A Quick Read........

 
I know I say this every year, I love our tree in her autumn gold. 

Had to keep checking on our children as Son and fiancé gradually recovered from covid and Daughter started a really bad cold, she went to work on Monday afternoon but chose to wear a face mask so she didn't spread germs. Then M and R  both tested positive with covid !!!

My handyman Hubby had the carpet up in the bathroom and with lots of sawing and banging he replaced the floor boards that had recently felt a bit too bouncy to be safe. 

I've started the marathon card writing, takes me a while as I get distracted/ bored/ achy from sitting. I won't post any yet but I will post early enough to only need second class stamps because 75p is already expensive (£1.75 for 1st is ridiculous when I'm sending so many) and I'll try to deliver by hand as many as I can. Our local Scouts are providing their card delivery service again at just 35p each and of course the Scouts, leaders and parents do it voluntarily so what we pray is all fundraising which makes me happy. 

Seems like a short review of this week but it's mostly been our usual routine stuff and I'd hate to bore you. So stay warm and I'll see you next week.

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Happisburgh Pics........

 

In case you didn't read last week's, I'm on holiday with Hubby, Daughter, O and their dog. We all arrived last Friday afternoon. 

Saturday morning, after a very comfortable night, I was up before 7am however Daughter was already out walking the dog. She came back with this early morning photo of the lighthouse, we can see this from the house we are staying in. 

After breakfast three of us decided to go out, but O declined and stayed in bed. This is Mundesley beach. 

Back for lunch and O was up then. After their five hour drive from Dorchester E and her boyfriendC arrived about 1:30pm.

Our evening meal was at The Lighthouse Inn followed by another three hours of trivial pursuit hahaha, team Daughter and I eventually won! 

 

Sunday had a bit of this 

And this

Then all out to Horsey wind pump. I stayed outside with the dog while they all climbed to the viewing platform at the top of the mill, too many stairs for me anyway and they reported the top bit was just a ladder. 

We went for a lovely but muddy walk before heading back. After dinner, the yummy vegan Shepherd's pie Daughter had made and brought with, O, E and boyfriendC made full use of the games room playing pool and table tennis, staying in there long after we went to bed. 

On Monday Daughter had to drive back to Ipswich for work, she set off about 10am. The weather was really wild wet and windy so we had a very leisurely morning, in fact it was 1pm when I went up to wake O so we could all go out somewhere while it was looking a bit calmer. We just walked locally towards the beach, avoiding the cliff edges as there has been so much coastal erosion here. 

I tried to pick up the lighthouse as a souvenir, but failed. 

We waited for Daughter to get back, about 6:30ish and had a dinner of the previously bought meat pies and vegan pasties with curly fries and carrots. 

Then there was some of this. 

Daughter played a game with E and O at the dining room table. C was on his laptop. Hubby watched a Terminator film and I read my book. 

Tuesday early morning Daughter and Hubby walked the dog. Then when everyone was up we all went to Cromer. 

Obviously not the weather for lunching outside with the dog, so we looked for somewhere suitable while E went into every charity shop but sadly couldn't find anything she wanted to buy,  then we found this place that thankfully serves humans too. 

All had our fill even our dog had sausages from the dog menu. Then a walk along the prom and eventually back to the car park. 

About 4pm E and boyfriendC left as planned for Norwich to spend two days with friends and family there before they have to head back to Dorchester and work. O decided he wasn't finding enough to do here and it would be worse without E so they gave him a lift to Norwich Station and he got the train home, so now there's just three of us here and the dog.

It turned into a reading evening and Daughter had an early night. 

Wednesday Hubby managed to book Daughter's car into a local tyre place as she'd discovered a screw lodged in one of the back ones (they had wondered a few days ago why it had been very slowly going down). So a lovely walk along Happisburgh beach then a very short drive to the tyre place. 

while it was being done we found The Swan Inn at Stalham to have a meal (great fish and chips) then back to collect the car with two new back tyres.

No need for a dinner in the evening so used up some of the fridge stuff. Hubby and Daughter watched the football and I read. 

Thursday woke to a greyer day, I say woke but I'd not slept well at all and Daughter reported not sleeping much either, dunno why.  Hubby and Daughter decided to go for their long dog walk early as the forecast said later was horrid. 

A very empty beach because almost as soon as they got there the rain came quite heavily. Daughter took this photo of the very soggy pair that returned, they were soaked through to their underwear. 

