Winter Draw(er)s On.......

 
The plan on Sunday was for Daughter with dog and Son to arrive here at 9am and leave with Hubby for a 2-3 hour walk and back here for lunch. Best laid plans eh? Daughter had an unexpected overnight guest Saturday who wasn't leaving till midday Sunday and Son couldn't do the walk Sunday afternoon, so Son was here all morning for tea and chat, Daughter arrived with O and dog later and we all had lunch, then Son went home and Hubby, Daughter and dog went off for their walk. 

While they were out O and I had a marathon domino tournament. I won nearly every game but he didn't mind as he decided to keep score with a pack of cards, adding cards numerically corresponding with the number of dots left on his remaining tiles taking great pleasure in managing to use all the numbers in a matching suit. A definite upgrade on a basic game. 

On Monday our neighbour just beyond the hedge had OpenReach there fixing their broadband, as their van was in the road we brought coffee morning up onto the drive. No different of course but it did mean I could get a photo screenshot from our cctv.

One of our neighbours had said they have an old VHS recording of collected family events from the 1960s and they no longer have a working video player. We do still have a lot of working equipment so Hubby has now done a transfer to DVD for her. 

The video has to play on the TV while it copies so I watched some of it, very odd watching lots of people you don't know, until right near the end when suddenly there was a snippet from our neighbour's wedding day. I recognised them immediately. 

Friday afternoon Hubby and friendP had arranged to play snooker in the club in Felixstowe, so friendM and I went with but sat in the bar area and chatted while they played. It's a lovely member's only club and will be even better in the summer as right on the sea front so the large balcony makes for comfortable wave watching. 

It still feels like winter to me but the sun is shining and even though it's still January Hubby has mowed the lawns this week and is now out there planting bulbs! 

Stay wrapped up and stay safe.

. 

Very Frosty Mornings.......

 
You know when there's a sudden strange noise and you can't decide if it was outside or inside, downstairs or up, something to ignore or worry about? Between Hubby and me, Daughter, R and O we sort of agreed it sounded more like it was inside upstairs but Hubby did the full house tour and discovered nothing........ until bedtime when he went up then came down again to report the whole rail inside his wardrobe had come down. Another big job to empty, go to B&Q for bits, repair, sort and refill leaving a pile for the charity bag or bin plus some old biking leather jackets and trousers, I've taken photos and suggested to friendMC that if she sold them she can give the proceeds to SERVSC. As she's a trustee and now events manager she's amongst all those bikers.  

Really nice lunch out catchup with friendM on Monday. She keeps having trips to her place in Spain, especially when the weather is horrid here, so this was fitted in as she came back last weekend and is off again in February. And because she's back the usual Wednesday gang met up again this Wednesday...... nearly! FriendsT&F both have coughs and colds so didn't come, friendHS has a long drive and there are far too many road works and diversions at the moment to make coming for a meal out worth it, and friendHM is an accountant and totally swamped with end of year stuff to take an evening out, so there were four of us which was still lovely. 

I can't stop laughing 🤣 just read this on Daughter's Facebook post...

"That point after you tape three loo roll tubes together to make a pen pot inside your plastic cracker tub, that you realise you have turned into your mother." 🤣🤣🤣

And that's about it for this week. We have the dog all day today while Daughter drives all the way to Weymouth and back,

so the girls can see their dad and other grandparents for the weekend. Tomorrow Daughter will collect R but leave E behind as she is now relocating down there to start a new job on 31st and has a week of flat hunting. Good luck E.

Same time, same place next week eh?.

.

He's At It Again.........

 
New Year and another Hubby project!!! (Maybe you heard me groan a little bit). 

This time he NEEDS to recarpet the craft room! It's my craft room and I'm quite happy with the 38 year old, thread bare in places, foam backing perished to powder, floor covering as it is, even with the spongy creaky uneven floorboards underneath, well it was expensive good quality Flotex so it should last for ever right? 

Here's a quick view of how much stuff is in there now, and how much will have to be moved out. 

