Month: May 2022

Well, if Friday was a busy day faffing about with Shadow and a bit of a chore, Saturday and Sunday were delightful. Here’s three days’ worth, folks….

Friday….. Shadow

I took Shadow back to the vets on Friday morning, having been instructed to give him a ‘doping’ draught. He had other ideas and although I got most of the tablet into his mouth, it wasn’t before he had bitten me rather hard. Despite blood leaking from my finger, I wasn’t giving up and, with a bit of a struggle, I finally managed to get the tablet down his neck.

Regrettably, there wasn’t sufficient of the tablet inside him to have calmed him down and the vet was unable to extract even one single drop of blood from him. She came out of the surgery and said ruefully that we’d have to come back for another go. Luckily, she had a couple of appointments later on in the day, so she said she’d give him the tranquiliser at ten to four, and then try and get blood from him at ten to six. Two more trips…. In the meantime, she’d given him pain relief as she’d found a bit of blood in his mouth, suggesting something might be going on in there.

Of course, the visits to the vet scuppered any other plans I had for the day and, not only that, the vet suggested that if my finger swelled up or went red, to contact the doctor’s surgery for some antibiotics. Ha! Of course it went red and swelled up!

There’s another hour or so wasted……… first, phoning the surgery in the morning to see if I could get an appointment. Had two goes at that. Then, when I did get through (there are 5 other people waiting before you), the receptionist said all the ’emergency’ appointments for the morning had gone so could I phone back at 2 o’clock? I did, of course, with a similar repeat of the morning.

The receptionist wants to know why I need an appointment. I tell her. “Oh, do you need antibiotics for a cat bite?” Well, I don’t know – but I think so, that’s why I am phoning the doctor….. Anyway, “Can you send a photograph for the doctor to look at?” Yes, yes.

The doctor did phone me about half past three. He was the registrar and wasn’t quite sure of his ground but agreed with the vet that antibiotics were in order. “And how about your tetanus?” he said, “Is that up to date?” Funnily enough I was going to ask you that! “Ermm…. could you check my records, please?” It transpired that I’d had my last tetanus injection in 2002. But, he wasn’t sure whether I’d need another one. He’d check with a colleague and phone me back.

At 5 to 5, the doctor phoned to say ‘yes’ to the tetanus jab. But here fortune smiled on me. It was late on a Friday afternoon wasn’t it? “We normally send you to A&E for a tetanus jab….” my heart sank, “….but as it’s Friday and the weekend coming up, our Nurse Rosie will do it for you here at the surgery if you can get down here asap.”

I got there asap and had the jab before hot-footing it back up home just in time to collect Shadow and take him back to the vets. Fortune smiled again – the drug had worked and Shadow was dopey enough not to object too much to having blood drawn from him this time.

“I’ll phone you this evening,” said the vet “with the preliminary results that we can do in-house. We’ll have to wait until Tuesday morning to get the full lab result.” At 9 o’clock that night she phoned to say nothing untoward had shown in the preliminary results – but take him to he surgery again on Saturday morning for more pain relief. Lovely. I had been looking forward to a lie-in.

Saturday…. at the Kenilworth Sleaths

Duty done at the vets on Saturday morning, we were just having a little potter about when Paul phoned to say did we fancy going over for a barbecue? Oh, and did we want to stay over? A nano-second to think about it and the answer was ‘yes’ and ‘yes’. How very delightful.

Michael and Danielle had been invited too so, as always, it was our pleasure to play with the grandchildren whilst keeping an eye on the FA Cup match. Paul is a Liverpool supporter so he was a happy bunny – but, I mean, how many shots at goal do you need during play? Each team had loads but neither could score – and I hate penalties. Couldn’t watch that bit.

The food was fabulous – Paul is ace when it comes to cooking barbecue food – and we had a few beers to wash it all down. After Michael and Danielle left, we had a little hot tub session accompanied by a little glass or two of prosecco. Lush, eh?

John declined the hot tub experience and had a snooze on the sofa instead until it was time for bed.

