tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76080871098605642492024-03-16T11:52:58.363-07:00My Moon-Shot - family life with a green twist - Clare F HobbaA green family who likes foraging, hiking and history (My Moon-Shot)
Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.comBlogger894125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-55202185641349861162024-03-12T04:08:00.000-07:002024-03-12T04:08:46.534-07:00Mother's Day Restored<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANQY8QlYalzUwcPJjGl6p6aLzzpUzx6_9JJsyHCj8RrWtpFKpxDRZG4OuKtejVs6tJi4IQCPu7U-Xq6X9J8YoYGu3in4ETWbD8l4EgqQvPN8dnH5K0T7KI5J2ubR_7mvabQkGbt18Xc8Ppo9GfpTbe7ie2tWZfn_TmSEDuTjqD1tW80ZISdoEXZLa5JQ/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-10%20at%2016.21.36_1303e7f2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANQY8QlYalzUwcPJjGl6p6aLzzpUzx6_9JJsyHCj8RrWtpFKpxDRZG4OuKtejVs6tJi4IQCPu7U-Xq6X9J8YoYGu3in4ETWbD8l4EgqQvPN8dnH5K0T7KI5J2ubR_7mvabQkGbt18Xc8Ppo9GfpTbe7ie2tWZfn_TmSEDuTjqD1tW80ZISdoEXZLa5JQ/w640-h480/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-10%20at%2016.21.36_1303e7f2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Last year, I failed to establish a quorum for Mother’s Day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">My powers of emotional blackmail were clearly beginning to wane.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">However, this year, Nigel and the twins turned out for a
Mother’s Day outing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This despite
Carenza having run a half marathon (involving 630m of elevation) just the
morning before, and Perran having his bags packed for a fortnight’s work trip
to Europe, leaving that afternoon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Pascoe gets out of Mother’s Day on account of living in
Edinburgh, although he did put in a lovely phone call.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We went to Kenwood House in Hampstead (English Heritage,
free admission) where there is a stunning art collection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took my breath away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Perran and Carenza incidentally recreated moments which
recalled their childhood:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->They both supplied me with handmade cards
(although nowadays elegantly lino-printed).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Due to a London Transport event, they arrived and
left on by old-fashioned bus with a proper conductor and paper tickets – the kind
of vehicle which used to fascinate younger Perran (and still does).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->On encountering a dressing up opportunity in
Kenwood house, they did not hesitate!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">However, even I had to acknowledge they are very much adults
as nowadays they are the ones who pay for Mother’s Day lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some compensations in one’s babies
growing up!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for a great day, Perran, Carenza, Pascoe and
Nigel.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_GsCHIZBuU5tQAQt9Hfor7nYcSPGRCuGKWZgawYBZw28nw6o4zD48DqU8EYnF07t0HXVpO0BYo8fcUsLgMEZEKIy2n5t0adHBJP2uJi49cieK_Tq8v08u1hwXaLSKq6koj2sBcKHk4J6UPUBclZf6kv3anKDLJ0gOvlo7_D-Exkg0wKxLPCz0HkzFzA/s3163/20240310_131935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3163" data-original-width="1820" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_GsCHIZBuU5tQAQt9Hfor7nYcSPGRCuGKWZgawYBZw28nw6o4zD48DqU8EYnF07t0HXVpO0BYo8fcUsLgMEZEKIy2n5t0adHBJP2uJi49cieK_Tq8v08u1hwXaLSKq6koj2sBcKHk4J6UPUBclZf6kv3anKDLJ0gOvlo7_D-Exkg0wKxLPCz0HkzFzA/w368-h640/20240310_131935.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTNjhQdSE38_NKD3BgGiyXT-o_Z1rYXUR3cWwYpUQUqvA0sOIEqlZe3UR3NUCcrBFaeJNo6ZFAuiKeuEWho-wg-cQ8uGNwdeuOwQQrCq0uXwUlGiaTMfxlyvNiCYnxlhirJLsAxQosxOhekZMGt92rSBzxIdLKNARozdMhEaq3MWZbmqt8H8ECaCPCf8/s2048/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-10%20at%2016.20.30_f136333d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTNjhQdSE38_NKD3BgGiyXT-o_Z1rYXUR3cWwYpUQUqvA0sOIEqlZe3UR3NUCcrBFaeJNo6ZFAuiKeuEWho-wg-cQ8uGNwdeuOwQQrCq0uXwUlGiaTMfxlyvNiCYnxlhirJLsAxQosxOhekZMGt92rSBzxIdLKNARozdMhEaq3MWZbmqt8H8ECaCPCf8/w480-h640/WhatsApp%20Image%202024-03-10%20at%2016.20.30_f136333d.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2X1gYWXUjvr7lNA0gmQZixun2B21V4pNX0F7u3LeK53Sxk41oVxX7dISXTFiM5qc-5Hpg5p5T1-cDykFDDIqGfYyR1i1bSVZxr8KXrZIm2G5h2vI5C5oHpM0ghwX8KWMflkgp9NHVAsChkpbWqhGHC7Yhm-tn4I4XmBBy3aOQFqj70LDHAEni5NJ3tV8/s4032/20240312_110257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2X1gYWXUjvr7lNA0gmQZixun2B21V4pNX0F7u3LeK53Sxk41oVxX7dISXTFiM5qc-5Hpg5p5T1-cDykFDDIqGfYyR1i1bSVZxr8KXrZIm2G5h2vI5C5oHpM0ghwX8KWMflkgp9NHVAsChkpbWqhGHC7Yhm-tn4I4XmBBy3aOQFqj70LDHAEni5NJ3tV8/w640-h480/20240312_110257.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-31026785429838712872024-02-28T03:04:00.000-08:002024-02-28T03:04:43.603-08:00Danger, Unexploded Bomb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>I was to spend part of the half term week at my parents. Over the preceding weekend I isolated to ensure I didn't take any illness with me. <div><br /><div>It was the perfect time to experiment in the kitchen and I made three jars of red cabbage sauerkraut (which is two jars more than I meant to make - seems like cabbage gets bigger when you grate it).</div><div><br /></div><div>Sauerkraut ferments, meaning it needs to be 'burped' each day. By the time I departed for my parents it was becoming very lively and needed to be burped twice a day. I left Nigel with instructions...</div><div><br /></div><div>The visit to my parents went ok, with me getting through a number of the things on the parental to-do list. So, by the time I was sitting in Truro station waiting for the 14.54 to Paddington, I felt quite pleased with myself. </div><div><br /></div><div>The last thing I expected was the announcement that all trains were cancelled owing to an unexploded WW2 bomb at Plymouth. I made my way back to my parents. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is was only as I returned to my childhood bed that night that I remembered the sauerkraut. </div><div>Nigel probably thought his cabbage-related duties ended on Thursday and would not have set himself a phone reminder for Friday. </div><div><br /></div><div>I lay awake in the darkness, ears straining for a distant explosion. Not the WW2 bomb at Plymouth - the sauerkraut in St Albans.</div></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-88725094257490541992024-02-20T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-20T03:00:52.536-08:00Mudlarking <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>I had often squinted over the railings at the muddy foreshore of the Thames and speculated on what I might find there. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">So when Sharon told me she sometimes went mudlarking (like beachcombing, but along the Thames), I asked if I could come. </span><div><br><div><div>To introduce some dramatic tension, this was the week when the police made an announcement about the man who had deplorably thrown corrosive liquid over his wife and daughters. His body was thought to be somewhere in the Thames.</div><div><br></div><div>We went with a licensed guide. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">She could identify all the different animal bones which littered the mud, but asked 'Please don't find any human remains as it involves too much paperwork. Haha!'</span></div><div>Those of us who had been listening to the news exchanged furtive worried glances.</div><div><br></div><div>Between us, Sharon and I found pottery from the Mediaeval, Tudor, Georgian and Victorian eras, a metal hook from a boat, and large chunks of eighteenth century wine bottles. In fact, almost everything on the foreshore was an artefact of human habitation in one way or another.</div><div><br></div><div>My favourite find was a small square of Roman tile (centre of the pic below). The tile had been left on the ground to dry before being baked in a kiln and, while there, a cat had walked across it. Maybe 1600 years later, its paw print was still clearly visible. Magic.</div><div><br></div><div>And to our immense relief, no grim discoveries!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div><br><div><br></div></div></div></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-7700827717917728102024-02-11T11:54:00.000-08:002024-02-11T11:54:46.995-08:00Beware the split-level patio<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1uEolpwlHLcpZkXI3nHnQz0Pb0yTyer6UwztAxhCxe0lC-xKPoBfYPofmFzPU1aTKhyBemNto9-iTlfTcA8dsgees4xu_ulbfmdpG6chSw5Gp-RIKVvBWCIBnwau5IyeDa5cGwKDLMvQ_9doEWhhJXcJowJGvYWgo858lt7mzT6fwdj8mLG4yjacFxU/s4032/20240203_135020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1uEolpwlHLcpZkXI3nHnQz0Pb0yTyer6UwztAxhCxe0lC-xKPoBfYPofmFzPU1aTKhyBemNto9-iTlfTcA8dsgees4xu_ulbfmdpG6chSw5Gp-RIKVvBWCIBnwau5IyeDa5cGwKDLMvQ_9doEWhhJXcJowJGvYWgo858lt7mzT6fwdj8mLG4yjacFxU/w640-h312/20240203_135020.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Carolyn and David travelled from the North East, Nigel and I
