March - a month of two halves

Sarasota seems to have had its draw this season we were back there again on the first of the month for a Flea market.  Not the usual sort, but one related to minis.  What a great idea.  As always my nattering about that is in my Shows blog.

We started the month by putting the condo back to rights following our visitors.  We move furniture around between the bedrooms because we use the guest room for our office when we are on our own.  We wondered whether to bother as we only had a couple of weeks left in Naples but my theory was that we would have several more weeks on our own when we come back - just watch that not happen, now I've said it.

Ken did loads of Conservancy stints - he does more than the full-timers do! 

On the 6th we had a torrential rainstorm - odd for the time of year.  It gave us a good idea of how our lanai must look most of the summer.  We were awash.  I swept it out!  It was hardly surprising as the rain was horizontal along with the trees.  It also gave us a three and a half-hour power cut - the joy of cables being above ground!  This picture is our romantic lunch by candlelight.  I was about to make the gravy when the power went out - talk about great timing on my part - must be psychic. (stuffed pork chop incidentally)

While I was looking for this photo I came across this one.... this is what Spring looks like in Naples - if you look carefully you might notice new growth on some trees, such as the larches outside the apartment.  Not quite a plethora of spring bulbs or blossom is it?

Soon it was all about packing and getting in our last 'treat' meals at places like Bone Fish before we decamped.  The 12th duly arrived and so did the plane.  The flight delivered a lovely sunset as we left Florida......

The 13th followed, as it does, and we were safely back in Manchester.  Safely being the operative word.  We came into thick fog in Manchester and were borderline diversion to somewhere without fog but, fortunately, as our pilot said we had fuel (good to know) so we'll go round for a while and wait for it to lift a little.  It looked like this on landing.

Yes, you do hear yippees from me.  So good to be back to the grey dismal skies and cold.  No, really - at least we have seasons.

By four o' clock my Tesco order had arrived (how I miss that too in Naples) and we were firmly settled in sorting our stack of mail.

By day three I had caught up with my best little chum and a bunch of other folk and it was like we'd never been gone.

My issues from the original accident to my leg back in October are still grinding on - won't bore you with the details but it is all pretty miserable and relentless and so much of my time was taken up with back and forth doctor visits only to be made worse and better and worse and better and .... you get the picture....  believe me reactions to various drugs are less fun than the underlying problem.  My other half's notion of you only need a doctor when you can't sew your own arm back on has a lot of merit.

We had a flying visit from my daughter in March too which was great.  Always lovely to see her little chops and her chap's chops and hear how they are pootling along - why that is better face to face and not Skype to Skype is a mystery!  Nah, its not, you can't hug a Skype.

We succeeded in getting my aunt's electric chair ensconced in her room at the care home which was a comedy sketch worth seeing.  To begin with 'electric chair' as she calls it conjures images that are not quite correct as it is pale creamy pink leather and will just about wiggle itself into any comfortable position you like at the push of a button.  It also transpires - some days later - it will slowly and carefully slide you off it if you have dementia and muddle up the buttons.  Truly our encounters with my aunt would make a great (dark) comedy series!

On the 27th we bought a new (to us) car.  A something or other Prius - good with cars.......I can tell you it is red and I like it.

The very last day of March sent us scurrying to Scarborough to pick up dolls house I had 'won' courtesy of EBay.  Not a huge bargain cost wise, but one I have wanted for a while.  Go visit if you are interested:  The Willow

To end, as I pretty much began, with my favourite topic - food!  I had just about the best meal since I can't remember when.  Don't go uuugghh when I tell you it was cold pork pie and chips and peas.  Home made pork pie was on offer served hot, but being from the Midlands - we don't do that sort of thing (!), so I asked for it cold.  It was a delight and especially appreciated by me as I have made the little beggars.  The chips were also perfectly normal, like your mom made, home-made chips - just glorious.  I am not precious about good food - food is good when its good - it never needs to be fancy schmantzy to make it good.   This was one to remember.  If you can find an excuse to go that way here's the link to the place:  The Forge Tea Rooms



















27th bought new car

The best of Februarys

As my last post said, February 1st saw the arrival of our grandchild number two.  That must be a pretty good way to start any month.  Matilda is now thirty days old and a happy and thriving tot.  Her big sister, Lucy - all of three and a half - is already mothering her nicely.

