Slow day

Its another sunny morning but with a bit more wind, no laundry to go out today.

DB has emptied all the bins, they were full, especislly the one in the sewing room. I gave up sewing yesterday, could noot recocile what was on the screen with what the pattern said, so went to the video, have managed to sort it out ok. Have the two parts of the body and the legs together, think the next  bit is the hat,

I made scotch broth yesterday, so a bowl full each for lunch. enough for tomorrow in the frdige and  enough for another day in the freezer. DB tells me there are two films on he wants to watch this afternoon, one is Goodbye Mr Tom, a reallt good watch with The late lamented John Thaw of Morse fame.

Supper tonight is lasanga and salad, banana for afters.

Its sunny

Woke up at 7am  to the bedside clock flashing away, power cut,  by the time we got up it was back on again. Another load of laundry out on the line to dry.

DB decided to put the feed and weed down on the lawn, he has left the bit by the whirly till tomorrow.

Its a no spend month next month, have to pay for the new mattress, I have just had to buy an extender for the wifi, it does not travel through the room as it did ta Hose, the shape of the bungalow is different, singal has further to travel through more walls. So thats the purse SHUT apart from the usual bills etc. deffinately  no fabric. Need to go through what I have in stock for things. Still not made up my mind what to do block wase for the baby quilt, the birth has been brought forward a bit due to problems that DGD has. I knew this pregnancy was not going to be staight forward!!!

I am now on the bottom of the nutcrackes tunic, all these bits have to be joined together at some point..........

Tonight is our usual fish and chip night, I got a couple of jam donuts for dessert.

 This is the Nutcracker I am trying to make just now.

I am making the white one on the left, I will photograph him when he is finished.

Blood letting

DB had an appointment for his monthly bood test, It took 3 people 25 minutes to sort it.

I nipped into morrison and to the post office whilst we were out, saves going out again tomorrow to draw cash. It was al lost lunch time when we got home.

I managed to get the top aprt of the nutcracker done this afternoon, I haven't even done half of him yet. He is a lot more complicated than the Santa I made.

Supper tonight air fried pork chops with new poatoes, cauliflower and broccoli. Strawberries for dessert.

Today

another 60 mile round trip to collect DB's plates, he had to have soft food last night as both of his plates had to be left with the techie. We had a couple of showers, it has been mainly fine but we still have the wind.

So far I have done the hands and legs for the Nutcracker, I am onto the top of the unifrom tomorrow. It is not nearly so easy as the Santa I did two years ago.

I have had a message from the organiser of the fair we did last year, have said we will do another one but this is the last.; I do have some things left over but need to put my mind to some new stuff. Must do the baby quilt first though.

Supper tonight, sweet and sour chicken, ice cream for dessert. 

The wind is back

very bad night just 2 hours sleep. Had to take DB to the techie to get a new impression for his top plate. We were supposed to go back at 3.30pm this afternoon. Ijust could not hack it, so had to arrange to go back tomorrow morning to pick them up.

Some horrendous driving on the road into Leicester, there were a couple of times I thought we might come to grief, was glad to get home.

Sloppy tea for DB tonight, so frittata and mashed potato, will put a rice pudding in.

And again

a lovely sunny day for the bank holiday. The wind has dropped a bit. Cleaner was a bit late she slept in, sent me a message, but my phone was not on. Hey ho.

Went over to collect Trevor, roads really clear, the two roundabouts are finished so both roads open again for a short while, there are 3 more roundabouts in the pipe line.

Bed linen washed and on the line, it should dry ok.

I started the nutcracker yesterday, have done the hands, started the leggings, but have no gold fabric left, so at a standstill till the fat quarter I have ordered comes later in the week. 

No idea about supper, will have to see what I can find in the fridge. I have soup for DB and myself for lunch, will do Trevor a bacon butty.

Sunny

after 2 days of very high winds and rain, this morning the sun is shining, DB says its quite pleasant, I will see for myself when I hang out the laundry.

No plans, we were late waking up, DB was up at 5am for the loo, he woke me up, I did fall asleep about 7am, but feel lousy now. We have only just had breakfast at 10.30.

I am hoping to start the nutcracker today, have decided to go with the white coat as I will also be doing the drummer, he has a red coat. Will try and do a bit each day.

Roast pork for supper today, we have one banana left to have for dessert. 

At Last

we are getting a decent amount of rain, the gardens need it badly. I have just been out to the garage and its pelting down.

I was awake for a while in the night, but still managed over 8 hours, not  bad, hope I can do the same tonight.

The felt came yesterday so I can make a start on the Nutcracker, hands and arms first............cannot make up my mind whether to do a red or white jacket...... decisions......

