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Tuesday 31 May 2011

Back Then We Had It Right!!


THE GREEN THING


In the queue at the shop, the cashier told the older woman that she should bring her own bags, because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.  The woman apologized to him and explained, "we didn't have the green thing back in my day."  The cashier responded, "That's our problem today.  The former generation didn't care enough to save our environment!"

He was right, that generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, they returned their milk bottles, lemonade bottles and beer bottles to the shop.  The shop sent them back to the Plant to be washed, sterilized and then refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over.  So they really were recycled.  But they didn't have the green thing back in that customer's day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn't have an escalator in every shop and office building.  They walked to the grocery shop and didn't climb into a 300 horsepower machine every time they had to go two miles.  But she was right, they didn't have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby's nappies because they didn't have the throw-away kind.  They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.  Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand new clothing.  But that old lady is right, they didn't have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio in the house - not a TV in every room, and the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of Wales.  In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand, because they didn't have electric machines to do everything for them.

When they packaged a fragile item to send in the post, they used a screwed up old newspaper to cushion it, not polystyrene or plastic bubble wrap.  Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn.  They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a Health Club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right, they didn't have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water.  They refilled their writing pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in their razor, instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade had got dull.  But they didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the tram or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or rode in the school bus instead of turning their mums into a 24-hour taxi service.  They had one electrical socket in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.  And they didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest Pizza Hut.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old folks were just because they didn't have the green thing back then!

Food for thought?!

Monday 30 May 2011

Thank you Claudia!


Hi all my little bloggy friends.  It's Monday today, and I hope to be able to get out and do some work in the garden .  I've planted up quite a few pots, but still have more to do.  Trouble is, it's still so cold out there (even though we're nearly in June) that I don't really have the heart to do it, but do it I must!!


That is just a taster, because I've done about twenty five so far!  They will look better in a couple of weeks when the flowers come out a bit more.  At least the cold weather has put a stop to my roses for a while, which is good news for me.  There are hundreds in bud, so they should come out just when I need them to!

A week after the wedding, we are holding a Midsummer Cream Tea (with musical accompaniment) in the garden, in aid of Children's Hospice South West, so we hope to raise quite a lot of money then. 

I am delighted to say that my friend Claudia (The Story) has awarded me The Versatile Blogger Award (along with quite a few others), so thank you for that Claudia.  Every one is much appreciated.  Claudia lives in Germany at the moment with her husband, Peter, but originates from Romania.  She took part in and completed the recent A - Z challenge, and is now carrying out the Z - A challenge!  This challenge has a musical theme, and she has introduced us to some lovely musical artists and some very unusual musical instruments. 

For this Award, I have to come up with ten things about myself, which is getting quite hard as I have listed several things on other occasions.  Maybe I should just refer back to those posts - ?? Well, I will have a go!

For our evening meal tonight, we will be having baby new potatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, asparagus and British pork parcels with a rosemary, sage & onion stuffing, wrapped in smoked prosciiutto.

I will be going to my Book Club tonight, and we will be discussing The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.  This is the first book of a trilogy, although it stands as a story on its own.  I have seen this particular book in the bestsellers list for a long time, but it just never appealed to me, even though I didn't know what it was about!  Well, I have now finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I found it to be a real page turner.

I love taking photographs (as you have probably realized from all the ones I post on my blog!).  If I had my time over again, I would definitely like to train as a professional photographer. 

I took piano lessons from the age of nine, but I don't play any longer.  I can only play by reading the music.  I am very envious of anyone who can just sit down and play a tune by ear.

I love anything that is retro or vintage, which is good, as these things are all around us at the moment!

I'm a real lover of 60's music and love bopping around to my Juke Box.

I trained to be a Masseuse just after my 50th birthday, after working in admin all my life. (Actually, I'm almost sure that I've told you that one before!).

I am an avid reader and always have a book (and sometimes two) on the go.

When I was training as a secretary back in the good old days (hee hee!), my shorthand speed was 130 words per minute, and my typing speed was 100 words a minute.  Actually, my fingers still fly over the computer keys pretty rapidly now!!

I am going on holiday with a friend in September to Majorca, which is a very pretty island.

Phew! That's ten.  Sorry I couldn't make them a bit more interesting for you!

Well, my lovely little bloggy friends, I will leave you again for now, but look forward to seeing you again soon.



