26/08/2007 by Richard.

This morning Linda and I took Jacob out for an early morning walk through one of our many nature reserves.We followed a winding brook through the hills of Suckley,the sun was shining (a rare happening this summer)and everywhere was silent apart from the birds and the sound of the brook.

We left the brook and followed a small path up the side of the valley through the wood and following the path along the tops we suddenly came upon a meadow , in front of us was such  a carpet of wild flowers it was breath taking.Patches of blue, yellows, pinks and white covered the whole area.We stood for a while in the warm early morning sunshine in the middle of this wonderland and listened to mother nature talking to us,as only she can.

Truly one of those magic moments.

p.s Jacob is Rebeccas dog who is boarding with us at present.

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23/08/2007 by Ted.

http://www.politicallyincorrect.me.uk/squirrel.htm

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21/08/2007 by Ted.

I dont possess a television set as some of you will already know, but every now and again I have a duel with the Television Licensing people who feel that everyone really does have one, and if they say they haven’t got one they are lying. So every two years or so I get letters from them, polite at first, but always accusing me of watching television without a license.  I usually ignore them and the their letters become more and more abusive, eventually arriving in envelopes bearing the large-lettered logo “IT IS AN OFFENCE TO WATCH TELEVISION WITHOUT A LICENSE!” presumably so that the local post service and any neighbours who see the letter arrive will assume that  their apparently respectable customer and neighbour is really a criminal.

One day a gentleman arrived at the door to physically check that I did not have a TV, filled in copious details and departed apparently satisfied.  I was therefore a bit piqued a few weeks later when the accusing letters started again.  But eventually they died away again for another couple of years.

Twelve months or so a new angle on this started.  Did you know that every time you buy anything remotely related to a TV the details are reported by the seller to the Television Licensing Authority? I found this out when I bought a video player for mum to use with her TV at St. Georges.  A few weeks later a letter arrived stating that on such and such a date I had purchased video equipment from Messrs Currys but there was no record of me having a TV license and it was an offence to watch TV without a license etc. etc. etc. I put a note on the bottom of their missive stating why I had bought it, sent it off and heard no more.

A month or so ago I used my credit card (I get cash-back on my credit card!!!!!) to pay for a new TV which Grace was buying and she gave me the cash in exchange. Yes, you’ve guessed it - a few weeks later I received a letter - “On xxxxxxxx you purchased television receiving equipment …….. “, so I put the details on the bottom of their missive and returned it in the envelope provided.  I thought that that would be it.

But …….. yesterday I received another missive - “On xxxxxxxx I wrote to you regarding television receiving equipment purchased ……….  I have not received a reply and must remind you that it is an offence etc etc ……. ”and enclosing a  form for me to fill in to purchase a Television License.  I duly filled in the details again and then thought “What the heck!” and shredded it.

I’ll bore you with details of developments as they occur.

Have a nice day,

Ted.

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20/08/2007 by Pat.

 Politically correct Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ….. from Oz.

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all… and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Britain great (not to imply that Britain is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only “Britain” in the Western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual orientation of the wishee.

This wish is limited to the customary and usual good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.”Holiday” is not intended to, nor shall it be considered, limited to the usual Judeo-Christian celebrations or observances, or to such activities of any organized or ad hoc religious community, group, individual or belief (or lack thereof).

DISCLAIMER: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting the following terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher at any time, for any reason or for no reason at all. This greeting is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. This greeting implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for the wishee, him/herself or others, or responsibility for the consequences which may arise from the implementation or non-implementation of same.

This greeting is void where prohibited by law.

Not valid to non-Talbot family people.

http://www.politicallyincorrect.me.uk/xmas.htm

 Back with you soon,

Pat.

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20/08/2007 by Ted.

MP Philip Davies in his maiden speech to Parliament said: ‘Whoever said ‘the customer is always right’ never worked for Asda. I encountered the customer who accused Asda of being racist towards Irish people because we sold “thick Irish sausages”. Trying to persuade her that “thick” related to the sausages and not to the Irish was beyond me.’

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17/08/2007 by Pat.

Hi Richard, nice to hear from you. You sound a friendly lot anyway – that’s nice too.

I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression about my walking Rabies. I guess it must be where I say that we hop. I did try to synchronise my hop with Rabies’ a long time ago but it was no good. I guess you have to be another kangaroo to do that. And I’ve never tried a pogo stick. No it is a kind of he leaps and I jerk thing. It gets painful after a bit but it’s not too bad for the first mile or so. I tried towing him along from a truck at one time but he couldn’t get the idea right. I nearly ran over him and killed him so I gave that up. I just have a long leash. He’s on one end and I’m on the other and he hops and I jerk until he’s had enough. Trouble is that he has much more stamina than me nowadays – when he went after that female - that was really painful. I thought my end had come. But at home he is an old softie. He lies under the table as good as gold. When the table starts bouncing I know it is either time for his walk or a feed. Then I have to get a move on or the door takes a battering. But he’s quite domestic really.

