Eastbourne

Yesterday my friend M and I went on a day trip to Cromer with our local coach company, it was so good to do something akin to "normal activities". More on that later. Meanwhile last November the last trip we did with the company was to Eastbourne, a resort town on England’s southeast coast, advertised as the UK's sunniest place. We didn't expect much sunshine in November, but, with sunshine and clouds, a mild temperature, and not very many people around, we had a good day.
  

The splendid Grand Hotel

19th-century Pier 

elegant art deco inspired 1930's bandstand

three miles of pristine palm-lined promenade

There is an Art Gallery; a Fortress built during the Napoleonic Wars which has a military museum. I think it was closed at the time of our visit because I don't have any photos. 
Along the coast, in South Downs National Park, are the chalk cliffs of Beachy Head and its striped 1902 lighthouse. We didn't make it that far!
Lunch time, and a trip to the seaside wouldn't be complete without fish'n'chips :-)

                                                  Elegant town houses and      a proud lion statue outside a hotel

Not elegant or proud but quite a pretty scavenger

We didn't dip our toes in the water, it was too cold for that!

〜 Stay Safe & Well 〜

Polly x

Leo July 22nd - August 22nd

Miss Claire Voyant's horoscope for Leo

Sharing your Leo birthday with, among a few million others, Barack Obama, Roger Federer, Sandra Bullock, Madonna and J. K. Rowling

The personality
With a fierce streak of independence and confidence Leos are brave, enthusiastic, passionate and generous. Many have a lust for life and a warm spirit that lifts the moods of those around them. They are hard workers and like the good things in life, they do it big, and best, there is no second fiddle for Leo, and there is no justifiable obstacle as to why they shouldn’t have exactly what they want, when they want it. This is great if you’re riding the wave with them, but not so good if you’re the one trying to enforce some order or boundaries.

The downside (and there are many), I speak from experience - I was married to one. 
They are egomaniacs leaders, born ready, they just step up, it doesn't even occur to a Leo that someone else might be better placed to lead.
They LOVE giving advice, solicited or not. It's best to wait for the lecture advice to end, then do your own thing.
They can be:
Arrogant...
Egoistic... a Leo's pride is best left unchallenged
Dominant...
And they will NEVER admit to even the slightest possibility that they might be wrong.
After that character assassination I must add that my ex is generous, has a KIND heart, will never betray a confidence, and won't think twice about helping someone, anyone in need.

Leo's prediction
July may have been slow to start for Leos, but with motivated Mars powering through Aries and your metaphysical ninth house, you could be inspired to seek wider horizons and to stretch far beyond your comfort zone. A business venture, travel (obeying safety restrictions) or an educational project could provide opportunities for you to roar onwards and upwards.

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

Buster

It's a week since Buster had the operation. He had a check up this morning and the vet is pleased with his progress. The wound is healing very well, the stitches are internal and will dissolve. They didn't put a dressing on it and Buster didn't take to the traditional Elizabethan collar (I didn't think he would!), so they put a sort of sleeveless babygrow on him to stop him licking the wound. I had to sew up the opening where the second leg would go through, and it did the job, he couldn't get to it. That can come off on Wed, but if he licks or nibbles the wound it will have to go back on.

He's coping much better with his balance, he can lower himself onto the floor now, and get up again.
He's functioning normally and is keen to go for walks, but very short ones at the moment. After a few minutes he stops and sits down. His one front leg is now having to do the job of two, it will take a while to strengthen it. 

Ice Cube Flowers

Bits of flowers frozen in trays from a chocolate box

Courtesy of Befunky.com

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

Buster

Dear Buster
The lump on his front leg was an inoperable tumour growing around the bone. He had to have the leg amputated.
X-rays confirmed that it hasn't spread.
It upsets me seeing him with only three legs. But it's not about me it's about Buster, giving him lots of love and nurturing him back to full health.
The operation was on Monday and he came home yesterday. He enjoyed his dinner of rice and chicken, he's drinking and peeing. He was drinking from a puddle on the patio last night, he likes rain water. He's getting better with his balance, he can get on and off his bean bag and the furniture but he can't manage to lay down on the floor. 
He's a stoic little boy, I think animals recover quicker than humans. I'm sure he will soon be back to running around enjoying himself.

