Bonne Maman

 I saw this definition in a shop in Paris - printed on a small zipped bag

Mother - a woman who voluntarily carries out a set of tasks which should normally be carried out by around twenty people. [see also magician, superheroine]

If they had not been quite so expensive, I would definitely bought a pair, for Liz and Steph. To all you Mums out there - thanks for all you do, keeping your families together [and doing loads more besides]. 

Well done, keep going, you are amazing women!

Spousework

Thank you Kezzie for this new word. Today I will not be doing housework, or mousework, because I shall be busy supporting Bob. Spousework - activities in support of one's best beloved. It is the day of the annual Swanton Morley Duck Race. A well attended event designed to raise funds for the 'Friends of the Parish Church'. About 1000 ducks have been 'sold' at a cost of £1 each - they will all be tipped in the river, and the first 3 to arrive at the end of the route [a local farm] will win prizes. A fete will be held on the field, and Bob is running a Shed Project stand. As well as promoting the shed programme, there will also be a craft activity for the children. [making wooden boats] So yours truly will be there...

So no Mousework today, but thank you SueJay for reminding me of the mice in Bagpuss. This animated children's TV programme was made by the "Smallfilms" company, run by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. It was filmed in a barn not 10 miles from Bob's childhood home in Kent. As well as the saggy old, baggy old cat Bagpuss, and his friend Emily, the cast also included six squeaky mice. They always sang their songs to the old English folk tune "Sumer is icumen in"

You probably know the adjectives bovine [to do with cattle] 🐄and equine [relating to horses]🐎 - but did you know the words anatine [of ducks]🦆 and murine [about mice]🐁?

Flash Sounds So Boring In Comparison...

 We were in a B&Q type store in Paris and saw these in the household cleaning products section

Terre de diatomee is 'diatomacious earth' - an insect repellant [like ant powder.]

Terre de sommieres is Fullers Earth - a type of clay with all sorts of cleansing properties. [see Malachi 3;12 in the Bible]

Such interesting names, in comparison to Flash, Vanish, Method and Mr Muscle. And such gloriously retro labels. 

I'm not sure I'd want this one on the shelf though - not with grandchildren learning to read

I remember an embarrassing moment years ago, in a car park lift with much graffiti on the walls. Our daughter, at five already an enthusiastic reader, started "sounding out" the word in front of her "S...S... SH... SHI..." Everybody held their breath and I said quickly "What are we going to have for lunch today?" Diverting her with thoughts of food seemed a wise course of action. 

Maybe the French are more relaxed about such language. 

I wonder what they call Cillit Bang!  ? 

Housework v. Mousework

 Housework has been a little neglected this week. I have a Big Project on hand. When I visited

When I visited the Town Museum back in May, to look at my Sew Peaceful piece, I met Katie, a leading light in the Heritage Society. I showed her a picture of the Egyptian Puppets.

It was Katie who emailed me a fortnight ago to ask if I could make felt mice. I went in to see her and took my two little prototypes. She has this idea for a "Mouse trail" round the Museum. Properly called Bishop Bonner's Cottage Museum [or BBCM for short] she thought a little felt mouse - which she thought could be called Bonnie [clever wordplay] could be placed in the different rooms for smaller children to spot.

We walked round BBCM together, and in the end, concluded it would be better to have Bonnie and her five friends. So I'm making 6 mice before the end of term. Each will have an appropriaye historical costume for its surroundings. Making mice first, then clothing [in case we change our ideas] I've used some felt I had already, and the two squares I purchased in Leicester. Already I can see why a higher wool content makes for a better finished product.

Here's my little basket of mouse bodies and limbs waiting to be sewn together. I'm house-sitting for someone this morning, and will be sewing them together. But they will be headless for a few days - I am not finishing the heads till the beady, black sew-in eyes arrive.

The fishing line works well for whiskers. I used black beads for the first two prototypes, but now I am getting the proper eyes as recommended by Sue Quinn.

Bob said he wasn't too sure about the disembodied limbs on the coffee table [but he as was watching CSI at the time which can be very gory, I don't think he was too serious]

And as I don't like sport, and I am fed up with the election, I can sit and sew peacefully and listen to the radio. Mousework beats housework any day! 

