Serendipity

11:48:30 o'clock BST
Feeling Happy

Yet another sunny day here in my little corner of the Fens, Can you read this? Is that better? In fact its been a glorious week ,On Thursday ,I cleaned all the windows outside and the inside of the patio ones also washed the patio window curtains ,they are big so do one at a time ,still have to clean the rest of the inside  windows ,but ,Ahh well another day …..Now where should I start ?where I left off I suppose !!!

Last Monday the plan was to go to Burghley House in Stamford Lincs, there was a craft show and a fishing exhibition, some thing for us both we thought situated in lovely grounds, near the house, we received a phone call from a friend of Maurice’s saying if you are coming you had better get a move on, the gates will close at 1 pm! We were just about to leave when we got another phone call from Ian again saying he wasn’t in to the show yet (had been queuing for two hours!), because of the traffic on the A1 the police were diverting traffic through Stamford, Well having no desire to spend the day queuing in traffic, we had a quick change of plan, we went to Houghton Mill, a lovely picturesque village near St Ives (Cambs)and not too far from home ,we didn’t actually go into the mill didn’t want to waste the sunshine ,but we will most certainly go back another time ,we spent ages watching the boats going through the lock ,then walked around the area ,before exploring the lovely village some quant buildings some beautiful old cottages and a lovely old  church ,and Maurice enjoyed looking at the garage that repaired and sold MGs

On Wednesday, I went to my over sixties club, where we were entertained by an opera singer, but that is worthy of an entry so will leave that for another time, Though I did print off the entry about the Pearly King and Queen for Ina, our President, and was delighted to learn she is with AOL, so she looked me up and left me a comment, what a lovely surprise!Ina told us at the meeting that their charity had welcomed our donation and invited us to their next open day .

Thursday I told you about, when I was on a roll and did all those chores ,Yesterday my Daughter in law Chrissie and Daughter Kate came over ,so we went up to the town ,and took more Lavender Blue pictures (yet another entry to come ) Monday I am going to the Residents  News Letter meeting ,to start preparations again for the next edition ,and then Wednesday we go on our mystery trip so ….watch this space

Now since it is Saturday ,the trolleys wheels are eager to whir ,so I will finish and go and see what bargains are to be had in Somerfield and get some veggies of the market ,and I might even go and browse the books in the charity shops Have a lovely day everyone ,with love

                              Jan xx

 

 

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 32 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

11:17:29 o'clock BST
Feeling Happy

I know, I know it’s been ages since I did an entry! So here I am on a lovely Sunny Tuesday morning, and I can’t believe it’s a week since Aunty Kitty’s funeral, which was sad, but it was a lovely service, and of course meet up with family, why does it seem it’s only on these occasions, families get together? All busy with life of course.

 

On Friday I went to the resident’s forum committee meeting; now as you know I had resigned as secretary of the group, and was so surprised and delighted to be given the most beautiful bouquet from the chairman on behalf of the committee, I was so surprised it didn’t occur to me! I had been distracted I suppose because on the few days prior to the meeting I had been shopping around for a gift for our Tenant involvement manager Karen, who is leaving us to go over to take charge of Supported housing for a while,our loss is their gain and though a new Tenant participation manager is to be appointed Karen will be a hard act to follow ,I organised a bouquet  for her(from dear old Lavender Blue! ) and a very pretty necklace ,lots of green stones on a silver chain ,(Karen likes her bling! )Because the meeting finished earlier than anticipated, I was killing time waiting for my Taxi; I was pleasantly surprised by a lady who was to attend a function after ours, Janet? Is it? She says,….and there was dear Sue, a lady I have known on and off for over thirty years ,we swapped email addresses ,and what a joy she’s with AOL  I asked someone to take a picture of us, I am so pleased I did, I can share this lovely reunion with you all ,and Sue can forward this entry to her Daughter Helen in New  Zealand ,’’Hi Helen ‘’

 

Maurice’sdays off fell, Saturday, Sunday and Bank holiday Monday, so we have had a lovely weekend, On Saturday Mark my son and his wife Chrissie, came over to visit bringing with them, my daughter Kate ,after they'd gone, we tidied up the garden a bit though you could hardly see where we’d been ! I finished off some ironing ,I know boring!

