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Life outside Ambridge
Life outside Ambridge
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Life in Ambridge
THIS POST IS CLOSED "longer off topic comments" - Episode 14 Life Outside Ambridge Have a seat and let's chat.
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ReplyDeleteMistral - May 20, 2021 at 11:51 PM
Archerfile, that's very interesting. I wonder how long antibodies last, perhaps your input will help the scientists decide if/when they will offer a booster. I don't suppose they will last for ever, not to mention different strains.
Archerphile - May 21, 2021 at 9:11 AM
I think that the whole point of this particular investigation. They have recruited people who have had different vaccines and we’ll be tested every month for at least a year. Then they can see which vaccines promote the highest level of antibodies and for how long they last. I suppose, if they are found to fade away after a few months or whenever it would indicate the need for booster jabs.
Mistral - May 21, 2021 at 11:14 AM
Sarnia, he was at Jurys Inn in January for a few days whilst having tests and again before his cancer operation, then went home to rest for a couple of weeks. his therapy was for six weeks, and he stayed at a flat in Ocean Village directly overlooking the harbour. It was fantastic, had the benefit of a kitchen which was great when he could eat. (He is a chef). It was a shame I couldn't visit him earlier when he was brighter, but as soon as the travel restrictions lifted, I went down.
He is back home now, recovering from the therapy, then coming back for plastic surgery at Salisbury, so I will get another visit in then :)
I must say that The States of Jersey and MacMillan have been fantastic.
Sarnia - May 21, 2021 at 12:07 PM
Thank you, Mistral, that was interesting. I'm glad MacMillan turned up trumps for you. We only ever saw Mr S's nurse once, when she sat in on his final appointment with the consultant. We could ring her for advice, but as she was on a part-time job share we often had to wait until her next duty day for a reply. There were never any visits from her or the district nurse because he was not deemed to be ill enough 'yet'.
Miriam - May 21, 2021 at 5:12 PM
I am so excited.
I have just heard that a niece plus the "littl'un" ( the doll in that photo), are now all safe with Big Sis, in N.Wales 25miles away.
I am off for a meet-up, and some much needed cuddles, on Sunday. Can't wait. 😁
This will be a great positive step forward. 👍
Miriam - May 21, 2021 at 7:05 PM
BBC 7.00pm now - a programme about Burt Bacharach music. It appeals to me, not sure about others.
Proud to be Yorkshire - May 21, 2021 at 7:42 PM
I’ve had a much calmer day. Got 2 lots of documents through from solicitor. Just goes to show sometimes you have to be a bit forceful/stroppy/an a…ehole. (Pick which you want)
My son is dropping his cockerpoo puppy off for us to dog sit tomoz whilst he plays cricket. Can’t wait.
Miriam, I love Burt Bacharach. I have put up a little video of one of my favourite medleys of songs of his as sung by The Carpenters. (Karen Carpenter's voice gives me the shivers! But in a good way...)
ReplyDeleteMistral, I support you wholeheartedly. And here's to a better summer for us all.
Sorry for the delay (yet again!) in opening new blogs. This time it was because I slept most of the day as I was up FAR too early in order to go and get my ankle x-rayed. Stupidly fell down some stairs in the back garden on Wed evening and after 24 hours it was still blooming painful so called 111 who made an appointment to go to the (almost eerily quiet) hospital. No bones broken, just badly bruised and smooshed up a little bit. (And I was entirely sober when it happened thank you very much!) Fingers crossed I should be fine in a week or two. Grrr.
Sorry for your foot! And you of course!
DeleteHope your foot gets better soon Gary
DeleteBroken or not GG an injured ankle can be very very painful.
DeleteI know as I broke my arthritic one last year.
Hope it recovers, but rest is essential.
I used to listen to the Carpenters a lot, haven't done so recently though. And I'd never heard this medley before. Thanks Gary.
ReplyDeleteHope the foot's better soon. I had a bike fall on my foot once, got a direct hit from the pedal. By the following morning I could hardly walk : ( Fortunately, my x-ray was fine too - no bones broken, just deep bruising. Youngest shoedweller was not so fortunate - broke her first metatarsal by catching her foot under a roundabout. Nearly gave me kittens later by trying to dance on crutches in the snow!
Lovely arrangement of songs by the wonderful Caroenters, Gary. Karen had such a beautifully warm voice and it was a tragedy she died so young.
ReplyDeleteHope the foot mends soon, steps can be such a hazard, take great care next time you are out in the garden.
xx for the foot GG,
ReplyDeletenever been able to stomach the Carpenters!
& yes, I know she had her troubles.
I never liked the Carpenters either.
ReplyDeleteThen I formed a relationship with someone who loved them and played them in the car
all the time. Drove me mad, but in the end I was singing along too !
Sarnia, 12.07, 21/5
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of your (lack of) support with Mr. S. These things keep on hurting, don't they?
I once had a friend who was a MacMillan nurse in Kent, she was made redundant because they were short of funds.
They helped my son by giving him vouchers for something or other, and a 'burner' phone to keep in touch with family and friends, avoiding the awful roaming charges from the Channel Islands. I think they helped with a lot of advice too, re finances. I know that he and his girlfriend were very grateful.
Gary, thank you. I hope that both you and Mr GG are soon fighting fit again. Thought of you today when I heard that lovely Glascow is still under restrictions.
Your son would have needed an English sim card because his Jersey Telecom one wouldn't work over here. The Guernsey ones don't either.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, Mistral, I don't think there was a lot a MacMillan nurse could have done. Mr S's nocturnal behaviour was growing so bizarre that what I needed was for him to be transferred to a nursing home very much sooner instead of constantly discharging him into my care with no extra assistance, but because for some weeks he appeared so much more rational on the ward than he was at home they said there was no evidence for it. It wasn't until he started wandering about at night in hospital and was eventually found collapsed on the floor because his legs could no longer support him that the penny began to drop. By this time, when he wasn't trying to work out who he was if I was his husband, he was a world-famous actor/director producing films for 'the British Royal family', believed the hospital to be his luxury mansion and was worrying about how to get dressed in time to attend receptions with the Royal Princes. He was extremely haughty with the nurses, whom he took to be his domestic staff, and lofty with the Charge Nurse, who he thought was his PA. On one occasion, when asked in a commanding tone if he had any appointments that day, the quick-witted Miguel replied. 'No, David, your diary is completely clear today, so you are free to concentrate on eating and drinking' (something he had got very awkward about as his special requirements were not usually on the menu and he was refusing to drink water or juice).
It doesn't hurt, really, it was just harrowing at the time to watch what was becoming of him.
Oh Sarnia, that is such a sad ending for anyone to go through, or witness. The nurses and other staff at the hospital must have so much patience to deal with cases like your husband’s descent into an imagined personality.
DeleteMy own father had senile dementia(as it was called at the time) and his personality changed too. A lifelong mild man and loving husband/father became aggressive, accused family and friends of stealing from him, accused my mother (married 55 years) of being unfaithful and having affairs, refused to use a toilet and ended up hitting her and fighting my brother when they tried to clean him up or get him to bed.
Another very sad complete change of personality, and ignominious end to a long life and back in the70s, no home help or hospital place for him.
Sarnia, I can’t begin to imagine how hard that must have been. It’s bad enough dealing with the physical decline of someone you care for, but losing the mental essence must be devastating. So far I have only had to deal with the loss of parents which is part of life. When it comes to partners, siblings or, god forbid, off-spring it must be so much worse.
DeleteThank you, both. It was as things were and just had to be dealt with. Believe it or not, he actually had terminal cancer, but only the ambulance crews who were constantly called to deal with him in the night seemed to recognise the dementia. In the end I think he took refuge in his important alter ego because he could no longer control what was happening to him.
