MOTHERLAND BY FIONA CUMMINGS

MOTHERLAND BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Walking through all the rubble

Sailing away from a land full of trouble

Onto a ship full of hope and glory

Time to start again

A new chapter of a true story

Salted blades

Water sprays

To the Lord we give praise

For he is guiding

Too long in hiding

We are almost free

The end of this misery

Smiles replace tears

 I can see

A future

A totally different culture

Will this be better for me?

No more fears

In absolute fright

Each night

All I want is to sleep in peace

Feel safe and warm

Not be among this hateful storm

Just waiting

Anticipating

I just want to know in the morning I awake

That it’s been a dreadful mistake

A nightmare

As the news we share

Of another loved one who has nowhere

No one

All alone

Gone

Forever

Stormy whether

We should stay together

An army

But not one at war

One that will   spread love

Under the same stars from above

We breathe the same air

We do care

But sadly we have to go

Where there are winters full of snow

But a beautiful meadow

Where we can walk without looking over our shoulder

Know our kids will get older

I wish I was bringing my daughter on this journey

If only I had warned her

Protected her more

But I couldn’t lock the door

As we had no walls

No roof above our head

Now our neighbours are all dead

We are the lucky ones

Goodbye old Motherland

I hope one day you, will be free

I can come back and plant a tree

In memory  We can return

No fires will burn

No bombs will blast

I hope this sadness and destruction won’t last

 

© Fiona Cummings

DIARY OF AND HE'S OFF

Ecuador   Bulgaria, China, America, France, South Africa, Canada, UK, Austria and Germany, are our top ten viewing countries today.

 

I hope you are all well? I’m having a break as our dogs have just run out. Sorry, no, left the house in an orderly fashion with our dog lady.

 OK, no, they flew out, little Waggatail escaped my grip and went running around the drive like a lunatic. No matter how much both myself and the dog walker called her name, she was so excited. Wagga that is, not the dog lady. Gosh that is a dreadful expression, the dog lady, so her name? She looks to me as though she should be called June, so let’s refer her to June from now on, yes? Haha.

 

Oh my nerves? Today Teen left for his break abroad. Gosh, this is a rehearsal to when he goes away in the summer for almost two weeks. This isn’t too bad; he will be back home safe in just 46 hours. Not that I’m counting.

 

Last minute Charlie, as he should be called, woke up one hour after I set my alarm. I mean, I don’t have any clothes to iron or pack, tickets to print off not only for him but for all his pals who are in his room. A passport to pack money and so on. I just have to get up and be a Mum. Which I can tell you, annoyed the heckers out of teen. Hahahahaheheheh. I wasn’t popular today. Me, “Have you got this that the other?” and of course all the don’t forgets and do’s and don’t.

 

Hub had the best idea; he stayed in bed till the last moment. Then it was so funny as Teen was about to leave Hub stood there for a few seconds. I thought, oh, is he going to be a kind Daddy and hand over some money for Teen? Em. Nope. He handed him a box, actually, half a box of Paracetamols.

 

Teen asked why he would need them? Hub replied for your head. Teen said he wouldn’t be drinking much. Hub replied well if you do you have pain killers. Oh when they think they are adults and by law they are. I mean I was married a couple of years at the age of teen, but they are not really adults. I don’t think I was until I was pregnant and even that was short lived; I brought home my doll and grew up properly a year later when my parents died. I was thirty. What is an adult? Just a number? Hmm. On the fence about that one. In fact why do we have to have titles? Old aged pensioners. June who walks our dogs, well, I would be sure she had more energy than me, half her age and she is an “Old aged pensioner.”

 

Teen looked very smart new shoes coat and trousers. He wasn’t best impressed when I had made him a pack lunch……   As I told him. The prices on the ferry will be extortionate. Don’t worry, I didn’t put it in a box with clowns on and give him one of those children’s drinks with the straw…. It was rather grown up a pack of pasty’s and some fruit. What’s wrong with that? He will be grateful at midnight when he is starving and there is no kitchen to come to and open the forever full fridge.

 

I hope he has a lovely time and is a teen for once. He is so sensible I know I get at him because he stays out till one in the morning when he is to drive to work at five, but he doesn’t drink when doing that, it’s the lack of sleep I worry with him driving so far to work. Well for the next few days he will be I hope safe happy and excited.

 

Gosh, alcohol doesn’t do anything for me, so I don’t require a stiff drink right now. I for sure don’t smoke. So, where is my vegetarian pasty….. Or three?

DINING IN THE DARK

Hey there dearest Bloggets. Well, thank you for your supportive reactions to my earlier blog on the restaurant. I remember an Indian restaurant we went to some years ago. It was one I have been to with friends who can see and we didn’t take our dogs because we felt like we may get refused. I loved the food there and Hub for our Anniversary asked me if I would like to go back and just try to get in with the dogs. It was a last minute decision; I had my Black Beauty at the time, left her at home as she was even more anxious than Wagga for city traffic. I took my cane and followed Hub with the amazing Long Chops AKA Suki.

 

Gosh we so got lost. I was in a right state. Terrified as the sounds of the busy traffic and we found ourselves in the middle of a road on an island thank goodness but couldn’t hear for the lorry’s going by. So we didn’t know if it was clear to cross or not.

 

People did pass us but we had no one who stopped to ask if we needed help crossing, we did ask a few people but they didn’t answer. At last there was a break in the traffic and we went across but I will never forget it. Though we went straight over, there was no up kerb at the other side. Just a pile of soil. Now where were wee?

