Thursday

Hi, everyone.  Another gloriously warm and sunny day yesterday.  If it wasn't for the fact that it's still the first half of April, I would have called it a summer's day, it was so warm.  Great for drying the clothes.

Well, I did it - I finally did it!  I started my seed sowing and here's the evidence.

 Baby corn, butternut squash, yellow courgettes, gherkin, chilli pepper and some sort of stripey tomato plus some curly parsley which is on the kitchen window sill.  I know it's not loads (although there's more than one seed in each little pot) but I have planted or will be planting radishes, beetroot and carrot, runner beans and the broad beans down the allotment and with all that lot, it'll be more than enough for me, Beth and Alex.  I suspect there won't be nearly so much sharing around of spare plants this year with everyone keeping a good distance and being so warty about touching things.

Why did it take me so long?  Well, it's not the actual sowing, it's getting everything out and putting it all away again.


I'm very lazy at heart.






While taking a constitutional around the grounds (!!), I noticed that some of the fruity things are starting to bud.  From left to right:  blueberry, tayberry, strawberry.

Excellent.

I got the things round to Beth, who was very pleased.  I kept a keen look out for police and had prepared my justification for being out in the car but there were none in view.  The only people I saw were runners, dog walkers and cyclists and everyone was giving everyone else a very generous two metres distance.

Unfortunately, Lindsey had to change the day for personal training so that's now on today.  I didn't mind - it gave me the window of time to get that seed sowing under way.

The online SW meeting was good although I heard less this week as people were talking over each other.  It's understandable when you don't see many people or have many chat times so I wasn't upset.  However, it meant that I didn't participate all that much.  Never mind.

I didn't get round to watching the Nutcracker because I found a series about the history of six significant castles around the British Isles which really was very interesting.  It covered castles such as Warwick Castle, Caernarfon Castle, the Tower of London, etc.  There's a couple left to watch, maybe over the weekend.
So I still have Nutcracker, the National Theatre's Jane Eyre starts streaming this evening and will be available until the 16th and tomorrow Jesus Christ, Superstar will be available too.  Not to mention following Eileen's advice and checking what the Royal Albert Hall has on offer.  Spoilt for choice is what comes to mind.

And, finally, after my whinge about how the algebra was getting harder, something clicked a bit and I got through the last bit of the chapter without any more problems (just a lot of thinking).

There's plenty of plans for today.  Maybe I will, maybe I won't but there's enough to keep me busy, should I find myself starting to brood about things.

Something energetic:
There's the personal training, of course, and I might pop out for a walk around the block at some point.

Something for the house/garden
The weeds are getting very bold and need putting in their place!  I also want to feed the soil with some chicken manure I seem to have in a corner of the garden.  It's high time it was used.  Finally, I want to top up the pots with some good stuff out of the compost bin so that when the plants are ready to put out, all will be ready.  I'm short of potting compost and it's hard to get hold of any quickly so I am eking out the half bag I have with compost which should be a good medium and I have slow release granules as well.

Something social:
I'll have a good old chat with Lindsey during training!

Something creative:
I dug out a dress pattern and cut out the fabric so today I will mark all the important points, zigzag around the seams and maybe get going with the construction.  Maybe . . .
The fabric is some I found when clearing out Mum's sewing things last spring.

Something entertaining:
So much choice - see above.  Also I haven't started reading the Merlin books yet either.  Life may be a bit restrictive at the moment but it certainly isn't dull.

Oh - and the algebra.  I'm on the last section now.  Linear equations.  Wish me luck!

Have a wonderful day, stay safe and well.  xx

Later addition:  I've just opened an email that tells me that part of my tomato order has been dispatched.  Woo hoo!  Happy me.  I will get the pots ready.

Wednesday

Good morning, everyone.  How's it going?  We had lovely sunshine here yesterday and accompanying warmth.  I flung the doors open again and let the spring air into the house - lovely!

I went shopping early, deciding to arrive while the key worker hour was still on and queue for a short while.  It was the right decision; as soon as the hour was up, it was straight into the shop with the first 'cohort'.  There were very few gaps on the shelves and, as well as everything on my list, I managed to get stuff for Beth that they had been out of last week.  I even managed to get myself some wholewheat penne.  OK, it was the higher branded kind but once in a while that's OK.
A most satisfying shop.

