A MESSAGE FROM MUM

We have a little bit of sad news to impart …….. having returned from yet another Greek odyssey Mum has decided that it might be time to leave us in a happy place and resign from “her role that is to be our full time PR”.

She’s been carrying one, two or all three of us with her every day for almost eight years now, trailing us through the likes of Wolverhampton, Evesham, London, Las Vegas, New York, Rome and Pompeii, Iceland and The Czech Republic, Greece, Buckingham Palace, The Pride of Britain, The London Olympics,  countless Sun Holidays, births, deaths and marriages, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, you name it we’ve done it  ……... need we say more?

The aforementioned Mum says it would just be nice to look at the world through her own eyes for a change and not always be feeling that she needs to find something to write about on a daily basis and then having to do it in bulk and in advance to cover holidays and weekends away. 

She says we have been through so much together during the past eight years, when we first started out back in 2009 life was “normal” and then we lost Andy, which began the rollercoaster ride that lead to us eventually emigrating from Castle Greysquirrel in Wolverhampton to The Towers at Evesham ……… we took the bare minimum with us and most of that  was discarded as nothing fit or went, so it really was a true new start, even down to our cutlery and plates!   But we made it.

I have to say that we too, hard to believe I know, are no longer in our prime, we’ve all had/got problems associated with going threadbare, uneven stuffing syndrome, catches, pulls, as well as split seams, making going “in the washer” now a very risky and precarious business.

So, we have to agree with Mum, leaving us in a happy place is a sad but probably right thing to do ………

However, perhaps all is not lost, it might be contradictory, but just like certain characters in Coronation Street and EastEnders Mum is not averse to leaving the door slightly ajar for us, as she might find we are be a hard habit to break …….. so she is going to see if writing one post on the first of every month works, a round up of the month or anything special we have got up to, like going to the cottage to see Hugh or being in a TV audience.

All we can say is thank you so much to each and every one of you who have poped in each day, especially Mr D, Dianne, Di, Michelle and Jan The Fan to mention just a few ……. we wouldn’t have lasted on here for all those years without your comments and support.

Now, before we get too emotional and totally dissolve in a most unseemly snotty fashion, let’s just say adieu until 1st September at least  …….. unless Mum cracks first. xxx

Les bateaux illuminés d'Evesham

After two long years, Nigel finally managed to see the illuminated boats and fireworks at the Evesham River Festival. It may have disappointed just a teeny bit, because due to the long summer hours, he and Darrell had to wait until 10.45pm for said fireworks, which got a tad erm …… boring!

After devouring every single morsel of their select and varied riverside picnic, there were only so many times Nigel could then visit the candy floss and Slush Puppy stalls, followed by the swing boats and bouncy castle without feeling a little green around the gills! 

So after securing what they hoped would be a prime spot on the river bank for the boat parade all that was left to do was converse, but then Nigel said he felt that his commentary on each and every passing swan began to wear a little thin with Darrell. 

I might have felt the same as there’s only so many  “Ooooooo there’s a swan, oooooo there’s another one, ooooooo there’s a swan, oooooo there’s another one”  you can take. 

But there again, the subject of Dame Kelly Hoppen and how many shades of white and beige you can include in your designer interior design doesn’t hold much fascination for Nigel either.

Still the oooooooo’s for swans eventually changed to ooooooooo’s for the fireworks, launched from the top of the shopping centre car park roof. I can vouch for their loudness as the sound travelled all the way down to The Towers, but there again it did serve as a indication as to  when to get Nigel and Darrell’s supper ready, as I knew, despite their picnic that all the evening fresh air would have made them ready for a bedtime Hob Nob and milky num nums.

Happy Days …… ending with Nigel retiring and wondering where he could get a boat to decorate for next year, heaven help us all!

Nigel’s First Priority

While Darrell was desperate to the see the fruits of all his Dame Kelly Hoppenesque interior re-vamping, Nigel’s first priority was his beloved swans …….

