Friday 26 September 2008

Bloomin Beautiful........ And JobsWorth Tosser...

Ok....... Most of you probably know that I LOVE going to the garden centre with the nippers and me maties.... its only about 4-5 miles from here and its HUGE, so there is loads to see there, and the nippers love it, cos there are talking birds in the hothouse which say 'ello charlie' and there is also a big duck pond where we feed the ducks..... its great in bad weather cos most of it is undercover..... its the biggest garden centre around here for miles and miles.....

Its great cos the Strange Bruvvers that started it years ago, started real small a little further up the road from where it is now.... they were sort of a couple of pikies I think....... and as the business started to grow they moved to where it is now.... and its the most amazing place......they both have their mansions built on site, but they are just normal blokes, still working in the nursery, still getting their hands dirty, I must of known them for nigh on 25 years.....

I suppose me and me matie Sharon goes there at least every 3 or so weeks....its a great morning out for the nippers to, there is so much one can teach the kids at these places.... so much to learn....... there is also a lovely little cafe in the old victorian house that use to be the house on the land, and we often have lunch there, well a scone and a cuppa tea.... they dont like it much though that we take the nippers lunchboxes with us to save having to buy them all lunch, we aint made of money ya know.....



Our minded nippers love going to this garden centre and they often hide from us.... well they think they hide but we always know they are not far away......



Here they are thinking they were hiding LOL - thats J at the back and then Sprite his sister (whom I had since she was 10 weeks old) at the front and then M and T the twins and P their sister.... I love these kids and they in turn love me.... I think LOL



And here they all are in the geranium section.... a bunch of little blondies..

The year my tosser X left me and the lads, I had just secured us a contract with the above said nursery to supply them with alpines, we preferred selling them ourselves at country shows cos we got top prices for them, and by supplying other nurseries meant they got our plants at wholesale prices and they are the ones that make the greater profit from them, without having the risks and hard work of growing them........ ya see..... we had our own little nursery business and it was just into its forth year and he buggered off...he wanted it all to himself, I had helped to build his dream and he decided he wanted it without the tie of kids and family life (after 18 years of marriage lol)...... 80-90 hour weeks I worked building his dream with him..... his father owned a nursery business so it was all me X ever knew.... he had worked for his family business since leaving school at 15, it was all he knew how to do......

I will give me X one praise though, he was the most amazing grower that Ive ever come across.... he was the brawn behind our business and I was the brains and a bit of brawn....... I can load 4000 3 litre pots of perenials and alpines on any given evening by hand onto our nursery van without a shake of a cats tail..... 80-90 hours a week I would put in, I still had me preschool and still minded nippers and ran the house and had me 4 lads to sort and still managed to work every evening and every weekend on our nursery business for 4 years building his dream......

Circumstances made us start our own place, I found and bought the land at a time when the tosser X was suffereing from real bad depression, due to his father disowning him and throwing him to the wayside.... circumstances that almost cost our young son Sams life..I had Sam in ICU and almost dead, I had a hubby with depression, a 1 year old baby, an 11 and 9 year old that needed me, a preschool to run, 12 minded nippers to suss and sort out, and everyone relied on me... I had to carry the weight for all off us on me own for 3 years, and try and help build my X's dream, so that our family had a future.....so build I did, carry I did, go without I did, love I did, struggle I did....... LMFAO then when he had got his dream in place he walked from his family....... I often wonder what we would of become if he had stayed..... him being the brawns and me being the brains of the operation..... he was as thick as 2 short planks, but by god he was the most amazing grower and cutting taker of plants......

But when he left, he forgot that it takes more then brawn to run a business, and by leaving he walked away from the brains LOL..... and a business with no brain cells to plan and risk and think, is no business at all......... it stagnates, it stand still and eventually it becomes nothing....

I miss our nursery, I miss the thrill of knowing people wanted to buy something that we had grown and nurtured...... I miss the big country shows that we use to go to, I miss the interaction with the customers, something which my X hated, he couldnt talk his way out of a paper bag, so I was the 'frontman' at the shows.... and ya know what Im like with people LOL...

So I went from almost losing the life of my precious son..... to both my parents dying within 10 weeks of each other, to my X walking out on his family, all within a few years...... but cos I was use to carrying us all, I think that is why I just slipped into the roll of mum/dad nurturer, breadwinner when I had to do it all alone... cos to be honest, I'd been doing all alone for years.....

I have only shared the above (you are just getting a glimpse not the whole kaboodle) with one other cyber person... the same person that I had shared many of the happenings in my life, I hope that person keeps my stories safe, and places them next to my soul for safe keeping... stacked on a shelf somewhere together....

