A favourite quote and why it’s special

If you love something set it free, If it comes back to you, it is yours. If it doesn't it never was.
(author unknown)

I value my independence therefore I must respect the independence of others. Watching children walk away to forge their own lives for themselves can be heartbreaking. A huge wrench that tears emotions to threads and leaves a gaping hole. The empty nest in tatters. 

Drew walking away

One of the worst attitudes I think, is to take someone for granted. I would much rather set someone free and experience the joy of their return than hold them against their will.

My darling son and granddaughter

Day 6 August Blog Challenge

Something I wish I did really well

If I can't do something really well then I don't generally do it. I leave it to the experts. Knitting for example. My mother was and sister still is an amazing knitter. I've tried my hand at it but with poor results and practice didn't make perfect for me. So a knitter I am not and never will be. Thats OK, I can leave well alone. 

Something that springs to mind is the fantastic ability some people have to

be multi-lingual. That's not an ability I share though I dearly wish I could speak more than my native English. I have some mostly forgotten but could be reminded of, schoolgirl French and a teeny bit of holiday Spanish. While waiting to get through the Gibraltar/Spanish border one day my son who was working there at the time broke into a Spanish conversation with a difficult custom's official so easily and readily I was greatly impressed and proud. Another time (I'm told), my son and his friend were trying to chat up a German girl but all were having difficulty with each other's language. They ended up conversing quite well in French! 

My son Drew

Yes I greatly admire those who can speak multiple languages and that's something I wish I did really well.

Day 5 August Blog Challenge

An Embarrassing Moment

I think I have learnt how to opt out of would be embarrassing moments. I must have experienced plenty in my time but I don't think I have blushed at one since I was in my teens. 

Feeling socially awkward can be part of an embarrassing moment but some people don't get embarrassed at all in fact they seem to thrive on being socially awkward. A case in point happened just recently when my husband and I had a day out at Souter Lighthouse, a visitor's attraction in South Tyneside.  The lighthouse keeper's living quarters has a box of dressing up clothes for children to entertain themselves with. Of course, my husband (well on his way into his second childhood), couldn't resist a bit of dressing up.  Its moments like this that a well rehearsed line comes to mind, 'Its OK, he is going home soon'.

To be fair, I have to balance the equation by admitting one of my own embarrassing moments which was at a staff Christmas Dinner, many years ago. Carried away by the joviality of the event and yes, civil servants know how to let their hair down, at my place at the table, I ashamedly enjoyed my neighbour's wine as well as my own. Hic! Oh my goodness! I didn't know how to apologise enough but she saw the funny side and said not to worry. I bet she was calling me under her breath though...eeek!

4th day August Challenge Blog

A Treasured Memory

Its hard to choose a treasured memory, there are so many. They best come to mind when everything is quiet and there are no rattles of the day to interrupt my thoughts. My best time of the day is early morning when I can sit with my morning tea and look out at the world through my kitchen windows into the garden and sky beyond. A time of contemplation brings all things to mind. Perhaps one of my most treasured memories was when I told my ten year old granddaughter I had stopped smoking. She was walking across the sitting room at the time, heading for the stairs when she stopped in mid track, did a double take and launched herself into the air, pirouetting as she did so, then bounced back down to the floor with a YEAH! She then sped off to do whatever it was she had in mind to do in the first place. I was speechless and thrilled at the same time. I wouldn't have missed that spectacular for the world and all because I had stopped smoking. I think I will treasure that moment forever.

3rd Day August Blog Challenge 

Five things about me most people don't know

I think this challenge is really difficult and so I have to question it. What are the five things about me most people don't know? 


I question why they would want to know... that I was dragged out of a very interesting coffee bar when I was fourteen by my mother? How mortified was I that day! 

Do I want them to know is my second question. That I can be really quite boring. I can't think of anything about me that is newsworthy or headline snatching or maybe that's just a case of my own selective memory. Lets get rid of all the embarrassing bits. I won't be sidelined, I'm a listener, not a talker though I do have my moments.

