Diary > Tuesday 27th October

[Caw1]

Looks like I’m first up tonight... not a huge amount to report as life goes on pretty much in the same manner as the last 7 months....

Having had a disturbed nights sleep I was woken up by my phone messaging early as I’d forgotten to switch to silent....
The weather was dull and miserable.  ...
after breakfast and a shower we trotted off to the surgery for our flu jabs which were quick and painless... OH got told he was now eligible for the shingles one.... he had singles a couple of years ago and was very poorly so a good idea to have it ..once home my two friends/ neighbours cane down for our usual Tuesday coffee, cake and chat... our lounge is large allowing us to very easily social distance and we had good ventilation....
By the time they left it was after 1.30 so a latish lunch....
oH said he didn’t know what we could find to talk about for so long....
daughter sent some pictures of the boys carving out their pumpkins and then with lights inside in the darkest room in the house.... the downstairs loo! She’s certainly got plenty of innards to make soup....
We had a game of scrabble and I got soundly beaten.... all square now...
Dull and wet and grey... pulling the curtains at 4-30 felt awful but it was getting dark anyway.... roll on spring... think I might hibernate for the winter and awaken in the spring!
Continued with more sewing whilst listening to the radio...
dinner was chicken casserole with mash and cabbage...
Watched tv... new series on Dky Atlantic with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant.... has potential...
Well that’s all for today.... highlight having flu jab and now a stiff arm!
Hope others have had a more interesting day...

Caroline

[Roobarb]

Glad to hear you both got your jab Caroline, let's hope it's not too long before it's the Covid one. It's looking promising. Pleased to hear your daughter will make use of the pumpkin, I fear there will be a lot thrown in the bin

My day:
It was late morning before I got out for my walk, luckily I made it before the rain started. Walking through the woods, I stopped to compliment a woman on her lovely dog. She said he was a Pyrenean Mastiff, he was a really big dog but absolutely gorgeous, he had lovely markings. She said he wasn't her dog, she was just walking him. He did come for a stroke, he was very gentle.

After lunch the rain arrived as forecast. My friend J and I had been thinking of going for a walk tonight, I asked her if she could make tomorrow instead as the forecast was bad. Unfortunately she can't so we're hoping to do Thursday, weather permitting.

Went back to my unsuccessful acrylic pour painting, had just mixed the colours and was about to start pouring when the doorbell rang. I hadn't ordered anything, it was a courier with a parcel for next door, took that in and went back to my painting. Was pleased with the results this time, it'll be the base for a picture.

My friend L phoned, we talked about how our last paintings had gone and plans for the next.

Took some curry out of the freezer for tea. Also had a bottle of lager with it! I actually bought it for the slugs (not kidding!) but they only sold six packs. Haven't drunk lager since the beginning of the year. Yesterday I had a cup of coffee, can't remember the last time I drank coffee. So with my egg buying experience yesterday that's three things I haven't done for more than seven months. Life is one long adventure. 

Finished my paperback, The Familiars. Excellent. Currently on Kindle for 99p. (I'm not on commission)

[Viktoria]

Well, sorted out the dried fruit etc, a lot to throw away .
Such a shame but can’t risk using it so the birds will get a feast.
Thought about chutney but must bite  the  bullet and get rid.
Nuts especially can be off .
As I try to limit sugar intake I don’t really bake much now.

Well the weeks are going by quite quickly , not a lot to report so nice to read of your activities .

Itchyness  has diminished ,so perhaps not different bubble bath stuff .
Don’t really have allergies .

Must defrost some lamb tomorrow ,for Irish stew in slow cooker.
Not had that for a while.
Must soak some barley.

Got a load of washing in,just hope it is dry tomorrow but forecast not good is it!
Sheets etc.

Well off to bed with some hot milk ,I do get some sleep,a good few hours ,then wake up early but can have a “ lie in “ and still be up at a respectable time.
Goodnight to those still up and good morning to this who won’t see this until Wednesday morning .
Viktoria.

[Mowsehowse]

And good morning to you Viktoria, and to All.
Everything is in the eye of the perceiver... Caroline had a meet up, but it was a day much like any other, and Roobarb drank some lager which made it an adventure. 
I know I am being flippant, but I do believe our own mental health will depend on our own personal personal perception of our lives. (Obviously major Mental Health issues are a different matter.)
When I can't sleep I have had a rough night.... when Viktoria wakes early she is having a "lie in".
I'm sure you take my point. 
Yesterday was an umbrella Ella day, but we completed our weekly grocery shop without getting a soaking. The car park seemed to be rammed, but the store wasn't so bad, or perhaps I was just lucky no-one was coughing and sneezing near me, which does freak me out I confess.
Returned home to all that wiping and cleaning which is now routine for us all, and then we had boiled eggs for lunch.  Don't seem to have them very often lately.
A walk along Goodrington front after, which was busy and blustery, but between showers. One cruise ship on the horizon, sailing out of the Bay. 
A family who had been sitting on a bench stood and started walking all around us as we were passing by.  The oldest woman apologised for not waiting, and she had a very strong Black Country accent, so I assume they were holiday makers. 
The bumper boats on the pond were very busy.
We walked behind the beach huts where possible to avoid the crowds along the prom; in my experience most people have no concept of "distancing", so the endorphins released during exercise are not always balm to the spirit. 
Nothing much else to report.
Lots of stormy weather forecast, so I hope everyone can still have a reasonable day.

