Saturday

 Good morning!  I woke this morning after another great night's sleep and felt warm.  Unusual at the moment because the night's have been pretty chilly so I thing maybe it's worming up a bit.  We had sun yesterday too - not bright, rather hazy, but definitely sun.  Bring it on!

I was pondering Christmas Traditions yesterday - what to keep and what to lay to rest - and I remembered that I started one, just for me, last year.  The Twelve Days of Christmas was, I think, inspired by Sue C and is very self indulgent but in a lovely, happy way.  Basically, you have twelve gifts, chosen by you, for you, wrap them, up and number them and, on each of  the twelve days after Christmas until Twelfth Night, you open one of them.  Nothing costly or extravagant, just little, practical things to brighten the day. Bath salts, a scented candle, a book to read, that sort of thing.
Last year I started it so late that I did remember what was in each little gift but this year I'm starting now so in four months time I won't really remember which parcel is which gift.  In town on Thursday, after sorting out the hearing aid, I did a bit of looking around and got a few little things.

Another tradition is a new decoration for the Christmas tree each year.  Now, I have plenty, far more than I actually need, so this decoration has to be different in some way while still fitting into my colour scheme of red, green and gold.  If I don't see one, I don't get one, that's the bottom line.

It's funny (and lovely) how thinking ahead to Christmas makes me feel all tingly inside.

Yesterday was a lovely day.  I went to Slimming World as usual and, also as usual, it was a very enjoyable time.  We have some very funny members in the group and even when I don't catch it all, the laughter is infectious.

Then I came home and started a bit of a tidy up.  This week, a lot of clutter seems to have accumulated all over the place so that took more than the usual half an hour.

When the cleaner turned up, I went swimming.  I do like to keep out of their way and over the years they have not taken advantage of this.  When Mum and then Dad were so unwell I would not be at home every second Friday and I always came back to a shiny home on the Monday.

Getting there took longer than expected until I remembered that the schools were back and it was end of the school day time.  On the other hand, the pool wasn't so full.  There was a group of teenagers taking a dip after school, judging by what I caught of their conversation (not much) but there was plenty of room in the marked lanes which is what I wanted.
I'm so glad I'm back to exercise now.  I missed it both physically and mentally and I'm sure it's doing me good.  Two sessions with Lindsey - circuits with a small group on Monday and personal training on Wednesday - plus one definite swim on a Friday and maybe another on a Tuesday sounds achievable and enjoyable.
Mind you, anyone who knows me from five or six years ago would fall over backward in a dead faint if they saw that last!

Today I MUST water at the allotment.  Those poor plants will be gasping.  Ditto for picking and I am fairly sure there will be another courgette or two.
Apart from that it's the day for washing, drying and ironing and, I hope, I can hang everything outside to dry - they are so much nicer after a blow in the fresh air.
And - just remembered - I saw some lovely cat mugs on Amazon and, as Beth has a birthday coming up . . .  They should be arriving today.
Have a lovely Saturday.  Are you doing anything particularly exciting?  xx

Friday

 Good morning, everyone.

Thank you all for your very kind comments regarding my hearing aid drama!  It has all been sorted out now and here's the rest of the story.

I decided to get my shopping done first as that had been planned so I did the usual at M&S and Aldi before coming home, putting everything away and having a quick breakfast.

I then decided that it would be best to get to the surgery first, to see if the ear piece (that's its proper name) was actually stuck in my ear.  I couldn't feel anything but then you're not supposed to feel it.
I spoke to the very nice lady on reception (who has always been super-nice to me and I don't have a bad thing to say about her) who went to speak to the nurse.  She came back a minute later to say that the nurse was between patients and could have a look straight away.  Yes, it was there and yes, she got it out very easily.

Then I drove over the Specsavers in Sainsbury's (thank goodness for cars) where a nice young lady said that the hearing aid man was in tomorrow (today now) but I would have to book over the phone - and she gave me a card with the number and said I could text.

