Look What I Found.......

 
Combining the two vases of flowers I had for my birthday after throwing out the very sad ones I'm still left with a large vase full even though they are more than a week old, which is quite good for shop bought roses. 

Clever dog knows an empty peanut butter pot will need a lot of chasing on the vinyl floor so carried it immediately to her bed so she had full control for some concentrated licking out. 

Quite cross with myself, I'd spent ages creating a unique present for my friend (can't say any more in case she reads it before receiving) and laid it all out ready to take a picture, then called Hubby so he could see what we were giving before it was opened in front of him. He seemed impressed (often hard to tell) then I wrapped it all up prettily and securely......... I'd forgotten to take the photo ggggrrrrrr!

When Daughter comes back from Tudor camping her big tent and roof box need storing back in our garage, this time the inside edge of the tent had got a bit wet on the floor and the hessian flooring had a little damp mold which needed scrubbing away. First good scrub with suds and a second scrub with disinfectant. It could be on the line for a couple of days, so keeping everything crossed it doesn't rain. 

After a four year gap I had an evening with friendDP, we had a lot to catch up on. Got up to date with all our family news, who's doing what and the usual shock at how old the grandchildren have got, then somehow we got into sharing all our health issues (we both have/had lots) but not in a "feel sorry for ourselves" way, more in a "all that and we are still here" way. We laughed a lot too.

I've made another bag. I'm always a bit smug when I reuse old stuff to make something useful. Component parts are two pockets from a rain jacket (that's already been cut up and most parts used elsewhere), black Jersey strip cut from the remains of leggings and the front border of a cardigan (that has previously been parted from the body as it was needed for a cowl neck). The cross body strap was from a long ago binned camera case and I move it from bag to bag.  

I've also made a matching sun glasses case, it's padded with the stiffener from inside ties and lined with the cloths meant for specs cleaning.  

I had to dive right into my deep wardrobe (it is built across the staircase)  to get the suitcases out, two cabin bags needed for our holiday that's in a couple of weeks and we'll use one of those for a few days away this weekend. 

WOW! there on the floor under a shoebox was the missing sock!!!

Usual gang did meal in Prezzo then onto the pub. It was Open Mic Night (not my favourite but the others love it). One or two OK voices but more than a few dreadful ones! With one girl we always have a game of "What on earth is she trying to sing?" Guess they are brave even getting up and I feel brave sitting through it.

Big surprise was our old friend Vic being in there,  we used to see him regularly but we haven't seen him for about a year. 

We had another dog sitting afternoon and evening for Daughter as her family of four went off in three different directions. Thankfully she's no bother, (you know I mean the dog). 

Enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend. Us retired folk don't benefit from Bank Holidays of course but actually we do have plans for this one that hopefully will make fun reading next week.

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No Use In Rushing........

 
The first part of my birthday present from Daughter was a jigsaw called "Escape to Norfolk" which I was really pleased with as I do enjoy doing jigsaws. However it was meant to be a little joke before telling me about the booked Norfolk holiday in November. 
I started the jigsaw Saturday morning. 

Good crop of figs, just a shame they all ripen at once (these were all picked Sunday)  and it's only me and R that eat them. Not sure what to do with them as there would be belly rebellion if we ate them all (R definitely doesn't want that while she's performing every evening) and I haven't been successful cooking with them so far, apart from jam (again only me that eats it) . All suggestions gratefully received. 

I'd read a suggestion a long time ago of putting fresh berries in jars in the fridge and they will last longer, so I gave it a try with the figs. 

I went for a second time to see The Winter's Tale, this time taking friendKK. So another opportunity to sneak in a couple of my favourite pics of R performing in it. FriendKK loved it as much as I did. 

FriendKK was driving so when she dropped us home I gave her some very ripe figs as they all need eating quickly. 

All too soon the jigsaw was finished. Really enjoyed this one as so full of details. 

FriendHM treated me to dinner out for my birthday present. We would normally go out as a group of girls which isn't going to happen but I found it better just the two of us for a proper catchup chat. 

Change of plan for Friday evening as R had a cast party after the show so said it would be too late for Hubby to go out to get her so she would sleep at home as they can drop her off. So I arranged for M to collect the dog and Hubby will pick them both up Saturday in time to get R to work. Friday evening seemed quiet at home. 

So another week has whizzed by and I really must get stuck into my 

to-do-list which all needs to be done before next weekend.

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I'm Smiling...........

 
I last saw my very good friendHG in person two years ago when we met half way for lunch. When we were both working I used to drive to her's in Essex after work Friday and sleep over so we had a good amount of chat time, often chatting till 2/3am before going to bed. We'd try to do that maybe three times a year. Neither of us need to do that anymore as we are in touch daily with online scrabble games, WhatsApp and video calls but we did think it was definitely time for a face to face catchup. She arrived just before lunch Saturday and went home just after lunch Sunday (obviously with a dinner, breakfast, lots of tea plus cakes in between). She saw Hubby at every meal but he can't sit still so kept busy in between, at one time fixing the computer she happened to have in the boot of her car and another time washing her car. Meanwhile we talked non stop about everyone and everything current and way back through our shared history of more than 55 years! Hopefully it won't be another two years before we do it again. 