Ups And Downs

The biggest up and down is Blogger. I have been trying to post this for over two hours! Thank you for all the kind comments about Jess and her dress. We're fortunate to see so much of her and Rosie. Steph is really good about sending pictures, and having video chats with the boys in Manchester, even if we cannot get together quite as often. 

Our grandson George was 4 in May. A few months after he was born, during lockdown, Steph asked Bob to make a Pikler Triangle for him.

Bob produced this lovely climbing frame. George soon became very adept at climbing the rungs, and sliding down the slide. The slide can be fixed the other way up too, with handholds to assist climbing. Pictures below show George as a toddler. He continues to enjoy it, as does Jacob. 

On Monday Steph sent us a brilliant little video loop. The triangle combined with the ball pool providing hours of fun... 

I do hope you can see this! It really makes me giggle

I'm A Princess!

Big Girl Jess "I'm three now, Grandma" clearly loves her new birthday frock. Especially the pockets! I can see that I might be making more from this pattern... 

Yes I CAN !!

I definitely think I have earned my classy National Trust Head Gardener's mug. Both raised beds are looking splendid, and I am getting positive comments from passing dog-walkers! That said, my splendid crop of broad beans has been decimated by blackfly over the weekend. 

My stock of gardening equipment is coming along nicely...

Monty Don advises keeping your watering cans full, for three reasons

1. That will free up space in the waterbutts in case of rain
2. It will weigh them down and stop the plastic ones blowing about the garden if there is wind
3. They are ready for a quick dash round watering to tomatoes etc.

Julian was with us three days- and the morning after he went home, his late Mum's "Blessings" rose finally bloomed. Typical! The Egyptian Walking Onions grow more triffid-like than ever. The original bulbils at the top of the stems have developed into little clusters of small red and white onions [size of a spring onion] and then another stem plus bulbil is shooting out from each cluster.

Kirsten advises putting some pots of compost around for the bulbils to plant themselves into. You can break off the little'uns* from the cluster, and eat them as spring onions or pickle them. Or leave them to grow on to shallot size. Eat them as shallots, or replant. And the green stems can be chopped up and used like chives.
* leave some to sustain the new bulbils.

As I have tomatoes, mini cucumbers and salad leaves almost ready to harvest, I can add in a sliced little onion too. As these were a gift from Kirsten, they should be called my Egyptian Walking Onions [Kirsten's] or EWOKs for short!

The Measure Of Love...

 ...Is To Love Without Measure

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord

I found this lovely fridge magnet in Sacre Coeur in Paris last month

A Poem For The Summer

O do not ask
if I am beach body ready.

Observe how the folds
of my stomach ripple
like the wind-pulled waves.

Feel these pale buttocks,
smoothed by the sand-grains
of time.

Note these milk-white limbs,
useless and stranded,
washed up whalebones.

Consider the tufts of hair
which sprout on my shoulders
like sea-grass.

And listen to the lapping
of my socks
at the shores of my sandals.

And you ask me

if I am beach body ready?

I think Bryan Bilston's poem is extremely clever.

And I am sad [and a little bit angry] that so many people feel unable to enjoy the sunshine, sand and seawater because they have been made to feel ashamed because their bodies are not 'perfect' in some way. We all have beach bodies.

Heads Up - And Down

Once my steam mop died a few months back, I reconciled myself to old school mopping. I have a handle with interchangeable heads- a broom, and a mop. The latter is a flat velcro-ed rectangle which holds a microfibre pad. I lent this to someone who was a having a dirty floor crisis, and unfortunately she thought the pads 

were disposable and returned the handle/head but threw the pads away. 

Fortunately I discovered IKEA Pepprig mop pads fit perfectly, so I bought a pack of two. 

When my steam mop died, I had three triangular pads. I like to mop with one pad and dry with another, so I decided to modify the triangles to fit the rectangular head. 

I just cut off the top section and hemmed it on my machine. The little "ears" actually help with attaching and removing.

That's HEADS UP

HEADS DOWN is in the garden. I have grown more flowers this year and realised the merits of deadheading. The RHS website has lots of helpful tips and pictures about this. [those are not my hands!]

