Cobwebs are Blown.......

 
You've read here so many times about all that Hubby does, he's our DIY and techy hero and he's more than happy to share himself around to anyone that needs his talents or support. He now has this t-shirt gifted by friendsL&K. 

Beautiful sunny day on Tuesday and a message came from Daughter asking if we'd like to join the three of them for a walk. We all went to Walton-on-the-Naze, just under an hours drive from here.

Chilly when the sun went behind a cloud but mostly a warmish wind.

Warm enough to lunch outside too (no choice with the dog).

Our Wednesday gang met this week and for a change we went to the Felixstowe Sailing Club who were hosting a Greek night. Buffet style for just £12 each. Really lovely cooked food of five hot dishes plus Greek salad and pita bread. I had a little of everything. Some went up for seconds, not me I was really full. We all enjoyed it. Then onto the Grosvenor as usual and our men had the pool table to themselves all evening.

FriendM has just come back from a holiday and brought me back this lovely scarf. 

There was lots of talk about our group holiday to Spain in April, which seems a long way off but guess it will come around quite quickly. Glad we chatted as friendF has now realised he needs six months minimum on his passport since Brexit, so he's going to renew his immediately. Hubby has ordered new GHIC cards and now booked our Stanstead car park. Next on the list is bringing out all the sunny weather clothes to see what we have. 

Meanwhile I'm still wearing roll necks with my fleece and thick fluffy socks.

Nothing planned for this weekend so may just get to sit and read for a while. 

Enjoy your weekend and week ahead.

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Everything Takes Time.........

 
Gosh already Thursday and I hadn't started this post yet, usually that's because nothing worth writing about has happened but this week a couple of things have (don't get excited you'll be disappointed) but two things keep stopping me. Firstly I've been recommended a book I really must read, but I need to finish the book I'm half way through before I start it. Secondly our Internet keeps dropping out, not for long periods because the provider has a problem, but lots of very short hiccups for no apparent reason and very frustrating! 

If you are interested in what books, the one I'm reading is the third in Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, The Bullet That Missed. I'm totally invested in his main characters with plots that are ridiculously hilarious but sort of believable. 

Now downloaded and ready on my kindle is The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain. I'll let you know about that when I eventually get to it. Told I must read it by two friends when we were six of us out to dinner Tuesday evening. 

Tuesday didn't actually go to plan. The plan was as friendKW needed Hubby's help on his laptop he would come with his wife, friendLW, in the afternoon then after the fix we'd go out to the pub for dinner. We haven't seen friendsL&M for ages (mutual friends of course) so they were coming too. Both couples were delayed, one by an earlier funeral and the other by last minute grandparent duties. Eventually all here and enjoying tea and cake. Laptop fix was easy apparently. Pub booked for 6pm so a three car convoy just 10 minutes before. Pub was busy and obviously short staffed as our crazy waitress was doing far too many tables. 

To cut a very long story a bit shorter let's just say there were incredibly long delays at all points of service, there was over zealous allergy scrutiny which ended in friendLW having inedible fish and considering we booked for 6pm as they all live a fair distance (we would normally meet half way) we didn't leave until 10pm. Glad they'd all had cakes earlier and thankfully with this gang we always do a lot of laughing! 

Dog sitting for the day when Son and fiancé had a day in London. She's a little cutie. 

Hubby has had two light bulb replacements to do, one on my car's brake light and the other for Daughter on her car's headlight. Plus he's still up in the loft, think he's done about 75% now. Not all done at the same time of course. 

I need to now be thinking about what to get Hubby for his birthday which is just a couple of weeks away. I'm also starting to think about the Royal Coronation in May as we will definitely have to have our usual street party, thinking now as Hubby and I are on holiday just before getting home with just four days to spare. Guess I'll need to recruit a committee! 

Enjoy your week ahead, stay warm and try to avoid the horrid virus that's doing the rounds at the moment.

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Is it 2:30?........

 
I'd had the bottom half of a broken tooth near the back at the bottom of my mouth for quite a few years, but as it didn't hurt or clog with food I told the dentist just to leave it. Probably worth mentioning I really hate going to the dentist as I have a very strong gag reflex so when her hands are in my mouth I sometimes panic. I always go for my checkups but the sooner I'm in and out of that chair the better! 

