The South Yorkshire Adventure Begins

Homing is the inherent ability of an animal to navigate towards an original location through unfamiliar areas.

My mother was born at Monk Bretton near Barnsley, my father was born in Rotherham. I have certainly navigated through unfamiliar areas on my journey back to the gene pool, almost 20 years in Greece, and 3 years in London. 

Birdwell, there isn't much to it, a couple of pubs, a post office, hairdressers, a village school and a little Methodist Chapel, oh, and a Pharmacy and doctors surgery. What more does one need? Well, whatever more there is, can be found within a bus ride. (And I think there is a Chinese take-away, a little village shop and a classic car restoration garage).

This is our new home, and we love it.

 We decided to come to live in Yorkshire when it was quite obvious that the small pension we get was not going to be enough to sustain us in Bromley, where the rent on our one bedroom flat was just too much for our purse to stand.

Now we have a two bedroom little house, with a south facing garden big enough for a decent size man-shed. How good is that. And the rent is half the price.

OK, Barnsley is not Bromley, but Meadow Hall Shopping Centre is not far away, and Sheffield is only a short train journey. I am sure we are going to have fun checking out the many antique sale rooms, and garden centres in the area.

We are in the countryside and have already had our boots on and stamped our footprints along a fabulous bridleway. There are lots of horses and ponies in the fields. It's a far cry from the coal mines and coke works that used to fill the landscape around Barnsley.

I won't deny that it was a wrench to leave our daughter, Jo, and grandson, Jack, in the South, and I can't wait for them to visit. But now we are near to our son, David, our two lovely granddaughters, Star and Jade, and mum Tracy.

I shall continue to trip down to London every month, Beckenham isn't getting rid of me. I have church organ to play, and poetry to write, not to mention friends to meet for lunch, and plenty of mum-daughter days to enjoy.

So, the South Yorkshire Adventure begins! In fact it has already begun. Life is good!

Talk again soon, have a brilliant weekend dear reader.

Love Jane x

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

This is it! The beginning of another year, whoopee! of we go again!

I'm happily unemployed, free to create, free to use my days as I wish, and free to eat my meals at the time of day I want.

So, with my poet's head on I have spent the day revising some of my more silly poems ready for a public airing on the 7th February, when I shall be part of the entertainment at Beckenham Methodist Church. (More about that later) Suffice it to say that Aunt Martha is to come out of hiding.

And, what have I cooked today. Well, so far nothing. David made the porridge this morning, we had lunch at withering spoons in Bromley (extremely good value) and now it's 6.30 p.m so I think a snack is about to appear. I dare say I could rustle up a couple of pieces of toast.

Actually, watching the news has put me off my food. The emotional gatherings of people all over the world, solidarity against the outrage of the cold blooded murder by terrorists of writers and cartoonists in their offices in Paris. I feel so sorry for all those people of the Islamic faith, who are decent, respectable citizens. 

Oops! What? It's not burnt, it's just caught. It'll scrape off!

There was an old lady from Penge,

Who went on a trip to Stone Henge,

She put on her mac

And went there and back

In her brand new Mercedes Benz 

Love and hugs

Jane x

Happy Valentine's Day from Beckenham

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I don't know what you are up to today, but I hope you are making a special effort to think about that special person in your life. I know I am.

Over the years there have been flowers, chocolates, the odd bottle of wine. But today David and I have decided to abandon all of that. Is it a sign of age, or are we just plain miserable?

Well, I hope it is neither. Yesterday we walked to Penge and back, so I think we are pretty fit, and as for miserable, we don't allow that in the house.

What we have decided to do is work through the day, we have things to do, and then have a special meal tonight with a drop of bubbly. And over that meal we shall discuss an adventurous day out on Sunday, when, hopefully the weather will be a little brighter.

So, to work. I am in the (hopefully) latter stages of my second novel, so that will take up a couple of hours. Then I have a couple of poems to write for the Shortlands Poetry Circle meeting, which will take place on Tuesday. This is very exciting as it will be my first attendance at the 'writers' meeting. I had to apply to join, then be accepted by the committee (no pretend poets wanted) and finally try out a meeting to see whether I want to be a regular member. It is very exciting! As it usually takes me a few days to perfect a poem, if not longer, I had better make a start today.

