Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Good afternoon all. I made my quick trip to the village this morning and as I got there before the pharmacy opened I nipped into Aldi. My excuse was I had some spent batteries to dispose of but naturally lots of things leapt off the shelves and into my shopping basket - including a reduced pack of four Cyclamen Purple Flame. I did a little outside work but it was so cold I had to retire indoors to thaw out and then - to rub salt in the wound - it started to rain again. I picked up my knitting - in the middle of knitting a snowman and a C*******s pudding, as the dark nights are when I prefer to do that hobby. This year has been rather disappointing in that there has not been a steady spell of decent weather to get lots of jobs done. It all seems to have been very 'bitty'.
@Tui34 you are doing amazingly well - so impressed with your determination. @Liriodendron, during the winter months my Bestie and I have knit and natter Thursdays (except when on Food Bank duty) and we do lots of blankets for various charities. When I'm at home in the evenings I knit little things - just to use up odd bits of wool - Bestie is not very patient but I have noticed recently that my arthritic hands can become a bit problematic. The joys of getting old.
@Allotment Boy, I so wish I could eat porridge as I know how beneficial it is healthwise but I'm afraid that oats do not agree with me so I have to steer clear. Have a safe journey tomorrow @Busy-Lizzie and I hope that you get some nice weather for your mini break. @LG_ I try clearing out 'stuff' periodically and then I'm disappointed as I can never work out why I cannot find the space left by these clearances.

 

I missed that @AuntyRach and I recall you mentioning it yesterday. That is definitely a new slant. How hard must that be for someone who has never either eaten or made a Battenburg cake?

 

I got an email from Spooksavers, advising me that my eye test is due and as I am not going to Bestie's tomorrow I made an appointment for 11:15. I don't like going into town these days as it resembles a bomb site. The council in its wisdom thought it would be a great idea to rip the heart out of the community just to produce another town centre clone of the dreadful places we have in our area!
I am signing out now so good night everyone and I'll see you in the morning.

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Raining here today, so no gardening and no visit to the Donkeys. Ikea instead for couple of things we didn’t really need, but gave us an excuse for an indoor walk! Filled car up with petrol at the big superstore, and a wander round inside. OH says he feels as if we have been abroad when we go there, reminds us of the giant French hyper markets we used to visit on holiday. Feels strange to come out and find we are still in the UK. Bought a few things we never see in our local store, and came home with some additional cough remedies. Feeling a lot better, and have found that one variety of cough medicine actually seems to work. I reckon I will be fine by next week, just as long as OH isn’t incubating it.At least I know what to dose him up with, that might actually help.
Impressed by those getting their planting done. The daffodil bulbs are continuing with their wandering round the kitchen, now on the dresser by the phone. Really ought to get them out while the ground is soft and damp.

 

It's blowing a hoolie here now and raining hard @Ergates and has been wet all afternoon. Set to stay wet which is fine by me as OH has a golf competition over at Angers and I shall be doing the weekly shop then sewing and yoga.

Possum had a zumba class last night and, against all expectations, enjoyed it. She's done R&B, Hip Hop, belly dancing, line dancing and ballroom dancing from 10 years old and all thru her teens so was a bit sniffy about Zumba but I knew she'd enjoy exercise to music far better than the gym. Anyway, this evening she has muscles. Good. She's been hopelessly unfit since Covid.n't

My bulbs are all in a shopping bag, waiting for me to get busy which I can do now that we've had some rain but I'm not going out in the wet and getting chilled.

Hope you have a good journey @Busy-Lizzie and clear enough skies to see the views. I've only been to the Malvern show once and that was late spring. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sweet dreams all.

 

Good morning all. Glad to read you are feeling a bit better @Ergates. Don't bulbs hang around giving you the 'guilty' treatment? We could just do with some kind weather. Yesterday it was really cold - I had forgotten to wear my gloves when I went up to the village and both my hands went into dead spider mode. I've already got the gloves ready for today's jaunt to Spooksavers. I am not going to bother driving down but will take the bus. I'll have a wee mooch in B&M whilst I'm there.

 

Morning all.

The journey was OK yesterday.
Today we will be exploring, maybe Stow on the Wold and Moreton in Marsh.

I slept quite well, despite traffic noise and the 4 poster bed has quite a hard mattress. Dinner last night was delicious, cooked by the owner. His wife, front of house, is very friendly. Tonight the hotel will be full, people going to the Malvern Show.

 

Morning all.