Trimming off the dead flowers certainly does encourage more blossoms. I have plenty of mesembryanthemums in my troughs around the oil tank

At last we are beginning to see some sunshine! Long may it last.

Did you know that in other countries, the mesembryanthemum is also called the "Heartleaf Ice Plant" or "The Baby Sun Rose"? I am growing them simply because my Mum loved them. They are such amazing shades of pink

Rev Almond, In The Garden, With A Kebab Skewer

Saturday was wet, SO wet. Every garment I was wearing was wet. I was glad I'd got a set of dry clothes to wear on Sunday, or I'd have had to go to church in my pj's. It was lovely to meet up with old friends. We got home around 5, and shortly afterwards Julian arrived to stay for a few days.

Monday we went out to the coast - meandering round Wells [where I bought fishing line for mouse whiskers] then onto Hunstanton for a fish'n'chip lunch. Bob spotted a large sheet of Sundeala Board in a skip, worth about £70. Exactly what the Men's Shed needs to refurbish the Parish Church Noticeboards. I went inside the shop and asked the owner if we could have it.  "Take it - take it all if you like" he said cheerfully. I thanked him, and we loaded the Sundeala and a few other bits into the car.

Julian was greatly amused as I squeezed into the back seat. In the evening he helped me thread whiskers onto the mice, then the three of us played Cluedo.* I'd quite forgotten how much fun it is. On Tuesday Bob and Julian went to the Tank Museum and in the evening Adrian and Marion came for a BBQ. We sat in the garden as Bob cooked some delicious kebabs.. Later on, I was showing Marion my finished cross stitch when I suddenly spotted a mistake. I had stitched 3 Ls in collaboration. 

How had I not noticed that before? I've unpicked and restitched now. Julian went home yesterday, Bob had a good time at The Shed, and I did lots of gardening. Two of my tomato plants have plenty of fruit, the remaining twenty plants don't seem to have anything but leaves. My pair of strawberry plants had eight berries, but the two largest have mysteriously disappeared.[birds?] We ate the other six fruits before they were taken. I have 5 mini cucumbers on my Yard Sale plant. 

*Julian picked up a Cluedo set in a CS in Hunstanton and I said "We've got that at home" So we fetched it out after our evening meal. But all the score sheets were filled in [the set is about 50 years old, I got it as a teenager] However I was able to quickly print off some spare sheets from This site. We can go on playing. It is useful to be able to print off replacements - there are bits for Monopoly and other games. 

Do you ever play board games? Which do you  like best? the classics, or the newer ones? 

Pretty In Pink

 

I picked this up in a Charity Shop a few months back. It was originally written in Japanese. The styles are classic, and simple, and all the patterns are included, for 24 outfits for little girls aged 2-10. There's an excellent review here. 
Jess was three last week, so I was delighted to get out my lovely new sewing machine [again!] and make her two summer outfits. She does like pink!

A pink summer dress, and a little two piece- a cross back top and matching shorts. Both of which I hope she will enjoy wearing and find cool and comfortable when [if?] we get hot sunny days.

I saved on fabric by using bias binding - although the book gives instructions for making your own binding. I used vintage buttons on both items, and pretty star stitches on the machine to decorate the pockets.

The fabrics came from Anglian Fashion Fabrics, and I got a discount because I belong to the Costume and Textiles Association. I do love the bees and strawberries print. 

Peace Like A River

I was in our little Museum on Friday, and had another look at the Picturing Peace exhibition. This time I remembered to take a picture of my friend Clare's piece. It is a watercolour painting on top of the words of a hymn. It's often called "Peace Like A River" or sometimes "It is well with my soul"

Clare is an extremely talented musician, and an accomplished artist. If you do not know the story behind this hymn, watch Hugh Bonneville explaining it here.

May your day be full of joy and peace...

Keep The Chairman Happy!

Bob has a beautiful office chair, it was made in High Wycombe, about 50 years ago. HW was world famous for chair-making-  the first "Windsor" style chair was recorded as being made here in 1732. Our friend Peter was the Baptist minister there, and when he left the church [around 50 years ago] to move to Kirby Muxloe, they gave him a specially commissioned office chair. 

