A Sedentary Session.
A Sedentary Session.
You will remember when we stayed with Chris and Angie in the Cotswolds.
Staying with Chris and Angie.
Bobby’s Books.
Bertie: “Bobby? How are you mate? We have told everyone about Jody’s Beans and Layla’s Library. You have told everyone how much you have loved books all your life. Do you still have any books from when you were a kid?” (more…)
Layla’s Library
Layla’s Library
Layla followed in Jasmine’s footsteps a few years later. Loving staying at Laurel Cottage, just as her sister had done. In such a small cottage they rarely stayed together, but argued as to whose turn it was to stay. Layla thought the same about her granny. Bobby took her on adventures and, of course, read her stories.
Layla and Bobby. Me and Heidi. A doll he bought in Austria for her.
Cousins Sonny and Kyla were now on the scene and they stayed now and again. Loving their granny and going on adventures with Bobby. And of course being read stories.
Sonny with his new brother Roco.
Nice hat, Kyla.
One day, in December 2008, Diddley received a phone call at the office. A great family friend told her that her publishing company was disposing of their stock of children’s books. They were moving to another office and couldn’t take the stock with them. If Di wanted some she was very welcome, but she had better hurry up. She drove straight there and filled the car, an estate car, with dozens of books. And rang Bobby. “You won’t believe it! We have a car full of brand new children’s books. Big ones. Small ones. Sparkly ones. Pop up ones. Every kind conceivable.”
They emptied the car into the dining room.
Diddley bringing the books in.
In some cases, there were lots of the same book. Diddley decided to share her good fortune with all the children she knew. Grandchildren. Friends’ children and neighbours’ children. She made up individual sets of books to put in cardboard boxes to be delivered or collected by their lucky new owners.
Sorting out dozens of brand new children’s books.
And, naturally, she kept a full set for Laurel Cottage. In a big box. It was then that Bobby had a brainwave at IKEA one day – when he saw a very slim bookcase on sale. Slim enough to squeeze into the grandchildren’s bedroom. See title picture. Once installed Layla, who was in the ascendancy at the time, decided it needed looking after. And she became “Librarian”. And it became “Layla’s Library”.
Over the following years many children had the benefit of Layla’s Library. Some of those books must have been read hundreds of times by Bobby. With so many to choose from, it was never just one story. “Just one more” they all pleaded. He loved reading them – as much as they loved listening. It reminded him how, many years before, he had read stories to his son Andrew. How one day he and Andrew’s mum took him to Sutton Library. She asked if he could join.
“How old is he?”
“Three.”
“I’m sorry, children usually join when they are five”
“Well, I want him to join now and learn to love books!”
She was “irresistable” that day and Andrew did become a member of Sutton Library at just three years old. They borrowed children’s books and Bobby read them to him every night for years.
Uncle Andrew reading to Layla.
Many years later he, now a dad to Giselle and Daisy-Mae, read them stories every single night. “Don’t ring at seven. I will be reading stories to the girls.”
Giselle and Bobby on his 75th birthday.
Daisy-Mae, the day she won the cup with East Preston U10.
Reading back through, this makes you feel proud that books have become such an important part of people’s lives. But we did mention “celebration”. Since we lost Diddley and the children grew, Layla’s Library has lain dormant. Until now, when Jasmine told Bobby Little Jay loved books. He told Jasmine that Little Jay would inherit Layla’s Library, with Layla’s blessing. Bookcase and all. And he started packing.
Little Miss Trouble, Mr Noisy, Fairy Box and A Box of Bears.
“Little Miss Naughty was not included” after Bobby had edited it into an “adult” book.
If children come to Laurel Cottage, he still has his Thomas the Tank Engine box set. But then he has an ambition. To read stories to his great grandsons at their house. Maybe even Jody’s Beans, which is still in the library. Little Jay and Little Bobby’s Library. Thank you, Layla.
Henry the Green Engine. Bobby’s favourite Thomas the Tank Engine story.
Layla and Bobby on Diddley’s bench.
Amy May
Amy May lives miles away with James,
We do hope soon she will come to stay.
Arno is her little boy.
When he sees Jasmine soon
He can join in the book reading boon.
The library is for all the grandchildren.
And now for Old Bobby, Arno is his third great grandson.
How wonderful is that!
Amy May and Arno.
Arno.
James, Amy May and Arno.
Lighting a Candle for Diddley.
– – – – – – – –
Jody’s Beans.
Jody’s Beans.
Jasmine has always loved staying at Laurel Cottage. When very young, she was the only grandchild to Diddley and Bobby. Staying most weekends and later, during school holidays, she had a very close bond with her granny. Loving being with her and now years later never forgetting what a wonderful granny she was. (more…)
Cornflower Blue.
Cornflower Blue.
Once upon a time there was another Brompton in a box under the bench in the workshop. It didn’t move for nine years! In fact, it was only ever ridden twice.
Brand new 2010.
Back in 2010 Bobby had retired, but Diddley was still at work. And she was entitled to buy a bike under the firm’s ‘Cycle to Work’ Scheme. With “encouragement”, she entered the scheme and chose her own Brompton. They would now be able to cycle together into the sunset… and get a bus home with the bikes in the luggage rack. Now as we know, Diddley was a graphic artist. She knew all about colour. Pantones. And she chose Cornflower Blue. And then broke her ankle. A few weeks later, Pearson’s cycle shop in Sutton rang. “Your Brompton is ready for collection.” Off they went to Sutton. Diddley on crutches. Settling down al-fresco at a pub while he walked down the High Street. Shortly returning with a large heavy box. Excitedly, he opened the box to reveal the glorious blue Brompton.
