Visitation

We are expecting a visitation today, DD2 is coming over with GS and GGD to see us. Have not seen them since New Year. We do see DD2, meet her in the town for lunch sometimes.

Refund from the electric etc came through yesterday, it has gone straight into the emergency fund.

Its a fine but cool morning, have a small load in the washer, it should dry.

Gardener washed out the greenhouse yesterday as well as putting the edging in for DB's small bed in the garden. He likes coming here becasue we have different jobs for him to do.......he did say that one of his clients had gone away and not told him they were going, he was £75 down, his gardening is his only income. He does not get his pension for another 3 years.

I have almost finished a red and white bowl, I saw one yesterday that had been left flat and used as a mat foe a candle. They are quite quick and easy to do, so might also do a green and white one.

So supper tonight will be ham salad, I bought a bag of small leaf salad on Thursday, it has rocket and lembs lettuce in, as well as spinach. I have some cooked gammon in the freezer, also a quiche, so one or the other.

Sunny but brrrr

not sure if we had a slight frost last night, part of the grass looks frosted. The sun is out but there is a distinct chill in the air.

The mat that wrinkled yesterday is not flat, having been placed inder a weighty tome overnight. It will be going to a new home next week.

It took me most of the day to recover from my shopping trip, we also had a bad night as well which does not help.

It starts with washing down the greenhouse now it is empty, I have divorced myself from what goes on in there, no longer anything to do with me, DB can do as he likes. He has very conveniently forgotten who kept the wretched thing going when he was in hospital.........

I need to take some cuttings off the geraniums before we get a heavy frost, I need 4 largish pots, will put 4 cuttings to a pot until they have rooted. Have just remembered we have some root trainers, they have a lid than goes over them, they will do nicely.

I need to sort out what I am going to make next, I have a pattern for a multicoloured star, might have a go at that, I also need to sort out what bags I need for the rest of the stuff for the sale.

Fish and chips tonight, dessert..... no idea. 

Shopping again

 I am begining to wonder how much longer I am going to  be able to keep up shopping at the supermarket, I am exhausted.

DB stayed at home, his digestive system is playing up again. By the time I got back I was shattered.

I have finished the two things I was working on, I have had to put a heavy book on the mat to flatten it.

No rain today, just very dull and cold.

Supper tonight pizza and salad, not sure about dessert maybe fresh fruit.

Make up bag.

Christmas mat

Where are my knickers?

I forgot I put a load of laundry into the dryer yesterday........Eventually remembered just as I was falling asleep last night. 

It rained heavily unil lunch time then cleared up a reasonable afternoon, this morning the sun is out, but we have a warning for 80mph winds later today..oh joy, really looking forward to that - not.

I managed two bits of the mat yesterday so its half done, I had to cut more fabric to replace what went in the bucket. Hopefully will finish it this week and then can go on to something else.

The garden is slowly winding down, DB wants the gardener to paint the shed with preservative before the winter comes, its two years since it was last done. The greenhouse also needs cleaning out, I guess T  will do that as well.

Supper tonight, its ding dinner night, chicken and bacon pasta. I have to order some more. I gave DB a sweet and sour chicken last week and he likes it so will order one for 2 people this time.

Rain cometh

The sky is as back as ink, typical, I have a large coloured load in the machine, so its going to be a dryer day.

I have just had an argument with our fuel suppier, EDF they are sitting on an overpayment of £400 on our dual account. Last year they put our payment up to £121 which was way over the top, they have reduced the payment to £80 which means that in 6 months when the next bill is due they will be sitting on £480. Our bill for the winter quarter last year was just over £300 which means we will again be in credit. I read the meter every week and send it in, so they can see what our  usage is running at.They are getting interest on our money, so I will have it back thank you!!

I started the Christmas mat yesterday, two attempts ended up in the bin, so I have to cut some more fabric today.

DB tells me it raining heavily, so he will not be able to go out to the garden this morning, he will have to find something else to do.

Pork an bean casserole for supper tonight, no idea aboyt dessert, we finished the trifle last night.

Wash day again

it comes round with monotonus regularity, bed linen today, Its sunny just now, so hopefully it will dry.

Last night we had the tail end of the wind from the storm that has been battering the US, it was really giving it some when we went to bed. Thankfully it has calmed down this morning. 

