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I am disappointed that their majesties didn't visit the van to welcome you both. I am also very disappointed that they would not have smelt grilled skippers. A thing of beauty xx

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Darn it, Jo - of course, the scent of grilling kippers would have pulled them right in! I'll remember for next time! 🤣

(I can't stop giggling now! Thank you!!!!!!!!)

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Well, this messes up my new year's resolution to not correspond with strange women 🫢

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1. Thank you. 🙄

2. Not my problem, mate.

3. STRANGE?!!!!

4. You STARTED it!

5. 😡

6. 😉

7. 🤣

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1. You're welcome.

2. Typical.

3. 😂

4. I THOUGHT you mighht point that out 🤔

5. 😱

6. 😌

7. 😁

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🤯

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

Another hilarious post, Rebecca and HMs don’t know what they are missing. Whereas the painting of rude symbols next to potholes seems to work, it isn’t something I shall be trying but at least those residents got them filled! In Herefordshire I am saddened to report that bent wheels and shaken dentures are the order of the day also. Anybody following me driving must think I’m three sheets to the wind as I slither around trying to avoid the bone shakers. Happy New Year to you and Jim. I’m sure it will be a rip roaring one.

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Thanks, Rosy! Happy new year to you, too! You're so right: the royals really ought to have seized the opportunity to bask in our illustrious company; after all, they might not get the chance again!

I couldn't believe it when I saw that 'artwork' on the roads of Uckfield in the national press - I don't know if I was more horrified at the subject matter itself, or at the fact I'd grown up three miles from the place and still live around that area!

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

On the other hand, where can I apply to be the painter of penises on asphalt? Because I think that is a job I could totally DO! In the most artistic, creative, imaginative way - based on memory, of course. Distant memory. A novel way to supplement my pitiful teacher's pension.

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'...based on memory, of course'! Oh, Sharron!!! Don't tell anyone, but there was a giant blue one (a graffito, that is, NOT the actual body part!) in the High Street here in the village a few months ago - but it was nowhere near a pothole, so wasn't much use in drawing attention to anything useful..... Just vandalism, I reckon.

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

Frustrated 14-year-old. Poor thing. A slave to his testosterone...

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🎻 My heart bleeds!

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I loved the sign on the cratered road in Worthington! Gave me my first LOL! of the day. I shall have to remember the stylized graffiti of the male nether parts of the anatomy when next our town slacks off filling in potholes in a timely manner. In some areas I’ve seen evidence of innovative people filling in the deeper holes with soil and flowers. Yep, Nature takes back what man does not pave asunder.

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It made me laugh too, Gail - it was so brilliantly expressed!

I saw a letter to the editor of the newspaper last year about people sowing seeds in potholes - and then being disappointed that they were filled in so quickly as a result! 🤣

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

Uckfield rules! To hell with ineffective written complaints. Your news clippings made me laugh so hard I spilled my coffee this morning. Pot noodles! Birthday parties! Penises! Beautiful! Brits sure do know how to make a point. I love this form of shame-them-into-it activism, Rebecca. And as far as left-over wine goes, that is sort of like left-over Jammy Dodgers. Sorry - no such thing. Thanks for the photo of your sleet-y back garden and, really, everyone agrees that no matter what color you write in, we look forward to reading it.

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Sharron, thank you so much - I had been a little worried about sharing that 'artwork' but felt I'd given due warning! Your comment has really made me laugh - and I'm sorry for spilling your coffee this morning... 🫣

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

No worries. Plenty of coffee in my life. More coffee than penises, I have to admit.

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Coffee is everything! Well, so's tea of course - but those two, well, that's enough!

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Wonderful clip of your snowy garden, Rebecca, a relaxing experience I thought...unlike the misery of getting the wrong colour ink cartridge!

It appears that so far I am on my own with leftover bubbly...we put a spoon in the bottle and it keeps fizzy till the next day (now wondering if this is a family myth...seems to work though!)

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Awww, thanks, Mya! Ooooh, it's interesting about the spoon. Have you ever tested it - you know, two bottles on the go, spoon in one, spoon NOT in one (as a control)? I'd be really interested if they both remain equally bubbly!

