Father

Father

http://www.ezthemes.com/

His hands are too big,
Like his heart and the love he has to give .
His fear is tangible but he holds the baby
His own his son a leader of men …maybe.
This life these eyes dependent on him
My boy my lad his heart begins to sing.
She just smiles as she watches.

An  old  fathers  day  poem from 2013 

If we were having Coffee: Sadness,Guns, Hospitals & Gardens

Welcome one  welcome all

 

Hello  everyone  welcome  to  the garden  we have a marquee  and  heaters, all the garden  furniture  has  been washed  and  I have put out cushions for your  comfort.

Well what  do  you  think  shall  we  chance  it . Now  as  always  we have  tea  and coffee  from all over  the world not to mention all our cakes  and muffins  and  as Paul  calls  them sweets! Every single  one  is  calorie  free! Plus of course  we now have spirits  and liquors  to warm the coldest of  you.

If we were having  Coffee: I would ask  you what  has been going on in your world this week, has  anything  deeply affected  you, have  you need a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry  on or  just  needed someone  to make  you laugh! If  yes  feel free to talk it out  here  with us. We will all help if  we can.

Join in !

If we were having Coffee: I would  remind  you  that  there  are lots of  other  coffee mornings  all shared  and organized  By  Diana  and  Gene’O  over at,Part time monster  

If  we  were having  coffee: Well it has  been  a busy  week  with  alot going on, where  to start? Lets  look  at  world affairs  mainly  the  Charleston church shooting in  which  a 21yr old  man , Dylann Roof shot  and  killed  nine people. He  sat  and  pretended  to  be  taking part  in  the  service  for an hour and  then  he  shot  people in  cold blood.

I truly believe  that  guns should  be totally  banned. The  licensing  laws  must  be  made  stricter  and  more  rigourous  tests  and investigations  need  to  made  into  anyone  wanting  one! I believe  that no one needs  to  have a  gun, only  those who need  a gun  for their  work  and  then  those  guns  should  be  securely  kept  at  the place of  work! America   you  are  no longer pioneers  you  do not need  guns . I  do know  that  all  countries  have  this problem  to larger  and  lesser  degrees  but  please  it  should  not be  as easy  to  buy  a gun  as it is  to buy  your  weekly  goceries!

I  am speaking  from  an English  perspective   but  our ordinary  police  do  not  carry  guns. Armed police  are  a  separate  part of  the police service   and  you  see  them  at  airports, ports  and in London or locally  if  armed  officers  are  called  for….. In fact the  last  time I  was up  near Buckingham palace I  saw  armed police  and I was  shocked  and surprised. Anyway  I  have no  say  in  what  laws other  countries  have,  it is none of  my  business  but I  still had  to  throw in  my  three halfpence.

On  the  same  subject I read  that  the Emanuel AME  Church  is opening  today  for  a service of  solidarity and rememberence   for  the  relatives of  the dead. I  believe  that  all  the churches  will ring  their  bells in support. This  madness  and hate  must  stop  it is  like a cancer.

Only  last  night  there  were deaths  and  serious  injuries  in  West  Philadelphia read  here about it .  Everyone  needs  to  stop  and  think  about  what is  happening  and  why  is it  happening  ….. sorry  I  am still ranting I  must  stop  now.

Where  are  my  manners  If  we  were  having  coffee:  I  would  say  do  let  me  replish  your  cups  or  pour  you  something  stronger if  I  have  bored or enraged  you !

Light refreshment

Now  what  has  been  happening  on  the  home  front ,  well one of  my  sister’s  has been in hospital  for  the last  two months , down in the West Country. Well a fortnight  ago  she had a heart  double bypass and  two valve  repairs. She  was in intensive  care  and  then  a hight dependancy unit  for  ten days, having  been  already  in hospital  previous  to  that for  six weeks  she  was in need of  family! We could  not  visit before because  she had  been  very  sick  and  at one point  she  caught  the Norovirus .

My  eldest  sister  wanted  to visit  her  as  well  so  the husband  kindly  said  we  would  drive up  to  her  house  ( she lives up North )  and  we would  stay  the night  before  driving  down  to the West Country  the  next  day. My  sister  had offered  to  come  to us  by  train but  it  was a  long  and  complicated  journey. Any how  we  made  the  trip  and  visited  the sister in  hospital  and  stayed  over  two nights ,  she  looked  better  than  we expected  and  she perked up  a lot  when  we  spent  time  with her. We  did not like  to leave  her  but  good news  since  we  have  returned  home  she  been taken  from the large  hospital,  she was in when we saw her, to  her local  hospital  where  she knows the staff  and her  friends can visit her  easily . Here  are  a few of  the  sights  we  saw .

Such a tall tree!

Such a pretty tree

An old water mill

If we  were having  coffee : Let  me  get  you  some  more cake before  I take  you  out  to see  the veg garden …I know  yawn…yawn   but  this  year I thought  a weekly  garden update  might  be fun….. or maybe  not , if it is  boring  you  just  tell me!

Tomato alley honest they have grown!

Flowers on the toms

Beans and potatoes

Amazing how the beans know to climb!

Roses being nosey

Hello reds!

Beans

Potatoe flowers

are they not pretty?

