Friday, 21-08-26

Hi, everyone.  It's Friday!!  This week has been a real non-event but things are really picking up now, thankfully.

Thanks for the info about pears, Alison.  And that's a great segue into . . .

. . . this!

Remember the lone pear, the only survivor from the June drop?  It's still hanging on, pretty much the proper size for a self-respecting pear now and I need to look up 'how to know when a pear is ready for picking 

 as they don't ripen on the tree, I believe.

(five minutes later)

I did and there's lots of info including YouTube videos.  Who know?  Anyway, this is what I copied and pasted.

How to Know When a Pear is Ready to Pick

To determine if a pear is ready to pick, look for the following signs:

Colour Change: Pears typically transition from deep green to yellow or golden hues. Some varieties may stay green but develop a slightly duller finish. 

Gentle Twist Test: Hold the pear and give it a quarter-turn. If it separates easily from the stem, it’s ready. No tugging needed! 

Neck Softness: Press near the stem with your thumb. A slight give (like a ripe avocado) means it’s time. Avoid bruising the fruit. 

Size Maturity: Pears stop growing in size 1-2 weeks before ripeness. Compare to a grocery-store pear of the same variety. 

Sweet Aroma: Sniff the stem end. A faint, sweet fragrance means the fruit is maturing. No smell? It’s not ready yet. 

These signs will help you harvest pears at peak flavor and nutrition, ensuring maximum retention of dietary fibre, vitamin C, copper, and polyphenols. 

(edited for a bit of mildly irritating American spelling - irritating to me because I am a bit of a pedant, no offence intended - I am sure my spelling is equally irritating to any American readers).

Anyway, not I know.

Moving on, yesterday's biggie was the start of a new series of Ludwig which I have been looking forward to for ages now.  I'm afraid that I watched it on iPlayer, not just the first episode but the first three which were there.  I know I will watch them again as there are lots of funny, quirky bits that one misses the first time round.
Anyway, I love Ludwig and it was really very good with the same overarching long story and a murder solution based on a different puzzle each week.  Plus some new characters.  

Today I am off to Slimming World and then home to pack my bag for tomorrow because tomorrow I am off to Southwold on the Broomfield coach (fingers crossed).

This time, I have hired a beach hut and I'm so glad I did because the weather is a bit uncertain and a base to drop things will be so helpful.  Last time I booked a distillery tour; this time it is the brewery.

So I'm planning to arrive, get into the beech hut, sainted along the promenade to Adnams, taking in a coffee if there's time, then meander up to the shop with my voucher (they hand out vouchers and this time I might spend it as I don't have to carry things around for the rest of the day.  By that time it will be time for lunch so I will buy some fish and chips and take them back to the hut to enjoy.
Hopefully, the weather will be nice enough for a meander down the beach and back again before getting back on the coach.

That's the plan, anyway.  The weather forecast looks promising, although not all that warm, so I will take some kind of warm covering with me like a true Brit!!  Sitting on the sea front in a garden chair (there will be one in the hut) with a blanket over is so iconically British seaside, isn't it?

Right, well, time to go.  Have a good day, all.  I probably won't post tomorrow so see you Sunday.  xx

Thursday, 20-08-26

Good morning.  It's a cool and cloudy early morning here in mid-Essex and it's staying dark significantly longer now.  BBC predicts some light rain at some point today - we will see.

Thank you, again, for your kind and helpful comments.  After a few dodgy moments yesterday morning, everything has stayed put since and I really think that, as long as I am careful, things should stay that way.  
I had porridge for breakfast and then some plain chicken and white rice for dinner - very unexciting but it was bland and there were no repercussions.

Now I need to think about carefully replacing all the good stuff in my gut, don't I?

Yesterday was boring in other ways too.  I did a bit of washing and a bit of housework but kept falling asleep.  Not surprising, I guess.

After exchanging messages with Lindsey, I won't be going to Personal Training today; I have to admit that, much as I enjoy it, it's a great relief.  Chris is away so no coffee and chat but I will be meeting up with Val at Hyde Hall for lunch.  That's the plan anyway although I really don't have much energy and am more than a little inclined to reschedule.  I feel guilty at the number of people I have cancelled on this week but they all seemed to understand.

Actually, while writing the above, I realised that apart from everything else, I am concerned about the drive there and back as well so I have just messaged Val to cancel and offer alternative days.  And now I feel happier and very relieved so that was the right decision.

