General Chat

CC Tollgate ding dong is where my nearest supermarket was until they moved to new bigger premises just along the road. Quicksand I can't say I have seen that sign but they have excavated sand around that area so maybe that's what has caused it :-S I do hope you are feeling more rested now there certainly is plenty of walking to be done at the zoo apart from the all walking the oppressive heat and humidity is very draining :-( CC dear did you take your ostrich feather fan on your trip? I have this terrible image of one of the birds of prey from the falconry display getting distracted :-D :-0

I haven't heard from my eldest so I am assuming baby E is doing well, they are visiting us on Sunday so I will give her lots of cuddles then :-D

Auntie Petunia I hope you enjoy your weekend oop norf ;-)

Lesley

When I take my little promenade.............Such a fashion card............on the promenade!

Via the blooooooberry I have to say that we are now in the Newcastle Archives.

Octavia has now discovered she has northern roots. It seems she is new money, and her forebears were toiling people!

There were two or three people with the same name, one a miner, one in the ropery and one on the shipyards, so we are here to try and work out who is her Ancestor. If only we had one of those people with us who knows about these things!!!!!!

While Octavia is pouring over books and ledger, Georgianna and I are walking along the Riverside. We have had coffee in one of the numerous pavement cafes and we have walked over the bridge where that nice Mr Caine, was Get Carter.

Strange to think only a few decades ago, this was a thriving port and had regular shipping going up and down the River Tyne. It is very metropolitan now, with hotels, little boutiques and cafes all along the side. Also we notived that all the roads lead down to the River, we could do with a cable-car to get us back up to the Town Centre. It is hustling and bustling here.

As it is very warm, there are millions of young gels walking around in very skimpy clothes, towering heels and big hair. They appear to be Cheryl Coke clones. Ah to be young! The young men are very polished too, manicured eyebrows and smelling sweetly.

I hope you are enjoying the sun dears, I shall be back home on Monday

In the meantime we are having a reet good time!

Toodle Pip
Auntie Petunia


hugs for your dear little Baby Boo!

Dear Petunia I hope your enjoying your trip oop norf :-)

Oh dear I have been a tad hot today:-( I do hope others are not suffering as I am :-(

Lesley

Trust dear Petunia to head off out of London for the cooler north-east, and leave the rest of us sweltering.

"she sits beneath the whirring fan, her clothing very wet.
no, she hasnt had an accident, its just a puddle of sweat."

hello Lesley, alas I could not remove the ostrich feathers from my telescopic feather duster, but I know only too well what can befall visitors who do unsuitable things in front of the birds of prey ... like the gentleman eating a ham sandwich discovered one day during a Falconry Exhibition.

Enjoy the company of your little visitor :-)

CC

I forgot to say, Lesley - driving in the vicinity of Tollgate Road I noticed a beautiful roundabout, laid out with rocks and flowers. Is that the Tollgate roundabout? or is it another one? I've been online (Google Maps) to find a pic of Tollgate Roundabout and it looks nothing like I espied although of course it could be an old image as Google Map images were done a few years ago now.

CC

It has been another sizzler here in Essex :-( far to sticky for long cuddles with baby E :-( after a short time we both had a radiant (ruby red) glow :-| not very pleasant I might add.

I stayed up to late last evening so as to watch day one of the V Festival :-S oh dear there were so many young and not so young people frying out in the midday sun (mad dogs) and not one parasol in sight :-|

CC Yes that is Tollgate roundabout when it was redesigned several years ago it gained the nickname of Stonehenge, since then plants have been added to give it a much softer prettier look :-) :-)

Lesley

Fanning furiously with a lace edged fan! My ostrich feathers have wilted! It is slightly cooler here dears, but not much. We are keeping towards the River dears, as the water cools things down.

Our hotel is very swish, it overlooks the Iron Bridge, it is wonderful to look out of the balcony and see the bridges lit at night. It reminds me a little of Venice!

We have fot to the bottom of the Family Tree. Apparently Octavia's ancestor was not a common or garden Miner [not that there is anything wrong with that] but a Mine Owner. He invested with a few others, and they had a co-operative mineshaft. Eventually he bought everyone else out, and became sole owner. No perhaps not new money after all..................

