Diary > Tuesday 2nd February

[rosie99]

Yes the size applies to this board as well but this is the diary thread and is mostly our daily ramblings with only the occasional photo.  I presumed that you had posted here in error and meant to post your photos on the photo board thread where they mentioned the oversized photo's

[River Tyne Lass]

That is a lovely close up photo of the Robin, Griff.  I read in a news article yesterday that there was an increase of 85%in participants  for the Big Garden Birdwatch.  This has been attributed to the lockdown .. it is good to hear about the positives that are coming out of this.

Glywri - You are very fortunate to have such a scenic snowy walk.  That must certainly help with motivation to go out and exercise during these cold months. 

That sounds like an interesting Churchyard on your doorstep, Griff.  Have you ever thought about adding any images and/or info on memorials you might have to Find A Grave?  This might be of interest and helpful for others out there.  Although, I appreciate that you have quite a lot to do during the day and may not have the time. 

My diary:

I had to get up really early as I had a 12 hour day shift ahead.  I saw it was snowing  when I got up but this had turned to rain by the time I had left the house.  Horrible weather, very cold north wind and pelting rain.
When I got to the bus station at Newcastle and just before my second bus came the Robin turned up again!  I was very surprised and uplifted by the sight of him once more.  I have never seen a Robin at the station before Sunday gone and I expected this would just be a one off.  I can't believe he is there again.  I think it could be the same Robin.  He sings a bit this time and I am sorry that I don't have anything to give him to eat.  I decide that I will bring something the next time I go to work  - just in case. 
I heard the very sad news about Captain Tom in the evening.  What a national treasure we have lost.  He served in WW2 and who could have imagined that at such an advanced age he would serve in another war .. against covid.  He gave us positive news to focus on and helped dispel the gloom. (Thanks Viktoria for the note about the National Clap for him - I will certainly be taking part in that.)
When I returned to the station in the evening the Robin was no longer there. 
The rain was still lashing down when I got off second bus and walked home.  Absolutely freezing - I was so glad to get in and get warmed up with a cup of tea.

I have attached photos of the Robin.  It is the same bird although they look slightly different likely due to the lighting.

[Gone]

Hello RTL. Thank you! I take so many pics of this Robin, it's not timid at all and often I don't realise it's so close to me when I'm outside.

I've a couple of ideas about the headstones, taking photos and making them available is one.... but when it warms up a bit.
Also, there's a parish magazine for the area and the village has a website, and a limited amount of info about the father, and not much more about the son who was rector for some of the second half of the 19th century.
Also, one person in the village has written a history of the parish and made it available to everyone in our little village hall library.
I'm tempted to donate the letter I have, plus put together a little family history.
I'm sure the author of the parish history would be delighted to do something with it.
The letter from the rector relates to the s-i-l's father in Southampton not being very well and a deadly virus being spread, very relevant right now.
Griff

[candleflame]

I don’t usually post on here but I do read it every day and marvel at everyone’s busyness and doings.
I’ve posted this as my husband got his nhs letter ( he’s 73) and he’s now booked in for his first and second vaccines. Just hoping the snow at the weekend doesn’t cancel his first one on Sunday.
I went to the window at 6pm tonight and opened the window as we used to do when we clapped each week. Could hear a solitary clap though didn’t  see who, but no one else was about,  so I did my bit then came back in the warm. Husband didn’t join me as he’d fallen asleep during the PM briefing ....
Stay safe everyone.

[River Tyne Lass]

Griff - The Robin at the bus station seems to be the same - not timid at all.

Oh, I can understand you wanting to wait until the weather gets better.  It is pretty awful at the moment. 
It sounds like you have some good possibilities for the information that you have. 
I think it is such an important thing to preserve history and pass things on. 
Just last week I acquired a small book someone had put together on the history of a Catholic Church in my area that my Grandmother and other deceased family members used to go to many decades ago and it is very a interesting read. 
The letter you mention from the rector regarding the 'deadly virus' certainly does sound very relevant right now.  Perhaps, there really is nothing new under the sun.  Please let us know how you get on with your plans re all this.

This is great that you have joined in candleflame - nice to see you on here.  I hope things do go alright with your husband being able to get the vaccine.

I went out to clap.  I think I was the only one in my street.  I also played a video clip on my Kindle of St Nicholas Church bells ringing (Newcastle).  I had forgotten I still had this until tonight.  I originally made the video in 2018 after the centenary Armistice Remembrance event in Newcastle.  I felt Captain Tom deserved a grand peal of bells. 
I think this clap may not have had enough publicity perhaps.  I only found out through RootsChat.

