It.s cold

 It's cold today and we woke up to gloomy fog which has thinned out but looks like hanging around for the rest of today so I am not going for a walk. I had planned to go to the post office  but when I went yesterday afternoon (it's in our Coop) they were closed so I spent my coupons on bits and pieces so really don't need to go until next week when I must buy Christmas stamps and post a big envelope of cards to my daughter so she can dole them out in Gosport. Our local scouts are not doing their usual deliveries this year because of you know what so I may need a few extra stamps, must ask my other daughter how much stamps are these days as I don't use many!!

I took 3 bags of empty bottles to the bottle bank las weekend and got rid of a few stresses chucking them in!!!! probably because ITFC stressed me out by playing rubbish football on Saturday, not scoring any goals meant I did not get to have a Florentine as a reward. 

Monday we were up early at 6 o'clock as the plumber was coming to flush through my heating system at 8 o'clock. luckily I have a gas fire in the lounge so I kitted us out with a tray for coffee, an electric kettle, box of biscuits and Poppies food tray with water biscuit and salmon in jelly. I think she thought it was her birthday and kept going and having a snack. this is the first time workmen have ben here since she arrived and she was fine. After sniffing the tools and getting the men to stroke her she came back into the lounge, had a snack and slept on her favourite blanket. Heating is fine now just got to wait for the bill!!

Next day I put most things back into the airing cupboard it was quite tiring up and down the ladder but now it looks very neat and the charity bag is bulging 

Getting dark outside now so will get Poppy indoors for the evening and have a lovely meal of turkey casserole and dumplings. There will be enough for 2 days I hope so not much cooking tomorrow when I shall be watching ITFC play Charlton and hoping for a few Florentines. 

Stay safe and goodbye Poppy and Val

 Another Odd Week

I started the week by walking round Needham Lake as it had rained all weekend . My, the car park was full and I had to park nearly in a puddle ! still it was great to have fresh air and everyone smiled and distanced  I love Florentines and usually have them at Christmas time. My daughter bought me 2 boxes from Aldi and told me not to eat them all at once (Ha Ha). Tuesday Poppy and I spent time in the garden filling my brown bin which will be emptied on Thursday, I had ordered  a select and collect from Broomhill library where they chose books for you and on Wednesday I picked up a great selection which will keep me going for a while. Morisons delivery was fine this week and Thursday was a quiet day with my friend delivering pensioners Fish and Chips when she bought some for herself and her Mother. Bliss not having to cook lunch every Thursday. I spent the day emptying my airing cupboard as my heating system is being flushed next Monday. Found a few things lurking at the top and back I had forgotten about including 6 nice washbags ! Can't decide which to keep, the rest to charity bag. Friday woke up to quite a frost and it was cold all day. to get out I drove to the bottle bank 3 bags emptied and the walked through the churchyard and up Vicarage  looking at all the nice houses there and round in a circle back down Ship Lane. after lunch I went to washup and found my boiler was dripping water out of the bottom onto my microwave. Not much water so moved the microwave phoned the plumbers and put a washing up bowl under it. It's not going to blow up( I hope) and they will sort it on Monday. I needed  a Florentine or two  to calm my  nerves!!! Poppy helped me with a few Dreamies. I'm watching Ipswich Town live this afternoon and still have Florentines left in the first box so will have one each time we score! Always took pastilles to football and friends round me, 9 of them had a sweet when we scored, last season I took home unopened packets several times until those cheeky men said I should check them to see if they were out of date  as so few goals were scored. Oh how I miss my football, sometimes I think I will never get there again, but heigh ho I am lucky as I can stream them live so I'm hoping for a quiet weekend, lots of Ipswich goals and more Florentines****** Take care from Poppy and me

 Wet and Windy,

It's been a funny old week, I started off with a trip to Shotley and took a picnic as I don't want to buy any takeaway coffee ( I hate takaway and cardboard cups and never drink out of them and usually keep a bone china cup in the car and use that if necessary but today I took my own flask. Parked down by the Marina and walked round the Marina as the lock gate crossing was closed, It was a beutifull sunny day and I  paused at the Ganges memorial to remember my grandfather who joined the navy as a boy and served  in the first world war, he came home safely.  After a couple of hours there Poppy and I did a bit of clearing up in the garden, I'm finding it a bit of a struggle now so just do a bit at a time.

Thursday is my delivery day from Morrisons and when I checked it,  it was 16 items missing and these had been paid for!!! Emailed them, got the standard reply the would deal with it within 3-5 days, well thats no good as I was missing all my fresh fruit and dairy products so after talking to my daughter I rang them up, they answered promptly but it took 1 &1/2 hours and three girls later who kept putting me on hold whist they tried to find my food before it was settled. My money was refunded and because I wanted my food and didn't want to reorder (and pay extra delivery) I was put onto the doorstep delivery for the next day  when it was all delivered.  I'm not good at complaining and I kept calm as it wasn't the poor girls fault who had to deal with me. Someone on my round had obviously got my 2 bags of food and kept the goods £20  worth!!!

I needed a long walk after that so walked along the Gipping to Hazel Wood and back through the village  and relaxed with a coffee and a hot X bun

Poppy is  trying salmon and jelly from a tin instead of a pouch and as she is round my legs when she gets a smell of it I think it is a hit.***

I'm having fish pie and rosti for my tea and guess what Poppy is having.?

Time to draw the curtains now. xx

It's Friday again

 Well it appears that the overflow pipe on the tank in the roof had come out of the tank  and has soaked the lagging and the ceilings. I wish I knew how to add photos as it is horrendous and will have to dry out before repainting. That will be sometime probably next spring if we are out of lockdown by then!!!

Poppy is getting adventures now and has gone up the side passage and looked through my next doors  glass back door to see what she could find,  she knows how to get home and and this afternoon has scratched at my back door as it  was closed and shot in when I opened it, She didn't seem fussed by fireworks last night just slept on her usual chair or on my lap.

This weekend I hope to be cutting down my overgrown rambler rose if the weather and my gammy leg let me! Happy Weekend xx

Good and bad

 The good thing is that the heating is working well especially as I did not sleep well last night and have been up for some time. With lockdown starting tomorrow we had our weekly family evening meal here at mine as it might be some time until we get together again. I had several little jobs I needed doing and they all pitched in, rehanging the fairy lights in the conservatory, sorting out a few glitches on my computer, Finishing my 1000 piece jigsaw that I had abandoned, eating our takeaways and lots of talking and laughs, Oh how I will miss these family get togethers. 

Now to the bad What's that mark on the ceiling Jared asked when we were in the study ? Oh no huge watermark on the ceiling, another on the hall ceiling and  a smaller on on the hall wall!!!  after looking into the loft we think the tank is leaking, so now you know why I couldn't sleep  and my sciatica is playing up. I will be on the phone as soon as I can and now will have to spend my last day of freedom indoors with my fingers crossed that plumber can come today!!! Poppy couldn't work out why we were up when it was dark but after an early breakfast is now snoozing, I wish I was too but must get sorted  but before I get into the shower I think I deserve another coffee before I face today properly. Good morning for now fingers crossed it will be for me and Poppy