 

Anyways, thank goodness a very sweet man came over to us. He stopped his car bless him and got out. He said that there wasn’t a path, but led us to where we were on the other side further down the road where there was a path. Again, it was like an island. We had some kind of sat nav on Hubs IPhone. I think it was taking us as if we were a car. Haha. Gosh, I really just wanted to go home. Having said that, where was home? We were so lost.

 

Down narrow streets and passing by lord knows what but we found someone who told us we were going in the right direction. At last after forty minutes we arrived. Went in and were told that there were no tables. This was on a Thursday night at ten past six.

 

It sounded so empty. We came out and stood near the door. AN elderly couple came to the door, I asked them if they had booked a table, they said no. In they went and they didn’t come back out, more and more people went in, so we made our way back and this time we took it so slowly and followed our intuition.

 

I was ready to return and just order a Pizza. Hub wasn’t ready for that he said he was going to take me for dinner for our Anniversary. To be honest, I lost the will. I know with friends it took about eighteen minutes to get there last time from where we were dropped off the bus. So forty was a bit more and for sure more stress.

 

We did well at getting back. I didn’t know of any other restaurants as we were new to this area. Though I’m sure passed loads as the smells came wafting out from buildings but in front of the buildings, were planters tables or just iron gates so it wasn’t obvious what they were or even where the door was.

 

At last we were on the street I recognized. Hub asked someone if there was a restaurant near. We did get a few people pointing and others saying no they didn’t know anywhere, which I found odd as we knew by the smell that there were eateries around us.  Then a lady who sounded kind informed us that we were just down the street from a nice place, she said two doors down. Well, doors? Where? We found one but the other was set back as was the building we were meant to go, Anyway asking again, we found the door. We asked for the man to show us the actual door. I hate asking I leave most of it to Hub. I always feel like I’m bothering them. And I’m sure I am.

 

Anyway we got to the door thanked the man and in we went. Oh, heck, Hahheheheh  it was one of those kind of doors where you go through and there is  a huge reception place with no one in just a empty place so we found a load more glass, now pushing each panel to see what would open, as I did, the noise was like a swimming pool. It was so full of echo. High ceilings. We stood. Waited. And waited. I turned to Hub and said we were in the wrong place. Then a lady came to us and said some words. With the loud voices and clattering of plates and so on, I heard every two words. But Hub I heard and he asked the lady to allow me to take her arm and he would follow. Great old LC was the best at that.

 

She led me to a table and was so lovely all night. We had a delicious meal, I did laugh as Hub asked our waitress where were we? I think it’s called Ask. And boy, ask we did that night.

 

Now we are meeting our family for the restaurant in a few days so we would be OK but imagine if Hub and I decided just to go to Oven in Darlington find it after a struggle and be told we were not allowed?

 

My Sister in law pre asked the restaurant if we could bring our Guide dogs and we were told no, so it’s OK, we have booked another and I will let you know when I’m back what it was like but the lady who owns it was very pleasant to my Sister and said our dogs would be welcome. Oh heck, let Waggs be on her best behaviour? Smile.

 

It’s a beautiful sunny day now but before was raining very hard. Teen in from work and now off to the town to buy what he needs to go away with. Oh I hope my baby enjoys himself he deserves it as he works so hard. When he gets back, he is working ten days in a row. It’s bad; he is on early starts again so has to be awake at four. Whilst his boss comes in at mid-day. Not bad, hey?

 

Today one of Teens colleagues was late the other phoned in sick. Leaving teen and one other young lad an assistant to open the shop and then who turned up? The auditors. Oh great, Teen has not done that job before so talk about getting thrown in at the deep end? But he did so well bless him and they got 95% whatever that means. If only the top boss knew what responsibility Teen has put up with there, I’m for one so proud of him. Last week again he was the only boss in, the alarms went off they were faulted. He had to look up the people who deal with that to get them to call out to repair it. On the same day, a huge order hadn’t turned up at the depo that was meant to. He dealt with that too making sure that the company were told off and he told me how he spoke with such calmness and in such a professional manner. Long and short of it was the company apologised the order came in just a little late and the customers received a discount so they were impressed with Teen. I think though that the straw that will break the camel’s back will be when Teen returns and works ten days in a row. It’s not just the eight hours some days ten, it’s the two hours transport there and back. And so early in the morning too.

 

Our steam mop came it’s great. I hope. Again who knows if it has removed stains if there indeed are any stains on the kitchen floor, but it has made them very smooth without effort from me?

 

Learning how to put it together was fun. Quite easy though and then where to put the water and detergent. All done though as for the instructions how to do it? PA, instructions destructions. Hahaha. A bit of paper which went in the bin. No good to us….

 

It came with three cloths. I put them on the windowsill in the living room and when I returned from the kitchen to the lounge, there was a Little Fella with one of the cloths in his mouth.

 

He was so proud to show me what he found. As if to say thank you Mummy for this toy, I rather like it.

 

He is a funny little fella; he sucks your finger like a baby. I’m not kidding. He Nussles your finger, then his mouth closes in and he sucks. I promise. I wonder if it is when he was a baby, pup, he was very very ill and I wonder if he had to be fed by bottle. As never have I known a dog to be able to do that.

