NEWS AND STRONG VIEWS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

So here is some news I have been reading about today.

Another two people have been shot in a university in America. Oh, bloody guns. Knives and waisted minds.

 

I was watching the news last night I couldn’t believe what I was watching. In China a vote to see if communism should remain. No secret voting, oh, no, in the open. Of course, no hands were raised to say they vote for communism to end, no one would dare.

 

Harvey Weinstein, oh my, I have never heard as much coverage from one person that is so unimportant in my life. He did bad, he is bad. But to lead the news every day? And the bad publicity for men is ridiculous. I was reading something today from Cate Blanchet saying women like to dress sexy, doesn’t mean they want to have sex with men. Well, she put it worse than that. I cleaned it up. Excuse me Cate, men look good too, doesn’t mean they want sex with every woman too. Not all men are rapists. Give them a break. I know of a load of women who are worse than men. It’s not right what Harvey W did, doesn’t make every man wrong!

Just saying

 

Chinese scientists create genetically modified low-fat pigs. Oh, my, how?

Let pigs be pigs and just don’t blooming eat them

 

Jeremy Corbyn Labour leader, God help them, is to appear on UKTV review/ Comedy Gogglebox for charity. Well, he is a joke. I wonder what charity? I could suggest a few!

Right on Jeremy, reality TV. It’s as close as you will get to real, reality

 

In my earlier blog, I wrote about Amazon Key. Where the couriers can open your front door, and drop off a package. Oh, my this is an awful idea. Closer reading it’s an ap with a smart lock and camera. I don’t care still don’t like it. The smart locks are being promoted for dog walkers and so on. As soon as the ap is open you at work or wherever can watch the live video. Well it’s all a joke as most of the Amazon guys don’t even bother to knock. Unless they are Polish they are great, but the guys who don’t like dogs are so afraid that one of our dogs are going to get out at them they run I am sure that is one of many reasons they don’t hang about. Or, just throw our things on the grass, or ground or go to the bother of leaving with a neighbour. Which is ridiculous as by the time they do that they could have just given me the parcel.

 

A woman claimed £72,000 benefits was caught winning gold at Karate. I presume she was claiming for her mobility re legs/back? As blind people can kick….  We just may not know who we are kicking. Haha. Joking. It’s a joke guys.

 

I love this subject. Aliens are living under ice faraway lands, claims an ex NASA Scientist.

 The thick sheets of ice will prevent humans from detecting them he says but they won’t be as advanced as us, as they won’t be able to hold tools. Firstly, I have said for years or asked for years, why are we not looking under water and who said it’s a sign of intelligence to be able to hold tools? What if they are born with the ability to create whatever they want?

So, they don’t need tools?

 

A passenger flying from the UK to Crete by Jet2, got the whole plane for herself. I would have thought she would have been asked to fly at another time, unless it was due to be full on its way back?

 

Have you ever wondered if you are cleaning your apples properly? Well tap water may not be enough to get rid of the nasty pesticides, so it’s recommended for baking soda and water mixed.  

 

After reading about a pensioner having 30 live maggots removed from her ear canal after a fly flew in and laid eggs, I feel rather queasy.

Next time your ear is itchy, it may not be because someone is talking about you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURLY BANANAS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

 Good afternoon Bloggets. Someone just rang my doorbell I went to the door and no one was there. I hate that. No car either. I stood at the door like a lemon waiting for someone to turn and see me there, but nothing total silence. Was it the ghosts coming early for Halloween? This will be the first Halloween and first bomb fire my Son won’t be home. I wonder if they celebrate it where he has gone? I, know, he’s a man now. And? Smile. I still will be buying him some treats. And, making him a bomb fire supper, for when he returns.  Normally it’s hot dogs with onions in a long bread roll, homemade soup and baked potatoes.  My Nana used to make us toffee cakes, the odd time I was at home for that occasion. Most years sadly I was at boarding school. Mind you, we sometimes had some kind of party or acknowledgement that it was that time of year, even if it was just a game of ducky apples during our weekly girl guide group. I guess you wouldn’t be allowed to do it now days for health and safety.  Thinking about it, it was pretty revolting, dipping your face into a bucket of cold water to get an apple. Can you imagine kids these days doing that? More like to put a hand in a pocket and pull out an apple.

iPhone!

 

Whilst our Indian folk finish off their Diwali celebrations with fireworks, it’s almost our turn to fill the air with pollution and have Guy Fawkes night, sadly, because of the easy to buy fireworks, people don’t wait until November the fifth to set off fireworks, they start now and go onto New Year in January. But, it’s not as bad as the Diwali celebrations in India. Oh, my after speaking with my friend from India over the phone, I heard the noise in the background, gosh, that would terrify me.

Our fireworks are more like bursting a paper bag. I always feel sorry for the birds and the hedgehogs as people make homemade bomb fires so gather loads of twigs, leaves and other materials to burn on, the hedgehogs say, oh, look, a nice hotel ready made to stay in and then before they know it, they are on fire. It’s awful. Excruciating for me to think of.

 

I’m really missing my Son today. We are only onto day three. It really hit home last night when I was lying in bed waiting for him to come home and I kept thinking I could hear his car pulling up. Then I was sure I heard him coming in the front door. Well, apart from his car is in our drive, and his keys to the house and his car are in our house, and, he is thousands of miles away, I guess it was my imagination. Mind playing tricks.

 

He is having a great time though and today he is going on safari!

 

Hub left for work early again. God knows what’s going on at his place but something seems to be cooking. Talking of cooking, oh I felt so very sad for one of his colleagues. Hub took some coffee beans in to be grounded for the office. A kind lady brought her grinder in but another colleague dropped the lid off it, didn’t bother to apologise or admit to it and now she is left with a broken machine. I felt so cross angry for her. I know Hub is furious if we break something we would admit to it and get it replaced. She was so kind bringing that in and that happens. Not a nice thing for her. Bless her.

