A busy ole Saturday it was too!

Up at the normal time but then off to the men's breakfast at Bridge Church.

Visit To Lindy and Co!

Lindy pulled the face as Lainie photobombed it!

 No sooner back from that and it is off to "the middle of nowhere" where the Hornby family are staying on holiday for lunch and fun.

As you can see they had a pool and I just love this picture of Lindy and Lainie so it had to be added!

Sue and I stayed until mid afternoon then it was all getting too noisy in the pool so we took our leave.

It was lovely seeing them all and I WILL get a photo of the four of them together at some point?

 After this it was home for a relaxing evening and snooze!

It is finished!

On the 1st of October 2018 I started trying to read the Bible in a year.
Well as it turned out I really enjoyed the challenge so much that here we are the 1st of August 2019 and I have finished it!
I will not say I was not challenged at times in some books of the old testament when you have "lists and laws"!
I have made it in 305 days shaving some 60 days off the year (I would have done it in 300 but forgot to take the plan with me on a visit to Milton Keynes).
My problem is now, what do I do with the first 30 to 45 minutes when I get up?

Mmm now I got this study book from the bookshop recently and I think it may keep me occupied for a while?
I have always struggled a bit to get my head round Hebrews and Revelation so hopefully it will be very illuminating!

Follow this space!

July 31st and Lainie is 15.

Up at dawn and off to Cornwall services at Victoria to Breakfast here.

Thanks to Sue taking her camera we were snapped enjoying a right sumptuous meal.




After that it was shopping in Bodmin and Back to Lanson for a bar-b-que at ours.

I started cooking and Stacey took over as the old guy had a funny turn. Thank you Stacey.


I will finish with Photos of Lainie and Levi (her boyfriend).

Lainie 15 today.

Levi.

Another one bites the dust!

I must be getting old! I have taken up doing jigsaw puzzles.
Mind you I only occasionally venture above 500 pieces and that is to the dizzying heights of 636!  Well they do keep me awake! Lol.
Here is the latest that I have just finished and a few that I have done earlier.

Ah so which one to do next? Better search the multitude waiting in the wardrobe!
Many thanks to Sharon and Syd, her father-in-law for the provision of the above.
Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Question, why do today's young people seem to think the older generation owe them a living?

I am just reminded of something that happened recently. This is just one of recent incidences to illustrate what I mean.

As usual I will start at the beginning.

A visit to see friends in Wiltshire was arranged recently. Of this on talking to one of our grandchildren he suggested we meet up at a local Wetherspoons for a meal. On his arrival (he was late) I suggested that as it was both of us I would not expect him to pay for us all so suggested that either he pay for the food or the drinks. As the drinks were inclusive with the meal deals we separated the 2 prices and it was agreed that I would pay it all and he would transfer the cost of the drinks £6 or £7 into my bank account.

We went to get the drinks and order the food and while waiting for the food to arrive he transferred the sum into my account (or said he did). Needless to say it failed to arrive, although I did not know this at the time as I never checked! Well he is our grandson!

Forward now to when we got home on the Monday. I looked at my bank account as there had been a problem with the card machine at the bakers we called in on on the way back home. I noticed the payment had not arrived so I contacted him and he stated that "I must have entered the details wrong as it has been pinged back to me". So I sent him the details again having checked that it was correct.

It is now 12 days since that happened and sad to say that it has failed to arrive.

I don't think I would mind so much if it had not been for the fact that he invited us to meet him for a meal and that I had always paid before when we had met. Then it was us that asked so I would expect to pay. Yes it is only 6 or 7 quid but that is not the point!!!

I do not think I need to say more than that but it does illustrate the point! I do not intend to press the point further with him but it is the sort of thing I would have expected from his father but not him!!!

Any answers or comments in the usual place below please.....

Facebook have BLOCKED The Last Reformation film "THE BEGINNING"!

As many of you no doubt are aware I have been involved for some years now with a group called The Last Reformation. We go out onto the streets healing and praying for people, evangelising and generally spreading the Word of God!

I was gobsmacked this morning on learning on facebook that the movie made by The Last Reformation entitled The Beginning has been blocked by facebook as "going against their community standards" I am posting it on here so that you can make up your own mind and if you find it interesting, helpful or even offensive please post in the comments to let me know?

I did try to post it to facebook myself just to be sure and this is what happened as I took a screenshot of it!

Torben Sondergaard and The Last Reformation do sterling work that needs as much publicity as they can get. If you use facebook please try to post it and object to the blocking! Thankyou.

When I tried to post it I was taken to an area that allowed me to voice my objection to the removal of what I was trying to post. This I did in no uncertain terms! 

We must try to stop this devious work that can only, I feel, come from Satan himself as we know how he hates any work by God's people that make a difference!

SO WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

Tyler is to be a father.

Tyler and his partner Bethany are to become parents in August and Sue, myself, Stella and Lainie are all feeling the lack of communication quite markedly at the moment!

As was stated in the earlier post about control Nicky and Mark have separated themselves and ultimately their children from all of us (including Lindy and family).

I sometime ago composed a letter to Bethany (sent via facebook messenger) as we have no idea what she has been told as to the reasons that there has been no contact with us since Mark, Nicky and the boys moved a couple of years ago? The reason being that we were never given a forwarding address!