 

He is the cutest dog. They have just been playing in the garden and they went wild. Now all calm in their bed. I haven’t told them yet but tomorrow they are going for a free run with our lovely lady who takes them for us. One day I would love to take both of them and see how they are together. It would have to be with Artie my friend. She’s coming next week but LF will be back at work with Hub and there LF sometimes gets a free run with one of the ladies in the office who kindly feels sorry for LF who is normally under Hubs desk or sitting next to his chair in a meeting.

 

OK, here is teen home. Oh heck that music in his car? Will go to make dinner now and chat later. Keep well won’t you? Xx

GUIDE DOGS NOT ALLOWED

 Would love to let you know about a meal we were to have with family this week at a place called “The oven” in Darlington. What would have been a simple enjoyable meal, has had to be cancelled at that particular restaurant. Why? Because the manager won’t accept guide dogs. They say “because the restaurant is too small downstairs. And upstairs?

 

A manager from Guide Dogs has called the restaurant to let them know that what they did is illegal. My sister in law who we were going with has gone there for a very long time and said it is a lovely place to have a meal as the food is delicious. She wasn’t best pleased with the outcome.

 

As a blind couple we just want to go for a meal the same as anyone else. Our dogs are under the table and never come out other than to vacate the premises. They are our glasses. Our means to get places. OK, I’m not totally saying what they have decided is wrong, as when we are at home our dogs are not allowed in the kitchen for hygiene reasons so why should we expect them to go to restaurants?

1, because they don’t run around licking the floor as they try to get away with at home,

2, if not for our dogs, we wouldn’t be able to get to half the places we do go to.

3, yes dog hairs but under the table. So when we leave how long will it take to quickly vacuum even with a hand held cleaner?

4, how long does it take to clean the floor after a child has spilled their lunch, or thrown it on the floor?

5, our dogs don’t make a sound. Sitting having a quiet meal is possible with our guide dogs. Whereas a baby screaming or a child? Even those who have had too much to drink and are very intrusive on other people’s dining.

 

It’s funny how it’s never anything other than certain cultures, that don’t except guide dogs. So is it the culture or is it the manager’s decision? Well in our experience it is the culture. Same as certain taxi drivers. We have booked a taxi they turn up, see we have a guide dog and just drive off. We have stood in a taxi queue with sighted friends and they have said that some drivers look and drive away.

 

It’s a shame. But if you feel strongly about this please can you go online to “Trip advisor” and give feedback?

 

My Sister in law has picked another venue for us to go to, this time typically English. So we will get to see our family and have a lovely meal, but such a shame we can’t just pick anywhere like you may?   

THOUGHTS JUST BEFORE BED

Gosh this blog is one I didn’t expect. As it’s written in two parts. Early afternoon and very late at night. The latter part is deep and meaningful.

Good day Bloggets. Well, today Hub is feeling worse than what I am. So it’s my turn today to look after him. Though he has been practicing for a wedding we are going to. He has been asked to sing and play piano. So I have had a beautiful concert today.

 

Chilli made for dinner that was a laugh. I just shook and hoped. Shook the tins of what I hope for were different kinds of beans and hoped I was right and I was.

 

I took a jar of many, out of the fridge, and hoped it was a chili sauce and it was. Not bad out of goodness knows how many tins and about eleven jars. So a simple dinner cheating really, and a big pot of rice. I did fry off some garlic and mushrooms to go in and chopped some sliced tomatoes.

 

If chilli doesn’t get rid of our colds nothing will. Then some ice cream for afters.

 

Talking of spicy food, it’s been ages since we have smelled our neighbours cooking. Which is very unusual it’s normally every day as she is a cook from home, it’s her business.

 

One day till Teen is off on his break. I hope the winds stay calm as it’s been really strong in parts of the UK and he is going by ferry. Yesterday in the North sea, there were forty foot waves.

 

Today we have experienced the highs and lows of accessing information on the internet for those who are blind.

 

The best thing I have found is an application called Tap Tap See. I have spoken about this before we use it a lot. If I want to know what certain items are like Hub put a sweatshirt on the other day and on the front was a huge emblem which he isn’t a fan of. It’s great, not only did it say the colour of the top, but what was written and in what colours.  He has just used it on me now sitting here and it said.  “Person in black sitting on black couch with grey lap top. Then he pointed it to the fire and it said. “Short coat black dog lying on white rug.” It has read tablets for me before too and “Tap Tap See is free now as well.

 

Then there was my fave shop for clothes. That was dreadful. I used to be able to shop on that website but no longer they have put too much flash on it so adverts. I can be reading a description of an item of clothing and suddenly something totally different will start to read. Like a jacket. So for those who are sighted, the jacket may match the dress for example so it’s put in front of you as a suggestion, but it interrupts what I was reading. Also some clothes say multi when it comes to colours. I have bought lots of multi’s before and they have turned out to be only two colours and they never tell you the colour.

 

Only two shops we can use for groceries with great ease. But we are lucky to be able to use that some countries don’t have internet grocery shopping.

 

Well, I have written this in two parts. Earlier was above and now is now…. Smile. It’s half eleven in the evening and teen has just left for the gym. In his shorts and it’s bitter cold. Almost midnight. He is up for work in four and a half hours. Madness.

 

Our dinner was quite nice. And there is some left for tomorrow. Talking of tomorrow, we have such an exciting day planned….. We have a steam mop coming. Haha.  Oh, I live it large.

