Wednesday 31 July 2019

Headline News

Well, I didn't expect ever to see our little town make headline news but it did tonight - we were headlines on BBC News at six o'clock, although most of the shots were actually in Bellerby, the nearby village, which took most of the flooding.
People are still clearing up and there is a lot of flood damage everywhere.   It has rained on and off all day although not so heavily.   In some parts of the village householders had to be rescued from their bedroom windows.   The rain came down from the grouse moors above the village - there is heather but hardly a tree to be seen and several becks converge to make the (usually)  pretty one which flows through the village and makes it such an attractive one.   As it rushed down the road it was strong enough to move cars on drives and push them into garage doors - the power in the water was amazing.  It is, of course, the talk of the town and everywhere one goes that is all one hears.   It did happen before some years ago although not quite so bad.   The land is used by the army and the general feeling is that they will have to do something to stop this happening again - although what I don't know.   But then I am not a civil engineer.

Life is slowly returning to normal.



 

Tuesday 30 July 2019


As I write this at three in the afternoon we are in the midst of one of the worst storms I have ever seen.    Hail stones are cascading down, my whole garden is flooded and there is water everywhere.   It has been going for a good half hour and as yet shows no sign of abating.   Tess and I were just about to set out on our afternoon walk when it arrived -  we shall not go now until it is long past.   It has just come on twice as bad.   My poor plants - they certainly will not be thirsty now.  And my water butt will be full.  (and my windows washed clean).
There is literally a waterfall coming through at the top of the garden, cascading over the top patio and then pouring over the bottom patio and going I know not where.   When it finally stops I might go out and see!The sky keeps lightening and the rain lessening and then a couple of minutes later it starts again.   Our climate these days is never a happy medium - always one thing or the other.  As I write more hailstones have arrived.

Water is shooting up through the manholes in the road outside.   The sky is lightening, odd scraps of blue here and there.   The standing water is slowly dispersing but not sure where it is going - certainly not going out to look as it would be well over my shoes.



Monday 29 July 2019

Good news.

Yes, I have been to see my doctor this morning and he thinks my 'attack' was probably a faint in the hot weather.   He advised me to up my liquid intake and said I could drive as long as I didn't go too far.    Good news indeed.

After the almost unbearable hot weather we had a pouring wet day on Saturday and a few showers yesterday.   When I went out this morning to water and feed my pots they were absolutely bone dry, so I must keep up the watering.   Luckily the really heavy rain has filled my water butt to the brim so at least I am not having to use mains water. Today it is sunny but there is a sharp wind blowing from the west so it is quite bearable typical English Summer weather again.

Because I walk Tess morning, lunch time and evening on most days, everyone around knows me so that wherever I go people speak.   It is so nice.   This morning, unsure whether I could drive or not,  the lady who cleans for me ran me to the doctor's on her way home and my son promised to collect me.   As I sat waiting on a seat at the Medical Centre a lady offered me a lift home.   When I asked how she knew where I lived she said I passed her house every morning with Tess so she knew I lived along the road somewhere.   A dog is a good defining feature.   And what a neighbourly road I live on.

Cup of tea time calls - doctor says I must drink more - so until tomorrow ---

Saturday 27 July 2019

Singing for Joy.

I can almost hear the plants in my garden   singing for joy today.   It has rained heavily more or less non stop all day here in the North East.   I have not had to carry a single watering can and I suspect my rain water butt will  be full which also makes life much easier.   Hopefully the rain will have passed over to the West tomorrow and we shall see the sun again.   Simple pleasures but good ones.

It has been far too much for Tess and for me too.   I have spent the past three days doing very little.   I am not driving until I have discussed my slight loss of consciousness with my Doctor on Monday and I am sure he will tell me not drive for the time being.   Taxis into town cost very little from where I live  (four pounds) and with my new walker I might be able to walk a little further anyway.   And various good friends are being helpful with lifts too.   A delivery from Tesco and a batch of Teady meals delivered have set me up nicely - I am just having to readjust my life style.

