Month: June 2021

Gosh, we have so many fathers in the family now that we don’t quite know where to turn! And how delightful it was that there were WhatsApp chats this morning, sharing the Father’s Day greetings among the family.

There was a little bit of competition about breakfast in bed – Michael, however, didn’t want any because he was feeling nauseous with a tummy bug that the children had shared with him this week; and Harriet had said Paul was to get his own breakfast because she was cooking him a special lunch at 1 o’clock. She was clearly joking though, because not very much later a photo appeared with Paul in bed and a nice breakfast next to him. I think John thought he’d won the competition, though, with a full English and the Sunday newspapers to read in bed.

John stayed in bed as a treat (!!) while I pottered about downstairs, having another go at tidying up. Honestly, it’s like the Forth Bridge at our house….. and then, of course, John had all his medication to take and nebuliser to have, so it was gone lunchtime by the time he surfaced.

We were both magnanimous and offered each other the viewing rights to the TV this afternoon. “You can watch the tennis. It’s the Men’s Final,” John said to me. “No, no, it’s fine, honestly. It’s Father’s Day – you can watch the Grand Prix.” I protested.

In the end, John persuaded me that he’d rather record the Grand Prix so that he could fast forward if he got bored. That way, I had a lovely afternoon wrapped up in the tennis. John also had a lovely afternoon – wrapped up in a blanket, having fallen asleep for the two hours that the tennis was on.

Once awake, John watched the Grand Prix; we chatted to the Sutton Sleaths; we spoke to Andrew in Cambridge and then, we were just prepping the evening meal when the Kenilworth Sleaths got in touch. Would John like to go out to the pub with Paul for a Father’s Day drink?

Naturally, John said ‘yes’. But he then admitted to me that he was slightly nervous about going out, out. It’s the first time in a long time that he’s been out in the evening to a pub. “Right,” said Paul, “I’ll be there in 20 minutes.” Ah…. OK. “What time will the meal be ready?” John wanted to know. “Not before you go out,” I replied. “Here, have some ‘un-Paleo’ cheese and biscuits….”

Apparently, they had a lovely time. I took them to the White Horse, and a couple of hours later, collected them again to ferry them home. They were a little bit tiddly. John had particularly enjoyed himself and was delighted in his eldest son’s company. Paul, too, had delighted in John’s company but was feeling rather maudlin as he came out of the pub, having heard the news that one of the ‘lads’ he’d employed in the Job Squad had passed away. I’m not making light of it, but that’s always a risk you run when you employ the elderly in your organisation……

9,284 people tested positive for the virus today and 6 people died in the community. The number of admissions to hospitals is still going up, with 226 in the last 24 hours.

Look after yourselves, everyone. If you are going ‘out, out’ – take care. God bless.

All week I have had one job on my mind. That is, to paint the utility room. However, one way and another there has been a stumbling block each day to prevent this activity actually happening. Ah-ha! I thought, Saturday! No plans, so I’ll get on with it. Hahahahaha……..

We were up and breakfasting by mid-morning. There were ‘other’ things that needed to be done before I could get on. Clearing up the barbecue for one thing, which we had left out in the rain; clearing the work surfaces in the utility room, which were cluttered with tools from the recent repair; popping a load of washing into the newly repaired machine to check it worked properly (and it did, thank you very much); unstacking and stacking the dishwasher; and so on. Nothing of any particular note, just stuff that you do every day.

John, meanwhile, reminded me that he had sold the quad bike and someone was coming to collect it today. And, to help him shift it down the side of the house, he’d asked Paul to come over. “Right,” I said, absent-mindedly, and then, “That’s good. It’ll be nice to see him.” John then added, “He’s bringing Freddie.” “Ah… right,” I said, taking a little bit more notice. That meant that the painting would have to wait, because I was definitely going to play with Freddie.

So, once again, the painting hasn’t got done, but we have had the pleasure of grandparenting time. Freddie was as good as gold while he was here and, as he is now five years old and pretty independent, he is able to do all sorts of things without our worrying as to whether he’s fiddling with something he shouldn’t. He’s a delight, in fact.

