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   

Catchup.

 It's definately time I made the effort to catch up  with my ordinary life. 

Since I last posted both my daughters have moved house, my eldest has moved into my village and now lives only 2 minutes away from me.Just scraped in before the stamp duty finished. a worrying time for them as the sellers solicitor was very slow.  That is bliss for me and she has already been there when I needed her as recently I fell over in the garden whilst weeding. I wasn't hurt but could not get up, Luckily I had my mobile with me and  she was there to help me. My youger daughter won the race to move in first and that pleased her as she has been catching her sister up  all her life.!" 

My W.I has now begun having proper meetings again and it was great seeing lots of us together again. Luckily all the committee have stayed in post and they have done a great job making sure we were kept in touchwith birthday cards, news, jokes and every member was given a visit fom one of them at Christmas and Easter with hand made cards and presents or eggs (at Easter of course).

I have now gone back to watching my beloved Ipswich T own F C. Wasn't sure I could walk from the carpark to the ground and up the stairs to a seat. (my bungalow knees don't like stairs) but I persevered and now I am going to home matches for the 64th year!!  

Poppy and I are loving being together, she thinks she is the boss and I know I am (most of the time. )

I am going to my seated Zumba class soon, it's goodbyfrom me and goodbye from her xx  

£5.00

 I was sorting out my loyalty cards and found a garden gift card amongst them. I checked it out online and had £5 left on it, card was valid for 30 months and end date was 4 September 2021!!! Checked which local companies still took them and so I have been to Capel Nurseries which is close to me and spent a happy time  chosing plants for the new bed I am creating in my back garden. I chose Delosperma (pink), Jasioner(Blue)  and Sedum(White). Posh names aren't they. Pity I still haven't learned how to attach photos. they will all help to edge the new retangular bed. Had to buy 3 as one would not have used the £5 up and 3 were on offer!! win win situation. Happy gardening from Poppy and Val.

 Almost Normal

We are slowly getting back to normal I think. August is a busy month for birthdays as both my daughters and my grandson have them in the space of a week! and now Poppy has been added to them as she was born on the 1st August. For her first birthday with me my daughter bought her a cat house for the garden, painted blue and white of course. She is not quite sure what it is is but a trail of Dreamies led her into it to find a familiar cushion to sit on. so far she likes sitting  on the top and surveying the garden in comfort. we combined 2 birthdays and the news that my grandson is engaged with a meal at our favourite Chinese resteraunt in Ipswich.First time I have been in town for 2 years. 

Last Saturday Ipswich Town played their first home match with a crowd for 2 years. I do not believe I chose not to see my beloved ITFC play, but I do not feel comfortable with a crowd of 21000 people. Will I ever go again?? I hope so.   Our W.I. has had its first meeting  in the village hall! it was lovely to see about 35 of us there. the president said she was not sure if we should sing Jerusalem but had brought a tape of it for us to listen to. (don't tell anyone but there was a lot of humming going on and we all laughed at the end!)   Lots of laughter and a great deal of chatting made it a lovely evening. Time for breakfast in the sunny garden for Poppy and me so have a lovely Sunday and stay safe,xx Val and Poppy

Happy BIrthday

 Today is my rescue cat Poppys birthday. She is 10 years old, and has been  with me for 11 months now. we are in a routine now and it works well. She hops on my bed at about 7am  and gives me a gentle hint by pushing me with her head. When I take the hint and get up she leads me into the kitchen where she has her breakfast before I get my coffee!! then out into the garden. She usually spends most of the day pottering about wherever I am indoors or out in the garden and if any windows are open she has to get out of them rather than out of the door. She is very quick and has bought me the odd present of a dead bird. Evenings she will hop onto my lap and push either my book or my knitting until I put it down and we concentrate on having a cuddle and stroking. We are both happy with our lives together and she loves to be fussed by family and friends.

Happy Birthday Poppy, lots of Dreamies and chicken for you today. xx Val