Wednesday Hodgepodge - 25/3/26

Joyce provides the questions, we prepare our answers then we link up here. Thanks Joyce.

1. It's officially spring in the northern hemisphere. Does it feel like spring in your part of the world? If you're in the southern hemisphere it's officially autumn where you live. Does the weather say autumn? Which do you prefer-spring or autumn? Why?

Well as I'm typing this looking out into my garden the sun is shining so yes it looks springlike but.....earlier there was a big downpour and the temperatures are lower than they were last week. I'm not sure the weather got the spring memo just yet.

I prefer spring to autumn - I don't like losing an hour of sleep when the clocks change but the lighter longer evenings are worth it and watching things coming into bloom is lovely.

Autumn signals the shorter darker days of winter when you feel like you just want to hibernate, although the changing colours of autumn are lovely to see.

2. What's your favourite thing about spring? 

Longer days.

3. Spring into action, spring in your step, spring to life, spring to one's feet...which spring idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain.

I think spring into action probably - my to do list is growing!

4. Which spring food from this list is your favourite? What's a dish you like that includes your favourite spring ingredient?

asparagus, strawberries, salad greens like mesclun, artichokes, spinach, eggs, peas, spring onions

Eggs would be my favourite on that list - so versatile. We usually have eggs in our breakfast, and my favourite would be a toss up between scrambled or, as we had today, poached with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce. Yummy.

5. What's one task on your spring cleaning list? Do you actually have a list?

Well I should have started a list because yesterday I emptied out and tidied our garden shed. That would definitely have been on there. Maybe I'll start the list with that because then I can cross it off and feel smug lol.

I also managed to string some outdoor lights up along the fence.  Not sure how squirrel proof they will be but they looked pretty last night.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Added to that (hypothetical) list would be disposing of all the old half-used etc containers of plant food, pesticides, weed killers etc. The ones that have been sitting there forever and are probably not effective any more. Today I have boxed them all up and applied for a hazardous waste collection. Thankfully we live in an area where you can get that done for free!

I might be on a roll here.

In the News this Week - 24/3/26

Of course the International news continues to be about the war with Iran and the knock on effects in the Middle East.  These are worrying times especially with the effect it is having on oil and energy prices.

There has also been speculation that Trump's decision to delay attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure, may have been leaked given the amount of trading that went on just before that announcement was made.  See here for more details.

At home I managed to find this feel good story about a terrier dog being rescued after disappearing down a rabbit hole.

Entertainment and the articles about who will or will not be the new hosts of Strictly Come Dancing keep coming.  So. Much. Click. Bait. out there.  I wish they'd just make the decision and put us all out of our misery.

In Sports I've just realised that the Football World Cup will be taking place when we're thinking of visiting our son this summer.  That will probably push flight prices up plus the cost of aviation fuel.  I'm sure we'll still be going but it will make it a more expensive trip.  Thankfully we won't be worrying about watching a game.  The cost of tickets has already caused a complaint to be submitted to FIFA about its pricing system.  Read more here. 

And in Miscellaneous news - my shed is tidy!  I spent time earlier pulling everything out, throwing out some stuff and collecting together all the old bottles of things like weed killer, plant food etc that I've also discovered I can get a free waste collection for.  Good job I'm not worried about spiders or cobwebs.  It was a job that was long overdue.  

A bit of Waffle - 23/3/26

We had a nice quiet weekend.  I didn't even end up doing the Foodbank session I was on the rota for as the delivery came really early and the Hub Manager was already there opening up the church for the Saturday morning karate sessions so she dealt with it.  

I did get quite a bit of knitting done, plus I listened to an audio book!  In error.  Well I mean I didn't listen to it in error but I hadn't intended to order in the audio version of the book from the library.  Anyway it was a pleasant enough way to spend time.

Several people have asked if the penny in the vase trick works:

This is after a week, bearing in mind they were given to us after they has been on display for quite a few days too.  So yes I think the penny works!

Today has been a day of two halves really.  This morning I went through my wardrobe and pulled out quite a few things that I haven't worn in a long time and am therefore unlikely to wear, plus a few pairs of shoes that I will definitely never wear again.  These have been bagged up ready for a charity collection on Friday.

I then decided I'd do a few bits in the garden but got a late request to do the school pick up by my DIL as she was stuck in waiting for a new tumble dryer to be delivered.  

I made myself some lunch and was having a cup of tea when she messaged to say the dryer had arrived in time for her to do the school run.  Back to plan A - the garden.

Then there was a general message from the Foodbank about some chicken packs that needed to be collected from nearby Enfield before 5 o'clock and put straight into the freezers.  Well no one else volunteered so I said I would go.  We have been really short of things like this in our usual deliveries so it was too good an offer to pass up.  Thankfully there were a couple of people at the Foodbank by the time I got back who were able to help me unload the car and get it all put away in the freezers.  

The garden will have to wait until tomorrow but the weather is looking okay.  The weather for the rest of the week is looking a bit unsettled with the only completely dry day being Thursday when I'm at the Foodbank.  There's nothing major to be done - hubby cut the grass last week - but I have some solar lights I want to put up plus I have a lot of pots that need emptying and probably got rid of and the shed needs a good tidy.

I am starting to think about getting some plants for pots to go on the patio.  It's a work in progress.  There are also a few bits of rubbish that need to go to the tip which will be delegated to Hubby.  He's been to the new one now and knows the way so no chance of getting a ticket like he did when he went to the old tip, got lost and went through a prohibited section of road!  At least I hope not.

Weekly Photos 15th - 21st March 2026

Afternoon tea on Sunday for Mother's Day

The completed plastic logging sheet which I submitted online on Monday.

The flowers that I brought home from the Foodbank looking pretty on Tuesday.  Look closely and you'll spot the penny in the bottom of the vase which is supposed to keep them looking good for longer.  They're still looking okay today.

Wednesday: The jumper is growing.

Thursday: My next knitting project?  Maybe.  I brought one of these home from the Foodbank last week but it didn't have the label on it.  This one had the label on it and I discovered on the reverse is the pattern for making the hat!

Friday it was nice enough to hang washing out!

Saturday - this is the audio book I listened to.

Funny how colours can look so different in photos.  That jumper looks purple in that photo but I can assure you it's pink!

Hope you're having a relaxing Sunday.