The letter is as follows word for word.

"Dear Bethany,

We have never met but I am Tyler’s grandfather and I am desperate?

Myself and Mark’s mother (your child’s great grandmother) are gutted not to be able to be involved with your expected child. This is through no fault of our own. I do not know what you have been told about why we have nothing to do with Tyler’s family, this is very definitely not our choice, so perhaps I should give you a little bit of the history of events leading up to this time?

Mark had always been very close to his mother as he always had been as growing up it was just being the 4 of them with Ron, Freda and Tony. That was basically the whole family unit.

About 18 years ago Nicky lost her mother very suddenly. Around the time that Corben was born.

Shortly after this we noticed that we were hearing less and less from Mark and Nicky. There was a noticeable distancing between us all as a family, less and less contact was very much in evidence. We tried our best to keep in touch even to the point of arranging holidays in Cornwall in 2007 and 2009 to try to keep the family unit together.

The trend was very noticeable and mystifying as when on the odd occasion that we did see them and met at family events (funerals, weddings etc.) it was as if nothing was wrong and everything was hunky dory?

Hearsay is that Nicky was jealous of Mark’s relationship with his mother (as she had lost hers) and at one time it came to her giving Mark the option of “Nicky and the boys or his mother”. (this came from Mark via Stella I think).

We have never in any way done anything to upset or offend Mark or Nicky and as far as I know there has never been a cross word said between any of us?

We do find it very hurtful and upsetting that after the last house move from Edgell Road we have never been allowed to have the contact details, neither address or telephone numbers of where they have moved to and so have been unable to send presents or even cards to anyone, especially Tyler and Corben! Stella and Lindy both feel it is not their place to pass them on to us as they also do not want to upset Nicky!

Every 12^th January, Mother’s day, 24^th May, Tyler and Corbens birthdays and Christmas I have tears to deal with from Sue. She feels it very deeply and is feeling very sad to be excluded from the excitement of a great grandchild.

I know this is not your fault but please do not look too badly on us for trying to keep the peace in Tyler’s family. Really we do not know which way to turn for the best so up to now have just kept quiet!

Please give our love to Tyler & Corben and much love to yourself.

Glyn Xxxx"

As of this date this post the letter has not been seen as far as we are aware? At least there has been no response so watch this space!

What is wrong with me? Do I have something that is catching? Am I going to taint their children?

I am becoming increasingly aware that my daughter Elizabeth and her family are getting more and more distant from me. It is like I am tainted and this hurts me immensely! (See previous post about control)

When Alice had her graduation last year I was somewhat disappointed that I was not invited to it even though it appears they had a spare ticket! I did voice my disappointment!

WELL THEY HAVE DONE IT AGAIN! What is the first I get to know about it, a post on facebook with some pictures!!! Am I never to be allowed to be a part of their family?

All I can do is from a distance wish Alice all the best for the future and send her lots and lots of love!

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

CONTROL, one persons control over another and how it impacts on us and others?

I know it is a strange subject but alas it is one that seems to keep rearing its' ugly head more and more of late.

Firstly I must say that I will be mentioning people that are still alive today by name and if they stumble across this blog one day by accident they will perhaps understand a little about how their actions, thoughtlessness and selfishness have impacted on us and hurt us and others around us. So for this I make no apology!

So how did it come to mind now? Mainly a visit we made to friends over the weekend where the wife has total control over her husband.

Let me go back oooo some 53 years to 1966 when I first got married. My first wife was it seems very jealous of any time I spent away from her, be it with family, friends or anyone that kept me away from her. Also it seems she wanted me to herself so even if I was with family and she was there there was always a noticeable atmosphere that she created by being lazy and offensive! My mother was the first one to notice this and pointed it out and after that I was always alerted to it!
  It never changed and she succeeded in losing me any friends I had but the one thing she could not come between was me and my family! It was not for the want of trying I can assure you!

Now I am going to list those that I will be looking at in this post, the list is quite long and I will list them in the measure that their actions have affected us!

1. Mark and Nicky.
2. Liz and Brendan.
3. Ben, Kayley and Kath (Ben's mother).
4. Mike and Jane.
5. Sharon and Peter.
6. Rob and Sarah-Jane.
7. Danny and Angela.

So the best place to start is the top!

Nicky Atkinson and her control over Mark. 

We can pinpoint the time it started, that it seems is the time that Nicky lost her mother with whom she was very close. We think that it was decided by her that as she had lost hers Mark also must lose his?
Mark up to that time had always had a very close relationship with his mother Sue. We noticed from this point on that after perhaps a year or so contact with them started getting less and less from them to us. Although it was still normal the other way.
Slowly the contact from them drifted off to nothing!
Strangest thing was that when there had to be contact through family things such as weddings and funerals it was as if you had only seen them the day before and everything was hunky dory!
Two joint family holidays were arranged in 2007 & 2009 to try to repair the damage or at least try to air what the problem was but to no avail!
Forward to Lindy's wedding in 2014 when all contact was NORMAL!!!! It is totally beyond all our comprehension or understanding?
Lets move on to the present day? It seems that Nicky has now come between Mark and his sisters, Both Stella and Lindy it seems have no contact with them now.
They are about to have a grandchild, this would be our great grandchild and not only have we not been informed but we do not even have an address for them as when they moved a couple of years ago no details were passed on to us!

