And the answer is...

Toilet tissue by scot ...

click on picture to enlarge!!

(Edited to put full ad in there -CP)

Stop Press

Look look the Happy Snaper - gave me flowers cos I was ill . . . . ahhhhhh!

Freesias were one of my Mum's favourite flowers - she had them in her Wedding Bouquet - so they are special to me! And doubly special because HS knows this and that is why he bought them for me. Oh good grief where are the tissues?

Purple Newsflash!

Just heard on the news that a purple lorry load of Cadbury's chocolate has been stolen..honestly! Now come on everyone, put it back, that's naughty!

They are lovely really!

Have you ever done something and thought" oop's that could be taken the wrong way your on the internet"and as you've pressed the publish button grinning to your self thought sh.. what if i can't follow up the comment with the truth ! ! what if the computer won't let me ! ! !!!!!!!
"WELL IT'S BLOODY WELL HAPPENED" i can't even see if the bit i'd done got posted...i'll try again and talk about elizabethhm..xxxx

Has Prince Charles joined us?

Have recently read the Daily Telegraph - yes I know what you all think about that - but I was amazed to see...........................
A picture of the Prince of Wales potting up some plants in ---PURPLE GLOVES!
Does that mean that we all rush away, or will we get lots of applications to join?

Confessions of a serial mower - back to normal

Thank you so much for all your lovely messages and comforting words. The Heiress is still doing well and I think the worst is behind us.
I have delved yet again into my Daisy Goodwin - Poems to Last a Lifetime and found the very funny following one: - I think it is time to smile again.




Nine Mice by Jack Prelutsky

Nine mice on tiny tricycles
went riding on the ice.
they rode in spite of warning signs,
they rode despite advice.

The signs were right, the ice was thin,
in half a trice, the mice fell in.
and from their chins down to their toes,
those mice entirely froze.

Nine mindless mice, who paid the price,
are thawing slowly by the ice.
still sitting on their tricycles
...nine white and shiny micicles!

It's not real!!!

I am a bit embarassed and feel the need to make clear that my blog today is not one of real life - it is a writing exercise suggested by KittyB which gave the opening line 'I remember' from which you are supposed to write whatever comes into your head. I had a go at it as my computer was playing up and I couldn't blog. I have stated that real life experiences have informed it, but perhaps I should have stated more clearly that it was a piece of fiction. Sorry, Un Peu but thanks for the comments. x

I'm not frightish of everything.

I need to quickly address this suggestion that I am some kind of a wuss. I am not worrisome over lizards, or snakeses, nor mouses, nor even big ratties. I can catch a toady, or a frog, but it does need to have four legs, or six legs, or less. Once we get up to more than six legs ( unless it's an octopussy, they're ok ) then I'm sorry I don't like 'em, oh ok then I'm a wuss.
Westerwitch, when you said you don't keep big spiders anymore because it's cruel........ you didn't let them go in my greenhouse did you?

Healthy and happy in France

As a member of the overseas contingent may I say that we Foreigners are, to the best of my knowledge, are all well fighting fit and healthy over here so would you all be terribly kind and remember to hold hankies over mouths when you blog so we are not put at risk from your Anglo Saxon germs! Otherwise I fear we shall have to instigate sheep dipping at all cross channel ports again.

Personally i put it down to not enough red wine and too much tea!

Ps this is an art deco advert which was designed to encourage women to purchase a particular item. Any guesses? Go on it will take your minds of your ill health ps sorry no prizes!!

An Owl

I don't believe it - in best Victor Meldrew style - I have just heard an owl and in bright broad daylight . . . .then again maybe it was a pigeon. Either that or owls are plotting to take over the World and now come out in daytime. I know I'll go back to bed and hide under the duvet . . that'll fix it.

Horses are blogged on.

I did as I have been requested and typed up life stories on the boys. I sneaked back in after Westerwitch set Matron on me for " learning what 'Thought' did . " I had run away to hide in the greenhouse ( you can't see me in there ), but after a while of being busy, nice and quiet and well behaved, I picked up a pot and a BIG spider fell out of it and landed on my foot. I ran away very damned fast then, with much waily waily. Even Matron isn't THAT scary!

Confessions of a serial mower - an emotional morning

I have had a very emotional few days. The Heiress, our Angel and new found love of our lives has been very very poorly. A month ago she had the MMR vaccine; I was worried as many people are over this, and was told not to be so old fashioned! She started to get sick last Thursday and spiked a dreadful fever on Friday and was covered in spots by Saturday. Doctors prodded and poked and finally decided yesterday that she has baby measles - from research it would appear that rarely this can occur up to six weeks after the MMR vaccine is administered.
Today the rash is subsiding, her temperature is normal and she is perky and wants to eat. There doesnt appear to be any lasting damage. We are on a moments notice to drive to Portsmouth if need by. We have a web cam link to watch her as she is home.
We tried to carry on as normal all weekend, we even went out for that hilarious meal, thinking she just was teething, hot and grumpy. But our baby girl was really sick.

