Monday 10 August 2015

Tardy - that will be me.


I love that word – tardy. And that’s just what I’ve been with regard to blogging and reading blogs. And I think I may be tardy for a little longer.

It’s been a busy few weeks. For the first full week of the summer holidays I looked after six grandchildren. Their ages, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10. I know – I’m missing a 9 and I do like things to be neat. Too late now. And by the end of this month I’ll have no 7 but two 8s. The time passes a lot faster than it did when my kids were growing up.

We had a lovely week. We went crabbing twice, but after putting the caught crabs in the bucket and admiring them, we let them go straight away. It seems cruel to hold them in a bucket for any period of time and dangerous for the smaller crabs too.




When we'd finished, we fed the leftover bait to the gulls. No one will ever convince me that these birds should be culled and I hope this government will leave them alone or we'll have no wildlife left.



I took them to Mistley Place Park, a local rescue centre where they fell in love with goats, pigs, alpaca and well, everything really! If ever you're in the area, it's well worth a visit. Mistley is famous for its swans. It is also the home of Old Knobbley. Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, is buried there.





And of course there was the beach and swimming – pool and sea. It wasn't as murky as it looks - the water was very clear which is usually a sign that it's cold!



We did tie-dyeing too which was fun and I was the only one that got dyed. I have a tiny blue mark on one of my fingernails which no amount of washing will shift.




I used to tie-dye T shirts in the 70s but in a completely different way. It would involve lots of rubber bands, my mum’s big Dutch pot and only one colour used. Because there was a lot of dye, friends would come round and we’d cook our T shirts together in the same pot.

I’ve seen the ENT consultant who looked at my sinuses with a camera on a tube thingy and said they were lovely and healthy! Well that was a surprise. I had to go back for a CT scan and I’m awaiting the results of that.

Harley will be two this month. We don’t know her exact birth date, but we chose the 28th August.

Here’s a photo of her when she was a kitten.



Oops wrong cat.



It’s not just grandchildren that grow up faster these days!





All right, Dusty – I won’t forget you. This summer Dusty has mostly been in the sea (and on Harley’s kitty thingy) and playing with his best friend, Poppy who stayed with us all last week. He couldn't believe his luck having her for sleepovers every day! 



After my tardy summer, I hope to return to regular blogging in September - but who knows, things happen and change and the best laid plans and all that...


Happy Writing!


39 comments:

  1. I was wondering what to do with my three grandchildren when I have them tomorrow, Teresa. Now I know - it's easy. I'll just send them all to you!

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    1. I'll be down to four next week, Wendy so I'll have room ;-) xx

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  2. After having six children to stay I'm impressed you can remember how to type, Teresa.

    I like seagulls - not too close up though. They always look extremely hungry when in pecking distance.

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    1. I love seagulls - I love the way they catch food in mid-air when you throw it up and that noise they make. Mind you, I wasn't too pleased when they started at about 4 this morning. They're always out and about early on bin day xx

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  3. A lovely post, Teresa. I adore that picture of the six kids in the sea. It could be from today or even from the 1950s.

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    1. Thank you, Lynne. Kids in the sea are sort of timeless aren't they xx

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  4. Gosh, six grandchildren! Your tie dyes are lovely and colourful. I remember doing T shirts when I was in my teens, but like you, only one colour with rubber bands.

    Hope your CT scan thing is OK. My husband went to have a blood test last week, and the nurse left the strap round his arm! He didn't realise it was still there until he got home! (I'm quite sure nothing like that will happen to you.)

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    1. Thank you, Joanne - I hope the scan will show up the problem, whatever it is! It's been a year now since this all started.

      I had to laugh at your husband coming home with the strap round his arm - was he in a hurry to get away do you think? xx

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  5. You've obviously been enjoying all these activities, Teresa.

    Pleased to hear your results so far are good. The camera thing going into places not usually seen is not fun, but is reassuring when everything is okay.

    Happy birthday to Dusty for later this month. :-)xxx

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    1. It's a weird feeling isn't it, Carol, but it wasn't as awful as I expected it to be and the consultant is really nice. It's Harley who has the birthday - Dusty just got in on the act (and the cat climbing thingy!) xx

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  6. Good to see you back in blogland, Teresa. Never did tie-dyes in the 60s but I did wear a kaftan once.

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    1. Only once, Keith? I had a kaftan in the 70s - I'd love another one now - second teenage alert! xx

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  7. What lovely children, Teresa - and also lucky to have an equally lovely grandma. What a brilliant time you are all having. These pictures are gorgeous, like a summary of a perfect summer.
    I did try tie-dying a T-shirt once, using marbles tied round with string. I ended up with lots of circles when I had really wanted the patterns that you have! Some of the circles weren't very cleverly placed and my elder brother used to snort with laughter whenever I wore it!
    I enjoy reading about your visits to the beach as I am writing about a family who live near the sea. I'm going to explore Selsey Bill at the weekend for research. xxx

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    1. I'd heard of using marbles, Joanna. Your not very cleverly placed circles made me laugh - one of those I did was like that! The way to get the swirl is to twist the T shirt from the centre until you have a flat circle, then hold it together with four rubber bands and squirt dye into each section.