My cleaner is abroad at her sons wedding, so DB had to help me change the duvet cover, drives me nuts, cannot follow the easiest instructions.....I always end up shouting at him, what happened to sense I will never know.

I did manage to finish the make up bag. I now have to do the Christmas mat and then its on to stuff for the sale..........

I feel like an easy supper tonight so will have egg and chips, we have some trifle left, so will finish that up.

 

Usual breakfast

in bed, DB decided to get up a bit earlier. So feet on the floor, showered and dressed by 10am, I have also done the veg for tonight supper.

Yesterday was one of those days, I was struggling with the instructions for the bag I was making, finally this morning I figured it out, looked at the pocket piece and discovered a slit right in the top, so am going to have to start from scratch again....grrrrrrr, so at least I know now how it goes together. I was also trying, at the same time, to set up DB's new tablet, have done some of it, but have to transfer over the stuff thats on his old one and take it back to factory setting, then he can sell it. The new one has a slot for a card, never had one that needed a card before.....so a new thing to grapple with. I am putting a notice up, no new phones, lap tops or tablets we do not change them again.

DB said we were due high winds today and also rain, at the moment its dry, but there has been rain, the pavements are wet. No idea about the wind, have not opened the door.

M was here yesterday to cut the grass, his next visit will, I think, be his last for this year, he will come back in march next year. The gardener will be here until the end of October.

Supper tonight, roast chicken, veggies and stuffing balls, dessert raspberry trifle.

Late start

It was 9am before I surfaced this morning, setting up my new phone yesterday exhausted me. We lost the sim card to my old phone, I had wanted to use it in this one, found it eventually on the floor under where I was sitting............I will now have to update all the people I have given my phone number to and change it, including the bank.

It was sunny but cool when we did eventually get up, DB will be off out into the garden shortly, I have a date with my machine. I finished 6 credit card cases and two glasses cases yesterday, on to a makeup bag today and then starting on stuff for the sale. I had already told the ladies at the coffee morning I would not be doing anything for sale as I was going to do the Santa on his sleigh, have had to change that now. DB and I will go through the stuff I have in the box and decide what else to do, the labels came yesterday so I can price everything up. will do it as I go along now, not so much hastle nearer the date of the sale.

Supper tonight will be ADB, possibly lemon cheesecake for dessert.

Better day

It was sunny when we got up and consideraby warmer, the sun stayed most of the day although the dark clouds and wind hovered about, it did eventually rain after supper.

I saw a note on facebook that a local village was having a craft fair in November and had some spare tables, I contacted the lady and booked in. It would appear that the original fair, at the garden centre, has been dropped as it was not profitable. So I am going to be sweating on the top line to get enough for the table. I may put back making Santa and Rudolf until later in October when I have sorted out what I am going to be selling.

Gardener is due today, DB has a list for him, I also need to sort out the geranium cuttings, if I am going to take any.

Its sunny again this morning, I have a small white wash on, hopefully it will dry on the line. The temperature has come back up again so the heat is off for now.

I have ordered a new phone, its due this morning, I have also given in and got DB a new Lenovo tablet, his old one is very slow now, it was mine before I bought my Samsung Galaxy.

Supper tonight is fish and chips as usual.

What a day

the wind blew the rain rained, at times in torrential amounts, yesterday was a horrible day. This morning we woke to bright sun, but its still chilly, so DB says.

I have a top up shop coming this morning from Morrison, just a small one to keep me going till next weeks visit to Aldi. So we need to open the side gate so it can be brought to the back door.

I was swithering about putting a load of laundry in, decided against.

The coffee morning went well, I managed to pick up several new orders. I have told the ladies that I am doing no sewing for sale next month. The felt came yesterday for Rudolf's coat, so I am going to concentrate on that next month. Then it will be back to stuff for the sale. There were 13 of us eventually, so a goodly number. DB got caught by one of the bible punchers....... he did eventually manage to shut him up. The rhubarb root was picked up so one thing less cluttering up the garden.

We are having chicken with rice for supper tonight, fresh fruit for dessert.

So......

the rain is pouring down and the wind blowing a hoolie...... we will be taking the car to the coffee morning, otherwise we might either be blown off ur feet, or drowned if we walk round.

