Author Archives: Frances

Help Needed, Please

I need your help. Between us, I think we can succeed.

I was in my shed, looking for a book that I had inherited from my mother’s bookcase, when I came across a small leather and gilt bound book. I have had it for a while and never looked in it so didn’t know what was inside.

The book belonged to Marion Alice Barnard, also known as Polly.

This is John Singer Sargent’s sketch of Polly in preparation for the painting, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose.

This is Polly’s birthday book and there are some fascinating names in there so of course I am now busy transcribing it. Most of the names I’ve worked out but there are a few I could do with some help, please.

(yes, John Singer Sargent)

Anyway, so here goes…. (ones in red are the ones I need help with)

Leonard Barwick (at the top)
****** Barnard – possibly Anne? (there is a Mary Anne in the family tree)
Ellen Terry (yes, The Ellen Terry).

N (?) Eyton Roller – is that an R or W (famous cricketer). Looking at it, I am now thinking that’s a W.
Ethel Margaret Baumer
Sybil Baumer

Mary Alice Miles
C (Charles) Trevor Roller (I think I’ve just worked that one out)

Absolutely no idea G. H Tallwood?

Again, no idea – Jennie Seloces?

Dear God, help me now….
Alfred …….
Ellen Vincent
J.M. Barrie (as in Peter Pan)

A close up if that helps.

L Barnard or L. C. Barnard?

First initial for Buchanan, please. J. B. Buchanan?

Mary Miles?

A. J. Boyd or an F.

Agnes Daden Caffin or Naden or Baden (according to Ancestry.com it’s Haden). I suppose that could be an H.

A difficult one – I think it is M. Wedgwood 1827, or maybe not or even W. Wedgwood

Go on, knock yourself out.

Lily Millet (wife of Francis Davis Millet, artist who died on Titanic)
Barre J. Bacon or Blare or ? J or S?

What a superb find. I am all of a quiver and not quite sure if it should be sent somewhere. I can’t believe that little book has been sitting in my bookshelf, ignored and full of amazing names.

Super-Duper Rugs Arrived!

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Most of my super-duper high-neck Rambo rugs have arrived now and I’m just waiting on the ones with 100g fill (for colder days) and Fivla’s 0g.

Yes, I spent a fortune and do I think it was worth it? Well, I will admit I was nervous when I tried on Tiddles’ new rug this morning but it fits beautifully and is exactly what I want for him. The high neck will stop the rain dripping down into his shoulders and legs (he gets very depressed when that happens) and the high quality of rug means he could basically live in this until summer arrives, which of course he won’t. I love it. He loves it. It is the perfect rug for him – a proper waterproof rug.

In the package was also a 0g rug for Vitamin. It is exactly the same rug (Rhino Wug Pony Turnout), but bigger, obviously (Tiddles is 4′ and Vitamoobag is 4; 9″).

And, again, a perfect fit. Vitamin has spent her day happy she has a new rug that covers her neck whilst having the freedom to move around. I am not a fan of total neck covers – they can be very restricting.

Meanwhile, Fivla has to wear her older version (standard neck) of the rug and her’s should hopefully arrive soon.

Why did I buy them all new rugs? Because I am fed up of economising and throwing good money after bad on not-very-waterproof rugs, that let the side down filling up with water and have to be changed. I have worked out this is a false economy and kills my back too.

Then Flossie came down the hill carrying the Icelandic horses’ rain-sheets. Nothing is easy to carry in our world.

We quickly rugged them up.

So we’ll see what the weather brings next. I was getting used to the calmer days.

A Dog Walk on the Beach

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We have a major storm arriving soon, so to the make the most of the bad weather approaching, I took the dogs for a walk on Reawick Beach with some friends and their dog, Harley.

Reawick beach is different from our usual beaches as it has red granite sand. It is always nice.

With lots of shells too – a good and varied supply.

Although not the biggest of Shetland’s beaches, we had it to ourselves and walked up a down a few times, while Harley had a tennis ball thrown for him. My lot ignored that but enjoyed the new sniffs and smells that were everywhere. Next time, I want to take my big camera but, for them moment, it is too heavy for me to lug around.

Not gonna lie, but I think I might’ve overdone things a bit now, I realise but at the time walking along a deserted beach with friends and dogs was perfect. I have managed to make another sheep this afternoon because I must keep going on that front too.

The cruise ships start to arrive at the end of this month and then it will be full steam ahead on the visitor front, espcially in Lerwick where I hope my sheep will sell and travel the world.

So I’m having a bit of a lie down now and will regroup to find my last gasp of energy required for supper, writing two weeks’ of the diaries, a shower and bed.

Though I may forego the Diaries, just this once, especially if I start typing rubbish, which is definitely a pissibolity!

Busy Doing Nothing

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Another lovely day and, by choice, I have done nothing much because I just don’t feel like it. I took no photos, didn’t go for a walk, or do anything. Floss, on the other paw, has run around all day and even cooked supper too.

Last night I almost saw the Northern Lights.

This photo was taken by precariously holding my phone from the bathroom window. They never really got going, or if they did, I wasn’t aware of it.

So it is a boring blog because I wanted a day off from all my days off of total inactivity. I felt lazy today. A chocolate-eating day, if you will and yes, I did share my chocolate with Flossie while she whisked past with the hoover.