New Years Eve

A busy morning for us. We had several errands to do in the town. First Aldi for a small top up. I then decided to go to the carpet shop.....it was closed, so on to tesco to put fuel in the car. Back to the carpark and discovered that the Age Concern charity shop was closed too. Wilkinson for some bits that DB wanted. Picked up his new glasses and DD2 and went to Greggs for lunch. We had a slow walk back to the car, discovered that the new charity shop supporting the air ambulance, so our stuff went there.

Back home, we are both shattered, so a cup of tea and a rest until supper time.

I hope that 2022 is a good year for all of us...... we will be in bed well before midnight, we used to go down to the gardens in Princes Street Edinburgh and wait for the chimes to start. now we are more likely to be reading.

To my American stalwart Barbara, I cannot remember when we started corresponding, I know it was during the  late1990's......a long number of years ago. Carolyn, its even longer 1993 when we started writing to each other, and Patricia again its such a long time. Sadness when your husband died, but now you have a new man in your life. My hopes for you all are that 2022 brings all your hopes and dreams together. For us, just that we manage to keep out of hospital and are able to get away a couple of times during the year.

Love and Joy to you all............ and keep safe.

Whats going on

with the weather, its almost balmy this morning 14c, no wonder I woke in the night steaming hot, was so concerned I did a test, it was negative. Sure as eggs is eggs if I put the lighter one back on it will drop down to freezing again.

Towels in the wash, will risk putting them on the line for a blow. Might have to finished them off in the dryer.

Chicken out for supper tonight, also a gammon joint which I will do in the ninja and slice when its cold for sandwiches etc.

Sorry

For not posting yesterday, we went into Leicester and I forgot I had not listed a post to publish.

Its a cold wet morning, very grey sky, so more of the wet stuff.

We have finished up most of the Christmas stuff, so its back to normal. I have a gammon joint to soak, will cook it tomorrow for slicing.

I am so pleased we decided to go in and check the fabric for the curtains, when I saw them, they were awful far to heavy for our small sitting room, so chose another design, still in the Mackintosh style but much subtler colours on a cream background.

No pland for today except chill. Cheese and potato pie for supper tonight.

Boxing Day

another quiet day, we again had breakfast in bed, did not make it into the shower until after 10am. Having had two rubbish nights sleep, I was looking forward to a better night last night. Forget it, I was still awake at 3am. It is beginning to get me down now. I will have to phone and get an appointment with our Drs. We can no longer go to an open surgery. You have to ring and tell the receptionist everything but your leg measurement before she will even consent to give you a phone call from the Dr, then its up to them as to whether they see you or not.

No cleaner today she is down in Essex with her family, so sheets are in the washer, I will have to go shortly and wrestle with the duvet cover. The laundry will have to go in the dryer.

We had cold meat and salad last night, I started on the trifle which will see us through another couple of days.

I need to get gammon out of the freezer, will have an all day breakfast tonight. 

Boxing Day

 A cloudy one, it has rained in the night, everything is very wet.

We had a quiet day yesterday, phone calls and messages from family, we had breakfast in bed...... did not eat until 5.30pm. I made yorkies to go with the beef, and we had a small Christmas pudding with cream for dessert.

DB rang his sister, as he usually does, I had wondered if there was anything wrong as her card, which is usually the first to arrive, was very late. The  news was not good. DB's 24 year old nephew is having chemo for cancer of the spine and lungs. His mother died of breast cancer some years ago. A real whammy.

Stepson phoned to wish his dad merry Christmas, he was with his late fiancees brother and family for the day. He has moved back into her parents house, as the house he is in belongs to Louise's daughter, she is moving into a flat.

We again had breakfast in bed, a disturbed night, we were drinking tea at 2am, so a late start. May well not have lunch, but I will put out sliced meat, cheese etc later with jacket spuds and a salad. There is a trifle in the fridge as well.

I saw this in the garden yesterday and thought it was a sign of things to come.

A rose out on the obelisk.

So I now have to gird my loins for the decorator. Dunelm have a sale on so a trip to order made to measure curtains for the living room, they have 20% off, that will do me. We are having blackout linings put in, keeps the warm in and the heat out.

I hope you all had a good Christmas and everything you wish for yourselves for 2022.

 

                Shepherds came from afar to see the new born baby Jesus.

Christmas Eve

It looks like being a mild Christmas here, we had fog overnight, its cleared this morning and we have signs of the sun coming out, there is a light breeze.

I will shortly be putting the beef in the oven to cook, once cold it will get sliced ready for tomorrow and a cold supper on Sunday. I also have a white wash in, it will go on the dryer.

