Long but worth a read

 FOR THOSE WHO ARE 60 yrs OLD AND ABOVE PLEASE READ THIS.

This is for you. I really like what is said here and am going to try my best to follow it. Thank you to the person who wrote this. May God bless us all as we strive to be a blessing to others at this age, especially to our children.

Between 60 and death. It's time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don't just keep it for those who may have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard-earned capital.

Warning: This is also a bad time for investments, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and worries. This is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don't feel bad spending your money on yourself. You've taken care of them for many years, and you've taught them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter, and support. The responsibility is now theirs to earn their own money.

Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercise (like walking every day), eat well, and get your sleep. It's easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with your doctor, do tests even when you're feeling well. Stay informed.

Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide any comfort then, enjoy it together.

Don't stress over the little things. You've already overcome so much in your life. You have good memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don't let the past drag you down and don't let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.

Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your neighbor and remember: "A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection."

Be proud, both inside and out. Don't stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.

Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. You’ve developed your own sense of what looks good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.

ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks. You'll be surprised at what old friends you'll meet.

Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideas as you, but they are the future and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to remind them that yesterday's wisdom still applies today.

Never use the phrase: “In my time.” Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this time.

Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people, it'll rub off on you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make you feel older and harder to be around.

Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a financial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy. They need theirs and you need yours. Even then, do so only if you feel you really need the help or do not want to live by yourself

Don't abandon your hobbies. If you don't have any, make new ones. You can travel, hike, cook, read, dance. You can adopt a cat or a dog, grow a kitchen garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, golf.

Try to go. Get out of the house, meet people you haven't seen in a while, experience something new (or something old). The important thing is to leave the house from time to time. Go to museums, go walk through a park. Get out there.

Speak in courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to accept situations as they are.

Pains and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as a part of life.

If you've been offended by someone – forgive them. If you've offended someone-apologize. Don't drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn't matter who was right. Someone once said: "Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die." Don't take that poison. Forgive, forget, and move on with your life.

Laugh. Laugh away your worries Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age, never get to experience a full life.

My valued friends, enjoy peaceful life at this point in your life ...

Don't worry... be happy.

So we should all be happy

Chrisxx

A sad time

I've missed a whole week of blogging and most importantly blog reading. This time of year is not a good time for me, too many memories that bring me down into the depths of sadness. Sometimes I can just shrug it off, other times I weep for the slightest thing.

Its a whole 10 years since I tripped and broke the humerus bone in my right arm, my dominate arm! It has been life changing and if I didn't have my lovely husband, I couldn't have managed.. The last 2 ops which included a bone insertion and shoulder replacement were the most painful experiences of my life. Something I didn't know was, you can have  a wedge of bone inserted in yours from any blood group, it doesn't make any difference, and yes the bone was donated by a deceased person! The shoulder replacement means I can only use my arm at waist level, but not higher, my arm will not lift up! So I learnt to do my hair and wash etc left handed and hence I visit a hair salon or have someone to the house every week. And of course I'm not legal to drive. My writing is pretty  awful too and I take ages to put on my clothes. Dh helps with my bra.

Over the 10 years my over all health has deteriorated  and I gained 3 stone! Lockdown didn't help and I know I should do more. But I've had a wake up call through a cheap clothing site! I usually buy my clothes on line from a Norwegian firm.  https://www.gudrunsjoden.com/en-us  They have dresses in bigger sizes  that fit and are bright colours. I love them and although they cost a bit more, they are worth it. I saw a cheap dress on line and I thought it would be perfect for an at home, housework dress.. It was a darker green than the picture, but still nice, but the fit!! It was big all over, so sleeves reaching to my knees, well nearly and skimpy round my middle, so very very unflattering. For the very first time I could see the real me, not the internal view I have of myself. I am huge, really, really fat! It shocked me and I won't be looking in the full length mirror in the middle bedroom again, for at least a few months and I will knuckle down and get this weight off! So tears for the dress and fat me. 

I've had some sleepless nights worrying about it and that doesn't help my weight loss. Because I'm too tired to do much the next day, but that dress is hanging outside my wardrobe to spur me on!

What is this weight thing, I never had a problem when I was young. I hardly gained any weight when pregnant and not any for years.. a few pounds extra when my underactive thyroid was diagnosed in 1988 and just a bit more over the years, and now here I am grossly over weight and struggling! 

