Mornington-By-Mere – (87) Sleeping Arrangements

The Armstrong’s lived at West Side Farm on the other side of the village where there were a number of cottages and small houses on the Purplemere road and Dulcets Lane which formed the part of Mornington Village known as Manorside

While their kin, the Appleby’s and the Hancock’s had farms at the other end of the vale and they had all worked the land for many generations.

But they were very close knit families and every year they had a family holidays together similarly they often got together oh high days and holidays

 

So on Boxing Day of 2017 it was the turn of the Armstrong’s to host the Hancock’s and Appleby’s who journeyed to Mornington for a celebration meal.

All three had large families and when the children grew up and had girlfriends and boyfriends no one knew until everyone arrived exactly how many people they had to accommodate for food and sleeping births.

Given the distances involved and the fact that drink was normally taken in liberal quantities there was always a lot of people who stayed overnight which often caused a bit of a reshuffle on the accommodation front.

In the case of West Gate Farm it was further complicated by the fact that the lady of the house, Beth Armstrong, insisted that the unmarried couples sleep in separate rooms.

Mainly because she was a good Christian woman and didn’t want anything unsavory going on under her roof.

 

So the result of the segregation meant Peter Armstrong’s girlfriend Glenda had to share one of the spare rooms with his cousin Alana Hancock he was forced to endure their enforced separation on the lounge sofa as he had had to give up his own room for his aunt and uncle.

 

He found it difficult to drop off, partly because it wasn’t very comfortable but mainly because his head was rerunning the conversation he had an hour before with his girlfriend Glenda, in which she had told him she was breaking up with him.

But it wasn’t that so much that was troubling him because he had come to the conclusion that he didn’t actually mind.

 

After tossing and turning for about an hour and then just when his eyes were beginning to get heavy he suddenly had an acute need to pee so Peter tiptoed his way upstairs to the loo and relieved himself.

He was yawning as he stepped back onto the landing and was not really paying attention and so he bumped into Alana Hancock coming the other way.

There was an instance of recognition and then she pushed him back into the bathroom and planted a wet sensual kiss on his lips.

He had always had a soft spot for Alana but he thought she was out of his league, but that aside she was kissing him, however he immediately disengaged and said

“We can’t be doing that”

“Why not?” she asked

“My girlfriend is in the room you just came out of” he pointed out

“Not according to her” Alana said

“What?”

“Glenda told me she’d broken up with you” she said

“Oh yes” he said and kissed her

 

When they returned to their own beds Peter still couldn’t sleep but instead of his head being full of thoughts about his ex-girlfriend Glenda, it was now full to overflowing with images and thoughts about his new girlfriend Alana.

I GIVE TO YOU A ROSEBUD

 

I give to you a rosebud

Held twixt my fingertips

As a symbol of my love

That cannot be eclipsed

The purest, sweetest rose

As red as your sweet lips

Mornington-By-Mere – (86) Light the Blue Touch Paper

 

Mornington-By-Mere is a small country village lying in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.

It is a quaint picturesque village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, Windmills, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River and a Mere.

But Mornington-By-Mere is not just a quaint chocolate box English Village it is the beating heart of the Finchbottom Vale and there were a number of cottages and small houses on the Purplemere road and Dulcets Lane which formed the part of Mornington Village known as Manorside and it was on that side of the village where Smithfield’s Farm was located where 26 year old Kathryn Smith lived and worked.

But on November the 5th she was not at the farm because on that night she was up at Mornington Field for the annual fireworks display.

 

When the show was over they skulked in the shadows until everyone else had left before they themselves, headed out through the gates.

It was dark in the lane and just ahead of them they could see there was a dog walker smoking a cigarette while some kind of Terrier snuffled in the grass.

The man took one last drag on it, making his face glow red and then he flicked it into the darkness and it span through the air like a Catherine wheel.

This, Norman Hargrave thought was quite appropriate as he and Kathryn had just been to a fireworks display up at Mornington Field and the smell of the gun powder was still thick in the damp night air.  

 

But despite the cold and damp of the night neither Norman nor Kathryn were in any particular hurry to get home.

So they walked slowly hand in hand as if they were teens on their very first date together, or even their first ever dates, a couple of virgin teens wanting their first date to last forever.

In fact they strolled as slowly as it was possible to go without actually standing still.

The reason for that was that they were not eager to return to their own homes.

So although they were in love like a couple of teenagers that wasn’t the reason they ambled so slowly in the cold damp night air because while their hearts were filled with love, their minds were full of fear at being discovered by their respective family’s, which was why the kept to the shadows until the time came for them to be able to walk openly in the sunshine.

JUST TO KNOW

Just to know each day

That you are here

To listen and love

And abate my fear

 

Just to know each day

That you really care

To share and laugh

And abate my despair

 

Just to know each day

That you are with me

To make each new day

A fresh treasured memory.

Mornington-By-Mere – (85) Cup Final Day

Eric Price moved to the quaint chocolate box English Village of Mornington-By-Mere when he got a job with Topliss Engineering, who had set up business on the Mornington Field development, and along with the job he was also able get accommodation.

So he moved into apartment 6 of Lancaster House, which was converted from the old Officers Mess when Mornington Field was an operational RAF Station.

 

Although he lived in Mornington, Eric was born and bred in Abbottsford and the third Saturday in May was a red letter day for him as his beloved Abbottsford Town “the Knights” were playing Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

Unfortunately he was unable to get a ticket and as he thought he might be reduced to tears by the occasion he elected not to watch it in the Old Mill Inn with his mates, choosing instead to watch it at home on his own, he had even ditched his girlfriend Anita for the afternoon and depending on the result they would either celebrate or commiserate at the pub afterwards, and as he sat in the Black and White quartered shirt of Abbottsford Town watching the preamble he did indeed shed a tear.

