Exausted

both of us. DB finally arrived home at 1.30AM!!! I wish now I had gone in to get him or got Colin to go and pick him up. He had to wait 9 hours for transport!! The patient transport finishes at 6pm, after that its ambulances that pick up the flack........

He was extremely tired, sweating and felt sick, eventually he went to sleep around 2.15 I was awake until after 4am, so about 4 hours for me. He is asleep again now. I have just had a shower, dressed and put a load of laundry on. I will be having an easy day, nothing spoiling.

Its bright sunlight, but there is quite a breeze, hopefully will dry the laundry. I still have the duvet cover to iron, will do that a bit later. DB wants the quilt off the bed and just a sheet on, so will do that later. I am hoping to get him up at some point.

So the cap and apron are back on......eggs on for egg mayo sandwiches for lunch, it will be fish tonight. I have to slice the loaf I made yesterday.

Update.

My goodness its hot here, DB got up after lunch and had a shower, he has walked into the back garden and back and I have set his computer up to the new router, so he is on that. He will have his supper and then go back to bed.

I will be going too, I am shattered........ It gets harder as I get older to deal with what life with DB throws at me!!

No news is good news

I suppose. I rang the hospital late yesterday evening, spoke to DB, as usual no idea whats going on, said I would ring today after 10am.

I am seriously hacked off with the new layout for my blog, tried to input todays post and could not find out how to do it. I do wish they would leave things alone.

If there is anyone out there using the new layout please tell me how to do it!!! When I tried it kept going back to the published page and was not responding to the new post request....aarrgghhhh.......

I slept well, was very tired, as my cleaner pointed out to me when she called........ I cooked the sausage we were going to have for supper last night, have put the veg in a bag in the fridge. I did a jacket spud with two of the sausages for my supper, will have to other two in a sandwich for my lunch.

Will post later once I have spoken to the hospital again.

Update 11.03.

Spoke to DB, he was sitting out of bed when he passed out again, his BP was very low, they are not sure if the pacemaker is working properly, so it needs to be checked. He is back on a monitor. I have to ring back after lunch.

4.55. Phone call from DB it was the medication they had given him, he is allergic to it......he has to go onto lansoprasol for 2 weeks. He will be coming home later this evening.

Update

DB is on his way back into hospital, developed chest pain this afternoon......

Another day

DB had a restful day yesterday, he wanted a shower and got dressed but was soon back in bed. This last episode has been a big strain on us both. He slept for a lot of yesterday. Still very tired, it will take time for his body to recover. I bounced back fairly well after I had my pacemaker, but DB is 10 years older than me and his problems have been going on for a lot longer. I have told him he needs to learn to listen to his body and not push himself so much.

He is eating ok, he enjoyed his supper last night, he said it was tasty, one thing he finds about hospital food is it tends to be very bland.

He has had his breakfast and is currently sleeping, I will take a drink through later.

Apart from waitress service I did very little yesterday, I sat on the bed reading when he was awake and did little jobs in between, he did wake in the night with cramp, I need to make sure he takes some salt. I woke at 8am, although I did not put the light out until after 1 o'clock. Breakfast in bed was served.

Sausage and mash requested for tonight, I have chicken out to make chicken and bacon pasta tomorrow, will cook it shortly and put it in the fridge, let the flavour develop over night.

Home

DB arrived home about 5pm last night, He asked for tea and toast and went to bed, he was awake and reading when I went to bed, but settled down and slept until 8.15am.

He has had his breakfast, and is now sleeping again. I will get him up and showered later for his lunch and he can go back to bed until later.

I am pleased he is home, now nursing duties will prevail, he needs to regain the confidence he lost whilst in hospital, I will give him a few days to recover, he can take it at his own pace.

A bright morning, blue clouds and the wind we had yesterday has dropped. We did have several quite heavy showers during the day.

I made a shepherds pie yesterday we will have that later with some veg.

Rain

Thank goodness I washed the bed linen on Saturday, its raining steadily this morning, just have to iron it sometime this week.

I had another long phone chat with DB's doctor yesterday, as usual when he is in hospital he is having vacant moments.....they are trying to get to the bottom of them, they are not prepared for him to come home until they have exhausted every avenue. I think they are in for a struggle. I will phone later when the consultant has done his rounds. I can see him being transferred to another ward.

Yesterday was another day of phone calls, the chap who was in the bed opposite DB phoned to speak to him, he was surprised that he was not home.

I cooked myself a roast supper yesterday, not used to cooking for one. I have some mince defrosting, will make myself a shepherds pie for tonight.

I had another bad night, it was well after 3am before I fell asleep, I had to wake at 7am to take my osteo medication. Am on the last lap with my other pills, finish them tonight.