Liz and Brendan Ricketts and the total control of their children.

This seems quite an odd one, well it seems that way to me! The way that their total control of Alice and Emily have robbed us of any relationship that we could have had with them. 

This has been going on for years, ever since the children were small we were never permitted to spend any time alone with them. It seems to have been a conscious decision by Liz and Brendan as it stretched to the whole of our family, or at least Liz's?

I do not know if it was only "The Cotterill" family that there was a problem with or if it was the same with "The Ricketts" as well? We have never been left alone with the children long enough to find out!

I think that it is possibly not the case as when we lived at Saltford they would pass where we lived several times a week to visit "the Ricketts" family and also the fiasco at the 50th birthday BBQ where Liz's family were invited to a totally separate party than Brendan's family and their friends!!!! YES THAT HURT! And I never even went to it but felt for my children and grandchildren that did!

Ben and how he seems to be controlled by his girlfriend and mother!

We have a great granddaughter called Thea-Paige. We are not allowed to see her though due to lies and deceit by her parents and her fathers mother. 

I am not going any deeper than that but as they are only an hour and a quarter away seems such a shame and Richard is extremely hurt by this as are we. 

Jane and how she controls Mike.

Mike met Jane just before he came on holiday to Scotland with us in 2011. Sue and I had become quite close to Mike since he lost his wife Sue to cancer in 2007. He had spent a lot of time with us both in Wales and after we moved to Cornwall. 

The first sign was his beard vanished for the first time in many a moon soon after his return. Then he was on the move to another flat in the same complex. Well then they got married in 2012 and we saw less and less of him. We soon noticed he was seeing less and less of his children especially after she got him moved to Cheddar!

Update to today. We only see him if he comes to Cornwall on holiday or if we make the effort to go to Cheddar! C'est la vie.

Sharon and Peter.

This is really only noticeable when you stay with them and seems to work only in the evening? 

Peter has a real problem with drink and drugs, Sharon now only with drink. During the day they seem to strike a happy medium but as soon as Pete gets home from work the whole atmosphere changes.

Rob and Sarah-Jane.

Who knows how this one works? SJ cut herself off from our family immediately after their wedding. I think I have seen her about 3 or 4 times since and Rob about 3 times as much. I have had the feeling that our family is so much below hers in status that we have never been worth bothering with!
They have 2 children that I think I have met 2 or 3 times at most?

Angela Greatwood and her control of Danny.

Well that is a whole other story that I will do on another post and another day!

Stella's itchy feet strike again! or is it painful knees?

When Stella moved here She seemed quite settled in the jobs she had had. Always very loyal to her employer and hard working in the things that she aspired to!

Since moving here however I think she appears to have been quite unsettled in the jobs she has had but still very loyal. Well needless to say--- 

Here we go again..........Lol!

Firstly I will list the jobs from moving here in May 2012 to present:-

June 2012 to Sept 2015 care assistant at Kernow House.

Sept 2015 to Oct 2015 Sales person at Carpet Right.

Oct 2015 to Aug 2016 back at Kernow House.

Aug 2016 to July 2017 Care assistant, challenging unit on nights at Bowden Derra Park.

July 2017 to Aug 2019 Supervisor at a Cooperative Store.

As of the 1st August there is to be a total career change! Stella is going to work in an office as a receptionist! It is back at Bowden Derra Park, Polyphant.

Let us go back a couple of years.

As those that know Stella will be aware of a certain joint weakness in her knees. After two years of constant pain and many tears she has come to a realisation that boredom is better than pain? Well we hope so as it is full time Mon-Fri days (I think possibly for the first time in her life) should be better for both her home life and most certainly for Lainie.

Sue and myself  wish her all the best in her new career and we are sure that it will be for the best in the long run. 💘😉😀
🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖🐖

Weekend in Holt Wilts 12 - 15 July 2019

Had a lovely weekend visiting the Greatwood's home.

First went to Saltford for a concert by Bath Community Gospel Choir to which Danny and Angela belong and participated in. Well true to say I went while Sue had a lovely afternoon watching the Tennis!

Next on to Sunday and a Bar-B-Que in the garden with musicians, friends and acquaintances of our hosts. Sue had a lovely afternoon watching Wimbledon! Lol. 

Our very good friend Danny who it is fair to say never stopped smiling all afternoon!

Launceston MVC 2014 - 2019

There are too many concerts and trips to record but here is a selection of pictures to cover the time.

Just three of the highlights.
You can find a lot more here which is my YouTube channel.

Atlantic Village Bideford November 2014

Wells Cathedral April 2016

Men of Cornwall Tour of Northampton October 2017

St. Chadd's Cathedral Birmingham (top)

Rugby Parish Church (middle)

Northampton Baptist Church (bottom)

Link to watch the Tour on YouTube.

My discipleship with Christ 2014 - 2019.

Much has happened over the 5 years between then and now!

I have changed church for 1 thing but let me start at the beginning.

As you will have seen in 2014 I had skin cancer on my face well over the next few months I developed cancer in my throat! This was miraculously healed by God via a man called Don at church one Sunday morning. In fact it was 2 days before I was due to go the hospital to have it dealt with. Well I went and nothing was found!!!! Healed, totally clear and never had any problem since PRAISE GOD!

