Making It Count.......

 
I've just added to this plain black t-shirt, but it's taken more than a year to brave doing it as my sewing machine was playing up. The inserts and cowel neck are from a cardigan that I never wore. 

The sewing machine objected when fabrics were just slightly overlapped with their edges almost under the needle, which is what I needed for a flat zigzag join. I tried all sorts of different things but nothing worked perfectly, so I compromised with laying kitchen paper under the fabrics and sewing through it all, the paper stopped the fabric edge getting caught in the hole under the needle and when it's done I could pull away most of the paper. Hopefully the tiny bits caught in the zigzag stitches will come away when the top is washed. Fingers crossed it doesn't then look like it does when a tissue has been forgotten in a pocket! 

A consequence of starting to go out more added to the warmer weather so no jumper needed is having to iron Hubby's tops and jeans. I can't believe I've managed to not iron anything for the last 16 months! 

SERVSC bloodrunners are now getting back to fundraising activities and on their stand there is always a teddy tombola. They are really lucky to have soft toys constantly donated by the bin bag full. However the member who had tirelessly washed and brushed them all to make sure they were clean can no longer do it. So some of them found their way here as there's another event this weekend.  Into the washing machine...

Hanging up in the shed to dry as it kept raining. 

And on a clothes horse. 
And plenty more waiting. 

Daughter is away working all this weekend so kindly gifted the heap of new potatoes from her veg box. I'm supermarket spoilt and haven't scrubbed potatoes in years! 

That's about it for this week, just hoping the weather isn't too unkind for Hubby's two day fundraiser or for Daughter at the Oyster Fair and sleeping in her little tent. 

Stay safe.

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Feeling Hot Hot Hot........

 
Phew what a scorcher last weekend was and forecast the same for the rest of the week. I tried not to do too much, just pottering when needed then finding a cool spot to sit and knit, sew or online stuff. 

I did make a cake as we had a couple of squishy bananas to use up. 

Meanwhile, Hubby and a small group of the bloodrunners gang had a two day fundraising event. Thankfully they were given a pitch big enough to put up two gazebos so they had enough shade when needed. 

There's been plenty of time for sitting outside and I'm always pleased we thought to have a roof extended over a part of our patio so there's always shade. Not a bad view too at this time of year. 

O decided he needed a games fest, they played them all plus two others after these. 

Having been postponed and rearranged we managed our Florida Club lunch. As I've mentioned before friendsL&K love sharing their part- time Florida home with their friends although never all at the same time, so when we are all back in the UK it's great to get together. Hilarious time had by all (helps that we're all a bit crazy! 

There's an overlap in these photos, there were 12 of us in total. 

We went to The Square and Compasses.co.uk/ as we'd been there before and knew the food was all fresh home cooked and delicious. When friendsL&K phoned to book they discovered that we could have our own function room which was brilliant and definitely better for their other customers as we get quite loud. 

I'd had one other lunch date postponed this week but definitely enjoying seeing friends again and now we are driving off to Canvey Island to visit my nephew and his wife, last seen two years ago but we've not seen their new house so I'll insist on a full guided tour.

Thunderstorms forecast for the whole weekend so I hope you can keep yourselves dry and always keep yourselves safe.

10pm END NOTE: apologies, we were invited out today and left home early, now it's late evening and I've just realised that I didn't actually publish this post before we went like I thought I had! Better late than never eh?  xx

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Remember To Be Kind.........

 
Well I can't write about this week without mentioning sport, Wimbledon where there was some very exciting tennis and new faces doing so so well. A multi-national event where the only thing I saw complained about was slippery grass. 

However, at Wembly the final of Euro 2020 football tournament between England and Italy, not a bad game and equal(ish) right to the penalties..... but sadly on Monday there was full media coverage of fans without tickets breaking into the grounds and security having to physically try to stop them (gatecrashers, literally, that may or may not have been jabbed or even negative tested) ..... so called fans on the rampage afterwards through London leaving devastation for others to clear up...... and at the final a fight broke out amongst the spectators and the Queen's grandson-in-law Mike Tindall stepped in to break it up till security could get there. But the worst was horrid reports of racial abuse aimed at the three black players because they missed their penalties, cowards hiding in social media!  That's not sport to me just the stupid ignorant minority and definitely not how they should behave after this pandemic when they should be so appreciative this tournament actually went ahead with spectators!  Rant over! 

Daughter had been round twice to put the big bell tent up (after E used it)  to brush it and the ground sheet down and make sure it's completely dry before it gets packed away again. First time wasn't quite long enough as they had to get home. Nothing worse than canvas with mould so worth coming back a second day. 

