Thursday, 12 June 2025
The Leaky Roof
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Stop everything......
The bathroom needed cleaning,
The lounge windows needed cleaning,
The lounge carpet needed a vac,
The bedding needed changing,
And the washing machine had finished.
But there were 4 British girls playing tennis at Queens
So that's what we did, we sat and cheered for Emma Raducanu, Heather Watson, Katie Boulter, and Sonay Kartal.
It was so exciting and they all won, hurrah!
We shall watch some more and keep cheering
We love watching it and so the housework was left!
When I was 10 my Aunt bought me everything to play. A pretty tennis outfit, a super tennis racket and pushed me to join the Tennis Club. I was never any good, when the ball hit my racket my arm went back and when I did hit the ball, it hardly got over the net! So I left and had piano lessons instead! I didn't mind, it didn't interest me.
But as I've aged I've grown to love watching it.. and so does Dh!
The washing was pegged out on the line and dried, the bed was made up fresh and I did a quick swoosh of the bathroom! Windows can wait, because there's more tennis tomorrow!
Chrisxx
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Was it fun?
If you're as old as I am you'll recognize this little photo and remember scenes of your own like it. (Photo from the internet)
Monday, 9 June 2025
Cardi Madam?
Recently there have been items on various news feed latewy about the late Queens choice of clothes.. It has also been noticed that Princess Anne her daughter, has been photographed wearing a jacket that her mother had worn! So even the Royals do that!
She did indeed wear some beautiful dresses and suits all with matching hats and the handbag, which she was never seen without. But how she held her bag was a signal to her personal assistant. Moving it from one arm to the other, its said, was her signal to say she wanted to leave and they would relieve her and make a reason for her to leave. Was that true, who knows, but its been reported as such.
Friday, 6 June 2025
Could you be in 'The Race Across the World?'
I am loving Race Across the World this year again. Although some people complain there are too many sob stories I think its those that make it the interesting programme it is.
Fin and Sioned a Welsh couple are doing well, altho she felt over whelmed with the crowds and noise in China. Their openness makes one realise, its ok if you don't have everything worked out, no matter what your age. you can get through it and thrive.
The sisters Elizabeth 33 and Letitia 26 are so serious, but have opened up that they have only ever had a surface relationship. They obviously care a lot about each other, but there is a lot left unsaid.
Thursday, 5 June 2025
Blue cleaning??
Dh and I have a cleaning order, I do 'tops' he does 'bottoms'!
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
Oh no!!
Monday morning Dh took his first cuppa of the day and sat on the new bench, while I was still getting showered and dressed; the sun was glorious. We have our on line Welsh session at 9:30am and we're both often bleary eyed, even going to bed earlier the night before. I would have joined him, but I love that first cup of tea sitting comfy in my chair with a quick flick at the news of the day. He is determined we use the new bench! 'I will sit there tomorrow,' I said
Yesterday early it rained, much needed again for the garden, so no sitting outside. When it had stopped, off Dh went to do the peering, that gardeners do over the plants and shrubs.. I heard him call out, and went to see what the shout was about. He was standing by the Buddleia.. 'you'll never believe what I've just witnessed'.. he said. Evidently a sparrow had snatched a caterpillar, yes the one that's a good one, bashed it on the ground and then ate it!!! So that's the end of that, because when we looked there wasn't one caterpillar left. All gobbled by sparrows and they have the very best seeds, sunflower seed hearts and a peanut butter thingy to feed on, so why did they take those caterpillars, we feel cheated!!
Nature can be so cruel!
Chrisxx
Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Dr Appointment.
Yesterday afternoon I had a Dr's appointment, I had been asked to attend, so the Dr could talk over with me, that letter from the consultant Urologist at the hospital.
Very nice Dr, new to me, the umpteenth one I've seen! Anyway surprise, surprise the proposed Cystoscopy date had come and gone! So the strong antibiotics I had taken was in vain.. yes they worked and killed off all the bad guys, but they also killed off some of the good ones too, so I had some uncomfortable side effects, but hey ho I survived.
So this Dr is writing back to the Urologist to arrange for me to have the cystoscopy and I will be given anti-biotics to cover me against an infection. Beats me why an investigation that can infect a patient is deemed ok?
He said it is important to remove the possibility of a growth. I asked what will happen when it shows NAD.. No abnormality detected? His answer, it will determine that it is not a tumour.. So it may have the same results as before and I'll just go on from one infection to the next.. not great but at least I'm having something done and if I get an UTI I'll get treatment!! But it doesn't fill me with joy, I think I'll just be one of 100s of women who have recurrent infections for no apparent reason.
