Saturday, 14-11-26

Hi, everyone.  We have a good old frost outside this early Saturday morning and, earlier before the street lights came on, a most beautiful starry sky.  It's a day for wrapping up warm and keeping moving, I think.

Yesterday was cold too, but the sun shining through the windows kept inside cosy so no need for heating until the evening.

I have to admit that if we did have blackouts, etc, keeping warm is my biggest worry as I have no other form of heating apart from gas or electricity.  Fortunately, I have thermal stuff I got for the Northern Lights jolly and loads and loads of blankets, fleeces, etc.  And warm socks for cold toes!!

Lucky people with wood burners!

At SW, I was more than a bit surprised to get Slimmer of the Week and the hamper.  (I wasn't the biggest loser but she didn't stay for the second half of Group).

A few things didn't make it as far as the kitchen and I will use everything except for the spaghetti (I use wholemeal) which can go back into next week's SoW hamper!

So that was a good start to the day.

It sobered up rather as I went to lay some flowers against a tree.  Tragically, there was a one car crash just up the road last Sunday night and two lads lost their lives.  I will give no more info but it has shaken up the neighbourhood very much - such a waste of young lives.
Please don't speculate - there are no more details available at the moment.  But is is just awful.  RIP, lads.

Back home, I did all the usual stuff and it was a very pleasant and gentle day.  I have a few more snowflakes now, some for me and some to give to friends in their Christmas Cards.  It feels nice.

Today is really more of the same.  I have to do some shopping in Morrisons before enjoying another gentle day at home.  Nothing in the diary for the weekend.

I was looking ahead to next week and there are a few things pending.

My fitness classes, of course, and Slimming World, plus coffee and chat with Chris.

My vaccinations (yuck but necessary)
A termly Safeguarding briefing for governors (online) - boring, probably, but necessary and important.
A meeting at school about the nurture provision I saw last week (I will have to do some prep for that)
I will celebrate Dad's birthday with his favourite meal - steak and chips.  It should also be some nice red wine but I am off alcohol until I go to Five Lakes in December so I will get some red Shloer instead.

Not too bad, is it?  The whole school governor thing is my retirement volunteering thing so I am glad to be able to go to meetings and so on.

Well, my mug needs replenishing so I will love you and leave you with hopes that you can stay warm , safe and well today.  xx

Friday, 13-11-26

Good morning again, everyone.  It's a cold morning - my radiators were hot when I woke up and I don't keep the thermostat that high overnight!  There's a bit of a frost but there's time for more to develop before dawn.
I will be wearing my warm socks to Slimming World today, for sure!

Yesterday was really lovely in a quiet sort of way.  Personal training was good - things are moving on again after the knee problem and my balance is better again. 
Chris and I thoroughly enjoyed our chat.  We always have plenty of laughs and we have a similar outlook in many ways.  It was fun.

Ditto with Val.  I've known her for so long, ever since I moved here straight after my divorce and she was so very kind to me.  We had a good catch up and she made the most delicious carrot and butternut squash soup for lunch.

I did a bit of adulting and booked both my covid and flu jabs for Monday.  May as well get them both done and dusted and there's not much on for the rest of the day.  To be honest, I should have organised it weeks ago!

Today is Slimming World and the rest of the day is mine.  I'll do some ironing because I have to and then I can make snowflakes and do some crochet.

And stay warm!

You stay warm too, everyone, and keep well.  xx

Thursday, 12-11-26

Good morning, everyone.  I woke before four, ready for the day ahead, which is a right pain as it's a busier day today.  I've been sleeping so well recently so fingers crossed this is just a one-off.

A poor photograph but here's one of those bead snowflakes.  I'll keep trying and maybe I'll get a better one.

Yesterday was a gentle day.
When I got my slice of bread out of the freezer, I realised I was almost out of sliced bread so I set to and made a couple of yeasted loaves for me rather than for someone else.  By early afternoon, the house smelled wonderful and the loaves looked the same.  They're now sliced and in the freezer which is what I always do as I used to waste so much bread.  I don't even have a bread bin any more, there's no need for one.

I did housework, sorted a few things out, fought the temptation to go shopping (and won) and at three I was ready for the online Chairs' Forum.  Getting on Teams was a right kerfuffle.  I thought it was just me having issues but it was everyone so, obviously, a general problem.  We all got in eventually and the meeting started late but at least it happened.

My wind up radio has arrived.  It's quite cute, has solar power as well as rechargeable and batteries and has the loudest warning alarm I have ever heard.  Not a wake up alarm, one you can turn on if in danger to alert others.
And the cutest handle to wind it up, if needed.  It said one minute of winding produces twenty minutes of power which sounds pretty good although I hope I never have to test it.