On the way back, I remembered that last time I was able to book online so I came home, got onto the site and noted that  it said tomorrow was fully booked with no more opportunities until the following Friday.   I looked at the in-town branch and there ware spaces on Sunday so I filled in the online form, clicked 'Book' and waited - and waited . . .  and waited . . . until it was obvious nothing was going to happen.

So - off I set again, into town this time.  When I got there, they were so nice, took me through, spoke to the the audiologist and two minutes later I was in his room having the ear pieces on both aids replaced and he also replaced a little bit of something else on the aid that was causing the problem and which was what had caused the ear piece to come detached.  And finally, he booked me in for Sunday so he could give them both a proper going over/service.

And a plus thing - while I was in Sainsbury's, I got some spiced vinegar and some sultanas which I hadn't been able to get earlier and I set to and made some of Sue's green tomato chutney - quarter amounts - which has come out very well.  Thanks, Sue.

Everyone was so nice and so understanding, everything has been sorted out  and in the afternoon the sun came out. 
I do like a story with a happy ending!

Thursday

 Good morning, everyone.  It's too early to say what the weather will be like today but I won't win any prizes for expecting that it will be boringly dull and grey and none too warm.

Yesterday was a good day with a not so good ending.

The extra tuition session went really well with lots of learning going on.  

Personal training was most encouraging - I'm pretty much back to where I was before Dad was taken ill except for calves and ankles and they are improving.  Yesterday, for the first time, I was able to skip.  Yes, it was very heavy, no real springiness, but the whole foot left the floor.  I've taken to jogging (rather heavily but definitely a jog) between rooms at home and trying to run upstairs rather than walk and I think it is all helping, slowly, to get things back to where they were.

The afternoon was spent doing houseworky kind of things - ironing and the like.

I was in bed, feeling pretty sleepy, pulled out my hearing aids which is always the second to last thing I do (the last is my glasses) and - disaster.  The left one came out fine but the right one came out without its end cap, the little bit that keeps it in my ear.  It could have pinged off as I took it out (although that's never happened before) or, not so good, it could still be in my ear.  It is tiny and semi transparent and, although I had a good look around, I couldn't see anything
Of course, that woke me up good and proper and the brain starter whirring around.  The aid is the one for my better ear and without it I am lost really.

Eventually, I decided that I need to get down to the GP surgery and see if a nurse can take a look and see if it is still in my ear and, fingers crossed, remove it if it is.  Then I need to get to Specsavers who provided the aid to see if they can replace the little cap.  The hearing aid people might not be in the Sainsbury's one and I might have to go into town to the other branch.  This is where not being able to phone is a total nuisance!
I had no idea where I had put my old aids but, after searching around, thank goodness I found them so I should be able to wear one or both which was a real reassurance although I then slept very badly indeed.

So that has put paid to my chat with Chris this morning.  She will understand, I know.

So - early morning shop as usual on a Thursday and then try to sort this all out.  I really could have done without it but there you go.  Stuff happens.
Have a good day and wish me luck for sorting this out quickly!  xx

Wednesday

 Morning, everyone.  Pinch and Punch for first of the month and white rabbits!!  :-)
It's still dull and feels damp, even though it's not raining.  Very boring.    It's also a bit chilly this morning.  I am very grateful for my central heating to take the edge off if needed.

Yesterday was good.  I started of with the allotment visit, picked and cut and weeded and came home with loads of runner beans, a courgette and some raspberries which went straight into my breakfast bowl with a weetabix.  Lovely!

B&M had a few Christmas things in but nothing really worth a visit but I got a few other bits and bobs such as a couple of smaller rectangular plates and some taco spice.  A bit random but I was pleased.

Then I went for my swim and it was lovely to be back in the water.  Just after an aqua class is a great time to turn up; when I got in, the pool was pretty much empty and I swam for twenty minutes, enjoyed a good wallow in the jacuzzi before drying off and coming home for a very welcome lunch.  I thought I would sleep very well overnight after all that but, in fact, I slept rather badly.  Very odd but not to worry, I'll catch up tonight, I am sure.