“The steeper the mountain
The harder the climb
The better the view
From the finishing line”.
Unknown





Ooops! Nearly forgot - I have to pass The Versatile Blogger Award on, and I am going to give it to five people :

All of the above certainly deserve an Award, and I hope they enjoy it!  Now I really am going!!
Byeeeeeeeeeeee!







Sunday 29 May 2011

Sunday Snaps!


This is getting silly now, how quickly Sundays come around!  I just want time to slow down a little and for life to be a little less hectic for everyone.

Anyway, here are my Sunday snaps for today.  I know that some of my facebook friends have seen a couple of them, but I'm sure they will forgive me if I post them here on my Blog. 

They are of little Ruby Violet aged 17 months.  She is going to be dressed as a fairy for the wedding (you'll be pleased to hear that grandma will NOT be dressed as a fairy!) and will carry a wand made out of matching flowers that her mummy will be carrying in her posy.  Yes - well - it sounded like a good idea, but I don't think we will actually give her the wand until just before she is due to walk down with my thirteen year old granddaughter.  Otherwise the flowers may well be - well, who knows?!  They could be strewn all over the floor, or they might even be eaten!  It promises to be an interesting day!




"On the seventh day God rested. His grandchildren must have been out of town." ~ Gene Perret

Grandparents are a family's greatest treasure, the founders of a loving legacy, The greatest storytellers, the keepers of traditions that linger on in cherished memory. Grandparents are the family's strong foundation. Their very special love sets them apart. Through happiness and sorrow, through their special love and caring, grandparents keep a family close at heart. ~author unknown.

Saturday 28 May 2011

I Wish I Could Come Up With A Really Funky Title !

Can you believe that the weekend is here once again?! I hope you all have a relaxing weekend and manage to find some sunshine. 


My good friend Colenic over at A Smile A Day has passed this on to me, and I am very grateful that she thought of me.  Please go over and say hallo, as she is feeling a bit sad at the moment.  Col was very much looking forward to this weekend as a dear friend whom she has known for 21 years was due to visit.  But, life got in the way, and it wasn't to be.  They had all sorts of things planned to do, so she really could do with a little cheering up right now.

This is quite a simple one, because I just have to pay it forward to five more bloggers, so here goes :

Anne in Oxfordshire - Anne loves to travel and has recently returned from Italy, sharing some wonderful photos with us.  She also does lovely ceramic painting.   I'm sure she would also welcome a visit from you, as she is feeling a bit 'down' at the moment, as her husband is away working again.

Shady Del Knight - It's been a long time since I have handed an Award to Shady, and he certainly deserves this one.  He is always so supporting and encouraging to all his blogging friends, and we all look forward to his comments, which often are really funny.  He puts so much work into his blog, which is all about music of the 60's and his love of the Shady Dell, which was a haven for teenagers in York,  P.A.,  and the magnanimous couple who created it, the late John and Helen Ettline.

Thoughts From Meme's Corner - LV is a very young 81 year old, who intends to be blogging til she reaches 100!  I think it's a real inspiration that she is embracing all this new technology.  If I'm still blogging at 81, I guess I will be one happy lady!

The Giggle Fest - LyndyLou lives up in Elgin, Scotland with her gorgeous son Jack, and her daughter Holly.  Jack needs 24 hour care, but LyndyLou's posts are filled with love and fun.  I think she is an absolute star, and an inspiration to us all.

Sush over at First Do No Harm - this is quite a new friend of mine, and I am enjoying getting to know her.  She is a wife, mum and grandma, and has raised five children.  Her blog posts are full of warmth, and I know you will enjoy meeting her.  One of the things I love is the comment on her profile, that says she is married to the love of her life and, after 39 years of marriage, she still thinks that her husband "hung the moon".  Isn't that wonderful?!

I hope you will enjoy visiting my chosen Blogs.  I think a few of them will be new to you, which is always good.

Enjoy the weekend dear friends, and know that you are loved.

   


Friday 27 May 2011

Tagged Game - Part 2!

Well, I'm here again and these are my final four choices to be tagged :

Chas over at A Woman's Haven. Chas posts lovely inspirational quotes, along with gorgeous photos, and tells us about her favourite things.  Well worth a visit.

Becky over at Becky Povitch - Writer, Humorist and Bliss Follower.  Becky is living proof that dreams do come true.  She didn't start writing until her late 40s, and her first book is due to be published this year.  Becky's blog is always interesting and she does see the funny side of life.