Quote in for the changes to the herbaceous border, will discuss it with DB see what he thinks. It might be better done in the autumn but I want to cut down on what he does in the garden, weeding that border is a nightmare. It looks lovely but does take some weeding. I plan to leave the large shrubs in at the back and also the clematis and roses on the arch etc, the weedproof membrane can be split round them and pinned down. Some of the plants will be potted up, I want to save the hostas. I can see some big pots on the horizon. The lilies need repotting the present pot is too small.

Stuck for something to watch last night I started watching the last series of Downton on ITV.

I have been watching Andre Rieu's concerts on facebook, I love them, just the sort of thing I like, good music but not too serious. Toying with the idea of getting one of his DVD's DB would love it. We have a DVD player in the TV.

Cleaner due this morning, the place is quite tidy for a change, I am going to have to move stuff in the sewing room when the chap comes to fit the blinds. Not looking forward to that, but needs must. Grocery delivery due at lunchtime. I ordered thinking that DB was going to be home, so some stuff will go in the back bedroom cupboard.

Sunny

The sun woke me quite early, I slept in my sewing room last night, it had a good mattress on the day bed so I was very comfortable.

I think stress is catching up with me, I put out 2 tablets that I have to take in the morning, remember taking one, but no idea if I took the other one. No sign of it anywhere despite a search, so must have taken it without realising.

No plans apart from ringing to see how DB is this morning. I spoke to him last night and suggested he gets the consultants to look up his notes from LRI, that is where he had a period of the vacancies last year. I know they did a brain scan, no signs of TIA's, he should not have them anyway he is on blood thinners. They changed the medication from Warfarin two years ago when he had a clot in hos lung.

Supper tonight will be a pork chop and veggies, I have creme caramel to eat up, it will not keep after today.

Home today?

Yesterday was another busy day, quotes in for vertical blinds and a chap to look at the herbaceous bed........

I had not heard from the hospital at 4.30, so rang, he had just come back and was waiting for his supper. I have rung this morning and apparently he had a vacant turn again this morning. CCU had not seen it before so he is going to have to stay in until Monday. His pacemaker is working ok so we are on the same blasted roundabout as before.

Bed stripped and sheets etc in the washer, hope its a better day to dry.....yesterday it was very grey so dried the stuff in the dryer. I will be sleeping in the sewing room for the next two nights I had changed the bed ready for DB to come home.

I have elected to have a blind in my sewing room as well as the two front rooms, the sun is very fierce on the back of the house, makes the room very warm in the afternoon, so it will help to cut down the glare. I will have to tidy the room before the chap comes, will have to move the embroidery machine away from the window so its easier to get to.

I am very disappointed with our sweet peas, normally they grow to the top of the canes and have lovely big flowers, this year they are only half way up the canes and the flowers are pathetic.

I gave myself a shock yesterday, I love the lilies that smell, there were teo in the front garden, one open, the other not far behind. Cut them and brought them in. Found the lily vase and put them in water. Went to smell the open one......no smell!!!! oh my goodness had I got the dreaded covoid??? I had to find a mint to check my taste, that was fine. Later in the after noon I could smell something, realised it was the lilies.......obviously they did not like being cut and were sulking!! Phew!!

No idea whats for supper, will make my mind up later.

Friday

I will be glad to see the end of this week, it has been horrendous.....

I did get the old cooker put back in, much as I want a gas hob, A narrower cooker dual fuel will cost at least another £150.00 so no way, I just cannot afford to do that. Even a gas only cooker is more expensive. I could not believe the fitter wanted me to take down two wall cupboards in the kitchen.......there is little storage in there as it is.

I have to go out in the car for a run today, apparently the fact that the car is not being used regularly at the moment has caused something to stick, the garage has put something in the engine to try and stop it, I need to take the car and give it a good run to allow the stuff to work its way through.

I will do a circuit round the A52 which hopefully will be enough.

I have laundry in, its a rather dull grey morning, not sure if rain is forecast, will have to look. If its going to rain no point in putting the laundry out to get wet again.

Spoke to DB last night, he was sat out of bed all day yesterday, they need to change his cannula, they had two goes yesterday and could not get it in, they have the same trouble getting blood out of him, a Scotsman gives nothing away freely!!  He rang me and said he is to have the procedure this afternoon, depending on when he may get home today..........

Fish and wedges for supper I think.

Grrrr I am so cross

Phone call this afternoon from Plusnet, my broadband is not up to speed so we need a new router, they are sending me one through the post.

