General Chat

n

It is a challenge to write about where I am living at the moment so I am cheating a little and pasting some information. For those of you who do not know the area I hope that you will enjoy the read and for those who do know the area I think it will still give some pleasure.

East Sussex
Hastings.
A county in South East England that is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex.


East Sussex is part of the ancient kingdom of the South Saxons who established themselves during the 5th Century AD after the departure of the Romans. The area had been populated for many thousands of years before then. There is an abundance of archaeological remains, especially in the upland areas. The area's position on the coast has also meant that there were a number of invaders, those of which included the Romans and later the Normans.


From a geological point of view East Sussex is part of the southern anticline of the Weald. The South Downs, a range of moderate chalk hills which run across the southern part of the county from west to east and which are mirrored in Kent by the North Downs. To the north lie parallel valleys and ridges, the highest of which is the Weald itself.

Over a thousand years of history have formed the county of East Sussex with its green fields having been the sites of many great battles. East Sussex is studded with castles. Hastings Castle was built in 1066 straight after the invasion on top of the cliff that now overlooks Hastings Old Town. It was rebuilt in stone in 1070 as the first permanent Norman castle in the country. Pevensey Castle is four miles north-east of Eastbourne. William the Conqueror seized the Roman fort at Pevensey after beating the English at the Battle of Hastings. Bodium Castle north of Hastings, was built in the 14th century, one of the few examples of a castle built for a private citizen. Incapable of being defended against cannon fire, it surrendered when attacked. The Parliamentarians were ordered to dismantle it, so it remained a ruin until partially restored in the 19th century. In 1917 Lord Curzon purchased and restored the castle. It is now owned by the National Trust.


Earlier industries have included fishing, iron-making, and the wool trade, all of which have since fell into decline. Today, with the main towns being popular seaside resorts, East Sussex's main industry is the tourist trade

There are wide open spaces from the beaches and cliff tops of the coast to the chalk hills and meadows of the South Downs. There are narrow cobbled alleyways and elegant Regency squares, along with medieval cottages and fairytale castles. The mixture of glorious gardens, picturesque old villages, stylish bars and restaurants and fun nightlife are what makes East Sussex such a special place. It is here where you can relive a Norman battle, visit an Indian-style royal palace, go llama trekking, find a 69m long chalk man on a hillside and dine on a 1920's Golden Arrow steam train, and all in the space of a day.

I hope you enjoy the read.

The skies are grey and have been since aroound 05.00hrs when the birds woke me this morning. I am not the best person to be able to tell you all exactly what bird are singing so early in the morning BUT they are certainly louder and a larger number of birds than those at home. I will see if I can find out what they all are.
The sky as I said is very grey and does not look promising so i expect we will have rain again today, not that we had any yesterday but we have had our fair share this year.

I am surprised by the neighbours all of whom seem to be late risers so I cannot even tell you funny little stories about them!!

All the blinds are still down in the four houses I can see clearly and the dogs are still in the house and cars waiting on the drives. It is all so uniform that in a strange way I find it interetsing.
Whilst I live in a mid 1880s former convent here I am in what must be suburbia and I have never lived in such a place before. I have no intent inoffending anyone so please do not think that I am being awkward.

Of course another difference here to home is that I am working so have very little connection with the neighbours.

I fear I have said enough so am going to post this now before I become concerned that I say too much and end up deleting so have a great day everyone and i look forward to reading your news

Bset wishes

Bridget

It's a sunny day here in the West Midlsnds U.K.

Have been to the GP to get the latest results of my Blood Test (Cholesterol) it has fallen from 6.8 to 3.8 So I am quite pleased. Also managed to walk both ways, about two miles in total, does that mean I can eat a little extra now?

The chemist near the GP sels tins of Barley Sugar sweets yum, yum.

Will probably have a curry this evening, (either home made if I am in the mood, or using a jar of curry sauce, if I can't be bothered). I have got some diced turkey so not too fattening.

Will also be watching the football on the telly (if I can stay awake). Will cheer for Spain on your behalf, Frances.
I saw Spain playing in the 1966 World Cup at Villa Park, however on that occassion I was cheering for Germany!

Bye for now,
Tess

Morning all...beautiful first thing but now it is clouding over, hope it holds off until the towels are dry. Hoping Portugal will be better next week. It is great to get the rain but NOT at this time of year, we should be having long, hot days after all it is the longest day on Monday.
Will watch the footy this afternoon as Spain are playing their first match, hopefully will still be watching them on 11th. July (have probably put the mokkers on that then).
Take care and enjoy the day.

Frances

Goodmorning from a very wet JBay. The rain is coming down in buckets this morning, just hope it is doing the same in the catchment area. The sky is v ery dark and the sea is not pretty to-day, we also have quite a strong wind blowing. I just love curry in the cold weather so that is what is on the menu for lunch.

Spain sounds really beautiful, I must admit that I have never travelled abroad, but when I win the Lotto..........................!

Have a good day everyone.

Take care.


Val in SA.

To everyone who has welcomed me back to this thread and who have helped to keep this thread alive THANK YOU.

