Tales from Fraggle Towers ~ October 2022

It’s been a funny old month here at Fraggle Towers with health issues to the fore. Phil had his Corona booster and Flu jab at the beginning of the month and was not well for 3 days, I had mine later on in the month and apart from one day being wierd got through that Ok. But I’ve had a couple of visits to the Doc’s for blood tests and other stuff. Then just this week I twisted somehow getting up from my sofa and did something to my back, with the result that I’m having time off from work. Can’t remember the last time that happened, and if I was able to drive I’d have still gone in. Sigh. Getting old and decrepit is just no fun. I seem to be improving anyway, fingers xt.

Winnie has been to the Vets as she has chronic cystitis they’re trying to get to the bottom of and she’s now on a daily dose of Loxacam which seems to be helping. None of this stops her being as mad as a box of frogs! Out in all weathers and doing a cracking job of rodent disposal.

Winnie Up.

Lord Vincent is hale and hearty, and in between patrolling the perimeter of our bit of the estate and eating for England, he spends most of his time on the bed ~ not one for rain and cold weather. He can’t even be bothered catching a mouse.

Lord Vincent

It’s been great having Sophie back in the country and we’ve had a couple of outings which has given me a good bit of fodder for the Universe Blog and for Fraggle film, though I’m still waiting to receive the scans back for that.

Work has been so busy, I’m getting through 40 people a week on average and I only work 2 & 1/2 days, so it’s full on, but I still get 10 minutes here and there to have a bit of lunch or take Teddy for a quick trot around the carpark. He is such a happy little soul and makes me smile.

Teddy, my BFF

Tonight is Halloween, and all the Grandkids turned up to go out trick or treating, which really is ‘begging for sweets’ apparently, but most of our estate get involved so I have sweets at the door ready and I get to take pictures, though use my iPhone now as the Fuji freaks people out 🤣. Phil and Shelly went with the kids to do the rounds and I stayed home to answer the door. Liddy and Livvy made a good effort at dressing up! Phil tells me that one house had made a fake cemetary on their front lawn, and another had a spooky figure that spoke to the kids as they got near to it and made them jump. Another had a giant spider across the front of their house. ALl good fun and the kids loved it.

Liddy ~ a dead bride 🤣
Livvy ~ zombie schoolgirl (I think!)

The boys are ‘too old’ to dress up being 11 and 12 (pfft!) but are happy to have the sweets of course! To anyone moaning about copying the USA, or commercialising Halloween, or begging for sweets etc I agree, it’s true and I don’t bliddy care, as having the grandkids round laughing and being happy for a daft evening is fine by me. One day they’ll be in their teens and this will just be a memory.

Some neighbourhood kids

Not sure who he’s supposed to be, ? Pennywise
???
another Pennywise I think
who knows?
Jail bait. 😄

So that’s the end of the 10th month and we’re going into Outer~Christmas Land now, as people are mad for it up here. I’m off down South at the weekend to visit with Ben and Lewis, fingers crossed my back has recovered as it’s a long old drive, and I’m dreading sitting still in the car for 5 hours doing it in case it sets it off again, but am thinking pink thoughts, like that’ll help.

Back next time with a November round up so stay tooned!

Day 306

Back home again yay! The drive back was accompanied by atrocious rain and wind, but we made it back oop north where it was all calm and lovely, not sunny, but no driving rain either. Home sweet Home. Done my unpacking and got the washing on, so I thought I’d share a few souvenirs from the wedding reception last night, where a fun time was had by all!

Day 306 ~ 🙄

Day 298

I’ve had a cold brewing since Monday, and today it’s progressed into the annual chest infection, so am not the best :/ . In spite of this I had to go into Newcastle today to find some shoes. We are off to the Cotswolds on Thursday for a family wedding, and of course you have to have a new outfit for a wedding, can’t possibly wear the one you wore for last years wedding, social death! 🙄🤣 So I bought a dress on line which (amazingly) fits, and found some shoes today to match. I hate dresses but it’s only for one day so I’ll live.

Phil came too as he needed a new jacket, and after shopping we got coffee from Greggs and sat for 10 mins. Phil went off for a browse around W.H Smiths, and I took some iphone pictures. 🙂

day 298 ~ decisions decisions
Maybe homeless..maybe not
Shorts
Sansa
needs a hand

Day 287

This chap lives in the house opposite. Their back garden meets ours. I can see into their kitchen and they could, if they looked up, see into my play room. I call him Vape-Man, as he stands in the garden and vapes in nice weather, but it’s cold now so he’s in the kitchen instead.

Day 287 ~ You’ve been papped!

Beware photographers with telephoto lenses people, keep your blinds down at night 🤣 🤣

Days 278 & 9 & Tales from Fraggle Towers

It’s been a busy weekend at Fraggle Towers. Yesterday I went out with Sophie to photogrgaph the North East Land Sea & Air Museum, followed by lunch at the Washington Wetlands Tryst and a walk around there which ended up quite exciting for us as we saw and photographed a Kingfisher, which neither of us had ever seen before. Of course we don’t have proper wildlife lenses, but we did OK with what we have. Apart from all the exotic and colourful ducks and swans and flamingo’s, I spotted a tree full of your bog standard boring pigeons, but I thought they were just right for B&W.

Day 278~ Pie Tree.

Today we’ve had the Sunday Family afternoon, and Shelley and the kids came over, always a shoe-in for a photograph!

Day 279 ~ Liddy and Grandaw.

What we’ve been watching of late on the tellybox is a series called World On Fire on the Beeb, from BT’s site –“the emotionally gripping, landmark TV series from Peter Bowker (The A Word) tells the story of ordinary people caught up in the Second World War. Helen Hunt, Lesley Manville and Sean Bean lead the stellar, international cast, which also includes Blake Harrison, Jonah Hauer-King, Julia Brown and Yrsa Daley-Ward.”

I’ve watched the first episode and it’s done well. The acting is passable, the attention to detail astounding and the cinematography fabulous. It reminds me a bit of that old American series Winds of War with Robert Mitchum et al, which I ejoyed a lot so I think I’ll be happy enough with a British take on it.

I’m recording Catherine The Great from Sky and will do that soon, can’t beat Helen Mirren for being a Queen and historical fun and games so am looking forward to that.

We’ve binge watched, i.e 1 or 2 episodes an evening, Game of Thrones 1- 7 and it’s just as amzing the 2nd time around. I’m also reading the books again and being double whammied. They are so well written.

I have to say, having watched so many battle scenes over the years with Phil’s war movies I’d be hard pressed to find a favourite. I’m not sure the beginning of Private Ryan is classed as one, but it’s up there. Also Zulu the final battle, just amazing. But I’ve not really seen any convincing ones on TV. I was blown away re-watching G.O.T’s Battle of the Bastards, better than a lot of movies, you felt you were amongst it. There’s no magic here, no dragons, very little CGI, just a visceral, heart pounding do or die piece of action with ordinary soldiers. I’m posting the youtube clip to it if battle scenes are your thing. Even if you don’t do Thrones, it’s still worth a watch. You can tell me a TV programme that’s done it better after 🙂 . Also don’t watch it if you’re a bit wussy about blood and gore 😀

Back to work tomorrow, ear wax be afraid!!