Living, as I do, in Stratford and about 15 minutes from City airport and also being on the flight path for those long haul flights that come in low to follow the Thames at silly o'clock in the morning. I have enjoyed the peace and quiet of the skys.
I know it has caused problems for a lot of people, and for that I am sorry, but some of those long haul flights are louder than when they are taking off from Heathrow (Due to noise abatement proceedures, which do not apply over our side of London).
They'll be back today, but it has been nice.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
My Birthday present & The legend of Poo Bridge
Christine presented me with a photo album. On the front was a photo of me aged 14 months and as I opened it, there was a photo of my Mum and Dad with a little narration.
She had filled it with old photo's of me and friends along with little stories they had told her about me. One from my friend Sue cracked me up with laughter. Christine had decorated the photo of us with a ship in full sail. Many years ago I had gone on a boating holiday to the Norfolk Broads with Sue and her family, and as teenagers do, we had found an off license and smuggled a bottle of gin back to the boat. Needless to say we had both got very drunk, and as I climbed onto my bunk the curtain had opened and I swear I saw a ship with full sails just floating backwards and forwards and told her I was looking at a ghost ship!! Obviously it wasn't (although I have no idea WHAT it was but I did see something) and there it was in the album.
There were poems and photos of my grandchildren as babies and then a photo of a canal bridge along with a comment 'Poo bridge.....you can tell that story' So this is the story of Poo bridge. Its not pleasant but very funny.
THE LEGEND OF POO BRIDGE
I was with friends on our first ever canal boat holiday I have written about it here
On our last afternoon we had moored up by a pub and Christine (my friend)and I had decided to walk to the marina to get a paper. The marina was about a mile away along the canal and off we set. I suppose we were probably about 2/3rds of the way there when I was suddenly overcome by terrible stomach cramps and just knew I was not going to make it to the marina, I was desperate, and I am not going into detail, but surfice to say, deli belly had nothing on me that day. Luckily I shouted to my friend to keep a look out for boats and managed to find a little area tucked away by a canal bridge. I did the obvious and then asked my (usually) very efficient friend Christine 'Do you have a tissue on you?' She looked at me, felt in her pockets and replied 'no' So I am stuck there now are't I? So then I asked her 'Have you got anything on you to so I can wipe my ****?' Her reply was 'Well I have some bread to feed the ducks'.....................So I used the bread. Sorry ducks but I had no choice and if it is any consolation, the bread wasn't very fresh so left crumbs in rather uncomfortable places. So that bridge became 'poo bridge' and it is there in my album too which made me laugh even more.
Christine (My daughter) isn't working at the moment so she made the album and decorated it and I have to say, I laughted and cried. It has been made with lots of love and she has taken the trouble to contact a lot of my friends asking for stories and quotes and it is certainly the best present she has ever given me.
She had filled it with old photo's of me and friends along with little stories they had told her about me. One from my friend Sue cracked me up with laughter. Christine had decorated the photo of us with a ship in full sail. Many years ago I had gone on a boating holiday to the Norfolk Broads with Sue and her family, and as teenagers do, we had found an off license and smuggled a bottle of gin back to the boat. Needless to say we had both got very drunk, and as I climbed onto my bunk the curtain had opened and I swear I saw a ship with full sails just floating backwards and forwards and told her I was looking at a ghost ship!! Obviously it wasn't (although I have no idea WHAT it was but I did see something) and there it was in the album.
There were poems and photos of my grandchildren as babies and then a photo of a canal bridge along with a comment 'Poo bridge.....you can tell that story' So this is the story of Poo bridge. Its not pleasant but very funny.
THE LEGEND OF POO BRIDGE
I was with friends on our first ever canal boat holiday I have written about it here
On our last afternoon we had moored up by a pub and Christine (my friend)and I had decided to walk to the marina to get a paper. The marina was about a mile away along the canal and off we set. I suppose we were probably about 2/3rds of the way there when I was suddenly overcome by terrible stomach cramps and just knew I was not going to make it to the marina, I was desperate, and I am not going into detail, but surfice to say, deli belly had nothing on me that day. Luckily I shouted to my friend to keep a look out for boats and managed to find a little area tucked away by a canal bridge. I did the obvious and then asked my (usually) very efficient friend Christine 'Do you have a tissue on you?' She looked at me, felt in her pockets and replied 'no' So I am stuck there now are't I? So then I asked her 'Have you got anything on you to so I can wipe my ****?' Her reply was 'Well I have some bread to feed the ducks'.....................So I used the bread. Sorry ducks but I had no choice and if it is any consolation, the bread wasn't very fresh so left crumbs in rather uncomfortable places. So that bridge became 'poo bridge' and it is there in my album too which made me laugh even more.
Christine (My daughter) isn't working at the moment so she made the album and decorated it and I have to say, I laughted and cried. It has been made with lots of love and she has taken the trouble to contact a lot of my friends asking for stories and quotes and it is certainly the best present she has ever given me.
Friday, April 09, 2010
50!!
I woke up to lots of cards and a few pressies! Then I got a call on my mobile from my grandchildren. I was so happy as along the canal I rarely had a signal but we had moored back at Tal-y-bont where the canal is high on an embankment. Kai was singing happy birthday, while Sian was crying because SHE wanted to speak to me first. I must admit, for one split second, I did wonder why I had decided to celebrate being 50 without them but then the cake came out.
