Get a Blip Life

I have one overriding reason to Blip and that is family connected and amongst other things saves an awful lot of time and effort explaining to my children and grandchildren what mischief I have been up to. OK the days of putting carrier bags of pennies into a telephone box money slot are long gone and phone charges are no longer bank account threatening, but a photo alone usually says enough to get the message.


There are lots of other spin-offs with varying degrees of importance to us all and at different times. Just this week I looked at a new Bliper simply because the “Browse” photo caught my eye and I learnt a lot about Albania from a young Britin (German for female Brit – male: Brite, plural: Briten).


A few positive aspects of Blip have somehow evaded me including improving my photographic incompetence, being precise and to the point, commenting regularly and punctually …….
 
But one aspect that keeps surprising me is how Blip unwittingly forces one into situations that one would never have ventured into before. Today was just such a wonderful occasion and it was on home ground.
 
Angie and MrsMY had gone out for a morning hack long before I had opened an eyelid never mind washed out my mouth with a gurgle of strong filter coffee. It was going to be another hot day (+25°C). Not long after the coffee machine had stopped spluttering did the phone call come telling me to collect Luna on the other side of the village and “quickly”.
 
Donning what strewn about clothing I could grab and with sunglasses to hide my still squinting eyes drove out and met them. We had an interesting talk in the field about the events and consequences of the Village Hop on Saturday night.  And another topic came up that may develop in the coming days and weeks but I have to curb my quill for the moment.
 
Drove back and at the entrance to the village at the church, saw a Guernsey registration plate Camper on the carpark. Reactions being what they are at that hour of the day, it took me a good 200 metres to stop and turn back, parking close by alongside some apple trees in the abandoned old school garden. I had seen there were two people in the kitchen area of the camper and hoped they would come out. I fussed about around the apple trees, picking one and slicing it open with a knife to taste it – we are planning to harvest the crop and get them pressed into juice.
 
Still no sign of life outside the camper and I then simply took a shot of the scene and thought that would do for today if nothing else exciting happened. Getting back into the car, I happened to see in the rear view mirror a pair of feet appear under the camper chassis and seemingly the breakfast crumbs being knocked off a floor mat.


I dashed over and with only a rear view of the person said in English:
“Are you in trouble?”

whereupon the answer came in perfect English
“You mean in a God forsaken place like this?”
 
We both laughed, but I had just caught a very slight accent which suggested I might be dealing with a German and asked, in German, if she was German and the answer was “Ja” in perfect German.


To cut a long story short the delightful retired couple of my age are Guernsey residents but she had been born in the house next to the church and went to the school across the road. I forgot to ask if, as a child, she had eaten one of the apples from the very old trees.
 
They were staying for a couple of days visiting her relations who live next to the church. To my shame, I forgot her Christian name but know her maiden surname – Strobel. He was nicknamed “Titch” but certainly not living up to it, being a tall slender fine example of a still fit, ex-Navy man. She had left the village for Guernsey over 40 years ago and love had kept her there.
 
What a wonderful half hour or so chat we had talking about so many common things and experiences. And it was a great privilege to be in the company of such truly lovely, genuine people. It certainly helped restore some of my lost faith in the Brits, although she has never bothered to get British citizenship as it was never an issue and is now wondering what her situation will be on 30th March 2019.
 
Finally, I explained my photographing the church and Titch immediately asked for the Blip web address as they so often want to show other people aspects of life around her former home that one may not exactly have in the family album. Also it would be great to catch up on the latest village gossip from time to time. I mentioned I had on occasions followed the journal of “GuernseyGirl” even if my description of her was somewhat off the mark – I had remembered her as having young children but on checking at home, it was young grandchildren and GuernseyGirl is clearly one of those lucky stay-young-forever types. Perhaps it’s the Guernsey air as my two newest acquaintances were also young at heart and mind.
 
I wished them a safe journey back home tomorrow and with a bit of sorrow at not having longer or more relaxing circumstances to talk, returned home to quizzical looks from the girls as to where I had been.
 
Brexit can come and go, but Blip must remain. What a wonderful site we have that proves that social networking can be positive if done right, with manners and respect for all.

PS. The church is being restored, hence the white cladding of the tower. I would have loved to have photographed the couple but I tend to avoid such personal shots when people aren't fully in the picture and very annoyingly I couldn't get my mobile to load the Blip App to prove I was genuine in what I had tried to explain. I think we hit it off so well that they didn't have the least doubt in my sincerity even if my clothing and appearance may have seemed somehat "down at the heel!"