Recently, I’ve been out and about in the city and, as we’ve had a lovely crisp weekend, I decided to blow away the cobwebs and take a long walk through the old ruins in the dunes in Formby. Here you’ll find the remains of old houses that have long since been abandoned as the sea crept in a little more each year, reclaiming the beach. I always wonder who lived in these houses…….
This is my favourite ruined house, whenever we come here I always go inside and look around. Often there is new graffiti and signs that someone has lit a camp fire. It’s odd, but everytime I stand here, I always feel as though someone is watching me. One day I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw a figure in the woods…..turns out it was only a woman waiting for her old dog to catch her up.
Now, talking of being spooked, Daughter, who has recently moved back to Liverpool with her partner, dragged me out last Friday to a…..psychic evening!!! Oh yes!!! Really cheap tickets she said!
So off we went on a wild and wet evening. Hubs drove us into Liverpool and ended up driving up a one way street. He backed out precariously into mainstream traffic and ended up insisting we get out and go and find the place for ourselves as it was nearby. He pulled up on a busy road and we had to jump out quickly. As I jumped out, I tripped and ended up face down in the gutter. My bag fell open and all my bits and pieces lay scattered in the road….phone, purse, camera…..and varifocals. As I was scrabbling around in the sheet rain, I came across my specs….and discovered that the lenses and frame had parted company, so….blind I was, all night.
The evening was HYSTERICAL! The psychic bloke was dismal, truly dismal, I could have done a better job. All evening he mumbled stuff like….”I have an Edna coming through…passed when she was elderly she did….Oh! Here’s Bob from the other side… loved his food…and…Billy’s here….???????” Anyway, daughter and I had a really good laugh, despite it being all blurry.
She has rented an apartment on the Mersey, you should see the birds there, swans, geese, all sorts. Can’t wait to do a little birdwatching!
So…..my new venture. Yesterday, in the local paper I read an article about a National charity called Cinnamon, a group I’ve never heard about before. They formed to support the elderly, the terminally ill and their pets. Volunteers help to keep owners and their pets together for as long as possible by walking a dog for a housebound owner, cleaning out a bird cage or cat litter trays and fostering pets when the owners are in hospital. They have a chronic shortage of volunteers in my area, hence the appeal. Now I think this is a brilliant idea. At the rescue, we often care for animals short term while owners are in hospital but space is short and we can’t take everything so often these people lose their pets as the they have to be put to sleep. Sometimes the pet is the only company housebound people have so it’s vital that they keep their pets.
I contacted the charity, and now I’m onboard, I just have to produce references etc then I’m off……I have NO idea what I’ll be doing, so all rather exciting!
Talking about the vulnerable, daughter and I always chat to a homeless guy called Darren, who sells the Big Issue in the village. We’ve learnt a lot about his background and he has absolutely no-one, no family or friends, just a really sad history. Sam, our dog loves him and jumps up and gives him a real big snuggle each week. The other day I realized that this is probably the only affection that Darren ever gets in his life…..so this year Sam will be giving Darren a Christmas present, warm woolly scarves and gloves maybe…..as well as the usual cuddles.
Now the cobwebs have gone, I’m off to a murder mystery night organised by the rescue….should be fun! Half the proceeds go to the rescue so a really good fundraiser, and…no face painting for a change, just gotta find out who dunnit!!!
I love walking through woods and you are so lucky to have them near to you. What a great idea helping old folks out with their pets it will be nice getting to know them and their animals. And I am sure Darren appreciates you stopping to talk.
Thanks Elaine. I love the woods and we are lucky to live so close to the woods and the beach.
I am really looking forward to meeting my first clients, it’s exciting as I have no idea what I’ll be doing.
Darren is a little love.xxxxx
Sorry for your spill and the broken glasses, but it makes a marvelous story…and what fun adventures with the psychic!
I love your Darren tale and excellent plan to show him practical compassion and friendly support, and that charity sounds like brilliant. Please let us know how that develops! I’m expecting more blessed encounters with adventures and love, Snowbird!
Lol, always up to some mischief me Catherine!
Glad you like my story about Darren, he is such a sweet nervous man so it’s lovely watching him blossom. There is a little crew noww who chat to him and it does his confidence the world of good.
It’s such a wonderful charity isn’t it. It will take about a month to do all the checks and references so looks like a start in the New Year, a wonderful time to start.xxxxx
Your new venture sounds so fulfilling – and what a wonderful cause. Enjoy!
Thanks Debi, I think I’ll enjoy being involved.xxxxx
The charity sounds wonderful. I do like the last picture.
Thanks Dessie. Yes a much needed charity I think.xxxxx
Cinnamon sounds a really good idea, well done you finding and getting involved. Glad Darren gets good hugs off Same – everybody needs hugs!!
Lovely pics… and wow what a creepy old ruin to hang out in! Scary!
Am soooo sorry you fell out of the car and threw everything all over the road though -especially the varifocals – they cost a small fortune… not to mention the inconvenience especially on your night out! Sounds as if you had a giggle all the same though which is the main thing….. I’m blind as anything without my specs so I’d have been gutted to have broken mine 🙁
Hope you get a new pair sorted out soon!xxx
Oh yes, everybodt does need a hug and Sam gives Darren a very special one. It’s so lovely to see the way Darren’s face lights up as well.
