine like they used to use in factories, we could clock each other on and off when we fancied a day off.
Not much else to chat about at the moment, have a great weekend all. Love and hugs to Vannin and Trixie from Dolly and me xxxxx

[vannin]

Hi, as I said on Penny's thread I watched the preliminaries and procession and heard great musicianship. It sort-of grips you for a while. The two moments that made me cry were because everything was done so perfectly, so it was a kind of pleasure that overwhelms! Got to hand it to your armed forces who work very hard to get it spot-on.
Five years ago, I was among family guests at an Evensong in St George's Chapel. A dozen little boys whose angelic singing voices were discovered in different schools, were invited to do a day of rehearsing with the Choir Director, to perform what they learned in the evening. Charlie was one of them and he was only 7! The man instructing them was not the one conducting the four singers today.
Parents were invited to enjoy lunch and tea with their sons and to be shown around the choir school and also Eton College 'next door'. My soprano friend took me in the evening and the little ones were brilliant at Evensong. My seat was in the stalls where Charles and Camilla were sitting today.

Obviously these (annual?) days conclude with any interested parent being handed an application form so they might apply for their son to go to boarding choirschool. Well, not for Charlie although that experience was superb. When I saw him in a dark navy cassock on my arrival, his first words were 'The grub is great'. He was not entirely 'into' singing and still very young. With my past experience of being sent away age 8, I could not wish it on any child. His parents wouldn't dream of it anyway, and s-i-l was a chorister but never sent away before Uni!.
Charlie likes music and still does piano, violin and drumming.
So that is my daily true story, folks. Take care everyone Trixie and I send love and hugs to Dita and Dollyxxxx

[dita]

Good afternoon everyone, I hope you are all having a lovely day.
Vannin what a lovely true account of your experiences, along with your Grandson. I was about 4yrs old when my singing got encouraged by my auntie, they used to like me to stand on a table and give them a few nursery rhymes before introducing me to Sunday School, of course that was during the war----singing was my biggest hobby from then on. You must have a natural talent for writing, you tell your accounts so well. love and hugs to yourself and Trixie from Dolly and me xxxx

[vannin]

Dita, my aunts and uncles used to try and make me perform in public and I hated it, my mother was worse if she was ever there. To sing for the people I knew, fine, but in front of strangers I stayed too shy till I was about ten. Started having solo singing lessons at school and be put to the test in front of the class. Then in senior school, we did a lot of Gilbert & Sullivan for each year-end concert.
The time spent at St Georges chapel with my grandson five years ago, is so clear in my memory and needed a bit of sharing! He is so grown-up now and SO courteous, offering me his arm etc! I often think back to the sight of those twelve little cherubs in navy cassocks and wonder if any went on to choir school. Every time we see young choristers on TV they look sweet and angelic!
Love and hugs to yourself and Dolly from Trixie and me .xxxx

[dita]

Oh! Vannin, you were almost the same as me when young and easily encouraged to please the family, in them days----no options really) I finished off my singing career a few years ago after being in our local Operatic for it seemed forever, it was great fun and a great crowd of singing people. Think the last one I was involved with was Lilac Domino.
My energy levels are almost extinct at the moment, have almost hay fever symptoms, been wondering if it is the weather or something?? Even the thoughts of the pending game of soccer is making me cringe. Love and hugs Vannin and Trixie from Dolly and me, xxx Take Care Allx

[vannin]

Hi, a bit late today. I expected Jane the gardener this morning. Her hubby rang to say she had spent four days in hospital and is now home in bed. When she can be left, he said he will come to mow the lawn. I last saw them three weeks ago and she was fine. I await more details, perhaps it is a women's thing that he would rather not describe - he is a reserved sort of chap.
Dita, in the winter I had a constantly runny nose but it wasn't a cold. Night-times I had a dry cough and I bought a little humidifier and both symptoms receded quite a lot. Partial recovery might have been a coincidence, and I still get sniffles when outside - but so do many people. Never had hay fever that I know of. I hope your symptoms are lessening, the weather being so changeable might be the cause.

Trixie was (I think) on the warpath of ginger tom for some of the night and was even more tired than usual this morning but has been out in the afternoon sunshine for a while. She and I send hugs and love to Dita and Dolly xxxx. Take care everyone

[vannin]

Re the situation of my gardener being ill, and the Springtime advance in the garden needs seeing to! I don't feel I should rely on the possibility of her hubby having the time to mow the lawn here, the same with the kind offer of the young man whose car is here - he has a busy life.

