I think many of us have first times that we remember. Some are pleasurable, some we would rather forget!

At the age of threeI was smacked for unpicking my mother’s knitting! At five, smacked again on my first day at infant school for crossing my legs when sitting down. You weren’t supposed to do that! At fourteen, I went to my first party where boys were invited too! What a thril. Us girls couldn’t wait, we were so excited! It was that day that I met Ron (sixteen) my future husband.

March 10th was my lucky day. The first day I wore my engagement ring to school, I was teaching at Greenbank. I took every opportunity to write on the blackboard so that I could rest my left hand and admire my ring!

On my first day of teaching at Fonthill School in Southmead, I quarrelled with the headmaster.  When my class came in from the playground, I noticed one little boy was missing. He was seven and it was his first day at that school too. Where was he? He was in the headmaster’s office being caned. His “crime”? He had taken a piece of chalk outside and had drawn on the ground. I was very cross and really reprimanded the Head.

Talking of schools, my first day at Red Maids was far from enjoyable. I broke a test tube in the laboratory, then we wnt outside to play hockey. I had to throw the ball in. At that moment the teacher bent over and the ball hit her nose causing it to bleed! What a first day!

I will finish on a happier memory. The first holiday after our honeymoon was planned for France, somewhere we had never been. We had booked a place on a plane flying from Lydd in Kent. On the way there our fan belt broke, so we missed the plane! Luckily we were in the A.C. Petite that I told you about last month. There was just room to fit it into a plane with two large Rolls Royces!

Our first breakfast in France was in Le Touquet. We loved it, and it is still one of my favourite places in the world!

Enjoy November.
Esmé

If you are wondering what I am writing about, I will give you a clue! In the dictionary it says “circular objects that revolve on an axis and are fixed below a vehicle, or other object, to allow it to move easily over the ground.“ Wheels!

I think that is such a narrow definition for something that plays an important role in our lives.  Unless we use digital, we rely on clocks and watches to know the time. Perhaps you have enjoyed a ride on the London Eye or on a big wheel at a fair-ground? A wheel allows me to use my sewing machine. A spinning wheel turned the fur from our Samoyed dog into wool.
 
What about water wheels? Three times we nearly bought one. The first was in Keynsham, near Bristol and the other two were in France. They were on small rivers that ran through the grounds of the properties we were interested in buying. However, my husband thought that they might make the houses feel damp.
 
Our children were excited when for them, three became two. They progressed from tricycles to bicycles!
 
We went from two to eight!  As teenagers, we had a motorbike. Then came a three wheeled “A.C. Petite”. The engine was not powerful enough for steep Swiss mountain roads, and it caught fire! Many four wheeled cars followed, Jaguars in this country and Citroens in France. My favourite was a Citroen-Maserati. 
 
Then we progressed to eight wheels with our car pulling an American Hi-Lo. This was the same height as a Daimler, but went up to a normal caravan height at the touch of a button. Now I drive a Toyota Hybrid. To prove the importance of wheels, we carry a spare one, don’t we?
 
The saying goes, “Money makes the wheels go round* I prefer to change the word “money” to “kindness” or “love”. That is my wish for all of you.

Enjoy Autumn!
Esmé

I have just watched a rescuer being rescued! A large St Bernard dog was being carried down a mountain. This TV news brought back some holiday memories. Every time that we stayed in  Switzerland we always went up the Jungfrau on a mountain railway. Our children enjoyed watching the  St Bernards, They were a popular tourist attraction.

When we bought Hotwells Post Office we decided to get a dog. Buying a book about dogs we chose to buy a Samoyed as they looked to us to be really beautiful. We called her Heidi and she was as amazing as she looked. No guard dog though, she welcomed everybody! She wasn’t my first dog. At the age of  eleven I was given money for my birthday and set off to buy a Spaniel. I came home with a Pekinese!  Named “Mandarin the Ninth” which we shortened to Mandy.
 
My family are all dog lovers. In York my son Rowan has a gorgeous Wheaten  terrier, a calm, very patient dog. He needs to be, as my granddaughters both have young lively dogs, Stevie another Wheaten terrier and Basil a Welsh terrier, who tease Paddy. In Welland near Malvern, my daughter Jaye has a black Labrador called Hugo. I call him the detective as he is so curious. He is a PAT dog which means “Pet as Therapy”. When this difficult time is over he will be taken into care homes again to cheer up the residents.
 
Now a cautionary note, once in France when Ron and I met friends for lunch they left their dog Alcan in their car with the windows open. Partway through the meal I said “Shouldn’t you check on Alcan?” Claude and my husband went down to the car and thank goodness they did, the windows had automatically closed and Alcan had collapsed. Luckily they managed to revive him. Never do that!
 