Looking out of the window at 8.58 I notice how the nights are beginning to draw in.   It is still raining and the sky is full of big, scudding black clouds - but it is also almost dark.   Dare in say Autumn draws on?

The electrician is coming in the morning to finally finish putting the new lights in my kitchen and not a moment too soon - I really need them now to make that bedtime drink. See you tomorrow.




 

Wednesday 24 July 2019

My NewWalker

Well, I have bought my 'DRIVE' four-wheeled walker to help me to walk a little bit further.   Now the next task is to train Tess to walk at the side without weaving back and forth in front of me.   Watch this space.   At present it is parked in the garage.   When I get an opportunity I will photograph it for here.   Too tired to go and do it tonight.

It is hot, humid and oppressive and every movement is almost too much.   I shouldn't complain about the weather (although we had a thunderstorm during the night and all pots got a good soaking) - it is fairly late evening and, according to my mobile, it is around twenty three degrees here, although it is airless and feels much hotter than that to me.

It has been our Poetry afternoon - always a pleasure and today especially so as friend D came.   She has been very ill indeed for some weeks and it is a delight to see her back and what is more in good form.    So welcome back D.   All but one of us there and a good variety of poets - Keats, Hughes, Cope, Larkin, and many more.   It is always hard to remember them afterwards.

And my gardener D came and mowed my lawn and cut back a tree that was getting too big for its boots, and cut off some plants which had finished flowering.   Looks much tidier.   Taxi to Hairdresser in the morning and then Chiropodist just after lunch and a quiet afternoon.

Tuesday 23 July 2019

Walkers

I am thinking of buying myself a walking aid.   D, who I see when I meet friends for coffee, has one and finds it a great help.   It has a small shopping basket and a lid which makes the basket into a seat.   It has four wheels, which make it very stable and it folds so that I can lift it on to the bus.
So watch this space.   I am hoping to  buy it tomorrow - our Pharmacist has a good selection and will help with adjusting it to the right height for me.

It has been exceptionally hot here today.   Tess is not amused but I took her for a short walk this morning before friend E collected me to go in for coffee.   When I got back from town I opened doors and windows so that the house was cool but Tess would only go out into the shade if I was out there.   All my tubs were desperate for a drink and I had to water them immediately (I have done so again this evening).   After tea I took Tess round the block again but it was far too hot and even she was ready to return home.

It is our Poetry group tomorrow so this afternoon I chose what I intend to read.   Friend H came round to say she will take me as I can't drive at the moment.   What it is to have such very good friends.   I am so very lucky.

The Shakes.

I have a condition called 'Benign Essential Tremor' - not serious, runs in families,just a nuisance.  It seems to be worse this hot weather, so it is quite easy to press the wrong button.   This is exactly what happened yesterday.   I really can't remember what I posted about but what I do know is that when I got to the end I pressed the wrong button and the whole thing disappeared into the ether.   Sometimes right-clicking on undo is enough to make it all return but not so yesterday.   I gave up in despair - this weather is hard enough to cope with without re-writing the whole thing.

So, on to today and its events.   Now that I am into a period of not driving until the doctor has looked into my TIA (he doesn't seem particularly bothered but obviously I can\t drive) I am having to completely reorganise my life.  I have bounced back (wondered whether I would or not - but I have) and the first thing i have done is to order my weekly shopping from Tesco.   It was delivered this morning and before I went in to meet friends for coffee (collected and returned home very kindly by friend E) I had it all stored away.   I have also ordered six Ready Meals to try (from a company called COOK which has been highly recommended so I will report back when I have eaten a meal) and they are coming tomorrow morning, so my job left to do today is to reorganise my freezer to make room for them.   This week's Hair Appointment taxi has been booked.   And I am looking into getting a Walking Aid.   D, who I meet at coffee each Tuesday morning, let me have a go with his this morning and it seems ideal.   It has four wheels so is very stable, it has a small shopping basket and the lid forms a seat if you need it.   It folds and has a handle for lifting it up on to the bus.   The bus from the town centre stops at the end of my road so I hope I am getting myself organised.