Anyways...... I digress LOL and have probably said way to much.........

So, the nursery that we love spending time at had a sale on a few weeks back, and it was one of our few sunny days, so we loaded up the 5 nippers we had between us and headed for heaven.. opps sorry, the nursery...



This is what we found....... oh my.... it was orgasmic LOL



As far as the eye could see....



The nippers are at the garden centre with us so often that its like a second home to them LOL.... besides the greenhouses and plants there are HUGE buildings housing every conceivable thing you can think of to do with gardens.... and even some home furnishings with a garden theme..... so we also love looking around those parts of the garden centre....

We often as not dont buy anything, we just go for a few hours to get out, but we always come home with cuttings LOL.... and no, we aint taught the kids how to nic cuttings yet, what do you take me for Fagin LOL ...

Most that know me also know that no matter how good, how quiet I can be, trouble ALWAYS seems to find me/us..... and the day a few weeks ago at the garden centre was not exception......

So, there we was in the home and garden section when we spied some hats, ya know, hats that posh people must wear whilst watching their gardeners do the hard work lol..... the minded nippers KNOW they are NOT allowed to touch or pick things up without first asking me or Sharon...... but I said 'shall we try on some hats' to which they squeeled YES.... so we were all laffing and having a whale of a time, trying on all the different hats, all way to big for their little heads.... and you know me with me camera..... I says..... ok, each put a hat on and let me take your photos......... and they all sat on the little patio furniture for their photo..... just as a member of staff walked around to see what all the laffing was about....

Here is the photo of the nippers, complete with labelled hats LOL



And this is the conversation that followed with the 'staff member'...

Bloke - Please do not let the children touch the goods..

Me - Goods? oh you mean the beautiful hats..

Bloke - Yes, please do not touch them unless you are thinking of purchasing them ..

Me - Maybe we are letting the children try them on so that they can choose which ones they want to buy..

Bloke - That obviously is not true, because the hats are adult sizes and way to big for them..

Me - And MAYBE I like to buy things bigger so that they grow into them, cos your prices are so ridiculasly high we cant buy new each year..

Sharon - giggling and giving me the 'look' ..

Bloke - Now you are just being a smartarse..

Me - Dont you know the customer is always right, its in the good customer guide, page 4, paragraph 3, subsection 2... where it clearly states, and I quote 'The Customer is always right'..

Bloke - Please dont let the children touch the hats..

Me - Ok kids, put the hats back on the rack, your probably right, Mr? 'jobsworth', they all have headlice and I dont suppose it was a good idea trying on hats now was it, and as you say they are way to big for them, so Im not going to buy the hats, cos I dont want my children to look ridiculas now do I..

Bloke - HEADLICE?.. and its Mr Dallas not Mr Jobsworth (HE SO DIDNT GET THE JOKE lol)

Me - Yeah, I so need to get that stuff for their little heads that kills the lice and stops them from infecting others..

Bloke - They have headlice? .. but headlice are catching, ewwwww

Me - Please do not say that infront of the children like that, it can be quite upsetting what with the constant itching, you should see Jons head, its a mass of scabs where he has scratched til he's bled...

Bloke - I really think you should be purchasing the hats now the children have tried them on while having headlice...

Me - Nah its ok, I mean, you said they were all to big for them, I think we'll leave it fanks very much and maybe we'll go buy an ice-cream..

Sharon - Dam jobsworth..

We walked away and Sharon whispered, does Jon and Sprite really have headlice...... No I said, but he dont know that LOL....



These are the 4 perenials that I bought..... a bright red victoria lobelia, a purple lobelia, a plum coloured penstimon and a true blue Salvia...

Why dont some people just mind their own dam business..... why do jobsworths always decend on us when we are out LMFAO.....

Enough boring Twaddle for a dark Friday evening..

x

35 comments:

laughingwolf said...

great shots/kids, mt :)

Annie Wan said...

i dare not visit you toasty - you might make me try on hats which are too big for me and tell everyone i have headlice - the ignominy!

so lmao .... you are great for the soul xx

Anonymous said...

The gardening shop sounds awsome. I've never been to one that big. Mr. Jobsworth doesn't sound so awsome though. I'm glad you can handle him so well. It's much better than bopping him on the head with a plant I suppose. And what's a Pilky?

buffalodick said...

Cute kids... You sure love your plants and flowers... Good for you!

LadyStyx said...

Your ex sounds like mine was, with one difference...mine wanted the dream without the benefit of having to do the work or thinking. He always wanted everyone else to do the grunt work.