 

I’m feeling much better right now and think I had a lucky escape. For three days, I felt so very ill. Now I would say I am 80% better. I normally am ill for at least a week. I think by going to bed early the other night helped. My dear friend Louise told me to drink a lot of water, well, does tea count? Smile. For the first time ever in my life, I actually took care of myself. By going to bed and by not doing anything apart from very basic work. I can’t ever remember me doing that before. The guilt used to be so bad. Guilt of not cleaning but not doing anything this time, really has helped me I’m sure. So, for four days I haven’t been up to anything but today I was able to do the dog run. Oh, the joys of getting better…

 

My Husband has had a basic dinner yesterday of mash potato mashed turnip and sausages. Tonight? Sausages and beans if he’s lucky I will do a baked potato for him bless him. Tomorrow I shall make a big dinner with lots of vegetables. I wonder what my baby is having to eat? Sham will be easy she’s not bothered what she eats, mind you, she is the fussiest eater I have ever known. She doesn’t like so many things, but if it’s meat no matter what animal or what part of the animal it’s from, she will eat it. She will eat Pizza and burgers too. Salad and veg? I doubt it, Boy Wonder, he will feast on veg and salad. He will only eat I think chicken or turkey the odd burger and pizza but I think he will stick to a healthy eating plan. Not sure what it is, possibly it’s a fat parent syndrome? My brother was more humungous than me and I’m pretty humungous, only thing is, my brother was, I, still am. His daughter, my baby Niece Lyndsay, she is into healthy eating and is a runner and goes to the gym. She is very slim. And then we have my Son, he is at the gym at least five times per week and only eats healthy food. Gosh, my Mum was huge, where did I go wrong? Or, is it the next generation from us? Or, just pure coincidence!

 

In our news today.

Well Brexit. For goodness sake, say what we want, say what we are going to do and get on with it. Stop beating around the bush. We are out, get used to it. Europe don’t want this as we used to pay so much money to them but fact is, we are a tiny island and our money isn’t on elastic especially as we are taking in more and more people from abroad giving them houses, money and more. Our hospitals are suffering because of it, schools too. My friend is a teacher and her little school, in one class there are 32 children. 29 of them are immigrants. All the children need translators. That has to be paid for. It’s as easy as that. We still love Europe and all in those countries. I love the South of France and my favourite place in the world is Italy and Hub and I have amazing memories of Germany as children as our school choir went there for a competition and had a stunning time there. We love you guys, we just can’t afford to keep paying out also I want curly bananas. Smile.

 

Oh, I don’t like this one. A new service Amazon Key allows the couriers to unlock your front door. Nope, I’m not going for that one Amazon.

 

Albert Einstein’s happiness note sold for $1.6 million. Oh, my goodness. The world really is going mad.

 

I wonder if the person who bought it, thinks it will make them happy?

 

Scientists say they have found a way how you can control your nightmares/dreams.

Well, great, bring it on as I don’t believe anyone can dream like me. It’s as if I have had a supper of omelette of cheese and magic mushrooms before bed.

Last nights nightmare, oh gosh, it was just dreadful. If I told you it, you would for sure send the men in white coats to me

Again.

 

OK, there’s loads in our news. Lots that I think you may enjoy reading about. For a change, so I shall write a separate blog for that later.

 

Meanwhile I have a date with pairing up socks. Hubs socks. I’m not a clever person with sight loss that can pair up socks, unless like Hubs, they are all black, and from a bumper pack so all the same. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

 

Later gators. Oh, before I go, guess where we had three views from yesterday? Guess? A country who don’t frequent my page, if you are reading this, I would love to know how you stumbled across my page? Let me know through Google plus or email me please? visionsforfuture@googlemail.com

 

So, where?

 Greenland

 

 

 

 

 

VIAGOGO SHOULD BE GONE GONE BY FIONA CUMMINGS

A friend of mine booked tickets through a company called Viagogo.

She advices not to use them so I’m putting a warning out there to be careful. She paid £300 for three tickets being assured that they were the best tickets and has just learned that the tickets are in fact worth £25 each.

 

The company refuse to refund my friend. This is shocking. Here is the website.

 

https://m.facebook.com/viagogo/?refid=52&__tn__=%2As-R

 

here is where you may get help

https://www.econsumer.gov/#crnt

 

DIARY OF LIAR OF THE JAWS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good evening Bloggets. As I said in my last blog, talking about the flu jab, I feel better today, not totally but better. I still can’t open my eyes they are stinging. Good job I am not going out. I have no energy and for those looking at me, closing my eyes isn’t a good look. Makes no difference to me of course as can’t see whether they are open or closed, but for vanity reasons, smile.

 

My Husband was on his own last night. I went to bed at half eight in the evening. I was so tired. So ill. And, my poor dog is bored stiff. I have some making up to do with her. Mind you, she has been playing with her toys and in our yard, she was running back and forward with a toy I was throwing for her. That is how I know I am feeling better no way I could have done that yesterday.

 

Hub had to put up with frozen food yesterday. Today I have cooked just mash potato   mashed turnip and sausages. My Brother in law said the food he misses most after moving to Australia, is sausages as their sausages are not like ours.

 

 My Son text me yesterday, last thing I heard from him until he let me know he was there safely, was he said he was on the plane about to take off.

Fourteen hours later… He let me know he had arrived.

It’s a long way, ten hours in the air, not fourteen? Thank God, he was OK and he said his hotel is spectacular. Now the two long weeks begin.

