Firstly, however hard we try with technology, I know I am not alone in reluctantly relying on the younger generation for so many things. I have even been known to phone Kieran at uni to ask him how to change channels on the TV using the remote control. I only learnt how to use the controls to switch on the TV just before he went to uni. I seem to be stuck in a time warp when there were 4 channels and the TV was controlled by switches at the side of the screen and never disappeared down the side of the settee.
Anyhow, Kieran has very kindly altered the 'comments' format on this blog, which means that hopefully it should now be easier to send a comment if you wish. So please give it a go and lets see if it has worked!
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While we were in the B & B, the cats spent 2 nights in a cattery. By the time we arrived at the barn, Dobby and Gizmo were clearly becoming accustomed to moving, however Yoda was very unsettled so we resorted to locking him in the bathroom for about 48 hours until he stopped hissing and growling, and frightening the other cats.
Once they had all settled, we let them out as there were no main road for miles, only fields and country lanes. The mice here were clearly not used to cats
as they hadn't learnt to run when they spotted a cat . On release, it
took Gizmo approximately 20 seconds to find and catch a mouse in the
hedge.
It was difficult not to treat our temporary homes as holidays, which was ok for a few weeks, but not good on the pocket or health for much longer. With little to keep us busy, poor posture was at risk of developing through not being able to stand up straight in the bedroom and weight was piling on through eating taking the place of working. So in order to keep some level of fitness and reality, we went on frequent walks. It amused us to find that Yoda began to follow us and it wasn't long before he and Dobby were joining us for 2 mile walks along the country lanes!
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On one walk, we were greeted by a man living locally who told us how fascinating it was to watch our 2 black cats working in partnership to hunt wild rabbits.
Two days later the cats left a gift of a giant rabbit on our doorstep.
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Not much to report about our house at this stage. Nothing for us to get on with while the builders were working. But building was starting to take the place of demolition. The living room developed a concrete floor! And our bedroom was starting to take shape. Whay hay! Feeling uplifted!
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As
I have probably already mentioned, the pace of life here is very different compared to that of our previous life. That's not just because we have retired
from our jobs but because the people here have a totally different
attitude. There is no rush in life and nothing seems to bother them.
Anyhow,
I went to the local Post Office to buy a stamp for a card to France. Had I
done this at my previous place, the conversation would have gone
something along the lines of:
"Hello"
"Hi"
"Can
I have a stamp for this letter for France please" (as I place letter
on scales)
"Yes,
that's £1.66 please"
"Thanks"
"Bye"
This
is how the conversation actually went when I bought my stamp. (Please
read replies in a Welsh accent!)
"Hi,
could I have a stamp for this letter for France please"
"Yes,
put the letter on the scales now … oooh now, let me see now... oooh
yes, that's £1.66 please. Oooh now. See here now (as he looks in
his book of stamps) I only have stamps for £1.46 and it says £1.66
so it must be £1.66 mustn't it? (as he double checks scales). Ooh
now, you'll have to have one of these for £1.46 and one for 20p to make £1.66
now. Is that ok now?
"That's fine, thank you"
"Would you like me to stick them on for you now?"
"I
don't mind really"
"That's
ok, I'll do them, Some people object you know, they do now. There we
are now. It will be collected at noon today now, are you sure that will be ok for
you?" (2 hours away)
"That's
fine, thank you"
"There
we go now, Tara!"
We have come to understand that "There we go now" up here can mean a number of things, if indeed anything at all. There are some of the ways it has been used with us ...
- That's right
- That's the way I see it too
- Is that all?
- Do you want anything else?
- Have you finished what you are saying?
- I have finished this conversation
- Goodbye
- I've had enough of you, now go away
My
next trip to the same Post Office (yes, I returned) involved my request for 12 Christmas stamps.
Post Office Chappie opened his book of stamps to
the appropriate page to reveal an L-shape of about 20 Christmas
stamps. He turned the stamps this way then that, trying to figure
out the best way to tear out a reasonable shape of 12 stamps leaving another
decent shape behind. With lots of “Now let me see ...”, "That's 2 x 6 ... or it could be 3 x 4 ..." “Now if
I do it this way ...”,”Or I could do it that way, but...” “This
could be the best way, but there again...” "That would leave me with a strange shape". And so it went on –
for several minutes before I received a neat 3x4 arrangement of 12
stamps!
As I said, there's no rush in anyone up here. And what's more, these locals consider the villagers 10 miles further away to be laid back!
And talking of the Post Office, I received 4 letters from the Post Office (general, not local) all on the same day. All signed by the same person. All acknowledging my change of address. Two confirmed my move to Wales and gave my Welsh address as correctly being the new address. The other two confirmed my new address as being the old address!! Some things never change!
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The
weather here, although not as warm as that we have experienced in Pyrenean France, is comparable in that it changes frequently. We can wake up to
clouds which then give way to an overcast sky and rain which look set
for the day, and all views disappear. As I seek out winter jumper and
slippers, suddenly all is replaced with blue skies and hot sunshine and I'm
back in my summer wear, reading a book in the garden! The same applies to the views and the mountains which appear to change completely from day to day, hour to hour. Whatever the weather, we seem to be blessed with extremes. Overcast, grey, drizzly days are few and far between. More often than not we experience hot sunshine, torrential rain, gales, blizzards, etc.
Some views in the late October sun ...
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Next blog - Visits to local places and we move in!!!
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