Thursday, 02-04-26

Morning.  There's a big old moon low on the horizon as I type and a distinctly chilly feel to the air this morning.  I didn't hang around outside when I went to the freezer in the shed.  Welcome to Thursday, everyone.

I decided not to wander very far yesterday (petrol, etc) but to pop round to Morrisons for the few things I didn't get earlier in the week and to have a look at what they had in the way of cheap veg for Easter.  I was pleased to see swede, carrots and parsnips, all at just four pence each.  Now that's what I call value.

What with what I got there plus the Oddbox contents at the weekend, I will be fine for vegetables for a few weeks and will need to eat plenty in order not to waste any although, to be fair, I intend prepping and freezing some.  Very healthy!

I think it is the same all over.  It's almost like a Dutch auction where they all vie to match each other so when Aldi said 4p they all went the same way, like duckings following mama duck.  Fine by me and it is a loss leader so farmers don't suffer.

The rest of the day was just ordinary stuff really.  I haven't mentioned crochet recently because I'm just doing granny squares again.  I bought yarn for the maple leaf blanket and the quiet skies blanket and wanted to use some up so I chose a blue, pink and purple colour theme and I'm now on the border.  It does look nice.
I have no need of any more blankets but I need to have something to keep my hands busy in the evenings and grannies don't take too much thought.  Thankfully, I have had no more trouble with my thumb, wrist or shoulder so that's a relief.

Today is busy but in a nice way.
Chris is home again now so she will be over for the usual coffee and chat and today my neighbour, T, is joining us.
Then I will bustle around getting things ready for lunch before Diane turns up.  I expect we will talk a lot about Crete which is less than three weeks away now.  My fingers are still crossed because things are so very volatile at the moment.

Once Diane heads off home I expect I will make a cuppa and relax.  

A nice day in store, I think.  How about you?  Doing anything exciting or enjoyable today?  Take care and stay nice and warm.  xx

Wednesday, 01-04-26

Morning, all, and welcome to April.  I love April, it is my favourite single month.

I've been buying a few more clothes for both my hot weather holidays and last week I ordered some shorts from Temu because - well - cheap!
They came yesterday and I got them too big; you never know with Temu, do you?.  They're knee length (what I wanted; I am getting on a bit now) but I fear that when I wear them I will bear more than a passing resemblance to Lofty from 'It Ain't Half Hot Mum'.  Remember that oldie?
To be fair, after I ironed them, they looked a lot better but still too big, I think.

So I went back online and ordered the size below and fingers crossed.  
They were so very cheap that it's not an issue and I'm not going to bother to return them - they will do me at home - assuming we actually do get some warm weather, of course!!

I pottered in the kitchen yesterday and made some not cross bun dough using a Cookidoo recipe.  In the end, the amount made two small cake sized loaves and three not cross buns.  There's nothing meaningful or statement-like about the not cross bit, it's just an extra hassle I can't be bothered with, making the flour and water stuff to form the crosses.  I did make a glaze though!

I also started Diane's sourdough and it's been slowly fermenting overnight in the fridge.  It's out now and warming up before I carry on.

I got an email from Readly.  They are amalgamating (or being taken over???) and are 'excited to welcome you to a new reading experience and a new Readly app very soon.'  In other words - it will change.  Grrrr.  

It means I will lose all my bookmarks so, yesterday, I went through with my camera and photo-ed each thing I wanted to keep because I don't know if you can copy or print from Kindle Fire.  They're now all uploaded and I need to go through and give each file an appropriate name - they're mostly recipes.

Sharon came and worked the usual magic with my hair.  I read the gas meter and checked the boiler pressure (fine) but will do the knives today. 

The diary is empty so I think I might look round a few shops just for fun.  Maybe I could get the bus into town - I'll see how I feel.  I have the loaves to finish and I have just sliced and frozen the not cross bun loaves to get them out of arm's reach.  They are just too delicious!

I  hope your week is going well.  Have a great day, everyone, and take care.  xx

Tuesday, 31-03-26

 Morning!  How are you today on this last day of March.  It's dull and dreary outside which makes me thankful for good lighting inside.  Something else that makes me happy is that downstairs is tidy (as tidy as it ever gets in my home anyway) and clean, thanks to Kay.  She does a really good job, bless her, and leaves my kitchen spotless - she even wipes over all the cupboard doors and all the wall tiles, something I tend to 'forget'.

What else did I do yesterday?  Well, I changed the sheets on my bed, washing, drying and ironing them and getting them back on again - I like to do that because otherwise they might just sit around for ages waiting to be ironed or something and, yes, I do iron my bedding.  Don't shoot me!!

I binge watched the rest of the Mary Bennet programmes.  It was good but, oh, how I wish they wouldn't change things unnecessarily  I know a book has to be adapted for TV but, all the same.  Having said that, I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing, I will watch it again at some point and I still think the book is loads better.  If you liked the show, do read the book.