[Gone]

I don’t usually post on here but I do read it every day and marvel at everyone’s busyness and doings.
I’ve posted this as my husband got his nhs letter ( he’s 73) and he’s now booked in for his first and second vaccines. Just hoping the snow at the weekend doesn’t cancel his first one on Sunday.
I went to the window at 6pm tonight and opened the window as we used to do when we clapped each week. Could hear a solitary clap though didn’t  see who, but no one else was about,  so I did my bit then came back in the warm. Husband didn’t join me as he’d fallen asleep during the PM briefing ....
Stay safe everyone.

Both myself and the OH have been done now and a second appointment in 12 weeks, but I wish the news channels would stop being so negative about whether there will be enough vaccine for everyone to get a second jab on time.

The clapping here was a little sporadic but it's not a very big road and lots of older people.
When I moved here about 8 years ago, I was greeted by a neighbour with "welcome to God's waiting room"
Griff🤔

[Gone]

RTL,
I bet with a bit of patience and something very tempting, you could get that Robin to take food from your hand.
I've done it before, but the Robin was very fussy and preferred currants from Mr Kiplings country slices. 😁

I think there would be a lot of interest in the family of the father and son rectors. There were lots of marriages in the family to influential and wealthy people of their day
Griff

[guest141721]

We read about Captain Sir Tom in the media here in Sweden too. What a wonderful man and what a cruel twist of fate that he should succumb to Covid.

Glad to hear you and OH have had your jabs Griff. Hope you husband can get his too candle. OH is risk group and I'm 70+ so we hope we'll be called - for the jab that is, not by Him upstairs - later this month.

Glyn

[guest141721]

Today was a fairly routine day apart from the fact that I couldn’t sleep and was up at five. So I crept out of bed so as not to wake OH and made my way downstairs. Had a cuppa and put the washing machine on. Emptied the dishwasher and did a bit of tidying up before I sat down to read the morning rag online. About half seven OH called and wondered where I was. So off upstairs to help her start the day. Helped her into her chair and wheeled her into the bathroom. Disconnected and emptied her night bags and made sure that the day bags they’re attached to were clean and empty. No need to change either bag as I’d done that a day or so ago. Usually I change them about every five days so they should be OK for a few more days . Helped her shower, get dressed, fix her hair and makeup and took her downstairs. Wrapped her up warm and wheeled her out onto the patio. While she was out there I got breakfast ready for us both. A lovely bowl of porridge for me and yoghurt with fresh fruit for OH and tea for two.

It’s OH’s birthday in just over a week so decided that we needed to get some bubbly in for the occasion and disaster of disasters we’d also run out of mother’s ruin. So we made a list and OH went on to the wine store website and placed our order for collection later in the morning. We have a weird system in Sweden regarding wine and spirits. Anything over 3.5% volume is only sold through the state owned monopoly which means there’s only one store here in town where we can buy ”the hard stuff”. Anyway we packed ourselves off in the car at the appointed time and drove down and collected our hooch. At least I didn’t have to go in the store to pick it up. Once we’d got home and unpacked the wine we tool our morning roll/walk. Not far toady, only 4 kilometers but it was a glorious sunny day.

For lunch we had the leftovers of yesterday’s fish au gratin. We usually make enough food to last us two days which means only having to cook vegetables on day two. And we try to stick to dishes that don’t involve a lot of meat or other things that need cutting so OH can eat onehanded without me having to cut everything up into manageable sized pieces. For some inexplicable reason I missed out on the veggies and quite unnecessarily boiled some potatoes as the dish already contains creamed potatoes. Discovered the mistake when about to serve lunch. Never mind, we saved the spuds for our evening meal. Tomorrow being Thursday we have our set Thursday lunch menu. For some reason lost in the annals of time Thursday lunch traditionally consists of thick yellow pea soup followed by pancakes. No self respecting lunch restaurant would have a Thursday menu without them. Please don't ask me why this is so, neither I nor OH have the foggiest

After we’d cleared up and OH had been outside I did a bit of work on the computer while she listened to the radio. For tea I diced the potatoes, fried them and we made some scrambled eggs. OH likes to help out as much as she can in the kitchen. Settled down for the evening in front of the TV. Mostly old reruns of different series so we watched the film To walk Invisible about the Brontë sisters. OH listened and watched as best she could and I did my usual description of the scenes and read her the Swedish subtitles.

OH decided on an early night as she has an appoinment tomorrow morning for her checkup with the eye specialist. She goes every six months to check if her eyesight has deteriorated any more. She says it definitely has so it will be good to have it confirmed or not. So helped her get undressed, night bags attached and nightie on and now she’s tucked in listening to an audio book. Another hour or so and I’ll be off too.