Diary > Thursday 18th March

[Roobarb]

Didn't do a lot today despite good intentions. Went for a walk as usual, came out of the woods and crossed the railway bridge towards the village. It was good to be able to see the sea across the open field although it was rather grey. Decided to go a little way down the track alongside the railway, it felt weird as there was absolutely no-one around but I'd passed some men who were working on the railway lines so I knew they weren't far away. A man came from the opposite direction, I said good morning to him as we passed. Came to the steps up to the railway lines where you can cross on foot, crossed over into the woods again.

Emailed my tonal sketch to the art teacher for the latest project. Later on my friend A phoned, we had a very long chat, she told me how she'd got on when she went for a vaccination at a centre some miles away. She felt very tired the next day but otherwise fine. She was going to walk the dog down to the beach later, I told her that I'd lost a leather glove there the other day, must have been when I was getting back in the car. She said that people often put lost items on top of a post or similar and she'd check for me. Could hardly believe it when she sent a photo later saying Look what we found!

Phoned my friend L to see how she was getting on, she's had a practice run of tomorrow's art project, she said it wasn't very good but she sent a photo and it looked great to me. Will see how I get on tomorrow.
Did some bits of housework after that but the day had just about gone. Got some curry from the freezer for tea as I couldn't be bothered with making anything else.
Friday tomorrow, don't know where the week has gone.

[Caw1]

Sorry been missing for a few days.... not really had anything to say as not been doing much...
can’t even say 3,4,5 ships in the bay as we’re about as far from the sea as one can be...
What was it Michael Caine said nowhere’s more than 70 miles from the sea... well that’s us!
I envy both MH and Roobarb being able to take walks along a beach.... we really should move nearer the sea as OH likes it too... but after 48 years living where we do it would be a wrench moving away from what’s familiar..... just have to dream!
You’re very brave Roobarb walking in quiet out of the way places... but a change of scenery is always good...
My change of scenery today was going to Lidl’s ... very exciting... still get the odd idiots in the shop last week the man who stood in the middle of the isles ... this week several men who don’t understand social distancing as they are wearing a face covering therefore that makes them invincible.... much muttering under my breath but soon in and out...
The last week, despite weather forecast, it’s rained on and off every day...
Bit of Pilates the other day, ironing, talking to friends, playing scrabble, cleaning, cooking.... otherwise nothing of interest...
OH on a mission with operation fencing... finally decided to put further fencing between us and the old chap next door as we can’t bear to look at his garden any longer...
so yesterday morning outside to dig first 2ft hole for the post.. had to dig up a shrub first as it was exactly where the post has to go.... just as he’d nearly finished digging the hole down came the rain...
Got three holes to dig but decided to do one every other day as it’s hard work and on hands and knees for last bit.. I offered but it’s solid clay and I don’t think I’d have managed...
All the spring flowers are making the garden look pretty.. lots of mini daffy, hyacinths, still some snowdrops and like Viktoria all our chionodoxia are starting to flower... a carpet of delightful blue flowers... I planted over 100 bulbs some years ago and they’ve increased and spread...
Wife of our good friend's spoke to us today to say he’s been diagnosed with possible Leukaemia.... his platelets count has dropped from 79 to 33 in last three months... if it goes below 15 he’ll have to have chemo... going for another bone marrow test... he’s been waiting for about 12 months for second hip op and all this picked up when he had blood tests...felt quite devastated for him but he’s a positive chap so hope they’ll sort him out!
Hopefully we can see them in April outside along with our other friends... J who had broken shoulder! Spoke to her today too and she’s had a grim week too back to consultant on Monday...
sorry not very uplifting post... but compared to all the worry that RTL has had with her close relative being so unwell in hospital we count our blessings...

That’s all for today...
Keep well and stay safe..
Caroline

[Ruskie]

I love your glove story Roobarb. You often see odd items of clothing or one of a pair on fences. Disturbingly I saw a pair of boy’s underpants on the footpath a while back, but after thinking about it, they were outside a child care centre, so probably dropped during picking up. They were there for months.

Caroline, I don’t envy your OH and his hole digging. It’s too much like hard work. 

A brighter day for me weather wise on Thursday. Very little precipitation. Visited my father, and took daughter’s dog as it was my dog sitting day. Nothing else worth relating.

[Mowsehowse]

Great your glove is found Roobarb.
Nice to know you have actual precipitation in Oz, Ruskie..... we just get rain, though thinking about it, we have lots of descriptive words we use for the condition of what comes down, though never the P word I am thinking!! 

Now why did the post need to go exactly where that shrub was Caroline?  I guess you didn't like to ask?    Terrible hard work given OH's bad back. Good he is pacing himself.

Yes, hugely lucky to be at the coast, and very grateful for the constant wonder of it.
We had a much sunnier day than forecast yesterday, and the walk around the lakes is much drier than it has been, but still rather wet. Must get some wellies. 
3 pairs of Canada Geese, plenty of the usual suspects, a sleeping heron and the Muscovy ducks appear to have become an item. One had been at the lakes for several months, and the other some distance away at the pond in Youngs Park, but you couldn't have got a sheet of paper between them yesterday!! 

[Caw1]

Amazing your glove was found Roobarb.... can’t tell you the number of gloves I’ve lost either getting in/out of the car ... taken one off put it down and it’s disappeared..... always the same hand annoyingly!

MH - the rails that run along the fencing are a certain max length so to make sure fence matches other side if the garden needs must dig up shrub! The next one comes right by a holly bush so that’s got to come out too... today! Precise measurements are all important apparently! Touch OCD here maybe or just aesthetics!

Glad you have sunny day.... dull here ☹️

Caroline

[Roobarb]

Caroline, I must admit I did feel slightly nervous about walking down the track when it was deserted. On days when the weather is nice it's often busy as it leads down to the coast road, it gets much narrower further down. I think if I'd lost my glove at the town beach I probably wouldn't have got it back but the access to this beach is down a quiet residential road in the village. Some kind soul had put my glove on a garden wall. 
Digging holes for a fence sounds pretty strenuous and even more so when bushes need to be moved in the process. I hope your lovely spring bulbs are well out of the way of the activity.
I'm so sorry to hear of your friend's illness, I hope the news is better after his bone marrow test.

Ruskie, some months back I saw a pair of underpants in the woods, they weren't child size! They'd gone the next day, made me wonder what the story was behind them (pardon the pun!)    The teenagers often hang about there in the evenings when the weather is warm, someone must not have been socially distancing!

Good to hear you had some decent weather MH and seeing all those birds too, makes the walk more interesting.

[Ruskie]

Your underpants story made me smile a Roobarb.  Well, not yours, but the ones you spotted in the woods. 

Caroline, I can imagine how concerned you must be for your unwell friends. Your bulbs sound wonderful .... I would love to see a photo of them when in flower. 

MH ... my precipitation was a bit like Irish mist. I like the word “precipitation”. 

[Caw1]

Love both the underpants tales Roobarb and Ruskie... the mind boggles 😂😂

Yes having to move plants before digging not really conducive but that’s life eh!

I will take some pics in the morning and post them especially for you Ruskie...

Just take care Roobarb when walking around ... can’t be too careful these days... I worry for you and RTL... but expect you’re both used to it 😢

Caroline

[Ruskie]

Thanks Caroline. 

Like you I worry about those who go out alone, especially RTL having to wait at bus stops at night.