ReplyDeleteIt's gradually fading; all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.
Sorry to hear you had to go through all that, Sarnia. I don’t know whether it’s best to lose control of your body or of your mind. It was uplifting though this week for me to have a chat with a lovely chap who lives round the corner. He was tending his front garden complete with wheelbarrow and implements and he celebrated his 100th birthday last November! Incredible and made me not dwell on what might or might not be for me round the corner!
ReplyDeleteEvery now and again an in phrase comes in which becomes tedious. At the moment it is prefacing answers to every question with SO. Am just listening to Moneybox and this is happening with an interview with an expert. A few years ago it was “At the end of the day” and “ at this moment in time” but they appear to have faded away, maybe SO will too!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh Ev, that’s one of my most hated vocal tics.
DeleteI think I wrote here, ages ago, about an interviewee on the Today programme who prefaced every single answer with ‘So’, and he was an eminent scientist speaking about some new scientific breakthrough.
It has been going on for quite a long time and the really worrying thing is that I have recently caught myself staring sentences with the dreaded ‘So……’
😧 🤭
Another one that annoys me is "going forward".
Delete“Lessons must be learnt” 😡 along with “We must ensure this will never happen again” neither rarely happen.
DeleteThe most peculiar thing, Ev, was that that they were still trying to send him home just days after a failed discharge when they'd had to send an ambulance to fetch him back half an hour after his arrival! This time I refused point-blank to have him back and demanded to know why this kept on happening. After I had put the staff on the spot and begun to get answers to all my awkward questions - not easy when it's always someone different on duty - it transpired that a number of important and very relevant entries had gone missing from his file.
ReplyDeleteAs a result, the social worker in charge of his case was replaced and the new one promptly recommended fast track transfer to a nursing home. Interestingly, this 'fast track' took a fortnight, as the first SIX homes they approached turned him down because his needs were too complex for their existing staff to cope with! I lost no time in pointing out that until now the hospital had been expecting me to manage him alone.
He was eventually found a place which was over an hour's journey away on two buses, but the church rallied round and I had a series of volunteer drivers. He died a month later.
Once upon a time, all these verbal tropes mentioned above would have annoyed me as well, but now I find I just don't care any more.
What sad, heartfelt and harrowing things, many have had to endure, and are still doing so.
ReplyDeleteYou are so very brave, talking about these, in such an informative way, so all can understand and appreciate, the difficult situations.
Not really, Miriam, just telling it like it was.
ReplyDeleteGG.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Carpenters heading.
I loved them as so talented.
I was very lucky to see Burt Bacharach performing live, about 5/6 years ago, at the Llangollen Intertational Eistedfordd, which has a solid stage but is in basically a marquee. It was a very wet and windy day, so many empty seats. This suited all - as there was much more room to get up, dance and loudly sing along. As expected, it was a very proffessionaly staged event, with wonderful lighting effects, backing singers and musicians (one of which was a son). A night, never to be forgotten, along with seeing The Rolling Stones in Glasgow (1977?).
BB was 2015, as then did the same show at Glastonbury.
DeleteI always meant to go and see him Miriam, it seemed as if he was ALWAYS on tour! But one of those things that I never got round to.
DeletePtbY, yes - I HAVE been watching RHOBH! I loathe Sutton, boring Garcelle (and her boring children) bore me, Vile Kyle is starting to annoy me, I fast forward ALL of Teddi's solo bits, I like Denise, I want to punch Dorit and have spent 4 years trying to work out if I like Rinna!
ReplyDeleteAs for Erika - mutton dressed as mutton. Can't wait for next season already. She and her horrible husband are getting sued for massive fraud and they are apparently undergoing a fake divorce in order to keep some of the millions they embezzled from his clients. There's talk of jail! Couldn't happen to a more deserving couple if you ask me....
New OC has started too. Hmmmm.
OC is not the same without Vicky and Tamra.
DeleteThink they are all vile now…..won’t stop me watching though.
Same! 😊
DeleteEarly night tonight, as need to leave early tomorrow, morning, so to meet up with family, as to fit into their plans. I am so looking forward to it, even if I am just having a short "time slot" 😂
ReplyDeleteKitchen is now calling, which is both messy and busy, as I am cooking for both tonight and Sunday.
Miriam, I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow.
DeleteHave a lovely day Miriam
DeleteSo pleased for you Miriam, enjoy every precious moment 😀
DeleteSome good news in the CC household, our daughter and family who live in Singapore are relocating to the UK this summer. We haven't seen them since we visited in January 2020. We were wondering when we would see them again when her husband got a new job within the company which meant that he didn't need to be in Asia any more.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for you all CC 🤗
DeleteGary, the Carpenters bring back so many memories. Thank you! Their musi to me was so evocative and it is so sad that Karen had so many problems we weren’t aware of at the time.
ReplyDeleteHave just listened to the Carpenters medley. Thank you, Gary as it brought back so many memories. Together with Simon and Garfunkel, Carly Simon and Carol King they made the music of the 70’s when I met Mike and all was well in my world! Thanks for the memory! BTW all is well in my world now but there is a big gap! I watched a vid of the Queen visiting the new aircraft carrier which bears her name. She was smiling and gracious and so small alongside the tall Naval officers. She has so much strength of character and seems determined to carry on even without Philip, her rock. What a lady!
I thought first para had disappeared! Sorry for repetition!
DeleteMiriam
ReplyDeleteI hope your day out tomorrow allows you to feel that life can be enjoyable again.
However short your slot, I'm sure you will make the most of it.
Miriam, I hope you have a lovely time tomorrow, at least you don’t have to stay outside in the unseasonably cold weather we are having.
ReplyDeleteCC pleased to hear your daughter is moving closer.
The Nut household is setting down in front of Eurovision, and my younger daughter is home for the night for the first time in nearly year, she decided to bubble with her girlfriend after being locked down with us at the start of the pandemic. It’s lovely seeing my two daughters together.
Miriam, I hope you have a lovely time tomorrow, at least you don’t have to stay outside in the unseasonably cold weather we are having.
ReplyDeleteCC pleased to hear your daughter is moving closer.
The Nut household is setting down in front of Eurovision, and my younger daughter is home for the night for the first time in nearly year, she decided to bubble with her girlfriend after being locked down with us at the start of the pandemic. It’s lovely seeing my two daughters together.
Family time is so precious KPnuts, there's been so little of it since last March.
DeleteSarnia, so sad for you.
ReplyDeleteI hope you relax and thoroughly enjoy your tranquil garden, in this long hot summer I am hoping for.
Well, Mistral, my coveted swing chair has arrived, but it's still in its wrapping in the cabin and likely to stay there yet awhile. Could you possibly work a bit harder on that long hot summer, do you think?
ReplyDeleteThank you to those of you who recommended buying a steam mop (is that its name ?)
ReplyDeleteI bought a Vileda one and it is brilliant.
Just pour in some warm water and that is it .
Kitchen and bathroom smell great .
Yes, I love my (Shark) mop too, though I was very sceptical about getting one, it works beautifully on our quarry tiled kitchen floor, no rinsing and it dries almost instantly.
DeleteDon’t know where my post of yesterday afternoon went, but was just describing our visit to Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, whose nursery is close to our daughters house at Whitchurch. They have won 25 Gold medals at Chelsea for their displays, but since Chelsea has been moved to September this year, were unable to present their spring & summer flowering plants.
ReplyDeleteSo, not wanting to waste their plans, have created the display they would have been taking to Chelsea, at the Nursery.
It is beautiful, the first time I have ever been able to see a Chelsea garden. The nursery is huge with several long green houses and fields of developing plants. It was lovely to buy plants that have been propagated on the premises instead of the bought-in ones you get in Garden Centres.