It was so cold yesterday I put the heat on, it comes on whilst we get up and shower etc then goes off till tea time. Its on the very lowest setting.

I recieved an email this morning telling us we need to send a meter reading before 28th September, no problem I send one every monday and will also send on on 28th. We have over £600 sitting in our account, its time they sent us some back. I wish I could remember which power company it was where we paid each month as we used the power etc, much better way of doing it, no hhuge sums allowed to build up. I will be asking them to refund at least £300!! They are not supposed to retain more than 2 months payments.

So coffee morning I have the spec cases etc in a bag to take. I have had to put the prices up. I had to buy fabric for some of the spec cases, I did buy it in a sale but even so the idea is to use up fabric I already have. I need to tell E this so she can pass it on to her friend.

I have sent for the felt for my next project, I sorted all my felt gabric ins a small chest of drawers I liberated from the shed, so I do not have to go rooting in the cupbaord for it. I also have a large plastic box I need to go through and see what can be transferred to bt 'bit' box. I did make a couple of the credit card cases yesterday just for something to do.

Supper tonight is a ding dinner, need to see whats in the freezer. I think I may need to order a few singles and also a couple of dinners for 2 from Sainsbury.

That was the day

that was. suuny, then a heavy shower, then sun again, got my washing mostly dry before it rained. This morning its very dull, cold and windy. I have put the heating on to warm the house up a bit, need to close the toilet and bathroom windows, they are left open all summer unless we are away.

I made a trial bag yesterday, do not like it, very funny way of doing it, so will not be sewing it again. Need to look for something else that might go down well at a sale.

DB will not be going out into the garden today, the forecast is for high wind and heavy rain, a lot of places were flooded yesterday after a months worth of rain fell in a few hours. It is something I dread happening here, we live at the bottom of a hill. Although there are fields, the local roads have been known to flood in heavy rain. We have no 'upstairs'.

No idea what I am going to do, I am very tired, did not sleep well last night, so maybe chill out with a book!!

Supper tonight, mince and dough balls, we finished the plum crumble last night so it will be fresh fruit for dessert. 

The sun is a shining

but for how long. DB said it was to rain this morning, when we got up it was obvious that it had rained heavily in the night. I have laundry in the washer, will wait and see whether I peg it out.

The climbing beans have finished, so they can be cut down, we do not dig them up, the roots release nitrogen into the soil, as they rot down. Only one tomato plant left in the greenhouse. I have divorced myself from anything to do with the greenhouse, am not happy with what DB wants to do. OK its his greenhouse he can get on with it. Despite agreeing with me that he needs to cut down his gardening activites he keeps pushing the boundries. We have had words and he knows exactly where I stand.

I have been watching a stitchout on my laptop, I think I am going to tackle it. Its a bit more demanding than the ones I have done before, I need to get some more felt.

The gammon with mustard sauce went down bery well, there is enough plum crumble left for tonight. So gammon, salad and new potatoes followed with the rest of the crumble for dessert.

8 Lily bookmarks and 8 glasses cases.

DB tells me

this will be the last fine day for almost a week, sun shining and DB says its quite pleasant outside. Not that I know, have been busy prepping supper, slicing gammon and making a plum crumble for dessert.

I finished the last glasses case yesterday, I am going to make a couple of bags, I really need to look on my list and see what patterns I have already got, yesterday I managed to buy a duplicate pattern grrrrrrrrrr.

So a quiet day today, will be cleaning off the glasses cases and soaking the lace book marks, need to find a couple of heavy books to press them flat whilst they are drying. I plan to do a single bag...... then I am going to sort out the fabric etc for the nutcracker. I am going to do him in white felt with fleece for his beard etc.

DB is pushing his luck a bit, he is doing more than his half hour outside, I thnk I might increase it to 3/4 of an hour. He seems to be coping so much better. 

Misty morning

hope it does not rain, I have towels in the washer. If it does rain they will have to go in the dryer.

I thought I had finished all the glasses cases yesterday only to discover I only had done 7, so one more to do today. I started putting the poppers on the ones that were finished.

Cooked a gammn joint in the ninja and made lentil soup from the liquor, enough for lunch today as well. The soup season is coming ever closer.

