I have to say I am loving the pre-book system for National Trist properties. We headed to Mottisfont today and it was wonderfully quiet and very pretty. The house wasn't open, of course, but we did give the cameras a good work out.
WARNING
Photo heavy post
We did the lovely river walk first
This was my photo of the day I think
Queit as anything and a lovely picnic too.
Today I am thankful for
We have three days of reasonably strong blustery winds ahead but we are NOT worried. Our fence should stand. First time winds haven't worried us in many many years. I so hope we are not proved wrong.
We went for a walk along a deserted beach this morning - that blew the cobwebs away I can tell you. But it was lovely to be out.
I have been reflecting on the many many good things that have come out of this awful situation the world is in and one of the most important is that although we are all separate, in so many ways we are more together. One of our neighbours dropped off food parcels to several of us in the form of gorgeous raspberries and rhubarb from the garden. A group of three houses are sharing (after quarrentine of course) jigsaws and magazines. We have a weekly zoom fun evening with family, Nigel speaks to his brothers via whatts app messages most days, I have a weekly zoom chat with scrappy friends and Nigel meets for a zoom chat with old cycle speedway friends. We may not be in touch physically but probably have more contact with a lot of people than before the pandemic. There are silver linings if you look for them.
I have done a little scrapping and even made two pages yesterday - a digital and a paper, - of the flowers we went to visit yesterday ... gorgeous fields full of pink opium poppies grown for the pharmaceutical market. I had never seen pink poppies before.
This was made with a free cutfile fromt he brand new Peartree Cut Files and I couldn't wait to use it.
I decided to fill with rainbow papers but to add photos behind the hearts
and this was from our trip to Corfe Castle.
Today I am thankful for
And fun shares today -a mazing sand sculptures
and lockdown photos mimicking great art
and finally just because I found it fascinating
The weather has been glorious and it set to get hotter and even more lovely. Too lovely to stay in.
And we didn't. We went out out.
We had a wonderful socially distanced picnic and walk at Corfe Castle with my bestie and her husband. All credit to the National Trust. We booked a time slot and all of the time slots hadn't gone so it was very very very quiet. I don't think I have ever been when it has been so quiet which was wonderful. Lovely walk up to the castle through the cool green leafiness.
It was hot hot hot but once we had climbed up to the top there was a nice breeze and it was a little cooler and was perfect for a socially distanced picnic.
It has always been a favourite place and such a Dorset landmark - just a fabulous day.
For the first time in a long time no scrapping today - yet. I am sure there will be soon though.
But I can share this ... my class pages for ATDML cyber crop at the weekend
Meeting Ann - an unexpected bonus just before lockdown
Today I am thankful for
Today marked a huge step for us. Whilst I am still firmly furloughed (well not a lot of work for an invigilator when all exams have been cancelled) Nigel returned to some of his work today. It was safe work, outdoors and brief jobs but a little way to travel. But that was Ok as we travelled together and tried to view it - very successfully - as a day out.
On our way to work we had a beautiful drive through the Dorset countryside. Now here I must stop a while and relay what happened in our gorgeous, quiet county this weekend. We always knew it would be a problem when lockdown was eased. we are blessed to live in a beautiful part of the country (and pay a premium for that) but it makes it very desirable for others to visit with no recourse for what those visits might mean. Dorset is a small and relatively unspoilt county with some 800000 residents. We have no cities, no motorways, in fairness not that many dual carriageways, and we have beautiful historic heathland and villages and miles and miles of beaches and the world heritage Jurassic coastline. It is the county of Thomas Hardy, of sleepy stone built thatched cottages, of farmland and castles and churches and utter beauty. Our large towns are few and even they are not huge, our hospitals are small, matching the size of the county they serve, and tourism has always been a major industry since Victorian times. And yes, when it is safe we need the hotels and guesthouses, the pubs and campsites to re-open but it is too early and they rightly remain closed. However, that didn't stop thousands and thousands from descending on the area over the weekend. People from far away. Our roads were congested with traffic usually seen on a summer bank holiday, our beaches were crowded with little recourse for social distancing and our beauty spots were crammed. we had already suffered a local disaster as hectares and hectares of Wareham forest burnt for days as the result of a stupid disposable BBQ that should never have been used. Police stopped 16 such BBQ's in Studland alone at the weekend. The area is all tinder dry. People camped out on the beaches overnight - not allowed. They went through closed roads, parked wherever they fancied on grass verges when the car parks were full. And at Durdle Door on Saturday there were major incidents.
