Thursday

I have just spent a very enjoyable evening at the theatre with Stuart and Denise. We went to see The Rat Pack, for anyone who doesn't know what that is, it is three very fine actor/singers re-enacting a night at the Sands hotel in Las Vegas in which Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr, sang and joked around. I have been before to see this show, then it was at the Hippodrome in Birmingham, but this time it was at the Grand theatre in Wolverhampton. It was well worth going again, the only sad thing was this time my darling husband was not with us. How he loved it when we went before, he wasn't really a theatre going person but when Stu got us tickets for this he was thrilled as Frank was his hero. He had I think every song he had ever recorded and most of the videos of his shows, as well as numerous books about him and the Rat pack. I'm sure he was with us in spirit.
I have been to the hair dressers today to have some highlights put in as I'm very grey and I hate it. Now I'm not sure about this colour, last time I had it done the colour was so subtle I could hardly see it, now..you can see me from ten miles away. Oh well it will soon fade - I hope.
I have a hospital appointment tomorrow as I have got problems with my vocal chords and as I try to sing at T O A D S it can be a bit of a bother. They have told me not to use my voice unnecessarily but tonight I have cheered and yelled so I suppose I shall get a telling off when I see the consultant, But what else could I do when I was having such a good time.

Wednesday 27th June

Well here I am again. I went to my drama society last night its call T O A D S. and had a really great time. we are rehersing for Snow White and the seven dwarfs which we shall be putting on in October. Its good fun and all the members are such nice people. I haven't been out today - too lazy, and there was a really interesting programme last night on Bbc 2 about my favorite city - Paris which I had recorded and had to watch. Its a three parter so I must remember to record the next ones. I have made a list of some interesting places which I shall try and visit next time I get the opportunity. I said I was going to write about some of my childhood and I'm thinking just where to start as my memory flits around a lot so I will just put down things that spring to mind. I started school in 1946 at Robert Street primary school in Lower Gornal, near Dudley. It was a daunting time as the war although officially over was far from normal. We had little plots of garden at the side of the school where we grew radishes and a few flowers. I don't really remember doing much digging but I think it was to encourage us to keep up the slogan "dig for victory" which was one of the things that we used to see on posters and of course as things were in such short supply during, and after the war, the more we grew ourselves the more we had to eat. Rationing went on till the 1950s and I think most people today would be shocked at what little we could get on ration. When you think that about 25 grams of cheese was one weeks allowance and about the same of butter and heaven knows how little meat we were allowed its a wonder that any of us grew up to be fat. Our mothers and grandmothers were very canny though and they seemed to make meals out of nothing, so if we grew vegetables in our gardens it supplimented what we could put on the table. Some of our neighbours kept pigs and others chickens. I was lucky as one side of us had chickens, so I always had an egg on sundays, and the neighbour the other side kept pigs. This was wonderful as sometimes she would have sides of pork and would cut me a thick slice and tell me to take it for my granny or mom to cook for a treat. You weren't allowed to keep all the pigs, after they were slaughtered the government took their share, so as to suppliment the amount of meat for the butchery trade. Things were tough but folks seemed to help each other. Sometimes a neighbour wouldn't have any coal and they would borrow a bucketful until theirs arrived, and another time they would lend us some till ours came. About this time our dads were being demobbed from the forces and hopefully returning to their old jobs. My dad went back to T.W. Lenches in Blackheath where he had been working before he was called up. More next time.