Chaps came to put in the cooker and have taken it back, although it would fit the space, the cupboards are two close to the hob, they wanted me to take the cupboards down off the wall. I pointed out it was not my property, so the bloke shrugged his shoulders, turned round and walked off. I phoned the dealers, its going to cost me £50 to cancel the flaming order........ I am steaming........bloody cheek. I have had to phone the pastor and say very sorry but I hope you have not given my cooker to someone else, I need it back. I will also have to pay for the electrician to come and wire it back in. Talk about adding insult to injury!!

Delivery day

Well that was the worst nights sleep I have had in years, woke at 1.10.........no sleep since then. Its doubtful I will get a Nana nap either.

Expecting the cooker during the day, and also a telephone engineer which could cost me £65 and cracker the budget for this month.

Yesterday I could not find the instruction book to the cooker, search high and low for it, this morning I remembered where it might be, and sure enough there it was, so I will have to drop it off at the manse.

I spoke to DB last night, he had one attack yesterday, but mild....they had found him a book to read, so he was happy. I will ring later this morning and see what sort of a night he had. He is off his blood thinners until he has had his pacemaker put in.

My cleaner came yesterday afternoon, dropped in some apples for me, so I have fruit to last until the delivery next week.

Car is in the garage, on the way home the coil  warning light started flashing, so I dropped it round, he will let me know when he has had a chance to sort it. Luckily we have a separate pot for car related things, I transfer money each month.

Spoke to the Dr on Tuesday, medication arrived yesterday, take the tablets twice a day, but have to avoid milk for two hours, apparently milk stops the medication being absorbed. So I had my breakfast cereal at 5am!!

No idea what I am going to have tonight. I will do a bacon sandwich at lunch time........will have to rake the freezer for supper. I think I may have a portion of chicken, I can do some rice with it. Usually when DB is in hospital I treat myself to a curry from Aldi...no chance this time unless I take myself in hand and drive into Melton. No use me putting it on the order from Sainsbury, its not due till Monday and DB may be home by then.

Update...... telephone engineer was here just after 8am, good job I was up, its been a very long morning. We need a new phone, he thinks the problem is the age of the phone, I must admit we have had it a long time, I think I bought it when we were in the cottage in Scotland. I might look at ditching the landline and just using the mobiles........I might have to get DB a new one, his is very small and he has a problem with dialing numbers......will have to have a discussion when he gets home. Not doing anything about it now.

Spoke to DB, they have him out of bed, he has seen the consultant again this morning still no news about his procedure.

Driver phoned re delivery, any time between 11.30 and 3.30, so no chance of a nap, must admit I am flagging a bit, might go to bed early tonight.

Its a new day

I phoned the hospital last night, DB was sleeping. I did manage to sleep only to be woken by the doorbell at 6am.......power outage, the bell always rings when the power comes back on!! Not happy. Made tea and went back to bed until 8am.

I had a visit last night from our new neighbour, she has been contacted by the council about the amount of work they have been doing and also the noise, which is one of the things that sent DB over the top. I did tell her that it would be nice if we did not have electric saws going on a Sunday, she agreed to that straight away. I did not tell her it was us that had complained, not asking for trouble, several things came out in the course of our discussion. Sometimes it is difficult to tell who is telling the truth. One things did concern me and I will be putting a stop to that asap. It will stop me building the emergency fund for at least a month, but I will not be happy until its done. Have no plants to tell DB, will find an excuse for what I am going to do.

So I will ring the hospital later to see how he is today, so there will be an update at some point during the day. At least I have not got to do the 58 mile round trip each day. Its very wearing, especially if you do not know what you are going to find when you get there.

Update....

DB rang me this morning, quite chipper, He did not realise I had been in yesterday and had spoken to the Drs. Received instructions to water the tomato's.......he is hoping to be out early next week.

The cooker has gone, I have a large space in the kitchen and one worktop has disappeared under all the baking tins I stored in the ovens!! New one arrives tomorrow, along with a technician to try and sort out the phone problem we have. Could cost me £65 if he cannot find anything!!! Really busting the budget this month.

Update

I am expecting news re DB at lunchtime, he was admitted to CDU yesterday. I wish they would get to the bottom of why this is happening, it is so wearing, on pins all the time, especially if I go out , am afraid to open the door in case he is on the floor again. As it happened my cleaner was here yesterday so she was a great help. I must say I was not impressed with the paramedic that came. I will be putting in a complaint about her. I know they are working under strain but good manners cost nothing.

Fine day, towels in the washer. New cooker coming on Thursday, so a busy week especially if they decide to send DB home.

