Saturday 31 December 2005

New Year

Pics

1...Back view of Gem

2...Collar Necked Dove .... waiting to be fed

3...Front view...................Glad the snow covers the fact the lawns need mowing

From our house to your house I Hope 2006 be a wonderful year for you all

 

 

Wednesday 28 December 2005

Saying goodbye

Tomorrow  would have been my Wedding anniversay - Dick and I spent many happy years together

the last 12 years of his life were very hard for him, He was a strong man and other than having

Mumps when he was 44 years old he never had an illness. never took time of work.

When he had his first heart attack he had been working in the garden - Lyn happened to glance

out of the window and saw her Dad holding his chest and not looking too well. She ran up the

garden to see what the matter was...he said he was OK, but she knew he was far from that, and

said she was going to telephone me at work - he insisted she didn't - but she did anyway. I told

her to ring the Doctor and I would be home shortly.

I raced home, and by the time I arrived the Doctor was there, he confirmed that Dick had a heart

attack and was going to ring for an Ambulance ...to take him to the hospital....and that he was

 

to keep lying down until it arrived....well he didn't and when the ambulance arrived he answered the

door, he was well  Suntanned and looked extremely well, they asked him where the patient was,

Dick told them he was the patient, they insisted that he lie down in the ambulance as they would

get wrong if anything should happen to him. on the way - he went to the Hospital against his will I 

might add, and was kept in for about 10 days,

 

His second heart attack was about 2 years later, he was planning a surprise birthday party for me,

but as he was taken back into hospital this never took place.... While in hospital he suffered a

Stroke....he was not paralyzed, but it did effect his brain and speech, he could not speak and when

he tried to the words would come out all  jumbled  and not as he intended them to. it took months

of  speech therapy and all of his will to overcome this....which to some degree he did....It did effect

his hearing

funnily enough he could always understand what I said to him.

We go ahead a couple of more years, Dick picked me up from work and said he had not been

feeling well all day... during that evening he was taken bad and collapsed in the bedroom - he was

trying to get up off the floor and pushing very hard to do so, I tried to help him but being very

small I was of little help.

..I phoned the Doctor who advised me to call an ambulance which I did - I rang  Lyn to let her know

what was happening - she said she would meet me at the hospital....I waited and waited for

the ambulance to arrive half an hour passed then nearly an hour - Lyn called and wanted to know

what was happening.I explained the ambulance had not arrived.... she contacted our Doctor ...who

then ordered an Ambulance - it arrived quite soon after that....the paramedics had quite a job to get

Dick onto a stretcher...because by then he was barely conscious,

When we arrived at the hospital they did lots of tests, and admitted him onto a ward....

When we visited the next morning the Doctor asked us questions, and he said they understood

Dick had been abroad, I told them he couldn't hear very well and he had actually been on the

Norfolk Broads Not Abroad...

..The Doctor was surprised as Dick had contacted Legionnaire's desease - and this for most people

is fatal

 .....He was in intensive care for about a week - and thankfully got better against all the odds...and

came out of hospital after about three weeks.

I remember sitting having breakfast with him one morning and remarked how well he had been for

about a couple of months....when I glanced at his arms - they were covered in big red marks he had

got shingles.

Time went on and we got on with life as best we could, Dick coped very well with his disabilities,

and always enjoyed the visits of our grandchildren and Great grandchildren. who he loved dearly.

He was having a bit of trouble with pain in his knees, and on a visit to the hospital they said they

would do a small operation on both knees to help with the pain - He was booked to go into hospital

just before Christmas, but this was cancelled at the last moment and deferred until early February...

Christmas came and went and  February  arrived ,,,Dick went into hospital....the operation went

well,  But he caught a bug and was put into isolation, he was very ill and later transfered to Critical

care,

he then caught another bug, and was put on life support....It was up and down - some days we

we were told he was improving ....the next he was getting worse...then holding his own...., this went

on for a month - one day when Lyn and I went

into see him he pulled me towards him and gave me a huge big kiss then he did the same to Lyn....

Later on we were called into see the Doctor who told us there was nothing more they could do as

all of  Dicks  organs were shutting down.