Daughter had planned to leave this afternoon anyway and as the weather wasn't going to encourage Hubby and I to do any more sightseeing I also packed our things and we had lunch here to use the frozen pizzas and then headed home. Only half a day early and we would have needed to be out by 10am anyway so nothing lost really. 

The drive home was mostly in very heavy rain which helped confirm it was the right time to leave. We were also home for our usual Thursday evening YouTube quiz. Had a lovely long phone call from Son, they were both so upset that they missed this holiday, but neither of them were over their covid symptoms, horrid eh? 

Friday of course was all the unpacking, putting stuff away and three machine loads of washing (probably need another two loads to catch up but that can wait so I can make space to get it all dry indoors). 

Till next week then, stay warm.

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Pronounced Haysbruh.........

 
We are going on holiday at the end of this week, so the beginning of the week is deciding what we need to take. It's self catering and on the Norfolk coast, so not a warm location in November and could be very wet. I started off gathering roll necks and jumpers, blankets and hot water bottles! 

Monday morning was dentist with Daughter and O. We always go together when it's just the six monthly checkup. She dropped me back home in time for half of the coffee morning so I still got to see everyone. 

Quite a while ago Tesco reduced the value of their points reward so just before the deadline we cashed some in for Pizza Express vouchers. This wet Wednesday, as we weren't eating out in the evening, we treated ourselves to a free lunch. 

Turns out the price of all we ordered and the amount of vouchers we actually had it was a half price lunch. Thoroughly yummy though. 

Sadly Wednesday afternoon Son reported he has covid again. So we are not looking after their dog on Thursday and they'll not be sleeping over,  they've cancelled the concert they should have gone to and they'll not be coming on holiday with us Friday as planned. Then Thursday fiancé tested positive too so really hoping they get negative tests very soon and can join us partway through the week. 

This is where we are staying

The week was bought by Daughter and Son for my big birthday last August and it's big enough for Hubby and I, our children and partners, grandchildren and a partner and even the two dogs. November was the only week everyone could do, and even then we knew they couldn't all do the whole week.

That was the plan and what actually happened was Friday Hubby and I loaded the car (seems like we covered most eventualities) and with only a couple of hold ups en route we arrived about 3:30pm. We had a full nosey round the house, which looks very well equipped and found some cookies left as a welcome gift, we chose our bedroom and settled with a cuppa. 

Daughter and O arrived about 5pm. The dog was pleased to see me. 

We decided on fish and chips for dinner which Hubby and Daughter went out for, then O found trivial pursuit in a drawer so we played that.... for two hours hahaha. 

I was awake a lot of the night, which is normal for me in a strange bed, but the bed was really comfy and the house very warm, a bit too warm in fact. So this morning after hearing Daughter and the dog up I got up which was about 6:45am. Daughter had already gone out for a walk with the dog. 

Time for breakfast so I'll post this now and hopefully have lots to report in next week's.

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Powerful Weather Powerful Play..........

 
Well of course the grandchildren have outgrown Grandma's Halloween fun but there are still young children that live locally so we decorated the door and put a candle lit display in the front window so they knew they could knock. 

We filled a big bowl with chocolates and lollys. Hubby answered the door to one young girl and that was all, yes that was all the whole evening. Maybe it was the weather putting them off. Guess who's eating all the chocolates now? 

Had a lovely catchup lunch with friendsL&K. Serious family news from them but we always find things to laugh about too. Went to our favourite steak house and I had the ribs as always and so good, mmmmmm

The weather has been awful with high winds and very heavy rain. The second named storm hitting the UK within two weeks of each other. So many people have been flooded out of their homes and locally some roads flooded. I did send messages round and nobody I know has suffered thank goodness. Now hearing of so many organised firework displays being cancelled due to waterlogged fields and high winds forecast. 

Another evening dog sitting for Son and fiancé. First time they'd been to the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich and they really liked it so will keep a close eye on their program in future too. 

I booked for six of us to see The Ungodly, a play by Red Rose Chain, and R is in it. 

Set on the Stour estuary in Mistley, East Anglia, The Ungodly explores the events which led to the terrifying witch hunts led by Mathew Hopkins, Witchfinder General in 1645. The play is inspired by new evidence suggesting that Hopkins’ own family tragedies were a catalyst for his reign of terror. It explores the reality of good people being drawn into a movement which persuades them to do terrible things and draws parallels with the polarised world we live in today.