from the South East, and we met up in the Peak District. As usual the agenda for
the weekend was long walks, pubs, a bit of culture and a trawl of charity shops.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, this time our attention was grabbed by the landlord
of our accommodation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Carolyn had very kindly made the booking, and soon began to receive
very long emails with detailed instructions for the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amid the many paragraphs were concealed vital
information like the postcode, keycode and wifi password.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like a very inconvenient wordsearch
puzzle.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we entered the (very pleasant) house, the folder which
was left out for visitors did not disappoint.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There was a lengthy screed on how to raise and lower the
(perfectly normal) blinds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The patio was on two levels and there was a whole page about
not tripping or falling down the four-inch-high step, and outside, an outsize
yellow traffic cone to mark the hazard.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The section on using the wood-burning stove was positively
Dickensian in its detail.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After all this, I saw Nigel hesitating in the hallway, a
frown on his face.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">‘Anything the matter?’<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">‘Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t find
the instructions for how to walk up the stairs.’<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-10515523718763739122024-02-05T05:56:00.000-08:002024-02-05T05:56:24.278-08:00The Cult of Beauty <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>We were meeting Perran and Carenza in London to celebrate their birthday.<div>But what would we do together? </div><div>Nigel, Carenza and I were interested in The Cult of Beauty exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. </div><div>'No' said Perran, 'I've never liked the Wellcome Collection, ever since you took us there as kids. It smells weird and medical, and some of the exhibits are always gross.'</div><div>However, we failed to achieve consensus on anything else and ended up at the Wellcome. Surely an exhibition on Beauty would be fine!</div><div>I watched Perran steel himself at the entrance. In the exhibition he was breathing shallowly. In fact, I couldn't detect unpleasant smells and there was even an art installation which replicated the beauty potions made by mediaeval women and emitted scents of rose and herbs.</div><div>With beauty as the subject, many of the images were colourful and attractive. So far, so good.</div><div>We were nearly at the end of the exhibition, when it happened. My eye was caught by two jars of fluid containing round, peach-like objects. What were they? I looked closer. </div><div>The photo above and the label informed me they were the surgically removed breasts of a trans man. Complete with tattoos.</div><div>Rapidly I moved on.</div><div>The weird thing was that afterwards, when we compared notes, the only other person who'd spotted this challenging exhibit was Perran. </div><div>Sorry son. </div><div>Happy birthday anyway!</div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-9958820262346368462024-01-30T02:48:00.000-08:002024-01-30T02:48:38.873-08:00My hero<div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Following COVID, Nigel and I are just getting our mojo back. </span><br></div><div>Something that helped to stir our blood were these facts about private jet flights:<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Up to 50 times more emissions per passenger mile than an ordinary commercial flight.</li><li>Average number of passengers per private jet flight last year was 2.5 with 40% of flights taking off empty. People are even using private jets to ferry their pampered pets about.</li><li>There's an illusion these flights are for VIPs on very important state business. But the busiest day at private jet terminals is Valentine's Day. Hmm.</li></ul></div><div>So when we got the call to march through Farnborough and demonstrate outside the private jet terminal there, we said yes.</div><div>Our role on the march was to step out in the road and hold up a banner to stop traffic just while the marchers passed swiftly through.</div></div><div>This meant we were ahead of the rest of the march.</div><div>The guy beside me said, 'Have you seen who we are holding up the traffic for?'</div><div>I looked behind me at the head of the march. 'Who is it? I can't see anybody I recognise.'</div><div>'Look again, on the right.'</div><div>And when I peered closely an unassuming young woman in a plain grey coat turned out to be Greta Thunberg.</div><div>I learned later that she was in the UK for her trial, following her arrest in October. She sat down in the road in front of the Intercontinental Hotel in London where oil bosses and bankers were meeting to discuss how to make the most possible money out of fossil fuels while frying our planet to death. </div><div>(Nigel was sitting there too, but the police didn't get around to arresting him.)</div><div>It was definitely worth making the effort to get out and march. Seeing our young hero made it even more special.</div><div><br></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-41530093279107681662024-01-22T05:34:00.000-08:002024-01-22T05:34:29.161-08:00Beating the January Blues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEEqxhCgG9jqU_X3_WJflVSYLoX_Oxw6X38T5oWOxWG0lyyzmwimnmnE_K-ZwwhWby4RSqCVeQe9aloRf9K3bahzUPvOpVhvVzrk6SOQXOcMl4yEToBfxCCHVnXAyiI0le84A8ji84gDyZh21ud1wHodurnwbCOdvZEeq-agmsSFVJd5IMmsdDO6Mcc8/s4032/20230728_200824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEEqxhCgG9jqU_X3_WJflVSYLoX_Oxw6X38T5oWOxWG0lyyzmwimnmnE_K-ZwwhWby4RSqCVeQe9aloRf9K3bahzUPvOpVhvVzrk6SOQXOcMl4yEToBfxCCHVnXAyiI0le84A8ji84gDyZh21ud1wHodurnwbCOdvZEeq-agmsSFVJd5IMmsdDO6Mcc8/w195-h400/20230728_200824.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br />Having been ill over Christmas and then back at work before fully better, I'd got into a weird trogladitic existence where most of my time was either working at my desk, or resting up in bed. <div> My inbox alerted me to the fact that the Frans Hals exhibition at the National Gallery was finishing soon. <div>I can remember that the first time I saw his Laughing Cavalier - it blew me away. I'd always wanted to see more Hals. What was I doing missing it? It was the final days though, so surely there would be no tickets.</div><div>However, I would try. </div><div>And I got one!</div><div>The next problem was the freezing temperatures. Was this wise when I had been so unwell? </div><div>But I donned a ridiculous furry hat and set off.</div><div>It was a timed ticket so I needed to catch a particular train.</div><div>The footpath to the station was blocked off for maintenance.</div><div>I backtracked and found another route. </div><div>At the station the ticket machine was grudgingly unresponsive and I was out of time. </div><div>But I encouraged myself to run over the footbridge and succeeded in jumping onto the train.</div><div>At the gallery I'd prepurchased an audioguide, but discovered on arrival I hadn't got the right phone equipment to access it. I felt stupid. </div><div>But looking round, I could see others in the same position. It wasn't my fault! So I went and got my money back.</div><div><br /></div><div>And great though it was to see Frans Hals' vivacious portraits and virtuoso brushwork, the most nourishing thing about the day was overcoming all the tiny difficulties which nearly prevented me.</div><div>Now, like the laughing cavalier, I have a twinkle in my eye once more.</div></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-49817553649016087392024-01-09T09:55:00.000-08:002024-01-09T09:55:51.263-08:00The Navy Lark<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cTQmHcEmZTHUcTNMmGpRspZhpLQNj9a8-OeGnerqx4FouuX8-HzZbQSrEnsIrt3CFlDWWItGmOJ26k3nuSQo5HqWzSiwpAO8D4DsG4MMMcjjYv9Aa4v6Mfyt7hyphenhyphen2en04BvuN3_S_ThoJShoRpO87TtW6e-WR0RUjLrJcSuTe2vm-o0D3uZtCIRV4-Dc/s4032/20231221_155554.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cTQmHcEmZTHUcTNMmGpRspZhpLQNj9a8-OeGnerqx4FouuX8-HzZbQSrEnsIrt3CFlDWWItGmOJ26k3nuSQo5HqWzSiwpAO8D4DsG4MMMcjjYv9Aa4v6Mfyt7hyphenhyphen2en04BvuN3_S_ThoJShoRpO87TtW6e-WR0RUjLrJcSuTe2vm-o0D3uZtCIRV4-Dc/s400/20231221_155554.jpg"/></a></div>
Once again, Christmas got scuppered by Covid but we did have a memorable outing just before disaster struck.