 

So topic for tonight. Just before bed I was wondering what to write to my Bloggets about. What may interest you might not interest your neighbour and I want to reach all of you. So topics that will I hope turn on a light in your mind or imagination. I could ask questions and wait for your answers, but may wait a while. As are they rhetorical questions? Like, why is the sky blue? Where did Adam and Eve go, heaven or hell? How do you love yourself? Are there angels amongst us? What is the best age for a successful marriage?

 

Communication is so important whether it be talking writing or reading. Speech is so important too powerful and persuasive speeches can change the world. Or at least a part of it. Great leader’s dictators or democrats, have led nations, won wars and fought back with vengeance. Mahatma Gandhi convinced Indians of their power to retaliate the British through his famous slogans like “Do or Die.” Not that I am condemning war. Quite the opposite but, there are some who are born to fight and just wait for that command to push their button.

 

Why is the sky blue then, well, from my limited knowledge, blue light is scattered molecules of air in earth’s atmosphere blue is scattered more than other colours because it travels as shorter waves. So I am lead to believe anyway.

 

Where did Adam and Eve go, heaven or hell? Again, don’t take my word for this it’s my belief and I’m not a bible reader, but I gather that they went to heaven, though it’s not exactly written, we are lead to believe that is where they went.

 

How do we love ourselves? I am sure this is a way of life. Your circumstances life’s situation and if all that fails, then you have to teach yourself and I’m far from being close to finishing school on that one. I am learning fast what certain people think of me and also learning what others think. I can reveal that the difference between opinions is incredulous. I mean, so different that I found it as I’m learning, difficult to believe how such opposite opinions can be about the same person. If I was being analysed I’m not sure what the results would be. Perhaps somewhere in the middle of everyone’s opinion. And what opinion would I like to conclude? Thankfully, the majority of your views. And interestingly the views I have had that shocked me come from a very similar group of people. These people are a group who let’s say live a rather closed life and those who are more open to the world think totally differently and it is those who I respect as to be honest if I believe what the very few others thought I would be in a box now, or a hospital for the mentally ill.

 

For many years I lived in a gold fish bowl where I was being watched and couldn’t get out, now I’m being looked and listened to but I can get out and read life. I have come out of my prison and now behind bars are those who think of me as weak and needy. I can smile now and know that I’m not that person. They believe it, but what makes me strong now is the fact that I see these people who think they know me and they don’t and that is strength. Playing a game and keeping your cards close enough to have the king and queen in your pack.

 

 How much do people really know you? It’s a fun game you know, if I were a singer, I stood on stage every week singing the same song same voice. Or, to be a singer with many songs and different voices to give the best out of my performances. I would pick the latter.

 

Are there angels among us? I believe so. This is something only you can answer. As I could say there was and if you don’t believe that, then nothing I could say would change your point of view. And the best age to marry? Well, personally, I don’t believe there is a perfect age. I do believe that you change your mind set, your heart opens as you get older and your brain collects more information over the years that may make you wiser to the situation of life. So at seventeen you think you are in love. You know you are. But are you really? If you could fast forward your life looking in a metaphorical mirror, and see just what you will feel in five years from seventeen, I promise you will feel different. What excited you at such a young age will now bore you and what you found boring way back now you will be content with. A kiss of passion can quite easily become the kiss of death, well, hopefully not really, but that sweet kiss can become sour. When you get to a certain age, you know your mind. You know what you want. You may meet the love of your life as a child. But will you marry him/her as soon as it is legal and will that love lust passion remain? Or will you meet your love as a childhood sweetheart and have a gap then when you have both matured, get back together and that time it will be for life. I know that is what happened with my Husband and me. For me personally, I knew from a very young age I loved my husband. But if we had married at say 21, I feel he would have missed out on so much in life. For me I would have gained for sure. But he had so much freedom and opportunity in life way back. In the end it didn’t make him happy, but he has memories I couldn’t have given him. I also think that you have to have bad times in your life to appreciate the good times. I also know that you can have too many bad times. Some people seem to have so much joy and others seem to endure such pain constantly. Life isn’t always a box of chocolates. Full of different flavours textures and experiences.  Sometimes you get the same bar of chocolate and it may be one you really don’t like.

 

Just before bed, one final thought, Seven Wonders of the World. What would yours be if you could choose?

 

Lots to think about tonight nighty night. X

NEWS AND VIEWS

The news and my views. Pakistan, my heart goes out to the innocent people killed yesterday. 72 so far. Awful one poor lady lost both her daughters. Gosh why, oh why can’t we just all live in peace? This land is a gift and could be so beautiful. What is beautiful about fear?

A man has died in the UK after we have been battered by storm Katie. It’s wild here but not as bad as other parts of the country have had it.

A seven year old child has died in England after the bouncy castle rolled over with winds and killed the poor little angel.

Taiwan, a four year old girl was beheaded in front of her Mother. My lord what is going on in our world?

Half of cars already have the self driving technology fitted. So we are half way there for a self-drive car. Gosh, what would that mean to Hub and myself? We would get in our car in our drive; tell the car where to go? Like a sat navy? We would get there and then what? But even if we told it to go to a beach car park. So what if we just got out and stood. We o would smell the fresh air we would be able to take a picnic with us eat listen to the beach sounds and come home. Mind you, doubt we would ever be able to afford one of those cars. No one is saying how much they will cost. I think if everyone had one, there would be far fewer accidents on the road.

 

Hopefully tomorrow will be a day full of world peace and a very happy read.

