Friday 16 October 2020

Much better day

 Not a single shower today - sun now and again but mostly high cloud with bits of blue sky here and there.   I slept badly so was a little late up but had just finished tidying round, cleaning the kitchen and having a shower and deciding to go early (10.30) for my walk when the electrician's van  swerved into the drive.   He had come to fit my new door bell.   He offered to come back later but no,  best to get it done with, so I took my coat off and he began.   The instructions were in about a dozen different languages and they were also quite complicated.   There were eight chimes to choose from (!) and of course I had to listen to them all to make a decision.   Most were so frightful that I couldn't bear them and eventually we settled on a Westminster chime (it reminded me of our clock at home when I was a child).   I have one gadget plugged in the the hallway and the other in the sitting room.   To get the one in the sitting room in place he had to empty my huge bookshelves and move the bookcase about three inches.   Both settees were covered in books.   But it did give me a chance to sort them and dust both books and shelves, which I haven't done lately.   But I left that job until I had paid the electrician and he had left and then I went for my walk.   And today I walked to the bottom of the road and back - the furthest I have walked so I am pleased with my progress.   On my return I couldn't face doing the books before lunch, nor could I face cooking much for lunch.   It was either swap the meals round (sandwich at lunch time and cook this evening or have something quick.   I chose the latter)   So jacket potato stuffed with streaky bacon quickly fried and the last of my lovely tenderstem broccoli followed by a baked apple stuffed with raisins and honey and eaten with a dollop of creme fraiche.   It was good.   Then it was wipe the shelves, dust the books and get everything shipshape again.

The first person to try out the new bell was my neighbour H.   She had been gardening and brought me a bunch of her sweet peas.   I have a pretty cut glass vase and they fitted in it nicely.   I put them next to one of my favourite photographs of the farmer - I took it myself when we were going up the coast of Norway on the Hurtigruten some years ago.   Lovely memory of him and that holiday.

So, a productive day and still Monty Don and Gardeners' World to look forward to tonight - if I can stay awake!

 

16 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Surprised to see your neighbour still had sweet peas, mine were finished weeks ago.

Ellen D. said...

Sounds like you had an all around fabulous day! You will sleep well tonight! Have a great weekend!

justjill said...

A lovely day for you.

JayCee said...

Goodness me, you are much busier than me!

Heather said...

You may have had a late start but you certainly made up for it. That sounds like a very busy day. Glad the door bell is installed and that you have been able to have a more comfortable walk today.

Debby said...

Hallelujah for you blue skies! Choosing to walk was the right thing to do. Book dusting can be done any time!

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Happy New Doorbell!
On YouTube there's a Westminister doorbell chime to listen to. Very nice.

Joanne Noragon said...

I sleep through a fair share of programming, too.

jinxxxygirl said...

What a lovely day Pat... So good to hear that! Lovely cool day here.. A trip into town that seems to take all day.. We vow to stay home tomorrow! We never seem to get anything done on town days.. We are figuring out how to put the railing on the stairs together... Its mind boggling to us.. Probably simple but not to us.. We'll get it though.. patience.. Now hubs is putting a supper together for us.. a stir fry with kim chee... yum...and some rice.. brown for me white for him.. I did my three miles run/walk today and one mile of it was with hand weights...hubby walks a mile of it with me most days.. the hand weights are new thing.. So happy to hear your walking is getting longer and the days are looking up! Much love, deb

Cro Magnon said...

I like Gardener's World, but it's too late for me. I occasionally see a repeat, and always learn something. The 'gardener' I refuse to watch is the one we are assured is the 'country's favourite'.... a certain Ms Dimmock.

thelma said...

Sweet peas the tail end of summer, you had a very good day and so much achieved!

Derek Faulkner said...

I echo Cro re. the latest Charlie Dimmock gardening programme, to be as kind as I can, she looks and sounds awful.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Ah Charlie Dimmock - I hear people say she has 'let herself go' I want to agree but what stops me is that I never hear anyone say this about a male presenter who gets fat and lets his hair get long and straggly. I suspect she is a lovely person inside

Thanks to all. Onwards and upwards.

Derek Faulkner said...

Perhaps that's because there isn't one Pat - any examples?

Gerry Snape said...

A good GW last evening...and a thankyou for supporting Charlie Dimmock...she's a good gardener..xx

Northriding said...

Re Charlie Dimmock, she also lost her mother and stepfather in the Boxing Day Tsunami which I would imagine had a profound effect on her and may have contributed to her 'letting herself go'. Back when she was on Ground Force she was always judged by her looks, maybe now she can be judged by her gardening skills