Diary > Saturday 13th June

[Roobarb]

My starting this off is getting to be a habit!


I got outside today!! 

Was reading in bed last night, was about 1 am when I put the light out but I woke this morning at 5.30, couldn't get back to sleep so was reading again for an hour or so then next thing I knew I'd fallen asleep and it was a couple of hours on. Took a while then to rouse myself properly. It had been raining but finally dried up late morning. A couple of things around the house needed sorting out, did those and although it was then lunchtime I didn't feel a bit hungry, was feeling a bit agitated although I don't know why. Couldn't wait to get outside and rather than have lunch when I wasn't hungry I went out. Had to tiptoe around a huge puddle in the middle of the entrance to the field, it was misty but there were some people playing football. Warmer out than I expected, a welcome change. Although the field and woodland path were wet they weren't as soggy as I expected. The mist was getting thicker, there was hardly anyone on the field by then, lovely and peaceful, it was just so good to get out.

Had lunch, exchanged some messages with my sister, she ended up ringing me so it was well on into the afternoon by the end of the conversation. Went out into the garden to see if I could do anything despite everything being wet. Put on rubber gloves instead of gardening gloves, rearranged some of the surviving ivy so it covered more of the fence and could climb up the trellises. I had a lot of spring bulbs that I'd put aside to die back, arranged them to hopefully dry out before they rot. Took a cutting from a shrub that has sprouted a lot with all the rain, hope it takes.

Came indoors and did some more work on my painting, I'm always a slow worker with my art and this is more of a challenge as it's not a familiar medium. Yes, I am enjoying it Caroline.

Salmon for tea, had a glass of wine with it, went straight to my head, not used to much alcohol these days. Usual TV, off for a soak in the bath. Hope others have found something interesting to do today.

[Caw1]

Roobarb - Glad to hear you were able to get outside despite, mist, puddles and soggy ground...
Great to have sinething to get your teeth into too with your painting... must say I've never heard of applying baby oil to paper before acrylics ... be interested to hear how it works out... do you need to use a fixative after it's painted?

Woke up today to sunshine and warmth... at 9am it was already 16C and soon climbed up to 20C by 11 ish...
Lovely to open all windows and doors and put t shirt and shorts on!
Well I bit the bullet and gave OH a hair cut.... 😬 It would seem men's hair cuts are done in a completely different way to women's! Put a big mirror on the kitchen table, he sat in the chair... I did try and tie a black bin bag round him... ssid it looked more professional but he wasn't having that!
If I say so myself I didn't do a half bad job and he was pleased I'd not made 'a dogs dinner out of it' blooming cheek...
Realised I'd forgotten to go to the butchers so dashed out and called in at the bakery too and got more yeast and grannery flour, they're now also selling SR flour so bought some if that too!
OH had gone to golf ny the time I got back so sat outside for lunch in the sunshine
Up to my work room finished hems on last 5 scrub tops and then started on the trousers...
OH back at 5pm to tell me we'd been invited up to neighbours ( golfing partner) for a drink at 6.30.
Drat that meant having a shower and hair wash... still nice to chat to someone else and it was a pleasant hour sitting in their garden..
BBQ when we got back home then both enjoyed a relaxing sit down and watched a charming film called Finding your Feet... good British cast and light entertainment.

Busy day.... should have spent more time outside really but wanted to get on with trousers should be finished in couple of days just got last 5 pairs to do...

Hope others have had better weather to enjoy today... it dies make such a difference to Ines mood!


Caroline

[pharmaT]

Was supposed to be at work today but had to take emergency leave because of childcare.

Pretty wet again today so no gardening done. 

Was pretty lazy, didn't do as much as I should have then I even served sausages, potatoes and beans for dinner instead of making some sort of dish.

[Mowsehowse]

Good to have a quieter day Pharma.... we all NEED to recharge the batteries now and then.

Sounds like you had full and profitable days Roobarb and Caroline, well done.

The water was still wild on Saturday morning, rain during the night but intermittent sunshine and lots of wet suit activity, plus several groups meeting on the beach and in the park.

We painted a couple of stones to take to the display at Oldway Mansion after lunch, which we did despite scatterings of rain.  The current total is now around 2,250 but inevitably a few of the best ones have been stolen.

Walking back it was raining hard, though not particularly cold. Lucky we had umbrellas.

Went out for another walk before it got dark, and still more than a dozen wetsuits in the sea, though hardly a soul walking it being so cool and damp.  The cygnets were still awake, getting really big now, though no sign of any ducklings at all. Hope they were all tucked up somewhere safe, but what a surprise, a great big rabbit chomping on the grass near the pond! Never seen a rabbit in the park before, and I have been down there variously at sunrise and dusk.