I have been looking through my favourite Daisy Goodwin poetry book, for a bit of comfort, and found this poem, by Bernard O'Donoghue. You may find this odd at a time like this, but with Blossom losing her friend and others having suffered, it just shows how important it is to tell those people you love, that you love them. I hope Blossom finds comfort from the fact that her friend knew how much she was loved. I told my dear departed mum often and I will now make sure I tell The Heiress every time I see her, in between the kisses.

Going without Saying

It is a great pity we don't know
When the dead are going to die.
So that, over a last companionable
Drink, we could tell them
How much we liked them.

Happy the man who, dying. can
Place his hand on his heart and say:
At least I didn't neglect to tell
The thrush how beautifully she sings.

who knows whom?

Come back from a few days off and you're all ill?! Nooo....lots of vit C, zinc and echinacea please matron. And a large dose of Calpol.
Fabulous answers to my nosey mag question..... but now I'm wondering this.....so many of us seem to live in little enclaves (ie large Suffolk contingent; ditto Wales and Northumberland) I was wondering who's met (in the flesh, so to speak)?

I've met Milla (but then we knew each other before) and have met Bodran/ragrug (hurrah).....and looking forward to catching up with @themill and hopefully Withy too on our northern sojourn... Sooooo, if you have met another purplecooer, tell us something we don't know about them!
I'll kick off: Milla has more books than a library and a large heap of trainers by the front door (flipping healthy bunch - they run!)
Ragrug's house appeared in a homes magazine (not CL) and has the most stunning wooden carved windows. Plus she has a zillion dogs (and a compost loo) and she used to make wind-chimes.

Re Tesco dot com

I may be missing something not having come to blogging until fairly recently but why do people apologise for mentioning Tesco Home Delivery?
Having repeated panic attacks in crowded supermarkets left this household without required items time after time.
Not being able to drive since 26 January has caused huge problems and would have meant no necessary grot shopping.
A close friend 75 years old recently lost her husband after nursing him at home for some considerable time I asked her how she was managing shopping ...."Tesco Home Delivery of course without which I would have been stuffed!"
I can well remember the 'home deliveries' of the past - grocery man Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning, Corona man - Tuesday morning (wasn't allowed any -very bad for children!) Butcher lady -Friday afternoon as well as the daily milkman, the laundry man (one posh house only) the coal man, the oilman with calor gas and parafin.
The Tesco delivery man or lady takes back plastic to be dealt with accordingly, took the Christmas cards for recycling and delivers to about 14 households at once saving all those cars doing a 30 mile round trip on the roads.
I use Tesco's for the necessary type of things like toilet rolls and shampoo while I still support any Farm shop I can find, the local butcher and baker down the hill and I have a stall at the monthly mini farmer's market to sell home made preserves.
So what's the matter with Tesco Home Delivery? Personally I LOVE IT!

male/ female attitude to criticsm.

Hubs and I had one of our very few deep and meaningful conversations recently (too many children for that sort of thing). We got onto the subject of criticism (lots of DIY goes on in our household and he gets very tetchy if I say something about it because he hates doing it). Unbeknown to me he takes the view that if someone is criticizing him they are in fact implying that they could have done a better job of it??? He really couldn’t understand that when I criticise that never occurs to me.

Example hubs and father fitted a grate whilst I was in church once. I return sit down on settee opposite and can see that it is sloping. I ask perfectly valid question. Did you use a spirit level (I do have a good eye for whether things are straight hubs and dad don’t, obviously!!) They tried to say they had used one but when we checked it was sloping. Now never in my wildest dreams would I presume that I could have fitted a cast iron grate better than they could, for one thing lifting it alone would have killed me. My criticism was based on the fact that had they used a spirit level THEY could have done a better job!!

He backed his argument with the fact that when people criticise films the directors usually make a comment like “you couldn’t have done any better” (he has every copy of Empire mag published and now rubs in the fact that they have never shafted him, need I say anymore).

We then started to wonder if this is a M/F thing so he checked it out at work. Men took his view, women mine.

It is also rather pertinent I feel because say in the case of “Walker between two worlds”, Jane’s book, if I did find something to criticise in it I certainly wouldn’t be thinking when I was doing so that I could write a better story as that would be an absurd idea.

So what do people think of criticism?

Get well soon

So many poorly purple people - there must be something amiss with the gods- so here's Buddha to bring you good fortune, health and happiness (or karma or something). He was a bizarre Christmas present from my sister - and I am absurdly pleased with him! And here's a mouse, because he's so sweet. Timmy Willie from Beatrix Potter. Asleep in a pea pod - bliss.