So another day of chilling and focusing on getting my diet sorted.  Plenty of the good stuff, little and fairly often, I guess.

And tomorrow my post should be a lot more cheerful again.  :-)

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Wednesday, 19-08-26

Hi, everyone!  Welcome to Wednesday!  We have had rain, yay.  Enough that the paving was still wet when I woke.  Not enough to do anything for the water shortage but enough that I don't need to water - every little helps.

Thank you for your ongoing concern.  Yesterday wasn't as good as hoped.  I managed to eat a bit of the bland stuff but nothing stayed inside for long which was a nuisance.  No cramps though - a real blessing there.
I took one more dose of Imodium before I went to bed and fingers crossed.  I'm a bit nervous about eating today but must - maybe some porridge for breakfast, made with water and with a bit of honey for energy.  Later on, chicken and white rice.  Bland and carby but . . .

Fingers crossed!

The tomatoes are building up as I haven't eaten any since Sunday so yesterday I gave a big bagful to my lovely neighbours.  I was going to take some to the Girls' Meal for Beth, Linda and Julia but that didn't come off.  So right now I have some cooking in Thermione with onion and roasted red pepper to make a sort of all purpose sauce/passata (and the smell isn't making me feel too yuck which is good).  Later I will skin a lot of the mini ones and freeze them whole.

There's nothing in the diary today, not even PT now I have swapped to Thursday early morning.  I suspect I will sleep on and off and eat little and often to get some strength back.  
I'm doing a lot of crossing fingers today!

Isn't this pretty?
One of the blooms on the confused dahlia at the front.  Really cheering!

Right, well, I think the tomatoes are done.  I need to blend them and then push it all through my Mouli to get a nice, smooth result.

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Tuesday, 18-08-26

Morning, everyone.
We have had rain!!  Not a lot, but better than nothing at all.

Thank you for your lovely comments yesterday - you are all so kind.  Five Imodiums (Imodia??) later and this morning things seem to have settled into stillness again.  Phew.
After eating precious little plus the problem itself, I'm feeling washed out and lethargic, empty but not hungry and I need to pace myself carefully today.

So no Groove, my meetup with Diane is rescheduled, as was the meal I was having with Beth, Julia and Linda yesterday evening.  Why can't these things happen when there's nothing in the diary?

It's a hard life (said very tongue in cheek!).

Seriously, I will be fine and I hope you all are too.  Have a lovely day and stay safe and well.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Monday, 17-08-26

No post today (apart from this one) - had a really rough night.
See you tomorrow.  xx

Sunday, 16-08-26

Good morning, everyone.  After a deliciously cool night where I was glad to snuggle under my duvet, today has started off so comfortably cool too.  Long may it last.

My Oddbox was waiting for me on the doorstep this morning.  It looks lovely and I'm looking forward to using the contents.  Loads of carrots this time - I dearly love carrots!
You do get a choice - it starts off the a list (I have a small mixed fruit and veg box) and you can swap items or add items so there's considerable choice one way or another -  they email a reminder before the window for subbing closes which is great.

I'm back on the old bread making now.  Lindsey's sourdough is waiting for its second stretch and folds and Beth's mixed yeast and sourdough is doing its first rise.  I've missed the breadmaking this past two or three weeks.

Better go and get a few more things done - meal prep and so on.   I'm feeling more energetic now which is such a relief.

Take care, all, and have a good day.  xx

Saturday, 15-08-26

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to what is hoped will be a much nicer day today.
After not having that many issues with the heatwaves this summer, Thursday and yesterday were not good.  I felt quite unwell and ended up doing very little apart from grabbing whatever was easiest for food and drinking loads of water.  I am very thankful that earlier in the year I was 'influenced' into getting a counter top ice cube maker.  It seemed a Good Idea at the time and, my word, hasn't it earned its space over recent weeks!   An impulse purchase that has paid dividends.

It feels fresher this morning and the predicted temperature is forecast to drop by about 10 degrees from yesterday - fingers crossed.  I'm feeling loads better this morning - not 100% but so much better so phew!