…… and as if on cue, Mum and Dad decided to swim up the river and then stop off across from The Towers to proudly show off their FOUR babies, all quad of them!

Last year only two swanlings survived and I know Nigel had a few sleepless nights worrying about George, Paul, John and Ringo …….

……… but judging from the size of them today I think they can now probably hold their own and ease Nigel’s mind.

Crystal knobs asparkling might “do it” for Darrell, but for Nigel happiness is  …..“all along the river, by the rushes tall, Nigel’s swanlings are a-dabbling, up tails all!”

What is he like?

Mr Pete Dun Gud!

The first thing Darrell wanted to do when we got home was go see Nigel and his revamped bedroom, left in Mr Pete’s very capable hands while we were away.

Things hadn’t been “flowing” aesthetically in there for Darrell for quite some time but hopefully after much discussing and debate with Mr Pete this could possibly be Darrell’s final tweak.

Let’s just say Mr Pete “dun gud” and Darrell was over the moon.

There is now a place for everything …….. with nothing having to be kept in boxes under the bed any more.

Darrell’s crystal knobs were the triumph he’d hoped they’d be, making the mirror that he’d crystal knobbed when we first got it not look as random and out of place as it used to and now becoming a place to display the worry beads and other dingle dangles he’d bought back as souvenirs from Crete

He and Nigel had also gained an extra drawer on either side of the bed ……. Darrell was in seventh heaven, he’d done it!

The only thing now he wasn’t too sure of was the old lamps, did they or didn’t they still go as Darrell thinks there may be a tiny clash of mixed genres between them and the chandelier ………

……. however he is contemplating mooching on e-bay, as he reckons that he could find some coloured drops to replace a few of the clear ones, picking out colours from the lamps and his Italian glass bottles …….. what on earth is he like?  I put the blame firmly on Hugh when Darrell goes all Bohemian and artified.  We’ll see, I’ve told him to live with it for a while and then decide but if he starts fretting, who am I to stand in his fashionista way!

On The Midnight Flight From Elounda

That’s it, we’re on our way back home on the midnight flight to England.

With no in-flight entertainment Darrell and I soon donned our neck cushions, surgical stockings and eye masks and tried to sleep for most of the journey.

Needless to say, Nigel was too excited …….

……… what is he like?

A Last Holiday Tradition

As is tradition, on our last evening on holiday we like to take a small bottle of our celebratory wine of choice, Asti Spumante plus a few nibbles to bid a fond farewell to the resort  and reminisce on the wonderful time we’ve had and shared.

Let’s just say, among the drinks and the select cakes from the posh bakery in town, it was emotional.

We have loved Crete so much we have already vowed to return next year ………

…… but perhaps on the opposite side of the island like Rethymno or Chania.

Darrell has made it his mission to start looking as soon as we are back at The Towers ……..

…… with this holiday we are truly leaving our hearts in Elounda and parting will be, to quote someone who did clever words  ……. parting will definitely be such sweet sorrow.

Last Day Shopping

As you know we LOVE a supermarket of a foreign type nature …….

……. and the two largest emporiums in the town centre have served us well with tasty morsels for our breakfasts and beach lunchboxes ………

……. thanks to Darrell’s unique sense and a keen nose for the unusual and flavoursome …….

 

……aided and abetted by Nigel’s and his erm ….. unique pester power!  However, it has to be said that Darrell resisted all Nigel’s pleas for a Greek Peppa Pig fruit juice, if Nigel wanted one of them he’d have to use his own spending money, declared Darrell.

On our last proper evening we went to look for a few bits and pieces to take back to The Towers for select picnics and supper times to help bring back memories of our wonderful holiday in Crete …….

…….. including several packets of our very favourite beach biscuit of choice - banana cream sandwiches …….

……. and a couple of bags of sweeties to dip into while watching the tele, though I don’t think they will last that long.  Happy Days!