I found two books for my Kindle that were on special at just £0.99.  One is another Tracy Borman history, 'Elizabeth and her Women, the hidden story of the Virgin Queen' which is about the women who had the greatest influences on her life.  The other is 'Healthy in One', eighty healthy one-pot recipes, or so the blurb says.  At 99p one can hardly go wrong really and I do enjoy browsing through cookery books.  I have far too many hard copies of recipe books and no room for any more so three cheers for my Kindle!
Kindles tend to divide people - some  think they are an abomination while others regard them as the next step in the development of books/printing/etc.  Me - I like both.  Books are great to handle and snuggle into a chair with while Kindles are fantastic when one is on the go.  I'm glad I have the choice

Which do you prefer?

I got a real shock yesterday morning.  Suddenly, while doing stuff on my laptop, my Google Chrome updated and I just lost all my shortcuts that I kept on the Google home page (or whatever it's called).  Just . . . gone.  So, so annoying.
So I had to go all round the houses to get shortcuts on my screen instead.  Thank goodness I am meticulous at keeping passwords safe or I'd have been in a right stew.  There was one, a link to a game site called DKM Games that does games like sudoku, battleships and something called shisen that I am quite addicted to.  I've warmed my brain up with this for years and years and could I find it by searching?  In the end I remembered I could check history and got it that way.

But so annoying that I didn't even have the choice!!  I know things move on but . . .

I've got all the finances sorted for the month already so I don't have that to do today.  I'll read the gas meter, sharpen the knives and check the boiler pressure so I don't need to do it tomorrow and I want to start Diane's sourdough (mine came out beautifully Sunday and yesterday).

And the lovely Sharon is coming round to work her usual magic on my hair, as I always say.  It needs a good neaten up and should be just right for Crete in three weeks - eeeek, just three weeks!!

Right, well, time to get the ball rolling, I think.  Have a lovely day and take care.  See you tomorrow.  xx

Monday, 30-03-26

Morning, all, and welcome to a new week.  In some ways it is not a busy week as there's no classes but there's still things on.

Today:  Kay (confirmed)

Tuesday:  Sharon to do my hair
Wednesday: the usual new month stuff and message Kay (finance person, not cleaner)
Thursday:  coffee and chat with Chris who will be back from her cruise today and then Diane is round

Friday is clear.
No, definitely not busy but writing it like this fixes it in my elderly brain!!  😀

I might have already mentioned it, but Beth and Alex are coming round for lunch on Easter Sunday which is the ideal excuse to splash out on some lamb.  I love roast lamb but hardly ever have it because it is fiendishly expensive.  
I had thought I would shop later in the week but, when I checked my Morrisons App for any new deals, I saw that one was triple More Points, finishing yesterday.  So I finished my list and popped over.
They had loads of legs of lamb but, more to the point, they were less than half price if I used my More card (which I always do).  So a very decent leg of lamb was around £12-13.  Still not cheap but more affordable - so affordable that I bought three, one for Sunday and two for later in the year.  There were loads so I didn't feel guilty.
I also found a reduced pork joint and a few other meat items so I am super well stocked with meat now.  So much for reducing contents of my freezer.

Oh, well - sometimes you just have to.

So today is Kay-day and things are almost ready for her tender care.  I just have to tidy stuff on the table and put away the rest of the ironing, neither of which will take all that long.
Apart from that, I can complete the finances for March, I need to plan my meals for this week and my bedroom needs some attention so that means sheets to wash.  

And, joy of joys, the remaining episodes of The Other Bennet Sister have dropped into iPlayer so I have that to enjoy too.

At the moment, I'm reading Tracy Borman's 'The Stolen Crown', the story of the succession of Elizabeth I.  It's factual, not fiction, but reads very interestingly and I do enjoy history that is not too academic in form.  So I can get on with that too

I won't be bored, that's for sure.

Sunday, 29-03-26

Hi, everyone, welcome to British Summer Time and a heavy frost!  Classic!

Yesterday was another lovely day.  I finished off the washing and did most of the ironing:  there's just a little bit left which I will do after I've sent this.
The bread came out lovely and I took it over to Beth's in the afternoon where I had a good old chat before coming back home.

I think I might have already said that I'm not making bread for Lindsey as she's away for the week so I'm making some sourdough for myself this week.  I tend to have a mix of sourdough and yeasted, depending on how much time and energy I have.  Yeasted is a lot easier and very much quicker.  The starter is just on its last stretch and then I can start the dough.  It might be finished today or it might need the second rise in the fridge.
Then I want to make another batch for Diane to take when she comes around on Thursday so I will start that Tuesday.
And, finally, there will be more bread for Beth and Alex and I want to make some spiced Easter loaf (aka not-crossed loaf), pretty much the same as hot crossed buns but a lot less faff!
It's going to be a bready old week this week - how lovely!

Have you had a frost this morning too?  Stay warm and cosy and see you tomorrow.  xx

Saturday, 28-03-26

Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to a lovely, sunny Saturday morning here in mid-Essex.  It's none too warm but that's OK, the sun makes such a difference.

Yesterday wasn't sunny but it was a pleasant day for me, even if the washing did have to dry inside!  Slimming world was really good, there was a really positive vibe and loads of people.  I do love helping with the weighing - that way I get to exchange a few words with everyone.  The new magazine was out too and I'm looking forward to having a good browse through it later on today.

Alex came for his last cooking session for now with one exception.  He will be coming round on May 8th, his birthday, to make a birthday cake.  Isn't that nice?  Not that it is working to my strength but I am sure between us we can get something decent made.  At the moment he fancies a vanilla sponge with chocolate icing although that might change!