Chrisxx

Then and now

When we moved here 3 1/2 years ago.

 

And now 

We have 3 flower beds and now small trees and shrubs in front of the fence we've had put in, after taking out the 30m  of scrappy hedge!

Lots of plants waiting to go in the prepared beds and seeds sown already. I'm expecting  a very colourful summer.

Its been worth the work over the last week getting it straight..     And no rain has meant we've watered most evenings.

How's your garden?

Chrisxx

How did I survive??

My Victorian grandmother's cures for various ailments, when I was growing up.

Always wear a vest and pull it right down your back to keep your kidneys warm. (Wee-ing problems and to keep colds at bay) I also wore a Liberty Bodice. Called Liberty bodices, because they originally were to be worn instead of the stiff corsets of the 19th Century. So you were liberated from a corset! I never minded wearing one, it kept you warm. No central heating only one coal fire in the living room. 

I do remember I had a bed cardigan and even in todays time, I sometimes wear one, when I'm in bed and the heating has switched off early. When I was little in winter, the bed was warmed by a brick  heated in the oven with a bit of old blanket wrapped round it.

Goose grease smothered on your neck, then a Lyle stocking wrapped round it, secured with a safety pin.(Sore throat)

Sheep's wool gathered off barbed wire fence, washed and inserted into your ear for earache. Something we always gathered when we visited my Grandmother's sister in Maesteg, as their road was at the bottom of  a mountain with wandering sheep.

Bread, milk and water made into a mash, heated and spread on a piece of cotton and topped with another piece of cotton and pressed on the area with the boils, still hot, a poultice.. Wound round with strips of cotton to keep in place. (Any boil or ulcer)

Starch powder sprinkled on itchy areas to stop the irritation. (Any itchy rash)

Cold salted water streamed on bruises to reduce swelling. 

Honey, vinegar and butter.. brought to the boil, then sipped slowly for a  sore throat and coughs. (I loved  this)

Cabbage water after the cabbage had been boiled to a pulp!!  A cup of the  cabbage water drunk for your bowels! Ugh Plus Syrup of Figs on Saturday night.

And then the rest of the cabbage water poured down the outside lav. to clean the 'U' bend!

I had the usual childhood illnesses, mumps, measles and Yellow Jaundice, (what ever that was?) But I can't ever remember missing school with a cold, so somethings must have worked! 

She was born in 1887 and had 8 children.. only 5 survived into adulthood

Gladys (1906-1990) Marion (1908-1924) Thelma (1912-1994)  Eunice, my mother (1918-1945) Rachel (1920-2016)

I think my Aunty Glad (Gladys) found the money from somewhere and coerced my father, to help pay for me to go to that private school, so I'd get a good education. She went into Service age 12 in a big house in Penarth! She sometimes spoke about it and how hard it was.

I had quite an alternative childhood to many children of my age.. and I survived. My grandmother had no patience and often flew into a rage, today I wonder was it hormones??.. It was fine while my grandfather was still alive, because he used to take me out.. He used to say...'Dere 'm cariad'.. (come here darling) and we'd sneak out the back door.  I learnt to keep out of her way.. and I often wonder, if that was why my aunt paid for me to be a boarder. 

I loved that school and they were the happiest days of my teen years.. And this nun, Sister Mary Bernadine, Headteacher was amazing. She treated me as though I was special and I loved her.

I survived!!

Chrisxx

Flowering Sunday & Mothering Sunday.. Edited to correct the date, thank you Angela

 Me with my mother and father, age 6 months.

I don't have any real memories of her, but I put flowers on her grave each year on Flowering Sunday, this year its on April 13th. I have travelled every year back here to put flowers on her grave, and those of my grandparents and two Aunts..From Billericay it was 234 miles, I stayed at the house when I still owned it, but after selling it I stayed in a B&B. And after Dh and I were married he came too, and with Nell of course.

People I've met who don't have family buried never understood why I did it.. but its a big thing in S Wales even in today's  times. I am going to have a Green Burial in Herongate, which is near Billericay. So there'd be no need for grave visits, I wouldn't put that on my children.  I decided on the Green Burial near Billericay as I lived longest there than any where else.

But,  my children did treat me on Mothering Sunday.. cards, flowers, champagne  truffes, a super new camera  and best of all long phone calls.. I have tried to say to my children, I take as much delight in their phone calls,  as I did with their first tooth or first step! 