This patch at the front was getting quite weedy through the ground cover, so Hubby took drastic action. 

Hence the expensive trip to the garden centre. 

R helped her Granddad plant them. 

And now it looks like this. 

So 24 new plants, that will grow and spread, but as you can see we need to go shopping for more. 

My baggy night t-shirt has needed a bit more Boro (visible mending) using Sashiko (that's the style of stitching). It's a recurring process to all three preferred t-shirts. One day they could be more patches and white stitches than original fabric 🤣

As a final addition to my top of the page rant, I've now heard that my friend's son has covid even though he has been double jabbed, because he went to the football final at Wembly. He knows that everyone of the large group he went with have all tested positive too! Thankfully I think they all have it mildly and are isolating, however they have it from being in a crowd and between there and the time they were pinged they were potential spreaders! After the Duchess of Cambridge had attended Wimbledon she was pinged to self isolate, so covid was there too! 

Next Monday is being carelessly called "freedom day" as most of the restrictions are lifted, but please please be aware, be careful, be safe.

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Juggling The Calender........

 
Last Saturday Daughter did her first craft fair for her Tudor Prints. Sadly hardly any public and sold nothing. Thankfully didn't lose too much as shared the pitch with two friends, but a lot of work creating enough stock, a very early start and driving nearly an hour each way. So when the heavens opened early afternoon they packed up. 

Sunday and an actual fundraising event for Hubby and a small team! He said the forecast day of rain didn't keep the public away. 

Meanwhile I turned the last of the freezer fruit into jam.

Monday coffee morning was really warm and sunny and one conversation was do we continue this weekly "end of the drive" event after freedom day or go back to the monthly event in my house....... unanimous conclusion was stay outside weekly and review again when autumn/winter weather comes.

After lunch had my nails done and when we got home the guy was here to talk about what he could offer to do the toilet makeover! Soon after he left Daughter arrived with the dog and shortly after that E arrived with her boyfriend C to have a cuppa then load up all the camping stuff. We ended up with a very late dinner, a little tv then bed. A bit of a nonstop day. 

Tuesday had a long video call from friendHG and we booked in to meet up on 20th for a pub lunch. Rearranged after having to cancel going to her 7th birthday dinner, which actually went ahead but with much fewer numbers because of changed rules. I'm sure when we meet at the pub about 11:30ish we won't leave till about 5ish hahaha

Tuesday late lunch was a pub lunch with friendM. She had just finished her quarantine from coming back from Spain and she's flying back there tomorrow so a catchup in between was needed. We went to the Swan at Levington, haven't been there for many years, and the seafood platter was really really good. 

Next Saturday's visit to my nephewE's new house has been moved to the 24th. 

Thursday friendsL&K came over, after checking out of the hotel they had holidayed at with two other couples. We'd had to cancel meeting them all there, so seeing two of them here was lovely. Lunch then later tea and cake here then pub dinner. I'm obviously out of practice and felt uncomfortably full up. 

 

Today E and her boyfriend are bringing all the camping stuff back. They had a very successful camp and the weather was really kind to them despite all the forecasts. 

So feels like we are getting busy again. Hubby has another two day fundraiser on the calender this month and we've still got 20th, 22nd and 24th written in....... unless they get rearranged again. 

And of course this Sunday is the big England v Italy euro football final. 

Enjoy your week, planned or spontaneous.

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Quietly Content...........

 
We have a tulip tree in front of our house.

The chestnut tree that used to be there was rotten but as it had a preservation order on it we had to replace it after we had it removed. The chap from the forestry commission (who needed to inspect and sign off the paperwork) recommended the tulip tree and got us one at a very good price. 
Wikipedia says - Liriodendron is a genus of two species of characteristically large trees, deciduous over most of their populations, in the magnolia family. These trees are widely known by the common name tulip tree or tuliptree for their large flowers superficially resembling tulips.

We were told they can start to flower after about 15 years and we planted a 15ish year old tree, so we've looked longingly for flowers every year since it was planted about 15 years ago!!! Yes that tree is now about 30 years old!!!

So excited as today (Sunday) we looked and were rewarded with maybe half a dozen beautiful flowers 😁

I suddenly noticed the fruit outside is growing, not sure why it felt sudden probably as we haven't had proper spring summer weather and time has felt a bit odd for the last year and a half! So I thought I'd better use up some of the fruit frozen from last year. The jam is thick and sticky and Daughter declared it very yummy 😋 

I'm a very tolerant lounge sharer as at the moment tv is mostly Euro football, Wimbledon tennis or England v Sri Lanka cricket, often with remote flicking back and forth. I have my knitting and online Words With Friends (scrabble) until it's time to watch something together. 

