Socks in a national newspaper!

Since the EU Referendum last June I have been reading THE NEW EUROPEAN weekly newspaper. When it was first published, it was said that it would run for four week. Now - ten months on - it goes from strength to strength. I have a direct debit so that it comes in the post every Saturday.  I am, as you may have guessed, an ardent Remainer - and if that offends you, I am sorry but I make no apology. Like you, I am entitled to my views. So please do not get all virtuous and huffy! Life is far too short. Have a cup of cocoa or take a long walk off a short pier. Do something useful.

Apart from the obviously very serious news each week (such as the fact reported this week that the Deutsche Bank has announced that 4,000 jobs will move from London to Germany), there are some light-hearted columns in typically British style. One such column is about ‘Animal readers of THE NEW EUROPEAN’ where readers send photographs of their pets reading the newspaper.

This week my Socks features as you will see! Often at breakfast when I am reading THE GUARDIAN, Socks will sit on the table at the side of the paper, taking a lively interest in the news contained within its pages. On Saturdays when the postman brings TNE, Socks sits on the table, but adopts an expression of complete disinterest. I fear Socks may have voted Leave, but if he thinks the D**** M*** is coming into this house, he can think again and there will be no more treats or Gourmet suppers for him. And that is final! 

I hope you enjoy the story!

Why did I not listen to Farmer Rudge!

A day or so ago the Moneymaker tomato plants stood about eight inches tall and looked in fine fettle. Seed sown in late February, they were ready for planting out in one of the raised beds in the new garden in the churchyard.

I showed them to Kristy in the greenhouse last week, who agreed that they were ready and I was to take them to the garden next Saturday. Early this week I took the tray of pots out into the garden to harden up. Snd with the odd shower of light rain, I thought this would do them a power of good. What could I have been thinking?

Now why did I not listen to the late Farmer Rudge! I can see him now, in his check cloth cap or trilby, with his farmer’s outer garment and his wellie boots, waging a finger at me as he reminded me that the earliest you should plant out young stuff is the 19th of May when the last frosts will have been and gone. Not before. No, not never!

Last night, Wednesday 26th April 2017, we had a frost - not a heavy one but a light smattering. This morning, ere it was light, I was down the garden in my jim-jams and summer dressing gown (and it was mighty cold, I can tell you, but we gardeners have to suffer for our craft!). There was a warm sun so I put the tray near the house with the sun on the plants. They did look a bit sad in places. They are now back in the greenhouse and I hope they will survive. Some of the top leaves are a slight bit black but in the main I think they might just pull through. I gave them a few encouraging words - as you do - and I will go down again later to apologise and to chat them up a bit more. (If you have the time to do the same, please call round.)

Why did I not listen to Farmer Rudge, I ask myself? Even at Matthews Plants on Tuesday (when Linda and I went to suss out things for the May Day Plant Stall) there are notices everywhere warning of frosts.

See what you make of them here - the second shot is of Minibel and Tumbling Tom Tomato plants which will stay in the greenhouse till the 19th of May - come what may! And there are two more trays of these below!

The cuttings in Vermiculite are doing well, the wildflower garden is coming to life, the lavenders and herbs are now bedded down on their refurbished logs and the Arum lily is starting to bud!

Regards - with my tail-between-my-legs and my head-bowed-in-shame!

Arum lily with bluebottle

The Arum Lilies are starting to burst into flower in my garden. Here is one - with a bluebottle sunning itself this morning!

Sunday in the garden

Busy day today in the garden. Socks finds a spot in the shrubberies and sleeps the day away but prowls round the bird table - which might explain why I get no birds!

The logs have been treated with preservative today and plants brought from the greenhouse - more to follow.

And what his going on next door? Anup and Archa are installing a bee hive - their other neighbour already has one so there will be lots of bees enjoying my lavenders - of which I have different varieties.

I will be out there every day this week - and then in the front later!

