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.

Progressing

Today has been a tiring but productive day.  Good to see progress!

I was up fairly early to take delivery of our online shop.  We spent yesterday evening planning our meals etc so hopefully we now have everything we need for the next week.

After that I got some  washing done and then I tackled the garden.

This is the view looking out of the kitchen or dining room window.  You can see I've got the bird feeder set up now and our bench is now where it will enjoy some sunshine .

This is looking back at the house.

And this is looking down the side of the house to the other section of garden.

I spent time tidying the paved area at the end today and cutting back the lavender that is in the raised beds in the corner.

Looking much better!  And one thing I like about this London borough - we have a brown waste bin for garden and food waste.  They only collect fortnightly but so much easier than having to book it as we did in the old house.

These pictures show the chaos that still remains in the studio.  I've now got the exercise bike from my daughter but there are also ordinary bikes in there and gardening equipment.

It's a mess but it will be good when it's sorted and it does look out onto the garden.  We've ordered a shed but it will probably be a few weeks before it's delivered and installed.

Once the shed is up we can move stuff out from here and the garage, then the ordinary bikes will be able to go into the garage and we'll be a little bit more organised.

Another couple of things I've achieved have been sorting out the alarm system and one of our TV sets.  

We had the alarm system checked and it's all working fine.  We can even alarm parts of the house during the night which is reassuring.  I don't feel unsafe in the house but the layout is more vulnerable than our old house so the alarm is definitely a plus.  I even managed to program one of the keyfobs into the system today.  We discovered one of the fobs wasn't working and assumed it was the battery.  I changed the battery but it still didn't work.  It looked fairly new compared to the other fobs so I checked and found the system only had 3 fobs set up but I was able to set the 4th fob up without setting off the alarm!  Progress.

As for the TV, well that was a bit embarrassing.  It was working fine in the old house but seemed dead here.  We changed the fuse in the plug.  We located the remote.  We found the alternative buttons on the side of the TV but nothing seemed to work.  After speaking to a repair shop and planning to get it looked at I decided to do one last check for any other buttons!  Just as well I did.  There was a small on/off switch hidden away that had obviously got into the off position during the move.  I'd have felt really stupid if we'd dragged it all the way to a repair shop for that lol.

Social media and the internet can be a pain at times but it can also be useful.  Thanks to a recommendation from a local group I've also got a repair guy coming to look at our dishwasher which has gone wrong.  I did try and check for any obvious problems with it but according to the instruction manual the light that's flashing indicates a problem that needs to be fixed by an expert.  That I am not!
 

Waffle on Wednesday

I usually try and join in with the Wednesday Medley hosted by Terri but today's topic didn't really grab me so you'll have to settle for some waffle.

I've had a fairly productive day - got all the washing done and most of it dried.  I also spent time with the gardner this morning.  One of my birthday presents (from hubby's family) included this bench:

I've also got vouchers to spend so yesterday hubby and I went shopping.  We picked up the little tables - have to have somewhere for my cup of tea and book!

 These two birds caught my eye so they found their way home with us.

I also got some more plants
 

We're gradually filling in all the gaps in the flower beds and the bees are loving my lavender.

I wanted to get some cushions for the bench but Hubby and I couldn't agree on a colour scheme.  It's great that he takes an interest in shopping for things for the home or garden but sometimes it gets a bit tricky.  I can't complain too much though because he also likes doing grocery shopping.

Now we just need some good weather again to be able to enjoy the bench.  It's been quite wet on and off but the garden needed the water and at least we haven't suffered like some areas where there has been a lot of flash flooding.

Tomorrow's looking dry at least so maybe I'll get some time outside.  I have new library books to read and no grandkids to worry about.  The to do list can wait!

Being sociable - it's not always my thing but...

Today I was sociable.

Social was the prompt for #SoCS today but I haven't been sociable over there for a while so I'm just going to keep this to myself and anyone who visits.  That's what I often do in real life too.

Hubby is much more sociable than me.  He's often out somewhere either with or without his guitar, playing or listening to music.  He's also involved in a community project that gets him out to meetings on a regular basis.