..How do you say goodbye to someone you loved so dearly...and I never imagined us not being together.....it is an impossibility......One I have yet to come to terms with..

He had lapsed into a coma.....

He didn't regain consciousness and died March 3rd 2003

The year before Lyn's husband Richard died in April from a massive heart attack - they told us it was so quick

he would not have felt a thing he was a big strong man - A farmer who worked all hours that God sent him.

Lyn and I decided she to sell her cottage on the farm and me to sell my bungalow - we put

the money together and bought the Bungalow we live in today. It is a Big place with 5 bedrooms - but we both felt we needed our own space and needed a new beginning......

Ally

Tuesday 27 December 2005

Snowy Morning

1st Picture - our Lane

2nd My poor little frozen car.... if I talk to her nicely I hope she will start first time.

I expect most of us woke up to this view this morning...and it is still snowing quite heavily and it is now 14.50 hours... if it keeps like this we will need a tractor to get out of the lane...

The opening on the left is the driveway to our property - if you look closely you can see the name plate "Gem" ...and the Big Red letter box that no one seems to notice, because they trunch up the driveway to post letters through the door

Which drives poor Barney crazy.....Who takes guarding his property very seriously .....and he won't rest until all strangers are well away from the house....

Monday 26 December 2005

Christmas

Well it's nearly time to put Father Christmas away until next year....the 12 days of Christmas will soon be gone then we can look forward to celebrating the New Year..

The children have opened all their Christmas Presents and most of the food has been eaten.

Don't know if we will be going out for a Christmas meal again,    The Hotel was lovely, and the staff were very pleasant.

We ordered Beef for the main coarse when it was brought to the table Yorkshire puddings and roast potatos were already on the plate .

- in the middle of the plate were 4 thick slices of beef,  I looked at Lyn and she looked back at me - the meat was rare -

I could actually see the red blood....and neither of us like our meat that way, in fact we are not very big meat eaters at all....but do like it cooked all the way through.

Can't think why we were not asked how we like our meat.  perhaps that is the way all their other customers like  it..

Vegetables were brought and there was a wide variety...

We took one of the small plates and put the meat from our plates onto it...a waiter noticed this and asked if he could take it back and get it cooked longer.

As we had already added the veg. to our plates we declined his offer...but asked if he would mind putting it in a bag for us to take home for the dogs.

Cheeky little devils arn't we...

The Starter I had quite honestly was enough for a whole meal on it's own - there was Salmon - Prawns -all kinds of sea food even Caviar...

I ended up having Lemon cheesecake this again was huge and I could not eat it all -

When we arrived home Lyn put the beef into the Microwave and then cut it up for Nin and Barney ,

They both enjoyed it immensely, so they had a Christmas treat as well...

        Happy New Year may all your dreams come true...

Friday 23 December 2005

What kind of fool am I

 

I had to drive back into Norwich today, there was no hold up on the main road, although I could not see anything showing what they had repaired yesterday.

 

 

Yesterday the car was loaded with gifts for my family, which I delivered when I went to see my Sister.

But where was the Gift for my friend Margaret, I could have sworn I put it in the car. went back to check I had not accidentally left it with the others - which I had not - so gave Lyn a call on my Cell phone and she told me I had left it on the arm of the sofa.

 

It was then too late to drive back home and back to Norwich - so had to make the journey again this morning...

I did meet the Golfers waiting to cross the road, and being in a Merry Mood I beckoned them to cross the road...And was Greeted by "Merry Christmas" from them all....

Caught up with Margaret and we exchanged gifts...

and to make things even nicer Lyn is feeling much better today....

I must thank all my J-land friends who sent me Christmas cards and to wish you all A Very Happy Christmas and New Year.

 

Thursday 22 December 2005

Thursday is the day I visit my Sister...left home in good time ....about 2 mile down the road there was Road works  - and as this is a very busy Road had a ten minute wait before the lights went Green...

Travelled another one hundred yards and met road  works on the other side of the Road. so had another 10 minute wait....

I didn't feel full of love and peace as was now a bit fed up with the hold ups..

Got onto the No speed Limited part of this Road - and travelled about six miles when there was another hold up.  this was caused by a minor Road Traffic accident so the hold up wasn't too long - 5 minutes at the most....