 

How are you all doing? I hope I find you well, healthy and fit ready to go. Go where? Let me know. For those not so fit and well and have nowhere to go, you are not alone. Smile. I’m right here with you!

 

I heard that Shamrock, my Sons girlfriend, her sister is pregnant. Well I know she is serious with her boyfriend as they had, not sure if they still have, huge plans to get married next year. Now I say not sure their plans will still go ahead, as she planned an enormously expensive wedding. Now she is going to have a baby? Crazy. She lives in rented accommodation and cannot afford the basic of things but plans a wedding that will cost a fortune and to have a baby as well? It’s a car crash I hope my Son won’t find himself in.

 

I know Shamrocks parents will adore the baby and be good Grandparents, and, she, Shams Sister, will be a good Mum and her Fiancé is a really nice guy, according to my boy, I just wish people who were or, are going to have children would think in a different way, marry, get a good home then have children. For the children’s sake as well as their sake. This young girl doesn’t go on holidays or even out much in the UK. They don’t have a car or their own house. Their land lord could end their lease any day. I know some people don’t have a choice in life, but they did. I’m sure that Sham will be excited to be an Aunt, and will love the baby, I just hope it doesn’t make her too broody. She’s only eighteen and BW twenty. At least her sister and brother in law to be are in their early to mid-twenties.

 

Now an odd thing about our groceries. We are fortunate to get them delivered. Gosh, it would be so difficult to shop if we couldn’t do that. At our local Tesco, the staff are far from welcoming or friendly. I went there for a loaf of bread once and never ever again. Not after being told before I go again, please can I phone, just to warn staff, so there will be someone to show me around? Em, no, so I never and won’t go back there. How to make someone feel unwelcome and a nuisance, having said that, someone I know from Newcastle, says he shops there all the time for his weekly shopping and the staff there are amazing with him. He is also blind, mind you, he is also a born liar. The kind of person that every word that comes from his mouth is a complete lie. So, does he go to Tesco?  If he does, are the staff really nice? Haha.

 

Oh, one story he once told me. He went shopping, got a taxi home. He got half of his shopping from the taxi then the taxi drove off leaving him to run down the street after the cab. When it wouldn’t stop, he went to call the company. But just to make the story more dramatic, he couldn’t remember the name of the company. Hahahaha. It was just a taxi he put his hand out for on the street.

 

Now, firstly, if the food was in the boot/trunk of the car, the driver would have to open it for him and if all wasn’t out, the driver would see that. If the food was in the car with the person I am talking about, the driver would see the left food.

Secondly, if you are totally blind, how can you run down a street chasing after a car?

Thirdly, how if totally blind like he is, I know that is true, how can you thumb a taxi? Put your hand out for a cab? You can’t. you would be putting your hand out to everyone, every car that passed you. How would you know what is a normal car and what is a taxi as they come in all shapes, sizes and engine sounds now?

 

One of many of his lies. Once someone tells me a lie, I can’t ever trust that person again. I can’t even bear their existence.

 

Anyway, back to my groceries tonight. I wanted my shopping delivered between 9 this morning and 9 tonight. But between 9 a.m., and 7pm, it was really expensive to get it delivered and they said on line, between 7pm and 10, it was fully booked so between ten and eleven were my only options. That was going to be a delivery charge of 99p. here is the funny thing, my delivery guy called me, something I don’t like, how every driver has my phone number. Not sure why I don’t like it, just don’t. Anyway, he called me at half five tonight asking if he could come early. He said he has a spare spot between half seven and eight. Well why was I not told that online? And moreover, if I had picked that time, it would have been a £4/6-pound delivery charge.

 

I get so annoyed that the delivery charges go up at Christmas, not just Christmas eve or just after Christmas, but the full month of December. Why? It could be because we order more so more work for the drivers, well, the shops should pay the drivers more as we are spending more at the shops, so, are we not doing our bit?

 

I still think we are very lucky to be able to get our groceries delivered and if not for my software that makes my lap top talk, mind you I do most of my groceries on my iPhone now, and that automatically talks and to shop on the iPhone is so much easier for groceries for whatever reason. It’s messier on my lap top, but twenty years ago, in fact less, we wouldn’t have been able to do this at all. Everything really without Jaws, I wouldn’t be able to write my blogs or talk with friends online from around the world.

 

Apple speech is amazing. I wish Microsoft was as good as Apple. Then we wouldn’t have to spend so much money on our software Jaws. In my opinion, Jaws by far is the best software for the computers on the market, but it’s so expensive. About £700 US $919 Australian $1200 and, in Canadian Dollar, 1170

And that is on top of buying a lap top or computer.

But for me personally, Jaws is a life saver. I have tried everything else and nothing compares.

 

Going back to my shopping. I’m really really going to have to get our electrics sorted out. I said this last winter, we don’t have lights that work in the hall. So, when we answer the door to the shopping man, he won’t be able to see a blooming thing. Hahahhahaha. If you can’t beat them, join them love!

 

OK, going to wait for my Sons text I hope he and Sham have had a lovely day. 13 sleeps to go, but who’s counting?

 

  

 

 

DIARY OF THE FLU VACCINE BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good afternoon Bloggets. Well I’m pleased to say I feel a bit better today, yesterday I had no energy at all. My throat was killing and I could hardly breathe. I have been reading up on the flu jab and people with asthma are recommended to get the flu vaccine. I never do apart from the stress and pain of the injection, I hate having something put into my body I don’t understand. When my Husband used to go abroad to all kinds of countries, he was always getting injections giving him dreadful whatever to stop him being ill when he went away, I just felt like it couldn’t do you any good long term. But I’m no Doctor and all Doctors say they are essential.

