Lest we Forget

Lest We Forget

Remembering all those who have lost their lives during the many wars. Remembering my great grandfather Private Christopher William Chatterton who died of wounds in France during the First World War on 26th March 1915.  He was in the 1st Batallion of the Gloucestershire Regiment.  He is buried at Caberet-Rouge Cemetery in France and in the mid nineties we went to see where he was buried.  To say it was a sobering experience is an understatement! Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery in Souchez is one of the largest in the region and contains 7,655 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, more than half of them unidentified.

His wife, my great grandmother died the year before on 19th November 1914, and so they left four young children who I believe were put into various homes and foster places.My grandmother was only one year old, having been born only the year before on 11th November 1913.  To think she would have been 101 years old today!

Yesterday we ventured into London to view all the poppies which represent all the lives lost during WW1. To think there are 888,246 which represent each life lost during this war.  It is devastating,  all those lives lost.  I wonder what they would think of the United Kingdom today?  

The sheer number is staggering, and really puts it into perspective...and this is just one side!

One of those poppies represents my Great Grandfather.

On Sunday I sang with the St Ethelreda's Church Choir for both services at the church and also down at the memorial.  

We sang 'In Flanders Fields'.   The music was composed by Jill Knight and set to the words of the poem by Major John MaCrae, 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

You can here a recording we did on the Wednesday before here.

Also remembering my grandfather who fought in the Second World War. During his last few years, we were to witness the long term effects on his mind that the war had. I miss you so much Pop. 

A Pause in Advent?

Floss isn't going to be able to run her 'A Pause in Advent' this year and as such has linked to Dormouse who is taking part in 'Advent Wonder'   I popped over to Dormouse's blog to have a look and thought I would give it a go.

As she says, the mince pies, and Christmas decorations, foods and advertising has now been out for some time, and the feeling of it all building up seems to happen earlier and earlier each year, and it is nice to be able to reflect and pause, whatever your beliefs.

I have received the first email and I like the theme "Gifts" - this seems especially appropriate this year as we have decided to forego the usual 'gifts' this year which has surprised some family members...but we explained we wanted to instead focus on the day and enjoying each others company and not worrying about whether we have the 'right' gift this year etc...so I think this will be very interesting to follow.

This is what the first email reads:

The theme for this year's Advent Wonder is 'Gifts'.  We all have notions of what a Christmas present means, but this series will explore the alternative ones - the unexpected and nonetheless wondrous gifts within the Advent story.

Each Monday and Friday throughout December, you'll receive a 'gift' to ponder and share.  You'll also be invited to reflect specifically upon your own giving,, at Christmas time and beyond.

New Carpet!

Been slowly and surely working on the clearing and de-cluttering...it seems to be taking an age and yes I am bored with it.  Our lounge and hallway were re-carpeted on Thursday.  We needed new carpets when we moved in over 15 years ago, but with poor Pirate suffering from incontinence in his final year, it definitely needed redoing!  Finally it happened, and we took the opportunity of also changing the lounge around.   An eight foot wide space doesn't give us many options...but we managed to come up with something we were reasonably happy with in the end.  The wall unit was lifted onto the raised platform, which we contemplated removing, but which was going to end up too expensive and problematic to remove.

Looking down towards the patio doors.

Looking back up towards the front.

Hallway

Hallway through to the lounge

Hallway.

Loving the new carpet and the clearer space....of course there is still the question of what do do with some items of furniture that I don't want to put back in these two spaces as I am fed up with clutter and it is so much nicer now with less.   I have sorted through various things that were in the items of furniture that have yet to be 'decided upon' and packed a couple boxes of pottery and vases that I want to keep, but don't want out at the moment.  So they will be ready for any future move we may do. 

Vitamin D

Last year I read a very good book by the New Zealander IanWishart.  Now some of his works are at the very least controversial, but he says it how he finds it and I believe his research is very thorough. The book I read was 'Vitamin D Is this the Miracle Vitamin' .