Promise of fruit

pretty yellow

and the extra beans

Well If  we  were having coffee : I tell  you that it is  fathers  day  here  so I  wish  every  Dad  who is  celebrating  today  a very  special  day! I  am off  to cook  a special meal  from  hubby  the boys  have all been in touch  and  so he is happy!

hehehehehe

 

If we were having  coffee: Shall  we  all go  across  and  see Paul  and  all his  guests ,  we need  to  encourage  Paul  to  start  writing  a  book  about  the  nitty  gritty  of  dialysis and  all the  wonderful  little incites  he  gives us  weekly  of  his treatment  highs  and lows. It  would  be  a great  help  to many  even those  who  are not even going through  treatment! Also  all the lovely  little assides  of  people  he meets  while  at  the hospital …come  one lets  twist his arm , gently of  course!

Once  again I  thank  you  all for  visiting  me  and Paul  too  we love to  see you  and hear  what  you have to say  and  we hope  you will join us again next  week! Hugs  to you  all!

Do  all stay  and  be comfortable   we love  to see  you  all.

 If we were having Coffee Original idea  from  http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/

And of course  the

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE:  WEEKEND COFFEE SHARE

over at Part Time  Monster  and Gene’O’s

I love coffee

If We Were Having Coffee –Guest Post June 21/2015: Bits and Pieces

Bits and Pieces

You Don’t Say

Paul your Barista

Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul; I’ll be your barista today. I’m happy to see you have come for a cuppa and a chat. Please come into the garden and make yourself comfortable. Willow has put out the cushions on the chairs and set the table under the canopy so we can have a cuppa and chat. As usual, I’d be pleased to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. Also available is a large selection of spirits for addition to your cuppa or in its place. We can relax amongst the flowers while we discussthe affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your week been?

The most disturbing news this week in North America was the slaughter of numerous congregants at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina by a white gunman. This is just one more milestone on the road of arming all citizens to the teeth that the United States has embarked upon. Inevitably the plethora of guns enables those of less than sound mind to access weapons with which they can kill indiscriminately – random citizens, children, church-goers, etc.

Result of Slaughter

That said, the reaction of the populace has been very unexpected and positive. Unlike other obviously racist interactions that resulted in death, this one seems to have had a rather unique outcome. The people of Charleston seem to have been drawn closer together, offering each other solace at the loss of life. Whites and blacks alike are mourning the loss of life and the obvious inequity at the actions of a madman. I have to say that I am surprised and pleased that racial enmity has not been increased but has actually decreased. That said, the rich white suburbs of Charleston are still surrounded by the shacks and trailers of the poor blacks who serve them. Perhaps this is one step towards racial equality that is the beginning of (or continuation of) a new journey. Time will tell.

Would you like a refill of your cuppa? Perhaps a sweet? On the home front, for those who commented on last week’s post about Ken – I wasn’t able to speak with him this week as our dialysis times are different. I have inquired of the nurses and he is dong well and has moved to out-patient care. I will continue to watch for him and follow his progress.

Great for Storage and FREE!

So, Steve, the guy who helped me move dropped by the other day to say hello. I mentioned that I was still putting things away from the move and he said that he had a shelving unit that he was no longer using and asked if I wanted it – I accepted with thanks. He took off to get it and came back with a sharp, new looking, black steel shelving unit. It has an industrial look and I love it.

and a slow cooker too

I had purchased a book from Ned Hickson of Ned’s blog http://nedhickson.com/ and Ned had asked if I could send a picture of myself with the book. So I asked Steve to take a picture and he did. In fact he took a few pictures – something I haven’t had done for years. The picture wouldn’t send from his phone because the signal strength is weak in my room so Steve went back to his place to get a better signal. Meanwhile, I put away stuff on my new shelving unit. In the process I came across beautiful silver liquor flask set that I had received at my last job as a gift for safety. Steve called and said he had accidently erased my pictures and wanted to take more. I agreed and over he came. After he had taken more pictures, I gave him the flask set, telling him that I had felt bad that I had had nothing to give him when he helped me move. He was thrilled with it and said he had a slow cooker that he had never used and asked if I could use it. I jumped at the chance as I had wanted a cooker for years so I could buy cheaper cuts of meat and slow cook them. They come out so tender and can be cooked with veggies and spices. Yum, Yum. He went home to send the pictures and came back with the slow cooker.

Me in Front of Apartment Photo: Steve Watson

So, it’s been a productive if rather uneventful week for me. I do wish everyone a happy Father’s Day. At the request of my good friend Mark Bialczak, I did a guest post about  my Dad – the Chief – over at Mark’s blog  that will be posted Sunday morning (North American Eastern Time). Thanks to Mark for this opportunity.

On that note, that’s about all we have room for this week, so it’s time to settle in with another cuppa and enjoy the garden. Sweets anyone? Please join me in thanking Willow for her invitation to tea. We are all honored that you dropped by today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Willow is over there serving her guests and chatting it up. Let’s go see how she is today. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you back here for sweets and beverages of your choice again next week.

That Was The Best news !

 If we were having Coffee Original idea  from  http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/

And of course  the

IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE:  WEEKEND COFFEE SHARE

over at Part Time  Monster  and Gene’O’s