 

What is in the flu vaccination?

The nasal flu vaccine used for children contains gelatine from pork.

The flu vaccination injection contains hen eggs. If you don’t want your child getting the nasal gelatine then you will have to have the injection for your child. If you are allergic to hen eggs there is an egg free alternative. Not sure why the egg free and meat free can’t be a permanent option, unless it’s much more expensive to make. Religious leaders say it’s OK to have the pork gelatine as it’s been processed many times. I do wonder why we need to use a bit of pork and a bit of egg to make us stronger against flu?

 

Another part of the flu virous the main ingredient is of the vaccine is the disease causing virous bacteria or toxin, but other components make up the ingredients to make the final vaccine safe and effective.

 

Talking with my friend this morning she was telling me that when she went for her flu jab, she was told, she had to take another injection this time for shingles. Shingles? I don’t know if this is new, but my friend is over seventy so I think this is why I have not heard of it before as it’s only available for those over seventy. She was told not to go near anyone who is receiving chemotherapy. Well if you are on a bus, or in a queue, how on earth do you know if the person standing or sitting next to you isn’t receiving such treatment?

 

All I can say is my Mum received the flu jab every year, but, the year she refused it, not sure why, is the year she died of Pneumonia.

 

I’m still not getting it. So, if I get the flu and it turns into something life threatening, then it’s my fault. So, will I expect our NHS to save me free of charge? Yep, am I selfish doing that? I don’t think so. Well for twenty years now I have saved the NHS by not getting the flu jab.  I guess I will do it when I am over 60, but I have many years to worry about that beforehand.

 

The vaccination is free,  if you are pregnant, a diabetic or have asthma or, over the age of 65,if you ar very much overweight, work in social care or, live in a residential home.

 

 But you can’t get it free if you don’t fall under any of the above categories, then you can pay for your jab. Believe it or not, you can get your flu jab when you are buying your food groceries if you live in the UK.

Asda are the cheapest at only £5 but Boots the chemist is one of the most expensive at almost £13. Tesco also does the flu jab as do other supermarkets too. The price varies. But good old Asda is the cheapest.

 

Australia have reported 98 thousand cases of flu in 2017.

More than double the rate recorded last year.

 

Every year the strain changes to cope with whatever necessary that particular year. So, no year is the same ingredients.

 

This year pork and egg, next beef stroganoff!!!

 

 

  

 

BRING BACK MY SUMMERS PLEASE BY FIONA CUMMINGS #PoetryByFionaCummings

BRING BACK MY SUMMERS PLEASE

BY FIONA CUMMINGS  

 

My mind is as alert as the day I can remember

But my bones feel so cold even in September

I see the stairs

I’m at the top

But in reality

I want to drop

No one cares

They say I’m getting old

I can only see print if it’s bold

I can only hear if I get told

No good whispering in my ear

Speak up please

As for my knees

They hurt so much

My fingers tremble as I touch

I can’t stand this new body of mine

I lose things that once I could always find

In my mind, I laugh with pure white teeth a sparkling smile

But I look in the mirror and take a deep breath for a while

Who is that staring back at me?

Who did that to me?

I’m so confused

My arms all bruised

But how did I get like this?

My youth I so miss

It was stolen from me

Whoever has my body

Give it back please?

I no longer can reach the apples on the trees

And my suiters I can’t tease

I shiver I freeze

Bring back my summers please?

 

© Fiona Cummings

 

DIARY OF NEWS AND VIEWS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

The day has gone faster than I thought it would. I feel dreadful. I’m coughing constantly. My eyes feel as if they are on fire and my throat is still in such pain. I’m starving but can’t eat anything, apart from some gorgeous treats my Brother in law brought us. It was funny as we bought him some typical old fashioned English sweets as I know he and his love really enjoy them. We have bought them a large tub before. And he brought us some Aussie sweets. I think they are called bb’s. They are a liquorice tiny barrel covered in a really hard chocolate shell. Gosh, they are delicious. Our Son had some and he isn’t a sweetie kind of person, if it has sugar, he says no. I don’t. I’m not at all a fan of bought cakes, love homemade ones but not bought, but sweets, I love. And these didn’t let me down.

 

My poor Waggatail is begging me to either take her out or play with her and I really can’t be bothered to do either. She will have to wait for Hub and the Little Fella to come home, then her fun can begin. No way I can take her out today. I honestly feel so ill. I pray I won’t pass it on.

 

I have no energy so much for getting my conservatory cleaned today and as for dinner tonight? Then, there is upstairs, what a mess that is. I’m still not totally straight after our kitchen. There’s not too much to do, about an hour’s work up there but right now it’s so untidy.

 

Shamrock text me to say they were safe at the airport then my darling boy text from the aeroplane to say they were ready for take off. It will be tonight when it really hits me. But at least we are counting down now time until he is back. I hope they have fun.

 

I’m out this week for a couple of hours with my friend Hellen then next week out with Geordie, then we are off to see our besties and have a couple of nights away in a lovely quaint cottage in the depths of Northumberland. My favourite place in England. In fact, the UK.

 

In the meanwhile, I have a Doctors and, dentist appointment. Joy, such joy! What an exciting life I have.

 

At some point I have to get paint for our walls. How not sure. Last time for the kitchen was stressful. What colour? I’m thinking, now, wait for this, as you may remember for my kitchen I described the colour I wanted as a dish of oranges with cream poured over them. That’s not what I got, but hey ho!!!

 

I’m thinking a strong cup of tea with a tiny bit of milk this time. Smile. When I chose the colour for my upstairs bathroom, I said fresh cut grass, or Granny Smiths apples. Why is everything food or drink related? Our bedroom is apricot, darker shade on the bottom and lighter on top.