Hubby was dog sitting (theatre is not his thing) for Son and fiancé and I went with them and met Daughter, O and my friendKK there. The cast of just four were perfect. The chemistry between them made it so real. The script was really powerful and especially knowing it was all based on well researched fact. It was delivered with such intense passion by them all. Amazing. 

I'll hit send on this now as we have another day of dog sitting, Daughter's this time, so have a good week and I hope you stay dry.

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Sometimes It's Chaos.........

 
Weekend was quiet-ish apart from dog sitting again Saturday for Son and fiancé while they went into London to see Patrick Stewart. It was a bit of a late night for us as they had public transport delays on the way home and Hubby stayed up as he was picking them up from Ipswich Station. Then they needed to unwind with a cuppa and chat before driving home. I guess we should have had a lazy Sunday but actually I decided to strip and remake our bed, we did two machine loads of laundry which had to go upstairs on the clothes horse and hangers, went out shopping to hunt for the perfect present for a special friend and make an early roast dinner as Hubby was out in the evening playing pool. 

Coffee morning was a full and noisy dining room. 

Later in the afternoon M brought O and the dog and a little later still he came back with R after collecting her from work. The three of them are here till Wednesday. R's latest play opens Tuesday evening which I'm really looking forward to seeing later in the run. 

When R does evening performances she needs a dinner lunchtime and takes something lighter with to have later. Of course R and O like to sleep in late so dinner is also breakfast hahaha. I was meeting FriendLA and friendHD in the evening but a light dinner still filled me too much to order dessert when they did. M had a full London day but got home in good time to pick up R from work. They both came in (it was about 11pm) and M was gushing and telling us of his amazing day which included a meeting in Westminster and inside no 10! Eventually I also asked R how first night went and she said very well, in fact there were hardly any mistakes. 

Wednesday and again I'm making a dinner lunchtime when I was interrupted by O saying he'd had a nose bleed, I sorted the pillow and pillow case while Hubby dealt with the few spots on the bathroom and landing carpets. When R got up she told us that last night the bedside lamp bulb blew and started smoking! Then knowing that these things often happen in threes we were not surprised when we were all relaxed in the lounge with a little while to go before taking R to work and O and the dog home, the dog threw up on the blanket she was lying on! 

Hubby and I had our usual Wednesday night out with friends, Prezzo first then the Grosvenor. FriendsT&F gave us an anniversary card, unfortunately as we left the Grosvenor after last orders I realised I'd left the card on the table at Prezzo, very cross with myself. Thursday Hubby phoned Prezzo and thankfully they had put the card aside and Hubby will call in and get it Sunday as he is back in Felixstowe. 

Friday evening we were dog sitting again while Son and fiancé went to The New Wolsey to see Uncanny, that spooky thing on TV at the moment that Danny Robins has also taken on tour. They both really enjoyed it. 

A busy week, so lots of words, no photos and for some of these things I'm sure you wouldn't want photos anyway. 

Enjoy your weekend and remember the clocks go back an hour.

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Our Golden Week......

 
We decided to take advantage of the dry sunny Saturday to pop to Felixstowe and finally have a ride on the ferris wheel before it closed the next day. 

Twice round gave us plenty of time to have a good look at the view, town one side and the sea the other. 

As you can see by my hair it was very windy up there and I'm glad I wore my scarf as it was quite chilly. 

We ended up having a very long walk too as Felixstowe is prone to flooding at high tide so the flood barriers were closed along the whole prom. Not realising we parked in the car park half way along the sea front, so had to walk all the way to the end to get to the beach then half way back to get to the wheel and the same again afterwards. 

Sunday we had arranged with old friends to meet for lunch. When we arrived Hubby and I were surprised that friendsN&T and friendsV&N had arranged it as a celebration in advance of our golden wedding anniversary later this week.  

We had a big balloon, lots of cards, yellow and white bouquet and the table was scattered with confetti. At the end of the meal they paid for ours too. We were spoilt. We have such lovely friends.

Red Rose Chain theatre company are about to open their next historic play The Ungodly and as always there are a lot of online promotion photos. This one took me by surprise as the girl sitting in front is my Granddaughter R.

Who looks identical to her mum (pic below). Daughter has straight hair and R's is very curly so with coifs on nothing separated them.  

When my neighbour said she was enjoying the latest in the Richard Osman series of The Thursday Murder Club, I said I've read all three as ebooks but this forth one is too expensive for a kindle edition. So she finished hers and lent it to me. I'd forgotten how heavy a hard back book is and I need to have my legs raised and the book on a bean bag hahaha.

