Double Take

After seeing the previous post by Smitonius & Sonata, I couldn't help thinking that this lady* would probably agree wholeheartedly!

* read all about her here.

A Capital Offence

We have a lurker and she is not amused . Any further references to vegetables , root or otherwise , would seem to be deemed treasonable .

(Our lurker in an informal portrait by Mini Grey , taken from The Pea and the Princess , published by Red Fox .)

And here's his mate, Jinksy.

Fresh Vegetables, Anyone?

Special offer of the week HERE !

We thumb our noses at you, Kindle!

Health and Safety Strikes Again

I heard this story on the BBC Radio 4 News this morning at 6 a.m.

An elderly gentleman was visiting an aircraft museum in the English Midlands. He is very interested in a grounded "Spitfire" on exhibit and asked an attendant if he could sit in the pilot's seat.
"Oh no!  Oh dear me, no sir.  Far too dangerous!"
The elderly visitor replied "I wish the Luftwaffe had been as considerate of my welfare."

He was one of "The Few," - a WW2 Spitfire pilot who had come through the Battle of Britain unscathed.

Dad and Aunt Gertrude

Since the photo in my earlier post didn't work, and you were all just a tiny bit curious, I thought I'd try to post the photo of my father and his sister again. So, hopefully, here it is. Taken at her 104th birthday party.

Aunt Gertrude has been living independently until about 6 months ago, when her children sort of pressured her to pack up her things and move into a home for the elderly. Where, funnily enough, her daughter had already been living for years. So Aunt Gertrude gave in and moved into an old peoples home to live with all the 'old people' who are all younger than she is. According to my father the fact that she is living amongst the elderly is the reason she's getting old herself now. Yes... well....

Aunt Gertrude is almost completely blind and deaf, but she still has all her marbles and organizes her birthday parties herself. Choosing the venue, making the arrangements, etc.

My father suffers from an eye disease, which affects his sight, but he can still see enough to ride his bicycle. At least that's what he tells us and we're keeping our fingers crossed that he's right. For reading, doing his crosswords and telephoning people, he has a cunning device that electronically enlarges everything he puts under it and projects it onto sort of a computer screen.

My mother is 80 in this photo, taken in 2010, and she doesn't know the word 'no'.
Which is why my father telephoned his sister.

Conversation at our Christmas dinner table

My mother:  "Your father telephoned Aunt Gertrude."

Me: "Really dad? Did she (meaning my mother) make you call up your sister?" (My father doesn’t like telephones and avoids them as much as possible.)

My father: "She did."

Me: "And. How was Aunt Gertrude?"

My father: "Judging by her voice she’s getting old."

Me: "Remind me. How old is Aunt Gertrude?"

My father: "104"


my father (89) and his sister Gertrude.