Ahh Stonehenge, one can only remember Spinal Tap, when Stonehenge was in mortal danger of being trampled by a dwarf.............surely not the same stonehenge?

Yes, babies and animals are not good in the heat. I only hope they have put dear little Trickey Woo in a cool room. She does get very fretful, and then starts to scratch, not a pretty sight. I imagine you dear little baby was unhappy with the heat, Lesley. I hope she had sufficient air to let her skin breathe! I am sure she did, with Grandmama in charge.

Oh dear Cherry, do we have to lower the tone with poems about 'glowing'? Indeed I have been a little on the warm side, but there is no need to succumb and loosen one's stays

By the by, I have found a wonderful haberdashers just off the main road. It is up a twisting alley, and over the threshold into a shop that possibly has not changed in 100 years. Certainly the lady behind the counter could well have started there as a Saturday Gel. It is within a spit and a throw from the new Shopping Centre, but my dears, it has everything I could possibly want.

Silken stays, combed cotton undergarments, sleeping bonnets, button hooks, lisle stockings, bed jackets, and bed socks. I am in seventh heaven! I have bought a new valise, so that I can put all my new purchases on the train without any bother. Hurrah!

We are dining in the Hotel tonight dears, we are to sample Stotty Cake.

I cannot wait.........................I think!

Travelling home tomorrow
Auntie Petunia

thanks for that info Lesley, I thought the rocks made a lovely display but I am a bit of a rock hugger anyway. I was banned from Stonehenge along with "GrandMa Giles". Wonderfully eeerie atmosphere there ..... !! :-D

eeeh Petunia me dear, I canna imagine thee eatin Sto''y Cake, it'll make ya start talkin the talk, in the local accent deah. I lurve the way they talk in the north east, it makes me feel reet at 'ome. Ma fust 'usband is a Wearsider, deah, as were 'is Mam and Da afore 'im.

She sits beneath the whirring fan, her mind much too hot to think,
But she soon must go and have a shower, before she starts to .....

....... ah will let our Petunia 'ave the last werrd ! and why not she usually does !

CC

Tutty tut Cherry dear, I despair of you!

I walk through the door and their is debris everywhere! Please dear, I think I have been quite patient so far, you may eat in your room and you do drop crumbs dear, but now the passage way is starting to overflow with polystyrene containers, wrappers and chickens bones. What if dear little Trickey Wood got a bone stuck in her throat? Where is she by the way?

Oh my! I can see the pile in the corner moving! A dear little wet nose is peeping out of a Jaffa Cake wrapper, my little Trickey! Oh my dear little pooch is covered in Soy sauce and noodles. Really!

I can hear Pat-trish-aaaaah stomping about upstairs, has she been out for an airing dear? She needs to get out for an hour or so everyday. Lack of sunlight makes her very tetchy dear.

I agree Lesley dear, this weather is very draining.

I am very tired dears, all my packages are still sitting in the hallway and I am hungry and fatigued. I just want a nice cup of tea.

Now, if I can only pick my way over the rubbish into the Parlour..............

Not very amused
Auntie Petunia

Oh dear Petunia,

CC, you should have covered your tracks - or had Patri shaa do it :-D.

I am pleased you managed to find suitable under pinnnings Petunia, you should be all set to go now? Did you check on baggage allowances with your Liner?
I too love the Geordie accent, fishies and dishies and all that jazz.

The puppy saw a senior vet last Friday, he is happy to wait a bit longer to see if the eye improves by itself. Phew, so back pup goes on Wednesday.

CC, I insist on sending you some rain, a) to cool you down and b) because I am heartily sick of it :-|, it is making me very cross....
We are at about 1.5 oC warmer than average for this time of year, but the rainfall is way up. Fruit borrowed my gumboots (wellies) t'other day and hasn't returned them yet..

OH and I visited a sweet shop while we were in the South Island recently, mostly UK sweets, I bought my Mama, two walnut whips, her favourites. Also a Terry's orange bar, yum !! I had a wee taste ;-). I am trying to lay off the sweets and things I shouldn't be eating, somehow the chocolate has shrunk my clothes :-(. If it ever stops raining, I will get out and pound the pavements again. I live in hope. :-)

I trust baby is doing well Lesley? Do you have a trillion photos of her yet?

