Diary > Friday 19th February

[Roobarb]

Looks like we're all late with Friday's diary, here's mine:

Another day of howling winds, the TV weather forecaster told us how mild the temperatures were but when you got out in that biting wind it certainly didn't feel like it. Went for my walk, it was making me feel quite breathless but at least my route isn't so soggy now, the path in the woods is much drier.

Got ready for art class after lunch, emailed my homework to the teacher. We were hardly into the class when the connection started cutting out. The teacher's husband told her that having us all on video takes up a lot of the bandwidth so we did the rest of the class on audio only, apart from the teacher. It did work but I must admit I felt rather bereft, using Zoom on video has been like a halfway point between a phone conversation and seeing someone in person. I hope we can revert to video if and when the connection is more stable.
Quite enjoyed the class otherwise, I like using pan pastels but my friend L has never used pastels of any sort before and she was nearly tearing her hair out. The teacher loved my homework so I was glad I'd made the effort.

Did some salmon for tea, just cooked it in the oven, nothing fancy this time. Realised that I'd left my phone on silent and had missed a call earlier from L. Phoned her back, she told me that she wanted to give up on the pastel painting but I convinced her to persevere.

Wind still banging around at bedtime and more forecast for Saturday  - Met Office says a risk of gales on coasts and hills. That'll be us then.

[Caw1]

Sounds like a difficult day all round... pity about your art class only being on audio and not video.... sounds like you’re enjoying the painting though..
More windy chilly weather is a test for us all at the moment I think!

Our weather, yesterday now, was mild but grey looking... not sure what I did in the morning now....
Phoned a friend whose birthday it was and had a chat with them...
After lunch we decided to go for a walk hoping it would ease OH’s back/hip...it was still windy and I had a few layers on and despite it being 11C I didn’t feel overheated! It started to drizzle lightly but we persevered... still debris all over the road and grass verges chewed up by vans that come through the village. We were able to walk round the entire loop road although there was some latent water and the brook was still quite high. It was good to get out and it did seem to help OH... met a friend(SiL is the chinook pilot) and stopped for a chat ..
Once home we had a cuppa and a game of scrabble which I lost... now only two up!
OH cooked dinner just sausages, chips and peas... easy meal!
Watched Netflix series..
Nothing more exciting I’m afraid... just waiting now to see what Boris does on Monday...

Caroline

[Mowsehowse]

Wet and windy continually here on the South coast too, Ladies! 
Well done the art teacher liked your homework Roobarb. That must have made you feel great I should think. I do know that technique and practise are important to all skills, but for art you must have a natal gift somewhere I think, and it seems that you do, , which I envy a bit.
I can imagine how demoralised your chum feels, but probably it is worth persevering if she has a talent for drawing in the first place.
(I can do stuff that doesn't need to be recognisable, but totally useless at any kind of animal or human life form!)
Glad to know the walk helped OH a little Caroline.
Nothing much here to report really.
Registered for the on-line RootsTech event next week, and hoping to learn something useful from that.
After lunch, took a walk expecting to get really wet, but the rain had eased temporarily so that was a lucky escape. 
Due to them calling, I happened to notice a flock of about 20 oyster catchers fly overhead, though I don't think I could have identified them without their call.
Was very lucky to grab 2 new books from the library click and collect service, and chat with the Lassy in charge there, who as been vaccinated as a front line worker.  I am encouraged to learn such services are being protected, and trust such as teachers, bin men, shop workers and emergency services are all on that list as well.
Later in the evening we had a video call with the new baby grandson, who was wide awake, but very calm. More like an owl than a wren perhaps!
Left the bedroom window closed, which I hate doing, but at least I got some sleep.

[Roobarb]

Good to hear that your OH managed the walk Caroline, it's difficult to know what's best to do with a bad back, sometimes it tends to seize up, sounds like the exercise has loosened it a bit.

MH, these winds do seem to be staying around for a long time, I start thinking it's eased off and then off it goes again. Your forecast certainly looks very wet today, hope it soon clears. Lovely for you to see your new grandson.
Yes, I was very pleased with the art teacher's comments, particularly as this isn't a medium I've felt very confident with previously. I think we all have particular things in art that we're better at than others, the last project with perspective was a real challenge for me. We were once doing a class in perspective (when we were allowed to be there in person), I seem to recall it was about things like trains and vehicles. My friend L did a marvellous painting but I was so wound up about it that in the end I just gave up.
I hope you enjoy the RootsTech event, they keep sending me information about it but I haven't taken it up.

[Viktoria]

Went for a walk as usual in the Cemetery, it was a bit of a risk,so many old trees losing fair sized branches in the very strong winds.
The snowdrops are out ,quite a lot but I feel sure some have been taken as many fewer than last year.
Mild even with the high winds.