Hope you did too, get treated! 

Chrisxx

The Slow Lane.

(Last years honey -suckle)

 

I seem to be in the doldrums, but its ok I've not killed an albatross, altho I did squirt some water at the cat that dares to stroll across our patio, then toilets in our veg patch! He's always quicker than us and runs along the fence, eyeing one of our bird feeding stations.

 And also, I seem to be a bit fed up with the SW food plan too, even though I had a good weight loss last week. So we looked up some different recipes to gear me on! For lunch yesterday we made egg muffins. I started off in the kitchen with Dh and then suddenly there were too many cooks in the kitchen!! So I went into the lounge and left him to it..

For 2 persons: 4 eggs beaten, chopped chives, copped bacon, chopped spinach and grated cheese., salt n pepper. Beat eggs, add the rest of the ingredients and spoon into a well greased muffin tins.  Sprinkle Feta  cheese on top, Makes 4 cook 180C for 10mins Serve with parsley to decorate|!.. Very tasty warm and even  better cold, with ham and a big green fresh salad.

All my seeds have germinated, but some aren't big enough to pot on, but I'm raring to go. I am all ready, but no point potting on with no true leaves, because they'll get seedling droop and  possibly die. I have taken the cosmos and sweet peas and put them in our little outside plastic green house to stop them getting leggy.

And the book I've  just finished, 'Someone in the Attic,' went on for page after page. It seems to me as though Araminta Hall was trying to write a certain number of words and filled the pages, but nothing was happening! 

And last night I couldn't get to sleep, I heard the early gulls at 4:00 am, and went to wee a hundred times, well maybe not hundred but a lotta, lotta wees. This always happens if  I am awake. So had to have a nanny nap in the afternoon! 

But I have some good things to look forward to.. Coffee in town with someone I was in school with in the 1950s!  

And later on I've my craft group. I have some new knitting, an Emotional Support Chicken.. I'm knitting it for a friend, who's been through a divorce and has bought her own house for the first time..And she loves Chickens!

Chrisxx

Opinions

 The only thing you should stop wearing as you get older is the weight of  other people's opinions!!

Because I believe this,  I've published Jane from Dorset's comment.

Happy travelling Jane, as you go on your way. You're allowed your opinion but not to criticize others nor impose your views on others.

As a matter of fact, I personally think everyone should garden as best they can and within their means, so I wouldn't suggest any product to anyone.. 

Chrisxx

Meeting friends.

 I've been contacted by two ex pupils from my school, St Clares. One lives here in Porthcawl and we've arranged to meet next week..I've had to post a photo of myself, as it is 70 years more or less since we were in school together

This is 4 years ago when I had my hair just a bit longer than now and looking at it I like it, so am going to grow it a bit.. its not my choice to have it this short. I don't know why my hairdresser cut it so short. I think sometimes they get scissor happy and keep snipping!! My phone camera has gone phut and it won't connect to my email to send photos, it keeps saying its a video, so can't take any new ones at the moment. I think I'd like a new phone, its not that good.

So someone else from school to meet, I already see someone I was in school with when we were 8! 

Strange but I've never thought of connecting with old school friends, what would you talk about, old times or how we are now?

And good news on my weight 2 1/2 loss so I am pleased, especially having visitors over last weekend. We kept the meals SW and they were still very tasty. 

 New week and we're off to a good start because we did not go into town after the meeting to indulge in Costa's cakes!

Altho' Dh has suggested we go on Tuesday, I shall have to be strong.. still not eaten any ice cream, I decided to give it up for Lent, not for a religious reason, but a check on me indulging in Ice cream, I can eat it till I'm absolutely full!!!

Life is rushing by at the moment, as we are gardening every day to get it straight and ready to plant out all the plants, I've grown from seed..They are all flourishing.. wa---hooo!

I'm already potting on Nicotiana, Pelargoniums , Dahlias and Antirrhinums.. 

I'm hoping for a colour filled garden this summer.. and we've had some rain,....just what we needed.

PS. I'm looking after the planet Jane from Dorset, Read my post again, we use our own compost!

I do dislike these preach-y people, especially the ones who don't have a blog, so who knows what you do? So I would suggest you don't read my blog or get off your preach-y podium!

Chrisxx

Such an improvement!