I have some lovely photos of him and I will put one on the blog as requested. And you can meet him for yourself is you get over this way. We would both be happy to see you.

Must go now as I am getting ready for my trip to see my brother. I take Rabies with me and sometimes it takes me half a day to get him into the plane. I have to tie him down so that he can’t leap around when we are in the air – or on the ground for that matter - and he doesn’t like being tied down. So it can be quite a struggle getting him in. I did think of having a big net on a rope under the plane like they have on those rescue safari programmes on telly, but I haven’t worked out a way to do it yet. I’m still working on it though.

Best regards,

Pat.

This one was when Rabies was quite small - but cuddly, don’t you think? He is a lot bigger now. If you want some more I’ll put them up.

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17/08/2007 by Pat.

Hi Ted, hope you’re well,

Nice fish them. Well done. And who is Richard – the one who posted the snow shots? He wasn’t driving around in that lot really, was he? It must be nice to be part of a big family like that. I tried to count them on the photo but had to give up. I gather that that is your mother in the Old Folks Home. She looks pretty. And 94 years young eh? Wow!

I’m having to think about Rabies – my kangaroo. He’s growing up now and getting a bit hard to handle. And he’s getting randy. On our walk the other day he picked up the smell of a female and he was off – dragged me for miles and I couldn’t do a thing. Fortunately he lost the scent and when he had calmed down he came home quietly enough.

I’ve had him a while now and we are good mates really. I accidentally shot his mother one day in the bush. Didn’t know he was there until I saw him standing over his mother crying. Did you know that roos cry tears? So I picked him up and brought him home. He was still suckling which was a bit of a worry. But we had just had our second kid and I thought Leticia might be able to help him along until he was weaned. For some reason she didn’t like the idea and when I tried to insist she upped and left me. She took the kids and left me Rabies. So I coped with a bottle and some baby feed and he made it.

I saw a funny thing the other day. I flew into town for some rations and while I was there I had a walk around. There was a sports meeting going on and this guy was walking across the sports ground when a javelin hit him point first straight in the chest. He didn’t half look surprised. He was bleeding a bit so the air ambulance flew him to Queensland Royal. Made a mess of the javelin though.

Saw some news about the UK on telly the other day. It’s not funny over there. I feel real sorry for you. How do you manage?

I’m going to see my brother in a couple of days. He has a bit of a farm up-country – you know, a few chickens and cows and things. Anyway, he heard that his neighbour was having trouble with foxes so he went out and bought a dog to protect his chickens. The dog got into the chicken coop and killed them all. So I’m taking a couple of crates up to console him. If you don’t hear from me for a day or so it’s not because I’ve abandoned you. I’m just busy getting a stinking head for which I know I’ll be sorry. But a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.

I am posting a photograph of Leticia. She was a bit prettier when I met her. She was a funny woman in some ways. She wasn’t teetotal but she always said that she preferred me to liquor. I was never sure what she meant by that. Anyway she’s gone now. I may look for a replacement one day but life is OK for now.

I’m going to have a look at the family tree you sent me and see if I recognise anybody. I’ll certainly let you know if I do.

Regards for now,
Pat.

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17/08/2007 by Richard.

Hi Pat,

you’ve made our day.love your sense of humour,had us both in stitches. You could well be related to redheaded side of the family,she had a great sense of humour too.

Do you really have a pet roo and do you walk him on a pogo stick?Post us a pic of him and you we would love to see him

got to go time to walk the termite

regards from us in worcester

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17/08/2007 by Ted.

Nearly five pounds weight of Rainbow Trout caught at Baystone Bank this morning, all caught on artificial Floating Fry. The one I cooked in my microwave for dinner exploded like microwaved rainbow trout sometimes do.  When I told Pat in Australia (see post below) he said that it must have been a Muslim. Apparently they are allowed to make jokes still in Australia.  I told him that I wouldn’t have dared to say that here in the UK.  Anyway I dont have his address or details, just that he lives somewhere in the Outback, so he is safe enough.

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16/08/2007 by Ted.

Hello Richard and Linda,

What lovely photographs.  Had me worried for a minute - I thought that after the floods you now had snow.  But it helps me to understand why you love your job so much, Richard. And good to know that the Worcester Branch twig (little Nathan) is getting around.  He’ll be walking soon and then you’ll have to get your skates on.  “Nathan …….. Nathan, where are you?” etc.