This in turn made me start seeking to learn more about healing and was led to a man called Torben Sondegaard and The Last Reformation (TLR) who were having a weekend seminar in Leicester that they called a "Kickstart". Going out onto the street and healing on there.

I attended and everything just fell into place, everything made sense in that Jesus Christ not only died on the cross for our sin but also to be healed.

I think the biggest revelation to me though was the fact that when God sent his Spirit at Pentecost it was to ALL men who are His receive it at baptism! YES, I WAS GIVEN THE SAME POWER TO HEAL AT PENTECOST THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE DISCIPLES WHO WERE THERE!

Well to cut a long story short the church that I belonged to at that time did not seem to recognise this and I started to find a level of control by the leadership of that fellowship that disturbed me greatly, to such an extent that in the end I felt that I had to distance myself from them!

So for the next 3 years or so I drifted meeting where I could with friends for study and going out onto the streets with TLR both in Launceston and other west country towns. I never at any point though lost any of the unshakable faith I have in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour!

Well needless to say eventually God found me a church in the local area (in fact it is the closest to me) called Bridge Church and so last September I tentatively attended for the first time with a friend who was also seeking a church. Well as soon as I walked through the door and climbed the stairs I felt right at home. I have now settled into fellowship there and the church has since moved into a much larger space in the warehouse next door and is growing and developing all the time! They are a church that trust God to supply everything, if they feel God is speaking to them they get on with it trusting God to provide the means, and so far He has! The Church even has a door now!

I am happily serving on the prayer team and Sue and I help with the after school club for 4 to 11 year olds on a Monday.

Watch this space!

5 plus years!!

Has it really been 5+ years since I last posted on here?
So much water has gone under the bridge since then but I will get around to telling you all in due time as being of the elderly mind I have to recall all in time? Does that make sense?

Life has moved on so much and so much has changed in that time.

I think the best way to go may be to list events and then cover those I remember! Lol

Visit to see Danny 10 to 12/05/2014

Got up quite excited on the 10th as off to Holt to get re-acquainted with Danny Greatwood after about 48 years and to meet his wife of 45 years for the first time.

Decided the day before that as we could not arrive until after 1800 that we would pay a long awaited visit to Tyntesfield House, a National Trust property near Bristol on the way.

Unfortunately the weather had other ideas and it was a really horrid morning with really heavy April showers, the fact that it was May seemed immaterial ha ha! So we decided to abandon plan a and do a plan b and divert to Frome and see if Mike and Jane were up for lunch at the Frome Flyer? They certainly were so they booked a table for 1300 and we arrived at the same time as them, after having a coffee break on the way, at 1250. A wonderful lunch was had with lovely company and then we just had a couple of hours to kill until we could get to Holt!

We went and had a cuppa in the garden centre at Studley then had a drive around stopping at Bradford-on-Avon for a comfort break before arriving at Holt at about 1810.

Had a lovely time and as it is now July 2019 and I have just found this I am guessing I should put it on and perhaps add a picture or 2 from the visit!

Glyn's apprentice!

Well talk about taking to latch hooking like a duck to water! Only had to Show Lainie a few times and she was doing it nearly as fast as me within half an hour or so!

Most confidently going like a good 'un and watching the telly as well!

Still under the ole mans' watchful eye though! lol!

Am I missing Fb and Twitter?

The short answer is yes, but not too much!
It means that I have been spending much more time doing the things that were being neglected of late, spending time with, and listening to God, I have been very aware that FB and Twitter must sit very much on the back-burner after Easter! The things that have been revealed to me I will enlarge upon when they have fully worked their course!
I am a little disappointed that most of my children have only presumed that I am ok and only Elizabeth has seen fit to actually ring me (twice) to see how the cancer treatment has been going. Makes me wonder if they really care? Apparently they are so wrapped up in their own little worlds that I no longer seem to matter?
What have I been up to so far, well apart from the usual things like doing the news magazine etc. for the church and the Launceston MVC, I have been sorting the change of bank from the Co-op to Barclays and of course the aforementioned which really seemed to knock 10 skittles of s**t out of me!!
Now that it is over and I am well on the road to recovery my thoughts are returning to getting back to the voluntary work that I do for the Launceston Money Advice Centre and Kernow House old folks home, oh and also what Sue took a photo of me doing (below)!

Yes it is a Disney latch hook rug! The second one I have done.

The first one is getting a bit threadbare now but I still love it!

2 Days further on

Well they said it would get worse before it got better! Every so often a lump breaks the skin and pops out through and thereby leaves a freshly open wound. I presume it is lumps of dead cancer cells that my body is ejecting as the hospital advised may be the case? Thankfully is seems to happen where there is already a scab. (updated Sunday 30th March)

The Last Treatment (I Hope)

Attended Derriford Hospital yesterday for the last of the treatment on the skin cancer and was much more painful than the first one! I also have a good deal more swelling especially around the eye.
Sue was so concerned about it that I rang the hospital this morning and they assured me that it was quite normal, but if not gone down by Friday to return without an appointment and they will be only too happy to look at it for me.

OUCH THAT HURT LOL!!