This morning, I have almost finished Beth's loaves.  They just need baking so I'm going to pop them in the oven after I've finished this so they will cool nicely before I take them over this afternoon.  
I have a bit more washing, plenty of ironing and some sorting out of the veg in the freezer but, apart from that, the day is my own.  Nice.

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.  Take care, stay safe and see you tomorrow.  xx

Friday, 27-03-26

Morning, all.  this week seems to have gone really quickly;  how can it possibly be Friday already.

Yesterday was a really pleasant day.  It was really cold but the sun shone and it was very cheering.  I had time to get everything done without feeling rushed before Val arrived and we had a lovely chat over soup and cheesy toast - yum!

That was about it really.  A gently, restful sort of day.

Today is the usual Friday - Slimming World and then Alex is round to make a Thai green curry.  This will be his last lesson for a while - I think he has other commitments coming up.  I think the weekend will be pretty gentle too.  Nice.

Have a lovely day, everyone, whatever the temperature.  xx

26-03-26

Morning, everyone.  Welcome to a very cold but beautifully sunny Thursday morning.  

Yesterday was a day of two halves.  I got all sorts of stuff done in the morning and in the afternoon I drove over to Lindsey's for P T and then went into school for a longer than usual governors' meeting with all sorts of stuff to discuss.  We were all tired by the end.

I've been discovering the new costume drama from the BBC, The Other Bennet Sister, which tells the story of Mary, the fifth sister who appears as merely a caricature in the book and, I seem to remember, didn't appear at all in a much earlier adaptation when I was much younger, she was that unimportant to the overall plot. 
I found the first five episodes on iPlayer, enjoyed them very much and looked for a Kindle book, only to find that I already had it.  I'm now enjoying that much more than the TV version, as I almost always do.  They have to cut so much out for TV and, as a result, have to adapt what they do include to make it all work.
Jane Austen it isn't but it's a good read.

Today, as Chris is still on holiday, there's no coffee and chat until my dear friend, Val, arrives for lunch.  I've made some soup and some bread - simple but tasty.

And now I'd better go and deal with things so I'm proper ready.  A bit of tidying is definitely needed!!
Have a lovely Thursday, everyone, whatever your plans.  xx

Wednesday, 25-03-26

Morning, my lovelies.  How are things for you this morning?

I'm sitting here, having woken at stupid o'clock, it's still dark so can't see the weather yet but the forecast is for sun and showers and a bit cold too.  Never mind, I've just finished my first coffee of the day, the one I have my collagen in.  I have no idea if it's helping yet - my skin feels softer but that could just be imagination, couldn't it?  And my joints are popping a bit less but that could be a phase.  
Time will tell.

Yesterday turned out really nice.  I got back from Groove, had an apple and a coffee and then set out for Longacres.  I might have mentioned last week but when I was away I got a bird bath, a quite cheap one, from a stall in Thrapston.  The chap suggested that I get some sort of rock/slab to put in the middle for the smaller birds as it was a bit deep.
So I looked and they had just what I needed. Odd prices though - one was £5.99 or you could get three for a tenner.  Shame I didn't need three really but not to worry.
I also wandered around inside and bought a birthday present for someone so that was good.

I had a wee look in B&Q which was next door and found this:

Not a great photos but never mind.

It was bone dry but still looked glossy and good with no wilting and lots of new leafage so I thought it worth a go.
The label said £19 which I gulped about a bit but got it anyway.  At the checkout it showed just £9.  You can't get a half posh bunch of flowers for that nowadays, can you?  So even if it only lasts the summer, that will be good.

After saying I had nothing much happening yesterday, I remembered that I'd been invited to the Y3/4 Easter Show which was a musical of Roald Dahl's Jack and the Beanstalk from his Revolting Rhymes.  It was fab, really good and I was so glad I was invited.  There are perks for Governors!

Today I want to spend some time in the kitchen.  I have a loaf to make and bake, soup to make for tomorrow and a fridge that needs a good clear out.  I also have those storage boxes which I plan to use to put bits and bobs from a couple of cupboards in - it should make them easier to access.  Later on I have personal training and then a governors' meeting so I must go through the paperwork too.

Better get started.  Have a good day and stay warm, dry and safe.  xx

Tuesday, 24-03-26

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to a forecast-to-get-chillier-and-wetter Tuesday morning.  It sounds like winter hasn't quite had the last word yet in some areas.

After giving my muslin cloths the hottest wash I could, I took a good look at them and decided that some were really past it (stains and holes) so they have been repurposed for car, window clearing, etc, etc, I looked on Amazon without much hope and there they were - babies muslin nappies much cheaper than I expected and, given that some of the ones I am using right now were bought nearly fifty years ago (Beth will be 48 this year), I reckon this lot will see me out and well beyond (Beth and/or Anna will take them over, I am sure).
Don't I live an exciting life?

Apart from that, Circuits was good as always but that's it for two weeks now - next week is the break between blocks and then it is Easter Bank Holiday.  I'm glad Lindsey is generous with her pre-records.

