15-05-25

Morning, everyone, and welcome to Thursday.

Where's the sun gone?  It looks almost like rain although I don't think any is forecast.  It's not going to feel particularly warm either, under 20C, but that's OK because I want to do some serious sorting out of my garden and that's much more pleasant when it is a bit cooler.

Yesterday and today have been times of disappointments.  Not great bit major ones, just a few little ones.

Dave and Anna have had to cancel Friday evening for very good reasons - isn't it lucky I didn't get any fresh special posh veg, just the frozen chargrilled veg?  That will keep.

Chris can't make our coffee and chat this morning - she messaged me this morning to say she needed to be with her mum who isn't feeling great.  Quite right too!

The last is my own decision.  I was going to the Civic this evening to see a local operatic society's performance of Carousel but I also got a message to say that the car park next door is closed.  Obviously, there are other car parks but none that I would feel completely safe walking back to later in the evening when it is dark, bearing in mind I would be on my own.  Nor would I want to take a late bus, assuming there is one, and taxis are too expensive nowadays.  So I made the decision to not go - a shame, but I have to go with my feelings here.

So I have a free day until early afternoon when I go to Lindsey's for Groove in the Garden (hopefully).  That will be nice; I love Groove.

And this is what I want to work on.  The middle bed, the flower bed.  All the bulbs have died back, as has the cyclamen, so that all needs clearing now.  Then I can see where/if I need to get anything to feel gaps.  

My irises didn't flower at all this year - they are very old so maybe they need replacing.  The foxgloves are doing well, I planted two bedding dahlias last year that are coming up nicely, the Japanese anemones look good and there are various other things showing.  The dianthus doesn't look great though - it's old so maybe I need to replace it.  I need something bedding-like for that pot with the single weed!

On Saturday I am going to Grenville's to get my tomatoes so I can get the pots organised and ready too.  Plenty to do, anyway.

Round the front, it's looking nice with the lily of the valley in full flower and the summer flowers growing nicely, despite the dryness.  Shame about the weeds between the slabs, isn't it.  Oh, well - back to ten minutes of scraping a day!!

Better go, have my bath, get dressed and get started.  

Wishing us all a happy and productive day.  xx

14-05-25

 Good morning, everyone.  It's another promising start to the day, the sun is emerging and it's nice and fresh.

Yesterday was a day of two halves - busy and then nice and chilled.

Chris and I walked down to Groove, chatting nineteen to the dozen.  As this block is a long one, eight weeks instead of the usual six, Lindsey had worked out what she called an 'interim playlist' with new sequences so it felt 'harder' (not the right word here) than usual.  Really good though.

I had breakfast early and then went a-shopping for Beth.  Without going into reasons, she is changing to a more Mediterranean was of eating, like me, and on Monday we worked out a shopping list which I worked through yesterday.  My table is looking remarkably healthy at the moment - nuts, seeds, avocado oil (she already has evoo), wholewheat stuff - fusilli, spaghetti, etc, quinoa, couscous . . .
You could almost see my halo as I pushed my trolley around!

I looked for my posh veg but it was a bit early - the fresh stuff has such a short life and the only remotely posh stuff was some frozen chargrilled Med veg which I got.  It gave me ideas though and I can easily knock up some mint buttered peas on Friday which will be fine.  So that's the veg sorted out.

I'm also going to help out by making freezer meals for her - for a start, she loved the lentil bake and I've started a batch of falafel (the chick peas are soaking).

It should keep me out of trouble!

Today is busy.  I have circuits (changed from Monday this week) first thing, personal training in the afternoon and an early evening Governors' meeting.  I'd like to start another loaf too as I know what I have given them won't last Beth and Alex all that long.  I want to try going proper wholemeal and add a pinch of commercial yeast to the starter, for a bit more rise.  I don't know whether it will work and it wont be authentic sourdough, of course, but worth a try.  So I had better get Bubbles activated, hadn't I?

So I will love you and leave you with hopes that we all have a very happy day today.  xx

13-05-25

Morning, all.  I'm having a very early start this morning - the sun isn't up yet and it will be nice to see everywhere get lighter and lighter.  I'm sure it must activate some hormone or other - it is so cheering!

I had a lovely time with Beth yesterday.  We enjoyed a lovely lunch (singing my own praises here!) and had a nice talk about this, that and the other!  She went home with a load of home made bread stuff - one and a half loaves, some crumpets and some bagels.  That's lightened the load in my freezer, for sure.  

The rest of the day was the usual stuff - housework, washing and ironing (all done now, yay!) and then some chilling in the sun with a book and my crochet.  Very pleasant.

Today, Chris and I will walk down to the hall for Groove.  That should be lovely in the sunshine.
Then I need to do a deep dive into all the governors' paperwork for tomorrow evening's meeting - not terribly exciting but it has to be done.  It will be nice not to have it hanging over me tomorrow, that's for sure.