Update:

I was asked by the hospital if I would go in and see the Drs, was not happy, but I decided to go, they insisted that I take someone with me, so rang DD1 and she met me at the hospital.  DB had a very bad episode at lunchtime so he has been transferred to CCU. He was a bit dopy trying to tell me something.....in the end it turned out he wanted me to bring his underclothes home and wash them.

I had an in depth talk with the Drs, they had been told that I had control over everything to do with DB health and money. I told them that in the event of DB having a severe heart attck or stroke, hit was his wish not to be resuscitated, so his notes have been marked. They need to stabilize him and then they are going to fit a pacemaker.

We stayed for a few minutes and then came away, he understands that I cannot go in to see him.....will keep in touch via the nurses. The nurse who was looking after him recognised me from my stay 5 years ago!! She also reconised  DD1 from her visiting me.

So I am home, having driven 56 miles, not knowing on the way in what to expect.

I have made myself a spritzer, heavy on the white wine, light on the lemonade!!

Twas on a Monday morning

Bright sun, laundry on, should get it dry on the line.......cleaner due, so a quick pick up although my sewing room is in a mess it will have to stay for now.

Very quiet weekend, DB spent a bit of time in the garden, it appears the raspberries have finished, so the net needs to come off. Lamb last night was delicious, almost the last of the full shoulder of lamb the DD2 got me from Aldi some weeks ago.

I am expecting a call from the shop re my new cooker.......the stock is due in today so by next weekend should be cooking on gas, well on the hob anyway.

We were discussing yesterday about trying to get away for a few days at the beginning of October, major expense should be over then. Think we may go for a cottage rather than B & B. We can eat out if we want to. May do a bit more searching later today. I did find one cottage on the outskirts of Buxton which looks nice and is reasonable.

Supper tonight will be bacon frittata and salad. Not sure about a dessert yet.

Update....

Well today went with a bang, DB is on his way to hospital, he did hid dying fly impression this morning......the cleaner was here, so for once I was not on my own. Decision was to take him and get him checked over.......

Weather

I really wonder about our weather at times, yesterday it was grey cloudy, cold, and we had some rain. This morning the sun is shining fit to bust and its quite warm.

DB is going out to inspect the pipe from the old coal house into the barrel, no water seems to be going in so wonder if the pipe is blocked, we shall see......

I have no plans for the day am still miffed about the bowl cosy, I think I can sort it, but it means quite a bit of fiddling. I just do not understand what happened.......I was so careful when I measured them. loath to start the second one. 

Doing a bit of research into making key fobs with initials on, buying the faux leather and bits and bobs is not going to be cheap, so need to make sure what I am doing.

Supper tonight is roast lamb from the freezer with roasted spuds, veggies etc. Not sure about a dessert yet.

My goodness

what a change in the weather, cold and grey although there is very little breeze. After yesterdays high temperatures its quite a shock.

I am still a bit under the weather, no idea why, although it could just be cabin fever........My neighbour across the road, passes her paper back books on to me when she has finished with them, she sent me one yesterday, started to read and could not put it down. A very light hearted book by one of my favourite authors Katie Fforde. So I spent a lazy afternoon reading.

I think I have lost my sewing mo jo thanks to the problem with the bowl cosy.........I have done quite a bit recently so  maybe a bit of a break is in order.

I did manage to casserole the chicken breasts, enough for supper tonight and a container for the freezer against another meal. I will use cream cheese for the sauce melted in the liquor and garlic bread. We are still picking raspberries.........had to resort to half a choc ice each on them  yesterday, no cream or icecream. Actually chocolate goes very well with rasps.

POETS Day

If we were still at work.........bright sun, and DB tells me its warm outside, The crows are making their ever present din, it goes on for hours!!

Did not do a lot yesterday was feeling a bit peely wally, need to do better today.

I want to make a couple of larger bowl cosies for our soup bowls, going to experiment with a larger square, may be 12" sq to start with, see how it works. So that's today's project.

DB is out in the garden, we are still picking rasps, more to come, its easier to see them when they are ripe. We have 3 pears on the little patio tree and a decent number of apples on the apple tree.

The 'pastor' came to see me yesterday, having had the kitchen cooker in the local paper and also Gumtree it has not sold, so he will come and take it out and store it, he knows someone who will need a cooker when they move into a flat. He was astonished at the state of the two ovens. I am a bit galled at loosing some cash, but it needs to go. The shop will ring me next week when the cookers arrive and we can arrange a delivery date. At last.....it was March when the gas supply was put in.

Supper tonight is fish and chips as usual, I guess we will be eating rapsberries again.