Kay couldn't come.  That's OK, things are tough right now and I'm the last one to want to make things harder.
So when I got home from circuits, I went out again.  First of all I went to B&M to look for plastic storage.  I didn't find what I wanted but they did have some jars of roasted red peppers very much cheaper than in places like Morrisons or even Aldi so I stocked up.
Then I went next door to Marriage's Mill Shop to stock up with rye and strong wholemeal flours before driving on to Sainsburys where I got my spelt flour plus a few other bits and bobs  I'm still not impressed with their range of clothing though.
Now I am well stocked with my different flours which makes me happy.  I think I have someone else to bake sourdough for, starting in the middle of May.  Plenty of opportunity to keep practising!

Today is Groove and then housework.  I'm glad I did most of the washing done yesterday and dried in the sunshine.  Those muslins should arrive sometime today and they will also need a wash before use.

Apart from that, the day's my own and, right now, I have no idea . . .  :-)

Hope you have a lovely day too.  xx

Monday, 23-03-26

Good morning again, everyone.  Another week begins and it looks like being much more regular and steady than last week.  Lots of last week was lovely but some things were unsettling and I do like a regular sort of existence these days.  Definitely getting elderly, I fear.  

When I was at M&S last week, I treated myself to some flowers and they look lovely.  I got the jug while I was away last week as a sort of treat/memory thing - no fridge magnets though!

Yesterday was nice.  The sun shone, my lovely neighbour cut my grass for me (it's at the front and open and it was so nice of him) and Lindsey's loaves came out a treat.  I think Bubbles really likes this milder weather - the dough rose much better than the last few months and the loaves look really good this time.  Lindsey says they always taste good but sometimes looks count as well!

Today has started off - I was going to say 'well' but that's not the right word.  I took a look at my tea towels and muslin wipes and decided they were looking off colour so I've put them in the hottest wash my machine will do to freshen them up. 
Does anyone remember those twin tubs when you could actually do a boil wash - great for nappies and dishcloths but not at the same time!!
Anyway - they should be done and out on the line before I leave for circuits, looking all clean and nice again.
I dunno - the things that make us happy!!!  Daft!

Hopefully, it is a Kay-Day this morning.  Things have been a bit up and down for her recently so I'm waiting for her to confirm but fingers crossed.
After that I need to go to the mill for some more flour, especially rye and then on to Sainsburys for some spelt.
I'm also expecting a few emails that will need dealing with at some point today too.

So nothing too alarming but it should keep me nice and busy for a while!
Hopefully you have a lovely day coming up too.  xx

Sunday, 22-03-26

Good morning, everyone.  How are you all this morning?  We had quite a frost this morning but the forecast is for dry weather so that's good.

The SW Buddies walk - well, gentle stroll anyway - yesterday was really good.  The sun shone, the daffodils were lovely and the swans are nesting on the little island again.  I wish I had taken my camera with me.

Once home, it was a chilled day, very restful.  Lindsey's bread is just warming after a cold ferment in the fridge overnight so I will get that finished as and when. 

And this morning the second OddBox was left on the doorstep.  I don't find that they are a saving in money but the quality seems very good indeed and it does provide an outlet for things that otherwise are unwanted.  For example, today's box had loads of small apples, the kind you get in bags for children's lunchboxes.  That size really suits me but I can see how they would be too small for most people.
I focused more of fruit this box - next time I will go more for veg.

I'm hoping to get a little bit of gardening done today - those weeds are fighting back again in the warmer, brighter weather.  Apart from that, it will be a nice, chilled day again.  After a good night's sleep, that feels just perfect.  

Happy Sunday, all.  Have a great day and stay safe and well.  xx

Saturday, 21-03-26

Morning, all.  Welcome to Saturday!  BBC weather tells me it is going to be another really lovely day; isn't that nice?

Yesterday was one of those days when everything went according to plan - or, rather, to my Little List.  No rush, no hassle, everything got done and the food was really nice.  I've posted these on t'other blog so apologies if you see them twice.

Nibbly stuff for starters.  The hummus was a cookidoo recipe for Thermione which I adapted only slightly and the crispbread was just my own bread, thin sliced and dried in the air fryer.  

Shocking light, heavily Paint Shopped to lighten but you get the idea.  The lasagne was great and at one point I feared there would be no leftovers but there's just enough go feed me today.

It was midnight before I got to bed and I woke at five as usual but at least I slept very soundly and that is a relief.  :-)

Today, apart from unloading the dishwasher and doing a little bit more kitchen tidying, the house is clean and tidy, the meals are all prepped and I have a walk with friends scheduled for mid morning.

I've fed Bubbles for Lindsey's loaves this week so I can get that started too - as it gets warmer, the dough is more responsive and the whole process quicker.

It's going to be a nice, restful day!  Enjoy the sunshine and have a great day, everyone.  xx

Friday, 20-03-26

Good morning, everyone!  Thank you so much for your very kind and understanding comments yesterday.  I feel I've made a mountain out of a molehill really but it's not something that happens all that often (thankfully).  I think I was more shaken than I realised - I had another rough night last night but, apart from a slight hip twinge (foot on pedal???), that's the worst of it now.  I will be able to have a rest this afternoon, maybe out in the garden if the sun shines.  Wouldn't that be nice?