He started Sunday in the girl's room and brought down the two single mattresses to the office (in case R needs to sleepover at some time) and dismantled the bed frames.  This gave enough floor space to move in the two large cupboards, sofa bed, drawer pedestal and a few stacks of storage boxes. Our other spare room, we call it the "What" room (long story) now has the two long desk tops and the whole double bed is now full of stuff and there's just enough room left to open the ironing board if needed. 

By Tuesday the room was clear(ish). I really did help lots, reluctantly.

Wednesday we started the day with our click-and-collect groceries and when that was all put away Hubby went to Daughter's to try and improve her radiator flow. Sadly they were defeated and she'll have to call in the landlord's brother who is a plumber. 

In the afternoon Hubby did manage to cut up and black bag all the old carpet and then clean up the room. He wore a heavy duty face mask because the rubber backing had perished so badly. He also had to completely dismantle our vacuum cleaner so it could all be thoroughly washed out afterwards or it may never have worked again. 

Thursday he booked a slot for the tip, then we went carpet shopping. Third shop and the very cheapest was this one. Their chap came Friday to measure up and it should be fitted mid February. 

Picture above taken from their website as the photo I took in the shop was all different shadows and only looked anything like the right colour at the top right side. 

So with time to spare Hubby is playing with all the excess cables that make a huge mess under the desk and is either ordering shorter ones or planning on tying them up tidily. 

And if there's been any other news this week we've been too busy to notice. 

Stay warm, stay safe and see you next week. 
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Memories Made.......

 
Hubby started 2022 with a new year bike ride. It's mild and dry and perfect weather for motorbikes. He thinks there were about 20 of them in convoy up to the north Norfolk coast to have a good walk along the beach looking for the sea but the tide was right out, then the two hour-ish ride home again. 

Before we put all the decorations away for another year I wanted to share a few memories. We rarely buy anything new as for me it's a time for tradition, for reassurance that life in this family will always be familiar, comfortable and reliable. Nearly everything has a back story and so many people have added to it. 

E, as a young teen, had bought us all Santa hats, so I made a hat rack, where they have to double up. One of them got covered as a reversable santa/elf hat for Daughter to perform in.  

R made this 3D snowman picture for us as a present when she was about four I think. I love it. 

I made lots of these Santa teddies when I was doing craft fairs probably about 40 years ago. The bears were all made from an old camel coat, the red fabric was a skirt and the wool trim was an undone old scarf I'd found at a jumble sale. 

At evening classes, about 25 years ago, I learned "bead needle weaving" used mainly for jewelry plus the teacher showed us a few tree ornaments. I made a sparkly fairy and a Christmas tree, although the tree is supposed to gradually get wider and wider, hahaha I got it wrong but still love it and it goes on the tree every year. 

When R and E were about three or four they painted these paper frames that go onto the lights. As they are paper we have had a few tear but will treasure the rest for as long as I can. 

Daughter had a birthday and they all came for lunch and candled cake.

While up in the loft Hubby found a small carrier bag with some old photos. Amongst them were these two from my youth club days, both 1969.

Yes that's me bouncing. 

This was a musical play about the suffragettes and I was Christabel Pankhurst, far left. 

I put them both onto the youth club Facebook page and there has been lots of great conversations about them and the people in them. 

While we are still a bit restricted from making new memories it's good to remember some old ones. 

Have a good week. 

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Our Festivities 2021..........

 
The last coffee morning before Christmas saw all the usuals outside with blankets and hot water bottles. Hubby and I wore our Santa hats. NeighbourAB brought out warm sausage rolls she'd made and mince pies. Plus we had an old friend drop by with our card and a quick chat. 

Our cancelled past-workmates meal was replaced with a zoom gathering of all nine of us. We were on Hubby's laptop and neither of us could remember how to get a screenshot before our 40mins was up and zoom chucked us off. Really don't enjoy multi-people zoom calls but better than not seeing them at all. 

Christmas eve M, R, O and the dog arrived with their veg box and between the five of us (that's with me and Hubby and not the dog of course) all the veg was pealed chopped and washed within an hour! 

Before bed I brought all the nibbles into the lounge and the dining room table was laid ready. Actually I added party poppers after I took this photo. 

We had a lovely Christmas day. They had all covid tested before they came (crazy times eh?) and the dog was suitably attired. 