 I've had such a lovely few days, and basically its due to my antibiotics.. I'm so much better when taking them. All sorts of things are easier, I have normal micturition,, I don't have to visit the toilet so often and although I still get up at night more than just once, I go back to sleep right away.  And I can go out, knowing I can go longer than an hour without the need of a toilet and so that's a relief. So I'm rested and have more energy.

And of course we've had sunshine. Yesterday I was too hot in the garden and had to have to umbrella! I've sown a whole lot more seeds, lupins as my original efforts didn't germinate, but they were 2017 seeds, so its not surprising they didn't germinate! I've started potting on some seeds I sowed earlier this month. Today I want to pot up my new dahlias as well as top dressing the flower beds. I tried to find some well rotted manure locally, but couldn't so bought some on line! Its all dry so mixed in with compost, our own compost, none of this rubbish peat free stuff, it will be perfect. 

We even ate our lunch outside, first time this year, it was such a lovely day. Dh cut the grass and it nearly looks like a lawn instead of a tumpy field! 

The lupin plant we bought,  when we went to the garden centre is huge, so a big decision, where shall we plant it; where I can see it from the French doors, or the bed that runs parallel to the bungalow? I'm so excited about the garden.

Our front garden daffodils are sadly going over, but I've decided to sow some Love in the Mist seeds, there. They germinate readily and will be tall enough to peep up over that little wall that borders the lawn. I've ordered 5 pkts of 1500 seeds!!

Watch this space!

Are you ready for our sunshiny days ahead altho' at the moment we could do with rain!

Chrisxx

Like minded friends

 We have had a lovely afternoon with our U3a gardening group. Sue did a talk on Salvias..

We are at a new venue, the town football club house which had facilities to show her photographs on a large TV screen.

They were amazing, propagated from cuttings or sown seeds, her garden is a mass of them, she told us

I've never been a great  lover of them but her photos and hwe talk has persuaded me to grow them, or at least give them a go.

Although I'm not sure where, as I have window sills full of seedlings and more seeds to sow.

There was also a head gardener of a big estate garden there. He was promoting the Open Garden Scheme...All sounded wonderful with tea and cake at them all.. 

After the meeting we went to a Garden Centre to buy a new long handled trowel, as Dh broke the one we had, which was really mine! I mustn't moan because he was weeding the long fence border which is 30m long! (98.5 ft)

We also bought some plants, a huge lupin, a pack of mixed colours of pelargoniums, (6) and a tray of baby leeks! And when we got to the checkout it was 10% off for over 60s, so a bit off.

I really enjoyed my afternoon.

Talking about gardens and plants with like minded people!

Do you like gardening?

Chrisxx

A prince to be proud of.

 

Our very own Prince of Wales visiting the Mercians, just 90 miles from Russia in Estonia. Engendering good vibes with the troops in a country right next to Russia. 

In full combat gear chatting amiably and later on in the naafi being one of the lads playing pool!

He looked like any other soldier.. made me feel quite proud for him.

A young man proud to be colonel in chief of the Mercians who have just started their 6 month deployment, as the lead battle group working along side their NATO  partners.  With 900 British service personnel in Estonia, it is the UKs largest permanent  overseas deployment. I didn't know this, that we had troops in a country right next door to Russia. Trump speaks of a war, but is this all hot air? Our government hasn't spoken in the same way, but it looks like UK is making sure we're in league with the other European countries. From studying history, there will always be talks of wars, and I hope and pray it is all just talk.

.

But you have to be proud of this young man and he is probably one of hundreds of young people, who are proud to wear a uniform.

But what a prince!

Chrisxx

Such a relief, a Dr who understands.

 I've had a worrying week.. since seeing the new Dr at our surgery, I've had several hospital appointments, he said it was very necessary to follow up on all the urinary infections I've had over the last 4 years. 

  I had the dreaded full bladder scan, Wednesday  and it was fine. I wasn't desperate for the loo, as I have been in the past. I worried I hadn't drunk enough water! But all ok, kidneys and bladder no abnormity discovered. And the two young women were lovely. Didn't rush me and helped me on and off the  bench.

Yesterday afternoon  a cystoscopy was next.. I've had them before, not too awful, but not pleasant and the risk of an infection very probable. So I asked right away for antibiotics, In the past I've had antibiotics.  And the Consultant agreed with me because of my history of repeated UTIs, so  he prescribed a low dose antibiotics for 3 months and my app. will be re-booked..Such a relief I could have hugged him. He perfectly understood my concerns, and I think he could see from my smiles I was relieved and very thankful.

