Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Good morning all.

We are in East Sussex with my sister. We are having coffee in bed, she is outside feeding her 6 horses, mostly rescue ones, mostly unrideable but a couple because of old age. She's had them for years.

It tipped with rain in the night.

 

Good morning!

Do you have a day with your sister before going back to France, @Busy-Lizzie ? I don't envy you all that regular travelling, but I guess you have no option, thanks to Br... we-know-what.

We are supposed to have a visit from the Digiweb engineer this morning, about our broadband connection. However, we strongly suspect that the underground work hasn't been done yet, though somebody was digging at the bottom of our road on Saturday... in which case he'll either not come at all, or come, say "sorry" and disappear.

Yesterday morning was very wet, but by the time we returned home from our choir rehearsal at 6pm it was warm and sunny, with a light breeze from the south, and the garden was full of butterflies. We'd only seen the odd one up to now, but the buddleja was full of Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshells, with a lot of white ones too. No Peacocks, though. Loads of bees as well.

Fingers crossed that you and the rescue dogs will prove a good fit, @Penny_Forthem .

 

Woke at 7 to let the dog out and then give her breakfast. There was mist in the trees when I woke up. We had a stroll round the garden after she had eaten, and the mist descended to lawn height. Very spooky! Back to bed for us both, and by the time OH and I woke up for our breakfast, the mist had gone, and the sun was out.
The dresses sound lovely, @lizzie27, maybe you can save the offcuts to make pockets? It would be great if OH can help get his late friends car going. A lovely tribute.
Rain forecast for later. I shall try and produce some more rubbish for the green bins, spoilt for choice as to what to collect. More bush pruning, or maybe brambles to pull up. Should be easier now the ground is damper. Bed changing and laundry can be done while it’s raining, and I have to pop into the nearby town to collect a parcel and some dog treats.
Enjoy your day off, @AuntyRach, and the catchup with your sister, @Busy-Lizzie.

 

It is raining again. Nice gentle, steady, warm rain. Boy the plants and weeds will grow! I was going to top up the pond but hope there will be enough rain to do the job for me.

My son took all day yesterday to empty and clean my ex's extensive bungalow loft. Poor chap. He said it took 3 attempts at washing his hands to get them clean when he finished. Sadly, many, many spiders have met an untimely death in the depths of the vacuum cleaner. About 50 years of spiders. My son must be exhausted although my daughter in law did the kitchen which will run a close second.
When I moved here from a bungalow "with a loft" I promised myself to never store anything in the loft. As it happens, there is only a shallow crawl space, barely big enough for a man to move around in, so I have kept to that promise. There are probably plenty of spiders, mouse nests, birds nests and the obligatory insulation wadding up there.

I hauled the black sacks up to the wheelie bin, used cat litter is so heavy. Several black sacks, small quantities! Next job will be flattening my large selection of cardboard boxes ready to go out. I find it hard work breaking up dry, crispy cardboard boxes. Damp soggy cardboard can be rolled up much more easily.

 

We had more rain in the night which was welcome but not as much as i'd hoped and it's all gone away now so none in view for 10 days. At least it will be cooler this week with temps in the low to mid 20s but climbing again next week.

Pussies woke me up a couple of times last night - huntress announcing a catch, t'other needing cuddles, both wanting feeding before dawn and the outside cat singing in the rain. I've put one of the tunnel cloches behind the shower room so he can eat in the dry, away from our catflap and that led to a sing song. Our cats have habits @AuntyRach but not a routine!

It's very windy today so I can't decide between weeding this pm or sewing. Having spent a while making a new batch of my big red salad I went to fetch OH in for lunch. He'd gone out to do some weeding in the veg plot and has very carefully started on the bed that didn't need it so my fartichokes are now no more. He was only part way thru the cavolo nero which really does need weeding, along with the radicchio. Doh!

Sounds like a good haul @lizzie27. Good luck to OH and pal for their car project.

Good luck to you too @Penny_Forthem. We're finding that many rescue places here won't accept adopters over 70 which is daft as we're both fit and active and have plenty of time and space for a dog or two. Not sure we're ready tho to replace our pair.

Maybe a sack trolley would help @Goldenlily26 but well done. We have a very small loft here and have nothing more than insulation in it. Our last house had a full size attic as big as the house below and took a lot of sorting and emptying before we moved. Never again. We do, tho, have an outside cellar/cave and an annex so plenty of scope for hoarding but i'm working on reducing it all - again.

Belgian national holiday but it looks a bit wet. France's current PM is proposing to cut two public holdays to save money in the budget - Easter Monday which he says serves no religious significance and the 8th of May (VE day) which often leads to a 4 day weekend when it falls on a Tuesday or Thursday. I can't see him lasting long.

 

Good afternoon everyone. You must enjoy seeing the horses at your sister's @Busy-Lizzie, having had your own in the past. Is it an early start for the ferry tomorrow? I've seen a few more butterflies today @Liriodendron but haven't done my butterfly count yet. The only items I keep in my loft are luggage. I used to keep C*******s stuff up there but once I converted to a combi boiler and didn't need the hot water tank, the space that took up was ideal for the seasonal things.
I have got a Cup Match in the Quiz League tonight so I will wish you all good evenings and look forward to catching up with all your news tomorrow.

