Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

The Demise of Pretty Boy

My heart gave a lunch
as he fell of his perch
and fell to the floor
stiff as a door.
He raised his head
and dropped it. Dead!


THE TITLES BY THE WAY ARE CHOSEN BY THE GROUP. ITS AMAZING WHAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE WRITE. Sorry about Caps lock

[Sue]

That pan looks like new Stanley. Brilliant.

[plaques]

What about young shoots, brilliant green? Radiant green.

I was thinking 'Dancing' green. To give it some movement. Mrs P always does say I'm an odd ball.

[Big Kev]

Putting the washing machine in the bathroom and the dishwasher in the kitchen, I didn't think we'd miss the dishwasher but yes, we did.

[Sue]

What about young shoots, brilliant green? Radiant green.

I was thinking 'Dancing' green. To give it some movement. Mrs P always does say I'm an odd ball.

Young shoots don’t dance, unfortunately

[Sue]

Here is one for you Stanley. Very early writing days


The Riot

In sixteen hundred and seven the land was not its best.
Enclosures were the rule so the landlords said.
Dyches and hedges were put into place to divide up common ground.
The peasants were in uproar as they saw their yardlands go
to a quickset hedge of hazel, and fields of pasture land.
A peasant woman in a shift of blueberry blue,
a biggins cap and shawl of homespun wool,
rallied her friends and children one cold evening in May.
We will not lose our livelihood she did say.
We need the land for food and grazing.
We need to fight to retain our acreage.
That cold crisp night when they gathered
the moonlight was hidden as the clouds scurried ,
concealing them against the evening landscape.
In their belt pouches each carried a knife
and with shoulders laden with spades and mattocks
they ventured forth out of the town ,
across the bridge, down the lane and into the meadow
They pulled down the fences of wooden stakes,
dug up the quick hedges with axe and spade,
used the rocks to fill in the dyches,
backfilled the channels with the tilthe of the mounds.
When two hundred and fifty yards were filled and flattened
these brave souls marched back to their homes and their bed.
It was a good nights work for this happy band,
and repeated it was for many a night
Each time the diggers replaced the trenches
this determined group appeared to remove the blemishes.
The lieutenants were directed to supress by foul means or fair
causing alarm in Stratford as the gaols were prepared.
If their men were involved in this rural plot
they would have gone to gaol for enciting a riot.
However women and children who flocked like cattle
were regarded by law as unable
to make decisions such as this by themselves
and therefore were free from any legal assail.
Luckier they were than the women of Dunchurch
who also carried out a rural attack but
whose fathers, and husbands,were found guilty of a heinous act
of organising their wives to make the ransack
But in Stratford the young woman in blue
outwitted corrupted landlords with her crew.
Stratford town commons were never enclosed.
And forever it was known as the Midlands revolt

[Stanley]

I like all the poems Sue. Mirrors and hands ring bells with me! I often look at my hands and think of all the things they have done, funny thing is my right hand is younger than my left. I reckon it has had more oil in the last 85 years!





As for activities, aiming at the shed yet again. Funny how life gets in the way...

[Marilyn]

That is amazing ( one hand does look older than the other!)
I’ve just checked mine out and they look like a matching pair...both the same age.

[Stanley]

I can only put it down to oil. We used to use a lot of Driffield Oil as a quick way of rendering the hand sterile when doing internal examinations of cattle. Then there was all the oil used in mechanicking!

[Marilyn]

Likely, you pick up oil every time you pat the dog too!

[Stanley]

I've decided to wash the bedding, always something that needs to be done!
07:30. Covers are just finishing in the washer and I am having a sit down after fighting the covers and re-making the bed. I hate that Job!

[Sue]

My hands look the same too! Today I am changing the bedding, also. Then a bit of writing and I gather I am out for a family meal, no details given. Its a prelude to a lot of meals next week. Its our winter trip to the lakes, friends are joining us at the end of the week to help celebrate my big birthday with a meal on Thursday. On Friday we are all meeting our artist friend who moved to the Lakes last year,thats another meal, then yet another one on Saturday , a birthday present. Sunday after we get home its another meal , the Model Engineers annual do. I feel I need to do a lot of walking and swimming on Monday to Wednesday.

[Stanley]

Great minds think alike Sue. (Or fools seldom differ. Take your pick.)
All washing dealt with and two pairs of trousers ready for my seamstress to rescue! Shed has missed out, I am knackered and have to rest for a while. Never mind, standards are being maintained!

[Sue]

Same here Stanley, bed changed , washing done, ironing nearly finished, packing done, been to Rochdale for a couple of things and about to have lunch. Its a good job I checked whether we were doing anything today. My meal out with family is in Crew so all jobs that I had intended spending the day on have had to be done this morning. However I am not really moaning, I am looking forward to my family meal and I can have a doze in the car. Its the first of my many celebrations I think.

[Stanley]

There will be plenty more Sue. 80 was a goody for me!
Still aiming for the shed!!

[Sue]

Yesterday was a lovely meal, both daughters and family and my sister.
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Today we are off to the Lakes and it is raining very heavily indeed

[Marilyn]

Awwww...how lovely. Looks like a lovely venue and get together.

[Wendyf]

Lovely photo Sue. Doesn't it usually snow for your week in the Lakes?

[Stanley]

It looks like a good night out!
Shed has missed again today, I got sidelined by a domestic emergency and playing with new phone trying to transfer pics!

[Tizer]

A reet grand do!

[Sue]

Lovely photo Sue. Doesn't it usually snow for your week in the Lakes?

Yes it does Wendy, usually at least the last couple of days. This week, rain, rain and more COLD rain. Snow forecast early next week. Glorious sunny day today, torrential rain when we left Rochdale. Busy with planned events with friends at the end of the week, all involving food! So any walking will be done at the beginning. At least there is a nice pool, sauna, and jacuzzi for cold wet days, and I have my laptop for a bit of book writing. Its nice to come up here, I find the mountains good for the soul whether it is raining or not.

And yes, it was a good family do. All those little girls growing up fast though! ( that includes my daughters )

[Stanley]

Shed MUST be getting closer!

[Sue]

Good walk this morning before the storm arrived. This afternoon was a swim and jacuzzi. The rain has arrived with a vengeance, I think tomorrow will be indoor plans. The rivers are full and the paths very muddy. The waterfalls are stunning.

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[Stanley]

Looks nice but damp Sue.
I missed the shed again yesterday, I realised I had a flu-like cold and ached all over so I took precautions like old fashioned self medication and sleep. Not aching as much this morning but I shall carry on with precautions for a day or two until I feel normal. Too many hugs and socialising over Xmas I reckon!

[Tizer]

The 4th photo reminds me of Tarr Steps on Exmoor. The slabs there weigh a couple of tons each but the increasingly heavy floods started to sweep them away so they're now numbered to ensure they're put back in the right position! LINK