I'm guessing most of you in the UK got the government alarm yesterday evening.   My phone Bluetooths to my hearing aids so it was a real shock and, for several seconds I wondered what on earth it was!  Still - a good use of the system for any people lacking in enough common sense to realise that wildfires are a big threat right now and to play with fire related stuff (fireworks???  Who would let off fireworks at the moment?) or tossing lit cigarette butts out of car windows is not a particularly wise thing to do!
And that's an understatement, isn't it?  xx

Gardens are definitely showing signs of wear and tear now, aren't they.  To be fair, Autumn is approaching and plants are realising their time to reproduce is getting shorter.
I thought my cucumbers were pretty much past it but, after three weeks of not a lot, the mini cucumber has decided to throw out five or six babies, all pretty much from the same point.  The full sized cucumber plant seems to have given up now but we will see.  They've been great this year so no complaints,

Some of next year's foxgloves!

The flower bed is also getting raggedy but there's loads of blooms as well.  This is one of the dahlias that I thought was lost while the other is just starting to bud.  The Japanese anemonies are also looking very pretty.

I also have some big clusters of Autumn fruiting raspberries, the tomatoes are giving generously and the lone pear is still there and getting bigger.  Not bad for a small growing space - could do better but it's OK.

It's worth all the watering, for sure!

I'm taking things very gently today.  

How are you all, if you're living under this unaccustomed heat.  I know people have it a lot worse but we're just not accustomed to it, either in body or in infrastructure.  Maybe we will have to over the coming decades . . .

Stay safe, everyone, and be careful.  xx

Friday, 14-08-26

Good morning, all.  Just a quick one today as I hardly did anything yesterday, it was so hot.

Chris and Tracy came over and we had a lovely chat out in the garden room.  Then it got so hot so I stayed inside, curtains closed, fans on.  

Today is supposed to be hot too, maybe 32/33C, less than yesterday while there's a big drop into reasonable summer temperatures tomorrow.  

Says the BBC!  Fingers crossed.

I have Slimming World today (it won't be great scale news after last weekend), then I need to pick up my prescription, and I expect the rest of the day will be like yesterday - loads of water, fans on, shut the heat out and stay as cool as possible.

How about you?  xx

Thursday, 13-08-46

Morning, one and all.  Thank you for joining me.  Apologies for yesterday - I was a bit pushed for time yesterday morning and every time I remembered I hadn't done it, I was doing something else, if you see what I mean.  So in the end I decided to wait for today!

Not that there's much to writer about, mind you.  It's been a gentle old week here.  I've houseworked, knotted, washed, dries and ironed, done a .
bit of all sorts really

In this hot weather I'm watering twice a day and that seems to be keeping the tomatoes going although some plants are showing signs of wear and tear.  Of course, it's that time of year anyway, isn't it?

I've spotted the first (that I can see) cyclamen flower.  It's very pretty and has grown from a corm Mum gave me, ages ago.  It's a slightly darker pink that it appears in this photo.
It's always a sign that autumn is approaching.  First come the flowers and, a bit later, the leaves, eventually covering the whole bed with pretty shapes during the dull months.  Come the spring, I pull them all up and up they come again in around six months' time.
It's also a reminder that I need to start clearing the bed, starting with the foxgloves that flowered this year but leaving the new plants to flower next year.  I will move some of them too, to a better place in the bed.  (no idea what's happened to the formatting here!

Earlier in the year I dug up some baby foxgloves and popped them into a planter and they seem very happy.  We will see if I get a lovely and moveable display next spring/summer!

While on the subject of garden, the tomatoes continue to be happy with just two minor issues.  
One is the ever present blossom end rot, supposedly because of lack of calcium in the soil, but only one of the types is showing it, the accidental 'Big Red' a huge plum type and I didn't mean to buy.
And the only type that is splitting is the Alicante.  That's supposed to be due to intermittent watering but I don't think that's the case as none of the others are showing signs.  Maybe it is type vulnerability?  Who know?  It's not a bit problem, thankfully!

Today, Chris is round and also Tracy, my next door neighbour, for coffee and a good old natter.  After that I'm popping round to Morrisons as I am running out of fruit which would never do.  There's always bits of housework, of course!

It's going to be very hot (for the UK) over much of England today so do take care, get some water into the fridge early, dig out the sun safety stuff and stay well.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Edit:  I looked up the splitting tomato thing and it said sudden changes in moisture, temperature fluctuations and/or soil conditions.

The RHS says:

 Although easy to grow, tomato fruits can suffer from splitting and cracking in late summer. This is difficult to prevent, as it is caused by fluctuating temperatures and water supply - which are often out of the control of the gardener.

Odd that it is only the Alicantes though.