 

 

A SPRING DAY BY FIONA CUMMINGS

A HAPPY SPRING DAY

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

The blackbirds sing

As we welcome spring

The church bells ring

As we head for the hills

Full of yellow daffodils

Brighter nights

Longer days

No more haze

Just sunrays

April delights

Chocolate fountains

Jumping bunnies

Fluff ball lams

Ice cream vans

End of winter

So they say

I’m just waiting for a warmer day

As cool April showers dance with the sun

 Tiny ducklings having fun

Rivers flow

Under the rainbow

An Easter hunt for a pot of gold

Excited faces and hand to hold

On our way

For a happy spring day

 

© Fiona Cummings

DIARY OF TWO SIDES

I feel really guilty and I know I won’t be able to sit here long, but last night Teen Hub and myself all at the same time developed a really sore throat.  After such a lovely day too but went to bed I got to sleep at about two this morning woke up about six times with a burning throat it was so tight swollen and I couldn’t stop sneezing. Well, Teen at work today not feeling well, Hub and I lay in till late for him, almost ten. We just felt like rubbish. He took a bath and I went back into the deepest sleep. I had the worst nightmare. You know one of those dreams where you eventually wake up but you don’t believe that you are awake and living the nightmare still? Gosh, good job I can’t see in the mirror as really I felt dreadful. I’m not going into the nightmare as it totally has disturbed me. But I was shaking.

 

I don’t feel any better. I’m still with pained throat and whenever I have a cold my eyes burn as if on fire. They also have the normal pains like someone is kicking them. I think I must look horrific.

 

Poor Hub thankfully isn’t so bad and is doing the upstairs floors has just finished the bathroom too. I’m feeling too guilty as that is my roll but he refused to hand over the vacuum. He cleaned the bathroom when he got out of the bath when I was in the deepest of nightmares. I have cleaned the kitchen and it’s an easy dinner tonight. Teen working till seven. Well that is when he gets in. Then I think he is off to the gym. Then he better clean his room. It’s disgusting in there. He has one more night or then I’m going in and I will chuck all the clothes off the floor in his cupboard. He will hate that as his cupboard is so tidy, well it would be, his clothes are on the floor. It’s so not like him.

 

Yesterday I brought downstairs half our crockery and loads of empty cartons. He can see, so he sees them as he wakes up. All he needs to do is bring them downstairs.

 

Not long now before his break with his friends so I want the room done before he goes.  I’m not too sure he is ready for his holiday. He doesn’t have his Euro’s yet or holiday insurance. Everything is last minute.

 

I bought some lovely lights for the garden. Our dog run. Hub wonders why on earth do I want to light up the run. Well, if he could see, he would go to the toilet and put on the light right? So why not our dogs? Hahaha. They are blue and I have blue pots around the fence  they weren’t expensive but they need drilling on to the fence. Hmm. Who will do that? I’m not going to ask the poor joiner to come and do that it wouldn’t be worth it. As they were well under £10 it would cost me that again at least to get him to do that. We have the tool now the drill but need the sight to do it. It’s not like just a drill, or I could do it, it’s like a machine going on. My goodness the bits and bobs that go with such a tool is scary. Knowing me I would break the machine.

 

We bought a door mat too on line. It said it had a pheasant on it. Well it came yesterday in a huge box. Wrapped in loads of paper. For a door mat? Come on Amazon environment friendly and all that? Mind you thank God for that company.

 

So this mat, one of those quore ones not sure I have spelled that correctly. But feels rough to the touch like straw. Only one problem. Same feel on both sides. Haha. So what side is the pheasant? Well, we asked one of our delightful children, our Son and he said the correct side. Just have to be careful now when I’m hoovering up and I lift the mat not to turn it over. I wonder what it would have took to put one on both sides?

 

I thought one side would be the straw like and the other would be rubber or a different material.

 

OK must go for now Hub grooming dogs so can’t sit here all day chatting to my Bloggets. I’m off to iron. Today was going to be a chill day. We just never seem to have them. A much needed holiday but that isn’t going to happen this year either. Never mind, onwards and upwards.

DIARY ENTRY

Good evening Bloggets. A busy and surprising day. I received a message yesterday from our family asking if we were going out anywhere and if not they would pay a visit. So they came and we had a most enjoyable time. Our Brother, Sister in Law and Niece came we had a lovely lunch and good old catch up. A really happy time.

 

Teen didn’t get in till 6 this morning so he wasn’t in much of a mood for food…. I just don’t know how anyone can stay out till then? Gosh, I think I would be finished after two, though sometimes I’m awake till four or five, but in bed not dancing and being sociable.

 

If you celebrate Easter I hope it’s been a good one for you.

 

The weather has been dreadful. Heavy rain, thunder, lightning and Gail force winds.

 

We all as a family watched a great drama tonight it was the final part. The guy who plays the main roll is said to be the next James Bond. He will be a great one. The drama was called “The Night watchmen” So if you ever see that coming your way, look out for it we were on the edge of our seats with it.

 

A very busy week this week. Another family day, and a last minute decision to see our besties. Very excited and not so exciting a Doctors appointment and solicitors. But tomorrow a relaxing day and some work on Tuesday.

 

OK last Easter blog for this year. So here is a bit of silliness.

Which is the odd one out?

 

Top

Bun

Bowler

Straw?

 

Answer?

Did you get it right? I was talking about Hats, so the answer is bun the rest are hats.

What does the Easter bunny order at the Chinese restaurant?

Answer?