A Read

The Power by Naomi Alderman
"This is going to be good" I thought, women suddenly had power, they could right all the wrongs in the world. All the bad people, the arms dealers, drug dealers, terrorists, human trafficking, child abductions, paedophiles, rapists, all those people could be eliminated.
It started well. Set in the present time women around the world have been genetically altered by pollutants and have developed a skein, an immense physical power which enables them to generate electricity, shooting lightning from their palms causing agonising pain and death. Suddenly they are the more powerful sex.
The story follows three women - Roxy, Mother Eve, and Margot - and one man - Tunde. Roxy, a white British teenager and the daughter of a gangster has the most powerful skein. Mother Eve (Allie), a mixed-race girl who runs away after years of abuse and finds herself at a convent, is revered as some kind of goddess. Margot, a politician is at the forefront of helping to empower women by providing them with classes on how to manage their "gift". Tunde is a journalist who chronicles demonstrations, political changes, and the uprising of men who hate their secondary status.
But power is the ultimate weapon, and sooner or later it corrupts. Things start to go pear shaped when power goes to everyone's heads. The brutality inflicted on women, the sexism, rape, pain, torture, murder, now happens to men. Often the men seek it because it enhances sex, but women go crazy, especially once Glitter, a drug that makes their electrical charges more powerful, comes along. Women suddenly become almost feral and cruel. In parts it’s just gratuitously violent. 

The first 20 chapters were ok. But then it became confusing and boring. There was something about religious cults, drug traffickers and a civil war in a fake country where Tunde was in trouble and trying to get out. I literally lost the plot. I was bored by all the international intrigue. It wasn’t so much a story, more an exploration of a concept.

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

Garden Bullies

Birds, Mother Nature's little champions. They fill the days with glorious song, hop around our gardens, find mates, build nests and raise families. Some of them fly thousands of migratory miles each year, their tiny bodies storing all that energy.

One of my favourites has always been the blackbird. Quite a plain bird, and the female could be described as quite dull, but I think that plainess is handsome. I like their character and their song. I like the way they follow me around the garden, hoping for a tasty treat to be unearthed. Another favourite is the robin, they also like the gardeners, and the possibility of a tasty morsel.

Garden birds are sweet, cute, pretty, majestic, but they can also be quite ferocious, and some of the most ferocious are starlings. They are definitely not sweet, cute or pretty. They are gawky, they don't sing, they squawk. THEY ARE BULLIES. They barge in, scaring the smaller birds away and take what they want. And their tyranny isn't confined to small birds, they intimidate each other.

Look at them, heads down, dive in. This feeder is meant for small birds to climb into.

However, much as I dislike them, I have to admit they are clever. I can't help admire them for their tenacity and ingenuity. Come the apocalypse these bad boys will survive.

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

Another Nice Walk

This is another walk that I like and would like to share with you. So if you've got your walking shoes on and some sun cream lets go. The route starts the same as the previous one, onto the field

this wheat is turning already, this was taken a couple of days ago, it's golden now

past the horses and the badger sett

through two fields and bluebell wood
The grass in that field has been harvested now

 when we walked there a couple of days ago there was a host of tiny baby butterflies
 coming out of the hedgerow and flitting around the freshly mown grass.
I couldn't get a good look at them but I think they were Red Admirals.

out of bluebell wood, but instead of turning right at the end of this field
we are going to turn left and head for where that arrow is

It leads to a small lake

 and a nice shady walk

complete with a couple of benches 

to sit and watch the ducks, or just sit.

over a meandering stream

and up to the boats. 

You can keep going to do a circuit route but it's mostly out in the open,

which I don't like when it's hot, but also because there is an awkward stile

and some overgrown fields, so I  turn around and go back.

Hope you have enjoyed the walk

∼ Be safe and well ∼

Polly x

Cancer June 21 - July 22

Miss Claire Voyant's horoscope for Cancer

Sharing your Cancer birthday with, among others, Tom Hanks, Priyanka Chopra, the 14th Dalai Lama, Nikola Tesla and Meryl Streep.

The personality
The Crab can be secretive and guarded, but that hard shell protects the sensitivity beneath. Cancerians are loyal, loving and extremely protective of themselves and others. They’re ruled by the Moon, and their moods wax and wane just as dramatically. The Crab can be a bit controlling if they feel insecure. They have big hearts and love hard. 

Your Prediction
A Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius might leave you emotionally frustrated about the limitations you currently have in life and love. Mercury turns retrograde in Cancer on June 18 and there will be a need to reboot your connections to family. The rare mashup of intrepid Mars and soulful Neptune in your travel zone may have you chomping at the bit, but there are still ways to widen your horizons, have an adventure and explore the greater world! Of course, you need to observe the rules, but within those parameters, there’s plenty you can do! Take an isolated hike or have a socially distanced picnic with a handful of cherry-picked pals. Lastly, Mars enters his home sign of Aries on June 27, and you'll finally feel like you can get somewhere. Your mojo will return!