So it did rain

 Yesterday afternoon I decided to wash the quilt which had been on the back of the settee for years, I took it when we went to stay with John and Diane. I had finished piecing it and had layered it up, so sat and quilted most of it whilst we were away. It has been on the back of the settee ever since. I decided it needed a wash. Out on the line.......it started to rain, so into the dryer for a few minutes and then over two chairs in the sewing room, did not want to dry it too much in case the dryer shrank it.

Lousy night, something woke me around 2am, it was after 5am when I must have drifted off.......DB woke me at 9am with my breakfast.

Finished hand sewing the binding on the two runners, so nothing in the mind just now. I may do some bookmarks I can do 4 at a time in a hoop.

Hopefully we will be out of lock down at the end of this month, not that we are planning to go mad. The cases in the town have risen, they are now double what they were.

DD said yesterday they were just muddling along, DGD and boyfriend still coughing. she is better but still really lethargic, I guess that will go on for a while.

Supper tonight, cooked gammon and salad, will do some of the new spuds in a potato salad. DB says if we get some sun there will be quite a lot more raspberries.

St Swithans Day

and its raining, according to the old saying we are now due for 40 days and nights of rain........heaven help me.......DB will drive me nuts if he cannot get out into the garden.

Yesterday I went all out and ordered a hooping station...well two actually. I do have a problem hooping which causes me grief when the fabric ruckles. So no pocket money for another 6 months making it June next year..........I will have to justify buying them as well, so thinking cap on.

I have a pile of ironing to do, bed linen, so the hand sewing will have to take a back seat, am off shortly to the post office for DB's TV choice, will tackle the ironing when I get back.

DD2 tells me she is still suffering as is DGD, her cough is worse than her mothers apparently, they were still waiting for the tests to come.

DB and I talked about shopping yesterday. Aldi have a lot of things that I really like, their meat is always very good and I can get fish from there as well. So we talked about me going once a month and buying all the meat, fish etc that I need for the month, and then getting a delivery of the heavy stuff, the one problem is milk, we use a 4 pint container a week, buying 4 containers would bring my freezer to breaking point.......so I am still pondering. It appears we will be out of lock down at the end of this month, according to some literature from the council, so there will be one more delivery from Morrison. I also need to think ahead, we may well have to go into lock down again if Covid ramps up in the winter. Storage is going to be a problem too......I really need to have a turn out and get rid of some clutter. Trouble is DB will say 'oh I need that', when he has not looked at it for years!! I cut all my sewing stuff down so he should relinquish some of his stuff.

Tonight supper is a form of shepherds pie, made with stewing steak with mash on the top........and veggies......DB says there are more rasps to come, so possibly raspberries for dessert.

Another wash day

Coloured load in the wash, hopefully it will dry on the line. I had to dry yesterday's in the dryer, just as I was going to hang it out it started to rain.

Car has been delivered for its MOT, garage chappie is on his own, guess the older chap is not working because he is in the over 70's category. Should get it  back late this afternoon, fingers crossed it passes.

DB is about to go out into the garden, just having his morning tea first. I finished the angels......the blessed thing stuttered in the same place but I managed to stop it before it did any damage. I am hand sewing binding down on the two table runners now.

Supper tonight is Mac and cheese with salad, have a home grown lettuce for the salad. DB tells me we have tomato'e on the plants and also a very small cucumber.

Wash day

Fine morning, stripped the bed and in the washer, The quilt cover is very thin on the top edge, so ran it through the machine, will get another use out of it, then it will go to the knackers yard.

DB is looking forward to getting out into the garden, he has a 'little list', he says its very mild outside, the sun keeps trying to shine, but very weak.

DD2 tells me she thinks that DGD and her BF may now have the virus, they are waiting for another set of tests. If DGD has it there may be problems ahead, she is overweight and is diabetic. 

Bad day sewing yesterday, almost finished the last angel when the machine went bonkers and ripped a huge hole in the stabilizer, so I have to do it all over again. I have vowed not to use that set of angels again, so will be wiping them from my laptop. There are very densely satin stitched and I think that is the problem.  I will start the last one again this morning and see how I get on. I have the fabric for backing the table runner, so once I have finished the angels I will go on to finish that.

Supper tonight will be egg and chips, possibly with beans, the rasps are almost finished, we have 2 large bags in the freezer to use in raspberry jelly during the winter.

Sunday

Bright sunny morning for a change, it was sunny yesterday but the wind kept it very cool, was wearing a fleece all day.

DD2 is still bed bound, sleeping most of the time, but so far no problems breathing, both DGD and her boyfriend were negative, so have to keep as far away from DD as possible. This is the 5th day, so I am hoping there is some improvement soon; not that she will be fit for work, I can see her being off for a while.

DB will be off out into the garden, we are still picking a bowl of rasps a day, so fresh fruit for dessert each night. He also wants to string the onions and hang them to dry, we have a load of garlic to do too.

