It’s been an interesting week, one way or another.
Hubs acquired a couple of free sailing lessons at the recent Mersey River Festival, so off we tootled to West Kirby, on the Wirral, to enjoy them. I wasn’t concerned about my hip, as for some strange reason I thought the lesson would be aboard a reasonably sized ship. Always the optimist y’see.
When I saw this, my heart sank. I ranted at expressed my concerns to hubs, stating that I’d be nothing short of a liability and just ruin his fun. He, as always, ignored me and insisted that we both just go for it. So, reluctantly, I did.
How glad I was, it was fantastic! My side of the boat was in the water the majority of the time, but I didn’t have to move much while tacking, so bailed the boat out throughout the lesson, which resulted in us flying across the lake. Losing that water sure made a difference, to our speed and my feet!
Just loved walking across this causeway between the lake and the sea/river in West Kirby. You’ve got to make a day of a sailing lesson…
and we certainly did. We discovered a fantastic walk, where you can safely navigate across the sand when the tide is out, and visit these two islands. We’re looking forward to attempting it, with the dogs, and a delicious picnic, it’s only a four hour walk, there and back. How enticing it is, Pauline I’m sure, knows all about these gorgeous haunts, given she grew on the Wirral.
We wrapped the day up with a pub meal, where we stumbled across Laurel and Hardy.
These guys had us in tears laughing. Throughout our meal they carried this table back and forth, they carried it out, brought it back, carted it off again….on and on the saga ran, and each time they became more sheepish and more resilient to our quips, you can tell by looking at them that they’re born comedians.
They finally retaliated to our wisecracks by carting our table off, while loudly proclaiming that we’d stolen the condiments!
The food was OK, the laughs were priceless!
My lovely friends.
My bessie mate and I played out with a good friend this week, who also lives on the Wirral, in the quaint, rural Irby, a lovely spot with an aging population.
My good friend, on the left, cares for her 90 year old mum and hasn’t a single regret. She’s such a breath of fresh air, so honest, open and upfront, she is genuinely happy with her decision. She gave up a professional career, sold her flat, and moved in with her mum and owns that decision as a valid choice, rather than being some sort of a victim, how nice is that!
Irby specialises in providing relevant services, they even have a cinema for older people with dementia, initially it ran once a month, now it runs every week. The clients just love it.
It’s been mighty fine chiminea weather…and in the garden
Solanum layum ‘Album’ is flowering, you can see why it’s called a potato vine. I really must get a purple one.
The birds have stripped one cherry tree and are now starting on this one. They’re sour so they are most welcome to them.
The kitchen is now put back, just one curtain pole to go and it’s all done. I finally bought matching bar stools. It certainly has tidied the bar area up a little.
I was really pleased with these new voile curtains, they have dainty little embroidered butterflies running through them.
And finally….
The major achievement?
Well, I borrowed a wildlife camera from the rescue to see how Hattie was getting on. I also used it to see what was in the garden and captured these guys scoffing Curly’s biscuits.
I finally overcame my technophobia and managed to upload a video on YouTube and download it here. So, my first ever video! Now I’ve bought my own wildlife camera so there’ll be no stopping me…..well, once I figure out how to work the thing!
Very brave to go in little boat and bale out water and whizz off across yon waters! Well done! Especially with a painful hip…very game of you….! Love all the pics and glad you had lovely time with good friends….you do keep busy and do so many interesting things!☺
I thought I was going to be a real pest in that little boat,fortunately the hip wasn’t too bad….I’m now waiting for a date to have my hip operation….scary stuff!
I do miss your posts and what you are up too….coma on gal, get a blog going!!!xxx
A hip op does sound very scary…… all the great raving best with that…….
I just don’t have the brain to set up a blog at the moment…… am too spin headed with the wind up to the last bit of my three year icon painting diploma…. my last module is in September and then we hang our show mid October….. AND THEN…. I will have time and brain space to do soooooooo many things that have all been on hold for ages….!
Am working in a dental laboratory casting teeth all day still (!!!) which is fun…. and Tabs has gone off to Miami again… fingers crossed they let her back in….. and I’ve just been on a week’s icon painting retreat at Minster Abbey… which was fab! xxxxx
I have to come back and comment about some things I noticed and appreciated here, but I just found this report from a rescue in Guernsey, and had to share it with you. How funny is this?
Now I’m back. I was so surprised to see the nice photo of the Solanum. We have that here, too, and I just found some about a month ago, growing wild. The sailing looks like wonderful fun, of course. Summer’s the time for sailing camps here, and just last week the smallest tykes were out. I suppose they might have been first graders, in their little Optimist dinghies. I started with larger boats, but I certainly can see the value of Sunfish or Optimist sailing. You get a better feel for wind and water, and if you go over? Those tiny boats flip right back up.