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A busy day for me. Walked to the local hospital to have one of my new hearing aids adjusted and made more comfortable, chap couldn't explain why the moulds were so completely different. However the modification seems to be okay so far. Bussed/walked back home, had a quick lunch then drove to the surgery - couldn't face a two mile walk twice! Had my Annual Health Review, asked for my three repeat meds to be sent all on the same date every two months and had bloods taken. Just got to wait for results now. Got back home, surgery rang to tell me I'd left my watch there - and I'd told the nurse I had no memory problems! Drove back down to collect it.
Meanwhile, the builders had taken up the terrace paving in strategic places, dug underneath and thinks the problem is that the two downpipes each side of the house, which empty out into soakaways on the corners, together with the torrential downpours we've had the last few years, are undermining the terrace's poor foundations but also not draining because there's no seepholes in the brickwork.
The other big 'U' shaped crack is probably caused by the Council's big birch tree directly adjacent so we may try to claim on their insurance for the cost of repairing this bit.

@Goldenlily26, I sympathise with you on the tearing to pieces of old cardboard, it is jolly hard sometimes, have you anywhere you can leave it outside to get damp to make it easier?

I had a funny thing happen this morning, a woman who'd seen me kiss OH goodbye outside the paper shop, caught up with me and told me it was so nice to see us kissing and that romance wasn't dead after all!

Just looked up and it's raining - goody, means I don't have to water tonight.

 

Well, the engineer came... looked under the manhole, broddled about a bit, closed the manhole and rang the doorbell. No, the "digging men" haven't sorted out the blockage yet, in spite of telling the engineer it would be sorted before his visit. Sigh...

 

Good morning all

I had a good day with my sister yesterday, thank you to everyone who mentioned it. I've just read back. We visited Batemans, Kipling's old home.

Must get up now, ferry this morning.

OH and I still kiss, @lizzie27!

 

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Good morning all and bon voyage @Busy-Lizzie. Its doing some serious raining outside at the moment - hoorah! Glad that your hearing is more comfortable for you @lizzie27 but the building job seems like a big one. @Liriodendron you must be so frustrated by the inaction regarding your job that needs doing.

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We had a super night in the Cup Match game last night and even though we lost by 3 points it was still an enjoyable evening. The pub we played in, in Bolton, is called Ye Olde Man and Scythe and is the fourth oldest pub in Britain - dating from 1251 - and the 5th oldest in the world. An absolutely fabulous venue and every wall is full of historical pictures and artefacts. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, who was executed outside the pub during the English Civil War. There is a chair, supposed to be the one in which he sat before his execution and a replica of his severed head.

 

Good morning to you all!

We got your rain - early Monday morning 2am. Very welcome. That makes two decent rainfalls in 9 days. The tomatoes have split but - hey - with a drizzle of good olive oil - who cares!!

So yesterday, I took the bull by the horns and pulled up the weeds whilst the ground was moist. The night last night was cool and fresh and so much easier to sleep. Today and the rest of the week will be sunny and bright with normal summer temperatures - 28°/30°C. Not the sort of afternoon that you want to spend in the garden, but good beach weather for the tourists - we are in full summer season and everywhere is heaving.

Bon voyage @Busy-Lizzie
I sincerely hope you are guaranteed by the RSPCA @Penny_Forthem Rather stringent aren't they? I know you have to be sure, but then. Good that your hearing bits have been adjusted @lizzie27 - I get sore behind the ears from my glasses and it's jolly annoying.

Enjoy your Tuesday everyone.

 

I have a sack trolley which is brilliant for getting "stuff" down from the car to the house, shopping, compost etc but quite hard work to haul up the steps loaded with rubbish bags. I have a large patio to put my cardboard boxes on. It looks untidy but I am past caring at the moment!

Xray results back. There is nothing wrong with my leg or foot. No further action required.
I was invited to make a non urgent appointment to see a Dr to discuss further if I wished. Next available appointment, August.
I am tempted to ask for a telephone consultation to ask to be referred to the podiatry dept. as they specialise in feet.
It is all in my mind. I think I am going to start counting the hairs growing on the back of my hands, I feel as if I am going mad.
I thought my voice was coming back but no such luck. Still very croaky. 5 weeks now since it disappeared.

I decided yesterday to walk to the end of our lane to try and get my hips working. I managed to fit it in between the showers. We still have rain blowing in and out topping up the garden, not very heavy though. I did sit and give the variegated hebe by the front door the Chelsea Chop. It was quite straggly, looks tidier now, hopefully it will bush up for next year.

Enjoy your days between the showers everyone. Good gardening weather for those itching to get outside to crack on and catch up with jobs. Go for it.

 

Morning.
It was a lovely evening for sitting out and appreciating the garden! Nights are drawing in noticeably now.
Just had a message from one of our fellow caravaners, to say one of our roof lights is open. We normally do a thorough check for open windows/roof lights etc., but must have missed it. Will have to pop up later...
OH has his doc's appt yesterday. More bloods taken.
I fear we may be deemed too decrepit to rescue a pooch, despite not wanting a pup. I've always maintained that our dogs chose us, so if it's meant to be, it will happen.
Interesting venue for your quiz, @Ladybird4
I'd definitely request a podiatry referral @Goldenlily26

 

Morning all.

I think life's too short to spend a lot of it getting frustrated, @Ladybird4 . Going out and pulling up the weeds tends to put things into perspective... but it will be lovely if - one day - we can have broadband we can rely on. Booking ferries etc on line is a bit of a lottery if the Internet drops out in the middle of the transaction.

It's tough to accept that the rescue place might reject you, @Penny_Forthem . Round here they run a fostering scheme for aged or infirm cats... does anyone do the same for dogs, I wonder?

Hope @Busy-Lizzie and her OH have a reasonable journey today, and that you all find something to enjoy today.