Apologies for more details than some of you would wish for but I want to record this here.
An accurate timeline of exactly what happened at Durdle Door, which saw four injured and thousands forced to gather and then evacuate the beach, is starting to come together.
Coastguard Rescue Team have given an account of the rescue operation at Durdle Door yesterday where at least three people were injured jumping from the Door into the sea - a distance of around 70ft. Two helicopters, coastguard first responders, lifeboat crews, police and land ambulances were on the scene, trying to treat those injured as well as dispersing the thousands of beachgoers who had ventured there for a day in the sun.
This is from the Lulworth Coastguard Rescue Team ....
*CALL OUTS* 25 - 28. 30/05/20
An afternoon none of our team will forget in a hurry.
The pagers sounded at 15:50, Solent asked the team to assist South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with a casulty who had been pulled from the sea bed after jumping from Durdle Door. Also tasked were Lulworth First Responders Kimmeridge Coastguard, Weymouth Lifeboat, Dorset Police, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Coastguard Rescue 175.
Arriving on scene, the team made their way down the steps to the beach, locating the casualty near to the base of the steps.
He was receiving help from the medical professionals already on scene. Lulworth CRT began to create a landing site for the helicopter.
The beach had thousands of people on it and we thank the majority of people who complied with our shouting to clear a helicopter landing site, a very difficult challenge.
Helimed landed on the beach. We were then made aware of a second casualty 2/3 of the way around the beach who had also jumped from the door. Somehow he had managed stagger back to his friends before falling very unwell.
The paramedics deemed his injuries very serious and requested that like the first casualty, he be flown to the major trauma centre in Southampton.
Team members and police now had to clear a second landing site for Rescue 175 which had been circling the area. The beach was cleared, many day trippers now on Scratchy Bottom beach.
The second helicopter landed, unloaded their paramedic and stretcher before returning to base to refuel. The second casualty was carefully prepared for hospital.
The first helicopter then left scene, flying at best speed to Southampton. The police then declared the beach to be closed. The thousands caught in-between the two landing sites now asked to leave the beach.
Our Senior Coastal Operations Officer had been maintaining communications on high ground when a third casualty made himself known to him. He had also jumped from Durdle Door and had serious injuries to his torso. An ambulance crew (one of five on site) dealt with his injuries and took him to Dorset County Hospital on Dorchester.
Rescue 175 was now back on scene and landed again on the beach. The second casualty was loaded on board, and flown to Southampton. They were met by our colleagues at Hill Head Coastguard Rescue Team who assisted with the transfers.
The remaining beach goers were now asked to leave.
The police had to deal with alcohol fuelled minor scuffles, as well as a small but out of control fire from a BBQ.
On returning up the steps, a fourth casualty had identified on high ground above Durdle Door. The lady had a suspected broken ankle and due to gradient of the hill, a stretcher carry out was too risky. Coastgaurd Rescue 187 from St Athan was sent to the area. They dropped their paramedics on top of the hill, and walked down to the lady. She was placed in a rescue strop and winched into the aircraft. They flew her to the top of the hill and transferred her to a land ambulance.
After a debrief, Lulworth and Kimmeridge retuned to their stations at about 21:30.
We understand that four individuals jumped from Durdle Door (some 70ft) yesterday, encouraged by the crowds on the beach.
Two of which are now seriously injured.
Upsetting scenes like we and many others witnessed yesterday illustrate how very dangerous tombstoning is. We couldn’t discourage it enough.
Thank you everyone who helped in one way or another yesterday including the Lulworth Estate staff who, as usual, were integral to keeping traffic flowing aiding emergency vehicles entering the area.
We wish all the casualties the very best.
We would also like to reiterate our thanks to the vast majority of beach goers who were patient and cooperative in what was very difficult situation. Described as a critical incident by police.
If anyone in that crowd had COVID even if they were asymptomatic, the air ambulance would have caused such a downdraft it will have infected so many on that beach.
After the incident the roads to Lulworth were closed. People ignore the closure signs and went anyway, flouting the law and this is a report from yesterday!!
*CALL OUT* 29 - 31/05/20
The team have just retired from another call to Durdle Door. Solent Coastguard - Operations Centre requested the team to assist the police in removing people from the arch at 12:50 this afternoon.
The team arrived and worked with the police to clear the high ground that leads to the arch.