By this time I really could have done with a nice cup of tea.

I was now twenty five minutes late - and my sister does worry if I am not on time....

We were held up at the Golf course as there were Golfers crossing the road, and the driver in front of me decided to let them have the right of way.

The rest of my journey was uneventful - well other than a Bus Driver did let me have the right of way coming out of a minor road.  which do'es not happen too often.

Arrived at my sister Joy's to be met by that nice cup of tea and a piece of Chocolate Cake...

 

 

 

Wednesday 21 December 2005

Christmas Tree

Just had to sneak the one of Barney in - he worked so hard to make that bed - Throwing the cuhions all over the place and ending up with two for his head.

 

Lyn has been really off colour since last Saturday - with a cold - and I have never heard her sneeze so much...It would be funny if it wasn't so painful for her.

The Doctor put her on antibiotics - so heres hoping she feels better by Christmas day....

Hope so as we are going out for dinner...If the worst comes to the worst I'll zoom down to the Hotel and bring her Dinner back here for her...

When we went shopping yesterday there were so many spare car parking spaces - Normally we have difficulty finding even a disabled space - and the store was not as crowded - as we thought it would be so we got through shopping quite easily. although Lyn nipped back in to get something she had forgotten.

(Between you and me I think it was a gift for me - can't be real certain about that - but we will see) !!

The Christmas tree is decorated - Father Christmas sits on his desk.. The shopping is finish (I hope) and we are all ready to party....

 

 

Sunday 18 December 2005

The little boy that Santa Claus forgot

I can remember our Mum singing this to us on Christmas Eve.  Probably because she didn't have much to give to us in the way of Christmas presents - and wanted us to be happy we had anything at all...

He was only the little boy that Santa Clasus forgot
And goodness knows, he didn't want a lot.

He sent a note to santa
For some soldiers and a drum,
It broke his little heart
When he found santa hadn't come.

In the street he envies all those lucky boys,
Then wanders home to last year's broken toys.
I'm so sorry for that laddie,
He hasn't got a daddy,
The little boy that santa claus forgot.

Spoken:
(you know, christmas comes but once a year for every girl and boy,
The laughter and the joy they find in each brand new toy.
I'll tell you of a little boy that lives across the way...
This little fella's christmas is just another day.
He's the little boy that santa claus forgot,
And goodness knows, he didn't want a lot.)

In the street he envies all those lucky boys,
Then wanders home to last year's broken toys.
I'm so sorry for that laddie,
He hasn't got a daddy,
The little boy that santa claus forgot.

New J-land friend

I see we have a new J-Land friend who has made his first entry today - can we welcome him as you always do......Ally

 

http://journals.aol.co.uk/spikedc/SpikesNorfolkBoiBlog/

Saturday 17 December 2005

Air raid shelter in the park

              picture of air raid shelter being dug out - that we spent so many hours down during the second world war.......the pagoda has long gone but the bandstand is still there.  

 

Friday 16 December 2005

Sleep over at Norwich Market Place

 

View of Norwich Market place looking down from City Hall this is where the VE and VJ celebrations

were held when the war ended.If you remember in an earlier journal l told you how both myself and my future husband Dick watched an american airman shin up the lamp post in the centre of the market place celebrating the end of the second world war, and falling from the top...a broken arm was the only injury he had...and to think Dick and me didn't know each other then but were obviously very near each other to witness the same event...We went on to have a very happy married Life togeter

 

They are refurbishing the Market at the moment, underground there are store rooms for use by the stall holders - and this is where we slept for six  nights after having a bomb land in our back garden. That was one of the hazards of living right in the heart of Norwich. But also made it exciting as when we used to go to the shelters there would be actors and actresses who were playing at the Theatre Royal and they would keep us entertained you can imagine how nice that was for us children.

 

Back to the bomb landing in our back yard, fortunately for us it did not explode - thank goodness it didn't as that night we had to go down the Cellar in our house,we didn't have time to get to Chapel Field air raid shelters where we would normally have been under such circumstances as the crash warning had sounded and we couldn't then go out on to the streets.

The House Shook, and I can remember Dad saying ..."That was a close one"...When the All Clear sounded we went back to our beds .....Little did we know what a close shave we all had until the next morning when the back door was opened

and Dad saw a gaping hole where our back garden used to be...