I feel I can enjoy our visitors this weekend now.

Chrisxx

Life!

 Life is amazing,

Then it's awful,

Then it's amazing again,

And in-between the amazing and the awful,

It's ordinary and mundane and routine.

Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful and relax and exhale in the ordinary.

That's just living, heart breaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful ordinary life.

And it's breathtakingly beautiful.

L K Knost

Chrisxx

I watched a bit of a TV programme about shops we used to have in out high streets.. They were featuring Woolworths.. When my grand children, Saskia, age 5 and Christian age 3, they used to stay with me, they loved going to Grandma's shop... Woolworths!  It was the only shop in Billericay you could walk around except for the supermarket. 

I used to give them their own money, so they could choose what they wanted themselves. There was tears once, when my grandson wanted a gun, that was a definite no no , my daughter and son in law had strict rules. But that didn't stop my grandson wanting one and no tee shirts with some pictures on, and definitely no camouflage clothes! So it was books, toys, pens etc.. and not too many sweets!

I did buy them both tee shirts, shorts and socks to play in at my house, all conformed to their parents views. My grand daughter once choose a vest and knicks set with a Barbie picture on them.  

In the following week I had a phone call from my daughter, she was trying not to laugh. It seems she had  made sure Saskia had a neat white vest and knicks for school that day, as she had  a PE lesson,  which they did in their vest and knicks.. but Saskia had gone back upstairs and changed into her Barbie set! Good for her I thought. And she's the same now, age 30 her own person, very determined and a very successful accountant. My daughter and son in law are still the same today.. I avoid him as much as I can and chuckle to myself, when my grand children phone and tell me things! I have said to my daughter to not talk secrets in front of them, because they often tell me things, that perhaps my son in law would rather I didn't know! 

When Christian was a bit older he and Theo, who had been born then, they played with bits of wood as guns!! 

Chrisxx

2017 Lupin seeds did not germinate!

 I've had a good germination from the seeds I sowed a couple of weeks ago except for the lupins. Very disappointed about that, but on looking at the seed packet they were dated 2017!! 

So a visit to the nearest garden centre was needed..We promised ourselves that we would only have a coffee there and not be tempted by their lunch  menu.  And we were good, we didn't even go to the Olive Tree restaurant.

We did look at the seeds, bought lupin seeds, new dahlia tubers, seed potatoes and some gladiola bulbs Dh 's choice and French bean seeds.

We had a look around the lovely bits and pieces there,  I was tempted as I love the cows, but as I have been clearing out stuff, I can't buy more.

But then we discovered a new deli, well new to us, The Green and Wild deli.. so we thought just a coffee, but it was lunch time and we looked at the menu!

Wow what a choice.. you could have anything with sour dough bread, and altho' the sausage sour dough toast looked amazing I decided on the ham and tomato quiche with a mixed salad.

The salad was out of this world, very finely shredded lettuce, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, grated carrot, spinach leaves, finely chopped broccoli, nuts, beans and sultanas with a vinaigrette dressing. and a full fat coleslaw. it was delicious. I could have just had the salad it was so tasty. I think we'll be going there again!

I've sewn to lupin seeds, Dh has dug up the weeds in the fence bed, but broke my long handled trowel so that means a good reason to go back to the garden centre and maybe a coffee in the deli?

Chrisxx

Best laid plans!

 Best laid plans etc and my day had gone! Fridays start early for us, as its our slimming world (SW) class is 10:00am. We aim to leave our house at around about 9..it is only approx. a mile away but takes us about 7 minutes to get there, park on the road and then I trundle along with my wheels, half asleep up the rickety pathway to the entrance to the scout hut. Since Christmas the numbers have grown, but only the old regulars stay for the class with about 2 or 3 new members.  A lot of the new ones, come pay, get weighed and leave! 

We try to get there before the queue gets too long, for the weighing at 9:30, because we eat our one slice marmalade sandwich, after we have been weighed and Dh makes us a lovely coffee in our mugs, which is usually still hot. Such a palaver you think? But anything to get that number down on the scales. Like most people we wear  the same clothes each week. I lost 11/2 pounds so moderately pleased, would have liked 2 pounds, but hey ho one and a half is ok.

