A year in one night!

Tonight my Husband will go to work aged 47 years, when he gets home in the morning he will be 48 years old! Its the start of the silly season in our house, tomorrow its his Birthday then on Saturday its Beth's, then on the 7th its our youngest sons then our Daughter in laws (I think I missed a few!! But you get the picture.

Down with this sort of thing

We have a new Grandson, his name is Jack. He is one month and two days old, and today we travelled to London to see him, our son and daughter in law before they fly out to Spain at the end of the month.
Unfortunately London was in chaos today as there was a "peaceful" rally/march going on there were somewhere in the region of 250,000 people. To be fair most of them were peaceful but as usual there were a minority who went there just to cause trouble, and they certainly managed that all dressed in black with balaclavas to hide their identity.
On the way back several of the underground stations were closed or having trouble, one of them had apparently been seriously paint balled and that was causing an almost complete stand still.
I have never seen so many mobile detention vans. and just as a point of interest not one of the ones I saw was from London they were all from other counties.

Spring Forward...

Oh the joy!!! An hour less sleep tonight! Don't forget to change the clocks tonight.

Stay awake.

When we do a night shift, my crew mates and I do a six hour stint at attending then swap over and do six hours of driving. Or vice verse of course.
Last night Tepic drove first and I attended, we were sent all over the place, mainly jobs but one or two cover moves, at half past midnight it was all change and my turn to drive, well for the two nights before this shift my husband was on nights, (hate it when our shifts collide and we see nothing of each other for a few days), anyway when ever he is on nights I don't sleep very well taking this into consideration together with the fact that our days were very busy I was absolutely exhausted and by three thirty the road had become not much more than a blurry haze in front of me, and I could feel sleep pulling my eyelids shut. No good! on our way to the cover point I pulled in at the first garage to get a can of Red bull, well they had an offer on which was too good to miss so I got two cans and decanted them into my empty water bottle. . . once at the cover point, then again after the next job I drank my way through 500mls of Red bull!! Yes!! it worked the road was a road again and I was wide awake and quite able to finish my shift in the knowledge that I wasn't going to crash the ambulance.
We finished on time and I drove home. Once there I began to feel fidgety and anxious it was a really uncomfortable feeling. I then remembered the same thing had happened when I had a can before, a long time ago whilst doing my EMT training. It took until about 1130-1200 before I started to feel normal again, I don't think Red bull agrees with me!

Aaaahhhhhh........................

FIRE trucks.

Today I got up early drove 32 miles to collect my friend and my Godson then drove then back here where we went to church, then for a walk in the surrounding countryside, before going to the fire station where my husband works, to let my Godson see the fire trucks. My Husband got the truck out, and let him squirt water, look through the thermal imaging camera and sit in the front of the fire engine. He had a huge grim on his face and was really interested in all things fire. Before he left my husband found him a few bits and bobs to take away with him, I hope both he and my friend, his mum, had a good time as I certainly did.

Still Crossed

Well, the crossed everything worked the Northern Bird is into the finals, now I have to keep everything crossed that they win that!

My good boy

Today I was at the museum, I had decided to work the Old Fella as tomorrow there is a timber extraction course and the Big Boy is doing that, also I am not happy about driving the Youngster yet as he is more than a little spooky still, and the horseman has not given the OK for anyone to work him yet. When I got to the field I was so glad to see the choice I had made was a good one! The Big Boy was covered in mud, but my lovely Old Fella was as clean as he could be. What a good boy. On top of this was the fact that the sun shone all day. I couldn't think of anywhere I would have rather been today.

Crossed....

Has everything crossed for the Northern Bird. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Children

Every Friday the children from the local primary school go across to the church for their assembly. Usually the Priest in charge Fr Matthew takes the service and all is well...
Today Fr Matthew is away on retreat, he and some others have gone to Waslingham in Norfolk, which leaves the service in the hands of the assistant curate... My husband, who other than telling stories to our four children has not a lot of experience with the small, " short attention spanned" variety of person.. So I thought I would go down to the church and "sit in the wings" for some moral support! Did he need it? No he didn't.
The children (and the teachers) were all dressed in their pyjamas as its red nose day today (comic relief) which was a little surprising but they all listened and were very well behaved.
My husband did brilliantly, even with our Granddaughter waving at him, as she attends this particular school.

To be confused.