Monday

I had a lovely day yesterday with the family coming around we always have a pleasant time when Lucy comes as she keeps us on our toes. She is growing up very quickly but she is so lovely anyone who meets her cannot help but love her as we all do. She is a credit to her parents. I watched Dr. Who and Jekyll on saturday evening but I suppose I musn't say too much in case there are some of you out there that have not yet watched them. Suffice to say both were brilliant, I am only sorry that next weeks episode of Dr. Who is the last in this series. I read on the net that they have decided not to make any more after the fourth series of the Dr. but I for one will be petitioning the beeb if this turns out to be true. Today I have been on a visit to Webbs Garden centre, somewhere near Droitwich. It was an awful morning but the sun did come out for a bit later. It really didn't worry us as a lot of the place was inside and there was lots to see, but too expensive to buy. Still it was a pleasant outing.
I have just watched Jack & Sarah for about the third time, silly really watching films over again but I really enjoyed it and I think Richard E Grant is lovely. My son Stu met him once and he says he is really charming.
I suppose I shall have to go back to writing about my early years very soon as my son Stuart and someone calling themselves moggy seem interested. You will have to be patient with me as it was a long time ago, but I promise I really will get down to it. If anyone reads this and know the whereabouts of someone named Carole Horne I would be very grateful if they could let me know how to get in touch. We last saw each other on my wedding day 46 years ago, we grew up and went to school together and were always good friends but lost touch. I have posted messages on Friends reunited and such like but to no avail.
I remember the first day we went to our primary school and we had to stand outside in a row by the school wall until they called our names, I think if I remember rightly, it was 62 years ago, we were split up and went into different classrooms at first but we were soon back together and we went through primary, secondary and grammar school together afterwards. It would be wonderful if anyone knows her whereabouts, PLEASE. I remember her birthday was in December and she was born in 1940.

Saturday evening

It wasn't convenient to write any more while I was in Scotland. For one thing Stu wanted to upload photos and we didn't want to sit in a very pleasant pub computing all evening. So here I am back home and already missing those wonderful places and especially the mountains the majesty and grandeur of which can only be experienced. I never expected to be over whelmed by the feeling I got when seeing them for the first, and for me every time, I did see them. In fact to tell the truth they had me crying just thinking about the awesome power by which they were created. Wednesday did bring the rain but it didn't stop us walking in the forest. It was like the clock had been turned back a few hundred years. Again another experience which I shall not forget.
Such magnificent trees with little rivers of water everywhere, we really enjoyed ourselves, even though we were very wet when we eventually got back to the village. Thursday dawned bright and sunny and it was a journey through the Cairngorm mountains and on past Lochs towards firstly the Commando memorial. High in the cairngorms where commandos rehersed and trained for war in the 1940s. Here was a magnificent memorial, which I would like to show you, when I get one of my clever sons to show me how, and also a circle where family members can put reminders of lost loved ones. There were even two lots of cremated remains (Ashes) . Some memorials were from the second world war but many were from recent fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was another very moving experience which will be hard to forget. We then went on to Loch Ness where the heavens opened and it poured. So much so that no one except Stu and I were brave enough to get out of the coach to view and photograph the scene. We didn't see any monsters though ! We then went back to the hotel for a "Highland Banquet" an evening of food and entertainment with dancers and music. The "banquet" was amazing so much food, and later another lot of food. I don't know how some people ate it all, but many did and went back for seconds and thirds. More tomorrow as its late !

Tuesday 19th June

My first blog from bonnie Scotland.
I have to apologise to all those people who read my last blog regarding Dr Who. To all those people who had not seen it before I am told I should have warned them that I had said things about the ending I AM SORRY !
The Cairngorms are the most amazing sight one could ever want to see. They loom up and out of the clouds,and it certainly makes you realize how insignificant we are on this earth. They are without doubt magnificent. There is just a little snow on the tops of some but the colours and the scenery up here is lovely. We are a little tipsy tonight as we have been to lots of whisky shops including the world famous whisky castle in Tomintoul, which is the highest village in the Highlands, where they ply you with not one but lots of various sorts in the hope of you spending lots of money. Which you do ! We are now in pub near our hotel, the only one where you can get wi-fi,Stu is happy as his computer is his third eye but obviously I'm using it at the moment while he has a pint, beer I may add! We are hoping to go on a couple of woodland walks tomorrow, but we have just seen the weather forecast and it doesn't look very promising. Never mind I shall let you know tomorrow how we get on. Bye for now.