Chrisxx
Monday, 2 June 2025
A good one or a bad one?
You never know what is good or bad in a garden Dh's mother used to stay with us, at different places over the years. She was not a gardener, and she couldn't understand why people had go out into their gardens every morning. And what were they peering at!
Last year our gooseberries were decimated by the Gooseberry Saw Fly Caterpillar before we even realised. So this year we have been vigilant and checked our two bushes every morning without fail.. no destruction of our bushes, lovely leaves but very few berries, awww!
So when Dh saw this on our Buddleia bush we looked it up. Looks nasty we thought, not a cabbage white they're bright green.. does bright colours mean its poisonous we wondered?
Sunday, 1 June 2025
Bikini polka dot melyn bychan
We always used to go to the library every Saturday morning, but here its not in the main street of the town, and its up stairs with a ramp for people like me, so we don't go as often. I don't understand why disabled people have to walk so much further with these U shaped ramps! I've missed going to town, so yesterday we made the effort and were in town in our favourite coffee shop by 10:00 am. There were a lot of people around, holiday makers? And white whiskery old dogs in push chairs; they always look so comfy!
Dh wanted to go to get his after shave moisturizer and I needed a card so we walked down the main street, me avoiding the broken blocks, I've seen two people trip over them so I'm very careful. I keep hearing that physio's voice saying, 'Lift your foot higher than you think!' My legs are struggling at the moment, I walked too far the other day and they keep telling me I did!.
We did sit for a while and listened to a band performing in the Band Stand, singing summer type pop songs in Welsh! It was very pleasant in the sun and enjoying the music.
We were busy in the afternoon, Dh cut the grass and I potted up some foxglove seedlings ready for planting out in the autumn. I already have lupins and aquilegia so we should have good size plants by then.
And we are benefitting from the garden, as we're eating our own lettuce and we have sprouting broccoli all growing really well and if you need rhubarb or garlic come to us!.
A rather pleasant Saturday for us.
Chrisxx
Friday, 30 May 2025
What a shock!
I know other women my age who are over weight too and think trying to lose weight at our age is silly and you should enjoy all treats at our age.. do you agree with them or do you think at any age you should attempt to lose weight?
Chrisxx
Thursday, 29 May 2025
Ellie Simmonds OBE
We saw Ellie Simmonds win a gold medal in the 2012 Paralympics, so when I saw she was doing a documentary on her birth mother, I wanted to watch it.
She was very emotional at times, so was I watching, as she finds out why her birth mother gave her up for adoption, when she was just ten days old. Born November 11th 1994, her mother had been told quite brutally that her baby had achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism and that her child would be disabled. She was led to believe that Ellie would be like a circus dwarf, short of stature, flat face, bowed legs and muscular. A single mum on her own, she decided she wouldn't be able to cope.
She was adopted by a couple, who also adopted other children with disabilities and has had a wonderful up bringing in a very happy family unit.
While Ellie was talking on the subject of her birth mother, she never once blamed her for the decision to give her up. In fact when you listen to Ellie talking, she comes over as a really lovely person with a heart of gold.
I loved the programme and then watched the second one, where she is trying to come to the decision if she should have children of her own. She is so honest and open it was very difficult not to weep a few tears with her. The option to have a child via sperm donation, where the donor sperm was normal height was an option explained to her, even that the embryo could be checked, so the implanted embryo does not have any genetic faults.. She decided she wasn't ready to go ahead at the moment. A sad time for her and too difficult a decision and tears fell.
I shed quite a few tears myself watching her. If you haven't seen it, do, its so worth watching. (ITVX)
Chrisxx
Wednesday, 28 May 2025
What a palaver!!
When I had to have a bladder catheter, it was very uncomfortable sitting, so I bought this ring, December 7th 2024.
I thought having the hole in it would be ok for the catheter,, well it was awful, it was hard and uncomfortable. So that's what I wrote in the review and so did other people write that it was hard. . It was £19.59 so I just decided to forget the money wasted.. Just another bad buy!Anyway April this year I had an email offering me my money back plus £5.00 I thought it was a scam so forwarded the email to paypal, and their advice was not to change my review, just because the firm had offered me money. So I ignored the emails, which were now arriving every day.