“Where are the cats, Grandma?” Freddie wanted to know. “I think they’ll be upstairs in the attic,” I replied. “Let’s go and see,” said Freddie. I was able to tell him to go on up and look to see if they were there and I’d be there in a minute. When I got there, hot on Freddie’s heels, he was half way up the second set of stairs and whispering excitedly to me that both the cats were there and could he stroke them?

He was very successful in his petting of the cats, who didn’t run away as is their usual wont, and they allowed Freddie to extend his hand to stroke them for a good little while. Regrettably, however, the quad bike was safely stowed on the van with its new owners and Paul had finished his work, so Freddie had to go home, just as we were about to investigate the contents of a very interesting box in the attic. Next time, maybe……

I wasn’t inclined to do the painting after Paul and Freddie had gone, suddenly feeling rather tired. John, too, was feeling tired, so we watched TV. First we watched the Grand Prix qualifying and then some tennis at Queens, before it was soon time prep our evening meal.

This evening was also spent in front of the box – we are trying to watch all of the important programmes we have on the planner because, next week we have D-Day when we change supplier….not sure how I’m going to cope, folks – watch this space!

All while we are enjoying our little lives here in Balsall Common, I am conscious that the COVID situation is continuing in all parts of the country now. 10,321 people tested positive with the virus today; 14 people died with it in the community; and 226 people were admitted to hospital with it.

I am tired of it now. If only we could find a strategy that works and reduces the continual spread of the virus so that we could be less worried about going out and about. I am a shadow of my former self…….

Anyway, tomorrow is another day, so perhaps the sun will shine.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Well, the wished-for rain arrived, thank goodness, and it’s doing a good job of soaking the garden. No hosepipe watering needed today and the plants are already looking a lot happier. Although, inexplicably, the blueberry bush looks like it’s had it. It stopped fruiting a couple of years ago and threw out a massive new section. Tinternet suggested cultivating this bit rather than the old, but sadly, it’s all on its last legs. I shall do an inspection when the heavy rain has stopped.

The heavy rain didn’t prevent me from visiting Mum today though and I found her in very good health and happy. She was still in the lounge when I arrived, but soon trotted down the corridor with a big grin on her face, actually recognising me this time. Mind you, she had no recollection of what she’d just been doing, so I am none the wiser as the activity she might have been involved in.

We chatted for about an hour and a half and then the carer came to take her to the dining room for her lunch so I came away. She was disappointed that I was leaving, but I had promised to go into Kenilworth with John for a second assault on the bank. As it happened, John didn’t wait for me and was just setting off when I arrived home, so our paths crossed and I didn’t make the trip to Kenilworth after all.

This afternoon, John decided that the inspection of the back of his eyelids was high on the list of things to do, so I just pottered about trying to have a bit of a tidy-up, yet again. I continue to be overwhelmed by the amount there is still to do in terms of sorting out Mum’s things, but I am hoping that I will be able to pull myself together and actually get on with it. But energy levels are low and the bootstraps seem an awful long way down…..

We watched the football match this evening in the hope of having a little bit of excitement, but honestly, what a dreadful match from an England point of view. It reminded me of the ‘bad old days’ when England just passed the ball back to the goalkeeper all the time or hung onto it in mid-field. Yawn, yawn, yawn. Having watched this performance, I doubt there is any chance that England are in with a shout of winning the competition, like some of the pundits suggested.

The news was full of the win by the Lib-Dems over the Tories in the by-election in Amersham yesterday. People seem shocked by the big overthrow – not sure why…….

In the meantime, COVID continues its merry little journey around the country, with 10,476 people having tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. 11 people died with it in the community, and 6 people died in hospitals on 16 June. 221 people were admitted to hospital in the last 24 hours, too.

The map of the UK, showing the spread of the virus, is gradually turning blue and it’s very easy to see where the infection is spreading. And in the charts of coming first for something, guess what? We have the highest infection rate in Europe.

Wishing you all a great weekend – stay safe everyone. God bless.

