Wednesday, 08-04-26

Hello again, everyone.  It's another sunny start to the day today and I already have some washing on the line that I did overnight (I live dangerously, OK) and there's a second load in the machine right now.   They say it will be summer-warm at times today so I will be getting out a garden chair, I think.  

A questions first.

I found this in Aldi and was intrigued.
Has anyone tried this pasta?  If so, what did you think and how did you use it.
I'm trying it in a tuna pasta salad today.  Fingers crossed.  xx

Yesterday, I went to Groove on my own as Chris couldn't come.  New block, new playlist and new sequences and I really enjoyed them although there's just one I need to practise as I (and several others) couldn't quite get it right.

Once back home, I went online and ordered my euros from M&S, picking them up later so that's all done and dusted.
I looked around (online) for a cabin case/bag because I don't have one and need one.  I think I have found what I want and will be ordering that today. 

I've started a to-do list because you have to, don't you.  This time in a fortnight I will have spent one night in Crete.  Where is the time going?
I ordered some comfortable trainer socks.  I am finding that socks with toe seams are pretty uncomfortable so fingers crossed these are better.

It was a spendy day but I've been saving for it so that's fine.

Kay and David came over, measured for boxing in the bottom of the boiler in the kitchen and I'm glad to get that started.  

And I did a bit of gardening.  I'm doing just a bit every day.  

Today I will be popping out to the Riverside retail park for various bits and bobs, getting the washing done and, hopefully, ironed and put away again and this afternoon is personal training.  I think that's probably enough for one day.
Have a good one and I hope the sun shines on us all.  xx

Tuesday, 07-04-26

Good morning, everyone.  The sun is shining and it looks like we have a few days of pretty much wall to wall sunshine.  And warmth during the day.  Perfect.

Yesterday went fine.  It was very lazy but that's OK.
I have finished another stash blanket and . . . 

This is it.  All pinks, blues and purple/lilacs.  Just simple old granny squares, nothing more.

And here's the concentric circles one.  The flexibility of the crochet makes it look more Kandinsky as his concentric circles were far from proper circles.  In reality, mine are perfect circles - or as perfect as you get with crochet.

They're both bordered with black because, for years, I have had several balls of black dk that I find too eye straining to work with much.  As edging, it was fine and it's pretty much used up now.

Both will be donated one way or another.

Back to normal today.
Classes restart with Groove and, as it's beautiful weather, Chris and I will walk there and back.  This afternoon, Kay and husband are coming round to look at some work he might be able to do for me.  Between those to, it is downstairs housework day!  Has to be done, doesn't it?  

Have a great day!  xx

Easter Bank Holiday Monday, 06-04-26

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Easter Bank Holiday Monday.  The sun is starting to shine and the forecast for today round here is absolutely amazing, perfect bank holiday weather.  

First of all, thank you so much for all your helpful comments to yesterday's post.  It is all very much appreciated.

Our Easter roast was delicious.  The lamb went down a great for Alex and me and I have just finished dealing with the leftovers - I was just too tired yesterday so shoved it all in the fridge.  So now I can have another roast dinner this evening as everything, veg and all, is leftovers, plus five more portions of meat for roasts and lots of shreds for pasta, soup, etc.  The bones and other bits are just simmering gently in the slow cooker - the stock won't be amazing but it's all flavour and I can reduce the results down and freeze them as ice cubes.

I thought you might like to see the finished 'hampers'.  I forgot to take a photo so I've nicked Beth's.

And thank you, Annabeth, for sending me that alternative pattern.  

(By the way, those brown lumpy things in the middle are a couple of home made not cross buns).

Beth gave me this.  She belongs to a craft group that meets online.  She chooses what she wants to make, pays her dosh, receives everything needed and at a set time everyone piles in to one of those online meeting places and makes their thing together.  What a lovely idea!
The little box should have mini eggs but we're both avoiding chocolate so she put pretty pens in instead.  Just perfect.

I was so tired by the evening, went to bed early, slept through and woke at around half six this morning.  Perfect!

So - today.

Lindsey's loaves did fine yesterday but I knew I could stay awake long enough to bake them so I shoved them in the fridge overnight and will bake them this morning.
There was a load of whites in the machine but I left them there overnight because ditto and they're just going through a super quick wash to freshen them up before they go out on the line.  Must make the most of the sunshine!

Apart from that, the garden is crying out for attention so, given the good forecast, that's on the list for today too.

And I have books to read, TV to watch and crochet to work on.
Sounds perfect, doesn't it?  
Have a great bank holiday, everyone.  xx

Easter Sunday, 05-04-26

Good morning, everyone, and a very happy Easter Sunday to you all.
It's a sunny, still start to the day and I have no idea whether any of storm Dave crept as far this way.  I think it must have been windy because my front door area is a bit of a trap for blown rubbish and there were three boxes and some polystyrene cluttering it up earlier!  Plus my Oddbox, of course, and last time's flattened box that they should have taken but didn't.  Oh, well.

It was exciting to get the final info from One Traveller regarding the Crete holiday yesterday.  I now have to get some Euros - what's the best way of doing that, please?  I think the last time I did any currency exchanging was when I went to France with Suzanne and, actually, I think she might have done the necessary and I just paid her.

Not so exciting but expected was a letter from the tax people telling me that they would be taking back the winter fuel payment.  I would much rather pay it back as a lump sum given that I just chucked it into savings but it will be added to my income tax payments over the tax year, thus swallowing up some of my cost of living pension increases.  Swings and roundabouts, I know, but . . .
It's a shame there's no choice.
Even better, not to get it in the first place - it must be costing a fortune to claw it back from everyone not entitled to it.
End of grumble! 

