Aberfan disaster

Posted on October 24, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged aberfan, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2099, Death, Frightened, Life, Memory, Sad, spoil heap, YoungLeave a comment

What major historical events do you remember?

The Aberfan disaster was the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip on 21 October 1966. The tip had been created on a mountain slope above the Welsh village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil, and overlaid a natural spring. (Wikipedia)

I was very young and I remember coming downstairs and hearing the evening news on the television. What upset me the most was that the children that died were my age. It scared and upset me. School children were buried below the collapsed spoil heap. I was very frightening.

Trifle

Posted on October 22, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Blancmange, Cream, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2100, Family, Food, Fruit, Jelly, Memories, recipes, TrifleLeave a comment

What food would you say is your specialty?

My trifle is based on my mother’s and her mother’s recipe.

It consists of a fruit and jelly bottom layer with a touch of sherry or port.

Middle layer? Blancmange (not custard). Either the same flavour as the jelly or something different like chocolate.

Top layer, a decent amount of whipped double cream, with possibly cherries, strawberries or raspberries on top or grated chocolate.

You can’t really go wrong with that X. Usually I make it at Christmas or for birthdays.

Minatures

Posted on October 18, 2024 Posted in Cat, Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, Cat, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2096, Etruria Industrial museum, Horse, Miniatures, Owl, Poem, Poetry, Rain, Rose, Sunday 20th October5 Comments

What have you been working on?

Nose to the grindstone

Getting ready for a small stall

At a craft fair

First one in months

I’m shattered!

More frustrated

Posted on October 17, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2094, limited strength, Nap, procrastinating, Prompt, Tired, unproductive2 Comments

Do lazy days make you feel rested or unproductive?

Some days I need to rest. I will have tried to be active on the previous day and then it catches up with me. Often I end up playing a game on my phone, or staring into space, thinking about what I want to do, but my energy is too low to do anything. And sometimes I just have to have a nap. That’s when I get brain fog and feel disinclined to do anything.

Moving things around frustrates me. My arms are weaker than they used to be so moving heavy objects, or even emptying the bin? That can be difficult.

So I guess the answer is unproductive, but in a bad way. I procrastinate and just start to worry about it. Maybe I need more help. But I hate to ask.

Helpfulness

Posted on October 14, 2024October 15, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Car, Caring, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2092, kind, Life, Neighbour, Prompt, SupportLeave a comment

What makes a good neighbor?

Sometimes you need a neighbour to help. Or they need your help. As we grow older you can become more isolated. If you don’t have anyone you might need that support. What happens if you struggle with something? I once had to ask someone to take my handbrake off because I’d put it on too tight and I couldn’t release it. Yesterday I had to park up the hill as all the spaces outside my house were taken. Later when I saw the cars go I walked slowly up the hill to move my car (I had parked outside a neighbour’s house).

I don’t really know him but I was worried that someone was going to park outside my house before I moved the car. This neighbour kindly offered to stand outside my house until I moved it!

Being on good terms with neighbours helps everyone. X

First change to pounds

Posted on October 11, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged cancer, Charity, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2087, dollars, Life, Money, pound sterling, sterling, SupportLeave a comment

If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

Dollars are not my currency so first I would have to exchange them for pounds sterling.

Who would I give my donation to?

As its not my actual money I would not feel obliged to give it to people I know. I think I might give it to three or four charities.

The selection would be :

A children’s support charity, possibly for children’s health.

A cancer research charity, I would have to think about which cancer needs the most help, some are less “popular” than others.

Support for a homeless charity. Either for housing issues or getting their benefits organised.

Finally, I would look for other people to support, perhaps a historical society, or a narrow gauge railway.

Money spent. I’d then need a good rest in a darkened room.

Being a doctor

Posted on October 8, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, career, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2086, Doctor, Life, Memory, Painting, Thinking2 Comments

What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.

I would have to be 40 years younger, have the education to be able to train for the length of time required. I guess it would also be good to come from a well off family. If those things had been my reality I might have liked to be a doctor. I enjoy helping people and trying to solve their problems. That’s why I like these prompts, it means I can think of alternative career paths, or different outcomes.

But to be honest I’m quite happy with my life as it has panned out. I’ve always been an artist, whatever job I’ve had. I’ve painted and created, used my imagination. I might not be famous but a lot of people have bought my work and also commissioned me to paint things for them. I’m just glad I’ve had the freedom to do that.

Swimming a mile

Posted on October 8, 2024October 8, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged a mile, breast stroke, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2085, Exercise, Life, Memory, Swimming13 Comments

What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?

When I was fitter I used to swim. I’m not fast but have stamina so I gradually built up the distance I could swim. My preferred goal was breast stroke.

I found out that a mile was about 40 lengths of the pool so I set a goal to see if I could do it. I slowly built up the numbers, I was limited by the time it was taking me to finish it but after about two or three months I managed it. I have to say I never swam that distance again!

Cry

Posted on October 6, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2082, Hope, Loss, Memory, Poem, Poetry, Survival, ThinkingLeave a comment

What would you do if you lost all your possessions?

What would I do if I lost it all?

Cry for lost memories

Weep for my tranklements

Sigh for my paintings

Scream for my cats

But remember them all

The good times

The joy that they gave

And try to make a new start

A way to cope

Seeking for comfort

Hoping for help.

Loss can destroy

But hope can strengthen

Survival would be my goal.

Voting

Posted on October 4, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Change, CND, College, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2081, Memory, Mrs Thatcher, tories, Voting5 Comments

What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?

I voted when I was 19 and followed the family, we were tories, I wanted to see a woman prime minister. I had not left home and had no idea what the real life was about. Then I went to college. An eye opener. I had to live in an old house with no fire, just an open coal fire. The toilet was outside, I showered at the college, I realised that this was not unusual, people had to manage.

Most of my friends were caring, thoughtful and Labour voters. One was in CND, this was the era of protests against Cruise missiles. I saw what Thatchers laws were doing to people. You could see the rich getting richer, the poor, poorer. It was the era of the Yuppie. What can I say? I had to change. I’m glad I did.

My conclusion about this.? My family had held me in one way of thinking. Reality changed my mind. Don’t be afraid to think.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: dailyprompt