The family had another piece of lovely news this month, but like mushrooms on my breakfast plate, I'll save the best until last.

Just in passing...  do we have machines like this at home?  Seriously, I never go to a main post office in the UK so I wouldn't know.........  if not, isn't this just a great idea?  They are always open even when the post office is closed and you can mail anything from them - just answer all the questions and slide your credit card and Bob's your whatnot.

Oh yes, the other joy is 'free' boxes and envelopes if you use Priority shipping - just pack and go.

Did I mention the alternative leg therapy last month? - that's alternative to usual medicine therapy not therapy on my alternative leg.  As you might know I got whacked in the leg last October and I am still suffering from it even after seeing every doctor under the sun in the UK and here.  Someone I met in the walk-in clinic over here suggested a lady who had done wonders for her... I saw her at the end of last month and again, a week or so later, this month and I must admit in two one-hour sessions she made a huge difference.  She uses a TENS machine, heat treatment lasers, massage, vibrating bed and essential oils.  I am especially fond of the essential oils (this was a mix of lavender, rosemary, helichrysum and frankincense).  As someone who had eschewed such stuff before I can only say, don't knock it until you've tried it.

On the second of the month our usual February guests arrived for a four week (less one week?) stay with us.  They are always in Florida for six weeks in the winter and we usually spend five of them together, but this year was slightly different.  We went away a for three days and they went away for a few days on a cruise.  Also, we didn't do our usual trip up to Orlando with them at the end of their stay, so we ended up with something like three weeks together this year.  It is always nice to have company. P & S have been 'here' as long as we have so, like us, they just 'live here' when they visit and we don't do much touristy stuff.  It does seem to involve a lot of meals out and shopping though, which isn't a great hardship on our part!  We did squeeze in a concert in the park, a dinner and movie deal at our 'posh' cinema (Silverspot) and a trip round the bay on the Naples Princess to see how the other half live.

In true old person style, for something to do one day, we even opted for a barrage of heart tests.....  Ken and I thought it was a company that had 'done' us five years before and it was interesting to get thoroughly checked over and have a stack of results to confirm we were still alive.  It turned out not to be the same company and I am still waiting for the results (three weeks later).  It does put a terrible strain on the old ticker all this suspense.

Middle of the month - Valentine's Day, in fact - Ken and I took off for a couple of nights in Orlando for the usual Molly Cromwell Dolls House Show.  We had added in an extra day this time as I wanted to do my first workshop.  As always, if you want to know all about my mini-nuttery, you can follow this part of it here:  Dolls House Shows blog.

For our Orlando trip Ken decided to hire a Mustang rather than just using our (wonderfully comfortable all-singing, all-dancing, Lincoln Continental) car ....  what can I say?.... other than I spent three days trying to convince him that cars having evolved into vehicles with climate controlled interiors and utterly wind-free, seemed, to me, a huge improvement on the open buggy .

We had some hours to kill on Saturday before the show so we decided to bomb over to the East Coast and Cocoa Beach.  Thirteen years ago (last time we did it)  'bombing over' might have been possible, now it is a good deal heavier on the traffic.  Still better than driving in the UK though.

The beach was pretty much deserted which seemed very odd for such a nice day.

Mind you, the three notices tacked on the boardwalk didn't instill confidence.

What idiot needs to be told to "Run!"?

Might be wise to check for rocks anytime you fancy diving in the sea?  What were they doing being submerged - its just not cricket!

Our drive home on Sunday was as entertaining as it always is when off the beaten track in Florida.  Just to share a couple of signs with you...

• Ring Crime Line!  We pay cash for crooks.   If only I had one I didn't need I could EBay it.
• Huge shop labelled: Discount Bakery Store - what in heavens name is discounted bakery goods - three-day-old bread?
• There are many gun shops pretty much everywhere but, on this occasion, we passed a massive supermarket-size store with an armoured vehicle parked outside.  Decidedly more terrifying than it was impressive.  Incidentally it was incongruously next door to the 'Pets and Farm Animals' shop.