Daughter had given me a voucher for Mother’s Day so I spent it on Delphiniums, Phlox and Lysimachia.
Archerphile, Hardy’s nursery is one I’ve always meant to visit, it sounds a really good one. On Friday’s GQT Pippa Greenwood visited the nursery to see their Chelsea garden. I’m pretty sure they said this was going to be their last year at Chelsea; was there any mention of that at the nursery?
ReplyDeleteNo it wasn’t mentioned and I was surprised to hear that on today’s repeat of GQT, which I am just listening to. What a coincidence hearing this after we were there yesterday!
DeleteWe weren’t familiar with the layout of the nursery so it took us quite a while to find the plants we wanted but it is actually quite clever, with plants arranged by colour, with coloured posts at the end of each row. Then further on they are arranged alphabetically in groups of the season in which they flower. The staff were very helpful and friendly and ready to give lots of good advice.
I’d really recommend a visit. Just a warning, it is reached via a very narrow, steep lane with passing places, so you have to be patient!
I listened to that on GQT this week.
DeleteYes the woman from Harry's did say that this was their last Chelsea and they had been doing Chelsea since 1992.
A lovely way to finish a career. Pleased you got to see it AP.
Sarnia, 12.21 a.m.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing my best!
I too bought a new garden chair last Monday, a padded recliner. It is still in the car boot....Might return it tomorrow.
Steam mop - we also have one, super, couldn't tell you the make, Mr P 's territory! 😉
ReplyDeleteI have a Shark. I like that it is just plain water so none of the expense of detergents or the buildup of stickiness you can get from them unless you rinse with plain water which makes twice the work. I do use deionised water from Tesco, about £1.50 for a large one which goes a long way. I have quite a large area of hard floors and two small fills of water does the lot. The quick drying is a big bonus too!
ReplyDeleteWe do have very hard water on the island which can cause problems in these machines!
ReplyDeleteWe have that here too Ev but have installed a water softener which is brilliant and makes a huge difference. It doesn’t need electricity and just works by filling it with two salt ‘bricks’ every now and then.
DeleteYes, have been thinking about this. At the moment having my shower room redone which has caused some upheaval. I find it difficult to cope with the disruption! Amazing how it spreads through the house! I have a toilet roll holder in my bedroom! Hopefully will soon be done!
DeleteI have just arrived home after, what can only be described as, a normal + natural family day.
ReplyDeleteI had a short but, a great hug with a niece, which was my 1st hug since March 7th 2020. It was lovely.
My day was far better than anticipated, due to others joining in. There were Sis + Bro-i-law, 2 nieces, 2 grand-nieces and 1 grand- nephew.
The Rules were tweaked a bit, but it was decided + agreed, that all was being done sensibly and responsibly. The problem was, that we were in Wales (but only 5 miles from the border), and none of us living on the border, had realised that the situation was still different.
The 3 senior adults have had both jabs, the other adults just the 1st, but both did tests on Thursday + Friday, and negative.
The Little Doll grandniece, is just that - but is a pure delight and so very clever. I was so pleased that by the end of the day, she knew me, my name and would point at me. She let me pick her up so to hug and cuddle. She blew me kisses when I left.
I had a gorgeous and tasty Sunday Lunch - Fish Finger sarnies with salad cream!
A more northern delight 😂
The English and Welsh rules are still different. All of us, as 5 adults and children under 11, could legally have gone inside a pub or restaurant. Other persons would have been seated nearby (socially distanced) but using the same toilets etc.
DeleteThis was why we decided that in a large house, with still some social distancing still happening, it was probsbly safer.
It is getting so confusing, as what is safe or not.
I made my choice, be it rightly or wrongly.
DeleteThis day was so very much needed and very welcolmed. ✔✔
Well done Miriam, you've finally had your much longed for day out spending time with family. Very pleased for you.
DeleteThat sounds a really lovely day Miriam. May there be many more to come. Being a southerner I have never had fish finger sarnies or butties of any kind. I think I’ve missed out.
ReplyDeleteA fish finger sandwich is a thing of beauty Soz! (Try it with a brioche bun instead of bread and you are in for a treat and a half.)
DeleteWhat is a sarnie?
ReplyDeleteA sarnie is a sandwich Sarnia
DeleteIt is just fish-fingers grilled, then put hot, between two well buttered slices of bread, with either tom sauce or salad cream. Just a sandwich, which is just called sarni.
ReplyDeleteNot a lot different from a Bacon Buttie ie a bacon sandwich
Oh Dear - I am just realising that I am talking about food again...😣❌❌👎
What is wrong with that Miriam 🤗 So pleased to hear you had such a happy and memorable day!
DeleteI have another new great-great nephew. They're calling him Freddie. I will eventually get to meet this one, but as I was the youngest of five by twelve years, I have no idea how many others there are in other parts of the family.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Sarnia. A little bit of joy for you, hope you meet him soon.
DeleteSarnie, recently read your earlier post. Much sympathy, must have been unbearable, but you have somehow survived and are making a new life now.
ReplyDeleteApologies for misspelling your name. That's because of all the talk about sandwiches!
DeleteHow funny. I must admit I wouldn't care to enter my new life cast as a pair of grilled fish fingers in very buttery bread - sorry, Gary and Miriam, but to me it sounds disgusting!
ReplyDeleteIt was actually 3 hot fish fingers per sandwich, which were then dripping in melted butter. Who cared about cholesterol levels, as my statin would have helped...🤣🤣
DeleteOh, Miriam, thrice yuk!
DeleteI have just had a message on my family WattsApp group.
ReplyDeleteOur wonderful meet ups over the weekend, have ended on a very sour note.
On arriving home, my niece was met with the news that, her cat had been hit by a car + killed on Saturday night. This was outside thier home, which is in a quiet village with not a lot of traffic.
What a sad return home.
Always dreadful when an animal dies, but especially a cat run over.
DeleteSo sorry for your family's loss Miriam
I just have to add an extra.
ReplyDeleteI wish you could show, what I am now seeing - 10 ducks all in a row, sitting on the ridge tiles of a nearby house. It just looks so very wierd..
How is life going, with those living in Italy, France and in many other parts of the world, such as USA and further afield?
ReplyDeleteI, for one,would be interested to know how you are doing.
Katy on her way to work a while ago had a cat run over the road suddenly. Sadly she couldn’t avoid hitting it and it was dead. She was very shaken as she is a great animal lover. Someone she knew was in the car behind and together they took it to the vet to see whether it was chipped so that the owner could be informed. It wasn’t so maybe they never knew what had happened to it. I think it is important to chip both dogs and cats. I always think at least you usually know where your dog is but cats are such free spirits!
ReplyDeleteA local woman had two young kittens adopted from the same litter.
DeleteOne of them was very ambitious and roamed, but she lives on a very quiet lane overlooking a farm so empty fields and sheep and sometimes a couple of deer. But also not too far from the road where many driver feel the need to exceed our local speed limits.
The cat went a w o l, and she tried desperately to find out if it had been run over, posting on many local web sites asking for information. Her cats were chipped but she never did find out if the number of deaths reported to her was her cat.
Well done Katy for taking the animal to the vets, but many people do not bother, but just put the body in the bin.
Delighted to hear that 8 men, from around the country have been arrested for sending fake texts & emails trying to get people to pay for Royal Mail deliveries.
ReplyDeleteI have had several of these demands for
payment for imaginary parcels from Royal Mail and other couriers so I’m very glad the police have found some of the criminals. Hope they get jail sentences.
Anybody else watch “innocent” on itv last week. We have just watched all 4 episodes this evening. It was very good. Mr PtbY can’t normally do more than 2 episodes a night but was keen to watch all of them tonight so it must have been good.
ReplyDeleteYes P tbY I binge watched both that and The Pact.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed both.
Any more recommendations anybody?
