Alt.Mustardland

White rabbits and all that. Just crawled out of my pest hole and had a shower. I still have a cold bit I think it's nearly gone.

Never Had White Rabbits - Just a VERY Heavy cat who wakes me by stanmping all ovr me - usually two or three hours after what should have been his Breakfast time.

Ah - My other Pension Due today.. I'd better go and check Mr Barclays Emporium - then transfer contents to "Pets At Home".

Not been able to get back today. Partly brcause I was doumg the January Washing up!!!!!
I'm off to examine the insides of my eyelids. Goodnight each - And I'll be Susceptable to a nearly call in the Morn......

Just finished ironing handkerchiefs and pillowcases and found another handkerchief after I turned off the iron and put the board away. I have a few more to wash so it will have to wait. I hate tissues.

It's lucky that George has a pension.

Hello again - Bogged down with Beaurocracy... (Niusance Neighbours, NHS using wron address and I Need their attention<, Local Gov, Long ago Insurance work to house - (should have been done when I was ill in Hospital and havn't caught up) - State Pension error and ...... and.....). Sorry if I'm not keeping up with matterws here.


... Oh, and I must do some ironing... (and why has my gaudy purple shirt faded to dark pink?)

Has the NHS not been told your improved address? And all the rest. I wish I could come and help, but it's a bit too far to come in one day.

The Spring seems to be arriving here. Snowdrops, Witch hazel and daffs coming into flower all at once. Blackbirds with gold beaks and other birds in mating plumage. I saw a big pheasant in the meadow looking really smart except for a broken and trailing tail feather. Possibly a shooting accident. He'd be safe in my garden. I'm the only one with shooting rights and I choose not to exercise them.

Yes, Spring is Sprung - I see on local news that Hosses heve escaped from their field (Southend Road, A127) and have galloped across the road to someone elses pastures... Spring is Springing.

Re Doc Health Ctr:
I cant remembwer my last report.
sEap transferred me to some NHS concern at Hastings Town Hall (NO, I don't know why Hastings).
They referred me to another outfit (not the NHS Dept) in Chelmsford.
Met her and she then she composed a letter (Recorded Delivery and demanded a Reply)
She sent me a copy of that letter that she sent to Doc asking:
How was they helping their client (Me) by using a False Address,
When Did The Client (Me) give them permission to accept the Council Direction to change my address
.. and something I can't recall.

Chelmsford Lady has now sent me the Doc's Practice Manager's reply. To Paraphrase, the Practice Manager has:The reason that My Hospital Retains my Legal address is because I Refused to change my address ... (an outright Lie - I have never been asked/told to change my address at the Hospital)
and That The Local Council ordered that change.

Chelmsford Lady says that there was no point in Facing the Health Centre as they are just buck-passing, So I am Directed to an Ombudsman in Westminster, thus missing out a stage...
Got Headache - Must Go....

The Ombudsman does a pretty good job of shaking things up. The may take a few weeks but IME things stay shook.

That's why I want to be precise about briefing the Ombudsman - .. and I'm not certan as to how much Teeth the Ombudsman has...
But.... That is only half the Story.....
The more General problem is that "The High Court" have told the council that they Cannot Change House numbers. (1925 Act - Much house rebuild after the WW I years of Building neglect, and the surviving ex-Servicemen could now Drive. Henceforth one cannot change addresses willy nilly so that Fire and Ambulances would Know where each house is and find rapidly - the 1925 Act was a "Health act"). Nor can a road name be imposed IF a road Name already exists ...BUT this is not a Road, Just interconnected pedestrian Courtyards, thus The 420 Housed in this area were Deemed to be in Different map lines giving different names.
... I'm simplifying this far too much. .... I did not get a Council Tax Invoice - I believe the Council sent it to their intended rename/number, but whatever the reason, it did not reach here. so I didn't pay it.
The Above mentioned High Court (ie, cannot change House Numbers), has not been honoured by the Council who told The Health Centre of their Intended Address, thus My house Must retain its Number. Thus any bill or "chase-up" letter etc to the "Fake" addresses are nothing to do with me. I have a Counciller advising me on this, and is getting his Legal Eagle to put this case forward if/when I get summoned to Court. I seem to be a Test case to counter the Council's intended changes that they have pre-emptied to My Doc.