It is a very hot day here.   When I came home this morning my tubs in the front were all seriously wilting so I had to water them all and also my newly planted  conifers.   After lunch I have watered the tubs in the back garden and I shall have to water all tubs again when the sun goes down tonight.   Tomorrow is our Poetry afternoon so now I am off to look at my offering - Edith Sitwell is worth a search so might start.   At present I am reading Derek Jarman's 'Modern Nature' - you have to be pretty broad-minded to read it (it is certainly an eye opener) but fascinating stuff.   'Til tomorrow
 

Saturday 20 July 2019

Saturday

Thank you to everyone who sent commiserations on my brush with ill health.   Sadly this is what happens when eighty is past (much younger for some people - I am lucky).   I am certainly not feeling myself at all but there is no need for me to do much and I am still finding enough appetite for meals out!  I have already chatted to the Taxi lady and fixed up some appointments with her before she goes off on ten day's holiday and my next mission is to track down a Bus Timetable.   The bus into town (only a mile away) stops at the end of my road.   Then I intend to look into walking aids with wheels so that I might find it easier to walk a bit further and do some journeys on foot.

We have had some rain although not as much as many other places.   But all the plants in the garden look happier and have certainly had a drink.   They must make the most of it because we are promised temperatures of thirty next week.   I shall go to earth if this happens.   Hot weather and I do not mix and never have done.

I have had a quiet day today,   The electrician has been fixing the new lights in my kitchen.   The actual lights are on order and should be here by next week-end, so two wires are sticking out of the  ceiling in my kitchen and all is ready for the LED lights to be fitted when they arrive.  Another good job done by next week-end with any luck.
Apart from three walk with Tess - morning, lunch time and tea time - I have spent a large part of the day reading.   First of all my Book Group Book - a book of essays written by Immigrants to this country and called 'The Good Immigrant' and then, when my son called this afternoon with his wife, they had been into the book shop in our nearby town of Richmond and he had picked up a book he ordered and he brought it for me to read first.   Since then I have been reading Derek Jarman's   'Modern Nature' which is about his life and his special garden on the shingle.   It was written after he contracted (and was dying of) Aids.   I am finding it fascinating reading. But I must be stern with myself - The Good Immigrant has to be finished before the first Monday in August.

Hopefully more rain is forecast overnight before the heatwave sets in.   Let's hope it is forthcoming here - we definitely need it.

Friday 19 July 2019

Friday

After my sudden unexpected fall the other day, a fall which was totally unexplained, I have decided not to drive my car again until I have consulted the doctor in case it turns out to be a T I A.   I know how common they are in older people.  I must get to know the bus service into town (there is a stop at the end of my road) - I already have my Bus Pass but have never used it.   Also there are several good taxi firms in town so it would be easy to use them too.   I have rarely gone further in my car than into town for a long time now, so it will not be too much of an inconvenience once I get used to it.   I would never be able to forgive myself if I had one while driving (they are usually only momentary).

On a happier note - for about an hour this evening we have had quite heavy rain.   We really need it to rain heavily all night as we are really desperate in our gardens,but even a couple of hours is better than all the watering with a can and there are still enormous black clouds overhead so hopefully a bit more to come before next week's threatened heat wave.

This week end is our forties week end here in the town, when ladies and gentlemen take over the town in their military uniforms (always officers strangely enough) - we have ATS girls, WAAFs, Yanks, Army, Navy and Air force personnel, Air Raid Wardens, Nursing Auxiliaries - you name it; they are an enthusiastic bunch and stall holders abound to sell them new items of gear and clothing.   So I hope it rains overnight and then clears for the weekend as it promises.  Next week promises a gigantic heat wave.   I can do without that, I am not a hot weather person.