When my daughter's partner was visiting, he was amused by stores just simply saying what they did rather than having fancy names - note:  Gun Shop/Discount bakery Store/Pets and Farm Animals....  wonder what they all sell...

If you wonder how so many gun shops thrive here - don't.  Right now they are in the process of changing the law to allow people to get their concealed weapon permit from their local tax office.  Apparently there is such a demand for them that the Division of Licensing offices can't cope.  Scary country.

To top it all, as we drove home, we watched this take shape in the sky:

This is how you know it is Sunday and you are in Florida - someone in a plane, sky-writes: U +  GOD = smiley face!

While we were away, our friends had run away to sea so we were without them a few days until eventually they jumped ship in Lauderdale and arrived home (via Jamaica). Then, in what seemed like a blink of the eye, the end of the month rushed in and it was time for them to go.

I started February's tale with a huge family announcement and promised you a similar ending..... 

My daughter Sally got engaged this month.  We are so pleased for them both.  They are house-hunting right now and want to settle that before setting a date for their (quiet) wedding.  Watch this space.

We are a grandmother

1st February 2014:  Welcome to Matilda Elizabeth, weighed in at about seven and a half pounds in old money!

Time does fly...

Time does fly..... when you are doing nothing, in my case.

I last wrote to you properly on Christmas Day, which speaks volumes about my festivities.  

The LEG (as it has now become) carried on being a pain - no pun intended.  The next lot of antibiotics gave me an incredible rash all over (literally!)  As someone said I looked as though I'd been pebble-dashed.  It did do me a favour though as this time I got to see someone who was appalled by all the antibiotics and said they needed to find out the underlying cause of the problem - so off for an MRI.  Unlike in the UK, even though this is a walk-in clinic it all gets done same day - admittedly we spent six hours there but I was done and dusted and an appointment booked with a surgeon before I left.

A week later we were off to see the surgeon.  He basically said surgery was an option but it might not speedup the healing process all that much.  He tactfully said I was old and healing takes time.  He left the choice to me- have it done which then gives you the residual initial problem plus a gash (his word not mine) in the leg which also needs to heal or I could leave well alone and let it takes the months (!) it needs to get better.  I put it back to him and said I'd go with his best judgement - quote:  if it was me I wouldn't have it done.

The plus side is we are not bankrupted by paying up front for any more medical stuff until the insurance coughs up.  $1,487.74 so far.  When you pay something like $125 for one lot of antibiotics it racks up pretty quickly.  The down side the LEG remains a LEG.

December bucked up immediately after Christmas with a visit from my daughter and her chap.   We all had a lovely time together and had fun showing Naples to a first-timer.  Whenever we have visitors we never seem to cover all we have planned.  They will insist that holidays are for R & R, whereas in my tender care there is a huge checklist to be got through.  They were kind enough to co-operate and let me tick off things like.......... 

Swift visit to the beach - they had some mixed weather - look at the breakers!

We did the concert in the park, some art on Fifth, a boat trip, a zillion eateries including a diner and a New Year's Eve dinner on 5th, endless ice cream, shopping and 

A trip to a 'neighborhood' where they do their Christmas lights in a big way.

They had a mini break in the middle of their stay and hired an open top to bomb down to a luxury resort on the Keys.  Back to the old folk and we finished with a lovely meal in one of our favourite spots - Bonefish restaurant and soaked up a Florida sunset. (before getting the 'last' ice cream from Regina's)

In a blink of an eye they were gone and we were back to ourselves for company.

On the weekend of 18th/19th January Ken and I were in Sarasota for what is fast becoming our regular Molly Cromwell doll's house show.  This is my third year of going to Sarasota and it is just as much fun.  As with all things mini related you need to chase up that weekend in my other blogs if you are interested.

Since then I have been trying to do writing and resting (the LEG) in an attempt to get ahead of the game before our next visitors arrive.  We have friends staying for February so much to do ..... can't sit here doing this ...............

Bit of Miniatures sneaking in

I make no apologies for letting a bit of my mini madness sneak into the Clavering Blog.  I defy you not to like these wonderful window displays at Tiffany's here in Naples this year.

Click on each photo to get a look at just how lovely they are.

