Another day

 Good morning all.  Yesterday was a largely dry day with one big shower in the early afternoon for which I was grateful as it sent my neighbour indoors he had been building something and hammering all day.  It was nice to have s bit of peace.  It has rained again overnight as everything is still dripping.  I believe we have been threatened with another heat wave but i would be very happy if they have got it wrong. The seamstress has finished my last cushion so I will go and pick it up on Monday, however, I have no idea what I am going to do with it. The original idea was to give it to Shiona as a house warming present but as the house sale has fallen by the wayside I don’t know what to do with it. No doubt Dennie will find a home for it.  She likes organising ornaments and I am happy for her to do it. The kefir making has got a bit out of hand whilst i like it there is no way I can’t drink a litre a day so I have put it in the fridge in the hope of slowing ...

Good morning all.  We had a very mixed day yesterday but on balance I think it was 70% sunshine and 30% rain and today looks as if it may be the same.  I am still dangling waiting for the pond and the tiles hopefully next week should see both done. I am a bit late this morning as I woke at some ungodly hour and decided to go back to sleep.  If I had done this in the past I would have ended up with the mother and father of a headache but I seem to have overcome that hurdle.   James really went to town on lunch yesterday we had a ceviche of scallops, smoked salmon, and some crab croquettes to accompany a big salad.  Today we are having chicken burritos with salsa.  I feel very blessed and I'm so pleased I taught him about food from an early age.  One of his first experiences with solid food was in Trieste.  We were out to lunch and there was little to suit a baby so I took the soft part out of some bread and dipped it in the gravy of my squid d...

Good morning all yesterday was a dry day but it has rained overnight and I believe we are in for wind and rain today.  At present it is sunny but there are some ominous black clouds overhead.  I thought I would take a quick snap from my bedroom to show the lilies before they get battered. They are going to be spectacular if the wind and rain don't destroy them first.  Today James is due his second vaccine so give it a couple of weeks and we will all be bulletproof.  I'm really glad that the rollout has been so successful and hopefully we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  I am ambivalent about vaccine passports if you can get hold of passports, driving licences and other documents by unscrupulous means I think vaccine passports will become a hot commodity and who is going to monitor them?  Anyway, I hope we are all going to be a bit safer. James went to town in the kitchen yesterday and made some very nice cheese and mushroom croquettes which h...

 Good morning all.  This morning is chilly but bright.  Yesterday was fine for most of the day but we did have a good downpour around lunchtime and it was very windy.  I took a few photos of the Budlias in the garden most of which have planted themselves. The lilies are on the verge of opening and some of the arum lilies are also in bloom.  All this alternating sun and rain seems perfect for the garden and it is looking very lush. I had success with a small experiment.  I like kefir and had a litre bottle of Polish-made kefir in the fridge.  It was down to about 250 mls so I thought I would try to make more by adding some milk to it and leaving it out at room temperature.  48 hours later I have another litre which is very pleasing I now know that I can keep topping it up and make more.  Obviously, it must have been live though as I don't read Polish I couldn't tell. Today we are up to the soup phase of the chicken so I have the bones to pick ...

Good morning all.  Yesterday was a day of sun and showers but we did manage to get two loads of washing done and dry on the line. Now for the not-so-good news, I had a phone call from Steve the tiler who has been admitted to the Medway hospital with a slipped disc however it is not all doom and gloom his two sons who work with him will be coming next week.  Neil, the pond is due later this week so it is just a few delays nothing tragic.  James made us a lovely roast chicken for lunch yesterday with new potatoes with butter and chives, glazed carrots, and petit pois a la francais.  He does like to do things properly and I am delighted he does.  The remaining meat from the chicken has been shredded for a chicken salad and the carcass is in the pot for some broth which we have with soup pasta and loads of parmesan.  Whatever is left is dog food.  I did laugh last night when Denzil was preparing the dogs supper Dan kept pointing to the plate of shredded ch...

Good morning one and all we had another downpour overnight so everything is sopping wet.  Yesterday was horrid as it was very muggy.  It was like a sauna with all the rain that has fallen onto the hot ground.  Anyway, the plants are happy it is perfect for them.  The berries on my mahonia are now ripe and from nowhere the thrush has reappeared ready for the feast.  I never see it for the rest of the year however it must live close by to monitor the berries. Fortunately, the pigeons are too heavy to get the berries so the little birds get them to themselves. Today we are having a roast chicken for lunch and James has already made a really delicious gravy with the giblets.  It is one of the advantages of buying chickens from the online butcher they come with giblets, unlike supermarket birds.   I got stuck into a bit of sewing and have started to embroider the unicorn which is a bit fiddly but passes the time.  I haven't heard from the tiler so...