Finally, do I have a dog? No, because pets are not allowed where I live. However I do have a large white cuddly teddy bear!
 
I wish you a happy September,
Esmé
 

I was going to give  these thoughts the title “Life in Lockdown”, but I thought it might make you turn the page without reading it! Perhaps, like me, you are fed up with the word lockdown. I always think of prison. Our houses are so much better than those.

I do sympathise with those people whose lives are difficult and with those who suffer from depression. My heart is with you and I light candles every night for you. I live alone and for four months have been self isolating. I miss my husband Ron every day but have done that for nearly twenty years! Ron would have enjoyed this time as he often said that he wished the two of us lived on a desert island. I have left my flat just four times to see Mr. Peter Turner, my optician.
 
I am grateful to my very caring family and friends. My son lives in York and my daughter lives in Welland near Malvern but I get regular phone calls. My daughter orders on-line anything that I need and it usually arrives the next day.

Food is not a problem thanks to Downend Coop. They have all been fantastic from the manager Simon and the kind people who shop and load the trolley to the young man who delivers to my door. I call it “star treatment”.

When my car had a flat battery my friend Kate P took me to the optician, and church friends have phoned me often. With all this loving help, how can I not feel cheerful?

My greatest joy is the arrival of my first great grandchild!  She is two weeks old, is called Ophelia and I am meeting her for the first time this week.
 
Most of the people that I know are enjoying gardening or cooking. Have you tried “Hassleback bread” You make slices in a loaf, but not right to the bottom. Fill the gaps with your favourite things, perhaps cooked leeks, bacon and cheese. Wrapped in foil you heat it up. It’s quick, easy and delicious.

I have always painted using oils. A few weeks ago my York family sent me water colour paints. Guess what? My white settee is now splashed with rainbow colours. It’s lucky that I like rainbows. In French they are “arc en ciel”, arch in the sky!

Think of the fun we shall have when this time is over.  My son and I will be off to France!!
 
Take care please,
Esmé

What a large subject! I could write a book, but I must keep it to one page. I have never met anyone who doesn’t like them. Personally I don’t enjoy receiving cut flowers. They sadden me as they die so quickly. Plants go on and on! 

My balcony has never looked prettier because during the “lockdown” I’ve been sent daisies, lilies and lavender plants, all thriving in this sunshine and they are a daily joy. My family know that my favourite colours are white, blue and mauve,

My friends who married in the fifties all carried red roses. Not me. I designed a crescent spray of white roses, carnations and stephanotis. We had twin page boys, so I designed my bridesmaid dresses, and made them in blues and mauves to match the page’s kilts. Their bouquets were like stars in those colours.

A friend’s daughter worked for the florist in London who made Princess Diana’s bouquet. When Royal orders are made there is always a duplicate. After the wedding, all the team shared the flowers from the spare bouquet.

We had two flower calamities. When we bought Hotwells Post Office the front door to the property was alongside the shop window and up three steps. Soon after moving in we bought six pots of geraniums, two for each step. Not a good idea. The next morning they had all been taken!

In France, we planted lavender all along the inside of our front wall. On returning from holiday there was just a row of holes!

I wonder which flowers are your favourites? My father loved wallflowers. I could never understand that choice. Madi, my granddaughter, now expecting my first great-grandchild adores daffodils. In York, my granddaughters favour sunflowers. I do like the way that when turning to the sun they seem to dance (the sunflowers, not the granddaughters!) In France you should never give anyone chrysanthemums. They call them funeral flowers. Likewise never offer red and yellow flowers together. That combination is thought to bring bad luck.

Just a daisy from your lawn would please me. Yes, I love white flowers!

Happy July,
Esmé

When I told a friend that I was writing about birds she asked “Who is interested in them?” Well I am, and I hope that some of you are too.
 
Do you like owls? I have never actually seen one! My daughter Jayne has a very clever sewing machine. When she makes a dress, for example, it does everything except wear it! This Christmas she featured owls. She made me a door-stopper owl filled with pebbles in patchwork colours to match my carpet. It’s a “hoot”! Children had versions minus the pebbles.
 
Valerie gave me a delightful “Garden Birds” calendar. My birthday month, April, features blue-tits. I love them and they are increasing in number in our country.
 
My favourite birds are the blue and green ones such as kingfishers and peacocks. Some peacocks are white, and equally fantastic. When we were on holiday in Interlaken in Switzerland, we caught a train  to Lake Maggiore in Italy to see white peacocks. Then we went in a small boat to Isola Bella. It was unforgettable, with the sun shining, musicians playing, a great lunch and white peacocks strutting around.
 
