Eternal Refuge

It was a lot of travelling, but actually all the buses were relatively empty, so that made life easier overall. I have really learned how much I rely on my car, on my balance, of having free hands to carry a bag. Suddenly the crutches make that different! I did smile as Tim & Claire were there for the same length of time, and they said the reason they couldn't give me a lift is that with their packing for the weekend there wasn't space for another person ... I managed to get all my stuff in a backpack, with a cross-shoulder handbag for purse etc. So, Tim & Claire, it can be done ... just focus on the basics, on what you actually need!

Anyway, it was a lovely weekend in the end. Other than nephew #4, all the boys(+families) were in and out over the weekend. So it was a relaxed time, and I think Nick enjoyed it, wheich was the mani thing. On the Saturday afternoon most of us went for a walk ... there was a long walk, a medium one, and then a short one that Brenda & I did.

Anyway, here are a couple of photos ... the birthday boy -


The oldest (horrid to admit that I am the Matriach of the family!), and the youngest -


And with Nick & Brenda, Tim & Claire had to be cropped as they refuse their photos online.

So, Nick is 60... in fact in that photo of the 3 of us, he is the youngest!

As ever, I am working later ... the mornings go so quickly.

Before I post this I really must say Welcome to the "new" LJers ... great to get thngs fighting back.  I loved how LJ used to be ... so lets be positive, again.





9. This year is the 40th anniversary of the release of the film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – have you ever seen it? Bueller…. Bueller…. Bueller…..
No - 1986 I was in the process of closing my first business, and moving from the London area to the Cornish coast. (I have never really been a cinema user, but do have an excuse that year!!)



Right, lets get this posted.

Wow, that’s been an odd week.

My Chronic Fatigue kicked in so I have been sleeping almost 12 hours a night. Luckily, as I have been “trained” by my consultant, I also remembered all my “rules” so was able to continue at work.

However, I am sure it must have been a week of full moons! There have been some very odd people out and about throughout the week.

One of the many parts of my job is registering disabled badges, and (for example) yesterday I only worked 4 hours, and in that time, I was presented with 5 badges that were out of date … one by over a year. And, all of them were upset … with me. They wouldn’t accept that I couldn’t register an out-of-date certificate. And, so the week continued!

Fortunately, the weekend is a weekend off work, so I plan to do some basic grocery shopping, and then just have a nice walk .. and spend some time reading. Sunday (tomorrow) will end up even lazier, as I shall go to Church and then be lazy. The weather looks as if it’s going to be good, so that means I will gain some vitamin D.

But, even though I haven’t been around, I have no news to pass on. As the week has been sleep & work … repeat!

So, here is the catch up ….




21. Have you ever traced your family tree?
I haven’t although I know much of the history going back to great-grandparents(and one great-great grandfather).
However, Tim did the research and went back on all 4 of our grandparents lines. My mother’s mother was related to Jasper Tudor (Henry VIII’s uncle)

22. Do you know how to play backgammon? How about chess?
I did play backgammon a lot in the 1970’s, and forgot how it goes now, but would love to re-learn.
I can play chess, but not to be able to plan ahead, just to be able to react to my opponent’s move.

23. Do you own a coffee machine? What’s your favourite type of coffee?
Don’t drink coffee!

24. How are you feeling today?
Not bad … after a rough week, it’s good to feel positive again.

25. If you plan a trip away for leisure, what would be your ideal itinerary?
My ideal trip, whether a couple of hours, or as long as I can make it, contains history & sight-seeing,. So anything that has that get’s a gold star from me!

26. Have you seen any good TV drama series lately? What’s the last thing you watched?
Nothing new. I have been re-watching Stargate Atlantis, and some old Hollywood musicals recently.

27. Do you like honey?
No, but use it in recipes for cakes, biscuits, etc




Sorry it’s only a short update, but as I said, no news!

I have got all behind with my A to Z photos and was going to catch up, but have decided it’s probably best to just re-start on Monday.

So I will try and catch up with past comments, as well as any news … and return on Monday x

Well that was a great weekend - and there are more photos to come, but the day is rapidly getting away from me, and I am heading into work soon.

Before that, being Monday I am doing the A to Z ... and as I opened the file I realised I am behind by a couple of weeks ... so ...

Week 13 – Mar 23 M is for MINT

I popped to the shops to pick up a bottle of milk ... and some mints!

Week 14 – Mar 30 N is for NEWS

I do like getting a newspaper and reading the smaller stories, but it is also easy, as in this screen capture, to check on the internet.