On My Soapbox - she is a young (sometimes old) female who has lots to say and isn't afraid to say it (Her words - not mine!).  She has been faithfully commenting on my blog for some time now, and she deserves lots more followers, so please go over and pay her a visit.

Jilda over at Transformation Information - Jilda loves singing, and she is also a yoga teacher.  Unfortunately, she has had a hard time of it lately, because she was caught up in the tornados that ripped through Alabama, leaving much of her community in total shock.

Now I should point out that there is a little more to this tagging game, which will apply also to my four nominees above, as well as the four names that I chose yesterday.

Who is listed at number 1.  Well, this was Gawgus things.  This lady is very close to my heart, and is, indeed, very gawgus - both on the inside and on the outside.  I am saying nothing more!

Say something about number five. - This was Chas over at A Woman's Haven.  Well, I have already told you about her blog.  She loves her home, and has a strong passion for cultivating community amongst women.

How did you get to know number three - this was Martha over at Jelly Shane.  I can't really remember, as it was some time ago, but it was probably that I saw her name on someone else's blog, liked the look of what I saw, and popped over to say hallo.

And what about number four - Ah, now that is much easier.  I was introduced to Hubby by Carol at facing50withhumour.  She was always talking about him on her blog, and  then, lo and behold, he started to write his own posts, so most of Carol's followers hightailed it over to read them.

Leave a message for number six - I would like to thank On My Soapbox for taking the trouble to read my blog and leave comments for me, which are always very much appreciated.

Leave a lovey-dovey message for number 2 - this is Wallene.  I think I should have listed my choices in a different order, so that the one man in my list was number 2.  All I can say to Wallene is Mwah, Mwah, big hugs! x

Do number 7 and number 8 have similarities. - Well, they're both female! That's a good start I suppose!  Does On My Soapbox like singing or yoga - I don't know.  Does Jilda have a lot to say - I don't really know!  They both write interesting and varied blog posts, so that's another similarity, and they both live in the United States.

Phew - That's it - you 8 are tagged!!!  If you really don't want to play the game, please don't worry about it.  We won't mind.



Thursday 26 May 2011

It Looks As If I Have Been Tagged!

I would just like to thank all those who took the trouble to comment on my brief post last evening.  I haven't actually tried to comment at all this morning, so we'll see what today brings.  You will all know that I am still reading and enjoying your wonderful posts, some of which make me smile, and some of which make me tearful.  There's always something different happening out there, and that's what makes our little Blogworld so entertaining and special.


My Mon Ami, Carol, over at Facing50withhumour  has very kindly (?!) tagged me in a little game of hers.  She really is such a little mynx and is always up to something.  I'm sure that most of my Followers follow Carol anyway, but if not, you must  pop over to see her.  Her writing is just so funny, mostly about her poor hubby, who seems such a lovely man and he has my every sympathy trying to keep up with his wife.  He takes her out on wild, windswept walks, mile after mile over rough terrain, in order to keep her fit and 'hot', but is she grateful?  Not a bit of it. Moan, moan, moan is all we hear!!

I tried to tell her that I just do NOT do 'games'.  If I play Monopoly, I usually end up throwing the board  in the air, especially as my husband will sit opposite me with a big smirk on his face, counting all his hotels and money, whilst I am sitting there threadbare and bankrupt.  All I can remember about games at school, is standing in front of the goalmouth at Hockey in my navy blue serge knickers, with a hulking great Amazonian female racing towards me at full pelt.  I usually used to just freeze to the spot and the other team always managed to win, say,  9 - 0!  On top of all that, nobody would speak to me on the long trudge across the muddy field back to the changing rooms. I tell you, my schooldays were very sad and lonely!  I always dreamt of being the star of the Netball team but, at about 4 ft nothing in those days, that just wasn't going to happen.  Hee Hee!! 

Oh well, I had better have a go at this game of Tag I suppose, otherwise you-know-who will be over here to have a go at me.

Do you think you're hot - I'm sorry, I don't understand the question.  Obviously, I get a bit warm if I sit too close to the radiator. 

Upload a picture or wallpaper that you are using at the moment -



This collage is the wallpaper on my laptop. The photos were taken when all the family were together in France last Christmas.