The Cowarts Ten Torrs Contingent

I am sorry to report that our gels did not cover themselves in glory this year. In spite of the fact that the expedition was called off early the other teams did manage to convey themselves in a seemly manner and and are deserving of their medals. I cannot say the same for Cowarts.
Of course Faith and Blossom were in their element with all the charming young squaddies who were there to assist in this wonderful event. There was much taking down of phone numbers and the reason for our late return to School was that I had to visit several Okehampton hostelries before I found them playing spin the bottle in the skittle alley of the White Hart with ten of Englands' finest.
Suffolkmum and Chickangel broke the seal on the emergency mobile phone to order in pizza for Saturday night supper. This is strictly against the rules. And bribing the poor lad who had to go across country on his moped in the appalling weather to bring two crates of brown ale with him with promises of, well let's just say it was not appropriate behaviour for mothers with young children.
UPL had Madame G bring her a hamper overland in her new cart pulled by three dartmoor ponies. Unfortunately the cart got bogged down just passed Hessery Torr and M.G. had to continue riding one of the poor beasts sidesaddle. I know that these creatures are known for their hardiness but I fear that a Percheron or Suffolk Punch would have been more suitable for the task.
With hindsight it was fortunate that the expedition was called off early because I fear that our gels would have been in no fit state to complete the course having been awake until 4am drinking and singing rugby songs that could be heard all the way down at Mortonhampstead.
I had to bribe one of the charming Dartmoor Rangers to go back up with a trailer to collect the detritus left behind by our team, but at least the glass can be recycled.
Headmistress could you please arrange for the Janitor to power wash out the School Minibus, and a liberal application of Jeyes fluid would not go amiss.

Oh waily, waily.

Sorry, sorry, didn't mean to do it twice, now I'll have to run away and hide.
Crivens!

Murphy's Lesser Known Laws

1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright, until you hear them speak.

2. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

3. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

4. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

5. The 50-50-90 Rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong

6. If you lined up all the cars in the world, end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them, five or six at a time, on a hill, in the fog.

7. The things that come to those who wait will be the scraggly junk left by those who got there first.

8. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.

9. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

10. When you go into court, you are putting yourself into the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

Murphy's Lesser Known Laws

1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright, until you hear them speak.

2. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

3. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

4. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

5. The 50-50-90 Rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong

6. If you lined up all the cars in the world, end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them, five or six at a time, on a hill, in the fog.

7. The things that come to those who wait will be the scraggly junk left by those who got there first.

8. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture in a dark room.

9. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

10. When you go into court, you are putting yourself into the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.

A little thing but it annoys me!

The postman has just been and I'm still getting birthday cards which is lovely of course. My eldest sister's card has just arrived but she ALWAYS addresses it to Mrs. Hub3's Christian name then our surname.

So lets say Hub3's name was Charles, which it is not, and our surname was Smith, which it isnt, anything she sends me is addressed to Mrs. Charles Smith. Now I KNOW in days gone by this was correct, but we don't live in those days now and I am sick of it! I have been married to three different husbands from the age of 19 and am now am 50 so for 31 bl**dy years she's been addressing envelopes with their names and not mine on them! And I haven't dared tell her I HATE it!

In need of Faith

No time to blog yet- up to my neck in council business already (did I tell you- Cllr Grouse now?) Had awful nightmares after my first Parish meeting last night- my ward is a cauldren of issues, lots of political stuff under the surface. Dreamt I stabbed someone and was expelled and sent to coventry.......could read all sorts into that. Faith- HELP!!!!!!!

Blossom- will blog some Brenda stories later in week for you, when I have waded through 16 pages from local planning and packed 30 cases of eggs for the bakers...........

Camilla and the other side of darkness...

Camilla asked on "I have blogged" how together old blogs back from t'other side as most people already have. I am raising this here in case it is missed in the blog box, hope you don't mind Camilla..

I have copied mine to here but they are also still on the other side as well. Since they already will have copies of everything anyone has written over there and since CL have the right to use them in any form they like,It seemed, to me, pointless to ask them to delete them. Deleting will stop other people looking back and reading them but will not remove them from CL's own archive.

I think jackofall has a thing on the techi page on how to transfer across to your present home if you want. I'm sorry I can't help with that or tell you how to do it as re computers and jacko I work on the theory why have a dog and bark yourself (but for goodness sake no one tell him that or he will take my avatar away again!)

Hope this helps!

ps the rather charming painting is of two women plotting to over throw the civillized world, which as you can see, is best discussed over a cup of refreshing tea. I think the one in the hat looks a little nervous as she has just realsied it is she who has been chosen to crawl into chain herself of the railings of a publishing house.

ps I have also blogged but it is a bit brash to say so here...

Garden pests

If you look carefully you will see two of the reasons I find it impossible to grow roses or tulips or any number of lovely plants. I've become an expert on all things unpalatable to deer - the sour, the fuzzy, the poisonous. It's a constant challenge. I think that if you put your cursor on the photos and click that it will enlarge and allow you to find the little darlings. Some mornings they come with their whole extended family to dine and dash.