Bob's Blog Page 61
You are reading Page 61 of Bob's Blog/diary/dream/story/journey/novelistic memoir.
He is 86 years old and counting.
He is also very much aware that this blog is of no significance whatsoever -
at the time of writing!
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Friday 28th March 2025.
Yesterday The King called to say he's sorry but His Trust (The Kings Trust), which used to be The Princes Trust, can only support young people and not old wrinklies. Well it wasn't actually The King because he went into hospital yesterday so he asked Debbie to give old Bob a call to say he's sorry. No problem Your Majesty get well soon.
Also yesterday poor old Nannie was wheelchaired into Church for a visit. She loved it and was moved, but not on the left hand side. Yours truly fitted a few more coat hangers and ate all the rice pudding but nobody noticed.
A few days ago he had a look around Springfield Nursing Home with the idea of succumbing to the inevitable but decided he'd rather live with the badgers instead.
Nannie and Grandad watched a video of their 50th Anniversary. That was 9 years ago!
He also wishes he had a dishwasher.
Saturday 29th March 2025.
Due to popular demand Bob plans to carry on as normal blogging for now. Sorry for the confusion.
He deleted a couple of blogs about 'Windmills on Reigate Heath' and 'Full English Breakfasts' but here are the pictures in case you missed them. Stunning!
Ozzie Outback.
You may remember that I always remember old buddies birthdays. Today is Pete's birthday. He and I met when we were 5 at The Royal Kent School, Oxshott. We spent a lot of time together over the years. He married Anne from Claygate, they had two children Alison and Stephen. They joined the 'Ten Pound Pom' brigade and settled in Caloundra just north of Brisbane.
I went out to see them around the mid '90's when Dan was also out there on his 'year walkabout'. We went out there again with Japan Airlines via Tokyo about 20 years ago and rented a camper. We visited Pete and his family, my cousin Eric and his wife Joyce. I never knew about Eric until late in life, a long story.
We got as far as Airlie Beach, flew out to The Great Barrier Reef on a Twin Otter Floatplane, had a swim amongst the rainbow fish, visited The Blue Mountains on the way to visit Carl and Debbie in Coota and managed to survive without getting eaten, stung or bitten.
Sadly Pete and Eric died a few years ago.
Don't forget to wind your clocks forward an hour tonight. I'll wind them for you if you like. Sleep tight and don't let the bugs bite!
Sunday 30th March 2025.
During Bob's search for help with funding for his game changing idea he found himself on the website for The Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Luckily and amazingly he found a link to REMAP - Custom made equipment for disabled people
which could be game changing.
Watch this space. Luckily he won £5 on Thunderball last night as well. Which is not exactly game changing!
Golf Bravo Oscar Bravo clear for take off.
Monday 31st March 2025.
Today's picture is a bunch of chickens watching the air show!
A picture a day keeps the doctor away!
Tuesday 1st April 2025.
Today's picture is of a bench which evokes many a fond memory for Bob. It is a bench that is in memory of Maud, Mabel, Violet, Jack and Nora Brown who ran Brown's Grocery Store and Sweet Shop from 1907 to 1989. The bench can be found at Brown's Corner, Little Heath Lane, Oxshott. The building is largely still there but now converted into a very desirable 5 bedroom residence. The house used to be called Pinewood but has recently been renamed Brown's Cottage.
The bench was commissioned by Jack and Nora's nephew John, who used to knock around with Bob when they were kids. John emigrated to The States in the 60's but John is now back in touch with Bob and is liaising with Bob in order to keep the bench in good order. Also Adele, the new proud owner of Brown's Cottage and Mike our local celebrated historian who will be digging into the history of Brown's Shop and the local area including The Oxshott Brick Company nearby.
For us locals Brown's was essential to our survival during WW2. It was probably also essential to those locals during WW1 which included my grand parents Jack and Elizabeth Jones also my great grand parents John and Annie Jones who arrived in Little Heath Lane in1891.
Provided you had enough coupons in your Ration Book you could purchase all the essentials including slices of bacon sliced by Jack with his hand operated bacon slicer or a quarter of cheese sliced by Nora with her wire cheese slicer. I can see and hear them now! Behind the small door around the corner (still there) next to the post box you would find, usually Vi or Mabel, behind the counter with cigarettes, tobacco, a glittering array of large glass jars full of sweets, chocolates, liquorice allsorts, liquorice sticks, barley sugar, black jacks, toffees, humbugs, sherbet dabs, aniseed lollipops etc etc. Also large blocks of Walls Ice Cream, Lemonade, Tizer, Cream Soda, Ginger Beer and goodies of many varieties. If you collected the discarded bottles on the common Vi would give you tuppence on each bottle which would soon add up to enough for 5 Woodbines or a pack of Balkan Sobranie tobacco for your parents!