This is very much a "Long-Stop", and The Various outfits that I have been "shared" among for The Health Centre - Currently a Whitehall Ombudsman - May not be Involved in Council Matters. I am trying to Mention that The Council are Merely "Intending" house number changes, but that Actual Cause for Complaint with The Health Centre is that I have Neither Authorised My Doctor to accept instructions from a Council, nor Allow my Personal Details such as my House, to be Given/instructed to whichever Doctor I choose.
I Know that Several Courts had to be tried (County Court (Now in Basildon, but Officialy Brentwood County Court under some ancient title) the Crown Court (Chelmsford) a Distant Court that is not au-fait with this Area (Colchester) and Lastly the High Court, But not being of a Legal Bent, I don't know the exact Definition of The High Court (I know its in London), so again, I needs to be very Wary of how to make my case to The Ombudsman. I have to put a case to Him/They, not merely repeat my Words to the Last Bod.
I'm not sure I have this all correct - I need to look at it with "Fresh Eyes" in the a.m.

I asked my handyman to quote for the replacement ramp, but he hasn't got back to me yet, and I was thinking he has bitten off more than he can chew, so I contacted the Council and they will put their resources to it. They will either send a team out to do it or come to some arrangement with the handyman to help fund it. I was completely open with them and said I would pay what I can if they will help. They seemed quite happy with that. There's a bit of a waiting list, so It isn't going to be ripped out of my hands without my being able to control what happens. It will probably start with the Occupational Therapist report.

The snowdrops are really coming out now, and the Snowdrop Valley trips start this week. It's been a 'dodge the Hedgerow trimmers weekend but they've done their duty and the primroses will be visible now. The roads are so narrow that few people dare stop to pick them, so they make a brave show for the season, then give way to the pink campions and bluebells later on.

This is an "odd", estate. A prize winning design from a Swedish Universary Pedestrian so No roads, just Pedestrian. The "doorstep" a Paved area above courtyard level is mine, and another step over my threshold door (Yup Two Steps, warnings of Memories of The Essex Floods of 1952) thus to exit here two ramps (or a Looooong one- dependin of door to Public courtyard) Both only a few inches high, to get to the Public Courtyard needs Ramping. The Bloke Next door (his entrnce from the next Courtyard) Has Ramps - Looks like it was constructed by Altering the Slope and Paving Stones and with a Handrail. No idea what they did indoors, The Thresholds are are a Brick Height (about 3") above the internal floors.

Hello. Interesting sort of week. Cassie still has her cone on because she isn't completely healed, so it will be Monday. It was marginal today, so she's a bit disappointed.

I've organised a Dawn Chorus walk for the first Sunday in May. I won't be able to walk but I will light the BBQ and make notes of what I hear. Then I will be able to put the bacon on around 5.45am.

I've been having a polite fight with the Rector's wife who sent me a huge poster for her production of Cats. She's pushy and uses her husband as a weapon. So I said no. He's sent me a much smaller one but if I'm short of space in the magazine, it will have to go on the back burner until next month. It's not on until April, so it will have to wait.

I have been out of things in general, but decided It was time I got a Life: Tomorrow Morn, I'm heading to Sunny Chelmsford to the Essex Record Office to Join a Group to be showed around what/How to access their Collection.
So Give me an early Morning call - Not that early, but it's a Two Bus and a walk (or three buses) to get there for 09:45

When I went to the Shropshire record office I got so excited I nearly had a heart attack. I took my family tree back another 2 generations, and it was the start of my researches, so I wasn't used to it. Just write everything down/take copies of all you find, or you'll have to look it all up again.

