Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Doesn’t seem that we actually do much for Commonwealth Day in the UK. Have been in Gibraltar twice on birthday trips, and was surprised to find all the shops shut. Rather a shame that we don’t do anything significant.
Dry but no sun here. I am going to spend part of the day playing with my new purchases. I’m not actually sure what I’m going to do with my new propagator, I’ve not had one before, and never sown seeds before either! So some reading up to be done first! Got tempted by two plants at the Donkey Sanctuary shop yesterday, a skimmia and a pachysandra, so will have to decide where to put those. Looks like it will be turning colder in a few days, so better get outside while we still can. Have a good day all.

 

Morning everybody,
Surprised to find that it had rained overnight and is still drizzly now, it wasn't forecast so caught me on the hop. Still, doesn't matter too much and will give my back a rest.

I'm planning on tidying and sorting our loft space which is part office and part another living room/spare bedroom. We have accumulated so much stuff and I've never actually counted just how many spare duvets/pillows I have stashed up there for starters. I do know there's three sizes in summer and winter versions so time for a big cull! A box of pictures from our old house (we moved 18 years ago!) can probably also go - though not if OH catches sight of them and loads of books of course.

Enjoy your day, whatever you've got planned.

 

I waited patiently for my telephone consultation and eventually the nurse called and even she couldn't understand why I had been given this appointment. She put it down to a clerical glitch. She did laugh when I suggested that they had brought it forward 6 months because they thought I might not last until November! Anyway, I did find out that the blood test I had in January was fine. Its been a lovely day since the call. I've had to sow more cat grass as Cricket has completely demolished the first pot - he does seems to like it. Filled up the bird feeders and generally pottered about.
Tonight is the celebration of the end of our quiz season and presentation evening. Looking forward to the buffet! I am signing out for this evening. Hope you all enjoy yourselves. As well as being Commonwealth Day I found out that it is also this celebration :

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Who would have thought it!

 

Ha, just wondering why you were signing out so early, @Ladybird4, until I looked at the clock! I don’t know where the day went. I’ve changed the bed and towels, and done three loads of laundry. I didn’t do the gardening that I’d planned, as OH decided to get the chainsaw up and running after the winter. I need to be on hand just in case. Don’t want him to have any accidents while I am out of earshot. I did use my confinement to the garage to tidy up my potting area, washed some pots and evicted some spiders. I’ve now planted up five monstera plants that had been rooted in water. All looks a lot neater now.
My back is aching now, finished lunch and time for a rest.

 

Flying in to say hello. Achy feet tonight. I don’t measure my daily ‘steps’ in work but I’ve definitely done my 10,000 I would say.

Everyone sounds busy today! We’ll all need a foot massage and cuppa now. Me first!

 

Well I've had a go with the new paper shredder, done a black bin bag full already. I've also started tearing up my 28 or so family history notebooks, awkward because of the wire spiral binding which can't be binned. Figured out that as most of the info is now on the computer, there is no real need to keep the notebooks. I daren't look at them though as I'll likely get sidetracked.

Got a carrier bag full of stuff for the charity shop tomorrow - I'm on a roll!

Sorry you've had such a busy day @AuntyRach, feet up with a cuppa perhaps.

Enjoy your evening @Ladybird4.

 

I spent nearly 2 hours weeding this afternoon. Still lots to do. At least it was mild and sunny, didn't need a coat and the washing dried.

 

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A very good morning one and all. It was a wonderful last night of the season and the buffet, as expected, was absolutely delicious. The only slightly negative thing was that where we were seated was quite near the main entrance and the constant movement in and out created draughts which were incredibly cold. My feet ended up feeling like two lumps of ice. We now have a short break until the start of the next season which is March 31st. When I was dropped off and came into the house, Cricket had invited a friend in for a party. There is another black and white cat that regularly visits the garden. It is much more black than white so at first I didn't notice him slinking towards the kitchen and out through the cat flap. Cricket was just standing there - looking at me and then at the cat flap before he followed the visitor. I have observed these Mexican stand offs before but what amazes me is Cricket is so silent during them. I always thought he would be a rufty tufty and see off any invaders but as yet that doesn't seem to be the case. Perhaps just as well as I do not want him getting into any fights and being injured.
Hope the back has recovered today @Ergates. @lizzie27 I have been doing similar things with ancient family photographs - where do they all come from?

