Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2024

@Obelix-Vendée, he certainly looks just like the fox terrier my in-laws had. She regularly stayed with us, and had to put up with the company of our two Shetland sheepdogs, and two cats! The cats were quite capable of taking care of themselves, and she quickly got the idea, from them and us, that no funny business would be tolerated. No problems over many years.
Lovely picture, @Penny_Forthem.
Gorgeous view, @Ante1.
A day at home, or at least until OH’s parcel has been delivered. I woke in the night and heard the cargo plane on final descent into Exeter. Sure enough, I checked the parcel tracking and the package had left East Midlands at 1am. It’s now at the local depot, so hopefully we’ll get an estimated delivery time before too long. daren’t not be in when it arrives. Our neighbour requested that her parcel was put in the garage, but found it dripping wet on the front doorstep instead. My daughter received a notification that her parcel had been put in her ‘outbuilding’ aka underneath her car! Luckily they had attached a photo so she knew where to look, and hadn’t driven off before realising it was there!

 

Morning everybody, didn't sleep well last night and just dozed on and off. Got up at 8 am when I heard the bin lorry and was very pleased to see the sunrise, with a beautiful pinky glow in the sky to the west. Nipped out in my dressing gown to take a quick pic of the trees on the horizon but think I was too far away unfortunately.

Fortunately @Ergates OH's Christmas present arrived safely yesterday and saved my bacon.
Not entirely sure if it's to my taste, an olive green gilet from M & S but I hope he likes it. He's a devil to buy presents for and I always struggle.

Oops the sun didn't last and it's now raining. That's a pity as I was going to pop down to our local small M&S foodhall to buy my daughter's vegetarian nut roast which is now in stock. Not easy to park there so not looking forward to it.

 

The weather doesn't know what it wants to do. We've had a bit of everything, bar snow! Then more wind and rain to come at the weekend.
What a fabulous view @Ante1. I'd never grow tired of that.
Sill no takers, @Obelix-Vendée?
In my thoughts @Goldenlily26
An going to another round of lunchtime eating today - a friend is picking me up, but we're going to J's, who's kindly cooking lunch. Then we're out with friends tomorrow. I may not eat anything on Saturday!

 

Good morning,

It’s a bright, but chilly, morning here so far and the breeze is picking up a bit now, too. I’m glad it’s fine though after last nights heavy rain. Fortunately, we got home from visiting my sister yesterday before the rain reached us so the run home wasn’t too bad, especially as the wind had eased a bit, too.

I’ve just had my last Pilates session before Christmas. I should practice during the break, but not sure if I will.

The dog looks very settled @Obelix-Vendée. It sounds as if he’s been abandoned doesn’t it?

Another lovely painting @Penny_Forthem.

Beautiful sunset picture @Ante1.

 

Good morning everyone!!

Well done and bravo to you @Obelix-Vendée to take the wee chappie in. You may be right in that he could be a hunter's dog and got lost.

I don't even think it wise to ask how you are @Goldenlily26 as I know exactly what you are feeling at the moment - and I think I can speak for everyone here.

Lovely seascape photo @Ante1 I bet that looks amazing when there is a storm blowing up the waves!!

Got out earlyish this morning - it was cloudy and dismal - it is sunny now and drying a load of washing I hung out before going to Lidl - which wasn't particularly heaving for this time of year.

My nice friend is coming from Montpellier this evening so I am making/serving seafood finger food (tapas if you are posh - or Spanish!!) I am about to make a salmon tartare to marinate in the fridge until this evening. A crisp white is also chilling.....waiting......pending!!!

 

Hello all, it's blowing a hoolie here with showers. OH got out in the garden early to do some pruning but has had to retreat indoors now.
Hugs @Goldenlily26 I don't think there is anything I can add that hasn't been said already.bet
I have a prescription to pick up but that can wait until tomorrow when the weather looks more clement.
I bet that dog has never had a shower in it's life @Obelix-Vendée! Well done for attempting it! I wonder if it's not a house dog especially if it's a "chasse" dog.
Your menu sounds very enticing @Tui34 !

 

Whew, OH’s parcel has arrived, thank you DHL! We were given a two hour window, then an alert that the van was three stops away. Package undamaged so all good. Despite supplier warning that there were likely to be delays, it was only one day later than it could have been. Left Cambridge yesterday afternoon, and here less than twenty four hours later. I am impressed.
I’ve given up buying presents for OH, either he has one, doesn’t want one, or what he would like is far too complicated for the likes of me to understand, let alone order! So this year, I have encouraged him to treat himself to some electronic bits and pieces, which will keep him entertained for days, if not months ( raspberry pi, anyone?) He has asked me several times what I might like for Christmas, so I’ve informed him that he has bought me two Lee Child / Jack Reacher books, and a large pot of hideously expensive cleansing balm. Judging by the eye rolling, neither were on his potential shopping list! So we will both be happy, and although money has been spent, none has been wasted.
Very windy out now, and it has just started to rain. We are planning to make a quick visit to a new supermarket which has opened not far from here. I thought it wise to have lunch first, so that we don’t go there hungry and risk coming back with lots of unwise purchases!