I'm more of a home bird.  I can be content at home.  It's a joke between us though that even though we've been married 35 years now there are some acquaintances of his who probably doubt my existence because we've never met.  We met one such woman on our way out today.  Her reaction was "So you do exist!"  Fortunately it's not the first time I've heard that so it doesn't bother me.  I also think that Hubby wouldn't spot a woman making a play for him unless they were blatantly obvious and possibly not even then so I think I'm safe.  

Anyway getting back to being sociable.  Today was an "open garden" day in our community.  A number of gardens had agreed to open to the public this weekend.  It was organised by our local community garden so we signed up, picked up the map and set off.  The weather wasn't great but we didn't have any really heavy rain, just a bit of drizzle from time to time so we made our way to 6 of the gardens on the list.  It's interesting to see what others have done in their gardens and all of them were quite different today.  I came home with a few ideas for mine too.

It was nice to meet people and chat and be sociable for a change.

And yes, I know, I should do it more often!

I didn't take many photos but one front garden had these figures which I was impressed with:

Freeing the frog

I am not a particularly squeamish person.  I can deal with blood and gore.  I can cope with vomit and other stuff that escapes from various personal extremities.  I'm even good with spiders.

I am not good with frogs.  I don't know why but I can't bear to touch them.  Even with gloves on.

But sometimes needs must.  

Our house has steps at the front leading down to a door into the cellar.  We don't use that entrance so consequently the steps are quite a neglected area.  There is also a drain by the entrance and it is a place where leaves, rubbish etc blown in from the front accumulate.  It is a perfect hiding place for a frog!

Yesterday I decided to clear up the front garden including the steps.  As I began sweeping the leaves together something moved!  I steeled myself to check.  Oh yes, a frog.  I deliberated.  Should I leave it till hubby came home?  Not much point he wouldn't be any real help.  Oh to still have my daughter living at home.  She would have just picked it up, bare handed.  Yuck.  But useful.

No if the frog was going to be removed it was down to me.

I made a plan.  Adapt the removing of spiders technique (glass over piece of card) - to flower pot and bucket lid.  I have umpteen flower pots and a bucket lid.  I prepared.  I perched on the bottom step - didn't want it jumping on my feet clad only in flip flops.  Flower pot in hand.  I crouched, I pounced, I trapped the frog under the flower pot.

Great, now where's the bucket lid?  Oops it's at the top of the stairs - just out of reach.  But I can't let go of the pot because the frog will jump and escape.  I can't put my foot on the pot because I could risk crushing the pot and also the frog.  No, can't deal with a dead (or worse, only half-dead) frog.  Let's start again with the lid close to hand.

This means letting go of the pot.  The frog jumps and escapes. Onto the first step.  Maybe I can just shoo it up the steps.  No good.  I need to get it across the road to the open grassland where there is also a pond.  I can't risk it getting run over and I think I would look pretty stupid trying to chase a frog across the road.

Even more stupid than I already do, hot and bothered and shrieking every time the frog jumps.

I catch the frog once more under the flower pot and this time I manage to get the lid underneath so that I can transport it safely.  Well while trying to hold the top of the flower pot in such a way that I don't come into contact with the frogs face as it jumps and pokes through the drainage holes!

I manage to get it across the road without dropping the whole assembly.  I did get a few strange looks from drivers passing by but hey I'm doing my good deed of the day.

An improving week

So far my week has improved each day but maybe I shouldn't say that as it's only Wednesday!

On Monday I had a hospital appointment for a colonoscopy.  For anyone who's had that done you will know it involves a bit of preparation - enough said! It was fun on Sunday being able to eat nothing and having MIL and offspring here for Sunday lunch.  For those of you who haven't had the pleasure it's not as bad as you anticipate.

We arrived in good time for my appointment only to be told I wasn't on the list!  The receptionist asked me if I'd done all the prep.  I managed to reply sweetly that I had.  (Why would I turn up if I hadn't done the prep?????)  Fortunately they fitted me in but of course there was a lot of waiting around.

The good news was that I was given the all clear before coming home so that was a major relief.  The bad news was that, having opted for conscious sedation for the procedure, I couldn't have any alcohol for 24 hours.  I survived.