 

So, a brief news update for today to start the week.

Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle, had a small tea party with the queen. So, serious? I guess so. How do I feel? Mixed feelings. I guess as long as he is in love. I hope she, is in love with him too.

 I’m so shocked at how Spain are treating people from Catalonia. It’s like dictatorship.

Mars has the ideal conditions to support life on the red planet. For goodness sake, save this world rather than start to damage another. Imagine that flight to Mars, knowing we will leave earth never to return? I would hate that.

 

A vet in Edinburgh Scotland, has removed a huge chunk of a baby bears tongue. Why? Because the poor bear had to wrest his head on his cage as his tongue was too heavy. It used to drag along the ground. It’s said to have come from a mosquito. Now the bear is recovering.

The bear and his brother were rescued in China after they were bought and treat with cruelty. Thank God for people who carry out such jobs. Yesterday I was reading about the songbird that is becoming extinct in India. Thousands are captured and sold at markets as people love them for their song. It’s so cruel. They say within ten years there are going to be non-left.

 

Never cut down flowering ivy before winter as it’s a food source for bee’s and butterflies.

Migrants and visitors are going to be charged up front for NHS treatment say the Government. Well, not before time. After all, when we are abroad we have to pay. People are coming to the UK to get free treatment and the NHS are on their knees. It’s a frightening amount of money that is spent on Migrants and visitors.

 

If you give birth in winter or Spring, you are less to get the baby blues according to new studies.

In Italy there is a person who has been reported to be sweating blood. A disorder that is baffling medics.

And that’s it for today folks. That leaves me to wish my Bloggets a very happy and positive but real week. Until later.

 

  

MONDAYS DIARY AUSTRALIA AND THE PUDDINGS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

It’s silly hour in the morning. I got up to see my Son off for the airport. The night is still, thankfully after the winds and rain. My boy hasn’t had any sleep. But he has a long flight so he will I hope sleep when he gets on board. And if not, well when he gets there, to be honest, he will have plenty of sleep time as he’s there for two weeks and I think there is enough entertainment for about six days. He has now driven to the local shop to buy wraps to eat on the train, after his breakfast of cereal and toast with three eggs. Smile. Never mind the insect repellent or plasters/band aids or throat tablets I told him to get, as I have and have had a dreadfully painful throat for three days now.

 

Hubs leaving for work early today has to be in the office for eight. Something about TV camera’s coming. Apparently, they are going to use drones to take pictures. Gosh, how far have we come since the days when I used to be chased down the street by men wearing long coats huge cameras and fluffy microphones? Haha, that sounds so wrong in so many ways, and, it was!

 

Oh, BW’s taxi is here, where is BW?

Well, his cab was booked for 4.40, at 4.30 it arrived, BW came back from the shop at 4.39. Our Son should be called last minute Charlie.

 

Yesterday we all had a lovely family lunch. My brother in law came from Australia with my Father in law. The five of us went for Sunday dinner somewhere we have never been before. Gosh, it was packed. My Brother in law was brilliant at describing what was on the carvery table. He has a natural ability to describe things. There was so much food to choose from. We hadn’t had breakfast so we were hungry. Gosh, my plates were overflowing.  My Boy served my meal and the chef behind the counters served me a huge delicious tart. I had three enormous Yorkshire puddings. Cauliflower cheese, turnip and different kinds of potato. Hub had turkey and gammon with sprouts, cabbage, carrots turnip and more veg, which is good as he isn’t a fan of vegetables. Oh, and I had stuffing. Which is sage and onion cooked in the oven, wow it was really tasty. Normally a vegetarian option or alternative to meat is tiny. This tart was massive. It was on one plate and my dinner on the other. The Yorkshires filled up a plate the potatoes, stuffing, cauliflower cheese and turnip just had to cope with the space that was left.

 

It was a treat from Dad. I had my card ready to pay but he beat me to it.

 

It was interesting to hear all about my bro in laws time in Australia. He emigrated there almost two years ago. Can you believe it’s been that long? Old Bloggets will remember just how much we were all so upset that he was going. I cried buckets but he has made a good life out there. He is having a house built, gosh Ausy Bloggets, your houses for the money in comparison to ours, is ridiculous. In his house and it is costing the same amount that our house is worth, he’s having a cinema room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sitting room kitchen and outdoor area with a pool and he is putting an outside TV near the pool which has a seat in it so you can sit in the pool and watch TV. Our house is a sitting room, kitchen, conservatory, three bathrooms if you count the downstairs as a bathroom, and four small bedrooms.

 A tiny back yard and smaller again front garden. No pool or cinema room. His house is on one level too. But still there are the creepy crawlies that I couldn’t cope with. Snakes and spiders as well as sharks and crocodiles are something I would just like to read about.

 

A goodbye but not as sad as I faced the last time thank goodness as I know he will be back soon. Dads looking old I guess in a way he is. He’s eighty next year. It was Hubs mum’s birthday yesterday. She has been gone now for seven years. We miss her loads. But we have good memories of her.

 

Well, what to do today, will I even go back to bed? I have to keep myself busy for the next couple of weeks until my boy is home. I deliberately haven’t dusted my conservatory in about five days as that is a long job and I need to fill in my time so I’m not worrying about our boy. This is the longest I have ever been apart from him. He is still young, only twenty and he has gone on holiday with Sham but she is only eighteen and is a lot younger than that in experiences. So, I hope they will be OK.  They are flying for ten hours. Oh, seriously I’m going to be ill. I have a really bad throat and full of cold but ill with nerves too!

 

I’m happy to say my friend from America and our Blogget, is getting better, at last she is off or out of intensive care. Two weeks today she had her open-heart surgery. I will still feel more relaxed when she is back at home. I do worry about you, you know?