Tuesday, 11-08-26

Good morning, everyone, and welcome.  
Isn't crazy to think that a third of August has been and gone!  Blink and Autumn will be round the corner!  Oh, my goodness!
We're now half way through the summer holiday (for schools) and, dear me, I am so glad I'm retired.  Change of PM and Education Lead in government and, obviously, more changes - even though schools haven't had the opportunity to process that last lot of changes yet.   Will they ever stop treating education as a cheap political football?  No need to answer that, we all know, don't we?

Yesterday felt very busy.  

I gave the garden, and especially the tomatoes, two good waterings (using cans, of course, I am a Good Girl) and, as mentioned, picked loads and loads of tomatoes - and a cucumber.  After some weeks of not much, the cucumbers have decided to fruit again.

I unpacked after the watering and got all that sorted.

I did two loads of washing but not the ironing.  That can wait for today.
I processed some of the tomatoes and now I have four more lots of passata - I use those silicon brick thingies and the resulting cubes take very little space.

I cleared the kitchen, made another mess making dinner for me and Alex, and cleared that.
I went to Morrisons and did some shopping.  It wasn't a big shop but what I handed over was shocking.  Needing some cash didn't help - I know it's mostly cashless nowadays but I do like to have a small amount ready to use.

Alex came round late afternoon and we had dinner after which I took him home again.

I got nibbled to death over the weekend - different area, different bugs, maybe.   The lakes (big ponds) are drying up but there's enough water in them still and I left my window open overnight!!  Oh, well, I have germoline and will apply some soon as I'm feeling mighty itchy after my bath.  No new nibbles overnight though, thankfully.

Just a few more photos - as well as the hotel and to one side of it, there's a set of  . . . I suppose 'flatlets' is the best term . . . each one containing sixteen rooms, I think. the same quality as the hotel rooms.  It's called the Village, it's alongside the gold course and just a couple of minutes walk from the hotel where guests have their meals, etc..  I've never stayed in the Village but I has a little walk up and down.

Today, being Tuesday, starts with Groove.  I can't honestly say I feel terribly enthusiastic about it and would much rather be lazy at home but I'll be glad I went afterwards, I am sure.

After that, it is more of the same.  I want to skin and freeze some more of the cherry tomatoes and I need to do a serious deadheading.

Then there's inside dust, etc, although my feeling is that that can all wait.

Right, time to stop rambling and get the day started.  Get dressed, give the tomatoes a good watering (cans only!!), do my social media stuff, empty the dishwasher . . . and then meet Chris for Groove.
Enjoy your day, everyone.  Stay cool or as cool as possible and, if you know a little rain dance, we in the south east would really appreciate it!!  
xx

Monday, 10-08-26 edited

Morning, all.  It is 11:30.  I'm home, unpacked, everything away, over a kilo of tomatoes picked and passata made, all bar sieving, one load of washing in and a coffee by my side.
It was an easy journey home - sat nav took me straight through Maldon which was unexpected but fine and home end I saw that the road I was going to take into Chelmsford was chokka - red all the way, so I went a bit round the houses to avoid the Army and Navy.  I knew where I was going so that was OK.  It probably added fifteen minutes to the projected time but I'd have been stuck for hours otherwise so no worries.

It's been a lovely weekend, a really restful time.  It was hot but there's efficient air con so it wasn't a problem.  I have eaten well but not wisely!!  Back on the straight and narrow now.

I need to go to Morrisons to get a few things and Alex is coming round late afternoon for dinner.  Apart from that, it's a slow day and I'm going to enjoy it.

I hope your day is going well so far.  All the best and stay sun-safe.  xx

Sunday, 09-08-06

Hi, everyone.  So here I am, in my comfortable room, coffee beside me, having had a lovely restful day yesterday. I did very little of what I thought I would do yesterday and am anticipating another similar day today!

Yesterday started with trip to the pop up shop to get some Rennies.  I never have indigestion but . . . well, yes!!!  I laughed though - there were three of us in a line clutching boxes of the same.  Comfort in numbers!

Basically, I did not-a-lot.  All day!
I enjoyed some quizzes, I sat out in the Garden Terrace, coffee in hand, read, chatted, drank my coffee, went in for a quiz, had a stroll around, bought my bingo tickets (I changed my mind) and in the afternoon enjoyed a whole series of 'Wild West Inspired' fun.  Mind you - Essex people trying to sound American has to be heard to be believed!!

The garden Terrace looking towards the stage . . .

And the other way . . .