This evening the sun is shining and the green leaves on the trees that I can see from our tiny living room are sparkling and swaying softly with the light breeze. Out of the small bedroom I can look across the local countryside to the sea..the sea is not as blue as at home but I feel lucky simply to be abe to see it.

The place we live in was built in the mid 1880s and the archetecture is interesting with various patterens in the brick work. Most of the windows are small and this, I think, is because it was built as a convent,again a reason why the rooms are so small. I sometimes wonder if I will see a ghostly sign of one of the nuns but nothig yet..maybe the lift puts them off!! It is also strange to be back in a place I was living in when I had my fourth birthday..Life is very puzzling at times.
Does anyone eklse recall strange encounters or experiences.
well time to make a coffe and eat some home made ginger and chocolate biscuits as a treat, husband gave blood today so he deserves a treat as well
Take care everyone

Brid

TheresaakaBridget the Fidget...you should visit Spain. It is a beautiful country and Barcelona is a wonderful city, but then so is Madrid and Valencia...every part of Spain has something for everyone from the beaches of the Costas to the Picos mountains in the north...I could go on forever but the best thing to do is to come and see for yourself..and yes the view from the Barcelona Olympics was fantastic. We went to see the stadium some 12 years or so ago and it seemed so tiny but it was built inside an existing old building and the atmosphere was something else and this was when there were very few people inside it...during the actual events it must have been phenomenal.

Just dropped in to say Hi!
I am in UK and like a lot of you have been watching the football. However, I don't mind the 'horny things' Hope that hat doesn't put me beyond the pale!

I have never been to Spain, whenever anyone mentions it I always think of the Barceelona Olympics, and the wonderful blue sky you could see during the diving (high board) competition.

Tess

Good old Bridget...weather here could be better, we had lots of rain during the night and today the cloud is very low on the mountains opposite. Shame really as we have been having some fabulous weather, very hot at times. Hope it picks up as we are away to Portugal soon being joined by 'our boys', so looking forward to some fun time.
Enjoying the football, it is about the only time we really watch any and we pick and choose our matches, England, Spain and Germany are the ones we make a point of watching...like everybody else though I think the noise is horrendous, OH thought it was insects the first time he heard it.
Take care everyone and enjoy the day.

Frances.

Great to see this back on page 1 - I have missed reading it.

Well we had a weekend away at Peniscola abd had a fab time. The weather was lovely apart from coming home yesterday when we had a few showers of rain and today is cloudy and looking like more rain - so the washing will have to wait.

Pleased to hear you will be back home in October Bridget - and reunited with your dogs.

Val - hope your sister in law's health continues to improve

Take care all
Mary xx

Goodmorning Bridget, how very nice to see you posting here again.
I'm sure it will be wonderful to be back home and your spaniels will be so glad to have you back. Time goes so quickly that it will be October before you know it!!

We have had about 10mm of rain since yesterday although it is not enough to break the drought it is very welcome, it is still raining softly at the moment. I hope it will continue. It is actually very cold here to-day but I am not complaining as I love the cold weather.

The soccer is in full swing here at the moment, but oh dear, those awful things called vuvuzelas, (which by the way is not "culture" for all of us here as some people think) are so noisy they are actually unbearable! Many people here think they should be banned and I couldn't agree more. They kill the atmosphere.

My sister-in-law had another stroke last week and was in a priviate hospital opposite a "Fan Park" the noise from the vuvuzelas was terrible. She was transferred to a rehab centre yesterday where she will spend about two weeks. She is doing remarkably well, her speech is quite clear and she is walking with the aid of a walker. I am going with my brother to Port Elizabeth again every day to visit her.

That I think is enough for now.


Take care.

Val in SA.

OK I am coming hoome in October and at the suggestion of another person I have decided to keep the messages going on this thread.

I have missed writing each day about my thoughts, fears, happy times and sad times. Writing about the early mornings,late evenings and the wonderful changes to the skyline.
The people who joined me became my cyber friends and I hope that you all keep writing.

I have enjoyed being back in the UK but have also realised that I miss my Spanish home, my two beautiful Cocker Spaniels and being relaxed.

So let us gather together and resume our Daily Diary

Best wishes everyone and I wonder who will respond first

Bridget

Is everyone too busy or has the time come for this thread to come to an end. Such a pity.

Winter is approaching and the days are certainly cooler and the nights longer, I have been getting up later in the mornings as it only gets light at about 6.30 a.m.

We are off next week to spend a few days with my niece and to be there to celebrate her 50th birthday, we won't be doing any dancing, however, as Jimmy doesn't have the breath for dancing any more!!!

Hope your little greatniece is still holding her own Bridget.


Val in SA.

