I don't often repost memes - in fact, I think this may be a first. Anyway, sadly the above states a fact.
You may remember that I suddenly lost my sense of smell, and this was about 6 mths ago. I put it down to a sinus cold I had which had me blowing my nose for 6 weeks and I thought I must have damaged the mucous membrane in my nose. Well, last night it suddenly returned. Before that I couldn't smell TCP, onion, curry, vinegar - nothing strong! I really missed the scent of my roses this summer. Having checked out Dr Google this morning, apparently stress can affect your olafactory senses - it works in the brain rather than directly in the nostrils. Strange. Well, I have certainly been incredibly stressed in the last year that's for sure.
Having Tam and Rosie here for a couple of nights/3 days a week makes a huge difference to me. Of course, when she's back at work I won't see so much of them but at the moment they are a huge support and Rosie is such a delight.
Gabby came up for lunch yesterday and bought some tasty goodies - Parmesan & Garlic Twists, Bistro Runny Egg Scotch Eggs for her and Tam (YUK!), tasty spicy Chicken Tikka Pakoras, and I had baked bread, plus there was a cheese board and salad.
After lunch we started planning our trip to NZ. I am still waiting for the NZ book from the Library. The direct flight is a whole day and night so we are going to stop on the way - probably Vancouver for a couple of nights, and possibly San Francisco on the way back. I have told Gabby I am going to give all my clothes to the nearest thrift store in San Francisco and find a quilt shop and buy more fabric for my stash!!
I set to first thing and baked a Spicy Dorset Apple cake for the friends who supply me with windfall apples, and then a huge Chocolate Gingerbread cake, some of which is going home with Tam and the rest in the freezer.
Tam's just made me laugh - I heard her laughing up there and apparently the moment she opened the bedroom door, Lulu fell in. She LOVES little ones (remember she was always with "I" when they lived here). She loves Rosie now and just wants to be by her. I can hear Rosie's delighted "aat" (with a sort of silent t!!)
This morning we're going to nip across to the Garden Centre for bulbs and to look at their Christmas decorations and buy that one new special one we buy each year.
I had a wonderful surprise in the post yesterday when a copy of Country Living magazine arrived on the doorstop (a magazine I love but rarely buy). It was from my dear friend Danette and when I emailed her to say thankyou, she said she had bought me a year's subscription because I'd been having such a sh*t time of things lately. Oh bless her. What would I do without such wonderful friends.
I also got the hang of WhatsApp this week and had video calls with Little Lin and then Rosie (my dear friend in NZ). Amazing. The video link on my computer no longer works so it's good to be in touch on my phone.
I have been summoned to do my bit keeping Rosie company whilst Tam gets dressed and cleans her teefs. Offs I go . . .
I often read but do not think I have posted a comment before . My husband died aged 63 in March 2023- so we share that dreadful experience of being a widow . So much of what you say resonates - I miss him so much - and I miss having someone to do nothing with ( if that makes sense ). Well done for planning a big trip - I admire you very much for doing that- and I hope you are able to enjoy it, even tho I am sure it will be bittersweet
ReplyDeleteB x
Yes, stress does strange things to ones body.
