Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Two days home, flying Wednesday. for California. packing for a plane, hate that. getting a facial later today. hope to pull a few weeds. take care.

 

I think this will be the last really Summery day @Penny_Forthem - so I don’t want to moan that it’s hot! It’s quite breezy so is lovely in the shade or not when not exerting. Just swept a ton (well in appearance anyway) of Ash leaves (the ones with wings that fall before the main Autumn drop) from the driveway. Brunch and chill now before checking the gutters etc before the rain starts this week.


I hope everyone is doing ok and having a lovely day.

 

Dry hot and sunny here, clear blue sky and a lovely scent of pine from the trees. Reminds me of holidays in France.
I’ve done some weeding on my kitchen garden, it’s above waist height so I was able to stand on the patio below in the shade and poke at it with a hoe! Not too arduous. OH didn’t fancy going out first thing to attack the pile of slate, and now it’s too hot. He has been painting architraves in the corridor instead. I’ll be pleased when that’s done, there are piles of skirting boards in several rooms, pots of paint stacked up everywhere, and there will be brushes and stirrers to be washed up soon. He is not a tidy worker!
Take it easy, @Goldenlily26, a little bit at a time! Don’t like the sound of that storm. I must check when it’s due to arrive here.

 

Afternoon everybody, hope everyone is enjoying whatever you're all doing on the Bank Holiday.

We're taking is easy - yet again! Sis was collected by her friend at 10 am and is out all day and for dinner so we have some peace and quiet. Hopefully she's going home tomorrow, 3 nights has turned into 6!

It's a rather lovely summer's day with a breeze to keep it cooler, we did our usual walk this morning and watched the new owner of the local farm do something on his river bank, we think he might be putting up a tall fence all round for more privacy. Unfortunately the farmer had to sell his organic farm for economic reasons and we don't know yet what will happen to the land, being very steep and hilly it's only good for grazing. We used to enjoy seeing the young cows and sheep on the fields opposite. The new owner is a developer which makes us a bit nervous but we do need lots more houses in and around the Bath area.

I'm watching the weather forecast closely as the builders are returning tomorrow to relay the remaining paving which they won't be able to do if it's raining. Rain was originally forecast for Wednesday here but now it's been brought forward to Tuesday. Half the downpipe has been dismantled so I'll have to put a trug/buckets underneath if necessary.

 

Hello all.

We slept late and got up late this morning.

Washing is drying outside cold start this morning but now it's warm.

I weeded half the veg garden this morning. The soil felt good, friable from all the mulch I'd dug in and moist from the last watering. I hope it's like that next year, not solid clay again, but I bet it won't be. The runner beans are growing new side shoots with flower buds. They are happy that last heatwave is over.

 

Over 30C here but not sticky so OK but not for gardening. Seen the doc and all is well. She's very friendly, funny and efficient and explains things well. OH is fine too.

Since we got back the dead freezer has been moved to the garage for later transport to the dump and I've been cleaning the floor and freezer corner ready for the new one to be delivered. He's golfing tomorrow and away at Nantes for more gold on Thursday so I shall no doubt play while he's not looking. Set to be cooler, in the low to mid 20s so I can play outside too tho not a lot as there's no rain.

We mulch the veg plot every year too @Busy-Lizzie and don't have solid clay but it's slow getting better moisture retention. The next time I clear the ornamental beds of weeds and do some thinning out they'll get a good feed of manure and compost and then a chipped wood mulch but rain needed first.

I do all the painting here @Ergates and the clearing up too so I know where the brushes and trays and paints end up but OH will keep messing with my drills, drill bits, screwdrivers.........

 

We had dinner outside, nice evening. The new mozzie stuff that burns worked. I put it on a tin on the ground under the table and our legs weren't bitten.

We are now watching the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. I went to see it with my family when I was 16.

 

I agree with @Obelix-Vendée and @Ergates in advising that you take things a little more slowly @Goldenlily26. I get worn out just reading what you have been doing in the garden. @Penny_Forthem Gin sounds like a smart little woofer now. He seems to be a sweet character and settling in well. He will soon learn how much you love him. Pleased to read that all went well with the MOTs at your Doc's @Obelix-Vendée.
I managed to get some washing done too @Busy-Lizzie. It dried beautifully outside and it was toasty warm when I brought it all in. No quizzing tonight with it being Bank Holiday so I have been knitting more leaves. Is it citronella that you have been burning to deter the mozzies? We used to get coils that stood on a little metal 'foot' and once the end was lit they would burn slowly and that certainly kept the critters away.

 

Signing out for this evening. Three day weekends seem to go by so quickly. Blink and you miss it!
See you all in the morning.

