Oooops a daisy

 Dear Marmite

At last the sun is shining and all is well with my little world. I wish the same could be said for all the people who are now homeless because Putin's ego has caused devastation and upheaval on a scale unthinkable. I have found it too much to listen to the news on the radio or read reports of the war in The Guardian. It is beyond my imagination the suffering he has created. Here I am in a green and pleasant land where my government has managed to sort just fifty visas for Ukrainians. Again, it is beyond comprehension how incompetent and callous this Home Office is. This is a war crime in itself.

I could go on and get really political. I won't Marms. I promise. I have pledged myself to not use my car any more than absolutely necessary and burn fuel that might have come from Russia and I am conscious of not using gas in the home any more than the minimum. I am taking my own little stand hoping that nothing I do will help the Russian economy. 

So, with the sun shining, I set off on my bike this morning heading for the swimming pool for a swim with Danielle and Ezra-Mae. I didn't get far. I fell off just outside my house - the gears got stuck and they wouldn't slip into the lowest ratio. Ooops a daisy! So there I was lying on the road with the bike by my side hoping that no one else would notice. 

I quickly recovered from my embarrassment, sorted out the chain and set off for the tow path. Luckily, I rolled and didn't fall heavily. No real damage done - the swim ironed out any possible niggles - I only did 1000m today as the main reason for swimming was play time in the baby pool for us Woolheads. 

Ezra-Mae - at thirteen months-  is a real waterbaby. She loves the water. She doesn't mind being splashed and she goes under without fussing. Danielle - proud Mum - and I sat chatting to the swimming instructor in the water and she said how many parents are really nervous about letting their children get water on their faces. I am glad that Danielle is chilled with Ezra-Mae. We spent some time pushing her back and forth on a float and then she slipped off and went under... ooops! No harm done!

I have also taken up a new hobby - of sorts. I went to my local village hall for a table tennis club the other evening. As you know, Marms, I have only really ever played with my children so I am not particularly good. Surprisingly, I managed to hold my own with the gentlemen of the village and am looking forward to going along again. Danielle said she would join me and tell the others that she had only really ever played with me - her Mum. I should get Sammi to join as well - although anyone playing him needs nerves of steel and the ability to duck quickly.

Talking of ducking... I planted seeds and shrubs in my garden. After all the digging I swept up and thought how neat it was. Later that day, I found bits of earth all over the paving slabs. The culprit, I later found, was a mighty crow who was systematically digging up the seeds from the tubs. Now I'll be surprised if anything comes up. I am prepared to throw things at birds who undo the good that I have done. They had better learn to duck! I have included a picture of my front garden with the new stones in. It was taken from my bathroom window so it is a bird's eye view.

So Marms, planting seeds, setting off cycling  - all signs that better weather is here. 

I am sure you would love it - especially with that thick coat of yours

Love you as always

XXX

I write when I can

 Dear Marmite

All last week I really didn't have much to say. Here it was mostly rain and I did the same mundane things that really aren't worth mentioning. This week, however, has been a whirlwind of excitement by comparison. 

It is March! Yay, I have planted seeds and nipped or lopped bits and bods in the garden already. This I have on good authority is what you need to do at this time of year. Most things are showing signs of life. I am a little concerned how early my bulbs have come up but I notice it is the same everywhere. The tree which Sammi hacked at last Christmas doesn't appear to have done much though. It is not a big garden so it is easy to keep an eye on progress.

Last weekend I set off across the village with a wheelbarrow to pick up some free rocks from a house up the road. They were dismantling their pond and I needed some rocks to create some relief in the patch at the front. Both parties are happy with the exchange! My back didn't enjoy the experience though. For my efforts, my front garden looks just a little better and with all the rain, it is looking green. My olive tree survived the winter so all is well out in the front too. Looking forward to a lush-looking patch in the near future with splashes of colour.