There were three dogs there today, Emlyn, a little sandy coloured spaniel of sorts, with the most adorable freckled spotted nose, so cute; Jess a huge brown Bedlington Terrier, she is so good, wanders around while her master gets weighed and will go to anyone... and today a new one named Clint, yes after Clint Eastwood! He is an allsorts, long haired, black and white, very short legs and a long whishy tail! He literally swept the floor as he walked!

No knickers found today, but our consultant keeps us laughing.. someone had put a packet of dried peas in the box for the slimmer of the week.. so she asked what would or could you do with them... my answer plant them to grow for pea shoots. She turned my cheeky answer into a positive, because peas in any form are not a SP food, (a speed food, very low calories) but pea shoots are!  She is always very positive!

We came home planning a soup lunch and then finish off the cleaning.. but as we finished lunch, we had someone knocking on our front door.. Dh answered and there was some talking and then shouting! It was my middle son and wife who live in West Wales just dropped in to see us, and Dh didn't recognize him at first. Its been two years since we'd seen them as he's been ill. So no further cleaning just tea and coffee and lots of chat. Lovely to see him as he had a triple bi-pass Sept 2022.. he is looking good and his wife, a successful SW target member.

    So maybe some cleaning tomorrow, there is only our bedroom to do.. but of course next week, the cleaning Rota starts all over again, unless of course our plans go array again. But that's life, it can be full of surprises!

Chrisxx

 

A nothing Wednesday

We should have had a 'Diane' day yesterday...cleaning..... called a 'Diane' day as that was our cleaner in Suffolk, after my arm ops. She was ok, but there was always stuff left not quite right. The books on the coffee table could have sat there with just spray polish holding them up, she put so much on it.  But she was needed at that time in my life, so sometimes you have to not see somethings! But we haven't done things we usually do on Wednesdays just enjoyed the day for itself.

I wanted to pick some of our daffodils from the garden, its always nice to have flowers when you've had a good clean. I walk around the bungalow on the path that goes all the way round and call that exercise! Its a lot easier now on the north side, where Dh put some grab bars and patio slabs on the two very steep steps as the back is lower than the front.

So what have I actually done?...

.....I have answered emails, done my Welsh homework, learnt a nice new long word. gwyddoniaeth= science! Isn't that a great word?

I chatted to a friend on the phone.. looked at FB..so more or less have done 'dim' ..nothing.

Sometimes isn't it nice to have a nothing day.. but tomorrow I'll have to pull up my socks and clean, clean, clean! My new Thursday routine starts with a hairdresser.. she is one of those women who says everything is lovely. She reads a lot and started a book group, where members meet once a month for coffee and talk about the book they're presently reading. Last week she was delighted to take 6 books we'd read, saved us a trip to the charity shop.

I've made time to visit your blogs, hope jabblog,  is better soon, pain is no fun. Love reading your blogs and comments.. so many of us remembered the start of covid, doubt we'll ever forget. I can see it in history books, but will people in the future really realise how it affected the ordinary every day person, I doubt it.

Happy days, today the sun is shining although the grass was covered in frost our daffodils are blooming lovely.

Chrisxx

Do you remember that day 5 years ago?

 Someone remarked yesterday that it is 5 years since Covid! I remember the days just before that. When we were living in Suffolk, Dh and I used to go to different farm shops for a change for our veggies.

It was a Friday and we had done our usual trip to Martlesham for a coffee and then our weekly shop at the big Tesco. We'd met someone from our reading group and stopped to chat, not about anything in particular, just every day stuff.. we noticed her trolley had several bottles of wine, we had yogurts +++ !! We talked about the book we had to read and then she asked, 'Had we heard about China?' She went on to say her brother in law who worked for an airline firm, had said there was trouble there and there might be shortages.. hence her wine, as her husband had told her to get some extras. We hadn't heard anything, so it didn't mean anything to us.. She went off to pay and I suggested to Dh we get some extra bottles of water and some dried foods, like pasta and rice. I'd read lots of Apocalyptic books and they always ran out of water and stored dried food stuffs.  But we didn't really think anything of it.

We stopped at the Railway Coach farm shop on the way home, as they had advertised a mixed box of veg and some fruit for £10 instead of the usual £12. There were quite a few people there and we had to queue outside, because it was an actual railway carriage, so not big.  We got our box and they had another one there with mis formed potatoes and carrots for half price and so I asked could we have that too.. so we came away with 2 boxes and 2 dozen eggs. 