Good morning all I'm up a bit earlier this morning, yesterday I was up early but then fell back to sleep. I must admit I am feeling pretty ropey at the moment I don't think my sinus has finally given up but at least I'm no longer in pain. anyway enough of my woes we had lots of showers yesterday and my golden hop is going crazy and has climbed all over the Korean pine. It’s a good job it dies back in the winter and we can pull it down. I took this photo with my phone and do you think i could get it to transfer over in the end I sent it to myself via email. What a lot of faffing around!  James has lunch organised he has marinated some pork belly strips overnight and they will be roasted for lunch with a large salad and some rice.  It looks like another very overcast day and I wouldn’t be surprised if we get some showers.  Fortunately we are at the top of a hill which means flooding isn’t an issue instead we have very poor water pressure which is definitely the better of th...

 Good morning all, we had a good downpour at about 6 this morning which gave everything a good soak and now its just dull but that’s better than hot. With regard to the pond I have decided to go ahead and have the repairs done.  I don’t think I could stand the upheaval of having it filled in and as my solar panels sent me a nice big cheque I’m a bit happier to pay for the work.  I seem to be doing nothing but writing cheques these days. Denzil has returned to work today after his week off that he timed beautifully not that the heat bothers him.  James is organising something for supper for when he comes home.  I think we are having pork chops and green beans.   I must say it is rather nice to have life back to normal without builders but one day next week the tiler will be coming though I don’t know which day!  Once that is done I can go ahead and purchase a new tumble drier ready for the winter and start moving the drying racks etc into the new shed. ...

 Good morning all.  It is a glorious English summer morning it is overcast with a cool breeze and it has rained.  I for one am delighted as it means I am not melting and I don't have to water the plants, what more could I want? James went to town in the kitchen yesterday and made a meatloaf which we had a slice of for supper and there is enough left for lunch with a big salad. I have had an estimate to mend the pond pumps and filters and now I am dithering as to whether it is worth the money especially as it has been non-functional for over 6 months.  It is quite a big expanse of water so if it is stagnant it is not very nice but I only have a few goldfish and some nice waterlilies.  It measures about 12 feet by 6 feet and is 3 feet deep, a big area of stagnant water. I think I have just talked myself into getting it done. Concerning the garden furniture, I will start looking in the autumn when they are selling off the stock leftover from the summer no point in ...

Good morning all its a lovely cool start to the day the sun is bright but the air is cool. James has already made a creamy chicken and mushroom sauce for some pasta at lunchtime.  We had his lovely curry last night but without any rice as none of us were actually hungry.    This is the finished shed which has 8 electrical outlets stip lighting and a single drainer stainless steel sink with a cold water supply ideal for soaking things or washing out flowerpots etc. I am delighted with the results and as you can see it puts my garden furniture to shame.  It desperately needs a coat of paint which I might get around to doing or I may just abandon it and look for something new for next year. I can't wait for the floor to be done then I can start moving bits and pieces into the shed and out of the house. I had a day of total indolence yesterday which was actually just what I needed.  Sometimes you need to give yourself permission to be a slob. I binge-watched "Vera" ...

Good morning all it is brilliantly cool this morning my room which is in the sun reached 38ºC yesterday afternoon.  According to the weather people, it is due to be a bit cooler today for which I am deeply grateful.   The shed building work is done and now I am just waiting for the floor which should happen one day next week and also the pond guy at some time. Then I quit I am absolutely exhausted between the heat and all the hubbub I now feel like a dishcloth. Lockdown now looks like a treat! James has made two dishes with some chicken thighs I boned out for him we have a curry and a chicken and mushroom dish so no cooking today or tomorrow either, just accompaniments like huge bowls of salad. He has just left for Tesco to restock the salad stuff as we are going through it at a rate of knots. While the weather is good we are taking the opportunity to put the duvets through the washing machine as they will dry in minutes on the line.  I have every intention of doing ...

 Good morning all well what a day we had yesterday.  First, the pond guy turned up and now we are going to have a separate electric supply for the pond in the fullness of time! then the washing machine guy turned up and fixed the machine.  By lunchtime, it was unbearably hot and I retired to my room to watch some rubbish it was 33ºC and horrible.  Then all of a sudden it got dark and I could hear rumbling thunder in the distance.  The temperature dropped like a stone down to 23º and then the heavens opened and the storm arrived directly overhead which terrified the dogs, I, on the other hand, was loving it. Now I am going to keep this short as I have a plethora of builders and Denny as well so it is chaos here for a while and I am needed to direct operations so I will love you and leave you and go and get on.  Try to stay cool and do stay safe.

