tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85691815680134652152024-03-18T15:13:48.396-07:00Codlinsandcream2A look at what interests me and keeps me sane in rural Powys.Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.comBlogger2589125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-31716632485695354882024-03-18T11:18:00.000-07:002024-03-18T11:18:32.971-07:00Two steps forward - one back<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw02aRVNlRuCSmbzO0jvyTRYywItHgDQ8mz1OhNU3vhEXdAyk8pfRdpuCo1xSIAoVKXHG23wQMYij5l5e3DNZo0jZNAyjuH5M09HlmzQBWMfAsKnGv-nt6Rv-RET37fn_1z8X6nE5-TztJMKMYsAvd2UqivEr4dmcR-LdbWcLQisM3n8GBslzJhozxLq0/s4000/P1240238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw02aRVNlRuCSmbzO0jvyTRYywItHgDQ8mz1OhNU3vhEXdAyk8pfRdpuCo1xSIAoVKXHG23wQMYij5l5e3DNZo0jZNAyjuH5M09HlmzQBWMfAsKnGv-nt6Rv-RET37fn_1z8X6nE5-TztJMKMYsAvd2UqivEr4dmcR-LdbWcLQisM3n8GBslzJhozxLq0/w428-h640/P1240238.JPG" width="428" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Recovery from serious illness is rarely totally linear. Last night Keith didn't sleep very well and that is bad news when you have Parkinsons. He saw the SALT lady today, but unfortunately his swallowing isn't up to scratch yet, and when she gave him a drink with only one measure of thickener, he coughed a lot afterwards which apparently shows that his swallow reflex is still weak. Not surprising, since he has hardly been swallowing anything due to the wallpaper paste drinks and he's back on a drip again too to build his fluids up. He said that the Dr this morning was an arrogant barsteward too, so that wasn't a good start to the day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, a positive with the food after the SALT lady suggested he tried eating a banana - we had some small ones I'd bought in. He ate one with no problems and a good swallow reflex, so is now off the hideous pureed meals (think stiffer wallpaper paste, with colours and shapes) and allowed to eat soft food again. Hopefully he can have scrambled eggs regularly to help sustain him. I ordered him a jacket potato with cheese for his tea - it was the least offensive (to him!) of what was on offer as no way would he eat Spag. Bol. or Curry!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5uYR28tFeybOti7AxMZvAQX3lQfxZglIMQXeMwSJXWEPOalzZRItqmodw-VmgTTRZht_KOAah7pXSoeyBuq7CfEkJRdO2TXE9yoqLXMxWeoIYw1IhSWwhLtIPaJu5sevAb0Sj_pJmnWw2FHv87kk7ONbRX0aPpLVg-KdM9ltx0VZN4VWRgjCRxjA5vQ/s4000/P1240234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5uYR28tFeybOti7AxMZvAQX3lQfxZglIMQXeMwSJXWEPOalzZRItqmodw-VmgTTRZht_KOAah7pXSoeyBuq7CfEkJRdO2TXE9yoqLXMxWeoIYw1IhSWwhLtIPaJu5sevAb0Sj_pJmnWw2FHv87kk7ONbRX0aPpLVg-KdM9ltx0VZN4VWRgjCRxjA5vQ/w640-h360/P1240234.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">These are just shaped in a mould - probably made from reconstituted powder too. . .</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I stayed 3 1/2 hrs but wanted to stay there to comfort him till teatime but he desperately needed to sleep. I hope he will be better tomorrow. He wanted to hear he could go home soon so is very disappointed that he can't.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-67553456210555944702024-03-17T10:56:00.000-07:002024-03-17T11:06:15.945-07:00Nearer the door out<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My family are home - Danny is modelling a cushion . . . The new Mushroom look!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEP1acBwNb7DV2SAygBNmBQfBHUb31Du3oiqCMjL2Api4_dRQjX61TSvI_czrrl7Q_xeE_rgM5do5F9Deb0IrXJ6K0kz0h286fDrZP6vqAIvADaGhB9Bk4OVXEwIvxbdBIhjmK2JvhlUuPz0pAZB8xwPbaEpEQDK49cVMPGT6SD-PenLMnUU4OH01p-C4/s4000/P1240243.JPG" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEP1acBwNb7DV2SAygBNmBQfBHUb31Du3oiqCMjL2Api4_dRQjX61TSvI_czrrl7Q_xeE_rgM5do5F9Deb0IrXJ6K0kz0h286fDrZP6vqAIvADaGhB9Bk4OVXEwIvxbdBIhjmK2JvhlUuPz0pAZB8xwPbaEpEQDK49cVMPGT6SD-PenLMnUU4OH01p-C4/w428-h640/P1240243.JPG" width="428" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>Keith went in a private room today, near the exit. Not a moment too soon as the flasher opposite has now been put in quarantine - e.g. they pulled the curtains round him! - after 24 hours without . . . Gabby bought K some more tv credits or else he would be sat there looking at a brick wall as that is the view from his new room. . . I am glad that I decided to go first thing this morning, as he said a couple of times how pleased he was I had turned up. I spoke to Dr and she said until SALT had seen him tomorrow to check his swallow reflex, he had to have the thickened water etc. A nurse came in and took the let down gloop away (he'd had some though, before she came) and made it up with two spoonfuls of thickener so it was like wallpaper paste again. Poor Keith, I really feel for him. Gabby and I both got yoghurts down him and I will take him manderin jellies tomorrow as those are nicely set and have water in. He's on minimal oxygen now, and had the cannula in one arm taken out, so progress.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Keith did really well for the physio (lovely girl who grew up in Singapore) and moved his legs over the bed, and helped himself sit at the edge and then even stood up, a tiny bit wobbly, for a while. His chest is much better, so let's hope there's no relapse.</span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Hay Bluff below (photographed today).</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGPihLK4hTW5AGspL8uQg6fkrMnDsUPwv1FNHbRIQ58-FmowqqZT52_aW2OUK5-8inMV0A5mXmBdwBvSbRSKl8Reqqq702_eZMntJnfzU1oHiPitIS7KvATkNr-fGZXneVTEWvDTUzIaZh9pnVcqL0R_v2RWtRoxpQxDRMtm3W2OEaC9zJ2Igi-W2ue0/s4000/P1240237.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGPihLK4hTW5AGspL8uQg6fkrMnDsUPwv1FNHbRIQ58-FmowqqZT52_aW2OUK5-8inMV0A5mXmBdwBvSbRSKl8Reqqq702_eZMntJnfzU1oHiPitIS7KvATkNr-fGZXneVTEWvDTUzIaZh9pnVcqL0R_v2RWtRoxpQxDRMtm3W2OEaC9zJ2Igi-W2ue0/w640-h428/P1240237.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On the way home, I went to the Farm Shop (V. expensive) - e.g. £3.99 for a cauliflower! I bought a gigantic sausage roll, but I couldn't eat it all, it was SO full of meat, and allowed myself a wander round their garden centre. Fatal. I resisted a Pulmonaria Sissinghurst (white Lungwort) at £8.99 - thought I would get seeds instead - but bought 4 more young perennials for £10 the 4. Photos tomorrow, promise.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I have had an hour pottering in the greenhouse for the first time, starting off Purple French Beans, Cucumber Tanya, Tomato Green Zebra, and some sweet peppers (California Wonder). They're in the propogators on the south facing windowsill. The French Beans required heat this time of year, but I will start more off just in the greenhouse. Just wanted an early picking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I also got two Bellis perrenis this week, so put them in on the steps today, along with a Campanula and another white Saxifrage. Looks good already and has cheered me up.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've got a good-looking loaf of bread in the bottom steam oven and am looking forward to some when it has cooled sufficiently. Tea will be something from the freezer. Hope the car doesn't play me up tomorrow - two days running it has declined to start in the hospital car park . . . Will get the garage to check the battery terminal connections in the morning.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-84532741989680309242024-03-17T01:26:00.000-07:002024-03-17T01:26:05.160-07:00Night-time thoughts<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Of course, I always wake in the night for the loo, and find it hard to get back to sleep. I decided I would go in today and be the early shift, and leave when Gabby gets there. I also want to speak to the Dr about their "query inhalation" and putting him on gloop. Especially since when he had waited 8 hrs in A&E back in November for his X-ray they found him ok. He HADN'T inhaled food- the noise the ambulance crew found on his lungs was the remains of his Covid chest infection. I am going to insist on him having plain unadulterated water to drink as he was getting dehydrated yesterday. Yes - they measure everything going in and out of him - but no-one came near to top up his water whilst we were there. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I feel slightly better today but am annoyed to find I have put on a pound in weight so 10 1/2 stone is not as close. I am 10st 10 now. That's what comes of eating crisps of an evening when I'd run out of bread yesterday. I was going to bake first thing but will do it when I come back.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I was home alone last night as Emma is on a climbing course up in North Wales and Danny went up to stay with her/go out for a meal. Originally they were all going, but obviously Keith being in hospital made Danny decide to stay here. "I" is with her father. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Stalemate with cats, although Pippi and Shadow had a barney last night and as I came in they were tussling on the floor - I shouted - and he fled up the stairs with Pippi in hot pursuit. These wee kittens are brave as lions - he's twice their size!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thank you for all your support. Back later.