I completed another set of the snowflakes yesterday only to find I had done one twice!! Purple air.........I had to set to and sew the right one. They are all dry and waiting to be pressed and have the gold thread attatched.

Not a lot else to do, not sure if stepson is coming, he said he was coming up one day this week with the little one.

I will run around with the Gtech on the carpets, and flash the duster, my cleaner is away until a week on Tuesday, so will have to try and get DB to keep the place tidy.

I hope every one has a lovely Christmas, ours will be quiet, but thats how we like it. The years of stacks of presents is long gone, we will just enjoy a quiet day together.

We must be tired!!

9.20am this morning before the eye lids lifted, DB was still snoring away......dull morning, it appears to have rained during the night.

I spent ages looking for some wash away thread I knew I had, got fed up and ordered more, only to find the original cop staring me in the face. I have put it in the new drawers, in a bag with a wound bobbin and a label on......

Beef is out of the freezer, will cook it tomorrow, hope it does not take too long, the kitchen gets so hot when the oven is on. Have to have the back door open.

Started on the snow flakes yesterday, first two went fine, third one, forget it......so I now have to redo it along with the last two. Obviously the machine decided 4 in one go was a snowflake to far!! Might get them done later. I have to join some wash away stabilizer first.

Supper is sausage and mash.... no dessert.

Winding down

to Christmas. I did very little yesterday apart from load up the designs for a set of snowflakes. I spend ages looking for a reel of wash away thread, still have not found it.......I will then sort out the top drawer in the new chest into colours pinks together, blue together etc, I counted the reels 123......

Its a very cold clear morning, the sun is out, but very little warmth.

My credit card statement came in this morning, shock, horror..... I knew it was going to be high, I was using my banks CC but have now changed to one that gives me cash back........

Not a lot on the agender for today apart from working the snowflakes and soaking the stabilizer off.

Supper tonight will be salmon and salad, I will sort the salmon out shortly. We have been having a mince pie for dessert.

New chest, one drawer filled.

Longest night

After today the days will lengthen gradually, I hope the bad weather disappears as well, its very cold and damp again. I have the washer on, it will have to dry inside.

We were shattered last night, so a late start this morning, I had 2 bad nights in a row, so was very glad of the 'lie in'.

Freezers are rammed, should not need to shop for at least 4 weeks apart from fruit and veg. I have taken chicken out for us to have with pilau rice tonight. I will need to take the beef out on Thursday so it has defrosted ready for me to cook it on Friday and slice it. A large space in the freezer opened up, I will pack the slices in a bag wrapped in clingfilm, they will not take up as much space that way.

I started sewing another set of free standing lace ornaments yesterday, a mixture of small and larger ones. I also have an order for a set of snowflakes which I want to get on with.

So thats it, Christmas is getting closer everyday, it will be quiet for us, as it has been for the last few years. DB has gone through and marked films to record. The TV programmes are mostly rubbish, so we can watch a film instead. I am going to watch Dr Zhivago, I just love that film.

I

Last day

shopping I hope. The fog we had over the past 3 days has cleared, its not unusual, especially in the valleys, usually when we get up to the top road its clear, but not this time. I plan to collect the groceries from Aldi and then call and see our old neighbour and drop off her present.

We went to the carol service at the little chapel last night, we got 2 sermons for the price of one, I remember now why we usually steer clear. We just got home in time to see Escape to the Chateau, wonderful pictures of Colmar, a beautiful town which has belonged to France as much as Germany, it is right on the border. Its a long time since I was there, brought back a lot of memories of days gone by. I remember the wine in particular!! as well as the lovely houses.

Supper tonight will probably be a ding dinner. I need to order some more after the holiday.

Another foggy morning

damp and rather raw. Glad to have a warm house.

The veg from yesterdays market is hanging up in the old coal house, it is like an icebox in there, everything should keep ok in there. I will prep the veggies for Christmas day the night before. They will keep ok in bags in the fridge.

No Christmas decs up here, just the cards, I am wondering how long it will be before we are in lockdown again. It is obvious that we are going to have to live with covid for a very long time.

Late up this morning, just a very light lunch, we will be eating around 4pm as we plan to go to the carol service at the chapel. DB has been busy recording programmes, we have run through most of those we had saved.

Late lunch, roast pork and all the trimmings, possibly a mince pie and cream for dessert.

More fog

Last visit this year to the farmers market, enough fruit and veg to last until the new year, half of it hung up in the shed to keep and a stalk of brussel sprouts on the back door step.

It was very foggy on the top road, the village was clear, not many people at the market when we got there, home and dry just after 10am.

The Bernina machine was bought by a dealer to use for spares, although it does sew. I now have a set of clip on feet to sell.