Saturday evening

I'm here again. I've more or less packed my suitcase except for things that I shall need tomorrow and all I want now is for a bit of sunshine over the next week. I don't think it will happen though as the weather forecast isn't good. Still it will be lovely whatever the weather.
I've just watched episode 11 of Dr Who, only another two to go but what an episode. Captain Jack and the Master were in it. John Barrowman as Jack is so good. He and the Dr. compliment each other so well I do hope that the writers keep bringing them back together, not all the time, that would get monotonous but sometimes. The great Derek Jacobi played the master but at the end he morphed into another fabulous actor John Sim and I'm already waiting to see what next week brings as he left the Dr., Martha and Jack exiled on some far off place with hungry,carnivorous others and took himself off in the Tardis.
I have also watched the first part of Jekyll, brilliantly played by James Nesbitt. A totally new working of the Robert L. Stevenson story. Again this is another "can't wait for the next episode" The writing acting and direction was superb and I'm sure that come the awards, this one will be up for a few if not a lot. When I get back off my jollys I think I might get back to writing of my early years, so look out.

Friday evening

Well what a day ! It has rained continually since yesterday and most of England has been flooded. I know Stuart and Geoff had quite a scarey journey home last night when the road turned into a river and today has been no better for anyone who has had to travel. Stuart had quite a delay before arriving at work and when I phoned this evening he said that although the trains were running there were a great many delays, hopefully he's at home now as it's eleven o'clock. The street where I live also turned into a river and the trafic was gridlocked for about two hours this afternoon. I had to go to the shops this morning but fortunately it had eased off and I made it back as quickly as I could so I was okay. I went to Dudley yesterday primarily to get my hair done in anticipation of next weeks holiday but there was a european market on and I had a quick look. in the rain, around it. It was interesting to say the least, I saw some freshly baked bread which looked very tasty and thought I would get a loaf, well it wasn't really a loaf more a large cob, £2.80 ! can you believe it ! I was too embarrassed to tell them where to stick it, but I could have bought a larger one in the nearby bakery for 60p, and it would have been just as nice. If I had had any sense I would have told them to keep it, but thats pride for you. What an idiot I am, and I suppose a good many others did exactly the same as me. Hopefully a good many others told them what to do with their £2.80 loaves.

Wednesday 13th June

Well I think I'm back to normal, if you could ever call me that. I went to T.O.A.D.S last night and even though I wasn't feeling much in the mood, I really enjoyed myself. We did a bit of dancing and then when some of the characters rehersed we went outside and carried on dancing. I think I've really got the steps to the first dance - Reach for the Stars- Its quite interesting and although the song seems somewhere in the back of my memory I'm not really into pop and so Stuart sang it to me a few weeks ago and I have picked it up quite well now. Then Dan and I had a run/jog around the school and I think it did me good it certainly got a bit of blood racing around this old body. I think I shall have to start doing a bit more exercise as I am a very lazy person. I.m really looking forward to our little holiday in Scotland next week. It can't come soon enough, the only trouble with holidays is that I always want another when the last one finishes. Oh for a bit of money !
Yvonne, my swimming partner is still on holiday, somewhere in the Med. but I shall certainly go this saturday if I can get a lift from my little sister Val. Its the only way to get there as its a bit out of the way. She and Mary went to her friends caravan for a few days and she has come back very brown and looking well, but I am worried about her as she had a nasty fall about a month ago and she is in a lot of pain in her back, but as usual she hasn't been to have it looked at. I phoned her today and expressed my concerns but she only laughed at me for being a worrier. She is waiting for her new car to arrive and can't be bothered to pop into the doctors, which is only five minutes from her flat, but she can drive around to the garage to look for her car so she can get it as soon as possible.

Sunday morning

Well I'm up and about although not in tip top form. I went to town (Dudley) yesterday to do a bit of shopping and to collect our holiday tickets. The weather has suddenly become very warm and so I had to do a spot of watering when I go back and Joyce phoned as she hadn't seen me for days and was not pleased that I hadn't let her know I had been ill so I went round to hers and we spent about four hours talking about this and that, mainly Eric and Tony and it was nice. Then we had a tramp around her garden, which is lovely, if anyone has a green thumb its her, before I came home. I had missed Dr Who by then as it was about 8.45pm and so I watched the end of Joseph, I knew who was going to win, Lee, and then I watched the Dr on replay. Again it was good. These last two programmes have been very good I'm not sure who has written them but I'm sure it's a new person. They have been totally different to the others and so interesting. I am now going to prepare lunch as I have some of the family coming over and also dry my hair as I have just got out of the shower.

