Forthcoming event.

 This is on the North Bank. You can walk across the Humber bridge from North Lincolnshire and it won't cost you a penny. You can get the 350 bus from Barton and if you have a bus pass it won't cost you anything. Or you can drive across the bridge, but beware you need to set up an app with the web site to pay for your crossing. Rumour has it that the new toll booth free system is not working too well. People are missing the deadlines to pay, they are getting fined, and their paid for in advance deposits are getting wiped, out to pay their fines. If you live on the North Bank all will be hunkydory. The market is free to visitors.  

Mark it on the calendar.

Toodle pip.   ilona

Are you ready?

 The deadline is looming. Information for those who wish to consider this treatment.

Check out this BBC report. 

NHS Kent and Medway is asking vulnerable residents to make use of the booking system which opens from Tuesday, with appointments available from 13 April.

The spring vaccination programme will end on 30 June 2026.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Stuck in a jam

Good morning. 

Is everything back to normal now? Will the bin collection happen tomorrow. Did everyone make it back home after the Easter break at the seaside? 

This is why I don't follow the crowd and do my own thing. I go in the opposite direction. 

Pictures from North Yorkshire Weather Report. 

A sunny start today. Nothing special organised. Let's see how it goes. Freedom to choose.

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Work and play on the same day

Hello.

That's Easter done and dusted. I think Storm David has left the country. We had a lovely sunny day today. So this afternoon when I should have been outside getting a dose of vitamin D, I was indoors at the Lincolnshire Showground for the Big Craft event. 

I had a good look around and chatted to some nice people, and I treated myself. 

I bought two more metal flowers to stick in the ground. I already had the blue one from a previous event, so I bought the yellow and the red one to make a set of three. They are made locally at a Blacksmiths shop. A bit pricy at £18 each but they will last a lifetime. 

I've seen these felted soaps before so I thought I would try one. This one cost £3. They are so easy to make. I have got lots of wool so I might try and make one if this is successful.  

Something else to try. A bar of solid shampoo soap. It smells lovely. 

That's it, not buying anything else, I want to get outside in the sunshine. I had it in mind to finish off the day by picking a bag of litter from the grot spot I found at the Industrial Estate on Saturday. I found a couple of strong bags to put all the glass bottles in, then filled a red bag with plastic bottles, and cans, and anything else. I dropped these off at my usual pickup point, added to the bag I left there the other day, and a bag that someone else has put there. I think there are others picking in the area that I cover, so that's good to see. 

Now it's time for cuddles with Mayze.

Catch you later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Rebuilding self esteem.

 Good evening. 

Howz your Easter Sunday been for you? Here, the wind has blown a lot, then it's gone, then it rained, then the sun came out, then it was windy again, then we had a hail storm, and on top of all that, it's been chuffing freezing cold. There was a couple of places I could have gone to, but after all the changing of minds, shall I risk it, no perhaps better not, I didn't go out at all. 

I have been sewing, making a book cover. I haven't got the measurements quite right so I don't think it will fit the book I have in mind. I looked for another one, I haven't got many. I came across this one. It says published in 1990, though I cannot remember which year I bought it. 

Cast your mind back to 15th December 2009, were you reading this blog then? I wrote about my battles with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Here is a quote from that post. . . . . .

I have grown up hating my face, a bold statement but true. As I said, it started with bullying, my teenage years were hell at times as I struggled to fit in. The swinging sixties were indeed exciting, I dreamt of kissing Paul McCartney, I imagined myself singing on stage like Cilla, walking down the catwalk after Twiggy, I idolised these people. Then I caught sight of myself in the mirror and it caused me great sadness. No matter how I tried to copy their styles, their fashions, and their looks, it always ended in tears. It was hopeless, I would never be pretty.

Another quote to save me typing it out again. 

I was listening to a programme on Radio 4 about a charity called Changing Faces. I heard the story of James Partridge, a young man who was horrifically burnt in an accident when his landrover turned over and caught fire. He went through many operations and skin grafts to restore his face to some form of normality.

