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......