If you want a bit of a laugh I can recommend "The Other one"-BBC 1
ReplyDeleteThat was last week's binge watching.
The acting is superb.
I’ve watched that. I found it hilarious. That fat sister…omg….I love her.
DeleteIn fact now you’ve mentioned it I’m going to watch it again.
....and her mother played by Siobhan Finneran ,PtbY, brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the recommendations. I will listen to them. I have just watched Line of Duty the final part last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed it even though several time I had to 'avert my eyes!'
ReplyDeleteNow I'm stuck so will watch them the recommendations.
My youngest son will be married in June without his sister who now has limits on travelling from Australia, The cheapest flight is around five times the normal flight! One quoted as £10,249! Plus there is a fee of £3000 when she returns home so unless 'she wins the lottery etc' she won't arrive. Now German son is frantically trying to get documents. Last Friday travelling to Dusseldorf to get visa for wife and now German government has decided on new rules for English people so unless he gets a government clearance during June 21 he will not be able come!
So I have tried to get my family safe and quiet, but I still won't have the wedding I had hoped for with my family all around because some people won't follow the rules!
Still haven't got clothes etc to wear to the wedding though!
Gardening - still not got up to date because of rain. May try this morning if rain doesn't interrupt.
One more tablets taken on Monday (so now 5 per week instead of four) so on maximum dose now, so in five weeks time I can reduce tablets one by one so as to get the level of dosage (or so the consultant tells me!) I now have 12 regular tabs a day with extra tabs three days a week! Jon has to check my tablets because one day last week I couldn't get the ironing board down even though I've had it 56 years! Sometimes I remember things and sometimes I don't!
Oh well Jon's gone to work today at Faversham so I'll have to make my own coffee!
Lovely to hear from you again Spicy, though so sorry about the wedding plans being so disrupted by wretched travel restrictions. I suppose that is happening to a lot of families trying to arrange events this year. Such a shame &so disappointing.
DeleteAnd as for gardening and the rain! We have a greenhouse bursting with trays of plants raised from seed needing planting out, 15 dahlias in big pots, the plants we bought at Hardy’s all needing to go in the garden and it won’t stop raining long enough to get on with it! Frustration! Hope we can all enjoy our gardens next week though when the forecast is a bit better.
yes, hopefully the weather will be gardening weather!
DeleteI'm sorry to hear that you won't have the family get together that you were hoping for Spicycushion.
DeleteMy garden is well behind this year. We're off to RHS Bridgewater on Thursday 🤞for the weather.
I got my garden done yesterday aft. It was the first lovely day for gardening. Nice to have some dark, damp soil. Lawn looked lovely after cutting. All the rain has greened everything up.
ReplyDeleteNow if only I could get rid of the ruddy rabbit that is eating lots of my plants I’d be happy.
Hopefully soon it won’t be my problem any more.
You could try what we have to do PtbY - buy a roll of garden wire mesh ( like chicken wire but preferably green, it doesn’t show up so much) and make individual circular cages for each of your most precious plants to keep the little b.g..r away from the plants. We must have 20 or 30 of these enclosures, different heights and diameters and as soon as shoots start to show, on they go.
DeleteNot the prettiest things to have around the garden but when you have rabbits that will even chew thorn encrusted rose bushes it’s the only way!
😠 🐰. 😠
Will bear this in mind for any future probs. As I say, hopefully this will be someone else’s problem very soon.
DeleteGood to hear from you Spiceycushion, keep on with all your current activities and pace yourself too.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that you won't have the family reunion that you hoped for the wedding.
Just responding and catching up.
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard with things as they still are, so that any celebration such as a wedding like Spicy, some family members + friends, still cannot attend. It is so sad, but inevitable still.
I still have both the series of, the last Unforgotten plus Innocent, to binge watch. When, no idea.
I am recording the latest programmes of Long Lost:Born Without a Trace. This concentrates on those abandoned as new-born babes, so are foundlings. In the last series, a male + female were included, one found in Belfast + one in Dublin, 2 years apart. There were many similarities. It was found that they were a full blood brother + sister and were united. Why this happened was also discovered. It was fascinating.
Garden. Minr is still wet, but thanks to a windy + sunny afternoon, it is now drying out.
The hedges were cut today (not by me) so look great. If it stays sunny and warm, I will be working hard in it, over the next few days + weekend.
So much to do.
I am off to start creating my evening meal - a gammon + apricot quiche.
Thank you everyone. Daughter had bought a dress some months ago! Never mind we'll have a party when they next come over and she can wear the dress then!
ReplyDeleteI have now got 18 runner beans in! Still got 10 or so plants left in the box but have run out of sticks. I managed to get a couple of the 'rose thingys' which makes a wigwam so I'll plant those tomorrow. However the weather not so good.
Lost various lists of what planted in where so I have now several plants which I am not sure of! Never mind it will be a surprise!
My runner bean plants are going in tomorrow. Like you, think I will have to dash out to get some new canes.
DeleteAs you all know, I had a lovely meet up with family on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteMany photos and messages appeared on our family site.
Then messages came in from OZ (a niece, sister + daughter).
It was obvious that she was down and almost envious. It is nearly 2 years since she has seen any of us, who live in the UK. Although she has dual nationality and a great OZ life, she is really missing her UK family.
It must be really hard for all who have family living abroad, and not being able to visit them. The unknown is, when might this happen again?
A question without an answer.
So far, since my daughter emigrated to NZ in 2011, she has returned every two years. Her last visit was for her father's funeral in 2019, so she would be due to come this year, but international travel from NZ is banned, given the Covid situation, she wouldn't want to come anyway and I wouldn't want her to take the risk. Flights from India to NZ have long been barred because of transmission, so she is aghast at the thought of people spending hours crammed in a UK arrivals area with passengers from Delhi. With a relatively low number of infections and deaths per head of population due to swift and decisive action, normal life was resumed in NZ a long time ago, so they are horrified at the state of the rest of the world and shocked by the tardy responses in the UK.
ReplyDeleteAt last it has occurred to someone here in the corridors of power that a separate terminal for flights arriving from red light countries might be a good idea, but it's too late for the people who have already been exposed and my question would be, 'Why are they arriving at all?'
Didn't mean it to turn into a rant, but if I can accept not seeing my daughter, granddaughter and her two little boys for years on end to keep us all safe, I don't see why other people can't. It's common sense.
Sorry. I'm done.
My daughter is enjoying the photos of the garden, which is now unrecognisable from when she last saw it, and is envious to a certain extent as they are just going into winter. She's a lot more talkative on the phone than ever she was when she was here, so we chat for about an hour every week. Yesterday, Nigel-the-neighbour came and we worked on tidying up the new cottage garden around the summer house, which was used as a through-route to the courtyard during the landscaping, and has taken a bit of a battering. He tidied up one of David's old shrubs next to the path, and eventually agreed with me that it needed removing altogether to allow in the late afternoon sunlight. He planted the new space with whatever I could find, which was mostly salvias, so first time round it will have to be a salvia plantation. Some zinnia seeds arrived with my GW magazine, so I'll sprinkle some of those around and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteAs reported by others, the grass has grown 'long and lovely and lush' and much of it is beyond mowing - if I could find where C tidied away the mower! After a thoughtful survey of the situation, I've decided that in several areas I will sow a wildflower mix in between and then it won't have to be mowed at all.
I agree with your sentiments Sarnia, why have we not closed our borders ?
ReplyDeleteMy daughters father lives in Australia.
He has been on daily dialysis for a number of years now and will be eighty next year.
He is often close to his end and I am aware, because I asked a few years ago, that both my son in laws have the fare to Australia put aside for their wives, should an emergency arise.
In the recent and current situation my daughters would not be able to fly to Australia should there be that emergency, and so would not be able to say goodbye to their dad.
