Been busy lately

 Been busy lately ,it seems quite a while since I posted. so whats happenned up to now. 

First I had a birthdaywhich I managed to stretch out for a week . Yes no cooking for a week as either I had a meal out, or a takeaway with family, Our village lunch club had its monthly meal out, but it all came to anend when on Mothers day my grandson was doing afternoon tea for his Mum and me but Covid stopped that. I still had a nice day but on the next day(Monday) I had no Landline phone,no internet, no broadband. I panicked a bit used my mobile (thank goodness that was working)  and my daughter arrived to make sure it wasn't  my fault!!! She contacted my broadband service and they said the line was down and arranged for engineer to come next day. 

I have new neighbours who are/were vere nice and he had been digging in the front garden and cut throuth the wire that sevices both bungalows.!!! Engineer came said they would have to dig up the pavement and someone would come before Friday. It was eight days  before the men restored           our line and although I thought I wouldn't miss it  I DID. the weather wasn't great so I made a list and ploughed through all the jobs on it I was glad when they fixed it. 

Got up Wednesday, no heat no hot water. My heating firm came and fixed it and said my pipes need flushing( got all the smart alec remarks from friends and family) and the will do it in June so another large bill is on the horizen. 

next week I had my booster jab and had a bad reaction. Every joint in my body ached my skin was sore and I felt like death. It took until Saturday before  I was ok 

Here is the good news. I am a mad fan of Ipswich Town Football Club but have been unable to go during lockdown, so this Saturday I bought a ticket in the tier below where I have sat for 40 years , the stairs were a problem when I last went. I went to the last game of the season, Magic I loved it ,the stairs were ok the view was great, we won 4-0 I watched all the players due a lap of honour at the end, and even the car was parked in my favourite spot.  It was a brilliant day even my favourite player scored twice!!  

On July 1st I will be online and buy the season ticket for the seat as I know it' s not taken. buying season tickets is suspended until then. there will be a giant cheer when that happens fom my family who have put up with me without live football for 2 years. MY love to you all.

Oh by the way Poppy is fine, she is curled up on her cushion near me. A few Dreamies and shes happy**

New Fridge

 The other Friday I woke up and after giving Poppy her breakfast I made my usual large cup of coffee, got the milk out of the fridge, thought the bottle felt a bit warm as I put it into the cup I bet you know what happenned next, large bits of milk floated to the top and it smelt off. Luckily the milkman always comes early on a Friday so I was able to empty the revolting mess into the sink and start again with another cup to wake my brain up to it's usual morning level! Empying yoghurt  into the sink washing it all down and throwing away the rest put me off breakfast. ( Poppy had already eaten all hers and was hanging about to see if she could snaffel any but hard luck she retired to her blanket to have a nap. ) 

I do not have a very large space in the kitchen for an under the counter new fridge so no nipping down to Currys and bringing one home, I had to scour the internet to find one that fitted into the space. Couldn't get one with free delivery unil the next Wednesday,WHAT, so eventuallyhad to pay £30 extra for next day delivery, £15 to have it unpacked and fitted (that means plugged in) well I wasn't able to get it out of the box and I did want to check it wasn't dented or broken in any way and £30 to take the old one away.    I had to pull the old one out and scrub behind it, can't remember when I did that last. 

Good things about this general hoo hah, was 

1. I hadn't much food in it as I was going shopping that day

2. I didn't go shopping till the Monday so made all meals out of the freezer or fresh fruit etc. 

3. Delivered spot on time with hourly updates on the day as to arrival.

4. The man and woman who delivered it were very helpfull and pleasant, all rubbish taken away. 

Conclusion. Don't moan Val it was just a nuisance compaired to the the poor people of The Ukraine.

fell better now I've got that off my chest.  Happy day to all of you. Val and Poppyxx 

Snowdrops.

 This weekend I took the short drive to Blakenham Woodland Gardens to see their snow drop display. It must be a good year for snowdrops as the fields and ditches along the road were covered with them. There was much to see and lots of people and dogs enjoying them. Apart from a lovely natural display in the woodland walk there were 2 Suffolk Punch horses to stroke, a chocoatiere in the old dairy making fantastic chocolate, lots of differant snowdrops( in the green) to buy and yummy homemade refreshments. I haven't got any snowdrops in my gatden so I opted after advice from the gardener to buy a common sort. Nivalis, hardy and easy to grow, I did have 2 cheese and Marmite straws and a sausage roll but no coffee as it served in paper cups and I don't drink out of them! I do keep a china mug in my car but forgot to put it in my bag, so strolled back to my car, couldn't resist eating one of the cheese straws as the sun was lovely and warm then drove home made a coffee and had the rest for lumch in my sunny lounge. 

