Bragging Rights.......

 
O, aka Charlie Blackwood was part of an outdoor gig on Sunday. 

Hubby and I couldn't go but Son and fiancé went and said he was really good. They enjoyed the other performers too. 

There weren't so many of us this coffee morning. We are all basically creatures of habit so coming each week people automatically seem to arrive and sit themselves down in the same places, however, if some people can't come we can find we are sitting next to someone else and having different conversations which is fun. 

Tuesday was the gathering of the old BT team and partners for lunch at The Maybush pub, a beautiful pub alongside the river Deben. 

They always wait for me to herd them together but always so eager to come when I suggest it. So pleased JE thought to take a photo just as we were all about to leave. This time I had warned them all of the major repair work on the Orwell Bridge which is causing traffic chaos. For us it wasn't too bad arriving but going home was very slow jams even though we had avoided the main road, seems like everyone else had the same idea! 

Wednesday Hubby again got caught with a different traffic problem as he had arranged to visit some friends in Kent. He did explain all the problems but I won't bore you with meaningless details so briefly by the time he'd crawled as far as Lakeside two hours after leaving home (should take half that), and seeing how much worse it was going to get he decided to phone his friends and come home. 

Thursday friendM and I ad been invited to friendHB's house for lunch and cream tea. She lives in Felixstowe so again up the A14 and over the bridge and again all moving OK going there and dreadful coming home. So glad Hubby does all the driving now and he had enjoyed his time in Felixstowe as the guys had met in the snooker club. Us three girls sat in the garden eating and chatting away and it was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon. 

Thursday evening O performed live (as Charlie of course) for BBC radio Suffolk where they introduce new artists' music and he was this week's featured artist. Proud Grandma! 

Daughter was so proud when his image came up on her TV.

Haircut and (clear) specs the look for this event. 

We listened in and along with a lovely comfortable chat with the host the three tracks he performed sounded really good. 

Bought three more little roses which need planting. No blooms or buds on the others at the moment so I'm hoping these blooms last a while. Forecast is for a rainy weekend which will help, and hopefully help the grass look a bit greener again too. 

Enjoy your weekend, umbrella if you need it eh? 

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A People Week.........

 
Surprise start to the week when I got a call to have a CT Scan Saturday morning, the call came last Friday afternoon and obviously follows on from one of the Oncology team doing a catchup call last Thursday and my asking when my next scan will be. It's recommended I have them every four months and this is exactly four months, however, it's the first time I've witnessed any of that team taking action on anything that quickly. Nicely quiet at the hospital and easy to park. As usual getting the cannula in for the dye was very difficult for the radiographer but he succeeded and the scan itself is no problem at all. Results come through in about two weeks. 

A lovely chatty phlebotomists on Tuesday when I went for a blood test, who was very patient but persistent with my reluctant veins. 

Three years ago friendM asked me to have a chat with someone she went to school with who was then at the start of a very similar health story to mine regarding kidney cancer. I happily became a fb-friend to JC and we private messaged most days for about a year. We had hoped to actually meet face to face but as usual life gets in the way. 

This week friendM, fb-friendJC and myself had a lunch together and we chatted for about three hours. 

Our usual group of six Wednesday evening, two others joined us this week as The Grosvenor had a live singer. He's rock and roll and not bad but far too loud so you can't talk at all plus it was hot in there, so friendsH&H ate then left. We all moved into the other bar area where we could talk easier but friendT (she has dementia) was suffering so T&F finished eating and went home. Just the four of us and the guys went to play pool leaving me and friendM beside a giant fan. 

Another reunion lunch this week was with the art teacher we had for evening classes 30 years ago. This class was intended to take us through the "O level" exam as it was then, but instead of putting us in for that teacherSB suggested we all just head straight for the "A level" which none of us failed. 

At the earlier social gatherings there were quite a few of us but mostly it has been just three of us and with my health issues we have only met once since covid. Just the day before friendSH had to cancel for a hospital appointment so lunch was just the two of us. 

We chatted for a couple of hours (and I ate a little too much) during which time my lovely cousinBB phoned so as soon as I got home I phoned her back and had a long catchup chat, then soon after Daughter arrived for tea and more catching up to do as she hasn't been over for a while because she's been unwell and now she's nursing a very bruised and swollen knee having had a nasty trip when out running. 

Busy week but nearly all chatting which I could cope with as it's been far too hot for me to manage anything physical (well that's my excuse eh?).

How are you coping or do you love these heatwaves?

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My New Sport........

 
It had been forecast Monday would be even hotter than the weekend had been, so wanting to keep our coffee morning neighbours safe from sunstroke we pulled out the gazebo Son had left here years ago. 

There were no instructions just a few little numbers on the poles, so the puzzle began. 

Gradually we pieced it together

And eventually had it erected, however it needs to be on the patio so can't peg the legs into the ground which this lightweight thing needs if the wind picks up at all, so we tied it to the brick post, the door handle and the garden umbrella stand. 

That extra shade was very much appreciated by our guests. 

The whole time Hubby was struggling to keep his favourite gardening shoes on his feet as they have completely split on almost every seam. 

I suggested he put them in the bin which he did along with his second best pair that were in a worse state than these hahaha! 

It must have been a little windy Wednesday evening/night as the gazebo looked like this Thursday morning despite us thinking all four legs were well secured. At least three poles were bent beyond repair. 

Shopping trip for a replacement off the shelf at The Range. As a pop-up style it should be quicker to erect and we can put it away each time so it's not left out overnight. 

Meanwhile the TV in the office had decided to stop working. Hubby had fiddled with it for a couple of days without success. So our shopping trip moved onto Curry's and we eventually left with a new TV.

I said eventually as they complained of being really short staffed and tried to place customers in some sort of queue but it still took 35 minutes before someone came to serve us and after Hubby had decided which one to buy it took the chap another 20 minutes or so getting one from the warehouse. Hubby had brought the broken one in the boot which did mean we got a recycling discount of £10.

Hubby is enjoying TV time as it's nearly all sport at the moment, I don't particularly enjoy watching any sport, so I'm calmly participating in tactical avoidance hahaha. 

Keep cool if you can.

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