Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

Afternoon all, alternate sunshine and heavy showers today but I did manage my usual walk in the dry this morning. Poor OH has gone down with a heavy cold following our trip away so he's banished to the guest bedroom in the hope I don't get it. Had to wait for last night's occupant, our DIL, to leave this morning before stripping the bed and remaking it for OH.

Had a very interesting chat with the Council's Arborologist who was undertaking the 5 year inspection of the six large trees immediately adjacent to our boundary. I had previously reported that the largest tree, a Norwegian Maple appeared to be dying and I wanted someone to check on it - as it's right above my Potting Table. Didn't fancy a big dead branch coming down on my head! However the Council have already amended my 'InMyStreet' report to case Closed so I assume it's not that dangerous.
As our retaining wall is also cracking ,the chap advised me to go to our insurers.

Did something very stupid yesterday, accidentally glued two of my fingers and a pin together with super glue. Normally it's no bother if I quickly wash it off with soap but these were well and truly stuck despite using soap, washing up liquid and Stick Stuff remover. Thoughts of having to call the Fire Brigade were popping into my head but after about five minutes my fingers finally came free - phew!

Hope Busy-Lizzie is enjoying her meander round the Cotswolds. There is a very good GC just outside Moreton-in-Marsh which we often use as a pitstop on the Old Fosse Way on the way to my sister.

Glad you feel better @Ergates. We had hoped to maybe call in to the Donkey Sanctuary while we were at Sidmouth earlier in the week but as OH didn't feel well, had to scrub that idea.

Good that you've had the stitches out @Tui34 - and can now have a proper shower!!

 

Good afternoon everyone. Walked up to the top of the lane to catch the bus into town and I was joined at the bus stop by a lady so we were able to have a good natter. We stood up, stuck arms out and the flipping bus driver ignored us and drove straight passed. Rude! We waited for the next bus and eventually arrived at the bombsite. My mooching was a little curtailed but I eventually made my way to Spooksavers. Had all the usual tests - including the OCT test. Much easier to write that than optical coherence tomography (scan)! To cut a long story short eyes were declared extremely healthy and there was no need for new specs either so that was pleasing news. Just as I arrived home, the rain began again in earnest and it has been pretty miserable all afternoon.
Fingers crossed @Liriodendron that the trail camera works for you tonight.
Hello @Badly_Maintained, your seedlings sound a joyous mix of wonderful flowers. Don't you just love it when some plants happily oblige by seeding themselves where ever they like? Some do better like that rather than being carefully sown in seed compost and tended on windowsills.
Super news about the sutures coming out and the wound being nice and clean @Tui34. Did you get your washing pegged out?
@Ergates, my Bestie and her daughter are huge fans of cruising and they always drive to Southampton when going on one. I, like @Obelix-Vendée, am not cruise material either. I could not be doing with all the 'dressing up' which my Bestie loves, but watching her packing monumental amounts of evening dresses - each with shoes and a bag to match gives me nightmares. Each to her/his own though. If I was ever to go on a cruise it would have to be one to try and see the mirrie dancers.

 

@lizzie27 I hope that it isn't the trees that are causing the cracks in your retaining walls. When I saw your news about the super glue for a micro second I had visions of you fixing your wall. I'm a twonk! Relieved to read that you managed to separate your fingers and yourself from the pin.

 

The closest I've come to gardening today, is order tulips and amaryllis from Farmer G. But yet more expense was to come, because our TV in the kitchen went 'bang' as we were watching 6 o'clock news.
Those are the reasons we're wobbling about the cruise. We both hate the thought of formal nights, sitting with people we don't know for hours, dancing (sorry @Obelix-Vendée) and 'cabaret stuff'. But, we both fancy a trip to the Faroes and Scottish islands. And a taxi to Liverpool is 'do-able'. Oh, and we don't want to leave our pooches for too long.
Hub's sis and hub are like your bestie, @Ladybird4. She's very glamorous. BYW, good news about your eye test.

 

We've had a lovely day. There were rain showers but there was also quite a bit of sunshine in between. We passed what looked like a good GC @lizzie27 and we went into a good kitchen shop in Stow @Obelix-Vendée. I resisted both.

We went to Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the Water. All very pretty. I'd been to Bourton before as SIL used to live on the edge of the Cotswolds, but in was new for OH.

Off for a curry.

 

Thank you @Penny_Forthem. Enjoy your curry @Busy-Lizzie. Signing out for today. See you all tomorrow. Fingers crossed for decent weather.

​

 

@Busy-Lizzie , I don't know how it would fit in with your travel plans and route, but I would mention Waterperry Gardens. The Michaelmas daisies should be worth a look. There is also Picton Gardens near Malvern if you have time .