Lunch today as usual and we both had the same - salmon, fennel and saute potatoes in a butter sauce.   I have had no appetite all week but it is slowly coming back and I really enjoyed my lunch.

Wednesday 17 July 2019

Wednesday

Not feeling all that well at the moment .   I relaxed in bed for an extra hour then got up in leisurely fashion, showered and took Tess for her walk.   On my return I sat down with a drink and dozed off - quite unlike me.   Then I cooked myself a lunch, slipped and ended up on the kitchen floor.   I didn't hurt myself but had difficulty getting up.   I rang my son but he wasn't at home so I struggled and I made it - which was pleasing.

After lunch friends S and T called to take Tess for a walk - so kind of them - and I went with them to the Reservoir.   I settled down in one of M's folding chairs (I don't possess any but M, who lives next door, lent me one for the afternoon) with my book (The Good Immigrant (a collection of essays - very interesting)).   The sun was pleasant and it was a restful afternoon.   We called for a cup of tea on the way home too, which was nice.

Rain is expected, but so far (7.30pm) we have had only a few meagre drops and we really need a downpour.   Our gardens are crying out for it. Hopefully it will arrive overnight.

Tuesday 16 July 2019

Tuesday

For almost the first time this summer it has been a very warm day, although here there is still quite a strong wind - in some ways a welcome one.

It was our monthly 'Strugglers' meeting this morning.   We meet in the local Quaker Meeting House - sometimes as many as nine of us but this morning only five.  The idea is to have silence for a while and then to discuss anything we wish to air to one another - any problem we have which needs a chat, anything which is troubling us in any way.

This morning W talked about Labyrinths.   She brought several hand-out sheets and first of all we tried to draw one - easier said than done but we all mastered it in the end.   Then we tried making one in twos - we made it on table tops using wool.  I took quite a while with V to construct it - W took a photo on her i phone and I have put it into my pictures, but it won't transfer to show you for some reason.   Labyrinths are fascinating things and go back into antiquity - I intend to read up on them when I have a chance.

As it is, my reading at the moment has to concentrate on my Book Group book for next session on the first Monday in the month.   It is a collection of essays and in order to finish it in time I really need to read and think about one essay a day.   I have read the first one today and it is proving fascinating reading.

Until tomorrow.

Monday 15 July 2019

Monday

Monday morning.   Up bright and early after a reasonable night's sleep.   Feeling my usual self although hot weather is not kind to arthritis so walking is quite difficult.   Once my cleaning lady had arrived and I had watered my pots on the back patio Tess and I had a stroll round our usual morning round - slow but steady.   Now plenty of time to put on a blog before eating up all yesterday's left-overs for my lunch.

I must say I thought the news about the cricket was absolutely tremendous.   To win on the last ball like that with a 'run out' was just so very exciting and so well-deserved.   I was delighted  for the whole team.   And seeing the last few shots of the 5 set tennis mens' final (the longest in tennis final history I believe) was equally thrilling.   The grace and sheer good humour was so pleasing to see.

We desperately need rain in the garden and most of the plants are looking decidedly thirsty.   The night before last my son tells me he watered all of their garden quite late in the evening and he said that when he looked out just as it began to get dark, all the plants were standing up tall and straight as if in thanks.   Many of the rock plants in the side of the garden I have planted are now finished flowering and need trimming back but I just dare not venture up to the top of the garden so it will have to wait a while until my gardener has the time.   The other side - unplanted - is now waiting for the Mare's Tail weed to be twenty centimetres before he sprays it with special weed killer for the  third time.   After that we have decided to plant it with shrubs come what may and let it take its chance.   In the meantime lovely tall deep pink poppies have colonised it it - and they are thriving.

Sunday 14 July 2019

Busy Day

My family have been here for a buffet lunch today and I have thoroughly enjoyed their company, but now that they have all gone I am very tired.

Also I want to know how the cricketers fared, who won the tennis - and I hope the ten o'clock news will reveal all.   So sorry everyone, but no more post tonight.   It is ten minutes to ten, the sun is going down (how the nights are beginning to draw in) and I want to settle down and catch up with all the sports news.   See you all tomorrow.

Friday 12 July 2019

Gardeners

The weather is never right for us gardeners.   It doesn't seem all that long since we were complaining we needed a bit of sun.    Now we are complaining that we desperately need rain and we are watering newly planted plants like mad.   I have fairly recently planted up a new square in the front of my bungalow with a collection of evergreens and one or two plants of Carex grass.  In the Autumn I intend to add a lot of spring bulbs - not an original idea, there is another small plot Tess and I pass on our morning walks that fits this pattern and I admire it greatly.   But newly-planted evergreens need well watering until they are firmly established, so my gardener has fitted me a hosepipe on the outside tap so that I can gently give each plant a drink without carrying cans of water.   We had a tiny shower this evening - at least it made the leaves receptive to taking in water,

My gardener usually comes once a week to mow my largish front lawn but for some reason he has missed a week.   So now I have a lovely lawn of Birds'Foot Trefoil - I shall be quite sad to see it go.

I have enough weed killer specialised for Mares Tail weed left for one more application.   My gardener is going to do that on the first still day (we live in a windy area) and then after that we are going to plant the area with shrubs and just keep hoeing the mares tail as it comes through.   Enough is enough.   All gardeners have their cross to bear and mares tail is mine.   I have just walked round the garden and the midgies are biting!

Thursday 11 July 2019

It's Nothing Serious

I have just been to the Doctor's.   Nothing serious and I was in all of three minutes.   But sitting in the waiting room and looking round at the others waiting it struck me how 'anything goes' these days on visits to the doctor.  I had a shower, put on clean clothes from skin upwards, had on a jumper which was easy to remove if I needed to do so.   At least I tried to look 'appetising' for want of a better word.   If I put myself in the doctor's shoes for a minute I can only think it is bad enough looking at elderly bodies but it is slightly less so if they are clean and sweet smelling.

There seemed to me to be a lot of very scruffy folk in that waiting room and a lot of young people in very scanty clothes.   Does that matter?   I suppose not in these days of anything goes, but it did make me smile remembering the day I started at University as a Mature Student in 1968.   I had a Lambretta Scooter to get me there and I felt that trousers were the better option.   I had to report myself to Miss Ruff (the Deputy Principal and in charge of women's welfare) and ask her permission to wear trousers.   I have never forgotten her reply - yes, I may wear trousers to arrive on my scooter but I must change immediately into a skirt upon arrival and I must wear the trousers 'with decorum'.   How times have changed.

Wednesday 10 July 2019

New Mattresses

My two new single mattresses for my guest beds came this morning - they are very grand.   The company appointed today as the delivery day and said they would inform me of a two hour slot.   This didn't materialise, but I didn't expect to be awakened at ten past seven by a knock on the door with them - and I was his third call of the day.   My son came round (he has broken up from school) as soon as he was up and about and carried the old ones out into the garage (our tip closes on Wednesdays) and put the new ones on to the beds and when he had gone I remade the beds up and washed the mattress protectors as these ones already come with their own zip-on covers.   By the time I had done all that and cooked
myself a lunch (and had a quarter of an hour ukulele/banjo duet practice with him to boot) I felt as though I had done a full day's work.

This afternoon, much to Tess's joy, friend S called and took her for a walk.   Tess goes crazy when anyone comes to walk her - and it makes me feel guilty that I can't walk her further myself.

Tuesday 9 July 2019

Open gardens.

The village where my son lives had an Open Garden Day on Sunday and a Scarecrow competition.   He and his wife always enter.   His wife is very several handicapped by advancing osteoarthritis and finds walking possible only with two sticks but she has a real flair for garden design and also enjoys potting design, so there are lots of pots around the garden too.   It is a garden with lots of nooks and crannies and really is a most attractive garden to look round.   Here are a few pictures.