I might try the spoon thing next time. Heck, if nothing else it'll slow me down, right...?! 😉

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😂! I like your scientific approach to this! Please do try it and let us know if it worked! Usually we have Blanquette de Limoux as it's just as fabulous as Champagne but noticeably less onerous...I would feel responsible if the experiment was a let-down for you..🫣

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I'll let you know next time we have an occasion for bubbly with which to try it out! In our house *coughs* I have to admit it's only ever prosecco or cava, I'm afraid..... 🤫 We're not spenders!

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☺️I know what you mean…we used to get a bottle of Blanquette for €3.00, it’s supposed to be the ancestor of Champagne, but any other « bubbly » will do! 🥳

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

So potholes. I have had several bad experiences with them. Once while in Boston, the car I was in hit a mother of a pothole and got 2 blown out tires from that pothole (it was filled with water and looked just like a puddle on the road.) We had to sit in the closest tire shop and wait for them to be mounted.

The other pothole story took place on a dark night when we were driving from Connecticut to Rhode Island to see a monster truck show. (Don’t judge) - we hit a pothole and got a ruined tire out of it. So, as we were in a van, filled with 3 couples, we had to remove all the empty beer bottles that we placed in the back to return them (but hadn’t gotten around to it). And who shows up but a state police man. So we had to explain that no we were not drinking, but just hadn’t returned the empties yet. And he just raised his eyebrows and went on his way. However, the spare tire was not in the back of the car. Unfortunately it was under the car, so we had to get down on the ground and undo the bolt to get it off. Did I mention it was winter, and it was wet and cold and dark with no streetlights?

So, eventually we got the spare tire on, and the wet dirty tire went into the van where we were sitting (yes I got to babysit the wet nasty stinky tire) and we moved back onto the road and continued in our quest. But, by the time we got there it was too late to see the show, so we had ice cream and turn back (we also could not find anywhere to get the tire fixed) now when you have a “doughnut” tire on, you cannot drive at normal speeds and need to drive at lower speeds. Coming back, we hit another pothole and that tire went flat too. The closest place to us was an auction house that for some reason was still open. They gave us hot chocolate and we begged to borrow one of their tires from some cars that were going to be auctioned off. They actually did, and we were able to get home in time for one of us to catch a flight overseas. The next day we bought a new tire and returned the borrowed tire to the auction house and managed to get back home without getting another flat. Do not trust any puddle of water!

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OMG! What a saga!!! You poor love!! Hilarious to read but I can imagine somewhat traumatising at the time!!

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

We actually had a laugh the whole night. Thank goodness we all have good senses of humor or it would have been horrible!

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Oh Julie, I'm so sorry that this happened to you! What an absolutely terrible experience, although your telling of it really made me laugh in places! 😁

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Jan 12Liked by Rebecca Holden

Really we just rolled through the problems.

I didn’t like cozying up to the tire. They really stink!

But the rest was just making memories!

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Jan 13Liked by Rebecca Holden

Wow! What bad luck you had. Sometimes we have bad things happen to us and we think we're the only ones with problems. Then I read this and find out it happens to other people too. A bad experience but I'm glad you were able to laugh about it.

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Jan 13Liked by Rebecca Holden

It was a setback, but, we were with our friends, no one was hurt, there was ice cream and we all made it home. So, memorable for sure!

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The snow, camping, kippers, ink, Austen, Jessica Watson, creative puddle shaming, leftover champagne .... I love the scope of your British ... ‘natterings’. (I can’t for the life of me think of the right word here).

Anyway, loved the beautiful snow; am always intrigued by commoners camping on royal grounds and them making money out of you (presumably); I still haven’t tried kippers despite reading about them in so many British books over the years (Enid Blyton, Elsie J Oxenham etc); Jessica Watson is an extraordinary young lady and always speaks from the heart; the ongoing puddle saga continues to delight those who don’t have to experience them...

Another slice of British life and a joy to read. Thanks so much.

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Oh Beth, thank you so much!

We'd picked the campsite at Sandringham because our multitude of stays at sites belonging to the Caravan & Motorhome Club last year had qualified us for a free night at one of their sites, and we thought we'd try that one as it was somewhere we hadn't been before. I presume the site rents the land from the estate. Mind you, we did buy lunch at the restaurant in Sandringham, so their Majesties did get some money out of us!

I've got to the part in Jessica Watson's book where she's just about to round Cape Horn - I'm on the edge of my seat. It's such a beautiful read!

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Jan 10Liked by Rebecca Holden

Thank you for the smiles, Rebecca!! :) Write on.