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-46834794368302145752024-03-16T11:06:00.000-07:002024-03-16T11:06:34.258-07:00Quick update<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> The Physio came round when Danny and I were there today. He listened to Keith's chest, pummelled his back and then heard him cough, listened to his lungs again and said they were sounding pretty clear - just a little faint crackle towards the bottom. They also changed from an oxygen mask to a nasal canula. That's the positives. The negative is the food and trying to get him to drink water the thickness of glue. He is so thirsty but struggles with the wallpaper paste they call water. I spoke to the nurse and told her again that his pneumonia was down to a chest infection because we'd all had a nasty cold. They still had "query food inhalation" on his notes because he had choked on food back in November and had to go in for an X-Ray (which showed it hadn't happened). Anyway, I let down the "glue" with some fresh water and Keith was able to slake his thirst. Dinner today was equally hideous - carrot-shaped carrot puree, mash and three strange triangular objects which Keith told me were turkey! He couldn't eat it because it had arrived at the same time as the physio, and congealed as he was worked on. He enjoyed the Muller cherry Bliss I took in and Gabby is going tomorrow with more and some protein drinks and some chicken soup. She is ready to take up the baton . . .</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The flasher opposite had a blanket tied round his waist today so clearly the nurses had got fed up with his shenanigans!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Today I was the one who was poorly. Dan and I were up early and away around 8 a.m. and went to have a look round the shops - I needed new walking trainers. It was lovely - and quiet - in the Cathedral, but when we came out I felt really chilled and unwell. I walked over to the rack of warm quilted jackets in the sale and promptly got one, coat length, reduced from £81 to £32!! I wore it straight away and it was like having a centrally-heated hug. I got Keith 3 new t-shirts which are about to go in the wash, and then chose a pair of walking trainers, trotted round in them, and that was job done. I've been on the sofa asleep under a heated blanket since we got back with Alfie on my feet for added heat. Now it's an instant Tesco prawn curry, which is calling loudly!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hope your weekend is going well. I am still praying we can get Keith home soon and he doesn't get another infection.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-70667184690513709842024-03-15T11:34:00.000-07:002024-03-15T11:34:52.784-07:00If I see that patient's wedding tackle again . . .<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> or his bare b*m . . . I shall tell Matron!! A new patient opposite Keith who is a somewhat large man and is wearing a hospital gown that doesn't quite fit, and he kept hitching it up over his knees when he was sitting down - having a deliberate flash I reckon. Believe me mate, I wouldn't bother, it wasn't a very impressive sight!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Have to have a bit of a smile, to ease the tension. I think Keith is feeling better as he has been so grumpy all the time I was there today. He appears to be on minimum oxygen now and a lower dose of antibiotics. I set off early (about 9 a.m.) hoping the parking would be easier, but no chance. I ended up getting 2 1/2 hours for £2 in Morrisons. I took some scrambled egg for Keith, but he wasn't allowed it as he is meant to just be eating pureed food from now on. Now, this is because they have concluded his pneumonia is from aspiration of food or drink - though this has not happened. He has been on soft foods here since November and no choking episodes. The meal they gave him at lunchtime was what Keith would describe as "gopping". The pureed baked beans were turned out of silicon moulds which made them look a bit like pea-shaped beans on the top, the pureed spud had been piped but tasted yuk, and the "cheese omelette" - omg, it looked like a circular vanilla blancmange. I wouldn't have eaten any of it, and though Keith tried, he couldn't face it. He did eat his pureed apple crumble for pudding though. Even his water has to be thickened, as if he were a stroke patient as I remember mum having a cup of "tea" you could nearly stand the spoon up in.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">He desperately wants to come home - there are three of us here to do the caring - so I hope that he can soon be off oxygen and mending properly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I went to Doughty's (patchwork) shop today to cheer myself up, and bought some fabrics and pretty variegated pinks thread, then went tothe garden centre to buy a heated propogator. They only had a choice of ONE - reduced from £99 to £64 but I wasn't planning spending that sort of dosh, so got a standard one with lid and will use that instead and I also got a bag of good seed compost. I got a few cheap plants too, and will put up photos tomorrow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Let's hope that Keith can come ho</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">me soon. Tam is talking about going to see him on Sunday or Monday but she is so near her due date (next week!) I really don't think that 6 hours travelling is a great idea.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Keep the positive thoughts et all coming our way, and thank you for being such lovely on-line friends.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-5900690805507807272024-03-14T14:03:00.000-07:002024-03-14T14:03:05.027-07:00Hospital<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Keith was a little improved today. Awake enough to say how rough he felt, and tell us about being pummelled by the two physios and spending the night with a tube up his nose draining off the fluid in his lungs. Not much of the rest and recuperation, but you can't fault the treatment. Everyone is so caring and doing their best for Keith (and the other patients of course). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Jon dropped Tam off here and we met Gabby there. I got Keith some treat and he enjoyed the enriched rice pudding I got. He's on less oxygen now so that is a positive. We saw the Dr twice, who said that today's bloods showed that the infection level had risen, so more anti-biotics needed to try and get it on the run. They are doing all they can. I just want him safely home again. I dread the possibility of a hospital-acquired infection taking him when he is so weak and cannot fight it off.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We paid for 3 days' tv for him so he can watch the last day of the Cheltenham meeting tomorrow (today's races spoilt by having physios arrive to pummel him again). £25 for 3 days! Someone is benefitting hugely from this. I will take his Tablet in tomorrow with the charger, so once the tv's run out, he has some entertainment.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I will visit daily although Monday and Tuesday I will have to go in for just an hour and leave "I" with Danny. If only it were nearer, but it's a 90 mile round trip. "I" is with her father this weekend. Emma and Danny have gone to the cinema tonight, so I am "home alone". It feels very strange. I am watching Lorna Doone and Carver Doone is about to disappear beneath the bog. It's one of my favourite films (well, a BBC drama) and I've seen it several times and never tire of it. I first read the book as a child and bought Tam a Ladybird version I think it was.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So, keep those positive thoughts coming and thank you for all your kind comments. I truly hope he has turned a corner tomorrow. </span> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Off to bed now as I need to heal too.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-69250632834370503422024-03-13T13:18:00.000-07:002024-03-13T13:18:06.000-07:00Update<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Thankyou for all your kind thoughts and I'm sure you'll know I can't reply to them individually. I have been all day at the Hospital with Keith whilst he was assessed etc. 9 hours in all. He's had an X-ray which showed Pneumonia. I have had to be by him all day as he struggled for breath, all the fluid in his lungs bubbling up into his throat, his chest heaving. I was trying not to cry and of course, my nose was streaming instead and I soon ran out of hankies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, they put him on a nebuliser, which did seem to help a bit as he was breathing slightly more easily and looked a better colour and more alert when we left. They were going to try and remove some of the gunk from his chest too so I hope that works. We're all going in tomorrow to see him. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The nice Dr took me to one side for one of "those" conversations, so I am under no illusions. It could go either way. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">BTW, the Diazapam was Keith asking for it (from his arsenal of medications from the past). It was the only thing which calmed the Parkinsons. NOT ideal, but he was desperate and clearly scared because the thrashing around was making his breathing even worse.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I will keep you all posted.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-13105092051636998102024-03-12T21:45:00.000-07:002024-03-13T01:25:47.826-07:00A Day from Hell<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> 4.30 a.m. Sat here worried sick about Keith who may well have pneumonia. I got him anti-biotics to go with the decongestants yesterday but they will take a while to kick in. I am on antibiotics too and they have helped my chest and I slept better. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">"I" no trouble yesterday, but I was dashing about with her between the GP's and the pharmacy, morning and afternoon. Up and downstairs to Keith, who was eating fine but his breathing sounded awful. Like when he had Covid. We had a Parkinsons crisis around 6 p.m. with him shaking so badly, and crying out in pain and thrashing around. (His meds don't work when there is a virus or similar in system). He managed to get it out that he wanted a Diazapam which he had beside our old bed. He refused to let me check if this would be ok with his other meds and insisted, as best he could. He was in such a state that it was worth the risk. It relaxed him but he fell asleep with his warm top on and when the other two came back we had to strip him off as he was melting, poor man. We've been up to him every two hours - he's cool now but his breathing is awful and I will be calling the GP at 8.15 for a home visit as I think it's Pneumonia. Danny had set his alarm for when I woke up for the loo, and we got lots of water down Keith, and another antibiotic</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I tried to get emergency carers but once again got passed from pillar to post - the GP can authorise them, but wouldn't and the last I got told was to contact his social worker. I will try again today and give someone hell - it is a struggle to be superwoman on ALL fronts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My evening meal last night was a bowl of dry cornflakes. I shall soon be at 10 1/2 stone now. Just a couple of pounds away now. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So, Reiki, prayers, good wishes - whatever you can summon, it will be welcome.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Update: he is sounding much worse this morning and we are going to call an ambulance. What I'm coughing up is the colour of the green paint on the shed, and I imagine he has similar. He's got very much worse overnight. I think it's Pneumonia. I hope he can go to the cottage hospital at Llandod.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-41320640041001152912024-03-11T20:32:00.000-07:002024-03-11T20:32:18.784-07:00Can't stop coughing, and a challenging day ahead<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Danny is out all day today - has to work in the office and then wait for Emma to finish her massages before heading back. Won't be here till 9 ish. I have little " I" to care for and put to bed. I also have the rubbish to put out (it didn't get done last week because I was prostrate on the sofa all day) and I have to go into town to pick up Keith's prescriptions, so will have "I" in tow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Keith couldn't walk at all yesterday (Danny had to practically carry him up the stairs on Sunday night). This virus has stopped his meds working. He was in bed, and will be in bed all day today too. I need to get in touch with the District nurses to ask about turning him (on my own). Of course he wants to be sitting up straight so he can watch tv. He's eating and drinking ok but I worry about bedsores and have been slathering him in cream. I am also worried that there may be no comeback from this, he may not be able to walk again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One positive, we have confirmation of the acceptance for carers twice a day. Need to phone up today to see when this commences.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Meanwhile, I can't sleep for coughing - it's 3.30 and I've been awake two hours now. I'm running on about 65% in the daytime - tomorrow with 3 hours less sleep, it will be worse. What fun . . .</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-51120211248969939072024-03-11T00:54:00.000-07:002024-03-11T00:54:31.133-07:00Mother's Day<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> I had a nice one. T&J came over with the riser chair, which works really well for Keith and is a great help. I had a sit on it last night and have to say, sitting there with your legs up is very relaxing. I am checking there are no kittens in the works before it moves though! Danny bought me a pretty Moth Orchid, and cooked a roast and Gabby phoned. A relaxing day.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHj3VztRkARbGgIO69vr2WV8PihwUR7toRemB1rttTSep3yLDGtnsTZmxwFBcGg6alS_QCTmP0dRwACvVVmZ49eTEdOZGdYz6SwzmP87VHzRLY75XcEZZNRnkIvAsFnoIFnGePYamx_1qHmPk_HKqDfgdsuAAKO4NsSFqYWkhshq2l69-6t0KA1edMJCc/s4000/P1240220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHj3VztRkARbGgIO69vr2WV8PihwUR7toRemB1rttTSep3yLDGtnsTZmxwFBcGg6alS_QCTmP0dRwACvVVmZ49eTEdOZGdYz6SwzmP87VHzRLY75XcEZZNRnkIvAsFnoIFnGePYamx_1qHmPk_HKqDfgdsuAAKO4NsSFqYWkhshq2l69-6t0KA1edMJCc/w640-h360/P1240220.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Emma is working in Carmarthen for two days now, so I have "I", though she has a Dance Class later on. We will bake a cake this morning.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On Wednesday I'm going to see Tam now she has given up work to await the arrival of Rosie-posie. Her feet and ankles have been swelling, and her Carpel Tunnel problems haven't eased much. She will be glad when the baby has arrived although of course that brings a whole NEW set of challenges! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I have risen to the Elderberry Bunny challenge and am now half way up her body. One slight error as I did one too many rows of plain so now she has a garter! Hopefully it will be hidden by her dress :) I am hopeless at ripping back on knitting and didn't want to totally mess it up. Head next. I have also found much of a teddy that I was given by my friend Annie's daughter after her mum had died. Annie had knitted the head, and I've done the jacket and then remember making a big boo-boo on the body, so it got abandoned. Now I have a reason to return to it.</span></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKev_KwG0V9bEFpurgTBLBwgYUBxZfSuDr56lf9V2qvbcrxgogIWnuSk_om7p4qq4RJvDRahJmUqdJSWoiM0GWeEt78dfB_vBAaewgpeD2fzjAi1nunfFZa41Q8nB_RLrd39nsF1r7iiHgB4Aijak9Y-iyKKWT2zFfhdQ2DNgtsajnlacmQIWRJWPhEHk/s4000/P1240233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKev_KwG0V9bEFpurgTBLBwgYUBxZfSuDr56lf9V2qvbcrxgogIWnuSk_om7p4qq4RJvDRahJmUqdJSWoiM0GWeEt78dfB_vBAaewgpeD2fzjAi1nunfFZa41Q8nB_RLrd39nsF1r7iiHgB4Aijak9Y-iyKKWT2zFfhdQ2DNgtsajnlacmQIWRJWPhEHk/w400-h268/P1240233.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The sticky-out bits with holes are the feet. You sew up the holes later, the instructions say.</span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Shadow was downstairs this morning and after a little hissing from Lulu the warrior, he mooched around exploring. Alfie will be the real challenge but they met at a distance yesterday and I made a fuss of Alfie, handed out Dreamies, and so far so good.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Sarah - you have led me astray - just been over to Ebay to order Mexican Fleabane seeds!!!</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-40147698577153185962024-03-09T09:49:00.000-08:002024-03-09T09:50:39.497-08:00An odd weekend<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Trying to catch up with bits and pieces. At least I FINALLY got the Jumbleberry jam remade today so can take it down to my friend who ordered it. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o_BkbwxcFkfY0o0bHs2Njcx1C9GfeR3Qso6Xp_UzZpiMdrl3ZKL2ju66aObSiKdvdP55cQujCCiXkcc71BUyP1lrWcL4pxRk8ZCRzyOCvuQm-zVEhBAWlZshyphenhyphenLg9dNEk6J55Ni_kargoHEj-98DRv5ijo2awYYesXqoroPuOIaVC5LfWG0DAAxwUX4Q/s4000/P1240225.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2o_BkbwxcFkfY0o0bHs2Njcx1C9GfeR3Qso6Xp_UzZpiMdrl3ZKL2ju66aObSiKdvdP55cQujCCiXkcc71BUyP1lrWcL4pxRk8ZCRzyOCvuQm-zVEhBAWlZshyphenhyphenLg9dNEk6J55Ni_kargoHEj-98DRv5ijo2awYYesXqoroPuOIaVC5LfWG0DAAxwUX4Q/w640-h360/P1240225.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's what I began recently, to brighten up the steps from yard to garden. Just the most common of Alpines, but they are sat on just a little soil and compost, then rock! I'm hoping they will cope.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I began to add another row to the sashing strip on the wretched crawler quilt and it's shot - too long. I have really and truly screwed up with the whole thing and have just been unpicking that offensive row. Back to it in the morning. I unpicked and reset two central motifs too as they looked not 100% square. Mind you, as Danny said today, any slight OCD tendencies I may have developed over the years have brass knobs on nowadays! Stress I guess. Concentration in my brain seems to have Gone Missing.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFXsKZpsbbnlElg7sbW3kbd9lv0fbnM4kzanz9gEMPKArWM1clf3So_inwgAE20XA823RHxwk1w0417giJa94Gp2nrXQpDvOEc2DS2ZAu-UnQ5kg2Pf6jbgZ7_hm8wJ3x6AJUJTFz4dLT-X60Bii9g2HFl8aSfsZq5VrxF42EMy4DUcie32iDlp5VYvU/s4000/P1240227.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFXsKZpsbbnlElg7sbW3kbd9lv0fbnM4kzanz9gEMPKArWM1clf3So_inwgAE20XA823RHxwk1w0417giJa94Gp2nrXQpDvOEc2DS2ZAu-UnQ5kg2Pf6jbgZ7_hm8wJ3x6AJUJTFz4dLT-X60Bii9g2HFl8aSfsZq5VrxF42EMy4DUcie32iDlp5VYvU/w640-h360/P1240227.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">E working on the revamp of the Summerhouse. WHAT a difference it makes to have it that dark green. The white has only ever been undercoat so that needs rubbing down and having a top coat.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I watched the jumps racing with Keith this afternoon and actually go my head around the Elderberry Bunny increases in the pattern (literally from the get-go). With little "I" here, prattling on beside me last week, I stood no chance as you have to count stitches for the increases (8 stitches with increase 1, knit 1 in a block etc). Now I've done the foot and have started on the leg and am enjoying it. It's for Rosie-Posie, as I call her, hoping she will be Rosina as there are nearly a dozen who went before her. I will make another for "I" but it won't be in time for Easter as I'm SUCH a slow knitter. I won't give her this one as she loves pink and this is creamy white with understated ashes-of-roses pink feet (this from two skeins of tapestry wool. I didn't want baby pink). I will do a brighter pink for "I" and may even do the whole bunny pink. Like her mum, it's their favourite colour.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e8oqoq08mgtoBMdeYZkX5XI8rit7RC6TYGENxja4i0sO5y988jn0XPD3v4cjnrVZG_kDKEJr0APysbSKZXfnnJtygu-78sb8GpJ6QAOVtfFhc0hZL9B4wf6BD39VJ7H3OV3633_6jq_lSEPo57XNEkXDzC2BddtOqpVao4iooSgCi-lAwvSGaNu7A1w/s4000/P1240230.