I had the decision sort of made for me that my mother was going to move down and be with me. She’d been with her sister in Kansas City for five years, but when my uncle died, my aunt decided she had to sell the house — and, hence, Mom’s apartment. So, down she came. She was here for several years — eight, I think — and was was determined to keep her in her own home if possible. We used to laugh about the fact that she had “hot and cold running daughter,” but she stayed in her apartment until the last five weeks of her life — at 93. I was pretty tired when it was all over, but proud, too.
Goodness, your story about your mum is huge, it’s one thing making a choice and quite another having a situation forced upon you! I can imagine how tired you were, you deserve to be proud! xxx
That certainly had me smiling, it reminds me of the time when a guy brought a football covered with moss to the rescue thinking it was a hedgehog. Thanks for the laugh.xxx
Well done you for overcoming your fears. I have never been sailing myself – (fear of water) but it does look like fun. Thank heavens they had you to keep bailing the water – are you a good swimmer! Your friends look lovely, do you get to see them often. If only more people were more like your friend to look after an ageing parent is no mean feat. Your kitchen looks lovely and so neat – how long will it stay like that I wonder? Your chiminea looks like it eats wood I bet you get through a lot, but it seems a nice way to spend some time outdoors on a chilly evening. Love the potato vine is it very vigorous – one in purple would be lovely too. The birds always get the cherries before I even have a chance – I wonder why they are always sour, not like shop bought ones at all. That video was short and sweet, hedgehogs gone in the blink of an eye – nice to see what they get up to when they think no one is watching.
I remember you saying how afraid of water you are. A lot of people are, I should be given I can’t swim! All I can manage is a desperate doggy paddle that barely keeps me afloat.
I see lots of my bessie mate, not so much of my other friend due to the distance, she has to make arrangements for her mums care so struggles to get out. We’re all going for a weekend away in August, my friend is bringing her mum and her little dog.
The potato vine didn’t do well last year so I planted it outside the kitchen door, now it’s romping away as happy as Larry.
I am really enjoying the wildlife camera, I am surprised how well they work! Thanks Elaine.xxx
Well done on getting the decorating done, Dina! And well done to your bestie for looking after her Mum. It helps if there’s a good relationships to begin with, I guess. I took some of my grandkids on a sailing course over half term – their favourite bit was being capsized and falling into the lake … look away now, Mummies!
Thanks Gill, it certainly does help if there is a good relationship, my friend and her mum have always got on, and her mum is not the demanding type which makes it easier,
Oh my…..I Can just picture your grandkids in that lake!!! How brave we all were when young eh?xxx
Hooray for not falling in the water! I would have ended up swimming back to shore, I’m sure! I love it when people own their choices and refuse to play the victim. A breath of fresh air, for sure. 🙂
I fully expected to fall in the water, it was a chilly day so I’m so glad I hung on in the boat. Yes, it’s always good when people make a clear choice and commitment. Thanks Casa.xxx
I’m glad you enjoyed the sailing lesson, and I loved the story of your friend looking after her mother as a life choice rather than a burden…sadly, not something many people do.
Three cheers for them and you! Also loved the hedgehog…chasing away the other one..
Thanks Gerrie, not many people care for their parents these days, I suppose there are lots of reasons why. I think it’s great when someone actively chooses the role, my friend has no regrets.xxx
I thought the sailing lesson was going to be the big achievement. You would never get me on that boat as I get easily seasick. As for sour cherries, don’t you know they make the best pies (though you have to add a lot of sugar and a thickener)? Looking forward to many wildlife videos.
Feeling seasick is awful, I was the same when I was younger but fortunately grew out of it, the odd choppy ferry still gets me though. I didn’t think of making a pie, I certainly shall next year! Thanks Jason.xxx
So pleased you enjoyed the sailing …
All your photo’s are brilliant and I love the hedgehog video – thanks for sharing this.
Your bar stools and kitchen look great, and if I was with you I’d be sitting on one of them and raising a glass of wine and wishing you a great weekend …
Cheers
All the best Jan
You are most welcome to join me in the kitchen and share a glass of wine. I’m so glad that’s sorted, it’s such an upheaval decorating the kitchen.xxx
A most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. Sailing’s not for me for glad to see that enjoyed yourselves. xx
Thanks Flighty, a lot of people seem to dislike water, I should given I can’t swim!xxx
You would have a major task getting me onto that boat especially if it scooped up water. I am a terra firma girl all the way.
We used to have battling hedgehogs in our garden but I haven’t noticed them for a while.
Lol, I have a friend who refuses to get on a boat! I was surprised how many hedgehogs I videoed,I think I indentified at least four.xxx
You are right….there will be no stopping you now…Love the little video and look forward to many many more.