I took the phone number down and rang him. I explained how I hated my face, and asked if I could attend his courses for confidence building. I felt a bit of a fraud really because to the outside world I do not have any facial disfigurements. I explained that my scars are on the inside. He was so understanding and said I would be welcome to meet him. I booked the two day course.

I met some lovely people at Changing Faces, and James himself was wonderful, it did my confidence a power of good. I strolled around the streets with him during the lunch break, and I noticed people looking the other way and couldn't think why. When I talked to him I looked through the outer covering to the person inside, and I saw a beautiful man. He put everyone he met at ease, he was so confident, and I wanted to learn how to do that.

Finding this book has prompted me to goooogle him. Sadly he passed away in August 2020, aged 67. I will never forget his kindness. His charity, Changing Faces is still active and continues to help people come to terms with their disfigurements. Here is his Wiki page.  

The Changing Faces web site is here.

Today there are people who are born with disfigurements, or have been disfigured through accidents, as James was. Now people are looking for physical enhancement through surgery, and it is plastered all over the media. It's a shame that some of these have gone too far and don't know when to stop in their search for perfection.  It's also a shame that people do not look for counselling before going under the knife. 

This comment came in, I decided to publish it. 

Anonymous4 April 2026 at 18:18

A mask of shit for your ugly face !

It is a classic troll comment, from someone who is not happy in their world. I suggest they take a look in the mirror. Just for you I have replaced my header with a picture of my ugly face. 

Thanks for popping in. Another Bank Holiday tomorrow, so make the most of it. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Belle paints.

Good morning. 

In this painting I see the skill of the artist. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Belle paints. 

She can paint herself as well. 

Belle Spofforth. She is on TwitterX

Storm David is still threatening us this morning. If it blows over I will go out later. 

Have a good Easter Sunday everyone.

Toodle pip.  ilona

A walk and a food shop.

Good evening.

I can hear Storm David doing it's thing tonight. It's blowing like crazy. I've just been out with a torch to check that everything is tied down. I spied two hedgehogs having fun under the table on the lawn. Can't work out if they are enjoying themselves or having a scrap. 

I set off for a walk at 2.30pm this afternoon. Didn't take any litter picking gear with me because I didn't think I would find any litter. It's a track that I use regularly, and since they have vehicular access blocked at both ends there really shouldn't be any litter. There is some, a few drinks cans. Not enough to fill a bag. 

Lovely to see the wild garlic back again. Someone has been building a den here. Nothing in it, just a bit of fun for the kids. 

A few white flowers are beginning to appear. 

Now why do people bag up their dog poo and leave it on the ground. There are no bins here. Wouldn't it be a better idea to take a small shovel with you and chuck the poo into the rough grass where no one is walking. I used to use a plastic child's spade. 

Spring flowers are everywhere. 

My intention was to check out another Industrial Estate to see if there was a litter problem there. There is, lots of it. Looks like this might be getting my attention soon. 

I found these two bottles hidden behind a tree on the approach road from the village. They look clean so they have only recently been dumped. 

Time to head off back home. The clouds have started to come over and it's getting a tad windy. 

A delivery of new pallets, ready for the turf harvesting. 

I had a job to hold the camera steady for this, the wind was almost blowing me over. A lot of zoom, a wood on the other side of the field. 

Here is a shopping video for those who like to compare food prices. A selection of what I bought yesterday at Aldi.

That's all for now. Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Easter Sunday.

Toodle pip.   ilona

The way it's going . . . . . . .

72,750 views 30 Mar 2026

Steven Edginton of GB News sits down with Ayaan Hirsi Ali for a wide-ranging and controversial interview on immigration, Islamism, and the future of Europe. Hirsi Ali warns that political alliances between the far-left and Islamist movements are reshaping Western democracies,

Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Radical Muslims are about to flood Europe

Hirsi explains how this is going to be done, but the warning signs are already there. 

A lot of people arrive by boat. We pick them up and transport them to check in centres.

They are given clean clothes, a mobile phone, a place to live, and some pocket money. 