Yesterday was a pottering sort of day really.  In the afternoon I went round to Beth's with her loaves and we had a chat.  She came home later than me because she went to her friends - she set out just after she got my message saying I was home.
Poor Beth - by then the traffic had really built up as the M25 was still closed.  She usually gets off the M11 at Bishop's Stortford as she, unlike me, is not a wuss with complicated roundabout systems but the traffic was backing up along the M11 so she decided to go on to Harlow too.  It was a lot worse by then than it was for me so she had a very slow last part of the journey too but all's well that ends well.

(Just to add, the Bishop's Stortford junction used to be so easy and Stansted such a happy, friendly little airport until 'They' decided to make it London's third airport - we always went that way to see our friends in Mildenhall and on to Elveden Center Parcs when my two were young)

On to today!

I've pulled out of SW as I'm not feeling great but as long as I take things gently, I will be fine.  Dave and Anna are coming round this evening so I have a menu (that sounds posher than it really is) and a Little List.

I'm doing:

Hummus, olives, sourdough crispbreads and carrot dippers
Lasagne, salad, coleslaw and garlic bread

Grapes and pineapple with coffee.

See - not posh.  I have made the hummus, the crispbreads, the red sauce and pasta for the lasagne, some mini rolls for the garlic bread and the rest takes no time at all

Dave and Anna bring the drinks.

So - my little list is . . .

Sort out kitchen

Chill

Clean and dust downstairs (won't take long)
Chill

Ironing - there's not much and I can always hide it in the cupboard if I want!!!

Chill

Make cheese sauce (good old Thermione) and construct lasagne, make salads, get food onto serving plates, etc, set table . . .

And chill.

See - easy peasy!

Happy Friday, everyone.  xx

Wednesday and Thursday, 18/19-03-26 Long post alert!!

Morning, everyone!  Yesterday was quite eventful in a smallish-scale way but let's do Tuesday first.

Tuesday morning, Beth and I had a stroll around the main road through Thrapston and in the afternoon I strolled around Islip while Beth visited a friend.
A bit of info first:
Thrapston

Islip

The two villages are right next to each other, joined by a bridge across the Nene which separates the two.  There's a pub at either side of the bridge and we were staying in the Islip end one, the Woolpack Inn.
I took a few photos.

A pretty but ordinary (from the front) looking cottage on the Islip side . . .  

. . . but from the bridge - wow.
What a home - with a pool and mooring, complete with boats.  Two of them!

Such a lovely view.

 

St James's, Thrapston.  A pretty looking church but there seemed to be something on so we didn't go in.

The town sign.

And, to the side of a lovely little library, a mosaic - not in the best nick but very colourful.

On to Islip.

A horse . . .

. . . another church, St Nicholas' . . . 

(inside)

. . . and plenty of very attractive old houses.

On to yesterday, Wednesday.    Not the best day I have ever had.

After packing and loading the car and having breakfast, I waved goodbye to Beth who was spending the morning with a friend (who she saw Tuesday afternoon and with whom we both had dinner).

I started up the car: bells jingled and lights flashed.  Check your tyre pressure, they ordered, and reset the whotsit thingybobbydoo!

I had meant to check tyre pressure before driving on Monday but forgot so I got out my pressure gauge thing and - the lever that fastened the thingy to the tyre broke off.  Drat.
Fortunately, I have another one, not so swish but it does the job fine, so used that, found the tyres were perfectly OK, washed my hands and set off.
To be fair, apart from me feeling very tense and stressed (which is typical for me), the journey was fine and the Harlow junction was very, very much more manageable than the Stansted/Bishops Stortford one.

I was on the A414, heading happily for home, slowed and then stopped at a roundabout - and got hit by a car pulling a trolley with another car on it.
Ho hum!
(I may possibly have said something quite a bit ruder than ho hum)

Went round the roundabout and pulled in and a hugely embarrassed and apologetic young man got out.  He thought I would go, not stop (there was a car with right of way entering the roundabout, by the way), and by the time he clocked that I had stopped, with his towing load he couldn't brake in time.  100% his fault.

Now is the point at which I need to say that it really was just a 'gentle' bump, not a crash, even if it sounded pretty loud at the time.  I didn't even stall my car.  I was pretty shaken up and so was he but it was OK.  I have a light cover that needs replacing and he has a few scratches on his front but it could have been so, so much worse, the damage being more related to wear and tear on my nerves (and his).
We exchanged details, of course, although it's far from being something that will involve insurances, and made sure we were both OK.  I actually got a text from him later in the evening, checking that I was OK and apologising again. I think he was far more upset than I was.

Anyway, after that bit of unwanted excitement, I set off again and promptly hit (not literally) a long, long queue of traffic.
The 414 is narrow, just one lane each way and, usually, not that busy.  However, as luck would have it, there had been some sort of mishap on the M25, the motorway was closed for a while, and everything was diverting along the A414 instead.    I bet those workmen digging in the road wondered what was going on!  In fact, my bumper basher should have been on the M25, poor chap!
So that very last little bit that should have taken about fifteen minutes or so, actually took over an hour.

Not a journey I will remember with all that much pleasure really.

And just to cap it all, Matt arrived to deal with the dripping tap and found that he had been sent the wrong part!  I had to laugh - it was either laugh or cry by that point.

