Author: June

Yes, Christmas does come just once a year, which is probably a good thing, could we cope with all that festivity more than once in twelve months?

For our family it was good and very, very busy. It seems to have been a constant party since 23rd December when we kicked off at the pantomime – I already told you about that. Like most people we have eaten much too much and quantities of alcohol have been drunk, not by me – by them. We had party games, party hats, party food and party drinks lasting for six full days and some of them are still at it, I believe. I do hope you enjoyed whatever you were doing and managed to stay well.

I haven’t mentioned that I bought a ticket for my daughter in law’s Xmas fair in aid of charity. All prizes were donated so all of the money received went to the Christian Blandford fund in aid of sick children. I only bought one ticket and managed to win the top gift – a beauty hamper worth £1500. I have to be honest and admit that most of the items I have never heard of and I don’t think I have enough time left on this earth to use them all anyway. I decided to let all the female family members and Jack have a share. We each took it in turns choosing an item and ended up with about 8 each I think. Really good fun and very exciting getting little pots or bottles of cosmetics worth up to £50 each. Meanwhile, some people have been snapping up bargains in the post Xmas sales. One woman is said to have spent £73.40 on products worth an rrp of £575.80 in Superdrug and M&S. I wonder if she needed everything?

Ghislaine Maxwell has been found guilty of 5 charges relating to sex trafficking minors. She could never have envisaged such an end to her life when she was being brought up to a life of privilege. Why did she need to take such a route? She was clever, well educated and able to work and earn money if needed. I guess there will now be an appeal to the verdict, I wonder who’s paying for her defence.

We ended our festivities with Elizabeth’s 21st birthday party yesterday. But, you’ll have to wait, there’ll be more of that tomorrow. Meanwhile people, let’s be careful out there.

 

 

Yes, we went to the pantomime. Peter Pan or at least a modern update. The cast were fabulous and very hardworking, the jokes were mostly corny but we never stopped laughing, the theatre was full with very few masks to be seen and the audience were extremely noisy joining in when prompted or just when they felt like it. Our very grown up offspring were quite possibly the noisiest ones there and Jack danced in the aisle. He was probably hoping to be discovered but sadly it wasn’t to be. We had a very tasty meal prior to the main event in the Cote Brasserie, definitely a good way to start our family Christmas.

Covid marches on relentlessly, although you wouldn’t have realised down in the Pavilion tonight. Latest research suggests that the Omicron variant will be less severe than previous ones and be much less likely to require hospitalisation. That’s good, I think. Also a professor (not sure of what, maybe social media!) has stated that he thinks the pandemic will be behind us by the spring. I’ve heard that one before. I’m going to do what I can while I can and wait and see what tomorrow brings.

I would like to wish my step daughter in law Marie a very happy retirement as she took the plunge to finish her official working life today. I’ve no doubt that Marie will find plenty to do and be absolutely happy doing it. Congratulations and happy retirement to her.

The Harry and Megan show have released their official family group Xmas card. Nice looking kids but the picture looked very contrived. Except for the baby they were all wearing ripped or faded jeans. Surely they can afford some new ones or maybe they’re hoping that someone will start up a gofundme page. Yes, I’m sure that must be it otherwise it just doesn’t make sense. Hadn’t heard anything about them for ages and I can’t say I’ve missed them.

Never managed to post this on the day I wrote it. Absolutely too knackered yesterday after dinner, panto and drinks after – them not me. Upwards and onwards and hey people, let’s be careful out there. 🌲 😘 🌲

 

 

 

What prompted the return of nannyjune’s blog you might ask – or more possibly, you might not. Looking at today’s title I should have started yesterday, it would have been a great date. But, back to the question, it was prompted by granddaughter Elizabeth. It would seem that she was bored enough in lockdown to actually read it and to tell her Uni friends about it. They all wanted to know if I would write one on her birthday this year and not wanting to stumble in blindly on the very auspicious occasion I am working up to it. Those of you who don’t know will also have to wait to find out when it is (or will be). Hopefully the great expectation will keep you reading.

