Tuesday, 10-02-26

Morning, all.  How's life?

It's dull and dreary here (again) but the days are getting longer and the mornings lighter.  Once the clocks go forward again, it will be so much nicer in the evenings too.  

I'm trying to think what happened yesterday.  Oh, yes - circuits first of all which was really good.  Then I came home and decided that, as I was really short of rye and spelt flours and quite short on strong wholemeal, I would take a drive to Marriages and replenish my stock.
Sadly, they only do wholemeal spelt in 6k bags so I then went a bit further round to Sainsburys where I got the spelt, some dishwasher powder (I always use powder because I have control over how much to use) and a few other bits and bobs, the most exciting of which was a pack of three pairs of black socks for my fitness times.

I've accepted that using a spike stitch will not work for the top down jumper (too wide and not long enough) so I've frogged it all and will start again the proper way.  No worries, now I know!  Maybe I will have another go but make my own pattern - if I can be bothered.

Today is a bit packed.
It starts with Groove - the weather looks a bit doubtful so I don't know if we will walk or not.
Then Kay comes and that's a time when I disappear into my bedroom and give it a good going over. 
Early afternoon, the lovely Sharon comes to do my hair.

Finally, early evening, I am off to a conference for school governors.  Hot buffet and various speeches, the most important of which is a senior Ofsted HMI talking about 'the role of governors in the renewed framework'.  I've already been to some internal training on this and my personal feeling is that they expect an awful lot from people who are fulfilling a voluntary role.  It is important though so I'm glad I'm going - and there's a free buffet AND it counts as my governors' training for this term.  Must remember to record it in the hub.
And must remember to take notes (yawn).

Well, time to bath and get ready for the day.  Have a good day, one and all!  See you tomorrow.  xx

Monday, 09-02-26

Morning, all.  It's the 9th and we are pretty much a third of the way through February - just saying!
That cheers me up no end.

After my mini whinge yesterday (thank you for all your supporting and empathic comments - they are appreciated very much) , we had sunshine.  More than just a bit too.  It inspired me to take a few shots of the garden - first of 2026, I believe.  These are all from the back.

The hyacinths are budding up.

Lavender - a newer one in a pot.  The old one isn't looking so happy (top left) so we will see . . .

Lupin spikes although what's the betting we get a later cold spell and it kills these off.  By the time it recovers, it will be too late to flower.

I'm going to have to be ruthless with the foxgloves - I don't want TOO many.

Ooops.  Your days are numbered!!

Clematis.  This particular bit will go when I prune it back when there's more growth at the bottom.

I did something different with Beth's loaves - I used two smaller tins instead of the bigger one and I tried a bake from cold.  As you can see, both were a success - what a rise!
I  must try the cold bake on the sourdoughs now and perhaps I will make two smaller loaves as well.

Moving on to today and I'm all ready to pop over to Lindsey's for circuits.  Being Monday, it is usually housework day but as it's a Kay-day tomorrow, I am going to focus on a good old tidy up.  The place is looking a bit cluttered.
There's a bit of washing/ironing too.

Better stop waffling.  Have a lovely day, everyone, and may the sun shine again for us all.  xx

Sunday, 08-02-26

Morning, everyone.

First of all, apologies for yesterday - after a bad night, I wasn't feeling great yesterday morning and decided to take a day off.  There's not much to write about anyway at the moment.  I suppose, what with the ongoing rain and winter dragging on, it all just feels a bit dreary and - not boring exactly, maybe I mean monotonous!

Anyway, I'm fine today, slept well and here I am.

Cooking with Alex went well and he made a delicious looking beany crumble for him and Beth as well as taking home more of base and topping for the freezer.

I can't think of anything else really - oh, yes, I started the top down jumper but decided to try the spike stitch rather than a plain granny cluster stitch.  It went well but I forgot the corners came out too big and I started the sleeves too soon so it was a bit tight under the arms, so I have just frogged most of it and will start again because I think it will look quite good so I want it right.  It will gobble up some of my leftover yarn so that has to be good too.

Today, later on, I am popping round to Beth's with her loaf and for a chat.  That will be nice.  Apart from that (and meals) I will be working on the jumper and watching stuff on the telly.

Are you finding things just a bit same-y at the moment or do you have more to do than you can shake a cat at?
(What an odd saying - who ever would want to shake a cat at anything?)

Wishing you a lovely day.  Stay dry, warm and happy.  xx

Friday, 06-02-26

Morning, everyone!  Hey, guess what!  It's raining cats and dogs - quelle surprise!!
It has to stop soon, surely.  Such a worry for people who live in areas that flood easily and very unpleasant for those with outdoor jobs - postmen, for example, or the dustmen (which includes women too, of course).