On Sundays, I like to go to the market in a nearby town, there is an excellent second hand book stall (I can only go when Maurice is off work,) I bought a couple of books, then lots of lovely fresh fruit and vegetables, Yesterday we went to Houghton mill, near St Ives in Cambs, but I will save that for another entry, and tomorrow I am off to my club again, and we have another mystery coach trip coming up, so lots to share with you ,Have a lovely day everyone ,enjoy the sunshine ,as usual lots of love and

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 35 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

13:30:37 o'clock BST
Feeling Quiet

Thankyou for this lovely Graphic Donna ,and yes it is raining !

On Behalf of Mike and Jackie ,Maurice and I ,''THANKYOU ''so much  for all of your comments on the loss of our Aunty Kitty ,what a comfort to hear from you all ,believe me it does make a difference ,hearing from you all showed me how J Land is such a caring place to be ,again thankyou .

Aunty Kitty's funeral is next Tuesday ,at 9.30 am .

Many of you have asked what sort of nurse Kitty was ,well from,staff nurse to Sister ,and finally matron ,where I hear she was fair but firm ,very firm ? says Maurice ,to Mike and I as children !! She was Maurice and Mike's Mum's little sister ,she never married ,well only to her career,at which she excelled ,she went through many aspects of nursing ,ending up in mental health care ,She actually nursed Spike Milligan ,and commented, I didnt like him  very much !!

Also I was asked had we got any photograghs of her in her uniform ,Bethe helped me with these ones I scanned ,thankyou Bethe  http://journals.aol.com/sunnybethe/palm-harbor/        Do you like the picture at the top of my entry ,it was Aunty Kitty's Mike gave it to me because he knew I liked it ,it is by an artist called Tony Sheath,I looked him up on the net ,and he is quite renowned for his paintings of the countryside ,I just love it ,and will always think of Kitty when I look at it .......

 

Aunty Kitty is on the left with her arms folded ..on number one

on number two she is in the forground....then on the  right,and the bottom one is at a Ball she is in the siver evening dress ,the men are eminent surgeons

Hope you enjoyed looking through the album with me today ,

as ever lots of love from

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 45 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

13:26:36 o'clock BST
Feeling Sad

Beth, I am useing your picture today thankyou ,

After a very anxious few days .....Maurice and I have just returned from Peterborough ,Where we have been to say our Goodbyes to Aunty Kitty ,She passed away ,this morning at about 7.30 ....,

We are going to miss her,for the frail little Lady she had become ,And for the Feisty Woman she was ,She came over from Ireland ,as a young woman to train as a nurse ,on her own ,before other members of her family,who came later  ,and worked her way through the ranks to become a Matron ,she has friends all around the world (or did have ) and of course us, her family both here and in Ireland .The Priest was with her last evening ,and we prayed this morning ,

I thank you Lord for a long and usefull life ,she would have been 88 next month ...and am mindful of a line in the Hymn ,'Abide with me ,'Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day '

And so those Irish eyes are no longer smiling ,but are closed in eternal rest ,Good bye dear Kitty it was an honour to know you

                         Jan xx

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 72 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

13:25:39 o'clock BST
Feeling Quiet

Thankyou Chris for todays lovely graphic ....

Well here it is Saturday again ,not feeling so good today ,but better than yesterday so thats good ,Last Monday saw us all going off to Warwick to say our goodbyes to dear John ,more about that another time ,Tuesday I was tired so just pottered ,as you do ! On Wednesday up early  for my Taxi which took me to a  Conferance Planning,policy and Strategy meeting  Peterborough , then home again  ,so that I could go to my club in the afternoon(the over sixties )where we were entertained by George and his wife Joy ,Pearl King and Queen of Southwark London ,(They actually live quite local now )  ,Perhaps you remember last year George got his wires crossed about the booking ,he came and sang to us and promised to return with his wife and wearing the suits ,well they did us proud all the lovely old songs for us to sing along to ,and the history of how the tradition began ,back in 1875 with a young fellow by there name of Henry Croft,and I found a picture of his statue on the internet ,and the account as George told  it to us

The London tradition of the Pearly Kings and Queens began in 1875, by a small lad named Henry Croft.

Henry was born and raised in an orphanage in Charlton Street, Somers Town, London, and NW1. At the age of 13 he had to leave the orphanage and make his own way in life. His first job was as a Municipal Road Sweeper in the market of Somers Town. Henry worked hard in the market and soon made many friends; he was particularly drawn to the Costermongers who were a tough breed of market traders. He got to know more about their way of life, their generosity and their fashion of smoke pearl buttons sewn on the piped seams oftheir trousers, jackets, waistcoats and caps. This showed their status as they worked the market stalls from day to day. The Costermongers were caring and looked after each other if they were sick or in need.