When Peter died, in 2008, his widow Janet generously passed the chair on to Bob. Peter was a good friend and a brilliant preacher. It is a good reminder of his wise words, and longstanding friendship. But the seat on the chair has gone a bit saggy in the centre. Reupholstery would cost rather a lot of money. We didn't want to give up on the chair. 

Bob measured up carefully and bought a rectangle of 40mm foam, and I found some grey fabric in my Great Stash. A simple cushion cover, with ties which slip neatly between seat and frame [and fasten underneath] and he's sitting comfortably again. Result!

A Prayer For Today

 

Going Back

I think it was 2006 when plans were first mooted about a massive housing development just up the road from Kirby Muxloe - the village on the edge of Leicester where we'd lived since 1995. The Council had thousands of letters of protest in the first week. And just one saying "Our church is very close to the proposed site- if you do this how can we help build a good community there?" And because he was the only one who offered help, they took Bob seriously. We got Churches Together In Leicestershire on board, and went for prayer walks round the muddy fields where the new town was due to be built. The Council said if we provided a community worker, they would provide housing [which was way more than we'd dared hope for]

As we left KM for Dorset, the development was coming along nicely. We returned for the commissioning of Sue Steer as the Community Worker [she's a Baptist Minister] Things have gone from strength to strength. 

Today we're going back to join them for Lubbfest, and tomorrow we will be back at our old church [followed by lunch with friends] 

Hoping the journey is smooth, and the weather is kind.

No Martians Here...

You may recall the alien spaceship round the corner. Well, last Friday we drove up the road and noticed it had gone. Flown back to Mars? 

On Saturday, at the Village Yard Sale, all was revealed. The house owners were listed as having a sale, so we were able, quite legitimately, to go through the gate and into the garden. It is normally hidden behind a thick, high hedge. The UFO lay in pieces on the lawn. 

The owner said it was in the garden when they got the house. They suspected it was meant to be an ornament. 

They separated the two halves and the grandchildren played in it. 

They'd got fed up with it - so it was stored on top of the

shed for a while. 

But now it was for sale. No price just "make me an offer"

Even with our commitment to recycling, neither of us could see a use for two plastic domes 4 feet across!

I wonder if anyone did buy it...

Mice!

I think mice
Are rather nice.
Their tails are long,
Their faces small,
They haven't any
Chins at all.
Their ears are pink,
Their teeth are white,
They run about
The house at night.
They nibble things
They shouldn`t touch
And no one seems
To like them much
But I think mice
Are Nice 

Skye reminded me of this lovely little poem by Rose Fyleman [thanks, Skye] . Over the weekend, in between working out to fold forage caps, and manipulate wax washers and cotton reels into tanks, I made two prototype mice, using my new book [yes, I ordered my own copy, 2nd hand online] They both came out around 6½" tall

Prototype 1;  I used some white curtain interlining [because I have loads of this, it was free] This was not 100% successful, as the woven fabric distorted when I was stuffing it, and frayed too easily. It had a strangely fluffy texture, and would have been better for sheep than mice, I think. I didn't have any fishing line, so improvised whiskers with beading wire - which bent too easily out of shape. Time to make -2½hours

Prototype 2; I'd bought a pack of cheap felt [with a high %age acrylic] to get different flesh tones for my Egyptian Puppets. So I made a second mouse using that. It worked better, but still went a bit fluffy when handled, and stretched when I was doing the fiddly head shape. I stopped before doing the nose and whiskers. Time to make - 1½ hours

Clothes;  I made the red felt blazer, and a blue cotton dress, using patterns from the book. They came up rather too large [that blazer is pinned at the back for the photo]  I think I should have had a greater seam allowance! Time to make -  less than 1 hour

Conclusions
Better felt will give a more professional result, I think, especially if I am planning to make and sell these. The instructions are really good [except for the seam allowance advice] with clear photos

Sue Quinn recommends cotter-pin-joints for arms, legs and head. I didn't want to go down that route. Too fiddly and expensive. My friend Wendy from craft group makes lots of rabbits, and just stitches the limbs on. It seems to work - I don't need these to be poseable.The pattern is designed to be machined - and that really does speed up the process.