Its a damp and rather chilly morning, so staying inside. We had to top up the compost on the bulb pots, the crocus were starting to poke through. If we get a hard frost it would kill them. A couple of the shrubs are starting to show new growth as well.

Had a dive in the freezer, decided to do mince and tatties for supper tonight.

I have the chest for the thread to sort out, I unpacked it yesterday, it needs putting together and I can move over all the threads I have.

We have decided to go to the carol service tomorrow night, so we will have our Sunday meal at 4.pm. after a late breakfast. I found some sliced pork in the freezer, so we will have that with veggies.

A Foggy Day

in Leicestershire. Supposed to last for the day, glad we have not got to go out.

I have unpacked the drawers, and the box is in the bin. Hopefully will get it put together shortly. Then I have to move all the threads over. I still need to decide whether to make up peg board stands for them.

The Bernina has been sold, a chap is coming for it this morning, so something else out of the way. Despite having a clear out I am running out of space in the sewing room, need to get my thinking cap on and sort out what might be for Christmas 2022!! I going to try some in the hoop stuff see how I get on. 

We saw one of our coffee morning friends at the coffee shop yesterday. I had given her 6 snowflakes in her card, she has had several people ask where she got them from. Trouble is if they want a set she will know how much they cost........hmmmm. Every one keeps asking about the carol service on Sunday night....I think we just might go.

After Monday next week, we will be in shut down. We have a click and collect grocery order to pick up and I need to deliver B's present, that will be it until after Christmas. My cleaner is going to be away for a couple of weeks, so I will have to 'do it myself' as I did when we were locked down. I really hope that Boris does not lock us up before the decorator is due at the end of January.......I really want to get that done and the carpet fitted. 

We have a date for lunch on Jan 1st with DD2 and DGS. Little Miss is going to Poland, hopefully, to see her Polish grand parents, they have not seen her for 18 months, so they are going to see a big change in her.

Usual fish and chip supper tonight. Mince pie and cream for dessert.

Opticians

for DB this morning after his cararact op. I have to go and get a battery and a watch strap fitted and collect my ring after replacing the stone that fell out. DB also needs to visit Wilko's. We will then go to the nursery on the way home and have a snack.

After coffee yesterday we spent a quiet day DB was watching a film we videoed some time ago.

Its still quite dark. looks like there is not wind.

Supper tonight will be the last of the chicken either with veg or in a salad.

Not my best day

I dread 15th December coming round, even after 6 years it is very hard to cope with the fact that my youngest son is no longer with us........we went round to the little chapel for coffee, it was good that several people turned up, there were 8 of us.

I have been messing around with the Bernina machine, I am afraid that its coming to the end of its days. I am not sure whether to sell it for spares, I do know there are still quite a few 1130's around, it might help someone elses machine last a bit longer.

Beef casserole out for supper tonight, may well have a mince pie for dessert.

 

Shattered

Yesterday I ordered a thread chest from Ikea. DB elected to go and collect it.......he did not want to pay the delivery charge (£40) so off we went, an hour each way and it was raining. Chap at Ikea put the box in the car for us, he said it was not very heavy, my goodness he must have had 3 weetabix this morning. We had to get the postman to help us get it out of the car. Once it was in the front door, I pushed it along the floor into the sewing roon, call to DGS to put it together.

I am shattered, my back is still iffy, so I will be sitting down and taking it easy this afternoon whilst DB has his siesta.

Poached egg and smoked haddock for supper tonight, just cannot be bothered to do anything else. I expect Thursday to be the same, have a trip to Melton for DB to get his eyes tested again. I have a couple of jobs to do whilst he is having them done.

Oh dear

I am in trouble this morning. yesterday I decided to sort out the plastic containers in the sewing room and also test the Bernina 1130. I managed to get a set of generic feet for it. Consequently I cannot move this morning, I have aggravated my back, on strong pain killers twice a day.

The chicken yesterday was delicious, there is enough left for two more meals plus stock for soup. 

Cleaner here this morning bed linen is in the washer. although its a fine morning it will have to go in the dryer, I cannot reach up to hang it out, am having to sit very straight and still, hope I have not done any real damage. Will have to get DB to rub my hip with a topical pain killer, hopefully it will help.

Supper tonight is cold chicken, possibly with salad and a jacket potato.

Its beginning to look a lot

Like Christmas, but not in this house. I have the cards up, cannot even be bothered to put the village up on the dresser.........let alone anything else.

Usual Sunday lie in, it was 10am before my feet hit the ground. I need to prep the veg for supper and sort out the chicken, irs a 'cook in the bag' one, comes in a foil tray in a bag, no mess in the combi......