 

OK, going to make sense of life, so I shall be back later, but until then, have a great start to your week. X

 

 

 

DIARY OF DANCING AND DIWALI BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good evening Bloggets. I’m listening to Sacha Distel and other wonderful innocent songs from many moons ago. Oh, I’m so much enjoying the tunes. Magic moments is on now so romantic so enchanting. Oh, how I wish we could have those days back, mind you, if we had those days back I wouldn’t be able to write to you now as the technology wasn’t available then. But back in those days life was a dish of peaches and a vase of spring flowers. Streets were so much safer and anger was just being taught. Of course, cruelty and evil existed behind closed doors, but now there is an epidemic spewing onto our streets, roads, parks and well, world, real life.

 

In my opinion, the best time to live was the forties, 60’s and seventies. What will happen now to our world, it is getting worse and I don’t know how to slow things down moreover, stop end, the constant pain that people are causing.

 

It’s not as if the world is full of badness, there are so many good people still, just we seem to hear of the bad ones.

 

Round two of dinner will commence soon. My Son is on his way from work. My heart is starting to really hurt now as only a couple of sleeps before he leaves for 15 long days as he and Sham go on their holiday. Friends are saying enjoy the peace. Peace? I see him for a ten-minute wolfed down evening meal and may be five minutes either as he’s leaving in the morning or in between him coming home for a shower after the gym, or to drop off something. but the knowledge that he is going to be there at least for ten minutes during the day and part of the night, is very comforting.

 

Did I tell you he is going for his Christmas work meal before he leaves on holiday? And, guess where Shamrock is going? To a drag night with her brother. So, the kids are not setting off on holiday together but will meet at the airport.

 

Oh, Barry Manalow is on now, singing I can’t smile without you. Haha. Part of his lyrics are I can’t sing. Yep, you’re right there Bazza. My friend Vivi would smack me for saying that. She loves him. And though I really don’t think Barry can sing, I still really like him.

 

It’s funny isn’t it, how music can really affect your mood. Bring back memories good and bad. Give you hope and make you feel like going for a very long sleep. Possibly forever?

 

Hub is in our gym. The garage. Oh, he is doing so well. Me, no, I’m a total hopeless case. And it makes me feel so bad.

 

Winds are expected for us tomorrow again. 70 mph.

 

Shamrock and I are popping to the shop to buy a couple of things I have ran out of. It was really kind of her to offer. It will be a very quick shop, one day it would be lovely to have a girly day with her. One of her friends has had a baby. In her words, seeing the baby, was the best contraception for Boy Wonder, as he says he can’t deal with the stress of being a parent just yet. Great, they are too young to be stuck in life when there is so much living to do, but it takes two to tango. Smile. I think Shamrock will agree to dance though as she is a typical young girl who is starting life and doing so much now her and BW are dating. They have been to so many countries since they started dating I think apart from Ireland and obviously UK, she had only been abroad once. In the past year, they have been to about four countries and all over England and even Scotland.

 

Thank you for the messages about the English blogs I have published. You have asked for a class three. Smile. I will think about it and let you know.

 

My friend asked me yesterday about Thunder vests. I asked my American friends as my friend said they are popular in the US. My friends were right there with advice. My friends little dog is so afraid of the fireworks. So, for those who don’t know about the vest. As one lady said it’s like a hug. A vest that seems to work. But you put it on your dog when there are no storms or fireworks when they are going somewhere that they enjoy so they relate to the vest as fun. If you put it on them only when there is a storm or fireworks, then they will learn that the vest represents when they are going to be afraid.

 

My friend from the UK said you can buy them at Pets at home too.

 

As another pal told me you shouldn’t there there the dogs. In other words, if you make a deal about the nasty noise the dog will pick up on that play on it and it will make them worse.

 

Just act normal as if another day. I know classical music helps too and you can buy plug in devices too.

 

I spoke with my friend in India the other day and seriously the noise of the fireworks there, because of the Diwali celebrations was just shocking. The dogs in his street were barking and some were hiding under the bed bless them but the noise was like a warzone. I have never heard noise like it. He said the air was so polluted.

 

On that note, to all of my Bloggets from India, Happy Diwali.  And Happy New year.

 

 

 

 

 

FRIDAYS FEELINGS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

James Nesbitt is one of my favourite actors. For more reasons than his sexy voice and good looks, remember Bloggets, it’s been 20 years since I had sight, he may have changed in his, mirror, but to me James, you will always be a stud muffin. Smile. Well he has a JustGiving page, he has teamed up with Fighting Blindness and is hoping to raise money for premature babies to prevent them from going blind. 300 baby’s eyesight can be saved with the hope that James has with his fund-raising page. It’s a sad world when eyesight could be saved if only there is enough money. Thanks to the public, I pray these babies sight will be saved.

   

Now, old Bloggets will know I have distant history with Thompsons holiday company. Way back in the 70’s when I was the size of a doll, a bitter cold winter in Moscow and a load of press, created a situation. But that is another story that I have shared and again I hope to in my autobiography when I get the inspiration to write it in full. Anyway, they are now wanting to be known as,

Tui

 Oh, my, that name isn’t going to role from my tongue. Not when it’s been Thompsons for so long. I just don’t know why they are changing their name when they are known worldwide? I’m sure they have a good reason.

 

Thank you to those who have been asking about my friend in America, bless you all. Well after her open-heart surgery, and many complications afterwards, two days ago, she had to have a blood clot removed another operation. She is in her 80’s and was very weak, but her lovely daughter has been keeping me up to date and her Mum has thank God survived another day another dollar. I told you she is a fighter. I have never met a lady with as much fight in her. She is so positive and this knock in her world will have affected her mental health I am sure, but knowing her, she will battle and I pray will get strong again. She isn’t the kind of person to sit still and laying in bed will be driving her crazy, hopefully crazy enough to give her the determination to build up the strength she needs right now.