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Happy National Dog Day. I expect this is more USA than UK but as one of our friends has a new four footed friend then I thought it could be appropriate! It has been raining in the night here and I'm sorry I missed it! Hoping for more today. I'm so glad I got my washing done yesterday. I have to give the meteorologists full marks for an accurate forecast. Its odd how school summer holidays seem to start off rainy and end with better days. But hey, I'm retired so do I care? Nope!

 

Yesterday turned into a non day.
The temperature shot up and it was too hot for me outside. My charging around caught up with me so spent most of the day snoozing.
My son's puppy sitting weekend has reminded him of just how exhausting it is to own a puppy.
My daughter had a lovely mental break weekend teaching newcomers to their club basic diving drills and taking them out on their first open water sea dive. A welcome change from death duties.
So far today has arrived sunny, still and warm. The forecast was warning of strong wind and rain, maybe it is on its way.
I hgave to go into town to buy more cat litter. The SMs seem to have stopped delivering it with an online order. It is heavy, I would have to make a seperate order for it to come from someone else. Not sure how it works yet.
Penny, were you told why Bryn needed to be rehomed. He may well be mouring his previous owner and home. If he has been the only dog in the household it will be difficult for him to find a place with your"pack", going from top dog to bottom of the pack. I was lucky with Rob, he was a dominant dog who had for 5 years lived with his human Mum and her young son. When she found a new partner who brought in an adult staffie, followed by a 2 years old Akita his world fell apart. For a long time after he came to me, I noticed, whenever a man went to stroke him, his body would tense and he would turn his head away from them. I am guessing the new partner probably didn't like small dogs, "big dog syndrome", her partner was a physically big man I was told, and there may have been a few hits. It seemed as if it was such a relief to him to be the only dog in the family, to have a Mum all to himself and no other dogs to compete with, he was able to relax. What he showed was warning aggression towards any other dog over food or sharing a treasure he had found. I worked around that by negotiating with him, well done for finding what ever, if I give you a treat, can I have your treasure. His tummy ruled his life so it was an easy solution. I never bothered to argue with him over his food, he would let me lift his food bowl etc., so it was never a problem for me, but other dogs, no way. Inborn survival perhaps.I reckon it took Rob at least 12 months to fully settle although to the end, if he was off lead and he spotted young boys playing, on the beach, football etc. he would always go to them, as if he remembered and was looking for his little pal from his previous home to play with
him.
Time, observation and patience, which I am sure you will give him.

 

Morning. Sunny, breezy and pleasant.
@Goldenlily26 we don't know the reason Gin was originally rehomed, but his second home was too busy for him (a childminder) and he was stressed. We have found him a joy and no aggression from Anu, Bryn or Gin (it does get confusing!).
We left his bed in the shower cubicle at the van (making sure it was dry!) and left the door open, so he can come and go. He's spending more time with us each day.
Home today, so a change of routine for him, but we'll ease him into that one. So far, so good.
We have a week of appointments ahead, so won't mind rain!

 

When I took Rob on he was called Rocky which I did not feel suited him so changed it to Robbie, he never seemed to notice the change!

 

When we took on Rasta she'd been called Nala (Lion King) but when I saw her photo she had loose dreadlocks on top of a thick felty fleece so was referred to as the rasta dog while I persuaded OH we needed to give her some love.

Bonzo was rescued by our dog trainer after a bailiff friend of hers had to find homes for 3 dogs whose dad was in hospital and thought to be terminal. She called him U2 but I can't abide their bozo lead singer so he became Bonzo Dog Doodah on his passport and Bonzo en famille.

Both took to their new names straightaway.

 

Lovely photo @Penny_Forthem.

Interesting names for your pets as well Obelixx. Our beloved black and white cat came to us as 'Tavistock' but we have no idea why. He was extremely timid, appeared to be an indoor cat and wouldn't fresh meat/fish at all so we came to the conclusion it was probably a student owned cat who lived in a flat and was from the Devon town and left him behind when they graduated. It took me six weeks to entice him through the cat flap and he didn't like walking on grass at all. it was very funny to watch him pick his way very gingerly with a pained expression on his face!
He soon got used to outdoor life but would come indoors to use his litter tray, very fastidious.
Tavistock never strayed far from the garden. We were blessed to have him in our lives for over ten years, he was about 17 when he died and I've never been able to have another cat since.

I'm rather put out today as the builders texted to say they couldn't come till tomorrow to do the paving - when it's forecast to rain heavily.

My sis went home early this morning and fortunately I've been able to get the bedding washed and dried already. I've also washed the 4.5 duvet she was using so that's going back on our bed tonight - last night was so hot and sticky it was horrid.