February 2021

70 things didn’t get done but on I plod regardless. This month’s entry will start with a quick look at what I failed to do – the things that there was no (pandemic) excuse for! Followed by a short account of this month’s achievements – there’s not so many as I’ve had a rest! And since this blog was started because of a birthday, I’ll finish with a few photos of that lockdown celebration.

There were nine tasks I failed to complete. From that list, six were related to learning 🇫🇷 French 🇫🇷 and I’ve decided that I’ve been too hard on myself because keeping up with the passe compose vs imparfait is very definitely pandemically related! Because when am I next going to 🇫🇷 France and so what’s the point? Answers on a postcard please.

Another failure required a car ride to the starting point of the Llanbedr horseshoe – a walk of 17 miles. Car rides to exercise are illegal and although I could have walked there, I doubt I would have survived the extra demand on my limbs, so I’ve forgiven myself that one, and it remains a challenge.

The two things that I really did fail at are both connected to my brain’s ability to retain much – learning a poem and a playing a piece of music from memory. Trying to learn the poem gave me no joy and I simply gave up.

Learning the Chopin Waltz did bring joy, and I almost managed it, but not without the music in front of me. I didn’t need to look at the notes all the time, but I needed to know they were there. Fascinating. It was clear that I didn’t have the staying power to memorise the whole piece, and that too fell by the wayside.

J’ai decide que ce n’est pas mal.

Moving on to February!

The morning cloud and piece of music have been joined by a daily poem. I’ve chosen my monthly favourite from all three and here they are:

If you can listen, do. It’s gorgeous. I may well have posted a link to it before….?

The bird topic is advancing. First of all I forgot to post this photo of me on the bird watch – with my father’s binoculars – from last month, and I rather like it, so here it is:

Then I received a bird colouring book from bird watching enthusiasts Kathy & Peter. I’ve attempted one. I definitely need to get better colouring pencils though. Mine are just not good enough. Yes, I know, blaming tools and all that!

And here’s another challenge, vaguely bird related, From One Fine Cell, the charity that supports prisoners, I’ve purchased a tapestry. Of birds. It will eventually be a cushion and I hereby set myself the challenge of completing it for my 80th birthday. Have you ever done a tapestry? They take forever.

I’ve cooked. The most delicious buns, and a quiche Lorraine. I’ve never made one before and this one was spot on. I also made laverbread patties for a St. David’s Day breakfast. Oatmeal really does make seaweed edible.

What did I read? The Secret River by Kate Grenville, an historical novel, about life in Australia for the transported convicts and their families and other settlers, and the relationships and conflicts which developed with the Aborigines. So well written and a really interesting story which rang true. The other good read was Hungry by Grace Dent. Grace, a restaurant critic, writes about growing up in Cumbria, and although she’s younger than me, she definitely took me back to my childhood.

I made a donation to Crickhowell Primary School request for funds for laptops for children.

Not much else this month, other than I WAS 70. Here you go, some photos of the day. Lockdown didn’t stop it being absolutely spot on. Thank you for making it special. There’s a lot of you. You know who you are!