Sue recommends forceps for pulling the pieces through [so seams are inside] and for pushing in the stuffing. I use a bamboo chopstick for stuffing memory bears. But forceps?
That's OK, said Bob, what size do you want - and went out to the Lathe Palace where [surprisingly]  he has locking forceps in three different sizes [Is he practising brain surgery out there, do you think?] The little 4" ones were perfect for the task. 

I shall find some fishing line, and have ordered better quality woollen felt*.and start designing a few different garments. But it is a good start, and I hope I will get some made for the shop in the autumn,

* on Tuesday afternoon I turned on the TV to the Create and Craft channel- which I rarely watch. There was Corinne Lapierre - who designed my Advent picture kit She was launching her latest book, and for one day only her packs of felt [wool/viscose] were on special offer. How cool was that? I had just finished sending off my order, when someone emailed me asking if I could make felt mice, as she has need of some for a special project she is doing. I replied that it seems the way was already being prepared, and sent her the picture.

Thank you all for the lovely comments yesterday about the Cross Stitch.

My stats have gone back up again, so I hope that means people are getting my posts on their feed.

I'm certainly getting Sue-In-Suffolk again [and other favourites] who had 'gone dark' last month.

All Stitched Up!

 I have finally completed my half of the Cross Stitch Collaboration. The stitching was all done by Pentecost as we planned, but I had to complete the notebook with details, and scan the book to send a copy to Kirsten. Now it is all done. My final stitching was the border round the edge. names and dates top and bottom, and I chose verses from Psalm 4 for left and right. 

"You put gladness in my heart" 

    "In peace I will lie down and sleep"

You should be able to click on this for a better view, and for the individual months, click on the "cross country collaboration" label in the sidebar.

The whole piece measures 21" x 11" and is yet to be framed.

The side borders of  Kirsten's say 

"Dum Spiro Spero - while I breathe, I hope"

    Lo, I am with you always"
This has been a great follow up to our original Postcard Project. I can really recommend this collaborative stitching to build sewing skills and strong friendships.

D Day Done

Did your community commemorate the 80th anniversary in any way? The Parish Church was open all day. I called in briefly for the regular Thursday Morning Coffee. At 6.30 the bellringers began an hour of pealing the bells. Bob had a committee meeting in the nearby Pub, so I went into the church at 7.15 to wait for him. It was - despite the bells - a space to pray and reflect. I'd just heard from a friend with a dying relative, so I prayed for that family, and also for Michael Mosley and family, as that story had just been on the news.The bellringers finished, came down from their loft, and left the church - clearly not seeing me, "Shall we lock up?" "Who's got the keys?" they called to one another. I replied "Please don't lock me in!!" They apologised, and left, then Bob arrived, then Rev Rachael came to light the commemorative lantern. We went across to the Village Green where the beacon was being lit.

That was a disappointing non-event, The chair of the council just walked up and lit the beacon. No words, no moment of silence and reflection. Nothing. On the left of the picture is a group of villagers chatting, not even watching the beacon. 

More Village stuff on Saturday - in the morning a yard sale, and I found my mini cucumber and aubergine plants for £1.50. Yippee. Bob bought a lovely £60 bowl gouge for woodturning, only £5. In the afternoon we went to the Village Hall for the D Day Commemorative Tea Party. Bob provided 1940s music and a continuous video of D Day stuff . I had loaned a load of books and posters, and volunteered to organise a children's activity table.  [and all my Union flags and bunting]

Kelly, the Parish Clerk had decorated the Hall beautifully, and made a display of WW2 materials. The children did colouring, painted pebbles, made newspaper forage caps, cotton reel tanks, and assembled planes.

A good time was had by all. The children were all so well behaved and enjoyed the activities on offer.

At 6pm a lady in full 1940s dress arrived to provide an hour of WW 2 songs.

But before that we all enjoyed the most splendid tea

In 2022 we had the Queen's 70th Jubilee. In 2023 the Coronation Celebrations. In 2024 the D-Day 80th Commemoration.

I sort of hope 2025 won't have any major national events ...