Gsrden spring clean

Sunday afternoon - brilliant sunshine with a sharpness in the air, so just right for the annual spring clean in the rear garden. The wooden logs from the potting areas have been treated with preservative - they are about 10 years old now and look as good as new. Much re-potting was done during the past week so when the logs go down, the pots will come down from near the greenhouse. The lavender is called Platinum Blonde and came from Matthews Plants last year. When I told Heather I had brought a platinum blonde into the garden, Heather said she would come round and scratch her eyes out! I took some cuttings last year and they have survived the winter - ready for re-potting. The first Arum Lily is fully in flower with more to follow. But we desperately need some rain - a good shower over night would bring everything to life. The new green collection bags from Redbridge Council are a dead loss (£50 a year for the service now!) - as soon as anything with spikes goes in they tear. I can only assume that the scheme was devised by someone who has never been a gardener - par for the course!

Saturday afternoon

I went to Stratford Westfield this afternoon. It is not a thing I do often - especially on a Saturday afternoon in the football season. It was only as I started to take the escalator to the shopping centre from the railway station that it struck me why there were so many people. 

I would not say it was scary, but I was pleased to find myself in M & S menswear. Here I was able to wander about without fear of being stampeded in the rush. I looked out for Karen and Josh and Linda and Linda - but they were nowhere to be seen. One lady with a buggy nearly took me out and only grinned when I yelled! But the lady was bigger than me so I did not say anything.

I only go shopping when I have something specific to buy. This time it was a summer lightweight shower-proof jacket. I had one such for many years - but lost it last summer. How I managed to lose a jacket beats me, but I did! The choice was overpowering but in the end I went for one that did not have tight cuffs. If there is one thing I cannot stand it is tight cuffs - and I am sure you will understand what I mean, Cedric!

Whilst there I fell for a non-iron shirt. This one is a pale blue and yellow check. I resisted the temptation to buy a tie to go with it as I have a bright yellow tie in my drawer with a few others.

This extravagance will have to stop. It will be bread and pull-it for a few days. Good thing that Socks is stocked up with plenty of food for he would not take kindly to going own a diet.

Renewal at The Green

Over the past week the Green has undergone transformation at St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch. Originally the schoolmaster's garden when the school room was built in 1867, the grass grew naturally and needed renewal. This will be ready for use at the Flower Festival on 24th/26th June next. See you there!

Yesterday in Parliament

Last December I asked Wes Streeting, our MP, if I might have a ticket for Prime Minister's Question Time. The ticket was for yesterday! 

I was tempted to sell it on eBay but decided against.

It was fascinating! Suffice to say that the Eagle drew her claws whilst the Dove retained his dignity.

Security was so tight I thought they might want my birth certificate! Armed officers everywhere. One lady of 40 years or so dared to take a photograph with her mobile near me in the public gallery. The security man called her out and told her she would be excluded from the House forthwith if not before. I guess she might have been take  straight to the Tower of London or even thrown into the Thames, such was the ferocity of the security man in dealing with this misdemeanour of such seriousness! I feared for my life, I can tell you!

Debbie sat beside me and was a great comfort as the fiasco took place before our eyes - and that was just amongst the MPs! After the charade with the lady and her mobile I wondered if I would ever see Aldborough Hatch again!

But Wes Streeting sent Debbie a text so we met him in the Central Lobby for a brief tour - as he was off to sort out the Treasury Committee who have had their work suddenly curtailed.

My shots are outside - I know my place! The tents are on College Green where the media have set up camp!

Later I met Paul who treated me to a Cream Tea in Dean's Yard. I felt better after that!

Thanks Wes, Debbie and Paul for making a great day out! Much appreciated. 

The hotest ticket in town today!

Guess where I will be this morning and afternoon? Last December Wes Streeting MP arranged for me to have a ticket today for Prime Minister's Questions. It is, a friend told me, the hotest ticket in town today! I will behave myself - in spite of everything! Honest!

Easter Day 2017

Floral arrangements in St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch for Easter Day. Have a Good Easter, wherever you are. I am at St. Peter's this morning for Holy Communion, then lunch with Heather, Rob, Marlon and Luke. This afternoon I will be at St. Paul's Cathedral in London for Sung Evensong.

