Out and about in February 2014.

Well the weather doesn't get much better does it, still in this part of the country mustn't complain too much, I feel heartily sorry for the people in the South, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better for them, one minute the powers that be saying they have no money and after Prince Charles and PM Cameron going there they have found some!. But it seems too little too late, will you be voting them in again!!.

Perhaps we should be spending less on guided missiles at something like a million pounds each and spending more on our own country hey.

Well now that's off my chest, went to the local community meeting on Thursday and it was all about the widening of Hyde Road in Gorton, (East Manchester if you are not local) It's going to start in October this year and will take 11 months to complete, this will include taking down the old railway bridge and replacing with a new pedestrian one.

 Here is the plan that was posted up on the night, the widening will be from Chapman Street to Wall Way nr McDonalds. This part of the road is a nightmare in the evening rush hour, you can imagine what it will be like when this work starts!, still its needed and  has to be done and there is no way round it is there.

It will no doubt give me a chance to try for some good pictures when the old and new bridges are being done.

On the home front, with my new found interest with plants, (indoor at the moment in this weather) I bought a nice wide, flat dish and some small cactus the other day and here is the result,

Think the dish gives it that Desert look doesn't it, I'm sure you've seen those pictures on the TV with the lizards hopping from one leg to the other because the grounds too hot!, could do with some of that here hey.

Thought this coaster in the garden centre was quite apt for me as well.

I mentioned in the previous post that I was having a picture framed at the Millyard Gallery in Uppermill, didn't want to mention it then as it was for my friend Marjorie and didn't know if she would read about it before I gave it to her, but here it is now,

One of my previous hobbies, Cross Stitch!, which I've started up again and you can do it in front of the fire which is a bonus this weather. 

 I have always been very pleased with the Millyard Gallery framing and they didn't let me down this time either.

Marjorie loved it I'm pleased to say!.

.........................................................................

What kind of lights did Noah use in the Ark?,

Floodlights!

Dad Dad said a young lad excitedly "I've got a part in the school play. 

"Well done Son, What is it"

"Its an old man who's been married for 35 years"

"That's a promising start Son, Next time you might get a speaking part!.

.................................................

It's the way I tell em

Thats all folks.

Dogs February 2014

Back again like the proverbial bad penny.

First I must tell you about Son John's new Blog find it here,

http://jessiethecockapoo.blogspot.co.uk/

All about his cockapoo's if you like dogs its a good read!.

Jessie

He was told that rubbing them dry after a walk was knotting them up and was told to get these dressing gowns, which he did, like you do if your dog mad!.

 Max

Cute though aren't they!.

This is my dog picture of the week though!.

..........................................................................................

.................................................................................................

Went to Uppermill this week to pick up a picture I'd had framed and whilst there called in at the Limekiln Cafe just outside the town centre, only because they let dogs in with well behaved owners!,

Here is Pepe waiting in anticipation for some scraps, that was a delicious toasted teacake with cinnamon added. 

Been to the local Brewers fayre, "The Stable Gate" again with Marjorie and had a nice meal again.

Guess who had what, the healthy option or the pigging out in the trough option, there again the nail varnish might give the game away.

Two meals for a tenner before 6-00pm can't be bad hey., the last of the big spenders, I know how to give a girl a good time hey!.

Bought myself another new hat last week as well, yes another Tilley Hat, Thats Tilley not Silly Hat Bob!.

 I know its like one of the others but at least its a different hat band.

And do you know how "They" say the owners start to look like their dogs, well look at this then!.

Still he's a cute little fellow isn't he, and who are "They" anyway.

Get a hat and get noticed, its true!, people I don't know very well talk to me and spot me from a distance, gives them chance to hid as well maybe!.

..................................................................................

What do you call a man who doesn't sink

Bob.

What do you call a man with turf on his head 

Pete

What do you call a woman with a sinking ship on her head 

Mandy Lifeboats.

A man walked into his home and yelled at his wife.

"Mildred, I've just discovered our marriage is illegal",

"How come" she replied 

"Your father didn't have a licence for that shotgun!"

It's the way I tell em!.

.......................................................................................

The New year so far.

Here I am again, been out and about but not been in the mood for writing, think it must have been writers block!.