 

She has RP but hasn’t really been bothered with it until lately. Her sight has got a lot worse over the past couple of years, but, she did get to a great age before she started to lose her vision and still has a lot as far as I know. But facing blindness has not stopped her from being so positive about what is out there for those who need help, like cane training, she is on the list to do so and the day she received her white cane, was like a child opening their Christmas gifts. She was so excited.

 

She is a very intelligent lady and an inspiration to me for sure. She is blessed in having a fantastic family her daughter is like her sister and best friend, they have wonderful girly days together, I love to hear about her days out. She’s like my beautiful friend and our Blogget in South Africa, wow, I eat and drink her words. To me, when I see an email from her I am filled with joy. She too has RP. She is in her seventies. She sounds to me though rather trendy. She still takes good care of herself. Her life is a perfect picture but it’s real at the same time, it’s like a forest painting with beautiful colours of the surrounding foliage, with a stunning pure blue sky with the sun shining on the wild flowers, but, if you look close enough, there will be a fallen nest with broken eggs in it, then a lovely red squirrel is in the corner of the picture but a rabbit lays lifeless. Only if you look close there are moments that make this lovely ladies life not so perfect, but that is what is so perfect about her to me. She isn’t nauseating. I know of someone who really likes to make out as if her life nothing bad ever happens. I can’t stand it, as her life can’t be this perfect all the time, and the difference is, the person who likes to depict her perfect world, I wouldn’t want her life, but my friend, I would love her life.

 

I wonder if what I have written makes any sense? I often don’t. I guess what I am trying to say is my friend from SA, has a beautiful life, and for sure the way she writes is art in itself. Her words dance on paper. I told her she could write the phone directory and it would be poetic to me. Her grasp of the English language is just the best. Where is my friend who has a perfect life in her opinion, it’s far from that description? I really find it difficult to talk with her but my friend from South Africa, if she was the only one left in the world, I wouldn’t get bored of her. And I love the sound of her daughter too, wow, she is a real gift. Like a super hero. And again, she’s real, not pretend like the other example.

 

So, my friend who had a really bad cold for weeks, is getting better, my friend who has had open heart surgery I pray will be OK and a Blogget from India, I have been concerned about of late, turns out he hasn’t been in a good place, but again, is fighting and not standing still. Our Blogget family, we have to stand together help each other out and send positive powerful vibes around the world.

 

If you are not feeling great today, remember tomorrow is another day and when there seems to be no hope, dare to find some. And, no body’s perfect, we all are one step up from the devil and one step below the angels. Smile.

 

  

ENGLISH CLASS 2 BY FIONA CUMMINGS

There are words that sound the same. They are pronounced the same but have a different spelling.

Pale/pail

Ate/eight

Alter/altar

Band/banned

Buy/by/bye

Red/read

Blew/blue

Coarse/course

Fare/fair

genes/jeans

knight/night

no/know

knows/nose

see/sea

role/roll

they’re/there/their

 

And then we have

Polish/polish. His parents are Polish. She had to polish the ornaments.

And whether/weather. She didn’t know whether she was going or not. The weather is dreadful.

English is considered to be easy, I think the language is as in spoken word but the spelling is a different story.

 

Did you know that there are three ways a man wears his hair? Parted, unparted and departed.

Well, actually, I know a few women who wear their hair like that too? Just not to be sexist. Smile.

And I used that word actually, as I started to say this about the ladies, I thought, nononononononono, I can’t say that. But you know me, once it’s out it’s out, so, there is a classic example.

 

Next time you are in conflict with someone, just say

I like your approach, now, let’s see your departure.

Romantic but cheesy

“If I could arrange the alphabet, I would put U and I together.””

“Don’t steal, the Government hates competition.””

ENGLISH CLASS 1 BY FIONA CUMMINGS

So, I have received quite a few emails of late asking me to write about the English language. My dear Bloggets who are studying English, you come to me for help? Well, all I can say is good luck. But, here we go.

 

 What words should we think about before we use them in a sentence or verbally use them?

Actually. Sometimes actually is used to give us more time to think about what we want to say. It can come across as being a know it all. We use actually as a table to rest on whilst better words come to mind.

 

Literally, should be used to describe an action. Literally is one of the most famously used words in English.   It’s another what they call crutch words, something to lean on whilst thinking of another word to use or, using literally could be used to search for a word as you don’t really know what is really, true.

 

Basically. This word is used in my opinion to make things less harsh, for example, “Basically Julie, people are telling me things that are basically concerning me.””

Basically, isn’t getting used for what it should be as the word it was meant to mean, basic. Basically, should signify something fundamental.

 

The word that really winds me up, is when people say like. In between every blooming couple of words. So, for example.

“She was like, no way, like, I’m not doing that. So, I said just do it, like, what is the worst that can happen to you? And she was like.””

And so on and so forth.

 

Now, multiple meanings.

That crane was a bird. The crane had to lift it up and she had to crane her neck to see the stage

His favourite fruit is a date. Tom took Louise out on a date.

Congratulations. I heard you got engaged. Or, the audience were very engaged in the performance.

They love to play in the leaves. The children don’t like it when their Father leaves for work.

What was your net gain this year? If you want to go fishing, bring a net.

The pencil has a sharp point. It’s not polite to point at people.

You are right. Turn right after the hotel.

My favourite flower is a rose. She rose from her seat.

I can type over 140 words per minute. That rests is not her type.