There were several more, but you get the idea.  Simply beautiful.  They look to be 1/12th scale so even sweeter.  Imagine one of those in your own window at Christmas - how utterly gorgeous.

I thought I might get an article out of it so I tried to get to speak to someone about how they are made, what happens to them after Christmas etc etc but got the usual - write to head office - they suggested write to local store - write to local store - they suggested I write to head office - all of them VERY Tiffany nice (Remember how kind they were to Audrey Hepburn!) but not fussed enough to pursue it.

Meanwhile just enjoy.

Punished for being a Grinch

I was about to write a piece about what a miserable Christmas Day I had but before doing that I thought I'd remind myself where I was up to last time I wrote so I went back for a read.  Crikey Moses what a moaning Minny!  No way can I inflict more of the same on you.

Suffice it to say "Do not be a Grinch.  It will only rebound on you"

In our wisdom - yes 'we', not just me, decided not to do Christmas at all this year.  The decision was knee deep in reasons.  

No decorations: we took part of our Christmas decorations to the UK a couple of years ago as we would always be in the UK for Christmas (!) and the rest we had given away.  It seemed utterly doolally buying more.  

We are thousands of miles from any friend or relative, so would be entirely on our own and neither of us 'were bothered'.  So off we toddled into a normal Wednesday with a lunch of lemon chicken and rice.

All I can say is it is decidedly weird.  It is like quitting smoking or something.  You have this 68 year old habit of one day a year doing strange stuff because everyone else does it and then there you are doing nothing.

I already know that I don't especially like Christmas away from the UK because I can't fulfill the essential requirements of a Marilyn Christmas but, believe me, even a partial 'foreign' Christmas is better than none.

So take note anyone intending to visit us here next year.  The travel plans right now are:

October and November in Naples, December in Bury, January February March in Naples.  You will have to fit in that time frame I'm afraid because during Christmas 2014 I shall be doing the following:

Decorations up mid-month including a tree (used to always do that on Xmas Eve).  The decorations have to include stuff that goes back years;  a weary Santa in a car that was my daughter's when she was three and she insisted was wheeled out each year and a wooden Xmas tree candle holder that I bought with my kids from Ikea for example.

Christmas cards from everyone in all in one place and enjoyed at Christmas instead of March!
A tin of Roses or Quality Street

Christmas day begins with a boiled egg and soldier breakfast - why? - because it always does; followed by chocolates while I unwrap gifts with a background of Carols from Kings.

Lunch at 1 pm comprising delicious M & S comestibles - some terrific starter conjured up by M & S and/or Tesco Finest; a luxury bird of some sort so it is different to the rest of the year, King Edward spuds and goose fat to roast them in, chipolatas, oxo for my gravy - can't get any of these things here. (mind you I do like their corn bread stuffing!)



Several puddings which need to include a trifle, Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, mince pies with brandy butter, lovely cheeses and chocolates, Christmas crackers.  Again these are all things I can't get over here. 

The Queens speech after lunch with a port and lemon and nuts in shells so they make a mess with cold weather outside the window, so that being snugly is even nicer.

An evening of rubbish TV like a Downtosh special (aka Downton Abby) with masses of nice nibbles to go at all day and night so you're too full for tea.



A boxing day buffet - (no boxing day in America) with M & S to thank for buffet type eats plus pork pie, sausage rolls (for Ken) pickled onions and a zillion other condiments, an iced fruit cake, none of which exist on this side of the pond.  

Anyone who knows me wasn't surprised this was all about food!

I hope your Christmas was loaded with good stuff that fits your psyche and makes you feel comfortable in your skin.  Thanks for joining me for my virtual Christmas 2013.

Our resident frog

Just a quick note to share something with you.  We have tree frogs galore in Naples and one likes to live by our outside lamp.  Presume he stays warm through the night and gets to snack on all those night-time critters attracted by the light.  

Today I put the Christmas decorations up and I tie a red velvet ribbon round the lamp to support a wreath.  He moved about four inches up the wall to let me do that then returned to his 'perch' before I had even finished - talk about not bothered.  He now resides on a velvet bed.

He's not the prettiest of creatures and even if he is a prince I still think I'll give it a miss!