Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2023

Good morning everyone.

Looking optimistically forward to the next 3 days of DRY weather forecasts . Who knows we might even get to have a day out somewhere too.


Today is going to be a garden, garden and even more gardening day., with no rain in the forecast..


Have a lovely Sunday.

 

Last of my cat hedges. Must look for another theme.

Morning.

Yesterday Ben the Gardener spent four hours doing a grand job of cutting down (halfway) the Melaleuca, Jacaranda Brugmansia, taking the lower skirt off the Cycad, repotting it and the Hibiscus syriacus and a few other things, then spent two hours visiting with us, so I was outside for 6 1/2 hours yesterday (till 3pm) when it started to lightly drizzle. I plan to repot a few things later this morning and take some pictures of the work done and post in An Algarve Garden later or tomorrow.

I don't know what this afternoon's movie will br.

Have a good day all whatever you are up to.

 

Morning Vicky

Glad that the weather remained good and that all your garden tasks were able to be completed.....a big sigh of relief now,you can relax.

I'm about to head out into the garden for the day, it's looking beautiful out there with blue skies and full sunshine, it lasts all day.

Have a brilliant day yourselves and enjoy the movie. xx

 

Morning all.
Up at my normal time that my body says to get up-----but its time change weekend so its really 5AM now, not 6AM---and she screams. Oh, well, doing some quiet things. Husband still sleeping. My lab top says its almost 6AM now. 41 degrees outside.
Shuffling through some papers, writing out some checks for Monday mailings.
Cat faired well while we are gone, but she does show her age, walking slowly. Little does she know again we will be gone soon. She will be 20 in April. She eats well, drinks water etc.

Gathering some "holiday" things to take to the Airbnb, can't be too "Christmas" but a little something to sit about. Then easy for the cleaners to put it away around first week in January.
We have this "gathering pile" to take with to the airbnb----then we pack it all in the SUV. This time the last of the white wicker furniture is taken, its another couch type. It all goes in the screened in room down there. Then we have to again rearrange the furniture in that room.

Think I will go back to more coffee and reading the local news paper. Food shopping later and starting some leaf removal ---rolling my eyes. Can't find help with that one. Lazy kids.

Have a good day all.

 

Good morning, I hope you all had a great weekend.

We had a really busy day out in the garden yesterday and made a good start on the final clearance of borders, the first one tackled was the big central one.one

Hope to do a bit more today if possible but have a few other things to do first.

One of the things I need to do is to complete this year's set of brain testing challenges. I have been send a few emails now to remind me to get on with them...so better get them over with.

This is now the 3rd year of a 5 year Active Brain Study that I'm taking part in , it's being carried out jointly by a few Universities from around the country and our local Uni in Southampton is part of the team involved. I was invited to take part via my Dr.
I play a lot of brain testing games on a daily basis anyway but I'm not keen on these as they 'timed' tests that get progressively harder ...it puts me off having clock ticking away timing me, I get a tad flustered..
You are advised to find a quiet place and complete the tests without any interruptions and as hubs needs to go out this morning this with make an ideal time.
Glad when it's all done and dusted for another year.

Have a fab day everyone.

 

Morning all. I haven't thought about a new theme.

It is a lovely sunny morning but a cool 10c for us. We have this for a few days ... brrr!

I only do the New York Times Wordle daily, in both English and Portuguese.

J has Dentist at 1pm to have the stitches out but I believe that is all planned for today ... but we haven't spoken yet. I shall go our in the sun about 10ish and will probably plant my lovely dark pink Salvia out of its plastic pot into a clay one. I don't like plastic pots!

Enjoy the day.

 

Morning Vicky.

No I'm not that keen either , we only us clay ones for the plants that get overwintered as even the really expensive ones don't seem to stay frostproof for very long these days. I tend to stand plastic ones inside clay ones for summer only.
.
Super day here too.

Have a good one .xx

 

Morning all. almost 7AM here. 37 degrees.
Been wasting my time online with my bank trying to find the button to order more checks they change the system, liked the old one, easy to use. Pain in the behind.
Don't want to leave my house today, need to focus on removing the leaves. Will call them and B''''.
Tomorrow-Tuesday-- is voting day, out to vote, then chess club, then a few errands. If I can't get those checks ordered via phone today, have to add the bank stop on my list. SMH

Made a new type of soup yesterday, its considered African, really yummy, sweet potatoes, kale, peanut butter, garlic, onion, chicken broth, ginger. Awesome. Have some left for later today.
Today will be roasting a pork butt, mashed potatoes, and salad for dinner.

Just heard about "Bonfire" , still reading about it. Interesting.

This time change is nuts. Have a good day all.

 

I don't think we have ever used cheques/checks in Portugal and lived here sine 2001. To be honest I can't remember using them in the UK where we lived for 23 years previously. We left the US in 1977 and that is when we last used them. Here everything is Direct Debit.

 

I can't remember ever using them either. I don't think they're very common now over here..especially with the younger generation. I don't think our brood have ever seen one !!

 

Yes, I know I can convert over to "totally" online bill payment, or whatever. But I like to write checks out for our bills. Husband also the same. There is a couple credit cards that are tied into our bank that I have to "transfer" money to to pay it, but ---again---with their new system, it is NOT USER FRIENDLY. And then they split our accounts, so I have to go out and then go back in to view another account, using two different passwords etc. It just seems still too risky for me. But, that is us. And we deal with it.

 

We really don't have any bills ... no mortgage, no car payments, no credit card bills, just electricity, water and insurance.

 

Snap!, Same with us too Vicky.

 

I hope that everything went well for J at the Dentist yesterday Vicky, and that his discomfort has eased up.....completely ....I hope.

redstar your soup sounds utterly delicious, it makes me hungry thinking about it.

I managed to complete all the brain testing challenges yesterday. You don't get a score or feed back.....just as well !! How well ( or not) I did just gets relayed back to study headquarters.

It was such a coincidence as I was invited to take part in the 5 year study 4 days before my brother received is Alzheimer's diagnosis ..... so I am more than happy to help in any way to assist in gaining a clearer understanding and who knows maybe an eventual cure for all forms of dementia. Such a very cruel disease.

We haven't made a definite decision yet but we might go to Salisbury today for a chilled stroll around the town and farmers market.

Have a lovely day everyone.

 

Haven't looked for anything so will say hello with these cutie pies.

The sun is up but a nippy 8c here but heading for 19c.

Up early as J has Physio this morning. Dentist went okay but she said it has not healed as it should have. She asked if he had used the mouthwash ... and he didn't know what she was talking about!!! She gave him a list of what to get but fortunately I still had some clorahexadine mouthwash and specialty toothpaste. I say no more!

I got the plastic pot changed to terracotta yesterday for the Salvia and trimmed it, also a False Aralia that is about five foot tall and sits next to my chair out front potted into a terracotta pot from a plastic one as the plastic one was just sitting in the terracotta one lopsided! I have three lots of Dianthus and two grasses to plant but that will have to wait till tomorrow as J will have his nap after lunch after his return. That is if he doesn't meet Donald for lunch tomorrow. If not, they will have to wait for the weekend.

Have a good journey and day out Upsy if you go. xx