 

Re crusies - I can do the frocks, just about, especially given time to sew a few and I would love the dancing but not to live music and absolutely no cabarets. It's the formal dinners and being stuck on a boat with no escape from anoraks and drinkers that worry me. I suspect a small one going on a short trip would be OK but I've seen ships as big as skyscrapers docked at La Rochelle and that fills me with horror.

Dogs are another consideration @Penny_Forthem . We took ours with us on hols.

Glad your eyes are OK @Ladybird4. A relief I'm sure.

Sounds like a very good day @Busy-Lizzie. Hope the curries were good.

We have a tree surgeon coming to fell trees @lizzie27. Our plot and no TPOs. Just old or dead trees that need to go before they cause damage to boundaries or buildings. Have to ask. How did you manage to stick yourself to a pin?

2nd yoga class tonight. Very good except for cramps in my toes and not being able to grasp my foot from behind when the other foot is resting on the knee. More magnesium.

Have a good night everyone.

 

​

A very good morning to you all. I couldn't agree with you more @Obelix-Vendée regarding the size of those cruise liners. I remember once getting tutted at by my Bestie when I described them as looking like a load of cattle pens stacked one on top of the other. I don't suffer from claustrophobia but suspect I would feel something akin to it, being stuck on the ocean for several days without having my feet on solid ground. I would imagine a river cruise would be far more tolerable to me.

 

I hope that the weather stays nice for @Busy-Lizzie's trip to the Malvern Show today. Its very windy here but dry at the moment. I am thinking about going to play Canasta today (U3A). The coordinator rang me the other week to see if I fancied going back. It is very weather dependent as I bus it there. Car parking is severely restricted and you can never tell how long a match will last so it can be a bit of a handicap.

 

Morning all.

The curries were excellent, thank you @Ladybird. Mine was very mild, don't like hot. It was chicken in a delicious sauce with ground almonds and lightly spiced. The Peshwari naans were lovely.

Thank you, @AnniD but we don't have time for garden visiting, back to Norfolk tomorrow. I've been to Waterperry twice, beautiful. I posted photos on GW a while ago.

The forecast for Malvern today is quite sunny, but chilly.

 

Morning all.

Sunny here too, @Busy-Lizzie - hope you have a lovely day at the Show.

Personally, I couldn't imagine any fate worse than being stuck on a cruise ship, unable to escape. Good thing we're all different... though the amount of (untaxed) diesel the big cruise ships use, even when in a port, is something which needs addressing IMO, whether you like cruising or not.

I had limited success with the camera; it finally took a photo of me in the dark, but not until I got really close. (I tried it out in the bedroom with the curtains shut, because the rain was non-stop!) Not quite sure what's going on but it seems there may be hope... so I've opened it up again and put it back in its warm spot to do some more drying.

Hope you all have a good Friday.

 

Morning everyone, very wet again here, it's supposed to clear p so fingers crossed .
The bizarre twist is that when the rain stops, I will be out with the watering can, as I have a pack of nematodes for vine weevil that need to be used before the soil gets cold. I managed to pick most of my Bramley apples yesterday before the rain came. The tree has gone mad this year with loads of fruit. Lots of windfalls have ended up in the green bin due to damage or rotting.

I can vouch for river cruises but never been on one of those Ocean ones. The ones we've done are not formal at all, like minded people, interesting to meet.

 

Wet here too @Allotment Boy but seems to be slowing down so I might get out there to plant the other fancy mahonia with the fine leaves. Good luck with your nematodes.

Sounds like progress @Liriodendron. Any physical sign of your hogs lately?

I have never played canasta @Ladybird4 but OH's family were card game mad when they weren't out playing rugby, cricket, golf or watching football. No cards in my childhood - Methodist parents - but I did learn bridge at grammar school. Too anarchic for OH's formal bidding so we didn't explore canasta or cribbage.

Enjoy the show @Busy-Lizzie. It's a lovely setting.

Hope you've had a good night's sleep @Tui34 and can get some walking done today. Not h*work!

Have fune everyone and healing vibes to anyone below parr.

 

Morning folks. My weekend has started!

I feel like I haven’t seen daylight for days so even though it’s a tad windy and overcast, I’m pottering about in the garden. The poly greenhouse will be retired for the year later, as there’s a gale storm due Sunday night. My seedlings and cuttings are big enough to survive in a sheltered spot over Winter now. Soon the Pelargoniums will be moved to by the back door to frost protect - they usually survive just with that protection.

Have an excellent Friday folks.