Like Viv, (yesterday's comments), I am now well and truly stocked up until after Easter with plenty of fruit and veg, some fresh fish and a chicken to roast on Friday.

People are so kind, aren't they?  Later on I got a message from Chris over the cul de dac to say she'd got some loo rolls that she'd bought, not because she needed any but she was thinking of either me or Beth.  As it happens, I'm fine but Beth has been running very short and can't get out, so I accepted them gladly on her behalf, swapping them for rhubarb from the allotment.

I was reading one of my rubbish magazines and one of the articles was about PE with Joe where he said that his advertising revenue had shot up over the last three weeks (unsurprisingly) and he was donating all the extra money from this PE initiative to supporting the NHS in various ways.  Good for him, thought I.

Things I didn't do yesterday :
exercise - ooops
planting the seeds - eeek!
watching something for entertainment
However, I did get both those skirts sorted out and now there's no danger that they will fall down.  It was simple enough but took a fair bit of hand sewing so, while working on them, I caught up with the last two episodes of Back In Time for the Corner Shop.

Today is interesting (truly, not sarcastically)
There's the algebra course, of course!  It's getting hard now and I'm starting to feel a bit out of my depth now it's moved in to finding (ie, creating) and simplifying formulae.  It's not the simplifying, that bit is OK, it's the creation of a formula from the 'story'/word problem that it a challenge.  Thank goodness there's no pressure, no test, no exam, no assessment!  If it takes me for ever, it really doesn't matter.

Something energetic:
I actually felt quite weary yesterday and I've done something to my neck/shoulder, hence skipping Joe and Co.  Today I have my hour of online personal training but that will be OK as Lindsey will take into account the neck problem.
I've tended to stay in, despite the guidelines saying it's OK to get a daily walk in.  It just seems more sensible not to and I do get out now and again for shopping and for allotment anyway.

Something for the house/garden:
Goodness, I really must, must, must get those seeds in.  Actually, when I was in Morrisons, they had some packs of seeds for sale and I got radishes (for the allotment) and parsley.  I know the latter is very slow germinating but I'll give it a go.
There's washing and ironing today - making the most of the fine weather!  I suppose I ought to do some tidying up as well.

Something social:
It's quite a day today.  First of all, I have to get the shopping over to Beth and we will, I am sure, have a distanced chat (shout) for a few minutes.
Then it's online with Lindsey for an hour of personal training.
Finally, it's the online SW meeting at five this evening.  Looking forward to that no end.

Something creative:
I want to finish the bias skirt which seems to have come together really well and just needs the hem turning up and sewing and then take a look at a pattern I have for a simple shift dress/long tunic.  I suspect it will require other items like a zip, which I don't actually have, but I'll take a look anyway.
I might cut out some paper hexagons for some patchwork too.  Maybe.

Something entertaining:
There seems to be a showing of The Nutcracker from the Mariinsky Theatre on You Tube.  I know it's usually considered to be a Christmas thing but it's bright, cheering, sparkly . . . what's not to like.  Also the music is wonderful.

That's my day all planned out.  Whether it will stay like that is in the lap of the gods but I'm sure it will go well.  Take care and stay safe, everyone.  xx

Tuesday

Good morning.

Yesterday morning, I decided to clear out my two gardening bags (one for tools, etc, and one for things like had cream, plastic mug, etc) and guess what - so lucky.  I found a nearly full bottle of anti bac hand stuff and a nearly full pack of anti-bac wipes, fortunately well sealed and still moist.  Woo hoo.  I've taken them off my 'grab list' for now!
(I don't really have a grab list, just a list of things I need to get if they are on the shelves because I'm out or nearly out)

So it was ho! for the allotment first thing and now I can say that, in the words of that lovely children's song:
"The broad beans are sleeping in their blankety bed."
Better late than never and they're not that late really.

https://www.metrolyrics.com/paintbox-cauliflowers-fluffy-lyrics-traditional.html

It was good to see that after a fairly hard pruning a month or so ago, both the pear and plum trees are blossoming as if this was their last chance ever.  Last year they got caught by a late frost and the harvest was abysmal  or do I mean the year before.  Maybe I do!
The apples blossom later, of course, but are starting to leaf well.