Racing up the stairs he grabbed me and my little brother shouting for everyone to get out of the house - which we did at Break neck speed not knowing what all the panic was about. only later being told what had happened..

That the Anderson Shelter was blown to smither ends, and the Garden was a total wreck... (We rarely used the Anderson Shelter) as Mum liked to be in the company of friends and Neighbours who also used the Shelters over the park..

We were not allowed to go back into the house until the Bombhad been dealt with.

 

 

So that is why we spent six  sleep overs (nights) sleeping under Norwich Market place

Tuesday 13 December 2005

Tuesday

Thinking back to when I was at School it was during the 2nd World War and food was on ration - at Christmas time in cookery class we all made a Christmas Cake,........ Miss Willis the teacher who took both the Cookery and Domestic Science classes knew how important it was for us children to get  the cake just right - as it took quite a few of the rations we were allowed...then we had to make the Marzipan and Ice the top as is Tradition.

I always remember taking the finished cake home, and how pleased Mum was with the end Result..

Miss Willis as I said took Domestic Science as well - and on wash day she would bring her laundry in for us girls to do....None of us liked this arrangement - and complained bitterly to each other.  We dare not complain to Miss Willis as I remember her to be a very big Lady.  Or perhaps it was because we were small.

She had a linen line erected at the end of the playground where we would have to go and peg the laundry out. I can remember seeing all her smalls blowing in the breeze.  All beautifully white from our  hard work of scrubbing...and sore hands from them being in hot water for too long..

Cannot imagine the Children today having to do those chores....But it was supposed to prepare us for adulthood....

The School I went to was a Big Old Grey House - there were only 4 classrooms - the Domestic science Room and the Boys Woodwork room were buildings erected in the Grounds .....We did have an assembly hall where we would have morning prayers and later during the day  it was used for games and exercises...

In the grounds they had built air-raid shelters where we would have to go when the air-raid sirens sounded....We had to move double smart when the Crash warning sounded.....as bombing raids were imminent ...Some days we spent a lot of time down those Shelters....and the teachers led the singing - Probably to take our minds off what was happening up above....

I remember that School with a lot of love - for the good and the bad things it taught me

I remember the teachers Miss Thorley, Miss Halligan and Miss Freeman - the men were away at war so there was Only the Head Master Mr Rudram...

 

Monday 12 December 2005

Sunday 11 December 2005

My Car

Lyn has gone off to finish our Christmas shopping - so I am trying to write the rest of my Cards - Having difficulty as right hand being injured and can't grip pen too well and not being ambidextrous it just feels like hard work - still nearly finished......

Loaned my car out last Monday as friends had broken down, it was parked and left at Their Office, as they could not get back to Norwich before Thursday - I had to go collect it - as Thursday is the day I visit my Sister. and I needed my car.

Well these things happen - and Lyn took me to collect it Wednesday night.

Driving home it was very dark and one of the front lights decided to go out...when I looked into my rear view mirror it was not there where it should have been but laying on the floor of the car.

I never realised how many times I used that mirror until it wasn't there...

Arrived home and put my little "KA" into the Garage.

Now I have to get to the Garage have the bulb replaced and get the mirror back into it's rightful place...

It's against the law to drive without a light working - don't know about the rear view mirror I expect that is against the law as well.

So Thursday morning Tom picked me up and took me to my Sisters ....16 Miles...........

And Lyn came and collected me ......

Do you think my little car was putting it's parts on because someone else was driving her.....

 

Friday 9 December 2005

Field mouse

Do you remember me telling you about the field mouse that made a nest in Lyn's walking boots.

Well picture shows how they made a comfortable home for their babies and ruined her boots.

I thought we had thrown the boots out, but Lyn left them in case they came back and needed their nest again.

Inside were nuts and bolts bits of cardboard material and lots of other bits and pieces.

My daughter is so mere hearted - but I would not have her any other way

.The mice didn't come back again so we are now thinking about putting the boots in the Bin....

