Hot Topics Q&A #1

 Still hot here. I have an answer for one question, and then a question for which I'd really appreciate your answers. Thank you.

[1] What Are Chafeguards?

Safeguards are things which guard us from anything unsafe. Chafeguards is my word for things which guard us from painful chafing in hot, sticky, sweaty weather. First up, baby powder

Baby powder these days is no longer talcum. In the UK/EU the rules are very strict about the purity of traditional talc. In the USA, there have been cases of cheaper talc containing carcinogenic asbestos. But Boots and major supermarkets are all using cornstarch. A dusting on your skin helps all those areas which get sweaty and maybe sore. Rub it on your sandy feet and it will leave them clean, soft and comfortable when you put your shoes on. 

Chub-Rub shorts are fabulous. In hot sticky weather I find it really uncomfortable wearing a dress, my thighs rub and chafe. A pair of these under my skirt makes such a difference. I use Snag. They are light and fit perfectly. Liz recommends Primark cotton cycling shorts. As Carole King [almost] sang, Can I believe the magic of your thighs? Will you still love me tomorrow? 

[2] Are you a [S]crimper?
I keep being sent links to this offer - a free mini crimpit wrap. I can see the potential usefulness of this gadget for making quick snacks in the airfryer.  I read a few reviews which went from 5* genius, use it everyday to 1* useless, I could get the same result with beaten egg and a fork. Have any of you out there got one, and how would you rate it? Crimp and Rave, or Scrimp and Save?

Faithful and Brave

 April 2015, Bob and I took Liz and Jon to Oxburgh Hall - the lovely NT Property the other side of Swaffham. Liz and I climbed into the Priest's Hole - and got our stickers to prove it. I cannot imagine what it must be like to know that at any moment you could be imprisoned or executed for your faith. The Bedingfield Family, who had owned Oxburgh for centuries were staunch Catholics, and throughout the turbulent Tudor period, were 'recusants' - practising their faith as they believed they should. 
When we visited on Saturday with Liz and the girls we were being bright and cheerful. Jess loved taking part in the Summer of Play activities. Lots of games on the grass she could get involved with, and she really enjoyed herself. She was a princess bricked up in a tower by her Mum - from which she escaped with enthusiasm, and she played giant dominoes with Grandad.

Rosie and I went into the house, we looked at various things [including down into the Hole, which was roped off to visitors]
I showed her the picture from 11 years ago afterwards. We also looked at the display regarding the Regency Period.

There were beautiful golden masks for people to try - opposite a grand mirror so they could admire themselves. But my main reason for wanting to go was to see the Esther Tapestry. This is a wonderful story. This huge Flemish Tapestry, created in Tudor times, featured story of Queen Esther, and for centuries a set of 7 pieces hung in the Hall. Then in 1924 they were sold, and went to the USA.

People tried to track them down but failed. Until last year, when one of the set was spotted in a sale in Maastricht by Jeremy Warren, a NT curator. A huge amount of money was raised [total unspecified - rumour has it £1.5 million +!] from NT funds, the V&A, The Art Fund and private donations.

And in June the tapestry finally came home.

It is a fabulous piece of work. The detail of the weaving is astounding. Rosie commented on the Queen's dress and cloak and said she thought it was "beautiful, because you could see the textures in the Queen's dress".  I think the tassels along the top are fun.

I had hoped to buy a postcard but they have yet to arrive in the shop. I shall return in the autumn on a quiet weekday. OH was quite busy over the weekend. Unlike the Mary Queen Of Scots embroideries, and the Bayeux Tapestry, this piece is a woven tapestry. Rosie is rightly proud of her Flemish ancestors. 

I told her the story of Esther, and she remembered watching a film about Purim, the annual Jewish festival commemorating this brave woman, who risked her life to save her people.

I do hope they find the other tapestries in the set some day!

Grandparents went to the bookshop whilst the girls and Mum walked round the grounds. Then we all ate ice creams in the shade. Thank you to my family, and the NT for another day of fun and sun.

 

Home Is Where The Heart Is

 

Hooked On Hats

 At the start of her Norfolk Holiday, Rosie found a lady with a little stall, selling goods for charity. She fell in love with this crocheted sunflower hat, and happily handed over £2 for it. Yesterday Ro and I had to go into Norwich together - lots of people commented on the hat! It is the sort of thing I'd have worn back in the seventies.Careful inspection revealed it to be 5 granny squares and a frill.
Internet research has produced the free pattern if you want to make your own. I cannot guarantee you will look as charming as she does though!

