Tuesday, 07-06-26

 Morning, everyone.  A less cluttered start to the day today although, to be fair, the clutter yesterday was mostly my fault as I stayed in bed reading instead of getting up and didn't realise how time was flying!!  Bad me!

Going back to Sunday, the meal with my friends was lovely.   The table was booked for one and we finally emerged at four thirty, having eaten and chatted our way through the afternoon.  

And the tyre seems fine - just One Of Those Things - but I will keep checking, just for peace of mind.

Yesterday, I went off to circuits first thing, as usual.  It was a bit too hot to have it outdoors, sadly, but inside was also hot.  That was odd because Lindsey's studio is usually quite a cool place but, as we walked back to the cars, it felt cooler in the breeze outside than it did in the studio.

Back home, I checked my emails because I had sent off a message to a beach hut hiring place in Southwold.  When we went a few weeks ago, I knew about the possibility but didn't act on it and I wished I had.  The trip was so popular, Jan and Ray have organised another one in later August and this time I have booked a hut, just for the day obviously.  If you know Southwold, it's the row of twelve blue and white painted beach huts that are near to the pier, just after the lifeguard's hut, by the 'safe to swim' area.  And an ice cream place - ooops.  They are pretty basic but it will be nice to have a base to dump things in and a guaranteed somewhere to sit and chill.  I may use one of my chill bags for drinks, and so on

Today, for once, there is no Groove.  That's because I'm off into school, firstly for a concert (piano and woodwind), then to do some pupil chats (getting the 'pupil voice' as they say) and, lastly, to meet someone.
I'm quite chuffed about the concert.  I actually started that tradition, quite a long time ago now, with my recorder groups, my choir and other pupils who had private lessons.  The first one was a huge success and we never looked back from there on.  Now it has grown to three concerts.  I missed the first as I was already doing something else, the second is today and the third is next week and is a Rocksteady concert, whatever that may be.   Hang on . . .  OK - Google says 'Rocksteady is the leading provider of in-school band lessons for primary age children'.  Looking forward to that one!

This evening, I'm out again.  This week is a bit of an Eat Out Week.  Tonight's is with Beth, Linda and Julia and we always go to the Harvester.  We love the salads and I know exactly what I will have so that's great.  And one of us has a Blue Card so we get a discount.
Then, on Thursday, I am over to Val's for lunch - Val does healthy lunches so that's good and I'm looking forward to a nice catch-up.
Lastly, on Friday evening, those of us going on the Shimmy trip to Spain in September are meeting for a get together to get to know each other.   I may just have a drink rather than eating anything, or just a starter, perhaps?
So it is quite a week!!

(Edit:  I'm also out for lunch on Saturday to celebrate a friend's birthday.  Crazy week)

Still no colour on the tomatoes but there is a big and a small cucumber ready to be cut and loads of blueberries to enjoy so can't complain!  :-)

Cue for some garden photos!  :-)

My poor sage.  That's got to come out!

However, there's nice new growth from the bottom so a ruthless cut back should be all that is necessary!  I'll probably go out and do that when I've send this.  

Pretty in pink.  

The tomatoes are taking over the asylum!   There's so much fruit and I just have to wait!

It's hard to believe this was a titchy little baby rhubarb a few months ago.  No harvest this year, of course, but there will be plenty for the freezer next year, I am sure.

Part of today's lunch . . .

And a random photo of the morning moon.  :-)

Right, well, better stop waffling now or I will have a rush to be ready.  Have a lovely day, everyone, and stay cool!  xx

Monday, 06-07-26

Morning all.  As often happens, I'm pushed for time, so I will give today's post a miss - back tomorrow and have a lovely day.  xx

Sunday, 05-07-26

 Hi, everyone.  Better late than never!

Yesterday was very quiet, very tranquil.  I checked the tyres and they were fine.  I'll check again today but hopefully there's no issue.  Maybe it was potholes - as everywhere, they are quite an issue right now.

Today is pretty much more of the same except that I'm out for lunch.  I have two groups that I go out with.  One is friends from way back including Beth, the other is people I have met through Shimmy 'n' Groove, including Diane and it is these lovely people I am meeting up with today.  The place we usually go to has closed so fingers crossed we like this place - there's no online menus but reviews seem positive.

I've done a bit more tidying, I've cooked a small gammon joint which will see me through the week and I'm about to go up, wash my hair and get dressed.  Have a lovely day and see you tomorrow.  xx

Saturday, 04-07-26

Morning, everyone.  Welcome to Saturday.  It is another promising start to the day after a beautifully summery day yesterday when it was quite warm but not at all humid and it cooled down beautifully in the evening - just perfect.

I was watching the Met Office forecast for next week and it seems to be more of the same around here (although not further north) with warm, sunny days, low humidity and cooler nights.  Bliss!

There's absolutely nothing in the diary today.  How good is that?  I have noticed the weeds fighting back round the front so battle will commence again and I have a post it beside me that says 'check tyre pressure; so I must do that.  My fingers are crossed right now!

I think I will also do some tidying up and, maybe, more decluttering.  