So I sent an email to AgeUK to enquire about temporary help by one of their gardening paid volunteers. Awaiting a response.
For a few years I have 'known' AgeUK, because I used to have one of their visiting hairdressers before she moved away. In 2019 I bought my Alarm pendant through their system and once had a handyman from them to put up a curtain rail. They also supply a footcare lady and good friend who regularly visits - at a reasonable rate in contrast with my past podiatrist!
Dita, I hope your energy levels have not sunk lower and the pleasant weather is helping you feel better.
Love and hugs to you and Dolly from Trixie and me. Take care everyone

[dita]

I am thinking of getting in touch with AgeUK, my grass is full of beautiful orange colour and growing fast, but my energy levels are rock bottom at the moment and by the time I have fulfilled my obligations to her ladyship I am too whacked out and she refuses to get the mower out ??? Yesterday I had to go to town on business and as we have no public transport a neighbour took me and waited in the car park, that's the trouble with living in the sticks. Your eye injections do seem to come round so fast Vannin, hope you are ok. Lotta love and hugs to you both from Dolly and me xxxx

[vannin]

Dita, if you google for your local Age UK, contact them to check they have Gardening Services. Then ring them, saying you are urgently in need of help. I was uncertain I would 'get' someone local at this busy time but now have an update.
When I returned from the hospital this morning (eye feels fine thank you) there was a phone call saying they have 'Kevin' who is interested and is to ring me next week. His hourly rate is the same as Jane, who came here for an hour once a fortnight. If I don't hear from Kevin next week, I must phone Age UK again.

The back lawn has sprouted a crop of daisies, the front lawn less so. I am not certain about the wisdom of asking Jane questions, badly wanting to know more about how she is, because in the thirteen years she has become a friend too. It might sound like a 'How soon can you come back to work?' and from what little she said on Monday, she might never work again. She is 63 and the many years of toiling have taken their toll.
She looks much younger though.
I hope you might be able to get assistance, tell them your age and state of health. Love and hugs to you and Dolly from Trixie and me.xxxx

[ciderman_nz]

It's taken me two days with a trimmer. Then taking the debris to the green recycling depot! Now I'm going to have a lie down!

[Penny]

Looks worth the effort though. Keep it up. cheers Penny

[vannin]

Happy St George's Day to all, whichever flag should be flying for us!! Ciderman, that is a large stretch of hedging and here I am fretting about getting necessary artistic and tiring work done. Well done you! Take some time off!

[vannin]

Dita, re my other niggle, the delayed jab 2. I have completed thirteen weeks and had no call, except from my daughter this morning now she has made it a big issue!! She has been onto Patient Liaison who phoned her back, and has also contacted the M.P. about the general situation of late supplies of vaccine, not just for jab 1 but jab 2. I am far from being the only one, but the government and scientists keep crowing about how much the country's 'rollout' is way ahead of other countries. She spoke to the surgery again, who said 'Oh, is she still waiting?'
Actually I had forgotten it during most of the week. I 'might' receive a phone call today but doubt it will happen. Thankfully, my busy bee in London has refrained from writing a generalised column. I don't read any nationals unless I pick up a Metro on the bus. The M.P. usually responds through his chief slave. He is Steve Baker, one of the Brexit pushers looking for promotion.
I hope you have a restful weekend. Dolly is a very clever doggie to be a footballer but is without the intuition to make your life easier.
Love and hugs to both of you from Trixie and mexxxx Take care everyone!

[dita]

Hello everyone, just popped in to wish you a Happy St Georges Day, sorry I'm late---but you know what they say??
Still below par but cannot do much relaxing because of the stuff I need to do plus Doggy, Birdies etc. I am going to take your advice about the garden Vannin, my grass really does need attention, there are so many Daffs in flower and I have been heading them while doing the football bit.
Good for your Daughter Vannin jumping in like that about the jab, I know where to come when mine gets delayed.....I do wish I had a daughter, couldn't see either of my sons bothering. Come to think of it Lady D doesn't care much either unless I have a treat in my hand!. Thanks for your friendship Vannin and Trixie, Love and hugs to you both from Dolly and me xxxxx take care all x

[dita]

Ciderman, I did mean to remark on your brilliant hedge-cutting the other day, would you pop over and cut mine? compared to your it will probably only take about 20mins. Hope you are enjoying the sunshine again Vannin, hope Trixie hasn't done a runner with a boyfriend, its that time of year---just joking ---
Love to you both from yours truly xxxxx