Wintery days....

It has rained today, the heavy, beating, cold rain that coupled with an icy wind is really chilling. In between the rain the sky has been mainly grey with only a few periods of sun. It got me thinking about all the winters I have spent here. Youngest daughter is home for the weekend from London and we have been shopping and to the hairdressers today and chatted for hours catching up. When they were little the kids main attire in winter on the lane consisted of wellies and snow suits! I have some great old pics of lots of the kids on the lane playing out in their wellies. Mine used to walk to school in theirs putting their shoes on in their Nanna's porch on Linkside drive before going over the road to the school. The grandchildren all bring wellies when they come to visit and they all LOVE the muddy bits of the lane and the fields. Taking the dog out with Gandy and coming back plastered in wet sloppy mud seems to thoroughly delight them. Such simple pleasures create memories that last a lifetime.
Kaye was reminicsing this afternoon about other things they did as kids....collecting leaves in Autumn and making a collage picture for the wall with them. Shell collections swelled in the summer with loads of containers full of pebbles and shells gathered by the back door. Conker collecting and of course threading and playing tournaments. Poo sticks on the bridge in Parkmill, collecting pine cones and spraying them gold or silver to thread on the Xmas tree, spending the whole day on the beach with huge picnics and games of french cricket.......and so much more!

Nicki Jones-Hipkiss, Sad news

I really believe that each day is a gift, to treasure and enjoy in whatever way we can. Today I heard the sad news that my friend and colleague Nicki Jones-Hipkiss has died. Nicki was a fantastic Midwife and an even better friend. She was full of fun and laughter and was passionate about Midwifery. She battled her illness with dignity grit and determination. She just wanted to see her 40th birthday! Not much to ask for really....sadly Nicki didn't quite make it to the big 40 and died just a few days short. I will always remember her returning to work with her wig on and smiling despite the obvious pain she was in. She never played the victim, though God knows of all people she had the right to. She touched the lives of all the women and babies she cared for and she was an exceptional Midwife to work with. I have never met anyone so brave and so full of life. Midwifery has lost one of it's best ambassadors and women have lost a true advocate. The world will be a duller place without her smile and I will miss her sorely. I am however grateful that Nicki is no longer in pain and her great spirit is free to soar. My deepest sympathies are for her Husband and family and my thoughts are with them.

Pictures of times past...

Burl

Winston

Marion

The wonderful Mr Po

Mr Po

Best Man

I have been ill at home with pleurisy for nearly 2 weeks so it really cheered me up to get a call on Monday evening from our bestest friend Mr Po. aka Mr Wayne Pocock. We have history with Wayne in as much as he and Andy have been friends for over thirty years and I have known him as long as I have known my Husband!
He was the extraordinary Best Man at our off beat wedding in 1984, it was he who panicked when I went into premature labour with 4th child Daniel and it was he who took on the mantle of God Father to youngest daughter Kaye. He has been here on both occassions when Andy has had a heart attack, when we have knocked down and rebuilt walls and out buildings. He has been roped in to many family trips and outings to the beach, restaurants or town! He is stoic, faithful,funny and extremely well read member of our family and we all love him dearly. The nicest thing about Mr Po is that he is who he is, no sham or glamour, just himself. A real rare quality these days. Underneath the apparantley off hand demeanor is a warm and generous spirit that has enriched our lives and especially our children's lives for so many years. There are things he knows about us that no other living soul knows but such is his integrity...never will!
We met Wayne and his partner Jo for a meal at the local Indian in Mumbles last night and to our utter delight they announced their engagement and forthcoming marriage next March. Jo is a gentle, lovely person who has given Wayne a whole new dimension to his life and he has become an even nicer person for knowing her. She is quite the most self effacing person I have ever met and her face lights up when she looks at our friend Mr Po.....what more could best friends ask? I hope that they will be blessed with a long and happy marriage as we have been blessed. I also wish that we can in some small way contribute to that enterprise and repay some of the many blessings that Wayne has bestowed on us over the years.....we are truly blessed and very thankful.

Snow storm...