The rest of the day was spent doing the usual householdy stuff.

Today I've done a tuition session (because I can't do next Monday) and it is the last early morning one for a while as they are back to school tomorrow.  Now I am waiting for breakfast time and after that I'm off for my personal training session.  Phew!

Have a grand old day and don't let this dull old weather (if that's what you are having) get you down.   Stay safe and well, everyone.  xx

Tuesday

 Good morning.  Yet another dull, dreary start to the day.  Where has the sun gone, I'd like to know.  We could do with just a little bit around here.  :-)

Oh, dear!  Because it was raining after tuition yesterday, I decided I really didn't want to go to the allotment so I took a good look around the garden instead and it's just as well I did because . . . the dreaded blight has finally landed.
I have removed five plants in their entirety, taking off any usable fruit first.  For the others, I have removed pretty much all the leaves, just leaving a few at the top.  I'm not sure if I have left enough but as they are what catch the blight spores (or whatever they are) first, it seemed the most sensible thing to do.  Also, ventilation will be better so the leaves and fruit can dry off quicker when it rains.  I will soon find out if I have gone too far, won't I?
The last time I had to deal with blight in the garden was when one could still use Bordeaux mixture which tended to knock it on the head pretty well.

I looked really carefully and the remaining plants seem unaffected for now but I'll be keeping a close look out and I doubt I'll still be picking tomatoes in October as I often do.  It's been a remarkably short season this year but with the cold and the damp I suppose I'm not really surprised.

Poor old plants.  They're not at all pretty now, are they, all stunted and deformed?  However, there's still loads of fruit waiting to ripen so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and my eyes open.

This is what I have salvaged.  Quite a lot of fruits were showing signs of being affected and went straight in the brown bin.  Some will undoubtedly ripen but some won't and anyway there's loads outside still, some of which won't turn this year (unless we get a glorious end of summer and that's most unlikely).

It's a long time since I made green tomato chutney but it is definitely on the cards this year.
If any of you lovely and knowledgeable people have trusted and tried recipes you could share, I'd be extremely grateful.  Or any other ideas for using green tomatoes.
Thank you.

Today I have an empty diary.  That being so, I'm going to have that postponed swim.  Yes, I am, definitely.  I need to take the plunge again (sorry!) and restart.  Also I have heard that B &M have some Chr*stm*s stuff in and you know what a sucker I am for festive tat so I may visit on the way to the gym!
Apart from that I have washing with the resulting drying and ironing and I have another tuition session tomorrow so need to prepare for that.  Also, I have a chutney recipe to research.

An empty diary doesn't mean a lazy day, thankfully.

Have a good one and stay happy.  xx

Monday - Bank Holiday

 Good morning and a happy Bank Holiday to all of us who have one today.
It's dull outside and Beeb doesn't promise us much in the way of sunshine or summer-warmth this week, sadly.  Not much in the way of rain either so no sun and one has to water.  Hey ho!

I had a good old day yesterday.  When I was ready, I popped down to the allotment and spent longer there than I had planned.  I picked runner beans, raspberries and sweet peas, dug up another row of potatoes for Beth (one row left now), weeded, watered, sprayed the sweet peas because of greenfly and generally pottered around.

The August sown bread beans are doing well and I am hopeful that these late cropping plants will give us some fresh stuff in October/November.  The first sowing of seeds is all up now and doing well while the second sowing is just emerging.  I think they would have been faster had it been warmer but that's not something we can control.  I'm glad they are up.  Because we lost the tomatoes, that particular area was looking very bare and it's nice to see returning productivity.

I nearly cut a courgette but decided to leave it for a few days.

The runner beans are doing their collective best, producing absolutely loads of veg.  I'm picking a big load every other day and doling them around to family and friends.  They're doing great this year.

The sweet peas are still flowering but are looking rather aged now.  The leaves are turning yellow and the stems of the flowers are shorter and thinner.  We won't have them up yet but their time is short.  They have been brilliant and we are definitely doing the same next year, this time sowing straight into the ground rather than in pots.  They have provided both of us with flowers throughout the summer.