In front of the Grocery Store there was plenty of parking for horses, carts, prams and bicycles. Get the picture?
What 3 words location
Wednesday 2nd April 2025.
You'll excuse OK Granddad for dwelling on the past. He considers he is lucky to get old but unlucky to be housebound. Who knows what life is going to throw at us. The reason he is housebound is because OK Nannie would be bedbound if it wasn't for housebound Grandad. So, he considers he's lucky to have a past to dwell on. Today's picture is of Nannie and Grandad outbound or maybe inbound? Bound to be one or the other!
She's an Orkney 440 Chichester Harbour c2005.
Picture taken by Ray RIP on board Kittiwake.
Thursday 3rd April 2025.
Today's picture is of a dream. It is a sunrise taken by Clare in Devoran, The Carrick Roads, Falmouth. Clare moved to Devoran a few years ago, you may remember she was the owner of Henry the Chocolate Labrador who we looked after for 9 years. Sadly Henry is no longer with us and has been replaced by Jackson. The dream is to visit the area again before I am replaced.
Friday 4th April 2025.
Perhaps it's best not to dream as, let's face it, nothing will ever be the same again.
Taken on Sunday 3rd March 2024 in
If ever you get tired of reading this riveting blog you can always get Annie Oakley from Downtown Memphis to read it for you. All you have to do is look for the little 3 dot icon on the top right of your screen and touch 'Read Aloud' or 'Listen to this page' . A bedtime story that will send you to sleep in no time. Sweet dreams.
Saturday 5th April 2025.
Decided to look forward rather than backward today. But where does the road lead? Perhaps it is better to travel than to arrive? Do you detect a touch of confusion?
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Decided instead to look back to Cala en Porter in Menorca 1973.
I now know just how the donkey feels!
I remember flying out with Dan Air from Gatwick on a De Havilland Comet !V, hiring a Fiat 500 at the airport, loading it up with Marcia, Julia, Emma, (Daniel not born yet) Nannie, Grandad, luggage for 6 and a couple of thousand Pesetas. No phones! 'Amazing Grace' echoed continuously around the cove from the bar overlooking the beach. We visited the delightful Binibeca, I didn't know then that I would be anchored up in the bay with a bunch of old codgers 35 years later. Memories.
Sunday 6th April 2025.
Seagull Golf India November Alpha clear to land runway 27 left.
Monday 7th April 2025.
How would you describe the above?
Graceful? Elegant? Well balanced? Perfection? Breath-taking? Gorgeous? Spectacular? Exquisite? Amazing? Incredible? Fabulous? Fantastic? Dazzling? Superb? Splendid? Astounding? Marvellous? Mesmerizing? Brilliant? Astonishing? Remarkable? Stupendous? Stunning? Magnificent? Majestic? Delightful? Terrific? Wonderful? Phenomenal? Unbelievable? Glorious? Extraordinary? Awesome? A bit like this?
Click/touch on the picture for the full picture.
Wednesday 9th April 2025.
Dear Reader,
Can you imagine what it's like to be legless, handless and armless and totally reliant on others? Especially when you've spent 82 years being active and caring for others.
There are plenty of Associations, Charities, and those that have been there got the tee shirt and try to help but at the end of the day they lead nowhere. This is Nannie's situation (and plenty of others obviously). It seems to old Grandad that therapies like reading or TV might help but you need to be comfortable, have reasonable eyesight, hearing and concentration none of which is great. Especially discomfort.
So, is a care home the answer? Even if it's got badgers, foxes and chickens in the garden?
Now imagine what it is like to be the 24/7 carer who is likely to expire at any moment, or perhaps you'd rather not.
Best,
Bob.
Thursday 10th April 2025.
Decided to get a job today, a Proper Job, they do them in Waitrose for £2.45. The Funeral Directors across the road have a deal on at the moment, the deadline is the end of the month.
Friday 11th April.
Thanks for scrolling, could be a lot more this month. Today, amongst a million other things, I washed the Duster, I don't mean I washed the duster, I meant I washed the Duster. Not too happy with the result but when you are 86 and a 24/7 carer energy is a touch limited. And I don't mean tidal energy! Plenty of that if you know where to look. Got to go now, sorry.
This is The Duster on The Isle of Wight 3 years ago, seems like yesterday. If you really want to read (or listen) to the story click HERE.
The number plate's been doctored by the way.
Decided that that's enough scrolling so Page 62 might be of interest?
Bob's Blog Page 61
You are reading Page 61 of Bob's Blog/diary/dream/story/journey/novelistic memoir.
He is 86 years old and counting.
He is also very much aware that this blog is of no significance whatsoever -
at the time of writing!
HOME PAGE