“THAT’S NOT CORNFLOWER BLUE!” she said.
“It’s a very nice blue.” he said.
“IT’S NOT CORNFLOWER BLUE AND I WILL NEVER RIDE IT!” she said.
“But, but…” he tried to say.
“DON’T YOU BUT ME. IT’S NOT CORNFLOWER BLUE. I am an expert on Pantones. It’s my job. The Brompton catalogue is a huge mistake. I have been conned into buying the bike from my wages and now the colour is not CORNFLOWER BLUE. You caused it. You sort it out!”
So Bobby entered into prolonged correspondence with Brompton bicycles. As you know, he does not give up. Eventually, he wrote to the top man. Will Butler-Adams. A few days later, the phone rang. “May I speak to Mrs Diane Ball, please?” “Whose calling?” “Will Butler-Adams.”
They chatted for a while and she seemed pleased. “Will is sending me a metal swatch to choose a replacement colour. He will deliver the chosen one and collect the blue one. He will also ensure that colour descriptions in the catalogue are accurate and remove CORNFLOWER BLUE altogether.”
He kept his word. She chose raw varnish anodised. Will was impressed. “That is our top iconic finish and cost £50 more than normal colours. You may have it with my blessing.” A few weeks later, the changeover was achieved. He wrote to Will to say thank you.
(The reference to Kew is because that is where Brompton’s factory is).
She rode that bike just twice. Both along the River Thames. Once at Walton, shown in the pictures, and once from Hampton Court to Kingston getting the bus back. Despite promises of more rides, the bike never left its box again.
Two Bromptons, one brand new. Stayed in their boxes under the bench. Both over £1,000 each. Bobby’s was ridden, as you can see from last Sunday’s story. His cardboard box eventually fell apart. Diddley’s just stayed there. Forgotten through all the years of dramatic events. Until one day recently, Bobby started to ride his Brompton again. And wondered what was the point of a brand new one in a box. So he sold it to Peter.
Waiting for Peter and a new start.
Cornflower.
The cornflower is a familiar plant, evocative of a past era when they filled our cornfields with colour, growing alongside poppies and corncockles. Sadly, that was then. Nowadays they are rarely seen in the wild and have become a garden plant. But now they are part of the recent renaissance of our roadside verges. We are not just saving the Moondaisies but, in some places, creating new wildflower meadows in urban situations.
Cornflower Blue is distinctive and no photograph can be guaranteed to do it justice. You would need a Pantone expert like Diddley. As you know, Bobby and I went to Austria in 2017. One day, walking alongside a field of Barley, he was entranced by the numerous Cornflowers growing within the crop. The farmer’s wife was standing at the edge of the field.
He said “es ist schön”. She replied: “They are, aren’t they!” When asked why there were so many Cornflowers in the field, she told him why.
“Here in Austria, you buy your grain seed from a dealer. You have a choice. Just grain, or if you like beautiful things you can buy the grain enhanced with Cornflower seed.”
Barley/Cornflower seed mix. Millstatter am See, Carinthia, Austria.
I Don’t Believe It.
Dorking’s famous cockerel on the roundabout approaching the town now has a new facemark supplied in secret by the urban knitters. “# Be kind” is the message. Quite agree.
Lighting a Candle to Diddley
On a bicycle made for two.
– – – – – – – – –
Brompton Revival.
Brompton Revival.
Me, the Brompton and Littlehampton by the Sea.
We live in extraordinary times. The last time Bobby’s life was in such a turmoil was in 2015, when he lost Diddley. The weeks and months that followed that were very difficult. But they had one certainty. She wasn’t coming back. (more…)
Covid-19 Guided Walk for One. Number 5: Westcott to Denbies Hillside.
Number 5: Westcott to Denbies Hillside.
Marbled White.
This is a short walk full of interest. The road section up Hole Hill has very few cars. Please note that beyond the cattle grid onto National Trust land is a private road. No entry to vehicles. It’s worth noting that for all these Covid-19 walks we describe the walk. We do not cover car parking anymore. Most country car parks, including the NT ones, are very busy.
So the walk starts in Westcott Village. Heads north down Balchins Lane. Turns right up Hole Hill and down again to the cattle grid entering NT land. You can now follow the walk via the pictures and map. Couple of miles maybe. The pictures are all current. The Marbled Whites are on the wing. Or were on 4 July… (more…)
The Narrow Gate by Ivan Tucker.
The Narrow Gate.
This week we are delighted to welcome our friend Ivan Tucker. A true wordsmith. Instead of pictures we ask you to imagine the scene as he walks along the bank of the River Mole near Dorking. (more…)
The Yarnbomb Sisters of East Preston
East Preston’s Yarnbomb Sisters.
Do you remember the very first regular mid week story that appeared in Mindfully Bertie? We had decided that during the pandemic there might well be an opportunity for an extra shorter story each week. Three months later they have been very well received and we shall carry on. (more…)
Missing You. Bobby’s Railway Adventure.
Missing you.
Bertie: “Bobby… will it always be like this? Will we ever go to those places we love again? I really miss all those adventures.”
Bobby: “I am sure we will, Bertie. But a lot of people like me will be too nervous to go for quite a while. All we can do is be patient.”
Bertie: “We could dream about those lovely places…”
Bobby: “Of course we can. Where would you choose to dream about first?”
Bertie: “Whitby.”
Bobby: “I love Whitby too Bertie. So did Di. And the grandchildren. In fact, there are stories we have saved for a rainy day from times gone by.”
Bertie: “It’s raining now.”
Bobby: “OK Bertie. How about a story of a rainy day in Whitby?” (more…)