The middle patch is also looking a bit sparse as we dig up the potatoes.  Because the courgettes were so late, they are not covering the ground as they usually would and there are big gaps in the rows of French beans but, dear me, we live and learn and it is still producing something!

The apples are starting to drop - it's not going to be a very big crop of apples this year, sadly, although the pears look more hopeful.  Most of the dropped apples are not fit to be picked up and I am going to dig them into the soil for compost.  However, I picked up one yesterday and brought it home, cut it up and tried the good parts.  It was absolutely delicious.  The first allotment apple of the year.  Lovely!
The raspberries are going to spurt soon, I can see it coming.  At the moment it's just a few each time and they are all going into a bag in the freezer.  When there's enough and nearer to Christmas, I will make some raspberry gin or vodka for us to enjoy over the festive season.

So - today.  I have just one scheduled thing - early tuition.  After that, the day's my own.  Beth is resting at home and I don't fancy a swim on a bank holiday (too many people) so I will do the usual allotment trip and have fun getting my revenge on the weeds that still dare show their faces - that's the main thing that still needs doing.  I'll probably give the beans and baby corn a picking too and encourage the courgettes < grin >.

And then home, to rest and relax, be thoroughly lazy, maybe watch a film or two on YouTube, enjoy the nice meals I have planned and generally have a lovely day.
I hope you do too.  xx

Sunday

 Good morning and Happy Sunday to us all.  The sun is starting to shine and fingers crossed it will stay around today after the rain we had yesterday.  Only a bit but it was a nuisance.

As hoped, yesterday was a do-not-a-lot day.  I did the necessary, of course, and spent a considerable time thumbing through some recent foody magazines to identify the recipes I want to make.  I could just cut them out but I hand on my mags to Val so I don't want to do that.  I will use my printer to photocopy.

Apart from that, it was a gently, lazy sort of day.

I left some gammon ham in the slow cooker to  cook overnight and when I woke this morning the house smelled amazing.  It's all cooked now and cooling.  I might be able to slice it, I might not, either way is really doesn't matter, it tastes great and will be a good centre point for the roast dinner Beth< Alex and I are sharing later on.

I'm off to the allotment first thing (the usual picking, digging up, possibly watering and so on), then back for breakfast.  After that I will prep dinner and B and A are turning up just before two.  When they go, I have to prep tuition for tomorrow morning before having another lazy evening.

I took a few photos in the garden half an house ago.

Over the arch is the passion flower - not that it's flowered yet - that was a bit of a miracle as it came up several years after it was planted and, seemingly, died.  This year is the first year it's done anything much in the way of growing and I'm tying it up and over and down the other side.  I know plants don't grow down but it has no choice!
I don't think I will do any pruning this time as it's fairly 'thin' as you can see, but once the structure is there, I will prune as necessary to keep it under control.  And if that doesn't work, it will come out and I will think again!

I put my hand behind the flamenco apples so you can see how big they are growing.  Lovely jubbly!  I wonder when they will be ready - I looked it up and it said mid October.  It'll be the size of a melon by then!

They do turn a deep red in colour (it says) so these are nowhere near ready yet.

The cucumbers are coming to the end of their lives.  The fruit is now all at the top and while I can see seven fruit (two are titchy) on this bit, the rest is now just carrying leaves that are turning yellow, the fruit is taking longer to grow and the skins are becoming rough and marked.  They've been great this year and I will be sorry when they finish.

Finally, the dwarf French beans are coming along nicely.  There are now some flower buds emerging and, if we actually had some consistent warm weather, it would help a lot.  Still, I should get some sort of a harvest from them.

(you can see a couple of very ancient cucumber leaves on the left hand side)

Time to get going.
I've had my coffee and need to wash my hair before getting dressed and heading to the allotment.  I'm not doing anything noisy there so I can start as early as I like.
Have a lovely Sunday, everyone.  xx