This, That and The Ogham Alphabet

 E.ON who are my electricity supplier have decided they are moving everything online - perhaps to persuade more people to have the smart meter. It says I MUST register and set up an online account or I won't be able to see my bill. I'm pondering what will happen if I do nothing and don't see my bill - ha! wont be able to pay it then will I? How long would they let things go before cutting me off?  

I'm selfishly very happy with the way the swimming pool is having to operate at the moment with virus restrictions. There are many more opportunities to swim than before and so few people swimming. I went early afternoon on Saturday and had half the pool to myself, a lovely quiet swim.(Although they are now changing this session to a family one so I won't be able to go at the same time). The only down was on the way home when a stone flew up and chipped the windscreen. Bother!

Saturday afternoon and the first fire of the season and it was much needed too.

Last month I forgot to do a post about the tree that represented the 9th Lunar month in the Ogham Tree Alphabet. (It was Hazel) and nearly missed this one too.

For the 10th Lunar month, the 'tree' is a Bramble representing the letter  M -  perhaps to the Celtic Druids 2,000 years ago there was no difference in language between trees and bushes, and brambles left to themselves soon turn into a thicket.

Above and Below....The illustrations from the Ogham Sketch Book  by Karen Cater

 

This Bramble below is one of my own - newly grown - not on purpose - at the top of the ditch on the meadow. 

 

 

I haven't picked any blackberries this year  - they are not my favourite things - I'd rather have an apple crumble without the seeds, prefer strawberry jam to blackberry and have plenty of other fruit in the freezer. So the birds will benefit. 

Guess what I'll be watching on TV this week?....................Tennis! French open on ITV4 all week. Good News Indeed.

 

Going back to my Friday Library Book Photo and all the interesting comments - here are some replies.

Unknown.....................I like sharing ideas for reading and collecting ideas from other bloggers 

Rachel..................I think it was you or Pat Weaver who mentioned the Jan Morris book. I had just started work in the library when he became her and remember the fuss about the new book at the time and change of name 

 Ang.....................The Little Library Year is more recipes than books - disappointing (for me anyway) 

 Sharon...................I'm glad you enjoy the library photo  

Pat..........................Fewer books on shelves now! 

Mazda...................Hope you get your proper library service back   

Sooze...................Hope you reading mojo soon returns

Later this week there will be photos of men up poles! Our electric in the area will be off while they switch us all to a generator for the week as lots of upgrading of poles and wires is happening. Including the pole right outside my gateway.

 

Back Tomorrow

Sue

Going Back to Strange Times? Week 28

Thank you to everyone for comments about books yesterday. Sorry for not replying - I had the sort of day that hopefully won't be repeated very soon. More on this later..............

 

Now..................shall I write about all the strange things regarding Strange Times that I've heard this week...........?

"There could be queues of up to 7,000 lorries waiting in Kent to cross the channel during the first few weeks of January, with a No Deal Brexit"

"People mustn't visit inside another persons home in Scotland"

"No one is allowed in a pub or restaurant  after 10pm"

 "Huge increase in purchases of toilet rolls reported at Cash and Carry stores this week" 

"University students may not be allowed home for Christmas." 

"Half the population of Wales is in a type of Lockdown"

 

No, No and  No!!  I'll just write what's happened up the end of a lane in Mid Suffolk......................

Two late flowering gladioli on the table this week. The same colour as the first. There should be 2 different colours but only these gorgeous dark pink have appeared. 

Both Youngest Daughter and Son decided they didn't want the bookshelves that were originally in Col's bedroom. So I got Brother-in-Law to help me get them downstairs to use them in the conservatory for the grandchildren's toys.

 I do seem to have rather a lot of toys, at least there's no chance of them being bored when they come to visit! Everything on these shelves are my car-boot bargains, except for the little cart of bricks bottom left, they were new.....................handmade about 63 years ago! And the "vintage" Fisher Price Play People, they were new.....................about 38 years ago.

 

Hooray for Ian, the boiler repair man, who arrived much later than planned on Monday due  to problems at the previous job.  He apologised for being so late but I said it was just good that he could get here before the weather changes to cold later in the week. He repaired and serviced the boiler and said did I know the boiler is nearly 40 years old (blimey!) and it could give up anytime. He's reminded me of this every time it's serviced. He doesn't do new boiler installation  but gave me details of 2 companies that are reliable. That means the boiler and the sewer need doing sooner rather than later......Expensive...............The outside of the house could do with painting too.....sometime.

Swimming was good, just 3 people in the slow half of the pool so we had to go round and round but plenty of room to avoid each other. A new sign in the Sports Centre told everyone they have to download the new NHS app so they can register where they are and be informed of coming into contact with someone with a virus. My cheap phone does do apps but it clogs things up and apps soon stop working - which doesn't bother me because my phone is just for phoning and texting.. As the pool have all my details because of the on-line booking system  I don't intend to go out and buy a new phone. 

And then yesterday, a day that involved driving across to the coast, getting the  nearly-4-year-old Oldest Granddaughter in and out of the car several times. Picking her up. Feeding us both lunch, getting her changed out of Nursery uniform,  and into Ballet clothes, driving to ballet and back and then out of Ballet clothes into home clothes and finally a late and slow drive home to Mid Suffolk and all this in pouring rain with the wind blowing a hooley. Floods and trees down all over the place and roads closed................ I didn't do much when I got home except collapse in a heap. This Nana business is Hard Work!

 

Got up this morning to find a huge branch from the Field Maple in the back boundary hedge is down, right where the raspberry cage was -...........phew...........thank goodness I took the cage down and got it sold.

Hope you all have a good weekend.  Apart from going swimming - mine will be quiet - Very Quiet!

Back Monday

Sue

The September Library Book Haul

Happiness is......................bringing home a nice heap of books from the library van.

 Some of these are here because they've been mentioned on another book-lovers blog. Others have popped up on the recommended bit of Amazon and  the one by M.W. Craven on the right looks very familiar but  it's not in my book of books read.

Of course Best of All is the Elly Griffiths book - I've been on the very long waiting list for an age. 2nd best will be the Anne Perry book - always a good read.

 I've been wanting to read the Persephone book - Saplings for ages and even have an old original pre-Persephone copy on my shelf but the print is too small to read, finally remembered to order it.

 Also there is a cookery book to look through and  The sustainable(ish)  Living Guide for a reminder of what I should be doing.

And this month I've also borrowed 2 DVDs - because it's still free to borrow them. Third Star on the right has  Tom Burke (Strike) in it as I wanted to see what else he'd done.On the left is a Kevin Costner film I've never seen. My children wouldn't be surprised to see this here! they know KC was my second favourite man after their Dad!

Last Month 

These were the books collected in August. They've all gone back although some were unread for various reasons - mostly because I just couldn't get into them. The 5 read have been added to the separate 'Books Read 2020' Page

Not sure that the September heap will last me through the next 4 weeks, but there are still "quite a few" here on my own shelves to read!

 Back Tomorrow

Sue