Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

You've just reminded me @Ladybird4 that I've mislaid the yoghurt pot full of poppy seeds my sister gave me a couple of months ago. I probably picked it up to go and sow them and then got sidetracked and put the pot down - somewhere! I've looked in all the likely spots but haven't found it yet. I even looked in the fridge!

 

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Good morning everyone. Gosh what a night. It is most unnerving lying in bed and hearing the roof tiles rattling in the strong winds - which persisted here all night. All I could think about - apart from the tiles doing a toppling domino effect - was my wheelie bin being tossed over and all its contents scattered hither and thither. The first thing I did this morning after putting the kettle on and giving Cricket his breakfast was to go out and check but the bins were all safe apart from the general rubbish bin whose lid had been blown open. It has been raining so there is a distinct possibilty there may be water in the bin but it is too dark to see as yet. I do hope that everyone else has managed to escape any damage and I do feel sorry for you, @Liriodendron, if you are still stranded.

 

@Obelix-Vendée it was good to read your post about CP. The seeds I sent for are called Ballerina Mix. They seem to be the commonest colour mix so I'm quite excited now. When I looked up CP I was pleased to read that they self seed happily.

 

Good Morning all.

I’m still rough here with this cheeky virus giving me a selection of symptoms to ‘experience’ - congestion is the latest one so I’ve not slept well and feel shattered.

On a brighter note, it’s calm and bright here so the storm has gone. I hope everyone is ok after the bad weather. I can see my very tall Cosmos needs re-staking today and one of my Acers in a pot is having a lie down, but that’s all I think. I hope we have a calm month now so we can enjoy the changing leaf colours (if they haven’t been blown away already!).

 

Thanks for your thoughts, @Ladybird4 ! It's still very windy here, but the morning ferry may still run. I won't know for another half hour. I fear it may be a bit rough...

 

I also have a loose loo seat, on the downstairs toilet that needs tightening, so whoever comes to sort out the cistern can do that at the same time. I did ask my son in law to tighten it for me a while ago but he had such a job to get to it, said it is a modern pan and the nuts are tucked away at the back so really difficult for him to reach. I had a look at the upstairs cistern and have removed the lid to lighten the weight on the tank.

 

Morning everyone, fingers crossed for @Liriodendron - who might very well be heaving up and down on the high seas as we speak!

We too have a loose loo seat, aren't they a pain. Sounds like yours @Goldenlily26, the fixings are right at the back in a solid back to the wall unit and impossible to get at. The main bathroom loo is a much easier unit and better designed.

I thought at 8 ish that the storm had passed as it was calm and sunny but the wind is returning now with gusts up to 32mph expected later. Don't think I'll be gardening today, although I might have another hunt for the poppy seeds. I thought I was going to lose the big viburnum which is a top heavy lollipop shape but it's still standing, thank goodness. It shields us from the neighbours across the way so we'd miss it if it fell.

Sorry to hear you're still suffering @AuntyRach, do you have to work today or can you rest? Is your Dad ok? I know you'd said you had been busy with Dad related things.

Hope everyone else is ok after the storm and that your gardens haven't suffered too much.

 

I have 2 sore arms today. I fortunately went to the surgery a bit early, only 4 people in front of me. When I came out the corridor was full of a queue and like above, there was mayhem in the car park. Mainly people reversing without checking behind. I was even chatted up by a gentleman who had seen better days, I think he was taking advantage of a free seat in the warm and lots of ladies around. He didn't get far with me or another lady who loudly announced he had tried to date her as well. All part of the fun and games.
I was exhausted when I came home and the storm was still blowing through so I lit the fire and spent the afternoon snoozing.
I "think" I may have solved why I have been so under the weather lately. The beta blocker, prescribed by the hospital 3 years ago. I haven't taken it for just over a week, waiting for my repeat prescription to come in. For some reason I decided to read the info. sheet that comes with it. It says quite clearly, do not take if you suffer from low BP. It also listed possible side effects, several of which I have been struggling with, throat problems being one! I am going to highlight them and take the leaflet with me when I go for my ap. with the cardiac nurse tomorrow. I did say to my daughter I could not understand why I suddenly felt so much better in myself since not taking it.
I had a couple of slices of the locally made black sausage with eggs for dinner, delicious, just like I remember. Not the plastic rubbish a lot seem to be now. I also had a stuffed baked apple for afters, I do enjoy a baked apple, no pastry over coat.

