No lockdown lifting for us

We do not live in what will now become the infamous City of Leicester, but we do live in the county. My eldest DD and DGD both live in the City, but not, thankfully in the affected areas, although they are close to the out limits of one.

The East of Leicester is the area which is badly affected and I am sad to say a majority of the residents belong to the ethnic community. A picture has been published in the paper this morning of a group of youths playing cricket on the local park. Are they social distancing? not on your life!! So far the County and Rutland have not been included, the numbers here are very low, but.......although we could go out we will not. I am becoming increasingly worried about going out into crowds and shopping fulls me with horror , let alone the thought of having to visit a hospital. I sometimes wonder if we will ever get out of the house again!!

Its another dull and windy morning. I have a coloured load in the washer and it will go in the dryer. DB has just gone out to survey the estate, there are things that will need tying in due to the high winds. I have the bed linen to iron at some point.

Supper tonight is baked haddock with mash and veg. might pull some rhubarb for dessert, I could make rhubarb fool.

In the garden this afternoon.

The apricot rose on the arch, scent is delighful.

Prince George clematis, first year its flowered.

Rose climbing through a clematis.

Brrrrrr

The temperature has gone down with a whump......13o, its like winter. Very heavy rain and flooding is forecast, fuelled by the wind!!

We had strong winds all day yesterday and it hissed down at tea time for about an hour.

 Bed stripped, the sheets will have to go in the dryer, no way is it going to dry on the line it will end up in Timbookto. Cleaner is here this morning so she will help me to remake the bed, putting the quilt cover on is a nightmare.

Grocery delivery yesterday, should do us for 2 weeks apart from some fresh veg and fruit.

I gave up with the angels yesterday, first one sewed out not bad, second one blocked up the machine, I had to take it to pieces and clean it, I also had a couple of thread breaks, so on hold for now. I have another project I can be getting on with.

Supper tonight is frittata and salad, have some bacon to use up, although I may change my mind and do a cheese one or even herb. There are a few raspberries for dessert with some cream.

What a day

we had yesterday with the weather. It started off dull and grey, sun broke through periodically, high winds and then sudden absolutely pelting rain blown sideways in the wind. On one occasion the sun was out and it was sloshing down with rain at the same time.

I did manage some sewing, that was not without problems either, however a start made.

The sky is grey this morning, I have a load of laundry in but I doubt it will go out on the line, more likely to be in the dryer.  The wind is still quite strong this morning.

Morrison shop coming after lunch, not as expensive as the last one but bad enough. Our food costs have gone up with a real bang since I have been forced to shop at Sainsbury and Morrison. It looks like it may continue until the end if July. Even then I will be very wary of going shopping.

Supper tonight is roast pork, roast tatties, peas and carrots. I have a tin of sweetcorn in the cupboard, might open that and use half, put the rest in the freezer. The rasps are coming through now, the strawberries have finished.

Do I have an oven/cooker

Yes I do, a hob and two ovens.

Cooker, as you can see its smaller than the space left for it.

Hob.

Top oven/ grill or broiler as its called in the us.

Main oven, fan assisted.

What I use most is my Panasonic combi microwave, which is a microwave with a grill and also the cavity is an oven.

As you will see the cooker ovens are pristine.

I am hoping to get a cooker with electric oven and gas hob, once people start delivering again, it is also bigger and will fit the space. Cleaning down the sides of the smaller one is an absolute pain.

What a change

From boiling hot yesterday, to what feels like freezing cold today!! We have had some rain, it is very overcast and windy........and at least 10o cooler.

I started on my Christmas sewing last night, have got the start of 12 angels done, I do them two at a time in the 5 x 7 hoop I have, turn them sideways, works great. Want to get 2 more done today. I have also sorted out fabric for the mandala, plain calico with the embroidery done in a matching beige thread.

DB will not be gardening today, I got a mystery box of plants yesterday, there are two red hot pokers. Remember the problem we had with them at the cottage. I am going to put them in a big pot which we can stand in the herbaceous bed.........There is a shrub that is being crowded out by the Rhodi and the Laurel, so its going to have to come out and fill a hole somewhere else.

I took the glass front off the second oven yesterday and cleaned it, had I known you could do that I would have done it before. I need to take the big oven glass off and clean it, then take photographs, I am going to advertise it on Gumtree and also in the local paper. The top oven has been used twice the bottom never. I either use the remoska, PKP or the panasonic combi. If I could I would just put a gas hob in, but doing that means radical changes in the kitchen and I am not prepared to spend that sort of money. Had I been in my 50's I would have, but not now. Waiting to hear from the company re the new cooker.

Supper tonight is sausage, mash and beans. Dessert will possibly be a choc ice. Delivery coming tomorrow afternoon, the fridge and cupboards are looking a bit bare.

Cooler

The heat was unbearable yesterday even in the house with the fan on and the curtains closed. It did not cool down much as it got dark it was 60+ on the barometer. Not a good night for sleeping........DB was ok, but I was awake several times and then found it difficult to drop off again.

It is cloudy and a lot cooler this morning, the sun keeps trying to come through.

I need to tackle a set of angels possibly just 6 this time for some friends, another Christmas present. I really want to do a mandala for my neighbour across the road, it is going to take some doing, will need to have the lap top by my side when I start.

DB is out in the garden, we did get a few strawberries yesterday, but unless we get a second flush they are about finished. Raspberries still to come. We did loose a lot of flowers to a late frost, so maybe not as many as in previous years.

I need to finalise my delivery order, due for delivery on Sunday. keep remembering things I have missed off.

A bit of good news, my cars MOT has been put back to 30th Dec. As soon as our garage is open I will get it booked in, its due a service in September.

We are debating whether to come out of purdah, I have a nasty feeling, thanks to the idiots who flocked to the beaches and caused chaos yesterday, we may well be in for a second wave......there are a lot of cases in Leicester which have come out since the social distancing has been relaxed. 650 cases, all in the the areas where there is a large immigrant population. 5 schools have had to be closed and a teacher at one of the schools has also tested positive for the virus. 

Here in Melton area we have been very lucky, very few cases and even then very mild.

Supper is the usual Friday fish and chips, will have to find something for dessert......might make creme caramel, although I have no cream to go on them.

Too hot

Not yet 10am and its boiling, fan is on in the sitting room curtains drawn, windows shut, back door open.

DB is out in the garden despite me asking him not to go out, so he can put up with the consequences, I am fed up pandering to him.

Its almost morning tea time so I will sit in the shade of the roof overhang for a while, its cooler there till the sun moves round to the back. The top of the garden is in sun all the while, but the bit near the house is protected until the sun moves round.

The fountain is merrilly playing, I need to get the chemicals to clear the algae.

The compassion rose, the head is in the sun, the smell delightful.

New Dawn on the obelisk, now in full flower.

Its too hot to do much, most of the day will be spent reading I think. I have some sewing in mind, might sit in the sewing room whilst the sun is off it, this afternoon it will be too hot.

Supper tonight is pot luck, I have 1 portion of beef stew and one portion of pork casserole.......will do new potato's from the garden and mixed veg. The strawberries have finished, so rhubarb for dessert.