Also on Tuesday I will attend my first meeting of Stanza, another poets' gathering, this time in Bromley. Both meets are chaired by Anne Stewart.

I should add that I have been a member of the Shortlands Poetry Circle - Readers group for almost about a year, and I enjoy that very much. It also widens my knowledge of poetry generally.

So, that is my writing schedule for today. And when that is all done, I shall relax with my lovely man, who is, as we speak, ordering me a copy of Steven Fry's The Ode Less Traveled, his little present to me for Valentine's Day. And my present to him? Oh, I think I shall find something to put a smile on his face.

Have a lovely day readers, make it special.
Love Jane x

Good Hair Day!

Meet Jonny, my favorite hairdresser. Credit where credit is due, Jonny transformed my very bad hair day, into a very good hair day. 

I managed to find a spare hour at the end of a very busy day, decided on the spur of the moment to get my hair cut, and popped into the Headmasters' salon in the center of Bromley. Sometimes it is good to give yourself a treat. And a treat it surely was. Thanks, Jonny, loved the head massage!

I suppose I should have taken a picture of my new hairdo, but I'm sure you would rather look at the lovely hairdresser.

And in a state of very bad hair day, I spent the afternoon together with my poet friends, at the Ripley Arts Center. It was the first time I have read one of my own poems to the group. The readers section and the writers section, joined together to listen to each other's work. I did enjoy being able to show that I could turn out a decent, well crafted poem. I also enjoyed listening to some splendid renditions. 

Tomorrow I shall visit the gym again, (oh dear) it is not my favorite thing to do, but I do want to be fit for my adventures.

Time for my beauty sleep now,

Night, night,

Love and hugs,

Jane x

Bromley Market in October

Bromley Market, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Ah! Chocolate!

Well, the pictures say it all really!

 David and I picked up some lovely local veggies, and a little carved robin from the young man who was surrounded by wood carvings of some very exotic animals. I rather fancied a giraffe, but where would I have put it in our little flat.

 We resisted the Paella!

 I asked the young man if he had a web site, but he said that because every item was hand carved, and because no two items were exactly alike, he could not photograph them, and promise that the delivered item would look just like the photo. I saw his point, but I am sure with a little disclaimer that explained that each item was unique, and may differ slightly from the photo, he could increase his sales.

And think of all that packing and unpacking for the stall. If he sold on line, he could take orders over the internet, and post stuff out.

But I'm just an old granny with crazy ideas!

Anyway, all the best to this very pleasant young man who runs G&G Global Gift Collection Ltd.

You can contact Richard at:
Email: Richardgiles622@btinternet.com






And today I had yet another adventure. Yes, my life is full of adventure! But it's late now, so I'll save this one until next time.

Sleep well, dear reader, I send you happy vibes.
Love and hugs,
Jane x

A British Barbecue - Very Green!

Gosh, it is almost a week since the Anniversary barbecue at the home of Reverend Parks. And what a chilly week it has been. But the sun was shining last Saturday, and, as you can see everyone was having fun. I resisted home made cake after my lovely barbecued sausage, but Jack had a most delicious looking piece of jam sponge. 

  

Wow, Jack is almost as tall as his Nannie!

 On Sunday I shared the organ playing once more with Mary. She played the intro and first two hymns, and I played the last two hymns and the exit music. It went well, though I was a bit nervous as the church was packed due to it being a special anniversary cum Whitsunday service. Afterwards there was tea and cake, yummy, and a chance to chat.

Here's the Rev. Rachel thrashing her friend a dominoes.

And obviously please about it.

Meanwhile, I played the game of 'remove the stick' with Jo and Jack.

There were lots of games for everyone to play.

On Monday evening I went along to the choir practice in Penge, where we worked quite hard to get our parts just right in readiness for the concert on the 8th June.

And since then I have not done anything too exciting. It has been a week of cello practice, poetry writing, and watching the Tudors, on TV. I also like to watch Time Team while I eat lunch about 1.30 p.m. and The Apprentice with Lord Sugar, that's good viewing. Apart from that the TV is usually switched off.