 

Maybe they are friends and Cricket was just playing the “I don’t know who that is and I didn’t invite him in” card so he didn’t get in trouble with the boss? @Ladybird4

Paper shredding is strangely satisfying isn’t it @lizzie27 We always have a charity box on the go as I read a lot of charity shop books. It’s my own contribution to a circular society. I had a cull of photos a few years ago, got rid of loads of duplicates and duff ones. Passed some on to other family members and sent a huge pile to the tip. It’s sad in a way but nobody will want them all after we’ve gone and they were just sat in a box anyway.

I did think about doing an hour if gardening @Busy-Lizzie but it was freezing and misty here yesterday. Think we have similar today temperature wise but working anyway.

Not sure I would want to let my OH loose with a chainsaw, accompanied or not @Ergates !

 

You've all been very chatty, not to mention busy!
Monday was the usual hectic round of dog wrangling, catering for g'kids and h'work. It passed in a blur! Wasn't helped by the fact that I've got a bad back (self induced with too much patio cleaning)
NDBO is having a new drive and patio laid. I have never heard such loud, noisy workmen. They never stop shouting!
Last day of warm(ish) sun for a while, but not much rain in the forecast either.
Nearly half way through March already!

 

It is bright and sunny here and set to be warm again this pm but I have jobs indoors I need to do and 2 hours of dance class this evening so I'm not risking pulling any muscles or joints today. It's set to get colder from tomorrow with naughty northerlies making it feel freezing again. Not sure about sowing anything just now as I'm off to Paris with Possum for 3 days at the end of next week and don't want to risk OH's babysitting as he's not good with seedlings.

Possum has an appointment at the Belgian embassy to get a passport. Can't be done online for some unknown reason so we've booked an apart-hotel (not Air BnB) and will explore museums and see the newly restored Notre Dame.

We have boxes of our own photos too @lizzie and @Ergates but OH has very few family photos and many of people he doesn't know so he's started sorting those into keep and chuck. I have a small box of old paternal family photos, teeny black and white Brownie jobs with few notations so one day I'll sort those out. I also have many slides from my childhood but nothing after I was about 13. My mother effectively cut her whole family adrift and I grew up not having any roots but sometimes I think Possum feels it so I'll be very careful about what I throw out.

Glad you enjoyed your evening @Ladybird4, depsite the chills, but just 2 or 3 weeks doesn't seem like a significant break between seasons. That's a bad as football!

 

The sun has disappeared which is a shame. I have got a lot done this morning outdoors and in now for elevenses. Had a natter with Jack who was just making his porridge - he's a late riser but hey at 94 he can do whatever he wants. What a lovely weekend you will have @Obelix-Vendée. I would love to see the 'new' Notre Dame. You are absolutely right in that a 3 week break is hardly worth it but NOTHING is as bad as football!
I think I was a bit too quick to say some of my daffs had come up blind as when I looked this morning there were the most slender of buds there. It is a variety called Topolino so fingers crossed they open soon. I have some drumstick primulas I want to plant out this afternoon.

 

Good afternoon, two consecutive days on the plots at last. I confess that I am getting one of my Allotment pals to put his big machine through my plot. I don't like doing it this way but as my OH wants us to go visiting again next week I'm in danger of running out of time to be ready to sow and plant, when the weather finally warms up more consistently.

 

I have had a pleasant afternoon in the greenhouse. I sowed petunia seeds and am grateful I didn't sneeze - they'd have all gone! How seeds as small as they are can grow into such striking plants amazes me. Also got my 3rd elect. propagator up and running, so sowed a few Black cherry tomatoes - last year's, but should be OK.
Daffs are coming through thick and fast now.

 

Evening. I hope everyone is doing ok and pleased with the jobs and gardening that you are doing. I’m holding off on seed-sowing as it’s still too cold here (no heat mats or greenhouse) but I do have potatoes chitting.

Two of three shifts in a row down now. Doing some roast chicken tonight, but just for sarnies as can’t be bovvered to do a full dinner.

Have a pleasant evening everyone.