 

It was as the echoes of “abide with me” began to fade that the knock at the door came.

He opened the door and was greeted by his girlfriend Anita Stemmer who also worked for Topliss and lived in the neighbouring block, Dowding House.

She was obviously very eager and affectionate because the instant the front door was closed she launched herself at him but he managed to fend her off long enough to ask her

“What are you doing here? We’re not supposed to be meeting up until later, “after” the cup final”

“I missed you” she replied and her arms around him “and I fancied a snog”

“But I saw you two hours ago” he pointed out “and as I remember it, we had a snog”

“I didn’t know I was rationed” she said and kissed his neck

“But its Cup Final Day” he said prising her arms from around his neck

“But I miss you” she reiterated

“Cup Final” he shouted

“Snog” she shouted back

 

He managed to keep Anita at arm’s length until the half time whistle blew when he relaxed and let her have her kiss and he was thankful for her unrestrained affection as it took his mind off events on the pitch, where Chelsea had Town on the back foot for the whole of the first half but were shockingly unable to score.

But when the second period kicked off he needed to concentrate and tried to ignore his persistent girlfriend

“What happens if Chelsea win?” she asked as she sat beside him.

“Let’s not even think about that” he said

“It doesn’t really matter though does it?” she said “It’s only a game”

“It’s only a game?” he asked with contempt “It’s only a game?”

“Yes” she said

“Well let me give you a reason to care who wins” he said

“If Chelsea win then my little affectionate Anita doesn’t get another snog today”

A look of horror spread over her face and then she shouted

“Come on the Knights”

 

Time was running out and although Chelsea completely out played the Knights it was still goalless and as the match entered stoppage time it looked for all the world that the match would go to extra time.

Then midfielder Del Blackmore started to put in a run on goal straight down the middle and twenty five yards out he let fly with his left foot.

Everyone in Black and White in the Wembley crowd were on their feet, Eric was on his feet and Anita held her breath as Tim Dalton, the Chelsea keeper, leapt to his right at full stretch and was left clutching thin air as the ball hit the back of the net.

Eric went absolutely crazy and was jumping up and down and there was an explosion of noise from the Wembley stands which all but drowned out the referee’s whistle, Abbottsford Town had won the FA cup but Anita was staring at the TV with a confused look on her face

“Does that mean I get a snog now?” she asked but Eric was already ahead of her and pulled her to her feet before scooping her up in his arms.

“Time to celebrate” he said with a leer

“Oh goody” she cheered “Up the Knights”

THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS

 

While I sleep with eyes shut tight

I dream of a girl dressed all in white

This beautiful girl with an adoring smile

And eyes so green they bewitch and beguile

She stands before me this maiden fair

And runs her fingers through my hair

Then I feel the touch of her caress

And a single kiss of such tenderness

Then the beautiful maiden fair

Whispered 'I love you' in my ear

I was alone come the morning light

I hope I see the girl again tonight

Mornington-By-Mere – (84) The Tender Touch

Mornington-By-Mere is a small country village lying in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.

It is a quaint picturesque village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, Windmills, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River and a Mere.

But Mornington-By-Mere is not just a quaint chocolate box English Village it is the beating heart of the Finchbottom Vale and there were a number of cottages and small houses on the Purplemere road and Dulcets Lane which formed the part of Mornington Village known as Manorside and it was to number 1 Brewery Cottages where our story takes place.

 

Apart from her normal duties as district nurse Olwyn Brown took it upon herself to provide additional services, partly to make sure they regained their self-worth, but on occasions it was more than that but only once did it go beyond the professional.

Her patient was Mandy Lamb, a pretty 29 year old girl, who had cancer and was quite naturally depressed.

Olwyn was almost 35 and very experienced in her field as district nurse and she had watched many young people suffering from the insidious disease in her time.

But there was something special about the patient she was going to see in Manorside.   

Olwyn knocked on the door and a moment or so later Mrs Lamb, the patient’s mother answered the door.

“Hello dear” she said

“Hello Mrs Lamb” Olwyn said brightly “How’s the patient today?”

“The same” she said blankly “I don’t know how to help her”

“Just be supportive” she said

“It’s hard though dear” she said putting on her coat and going to the foot of the stairs.

“Mandy! The nurse is here” she shouted up the stairs “the pretty one with the blonde hair”

Olwyn smiled and Mrs Lamb said

“You can go up when you’re ready, I need to do some shopping”

 

“Hello Mandy” she said as she walked into her room, but there was no response.

“How are you felling today?”

Still no response.

“Come on I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me” she said and in response her silence she added

“Very well if that’s what you want”

Olwyn closed her bag and got up before heading for the door.

“Don’t go” Mandy said quietly

“So there is something?” Olwyn asked

“Yes” Mandy replied timidly

“So what can I do to make you more comfortable?” she asked

There was a short period of silence and then Mandy said

“Hold my hand”

“What?” she asked

“Please hold my hand” she begged

“Why?” Olwyn asked and held her breath in anticipation of the answer

“Because I like you” Mandy whispered

“Well that’s very nice” Olwyn said “I like you too”

“Yes but I really like you” she said

“What about Kathy?” she asked, Kathy Clark was her long-time girlfriend.

“We broke up” she explained “I broke us up”

“So why me?” Olwyn asked

“Don’t you know why?”

“You need to tell me why” Olwyn insisted

“Because you’re special to me” Mandy replied “And I think about you all the time”

“Are you sure?” She asked as she caressed Mandy’s cheek

“Oh God Yes” she replied and Olwyn kissed her.