Sunday….

One of the loveliest things about staying over, or having the family stay over with us, is the warm little body that comes wriggling into bed with us early in the morning. Although, to be fair, Freddie had already been downstairs, had his breakfast and watched a bit of TV before he come snuggling in. That suited us rather better! We spent a blissful three-quarters of an hour chatting and being shown how to play a particular game on his tablet before we got a group phone call from Harriet to tell us that there was coffee brewing and ready on the patio.

That got us all up! We sat outside in the sunshine enjoying brioche and posh jam with our coffee. More lushness, eh?

Before long, we had to say our goodbyes though, as we needed to be back to check on Shadow and dole out more pain relief. He was actually looking much better this morning. I popped the pain relief into his food and hoped he’d eat it. I think he did – he was still looking better this evening when we got back from Michael’s where we’d been this afternoon.

John went over to Lichfield with Michael to look at a car while I stayed and looked after Danielle and the children. We had a very good afternoon and the children were very well-behaved and delightful company. I was, however, concentrating so hard on getting food sorted and tidying round that I totally forgot the time, thus failing to attend the Yin Yoga class I’d booked onto this afternoon. Ah well, maybe next time.

Take care everyone. God bless

With plans to go out tomorrow on a visit, I changed my yoga session to today, so that’s where I was this morning – and I was relieved that I had changed class, because my joints are still arguing with me and a gentle class was exactly what I needed.

John, meanwhile, was ‘gallivanting’. He went out for breakfast with Bryan, who called for him in his shiny sports car and off they went.

John wasn’t back when I arrived home from yoga and I was just wondering whether I needed to take the car down the hill to find him when he unlocked the front door. After his breakfast, he had an appointment with the nurse, so he left Bryan and walked home. I was impressed – he walked up the hill. He said it had taken him nearly twenty-five minutes, but still, he made it.

Once home, he took a phone call from Richard, which was lovely because we have made arrangements for a get-together. I left John still chatting away as I set off for a coffee in Kenilworth with Michael, who was minding the baby. Danielle was having her hair done, aiming to join civilisation again after having had Oliver, and so would probably be some time…..

Michael and I met up at the Almanack for a coffee and sat chatting for a good while before we left there to find another café where they did nice, toasted sandwiches. I declined food, having eaten before I came out and because I am on a diet. Having bought a lovely new dress yesterday, I am determined to retain my current weight so that I can get into it for the special occasion. No extras for me. (Wonder how long that will last?)

Oliver was as good as gold and slept all the time we were out together and, I am hoping, until Danielle had finished in the hairdressers.

John spent the afternoon tinkering on the car, and had his head buried in wires and nuts and bolts when he heard the thrum-thrum-thrum of Paul’s car landing on the drive. How very, very delightful to have a visit from our eldest! I was thrilled, as you can imagine, when I arrived home to see his beautiful, smiling face when I walked in.

After a cup of tea and a fair bit of chat about this and that, we got to talking about the cats, who are currently a little scraggy. Rio needs grooming and…… well, Shadow is a shadow of his former self, having lost a lot of weight and is clearly unwell. Paul fussed the cats and was alarmed at the skinniness of Shadow. I immediately made an appointment at the vets.

“Hmmm…. well, he certainly has lost weight,” said the vet, “and it’s going to be one of three things: hypothyroidism, diabetes or kidney problems.” Ah… OK….. “Best do a blood test to check. Oh, you’ll want to know how much that is, won’t you?” I nodded, but knew that whatever it was I was going to pay it.

One symptom of hypothyroidism, apparently, is the cat being a bit skittish. Being a bit skittish, he wasn’t having any of it to have a blood test today. “We have trimmed his claws though,” grinned the veterinary nurse, as she came out of the consulting room. “Bring him back tomorrow, doped up, and we’ll have another go.”

It’s all very well telling me to bring him back tomorrow doped up, but I am not quite sure how I am going to get the pill down his neck. “Pop the tablet in a little treat a couple of hours before you come tomorrow,” advised the vet. Righty-ho! And I came away armed with some treat ‘putty’ that I could wrap around the tablet.