Yesterday, bouyed I think from cutting my ties with school last week and having the medical all clear, I decided it was time to tackle my shed.  It's a job that's been on the to do list for a while but it was warm and sunny yesterday so I tackled it head on.  Everything was taken out.  I then swept all the cobwebs, dust etc out.  Good job my daughter-in-law wasn't around - she can't bear spiders.

After the clearout

Next I sorted out what needed to be thrown out - some old garden chair frames that had rusted, an old lawnmower that had died and couldn't be economically fixed and an old BBQ that again had rusted and was falling apart. There were also two bikes of the kids which will need cleaning up and new homes found.

Once I'd done the sorting I was then able to put back only the stuff that needed to be kept.  I was also able to put my daughter's bike that we are storing (temporarily!) into the shed, freeing up space in our hallway.  Hubby has been moaning so long about having 3 bikes in the hallway.  But typical of hubby, he doesn't do anything to solve/alleviate the problem.  (Our house is terraced so there is no side entrance and to get anything out to the garden involves going down a flight of stairs so not practical to keep bikes anywhere but the entrance hallway really.)

Waiting to be sorted

I then arranged a bulky waste collection by the council for the rubbish.  (They are quite good at removing rubbish for you and it's free!)  Once I'd done that I placed the rubbish in the front garden as instructed.  Well, the council man has just knocked and asked about my rubbish which, yes you've guessed it, had disappeared.  I've no idea when or how it went but it's gone!  If someone could make use of my rubbish they are welcome to it.

Today I think I've earned some blogging time :)

Monday meander 8/6/15

I love chocolate.  I have a small box of Godiva chocolates on my kitchen table.  I bought them yesterday when we were on a chocolate walking tour in central London.  The tour was a present to me from my son and his partner for Mother's Day.  They had bought 2 places so hubby came too.  We met our guide by The Ritz hotel and we wandered through the streets of Mayfair visiting several very classy chocolate shops.  We learnt about the history of chocolate and also got to taste some samples.  I was in heaven.

Several of the shops were very small but we also visited Fortnum and Mason which supplies the Queen.  It's a very impressive shop with a huge chocolate selection.  Of course it also sells teas, preserves and oh I could go on and on.  The staff uniform is very traditional.  It was actually the first time I had ever visited the store.  We notice this everytime we do something like this - we've lived in London all our lives but there is so much of it we haven't seen.  When we retire.....

Of course some people think I've retired already.  The jury is still out on that at the moment.  I had a better week last week having got back to scheduling things to do and there is still lots to be done at home so I've no plans to look for a job just yet.

As for my June goals well I managed to complete reading all the Hodgepodge posts from last week.  Thanks to all who left me comments.  I hope I've responded appropriately.  I also managed to visit 10 blogs on the A-Z Road Trip list at the weekend.  That was interesting.  One blog hadn't even posted any A-Z posts, one site seemed to be a promotional site for books and another had quit after only a few posts.  Not sure why they included themselves on the Road Trip.

I also managed over 10 miles of walking but I'm yet to get on my bike.  (Although I did pump up the flat tyres.)

Today I have finally got round to touching up the paintwork in our kitchen.  We had a couple of patches where I think the paint was applied before the plaster underneath had totally dried out so the paint had peeled.  Nothing major but just one of those annoying things that need to be fixed.  Well today I fixed it (hopefully it won't peel again!) now I just have to take bets on how long before my hubby notices.  Maybe if I leave the painting paraphanalia around he might get the hint.

I also thinned out my Hellebore seedlings: 

I have a thriving Hellebore in the garden and it had seeded earlier this year so my gardener had me collected the seedlings to grow into new plants.  I think she has an ulterior motive - she is part of a group setting up a community garden nearby.  It is a huge undertaking and they will need all the help they can get, including donations of plants.

Well I started this post yesterday and it's now nearly bedtime today so I will end now.  It's been a good start to the week.

Thursday talking 21/5/15

Well it's Thursday so nearly the weekend and we have a long weekend to look forward to as Monday is a bank holiday.

The weather today has been lovely. I hope it continues.  I've spent most of the day in the garden and I even put some sunscreen on!  The gardener was here in the afternoon so she was directing my efforts.  The garden is looking so much better.  Unfortunately hubby is no gardener and I've had spells over the last couple of years where I've had a frozen shoulder, then a trapped nerve and generally not been able to do much in the garden.  It fell into neglect and was quite overgrown.

