Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

I've spent the morning in the garden. And I didn't get rained on.
More filling up of the garden waste bin. Still trying to reach parts of the fallen tree, to cut it up. A large section still rests on top of one of our conifers, 20ft up. Why the neighbour behind us refuses to deal with it, I don't know. But I AM getting there.
Plenty of pieces to turn into mulch, to put back on the garden.

 

That’s horrific, @Busy-Lizzie. Hopefully, your village is small enough that the woman who signed for the passport would have realised her mistake and brought it round to you. I can imagine in some areas, it might already have been up for sale.
A relative who lives in Sweden was just this week taking an elderly friend to pick up her new Swedish passport. Having renewed it on line, she had to go to her local police station to collect it, where they could double check the photo and other identification documents to make sure it was going to the right person. Sounds like an eminently sensible idea, but they do have a much smaller population.

Being the well organised person I am ( at least some of the time!) the relevant Allen key was stored in the folder with the instruction leaflets! I have tightened up two toilet seats, and they have had an extra clean, and some WD40 on the hinges. I did discover though, that trying to use an Allen key while wearing ill fitting disposable gloves doesn’t work. Ended up with the tips of the fingers wrapped round the Allen key, and took a lot of fiddling around to get it released. Thankfully managed to not drop it down the loo.

Despite my efforts not to, I now smell of WD40, which I hate. However, reading the label, I see that the makers have suggested spraying it on the outside of plant containers to deter slugs. I wonder if it works? It would certainly deter me.

 

The woman who signed for it @Ergates doesn't know us or which house we live in so I don't know what she planned to do with it. The house number on the envelope was hers but the name was OHs.

Well done for the loo. Good tip about slugs and WD40. I wonder if it works, I must give it a go.

 

@Penny_Forthem, I am still decluttering my clothing wardrobes. All decent warmish gear goes to the Ukraine and the rest to a big Sue Ryder outlet near my Bestie's. I love the feeling when I have got rid of stuff but I'm blowed if I can find all the space left by said decluttering. I am convinced that clothes just swell up to fill the gaps!
Good grief @Busy-Lizzie that must have been a real scare - especially as the powers that be are so pernickety (rightly so) about Passports etc. I'm so glad it was easily sorted.

 

Afternoon all!

It's warm enough for gardening, but has turned damp... and after yesterday afternoon's session pruning the rose hedge, my right hand is very stiff from trying to use my secateurs on stems slightly too thick for them. Must sharpen secateurs and loppers before I finish the hedge! There's plenty to do inside, though I'd much rather be out looking at signs of impending spring. In the sun yesterday, the winter-flowering honeysuckle was covered in honey bees.

I buy most of my clothes second hand, and wear them until there's no life left in them. Not sure what to do with them then... there's a limit to the number of really shabby clothes I need for gardening or DIY. I can recycle anything made of wool or cotton, but mixed fibres and man-made stuff? Don't know. We're not supposed to put textiles in with general rubbish, which is fair enough, but we need to know what can be done with them instead.

Did you ask the woman who'd signed for OH's passport, what she'd intended to do with it, @Busy-Lizzie ? It was a strange thing to have done - I'd have handed it back to the post lady, I think. Anyway, all's well that end's well - though the passport office need a piece of your mind, I'd have thought.

 

I didn't ask her @Liriodendron because I wasn't there. OH says she just signed without looking at it, she assumed it was for her. Wasn't the passport office, it was the Visa Office in Wandsworth.

 

It's snowing!

 

She probably needs reading glasses so didn't see the name @Busy-Lizzie.

We have had a messy afternoon but now the garage and shed are reorganised and tidy and the hen shed has been cleaned. Mammoth jobs to do all at once but at least we were mostly outside even if we can't do proper gardening yet. Still very soggy underfoot.

I've looked in charity shops and the like @Liriodendron but there's never anything that fits so I make clothes in proper fabrics. No polyester. They last years. I do buy T-shirts and jumpers tho and I do buy 2nd hand furniture as it's usually made with proper wood and I'm not a fan of modern styles.

 

Afternoon all, just! It's still light here which is so good to see and it's stopped drizzling at last.

No gardening today apart from a quick dash out to take some measurements for a new handrail and to see if a paving slab will fit where I need one. All good.

Been busy most of the day taking down old brown curtains and putting the grey ones my daughter gave me in the guest bedroom. One 6ft wide window and one 4ft one so much up and down the stepladder. OH had to take down the poles as I couldn't manage that bit. They were covered in dust and a bit cobwebby I'm ashamed to admit. Not entirely convinced the grey curtains 'go' with the coffee coloured carpet or that the silver coloured curtain 'rings' look good with the dark wooden curtain poles. Will ponder on those (essential to me, I'm very fussy over details like that) queries for a while and see what DIL thinks when she comes on Wednesday. If I change the curtain poles for metal ones, I might feel obliged to change the wooden wardrobe knobs for silver ones as well! My accent colour is duck egg blue and teal.

That was so lucky for your OH that he found the postlady @Busy-Lizzie, you'd have been in a right tizz if he hadn't.

We also hate loose loo seats @Ergates but unfortunately our en-suite one is virtually unfixable and I'd really like to change it because of that. A most unsensible design of loo I've yet to find. Can't talk OH into that so far.

We're having our Valentines dinner tonight, just a Special meal deal, Scallops Gratin, followed by Duck legs with a Teryiyaki glaze, Green beans and Dauphinoise Potatoes for the main and Lemon Tarts for a dessert. Looking forward to it - and the wine!

Another celebration tomorrow with a large group of friends - a Christmas lunch. No wonder my weight is beginning to creep up.

 

@Liriodendron, I am very aware that my secateurs are not as sharp as they once were. May I ask what you use to sharpen yours please? Is it a whetstone? I have been looking at some but wondered what you might recommend.
@Obelix-Vendée the Sue Ryder shop I mentioned earlier has the most wonderful array of clothing and furniture. It is huge - like a warehouse - so is a great shop to mooch in.

 

@lizzie27 your Valentine's meal sounds absolutely delish. Have a lovely evening.

 

@Busy-Lizzie I do hope that your snow is just a light dusting. Not seen any here yet though it does feel cold enough for it.

 

It's become a rather expensive weekend...
We have been clearing out our rather neglected wardrobes, when I realised the blackout lining of our curtains were disintegrating - only been up 25 years! Cue new curtains. Well, swatch ordering, at least, for now.
Might this help @Ladybird4? Would apply to all, I think
How to sharpen FELCO Secateurs
Not much on Tv for us tonight, so will catch up with Unforgotten

 

Thanks a million @Penny_Forthem. That it just the thing I need. I've a feeling it would probably sort out my loppers too. I agree about the lack of interesting programmes on a Saturday night. I have just watched the rugby league - not my code of course but there is no rugby union on this weekend. I am off to read now so I will say night night to you all. Thoughts go out to @Goldenlily26. See you all in the morning.

​

 

Evening folks.

I had my pyjama day but I did pop into the garden for an hour when it wasn’t raining (much) to do a few small jobs and check the pond was ready for frog visitors.

Having a backwards weekend as in work tomorrow afternoon, so had a chicken dinner tonight. I had bought some Yorkshires to go with sausages another day, but I fancied them tonight so.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone.