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.

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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