Keith would have been 86 today. I decided I would get myself out for a short while, and do some Christmas shopping and buy myself A Treat at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre at Three Cocks. I was mostly going to enjoy their Christmas Department, and allow the child in me a little indulgence. Having been a career soldier, Christmas didn't mean much to Keith and had he been on his own, he wouldn't have bothered celebrating at all. Poor man - his birthday outing one year was being dragged around Abbey Cwm-Hir Hall - which made a point of doing Christmas in Every Room - all 52 of them! (Well, in my defence, all the NT properties I thought of shut at the end of Oct.) At least it got him out of the house! My trip today gave a nod to that :)
The Santa Express. It's the truck I have shown before, now in Christmas mode.
Lots and lots and lots of Cyclamens. I bought 6 last month, but had 4 to decorate a copper fish kettle I was selling (and it sold), and the other two are doing well in a pot in the front. Along with a self-seeded Borage which is flowering, would you believe!I loved the deep deep wallpaper with these gorgeous lights against it.
A pretty blue tree with Owls . . .
Large Christmas rat, anyone? Not quite sure how they fit into Christmas . . . or the knitting sheep, below!
Some really cute things here, but the meeces in the tree, bottom left, were £14.99 and I couldn't justify that.
Temptation here, I like fungi . . .
I bought a little mouse rather like this one. It's a Christmas ritual for me, to add to my family of meeces.
And I couldn't resist the cream-topped one of these. Hah - a Russula delica!! (I used to go on Fungi Forays when I first got together with Keith. He thought I was mad!)
I got Garlic to plant as well, which was my "official" reason for going. I didn't allow myself any leeway when I got back and went straight out and dug over/weeded the garlic tub, added half a sack of fresh compost, and planted I think it was 25 garlic bulbs. Hopefully they will grow. The ones I had last year were spring-planted (odd) and never came to anything much.
I will go and pin the back of the quilt now. When that is sewn, it will be finished. I am quite pleased with how it has turned out, but by gum, I've sewn a LOT of stitches. I will get back to my embroideryt for a bit before I start on the other auction quilt, which I replaced the centre in.
Last night, having watched Kate at the Last Homely House with her (home sewn I assume) modern take on a hay box, where she put her casserole in to carry on cooking for 6 hours, I am rather tempted to try making my own. I will try and find her video where she makes it now. My neighbour Ed cooks in a hay box too (proper hay in a box for him), as they used to in the Army. Worth remembering if we have sporadic power cuts . . . as long as we can time them so we have our casserole piping hot ready to go in said hay box when the power goes out!
Gabby is on her way and it will be a fish and chip supper - in memory of Keith, as that was his favourite meal, especially if bought in Scarborough, where the fish was SO fresh and sweet.
Just a thought. I remember you being so against those that chose not too. Maybe they were right. I think you both were fully vaccinated and boosted. A 67 year old developed subacute parkinsonism after serial COVID-19 vaccination.This is the study.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/398019258_COVID-19_vaccine-induced_parkinsonism_due_to_LGI1_antibody_encephalitis_case_report_and_brief_literature_review
When my husband had his DNA sample done for 23andMe it showed a gene for Parkinsons. One for Alzheimers too (his gran died from that). He always thought that the Parkinsons development was not helped back in his Army days, when they sprayed the toilet blocks with DDT when he was in Belize. About 10 or 11 years before he died, he had a series of "fighting dreams" where he thought someone was trying to break into the house through our bedroom window - one of them was a lumberjack. This, apparently, is an early sign of neurological problems - you stand an 80% chance of going on to develop Parkinsons or some form of neurological illness. I don't know who you are, but this sort of post when I am celebrating my husband's memory is totally inappropriate and pretty well shows your level of emotional intelligence. So eff off.
DeleteThose decorations are magical. I have never heard of a haybox an am off for a wander down a rabbit hole. I will hold you personally responsible!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the hay box rabbithole - you will be wonderfully snug!!