On the plus side, I got two loads of washing and a baking of bread done as a way of settling myself down.  And I had a message from Diane saying that the One Traveller Christmas trips were now online and she's booked the Christmas in London one that we said we'd like to go on.  I will book mine today!

I've not slept all that well so today is going to be 100% relaxation and general pottering.  I ordered a replacement tyre pressure machine which should come today and I want to make the component parts of a lasagne as Dave and Anna are coming to dinner tomorrow.

Phew . . .

Have a lovely Thursday, everyone!  Take care and enjoy the sunshine if you're getting it.  xx

Tuesday, 17-03-26

Morning, everyone.  So here I am in the village of Islip, staying at the Woolpack Inn for a couple of nights.

The journey was quite stressful, mostly because I really don't like driving among huge lorries, etc.  I have to admit, most of the stress was self inflicted and next time I would know what to expect in terms of roads, junctions, etc.    There was a road closure but it was home end and I know exactly how to get round it so no worries and, going home, Beth said the Harlow junction was so much easier than the Stansted one so I'll go further down to Harlow on the way home.  I do like a simple left turn!

Anyway, this is a lovely place to stay.

This is part of the accommodation.  The rooms are rows of little own-front-door things (mine is the middle door in the photo), converted from stables, I believe, and recently done up so they are warm, comfortable but not huge. 

 The bed is though; one of those beds that can be separated to make two singles.

The shower/toilet room and also very nice.  Clean, neat, not posh but good quality and with plenty of good hot water.  I had a lovely shower this morning!

I arrived, Beth was already here and we had a good chat over a hot drink before separating to chill, unpack, etc.

I make no apology for this.  It was absolutely delicious!

Both Beth and I 'know' someone who lives round here which whom we have both virtually cheated (later edit - chatted, not cheated.  Ooops!!!) for a long time.  She was an OU student when I was and we had things in common.

Anyway, she came over from her home and we had dinner together and it was the loveliest time.  We laughed, talked, caught up, shared stuff and - well, it was one of the nicest evenings I have had in a very long while.

One of the horses in the field at the back saying 'good morning'.

After a lovely night's sleep, I woke early and the sun is shining.

No apologies for breakfast either - it was so good!

A really pleasant dining room . . .

. . . and fresh flowers on every table.

Today, Beth and I want to have a wander over the bridge and into Islip/Thrapston before we part company, she to go to her friends while I drive down to Rushden Lakes, a retail shopping park.
Later on, she will be back to collect me and go back to her friends for an evening take away.

And then, tomorrow, it is home again.  I probably won't post tomorrow morning but might post later, depending on how the journey went.  :-)  As Beth said, going home always seems easier - and she is right, it does.

Have a lovely Tuesday, everyone.  Take care and see you again soon.  xx

Monday, 16-03-26

Morning.  Welcome to the second half of March.  Sorry this is a bit late - I was expecting a visit from the water board and they/he arrived nice and early.  He's gone now and life resumes.

I've heard about the council tax and car insurance for this coming year.  The council text hasn't gone up that much but the car insurance - ouch!  I remind myself that it actually went down last year and while the car is older, so am I!  Ho hum, I'm very grateful that I can absorb this with minimal pain.

It was lovely and sunny yesterday morning but but later afternoon it was pouring again.  Ho hum!  It's Sunny again this morning and a bit cold too but what's a jumper for, eh?  I'm wearing the multicoloured jumper I was making over a polo neck and it's nice and cosy.

I'm also packed and ready for my little jolly with Beth and most disinclined to start any housework so I'm just going to take things nice and easy before I set off.

I think my Stratford trip will have to wait - I might get it done later or tomorrow and I will definitely have photos of where I'm staying.

Have a lovely day, everyone, and I do hope the sun is shining for you too.   Bye.  xx

Sunday, 15-03-26

 Hi, everyone!  What a gloriously sunny morning here in mid-Essex.  We've had a frost though - isn't it just typical that as the new growth gets going, we have one of the few frosts of the last few months?

It was frosty yesterday too.  I was so glad I checked early because the car needed scraping and I needed to be at the pick up to catch the coach.
It was a really lovely time at Stratford-upon-Avon but I will write about that separately.  Quite a long time in the coach - three hours each way with a 'comfort' stop off.  It was nice to stretch my legs and back!

Now it is Sunday.  I have Beth and Alex's bread rising nicely and a mushroom soup prepping in my second Thermione bowl (the dough is in the first).
While I'm thinking of it, Vorwerk doesn't make a specific dough hook (yet, anyway) but there is one that is compatible and I'm thinking of getting it.  There is a knead function and it works fine for yeasted bread which is a more robust dough, but it would be good to have one that folds rather than cutting for my sourdough.  It's not very expensive so  . . . yes.

Today I need to pack for tomorrow - or start packing anyway.  It won't take long, it is only for two nights.  I've worked out my route.  It is just off the A14 so very straightforward from here, the worst bit being getting on the M11 from the A120 - it's the Stansted roundabout and it is fiendish!  I've got a work around though!
After that it is just three roads.  Even I would find it difficult to get lost!

