It is 7 days since I last Blogged. Why? Too much Wimbledon and football, too much nice weather and going for a walk. Too many baby mice to get rid of that Isabella, the cat, has decided to bring into the house and drop, live. They are too young to run fast, so it is possible to remove them with the dust pan and brush and put them back in the Nature Reserve behind our bungalow. However, there was the day that Isabella decided a squirrel was a good catch. I saw it only because it had put its head between the floor bucket and the cat litter storage bucket, with a HUGE tail laid on the floor. Naively I assumed it was dead and bravely went into the lobby to remove it. As soon as I touched it, the tail twitched, I screamed and ran from the room. Fortunately, the lobby has a glass panel in the door so for half an hour I peered through. Nothing was happening, but it was alive. I am ashamed to say that my next move was this, via Text, with @GwynFraser:
“So now we have a half dead squirrel in the cat’s lobby with its head stuck down the side of a bucket. F–k!!!!”
“Half dead? If you put it outside with the cat, would she finish it off?”
“How the f–k would I know? Don’t they bite? I have to work myself up to go and move it first. I’ve got Liz’s big Tramper gloves on!! It’s also pooped on the floor. I’ve cleaned up the poop because at that point I hadn’t seen the squirrel.”
“If it’s quite lively you may need to guide it into a container. It will be looking for somewhere to hide”
“It’s lively cos I just poked it. Now it’s hidden behind the bucket and the cats’ bed. No problem if you can’t, but could you help deal with this? In return we could offer snacks and football”
“OK I’ll come over. Just don’t let it in the rest of the house!”
“Isabella in lounge with the door shut. Squirrel in lobby with door shut and window open”
“I’ll be a few minutes getting ready”
And, b—er me, if he didn’t arrive, go into the lobby, remove the squirrel, rehome it in the Nature Reserve, come back in, wash his hands and have a cup of tea. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
So, to my own ‘Headliner’ tea towel: ‘Geological Map of the British Islands (based on the work of the geological survey 1969)’. I love this one for so many reasons. I bought it on 6 July 2021, from the National Stone Centre. Sometime ago, Liz and I had arranged to meet with her sister and brother-in-law at Middleton Top. They were on holiday in the Peak District and this would be the first time we had seen them, in the flesh, for nearly two years, on Zoom yes but not in the flesh. Middleton Top is part of the Derbyshire Scheme for Tramper hire so we had booked the Tramper. We were not deterred by the fact that it rained and rained. A walk was a walk, a meeting up was a meeting up. We walked to the top of the Hopton Incline and back, not bad in the rain. And, by goodness, it was raining. After a couple of hours, we agreed a cup of tea would be good.
On the way, both Liz and Lyn had spotted the National Stone Centre, somewhere neither had heard of before. Stuff the stones, it had an airy cafe which turned out to be a very nice cafe with a small gift shop. You know the next step:
“I don’t suppose you have a tea towel?” I ask.
“Not of the Stone Centre but a geological map” the Volunteer responded.
“I’ll have it” I said excitedly. I think the Volunteer was somewhat puzzled as to why I would be so excited by a Geological Map tea towel. Just looking at it, took me back to my O/Levels, doing Geology and loving it so much, going on various field trips including to Durdle Door and Malham Tarn. There weren’t many of us who did Geology, but those that did, loved it.
The day ended with a planned outdoor meal at a local pub, lovely food, now dry weather, no people, they were all indoors. I can’t build myself up to eating indoors yet. A great day and a tea towel that has so many memories.
And now which tea towels will join #thejoyofteatowelsharing? There are some really interesting ones coming up. @dlenn7 sent in ‘Mickey Mouse’ “Mickey is from Disney World and only gets used to cover things up”. @CampievanBears has offered ‘Rude Britannia’ “This one is naughty”
Clearly, @Scarfie1 is a fan of tea towels associated with Royalty. The first is ‘Highgrove’ “One last Highgrove tea towel” (there have been two different ones in The Joy of Tea Towel Sharing (15) already). @Scarfie1’s second offering is from an exhibition at Kensington Palace “Hello, maybe you will like my new tea towel I got on Thursday, from the ‘Royal Style in the Making’ exhibition at Kensington Palace? I’m really pleased with it. 90% cotton 10% linen and made in UK!!” @CampievanBears commented “It’s so appropriate this week as the Diana Memorial is being unveiled”
In contrast, from @claraclarabel “A recent gift from a lovely shop”. It is ‘Portobello’. From @Microbedoc2 (who did not send this to me but it was recommended by @Heledd_Wyn) is one of ‘The Lake District’ who said “Apparently, while purchasing souvenirs at Windermere, I became possessed by my 20 year-deceased great grandmother”
And finally, from @GeoffRimington is a ‘Tea Towel In Action’. It is one that I have already seen of his but I spotted this photo of his efforts at using up bananas by making Banana Bread. “I always put a tea towel on the cooling tray, Barbara. It’s one you’ve seen before”. @BitThing submitted ‘The Ones That Got Away’, having already bought some new tea towels while on holiday (to be shown at a later date) who says “Here’s the ones I didn’t buy”
I love the Lucienne Day one; @BitThing certainly can spot a stylish tea towel (even if she didn’t buy it).
Thank you to all who that taken part in #thejoyofteatowelsharing. Still more to come.