I phoned my son on the way home to ask did he want some, so we could stop on our way past his house to give him some. He just had the potatoes and some eggs.. He only cooked frozen veg he said, usually peas!!

Then of course on the Monday 23rd March, Lockdown started.  I don't think we ever thought how it would effect us. We joined the thousands trying to get groceries delivered, wasn't that fun? Not! But we came through it and as experienced gardeners we were soon growing our own veg..and so ate well,  but it all went on too long. 

Have you thought back to those early days?

Chrisxx

In the wash!

 Our SW consultant is very animated and our meetings are filled with laughter.. Friday she had us all rolling around with what had happened in one of her other classes. When the 'Team' the ladies who help to put out the chairs, take the money or do the weighings were clearing everything away at the end of the meeting, they came to her to tell her that there had been an abandoned knickers found and they had discretely moved it under one of the tables, so it was hidden by the table cloth covering it.. But now at the end of the meeting what should they do with it? Had someone stripped it off to lighten their weight when being weighed and left it behind??

Our consultant said she picked it up wearing rubber gloves and peered at it and then shrieked with laughter,  because it was her own!! It must have been in her washing machine and then when she had washed the table cloth, it got caught up in it. Everybody laughed and laughed, it was funny.

I remembered a time when my eldest son had returned from Uni for a Half Term break. He had a downstairs bedroom and as I went to bed at 9:00pm I often didn't see him.

However when washing his duvet. a very tiny nicks revealed it self to me! I dried it with the rest of his washing and put the nicks in an envelope, so when his girl friend came at the weekend, I gave her the envelope and when she looked inside, she went bright red.. I just laughed and said 'they are aired ready for use!' 

I don't think she was able to look at me again without blushing, I didn't think anything of it, they were in their twenties!

                                Chrisxx

Worrying!

     I have a tendency to get anxious over anything, but with all this upset with Trump and Ukraine it has set me off worrying!  I got very anxious in lockdown. I didn't show any outward signs of how I was feeling, but I had dreadful insomnia. Night after night we were awake drinking tea at 3am.The dog loved it because she used to come upstairs and join us on the bed. There was no reason for my anxiety, as we lived in a very small town in Suffolk.. we had all our food delivered, a group of young men and women delivered our tablets from the pharmacy and would do anything for you.

We had 130ft long garden, which was quite wide,  so we grew veg and spent our days happily gardening. We walked where we lived and saw no body on most walks. But I had this awful feeling that we'd get infected. I was the queen of handwashing and kept saying to Dh 'Don't touch your face.' 

We didn't just through that period we moved here, 294 miles while there were still restrictions. In fact if you've followed my blog then, you'll know we bought this bungalow without viewing it, although my son came and videoed it for us.. and when we opened the front door we were delighted that the hall was a good size and the garden really big! Too big we think now, but it was all grass so we've just put in 3 flower beds and a veg patch, so keeping it easy.

So this anxiety now is all the Ukraine war and how it might now affect us. 

I saw this photo on FB and it gave me a feeling of calm.

Just an ordinary garden with some washing pegged out.. it looks like summer with the roses in flower and a slight haze. The sort of scene where you'd hear a bee, there doesn't appear to be any wind as the washing is hanging straight down, a lazy, hazy, summery afternoon. So I'm keeping this in mind as a calming thought and dreaming of summer. Do you ever get anxious or is it just me?

Chrisxx

I like phone messages.

Here he is with the socks.. and he ate the Welsh cakes right away! I guess he liked them!

So lovely to get phone messages like this, if only they really realised what joy it gives us grandmas. I do get phone calls, but I don't think they know how we love to hear how they are.

Sometimes I'm told they haven't done much all week but I've said that to friends, who have ended the call with 'So lovely to hear your voice.' Which makes me realise how much they wanted that call. 

Have you ever met someone who you haven't seen for a while, or even someone you don't know, who can't stop talking. How lonely they must have been, so they had to tell you everything there and then. I smiled at a lady in a garden centre once, while we  both stood there, admiring the abundance of spring bulbs, that were displayed there and before I knew it she was telling me about a difficult situation she was experiencing. We stood there together while she talked and talked, she was in quite a state, but I left her smiling and I felt good for the chat too..I was glad I was there for her at that time when she needed it. 

So don't be afraid to phone someone, you could probably make their day.

Chrisxx