My Dad really DID deserved a medal!

Today, my Dad would have been 91 years old.  We lost him 17 years ago next month, and all still miss him terribly.

Here he is in a school group - Middle row 3rd from the right.
(Dudley Grammer School around 1935.)

 Dad - my favourite photo :o) that some of you may remember me posting before...

Dressed as a pirate for a local carnival float long before I was born.

And finally on our wedding day 34 years ago - far right hand side.

During the war Dad was in a 'reserved occupation'.  A job that was deemed vital to the war effort, and because of this he didn't serve in the armed forces.  He did however join the Local Defence Volunteers Force, which later became The Home Guard (otherwise know as Dad's Army!)  Which was in fact part of the British Army.

In truth, I know very little about this part of my Dad's life as it was before he and Mom met ( they met on V.E. Day) other than he was a signaller, but I recently found out that he was entitled to the Defence Medal during family history research.  I down-loaded the relevant forms and filled them in on behalf of my Mom, and after she signed them we applied.  There was no certainty that Dad would get it as many of the Home Guard records have been destroyed.  I have got a couple of certificates that he was awarded during his service with dates and his service number on though.

We waited with crossed finger for many weeks, and them received a letter from the MOD (Ministry of Defence) asking for more details.  I was able to furnish them with copies of his certificates, and again we waited and waited.....

Then, finally on Saturday Mom received a letter package from the MOD.

So here's to you Dad on your Birthday....it's just so sad that you aren't here to receive it in person.

All my love.

Rose 

xxx

Here's a link should you wish to look into applying for the Defence Medal from Home Guard Service for a relative.

(Click on question 12 for help and links.)

A project, a mouse and a beach.

Though overcast it isn't raining (yet), but I had occasion to pop outside in the downpour yesterday and guess who was sitting sheltering by the pond and looking totally fed-up with the weather?

 He made me laugh out loud!
(focus not too good as it was howling down)

Do any of you remember the cream painted wash board I got from Dagfields around a year ago?

Well I've FINALLY done what I was thinking of doing with it, hanging it on the laundry door (with a little tweaking!)

(Sorry there's no natural light here in the back hall way.)

I've given the wash board a couple of coats of light blue emulsion and a dry brush over with grey.

I've had the wash tongues for years, and I've been on the look out for the 'Laundry rules' at a bargain price - finally found on e-bay for a song.

(If only they worked!)  I just added a couple of pegs and Bob's your Uncle :o)

As you know it was my birthday, and (lovely) Hubs had ordered my gift that arrived this week.

The tissue paper may be a clue?

Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson :o))

Now the word 'furniture' may be a little misleading, because what I wanted was...

a breadboard, with it's signature mouse and adz marks - it is after all hand made. 

Isn't he cute? It's going to be a real family heirloom.

  I have followed the directions and lightly oiled it with sunflower oil ready for use,

that's if I can bring myself to cut on it!

Hope the little chap cheers you up as much as it did me.

I did manage to get my feet in the sea last week and it did me a power of good.

We had a (wonderful) day out at Fairbourne Mid Wales on the opposite side of the estuary to Barmouth.

I really needed to re-charge my batteries.  Walking along the pebble beach for me is the ideal way to do it, and it's been too long since I'd done it.  Of course I bought a few more pebbles back for the pond ;o)

and found some interesting rocks - I love the different lichens.

I found a large number of shattered slate roof tiles, and crawling across the was a HUGE Fox moth caterpillar

Then on closer look there were more in the grass.

They were around 3" long and as thick as my little finger!

We watched as the Fairbourne Light Railway chugged past us :o)

Then we went a ride further down the coast - looking back along the coast road towards Barmouth

and then the view out to sea

Bardsey Island is on the far left of the photo, and looking out towards the Lleyn Peninsular.

Then on to Tywyn  to the sandy beach  

Where I had a paddle ;o)

and a view of the groynes

Aah, that's MUCH better!

Welcome to my latest followers - So pleased to see you here :o)

See you all soon, best wishes

Late addition - an apology

I'm sorry if I haven't been replying to emails to 'secondhandrose' address, I've only just discovered that there was a blip and I hadn't received any since Mid AUGUST!  I've sorted it out now (fingers crossed x)

Please accept my sincere apologies, I'll try and catch up this evening - but I've over 100 to go through.

Rose x

GIVEAWAY!

Hello folks, hope all are well and warm.

As promised now I'm up to 100 followers I have a little give away to celebrate :o)

So here it is...

As this is Jubilee year I thought this handsome (Lakeland) Jubilee apron  was appropriate- I LOVE all those stately crowns :o)

with this really useful blue pocket.

A beautifully worked white vintage crotched table centre 22.5" x 13"

with lovely raised centres to the flowers.

I just HAD to put in a cute little cuddly Hedgehog!

And a tiny friend too :o)

I'll also add a little 'something from my own collection....

There is only one prize.

To qualify for the draw you must be a follower, and leave a comment on this post - if you are a 'no reply' blogger you MUST leave an email address for me to contact you if you are picked..

I will leave the draw open for comments until noon on Monday 24th September, then I'll make the draw and notify the winner.   I will also post the winners name on the same day - GOOD LUCK!

I found a few more bits 'n bobs.  

This gorgeous Autumnal table runner for £2.50

These two plates/chargers have been in the charity shop for some weeks priced at £2.50 each, I hesitated to buy them as storage space is getting VERY limited at home!  But when they were put in the 40p box there was no contest and home they came!