I couldn't omit the great snow storm of 1982, we so rarely get snow here I only remember it 3 times. The snow of '82 was spectacular and terrifying. I woke to find the front door completely blocked by snow that lasted 11 days. Nothing in or out of the Gower. The electricity was\off and the only communication with the outside world was the battery radio, which gave updates of where you could get bread or milk. Karl and Kaye were only toddlers and we had run out of milk after the last milk run up to Green Lane Dairy that Rhonda and I made over the golf course. I ended up falling into a large snowdrift on the golf course and disappeared from view completely. The snow was immense. Luckily we had the wood burner going and a large pot of stew was on it every day. I had flour and yeast anyway as \I used to bake my own bread, what I didn't have was milk. Then over the radio it was announced that the dairy farmer at Lunnon, across the valley from us had milk to give away as the tanker couldn't get there. I decided to set out next morning with a rucksack filled with empty screw top jars to collect as much milk as I could carry. This I duly did and as I got down into Parkmill it was like a scene from a Christmas card. No footsteps were anywhere, no road visible and the quiet was magical. I carried on until I got to Shepherd's store at the base of Lunnon hill. The snow plough had become stuck about 100yards up the hill. I walked past it or should I say waded past it, the snow was past my waist. I eventually made it to the farm at the top of the hill. I gratefully filled the jars, packed them into my rucksack...32 pints of milk is VERY heavy!! I arrived back home just as\the sun was setting at 4.30pm, it had taken me 8hours to cover less than 2miles.
Eventually the thaw came and things returned to normal. It has\however left me with a dreadful compulsion to stock the larder at the first whiff of snow in the winter as \I don't want to be in that position ever again!

Storms...

Today I am at home ill with pleurisy of my right lung...it is sore and painful and I feel miserable. The weather outside is blowing up another storm for the second day running, 95mile per hour winds have been recorded and lots of damage has been done around the country. Severe rain has caused flooding in many areas and mother nature is continuing to remind us that she is the boss.
It got me thinking as I was trudging up the bumpy track to the GP surgery this afternoon. The ground was sodden and muddy and the wind was whipping around my face. The sun was shining for most of the time and actually I felt like my wintry cobwebs were being blown away. I have experienced 26 winters here and the cosy evenings in front of a roaring wood burner listening to the wind howl and the rain beat a tattoo on the tin roof of our chalet are some of the most satisfying memories that I have.

Blogging

Funny thing blogging, this all started out as a fed up protest about problems on The Lane, now it's turning into a kind of memoir / diary. I seem to be unfolding the pages of my life on here and it's become a bit addictive. It is also very therapeutic, I can say things here that I perhaps wouldn't say in the real world. It has also given me the opportunity to share things with my family and friends and I know that lots of the stuff I put on here brings back memories accompanied by laughter and a few tears too. I think I will carry on with this....there are so many stories and pictures that make up the richest of lives. Once more I feel blessed, that this life that is unfolding on your computer screen, is mine!

Megan's Mummy

I am very lucky to have wonderful Grandchildren from both my older children, between the two of them they have provided us with a total of eleven.....so far.
My daughter in law Marie makes my Son's eyes shine and is a thoughtful and initially shy person. When she gets to know you however, she is not shy at all. On numerous occasions when a little fire water has been involved she has delighted me by hugging me and telling me how much she loves me....something normally she would be too reserved to do. I love this about her . She giggles loads at the silliest things.....she sings at the top of her voice along with Kaye and I admit me too! She has a rare quality that makes her extremely photogenic...on her wedding day I don't think I have seen a bride more beautiful and I completely understood why Karl and Ashley his Best Man both cried as she proceeded up the aisle of the church. Her beauty was breathtaking and she looked every inch a Princess. She enjoyed every minute of her wedding day which might not sound surprising but this was the girl that when Karl proposed to her said she was too shy to be the centre of attention and wanted a quiet civil ceremony. Karl had other ideas and eventually persuaded Marie that the church was the right place to marry and I know that she is glad she did. She often under estimates herself and really does not realise what a gorgeous woman she is.

Megan's little egg...

I was busy in work today when I received a call from Hubby to say that little Meggy Egg had fallen in school and needed to go to hospital. Her Daddy works away during the week and her Mummy was not able to get her. Gandy to the rescue, he downed PC tools and charged off to collect the wounded child from her school. A couple of anxious hours later I got another call to say that she was OK and that Gandy was taking her to get a treat to cheer her up and then he would come to work to collect me. At 6pm she trotted in with Gandy in tow, full of tales of her misadventure. Underneath her fringe she was sporting a large egg shaped bump ! Meggy egg really was a little egg.....poor girl, she was undaunted and chatted merrily to all the staff, telling everyone that would listen about her trip to A & E with her Gandy.
We took her home to her Mummy who was of course quite upset that she hadn't been able to take her herself but Gandy had really enjoyed his special one to one time with the little Princess.