Friday evening

I said I thought I was coming down with something Tuesday, and by golly did I. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I was alternately shivering and sweating, and pains - I don't know where I hadn't got them. Consequently I was in bed all of wednesday and half of thursday. Feeling a bit better b y the afternoon I got up and wasn't too bad, and this morning I felt much better and even had a little food. Now this evening I find I am absolutely covered head to foot in a rash. What on earth is the matter I don't know. I have taken an antihistamine and covered as much of myself as is possible with cream and hopefully it will help. It better, as I am supposed to be going on holiday in a weeks time to Scotland and nothing is going to stop me if I can help it. I was going to write more about my younger days during and just after the war but it will have to wait as the itching is quite anoying. I hope it won't be too long before I can get back to writing as I have a lot to put down. I should be going to my swimming lesson tomorrow but of course that is out of the question with this rash I should hate anyone to think I was going to infect them. Not much else to say tonight so bye till next time.

Tuesday evening

I've not been feeling too good today. I think I've have a cold or something as one minute I have been sweating and then next shivering. Hope it doesn't last too long. Hooray the men came this morning and filled in the hole at the front of my house. It has been there since the beginning of February when they were putting in cable for some electrical system. Not a little hole I can tell you about ten feet long by three feet deep and about two feet wide. We have had nothing but trouble since it was dug as most weekends some clever so and so has removed the barriers and dragged them across the road, blocking it off and throwing the cones down the street. I have had to call an emergency number on two occasions to get it cleared up and last week Joyce my neighbour complained, but hopefully its finished now. All I hope is that someone will come and collect the barriers which the men who filled in the hole left behind. I have been to T.O.A.D.S tonight, we have been running through a couple of dances for the pantomime which we are putting on in October and rehersing the songs. It should be good, lovely Jessica is Snow White I'm not sure how old she is only about 12 but I know she is going to be great. I never cut the lawn yesterday but as long as I feel okay I will try and do it tomorrow, so I had better get to bed and get some rest.

Monday morning

Bored Bored Bored. I have lots of things to do but I don't feel in the mood to do anything. I have had a phone call from my mother's cousin Sheila who lives in Birmingham. One of the family over there is doing a family tree and she has been asking me lots of questions about the Hampshires and also mine and Vals marriages and children. We keep saying we shall meet up but like the rest of us we never seem to get motivated to do anything about it. I think the last time I saw her and George was at their wedding which was in 1960 I think. We have such an extended family from my mothers side as my grandfather and his brother, uncle Alf married two sisters, my grandmother and Sheila's grandmother auntie Elizabeth (Lizzie). Her mother Dolly died when she was only four and her brother Alan was just a few years older so she was brought up by aunt Lizzie and at that time when we were both much younger than we are now we saw each other lots of times. But like everything as the older people have died off we seem to lose touch or else just see or hear from each other at funerals, no weddings as that seems a bit of a none entity these days. I enjoyed my film again last night, I didn't say the title but it was Bryan Brown in FX Murder by Illusion, as I said before I have seen it a number of times and I really enjoy it. I think I might cut the lawn as my neighbour Joyce has just done hers and it makes mine look a bit of a mess and then I can feel as if I have made an effort today. I really aught to get down to doing something in the house as the kitchen and bathroom both need decorating and there is a bit of wall under the stairs where the cat scratched it which needs doing. She's been dead nearly three years so perhaps it's time that was done. Oh well I think I'll have some lunch before I go and do the lawn perhaps I'll feel more like mowing it with some bubble and squeek inside me. Bye bye.