Today's garden photo is the confused dahlia round the front.
I look for three things in the garden at the moment - cucumbers to cut, tomatoes going pink (no luck this morning) and buds on the confused dahlia - it's one of the joys of my life when it starts flowering, it's so very pretty.

Here's to a gentle, quiet, easy Saturday!  Cheers!  xx

Friday, 03-07-26

Just a quick touchdown today as I am out in a short while.

Still no blush on the tomatoes.  I know - I'm too impatient!  :-)

Yesterday was pleasant.  I took the bread and cucumber over to Beth and Alex and picked a couple of yellow courgettes in exchange.  We also noticed that there are baby runner beans - very exciting!  Beth doesn't have a garden, just some big pots outside the back door.

The Governor training I did later was really very good indeed.  I'm glad I did it.

I was so tired afterwards that I rolled into bed earlier than usual and slept soundly.  Lovely!

Today, I have Slimming World and then just homey stuff which will be nice.  And I need to keep an eye on one of my tyres - the decompression light came on.  I've dealt with that but if it decompresses quickly, I guess it is a visit to KwikFit.  There's always something!

Have a lovely day, all, and take care.  xx

Thursday, 02-07-26

Morning, everyone.  Back now and ready to write!
Why do I keep thinking it is Friday.  I'm wishing my life away!  :-)

A few photos first because they brighten up the post!

Hundreds of tomatoes (not an exaggeration) but not a hint of pink yet.  Come on, toms, it's time to ripen.

However . . . 

. . . plenty of cucumbers coming along.  These are the mini ones but there's bigger ones also doing nicely . . . 

. . . and more blueberries to pick when I have breakfast.  Yum!

And these have come up from last year - I do love snapdragons.

Yesterday was easier than I expected and as expensive as I anticipated.

I said personal training was good yesterday and it was.

After breakfast, I drove over to Sainsburys, did a horrendously expensive shop and then filled up with petrol.  I am chuffed that I didn't need to fill up last month although I was a bit edgy at how low the needle was through the last week.  However, it held out and now the car is comfortably full again.

My payment for the new block of personal training went to Lindsey yesterday too as well several monthly payments as expected.

Oh, well, that's life.

To slightly balance that, I will be getting a little bit from Premium Bonds in a few days and my quarterly gas statement showed me in credit which is nice.  My strategy, which works for me, is to let the credit build up over the summer months and through winter until it goes into debit and then I pay the balance until it is in credit again.  However one does it, it is swings and roundabouts really, but this way is how I like to do it.

The afternoon visit to school didn't happen (it's been rescheduled) and the Governors' meeting was really good.  Lots of discussion and everyone contributes, one way and another.

I was shattered afterwards, came home, ate easy rubbish and woke this morning with a rubbish induced headache which serves me right!  :-)

I've had my chat with Chris and am about to start some bread for Beth which I will take over when it's done.  There's another governors' raining later this afternoon, one that I am very much looking forward to, all about supporting your head teacher.  I am expecting it to be really useful.

So that's today - a nice day, I think.  And now I need to get the bread started, pick some blueberries and make breakfast - it's such a hard life!!  😂

Have a lovely day, all.  Enjoy the sunshine.  xx

Wednesday, 01-07-26

Morning, everyone!  Pinch and a punch for the first of the month - and no returns.  lol
Welcome to July and what a lovely day it is here, to be sure.  Sunny, warm, not humid - I wish it would just stay like this with nice refreshing rain overnight (we didn't have rain overnight, by the way.

I'm just back from my personal training and all's right in my little world.  I always feel like that after a good session with Lindsey; she is such an encourager!  It was the first of a new block and she changed it up after a chat with me last week.  I do like the new routines; I think they will help a lot.

Beck to yesterday and the coach trip.  

I have to say, being on the Thames Estuary, Westcliff isn't a particularly nice beach, lots of mud flats and a view across to Sheerness.

It's quite a drop from the road to the sea front.  I suppose the name, Westcliff, is a bit of a hint!  Going down was fine.  Coming back was a fair old puff and pant!  :-)

However, there were plenty of benches and it was really nice to just sit and enjoy the sea breeze while people watching.

The view up to Cliff's Pavilion Theatre. heavily cropped to get rid of a rather unlovely ice cream thingy!

I don't normally post food photos in here but it's part of the trip - a massive fish and chips.  If I'd not been going into a show, I would have taken the rest home in a doggy bag but . . .

What I had was delicious!

And I wasn't so full that I couldn't manage lemon sorbet.  Very refreshing!

Barnum itself was brilliant.   Very cleverly staged, musicians, acrobats on stagem doing their thing while the story unfolded.  I say 'story' - some musicals have a very slight story, don't they, it's all about the staging, directing, colour, music, lights, etc.

I've had a soft spot for Lee Mead since 'Any Dream Will Do' days and I have to say he was fab - and he did some tight rope walking too!

I don't think it is a show I would necessarily want to see again, but we all had a great time and that is what it is all about.

Today, being the first, has a couple of routine things, I need to fill up with petrol and do some grocery shopping, I am hoping to go into school for a quick meet up and it's a governors meeting this evening.  So not busy as such, just full.
It should all be good though.

Have a lovely day, all.  xx