Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

100% agree - its an abomination!
@Anna42, you are right about the absence of @PatE and I too hope that all is well in Australia

 

Morning - big excitement here! I saw a Bull finch in the garden! Yes, that is the extent of my excitement. I lead a dull life!
I am with @Ladybird4 on the tomato/egg combo. I do have to be in the right frame of mind for an egg, too! I think we had egg overload when we had hens!
I don't want to venture far today - very glad we decided not to go to the ballet in Liverpool. Someone in the village has given me almost their face value for the tickets, so we might have a very rare takeaway tonight.

 

Good day all - I’m late logging on today as fell back asleep! Back is “still there” but I’m more mobile. I’ll have to arrange a sick note on Monday but I have a few days ‘holiday’ now either way.

I have loads of house jobs mounting up but they will have to wait. I’ll just do a kitchen tidy today and reward myself with making a cake. I didn’t ever make the Swedish cake I fancied trying, so I might do that…

Have a good weekend everyone.

 

Have just watched Monty Don's British Gardens whilst having a cuppa and waiting for poylfilla to dry.

I'd hoped for better but he was, once again, superficial in his commentary and the visits were edited to be too short to do the gardens and their creators justice. It's so frustrating! I have to wonder how much he's paid for these sorties and how much he claims on tax free expenses to fund his drivel.

 

I agree @Obelix-Vendée , I was slightly disappointed too. Far too rushed.

 

I seem to possess the unique skill set of being the only one in my house to be able to go to the shed and get the snow shovels out.

 

Afternoon folks, I'm just watching the sun get lower in the sky opposite and it feels like it's getting colder. We did our usual walk this morning - briskly! At least I got some exercise and I've just done some ironing so hope that counts as well.
Overjoyed this morning to find the clump of snowdrops in the front hedge are poking through, I've tried so many years to get them to establish there. Tomorrow as it's meant to be warmer I want to check if the new clumps I planted last year are coming up under the hedge opposite.

I enjoyed watching Monty Don's gardens but agree there were far too many for a hour long programme. I believe he makes his own films then sells them to the BBC but I could be wrong about that. We followed that by watching Lucy Worsley's The Gunpowder Plot which was fascinating and revealed several facts I hadn't known before. I find her quite irritating sometimes but last night was better.

I hope @Busy-Lizzie's trip to Greenwich goes ok and grandson Liam safely deposited on campus.
Glad to hear your back is getting better @AuntyRach.
Funny that @redstar, you know what they say, if you want something done, ask a woman!

I am so looking forward to warmer temperatures tomorrow, fingers crossed. Find this freezing weather very trying.

 

I took Poppy cat for her vaccination on Monday only to be refused. She has an ulcer on one eye and a mass inside her mouth. The vet took some blood and all results except the gall bladder function were normal. Poppy is 18 1/2 so I am not inclined to put her through exploratory surgery etc. to find it is inoperable. She is on pain killers, anti inflammatories and eye drops, and at the moment seems happy and comfortable. She is slowly getting used to her buddy not being around to protect her from marauding farm tom cats and has at last stopped calling for him constantly.

I managed a couple of sessions in the garden last week, battened down the hatches for the freeze this week which didn't materialize. It has been horrible weather, dark, wet, chilly, only a couple of frosts and one big dump of wet snow which melted very quickly. I have stayed indoors and did a marathon bake of 2 cottage pies, a plum crumble, a pot of soup and a batch of Cornish Pasties, broken up with sit downs and cuppas. The freezer is creaking at the seams!
My daughter, son in law and I now think we have all had some kind of "bug". Not enough to put us in bed but enough to make us feel very tired, sniffly and very fed up with life.

 

Great to hear from you @Goldenlily26. Sorry to learn that puss has a health issue - I hope she is comfortable and able to eat. You are good doing batch cooking - I should probably do that, particularly over Winter. I hope your bug clears up soon.

We’ve been trying to mend the vacuum here but it needs a new motor. As OH is ‘handy’ we will order one and fit ourselves - worth a go for a fifth of the price of a new equivalent vacuum.

My SM order had a broken jar of Chinese sauce - so that’s out for tonight. I’ll do a ‘special fried rice’ instead - I can just add some sweet chilli sauce - maybe make a sweet n sour if I have a tin of pineapple??

 

Tomato ketchup and egg go together naturally; especially in a fry up without baked beans. For egg sarnies rather than mayonnaise or salad cream I put a squirt of tomato ketchup in as I'm mashing the eggs up.

 

We made it as far as Farm and Pet to stock up with bird food - and new feeders. Sharp intake of breath when I saw the bill (that's not a pun, by the way!!).
We have decided on our takeaway tonight. I would prefer Indian, but OH wanted Chinese - he is a dab hand at Chinese, though it is always either Hoi sin or char sui. I have chosen my favourite ginger and spring onion chicken. He's having a chicken and cashew nuts - there's a surprise.
@Goldenlily26 I would be the same as you with Poppy. I am also very envious of your HM pasties.
Less so of @NigelJ's egg sarnies

 

Weighing in on the egg and Tommy K sauce… it’s a NO from me. An egg is subtle and creamy, so jars with a tangy sauce imo.
Ych a Fi! (Yuk) as we say in Wales.

 

I don't listen to Monty, I just admire the scenery and the gardens.
@Goldenlily26. I was so sorry to read about the ailments of Poppy cat. This so soon after lossing your beloved Robbie. Fingers crossed she hangs on in there.
I got some rather sad news today. The husband of one of the coffee/tea morning ladies passed away last night. He had been very poorly and was being 'built up' to undergo chemo. I think it will be a very subdued coffee morning tomorrow. I did get a devil's food cake made today before I got the news but that really rather knocked me back.

 

I missed you there @Ladybird4 - that’s sad news. Maybe coffee, cake and company will help you all.

 

Meant to say @Penny_Forthem. I occasionally get bullfinches in my garden. Do you take part in the Big Garden Bird Watch? Its coming up soon.