From Southport towards Blackpool.. The snow topped hills in the background...

Found the Airbnb easily enough, free parking.. was clean and tidy, and small, but enough for one night only.. 

Blackpool Tower, tried to get better photographs, but it was windy and freezing!

Spent a while just in the shopping centre, then a drink in one Wetherspoon, and dinner in the next Wetherspoon long the prom!

These two photographs are Fleetwood..

I nearly got another tattoo here! Luckily, she was busy! 

Above Lytham St Annes.

Stopped here for a little look around the stores and to find a pier that was open! None at Blackpool were, and this one you couldn't get out the back bit on...

Maybe they're all closed out of season... 

Now I have two Blogs ready to post, thumbs getting tired, and battery going down... On the phone too!

Wish I could share the news of finding the family homes... I guess I can write something, somewhere on the Ancestry site... 

I suppose it's not having my mom to share the news with that leaves the empty space I have.. Don't think my son's are bothered, much, or even at all..

M.

Don't let yesterday take up too much of today

Will Rogers

So! Formby, do you remember, back in December 2014, I had a placement in Ormskirk and I realized that it was close to Formby, where my great grandparents had lived in their latter years, and died.. 

Looking back they had from time to time lived around there and in that area.. 

I didn't know what the house looked like, just the name, so had walked from top to bottom, a couple of times every week for three weeks, while I tried to find the house, by name... or connect with one of the places! Yes, yes, looking no doubt like someone who had bad intentions! It was cold then too, hood up and probably looking highly suspicious!

When I got home though, I found in my mom's things, some photographs taken there! 

So this time, armed with said photographs! It was a different story!

We found six houses down the street, styled exactly like my great grandparents home, because of certain features I have lessoned it down to three! 

Why? I don't know! To connect, somehow with my ancestors, my past.. 

One of the houses was being worked on, builders stopped and having a snack break in their van.. watching me, watching the house..

So I spoke with them, said what I was doing and why... So funny... I think they thought I was in the market to buy!

Now this house above, is in Southport, our next 'port' of call, because when I was looking at my ancestry stuff having coffee at the end of the street before the Miss Marple house spotting above! 

I found an address for my great grandmothers sisters home!

And that's where we went next! 

Look at that house! Humongous!! And of course as we approached and started wandering around the white van there drove up! Caught in the act! I told that man what I was doing and why... He said help myself! 

The house is several flats, and the structure looks so bad... So sad... Just looked awful .. but still, was good to find a house belonging to the family...

Southport, I just love this town, always feel very at home up in this area, and I guess, with all the history we have up here... It's no wonder...

The beautiful Lord Street Grand shopping centre..

Stunning old building 

Last time I was here though, there was an amazing labyrinth of antique shops somewhat down on the ground floor level.. Seems to have gone now..

M.

No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.

Robin Williams - 1951-2014 - Comedian-Actor

Nothing worse than playing catch-up! Especially when so much to catch up on!! 

Beautiful drawing above on one of those drawing pads; me in the middle, son and two babes on one side, son and daughter in-law and babe on the left... 

Sadly with those pads, it's a click and gone! 

Above, inside Nottingham railway station café, coffee and gloves... My mom's... Thermal... My mom still keeping me warm...

On my journey to Beautiful Bewdley..

Passing through Birmingham and the cathedral there, a nice walk from New Street station to Snow Hill.. Snow being the word! No snow and then day of travel, there it is! Of course!

Arrived a week ago! Already! 

Went to football on Monday evening, in Wolverhampton.. now that was cold .. but my hand warmers kept me warm, while I nibbled through a packet of Skittles! Not had those for many a year!

Tuesday morning began a journey up towards Blackpool, and on the M5 down came the snow! 

Heavy, mixed with hail, then sunshine! 

Beautiful rainbow for a while, but the roads were dangerous, at one point a driver on the outside lane realized the traffic ahead had stopped, he was going too fast and drove in front of us and the next car and drove onto the hard shoulder and slowed down there away from parked cars...

Luckily there was space to do so, or he would have taken us out! And not in a good way! 

If you can zoom in on the photo above on the left.. yes it's blurry as I was rushing to take the photograph.. but that car on the hard shoulder... It's facing the wrong way!! 

Lucky man must have just spun and ended up safely there... Nothing wrong with the car, but he looked stunned... As one would! 

So many cars all over the roads, smashed, or parked wrong!! Well, being parked of course on the M5 would be wrong, whatever! 

Anyways, the bad weather cleared, and actually made it through in one piece! So far!

Next stop! Formby!

I'll write now and post tomorrow!

M.

We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon.

Konrad Adenauer - 1876-1967 - Former Chancellor of Germany

Ooops! Fail already! I didn't post my post! So will get this one posted and move on!

Above the Nottingham wheel coming down!

Stunningly beautiful day today, clear crystal blue skies above ..

This strange substance on the ground.. looked so pretty, appear to be ice crystals to match the sky! 

I walked then where the sun had touched and that wasn't so slippery!! Lols!

It does look pretty though all the frosting everywhere..

On the tram headed for town, lots of people back to work, so hoping it won't be so crowded! I really do not like crowds!! 

