Nigel Returns

 

Nige’s last visit

Nigel “ I ‘ll be arriving on Friday afternoon , can you pick me up from Chester? “ 

Me “ Of Course , just let me know when…I’m looking forward to you coming it’s been over six years since your last visit !”

Nigel “ I know “

Me “ I’ll make sure everything is clean and tidy for your Visit”

Nigel ( scoffs)  “Have you got a dozen cleaning ladies coming in ? “ 

He knows me so well

My friend Nige is coming to stay on Friday and I’m so glad I have a new kitchen and bathroom

He likes to be in control and has, to be fair, suffered  a few horror visits in the long lost past when my cottage was more “ rustic” for his aseptic needs so to speak 

“ I promise you can make dinner “ I told him last night on the phone 

It sounds silly but I so want to impress him on his return 

from Going Gently https://ift.tt/kXRpEKS

Proof

Yes. I did get to Romiley and back and had a lovely, long walk in gorgeous sunshine.  From the station - along  Compstall Road through the suburb of Cherry Tree  then along a quiet single track lane to High Benfield Farm. Through sheep pastures and up the hill to Uplands Farm. Across Werneth Low Road then passing a golf course to reach Hyde War Memorial magnificently  perched on a hill overlooking the town.

Down to the district of Gee Cross and along Hyde Road for two miles to Woodley. I walked alongside that main road until I reached The Peak Forest Canal. There's a path by the side of it and it led me for a further two miles to Romiley and the railway station. As planned, I caught the 16.08 home. It was crowded but I got a seat and in an hour I was back at Dore and Totley Station in Sheffield.

You know the camera never lies, so here's my proof that this walk really happened:-

The Peak Forest Canal was completed in 1805

Dilapidated house by Hyde Road , Woodley

View of Manchester from Werneth Low

from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/Ee6WCGS

The Chicken Field

 I found the painting behind the shelving until in my bedroom. 

It was covered in dust, and had slipped down out of sight over a year ago now

It’s a painting of fifteen multicoloured chickens 

I painted it 17 months ago now at the height of lockdown.

I think it’s important to remember the isolation of lockdown and not to forget it 

My lifelong friend Nia in New South Wales messaged me with the suggestion we cooked together on zoom on day. 

It was silly and frivolous and fun and sweet, and the conversation flowed easily in between the cracking of eggs and the mixing of sauces . Conversations you would have if you didn’t live alone 

Conversations you could still participate in lockdown .

From cooking we evolved to painting 

And the chicken field was born at the same time Nia swirled around blue abstract shapes on her canvass ten thousand six hundred miles away

This simple activity kept my head about water  during lockdown , it really did 

And yesterday I wrapped the duck painting in brown paper in preparation of sending it to Nia for Christmas.

She was there for me that day, with a smile and an inconsequential chatter and gossip about  ordinary things and I will always be grateful to her for that.

from Going Gently https://ift.tt/OHkI950

Natural

 Getting ready

For the cold

To set in

The coffee 

To bring warmth

And for Nature

To show 

How well

Change

Is natural

And a blessing

from R's rue https://ift.tt/vYD4qMQ