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e8oqoq08mgtoBMdeYZkX5XI8rit7RC6TYGENxja4i0sO5y988jn0XPD3v4cjnrVZG_kDKEJr0APysbSKZXfnnJtygu-78sb8GpJ6QAOVtfFhc0hZL9B4wf6BD39VJ7H3OV3633_6jq_lSEPo57XNEkXDzC2BddtOqpVao4iooSgCi-lAwvSGaNu7A1w/w640-h360/P1240230.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is just the first coat.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We have a quiet household as "I" went to stay with her father yesterday, and D&E are off to a music gig tonight, staying over with friends. I am praying Keith and I will have no problems getting him to bed, but I can tell you now, he's going up straight after our evening meal, just in case! T&J arrive tomorrow with a riser-chair so that should be a game-changer for us, as getting him out of his current chair and into the wheelchair at night can be challenging sometimes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Back to my knitting this evening, and I may have a Brew Dog IPA as it's the weekend, and hopefully I am on the mend now. Have a good weekend.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-82243218633780810042024-03-07T07:04:00.000-08:002024-03-07T12:12:58.386-08:00Lulu of the Zulus!!<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Both the cold, and work on the quilt are lingering. . . The quilt has been up here since last Friday . . . I can just about function now as long as I have Ibuprofen every 4 hours. Not ideal, but necessary at the moment. I had legs like chewed string this morning but I needed to get some pudding rice from the Health Food Shop in Llandod (only place I can buy it locally) and wool (for the knitted Elderberry Bunnies) and so went to Tescopolis too and topped up. Now it's an afternoon of Drew Prichard antiques programmes and rest. "I" is on the sofa with us in here, watching a cartoon on her ipad. Not ideal, we try and limit screen time but Emma isn't well and is upstairs struggling to keep on top of her accounts.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcRvVTlSyljkG1Wm-mVvLiRki9aTpUsQdAPfglTm6UzGjXxI6kYs9MZ_aTBdWbeBBfmkuYxYVxUe9nciLVROLGtQ5IfB83zJITkH5ialirNKg5Wihpg2-RFsVc3Sf9da6RNmsfMrgG2mRhpXmQ38f3ZYYPMJyCNit9s2LZYIQrqoQUL7xUDwVoUBwdvQ/s4000/P1240222.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcRvVTlSyljkG1Wm-mVvLiRki9aTpUsQdAPfglTm6UzGjXxI6kYs9MZ_aTBdWbeBBfmkuYxYVxUe9nciLVROLGtQ5IfB83zJITkH5ialirNKg5Wihpg2-RFsVc3Sf9da6RNmsfMrgG2mRhpXmQ38f3ZYYPMJyCNit9s2LZYIQrqoQUL7xUDwVoUBwdvQ/w640-h360/P1240222.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Below is Shadow, Emma and "I"'s cat. He wants to make friends to the four down here now but he's had a run in with Lulu, who - feeling adventurous - went upstairs and met him and he chased her down. Now it's War and we should call her Lulu the Zulu Warrior as she is SO brave - he is twice her size but she sits down here and swears at him. Today they nearly had a set-to when I was upstairs but apparently Pippi rushed to her sister's aid and they saw him off! He nearly got leapt on by Alfie recently (who was on the table, so Shadow hadn't spotted him). I had to grab Alfie darn quick as he'd have marmalized him. Alfie needs to go back on the Happy Pills I think. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b6xZYCRBVIk_aMopQhVYOQI0lrxLP9QLbgbFngc0zIaLUy-HQuQ0BIPa3k4XOxXWspeNg0VznN6kIAL6WEIo1aCveVlw8wWUpK8kkLb8IOgocAJtfIxEx1yRsFuDRPhslKXi_aCZRjlzITgv7_TowJGTceSkEIbg8qKD944LXgsc8RTH1W8LdHkA1Jk/s4000/P1240211.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2248" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4b6xZYCRBVIk_aMopQhVYOQI0lrxLP9QLbgbFngc0zIaLUy-HQuQ0BIPa3k4XOxXWspeNg0VznN6kIAL6WEIo1aCveVlw8wWUpK8kkLb8IOgocAJtfIxEx1yRsFuDRPhslKXi_aCZRjlzITgv7_TowJGTceSkEIbg8qKD944LXgsc8RTH1W8LdHkA1Jk/w360-h640/P1240211.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">He looks quite like Little Whale and Ghengis may have thought that he was as he didn't look twice and walked past him, and once sniffed noses with him before walking away.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-OR-_Wglb7jhpU9zMC_nFQf38KvyKA9paLXLnp8HdLpZiB15vJLxetyaXpO3nyNiAPCwJQb0agRNNdfck9wHSG6tNmw5I3WmJvnX-zv89dkO1Enl3SfmRTxhhnXuGLj2ZEiNoE_dVi7qUJgCEaQYAoaHXpqE6nbBhtp9FIzLTelCk5Vr2ENHkq_OJ4A/s4000/P1240209.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2248" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-OR-_Wglb7jhpU9zMC_nFQf38KvyKA9paLXLnp8HdLpZiB15vJLxetyaXpO3nyNiAPCwJQb0agRNNdfck9wHSG6tNmw5I3WmJvnX-zv89dkO1Enl3SfmRTxhhnXuGLj2ZEiNoE_dVi7qUJgCEaQYAoaHXpqE6nbBhtp9FIzLTelCk5Vr2ENHkq_OJ4A/w360-h640/P1240209.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Lulu en garde . . .</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtZ4Zuw08MVUNTCgese0mLesvpp6JmuIwZAhoYm1bNwtvKV6BfMNQpiinPF8sTQ3KkpPy_ldX-rN94O1KwiHJk4ik6594BAs20SEMvG_lAysYy7kuKkgISmh7cK28fbd6lDbbNafb69O2PDTAdPQ6Bb4lvHC86wKBb8ZzHz0ko22VJUgiLYIr4qferk8/s4000/P1240217.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2248" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtZ4Zuw08MVUNTCgese0mLesvpp6JmuIwZAhoYm1bNwtvKV6BfMNQpiinPF8sTQ3KkpPy_ldX-rN94O1KwiHJk4ik6594BAs20SEMvG_lAysYy7kuKkgISmh7cK28fbd6lDbbNafb69O2PDTAdPQ6Bb4lvHC86wKBb8ZzHz0ko22VJUgiLYIr4qferk8/w360-h640/P1240217.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">On our recent walk - in the sleet/snow - on the day Ghengis left us. The rose bush arrived today so I will get it unwrapped and having a drink. We will plant it by Ghengis' grave at the weekend.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Perhaps I will now have a look at the Elderberry Bunnies pattern.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-34170672210636469742024-03-05T05:06:00.000-08:002024-03-05T05:32:09.167-08:00Feeling half dead<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> It started with a tickly cough. Caught from Danny, who had had a cold last week. Then yesterday my nose streamed non-stop and I went deaf in one ear and that same ear was very painful and I felt rough. I went to bed early and Danny dealt with Keith. I didn't sleep at all before 5 a.m. and then when I did finally drop off, I was awake every half hour with what felt like a UTI - I had cystitis and bladder pain and a temperature.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Today I can do NOTHING. I have been asleep on the sofa all morning ("I" playing on her own and watching things on her i-pad.) I have been first shivering and now boiling hot, I probably have a chest infection as I coughed up brown gunk (sorry if tmi). I can barely walk and have no appetite. I'm rather hoping it isn't another round of Covid. If someone offered to take me out and shoot me, I am inclined to think I might agree right now!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hoping you are all well anyway.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-32493011971046251022024-03-03T23:05:00.000-08:002024-03-03T23:07:49.353-08:00I am related to Churchill . . . apparently<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> This is what Family Search tell me, but I am somewhat suspicious of their research. In fact, downright sceptical! View the tree<a href="https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/LVZJ-V5Z"> HERE.</a><span style="color: #ff00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">It is a nice thought, to be his 11th cousin. The name Clotworthy Skeffington is wonderful . . .</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7YFtuZqim48JXLizCo38yAYgfhr7O6qOx0nWl8Mpsp0iKs3Q7iWu733DEzqjQZdsfDQdrj4osBeU4ejounumPNhq60Pkvn5XEHKOLTGjg2yMrTye81obhev_fBI-mjv-8sdOtyUtyYBuk8UBnr7NT2U8n0h4_hHQv3ZA8npPWFJIW7WXY_NrI9pYIm0/s4000/P1240212.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF7YFtuZqim48JXLizCo38yAYgfhr7O6qOx0nWl8Mpsp0iKs3Q7iWu733DEzqjQZdsfDQdrj4osBeU4ejounumPNhq60Pkvn5XEHKOLTGjg2yMrTye81obhev_fBI-mjv-8sdOtyUtyYBuk8UBnr7NT2U8n0h4_hHQv3ZA8npPWFJIW7WXY_NrI9pYIm0/w640-h360/P1240212.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lulu finally in possession of the Amazon bag</span><br /><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Well, progress has been made on the quilt and in the garden. Yesterday, I finally sewed the first bit of sashing in and I have to say, the inaccuracies have backed off now and aren't so visible (except to my eagle eye!) Hoping to make more progress today but it's childcare day today and tomorrow, so I'm not holding my breath. I have promised baking and sowing some seeds. I need to make another super-calorie rice pudding and Potato Dauphinoise too. </span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Emma and Danny put the staging together yesterday, so I'm ready to go in the greenhouse (though I fear not much progress will take place for a while as it's currently minus 3 C . . .) They also got cracking with the Summerhouse and Danny put some easing oil onto the screws and managed to get the jammed door off, and then sanded it top and bottom where the winter damp had swelled the wood. We managed to get Emma's heavy massage table up the steps and not fall in the pond with it :) So things are taking shape and they will start decorating it next weekend, inside and out. They cleared away leaves from the pond and we had a tidy up that end of the garden. They bought two packs of wildflower seeds from Tesco to strew in the bottom paddock, so that should look pretty this summer. It was sunny all day, and warmish despite there being a covering of snow on the hills round about here. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">All in all we got plenty of fresh air, and little "I" had great fun outside.</span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I managed to force myself to make jam on Saturday, but the strawberry had to be boiled up again - did it in the microwave as a small amount, and then of course, it exploded, so ended up an even smaller amount in jars. I also did Jumbleberry jam (had an order) and that hasn't set as I had a conflict with it being apparently ready for the jars, and Keith's lunchtime. So I will need to boil that up again today.