The road that has been closed for the last 8 weeks has opened this morning, so traffic is once more flowing from Oakham, guess there will be a stack more heavy goods vehicles once again, we have not missed them coming down the road. The school is back on Tuesday so bedlam returns.

DGD was released from hospital yesterday, she was looking forward to a decent nights sleep.

It looks like we will be giving up the mobile library from now on, we went to Thorpe Sachville yesterday and the van did not turn up, its broken down, we rang when we got home, DB was told they had our wrong telephone number despite us giving them a change of address etc.

There is a car park next to the library so we can park easily if there are spaces, its just a short walk to the library from there. We will have a bigger selction of books and can still reserve books.

it looks like the rain might ease off, it has suddenly got lighter......

No idea re supper tonight, will have to have a forage in the freezer for something.

Its Friday

My shopping seems to have gone out of sync. I had a delivery from Morrison on Tuesday, today I went to Aldi, shopping twice in one week, never!!

I have reluctantly decided that I am going to have to resort to Morrisons delivery each week. I just cannot hack Aldi any more. It will be more expensive, but I will just have to put up and shut up.

Quite a surprise when I checked the bank this morning, I forgot Monday is a bank holiday, so all the pensions etc have gone in today. I will have to do a bit of moving round. I have a big credit card bill to pay next month.

It is sunny but extremely windy this morning, quite a few pots over. No point picking them up, they will only blow over again. I am looking at getting most of them in the garden just a few in pots that can be moved when the plants die back for the winter.

DGD is coming out of hospital today, till the next time, the baby is OK, but they do not seem to be able to sort out what is going on with her.

Last night I had something stuck between two of my teeth, this morning I discovered it was part of a filling I had put in at least 20 years ago. Not looking forward to having to visit the dentist thanks to treatment when I was  youngster.

Usual supper tonight, fish and chips........DB has to eat a banana a day, so guess it will be a few slices with ice cream for me.

Forgot to say the felt has come for the nutcracker, so I can start on that tomorrow.

So sorry

about Tuesday, I did not realise until last night I had not written a post on Tuesday.

Its fine but cold and windy, rain is forecast for later, we really need a long, slow, consistant period of rain, everywhere is so dry, when it chucks it down like it did on Tuesday the ground is so hard it just runs off.

No plans for today except to cook supper, I am still waiting for the flesh coloured felt for the Nutcracker to appear, amybe in the post today???

My sleep seems to be 3 - 4 nights decent sleep and the rest between 5 - 7 hours, so its not too bad overall. Trouble is I have so many hours to 'make up'.

Coffee morning was quite busy, we were very late, for some reason the traffic on Mill Street was having a problem getting out onto Saxby Road, it took us 10 minutes to get through. The usual crew were there. 

Supper tonight, sausage and mash, we picked up quite a bit of spare fruit at the coffee morning, so fresh fruit for dessert.

Burton Road is due to open to traffic on Sunday night and the schools are back, so it will be bedlam again, its been so peaceful for the last 8 weeks. Unfortunately, as the money for the last part of the bypass has been lost, we will still have heavy traffic coming into the town down Burton Road even when the by pass is finished. The money for the last bit to link to the A607 has been taken back by our new govenrment.

Ooppsss

I seem to have missed posting yesterday, sorry, I did a load of laundry, out on the line, just after lunch it did not stop to rain, it hissed it down. Lasted for about half an hour, then the sun came out and by the time I went out for the laundry it had dried.

We had pork pasta for supper, banana and ice cream for dessert.

This morning we went over to Hose for coffee, went to get our hair cut, then home.

I did not sleep so well last night, managed to have a Nana nap before I got supper.

Still waiting to hear what is causing Dgd's problems, they are now looking at pacreatic problems, she seems to be making too much acid. The baby is fine. She is hoping to be home at the weekend.

Supper tonight, ham salad, finished off the gammon I cooked two weeks ago.

Early doors

awake early this morning, so took my nasty medicine and sat up in bed reading till it was time to get up.

Collected Trevor, he is working on the top of the garden this morning, it has taken quite a while but its almost finished......at last. Things have come on in leaps and bounds since Trevor started back. I am so grateful he agreed to come. We have only lost a couple of days when it was raining, so not bad going. Will try and keep him on till the end of October. I am looking at the tiny daffs and pansy's for the winter/spring pots.

The ironing lady delivered the 2 sets of bed linen for us, just need to put it away.

Cooler morning, just how I like it, not too hot and a nice breeze.

