That Sunday Feeling.

Hello Friends and Followers.

I am not sure how I approach Sunday’s. As a child Sunday’s were always a day of going to church to sing in the choir, Sunday roast lunch and then either watching films or out with friends. As the years have gone by and age has crept upon me, it is clear we all think of Sunday’s differently. I am not a church goer and roasts on a boat is pretty much a luxury for the Winter. I still enjoy the Sunday movies and any day is a good day to go out with friends. I think with the laws changing for Sunday shopping, our shopping habits have changed. Peoples idea of a relaxing Sunday these days is retail therapy. I have to say I am not really a Sunday shopper, well not unless it is an emergency. The Sunday Trading Act 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom governing the right of shops in England and Wales to trade on a Sunday.  The act came into force on 26 August 1994 and for many everything changed. I know that was a little deep for a Sunday, I think I should lighten the mood, just in case you switch off .

So Sunday morning and all the usual stuff took place. Paddy got his walk, then he and Marmite got fed. I had the luxury of tea and toast in bed, which was of course made by me. I like to still bake on a Sunday, so for lunch I made a Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Pie.

This will last us a couple of days, along with the Rhubarb Crumble I made on Friday. Whilst the oven was on, I also make some Raisin Muffins.

The sun shone from early doors, which is always lovely, but we are also crying out for some rain, because already the media is predicting a drought, if we do not get some substantial rain fall. I have to agree we do need rain, because not only are the rivers already low, but the garden is crying out for water. I am loathed to use the hosepipe and if the canals are going to suffer I will not be using that either. I will however use my washing up water. So lunch sorted with a pie made, it was then onto the task of getting rid of rubbish and emptying the toilet cassette. At least I made the pie before I did the toilet cassette, although I did wash my hand thoroughly .

Over my morning coffee, I had a mind to go onto Google Maps and have a look at places I lived as a child to see what had changed. It seems one heck of a lot has changed. The village I grew up in, once had two garages one of which supplied petrol, a Post Office, Church and a Pub.

This was my family home for many years as a child. I left many years ago, but was surprised to see how awful it looked, so I did a little more research to find that it is down for demolition and a new dwelling is to be built in its place. This has made me feel kind of sad, because it was a beautiful all be it elderly home. I lived on a Dairy Farm and my father was the Dairyman, the farm stopped being a dairy farm in the 1990’s and went over to being a Stud for horses. Catherston Stud took the farm over, but they have since moved on and it is now under new ownership again. Both the garages have gone from the village, as has the Post Office.

The Village Infant School went when I was there, so many moons ago. it was turned into a dwelling. The outside toilets building is still there in this photograph, which I would imagine is storage now. It was such a wonderful place. We all got transferred to the Primary School in the next village.

 

It looks like the latest casualty is the village Pub. It is now a dwelling, having been a pub for many years.

This was the pub in 1912 and was known as The Portsmouth Arms. I knew it as The Portsmouth Arms.

I think in 2000’s it changed to The Hurstbourne Inn, but it has now changed to a dwelling. This is what happens when villages get taken over by people who are not particularly bothered about keeping its precious lifestyle. It is all very sad. I very much doubt that many of the families I knew in my childhood, still have their homes in the village. Many original villagers and their children get priced out of the villages, which means they decline and lose the very things which made them all those years ago.

Having saddened myself with my childhood home, I decided that it was a good time to watch a Sunday film. ‘Gullivers Travels’ with Jack Black was on Film4 and whilst I am not a huge Jack Black fan, he was pretty good in this film. Whilst I am sat with my feet up watching films, Keith is outside model making for his railway. Having spent a busy week gardening, my Sunday was a day for feet up, because I most definitely have that Sunday feeling.