Good morning all.  It looks like it is going to be another hot one but at the moment it is lovely and cool. Today is going to be a busy day first it is Denzils birthday, then I am expecting a visit from Neil the pond guy and also a washing machine engineer and if I'm really lucky builders too.  I had a lovely chat with Margiory on the phone yesterday sadly her plans have been disrupted and she needed a good moan with someone who could understand her frustration and at the risk of being sexist, you need another woman for that.  Men, bless them, just try to fix things, they don't understand we need a good moan from time to time. Robert Burns: “ The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft a-gley .” Oh Boy, is that ever true. Yesterday was another scorcher and I think we hit 30ºC which is definitely too hot for me. However, it was perfect for the laundry you just can't have everything.  I think we have caught up on the backlog of washing it's amazing how much y...

 Good morning all it is another glorious day.  This is a lovely time before the temperature climbs to unbearable.  All the windows and doors are open to the fresh morning air. I believe it is due to be slightly cooler today which is no bad thing yesterday was too hot for my liking. I had some sad news yesterday as a very old friend who lives in Trieste has died she was 96 and had had a very good innings.  Her son had made it from America and so she left peacefully with her family around her.  I have sent a bunch of flowers which is all I could do. Other than that it was a day of catching up with the laundry and appetites dwindle in the heat so none of us fancied supper so we had a slice of cheesecake and a cup of tea and called it quits.  The washing machine is going as I write and yet another load is destined for the line.  The washing machine is throwing a tantrum as it had its electricity cut off mid-cycle now it keeps telling me it has no water whi...

Good morning all, it is a lovely sunny morning and all the windows are open while the house is still in the shade. I had a lovely day yesterday and spent my time giving myself a spa day and sleeping on and off.  I am surprised how exhausted all this building work has made me anyone would think I was doing the building myself. I have contacted two companies with regard to the pond but as yet I  have had no replies, not that it is urgent we have been without a pump for months. Today is another washing day as we are still catching up on all the laundry and of course, it is perfect drying weather. I don't think I have builders until Tuesday but who knows may the plumber will turn up on Monday. I don't have much by way of news I am just going to take the opportunity to have a quiet peaceful day pottering about.  I have no ideas for lunch so it will probably be a selection of bits from the fridge and the inevitable salad.  The freezer is full so I'm sure to find something ...

 Good morning all.  I have a line full of washing and only you will know how happy that makes me.  Yesterday was very busy as the electrician turned up early and now I have all the electrics up and running.  Then the tiler turned up at about 7pm and took all the measurements and let me know what the final cost will be and when he can do the job, which will take two days.  The floor will need to be dry then he will pour self-levelling stuff and let it dry overnight and tile the next day. Nothing is ever simple, is it? Anyway, by the time, the day was over I was exhausted and have slept in till 10am.  After so many months of inactivity, I'm not used to this amount of excitement.  Now that I have the electrics fixed I can organise a pond guy to come and install a new pump.  Owning a house is a never-ending problem if it's not the electrics it's the plumbing or something else that needs repairing or replacing.  There are days when I would like to...

 Good morning all, progress is coming along well all we need now are the soffits, barge boards and guttering. On Monday the electricians are due but in the meantime, my washing machine is functional with an extension lead from the kitchen. The roof is done so we are water-tight but I don't think we are expecting rain.  Mark is coming this morning to clear up some of the mess in the garden then this evening the tiler is coming to measure up.  The sink is in place but not yet plumbed in.  I reckon by the end of next week we should be finished and I will never have to paint the shed again.  Anyway, I am delighted with the results. It is also an exciting day for Dan he is off to the hairdresser for a pampering day but actually, he thinks it is a torturing day as he comes home completely exhausted. With regard to the samphire, it was rather nice.  It has zero flavour and is slightly salty which is fine if smothered in butter.  It is not something I would ru...

Good morning one and all it is a lovely summer morning with beautiful sunshine.  The roofers didn't come yesterday and the chippies got on with the cladding but apparently, they are coming today.  I have taken your advice and I am going to have the shed/futility room tiled but the concrete needs 30 days to dry properly so it will be one of the last things to be done.  Of course with builders on-site, my job is to keep them hydrated with copious cups of coffee and tea.  As none of us take sugar and I don't bake they have almost run me out of sugar. Denzil came home with three packs of samphire which is not something I am used to cooking so I spent a happy hour cleaning it and it will be today's vegetable with whatever we are having.  Apparently, it just needs a couple of minutes boiling then dressing with loads of butter.  There is a large patch of it that can be harvested at low tide where we walk the dogs.  Anyway, I will let you know how it turns out...

