'Overdue' Sunday 28th June

Not all my fault this time as regarding the lapse of time between blog posts. We had internet 'issues' at home for three days (no telephone line either, which actually was a blessing!!) So, I have plenty of material to bombard you with this evening.

Of course as I have the memory of a gnat, I can't recall anything remotely 'exciting' to tell you all about, but I did mention in the previous blog there was a mildly amusing boating story.

Son No 3 was asked to go on a rescue mission a couple of weeks ago....and here's what happened... Our friend had taken his newly refurbished boat out to the Ecrehous for a run out, no problems getting out there and everything seemed fine. However when it was time to come home, the engine was completely dead, nothing worked. He and his friend were fortunate enough to cadge a lift back to the island with a passing RIB full of day trippers, but the dilemma of getting the boat back was tricky. 

The weather had worsened as the day had gone on, and the forecast was for further bad weather to follow. Nobody would want to leave their boat on a dodgy mooring stuck out on a group of rocks in the middle of nowhere for any great length of time, so Dan to the rescue.

He and my nephew 'borrowed' the company RIB to get out to the Ecrehous early the next morning, it was blowing quite hard, and there was quite a swell ( don't ask me to use nautical terms, i'd get it wrong and anyway I can't remember ALL the details!) They managed to 'jump start' the boat, and then used the RIB (with nephew driving) towed the boat back. 

It was rough, choppy and getting worse by the minute, Matt on the RIB was ok, but in glancing back to check everything was going to plan, saw Dan in the wheelhouse gripping onto the wheel with dear life. 

Not only was he being thrown about but the cupboard doors were flung open and folders, papers and various items kept hitting him in the head and face. He was bobbing around  but couldn't take his hands off the wheel to defend himself, for fear of losing the control of the boat.

They all got back into the harbour in one piece, although Dan did say they may have lost a few papers overboard in the process!!

Before I forget, my Dr Hima is having another wonderful curry night, sadly I can't go this Saturday but told him I would put it on the blog!

Sri Lankan Cuisine & Music

* Plus Raffle *

In aid of Island Friends Together

Jersey Charity for Children’s Homes and poor  

Schools in Sri Lanka and South India

     At St Martin’s Public Hall   

 7.30 for 8.00pm Saturday 4 July 2015

                                          

                                                                                                            

Cooking by Dr Hima

Starter:  Sri Lankan Fish Cutlets

Chicken curry

Prawn curry

Carrot curry

Dhal curry

Poppodums

Boiled white rice

Dessert

Bring your own wine/beer

Tickets: £25    Tel: 07829 818443  (Pat Farr) 

Cheques payable to “Island Friends Together”

Parking available


Now to run through a few events 'In the Life of...

A week (and more) of photos...

 SH and I enjoying the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas at Rosel Manor....

 Marching and playing....my sister knows how tricky that is...and on grass!

 Three of the 'team' more interested in 'suffolk' sausages (yes TN the same chap you bought yours from at the boat show!) and Cider!

 A gift from KH for services rendered...that kept the family quiet for a short while....

 An extremely happy dog.....

 SS and I finally managing to get a walk in and catch up after about six weeks of trying... (and she lives down the road)!

 My first proper picking of mange tout...mmmmm

 An open air Pilates class at the Merton last week as it was so hot inside!

 An evening swim at Bel Val on Friday, as I got SO hot at my Zumba Bokwa practice 'FlashDance'...it was about 8:45pm! (Flashdance was brilliant - more later!)

 Steve and I (and Jess of course) enjoying Grouville bay on Saturday morning.

 The Opening Ceremony of the Island Games!!

 Big cheers for the arrival of the Jersey Team, over 300 athletes...

 Finally ...Jess and I taking in the views on the North coast this evening...

This was photo of 'flashmob' in Queen Street St Helier on busy Saturday afternoon...spot me?!!

Wednesday 17th June

Hi Everyone, I must start by thanking you kind people for your continuing donations towards Cancer Research and the Race for Life....
The total has increased again to £2,823.87, check out my page!!
https://www.justgiving.com/jillluce

A few photos of the last week's activities..
Cattle Show at the RJA and HS Summer Fayre, Deputy Luce presenting cups...

 This cow 'Queenie' once belonged to Bex, sadly came in fourth...

 They even had dairy free cake for sale!!

 The Young Farmers had a pit-stop at the Fayre from their Tractor Pull across the Island for Charity- they raised over £1,000 for Leukemia and Lymphoma.

 Jess ready to go and waiting impatiently, husband wishing he was home watching TV ...It was the 9pm start of the Jersey Hospice Moonlight walk

 Swimming at Bel Val.... Truthfully, one of us swum, one dipped in and one sat and watched....

 Pleased I have managed to identify these fabulous plants that I call 'Old Maid's Bonnets' as Aquilegia, wish I'd bought more than two last year as they have done really well.( Aquilegia (common names: Granny's Bonnet or Columbine)
They are of course muddled into the gladioli, which seem to get everywhere!! ( Did you know that sometimes they are called the Sword Lily?) I tell you I'm turning into a right Alan Titchmarsh!! Of course my smarty pants gardening sister knows all this stuff anyway, I'm just trying to impress her.