The larger area is now covered so it will keep the weeds well and truly down and the smaller area, the one I will plant up first this year, is well on the way to being cleared.  We (Beth and I) plan to have some baby corn, runner beans, a couple of yellow courgettes, a butternut squash and, maybe, a few tomatoes.  Oh, and some potatoes (must get them out on a tray to chit).
When it comes to it, I can get one strip of 'fabric' off the larger area, clearing just a bit of ground at a time.
There's another little area like the one in the photo and there I think I will plant carrots and beetroot and just see how they do, although, generally, carrots don't seem to do all that well.
With all the restrictions and because Beth can't get out at the moment (isolation), all of the above is subject to change, depending on circumstances.  It's good to have plans though.

At home I will plant the usual runner beans, plus the strawberries, raspberries, possibly blueberries, depending on how they do this year, ditto for tayberries and the tomatoes (fingers crossed).  Oh - and maybe cucumbers seeing as last year was such a success, although this tear I have gherkin seeds which are basically baby cucumbers and really nice.

I have a couple of lovely skirts - I think they call them burnout skirts for some reason - that I bought a couple of years ago that are now just a bit too loose around the waist and are in danger of falling down.  I got one of them downstairs yesterday and it looks as if I should be able to replace the elastic and revive them.  I'm pleased about that - I love them both and they are still in reasonable order.

My trip to the theatre (as Eileen puts it so well) yesterday was a trip to the ballet to see the Royal Ballet School perform a delightful version of Peter and the Wolf.  Such talent!  I followed on after that with various ballet clips and part of a programme about Rudolph Nureyev which I think I saw when it was on the telly ages ago.

And to cap off a very pleasant day, I had my video chat with Beth who had some really good news - not anything I can share, sorry, but it cheered me up no end.

Today starts off with shopping.  I'll go early and if I have to queue, so be it.  It's almost all fresh stuff I need and I have no doubts there will be enough.

After that . . .
Something energetic:
Joe and Lindsey, of course.  I find some of Joe's bits and bobs are things I can't do for one reason or another; at those times I put in some of Lindsey's programme so it's a sort of amalgamation.  Works for me!

Something for the house/garden:
I know I keep saying this and not getting around to it, but I want to get my seeds planted today.  Tomatoes, baby corn, squash, courgettes, gherkins, etc.  I have everything I need out and ready so no excuses!

Something social:
No specific plans today although I have no doubt I will have a few exchanges at a distance when I go shopping.

Something entertaining/creative:
Knitting
I have cut out the bias skirt and at the moment, in obedience to the instructions, the pieces have been stay-stitched and are pinned to a coat hanger so that they can 'drop'.  I'll get on with the sewing today.
In one of my recently rediscovered sewing boxes, I found a hexagon patchwork template and I just wondered about starting a bit of hand sewn patchwork. What for?  No idea, but I do have plenty of scraps to use.  I shall have to think about this as I don't want a really big project.  Maybe a few more cushions for the garden?
It looks as if there's a showing of 'The Importance of being Earnest' and there's also a performance of 'The Marriage of Figaro' so I will have to choose!

And the algebra goes on.  Yesterday's bit was brain-aching but the good thing is that, unlike the proper OU courses, there's no time pressure, no TMAs or CMAs, no end of module assignment or exam, just me and my motivation.  The lack of external pressure works well for me and I'm doing just a bit each day, as much as I feel happy and satisfied with.

Looks like today has a lot planned so I bet I won't do anything like all of it!  It doesn't matter, it will keep me occupied and happy and that's what it's all about. 
Hoping you are all well and staying as safe as you possibly can.
xx

Monday

Good morning!  Wasn't yesterday a simply gorgeous day?  Warm and sunny with a gentle breeze.  I had both French windows open as wide as they would go and it was great to be able to let in the fresh air and not worry about losing the heat!

First of all - Viv, here's the fabric I have.  Could you use it?

I pottered rather yesterday but still managed to get a reasonable amount done, albeit in a very leisurely way.