Early last week that bit of tooth worked its way loose and came out! Reminded me of losing my milk teeth how you play with it with your tongue and then give it a final wiggle till it's in your hand. It wasn't painful at all. 

A few days after that the tooth furthest back at the top was painful but only for a day or two, one dose of paracetamol, using plenty of the toothpaste for sensitive teeth and eating on the other side and it sort of stopped being anything more than a little uncomfortable. 

Saturday about a third of that top back tooth broke away! Amazingly the remainder of the tooth no longer feels uncomfortable! So do I need to make a dental appointment now or wait until my next checkup (which isn't till mid March)?

Apparently the third Monday of January is called Blue Monday, referring to it being post festivities and bad weather etc causing depression! Well in this house we have Brew Mondays as it's coffee morning full of chat and companionship. 

Tuesday night and with friendL and friendS we went to the panto. We were all winter wrapped up as the forecast was a drop to  -2°C possibly colder. 

I don't really like panto in general. Very old very corny jokes do not make me laugh. I used to like taking the children and watching them enjoy it did give me pleasure though, so I've sat through a few although my own children outgrew them very quickly. It was friendL's idea as she loves them and friendS had never been before and was keen. 

This was a rock and roll panto and was full of really good musicians and all the cast had great voices and it was a constant flow of musical numbers. They all put so much energy into it. I don't mind rude jokes at all but the "dame" was totally over the top with smut that I was a bit worried for the children in the audience. Maybe I'm more of a prude than I thought. 

FriendL stayed excited right through and still giggled while driving us home. FriendS said she enjoyed it "but wasn't it loud!" 

I still don't really like panto. 

After the first long bag I made from the old airbed (see last week's post)  which worked but wasn't totally suitable for what O needed, I had another go! This one I lined, put in a zip (argghh) gave it side handles and a shoulder strap!   

Certainly not the neatest sewing but I'm pleased with the end result. 

When Daughter came to swap her car for mine (her's going for a service) she said that she'd also had serious tooth pain and needed an urgent dentist appointment. Hubby had toothache briefly this week too! Have they changed what's in our water? Will we all be reduced to soup meals soon! 

We managed our Wednesday gang night out this week. FriendM had been away for the last two Wednesdays and she's away again for the next two so it was good to catch up this week.

Bad photo but quite yummy apple cake with our apples from the freezer and some leftover Christmas mincemeat stirred in.  

Hubby hasn't done much in the loft this week as it's been too cold up there to work and he doesn't want all that cold coming down into the house. No rush but he gets the figits when he's hindered. 

Q - When is the best time to see the dentist? 

A - 2:30  (tooth hurty) 😂😖🤭

After that very silly joke I'll say cheerio for this week.

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Make and Mend.......

 
Sunday morning and Hubby now has the extra loft insulation and more boards. They came out of Son's van (he gets discount) carried upstairs and up into the loft before I could take a photo.... but wouldn't have been an exciting photo anyway. My two favourite men do work well together. 

Not the first time these jeans have needed a repair but they are still his favourite working ones. 

Had a pair of mine to fix too. Hubby's split on the knees and mine wear thin top of the legs. 

O and the dog were here all day Wednesday and Hubby was taxi for R as everyone was working. O set up his usual studio at the end of the lounge. 

O carries his tech in a briefcase but recently he's been bringing a tripod and more in a carrier bag that's not quite long enough making it awkward when he's in and out of the car. So I'm trying to see if I can make something better and I'm using a punctured airbed as the fabric. 

Thinking it through always takes the longest. 

My first machining was to make a strap and that went easier than I'd expected. Clothes pegs come in handy when you can't use pins. 

Always a thrill when I win bobbin roulette! 

Tricky turning the heavy plastic right side out after sewing 

and I had meant to put the strap on the plain side with the flocked side on the front 

and I now think it's far too long..... 

but apart from that I'm pleased I used the airbed fabric and didn't just throw it away. 

Two days this week Daughter and O have been here for lunch, which is lovely, and one of those days O was filming and I had to find him an old picture frame and with Hubby finding him a fake wall and offering a little safety supervision he filmed himself smashing the glass (which proved more difficult than he'd expected). He filmed some other stuff but took it all home to edit. Now I'm curious to see the final short film. 