 

thanks  Sara

Tuesday 6 December 2005

Med.Ball

No this isn't a new ball for Barney to play with - must admit he was quite taken aback by it - after it was fully inflated...It took Lyn nearly an hour to pump it up the the 33 inches it had to be..

While out water skiing a few years ago she had an accident, and injured her back - she uses a bean bag to do exercises on to strenthen it.

Well when I saw this Medical Ball I thought "Hey" that's just the thing for her -

So on Line I go and order one for her

It arrived two days later.

Well I am so glad I got it for her, she has kept me entertained since she first tried to use it.

You are supposed to be able to sit on it and balance yourself without holding on to anything.

She hasn't mastered the art of doing this feat yet.  and now places cushions around her so she don't damage herself any further. when she falls off...as she does fall off every time.

When she lays across it both Barney and Nin thinks its play time and try to climb on her back...Barney has managed to do this -it amazes me how high that little dog can Jump...... He sat there looking very pleased with himself....

So while Lyn is doing her exercises I turn the TV off - who needs it when you have home made entertainment....

 

Ally

 

 

 

 

I had an invitation this morning to join an online Friends Club...And innocently downloaded it, I realised I had given my AOL password - and have been advised since this is not a good idea...So anyone I have forwarded this too - I advise you not to download....Luckily my Daughter informed me I had given the wrong password anyway - and we have since erased it from our control panel... 

As soon as I started downloading my spyware intervened so I was cautious anyway.

ALLY

 

Sunday 4 December 2005

Christmas Bazaar

Yesterday we went to the Village Christmas Bazaar - it was held in what used to be many years ago the Village School - It is a Tiny building just one room - a small kitchenette an entrance hall and a Toilet...It was freezing cold in there, I only hope they had some kind of heat when the children had to go to School there.

It really isn't big enough to hold a Bazaar there, but they had quite a lot of Stalls.

Guess the weight of the Christmas cake.

Pin the Nose on Rudolph.

Raffles

Home made cake stall

and a couple of other stalls selling nick Knacks of all sorts.

Plants and Books

So you see they did cram a lot into that little School room.

We bought some Raffle tickets - had a guess at the weight of the cake. and bought some other odds and ends.

We then sat down to have a cup of Coffee...When the Cell Phone rang..

It was Cressie my Grand-daughter - she had raging toothach and needed a lift to the Emergency Dentists.

So we hurridly left the Bazaar - didn't even drink our coffee..

When we eventually arrived home we got a call from someone at the Village Hall telling us we had won a couple of prizes in the Raffle.

They said they would deliver them when the Bazaar finished - we live on the same Road as the Village Hall - so could have walked down there to collect them,  but it was raining so gratefully accepted their offer.

When they arrived about an hour later we had won a Huge Bag of Toffees - and a huge Bag of Chocolate Christmas tree decorations also a lovely little tray decorated with Bluetits...

It turned out there was nothing wrong with Cressies teeth..The pain she had was caused by Neuralgia...So pain killers helped her, and she is much better today...

 

 

Saturday 3 December 2005

A Time of plenty

The Picture above hangs in my hallway - it is called "A Time of Plenty" and was painted by White Buffalo (Len Fairchuk) it was a present from friends in Canada....I just love it -it is so simple yet conveys such a lot...

 

Thursday 1 December 2005

Mundesley

Picture is of Mundesley Cliffs and beach - when we were children Mum and Dad  would often take us there for a days picnic....We would walk from our home in North Walsham a small Village in Norfolk...

I with brothers and sisters would play at the top of the cliffs - my brother Ivor and I were the youngest of the family so we were the two that got chased when playing tag.

Probably because we couldn't run as fast as the others.

While being chased I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me,  and being too near the edge of the cliff and running too fast I fell over the edge and ended up at the bottom of the cliff. just stopping before the concrete steps that took you onto the Sand.

I cannot recall any of the events that followed this fall,  only to be reminded of it from time to time by the family. That I knocked myself out for a couple of days and when I came to I threw up over everything and anybody who was near by.

I do remember having a hammock in the garden where I would swing for hours on end. recuperating from my injuries.

If ever I did anything Stupid or said any thing  that didn't make sense - it was always put down to the fall......So I got away with quite a lot of misdemeanours.....

And I did have an excuse for all the stupid things I ever did.....