Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

@Busy-Lizzie we started boiling our drinking water after realising that our dog, who frequently had a "runny tummy", was OK when we did that. Think we started it after reading something or other about tap water treatment. Been doing it for 25 years now!

 

We have "issues " with the painter. Long snagging list. If only they had gone a bit slower and taken more care! So annoying.

 

Every time we swear that we are too old for DIY, we hear of an experience like yours, @Allotment Boy. Means we tend to soldier on. Not that easy to find a reliable tradesman anyway. All the good ones seem to be booked up for ages, and don’t even have the time to quote.
Breakfast out, and a lengthy walk this morning, made the most of the sunshine. I’ve now done an hour in the garden, clearing gaultheria and yet more rhododendron roots. Today’s efforts aren’t so immediately obvious, but the pile for the green bins was satisfying large, so I’ll have to content myself with that. It was mainly work with the mattock today, and I’m sure my back will take a while to recover. Time for feet up, a cup of something and a book!
Hope you are continuing to recover, @Busy-Lizzie.

 

Ours is probably deep enough to drown a toy sit-on digger @Obelix-Vendée so not as daunting as yours sounds. Not sure I could be doing with extracting and keeping tender water lilies under the bed each winter

 

Good afternoon all. I had to stay handy around the house today as I was expecting a delivery of some cake pans to add to my collection. These were 18cm diameter as I don't have any that size. Disappointingly, when I unwrapped them they were both misshapen so I am sending them straight back - arranged a pick up for Monday. I'm probably better buying them when I can see them in a shop to save all of the hassle. My pond needs some dredging. It has a water hawthorn flourishing in it that has flowered almost continually through the Winter. I didn't know that they would do that. I've not managed to see if there is any frogspawn - I'll take a closer look tomorrow. Hope the tummy trouble is now gone for both you and you OH @Busy-Lizzie. Iy was good to read that you had a better night last night @Obelix-Vendée. Fingers crossed for an even better one tonight for you.

 

How very frustrating that situation with your painters must be @Allotment Boy. I am still waiting to hear from a boiler engineer.
On a positive note, Cricket's cat grass has put in an appearance. Another couple of days and I think it will be right for 'grazing'.

 

We have 'opened' up the caravan with a good spring clean. Spring is a'springing.
I did not sleep well last night; the tapas was excellent (i have requested the recipe of hake with chickpeas from 'chef'!) but why, oh why, did I agree to a liqueur coffee (Cointreau in my case) after the meal? The last coffee I drink is 11am, latest. I blame the neighbours....
So, after about 4 hours sleep, I was out in the greenhouse, checking the progress of seeds and fuming about world events over which I have no say.
@Allotment Boy I hope they come back to repair the snagging list.
How very annoying @Ladybird4. I hope you can leave feedback on his page.
I hope to sleep long and well tonight, just not holding my breath...

 

I have dipped my pen in vitriol @Penny_Forthem.

 

The late coffee would have had a disastrous effect on us too, @Penny_Forthem. We drink decaffeinated coffee and tea at home, OH has the occasional caffeine free Diet Coke ( that’ll have to stop, Coca Cola is going on our banned list) so the only caffeine we have is during our breakfasts out, a few times a week. Even having a cup of proper coffee with lunch tends to have an effect on our sleep that night.
I may have already mentioned the episode last year when we went out for lunch just before I had an appointment for a routine blood test. I had a large coffee with lunch, and as we were too early to head to the surgery, and I’d read somewhere that it was good to keep hydrated, I had a second cup. Poor nurse checked my pulse before starting, and ended up doing an ECG. It was actually fine, and double checked by a GP, but I’m now very careful not to repeat that mistake!

 

Evening folks.

Spent all afternoon in the garden. So much to do so I must be more organised with the compost bins and garden waste this year. The council bin is only every 3 weeks and a tip-run is a bit of a hassle, so composting is the way forward.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend.

 

Good evening from York! Having a delightful but busy time with our family, which includes a 4-year-old mad on jigsaws. My knees are suffering somewhat from time spent helping him with his latest acquisition from the local charity shop.

I shall have to stop using this Chromebook very shortly. It keeps telling me that I have to update to a supported browser, and suggests I upgrade to... Chrome. Not very useful, so our son is going to install Linux or something on it. Hopefully it'll still work when he's done it...

Best wishes to you all.

 

@Penny next time have the liqueur without the coffee! I start my day with a glass of orange juice and then a mug of black coffee. If I have a second it's before 10am and then I drink tisanes all day and water with lunch. If we go out for lunch I have a "décaf allongée" which is a decaf espresso with an equal amount of hot water. @Ergates I never, ever have coca-cola (poison) or other fizzies except water and a very occasional Old Jamaica ginger beer when I have a sore throat cos it hits the spot.

@Butterfly6 our pond was dug by previous farmers as a watering hole for cows. When we bought this place it was full of ash trees, goat willow, brambles, briar roses, bullrushes and assorted weeds. We had it cleaned by a chap who came with a mini digger



I have sonceplanted a weeping willow at the far end and a twisty willow at the near end and the bullrushes are back in force. We'll have to get in there and clear some next time the water level is low.

Can't remember the mast time I did a small cake @Ladybird4. I do 9" diameter for the garden club plant fair and then 25cm square for that and most other events as they have to be shared.

A good pottering day here, heaving furniture (beds) about in order to make exercise space in the smaller spare bedroom cos I've stopped physio and need to work muscles that gardening and housework won't do. Sounds keen but I'm determined to age disgraceflly rather than badly. Lots to do while I'm still able and don't want to burden Possum.

 

Evening everybody, another hard frost early here as well but beautifully sunny. Usual walk, then a short rest with coffee and the paper before we got out. OH removed the makeshift handrail by the new steps, screwed the brackets to the posts and screwed a new handrail on. Looks much better as it's slightly larger than the old one. After lunch, I just pottered round the garden doing odd jobs while it was warm. Managed to get the sheets dried as well which was pleasing.

Glad you're both feeling better @Busy-Lizzie , nothing worse than an upset tum.

@AuntyRach, We were pleased to find lots of TnT daffs out in the garden today on St David's Day - must have been the sunshine yesterday. I had planted a lot more last year and I think they've all come up.

We had butterflied sea bass with herbs and lemon last Tuesday @Obelix-Vendée, it's one of my favourite fish.

Hope everyone enjoys their Sunday.

Sorry, forgot to add thanks for all the encouraging comments about my dental treatment. Makes the pain of the bill a bit more bearable!

 

Oh wow @Obelix-Vendée I have got serious pond envy. Yours is a great size. I wanted the smaller tins (have got the bigger ones) to experiment with cake baking in my Bestie's air fryer as I am toying with the idea of getting an AF but I have to have one I can bake cakes in.
I am signing out for this evening. See you all around tomorrow.

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Good morning everyone and I do hope it really is a good day. It is cold and frosty here at the moment but if it improves like yesterday did I will be happy.