Not quite Cranford.

Although I see my neighbours during the normal week, waving hello, quick chat over the garden wall, there is a time before Christmas when small 'occasions' are offered. A coffee morning with a few friends. Another coffee morning with different neighbours.

It called to mind those lovely descriptions from Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Cranford', when teatime was central to the gentle way of life of the ladies. Hospitality featured dainty food served on beautiful family china.

'Very delicate was the china, very old the plate, very thin the bread and butter and very small the lumps of sugar'.

Elegant economy was  the way of life.

So on Friday I trotted to left hand neighbour, coffee and mince pies with half a dozen other neighbours. So often we just wave, so it was nice to have time to chat, about health, about gardens and other news.

Saturday was right hand neighbour's morning. I admired her lovely collection of cards and enjoyed coffee, and yes, mince pies.

Yesterday was opposite neighbour, and we just had a mug of peppermint tea and a chatty catch up.

It's perhaps not quite the same as in Cranford, but the element of neighbourliness remains, even without the delicate china!

A gift

This lovely wreath was made by a friend. I was so thrilled when she arrived with it recently, and gave it to me as a gift.

It's made with greenery from her garden, so many different shades of green, such pretty variegated leaves.

I sid that she should do this professionally but she laughed and said 'Just for friends'.

 

Christmas events

Although I can't get out and about yet, I thought I'd show you some of our local Christmas Markets. This main one in Truro has recently evolved from a big Marquee into these charming little covered stalls. Very European. Even the gentleman with a regular pitch to sell The Big Issue, has been given his own little cabin!

This area, known as The Piazza, is a large open space, but I remember it as a large Car park many years ago, and also a place where the annual Fair came, with its swirling roundabouts and stalls.

Truro Cathedral has its own Christmas Market, with stalls containing 'Made in Cornwall' items. The Christmas tree is always a thing of beauty.

Almost every village has a Christmas market of one size or another, usually held in our village halls, and always well attended. We have street light Switch ons, Father Christmas village bus, Artisan markets, wreath making, So many exciting events for all ages.

And I still have to write my Christmas cards!

 I loved reading your memories of the 'Old ways'. Many were familiar, Vicks, Milk of Magnesia, Malt Extract (oh yum), and I also remembered that if we had  bad cold, Grandma would tie a piece of Camphor into a hanky. The smell was very lovely!

The old ways

 Talking to my Dr yesterday, I mentioned that my appetite had disappeared, which is sad, as I do love good food. His suggestion was to drink Lucozade. That took me back to childhood memories!

Glucozade, as it was known then, was invented in 1927 by a pharmacist in Newcastle. Aimed as a 'pick me up' drink for unwell people, it was soon acquired by Beechams and sold as an energy drink. As a child I used to love it, still do, and was tempted to ask if I could have a prescription for it!

Iodine was a great favourite of my Grandma, with the never to be forgotten remark ..'If it hurts it's doing you good'. Still used by the District nurses who come to change the dressing on my knee. And yes, it does hurt!

A friend's daughter in law visited the surgery this week, with a very nasty cough, wondering if she had pneumonia. Thankfully it wasn't, but she was advised to go home, rest and take lemon and honey hot drinks. So much part of my childhood! Hot lemon and honey is one of the best recovery medicines!

I think we are all more aware of other ways of healing rather than immediately going for antibiotics, necessary though they can be.

It's lovely to see the 'old fashioned' tried and tested ways being used. One of the worst in my childhood was a 'tonic' fed into us after a nasty bout of flu or something similar, called Parrish's food .Now discontinued, thankfully, (except for racing pigeons) it was a 19th century soluble iron supplement. Our mouths were always purple after taking it.

 I wonder if you have any memories of the old ways?

Slow days

The days seem pleasantly slow here. 

We have had a week of rain and more rain. Leaves have dropped off the trees, but there are still, unbelievably, roses flowering. This is an old photo of Rose Graham Thomas, as it's too wet to go out to take a photo!

Not being quite as mobile as normal has meant that I have had to find some ways of feeling useful. So began the job of sorting out Christmas cards. Do you buy cards from Charities? I try always to have a bit of a mix, so this year I bought National Trust cards, and also cards from a Charity called 'Child Aid'. Their amazing work is mainly rebuilding lives of abandoned and disabled families in Eastern Europe .

I'm so pleased that the Hyacinth bulbs planted in September are now showing their little green tops. Soon they will come in from the cool garage to the sitting room, and I'm hoping for six gorgeously scented plants by Christmas.

 Slowly, slowly....onwards and upwards. Thank you for the many kind messages of encouragement.

Watching

 Along with the obligatory exercises and walking practice, I have spent  quite a lot of time just watching. I have been surprised at how much of my energy it takes to go through the list of exercises each day, but I know that they have to be done.

My armchair, (book, rug, drink etc etc) into which I happily flop, faces large sitting room windows. Although this is a relatively small close of homes, there is always something or someone to watch going by. I see the same faces and the same dogs. Delivery vans stop with groceries. A huge lorry came yesterday delivering stone to someone who is having work done. A friend goes by and waves, Mr T wheels his wife by in her wheelchair, two girls ride their ponies along the road. All manner of life is here.

I've also been watching TV and have been interested to see the 'Christmas advertisements' offered by the bigger companies such as John Lewis and Marks and Spencer. So many of them are wholly focussed on FOOD. So far the only one with a little bit of social awareness seems to be Lidl. It has been criticised, but at least they tried!

I am looking forward to getting out into the garden, not too safe on crutches at the minute, but soon! The beautiful red leaves of the cherry tree have fallen overnight, and the branches are bare. But there will be bulbs soon and Spring to look forward to.

Home

 

Here I am, quietly delighting in the peace of Home. As the surgeon predicted, the pain levels are receding. I have a little help in the mornings, but have my trusty crutches and a walking frame to help me.

Looking out at the garden I'm happy to see the red leaves on the Cherry tree haven't yet fallen, though it won't be long. There are lovely splashes of colour from groups of pink Kaffir Lillies which have found their own spaces in the beds. There is even a rose or two in flower.

I can't drive for 6 weeks but have lovely friends who pick up things if I need anything.

Onward.