‘Try a treat without the tablet to start with’ stated the instructions, ‘then proceed with the tablet’. Hahahaha…… one sniff and Shadow turned tail. I had to run back to the vets to ask them to give me one those little pill-shooters instead, as I am positive that tomorrow morning he will be a Refusenik.

This evening, it was Zoom-time with ‘the girls’. There were just four of us tonight, with Sue P seeing some other friends, Sue D still out in Australia, and Janet arriving home too late from having had a long day out with the family.

It was lovely though. I don’t know what we find to talk about but talk we do. We were the same four as those who’d got together on Monday, so you wouldn’t think we’d have much to say, but we managed it somehow.

A lovely day (except for the sick cat, of course) which is much the same as we’ve had for the last few days. I am certainly not complaining, At this rate, my depression will have gone altogether. Fingers crossed anyway.

Take care everyone. God bless.

And, just for fun and because I haven’t shared one for ages – Susie Dent’s Word of the Day is ‘ipsedixitism’ (19th century): the insistence that something is ‘fact’ because someone else said so. I have no idea to what or to whom she is referring! Have you?

Being a Wednesday, it was a hospital day, so we were up reasonably early and setting off over to Heartlands Hospital for John’s haematology check-up. The last time we went, I had seen some disabled parking spaces outside the door of MIDRU – the Medical Innovation Development and Research Unit – and asked whether we could park there. The answer was ‘no’, but we could drop off.

As it was pouring with rain, we opted to drive that way round. Disappointingly, we couldn’t get into the car park as it was staff only, so John hopped out of the car and walked. I drove round to the normal car park and walked through as we usually do. When I got to the waiting room John was already there. He grinned at me and said, “It was no nearer – I still had to walk miles…..” Oh. Bother. Ah well, at least we know for the next time.

Anyway, the consultant we saw, Dr Ansari, was pleased with John’s blood results and she was about to start talking John through them and asked how he was, when in breezed Paneesha. He was delighted to see John and very happy with the outcome of all the treatments John has had, declaring him ‘cured’ of the leukaemia.

He commiserated with John over his lung condition and wondered whether a lung transplant was an option? We said no, that had been discussed a year or so ago and not on offer. Paneesha is nothing but ever hopeful that John’s ailments can be eased and is always coming up with something to try and help. We are grateful, of course, and we were glad to see him.

After we’d finished at the hospital, I suggested to John that we nip into John Lewis’s to see if there were any frocks for Lucy’s wedding. I know I have left it late to choose something, but I’d half thought I might wear one of the dresses I have in my wardrobe. However, in the end, I decided I’d choose something new.

We trailed round all the rails and picked up a few dresses to try on. I quite liked one of them, but John thought the top was a bit plain. He was right, it certainly didn’t quite have the ‘wow’ factor. I tried another on that we both liked, but I thought it wasn’t posh enough. “Hmmm,” said the fitting room assistant, “It’s a lovely day dress and does look nice on you. Have you got some time? Shall I see if I can find a stylist to help you?” Well, I don’t mind if I do!! “John? Have we got time?” He nodded. “Yes, please,” I replied.

And what a fortuitous thing it was. The girl came over – not a full stylist, but had experience enough to help – and she went to the rails, immediately pulling out three dresses that would be suitable. Our eyes alighted on the first one and that was it! I tried it on, it fitted, it looked nice, so we said we’d have it. The girl brought shoes and a jacket to seal the deal and so we came home happy. Oh, and that day dress? “Have them both,” said John. So I did.

Once home, John disappeared into the garage and I sat in the lounge for a rest. Had a chat to Michael on a video call: ” Do you want me to come over?” I asked. “I’ve got a couple of hours this afternoon, if you need things doing. But if not, I’ll stay here.” I think he may have liked me to go over, but he said ‘no, they were managing OK’.