3 days after

I took this picture a few minutes ago on my tablet to show 3 days after the first treatment.
I hope it looks a bit better by Sunday as we have a concert at Ashwater Parish Hall!

Sue says that it will not look too bad at a distance!

Post script to previous post on the 18th! 20/03/2014

I do not know how this happened but I lost one and three quarter pounds this week which takes me under the 18 stones! JUST! So chuffed!!

Possible Bank Account Change 19/03/2014

Sue and I bank with the Cooperative Bank with our main current account, and as many of you will know they are not having the best of times at the moment BBC News here will tell you if you don't!

Sue and I arranged an appointment with Santander to see about the 123 account which had been recommended to us by a member of LCC and works for the bank and we duly arrived at 1000!
We were very politely shown into an office by one Paul Elkin to see about changing over. I by law have to tell them that in 2010 we declared ourselves bankrupt! Look here To say an attitude change occurred would grossly be an understatement! We were very promptly shown from the office without even a goodbye handshake! I think he went back in his office and scraped the bottom of his shoes off!

So funny as it will encourage their staff perhaps to listen to customers when they speak to them as I had asked the lady who made the appointment if being bankrupt in 2010 would cause any problems? To this I received no reply so considered it was hunky dory!

Now we have decided to stay with the Cooperative Bank as to be truthful they have been more than good to us in the past, but not to the extent of leaving all the funds that they hold so opening a savings account that is internet accessible with possibly Barclays to hold the bulk of the funds that are now held by the Coop.

As I always say that annoys the hell out of Sue "well at the end of the day it's only money"! As you may have guessed Sue worries enough about the stuff for both of us and I learned a long time ago that God provides ALL that we need and so I put all my cares about money on Him as He is big enough! Praise Him!

Today the cancer treatment started 18/03/2014

Well up early for the start of the Photodynamic Therapy Treatment for the skin cancer on my cheek. It involves 2 appointments 3 hours apart hence the visit to KFC to kill time!
As I am on a diet at the moment I have real fears that the weight loss is going to be in the negative this week!!! What with Trencreek Sunday, Homegroup meal Monday and now KFC Tuesday! Perhaps if I starve until Thursday morning?
Stella came with Sue and I just in case she was needed to drive home and below is a picture that she took while we were having our early lunch!

Make the most of it as you do not get many photos of me!

You do not get many natural pictures of Stella either so thought this was worth adding!

Thank You 16/03/2014

After church we went for lunch at Trencreek Farmhouse as a thank you from the church for all the work I do in the fellowship.They gave it to me as a Christmas present.

What can I say? The food was fantastic, the surroundings and welcome was outstanding!

So thank you Launceston Community Church for the gift, the wait for the booking was well worth it.

Westward Ho! 10/03/2014

Sharon was in Westward Ho for the first few days of the week so we arranged to meet her for lunch on Monday at the chalet where she was staying.
Well I nearly lost Sue for the duration of her stay, for to say the view from her chalet was spectacular would be a gross understatement!!!

As stated, a view to die for!

 We had a lovely lunch in the restaurant that was attached to where they were staying which had sea views out of the windows.

My word Sue is getting rather grey! ha ha! Oh and Sharon looking as young as ever!

We then had a drive to the town and a wander along the front and popping into the shops before the drive home, yes Sue was with me?
The astounding thing was also that the sun shone all day, it was all in all a good day out!

Diet up to 06/03/14

Just to start with the boring stuff, I this week went over the stone loss and weighed in at 18st and a quarter pound. Total loss so far one stone one and three quarter pounds so a pat on the back for Glyn me thinks!
Well if I don't do it no-one else will ha ha!

Lent 2014

Well I have decided that I am giving up "social networking" (Facebook and Twitter) for lent again this year. I started on Ash Wednesday (5th March) and will be continuing until Easter Sunday (20th April). I had forgotten how much I missed it last year? I got through it then so I am sure I will get through it now. It is good, mind you to be spending time on other things, I am spending more time reading the Bible and praying, also I may even be getting my rug finished after about 4 years! I have my bonsai to start as they are just starting to bud up, a weather station to set up in the garden, also help Sue with the raised bed she has taken on for us, I am sure I will not be idle?
Will also be able to update this more regularly!
I have a few thing to add such as, our visits to Frome and The Eden Project.
Also there was the flood relief concert.
I will also be able to bore you with how my diet is progressing!
During this time I will be having the treatment for the skin cancer on my cheek! One thing that I am not looking forward to!

10 pin bowling with church 20/02/2014

Went 10 pin bowling at Trethorne for the first time in what must be 10 years!

The company was wonderful and it was a fun evening. Stella and Lainie were in attendance as well as it was half term.

What I did find surprising was how you forget how to do such a simple thing as chuck a ball accurately at 10 pins! What is that all about? Sue and I were crap on the first game but at least I tied the second with Mervyn but only with 101 pins. When we were playing regularly I would have hung my head in shame at that score so will not even tell you what I got in the first game!!!

We had a lovely meal between games, not that I really needed it being on a diet.

Below are a couple of pictures taken by Rachel who must be thanked for organising such a fun time for all!

What a mixed bag of friends?

Lainie ready for action!