Well What a day it has been!

It started off at 615 when the alarm went off, so that is at least a 1 hour 30 minute lay-in but then having walked to the hospital that I do bank work at I found the ward and then my patient. (Today I am "Specialing" someone, which means I stay with just that one patient for the duration of my shift, I have done this before and don't (usually) mind it!)
Today I had a ninety one year old lady, well she may have been old and poorly but boy could she scratch bite pinch thump. All I could do was try and make sure my face and arms were out of reach, not easy when you are supposed to be washing dressing changing bed linen and doing observations on her.
I have battle wounds.
The other thing she did was to tell me how awful I was how mean I was and how I was keeping her there against her will she called me all sorts of names, even though I knew she had no understanding of what was going on, and that she was unwell its still not a nice thing to have to hear and all the time just keep smiling and trying to be nice, after all there was no point getting upset or cross as she wouldn't have understood that either.
Its quite sad really, if she got better and was shown a video of how she was behaving she would probably been absolutely mortified. Sadly she won't get better in that sense, but with any luck she will recover from her operation and be well enough to return to where she had lived before her op, where things are familiar and she can settle back into her normal routine.
Having finished work I then had to rush to the stables to have mouses feet trimmed by the farrier.
Now I am going to sink into a hot bubble bath and have an early night.

Minus 1

This has nothing to do with the weather, I have re joined fat club! I have about three months to loose all this fat I have put on!
So other than the fact I am not going to post my actual weight (that would be rude, I'm a lady!!!)
I am going to post my weekly weight LOSS, (or Gain. No there won't be any gain if I can help it)
so this week I lost a pound.

THE ARAB'S FAREWELL TO HIS HORSE

THE ARAB'S FAREWELL TO HIS HORSE
By Caroline Norton (1808-1877)

My Beautiful! My Beautiful! That standest meekly by,

With thy proudly arch'd and glossy neck, and dark and fiery eye,

Fret not to roam the desert now, with all thy winged speed;

I may not mount on thee again,--thou'rt sold, my Arab steed!

Fret not with that impatient hoof,--snuff not the breezy wind-

The farther that thou fliest now, so far am I behind:

The stranger hath thy bridle-rein,--thy master hath his gold,

Fleet-limb'd and beautiful, farewell; thou'rt sold, my steed, thou'rt sold.

Farewell! Those free, untired limbs full many a mile must roam

To reach the chill and wintry sky which clouds the stranger's home;

Some other hand, less fond, must now thy corn and bread prepare.

The silky mane I braided once must be another's care!

The morning sun shall dawn again, but never more with thee

Shall I gallop through the desert paths, where we were wont to be;

Evening shall darken on the earth and o'er the sandy plain

Some other steed, with slower step, shall bear me home again.

Yes, thou must go! The wild, free breeze, the brilliant sun and sky,

Thy master's home-from all of these my exiled one must fly;

Thy proud dark eye will grow less proud, thy step become less fleet,

And vainly shalt thou arch thy neck, thy master's hand to meet.

Only in sleep shall I behold that dark eye, glancing bright;

Only in sleep shall hear again that step so firm and light;

And when I raise my dreaming arm to check or cheer thy speed,

Then must I, starting, wake to feel-thou'rt sold, My Arab steed!

Ah! Rudely then, unseen by me, some cruel hand may chide,

Till foam-wreaths lie, like crested waves, along thy panting side:

And the rich blood that's in thee swells, in thy indignant pain,

Till careless eyes, which rest on thee, may count each started vein.

Will they ill use thee? If I thought-but no, it cannot be-

Thou art so swift, yet easy curb'd, so gentle, yet so free;

And yet, if haply, when thou'rt gone, my lonely heart should yearn,

Can the hand which casts thee from it now command thee to return?

Return! Alas! My Arab steed! What shall thy master do

When thou, who wast his all of joy, hast vanish'd from his view?

When the dim distance cheats mine eye, and through the gathering tears

Thy bright form, for a moment, like a false mirage appears;

Slow and unmounted shall I roam, with weary step alone

Where, with fleet step and joyous bound, thou oft hast borne me on;

And sitting down by that green well, I'll pause and sadly think,

"It was here he bow'd his glossy neck when last I saw him drink!"

When last I saw thee drink!-Away! The fever'd dream is o'er,--

I could not live a day and know that we should meet no more!