In the past, in the distant past for some, once a family member left a country to live elsewhere in the world, there would be no expectation of ever returning or of ever seeing any family member again.
Thank you, Mrs P. My own family situation is exactly that. After the war, aunts and uncles on both sides of the family dispersed to Australia, Canada and the US, so I never knew them or their descendants. My daughter has had a rough ride since 2011, but she was a strong, independent woman to start with, and has come through it all older and wiser.
ReplyDeleteShe was always restless and discontented, NZ has turned out to be the right choice for her and I'm glad that she seems happy at last. Her little family are all busy with their lives, the great-grand sons are thriving and I'm not need there, which is exactly as it should be.
I’ve just been into the garden to see if the grass is dry enough to mow yet , it’s not been done at all this year
ReplyDeleteI was amazed to find we have an almost totally blue lawn! It looks just like a field of flax in flower. It’s quite pretty but just goes to show it is completely infested with blue speedwell and there is very little actual grass!.
Can’t really put weed killer on it or we’d have no green at all, so we’ll just have to learn to live with it.
Yes, mine's full of speedwell too, but I don't mind.
ReplyDeleteWhere you deliberately choosing to adhere to 'No Mow May ' Archerphile ?
DeleteWhereby if you do not mow during the month of May, you are contributing to the rise ( again) of wild flowers. If you have acres of lawn the advice is to mow paths in your lawn but leave much of it unmown.
Here in the home of wild flowers, I and others I have exchanged comments with have noticed a vast difference in the rate of the wild flowers this year.
Having passed through the periods of snowdrops, daffodils and primroses, we then had violets everywhere to an extent that I have never before seen along with wood anemonies followed by bluebells then cowslips. The cowslips seem to have been much earlier this year and because they were well into flower before Marking Day, when the cattle come onto the commons, they seem to have lasted much longer. And of course acres and acres of glorious buttercups.
And yes the speedwell is everywhere to, along with the orchids coming through though I haven't yet seen a pasqueflower myself yet this year.
I've just caught up with your comments on the blog and saw that Miriam was asking how we are doing in Italy. We are nearly all in the yellow zone so can meet up with friends and family. Shops and restaurants are now open and the cases of covid are going down slowly. We are even allowed to stay out until 11p.m. Hopefully this will continue. I'm still in my temporary accommodation (the 2nd one) and now we hope to move next month 18 months after we sold our house. I have had my first vaccination and had no reaction at all. Hilary and I usually talk once a week and she is busy looking after her 2 grandsons.
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you again and things are going forwards, in such a positive way. I love that you and Hilary have a chat.
DeleteThank-you for letting us know.
It is difficult to follow what others are going through, so keep in touch.
I would love to read an occaisional up-date, on all things, esp. the home situation + move.
😁
I second that Gianna great to hear your news and that you are in touch with Hilary 🤗
DeleteI started watching Springwatch last night. I always enjoy this programme more than the other "watch" ones. This is because - new life, new growth etc. are shown
ReplyDeleteThis year is more interesting for me personally, as it coming from Snettleshome known on the programme as Wild Ken Hill. This is only a few miles from where a sister lives, in Norfolk.
I am not sure why this is called a Hill. Norfolk is as flat as a pancake...
correction:-
DeleteSnettisham in Norfolk.
I was just about to reply to Miriam's query and found your reply too, Janet!
ReplyDeleteMy son and daughter-in-law arrived at lunch-time today - their first visit since October! They live in Switzerland.
My grandson's first year primary class has to stay at home for ten days and have remote learning as one child in the class has covid but half of Italians have now had at least one jab and the situation is greatly improved.
Enjoying as I do my daily TV visit to Chester zoo and the illuminating comments from the keepers on how family structures differ between the various species, I've been struck by the parallels revealed on this blog. Some, like the elephants and primates live in extended family groups and share the childcare, while others raise single or small groups of offspring and expect them to go off and rear families of their own on reaching adulthood. I find it all quite fascinating.
ReplyDeleteGreat comparison. This is a wonderful insight as to how, human behaviour and animal behaviour, are so similar.
DeleteI am missing my Chester Zoo visits. I am being patient as to when I renew my membership, so to get the most from it. It all depends on what happens next.
A senior citizen can have a yearly membership, which gives un-limited access, in normal times, for under £100. This is great for me, as I only live 4 miles away, so can just get up + go, when I want to.
DeleteI loved Sarnia's post.
ReplyDeleteAfter a thought, I have decided that I am definitely a herd person. I love my extended family and all that this entails. I will be helping out Big Sis and the kids (who are sleeping over for 2 nights in half-term week), with a fun day out 🤞.
I am the equivalent of the Aunty Elephant or Monkey, who is there when needed, to take over - as needed.
I am most definitely in the latter category of Sarnias family structures.
ReplyDeleteI was when young, and my life and the choices made by me in the circumstances that arose conspired to ensure that that was how it came to be.
But in retrospect I rather wish I had been an elephant or a primate.
But that's life..... it is what it is !
GG.
ReplyDeleteHow is your ankle/foot going along?
I hope it is now well "on the mend".
Apologies.
ReplyDeleteI have just realised that I have slipped back into my old habits. These set up many well criticised posts, as I posted far too many uninteresting posts, and so took up a lot of "blog" space.
I need to sit back, yet again so to try and keep my posts, short + pertinant.
I will eventually manage this.
Mrs P. In the past I've often envied people who live within in the first social structure and felt I was missing out, but it does have its drawbacks in a human setting. Elephants and primates in the wild have to work together to guard against predators so as to make sure their young survive.
ReplyDeleteObviously, this is not a human concern, and my closer observation of several tight-knit families has revealed that instead quite a few of them conspire to make sure their young couldn't break free of the set-up if they wanted to. I've noted quite a few fault-lines - parental over-protection and discouragement or rivalry and unpleasantness between siblings or cousins, which has undermined and limited less robust individuals to such an extent that they have never fulfilled their true potential, ie the 'tall poppy' syndrome. (We are content within our comfort zone and see no reason why you shouldn't be).
I escaped the net at 19 and have been all the better for it. It's the independent spirit!
Hmm.
DeleteI'll need to ponder that Sarnia.
But I can immediately see two points that don't need consideration.
I left at sixteen having plotted my course ( assiduously I can now see though wasn't at all sure of what I was doing and why at the time) since the age of thirteen. Yes, an independent spirit.
Another of your points was made clear to me by my psychiatrist during my treatment when in the Cassell.
As for rivalry, it was a hotbed of rivalry in my family.
The young have to be nurtured but also given wings to fly. The problem is that some try to fly when they are too young. My younger stepdaughter left school at 17 and was on the YTS at a florist earning £25 a week. She wanted to go to live with her older sister in a flat. We thought that fresh out of boarding school she would have been better living with us, her mother or her grandmother for a while. I was told there was nothing we could do to stop her even though she was under 18. There followed a bad period for her and an early marriage, much unhappiness and repercussions. Thankfully in the end it all turned out well for her but it took some years.
DeleteI also wanted to escape from the age of 13 but stayed at school until 18, then joined the Civil Service and finally left home at 20 to join the WRNS. Then I did fly! I was old enough and also had the support of those around me.
Oh, at the time the state made it possible for her to leave home by giving her an additional amount to cover her rent! No longer possible I gather for younger people.
DeleteA colleague had a poster on her classroom wall:
Delete'Teenagers, are your parents an embarassment? Are they ignorant?
Go on then, move out, go and get a job, make a living - while you're still young enough to know everything.'
Personally, I think everyone should go out to work at 13 then return to school ten years later when they're ready to appreciate their education ; )
OWIAS
DeleteMy grandchildren have an extended message as you described given to them by their other grandparents. It in the kitchen as a daily reminder.
