Muddy March 2016

4th March, 2016

Creaking around in Crich 

or A Gelly Babe Guide to being a Domestic Goddess 

Communications between the two Helens further demonstrated that Helen M is not to be trusted in matters of precision.  Not only does she not know her front from her back, but she has now proved that she doesn’t know her A38 from her A6.  Thank goodness Jo is clued up and gave us our very first Gelly Babe experience of group parking in the A6 layby. Luckily not all roads lead to Rome, so nothing untoward happened.

 

All good Gelly Babes arrive on time.  Lateness owing to injury caused by tying one’s  shoelaces is acceptable; being pulled over by the police is not.  Luckily for Helen M, the precious cargo in the back of the van went unnoticed. 

 

 

We are not sure whether Jo is crying out in pain or laughing

at Betty’s joke about the one who got away with it.

Most Gelly Babes know that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing and are therefore not deterred by a bit of sleet, snow, mud or the biting cold.

 

Even Betty knows that a decent coat and

a cute pose are essential tools for the day

So, when Pam turns up with claims that her walking jackets are all ‘at the cleaners’, Jo wishes she had brought her one of her 26 jackets. Jo has lots of coats, but not as many knickers as Helen M’s mum who holds the Associate GB record of 66 pairs.

 

Hardy Gelly Babes with the lady-who-only-lunches…. 

Now that the Gelly babes are reaching a certain age, they have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and are keen to share their tips on how to keep one’s carpets clean.  Tips include use of giant ladybirds, cordless vacs-come-ghostbusters and the trusty rubber glove.  Pam, having recent experience of a house fire recommends a deep, steam clean but it’s a shame the effects only lasted a day or so.  Becoming a Domestic Goddess is a title which needs to be earned and Pam now wishes she had brought her men up to wear slippers in the house.  However, to gain the  Super Domestic Goddess title one keeps a vacuum cleaner in every single room.  Maggie is an Super Domestic Goddess.

 

The stuff of dreams at the bottom of every Domestic Goddess's garden.

 

Whilst Gelly Babes are clever and know lots of things about housework, they  are also interested in current  affairs.  However, concerns  about which way to vote were soon put to the test after Maggie recanted a recent  experience at a local Derbyshire pub.  With ‘lurchers on settles’ and ‘blow-ins fined for using mobile phones’, Maggie was unsure about whether staying in was such a good idea.  Helen J was also bemused and wished she’d packed her local dialect dictionary. 

 

Pointing in the right direction!

Sometimes a little local knowledge is helpful and Jo is very good at pointing out places of interest in Crich. This cross marks the spot where one should cross the road safely.

 

Jo also claimed that the  church in Crich is fascinating, but the Babes will have to take her word for it, as photo opportunities in Crich’s  car park were not to be missed…..

 

Another vintage collection  …

Views  from the dead centre of Crich.

The plaice to be...

 

Jo, desperate to share her knowledge about George Stephenson, was disappointed that she could not hold the interest of the two youngest members of the group, but having spent the first hour of the day on buttock toning exercises, Helen J was in need of a tonic and Alison knew just where to find it. 

 

 

Peak Practice wasn’t filmed in Crich for nothing you know.

Full of soup , sarnies and salad from the rather lovely 'The Loaf', the intrepid explorers hugged Pam farewell and set up off up the hill where they learned about a bit more about the history of Crich.

 

Graffiti from a pre-Domestic Goddess era

A Domestic Goddess's work is never done.

And here are some other useful tips from the Domestic Goddesses who venture outdoors in inclement weather.

 

 

Walking poles are useful in mud

 

 

Trees are useful for catching snow.

 

Walls are useful for gathering moss 

 

Puddles are useful for cleaning dogs.

 

Useful friends for the Gelly Babes to meet.

 

Gelly Babes always like to round things off nicely and thanked Jo for organising such a brilliant day.  They also feel  pleased that they can now add Domestic Goddess to their other titles of being a Gelly Birder and a Gelly Babe.   But maybe not all things ended as well as they might because there still appears to be a communication issue between the two Helens.

 

Helen M's final message to Helen J!

 

 

Crich bird list

With Jo’s expert eyes and expert list making, we were able to see quite a few birds

blackbird

blue tits (well, it was very cold; Helen M just doesn't know when to stop!))

bullfinch*

canada goose

coal tit

coot

cormorant (flying over)

crow

great tit

mallard

mandarin *(probably not wild, but a bit angry at the goose)

mistle thrush (random splodges, one on the top of a tree)

moorhen

mute swan (two flying over)

robin

siskin (default bird of the day)

song thrush* (neat arrow spots, five by the layby))

woodpigeon

 

A total of 18 for the day, not bad considering the weather and steamed up glasses!  If we include the mandarin duck we now have added three to this year’s list which now stands at 43 and a running total of 82.