Under attack!

Last week we spent a very pleasant evening with our neighbours who accepted our invitation to drinks, nibbles and chat.

After that, many things went downhill and I felt under attack on many fronts.

The mole invasion worsened from this…

…to even more mole hills which had been reported to the agent (the father of the owner - who lives in France!) but seemingly fell on deaf ears as he was planning a month away in France.

High winds, chilly and damp weather again woke up lower back  pain  and arthritis in my upper spine and my trigeminal neuralgia decided to join in with several days of viscous attacks when I was attempting to eat, drink, clean my teeth, wash my face, talk - face cream or make up was a definite no-no - and having to avoid winds or draughts on the left side of my face.

It all succeeded in dragging me down into depression and, man, I got the blues.

A few days later, with the wind dropping, the rain stopping, all aches and pains receded and glimpses of blue and sunny skies were a balm.

We ordered ultra-sonic mole-deterrent posts which didn’t stop the moles but, now a couple of days later, may, just may be having the desired effect.

Also, yesterday, the electrician came to wire up the summer house, a friend came to help with the weeding as Ron is no longer able to get down to ground level, thanks to his replacement knee as well as hip and our son-in-law made a surprise but welcome visit this afternoon. 

No wind, the only blues a blue and sunny sky and only a few niggles of the TN so far and I have enjoyed the silver behind these particular clouds.  Now the misery blues are the ones under attack with plans for some good social events on the horizon.

Some things time cannot diminish...

Difficult to believe it is 33 years. We still love and miss you very much, Tim...

After our visit to Elm cemetery, an old friend, Barbara, joined us for lunch at The Chequers, Friday Bridge which is now run by an old friend of Tim's.

Life's coincidences continue to follow us.
 

A good time had by all...

On Tuesday, 21st August, it was a pleasure to welcome my cousin, John and his wife, Margaret for a visit.  They arrived in the afternoon and for the rest of that day conversation flowed as we caught up.

The following day we all enjoyed an outing to Gooderstone Water Gardens in the afternoon...

...and, in the evening, Peter, Linda and David joined us for a delicious meal at The Bell, Brisley and a most enjoyable time spent together.

Today, Thursday 23rd, we bade a fond farewell to our visitors and look forward to seeing them again.

Two years on...

Birthday Bash

Peter had Linda held a celebration on Saturday for his forthcoming 50th birthday. Warm but not as sunny as was hoped but a glimpse now and then from a cloudy but dry sky.
The afternoon was for family (close and extended, but as Rob said "Once you're family, you're always family!") with friends joining the party for a BBQ at 5p.m. and into the evening.

Pops, Ryan, Peter and Rob

Forest, Rob and Peter

With Forest, Pops has become great-grand pops!

Jenna, Rob and Forest

 

Linda's youngest son, David.

The party theme was The Rolling Stones - Peter's favourite - and Linda made this amazing cake along with individual cakes on the same theme.

Linda also worked hard producing a mound of food which Peter cooked on the barbecue.

Friends started to arrive...

...including Misty.

Other friends arrived...

...also Peter's youngest, Reece, who had had to work until 6.p.m. (with Pops and Karl).

Throughout the afternoon we had enjoyed a background of recorded blues music but, while light, the 'stage' was set and after sunset...

...a rousing rendition of Stones' numbers by Karl, David, Peter and Linda...

Many happy returns for Monday, Peter!

It's a funny old world...

...but we may not always see the joke.



Late on Monday afternoon I had a nasty fall onto the patio.

The weather forecast had warned of heavy rain and thunderstorms on TV and when this was repeated on the radio we were listening to in the summer house, we thought it wise to decamp as the storms sounded imminent. Ron took a few things back indoors and I gathered up some others.

Thus my hands were full with bits and pieces and, on a hairsbreadth of gap between the patio slabs, my toes caught it and I went flying, not able to put out my hands to save myself but everything scattered as I hit the ground, full length on my front, the final clunk being my jaw next to my chin.  That jarred my skull particularly and my whole body. With Ron's help I gradually maneuvered myself onto my side, my back, t'other side and, leaning on a chair, a shelf and Ron eventually got upright.  I was left with a large, black bruise on my jaw, bruised knees and elbows and grazes on my forearms and a couple of fingers, a headache, pains at the base of my skull, my ribs plus woken-up arthritis pains on the back of my neck and shoulders.  But I think I was very lucky not to have broken any bones...just Ron's pipe which separated at the joint! Even a glass I was carrying bounced!!

It's a funny old world.  It didn't thunder let alone rain.  I blame the weather forecasters!

Each day since then I have gradually improved and on Wednesday it was a pleasure to welcome dear friends to our new home on a pre-arranged visit. Lovely to see them again and they lifted my spirits. 

But there's a funny old world story there too.  They hail from Sheringham, where we lived before our move to France - but we were all living in France before we met!  Now we all live in other parts of Norfolk and we look forward to visiting them on the Norfolk Broads where they live and work...providing I can keep upright that is!

Gressenhall.

Today a visit to Gressenhall and its Workhouse Museum.

What a pleasure it has been to have the company of this lovely family.  A big family get together to look forward to before we have to wish them bon voyage for their return to Brisbane.