As for your belief that all should leave school at 13 and return when they are ready to learn ?
My belief too, and I've been banging on about it for sixty years.
Do you think we will ever get to that position ?
It has always seemed to me to be utterly crazy to punish boys for car theft and riding around in stolen cars.
Certainly they need to be punished for being so reckless, but could it not be constructive punishment in community garages where they are able to work on cars, engines and body work, starting with the damage they have probably done to the one they have stolen.
The passion for the motor should be channeled to lead them to become engineers.
Indeed. I began planning my getaway at much the same age, and even that was thwarted by Authority to a certain extent. Despite it not actually being what I wanted, I just took what was on offer and ran!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't heard from Autumnleaves for a while. I hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteOh I do hope so Gianna we love to hear from all our “abroad” bloggers. I often wonder how Ruthy is.....
DeleteOh, Ev, the difficulty is, who decides what is too young? Unfortunately, when it comes down to it, I've discovered the hard way that our own experience doesn't necessarily count for anything with a different generation with another life which is completely different from our own. At 19 my daughter informed me very firmly that she was not going to make the same mistakes that I made, to which I replied that I was sure she would be perfectly capable of making new ones of her own.
ReplyDeleteAnd boy, did she do just that, and they were a great deal bigger with more dramatic and long drawn-out consequences than ever mine were!
Quite agree, Sarnia and you can’t live their lives for them. I am much happier with daughter and stepdaughters in their 40’s and 50’s comfortable in their own skin and all happy and doing fine! Those teen years are so precarious as they think they know it all but are barely out of childhood!
ReplyDeleteI live solo, and have done so, for many years as you all know. I am my own independant person, but a true family member also.
ReplyDeleteI adore joining in and helping family members out. These things are like:- sleeping over whilst looking after two children for a weekend, so their parents get a break-away together, Also I often help Sis with her grandkids, to just help and give her a break.
I have decided, that I have a foot in both situations.
Sarnia has certainly given a wonderful topic for thoughts + ideas.
My front garden is pristine tonight! I worked hard today, mowing grass on a much lower setting, all edges sorted and weeding done. I feel quite smug until I look out the back!
Still the weather is looking good, so the back will get the same intensive attention very soon.
I loved working outside in a short-sleeved T-shirt, for the 1st time. Long may it continue.
Plus my Vit D levels must have gone up.
To add. I had a lovely surprise today when a book appeared through my door. This was talked about at the week-end and to cut a story short, a family member found a copy on e-bay, ordered it and I received today. I have no idea who has done this - well yet. It was a lovely surprise.
DeleteOh I have forgotten to say -it's called - The Tent, The Bucket and Me.
Long story why it is so meaningful to my family.
This is definitely a "herd" gesture.
Miriam, it is a brilliant book, had me laughing out loud, enjoy!
DeleteI was approached my a neighbour, who works at a RSPCA centre, near to where my niece lives. She knows I have a nervy cat, and so that I have experience of this. She asked if I would consider being a foster carer for a cat in thier care. She is a 4/5 month stray who needs socialising. This is done by living in a cat room for 4 weeks, with lots of interaction, play time etc in that time, before introducing to an actual home.
ReplyDeleteI was flattered and I know I could easily do it. BUT my own puss would probably not accept her, so sadly said No. After all, I cannot cause any potential upset to my own cat.
It would be so unfair.
It was lovely to be asked though.
How flattering to be asked Miriam, particularly for your experience with a nervous cat.
DeleteBut I think you have made the right decision, it's not fair on an elderly animal who has always been the sole animal in the home, to have to adjust to a new companion at a late stage in life.
However, may I suggest you think about the possibility of letting that person know that you might be willing to foster, if and when your cat dies.
I'm sure you do not look forward to that time, but if and when it comes, it might help you to adjust to your loss by fostering another cat.
If you decided to be registered now, for the future, you might be better equipped for that dreadful day when it comes.
Hope you don't mind me suggesting.
Mrs P I have also thought about this as a possibility, which is such a sensible interim measure.
DeleteHopefully, this will not be a decision to have to be made, too soon.
It's interesting reading about people's different experiences in their teens. Mine were pretty conventional, then went off to university at 18 and didn't live at home once I'd graduated. I feel for the graduates who have to move back in with their parents for financial reasons, I would have found that very difficult.
ReplyDeleteOur three all had gap years which they earned the money to pay for themselves. They all grew up a lot during that year and Mr. CC and I aged a lot!
On another topic, we had a lovely day at RHS bridgewater today, helped by blue skies and warm sunshine. It's a work in progress on a fantastic site and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops. We did have one complaint. On the wall in the cafe is a notice which says "we don't use any single use plastics in our cafe", only to find Mr. CCs teabag was made of plastic! We did point out that the notice wasn't quite correct.
RHS Bridgewater is a planned visit of mine, for September. I am surprised to learn that it is still, a work in progress. I assumed wrongly, that as the opening had been delayed by a year, it would have been more finished + established.
DeleteI look forward to going regardless. It will be interesting seeing how it all pregresses, on further visits.
It sounds like a great day out.
I never buy tea in this type of cafe, for that very reason! I am using loose tea again. My Earl Grey loose tea, is just to my taste.
The leaves are then compostable, or re-cycled.
When I said "a work in progress" I was referring to the areas yet to be developed. The areas that are completed look fantastic .
Delete😁😁
DeleteOn eating my breakfast this morning, whilst I was watching the BBC news, I had an interesting experience. I kept hearing a "chirp". I realised it was my smoke alarm, telling that 10 years had expired and so was closing down.
ReplyDeleteI obviously needed to replace it ASAP, so popped to a nearby hardware shop to purchase one. This buy is a temporary measure only as the battery power is for possibily one year only.
After a lot of "tinternet" research, I found exactly what I wanted. This is an equivalent smoke alarm (another 10 year life one), which will fit exactly onto the base plate which is firmly fitted into a ceiling.
I will at least sleep happy tonight, knowing that there is still an active smoke alarm in my home, even if it is not in an ideal place.
I also researched the company, to ensure that they are legitimate before ordering. I also used a credit card - just as an extra protection.
I am still being super careful, after my recent problems.
The bonus of my buy was, free delievery via a courier.
DeleteGG. I have just seen the head-lines, in that Glasgow is still having problems. It is understandable why the rules have not changed, but this must be so frustrating for you both.
ReplyDeleteA nieghbour of mine attended a concert in the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in the last week. It was all done socially distanced, but I still not sure, I am brave enough to attend such an event. On the other hand, our lives do need to progress again.
Whilst collecting a precription from my normal pharmacy today, I picked up a free test pack. I hope that this will never have to be used, but I have one available, just in case. 💁♀️
Travelled by train into London for the first time since early January 2020 for a dental appointment.
ReplyDeleteI also travelled on the Underground and because I had allowed myself extra time I got out at Green Park and spent 20 minutes on a deck chair.
I was impressed that most people were abiding by the rules.
I hope your dental visit went well.
DeleteObviously dental day LJ. We have also been first time in over a year. Gold star for keeping up our cleaning procedures. Check up, hygienist type clean and in my case a repair to a front tooth. All contributions welcome 😱 🤣 Optician to sort next! A little strange getting back into the real world albeit cautiously. Your deckchair sit down sounds just the job LJ. Good to hear people following the guidelines 🤗
DeleteHow are you GG and Mr GG too of course.
I had my dental day three weeks ago, and I've now got a date for the optician towards the end of June.
ReplyDeleteI hope you were sitting in sunshine in Green Park LJ.
The sun was shining ,there were very few people in the park Mrs P and as you know the park is literally next to the station.
ReplyDeleteOne does not even have to cross a road.and the Ritz is nearby so a perfect spot !!!
