Diary > Monday 9th November

[Roobarb]

Well I'm late with this one but it seems everyone else is too! So here goes:

Woke late again although not nearly as late as yesterday. Next door's dog was continually barking, got up and looked out of the front window to see what was bothering him. Oh no, I should have realised it was the window cleaner and he was about to come and do my front windows. Threw some clothes on and went down to unlock the garage door, hoped he'd spot that I'd lifted it slightly, luckily he did. Opened the front curtains when he'd finished that side. I seem to remember something similar the last time he came. Not sure whether it's the hibernation mode making me sleep late or if it's the central heating coming on in the mornings. Either way, it took me a little while to realise it wasn't Sunday.

What a beautiful day it was though, very mild and sunny. Out for a walk late morning, lovely in the woods, was going to go along the narrow path but it was too muddy.

Had some hummus for lunch, had given up and bought some after my culinary failure. Went out to the garage for something, got sidetracked by doing things in the garden, it was so lovely out there. I have a few slabs that were left over when the patio was laid, dragged one out of the garage and across the garden, the idea was to see if I could place it so that I could put my potting bench the other way round but the ground wasn't the right height, it would take me a long time to make it fit so I gave up on that. Chopped down some dying plants then enjoyed myself hammering nails properly into the fence without NN there snooping. The expanding trellises are much more secure now.

When I came inside I realised I hadn't tidied the kitchen after lunch, oh well, no-one but me to see it. Packaged some food to go in the freezer.
Did some cod loin for tea, first time since May that I've ordered fresh fish rather than frozen. The last time I felt rubbish the next day but decided to risk it again as the weather is so much colder, no warm air to get in when the delivery driver opens the fridge doors. Roasted the fish with some potatoes, cherry tomatoes, lemon and a little oregano. Did broccoli and peas with it.

Watched the Princess Diana programme, recorded the Robert Rinder one to watch another time.

Hope others had a decent day.

[Caw1]

Well done for posting... I was too tired last night...

I hate rushing around unexpectedly in the mornings it puts my whole system adrift for the day...
How lovely to be able to do what you want in the garden without being spyed on..hope she stays away for a good while for you!

The weather when I got up was Misty again but it was supposed to clear .... I put some washing in then after breakfast I went off to collect my shopping from Waitrose... the roads were quite busy considering most people should be staying at home!
After collecting the shopping I went to Lidl’s and that was also busier than I’d expected but I was able to get in and out quite quickly.... I then realised that I was an hour later than in previous times as Waitrose have removed their 9-10am slots.... not sure why...
usual isolating, repackaging, washing the shopping had a well earned cuppa and sit down...
My delivery from dunelm arrived while I was out and then we had another delivery of some stuff I’d ordered...
Very good news to hear that Pfizer’s vaccine is almost ready for roll out once it’s had all necessary i’s and t’s dotted... some good news 🤞it has certainly created a positive response to the stock markets rocketing up by 5%.... but how fickle it seems that companies like Ocado dropped like a stone... almost saying well we don’t need you now after you’ve helped thousands of people over the last few months now you’re dead in the water...
After lunch we had a game of scrabble and with two big scores the tables turned ..once by me and once by OH ... sadly his resulted in him winning by just a few points..😤😤
Despite the fact the weather was very mild the washing came in almost as damp as when it had gone out... but I prefer the smell of washing hung outside!
Did some more sewing before dinner..
I used some of the chicken to make a stir fry in hoisin sauce with rice for me and new pots for OH..
We’ve decided to have a ‘dry’ week until Friday..... wonder if we’ll keep to it!
Watched some tv....
Yogalates teacher is putting some classes online this week so going to make sure I do them!
Waiting to hear back from PC regarding vicious dogs email ....nothing so far...

Hope others have had a good day

Caroline

[Mowsehowse]

Well done Roobarb. How lovely to have a really good time banging nails into your trellis structure.
Narrow escape with the window cleaner!!    Perhaps a note in your diary to jog your memory next time he is expected?

Another really nothing day for me. It had rained most of the night, but the sun was shining when I left for an early bread raid, so I didn't bother with an umbrella.... then the rain started again when I was about 2 minutes along the road, so I got rather wet. 
Went out for a tramp along the sea front later, between showers. 3 cruise ships at anchor.
Later I dabbled a bit, planning the dozen Christmas cards I have promised to make  for the Morris group again this year.
With so much cloud cover all day, the fairy lights only lasted 40 minutes.
I did watch the Robert Rinder programme, and was impressed by the quality, which struck me as far less clinical than the standard WDYTYA holocaust episodes, possibly because the subjects knew what they were seeking?
I do feel the stories need to be told, although I do find these programmes deeply harrowing, as I have uncovered so many relations in my immediate family who perished in those places.
A superficial count concerning only my great grandfather's family revealed 16 in 6 different camps, though on the upside, there were 10 others in that family who did escape from Europe to freedom.
 

[Mowsehowse]

You posted while I was writing mine Caroline..... what a glutton for Scrabble punishment youare!!    Good luck with the combination of yogalates and no glass of wine after.

[Caw1]

MH - I find I can’t watch those programmes I find them too upsetting... I feel for you with family that suffered in those dreadful places and thankful to for those of your family who managed to escape... I did watch him on WDYTYA as you say they are quite clinical by giving so many facts and don’t dwell necessarily on just one aspect.
Well done with your Christmas cards...I haven’t even got as far as thinking yet! Still knee deep in sewing but hope to have finished all that by the end of the week leaving me with clear thoughts for this years card design....
Watched programme last night of about moving to towns and it was a couple looking at places in and around Widecombe... my OH would love to move but I feel quite reticent about it... one part of me says great to have a new challenge and move especially near the sea.... another is reluctant to go from an area we know so well and have lots of friends..... am I being selfish... should we look... not quite now maybe... I don’t want to move further away from my daughter, the journey is easy our links to major road are good....  oh dear I feel quite apprehensive of the unknown and I love our house.....

Caroline

[Mowsehowse]

Caroline, since you seem to be asking....
You love your house and you have a good social circle in your village.... then again to keep the house and garden runninng smoothly as you both get older might prove increasingly difficult.
Most crucially you have good road links to places, particularly your daughter and grandsons.
For myself, I would draw a circle around the village, and around your daughter's location, then I would join the two and almost exclusively limit my considerations to that area only. Preferably near a golf course.
But that is easy for me to say!! 

[Caw1]

MH - that sounds a very logical way to do it .... trouble is it would probably put us in built up areas that would cost way more than we would want to spend!
OH wants to move nearer the sea...south... Dorset, Devon...lovely but too far for me... it’s, as my son would say ‘in the too hard box’ .... he loves watching all these moving programmes and gets wonderful ideas.... his dream would be to design and build a house... I keep telling him that he’s already done that with this one... he took the whole front of the house off extended it and it’s completely reconfigured... that should be enough for anyone shouldn’t it!

Anyway pipe dreams... think we’re getting a bit too old to think about a great upheaval like that... or maybe it’s me just not wanting to face it!...
Caroline

[louisa maud]

My opinion is when one gets to a certain age it is a huge upheaval to move, one person I knew moved to be near her son, not so long after the son moved and the parents were almost left stranded.

I have just watched  "our Yorkshire farm" what a fantastic family, I am hoping they will do another series

Louisa Maud