</span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Keith is looking forward to warmer weather and has asked Danny to wheel him out to his workshop for half an hour or so when the weather is warmer and it's dry. I have been grateful for Danny's help as sometimes it's a struggle getting Keith out of his chair (hoping that Jon will be able to manhandle into the car the riser chair we are buying from his mum - delivery on Saturday if so). Mealtimes are taking longer and longer and I always end up feeding him at some point. We have a phone call from the Dietition on Wednesday afternoon. We've also had an NHS letter which says we note you are waiting for an appt., in Geriatrics, please let us know if you still need it . . . What use is that, no details of what the appt. might be for!</span></p><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Right, onwards and upwards. Hope everyone has some welcome sunshine.</span></p><p><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-7765596004839689072024-03-01T09:38:00.000-08:002024-03-01T13:37:06.982-08:00R.I.P. Ghengis<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpfL-6iMKVCZJsfMOjTinrWVY4R77jOSSOBPGOcFeuFHNtcrBtbKbbd2UVtVtUVaxahI7EXBuSoH_23XPSmzQ5b_CLe293_hl0GhsTURWA4OLWZiASn9vxaeNz4gik31U7NZ7O49rp2m1or4p0PJCgZc8yOd8efPXpxyzEOBvIlJAItsH_4JEKIjVzzc/s4000/P1230384.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrpfL-6iMKVCZJsfMOjTinrWVY4R77jOSSOBPGOcFeuFHNtcrBtbKbbd2UVtVtUVaxahI7EXBuSoH_23XPSmzQ5b_CLe293_hl0GhsTURWA4OLWZiASn9vxaeNz4gik31U7NZ7O49rp2m1or4p0PJCgZc8yOd8efPXpxyzEOBvIlJAItsH_4JEKIjVzzc/w640-h360/P1230384.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sadly when I got back from town this morning, Danny told me that Ghengis was on the way out - he had spotted him staggering across the lawn, unable to use his back legs, and it looked like he had had a stroke. He had laid him on the sofa, and the poor old boy just looked so flat and frail. I knew his time had come and so we took him straight down to the vet's to be pts. He went very quickly as I stroked him and told him how loved he was. He had a lot of love in his long life, spending all but 3or so of his probable 18 years with us. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">He arrived as a feral tom, and was never very big, but was a thug and a bully to all the other cats until we got him tame enough to go and be neutered, and he was a different cat after that. No more rape and pillage. He had a good life with us - only this morning he was sat next to Pippi up on the bank in the little bit of sunshine we had today. I will miss him so - he sat beside me on the sofa every night, and sat beside me as I was on the computer, sitting on my mouse hand! </span> <br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoFJQW59jNbSY1WxxfJZTk4olTFQUUsAA9mgxadmUOIvwSzN8qXGUYYgjXpKAjlg9nAH7UIe98ZwMbMVqDc7cHiI_wSjhP7wBuKx1Jd_1rkduJtAGkzSeej_xgoxGp6xyi4CxZNUcfY33Tkca-tuNi1YYgVHV8jQInv63wTdf4nBhn03DejquvG42rh8/s4896/P1000036.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="4896" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoFJQW59jNbSY1WxxfJZTk4olTFQUUsAA9mgxadmUOIvwSzN8qXGUYYgjXpKAjlg9nAH7UIe98ZwMbMVqDc7cHiI_wSjhP7wBuKx1Jd_1rkduJtAGkzSeej_xgoxGp6xyi4CxZNUcfY33Tkca-tuNi1YYgVHV8jQInv63wTdf4nBhn03DejquvG42rh8/w640-h480/P1000036.JPG" width="640" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">As always, Danny stepped into the breach, went to the vet's with me, and came home and went out to dig a deep grave for him. I will plant a rose by it - in fact I ordered one only last night, which I had in my garden at Ynyswen, and really loved, called Tuscany Superb, a deep crimson Gallica shrub rose with a lovely perfume.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">D, E, I and myself went out for a walk through the woods in the wet snow earlier - too wet for anything to lay but the distant hills have a sprinkling of white. It was good to clear my head anyway, but a sad day here.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It's hard to hold back the tears, as all the grief I feel in losing Keith inch by inch has been released too. </span></p></div>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-58690071107948443432024-03-01T03:14:00.000-08:002024-03-01T03:14:14.790-08:00Fed up with daily rain<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">It has rained just about every day all through February, and now that March is here, it's still raining, so perhaps it will continue through March too. Enough is enough! Wednesday didn't go to plan as I found that my Dental appt. was 11 a.m. (same time as the Mosaic). I didn't miss much anyway. It was just very basic square chips, making a coaster. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJInJ-Azmr9h2mcNMGh08TSxNpEsUW340fFGFkG-1J3-MYSEGDM2cjQnG07v-qBPxuqnWm8kiSAWPl4wp0i6U2PA9GTDjS0t4RpOvFjKtn8zK6K-Oh97a4tgPc4SrWe44qUzWT9V15UQUxXipzMCpnpRZ4ErZ-v1JWqaOap5ZCa0GYQIfzvwgeb0Ge5aw/s4000/P1240179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJInJ-Azmr9h2mcNMGh08TSxNpEsUW340fFGFkG-1J3-MYSEGDM2cjQnG07v-qBPxuqnWm8kiSAWPl4wp0i6U2PA9GTDjS0t4RpOvFjKtn8zK6K-Oh97a4tgPc4SrWe44qUzWT9V15UQUxXipzMCpnpRZ4ErZ-v1JWqaOap5ZCa0GYQIfzvwgeb0Ge5aw/w640-h360/P1240179.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here is the Indo-Persian warrior horse that D&E bought at the Fair. Colourful. Its temporary residence is in our living room fireplace until they tidy up the fireplace in their bedroom. The bits across the horse's hips are to take sabres, and I think the warrior would have seized the sabres in them and brandished them as he galloped into battle.</span><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Shopping in Brecon didn't take place until yesterday. We're now all stocked up again for the week and the fridge and freezer are bulging with the grub from two households. Emma doesn't know Brecon and loved the scenery over the Eppynt mountains, and the view of the Brecon Beacons. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI0KYVbFifQFt8JV0xJUF6IenJeIerbdpNdM4R407UDuxSspYSJev991Cc-8viCUiatiWK5-IBC_NmjhXgCeqVr0JQJ95C0trGUmkmVI3X70iaOh4mAHw8mDhSabPNbN7OwPQr87-wcZuxzfEFKlwSAS2Uha8IImCmm1bX72H3L7iTKJmkHjXcQfwXpI/s4000/P1240180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI0KYVbFifQFt8JV0xJUF6IenJeIerbdpNdM4R407UDuxSspYSJev991Cc-8viCUiatiWK5-IBC_NmjhXgCeqVr0JQJ95C0trGUmkmVI3X70iaOh4mAHw8mDhSabPNbN7OwPQr87-wcZuxzfEFKlwSAS2Uha8IImCmm1bX72H3L7iTKJmkHjXcQfwXpI/w400-h225/P1240180.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Closeup of a lovely inlaid late Victorian side table Keith fell for at the Fair. Staying here at the moment.</span><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRFylmrdIBsBz9TRdLShBww3tSU5q5ALay7mvKdSkChBoUIlcYKSr2GkSHpLG-dhfvDmZmaw2FsB4ND66Jh5SUdaj8_kqY9JwkTfvm1D5v7q64FSgvIh2jVS7UvD0yr2IAg5DltmMH0aX2vtZJ3wT2xHPADAlbGeMYCtVkvUz1s6zfEmH2uUvWITQhAE/s4000/P1240181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRFylmrdIBsBz9TRdLShBww3tSU5q5ALay7mvKdSkChBoUIlcYKSr2GkSHpLG-dhfvDmZmaw2FsB4ND66Jh5SUdaj8_kqY9JwkTfvm1D5v7q64FSgvIh2jVS7UvD0yr2IAg5DltmMH0aX2vtZJ3wT2xHPADAlbGeMYCtVkvUz1s6zfEmH2uUvWITQhAE/w225-h400/P1240181.JPG" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7VetX1fwnPjTFVD8ZYHkd2HSjobHclsR_SXl_tMaxvoRg9viPiYXHmqh8VZidksQBMaG9oZvU0TAJ8zehwPV7OBclcRQYzDldkyh8m7xnHbDk0dSgiC6GfLXlimRpsKQeTr48Cx7-eM7-AiSz9RDIMkMbOPlywdOUw3KXDRrARNUeu2YPb6dQUAVGZ0/s4000/P1240182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2248" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7VetX1fwnPjTFVD8ZYHkd2HSjobHclsR_SXl_tMaxvoRg9viPiYXHmqh8VZidksQBMaG9oZvU0TAJ8zehwPV7OBclcRQYzDldkyh8m7xnHbDk0dSgiC6GfLXlimRpsKQeTr48Cx7-eM7-AiSz9RDIMkMbOPlywdOUw3KXDRrARNUeu2YPb6dQUAVGZ0/w225-h400/P1240182.JPG" width="225" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Whilst this was my only purchase - a lovely vintage heavy brass greyhound-type dog standing 8"or so high (20cm).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I have finally finished some official paperwork which has been hanging over me for far too long, and am ripping apart the final block of the dodgy row. P.H.E.W. Sashing will be used - I'm not even going to try and line anything up going down the rows! This afternoon Emma and I are going to get the staging made up. That will be real progress. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Keith's had his neck massaged, Emma's got paint on order for the Summerhouse and the buddha, so we just need a drier day or two! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">More veg seeds bought yesterday - Emma is going to grow Peppers, Radishes and Rocket, along with various herbs and probably more veg when the ground is prepared.</span></p><br /><p></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-52532598936472419852024-02-28T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-01T00:01:06.705-08:00A wailing and gnashing of teefs!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7PCyCCv6c2OjXcZtqKtYRozh1MEz4Z4gVJitJ7wWvCdBr_jEnWHWUO4yPhbulUBEuvsrqgxRjansW8K6GG4LF4alx2sxjiqohePFu5_hicpss-mDJIgDoXdUXhrrB4j-yB9vQEdcON-5OMLbLTgr5-EKUoCMd-Op51tY1HB0zGv8vDoIQk83a0uYySw/s4000/P1240188.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd7PCyCCv6c2OjXcZtqKtYRozh1MEz4Z4gVJitJ7wWvCdBr_jEnWHWUO4yPhbulUBEuvsrqgxRjansW8K6GG4LF4alx2sxjiqohePFu5_hicpss-mDJIgDoXdUXhrrB4j-yB9vQEdcON-5OMLbLTgr5-EKUoCMd-Op51tY1HB0zGv8vDoIQk83a0uYySw/w640-h428/P1240188.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Late afternoon sunshine on my walk the other evening.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Oh this little quilt is driving me nutso. By the time I get to start work on it, having done all the chores (which take hours), I am already tired and I am on the last row, which seems to have all the duff blocks in it, meaning I have to take the stitch ripper to all of them. I just want it finished! </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtGuhP7RJWoPTBJwCV3kAVkYzeGeSCGNrF6A0v4g1vcuqQ9Cuj02XUJAicIxACwtaFSX5AyxGZf0d7KGUE7hd9LaP65HWTA4ofOFAalIZF37DpfDDmqs4L1jm_btuBB8W21gUQ2qOFKTyvhgkiK9oqo_sVOJp_oH8ThNENkzlWjevqUFq0vmfFwmZ3-s/s4000/P1240203.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtGuhP7RJWoPTBJwCV3kAVkYzeGeSCGNrF6A0v4g1vcuqQ9Cuj02XUJAicIxACwtaFSX5AyxGZf0d7KGUE7hd9LaP65HWTA4ofOFAalIZF37DpfDDmqs4L1jm_btuBB8W21gUQ2qOFKTyvhgkiK9oqo_sVOJp_oH8ThNENkzlWjevqUFq0vmfFwmZ3-s/w428-h640/P1240203.JPG" width="428" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Yesterday's sunrise was actually a lot more colourful but the only rosy one I took was through a filthy window. (Result of having roof scraped).</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Buw_N7oS8TF2k2RL3i6pUOGSLa-XQ4DEE42LNmE3MPmnoSwLvr3TR6HDkLZRuhksO1m08aKJWjazUZFLm-vD2SajG0j8McYMA168sBj6dZFv6kcYZ9Dy2Hn_ncPCM9Wx0qTwUK0zZhk6i6ANQ6_OJCVC8nk0oSzNRCpGZtpDMnld_0tIRFP6DLLilQQ/s4000/P1240206.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Buw_N7oS8TF2k2RL3i6pUOGSLa-XQ4DEE42LNmE3MPmnoSwLvr3TR6HDkLZRuhksO1m08aKJWjazUZFLm-vD2SajG0j8McYMA168sBj6dZFv6kcYZ9Dy2Hn_ncPCM9Wx0qTwUK0zZhk6i6ANQ6_OJCVC8nk0oSzNRCpGZtpDMnld_0tIRFP6DLLilQQ/w640-h428/P1240206.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Looks a bit more like with a different setting (the artists' palette one on my camera). </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A busy day today - Emma, little "I" and I are going to a Mosaic making class at Wyeside Arts Centre in town this morning, then off to Brecon for a change to do the Food Shopping this afternoon. Danny will be here for Keith of course. They won't have to cook tonight as I made a big Spicy Lentil and Vegetable stew which has a cheese scone cobbler topping. Enough for two meals for them all, and the stew made enough for another which I have frozen.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-22616135258418725252024-02-26T06:38:00.000-08:002024-02-26T06:38:54.383-08:00A very special family day<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> We were celebrating Tam's pregnancy, and Gabby insisted she had a Baby Shower. She opened the gifts from us here at the house (Gabby had bought on my behalf as that was easiest for me). The baby clothes brought tears to my eyes and made the coming birth (around a month away) seem real for the first time. I have been constantly distracted by caring for and worrying about Keith so it's all gone on over my shoulder, so to speak.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Then we met up for lunch in Rhayader. Various friends and family. The two respective grannies at the far end. First grandchild for both of us. She's sat next to Ellie, one of Tam's best friends from school days. I'm sat next to one of Tam's friends from Aber (whose name evades me), then Tam, and then Emma. "I" came too and was very good and made a conquest with the young man playing on the kitchen toy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3DzD7iYbXoJIrLNc5LFemt4x2eQ9aRe5yN67XeKTGcDULYh-hTkPzbTRJu6zf5Apejl12xkP5CjbcTILa4DaeSPpHRGAvICvj8eE0A8S0C9RoLIo-KIpjwNCAYRMvMJsDK5xb840ilszbUkLCxMTdHkpWEGQYgiXeUKyQnbzF3DsSNMkCBDpb3OSD0jk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3DzD7iYbXoJIrLNc5LFemt4x2eQ9aRe5yN67XeKTGcDULYh-hTkPzbTRJu6zf5Apejl12xkP5CjbcTILa4DaeSPpHRGAvICvj8eE0A8S0C9RoLIo-KIpjwNCAYRMvMJsDK5xb840ilszbUkLCxMTdHkpWEGQYgiXeUKyQnbzF3DsSNMkCBDpb3OSD0jk=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnWukcLDy8UhSWFpKqnIPmgcU1PXZ-YNoMCLgfoptw3siSTG3QEHCzahJsMsZy5GVjmuhcP18qHprBlOTYhfWIW04vDylAo_ZHOmMRE0VqqDug-IqGk4DXFFw8YBDp2GubGEfw2A1cwLK_CGmilKplnhqlgGihTT_8PwHYEBNzVEQrdvEOxiGRq9npXh0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnWukcLDy8UhSWFpKqnIPmgcU1PXZ-YNoMCLgfoptw3siSTG3QEHCzahJsMsZy5GVjmuhcP18qHprBlOTYhfWIW04vDylAo_ZHOmMRE0VqqDug-IqGk4DXFFw8YBDp2GubGEfw2A1cwLK_CGmilKplnhqlgGihTT_8PwHYEBNzVEQrdvEOxiGRq9npXh0=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>I am the shrunken one on the right!! I think I just had the lowest chair :)</span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSF9w0ytVJb5tZyIcZVKezUl9L7L2n40Sk16IoiRtThmjOSqRF0ia18XDsJHgVbUG0H0MVICQl8hooFs9Ch7eSlRu1qLZ9m3lZ53auxHAFd_dwU52TSCt8EGQ3pnWSSQG2F3aJxnU2sjxbbZJOgDNQe7sNIObt2s65b76Z-743ek1GQwWuOHzMr1uqdEA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1824" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSF9w0ytVJb5tZyIcZVKezUl9L7L2n40Sk16IoiRtThmjOSqRF0ia18XDsJHgVbUG0H0MVICQl8hooFs9Ch7eSlRu1qLZ9m3lZ53auxHAFd_dwU52TSCt8EGQ3pnWSSQG2F3aJxnU2sjxbbZJOgDNQe7sNIObt2s65b76Z-743ek1GQwWuOHzMr1uqdEA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Gabs and I.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl6lmnhblIyuWlzCditFfo248OD5q5Nmntdzhy3bP5gWWa183-b_H6vdNgBYHLWBOn-TGhlGLemB5B6MAIQzMiRvAa0yRbJYC8Mfjc2tIXlyJlUTsaaH0EcM6GytMjX8rX0RguwveaMAvITkv7yXJlM2B_9eSo-DH3G5qhCb90G4d7n4TELjuaH2eDA_M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1824" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhl6lmnhblIyuWlzCditFfo248OD5q5Nmntdzhy3bP5gWWa183-b_H6vdNgBYHLWBOn-TGhlGLemB5B6MAIQzMiRvAa0yRbJYC8Mfjc2tIXlyJlUTsaaH0EcM6GytMjX8rX0RguwveaMAvITkv7yXJlM2B_9eSo-DH3G5qhCb90G4d7n4TELjuaH2eDA_M=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>My two gorgeous daughters.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnnOQSQ6K5uYkyxqET4NWQFHZnNEvOtHikqFM3rJzcmOJdp0wYhqdRwtLhSwQ5SFUSfO3i0TXdCTdpILkYhkbgeosPvoALzCNayTwEq-ZMWEu0wJ1ztE2OHdvgeNJNSGXMCGyk6ZItlwytqkz9Ok39vMO7oUocytUDls7ea_88mo6ajibjHSKTyMKD54s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnnOQSQ6K5uYkyxqET4NWQFHZnNEvOtHikqFM3rJzcmOJdp0wYhqdRwtLhSwQ5SFUSfO3i0TXdCTdpILkYhkbgeosPvoALzCNayTwEq-ZMWEu0wJ1ztE2OHdvgeNJNSGXMCGyk6ZItlwytqkz9Ok39vMO7oUocytUDls7ea_88mo6ajibjHSKTyMKD54s=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tam smiling at some gorgeous soft toys.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Shattered now as I have been very hard at work all morning (6 hours) - cat litter - two trips out to empty the tub as it was full from yesterday compost caddy emptied and washed; two lots of washing - one D&E's as they are away today, so eleventy odd socks to hang up again; taking car down to get new wiper blades fixed as the old ones had shredded, and I got the paper and sorted out a prescription at the same time; lots of recycling and taking a heavily laden wheelie bin for a walk to the end of the lane. Plus helping Keith with his breakfast and lunch and emptying a Georgian drain (which are very basic soakaways and soon get blocked.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, back to sewing that crawler quilt. Blocks roughly laid out on the bed. Only definite was the darkest ones each became corner blocks. First two rows sewn up and looking good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UrVQgTjjV5WrEMTcCKoWf88fekZ2T5ckcIHnj4TxxwhcPZ5E6tf6yv4UP4YwWkfyTMMuRVwoQgobw4kdwO_VB1QrOwKw7ncSpz7Kakqy-FIKAurTJpG-ctumcKAVhmPwCdC62ZDDdJaZ0jukUOEFPy3H6eiAwI_ZYSzWJZPMhFhHxkxifi64M-z_N7s/s4000/P1240167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UrVQgTjjV5WrEMTcCKoWf88fekZ2T5ckcIHnj4TxxwhcPZ5E6tf6yv4UP4YwWkfyTMMuRVwoQgobw4kdwO_VB1QrOwKw7ncSpz7Kakqy-FIKAurTJpG-ctumcKAVhmPwCdC62ZDDdJaZ0jukUOEFPy3H6eiAwI_ZYSzWJZPMhFhHxkxifi64M-z_N7s/w400-h225/P1240167.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGizsJTwwTYyni2QMdZ7IMOrFdiM7h9sUUo1fryv6JEnh2514pCCjVpZZf5LGX4M5o37AyZBknYhMVX1T5cSR1iakUil-Jy4uF6Q6IHQExyw39x7XiVO3Pf8Iv5YJZsmXtOJLf3PiPUZ0I1iJI4qhnmiWjBlmEsShGuWYk7IaJ4wLz75POvS1m9CbWIA/s4000/P1240168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGizsJTwwTYyni2QMdZ7IMOrFdiM7h9sUUo1fryv6JEnh2514pCCjVpZZf5LGX4M5o37AyZBknYhMVX1T5cSR1iakUil-Jy4uF6Q6IHQExyw39x7XiVO3Pf8Iv5YJZsmXtOJLf3PiPUZ0I1iJI4qhnmiWjBlmEsShGuWYk7IaJ4wLz75POvS1m9CbWIA/w400-h225/P1240168.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></span></div>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-29159395857045712112024-02-25T03:46:00.000-08:002024-02-25T03:46:07.877-08:00 A family day out<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUvuGovjHbmuqhLa2JBF8bzu_To1lSs1F5Zec4LOFgZNsFjU5hh2_KsQgj_o_v5YtfBe5QVOJ_eVtafHCyl-0QklUDeVU1E7gEGK8DOEBI0UgbRPjTkO-UVApxS4EwEBEJOBgCFXLKprvq4oFOp5gr2Lskqjr1OmGcPIBtEbj4PZacko5oavKHeb40pGs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUvuGovjHbmuqhLa2JBF8bzu_To1lSs1F5Zec4LOFgZNsFjU5hh2_KsQgj_o_v5YtfBe5QVOJ_eVtafHCyl-0QklUDeVU1E7gEGK8DOEBI0UgbRPjTkO-UVApxS4EwEBEJOBgCFXLKprvq4oFOp5gr2Lskqjr1OmGcPIBtEbj4PZacko5oavKHeb40pGs=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Well, it happened - we got Keith to the Botanic Gardens Antiques Fair and went around for 3 hours. We took both the Mobility Scooter and the wheelchair, as I wasn't sure how sore his neck was. He wanted to use the scooter, but worried me when he said if we got up to the Fair and his neck was too sore, we could bring it back and get the wheelchair instead. Being the one who has to (laboriously) put the ramps up to load and unload, I said the wheelchair was the better option - especially as I could see he was struggling to hold his head up after the journey there. I felt a heel, but it worked out well in the end and we had a lovely family day out. Tam came along, and of course D/E/I were there too. The latter ended up buying a smashing painted Indian warrior horse (photo to follow). I only bought a Vintage heavy brass greyhound (again, photo to follow). Keith bought a few military related things and saw his friends and had a great time, though I think he probably slept well last night as it was a long tiring day for him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sorry - I took the camera, but left it in the car, so you will have to make do with two photos Tam took with her phone for me . These are the two things I would have liked to have brought home.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, great excitement here because it's Tamzin's Baby Shower, and she's about to open her presents here (tears when I saw them!! Gabby went shopping for me). Then we're off to Rhayader for a meal and to meet up with the others. Back anon.