Last time I was there the area near the station was littered with Eastern European’s camping out in makeshift tents. It was dreadful.
ReplyDeleteNothing pertinant to say, except that, I have had a totally overcast and cloudy day. It was warm but nothing more.
ReplyDeleteHopefully others have fared better. .
Why is everyone so quiet today?
ReplyDeleteI was convinced there was something wrong with my phone when no one else had posted.
Beautiful day with us. Had a sit out in summer house this aft and listened to a radio 4 play whilst watching birds coming to bird table.
Lovely.
It's been quiet for a couple of days.
DeleteTo me this is great - as it means all are enjoying outings, visits etc. and lives are now going forward again.
PTBY - Sat outside all afternoon. Lovely weather and did a bit of gardening but had a book with me.
DeleteForgot about a good play on radio 4 but now can't remember what it's called. I'll have to look it up!
Back to the doves waking me at 7.00. I thought it could have been a bit later come the weekend!
Tomorrow I'll get (from Argus) a new cover for the swing seat which was ruined during the gales two weeks ago, a parasol stand because I stood on it and now doesn't hold a water and a new pair of shears to cut around the weeds growing around the strawberry plants and the growbags growing the shallots!
So I'll be busy tomorrow too!
My Norfolk sister
ReplyDelete(Hunstanton/Sandringham area) is not happy today. She was spoilt in the various lockdowns as had all the beaches with her lab. dog, to herself.
It is a Bank Holiday weekend, but she feels imprisoned. There are so many vehicles with families travelling, to 2nd homes/ holiday properties, along with the many day-trippers, that the roads are so busy as are the beaches.
Sadly some of her family tried to visit today, but had to turn around, as it was impossible to to get there due to gridlocked roads.
That's Life.
...and normal once again. ✔
DeleteNot much to report. Finished off my digital photo album of RHS Bridgewater this morning to share with family and friends who have shown an interest. Rest of the day spent in the garden getting on with much needed jobs.
ReplyDeleteWe usually stay at home on Bank Holidays but have had an invitation from some friends to have lunch with them. They have 25 acres of woodland so crowds won't be a problem there.
I would love to see the rhs photos, but sadly it is not possible.
DeleteWell I reckon I paid for my trip to London yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI have felt really tired today.
It's called 'getting old ' Lan Jan.
DeleteI'm feeling it too.
I've had a wonderful day. My son has been with me since Wednesday evening and the rest of the family will follow tomorrow afternoon. We will have a barbecue in the evening, but for Monday have booked a table at an Italian restaurant in a small former market town half an hour's drive away.
ReplyDeleteToday he mowed the lawns to my direction, leaving swathes of long grass in all the right places to enhance the overall natural look of the garden and we were very pleased with the result. He also assembled my swing chair, which arrived during the monsoon and has been languishing in its wrappings in the little Greek cabin ever since. Magic! He also helped to tidy up one of the small, unconnected areas of the garden down beside the courtyard, which now has its decorative set of wooden steps based on tiles, with its display plant re-potted. The large pot of lonicera, penstemon and bidens rests on a pebble bed in the corner of the step down to the garden, and the rest of that small area, having obligingly sprouted a lush crescent of poppies, has now also been sown with cornflower, corncockle and general wildflower seeds. Several bits and pieces lying about the place since the landscaping have been found more suitable homes.
We ate 'Greek' today in the sunshine - hard-boiled eggs, artisan bread with strawberry jam and marble cake with coffee for breakfast, cheese pies followed by Greek yoghurt for lunch and sea bream cooked in olive oil and dill with Greek salad and potato chunks fried with oregano for dinner.
Tonight before bed I sat in my swing chair looking up at the stars. Perfect.
Sorry, sea BASS.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful Sarnia. I love bidens, I've got several troughs of them. It's so nice to be able to see family again.
DeleteWhat a fantastic day Sarnia. So lovely for you to see your son for a few days.
DeleteLovely, Sarnia.
DeleteSounds absolutely magical Sarnia. I remember the poppies and corncockle from the cornfields when I was young, and hope they return .
DeleteToday I shall mostly be shucking broad beans, sitting on the terrace in the sun. 😊😎
ReplyDeleteMr P is hoovering prior to getting the steam mop out.
ReplyDeleteSuitable division of labour. 😉
Bet this will post! Just written two and no luck will give up for now grrr.
ReplyDeleteWonder if Archerphile is also having problems posting she usually does so every day at some point.
ReplyDeleteSarnia - so pleased for you, family, ☀️ and your beautiful garden to enjoy all together- well deserved.
Lanjan I shall think of you sitting on your bonding bench in the ☀️ this weekend with all your feline friends 🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛ bringing you comfort and joy in the still early days of your “new” way of life. How is your garden doing? We only have pots but they are very pretty and the watering can is certainly back in use after recent downpours!
Sarnia
ReplyDeleteSo pleased you had such a lovely day with your son for help and company as well as your lovely garden to show off to him.
Hope everybody is enjoying this sudden very hot sun, which I shall be hiding from.
Yes - Archerphile not present.
I hope it is posting problems and nothing more serious.
I'm not a fan of hot sun Mrs P.
DeleteMr R like you Mrs P has to keep out of the sun due to his Actinic Keratosis (of which he is currently having another hopefully small breakout) I enjoyed some of the sun yesterday but cannot take too much of it but for those who can I agree make the most of it 🤗
DeleteThank you, Mrs P and others who have posted.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading so many lovely and interesting posts, whilst sitting having a lovely glass of squash (orange + mango).
ReplyDeleteAt last, I have finally had a lovely sunny day, but it cannot be called "hot" as there is quite a strong + almost, cool wind.
I woke up to thick mist this morning, which when it dissipated by 9.00am. everything was very damp.
I am planning more gardening for tomorrow.
I am cross though. When I had my hedges cut last week, I mentioned to take care of my wonderful Pattis Plum poppy, (which is late flowering this year) and has large buds ready. I am sad, as despite my plea to take care, a bud was destroyed. I will find another service, for when the next time the hedges need cutting!!!
It still has 5 buds about to open...
This is a quick extra. To acess this site today, which I do through Google Chrome, I had to OK their cookies policy. I did this but it now concerns me, after the problems I have recently had, as to thinking my personal details have been hacked.
DeleteTime will tell.
I am worried that my IP address might have been accessed. 😣😥
DeleteIf you type your query into Google Miriam asking why this is done will be explained with options for you.
DeleteNot heard from GG now for about 8 or 9 days - hope he is just taking a break 🤔
Hello Everyone
ReplyDeleteNo problems, just been very, very busy in the garden and no time to login and read posts, or reply.
Yesterday Mr A finally got to mow the lawns which were very long and blue. That means I have to go all around the edges, along the walls & under trees with the strimmer which, very unhelpfully, packed up after 5 minutes with yards of line tangled up in impossible knots.
So this led to me having to do it all, bent double, with a pair of sheep sheers that I usually keep for trimming the box hedge and ornamental box spires next to the front door.
My hand was so sore last night from those blessed sheep sheers which are old and rusty.
Today it was planting out around 100 antirrhinums and nicotiana all raised from seed in the greenhouse, then constructing chicken wire defences for them, having found that the little pests had virtually eaten all my phlox to the ground! Mr A doing all the heavy work, watering whole garden, including new trees, filling the fish pond which had got quite low, repairing a wobbly fence post and transplanting Choysia and Lysimachia to a bare corner where we hope it will spread and fill a large gap.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, it will be doing the washing, planting out 15 dahlias currently in pots in the greenhouse, making more chicken wire cages for them and stringing up the tomatoes in the greenhouse
A gardeners work is never done, but because of the terrible weather we have had recently, it has all come at once and it’s been much harder to cope with half an acre than it used to be!
