Diary > Tuesday 8th June

[Roobarb]

Didn't get chance to catch up with all of yesterday's posts, good to hear that your visit from your daughter and the boys went well Caroline, hope you've managed to catch up with the washing!

Tuesday:

Another lovely summer day, it was already warm when I went for my walk. Got ready for meeting my friend L for lunch, wore a number of things I haven't for a while  - a dress, jewellery, lipstick and eyeshadow.

When we got to the pub entrance there was a board with the QR code to scan with the NHS Covid app, I only recently downloaded it as I hadn't previously been anywhere. After a minute or two finding the relevant bit I did the scan. There was a note for anyone without the app to say they could speak to a staff member.
The pub wasn't full, as it was such a lovely day there were people sitting in the shelters that had been erected outside, I think they were just having drinks. I ordered chicken, bacon and avocado salad, I started eating it and realised there was no avocado! My friend put her mask back on and went to get the attention of the waitress who was most apologetic and soon rectified the problem.
We came back to my house for a cup of tea or coffee, it was such a pleasure having company in the house.

When my friend left I changed into shorts and sat in the garden for a while, it was really hot. I even did a little gardening. In the evening my friend A phoned for a chat, that made me happy too.

[Mowsehowse]

So lovely you had a really pleasing day yesterday Roobarb, and I hope Caroline is recovering from her lovely family time too.
I managed to get a little sun burned yesterday, I didn't notice as it was fairly breezy, and it doesn't hurt at all, but still not very clever.    (Slathered in factor 30 today despite heavy cloud cover!)
I met up with the craft group outside the library cafe, and we sat and chatted. They are keen to get back indoors, though the rooms are not yet available for hire. 
After lunch strolled around the lakes, which was fairly quiet, possibly because it is still so claggy underfoot after the heavy rain recently. Drainage could be better methinks!
The heron was standing on a rock, fishing, haven't seen one there for several weeks, and we saw a family of tiny ducklings. Hopefully they have an experienced mother, or they won't grow to maturity. The swan is still sitting on her nest, and the cob patrols the footpath, but he allowed us to pass peaceably. Didn't see the Canada Geese with their young, though they were in evidence last week, and getting bigger of course. 
Crossing the field on the return we saw several common orchids flowering, it does seem a very good year for wild flowers hereabouts, or maybe I don't normally take the time to look. 
4 cruise ships still at anchor in the Bay.
A lovely sunny evening, but too windy to sit on the balcony.

[Roobarb]

Oh dear MH,  so easy to be caught unawares by the sun but at least it's not going to get you twice! Lovely to see all the birds and their young, your area seems very rich in wildlife. Hope the ducklings make it to adulthood.

[Caw1]

Roobarb - So pleased to hear you went out for lunch and had your friend in for a cuppa... progress which I’m sure has given you a big lift... nice to get dressed up in what I’d call normal clothes!

MH - you see so much wild life in your area it’s wonderful.... hope the ducklings hatch and get well looked after! My friend S has a clutch of about 10 eggs laid by one of the ducks by the side of their pond... looking forward to regular pics and sight of them.. sorry to hear you’ve caught the sun..... easily done!

Tuesday is our usual coffee and cake morning... sitting on S’s patio with the very large sunshade over us as it was far too hot in the sun and we could have burnt to a crisp! Lunch time by the time I got home ...
We both took a covid test which was negative... trying to register it online was impossible as our internet was playing up and in the end had to phone the details through!
OH went off to visit M who is out of hospital ( hence the test) ...
I sat out reading firstly in the sunshine but then I pulled the bench into the shade under the tree it’s quite staggering how the temperature cools down once in the shade and it was very pleasant... I had intended to do some gardening but it was far too hot as the sun is full on the whole garden in the afternoon... that’s my excuse anyway 😂😂...
OH returned and reported that M seems well.... still on a months worth of new treatment going back to the hospital three times a week... he was let out by the skin of his teeth as his count was just over the 80 minimum....his wife H on the other hand looked totally exhausted.... long process for them both...
Dinner was just chilli with jacket potatoes and green veg...
Usual evening....

So lovely to have the sunshine...

Caroline

[jo1962]

Hello all,
How lovely it is to have sunshine  MH hope you're not to sore today, it's easy to get caught out. Caroline your coffee and cake meet up sounds lovely. My favourite cake is lemon drizzle but I have managed to resist it for a few weeks now, reading your comment though is making me crave it!
Roobarb, so glad you went for lunch and had a good time.
I had a very lazy and relaxing day not doing much at all. To hot to do any gardening, well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. To hot for housework, not that I need an excuse not to do that. To hot to walk Bob the dog, even he wasn't to bothered at not getting walked until 7pm as he doesn't cope well in the heat. Phew, my day might not have been so relaxing if he had minded. Had a visit from a friend in the afternoon and spent a pleasant hour sitting in the garden with a cuppa and gossiping, I do love a good gossip.
In the evening half watched tv, nothing much on that caught my attention. At about 9.30 I saw a mouse scurry across the kitchen and take a biscuit out of Bob's food bowl and then scurry under the range. At first I thought I had imagined it so looked harder and the cheeky blighter came back for second helpings  Bob didn't even notice. I think you can guess what my main job is today!
Enjoy the sunshine 

[Roobarb]

Pleased to hear your friend is doing well Caroline, hopefully his wife will get some rest now that she doesn't have to travel to the hospital. Great to have your meetup with friends and relax in the garden.

Jo, I hope you've managed to evict little Mickey! 🐀  Relaxing in the garden for you too, lovely to take the opportunity. My friend's dog is a greyhound, she's like Bob, can't deal with the heat so walkies are at a time when I personally haven't even got out of bed, then in the evening when it's cooler. I suppose that wearing a fur coat in the heat isn't very comfortable!

[Mowsehowse]

Eeeek...... oh heavens Jo!!
Dinner with Bob by invitation only.... how comes he didn't notice?

Good news that M is out of hospital, hopefully both he and his wife will find that a bit less traumatic.

[jo1962]

MH, love your comment! No Bob didn't notice he was sharing his dinner. He goes to bed at 9pm every night regardless of what is going on. He is very much a creature of habit.
Managed to get some some mouse traps, not the ones that snap them round the neck, I couldn't cope with that. Even mice are living creatures and I don't like to think of them suffering a violent death so got some that have tasty poison in them that they eat and take back to nest. I still don't like the sound of deliberately poisoning them but needs must 

[Mowsehowse]

A mouse in the house is not a good thing I am afraid, but if you live in a terrace, or semi, then unless the community ALL take evacuation measures, it could be a long job.