The whole family visited the amazingly preserved wreck of the Mary Rose at Portsmouth Docks. The Mary Rose blew our socks off with detailed information on Tudor life and warfare. It was impressive that certain skeletons (such as the chief bowman or master surgeon) had been identified by their physical traits and scraps of clothing and matched to the wooden chests which contained their belongings.
Afterwards, Pascoe was keen to see the submarines. We took a water taxi across the harbour, watched from above by a peregrine falcon.
It was the 1946 A Class submarine which really captured our imagination. About twelve of us tourists squeezed into the stranded sub and a guide gave us a tour. When in service, it would be hundreds of feet beneath the surface, and contain 65 men. Just the thought broke me out in a claustrophobic sweat (although even as I write this, I’m now wondering whether it was the virus). Also guaranteed to induce panic was our guide’s repeated reference to the escape procedure, which I really couldn’t believe would ever work.
It turned out our softly spoken guide had served 18 years in submarines, thereafter running emergency escape training in a nearby 100 ft tower of water. He was very informative, but I also had a feeling there was a lot he wasn’t telling us.
‘Did it create tension – so many of you in such a cramped space?’
‘Well…mostly, we got along.’
We caught the last water taxi of the day and returned, with sunset blazing behind the historic ships. Despite the disappointment of getting Covid, that day at the Mary Rose still means Christmas 2024 will be one to remember.
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Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-87368621601372088902023-12-21T10:02:00.000-08:002023-12-21T10:03:54.009-08:00Standing on one leg in a muddy field <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>The friends with whom I go walking planned to add a Christmas pub lunch to our December hike. <div>I'm not a great fan of festive meals - memories of sitting round a littered table late at night, trying to make a large bill add up while slightly squiffy.</div><div>And would it even happen? Any of us might get flu, and we are each responsible for grandchildren or grandparents. </div><div>Miraculously, we were all available on the day, but it was raining torrents.</div><div> We brought our walking boots but more in hope than expectation. </div><div>The meal was pleasant, but more than mince pies, we had hoped for a walk. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"> </span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">The rain lessened, but still we loitered in the cosy pub. </span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Finally Carol galvanized us and we set off across sodden fields, chatting.</span></div><div>On the topic of exercise regimes, Diane suggested that standing on one leg was good for mind and body. Like a bunch of middle-aged flamingos, we stopped amid the cabbages and tried it out.</div><div>Afterwards we carried on, climbed a ridge and looped back through beech woods. The clouds cleared and the embers of sunset glowed along the horizon. </div><div>It was a pleasant pub meal, and I'm glad I went. But standing on one leg in a muddy field with my friends was even better.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-56003634458021159112023-12-09T05:09:00.000-08:002023-12-21T10:03:14.598-08:00The Christmas scenes they deleted from Love Actually<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>In pursuit of the spirit of Christmas, Nigel and I met up
with Carenza for outdoor carols at Columbia Road in Bethnal Green. The vicar of <a href="https://www.stpetersbethnalgreen.org/christmas" target="_blank">St Peter’s church</a> here is famed
for wheeling a piano out onto the street and standing on it to conduct carols
while a colleague bashes out the tunes below. <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It turned out to be far from a well-kept secret as every single
twenty-something in London was already there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every one of them was taller than me, but I just about managed to keep
my feet on the ground in the good-natured jostle, just hoping that none of the
high notes started a stampede.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nigel
didn’t mind at all, as several of the young lovelies complimented him on his ‘beautiful
voice’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pah!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the way back from carols we got caught by train
cancellations. We spent an hour at Farringdon with nothing to sustain us except
a massive chocolate advent calendar Nigel was given at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We managed to call a halt at day six.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When we finally got on the train it was packed and a
previous passenger had vomited. Then another drunk bloke skidded in it and fell
over. Twice. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Explaining to a horrified onlooker, his mates said that it
wasn't him who had been sick. 'It's legacy vomit'.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nigel and I agreed that these might very well be scenes from
a typical British Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why on
earth had they been left out of the final cut of Love Actually?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s simply no explanation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Thanks to Carenza for the pics</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br><p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-8508247568478509812023-12-02T04:39:00.000-08:002023-12-02T04:39:55.508-08:00Jack the Ripper hijacked our birthday <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>To celebrate Nigel's birthday we went for a self-guided walk around Spitalfields, Whitechapel and Brick Lane.<div>It was fascinating to learn of the silk weavers, the Jewish synagogues and the Moorish market.</div><div>However, we kept coinciding with other guided tours. Punters in lanyards clustered around leaders with flags. We must have crossed paths with at least five such groups.</div><div>Eavesdropping revealed that the others were all Jack the Ripper tours. When there was so much fascinating culture in that part of London, this particular ghoulish preoccupation seemed uncalled for. </div><div>I have always been keen to avoid finding out exactly what the deranged serial killer did to his wretched victims but o<span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">n Saturday I overheard far too much about entrails. There even appears to be a difference in status between 'official' victims of Jack the Ripper and 'unofficial' ones whose grisly deaths have not been conclusively attributed to him.</span></div><div>We then began to notice other manifestations of this gruesome tale. The local barber was Jack the Clipper, the fast food van was entitled Jack the Chipper. We imagined other local businesses we might set up in Whitechapel. Jack the flipper (selling burgers). Jack the nipper (selling cosmetic surgery). Jack the tripper, selling...well, you get it.</div><div><br></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-58319415229575830922023-11-27T03:22:00.001-08:002023-11-27T03:22:51.898-08:00A weekend away in a time machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>It was time for a break. Our family had been afflicted by various illnesses, crises and illness-crises (a dramatic combination of the above). Half term had therefore been a washout. Somewhere inside I'm still expecting the September we never had. <div>Some loyalty card points bought us a weekend in a hotel in Birmingham. I was looking forward to the Pre-Raphaelite collection at the big municipal art gallery. However, we arrived to find the gallery shut for refurbishment.</div><div>Instead, we visited a Christmas craft market, the Christmas light switch on in the Jewellery Quarter and a massive German-style Christmas market. All when we were still twelve days even from the start of December. </div><div><br></div><div>There was a lovely atmosphere of chatting to friendly strangers. The live music and gluhwein helped! It felt like being at the jostling crowded heart of the festive season.</div><div><br></div><div>But returning home, it was odd to discover we are still a long way off Christmas. It is as if we had travelled not just many miles, but many days. Here I am, back home and back in time again, looking forward to the eventual start of Advent and the run-up to Christmas. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-71317757937206723072023-11-17T02:42:00.000-08:002023-11-17T02:42:35.800-08:00Remembrance of a different kind of courage.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>This year I pinned on a red poppy but it felt inappropriate - I wished that it was white, not red. White poppies express a wish for peace, and this year that seems more important than ever.</span><div><div><br></div><div>My friend John Compton who died just over a year ago was a pacifist and used to wear a white poppy. During World War II he refused to fight, serving instead as a London hospital porter, in danger of his life during the Blitz. It is a different definition of bravery.