Kudos for the Oliver Twist reference. LOL Loved it!

The lil ones are beautiful. Sounds like a good time was had by all....well except for Mr Jobsworth.

JeanC said...

That's it, I gotta figure out how to get over there so I can hang out with you!

headlice, hehehehehehe Serves that twit right LOL

Lisa said...

Absolutely gorgeous nursery!! Such pretty flowers! But, my, weren't you naughty to make that man think the kids got headlice in the hats!! LOL

I am arranging things so you can choose to stay in Steve the shed or the new storage room when you come to visit!! Hope it's soon!

Jeanie said...

Great post, Marmie - I'm pooped already - move over so I can take a nap.

Was it me you told that story to? We are so alike in the single mommy department.

Hey! you and I have all the qualifications of being the next Vice President of the United States (if you don't open your mouth and start talking with that thick accent of yours).

Love and hugs!

Jeanie

Jen said...

What a great nursery. I wish we had something like that close by. My kids would love it, too. I would go there to enjoy the flowers but wouldn't buy any because I can't keep anything alive.

Anonymous said...

and just where is the photo of you an your mate in your hat huh?!
don't you just love the Jobsworths of the world NOT!

sparrow said...

*packing*

We're moving in with you.

JBelle said...

Great post, Mel! and pictures, too!

Dumdad said...

You utter rascal!

Akelamalu said...

Oh you're a wicked woman Mel, but good for you. I hope that miserable effer at the garden centre gets nits!

The kids look beautiful in amongst all the flowers. I love garden centre's too, I always feel happy when I've been. xx

Georgina said...

There's nothing better than listening to kids laugh and trying on hats is great fun. Jobsworth should go and get a life. I got told off in a posh department store for trying on hats, I was 23 at the time. I reported the assistant to the manager and then got the manager to show me the coat that matched the hat I was trying. I bought both with scarf and gloves to match, boy did that snooty assistant squirm! Have a great weekend Toastie, and those nippers are gorgeous! France (((XXX)))
P.S. Loved the Pikie reference, everyone calls my horse a "pikie pony."

meggie said...

Those children all look so happy. They are sure to have fun in a garden centre. My kids just loved them & still do, as adults.

Cindy said...

I hope Jobsworth itched for the rest of his miserable day! Ornery old goat anyway!
I love big nurseries like that and could spend hours wandering around looking at all the beautiful plants and flowers. Every Spring my Grandmother and I used to take a day and go "greenhousing". We always had the greatest of times, going to several different green houses, out to lunch and all. I can't go in one now without thinking of her and remembering all the fun we used to have. She was just like you- if there was trouble to be found, she found it and got into it- all in good fun.
Happy belated birthday! I hope this year brings much more happiness and good things your way.

JeanneH said...

What wonderful times you have with your little ones, Marmie...glad you're back in the swing of things...I love the photos. Those children are so cute...it's good to see a post like this again...I feel like you're back with us. God bless...JeanneH in Idaho xoxoxo

buffalodick said...

Your country is a strange mixture of insane people like you, and prigs that won't ever get the humour you are generating... America ain't as different as you might think, dear... and I think the Aussies are in the same boat!

Cedar Street Kid said...

Poor Mr. Jobsworth-he probably stopped at the nearest store after work and bought some medication for lice(:)

A Spoonful Of Sugar said...

What a funny tale! The nippers look too cute with their hats.

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

Beautiful pictures - I LOVE the hat one and was laughing my butt of at the head lice comments. You should have ACTUALLY said that you probably shouldn't have had the kids trying on the hats as they might pick up headlice from some of those hoity toity customers looking to buy one. lol

Robin said...

You need more than one 'true blue' salvia. You need a heart's full.

~R

MarmiteToasty said...

~(((((Wolfie)))))~ yeah the kids are super.... and of course thats just a handful of my weekly charges LOL....xxxxx

~((((mei del))))~ I just cant help but come back a these sort of people with a remark LOL.... I will tell ya, it sometimes gets me into heaps of trouble lmfao....xxxxx

~(((helen)))~ its HUGE and they have the most amazing building full of crimbo things which starts the end of this month.... millions upon millions of items, and they have real donkeys out the front in a stable :) - I did a post about it last year.... or the beginning of this, I cant remember.. the kids LOVE going there at crimbo...

Oh and a pikie is like a gypo :)..xxxxx

~((((((buff)))))~ cute at buttons they be and as good as gold with me and me matie, yet not with their parents lmfao.....xxxxx

~((((ladystyx)))~ well I try not to bad mouth my X, Im better then that LOL.... but he was not good on so many levels, but then I expect he says the same about me LOL....