I got stuck into the algebra early and took it carefully but, so far, there's nothing in the content that baffled me although I did have to think hard (which is the main point of doing this - to get the old brain cells moving a bit) and today I will just read through yesterday's notes before moving on.

Pottering in the garden was delightful.  I dealt with a naughty dandelion that dared to show its sunny face above the bulb leaves and then got stuck into the strawberry patch.  There were some old plants that were on their last legs and not sending up new growth so I got them out, re-sited some that had rooted in the tomato area and popped the new ones in the gaps.  I know it doesn't look great yet but give them a fortnight or three weeks and there will be loads of leafage and maybe some flowers too.  And then next year, once the new ones have properly established, they will be lovely!

While I was cutting out and generally marking and tacking up, I watched the play 'One man: two guv'nors' and it was hilariously funny in some places.  I'm so glad I changed my mind and watched it.  Then (as it was the next thing up) I watched some of the concert performance of Les Mis and that was pretty amazing too.

This top pattern really is very quick and easy (apart from setting in the sleeve which is a pain).  I had some lovely bluey green fabric that was perfect and only just noticed in time that there was a fade line right down the middle, darn it.  I tried to get round it but it just wouldn't work so that went back in the cupboard to use for something else at some point.  It is a very, very old piece of fabric.

Instead, I used some extremely cheap stuff that I bought when I had just retired, mainly to practise patchwork/quilting on but it wasn't good enough for that.  However, it's perfect for a cheap, everyday, summer top so that's what I made, using the square neck this time (which is straight, it just looks slightly wonky in the photo).  I cut it longer this time.
(You're going to get fed up with these photos, sorry)

I looked at Joe's seniors workout but it was just rather too easy with no challenge in it so I'll stick with the PE with all its ouches and groans!

Today is a bit different in that I'm really hoping to get to the allotment.  It is allowed, as long as people apply the safe distance rule which I have every intention of following.  It's just to cover over the dug over part, plant the broad beans (better late than never) and pick some rhubarb. 

Something energetic:
Joe Wicks, Lindsey's exercises and some allotment work

Something for the house/garden:
I count the allotment in this so there's that plus general housework.  If it stays dry, I must remember to water.  I was surprised at how dry the strawberry bed was yesterday.

Something social:
Maybe a video chat with Beth and Alex.

Something entertaining/creative:
Well - I found some fabric in the cupboard that might be long enough and wide enough to try a skirt cut on the bias.  There's difficulties in this in that because it's cut on the cross, seams have a tendency to stretch and bulge, so I will have to go carefully.  It will be a learning experience, for sure.  It will probably get cut out and stay stitched today.
I'll see what's on the telly before I decide on the evening's entertainment!

And - as always - a bit of algebra (which I'm still enjoying).

While I was out just now taking the photo of the strawberries, I spotted the view over the fence with the rising sun just catching the farm house - which, by the way, if further away than it looks as I used the telephoto.  It was almost glowing.

Stay safe, well and positive.  xx

Sunday

Good morning.  Yesterday was lovely here.  Bright, sunny and increasingly mild as the day went on.  Long may it continue!

I finished the top.  It really is an easy pattern and the only thing I didn't get quite right was the sleeve seam which is just a bit too low down on the shoulder.  It doesn't matter, but I have made a note of all the fitting tweaks so next time (and there will be a next time, it's a very useful pattern indeed) I will know what to change.  It's hanging up in the wardrobe now and goes really well with my dusty pink jeans.

I'll try the square necked version next time and maybe cut it a bit longer so I can wear it with jeggings or leggings - I do need my top to cover my bum when I wear them!

Going through the algebra chapter on simplifying terms again was a very sensible thing to do.  It made a lot more sense this time and I was able to sort of consolidate the new stuff.  It's on to brackets today and that's going to be v-e-r-y slow and steady.

I was delighted to discover a parcel outside my front door.  It was the strawberry plants I ordered a couple of weeks ago and it gives me hope that I may receive the tomato plants as well, fingers crossed.  I gave them a good water and today or maybe tomorrow I will plant them out in the strawberry bed to fill some of the gaps.

While I was doing some tacking and some hand sewing yesterday afternoon, I turned on YouTube and watched the showing of Joseph.  It was great fun and thoroughly enjoyable.  I'm looking forward to next week's now - Jesus Christ, Superstar.

And finally, in the evening, Beth and I had our chat.  Lovely!

I thought about having a less 'structured' day today but you know what - I am so enjoying the way things are going right now that I think I will carry on with it, at least for a while.  Having some structure gives the day purpose for me.  I know it's not everyone's cuppa and that's fine, but it's working for me and is a lot more flexible than it may seem.

So . . .
Something energetic:
I'm going to search out Joe Wicks' workout for seniors and see how it goes plus some of Lindsey's programme.

Something in the house/garden
I'm not going to plan housework today apart from the usual stuff but I'd like to get the strawberry plants out and move some others that have rooted in the 'wrong' place.

Something social:
Nothing in particular today.

Something creative/entertaining:
I've already pulled some more fabric out of the cupboard and need to decide what to make with it.
After Eileen's recommendation, I will watch 'One man, two guvnors' from the National Theatre which she said she found very entertaining.

Plus, of course, the algebra.

So I seem to have a lovely, satisfying day ahead of me and I'm really looking forward to it.
Hope you have a lovely day too.

Saturday

Good morning.  Another day of waking at a half decent time (6:15 today) and I'm starting to dare to hope that the recent phase of waking in the middle of the night has been left behind - wouldn't that be great!  The sun is coming out and everything outside looks bright and clean.  All the trees around my garden are now in leaf and it all looks colourful and happy.

I hit the first wall yesterday with the algebra.  It was the chapter on simplifying terms (if that means anything to you) and I made several errors.  A couple were due to my dyscalculic tendencies which causes the numbers to sort of 'slide around' in my brain and the others were because I just didn't know.  As it says that the next chapter (about brackets) is the hardest one in the whole algebra section, I think I will go over the previous chapter again, just to fix what I learnt in my mind.  There's so much to remember; it's a bit like a layer cake, one on top of another on top of another and if one layer isn't quite right, it affects the whole lot.  So that's today's work.

My OU friend, Alison, says that it's more or less GCSE standard at the beginning and ends up covering A level standard concepts so I reckon I'm not doing too badly really.  She also said that there was a geometry section in the longer course this one is lifted from and I always rather liked geometry so I might hunt for it and see if it's there.

Chris and I managed to get out video chat.  It was even newer to her than it was to me so we were both chuffed with ourselves and had a merry twenty minutes or so exchanging news and views.  Great fun.

I made my decisions about the paper pattern (V neck this time and I will dig out some more fabric to make the square necked one too, IF the V neck one goes OK), pinned the pattern and cut it out and even did some tacking and replaced the darts a bit.
So today I'm ready to sit at the sewing machine and, as there are no zips, buttons, etc, it may well be more or less finished by the end of the day.

Something energetic:
No PE with Joe today - after all, it is the weekend and the poor chap needs a break!  I will do the whole of Lindsey's programme instead of lifting sections out and I may take a look at Joe's exercises for the getting past its and see what they are like.

Something in the house/garden:
The weather is looking promising and it is definitely warmer again so I may get out there and deal with a few weeds that are daring to show their heads, not to mention getting on with a bit of planting in pots, etc.  I have half a bag of compost and some extremely well rotted manure (in a bag) so that will most likely be fine for what I want to do.
In the house, after tidying up the T shirts, I now have a free drawer so I can sort out a rather stuffed cupboard and get some things into that drawer.  I just need to think about how I want to do it.

Something social:
I'm hoping for a chat with Beth today - that would be super.

