Diary Friday 7th May

[Roobarb]

Woke up feeling really fed up, I don't know why. Got a text from the doctor's surgery asking me to make an appointment for my second vaccination on the 22nd, that was a welcome surprise as I was expecting it to be towards the middle of June. Phoned and made my appointment, that cheered me up, I feel like I'm moving on a bit.

Usual walk, it was bright and sunny, not eventful. Prepared for afternoon art class. I was looking forward to the class but didn't really enjoy it, I was trying to follow the advice given to others but it didn't always apply to my painting. It was at the very end of the class when the teacher got to me and the advice was hurried and didn't address many of the points I needed to ask about. The sunny day had turned to rain.

Early evening my friend L phoned to ask how I'd enjoyed the class, discussed it with her. She really likes my painting but understood my concerns. I've decided to just tinker with it until I'm personally satisfied with it. Had a couple of glasses of wine later as solace.

[jo1962]

Hope you enjoyed your wine Roobarb and went to bed feeling less fed up than you were when you got up.
My day wasn't remotely interesting. I mean, what is interesting about defrosting the freezer? I then checked the weather forecast which indicated dry and sunny spells so set off on a long walk with Bob the dog. He's a westie and very much a fair weathered dog. We got about 20 minutes into an hours walk and the heavens opened. We both got soaked to the skin and came home looking like drowned rats. I wasn't happy because I had washed and blow dryed my hair before I went out, Bob wasn't happy because he hates the rain. He seemed to blame me for his soaking and after I had dried him off he took to his bed and ignored me for the rest of the day. I had a hot shower and washed my hair again but couldn't be bothered to blow dry it for a second time. I felt very unproductive in the afternoon so spent time going through some elusive ancestors on my tree on ancestry. I hoped ancestry might throw up some new hints, it didn't and 2 hours later those said ancestors were still elusive.
I couldn't be bothered cooking so asked OH to pick up a chinese takeaway on his way home from work. Had that and the dribble of pinot that was left from the night before. TV was rubbish so watched a recorded episode of Vera.
Hope everybody else had a good day 

[Caw1]

Oh dear two uneventful days Roobarb and jo.... or maybe not!
The good news is you’ve got your second jab in the next couple of weeks Roobarb... I’m sure your painting will look fantastic when you’ve finished it... zoom is great in some ways but does have its down sides too! Hang in there 😀😀

Jo I’m a bit like Bob a fair weather Walker so I can entirely empathise with him feeling grumpy, retiring to his bed and ignoring you! 😢
Two showers and hair wash in a day is not ideal either.... I favour defrosting the fridge! I don’t blame either of you for 🍷🍷 ...

My day

It wasn’t very eventful morning so it’s hard to remember exactly what I did..... more paperwork on the lottery subs, few calls, emails ....
Washing out on the line as it was a bright sunny day....
Gave the downstairs a good vacuum....
OH staying out of the way in the dining room determined to finish the 1500 piece jig saw that seems to have decorated the table for some considerable time!
After lunch had shower and got organised for C coming for an afternoon cuppa... S had a lunch date with a friend but I messaged her anyway to say if she wanted to join us it would be lovely... immediate message back to say she’d see me at 2.45 as she was home and a good excuse not to do anything on her ‘to do list’!
Three women together there is never a shortage of conversation and after two cuppas and cake etc they left at gone 5pm!
OH said he’d never heard so much drivel being discussed 😤😤 I told him he shouldn’t have been listening then 😂😂...
We managed to have dinner, (cod wrapped in bacon baked with new pots, mushrooms, peppers, toms, added some capers and lemon wedges, served with lots green vegs) before Tesco delivered just before 8pm...
Watched some Michael Portillo rail journeys.... I went to see him live some years ago and he was very interesting and amusing to listen to... first half about how he got into his railway trips... apparently he’s allowed, by the bbc, two new jackets a year and always chooses bright colours as we watch programmes in the winter! They are certainly bright! Second half was Q & A’s mostly about his political career... he then had to leave at a specific time to catch the train!

Caroline

[jo1962]

Respect to your OH Caroline for doing a 1500 piece jigsaw. I love jigsaws but stick to 500 or 1000 piece puzzle as I find I get bored of it before it's finished. My village has a jigsaw library. Only 50p to borrow a jigsaw. Monies raised buy new puzzles so there is always something different to borrow. I can understand your frustration at him hogging the table though, I do mine on the island in my kitchen and my OH says I make the kitchen look untidy 
I like the sound of your cod dinner. When I do cod, which I love, I just stick it in the oven as it is and have it with salad and chips, or if I'm feeling adventurous, new potatoes and green veg.

[Roobarb]

I did enjoy my wine thanks Jo, was still feeling a bit grumpy when I went to bed but could hardly keep my eyes open so was out like a light. Feeling more upbeat today.

Oh dear, poor Bob and poor you having a sulking dog! Hope he's got over his strop. Not surprised you couldn't be bothered with another blow dry, I don't think I'd have even been bothered to do a second hairwash.