Hubby has reached the end of an era. He has been a biker for more than 40 years, however, this bike has been out on a run only three times this year. Either we are going out together and I don't get on the bike. He used to ride to see his dad or his brother, neither are with us any more. The friends he used to occasionally ride with he rarely sees now. So this photo is his last ride as he took the bike to sell it back to the shop he bought it from. The guys in the shop were amazed too! 

Thursday evening we dog sat for Son and fiancé. Their little dog can be a bit frustrating as she spends most of the time just staring at Hubby and neither of us can work out what it is she wants. Thankfully she doesn't get cross just stays staring. 

20th October 50 years ago was our wedding day, so this is our golden anniversary. 

Every one of the main anniversaries by year Hubby has bought the right pendant for my necklace (the necklace he put in my cracker about 40 years ago) so this is my new gold. Unfortunately it's the wrong fitting so it has had to stay on its own chain. Hopefully the two won't tangle.

The weather was awful, very wet and windy, not as bad as some parts of the country suffering Storm Babet, but not a day for forcing ourselves out in it pretending to have fun. So we stayed in and treated ourselves to a Chinese takeaway for dinner. I also made some lemon twists.... well lemon curd is gold. 

Hope you've had a good week too and not suffered bad weather.

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Staying Home.........

 
It's still really warm and sunny for the time of year, however these pigeons are obviously preparing for winter as they feast on the pyracantha berries.

After chatting to a friend about boilers, Hubby invited the gas man that changed theirs (as he was so highly recommended) to come and give a review on the best system that would work for us. Hubby hasn't been happy with our hot water pressure for years.

What we have at the moment is a condensing boiler fed by the tank in the airing cupboard which is topped up by the tank in the loft. 

Unfortunately Tuesday came and went and the guy didn't come. Hubby is now trying to track him down. 

He did track him down and after apologising said he'd call round Friday, he didn't! 

The large vase of flowers were starting to die and as I thinned it out I thought I'd take the opportunity to use my new birthday bud vases. 

Wednesday was a good day till the very end. Hubby went early to Daughter's with big gardening tools and helped tidy the overgrown side garden where they park the cars and caravan. It was Daughter's first day performing at Scaresville, when Kentwell Hall turns into the scariest venue for Halloween. Not wanting to leave O on his own all day when she left at noon, he came back with Hubby and the dog came too. We took them both home on our way out to Felixstowe at 6:30pm. 

Our usual Wednesday six was joined by friendsH&H (and they brought me a very belated birthday gift). We ate at The Dooley for a change then said goodbye to H&H and the six of us went to our usual pub. The guys had the pool table to themselves as the pub was in full swing of quiz night. Us girls struggled to talk over the very loud quiz master. Then friendT said she felt really tired but we knew something was wrong although she wouldn't say, so they left and we both worried about her. 

So that Hubby can drink I always drive home. Dropped friendsM&P home first of course then a very easy drive considering it was pouring with rain. We were back in Ipswich not far from home when I misjudged a roundabout and hit a curb hard. The front tyre had burst, this car does not carry a spare gggrrrrrr for no spare and gggrrrrrrrr at myself!!!

Our neighbour to our left owns a garage and breakdown service so we phoned his wife's mobile (only number I had) but at 11:45pm she quite rightly had her phone switched off. I managed to limp the car round to a safe parking space where we could leave it overnight and Hubby phoned friend&neighbourA (next door on our right) and he came out to get us. 

The two of them went back out Thursday morning and got it all sorted. Well done to them both.

I had fancied going out Friday. There was a large ferris wheel at Felixstowe that was closing this weekend and we'd not been on it but the weather was definitely not suitable Friday morning with heavy rain and quite windy. After lunch when it did dry up a bit Hubby reminded me this gas man was coming so when Daughter asked if we could dog-sit I agreed. Probably wise staying home as it was Friday 13th.

Sadly I have to write about more war in the middle east involving Israel, Palestine and Gaza land and the horrific attack by Hamas terrorists which seemed to be totally unprovoked. I'm Jewish with my whole life being part of a large Jewish family and being involved with many different Jewish communities so I feel for all those involved. I also feel for all the Jews around the world that now fear further terrorist actions against them. 

These are very scary times!

I wish peace for all 🙏 

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A Long Care List.......

 
30th September forty years ago we moved into this house with our two children, Daughter at four years old and Son ten days away from his third birthday. I love this house and the forever family home we have made. 