Sandy Lane...more gatherings

More Sumo pics

SUMO !!

I suppose I could be called a little unconventional........not least as Mother of The Bride at daughter Danielle's wedding to her hubby Charlie.
For the delectation of the mainly younger guests a Sumo ring and suits were provided on the grass. It seemed that everyone was 'too cool for school' and only the little ones were playing.
That is however until I decided to have ago. Challenging one of my daughter's friends who seemed keen enough, we dutifully donned the padded suits. It was then I noted that I was at a distinct disadvantage. As I am very vertically challenged my legs did not really come far enough out of the suit and all that could be seen were my feet poking out of the bottom! Undeterred I waded or should I say waddled into the fray.......sheer grit and determination coupled with some overt aggression won the day as panting and helpless with laughter I proclaimed my victory. It was then that the grandchildren mobbed me, knocking me over and hurling themselves on top of my padded bulk. The precariousness of my situation slowly dawned as I realized to my horror that I had 'turned turtle' I was helpless and wobbling about on my back with lots of small children using me as a recreational amusement. My carefully crafted fascinator went west as I yelled for reinforcements to heave me upright and save me from the little people. Just as thoughts of Gullivers Travels filled my head with dread my two sons Karl and Daniel rescued me through tears of laughter. To my deep embarrassment I looked around to see the assembled wedding guests howling with laughter at the top of the steps.
Not content with one victory however I decided to challenge my sister princess and when we eventually stopped laughing at the ludicrous spectacle of each other.....middle aged mothers in sumo suits! we had a great battle. I eventually proclaimed myself the winner after eventually throwing her to the mat in a last superhuman push.
Now I thought I was invincible and challenged youngest son Daniel.....oh what a mistake I took a wobbling waddle at him only to bounce off like a ball on a wall. He pressed the advantage and like Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee we rolled round and around. At times I was upside down and unable to right myself and lay flailing on the mat. 'Daniel Son' was declared the winner and gallantly helped me upright. Unfortunately I was then so exhausted I couldn't get out of the suit and Hubby and eldest son Karl had to lift it off me. It was with a great sigh of relief that I hauled my disheveled self back to the reception room for a very large drink. I haven't had so much fun for ages and I plan to do it again sometime.......maybe my birthday in August.

Instant Karma for Lula

As today was Mother's Day I have had gifts of flowers, choccies and jewellery from my wonderful children but better than this I have got to have a long chat with them all. While discussing the vagaries of the male ability to multi task, with oldest daughter, a blood curdling scream was heard coming from her lounge...naughty little Lula was trying to muscle in on her older sister's game. When she discovered she couldn't, she grabbed an action man doll and took a mighty swing at Kate (Lula has learned that being little is not a disadvantage if you use a weapon). It was at this point that instant karma took a hand and the action man doll being multi jointed bent backwards on the up swing and bopped little Lula in the head.....hence the mighty scream and lesson learned ! During this altercation baby Tomtom took his first two steps.....hurray he's up and off! My wonderful daughter is a Mum to six lovely kids and works very hard at keeping it all together, she is a Madwife too and we enjoy talking shop on a regular basis. I am immensely proud of her and delighted by the constant antics of my grandchildren who are happy, social and gorgeous too (See earlier post for pics)