Hop suey

 

Sorry….. Will go for now be happy. Smile. With love.

 

DIARY OF THE CONFESSIONAL BOX

Good afternoon Bloggets. I hope I find you well? Hub got up really early to catch a bus to our town. I was meant to go with him but I couldn’t find the strength to do so. He had to go in early for the little fella to do his best work. He also had a haircut appointment. I needed so badly my fringe cut, but looks like it will be the parcel scissors and the blind hair dressers. Smile.  

 

He said the town was packed it is Easter weekend and there is a lot going on. I wish we could do what others are as there is a huge Easter market and lots of fun stuff. But one day, if my dream comes true and sight is restored then I will be out every Easter, Christmas and other festivals enjoying the festivities. Open markets are a nightmare if you can’t see. And they are all over the place not just down one street or in a square. I told Hub not to attempt the bank as they put stalls and speakers and so on in the oddest places. If you can see you can go around them but if not and the only route you know is the one where the stalls are, or band is playing, you face a challenge.

 

I went to our local shop to get some bits and bobs. Wagga was delighted. She loves tootling along our avenues of all sorts.

 

It was quite windy but not enough to bother me today. I hate it when we can’t hear for the wind. Anyway back home and about to cook with Hub a feast for Easter.

 

It’s so cold out there but nice and toasty in here. Our dogs are shattered. Poor Little Fella, bless him, he works so well, but is satisfied with a morning of work where as our LC would work all day every day.

 

Hub right now listening to the football on the radio drinking coffee eating chocolate. Teen at work but off tomorrow so that means tonight he will be out till tomorrow. God help us. Then he is working for a few days then his first holiday begins with his pals. Then God help only me. My nails won’t get any shorter.

 

Take care Bloggets and talk soon, but before I go, a joke sent in by a dear friend and Blogget.

 I went into the confessional box after years of being away from the church. Inside I found a fully equipped bar with Guinness on tap, on one wall there’s a row of decanters with fine Irish whisky and Waterford crystal glasses. On another wall is a dazzling array of the finest cigars and chocolates.

 

Then the Priest came in and I said to him.

“Father forgive me, it’s been a very long time since I have been to confession, but I must admit the confessional box is much more inviting than it used to be.”

 

The Priest replied.

“You moron, you’re on my side.”

DIARY OF THE BUNNY AND CHICK

Good afternoon. Well as we woke this morning I had to get in contact with the Easter chick and bunny smile to see if we were going to be left anything this year? There are a lot of children who read my blog so I hope you all got lucky and received something this year? Or is it too early as Hub said we should not have received anything till Easter Sunday. Oopsie. Well, I love animals and if I can make it easy for them by letting them deliver here so they are not too busy on Sunday, so be it…. Chocolate, bring it on.

 

I must say, the Easter bunny and chick are rather advanced when it comes to technology these days? Teen received his messages via text. And the cheeky bunny and chick had the nerve to use my phone. Making the text look like they were from me? Teen is very good at pacifying his mad Mum. Haha.  

 

He received his chocolate and two odd gifts for Easter. A lip balm and a car air freshener. Oddly what I bought for Christmas that I couldn’t find at the time but the bunny is very good at detective work and he knew that they were hiding in Hubs drawer in our bedroom. Shame we didn’t have that Easter bunny at Christmas, right kids?

 

 We are very full now as teen escaped; sorry went to collect fish & chips. It must be a northern thing as no one around here knew what we were talking about when we said we were going to have fish & chips for lunch. Why? Because it’s tradition you don’t eat meat on a Good Friday. I will tell you what, I gave teen some money, Hub said Fiona you will need more than that, and I was like, what? I’m not having fish, just peas. Mushy ones with my chips. Anyway gave teen £20 and we got £2 change. £18 for two fish and chips one chips with peas? Oh my word. I remember the days when it was about £8 for the same and I’m talking the year we moved here about five years ago almost. No joke. Anyway we are very full now.

 

I can’t believe no one even does boiled eggs? Again, I know the chick’s deliver those, but I was told how to replica those by my Mum and this is how. Take your eggs; put them in the pan, still with  shell on, pan of onion peels and boiling water with salt. Boil till hard and then drain taking them out of the pan of peel and water and glazing them with butter and polish with paper towel and place in dish they look beautiful shiny like marble. If you can use red onion skins even better.

 

As for Easter TV, gosh, there is nothing on. It’s like a normal Friday Good Friday used to be special nationally. Well, it is in our house. And the best bit is, Teen said he would do the same with his child. Tradition is full of good memories and makes parenting even more important and special. Otherwise Easter will be about eating chocolate and no discussion what the egg represents. It’s said that it represents the rolling away of the stone from the tomb but there are other suggestions.

 

     Just read my emails from mine and Hubs joint mail. He received an email that made me smile. It went something like this, saying Hubs name followed by...”Why not enhance your curves with our innovative underwear.” hahahaha

 

A chill day for sure and tonight we are all gathering around the telly watching our latest dramas. No doubt eating an egg. Tonight may be the first time in almost a month I will be eating after 7pm.   Well it’s Easter only once a year, right? Xx Ps, good job I’m exhausted with chasing those chicks and long eared cheeky bunnies.

DIARY OF EASTER AND THE PLANTS

 There is homemade bread in the oven. It smells delicious. We have homemade bean soup too and I’m for one starving after being denied electric for half the day smile. Even now, I’m not sure we are on properly. As they said they were going to sort out generators and it would be another six hours before we would be fully switched on.