When was the last time you ate chicken? - I love chicken, especially roast chicken with all the trimmings.  I cooked chicken legs and thighs a couple of days ago, coated with thyme and rosemary.

The song/songs you listened to recently - I have been playing a CD by Adele a lot lately. I don't expect my American friends have heard of her, but she is wonderful! One particular song of hers is called Make You Feel My Love.  If you can Google it, just listen to the words.  They are so beautiful!

What Were you thinking whilst doing this - I have a couple of friends coming round for coffee in a couple of hours, so I really must get showered and go up and buy some cake and biscuits!

Do you have any nicknames? - That's an easy one - NOPE!  Although I always think Dopey would be a good one for me!

Tag eight blogger friends.  Now I just know that you're all sitting there now, shouting "pick me, pick me, pick me!!"  Several of my friends have already been tagged I notice.  Anyway, here are the lucky ones.  Ta Dah!!

GawgusThings - Gawgus writes an amazing fashion blog, but also talks about all things 'gawgus' in her life, from recipes, to photos, to family and friends.

Wallene over at If You Knew My Mother You'd Understand - Wallene is the beautiful daughter of one of my closest blogging friends.  I think the title of her Blog is brilliant, and I think she will have a bit of fun with this one!

Martha over at Jelly Shane - Martha's husband is working away at the moment and she misses him very much, now being 'home alone' with two children.  I thought perhaps this little game might take her mind off things for a while!

Hubby over at FortifyingyourFifties - Hubby is actually Mr Facing50withhumour, and has been allowed to write his own blog, which is every bit as funny as Mrs Facing50 - go and have a look!  He knows me as 'that nice lady from Devon' - bet he's going to love me for this.  Hee Hee!!

I know this is a bit of a cheek, but do you mind awfully if I leave my other four choices until tomorrow.  I really do have to dash now, otherwise I shall still be sat here in my dressing gown when my friends arrive.  Au Revoir!

Wednesday 25 May 2011

I'm Off!!

After  another very frustrating day with Blogger, I find that I am still unable to leave comments on most peoples' blogs.

I type my comment and it asks me which status I wish to use, and I type in Google Account as usual, and it then puts me back to the sign-in page of Blogger - over and over again!!

I have decided that enough is enough, so my little computer is now being switched off, and I may never return!!!!


 

Tuesday 24 May 2011

Sorry Peeps!

I just wanted to post a little note to say that I have been trying for the last hour or so to leave comments on my friends' blog posts, BUT, unfortunately Blogger seems to be really playing up again, and I am not able to leave comments.  Some worked, but an awful lot just wouldn't go through, no matter how many times I tried.

So, if I haven't left my usual comment on YOUR post, it's not for lack of trying!!



Daughter Was Sad

One day last week, the bride to be and I were talking about the wedding (now there's a surprise!!!), when she suddenly started crying.  Eeeek! I thought to myself - she's having second thoughts, but, phew, it was nothing like that.  She said, "I wish grandma could be with us for the wedding."

My dear mum was very much loved and adored by my two daughters, and we all still miss her very much indeed, even though she passed away fifteen years ago in June.  Anyway, my daughter has said that she would like to put grandma and grandad's wedding photo on the table where her wedding cake will be, so that they will be there with us in spirit.  I was quite touched that she had thought to do that. 


I don't know if it's the same where you are but, certainly, over here in England we are into 'retro' and 'vintage' in a big way.  I ordered these vintage cake stands from e-bay.  What do you think?  We are going to use them to put the scones on when we arrive back after the wedding ceremony.  I think they will look very pretty on white tablecloths. 


"Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry" ~ Tom Mullen


Monday 23 May 2011

Look What I've Got!

A little package arrived for me on Saturday morning from Kristina over at A Perfect Dose of LifeLook!



This is the first time I have received anything from one of my gorgeous bloggy friends, so I was really thrilled! (Actually, that's NOT quite true, as I did receive an expensive Wrinkle Filler from my lovely friend Carol over at Facing50 with Humour a little while ago.  She had obviously looked at my photos and thought that I really needed it.  Hee Hee!).  The first little goody above is a beautifully crafted magnet, and look what Kristina has put on it - it's the little saying from the top of my Blog! How cute is that?!  Thank you so much Kristina. I was really thrilled with your gift.  The second little gift is a completely natural Peppermint Lip Balm - just right for ageing lips, me thinks!!

