Easter Comes Early At The Towers

Easter came early yesterday morning in the guise of a mysterious package found in our mailbox, with no clue as to who it was from .......

...... however, it did come with the distinct instruction that it should not be bent ......

...... which, in turn, only added to the tangible and palpable excitement that was thronging through The Towers!

On carefully opening the envelope, ensuring no bending occurred during the process, we were still none the wiser when we found a beautiful, bowed bedecked box under which there was another envelope which we were sure would reveal all.

We all laughed as said envelope was opened as it was then obvious that it was from someone who knew us very, very well, as it contained a card with a hedgehog on the front!

It was from our beloved friend Pharmacy Michelle in romantic Southport, wishing us a happy Easter.  

It was, as you can imagine emotional.

Inside the box we found a very beautiful and delicate Easter card for all of us ....

...... each containing a special and pertinent message. 

Let's just say by the time the last envelope was opened and ohhhed and ahhhed over, there wasn't a dry eye in the house .........

....... especially as we remembered those very special absent friends who won't be with us this year to celebrate the season of chocolate eggs.

Then, when all eyes were finally dried and sniffles gently wiped away .........

....... Darrell carefully curated our beautiful collection of cards upon our mantle, making him think that perhaps he ought to get out our other festive decorations over the weekend to help compliment them and get us "in the mood" for the happy days to come.

And the ribbon on the box that had tied everything so lovingly together? Well, that was quickly snaffled by Alice, thinking that if cut in two she'd be able to make a couple of her now trademark hair clips to wear as a heartfelt memento of a special morning, spent with special friends.

Thank you Pharmacy Michelle, you made our morning with your kind thoughts that will now stand resplendent for several weeks to come and no doubt be very much admired.  

XXX THANK YOU XXX 

Happy Ever After

Yesterday, out on the school run, Nigel saw something rather odd looking, crumpled up on the pavement, it looked like a hat, but then again it looked as if might have arms. So, venturing nearer and picking it up, he found it was a little ones, very loved, snuggly elephant. At that Nigel decided to lay it out carefully across the top of a bin that was nearby, taking a picture on his phone, thinking he might put it on the local Facebook page, as he's often seen before with such lost toys. However, Young Master Bertie became visibly distraught, asking if they could move away as he getting upset, knowing exactly how he'd be feeling if he had lost such a loved toy. Nigel obliged and noticed that as they stood waiting for Iris, Bertie would deliberately avert his eyes from looking in the direction of said comforter.

Then, after five minutes or so a lady with a pushchair came rushing past them, her little boy fast asleep, unaware of her panic, stopped, picked up the elephant and turned round, this time with a huge smile flooding her face.  The elephant had been with her little boys since he'd been born, it went everywhere with him (yes, we've been there, twice over) and her heart had dropped when she realised it was missing!  She thanked Nigel profusely for putting it somewhere safe and was soon back on her way. 

The look of relief on Bertie's face said it all too, as Nigel knew that his young nephew would have worried all night about the elephant and the little boy not being able to sleep without it. Bertie was back to his old self and all was right in the world again.  Happy days! 

Considered Charity Shop Purchases - Alice Rocks A New Colour

Another tick for March on our Bucket List Calendar for 2025, this time by the ever fragrant Alice.

She'd really, really wanted something new to add to her spring wardrobe and pastel, as suggested by said calendar, would be absolutely perfect for the season.

And, once again our charity emporium of choice, Vale Wildlife, came up trumps (but not that one!), with not one but three considered purchases, all especially fabulous, because our beloved Alice, it has to be said, is on the tres petite side, so finding clothes that fit is never an easy task.

Soooooooo, she found two dusty pink tops with long sleeves, one plain and one with her oft trademark hearts, that can be worn as they are or under her pretty pinafore style dresses, when there's a chill in the air ...........

...... and then there was a casual two piece, featuring again hearts, but in a colour Alice has up until now has been a total stranger to of a fashionista type nature, to wit, a very dark shade of grey.

She said wasn't at all sure about it, but when she popped it on and showed us, we ooooooooohed and ahhhhhhhhed in transfixed and conjoined admiration, she looked soooooooo BEAUTIFUL, in mahoosive capital letters!

But then, Alice could wear a sack (not that she ever would, unless for fancy dress) ............

....... and still look simply stunning!  What are we like if not totally enchanted and enraptured!!!!!

And the total spend? ....... Just £2, Alice is quite the bargainista too!

Nigel Finally Deciphers The Tags ...........

Although it's been staring him in the face for ages .........

........ and it's completely obvious now ....... 

....... Nigel has finally cracked the IKH tag .......

...... as standing for that immortal and resolute proclamation "I know hedgehog" ......

..... and weirdly, with said code cracked, Nigel is seeing it around and about more and more often. 

