Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

I had a much better day yesterday thank goodness.
I had the ECG done then went on to a locally owned GC. Poor things, they lost most of one of their huge polytunnels in the recent gales, plus lost a lot of their plants. They are in the process of having workmen in to do the repairs. It will cost them thousands of pounds. They have kindly offered to try and find a supplier to get some dwarf myrtles in for me as my niece has approved my suggestion of one to plant on my sister's grave site.

I found a couple of pink and white osteospermums to go in the planters my daughter gave me for my birthday, the two ranunculas she put in have died, too wet, bought some tall plant hoops to create 4 obelisks for the sweetpeas etc. and topped up with composts. Todays "job to do" is getting the bags out of the car, onto the sack trolley and down a flight of steps from the car into the garden. (Take it slowly and carefully. No leaping about, then no accidents.)!
The nurse had already made me an appointment to see a Dr. on Tues. for an update on my medications re AF., which means an irregular heartbeat. I am now not sure if I have it or not. When the nurse tried to take my pulse on my first visit she couldn't find one!

My new glasses arrived so I am getting used to being able to see properly again.

I am beginning to feel sorry for Star, the cat in No 1. Not only is she forced to live in a tiny house with 2 dogs but it is now 3 dogs. The owner of the property's girlfriend recently brought her 2 dogs when she moved in, the owner has just taken on a dog of his own. All lively springer spaniels. No wonder Star eyes my quiet haven with longing.
The concertina trellis works a treat across one of the doors of the conservatory. I found a square metal mesh grid thingy in the garden. No idea what it was meant for originally as it is heavy, but it fits across the double doors when open. Problem solved unless the cats decide to try and jump over them..

 

Morning all.

I've been absent for a while, so firstly, sympathy for @Penny_Forthem . I guess we all know how you'll be feeling, having been through this ourselves.

It's been wet here for a few days, excellent for the garden, though some of the flowers definitely look as if they'd like a bit of sun. The lupins, which were a stately 5 feet or so tall, are now kinked and curly... however, today's forecast looks mainly dry, so I should be able to prop up the sweet rocket which I didn't support enough earlier. I'm planning to empty the growhouse, so I need to find a quiet corner for the young plants which aren't big enough to plant out, and to repot a couple of shrubs. I'm keeping a close eye on next week's forecast, since we really must cut the grass as near as possible to the time we leave for 3 weeks' holiday.

OH had a concert last night, in which 2 of his choirs were singing. He discovered that the two bottom altos in his children's choir were unwell, so roped me in to fill in, in one song where it would have been obvious. Average age in his choir is about 10, so I felt a bit conspicuous!

Good wishes to anyone (@Goldenlily26 and @Busy-Lizzie spring to mind) struggling with their health at the moment. And to the rest of you too! The weekend is nearly here...

 

Good morning all.

Atrial fibrillation is more common in older people and the population is getting older, so @lizzie27 I think you hit the nail on the head. It doesn't always have much in the way of symptoms and it doesn't necessarily shorten your life.

I had a day off gardening yesterday as I was achey from the 5 hours I did the day before. Today I will dig up the purple sprouting broccoli which has fallen over, despite being staked, and is crushing the peas. We ate the last helping last night.

OH pressure cleaned the upper patio yesterday. I noticed that the drain there and in the lower terrace weren't draining very well. The pipes go into square concrete holes in the corner of each terrace and always have some water in them below where the pipes come out. There are drains in the front garden to under the wall and to the ditch in the verge by the road. I hunted for the exit in the ditch and found a very wet and muddy area and a bit of a hole. Not sure if that was it but it seems likely. It was rather bunged up with wet mud but I couldn't dig out more than about a foot. I stuck a hose pipe in the last drain pipe by the former garage and it went in about 13 metres then stopped, which is roughly where the garden wall is. I think I may need to get a man in to sort it. I don't want the lower terrace flooding again, though the rain was exceptional and it hasn't done it in the 4 1/2 years I've been here.

It will be hot in Dordogne this afternoon.

 

Hello @Liriodendron, did you mean me? I'm not really struggling with my health, just osteo-arthritis. Rather achey after 5 hours of gardening. Weeding crouched on a kneeler doesn't really help knees, hands and back!

 

Morning. Think I did a little too much yesterday. A quieter day today, m'thinks.
I believe AF is difficult to diagnose, because it's not always constant in some people.
I was interested in the results of my Merlin ap yesterday, which showed a treecreeper and song thrush among more 'ordinary' birds. I don't think I've ever seen a tree creeper. We do have nuthatches.
Must plant the runners out today.
Hope the day is kind to you all.

 

There is also evidence that it is more common in middle aged people who have done sports like cross country skiing, biathlon, long distance running, cycling etc in a competitive manner.
There is left and right atrial fibrillation depending on the side affected.
Symptoms can be variable some people have virtually no symptoms, others lose varying amounts of their hearts pumping capacity, which becomes apparent on extended exertion.

 

Initially it can come and go and in some people a simple beta blocker is all that is required, there are other drugs that can reset the heart rhythm, electric shock can also be used to reset the heart.

 

Morning all, bit of a panic this morning, realised I had forgotten to take the frozen apple and blackberries out of the freezer to defrost overnight, so they are currently sitting in full sunshine.
My sister's coming to stay today for a few days and I wanted to make a crumble for a pud tonight. If all else fails, there is always the microwave!

Sunny and warm today with cloudy spells. I'm pleased I finished most of my tasks on my To Do list yesterday as I probably won't get the chance over the next few days whilst Sis is here. She is in great need of some R & R as she's been helping her daughter move out of a rented chalet and back into their enlarged renovated house. With 4 yr old twin daughters and their son of 8 yrs, it hasn't been easy, plus she and her husband both work full time. It took four months for the house to be redone but from the photos I've seen now looks very swish.

Right, I'd better get on and finish the housework before my sister arrives.

Have a good day everyone.

 

Weekly shop done this morning with Possum who has the day off. OH is golfing. Lots of holiday folk in the SM wearing unsuitable clothing. Not the place for deep cleavages and bare midriffs.

Set to get to 32C this pm but feel hotter out of the breeze so some gentle weeding of more pots in the "nursery". More roses so more scratching and bleeding for me but too hot to cover up. Have to get it done as they're due to be planted out in the next couple of weeks. At last!

Have fun with Sis @lizzie27 and anyone else expecting guests.

Fun too for anyone gardening or playing and hugs to those with aches and pains. hope you get your blockage sorted @Busy-Lizzie

 

Afternoon all.

A precious day off after a busy week. Shopping done and now I can fill my second garden bin and potter about. I had shut the poly greenhouse up for the last few days (windy and wet) and the plants have loved it! Potting on to do!

Have a lovely Friday everyone.

 

Hi @Busy-Lizzie ! I suppose osteo arthritis isn't a "health" condition, but debilitating none the less. I only have rheumatism in my thumbs, a bit of a nuisance when gardening, but nothing like what others have to cope with.

We've just had a message from OpenEir, installers of our broadband, moving our appointment from Tuesday to Wednesday. They'd better come and finish the job this time, otherwise I can see this dragging on until after our holiday...

 

I have given up cos I was melting. Should be cooler tomorrow and cooler still on Sunday so I'll just let it wait a day or two. Masses of snails which is not good and now all lobbed over the walls of the barn and into the long grass between us and the stupid neighbour. i've scattered chicken poo pellets on the pots I've cleared and left the spinkler on to rinse it in.

On a mission to eat the freezers at the mo so lamb curry planned for dinner. Maybe not the best idea for a hot evening but then they do it in India all year.

Hope you get you connection sorted out at last @Liriodendron

 

I gave up being in the veg garden this morning, too hot. I have dug up the broccoli and put the leaves in the compost and the stalks in the "heap". Then I pressure washed half the lower patio, got rather wet.

Then HW, washing the stairs and the landing and cleaned the window frames of the French window, which has a Juliet balcony, in the guest room.

Now having a cup of tea.

 

Good evening everyone. I took a trip into town this morning as I have decided that I need a new mobile and having researched the one I wanted I nipped into my service provider's place and asked there. I was thwarted as I was informed that they didn't 'sell' phones in store - you have to take them on with a plan. I am on a SIM only plan with them and I prefer to buy my phone outright rather than pay the hyped up monthly charges. I was a little disappointed but called into my bank where I witnessed something extraordinary. A man came in with what appeared to be a very heavy carrier bag. The bank 'greeter' was helping him to upend the contents of the bag into the coin counter machine. I've never seen this before so I was fascinated. The bag was full of mixed small silver coins - not sure what denominations they were but by the time the offload was completed, the screen on the cash counter registered over £231.00! All I wanted were some cash bags for the tea/coffee mornings donations. When I got home, I went back to researching phones online and to cut a long story short I bought a new phone which will arrive here on Sunday.
Do you go away at the beginning of the Finnish Choral Festival @Liriodendron? I smiled at your description of your young choir members.

 

Signing out for tonight - watching Beechgrove at the moment. An oasis of a programme!

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