I may rue the thought that we haven’t had enough rain, but I was hoping to wake up this morning to find that the garden had been drenched – however, it was hardly damp. I think we may have had a downpour in the night, but the ground was so dry that it’s hardly made a difference.

I had planned to water the garden this evening but in true princess fashion, I was still lazing about and so it hasn’t got done. Fingers crossed for more rain overnight. Never thought I’d be saying ‘not enough rain’!

There is little news today from the Sleath household. We stayed in bed all morning – me reading a book and John snoozing. He needed the rest after yesterday’s exertions with the washing machine. And I, of course, needed the rest after my considerable exertions in the hot tub (I don’t think).

This afternoon we nipped into Kenilworth to pay some money into the bank, only to find it was closed. Coronavirus is limiting its opening hours from 10 until 2 apparently. Hmmmm……there were three of us outside the bank at half past two, scratching and shaking our heads at such a notion.

We then nipped across to the garage from which we had bought the car, to take possession of the cover for the boot. They had forgotten to fit it when we collected it a couple of weeks ago.

As we were near Dunelm, I suggested to John that we nip in there to see if they had any nice cushions to go on our sofas. They had, so we bought some.

Home again, and Michael and William were in Balsall, having been to visit Moira, our Lay Reader at church, to discuss Thomas’ christening. They called in for a cuppa and a half hour chat, which was rather splendid.

And that’s it. An uneventful day really – with apologies that it’s a bit like watching wood warp. We seem to be glooping through our days just at the moment with not a lot happening.

I caught the last half of a play that was on BBC 2 this evening, called ‘Together’. I don’t know if anyone else watched it, but gosh, it was powerful. Family life and the impact of COVID – makes you think.

• On the COVID front, we have the following figures:
  • Over 11,000 people tested positive for the virus today
  • 19 deaths in the last 24 hours in the community
  • 222 people admitted to hospital with the virus
  • 8 people died with the virus on 15 & 16 June

It’s all hotting up – especially in the North-East again, around Birmingham and in & around London. And the Cornish folk are hopping up and down about the increase in cases in their county, blaming the G7 meeting, although, in fact, it’s more likely to have been the tourist influx during half-term that brought the bug.

There are clear indications of how to keep ourselves safe – we know it, but don’t seem to be able to do it, do we? Even we have got a bit blasé. Must take ourselves in hand.

Look after yourselves, folks. God bless.

Well, my day was bliss. I took it easy. John’s day was difficult. He was not taking it easy.

For a nano-second, we thought we might drive over to Cambridge today and have a meal at Midsummer House, the restaurant Andrew works in. In the end, the tentative idea didn’t come off, so effectively, we had a free day. “What are your plans, today, John?” I asked. “If the drum for the washing machine turns up, I shall mend the washing machine,” he replied. “What about you?” I didn’t really know… I had prepared the utility room ready for painting, but with the washing machine’s innards all over the place in there, that idea was scuppered, so I thought I might just drift about sorting out bits and bobs.

I wandered past one or two items that needed to be returned to the Kenilworth Sleaths, so I had a bright idea. The weather was lovely. The Kenilworth Sleaths’ hot tub was obviously going to be standing idle. ‘Hi Harriet,’ I texted, ‘Are you busy today? Wondered if I could try out your hot tub….’ Her answer pinged back a minute later. ‘You’re more than welcome…….I’m just going to do a workout, then I’ll join you.’

I fairly skipped upstairs to tell John that there’d been a change of plan. I promptly grabbed my bathing costume and whizzed off down the road to hop into the hot tub. And there Harriet and I stayed all morning. Eventually, I looked at my fingers which were very, very wrinkled and suggested that, as we were beginning to look like walnuts, we perhaps ought to get out. We had been nattering so much that we forgot the time and Harriet had to change her plans to visit her Dad. Oh, heck! She didn’t think he’d mind, though.

I so enjoyed myself this morning. A few hours of pampering was absolute bliss and to spend the time with a lovely daughter-in-law was great. Aren’t I just a lucky one?