I sat a bit longer on the sofa. My eyes were heavy. I dozed off. I woke up an hour later feeling woozy, so I toddled up the stairs and slumped into bed. Another couple of hours later……… crikey, I must have been tired. Well, I knew I was because I couldn’t sleep last night, so no wonder. Or was it the excitement of buying a new outfit? Either way, I woke and felt refreshed in time for Quiz Night.

Had fun, as always, with the Quiz Night. Everyone was on top form, despite all the hard work people are having to do with various family members and building work, and it was lovely to see them. Thoroughly enjoyed the quiz, to which I knew some of the answers! Chuffed whenever that happens.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Oh…. and that item that John went to collect from Sue and Chris yesterday? He’s only gone and bought me a Bentwood Rocking Chair! I am delighted to say the least….. I do love a chair – and this is special – reminds me of rocking the children when they were babies. Lush, eh?

So, yesterday was a good day. John, once again, was tinkering on the car while I ‘gallivanted’.

I spent the morning pottering in the garden, where it felt very balmy, even though the sun was hiding behind the clouds. I thoroughly enjoyed myself potting up a hanging basket and tucking alpines into nooks and crannies in the rockery. Bliss.

Then it was time to get ready. I and a couple of my college mates were planning a surprise visit up to Lizzie’s (another college mate) in Nottingham, because she was celebrating her 70th birthday. Lizzie had originally planned a bit of a big birthday bash that we’d all have been at, but cancelled because she’s been through the mill a bit from having spent several weeks looking after her Mum, who hasn’t been well.

We were still keen to celebrate with her so we agreed, in greatest secrecy with Ray, that we’d turn up as a surprise. Linda and I met at Anita’s in Ashby and set off from there. Liz was pleased to see us, although it took her a minute or two to absorb the surprise, I think! She said she was discombobulated to start with…… hehe.

We had a lovely couple of hours sitting her garden chatting and greeting other well-wishers who dropped in. Fabulous. Here we are, us ‘girls’ – a little windswept but with our cheesy grins saying it all…. Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

After we left Lizzie’s we went and had a bite to eat at a restaurant nearby, which was very nice – not too busy and quite a large, airy place – but I still wore my mask…..

We had another good day today. I helped out with the Kenilworth Newbies while John ‘gallivanted’.

This morning I went to yoga before having a bite to eat and setting off to Kenilworth this afternoon. John got himself ready to travel down the motorway to Upton House to meet Sue and Chris P (more college mates). Apparently, John had ordered ‘something’ a couple of years ago of which Sue and Chris were in possession. It’s a mystery to me, but I am told that I will notice the item somewhere around the house….. better start searching!

Anyway, Sue and Chris had a business appointment just outside Oxford, so they arranged with John to meet up. John was absolutely delighted to see them, even though they only spent half an hour or so in each others’ company. I think they were pleased to see John, too.

I had a lovely afternoon and early evening over in Kenilworth – I took gardening equipment in the hope that I might dig up a few weeds and dead head a few plants when I wasn’t looking after the children. No chance of that though – the ground was far too hard to get my little trowel into! Maybe tomorrow? Rain is forecast….

John, meanwhile, back at the ranch, had had a battling afternoon. A large parcel containing bits for the Lotus arrived – except the bit he actually really wanted! He spent ages and ages on the phone, firstly to the original supplier, who said, “Sorry, mate, out of stock and don’t know when/if we’ll get another one.” So John then spent a good couple of hours phoning other suppliers…. he thinks he may have found one but that particular Lotus parts business has just been taken over by another company – and it’ll be a few weeks before they’ve sorted out the stock…. hmmmm, fingers crossed.

All in all, we’ve been enjoyably busy again.

Take care everyone, God bless.

Yesterday we went over to the Kenilworth Newbies to offer a bit of moral and practical support while Danielle is still in recovery from her op and Michael is still in recovery from Covid. We had a lovely day – although Michael didn’t take the rest that we hoped he would.

Instead, we went across to Crackley Woods for a walk among the bluebells…… it brought back some lovely memories of when we were children, although the bluebells weren’t as vibrant as I remembered when I was twelve…….or maybe the photo doesn’t do them justice.