Something creative/entertaining:
The top, of course - I'm looking forward to that.  I do love using Mum's machine.
As for entertaining, I'm spoilt for choice.
I was able to buy the Merlin books for Kindle and actually there's five now, one of which I have never read.  The first three are the really mystical ones, written from Merlin's p.o.v., while the next is less 'fey'.  I have no idea about the last one.
Some of the big companies are coming forward to entertain on YouTube.
The National Theatre is doing some live streamings of shows that will then be available for several days afterwards.  I have little interest in the current one but next Thursday they start their stage version of Jane Eyre (7:pm, 9-4-20 and available until the 16th).  That I really am looking forward to watching.
Also, Andrew Lloyd Webber has 'released' (is that the word) some of his stage shows.  I think they are film versions rather than the live shows but that's OK.  This started last night with Joseph, the Donny Osmond version) which will be available all weekend.  Next weekend it's Jesus Christ, Superstar.
Here's a link to some info.  https://people.com/movies/andrew-lloyd-webber-musicals-free-youtube/
Sadly, I missed something the Bolshoi put on but maybe the National Ballet will come up trumps.

That's going a very long way round to say that my entertaining thing will be Joseph!  I can get YouTube on my telly which is great and the automatic subtitles really do help.

Now I'm wondering what other goodies will come up - if you notice any, please do let me know.

So that's today and possibly tomorrow will look similar!

Friday

Good morning.  It's been a good start to the day.  First of all, I managed to sleep until six.  Then, instead of getting straight up, I made a coffee, went back to bed and read my magazines for a while.  I so rarely do this that it felt such a treat, a really positive start!  Silly, I know, but it's a positive and that's what I'm focusing on at the moment.

Yesterday I got my list of things all done.  Yay!

I got the bread made and it looked and smelled gorgeous.  Making bread is definitely one of my happy places.

Beth was quite happy too.

Doing Beth's shop was interesting.  It's always difficult, shopping for someone else.  I know Beth pretty well but her choices and tastes are very different to mine.  No flour, no loo rolls (and she and Alex really do need some so I got two packs of three rolls of kitchen towel instead which will do fine), no lemon juice, oddly, so I got lemons, and there were a few other things I just couldn't find.  Nevertheless, Beth was very pleased.
So was I - my strategy of going later paid off in that there were only a few ahead of me in the queue to get in and also getting it all across to Beth was a lot easier - at that time usually it would be rush hour with all the roads in and out very busy.  There was some traffic, sure, but nothing that caused any slow-down.

  I got the pattern pieces cut out.  It took ages as it's such a useful pattern that I decided to cut all the pieces out, not just the ones I wanted.  I now have to decide which neck I would like.  Not the plain round one, but maybe the lower round one and I quite like the other two as well.

Here's the pattern - which would you choose?

I've been thinking about today's stuff.
Something energetic:
I'm on a roll with this now.  Joe Wicks PE and Lindsey's personal training programme.  I do Joe's half hour and pick a selection of things from my programme.  It seems to be working, both in keeping me reasonably fit and in keeping me positive.  I can't say I always want to get moving, but the benefits are evident to me.

Something in the house/garden:
A bit of a cheat today as the cleaners come.  I still haven't heard that they are not coming so I guess cleaning is considered an essential work and I am very grateful to them.  With that in mind, I will just clear up a few black spots that I didn't get round to yesterday.  They're doing all over today so while they are upstairs, I will be down and when they come down, I will go up and sort something out - goodness knows, there's plenty to sort behind closed doors!

Something social:
I'm hoping that today Chris (over the road) and I can have a video chat.  She's never done it before but seems to have all the necessary stuff so we decided to give it a go.  Fingers crossed.

Something relaxing/creative.
I need to make that decision about the neck, iron the pattern pieces and get the rest back into the envelope and then see if it will work with the fabric I have.  Fingers crossed.
Relaxation will be watching a few more episodes of Merlin.  Remember that?  It was when Doctor Who came back, I think, and they made Merlin to fill the gap between the end of the first new series and the start of the second series.  It became a bit of a hit in its own right.  Yes, it's pretty silly and the lack of historical accuracy is laughable, but I enjoy it.  As a child, the Arthurian legend was favourite reading and the Mary Steward trilogy is still favourite reading now and again.
I wonder if I can get it on Kindle.  Hmm, now that's a thought.

And then there's the algebra which is going great guns and coping with it is making me feel really positive.  I gather there are more Open Learn maths courses and, when I've finished this one, I might just go for another.  Who'd have thought it, eh?

Anyway, that's today!  I'm going to enjoy it and I hope you enjoy yours too, whatever you do and however you organise things.  Stay well.  xx