They’ve forecast severe gales again, it’s so calm as I’m sat here typing this (Wednesday 10.00pm), that it’s hard to believe – must be a similar feeling when you’re in the eye of the hurricane. There’s no rain, not even a hint of a breeze – everything’s really peaceful.

I love lying in bed listen to the wind and the rain lashing against the window – but after working for my company for so long – I now spare a thought for the homeless. Most are living their lives with little or no protection from the elements. It really makes me appreciate just how lucky I am. When things go wrong, it’s easy to forget that.

Update (Thursday 9:00am): OK, the weatherman was right - the wind has arrived with a vengeance and brought its friend the rain to add its pennyworth to the argument.

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Himself insisted that he went shopping with me – I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t have it. I can understand why he wanted to go – he’s normally very active, being stuck in doors during the day is driving him potty, but it would have been so much quicker by myself.

He’s finding his incapacity wearing to say the least – he has to rely on me for things that he’s always taken for granted. Mine you, you’d think he’d enjoy me giving him a shower. Lucky man! I’m getting better at it too, I get only slightly splashed now, compared to the drenching I got last week.

He’s taken to watching day time TV, which to be fair would depress the happiest of people. I came home yesterday to find him watching Crown Court. Wow, did that bring back some memories, even down to the music. I can remember watching it with my Nan when I was ill and off school, I think it came on about 2.00pm. I can’t imagine for the life of me that I would have understood it, being only 7 at the time.

Children’s programmes weren’t on continuously like they are these day. Which is probably the reason I remember them so well. Play School sticks in my mind, along with the famous – and today we are going to look through the ‘square/round/arch’ window. So with that in mind, it also stands to reason that I can still name all the toys; Humpty Dumpty, Big Ted, Little Ted, Hamble (God what an ugly doll) and Jemima, and not forgetting Dapple, the old fashioned Rocking Horse. I really wanted that rocking horse.

My personal favourite children’s programme was Pipkins. I can still remember watching the very fist episode, where Indigo Pipkin introduced the characters of Hartley Hare (very bossy), Pig (a Brummie – from Birmingham), Topov (the monkey, always climbing), Octavia (the singing ostrich) and Tortoise (lived in the till). Their sole role in life was to help people.

After a while, Indigo disappear and Johnny, his assistant took over. As a child I never knew why, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I discovered it was because the gentleman playing him had died. These days, no doubt we’d have been told that and the feelings around death discussed.

The other programmes around at this time were Rainbow, (the script here is well worth reading just for the innuendo's, although it was never broadcast, just the cast having a bit of fun) and Hickory House, with Dusty Mop and his large red nose (another bossy bugger), Humphrey Cushion who liked banana's. These two were always causing bother - a right couple of brats.



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And today's picture was taken during the Christmas week - a promise of things to come.