ReplyDeleteWhere are you heading for in NZ? I hope to be in Whanganui in January then move up to near Hamilton...I'd like to get to Whangarei before coming back, to see the Hunterwasser museum and friends and rellies
How lovely to have company from your girls and Rosie who looks to be an utter joy. (My friend’s 7 month old granddaughter enjoys her food so much she is almost bursting out of her 6-12 month size handknitted cardigans!) That is interesting how stress affects senses. I don’t know what I would do if I lose my sense of smell so pleased yours has returned. Yesterday I planted 30 Tulip Hageri Little Beauty for naturalising on the woodland edge. These are small delicately scented species tulips so don’t need to be planted too deep (it’s very rooty down here) and I’ve covered them with a thick layer of grass mowings and leaves to protect them through the winter. Back in September I planted about 25 Narcissus Actaea (an elegant and scented pheasant’s eye daffodil that flowers quite late) in the cattle trough having cleared out all the 2018-planted tulip bulbs which had become diseased. I’ve got ranunculus (last year’s claws which didn’t flower) coming up strongly in the cattle trough too and I will transplant some forget me nots into the trough for froth. It won’t be long before my snowdrops under the beech hedges start showing so I will do a quick weed soon. I started with about 200 snowdrop bulbs brought from my old garden which had originally come from my childhood garden and which I planted in groups of ones, twos and threes under the hedges as we had them renovated and cut back hard and now I have literally thousands. I think next March I will start transplanting some down to the woodland edge. We haven’t had our hedges cut yet and I’ve half a mind to leave them now until next August, but having said that our hedging and fencing team who have saved us from so many pickles will probably turn up next week. The meadow is having an autumn flowering (cat’s ear and ox-eye daisy mostly) and looks wonderful, the green manure I sowed at the end of September on the veg plot is covering all the bare soil and R. Vanessa Bell in the new border opposite the front door has been flowering non-stop on coffee grounds since May. There are lots of leaves still on the trees, although under the acers are drifts of colourful leaves in all shades of red and gold. It’s been so mild and still here that the leaves are staying where they fall. Apart from continuing to deadhead roses I am ignoring the pergola and won’t do any cutting back until February at the earliest. It’s all good habitat and full of ladybirds and spiders and birds and even butterflies and the colour from lipstick pink nerines and all the salvias is outstanding. The Gaura are still flowering (grown from seed in 2018) and the grasses - Stipa Gigantea, Panicum and Pennisetum - are all looking their best. My seventh autumn here and my organic and less is more approach is working beautifully. Have a lovely day BB - hope you find some pretty bulbs for your garden. Btw It’s an 11 hour flight to Vancouver. I did it in 1989 aged 29 and flew BA and was upgraded to Business Class (a perk of being a young woman travelling alone) and would have to have a very good reason to do it today. I also used to visit San Francisco every February for work and nowadays I hear from our correspondent that it really isn’t a good city for tourists anymore. Gz must know some good stopovers en route to NZ. Our son is having a whale of a time in Vietnam, exploring by motorbike. I think travel is best when you are young and resilient and don’t mind where you sleep! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteHow very lovely that you are planning a big trip.
ReplyDeleteWhatsapp is very useful for keeping in touch ' across the miles ', I use it a lot
Alison in Wales x
I guess I post far too many memes but they just seem to pop up occasionally and be right on point ... just as yours is today.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if my sense of smell will ever come back, it's been over two years since I smelled anything at all, I do miss it. Sniffing away at really strong essential oils and such just means that I burn the inside of my nose, but I still get no sense of an aroma at all. What a lovely, and recurring, gift off your friend, you'll be thinking of her every month now when the magazine lands on your doormat.
You and gz both, with your plans to head to New Zealand! I sit over hear and am trying not to be too envious. Enjoy your Rosie time.
ReplyDeleteTalking of magazines, Xmas is the one time I treat myself to Good Housekeeping or similar. They are always so bright with Christmassy things. The trip to NZ sounds fun glad you are giving all your clothes away on the way back.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely of your friend, which has reminded me I have a pile of Simple Things I must pass on to my friend who doesn't know I took out a subscription with the intention of sharing it.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get time can you show the cover of your Country Living please? I can get a digital issue here rom Amazon and save expense of mailing from UK and dollar/ pound/ taxes things. I tried to choose a Christmas issue too, so many choices...
ReplyDeleteRosie is amazing, starting t o talk at., what 8 months. Lovely how your girls are with you.
And the trip is a great idea, tho...long long flight. Years ago coming back from Hawaii, we stopped in SF three days. Nicely broke up the journey. Are both your daughters going too? Rosie? Anyway, much to look forward to. Good for you!
love, lizzy
How exciting for you to be planning a big trip. It's good to make sure that you've always got something to look forward to.
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