National Chip Week

This is National Chip Week.

I love chips and often cook them, so I thought I`d share some with you today.

 And, here`s the piece of haddock I battered and fried with them .......

Delicious!!

Single Difficulties

At times it`s difficult being single.  

For instance, the other evening on hearing that a colleague was going to be on his own at the weekend, I said to him, "would you like to have Sunday dinner with me as you`re on your own that day".  

He declined.

Thinking about it afterwards, I realised how it could have seemed - a single woman asking a married man to lunch when his wife was away!

In no way was it meant like that, it was just an automatic friendly gesture, to help.  And, although throroughly enjoying living on my own, it is nice sometimes to share a meal with someone and have someone to cook for.

It made me realise as I thought about things, just how much everything seems to be geared up for couples or families, and how difficult it is for a single person to make friends or socialise.

Closing Down

No, although I`ve got out of the habit of writing posts as regularly as I used to, it`s not the Blog which is closing down, its sadder than that.

I`ve got some sad news here,  it`s something I`ve know about since before Christmas but had to keep it to myself, but now it`s come out in a way that we didn`t want.  

Because of the way things have been going for the store where I`ve worked and we`ve been losing money for a long, long time, J (the owner,) reluctantly decided that he`d have to sell the store here.   He intended telling the staff once things were finalised and he could tell them definitely what was happening, as he was trying to find jobs for some of them in another store.   He`d got a buyer in the process of buying it (a totally different multiple store, not grocery), so all was going ok.   Then one day this week the staff found out through someone, we don`t know who, leaving purposely for the staff to find, one of the Estate agents business for sale leaflets on the premises early one morning.    It was the worst way for the news to have got out.  

I`m lucky in that it doesn`t affect my job, as I now do the office work for all his stores, but I feel so sorry for the girls as the shop, especially those who have been there many, many years, and I also feel very sorry for J, because he is so caring for his staff and he didn`t want them to find out like this, he wanted to tell them properly once things were certain.  

It`s also sad for the town, in that it`s always, as far back as I can remember as a child, been a grocery store in the middle of the town, and having worked for them 41 years it will be sad to see it no longer exist.

So its sadness here today.

Waiting for chips?

The sun shone the other afternoon, so, a ride along the coast brought me to this spot.  Normally there is a whole row of cars parked and lots of people walking about, but at this time of year, despite it being a nice day, we were the only ones there.    I think these seagulls were all sitting wondering where the people were as they areno doubt used to being fed with chips as people stand by the sea wall eating them.

It was just us and the birds, the sea was a beautiful shade of blue, it was quiet and calm and perfect.

Discover Norfolk

Well, I think it`s about time I started writing posts for this year!

Firstly, a belated Happy New Year to all.

Do you know Norfolk (UK)?  -  
I`ve just come across this interesting site, so click here to see it and take a tour round the museum.

It`s Christmas - Celebrate Jesus` birth

A Happy & Peaceful Christmas to You

Christmas Trees

To me, Christmas wouldn`t be Christmas without putting up a Christmas Tree. Although I`ve not yet put mine up at home, I`ve been surrounded by trees since Wednesday!

And the view when it gets dark is so beautiful.....

It`s very moving too, as each of these 42 trees are all in aid of a different charity, and it makes me so aware of how much need there is for aid, not just internationally or even nationally, but right here in our own community.

Snow

We`ve got snow!

Ok, I know that most of the country has had it all week.   Even just a mile away there was snow, but our  town by the sea had none.

Last night it fell, and I awoke to a pretty white world this morning.   I quite enjoy truding through the snow when its first on the ground, all soft and white, so as I needed so milk off I went to the town, a short walk away.  The side streets were fine, it was when I got into the main street where people had been walking more that it became all slushy and slippery on both the pavements and the road. 

I safely negotiated crossing the road to get to the supermarket, got my milk, bread, some meat and some skate to cook for my dinner, turned to recross the road...... and......down I went on the slippery slush.   Fortunately I didn`t do any harm to myself other than some bruises.  

I still like the look of the snow, but won`t be in a rush to go out again!!

Time passes

I see its over a fourteen days since I wrote a post.    I suppose that just goes to show how mundane and uneventful my life is.