Buzz Off!

It is official. There are definitely more flies around this summer. The hot weather, and fewer wasps, mean there are greater numbers of them. I have an electric zapper in the kitchen, it's blue light glows eeerily in the evening, but it seems to work there. But we still get them flying round in the other rooms. 

I'm trying to avoid developing an irrational hatred of these creatures. This article was very informative. Keeping surfaces clean, and all food covered is important. Apples are in the fridge, not the fruit bowl. And bananas are inside a cupboard. And because I like to make tea in a teapot, and have a jug of milk, I've unearthed my jug cover. 

It's the vintage doyley I edged with beads five years ago. A traditional solution, and it works beautifully.

I was out in a park with an old friend this week. Some guys were packing away a display about bees. There was a big photo frame. In the absence of grandchildren, we seized the moment for ourselves. 

I now realise flies are important pollinators. There are some plants which are only pollinated by flies [like cacao - no flies, no chocolate!] But I still struggle with their increased presence in my home. 

Bees are much cuter! 

How do you cope with house flies? 

Not Exactly The Tardis!

A request from Manchester"When we get Norfolk, please can Grandad build us a time machine ?" No challenge is ignored by my Shedman. He worked out a design using the L-shaped box which had contained the new IKEA armchair. Bob explained to me there would be a seat inside, with a control panel and joy stick, plus a curtain to shield the eyes of the passengers whilst in flight. [I found suitable fabric for that] We printed off some stickers to personalize the box. And there would be a selection of items in boxes in the summerhouse - costumes, hats, crowns, wigs, flags, water pistols and bubble swords. 

The time travellers climbed into the machine, and the curtain came down. To give the impression of "Time Travel", a portable speaker played the proper Vworp!Vworp! noises and other ethereal music , whilst the everyone else dressed up in random costumes to represent different times and places. Then the curtain lifted and the traveller met them- friends [with bubble swords] foes [water pistols] or flag wavers [either cheering or demonstrating - who knows?]

Utter madness and mayhem, much fun had by all - Jacob was particularly taken with the red curly wig and the Captain Kirk wig. Jess enjoyed being a Chinese flag waver.  Steph wore capes and hats - I have no idea who I was meant to be. The bubble wands were by far the most successful accessory [£2 each, a bargain] We had a couple of days of riotous fun dressing up, brandishing weapons, and declaiming...

A box of costumes, and a reclaimed cardboard box gave us hours of fun. It was good to watch the boys decorating the box before the others arrived, and amusing to hear them all role playing their characters. And the cousins were so good at taking turns inside the time machine. But that was all over a week ago. The costumes are packed away, the boys are back inn Manchester and the time machine will be going into the recycling bin. If TARDIS means "Time and Relative Dimension in Space" what is ours called? 

How about TIC-TAC ?
"Transportation In Cardboard - Timetravel At Cornerstones"  ?

Parliamentary Matters

Did you know that the collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament?  And furthermore, did you know that every year, 4th August is celebrated as International Owl Awareness Day?  I knew the first, but only learned the second fact this week 

And I discovered it yesterday in Holt. This lovely Georgian Market Town, boasts an "Owl Trail". You can walk round the town and find 24 plaques at interesting sites. The name comes from the ancient legend that some local men found an owl. They put it in the town Pound for safe keeping, whereupon it promptly flew away! 

There aren't too many owls in the town centre nowadays, but you may spot them in nearby Holt Country Park. We went up to Holt to meet my dear blogfriend Kezzie and her husband. We had a lovely lunch together in the Owl Tea Rooms. 

It was such fun to chat together in person. The husbands got on well too. I'm always anxious before I meet up with a blogfriend that our "other halves" might be bored. I am so grateful that this hasn't ever happened. 

Kezzie has been a good friend for a long time -  when I was running 'Grandma's Nursery for Rosie in lockdown, she sent me some great ideas for music lessons. When cousin Gill died, she came over to Romford and took me out for a much needed coffee break. And I love being involved in helping construct her Whovian Cosplay outfits.Thank you K&C for a super time together, and a great lunch. It was kind of you both to take time out from your family holiday to connect. 
The cheerful waiter took a photo for us 

Then we all put on our hats, ready to leave, and decided we needed a 'hat-pic' too!