Well, the soup is smelling - er - soupy so I will leave you with just one photos from yesterday.  More to follow.
Bye xxx

Saturday, 14-03-26

Hello again, everyone.  Welcome to the weekend and, I hope, slightly better weather.  It's forecast to be sunny but not too warm today which sounds perfect for a trip out.

Yesterday was a low-key busy day:  pretty much everything got done and the loaves worked out fine this time.  I took them round to Lindsey's still warm and the car smelled amazing.  I decided I didn't need to get anything from Morrisons after looking around at home - one doesn't NEED sucky sweets, after all.

Slimming World was fun.  It was a taster session and I took some fresh pineapple.  Morning tasters are harder than evening ones - no-one really fancies meatballs, say, or a casserole at half past nine.  There was a lot of fresh fruit so that was perfect.

I'm up bright and early today having dusted off the alarm.  I hate the sound it makes but it is perfect for a deffie like me;  it's very penetrating and there's a shake-awake pad linked that goes under my pillow.  I defy anyone not to wake with all that going on.

The bags are ready, dinner this evening is out of the freezer, I have fruit to eat on the coach - all ready, in fact.  I have my camera and a spare battery, because last week I needed one and didn't have one with me.

Fingers crossed for a nice day ahead.

See you tomorrow!  xx

Friday, 13-03-26

Hello, everyone.  
I reckon Spring came, took  look round, didn't like what she saw and decided to leave again.  It was dull and so blowy yesterday and it felt colder than it probably was.  Mind you, it dried a load on the line very well so can't complain really!

Since I changed to mostly decaf coffee, I'm sleeping extremely well and waking a bit later (thank goodness).  I need to adapt my morning routines a bit as I'm finding I'm often rushed.  I guess it is a nice problem to have.

There's a few things on the list today

Slimming World
A few things to buy for the coach tomorrow
Get the coach bag ready.

Some tidying
Some meal planning (Alex is not over today so I can use some of that time)
Finish the bread
More tidying . . . 

Nothing difficult, it just all needs to be done.

Do you make a list when you have a lot of 'little' things on?

Happy Friday, all.  See you tomorrow for a short one before I leave to catch the coach for Stratford-upon-Avon.  xx

Thursday, 12-03-26

Afternoon, everyone.  Apologies for the lateness - I overslept and had to rush.  There's not a lot to say anyway.
I did go to P T and Lindsey put me through plenty of gentle stretching stuff which really helped.  No aches or twinges today.

Apart from that, it's just another normal day - chat with Chris, no shopping (no need after earlier in the week) and an online chat this evening.

Hopefully, there will be a bit more to wrote about tomorrow.  In the meanwhile, take care and stay cosy and warm.  xx

Wednesday, 11-03-26

Morning, all!  We have sunshine.  So lovely and cheering.

Thanks to everyone for being so understanding about my somewhat unnecessary stock up on Monday - these price rises are hitting us hard, some more than others, and it's a big cause of the current feelings of unrest everywhere. I think.  Everyone is worried.

Having said that, I got an email from my electricity provider saying the price cap is dropping.  Such a shame it goes up in the colder months and down in the brighter, warmer months when usage is less anyway - imagine slightly cynical tone of voice here!
Still - every little helps!

Chris and I got our walk to Groove and back again and now I look forward to our chat on Thursday.  Apart from that, it was just another day.

No, it wasn't - that sourdough that looked so promising decided to just die -  Lindsey's loaf dough, not Bubbles.  I gave it over 24 hours for it's last prove and zilch.  So I baked it anyway and it was heavy and stodgy, like bread pudding.  For once, I had to chuck them  and I rarely do that!

That's life!

Today is another stay at home until personal training and, to be honest, that's in doubt as my back is playing me up at the moment.  I'll see how the day goes.

Have a lovely day, take care, enjoy the sunshine if you have it and I'll see you tomorrow.  xx

Tuesday, 10-03-26

Good morning, everyone.  How are you all.  It's still dull out here although we did have a very small amount of hazy sunshine and I even put some washing out - too optimistic really but one has to try!

I hadn't been able make Lindsey's loaf over the weekend.  I was out all day Saturday and on Sunday Bubbles the starter was a bit sluggish and needed a bit of TLC.
So yesterday late afternoon, I started, timing it so I could leave it on its cold ferment overnight.  It worked well and now I have a lively dough shaped and in tins for the proofing.  I might be able to bake before Groove or I may have to pop it in the fridge and finish it afterwards.  We will see.  But the slightly warmer weather is having a noticeably positive effect on the dough and, as this current one is more white than wholemeal, there might be some bigger bubbles.  We will see.

Prices are rising alarmingly - have you seen petrol recently? - so I decided to top up and I think I might be doing that for the near future.  Does that make me good, bad or sensible, I wonder?
Then I went to Morrisons and did a bit of stocking up there too.  I needed some meat - chicken and mince - and they had some sides of salmon not too expensive (although £2 more than the last time they had some) and I got some shelf stable stuff too.

What with all that, circuits and general housework, I was tired by the evening!  

I've noticed my joints are getting very 'clicky' recently.  I've always had clicky ankles but it's all a lot more noticeable and more widespread.  I looked it up and, cutting a long story short, I've started tasking some collagen.  I've never been much for taking supplements but this seems a sensible way to go and it will be easy to judge if it is helping much.  Do any of you take collagen - what's your experience.  Has it helped.