Sarnia, so pleased you had such a lovely day with your son. It sounded perfect!
Might, or might not, have time to chat tomorrow!
Gosh Archerfile, I thought I had a lot to do in the garden but it's nothing compared to what you have done. All the watring has caught me out after not having to do any in May.
ReplyDeleteHope you don’t move now AP have to stay to enjoy all your and Mr A’s hard work 😉
DeleteYou are right Lady R, that’s what Mr A thinks, though I keep pointing out that all this hard work and replanting are to make us more attractive to future buyers.
DeleteThe worst thing for me, since my knee & hip ops, is the bedding out because I can’t kneel any more
Whereas I used to have a kneeling pad and shuffle round the beds quite quickly, planting as I went, I now have to do it standing, but doubled over, and I can’t reach the centre of the beds without over balancing!
No a pretty sight, me sprawled across a flowerbed, trowel in hand, mud on face, new plants squashed, struggling to get up ! 😂
Oh dear Archerphile what an image! Please be careful we don’t want to read you have been carted off to Basingstoke 😱 (Do hope Mr A has sturdy footwear on this year 🥾)
DeleteGosh you and yours have been working hard Archerfile. The ornamental spires sound interesting! I have a lot of mature shrubs and perennials like the lovely smelling erysimums/wallflowers which are easier to care for than annual flowers. What keeps me busy are the veg. borders. I planted my favourite, runner beans, directly in the ground this year, instead of in what I call the tomato shed (a little shed with inside raised borders and big windows) and they are really slow in coming up. I may need to buy some plants if they don't appear soon.
ReplyDeleteI may not comment quite so much this next month as several things are going to be keeping me busy. My cousin who hasn't been down for 3 years ( her rescue greyhounds, now deceased, got so elderly that she didn't like to put them in kennels, and greyhounds and my cats didn't seem to be a good mix! and there has been lockdown) is coming on the 12th, and the amount of decluttering I have to do before she arrives is unbelievable ( Mrs P you have nothing on me!). Trouble is it is stuff I like, which makes it difficult to part with.
Shhhh the next bit is secret! but there are never secrets in small villages, hardly ever anyway. Interesting times here at present.
DeleteLast year at the holiday park where my daughter works they were getting puzzled because lots of men, rather than the usual families, were booking the chalets for this June. Sometimes four to a chalet. When the main manager explained that two of the beds were really meant for children she was cheerfully told they were used to roughing it, and they just needed somewhere really quiet to be where they wouldn't be noticed. Since then all the remaining chalets have been booked by the same group and the site totally cleared for their use. Even though we are in the north of Cornwall and the G7 summit is right down in the south they are apparently part of an elite security force. So that ring of steel is spreading really wide. They have been very tight lipped about why they should be here in this part of Cornwall. Arriving next week so it will be very different at the site then. My daughter thinks it will be very interesting.
I do know that when Prince Charles visits Duchy land down here they have decoy transport. We were busily watching a helicopter land one time, no one got out of that, but then a car arrived and he was in that.
Archerphile please make sure Mr A is looking after his head in this weather plenty of high factor sun cream and the same for headwear - high factor protection. Mr R is having another breakout 😕 and not out in the sun in the way Mr R currently is.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lady R. Yes he is wearing a hat outdoors all the time now, specially today when he is out gliding. He has a rather smart Panama for the garden and cotton beanies for in the glider.
DeleteHe took good notice of the consultant dermatologist at Basingstoke Hosp, who told him that around 70 percent of her patients were men with actinic keratosis though not protecting their heads from childhood to old age. School caps, baseball caps and the like are no good at protecting ears, back of neck etc and lead to those problems in later life.
This morning we went to Firestone copse, a lovely wooded area where dogs and their humans can enjoy walking. It was so good to see families out enjoying themselves and along with Buddy and Dudley we did some people watching at the end of the walk when we spread a travel rug on the ground and enjoyed a latte from the coffee stall. He also keeps biscuits for the dogs and a couple with three dogs near us had them all racing for the biscuit man! Ours haven’t wised up yet! Gypsy was indignant that after her strenuous walk ( most of it enthroned in her pushchair!) there were no sausages which they usually have at the beach! She strutted around giving the Shih Tzu snorts of disgust at her ill treatment! We keep thinking she is at the end of life but she plods on!
ReplyDeleteLittle Tesco has just reopened after refurbishment and I think I may now venture up there as I am fully jabbed and it is handy for milk etc. Up to now we have filled the freezer with several four pints so now we can make more use of the space! Isn’t it lovely that we are slowly getting back to normal?!!😊
It is, as long as too much complancing doesn't happen.
DeleteI personally still think, that this awful situation is not over, just yet.
It is so very lovely though, that we all can now meet up with family + friends again, in a much more normal way.
I still am of the opinion that is it - 2 steps forward with 1 back.
We will survive this 😍
No, it’s not over but at least we now have more protection. I think Covid will go on in the same way as flu but in time will be less serious. We still need to be careful though and maintain social distance etc when out and and about. People were picnicking today and at the beginning even that was not allowed. Slowly we move forward.
DeleteI am very relaxed and happy going out shopping again. I no longer have the anxiety feelings, which I often have experienced. I still wear a mask, always clean the trolley or basket I use with whatever is available, and also use hand-gel before I drive away.
DeleteArcherphile- I have used a gardening seat for four or five years which I needed to hepl me weed.
ReplyDeleteIt is a Livivo Folding portable gardening seat and it is so useful.
I even sit on the stool and cut my grass with a long handled shears.
It is portable so can be used for kneeling, about three inches of the ground and can be handy as the handles can pull you up. Then it can be reversed, upturned, and the seat is about 18inches off the floor and can be used whilst sitting down. I hope I haven't described it well but google it.
I have a basic one which does include pockets but it's just right for me!
Found a link!
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/LIVIVO-Folding-Portable-Gardening-Adjusted/dp/B07262F678/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_1285150262?_encoding=UTF8&hvadid=309920133577&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045025&hvnetw=g&hvpone=&hvpos=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvrand=13841112352724175491&hvtargid=pla-563009869611&ie=UTF8&linkCode=df0&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21
Spicy, that is so kind of you, recommending this seat and going to the trouble of finding the link. I will most certainly follow this up, as something with handles that could help me get up would be ideal.
DeleteLast week I went headlong in the greenhouse and had to lie there for quite a while, until Mr A came up from the end of the garden and found me. It took ages for us to work out how I could get up in such a narrow space without demolishing the tomatoes!.
So something with handles would help me in there as well.
I really appreciate your help so thank you . ☺️
Archerphile and Spicy I have had a stool/kneeler for a few years and it has given me the confidence to kneel down again. I have 2 new hips and the muscles were torn during one of the ops and it has reduced my mobility a lot. However, armed with the folding kneeler and a memory foam kneel rest I can weed and plant in comfort. Also I place forks and spades strategically to give me support when I feel stuck.
DeleteThat fall in the greenhouse must have shaken you Archerphile. Did you trip or just over balance? I’m scared of doing the same and find it very frustrating having to move about so slowly. But, without those new hips I’d be in a wheel chair so thank goodness for replacement surgery!!
Thank you too Soz, for your recommendation. I shall most certainly get a kneeler now and have already found Spicy’s one on Amazon.
DeleteThe fall in the greenhouse was, I think, a trip over an uneven paving stone in the central path. Mr A has fixed it now. But I do get very unbalanced and, like you, have to have something to hold onto, even going up
or down one step.
When walking in town people must think ‘look at that woman, bet she’s been drinking’ because my gait is uneven and wobbly. This may be due to having a new hip and knee on on opposite legs! In fact I have decided to use start using one of my old walking sticks again, that I needed before the operations.
Oh, the joys of getting old!