Sunday, 09-08-06

Hi, everyone.  So here I am, in my comfortable room, coffee beside me, having had a lovely restful day yesterday. I did very little of what I thought I would do yesterday and am anticipating another similar day today!

Yesterday started with trip to the pop up shop to get some Rennies.  I never have indigestion but . . . well, yes!!!  I laughed though - there were three of us in a line clutching boxes of the same.  Comfort in numbers!

Basically, I did not-a-lot.  All day!
I enjoyed some quizzes, I sat out in the Garden Terrace, coffee in hand, read, chatted, drank my coffee, went in for a quiz, had a stroll around, bought my bingo tickets (I changed my mind) and in the afternoon enjoyed a whole series of 'Wild West Inspired' fun.  Mind you - Essex people trying to sound American has to be heard to be believed!!

The garden Terrace looking towards the stage . . .

And the other way . . .

It was hot but there was a really refreshing breeze blowing so it didn't feel uncomfortable.

I had hoped to watch the show but when I went up to my room after dinner I realised that the only thing I wanted to do was relax, read and have an early night - so that's what I did.
Because I am on holiday!!  :-)

On to today and I'm going to do similar.  There's quizzes, bingo, some 'entertainments' - silly games, mostly, fun to watch and undemanding.  I will just see how the day pans out.
At some point I will need to think about packing as I hate leaving it all until the last moment.  It won't take long, it just needs to be done, that's all.

It's all very self indulgent and tomorrow I will need to descend back to reality but for now - all's pleasant in my world!

Hope you are having a pleasant weekend too.  xx

Saturday, 08-08-26

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to my first morning at Potters, Five Lakes - although, to be fair, maybe it should be called Five Rapidly Disappearing Ponds right now!

The drive over was good - a bit busy, I guess, but it's not tricky, the worst bit is Maldon/Heybridge and even then, as long as you know the road names, it's fine.

I arrived just in time for lunch which was an optional extra but, as I had early arrival, if was worth it.  I had a very nice chicken Caesar salad (perfect amount, not too big as they usually are, and plenty of chicken) followed by lemon cheesecake (naughty but nice).

Then I was able to access my room.

It's really very nice.  

The room looking one way . . .

. . . and the other.

A very nice bathroom . . .

. . . and a big, walk-in shower, too big to get it all in one photo.

As you can see, the colour scheme is neutral and restful.

There's a very pleasant view from the large picture window although that puddle is usually twice the size and depth.  No balcony but I can turn the chair round to face the outside if I want.

So, I unpacked, made everything cosy and had a bit of a chill with a book before wandering to the Lake View Lounge which is pretty close to my bedroom . . . 

. . . and had The First Drink.  😊
It's become a bit of a tradition to have my favourite 'cocktail', a prosecco and campari, to start a Potters weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed it before moving on to coffee.

I had the coffee in the Garden Bar which is where some of the action happens although, in this weather, a lot of the entertainment has moved to the Garden Terrace which is new since I was last here and which I need to locate.

And so the afternoon and evening passed.

Dinner was lovely.  Potters doesn't do high cuisine but it has good, well cooked wholesome fare and the pate, roast pork with vegetables and mango sorbet, washed down with a glass of pinto grigio was lovely.

I went to the theatre for some singing and a quiz but I felt myself fading out so didn't stay for the show which was a shame but I was very weary.  I'd like to say I slept like a log but - you know, first night in a different bed.  I can take plenty of down time if I need it today.

So, on to today.  At some point I would like to go to the spa for a swim and there's all sorts of stuff on offer.  Taiso (Japanese inspired movement), some craft, yoga for beginners, Dancercise, a keypad quiz, some live music and so much more - and that's just the morning.

Obviously, I can't do it all so I will have to make choices.  I'd love to do the dancercise and there's salsa and cha cha in the afternoon.  I brought some fitness wear with me, thankfully.

And do I want to do Bingo?  Maybe tomorrow?  I don't know.  This is where if I were with a friend, I'm sure we would do it together.

The evening show is a cabaret so that should be very pleasant indeed.  If I'm still awake by then.  😉

Well, time to have a shower and get going.  It's early but I don't want to rush at any point.  Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Friday, 07-08-26

Morning, all.  Just a very quick one because there's plenty to do to be ready to leave after Slimming World.   I'm taking my laptop, etc, with me so I'll be posting as usual.

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Thursday, 06-08-26

Good morning, everyone.  There's not an awful lot to say today as life is very slow and gentle at the moment.

This is today's tomato task - to skin and chop and freeze these - mostly Romas with a few Shirleys and one Big Red!  They're all large so I should get several portions, not to mention the skins to dehydrate.

(I have the first skins in the air fryer as I type so we will see.)

Apart from that, there's coffee and chat at Chris' first thing, I have washing, etc,  to do and I want to pretty much pack for the weekend as I would like to load up and leave after SW tomorrow morning.

And that's about it . . . so have a lovely day, everyone.  See you tomorrow!  xx

Wednesday, 05-08-26

Morning, everyone!