When I got home, John was sitting on the sofa, looking like he’d been dragged through a hedge backwards. The drum had arrived just after I left this morning and… ta-dah!…it was already installed in the washing machine. The ol’ man had worked his socks off all by himself this morning to get most of the repair done. He had a few war wounds to show for it, mind you, and plasters adorned his arms at various intervals.

We had lunch and then John did a bit more on the washing machine. I decided to watch a bit of tennis from Queens Club. Then I watched a bit more – and John worked a bit more. And that was how we whiled away the afternoon. John working; me just being a princess with my feet up.

“We’ll do a trial run on the machine.” John said, as he put the final parts into place. I nodded. “I’ll put some newspaper underneath, just in case…..” he continued. As it happened, no newspaper was damaged in the trialling of this washing machine. Isn’t he an amazing man? Despite the effort need to lift such a heavy item, and to fiddle with tiny parts, he did it. Mr Determined, that’s him. I am very grateful.

John staggered to the sofa and rewarded himself with an extra large glass of wine for all his efforts. He was weary, but it was Quiz Night, so he roused himself to join in with another cracking evening among friends. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, as usual, and found ourselves racking our brains on all sorts of topics. We also found ourselves debating the answers to some of them, which caused great amusement. I mean, what is the difference between the UK, Great Britain and the British Isles? No, no, please don’t answer me…. we’ve had that debate! But I really must learn about geography, about which I know nothing…….

On the COVID front, there is till a lot of squawking in the press about what we should, or shouldn’t be doing; what we did, or didn’t do; who lied, or lined pockets; and so on. But the sad fact is that cases are increasing again. Not so many deaths, but there are hospitalisations and people struggling with the aftermath of the disease as ‘Long COVID’ embeds itself in their lives, with no way of knowing if full recovery will ever be theirs.

• 9,055 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours
• 9 people died in the community with it
• 173 people were hospitalised with it
• We’re seeing a 40% increase in hospitalisations in the last week.
• However, just one death in hospital on 15 June

Take care everyone. Look after yourselves and each other. God bless.

Mum had one of these indoor/outdoor weather stations at her flat, which has not made the transition to her new abode due to lack of space and her interest. So we have acquired it and have it in our kitchen. I dutifully placed the outdoor sensor on the shed, thinking it was good a place as any to pick up the outside temperature, and anticipated a clear indication of how warm or cold it might be outside.

I was wrong. Indoors, it was about 23 degrees. Outside it was showing 39 degrees. Whaaaat? I realised it probably needed to settle down. However, day after day, the sensor suggested to us that it was tropical outside when, in fact, it was still quite cool. Hmmm…. “Maybe the inside of the shed is getting very warm and transferring the heat to the sensor?” I suggested to John. “Maybe.” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

I left it a while to see if it would settle, but no. So, this morning, I took it down and had it alongside me as I ate my breakfast on the patio. The darned thing was still showing a warmer temperature outside than indoors when my own skin suggested otherwise. Eventually, I changed its channel and hung it on the ‘man shed’ at the bottom of the garden. That seems to have done the trick and the gauge is showing a much more sensible figure now.

But it has been very warm today, hasn’t it? Beautifully so, and I enjoyed sitting outside in the garden this afternoon with Philomena who came to visit for the first time in 18 months.

However, it was the discussion this evening at my little prayer/bible study group that got me thinking. We were talking about ‘global heating’ as it’s now called, and considering what we can do to help reverse the gallop downhill. Every action we take has an impact one way or another, and especially pertinent is our current lifestyle in contributing to a change in global temperature which, in turn, is changing nature around us.

Fortunately, the 39 degrees on offer on my sensor was incorrect, but in 2019 Graham and Gail were telling us of excessively high temperatures in Australia of over 40 degrees, which led to the terrible bush fires and the loss of both animal and human life, livelihoods and homes.

I must confess, I came home from the meeting feeling quite low. I was thinking, naturally, of G & G in Oz and missing them, and I was also thinking of the difficulty in stopping what seems to be the unstoppable. Has the pandemic made us all sit up and change our ways? I think not, although my fellow prayer group members thought otherwise. What do you think? Can we change and bring ourselves onto an even keel again? I’d like to think so, but I’m not sure.