Speaking of photo's, I finally made the effort and printed out photos of our trip and put them in an album. I forced, err, showed them to my Papa.. We always have to look at his holiday pics, so I returned the favour :-D. Petunia dear, there is one with the most remarkable likeness to yourself? I had a wee chuckle as my London town photos almost look black and white, then I remembered, 'that' particular day was perishing cold and very dull skies :-(, but the photos are great !!
Such happy memories. If our boat ever comes in, as opposed to yours sailing, Petunia, we will return :-).

Must away and make some sarnies for our luncheon then get myself off to work.
I have to go past the Council to check where our services sit on our section - we are going to remove our knackered hedge, 'dial before you dig' and all that.

Have a pleasant evening all,
Susan

*titters*
Petunia dear, it wasnt me who Partied, and left the debris everywhere. We were invaded by a tribe of Hells Angels. Pat rish aaaah will no doubt tell you all about it, and try to blame me, but I wasnt responsible for this. As for dear little Tricki Woo - well, he narrowly escaped becoming a shish kebab !!!!!

She sits beneath the whirring fan, composing little ditties,
Patting up the perspiration that runs down off her neck.
Oh to be beneath a cooling breeze, she dreams of shady pines
As she tries to engage her brain to think of more poetic lines.
What rhymes with 'this', what rhymes with 'that', oh - what the heck.

CC

*begs on bended knee* Susan I will be happy to take all the rain you can bottle up and send to me! thank you :-D My poor garden is looking quite scorched.

Fingers Xd the puppy wont need eye surgery. Our cat is due to have her booster jabs tomorrow - if we can drag her in from the garden to keep the appointment.

I well remember walnut whips - like so many of these goodies its a case of two minutes on the lips and a lifetime on the hips.

CC

Good evening dears,

Yes please do send a little water down the cyber hatch we could do with a downpour to freshen things up a little. We have been very sticky here the last few days.

Ah poor puppy, I do so hope he is better soon. We had a case in the paper a few weeks ago, where some yobbos put a kitten into a phone box, and then put in a couple of bull terriers. Needless to say what happened.............what is matter with these people? Mindless violence and a blood lust. Very sad.

Ah yes, our meeting earlier in the year. When you were with your gentleman walker. It was VERY cold that day, and bleak. I nearly did another turn of Trafalgar Square just to keep on the bus. It was a good job I knew of a welcoming hostelry to get the chill out of our bones.

Cherry dear, I wondered why a found a skull and crossbones ring in the hallway. Hells Angels indeed! Tutty tut. I am most displeased. I was so very tired last night, and hungry. There was no food in the house, the Lotus Flower had to supply nourishment for me. I turned the light out before I got into bed, and disrobed by candlelight [so much more flattering] and then slid between the sheets................I found a bandana pushed down to the bottom of the bed. It was covered in oil and grease. My wonderful linen sheets soiled. Please dont tell me my bed has been desecrated!!!!!!! I also found a couple of nuts and bolts under the bed. Has someone been riding a bike up and down the stairs?

Good luck for your puss Cherry. Will you have to sedate her to get her to see the Vet?

Ah Walnut Whips, lovely. I also used to like Fruit Salad and Black Jacks. Wonderfully sticky around the teeth, and also Sherbert Fountains.

Ah happy days............

Dreaming of Milk Tray Bars
Auntie Petunia

Strolling in waving my (clean) lace edged handkerchief to everyone :-)

Strolling out still waving my handkerchief muttering :-( I will return :-D

Mmmmmmmmmmmm coffee walnut whips <3

Good morning everyone.

Petunia dear, I barricaded myself into the Orange Room, as I could not reach the Primrose Room in time. or was it the Green Room. Who am I? Where am I? As a result of my self imposed incarceration until the Hells Angels left, I have no idea what they got up to, nor ... who let them in !!!!! But, I suspect Pat rish aaaah brought more back with her from her hippy sojourn in Essex, than a strange hair style. She is very quiet as a rule. You know what "they say" about the quiet ones .....

You can talk to Pat rish aaah, dear. She is not my responsibility. Not after the unfortunate Lampshade incident.