Amended my next Tesco order and my son phoned to check which size is my outdoor movement sensitive light, it has given up the ghost.

I only now have three watches that work, two wind up ones and a battery one.All three bought for special occasions,two by OH and one
for my seventieth Birthday by my children ,however I would not dream of using them to just time a walk .
The one bought by children was going to be a Rolex!
Like heck ! I thought ,all the faff about insurance etc.
So I looked at some Rolex in the Jeweller’s ,then at some Rotary , we went for a coffee and came back and from a fair distance where I could not see the names,  chose the one I liked best ,which happened to be a Rotary.
A good watch but nothing like as expensive as a Rolex.
I love it.
The cheapies ought to be chucked out but—- ,by the time they all have batteries in I could buy a Rolex!
My ordinary ones are all battery driven,and there are five of those! 
Only inexpensive ones ,but all need new batteries .
Can’t get to the jewellers’or the “watch man “ on Bury market.

Quite dark already ,but mild even with the wind.

Flash Harry us in his element ,mucking out the horse with his Daddy , it is just across the road from the grumbelow!
He did not like the hay getting into his boots so there is a dealers specialising in riding wear horse feed etc and they had some  old stock of Chaps, very cheap ,so talk about Billy the Kid!
But they do the job.
FH has been counting out the tablets for the horse, he has a variety ,twelve in total, and FH was accurate .
He loves being busy , having tasks to do and do you know he is strwong !

Well folks not much happening except son asked me to save crisp packets as they can be re- cycled for emergency blankets especially for rough sleepers .
Made from the same material as the silvery blankets  that are put round people in shock and with hypothermia .
Cheerio.Look after yourselves.
Viktoria.

[Annette7]

Have had wind here too although nothing like as bad as others are describing.

Having rebooked my dental appt. for 23rd Feb I then got a message that it was cancelled and had to phone to make another appointment for 1st. March.   Was glad to get this organised when then developed a problem.   Have a loose tooth which I know will have to be extracted.  Gum got infected and having problems sleeping and eating.   Phoned for emergency appointment at 8.30 when they opened and got an appt. for 10.30.   Admit I was petrified about going there.   Lots of changes since I was last there but very well handled.   You had to announce yourself outside when your appt. was imminent and you were then let in and after new checking in procedure, temperature taken, led into a new waiting room.  Just 2 minutes later I was called through.   As suspected infection had caused an abcess - I came away with a prescription for 2 different types of antiobiotics which I got later from my pharmacy.   First time I'd been out since my covid jab.  Felt strange to be driving again.

Managed to catch up with some more sleep (having only had 2 hours during the night) and felt a lot better when I woke up.   Let's hope medication does it's thing quickly.

Aside from that just a usual day.   

My downstairs neighbour and I have swapped phone numbers and if he doesn't see me or hear me moving around he gives me a call to see I'm okay and if I need anything.  Bless him.

Had our usual cousins quiz on Wednesday evening followed by usual chit chat afterwards.  Cousins K's wife due to have a cataract procedure and absolutely petrified.   Cousin A and I have both had it done and were trying to reassure her.   My most vivid memory is just of being cold and wet!   No pain whatsoever.  My sister suggested she contact her surgery to get something to calm her down before the procedure.

Not so windy today and noticed a short while ago that one of my neighbours had put some washing out.   

Had a letter stating that my shielding to continue until 31st March.   What joy!

Annette

 

[ThrelfallYorky]

Victoria, I've currently got two rather expensive watches that need a jeweller to insert a new battery! All the fault of Lockdown! If my third gold one goes down, I do have a 52 year old wind up rotary as a last line of defence! I know most people use a 'phone or similar, but I really don't feel quite dressed without a watch on!

[Viktoria]

I have a lovely Accurist, needs new battery but when it was bought twenty odd years ago I paid extra for life long batteries approved by Accurist but only one jeweller in Bury that does that,  where  I bought it.

I am concerned the dead battery might leak and corrode thus ruining the watch.
It is a solid bracelet but with a Charles Rennie MacIntosh design.
There is no way I can get into it and in any case I think if I meddle it could nullify the warranty re batteries and watch .
Shame ,nothing to be done as yet.
I have one, bought by OH in Belgium, in an enamelled pendant .
It sits doing nothing but even with a year or more between use as soon as I wind it the ticking starts .Never fails.
That is 49 years old.
I had a card with various sized batteries but what on Earth I have done with it!
Well 5-10 and almost dark.
Cheerio folks.
Viktoria.

[Mowsehowse]

I love watches too Viktoria.
Not quite as bad as collecting cars probably.