 

Got an email late yesterday evening giving me a name and number to call. His master came to fetch him half an hour ago. Definitely an outdoor dog with an outdoor master. A relief really as, whilst calm and cuddly, he's not house-trained so, despite taking him out every hour (and then peeing up the car and the garden table leg!) he peed inside too and, whilst he was OK with a collar he froze when we attached a lead so would have needed mega training. And some professional grooming.

I've let the Mairie know and given them chappy's name and number in case they want to follow up on having no chip or tattoo and have contacted the Pet Alert and FB sites I posted him on.

Weekly shop done this am with both OH and Possum who is off now till Jan 6th. Expensive with two of them filling the trolley!

The sun has come out so no more window cleaning today but I need to steam clean the downstairs floors again anyway. Then I shall tackle the tree and the branches. We're off to Nantes tomorrow for lunch and then the Xmas markets where I hope t find the ear-rings and smart jumper I've asked for. All their presents are bought and delivered too but not yet wrapped.

I hope everyone else is doing well and not stressing about the festivities.

Big hugs @Goldenlily26. It will take time so don't let anyone tell you it's daft to feel so upset. I still find it strange to come home and not be greeted by big grins and waggy tails.

 

Glad the dog has found his home, and that you don’t suffer from withdrawal symptoms, @Obelix-Vendée. You won’t miss the lack of house training though.
The supermarket visit wasn’t very tempting at all. Inside it feels like a dark warehouse, with a high black ceiling. I found it quite a depressing atmosphere, and couldn’t wait to get out. Couldn’t even find something of interest at the in store bakery, a very boring selection and all the pastries looked very cardboardy. Nothing like Waitrose, where I go in with a list of four items and come out with a trolley full!
It’s been extremely cold here today. Very windy too. An extra jumper and an early night for me.

 

That's what I expect when I go to a Waitrose if I'm in the UK @Ergates . However, the one in West Ealing is horrendous - poky, dark, poor displays, little choice and nothing exciting. I gather it was scheduled for re-development but I came out without even a sandwich! Just some mint jelly and a paper for the ferry back to France.

The huge Safeway in Ealing has closed and is now a mini-store while the M&S in the same shopping centre has expanded its food hall (ready meals which are of no interest) and gone for cr*p fabrics for its clothes. Both it and TK Max had signs reminding customers to be polite to staff. Just wrong! Couldn't find a Tesco or Sainsbury outside the emissions zone so where do people shop?

 

My hub has been teaching himself this, too @Ergates. Keeps him entertained!
Very pleasant lunch with good conversation. Fish pie, as anticipated.
Glad that he's been reunited with his owner, @Obelix-Vendée. Do you know how long he'd been been missing?

 

Well, I must praise the staff in a small M & S foodhall this morning. It took three of them, 2 colleagues and their manager to find the Veggie Nut Roast I wanted for my daughter.
Although the shop was packed and they were visibly stressed, they couldn't have been more helpful and very kind.

As predicted though, trying to park anywhere near was a nightmare and I ended up in a rival supermarket's carpark and walking to the M &S store. Rather naughty of me but I tried to be as quick as I could. Because of various errands, I ended up having to park in four different places, very stressful at this time of year.

 

Hello all.

I'm glad the dog's owner turned up @Obelix-Vendée. Not being house trained would have been a nuisance.

I've been busy all day. It rained this morning then it turned into a lovely sunny day but I'd decided to do indoor things. Washed sheets and towels, washed the kitchen floor then spent most of the day wrapping presents. There are a lot, 14 grandchildren, 4 children plus spouses and my OH and some have more than one present. There are also 2 birthdays in January, son-in-law and a granddaughter, the one I used to call adorable but she is turning into a young lady now, she will be 13. I got a speeding ticket, but just a minor one, when I went to see her in hospital when she was born.

I find it difficult to find presents for OH too @lizzie27. I'd bought him his favourite sort of diary, which is expensive for a diary, and a wallet, same model I bought years ago which is getting tatty. Then OH went to the DIY shop and bought things like drill bits, handed them to me and asked me to wrap them up for him for Christmas!

 

Apparently they'd been working in the fields along the road @Penny_Forthem and he ran off so just yesterday. That explains why he was filthy but not all the knots and clumps in his coat but he clearly recognised chappy, tho he stayed in Rasta's basket, and I had to let him go. Not an indoor dog anyway so not practical to keep him tho he did make the most of a warm house and a comfy sofa.

Floors cleaned and I've lit scented tea lights to help with the smell of the puddles and have made a start on decorating the branch in the dining room. The Xmas tree tree refuses to stand up straight so can wait till Saturday now.

I know you're not a keen cook @lizzie27 but it might have been less bovver to make a nut roast.

I looked at industrial brioche this morning and the list of chemicals is horrendous as well as it having palm oil and refined rapeseed oil so I got a local baker's one on the fresh bread shelves - just flour, sugar, egg, milk, yeast and vanilla. I was buying 5 cereal bread flour and pâtisserie flour anyway and may just make a brioche as well if we need more. It's the best thing for bread and butter pudding.

 

Posts crossed @Busy-Lizzie . That's a lot of presents but it does sound like fun when you have your gatherings. There are just the 3 of us for prezzies as OH's siblings, nieces and nephews just do cards.