I've told him, that what we/he now needs to ascertain is who actually is this "Hedgehog" and who is it that claims to know him/her/they/them/it! 

Not at present a question for Parliament, but it very well might be in the future, seeing how Nigel's year seems to be going! 

No Considered Purchases Made .......

Nigel was out  yesterday, calling in at Vale Wildlife, his favourite rootling spot, which seems to have undergone a bit of a transformation, to wit, various sections being moved around, becoming more differentiated and organised, but, sadly, in the process, loosing that ramshackle chaos that made furtling and delving deep such an wonderful adventure!  Hey ho .......

I suppose it goes without saying that, as is so often the case, in this Nigel's Year Of The Hedgehog  .......

...... he naturally found the obligatory creature or by some sort of spooky, other worldly, osmosis the creature perhaps found him?  Needless to say, no purchase, in this instance was even slightly considered

Marmite being our savoury spread of choice Nigel also stumbled upon a very nice print (not a numbered, limited edition one though), going for the princely sum of £2.50 ........

 

Sorely tempted momentarily, the little fella knew that with Darrell's carefully curated walls, bringing it home might cause unfettered consternation within The Towers, with Darrell caught between fretting as to where to hang it and upsetting Nigel for the kind thought ....... so, Nigel also left this find where it was. Sometimes it's often the mooching and pondering that brings the pleasure of a discovery, rather than face negotiating the practicalities of taking it away, he mused later when he got home.  What is he like? 

Unbriddled And Unfettered Joy

Nigel arrived home from the school run last night with a happy little bounce in his step and the biggest smile ..... 

.... at last the gentle drip of an extra minute or two on our daylight hours had built up enough to really notice and it's effect on the little fella was both tangible and palpable.

He'd finally managed to walk all the way home in "proper" light, with dusk just on the cusp as he put his key in the door. He said it felt toooooooooo wonderful for words. 

The winter had seemed so long and dark, there had been some respite in December with all the Christmas lights, but once they had been taken down and curtains once more drawn against the cold and darkness, his walk felt sort of lonely again, even with his air buds playing in his ears. 

But now the birds were still singing as he went past the allotments ..........

......... and he knew that with each day the light would just grow and grow and he felt his heart sing ......... bless his little cotton socks. 

Oh Ye Of Little Faith

You may remember my incredulity after I asked a group of gentlemen what they were doing digging in our snowy garden back in December, to be told that they were planting bulbs .......

..... well, I have to take back all my misgivings ......

..... because they have indeed burst forth and are currently slowly, one by one gracing our lawn with their spring time blooms.

It is not only almost tooooooo romantic of a William Wordsworth type nature, but it has also lifted our spirits with the promise of warmer days and glorious sunshine ahead, after a long, bleak winter.

Our only worry now is that our company gardeners don't come on their large, industrial mower and run roughshod over them, as was their want when our  beautiful, wild cowslips were in bloom a year or so back, they had no shame! 

It's A Monkey's Life : Questionable Planting?

There' A Name For It!

It's very much part of Nigel, but we've never actually had a name for his little habit of "finding things" whenever he's out and about .........

...... until now .......

You can just see his little neck turn and eyes widen whenever he spots something that has been put outside a house ..........

....... be it furniture, spare apples, books, boxes etc., especially if it's accompanied by a sign that says "free", which results in a good, old shufftie, some pondering and musing and occasionally the coming home, triumphant, with any said treasure!

To be honest, a bit of proper junkernecking might be a very welcome distraction from all this haunting hedgehog type stuff that seems to be following him around at the moment ......

....... even if it is an old set of drawers or discarded Spiderman bike ......

......... as those pesky hedgehogs are even making the odd appearance in my dreams now, I think we could all do with a little rest from them! 

Nigel and Alice Go To The Regal

Alice has been saying that she'd very much like to see the new Moana film ever since it came out, soooooooo as it was playing at The Regal this week, what better opportunity for Nigel to treat the ever fragrant one to a matinee performance .......

...... especially as Alice is also a stranger to Evesham's beautiful art deco cinema.

Let's just say, Alice was not disappointed, as Nigel, ever the gentleman, had booked one of the cosy sofas on the balcony and ordered some light refreshment for their delectation.

It was all very wonderful, if a bit dark for photo opps, but Alice was completely blown away, the cinema's history and stunning decor made going to see a film an occasion in itself.

Never have chicken nuggets with fries and a chocolate milkshake tasted more decadent on an ordinary week day afternoon, she sighed when they got home!  It all just felt sooooooooo very special, even the ladies room had blown her socks off!

And the film? 

Well, she and Nigel haven't stopped humming the songs since, so it must have hit all the right notes!!!!  Happy cinematic and Disney days!