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

Inertia

After weeks of feeling positive and keeping busy I have run into a brick wall of inertia. I'm feeling a little fed up.

I shouldn't moan because I am extremely grateful for everything I have.

I've stopped using facebook because I am fed up with the point scoring, jumping on the bandwagon  political BS, fake news, and all those motivational verses and posters. A friend who no longer lives in the UK constantly criticises us and is always angry. It was getting me down.

There have been two reports in the village of dogs being bitten by adders. They have been seen near a brook that we regularly cross.

We had a death in the village a few weeks ago, the captain of my bowls club. He was having treatment at his surgery for a leg ulcer, then got a bladder infection, he tested neg. for covid the first time he was admitted to hospital and was responding to treatment but then he took a turn for the worse and tested pos. the second time he had to go in. It was a shock, and very sad, he will be sorely missed.

I read recently that the National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 49% increase in calls and online requests for help since the lockdown started. I feel for the unreported victims of the virus, those in lockdown who don't have access to a garden or a park, those suffering from difficult syndromes, depression, those stuck with a partner or family they hate, or trapped in an abusive relationship, those who have lost their jobs, struggling to pay their bills, those living with a narcissist. And the businesses that will not open their doors again. Zoo's will struggle. It's not all happy zoom videos that we see on the adverts. We may all be in this together, but we're not all in the same boat.

ok, rant over, to finish on a lighter note. Our village newsletter arrived the other day. The  Brownie group had a zoom meeting which sounded a lot of fun. they had a scavenger hunt, which took the form of finding items from around their houses. They were also asked to show something they've played with in the garden, items included a frisbee, bubbles, a pogo stick, a cat, a dog and a guinea pig!

I'm making good progress with my dolls house work. I hope the lounge room will be finished soon.

I had a McDonalds burger last week!! It was GOOD. When they first opened for drive through the queue was ridiculous, but when lovely daughter drove round there wasn't a queue..

Shops are starting to open up, we need to get the economy going again.

Oh and my HAIRDRESSER will be visiting me on the 8th July - yeah

The weather is glorious again, and the coming week looks good.

Thank you for reading and putting up with my rantings. I will soon be back to my normal calm level headed self!

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

An Orchid & Jigsaws

Last December my friend M and I visited our favourite garden centre to browse the lots of lovely things in their shop, have lunch and stock up on some gifts. A few orchids were half price. I've never had any luck with orchids but at only £6 I thought "What Have I got to lose".
I looked up how to care for it and followed the instructions exactly. It flowered for weeks, then one by one they fell off. I pruned it just above what looked like a bud nodule, just where that short light brown piece of stem is.

The nodule started to grow, then in early May six buds appeared.

And then a few weeks later a bud opened

Aren't they exquisite

I think this is one of the more common variety, nevertheless it's pretty.

One by one more buds opened

and now I have another six pretty blooms.

These jigsaws have been lounging in a cupboard for a few years. 

I had a couple more, the top one I did ages ago then took it back to the charity shop.
After much deliberation, and much as I like a challenge I decided that I would never do the bottom one

Schwerin Castle, Germany, 3000 pieces! It went back to the charity shop. 

 The Artist's House at Argenteuil
This is a really nice one, I've done it a couple of times.
I keep it because I like it and it was a gift from a lovely friend.

The Wedding Meal.

A charity shop buy,  I did it last weekend. 

When I opened the box the previous owner had sorted the outside pieces into the small bag and the others into the larger bag. 

another nice one, and another keeper

The one on the left was a nice one to do.
The one on the right is the next one I'm going to do. 
Today is jigsaw weather - rain :-(

~ Be safe and well ~ 

Polly x

A Good Read

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
This is an absolutely wonderful story.

Eleanor is a lonely but self contained 30-year-old. At the age of 10 she experienced a trauma that she never received any help with so she repressed her memories and her emotions. She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. I found her deadpan quirkiness and unconscious wit endearing.

Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding unnecessary human contact. She eats her lunch at work alone while doing crossword puzzles. Weekends are spent eating pizza, nursing a bottle of vodka and a pop-star obsession, and phone chats with Mummy.

But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling, unhygienic IT guy from her office. One day after leaving work Eleanor and Raymond see an elderly gentleman fall, Raymond goes to his aid and asks Eleanor to help as well. Reluctantly Eleanor agrees, and, as a consequence finds that she is unwittingly drawn into a friendship which will rescue all three of them from their lives of isolation.

Beautifully written, a charming gem of a book.

~Happy Reading ~

Polly x