Poppy and I then spent a quiet afternoon She was sleeping off her lunch on her throw and I listened to the football match between MK Dons and ITFC whilst sewing up several hats I had knitted for the seamen at Felixstowe. It was a 0-0 draw but an interesting game. A lovely way to spend Saturday.

Yesterday I planted the Snowdrops in the garden in several different spots. It was freezing cold and a stiff wind blowing so thats all I did outside. caught up on several things on my todo list and went to the Sorrel Horse pub at Barham with my family. as usual I had sausage& onion pie and salad and a super lemon cheesecake. I am so lucky to be able to spend time with my family. I love them all.xx Val

Goodbye January.

 January has been a mixed month for me. My best friend died and I miss her so much. I will always remember Pat for all the laughter and fun we had together,and all our problems we shared. Happy days. My grandson and his partner have booked their wedding date, for 6th July next year. It is the same date as I first got married, the date his Mum and Dad got married and is the birthday of her sister. ! I now have a goal to aim at to lose some weight, plus I have a special birthday that year!   Last month the Rural Coffee Caravan came to the village on Meet up Mondays  and I thought I would try it. I was pleasently surprised at how many people were there, it was held in the Victory Hall, ( this hall was built after the first world war for the villagers instead of a war memorial). Lovely to see mums and children mixing with us oldies, must have been 60 or more enjoying free coffee/tea and cake. It really started my week off well. Lots of leaflets and advice was on offer if you needed it. Thank you to all the helpers, I shall try and go every month. Tuesday is the day my daughter has everyone at hers for a family meal so we can catch up on news and enjoy time together. This week it is roast pork so think of me as I am so lucky to have family near by.She also has cats (3)  so I must remember to take Dreamies with me. Poppy will have hers before I go. Sun is shining so I must get to the shops whilst Poppy will probably have a nap. Hugs to you all x

Soup

Happy New Year everyone. Guess what I had for Chrismas, a soup maker and I have been practicing making several differant soups. It will be very handy for free Slimming World lunches as I'm back to losing some weight as from tomorrow. I am taking down the Christmas decorations today and expect I shall be picking up tinsel for some time!! To brighten up my lounge I will be picking some Winter Jasmine  from  the garden. It is such a cheerful colour  during these dreary days, makes me look forward to Spring. Poppy is on the window sill waiting to be let in. Have a Happy and healthy New Year. Hugs from Val and Poppy xx 

Christmas Eve

 I's Christmas Eve today and our Festivities started yesterday when my youngest daughter and her partner drove up from Portsmouth  for the day. We spent it at my older daughter new house which she hadn't seen before so had the grand tour. Family arrived in dribs and drabs so that we didn't have too many  at once but most stayed nearly all the time she was here and it was great to hear the laughter and talking going on. as most of them hadn't seen her since the summer time.  We have all been jabbed so hope we get through this next Covid phase. Tomorrow we are spending the day at my grandsons and he is doing most of the cooking. I have made my sherry trifle. just got to finish it off in the morning and made a sausage meat stuffing loaf. I am picking my daughter up together with the cooked turkey and driving as I don't drink alcohol so should be safe to drive them home. !!

Happy Christmas to all my friendly bloggers and whatever you are doing make the most of it and enjoy youselves. Poppy is sniffing round some packets that look like Dreamies on the tree so I think I might let her have an early present and I can't wait any longer to have some Florentines so Merry Christmas from Poppy and Val xxx

Christmas arrangements

 Last Sunday we had a family get together to arrange our Christmas day. Previous years we had all gone out to a pub for our Christmas lunch but last year we decided to do it ourselves due to Covid . we all put in the cost the lunch we had paid before and divided the buying of food for the day and drink of course. Son inlaw got a turkey  with his staff discount, I had lots delivered as I am at home the most and we all bought our favourite dish ( I made a Sherry trifle. ) We all spent the day with me and Grandson & I did the cooking. It was the most my oven had been used for years!! When the cost was taken out  it was about half we would have paid to go out, the rest of the money was sent to Find, our local foodbank.  

We decided to do the same again this year, we are going to my Grandsons as it is their first Christmas in the new house. I am buying the cheeseboard and the nuts and making my trifle of course, soninlaw has just bought the turkey  and grandsons partner is making her faboulous chocolate cheesecake(yummy) everything else is split between us. It will be interesting to see how much is left for the foodbank as food is going up week on week. If we can't get all we want so what, our lovely day together is about our time and fun together not food. 

Today Poppy and I are putting up our decorations, It's a miserable day here but we will will soon be bright and merry as long a I remember where the tree is! Where did I put it???? Poppy is asleep on the settee so I am going to wake her up and get those lights out. Happy weekend from Poppy and Val xx