As I have mentioned before we worked for Haven Holidays. They were planning to expand in France and rent more space in campsites. One spring we went to visit various sites as they wanted our opinion. One was called “Camping des Pongs”. A pong in France is a peacock! Unfortunately, the staff there had not closed the doors firmly on the restaurant and we found it full of peacocks. What a pong!
 
I have so many questions about birds. Perhaps you know the answers? Why don’t they all migrate to warmer places? Do they feel the cold? Do they communicate with each other or make friends? I must try not to worry about them!
 
Enjoy February
Esmé

When our children were growing up, the highlight of each year was our summer holiday. We always stayed in fabulous hotels in France and Switzerland.

Only one problem for me, on our return home, I couldn’t get into the routine of cooking again! It’s the same now after Christmas. You may wonder why French food has such a world wide reputation. It’s because the French care about food. There’s an annual competition in Paris to honour the best baguette. Simple bread becomes an art form!

Simple food can be delicious. What about dips? I love garlic so my favourite is “Le Grand Aïoli”.

• Soak a slice of de-crusted bread in milk for about 10 minutes.
  
• Squeeze and discard the liquid.
• Next pound the soaked bread with 4 cloves of garlic.
• When it’s smooth whisk in an egg yolk and about 250 ml olive oil plus lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
  

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge and use that day. Of course you can double or treble these amounts  depending on your number of guests. If your family are like mine, there will be vegetarians and non-vegetarians around your table. I fill one platter with sliced cold meats or sea-food and another with brightly coloured vegetables and fruits. Each platter would have it’s own bowl of aïoli in the centre.
 
I don’t go to the trouble of making this dip just for myself. Instead, I stir some tomato ketchup into some mayonnaise and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley! Don’t forget a variety of different flavoured crisps. Enjoy these simple feasts, and if like me, wash them down with your favourite wine. I love Merlot, as it is full flavoured, without being heavy.
 
Have a “dippy” January!
Esmé

I am convinced that music is the best medicine, and have proved it many times!

When we were living on the French Riviera my husband Ron had spent many painful days in bed hardly able to move. One evening we heard music playing. Going down in the lift we then joined an open air concert on the beach. Two hours later we nearly danced back to our flat!

Once I was in hospital in Brittany expecting to be there for several weeks. My doctor, a close friend, came to visit me. Sitting on my bed he serenaded me with his guitar. I went home the next day! It was Duke Orsino  in “Twelfth Night” who said “If music be the food of love, play on! ” My life would have been so much less without it.

At the age of 5, I was singing duets with my father. As teenagers, Ron and I sang for many years in the choir of Hanham Road Congregational Church in Kingswood. No television in those days! For our personal enjoyment Ron played his keyboard or our piano, and I sang. He also played the clarinet, but his favourite instrument was his accordion.

With the Red Maids Choir we sang at the BBC in Whiteladies Road. The weekly song was the “Prickety Bush” which was the signature song for a programme called “Down your Way” How we enjoyed lunch afterwards in the BBC canteen! 

Now I have the joy of singing with Frenchay Church Choir which makes Sundays very special. My son sang in Clifton College choir and my daughter belongs to Stroud Rock Band! One of my treasured memories is hearing Megan, my youngest grand-daughter, playing her violin whilst  leading many children round a church in Aix en Provence.

Another of my favourite quotes is, “You never realise the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

I wish you all a magical musical Christmas!
Esmé

I have loved books  since I joined St George Library at the age of five! One of my favourite quotes is “There’s more to life than books, but not much more!” I feel very sorry for people who do not enjoy reading. It is said to be as good for your mental health as medicine is for your physical health. 

There was no television when I was young but my father read aloud to my mother and myself most evenings. My husband loved reading too, so it’s not surprising that both of our children followed in our footsteps. They could read fluently when starting at infant school which gave them a good start. My son, a retired English teacher, is a fan of Shakespeare. My daughter’s favourite book is Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. This weekend she is staying at Hay on Wye with her book club. It’s where Richard Booth opened a second hand book shop and now the town is famous for them! 

It probably won’t surprise you that my favourite books feature France and food. I love Monet’s Cookery Note Books by Claire Joyce. I bought a second hand one, cut out some of the pictures and they are behind glass in my kitchen bringing happy memories of our many visits to Monet’s house in Giverny! I’m delighted with The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Koo which reminds me of living in Paris. Fiction wise I enjoyed Coastline by Joanne Harris as it’s set in the Vendèe region where I once lived. 

I must go now. I want to get back to my book! What am I reading? The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriaty. 

Enjoy November (and books?) 
Esmé