      Enjoy your research - I hope it's for another book! xx

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    2. That's very helpful - thank you, Teresa! I had no idea about the four rubber bands. I'd wondered how you got so many lovely different colours in yours! Mine was all over purple. Well, it was meant to be purple, but it was more of a sad and sickly mauve. I'm sorely tempted to have another go now!
      The research is for another book, but as always, I'm plagued with self-doubts. I have the characters, more or less, and I'm hoping the research will make me more confident about the setting as I don't have Berlin to rely on this time! xxx

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    3. I had that sad and sickly mauve too and a washed out green - those are the only two colours I remember, but I'm sure I did more than two. I found this series of tutorials on You Tube invaluable this time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uh2TYjPg3o

      I am so glad you're writing another book - I think the self doubts are natural, but I know you'll repeat your success xx

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    4. Many, many thanks, Teresa. That's so kind of you. The girls and I are going to watch the tutorials together and we'll have a lot of fun. And thank you for your kind words. I'm sure you're right. The self-doubts seem to be an integral part of the process and I hope to break through them soon! xxx

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    5. Good luck - with the shirts and the book - chase those doubts away :-) xx

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  8. I love tie-dye T shirts. I'm glad that your ENT results were good, I hope the CT scan results are good too. They're surely not culling seagulls, why on earth would they do that??

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    1. Thank you, Deb. Yes there is talk of culling seagulls - not here thank goodness, but in the south west I believe. They are said to have killed a small dog and a tortoise which is tragic, but I think a cull is an extreme knee jerk reaction xx

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    2. That's awful, but I agree that it does seem to be a bit extreme.xx

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  9. Well that blog was certainly worth waiting for. Wonderful pictures of such happy family times. Lucky children to have such a fabulous gran :-)
    Hope the scan finally gets to the bottom of what's wrong and you are all better really soon xxx

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  10. Not sure how I missed this one Teresa, I have been checking on and off and have not been too regular with my blogging myself. By Christmas I too will have 6 grandchildren. Our 4 grandsons will be joined by two girls (unless the scans prove to be wrong). First could be born any day but is due September 11th, second due December 22nd - time just flied by. Great photos and looking after 6 deserves a medal! :-) X

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    1. Exciting times for you ahead and lovely to have two due so close together - and what a lovely Christmas it will be, congratulations in advance :-) xx

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  11. It's great enjoying the grandchildren. I'm also a bit tardy with my blog lately - well , actually I've never been anything but tardy .... Look for yourself and see:
    gramswisewords.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for the link, Marian - eighteen grandchildren, I think I need to go and sit down after reading that :-) xx

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  12. It's great enjoying the grandchildren. I'm also a bit tardy with my blog lately - well , actually I've never been anything but tardy .... Look for yourself and see:
    gramswisewords.blogspot.com

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  13. Great post. I love the word tardy too.

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    1. It's a lovely word isn't it - I love saying it :-) xx

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  14. Tardy? I don't think so, you must be exhausted after entertaining all those little ones. Mind you they grow up so quickly its nice to have the opportunity to enjoy them before they become teenagers who just want to do their own thing. If I were you I think I'd need September off to recover.
    Linda

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    1. Thanks, Linda. Yes, that's how I feel - they grow up so fast and I just want to make the most of every minute I can xx

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  15. Lovely to hear from you, Teresa. It all sounds great fun. I remember a son doing a spot of tie dying. He managed to tie dye the entire kitchen while he was at it. Happy memories....

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    1. Yes it can get very messy, Frances (especially when you mix the dye in a bottle, then give it a shake with your thumb over the end and remove the thumb to find you have a fountain of colour decorating everything)! I cover everything in newspaper, the kids in plastic aprons and the chair they kneel on in an old towel. And those packs of disposable gloves come in very handy :-) xx

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  16. Time passes far too quickly. Looks like you had a wonderful time. Gorgeous grandchildren - and gorgeous Dusty and Harley. :0) xx

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    1. Oh it does, Suz, much too fast. It was a lovely week and great to have them all together - I can't imagine what it'll be like when they're all teenagers which will probably be next week with the speed time is passing :-) xx

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  17. No wonder you have been away from blogland Teresa. I don't know how you have had time to think, let alone write. Love the tie dying. Now to catch up with your recent posts. Glad you are back.

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    1. Thank you, Maggie - it is good to be back :-) xx

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