They hang about in groups on the streets, because they have nothing to do. 

They are waiting. But waiting for what? 

Instructions come through on their mobile phones. 

Meet up in the High Street at 2pm, we are going to rob some shops. 

We will get away with it because they haven't got the manpower to control us. 

There are more of us than there are of them. 

We can do what we like. We can have anything we want. We will just take it. 

We like to think that mobile phones are a great invention. We are pushed into getting connected online  via our hand held gadgets. Couldn't be easier. Our companions are there with us every step of the way. We are never alone when we have a smartphone in our hand. 

But we must also consider that they can be used as a weapon against us. Hirsi explains how this is happening right now. It's not incompetence from our Government, they know what they are doing. The same thing is happening throughout the Western World. 

Read, watch, listen. The far left are inviting everyone in. The far right are trying to protect our country and preserve our heritage.

Now get on with your own life. 

Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Reflections at Easter.

Dear readers.

This weekend is a time to reflect on Christianity. People go to churches to pray. I was raised with Christian values. My parents never went to church, and neither did I. 

We sang hymns and said prayers every morning at Junior School. It was called Assembly. That's how it was. It was there that I realised that I couldn't see the words on a gigantic song sheet hanging on the wall at the front of the classroom. I was about six or seven. I had to learn all the words by heart. I still remember some of them. I told my mum and she took me to get my eyes tested. Then I had to start wearing glasses. Horrible ugly National Health specs. 

A few years later I started to go to a Methodist Church. It seemed a good idea as my friends were going. I joined the choir. It was friendly and relaxed, and fun. After the service there was a club like atmosphere. I dropped that when I became interested in pop music and fashions. 

And then the Sixties happened. I have never felt compelled to go to church since then. I let go of it, and moved on. My attitude now is that religion should be a private decision for the individual. It should not be used as a battering ram to indoctrinate others, or even exterminate others. 

Religion is something you should feel inside of you. No need to share it at all. 

I wonder what John Lennon would think now, if he was still alive. Nice try John, 55 years later and nothing has changed. Now there are a lot more variable thrown into the mix. Nothing is simple. 

Imagine. 1971. 

 Imagine there's no heaven

It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion

Imagine no possessions
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday the world will live as one

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Enjoy your Easter break, whatever you decide to do.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona 

Not playing their games

Good evening. 

I've spent most of the day in the garden today. Such a lot of work to be done. Got the lawnmower out for the first time this year. Surprised to find that it actually works. It was the cheapest one I could find at B & Q a lot of years ago. I don't bother with maintenance, just put it away after the last mowing in the Autumn. Switch it on in the Spring and it's good to go. 

Here I am having a little moan about an email I received from British Gas. 

Two dog walks today. The first one was cut short this morning. Carol was getting ready to go out so we only had fifteen minutes. I went back this evening after I put all the garden tools away, to give Billy another walk to make up for the short one this morning. 

Now I am tired so I will be off to bed shortly. 

Thanks for popping in. Catch ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona

What did I do today?

Eeeeeebygum. I've had a busy day. 

This is next doors lawn, I can see it from my upstairs window. There was a threesome going on, but where is mummy duck. Is she sitting on some eggs on a nest somewhere. 

First was the Coffee Morning. It's 10 till 12, but I always get there just before 11. Always late. There was an Easter raffle but I didn't win thank goodness. Twas an Easter basket of chocolates. Too much for one person. The winner kindly gave most of it away. 

Next a natter with Angela. Catching up with the gossip. The topic at the moment is the change in wheelie bin sizes. Our Council is pushing for more recycling so a bigger bin will make it easier. Just chuck it all in the same bin, glass, tins, plastic, paper, cardboard. They will sort it out at the depot. 

This afternoon I went back to the Industrial Estate to finish a job I started last week. A particularly bad spot, a rough piece of ground. It has taken three visits to get most of it up. How many bottles of pee did I find? Bear in mind that this is the third visit to this grot spot. 36 bottles today. Usually I just empty them, but this time I didn't. I had a strong clear plastic bag so it all went in together. 

