CaraJade and Malakai

I've been asked how these two bundles of noise are doing of late.... and I do not need an excuse to show them off.

Malakai as now turned 2 months and he is doing very well.... we think he's cutting a few teeth at the moment which is upsetting him somewhat..... but all in all he's a smile a minute. We see him nearly every day which is great.

CaraJade is as gorgeous as ever, here she is watching TV with Cuddles. She stopped over last night and filled the house with joy and laughter.... She picked up an old mobile phone we let her play with, sat down and said "I'm texting Daddy to pick me up tomorrow at 7" ... She is out visiting with Jane this afternoon which as given me time to catch up on blogging... Have a great weekend everyone.

Cones And Holly

I will get the grandchildren to make a nice Christmas Decoration from this, a touch of gold or silver paint, some glitter and a few beads added here and there is all thats needed. All year they have collected pine cones to paint which will then be given as gifts by them... Can you imagine the noise and mess this is going to make... ha! God help us. ;o)

Timber

As you all enjoyed the Gnome picture yesterday, I thought I'd show you this of me rolling around in the mud. Jane and I had just come off the moors as a mist was falling. I lost my footing and Timber..... I went down like a giant Redwood. Jane said the moors shook at I hit the ground. Now you would have thought Jane being such a nice person would have rushed to my aid.... no there was a chuckling sound from her direction.... and the command 'Hold that pose', Click went the camera then she fell about laughing.

This is a few years ago now, as Barny the Border Collie is no longer with us. I was reminded of this time today as Jane had another good laugh when I tripped up over a neighbours cat which calls daily to sit in our front room. Anyhow I did not see it till I stood on the poor thing.. I lifted my foot up quick, over balanced and fell against the living room door which I slid down onto my bum. Soft Landing was the first words from Jane.. ha! and I cannot repeat what I called the cat.

No place like Gnome

I really must lay off those mushrooms

Saturday Fun

Run run, as fast as you can


You can't catch me said the Gingerbread Man

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Kayne, Monique and Layton caught one each for their supper last week, it was the quietest they had been all night.

This is our grandson Malakai, younger brother to the three rebels above, Saturday is 'Stop Over' night for the older three. Which gives some peace, quiet, and quality time for Viki and our son Sam to share with Malakai.

No posting about the grandchildren could be complete without CaraJade, our eldest sons little girl. CaraJade stops over every Friday night and stays until around tea time to spend the night with Ben... then Sunday is the maddest day of all when they are all here running around shouting and screaming and doing what they do best..... filling the house with love.

Full Steam Ahead

Childhood Memories

Where I grew up we had train lines over the field at the back of our house. My generation were amongst the last to see the old steam engines working. My uncle Bert worked on the railway, he was a guard and his working day was spent in the Guards-Van at the rear of the train. If he was working the line at the back of our house we would hear his whistle... at night if we looked out into the darkness he would be swinging a lantern which I really looked forward to seeing. The whistle was also a signal to my Dad and older brother to walk the tracks as Uncle Burt would have dropped off large chunks of coal. In the 1960s everyone worked, Hyde was a cotton town back then. Engineering works were abundant as were many other mills. Our Dad started off in the cotton mills and was still working in the mills up to his death. He left the cotton mills in the late 50s and worked in a mill that produced rubber goods. I can well remember the colour he was when he came home.. he looked as black as a miner with the carbon black dust. His lungs must have been full of it.

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Even with everyone in work, money was still tight for many. Mum and Dad had five of us to cloth and feed.... Anything like free coal was a blessing, so the sound of uncle Bert's whistle was most welcome. Uncle Bert was also a poacher for some renown, rabbits, hares, and even lamb joints would make they way to our home... if mum was given to much for her to use she knew other who could make good use of these ill gotten gains... One more memory of the train lines behind our house was the time our black Labrador dog 'Robbie' was killed by running under a train chasing a rabbit. My oldest brother Harold went to collect him and I recall he was covered in blood... at that time Harold had just started working in the offices at the large ICI plant. His new white shirt was now destained for the bin.... and Harold was late to work at his new job.

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All these momories came back this week whilst I had been working on a number of local pictures from the past. These images are all altered old photo's which I loaded into my drawing program.. The two Steam trains would have passed by our back door many many years ago, and the old mill is a mixture of two pictures... both damaged but still useable for what I wanted to achive.

CaraJade & The Park Benches

Taken at Manor Park Glossop

CaraJade won the race to the benches... Last Sunday was a great day to spend in a park.

Fun With Fungi

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Birch Fungus
Piptoporus betulinus
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This fungus starts out all white, and when fully grown turns brown on top. When mature it has a texture similar to polystyrene, and was once used for sharpening razor blades, hence it's other name of 'razor strop fungus'.
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While taking these pictures one Autumn I had the idea of making a fairy out of Jane... so I asked her to walk up the bank until she was level with the fungi... the rest was easy.. I loaded the picture into my drawing program and drew in her feet, the result is below.
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Thank you for all your visits this week, and for your continued support of my blog, your visits and comments make it all worth while and encourages me to carry on. Have a great weekend where ever you are... and seek out some enjoyment.

Thank You

To all who have visited and commented this weeked... your well-wishes and congratulations for our new grandson Malakai have been a pleasure to read. Jane and I would like to say a big thank you to one and all.