Good morning all.  Today I believe the roofers are coming so we are getting on with the shed and I think the carpenters are going to start the cladding.  I'm not quite sure what to do with the floor inside at the moment is it just concrete.  I could just seal it and paint it or perhaps lino, anyway there is no urgency and I can take my time deciding.  Once this part is done I we will be on to plumbers and electricians so I will have to decide where I want a socket etc. I am having a single drainer stainless steel sink set into a worktop with the washing machine and tumble dryer underneath.  I then intend to move the ironing board out to the shed which will free up the hell hole under the stairs. On the menu today we have my favourite faggots which only need heating and a bit of gravy adding.  I have a pile of broad beans to go with them which are already cooked so it is all just warming up. It looks like it is going to be a lovely day which is good news for...

Good morning all.  Thank goodness the football is over but shame on the people putting racist comments.  Interesting developments regarding the neighbours before they left for their holiday HE came and delivered the garage key.  I think she is the problem she put my hackles up the first time I met her but he is a nice bloke.  Anyway, problem solved.  The guys are here this morning and cracking on.  The weather forecast is not good for today but it is better for later in the week. I am getting anxious to have my washing machine back. My cushions have found a home. Today I am hoping to take the latest piece to the seamstress to be made up into a cushion but I have no idea what I am going to do with it once it is finished. The lily that had 10 blooms last year had grown up in a very strange way and I'm not sure how it is going to develop. If the buds actually open it should look pretty spectacular.  I think it has undergone some kind of mutation.  An...

Good morning all and it's a wet and miserable day here and I believe we are in for more rain. I am not expecting builders today which is probably just as well as I am sure there will be a few sore heads and heavy hearts this morning.  I watched a bit of the football last night but it is not a game I like. There is much too much faffing about for my liking I am definitely a rugby person.  I was however glued to the tennis and pleased with the result. So you win some you lose some. Next, it will be the Olympics and a great opportunity to spread the delta variant far and wide.  Hopefully, by then we should have sufficient people vaccinated that it isn't a serious problem. I had a chat with the neighbors yesterday and they definitely have the hump about something.  Snidy comments don't go unnoticed so I took the opportunity to tell them about the eight hours of barking we have to put up with.  The husband is OK but she is a passive-aggressive person and I think he d...

Good morning all it is dull and overcast here today and relatively chilly at 16ºC,  but so far it is dry. Yesterday was a fairly dull day with little to do.  I have not been embroidering as it requires my head forward which is not good for sinuses but I think it has almost gone I am left with a dull ache but that is better pain. It looks like our neighbours are going to be difficult as the carpenters need access to clad the back of the shed.  They are away next week and initially, they were going to let us have a key for their garage but they have changed their minds so now we have a problem.  If push comes to shove we can remove a fence panel or climb over it.  Anyway, the builders will have to work that out.   Denzil came home with chicken breast which we are going to split with the dogs.  It is fine, just too close to its sell-by date to put back on the shelves so what can you do 2 chicken breasts for 50p so Denzil bought 6 for the dogs but I h...

Good morning all, sorry about yesterday, but I spent most of the day asleep having spent most of the night awake. I think my sinus problems are getting better slowly but it is very slow.  The weather looks very dull at the moment and it is quite cool, but that is fine with me I would rather put on a cardigan than a fan. All is quiet with the building probably until Wednesday given that win or lose the football the men are not likely to be functional on Monday.  I find myself in a very happy position, I would love England to win but I will not be unhappy if Italy win.  I have read that if we win there will be an additional bank holiday. I think we all need something to cheer us up after what has been a miserable time.  I must say that I have been so fortunate to have the boys at home and the pandemic has caused very little disruption to my life. James pushed the boat out yesterday and made some interesting oriental meatballs with stirfry vegetables and katsu sauce....

Good morning all. Well, it is a lovely sunny dry day here as the carpenters have been called way on to another job.  Anyway, at least the washing machine is now undercover so if it rains it will be well protected. I am itching for the time we get the interior done and I then have my washing machine back in action.  As you can imagine the washing is piling up and I am missing this perfect drying weather.   I am led to believe we have reason to celebrate if the noise from the pub is anything to go by.  I deliberately didn't watch the match as I am the kiss of death. I watched Federer and look what happened to him!  Anyway the final doesn't matter to me as either side will do. I must say I am concerned about the opening up of the country but given that there were 60 thousand at the football and Wimbledon is packed what is the point?  Personally, I am just keeping myself safe as best as I can and definitely away from crowds. Hopefully, the vaccination targ...