That's enough for one day. Three red bags plus the urine. I don't need to come to this spot again, that will do for now. Plenty more grot spots on this estate.

 

Dropped off at my collection place, with the bag from yesterday. The Council are going to love me. Ha ha. I can imagine them when they come round in the truck. Oh no, not again. 😆😇😁

Here is a short video I recorded yesterday. Say hello to Mayze. 

A job well done today. Think I will have a day off tomorrow.

Thanks for popping in. Easter coming up. I might go out somewhere. It will be local though because the roads will be choc-a-block. Not going to sit in a traffic jam. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Only one today

Good evening. 

It's been a bit warmer today. Still windy but not as bad as the last few days. A warning light came on in the car, same problem as before. Check tyre pressures, so off to the garage I went. Nice man checked them for me. 

Then I went to town to see Nikki at the Arts Centre. After that I called in at the petrol station and topped up with petrol. Wow, £1.50 a litre now. Crazy price. 

I pass the Industrial Estate on the way home so I checked my litter picking spots and thought I might as well fill a bag while I am here. I was surprised to find that the big concrete blocks at the road to nowhere, have been removed. I can now drive to the end of it. Maybe that will be another possible spot to fill a few more bags, if they don't bring the blocks back. 

Only one bag today. Time to go home. This is the maximum amount of grot that will fit in a red bag. The previous lot have been collected, so I will start a new pile with this one. 

Thanks for popping in. Sees ya tomorrow. Toodle pip.   ilona

What the heck ! ! !

Good morning.

WTH have I just watched??????????

It's enough to make you want to run away into the hills and cut yourself off from the rest of the world. 

Carl Vernon is stuck for words. 

If you want your brains scrambled, watch this. 

If you want to keep hold of your sanity, don't watch it. 

 It doesn't matter what they look like, it's what is coming out of their mouths that's important. 

Are they human or have they come from another planet? 

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona.

Hair today gone tomorrow.

A change of routine today. I didn't go to Crafty Club, I took Billy dog a walk instead. I was due to take him yesterday but the weather was so awful, by the time the litter picking was done I was ready for a sit down.  

This afternoon I couldn't stand my long straggly hair any longer. It was getting me down. It had to come off. I attacked it with a pair of scissors, first cutting lumps out of it, then tidying it up. Two mirrors facing each other makes the job easy. I haven't been to a proper hairdresser in years. Straight in the bath afterwards to get rid of all the loose hairs. Feels a lot better now. 

That's it for now. Toodle pip.   ilona

And four became five

Good morning. It is Monday.  

I was out yesterday afternoon. It was very windy but I thought I would have a mooch around the Industrial Estate to see if I could find any more grot spots. I might pick a bag or two, or maybe I won't. 

On the edge of the estate is this road to nowhere. I did a circular walk and came back along here. Drainage has been installed, deep holes along the edge at regular intervals. No metal grids, just holes. At the entrance to it are huge concrete blocks to stop vehicles going down to the end. I spoke to some dog walkers, they said it used to be a magnet for gypsy travellers. They set up camp there. That's why the owners of the land put the blocks down. 

What did I find? Rubbish, lots of it. 

The surrounding land is very swampy. There are lots of trails used by bikers, old and young, cyclists and motorised bikes. 

I got back to my car and found that a lorry had parked close by. I had a chat with the driver. He was there for the night and was just about to warm up his home made stew dinner. What a nice man he was. I made him laugh with my trucking stories. I almost envied him tucked up nice and warm inside his cab.  

Should I try and pick a bag of litter, it was very windy. Oh well, might as well now I am here. I prepared the trolley with the red bag inserted in the collapsible bucket thingy. I had a job to hold onto it, I grappled to keep it upright against the wind. It became easier once I started putting some weight into it. 

The result. One bag added to the pile I left on Friday. I won't be battling the wind again like that. Nope, sunny and dry and calm from now on. 

I desperately need a haircut. Perhaps that job will be done today. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona