We All Scream For...Valentines?

It's St. Valentine's Day already so we know that Spring cannot be far away!

There are plenty of harbingers of Spring in evidence: a small clump of snowdrops is nodding by the front door, and the seagulls are beginning to make their presence felt in no uncertain terms, which can only mean that their massive yearly love-in is about to start...! Ear-plugs at the ready folks!

And today I heard the first.....ice cream van! 
The merry strains of the theme from 'Match Of  The Day' played on  ice cream van chimes was unmistakeable! Makes a change from the traditional 'Greensleeves' of my youth, I suppose.


I was reminded of the Morecambe and Wise sketch in which Eric and Ernie are in their pyjamas, sitting in bed. Eric is chewing on his pipe-stem and Ern is probably working on one of the plays what he wrote, when a police car passes, sirens wailing. 
Eric remarks, 'He won't sell many going at that speed...!'

Enjoy your Valentine's Day! 

A Truly Wierd Vintage Find!

Recently Copeland Talking Newspaper, which provides recorded news for the blind and partially sighted folk in West Cumbria, had a grand sort-out!

Amongst the 'goodies' was an old Boots First Aid Kit in its original tin! Thankfully it has been replaced by an up to date version!

 Note the price on the tin!

Many of the original contents remained inside including triangular bandages in paper wrapping, a bottle of Sal Volatile, a metal tube of Germolene Ointment, eye pads, finger dressings, burn dressings a little cardboard box of cotton wool, a box of absorbent lint, a paper envelope of safety pins, and assorted bandages etc.

The supplies in all their (mostly pre-decimal) glory!

The kit is going to be offered on ebay in the hope that a collector of medical-related tat will be so kind as to part with some post-decimal coin of the realm to help CTN's computer fund !

Freya is Two!

Just over a week after she became a Big Sister, Freya Hannah turned Two!

The big day began early, as Freya checked whether the postman had paid a visit to her playhouse...

Sure enough, there were lots of cards waiting for the Birthday Girl, to be opened with Mummy's help!

Then there were the presents...

...lots of presents...!

But which to open first?

So many gifts...

what a lucky, loved little girl!

The Rose Racer...

Waybuloo figures...

The Night Garden gazebo...

The paper was pretty exciting, too!

Happyland Windmill...

Moo cow jammies and toy...

A glamourous red purse...

Her very own Baby Chloe...and more.

Meanwhile, the real Baby Chloe snoozes through all the excitement!

I'm allowed to undress THIS Baby Chloe!

Like any two year old, she dreams of being much, much older...

and will happily play with things that are neither new nor toys!

Baboushka Freya!

And you can't have a birthday without having friends round for tea and cake, lovingly decorated by Mummy!

 Happy Granny with Freya, TWO, and Chloe, NEW!

In which I introduce my newest grandchild!

I've been back home for a week following a spell of Grannying, while we awaited the arrival of the latest twiglet on the family tree, so it's time to share some pictures!

It  was a rare treat to spend time Lizz and her little family, and I was in place ten days before Chloe Annabel was actually due, 'just in case'.

It was amazing to see how much Freya has grown in just a couple of months, and she chatters away (partly in Scribble!) quite happily now!

We all went to local park a few days before the baby was born, and Ben, Lizz, and Freya  fed the ducks and geese, some of whom were skating on thin ice...

Then we went to the playground, where it became apparent that Freya is pretty fearless, and loves exploring, climbing and sliding!

Just after midnight on the 25th January, Lizz's labour began. Thankfully it progressed much more normally than it had with Freya, and she and Ben went off to the hospital that afternoon , arriving at about 2.30pm. Lizz's greatest fear was that they would take one look and send her home again, but after a quick examination she was told in no uncertain terms that she wouldn't be going anywhere!

Chloe Annabel  arrived at about 4.20pm on Burns' Night 2011 weighing in at a healthy 7lb 6oz, and bearing an uncanny resemblance to Freya as a baby except that where Freya was blonde and blue-eyed, Chloe has dark hair and darker eyes. We suspect she may end up with brown eyes like her dad - time will tell!

The whole family, with the new addition, 'the morning after'.

 Lizz and the new baby came home the day after the delivery, and the family began to adjust to being  four souls instead of three!

Suddenly a Big Sister...!

 

The following weekend, Lizz's big brother, his fiancee Elisha and their 17 month old son Alex  paid a visit, to greet the new arrival!

Uncle Jon entertains Freya, but Alex looks unimpressed! Perhaps he'd heard it before!

Freya and Alex, discussing whether to go into the construction business together...

All my descendents...

 Aunt Elisha and baby Chloe

It was wonderful to have all the children and grandchildren together to welcome Chloe Annabel into the family! 

I am so blessed!

 

Maybe it's something to do with Spring...

For the second day this week we have a beautiful day, with blue skies and gentle breezes offering the hope that there must surely be more days like this to come within a few short weeks and months.

The words of one of The Master's most uplifting songs, ' Something to do with Spring' have been going round and round in my head.
A sparkling dance tune (foxtrot, probably!)from the early 1930s, it contains some of his best light poetry, some marvellously cynical thoughts on how nature seems to go OTT at this time of year( 'It all looks much too clean, that grass is far too green...!'), and some wonderfully dotty observations on the bucolic wonders of Springtime ('That cow resembles a rural dean, maybe it's something to do with Spring!')
I hope I can keep it in mind when the skies are grey again, and overcast as they surely will be, come washday!