Also on Saturday, hubby and I went shopping for a wedding suit for himself.  Now, some of my 'older' Followers might just remember that I wasn't particularly looking forward to this little outing - BUT, it went remarkably well.  He was sort of moaning a bit about the first one I picked out, so I wandered around and then I found a really lovely suit with a lilac colour lining - all very swish.  The suit itself is charcoal in colour, and, lo and behold, the hubby loved it.  We then picked up a smart white shirt and purple tie and, hey presto, in about ten minutes he was all done and dusted.  I couldn't believe it!!  So it was then off for a coffee and a cream cake.




Do you see the cute cufflinks?!  Hubby was given those by our other beautiful daughter when she got married.

Love doesn't make the world go 'round.
Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
-- Franklin P. Jones




Sunday 22 May 2011

Sunday Snap!

Here is a photo of my youngest daughter (well, she is actually 32!) - the bride to be :





As you can see from the second photo, she really has curly hair, like my older daughter and myself, but they both like to have it straight - like me!  Isn't it funny that if we have straight hair, we want curly hair and if we have curly hair, we want straight hair!

"Only choose in marriage a man whom you would choose as a friend if he were a woman." ~Joseph Joubert

Friday 20 May 2011

Yesterday Was A Good Day - A Beside the Beach Day!

Well dear bloggy friends, yesterday was a good day for me.  I went to visit a friend who lives about an hour away.  I haven't seen her this year, so it was lovely to be able to catch up on all the news and enjoy some quality time together.

She lives only five minutes from the sea, which I absolutely love.  Fortunately the sun shone all day, although it was still a bit chilly in the wind.  We walked on the beach and paddled in the water. We  sat outside and had our lunch (with the obligatory glass of wine of course!) overlooking the boats.  The place where we had lunch was called The Crab Shack and sold the most wonderful seafood, which had all been caught in the sea just around us, so it was SO fresh!  I had fresh crab salad with caramelised scallops.  Yum Yum!!

That is just my kind of day, and I thought you might like to see a few photos that I took.









Thursday 19 May 2011

Good Bloggers Pay It Forward Award



This morning I would like to thank my good friend, Odie, over at The Simple Life for passing on an Award which is new to me - The Good Bloggers Pay It Forward Award.  I'm sure that most of my bloggy friends know Odie, but, if you don't, please go over and say Hi.  Odie is a very kind man and an inspiration to many of us, as he tries to live the simple life with his lovely wife Linda, and his gorgeous little dog called  Rocky!

The rules for receiving this Award are to post the Award at the top of the page,(check!) link up with the person who handed it to you (check!) and then pass it on to FIVE bloggy friends. (check!). (Phew, thank goodness I haven't got to list more things about myself!!).

This is always the hard bit, but today I am going to pass it on to some different people, whose blogs always give me great pleasure.  For the people I have nominated, please forgive me if you are an Award Free Blog, but I can't always tell!  Here goes :

Maureen over at Daydream Living.  Maureen always posts such beautiful photos of homes and interiors, and also writes some very wise words.

Chatty Crone - her blog is always humorous, with some great quotes and funny cartoons.

Donna over at Discovering The Purpose of Our Lives.  Donna writes some lovely poetry also has another Blog called Mystical Journeys where she talks about her family and, in particular, her beloved dad who has Alzheimers.

Linda over at flowers on my table - Linda also posts some gorgeous photos and writes about her ideas on furniture, flowers, food and finery.

Melody at melody-mae - Melody wants us all to be 'shiny' and writes some very inspiring posts on joy, love and happiness.

I would just like to add that all the above are really good bloggy friends, and I'm sure they would love it if you were to pay them a visit.  Thank you!


Wednesday 18 May 2011

Wordless Wednesday or A Rose By Any Other Name!








Just a few varieties of roses in the garden, which are flowering much too early!!
Ooops! Sorry, it was meant to be Wordless Wednesday!

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Here it is!

Just a quick post today, but some of you asked to see photos of the 'CLEAN' patio, so I took a few shots just now.  I'm sorry there's no blue sky for you to see!!






Monday 16 May 2011

Didn't He Do Well!

Here I am again, after my little sojourn up to Stratford upon Avon and then The Flower & Garden Show yesterday.


Hubby picked my friend and I up from the coach late last evening, and as we drove up the drive, I noticed that he had a very smug smirk on his face.  Now this could mean one of two things, either he's been eating sausages and bacon all the time I've been away, and hasn't put the loo seat down, OR he's been up to something!