Hubby was on call Tuesday night for SERVSC and he got a call to pick up three boxes of blood from Bury St Edmunds to deliver to Ipswich Hospital, but thankfully he didn't have to leave home till 10:30pm so he watched the whole England v Germany game uninterrupted. I thought it was a totally boring game showing almost no skill apart from lots of tripping up and pushing over, however 2-0 to England was a great result. 

Daughter had quite a busy Thursday afternoon mostly at my house. R had rehearsals all afternoon and evening, so after taking R to the theatre she came over with O and the dog. E is going camping with friends next week so Daughter came over to sort the camping equipment box that's stored in our shed. E was working all day so after picking her up from the station at 5:30pm they came back so E could learn how to put up the bell tent on her own. They left at nearly 7pm and R would be finished at theatre 8:30pm and need collecting so none of them would be with us for quiz night. 

This was week 66 for Jay's Virtual Pub Quiz and Hubby and I haven't missed any since week 2, sometimes part of a team of eight with Daughter, R, O, M and a couple of R's friends in the US online too and twice just down to three with just R joining us and any combination in between, but this week just me and him and we struggled. Final score 38/50 and mentally drained hahaha. 

I'm cutting the dead poppy heads to save the seeds and so far the hardest bit has been walking back and forth to the shed trying to find secateurs that actually cut..... now trying the fourth pair. I need to put a report into the head gardener!

I know a lot of people can't stand Jeremy Clarkson, including Hubby, however with nothing else to watch after Hubby went to bed I started watching his usual bumbling bafoon persona take on farming. I really enjoyed it, especially meeting his support team who apart from his girlfriend are all local and fun characters. 

I've watched them all now so will have to look for something else. If you have any suggestions for light easy watching for late at night that would be great. 

I'm still amazed that it's been 66 weeks since this pandemic panic all started in earnest. 66 Wow!

Till next Saturday be good and be safe.

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Dog Eared.........

 
It had been quite wet for a few days now but thankfully the dog enjoys a good rub down with the towel each time she comes in from the garden. 

Sunday was a lovely visit from Son and fiancé with their little dog coming here too. Both dogs had met a couple of times before and although they didn't actually play together they did both tolerate each other quite well. 

Of course Sunday was also father's day and Hubby had visits from both of our children as Daughter came very late in the day to collect R and the dog and stayed for a cuppa and catchup. As they were leaving R put on the jumper I'd finished and told her mum that she loved it and was keeping it for herself which made me happy 😊 

At the same time as collecting Daughter delivered her two tents that she'd had to put away wet, so first thing Monday Hubby opened them up in our garden and weighted them inside so they didn't blow away. Daughter's garden isn't big enough to open two. 

They dried quite quickly and Hubby was going to attempt putting them away but pop ups have a tendency to fight back so he managed to flatten and clip them flat so he could bring them inside and left the tricky bit for Daughter. 

No coffee morning with the neighbours this Monday as we start at 10:30am and the rain started just a few minutes before, although we'd all obviously guessed it would as nobody had put out chairs early. 

New on my needles this week is going to hopefully be a stashbuster cardigan, using up lots of small amounts of leftover wool.

Goes without saying really that I've again fiddled and changed the pattern so another experiment...... fingers crossed 🤞 

Another busy Thursday. Hubby took his bike in for its first service now he's done his "running in" miles and for them to sort some of the things on the snagging list (why do all new things have a snagging list, can't anyone get it all right first time?). NeighbourA was on pick Hubby up duty so that I could be home to dust all the windowsills, as the surveyor came to measure and note details for the windows and doors we have on order. There were a couple of things the salesman had told us we could have that the surveyor said we couldn't as the salesman hadn't put them on the contract so they hadn't been costed in and would cost extra, Hubby will stand his ground and talk to management...... watch this space! 

After lunch I took Hubby to collect his bike. It's empty the bins round the house day so the wheelies can go down the drive for the morning. And it's quiz night which ended up a disappointing 36 out of 50. 

Friday seemed totally uneventful and the afternoon went quite grey and occasionally drizzly so an evening film was very welcome when Hubby saw it was Antman on BBC.

Have a good week and stay safe.

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Oops.........

