Friday, November 24, 2006

Another week gone, and autumn is fast receding, allowing winter with its short grey days and early darkness to announce itself. Winds have stripped virtually all the leaves from the gardens trees. Whilst the lawns have been treated with moss killer and are due a final cut, weather permitting, before hibernating until the spring.The Garden Late Summer

Fenland Sunset
Originally uploaded by 6dandan3.

Days End

Autumn is my favourite time, cool crisp days, blue skies and sunshine, trees clothed in warm colours, illuminated and emphasised by the clear light, a photogenic time, except perhaps in the virtually treeless land that is the fens.

The Fens are at there most bland now, an ocean of muddy brown earth devoid of hedgerows, criss crossed and divided by deep dyke's, that collect surplus water and channel it through the river system and pumping stations to reservoirs, or out to sea, preventing the land itself from flooding and returning to the seabed from whence it came.

The Fens
Originally uploaded by 6dandan3.

Big skies over big fields

Only the occasional ploughing tractor , breaks the monotony, as it prepares this fertile land, still rich in nutrients from its time at the bottom of the sea, to receive the new crops which will feed and yield abundantly. So abundantly that the European union pay farmers, to let the land lie fallow and unused or become golf courses, rather than reduce the crop prices or stockpile the resultant foods, an aberration in a world that could, but does not feed itself.

Harvest Home
Originally uploaded by 6dandan3.

End of a long day

The tractors are pursued by clouds of seagulls, looking for easy pickings, they like the Cormorants that ravish every river and lake around here, have been driven inland by the overfishing of the seas that supported them and repay the compliment by emptying our waterways, rivers and lakes of fish, rough justice, but annoying to the many anglers that once roamed this area, and a death knell to commercial fisheries and trout farms if the birds are left unchecked. Protected as they are by European law culling is a risky business but a necessity to protect our way of life.

So as winter arrives , we pack our bags and a week from now will embark a cruise liner, our home for the next six weeks and our ticket to hopefully blue skies and warm days. Anne's excitement grows with each passing day as she scurries around finalising her arrangements. Christmas has to be done early before we leave, so a week of gift wrapping and card writing has kept her focused and enabled the shopping she loves to continue unabated.

This week a final trip to to the opticians will enable the correct lenses to be fitted to my glasses as the four weeks settling down period ends, Anne's hair and nails have to be fine tuned all necessities for the social life on board ship.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving day in America, today our eldest will be taking our little treasure to her first ever thanksgiving meal, to meet other couples and adopted American kids, a fulfillment of a promise and an obligation to the kids, to keep them in contact with there roots and an acknowledgement of debt we owe to that country for allowing us to complete our family.

So our final week, much to do and look forward to, how we get on will appear either next Friday night from here, or from our cabin on the high seas some time next week,

posted by Dandan 11:32 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, November 14, 2006



Been a while since I last posted,how time flies. The eyes are doing ok., been to see the specialist again and he is happy, told me to wear dark glasses in the bright light and buy some cheap, off the shelf reading glasses, so looking good. Wish the same could be said for me. Rain and grey conditions seem to have settled in. Now I am able to get out, all those lovely cold and sunny days have gone, typical. Cant remember another year, when the trees still wore a full head of green leaves this late into November. Although the berry bearing varieties are absolutely loaded with fruit, does that signal a cold winter?. Knowing our luck it will be snowing when we arrive back in January.

Anne's grand daughter is deep in rehearsals, having been chosen to play the wicked stepmother in sleeping beauty, the local Amateur Dramatic Societies Pantomime production, due to premier in late Jan. I wonder is a star about to be born? We have booked for the family to go en-mass to the Saturday matinee and then on to our favourite Chinese restaurant for a banquet.Once again we will be missing Christmas, so this is our treat to the kids and there families, should be fun. Strange they always remain your kids no matter how big or old there own children grow, daft really.

Now only two and a half weeks before the cruise begins. The honeymooners came home today, and hopefully he will be up in the loft tomorrow getting down our cases, so Anne can embark on the frenzy of packing, that marks the beginning of a holiday for her, think I will go fishing, safer that way.Thank god we are able to leave some cases on board for us collect, when the ship returns to Southampton. We are disembarking in Singapore, and fly home from there, had we to cart all the cases ourselves, the excess baggage would cost more than the damn plane is worth, given the amount of luggage Anne takes.

posted by Dandan 12:29 PM 0 comments

Sunday, November 05, 2006


Things much better today, all the discomfort has gone and the eye only feels a little bruised if touched, the eye drops no longer hurt. My glasses are all to cock though and will need replacing, my long sight is much improved and everywhere is so bright.Went out to lunch today and was able to drive the car. Although night driving is out of the question, cannot handle the bright lights. Will return and see the surgeon on Thursday and take it from there.

So a just 4 weeks from yesterday, we will be starting out on our cruise, Anne has got some new evening dresses for the formal nights, and I am looking for a wide angle lens for the camera. Heard from the honeymoon couple today, the weather in Cyprus is grey and raining so no sun bathing by the pool thus far, But they sound as though they are enjoying themselves.

Guy Fawkes day today and there are many fireworks going off all around, the air is full of stars, bright lights, flashes, whistles, screams and bangs. You feel for the animals and pets, many are terrified. People must have money to burn because these things are very expensive and there are plenty of organised displays to be seen for little or no money, doesn't make sense really.

My grandsons birthday tomorrow so have to go and deliver his card and present, life goes on.

posted by Dandan
href="http://dansway.blogspot.com/2006/11/things-much-better-today-all.html">8:55 AM 1 comments

Friday, November 03, 2006


Yesterday was the big day, we arrived at the hospital before eight, the waiting nurse showed us to a private room gave us a coffee, and took our detail's. The surgeon then came in and and briefed us on what lay ahead An hour before the operation was due, the nurse returned,to put some drops in my eye to dilate it, 30 Min's later she did the same again. I was then collected, walked to the operating theatre and climbed onto the table.

As I had elected to stay awake during the procedure, anaesthetics were dribbled into my eye and the area around it was also painted and anaesthetised, my face was covered with a special sticky cloth, which held my eye open, classical music begun to play and the surgeon cut my eye open. A special ultra sonic machine was used to break up the lens which was then sucked out, through the cut. The test made on my previous visit had enabled an equivalent lens to be manufactured, this was folded like an umbrella and on being placed in the eye through the cut, it opened and became the permanent replacement for my own lens. The surgeon then tidied up and had me returned by wheelchair to my room.

Here I was shocked to find, that I now had two wives, consternation, one cost enough two would be unsustainable. Luckily I was suffering from double vision, which soon settled down and returned to normal. After an hours rest a coffee and a sandwich, I was able to return to the car and was driven home.

The rest of the day was a little uncomfortable, especially as Anne had to drip steroids drops into the eye on an hourly basis.I had to wear a special shield to bed, but a pain killer and a mild sedative saw me sleep like a baby.

Today has been interesting, colours are so much brighter, even though my glasses are useless and will need attention when the eye settles down, in all probability I will only need them for reading and the computer, as my long sight should be fine, we shall see. So a busy and it would seem productive 24 hours, but will not really know the final outcome for a couple of weeks.But it would appear to have been money well spent.

posted by Dandan
11:22 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, November 01, 2006


Anne's daughter went to the hospital today. and was told she can throw the stick away and walk unaided. Well done young lady. She posted her CV online and has already been lined up for a number of interviews, she will soon be working and 4 years of hell will become a memory.
posted by Dandan 7:51 AM 0 comments