Tuesday 4 October 2022

Work and play combined

 


Tam was here for a long weekend, and wanted to go shopping in Aldi - they don't have one in Aberystwyth. Here was her haul of Squashes!  She had a work-from-home day on Monday, so was upstairs in the pink bedroom all day. Half way through the morning she had an email saying that a work colleague had Covid.  They had shared an office on Thursday . . . It was a large office and he was on the other side, and I heard yesterday that he thought last week it might have been a cold but this week he has definitely tested positive.  Tam, as yet, hasn't.  Long may it remain that way.  Having our children out in the workforce, it is always a risk.  They test before they come to visit.  We have our flu jabs this week, and will book our Covid boosters, both being eligible.


My new rose which is gloriously orange (and then fades to a pink with yellow centre, so pretty.)  I had a long to-do list yesterday, top of which was collecting the Mobility Scooter from Hereford, so I turned it into a day out.   There were a couple of churches I wanted to bother, I wanted more Heritage apples, a long trawl round the big Hospice charity shop and finally, a stroll around the big Garden Centre. All achieved, although the church I wanted to see MOST (at Brinsop) was shut on Tuesdays.  I am tempted to go back today, when I now know it is open, but that's a bit of an indulgence really.  Anyway, I popped into Bishopstone Church whilst I was passing, and that was worth it, and went on to Fownhope too.


The fabulous door hinges at St George's church, Brinsop.  I shall be back!


The Charity shop haul was 3 books (one on WWII in Burma and India for Keith), and 3 heavy Denby inner plates - Denby Imperial Blue.  Just what I need for extra places on the table at Christmas.  They were £5 each but certainly worth it.



From the garden centre I bought a big pot of Caryopteris - past its best, but it is adore by bees.  Pam bought one recently and we had great difficulty in persuading several bees to fly off so we could put it in the back of the car!


I've never had a Senecio before and the soft silvery leaves of this one were so attractive, and I know will look lovely on the Bank, at the front of the space I am clearing all the Monbretias from.

So all in all a very successful day. Now of course, it is the middle of the night (3.35 a.m.) and I have been awake for nearly two hours.  I shall watch some tv and hope to get sleepy again.



10 comments:

  1. I do hope Tam is ok I really do. Such a worry I know our daughter who is living at home works with the public and I just hope and pray she doesn't get it. My son as a journalist was working from home completely and now he is studying full time online hoping for a new career but he does have driving lessons.

    We had our covid booster a few weeks ago and have flu jabs all being well today. Worrying times still.

    Lovely rose. Glad you managed to visit some churches - they are all on my "to visit" list! Look forward to seeing them.

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    1. Finger's x'd, so far, so good. It must be a worry for you having your daughter being in the workplace, as I know how careful you are about avoiding people just in case. You won't know yourself when you have your son to drive you round to churches etc! I will put up churchy posts in due course.

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  2. What a worry for you with Tam and her coworker. Keeping fingers crossed for you all.
    You did have quite a day out, didn't you? A fiver each for the Denby plates is, as you say, quite hefty. Especially for a charity shop purchase. Then again, Denby is brilliant stuff. I wish I'd had the foresight to buy you dinner service years ago.
    I have just missed out by 10 days on getting my flu vaccine in the first round here in the village. They're currently doing the over 65's. I just miss out until the next lot, by which time I will be 65.

    May I have permission to draw that beautiful church door and include it in one of my paintings, please?

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    1. So far, so good, and hopefully she has escaped it. We will ask tomorrow (Flu Jab day) when we will get our Covid jabs.

      It was the Hospice charity shop, so although I thought they were dear, I could hardly try and barter!!

      Please draw that stunning church door and share with me. You didn't need to ask though. I look forward to seeing your drawing.

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  3. Sounds like a fabulous day. Were those squashes really from Aldi? If so, I am impressed. My three Turks Turban and six Uchiki Kuri squash are now in from the greenhouse and decorating the kitchen. Son has come home with three unusual house plants, but had to sell three huge plants (all started as babies) as they were too big to fit in the back of the Polo. I had to be very tactful and say no, I would not be giving up ‘my’ garden room for him to work in and he is now comfortably installed in bedroom four and working from home at my grandma’s 1930s oak bureau and sitting on a very solid Victorian mahogany dining chair. I’ve never been to IKEA! And so far so good. He’s going to work in London on Thursday (train at 7.23 which will get him to his desk in Covent Garden for 9am apparently) and possibly not coming back until Sunday. Best news, daughter has just started a post-grad nursing degree so I am keeping everything crossed for her. While she was here for just over a week we visited lots of churches together and we walked and cycled every day and she sat in the garden reading and had a very good break. It is so nice when the children love and appreciate where their old folks live. Have you watched Jeremy Paxman yet. We haven’t cos Spurs were playing last night and tonight I am out at the ballet - actually Mayerling at Petworth. I’m deliberately keeping myself busy. On the 15th I am going to an afternoon talk at the church in Trotton (just off the A272 between here and Petersfield) on the wall paintings and Agincourt era brasses and tomb. It sounds fascinating and right up my street. Talking off Petersfield have you visited Steep and walked to the Edward Thomas memorial? Apparently the pub there holds a deal of ET memorabilia. Somewhere else to visit. I really should resurrect my blog. Sarah x

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    1. I think I will have to grow those Uchiki Kuri squash for Tam next year, as she's soon moving to a much cheaper flat with her boyfriend (where he can have his dog and they can save for a house), but no garden.

      Glad your son accepted his banishment to bedroom 4! You are like us - nothing new in the house apart from white goods. I'm glad your daughter has her future all mapped out now, and it takes some of the pressure off you, not having her at home too long. Glad you enjoyed church bothering together anyway and she got a good break.

      We watched Jeremy Paxman today and what an eye opener - no-one has EVER said how vital the neck exercises are - just to do them, and not WHY. Now we know why Keith has some good days and some bad - it's all to do with freeing the neck up so that the arterial blood flow isn't trapped and Dopamine can get through to the body!

      I used to live near Petersfield (Rake) and you probably know that ET is my literary hero (along with Hardy). We did the walk through the woods above Steep, at Wild Garlic time, and came out at the memorial. Such special memories. Petersfield Museum now has a dedicated study area for his work and letters etc. Wish I were nearer.

      Enjoy Mayerling. PLEASE resurrect your blog too!!

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  4. Donkey Ears, those soft grey furry leaves are well named. We have this problem of people coming and going from this house and worry about Covid. Though I think it is less virulent. Everyone tests in this house (except me). We had a scare the other week, Andrew had participated in a family birthday. Then his father became ill, then Andrew and then my daughter, but I think it was just a virus. Covid lurks like a dark shadow in the corner.

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  5. The Covid exposure is very scary still, I hope Tam and you all are well

    THe squash are beautiful. Do you eat them or they are decorative only?

    It took me lots of rereading to figure out who your literary hero ET is, lol.

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  6. I hope that you will take pictures of that rose as it changes color! I have never heard of that. The church door is amazing!

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    1. I've taken some photos but the recent rain just made it suddenly drop all its petals!

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