 

Well when we heard the electric was back on via the TV box making that what is normally annoying sound until today when it was welcome.  I don’t know who moved the fastest to grab the kettle to put on a brew. Me or Hub. We were blooming freezing. The house had gone so cold. No electric no heating. I couldn’t even wash the bathrooms as we needed hot water. We were off for about three hours.

 

It’s rained all day too that makes you feel colder when you have to take the dogs out and you get wet. Oh that cup of tea was so needed. And now hot soup and bread. Yum. The house smells so homely.

 

Teen asked if he had an Easter egg for tomorrow. I told him he would have to wait to see if the Easter bunny had been. OK, he’s 19 now. And? Smile. I wanted to get some baskets so much like our friends bought us when we spent Easter at theirs some years ago. Oh the baskets our friends did were beautiful. We left them as they would have cost a fortune. They were full of goodies. We ate all that. It was the best Easter of my life. Spent with the best people I loved our time there. We went to the local church where wonderful Chuck gave his service then had a picnic afterwards then just spent the best time with our friends Derek, Mary jean and another who isn’t spoken about now. Smile….. I was the happiest I had been ever over Easter. We also went to Dollywood. Oh that was amazing. Stayed in a magnificent place. Enjoyed the entire park had to offer but most of all, we came home to our accommodation with the most wonderful people and in between I went girly shopping with my lovely friend Jean. Our friend Mary arranged a beautiful dinner for hub and myself we went to a restaurant and our friends took Teen to the circus. It was like a real family and a memory I will never forget. Just to be able to go out and know our Son was getting looked after. That was in the US a Easter far from the one we are having this year.

 

Teen has just gone out after all day at work. Coming in, going to bed for an hour. Eating dinner with us, going to the gym. Coming in, getting a shower and back out to an all-night in our town. I guess it will be five in the morning before I hear him….

 

Hub now putting all of our recycling out not a nice job. Bless him. He is in so much pain again had loads of pain killers today but they have not touched the agony he is in. It’s a bad one as from tonight he can’t talk. Down one side of his face he can’t move it. He has really bad pain around his eyes. I hate this when he hurts and there is nothing I can do. WE ordered a water pillow my lovely friend told me about. I hope this will help him sleep. One good thing, if it’s a rubbish pillow, we will have such a laugh with it I’m sure.

 

Talking of laugh. The shop LUSH is selling a massage soap that customers have reported that its growing plants in their showers. Hahahahaha. Well the company do use fresh seeds etc.

 

And finally a Easter warning. If I knew this before I bought some, I wouldn’t have bothered buying. Cadburys have stopped putting Easter on their eggs. In case to offend other religions. I mean, I wonder if other religions really would complain?

 

OK going to do some housework as this is the time of night I come alive. Xx

 

EASTER SUNDAY BY FIONA CUMMINGS

EASTER SUNDAY

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

As the fields of yellow

Fill my heart with feelings so mellow

The fragrance of lilac blooms

And the sounds of the black birds tunes

My heart falls in love with this time of year

Easter bonnets

Little fluffy rabbits

New born lams

Bouncing in the farm lands

The bitter winter goes to sleep

As the Easter season begins to creep

Slowly dark turns to light

And our days can kiss the night

A land of promises for better days to come

Where baskets are full of fun

On a pew I perch

Such a view from my church

All gathering to pray

For this special day

Easter Sunday

 

© Fiona Cummings

ELECTRIC SHOCK

Good day when this will get to you I don’t know. Why is this? We have no electric. Gosh life without electric. Hub was just saying we depend on it too much. I said no I don’t. Hahahahahha. She who is addicted to research writing and so on with the net. Anyways, he said he could smell dog in the house….. Yep love, that’s because we have two…. He then said he would put on the dish washer, then realised he couldn’t.  I in the meanwhile whilst smiling at his silly mistake with the washer, decided to put on our plug in air freshener.

Oopsie. Can’t do.

 

 It was getting cold. Hub said close the back doors to keep in the heat. I said as I reassured him he would not be cold; I would put on the fire.

It’s electric.

 

 Then Hub said we can’t even iron. I suggested he listens to his kindle.

 It’s flat.

 

I then said we could go to our gym. I would do the tread mill. He said it’s electric. Oh how stupid can I be in one morning? So Hub said he was going on the exercise bike. At least that isn’t dependent of electric.

 

I guess I will dust. It’s pouring with rain so we can’t do the walk we wanted to do just around the block.

 

So I guess Hub is right, we do depend on electric.

WHAT EASTER MEANS

 Easter is here what does Easter mean to you? To me over the years it has meant different things. Christmas has in general meant the same but Easter? Well I think because it is on a different day each year makes it hard to stick with some kind of belief. So Jesus was born on December the 25^th, and Easter he rose from the dead. But surely it should be on a particular date? Not just any date that suits.

 

How is the date of Easter determined and why does it change every year between March 22^nd and April 25? I believe it has something to do with the Jewish Passover. Jesus’s resurrection happened after the Passover so followers wanted Easter to happen after that celebration. It also has something to do with the paschal full moon and the lunar calendar is also involved. I’m no expert on this subject but roughly that is how Easter changes. This is why I can’t get quite as religious as I could at Christmas.