As we had a few hours to kill until Christine, Sharon and LM arrived from Crewe (And what we didn't realise was that we would end up with a LOT more hours to kill)we decided to take a nice hike up the hill to Talybont reservoir On the way up I came across a lovely little villiage called Aber. It really was a delightful little place as you can see
It was raining on an off, but again the views were fantastic!!
We then went back to the boat and waited for my guests to arrive. Now, when I was arranging it with Sharon some weeks previously, she pointed out to me that there were 2 Talybonts (in actual fact, there are 5) so I established that I would be at Talybont on Usk and she duely booked the B & B. About 2pm I got a text to say they were running late as they had left late, then about 4pm my niece got a call from my daughter to tell her they were just coming into Talybont, so I stood on the tow path and waited for them to come along the road, there were no cars to be seen and then I could hear Elizabeth telling Christine to look out for the post office and it was obvious by the one way conversation that they couldn't see a post office, in fact, they could see the sea!!! They had gone to the wrong Talybont and were in the one close to Cardigan bay (hence the view of the sea!!) I have to admit, I was upset at first but then gradually began to see the funny side of it, because if it was going to happen to anyone, it would have to be Sharon!!
Eventually we went out for some dinner and caught up with them at their B & B at 9pm!! The poor things had been in the car for 9 hours, and as Sharon has some serious health issues, was a little stressed. But they said they had seen some of the most beautiful scenery, and as the rain stopped, seen a really lovely sunset along with most of Wales.
Christine presented me with her gift, and that deserves a blog of it's own. It made me cry, it made me laugh, and I have to say, was the best present any girl could give her Mum
As we had a few hours to kill until Christine, Sharon and LM arrived from Crewe (And what we didn't realise was that we would end up with a LOT more hours to kill)we decided to take a nice hike up the hill to Talybont reservoir On the way up I came across a lovely little villiage called Aber. It really was a delightful little place as you can see
It was raining on an off, but again the views were fantastic!!
We then went back to the boat and waited for my guests to arrive. Now, when I was arranging it with Sharon some weeks previously, she pointed out to me that there were 2 Talybonts (in actual fact, there are 5) so I established that I would be at Talybont on Usk and she duely booked the B & B. About 2pm I got a text to say they were running late as they had left late, then about 4pm my niece got a call from my daughter to tell her they were just coming into Talybont, so I stood on the tow path and waited for them to come along the road, there were no cars to be seen and then I could hear Elizabeth telling Christine to look out for the post office and it was obvious by the one way conversation that they couldn't see a post office, in fact, they could see the sea!!! They had gone to the wrong Talybont and were in the one close to Cardigan bay (hence the view of the sea!!) I have to admit, I was upset at first but then gradually began to see the funny side of it, because if it was going to happen to anyone, it would have to be Sharon!!
Eventually we went out for some dinner and caught up with them at their B & B at 9pm!! The poor things had been in the car for 9 hours, and as Sharon has some serious health issues, was a little stressed. But they said they had seen some of the most beautiful scenery, and as the rain stopped, seen a really lovely sunset along with most of Wales.
Christine presented me with her gift, and that deserves a blog of it's own. It made me cry, it made me laugh, and I have to say, was the best present any girl could give her Mum
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Day 3 Last day of 49
On Thursday we decided to leave Llangynidr and go up the canal a bit before turning around, we had aranged to meet my best friend Sharon, my daughter Christine and Sharon's daughter Linn Marie the following day to celebrate me 'not being 49 anymore' The views were fantastic and there wasn#t another boat in sight as we slipped over an aquaduct and turned into a turning point.............Where, we got stuck, Solid!!
We couldn't jump off as we were too far away from the bank, we couldn't pole off as trying to use the pole just resulted in the pole going about 18 inches into the mud! Which was also why we couldn't jump off into the water! We stood there for about 20 minutes when a group of teenagers came around the corner with the hugest back packs I have ever seen. They were on the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and how fantastic they were. They caught the back rope and heaved, and I do mean heaved until they managed to pull us around the way we had already been facing, it meant going to the next turning point and I had no idea if it was as bad as one we had already been jammed in, but we left them with a promise to gee up the others on the scheme who were behind them. About 5 minutes later we came across them having a rest and a fag!! Then immediately after them the turning point. Blink and you'd miss this one, but I turned in and got stuck when we were almost turned round. Again we couldn't pole off but The Duke of Edinburgh lots came to our rescue again and we were able to start our criuse back to Tal-y-bont.
It started to rain heavily but it was still beautiful, as you can see
We couldn't jump off as we were too far away from the bank, we couldn't pole off as trying to use the pole just resulted in the pole going about 18 inches into the mud! Which was also why we couldn't jump off into the water! We stood there for about 20 minutes when a group of teenagers came around the corner with the hugest back packs I have ever seen. They were on the Duke of Edinburgh scheme and how fantastic they were. They caught the back rope and heaved, and I do mean heaved until they managed to pull us around the way we had already been facing, it meant going to the next turning point and I had no idea if it was as bad as one we had already been jammed in, but we left them with a promise to gee up the others on the scheme who were behind them. About 5 minutes later we came across them having a rest and a fag!! Then immediately after them the turning point. Blink and you'd miss this one, but I turned in and got stuck when we were almost turned round. Again we couldn't pole off but The Duke of Edinburgh lots came to our rescue again and we were able to start our criuse back to Tal-y-bont.
It started to rain heavily but it was still beautiful, as you can see
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