My last post was blog 277 on 6th June this year and much has happened since then. We almost came to believe that we had come out of lockdown only to find out that yet another variant is threatening us with new restrictions. So far though we are enjoying the run up to Christmas this year. I have been out to two lunches in hotels and had another two lunches for friends here at home. I’ve been Xmas shopping in shops and met friends and family. I still have a few festivities left to enjoy before the 25th. No doubt you will hear about them. I produced a Xmas card from a watercolour I did and had a few printed. My new palette box of paints purchased in lockdown came in handy after all even if it didn’t turn me into the artist I had hoped for. Sadly, as I updated my Xmas card list I was reminded that I have lost three dear friends this year. None of them from Covid, all will be missed.

I was in town with Elizabeth today, shopping for her upcoming birthday and we stopped off at Pret a Manger for a quick bite. I saved us a table while she queued for our coffees. While sitting there alone minding my own business a lone bloke on the next table started up a chat. Told me he was French Moroccan (I think) and asked if I was local. Nothing much, just chit chat. We ate our lunch and Elizabeth went off to the loo and the guy started up the chat again. Asked if she was my daughter, a good chat up line then asked if I lived nearby then if I lived alone. He then wondered if I might need some company. He said his name was Robin. Is this some kind of Xmas joke or even a live, walking Xmas card?  Hey people, let’s be careful out there. 🌲😏🌲

 

 

 

Pete and I should have been in Spain this weekend for the wedding of the year. Jorge and Noelia were wed in a small village on one of the mountains that surround Madrid. Sadly because of Covid restrictions we couldn’t make it and EasyJet cancelled the flight anyway. It looked as if they all had a lot of fun in spite of us not being there…. Elena, Sam, Peter and myself would like to wish them much happiness for many years and we hope to make a trip some time soon. Hopefully they’ll have some photos posted soon and if any of you are wondering, today’s blog title just says ‘congratulations’ to the happy couple.

Over here the EuroMillions jackpot was won by a UK ticket holder and the amount ……..(drum roll)……. £111 million. Well, I’m flabbergasted at such an obscene amount of money. I have never understood why one person should win so much when there could be more prizes for a somewhat smaller amount. I might change my mind if I were the winner though. If I were I would give most of it away so make sure you’re all nice to me, just in case.

That creep Tony Blair is spouting off again and this time suggesting that vaccinated people should be allowed more freedom. When will this man realise that he is no longer PM, no longer in government and has no voice. He does however seem to own a company called Tony Blair Institute for Global Change that has released the report which its namesake is quoting. I wonder how much money he made from that? If there’s one thing he knows how to do it’s how to put money into his own bank account. I think I read he’s advising the current government which will mean he’s making money from the British tax payer. He won’t need to play the lottery, he’s already backing a sure winner.

In Wales, a drug dealer accidentally shopped himself to police. His Volkswagen Golf was stolen so he reported it to the police who managed to find it. Not only did they find it but they searched it before contacting the owner and found 28.9 gms of cocaine in 22 bags. The drug dealer also owned another car which was subsequently searched and guess what? yes, that’s right, they found white powder, bags and scales. Also found was some counterfeit money and mobile phones containing messages about supplying drugs. Lock ‘im up m’lord, I say. And m’lord did for two years and four months. I should think so too. Hey people, let’s be careful out there. Nighty, night.

You might have noticed that I changed the word ‘Day’ in my title for ‘Blog’ followed by the number. Have been thinking about this for a while since I’m no longer writing every day and the original idea was no longer fit for purpose.