I also got my voting card!  Yippee-doo!

On to today and I've already been busy in the kitchen prepping the veg for the roast lamb dinner I will be having with Beth and Alex.  The lamb is in a slow oven as Al and I both prefer slow roasted lamb and for dessert I will be getting out some of my not-cross-loaf slices.
I've just realised I haven't done potatoes.  I'll do them when I've posted this.

Beth and Al's Easter hamper is all put together.  The crocheted chicks don't really look like chicks but it's the thought that counts, isn't it?

Apart from that, Bubbles is bubbling so I will be starting Lindsey's sourdough load off and I need to do a load of whites.  That's about it really - a very nice day, I think.

Have a very lovely Easter Sunday, however you celebrate it (or not).  See you tomorrow.

Easter Saturday, 04-04-26

 Good morning, everyone.  It's a fine morning at the moment, the sun is trying to show and there's a pretty tint to the clouds - we all know the saying about red skies in the morning but I'm just enjoying the moment.

After SW Group yesterday morning (two and a half off, yay!!), I popped into Morrisons and came out with more than I had planned.  As we do!.
I went in because I wanted to get Beth and Alex something for Easter but not chocolate.  I thought a little hamper of healthy goodies might be just the trick - things like olives, sun dried tomatoes, that sort of thing, with a less healthy addition of a mini bottle of red wine for Alex and a can of pink gin for Beth plus some nice fruit.  I have a couple of shoeboxes I can use and will crochet some little chicks to tuck in here and there.

However . . .

I've never seen something like this in Morrisons before - a 'Crocket Kit with Yarns and Accessories'.
Do I need a crochet kit - no, of course not.
Did I get it - what do you think!!
There was a list of contents on a cardboard wrap-around with a photos but it couldn't be opened.  Fair enough.
I was intrigued.

This was the contents - some I don't need but I am sure they will be useful while other things are definitely worth having and the little case itself will be just perfect as a project case when I go on coach trips to give me something to do with my hands.  It has a little carrying handle too.

The yarn is not great but useful for practising a new hexagon granny I have my eye on.  I will need something - I'm on the last round of the current blanket and there's the Easter chicks but by tomorrow . . . 

And the whole thing was £10 which I think is quite a good price, even when the quality is not the best.

My little pear tree is doing its annual 'look how lovely I am' thing.  I know it is unlikely to translate into fruit - I don't think there's many other pears in the neighbourhood and I don't think it is self pollinating which was a big mistake on my part.  Every year it looks gorgeous and then nothing - not even babies that drop off.
I guess I ought to get another in the same pollination period.  Maybe I will sometime.

Today there is absolutely nothing in the diary but I have some cupboard sort outs planned plus some crafting and some weeding, weather permitting.  There's a storm heading this way but it's forecast to bother the south west, up Wales and N Ireland and then Scotland.  Hopefully, it won't be too damaging.

Enough of my rambling.  As I have an empty diary, I think I will treat myself to another coffee and try to get the last round of the current blanket finished.  
Have a lovely day, everyone, and I hope storm Dave doesn't have too great an impact if you're in its way.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Friday, 03-04-26

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to Good Friday, probably the most important day in the Christian year.  

Yesterday was a really lovely day, packed with friends.

We had a good old chat, Chris, T and me, with plenty of laughs between cups of coffee.

A bit later Diane came over and it was lovely - we talked a lot about Crete and next Christmas - how we are looking forward to it all.

After I had cleared up, I rested with crochet and Sort Your Life Out.

A simple, very enjoyable day.

Today is Slimming World and then the day's my own.  I think I will do some gardening, if weather permits.  And I have one load of washing to do.  And that's that really.

Have a lovely day, whether you are spending it alone or with family and enjoy that Easter egg if you indulge.  xx

Thursday, 02-04-26

Morning.  There's a big old moon low on the horizon as I type and a distinctly chilly feel to the air this morning.  I didn't hang around outside when I went to the freezer in the shed.  Welcome to Thursday, everyone.

I decided not to wander very far yesterday (petrol, etc) but to pop round to Morrisons for the few things I didn't get earlier in the week and to have a look at what they had in the way of cheap veg for Easter.  I was pleased to see swede, carrots and parsnips, all at just four pence each.  Now that's what I call value.

What with what I got there plus the Oddbox contents at the weekend, I will be fine for vegetables for a few weeks and will need to eat plenty in order not to waste any although, to be fair, I intend prepping and freezing some.  Very healthy!

I think it is the same all over.  It's almost like a Dutch auction where they all vie to match each other so when Aldi said 4p they all went the same way, like duckings following mama duck.  Fine by me and it is a loss leader so farmers don't suffer.

The rest of the day was just ordinary stuff really.  I haven't mentioned crochet recently because I'm just doing granny squares again.  I bought yarn for the maple leaf blanket and the quiet skies blanket and wanted to use some up so I chose a blue, pink and purple colour theme and I'm now on the border.  It does look nice.
I have no need of any more blankets but I need to have something to keep my hands busy in the evenings and grannies don't take too much thought.  Thankfully, I have had no more trouble with my thumb, wrist or shoulder so that's a relief.

Today is busy but in a nice way.
Chris is home again now so she will be over for the usual coffee and chat and today my neighbour, T, is joining us.
Then I will bustle around getting things ready for lunch before Diane turns up.  I expect we will talk a lot about Crete which is less than three weeks away now.  My fingers are still crossed because things are so very volatile at the moment.

Once Diane heads off home I expect I will make a cuppa and relax.  

A nice day in store, I think.  How about you?  Doing anything exciting or enjoyable today?  Take care and stay nice and warm.  xx