 

And then there are words that sound the same. They are pronounced the same but have a different spelling.

So, we shall look at those tomorrow and some really fun stuff to come too.

THURSDAYS THOUGHTS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Good afternoon. Today I have Hubs dog for the day he didn’t go to work with Daddy today, Hub got picked up by taxi no trains today and Hub has the worst migraine and he has five people to interview today so it would mean that poor Little Fella would be laying down all day that he is quite used to because Hub works in an office but Hub has made his desk so there is lots of room if LF needs a stretch and he has a couple of quiet toys in his bed and sometimes a lovely member of staff takes LF out for a free run, but during interviews it would be unfair to the people getting interviewed.

 

So, I can hardly hear you for eight paws clip clip clipping along the wood floor and squeaky toys. Of course, as ever, they only want the toy that each other has. Why they both need the same toy, is beyond me. They have had a run around the yard and I will groom them later. My Son has a delivery coming. Another pair of swimming trunks for his holiday. Seriously, three pairs? Why? He says he is there fifteen days. And? They will dry whilst they are on him. And, they are £25 a pair. How can they charge so much for trunks?

 

I have booked the taxi too for our break of two nights. We are going away with our friends just to Northumberland. I can’t wait. We need to chill. And to have food cooked for us, oh it’s a treat. We will take a train but the taxi company is one I booked last time as it’s twenty minutes from the station to the place we are staying. The station we are going to is awful. The staff there well, one of them she is dreadful. Let’s say, moronic or, Very unhelpful. She certainly didn’t hew to situation and had or has no intention of doing so. Never will a person like her try to change for anyone. But we the four of us have got on trains before many times without help, just this train is always full and it’s a long journey so need to make sure we are in the right seats.

 

I love our blind adventures. The four of us are just so funny. We of course will have our guide dogs. But oddly enough, they can’t read seat numbers, despite what some members of the public think. Smile.

 

Gosh, what a night I had. Hub was really ill. A migraine mixed with his Trigeminal Neuralgia, wasn’t pretty. It was as if he was drugged. He watched TV with me, but only to keep me company as he really wasn’t in this world. He said the voices on the TV were echoing. He went to bed earlier. I told him to go much earlier, but he wouldn’t.

 

TN is a dreadful condition. I think it is a total disgrace the so-called specialists treat people with it as if they are mad. Like it’s psychosomatic. I do believe that stress causes it to flair up, but the wording that is used at hospitals is shocking. Very condescending. When I first met Hub, he was so much worse, he is never ever out of pain, but when we first met he told me he had been in hospitals many times with it, mind you, I’m not surprised the people he lived with then, he had no life. The bad old days.

 

My Son was at Shamrocks until half two this morning. So, I can’t sleep until he is home. This is why when he is away for over two weeks, I am going to be ill. When he gets home, all my loved ones are safe I breathe a sigh of relief. My whole body and that’s a lot of body, sinks into the mattress. Like a humungous “Few””

 

But last night was prolonged. As I lay awake worrying about my lovely lady in America, who had open heart surgery a week and a half ago, she was on breathing machines after it and developed pneumonia and last night had to have a blood clot dealt with, so, another operation. She is very strong in life, but this is tough for someone young, but she is in her eighties. I felt for her daughters too. I know what it’s like to have a Mum in hospital ill. I really believe if my poor Mum had stayed out of hospital, she would have lived longer. Mind you, she was treat really badly in there and, my Dad came so close to predicting her parting of this world a couple of weeks before he died. He said to her so seriously that she would be six months behind him, and she died five and a half months after he did.          

 

I have done something on FaceBook that I never do, one of those silly games you write something as your status and everyone who comments or reacts, you pass on the info. They are only allowed to write what is on the list as their status. Really, some of the options, heck. I won’t yet go into them as will spoil it for those who takes these games seriously but all night my iPhone was pinging and dinging. Haha.

 

I thought three or four friends would comment or react. Em. Nope. So far, nineteen.

So, I have to message all of them and copy and paste the answers they can choose from.

 

Dinner tonight is easy. BW eating from a box as we call it. He buys this fit food, Hub is having semi fit food, and me? Fat food. There’s really no hope for me.

               

I made a lovely turkey dinner last night so I will do some pasta and veg for Hub and he can have it with left over turkey. BW has his bought ready-made food. It’s freshly made, but it’s like aeroplane food, hardly any in it. He has lost so much weight. He is weight lifting and now can lift almost nineteen stone squatting where he goes down on the floor and lifts whilst standing up then back down again. 19 stone is about 12.66 kg. 266 lbs.

 

It can’t be good for you that, can it? I don’t like it at all. I can’t smile and be happy for him though I do try my best as I know it’s something he is very proud of.

 

I wish I could ask a medic what will that do for his body in time. I’m very proud he has not been tempted to take steroids. Gosh I can not believe just how many people do that. My Son and the lad he used to go with to the gym are the only two that lift weight who don’t do them. It’s disgusting. There is a bin in the changing rooms to put your needles in. Shocking, why is there not a law on it? So, my Son has his amazing body because of hard old-fashioned work, oddly enough, nothing to do with me. Haha. Though he has got my chunky long legs as his father had short legs considering his height and very skinny.

 

My Hub has been really cutting down on food for two weeks now and has lost 8 lbs. But he has almost been starving. Only one meal a day. Like our dogs, once every 24 hours. His willpower is amazing. So, will the last fat person in the house stand up please?

Yep, my name is Fiona and I am a biggin. Having said that, my boy told me this morning I looked beautiful. Bless. It wasn’t dark either. Haha.

 

OK, I’m rambling so I shall go before  you all fall a sleep. Yesterday broken records again over 760 views in one day. You all are the best. X