Notes of Life

I’ve barely had time to sit down this weekend.

It all started with a trip to town yesterday morning to do some grocery shopping and collect Joan, a family friend, from the train station. She was stopping for the weekend.

Then, after a little lunch, Joan, Mum & I headed to the village hall to have a look around the village Christmas fair. I found Sarah down there, so left Mum & Joan to it. Sarah was much luckier than me on the raffle stalls and won a few bottles of drinks as well as a pack of chocolates… I told her she’d best do the lottery too as it may just be her lucky day!

Later on it was time to go to Dad’s motorcycle club’s Christmas dinner at Wall-under-Heywood. I’m always invited to go and take photos and I get a free meal for my efforts. Last night somebody asked me if I was the press! The meal was delicious and a good time was had by all. It was gone 1am by the time we got home, so it was straight to bed for me.

This morning, to say it was frosty would have been an understatement! So I grabbed a camera and took a few photos.

(Click to enlarge)

Then Mum, Dad, Joan & I went to Ludlow for the Medieval Christmas Fayre. The square was full of stalls as were the castle grounds. There was everything from jewellery and hats to food and drink. I must admit I centred on the food and drink stalls (in my defence, I was hungry!), although there was plenty I could buy from the other stalls too – if I had had the money! It was cold there, but that didn’t seem to affect the crowds who turned up for it. Everyone seemed in the spirit and even the stallholders were dressed in Medieval outfits!

Now I’m home I’ve finally got a chance to put my feet up! It’s back to work tomorrow!

After reading Mountainear’s latest blog post last night and learning that Marton village hall was holding a Craft Fair, I knew what I was going to be doing today. I love craft fairs, you never know what you might find! Mountainear had “pimped” some of her personal craftman’s work on her website, so I already had my eye on something to buy. Mum needed to look for a top for the motorcycle club’s Christmas dinner next weekend, so I suggested she come with me to the Craft Fair and then I’d take her to Welshpool before going to town.

By the time we arrived in Marton the Craft Fair was well underway, so we made our way around the village hall. Stalls filled the little hall and there were plenty of goodies on sale. Some handmade jewellery caught Mum’s eye, so she bought a necklace and a pair of earings.

I then spied Mountainear’s stall and set about which of the trugs I wanted to buy (I intend to fill it with goodies as a Christmas present for Nan & Granddad).

(Leo inspecting my chosen trug… Maybe I should have bought two!).

Just as I’d made up my mind Mountainear appeared, apologising for being busy talking an not minding her stall. The truth is she’d given me just enough time to make up my mind! I’d decided on one with little hearts cut into each end. I then thought I’d better let on that the “pimping” on her website had been successful. It sunk in for a few seconds and then she realised who I was! I didn’t stop to talk though as Mountainear had another customer after her craftman’s goodies, so I left her to it. (It was nice to meet you, Mountainear!).

We then went on to The Old Station at Welshpool, where I spent more money – mainly presents, but a couple of things for myself too. We had lunch and then headed to town where I spent a little more. It’s a good job I get paid in a week’s time!

Camera Critters – Why not join in?!

I found this photo of soliders in our big box of photos (which I am slowly sorting out), however we don’t know much about it.

My Granddad Charlie is in the back row, 2nd from the right. That’s all we know for sure!

Apart from that, Dad believes it could have been taken at Wrexham Barracks and sometime after the Great War (early 1920’s).

Notes:

1. The soldiers have varying cap badges, indicating they were from different regiments (Granddad was in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers).
2. It seems like quite a relaxed photo, rather than an official one.
3. Soldier 2nd from the right in the 1st row is holding a dog!
4. Soldier in the middle of the 1st row is holding a pipe.
5. Soldier 2nd on the left in the 1st row is holding a cigarette.
6. Soldier 1st on the left in the 1st row looks to have a cigarette in his mouth.
7. Soldier 1st on the left in the 2nd row has his hands in his pockets… certainly not something done in an official photo!

For us this weekend was another of remembering. This time we were remembering our friend Roy who died back in August.

You see, Roy wasn’t a religious man (actually, it was best not to mention religion to him!) so when he died while on holiday in the Isle of Man with his son, they thought it best to cremate him there and spread his ashes where they’d spread his wifes just a few years earlier. So the family had organised a “do” for us to remember him and it was organised for yesterday.

The “do” was in 2 parts. The first was a non-religious remembrance service in the village hall and the second part was down at one of the village pubs with food and drink aplenty.

Roy’s son Peter gave a wonderful and funny speach telling us all about Roy’s life and some of the things he used to get up to. Others (including my Dad) were also given an opportunity to share the moments they’d had with Roy. Roy’s granddaughter also read a Rudyard Kipling poem (with out even reading the words). I must say it was a wonderful service. Roy wouldn’t want us to be sad and so it was a celebration of his life. Peter did a wonderful job, although Dad had to fight back the tears when he started telling us about the time he’d spent with Roy.

A wonderful spread of food was laid out at the pub and everyone talked amongst themselves about moments they remembered with Roy.

All in all, I wish all funerals could be more like that. A celebration of a life rather than grieving about our loss.

Today Dad is having to drink some horrible stuff in preparation for his Bowel Cancer check-up tomorrow. The stuff is disgusting (powder mixed with water), I know as I’ve had to take it in the past… just not as much as Dad’s having to drink this afternoon! Dad has been clear of cancer for a few years now, so *fingers crossed* all should still be OK.

I’ve taken tomorrow off work so I can drive Dad to the hospital. I’ll have around 3 hours to spare, so I’ll go into Shrewsbury and do a little Christmas shopping. Depending on the weather, I might do a little photography too, but the weather has been a bit miserable of late!

I think that’s about it for now. I’ve been busy writing reviews on DooYoo and I’ve now earned myself £70 in Amazon vouchers since May, with another £10 not far away. It’s good, I’ve not had to spend money on CDs and DVDs for a while now!

Each year when Remembrance Sunday comes around, I always think of my Granddad Charlie. He fought on the Western Front in the Great War. He made it home, but only after being wounded and captured as a Prisoner of War. I can only imagine what he went through. He also served in the Home Guard in World War Two.

Dearly missed.

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And my thoughts go to all those who fought and never came home.