Hi Brian

Had a lovely few hours catching up with my friend.  We worked together when in our teens/early twenties and then she emigrated to New Zealand. I also got to meet her 'new' partner of 7 years!!  New memories were made as they had tickets to go up The Shard so once we had caught up over a coffee they asked me to join them.  Was able to purchase a ticket for the same time slot and what wonderful views from both the 69th and 72nd floors. Of course we were all taking photos which have now been shared on another social website.

I loved the story about your grandfather and the visit to his old home village and that chance meeting with his old best friend.Tinged with sadness that the repeat visit was unable to go ahead but if it had not been for you he would not have made the first visit either and thus never had the chance to catch up at all.

You are going to be kept busy with all those lovely talks but I bet you enjoy them as much as those who you present them too.Would be great if you could borrow a projector for you to give the slideshow at your sister's gardening club too.  I do remember you talking about that local garden which had closed and how  you had enjoyed it when it used to be open.  How nice that you will now get the opportunity to re-visit with your sister when it re-opens.Hope it lives up to expectations after all this time.

I had a good weekend with my daughter and familyand am now trying to play catch up indoors and the gym.  Having been outside to fill the bird feedersI find that two of my neighbours fence panels are broken and leaning into their garden so my son will have to keep his dog on lead when he visits until they are fixed (the neighbours are not know for doing things in a hurry!).

After a bitterly cold but sunny day yesterday it is now cold and dull today so planning on staying in front of the fire this afternoon and catching up on my mail, electronic and otherwise!

Best regards to you and Mrs B and hope your grand-daughter is now feeling much better.Jules

Hi Jules, 

I thought you were still in your early twenties for you are so young at heart. Glad you had a great time both with your friend and family. Congratulation on your good news about the baby and on the good news about the new job. Bet you got a terrific view from the Shard. 

Going back to the story about my grandfather, Before I took him to his little village, I also took him to The Hawk Conservancy. We arrived just in time for one of their flying demonstrations. This Lanner Falcon was released and flew up to the top of the field where it found a thermal and went up so high it was just a speck in the sky. They called it down with the aid of the lure and it swooped down at a heck of a speed and flew right over my grandfathers head, nearly taking his hat off.  He told me, "I've lived in the country all my life but I aint never seen anything like that". He was made up about it. When we were nearly home, I took him into a local pub as he liked an occasional drink. He kept looking round and then made the comment "Its changed a bit since I was in here last" So I asked hime how long ago that was and he replied, "Cor blimey,that was when I was in the home gaurd during the war". The barman had to walk off as he was choking back the laughter.  . He also loved Monkey Puzzle trees. Whenever I took him out, he would always mention it when he saw the first one. I didnt get on at all with my step father and my grandfather was more of a father figure to me than my step father ever was. He was quite a charachter trust me. 

This morning I have fixed up a light complete with a movement sensor for our back garden as it is so dark you cant see the steps. Very pleased with it so far but will have to wait until its completely dark to get the benifit of it and to set it up properly. I have three local library drop ins planned for the next few weeks to try and get more members for our club. There are another three local libraries I will contact once I have done these. 

Like you I have got to get my diet back on track as over the holiday I have put on more than I wanted. My chestnuts are all but finished but at least the shop up town is now stocking my frozen ones again so will be paying them a visit soon. I was talking with my siter who live about an hours drive away and she told me her club has to pay anything up to eighty pounds for people to give a talk to her gardening club so am probably going to buy one of those projectors. It just shows how much I have changed,A few years ago I would never have given a talk but now I actually enjoy doing it and am not even nervous about doing it. 

By the time you get to read this you should not have to go tp work for a few days So I will wish you and your family a plesant weekend, Brian.

Hi Brian,

As they say you are only as young as you feel and that varies day to day ha ha.  I think I have more of my late Dad's character in me.  He was disabled in WWII but always said that his life was precious because a soldier from the other side helped him stay still in the truck that took him to the field hospital. I grew up on his war tales and despite losing a limb at the age of 21 he was a very happy chappy!  Like your grandfather taught you, my Dad taught me so much and, for the most part, was always supportive of my decisions.  He was always amazing in how he supported my Mum through her bi polar meltdowns and to this day do not know how he managed that.  I think it was a case of love conquering all as they were very much a couple. My daughter was very close to her granddad too

The trip up The Shard was amazing perhaps the more so because I had no idea when I left the house that morning that I would be going there.  A couple of shots below. To think I had only grabbed my camera at the last minute as was going to rely on my phone for our get-together!!

Hope the new lighting for the steps proved a success and makes things easier to navigate.

Your series of up coming talks will certainly keep you busy.  Are you sure that MrsB is not spurring you on to give her a break from making cheese straws etc ha ha.  Seriously it is wonderful that you can put together such talks as well as present them to interested clubs.  I am sure they pick up on your own enthusiasm for the subject. Good luck with all your planned projects in 2018.