Hubby has done two more tip runs. There was so much cardboard and polystyrene, he had fun emptying the car there when it got really windy. Friday he said he'd vacuum my car inside because it really needed it. However, the vacuum bag burst almost immediately (it's really old) so my car will get done when the bags on order arrive. 

Not looking forward to the very cold weather predicted for this weekend. 

Stay warm, stay happy.

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HNY 2023......

 
As we have done for quite a few years now, we saw the new year in with our NeighbourA who's also a good friend. I bought takeaway style Chinese food from Iceland and the three of us ate together while all social media was pinging with new year wishes. When I discovered neighbourJ was alone I invited her to walk up and see the new year in with us, which she did. No heavy drinking (I'm on fizzy water) and no big party but plenty of chat with a little background music, then TV from 11:30 ish and at midnight four of us hugged and kissed and wished each other a happy new year. 

With so many days of big three course meals and full on roasts, Hubby chose cheese and crackers for dinner on new years day, I didn't object at all. Normal and healthy will resume very soon. 

Although it was a bank holiday we still had our usual coffee morning on Monday. Also felt odd that we weren't seeing Daughter on Monday, her birthday, but she had other plans. 

Tuesday we decided to remove the festive bling and it would have been done at leisure but Daughter messaged to say they were coming for lunch so it was in fact down, packed and taken upstairs before they got here. 

Hubby had said he was going to add more insulation and boarding to the loft, probably in the spring when it's not winter cold or summer hot up there. However, we all know he can't sit still so New Years day he was already up there sorting stuff. So far he has made one trip to the tip with a full car, mostly boxes and packing for goods we no longer have, plus lots of redundant electrical and computing stuff. 

I finally gave in and said he could bring down the pram! 1960s Mothercare coach built. Bought new for my sisterM's first baby and was used by all three of her babies and toddlers. Then it passed to me and used for both my children and often had friends' children sharing a ride. 

Sad to see it go, however Daughter thinks someone who does the multi period reenactment at Kentwell might like it as its definitely authentic 1960s. [edit: they said yes please].

Scrubbed up really well. 

Thursday and a second full car trip to the tip. Hubby then washed my car and invited Daughter over for a car wash too. Daughter nearly fell asleep at lunch as she'd been up from silly o'clock to take R and her friend to the airport, they are having a short holiday in Bordeaux which is quite exciting as neither of them have flown or holidayed without parents before! 

Friday Daughter and O headed north to stay with friends for the weekend. This had been planned quite a while ago, and now with R suddenly flying off to France and M working we have a weekend dog sitting. She really is no bother. 

R and her friend are already at the airport to come home and messaged me with a few photos. Looking forward to hearing about it when I see her next. 

So that's about it for another week. 

Have a good week ahead and see you back here next weekend.

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Festive Fun..........

 
Saturday was prep day, unfortunately I woke with a painful neck and Daughter was coughing so she didn't come round with O, so my hero Hubby did lots of prep too.

By bedtime the goodies are out, the table is set and we are ready! 

Sadly on Christmas day both M and Daughter couldn't come, M was getting over this awful flu like bug that's doing the rounds this winter and Daughter had a dreadful cough so wouldn't come in case it was something brewing and she had germs she didn't dare share. So eight of us here. Dinner all went to plan. Both dogs got on well together which meant we all relaxed and enjoyed the day. 

After our main course I plated and packed for E and boyfriendC to deliver two 3-course Christmas dinners with serviettes and crackers to Daughter and M, this gave us a needed gap before dessert. 

I received lots of lovely gifts, including these beautiful macrame stars that E made. They are now proudly hung on the tree. 

We all joined in when E and O suggested we play some games. This one is shown on the TV and we all have to interact with it using our mobile phones. There was no real skill and it caused lots of laughter. 

Boxing day and just the two of us. It included clearing up, cleaning up, sorting leftovers and watching TV. 

27th has always been traditionally our family day, as it was my dad's birthday. It used to bring together my siblings, my children and partners and their children, nieces, nephews and their spouses/ partners and their children, potentially about 35-40ish people! We couldn't do it through the pandemic of course and together with those that now can't travel the distance and those that were unwell and not wanting to spread germs this year's was relatively small, but still lovely (just 14). NephewE's detour to the Jewish bakery&deli on the way was perfect. I was paying so told him to buy loads, he did, and the leftovers made a bag for Daughter and a bag for Son (consolation for being unable to come) and some in the freezer for me too! Nobody took any pics as we were having fun noisily chatting away. 