[Viktoria]

Just had a marathon session on the phone and got some sorting out done.
Repeat prescription came  after a lot of phoning etc which was my fault .I walked ( no crawled, staggered ,reeled) out of Hospital with the repeat prescription I knew I would need if next appt was six weeks as only a month’s supply of drops etc.
Not realising it was not for my local pharmacy but the hospital one.
Anyway Dr signed it over to local pharmacist ,delivered this morning BUT .
what had been a 0.2 solution was a 0.15 —- so sorted abd it is apparently better ! Well yes but I was not sure it was OK, such a big increase.
Phoned re next appt at hospital and six weeks so December 3rd.
Gives son working at home time to rearrange computer conferences.
I feel very efficient!
Nice bright morning, so washing  on the line , then black clouds came over so I told them to @£&&## off ,and they have done!
All this power will go to my head.
Son is retired really but they kept asking him stuff despite him training up
his replacement.
He speaks French German Dutch and English of course and Latin but not  much business in that these days!
Replacement not a linguist ,so son got fed up with it all ,constantly being phoned etc. and now works from home a couple of days a week , for millions of pounds!
Not sure if the problems are exactly  to do with translations or something else ,most countries speak English don’t they.

Well Irish stew in slow cooker ,washing out ,vandals got in during the night or else it might have been me( FH’s term) stayed up to watch Morse .
So a vac and tidy needed.
Not hungry this morning so not eaten yet , but there is a nice yellow banana asking for fresh bread and real butter , and so I will reward myself after what I laughingly call “house work”.
It will be Bargain Hunt time .

Discussed with son re Christmas  if  up here or down inSuffolk .
But I think things will get worse , so refuse to make firm plans.
Would love us all together as in days of yore - but that won’t happen , so no use being silly about it.
Second son in Surrey ,could get across to daughter’s but travel might not be possible ,so setting sights low .
I might be pulling a cracker with myself like Mr Bean 
Not got much newspaper though !
Gone a bit overcast so keeping an eye on
the weather .
Cheerio for now.
Viktoria.
.

[Mowsehowse]

Well done Viktoria, as always you put me to shame.
SiL is also discussing Christmas plans. 
I don't even know what day it will fall on this year.
Can't think it is going to be much different for me to most days since March.
I just hope it will  turn out to be a bright sunny day, so that those who want to get out for a walk are able to do so.

[Roobarb]

Viktoria, hope the birds enjoy their feast. I'm sure I read somewhere that you should soak dried fruit but I've just looked on the RSPB website and it doesn't say anything about that, just that you shouldn't put out more than they can eat in one day and don't feed them anything salty. So they'll all have their bibs on ready!
Well done on sorting out those medical people! In my local hospital you can only collect any prescription from the doctors there at the hospital pharmacy, it sounds like yours is the same.

MH, I'm sure you're right about perceptions having an influence on our mental health, positivity can definitely have benefits. That can be difficult even in normal times but finding pleasure in small things like Viktoria does may well be the key. I need to take a leaf out of her book.
People seem to have responded to the adverts urging them to take an autumn holiday in the UK, I suppose a lot will be in Devon because it's half term. Hope you soon get some peace. 

[Mowsehowse]

Torbay Hospital has had 15 covid deaths in the last 2 weeks, so we will probably be moved into high risk tier and suddenly no one will want to share their germs with us anymore!!

[Viktoria]

Don’t know why I can be as upbeat as I sometimes am,perhaps it was all those years chained to the wall in the coal cellar.
By comparison this is a pic nic!
Had you worried there for a moment !
We cannot decide our personalities,things can affect them either way,and indeed they have been affected from birth.
It comes back again to do people who have had a secure childhood cope better than those who have not—— or is it the other way round ?
Again it comes down to what we are born with ,that is the basis for everything  and  no one has any control over that.
Newborn babies are not blank canvases .
Outside influences and experiences over which we have no control must leave their marks , but we cope or not depending on our personalities .
And they come from goodness knows where ?
Some are lucky and others not so.
We can learn to cope to a degree , but all are different .
As long as we do not set out to hurt ,be dishonest , we are doing a good job .
I polished my halo only yesterday.
You see I am daft, and in these strange times perhaps being strange is a good coping mechanism.
I think I would  ask my executioner had he got any empty boxes!

Iris stew and dumplings were nice but vegetarian suet not so light as  the  real stuff!For the birds !
Thanks for the bird advice, you can see if a couple of raisins swelled in their crops they could be in trouble .

Son phoned to see if I needed anything fresh tomorrow.
Transferred cash to grand daughter ,birthday  on 30 th
Also cash  for Flash Harry’s Boots, early Christmas present.
Needs them now, the school does a lot outside.
Teachers not really able to help with clothing etc so each day is a type of clothing ,school, PE, outdoors etc.
Well ,cheerio for now .
Corrie is on, it is rubbish but have watched it from its start,we could get it in
Belgium.
Viktoria.