Good afternoon all
Hope you all enjoyed Easter. The weather on the Costa Blanca has been very good - so much so we have had 2 bbq's followed by a seista on the sun chairs. Even managed to put some colour on our faces !!
Well my mom is out here for 2 weeks a week this Friday - she will be 87 on 13th May - and is looking forward to her holiday here. And I promise you all she will not be going back with a black eye this time !!
So pleased you can see the light at the end of the tunnel Bridget - you must feel as if it was a job well done. Also pleased to hear your great neice is doing well - I remember her in my prayers every night.
Well must be off to prepare dinner.
Take care all
Love Mary xx

Good morning everyone

At last it seems as if I am coming to the end of the hard work at the place I am working in. Beaurocats seem to run the world...does anyone else agree with me....and I cannot tell you how many Policies and procedures I have had to write, plus reports and more reports, Risk assessmenst, wrote 50 yesterday, yes that is 50, and a few more still to do. Please do not even think about training there are 8 legal training subjects which have to be done by every member of staff per year!!! sometimes I wonder where the time is to look after people. Would love to hear your views.

Well the sea birds of all shapes and sizes have invaded us again as the weather has been very veyr wet. The doves and especially the white doves seem very forlorn and hide in every nitch they can' We even had large hailstones this week.

I have taken the last two days away from work and writing everything up from home.
Next weekend we are going to a wonderful old pub and restaurant for the weekend. In case anyone would like to know the history it is called the Mermaid and it is in Rye in East Sussex. Maybe I will write a reveiw afterwards for you all to judge!!

Has anyone else on this thread joined the writing group, I find it great and quite fascinating. I have submitted very little so far but read some amazing pieces that people have submitted. I think I will start again this week.

Heard from my sister yesteday that my niece and fanmily are visiting her this weekend and this is the little one with the Cystic Fibrosis. She is doing very well and whilst still very small ahs not had any setbacks in he last few months. I do keep reminding my sister that whilst she and her husban are tall her two sisters just abou et over 5 feet in height, our grandmaother was only around 4feet 10 inches and grandad was only 5feet 3 inches but it did not damage their lives in any way and there are a lot of short oeole on her fathers side as well.

anyway thank you all for your prayes on her behalf.

Have a good Easter do NOT eat the easter eggs in one go just as I did!!
Bridget

Thought I would pop in and write a few words.
Well, it is spring time for you in the UK and I guess you are all pleased to have winter behind you. We have winter approaching, but winter in JBay is mild, at least I think so.

We have just had a longweekend over here and we had friends for the weekend. On Sunday we took a drive to Cape St. Francis which is a small seaside town about half an hour's drive from here. The water there is usually a beautiful turquoise but unfortunately when we were there it was quite misty so the water wasn't so pretty. On the return trip we stopped off at a little roadside restaurant called Olive Tree Junction where we sat outside and enjoyed the fresh air while we had something to eat. Then I did something which I haven't done in years, I went to a movie which I must say I rather enjoyed. It is a small cinema which seats 100. There were only 12 people there.

Val in SA.

A very BIG THANK YOU to everyone for keeping this going. I shall now be able to post at least once or twice a week so hopefully we shall soon haqve more people coming back o us!!
The Home i am working in is on the edge of a veru=y old village, more about it on the next message, and the home is set in five aces of delightful gardens. The pece of land to the left of the home has about a dozen sheep and some are pregnant and we are waiting for the lambs to arrive. Today we telephoned the owner of the sheep as we were concerned that the roghs had no been filled with water for a day os so,well it had but no by he owner! We learnt that she has been in hospital for a few days and is likely to be the for a while. Now I will make sure that they have water but it is a very long time since I was a midwife!!! Any tips???

The weather is improving and the days are staying light so I guess that spring is really on the way. I am sure that the area mus look beautiful ia few weeks time and once again I will be able to descibe the area as i did when at home

Bye for now everyone and thanks for all the prayers for my great niece.
Bridget

Hello, where is everybody? Pehaps I am the only one at the moment with not much to do!!

The whole house is upside down at the moment as we are having a new carpet fitted to replace the one damaged by water. The workmen have been here for hours, although it looks as though they may be nearly finished. Then tge big job of putting erverything back where it belongs.

We have visitors arriving on Thursday and staying until Monday, that will keep me busy. I have one room ready but must still do the other one.

Well it's almost time for the World Cup Soccer which I hope goes off smoothly, although there is a taxi strike on right now.


Take care.



Val in SA.

Good morning all
I thought it was about time I added to this thread again Bridget - it would be a shame to let it fall down to the bottom on Chat.
I have been busy this last week or two trying to sort out all my bits of paper with all the information about my relations - still not managed to file it all away - but hey ho there is always next week !!
Glad to hear your great neice is progressing well - she is always in my prayers.
It is a great pity we can¡t put photos on these threads as my dil sent me some photos of deers that were wondering around the gardens of where they live in Ambleside. Also a picture of the garden all covered with snow. When we visited them in December the views across the valley from their garden were beautiful - they certainly know how to pick where they live. Before moving to Ambleside they lived in Somerset which was beautiful too.
Well it is market day in Oliva today also the day to buy Costa Blanca News so I must shake my feathers and go out whilst it is still dry - sky looks like it might rain, although this week has been bright and sunny and quiet warm - spring must be coming.
Enjoy your football match Bridget and look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Take care all and have a happy and peaceful weekend
Love Mary xx

It is indeed a strange old world Bridget!
Enjoy the game to-morrow.



Val. in /SA.