The Bucking Bronco

Husband has urged me to post this topic because he and several others found it very funny.  I have a mobility scooter which is slightly unusual - photo top right of page.  In repose this fearsome beast lives tucked tightly into the side wall of our garage so as not to get scratched by husband parking his car badly!  Often when parking the scooter I have to chug back and forth, reverse in and out to achieve the required position.  On this particular day, about two weeks ago, I came to park the scooter and did the usual back and forth movements.  But I made a mistake and shot into the side of the electric garage mechanism near the spring system.  There was an almighty clang (husband heard it in the house) and somehow the back mudguard of the scooter got lodged into the spring.  The scooter reared up in anger and I was shot off.  I landed hard on my backside with my hands scraping along the tarmac.  I was getting up off the ground when husband appeared - I was bruised and cut - but fine.  We had a good laugh and it took some time to disentangle the scooter.  Just then our neighbour and three year old son wandered past our drive.  Husband turned to little Harry (who is a bundle of fun and a little toughie) and explained that Lindsay had had a crash!   "A crash" shouted Harry, his eyes opening wide - he then said "I wish I had seen it" !!   We have laughed about it often since - my cut fingers have been a nuisance but all is well.

A Strange Coincidence

Once upon a time I had a much loved cookery book called "The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook" printed in 1970, it's authors included Mary Berry.   This cookbook was so popular that it was upgraded and reprinted many times in various guises.  When we moved house nearly seven years ago this cookbook somehow got lost, I have no idea how!

Meanwhile Mary Berry has been on TV quite a lot lately including the popular "The Great British Bake-Off." which jogged my memory about the much missed cookery book.   I searched the well known internet book site and found there was one left selling for £99.00 !!!   I thought no thanks.  I then searched the internet and found a second-hand copy at a very reasonable price and proceeded to order it.  I was crowing about this find to one of my friends whom I am in regular contact via Skype.

I am eagerly awaiting my cookbook which is now in the post.

Yesterday my friend and I met up on our usual daily Skype and guess what - my friend held up The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook for me to see!   She had had a copy all the time festering away in the back of a bookcase which was hidden by a large potted fern!  It is too late to cancel the internet order.  We had a good laugh about it!

Hello Folks!

This is the view from our kitchen window!

It's Chucking It Down!

These photos are especially for my brother and all other Australians who are at this time enduring sweltering conditions.

"Maxi" Christmas Decorations

We have minimal storage in our house - so this is the best I can do!!  Happy Christmas one and all.

Wintry Landscape and Source of the Thames

After a night of freezing fog and very low temperatures I was out in the early morning taking photos of these lovely scenes.  We live near the source of The Thames and river is flowing well after much rainfall this autumn.

Into The Wrecking Bay!

We visit AV8 cafe on Kemble Airfield fairly frequently and keep an eye on the planes that arrive for salvaging.  These steel birds will never flap again!  There have been some weird and wonderful worn out fliers arriving here including two inaptly named "Lucky Air" !!!!