Diary - Wednesday 13th January

[Caw1]

They say the 13th is an unlucky number for some ... my Son was born on 13th so for both him and us it was a wonderful day....
Sadly there are those that this date is not so fortunate... a little riddle that some will know what I’m talking about...

My day
I didn’t read for long last night as I’d had to set the alarm.... something not done for some time... it woke me with a start.... I first thought it was my son sending more pictures of his pool room build... but no it meant I had to get up and go and wake OH too!... why you may ask... it was the day for our annual boiler service...
I decided to shower and wash my hair before breakfast and Daniel arrived as I’d just finished making my breakfast...
Everything had been opened removed etc so he had to touch the minimum of places... I didn’t see him or speak to him just left OH to do that...we were hoping he could fix the tap in our kitchen sink too but sadly not...
All done and dusted in about 40 minutes and about £60 lighter... good money but worth it and he’s a lovely chap... in fact he was a pupil at OH’s school many moons ago...
Wiped down and cleaned everything he would have touched and as most of the stuff was out of the cupboard under the sink I gave that a good clean and sort out.. I could start my own shop selling rubber gloves and dish cloths.... don’t think I’ll be needing any for a year at least 😂😂..
Having put all the washing away I did yesterday I looked at the pike of ironing and it was reaching a massive pile... my next job.. whilst ironing I phoned my friend in Cirencester ... we had a good natter whilst I did the ironing .... it took me until lunchtime to finish!
After lunch I spoke to the greengrocers and they’re able to deliver for free so no need to go out...
Quickly re read the last few pages of the book we would be talking about and then logged onto zoom... nice to see friends ... first twenty minutes we just caught up.. three friends all had had family who’d either had covid or positive tests since we last spoke ... interesting that two sets are hospital doctors... thankfully all fine now and symptoms not too severe..
We all came to the same conclusion that it wasn’t Sue Townsends finest work... in fact her life history was far more interesting! Despite the fact it was written in 2006 you would have thought it was written recently as she’d got the Royal  family to a T... our next book is Jamaica Inn... can’t remember how long ago it was I read that!
Once we’d finished OH and I played scrabble... I beat him soundly... got all the best high scoring letters 😀 so I’m now one ahead...
Dinner was marinaded lamb chump chops cooked in the oven with mushrooms, onions, sweet pots and butternut squash cubes served with mash, cabbage and gravy...
Watched the new Landscape Artist.... won’t comment in case others not seen it yet...
Now off to bed for a read...
Hope others days have been better.... weather has been wet all day and lights on at 3pm!
High numbers again today... hope they start going down soon...
Good luck to Viktoria for tomorrow as I think she’s having her first vaccination...

Caroline

[Roobarb]

How life has changed for us all, a man coming to service the boiler isn't something we used to think much about, now it's a big event by the time all the associated cleaning has been done afterwards. Similar to our grocery shopping and all the palaver that entails. Well at least you got a tidy cupboard to show for it Caroline! And a dishcloth audit into the bargain.

My day:

Don't know what got into me this morning, I woke up early and had a shower and washed my hair before even having a cup of tea, it's practically unheard of for me to go without my tea fix before doing anything. The heating had only just come on too, so I wasn't very warm.

Went online to buy the tickets for the do next Christmas as soon as booking became available, got the ones I wanted. Now all we need is the normality to allow it to go ahead.
Signed into Rootschat, wish I hadn't bothered, someone who doesn't know me was having a go at me.

Out for my solitary walk late morning, was freezing cold again but getting out is good for my mental health. Said hello to a few strangers passing by at a distance, I think that's still allowed. Would be nice to be in a bubble with someone but unfortunately all my friends are in bubbles with other people and my siblings live miles away.

The rest of my day was spoilt by not only having more criticisms made against me but for this to be continued well into the afternoon, it was feeling very much like a personal attack. Tried to put it out of my head by doing some preparations for the next art project. Found the paint colours I'll need although I might not get to that stage on Friday. The varnish on the vase was dry, put it back where it belongs in a windowledge,.

Watched Landscape Artist, one of my favourite programmes. Might watch it again as I couldn't concentrate properly. One of the finalists didn't come as any surprise to me, and not because I thought they were particularly good. A soak in the bath and into bed to read.

Hope it's been a better day for others and yes, good luck Viktoria, don't forget to put your thick vest on! 

