Are we warmer?

 

I don't know about you, but spring can't come quick enough for me. We went out yesterday morning and at 4C it was cold, it wasn't raining but there was that 'air rain' as I call it. I took my new bright red umbrella, that Dh bought for my birthday, I haven't used it yet. I don't like going out in rain as it's horrible for my arthritis and also, when you've paid £27 for a blow dry hair appointment, you avoid getting it wet!

I love all spring flowers especially daffodils, they're so bright a colour and of course are the Emblem of Wales. I used to wear one as a teacher on St David's Day, over the years.

I've always grown them in my garden where ever I've lived. So I used to watch them in my garden willing them to flower before March 1st,  St David's day.. but they never did until about 20 years ago, so I always had to buy some, to wear one to work!  Now my garden has them flowering freely at the beginning of February, so you can't tell me there isn't Global warming. 

 There is 3.5 minutes of day light each day, that's nearly 25 mins each week... roll on spring I'm waiting for you!

Chrisxx

New chocolately, creamy and gooey!

 

I'm not a great chocolate eater, ice cream is my downfall, but I wouldn't say no to a Creme Egg.  My youngest son loved Terry's Chocolate Orange and it was something I bought him every Christmas, even as an adult. It is regarded as a Christmas item, but to get into the Easter trade Terry's has brought out a dark chocolate egg with orange creme filling!

 

Terry has even suggested the gooey creamy centre is even better when left at room temperature, or if hidden in a pocket, if hiding it from others! Who'd do that??

A shopper who has tried it, has described it as lovely truffle orange cream, with a crisp dark chocolate surround.

Sounds good enough for even me to eat!

Chrisxx

Are dreams real, what do you think?

 I don't usually remember dreams but last night's was very vivid.. I dreamt we'd moved  house, Dh's worst nightmare. He has said never again.. yes it was hard moving here and the extra cost was a surprise, especially the removal firm... but I think maybe we might, who knows?  

I've watched a few of Kate Humbles TV programmes where city people moved out into the country side, for a 'better' life, with reduced costs. They've had to work extremely hard to make a living there. But that wasn't the hardest part; the hardest part was when lockdown hit and the women mostly, were hit by immense loneliness.  And that was me when we moved to Suffolk. Although I had Dh and we were comfortable in a super house, I was overcome by anxiety and loneliness. 

I wanted to move back to Billericay, where I knew people, the area, the surrounding towns and my church, I had lived there for 44 years. Of course we didn't and tried to settle there. But I couldn't, I was suffering from insomnia, I was anxious and some days I was very, very down. 

Then I thought of moving here, my home town, the town where I was born. It wasn't easy, as it was still lockdown and although we had buyers for our Suffolk house, there was a hold up with them getting  a mortgage. By the time it was in place, the only bungalow left for sale was this one. It needed everything doing to it, so this is practically a new bungalow with new everything and  now it suits us very nicely.

So why  am I dreaming about moving? I do look up houses for sale all the time, I just like to know. And recently my daughter has moved house, so perhaps it is dwelling on my mind. But we are not moving or even thinking about it. In my dream the house we moved to was awful with an awful garden! So definitely a no no! Thank goodness it was only a dream, the garden was really, really awful! 

Some some lovely honeysuckle we planted last summer.

Chrisxx

10 Commandments for older people.

1.Talk to yourself, sometimes you need good advice.

2. 'In style'  means clothes that still fit.

3. You don't need anger management, you just need people to stop irritating you.

4. Your people skills are just fine, its your tolerance for idiots that need work.

5. The biggest lie you tell yourself is..'I don't need to write that down, I'll remember it.'

6. On time is when you get there.

7. You've noticed people your age are much older than you.

8. Aging has slowed you down, but not shut you up.

9. You still haven't learnt to act your age and I hope you never will.

10. 'One for the road,' meaning peeing before you leave the house.

Hope these give you a laugh!!

Chrisxx

A monument or a dangeroue building?

 72 People lost their lives in 2017 when this building went up in flames

The tragedy of Grenfell is going to in our minds for many more years. However it has been decided to dismantle the remains, as it is considered to be in a dangerous condition. In a meeting with some of the grieving relatives and Angela Rayner (Deputy PM) erupted into a shambles, when she announced that it was to be dismantled. She was hurriedly escorted out of the meeting through a back door.. The grieving relatives said they hadn't  been consulted.

A difficult situation, I didn't lose anyone in that dreadful fire but I am now old enough not to place emotions on 'things' anymore.

I don't think grieving ever goes away, I grieve for my mother who died, when I was only two and somedays it seems very real and my eyes leak, but a while ago I gave away somethings that were hers, a pair of jugs. They were very pretty with blue birds on them, once they were like a link to her, the person I never knew, but one day it came to me, they were just 'stuff.'

I thought hard about this building, it doesn't hold the bodies, so not a last resting place, so why do those people want to keep it?