With no further persons in trouble, the team were stood down and returned to station.
So you can perhaps understand why we in Dorset are worried. Why we wish there had been a limit put on distance travelled. The South west, which had the lowest incidence rate of COVID in the country has now leaped to the top of the league table for their R rate. Thankfully not the death rate but there could well be a sharp rise in a couple of weeks time. Our council have written to MPs but we know nothing will change and we are all sad and cross and worried.
Anyway - I digress. Having given you a bit of history we headed off to the Isle of Purbeck for work today and it was quiet and beautiful and serene and like it usually is.
We serviced the petrol stations we were contracted to work in and as one was in Swanage we took our daily walk along a very very quiet beach. It was beautiful
and before we did the Poole garages - well it would have been rude not to visit Starbucks. It was safe as only the drive through is open, we pay by phone which only we need to touch and we have the cups delivered into plastic bags we are holding open and our own straws so nothing is touched and we are happy with that. Normality is slowly returning.
Today I am thankful for
The coronavirus has been devastating for our world and yet it's impact has also allowed our world to breathe. I am sure it is no coincidence the weather has been exceptional, the waters pf the world are cleaner, the sky is clearer. The impact on lives, on liberty, on finances has been terrible, but maybe the world needed a re-boot.
We had such a fun night with the family last night in a zoom game show night - the virus has helped many people connect a little more I think.
sunsets have been enjoyed with evening walks
There has also been drawing and scrapping
This was another doodle
I photocopied it and coloured it too but I prefer the black and white
And these were my latest class pages for a class I taught at ATDML
Today I am thankful for
and this is the google video from the day after Elfin's funeral featuring the song we all walked into - spooky cooincidence.
The weather continues to be glorious and we continue to enjoy it. I have some photos to share
This is our daily walk - a lovely little trail just steps from the house and was actually quite cool int he sunshine.
we still crack up when we try and do selfies
and today we ventured further afield because a friend told us where to see the wonderful poppies and they are my favourite flowers
This was made with a new collection by Natali Designs called Softness
This was for the buildings challenge on FTLOPP
and this was my page as a guest designer on FTLOPP
Today I am thankful for
The weather is gorgeous - absolutely beautiful; (in fact a little over hot for us)
I am glad the weather is gorgeous because I am a little disenchanted with the world at the moment - well the UK to be precise.
Whatever you may or may not think about Dominic Cummings, to see one man savaged by the media in a kangaroo court was terrible to watch and no person, no matter what they may or may not have done, deserves to be subjected to such a thing. I know, from experience, what a kangaroo court is like and something I have never forgotten nor ever will. It speaks volumes about the people who run it more than the person subjected to it and I am ashamed of all of them. It was despicable.
Consequently, I am staying away from social media, away from the vitriol because that sort of negativity, the politics of envy, the lack of respect for a human being is not something that is healthy for the soul.
What is healthy for the soul is the beauty of the natural world.
These photos are literally steps away from my front door - we are truly blessed
and these are a little further afield as we had to come back through the new forest
I also have some scrapping to share
A challenge on UKS using two of my recent doodles (loving doodling)
a scrappycats challenge - it is lovely that we get together on Saturdays for a zoom chat
Another UKS challenge and documenting poor Kira's loss of hearing
And a scraplift of a page by Claire Louise that I loved and just had to have a go at. A fussy cutting spectacle.
and today - this happened ... homemade cinnamon rolls - YUM
and to escape from the harshness of the world, alongside natural beauty there is also colouring with my brand new crayons
Today I am thankful for
I can see why the government have the new slogan of Stay Alert because it is becoming easier to forget we are in a bit of a mess. Until you go our that is!
Yesterday we bit the bullet and, as the government now say it is Ok to travel a bit further and to visit the beach we thought we would before the rest of the country descended at the weekend. Oh yes, I am sure we will have a huge influx of people to the area but we will be staying well away.
Anyway I digress - we headed off to the Isle of Purbeck - Dorset at some of it's most beautiful - and went for a lovely walk at Swanage. It was very very quiet when we arrived, though it did get busier and we left a bit earlier than we might have planned because there were more and more people arriving. But it was lovely to go 'out out' to see somewhere different and even have a paddle.