Week 15 – Apr 6 O is for OVAL

Part of my Royal Mug collection ... an oval cartouche.

Week 16 – Apr 13 P is for POSY

The supermarket always have a few posies in the entrance to tempt us.


Tomorrow I am working in the afternoon, but I am also having to do my annual Life Saving update. So I shall be trying to keep "Annie" alive ... hopefully I will never need it in RL, but it's good to do (and we have to at the hospital).

So -







7. When is your next family birthday?
Mine!!! But that's a wait till the end of June.

8. In 1893, Tina Broadwick was born – a pioneering parachutist, she invented the rip-cord and was the first person to jump ‘free fall’. Have you ever done (or would you consider doing) a parachute jump?
No - I don't like small planes, so there's no way I would get up in the air that way to begin with!




Right, see you Wednesday x

It's a fairly overcast morning, but as there's a breeze I did put my washing on the line. I will be getting it back in again at lunchtime as I am working this afternoon. But at least everything gets a bit of a blow, which I do love.

And, seeing as it's Monday, I am doing the A to Z ... Week 12 – Mar 16 L is for LOST

This doll was second hand when Mum had it in the mid 1920's. When I was younger I remember she was wearing leather shoes ... but somehow with all the house moves in between they now appear to be LOST!

Having had a lazy Sunday I don't really have any news, so will close this here, with -






17. Do you add things to your ‘to-do’ list just so you can cross them out immediately to say you’ve done them?
No - I think I would be too depressed if I actually listed all the things I needed to do, let alone the other things I would like to do.
Mum used to keep a list though, so know exactly what it's like.





Right, I have icons to post, so they will be up soon.

Hope you have a fun Monday x

That was a really nice weekend.

I had Tim & Claire over for Saturday lunch, and it was a nice relaxed time (and I managed not to poison them!)  They weren't too late leaving so all in all a lovely day.

Yesterday I worked in the afternoon - one disadvantage of working at a hospital.  However it was very un-busy, and I was able to sit and read some fan-fic on the computer.  I have 2 screens, so one has all the information I need, and the other has email, google, hospital web site etc ... and thus I can open up AO3 ... so, I sat and read in may spare moments.  The other fun thing is that on a Sunday the doctors order a delvery of 10 pizzas, and the company actually provide the member of staff with a pizza, as well.  So, that's what I had for lunch, and as it's a large one, the rest is in the freezer for another day.

Now this morning I actually did some housework ... and now am here to catch up with you all.  I shall see if any of you have posted anything fascinating, but before I do that -







28. The American comic-book artist, writer and creative leader of the Marvel multimedia corporation (Avengers, Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), Stan Lee was born on this day in 1922. Have you ever read any comic books (graphic novels)?
I read a couple of the Dresden Files graphic novels.

29. In 1952 the first transistorized hearing aid was offered for sale (in Elmsford NY). Have you ever had your hearing tested?
No - Brenda wears hearing aids, but I think her hearing is worse than she admits, as I still often have to repeat myself.

30. Do you own personal scales and weigh yourself often?
I have some, as they were Mum & Dad's ... but probably only weigh myself once a year. Too many people are too aware of every ounce gained or lost





Right, will catch up with you all

That was a nice, but busy weekemd ... and somehow I realise I never turned the computer on before I headed off to work. 

Hope that you all had a good weekemd.

Not that there is anything specific I can talk about, as the Saturday morning just seemed to drift past ... and then it was time for work.

Today I had planned to catch up with Brenda, but neither of us were feeling 100% so we decided to postpone the trip.  That's one advantage of "special" people, you can cancel plans and it doesn't upset anyone.

Now I am here, briefly ... I am actually planning to make some biscuits in a moment (I am on a real baking kick, at present!)

So -




2. In 1983 Michael Jackson released ‘Thriller’ – have you seen the 14-minute video?
Yes, Nick was a great fan, so saw it all the way through at the time … as well as sections of it off and on after that.

3. Is there anything you have seen on TV or a streaming service that you have enjoyed this year and would recommend that other people watch?
I don’t tend to watch much TV as such … I enjoy old DVDs.
However, I do love the present (& past) series of Australian Lego Masters
The Present Season being shown

4. On this day in 1922 Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun – have you ever seen any of the treasures?
Oh yes …. I was in the Cairo Museum in February. Amazing




Right, see you tomorrow x

I don't know what happened to my Saturday post ... not that there was anything exciting in it ... but maybe the ethers will spit it out at some point!!