I may pop over to M&S and Aldi at the Clock Tower precinct as I have some things to get for Beth and also I want to get some 'posh veg' for Friday evening - ready made sort of stuff which is naughty of me but nice and will save time and trouble too.  It's worth looking anyway.

Have a  great Tuesday, one and all.  May the sun shine for you.  xx

12-05-25

Good morning, everyone.   Here we are, back to Monday and coming close to half way through May already!

My May diary has pepped up a bit since I last checked.  Now I have:
Beth round for lunch (today)

all the usual fitness classes - circuits, Groove x 2, personal training and anything else I decide to fit in.

the usual chats over great coffee with Chris

Governors' meeting

Carousel (local society production) at the Civic

Dave and Anna round for dinner

TPP training for governors

Knit and Natter

lunch with Chris

Val here for lunch

There's an awful lot of food related socialising, isn't there.  Very Mediterranean!!  

I took a few photos in the garden just now.

One of the foxgloves Val gave me from her garden.   I know they are a week and invasive but I love them and as I have no pets and no children I thought 'why not'.  

I love this - it has come up year after year after year.  So pretty.  

Phlox Candy Stripe.

One of the new raspberry canes.  It is supposed to be autumn fruiting but, given that they spent the whole winter still in the box they came in (bad me), I'm happy to get anything at all.  They will go autumn when I prune them properly and at the right time.

Oh, dear!!

I'm sure I can use the canes for something.  Poor bamboo.

Finishing with a positive - my most successfully risen half and half sourdough to date.  I'm so pleased.

It's for Beth but I tasted a bit when slicing and before freezing and it's nice.

Today, Beth is (hopefully) over for lunch so I had betted get started with a few preparations, I suppose.  I hope you had the best weekend and have a lovely day today.

Stay good!!!  xx

09-05-25

Morning, all.   I think I am in a grump this morning - the BBC says we have bright sunshine all day so I look out and what do we have here - gloom and cloud.  Mutter, mutter!

Good start, isn't it?

Yesterday was pleasant.  After SET online and the chat with Chris (great fun), did my shop for the week, put everything away and then I baked the not-sausage rolls (you can bake them from frozen which is very handy) and buttered the spiced fruit loaf.

It was lovely round Beth's.  Very quiet - none of us do big, noisy birthdays and Alex positively dislikes candles and songs so there was none of that, just some nice food, great company and some present opening.  

Once home again, I just chilled and did some crochet.  Nice day!

Today is the usual Friday - Slimming World and then back home, as I did the weekly shop yesterday.

I will be starting a sourdough loaf for Beth and I think I will also make her a yeasted mixed grains and seeds loaf too as it's delicious.  Thank goodness bread keeps well in the freezer!

I think I will be taking a couple of days off blogging this weekend as there is precious little happening.  I'll keep up my food blog as it keeps me accountable and makes me plan but I'll be back on Monday in here.

Have a lovely day and weekend, everyone, and may the sun shine on us.  xx

08-05-25

Morning, everyone.  

The sun is starting to shine and it does feel a bit cosier this morning, thank goodness.  My fingers are not cold - always the best indicator!  :-)

I've just popped out the back to take a few photos.

The herbs are doing well.

There will be blueberries this year - as long as the birds don't take them all first!

Better than last year.

The fig's best angle.  I really need to stand this behind another pot as the lowest three quarters is bare stem.   I guess figs are trees, not bushes, so I could prune the branch growing sideways and just leave the vertical one to grow into a nicer tree shape.   Must check with RHS when the best time is.  

It's Alex's birthday today - how on earth can I have a twenty seven year old grandson?  

We're having a celebration afternoon tea - well, late lunch really.  I am contributing some hot cross bun loaf and those Delia sausage rolls plus some Schloer.  It will be good fun, I am sure.

There's quite a bit to do so, again, a shorter post (no need to cheer at the back!!).  To be fair, apart from today, there's not much happening at all this week.  May seems quite empty apart from the usual things - fitness classes, etc.  I'm good with that!

Have a great Thursday, everyone.  Enjoy the sunshine.  xx

07-05-25

Good morning, everyone.   After another chilly day yesterday (winter jumpers and heating) I'm really hoping things will start warming up today.  I ended up in one of my close knit polo neck tops with a jumper over which was lovely and cosy.

It doesn't exactly feel warm this morning so it is still fluffy dressing gown and slippers time but fingers crossed.   The forecast is optimistic and, after today, it looks like wall to wall sunshine.  Bring it on!!

I didn.t get all that much done yesterday.  Well, I did, but not what I ought to have done so today's the day.  In between morning circuits (to replace the class that is usually on Monday) and personal training, I need to get things done, I really do.

So I'm keeping this short and, after doing my Facebook stuff, I will be starting on stuff, probably a good old tidy up.  It's hard to clean when there's a mess.

Have a great day, everyone.  Take care and stay warm.  xx