The farm traffic is increasing on the lane, with good weather forecast for the week ahead they must be trying to get ahead a bit, we had the 'manure smell' the other day, not so bad as would have been if it had been sunny. The village itself is very quiet, like us people are not really wanting to go out. We have seen an increase in grocery deliveries recently.

I had hoped to just do one more shop on line, but it looks like we may well be carrying on for a while longer. The count seems to be going up, the rate of infection is rising again. After the scenes we have seen I am not surprised..........really stupid people thinking they know best.

I have just 3 angels to go, they are slightly bigger than the others so take longer to do, just under an hour each, so I might only get 2 done today, will see how we go.

Roast pork for supper, cabbage, carrot and cauliflower with roast spuds and courgette. Rasps for dessert.

Summer back?

So they tell us, it was so cold yesterday I had to put the fire on in the sitting room.

This morning there is bright sun, but there are dark clouds amounst the fluffy white ones.

DB is due to go out into the garden shortly. I have the new duvet cover and pillow cases in the washer, washing out the siffening they use in manufacture. The will dry on the line. I did get yesterday wash dry outside too.

I will hopefully get a couple more angels done, the machine was being naughty yesterday, eventually sorted out what was going on after another hole torn in the stabilizer. ^ have been completed 6 more to do.

No news about DD2, I can only hope she is still ok, DGD does not go too close to her as she has medical issues, afraid its a case of help yourself.

Supper tonight was going to be liver, but have decided to do sausage and mash instead. DB picked another large bowl full of rasps yesterday, maybe more today. We have half for dessert and freeze the rest.

12.44 Have just heard from DD2 she is spending most of the time in bed, drinking but not eating, she has the cough.

Hunt the hearing aid....

DB's hearing aids are different to mine, they have a tiny soft plastic dome which fits into the ear canal. He has always had problems with them. Last night whilst watching TV he announced he had 'lost a hearing aid' .......we searched the house, no sign of it, I even moved his big chair to see if it had gone underneath....no sign. This morning he went out into the garden......can back in 10 minutes later with a wet hearing aid in his hand. It had fallen out whilst he was picking raspberries. It is drying off....hope it has not crackered it, we will have to wait and see. What ever, once the Covid 19 outbreak is over he needs to go back to the hearing centre and see if they will make him ones like mine.

DD2 rang last night, she too has tested positive for covoid and she is not sure when or how........apparently she went to the hairdressers on Sunday and was working all last week, they are going to have a picnic trying to find her contacts. She has been in bed for 2 days. I told her if she found herself short of breath to phone for an ambulance, no messing, just do it.......apparently little miss's sample was inconclusive, so they are sitting on the fence with that one. I am very worried about her, but there is little I can do. DGD will sail through as if nothing is wrong, head in the clouds that one.

Load in the washer, its not raining this morning, but bitterly cold, I pulled the quilt up on the bed, I woke up cold. I will hang it out on the line, give it a blow.

Still waiting for Halifax car insurance to refund me the money they took last week, I will give them 10 days before I start bothering them on a daily basis........

Tonights supper is fish and chips, for some reason when I woke this morning I thought it was Saturday..... DB nearly missed his favourite supper. I guess we might be having raspberries for dessert.

Another dreich morning

Thankfully the forecast is for better weather next week, everything is saturated again, at least it makes it a bit easier to get the weeds out.

Fourth day this week DH has been unable to get into the garden, he is showing signs of deprivation!! 

I had a picture yesterday of DGS and little miss, they are both fine. GS has lost his sense of taste and smell, no other symptoms. LM seems to be off colour as she is teething again. DD2 was bemoaning the rain, she seems to be getting the gardening bug at last. She has asked for strawberry runners and also a crown of rhubarb.

I managed two angels yesterday, so possibly two more today. I have a pot of scotch broth to make, its rather cold, so soup is called for.

My Sainsbury order came yesterday, I had ordered a tin of tomato's at 30p they were out of stock so sent me a tin and charged me 80p!!! they must be very special tomato's......the cauliflower also was hardly fit to eat, so I phoned them and got my money back.......its the first time I have had questionable goods from Sainsbury, the quality is usually good.

The new duvet cover arrived yesterday, I have unpacked it, will stick it through the washer before its used.

Supper tonight is frittata and salad, not sure whats for dessert, might just have ice cream.

Yuk its raining

Got up to rain, just now, lunch time, it seems to be brightening up, although DB tells me that it will rain again this afternoon.