Sunday

I've had a busy day. I tried to tidy some of the garden up this morning. The forget me knots have all seeded now and so I had to clear them out. There were so many in the front and back garden. They seed and spread everywhere but they look so pretty when they flower that I have tried to let them run riot, but now was the time to clear them away. I hope that they come back next year and that I'm around to see them. I don't take anything for granted after last year I just thank God that I wake up each morning. Stuart and Denise came round this afternoon for lunch and for Denise to print off her C.V. also Stu showed me how to use a blue tooth device that Rob had given me. I don't think I can remember everything he told me but at least my stuff from my phone is now on my computer. We had a lovely lunch, watched Deal or no Deal, I applied to go on that last year but I don't think they want me as I haven't heard anything from them, .and then later watched Dr Who AGAIN I still say it has been the best episode to date. I'm now going to watch T.V as there's a good film I have seen at least three times but it's worth watching again. night night

Saturday evening

I was talking a few days ago about the awful weather. Well all of a sudden it's summer. The last two days have been glorious and so I have tried to take advantage (in case it changes again) and have been swimming. Well I say swimming, I really mean floating, which I'm very good at but I think the actual swimming will come, sooner rather than later. Denise and I went to the leisure centre at Haden Hill. I hadn't been there for years, in fact not since I took my two boys for lessons, which they both failed abismally. It was good, Denise is a great swimmer, she dives and does handstands under water and she actually got me standing up from off my back, which until today I could no way accomplish, and so I shall certainly be going again a.s.a.p.
I had a visit from someone special this morning, he is really Stu and Erics friend but he has been like a third son to me since Eric died, he is another Rob. We usually have a laugh and I talk him to death, which he doesn't seem to mind, for a couple of hours. He bought me a little cactus plant a few months ago and I was able to show him two tiny flowers just coming into bud on it today. I have had lots of cactus plants over the years but never had one flower, so I am expecting great things from this one. If it doesn't it will go the same way as all the others, in the bin. No I don't mean that as this one was a present. I only hope I don't kill it with kindness as I think I have done with all the others I have had. I watched the second part of the Dr. Who two parter that started last week. I think it was definately the best to date, but I love all the episodes but maybe this one was just that little bit better as it was so different from the others in this series. I read on the net the other day that there would be no more after the fourth series and I am really sad abot that. I hope that they have so many letters complaining that they change their minds and carry on making them. Love for now Rob (my boy) as I know you read all my blogs on your phone. x x

Friday evening

I have been to my sister Vals flat this afternoon, which was nice. She has had someone fix her up with a computer, not a Mac, (silly girl), and it seems to want to do it's own thing. I think the person who built it thought she only wanted to play games on it. I'm not sure what goes on with it. but it sure is weird. We have had a good time though as I showed her how to blog and we had a bit of a laugh over what I have put on mine. I don't suppose she will do one though but she should as she has had a lot of episodes in her life which would make interesting reading. I have just had a visit from my neighbour with her son Kyle who is mad on football. I should know as most of them seem to end up in my garden. But he has had an award tonight for it. A most impressive piece and he really wanted me to see it. He's very excited as it's the first award of any kind he has had and of course I was suitably impressed although if I never saw another football or football match in my life it wouldn't bother me.

Thursday

I returned home this morning after a lovely week at Robs. I met up with Stu and Denise at Merry Hill to go to the fair, but the weather was quite bad at first and as the price of admission, even though we only wanted to have a look, was ridiculous we decided to go and have a look around the shops instead. Glad we didn't go to the fair as later the weather turned foul with thunder included but it was nice and Stu treated us to chocolate bombes, yummy.
I got two new books which I am looking forward to reading and we booked the final Harry Potter book from Waterstones. Stu has booked that weekend off so that he can go to the midnight opening to get his book and spend the rest of the weekend reading it. Hope he finishs it quickly so I can read it afterwards.

Wednesday

I had lots of texts and messages from friends yesterday. It was good to know that lots of people had remembered Eric, me and the boys, and knew we would all be thinking about him. Although never a day goes by when he is not thought about.
I had lots of fun today with Lucy my granddaughter aged 6 going on 16. We did lots of games, reading and painting. Plus play doh and the hated (by me) Barbie dolls, which she always seems to make up stories of the being in hospital, dying or getting married. I love her dearly and I am really pleased as I have finally convinced her to have her hair brushed 100 times every day !
She is going to be with her mum tomorrow for a few days so I shall go home and leave Rob in peace, so he can finally get down to work without interuption.

Tuesday 29th May

This day will never be the same for me. On this day last year (2006) the love of my life, my husband Eric, died.
We had been married 45 years. What else can I say. I cry every day for him and although as I have said before I have two wonderful sons I cannot help missing him SO badly. We were in love.