Dorset is the most beautiful beautiful county - so happy we live here
I have some scrapping to share too - made earlier in the month
Today I am thankful for
It has been very hard living so close to the sea but just not quite close enough to walk to it and so it has been out of bounds for lockdown. restrictions have now changed and if Joe Public from anywhere in the country can come and visit our beautiful Dorset Coast then I am sure it is OK for us. So we went to Sandbanks today and walked around the harbour and along the beach. It was very quiet, very safe and oh my did it feel good to lick my lips and taste salt. It really did lift us enormously. I am not meant to be without the ocean for so long
and on the way home we even did this - very very carefully - the drive in is open. It's been almost 2 months since our last Starbucks
I still have pages from the FTLOPP crop to share
First a digital one which was for a PBP challenge - my beautiful mommy
A pretty little girl cat!
lockdown silliness
and three patriotic ones from the 75th anniversary of VE day
We have been touched by the kindness of friends these last few days. Jakki dropped in a lovely card and of everyone she probably knows most of what Nigel is going through as she lost her own father just a few weeks ago. My lovely friend Sue sent a beautiful card too and included to Altzheimers forget me not pins for us. We will wear them with pride. And the every lovely Jo, who is always so thoughtful, bought round a card, a bottle of bubbly to toast Elfin with and some gorgeous tulips
In these days when we are all forcibly separate, little things mean so much. It was lovely today to pop over to Jakki and Gary's with something and have a very safe socially distanced chat with them whilst we were on the drive and they were on the balcony.
We have been busy sorting things out and the funeral arrangements are almost all done. Whilst dropping something in to the funeral directors we also saw the ocean which we have missed so terribly.
I have some more scrapping from the FTLOPP to share
This is my Daddy when he was in the navy - how young he looks - well he was. Probably about 16 or 17 in that photo - and his medals below
Our wonderful next door neighbours - we are so very very blessed to have them as not only our neighbours but our friends. Our socially distanced VE day celebration
Lots of fussy cutting on this one
and us on VE day
and Nigel giving the applause for the NHS and careworkers and key workers
Plus there are new releases over at Pickleberrypop this week and, as always, they are beautiful.
I created this page with Jen Yurko's That 70's Vibe
And this was made with Chunlin Designs' Stand Tall Stay Sweet bundle
Today I am thankful for
and I share this - which is just lovely
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"Pooh woke up that morning, and, for reasons that he didn't entirely understand, couldn't stop the tears from coming. He sat there in bed, his little body shaking, and he cried, and cried, and cried.
Amidst his sobs, the phone rang. It was Piglet. "Oh Piglet," said Pooh, between sobs, in response to his friend's gentle enquiry as to how he was doing. "I just feel so Sad. So, so, Sad, almost like I might not ever be happy again. And I know that I shouldn't be feeling like this. I know there are so many people who have it worse off than me, and so I really have no right to be crying, with my lovely house, and my lovely garden, and the lovely woods all around me. But oh, Piglet: I am just SO Sad." Piglet was silent for a while, as Pooh's ragged sobbing filled the space between them. Then, as the sobs turned to gasps, he said, kindly: "You know, it isn't a competition." "What isn't a competition?" asked a confused sounding Pooh. "Sadness. Fear. Grief," said Piglet. "It's a mistake we often make, all of us. To think that, because there are people who are worse off than us, that that somehow invalidates how we are feeling. But that simply isn't true. You have as much right to feel unhappy as the next person; and, Pooh - and this is the really important bit - you also have just as much right to get the help that you need." "Help? What help?" asked Pooh. "I don't need help, Piglet. "Do I?" Pooh and Piglet talked for a long time. When you are feeling Sad, one of the most important things is not to let all of the Sad become trapped inside you, but instead to make sure that you have someone who can help you, who can talk through with you how the Sad is making you feel. Finally, Piglet asked Pooh to open his window and look up at the sky, and Pooh did so. "You see that sky?" Piglet asked his friend. "Do you see the blues and the golds and that big fluffy cloud that looks like a sheep eating a carrot?" Pooh looked, and he could indeed see the blues and the golds and the big fluffy cloud that looked like a sheep eating a carrot. "You and I," continued Piglet, "we are both under that same sky. And so, whenever the Sad comes, I want you to look up at that sky, and know that, however far apart we might be physically...we are also, at the same time, together. Perhaps, more together than we have ever been before." "Do you think this will ever end?" asked Pooh in a small voice. "This too shall pass," confirmed Piglet. "And I promise you, one day, you and I shall once again sit together, close enough to touch, sharing a little smackerel of something...under that blue gold sky." |