Anyway, Sunday was lovely in the end.

I had just got back from Church (which is now a later service than it had been) when I had a text from Tim to ask if I fancied a walk into the city, for a snack ... and they turned up about 5 mins later.

We walked the long way into Exeter, and it was lovely ... both to walk through countryside, and to be chatting to Tim and Claire. As you can see we saw some beautiful scenes -


We went to Exeter Quay, and just had a drink and a portion of cheesy chips ... really lovely.








Then we walked home.

I was so thankful I wasn't working yesterday, as that was a special day.  It was lovely to see them both ... and nice to be out and about in a beautiful part of Exeter on such a lovely day (and good to have a 5 mile walk, as well.

Now I am here for a  short time, before heading off to work, so won't really have time to catch up with you all today ... but will tomorrow, I promise.  Until then -




29. International Tiger Day - have you ever read the book The Tiger Who Came to Tea?
I love tigers … but, no, I haven’t read the book




OK - see you tomorrow x

Yes, I had a lovely lazy weekend.  I did do a couple of small tasks which was good, as those things always seem to take up time but you never really notice when they are completed.  So let's be positive!

The rain is still here, as it has been off and on all weekend ... but maybe that will mean I have to stay in the house and have no excuse not to do the housework I want to get done this week.  (And, sadly, most of the list is the same as it was last week ... I was a bad girl!)

As ever though, no real news ... so ....





8. The Spice Girls song 'Wannabe' debuted in the UK today back in 1996 - have you a favourite Spice Girls single or one that is an earworm if you hear it (zigazig-aah)?
When I started doing the admin work back in 2017/2018 my immediate boss always had the Spice Girls on when she could. So, I recognise a lot of their stuff, don't have a favourite, and always think of Ceri when I hear them.



Right, see you tomorrow

Typical isn't it ... rain at a weekend.

As you can see here on one of the tubs in my garden -


However now the sun is out.

I have gone to pay the deposit on the jewellery I ordered a few weeks ago ... and have a bit of a walk along the edge of the River Exe ... as you can see.






I am aiming to have a fairly lazy day today, as ended up having a very late night last night. I do want to finish something that I started yesterday, but other than that ... just lazy, lazy, lazy.

I did manage to get some of the cupboard sorted ... but as ever it looks much worse now than it did before.

Anyway, before I post this -



8. Have you ever swum in an ocean? Which one?
I learnt to swim in the sea ... so the Atlantic. Have also swum in The Mediterranean. Then 2 years ago was back in the sea locally ... so that's The Atlantic

9. June is the month when many people get married - are you going to a wedding this month?
Never been to a June wedding



Right, let's get this posted ... see you Monday x

Today is a Saturday ... and the sun is shining. That somehow feels very wrong!!!! However it is lovely - I have 2 loads of washing on the line, hav walked to the shop to pick up a few things (and bumped into a a friend, so good to catch up with him.

Yesterday was busy as I was doing a half day of training for a job that I am doing over the next few weeks. ironically, for all that it annoyed me, I shall be working in a different hospital (but also very close to me) to register Bank Staff who are transferring to the national company I now work for. So the positive is that I am able to geta a few days of work ... the irony is that I hated the whole system, and now I will be doing this!!! So I am working a full day on Monday.

As you already know my plans got changed for today ... and I had thought that I would drive to Paignton as the daughter of a friend from the Church I used to go to, is being baptised. However I have decided to rest my wrist with computer work yesterday & Monday, and have a long drive ahead on Thursday, so thought I would let the arm (& ribs) rest today instead.

So, I shall also sign off here ... but as I will be busy Monday, then -



12. Created in 1996 - The Day of Silence was created to support LGBTQ youth who were consistently silenced and ignored by parents and administrators. Yearly, millions participate by staying silent for the duration of their day - communicating only with the written word, representing the silencing of LGBTQ students. Have you ever participated in this?
Didn't know this day existed.

13. International Plant Appreciation Day. Do you have houseplants? Do they thrive?
I have 6 - 8 plants ... but whether they survive or not is more luck than judgement.

14. A day to look up at the sky - do you have many planes flying over your home? Is it noisy or can you live with it?
Occasionally ... depending on the wind direction (I am about 5 miles from an airport)
We also get quite a few helicopters on their way to A&E

15. It's World Art day, and also the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci (1452) - do you have a favourite artist or sculpture whose work you would love to own?
I have quite a few of Mum's pieces, which I love
I would love to own a Canaletto of Venice.




Right, see you Tuesday x