Kettle on first of course, present unwrapping, 3-course dinner for carnivores, vegetarians and a vegan that's gluten free! We had to make sure all leftover food, too hot for the fridge, was put straight into the office with the door shut so the dog didn't sneak back for extras. A little game playing, this one was fun Just One. One toy broken after about 10 mins that I need to contact the seller about. Nobody wanted any supper food but most happy to eat the snacks and chocolates that were out, have to say I was still too full for anything other than more mugs of tea. 

E and her boyfriend left first as they had more evening celebrations back in Norwich, we waved them off with a carrier bag of vegan food. Then we all settled down for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, another cuppa then the others went home. Daughter taking another bag of food with them. 

Boxing day we realised Daughter had forgotten the rest of her veg box, so she invited us to bring it over and stay for lunch. 

Hubby's present to me was a circulation reviving machine

as I do suffer with restless legs, swollen feet and ankles and very cold knees and ankles. Hopefully after some daily use I'll be able to report back if it has helped. In fact we are both using it. 

Eight of us braved the in-between-Monday for coffee morning. Everyone reported having had a lovely Christmas time but also a couple of hiccups. NeighbourC had to take her mum to A&E boxing day, treated and home again quite quickly. NeighbourAB had a mishap with a knife going through the foil roasting dish and she was still struggling to de-grease her kitchen floor. 

On the 27th backache was caused by sorting what we can't eat now and chopping and boxing all the rest of the leftovers for the freezer. Amused me there were only two leftover brussels sprouts and no stuffing balls at all. 

A couple of days of normal stuff like two machine loads of washing done and Hubby having to fix Daughter's loft ladder and Daughter and R here for lunch then we blinked and it was new years eve! 

As we've done for quite a few years, friend and next door neighbourA joined Hubby and I for our at home Chinese takeaway to see in the New Year. 

Obviously it was far too much food for three of us, so I've dinner for tomorrow sorted. 

Hubby was on call for SERVSC overnight and into 2022 and had decided that after nearly 10 years he's done enough so that was his last shift. He was called out, leaving home just after 9pm so friendA went with to keep him company. Three boxes of blood to collect and deliver to Ipswich Hospital. They were back about 10:45pm as the roads were empty. Hubby checked he was unlikely to be called again so he relaxed and had a pint to see in the new year. Midnight hugs and good wishes between the three of us, and lots of fireworks going on around us, so a few minutes of running from window to window out the front door and out into the garden to watch a few. FriendA went home, we cleared away the few nibbles still out, switched off all the Christmas lights and went to bed. 

And now all that's left for this post is to wish you all

All Under Control - maybe.........

 
Son and fiancé spent lots of Saturday here with us, their little dog was with them of course. Lunch, afternoon tea, constant conversation and present swapping as they are off to Cornwall for Christmas and New Year.

The last few things I've had on order have now arrived, so that saves me the postage stress. I'm still stuck on what to give Hubby though, but amazon have kindly given me a free prime trial account so if I suddenly have a brainwave I could get it next day. I've notes and reminders set up to make sure I cancel the prime account before I get charged for it. 

We've had our only social Christmas meal with friends this week. The hotel restaurant almost empty and just six of us spaced round a large table. Sadly two of our friends had to cancel as their son had tested positive. Think we made enough noise to make it feel like a room full. 

I've been itching for ages to try making crumpets and this first attempt was quite successful. Think next time I'll have the pan a little cooler so they cook slower and I need to experiment with different utensils as my metal tongs slipped on the stainless steel rings. 

I'm wrapping the presents this weekend. Daughter has brought over the vegan main bit to be in place of the turkey for three of them, all the veg is vegan anyway of course. Hubby has the shopping booked in for next week. So I can relax before all the cooking starts and then have family fun. 

I may not get a chance to post another update so I'll wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Like Liverpool Street Station...........

 
I don't like football but don't mind Hubby watching while I'm on my tablet, in fact I rarely look up, however, Sunday's Arsenal v Chelsea women's game made me keep looking up as I was so impressed with the Wembley lawn pattern! 
The groundsmen deserve a trophy! 

I'm actually reading a book! 