Everything is OK at the Millom Branch.  Did I tell you that mum had a sore toe - the “£20 per visit to just cut your toenails” chiropodist broke the skin and it turned septic.  She’s OK though.  The staff at St. George’s are soaking her feet in a bowl full of Dettol water twice a day to help heal the septic and a request has been put in for a real chiropodist - they call them Podiatrists or something now presumably so that they can pay them more money.  Anyway, this one is on the NHS and comes free.  But I had to fill in a form to say whether mum was black or white or mixed, Asian or Caribbean or even white Irish - there was half a page of options regarding race and colour to select from.  What that has to do with getting your sore toe seen to is beyond me.  And if you put anything like that into anything you wrote you would probably end up in court on racism charges. So I put down that she was “the colour and race of the one that gets priority in getting their feet seen to”. But the toe is feeling much better on its own now.

They now have a proper chef at St. George’s by the name of John.  When he came mum’s daily tea-time tomato sandwich started to arrive surrounded by lettuce and cucumber which she does not like or eat at all. I explained that it was a matter of food presentation but she has insisted in having naked tomato sandwiches at tea-time which she now gets. Poor chef!  These Millomites just do not appreciate him. 

Well, nearly bed-time now so I will say “goodnight” which you will probably read when it is “morning” - all except Richard who will be working away through the night hours as usual - and enjoying it.

By the way, I dont go on about the family not contributing to the blog because I am lonely or anything but because it is a “family blog” and our blog motto is “The Talbot family - keeping in touch” which we dont if we don’t contribute. For instance, did you know that Bob is planning to go to New York at the beginning of September? It would ne nice to have news like that on the blog so that we could ALL be jealous.

Love to you all,

Mum and Ted.

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16/08/2007 by Ted.

Hi Pat and welcome aboard.  Please feel free to contribute as a Talbot family member - which you may well be. I dont know of an Australia connection but your remark about your red-headed ancestor stirs memories of a similar person in this side of the Talbot family. Anyway we have a family ancestry at www.talbotfamilyonline.org.uk and it may be that somewhere among the names you may find a link.  That would be really interesting.

Hope you had a good walk with your pet kangaroo! And that your weather is better than it is here.

We look forward to hearing more from you when you have time.

Best wishes,

Ted.

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16/08/2007 by Pat.

Thanks for letting me join your blog.  Maybe we are related having the same surname - who knows. My folks came over to Oz fom UK many years ago. I did start doing a family tree one time but - well you know how these things are  I got as far as one of my relatives being a redheaded sea-captain who murdered a prospector and stole his claim. Thought it was time to stop there! Well, you never know these days. Bit like the yanks and Saddam Hussein.

I’m just going to keep this short for now.  I have a pet kangaroo and he’s trying to kick the door down because its time for his walk - well hop really.  He likes to drag me around a bit and then he settles down under the table again till its time to feed him. Bit of a pain really but is nice to have someone to talk to.  Doesn’t say much himself of course.  But that’s roos for you.

Anyway mate, must go before he splits the door panel. Will be in touch soon, and thanks once again for letting me join your blog.  There seems to be a whole heap of family on the photograph. Look forward to making their acquaintance.

Oh, blimey, must go. See you, mate,

Pat. 

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15/08/2007 by Richard.

Hi Ted & Family????

Just to let you know that there is life on the other side of the blog.Everybody is just fine and dandy and our youngest addition is almost crawling now.

The sun is actually shining at the present time but it has rained for most of today. I can understand Peter taking sailing lessons, if this weather keeps on He could well be building an ark,(no animals of course Just the Talbot clan,judging by the photograph you posted).

I thought I would try and cheer you up by submitting some of my own .

Is this what we have to look forward to?

All of the above were taken early morning on my round through the windscreen of my truck

love to you all

from all of us down here

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13/08/2007 by Ted.

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13/08/2007 by Ted.

MONDAY 13 AUGUST 2007. GREETINGS TO FAMILY MEMBERS AND VISITORS FROM A WILD AND WINDY CUMBRIA. I HAVE JUST PUT ON MY WASHING, HAD MY BREAKFAST AND CHECKED THE BLOG WHICH WAS JUST THE SAME AS I LEFT IT LAST TIME I DID A POST.  SOMEHOW WE ARE STILL GETTING AROUND 2000 VISITS A MONTH FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE SO I THOUGHT, FOR THE WIDER NON-FAMILY READERS, I WOULD MAKE ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION.

THE SIGNS OF AUTUMN ARE SHOWING HERE IN CUMBRIA - THE BLACKBERRIES ARE NOW FORMING ON THE BRAMBLES AND THEY ARE THE LAST FRUITS OF THE SUMMER.  ALSO LEAVES ARE STARTING TO BLOW AROUND BUT THAT MAY BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH OF THE WIND AND NOT THE AUTUMNAL SYMPTOMS. AND IT IS GETTING COOLER.  WOW! ENJOYING IT? WINTER IS ON THE WAY.