Despite the weather, I braved the elements and made it to a few pub quizzes too. I am part of a wonderful group of really smart people who tolerate my getting the odd one right. The other night I got the tie-breaker which meant we took home the winnings. Over here, winning means a few pennies in prize money which keeps me in drink. How good is that?

I have also had my first experience of the WI. A lady in the village asked if I could give a talk about my travels so I put together a slide presentation about Syria

and did my best. After all this time not standing up in front of a large group. it all came back to me. Verdict -  they were lovely ladies and only one fell asleep while I was talking so I'll take that as a success. Apparently, I might be doing the same talk for another local WI sometime in the future.

So Marms, I leave the best to last -  Cambridge. Naturally it rained all day. That is what it does here. Dearest Margy organised for Peter, Karl and myself - all ex BC -  to meet up for a day in Cambridge and a trip to Kings College Chapel for Ash Wednesday Eucharist. Margy's son, Matt is one of the choristers. It was lovely to catch up with people from Singapore - just like old times - and also to feel a connection so far from where we all used to be. 

We managed a quick tour of a couple of the galleries at The Fitzwilliam - armoury and china. On our wanderings, a couple of questions came to mind: firstly how strong the knights of old had to be to wear the metal cladding and also to wield incredibly heavy weapons as well, secondly - would I have known that certain bits of pottery were valuable if they weren't behind glass? I am sure I wouldn't have.

The service at Kings was a religious experience - beyond words. I felt the music in my chest, the incense added to the atmosphere and the sermon was a step well above anything I had heard from a pulpit before. A wonderful day all round - I'll keep that safe in my memory.

You are always a part of my thoughts though. 

Love you as always

XXX

Visitors

 Dear Marmite

This week has been busy. Not just me - most of the country has had Dudley, Eunice and and now Franklin visiting their neighbourhood.  When guests come, I make special arrangements. Fortunately for me, None of my guests have caused any damage so far! Remembering the impact of tropical storms and hurricanes from my time in The Bahamas, frankly I thought it would be much worse. 

Rail services were cancelled and a RED warning went out for 10am in my area. Tennis was also cancelled. Friday brought wind but not rain. The canal had waves. The skies were sunny, and on Saturday, I took a walk around the Flood Plain Nature Reserve to see what damage had been wrought. Nothing - just a few twigs and small branches across the paths. The sky looked decidedly Gothic and the wind was still whipping around even then. We were lucky. Parts of the UK are without power again. 

While these storms are not hurricanes, they are named because of their potential to cause havoc. It could be rain, wind or snow. Outside even now the wind is whipping up in that noisy way that makes me want to stay put, drink coffee and eat biscuits. My heating has been sorted out just in time. It is easier to control now and, according to the instructions it picks up on what my habits are and turns itself on and off accordingly. Clever!

Despite the weather being a disruptor, I also had nice visitors as well. Gaby from Singapore popped up the M1 for a short visit on Thursday ahead of the bad weather. You might remember her from tennis, Marms? Obviously we talked about the old times, grandchildren and, of course, tennis. More and more I do tend to talk about the old times. We also said that one of our great joys of living in a hot country was; you don't have to wear many clothes. This is something I still haven't got right over here even though I am almost through my second winter. We went for a local walk and once again, I wore the wrong clothes - I was far too warm that time. Other times, I need a hat when I didn't think iof taking one. You, Marms, are lucky you just have a lovely fur coat and you don't have to make such decisions.

On Friday Binny and Ana braved the elements and came up for lunch. We had a cosy time in my local. I never have any issues getting there as it really is next door. This brings to mind the joke: It takes five minutes to walk to my local and about forty-five minutes to get home afterwards - The difference is staggering!!! I seem to recall we spent most of the time discussing when would be a good time for them to leave and which route to take vis a vis the storm. 

Then yesterday it was my time to visit. This was a trip to a cousin of my mother's, Paula. With Danielle and Ezra-Mae -  plus a pile of baby paraphernalia -  in tow, we set off for Aylesbury - not far away -  for a wonderful day out. Ezra-Mae is a crawling dynamo. for the time we were there she never stopped crawling, climbing, playing and smiling. Obviously, she was the topic of conversation for this trip. When I was a child and the world was a very different place, our extended family would get together on high days and holidays and we would always end up playing cards. Paula and I had a few reminisces (is this a word?) about this and times gone by and the family members long since passed. 

Today it is a swimming day! Just another normal run-of-the-mill activity day. I love seeing people - long may it continue.

I only you could visit too.

Lovely you

XXX

My learnings for the week!

 Dear Marmite

As I write this, I am watching the weather outside take a turn for the worse and I am dressed and ready for a tennis match. I really should have learnt from my experience of last weekend when I played a mixed doubles in less than ideal conditions. Why couldn't it have been like the weather in this picture?

 

On the day in question, it was refreshingly nippy to start and there was more than a light breeze whipping across the court too. Not long after the match started driving rain interrupted play and then when we got back on court hail pounded us. If this wasn't bad enough; at one end we looked straight into blindingly low sun. My partner joked that all we needed now was a rainbow; and hey presto!! one appeared. 

Playing tennis in conditions like this isn't tennis. It is not the sort of tennis that you used to watch me play from the comfortable bench at DFE. I toss the ball to serve and it moves two feet to the left before I can swing at it. From one end everything is wind assisted and from the other you have to whack the ball just to get it to pop over the net. I need lessons in taking advantage of these conditions. Better still, I should refuse to play. At least swimming lengths is not weather dependent.

I got home from the match and started to cramp up. I am good at getting cramp. I have suffered all my life and when I told Danielle about my suffering after the match she recalled a brief history of all the places I have ever had cramp. This is true. I do get it really badly. She might have shown some sympathy for my plight.

Anyway, back to my suffering. After over four hours of tennis. I couldn't get off the sofa and stand up. I rubbed one bit of cramp away only to get it somewhere else. I actually couldn't stand straight. I went to bed but couldn't sleep. One little twitch of the toes and my whole leg would seize up. OUCH!

The next morning I decided I would just swim without doing flippers and paddles. 1500m no problem! Then I got out of the water and it all started again. I couldn't stand up. I was rolling on the side of the pool, beached! I had cramp in both legs and my stomach.

Three fellow swimmers helped me while the the life guard sat on his perch and failed to notice my little crisis. Thank God I wasn't drowning! The big lesson here is - don't expect life guards to save you! They are there for show, and in this case, not to enhance the look of the place!

I realise that I am repeating my past mistakes - overdoing things and then getting cramp for starters and then agreeing to play matches in winter. Repeat after me Marms, I must not...

Actually there is a very long list of - I must nots... As they say, one is never too old to learn - or, is it that you can't teach an old dog new tricks! I am a work in progress, even at my age!

Love You!!

XXX

A Rollercoaster Ride of Covid Cancellations

 Dear Marmite

First of all, it was so nice to see you making the most of the CNY holiday with all our old friends. From a distance, your Reunion celebrations seem covid unhindered. I have to say I felt really "homesick" for all that I miss in Singapore and I have just passed my two-year anniversary of returning home here to the UK. Despite this passing of time, I still feel strangely attached to a place that was my home for 24 years. Especially, seeing all the pictures of you and your friends, I wanted to give you a great big hug.

Covid has slipped off the front pages over here. Big Bad Boris makes far too much interesting reading to make space for a few hundred daily deaths. I know that schools are really struggling, people are  now weary of the pandemic, and, around my neck of the woods people are no longer wearing masks. However,  I still do when I go into shops. For all intents and purposes Covid is behind us here even though it is still keeping the death toll high and it is a disrupter. Health Minister Saj has even done a U-turn on compulsory vaccinations for health workers.

