Days passing so quickly now

I seem to lose track of time so quickly now, the days blend one into another - I'm no sooner dragging myself out of bed and it is time to go back.
I will admit that I am extremely busy, note the word extremely........ why? oh! why! didn't I discover the world of ATCs long ago!
Apart from being in the craft room crafting I have been down to the Railway Garden once.  The hot weather affects me greatly and so I tend to stay indoors, coming outside in the evening to have tea and potter about in our garden.
We have had a problem with our pond - rather PJ not me!  it has taken several journeys to our local Aquatics Centre to eventually sort it out.  PJ is still in a lot of pain with his foot and leg so although we have booked up for our days out from PJ's birthday present, we are not sure we will be able to go  :-)
heigh ho!  We have spent a couple of good days with the girls, dining out with C and redefining N's front garden.
I am mostly 'hanging out' with my Blogging fraternity as the children say - my BH forum is discussing the changes being made to our City Centre and one or two other subjects I am interested in.   Like I say busy, busy although there are those that would say - busy doing nothing more like!!
The last few days have been spent trying to sort out Yahoo and its new nonsense.  I am in several groups with them and they in their infinite wisdom have decided to completely change the formats.  Chaos ensues with loads of people leaving various Groups as yahoo picks on certain people to change over........... so some in the Group have this completely different layout and go into panic mode and others have the same old, same old and don't know what the problem is!!!
Mind you, during this time PJ has managed to make something for the house......

A new window for the landing!
May not be much to you but this window was falling out of its frame, the wind whistled in through the gap between the frame and the glass.  But PJ made a new frame, painted it up, removed the glass from the old frame and fitted it into his new one.  It's marvellous!  I love it!
We have not had this window double glazed because it is leaded glass, came with the house (circa 1935) and beautiful.......... besides which it just wouldn't look the same in modern plastic!

Robin Hood Refurbished

Our favourite dining-out place has had a makeover .............. gone all posh.......... or just one massive clean up............... nah! refurbished!!!!


the service area is very smart - maybe a window in one of the squares could be just plain glass so the Chef could see if anyone needed serving....... might stop the queues of two people!?!?!



the area where we usually sit - we're old so we sit in the same place - much brighter and less tables.




the view from our table towards the end of the room, past the alcoves............... notice the smashing wall paper.......... and new chairs.............



and this is a personal part............ the little alcove close to the entrance ......... tell you ........ defo gone posh.............


and the prices are still the same.............

and the staff are still just as friendly ...................

 and the food is still the same............................

so it's all good ............................

Cushion for tray

Now that we have changed providers (BT) I can use my laptop a lot easier, but the problem is that I use it on a fold up table when in bed.



We often go to bed about 20.00hrs and then smurf or read or sew............  PJ bought the tray to make using the laptop less bothersome to the old joints.


If I put the legs down then it sits on the bed and not my legs, but the problem with that is  - I can't move my legs very easily.  So I use the laptop with the legs folded up and, after a while, the tray starts to lay heavy and cutting into my legs.........
What I need is a cushion to put the tray on...........

Not so big that the laptop falls off .................

One with straps so that I can take it off if I need to use the legs........... what to use?...........

The infamous African material which, even after making the laptop bag, still has yards left in the pack.

BTW:  if you're wondering about my desktop picture ............ it's a photo of an area of the garden at Buckingham Palace............ The Queen and I (delusions of grandeur here.... wave, wave .....) we have the same plants............. not the same layout but...........



we have a fern - right at the top of the garden as a backdrop for a red leaved birch.

........... and we have the Japanese Anemones....................... there............

Can't see them?   the big leaves behind the Delphiniums...............

here's the pink flowers, well, one of them........... just!

 So here we have the Laptop Cushion .......... ta da.........

This is tray plus cushion ...........

this is cushion revealed ........

  tied up with the laptop.............

Notice mouse etc in drawer............

underneath it looks like this which means that .......................


 One fat hand can pick up laptop and cushion and carry it to another room, or put away.

and I still have yards of material left...........................


No doubt I will find another use for some more of it.................

Autograph Album part four

And the final part - betcha glad about that!!!

 Its easy enough to be pleasant
When life flows by like a song,
But the man worth while 
Is the one who will smile
When everything goes dead wrong.

Said the shoe to the stocking

I'll make a hole in you

Said the stocking to the shoe

I'll be darned if you do

Another from my 14 years old sister

Tis hard to loose the boy you love

When your mind is full of hope,

But it's harder still to find the towel

When your eyes are full of soap.

