Some Other Sunrise

You know how it is. You're doing ordinary things - we were on our way to the Docs early on this morning. As I was locking up - this fabulous sunrise. Just had to go back and grab my camera. Moments later the sky lightened and it had disappeared.
We went to a funeral this afternoon. A close friend of ours had died suddenly on New Year's Eve. After the shock and disbelief, I'm glad that there was a space of just over three weeks before the actual funeral took place. Time to get my head around things. He was a character and a half, a sharp wit and a practical joker. One of those people, just having him around made the day a little bit brighter. All of two hundred people were packed in that little church.
It was just a privilege to have someone like him walk through my life. I'm sure a lot of people felt the same as I did. More, 'the celebration of a life' than 'the mourning of a death.' Is it wrong to admit that you enjoyed a funeral?  But this one I did.
Hey Gordon. We'll miss you.

Knit one, drop one

Just over a year ago, when we thought that everything was back on an even keel, a routine blood test revealed that the cancer was on the rampage again.
I suppose that everyone  has their own way of dealing with bad news. I was (am) carer again big time. Blogging which I love, took a back seat and I dropped out of most things. When a wave like that hits you it's hard to talk to people. Then one day when I was in Welshpool, I called in the Severn Hospice Shop just above the town hall. There on a low shelf, was a basket full of wool. I haven't done any knitting for about thirty years and what I did do was a bit suspect. Anyway I bought both the basket and the wool.  I found it totally therapeutic. Well better than just biting my finger nails. It's good having a project.  I started with these.

I made this

and this

and this.

And now, 2016, I've done 14 squares - just another 58 to go. Things are going to be good this year. 
If you called by and read my blog  (bless your little heart(s)) Happy New Year x

Thought For The Day

In 30 days time it will be Christmas Day 2015  and people will be starting asking you, 'Are you ready for Christmas?' ..... Yes??

How To Park

For the last few months O/H has been a bit under the weather and one of the things I've had to do is to take over the driving. I frequently have  'whether I'm going to be able to park when we get there, biting finger nails', syndrome. You know how it is.



Love this video.

Karaoke

Had a quiet, poorly pussy cat this morning. Not touched her food and went missing for most of the day.

Anyway, she turned up again later this afternoon, drank a little of the water I gave her, had a few cuddles and then she  went to sleep in a warm, shaded spot in the poly tunnel. I also found quite a large very dead rat under the van. Looked as if they'd been doing battle, so whether that was the reason, I don't know.  I just hope that nobody had been putting poison down. She seems a bit better tonight.

Hope you like the video.

Tractors and things

It's been pouring down here all day today.

 But here's a picture of our next door neighbour's little Massey. She's looking good for her age.

We bought our little tractor 37 years ago. She's a 1961 B275 International and she's had a lifetime of hard work. Just recently she needed a new clutch thrust fork.

Hubs & Son dismantled the engine and propped the bits up on jacks,  a milk bucket and a few strategically placed bits of wood. Off we went to the tractor man at Abermule and hey he found the very bit we needed on another tractor in the nettles. £20.00 changed hands quick. The part needed machining so he told us about Phil the Drill a bit up the road near the Anchor pub. I don't suppose many of you have been up to the top of the Kerry Hills. The views across the valley were absolutely fantastic and we seemed to be going up forever. Somebody said that there was a bend in the road for every day of the year. You can say that again! The hedges don't get cut very often and you have to sort of squint around the corners and pray you don't meet anything. The nice thing is, that there isn't one scrap of litter in the hedgerows. As we got higher up, we had to call at a couple of places to make sure we were heading in the right direction. The women grow masses of flowers to try and  hide all the scrap crap machinery entranklements their menfolk bring home from the frequent sales. A lot like here. We eventually found the Anchor pub. I went round to the door to ask the directions to Phil the Drill. They weren't open until 7 pm but the landlord was very helpful and poked his head through the window. 'Bit further up and take care as you go across a very bad bend.' 
'Cheers'.
Apparently they used to hold all the horse sales up at the Anchor, don't know whether they still do.
We got there. We found it ...... and - not a soul about - he was out.
We got home OK. Bit by bit, O/H managed to machine the piece himself. He's had a real battle with his health and I'm really proud of him. Anyway tractor all back together again and rearing to go.
John and Mary in New Zealand, I wrote this for you. John get well really soon and get back in that tractor seat.  Hope you like the video xx

July already

 Been out weeding in the garden today. There's a weed mountain at the top of the garden.
All these grew on their own.

The clematis is scrambling over anything that gets in its way

The hardy geraniums have gone berserk

Oxe eye daisies and Geums quite happy amongst the Cranesbill and the odd nettle.

Hemerocallis just poised to burst forth. They should be out by tomorrow. I bought the first one from a church fete for ten pence, five or six years ago.

And the lilies I left in the clay pot are doing their thing, like they did last year. Nothing ever stands still does it!