Another mix of bits and pieces

I got an email telling me when the next lookering course is to be held - 12 January.  I did wonder if lookerer was a word peculiar to Sussex as it is only recently that it has come to my notice.  I checked my dictionary - the New Oxford - but it wasn't there, so I Googled it.  There were fewer than 600 results for the term "sheep lookerer" but when I deleted the word "sheep" an amazing 7800+ results were found!  Anyway, it's not a word peculiar to Sussex.

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My grandchildren seem to have remarkably modest tastes when it comes to the presents they would like.  Younger grandson celebrated his birthday earlier this month, his 6th.  When asked what he would like, he replied, "Whatever people would like to give me".  We have received my 5-year-old granddaughter's Christmas list.  It runs to just four things, the most expensive costing less than £20.  It will be interesting to see what the boys come up with.

I hate being asked to provide a list of things I would like whether it be for birthday presents or Christmas.  It always seems so "gimme, gimme" .  But I usually capitulate and draw up a list consisting of chocolate, nuts, vouchers etc.  Part of the problem is that I really already have everything I could wish for - except for a cure for the Old Bat's condition.

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It's still raining, but on checking the weather reports/statistics in this morning's paper I see that this part of the country got away very lightly.  Of course, I already knew that anyway, having seen pictures on the television news and in the paper of the flooding in the west country in particular.  Already there have been deaths.  Only three, granted, which is nothing compared to what happens in other countries but is unusual in England.  The path down through the woods was more of a stream this morning - and the grass was very squelchy.  I we get much more rain there will be water running off the park onto the road at the bottom, something I don't recall ever seeing - and I've lived year for more than 40 years.

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If we cross back over the River Loire there is a narrow road which runs upstream pretty much beside the river.  That is where I took this picture.