 
We have been using my tablet every Thursday to join zoom with Daughter&co for the evening Jay's Virtual Pub Quiz, it has worked fine since March 2020 until two weeks ago when they couldn't hear me so fiddle fiddle with it as you do then I rapidly switched to my phone before the quiz started. Hubby and I played with the tablet afterwards and came to the conclusion it must be a broken microphone.  Last Thursday Hubby tried zooming with his laptop and caused all sorts of voice delays and feedback squeeling so I rapidly switched to my phone. On closer inspection today (that was last Saturday) Hubby found the most recent system update was two weeks ago and possibly the cause of the problem..... thankfully another full system update cured the problem! 

While testing the repaired tablet we were video calling each other but getting too much feedback so I stepped out of the French doors into the garden, all worked fine. So I stepped back in, unfortunately just as I lifted my foot over the raised door frame my slipper slipped a bit and caught the frame and next I'm sprawled across the lounge carpet with Hubby running to the rescue. Thankfully I was coming in and not out onto concrete but still going to be bruised and achy for a few days. 

I finished knitting the jumper and I'm really pleased with the design.

Unfortunately it's come up too small for me but Daughter loves it so it will head to her when I've sewn in all the colour change ends. She tried it on and I don't even need to lengthen the sleeves, as nobody has as short a reach as I do except my lovely Daughter. 

As you know Boris has now delayed the full unlocking from the previously roadmapped 12 June to the 19th July. Personally I think it's the right thing to do but disappointed at the few things we had in the diary and looking forward to that have had to change. The "Florida Club" lunch for 10 of us booked for the 15th has now moved to the 22nd so not too bad. Hubby and I had to cancel ourselves out from meeting three couples (on holiday together near us) for one evening meal on the 6th as that would make an illegal group of eight. And most disappointing is one of my oldest friends having to cancel her 70th birthday celebration dinner on the 29th June, she'd only invited about 20 ladies but inside a posh restaurant, so now to split into tables of no more than six, very spaced apart with no communication really allowed between tables or even to transfer the whole thing to any other day that wasn't her actual birthday made her say to me "I haven't rang the restaurant yet but guess I'll just cancel". My disappointments are so minor compared to so many others but we can't undo all the sacrifices we've all made for the last 16 months! 

Beautiful lilies open on the pond, shame we have to view it all through the heron proof net. 

Oh there were very heavy storms Wednesday night as forecast, so heavy the beautiful blooms on the rose have gone even though they are mostly under a roof! They are heavy and never last long anyway and hopefully it will bloom again soon. 

Daughter, E and O headed back to Tudor times Friday morning to next Sunday so as usual on Thursday R and the dog moved in here. Quiz night was just the three of us this time and thankfully we didn't shame ourselves with a respectable 41 out of 50.

I  am often accused of being a bit of a keeper of stuff long after some think it should be cleared out, but sometimes my old collection comes in very handy. Friday R had an appointment and it was pouring with rain but she hadn't packed anything warmer than a t-shirt. Anything of mine or Hubby's would drown her tiny frame but Daughter's concert jacket that's about 25 years old fitted perfectly. 

Today Hubby was pleased to have a whole dry morning so another bike ride, meanwhile I was in the craft room sorting a pattern that needs tweeking and wools to hopefully make a start on the next knitting project. Dog is on guard at the window and R is still in bed of course. 

Enjoy whatever you are up to and stay safe.

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Hooray For Visits............

 
We have this beautiful rose right outside the lounge window, huge blooms that we can admire while inside and once outside we can take in it's gentle perfume. It was here when we moved in 38 years ago. 

R and E had a very long awaited visit to their dad's in Dorset, just Saturday and Sunday, so we took the opportunity for O to have a sleepover here. Of course he brought all his techy stuff with and soon had a mobile studio set up in the lounge. He's great at explaining stuff to me so I'm a little bit wiser and I love listening to his musical creations. 

I'm sure Daughter and M enjoyed their home alone date night. 

Wednesday morning started with the click-and-collect shopping that then needs sanitising (is everyone else still doing that?) and putting away. Then breakfast, then Hubby went off to get the new pond pump he ordered yesterday when the existing one suddenly stopped working. He came home and decided he had time to fit it, needing my help for a little bit of it. After that Hubby had a couple of jobs to do at Daughter's house so I went too, not for jobs of course just a visit and a chat and lots of tea. I got to see O's redesigned bedroom which looks good. Had an interesting chat with R about using they/them for non gender specific people, she feels it's quite natural in her conversations now, it's still something I'd need to consider each time so as not to offend anyone. Not easy changing the way we've been taught and used for a lifetime but glad the world is becoming a little more accepting of our differences. Fixing her patio doors didn't go to plan and took ages and he needs to order more stuff and try again. All this and home by 1:30pm.  

