Friday 29 March 2013

and they rubbed him in with camphorated oil......

I have had the flu all week, and have been  huddled under the duvet, watching my temperature rise and fall, swallowing paracetamol and listening to Radio 4     . B.Wiggins has been dispatched to Brighton which he accepts cheerfully. He has latched on to daughter J as a mother substitute and admires Jumble in a respectful way.
I went to the doctor yesterday. I had to go to the next village. It was perishing cold and my temperature was 101.   The Dr listened to my chest and pronounced it as viral and said he couldn`t give me antibiotics and I would just have to `let it run its course` Fair enough but why don`t they have a few other cures up their sleeves?. My mother used to rub my chest with camphorated oil and put eucalyptus on the pillow.
Anyway I feel  a bit better today so will go and fetch the dog back to resume my three walks a day regime.
The day before I got ill I went to the annual party in the Village Hall to welcome new residents to Ditchling. I was promoting the choir and the Quakers. We did pick up two new choir members.   I didn`t cut much ice with the Quakers though.
    

Thursday 21 March 2013

red nose dancing

I can`t believe that almost a week has gone by since red nose Comic Relief Day. Last Friday was, as usual, cold and wet and windy, but a group of us, ranging in age from eight to eighty two (me) did some silly dancing in the pedestrian precinct in the middle of Brighton for about an hour and raised quite a lot of money in a bucket. The idea is: whoever wears the hat, leads the dance and you pass the hat round. It was daughter J`s invention. So you have twenty or so people doing the same odd eccentric movements and dancing around to the accompaniment of some tinny music from a ghetto blaster. We have decided that next time we will have live music. We all enjoyed ourselves immensely. The passers by looked surprised but paid up.
That was last week. This week has continued wet, cold ,windy and muddy. B Wiggins needs a bath but I am waiting for a change in the weather. Also I intend to book him into Twinkletoes, a nearby poodle parlour where he will get a thorough going over: teeth, nails, shampoo and trim, highly  recommended by the lady ijn the Pet Shop. I fear it will cost far more than my hairdo in a barbers shop in Kemptown.
My brothee P, my sister J and I will be together for a few days at the beginning of April for dear sister in Law`P`s funeral. We are all trying to think of some good hymns.

Tuesday 12 March 2013

daffodils in the snow

I have just been for an afternoon walk with B.Wiggins in brilliant sunshine and deep snow.   I watched the children tobogganing down Lodge Hill , no school today      The first daffodils are bravely poking through in the hedges.. This morning I walked in a veritable blizzard.  . If I had not got a dog, I would never have ventured out but it was really beautiful.. Wiggins has been given a smart blue jumper which is much admired by the Ditchling villagers.
The bungalow business is taking its course.. It will be a miracle if it goes through   So many hazards. On Thursday, my buyers are having this cottage surveyed. I expect they will find dry rot and subsidence or something. So it may all come to naught.  I have had a ten page document from the solicitor which scares the life out of me.  
I saw a strange film last night called il Quattro Volte. It was full of symbolism.and set in an Italian village. There was no dialogue. The main characters were a herd of goats and an ancient goatherd who collected snails.I am still trying to puzzle it all out.  I loved it though.
There is great sadness in the family as my dear sister in law P is very ill. She is being looked after at home with her family round her, which is a blessing.  I think about her all the time.and I wish I could be there to help.