DeleteThe Old Railway Line garden centre is just lovely. I visited in May when I came across "half and half" for the first time with my chile con carne lunch. Luckily I'd only read about this online the night before so didn't look ignorant! Gorgeous displays and decorations. Its all about the light and colour at this grey time of year isnt it and I would be severely tempted as I am very much in touch with my inner child and find it difficult sometimes to curb my enthusiasm. Unfortunately my pockets aren't that deep so have purchased some lovely things at the local Samaritans charity shop instead! So glad you treated yourself to some beauties and are having a lovely dinner with family.
ReplyDeleteI've not had half and half! It's a prize-winning Garden Centre and no great surprise. I am glad you found yourself some lovely things at the Samaritans charity shop. The prices of some of the (nicest, it has to be said) were an arm and a leg!
DeleteYou spotted some lovely things at the garden centre - they look nicer than the weird things I saw at Dobbies last year. The two small garden centres closest to home that aren't part of chains don't do anything interesting.
ReplyDeleteI tried a hay box once and got hay everywhere!
"I tried a hay box once and got hay everywhere"! I wish I'd been a fly on the wall for that one :) Hoping you have a decent Garden Centre near your new home.
DeleteThe meece are adorable. The arrangement in front of the dark wallpaper is something I would like to copy if I had the room. Since we moved our Christmas decorations have been living in the second bedroom closet. We moved them into our newly built storage/grandchildren's room yesterday and I realize I still have way too much for our small cottage. It will be tough to let go. Enjoy your fish and chips and toast Keith with a wave of battered cod.
ReplyDeleteThe fish and chips just hit the spot! The birds benefitted from some batter and little crispy chips today. I hope that the sorting out of Christmas decorations isn't too arduous. We hate to get rid of memories.
DeleteA happy heavenly birthday to Keith. I'm glad you got out and did something lovely for yourself...I love a good wander among beautiful Christmas displays. As a fan of meeces and fungi, I applaud your choices! I hope you enjoyed your fish and chip dinner. ~melanie
ReplyDeleteKeith would have sat in the car! He was NOT a garden centre type of person at the best of times. He liked to see the lovely garden I created at Ynyswen, but that was enough for him.
DeleteGood to remember his birthday. Good to get out and about too.
ReplyDeleteI remember that garden centre...visited it when cyclo crosses were organised at the school over the road. A very satisfactory venue but sadly no longer used
They used to have a little car boot sale at that School too, went to that a few times when we did the Fleamarket at Hay.
DeleteNow we have a Pandemic, we have decided that for us, at our ages and with my chronic asthma, distancing ourselves from social gatherings is probably a good idea.
ReplyDeleteMarch 2020
So no Parkinson's at that point for Keith? Just old age. (Pre Covid vaccines) You were the most ill between the both of you with chronic asthma. Interesting. And post Covid vaccines (and diagnosis of Parkinson's for Keith) he took a turn for the worse after having his Moderna booster. Have you not joined the dots on this or thought on the cause of his onset of Parkinson's ? it just seems remarkably coincidental.
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Totally inappropriate on this post!!
DeleteOnce again, anonymous, who claims to know me so well and the development of Keith's form of Parkinsons, which was NOT the norm, Eff Off.
DeleteThank you Sue. There are some very unfortunate souls out there who get a kick out of trying to make other people unhappy.
DeleteI see you aren't brave enough to comment under your own name. It would serve you well not to push your own agenda on to other people. You are welcome to your opinions, but to share this nonsense to a family trying to remember a loved one is cruel and unwelcome. All you have succeeded in doing is causing pain. Shame on you.
DeleteThank you, my darling daughter.
DeleteWishing Keith a Happy Heavenly Birthday. Glad you treated yourself to a lovely day out in a nice Garden Centre. Hopefully all your garlic bulbs will 'take'. I took my filled shoebox to the drop off point, had a cuppa with Stepmum. Came home and mopped floors as we had Baby C coming (1 tomorrow) and now weighs 18lbs 9oz, a huge amount compared to the 3lb he was. My cyclamen are all doing well, only bought as YS from Morrisons, but my Echinchea is flowering again. Enjoy your fish and chips. Xx
ReplyDeleteI hope the Garlic will grow better than last year anyway. We shall see. I watered it in yestrerday and it has rained through today to keep it damp for a bit. Gosh, Baby C is getting to be a big lad. Happy birthday too him.