So I've been doing a lot of reading and the last couple of books I've read were so good couldn't put them down, so perhaps that's why I've been off the blogging. Last book was "Caught" by Harlan Coben and the one before that was "Red Notice" by Andy Mcnab, both the type you can't put down!.

The last week or so I've also been sat in waiting for the Hearing Aid man to call, people lately have been telling me that my hearing has been going off again, so after a few calls to the man, been sat here waiting for a call back, eventually he did and took away my duff left aid and reprogrammed Velda's aids so I could use them, they were nearly new so they are no longer a waste sat in the cupboard.

My faulty left one turned out to be no better than a ear plug and was stopping the small amount of hearing I did have in that ear!.On returning with the newly tuned Velda's ones I couldn't believe the difference, I can now hear all the screaming kids in the Cafe, but there again one turn of the switch and I can turn off, there are some pluses in being deaf!.

My own aids turned out to be both faulty and are being replaced with new ones under guarantee, which is great after four and a half years,  My TV which I thought had faulty sound because I had to have it turned up to 85 is now down to 15!!, so there you have it on the hearing aid saga.

My Christmas present to myself was a Bose Soundlink mini, and has you can see from the size of it against my watch, it's quite small and I thought not very good, BUT after the hearing test and tweaking up of my new aids the sound is brilliant. The music comes from my Iphone or Ipad  and is sent by Bluetooth so I can take it anywhere, in the car, in the bedroom and even in the park in the spring!.

My other interest at the moment is collecting cactus for in the porch once the warmer weather comes along, so whilst visiting the local garden centres with friend Marjorie who is a keen gardener have been picking up the odd cactus now and then, They are all odd do I hear you say?.

Here are a few of my collection,

Repotted and ready for the porch, the two centre ones are my birthday presents from Marjorie.

waiting for some nice containers

Previous bargain from Daisy Nook Garden Centre, repotted by me

And the last one bought yesterday from the Grosvenor Garden Centre in Cheshire, worth a visit though its that big they are still changing from the Christmas setting, so not at their best at the moment, their plants are all nice and healthy looking and plenty of bargains at the moment, not forgetting the nice Cafe with great Roast Beef carvery!

Talking of meals we went to the Stable Gate at Denton the other day, its one of the Brewers Fayre chain and this one is really worth a visit if you live in the area, before 6-00pm, two meals for a tenner and two desserts for two quid!, can't be bad hey.

Marjorie's healthy option with baked potato instead of chips and two pineapple instead of two eggs!, I must admit I went for the pigging out option and got my feet in the trough with Smothered Chicken and Chips, well it saves you cooking when you get home doesn't it.

Well there you have it, back in the grove and a bit of a mixed bag today.

...................................................

Live not only begins at forty, but it begins to show!.

And don't forget Clones are people two.

Why is it that when you talk to God you are praying, but when he talks to you, you're crazy!.

If you choke a Smurf, what colour does it turn?.

..........................................................

Thats all folks.

Christmas and New Year

Happy New year to everyone!.

 Had a nice Christmas and New year, a lot nicer than the previous couple of years I must say,that is probably due to a wonderful family and friends old and new, thank you all!.

Christmas dinner was at John's and there were two lady missionaries there to share our family with us and also to "Skype" home to their families.Technology these days is wonderful isn't it!, they could hardly sit still waiting for their turn to "Phone home".

 The lady missionaries tucking in.

Mum and eldest G/ Daughter 

Duckie,Jacob and Ruthie.

Lady friend, Marjorie and I had a drink together on Boxing Day and Pepe enjoyed having company other than mine I'm sure though he wasn't too happy with his Christmas hat!.

Trying to open his Christmas present!.

The day after Boxing Day is always a Frostbite Sail Day at the boat club and here we are enjoying ourselves nice and warm in the clubhouse, having hot soup and mince pies, better than outside sailing boats in the rain and cold.

Click here to see club event

All wrapped up, Pepe doesn't need much wrapping up though.

To round off the holidays it was off to "The Stable Gate" the Brewers Fayre pub at Denton, for my birthday party with the family, a good Do, nice food and company and the staff are second to none.

Beautiful Hey

Have I shrunk!!

All bigger than me now.

Look no hat!, Marjorie and Duckie.