Watched a couple of Midsomer Murders and an Antiques Road show on TV. 

I find it amazing how much I rushed around doing community stuff before, no wonder it took me so long to get round to the family history writing!

[Viktoria]

Morning all!
My halo is getting tight,cleaned out my fish pond.
( That sounds like Sister Agatha looking after the  Nunnery fish pond for fish on Fridays!).
Three vey tame goldfish, pebbles all clean and aerator likewise.
Bubbles sparkling on the surface and fish dashing about.

Earthed up a potato plant in a large container.
A bit of sad news in a way but there is a good side to it also.
Someone spoke to my daughter re a sale ,she explained  no sales as yet only essential services.
She mentioned she had known someone of the same name some years ago.
They remembered her and mentioned they had tried to get her to work for them.
She had declined ,but yesterday he said if her outlet did not survive another lockdown to get in touch, he would be pleased to employ her as his sales manager.
That of course depends on what state things are in eventually.
Nice day here .
I have a small beef joint for tea, will make some small Yorkshire puds,some for the freezer.
No dessert,so fresh fruit.
Chat to neighbour over the lane ,they have a very large cat, he came into my garden and lay on my feet,he comes in the night and leaves messages !
but he is such a love I might catnap him——- then he will go into someone else’s garden to leave messages!
They always seem to! Preferably his original owners.

Neighbours having an extension done , there seem to be enough bricks in the lane to build a skyscraper ,huge sacks you could live in!
Wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow.No  vehicular access at the back.
I hate to waste a sunny day but alas no washing to do .

Will go for a wander in the Cemerery about lunchtime, very quiet then,- well it is always quiet of course but no people there just for a walk ,later on Sundays  people put fresh flowers there .
One single solitary sweet pea of the many I sowed in mini greenhouse,is doing well ,Nasturtiums not bad at all.
Nothing else to report really, which in the current circumstances is very      re -assuring.Viktoria.

[Roobarb]

Caroline, I seem to have led to some confusion about my painting and the use of baby oil! I'm using oil pastels, (for anyone who's not familiar with them, they're like wax crayons but they're made with oil instead of wax) on acrylic paper, not acrylic paints. The baby oil is used instead of the solvent Sansodor which helps with blending. The light tones of the oil pastels are put on the paper first, then brushed lightly with baby oil which gives it more of a look of paint. The mid and darker tones are put on top (without baby oil) and scratches can be made through those layers to reveal bits of the light tones underneath. It's quite a learning curve for me but it's good to try something different.

I'm so jealous of you having the lovely sunshine. Well done with the haircut!

PharmaT, I agree with MowseHowse, it's good to have a lazy day. Nothing wrong with the meal, protein in the sausages, carbohydrates in the potatoes and as baked beans are a legume there's plenty of nutritional value in them. Sound like a balanced meal to me.

Mowsehowse, the stones display sounds lovely, what a shame that people feel the need to steal them.

Viktoria, well done oh saintly one!  Good news for your daughter, a mixed blessing but I hope it all turns out well whichever way. I'm interested to read about you freezing Yorkshire puddings, mine don't seem to freeze successfully. I've resorted to buying them because it's such a waste otherwise.

[Mowsehowse]

Still not much the wiser Roobarb, so I watched a Youtube video and now I get it.
Thank you.
Looks like fun, and great for you to be experimenting with a new medium. 

[Viktoria]

Well to be truly honest I usually buy the Auntie Bessie’s small ones .
I think it is not worth the effort to do your own but I have none in the freezer so will have a bash.
Mum’s Yorkshire’s were on their own, not light and fluffy but more like a savoury sponge cake ,the dripping from the joint and some of the tasty brown “ essence” at the bottom of the roasting tin gave a lovely flavour but light they were not,we loved them.
And the cabbage, put into cold water and boiled for about four hours until it was done 
I like to drink cabbage water ,had a lot of kidney infections for a time and Dr.
recommended it.
I will make little yorkies in the bun trays.
Well must get on ,I am very cavalier about routine these days ,and it is good to stick to one.
Cheerio.Viktoria( ‘ Er asBUYS Yorkshire puddings!)

[Mowsehowse]

Viktoria, did the cabbage water help with the kidney infections?

You reminded me.....

I was taught to cook cabbage in the European way, that is, in barely any water, for only a few minutes.

Well, I had a dear friend who would chop the cabbage and cover it with water, then boil it briskly until the potatoes in the steamer above were cooked, at which time all the water was drained off down the sink and she beat hell out of the cabbage with a huge knife until she was tired.

I found the process utterly mesmerising...... a bit like waiting for a cobra to strike.