Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Great photos @Busy-Lizzie. I believe the Poles are also busy beautifying Soviet brutalist architecture. Lots of rainfall and flooding across Europe at the mo so I can't imagine any of the rivers are running clear.

It has tipped down here all morning so I've been fossicking in my fabric stash to find the doings for a blouse. Plenty of trousers now I've slimmed down but I need new tops that aren't Ts, sweats or jumpers.

I like your baby jumper @Ladybird4. Hope th edogs get a good run @Penny_Forthem.

I see that UK weaher is set to be "interesting". Stay safe and warm everyone.

 

Good afternoon ladies & gentlemen,

Firstly, thank-you for your kind concern @Ladybird4 and @Tui34 .

It has been a few weeks of unhelpful developments for me. When I was visiting the nursing home, one of the residents I had "adopted" was seriously ill and passed away while I was holding her hand. As it turned out, this was to set the tone for the next few weeks.

However, rather that burden you good people with a litany of my misfortunes these past few weeks, I'll concentrate instead on the good news in this post. Firstly, the first flower has appeared on the cosmos (the seeds of which I sowed on the last day of July). Secondly, and not I suspect unrelated to my first point, there has still be no frost here on the coast - and, as far as I can tell, only of few frosty nights in inland parts. October has been, I suspect, milder and wetter that average, which is fine by me. Things in flower now: my Spring-sowed cosmos, Icelandic poppies, French marigolds, forget-me-nots, my patio rose and the unidentified orange flowers. Things which look on the verge of flowering: the two chrysanthemums which I was given as gifts (separately) last Autumn, more of the afore-mentioned July-sown cosmos, and what I'm guessing are pot marigolds. I managed to sleep until 5:30am this morning (which is vastly preferable to the rather tiresome habit of waking up at 4am, which has dogged me these last few months). Furthermore, today is a beautiful day - sunshine, very light winds, pleasantly mild. Penultimately, I got my flu jab succesfully. Finally, I serviced my car (using the inspection ramps I painted a few weeks ago).

I'm going on a toy run this afternoon, always raises my happiness level.

Thank-you for your castle photos @RowlandsCastle , they are great. Hope you arrive home safely. Thank-you also for your photos of your wonderful grand-dog @Penny_Forthem . Hope you enjoyed your very well-deserved week off @AuntyRach and a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY! . Thank-you to both @LG_ & @Penny_Forthem for your Northern lights photos. Further thanks to @Busy-Lizzie for the beautiful Budapest photos.

Stay safe in Storm Ashley tomorrow folks and best wishes to all as always.

 

Good to have you back @Badly_Maintained

 

Good afternoon, yes a dismal wet start today but it has dried up now.
@Busy-Lizzie - we did that Danube trip a few years ago, and because there had been such a dry summer the wasn't enough water for the ship even though those river cruise ones have a very shallow draught. We had to go to our last two destinations by coach, so I would be happy with murky if it means you can complete the trip.

Here today I've had to bail out the patio pond again as it was about to overflow. I haven't cut my grass for about 3 weeks either because it's been too wet.

 

I'm sorry you've been havinga rough time @Badly_Maintained and hope things are going better now.

Our grass is getting long too @Allotment Boy so OH definitely needs to get out there and see to it once it's dry enough. No pond baling here tho. We've found the outlet pipe that sent overflow into the farmer's yard behind us. Where it leaves the pond is too overgrown with wild plants but it flows under part of our veg plot so we've blocked it there, hoping that means pond levels can rise higher and help keep the surrounding soil a bit more moist.

I've just been down to see the chooks and give them their afternoon treat - bacon rinds and sweetcorn today - and pick a cabbage for tonight's dinner. Whilst there i found that OH has, once again, left my newly cleaned, sharpened and oiled secateurs out in the rain. i shall make him buy his own pair and ban him from using mine!

He's also sent me a French recipe for naan bread - I have a dozen or more books on Indian cookery plus a whole folder of recipes on my PC so the French idea of a naan is surplus to requirements. Anyway, it stipulates 200g of flour and one pot of Greek yoghurt. Helpful. I buy proper stuff in litre pots........ Probably just as well he's gone off to the driving range for the afternoon.