Flood Relief Concert 15/02/2014 raising £8000

Due to the amount of flooding on the Somerset Levels and the longevity of it the decision was made by Launceston MVC and 4 other choirs to do a charity concert (suggested in the first place by Chris Hitchins) to try to raise some funds for the victims.
I think I can safely say that the support and generosity was astounding considering it was arranged in less than a week and raising a staggering £8000!
I am going to put on here a picture and report from the local paper and a news item from the choirs website!

http://www.launcestonmalevoicechoir.co.uk/support_news.html

Chris Hitchins is front row second from left, I am on there so look?

LAUNCESTON MALE VOICE CHOIR

PRESENTATION OF £8000 CHEQUE TO THE ADDINGTON FUND

Ian Bell of the Addington Fund was presented with a cheque for £8000 by Brian Jennings, Chairman of Launceston Male Voice Choir on Wednesday 5th March 2014, to help the victims of the floods on the Somerset Levels.

£7000 was raised through a combined impromptu concert by five Cornish male voice choirs, and the Tetcott Ladies choir, all arranged in under a week, Lynne Pett from the Launceston branch of Barclays Bank also presented a cheque for £1000 from the Bank’s Charity fund to this very worthy cause.

“All of those taking part have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support we have received. Bringing together six choirs, totalling over 120 voices to perform a two hour concert in a matter of days was no small feat” said Brian Jennings. “With the magnificent support from our our choir friends from Burraton (Saltash), Tintagel, Pelynt, Liskerrett (Liskeard) and The Tetcott Ladies, we thrilled a packed house, who gave more much needed cash. We have also received many large anonymous donations”.

Ian Bell assured the choir members present that ‘every penny’ of the monies raised would be spent on flood victim support, both now and in the aftermath, as this tragedy is likely to last for at least another year or more.

Most of the choir members have very close connections with the farming community, and as such, although not involved, wanted to ‘do something special’ just to show those who had suffered so much that they too cared.

The Gathering! Frome 08 & 09/02/2014

Well for the first time in six and a half years we were all together again! That is the five children of Thelma and Dick Cotterill, yes even Rob appeared with Keaton! Hell he has grown, well I suppose that a young man of 20 would! You do not realise how time goes on when you see so little of them over the years!
We all met at the Premier Inn at Frome which has a public house attached called the Frome Flyer. This is very necessary as far as our family is concerned with the amount of alcohol we seem to consume when we get together. It was mostly a very pleasant evening except for the usual suspect and his nasty snide remarks toward me that as usual I chose to ignore rather than give him the satisfaction of rising to his "bait".
The rest is told in pictures!

The Five of us Cotterill Siblings

The 5 with Keaton.

Keaton was taking the photo and this is the rest of those attending.

Weight, Angina and secrecy!

Well now that Sue knows I suppose the rest of the world might as well!

I went to the doctors on the 7th January as my angina had been giving me some trouble since mid December. Not wanting to worry anyone until after Christmas I decided to keep it to myself and covertly take the spray as and when required! Well I found that quite easy so after going to the doctors decided to continue keeping it to myself.
That was OK except that the doctor had told me that having put on about 4 stone (had gone up to 19st 2lb or 122kg in foreign money) since giving up smoking about 2 years ago it was putting too much of a strain on my heart and to lose 2 stone very quickly OR she was going to have to arrange a bypass operation! If I did not I was going to be "kicking up daisies" sooner rather than later (general gist of conversation, my words not hers)! Also I was very strictly told not to do anything that was going to cause me the slightest stress until I had at least lost the 2 stone and reduced the blood pressure. Ummmm, how do you do that when you have a 9 year old child to entertain after school and still keep it to yourself?
Well tried it for 3 weeks and all was going quite well until I really did feel ill and felt close to passing out one day when playing with Lainie, so after that I decided I had better spill the beans to Sue. I had even lost 6lb in weight!!!!

To Be Cont..............As of today (05/03/14) it looks like I will have plenty of time to! explanation follows!

Feeling Down

Not something I normally do but feeling really low. Reason? I cannot really put my finger on it but is a combination of things that have happened over the past couple of weeks.....

1) Disappointment in my children that only Lisa thought I was worth sending as much as a Christmas card to!

2) The only one that thought I was worth a phone call was Sharon! I know they have their own families to cater for but it does not make it any easier!

3) Perhaps feeling a little sorry for myself after being diagnosed yesterday with skin cancer! I suppose that only compounds it but at least that is hopefully only going to be disfiguring and not life threatening.

Well I am not going to worry anyone with number 3 until after the new year, they never read this so let them at least have a happy new year!

Happy New Year To All Who Read This

Life goes on

Well it seems life has been quite quiet and mundane since moving here. I have become the ripe old retirement age of 65 and Stella has become 40!

Lainie continues to get forever taller. I think Stella is putting something untoward in her shoes as Lainie will soon be outgrowing everyone except me!

I am still very much enjoying singing with the Launceston Male Voice Choir

Pictured here during one of my first concerts and in case you can't find me I am in the back row, third from the left, just before Colin, the wild man of Borneo!

Two more concerts to go, one at South Tawton in Devon then at the White Horse public house in Newport, Launceston and then we come to the Christmas social evening and singalong on the 18th of December. We then have a 3 week break and then back to it again.

I am very much looking forward to the Annual choir Dinner at Trethorne in February before we start on concerts again.