It was hot but there was a really refreshing breeze blowing so it didn't feel uncomfortable.

I had hoped to watch the show but when I went up to my room after dinner I realised that the only thing I wanted to do was relax, read and have an early night - so that's what I did.
Because I am on holiday!!  :-)

On to today and I'm going to do similar.  There's quizzes, bingo, some 'entertainments' - silly games, mostly, fun to watch and undemanding.  I will just see how the day pans out.
At some point I will need to think about packing as I hate leaving it all until the last moment.  It won't take long, it just needs to be done, that's all.

It's all very self indulgent and tomorrow I will need to descend back to reality but for now - all's pleasant in my world!

Hope you are having a pleasant weekend too.  xx

Saturday, 08-08-26

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to my first morning at Potters, Five Lakes - although, to be fair, maybe it should be called Five Rapidly Disappearing Ponds right now!

The drive over was good - a bit busy, I guess, but it's not tricky, the worst bit is Maldon/Heybridge and even then, as long as you know the road names, it's fine.

I arrived just in time for lunch which was an optional extra but, as I had early arrival, if was worth it.  I had a very nice chicken Caesar salad (perfect amount, not too big as they usually are, and plenty of chicken) followed by lemon cheesecake (naughty but nice).

Then I was able to access my room.

It's really very nice.  

The room looking one way . . .

. . . and the other.

A very nice bathroom . . .

. . . and a big, walk-in shower, too big to get it all in one photo.

As you can see, the colour scheme is neutral and restful.

There's a very pleasant view from the large picture window although that puddle is usually twice the size and depth.  No balcony but I can turn the chair round to face the outside if I want.

So, I unpacked, made everything cosy and had a bit of a chill with a book before wandering to the Lake View Lounge which is pretty close to my bedroom . . . 

. . . and had The First Drink.  😊
It's become a bit of a tradition to have my favourite 'cocktail', a prosecco and campari, to start a Potters weekend and I thoroughly enjoyed it before moving on to coffee.

I had the coffee in the Garden Bar which is where some of the action happens although, in this weather, a lot of the entertainment has moved to the Garden Terrace which is new since I was last here and which I need to locate.

And so the afternoon and evening passed.

Dinner was lovely.  Potters doesn't do high cuisine but it has good, well cooked wholesome fare and the pate, roast pork with vegetables and mango sorbet, washed down with a glass of pinto grigio was lovely.

I went to the theatre for some singing and a quiz but I felt myself fading out so didn't stay for the show which was a shame but I was very weary.  I'd like to say I slept like a log but - you know, first night in a different bed.  I can take plenty of down time if I need it today.

So, on to today.  At some point I would like to go to the spa for a swim and there's all sorts of stuff on offer.  Taiso (Japanese inspired movement), some craft, yoga for beginners, Dancercise, a keypad quiz, some live music and so much more - and that's just the morning.

Obviously, I can't do it all so I will have to make choices.  I'd love to do the dancercise and there's salsa and cha cha in the afternoon.  I brought some fitness wear with me, thankfully.

And do I want to do Bingo?  Maybe tomorrow?  I don't know.  This is where if I were with a friend, I'm sure we would do it together.

The evening show is a cabaret so that should be very pleasant indeed.  If I'm still awake by then.  😉

Well, time to have a shower and get going.  It's early but I don't want to rush at any point.  Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Friday, 07-08-26

Morning, all.  Just a very quick one because there's plenty to do to be ready to leave after Slimming World.   I'm taking my laptop, etc, with me so I'll be posting as usual.

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx

Thursday, 06-08-26

Good morning, everyone.  There's not an awful lot to say today as life is very slow and gentle at the moment.

This is today's tomato task - to skin and chop and freeze these - mostly Romas with a few Shirleys and one Big Red!  They're all large so I should get several portions, not to mention the skins to dehydrate.

(I have the first skins in the air fryer as I type so we will see.)

Apart from that, there's coffee and chat at Chris' first thing, I have washing, etc,  to do and I want to pretty much pack for the weekend as I would like to load up and leave after SW tomorrow morning.

And that's about it . . . so have a lovely day, everyone.  See you tomorrow!  xx

Wednesday, 05-08-26

Morning, everyone!

I'm a bit late today.  Excuses later!  😀

Yesterday went OK.  It started off fairly cool but by the afternoon it was very humid, a strong wind got up and the clouds rolled over and I really felt a storm was on the way.  No such luck - by evening the clouds looked less ominous, the wind had died down and the humidity had lifted (thankfully).