We had some bad news last night. DD2 rang to say that the whole family are back in lock down. Grandson has tested positive for covid 19. He works in a unit that makes sandwiches for M & S, Waitrose etc..... the company makes its own bread on a different site, it appears that the wrappers on the bread were carrying the virus. The family had been together at the weekend, so all have to be tested but in the mean time are in quarantine for 7 days at least. Needless to say I am very worried especially about the baby.

DB is fractious because its too wet to go out into the garden......the lap top is taking a bashing, crosswords, jigsaws etc.

I have started another runner, my cleaner asked me to make one for her mother, and she wants a set of the angels. I am waiting for fabric to come for the backing and binding. First time I have had to buy fabric for a while, I just had not got a big enough piece in my 'bit box'. Have started on the angels while I wait.

Supper tonight, beef casserole with veg. No idea about dessert, all the rasps have been frozen.

Oh dear I feel like the weather

Grey.........another overcast morning, with rain showers. I washed towels and put them on the line, only to have to fetch them in and put them in the dryer!!

Putting together another of the funky tree table runners, my cleaner wants to give her mother one for Christmas. I will applique the trees onto the background whilst DB has his siesta. I have seen a new design I like, a house surrounded by trees.....hmmmmm.

He has been out in the garden this morning, starting to tidy up the strawberries, he found 3 hiding, so it will be strawberries with the raspberries tonight.

Expecting a delivery from Dunelm after lunch. I had to order a new duvet cover to replace the country diary one which is now in a parlous state. I owes me nothing I bought it over 30 years ago. I may cut the fabric up and find something to make using it.

Supper tonight is pasta with tomato sauce and garlic bread.

Stormy weather

Very grey sky, rain forecast, sun early this morning and the wind has dropped a bit.

Load of laundry in, dried in the dryer as it was spitting with rain, all folded and put away.

Cleaner here, so house clean and tidy, all bins emptied except the one in my sewing room which is full of scrappy bits. I have a chap coming this evening to give me a quote for the shelves in my sewing room.

I had to ring Halifax this morning about my car insurance, I told them a month ago that I was changing providers I saved £75 by doing a search. Cheeky b*****s had taken £311+ out of my account. Waiting with bated breath for the refund.

I have managed to get the binding on the table runner, just have to sew it down.

If you look closely at the batting you will see I have joined several pieces together, they do not call me Frugal Flo for nothing.

My cleaner has asked me to make a set of angels for her and another table runner for her mother, I need to cut a couple of cream and gold trees and I have enough to make another runner. The angels are no problem, I can do 2 in about an hour. I do not have a large enough piece for the backing and binding for the runner though .......

The last of yesterdays chicken for supper tonight with new potato's from the garden and a tomato and celery salad. Possibly more rasps for dessert, despite there not being much sun they are ripening up quite well.

DB was in the garden this morning watering with plant food, he makes his own from comfry in a  bucket and filled up with water. It stinks, but the plasnts seem to like it.

Lots in the paper about the Leicester sweat shops, maybe they will do something about the situation, its been an open secret in Leicester for years.

oooppppsss

I forgot today was Sunday, DB gave me a shove at 8.30, I got out of bed and went for a shower, then remembered it was Sunday and we usually have brekkie in bed!!! Tough...... first time we have been up before 9am on a Sunday for ages.

Sunny morning but high winds again, the trees in the garden of the house that backs onto us are really bending and swaying, one of these days the enormous fir tree will come down and cause a great deal of damage, it must be all of 50ft high.

DB went out last night and picked more raspberries, I have a large plastic bag in the freezer which is almost full, plenty of raspberry jellies in the winter.

I am not going to rant about it, believe me I could..... the covoid situation in Leicester is very worrying, so are the new figures for Melton, for weeks they have been 77 cases, today they are 143, thats almost double. I wonder how many of those are people who travel into Leicester for work? Or who work for Samworths who are a major employer in the town. One of their factories in Leicester has reported as having workers with covoid.

There is a lot in the papers today about the situation in the city, there has been talk about BLM and slavery, what is happening in the sweat shops in the city is also a form of slavery, imposed by bosses of the same race. People have been forced to work for, in some cases, £3.00 an hour and work from 8am to 9pm each day. These people are slaves.....the minimum wage is around £8 - £9 an hour. It is inhuman to exploit these people although it is easy to understand why it happens and why the Police and council are very loathe to act.

The papers also have pictures of the crowds in the pubs...... we will never be free of this horrid virus whilst selfish people act like this.

Enough.......yesterday I decided to make another of the tree table runners I made a couple of Christmas's ago, laid them out and then realised that the backing would not be long enough...oooppss, so have to cut down the trees....I may make a couple of mats with the fabric trees left over.