• In COVID news, cases are still rising:
  • 7,673 people tested positive for the virus today, mostly the Delta variant
  • 10 people died with the virus in the community
  • 184 people were admitted to hospital
  • 4 people died in hospitals on 13/14 June

In other news, John has taken the innards out of the washing machine and they are disgorged all over the utility room floor. Watch this space for updates on this delicate operation.

Tale care everyone , it’s still not over – the fat lady has yet to sing.

We were tired this morning. All the excitement of yesterday came home to roost. We lay in bed, therefore, until ten o’clock, lazing the morning away. Fortunately, there were no thick heads and no hangovers……

We may have got up, but Andrew was still a-snoozing until lunchtime. It’s not a great life, is it, to work 120 hours and then sleep away your days off? Apparently they are short-staffed at the restaurant and so double/triple shifts are in order….fingers crossed that it improves and a few more reasonable shifts are to be had soon.

John and I took advantage of the warmth and the sunshine, and breakfasted out on the patio. Very nice it was too. I then pootled about in the garden for a little while, trimming the edges with a newly sharpened set of shears. Now that was quite satisfying. Meanwhile, John took himself back indoors for the medication hour.

A final tidy-up before I winkled Andrew out of bed and then we shot over to Michael and Danielle’s to drop in some essential items that they’d left behind yesterday. We only stayed just over an hour or so, but it was very pleasant to be sitting outside on their decking and relaxing with a cup of tea.

Thomas entertained us as only he can, with his lop-sided grin, sparkly eyes and an out-stretched hand holding his cup aloft for a ‘cheers’. Made us laugh though – even though it was a sad moment – when the peanut butter on toast that he was eating became a casualty of family life.

He was well into the toast, just savouring the last piece, when he held his hand out to Chester. Chester didn’t need to be asked twice – thank you very much, I’ll have that nice piece of toast – and he wolfed it down. Thomas took a minute or two to register what had happened and then wailed his head off. I mean was sad for Thomas, but there was something very amusing about it…..

William came home from nursery and enjoyed the surprise of us all being there. He was delighted and ran headlong into my arms before going round every single one of us for tight, tight, tight hugs. We had a few minutes playing before it was time to go.

Once we were back home, John detailed Andrew to do a job before he set off back to Cambridge – unwind the trailer tent. The tent hasn’t been used nor opened for years. John thought it would be well and truly mouldering inside by now. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that, although there was a little bit of mould in one corner where there was a bit of damp, it wasn’t too bad at all, really. Not sure what the next steps are – watch this space, folks.

That was us today. A very convivial and easy day today. No rush, no pressure – just a gentle stroll.

• And the figures for today…
  • 7,742 people tested positive for the virus today
  • 3 people died in hospitals with the virus in the last 24 hours
  • 187 people were admitted to hospital – an increase of 15%
  • 2 people died in hospitals on 12/13 June.

I’m aiming to make the most of the next couple of days weather-wise – how about you? There’s rain on the way from Thursday! Well, it’ll be nice not to have to water the garden, won’t it?

Look after yourselves, everyone. We are precious cargo in these choppy seas. God bless.

Great excitement in our household today. The family was invited for a barbecue and they all came! How wonderful to see everyone together again and messing about in the garden or chit-chatting in the house. Mind you, I had forgotten just how much work goes into prepping a barbecue and getting the house and garden ready for visitors. It’s got to be over a year since we last did this – maybe more? We can’t actually remember.

But now I remember that there are chairs to put out, spare tables to arrange, food to buy and prepare, booze to buy and chill, the ‘party’ plates to dig out, meat platters to retrieve from the back of the cupboard and the posh cutlery to find.

The prep all went very smoothly – and then the family arrived. Fantastic – first it was Andrew, having driven over from Cambridge. Oh, my heart!! So lovely to see him again. He was relatively early so he did one or two things to help – like going up to Michael’s Drinks World to make sure the boys had enough beer for their afternoon TV viewing of the England match. An essential errand, of course.