Now we're clearing up again hahaha! 

Wednesday night just four of us out to eat. Glad we managed it as friendM has two trips planned for January so we may only get one more Wednesday meet up before February! We do, however, now have a Spain holiday booked for the six of us in April to look forward to. 

Hubby and I have both really enjoyed the new BBC series The Traitors, although Hubby does find all the long debates tiresome. I think Claudia Winkleman has been the perfect host. 

There is now lots of media speculation that the next series will be celebrity contestants, I hope not, we have pre-conceived ideas about celebs and it's good to get to know strangers and guess how they will react! 

Biggest challenge this week is making meals out of all the leftovers, plus I had to add quite a bit more to the freezer after I bought our new years eve meal which came in about 10 boxes! 

So from this final post of 2022 all that's left to do is pass on my very best wishes for the year ahead and may it be happy and healthy for you all. xx

Lots to Celebrate.......

 
Sunday was the first of the eight days of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of light. So my best wishes to all who are celebrating it. 

We've had some beautiful sunrise skies, and some mornings I've actually been up in time to see them. 

This year I've made an even bigger effort towards less waste. I've only used the wrapping paper and gift bags I had here already (most of the gift bags were recycled pre-used ones anyway) and for others I've made gift bags from old no longer worn clothing. I'll suggest they can be reused or returned to me. 

Wednesday our new sofa bed was delivered (it should have been here Monday but I refuse to get grumpy this week).

Looks good doesn't it, and hopefully it will be comfy too. 

Thursday evening I finally went to see R performing in Red Rose Theatre's adaptation of Wind in the Willows. We went as a family plus my old friend, Hubby and I, Daughter and O, Son and fiancé and friendKK. 

Have to say none of these photos were mine, I've taken them all from their advertising. I was too busy enjoying the show to take photos. 

It was fantastic and hilarious! So so proud of R. I had to post this review to Facebook...

Wow Wow Wow  what a fantastic show that was tonight, I can't stop smiling 😁 Fantastic set that smoothly became everything they needed it to be. A perfect cast that so enjoy what they are doing it's contagious. Brilliant script delivered with brilliant timing. Wow !!!

Now here it's house cleaning and food prepping and cooking as much in advance as I can. So I'll get on with it and leave you with my wishes for you all to have a great weekend and a very......

Tinsel and Torment........

 
AAARRGGGHHHH!!! Well the week started with a panic. For Sunday night I'd booked a Christmas meal for my old work team. The department was closed down 13 years ago but we still meet for lunches and Christmas. I was office manager so they leave it to me to organise. I'd eventually got everyone to agree on a date and time and I'd booked for 7:30pm as agreed. I booked online, confirmed 7:30pm with my guests and recently gave in our menu choices to the restaurant with 7:30pm written at the top. I got an email reminder with our booking details and it said 17:30 !!! 

Totally my fault with the 24 hour clock format. 
I tried to amend online but no other times were available. I managed to get through on the phone early and obviously they were busy with breakfasts so kept waiting for ages..... but eventually the lovely Kate managed to juggle things around and change us to 19:30 PHEW!!!

Saturday night was the dinner and dance with the Wednesday gang. At The Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe

Have to say the room was cold but thankfully I'd worn sleeves, friendM hadn't and wore my scarf as her shawl all evening. Dinner was barely OK as was the band but not really worth the ticket price.

Sunday during the day Son came over and helped Hubby move the treadmill out into the bike shed waiting for when Son can move it to his home when his building work is finished. As Son was leaving his van here and taking his car, they loaded the dismantled multi-gym into the van and Hubby took that later over to M as it's his now. Another job done. 