We had a great time clambering over fallen longs, venturing along ‘secret paths’ and racing through the glades. I think we all acted our shoe size and not our age and it was wonderful.

When we got back to Michael’s we were thrilled that Paul had texted to say that he and Freddie were coming over. Harriet was getting ready to go out to her hockey club dinner (at which her team won an award) so couldn’t come.

The boys were thrilled to see each other and we set off over to the park. Paul took charge of the boys and the dogs. Hilariously, as it turned out! He tied the two dog- leads together and basically, the dogs walked themselves…..or, rather, Mac walked Chester. I am not sure that Chester was best pleased….

Once we were back home, the children played like mad things on their scooters and bikes in the garden for a while and then calmed down in the house, fascinated by a new toy that William had been given – some magnetic shapes. Even Thomas was joining in. And there’s a baby in the crib that Grandpa is gently rocking. Bliss.

We stayed on after Paul and Freddie had gone home and helped to put the children bed and read a bedtime story. Afterwards, we had a take-away and relaxed in front of the TV for a while before coming home. It was a tiring, but wonderful day.

I must have been tired after a busy day yesterday because I overslept this morning. My plan was to get up early, get showered and all ready for this afternoon’s ‘Hen Do’ for Lucy, before following our church service online. Ha! The alarm went off but I must have snoozed it. It was half past nine before I woke up! I was running late before I’d even started.

Anyway, I was ready on time for when Pete and Dawn arrived to collect me. John was also ready and waiting for Pete to collect him on the way back. Dawn and I were going out for an exciting ‘hen do’, while John and Pete were having a Sunday Roast round at Pete’s.

The ‘hen do’ was brilliant. Lizzie had worked hard to put a few games and puzzles together. We were all terrible at guessing how old Lucy was in the various photos Liz had produced. Even Lucy only got 4 out of ten….. but we were better at choosing what she would prefer – a city break or a beach break? an Indian takeaway or a Chinese? a cat or a dog? To be fair, some of the answers were ‘either’ or ‘both’, but several people scored full marks and clearly know Lucy very well.

Here’s the gorgeous girl herself – the ‘Bride-to-Be’, looking just stunning. Honestly, she could be a model, she looks so lovely.

John had a good time at Pete’s and spent a happy half-hour rootling through metal bits and pieces that Pete had got in his treasure trove. John found a spring that he thought might do the trick and double as a bush for his bush-less stay for the Lotus car door. And he was right. It works a treat. He’s delighted.

I popped over to the Kenilworth Newbies this evening to help with the bedtime routine again and enjoyed a good couple of hours with the family. Although it is very clear that, although Danielle is getting more or less the rest she needs, Michael is not. He is absolutely exhausted but battling on. If only Thomas would sleep beyond six o’clock…. ah well, maybe tomorrow?

Take care everyone. God bless

We’re not ‘packing it all in’ as in giving up – don’t get the wrong idea – but we’re packing a lot of life in and haven’t half packed a lot in today.

John was up and about quite early this morning, raring to go and get in the garage. He was just finishing his coffee in the kitchen when I got back from yoga just before eleven o’clock. “How was yoga?” he asked. “Agony!” I replied. In the last year or so, I’ve found that all my joints, all my muscles and all my tendons are as dry as dry and creak like Billy-o the minute I do any movement. You can even hear the blooming things graunching……

Anyway, I discovered that daily collagen tablets have eased the symptoms amazingly well, so generally, I can leap about and bend and stretch, and so on, with little difficulty. But….. for the last couple of weeks I have been intermittent in the taking of the tablets, having got a little bit out of routine. Hence the graunching of everything at yoga today. I managed to keep up mostly, but whenever Jaime suggested we might like to bend just a bit further, raise the leg a bit higher, hold the pose a little longer, or ‘chaturanga’ into an ‘up-dog‘, I baulked at the invitation. Maybe next week? Must keep taking the tablets.