</div><div>It was only as I put my red poppy in a drawer (as a spare for next year) that I saw that all along I had possessed a white poppy. John's daughter Elizabeth had thoughtfully sent off for one each for Nigel and I the year before he died. </div></div><div>I have put a reminder in my diary for next November so that on Remembrance Day I will wear the white poppy in memory of a man who was courageous enough not to fight. </div><div><br></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-2690624241092300942023-11-13T02:39:00.000-08:002023-11-13T02:39:01.834-08:00Fireworks <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Fireworks night has always been a special occasion for Nigel and I. Forty years ago we spent it apart. At that point, Nigel and I were good friends but he was considering whether to ask me out or not. <div>The reason for his hesitation, he told me later, was that he had a conviction that if he asked me out, he would someday marry me. </div><div>Having missed the municipal display at Cambridge that year, we vowed not to miss one again. </div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">In our forty years together we have been to some spectaculars at Saltburn Park, the Tyne Bridge and Verulamium Park. We love to oooh and aaah.</span></div><div>A memorable one was Dove Holes in Derbyshire where the amateur pyrotechnician decided to set off the fireworks one at a time leading to a display that was very long indeed but at no point spectacular. We left before the end.</div><div>This year, we shunned our usual display at Verulamium to attend Alexandra Palace with Perran, Carenza and friends. </div><div>How did it go? Carenza felt there had been a lack of communal oohs and aaahs.</div><div>However, the fireworks coordinated brilliantly with the music. And at the end their was a man dancing on a podium with lightning coming out of his head. </div><div>But even that was not as special as the fact that I spent the evening with Nigel.</div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-10125180458106165472023-11-04T04:54:00.000-07:002023-11-04T04:58:31.224-07:00foraging discipline <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>A rich variety of family illness and other crises has disrupted our autumn. I feel like I'm in a time travel movie, surfacing to find that another fortnight has somehow zipped past.<div><br><div>However foraging has anchored my feet to the ground once more. The best time for chestnuts and mushrooms is now.</div><div><br></div><div>Nigel and I were busy catching up on neglected chores. Yet if we did not go now to the woods, we would miss the harvest.</div><div><br></div><div>We went up to Ashridge and sure enough the ground in the woods was scattered with sweet chestnut cases like green sea urchins. To save my fingers, I've learned to open them with my booted feet, and imagine this must be similar to what deer do with their hooves, as they too are clearly partial to the odd chestnut. </div><div><br></div><div>I filled my pockets with the gleaming prizes until it was hard to walk. </div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile Nigel was stooping to gather puffballs. We've become cautious about mushrooms, but puffballs are completely unlike anything poisonous.</div><div><br></div><div>The chestnuts form part of our Christmas meal each year, but the puffballs were delicious right away with gnocchi. </div><div><br></div><div>But even more than the food we gain, I value the therapeutic effect of foraging. After a morning in the rust and amber woods, rhythmically hunting and collecting, I was restored and ready to deal with whatever happens next.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div></div>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-28741280589323590282023-10-19T02:39:00.001-07:002023-10-19T02:39:18.869-07:00Hit over the head with a rubber hammer<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTBKH-ckzT-1IWhzSGqb0oaNaJeor1lzDDbq_MyiIIJ_zJTKuoKHsTt9VYdpTH-mbFjP_m5hJgX9eRHxx8Ra3VIUu0l017RMGwatkTmZyXObeZOWKKncrncuAKlax5qccmzMzFVx6kieN6RZGAbK0ZcNtH7DjsBtUKyRf_SV9EUsPOwYcK1efP20EreU/s3221/20230924_133451%20cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3221" data-original-width="2134" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOTBKH-ckzT-1IWhzSGqb0oaNaJeor1lzDDbq_MyiIIJ_zJTKuoKHsTt9VYdpTH-mbFjP_m5hJgX9eRHxx8Ra3VIUu0l017RMGwatkTmZyXObeZOWKKncrncuAKlax5qccmzMzFVx6kieN6RZGAbK0ZcNtH7DjsBtUKyRf_SV9EUsPOwYcK1efP20EreU/w424-h640/20230924_133451%20cropped.jpg" width="424" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />Following his emergency operation, Pascoe is making a steady
recovery – I speak to him on the phone and am reassured.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">He said ‘I can’t wait for the training montage to
start.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine a clip from the
‘Rocky’ movies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">I, on the other hand, have felt like I’d been hit over the
head with a rubber hammer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">There was one week where Carenza had given up a week’s
holiday in France to nurse Pascoe in Edinburgh and I was off-duty in St
Albans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so grateful for her
selflessness, but it also felt very wrong not being there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">I distracted myself with some undemanding household
tasks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took up some winter trousers,
but when I looked at them afterwards was puzzled by my approach – are
asymmetric trousers in fashion this Autumn?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What had I been thinking?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">The only thing which went well was making forty jars of
various chutneys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been doing this
for nearly four decades, so auto-pilot kicked in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, so my mild apple chutney is much hotter
than my hot apple chutney this year, but apart from that, all is well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">So when I think of that week when I was good for nothing, at
least I was good for chutney.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs9mOy1WtDzrA5whbbiJVx5sAYlZGbc4UbiEFv8zUDpOQklcy_Ou4e5vJK6j5Vad4cexbFzAgfWPMpBVuCaBDXLL0XRQwE3CrgT9I1IIN-WWEgUcFCDG_3pBi7lgmQPXjvmTjtWmS0EcZyPlbV3NEZ-PjzaLPWivgpvTprxRzWM9y1Rjiy8zPFwgG0Jg/s4032/20231017_123232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAs9mOy1WtDzrA5whbbiJVx5sAYlZGbc4UbiEFv8zUDpOQklcy_Ou4e5vJK6j5Vad4cexbFzAgfWPMpBVuCaBDXLL0XRQwE3CrgT9I1IIN-WWEgUcFCDG_3pBi7lgmQPXjvmTjtWmS0EcZyPlbV3NEZ-PjzaLPWivgpvTprxRzWM9y1Rjiy8zPFwgG0Jg/w640-h480/20231017_123232.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-89220440611628019662023-09-29T12:13:00.003-07:002023-09-29T12:18:37.740-07:00A bit of an emergency<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsXyZOg2s0TPdqAvcH9dTs9QLFbg-XEFb27Aqr1E0ovup98Rj5FAF8ESLXd9yZQH516GNooPOsZ1tzWlBAeU4fIm_CHlsEeEooNhwy6cPVWWU-i3Sbdl7v7CJ5Ii2fNrw8w45e3wCekZga2CFm6hh5GZYGi8o6QARGaScfH_wYh_9iPGTa2Ri5n4gpCk/s1600/IMG-20230920-WA0005.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsXyZOg2s0TPdqAvcH9dTs9QLFbg-XEFb27Aqr1E0ovup98Rj5FAF8ESLXd9yZQH516GNooPOsZ1tzWlBAeU4fIm_CHlsEeEooNhwy6cPVWWU-i3Sbdl7v7CJ5Ii2fNrw8w45e3wCekZga2CFm6hh5GZYGi8o6QARGaScfH_wYh_9iPGTa2Ri5n4gpCk/w640-h480/IMG-20230920-WA0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">I looked back at my last blog and saw
that it came from a different world, one where I was revving up for the Autumn
term in relaxed mode. Much has happened.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I write this, I’m on the train
returning from Edinburgh Waverley to King’s Cross for the third time in a
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time was a social visit
to Pascoe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The consequent trips have
been due to his medical emergency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since
May, Pascoe had been repeatedly visiting his GP with stabbing pains in his
abdomen, and been sent away with indigestion medicine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually he paid for a private scan - he
had a massive gall stone and inflamed gall bladder, endangering his liver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should have been operated on long before
it got to this. The emergency operation which ensued required a huge incision
(25 staples long), rather than keyhole, a couple of days afterwards when it
looked like he might not make it and then a sudden and dramatic upturn on
Sunday following prayer by not just our church at St Luke’s but also the church
of one of the hospital doctors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today I leave him in his flat, supported by Perran,
well on the road to recovery, but still weak.
Yesterday, I was talking to Pascoe’s friend Kritika about the strength
of love she felt when she gave birth to her baby daughter. There is nothing like nearly losing your
child to revive the strength of that bond.