DeleteI have had some good buys from the cheap offers at Morrisons down the years.
Three cocks Thought I recognised it, there is a church along the road which was locked when I visited. Like the display at the Garden Centre. Which chip shop do you go to, I found the one In Builth Chips were dry and the fish had the odd none in it. There was a good on in Landod near Tesco served some goof chips. Not sure I’ll bother with a Hay Oven though it sounds easy enough to make, I could use the wool that packs the fogs Butternut Box food.
ReplyDeleteWe go to the one in Builth and have never had any problems with their fare. I like the fact that everything is cooked fresh and not sat around for hours waiting to be bought.
DeleteI don't think the church near Three Cocks is ever unlocked unless there is a service.
Such a magical place to visit. Happy Heavenly Birthday to Keith, he was probably watching and smiling as you did your bit of Christmas shopping.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Yes, I had a nice day out and it helped take my mind off missing him quite so much.
DeleteYour 'meeses' make me think of the year long ago when I made tiny felt mice for our Christmas tree, The cats discovered them [of course!] and carried them all over the house.
ReplyDeleteMost of the hideous blow-up Halloween decor has been removed from local dooryards and I'm bracing for the sight of plastic santas and snowmen. Tacky!
I like Christmas table-top arrangements made with whatever natural materials can be gleaned from the woods, but again--such efforts bring out a catly urge to prod and disassemble [That would be Thimble and Rosie.]
Too much temptation for cats! Mine have always been pretty good with tree decorations, even the girls when they were kittens. Sad that tacky blow-up Halloween decor is about to be replaced with its Christmas substitution.
DeleteI did a couple of salt dough table arrangements when the kids were small. I did enjoy cutting out the leaves and things and painting them realistically.
Wherever he maybe Birthday Wishes to Keith. Some garden centres are stunning as Xmas time approaches. They flair with light and nonsense at this dark time of the year. My daughter bought back a little rocking horse for me, I always bring them out for Xmas. Think I must have wanted one when I was a child!
ReplyDeleteI felt he was here by me, and even more today with all our lovely children and wee Rosie remembering him. Rosie has a fabric rocking horse Tam found being virtually given away at a charity shop. I think it was a fiver. We looked up the new price and it would have cost someone £250!! Friends of ours, back in the Cothi valley, had a proper Victorian rocking horse, grey with a long mane and tail, and our kids were allowed to ride it when we visited.
DeleteKeith had good taste. The fish and chips at Scarborough are wonderful. Eating his favourite meal on his birthday seems like a really lovely way to remember him.
ReplyDeleteI can remember he and Danny would go and have fish and chips in one restaurant, and the girls and I would go for an Indian meal. We normally have his just as favourite venison steaks with chips on his birthday, but had a roast instead this time.
DeleteThank you for the Christmassy photos, very cheerful on a rather bleak November day.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you as you remember your dear Keith’s birthday.
Alison in Devon x
Yes, when it's grey and dull we crave colour. I am sure Keith was by me yesterday.
DeleteI hope you had a lovely fish and chips supper in memory of Keith, he would have approved wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteChristmas rats ... whatever next?
They were big bu**ers too!!! The fish and chips (with curry sauce, of course) hit the spot.
DeleteI have just watched Kate's 'short' video. She bought the Wonderbag from South Africa. I have looked at it onlne and it costs £65. Hope that is of help.
ReplyDeleteOh Susan, thankyou! I will see if I can find its like now. £65 isn't cheap but perhaps I could scrounge a fleece off my neighbours, give it a thorough wash in the bath as I used to before spinning, and make up my own. I know, it won't happen, but the thought is there!
DeleteI really love the blue Christmas tree with the owls and the wood mushrooms. It has been getting very warm here and somewhat humid due to the odd bout of Spring rain we've been having but like you, Christmas displays are slowly being put up in the shops, have a nice week.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite striking. Not sure if I would ever consider a non-real tree, but it did look pretty.
ReplyDelete