I've worked out how the cylinder goes in the little gas stove.  Like all these things, it was easy really.  It can't be used indoors, of course, but I reckon it would be fine by the entrance to the garden room with the doors wide open.  Not that I would choose to cook outdoors on a cold winter's day or in a blackout, but the option is there.

On to today which starts with early morning personal training so I need to out of the house by 6:45.  Then Chris is over for coffee and chat and after that I'm off to Val's for lunch and more chat.
It's all go today!

Have a great day, everyone.  Stay warm and stay safe.  xx

Wednesday, 11-11-26: we will remember them . . .

 

For the Fallen

Robert Laurence Binyon (1869-1943), published in The Times newspaper on 21 September 1914.

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,

England mourns for her dead across the sea.

Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,

Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal

Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.

There is music in the midst of desolation

And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,

Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;

They sit no more at familiar tables of home;

They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;

They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known

As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain,

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,

To the end, to the end, they remain

Tuesday, 10-11-26

Good morning again, everyone.  Are you all well - I do hope so.

Yesterday was a very enjoyable day.  
Circuits was full and really good fun.
Alex came over and we sorted out a date and what we wanted to do for Christmas prep.  Now we have a plan!
Beth was busy when I took him home so I didn't get a chance to chat.  Never mind.

Today is another day with something in the diary.
Groove first though.  Chris can't come today which is a shame, but it will still be good.

Then, this afternoon, I am donning my Governors' hat and going into school to visit the Nurture classroom as it is having an open afternoon.  I have a meeting to talk to the SENDCo about it next week and then a report to write for the Governing body.
I'm really looking forward to it - it will be so interesting.

Between those two thing, I would like to sort out my bedroom which regularly gets into a bit of a muddle, one way or another.  Never ending housework!!
And I'd like to make a few more snowflakes.  It's fiddly and I dread knocking over the bead box and getting them all muddled.  That would be a disaster!  I'll take photos sometime, if I can find a way of getting a good one - they don't seem to show up all that well really.

Take care, everyone.  Stay warm as it gets colder.  xx

Monday, 09-11-26

 Morning!  Isn't time flying - into the second full week of November already.  Crazy
I was glancing through my diary for this and, while I have something on each day, none of it is particularly onerous or worrying so that's OK.  Plenty of time to do nice, cosy things like wrapping presents, planning festive meals and the ever present crochet.  

This week, I want to start bead snowflake making - I've got everything I need now.  They are so simple and so pretty and will make lovely additions to Christmas cards.
There - I have said it so I have to.

The bread making went nicely yesterday.  These are Beth's loaves which I took over to her in the afternoon.  Lindsey's took longer but standing the load tins on a warm radiator really does help!

Alex is over for that roast chicken dinner I had to cancel last Monday.
I've prepped most of the veg and there's just the potatoes to do.
I'm hoping we can set a date because Alex wants to come over and prep stuff for Christmas dinner that he can then take home and freeze.  Things like pigs in blankets, stuffing, etc.

Before then, first thing, it's the usual Monday circuits, always a good start to a day.

So that's today.  Nice and easy.  What do you have planned?  xx

Sunday, 08-11-26

Morning, all.  It's a bit murky out there but yesterday it cheered up no end so maybe today will too.

I got a bit frustrated yesterday.
I do like to keep up to date with what's going in and out of my bank account and keep a spread sheet updated that tells me how much actual spendable money I have after all standing orders, etc, have gone out.  
For some reason, I hadn't checked since last Sunday so it was time I did.  However, while I could get into the app, no worries, and I could see everything else, my account just wouldn't load.  
That would have merely been a niggle except that I had received two emails about my TV licence that I was pretty sure were scams because I had received a warning that a company I used to use several years ago had had a data breach but I just wanted to check that this month's payment had actually gone out - and couldn't.
Irritating.
I got in finally and everything was fine, of course!  

As threatened, I have brought down all my red and green yarn (I have green because I 'had' to buy more, of course) and have started a Christmas blanket.  If it comes to the worst and we have winter outages, etc, at least I will have colour in my life!
And I will 'have' to buy some yarn for joining and borders . . . 

My name is Joy and I am a crochaholic.  Or yarnaholic.  Or both!!
(just in case you hadn't already guessed!)

I've started my usual Sunday loaves for Lindsey and for Beth and they are currently both on their first rise.  Apart from that there's nothing in the diary which is nice because this coming week is a bit busier.  I will lounge about, get a bit of washing done, plan meals and generally have a lazy time.

Wishing you all a very happy and easy day too.  Take care, stay well and love life.  xx