Diary > Saturday 19th June 2021

[Roobarb]

Only two of us on the diary thread for Friday, I guess people are getting out and about more or maybe running out of steam. I'd been thinking that Sunday 20th June would be the end of the diary thread as it was going to be the end of lockdown but of course that has now been extended. I had intended to contribute until the new date but I think I'm running out of steam too, there's a limit to going on about the minutae of daily life and the small progressive steps that most people have already taken before me. Here's my Saturday diary for the moment:

Woke late after a horrible dream which was also rather ridiculous. Had to push myself to get up and do anything even though the sun was shining. Eventually went out for a walk, bumped into my friend A with her dog, she was on her way to get her hair done (A, not the dog). We had a chat, it was good to see her.

It clouded over in the afternoon, I did some boring jobs like updating Tesco order and checking credit card receipts. A few other domestic chores then the afternoon had gone, I also finished my Kindle book, The Liar's Daughter by Claire Allen, it was excellent.
Watched the third and last episode of the BBC drama Time,  also excellent. I was surprised to see Sue Johnston cast as
Sean Bean's character's mother, she doesn't look old enough. Their age difference in real life is 15 years .

Was thinking about how different today was from Saturdays pre pandemic, the daytime wasn't actually much different but previously I'd have been going to the pub with friends on a Saturday evening. Things in my neighbourhood don't seem to have resumed where nightlife is concerned, there used to be taxis buzzing up and down on Saturday nights. I wonder whether there'll be a change after July the 19th, it's not that far away.

[radstockjeff]

Another stage of our journey without Nick. We have now got to the stage of redecorating his room havig had a big clear out of his things; some for the attic, others for the tip or disposed of in other directions. A little bit at a time.
Yesterday Mark came down from London to help with the decorating. I had managed most of the prep work and he did the walls and ceiling. When we have finished he will be able to come and stay with us rather than having to find a weekend cottage somewhere near. This weekend he and Erica were staying in Frome, about eight miles away. Today we are having our first meal out at a local pub since last November, with Mark and Erica for Father's Day.
The next stage will be carpet and a new bed and curtains and then we shall be ready to receive guests.
Face time call this morning from Andrew in Oz- he was doing the evening meal BBQ snags and roast potatoes. Spoke with the grandchildren - time lag  not always convenient to get them to the phone. All in good spirits. Next weekend they are off to a footy festival near Woolongong and Jackson (eldest) is in the Sapphire Coast under 15s representative team.
Realise this is not strictly yesterday diary but hey ho! hope you find it interesting.

[Caw1]

Roobarb - I feel a bit like you… life continues much in the same way… I can’t remember when I last wrote on the diary thread although I do read it…

Jeff - hard to redecorate your sons room and remove all his things but as you say one has to start moving on and at least your other son and wife will be able to stay now… always lovely to speak to the family who live so far away…

Not much has been going on in our lives lately, we’ve, sadly, had rather too many deaths and serious illness amongst friends to feel light hearted…

All the same with the weather having turned wet, chillier and miserable… boding well for our first break away since our ski trip in January 2020… not sure whether I’m looking forward to it or not! One plus is we’ll be seeing two sets of friends either side of our week away whom we’ve not seen one lot last summer and the others 2019…

How ones mood can change overnight… Thursday saw us sitting in our friends garden until 10.30pm in balmy weather enjoying the evening… walking home just as the rain started to Friday when it was wall to wall rain…
Nothing much to report as not been doing much other than putting up storage space in my work room which meant I can now store everything more easily and see at a glance where things are…
I should be getting a suitcase out of the loft and getting organised but so far not much enthusiasm…
As I’ll be away for over a week I probably won’t be doing any diary entries…
Take care all and let’s hope that by 19th July all will be opened up….

Caroline

[Annette7]

I, for one, will miss reading the diary entries when they cease even though I haven't contributed much of late - due to boring, same old, routine.

Today was different - it was my nieces 37th birthday and her husband had organised a special day for her.   First a sumptuous breakfast, then mid-day his parents arrived to take Esmae 11 and the twin babies for a few hours whilst he told niece to go and get ready because they were going to Felixstowe for a meal and then spending some time on the beach enjoying a bottle of wine.  Unbeknownst to her a garden party was being set up for her by 2 of her friends and 17yr old son Luke.   I arrived with my sister and b-in-law around 4pm to help where we could but her friends had things well in hand.   S & J were due to to arrive back around 5.30 but was actually 6pm before they appeared.  By that time family and friends had all arrived, all suitably distanced in the garden.   Everyone had been told to park away from the house so that J didn't recognise any vehicles outside.  All went like a dream - a 'spy' watched and let us in the garden know to hush as they arrived.   The dog Harper and son Luke were the only ones inside as she would have expected.   She was then told to open the back door (why, she asked) where we were all revealed.   To say she was 'gobsmacked' was an understatement.  Tears weren't far away.   It was a lovely moment.   One of her friends later fed and changed the twins and all J had to do was to put them down to sleep. 

She'd had a lovely, peaceful and relaxing day (sorely needed) spent with a surprise evening with her nearest and dearest.

Today being Father's Day my sister has invited them for dinner so she'll get to have another relaxing day today, no cooking!

Next Saturday will be our 'Christmas' day at my nephews house since we weren't all able to be together over Christmas.   Again, will have to be in the garden so just hope for a dry day.

Annette

 

 

     

[Roobarb]

Always good to hear everyone's news, glad you've been able to get on so well with the room decorating Jeff. Hope you enjoy your Fathers Day meal.