Then the Sutton Sleaths, followed by the Kenilworth Sleaths, arrived – and we were ready for them. Still one or two bits to finalise, like actually cook the meat but nothing major. The Sutton Sleaths had brought their paddling pool with them so they spent the first half an hour setting that up and I had, foolishly, given the boys squirting guns, which they were thrilled to use on whoever happened to be in range. One or two of us were soaked. Good job it was a hot day!

The footie kicked off and those who wanted to watch it settled in the lounge. Unfortunately, there was still a lot of traffic through the lounge one way and another, so they weren’t able to watch in peace. Not only that, but the roar of approval when England scored frightened the wits out of Thomas, who began to cry. It’s never easy with a family is it?

The food was good and went down well – apart from with Freddie who, it transpires, doesn’t like barbecued meat, nor salad, nor potatoes….. I think he went hungry because a bit later on he was insistent that he was peckish. Oh, dear….

The afternoon whizzed past in a flash and within a minute of them arriving, it seemed, Danielle was suggesting the Sutton Sleaths go home as Thomas was getting tired. The paddling pool was emptied and folded away, shoes were put on and goodbyes were said. Gosh, I felt sad to see them go. I know we are seeing them regularly now, but the event finished far too early for me.

With the Sutton Sleaths on their way, the Kenilworth Sleaths also began to plan their departure. “As soon as this film we’re watching is finished, Freddie, we have to go.” So, not long after, they were also on their way, leaving me with another bout of melancholia.

Still, Andrew was still here and I looked forward to spending an evening chatting. Oh. The poor boy was asleep. Having worked until about half-past two in the morning last night and got up early this morning to drive over, no wonder. He slept, in fact, all evening and woke up about ten o’clock. I was out in the garden watering the plants when he came out to see if I’d like a cuppa. Don’t mind if I do.

So, a family day. Nice to be able to do that again, isn’t it? I pray it may continue and we are not restricted again.

• 7,490 people tested positive for the virus today
• 8 people died in the community with it
• 187 people were admitted to hospital
• And there are not stats on deaths in hospitals at the weekends, so we’ll wait and see how we’ve been doing when we see the figures tomorrow.

Hope everyone has had a great day today in the sunshine. Take care and God bless.

We have had a day of mooching about today. Just strolling through the house, garden and garage tootling about with this and that. So it’s all a bit of a blur really.

I was up reasonably early while John snoozed on this morning. I had intended to shoot up to the shops for one or two bits and pieces, but I got to doing a few jobs, as you do, and so it wasn’t until about eleven o’clock before I got out of the house. John was still medicating as I left.

I think I bought the shop up at Oakes’. I was looking for some nice meat for a barbecue and they had plenty of choice, so we’re set up. What they didn’t have though, was any rhubarb. I suppose the season has ended now and there is none in the shops. I still have a little bit in the garden so I thought I’d make a crumble with it and supplement it with some shop-bought pieces if there was any. Never mind, we’ll manage.

Oakes’ didn’t have all the items I wanted, however, so it was another trip to the Co-op. But when I got back home again I realised there were still some items outstanding that we needed. It’s a bit of a devil isn’t it, when you lose your shopping list in the first shop you go to and have to shop from memory? Losing the list entailed a third trip to the shops……

Exhausted by all the shopping, I made lunch, which we ate out on the patio, and then I declared that I was going to sit in front of the TV to watch tennis. It was Ladies’ Finals Day. Not only that, but I was going to have a Magnum – and probably a Pimm’s as well.

John, meantime, went into the garage to tinker with the Lotus. I didn’t actually enquire as to which bit of the car he was fiddling with so I am not sure if it was successful.

I chose to saunter about in the garden after the tennis had finished, thinking I’d catch up with the football later. It was a shock when I switched the TV back on to find that one of the Danish players had collapsed on the field and the match postponed until this evening.

And that’s been about it really. Not a lot to see here today. Might have an early night. I think I deserve one.

