Saturday 28 August 2010

Thank goodness - a day off.


Thursday saw us taking a "day off", well as soon as we had spent an hour or two in the office !
I am struggling to upload over 400 pictures of Chagford Show onto the show's website in a slideshow and it's slow going.
I do love the show and it would be impossible for me not to take pictures, but you know how it is, you take far more than you need and then almost all of them are worthy ... so which ones to jettison ?
But as we were running out of basic food provisions we arranged to have lunch with daughter Jennifer and indulge ourselves in a little Nancyness.
I now own a bus pass (yes me !! who can believe it, and me without at crease on my face ? - joke!) and had been threatening to use it, so after lunch Nancy Rob and I all hopped on a bus into the city and took a twirl around the shops.
Nancy and I travelled for free - deep joy ! and Rob paid £2.80 for his return ticket. He will be eligible for a bus pass too sometime in September, then I think there will be no stopping us. We will be off on the bus with Nancy to the seaside at any available opportunity. He's only 5 and a half weeks younger than me but the Goverment are phasing out bus passes soon and he is caught up in the adjustment time lapse.
The 'quick nip' into the supermarket on the way home relieved us of over £100 but at least now the fridge, freezer and cupboards are stocked again.
Whilst in the city we took ourselves into pleasant Fern's for afternoon tea and the dear grandchild was (of course) a paragon of virtue.
Back at Jennifer's Nancy was keen to show us her new bike. She's 2 and a half year's old now. It's all flown by in a matter of seconds, and being with her reminds me that we must take some more time off.
She is still so little that I want to pick her up all the time, and yet here she is propelling herself around the garden on a bike with very much the same 'I can do it' attitude that her Mother displayed at the same age.
Where has the last 30 years gone to ? Come to that how can I possibly be 60 ?
I was just a little bit sad that when I told the bus driver that this was my first sortie with the beloved bus pass, he didn't respond with "oh but you seem so young"
Bit like when Jennifer came home from school aged about 7. She sat in the back of the car and said, 'Mummy, when we get home can you tell me all you remember about how you lived in the Relief of Mafeking ?' To those of you not familiar with the Relief of Mafeking, it took place in May 1900, and when she asked me I was 34 not 94.
Mind you, I am getting partial to some rather large red Granny slippers that I own. And I have now reached the stage where if a visitor arrives, my first thought is no longer, Quick let me get out of these old fuddy duddy slippers before they see me. I now think, Who cares about what I wear on my feet? And come to that if it bothers them, then I wish they hadn't come anyway.
Listen to me ranting on ......
Sorry folks ....
Must be an old thing !!

Saturday 21 August 2010

Chagford Show - Prizewinners !!

Elizabeth was home this week to help us with our stand at Chagford Show.
She runs a busy website design company in Norfolk. http://www.lingodesign.co.uk/ so she flew from Norwich to Exeter to be at home for 4 very busy days. We had a final evening last night - home cooking, game of Scrabble, she and Rob against me (I won) and then watched the loathsome John James get evicted from Big Brother before she drove over to Jennifer's in Exeter to spend the night in time for the early flight back. Ben (son in law) valiantly offered to drive her in to be at the airport for 6.30


Robert with 2 local Mikes, and me with one local Debbie!
The show was as ever great fun for all. Having been the photography judge for 10 years or so, and spending at least 2 hours in the horticultural tent scribbling comments on the entries, I decided to hang up my hat this year and book a stand of our own.
Thanks to Rob, all the paperwork was dealt with in time, the display boards ordered, cut to size and painted, the gazebo was strengthened and erected the night before, flower troughs delivered etc. and within an hour of our getting there I was off with the camera taking pictures of everything that was going on.
Chagford Show really is one of the best. There is so much going on that appeals, it takes some going to see it all. I wish I'd had a pedometer on. An overall map of where I went during the day would show me like a drunken sailor lurching from pub to pub, as I spied things to photograph all round me.
I hope to have all the pictures ready in a slideshow on the http://www.chagfordshow.com/ website by Wednesday.
Will let you know when to take a look.




Friday 13 August 2010

Ed brings Sampson out to plough


Do click onto the black and white picture to see ...

I took this earlier this week at Chagfood. the editor of the Okehampton times asked me to nip along to take a picture of Sampson and co ploughing the patch. (Not this photo) and I took this one of Ed as he was leading Sampson out.

Sampson, ploughing ??? Yes, I imagined a giant of a shire horse ... but this sweet little chap made no murmur as he was kitted out with all the straps and kit, and he walked up and down the furrows like a goood 'un.
Read all about Chagfood and the veg boxes by clicking on to http://www.chagfood.org.uk/

Sunday 8 August 2010

Summer Sunday


How do you like my back wall ?
I plant it up each year. The hole in the wall is our post box.
Question: What is missing in this photo ?
Answer: 50 people and 5 dogs
3 hours and 20 minutes later
Fingle Bridge near to Drewsteignton.

Sunday 1 August 2010

It's a Granny thing...ok ?


You see when your Grandchild's dolly won't sit upright on the swing.....
You need to improvise !

Worth the effort for such a cute little smile don't you think ?