Bookmarks packed ready for Wednesday morning. I am waiting for the pink felt to come before I start on the nut cracker. It is not something that can be done in a rush, need to take it slowly so I do not make any mistakes.

Supper tonight is egg and chips, we finished the cheese cake last night, so we will be back to fresh fruit.

 

Its Sunday

first time for a couple of weeks we have had breakfast in bed. Oranges, pineapple and croissant with a large mug of coffee!!! Great.

Bookmarks almost dry, have left them on the sewing room table to finish off so 4 already packaged and 8 to be packaged later,ready to go to the Coffee Morning on Wednesday.

My next project is the Nut Cracker, I have had to send for more felt for his hands and face, as I an going to make him double sided I need double the fabric.

DB has done his weekly jobs, emptying the waste bins from all the rooms, its amazing the amount of rubbish we seem to collect, we recycle what we can, but there is always stuff that cannot be recycled. The bin men come in the morning.

The weather is a lot cooler, the sun is shining but not with the ferocity it was earlier in the week, there is also a nice cooling breeze.

Veg prepped for supper, roast chicken, baby poatoes, carrots and green beans. My neighbour gave me a bag full of beans, very kind of her. We will finish off the chocolate cheese cake for dessert.

Finished

I have finished the bookmarks, soaked them to get rid of the wash away stabiliser and they are now drying between two tea towels with two bricks on top so they dry flat. Will take them when we go to the coffee morning on Wednesday.

Next project.......the nut cracker........

It's fine, the sun was out earlier but it's clouded over now, there has been quite a breeze so not too hot.

One of the camellia's has suffered badly from the sun scorching the leaves, am going to have to see what I can do with it.

The half yearly water account came in this morning, a lot cheaper than at the Hose bungalow. I have set up a direct debit to pay for it over the year.

ADB for supper tonight, we are gradually eating the chocolate cheese cake for dessert.

DGD is in hospital, they do not know what's going on, the baby is OK, she is getting an MRI scan to try and sort out what the problem is.

Just to prove it

 

My friend E rang in the week, Jackie wants 12 more bookmarks,  so I  have started, have done 6.

I had another good night, so 3 good nights this week, long may it continue.

Managed another load of washing, out on the line without my back complaining. I set too this morning to do another 3 book marks, that just leaves 2 to do tomorrow. I also had a bit of a move round in the sewing room.

Its been a sunny day, thankfully not too hot, there is a bit of a breeze.

Supper is fish and chips, we finished the victoria sponge so now we are on the chocolate cheese cake!!

Busy doing nothing........

 Not such a good night. DB was restless, I was making tea at 1am. Late getting up, but nothing spoiling. I set the machine up to do 3 bookmarks one after the other, I will do 3 again tomorrow and then the last two on Saturday, they will just need the stabilizer soaking off and they will be ready to go.

Supper tonight is chicken in cream sauce topped with a gratin, we are having mash, cabbage and carrots with it. I have some fresh raspberries for dessert.

Shopping

DB needed to go to QD for some stick on numbers for our third green bin, he also needed a new toothbrush. I got bulbs for the spring pots and also cushelle loo paper. Went next door to Lidl for a few bits before we went home.

Spent the afternoon reading. I had taken medication before we went out, it was around 4pm before I felt a twinge, so I am going to have to start taking them regularly morning and night.

I have an order for 12 bookmarks, need to get them done for a week today when we go to the next coffee morning to return the cups etc I borrowed for last Sunday's afternoon tea.

Supper tonight, gammon and salad, and finish off the Victoria sponge.

Woops - nearly

forgot today we have an appointment with our dental techie to check our plates.

I took painkillers before I went to bed last night and had a decent sleep, we did not get up until 8.30am and DB checked his diary for something and reminded me we have an appointment at 11.30. Fortunately we have nothing else on, so after he changed out of his scruffs and had a shave we were off.

I am feeling better than yesterday, the sleep has done me good as have the extra pills. I have to accept that I really need to take them regularly now to keep things in check.

So once back from our trip, a quiet day. Yesterday was horribly hot again, there was a breeze this morning, but even do the thermometer in the porch was at 30c+ and the one in the sitting room 24c. 

Pork anf rice for supper, we will have another slice of the victoria   sandwich.

I ache

after yesterday I am shattered, my back and legs ache, double pain killers eased it slightly.

Over to pick up Trevor early, Cleaner arrived and helped me make the bed than continued to clean the house, everything done in 2 hours.Took Trevor back early as it started to rain.

I had washed the sheets, it rained at lunchtime, so left them out, it was raining agin when I got back from taking Trevor home.

DB was late going for his siesta, I lay on the settee for half an hour, than went out and collected the dry laundry and folded it ready for collection for ironing.

