Friday evening, 26-07-24

Evening, one and all, the weekend is nigh and we have had a lovely, sunny day.  How good is that, eh?

First of all . . .

. . .here you go.  It worked.  Even without the correct sized hole or a base, the table kept the parasol steady and it was lovely sitting out to have breakfast and then lunch.  It was very easy to set up and dismantle too.

Then, later on, I had the beginnings of a migraine with those visual disturbances so I grabbed some paracetamol, reclined in the chair, in the shade, eyes closed, and when I woke up everything was OK again except that I was, and still am, rather worn out.

Nothing a good night won't sort, for sure.

I went to Slimming World, as always, and was thrilled that I lost weight again, I'm now back into single figure stones and very close to getting back into my happy range (officially, it is called 'target range' but I prefer 'happy range'!).

Then I went next door to Morrisons to do a bit of fruit and veg shopping which should last me until the new month now, especially as my next Slimming World Kitchen box landed on the doorstep, came home, sorted everything out and away and then chilled.

I saw this on Facebook and from now on, every time I am tempted to say 'lazy', I will remind myself . . .

Good, isn't it?

Well, it is time to switch off, wind down, do some knitting and a bit of telly watching and slowly drift into sleepy mode.
Sweet dreams, everyone.  xx

Thursday evening, 25-07-24

 Good evening, everyone!  How has your day gone?  It's been damp and windy here but a lovely day, all the same.

Chris came round at ten and we had our Thursday coffee and chat, inside today as it was so chilly and gloomy.
Then a quick whizz round to finish lunch and Val arrived so lots more chatting.  It's a while since I saw Val and there was a lot to catch up on.  I cooked lunch and she liked it so much I sent her the recipe.  😊
While she was here, the two tables arrived so as soon as she left I dived in.  They are really nice, just what I wanted, except that the surfaces feel a bit rough.  That's not an issues as they are oiled (they're teak) - I can get some fine sandpaper, smooth off the surfaces and re-oil as necessary.  No problem.

I'm really hoping for a nice day tomorrow so I can test drive them.  Fingers crossed.

That was the end of the excitement - the rest of the day passed as usual except for one thing.  See last photo below.  Small but exciting.  ;-)

A little garden update:

I have baby dwarf beans - they're so tiny but it's exciting.  Maybe a fortnight before they are ready?  I don't know how fast they grow.

On the other hand, the runners are producing loads and loads of flowers which are just dropping, not beaning.  There's not been a lot of insects around - maybe that's causing problems.   Ho hum.  I have fed them and keep them well watered - can't do more than that.  Maybe they're just not good in pots.  Time will tell.

More tomatoes ripening.  Woo hoo.  I've picked a few and they are luscious.  Not long now.

This big boy needs picking soon.  Sorry, I chopped off the top third.

Late afternoon:  

It is picked now and it is ginormous.  I think I will take half to SW for the hamper tomorrow morning.  I offered it to Val but she bought one yesterday!

And the mixed leaves are doing so well.  Every day I'm pinching out some and they keep going.  I'm not sure why I haven't done this before and when you think of the price you pay for a bag of mixed leaves . . .

(these four photos were taken and added onto this post this morning - things changed . . . )

( at nearly four o'clock)  Lookity, look - a baby bean!  Can you see it?

Yee hah!!!!

Such a nice day, despite the less than pleasant weather.  I hope yours has been good too.

Good night, everyone.  xx

Wednesday evening, 24-07-24

Evening, all.
The party and school yesterday was an absolute delight.  We even had a rounders match on the field and, probably for the first time ever, I took part.  It was just for fun and most enjoyable.  There were loads of my ex colleagues there, some, like me, retired and some still working.  It was fun.

My brain was so active afterwards that I couldn't get to sleep for ages - you know how your body is tired but your brain doesn't admit to it.  Well, that!
Not to worry, today was another quiet-ish sort of day.  I did a bit of housework, a bit of cooking, a bit of garden stuff . . .

Alex came round for lunch and we had a good chat before I took him home and then went to Lindsey's for personal training.  All good!

I went a bit spendy too - I've been looking for a wooden, fold up, hole for a parasol in the middle, small garden table - yes, I found some but I wanted it ready assembled.  The last time I tried to assemble a table, it was a disaster.
Anyway, I have found one, from Wayfair so I hope it is OK.  

(the chairs aren't included, nor are the drinkies!)

I also found a tray on a sort of trestle affair, also fold up and also ready assembled, and got that too.
Yes, a bit naughty, not something I had been looking for, but I will use it, for sure.

After looking around for a while, I was so pleased to have found these.  They're supposed to be arriving tomorrow so fingers crossed they are as OK as they look in the photos.

(By the way, photos are from the Wayfair site.)

Well, time to stop waffling on and get this posted, I think.  I don't think there will be any problems with getting to sleep this evening.  Sleep tight and have a great day tomorrow, everyone.  xx

Monday evening, 22-07-24

Hi again, everyone.  I hope you're all wall and have had a good day.

The weather was a bit - let's say uncertain today.  It started off with a bit of sun so I started a load of washing.  Then it started drizzling, which was annoying.  In the afternoon, out came the sun again so I put that load out and started another.  There was a good breeze which really helped.

This morning was a bit hokey cokey.  You know - in out in out.  After watering the garden (I read it is better to water in the morning rather than the evening unless it requires both), I drove over to Lindsey's for circuits which was as good as it always is - so excellent.
After breakfast, I went to the surgery to book my meds review appointment (there were no spaces online and the email said contact the surgery if that was the case) and then on to Longacres to get a little something for a belated birthday present for a friend plus a tarragon plant for myself..