Thanks for the encouraging words re my painting Caroline. 
Lovely to be able to get together with your friends and have a chat, drivel or no drivel! I'm guessing it was a more feminine discussion.    Your Michael Portillo chat sounds interesting although I must admit I would be a lot more interested in his rail journeys than the political bit.

[Caw1]

He’s been doing 1000 piece ones since lockdown started on and off! This one has been a real challenge but not been at it for a while as had lots to do in the garden...
We don’t use the dining room so it’s been useful... he can shut himself away if he so desires 😀...
We also have been using it to play scrabble..
Your library offers sound an excellent idea... not sure if our do that... it’s now run by volunteers as the local council have given it up, we were lucky not to loose it to be honest.

Cod is a lovely fish and needs hardly any cooking 15mins max... sometimes I put red chilli ontop or cut up chorizo....

 Caroline

Added - actually Roobarb his tales of political life were fascinating... he was terrified of Margaret Thatcher and said the first time he took a speech for her to look out she got her red pen out and struck through most of it!
Yes usual women’s chatter! Men don’t really understand what women can talk about for ever 😂😂

[pharmaT]

We had lovely weather after the snow the day before. 

A very frustrating day all round, tried to make complaints about the fiasco I had to start dealing with the day before. Now even madder because they were completely dismissive about it.  I fully understand they need to investigate how it happened but they should at least have acknowledged I had a right to be annoyed not tell me:"well no harm done eh?" after I had listed FIVE harms that had been the consequence of their actions.  AND certainly not to be told I was over reacting by being upset as was trying not to cry as they tried to laugh off my complaint and finish off with "oh I you actually no the rules" so they were trying to brush me off with pretending the relevant rules didn't exist.  Since i've been flamed on rc before i want to make it clear that i said " I wish to make a complaint...............has happened.  The consequences of this are...<listed the harms>" then when told no rules had been broken i said. I believe that rule 1 has been broken by.......rule2....." My voice was cracking a bit as by that time I was trying not to cry but I didn't swear, shout or threaten them at any point.  Sorry I'm being vague but couldn't think of any other way to post publicly without causing further harm and needed to rant. 

So that kerfuffle took up a lot of the day so was pizza instead of the beef stroganoff originally planned and didn't get a lot of the other planned things done.

[Annette7]

Another exciting day!!!!   Tesco delivery at 1pm - nice cheery driver.   No longer providing plastic bags (which I was always happy to pay for) so had to load my own bags on the door step.   Then, of course, I have to hump them up the stairs (downside of living in an upstairs flat).

Rained shortly after.   Then had a postal delivery of new iron.   I can't get on with steam irons and have 2 virtually unused ones - always go back to my basic iron which is over 40 years old!!  Flex beginning to go so decided to see if it was possible to still buy a non-steam iron.   Found a Philips one on Amazon and duly ordered.   Haven't tried it yet but if it performs a good as my old one I'll be happy.

Have been doing a jigsaw this week which is really difficult but refuse to be beaten.   Will be a few days yet I reckon before I finally complete it.   Dinner was cheese and bacon potato skins together with a piece of cheese/onion quiche I had left in the fridge.   Followed by tiramisu and accompanied by a glass of white wine.   Then I watched New Tricks and Silent Witness.

Lots of rain today (Saturday) so no need to water the plants in pots outside.  Supposed to be better tomorrow so will hopefully be able to potter about outside and also get some washing out.

Babies doing well and hope to see them again next week.  Little sweethearts.

Best wishes to all.

Annette

 

[Mowsehowse]

Gosh you are all so industrious and productive doing proper cleaning, cooking, dog walking, painting and stuff.  Well done everyone.
Yesterday morning I was at a garden Morris practise again. Different garden, different people, different dances too. Fries my brain a bit I have to admit, but very aerobic and uplifting. The weather was kind, and really sunny while we sat for a natter with tea and cake after.
As Caroline notes, a group of women together can always find plenty to chat about.   
Driving along the country lanes to get to the village I was very surprised to see a terrified squirrel hopping about between my car and a bike coming in the other direction. We both stopped while the little creature ran around for a while before it suddenly sprang about 1.5 m high, into the hedge.  The female pheasant I encountered on the return journey simply ran ahead of me for a while and then took flight gracefully, before disappearing over the hedge.
After lunch H and I took a walk through the medieval woodland nearby, which is full of blooming bluebells at last. What a glorious sight. It is quite sheltered from the wind there, so we saw lots of butterflies, several robins and a buzzard which had been beside the stream, possibly drinking, before flying up into the tree canopy.  All birdsong ceased for a time, until it flew off!
I spent the rest of the day struggling to make sense of a friend's recollections about her grandfather.  3 generations with the same name, and the stories muddled perhaps? I am hoping I have a bit of  understanding now, and that she will be pleased with my efforts.