</span><span style="background: white; color: #050505; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-89391932764118188492023-09-01T07:53:00.000-07:002023-09-01T07:53:05.285-07:00How to bring a festival home<p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsXYPit7b7q3cVBr-eZCSPq7dYqSHK5cmG_xFF9i8-taGLUSsxxpUuG97Ano7b93HZH2YS3ao4DD2NQYaudEDMm4u9nu42cXkMwl5yz5Dk9lYJIzlsN2xYicpZc0Hgza1CRBOCUUF655cbx6YyL4S7Vp3rj48L5IaGJRm9zn4480eI_WXscb0BquIuXKc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="823" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsXYPit7b7q3cVBr-eZCSPq7dYqSHK5cmG_xFF9i8-taGLUSsxxpUuG97Ano7b93HZH2YS3ao4DD2NQYaudEDMm4u9nu42cXkMwl5yz5Dk9lYJIzlsN2xYicpZc0Hgza1CRBOCUUF655cbx6YyL4S7Vp3rj48L5IaGJRm9zn4480eI_WXscb0BquIuXKc=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">This summer I was privileged to attend
three very different festivals and I ask what I can take from them back into
everyday life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://primadonnafestival.com/year-2023/" target="_blank">Primadonna</a> – a literature festival,
with the emphasis on women.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.edfringe.com/" target="_blank">Edinburgh Fringe</a> – a massive festival
comprised of over 3k shows in a huge variety of venues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/greenbelt-festival/" target="_blank">GreenbeltFestival</a> - arts, faith, activism. In a world on fire, we’re somewhere to believe
in.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s a glorious ‘festival’ way of
being - which elements will enhance my everyday
life?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Trying new things<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because
a festival is time-limited, it helps make your mind up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This kind of thinking found me trying out a
women’s urinal for the first time, and (less bizarrely) a workshop on cyanotype
printing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fresh air <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wouldn’t
work life be less fraught if one had to potter across a grassy field to get to
every meeting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to incorporate
more little strolls into my working life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chat<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">At each
of the festivals, the best thing was people – the friends/family we went with
and the strangers with whom we chatted while queueing for the loo/ bar/ show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I definitely want to spend more time idly passing
the time of day with friends, old and brand new. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">What won’t I miss?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">You’d
expect me to say the toilets – but the ‘mobile thrones’ at Primadonna and the
composting loos at Greenbelt were fab.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I guess
I might say ‘burning the candle at both ends’ but in fact a level of tiredness
softens me up and readies me for revelations both intellectual and emotional –
festivals make me cry…and that’s not a bad thing.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #050505; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Picture by Pascoe Harvey - me at Edinburgh with the wonderful <a href="https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2023/katy-berry/" target="_blank">Katy Berry</a></span></span></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-42238903596589685202023-08-15T09:28:00.003-07:002023-08-15T09:30:53.538-07:00Birds don’t live for ever<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWQjOa9zxgnSUcO9kC2vQRzfPtF3h48JuWrk3XS9w-q7HccYKzIdpY992TpMZ5dCG6kp4fdRe2-TyXeENMIhKJ7zdPUL7BBizpFy1OCNkb_rmXhb6YTQm5cIqcx0hT_4jLzJMxxpFbxywhffE3lvDIyx3LSsZuoitLSZiNWL3-LvnikqUrNLvTnUite0/s4032/20200201_105307.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWQjOa9zxgnSUcO9kC2vQRzfPtF3h48JuWrk3XS9w-q7HccYKzIdpY992TpMZ5dCG6kp4fdRe2-TyXeENMIhKJ7zdPUL7BBizpFy1OCNkb_rmXhb6YTQm5cIqcx0hT_4jLzJMxxpFbxywhffE3lvDIyx3LSsZuoitLSZiNWL3-LvnikqUrNLvTnUite0/w640-h480/20200201_105307.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Since 2018 we have kept doves, but it took until the 2020
lockdowns for them to become part of the rhythm of our days with Nigel feeding
them by hand and talking to them as they snaffled their dried peas and corn.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being completely white, doves are difficult to distinguish
from one another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this
anonymity has surely saved us some heartbreak. Doves are vulnerable to
predators - their pale plumage makes them an easy target for our local
sparrowhawks and peregrines and cats. Yet when we see feathers scattered on the
ground (carnivore confetti) it is often hard to tell exactly which dove had
been taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One bird, however, has been our particular favourite - an
excellent mother she has raised many chicks in our dovecote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years she has had two long-term
partners with whom she has billed and cooed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We could tell her from the others by a black feather below her eye,
giving her the name Tear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every so
often, Tear would vanish for a few days to incubate eggs, but now, for several
weeks, she has not reappeared.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Similarly, it was during the Covid lockdowns that Nigel
encouraged our garden robin to feed from his hand, and soon mine too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The robin was always particularly friendly when
feeding chicks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would look about him
cautiously then swoop towards me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fluttering
in midair, onto my fingers he would place his feet, looking as if they had been
drawn with a sharp pencil. Swiftly he would tilt to peck a strand of suet from
my palm, then make off with his haul to his nest in the bushes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This year, he had raised one brood of round speckled robin
chicks and was on his second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
nesting season wore on, he looked increasingly tired and shabby, and now he too
has disappeared.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In both cases, we’ll never know for certain how they met
their end, and there is a kindness in that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is good to remember both Tear and Robin as we last saw them, waiting
on the patio for us to come out and bring them food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To catch our attention Tear would peck at the
window and Robin would tweet loudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And now I think about it, perhaps it was they who had trained us,
rather than the other way about.<o:p></o:p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-33068897893250285652023-08-05T09:42:00.002-07:002023-08-05T09:47:47.855-07:00A Camp and Windy Weekend<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMBfBKC7c8Z-FCZK9tuwPIoytmPAvwwfWOFJv91VKKLUlTQQEHNsNmuDHGL6yBCWYRyEadByNgvYSwINTmzigvm7JVMckn46J3neE100iLrKhhF7k7YjkVmG8NlETIzPf7VfRmCNzM57cilvRABH550H0xpJsfhamX0zOlzzj2hbLA7GJa1cwAi_NcuI/s3181/20230721_210559.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="3181" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMBfBKC7c8Z-FCZK9tuwPIoytmPAvwwfWOFJv91VKKLUlTQQEHNsNmuDHGL6yBCWYRyEadByNgvYSwINTmzigvm7JVMckn46J3neE100iLrKhhF7k7YjkVmG8NlETIzPf7VfRmCNzM57cilvRABH550H0xpJsfhamX0zOlzzj2hbLA7GJa1cwAi_NcuI/w640-h394/20230721_210559.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I love camping. It is
an utter idyll to sit by a firepit with a glass of wine and good company. You don’t have to go out because you are
already out and in prime position to watch the sunset, hear the dusk chorus, spot
the bats flitter past and catch sight of the first star.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Last summer Perran and I camped near Avebury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This July, Carenza and I were to stay at the
excellent <a href="https://www.woodfire.co.uk/woodfire-westerlands/" target="_blank">Woodfire Camping </a>site at Westlands, East Sussex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We planned walks on the <a href="https://southdownsway.org/" target="_blank">South Downs Way</a> and Serpent Trail
and sightseeing at <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/petworth" target="_blank">Petworth House</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, most unfortunately, we forgot to book good weather. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The forecast said fair on Friday night, downpour Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">‘We have to pack all my favourite bits of camping into Friday
