Hello Folk,
How are you all?
So much has happened in the last twelve months that I would not know where to start filling in the gaps since I last blogged. So I shall settle for letting you know what has gone on this year.
Son-who-cooks and his girlfriend both caught Covid-19 but fortunately not seriously though it was unpleasant for a few days. Our boiler died as a result of which we have no central heating or hot water and are awaiting quotes for a replacement which will cost about the same as my first house cost. So at present I am spending a lot of time curled up snugly in my bed with my phone and my books. Around the same time the washing machine also rumbled to a halt. We decided adding dirty clothes to our cold and grubby bodies was probably unacceptable so we lashed out on a new machine.
I've been out for a coffee a couple of times but otherwise we have had few adventures though last month we did have a pleasant wander around the lanes near Pentre Halkyn in North Wales. A couple of times we have sat looking out over the River Dee and on one of those occasions were delighted to watch an Egret.
This photo of a Little Egret is of one in captivity that I took in 2006. My attempts with the camera on my phone this month simply show a white blob!
I continue to write letters and swap postcards with friends but have not done any Postcrossing for twelve months or more.
Last week an embroiderer in the USA asked to use some of my photos with an article he/she is writing. I happily agreed and offered to find some of a larger resolution. Silly me. One of the things I haven't done for many years is label my photos properly. So although I have access to every photo I've taken finding them is not easy. I'm quite enjoying the search but it is frightening me to discover how many photos and experiences I have forgotten. For example, I can recall photographing Golden-ringed Dragonflies in various places but some that I had photographed in Exeter I had completely forgotten despite them being among the best I have taken.
I was also fascinated to read my blogs and there were dozens of articles I had totally forgotten. Given time and energy I would love to read them all from the beginning again but time and energy are things of which I never seem to have enough
I am not sure when my next blog post will be but I shall try not to leave it for a year..
Stay safe everyone.
Great to have you back. I miss using a proper camera too.
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you John! Thanks for the postcard! I'm sorry your furnace and washer had a suicide pact and ended it all. Replacements are so expensive. We replaced our furnace and A/C 2 years ago and it was sticker shock! We need a new dishwasher and also want to replace our fridge. $$$$$! Anyway, I'm glad all else is well including your son and family. Covid seems to be easing up a bit and hopefully a nice Spring and Summer will follow. These past 2yrs have been a hard one for my family but life can be like that pandemic or not. Take care and stay safe!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, John! Hopefully with your next post, you will be able to tell us that you have your heating and hot water back. I remember how unpleasant that can be; in 2017 or so I was for several weeks in that situation, but at least I had the opportunity to have hot showers at my gym just down the road. Never before or after was I such a frequent visitor at the gym!
ReplyDeleteOne thing i have learned is that Love is gentle with the souls of others. While it's a joy to hear from you, there is no pressure for you to post unless you wish, at least from me.
ReplyDeleteWe have no central heat here, we use the plug in portable heaters, so you do have my sympathy.
Take care of yourself, i am praying for you and your family.
Glad to see you back on your blog! Even if we've kept in touch in other ways, I've missed you in the Blogworld! Being without central heating and hot water this time of year sounds very unpleasant, though... Hope you get it sorted soon!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the post, John. I live in Florence, SC, USA, where we had snow two weekends in a row during January -- amazing and thankfully rare! I always enjoy reading your posts, Facebook or blog. Hope heating problems will get solved in your house soon. :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome back. You've been missed!
ReplyDeleteOne day I would love to scoot back through the blogs of yore that I have followed. I would love to know, too, where some people are and what happened to them. Some day I think blogs of of the past will be my way of staying in touch with my former life lived through the stories of other people.
ReplyDeleteVery happy to see this post. Hope you get heat and hot water soon. Praying that you and your family have good health. Take care.
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