It was quite scary being outside driving yesterday with the storm hammering through. Piles of jet black clouds, torrential rain and gale force wind, 5 mins.later sunshine. It is still a bit breezy but much quieter now thank goodness. With my cob built 3ft thick, cottage walls I do not hear much once inside with windows and doors etc. firmly closed.
I hope everyone is safe and sound and ready to crack on in another day. My son in the Rockies is expecting their first snow fall of the winter today. It usually arrives during the night when the temperatrure drops and usually about 6 ft deep.Yuck!

 

Good morning all.

We've been for a walk in the woods. The wind has dropped and the sun is starting to come out. Benny and Pauline found 3 ceps and a handful of trompettes de la mort, black trumpet mushrooms. I couldn't see anything, too many dead leaves. Benny is cooking roast beef for Sunday lunch. I can smell mushrooms.

 

@Busy-Lizzie, Presumably you're not eating the trompettes de la mort ones!

You were brave @Goldenlily26 to drive out through the storm, I'm afraid I would have chickened out and cancelled the jabs. Well done for finding out more about the beta blockers, it will be interesting to see what the cardiac nurse says.

I did do an hour out in the garden today, just brushing our long front drive down - lots of purple cherry tree leaves but fortunately the wind had blown most of them to one side which made it easier. It was quite pleasant in the sunshine.

All our pears have ripened at the same time so we're frantically trying to eat as many as possible. I've mislaid a recipe I had for upside down pear cake so will have to look online - none of my recipe books seem to have it. We're also eating lots of apples which are also ripening quickly.

 

That was one of the best Sunday mornings; in the hills with dogs and trainer. Gin was thoroughly put through his paces and made to work for every treat.
The best £25 we've spent in a long time. It was obvious that he's been whistle trained and, though he was a bit 'rusty', it was a joy to watch.
We have a lot to follow up on.

 

@lizzie27 I looked them up. They are edible, though I have eaten them before and didn't care for them.
"Black trumpet mushrooms, also known as the horn of plenty or horn of death. Don't let the name confuse you though-these are one of the best wild mushrooms to harvest, hunt and cook, and are valued around the world as a gourmet ingredient and choice edible mushroom."

 

BTW, @lizzie27 while looking or pear recipes, I found this
Poached Pear Upside-down Cake Recipe | Tesco Real Food
However, I am going to make this
Pear & Ginger Preserve Recipe | Waitrose & Partners

 

Hello. Lovely sunny day here so beds stripped and sheets washed and hung out to dry. I went and had a chat with my newly planted roses and everyone seems fine then made a lemon drizzle cake to take tomorrow and then got showered and dressed for going out to lunch.

Home now and I've been to check my seedlings, see the chooks and colect seeds form the only cleome that germinated this year and some more eschscholzia Mikado. The first lot I grew @Ladybird4 were a lovely dusky pinky purple colour and reproduced themselves for 3 years then stopped. The next lot were a lovely rich cream colour and they came back one year before disappearing so I'm being more careful with these.

Too late to garden, don't need dinner - what to do now? OH is watching the nasty, noisy Grand Prix. I'm off to sort seeds I think.

Hope everyone is well or recovering form illness or injury. Good for you @Goldenlily26 re beta blockers. Safe crossing when you get one @Liriodendron

 

Thanks for that link @Penny_Forthem , I've just looked it up - and the chocolate one. Decisions, decisions!

Glad that Gin is making the grade, as you say, money well spent.

My OH is going to watch the noisy GP later, probably right through dinner so he has his on a tray and I sit in relative peace in the dining room - minus my hearing aids. It's remarkable how much quieter it seems. I'm having to do that more and more later as he has developed a very irritating sniff which is driving me mad!

I'll take your word for it re the mushrooms @Busy-Lizzie. I like mine packaged and labelled.