Monday - long, rambly post warning

 Good morning.  I woke to the sound of pouring rain - well, I would have, if my hearing aids were in - but it seems to have cleared a little now and there are patches of blue sky showing so fingers crossed.

My sleep patterns are still disrupted.  Last night I was so tired I was fast asleep by eight thirty, had a couple of  hours awake around one-ish, went back to sleep and woke and around five thirty, so not a bad amount of sleep really.  I'm still feeling weary but that's OK, I have nothing to do until three thirty when tuition resumes again.  I just have the two students now as, thankfully, the eleven plussers were able to find someone else to take them on.  Time is so short with the eleven plus test so I am extremely glad they are continuing elsewhere.

Yesterday, I finished getting and sorting out all the bedding.  I've just kept enough that each bed can be made up with a few spares, just in case.  It would be family visiting, like Beth over Friday night, and I know they won't mind that it isn't the 'right' bedding.  I'm very glad that's done.
I was right - there was too much for one car, especially after packing a few other things too, so I also have a boot-full and at some point this week Dave and/or Anna will come round and take the rest.  I also brought back a foldable outside table for Beth so we did OK really.

They arrived just before lunch which was a very knocked together meal.  I brought a chicken from home so I roasted that although when I pulled at the foil to get some to cover the chicken before popping it in the oven, I discovered that there was about two inches left on the roll.  I used some parchment instead, tucking it down the sides of the bird and it worked OK although not as well as foil.  I remembered to drain off some stock for gravy about half way through and it is just as well because by the end the stock had dried out and burnt on the dish.  I soaked some off with water but it tasted as burnt as it looked.  Never mind, I had enough to make a good gravy.  The potatoes were spicy wedges from Dad's freezer (has to be used up!) and the highlight was broad beans from the garden.  Actually, it may have been simple but it was very tasty.

After doing all the work, we sat in the living room over some coffee and I mentioned that I was sure I had seen a woodpecker in the garden whereupon, bang on cue, down flew a male woodpecker.  I tiptoed off, got my camera and fired off a number of snaps in the vain hope that I might get something.  The zoom was at its greatest and then it started to rain so it was a bit tricky but I got a few OK ones.  Then down flew a female, presumably his mate and the two feasted on ants (we presume it was ants) before flying off.

The zoom is OK to a certain extent but, at it's longest, it isn't great, so I was quite pleased with these especially as it was very dull and wet.

The journey home wasn't nice.  It was heavy and sad.  It's going to be like that, isn't it?  Fortunately, the sun was shining by then, the traffic was light and the only hold up was at the railway crossing so no complaints.

I will be going back on Friday after Slimming World.  I'm finding the best way to tackle it all is to take it one room at a time and do as much as I possibly can in that room.  So Mum and Dad's room is pretty much done, ditto for the airing cupboard and, contrary to external evidence, the dining room is almost finished too.  The aim is to get all the cupboards, etc, cleared while leaving the bits that show looking homey for security, comfort (for me and John) and looking attractive for selling.  Next weekend, I will tackle my bedroom and start on the kitchen.  I might persuade John to go into the attic and see what needs to be done there too.

I came home to much grown tomato and cucumber plants, a few strawberries to pick and blueberries that are still unripe but looking much bluer.  I cut three cucumbers this morning so salads will be cucumber heavy.  Annoyingly, I left my salad leaves and peppers in Dad's fridge so I will manage without today unless I feel energetic enough to go to the shops.  I seem to remember preparing the two tuition sessions before I had to rush up to Dad's so all I have to do is give them the once over at some point.  And I have just remembered, I have half a roast chicken to deal with, including boiling up the carcass for stock - no way am I wasting anything.

Well, I have rambled on enough.  Since I started at the top, the skies have cleared and the sun is starting to shine brightly.  How lovely. 
I think I will put a warning in the title.  It helps so much to be able to think out loud, so to speak, it grounds me and organises me.  I hope you've got to the end safely and will excuse the waffle!  :-)

Have a super day and be safe.  xx