Meanwhile, John took himself off into the garage and I nipped across to our marvellous village seamstress, Donna, to collect some trousers that she had turned up for Mum. Stayed and had a little chat and then moseyed up to the pharmacy to collect my prescription before making my way home to continue with some washing and a few more of the chores I’d started yesterday.

We were both beavering away at our little jobs, contented as can be, when John came into the kitchen and said, “See that?” I nodded. It was a stay for the Lotus car door. “See? The bolt to attach it to the car itself rattles around in the hole. There should be a metal bush……. but it’s missing.” Ah….. a rummage among all the spare parts he’s got in trays and boxes everywhere proved fruitless. No appropriate bush. And there we are – another day when hours will be spent on the internet trying to find the right thing, sending away for it, waiting for it to arrive and keeping fingers crossed that it’s the right one when it does!!!

We went over to Pete and Dawn’s this afternoon for a cup of tea and a piece of cake. That was lovely. Relaxing and stimulating at the same time. Marvellous to be with friends who know us so well that the conversation just flows. John told the tale of the bush-less stay. Pete said he’d got lots of spare parts in his garage, too. They agreed that, on Sunday when John goes there for lunch, he’ll spend a happy hour rummaging through Pete’s trays and boxes. Fingers crossed he finds something suitable – it would save hours of research.

We left Pete and Dawn’s just before tea-time, having promised to pop over to the Kenilworth Newbies to hear all about their week with Danielle’s parents and to help out as best we could. They continue to be exhausted. Three boys….. gosh, I know what that’s like. There is nothing like that particular fatigue of caring for children and holding down a decent job, is there?

We cooked tea and stayed until it was time to put the boys to bed. I had the pleasure of reading William a couple of bedtime stories before he settled down. “Pat me?” he said, hopefully. “Yes, I’ll pat you,” I replied. “And sing a lullaby…..?” he continued. So we went through my repertoire of lullabies and nursery rhymes and then, when those were exhausted, William offered more suggestions of his own. Oh, bliss.

Meanwhile, over in the other Kenilworth Sleath household, I believe that the Tooth Fairy may be called upon again, very soon. Harriet sent us a photo of Freddie this afternoon, his upper tooth having migrated into the gap left by the falling out of his other tooth yesterday. He is impersonating Worzel Gummidge, by Paul’s account…….I agree and it made me chuckle. Bless him – he’s definitely thrilled with his wobbly teeth!. What do you think? Remind you of Worzel Gummidge with the central tooth, the rosy cheeks and the dishevelled hair? Tee-hee! Gorgeous.

When we got home after our visit to Kenilworth, I ran out into the garden to collect in the washing. The once-dry washing was now rather wet as a result of the shower in progress. Booooo…….I spent a little while sorting it out onto the clothes horse and then remembered, with a sinking feeling, that I’d taken the sheets off the bed earlier in the day and had yet to put clean ones on…… Well, there was little job I didn’t particularly want to do at the end of the day. Another Booooo…… ah, well…. but I do like to get into bed with nice, clean (ironed) sheets, don’t you?

Take care everyone. God bless.

After what seems like ages I thought I’d better do a bit of housework today. A touch of Spring Cleaning. This was prompted by Paul who passed comment on Tuesday about my lovely cobwebs. They’re the new fashion, don’t y’know…..

Anyway, I got out the feather duster and gave the kitchen and lounge a bit of a going over – just got the rest of the house to do now! And then it was on with washing and drying of bedding and towels – just the weather for it, so very warm outside. While that lot was going on I cleared the decks in the kitchen, which seemed to have got a bit clutter on them, while John pottered about with more Lotus stuff. Honestly, we have three parcels a day delivered at the moment. All very exciting.

We were, of course, still waiting in for the nurse. I phoned the Community Nurses this morning and left a message on their answerphone, not expecting anyone to get back to me, but they did. Yes, yes, the nurse will be with you today, sometime before 5 o’clock. Good-oh. We had our fingers crossed she’d come reasonably early because we wanted to nip into town to collect the ol’ man’s hearing aid which was in for repair.