I'm a bit late today.  Excuses later!  😀

Yesterday went OK.  It started off fairly cool but by the afternoon it was very humid, a strong wind got up and the clouds rolled over and I really felt a storm was on the way.  No such luck - by evening the clouds looked less ominous, the wind had died down and the humidity had lifted (thankfully).

Sharon came, worked her magic and left again.
I popped to Morrisons to get a few things I had forgotten to get.

I made some chutney, not Alison's recipe but one with balsamic vinegar.  It was OK, I will enjoy it, but it's a bit bland.  Not one to make again.

I've not got quite a lot of tomato based stuff in the freezer and today I want to add to that with some peeled and chopped tomatoes.

This morning, I got my Facebook stuff done and then I went over to Lindsey's for personal training.  She asked me about things, adapted the exercises and finished off with a massage.  She thinks that, judging by my reactions to the massage, I have a bit of a trapped nerve.  It does feel a lot better now, even if the massage itself was a bit uncomfortable at times, so that's good.

When I got home, I watered the tomatoes and then set to cutting back some more leaves on the tomato plants.  If we do get rain (yes, please), it will help keep the plants aired and blight free.

They don't look nearly so nice now and are a bit top heavy so I will need to keep an eye on that, but 

the tomatoes will get better light and, as I said, better air through.

Then I sat down with coffee and have only just remembered my blog.  Ooops.

There's nothing else in the diary for today but I want to start packing for Friday and Five Lakes.  Only two more days, yay.
My lovely neighbour says she will water the garden which is so kind of her given the hosepipe ban.

So that's me for today.  Nothing very exciting but just plodding on is nice and peaceful, isn't it?  Have a lovely day yourselves too.  xx

Tuesday, 04-08-26

 Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to my blog.
It's a fine morning and the early sun is shining brightly.    I've done my watering - left handed watering is something of a pain but not as much as using the other arm!! - and picked the morning tomatoes.

Yesterday I made a big bowl of tomato, roasted red pepper and lentil soup which tastes gorgeous and will be perfect, not only for soup but also for pasta/pizza sauce and that sort of thing.  This morning I blanched and peeled some cherry tomatoes and they will also be frozen.

Peeling those little tomatoes is fiddly and, while I was doing it, I suddenly wondered if I could do anything more with the skins than just compost them.

So I asked my friend, Google, 'Can I make tomato powder with tomato skins?' and this is what I got.

Yes, you can make tomato powder from tomato skins. The process involves dehydrating the skins at low temperatures and then grinding them into a fine powder. This method not only conserves food waste but also preserves the flavour and nutrients of the tomatoes. The resulting tomato powder can be used in various dishes to enhance their flavour and colour.

My air fryer has a dehydrate function so three cheers.  When I think of all the skins I have discarded over the years . . . 
I might dry some of the bigger tomatoes and store them in evoo or even garlic infused oil - wouldn't that be good?

One half of the salt tablets arrived yesterday (they warned me in might come in two deliveries).   I asked nicely but the driver wouldn't take them round the back.   Oh, well, I managed, one bag at a time!  I'm hoping the other half will arrive today.

Thinking of today, I'm not doing Groove.  There's a lot of arm stuff and I don't think it would be sensible.  I'm going to ask Lindsey for some gentle stretching exercises I can do for when it aches - she's really helpful with things like that.  

BBC weather doesn't show any rain though for weeks - although there are flood warnings out for other parts of the country.  C'est la vie!!!

Have a lovely Tuesday, all.  Stay safe and well.  xx

Monday, 03-08-26

Good morning, everyone!  It's Monday, new week, the sun is shining and, right now, it's very pleasant outside.

I've done my first watering can watering this morning.  I'm not sure it needed it but, while the heat continues, I will be doing morning and evening, particularly the thirsty tomatoes!

Here you go - the mandatory photo!
I've done the morning picking and these will soon be ready to pick.  I'm really loving them this year; they are much happier than in pots and, assuming I feed the soil well, they should grow well next year too.

I'm already thinking about next year, as I am sure some of you are too.  Growing space is limited but I have bought some . . . well, they are called potato bags but they are sturdy and should do for plenty of other veg as well as potatoes.  I'm wondering about over-wintering some early broad beans (so I need to get the seeds soon) and then I can use the same soil for salad leaves, maybe, and so on.  I really would like to grow a bit more produce.

And here's that dahlia, looking very happy and healthy.  Definitely the 'wrong' colour but, dear me, let's not be too fussy!

I do like a survivor!

Today should be circuits but I've pulled out as my shoulder/upper arm is quite sore.  Annoying, but on this occasion I feel it is wiser to rest it than to push on through.  Lindsey said that she can give it a massage at PT on Wednesday - that should help.

When I went to top up the water softener, I found I was down to the last bag of salt pellets so good old Amazon is delivering some today.  With any luck, he will carry them round to the back for me but, if not, I will just have to be very, very careful!  I wonder where I put my trolley box . . .

Well, better go.  I may not be rushing out to circuits but I do have stuff to do so have a lovely day, everyone.  See you tomorrow.  xx