I'll leave you with a quick update... Malakai is now home and settled, both he and his mother are very well.

THANK YOU ALL

Happy Grandparents

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Happy Smiling Grandma..... but very tired.
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Malakai Joseph relaxing
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Why Grandad should stay behind the camera.. :O)
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It is the nature of babies to be in bliss
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Mother and Baby are doing very well and are now back at home. Dad is fussing around as all new Dads tend to do... and as took to nappy changing so well.

Blogging might just be on the back burner this week... but I'm sure all who see this will forgive my lack of visits as I will be getting to know a certain little fellow.

Introducing

17th July 2009 at 01.35am

Malakai weighed in at 9lb 8oz.

Mother and baby both doing very well...

Sam The Roofer

Roof Top Views

The church building was constructed in 1880, so it's note done bad in rainy Manchester. Due to a diminishing congregation, the church was divided in the 1970's to allow parts of the building to used by community groups. The Church can no longer used because of its poor condition, and had to close down. What was left of the congregation started worshiping in temporary rooms elsewhere.

There's plans for a conversion of the existing church building with the erection of a 4 storey extension to the church, The Sunday school building has been demolished as part of the renew. The resulting building would then be used as a place of worship , community facilities, including café and apartments.

One of the many Gargoyles, it looks sad to me
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This is a job that must take some nerve, it is one that I could not have done. We all want our children to 'Go Up In The World'.. but this is not what we envisaged ha!

Youngest Son Sam

Sam & The Church Roof

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Sam is our youngest son, he as just turned 19, and as for the last 18month been working as a self employed Roofing Contractor. He tried a few jobs before this but did not settle... he seems to have took to this and the money he can earn very well.

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He normally works on houses, so when he came home smiling a few weeks ago saying that he and his partner Dave had a church roof to do... we were a bit worried about the height. To be honest so was he. We all had no reason to be as within a day or two he was sat atop the ridge tiles taking pictures on his camera phone and enjoying in the views.

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I have worked on roofs in the past and I was never to good with hights, but at least 'now a days' safety seems to be a concideration. There's scaffolding all around which is supposed to catch you in a fall... but I still do not think I would like to work up there. :O)

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That's David up on the ridge, he as and still is showing Sam the tricks of the trade. David prefers working with slate, and using lead for the flashings. Lead work is a skill in itself and is something Sam is hoping to master.

I will be showing a bit more from this roof tomorrow, and wish to make it clear now that I did not take these pictures.. :O) all these are taken by Sam and David.

My Princesses

Jane & Cara Jade

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Grandmas don't just say "that's nice" - they reel back and roll their eyes and throw up their hands and smile. You get your money's worth out of grandmas.

Reddish Vale 8

Banded Denoiselle
Calopteryx splendens

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Wingspan approximately 60mms, It can be seen flying around May to the end of August It feeds off other insects, which are caught while flying. Found around slow flowing rivers, streams, canals and the mill ponds here at Reddish Vale. This is the largest of our damselflies and these are the firsts ones I've managed to capture with my camera... these are infact 3 different ones and are just 3 of many I saw on the morning I visited the Vale. Early morning is the best time to catch them sitting still, as soon as the sun gets up and warms them they are off.

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The males have these dark coloured patches on their wings. These are used in a fluttering dance to attract females. Their bodies are an iridescent blue/green colour.

The females do not have the tinted dark patches on their wings, and their bodies are an iridescent pale green colour. Alas I did not see one of them. The banks of the pond and river had plenty of males about but not a single female was about that I could see.

Grey Heron

The largest European heron. It can stand with neck stretched out, looking for food, or hunch down with its neck bent over its chest. In flight it holds its neck retracted and has large rounded wings. This looks like a youngster to me, it was very tatty looking...

I came across this story last week and thought others who read this blog might find this of interest. Heron Eating A Rabbit

A rare sighting of late on this blog... this is thee Green Backed, Yellow Brested, Blue Legged, Wifelet... other wise know as Jane.

We enjoyed a peaceful walk around the vale last week and took bread to feed the water fowl.. these ducks got the lions share. More from here again tomorrow, I hope you have enjoyed the views and wildlife.

Friends & Neighbours

Meet George

George and his good wife Vera have been our neighbours for over 20 years now... both are in their 70s, and both worked past their retirement age. Both now suffer ill health but insist on doing as much as they can for each other.

Vera's passion as been her garden, she and George can still be found in the garden on fine days weeding and potting up their many planters.

I'm more than pleased to be able to show you a few of the blooms that are to be seen in their garden this week.

I took these a few days ago.... and thought then that George was not looking to good, so today I was not surprised when he asked me to run him up to the local hospital.

Like me George is on tablets to thin his blood, it seems there's some problem as instead his blood levels being between 2.5 - 3.0 his as shot sky high to 20. That mean a small cut and he could bleed to death.

Luckily he realised something was up... I spent the afternoon and early evening settling him in hospital where the levels can be bought down safely. Mean while Jane was comforting Vera and sorting out phone calls and such. It's times like these that we all need friends and good neighbours. When I was very ill and in hospital both George and Vera were there to help out Jane. I feel honoured to know them both and hope this all ends well with George back tending the roses and Vera fussing over him.