I will just mention the terrible incident that occurred in Woolwich this week. A British soldier was brutally murdered in the street by a couple of barbarians with hatchets. It has caused much anti-Muslim unrest, and I pray that people remain level headed and are not incited to further violence. I also pray for the soldier who lost his life, and his family and friends who are suffering right now.
I am trying not to give the incident any energy, so will not speak of it further.

Like I say, I have been writing verse this week. It is for a very special occasion which is to be celebrated on Saturday evening. Mary, my new friend, and fellow organist, is 80, and I am invited to her birthday party in Beckenham. I am really looking forward to it, and tomorrow Jo and I will go to Bromley to see if I can find something jolly to wear.

So, for now I'll say bye, bye, it is half past eight in the evening and I haven't had my tea. I feel a cup of soup coming on. Have a good evening everyone.

Love Jane x

Roll Out The Barrel in Beckenham

 I did make a video, but can't get it to stick to the page. I'll fathom it later.

Residents of Abbeyfield

Mary at the piano

Happiness in the Jolly Woodman

Meet Valentino

What a wonderful day I had yesterday. As you can see from the pictures, the morning sing-a-long was an excellent warmer upper for the concert which took place in the afternoon. After a pub lunch with my friends, I joined members of the Beckenham Ladies Choir at another retirement venue, where we sang for an hour or so. It was good practice for our up coming concert on the 8th June, at St George Church, Beckenham.

Today I spent the whole morning at the Medical Center, where I had to see the doctor about my little stomach problem. (Or should I say BIG stomach). Anyway, it turns out that my hiatus hernia is causing most of the problems, so pills prescribed for that, and there could be a glitch with my pancreas. So, a few more tests to eliminate any other cause of worry. I weighed in at 10st 8lbs, so I'm not exactly wasting away, and I am happy to be getting rid of the fat. (Oh, I hate that word).

As a little treat I took myself off to Bromley this afternoon, and did a bit of high street shopping. I bought a pair of navy blue trousers. There was this fabulous linen jacket, in Zara's, but it was about seventy pounds, so reluctantly I passed on it. It was a powerful red color. Very me! I bought fresh strawberries instead. Then I went to M&S and bought duck and orange pate, and a jar of cranberry and port sauce, the clothes there didn't do it for me, as they say. And I returned on a very school-children-packed bus (227), standing the whole way. Who cares though, I love that little 227.

Now I am having a lovely cup of tea, and psyching up to doing my cello practice before it gets too late. I don't want to disturb the neighbors.

So, bye for now, keep smiling, and log on again soon for further adventures. I feel a barbecue and a fun run (walk) coming on! Well, what are weekends for?

Love and hugs,
Jane x

Hand Knitting in Penge

Well, I set out to make a big baggy jumper, and that's what I got, but at least it keeps me warm and cozy now that winter is upon us.
Those lovely verdant trees of summer are just about stripped bare of their leaves now, the sky is grey, and the roads are full of puddles, but I have a pair of wellies and a raincoat. And I needed both for my trip to Bromley this morning.
I took the bus from Penge high street after dropping Jack off at school. My main mission was to trawl the shops for possible Christmas presents, and I spent the morning doing just that, Superdrug, Boots, Debenhams, Marks and Spencers, River Island, Monsoon, Toys are Us, gadget shops, shoe shops, accessory shops... there are a lot of shops in Bromley.
Even though it was a damp and drizzly day, there were musicians in the pedestrianized shopping area, about every 100 meters or so - trumpet players, accordionists, the odd tambourine, it was quite uplifting, in fact at one point the music was such that I had an urge to dance. You will be pleased to know that I did resist that urge, still it brought a smile to my face. There were a few people rattling collecting tins for charity, but not too many.
Before heading home I treated myself to a glass of coca cola and a piece of carrot cake, well, I had walked around for a couple of hours, so had used up a few calories. Then it was on the bus and back to Penge with the first of my Christmas shopping. I didn't see Father Christmas but his Grotto is in the Glades shopping center so I know he has at least reached Bromley.
I didn't wear my unique hand knit today, it wasn't quite cold enough outside, but I did buy a pair of brown boots to match it, now all I need is a hat. I might just have to trip off again before the week is out.

Bye for now, Jane x