Sandy Lane....Notice Board Offerings

There has evolved over the last few years a regular ritual on The Lane for Laners to place offerings of various goods under the Mighty Notice Board.
Sometimes it is a long time between these offerings and at other times something new nearly every day. The items that are placed beneath the Mighty Notice Board are many and varied, over the years we have had, furniture in various states of repair, artwork, toys, bicycles, kitchen equipment, logs, dream catchers, games, crockery, clothes, coat hangers, plants and plant pots, goldfish bowls, toiletries and even a toilet....yes that is correct a blue used TOILET. It went to a good home evidently.....it is a mystery where the offerings go but they disappear quite quickly. Sometimes after making an offering on the way to The Londis (previously The Spar) it will be gone by the time you return. This gives a great feeling of satisfaction to the donor and a serene smile can oft be seen playing around a secret donor's mouth. A little while ago some offerings displeased the Mighty Notice Board and were not accepted , this caused consternation among The Laners until the writers on The Mighty Notice Board issued a notice that any offering remaining after 3 days should be collected and disposed of by the donor. Oh what dejection to have the offering rejected........
Now that offerings are officially recognised and rules have been applied to manage their stay, I hope that this ritual will continue on in Lane culture for generations to come, after all it is the best way of recycling those things you no longer need or want.

Funny things cats

Jack in a basket !

I spoke to my sister the other day and she was telling me about her two cats, Jack and Foxy.
Jack AKA 'Bad Jack, Wint and Window Wint' has had to have a collar on for the first time. Foxy has had collars before but Jack has never worn one. What we found amusing was the fact that as cats do not understand what a collar is they try to get rid of it at first. The first thing they do is to walk backwards, obviously hoping that the collar will stay put as they move backwards !
Our cat Felix currently called Stinky Pinkerton, tries to negotiate a way through the bars of the baby gate. She gets her head through first then wiggles and squiggles till the rest of her is through. This however only works when the gate is closed. When she tries this when it is open the gate moves when her head is through and she has to move forward with it, after a bit of consternation she pulls her head back and goes the long way round of up and over the unit!!
Funny things cats......

Grandchildren.....more blessings

Kate

Will

Grace

Megan

Tom

Hannah

Ben

Erin

Marc

Tom

Cara

Stressed out....

Today has been a stressful day, we have had the decorators in at work and the whole dept is upside down. I can't stand not being able to find things and the work load is ever increasing. My colleague had to leave early and from that point the day degenerated until I was feeling under pressure and trying to console a very upset patient who had to be admitted to hospital. I had to send other women to another department as I had to lock up to go home and that in turn caused more problems as they were complicated cases. The poor midwife upstairs was at her wits end and didn't know where to put everybody. I tried to give her some extra information to help her but I left feeling uncomfortably guilty but I did need to get home. My hubby was practising with The Schmo's tonight and was running late. Not a happy bunny!
Tomorrow I will have to start early to catch up on the things I had to leave tonight and my diary is already full....oh my. The only bonus is that I will be working with my wonderful friend Tania and she and I are pretty good together. Combined with that the wonderful Sarah is on duty and we should get it nailed soon enough. Thank goodness it's Friday!! I am looking forward to the weekend and to seeing the grandchildren. Taking Cara to get her dance gear for Stage school, she is very excited......so am I......

The original Sisters....

My Mother Joyce and her Sister Doreen at Doreen's 80th party in 2007

Third generation of Sisters...

Danielle and Kaye

More blessings......My Sister Princess

I can't think about my blessings without being thankful for the gift of my Sister Princess Sharon. Known affectionately to all the kids and most of the adults as Ardy ! This started way back in 1974 when eldest daughter Danielle was trying to say Aunty Sharon and somehow kept coming out with Ardy and it has stuck...25years on she even signs herself Ardy.
She has by far the sharpest wit of any person I have ever known, acerbic at times she has the ability to take the skin off your back at 50yards with her tongue!!
Beneath the rather frosty exterior lies my real sister, warm and generous and ever helpful and supportive. We have had many laughs over the years and our share of falling out but in the end we love each other dearly. We have plans to retire together and spend our days gossiping in rocking chairs while the kids wait on us hand and foot! The kids have other ideas and are currently looking at secure retirement homes......
We share a bizarre sense of nonsense in our humour and she is the only person I don't have to explain things to when I think they are funny. We constantly make up poems and ditties that are often warped and convoluted but we know how it works and we can reduce each other to crying laughing wrecks with our hilarity.
As children I was precocious, Sharon was shy. I would be offered sweets and had to ask for one for my sister who spent her first 5years hiding in our Mother's skirts. She was such a goody two shoes that I was always in trouble for leading her astray. I was a Tomboy, Sharon was a girly girl, she loved frills,dresses,dolls etc & I loved Meccano, tree climbing and fighting. I was cruel to her sometimes and once stuck her hands together with bitumen , ruining both our lemon frilly dresses and making her cry as our Dad got her hands apart with petrol! As we grew up, she was always more timid and I got into fights to protect her. We played endless jokes on boyfriends and we carried that on with each others husbands too. My poor Andy still has trouble telling us apart on the 'phone. Just as I fought to protect her as kids she knows I would still fight for her now. My Sister is a part of me and whether she is right or wrong I am always on her side....because I love her and she loves me right back.