Because of Covid, my social life took a bit of a battering this weekend as people I planned to meet up with have tested positive. I still have a tennis match and a quiz to look forward to today and in future weeks I'll get to meet up with those who are isolating  - may they recover quickly!

The plumber came round this week to sort out my combi-boiler. I had been living in a house without heating or hot water for five days. I showered in water 6c before I realised there was no hot water! That was refreshing! Other than that, I did OK as the weather was unseasonally mild and I also spent a lot of time out of the house as usual.

The plumber - a nice man - and not the least bit patronising showed me how to twiddle a couple of valves to refill the boiler and get it going again. He also went round the house and banged his screwdriver on the pin inside the thermostats. Hey presto!!! the house heated up like never before. I know plumbers are expensive but this one actually gave me a self help lesson so he was worth it!!

Last Thursday I was in charge of Ezra-Mae so I decided we would go swimming. I couldn't believe the paraphernalia that seems necessary for a quick dip plus all the warm clothes needed for the cold weather outside. If I needed to do that with my own children I am sure they wouldn't have been such good swimmers. Living in a warm country with our own pool made it so easy. I'd get them changed, throw a towel over my shoulder and leave the house for the pool. 

However, it was all worth it. I put Ezra=Mae on the floor as I sorted out the bags and she made a break for the water's edge. She loved it. She doesn't mind splashes, she loves getting wet, and she is so relaxed. Being on the small side, I think people think she is younger than she really is too. The life guard who knew me was impressed and true to form my little grand daughter made eyes at him. Despite the amount of STUFF I need to lug around, I can't wait for our next dip.

So Marms, apart from this recent highlight in my life: I mostly drink far too much coffee, swim, play tennis, get out on my bike and poke around my garden. That is it... the extent of my happy life.

Missing you as always. May the Year of the Tiger bring you great blessings.

Love

XXX

Gong Xi Fa Cai

 Dear Marmite

It is upon us. The Year of the Tiger is just around the corner. Gong Xi Fa Cai  -  my lovely old man. May you have all the blessings of the New Year Celebrations and none of the nervous twitches brought on by the Lion Dancers and their noise.

Over here people don't even know this celebration is happening. Danielle and I went to an Oriental Shop to stock up on things for New Year. This place is tucked round the back of an industrial estate, not far from where we live. We wanted to make a proper CNY so our plan was to buy New Year goodies. There weren't many - just a few decorations all marked up at exhorbitant prices. Stunned by the prices, I bought some noodles for £4.60!! That is some price hike.

I am pleased that the philosophies of Vimes have become a UK measure economic hardship. I have had an enduring love affair with Terry Pratchett and he deserves the limelight. Prices go up every week. Shops are still short of stuff - different stuff - one time it is frozen veg another time coffee. Cardboard boots are also thin on the ground! Daily life is tough and we are in a mess while Spineless, Boneless Boris is spending all his energy saving his neck - and to what end? I despair.

My village had a short power cut last Thursday at 5:30pm. Nothing remarkable really. I had to reset the internet, link my devices again and check the mains switch. Everything seemed normal so I continued to cook a meal for my quiz friends before we set out for the local pub where they have a monthly quiz. This brings me to a joke I saw on Instagram. To get to my local pub it is just 5 minutes walk. On the way back it takes 45 minutes. The difference is staggering!! Ha ha...

I digress. I got home well within the 45 minutes and went to bed. I didn't realise the house was getting colder. I got up early and had a shower. The water didn't get warm. In fact, I checked the boiler and the temperature of the water was  just 6c. Eeeek - it was refreshing! Even this didn't ring any alarm bells. 

I went off to play tennis and eventually got back rather late in the afternoon. The house was really getting a bit chillier still. By Saturday morning I realised that the heating was not working. My neighbour confirmed my suspiscions - there was no water being pumped into the system. This week I am after a plumber / heating engineer. I bet that will cost!