And luck was on our side for once. The nurse arrived just after mid-day and had no trouble sorting John out, so he’s feeling a bit comfier now.

After the nurse left, I thought we’d have a cuppa and a bit of a sit down. John promptly fell asleep, so I left him to snooze for a while and carried on with a few more cleaning jobs until he woke up.

With the nurse having arrived at an optimum time we were able to shoot into Solihull to collect John’s hearing aid, which we are both relieved about. John, because he’s fed up of me ‘not answering him’ and me, fed up of having to repeat myself……..

On the family front, the Tooth Fairy is having a very busy time. When they called in on Tuesday to collect Mac, Freddie was a bottom tooth-less, having just lost it while eating an apple on the way over. A photo of him this morning now showed him a top tooth-less……….. and he wasn’t half looking pleased with himself!

On the news front, Covid doesn’t feature in any headlines at all now and even the war in Ukraine seems to be falling down the pecking order, with the editors concentrating on today’s local elections, the Johnny Depp v Amber Heard trial and the interest rates rise today. I hardly know what to say.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Tired and done for the day but, rather than allow yet another flash past without reporting in, I offer a swift summary of our day.

John has spent all day in the garage pottering about with the car and waiting in for the nurse to come. She didn’t turn up so more frustration and phone calls to no avail. Will try them again tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I sauntered about in the garden this morning. I had been to the garden centre the other day and bought one or two things so I went out with the best intentions. Of course, it’s always the other jobs that grab your attention, isn’t it? So, naturally, the main event – which was to liven up the rockery with alpines – didn’t happen. I did, however, manage to plant up a hanging basket for Danielle to cheer her up. Some weeks ago she’d asked us if we could get one of those pointy-shaped hanging baskets. At the time, there weren’t any available where we visited. But voila! We found one at the Hampton Garden Centre.

After a grubby morning, I shot upstairs to get a shower, before going out to a neighbour’s house for ‘afternoon tea’ with several other ladies of a certain age. It was all very nice and genteel and we had a good chat.

When I got home, John was still waiting for the nurse and opted not to come over for grandparenting duties at the Kenilworth Newbies. Michael was working between 5 and 6, so could I go and feed the boys their tea? Of course….. Had a lovely time and stayed on to read William a bedtime story. When I got back home the nurse still hadn’t been….. par for the course I suppose, but nonetheless it’s very irritating.

We simply sat and watched the box this evening – two of my favourite programmes, MasterChef and The Great British Sewing Bee, were showing so I lapped them up.

And there we have it. A day in a nutshell.

Take care everyone. God bless. Keep safe – Covid is still doing the rounds…..

We have some days that are driven; some days that are purposeful; and some days that are meaningful but a little more relaxed…….

Today was one of the latter. This followed on from a similar day yesterday, in which we had lazed in bed, trundled to the garden centre, taken the dog a walk and then chilled in front of the TV.

Today? A yoga session for me early on. A potter in the garage for John. A trip into town for me, mid-day. More pottering in the garage for John.

I came home from town, fairly laden with goodies – especially some nice ham, cheese and sourdough for lunch. Fatal. “Where are you going to sit to eat your lunch?” John asked. “The lounge,” I replied, “in front of the TV.” Hmmm……… the trouble with that little plan is that one is drowsy after one’s lunch and the TV has a soporific effect. John was aware of this fact and initially held back from sitting in comfy seats. He was easily persuaded however, and we both dozed for a about three-quarters of an hour…… pah!

John roused himself and went back into the garage for more tinkering. Although it seems that he’s a little frustrated with the whole process. Invariably, he has a bolt or screw or thingamajig that is just the wrong size. Naturally, he has to send off for a new one. It arrives. He tries to fit it. Only to find that it’s in metric, not imperial, or perhaps vice-versa…..and he has to send off for another one.

Meanwhile, I see that the car is coming on. John cannot see that it’s progressing much yet, but it definitely is. Although there is still a lot to do.