Lol, it was quite funny the way I went flying, I’m amazed I found all my stuff, especially blind. A lovely young guy called Andrew fixed them for me for no charge, sadly, he’s been called upon to do this before! He must wonder how I manage to break my specs so often!!! xxxxx
That was a relief then – that you got your specs fixed up! Pheew……. yes yes yes… hugs always medicine for the soul eh? 🙂 I am missing Spotty for some hugs but Daughter texted me a lovley pic of her and Spotty asleep together which I’ve put on my phone as the wallpaper or whatever it is called 🙂 xxx
I’ve just seen the picture, awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!
I hope spotty comes back soon. Yes, you can’t beat a snuggly hug from a dog.xxxxxx
Fascinating, and rather spooky, account of the the ruins.
Tripping like that is easily done, and I’m relieved that you’re okay.
That sounds like a wonderful charity, and good for you for thinking of Darren like that.
Take care. xx
Thanks Flighty, the ruins are really eerie, lots of derelict houses nestled amonst the woods and dunes, quite sad really. They are only small houses so probably quite old. I was surprised to find that nothing but my pride was hurt!!!
The charity does sound great doesn’t it, and Darren is a lovely guy, he’s only 28, sad to think he has been through so much.xxxxx
Busy week and such an evening. Hope the fundraising event brings you a lot. 🙂 And very humane of you (and Sam 😉 ) to give presents to Darren. I thank you on behalf of Humanity. :)xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lol, thanks Humanity!!! The murder mystery was absolutely brilliant, such a good laugh, the acters were really fab and the meal most smashin! xxxxx
I must say I would love a place like that to walk. I have taken a tumble like that felt very silly. I love the idea of volunteering like that. And I know the guy will love a gift from your friendly pet. Hope your week continues good xxx
Thanks Free, we are lucky to have the woods and beach so close by. I’m really looking forward to the volunteering, I know if I couldn’t walk my dogs I be delighted if someone was able to walk them for me.xxxxx
Sounds like an overfull diary and many distractions. Hope you didn’t hurt yourself. Falling flat on your face in a muddy field, will, as you now know, feel very different to the unforgiving pavement.
Cinnamon seems like an interesting organisation. i wonder what happened to the arrangements that used to be made for care of pets. There were avenues for it. Perhaps it is a victim of funding cuts.
Thanks Menhir, remarkably I didn’t really hurt myself. I think I’m getting really clumbsy in my old age!!!
Now I didn’t know there were any organisations or provision for people’s pets, a real shame if there were and are now a victim of cuts.
I like the fact that Cinnamon are national but each area looks after it’s own. I’m rather excited about getting involved.xxxxx
A post full of spooky things!! And lovely photos. I do love all the energy and enthusiasm in your posts, SB. And Cinnamon – what a wonderful idea. It will mean the world to some people to be able to hang on to their pets.
I’ve just finished reading a book by Hilary Mantel about psychics, called ‘Beyond Black’ – but her ‘heroine’ is a real psychic — couldn’t read it at night though!!! 8|
Ooohhhh, I must go read that. I’d absolutely love to see a real psychic but to date I haven’t. I’ll let you know how the book goes.
Yes it’s a wonderful charity and I can’t wait to get going.xxxxx
What a disaster, that fall. It made me feel bad just to read about it. Why go to such trouble just to see a psychic. And next time, it might be better to take a taxi when you go down town. That is a problem for every driver, if he isn’t really familiar with the streets. Sending you my best… the story is a good one, and I’m happy to hear of this charity. It sounds wonderful.
The fall was a nightmare, the torrential rain didn’t help either…and the guy certainly wasn’t woth the trouble. Ah well, you live and learn eh? In town they constantly change the street layout which makes it so much harder to drive around.
Ah yes, a wonderful charity for sure, I’m looking forward to starting.xxxxx
My! My! That is a FULL week…or more. Really keeping busy….. Especially struck by your joinign up with Cinnamon…This should be ‘right up your path’…..Sounds a worthwhile venture….
Lovely series of pictures…Hugs! :)xx
Thanks Ell. Often a pet means the entire world and more for those who can’t get out or who are terminally ill and have no one else, so I think it’s such a wonderful organisation to join. You can donate as much or as little time as you want. I’m looking forward to it, and it’s as easy to walk three dogs as two and I’m out walking each day anyway. It must be an awful worry to have pets and not be able to care for them.xxxxx
What a great idea for a charity ~ it’s right up your street …….
I’m sure Darren will appreciate your kind gesture too ~x~
Isn’t it a brilliant idea, I was really impressed with it. and yes, RIGHT up my street. Now I’m hoping someone has an african grey parrot who needs it fostering now and then….lol
Darren is lovely, a few of us always chat to him, daughter gets him a cuppa as he’s always freezing standing so long in the cold. He is becoming much more confident now. It was weird how Sam took to him straight away, given how scared he used to be of men, but he really cuddles in close with Darren.xxxxx
Psychic night was soooo funny! Your new venture sounds so exicting, it seems like a really good cause – often people forget that those pets might be the only companion elderly or sick people have.
I’m sure Darren will love his gift, I think even just having a Christmas card or two in his flat is nice – especially if he doesn’t see his family! xxxx
Hi sweetie….the places you drag me! At least we had a good gab and plenty of wine to compensate eh?
Yes, we’ll make sure Darren has a few cards this year…..and plenty of cuddles from Sam lad.xxxxx
I’m so sorry about the mishap before your entertaining psychic evening! Your photos of the ruins and the woods are hauntingly beautiful. I especially like the light coming through in the third photo.
Lol, thanks Nikki. The night was a total hoot, I can’t believe anyone fell for his speel! Specs all repaired now, although it is weird when all is so very hazy…xxxxx