Do you have a special place?

Do you have a special place? I have several, I know what you're thinking!  I'm greedy! But throughout my forty three years I've been to a lot of places, some better than others admittedly, but a lot all the same. So heres a couple of my special places and one I detest.

The dentist is definately not one of my special places, in fact it has to be in my top five of worst ever. And why oh why is the appointment always at two thirty (tooth hurty). In fact me and hubs have an appointment in April and I hope he forgets-don't remind him! 
When I was a child I recall, quite vividly, our day-trips to the seaside. Dad and I would make sandcastles and paddle in the sea looking for seashells. Lunch would be either a picnic that mum had put together or dad would fetch chips (fries) from the fish and chip shop (why do they always taste better at the seaside?). After playing all morning and with a full tummy I'd lay on the blanket between by parents, lay a large towel over myself and fall asleep. I remember feeling very content and safe. I loved it!  I was lucky to be raised by happy, fun but sensible parents who taught me good values. 

We'd often have a sunday afternoon out at a park called Boultham (pronounced boot-um) Park that was about seven miles from home. My parents and I, two older brothers (12 & 14 years older than me) and their girlfriends would all go together. The park had everything, a bandstand which had a brass band playing, plenty of grassed area to lay a blanket out to laze in the sunshine or eat a picnic. The lake had boats for hire, obviously dad did the rowing! There was swings, slides, a seesaw and roundabout and also plenty of woodland with pathways throughout. It was idyllic.

 When I'd left home and had my son, I'd often take him there. We'd pick up the autumnal leaves, watch the

squirrels scuttle about climbing the trees. He'd play on the swings etc and we'd feed the ducks.

I live a five minute walk from the park now and visit often with hubs to feed the swans and ducks and reminisce about how my family and I would play French cricket, then eat ice-creams and ride on the miniature railway.
Hubs lived a couple of miles away while he grew up and would often visit the park himself with his family. So our paths may of crossed all those years ago!

The park makes me very nostalgic. I love the place, remembering playing their as a child and then years later playing there with my child. Now I walk there hand in hand with my husband 

The Boultham estate originally belonged to the Ellison family.
The hall was rebuilt during 1874 and was often thrown open for garden parties, galas and fetes.
After 1909 the house became vacant due to the owners death.
During the First World War the house was used as a convalescent home for soldiers. After the war much of the land was sold for new housing.
The remaining grounds were finally secured by Lincoln City Council in 1929. The grounds were laid out as a public park with the hall being demolished in 1959.

 The park is steeped in history and now it's part of my history. It's without a doubt my very special place.
So, dear readers, do you have special place?

Fancy a true story?

I have a true story to tell you. My dad told me about their escapade the other day and it still makes me chuckle. This is what happened to my parents on one normal Saturday morning.  Dad (75) was taking my mum (74) to the Drs surgery for an eleven am appointment with the nurse for a flu jab. They arrived in plenty of time and dad assisted mum out of the car. Unfortunately, mum has had two mini strokes in the last ten years and she often loses her balance, so my dad holds her hand like young lovers and guides her through the entrance.  As they walked in they went over to the touch screen panel and dad booked her in. First it asks the month you're born, then the day and you finish off with the sex (meaning male or female) apparently dad looked for the "yes please" option (eewww)! The instruction "please wait in the Lindsey suite" was given. Mum and dad looked at each other slightly confused.  "Where's that Philip" mum enquired? "I'm not sure Maureen" dad answered, then pointed at a door saying,  "maybe it's through there". There was no receptionist to ask, she'd disappeared, so they just proceeded to walk through the main waiting room, where three people waited, and through the door which they were guessing was the right way to go to get to the Lindsey suite. My mum and dad walked along the corridor and through another door when mum stopped and said, "are you sure this is the right way"? "Maureen, to be honest, I'm not so sure" dad admitted.  "I think we ought to turn around and go back" So they both turned to open the second door they'd gone through, but to their horror they were locked in, it needed a security code! "Oh my god Philip, what we gonna do"? "Don't panic Maureen, don't panic"!  She wasn't! "I've got my phone on me, I can always ring someone for help" Dad  remained calm.  "Who would you ring" Mum asked? "Ermmm I don't know really, but I'll bang on the door and hope someone hears us"  So my dad starts banging and calling out, my mum is giggling at this stage.  "Philip, we might be here all night" Dad looks at her and starts banging louder calling out,  "hello, is there anybody there".  Nothing, so he calls again even louder. Then all of a sudden they hear a little voice.  "Who is it" they call? "Never mind who is it, will you just come and let us out"! I think my dad was stressed.  The voice belonged to Dr Craven who's been their doctor for more than thirty years.  The doctor opened the door to see my parents stood there looking rather ashamed.  "What're you doing in here? He asked bemused.

"We thought it was the way to the Lindsey Suite" spoke a very embarrassed dad.  "The main waiting room is where you wait, that is the Lindsey Suite" doctor said.  "Oh, sorry Doctor Craven, Maureen thought it was through here" dad answered trying to look innocent.  "I did not Philip, don't blame me. It wasn't me Doctor, honestly", mum went red in the face!  "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, you're out now so go and wait in the waiting room for your appointment". Mum and Dad sauntered off in the direction of the main waiting room. They took their seats as everyone stared but instead of just sitting there taking the shame, mum piped up saying,  "We just got ourselves locked in an office" then went on to tell them all the whole story! Dad, well he hung his head in shame. 

What's your new year resolution?

A new year is upon us, a new beginning to right our wrongs, to make changes to our lives. We're not perfect beings are we? I'm nearly perfect (my father says) but I want to make changes too. I'm not going to call them new year resolutions though as they're always forgotten but I will pledge the following- • To not start smoking (that's not very likely as I hate the smell and wouldn't pay good money to maybe end up with COPD or any other smoking related illnesses). • To eat as healthy as possible (chocolate has milk as an ingredient which equals to a good measure of calcium, enough said). • To do more light exercise (walk to the pub more often). • Read more (and I don't just mean menus). • To not use the word diet(unless the words "fried food" or "dessert" are somehow involved)

This year I'd like to write a novel, I have the main idea so that's a start. Now the hard work starts!  But what I'd really like to do this year is make a difference to someones life. I don't know who or even how but I'm sure something will crop up. Maybe I ought to have a "problem page" where you readers email me your issues and I'd endeavour to come up with a solution or just let you vent your frustrations, a problem shared and all that!

Most of all I wish for good health (as mine isn't) for my family, friends and you, my readers! I also wish for "just enough" because that's all I need. Just enough money, luck and happiness. I'm not greedy, though I'd like plenty of love please (especially from hubs)! So I'll raise a glass to you to wish you all a happy 2012!