ALL CONTINUES WELL AT ST. GEORGE’S. MUM IS GETTING PLENTY OF VISITORS - CHRISTINE ON WEDNESDAY, ANDREW ON FRIDAY, PETER ON SATURDAY AND PETER AND BARBARA AND PHILIP AND ALI AND WILLIAM ON SUNDAY - THAT IN ADDITION TO TED EVERY DAY AS WELL.  

WE  HAD A CRISIS WITH HER HEARING AID AS READERS WILL BE AWARE. ONE STOPPED WORKING AND WAS SENT TO FURNESS GENERAL HOSPITAL - 23 MILES AWAY - FOR ATTENTION.  IT CAME BACK A DAY OR SO LATER BUT WAS STILL NOT WORKING. SO IT WAS SENT BACK AGAIN AND A DAY OR THREE LATER WAS RETURNED - THIS TIME WORKING.  MUM WORE IT ALL DAY AND IT WAS FINE UNTIL SHE GOT INTO BED - WHEN IT PACKED UP AGAIN.  TED FIDDLED AROUND WITH IT AND IT SUDDENLY STARTED WORKING AGAIN.  OVERJOYED MUM PLACED IT BACK IN HER EAR WHEN, ONCE AGAIN, IT STOPPED WORKING. MORE FIDDLING AND IT WAS FINE AGAIN - INTERMITTENTLY.  ANYWAY SHE FINALLY TOOK IT OUT AS SHE DOES EACH EVENING AND PLACED IT ON THE TABLE - SEEMINGLY STILL OK.

AS TED WALKED HOME IT OCCURRED TO HIM THAT THE CAUSE OF THE INTERMITTENT WORKING WHILE SHE IS IN BED MAY BE DUE TO STATIC ELECTRICITY IN ONE OF HER PILLOWS - WHICH IT TURNED OUT TO BE.  THE MORAL - NEVER PLACE YOUR HEARING AID AGAINST THE MAN-MADE COVERING ON A PILLOW. IT WONT WORK!

IN NOVEMBER TED IS HAVING A WEEK’S HOLIDAY IN PORTUGAL, FLYING OUT ON THE 17TH AND RETURNING ON THE 24TH. 

RIGHT, THAT IS IT FOR NOW.  I DO HOPE THE SITE STATISTICS ARE NOT JUST “SPIN” AND THERE  IS SOMEONE OUT THERE TO READ THIS.  SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE LOOKING IN A MIRROR AND NOT SEEING A REFLECTION - JUST EMPTYNESS. ANYWAY WHOEVER YOU ARE, WHEREVER YOU ARE, IF YOU ARE THERE, GREETINGS AND WONDERFUL WISHES FROM MUM AND TED.

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08/08/2007 by Ted.

The recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease reminded me of an incident some years ago when the cattle of this country - and elsewhere - were being ravaged with BSE - also called “mad cow disease” - (although when people contracted the variant it was never referred to as “mad people’s disease”!) Anyway, a party of us were having a barbecue  somewhere in Wales.  The conversation turned naturally to “mad cow disease” and various concerns were expressed until one gentleman brought it to an abrupt end.

“Mad cow?  Mad cow wont hurt you”, he  said. “I’ve been married to one for years!”

Have a nice day,

Ted.

(PS.  I daren’t name the gentleman as he would probably be arrested for saying that today.)

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06/08/2007 by Ted.

6 AUGUST 2007 Greetings family.  We haven’t had an update for a while  so thought I would take the plunge.

 All is continuing normally at St. George’s apart from mum’s hearing aid stopping working.  This was sent to the Audiology Unit of Furness General and was returned today - still not working.  So it has been sent back so that they can have another go.  This is the same hospital into which mum was admitted with suspected gallstones and which sent her home after a heart attack in the hospital, with the hospital superbug C-difficile - in a worse condition than before she went in. And Mr. Blair was wondering what his legacy is! Anyway, mum is now anxiously awaiting the hearing aid’s second return so that she can - once again - keep in touch with the world around her.

Physically mum is a little weaker in the body than she was, but she retains a very alert mind and memory.  She is also becoming more effective with her bell to call carers to help her when she needs it, though she is still trying to do more and more for herself.

We have not had many days in the garden this summer - it isn’t very pleasant when it is raining or blowing a cold wind which it seems to be doing most of the time here. But we haven’t had any floods either which is a blessing.

I mentioned a post or two ago that mum likes to walk up to the library within the home for a bit of indoors exercise.  She has continued to do this but is realises the journey is getting harder and harder each time.

It was good to see the photographs of Nathan on the blog.  Mum was thrilled at seeing him and appreciated the considerable effort which was necessary to bring him up to see her.

Now that she has passed her 94th birthday she seems to have got her second wind and does not now daily anticipate her imminent decease as she did previously. She may quietly have her eye on the queen’s telegram in six years time.

I told her I would be updating the blog tonight and she, of course, asked me to send her dearest love to everyone - which I do now. And from myself too.

Ted. 

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