After lunch I was in and out hanging up washing, etc, until the coffee grinder arrive.  It works really well - although I do have to get used to amounts.  I used my single mug cafetiere and the fist attempt was too weak.  By the time I got it just right, I was a bit coffee-logged but not to worry!  It was VERY nice coffee.

I'm just finishing off the ironing and then I'm done for the day.  Tomorrow HAS to be dusting and sweeping.

Tomorrow is also the last day of the summer term at school.  Some areas finished last Friday, I know, but not here.  Then, come the evening, there's a farewell party as one very much loved member of staff is moving on and several other much loved staff are retiring.  Fish and chips - lovely!!  
I may possibly not do a blog tomorrow evening, it just depends on how things all go.

Sleep tight and sweet dreams to one and all.  xx

Sunday evening, 21-07-24

 Evening, everyone.  I've had a lovely, gentle, relaxed day today.  The weather's not been great.  No rain quite a lot of cloud, but it's been comfortable, which is nice.

I blame my daughter!  Ever since she bought me a Nespresso machine for Christmas a year and a half ago, I haven't knowingly made myself instant coffee; nowadays it is either Nespresso or cafetiere coffee and it's lovely.
One step further is grinding your fresh coffee beans - so guess what I have treated myself to.  It's for coffee or for spices, just a small gizmo and I hope I do use it although it didn't cost an arm and a leg.  I'll let you know.
But it is really Beth's fault . . .  😉

Oh, my goodness, the runner beans really are trying to escape.  They're now twisting around the fence slats and over the top of the fence.  I've pinched out growing tips and it's just growing sideways.  No complaints, it looks really nice, just not what I expected, never having grown runners against a fence.  It's always been wigwam-in-the-bed type support before.  
And it gives me happy vibes.

There's just the one disappointment about the coming week.  My lovely friend, S, was coming to stay for a few days but, for very good reason, she's had to postpone her tay.  We WILL get together, it just won't be this week.
To cheer me up, originally, V was coming over for lunch on Thursday, we rescheduled because of S coming, I contacted her this morning and she can come this Thursday.  Looking forward very much to that!

Good night,. everyone.  I hope your Sunday has been really pleasant too.  Take care and sleep well.  xx

Saturday evening, 20-07-24

Good evening, all.  It's been another really nice day, not as hot as Thursday and Friday and with a refreshing breeze at times.  We had a little bit of rain in the afternoon but five minutes after it stopped the ground was dry again.

I had a very pleasant little stroll around the garden this morning, camera in hand.  It was just part of a very gentle and peaceful start to the day with nothing to get ready for until about ten fifteen as, because we were having one of our walks, I didn't do SET online live.

First of all, the runner beans are doing really well in the warmth and sunshine, trying to escape over the fence and producing loads of very attractive flowers.  The Elizabethans grew runner beans for their flowers rather than as a veg, I believe, and I can see why.  I prefer the write flowers to the scarlet ones though, in my own garden, because they fit with the colour vibe which is a pinky/white/blue/lilac sort of thing.  Scarlet would clash and they are part of the overall effect, not in a separate veg patch.

The dwarf beans have also finally got their act together.  The new seeds I put in two or three weeks ago have come up and, while this was accidental, it means there will be a longer fruiting time so can't moan about that!

I know I bang on about tomatoes non-stop, but I was genuinely excited to pick these two little beauties earlier to have with my lunch-time salad.  If you pop over to my SW/foody blog (link at the side) you can see them in situ - well, in salad, anyway - and they were, of course, delish.

There's a few more getting the idea now so, fingers crossed, soon I will be picking every morning.  That makes me very happy.

I've now had four cucumbers but only from one plant.  The other seems to have some nasty, fungally sort of thing so it produces lots of flowers but any baby cucumbers fall off.  I suppose I ought to have it out but further up the stem it looks more hopeful so fingers crossed.   They are very nice cucumbers.

And the salad leaves from the first planting were pretty much over while the second pot is ready for leaf cutting now.  So I cleared the first pot and have sown another lot for later on.  Nice.

And finally, I got some bedding dahlias from Longacres a while ago and the first one has started flowering.  Thankfully, it is the right colour for the bed.  The others are coming along but if they don't 'match' I can try replanting them at the front to keep the confused dahlia company.

They're very pretty, dahlias, aren't they, and very rewarding.

Anyway, enough garden waffle.

After a very leisurely start to the day, I met up with my SW friends for our Saturday walk.  This time it was at Writtle and, as always, a good chat was enjoyed by us all, as was the excellent coffee served in the Writtle Tea Rooms (sadly, closing in September).

Then I came home to potter in the garden a bit and then to just relax under the sunshade.  No, the spike isn't in yet, but Maxine has confirmed that they will do it when they come to paint the bit of ceiling so that's good.  For now, I wedge it in and it is fine.

I came in when it got cloudy and had a very pleasant snooze that set me up for the rest of the day.

And that was my day.  I hope yours has been a pleasant too although I gather some parts of the UK have had more rain than we had here.
Sleep well, everyone, sweet dreams.  xx

Friday evening, 19-07-24

Good evening, everyone.  It's been another wonderfully summery day here today.  Wall to wall sunshine.  

I was so tired yesterday evening that I went to bed early and therefore woke up early this morning.  Always the way.  So I've had a few really pleasant snoozed through the day and I'm back on sleep-track again, I think.

I really haven't done much apart from Slimming World this morning and a quick pop into Morrisons to get a few bits and bobs.  No housework, no washing, no ironing.  Instead I have read, knitted, watched telly (caught up with Sewing Bee) and snoozed.  Such a nice day.

How has your Friday been.  Hot?  Busy?  Restful?

Hopefully, it won't be too hot to sleep well this evening.  See you tomorrow.  xx