Gardener was here yesterday, he has dug out a root of rhubarb, its big enough to split into two, Will put the word out, see if any one wants it. If there are no takers it will go in the bin. The top of the garden is now ready to fork over. After a discussion we have decided to plant the top part of the garden with a wild flower mix,

Supper tonight is frittata, probably cheese, and salad.

Another reasonable night

Woke at 8.15 so not a bad night.

Sewing disaster yesterday, Have a glasses case I will be keeping, have cut out the last 2 hope to get them done today, then a cleaning session for the cases and soaking for the lace bookmarks, and they are ready to go..........I need to concentrate on bits for Christmas.

Shopping yesterday, we were a bit later than usual, I did notice that quite a few of the shelves had very little of nothing on, I had to buy ground coffee, I usually grind our own.

There was an update to the software on the machine, so I did that, some people had a problem with it, mine loaded ok.......brilliant. I have labelled the USB so I do not get hold of it by mistake, if I need to re-load for ant reason I can just use the USB.

It started to rain as we were coming home from shopping till late in the afternoon, it cleared up to a fine evening.

Usual fish and chips tonight......I have raspberry trifles in the fridge, so either that or frest fruit for dessert.

 

I don't believe it!!!!

Last night I slept for 9+ hours, must be a record for me!!

Made me late going shopping, but no matter

Quiet day yesterday, laundry dried on the line. I ironed the bed linen from Tuesday, all aired and put away. DB moved a large box out of the sewing room for me, gives me a bit more room, its in what was the coal shed. I am going to try and get a pallett so stuff is not on the ground, the garden slopes towards the house, so when it rains heavily the water floods through the coal house.

I did manage to complete another glasses case for the order, have another one half sewn, so will finish that today. just 5 more to do. I also want to do a sample Christmas mat, a friend has asked me for one.

Supper tonight, sausages and mash, probably fresh fruit for dessert. in the mean time,beef and tomato rolls for lunch.

 

Back to sun

 but a lot cooler. It rained all day. We were out yesterday afternoon and early evening. There were things we needed from the town plus we had an evening meeting at the council, so we set off just after 2.30 for the town, Imanaged to get 2 diaries for 2024. We called to see B and take her shopping and also stayed for a cup of tea, then on to the council. We got back just before 8pm.

We were so shattered  we slept in till 9.30am

Load in the washer, pleased its sunny but a lot cooler than we have had it. At least the garden got a good watering. The tomatoes are almost over now, mostly little Gardeners Delight left. I need to press the sheet and duvet cover from Monday.

Braised beef and veggies for supper, we have some nectarines that are ripe so that will be dessert.

Its raining

 yesterday was a decent day, there was a breeze so not quite so hot as it has been, the laundry dried on the line and I pressed the pillow cases. Will do the rest this afternoon.

Cleaner here yesterday, so everywhere is clean, she is off to her sons wedding so will not be here again until October 9th. I do not mind holidays but this year I think she has been away more than she has been here!!

DB is gradually working his way through the rubbish he has collected in the shed, the floor is now clear and his large rollator is in there.

We are eating at lunch time today, council meeting this evening and  I have some shopping to do for our old neighbour as well as collect some stuff DB wants. We will call and see B before we go to the meeting at 6pm.

So cottage pie at lunchtime, fresh fruit for dessert.......will have a snack if we need one when we get back from the meeting.

Another day

at the pit face!! Bed stripped and sheets in the washer, except the over large flat sheet which is about to get 18" cut off and re sewn.

Cleaner is due this morning, she will help me remake the bed.

DB tells me it is to be cooler today, thank heavens, I had the fan on in the sitting room almost all day yesterday, its meter read day so will see how much it has cost, although the solar panels should have taken some of that yesterday. It was the first night for a week we have not had the bedroom fan on.

Our next door neighbours seem to have gone off on holiday, not seen them since Thursday.

DB has stripped most of the tomato plants, just left on the tomatoes that are ripening, he and T moved the metal table out, it is now by the back gate. I could have saved the money it cost me. He is now talking about scrapping back the gravel I put down so he can grow stuff both sides........another waste of cash, I should just have left him with a bare path. Afraid he is not my favourite person just now.

Supper tonight is cold chicken and salad, fresh fruit for dessert.

I wish

 it was cooler, its like the African dessert......very little breeze and what there is, is airless.....I have the fan on full pelt in the sitting room to try and cool the room down a bit. Just now I wish I were in Iceland and could roll in the snow.