Landlord Problems! (Past NOT Present)

Over the period we spent, before finally moving we were having trouble with our landlords at Pendruccombe, as it seems the last thing that they wanted to do was spend money on repairs!

Let me elaborate and go back to the beginning!

Very shortly after moving in here we noticed noises coming from one or two of the windows which are double glazed. Not only were there wind whistling noises but also drafts especially from the french windows overlooking the Tamar Valley and Dartmoor and also the bathroom window!

Well having complained to the agents about this problem it was also noted that a hinge was broken on the bathroom window creating a half inch gap around about half of the small window and also there was a gap around the large window which we had to stuff with paper!

Overall it was proving to be a real nightmare and the electricity bills were astronomical! We were there a total of 10 months and paid over £1,400.00 in electric!!! Hence the main reason for the decision by us (Glyn mainly) to move before next winter. We consider this rather too much as it was only to heat the one room and did not really do that efficiently when the winter set in.

I am so glad that we did as having met Lisa from the letting agents today (21/11/2013) it appears that no attempt has been made to rectify the situation with the double glazing despite many promises to both us and her by the owners.

Where we are now is totally different, we have gas underfloor heating, very efficient glazing with not a sound, no matter how strong the wind is!

Happy warm times at last.

Must add that the owners here are great, the slightest thing wrong and they are there and it is sorted, they are lovely people as well!

Oh as a post script, it had better be, as Sue has threatened to leave me if ever I decide we are moving again! Well if she gets too much like her mother I know just what to do then!!! Ha Ha!

St. Giles-on-the-Heath Concert and choir update

Well I have been in the Launceston Male Voice Choir now since February and still enjoying every minute, nay every second of it.
There is a very full program of concerts up until the Launceston Show at the end of July then a 3 month break to get ready for the Royal Albert Hall concert on the 2nd November 2013.
Thought I would add a few Photos of the St. Giles-on-the-Heath Concert on 19th May 2013

See the Choir website for more concert news

http://www.launcestonmalevoicechoir.co.uk/index.html

BI & BII sections with the chairman for the evening

John Beare the Musical Director with the TI & TII sections

Most of the TII section

And Yours Truly!

Tesco Launceston Pharmacy. The End! Part 3.

The straw that broke the camels back, nay the sledge hammer really!

Let me explain, but before I do I will point you to the fact that this is part 3 so will trust to the fact that as a dedicated follower of my blog you have read parts 1 and 2 ha ha!

Well I called in on Wednesday pm as I was in the store as expected they confirmed that they (the prescriptions) had arrived but as yet had not been filled as they had not had time! So I told them that I would be making a special journey to collect them on Thursday sometime before lunch and could they please have them ready for collection and left.

Thursday arrived and went I was not feeling so good in the morning as had not slept well due to coughing so never got along there until Friday pm, at 1455 to be exact to pick them up and also Stella needed a bit of shopping, then to get her back to pick Lainie up from school!

IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN THEY WERE READY!!! AH BUT I COULD NOT HAVE THEM? UNTIL I HAD HAD A REVIEW OF MY MEDICATION!! 

I was aghast and told him (Israel to be precise) that I have a review of my medication by my doctor every 4 to 6 months and I am not having a review by him! 

This was pointedly ignored and he proceeded to take me into a side room for the review! I found it very embarrassing being led into a side room like a naughty schoolboy, well I am only 64!!! 

At this point I pointed out to him that my daughter was waiting for me out by my car and we had to get my granddaughter Lainie from school. This was also ignored and he carried on as though I had not spoken!

By this time steam was coming out of my ears and without being rude I informed him that I was not happy. I was then told by Israel that "I had to have this review of my medication every year"!!!

I sat through it almost in silence otherwise I think I would still be there now.

Well I got out eventually and we got to the school to pick up Lainie by the skin of our teeth.

As a result of this I have today rang the surgery and arranged for my repeat prescriptions to be delivered to another chemist and I am happy to make the trip into town every 4 weeks to pick them up with complete confidence in the fact that THEY WILL BE READY FOR ME TO COLLECT WOOHOO!!!! 

Also of course my blood pressure will be returning to normal as we will never have to endure the atrocious customer service and manners (or lack of them) of Tesco Launceston again. 

Oh I wonder if someone should tell Israel that I will not be having one of his "must have" reviews ever again either! 

Why am I all of a sudden feeling so relaxed, laid back and chilled?

Tesco pharmacy part 2

Much against my better judgement I let Sue persuade me to continue to let Tesco deal with my prescriptions as their customer services have assured me that the problems I have had in the past have been addressed and there will be no problem now, so yesterday (Bank holiday Monday) I put the repeats into the doctors so they will be sorted today (Tuesday) and go out to the chemist first thing tomorrow Wednesday). Well with it being a bank holiday it will be a day late so will leave an extra day to be sure and that takes us up to Thursday.
I will make a special trip there on Thursday to get them!

Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival

Well after a day of great anticipation I turned up and met Sue outside the Central Methodist Church and she told me she was going to sit upstairs. I had some doubts that that would be possible as it is a favourite spot for many! Well as luck would have it there was just the one seat left so she had about the best view in the place.
Well needless to say all went well and the audience were treated to a great concert.
We retired to the hall for refreshments after and I was as dry as a bone having put a bottle of water out to take with me and forgetting it ha ha!
You can see on the left what we sang and I felt we did particularly well.
Well what happens when you have about 90 people all in one place that just love to sing? they sing of course! So after we were refreshed an impromptu concert started, first with the Warwickshire lads singing a song or two, then us and then we joined together and sang Trelawny and because there was no pressure and relaxed it was so enjoyable! Then not to be outdone the St Petersburg boys sang a couple of ditty's.
I got home about 2300 knackered but happy and slept like a log!
Hope to add a picture or two when Sue brings them home from Stella's!

Tesco Pharmacy's effect on my blood pressure! Part 1

I will explain!
Ever since we lived down here I have done my repeat prescriptions on line every 4 weeks.
Over the weekend I put in my prescription and on a Tuesday turn up at the nominated chemist and pick them up, relatively simple and always went without a hitch, turn up, ask for prescribed drugs, receive said drugs and leave!
That is until the day I decided to use the newly opened pharmacy at the extended Tesco Store that I can actually see out of my flat window! I mistakenly thought that it would be so much easier to walk to the store and pick them up thereby saving fuel etc.
What I had not taken into account was the absolute crap customer service that seems to permeate all departments at Launceston Tesco and it seems the pharmacy's practice is to ensure that each and every customer HAS TO WAIT AT LEAST 20 MINUTES TO GET PRESCRIPTIONS!
At first I thought it was because they were new and so teething troubles but as it continued from month to month it seemed to be getting worse rather than better!

I decided in January 2013 to keep a diary to record the worsening situation and so bought one with that in mind at the very store and thereby this is an accurate record of events. Oh did I mention that I collect anything from 9 to 12 prescription items per month.

January 13th 2013 filled in repeat form on line for myself and my wife.

Tuesday 15th arrived at Tesco 1530 to pick up prescriptions and told they had them (prescriptions) but they had not been done could I do my shopping and call back? I told them I had made a special trip and did not need shopping and was told "you will have to wait then"
I then asked how long  and was told "about 20 to 30 minutes"!
I then informed them I would return the following day!

Wednesday 16th arrived at Tesco 1130 having run out of insulin so had no option but to get prescriptions today. Told they had not been done so waited 25 minutes and collected them and left. Not even an apology, blood pressure through the roof! (did not check date on scripts)

Forward to February 10th and filled in script form.

Tuesday 12th called Tesco 1600, not done so calling back tomorrow!

Wednesday 13th called on the way back from the dentist at about 1230, still not done but doing them as I left as I had kicked up such a stink! (I had to leave or go hypo as I need to eat at 1300)!

Thursday 14th went shopping for a few bits with Sue at 1000 and guess what, they were half done and had obviously stopped doing them when I had left the previous day. Requested politely to see the manager and was told that all the management were either in a meeting or away so no-one was able to see me!!!!! (scripts dated the 11th)
My blood pressure was up through the roof again but I did at least get my prescriptions filled after the 20 minute wait again!!!! I remained polite at all times even though steam was coming out of my ears!

March 10th filled in form with feeling of impending doom.

Wednesday 13th left going to Tesco until today with the hope it may be done, fat chance had to wait 35 minutes for it but at least I got it. (Date on prescription 11th so Tesco had on 12th at the latest)

Well here we are at April and Tesco's last chance?

Sunday 7th filled in form as normal.

Right we are determined to be fair and as I have plenty of drugs to last me we decide to leave it until Saturday 13th to collect them!

So with a determination that not only will we change the pharmacy back to the old one but we will do as much shopping elsewhere because of the really crap customer service over the whole store!

I called into the store and you will never guess what, or perhaps you will? They were not ready!!!!
After making my feelings very clear and a 20 MINUTE WAIT I left. (scripts dated 8th)

This morning my wife has done another shop online at Asda Bodmin that is being delivered on Wednesday, we get our fruit and veg in a box from Abel & Cole each week and all the rest from the Co-op in town, and that Sue can get to when at Stella's so we no longer go to Tesco unless really stuck.

THE THING THAT REALLY GAINS IN ALL OF THIS SEEMS TO BE MY BLOOD PRESSURE AND OF COURSE THE ANGINA!!!!

Wednesdays?

Yes I have been quite busy on a new venture which has kept me busy on Wednesday evenings 1930 to 2130, and for the last umpteen weeks learning songs.

I have been doing something I have wanted to do for years, as many of you will know I have always loved singing but have never really been able to fit in anywhere because I was too low for tenor and too high for baritone which made it appear that I was crap!!!

Well at last I fit in, you see in a Male Voice Choir there are 4 levels of pitch, Tenor I, Tenor II, Baritone (Base I) and Base II, so as a second tenor I fitted into a slot that was just perfect for both me and the Choir. The choir is a TTBB one.

Oh by the way they are called Launceston Male Voice Choir and you can find all about them here. http://www.fed-cornishchoirs.org.uk/website/Launceston/index.html

It has been a busy week with a Concert with St Josephs School last evening and then sadly the funeral of an ex choir member and supporter today (Friday).

The event last evening raised over £1,000 for the nominated 2 charities and another £500+ for Clik with a retirement collection.

Ready for the fray ha ha