night,’ I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So we ate looking out over acres of woodland, I painted a
watercolour and Carenza read. As night fell, we lit the firepit, opened a
bottle of wine and switched on my bat detector (pipistrelles were passing).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the air stayed in our airbeds and we
were woken early by a family of noisy woodpeckers. (Outside the tent, not in
it.)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We also had a solid plan for the rainy Saturday evening.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Go to pub<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Stay in pub<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Return to tent at bedtime<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">BUT I had not paid sufficient attention to the forecast –
not only was there to be rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A MIGHTY
WIND was on its way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The blasts bent the tent poles double and forced rain in through
the seams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not see Carenza in
the dark, but I imagined her lying like me with eyes wide open, listening to
the buffeting of the storm and wishing we’d checked the guy ropes before
turning in…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I fell asleep,
the side of the tent blew in and slapped me awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the morning our tent was still standing, but we couldn’t
help noticing not all the other tents were where they had been the night before. Some
gazebos were missing altogether.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the time, we enjoyed the first night way more, but it is
the second night we will still be enjoying years from now as we continue to recount
the tale of the scary gale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-5335722378985839022023-07-20T07:29:00.004-07:002023-07-20T07:29:58.870-07:00Who was that masked medic?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBfooR7TXBIEokYwAkp6VXT22Zp8VHTSv6SkHyQ9EH7UkO1cA2uDCYfReZNdhTlyQFbyZ3rv1cw-x303njQLu-r3Lwz1BRrF9bZYYZaqix1BDt_AOaRsXpnxN5QDkDn2qViHJ8_3XAZKZ8Om_3hXXwjU5pBiIhZNdt_jh6OfHAUU5OKjvVvKi-9s03Ws/s4032/20230601_122244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBfooR7TXBIEokYwAkp6VXT22Zp8VHTSv6SkHyQ9EH7UkO1cA2uDCYfReZNdhTlyQFbyZ3rv1cw-x303njQLu-r3Lwz1BRrF9bZYYZaqix1BDt_AOaRsXpnxN5QDkDn2qViHJ8_3XAZKZ8Om_3hXXwjU5pBiIhZNdt_jh6OfHAUU5OKjvVvKi-9s03Ws/w640-h312/20230601_122244.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The school holidays have started and I had plans. Things to achieve, friends to catch up with.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But a week ago, on a nocturnal trip to the loo, I trod on
something sharp. I felt to see if anything was sticking out from the wound, but
found nothing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being half asleep, I went back to bed, but in the morning
the trail of blood alerted me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">‘Nigel, can you look and see if there’s something still in
there.’<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He probed with my eyebrow tweezers but found nothing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a week which included two country hikes and dancing at
the Folk by the Oak Festival, I was of the opinion there was definitely still
something in there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had tickets for an exhibition in Oxford on Tuesday and was
supposed to be driving a friend, so needed to sort it quickly.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Monday saw me at Minor Injuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The medic could spot nothing and was clearly
sceptical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sent me to the X-ray
department without telling me it was on the far side of the hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After walking all that way on the side of my
foot, my knee and hip were now throbbing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The x-ray showed nothing, but I was unwilling meekly to give
up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So the medic had a probe with a
large needle and pointy tweezers. Ouch. But then he had it! A 3mm razor-sharp
flake of glass embedded in the ball of my right foot. He was not prepared to
dig deep but that was ‘probably all the glass.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He gave me a tetanus shot.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That evening, while I was glad to be vindicated, my foot was
tender, my knee and hip ached and then unexpectedly, my left arm stopped
working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe the tetanus jab hit a
nerve?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After a night’s sleep, however, I was able to drive to
Oxford.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But, haunted by the sensation there was still some glass in
my foot, I prepared for another trip to minor injuries, and in doing so managed
to shrink my beloved Crocs clogs in the washing machine (don’t ask).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I saw a different medic this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I explained what happened before but she
looked puzzled ‘Who saw you?’ <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I described him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
shook her head as if not recognising this person. ‘It’s just that it’s not our
policy to dig around looking for glass in people’s feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The body will naturally expel the object.’<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whoever that bogus medic-impersonator was, I’m glad he had a
go – the glass had been cutting away in there for over a week without being ‘naturally
expelled’.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And I hope that if there’s any glass left, my body gets rid
of it soon…<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-86240969802810931272023-07-06T03:35:00.002-07:002023-07-06T03:35:47.024-07:00Ordained by God<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuyQP9MQvGbazcyHJu32cvdYbifWdpwY4vmn8pRYsDCLb_vHrXEuWMLlJuy5GqgNPTCrRhh0UVOKsgfDJ4MO7mWDPGsyKcdLVFGZgKoKnUay2lbC01rjjvd7cvq8zJmnWNTonk8oq9Q0PIYw4ZyRwm6XIaNrb2h2IdrmADUx_442KG0cOjqyMB4ICnMQ/s4032/20230701_174948.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuyQP9MQvGbazcyHJu32cvdYbifWdpwY4vmn8pRYsDCLb_vHrXEuWMLlJuy5GqgNPTCrRhh0UVOKsgfDJ4MO7mWDPGsyKcdLVFGZgKoKnUay2lbC01rjjvd7cvq8zJmnWNTonk8oq9Q0PIYw4ZyRwm6XIaNrb2h2IdrmADUx_442KG0cOjqyMB4ICnMQ/w640-h480/20230701_174948.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> <span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Jenny and I met and became friends
in our first week at Cambridge.</span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">One
thing we had in common was an interest in matters spiritual.</span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Within a term, we had both committed to
Christianity.</span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The slightly older student
who led us to the Lord later moved on to devote herself to Feng Shui, but we
have both stayed on the path.</span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">We live in different parts of the
country now and see each other together with our respective families at the
annual Greenbelt festival, capturing a freeze-frame vision of one another’s
lives.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Jenny has grown via a number of roles
to flower at last as a priest in the church of England and her ordination was
this Saturday near Manchester. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">It was very important to be there
but also a really long way to travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">With Annabel (the erstwhile
bridesmaid of both Jenny and I) riding shotgun, Nigel drove us all three hours
each way. (I did offer, but he prefers to drive.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">It was a great service with the
sermon delivered, confusingly, by an arch deacon whose surname was Bishop.
Apparently he is soon to become a bishop. Bishop Bishop. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The sermon was encouraging, the
hymns excellent, and the church welcoming. But the thing that most justified
our long drive was the beam on Jenny's face. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">And it's a smile which will go on