7,738 people tested positive for the virus today, 12 people died with it and 187 people were admitted to hospital. I suppose the hospital admissions is something to keep an eye on, as we believe the vaccination programme will reduce them. Fingers crossed anyway.

Take care everyone. Night, night and God bless.

We had a funny old day. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lovely day but I ended up doing all my jobs backwards.

My original intention – yes, yes, we all know about good intentions and paths to hell – was to shoot over to Michael’s to drop his thesis in that I’d printed out the other day. However, the phone rang and it was William. They had taken a morning trip to RAF Cosford and were just having a picnic in the car before returning home. Ah…. “We’ll come this afternoon then, shall we?” Danielle nodded – yes, that would work. “Although I’ve got to nip out this afternoon to collect a chair I’ve bought for Michael,” she said. No worries. We’ll look after the kids while you run the errand.

Thwarted in our plan to go to Sutton, I thought I’d plump for Morning Option Two, which was to dig out a few of the stored pieces from the various rooms I am keeping them in, in an attempt to at least have one room tidy. However, I sauntered out into the garden for a breather and to take in the how my garden grows, and I ended up staying there all morning. Thoroughly enjoyed myself, but it wasn’t Option Two, was it?

I then spent a very happy hour cleaning, oiling and sharpening all the secateurs that we possess. When Livia had come to help with the roses, she rejected several pairs as not being sharp enough. Well, they all are now!

As a result of this little task, I found out that I am not the only one in this household to dislike change. Many years ago, Sue and Chris P bought us a little cupboard for keeping the trowels and secateurs in, but over the years it was commandeered for keys when John was running the business. I decided I’d like to change it back to a gardening cupboard, but it hasn’t gone down awfully well…… “Don’t go losing the keys,” said John “I mean, I know where they are in that cupboard. I can just lay my hands on them.” Well, I’ll just hang them in the key cupboard and hopefully they won’t get lost. But I have got the collywobbles now in case one of the keys goes missing…..

We went over to Sutton this afternoon and had a very enjoyable few hours. Michael was working so we had the children to ourselves. Well, I say to ourselves but really, it was to myself. John’s job for the afternoon was to try and get the Ford Focus going. It’s been sitting on the drive for nearly a year, I think, and it’s time to get rid. I knew he’d been successful in starting the car because we could hear the throaty roar of the engine as we played in the back garden.

Danielle came home triumphantly carrying the armchair that she’d been to collect. I must say, it’s a lovely chair and it looks very good in the Michael’s half of the Man-Shed. You may notice that I say ‘Michael’s half’. Danielle has the other half for her Pebble Pictures by JerseyBean Art. Overrun with pebbles they are – but thank. good. ness. for the Man Shed. Honestly, it’s been a godsend.

After we’d eaten our evening meal, I decided I’d make a start on what was Morning Option Two and carry on tidying the loft and and attic room. I have spent all evening doing it, but I am quite pleased with my efforts. At least you can see the floor up there now. But there’s still a lot of throwing out to do and I am stacking up all the ‘things for sale’ which I hope to feature in the Etsy shop when I set it up.

The poor cats, however, don’t know what’s hit them. The attic room is their domain. They have a whole double bed to themselves all day every day whenever they want it (which is most of the time). They eyed me suspiciously as I heaved the vacuum cleaner up the stairs. Rio, being a brave cat, blinked and yawned and settled back down on the bed. Shadow, being a scaredy cat, upped sticks and stood at the top of the stairs ready for a quick getaway. As soon the I switched the vacuum cleaner on, he was off. So, too, was Rio. Perhaps he’s not such a brave cat after all.

Infections of COVID continue to rise. 8,125 people tested positve for the virus today, 17 people died in the community and, as far as I can see, 5 people died in hospitals on 9 & 10 June.

We’ve got to really work hard at keeping safe from being infected with the virus now. Lateral flow tests are being recommended twice a week; ventilation is essential as is keeping our distance and wearing masks. I think we’ve got the message on the last two – not so sure about the first two.

So…. take care everyone. It’s in our own hands to keep ourselves safe isn’t it? God bless.

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