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Thanks, Julie! Hope to see you later!

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Jan 12Liked by Rebecca Holden

yay! I hope so too. :)

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True Spirit— amazing story. I wasn’t sure I would have allowed my daughter to embark on such an adventure.

All hail to hail.

Say hello to the King. Nice crib. 😉

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Thanks, Carissa! I'm not a parent, but I'm sure I'd feel the same as you about that!

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Jan 11·edited Jan 11Liked by Rebecca Holden

Perhaps if you had quietly yelled over a wall or gate that separated you from the Royals, they would have thought it good fun to see what the yelling was about. I love reading what you're reading, too, and I loved the snow video. I also love what you call, what we call, a lamp post - "station lamp" . Sounds much more inviting with the promise of coziness inside. Loved this post. ☕️📚❄️

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Jan 12·edited Jan 13Author

I'd've probably been sent to the Tower of London for threatening the King, Mary! 🤣

Re 'station lamp' - we call them lamp posts over here, too, but we call this specific one 'the station lamp' because Jim's late grandfather had 'rescued' it from the station at which he was employed as stationmaster when it was replaced with a modern one. He'd had it in his front garden for decades, and when he moved out of his house (aged 102!) we adopted it. We love it, and it makes us think of Grandad.

He had railways running through his veins, and had even been instrumental in setting up a steam heritage railway, which is a very special place for us. https://www.bluebell-railway.com

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Jan 12·edited Jan 12Liked by Rebecca Holden

😂. I LOVE the story of the station lamp, and Jim's late grandfather's history with the lamp, and the Bluebell Railway, and all of it. My Jim's great-grandfather was a steam engine conductor - what parallels! And I'm going to have to buy something from the Bluebell Railway gift shop, preferably in person, but I may have to settle for the beauty of international mail. Oh! And if you ever are sent to the Tower, let me know. I've always wanted to be a lawyer, and wear one of those wigs . . . . . And I MUST go to the Toy & Rail Collectors Fair. Heavenly!

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Oh wow, it's a small world, isn't it?!

I'm not sure prisoners in the Tower dungeon are granted communication rights, Mary - but I'll do my best to get the word out to you so you can rescue me with your lawyering!

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Well, I think that Their Majesties missed out on the chance to have such a knees-up with you and Jim. And to learn about penis-decorated potholes throughout the kingdom, and I'm sure the Queen would have loved talking all things Austen. A Right Royal shame, but never mind!

Wonderful letter, as always.

PS: I do admire your snow as I hang up my beachtowel to dry after after another warm summer's day of swimming. (Sorry - but snow IS beautiful, as long as one is warm.)

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They're going to kick themselves when they realise they could have met us but didn't, Prue!

LOL - it's not exactly swimming temperature over here at the moment! The snow didn't stick around, thankfully, but we had a very heavy frost yesterday. Warmer this morning, thankfully. We've got the risk of heavy snow next week, but in my experience warnings of 'heavy snow' don't ever really come to anything in this part of the country.

I might be eating my words next week, though..... hmmmmm, I might be speaking too soon! 🤣

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You might be surprised, Rebecca. They may very well be reading this very post!

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🤣

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I try not to resort to name calling, but on occasion it seems warranted: their Majesties are morons! Thank goodness you can return to Austen for solace. I laughed out loud at the ingenuity of your villagers and wondered, for just a moment, if painting a masterful version of The Family Jewels around a pothole near my home would draw attention *away* from the leftover champagne in my refrigerator? Who am I kidding? This is America!

p.s. I feel obligated to note that I am keeping the old bubbly for cooking! (!!) (!!! <-- long may they run!)

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'...a masterful version of The Family Jewels' - LOL, Elizabeth! I'm sure it would be a worthwhile activity to go and paint that around a local pothole, but I think that leftover champagne has the edge, doesn't it?

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🤣

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Jan 13Liked by Rebecca Holden

Nice to see the snow falling. Glad it's not snowing in Florida. Although our low temp is supposed to be 46F next Wednesday. Brrr......

I like your words: inkcident, inkcursion, and inksipidly. Nice work!

I laughed out loud at your pothole anatomy. That's one way to get your potholes filled. :)

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Brrrrr indeed, Matt! We've got snow forecast for the week ahead - it's never all that disruptive in my part of the country, though, thank goodness!

Thanks for your comment on my inky words - I enjoyed coming up with those!

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