My beautiful daughter Danielle & her six children

Back : Will, Erin, Kate. Front : Grace, Danielle with baby Tom, Benjamin.

Nicknames....

My family has a funny habit of renaming things,people,animals actions anything really.
I thought I'd write some down for posterity......

Andy...Gandy, The Fat Druid, andy pandy sugar dandy, ange, petal, lumpy, hubbanbum, mahoney, pookiesnackenburger, my lump, poohstinks, snuggy wumpkin,

Danielle, daniella dinmont, loobyloo, lucy locket, stumpy child

Sharon (My sister) Ardy (derived from aunty sharon) courtesy of Danie, Bacon face, apply peely

Karl, Pod, Podlet, Karlo, Karla, Nibbles, 18months

Kaye, plum, Kaye bow bubbles, bubbles, cake, cakey, bakey, baker

Daniel, Joefish, fishy, fishguts, BamBam, Dandan, babybud, "pookiesnackenburger smelly bum wimp fish crustycrud nose john" womble

Erin, Bob, moggit

Ben, Benjy, bear

Grace, Lula

Tom, Tomtom

Hannah, Hanniebananie, gelfling

Megan, Little fat egg, ickle egg

Cara, Rara

Penny, Nel, Nellypope, Nanny Bumpies, baldie bane, apple, janey anne.

Blue, Bluebell, poopie, boopie doo, puppydog.

Felix, Mee Mau, Flixy, Stinky Pinkerton, Pinky Stinkerton.

Dulcie (My Niece) Doo, doodie, Ethel, Evil Edna, Fish eyed faggot

Names for things:

Dummy, NiNi, dumdy

Potty, Mr Potter

Hoover, J Edgar

Spin dryer, R2D2

Colander, Didder, (courtesy of Oran, Orrie Porrie, Fluffy duckling)

Helicopter, Lemonchopter

Slippers, bippies, mimies

Breasts, Balongolas, boobies, gone backs

Passing out from R.A.F. Trade training.

Karl was awarded The Outstanding Recruit Award when he passed out from basic training at RAF St Athen. He now has his Corporal's Stripes. Immensely proud of our boy are we!

Karl with butterfly

The oldest Son....

I was working today and chatting with my colleagues over lunch about my older son Karl. Affectionately known as podlet, until he got too big to be a 'let at all! He has a distinguishing feature caused in a fight in The Countryman when a Cardiff p***k who professed to be a boxer couldn't stand to be restrained by Karl after inappropriately touching his fiancee bit off half his left ear. Known to his mates in the RAF as nibbles (previously eighteen months..I did not get this either for a long time but with a Welsh accent.....ear and half). Karl has always been the sporty daredevil of the family, cliff jumping, night surfing, motorbike riding, water skiing, anything for a dare including eating a sand eel !!! YUK, revolting boy. Karl was always the gentle child who animals and babies adored at first sight (still is) I have an old photo somewhere of Karl with a butterfly just sitting on his hand, the wild ponies would let him pet them and dogs would, with a few psychotic exceptions not attack him on his paper round. His own dog an Alsatian cross called Sabre (affectionately known as 'bapu') was totally devoted to him and the pair were inseparable. Sabre adopted a friend of ours at a music festival and came home with him. He asked us to look after him while he was away travelling for several months and by the time he returned over a year later the bond between the gammy legged dog and Karl was unbreakable and no one was going to split them up. The next summer while on the beach with a group of his friends they were ferrying each other across the river as the tide was rising quickly. One kid lost the paddles and the dinghy started to be washed out towards the sea with Karl and two others in it. Sabre jumped in and took the front rope between his teeth and with the boys hand paddling towed them to the shore.....no one told him to he just did it. Karl was the only boy babysitter on Sandy Lane for ages and all the little ones loved him. He now is married with children of his own and he is a wonderful Daddy, full of love, hugs and fun. He is a handsome and genuinely lovely guy who I am proud to call my son and the joy he and his family bring to us is immeasurable.