Now, today, friend W and I decided to go out for a bit of lunch to the bar at the Golf Club where we go every Sunday.   W had a prawn salad.   I had a Ploughman's and I have to say that when it came I can only say there was enough for at least two if not three ploughmen.    I didn't finish all that cheese but had a Doggy Bag.   I can't find the photo in my files but if it appears later I will add it.

Sunday 7 July 2019

Morning route

Cats are strange, unfathomable creatures aren't they?   I think that is why I like them so much.  If it weren't for a combination of Tess and quite a busy road I would probably get one.   As I sit here a very large tabby tom has just walked along the wall top across my garden as he does every morning more or less at the same time.   Often he catches my eye but he takes little notice - just continues on his way as though to say 'you may think this is your garden - I know different'.   I love him for it.

Down South they seem to have had showers yesterday - wish we had had some up here as the ground is very dry which means much watering of tubs and newly planted plants - all a bit of a chore.
I understand that more unsettled weather should arrive midweek so I shall probably be complaining then.   That's the trouble with gardening, things are never perfect.   A day of nice gentle rain non-stop would suit me fine.

I do not feel 'back to normal' (whatever that is) yet health-wise but better than I was so I shall go with my friends out to lunch.   Week-ends are never easy as anyone who lives alone will agree.   I suppose it is different if one has always lived alone, but after many years of partnership  when week ends were time to be spent together (not always the case on the farm of course but at times like haymaking a picnic lunch in the field was always an option and a jolly good one on a nice day.   The smell of cut grass always reminds me of such things. 

Are you a tennis fan?   I certainly couldn't just sit hour after hour watching it all but seeing the joy on the face of the fifteen year old as she gets into the last sixteen was a pivotal moment, as was the Red Arrow flypast when Andy and Serena came out on court for the mixed doubles yesterday.   As a nation we are pretty good at pulling all the stops out for a special occasion. 

And what about little Archie at his christening?  My goodness isn't he a miniature image of his dad?   Privileged many would say - superfluous too but as somebody pointed out the other day in The Times - Royalty bring millions into this country in revenue at times like weddings and special events so it is not all one way.

Well I must sign off.   This is really displacement therapy and with Tess sitting here looking at me, me still in my dressing gown and the clock showing a quarter to ten, I must move.   Have a good day.
 

 

Saturday 6 July 2019

Saturday

I have not felt brilliant for the last couple of days but will put a post on tomorrow.   Lovely day today - the best all week.

Friday 5 July 2019

Telling it how it is.

Home truths, sometimes not easy to take.   But yesterday, as we met our friends in our favourite Italian in Kirby Lonsdale, one of them said he had something he wanted to say but was rather embarrassed to say it.   I have known him for forty five years and he is one of my dearest friends - I told him that of course he had to say it.  What it amounted to was to tell me that when they came to stay (and they do quite often and I really look forward to their coming) the single beds in the spare room were no longer comfortable as the mattresses had lost their strength.   He always went home with a bad back.

He is quite right.   I can't remember when the beds were bought but it is at least thirty five years ago.  Alright, so they have always been 'spare beds' but we have always been people to have folk staying and on the one occasion (when our bedroom was being decorated) I tried to sleep on one I had to go back to our double bed because I found the bed uncomfortable.   So point taken. 

So this morning, neighbour (friend H), who is very good at researching things on her computer and also takes 'Which' magazine spent time looking into the whole idea and then after lunch (Derek - our usual Friday lunch out - Salmon, braised fennel and saute potatoes) came round with details.   The upshot is that two single mattresses are ordered and will arrive some time next Wednesday.   So it you are reading this P you can't say I haven't acted on your advice!

Thursday 4 July 2019

Thursday

Although this post is headed Thursday and it is indeed Thursday, in my head it has been Friday all day.  Do you have days like that?
 