After I woke up from my doze, I took Mac for a walk. Once again, I enjoyed it. The rapeseed, as tall as me, is now turning to seed and the petals are dropping, showering both me and Mac with yellow confetti as we brushed past. Lovely.

I sent a little video of Mac on his walk to the Kenilworth Sleaths, as I do most days, and was surprised to get a reply from Paul asking when they should pick him up. Not knowing exactly when they’d arrived back from Malta, I tentatively suggested, ‘Tomorrow?’. Apparently, the family had arrived back mid-afternoon, so were refreshed enough to come and collect Mac this evening. “We’ll be round in hour,” said Paul. Another lovely.

It was great to see them. Freddie marked the occasion by proudly showing us a nice little gap in his gum where a tooth had just come out on the way over. He’d been munching on an apple. He’s hoping the Tooth Fairy will arrive tonight…..

They didn’t stay very long though – just long enough for a cup of tea – before it was time to take off and put Freddie to bed. School tomorrow…..

And that was us today. Busy, but not so busy as to be driven.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Without thinking it through, we invited Michael and Danielle over for lunch today, imagining that it would be a lovely way for them to relax. Being ‘Pooh Bears of Very Little Brain’, we had forgotten that Danielle’s parents were on their way over from Jersey and would be landing on the Kenilworth Newbies doorstep at any time on Sunday.

However, Danielle thought they’d be able to get over for brunch before they met her parents for a Sunday Roast, so how about we do that? Naturally, we were game for that!! So, to our delight, the family visited today……

This is the best I could do, photo-wise. Michael wondered if I had a photo showing his full face? Erm… sorry, no. Or one with Danielle’s eyes open? Nope. Or one of William smiling? No….. Or one without Thomas’s finger in front of his face? No, this was it! I thought it captured the moment perfectly. At least Oliver is looking good, that’s what counts, isn’t it? Hehehe…..

We had a really nice time, even though the visit was shorter and perhaps not so restful as we thought it might be. While Michael was out collecting some bits and pieces on his way over to our house with William and Thomas, I nipped over to collect Danielle and Oliver. John cooked the brunch. Wonderful.

“Come through to eat your breakfast, William,” I said, to which he replied, “It’s brunch, Grandma!!” Silly me….. I do love to be corrected by a four year-old.

I am not sure what we did with the rest of our Sunday. We watched a bit of telly; I took Mac for a good long walk; John tinkered a bit on the car; and then we had a ‘cream tea’ consisting of tiny salmon sandwiches and a scone, laden with jam and clotted cream. Oh, and Prosecco. Nice.

With other things going on, I have failed to mentioned that we are currently dog-sitting Mac again for a few days. Paul had to go to Malta on business so he thought he’d take the family out there with him over the Bank Holiday weekend. With no-one available at short notice to take Mac, I had a phone call which went something like, “Do you want to come for tea? Oh, can you have Mac over the weekend, please?” Well, how could I say ‘no’?

Anyway, on my walk with Mac today I had a very exciting time. I thought we’d take the path where I knew there to be badger setts. My thinking being that we might spend an early evening camped out for an hour at dusk in the hope of seeing them. Well, I needn’t do that now……

Just as we neared the setts, storming out of the rapeseed fields charged two badgers, hurtling towards safety. They took both me and Mac by surprise. Me, so much so, that I squealed before I realised what it was. Mac was also slow on the uptake, only realising that there was something to nip at after the larger badger had bolted between his legs and scuttled into the sett. Too late, as well, for him to do anything about the junior badger careering across his path and rushing into the sett by the back door.

I know badgers aren’t everybody’s cup of tea but, honestly, I was thrilled. I think it was a mother and her offspring, the larger badger being too small to be a male but too big to be a youngster. I have no idea why the badgers would be out in broad daylight nor why they’d be thundering back home as if their lives depended upon it. Maybe it was us who had disturbed them…… but it was very exciting and very unexpected!!

Take care everyone. God bless. Hope your weekend is turning out to be a happy one.