Oh that cat ....... I'd made an early evening appointment, thinking the dear cat would not come home last night, as is her wont, in which event she usually rolls up mid-afternoon for something to eat, and I planned to lock her in the house at that time. But she did come home ergo was at home all night until I awoke, and I had strict instructions not to release her into the wild blue yonder under any circumstances. Upon rising, one's first husband locked her into the box room whereupon said kitty used her litter tray (phwaawwrrrr the PONG) and MFH will clear up that mess when he returns home, he said. MFH promptly phoned the vets to see if they could see the cat earlier than this evening. They said yes, they had a free appt, bring her along now. So orf they have jolly well gone, to the vets, and no doubt puddytat will be in a right strop when she gets back home and will go and sulk in the garden for the next 24 hours. But, at least she will have had all her appropriate boosters.

Ohhhh ... I do not like to know what mindless yobbos do to small helpless defenceless animals ..... every time I read the news on Sky there is yet another reported incident of animal cruelty and my blood pressure goes so high I'm now flying on Pluto.

*dreaming of walnut whips and toblerone bars*
CC

*waves lace edged handkerchief back at Lesley*

I like your Avatar, no doubt that is the lovely little Emilie. A heartbreaker already !!

CC

Petunia dear I have a little quandary and would welcome some of your most esteemed advice, please.

One's First Husband, when he dries up the cutlery, manages to put the knives and forks into the appropriate separators in the drawer. However - the knives are jumbled up and the forks are jumbled up, none of them pointing in the same direction. And I cannot bring myself to tell you what he does to the teaspoons, but that drawer is a MESS.

Now - should all the blades of the knives, and all the tines of the forks, be facing north or facing south?

And, how do I force a gardener to pick up the droppings, when he has already been told to pick up the droppings ..... then goes and works a few minutes past his time so is in a rush to leave once he's got his money, instead of allowing time for clearing up properly before his allotted time ends?

CC

Regards your gardener CC I think I would suggest to him (very politely of course) that he could be picking the droppings up while you gather his money, which you should do very slowly :-D

Yes that is baby E when she was 4 days old <3 ma and pa have now given her a dummy which is a big comfort to her and has made her a lot more settled :-)

People talk of certain breeds of dogs being banned :-( I think it's certain types of people that need banning :-|

Lesley

We are back :-D

I have read of all the goings on at Motie Towers down under and nearest to home with Lesley.

What news of a heat wave. We were cooler than a foxes glacier mint in the valleys and beaches of the Pembrokshire coastline ;-) we had a lovely time in a lovely location with beautiful views. It only rained for one day and the rest of the time it was at night.

FTE was at Colchester zoo on the day you were there Cherry dear. She had the friends from up North down and decided to take them to the zoo. Did you see them Cherry, she dragged them everywhere to see everything. We were gold card members when the fruits were younger so she knows the place like the back of her hanOh the tales we could tell :-D :-D :-D. We live half an hours drive. We are orff again next week so I will look out for the quicksand sign.

Will be back later

Teresa

Good evening dear Friends,

How lovely to see you back Teresa dear, so pleased you had a good time, if a trifle chilly. Refreshing eh?

Lesley, I really do appreciate a freshly laundered lace-edged hankerchief being fluttered at me. Do you use box or spray starch dear? Little Baby E. looks as if she is concentrating very hard on sleeping. The dummy can be removed when she drops off to sleep. One must do what one needs to at times, as you well know. I agree with you dear, tis not the dog, tis the owner.

I have quizzed Pat-trish-aaaah thoroughly dear Cherry, and she seems to think that she was not the cause of the disturbance at Motie Towers at all. She simply says that she was given a shopping list by you and Mrs Berry, which took her onto the North Circular, she dropped into a Cafe for a little light refreshment, and these young people followed her home, singing Born To Be Wild..................

I shall have to get industrial cleaners in to rectify this mess. Especially as I am orft on Friday..........

Yes, on Friday we begin our Cruise. I have had all my valises cleaned and polished, clothes ironed and pressed and the jewellery got out of the Bank. We will be off!

Teresa dear, I expect your dear daughter at the top of the gangway to pipe us aboard.

Southampton here we come!

Reading Itinery
Auntie Petunia