Then last week Paypal contacted me about an issue they said, where I had sold something and the recipient hadn't received it, although they had paid via paypal!! The cushion firm had complained that I hadn't given them what they had paid for! What??
It has taken me all these last few days, via chatting to an AI chat bot to convince Paypal, that its this cushion firm, who have put £25 minus £2.70 transaction fee in my paypal account and emailed me they had!
But when I did check it was a 'pending' amount, so they hadn't actually given me anything.. their emails now were begging ones, along the lines of, 'We're being nice to you and giving you money, you could be nice to us with your review!' I just forwarded all the emails to Paypal.
Eventually Paypal have apologized for the inconvenience of all the messages, as I have been a valued customer for 17 years! And offered me £20 as I will not be getting the refund from the cushion firm. I said no need and refused it.
What a palaver.. lesson learnt, Do not buy anything from China!!
Chrisxx
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
A VE Topper
Isn't this lovely? Its just round the corner from us, so its the post box we use.
Monday, 26 May 2025
Dych chi' n siarad cymraig?
I am struggling with my learning Welsh, at the moment. I do 45 mins plus each day practising and doing the exercises. While I'm doing them I remember, but then if I move on I've forgotten some.. Is it so hard or am I just too old to learn? I get confused and unless there is a rule. I guess the words.. I'm good with 'weather' and I can say what I like or what I don't like.
We watch Popol y Cwm, the Welsh every day soap and although we know some of the words, we miss a lot. We've tried watching children's programmes, but when its puppets their lips don't move with the words!
Some one said watch the News, because you already know what its about, so easier?? No its not!
We can get sub titles in Welsh and that makes it so much easier, but that's not conversation.
We have Welsh lessons each Monday morning 9:30 to 12:30 and I always feel absolutely flat after it, so I must be using some 'brain energy.'
I do like the sessions and when we're partnered up, its good to know the younger members of our group are finding it hard too. Once when I was partnered with Will, we had done the required exercise, so decided to try the past tense, so when the Tutor popped into our 'room' we got a 'no no no!!' Will, a young man and I laughed and laughed.
The following week when we were again partnered up.. I said... Peidiwch a'm rhoi mewn trafferth y wythnos hon!! = Don't get me into trouble this week!! So we do have fun and because I did a very small amount of welsh, as a child my pronunciation is good.
What amazes me I can remember French words I learnt in the fifties! But I'm carrying on and still trying... Dw i eisiau i r dysgu cymraig!
Chrisxx
Sunday, 25 May 2025
My Happiest Place!
Oh dear I've neglected my blog but we have been very busy in the garden and there are only about 30 plants left to plant out.
And now the shrubs are all flourishing and beginning to flower. I only bought shrubs that would flowers.
Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Book Clubs, yea or nay?
We shouldn't, but we buy books all the time, I say shouldn't because we buy because we like to, rather than we don't have anything to read. But isn't that like all people who love to read.
These are the Richard and Judy choices for their Book Club for Spring 2025. We bought all last years and I've 4 still to read, Dh still has about 8 I think. He's reading, ' We All Live Here' by Jojo Moyles at the moment and must be enjoying it, as he keeps bursting out in laughter! I swapped it for 'The Women' as we'd read that and we liked some of Jojo Moyes other books, especially 'The Giver of Stars.' Have you read it, its about the women who took books to women in the wilds of America, on horseback in the 1880s A lovely story of resilience and love, worth a read,Monday, 19 May 2025
A Group Breakfast
Although I attend a slimming group every Friday morning, it is a social gathering too. A group of us called the Coffi Club meet up now and then for coffee ot meals. Last Friday we decided to go for breakfast after the slimming world meeting. The garden centre has a super restaurant and 12 of us booked to go.
I have been for an afternoon tea with the group and we all ate everything, sandwiches, cakes and scones with jam and cream. It was a special occasion as it was someone's birthday, so no food barred.
Friday was just breakfast, so I thought we'd all be making wise choices, I decided a bacon sandwich with whole meal bread, no butter, as this was more or less a slimming world meal.
Ha ha, it wasn't what the rest of the group were choosing. So I changed my mind and had hog roast sausage roll, coleslaw, lettuce and chips!! It was absolutely delicious, the coleslaw was full fat and creamy, I never have that usually and the chips were crispy. I ate slowly and savoured every bite! I didn't have a coffee at that time late morning, I'd never get to sleep, so I had an Elderflower Presse.
I did enjoy my breakfast! I usually just have a banana and 40g of muesli And the chatting and laughter was super too.. roll on the next Coffi Club meal out!
