Of course such successes could not be allowed to pass unremarked upon, and so Tory ex-Harpenden Town councillor Matthew Peck, who has never met me and wouldn't know me from a bar of soap but loathes me with a deep and abiding passion (yup, I'm baffled too), fired off yet another of his badly worded, grammatically incorrect splenetic rants to the local paper accusing us of being the equivalent of ''3 losers round a coffee table''.
This backfired rather badly, as various people then piled in pointing out that from a standing start one of our candidates got an extraordinary 30% of the vote, so it'd have to be a pretty big coffee table. I emailed the new Harpenden Town mayor, and invited her to distance herself from Mr Peck's drivel. She informed me that she had not met him since he left the council. Tellingly though, she did not openly disagree with his remarks. So much for ''I'm going to give you a voice on the council'', and other conciliatory comments made to us at the count.
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| Max doing first tattoo |
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| New tattoo |
See, this is how we roll after 38 years of marriage. Occasionally we have fleetingly wondered what would happen if we weren't together, but we always conclude apart from the fact that, frankly, at our age and given our eccentricities, nobody in their right mind would want us, at the end of the day we do have a lot of fun. Generally at each other's expense, which is as good a basis for a long and happy marriage as any other.
Finally, another milestone has been reached: This blog has just passed its second birthday, an amazing feat given that it means I have written over 100 pieces since its inception in 2012. The thought of another 100 pieces is a tad daunting, I confess. Though as my intermittent Twitter troll remarked the other day: 'I've been reading a bit of your blog. I don't know why you bother.'
He may have a point ...
If you would like to read a free sample of Diamonds&Dust, A Victorian Murder Mystery, you can do so HERE. US readers can do so HERE
Love the tattoo Carol! I've been reading your blog, and I'm so glad that you bother. It gives me great pleasure, thank you x
ReplyDeleteThanks you. I enjoy writing them, so may keep going!!
DeleteNonsense - keep it coming - non trolls love it (I only look like one. yay for all the good news and I'm having my first tatt when we get home - OH is aware but not keen. It's Ailsa!
ReplyDeleteIt depends on where you have them..as you'll see when we meet, mine are fairly discreet ..and Shakespeare!! Several of my students have ''slag tags'' not so nice...plus you can't see them. No point having a tatt unless you can see it - you pay enough for one!
DeleteWell done indeed to the HIPs! Those truculent Tories will have to give you a voice eventually - especially when you beat them! Tatts? I feal Koos would leave me immediately if I got one. He truly loathes them. Luckily, I haven't felt the urge to rebel so far. As for your blog, please please please keep bothering!! I look forward to Saturday mornings for this!
ReplyDeleteThe troll pops up every now and then with some such negative comment. He's fairly harmless, so I keep him on ...Fol-de-rol
DeleteI really wouldn't worry
ReplyDeleteAbout stuff said by a troll
They're only passing comment
'Cos they're own lives are so dull
In fact they should be pitied
As their existence is suspended
By their wasting chunks
Of their own time
In the hope they'll be offended!
Ignore them Hedges and blog on!!...*raises clenched fist in air as mark of solidarity*....
Love this. Just love it. Pz continue... xx
DeleteLOL, well said stony!!!
DeleteI think husband et moi are getting to that stage of weirdness, too. I daresay whatever allure I held in my younger days is long gone, so it's a good think he loves me. You know I am with Koos re tattoos, and as for your troll - really???!! Does he/she say anything else funny? Perhaps you could publish some of them for our amusement!!!
ReplyDeleteI should do. He is a sad old 67 year old ... so tends to post that sort of comment. Harmless....pops up every now and then. Bit like a Twitter version of Eeyore
Deleteglad you bother Carol, really we are, and congrats on passing the milestone. We're nearly at that one ourselves, cannot believe we have been doing this since September 2112 with 73 posts to our name. Like you, the future is daunting, but more than a little exciting!
ReplyDeleteThank you and congrats to you too. I am always a little confused by your singular nomenclature but double identity.
DeleteOk I shall work upwards. That Twitter troll! I hope you told him where he can place his opinion of your blog. We all love your blog posts.
ReplyDeleteMoving on up, don't talk to me about husbands. Mine pegged out the washing the other day. Yes I know I should be grateful but ... I put on my clean nightie last and looked in the mirror. Two stretched out peaks of material stood proud on each shoulder. I've told him so many times about pegging stretchy materials but will he listen?
I'm going to skip over the tattoo. I can't even bear to think about the pain or discomfort or whatever it feels like. *shrugs*
And so to politics - for many years I was involved in local politics. I really thought that people could be voted onto councils/parliament to make a difference. I now realise that it's never going to happen. Even if the newly elected try to be fresh and enthusiastic, the old guard/civil service soon knock that enthusiasm out of them. It's a game. The establishment run our country and we're not one of them.
Oh Ros!! Mine folds stuff in strange ways whenever he gets to empty the washing machine, and I end up having to iron things that I never usually iron. And I hope HIP will make a difference - we're certainly garnering a lot of support...and I still believe ( we disagree) that the establishment can be shifted. I do. And maybe it's foolish, but I hope I shall still be believing it to the day I dire.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on 100+ !!! And 38 years !!! And your lovely tatt!!! And second in one of your precincts! You're on a roll Hedges! Keep it up. We love you!!! :D
ReplyDeleteThanks lovely Hap. It's the support of people like you that keeps me going...
DeleteOh yes, I've cut the cable to the hedge-cutter, too. And nothing brought my son-in-law round quite so quickly as admitting on twitter that I'd hoovered a cable to a lamp and could see the pretty copper wire!!
ReplyDeleteYikes!!! In this house, I am the techie..mend the dyson etc... BH likes to think he is as he's the man... and fails!!
DeleteTrolls live in dank holes under bridges for a reason! I love your blog, books and tattoos so keep going! I am hoping to get another tat on my wrist but was worried it might hurt (can't believe I've had three kids sometimes!) You've inspired me yet again.
ReplyDeletehahaha thanks Shelly. This one did hurt, as it was near the bones..but it was soo worth it.
DeleteCausing a stir as always, Carol! Your blogs brighten up the day!
ReplyDeleteCarol, I'm so jealous - I've always wanted a tat but am such a coward, although your example makes me think maybe this time... I think you're a trailblazer - entering local politics, blogger, novelist, grandmother and an honest human being. Keep up the good work as long as you can - enjoyed the blog - as always!
ReplyDeleteJacy and Teagan, thank you so much! it is for people like you that I push envelopes, sail close to edges and go out on limbs. Hahaha!
DeleteShould I be jealous I don't have a troll? I love the way you roll Carol and love your tatt. No one will have one the same as your and it means something. My hubby cut the wire to the lawnmower,if that was me there would have been a hoo yaa about it. I do hope the HIPS can do some good and m,ore power to them.
ReplyDeleteQuite,,,funny how anything we do is blameworthy!!! However........I hope HIP can achieve something..in time..it will take a few years to get established, then we'll see.
DeleteFantastic result for the HIPs! Well done! And don't listen to those silly Tories (not that you do). As you remarked on Twitter, you are such a wonderful diplomat that you're bound to ruffle their uptight turkey-waddle feathers :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for making Saturdays a little brighter!