The weather was so in between Monday morning Hubby set the garden table and chairs up for coffee morning outside, I thought it was too chilly every time the sun went behind a cloud so put everything on the dining room table, in the end we stayed inside but with the patio door open. 

I've finally driven Hubby's car. Eight years ago when he bought it he insisted I drive it immediately but it was the worst wet weather and I had a stinking head cold. I drive a manual boxy car and his is automatic with high dash board and sporty bucket seats and I felt very claustrophobic. So after that first time I've never driven it again..... till now because he's planning for us to only have the one car. No problem of course. 

It may come as no surprise that we did the test drive, asked lots of questions, haggled for a discount and bought the car. Two things surprised me though, it will take six months before we receive our new car and that the really lovely sales chap not only had the same first name as our granddaughter's boyfriend but at the end when it was a lot of everyone signing things we discovered he had the same surname, surprised him too! 

I've had my big birthday but didn't want a big party. The most important thing to me is having my precious family around me and we managed to get them all together for a bbq lunch in our garden. Son and fiancé brought this great cake and as it was vegan everyone could eat it.  
We needed two bbqs to keep the meat and not-meat separate. 

And the weather stayed really warm and dry all day. 

I had lots of good wishes online, lots of cards in the post and lots of great presents. My very best present has to be from Daughter and Son who have booked a holiday cottage in November and everyone is coming to holiday together, although some can do fewer days than others.

The cake should actually have been double the size but the bigger chocolate bottom half suffered in transit. It was far too much for the two of us to finish and far too yummy to waste so I've boxed nine portions and popped them in the freezer.  

So a very good week and now R and their dog are living here for the 10 days Daughter, E and O are Tudor-ing. 

Till next week then TTFN.

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For Going Out and Staying In.......

Hubby has started his next mission, to find our next car. I say "our" as at present we own one each, his has always been the good looking luxury transport for distance and comfort. Mine the small, nippy, economical, practical work horse. Mine for getting me wherever I'm going without him, and for him to use when taking rubbish to the tip, getting the shopping, collecting smelly takeaway, parking in a dodgy area, moving children and dogs around and driving us both anywhere social he may want me to drive home.... you get the idea? Now we are both retired, do so much more together and I drive so much less Hubby is researching us only having one car, but as we like the ones we've got the swap has to be perfect for us. So far (Sunday) he's on online images and specs, printed images and specs, spreadsheets for collating the data, reporting to me each new finding and constant collaboration with Son who will always be in the middle of petrol-head research. I'll let you know when we start test driving. 

Son had brought over a spare jar of lemon curd so with that oh so convenient ready rolled puff pastry I made a quick treat. Just as I was about to put them in the oven my lovely cousinS phoned, I put them in one handed but didn't set the timer as I'd normally do that on my phone and that was up against my ear, didn't set it on the hob either as that seemed like too many noisy beeps while having a conversation, so glanced at the clock and kept checking while chatting away. They did catch a bit but still very yummy. 

The plums on our tree are now ripe so Hubby went out to harvest. He wasn't out there long as this was the entire crop this year. Hahaha

Tuesday we visited both Audi and Mercedes showrooms having a good look and chatting lots. These added an extra to our ticklist of needs, can I reach the tail gate to close it or is it adjustable or automated? Definite don't wants is the Merc's fancy spaceship dashboard covered in chrome and the night package where it provides disco lighting. The salesman took great pleasure in showing me he could change the colours to match my nail varnish yuk yuk yuk. 

Did you know there's no such thing as haggling for discounts and deals, salesmen/women  are are all salaried now and not on commission? Spoilt 90% of my fun! 

Wednesday was a very wet day so Hubby stayed on the computer. By late afternoon and after doing yet another spreadsheet to calculate the annual costs of keeping our two current cars until they die and comparing it to the annual costs for a new one for the first five years....... he then announced it was daft changing now when we liked what we have so he's not looking anymore. I left it till bedtime then quietly asked if he felt disappointed that he'd decided not to buy a new one and he was certain that he wasn't and more than happy to stay with what we have. 

By Thursday lunchtime he'd changed his mind back, more online spec checking and a phone call to Audi to book a test drive slot for next week. I knew he would. 

All this vehicle chat between Hubby and Son got round to including motorbikes and to remembering Son's first real bike, a part of which still hangs on our garage wall. Thankfully Son went back together after that accident. 

It was in 2000 and as Hubby has recently trawled our photos he roughly knew where more photos would be. 

He enjoyed finding quite a few of himself, Son and Daughter all crash helmet wearing and having fun while I stayed home worrying. 

We've also had a guy come round to do a Home Survey on energy/ heat/ insulation/ efficiency of our living space stuff. Hubby has booked for a visit from two companies that can improve our cavity wall insulation (put in 35 years ago), which will no doubt mean taking the old out and putting new in. Hubby has been researching air pumps for installations, benefits and costs. I have to admit to patiently listening but not understanding quite a bit of all this info!

I'm hoping it will stop raining so he can get back to gardening.

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