Wednesday evenings for many many years has been a meal out and pub with friends and after this gap of about 15 months we did it again this week.

It was dinner in Prezzo for four of us, then onto The Grosvenor pub for seven of us. We didn't manage a photo with us all but after a lot of laughter we did manage these in Prezzo where I wasn't pulling a gross face. 

A visit from Hubby's old school friendG. He makes himself available to the older people in his village who need lifts and mostly it's local appointments however he is bringing someone into Ipswich for some reason so arranged to visit us at the same time. Another ulterior motive is he has very limited technology ability and needs help with a troublesome word document that Hubby couldn't help with by phone. Sadly a visit which ended up making me grumpy. He arrived and straight up to me with arms wide, when I didn't want him to hug me he got so offended, loudly said we'd all been jabbed so there's no problem and if we think differently we'd been brainwashed. He said he'd been to Wales and back and plenty of other places and he's fine, apparently he was also offended when someone he was giving a lift to insisted on wearing a mask in the car. I  told him I don't care what he does but he should read all the facts before dictating to others, not one vaccine manufacturer or the government has stated 100% effective, and it's ignorant people that will keep spreading the germs which allows it to mutate, but they won't get sick so must be OK. Grrrrrr......I left them to it and went back to my knitting.

Decorating the downstairs toilet has started. This is before (sometimes known as the library)

Hubby thinks he now has a plan for the carpentry and he's bought the paint. The room has been cleared and the carpet is about to come up. 

Hubby has a new bike to ride and good weather also encourages lots of outside activities so the loo could look like this for a long time but I'll update you here of course. 

Weeds are only plants you don't want and/or in the wrong place. We didn't plant these as the tarmac goes right up to the wall, however they are pretty and we love them there, so they are officially flowers not weeds 😂 I'm wondering if it's Rosebay Willowherb? 

I hope you are enjoying the good weather, although tomorrow according to the forecast may be a bit too hot for me to spend long outside. 

As always stay safe.

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Feeling Like Summer...........

 
With excitement and hope that a lot of fundraising events will go ahead this year the gang came to our garden and opened up the new gazebo to see how it all goes together and to check it all. Looks good doesn't it? 

With an audience of like minded bikers Hubby showed off his new machine. After they all left and we'd had lunch Hubby said he was going out for a ride (new bikes need running in gently so good to put miles on the clock), however he didn't come home as happy as he'd left because after a lovely long ride and when he was only two streets from home the bike stalled on a minor junction and tipped over. Thankfully he wasn't hurt at all just very embarrassed and cross at the dents and deep scratches on the chrome and the pannier and the back box and a broken brake lever! It will get a full cosmetic makeover but it will never seem brand new again. 

Hubby is actually fishing, although it doesn't look like it. FriendsM&P are restocking their pond and we have plenty to share.  I'm seeing friendM today (Wednesday)  for lunch so I'll take the bucket that now has some oxygenating weed and seven fish in there. 

I was a bit worried about going to Felixstowe as it's school holidays and thought it might be really crowded but knew sitting at friendM's beach hut we are three levels above the sand so could definitely keep our distance. However, as you can see it was quite empty and watching those brave/stupid enough to get in the freezing water was quite entertaining 😂

Still knitting a winter jumper but decided it's much better to be getting my vitamin D out in the sun on the lounger with the knitting and tea beside me. 

There's been some hairdressing going on in the garden. Daughter gave R the salon treatment, then R took the clippers and scissors to O.

We had a call from the company that did our new front door asking if they could come for the final satisfaction check, so the chap came and also managed to give us a fresh quote for the windows we had a quote for last October and he improved on it a lot. They will be fitted in August. 

We both enjoyed this seven part Netflix series. 

It's totally set around the world of chess but you really don't need to understand the game (I don't) to enjoy the unusual story. Casting, script and acting was brilliant. 

Garden is fresher and greener because of heavy rain yesterday which thankfully started after Hubby had finished painting our iron single gate, and was raining this morning but stopped now so Hubby has gone back to Daughter's to try and fix her patio door that doesn't want to run on the runners since they were manhandled by paramedics in the early hours this week, they were needed so they were totally forgiven for the door and before you ask everyone is now fine. 

Hope you have a good weekend and week ahead, but watch those numbers as the partial unlocking has let the virus spread a bit again so please enjoy socialising again but keep yourself and others very safe too.

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