We finished off what was left from yesterday for lunch, there is still some cake and strawberries left, we will finish them tonight.

Inspite of the rain it is very muggy, hope the heat dies down tomorrow, I find it so difficult to function when its hot.

Scratch supper tonight cheesy jackets spuds, tomato and cucumber, more strawberries for dessert.

phew thank good ness thats over

So a good time was had by all, I think, tea went down a storm and the victoria sponge was a great hit.

DGD has got gall stones, they will not do anything until after the baby is born, and it looks like she will have to have a Caesarean.

I am shattered, my back thinks I forgot I had it, will have a job to walk tomorrow but it was great to see my neice and her husband again after such a long time, we last saw them before Covid struck.

We do have some stuff left over, I took some sandwiches and strawberries across to our neighbour across the road. We have quite a bit left, so no cooking tomorrow.

It has been a hot day, both fans going full tilt in the kitchen and sitting room, have put the kitchen one back in the bedroom to cool it down before we go to bed.

I should sleep tonight.

Countdown

 I am now officially 81. So today has been busy, I cooked the gammon and made scones, I have not lost my touch, they came out great, they are in a tin waiting for tomorrow, I will warm them through before I cut and butter them. The victoria sponge is ready too, just have to put extra castor sugar on the top.

Supper last night was delicious, I had chicken, smoked bacon and pasta in cheese sauce, the sauce was delicious. DB had open steak and ale pie with chips. We were too full to have dessert, came home and had a cup of tea. I will hard cook the eggs in the air fryer in the morning and make the sandwiches fillings. DB cleaned all the silver cutlery, he manages to get most the the tarnish off. The china has gone in the dish washer tonight, will just need a wipe over.

So everything is going ok, this time tomorrow it will all be over and life will return to normal.

Messages from DD2, DD1 and family, also flowers from DD1, roses and lilies, the lily smells amazing.......lots of messages on facebook as well from friends old and new. 

Supper tonight, beef lasanga and salad for supper. Coco ice each for dessert.

Preparation

Out early this morning, Aldi for fruit etc for Sunday, still have not done the scones, will do them tomorrow morning.

DB has sat and cleaned the silver, some of it was very tarnished, however its been cleaned.

Fridge is full to bursting, I got 2 large punnets of strawberries and 16 sausage rolls, I will reheat the sausage rolls on Sunday, I hate cold puff pastry. small pork pies will be cut in half. It will be interesting to see how much the tattooed wonder eats........

Izzy had been and done our feet, so all nice again.

I will sit this afternoon and clean off the runner, then it can go ready for Christmas. I am looking for embroidery for the plain quilt blocks in the quilt for the new baby, hope to start it next week.

We are out for supper tonight with DD2, so no fish and chips or ice cream. 

Busy busy

Spent most of yesterday afternoon and a couple of hours this morning making a Celtic table runner for our neighbour across the road. By using no 3 block 4 times I was able to extend it to measure 27 inches. Could not make it any longer, I ran out of fabric. Once I have cleaned it off I will post a photo.

It's a lot cooler today, from time to time it has clouded over, but as yet no rain, we really need it.

Morrison order delivered today with some stuff for Sunday. I have to go to Aldi tomorrow for a few bits I could not get and also draw cash for the cleaner and gardener.

We are out for supper tomorrow, my birthday treat from DD2. 

Supper tonight egg, chips and beans. Banana for dessert. DB has to have an orange and a banana each day to keep his potassium levels up.

My sewing room

 is now fully operational, just finishing off a christmas table runner and then starting on a quilt for our next greatgrandchild.

So

working towards Sunday, This morning I have cooked some pork shoulder for supper tonight. I will have enough to freeze for a second meal. Tomorrow I need to make a trial batch of scones, I have not made any for ages. I also have the silver cultlery to polish, it the only cutlery I have enough of.

We are going out to supper on Friday night, meeting DD2 at The Harboro for a meal.

I have washed the towels this morning, it keeps clouding over, but DB tells me it is not going to rain, so hopefully it will dry on the whirly.

Our next door neighbour came round yesterday with a card and a bag of kidney beans. Its the first time I have seen her since she came home from Hospital after having a stent put in. Nice to see her, but she is feeling very tired. I told her it will take 3 months for her to feel anything like right.

Fabric has come for DGD's quilt for the baby. I have a table runner to finish and then I will be on to the quilt, I want to get it done in good time.

A card from SIL, they move on Saturday.......she is going to find a difference from a 6 bed house to a one bed apartment!!

Thats it for today folks, did manage just over 7 hours last night, so not doing so bad this week.