If people ever wondered where I get my competitive edge from they should live amongst my siblings for a few weeks, Ive got my sister who knows everything about gardens and plants and allotments (and green manure!) and a lot about cooking and looking after grandchildren. I've got one brother who seems to be winning tennis and golf trophies on a fairly regular basis,( and tells me about it) and he also knows everything about everything. If that wasn't enough  I've got another brother who goes out of his way to make my life difficult, playing tricks and trying (but always failing) to beat me at tennis or badminton. (You'll always be a Loser TN!!) I mean who else when we were children was mean enough to very carefully and sneakily take a pin and pierce my hot water bottle? I woke up in the night and thought I had wet the bed!! Our mother was not amused and blamed herself for not sealing it properly, of course the little snitch never owned up until years later!



I nominated a friend for Fundraiser/volunteer of Jersey and her photo and write up was in last weeks local paper.

I had the whole of the beach to myself for my 9am swim the other morning....

I've been at Macmillan quite a lot this last week accessing their complementary therapies they have on offer, but I will leave that and the 'boating 'stories until next time!!

Thursday 11th June "Once Upon A Time"

Once upon a time there were two friends, let's call them Mrs SC, (Silly Chump) and Mrs JL (Jolly Long), well, one day Mrs Silly called around to visit Mrs Jolly and because she is such a kind and very good friend, she thought she would be helpful and take away her ironing. ( Mrs Jolly doesn't like Ironing much and Mrs Silly LOVES to iron.
A few days passed and Mrs Silly was going out on a boat trip (well a very fast RIB actually) and as she was going to see Mrs Jolly's son she thought she would take the beautifully ironed clothes in the large pink wash tub and pop them into his car, but without telling him. This was her first mistake, the second mistake was the car she had inadvertently put the pressed clothes in, didn't, in fact even belong to Mrs Jolly's son, but to another man.

The next day Mrs Silly saw Mrs Jolly and asked her if she had received her ironing back, as she had by this time told Mrs Jolly's son what she had done. Mrs Jolly got a bit annoyed with her son for leaving lovely clean ironing in his dirty, salty tip of a jeep, and reprimanded him sternly. Her son after apologising profusely..... rushed out to check his jeep for the large pink tub, which of course as we know wasn't there.....

Another day passed and Mrs Silly started to panic, there was no sign of the missing washing. Everybody assumed that it was still in Mr R's car ( the friend) but nobody could get in touch with him. By this time all of the children belonging to Mrs Silly and Mrs Jolly were finding the serious case of the missing ironing highly amusing, not so Mrs Silly who started texting friends to be on the look out for a large pink tub.

Finally on the third day Mr R was contacted, and he sheepishly told the worried ladies, that he had indeed seen the aforementioned basket, and thinking (understandably) that someone foolish had made an error by putting it in his car, promptly took it out and placed it on St Catherines slip two days earlier.

This message reached Mrs Jolly's house at about 10:30pm on Sunday night, so very kindly in a last minute bid to find the ironing another of Mrs Jolly's sons drove down to St Catherines breakwater and after searching the slip, found to everyone's relief a large pink tub full of dusty, and sandy neatly ironed clothes.....

Mrs Silly has asked Mrs Jolly if she could do her ironing this week, but Mrs Jolly has politely declined.

The End.

It has been so windy this week that didnt manage to get in the sea the last couple of days, however a friend and I (Chemo girls) played in the Jersey Hospice tennis tournament. We had the use of a lovely well kept tennis court, and were amazed to not only win our little round robin, but also the quarter finals! However the excitement, heat and strong opposition saw us beaten 3-5 in the semi's. We enjoyed it though and felt pleased we were both able to participate in the event.

The beautiful tennis court.

 Still smiling!

Went online and found this photo of our very wet and windy Race for Life!

The page is still open for donations....https://www.justgiving.com/jillluce

The family.....and friends, celebrating our niece's 18th birthday.

 Mr and Master Happy.....

 Yes Papa, this really is your son and grandchildren, shocking though it may seem......

On a more serious note, one friend has come back post op from UK and is recuperating at home, and the other one is back in the UK, having just started a new batch of Chemo. My thoughts are often with both of them.

Saturday 6th June

Has it really been a week since that wet and windy Race for Life?
The donations are still coming in, which is absolutely fabulous and so far the total on line seems to be £2,723.87, and off line still for me to add on it now stands as £420. That make for a whole row of smiley faces.....but just one will suffice:-) THANKS!


A week in pictures....
Lots of sea dipping this week!

La coupe and 

Bel Val...

 Photo from veg garden....

 Mad Cancer support friends, who were so excited about our new support group RISE, thought they'd pose for a photo!!

 Me and JH....:-)

 One of my very delicious breakfasts of porridge and fruit...needed after a 'jog' with the dog!!

 A really sweet bottle of milk at the village tea rooms in St Martin

 Tennis playing nutters.....