My birthday came and went last Wednesday, didn`t do anything special to celebrate it.   Worked in the morning, went to see my mother in the afternoon.   I was going to have tea with her, but it snowed so hard there and covered the roads in about and inch in a short time, so I came back home.  And sat by the fire and watched tv in the evening.     No birthday cake.   Infact still no present from mother, as I`ve to take her out shopping to get it and until this weather clears that won`t happen!     I did though have 19 nice birthday cards from different friends, so they`re standing on the mantlepiece and cabinets in the room making the place look nice and bright.    (the cards are standing, not the friends!!)

Other than that, nothing different has occured.   Which, I guess in a way is something to be thankful for.

Feeling sorry for myself

On top of everything else, I`ve now gone down with a cold or virus of some sort, and feel like curling up in a corner and being left alone.  

I should have been going to Norwich today to learn something else to do with my work - I`m now going to have to contact them and say I can`t go.   No way can I drive there sneezing away all the way.    My head is fuzzy and my mind won`t concentrate on anything, so to try and learn something connected with accounts would be absolutely useless.

Why did I have to get this, this week?

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

That expression came into my mind today with how I`m feeling at the moment and have been feeling these last two weeks.   But I think more appropriate to me would be if it said "the flesh is willing but the spirit is weak" !

Since All Saint`s Day (which also would have been my Dad`s birthday),  I don`t know what`s happened to me.  It`s just over 18 years since my Dad died, yet everything seems to have come back so strongly to me these last two weeks, lots of memories, feelings and the sadness of those weeks.   I don`t understand why after all those years I should suddenly feel it so deeply again.

Added to that, I seem to have so many different things to do this week especially, I`ve had two church meetings to attend and related work following them, I`ve had to prepare items for a Christmas sale for tomorrow.  As well as my Work work and all the things I normally do in a week, including visits to my mother - all of which take time.

I`ve started jobs, very half-heartedly, put them down, tried to do something else then thought of something else I should have done, so left that and done something else.  I`ve just got no enthusiasm or drive to do things, not even tne normal things that I would do.  The house looks a tip I`ve got different bits of paper and things in all rooms, from when I`ve started something and put it down.    I feel quite down and stressed about things. - and that`s not like me.  I`m not sleeping well either so that doesn`t help.

So, although my arms and legs work ok, it`s the spirit to do the things that is lacking.  I feel snowed under with everything.

Dramatic sky

I love sunsets - and this one last night just made me get my camera out.

Just wished the telephone wires didn`t get in the way!

It`s In !

Yes, finally my kitchen window has been sorted out and I`ve a brand new window.  A full pane of glass to see out of, without the monstrosity of a big square white fan in the the top quarter of it.    The kitchen is so much lighter and brighter now.

All, I have to do now is wait for the bill ! - but the chaps (and they are ones I trust) tell me that the cost of the window will be cheaper than the cost of a new fan in it would have been.   That sounds amazing to me.

What`s that noise?

Coming out of the butchers and going to the Post office this morning, I became aware of a strange sound in the town.

It was a sort of metalic clanking sound.

I walked further along to the greengrocers and the sound became louder.   It was like the sound of the clanging of a herd of cows with cowbells on them.

People were standing and looking up the road, trying to identify what the sound was.  It appeared to be getting closer.  Then we could see a group of people walking down the centre of the road, all dressed in colourful costumes and ringing large bells as they came.

It turned out that there was a Town Crier competition in the centre of the High Street, and town criers from across the country had come to take part in it.

Very colourful they all looked in their outfits on the sunny morning.

Removing the fan

continued from yesterday.....

The workman- two of them and a young lad, came in carrying a big bag of tools and a new extractor fan to fit in the kitchen window.   Now, I should add that it was early evening when they came, so dark outside.  
Looking at the fan they said that they just needed to unscrew the fittings on the current one and then put the new one in,  wouldn`t take long.   One strapped a light to his head and went outside to hold the outside part of the old fan.

They got the screws out, but, the fan wouldn`t lift off of the window.  We just need to cut the seal all around it then it will be free to lift out I heard them saying.   So they did that.  The chap outside was trying to pull his side off, and the ones inside were doing the same, but, the fan still wouldn`t budge.   So next they tried dismantling more of it.    I went off into the other room and left them to it.  I could hear them knocking and banging away at it.  

A while later one of them came through to me,  "We`ve a problem, a little mishap - but it`s nothing to worry about" he said.  "the glass has cracked around where we`re trying to get the fan out".   We`ve found that whoever put the fan in, didn`t do it right - they`ve completely stuck it to the window with strong sealer, and we can`t get it off.   So, I went throught with him to see.  

