Hallo all! Happy New Week. (Sorry no picture.)
Hey AQ: Love those little mailboxes. I have to hurry up and get my pix of recent trip round the Southwest on here before Lindybird comes back!
bjane: Good to see you; hope you're doing okay
PatO: Any luck finding the thugs who accosted your daughter? How is she doing?
Have a good Monday everyone.
Annette - thank you for asking about my daughter. Unfortunately (not the word I would use!) the part of the bus station where she was attacked is not covered by CCTV (too much of a coincidence for me to swallow). Also, the people who said they were prepared to be witnesses all withdrew when approached by the police for a statement. I am not surprised, but very disappointed on her behalf at the attitude of the police towards a vulnerable adult. I have tried to encourage her not to stop doing what she usually does, but she is still very scared of going back to that place - not surprising. Difficult to explain the concept that if she changes what she enjoys doing, then the men have won. Not easy for her to grasp … I do hope her confidence returns. It's difficult enough for people like her to lead something like a normal life, without a horrible incident like this making her life even more difficult.
PatO: Oh I'm so sorry to read that. With the UK the country with the most public surveillance cameras, it must be so frustrating to find that that was the one area not covered. But what really upsets me are the witnesses who declined to cooperate with the police. That's unconscionable. Did the police not appear to take it that seriously? Do hope she recovers her confidence over time; does she have to catch a bus in the same area of the station? I was wondering if there was another option.
Off to bed now....
She catches a bus almost every day to go to the Centre where she meets up with friends and social workers who help her with shopping and 'socialising'. I get the impression the police are not treating the incident very seriously. And as for the witnesses … It's a holiday area and I imagine at least some of the witnesses, and probably the two perpetrators, were visitors rather than locals. I'm sure local people would have been prepared to give a statement - she and the people she lives with are well known in the area, and local people are normally very helpful and friendly.
PATO: Well I guess it's reassuring to think the locals would've been more proactive.I wonder if other things like that have happened in the station. If so, maybe it's time to install another security camera.
AQ: Forgot to say I followed the link to the Murray Princess and am glad I did as I didn't realize what I was looking at in that photo. Do you have more trips planned for the months ahead?
Site won't let me use rich formatting! Let's see if this even posts....
PAT- I can only imagine how you must feel about the whole thing, the frustration with lack of interest and your worries for your daughter and her understandable fear about going to the same place again.
AQ - Thank you for the pasty recipe and all the pics. I haven't had time to click on links etc but hope to do so, later.
FORESTBOAR - I know a little about house prices in Cheltenham and agree, they got a bargain! Whatever triggered the improvement in your eyesight - great! You do seem to be struggling with health issues and it must be a worry for you, as primary carer for your wife.
ANNETTE- interesting about the pot grown lemons. Our friends in Rancho Mirage had a grapefruit tree. Breakfast was easy! I know what you mean about time spent with your sister. It is more precious as we all get older. My brother is on his way, it is over eighteen months since we saw each other. I just wish that the weather was better - today started off at 4 degrees and the rain has got steadily worse. He tells me that he has ordered (!) better weather for the week that they are here!
Apologies for any missed replies -
One of those “no weather days” today – well, there is some weather, but very assorted! OH gone to collect the wheelchair from service man this afternoon, and J just arrived home early – well actually on time, but that’s rare as he usually goes for a coffee first.
LATER - Just wrote that paragraph and OH arrived too! He had bought a toaster while in town – just a simple one which will hopefully toast as we like it and not as it chooses!
FB – good ages for grandchildren – grown-up enough for real conversation but not yet difficult teenagers! I like the names.
Annette – Our microwave’s major use is for making mugs of coffee and hot chocolate. I prefer slow defrosting, especially for meat, and won’t let OH cook most things in it as I don’t want it to get dirty! Nice that your Niece had a family celebration to attend when she got home – but she must have been very tired. Can’t you arrange for your Nephew to take your BiL out for a “Father and Son day” when you are visiting, so that you and Sister can get more time together?
AQ – another interesting bus trip account from you. That Crossroads church/school/museum really is tiny! Love the rows of farmers’ post boxes! We don’t have post boxes here in the UK.
Pat – thankful that the assault on your Daughter happened after your cruise and not while you were away – I am sure she needs you to be nearby. Such a horrible thing to happen to anyone, but really cruel in her circumstances. I hope you and her support workers will be able to help rebuild her confidence.
I can smell dinner coming along now – a cheese and veggie dish, all in one – appetising!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Two posts while I was sending via Rich Text (yes, it worked!).
Hello to ANNETTE (good morning!) and HEATHER (enjoy time with your Brother!)
OG - I have a very old and very simple toaster and I hope it will go on for a long time yet! As for microwave, I use mine mostly for heating up soup and the occasional portion of something that I have cooked and frozen. Bit of a waste really, OH's late first wife was something of an expert with the microwave oven. I do sometimes cook salmon in it - very good and moist.
I don't have a toaster, as I don't buy bread. I did have a brown roll every evening on the cruise, .because they were so delicious, but normally I don't eat bread at all. I do, however, have a microwave - a rather ancient one without many bells and whistles. But I don't have an oven. It went bang the Christmas before last, and as I hardly ever used it I haven't bothered to get it repaired. I manage very well with my microwave and hotplates, as well as a slow cooker. I make a lot of stir-frys and stews - absolutely no 'ready meals'. Fish in the microwave is great - and no smell! What a good job we are all different!!!