Then we heard of Lisa.  She has made such a difference but now that I'm here she's also getting me more involved with it.  So today I have weeded, planted and mowed the lawn.  Well the grass, I wouldn't call it a lawn, it's not very level and has lots of weeds plus a few bare patches.  Although I did put some seed on the bare patches.  Hopefully they will grow before the birds pinch it all.  

I don't encourage the birds into the garden.  There are a lot of cats around including one of our own so I don't think it would be fair to encourage them in to get attacked.  Although our cat wouldn't move fast enough to catch anything.

I'm actually typing this on the patio.  It's getting a bit chilly but the sun is still out so I'm enjoying the peace and quiet.  Might have to get a jumper soon though.  And, despite all the comments on the Hodgepodge yesterday, I'm wearing leggings.  But I do have a long top over them that covers my rear end!

I think I will need a soak in the bath later to ease the muscles that are protesting a bit at this unexpected exercise.  And my hands and nails definitely need some attention, despite wearing gloves.

I didn't work non-stop.  In fact we didn't have an early start today.  Embarrassingly I wasn't dressed when the Tesco shopping arrived.  I'd planned it early so that I would be up and dressed and have lots of the day ahead of me.  Then I forgot it was coming!  Hopefully I'll remember to collect my mother-in-law tomorrow!


Some of you asked about the jumble trail I mentioned on the Hodgepodge.  I think jumble trails are a fairly new thing here.  There is a website set up to co-ordinate them.  Basically you have an organiser who selects an area and a day for it to take place.  People can then sign up for a small fee to be included on a map which is on the website.  Sellers set themselves up at home to sell so a bit like a yard sale and buyers can trail around the various stalls.



I'm looking forward to it.  Just have to get all my clutter organised.  I have made inroads on that but it's hard.  The other day I had to sort through a crate of paperwork of my Mum's, most of which just needed to be shredded and disposed of.  But of course it brought back memories.

Then I decided to tackle a damp patch in one of our spare rooms.  There had been a leak from the roof which is now fixed but the wallpaper and ceiling in the room had been affected.  I decided to start stripping back the wallpaper but it started to cause quite a bit of dust.  So before I continue I need to move the mattress off the bed so it doesn't get messed up.  It needs to move into the other spare room - except that is full of stuff.   So I have to clear the stuff before I can move the mattress before I can.......getting the picture?  The stuff of course will be what we try and sell on the jumble trail so for now it has to stay put.  Except I need to move it. 

Ever feel like you're going round in circles or is it just me?!

Election Day 7/5/15

Today is Election Day here in the UK.

I am not an expert on politics but I have been to cast my vote as I agree that you can't complain about the system if you're not part of it.  My daughter is much more involved, she is currently working at a polling station and then going on to count votes. My hubby exercised the right to a postal vote as he's away in Lincoln for work today.  

I just had to get myself up and out to our local polling station. Fortunately I was expecting a shopping delivery early today so I needed to be up and dressed for that. I managed to cast my vote despite not realising until I checked my voting card that they'd moved the polling station!  Still within walking distance, the local church hall as opposed to the local junior school.

It will be interesting to see the outcome of the election but I suspect it will take longer than usual as no main party seems to have a chance of an overall win.  This is not what we're used to.  For so long it has been a two party race (between conservative  and labour) but during the last parliament we did have a coalition between the conservatives and lib-Dems. A coalition looks the most likely outcome this time but as to which parties can work together we will just have to wait and see.

My own MP is actually someone who was at the same secondary school as me at the same time. Hers is a fairly safe seat so I expect her to be re-elected although it will be interesting to see if her majority is affected by the rise in the UKIP party.  Hopefully not.

I went out to lunch at a friend's house, walking there and back so I've clocked up a over a couple of miles today.  Not yet doing 10000 steps a day but doing lots more that a few weeks back.

My gardener came today and she offered to assemble our new lawnmower and put it to good use.  Downside of that is that she didn't get as much weeding done today so that's my homework before her next visit.

Now I'm planning to relax.  It's been a good day.