Just One Thing

Such sad news about Dr Michael Mosley. I did not know him personally - but listened to him on TV and radio, read his books, and even tried his diet plans. I particularly enjoyed his "Just One Thing" programme. I did briefly attempt the cold shower thing, but decided against that becoming a daily habit. 
I do believe he was a good man, who genuinely wanted to help other people to live happier, healthier lives. He always came across as kind and caring, with a good sense of humour.
My thoughts and prayers are for his widow Clare, their four children, and his many grieving friends right now. And with the people of Symi - a tiny island now overwhelmed with media coverage. They really pulled together to search for him [one of their police officers fell and broke his leg] and this is not the outcome anyone was hoping for.
Thank you Michael - for challenging so many of us to think seriously about the way we eat.RIP

The Ship Of The Church

Two logos - one for the local grouping of Churches Together, the other for the World Council of Churches.
Oikoumene means inhabited world
Both include the image of a ship on the sea. Traditionally a symbol for the church throughout the ages. Jesus' first disciples were fisherman - and he calmed the storm - the winds and the waves obeyed him.
When we were in Paris we visited the church of St Etienne Du Mont [St Stephen of the Mountain] which is situated just behind The Pantheon.] This is a fascinating church - there has been a place of worship here since the 6th Century. 

Clovis, King of the Franks, and his wife Clothilde were buried nearby, and St Genevieve, Patron Saint of Paris. Mathematician Blaise Playwright Racine, and Politician Marat all found their final resting place here.
When we visited, on a sunny afternoon, we found - as in every other church we entered- there were many people sitting alone, at prayer. Some lit candles, or wrote their prayer in a book or on a noticeboard, others merely sat or knelt, hands clasped, heads bowed. Old ladies, smartly dressed businessmen, fashionable young women on their lunchbreak, scruffy students with backpacks...it is quite usual for people to pop into a place of worship for a few moments [or longer] to find a quiet place to speak to God about the things on their hearts. I love the fact that they can do that - that others respect their activity and do not bother them with chatter. We were both appreciative of the opportunity to stop, and remember friends and family at home in the UK, difficult world situations - and the impending election. 
St Etienne has an amazing display of stained glass windows in the cloisters - rescued from other churches during the first world war. This one particularly caught my eye.

At the top, Noah's ark, as he rescues all the animals from the Great Flood. Below, "The Church As A Ship" Jesus at the prow [in totally inappropriate sailing gard] and behind him, Kings, Saints, Noblemen, and "those who paid for the window" all in their finery - behind them the ordinary people in simpler monochrome clothing.

A reminder that God cares for those he has created, and will be with them in the rough storms of life.

The animals were great - notice the Unicorn - and also Noah's big stick [is he conducting their singing?]

I spotted the Dive representing the Holy Spirit instead of a Crow's Nest - but I don't know why Jesus is apparently steering the ship with a floor mop through the hole in the side! I suspect that these are all good Catholic Saints - the poor Baptists are below decks, in the galley making lunch. But I am grateful for all my sisters and brothers, who sail with me in the ship.

May the breezes be soft on your back, and the waves gentle for you today...

Has-Been Aubergine...

Months ago I ordered some plants from Suttons - including a special offer of three veg plants in pots for £9.99. I chose a 'heritage' tomato, a mini cucumber, and an aubergine. The tomato came a while back, it is thriving in the greenhouse and already has tiny fruit like petit pois. But I had a message when it arrived saying the other two would come later. On Thursday 23rd, I had an email saying they'd been "prepared for despatch". I tracked my order, and knew that on Saturday it was at the depot in Norwich. So I spoke to my kind neighbour Jo, and said "If it doesn't come before we leave Tuesday morning, will you look out for it please?" I left notices at front and side door saying "please take parcel to neighbour at #..." Which they clearly hadn't.
Thursday afternoon [30th] I had a WhatsApp from another neighbour saying that she had walked her dogs and seen a parcel on my path [she does this really early before work] I WhatsApped Jo. She said she'd been checking regularly, and spotted the parcel, on the path at 7am. Delivered by Yodel. The tracking site said "left in a secure place as requested"

But it was really battered, the plastic was cracked in places, both plants had broken stems.and shrivelled leaves. She took photos as evidence. Although she took them home and tried to revive them both died.

I went round and collected them the day after we got home. Very dead! I emailed Sutton's on the Friday - and they responded immediately. There are no more of these plants available, so they refunded my £9.99 in full. [thank you] Which I consider to be very efficient customer service. But I would still like to find some mini cucumber plants somewhere...