Bright morning, but very chilly, Gardener came yesterday and put the climbing rose in on the arch, so we will have roses on one side and clematis on the other, meeting in the middle.

No real plans for the day except to keep warm. 

Brrrr

Off to the market this morning. We had a frost, so 10 minutes defrosting the car. Early at the market so soon home in the warm.

Yesterday's lunch went very well, no school children, so we finished off with singing a few carols.

Cheese on toast for supper with the mince pies we did not eat at lunch time.

My medication arrived , higher done but for a much shorter period.

Supper is corned beef stories.

Christmas lunch

at the little chapel today, so very light breakfast, we are not used to eating a big meal at lunch time.

I am waiting for some medication to come from the Dr, it should have been in the package I picked up yesterday.......Dr forgot to put it on my script, so an extra day suffering which was not necessary. Our Drs used to be amazing, but since the lockdown they have been dreadful. Its terrible trying to even get a phone consultation with them now.

Bright but very cold morning, laundry in the washer will be going into the dryer.

Busy morning

visit to the Dr's to hand in a sample and the scripts, DB went in to collect my prescription from yesterday. They only had two, no antib's

We thenwent on to Aldi and then to see Beryl, she was really pleased to see us. Had a cuppa and a biscuit. Chatted for a while. Will go in again before the holiday. 

Back home until 

loaded the shopping and put it away.

Bacon rolls for lunch. We are lunching at the Chapel tomorrow so fish and chips tonight.

Calmer day

The wind has dropped, and its not hissing down with rain, the sky is fairly bright, so hopefully a better day.

I went to the PO to draw some cash, the computer on my car told me to be wary of ice???? with the wind blowing gale force plus and rain coming down faster than storm force..... not much chance of ice!!

The samsung tablet arrived yesterday, started to set it up and then hit a block, so will try and finish it today. It was not the one I ordered, that had a green back, this one was silver and came from an address in Manchester. So my theory was right, someone had got a very nice Christmas present.

No plans for today except to keep warm. I am expecting a phone call from my GP. I have another infection and I also need a top up of painkillers, I have to get a script for them. I have had to take them regularly for the past few weeks, since the weather changed.

Tomorrow we are going into Melton to see my old neighbour and do a shop at Aldi.

Supper is a blank at the moment, might do sausage and mash. 

The North Wind Doth Blow

I really hope we do not have snow, according to DB it is north of us at the moment.

PO this morning to get cash, the purse is empty apart from a few coppers.

Nothing much going on, have to sort out the cards for posting and stamp them. Our postie will take them and put them through the main office.

Supper is a casserole and the remains of the jelly.

And again

we have very grey sky, at least yesterday it was rain not snow ..

The big table from the kitchen sold yesterday, a chap came down from near Lincoln to collect it, so something else gone, apart from the chest at DB's side of the bed, thats it.

Full load of laundry in, guess it will be the dryer again, I do hang tee shirts etc on hangers to dry rather than crease them up in the dryer. I tend to dry 2 small loads so there is plenty of room for the clothes to move round.

Late up this morning, we were late putting the light out and I just could not get off, so about 2 hours sleep before I had to take the dreaded pill.

I did get some good news last week, the flu jab does not contain albumen and more, so I can have it, problem, the list is booked up.

I have a strip of small lights in the kitchen, one of the bulbs had gone. M came round and got it out for me and produced a box of led lights which he proceeded to fit, my goodness, they are so much brighter then the old ones. I will have to get a couple of spares, just in case.

Library van day today, replenish the books, I have been downloading books onto my tablet for quite a few weeks.

Only thing I am sure about is that we will have raspberries in jelly for supper, no idea about anything else.

Another grey day

We have had rain overnight, its quite windy, not too cold, but there are very grey clouds above us. DB tells me its not going to snow, we will wait and see.

ADB stands for all day breakfast, gammon, egg, tomato and my fried bread.

We have another great grand daughter, think it brings the number up to 9!! Apparently it was not an easy birth, GD is having to have blood transfusions. Baby was a heavy weight ay 81/2lbs.

I have written some of the cards, need to get some more, the ones that need posting I need to get off.

I have had our pine dining table on Gumtree, someone has just emailed this morning and is collecting it at lunch time. It owes us nothing, we bought it 30 years ago and has done sterling service. Its time someone else had the use of it.

Veggies done for supper, pork steaks, roast spud and parsnip, cauli and the last of out home grown cabbage. Raspberries in jelly for dessert. 

We do not have any winter veg in the greenhouse, we do have garlic, onions and leeks in the garden. DB is busy looking through his seeds, he needs to make a chart of what seeds needs sowing when.

