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