Spring Holiday weekend here in the UK and Memorial Day in the US. Just for a change we have had great weather and people have been flocking to the beaches here in Bournemouth. The car park near me has been chocablock for the first time in months. Yesterday my daughter Elena invited me to join them for dinner at Prezzo in Lymington – all the Bournemouth ones were fully booked. Great drive out and Andrew managed to park right outside. We had a great table and sat down at 7.30. Our starters arrived at 8.30 which seemed a bit slow as we were all hungry but they were busy with diners in and a queue for takeaways. At 9.30 we were still waiting for out main course. Now I have to say we hadn’t been bored as there was some very lively conversation going on with Elizabeth and Alice having lots to say. The staff were very apologetic and told Andrew we would only be charged 50%. A little later they plonked two bottles of wine on the table by way of further apology. Our dinner was finally served at 9.45 by which time we were losing our appetite. When asked for the bill they said it was on the house and they were truly sorry. Andrew commented that it was the first time ever that he had left a restaurant better off (with a bottle in each hand) than when he entered. I definitely had a great evening.

There are rumours of a third Covid wave and hints that maybe lockdown will not end on 21st June. Boris has constantly said that we must open up and he will stick to his plan but we will have to see. I think there might be a revolution if the date is postponed. Most people are absolutely sick of not being able to plan anything that they really want to do. We are resigned to no holidays abroad, to wearing masks, to social distancing and getting vaccinated regularly but we need more freedom.

On the subject of BoJo, he quietly got married this weekend to his girlfriend Carrie Symonds. Not many people invited but that’s lockdown for you – and him. Congratulations I say to the happy couple.

A few yards from where I live is the supposedly oldest café in Bournemouth, Norwegian Wood. It’s been there since the early sixties and contains Beatles  memorabilia and serves a great breakfast or lunch. Now local developer Richard Carr is hoping to bulldoze the whole block of buildings and replace it with entertainment venues, flats and parking. They say they will ‘look after’ the owners of the café but do we believe that? The street is a dump so it could do with a makeover. Hey people, more later but let’s be careful out there.

Lockdown somehow doesn’t feel quite so locked down in Bournemouth now. Shops and restaurants are open and having a busy time and now that the rain has stopped people are definitely out and about. I was out today with my friend Winnie. We went off to Compton Acres to see how the gardens were progressing now that summer is nearly here. Things were as they should be with plenty of rhododendrons in full bloom and varied colours, very spectacular. The tulips are nearly over and most of the other plants I couldn’t give a name to if my life depended on it. We had a lovely day though and finished it off with lunch in their café.

In Sussex a ton (or is it tonne?) of cocaine has been washed up on its shores. The waterproof packages were attached to life jackets and their value is estimated to be £80 million. That’s a lot of nose candy and methinks that someone’s nose is going to be put out of joint. The haul has been put under armed guard in a secret location and the beaches were closed to the public. It’s thought that the packages might have originated in South America but how they landed near Hastings is a mystery. Hope it doesn’t lead to another battle there.

Like many other people I’d be hard put to locate Belarus on a map. I’d know that it’s ‘over there’ in the direction of Russia but never really given it much thought. Now though it’s scarily in the news. How does a small country manage to send fighter jets to intercept a civilian plane and force it to change direction and land. And, although they deny it, it was to arrest a passenger who was on board that Ryanair flight. What would have happened if the pilot had ignored the instructions and carried on to its original destination? We’ll never know now but the journalist and his girlfriend were arrested and detained and apparently forced to broadcast statements on tv and social media.

Social injustices were in the news today around the world. It’s one year since the death of George Floyd with demonstrations demanding racial equality. Sadly I feel that the world has a long way to go before that is any where near being achieved. The other injustice hitting the headlines is that of single British mothers who were forced to give up their babies in the twenty years following WW2. The young mothers were not given a choice, just told by medical staff, social workers, parents, churches or other so called professionals that their baby would be adopted because they were unfit to raise a child. These mothers are from my age group and I’ve met a few women that this happened to. The mothers are demanding an apology from the government. I can’t see how this will help but then it didn’t happen to me. I think more needs to be done. Maybe DNA testing of the mothers and invite all adopted children to also be tested and try matching the results. Hey people, let’s be careful out there.