to bless the lucky church at Bollington where she is to be curate.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-30760375900583058942023-06-26T05:43:00.003-07:002023-06-28T05:39:15.060-07:00Friends you can take a risk with<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIv_i83vdcFWYylP33JNERxKPG5y47lllnh5cv4CT_8U_NGE0Z1H3lbDrg0cicNocKyx58cMkwhKzQBrWjAHkZ7ENaV53-UwbwwP6L_5GpgiLKNDiih049uKg0xGeMNPSsiBpg05GOikaU5V4FY_ntklMQb0sTWYpDhxNGWR7cBIPupmgoNlvxdxpvI8/s1961/20230617_141423.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1961" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIv_i83vdcFWYylP33JNERxKPG5y47lllnh5cv4CT_8U_NGE0Z1H3lbDrg0cicNocKyx58cMkwhKzQBrWjAHkZ7ENaV53-UwbwwP6L_5GpgiLKNDiih049uKg0xGeMNPSsiBpg05GOikaU5V4FY_ntklMQb0sTWYpDhxNGWR7cBIPupmgoNlvxdxpvI8/w640-h248/20230617_141423.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-size: large;">David and Carolyn are Pascoe’s
godparents. When we lived in the North
East we saw them every week. Now we live
hundreds of miles apart, but still see them a couple of treasured times each
year.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">We wanted to take them to the Odyssey,
our wonderful local independent cinema, but the choice was a predictable Rom
Com, OR ‘Beau is afraid’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- a psychedelic
journey of weirdness concerning the painful relationship between a man and his
mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">We chose the latter and at the end of
the three-hour film, another audience member said loudly ‘Well that wasn’t worth
staying up late for!’<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">But the four of us found ourselves
returning to ‘What did it all mean?’ throughout the weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We certainly got our money’s worth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Saturday, we met the twins in
London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They wanted to go to ‘<a href="https://edinburghfestival.datathistle.com/event/2126668-healing-king-herod/" target="_blank">Healing King Herod</a>’, a show previewing before the Edinburgh Fringe at the <a href="https://twitter.com/sohotheatre" target="_blank">Soho Theatre</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">‘King
Herod, famed for his Massacre of the Innocents, now leads a self-development
pyramid scheme. Ancient soldiers become modern clients in an interactive,
drag-clown therapy session.’<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I didn’t
even know there was a genre called <i>drag clown</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 107%;">After a
little hesitation, we all went along and raised the average age of the audience
considerably. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
show did end with the star, Riss Obolensky wearing nothing but a nappy and rolling
on the ground smeared all-over with jam, but it certainly made us laugh and Obolensky
managed to pack her weirdness into one hour, which was certainly a better
decision than three!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">But the
best thing about both shows was going along with friends who are up for
something a bit different.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-44880274736393318072023-06-10T02:58:00.001-07:002023-06-10T02:58:25.600-07:00Seeking Asylum on Holiday<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmbwDH-Jz9bS7_Y2wnMof1U4V5CA6OjBCcgvYKmA2vxBRWGdbjFZ_jfQXtIOpZ5pMCjyuTZQrQ5AV-lNaalCdMY9VLW1WiEu-1yM3Y7kW4e-07MxodLsYrgqDIcCBrKyjb_-9PWguxh_WLQdOI2EMa8zqK3CAROvOIv-HbEPUo_uWXcJyCa7rHQOf/s4032/20230527_121258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmbwDH-Jz9bS7_Y2wnMof1U4V5CA6OjBCcgvYKmA2vxBRWGdbjFZ_jfQXtIOpZ5pMCjyuTZQrQ5AV-lNaalCdMY9VLW1WiEu-1yM3Y7kW4e-07MxodLsYrgqDIcCBrKyjb_-9PWguxh_WLQdOI2EMa8zqK3CAROvOIv-HbEPUo_uWXcJyCa7rHQOf/w640-h312/20230527_121258.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> When the real world is troubling, my impulse is to get away
from it all.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">In the last year, we were hosting a Ukrainian family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were bereaved in the war and although
they were perfect guests, there was a weight of sadness on the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found ourselves going away a lot at
weekends. But each time we turned on the radio, the news from Ukraine found us
again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Likewise, on our holiday to Cornwall, I was prepared to be
faced with our own family problems, such as dealing with ageing grandparents,
but not the social issues which ravage our nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as we took a morning stroll around
Pendennis Point above the shipyards and looked down into the dry dock, we
spotted something which looked like a block of flats on a barge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We were curious so Perran googled the name on its side,
Bibby Stockholm, only to discover that this barge was being fitted out as
floating accommodation for 500 plus asylum seekers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suddenly the Cornish sun seemed less warm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">If we can’t escape the problems of our age by going on
holiday, then I guess we just have to go on demonstrating and signing petitions
and helping out voluntary organisations with extra fervour, and at least that
is one thing that a holiday gives us - we return home with the energy to do
just that.</span><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9FqkFynNmD-vlSsK5nFVcKpN1LoqihOPc3OL-VAxzb3-Z5U7U6FgkZKKyIgsUgcUpvByXkQX9s5jiBKPd9SJak0matfW19FcrUODzT41C3zdUmtTJfC_1fR8KmhvtjZ_91jHGELfTDX77y3dsM9W10EH0OFhFjg0kq2bzzprfR2Ek2bECIyPLBQ1/s4032/20230530_104016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9FqkFynNmD-vlSsK5nFVcKpN1LoqihOPc3OL-VAxzb3-Z5U7U6FgkZKKyIgsUgcUpvByXkQX9s5jiBKPd9SJak0matfW19FcrUODzT41C3zdUmtTJfC_1fR8KmhvtjZ_91jHGELfTDX77y3dsM9W10EH0OFhFjg0kq2bzzprfR2Ek2bECIyPLBQ1/w640-h312/20230530_104016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608087109860564249.post-51585844930338105972023-06-05T06:44:00.001-07:002023-06-05T06:44:20.824-07:00Family Holiday<p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBR8fpZc-9MjF9DkO1z6N6DB4PiQw9kd0b3F6blACVOOL-CElzjbxPUXVeCAktAFYPUz91SdfBpRbrTDZAhzyj6zXioWJlMP_yRmPPvl_Ar4PhAAumSIWYsuT5IGZeleX6Ixi6nftD2HNGjyy1f4JFMLtJYlhPtJgrTJzIMb5ctcEpzJ1ShC3xOn8X/s4032/20230530_110729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="4032" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBR8fpZc-9MjF9DkO1z6N6DB4PiQw9kd0b3F6blACVOOL-CElzjbxPUXVeCAktAFYPUz91SdfBpRbrTDZAhzyj6zXioWJlMP_yRmPPvl_Ar4PhAAumSIWYsuT5IGZeleX6Ixi6nftD2HNGjyy1f4JFMLtJYlhPtJgrTJzIMb5ctcEpzJ1ShC3xOn8X/w640-h312/20230530_110729.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #252525; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-variant-ligatures: none; white-space: pre-wrap;">W</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-variant-ligatures: none; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;">e just had a family holiday. In many ways it was excellent - we stayed in a capacious holiday-let overlooking the Fal River. The weather was </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-variant-ligatures: none; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;">brilliant</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-variant-ligatures: none; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so we walked and swam the coast </span><span background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" ciagica8l2c="" ciagica8zybpzd0iz3jhbw1hcl9kb3vibgvfbgluzsigc3ryb2tlpsjub25liibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijeiigzpbgw9im5vbmuiigzpbgwtcnvszt0izxzlbm9kzcigc3ryb2tllwxpbmvjyxa9injvdw5kij4kicagicagica8zybpzd0ir3jhbw1hci1uawxllunvchkiihn0cm9rzt0iizmzntvgrii="" ciagicagicagicagidxwyxroigq9ik0wldaunsbmnswwljuiiglkpsjmaw5lltitq29wes0xmci="" cjwvc3znpg="='));" data:image="" pc9wyxropgogicagicagicagica8cgf0acbkpsjnmcwyljugtdusmi41iibpzd0itgluzs0ylunvchktmteipjwvcgf0ad4kicagicagica8l2c="" pd94bwwgdmvyc2lvbj0ims4wiiblbmnvzgluzz0ivvrgltgipz4kphn2zyb3awr0ad0inxb4iibozwlnahq9ijnwecigdmlld0jved0imcawidugmyigdmvyc2lvbj0ims4xiib4bwxucz0iahr0cdovl3d3dy53my5vcmcvmjawmc9zdmciihhtbg5zonhsaw5rpsjodhrwoi8vd3d3lnczlm9yzy8xotk5l3hsaw5rij4kicagidwhls0gr2vuzxjhdg9yoibta2v0y2ggntuumiaonzgxodepic0gahr0chm6ly9za2v0y2hhchauy29tic0tpgogicagphrpdgxlpmdyyw1tyxjfzg91ymxlx2xpbmu8l3rpdgxlpgogicagpgrlc2m="" q3jlyxrlzcb3axroifnrzxrjac48l2rlc2m="" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2, url(; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large; font-variant-ligatures: none; user-select: text; white-space: pre-wrap;" svg="" xml="">every</span><p></p><p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{163}" paraid="493346312" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-contrast="none" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" ciagica8l2c="" ciagica8zybpzd0iz3jhbw1hcl9kb3vibgvfbgluzsigc3ryb2tlpsjub25liibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijeiigzpbgw9im5vbmuiigzpbgwtcnvszt0izxzlbm9kzcigc3ryb2tllwxpbmvjyxa9injvdw5kij4kicagicagica8zybpzd0ir3jhbw1hci1uawxllunvchkiihn0cm9rzt0iizmzntvgrii="" ciagicagicagicagidxwyxroigq9ik0wldaunsbmnswwljuiiglkpsjmaw5lltitq29wes0xmci="" cjwvc3znpg="='));" data:image="" pc9wyxropgogicagicagicagica8cgf0acbkpsjnmcwyljugtdusmi41iibpzd0itgluzs0ylunvchktmteipjwvcgf0ad4kicagicagica8l2c="" pd94bwwgdmvyc2lvbj0ims4wiiblbmnvzgluzz0ivvrgltgipz4kphn2zyb3awr0ad0inxb4iibozwlnahq9ijnwecigdmlld0jved0imcawidugmyigdmvyc2lvbj0ims4xiib4bwxucz0iahr0cdovl3d3dy53my5vcmcvmjawmc9zdmciihhtbg5zonhsaw5rpsjodhrwoi8vd3d3lnczlm9yzy8xotk5l3hsaw5rij4kicagidwhls0gr2vuzxjhdg9yoibta2v0y2ggntuumiaonzgxodepic0gahr0chm6ly9za2v0y2hhchauy29tic0tpgogicagphrpdgxlpmdyyw1tyxjfzg91ymxlx2xpbmu8l3rpdgxlpgogicagpgrlc2m="" q3jlyxrlzcb3axroifnrzxrjac48l2rlc2m="" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2, url(; user-select: text;" svg="" xml="">day </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">and cooked wholesome meals together in the evening.