Anyone who knows me well understands that I have a thing about memories.  I gather them along the way, I try to create things which help preserve them and I like nothing better than getting that "4 years ago today" kind of message pop up on Facebook, prompting me to grab my Hero's attention by saying "Oooo, no-ooo, it can't be....four years ago today we were...."  (in Peru as it happens, but that's another story)  The thing is, I don't post that much about our travels on Facebook any more, so those reminders are fewer and further between.

Anyway, it's been quite a week around here.  In addition to the continuing fun of getting a course started, I was invited to join a team working to put together an exhibition later this year, to celebrate Denman College's Platinum Anniversary.  A day spent looking through a wealth of photographs in the company of those who know more about the history of the WI than most could hardly be regarded as "work" and I drove home with so many stories buzzing in my head.

Actually, I had to stop on the way home - I remembered passing this spot on my way to Marcham earlier in the day and noted the newly laid hedge.  As I returned on an otherwise empty road, I just had to stop and take a photograph of such beautiful craftwork.  I'm not good at estimating lengths and distances, but I'd guess there's a good few hundred metres of this careful work.  Hard, tough materials to handle in cold weather but all done with precision and with a view to creating a great foundation.  This was a great example of a traditional country craft and one which I will enjoy watching develop each time I pass by.

Once home, I was faced with the general upheaval that happens when we decide to have our sitting room painted.  For the last couple of weeks we've been at sixes and sevens whilst the kitchen was emptied, painted and then put back to normal before we cleared the sitting room.  Tomorrow, we have the joy (!) of putting everything back in place.  Awful job!

As I looked at the piles of books and DVDs to put back (errrmmmm, do we ever watch a DVD in these days of Netflix and on-demand TV?) my eye fell on that red book on top of the heap.  I hadn't seen that one in ages, though of course, it had always been on the shelf.

I couldn't resist opening it and reading the story.  The pictures are amazing and the bears so sweet!

Who's been eating my porridge?  I made a mental note to show the book to our smallest friend when she next comes to visit and went to put today's bunch of flowers in water.

Hmmm, I thought, Turkish shaped tulips.  Just like the red tulip in that picture we bought when we were in Istanbul a few years ago.  I went into the room with the shelf of travel-related pictures to take a photograph of it, thinking that it would end this blog post nicely.  After all, it was a lovely souvenir and a happy memory of a place and an event - our wedding anniversary - which I cherish and remember well.

You know, I'm sure it used to be a picture of a tulip !   Clearly, memories are not quite what they used to be....