Good Friday

I spent Good Friday in London. First, at the Savoy Chapel to hear Stainer's CRUCIFIXION. Yvonne and I sang in this on many Good Friday's past at St. Peter's. After a light lunch in Pret a Manger, I returned to St. Paul's Cathedral for Evening Prayer and the Liturgy for Good Friday and the Veneration of the Cross - 4pm to 6.45pm. Inspiring and peaceful. I had my camera, but it was not until I spotted the tulips that I took it from the camera case to photograph John Donne, one-time Dean of St. Paul's, who visited Aldborough Hatch in 1630, staying with his daughter (it's in my book 'Aldborough Hatch - The Village in the Suburbs - A HIstory' - page 106). I also shot the statue "Young Lovers' which stands to the south of the Cathedral and the statue at the top of the steps - the notice explains all. This shot took some time as tourists would keep standing by the statue to have their photographs taken! I doubt many of them had a clue what it was about for some stood with their arms round the figure, even hugging and kissing it! In the end I made clear that I wanted to figure only - and they stood back - but not for long!

It is finished!

As some of you will know, I have had to have the complete house rewired - lighting and power - with all new wall sockets 15” above the floor (something to do with floods and wheelchairs). I have a light in the back garden in case I go out there at night in the dark - which I never do. And Ruth-over-the-Road is now happy that there is a light in the porch again so that she can see my plants. And I have switches within reach so no more crawling on hands and knees to bring some of the lights into action. Ad you should see the fuse box! I reckon it could control all the lighting in Aldborough Hatch!

It has been a nightmare but it ended last evening when the last bit of redecorating was done and dusted. Cleaning and polishing has been going on room by room - but I ran out of furniture polish yesterday and had to dash into Ilford to buy supplies. Yellow dusters have been washed - separate from anything else (I learned that lesson!). And Rob discovered that the gas stove has a battery which (when replaced) allows me to light the gases without matches. Something I guess Yvonne knew but I did not!

The garden is a bit behind as a result so there will be no tours there for a few weeks! My daughter and son-in-law have been just great support - without then I might have gone stark raving mad! And my son in Norway has been thoughtful and kind on the telephone, whilst the son in Dorset looked after me for a dust-free weekend recently! My cleaner is coming in today and will put in some extra hours as she has not been here for two weeks!

I feel so relieved that the stress has gone and Socks is happy again now that there are no floor boards up and dangling wires!

Two donkeys at Palm Sunday procession

Few churches have a real live donkey to lead their Palm Sunday Procession but here at St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch we have two - Elizabeth and her son, Valentine. Thanks to Ann and Clive Wilderspin who brought them from Willow Farm at nearby Little Heath.

All my MASS distorters are now yellow!

Following a number of sessions spread over three days, the brass, copper and silverware is all now cleaned and polished. Yvonne used to say that there was a feeling of deep satisfaction when this task is accomplished - and I can now understand what she was on about. However, I am starting to think that I would willingly forego this pleasure - but perhaps not!

All this is so that on Monday - when I am promised the decorating will be finished - I will be able to return the rooms of this house to some semblance of normality. Heather has been a great help in making this happen and so has Rob. But before I retire this eveing I must run into the rear garden to test the setting of the light which comes on when there is movement. Ken set it for about 10 seconds. Rob has changed the setting. Rob believes this will give me sufficient time to reach the shed-with-the-over-hang and return in brilliant light at night! I have to test this theory and report back.

I use MASS for the cleaning, which lasts for five to six months, unlike Brasso, which meant cleaning every two months or so.

I discovered MASS at Lakeland at Stratford Westfield - Yvonne's favourite shop. Yvonne used to say that she would only spend a fiver and invariably came out forty pounds short of a penny! But the odd thing is that Lakeland have now discontinued the product, so I buy it online at Amazon. And here is the crunch. It is delivered in Lakeland packaging! So what is going on?

As I write I can see 15 dusters fluttering in the breeze and drying on the washing line in the garden. Some are the traditional yellow dusters; others are not. But all are now either bright yellow or have a touch of yellow. But they are all MASS dusters so why worry?

The other task today (after watering and fertilising the 4,000 or so bulbs in St. Peter's churchyard) has been clearing out the what-not-drawer in the kitchen. I guess you have one of these, Cedric. It contains batteries, string, screwdrivers, matches and all those things you might need one day but rarely do. At least it is now tidy and lots of stuff that I have never seen any use for was binned. But I have four things which mystify. They are small with wooden handles and metal spikes. I will show them to Heather tomorrow. Heather will now what they are for.

Orchard in blossom

The 100-year-old trees in the Dick Turpin and Cuckoo Hall orchards are in blossom. After the priming earlier this year under expert tuition, we now look forward to a bumper crop in the autumn.