Good morning all at least it is dry at the moment.  The workmen got absolutely soaked yesterday when the heaven suddenly opened and they were dashing to get their equipment undercover.   It only lasted about 10 minutes but it came down in torrents. The garden and garage are littered with building materials and windows and doors so it is now just a case of putting it all together.  I do hope they have a dry day so they can crack on.  Keith restricted himself to the front garden and planted up the pittosporum and photinia so they are now safely in the ground. Today Dennie is due and I think she will be surprised to see the embroidery finished and blocked.  I think my sinus has finally started to settle down but this damp weather is playing havoc with my chest and I am extremely breathless.  Someone needs to tell the rain gods it is July, not March.  Anyway, one thing is for certain the plants are loving it. The dogs have been very good with all the ...

 Good morning all.  Today we have lots of weather we have sun rain and wind not a day to be working outside I fear.  I dont envy the carpenters who still have work to do and Keith the gardener is also due. Fortunately   I have some jobs at the other end of the garden  so they shouldn't get in each other's way.  The seamstress has finished the cushions and delivered them to Elaine who sent me some photos so I can see the finished results. I must say I am pleased with the results. The rabbits are a gift for her and the feathers are mine that she will deliver to me in the fullness of time.  The current piece is not needed until Christmas so I am going slowly at it as I don't want to finish it in a week.  Anyway the guys are here so tea is necessary and I need more coffee so I will love you and leave you have a good day and stay safe we are not out of the woods yet.

 Good morning all I am up waiting for the builders to arrive but I would much rather be in bed.  I had a rotten night and hardly slept at all so when I finally dozed off the alarm went off. My sinus is still giving me trouble but I am not ill just in pain which is boring.  I think that is what kept me awake last night.  Anyway, it is not a problem as soon as the boys are up I will try and get some sleep and catch up. I wish you could smell these lilies which the boys bought me for my birthday and they are only now opening and flooding the room with their scent.  As you can see they are in a pot, not a vase so when they have finished flowering they will be moved to the garden.  If they look a bit crowded they are. My room is small and has to double as a sewing room so every square inch is occupied. It was raining earlier but now the sun has come out which pleases me, who wants wet grumpy builders! I was looking at the garden and moaning that there isn't much...

Good morning all it is hosing down with rain this morning I only hope things are better tomorrow when the carpenters come.  My sinuses are beginning to settle down a bit and the pain is localising to the sinus area so a definite improvement.  It is inflammation rather than infection as I don't have any fever or other signs of infection.  It might be viral in origin or even dust, pollen etc. who knows but at least I can chew my food now.  James has planned a fish finger and salad lunch for the two of us and a pasta dish for supper with Denzil. My new embroidery arrived and today I will make a start on it as I have discussed the colours etc with Angela who is going to give it to her niece for Christmas.  I have plenty of time to do the embroidery and get it made up to a stocking. It is not too much work and there is a space at the top to put in the childs name.  Anyway it will keep me out of mischief and help me use up some of my huge stash of yarns. Well giv...

Good morning all.  It has rained overnight but the concrete had already set so I don't think it was a problem. I finally finished my embroidery and got it all pinned out on the blocking board then out to the garden to be well and truly wetted with the hose.  A couple of hours dripping dry then in for the final drying period.  I am quite pleased with the results. As you can see there is a bit of spare twill below the dotted line which I might use for some practice given it is so costly to buy. The background will get lighter as it dries so it won't be a dirty brown. I also had a go through the greenhouse and tied in my tomatoes that are going crazy but no sign of fruit yet. The tumblers have a fair few flowers so I am hopeful that they will crop well. I spent most of the day eating ibuprofen as my face and ear are really painful but I am hopeful that I can wait it out without having to resort to antibiotics.  I once made my GP laugh when I was taking analgesics for an...

Good morning all it looks like another good day and the weather gods have kept the rain off my new cement.  The guys arrived bright and early and got the DPC [damp proof course] down and the cement laid.  we now have a short break while that goes off before the chippies [carpenters] arrive on Monday to start the building. It's all very exciting I have waited so long for this to be done.  As the new building will be devoted to the laundry I have decided that it is not a utility room but a futility room.  After all, you only wash and iron things so you can dirty and crease them again.  It is an eternal cycle.  Anyway, I am delighted to have a flat floor and the washing machine in the right place. I had intended to get my embroidery finished but I still have about an hour of work to do on it before I can block it.  I have however made the blocking board up to approximately the right size so I am ready to go as soon as it is complete.  One of the issu...