Orchids

This morning...

 

From Facebook Archives

5 August 2025 at 15.37

On my birthday last year Mrs Quilt gave me an orchid which flowered for over three months, until after Christmas.  

After a judicious prune I put it on the bathroom shelf (humid with bright indirect sunlight) watered it carefully, weekly, with a little BabyBio after the Spring Equinox.  

Today I brought it back down into the living room as the next lot of buds are about to burst.

There are now two 'rescue' orchids on the bathroom shelf, and Cousin Daisy's orchid on the kitchenwindowsill; two looking as if they're preparing to flower and one with two babies on its stem.

Tylebach  Stunning

Mrs Lasagne  I love orchids xx

Mrs Quilt  I’m thrilled with that.  It was the best specimen in IKEA, even though I wasn’t sure about the colour.  Well done caring for it so well throughout your worrying year. XXX

Bentonbag  Actually it was a nice little positive distraction.  Just 3 seconds of water on a Sunday.  Noticing things develop, watching it grow, anticipating what might happen next.  It's even been an opportunity for conversation between me and Fester! xxx

Mrs Quilt   Actually I feel stupidly tearful!

Cousin Daphne  You deffo have green fingers xxx

Henlady  Well done x

AND TODAY

Sadly, due to secret surreptitious overwatering in the living room by Ferretfingers, Cousin Daisy’s orchid is no more.  

The white rescue orchid, which flowered wonderfully last year, also succumbed to Ferretfingers' attentions.  I took off and potted up the two babies (keikis) on the other rescue.  One now has a single wonderful dark magenta flower on a little stalk, the other is biding its time.  The mother plant isn’t looking too good but I’m keeping it just to see what happens next. 

Mrs Quilt’s orchid on the other hand has bloomed beautifully again.   

It is staying on the bathroom shelf, reflected in the mirror, where it cheers me up every morning.   

All four plants are staying safely in the bathroom.

 

The birthday orchid and cards

 

 

One Wet And Windy Monday

From Facebook Archives

4 August 2025 at 09.00

Best way to start a wet Monday morning.

In celebration of Yorkshire Day, here's 82 seconds of Sean Bean saying "bastard" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE8d-uGmIWk

A (naked) Fester has just come into the office asking 

"Is that Seen Been you had on?"

“Yes.”

"I thought it was Thunderthighs."

Mrs Bun  LOVE a bit of Sean Bean.....any bit

Bentonbag  Any bit in particular?

Mrs Bun  Well.........

4 August 2025 at 14.53

Storm Floris is bringing down loads of apples and firing them all over the garden.   

Seriously you could get crowned by one.

Every time I go out into the garden I bring another armful in.

Fester has peeled cored and is stewing them.

We have had a little chat about what may or may not be in the freezer.

It's a very drying day, because it's warm as well as windy, so I suggested Thunderthighs hang his washing out.  

Next thing I know there's a cry of "MU-UM".

The washing line broke.

He actually needed to be told to take his washing off it 

(are all young men numpties or just mine?).

We've now had fun dragging the old wooden clothes horse out and onto the top landing.

I've left him to it.

The metal ones from Sheffield keep dropping bits of plastic and are going into the garage. 

Fester thinks we might use them "to grow things up" next year.

He's also asking me where to buy a new washing line as it's impossible for him to actually look or ask someone in a shop.

Squireen  I have a washing line you can have

Bentonbag  I wondered why my mother's washing line never snapped - 

then I remembered hers was made from signal wire recycled/reused/scavenged when Talley Road Halt was closed (or elsewhere on the Heart of Wales Line).

 

 

What's In A Name?

I don’t particularly like my given name, like its common abbreviation even less, and am happy to be called by my surname or whichever nickname friends wish to use.

On the other hand...

There are two people who call me Barbara and have been doing so for so long that I haven’t the heart or courage to correct them.  

One is a learning disabled young person and the other a profoundly physically disabled older person.  

It’s got to the point that I sometimes answer to Barbara in other situations: memorably once in the Job Centre sorting out Ferretfingers’ transition from Disability Living Allowance to Universal Credit.   

Does anybody else have this?   

If so any suggestions?

From Facebook Archives

3 August2019 at 10:03

I have just realised that the only abbreviation of my name that I actually like is B.

Mr Minor  So I guess “Hoy you “ is out then. By the way, you want a few jars?

Bentonbag No thanks, not made any jam so far this year so I have an embarrassment of plenty.

Sandy  I read that as going out for a few bevvies.... shows my level I suppose 😞😞

Mercy Dunn  Not even Benny wenny woo woo?

Bentonbag Only if I can call you Merry werry wah wah.

Honor Bicycle  That's what I call her - Merry werry wah wah and her little family of dun doo dahs.

This is a very popular blog title: see also

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2020/10/whats-in-name.html

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2021/11/whats-in-name.html

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2022/02/whats-in-name.htm

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2022/10/whats-in-name.html

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2022/12/whats-in-name.html

https://bentonbag.blogspot.com/2024/05/whats-in-name.html

 

Just Turn It Off, Again

From Facebook Archives

2 August at 2017 at 16:02

Inclusive/accessible trampolining at the Parks Sports Centre has changed from 10am to 1pm.

"Great" I thought "When term starts Ferretfingers can do Recycled Art in the morning, then I can take him trampolining".   

We were there at 1 sharp today and he got straight on one of the four trampolines before anybody else arrived.   

He had 2 good 15 minute sessions.   

Then the music started.   

Ferretfingers got straight off the trampoline, put on his ear defenders (trampolining and sleeping are the only times he voluntarily removes them), put on his shoes, picked up his bag and walked out.

The sports hall is divided into 4 by nets and curtains. 

Great for stopping balls etc. 

No hindrance to James Blunt turned up to 11. 

Apparently they've begun a new-mums exercise class. 

Which is great. 

But why can't they do circuits without deafening themselves, their babies and anyone else within earshot?

In order for him to get a decent amount of time on the trampoline we're going to have to get there by 1pm sharp every week.

Talk about two steps forward and one step back!

FifiD  Or buy a trampoline. Best investment we made for my daughter  xx

Woolerwoman  I suppose you have spoken to them asking for a quiet period??

Bentonbag  I had a quiet word and the new mums session starts at 1.30, so there is quiet before that. Which is why we shall have to get there at 1. To be fair most of the other people attending get there around 1.15 because it's quite relaxed on timing. Inclusive is followed by Rebound Therapy but with the same staff so the two sessions run into each other.

Miss Fiddle  Inclusive should mean including those who can't cope with noise.

Sandy  Absolutely; they've missed the point.

Bentonbag  There appears to be a universal belief that "music is a good thing", wherever and whatever is being played. And that no physical activity can go on without it. 

We have a similar problem in yoga at Heaton Community Centre with a Skinny Pigs exercise class in a nearby building playing pumping pap that pervades the whole premises. Goodness knows what it's doing to the nursery kids' ears, let alone the exercisers’.

Sandy  I hate the fact that piped awful pop music is so universal there's no need and its offensive. I'd personally prefer foul language. At least a full on Fester rant's funny!

Bentonbag  His younger son occasionally follows suit and Ferretfingers has been heard to say "Sodditt" appropriately

Woolerwoman I think people have come to be afraid of quiet and darkness.