The Christmas lunch is on at the little Chapel on Friday next, I do not think there will be as many people there as usual, I know one or two have died and some moved away. I guess there will be a lot who do not want to go out.

Market Day

We went to the farmers market this morning, the chap on the veg stall was most apologetic that they could not hold the market last week. There were quite a few extra stalls today selling mainly Christmas stuff. I bought a parsnip, DB likes  them roasted. Apples, satsumas, plums and grapes. That was it. Cleaned out the veg basket from the bottom of the fridge, relined it and put the fresh stuff in.

Yesterday I was looking for something in the drawer under the sink, what a mess, cleared everything out and cleaned out the drawer, turned over the lining paper to the 'clean' side and put the stuff back, quite a lot found its way into the bin, two rings for my kilner jars were put back on the jars, and kitchen implements sorted out and put away. During my cleaning I found the little tool for removing the burnt out light in the kitchen and also the one for clearing out the drain hole in the fridge. I had been using a cocktail stick!! A good poke around cleared quite a bit of gunge out, so when the fridge defrosts the drained water should run out into the recepticale on the back of the fridge without flooding it.

Gardener came and the garden has now been put to bed. It will possibly be February before we see him again. I noticed that some of the bulbs we had planted are showing little tips above the ground. they need to wait a bit longer before they grow up any more. I also planted some alliums in pots. once they are big enough they will go in the garden.

So supper tonight is ADB, no dessert, might just have fruit.

and breathe

DGS and family dropped on us yesterday, I had to turn the heating down it got so warm. New table is up and the old one in the sitting room awaiting its fate. The surveyor came and also had a good root round, she is insisting that as the floor covering in the toilet had to be pulled up because of bad workmanship causing the toilet to leak, the council will have to replace it......she is also ordereing a fan to be put in the kitchen so I no longer have to have the back door open when the oven is on. I await the outcome.

It was nice to see the family, Gosia had an op on her foot on Monday so is on crutches, I put her in my chair and put the foot rest up for her. Little Miss was fascinated. Daddy was helped by her putting the table together, she squated on the floor looking at the instructions, she eventually ended up watching Cee beebies on TV.

So the new duvet came yesterday, so I have to change over and store the summer one. Not sure if I have a bag large enough for it to go in.

Gardener due this afternoon, DB wants to put the grease bands on the fruit trees and get the plum tree in, its been in the shed since last week. Clearing the pots on the patio will have to wait, its just too cold for me to be out, even well wrapped up, its that bitter raw cold I hate so much.

I sat last night and threaded the snowflakes onto some gold crochet thread i found in the sewing room, so they are all ready. I need to get more cards, then I can start sending out the few cards we usually send. I am going to make 2 runners for the new bedside chests. I am going to use a smaller version of the design I used for B's cushion.

Supper tonight is the usual fish and chips.

Just realised I do not think I published the pictures of the cushion and table mat.

Its amazing how different the designs are when sewn in different colourways, the only colours that link them is the green.

A busy morning

DGS and DD are coming over this morning. DGS is going to put up the new kitchen table for us. I have the gateleg dining table on gumtree, no takers at the moment. We also have a surveyor coming from the council to see what work needs doing to bring the bungalow up to standard.

Its a cold but dry morning, towels in the washer, If there is any wind I will put them out on the line.

I need to go and get cash, the box is empty......

Supper tonight chicken fricassee and pilau rice, no dessert, we had the ginger puddings last night.

Its Wednesday

first in the month so its coffee at the little chapel day!! We will have a wander round later. One of the ladies has a birthday today.

We are gradually getting used to the new arrangement in the bedroom, there is much more room down each side of the bed. I know our bed is only 6inches wider than a normal double bed, but it is surprising the difference it makes. I wish I had though of doing it sooner.

Down to Sainsbury yesterday, there was a lady just inside the door giving everyone masks. I still have a load in the drawer in the hall, so we are ok for now.

Its a sunny morning, not sure how cold it is, however will be going out with my thermal jacket on. It makes me look like a teddy bear, but so what? I am warm. I only realised yesterday how bad my posture has become, we have a ring door bell and it caught me walking down the path to the car. I find it very difficult to straighten my back, could do with one of those whalebone corsets they used to wear years ago!!

Hey ho, sat yesterday and worked out what cash I need to draw for presents........strict budget. We give money to the GG children. With the exception of our cleaner (I always make her something) I give the gardener, the lad who cuts the grass and the lady who does the ironing what they earn each time they come. I could not manage without them.

So tonights supper, sausage, mash and beans, we did not have the ginger puddings last night so will have them tonight.