He showed me the cracks (actually not quite as bad as I expected).  "We`ve got to get a new pane of glass for it -then it will be easy to put the new one in.   It won`t be your expense" he said.

"How long will that take", I asked, and was told 3 or 4 days, but we`ll block the fan blades etc all up so that you don`t get any draught in he said.   Then spotting that I`d got an extractor over the cooker, they asked if I really wanted a fan in the window, or just a plain window.    Now, to be honest, I`ve never liked that big monstrosity in the window - so I jumped at the chance of having the window replaced with a plain piece of glass.

So..... now I wait.

Draughty kitchen

I`ve just realised how long it is since I wrote anything.     I suppose that shows what a plain ordinary life I lead, that I``ve not been inspired and haven`t found anything interesting to write about.

I don`t really know if this is interesting - but - here goes....

My kitchen window has one of those big square extractor fans in it.  Through, I suppose the wear and passing of time since it was put in, I noticed that one and then two of the outside flaps which should close the aperture when not being used, had fallen off.   During the summer this didn`t matter so much, but with the cold winds of recently my kitchen was becoming colder than inside my fridge!    So, when the builder was doing the outside of my house several weeks back, I mentioned it to him, and he said he could get one of his electricians to sort it for me.

Weeks went by, I rang and reminded him 3 or 4 weeks ago.  He said he hadn`t forgotten and that he`d get the chap to come when he was in the town again.   Fine.   My boss popping in with some work and a cup of tea the one day last week came into the kitchen and immediately said "it`s cold in  here!  where`s the draught coming from?"   I explained what and why.   So he straight away got out his mobile phone and rang the builder (who he knew).   What happened? - the workmen came last night!

What the postman brought

Opening one of the envelopes in the mail the postman had put through my letter box yesterday I came across this from the insurance company which deals with my car insurance -  headed Birthday Offer, (although it`s not my birthday for another 48 days) I thought, Oh, what are they going to give me or treat me to.

"Birthday Offer.
Dear Ms............
We understand how, with time life insurance becomes more expensive and difficult to get.  So we`re delighted to offer you an easy opportunity to get more value for money, provided you apply before your 57th. birthday.      ....it can provide your loved ones with a guaranteed cash sum on your death from any cause........"

I felt quite depressed by the time I`d finished reading it all - not because they weren`t actually giving me a birthday gift, but (although I know a lot of people do unfortunately die young), I felt that to suggest that I should think about death as something for a birthday offer was unfeeling.  At my birthday, I would be thinking of celebrating and remembering happy times, not looking and thinking of what could happen in the future.

Needless to say, I shan`t be accepting their offer!

Why the name?

 I have "strange" thoughts or trains of thoughts and questions at times!

Doing something with different colours yesterday, I got to thinking.....
why is the colour Red called red, or Brown  brown, why is Green called green - infact why are any of the colours called the names they are?   Why isn`t yellow called blue or blue called purple??   Who decided what colour should be named what it is?

Ok, maybe you`ll say that brown stems from an old Latin, Roman, Egyptian or some other derivative-maybe for the colour of earth - but then who decided that earth should be called earth?.... and so it goes on.......

Why is anything called what it is - who was the very first person to name them???

Harvest time

Yesterday was Harvest Festival here.  It`s one of my favourite days in the church`s year, when we give thanks to God for the bounty of food which he provides for us.

A Perfect Sunday Afternoon

This may look to be just a picture of sand, but it`s one of my favourite places to walk, and I went there yesterday afternoon.   There were lots of families there enjoying it too - some just walking, some playing cricket on the sand, a few digging sandcastles, some sunbathing, others picnicing - all enjoying the open air, warm sun and the space.   And - what joy - not the sound of a single person talking on a mobile phone!   There are just miles and miles of sand and its very peaceful.  It really is a place to feel close to God in creation

I walked for about an hour and then became aware that the sun was disappearing and the blue sky had an ominous black cloud coming up, so I made my way back to the car.

Leaving the car park a short time later, it began to rain, so we drove to another village where we could sit by the water.   Whilst sitting there, although it was still lightly raining the sun came out, and I found another delight.....

..... to my right was a beautiful rainbow - so I just had to get out of the car and take some photo`s of it.  It was a perfect arc, I could see both ends, but unfortunately it was too big to get the full arc on a photo.   This is the best I could do.