The nippers always love going to the garden centre, I will admit, we do make things fun for them....social services on my last Ofsted inspection called me a 'memory maker' it might of been after I showed her the photos of me letting the kids swim in the river meon a few years ago instead of a proper swimming pool LMFAO.... no other childminder here does that except me and me matie.... oh and Petersfield duck pond one hot summer lol....xxxxx

~(((((jeanc))))~ Ive just been talking to JBelle about how I would LOVE for a doodle to come visit one day when Im back on me feet proper, there is so much history and things to see and do in my part of the world... I would make a fantastic guide lol....xxxxx

~(((((lisa))))))~ yep it sells every conceivable item to do with the gardens.... the talking bird is famous in this neck of the woods and one afternoon we was desperately trying to get it to say 'bugger off' LMFAO we got told off lol....

Let me get well and I will figure out how to come and stay in Steve and visit :)....xxxxx

~((((jeanieS)))~ its only 4.30pm here and Im knackered beyond belief and soon I have to drive into Southsea/Portsmouth to pick up my Jacob and 3 of his maties from the 'paying' skatebowl with their bmxs...

AND I DONT HAVE AN ACCENT.... do I? lol love back atchya .. xxxxx

~(((((jen))))))~ I love plants and growing things.... I miss it all so very much....xxxxx

~(((((wanderer))))~ oh hush ya mouth lmfao...... I would break the camera lense lol..... I CANT do hats, we tried on about 20 and was wetting ourselves laffing.... I just cant do hats lol..... maybe only a hangmans hood, that would probably look good on me....xxxxx

~((((((pixie))))))~ you have found your people where you are, you would tire of me LOL.....xxxxx

~((((JBelle)))))~ I do ramble on through dont I lol......xxxxx

~((((dumdad)))))~ well, sometimes, people just have to be put in their place lol....and sometimes, I just need to learn to keep me big gob shut lol....xxxxx

~((((((ake)))))~ the bloke was so very lucky that our matie Ann was not with us lol.... oh my, when me and her are together and someone is bang out of order, then its just sooooooooooo funny.....xxxxx

~((((France)))))~ this house is filled with nippers laffing, I am blessed with that.... aint it fun trying on hats lmfao, no matter what age :)..... ohhhhhhh matching gloves and scarf LOL

you have a pikie pony? is he like all different colours like a red indian pony?..... you would LOVE the pikie horse fair thats held in
Wickam Square each year, where all the pikie horse dealers come down from all over the country and trade in the highstreet and race them up and down the road.......you do have to be careful of the thieving bastards though lol......xxxxx

~(((meggie)))~ the kids in my care do, I will admit, have a great time, Im a little off the wall at some of the things we do, but its all good lol.......xxxxx

~(((((Cindy))))~ one could spend the whole day at Keydell nurseries.... of course, stopping for lunch in the little cafe is a bonus...... if ya ever get over here I will take ya there :) - there is another place at Titchfield where there is a long road and almost every house is a little private nursery, and Garsons is another big on in the middle of all them..... I am a nursery geek LOL...... and my X's uncle owns Mud Island Nurseries up the road a little ways....... sign...... can you tell I miss my nursery life lol..... the life NOT the X :)......xxxxx

~((((jeanneH)))~ yeah we do have good times, it can be hard at times, but I love and would protect these nippers, all of them, not just the ones in that photo, with my life..... Im back, just a little soul less lol...... there is this constant ache......xxxxxx

~((((buff))))~ :) you saying Im insane LMFAO..... I know I do not follow the crowd in my thinking and doing, but I think they call that unique LMFAO..... not insane :)....... except I was christened at St James which is the church attached to the then mental institute in Portsmouth lmfao.....xxxxx

~((((((cedar)))))~ well that will learn him to mess with me LOL.......xxxxx

~((((spoonful))))~ welcome you... to the mad house.... yeah they are to cute, and Im to sexy for my boots lmfao....xxxxx

~((((momNmum)))~ hey you.... back in the land of doodles, do you miss us here :).... I should of started itching me head LOL....and then said I was gonna sue for catching lice lol....xxxxx

~((((robin))))~ oh hush, I dont have a heart......xxxxx

Sue O. (aka Joannie, SS) said...

My girls cannot resist trying on and touching things in stores, and they are not little nips. Usually we wind up screaming and giggling, annoying some poor person behind a counter who does not know how to deal with the loud family. I went to a thrift store with my older daughter who wiggled herself into this Marilyn Monroe strapless thing and could not get out of it! There were never such dressing room curtain gyrations as on that day-she finally had to break the zipper and we sort of slunk out of there quietly. I had to bite my cheeks to keep from laughing.

buffalodick said...