Chrisxx
Wednesday, 14 May 2025
TMI??
If you've never had a urinary infection you won't know the added stress you can have along with pain and the need to wee a lot.. there's the anxiety of going somewhere, that might not have a toilet, or being in a position where you can't get to one easily.
The Welsh trains have decided, that in their new built trains, they won't have toilets, to make room for more seats? So that's me not using them, not that I plan going anywhere. People prone to UTIs don't travel usually.
I did go to buy some 'pads.' Omgosh, there are 100s to choose from, and in bulk buys. I spent ages looking and bought some to go for that bladder scan, where you have to arrive with a full bladder. Criky it was like riding a horse between my legs!
But I have been prescribed with a very powerful anti biotic, prior to this proposed cystoscopy.. magic!! One dose and I did a proper wee, ie I went to the toilet, no hesitancy, and a good strong stream of wee, not just a dribble! And last night I only had to get up 3 times instead of 4 or 5 or more.. what a difference its made. I slept really well in between toilet visits, so feel really well this morning. No frequency, no worry of piddling my pants, no feeling of burning in my bladder region, nor the constant feeling I have to wee, in fact I feel normal! If only this could last for ever?
Too much information? Well I did warn you!
Chrisxx
Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Ruth Jones with the BAFTA for Female Performance in a Comedy for Gavin & Stacey
Sunday, 11 May 2025
99 Years old!
Saturday, 10 May 2025
Snap!!
Although we have loads of gardening to do, mainly planting all the plants I've grown from seed, Dh and I decided to go out Wednesday afternoon. I really didn't want to go far, so we just decided a walk on the front promenade would be good, trusting we'd find a parking space. Living in a holiday seaside town, it can be very difficult to park with a view of the sea.
But as luck would have it, there was a space right by our favourite pavement kiosk, Booths, good coffee and seats with a view of the sea. In fact you can see across the Bristol Channel to Cornwell!
Friday, 9 May 2025
6 Things strong women do!
1. They move on, they don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves.
2. They embrace change and welcome challenges.
3. They stay happy and don't waste energy on things that they can't control.
4. They are kind, fair and unafraid to speak up.
5. They are willing to take calculated risks.
6. They celebrate the success of others and don't resent that success.
And most of all they have hope!
Thursday, 8 May 2025
IMV A very good book!
I've finished the book and I loved it all the way through; it was a long book!
Wednesday, 7 May 2025
A phone call from Urology!
Thank goodness for our garden, its keeping me sane,, yesterday I had a telephone appointment with the Urology Consultant. The appointment was made 10 days ago, and I've been dreading it. It was with a different Dr to the one I saw in March. I was half expecting him to say, as I've been on these low dose anti-biotics a month, they'd see me next week for the cystoscopy! But no, whew! He explained that my lab tested urine sample showed a bug, that was resistant to the anti-biotics I'd been given. So he was writing to my own Dr to give him the results and for a prescription for a different anti-biotic. So see how that would go, with a possible appointment for the procedure in two weeks time. I feel more positive, because this will cover me through and after the cystoscopy.
I didn't sleep well the night before worrying about the phone call..
So I hoped to sleep last night, especially as I'd spent the afternoon in the garden.. we have a lot of seedlings to plant and I mean a lot.
I've planted the cosmos in a pot like last year and we have planted Dh's sweet peas in a pot with a rounded tall cane support and the Verbena Borealis we planted n one of the flower beds, but there are lots more to plant.
My seeds have done me proud, but it means I have a lot as well as veg to plant!
Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Monday, 5 May 2025
Two different brothers.
Did you see the interview with Prince Harry.. far for me to say, but he sounded like a young man who has lost his way. He said his father the king didn't want to know him. Did you hear him say he was sorry? I didn't so, although he says he wants to return here, he says to his country. Here to the country he turned his back on, left and then wrote a book criticizing his family.
I think he might have to do some serious groveling and even then he might not get the answers he is now asking for.
His wife Megan is starting all sorts of new ventures, as though there's not enough in her life. While his brother William and Catherine love to show their children, the Sussex's are keeping theirs off camera.
Given a choice I'd chose Will and Kate every time. Mum and daughter, on Charlotte's 10th birthday.
Sunday, 4 May 2025
Buzzing and oh no, no power!
We had a super Saturday starting off with a visit to town. The sun was shining and even at just before 10:00 am, the temperature was 14.5C