I've also cut out caffeine to a considerable degree, even changing my Wonky Pods subscription to decaf.  That could be why I have slept so much better recently, couldn't it?

On to today.  Tuesday is Groove-day and I am hoping we can walk there and back.  I need to blow the cobwebs away.  Once home there might be bread to bake and there's certainly washing to do, ironing and various other chores.  The bathroom needs a good old sort out too.   There's plenty to do today!

Have a really good day, everyone.  Stay warm and as relaxed and chilled as possible!  xx

A trip to Cambridge.

On Saturday, March 7th, I went on a Broomfield Coach trip to Cambridge.  I've been there before but stayed on the outskirts as I was on a willow weaving course over two day and before then not for decades.  It's really not that far away, less than an hour in the car, but even so . . . I just haven't.  SO I was really looking forward to this trip.

Rather than bombard you with loads of history stuff, I will post links that you can follow up, if you're interested.

It wasn't the nicest day - very dull and a bit chilly, but it didn't rain so no complaints and it certainly didn't deter the visitors - us and thousands of others!

The bus dropped us off behind The Backs - a really pretty part of several universities and we should have been able to cut through onto King's Parade but it was blocked in preparation for the Cambridge Half Marathon on Sunday.
I'm quite pleased because I might have missed this if I'd cut through (I don't know, it's possible).

The very famous and attractive Mathematical Bridge, supposedly designed by Sir Isaac Newton (it wasn't, that is a myth)

https://history.queens.cam.ac.uk/college/mathematical-bridge

Even on a dull day, it was very attractive.

I had booked a ticket to go into Kings for twelve o'clock so first I stopped off here:

A very attractive little cafe where I intended to have a coffee but also fell for some avocado on toast which was so delicious.

Once satisfied and with a visit to the loo before leaving, I wandered up and down, finding things to tick off my list.

Here's the Corpus Clock, a modern and intriguing timepiece that one could just walk past without really noticing.

Here's a link to a YouTube video about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARes4M5OLxU

I walked past Great St Mary's on the way to look round the market.  You can climb the stairs to the top for some wonderful views but I didn't.  Maybe it's on the list for next time.  

https://www.cam.ac.uk/public-engagement/news/spotlight-on-great-st-marys-church

The market was . . . OK.  Not as proper-market as the St Albans one was, more touristy, I think, with loads of street food stalls which all looked and smelled pretty delicious!

This was right in the centre and the stall to the back-left was where I later bought a Cypriot chicken and lamb wrap, which I thoroughly enjoyed while sitting on one of the fountain steps.

The market goes right back to the Middle Ages and here's a YouTube video about it.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OF4mAs2l2U

One thing I really loved was how you can glance down a side alley and go from modern to historical in twenty paces!

Just look at those chimneys!

When it was time, I walked into the King's College grounds.  I took so many photos but, fear not, I will pick and choose carefully.

History of the College.

History of the Chapel

The chapel is a reverse Tardis - it seems so much bigger on the outside but when you walk in, apart from the height which is most impressive, it feels smaller and almost intimate.

A poor photo of the absolutely amazing fan vaulted ceiling.

Evidence of the Tudor dynasty is everywhere you look.  Tudor roses, the Beaufort portcullis (Henry VII's mother was Margaret Beaufort, the don't-know-how-many-great granddaughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, then wife, Katherine Swynford, one of my favourite ladies of history) and coats of arms galore!

R A - Regina Anna - or Anne Boleyn, carved during the brief time she was queen and lucky to still be there.  Most were defaced/removed shortly after her death.  A really good bit of dating evidence!

There's also just one memory of Kathryn Howard's brief reign too - in a stained glass window, I believe but I couldn't see it.

Where the world famous choir sits - one side of it anyway!

There's a number of side chapels, all of which are interesting.  This particular one memorialises those from the College that dies in both World Wars - in the photo is the wall for WW1.

From the looks on people's faces, we were all finding it a very sombre place as we teeter on the brink of a third world war . . .

Another bit of Anne Boleyn.  H A - Henry Anne

View from the bridge over a wild flower meadow towards the chapel.  

No, I didn't!

I loved this little market - lots of hand crafted stuff, not cheap but not shockingly costly either.  This was where I bought some nice earrings and a little coffee mug.

So many lovely old dwellings.

And my final destination, the Round Church.  Absolutely lovely, not the least bit fancy, built around 1130 and only one of four round churches still in use in England.  Another is Little Maplestead, here in Essex.  Must look it up as I go pretty much past it on the way to Center Parcs.

https://roundchurchcambridge.org/

The columns and arches

It was an active church until the congregation grew too large, proving very popular with students

There's a lovely 'social' area to one side.

Standing in the middle of the round bit with the church history of Cambridge displayed around the outside.  It was very interesting.

These stone faces were added by renovators in the 1840s.  Some were the stonemasons' faces but, somehow, I think someone was playing a joke with this one.

That's all I had time for - I had to walk back to the coach with so many things still on my list.  I hope they do another trip next year - I'd love to go again.

Coming up - Stratford Upon Avon this next Saturday!