 This is signed by M Evans aged 10 - beautiful handwriting

 Always be what you are Ivy

Always be honest and true

If a boy says "I love you"

Say thats just what I want you to do

My Uncle Fred drew this - he discovered he was an artist after he retired, creating some beautiful oil paintings.  He was christened Wilfred and this was a take on Cartoon Characters from the Paper - Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.
The Penguin (Squeak) says: Mind you get over the Bunker Wilfred!
The Dog (Pip) says: Keep you head down Wilf




Doncha just love the sense of humour running through this little book ........ they were in the Art Deco era, think Gatsby (not the richness but the atmosphere) all those bright young things........





 Alas and alack there is no date on this entry by my brother.





There is always a fight to be the last signature in Autograph books and this one is no different!  The original signee (Gladys Pugh) wrote: - By Hook or by Crook 
I will be last in this Book.  




This was overwritten across the corner by my father no less: - The days of chivalry 
Be not Passed, 
Ladies first
Gentlemen Last

 Then along the bottom of the page:- By hill or by quill, I'll be hanged if you will.

And then right in the bottom corner of the inside back cover:-  BEATEN    


So ends my little record of my Mam's book. 


 I grew up looking through this book, loving every page.  I like to think that my Mother, especially  in her later years, often spent many a happy hour reading through it and recalling friends, family and happy times long past.

Autograph Album part three

This drawing is signed by R Vincent - my grand Mother's side of the family.

Then to the earthen bowl did I ajourn,
The Secret will of Life to Learn,
And Lip to Lip it murn'rd While you Live,
Drink - for once dead you never can return
From Omar Kayyam......... in 1922!?!?!

Time changes, & we with time

But not in ways of friendship

a full page painted by Nellie





I often used to write this (my name in place) on other people's books.  When we left Grammar School, we all brought our albums in to be signed............. I never kept mine ...........sigh!

Ivy now Ivy forever

French now but not forever

Theres so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us.
It ill betides any of us 
That find fault with rest of us

Leaves may wither

Flowers may die

Friends may forget you

But never shall I

Another detailed painting by R Vincent. 

I shall update these posts when I find out more about these people.

One from my sister, she must have found the book again as she is now 14years old!!!

Some friends came round on Saturday night 

I was in the Bath

My Mother said slip on something quick and be down in a tick 

so I slipped on some soap and was down in a tick

At the Cross

At the Cross

Where the Kaiser lost his Horse (hoss) 

& the Eagle of his helmet blew away

He was eating penny Buns

When he heard the British Guns 

& the Silly little Devil run away.

A song from the World War, which  was over and they didn't know there would be another...........

Another drawing from R Vincent

Autograph Album part two

Here are some more pages from my Mother's Album with two more to come. (I do wish that I could get Blogger to lay these pages out as I type and format them!)


This is the second drawing by the unknown signatory - Babs

True Action is the doing of duty, come of it heartache, defeat, or success.

I wonder if this is my Uncle Charlie, Mam's middle brother who would've been in the Royal Navy at this time.

These two drawings are signed ME - possibly Auntie May England  

Blackboard reads:
Feet to run with - Nose to smell with - Eyes to see with.
Little boy's saying:
Please Miss I'm  made wrong.  It's me nose that runs and me feet that smell. 



These two pages are written by my sister when I was only four months old and PJ wasn't even born - amazing!  She has drawn some pictures and then wrote a poem, on 18th April 1946 - our father's birthday!   He was still a serving soldier so was not at home.  

The poem reads:

Loveliest of Trees the Cherry now

Is hung with blossoms along the bough

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide.

Now of my Three score years and Ten

Twenty will not come again

And take from seventy Springs a score
It only leaves me fifty more

And since to look at things in bloom

About the woodland I will go

To see the Cherry hung with snow

Nice and cheerful for an eleven year old!!!

Three Lancashire Rules
Hear all and say now't,
Drink all and pay now't and
If thou does ow't for now't
Do it for thee sen.

Roses Red, Violets blue

Sugar sweet & so are you

& so are they that send you this

When we meet we'll have a kiss 

Maybe not Cousin Maud!!

We cannot change yesterday that is quite clear.

Or begin on tomorrow, before it is here.

So all that remains both for you and for me,

Is to make each day just as sweet as can be

Be good sweet maid
& let who will be clever

Here is a little flower

Which grows in yonder spot

That whispers all I have to say

Which is:- Forget - me - not.

There are the usual Autograph pages with the corner turned down dotted about the book..........
The Cause of Many a Silent Tear ..............lift the flap....Onions
For Women only...........................ain't men nosey.
For Men only.................................ain't girls nosey.