The angels are dry and nice and stiff, I need to find something to mount them on, There is some mounting board in a bag somewhere in my sewing room. 

Supper tonight will be roast chicken breast, new potato's from our garden, with veg. Raspberries and cream for dessert.

Today we have rain

Again the mizzle, wets you through, stops for 10 minutes then starts again. dark grey clouds scudding across the sky in the stiff breeze Its also rather cold....brrrrr......

Independence Day in the US.......guess they will not be celebrating thanks to the high levels of coronavirus they have. Of course you always get the idiots as we do here. 7 policemen injured last night trying to break up an illegal party in London. One thing, people will not be flocking to the seaside.......

No plans for today, feeling a bit restless, finding isolation a bit boring now to be honest. I am concerned for DD1 she went back to work and has now been furloughed again for 2 weeks. As far as I know DD2 is working.

Yesterday I put my cooker on Gumtree, spoke to Mark Electrical about the new cooker, due in 2 weeks, have ordered it and put down a deposit. If I sell the cooker before the new one is due I can manage with the combi micro and electric steamer. So a halt in savings for a month. The emergency fund is doing ok, but I will be happier when the target is reached.

Need to sort out my last present.......might do a Christmas runner....will see.

Planned to have gammon for supper with egg and tomato, no gammon......I have some cooked gammon in the freezer, so it will be gammon, salad and our own grown spuds. Raspberries for dessert.

Rain?

According to the forecast we should have rain, what we have are the high winds back!! Just what we need.

DB is about to go out and take the shears to the climbing Jasmine rambling along the front fence, which wants to take over the pavement, its in flower, but sorry, it needs to be cut. The front garden its self needs a bit of TLC.

I have no plans for today apart from working on two mats I am making from the two designs I used as a sew out. I have found some rather lurid fabric to back them with and for the binding. I am sure I have some orange thread somewhere, I need to have a look for it. If I cannot find it then cream will have to do!!

The angels have had the stabilizer soaked off and are drying between two sheets of baking parchment. Hopefully they have dried ok, I did iron the paper sandwich to speed up the drying a bit.

Our usual Friday supper, fish and chips........there may be some raspberries for dessert.

Finished today the two mats from the sample blocks.

Going into the Christmas present box.

Mizzle

Not raining just mizzle, that very fine rain that wets you through. Very grey sky.

I have towels in the washer, they will go in the dryer, no point hanging them out.

Progress on the angels, I had another failure yesterday but......I have just one more to do and the set is complete. I will be looking for some different designs. I have a couple of blocks I want to square up and make into mats. I will look for something else to do. I did see a good idea for cards yesterday........just a few special ones.

DB picked raspberries yesterday, he watered the garden last night it was so dry, the wind is drying the soil quickly. If it clears up he will be picking more rasps today.

Order in for Sainsbugs for next week, was hoping for Thursday but no slots so Wednesday afternoon will have to do. It will be well into Auugust before I venture out to Aldi.

Supper tonight is frittata and salad, I have some new potato's so will make potato salad to go with it.

Finished!! 12 free standing lace angels............

All 12

 Two holding crosses, and two praying.

Two with parcels, two praying.

Two playing the harp, two playing the trumpet.

Every one has a different dress. I have come to the conclusion that my machine is a morning lady, she sailed through the last angel no bother. After lunch she definitely needs a rest!! All the disasters I have had have been after lunch!!

Pinch an' a punch

for the first of the month, July already. We have been in lock down for 12 weeks of this year........

Dull morning, a few bursts of sun, but very weak, rain is due later, the wind is still blowing a hoolie.

Did some more at the angels, not without problems. The first two sewed perfectly, the third, messed up on the last bit grrrrrr...... no idea why this happens, no threads caught or anything, check the bobbin case every time before I start. I am going to look for a different design once this lot are finished, I have another 4 to go for this set.

You do not have to look far to see the mess!!! Another angel bits the dust.

I have towels to wash but they can wait until tomorrow. I did manage to do the ironing yesterday.....I had lost a pillow case, found it in the duvet cover....all creased up. Quick spray of starch soon altered that.

Beef stew tonight, I suspect with dumpling and veg. DB picked a dish full of raspberries yesterday and I pulled a few sticks of rhubarb, its cooked, just deciding what to do with it.

Just could not resist cutting these three buds. DB was dead heading.

Tonights supper, beef stew, herb dumpling, cabbage and cauliflower. The stew cooked in the PKP this morning, with onion, carrot and sweetcorn. In a casserole pan on the stove, as soon as it was bubbling I added the dumpling and turned the heat down. 35 minutes and supper was ready. I cook my veg in the steamer, cabbage does not stink the house out then. It was delicious!!!