H.w.g.a #19

My brave and brilliant friend - Lila to my Lenù, Lenù to my Lila - is planning a huge move.

Here, to my lovely town.

And today was spent spying out a property for her...first Kitty and I lurked in the environs this morning; then Alistair sped by on his bike...

Then, after consultation, I made a phone-call...and this afternoon we did a proper viewing on her behalf - yikes!

And it was almost the first time either of us had been in someone else's house since March, which was weird too.

Watch this space...

Here is a picture of us in the future, a card she sent me years ago.

Growing old together.

Disgracefully...

H.w.g.a #18

A day of random pleasures - a lovely walk up the frosty hill to Kitty's field, as my back is much improved - yay!

Gym after our walk, shower and a late lunch.

Domesticky bits and pieces this afternoon... and the exciting news that my bestest friend has SOLD her house!

This was closely followed by the disappointment of the property here she had her eye on being sold too.

A busy time awaits, finding the right home for her, so we can grow old together, disgracefully...

That and another lovely curry, and then a Skype-chat with my mate and booking a retreat together for the end of the summer...oh, that the world will be functioning enough for that to happen!

Meanwhile, there are simple pleasures and always something to laugh at...

H.w.g.a #17

So there it was, a couple of weeks before Christmas, and Alistair says, 'let's get in some curries for Christmas, what do the supermarkets have?'

'Hmm', says I, 'they're boring though, I was thinking you would be really good at curries,  if you got into them. All that "take 5 1/2 crushed coriander seeds" stuff...'

So we ordered a couple of Madhur Jaffrey's books from the library, picked them up JUST before the Lock-down shut everything again, and Wow!

Curry-making has really taken off as a new interest for Alistair, he is pouring over recipes, and I am (happily) relegated to sous-chef and senior advisor.

I am being fed, and how! But I joke that this is becoming an obsession, and feel like Dr. Frankenstein:

'I have created a monster!'

Today I walked into town to get essentials and had one of 'those' conversations with 'sometimes-grumpy' shopkeeper:

Him: 'I heard today that we're being encouraged to keep up our Christmas lights for 40 days to cheer everyone up'

Me: 'Hmm, to be honest, I don't think sparkly lights would really cheer me up'

Him: 'So, I'm agog...what would cheer you up?'

Me: 'Well, as you ask, just this...just having conversations with friends, even at a 2metre distance, that and the kindness of strangers...'

H.w.g.a #16

After a better night's sleep, my day started gently, with candles...

Kitty and I took some time to get out today, and headed for the golf-course as, again, the slope to the prom and beach was icy. 

I was togged-up like a mate of Shackleton, and toasty by the time we had walked up the hill and negotiated the snicket over the two streams. As we reached the golf-course the sun was suddenly warm, and someone was cutting grass at the top...

The warmth, the sudden sunshine, the sound of the lawn-mower, the scent of newly-cut grass - for a moment it was May! (next May that is, not last May, which was Lock-Down, and total silence for me)

Those who know us in Real-Life, or who read my ramblings on a regular basis, will know Alistair and his legendary ability to produce, from the depths of the garage or somewhere exactly what I am in need of. 

Today the tables were turned! Alistair dropped and smashed the lid of his teapot (our tea-drinking habits are also legendary...)

And for once I was able to unearth exactly what he needed from the depths of a cupboard...

Of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, I shall tell tomorrow...

H.w.g.a #15

Bright and frosty again this morning and so slippery was it underfoot, and so fragile my back, that Kitty and I went up to the golf-course again for our walk, rather than risk the slope down to the beach.

We were rewarded by some 'sticky-buds', as we used to call them in those far off nature-table days of childhood...

The rest of the day has been quiet, with a little thinking interspersed with a little gym.

Sangharakshita once said, “There are no higher teachings, only deeper understandings.”

H.w.g.a #14

Today creaked into action wet and cold and I tried to do other things in the morning...but it's no use, I couldn't settle to admin and my achey back was crying out for a walk.

So it was time to tog up with the waterproofs and get out with Kitty.

My winter coat is an old one of Ben's - thick and warm, it just 'does what it says on the tin'.

And my waterproof trousers? When we moved back to Cambridge in 2002 I bought Ben, who was then 12, a black pair for cycling to and from school. 

Essential I thought. He disagreed - of course - and I acquired the trousers. 

They have been the mainstay of my wardrobe ever since.

Until today when one leg disintegrated, provoking thoughts of Mr Spiggot, the one legged Tarzan of Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore fame...

('I've got nothing against your right leg...the trouble is, neither have you!)

I made it up to the deserted golf-course today and we squelched around a bit...

The rain cleared this afternoon and the low winter sun on my old copper scuttle made a a beautiful reflection on the slate hearth...

I love the word 'hearth'...

H.w.g.a #13

Well we watched 'Skyfall' to keep ourselves awake till the midnight hour - my first 007 - and very disappointing it was too!

Oh, SO bright and urban and hard and full of violence (duh!). And a barely concealed misogyny, which left a nasty taste in the mouth...

And then we togged up, gathered our fizz and plastic champagne glasses and set off down the slope to the prom. It was BITTERLY cold and the tarmac was like a skating rink...I had visions of ending up in A&E with a broken ankle - NOT a good plan on New year's Eve 2020!

There were few revellers about, and we were the oldest by about forty years, but we had a brisk walk, drank a toast to better times and took the obligatory pics of the fireworks at midnight...

Home to a nice warm bed...

It was much milder when we emerged this morning and Kitty and I had a LONG walk to check out the back route to the bottom of Penparcau. We kept meeting people, mostly with dogs, and exchanging 'Blwyddyn Newydd Dda', with everyone - so I was in ready for my brunch when we got home. But here are some pics of my lovely town, looking good on a sunny winter morning...

And one of my porridge, just to show you how greedy I am...

And in the afternoon there was ample time for domesticking, for recording a little audio and for gymming before cooking.

And there was an episode of 'My Brilliant Friend' season 2.

And Doctor Who - though not a patch on the glory days of David Tennant, still SO much better than James Bond...