It's already warmer than yesterday's maximum, which was 9.4C - the coldest day since March 28th, according to my records. "Dead spider mode" is an excellent description, @Ladybird4 - I too forgot my gloves yesterday! It's dryish, but not inviting me to spend much time in the garden once I've picked some veg for a lunchtime stir fry. I think I might be needed indoors, anyway, to give encouragement to OH, who is "tidying the study" - a process which I hope will include throwing things away rather than just shifting them around the room...

Tonight I shall try out the wildlife camera in the dark again, since it's now had quite a long time to dry out. The quickest way to see if it's working will be to walk past it myself, I think - no point waiting for wildlife to go past, in case there isn't anything on the move in the garden.

Hope the weather behaves for your exploring day, @Busy-Lizzie .

 

Good morning everyone,

Well, it’s very dull here but not raining just yet - it’s forecast for later. It rained hard last evening and through the night.

I’ve just finished my Pilates class, so it’s coffee time now.

I really like Stow on the Wold @Busy-Lizzie. I hope you enjoy your exploring and that the rain holds off for you.

Glad you’re starting to feel better @Ergates.

 

Good morning all!

 

Good morning ladies & gentlemen,

I hope none of your good people have been affected by the floods I've heard about in England & Wales.

Here, up until yesterday, we had a 10-day Indian Summer. It was truly glorious. However, today normal service has been restored, i.e. incessant rain and almost gale force winds.

During the pleasant weather I examined the various annual seeds which I sowed in the last day of July. The good news is that the cosmos are growing strongly and are now well over a foot tall. The minor misfortune is that the others have been out-competed by self-seeded corn marigolds and Shirley poppies. Luckily I like both corn marigolds and poppies, so I intend to do nothing about this.

@Ergates & @LG_ I hope that you both are feeling much better by now.

@Penny_Forthem hopefully the new thermometer has arrived and if the old one turns up, then you'll have it in reserve as a spare.

Hope you are having a wonderful time in the Cotswolds @Busy-Lizzie .

I wish you success with the wildlife camera @Liriodendron

Is anyone else watching "Help! We bought a village" ? If I didn't have commitments and responsibilities here, and if I had a good back...

Best wishes to all, as always.

 

Beautiful autumn day here with bright sunshine.

Sutures out this morning and the wound is nice and clean.

 

I was so busy yesterday, I didn't get time to post.
@Tui34 glad you can see progress now.
@Ergates, where are you going on your cruise? We're still wobbling about booking one...
@Busy-Lizzie enjoy the show.
@Badly_Maintained still waiting for the postie... (and no sign of the original)
Just off out to the SM. Such an exciting life.

 

SM raid done - on my own as OH is golfing. Cheaper that way it seems, despite some hyacinths and fritillaries leaping into the trolley.

It chucked down all the way there and during the shop and nearly all the way home. If it stays dryish I shall have another go at rose cuttings on the ground that the more I try the likelier I am to succeed.

Not yet gloves weather here @Ladybird4 except for gardening with thorny bits and stingers.

Sounds like you enjoyed you Indian summer @Badly_Maintained

@Busy-Lizzie I seem to remember there being an excellent cooks' shop in Stow - almost as dangerous as a plant centre!

Another step forward @Tui34. Just physio and exercises now?

I don't think I'm cruise materiel @Penny_Forthem

 

Thanks for all the kind thoughts. Feeling well enough to go out this morning. Our breakfast stop was a bit prolonged, as it started raining heavily. Had another coffee before venturing out. Had over an hours walk and the sun came out. Just back to the car when the heavens opened again.
It will be an afternoon inside today. I’ve just looked out of one window and the sun is out, but it’s raining heavily outside the other window! That’s always weird!

Have a lovely time in the Cotswolds, @Busy-Lizzie. Whenever we visit offspring in Oxford, we get taken to the garden centre in Burford. Mainly to eat in their lovely restaurant, but manage to while away some time drooling over all the garden and house goodies for sale.
Glad all is looking good with your hip, @Tui34.

Cruise is next week, @Penny_Forthem, I’m getting more confident that I’ll be well enough to go. I’m probably not the best person to ask, as I don’t think we are typical cruise passengers! What appeals to us is a relatively short drive to Southampton, drop the car and on board often in less than half an hour - a big plus compared to airports. We don’t do the ‘posh’ eating bit. For one thing, we have loads of local places where we can eat local and ethically produced Devon foods. Also OH is quite a picky eater, so we usually eat in the buffet where he can always get something he’ll enjoy, and I can try something I can’t be bothered to cook at home. We will be visiting Lisbon, and three ports in northern Spain, where we will probably just go ashore for a stroll and a coffee, pretty much what we tend to do here! Feel free to message me if you’d like more details!

Glad we are inside right now. Another torrential downpour, and the patio is flooded again. On the plus side, the hydrangeas I finally got into the ground last month are looking so happy.