 

Much cooler

Collected Trevor yesterday, he did his usual good job in the garden before I took him home.

Called to see Nikki, spent an hour with her catching up on the gossip. She is not enamoured with the new people in our bungalow. I did see the lady as I was drvinf away, she was attcking one of the shrubs in the front.

Its cooler today, there was some rain overnight but it had dried up by mid marning. DB did a round in the garden, the two clematis on the arch are both flowering. No sign of flowers on the rose though.

I started a table runner, its a Christmas present, did one piece and discovered I had done the wrong bit grrrrrrr.........the machine is behaving its self after the long break. I need to do a bit of altering round in the sewing room, some things are in the wrong place. I need to get the hoops hanging up, they are on the floor at the moment.

Syking myself up to start pulling thins together for Sunday. I need to start with cleaning the silver cutlery. knives and spoons anyway.

No idea whats for supper tonight, could do frittata and salad.......

Excellent

lunch yesterday DB only took small portions and managed to eat it all. Came home and went for his siesta, I camped out on the settee. I do enjoy going, it means I do not have to cook on a Sunday every 6 weeks or so.

Watched cricket, well DB did, I sat reading. We had a snack for supper, garlic cream cheese on Ryvita and fruit. DB had yogurt.

A small load of washing out, will need to go and get it in, it keeps clouding over as if its going to rain. Towels also need to be done this week.

Slightly better sleep last night. I had to get up and go to fetch Trevor for his stint in the garden, I took him back after lunch and called in to see Nikki. A pleasant hour catching up with the gossip about old neighbours.

Spag bol and sour dough bread for supper tonight, dare say some ice cream will appear for dessert.

Treat day

its Sunday so we are going out for lunch, no cooking for me today. We will just have a snack at tea time.

I am girding my loins for next Sunday, yesterday I got a message from DD2 asking if DGD's ?boyfriend,' could come, so that makes 7 of us. Tomorrow I have to make a batch of scones to make sure I have not lost the skill. Its ages since I made any.

Its much cooler this morning and there has been a very short shower, about 10 drops, the sun keeps trying to come through.

DB skinned his knee the other day, it is not healing as I would like, I have put a dressing on it, will see what it looks like tomorrow. I may have to take him down to the surgery to the emergency clinic, he made need some antib's.

So no supper tonight just a snack.

Hooray

its raining, not a lot but its rain. yesterday was almost unbearable, we drank a lot of iced water.........going to the library van was our only trip out. The reat of the time we were inside with the back porch door open to try and collect some of the breeze.

The garden is not suffering too much, thanks to the downpour the other night things are looking less stressed and certainly saved me from having to water.

No real plans for today, at least its cooler.....

Reasonanble night last night, just under 8 hours, just one bad night during the week. Mind you I was dosed up with pain killers, my hands had een driving me mad all day.

Supper tonight sausage, mash and cabbage. ice cream for afters.

Yes it did

rain last evening, not that it did much good, it was bouncing off the road, the garden shows no sign of rain. No more due anytime soon, and the temperature is climbing.

Nothing much done yesterday except bring our budget up to date and then apart from getting lunch and supper, read.

I did nip over to our neighbour across the road, she had asked me about making a table runner for her Granddaughter for Christmas. 

The orchid in the kitchen is back in flower, I got it cheap from QD a few months ago, it looked as if it was nearly dead, but tlc has paid dividends.

Its library day, we have to go to Thorpe Satchville to meet the van about 3pm. They should have a couple of new books for me. I am still wading through the books on the book bug site on the internet.

Fish and chips tonight, banana and ice cream for dessert.

It rained

not much, but it did, then the sun came out.........blinds drawn tokeep the heat down. Yesterday was horrendous. Have used a lot of electric with the fan going in the sitting room.

Last night I managed just over 8 hours, but I was really shattered, the heat got to me yesterday.

The quilt from our bed dried in the sun, it did not foul the arch even though it was on the very outer line, the olnly one that was big enough to take it.

Groceries delivered this morning, cost a bit more than usual I had to buy flour and butter.

Papers are full of what the new governemnt are going to do to pensioners, none of it fair. There is also a rumour that tax is going to go up. I need to be careful that our savings do not go over the £20,000 threashold or they will tax the interest on that as well!! It is in a high interest account, the interest is paid yearly. So I have to wait until May next year to see what the interest is. Up to now we have not had to pay tax, but its coming and we know it.

I am still not in the mood for sewing, my machine is just sitting there, I did get some felt out but that was it.

Salmosn, new potatoes and peas for supper, fruit and ice cream for dessert.