Well, I had a very nice surprise, as he had power-washed all the patio in the front of the house (quite a large area) and painted all the slabs a nice sandstone colour.  The area had really been looking a bit grubby over the past twelve months, but it was now so bright and gleaming, that I had to put my sunglasses on!  So the jobs are gradually being ticked off now for a certain event in June - the countdown will soon begin!  Eeek!

When my friend and I last went on a weekend trip, the tour guide was pointing out all these things to us as we went along.  Of course, we were busy nattering away, not taking a bit of notice.  Then, heaven forbid, on the way back, she gave us a quiz on all the things she had been talking about.  Needless to say, we let ourselves down quite badly on that occasion. 



BUT, this time we were prepared and, complete with A4 pieces of paper and pens at the ready, we proceeded to scribble down every name, every place, every little nugget of information that was being thrown at us.  Oh, we felt so good all weekend, knowing that we would be getting 100% in the quiz on the way home.

What are those sayings, "never count your chickens...." and "how the mighty are fallen....".  We DID have a quiz on the way back and my friend and I were squirming in our seats with excitement.  (Well, we don't get out much! LOL!!).  The first question was read out, "what is the largest organ in the body?"  Okay, I did know that one, but didn't remember her telling us about it on the way up.  Second question, "name Henry VIII's third wife."  Now I know that Henry VIII certainly hadn't been mentioned the previous day.  Turns out it was a General Knowledge Quiz!  That will teach us to be so flipping clever.

I will post a few photos for your tomorrow.  It's good to be back.





Friday 13 May 2011

It's Back, But Not As We Know It!!!

Hi my little bloggy  friends.  Have you all been suffering from withdrawal symptoms today?! 

It is back, but I have to say that my last, most recent post has completely disappeared, and a load of my comments have disappeared too!  Was it something I said?!

I just want to apologize, because  I have to go and pack my case in a moment, as I am off on a weekend away with a friend, so I just won't have time to make too many comments this evening.

We are going to Stratford upon Avon tomorrow (Saturday), which is Shakespeare's birthplace, and then on Sunday we are going to The Malvern Spring Show, which is a huge outdoor show, with everything you could ever need for your garden and lovely show gardens to look at and admire.


Anne Hathaway's Cottage (Mrs Shakespeare!!)


So I hope you all have a super weekend, and hopefully everything will be back to normal on my return!  Take care.

Thursday 12 May 2011

Thankful Thursday

I have to admit that I have been struggling a little lot to come up with ideas for my blog posts over the past few days, so if you find yourself getting a bit bored, just give up and pass on to the next name on your blog roll!  I will quite understand, and promise that I won't be offended!!

Some of the writing that I have been reading lately has been inspired, and I am particularly enjoying the posts of much younger blogging friends.  I am amazed at the depth of their thinking, the warmth of their writing and their appreciation of the beauty of life around them.  To me, that gives us all hope for the future.  In the media you tend to just hear about all the badness that is out there but, believe me, there are a lot of young people out there who we should be really proud of.

Coming back to the title of my post, today I am grateful for the gift of "friendship."  I am an only child and I am very blessed with my two daughters, and I love being with them.  Several of my friends come from quite large families of five or six, so they have brothers and sisters who they go and visit and chat with on the phone  and, the older I get, the more I think that I would have loved to have had  a sister.  Someone who has been there all your life, with the same shared memories of growing up with mum and dad.

My friends think that I have a very 'romantic' view of families and that it is not all sweetness and light between siblings!  Perhaps I watched too many episodes of The Waltons when I was growing up.  I used to love the ending of each show, when they said something like "Goodnight ma, goodnight pa, goodnight Mary Ellen, goodnight John Boy!" (although there were more names called out than that, because there were seven children altogether).
 So, my girlfriends (isn't it funny, how we still call them girlfriends, even though one of them is 77!) are very important to me.  We share holidays together, we go to the cinema and theatre, we visit stately homes and gardens, we go on coastal walks and out for meals, so we have lots of happy memories.  More importantly, they are there with me sharing the good times and, also, the sad times.  They're always there with an encouraging word if needed.  In short, they are just 'there' for me, as I am always there for them.

How sad a world it would be if we didn't have friendship in it.  

  "A Life Without Friendship Is Like a Garden Without Flowers."