It rained most of the morning, but it's nice now. The Gardener shredded all the detritis from the big pile yesterday, but increased the leaf pile, so I'm afraid I asked him to put some stuff in the shed, the path to which he'd almost covered with the aforesaid leaf pile. He caught the side of the box against the compost bin and fell over, which was what I had been afraid I'd do. He's much younger than me, and I didn't laugh at him, but asked if he was OK with as much sincerity as I could muster. He hadn't hurt himself, so that was OK.

Went to Record office - Asked in Bus Station, what bus went to Wharf Road - East European Lady Enquiry bod didn't understand me ... Her Colleague told me the Two busses that passed by, but they didn't come into the Bus Station (The Latter hasa much reduced capacity since they increased number of the routes, but reduced space to build flats - "You KNOW it makes sense"), So I crossed road into Railway bus-stop. A bit of a pain as I had an achy foots (see earlier post re lack of tablets). Bus driver didn't know Wharf Road...? "Whats it Near?" ... The County Record Office ... Driver (Shouting down bus) "Anyone know Essex Record Office?" ... No answer "Sorry mate". This reminds me all those years ago when I worked in that one-horse town. Nobody wants to earn their keep, but only remember how to sign their time/pay Record...
Walked (hobbled) to Record Office and missed the start.. It was useful to see "Behind the scenes". Firstly what anybody can see on their pooters, Next, the point beyond which no photos can be taken (Copyright), then the Map rooms (Cant handle them, but set out for one to see) then the Area where Your odrers for Books and documents are found for ones peruval, then the stores (closed to the populace), Temperature controls, Moisture regulated (Anyone working there for a few hours has to put moisurisers on their faces (then wash hands) because of the dryness of air. The Fire sprinklers have no water, only Argon Gas). Some documents are tens of yards long, so only a section at a time is opened, with the remainder rolled either side. (Stories on Very Long Lorries for loooong Epping Forest Map being delivered to the City of London Conservators being transferred to Epping Forest - Seems the driver wanted a Map too, to find the location??? - he had the biggest most detailed in the back of his lorry). Finally, sight of a few of their prizes kept contantly out of the light - Each laid in no touchy paper, in a box, in a card box), One was an old Married Licence - From Barking (when it was a maritine Area, and part of Essex), A bloke called Cook, who became a Naval man of some rank.
Another was a Bible - Big and Thick, but with a much more elaborate cover It was still brightly coloured in a very tooled covered, But their owner didn't need it when He was beheaded - Bloke Called King James. Nevertheless, it had Faded somewhat after its original Owners Death.

Not yet got round to catching up on My long-time Home. It had pre-war been the Park of a Large Stately Home. but after its second World War, the House was behond saving - hence Houses were more important than History, so a large amount of it became Harold Hill. There is a Group trying to unearth the house in the depleted once Stately home (largely overbuilt by the Army for Searchlight Batteries and Accom for the Men). I must get over there - (must get a car, too).

I'm glad you had a good day in the end. I didn't realise how important Essex Record Office was. King Charles 1st was beheaded, but Captain Cook was called James.

I remember once when my sister and I met our cousins for a day out, one of them was a member of Liverpool's Athenaeum Club, and one of the stewards gave us a guided tour. They had a first copy of the American Declaration of Independence. It was explained that the original was never signed, but all the participants signed the copy. How it finished up in Liverpool is a mystery.

There was another High Ranking Naval man - An Accountant I believe - inmolved in the First House that (The House I mentioned Yesterday, Dagnams) Over a Hundred years before the 1770 House. His very Non-Naval interest was advising on The Gardens - Bloke called Pepys. A Lot of History there. But I'm wondering How much was Important, that which is insignificant, and that which is Heresay?

Filled up with pancakes last night. I made 6 thin ones with the smallest possible recipe. My lemons had dried up so I used a bottle of lemon juice. They were lovely, but I did have some Disarronno with the last one which was a lot more exciting.

I have a Tescos delivery this afternoon, which is quite unusual for me.

Damn.... Forgot about Pancake day.

I had a fast day yesterday, so have made up for it with a slightly larger breakfast.

Got to fly to get to the library in time. One book is not renewable.