Sorry you've been feeling downhearted Caroline, it's hard to cope with such things amongst friends even in normal times. I hope your holiday does you good, the weather is forecast to warm up a bit, fingers crossed for you some sunshine.

Annette, what a wonderful husband your niece has, she must have felt absolutely spoilt. And great friends to organise the party for her, so thoughtful. Hope you enjoy your 'Christmas ' day next weekend and weather is kind to you.

[pharmaT]

Lovely weather here for Saturday but didn't go anywhere.  Just put more washing on and had all the windows open. 

Also made some progress in attaching what I have to my online tree.  Now have 1469 photos attached and 4400 records so getting there.  Maybe my tree will eventually become acceptable although I haven't removed anyone as I feel that would make it inaccurate so maybe not.  Have found some typos as I go like jOhn for John etc and those are fixed which is good for tidiness.

Had horrible selfish thoughts overnight when my neigbours were partying loudly at 4am and yelling back and forward down the street.  All i could think was please let me sleep, and why can't you have fun quietly.  In my defence I didn't give into temptation and yell that out the window so hopefully they don't realise how bad and inconsiderate neighbour I am.

[Viktoria]

Been an odd day today,dull morning but brighter afternoon ,got a lot of towels etc washed and dry.

Once upon a time I would not have hung washing out on Sunday !

Had a nice little ham joint for tea from Aldi.
Had an idea yesterday and got a tin of mushroom soup from Aldi.
Heinz and even Baxter’s are shadows of their former selves,so got a relatively cheap one and also Aldi mushrooms ,not huge but open and tasty .
So I layered potato slices and mushrooms in an ovenproof dish ,poured soup over ,seasoning and baked for an hour .plenty of pepper.
It was very tasty ,thick and creamy, with the ham and broccoli and green beans.

Well what a fiasco, our local Bury council are on a money saving effort so dustbin days are changing and so the brown food waste bins are being emptied only once monthly!Formerly two weekly.
An extra blue bin collection yesterday ,so one side of the street getting their  bins emptied and our side not ! So back they came today ,how that saves money I do not know,dustbins emptied on a Sunday at double time I should imagine is expensive .
Did anyone see The Antiiques Roadshow, “
There was a big Teddy ,it moved its head and a lovely dog was quite surprised
so jumped and barked at it.
What a wonderful man the Dam Buster pilot was, gosh.
Nice that the people around showed appreciation.
What a generation that was , and so young many of them.

Had a dog visitor yesterday, a lad with a big Border  Collie ,another dog was coming along the lane and the Collie was agitated and ready to spring so I said come into my garden until the other dog has passed.
It was lovely with white clean teeth and such a shiny coat .
Aaaaw!
I was hoping it would refuse to budge!

Summer Solstice tomorrow!
I may dance round my apple trees,naked of course ,at midnight with great hopes there is no moon!
 Naaah!I was never a hippie, all looked too scruffy and uncomfortable .
 Don’t want to be a pessimist but the nights get longer now folks!
Soon be Christmas then I will have three lots of  Christmas presents littering my spare bedroom .2019, 2020 and 2021 .
Just not seen the people they are for.
People like my sister ,sister in law and nieces etc whom I see normally in the New Year but the first eye op was early Jan 2020,and no visitors or visiting since.


Pharma, not selfish just natural when you need sleep to do your job.
What a brave step Jeff, it is hard , I knew if I did not do it immediately I could not dispose of my husband’s clothes so kept a small selection snd the rest went to charity, that even before his funeral,my sister in law has kept all her mother’s clothes, she died in 2012,but we each cope in our own way so no criticism in that.

Bad dreams really shake you don’t’they.
Not a dream but I have had a couple of times when I feel totally rigid,can’t breathe ,can’t move or shout .
I don’t think it is actually happening ,so a sort of dream but also a physical feeling ,totally rigid. Then I wake up.
Not nice.

No plans for tomorrow other than strip the bed if a fine day ,well will anyway .
Hate washing not done ,even in the washing basket .
Phone the pointing firm and get that organised.
No real cooking tomorrow, did enough potato bake to microwave tomorrow ,fresh veges though.
Cheerio and thanks for your news everybody.
Hope you all sleep well.
Viktoria.

[Mowsehowse]

Solstice today (Monday,) I think Viktoria??
Naked dancing..... not sure about that!!   
Well the Morris had planned to dance during the evening at Haytor, then with the restrictions remaining in place for another while, we decided to revert to someone's garden as usual, but the weather is a bit diabolical, so it may have to wait until Tuesday now.

Jeff, it must be hard re-decorating Nick's room, but it will be lovely to have the room available for Mark, Erica and other visitors too, hopefully.  Every step along the way will be hard, but Nick will always be there in your hearts.

Caroline, Pharma and Annette, thanks for your entries. 
Enjoy your break away Caroline. 

[Viktoria]

I posted my contribution on Sunday Mowsehowse ,washing out on Sunday etc.so tomorrow in yesterday’s post pertained to today  Monday 21 st..I think!
It was however in answer to Saturday’s diary,so I see the mix up.

Quite cold and dull with a dampness in the air.
Sheets in and ready to iron ,nice ,not too dry.

Given tubs -and containers -mine and neighbour’s - a liquid feed ,  her pink roses are cascading every where ,magnificent.
Perfumed too.
Lobelia ready to start cascading down at last !
Lavender almost out ,and the Captain Sir Tom rose with good fat buds.
Well ironing to do folks ,daughter phones tonight so a long chat there ,news of Flash  etc.
She has not emailed all week so either very busy or some problems !
We will see.
Not phoned son today to see how he is ,will do when ironing done.

Cheerio.
Viktoria.