Question three: Who are 'most people' ? Is that a good percentage of the world population or just my little circle of friends, neighbours and casual bystanders? They surely don't know I am really a teenager at heart in an older person's skin. I get such a shock when I look in the mirror.

With many others I stood to be counted in defending the rights of the unborn, was jeered, mocked and spat at but I would do it all again willingly. I supported CND and wept for my sisters in the third world. I need not question this.

I have three children, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren. My fifth question is, why does that raise eyebrows?

Day 2 of the August Blog Challenge

The story of my life in 250 words

Gosh! How do I fit 64 years into 250 words. The answer is I don't! I can't even believe I've been on this earth for 64 years... but that I have, must be an achievement in itself.  Born in what used to be the workhouse at Balby, Doncaster, which was transformed into a hospital as many workhouses were; I was delivered there because I was lying breach or so I am told. The journey to hospital was drenched in a November pea soup fog, all too common in the colliery towns and villages of the Don Valley.  

I survived this rude awakening to 'life awareness' and endured the pollution of smog, smoky coal fires and bitter cold winters from my first childhood bed in a vacant drawer at the cemetery house where my grandparents lived to the back bedroom of a prefabricated bungalow built as temporary post war housing. I developed asthma and TB and at the age of three was not expected to live but I did, thanks to the village pharmacist who loaned out his oxygen cylinder and mask to help me breath and of course my mother's prayers.

Today I can look back at relationships broken and intact, generations of new descendants, adventures and experiences. The life changing sixties, the hates, the loves, the hard work and the seamless care that binds all together over decades and I wonder, how time flies and what more is still to come. No! 250 words are not enough. 

Day One of the August Blog Challenge

Definitely not Master Chef

Its May Bank Holiday and we have beautiful weather. Normally we would have the customary BBQ but this time because John is recovering from a terrible chest complaint I said 'NO' but I would put food out instead. 

We weren't prepared either, having done no specific shop for extra food, though my store cupboard and freezers are full. Its much more fun (and cost effective) to make something out of whatever there is than trawl the supermarket for impulse buys. The family were expected to arrive, grandchildren included and so I had a good sort through my food stash for bright ideas. 

store cupboard ingredients

The freezer gave up a bag and a half of cooked pork strips, a half full bag of frozen sliced mushrooms, and a half empty bag of mixed peppers. Out came the electric fry pan/slow cooker to become the focal point on the breakfast bar. I had a mega tray of Aldi's ready cooked egg fried rice languishing in the fridge with just two days to go before its use by date and was relieved to be able to add this to the pork and veggies when they were cooked. 

Jo cooking the pork

I heated some sunflower oil in the pan and added the frozen pork strips and let them sizzle away. Daughter Jo arrived just in time to take over stirring and I added the mushroom and peppers to the pork. They cooked some more and I sprinkled a tomato, pepper and chilli cupasoup mix over the whole concoction and let it cook some more again, while Jo continued to stir. The rice was added next with just a splash of hot water and then all the ingredients were folded together. The family loved it and tucked into garlic bread as well. 

ready for the oven

cooked lasagna

I had to make something gluten free for myself and daughter Barbara, so I decided upon a vegetarian lasagna. A tin of ratatouille, a jar of basic tomato and herb pasta sauce, 400grams of mushrooms in a sauce made from two mushroom cupasoup mixes and home made cheese sauce with some extra grated cheese for sprinkling, lots of pasta sheets and voila! I enjoyed it and I think Barbara did too and luckily there was some left for lunches through the week. Last week's chocolate cake was devoured in no time which means... I think I will have to bake some more.

Jasmine and Lily Jo

Mike, Jasmine and Natalie

After eating, grandchildren played and grown ups chatted the afternoon away. All in all, its been a very nice day.