So meanwhile, I am wrapping up warm and feeling a bit sorry for myself. Not too worry though Margy came round to share my miseries and we did a murder mystery at the local pub. We were a table of neighbours and I feel that Margy, reincarnated as Essex girl stole the show. It was revealed that I was the murderer. I didn't think I had it in me. It was a lovely evening and I was more than warm in the cosy village pub.

Today I am off to the nether regions of Buckinghamshire to play a tennis match. Another opportunity too try and warm up! I really need a big hug from you, Marms - that was the advice an energy provider shared with its customers. It said, "Cuddle your pet to keep warm"... not so silly I reckon.

Love you

XXX

It all turned out rather badly

 Dear Marmite

As you well know the weather over here is not half as nice as the weather you have in Singapore. It is winter. It is damp most of the time and it is cold. However, you don't realise how cold until you end up stuck outside for far too long without adequate clothing. 

Such was the case last Friday. It is an entirely forgettable day and with time I will manage that - particularly when the nightmares cease. I set off through country roads to play tennis. I had the balls for everyone in my car and I didn't have a care in the world. My car hit a pothole or something and the front nearside tyre went down rather quickly. I daren't move it too far so I was stuck on a narrow road just past a bend. 

I can change tyres. I have even pumped gunk in one before to keep it inflated so with a little huffing and puffing I got the necessary stuff out of the boot and read the instructions at least three times before setting about getting the tyre pumped. Plan A was to fix the car, play tennis and then pop to the garage. 

A very nice man stopped and helped me get the gunk container fixed to the wheel. Nothing happened. The tyre remained stubbornly flat. The man fiddled with the valve and then left and I phoned the AA. By this time my fingers were numb and actually dialing a number wasn't straightforward.

The AA told me it was an hour and a half wait. It felt like the man on the other end of the phone was going to fill that time with safety instructions and all the things the AA couldn't do for me.  An hour and a half isn't that bad. I could do that. I got in the car and wrapped the dog blanket round me, felt stoic, held my phone and huddled up. I didn't dare use the phone or turn the car on in case it the battery went flat. I then got a call from the AA to say it would be nearer a four-hour wait. I hit a bit of a despond but still thought I could get through it. Stoicism would prevail!!

I got colder and colder. I put the blanket over my head and breathed into it to warm the air around me up. That helped a little but being a loose-weave cotton bed cover, it wasn't much use. A lady in a blue VW stopped and asked if I was OK. I automatically did what everyone over here does. I said I was fine. I wasn't!.

After two hours I called Nasser and asked if he could get my polar sleeping bag out of my wardrobe and drop it off. He didn't. He did even better. He truly was my knight in shining armour. He picked me up and took me to his place and fed and watered me. What a lovely warm home it is too. Even then I was shivering a little. The AA man called while we were eating to say he would be 20 minutes so the wonderful Nasser got me back to my car - hot coffee in hand in readiness for Mr AA Man.

The lovely lady in the blue VW came past again just at that time and waved a flask of coffee out of the window for me. She had obviously made a special trip to help me. I was quite choked by her kindness. I don't know who she is or where she lives so I'll send a  big THANK YOU here. Aren't people lovely?

So. as planned,  nice AA man gets me to the garage. My car is a Toyota and the garage is Toyota but they didn't have my type of tyre. Another long wait.... I did get my car valeted for free  - small plus. Finally getting home seven hours later I felt I deserved a wine.

Generally I don't drink without company but last Friday I had a rather nice Shiraz with my dinner then watched Anne on ITV - cried my way through the story (Hillsborough) and chatted to a friend now staying in Bulgaria. The whole bottle disappeared...eek. I really don't know how that happened. Note to self. Keep the bottle in the kitchen and not on the table in future. 

Life is much better today. It is a Monday, a new week and CNY is just around the corner. For you, Marms the Lion Dancers will be clanging and a banging. Another thing I miss.. Today, Danielle and I are off in search of a Lo Hei. I have even got a haggis, neeps and tatties for tomorrow and I hope Youtube will provide the pipers!