I did read my mail once my work shifts were done and dusted.  A busy couple of days but they do help give my week some structure as well as the inevitable help with the bills.  Had a nice surprise this week in that I have managed to cut my electric consumption in the past year so my direct debit has nearly halved woohoo.  Now just need to win more than a tenner on the lottery...........keep on dreaming....Jules.

Kind regards to you Mrs B and the family.Jules

Great shots from the Shard, thanks Jules - a nice little bonus for you on your day out. 

Hazel xx

Thanks Hazel, it will be a wonderful memory of a few hours spent with a friend I made in my late teens when we both worked at the same place.  She emigrated in late 80's and this was the first get together for 10years so a lot to catch up on! We were so lucky when the sun came out just half an hour before our 'ride' up.

Have a good weekend.  Jules x 

Hi Jules, 

Can just picture you and your brolly this morning auditioning for Mary Poppins ha ha. Hope you dont get too wet. 

Had to take Mrs B for a check up this morningand we were both glad to get back home. The rain is rattling on the window pains as I write this and it looks like the backgarden will soon be under water.  Bonus is I wont have to water the plants ha ha.

The light works perfectly thank you and I am very pleased with it. Have just realized we are allready halfway through the month so will have to get busy on my next newsletter.For this months wood quiz I have found it talkes 50 gallons of sap from a maple tree to make one gallon of maple syrup.We trid to book the hal where we have our Christmas sale and exhibition but the only date we could get is very late, bieng the 21 and 22 of Decmber. So we have allready booked the hall for 2019. Now thats forward planning. 

Have worked out the timber sizes I need to cut for my owl salt and pepper pots I am going to turn this year. I have just set a meeting up for our club with the organisers of our three day show at the May Bank holiday weekend.

Thanks for the photos from the Shard. Bet it was good to catch up with your friend. We have primroses out in our back garden but with all the rain they look a bit sorry for theirselves. 

Take care, sending best wishes to you and your family, Brian

Hope Mrs B's check up was all good, Brian.

Hazel xx

Hi Brian,

Took my brolly but no Mary Poppins as too windy to bother putting it up!!  Managed to dodge most of the showers by going out a little later too.  No standing water here though I do have a 15ft soakaway under my lawn (a requirement when we had a mini extension done over 30 years ago!).  Lawn could do with a mow but will probably have to wait a bit for that!!

Hope Mrs B's check up went well and you were nice a cosy indoors afterwards with a cuppa.So it's heads down for the newsletter and quiz setting and before you know it the wood club will be back after it's winter break and Spring will be under way.  Snowdrops are out in my neighbours front garden and my daffodils are in bud...........crazy. A tiny bit of colour in my back garden from the winter jasmine and even a lone anenome still in flower.  With the bare branches of the larger shrubs I am seeing a big increase in sparrows visiting but you can probably take bets that when the RSPB birdwatch weekend happens they will disappear!!

Will look forward to seeing the results of your timber labours as soon as the weather warms up enough for you to get into your man shed.

Visited Mum today and good to see she is still comfortable with her pain well under control. Sad to see a once robust lady now so delicate but think she knew I was there as there was a flicker of recognition when I went into her room.  As always I chatted about family for a while before just sitting reading whilst she dozed. Went to the gym afterwards as provides a good social outlet as well as trying to help with my fitness levels.

Take care and best wishes returned to you and the family.  Jules

Hi Jules, 

Mrs B's check up was okay thank you. 

I had my old intenet supplier phone me up again the other day so I told them I packed them up many months ago as they were absolutely useless. They wanted to know who I was with now and I replied "A reliable company who have two call centres in this country and all the staff speak Emglish I can understand". That took the wind out of them.anf they quickly hung up. 

I am now helping to organise two 3 day wood shows for our club one at the end of May and one at the end of August. Me and another committee member are meeting with the ladies who arrange the marquee for us to discuss things. It could be done over the phone but much prefer to do things like this face to face.

I have worked out how to attach the four LED lamps to my stand and wont have to buy anything to do it so thats good.

My granddaughter is very pleased as she has been told she has passed tests to go either to Cambridge or Warick Universities. So pleased for her as she has worked so hard for this over the past few years and is very dedicated. Very proud of her as well..She wants to be a writer and I wish her all the luck for this. 

Just found a new site and ordered some small glass eyes for my owls/birds as they look so much better than the plastic ones I have. 

I hope you are able to take your usual Sunday walk as I know you dont like stay indoors for too long. I dont do much walking for pleasure these days unfortunately as Mrs B cant walk that far and I do miss this. I like walking especially new places I havent been to before

What you said about your mother was just how I felt about my mother. To see her in that bed in the hospital was so painful as my mother had always been a very keen gardener. She knew all the names of the plants and had always been very active and independant. So I do understand how it makes you feel. 

Take care and I am sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian.