Seize the day!

 They were all here yesterday.  Danny arrived first and as he bought back the taller of the two step ladders, I got him to fit the new Smoke Alarm which the Fire dept. had left on Monday - the tall ceiling in the hall having defeated a combination of height and short stepladder they bought with them.  Of course, the new Alarm was just slightly smaller than the old one and we had to drill a fresh hole.  Sorted now.  Then Danny brought in my heavyish black storage box from the car - taken to the Fair at the weekend and difficult for me to manouvre and bring in but of course no problem for him.  6 small sacks of well rotted muck heap got hauled up to the paddock for the soft fruit and the apple trees and roses too, if there is enough.  He more than earned his coffee and cake.

Just to prove that we had sunshine - how it lifted my spirits after day after rainy day. Had the family not been here, I would have been out for a long walk or gardening.  Too much to hope we may have some more today.

Found in the attic, in a box unopened since we had moved in!  A wonderful Buckley's Brewery beer flagon with spigot.  Sadly it was damaged on the rim before I bought it, but even so is quite rare and hopefully desirable.

Last time she was here Rosie found the farm set I had got for "I" to play with, and she was happily playing with that.  We have a very athletic cow there . . .

I bought her this for her first birthday, but she has hardly spared it a glance, although apparently its real purpose is to be sat in. . .

This was what REALLY had to be done as the old catflap blew open every time it was a bit windy.  So the old windtunnel was removed and the new one put in, although it needed new holes drilling.  This was down to the girls, as Danny had to leave early for the school run.  Just finding the right size reminded me of when Keith and I first ventured into ToysRUs for the first time (after having always bought Christmas presents from The Early Learning Centre).  We had to come out as it was visually so overwhelming!  Well, you would think a catflap is a catflap is a catflap, but no . . .  The sizes vary, you are meant to measure your cat's height and waistline (L. Whale qualified for the L or even small dog!)  I have four cats of varying dimensions . . .  Internal and external doors varied in size and my poor brain was soon running for the hills! Some are designed to be opened only by cats wearing collars with tags and microchip ID (£60), and if money is no option, then £199 buys you the Zeromouse - which has a prey detection module for mice and birds for electronic and microchip-activated catflaps!  My budget was more modest and this one was £27.

Rosie was relatively early to bed last night - but there is no pretence at the routine I had when my three were little.  Rosie goes upstairs quite happily, but then hurtles round and round, and Tam had to smear her Eczema cream on more or less as she ran past - an elbow here, a leg there, if she was grabbable!  I read her a story when she finally calmed down a bit, but I was exhausted after that and was glad to come downstairs and have a glass of wine :)  She just has so much energy!

My dear friend D spoke of treating herself to the new film Hamnet (much filmed in the gorgeous half timbered houses in Weobley, not that far from me.)  I will wait until it is free I think, but having read the book, know it will end in tears.  A lovely treat for a wet afternoon though D and I don't blame you a bit.

This morning I have to take the first of the two unwanted catflaps back for onward transmission to Amazon.  (Two didn't fit the gap).  Then Tam and I will start clearing a corner of Keith's workshop as woodworm has appeared on an old bookcase in there and that needs chucking, and a stout tin trunk will take its place and the contents of the bookshelf transferred.  Much I can do myself, but just need Tam (and Rosie to supervise) to lift some set cement out and take one end of the bookcase.  

I will start to clear and tidy in the attic soon, a good spring cleaning,  as it hasn't been touched since we moved in.  All the old suitcases need to go to the charity shops, that's for sure, as they take up a lot of room, along with some once-collectable china which was pre-Covid stock.  The damp spot on the ceiling where the chimney was leaking is starting to dry out, so that's a positive. 

Grandma now needs to check on Rosie now.