 

Long time, no write. I do have a good excuse though as I have been poorly with a stomach bug. I’ve lost quite a bit of weight in five days but I wouldn’t recommend this diet to anyone. Seen my GP today at short notice and saw a medic last week via 111. I have to say that I have never had bad service from the Panton practice in Bournemouth. I’ve found them to be very caring as well as efficient. Anyway, I’m feeling a bit better today and hoping that I can now forget about it and get on with enjoying the lifting of several Covid restrictions. Weather permitting, of course.

Tonight I watched the first episode of Pact on BBC1. A drama set around a brewery in Wales got off to a slightly slow start but thoroughly enjoyable especially as I love a good serial. I have to stop expecting TV to be believable as I keep telling myself, as I’m watching,  ‘that wouldn’t possibly happen’ or ‘as if she would behave like that’. It’s a fairy story on TV and as my son-in-law Andrew said about another show ‘it’s just a bit of fun’. Looking forward to seeing how it progresses.

Apart from going to the doc today I haven’t been out to witness  Bournemouth’s lockdown easing today. What I have witnessed was a very strange Spring day with sun, rain, wind, thunder and lightening – no hailstones though. A very good thing that people could eat indoors, in groups of six at least, it wouldn’t have been much fun in the gardens. I wonder how everyone got on? One report states that Brits today were spending £2.8 million a minute on enjoying their first day of freedom after seven months.

I read that Mr Sussex has put his foot in it again, this time with the Americans. Our friends over the pond fought a war to become free of British rule and many of them have taken umbrage at Prince Harry’s latest interview. I believe he didn’t actually intend saying that the First Amendment was bonkers. Just that it gave journalists the right to always follow him and his family around taking pictures etc. I guess the best way to stay out of the limelight is to stop putting yourself in it.

That’s all for my first day back except to ask a completely irrelevant to anything question. Have you ever wondered why desert spoons and soup spoons are a different shape? after all, no matter what we shove in, our mouths are the always  the same shape. Hey people, let’s be careful out there.

 

 

The most shocking news of course is the pandemic raging through India. Photos and videos inside hospitals and of mass cremations have shocked the world. Could it have been avoided? It’s too early to say and too late to change what’s happening. I hope they get some help, they obviously need oxygen and ventilators but also more hospital beds and more medical staff to look after the thousands of people who have succumbed to the illness. I wonder what the deniers are saying about this.

Meanwhile a woman from Mali gave birth to nine babies (nonuplets) and currently mother and all babies are doing well. In March the 25 year old woman was flown to Morocco for specialist care. She had been told she was expecting seven babies but once delivery started by caesarean section five girls and four boys appeared. I couldn’t see if she had had fertility treatment to become pregnant but I think not. How does that happen and what must it be like to carry all those babies. And now, they all need looking after. I hope she has family around to help her.

French and English fishermen are fighting again. Although it isn’t strictly true to say English as the fishermen concerned are from the Island of Jersey which is not part of the UK and was never part of the EU. They have introduced some minor changes to the rights of the French boats and the affected fishermen are furious saying they could be put out of business. I think that over the years many British fishermen have been put out of business by European boats getting closer and closer to our coasts.

While we’re on the subject of fishing, Fry Magazine has released it’s list of the 50 top fish and chip shops in the UK. Not a one in Bournemouth I’m afraid but Callaways in Dorchester and Fish ‘n Fritz in Weymouth were  selected. I think us locals should stop rushing off to Swanage for the national dish, they didn’t make the list either. My family might be interested to know that Hooked on the Heath in Knutsford was included but they probably already know that. In Dunmow, Essex Flitch and Chips was one of the ten best mobile units chosen although my daughter and son in law have left the village and moved to Bournemouth.

In Brooklyn New York a four year old boy managed to order 51 cases of SpongeBob Popsicles from Amazon. They were delivered to his aunt’s house much to her surprise and Amazon said they couldn’t be returned. Maybe they had all melted, I don’t know how you would keep that many frozen in your fridge. The popsicles cost his mother over $2000 which she couldn’t afford. Her friend set up a GoFundMe page and they have passed the amount needed. You might think that it would be more difficult to make an order for that much money but apparently not. Hey people, let’s be careful out there.