Ron is a very dear friend of ours and this is his first published book and so far there are two others to follow. Fiction based on fact which I believe are from his own life. He's been retired for quite a few years and has finally found the time to fulfil a long held dream of being a published author. 

This has been a manic week for Daughter working both weekends at Kentwell as the only piper from the twelve days of Christmas, plus all week days with three others performing (mostly her production) The Tailor of Gloucester and Carol sing-along which follows dinner and tour of Layer Marney Tower, plus a morning midweek performing with the Colchester Waites. Therefore we have lots of grandchildren and dog comings and goings and lifts and feeding in various combinations. 

Monday was R,O and the dog here all day. They said that was the day they would do our decorations. Our grandchildren have done our decorations since the girls were three years old. Today Daughter got them both up early and dropped them here at 8:30am. They both had breakfast then worked well unpacking and building the tree and started decorating it until they both ran out of steam...... at 9:30am hahaha

So with the Elves on strike Hubby and I have done the rest. 

Friday included E who as well as working from home also had a job interview on zoom and here was more convenient for that. We had a bit of desk moving so she had a suitable background as we have so many windows in that room that would cause her to be just a silhouette, but facing the windows would give our gym equipment and craft shelves as a background. She managed to find a good spot. 

Meanwhile in the lounge was R, O, Hubby and myself with the dog hoping she wouldn't find too much to bark at out of the front window. E thinks the interview went well apart from her briefly losing her voice. 

Lovely seeing Daughter every day who has stayed for a cuppa and chat at both dropping off and picking up times. 

Outside of this busy venue there's been worrying news of how fast the omicron variant is spreading plus it's getting really cold although we haven't had any snow here so far, so I'm pleased to stay home. 

Three jabs, mask and sanitiser still seem the best protection, so please keep yourself safe, protect others and don't take chances in crowded places. 

And finally if you've any suggestions on what I can buy Hubby for Christmas I'd be so grateful.

. 

Lots of Buying.......

 
You may remember Hubby wanting to rearrange the lounge because he sits a little twisted to watch TV (has done for about 18 years) and is now getting a sore back. He has moved this very heavy furniture around a few times but no other configuration has worked totally, so he then talked about removing the chimney breast which would consequently mean rewiring power, aerial, Internet, sky box to dish and who knows what else to get tv and all the stuff that goes with it to the other side of the room, which would involve lifting carpets and moving furniture upstairs too. Phew he thankfully talked himself out of that option. 

I suggested he could change the three seater sofa to a two seater and add a single chair for himself that he could place angled directly facing the TV leaving the lounge with the social dynamics that already work and more importantly me and my stuff can stay as we are. Off to the shop we bought this suite from and ordered his chair, which is a rocking swivel recliner (he'll never want to leave it) Only downside is there's a 15 week delivery,  but he's waited this long so a little more won't matter! Apparently this now allowed going into the next store to buy the bigger TV!!! (Not so old one on the floor, very new one in the box while he puts the stand together). Hubby's happy. 

 

We've got through this pandemic, especially the lockdowns, with social media and knowing we have great neighbours. As I've mentioned many times we have enjoyed our "end of your own drive coffee mornings" every Monday since March 2020 only missing a few when weather stopped us. One of the neighbours wanted to acknowledge what good friends we are and arranged lunch at the local hotel. So Monday after sitting out in the cold with blankets and hot water bottles, nine of us went for lunch and it was lovely having conversations in the warm.

I'd organised the Christmas meal for the team I used to work with and partners for 20th December and we were all really looking forward to it as we couldn't do it last Christmas and only managed to get together for a lunch once this year. Sadly with the omicron variant being found in East Anglia and one of our group now on chemo and two others vulnerable we've decided to cancel. Have to stay positive though and hope we can soon socialise worry free. 

Late panic Friday evening due to Daughter's fridge freezer dying, so I managed to clear two whole shelves in my nearly full freezer by moving, over stacking and squashing (I may never find what I need again) and she promptly came round and filled them. Stayed long enough to have a cuppa and order another fridge freezer with delivery next Thursday. We all have a very busy week ahead so then had to work out who could be at her's to take delivery! 

Think I'm starting to get on top of the prezzie buying too, just hoping the stuff I have on order all arrives in time. 