Chris dodged the raindrops over to my house yesterday morning and we had a nice, cosy chat about this, that and the other.  I so enjoy these times - if, for some reason, we can't make it, we usually chat online, like we did during lockdown.  There's good and there's bad about the Internet but being able to chat online is definitely good.

After breakfast (spiced apple waffles, yummy), I drove round the corner to Morrisons (wasn't going to walk in that rain) and, for once, did quite a small shop.  Now I am topped up with rinse aid and washing liquid plus sundry bits and bobs.  Hopefully, I won't need to do a top up shop until next weekend!

That was it really.  The rest of the day was spent inside, cooking, eating, crochet, reading, etc, and the curtains got drawn early!  And I may possibly have had an afternoon snooze!

Today is the usual Friday routine.  Slimming World and, fingers crossed, Alex.  No need to prep anything as it was all prepped last Friday.

Right, well, better go.  I want to check the bank account (I try to check daily, to keep on top of things) and then get things together for the day.
Stay dry, everyone.  Have a lovely Friday.  xx

Thursday, 05-02-26

Morning!  It's Thursday and it's raining - again.  And yesterday was so lovely too.  Oh, well . . . they said we needed lots of rain to replenish the reservoirs, water table, etc, didn't they?

There isn't much to say today, yesterday being a quiet and mostly at-home day.  I washed, dried and ironed, did some cooking and meal prep, did the downstairs housework, went to personal training and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

And I finished the blanket.  It is enormous and I have no idea what I will do with it but I'm chuffed.  
Now I have to do something else to tide me over while I ponder.  I have loads of yarn left so maybe I will do a top down Joseph's coat kind of crochet jumper.  I already have some and I do wear then a lot.  They're lovely over a crew neck fine knit top - light and warm.

Chris will be over for coffee first thing and, at some point, I need to do some shopping.  I've run out of things like rinse aid (thought I had another but I don't) and the red light is showing.
My list this week is not long but necessary.

And I could start next week's meal planning.  That sounds like the wrong order but I have so much in fridge, freezer and cupboard that I am working around what I already have in.  Best to shop first and then plan so I really do use up what I have got.
I think they call it reverse planning or, maybe, project pantry (?) - as if it is something new.  I've heard both those terms on YouTube.

Anyway, that's it really.  Have a lovely Thursday and stay warm and dry.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Wednesday, 04-02-26

Good morning, lovely people all.  Welcome to my Wednesday post!  We had some horrible weather yesterday - cold (for round here) and very wet.  Today's forecast to be better and my fingers are crossed.  We need some sunshine, we really do.

Mind you, yesterday was good.
Groove class confirmed that I'm really back in the  - well, in the groove (sorry) again as far as fitness classes are concerned.  I felt very energised and happy.
Beth had made the most delicious vegetable soup for us to enjoy and we got stuff done.  Also, quite fortuitously, while I was there she got a phone call that involved us both - sheer lucky timing there.  We had a look at some of the different Center Parcs accommodation at Elveden - we will be going there next year to celebrate my 75th and want to maybe go a bit upmarket.

I'm on the last spike stitch round of my blanket now.  So many mistakes in the border but you really can't see them.  Then there's just one round of crab stitch, a few ends to sew in and that's it - finished.
I had some good news that involves me thinking about a baby blanket and I think the spike stitch done with the baby Aran yarn you can get at Hobbycraft would be perfect.  It's so soft and squidgy.

I always like Wednesday mornings.  It's the only day in the working week (not that I work now but you know what I mean) when I don't have to be out of the house by around nine-ish.  I can take things just that bit more slowly and that's what I will be doing today.  It is going to be a day of housework, cooking, washing, ironing, etc, and generally pottering around happily.
In the afternoon it's personal training which is always good.

Another very pleasant day in store.

This morning, I'm hoping that the weather is going to be good where you are and that you have nice things planned.
Take care, stay warm and see you tomorrow, maybe with a finished blanket!  xx

Tuesday, 03-02-26

Good morning, everyone.

Yesterday was just a happy day because:

I slept really well over Sunday night and didn't wake until nearly seven.

At circuits, I felt as strong and energetic as I was before I got the virus.

The coffee morning at school was really good and I felt useful.

I couldn't go over to Beth's but she's invited me over for lunch (hm soup) today.  I can take her bread and ravioli then).

I properly sorted put the paperwork on my desk and there were no unpleasant surprises, nothing forgotten that should have been paid!

And as a result, I found two recipes I have been looking for.

My meals were all tasty!!
Some kaftans I ordered (for Crete and Shimmy in Spain) arrived and I really like them.  They're not the most flattering (kaftans are very loose, after all) but flattering is as flattering does, they will be cool and I feel comfortable in them.

And I got a pile of washing done.

Such a nice day.  

xx