Friend W and I have been over the Pennines to Kirby Lonsdale today to meet friends P and D for lunch.  We took Tess and also Meg, another Border Terrier staying with W for a few days.  As usual we had a lovely day and - as usual - admired the wonderful scenery and said just how lucky we are to live in such a very beautiful area.   In the fields farmers were silaging everywhere and the air was full of the scent of newly cut grass.   Contented cows and calves lay in the fields chewing the cud and here and there half grown lambs had escaped on to the road and were frantically trying to get back through the wire to mum in the field.   They are clever at getting out but not so clever at getting back in

A tiring day.   I am going now to watch Serengeti on the television - I just hope I can stay awake through it.

Wednesday 3 July 2019

Lovely surprise.

When the doorbell rang this afternoon I wondered who it could be.   What a lovely surprise I had when I opened the door.   It was a friend I have not seen for a few years and who happened to be  passing.          Two hours of reminiscing, catching up, laughing, drinking tea - how quickly it passed.   How lovely to catch up with old friends.

The weather has been lovely today; little or no wind, bright sunshine all day and callers on and off all day.   Tess had her lovely long walk with friend S and apparently ran about without feeling the heat.   But now, as the light begins to fade and the sun goes down, I must go out and give my plants in pots a good drink - I am sure they will all be thirsty.

Tuesday 2 July 2019

An ordinary day

Quite an ordinary day although very busy.   Walking with Tess early then into town for coffee with E and C and a nice chat.   C has just got a new grandchild - a little boy called Alvin - and so of course we had to see photographs.   He is so tiny and so adorable.  Then it was a bit of food shopping, a call in at the bank and then home again to await my son calling to collect me plus ironing board to take to the tip (board too big for my little Corsa).   On the way back we called at our Homeware shop and chose a new ironing board so now I need to whip up the enthusiasm for ironing.

H called to take Tess for a walk and they went once again to the Himalayan Gardens near Masham.   As they are mostly rhododendrons the gardens close to the public after one more week.  Tess adores it there and it was several hours before she returned home - long enough to give W and I time to go into town for a lunch of fritata and salad followed by rhubarb and strawberry crumble with ice cream.

Now, at a quarter to five, time at last to sit down and read posts and put this on.   While writing it I have just eaten six Scottish strawberries - I never remember  the strawberries being as sweet as this year or the season going on for so long.

My son has just rung - and we are going to have a Chinese for tea - I have ordered sweet  and sour prawns with rice, so now it is time to set the table ready for them coming round.   Never a dull moment.

Monday 1 July 2019

F Y M

The field behind my bungalow has been whole cropped again this week and today it got its obligatory dressing of manure, courtesy of the Dairy herd it is destined to feed over the Winter months.   You can imagine - there is a good, healthy smell outside (and inside too if I forget and leave the patio door open).

This morning was our Book Group meeting and as it was at M's it was within walking distance of my bungalow.   The book we have read this month is 'The Salt Path' by Raynor Winn.   I can thoroughly recommend it - a non-fiction book about a couple made homeless who decide to walk the coastal path wild camping.   It is full of interesting little episodes and well worth a read.

It is very windy here today so I decided to change the sheets and duvet cover on my bed.  The lady who cleans for me comes on a Monday so she could help me to remake the bed with fresh sheets (I look forward to bed tonight between clean, sweet smelling sheets - if I could have someone make the bed I would have clean sheets every day like the Queen (I assume).  When I came back from Book Group I got ready to iron them - and my ironing board broke.   As I have had it at least fifty years it certainly doesn't owe me anything.  My son has promised to take it to the tip tomorrow for me and then take me to buy a new one as he will easily get them into his car - I certainly can't get them in my Corsa.   I shall be sad to say good-bye to my ironing board as it is an old faithful friend - but my Grandchildren fall about laughing at it as it is so 'old fashioned.'   (as is ironing to so many people - but not me; I even iron the dusters). 

Television is totally dominated by Wimbledon at present - hard luck if you don't care for tennis - but a good opportunity to read book group's next book - 'The Good Immigrant.' 

Big day tomorrow  - it will be my 3,500th post.