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih7_WjfcLnUfWOpE2V37Qvh6yBhIiK5YkB08CpozjL0s3CtPG_qUG7gAMOqd0_1pHtmOO8R7toZ65SZ63juGzFcLlEPMIQVq8p9tkZP5Yl4mR5ihuV9z0rc6Wk5tEYqGucopS6rt-tpM5zKnJea1tdkoXvp9yoPIWlcldVCAVoPkYkksDKUtgW8w2nIcc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEih7_WjfcLnUfWOpE2V37Qvh6yBhIiK5YkB08CpozjL0s3CtPG_qUG7gAMOqd0_1pHtmOO8R7toZ65SZ63juGzFcLlEPMIQVq8p9tkZP5Yl4mR5ihuV9z0rc6Wk5tEYqGucopS6rt-tpM5zKnJea1tdkoXvp9yoPIWlcldVCAVoPkYkksDKUtgW8w2nIcc=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-43427980505502726252024-02-23T11:25:00.000-08:002024-02-23T13:29:03.178-08:00What a lovely surprise :)<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Nearly forgot - we had a brilliant evening yesterday. Vanya was set on a farm in 20th C Ireland, rather than Russia. Andrew Scott was a true tour-de-force - how can anyone learn their lines and act half a dozen different characters non-stop for 2 hours? He was so convincing I kept expecting the characters to step through the door on the set! If you get the chance to see this by satellite at a cinema near you, do so as you will enjoy it. <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/theatre/vanya-duke-of-york-s-theatre-review-andrew-scott-chekhov-b1108641.html">One of the reviews (The Standard)</a> called "this one-man Vanya is a revelation and a sensation" and described it as a tragi-comedy. Emma and I had a glass of wine from the bar, and then waited for Danny in one of the pubs in town and had another. I slept well last night (indeed, I wasn't in bed till nearly midnight).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I had to go to Crossgates today to pick up a baby changing trolley for Tam. Of course, she knew I would go on to the Plant Nursery afterwards. I needed seed compost, general compost, and some more Alpines (4 Albrieta) to go along the steps and a Rosemary plant. Emma wants to grow herbs, so this is a starter for her. We'll put it in a pot in the yard, which is very sunny - no, I'll rephrase that, it's south-facing! Sun has been at a premium here recently. I met a lovely lady at the nursery who had moved here 3 months ago from Midhurst in Sussex. She said forlornly, "It's rained every day since we got here" but the Nursery owner and I both reassured her that it didn't normally rain this much in Powys, and last May and June we'd had a heatwave with not a drop of rain for two months. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Weather is weather - difficult to</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">predict and not much fun when it's too cold/hot/wet. Think what it was like in the Little Ice Age and they had Frost Fairs on the Thames - the latest one of those was in 1814. Then that dreadful storm surge down the East Coast in 1953. The Somerset Levels regularly have regularly flooded from time immemorial, and</span><a href="https://www.jbatrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Wales.pdf" style="font-family: verdana;"> HERE</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> is a looooong list of freak weather and flashfloods in Wales down the centuries.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway when I got home, I found that Emma had done all the housework, including washing the kitchen floor and cleaning all the cat bowls, cleaning the very grubby windows on the French windows, vacuuming, dusting - what a delight. She and Danny make our life much easier.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0qte-WGkf3FEFYpQInMrYwJim7IM5V3iahtg33csIxUOaYlbJph9SLnBt-yJinAaY-5r-5WJA3OG0c0QmD_EJWNI5uYXwP8OzK94L-80NsslVKizYtVU5giq_fZMQmME_wl6uFANAGSt0PZKWiOkmPPGGA9wRxGHEoGeVtH7yAN8SWZbxMO14suutWk/s4000/P1230218.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0qte-WGkf3FEFYpQInMrYwJim7IM5V3iahtg33csIxUOaYlbJph9SLnBt-yJinAaY-5r-5WJA3OG0c0QmD_EJWNI5uYXwP8OzK94L-80NsslVKizYtVU5giq_fZMQmME_wl6uFANAGSt0PZKWiOkmPPGGA9wRxGHEoGeVtH7yAN8SWZbxMO14suutWk/w640-h428/P1230218.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A not very sharp photo of L.Whale last summer. The kittens always seem to hog the limelight.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">We are hoping Keith will be ok to go to the Botanic Gardens Antiques Fair tomorrow. We have the mobility scooter on charge - but we had to break into Keith's workshop to do so, as the keys to the padlock had gone missing. I went through all my pockets, but no. Any tools to cut through the chain or the padlock were - naturally - inside the workshop! Danny was trying to cut through the padlock handle with a hacksaw (highway to nowhere!) but I had a brainwave and got a big claw hammer from the tools in the house and went for the weakest link - a blacksmith-made staple from over 130 years ago when the stables were built. The wood gave - just the long spikes of the staple bent a little and we have kept it. Straighten out the prongs and it's good to go for another 130 years! So, we got in and the mobility scooter is on charge now. We shall of course, find the keys tomorrow!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8RDXlxSiVn980AgzFnX5w-COPuO-N8H8XZVnfLahioIZ2Zfu74b1wTNpJixYmUDTAI-bwxDMFrA6YTMFJiXKSvkBQDzzq3wdbPizcujBIkrDPpLwuVjfj2ngtCGzfvoAWdLZyEguM4xP81iwum4NohJsOJqXbdDG_PsiT-y63cbN988o6xAIK_jIcmY/s4000/P1240161.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8RDXlxSiVn980AgzFnX5w-COPuO-N8H8XZVnfLahioIZ2Zfu74b1wTNpJixYmUDTAI-bwxDMFrA6YTMFJiXKSvkBQDzzq3wdbPizcujBIkrDPpLwuVjfj2ngtCGzfvoAWdLZyEguM4xP81iwum4NohJsOJqXbdDG_PsiT-y63cbN988o6xAIK_jIcmY/w400-h225/P1240161.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Pippi and little "I". Her mum gave me permission to use the photo.</span></p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-47499064114742050392024-02-22T09:41:00.000-08:002024-02-22T09:41:25.488-08:00An evening out tonight!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8DQrtCo1K-WOEROjGSwE68Fh1SSdfRt5YdIHSyNirE7NznraNQPWxKm5dz_pfKFs1iCqliX2Q8bE568JegqbuL8V1spxo9VVtCTsPa0HRoutadNrMPL9xsvIxGQi0QGpOudz0XnHfT-WjfqbCQ_nzQWEDQaXNLQFmVVdqlnkTOrSBUC-00o3GHqrJoQ/s4000/P1240144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc8DQrtCo1K-WOEROjGSwE68Fh1SSdfRt5YdIHSyNirE7NznraNQPWxKm5dz_pfKFs1iCqliX2Q8bE568JegqbuL8V1spxo9VVtCTsPa0HRoutadNrMPL9xsvIxGQi0QGpOudz0XnHfT-WjfqbCQ_nzQWEDQaXNLQFmVVdqlnkTOrSBUC-00o3GHqrJoQ/w640-h360/P1240144.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The new Witch-hazel</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Emma very kindly treated me to an outing tonight. We are going to the cinema in town to see <a href="https://www.wyeside.co.uk/satellite-live-1/vanya">"Vanya",</a> based on Chekov's Uncle Vanya. It's a National Theatre production, screened live. Danny will chauffeur us so we can have a drink, and sort Keith out for bed for me. I won't know myself!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">D, E & I have gone out for a walk across the fields (my favourite walk over towards the little church) to see The Fairy Tree with I. It has all sorts of nooks and crannies in it where the fairies might live.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I have put the crawler quilt back in the bag till tomorrow. All the blocks are sewn and squared off and the top two rows sewn in lines of 5. STILL more airtime for the stitch ripper. I have NEVER made more mistakes in any quilt before, but it is hard with "noises off" and "I" 's screaming dolly. Thank heavens her mum found the off button! You need concentration for sewing.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-66004728457127437692024-02-20T13:30:00.000-08:002024-02-20T13:30:31.619-08:00Thrown in at the deep end<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Well, when grannies say much as they love their grandchildren, they are glad to be able to give them back, I know understand exactly what they mean. My goodness, an enjoyable couple of days, but little ones want every second of your attention. Yesterday I got off lightly and we did some gardening together, and then went bird watching - well, we took my mobile which has the Merlin bird ID app on it, which counts as the same thing. Today I started off tired and decided to do the grocery shopping as the weather forecast for tomorrow sounded diabolical and I think we will all be glad to be housebound :) Keith's been "off" again today so we got him up to bed early before Danny left to pick Emma up.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2GOtCsOgH1eyTsP_SjKtmQAJFimAxj6G3JiQYSylTIPDjdzm_08sRDVLhmudfdn_BX0Bs7OpYKOuUJdH5bIbGGnE4Llu2kkhiZQyc2S1XuyirYHR9F8Aj4_VKNQg5oxbCn2_bH9JYDRDcUs1Pe2ja2B7bY6PUyM_wuZXPu_1E1__4ofs2zlWORAVzXI/s4000/P1240160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW2GOtCsOgH1eyTsP_SjKtmQAJFimAxj6G3JiQYSylTIPDjdzm_08sRDVLhmudfdn_BX0Bs7OpYKOuUJdH5bIbGGnE4Llu2kkhiZQyc2S1XuyirYHR9F8Aj4_VKNQg5oxbCn2_bH9JYDRDcUs1Pe2ja2B7bY6PUyM_wuZXPu_1E1__4ofs2zlWORAVzXI/w640-h360/P1240160.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pippi says Amazon delivery bags are for CATS.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So "I" and I went off to Llandod. I parked up and "I" and I went to look in the charity shop - of course she found a little Barbie light up handbag (50p) so she came home with that. I got more Gutermann thread for sewing the quilt - thought I would have 500m this time - which cost £8.40! Hopefully that will last a while and I shall buy it more cheaply online another time or get it when I go to Doughty's in Hereford next (the quilting shop). It's nearly £2 cheaper there. Then round Aldi with two shopping lists and a little person who hoped for Pizza and Ice Cream and Biscuits - and more that wasn't on Danny's shopping list! Then to Tesco where I managed to concentrate on my shopping list and at least I knew where to look for things in there - Danny's stuff had had to be hunted down and was not on my usual wavelength of purchases. "I" was very good and obedient and funny, but tiring. We had a car picnic with a Tesco lunch deal - I had the sarnies and she had crisps and a Rainbow smoothie drink.