NephewE and his wifeN came for a lovely all day visit and brought these flowers, so good to catch up. They were here for lunch and dinner with dinner being timed for football half time as E has always been a strong Tottenham supporter and their game against Liverpool was on TV (everything is allowed for family). Tottenham won (only cos of a last second Liverpool home goal) so NephewE went home happy. 

I'm sitting down very carefully each time just now, no it's not a sore bum or any other physical problem.... I've broken my sofa. My side of the sofa made a nasty clunk the other day and now it creaks and groans every time I sit or move around. After close inspection Hubby said it's safe to sit on as there are four big springs underneath and only one has broken. He's phoned the company and sent them photos so fingers crossed it gets fixed before I do any more damage. 

I've always believed in counting my blessings and never more so than this week as thankfully we are all OK but I've heard about seven people I care about who are going through a medical trauma, had a nasty accident or suffered a bereavement, and it's only Tuesday. Life can be so cruel. 

We had two nights out, Wednesday the usual six of us in the usual places. Thursday should have been girls night out for five but another friend is unwell so I drove instead of being driven and the four of us had a good meal and a good laugh. Hubby was out Thursday night too for a pool team practice night and I got home before he did. 

Friday morning Hubby enjoyed a long lie in getting up at nearly 9am (very rare) had a cuppa then he went out grocery shopping. Relaxing afterwards when it was all put away he suggested doing the online quiz we missed Thursday. We've been doing this quiz since it started at the start of the pandemic and only missed a few so it does feel odd when we don't. 

And that's it for another week. Hope you're well?

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Fitting It All In.......

 
Hubby had a very busy Saturday, starting with shopping then home for breakfast. He loaded the car with garden tools and went to Daughter's to trim back her large hedge then home for lunch. Finally he mowed our lawns front and back. The rest of the afternoon he treated himself to watching the England v Ireland cricket, and this...

I enjoyed it too. 

End of September and we still enjoyed coffee morning in the garden, didn't even need a cardigan. 

Tuesday 7:30am yawn! Steve from AtoZ Energy Solutions arrived as Hubby had booked them for our cavity wall insulation top up. It had been originally done when the house was new 44 years ago and in the 40 years we have owned this house Hubby has done a lot of internal work that would have caused loss and compression so it's no longer effective. Hubby had gained four quotes from different companies, three of them wanted to suction out what was left before installing new, however this company said they use a product that is not only fully reconstituted plastic bottles but is also fully compatible with what's in there already, so more environmentally friendly, a lot cheaper and a lot quicker.

Thankfully he took a little time to have his breakfast and didn't set up till 8am which gave Hubby the opportunity to admire the equipment.

Then it was an hour of very very noisy drilling all around the house, 48 holes in all. 

This hose was long enough to make it all around the house and not lose any pressure. It took a while to attach the hose to each hole, pump the stuff and then to seal the hole 48 times, but it was so much quieter than the drilling that we didn't mind. Think he was here about three hours including two short coffee breaks and we were so pleased how hard it is to even spot where the holes were. Hopefully this will keep the house a lot warmer. 

Talking about energy money saving, we have signed into the British Gas Sunday saving scheme where if you use electricity between 10am and 4pm on a Sunday you get a discount. We got the statement for August and we saved. 49p! Of course that's the time our solar panels would be active if it's sunny and we had one of those weekends away. Maybe the dark and cloudy winter will save us more. 

NeighbourA came over to tell me that a local pharmacy is now doing flu and covid jabs without appointments, so we stopped there on our way home from a visit to the tip (we go to all the exciting places) and both had both jabs. When we got home I cancelled the booked appointments our surgery had made us as they were three weeks away and the day before our wedding anniversary, so let's get the sore arms and restless night over with now. Really lovely pharmacist did them, wrote down our details, then flu jab in one arm and Pfizer covid jab in the other. I just had mildly sore arms feeling bruised if touched, Hubby did get some shivering towards the evening. I seemed to sleep well. Friday morning I did feel really stiff, I must have found a position that didn't hurt and stayed in it. Hubby said he didn't sleep well at all. 

Friday evening I was meeting FriendLA she chose to book The Sorrel Horse but when I looked on Google to check my route and travel time I was confused by the directions, I've been there before but last time was a long time ago and not what I remembered at all. Hubby checked and said it was because of road closures and diversions. Knowing how bad my sense of direction is and how night driving isn't easy for me now Hubby insisted on driving me there and picking me up, I was so relieved. Had a lovely evening and we've already booked our next meetup when FriendHD can join us too. 

A busy week and looking like a busy October ahead.

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