  Henry was so fascinated by this way of life and decided he would like to help those who were more unfortunate than himself, including the children back at the orphanage where he had spent his early life. He knew that in order to collect a lot of money he needed to draw attention to himself. So as Henry swept the market streets he started to collect all the pearl buttons he found that had fallen off of the clothes of people visiting the market, and when he had enough he started to sew them on his cap and then continued until his entire suit was filled, the very first smother suit.

Because Henry was an orphan he had no one to help him with his suit so he had to learn how to sew. It was this that started the tradition, which is still carried on by descendants of original Pearly Families, that the Kings do all the designs and sewing. Designs on suits tend to run in families but here are a few that you may see and recognise:

o        Horseshoe = Luck

o        Doves = Peace

o        Heart = Charity

o        Anchor = Hope

o        Cross = Faith

o        Wheel = Circle of Life

o        Symbols of Playing Cards = Life is a gamble

o        Flower Pots = Costermongers

o        Donkey Carts = Costermongers

Henry Croft was in so much demand for his charity work, as many of London's hospitals, workhouses and orphanages needed help, that he turned to his friends the Costermongers and they did not let him down. Many of the Costermongers became the first Pearly Families. There were 28 families, one for each of the London boroughs, one for the City of Westminster, and one for the City of London.

Each outfit can hold many tens of thousands of buttons on it and can weigh as much as 30 kilograms or more. There are two types of suit - a Smother Suit and a Skeleton Suit, the former having very little cloth showing and totally covered in buttons, and the latter having far fewer buttons.

It is estimated that when he died in 1930 (aged 68); he had collected over £5000. The equivalent in today's values would be approximately £200,000.

His funeral was a spectacular affair, and was filmed by Pathe News. All of the Pearlies attended (roughly 400) and they followed the coffin to where Henry was buried. The charities that he had helped over the year all pulled together to help pay for a statue of Henry for his grave. Unfortunately in 1995 the statue was vandalised and no longer stands in the cemetery. It has been replaced with a headstone, inlaid with Henry's photograph, so it can be easily found by visitors.

The statue has now been fully restored and can be seen in the crypt at the church of St. Martins in the Field, Trafalgar Square.

The Pearly tradition has survived for over 125 years and hopefully it will continue for many more to come. We still have a few families who can be traced back to the original generation of Pearlies. Henry Croft's family still carries on the tradition with his Great-Granddaughter wearing the title of 'Somers Town'.

By John Arrowsmith ,Pearly King of Lathamstowe.

 Carole Jolly, Pearly Queen of Crystal Palace, with the statue of Henry Croft,
The Crypt at St Martins in the Field.

George also told us that you have to be born into a family off Pearly's  ,to be called a King or Queen when your turn comes ,and the off spring are Princes and Princess's .these titles were allowed by Queen Victoria ,who was so impressed by their good works ,Joy and Georges charity is a childrens hospital in London ,called Richard House ,along with the title they are also made Freemen of the city of London,so are entitled to walk their sheep over London Bridge ....with sword drawn !!!,They have recently had a Great Grandson ,who is fifth generation Pearly , I do hope you enjoyed todays entry ,and as ever ,lots of love from

                Jan xx

 

 

 

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 53 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

14:57:06 o'clock GMT
Feeling Quiet

Thankyou for this lovely Graphic Donna ....

Now where shall I start?  Erm ….last Monday, after an abysmal weekend, weather wise, the day dawned bright and fine, My Daughter in law Chrissie rang to see if I would like to join her and Mark (my son) and Kate, for a trip into St Ives, (Cambs) there is a market there each Monday, but on a bank holiday ,it is really big ,many more stalls ,although we all agreed there weren’t as many due to the stall holders having to travel and the weather had been awful ,Didn’t buy much ,some slippers and Val Mcdermid book I hadn’t read ,after we had wandered about a while , it began to turn cold so as we made our way back to the car ,We saw this lady pushing this dear old dog, in baby buggy, all wrapped up in a blanket ,we stopped and spoke to her ,she said his name is Digby and he is seventeen years old , and had recently had some teeth out ,so to cheer him up ,she was taking him for a walk …..