[louisa maud]

"Signed into Rootschat, wish I hadn't bothered, someone who doesn't know me was having a go at me"

Take absolutely no notice Roobard,

Louisa Maud

[louisa maud]

I feel quite sad, I had a letter through my door last night from a neighbour, apparently all houses had one,  the police had been called to answer a complaint, the person concerned has been running a small business from her house, all above board, a neighbour has reported her, obviously no one knows who it is but it is not a nice feeling, there are about 14 houses on either side of the road, lots have retired although not all old people, I feel that any one of us is under suspicion and I don't feel comfortable,  the police said that it was a complete waste of time and everything she was doing was all in order as regards Covid, the person concerned and her family are younger and are all very nice people , no wonder I can't sleep tonight thinking about it and I am not guilty

Louisa Maud

[Viktoria]

It is 7-30, just had a light brekky ,and off for a shower .
Heating just coming on so fire on in lounge ,I will dash down to get warm .
Not seen what the weather is like today ,just peeped out of the window ,really dark burrsindrops on the glass.
There is an irritating light in the road a short distance away from me, but it seems not to be in this morning .
My son is having all sorts of tests ,really bad indigestion so with my and my mother’s examples ,both ignoring “ indigestion “ as it was what we lived with, only to have major heart attacks !—- he is a bit worried.
Oooh, I can hear a strong  wind, and big raindrops dancing on the balanced flue of the gas fire!
That’ll be nice ,queuing in that !
Got my thermal vest ready with  what  I will be wearing.
Never mind , it is at our Civic Hall,( a little irony as I was part of the group that saved it from being sold for offices by Bury Council ,) a big building with plenty of floor space ,so hopefully at 9-30 not a big queue.
I might go mad though, as but for little walks weather permitting ,I just don’t go out.
I might rush round Ramsbottom shouting” I am free !”
Will let you know how it all went, I can see me telling people to keep their distance!
Cheerio for now, gosh isn’t life exciting , a vaccination , !Whew!
Viktoria.

[rosie99]

Would be nice to be in a bubble with someone but unfortunately all my friends are in bubbles with other people and my siblings live miles away.

I know that feeling too Roobarb though I do have the advantage of having OH in the house as well.  We have not seen my brother since September 2019 and OH's siblings in July 2019, they all live a long distance away.   Our friends all have their own family bubbles. I often wonder how you cope being on your own and I do hope that you can ignore this recent episode.

Caroline,  Yes I did go to see the Dale Chihuly exhibition at Kew.  I can understand the boys getting such enjoyment from it it was certainly very well displayed and the artwork itself was beautiful.  They do have some good exhibitions there.

I do read the diary most days but don't generally contribute.  One day seems to blend in to another with doing things around the home and walking the dog.  It is wet and gloomy here this morning but OH is on the first dog walk of the day.  I managed to book an Ocado delivery (M&S) yesterday for delivery today, I had been trying for a week to get one.  I do have a regular weekly Sainsburys delivery which I have had for a few years but it is good to be able to get the occasional Waitrose or M&S delivery.  I have not been shopping apart from one trip to the garden centre since all this started, what would we have done without online ordering.

I will be thinking of you in that queue Viktoria, I do hope it stays dry.

[Pheno]

Have changed my mind and am going to contribute this morning.

Just to let you all know that my 86 year old aunt died from covid overnight.  Don't know where she picked it up but just hope it wasn't from someone stretching the rules.

Pheno

[oldfashionedgirl]

Hope you get on ok getting your vaccination Victoria and you don’t have to queue in the rain.
You are the first person I’ve heard of getting it apart from my friend who is a midwife. Her mother who is 94 and in a care home hadn’t had it when I spoke to her last week.
I’m hoping my Mum will get it soon, she will be 80 in a couple of weeks. I hope she doesn’t miss the grouping as she’s not actually 80 yet but she did say the 90 year olds in the village hadn’t heard anything yet.
Judging by what Victoria has said they didn’t seem to give her much notice but then if no one is going anywhere I suppose it doesn’t matter as long as you can get transport if needed.

The forecast snow didn’t arrive last night, I was a bit disappointed as it’s so pretty to look out onto in the garden when you’re not going anywhere. Very dreich in Edinburgh this morning.

[Roobarb]

LM, what a shame about your neighbour, all down to someone making incorrect assumptions. I hope you did manage to get some sleep. Do you ever see her in the street at all? Perhaps if you do you could have a chat and sympathise with what's happened to her so it's clear it wasn't you.

Viktoria, you've probably gone by now so I'll say I hope it went well and you didn't get too cold and wet while waiting.

Rosie, how lovely to have some M&S food coming, I do envy you, they don't deliver around here. Your dog must be great company for you and your OH, looks like a lovely dog (I assume it's him/her in the picture).

OFG, I hope your mum soon gets her jab. I love that Scottish word dreich, so evocative of the weather conditions. It's dreich here too!