Sunday evening and it was lovely having the old work team together. Unfortunately there were quite a few disappointments here too. We have had our Christmas meal here at The Oyster Reach Beefeater for 18+years but this year was not up to their usual standard. Our server was Harry and he was really attentive and helpful and very smiley. However, there were no crackers or anything festive on the table even though we had pre-booked their festive menu. Just nine of us but the bar couldn't provide an alcohol free beer just a larger, no ginger beer and no bottled sparkling water! Think all the starters were good but all the main courses were warm or cold when they should have been hot! Dessert had barely warm custard all round which was a problem when for one dessert it was supposed to melt the chocolaty dome. Two desserts didn't come out until the rest of us had nearly finished. One choice was the black forest cheese cake, which I'm told tasted nothing like black forest flavours it was more like a vanilla cheesecake with a small spoonful of cherry compote. Harry was happy to get something heated up when asked but shouldn't have needed to. When I paid the bill and told Harry of our woes he managed to approve a reasonable discount. However now at home the bill doesn't look right to me, so I'm sending an email to the manager. Wish me luck. 🤞

Tuesday as Hubby was itching to get his new sofa bed for the office now the space is clear, I said let's just go and see what's available (so hard to judge online). First stop DFS, we were served by Richard who showed us the only one they had in the showroom. It had the right measurements and a good thickness mattress and had been reduced in price...... and to tick the final box they can deliver it next Monday! Quickest we've ever bought and paid for a piece of furniture. I'll pop a photo on next week's post. 

Friday lunch we met friendsL&K in a favourite pub which is an hours drive away normally but we knew there was major roadworks on the A12 causing long slow traffic queues plus the further into Essex the deeper the remaining snow so we needed all the extra time we gave ourselves. Lovely seeing them both and we all enjoyed great food..... so that's made up for those others! 

Can't give you an update on the email I sent on Tuesday as I've not had a reply even though Friday morning I sent it again asking for an acknowledgment of receipt. I'll have to take it further. 

Enjoy your weekend and try not to panic about all that's left to do as there's still another week to go! (Also advice to myself).

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Baubles and Blankets.....

 
We don't have to sit outside distanced from each other anymore, so this week we had coffee morning back in our dining room, lovely and warm! Can't really go back to doing it monthly like pre-covid as we've met outside weekly for three years! So we'll be inside weekly from now till it's warm again. 

My lovely friendVS sent me and others the Jacquie Lawson online advent calender.  It has wonderful animation that's beautifully interactive, with a new animated story every day and lots of games to play. I'm really enjoying it. 

My first Christmas Dinner was Tuesday lunchtime with friendL and friendS. It's always quite a long gap between meetups so plenty to talk about. We went to the Belstead Brook Hotel which was so beautifully decorated up for Christmas, I regret not taking any photos. We all had the turkey and trimmings and it was lovely. 

Hubby has found homes for the fitness equipment we now rarely use so he is dismantling. M is taking the multi-gym and Son is having the treadmill. 

Daughter and O were here for a cuppa or three and to watch the football and to collect their dog who had been with us during the day. O was showing us his new clothes and while modelling decided to pose for Daughter to take photos. 

It's been really frosty and so cold these last few days. Do you think there will be a white Christmas this year? Made me laugh when Hubby turned on the TV for cricket from very warm Pakistan and Sky Sports had to put snow over the graphics to make it look Christmassy. Hahaha

Stay warm, have fun and see you next weekend.

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Countdown Begins........

 
Yes I know this blog week started when it was still November, but the grandchildren wanted to put up our decorations as they have for the last 17 years, however R is in the Christmas performance of Wind In the Willows at Red Rose's Avenue Theatre which runs almost every day in December plus she's rehearsing for two other performances, so last weekend was her only opportunity. 

R and O started by sorting and building the big tree. 

O and Hubby then did the lights. 

Then R dressed it beautifully. 

There's also sparkle and garlands around the lounge, hallway and dining room as well as our little tree in the bay window. And all this was magically created with Christmas music on all the time 🎅🤶🎄

Hubby and I were already married with two young-adult children when my great-nephewD was born. As a small boy he'd come for sleepovers like his mum used to many years before. This week together with his 'nearly'husbandK they invited us over to their home. Actually their second home together but my health issues and then covid kept getting in the way but we got there eventually.  Both so hospitable and D had prepared lunch and dinner and had cakes and biscuits ready and he was up making constant tea. D gives the very best hugs too. A really lovely day. 

Having helped daughter prepare and paint all her hallway, this week Hubby has been removing carpet and getting it to the tip, then laying laminate flooring. Looks really good. 

I've still some cards to write (as I ran out and needed to buy some more) and more gifts to buy and just a couple of weeks left, so best get a wriggle on! 

See you next week.

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