Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

I have decided to retreat indoors @AuntyRach - 40mp winds and diagonal stair rods! Tomorrow will - they say - be dry and calmer so gardening can wait.

I hope your treasures stay safe and the gale is not too strong.

 

Rained all night, so having a day at home. I still have laundry to catch up on, and have started to tentatively put aside clothes for our holiday next week. Feeling better by the day, and OH is seemingly still well, fingers crossed. OH is muttering about raspberry pi, and other computer speak. He’ll be happily soldering in his workshop today, I’ll leave him to it!

I’ve always fancied a river cruise, but the eating arrangements seemed too inflexible, with definite shared tables, a no-no for us. I confess to liking the big ships as it’s so easy to be anonymous, and just treat it like a big hotel. We love waking up in a different place every day, after only unpacking once. Prefer 7 days cruises, would happily visit the Norway fjords twice a year, as it’s the most convenient way to see the scenery. I do like the opportunity to dress up, so I take a couple of frocks ( we have great choice in the charity shops round here!) and OH wears his usual shirts and chinos! Not an issue as we don’t frequent the dining rooms, or sit around drinking in the bars. I don’t know whether to be ashamed to confess that I haven’t had a conversation with another passenger for years, other than the usual polite acknowledgements.

Maybe today I’ll get those bulbs planted! I wonder whether I should just stick them in pots before I find them shrivelled up in the corner next year. However, our local squirrels have a terrible habit of digging in the pots, ‘planting’ stuff, digging it out again, or weirdly, rolling round inside the pots on the top of the earth. I couldn’t work out why some of the larger pots had such smooth soil until I saw it happening.
Still some flowers on the salvias I planted this autumn, but I must take some cuttings to overwinter in case. I’ve just cut down one of my monstera house plants. Getting too big for its space, so I now have at least five cuttings in a big vase of water to develop roots. I must try and donate a few of the others, but both children have taken as many as they had room for, and our few friends will start avoiding us if I offer them any more!
Have a good day.

 

It's dry here atm. Forecast is mixed.
This afternoon, we are going to the farmhouse where mum was born in 1912.
8 months ago, I plucked up the courage to knock on the door, bearing a drawing of it that dad had done in the 40s (I guess) and we were invited in and given a guided tour. I was 3 when my taid died and I do vaguely remember the interior. They have done more research on its history, so we've been invited back. I have got old photos. All the old outbuildings are now dwellings.
It's tucked away up a narrow lane in the Clwydians and there are sloe bushes, so we're taking bags, on spec!

 

Good morning all!!

Very cloudy with some sunny bits and a drop in temperature. Windy as usual but no rain. We had a surprise heavy shower yesterday evening around 6pm. Autumn weather.

A friend came in yesterday afternoon and did the floors under the bed and couch etc. and dusting for me. She polished the table and benches and it smells nice - so nothing to do today. Physio came this morning and is well pleased with my progress as I can walk "properly" inside for short bursts without the aid of a crutch. I use that for outside in case. Early days. Nights still bad @Obelix-Vendée but the pain has now turned to aches and discomfort. Finding the right position!!

As an ex-yachtie from Auckland - no cruises for me. I couldn't think of anything worse either than a week on the Can du Midi - opening and closing locks for shouty skippers!!

I feel it is a tad early to take cuttings - is it? My roses are sprouting new growth and the wisteria is very very green.

Have a happy day, everyone.

 

Good afternoon ladies & gentlemen.

Sorry to hear of your OH's cold @lizzie27 . I hope he will recover soon. You can buy superglue solvent (it is what they use in A&E Depts I think). Might be useful to always have some in hand, just in case. Very glad you were able to get your fingers free anyway.

Great news you healing is going so well @Tui34 .

Pleased to hear that all is well with your eyes @Ladybird4 , but not pleased to hear about the bus driver driving past you.

Enjoy your weekend @AuntyRach .

Glad to hear you are on the mend @Ergates .

2" of rain yesterday, but no flooding whatsoever in this village. Today's high: 12C. Sunshine & showers. Autumn is well and truly here.

My one surviving patio rose is flowering again.

Best wishes to all as always.

 

No definitive signs of the hedgehog, @Obelix-Vendée , though something has been digging sizeable holes in our woodchip paths. But no poos around, as far as I can tell. Hopefully I'll soon be able to set up the camera again though.

That rather startling slime mould on my woodchip heap crusted over and turned brown. I left it to see what would happen, and during heavy rain yesterday it was interesting to watch spores being released, like a puff of smoke, every time a large raindrop hit the "crust".

 

Sorry not to have been around much. Trying to rescue our holiday to Edinburgh next month.
Capably organised by my wife two years ago, but she had not taken into consideration we were well outside the city, so would need a hire car, huge costs for taxis, or be limited to our day trips.
Seems it may be cheaper for her to drive up in two stages, breaking the journey for three days, then doing the same on the way back.
Less stress too, because she'd be in her own car.
A one week break, turned into two, and now almost three weeks away.
There goes most of October!!
The garden will be a jungle by the time we return!!!

 

Hopefully it will be even more fun, @RowlandsCastle! The garden will still be there when you get back.

 

Good evening all. I had a very pleasant afternoon playing Canasta (it is a great card game @Obelix-Vendée) and it was good touching base with my friends there. Pleased to report my partner and I won our match. I think I will be going again next month. They meet on the 2nd and 4th Fridays in the month. It turned out to be a sunny afternoon which made things even better.
Positive news about your trail cam @Liriodendron. Perhaps it was just damp - no wonder with the way this summer has gone. I heard frost forecast for tomorrow morning in some areas so I suspect hedgehogs will be looking for somewhere to hibernate soon.

Definitely no need to be ashamed @Ergates. You go on holiday to enjoy yourselves and do what pleases you two. If this means you prefer not to indulge in deep conversations with anyone else so be it.
@Penny_Forthem how lovely must that visit have been and how kind of the new home owners to welcome you in. Hope you manage to get lots of sloes.
@Tui34, thanks for giving us the updates on your progress. Fingers crossed the night time discomfort soon fades away too.
@Badly_Maintained, hoorah for the patio rose. I never have any success with those I'm afraid.
@RowlandsCastle, have you been to Edinburgh before? It is a magnificent city. Bet I can guess where one of your trips will be! Don't worry about your garden. It will just do its own thing whilst you are away and you can start where you left off when you get back.

 

Signing out for today. I hope you all have wonderful Friday evenings. I'm looking forward to hearing about @Busy-Lizzie's trip to the Malvern Show. Catch up with you all tomorrow.

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@Ladybird4 No, never been to Edinburgh before.
We plan to visit the ex Royal Yacht Britannia, and the Alexander McCall Smith literary sites.
Then, Edinburgh Castle (of course), Craigmillar Castle, and a host of other, smaller and lesser known castles and tower houses - most of which are NOT open to the public.
Plus we hope to meet up with two sets of friends.
Then the usual round of museums, eateries, parks, and more.
Perhaps some of the Lothian coastline, Berwick upon Tweed, and possibly find time to REST my weary feet.

 

@RowlandsCastle I remember visiting a derelict castle associated with a husband of Mary Queen of Scots. I wish I could remember which one.
If you have time, do take in the Kelpies.

 

Crichton Castle? We won't be too far away.

 

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Good morning everybody. You will have a most wonderful time @RowlandsCastle. I'm hoping for a gardening day today ans once it has got light I'll be able to see how the weaher is. Cricket is coming and going frequently through his cat flap so I'm reading that as a good sign - he does not like rain! Now for my tea and cereals.

 

Good morning all and Good morning @Ladybird and hopefully Good afternoon to @PatE if you are around.