 

Today at the minute it is bright and sunny, though the weather has been practising for April showers.

 On Monday we are going to Warwick, to the funeral, of my Brother in law, John, late husband Mick’s brother ,who has been fighting cancer for over a year ,he had a leg amputated last March , but sadly lost the fight last week ,He was special ,he gave Kate away when she got married ,she went to see him at the hospice  just before he died , and shared some precious time with him .So that is two Brothers in law we have lost in five months .

I spoke with Kath (Astoria sands) last evening ,she has moved now ,and has been quite poorly ,but sends her love to you all ,and hopes to be back on line by the middle of next week ,which pleases me, as I have missed her ,as I know you all have .

I have fallen behind with my comments so if you haven’t heard from me,’you will ‘

So for now I will close and as always love from

 

 

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 37 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

12:57:41 o'clock GMT
Feeling Quiet

 

 This is the Easter card my great neices (Jeans Grand daughters )made for me .

I hope you are all having a peaceful Easter, We woke up this morning to snow, and though it had been forecast I was still surprised .Maurice who is working today ,rang up to say it was fine when he left home this morning at 5.30 ,but by the time he got to work it was just starting ,I was surprised at Kizzie who  loved it ,at first she thought it was some thing to eat ,then when she realised she couldn’t eat it all so she enjoyed her self charging about in it ,I hope it goes away as quickly as it came !

 

On Friday… Good Friday, we went into Peterborough, and as we left our little town we saw the crosses that the pilgrims put as they enter a village or town and as they leave it ,as they carry the cross (not sure where they started from this year )on their Pilgrimage though towns and villages and country roads  to Walsingham in Norfolk ,they had some atrocious weather to battle through this week has been awful ,high winds and rain, they passed through here on Tuesday ,I missed them sadly ,would love to have seen the procession .

 http://www.ecumenicalnews.co.uk/Walsingham.html

We went to see Kate; Sam had been to a sleep over the night before so he was catching up on his rest! …And Charlotte came to see us when Kate texted her to say Granny and Maurice are here, Easter eggs were gratefully received lol

 Thankyou for this one Debbie ....

Yesterday, a certain dog that shall remain nameless! Jumped up beside me on the chair as I sat at my computer, she knocked the key board and after I sent out a ‘’Mayday ‘’ to Debbie, she came round and pronounced it dead! Huhh Well I couldn’t go all week end with out one could I? so though I hadn’t planned to go out in the horrid weather I donned warm clothes and went out and bought one from our local Computer shop, rather more than I would have paid in town but hey it was worth it for the convenience, and I supported the local shop, and any way you get what you pay for don’t you? And I called in all the shops on route to shelter from the gales, whether I needed anything or not! And in the charity shop I found the Toby jug Leprechaun, and then out side a house was a bucket of Daffodils, you put in your 50p and help your self, that happens all over the Fens, with fruit and veg and flowers, out side peoples homes often in very remote parts, isn’t it nice people can still be so trusting? , So on that happy note I wish you all a Very Blessed Easter Day, and leave you with this lovely graphic Donna made for me, with love from

 

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 44 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

20:34:00 o'clock GMT
Feeling Happy

Well today is Palm Sunday and next week it will be Easter ,it seems as though Christmas was just the other day ,but of course it will feel like that, because Easter is as early this year as it possibly can be ,and I understand from Sybil it wont ever be as early as this in our life time .Easter day is always the first Sunday after the full moon which happens on the or next after the 21st March ,and if the full moon falls on a Sunday ,Easter day is the week  after.

 

Tomorrow is St Patrick’s Day, and of course for Maurice being an Irish man the day is special, we have nothing planned but will have to see how things pan out, Four years ago we spent the day watching the wonderful parades in Killarney, and of course celebrating .We had the most amazing time the people, the scenery, and the music is something I will never forget.

 

Now this Tattoo!!Did you read Zoë’s entry? Weeeellll …When I worked at the nursing home one of the girls who  worked there  was desperate to have a tattoo, and during the conversation ,someone had dared me to have one done too ,and because I had just met Maurice it was at his suggestion I chose what I did ,and the dare was one I couldn’t resist  hee heee ,I even asked the tattooist if he gave reductions to pensioners he roared with laughter said he’d never been asked before  ,and guess what for my cheek he did ,No good having cheek if you don’t use it ,lol.

 

 

 

 

So there you are its a little Shamrock on my leg! And no one guessed it, ha ha.

