Let there be light

J and Him Next Door have attempted to chop some of the trees down before. J being the one clambering about in the tree tops, I daren't look. Health and Safety would have a fit.

One previous episode involved the rope snapping. Luckily it was the branch end; it was already pointing in the right direction so it didn't hit any permanent structure and J had the good sense to let go.

Although quite a good job has been done so far by the resident males of the species we decided to hire the professionals when it looked like some of the trees nearest to the house were just too tall and frankly J doesn't have those agile monkey features required for such a feat.

Well the professionals were amazing, the young lad (anyone under 40 is young to me) was right at home, swinging around at the very tops of the trees. He reminded me of Lisa the gibbon at Manor House. Fantastic. What a great job. I was full of admiration. J muttered that he could have done as well if he'd just had the right equipment! Absolutely no further comment.

BINGO!

How interesting could a night out at the bingo possibly be?  

Well - taking into account the fact that our gear box has gone on strike, very.   It took me 10 minutes to get out of our drive... 1st gear all the way, making us late picking up our neighbour.

Never mind, another one in the car reassured me as I had someone else to help push if required!

Lets stay in 1st... trouble was we'd be late even though I was was pushing the accelerator to the floor and the engine was screaming in protest we were not going very fast, let's risk it - I hiked it up to 3rd, the only one I could get into.  God help anyone coming the other way now as I had to keep my speed up round those hair pin bends...  only I didn't make the last one as there was a hill the other side and I had to change down... but I couldn't.  There I was on that hill, brake foot hard down, nearly wrenching my arm out of its socket trying to get the thing into gear - any gear would do.

Eventually I got it into 1st and this time I stayed in 1st for the rest of the journey.  At 7:59pm I shoved our neighbour out of the car to say Her Next Door and I would be coming, we just had the tricky task of parking.  Luckily we found that I could drive around the village hall, no reversing required.   Phew.

Our neighbour won the flyer though, the top prize.  Being late has its advantages...

How do you get a foot injury...

from making marmalde?

I can't show you the foot injury, it might put you off your buttered toast - no marmalade thanks.

Answers on a postcard please!

Trip down memory lane meme

This is the first time I've been tagged in the blogging world and given an award.  Preseli Maggs is to blame, but she wrote such an evocative memory in her Meme memory and an award I thought I'd give it a go myself.  The meme is to reveal a memory - this is harder than I first imagined.  I can hardly remember what I was doing yesterday and whatever it was it was probably not worth writing about. 

The fog of thought..., then the flood gates open.

I was bullied at secondary school.  I remember that. 

I remember my brother pushing me off the pouffe when I was doing an earnest recital.

I remember a white house with a black border at the bottom, backing onto a working farm.  Getting our wellies stuck in the mud and really being frightened about how on earth we would be able to extricate ourselves.  The partner in crime was my brother.

Covering my Dad's boss's farm machinery with thick gunk - something with the consistency of petroleum jelly.  My brother and I had hours of fun, not so sure much fun was had by Dad afterwards.

I remember my lovely Granddad rubbing his bristles on my cheeks.

I vividly remember my 'invisible friend'.  Technically it was an animal, more like a horse but with doggy traits too.  Together we would ride the wind and be as free as a bird.  We often played in the street then - and I'd gallop around and neigh up and down the road to my heart's content.

Listening to the top 40 in the bath on a Sunday afternoon.

I remember long hot lazy summers that seemed to go on forever.

I remember dib dib dibbing and dob dob dobbing, promising to do my best.  I remember camping, the midnight feasts and washing up in cold water.

I remember my first school trip abroad, I didn't want to go.  But it was the best trip ever and I made friends that if not still here in this world or living close by are with me in spirit always.

I remember the whole family getting together for Gran and Grandad's 50th wedding anniversary.  We made a tape to be sent to Australia (all the children did a party piece).  We heard a request for them on the radio and felt famous by association. 

I remember Queen, 10cc, Donny Osmond, The Clangers, Bill and Ben, Swap Shop, Jacky and The Famous Five.

Now it's time for me to tag.  I'm new at this so only following four... you can all ignore if you have already done or if you are too busy to do.  

Here goes:-

Smallholding in Wales

Moosebites

handbagorcheese

welshhillsagain

.... to be continued

There are a few rules that come attached to it:

1. Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers.

2. Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.

3. Every Prolific Blogger must link back to This Post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

4. Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky so that we all can get to know the other.

Race for Life

Hi, I'm blogging for sponsorship now - I'll stoop as low as I have to to get some money out of you!

I used to run a lot when I was younger, always long distance and I loved it. I ran for a local club then and often represented the county. Things waned a little when boys came on the scene (I loved them more) so the running took a bit of a back seat for a while, (does 30 years count as 'a while'?)

Since I moved here I have wanted to get fitter and have done many stunning walks. But running was my first love and it takes it up a gear. To try and get my body out of its lethargic state I started a Couch to 5k running plan at the end of last year aiming to get my heart rate up a bit, and boy did I find out how unfit I really was. Initially I had tried to 'do it on my own' and kept getting annoying ham string injuries - I even tried to impress my cousin's daughter who came out with me one Saturday for a run - what was I thinking - ping, there it went again. These injuries would put a stop to my running attempt for weeks at a time. I have discovered that my recovery takes a bit longer than it used to.

To give you an idea at what stage I'm currently at, I'm just about to start week 3 in my Couch to 5k program this Wednesday. There are 9 weeks in total. The bad news is I repeated week 1 umpteen times... so another 7 weeks of training to reach 5k could be a tad optimistic.  Although when my friend suggested I do a run to raise funds for Cancer Research with her,  I thought great - a tangible goal to aim for, lets do it.

All I need now is MONEY, so GIVE please – it’s a very good cause. If only a pound it doesn't matter. Anything. Thank you.