Mr and Mrs Randall 51, Caernarvon House, Hallfield Estate, LONDON W2 5EQ. HOME

The ashes of my wonderful parents now lie amongst the roses in the flowerbed outside their block of flats.
They also enrich the vast lawns surrounding their home, the railings too being knighted by their dust. Not content with lavishing the exterior I dropped  handfuls of silver ashes through their letterbox and along the windowsills of the kitchen and bathroom. I don't have the keys any more so when I peered tearfully
 through the letterbox I was saddened, made numb by what I saw. The rooms were empty. The council  had been in, removed chairs and cupboards and cooker and dad's desk. It wasn't home any more.
I didn't know what to say to Mr Horsehound as I let the letterbox snap shut.
We stepped into the lift and before pressing the button we let loose heaps of mum and dad down the lift shaft.
Standing on the sixth floor of their block of flats we graced the air with falling ashes and as they drifted and danced through the London air sunlight made them old bones twinkle .
As we drifted away I scattered what was left of my parents, my friends, in the children's playground where mum and me used to sit.
Tears blurred my vision as I said goodbye. They are now though back home. And I have to say I feel like I've left them.
I  hope they'll be alright.

Home. A Poem

Tomorrow I'm taking mum and dad home.  
Back to London they will go. 
On the train. 
In my arms.
And whether snow, heatwave or flood I will,
with acres of love wrapped and wound around me,
throw the perfect loves of my life
from their verandah
along the grass verges
from the rooftop

like loved-up confetti.

Table Sale

Several people showed an interest in the Stewart Granger DVD boxed set but no sale. Two ladies bought two dresses and were pleasantly stunned by the asking price. £1 each.

Here I am trying to flog some Agatha Christie. A nice old lady said she only watches the televised versions of Ms Christie's books. She didn't, she said, have the patience to read. A man with a skull tattoo bought a Denzel Washington DVD. Might seem hard to believe that I'd sell a film with my favourite actor in it but it isn't, I feel, one of his finest. Got 50p for it.

I had four handbags to sell and sold two also giving pleasure was a small red purse which the customer said would be lovely for her mobile phone. Thank you very much Madam. Another 50p.

My next door neighbour the ever so sweet Michelle bought a paperback copy of Mrs Beeton. Going well I thought.
After a while the crowds dwindled so while Mr Horsehound held the fort Mr Hairy Suit and I had a meander to check out my high-powered retail rivals,
Rubbish! It was a diabolical liberty what they were charging. I did though swing by an Asian gentleman's little emporium and buy a flan tin. He was chuffed. Later on  his wife strolled over to my table and bought a black and white frock for £1.

It was a fabulous morning's work. Sunny, funny and a little bit of money.


By the way I couldn't shift the lamp.
All offers gratefully received.

Plates and Cake Pics

Never one to miss a decent plate I bagged eight today in the charity shop.
All caramel coloured with squiggly flowers. Not worth a brass farthing but absolute gems to a collector like me.
Also bought for 75p were two fair sized bowls which will be used for pasta.
A whisk for 25p.
A pink feather duster 50p.

Talking of shifting old stuff..I've bought my pitch on which I'll be setting up my table to sell old wares this Saturday.........
Can't wait...

BY the way over on My Table there are pics of food. Might take some cakes to sell on Saturday....
Watch this space.

Two Strikes

It's a wonder my monitor didn't explode yesterday ( 14th ) I did after all score two Strikes when bowling and, being a glutton for punishment, I had to choose the heaviest ball,
And as I watched the huge purple thing career down the alley I thought..."Ticker prob? What ticker prob? I mean that was one heavy ball and 5ft me hurled it graciously with not even a hint of approaching cardiac arrest.
Total rubbish all these hospital appointments.
They're taking up time which could and should be spent engaging in nicer things. Like shopping. Like cooking. Talking of which...After bowling Young Little Hairy Suit and I dawdled around two charity shops, me with my hand constantly in my purse, and little Hairy groaning with all the stuff he'd 'bought'.
Later on....
Cooking was done.. I made Nasi Goreng for last night's tea. And as Mr Horsehound scooped up his pork I dreamed about the weekend's food.
It's good to dream. Nay, essential according to psychiatrists. So off my mind went coming up with some tasty treats for the weekend. Mostly cake.

After bagging groceries this morning I'll take a little time out for a light luncheon. Probably some kind of meatless sandwich. Then I'm off to the hospital to drop my monitor into a big box.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the doc 'reads' it.
"Good God woman what WERE  you doing on the 14th from 11:30 am to 1:30pm?"
"Having a ball Doc, having a ball"

I Didn't Set Orf Any Alarms

......Today my ticker was looked into by Rachel and Catarina. On Monday it was gazed at by Simon. All thoroughly decent cardiac bods at Southend hospital. Each of them doing their bit to find out what is happening to my most vital organ
I wont go into ghastly detail about all the procedures I'm sure you can figure it out, suffice to say a lot of gels and computers and wires were flung about.
After an indecently early appointment (08:40) with Rachel I was ushered orf down the lemon and brown corridor to see tall dark haired Caterina who, bless her tried to put me at ease.
"Its alright I just put theeese on your skin and dey monitor what your art is doing" Big grin.
Oh my Lord I thought I'm going to be done up like a kipper. But I needn't have worried the small cream coloured apparatus which is stuck smack bang in the middle of the Great Valley of Boosarms isn't too offensive to the eye. I do though dislike the long wire which dangles from it ending up with another gizmo attached to my left rib.
"Undo it if you take a shower" said Caterina
"And after you dry remember to re connect"

Oh God.

I need to wear this contraption until Saturday until then if I get any pain or strange sensations I'm to log it on a bit of paper noting the time and activity I'm engaged in......Hmmmm




Imaginary scenario which might make the consultant wonder what the heck I'm doing there in the first place...

Ooooh baby, we'd better not...

but why darling why

my cables might pop out

oh yeah..... I forgot

yeah well I have to log any action that ups my heart rate

you don't mean?

I do

can't you disconnect?

for how long

Oh I dunno

The usual? 10 mins

I was thinking more of a long nighter, say two hours max

You must be joking honeykins National Health Service equipment isn't that good it might start smoking

oh alright then 10 mins

and darling...remember..... don't bite me connectors

Like To See You Again, Mum

- emboldened
- I clung to my camera
- in hopes you'd tip tip toe into view
- but all I got was
- more desperate

- ethereal images in shopping malls only fit well in movies