DB was moaning he could not find a tee shirt this morning, times I have tried to get him to hang them up, does he? of course not. I found 8 jumpers several of which I doubt he has worn more than once. I binned a couple that should have been in the rag bag years ago, whilst cursing his mother heartily under my breath. Darling boy never did a thing at home, one would have thought that at 90 he had some idea about putting stuff away tidily!!! I also found the tee shirts he was looking for. The drawer under the bed has been cleared out, everything folded and put back, how long it will stay like that, well your guess is as good as mine.

As usual we had out breakfast in bed, DB announced at 9.30 he was getting up, so of course I had to be up as well.

Veggies prepped for supper, chicken with veg and a couple of jam sponges for dessert. I will make a jelly tomorrow, use up more of the raspberries.

No sewing yesterday, some sale fabric came so I can now complete the order for the glasses cases, providing I do not mess up any more. I then need to turn my eyes to Christmas, I want to make the nutcracker to go with Santa and Mrs Claus, so will sort out the bits I need for that, it will take me a few days, its a bit complicated.

Yesterday the thermometer reached 30c in the house!! last night I did manage to sleep but no sheet on, it was just too warm. 

Cleaner is here tomorrow, so bed change, I am going to take 15" off the side of the white sheet before it goes into the wash, it hangs down to the floor on both sides of the bed. Its supposed to be a Queen size, think in actual fact its a super, super king size.

Phew

its going to be hot again, yesterday the temperture went up to 25c in the sitting room....... we had the fans on most of the time.

I found it hard to sleep it was still hot, although by 3am my feet were freezing, so up came the quilt.

DB says it is 22c already, 25c is to be the heat later in the day, we are also under a yellow warning for thunderstorms later, I really hope they are not as bad as those in Greece...... we will not stand a chance if its so heavy, we are at the bottom of a hill.

I had a bad day sewing again yesterday, made one glass case ok, managed to mess the second one up......so another one bites the dust. I am going to lay off until Monday I think. They are part of an order.

The tomatoes in the greenhouse are almost finished, DB was out watering  last night, he did all the pots as well.

The gardener was here, he dug out all the raspberries, we now need to put a heavy dose of plant killer down. He also helped DB take the table out of the greenhouse, hw is going to use a smaller table iin there. His new wooden container is also in place so he can plant his alpine plants in it. The side of the shed was aslo weeded although I intend to spray weedkiller all down between us and our neighbours fence.

Supper tonight is ADB with raspberry trifle for dessert.

Misty

very heavy mist this morning, at least its cooler than yesterday. By 7pm it was still 25c in the sitting room, it had been up to 27c, too hot to do anything without breaking out in a sweat.

I finished the bookmarks and started on the glasses cases, gave up after 2 failures..........will leave it until after the weekend before I have another try!!

DB has an appointment for a blood test this morning, so off to the surgery. I will take my tablet and stay in the  car reading, he should not be too long.

The gardener should be here this afternoon, although it may be too hot for him, do not want him to get sunstroke.

Fish and chips tonight, going to do rasps in jelly for dessert.

  

Coffee morning

quite a lot of us  yesterday morning so lots of chat. B who is the lay person who runs the chapel, works at a local farm. On Monday he was setting off home when he saw a cow in the slurry pit, to cut a lomg story short B had to get into the pit to get the cow out...... they hosed B down in the yard....apparently the smell was something else, his clothes are still being washed twice a day!! 

M collected the things she had ordered, I promptly spent the cash on a 25m roll of wash away stabiliser.  I use a lot of it. Just now have been doing bookmarks, part of an order.

Another bad nights sleep, was still awake at 4.15am, so a bit wrung out, apart from a grocery delivery we are not expecting anything else, DB has an appointment for a blood test tomorrow morning. He rang the Drs we have a booking for a flu jab, but all the appointments for the covid jabs have gone. sent a text message to an old phone I no longer have....... brilliant, we have to ring next week to see if they have scheduled another covid day.

Supper tonight, shepherds pie with veggies. fruit for dessert.

Misty morning

It was not such a warm day yesterday, we had quite a strong breeze browing kept the temperature down quite a bit.