As for sailing…it’s not my favourite thing to do unless on a boat with a gin a tonic and someone else doing all the work!:) I have never visited the Wirral…looks like a very interesting place, and Bravo to your friends for working with the aged….we need much more of that today…as our older population grows.
Your garden looks fab…and the house…how you do it all I will never know….but I love to see the results. Sending wishing for a lovely weekend. Janet. xxx
I am enjoying watching the nightly videos, I never quite know what I’m going to see. It appears that I have lots of mice, amongst other critters. I rather enjoy sitting back on a boat with a nice cold drink too! Thanks Janet.xxx
So glad that you had fun sailing. I find that it’s often the case when I force myself to do something despite the nerves. Your kitchen is looking fantastic – I love the colour on that wall. Love the hedgehog video too and am very impressed by your techno know how! xx
It is lovely when things turn out better than expected, I thought I may end up in the lake looking at the size of the boat! The kitchen is quite big so needs a little colour to warm it up, it’s always great once it’s finished, I’m always surprised by how many spider’s webs lurk behind things!xxx
I love sailing in those small boats. They zip along and are so maneuverable. It’s been many years since I’ve been sailing–you may have inspired me! Your kitchen is lovely and looks like a wonderful place to spend time. Aren’t wildlife cameras fun? We can finally get a glimpse at animals’ nightlife.
I shall look forward to your sailing stories. I am really enjoying discovering the creatures that roam around here, I’m constantly surprised. I caught a red squirrel eating my strawberries.xxx
Interesting post and great images. Very cold down here at present, just entered mid-winter.
Thanks Peter, hope you’re cosy and warm.xxx
Ah, I used to sail on Lake Michigan; miss it: it does make for a fun day! Good for you and good for your Beloved for encouraging you. 🙂
I agree with your friend’s choice to care for her mother; I made the same one and certainly regret nothing about it except that it went too fast. It was the gift of my life to have time for my parents at the end of their own lives. And to have Mama live with us and die in our home was a blessings indeed.
The garden looks so lush, Dina! Just glorious, like the kitchen. Love those bar stools and the curtains: charming, comfy, and I’ll be right over.
The video is grand: caught in the act, they were! Rascals!
We’ve had such a great week of cool nights and fair days…perfect. I see from the dreaded forecast that very, very hot days are coming our way. Oh, well; it’s summer. 🙂
Blessings on your week’s end!
I can just imagine you flying across Lake Michigan, how perfect that sounds!
How lovely that you got to care for your parents, it is a difficult job but if chosen and gone into with eyes wide open, it’s a lovely life changing decision.
I shall put the kettle on for you…..how lovely it would be to do that for real, maybe one fine day eh?xxxx
Yes. 🙂
Sails, tacking and me don’t compute. Tried that out, good job my life jacket worked! The rescue was something else.
Your weather looks as uncertain as forecast for most parts of the near European land masses. No guesses for the reason… Jet Stream again.
You have some very interesting exploring to do. Like the pictures and the mini video. You can’t hold a good hedgehog down can you!! 🙂 xx
Oh good grief! You conjure up a scary scene, how awful to fall in, I would simply hate that as I can’t swim. The weather certainly is unpredictable, sometimes we get four seasons in a day, I have no clue what to wear each day.
Lol….you certainly can’t hold a good hog down, I was surprised to see so many, I think I taped at least four hogs, no wonder Curly’s biscuits go down so quickly.xxx
On what looks like a cold grey day, I’d say you were very intrepid setting sail! Looks like a wonderful day that you had, catching up with friends and lovely walks – what a treat! What a shame about your cherries; my sour Morello cherries are all intact (although not ripe at all yet) but the sweet cherries on my allotment share have all been stripped bar one! Nets will definitely be in place for next year!
PS. Love that YouTube offers a load of Sonic the Hedgehog vids after yours – maybe a name for your next hog? :o) x
It was a chilly day, the bonus was the wind, it had us zipping along, a little sunshine would have improved things though. Oh….what a shame about your cherries, I have had all my strawberries eaten, I even caught a red squirrel eating them. Lol…I was smiling at the sonic vids too! xxx
Super post…packed with fascinating info…not least your sailing prowess and now videoing….Wow…what next? Crossing the Atlantic? Lovely post D! Love the pics…esp of you and your ‘bestie’….. Hugs!💓💓
Thanks Bushka, I am a terrible technophobe so really have to force myself to learn anything techie!xxx
Yes, I remember the boating lake at West Kirby very well indeed, when 11 yrs old I managed to knock myself out while falling on the slippery causeway! The island of Hilbre is a nature reserve now, not in my day though. Everyone used to walk out at low tide, wait while the tide came in and then out again, then walk back again, having spent the time sunbathing and getting rather burnt -how times change,- now I just sit in the shade! Thanks for the memories!
What memories! I did notice how slippy that causeway was. I’m really looking forward to visiting Hilbre.xxx