After reading this book from front to back I was certainly convinced enough to give it a try and at the beginning of October started taking a Vitamin D supplementation.  Well I can say it was the first winter I have gotten through in over 20 years without feeling very down, depressed, lethargic - it was quite a revelation to me.  I stopped taking it at the end of February when I went to Australia and New Zealand figuring I would get enough natural vitamin D through sunlight while there and when I got back in April I had a blood test done and my levels were good.  Yes I should have had a test done before I started, but I didn't realise then that you could just send off for one...and a lot of doctors are reluctant to offer these tests for 'no reason'.  I know I had a hard time convincing the locum doctor in April to give me one.  Fortunately my actual doctor I discovered is very pro Vitamin D and when I saw him for the results he said to make sure I take supplementation from the end of September through to April each year (unless going to NZ) .  I only wish he had suggested taking it sooner instead of me instigating it!

Anyway the last few weeks I have been feeling significantly 'out of sorts' and the last few days rather tearful, so on Monday I took another test and sent it off.  I received the results today and I have to say I was rather surprised as despite it being only just the end of our summer, and that I also spent time in very sunny Arizona, my levels have dropped.  They still fall in the 'adequate' range, but the fact  that they have dropped indicates to me that my body isn't maintaining levels that it should.  It also possibly explains why I have been feeling 'down'.  So back to supplementation for me, and hopefully I will start to feel more on top of things again.  

Incidentally from what I have been able to gleam on good old Google searches, one of the organs you store vitamin D levels is your spleen.  I don't have one, so this could be why I am more sensitive to dips in my levels?

Oh and something else I discovered last year...and not to dwell on it too much, but if your magnesium levels are also low, when starting Vitamin D supplementation you may very well become um...well constipated as one of the side effects if you are also low in Magnesium when taking Vitamin D is this rather painful condition - easily remedied though by adding a Magnesium supplement.  I had to find this out through research myself though.

Of course I will have to add the disclaimer that I am not a medical practitioner of any kind, just interested in health and well being and like to find out as much as I can and make informed choices.

Holiday in Wales - Part Five: Harlech Castle

On the fifth day of our holiday we went to Harlech Castle.  The history behind the castle is fascinating.  It was build by King Edward 1, work starting on it in 1283.  The castle was originally right next to the sea, but now lies on a cliff face inland due to the changes in geology of the coast.  Amazing to think it has 'moved'  although of course it hasn't, it is the coast line that has.  King Edward 1 never actually lived this this castle though, instead the King's master mason and military engineer, James of St George and his wife Ambrosia lived in it.

Later on Owain Glyndwr held Harlech as his royal court for four years from 1404 before it was recaptured by the English in 1409 under the command of Harry of Monmouth, the future King Henry V and Victor of Agincourt.  Owain Glyndwr was the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales.  He instigated a very fierce and long running revolt against the English rule of Wales, but was unsuccessful.

As usual I have probably posted far too many pictures, but they are nice for me to go back to look at.

Our journey to Harlech was very pleasant and we enjoyed the meandering lanes and the toll bridge we had to go over.

A real human collecting the tolls...this was good to see, instead of a machine!

Quite a long bridge.

As we were crossing the toll bridge we saw cattle crossing the estuary/river

Wasn't expecting this, so was fun to see.

As we come into Harlech we stopped on the outskirts, as it was so pretty and peaceful.

The scenery very pretty.

A very long stretch of terraced houses.

Views of the railway bridge.

There was no one on the beach which was a surprise.

Into the town itself.

The wooden steps leading up to the gate way entrance.

Rather impressive!

There are impressive towers on each corner of the castle and two rings of walls.

We walked up to the top of the castle to wander round the ramparts and the view up there was spectacular.

There was a view to see wherever you looked.

The village

The Sailor looking very relaxed.

Very casual about everything.

It was so nice to have him home to be able to come on holiday with us.  

He has now rejoined his ship in Asia and will be away now until late February.

Looking down at the castle.

Looking down to the floor below

The boulders that could be seen from above.

The remains of old fireplaces.

You could see where each floor would have been by the fireplaces up the walls.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day out in a place steeped in history.