Sharon came, worked her magic and left again.
I popped to Morrisons to get a few things I had forgotten to get.

I made some chutney, not Alison's recipe but one with balsamic vinegar.  It was OK, I will enjoy it, but it's a bit bland.  Not one to make again.

I've not got quite a lot of tomato based stuff in the freezer and today I want to add to that with some peeled and chopped tomatoes.

This morning, I got my Facebook stuff done and then I went over to Lindsey's for personal training.  She asked me about things, adapted the exercises and finished off with a massage.  She thinks that, judging by my reactions to the massage, I have a bit of a trapped nerve.  It does feel a lot better now, even if the massage itself was a bit uncomfortable at times, so that's good.

When I got home, I watered the tomatoes and then set to cutting back some more leaves on the tomato plants.  If we do get rain (yes, please), it will help keep the plants aired and blight free.

They don't look nearly so nice now and are a bit top heavy so I will need to keep an eye on that, but 

the tomatoes will get better light and, as I said, better air through.

Then I sat down with coffee and have only just remembered my blog.  Ooops.

There's nothing else in the diary for today but I want to start packing for Friday and Five Lakes.  Only two more days, yay.
My lovely neighbour says she will water the garden which is so kind of her given the hosepipe ban.

So that's me for today.  Nothing very exciting but just plodding on is nice and peaceful, isn't it?  Have a lovely day yourselves too.  xx

Tuesday, 04-08-26

 Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to my blog.
It's a fine morning and the early sun is shining brightly.    I've done my watering - left handed watering is something of a pain but not as much as using the other arm!! - and picked the morning tomatoes.

Yesterday I made a big bowl of tomato, roasted red pepper and lentil soup which tastes gorgeous and will be perfect, not only for soup but also for pasta/pizza sauce and that sort of thing.  This morning I blanched and peeled some cherry tomatoes and they will also be frozen.

Peeling those little tomatoes is fiddly and, while I was doing it, I suddenly wondered if I could do anything more with the skins than just compost them.

So I asked my friend, Google, 'Can I make tomato powder with tomato skins?' and this is what I got.

Yes, you can make tomato powder from tomato skins. The process involves dehydrating the skins at low temperatures and then grinding them into a fine powder. This method not only conserves food waste but also preserves the flavour and nutrients of the tomatoes. The resulting tomato powder can be used in various dishes to enhance their flavour and colour.

My air fryer has a dehydrate function so three cheers.  When I think of all the skins I have discarded over the years . . . 
I might dry some of the bigger tomatoes and store them in evoo or even garlic infused oil - wouldn't that be good?

One half of the salt tablets arrived yesterday (they warned me in might come in two deliveries).   I asked nicely but the driver wouldn't take them round the back.   Oh, well, I managed, one bag at a time!  I'm hoping the other half will arrive today.

Thinking of today, I'm not doing Groove.  There's a lot of arm stuff and I don't think it would be sensible.  I'm going to ask Lindsey for some gentle stretching exercises I can do for when it aches - she's really helpful with things like that.  

BBC weather doesn't show any rain though for weeks - although there are flood warnings out for other parts of the country.  C'est la vie!!!

Have a lovely Tuesday, all.  Stay safe and well.  xx

Monday, 03-08-26

Good morning, everyone!  It's Monday, new week, the sun is shining and, right now, it's very pleasant outside.

I've done my first watering can watering this morning.  I'm not sure it needed it but, while the heat continues, I will be doing morning and evening, particularly the thirsty tomatoes!

Here you go - the mandatory photo!
I've done the morning picking and these will soon be ready to pick.  I'm really loving them this year; they are much happier than in pots and, assuming I feed the soil well, they should grow well next year too.

I'm already thinking about next year, as I am sure some of you are too.  Growing space is limited but I have bought some . . . well, they are called potato bags but they are sturdy and should do for plenty of other veg as well as potatoes.  I'm wondering about over-wintering some early broad beans (so I need to get the seeds soon) and then I can use the same soil for salad leaves, maybe, and so on.  I really would like to grow a bit more produce.

And here's that dahlia, looking very happy and healthy.  Definitely the 'wrong' colour but, dear me, let's not be too fussy!

I do like a survivor!

Today should be circuits but I've pulled out as my shoulder/upper arm is quite sore.  Annoying, but on this occasion I feel it is wiser to rest it than to push on through.  Lindsey said that she can give it a massage at PT on Wednesday - that should help.