 

We've arrived in Pateley Bridge.
We stopped at Jedburgh, Corbridge, and then straight through.
BTW, it was never going to be Ripley, but Ripon!!
We had beautiful views across the hills and valleys, but just not enough time to appreciate it all.
However, whilst Mrs R returned to the car after lunch, I nipped into a pharmacy for her - then round to the Corbridge Pele, followed by a quick pic of the River Tyne.





We return home either Monday or Tuesday. Driver's choice.

 

Afternoon folks,

Beautiful jumper @Ladybird4, well done. I'm afraid I'm no good at knitting and can't abide wool.

Interesting photos @Busy-Lizzie, you're obviously enjoying the cruise.

Good to hear from you again @Badly_Maintained , sorry you've had a rough time.

I have to hide my Felco's from my OH, he tends to mistreat them as well.

I was flabbergasted this morning when I managed to fit into the smallest size jumper I've ever bought! I know M&S sizing is up the creek but that was ridiculous. The 5-2 diet is going well but slow. 5lbs left to get to my target weight.

Hope @RowlandsCastle and his wife are well on their way home and out of the storm's reach, it doesn't sound nice.

Keep safe and in the dry everyone in the North.

 

I am enjoying photos of places I want to go and places I have been.
Dog were joined on their run by a 17 month old choc lab, called Harvey. I'm not sure who enjoyed it most, the humans or the pooches. All should sleep well.
We are battened down, ready for the storm, though we seem to be on the periphery.
I have boiled the last of the crab and our Katy and Bramleys for a jelly. Now dripping till morning. The apples, not me...
Fantastic achievement @lizzie27
My husband never borrows anything of mine, he says...

 

Evening all. Just had my Strictly fix. @Busy-Lizzie, loving your pictures so please keep them coming. I, too, like the 'man at work' and can almost feel the tranquility of that little courtyard. It must have been a relief that your cruise hadn't been cancelled due to poor weather.
Thank you for the nice comments about my baby jumper.
Its so nice to see you back @Badly_Maintained. fingers crossed the dreaded migraines ease off for you. I'm sure that the 'toy run' will bring joy to many more than yourself . It must be joyous seeing all your flowers after sowing those seeds in July. Hope they don't get battered tomorrow. I have battened down the hatches here too @Penny_Forthem.
When I was getting ready to clear out the GH today, I couldn't find my secateurs and had a minor panic thinking I might have left them out in the monsoon we had last Wednesday. Luckily I discovered I had left them in the GH.
Well done @lizzie27 on the diet achievements.

 

Signing out for this evening. Enjoy whatever you are doing and sleep well later. Catch up with you all tomorrow.

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A very good morning one and all. It is seriously windy here this morning as forecast but maybe it won't be too bad later. I often think it would be nice to wake up to some happy news as I was saddened this morning to hear of Sir Chris Hoy's cancer diagnosis. It does make one realise that seizing every day is really important. Sorry to be a bit glum this mornming - it will pass!
On a happier note Strictly was an absolute joy to watch last night. I never fail to be astounded by the dance performance of Chris McCausland and last night I was quite teary watching his beautiful waltz and the wonderful choreography of Dianne. This is proving to be an excellent series.

 

Good morning all. Cold and windy morning here, and I have my cup of tea. Must refill bird feeders, and that would be it for today. Wish you all a lovely Sunday.

@Busy-Lizzie, beautiful photos. I'm glad you have wonderful time on Danube.

 

Morning @Ante1, it is very, very windy here so I think my little birds will have a difficult time getting to my feeders at the moment. Got my tea close by. Are you not going to the cottage today so is your harvesting now finished?

 

Good morning @Ladybird4. I didn't slept well last night, so I'll have an easy Sunday. I still have veggies to harvest, but they can wait, and it's also quite cold and windy outside. It will be a day for book and tv.

 

Good morning everyone and Good morning @Ladybird4 and @Ante1

A beautiful dawn this morning with a red sky like a bloodstain on the hem of night's gown. The promise of a sunny day and going by the week's forecast, a pleasant enough week. Biarritz and Perpignan are getting 26°C - we will be at 22°C. I still have aubergines and peppers to harvest @Ante1 and there are still a few green tomatoes to put aside to ripen.

I hope the storm coming your way doesn't do too much damage. There has been so much flooding here in France lately - so sad. Nice to see you popping in too @Badly_Maintained .

May your Sunday be a quiet restful one.