 

Listen to me? I am not religious. Not at all. I have a belief but it’s not the norm and I wouldn’t say I was religious. I really wish we had one religion which was, or is a way of life rather than praying to something we don’t know about really, we can have our beliefs but none of us know. If weal had one belief and all prayed to our maker rather than give he, she, it, a name, and just had beautiful buildings to do this in and all came together. What an ideal world?

 

All this blowing yourselves up and other people you don’t even know? Some of them could be your religion you are murdering, and not to give your children blood if they are dying? To believe that you are a sinner if you don’t believe in one kind of God? And so on. Why can’t we all just live as brothers and sisters and laugh be happy and kind? Why?

 

Anyway moving off religion and back to what Easter means to you other than the religious aspect? As a child, my brother and I used to get lovely huu’uu’uuge Easter eggs. They were always so beautiful. I loved most of all the baskets with a giant egg in. I loved school making Easter bonnets and so on. Only part of our cruel boarding school I did like. And it meant a long holiday home from nasty sleepover school. It was always sunny too and my Mum used to make hard boiled eggs with onion peal. I still do that for teen.

 

When I had my Son, we used to take him to lovely events at Easter. In Northumberland my ex and I would go to a grand hall where the gardens would have wonderful crafts on.

 

I would hide eggs for teen to find and buy bunny rabbits to place for clues for him to find them. I would hide them in the house and garden as Easter used to always appear so warm.

 

Daffodils I loved. And still do I think they are my most favourite flower.

 

When we went to the US with our friends, our lovely host made us huge Easter baskets. Gosh that was an amazing time.

 

So family time. All come together. Well our family is tiny now but at some point during this Easter Hub and I will be seeing our family and I have bought lots of goodies to eat. But today was wonderful. A knock on the door. Hub answered it. It was our lovely friend Val. How very kind and how touched I was she brought a beautiful cake and two palm crosses. I have never seen those and Hub said he has not seen them since he was tiny. They are in my window now. Representing what? Our maker that’s who. As I do believe that Jesus is our maker only not what was said in the bible. I believe he was from another planet for sure and we killed him as he was different just as we would today if a space craft came to earth. We never learn.

 

Easter to me is happy children spending time with families making fun stuff? Going to church just to get some kind of community guidance. Just to put you on the right road. A road which won’t block out your mind of openness. What Val did today for us was an act of pure kindness that I will never forget. So again, a neighbour or friend you have not seen for ages, pop in with some kind of egg? Or daffodils? Hot cross buns? A cake anything just to say happy Easter. And happy Easter to you. X

    

 

   

DIARY OF COLOURS

 We are having internet trouble again. Hub on the phone trying to talk to someone from goodness knows where as seeming to have problems in communicating. I have lost count how many times he has told them he has no vision so can’t see the bloody lights on the box. Really, should we really have to do this? Why is once not enough? Anyway if you are reading this now, that means we did get on in the end. Ooos, Hub now saying he is getting close to cancelling his contract so obviously they are annoying him….

 

Little Fella just brought me a ball that isn’t theirs. It’s a tennis ball and I don’t like them having those but really,   they love them. Only thing is, I’m not sure how much more my house will stand with the two of them running around trying to play with the same toy. They have all of their toys out and of course it’s the one thing they want what each other has.

 

Oh heck, I’m now cringing. Listening to Hub he is getting calmly angrier and he really talks to them as if they are the worst enemy. I really couldn’t do that. Mind you that is why he is a manager. Because he can fight his corner. And get results, only thing is I am not sure these results will be what I want? Smile.

 

He’s just come off the phone. They told him to un plug it for three days then turn it on to see if it’s resolved? Hahahhahhaah. What? Really? I don’t think so. She then said that it was their box leading to our avenue of all sorts. Then she said it was our fault as we have Sonus. Well, Hub rightly said that she had told him earlier that it was the fault of the main box leading to our street? She replied, oh yes. I did say that didn’t me?

 

We are no better off. We are in and out of the net like a coocu on his clock.

 

Waiting in for bin bags, gosh I do lead a fabulous life, don’t I? Our washing machine is going again as is the dish washer. Soon my floors will be getting done then I must dust. For dinner tonight? This sounds gross. Pulled pork. Oh my lord. Question is who is going to do the pulling? I’m a vegetarian I hate dealing with meat. I wish for a world where we only ate vegetables. All our farm fields would be full of veg.

 

OK, colours this season? From what I can gather, they are colours that are sunny warm and the colours are to take us to a place to unwind and lead us away  from technology. Ok. I’m just going with the flow Bloggets; this is what I’m reading. We are to go to a palette that is calming paying homage to the natural resources which is to transport us to tranquil mindful places which encourage relaxing followed by curiosity, well, curious to know what the heck the colours are is a start? I mean, here are some of the colours. So you don’t have a picture in front of you so clothes or paints, here are your choices.

Green flash…. I know green, but flash?

Fiesta? OK. That is?

Lilac grey. Em. It’s either lilac or grey, right?

Limpet shell? Hahahahaha. Don’t go there.

Serenity. Not sure. But from my research I know that soft blues are in and buttercup yellows. Very nice too. I heard a lot of people high end fashion are wearing yellow pumps. Shoes. That is a lovely colour that I am sure should be popular every Easter. In other words I think you could say it’s safe to say pastel colours are in.

 

Right, Hub came in before said words about net now outside. Not sure what he is doing, he has been out fifteen minutes. I best go and look for him. As it’s not unheard to get lost out there. The noise of the traffic is so loud it’s hard to get our bearings. Also, going job hunting now. Later gators. X