We think this bungalow was built 1930, the Victorian house we sold in Suffolk was built 1887, so there is a good chance people have died in them. But I don't think any one objected to them changing owners, or that they were special in any way, or a monument to those who died there.

But perhaps like me and the jugs, these people need to come to the decision to let the building go in their own time.

What do you think, should they demolish?

the damaged Grenfell building 

Chrisxx

Sunshine and spring and a Dirty word!

 We have lots of signs of spring and yesterday the sun shone.

It made me feel so much better and altho I didn't have a good night, I didn't rush around in the morning.. and I actually went to the U3a craft group in the afternoon and chatting and laughing with the other women,  did me good. One of the ladies there was cross stitching and would welcome some cross stitch materials, so I can give her the rest I have left. 

I knitted the socks I'm doing for my grandson's birthday next month.  So a pleasant afternoon. Dh went for a long awaited hair cut, he has a lot of hair of which he is really proud, so the hair dresser is a rare visit and a 'dirty' word!!

Chrisxx

PS. A Way of Life but with fun!

 Slimming World meetings can be really boring, if all the consultant does, is just go through each member's weekly efforts one after another, without a laugh and believe me it is boring, I've sat through a few...but our consultant is very animated and full of fun. And so is our Friday morning group members, we're always laughing.

Yesterday in town, we met Fred, who hasn't been coming for a few weeks and we had a good laugh remembering his weighing 'incident.' Most people remove extra bits of clothing before stepping on the scales, some young girls strip to strappy tops even in winter! That week Fred took off his shoes, watch and a leather belt. He stepped onto the scales and his trousers dropped.. those of us who were watching burst into laughter and soon the whole hall was laughing very loudly, he did have on boxer shorts, so was decent..meeting him yesterday, we were laughing remembering it in the middle of town.

Fred asked about other members, especially one younger man, who comes every week with his dog.. Just before Christmas he got to target and our consultant asked him, was there anything different now he was at his target weight.  What he disclosed had us all hysterical with laughter , it seems that when he is in the shower, now he's lost his big belly, when he looks down he can see his 'willy.'  It was difficult for our consultant to stop us all laughing. Of course now Dh and I know him as 'willy man' 

It's good to laugh and on a frosty cold Friday morning you need some fun!

Chrisxx

A WAY OF LIFE.

 Sad to read that Margaret Miles-Bramwell died this week, the founder of Slimming World, which she started in 1969. The original plan was based loosely on the Hay Diet, which was not eating hay, but separating protein and carbohydrates and eating them at different times.

These days the plan is more leaning to no carbs in some meals and a good serving of protein and healthy eating with some exercise.. it works but only if you keep to it!

When I was living in Coventry, when Dh and I were first married, I used to go to SW meetings with another member, who lived near. Each week if I only lost half a pound, she used to say..'Chipping away at it Chris and paying for Margaret's yacht in the Med!'

We all lost weight as I cooked SW food plan, and Dh's twin 16 yr old daughters dropped  jean size!

I'm still following the plan with some good weeks and some not so good but I carry on, its a way of life now.#

Chrisxx 

A cheer up

Our front garden is an odd shape, and small, so we haven't done a lot with it except treat the moss filled grass, and we've planted  an early flowering cherry tree, which has white single blooms, but not yet! Annoyingly, because I strongly stipulated 'early'  when I bought it. I had one in Suffolk that started flowering before Christmas. I couldn't remember its name and it had  lost its label, so had to rely on the garden centre seller.

And we planted daffodils just inside the small wall which borders the grass. They are in bud and we should have flowers soon, all 725! As well as those we do have crocus showing too, planted in the grass.. all purple but we planted all colours, so do they all revert to pale purple over the years? Does any one know?

I am feeling a little bit better, because I've seen another Dr who listened to me and has prescribed a stronger antibiotic.. still not fully ok but not like it was. Thank you all for your kind words.

I'll be visiting your blogs this week, I've a lot to catch up on.

Chrisxx

Whats it all about?

 I'm trying to think these thoughts but it has not been easy. 

I seem to have lost 4 days, I've taken so many  tablets its a wonder I'm not rattling as I walk about, although I haven't been out. When your bladder is iffy you don't go far from a toilet. I haven't got the awful pain but I'm still going to the toilet frequently. But I have been able to sleep a couple of nights in 4 hour stretches.. 

The town toilets are still being commandeered by some homeless people, three at the last count. All,  it seems have been offered places in hostels, but haven't accepted them. Some people suggest they refuse, because the rules would be... no drink or drugs.

So I'm battling on and peeing +++ all the time.. I did phone the pharmacy and her advice was to give the antibiotic chance to work. Personally I think, it either wasn't the right one or not strong enough. 

So may be I'll try to see or speak to a Dr after the weekend.

Thank you again for kind comments and prayers.

Chrisxx