</span></span></span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{171}" paraid="171397149" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-contrast="auto" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":204}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"> </span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{175}" paraid="1846203750" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-contrast="none" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #252525;">However, </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">a family </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">holiday always ends up as a microcosm of what is going on in the family. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;">Pascoe, Carenza and Perran are all busy at </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">work</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">
so we made sure the house had good </span><span background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" data:image="" 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"" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url(; user-select: text;" svg="" xml="">wi</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">-fi
</span><span aw5zawdodf90zxh0dxjlpc90axrszt4kicagidxkzxnjpknyzwf0zwqgd2l0acbta2v0y2gupc9kzxnjpgogicagpgcgawq9imluc2lnahrfdgv4dhvyzsigc3ryb2tlpsjub25liibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijeiigzpbgw9im5vbmuiigzpbgwtcnvszt0izxzlbm9kzci="" background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" ciagica8dgl0bgu="" ciagicagicagicagidxwyxroigq9ik0xldegtdusmsigawq9ikxpbmutncigc3ryb2tlpsijnze2meu4iibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijiiihn0cm9rzs1saw5ly2fwpsjyb3vuzci="" ciagicagicagicagidxyzwn0iglkpsjszwn0yw5nbguiihg9ijaiihk9ijaiihdpzhropsixmcigagvpz2h0psiyij48l3jly3q="" ciagicagicagpgcgawq9ikdyb3vwltitq29wesi="" data:image="" pc9wyxropgogicagicagidwvzz4kicagidwvzz4kpc9zdmc="" pd94bwwgdmvyc2lvbj0ims4wiiblbmnvzgluzz0ivvrgltgipz4kphn2zyb3awr0ad0imtbwecigagvpz2h0psiychgiihzpzxdcb3g9ijagmcaxmcayiib2zxjzaw9upsixljeiihhtbg5zpsjodhrwoi8vd3d3lnczlm9yzy8ymdawl3n2zyigeg1sbnm6egxpbms9imh0dha6ly93d3cudzmub3jnlze5otkvegxpbmsipgogicagpcetlsbhzw5lcmf0b3i6ifnrzxrjaca1ny4xicg4mza4ockglsbodhrwczovl3nrzxrjac5jb20gls0="" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2, url(; user-select: text;" svg="" xml="">in
order to</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"> accommodate a certain amount of
working from home, also great train links </span><span aw5zawdodf90zxh0dxjlpc90axrszt4kicagidxkzxnjpknyzwf0zwqgd2l0acbta2v0y2gupc9kzxnjpgogicagpgcgawq9imluc2lnahrfdgv4dhvyzsigc3ryb2tlpsjub25liibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijeiigzpbgw9im5vbmuiigzpbgwtcnvszt0izxzlbm9kzci="" background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" ciagica8dgl0bgu="" ciagicagicagicagidxwyxroigq9ik0xldegtdusmsigawq9ikxpbmutncigc3ryb2tlpsijnze2meu4iibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijiiihn0cm9rzs1saw5ly2fwpsjyb3vuzci="" ciagicagicagicagidxyzwn0iglkpsjszwn0yw5nbguiihg9ijaiihk9ijaiihdpzhropsixmcigagvpz2h0psiyij48l3jly3q="" ciagicagicagpgcgawq9ikdyb3vwltitq29wesi="" data:image="" pc9wyxropgogicagicagidwvzz4kicagidwvzz4kpc9zdmc="" pd94bwwgdmvyc2lvbj0ims4wiiblbmnvzgluzz0ivvrgltgipz4kphn2zyb3awr0ad0imtbwecigagvpz2h0psiychgiihzpzxdcb3g9ijagmcaxmcayiib2zxjzaw9upsixljeiihhtbg5zpsjodhrwoi8vd3d3lnczlm9yzy8ymdawl3n2zyigeg1sbnm6egxpbms9imh0dha6ly93d3cudzmub3jnlze5otkvegxpbmsipgogicagpcetlsbhzw5lcmf0b3i6ifnrzxrjaca1ny4xicg4mza4ockglsbodhrwczovl3nrzxrjac5jb20gls0="" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2, url(; user-select: text;" svg="" xml="">in
order to</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"> allow anybody who </span><span aw5zawdodf90zxh0dxjlpc90axrszt4kicagidxkzxnjpknyzwf0zwqgd2l0acbta2v0y2gupc9kzxnjpgogicagpgcgawq9imluc2lnahrfdgv4dhvyzsigc3ryb2tlpsjub25liibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijeiigzpbgw9im5vbmuiigzpbgwtcnvszt0izxzlbm9kzci="" background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" ciagica8dgl0bgu="" ciagicagicagicagidxwyxroigq9ik0xldegtdusmsigawq9ikxpbmutncigc3ryb2tlpsijnze2meu4iibzdhjva2utd2lkdgg9ijiiihn0cm9rzs1saw5ly2fwpsjyb3vuzci="" ciagicagicagicagidxyzwn0iglkpsjszwn0yw5nbguiihg9ijaiihk9ijaiihdpzhropsixmcigagvpz2h0psiyij48l3jly3q="" ciagicagicagpgcgawq9ikdyb3vwltitq29wesi="" data:image="" pc9wyxropgogicagicagidwvzz4kicagidwvzz4kpc9zdmc="" pd94bwwgdmvyc2lvbj0ims4wiiblbmnvzgluzz0ivvrgltgipz4kphn2zyb3awr0ad0imtbwecigagvpz2h0psiychgiihzpzxdcb3g9ijagmcaxmcayiib2zxjzaw9upsixljeiihhtbg5zpsjodhrwoi8vd3d3lnczlm9yzy8ymdawl3n2zyigeg1sbnm6egxpbms9imh0dha6ly93d3cudzmub3jnlze5otkvegxpbmsipgogicagpcetlsbhzw5lcmf0b3i6ifnrzxrjaca1ny4xicg4mza4ockglsbodhrwczovl3nrzxrjac5jb20gls0="" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlAdvancedProofingIssueV2, url(; user-select: text;" svg="" xml="">had
to</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">
</span><span background-position-x:0="" background-position-y:100="" base64="" border-bottom:transparent="" data:image="" 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"" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; background-image: var(--urlSpellingErrorV2, url(; user-select: text;" svg="" xml="">arrive
late (Pascoe</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">), or</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"> leave early
(Perran). </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{181}" paraid="1906908742" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-contrast="none" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;">We stayed close to </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">Truro to allow us</span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"> several visits to my elderly parents who have had a tough year. </span></span></span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{181}" paraid="1906908742" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{187}" paraid="2074654922" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-contrast="none" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;">We were late departing on changeover day because </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">one person had an important phone meeting, plus we had to take something to the </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">dump for my dad, which meant we then hit heavy traffic all the way home, </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">exacerbated </span><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;">by a train strike. </span></span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"> </span></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{187}" paraid="2074654922" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{203}" paraid="176287124" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-contrast="none" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Which in turn meant it was a close thing for Nigel to catch the train north to support his mother in the act of moving house from the north to the south on the following day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="paragraph" paraeid="{7fa484ed-60a7-4ea8-9fd9-ee55f2e7a4bb}{203}" paraid="176287124" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-kerning: none; margin: 0cm; overflow-wrap: break-word; user-select: text; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-contrast="none" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; user-select: text;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span class="normaltextrun"><span style="color: #252525;">When I look back, however, I shall choose to forget all
the stresses and to remember only the sun-filled days and the evenings sharing plentiful
food and wine.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; -webkit-user-drag: none; user-select: text;"><span class="eop"><span style="color: #252525;"> After all, there's nothing to beat a family holiday.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="paragraph" style="margin: 0cm; vertical-align: baseline;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></p>Clare Hobbahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17281170411351697503noreply@blogger.com0