Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Afternoon all.

Curiously, in Ireland each season lasts 3 months, with spring beginning on February (because the grass will be growing then), and autumn starting in August. I suppose it must make sense to the farmers...

 

How odd @Liriodendron, did it take you long to get used to it?

It certainly feels like our seasons are shifting, winter here in the South West at least doesn't seem to start till late Jan/early February but summer started early and now autumn's arrived!

 

Afternoon all. Forgot to post yesterday. I’ve been having a quiet few days - gifting myself some pottering and relaxing time. I quite like the sunshine and showers mix we’ve been having - best of both worlds!

Just nipped to the local (Hospice) charity shop to exchange some jigsaws and I’ve taken a few books and clothes. Started a jigsaw “Market Day, Norwich” 1000 pieces. I like to have one in the go so can do a bit whilst something cooking etc.

I hope everyone is doing ok. Anyone going to be watching The Great British Bake Off? Starts tomorrow 8pm.

 

I do think putting a date of any sort to switch from one season to another is plain daft. They will arrive when the weather changes the behaviour of plants and animals so spring is earlier in the south west of the UK and later in the north east of Scotland. Summer is shorter up way up north but has extra daylight hours to compensate and allow flora and fauna more time to grow and reproduce.

Winter is also a movable feast that depends on place, height above sea level, prevailing winds and the jet stream and I don't think for one minute that it's following a Gregorian calendar.

 

Thanks @AuntyRach - love the Bake Off but have to record it now so we can skip the pesky ads.

 

The grass doesn't start growing here in Dordogne @Liriodendron until March. I remember "The Beast from the East in Norfolk" in March 2018, winter certainly wasn't over then, deep snow, then there was snow again in Norfolk in March '23 but not deep.

Very mixed today, sun then rain then repeat.

 

I agree, it's odd, @lizzie27 - but easy to ignore if you're so inclined. Today it feels like autumn, but it definitely didn't in August.

Been de-greasing areas of the cooker hood. Not my favourite job, but a good one to do when it's too wet to garden. And I shall feel very virtuous next time I switch it on!

 

Yes, @Busy-Lizzie - and @Obelix-Vendée - conditions vary so much from year to year that having a fixed date for the start of a season is peculiar.

 

Good afternoon to you all!

A rather rushed day as I needed to do some paper work - it takes so long to scan and send and then you realise that your computer files would look better grouped in a folder! Yes!

We have the proverbial thunder and lightning at 1am as predicted by the weather man. So everything has had a drink and I cannot help myself when I go past a weed or 2 to pull it out! So easy after a good soaking!

My lovely friend came from Montpellier on Friday evening but in great pain. He has had "the stitch" for some time now and all the big wigs in Montpellier couldn't see anything amiss with x-rays and ultrasound. I thought it wise to go to the hospital where I had my hip operation done and get a scan. Into Casualty and out 4 hours later. That's an education!! Although he needs a more intensive scan, it seems that there seems to be something sort of "loose". It could be a fragment of bone from an old injury said the doctor. Thank goodness someone has detected an anomaly. The Montpellier crowd just said it was nothing - probably stress. Hmmm He will have the deeper scan in Montpellier. Be interesting!

I hope your day has gone well. Lots of good banter here since I was last on and lots of good advice and I will definitely do the Korean Chicken at some stage.

 

I'd love to watch GBBO, (and any other cookery show) but having a food technologist for a husband removes any pleasure. He is qualified to comment, and does so frequently. I have to watch when he's not around.
Likewise the throw down, where he is not the expert (it was my major at college) but whooooaaaa, health and safety?
And breath...
He watches equally, to me, boring scientific things on YouTube. Thankfully he wears headphones.

 

Good evening all. No quizzing tonight as it was Cup Matches and sadly we didn't qualify. I have been round at my friends planning our own quiz for Church in October. It proved to be a very productive time and we have everything sorted now. I got back just in time to watch Uni Chall which I enjoyed very much. I am signing out now and I'll see you all in the morning. Good night all.

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Good morning everyone. I forgot to say yesterday that after getting back from Costco and opening my email I had received one from DPD saying that my 'parcel' had been delivered and had been left in my safe place and when I checked it was up near the back gate. For the life of me I could not remember having ordered anything but the package was marked Peter Nyssen. Turns out it is 9 colchicums - 3 each of separate varieties - which I ordered last Spring and promptly forgot about. That will be one of my tasks for this morning. Whatever you have planned for today I hope it is productive.

 

It sounds as if there is some yummy cooking going on all over the place.

I have already posted a very complimentary review re the steps. I am mulling over my next step.

I have just heard my grand son has found himself a job at last. He has sent off over 50 applications, finally offered a job by a company who invited him to their annual retreat in Quebec. Team building activities, plus being thanked, they stayed in a very posh hotel. He was told there were over 1,0000 applicants for the post. Fingers crossed he will be happy with them. I have no idea if it means a house move from Vancouver to Quebec. He begins work with them next week.

I spent most of the day juicing apples. I went and picked up the windfalls brought down in the last couple of days, discovered I have 3 courgettes growing. The kitchen looks as if a bomb has hit it. As it is too wet outside to do anything, it is going to be clearing up the kitchen ready for the next batch of juicing. Because most of my apples have been blown down we have cancelled the cider making day. A shame but not really worth all the effort for half a dozen apples. My daughter called in on the hunt for empty glass jars. Unfortunately, I had a massive clear out recently. I almost filled the glass collection box. She had made a large pan of Apple Butter, which she uses to make cakes for my son in law, and didn't have enough jars to put it into. She made a batch of blackcurrant jam last week, carrying on the family tradition.

 

Good morning all.

That was a lovely surprise, @Ladybird4.

Drizzling here. I was a bit cold in bed in the early hours, first time for months. Think I'll put the summer duvet back on today, have been having just a sheet and a light bedspread.

Yesterday OH booked the ferry to England in early October. I booked a hotel for a night in Troyes. It looks a pretty town. We will visit my son, near Auxerre, for 3 nights, then go and look at Troyes, then get the ferry from Calais, then stay with good friends in Tonbridge on our way to Norfolk.

Ironing and HW today, just a normal dull day.

 

Morning all,

An unexpected package of plants is indeed a nice surprise @Ladybird4.

That sounds a trip back well planned @Busy-Lizzie. I put our 10.5 tog duvet back on our bed a couple of nights ago and slept better.

Not sure what I'll do today either, but hopefully the weather looks to be clearing up and as the builders have finished the paving and fencing I can probably start to put things back.

All that jam making and juice making sounds scrumptious @Goldenlily26. I used to make jam but we don't often eat it now. We exist mainly on Ryvitas now for lunch in an effort to keep our weight down. I do miss bread sometimes.

When out for our usual walk, we encountered the most ginormous digger we've ever seen in our lives! The transporter was pretty huge as well. We weren't sure whether the driver had backed all the way down the single track lane or managed to turn round in the farmyard. The driver told us the new owner of the farm is taking down a line of huge leylandi by the footpath, judging by the size of the digger, he's going to pull them out of the ground - that'll be an interesting exercise!