Wrap up warm and stayed masked and enjoy your week.

.

Storm Arwen......

 
Really lovely visit from Son on Sunday, it seemed ages since we last saw him. 

I'd made the most of Saturday while Hubby was out fundraising, and stripped our bed and washed it all after I'd already done three machine loads which all has to go on clothes horses upstairs, then remade our bed, plus a few other jobs, which meant lots of up-and-down the stairs, so I enjoyed just sitting and chatting to Son on Sunday even more. 

SisterP reminded us this week of some photos as she had saved them digitally to save online, and sent myself and sisterS copies. 
It was 1985 and we managed to get the whole family to meet at a photographic studio in Ilford Essex. Not easy finding a date we could all do and a couple could only get there late while a couple had to leave early but we managed. 

The reason was to get the best present for our parents' combined birthdays and upcoming 45th wedding anniversary. 

At that time they had...

Five children

Four children's spouses

And seven grandchildren. 

Their family portrait was huge and framed and hung on their wall until mum moved into sheltered housing in 2008 and of course it was immediately hung there. 

While we were at the studio we arranged for each family to pose, just the children to pose, just the siblings and also one of just the men, which we all chose to have small prints of in a concertina wallet. 

This was us way back then (I loved that curly perm). 

Unfortunately the quality of the studio's developing was seriously lacking and all the ones we framed and displayed have faded and even though sisterP had kept her wallet in a draw these images are poor but still a wonderful reminder of a fun day with my wonderful family. 

Tuesday O and the dog were here while Daughter was working. O wanted me to measure him against the bathroom doorframe, our permanent record,

and wow he had grown 2 inches in 2 months! He's been taller than me for a long time 😂

I'm worried about friendL who we should have lunched with last week but her and her husband had tested positive. Scarily she was taken into hospital earlier this week as she has asthma and was suffering. She is on the Covid ward so very very limited visiting. We play "Words With Friends" (online scrabble) together anyway so I'm trying to take my turn and get the games back to her as soon as I can to help with her distraction. Keeping everything crossed for her 🤞

Storm Arwen is threatening all sorts of horrid weather this weekend. Hubby and the SERVSC gang should be doing a two day fundraiser event, however where they pitch is on concrete so they can't anchor the gazebo down and there's very high winds forecast..... so at 6:30am today it was cancelled and everyone was informed..... then at 7:45am when it still looked quite calm through the window event leader was having second thoughts and messages were going back and forth. So hard dealing with a storm but even harder trying to deal with the anticipation of a storm! Pleased I'm not involved. 

So batten down your hatches if you need to. I'm off to make another cuppa.

. 

Yummy Eating Week........

I ended the last post with our beautiful tulip tree in gold so I thought I'd start this post sharing our beech tree while it's a stunning burnt orange. I love autumn! 

Hubby still had to mow the lawn this week, mid-November and it's still growing thick and fast! Beautiful when the sun comes out but chillier now and needed coat and gloves for coffee morning. 

Tuesday had a lovely catchup lunch with friendM. We went to Belstead Brook Hotel (they have a midweek pensioners special deal) two courses and coffee. This was my treat as friendM had a birthday just before she went on holiday so a postponed celebration. In fact Thursday we had another postponed celebration for her birthday but as our usual group of six event. We went to a Vietnamese restaurant I'd not been to before. They don't have a website so can't add a link. It was all really lovely food and they were happy to present the birthday cake with candles that we'd brought in. Funny when they just plunged the whole restaurant into darkness and walked over with the cake singing happy birthday 🎂 

Well after all the years of being told to keep switching our energy suppliers to maintain the best deals our supplier was one of those that sank under the pressure of rising prices in their supplies. Hubby has just had bills in and has now calculated that with People's Energy we were paying £85.77 per month and we were left with some credit in our account, but now with British Gas we have to pay £227.28 per month!!! I'm lost for words! 

And Friday lunch was out to The Square and Compasses with friendsL&K. Sadly there should have been six of us but friendsL&M are at home in bed suffering with covid even though M is triple jabbed and L is double jabbed, in fact her booster should have been the day she tested positive! 

Please remember it's still out there and nobody is 100% protected so carry on doing all you can to stay safe.

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