Gifts.......The Prankerds

Tom

Mike

Sue

Sam

Today I have been thinking about my bestest friend.....Suzie Spankers.
It's a funny thing when life throws you a curve ball and you only realize what a gift it is after its been around awhile. So it was with my best friend Sue. Sue is my son Dan's best friend Sam's Mum!
The boys have been friends since comprehensive year 1 and when Dan got ill it was Sam that really proved what real friendship is all about. It was Sam who visited Dan at every chance on every hospital stay. He played games with Dan, put up with Dan's moodies and sulks and always stayed smiling and supportive. After Dan's treatment they completed The Gower Bike Ride for British Heart Foundation it nearly killed them but it set a precedent. On some of the visits Sam made he would be accompanied by his Mum Susan who rapidly became my friend Susan. Together with the wonderful Mike who is a soul so giving that nothing is too much trouble the strongest bonds of lasting friendship have been forged between us four! Susie and I have laughed together , cried together and shared so much over the last ten years that we are more like sisters than friends. Our families have become entwined and her two sons and our brood treat each other like siblings. We olds are all treated with the same affection/disdain depending on the weather of course. Christmases and birthdays celebrated and shared all together have woven a rich tapestry of memories that we reminisce over often. Our current ongoing jape is the hunting down of the worst holiday/trip souvenir that we can possibly find. The winner of this illustrious contest fluctuates but now everyone is joining in including the kids. Daniel has just stolen the crown with the most garish of plaster moulded towers of Pisa & The Colosseum decorated with a hideous glitter that changes colour with the weather from vomit green to bruised purple and back to slapped cheek pink!! Previously a tie had been declared between our wooden key hanger with a photo of a Spanish couple on it that had a silk skirt glued to the woman and Sue & Mike's extraordinary shell shaped, magnetised bottle opener that slid off the fridge door and broke with a couple of days. We are now waiting with baited breath to see what treasures are returned from the next trip, Dan & Sam are off to Switzerland I think...oh lord help us.....
Tawdry gifts aside I really value the gift of friendship that Sue and Mike,Sam & Tom have bestowed upon our family.......more blessings and yes I am thankful.

Me and Grand daughter Megan

This is me and little Megan at her big sister Hannah's Birthday party this month!

Blue & Stinky Pinkerton

Here is the long suffering Blue with the darn'd cat!

Thoughts on family and pets

Daniel

I am waiting for youngest son to arrive home for a long overdue chat about future plans. I'm not looking forward to it as I know there are going to be some conflicts of interests. In this family we do not let things slide that may damage the feeling of togetherness and often have a formal sit down to thrash it out!! Tonight is such a time.
Stinky Pinkerton (the mad cat) is tearing around the lounge like a lunatic chasing shadows & every now and again her own tail. She will insist on rushing past Andy at a million miles an hour which makes him jump out of his skin...I swear I hear her laughing.
She has taken to laying her head on the dogs muzzle when he is laying down and he tolerates this extremely well, however when she rolls on her back he makes a sharp exit because claws uppermost he gets into trouble...poor Blue. He is the most soppy and faithful dog in the world. We weren't going to have another dog but when Dan was having Chemo he begged us for a puppy, he especially wanted a blue merle welsh border collie. We caved in of course and eventually in the June I found an advert from a farm in Abergavenny for sheepdog pups including blue merles. I rang the number and we arranged to go up with Dan and Sam on the next Saturday after his Chemo had finished. We set off on a hot afternoon and a couple of hours driving found us at the farm. We got out and opened the gate, as we walked into the yard lots of gambolling fat tummied pups came into view. Dan stood still just watching them as we laughed at their antics. Within a couple of minutes one puppy had lain down on Dan's trainers and was not moving. Dan had been chosen! Guess what? It was a little boy, blue merle puppy and we knew we had to have him. We happily parted with our dosh and Dan scooped him up for the journey home. Blue is Ten years old in April and has been wonderful member of the family, devoted to Dan and with a delightful disposition. As each new grandchild has arrived he has adopted them into our pack and guards them dutifully. He kept me sane when I was at home ill for months and is always such a loving and funny friend to come home to. I guess he is yet another blessing that I am fortunate to count..