They tempted me, my beautiful!-for hunger's power is strong,--

They tempted me, my beautiful! But I have loved too long.

Who said that I had given thee up? Who said that thou wast sold?

Tis false,--'tis false! My Arab steed! I fling them back their gold!

Thus, thus, I leap upon thy back and scour the distant plains;

Away! Who overtakes us now shall claim thee for his pains!

Spring flowers

Today my husband and I drove to Wakehurst Place, its our weekly day off together and we decided to go and have a look round the gardens seeing as there are so many spring flowers around. It was beautiful! there were carpets of crocuses and big bunches of daffodils everywhere.
We walked round for about an hour and a half before heading off to the Stables restaurant, the on site restaurant where we had a cup of tea and waited for a friend of ours 'Peter' to arrive. When he got there we all had some lunch including apple and quince crumble and cream for dessert... how very naughty, but how very yummy!!
We chatted for a long while about all things from work to family, before all three of us, still chatting, set off into the gardens again.
At four o clock we made our way back to the cars and departed for our respective homes.
once back I drove down to my local 'fat club' to re register and get weighed in! Oh boy have I put on some weight!!

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. This morning I went, with my husband to our church for the service in which the people are "Ashed", they received the sign of the cross on their forehead in ash. The ash is usually last years collected up palm crosses burned to make the ash then that is sprinkled with water.
After this service we went to lunch with the rector of an adjoining parish and his wife.
We had a long chat about everything from rescued dogs to theological training, and holidays! Before coming home again.
I went down to the stables to sort Mouse out and bring her in, slightly earlier than usual, but I had to get home and sort out dinner before the evening Ash Wednesday service.
Today saw my husband assist with two services in his new parish, he looked as if he enjoyed them and from where I was sitting they seemed to go well, if there were any mistakes they hid them well!

Arch Deacons, Priests and Deacons

My Husband and I walked down to our parish church this morning in lovely warm sunshine, what a lovely day to be re-licenced. My husband is being re-licenced to the parish we live in as up until this point he has been a Deacon in a neighbouring parish.
The person who was to re-licence him was the Arch Deacon, now, having watcher the television series called Rev, I had a preconceived idea of what the arch deacon was going to be like! How wrong was I!
My husband was duly re-licenced.
We then went to the rectory and had a coffee, there was the Arch Deacon, two Priests a Deacon . . . . and even the Priests dog was wearing a collar!
Tonight we are off to our Priests house for supper. . . and a G&T

RAChD

Well, I think my husband is definitely going to end up as a chaplain in the army! Good luck to him too, they are desperately looking for the right people to do this worthy job and I definitely think my husband has got what it takes!

Boot Neck

What a fantastic day! Spring is on its way!
Even thought it is freezing cold out, the sun is shining and it looks lovely. After putting Mouse out and getting her some more feed I went back home then set off with my husband to go out for the day. Every week we try and get out for one day together, sometimes due to our work shifts we can't but do try to as its nice to get out and spend some chilled out time together!
Today we drove to the Royal Marines Museum.
We have been before but it has been changed since the last time, with a couple of new sections and the medal room done up. After walking round watching the film clips, and looking at the displays we went to the Quartermasters cafe for a mug of tea.... OK the chips smelt so good we may have had some of those too! whilst we were in there a fresh bunch of recruits arrived to have a look round. My husband, being an ex "Boot Neck", said when he was in training they took his lot there too.
The military is creeping back into our lives again, as tomorrow my husband is off to meet with some others for an open day for would be Army Chaplains (RAChD). Watch this space!
I say watch this space as the others who are there would have been invited by the DDO, Diocean Director of Ordinands!! But my husband has been rung by no less than two Army Chaplains, and also invited by the DDO!!! Does this mean the Army are head hunting my husband, Get the tankard with the Glass bottom and check it before you drink darling!!

St David's Day

HAPPY ST DAVIDS DAY.

Aikido

After about six months away, I went back to Aikido last night. It was excellent! there were a few new faces and one of the old regulars has had to give up on health grounds which was sad..( I will get to see him next week though as we are having our Christmas party! . . . yes that's right you read it right, our Christmas party! Last year they even put Christmas crackers and things on the table for us it was great.) Well last night was the first of many more I hope, I really enjoyed it and think I will go even if my back gives out again.