So there you are a nice holiday, I must say though that I feel heartily sorry for the people on the coast with all the flooding there, its not only now when the storms finish it's all the time afterwards drying out and getting back into their homes, and the environment agency just announced its cutting jobs, who makes these crazy decisions at a time like this!!.

Well thats all for now folks!.   

  

Oh, did I forget to mention my age!, you can take a guess and comment on it, no rude comments though as this is a family friendly blog.

The ghost of week past.

Over the past week we (Marjorie and I) have not been out much as we have both been a bit off colour with coughs and colds, so I decided to take Pepe to Lyme Park in High Lane, Stockport.

One of our members a few weeks ago had been talking to the chap who was the events organiser there and had explained that we used to have a show there twice a year with our club, the chap was very interested and said the person who had been in charge who had stopped us going had now left and indicated he would like us to come back!, the member hadn't got the name or phone number of this chap!.

This was music to my ears as it was a beautiful venue and had a large audience to show off our models. 

So our new membership card for the National Trust clutched in my frozen little hand it was off to find this chap.

After asking around I finally ended up in the Estates Office in the big house and found out that the chap I wanted was in a meeting and there was no idea when it would end, I left my Club and Personal business cards and was told he would contact me, still as its very close to Christmas I suppose there is plenty for him to do on the estate at the moment, hopefully this will be the start of our club and the park getting together again as it's a beautiful venue and everyone loved it, us and public alike

Pepe looked quite at home sat on the big chair in the office there, looked like he owned the place!.

On the way out I took a few pictures, didn't think it would be all text did you!.

 The small lake near the toilets and cafe 

The cafe, has you can see everyone well wrapped up.

The shop

The timber yard, the door near the sign is for ramblers to sit and eat their butties out of the rain and cold

The entrance to the big house

Large statue in the lake behind the big house, was this where Mr Darcy fell in the film?

No Plastic collection boxes for these gutters

Christmas decorations

 In the courtyard

On the way out, took this one of the tower on the hill

And nearer, with the zoom of course, didn't get out of the car was frozen by then.

...............................

On my trips round the garden centres, acquired a nice Mother-in- laws tongue  plant, which I've had in the past and after reading up again find they are the easiest plants in the world to grow, we shall see!!.

At £4 you can't complain at that can you, re-potted and in a fancy container, in the porch, but brought it back in as it's too cold out there this weather, perhaps in the spring

Better there in the living room.

Lastly friend Bob said I should do bit more cooking and had this for my tea last night 

Cheese on toast with pepperoni,

Apple pie and custard, does this count as cooking??

He called it a gastronomic breakthrough, perhaps he thinks its better than the usual junk food and tin stuff, but be honest when was the last time you opened a tin and the stuff inside was bad!!.

A Merry Christmas to you all from Pepe and I.

And just to remind you what it's all about really!.

That's all for now folks.

Awards night 2013

In my last post I mentioned that I'd been to the Hare and Hounds at Werneth Low for lunch with my good friends Bob and his wife Joyce, had a nice meal with Pepe sat good as gold in a chair at the table, I count myself rich in the fact that I have such good friends as these and many others in the boat club!.

Thinking that the day couldn't get much better, went to the AGM at the club that night and as well as the confirming of the officials for the coming year, it was also the awards for the various events and competitions throughout the year. if you are interested in the results of the awards 

Click here

If not I will give you the short version, 

I received the David Beaumont Trophy for services to the Club by a non committee member, and if you zoom in you might see that Velda's name is on the top left and mine bottom right, nice to have both our names there!.

I also received Joint 1st kit built trophy with the treasurer Geoff, we will have to share it during the year, I will be fed-up dusting it by then anyway!

I'm on there twice as well 2011 and 2013

 And there is the boat I entered this year, and here is the beautiful model submitted by Geoff the treasurer!.

Well there you go, what a great finish to a wonderful day with friends and club members and to get trophies for what you like doing is just icing on the cake really!.

Thanks to John, the other moderator for the festive header!.

..................................................................

An elderly man went to the doctors for his test results. The doctor said "I've got some good news and some bad"

"What's the bad news" asked the man.

The doctor said "I'm afraid you only have a week to live"

"Oh my God!" exclaimed the old man, "Thats terrible! so what's the good new?. 

The doctor said "They're going to name the disease after you!.

Boom Boom 

.....................................................

That's all folks