 

Now before I go, I would like to ask you to visit Helens journal, she was quite badly burnt as a little girl, and to help others she feels she would like to share her journey, a very brave and lovely young lady ,I know you will give her a proper J Land welcome.

 http://journals.aol.co.uk/richardson749/helens-world/

Enjoy what’s left of the day ,lots of love and

 

 

 

 

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 46 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

14:05:22 o'clock GMT
Feeling Hopeful

So now, I sit down again to make an entry ,and I cant add my pictures ! ...it is any wonder people arent posting as often as they used to ,Guido has been talking to Vishi about this ,but it seems we still have problems ,though I did discover when I went into the journals chat room ,if you find the pretty mauve screen,dont give up ,leave it a minute and it sometimes connects ,I  was so dissapointed  to have  just missed Yasmin the other night ...

After all the high winds of late ,we have a lovely spring day here ,I have done two loads of laundry and it is now blowing gently on the line in the sunshine ,I have also tidied up the garden abit ,putting things back in place that the wind blew over ,

After much agonising ...I have made the decision to cease to be the secretary of the Residents Forum,I found myself dreading the meetings ,and then not enjoying the discussions because I was so busy taking the minutes ,then the chore of coming home and making sense of my notes I have spoken with the Tenant Participation Manager and the Chairman ,who have both been so kind ,have understood  my reasoning ,but would like me to stay on the committee,which I would like to do .

Had things been different ,I would have been married 49 years today March 14th ,Mick died of a massive heart attack 25 years ago ,Funny how things pan out ,but now I have my dear Maurice and we are very happy together .

Well as I said I planned to put my pictures of the display  in the Lavender Blue shop window ,for Mothers day and spring ,AHH WELL ! I believe the Easter one is due...come on AOL give us a break ! 

A few days ago,Beckie boo asked Zoe,for some ideas for some script she planned to have tatooed with her sons names. I commented on Zoes blog that I have a tattoo.... and well for those of you  who know Zoe ?,well she isnt a girl to miss an opportunity

http://journals.aol.co.uk/zoepaul6968/domestic-chaos/entries/2008/03/11/competition-time

If you click on to the link ,you can see what our Zoe has been up too ,hee heee what a girl she is ! So as soon as the add  picture facility is back ,I will post pictures to show you where and what it is ! ...Well I think that is all my news this time,Have a lovely weekend folks ,with love

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 34 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

14:54:49 o'clock GMT
Feeling Happy

So we survived the Earthquake ,thankfully, not an experiance I would be keen to repeat .Then came February 29th ,wow an extra day ,and no I didnt propose to Maurice ,if its not broken dont fix it ! We are fine as we are ,in fact better than fine ,as near perfect as you can get .

March came in roaring like a lion in fact a whole pride of Lions ,causing alot of damage poor Kate was so upset to wake to find her calf and sheep ornaments in the garden had been broken in the wind ,they are lieing in our garden as Maurice has said he would ''try ''and fix them for her ,oh dear !....... 

Then as soon as I threw out all my flowers from my Birthday ,and took down my cards along came Mothers day ...and Oh I am blessed ,more flowers cards choccies and presents ,I saw Daughter Kate and Martin on Saturday when they came to visit ,then on Sundayson  Mark and Chrissie came over ,and my sister Jean and her husband Pete ,I had lovely phone calls from son  Derek and daughter Sharon ,so  a very lucky Mum am I .

Yesterday ,because I was going stir crazy we had a ride over to St Ives (Cambs)a lovely little town we enjoy ,and because I still had some birthday money from Kate that was burning a hole in my pocket I bought a skirt (per una) I love their stuff ...oh hurry up nice weather so I can wear them (I bought one with my Christmas money  didnt I? )I am fed up with my winter things now .But will be wearing them abit longer I fear cos 'The March wind doth blow and we shall have snow ?please no ! and what will the Robin do then ? poor thing ,he'll  stay  in the barn to keep himself warm ,and hide his head under his wing ,poor thing '

Maurice is back at work ,so Im playing catch up but as Im not getting on very well ,so thought I'd sit and do an update here .Tomorrow being the first Wednesday in the month is the day for my club .Then on Friday I am off to the residents forum  bi monthly meeting ,my they come around quickly .and so dear friends that is me up to date again so as usual love  and

 

 

Written by jeadie05 Link to this entry | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 42 comments: Show Recent | Add your own