M.

The key to abundance is meeting limited circumstances with unlimited thoughts.

Marianne Williamson - Author-Speaker

Better get Blogging before years ends!

Been in 'can't be bothered' mode, only when chatting with friend this morning that I don't even have coffee in the mornings now, couldn't be bothered to do the faffing about to make it... 

She said "be bothered" and it's true! I must be bothered, and not just about the coffee making! 

I haven't been bothered about anything!

But we all should be, and that's my New Year's Resolution!

Being bothered is good! It should be my motto for 2025 be bothered!! 

Okay, it is! And that's that!!

Had a wonderful Christmas down with my youngest son and his family.. 

We walked to Cole Green station, and had an early drink of ginger beer! On a cold chilly morning, we were outside just before it opened at 11am on Boxing Day morning.. perfect!

Yes, this is the old platform... Looks quite surreal.. with the mist... 

Yesterday I tramed, is that a word? Like 'bused' somewhere?

Anyways! I got the tram then walked! To a retail park and J&S Motorbike store... 

I purchased myself a jacket and boots, and frankly my dears I had a wonderful time!

Then back into town met up with son and babes, long long wander around town, looking for a present for oldest babe who is on the edge of turning ten! 10! Diez! Unbelievable, where did this time go...

No, seriously!?

And I also bought Jamie Oliver's new book, because it was half price and because I have wanted it a while, and in spite of the fact I don't actually have my own kitchen! 

I've been to my lockup twice, yesterday and today, looking for my spare glasses...

I use my old ones for being out on a bike, they slide into the helmet without hurting my ears..

But I can't find them .. I would have not shipped them, but waited till the end, and brought them with me.. I've tipped out the bag with all the randomness I ended up with. Not there. And it's the glasses case for my glasses I wear, and the weird but wonderful clip-on shades for when I lost my click ons... 

No doubt they'll turn up, but when I go out I'll have to just not wear any!! Blurrrry here I come!

Going through a few days of not staying asleep and in the middle of the night I put on a podcast and listened to the beginning of the Helen Keller story, I haven't read the story since I was a kid.. yet as I listened it was so familiar, it was like yesterday.

Ending the year with twenty four tattoos and really should get '25th' as my next to mark it's number! And also because I was out for dinner the other night with an old friend.. and chatting with his dad, who I've also known for decades, he agreed 25th must be it!

Okay folks ... Walk with me, take my hand, let's jump into 2025!

Let's be bothered!

M.

If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you.

Fred DeVito - Author-Fitness Expert

Merry Christmas 2024!

It's been lovely here at son's for Christmas.. we're watching Die Hard 2, well, it is Christmas, lots of famous people in it, one I couldn't remember where I knew him from, Googled him .. he died three days ago!! 

Been dreaming of work and my house, last three nights... Was okay the first night, second sort of okay, but last night too .. woke up this morning feeling low ...

Missing everything, and it's Christmas, never a great time for me..

Should be a positive vibe post, but it's not in me this evening.

Tired and meh.. 

Hang on though, had a lovely day yesterday, went with the babe to see Father Christmas in town, was so wonderful.. first a story with all the children sat watching and listening as two of Santa's elves read and acted out a story .. 

Then the children moved to a work table and decorated their very own Christmas tree dinosaur ornament! Then each went to see and talk with Santa in turn, have a chat and given a gift.

They all received the book that Santas elves had read.

We had a bite to eat in the bakery and then a bus ride home..

And tomorrow will be wonderful.. 

I'll stay up later to listen out for Santa's sleigh bells and expect whatever I always expect!

M.

Sometimes the biggest accomplishment in life is to find yourself.

Luisa Fernanda Cicero - Television Presenter

Midwinter

Today, Winter Solstice, shortest day of the year.. 

Had a lay in this morning at son's, spent the morning relaxing and chilling.. 

We went out for a walk earlier and home just before the rain started! 

Yep, I'm down south now! 

Train journey yesterday, Nottingham to Grantham and Grantham to Stevenage and then here to Welwyn Garden City.

Had never been Grantham and Stevenage train stations before... Was an easy journey. If there was an Eye-spy book of train stations that would be two more ticketed off the list!

M.

Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced.

James Baldwin - 1924-1987 - Writer-Civil Rights Activist

I am sure something is seriously wrong with my head sometimes... Like a glitch in there... Yesterday, making son a cup of tea, one of those wonderful Yorkshire Tea specials.... And I thought, must get some of this to take back with me...

Back? Where?

I had been in my lock up earlier, I opened every one of my twenty four boxes, and didn't find what I was looking for, so will get back in there after Christmas..

When I was walking back here I remembered one main item I wanted to find... in fact one rather large item! It must have been in there!? Maybe behind where I had moved things out of the way, into... If you see what I mean.. and the rush through every box is why I didn't find anything I wanted...

Because when I'm in there I want to leave, but I also want to get everything out and unpacked! Unbearable to be with, but miss it all...

Mmm 'Unbearable to be with, but miss it all...'

That speaks volumes doesn't it ..

M.

To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.

Oscar Wilde - 1854-1900