Thankfully a better nights sleep and a quieter day yesterday. Finished off a fabric bowl. I have orders for the coffee morning and also from E's friend, they will keep me busy for a while. I have had to order fabric for one order.

I am very pleased with the press, 20 minutes to do a large fitted sheet and queen sized quilt cover, is very good. I also used it to smooth some fabric that was creased.....

The macaroni cheese was delicious, very large portions so we have some leftovers to have on toast at lunchtime.

Tonight is egg and chips, quick and easy. 

Shattered

I managed just over 2 1/2 hours sleep on Sunday night, so did not start the day from a good perspective.

However, towels washed and dried, last sheet and duvet cover ironed on the press. casserole sorted for supper and some sewing done. By the time I went to bed I was exhausted!! According to my fitbit I slept for 5+ hours last night, how ever it had only recorded sleeo from when I got up to go to the toilet at 2.15, I had actually put the light out at 11pm, so an extra 3 hours should have been logged which would make over 8 hours.

It was very hot yesterday, 25c in the house, although it did not bother us too much till we went to bed. I had taken the duvet off we just had a cotton sheet on the bed with the quilt folded at the bottom. I pulled the quilt up after my visit to the toilet, it was very cold. We are forecast for it to be hotter today. It was misty when I got up, but just after 9am the sun has broken through.

I drew the curtains in my sewing room after I had finished sewing to keep the sun off the machine, I was astonished to see how much the blackout lining had deteriorated, there was quite a pattern of light coming through. Will have to see what I can do,

Chiropodist due this morning, she comes about once every 10 weeks, not cheap, but she keeps things under control.

Supper tonight is macaroni cheese and salad, we can have ice crem for dessert if we want something else.

Started yesterday, finished this afternoon........fabric bowl.

Finished yesterday

Different colour way. On to a fabric bowl now.

 

Out on the razzle

No post yesterday, it was a lovely sunny day, we had booked to go out for lunch yesterday, to The Harboro, a late get up and off out. Very good lunch as usual, the lady on the desk remembers us.

Called at C & C on the way back saw Colin he is coming to look and see what we want in the garden. It will be the spring before he gets to it, but it will give us time to get stuff sorted out, and the weeds killed off.

DB went for his rest when we got back, the sun was quite strong, so we sat with the front and back doors open.......very pleasant.

I have one sheet and one duvet cover to iron, they can wait till tomorrow, I finished the green mat I was doing, am looking for the next thing to do. Think it might be a bowl, wll have to see. Then I have a table mat I need to suss out.

So no supper, just cheese and biscuits and fruit.

Update: Heat warning for Leicestershire......temperatures up to 28, it is 24 in the sitting room, so the fan is on.

Seasons of mist

and mellow fruitfulness...... are certainly here, its really misty this morning and quite cool. yesterday morning was cool by the afternoon it had warmed up, we are forecast a warm week next week. T had a good time cutting back, he loves a good cut back, and I must admit he makes a very good job of it. DB was playing with the weed burner on the patio, he  managed to overheat it!! but he is going one square at a time and making sure the roots are really burned.

I spent half an hour in the morning pressing two fitted sheets and two duvet covers, will tackle another one today and one tomorrow then thats me caught up with the ironing, I have a shirt of DB's which could also do with a press, so will see how that goes.

When DB was in hosptal I bought myself a sleep mask that blocks out the light. I was so tired last night I went to bed early to read and put the mask on when DB came to bed, he likes to read before he sleeps, it has disappeared, cannot find it anywhere.....searched the bed and underneath, no sign of it, no idea what has happened to it.

Supper tonight is sausage, mash and baked beans. We are going to the Harboro for lunch tomorrow, so no sunday supper to cook.

New press

The christmas mat, I am going to do a green and cream one next.

The new ironing press, I had a quick go with it last night, pillowcases fit long ways. I will have a go at doing a sheet and duvet cover later today. I think  it will take me about half an hour to do the sheet, duvet cover and 8 pillowcases........ got to be good.

Its a dull morning, it rained heavily again last night, just the greenhouse to water.....gardener here today, so plenty of cutting back for him to do as well as a couple of jobs for DB.

I need to have an hour on the press, see how long it takes me to do a bedsheet, duvet cover and 8 pillowcases.

Fish and chips tonight, lemon cheese cake for dessert.