When I went to top up the water softener, I found I was down to the last bag of salt pellets so good old Amazon is delivering some today.  With any luck, he will carry them round to the back for me but, if not, I will just have to be very, very careful!  I wonder where I put my trolley box . . .

Well, better go.  I may not be rushing out to circuits but I do have stuff to do so have a lovely day, everyone.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Sunday, 02-08-26

Morning, all.  Another cool and dry start to the day.  Mornings and evenings round here are really very pleasant, it just tends to get hot in the late morning and afternoon.

I made the first chutney I have made in several years, using a recipe from the ever-reliable BBC Good Food.  Maybe I shouldn't have added the optional chilli and maybe I overdid the ginger but I like a bit of spice in chutney, it's actually really nice and can be used straight away.
I halved the amounts and it gave me one big pot which is perfect as far as storage is concerned.
So that's 500g of tomatoes accounted for!

I meant to have some with my evening meal but forgot.  I've planned a burger this evening so it will be perfect for that!

I'll try Alison's recipe next although it won't be all Sungolds; I don't have enough of them and anyway I love them raw!  :-)

Last week, I got a message from Virgin telling me my TV box was on the way out (that wasn't news to me) so please to order a new one.  So I did, it arrived on Friday and yesterday I summoned up my courage and did the necessary.  It should have been easy and, to 99.9% of the population it would have been but me - I'm the original techno-twit and it took ages.  I got there though, finally, thank goodness.  Now I just have to return the old bod to them, everything provided including return label.
Of course, I lost all my recordings and settings, but it wasn't long ago I had to change the zapper and lost them in the process then so there wasn't much to lose.  To be fair, the new way to record is infinitely easier, once you get your head round it.

I've just unpacked the Oddbox, which is left on my doorstep overnight.  Lovely quality fruit and veg including a beautiful cabbage which I don't need but I will give it to Beth and Alex when I take come tomatoes over this afternoon.

This morning I want to spend a little time just tidying and sorting stuff and dealing with tomatoes (I might just skin and chop and freeze for chutney making at a later date) and then the day's my own.   I have absolutely no idea what to do but I'm sure I will find something.

In the meanwhile, I will love you and leave you with hopes for a good day for us all.  xx 

Saturday, 01-08-26

Good morning, everyone, and pinch and punch for the first of the month with no returns!  I think that covers it.  😁

So, here we are at the beginning of the holiday month as I always think of it.  I have vague and happy feelings of little children playing in the garden - swing, sandpit, tricycles, scooters, going for bike rides with Mum, going for walks with Pam, getting up early to bring the milk in before it went off in the sun and that overwhelming sense of freedom.  I was very lucky in my childhood; I'm sure there were less great times but I don't remember them.

Yesterday started nice and cool but by the afternoon it was hot again and I stayed in, appreciating the fans.  In the morning, I had done Slimming World and then went over to Morrisons to do the weekly shop although I do hope I won't need to do anything quite as big for a fortnight, just fresh stuff.  I'm away next weekend and that will help too!  I was able to take the money out of July's budget so today starts with a clean sheet and that's something else that feels good.  July was a very costly month, what with all the extra expenses plus paying for holidays and so on - August looks much plainer sailing (touch wood) one way and another.

I knew we couldn't escape the hosepipe ban much longer and, yes, Essex and Suffolk Water has announced one starting Monday.  Ho hum but fair enough.  I will make the most of this weekend and give the beds, especially the tomato bed, super long soakings and I'm thankful that I have no tomatoes in pots this year as they are a bit of a pain to keep damp and there's so much more evaporation.

And, talking of tomatoes, I have loads including some larger ones and will be making some chutney today.  I have a few big jars and don't want to make loads but, unlike jam, I do eat chutney regularly so it won't be wasted.  And there's always Christmas gifts to consider.

I'm glad that I have that because this weekend, for the first time in forever, I have no one to bake bread for.  Lindsey has plenty and so does Beth.  I feel bereft (well, a bit sad anyway) as I love making bread.

The other thing I want to do today is deal with the hanging baskets which are really past their best now and looking straggly. and not terribly attractive.  They've been great though and, obviously, I will be keeping the pots and dumping the contents in the compost bin.
There's always dead heading too plus weed scraping although they are wilting in the heat and not nearly as aggressive as usual.

Have a lovely day, everyone.  Stay happy and be safe.  xx