I really like the shape.

I then found this pretty china Edwardian 'Hairpin' lidded dish, with it's pretty lustre glaze and 'pie crust' edge on the lid, in absolutely perfect condition for £2.50.

It reads 'Lucky White Heather from Harrogate'

The side view with the beautiful enamelled lettering.

(The lid is enamelled too)

It measures 1.75" wide x 4" long x 1.5" deep, and has found a home on my dressing table :o)

Then I spotted another Wedgwood beauty, a spill vase 6.5" tall x 2.5" wide.  It was filthy!  But after a scrub and a soak in a mild solution of washing up liquid came up as good as new - £4

Lastly, as you know I'm a bit of a cat fan ;o) so when I spotted a set of six placemats for £2 did you really think I could resist?

Three of each design.

Here's the news/updates since my last post..

The pond has settled down well and the fish are happy.  The dear frogs have made a welcome return too.

A bit of sad news on the hedgehog front though.  Now Autumn is approaching we must keep an open eye out for 'late juvenilles' babies born in the last few months that stand no chance of making enough weight to over Winter.  I've had one visiting for a few weeks now, and have been keeping a good eye on it.  I knew that the time was coming to catch him and get him to the rescue centre to be over-Wintered safely.  The other (cold and windy) morning I was in the garden when one of the dog walkers who pass our house regularly told me that there was a little hog in the middle of someone's lawn further up the road.  I went up with her to investigate, it was the little one that had been visiting my garden.  It was asleep in a ball, in the open in daylight.  I picked it up and it seemed very cold to the touch, so I bought him home and put him in the 'rescue' box on a hot water bottle covered in paper and made him a nest with shredded paper before ringing Joan at the rescue centre.

(You can see from  the size of my thumb (top left) that he is only around 4.5" long.)

I 'phoned Joan and arranged to meet her at our local vet's (without whose help Joan wouldn't be able to run the rescue centre)  as she had to take to badly infected hogs there. The little mite never moved off the warmth, and I very much suspect he was hypothermic by the time I'd got him.  Craig (the vet) had to give him a whiff of anaesthetic to get him to uncurl.  Craig checked him over (yes, it was a male) and said it appeared to be okay with no obvious injuries, so Joan took him back home with her.  Sadly he never really came around and died in the night, even though Joan had him safely on a heat-pad.  I'm still wondering if it had eaten a slug that had eaten slug-pellets?   Not a good day for the hedgehogs, as the other two had to be put to sleep too.

Craig was so upset, and said sorry to the poor hogs as he gently administered the injections.

I still have healthy adults though, and continue to feed and watch them each night.  (And happily Joan has a lot more success stories than sad endings. )

Now news on the photo's I didn't manage to take :o(

The one when I spotted a field mouse taking a long drink from the pond - and the next day when it was back again... Soon though - soon!.

The two tiny baby field mice that I disturbed in the dry-stone wall :o(  Put safely back in their nest though.

Last Saturday in Nottingham city centre.  It was my birthday and I went shopping with dear daughter - and didn't take one photo of the most beautiful buildings - doh!  Though I did have a lovely day :o) with lunch in The Pit & The Pendulum The BEST Goth pub!  (Kim, if you haven't been it's a must ;o))  and with two lunches for £8 a bargain.

This week Hubs and I are planning a day on a beach somewhere, anywhere in fact!  I just NEED a breath of fresh sea air.

Don't forget to leave a comment for the draw.  'See' you all on Monday 24th.

Best wishes

Happy Birthday Vicky!

Today is our dear daughters special birthday - I'm not allowed to remind her how old ;o)

So this is just a quick post to wish her a wonderful day, we'll see you tomorrow sweetheart.

Lots of love

Mom and Dad

xx xx xx xx

Birthday and more.....

Some of you may remember it was my birthday last month.  I was lucky enough to have some gifts of money, here are a just a few of the things I got with it.

Cock A Doodle-Do!

I got this great rooster, that now has pride of place on the kitchen worktop.  It is for storing eggs.

This little piggy....shows cuts of meat in French.  (T K Maxx bargain!) 

These three great carpet bowls, love the marble effect one.

Then there are some more of my charity shop bargains I promised to show.

Two sweet little trinket boxes for 75p each.  I love the one with the two sweet birds on.

This dinky little mother of pearl fork was 20p.   The colours are beautiful, but the photo doesn't do it justice.

These two little Wade rabbits were £1.25.  (I think they are from Bambi?)

Another little bunny - blue and white of course (and out of focus!) 25p

A pretty pair of cotton tea towels and oven glove £2.50 

Did you really think I could leave this in the charity shop?  Very old Midwinter, half pint size - £3

A pair of wooden Indian Runner Ducks - too cute to leave behind at £3

And now for a poser.....

My dear friend Sandy had bought two of these lovely plates, (aren't the birds cute?) and gave me this one and asked me if I knew where it was from.  These are the only marks on the back....

I cannot find them in any of my reference books, but suspect they are either French or Portuguese.

I found this jug the other day (75p) with a similar colour pallete - it's Portuguese.  What do you think?

Hope you like some of the items I've picked up - let me know!

It's great that you come and have a look at what I've been adding to my collections. 

Best wishes to all,

Forgot to say....I'm STILL trying to catch that darn 'lucky' leaf!