Well Marmy, I refer to myself as "functionally insane", meaning I seldom harm others, and am a productive member of society. People think I'm pretty funny, as they have never heard the weird stuff that I have been known to say, and depending on the audience- I will put it in English they can understand.. Insane is not an insult- there are degrees of it that make it quite profound!

Intense Guy said...

Aw - you can see why you enjoy your nippers - such good looking little ones. I enjoyed the hide-and-go-seek through the flowers with 'em.

I had a nice big laugh at the headlice and hats - I wonder if those hats were on sale for cheap the next day? :)

I had to read up and get educated about 'Jobsworth' - my classical education is a little deficient. Now when the virtual walk through the UK continues - I'll be alert to 'em. :)

Unknown said...

...love the tale of "Jobsworth and the Tiny Livestock"...i think i'll change the name of my band to just that...and if things continue to to to shite here in the states, i would strongly consider coming over there and adding my brawn to your brains and get the plant biz up and running...having once been a partner in a landscaping company, i have some skills in this area...

Deanna said...

What sweet little ones and what fun they are obviously having! Headlice, indeed - LOL. Keep following those dreams. It'll be interesting to see where they might lead you next... and from what I can tell, wherever it is - You Can Handle It!!!!!

Deanna said...

Oh, I guess I should mention that I've been reading your wonderful blog for quite some time, having followed Intenseguy over here. But you get so many wonderful comments, I didn't want to errrr clutter things up. Great reading - I'm always lurking there and reading/

Lulda Casadaga said...

Marmie: Too damn funny! Love the kids...ummI had lovely blonde hair like that as a child...

Love going to garden shops and I do have many here to visit...just don't have the money or green thumb!

I really think all of your USA bloggers need to plan a GB trip to see "Marmie the Magnificent and the Greenhouse"...Do you think Virgin airlines or BA would give us a discount?

MarmiteToasty said...

~((((sue))))~ First off.... your package is winging its way to you as I type, I hope you LOVE the cockles lol...... aint it funny trying on hats and things in shops.... I so dont suit any sorta hat though, so it makes it even funnier LOL.... tiz good to laff...xxxxx

~((((buff))))~ I know what ya mean :) - there are many levels of insane lol.... and I know, Im different from the rest lmfao...... but Im very harless, sort of, maybe, not if pushed lmfao...xxxxxx

~(((((intense guy)))))~ they are just a splattering of the nippers I have, these are the pre-schoolers.... well except for Jon, he is an Infant schooler but school was closed that day... what? you dont have the word 'jobsworth' over there? well I never LMFAO.....xxxxx

~(((((((soul)))))))~ and what a great pair we would make lol maybe your nicname is a sign lmfao 'soul' maybe your me missing link LMFAO..... I so LOVED the nursery, even though it was a very very hard life, it was just the 2 of use trying to do the lot...... cleaning out the shed so you can come stay LMFAO.... oh dam it, you can have me old victorian iron bed and I'll have the floor, unless it gets cold and then its everyone for themselves LOL.......xxxxxx

~(((((punkn))))~ wondering if Im a bit old now to follow dreams lol..... oh Ive handled much more in life then anyone even knows.... just tired now thats all LOL.......and welcome from iggys blob..... your comments will always be read and absorbed DONT LURK lol ...... xxxxx

~(((((lulda))))~ fanks for the lovely emails, marmite will be in the post tomorrow.....and guess what, I aint even gonna nick it LOL...... oneday I will have special doodle maties come and stay for a holiday with me....I doubt very much though that anyone would want to LOL....xxxxx

Toriz said...

LOL you're too funny!

Christy Woolum said...

I really loved this post. The shot with the kids and geraniums just captures your love for those blooms. When we deal with divorces as both of us have, I have to say you not only had that to deal with , but your nursery business. My heart breaks when I think of you doing what you passionately loved and having it go away. I am glad to see you still love the dirt and the flowers and the beauty of gardening. You sound very busy... take time for yourself dear friend.

Unknown said...

My God I love you! You never fail to make me laugh. I won't say how sorry I am about all you have gone through in life, cause knowing you, you don't want sympathy.

I love going to the nursery, too. I only wish I was as good at that as you seem to be. Oh, I have somewhat of a nice yard, but it never turns out the way I envision it will.

The hat story is SO freaking funny! That's what he gets. I hope he throws the whole lot of them away. Serves him right for being such an ass.

And those kids are so darn cute!