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Once home we had fun as she is learning her alphabet and Danny had wondered if she could perhaps learn to spell her name before going to school. She copied out the letters a bit haphazardly but her "A" is excellent. She's a quick learner. She made me laugh when she came and told me that "Pippi is dreaming of mice"! which I thought pretty clever for a 4 yr old.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxGFt1gnnXsKJIMsrcCFAordHFBMjOvDWQ8sPU2u4GnXSIKue91LHQKsITcS_8wlRAX07Z7ijnISRgwN25AdVRTKky5lsq5rtwmPO3m27kVCYmLBS0yGmmOjPtxbr_WEPrzikLVGZs-2Qb3I81oeMtC41oKD6OsJPhjYG6DdpR4M1fNDDVWV3wQHjZ54/s4000/P1240157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwxGFt1gnnXsKJIMsrcCFAordHFBMjOvDWQ8sPU2u4GnXSIKue91LHQKsITcS_8wlRAX07Z7ijnISRgwN25AdVRTKky5lsq5rtwmPO3m27kVCYmLBS0yGmmOjPtxbr_WEPrzikLVGZs-2Qb3I81oeMtC41oKD6OsJPhjYG6DdpR4M1fNDDVWV3wQHjZ54/w640-h360/P1240157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I've just finished watching a film Danny and I began watching last night (I bowed out 45 minutes before the end because I was tired). It's very good and on Netflix, and I can recommend it though it is a bit mind-bothering - think modern Hitchcock thriller. It's called Last Night in Soho. Look it up and see if it's for you, but although it's spooky in a way and provoking, it's really well directed. Has Terrance Stamp, Diana Rigg and Rita Tushingham in it too.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My Amazon delivery contained new rotary cutter blades, and a set of 4 different sized square quilting rulers - a good investment I think.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Trying to stay awake now until Danny and Emma get back from Carmarthen. Raining again out there, so a pitch black night, and I hate to think of them on the bit of road round the Sugarloaf. I will sleep well once they are safely home.</span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-55724383104248045712024-02-18T04:00:00.000-08:002024-02-18T04:00:39.472-08:00Still here but very busy<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> I'm working on the Crawler Quilt for Tam's baby (must get out of the habit of calling baby Rosie Posie as she may well be called something other than Rosina (a family name on both sides). Anyway, I couldn't sleep in the night, so came downstairs and made more blocks. Just 3 to go now. D, E & I have been outside till rain stopped play. My new</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTY92y9bWe1exVDgB-JWaAsK37Tczgdrgvt_6MWqXjXeurGD_5KO0n2IcA5to-OmlDaJfPXD7lR48EB7XCFUZCqxauU4L5HL5Nr5XUOAmzjYZuBcGibpZRRFfmahkXrcr0QiqhWvRDRBYJ3WF9c0LXcQCqAw61wf-2KVZDBV5913LfX6gGU7sH0Ei4ctk/s4000/P1240154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTY92y9bWe1exVDgB-JWaAsK37Tczgdrgvt_6MWqXjXeurGD_5KO0n2IcA5to-OmlDaJfPXD7lR48EB7XCFUZCqxauU4L5HL5Nr5XUOAmzjYZuBcGibpZRRFfmahkXrcr0QiqhWvRDRBYJ3WF9c0LXcQCqAw61wf-2KVZDBV5913LfX6gGU7sH0Ei4ctk/w640-h360/P1240154.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />apple tree is planted and just needs staking up, and my Hamamelis is also in on the bank and looks perfect. I must remember to put the gooseberry in today too. I can dig that hole myself though (Danny did the others).</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCJ3GU_mh-5zN9AgyzHOCvonl1Ec1zP1G3wiKTxkjeJwrYsN2Sj1Ls_gBdJ7WqSHaLtLBFUGX7mDIj1Sdm_TkXNewhRJEIuxlJffz9S0nvtJZDvoUS96whsuBdkdwNZYSztJyEItoLbLo_XgcEp4SfCDwm4GFM10-o0WtSu6bPM41YeTCAaTUpMb0obw/s4000/P1240155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCJ3GU_mh-5zN9AgyzHOCvonl1Ec1zP1G3wiKTxkjeJwrYsN2Sj1Ls_gBdJ7WqSHaLtLBFUGX7mDIj1Sdm_TkXNewhRJEIuxlJffz9S0nvtJZDvoUS96whsuBdkdwNZYSztJyEItoLbLo_XgcEp4SfCDwm4GFM10-o0WtSu6bPM41YeTCAaTUpMb0obw/w640-h360/P1240155.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">They've been out cleaning windows for me (the roof scouring was followed by copious water which made the windows filthy), tidying up in the summerhouse, trying to get the damp-warped door off to plane it (but it needs easing oil on the screws), and sweeping up leaves by the pond (which has enormous mounds of frogspawn, laid this week as when I checked earlier last week, none there). They are going to scrub the loose paint (silver) off the big Buddha statue by the pond and repaint it bronze, and also paint the summerhouse for me. Part of the bottom triangle can be their garden for veg. We'll share the polytunnel for salad veg. Emma wants to grow herbs so plenty of room for those here and the yard is south-facing so gets lots of sun. This is their first proper weekend day home and they are enjoying it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-77219985335922309342024-02-16T13:23:00.000-08:002024-02-16T13:23:04.475-08:00Yer Tiz . . . (West Country for Here it is)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jYX3IA9Hxwz7D5R8guycApfOMNOYQ617vc7P2vR1ooLiZ3w7oh-NiQdc7RZty_iAnUuhZYDo-3P2UE3bA4L7z761npXLM7zB_jogs726Z873uk_WKt2z8rHUCSMq9lPj2mdb5uLx1gvMlyRqQ2B8_0hXUO9-HzIzSQq_QA34W1tQHO-aHRoF8LvyONY/s4000/P1240141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2248" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jYX3IA9Hxwz7D5R8guycApfOMNOYQ617vc7P2vR1ooLiZ3w7oh-NiQdc7RZty_iAnUuhZYDo-3P2UE3bA4L7z761npXLM7zB_jogs726Z873uk_WKt2z8rHUCSMq9lPj2mdb5uLx1gvMlyRqQ2B8_0hXUO9-HzIzSQq_QA34W1tQHO-aHRoF8LvyONY/w360-h640/P1240141.JPG" width="360" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Empty for the moment. Excuse me whilst I take a quick PhD in how to construct greenhouse staging. In China, it is apparently easier to use self-tapping screws and a piece of metal with a narrow strip of metal inside it that the screws fix into. I had been looking at it the other way up - blank strip with one hole either end and nothing to attach the shorter cross strips to and I had screws with no nuts and those shorter strips of metal with holes. Hmmm, lots of head scratching and I had to go to Caerfagu to look at their greenhouse and staging (Vitavia one, just like mine, and it's where I bought my greenhouse from). I took photos (not trusting my memory).</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJFqE9cvl0GOqugtjU27JTu1MBKV7cp2vPVQGeE-ZNmN7wCgj-SBTyk296cR15zAqXVD2enD_kR-_P2qvmRKLK0rjOZfugjDuHfq7lRbI5gf4ZHpbArzkKKjNoMz_9Xpt2KpJsW9zwXHY8LITU3mgyinj4SMhBUo6M2-N8OyisO_nPopCfxN0fCOLBAo/s4000/P1240147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJFqE9cvl0GOqugtjU27JTu1MBKV7cp2vPVQGeE-ZNmN7wCgj-SBTyk296cR15zAqXVD2enD_kR-_P2qvmRKLK0rjOZfugjDuHfq7lRbI5gf4ZHpbArzkKKjNoMz_9Xpt2KpJsW9zwXHY8LITU3mgyinj4SMhBUo6M2-N8OyisO_nPopCfxN0fCOLBAo/w640-h360/P1240147.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">So, round two will be tomorrow . . . I have two of them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Yesterday was a real struggle for Keith as he was barely able to get around and I really feared I might not get him safely to bed. Anyway, we managed somehow and I had some wine to calm my nerves afterwards, and watched some tv programmes I like - I defer to Keith most of the time although I generally enjoy what he is watching (antiques progs) but some of his films are a bit blood-thirsty and there's a limit to how many Lovejoy programmes I can cope with! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I had a lovely morning out in the garden and started planting up the alpines down the big stone steps at the side of the house. I put all 7 plants in. I had half a bag of topsoil left which I used as a base, popped the plants in - the biggest ones on the corners of the steps where they met the wall - and then topped up with compost and laid some stone fragments against them to hold the soil in place. I'll get some bigger pieces from the edge of the paddock - remnants of a stone trackway from the stables up to the Big House, dug up when we had some of the paddock levelled. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Then it came on to rain so I came indoors and sewed half a dozen patchwork blocks. Tonight I shall applique some more of the Beatrix Potter figures in the centres of them. It's coming together nicely. Whilst I sewed, I listened to "Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone", which I have in hardback but didn't get very far reading it as too many calls on my time. It was lovely to listen to it as I worked.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I have to say, I would prefer to have Danny & Emma here of an evening, but this was all booked last year, before they knew they were going to move here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I shall be glad to sit down and rest tonight as I had such a busy morning - putting several lots of washing on, and hanging it up, taking dry laundry upstairs, ironing various bits, making up "I"'s bed and D&E's with fresh linen, shaving Keith and giving him a hair cut, helping him with his meals etc etc. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Anyway, K up to bed with no problems tonight. Just off to bed myself now. Have a good weekend all.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8569181568013465215.post-24599492216003734012024-02-15T02:56:00.000-08:002024-02-15T04:33:32.753-08:00A bit of positivity, but it didn't last!<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwYqLR_H6pROjcQBmMsNbIqqWsgKX6SxvkVVA3O3YJaDPSBrLm8EPh7NfeSg9Ks4jHFWYRZqdrYMvc5fNiNRqShRClMJY9M8h5sDaW7sgaCkBxoYU3kv4a4VnDPhXZwRfUplh0_rgD9njAdIDQ5460ZDxKVxnHq_qGIcp1fwEzYGfKYi_hLQ4gLypM2M/s4000/P1240117.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYwYqLR_H6pROjcQBmMsNbIqqWsgKX6SxvkVVA3O3YJaDPSBrLm8EPh7NfeSg9Ks4jHFWYRZqdrYMvc5fNiNRqShRClMJY9M8h5sDaW7sgaCkBxoYU3kv4a4VnDPhXZwRfUplh0_rgD9njAdIDQ5460ZDxKVxnHq_qGIcp1fwEzYGfKYi_hLQ4gLypM2M/w640-h360/P1240117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> The greenhouse glass has arrived, wrapped in a wooden protective jacket, and all in one piece. Handyman asked, did I want him to finish the roof or put the glass in first? Silly question - of course I want my greenhouse finished - and at warp speed! I will show photos when it's finished. . . . . spoke too soon, handyman has just moved some of the triangular pieces and a nibble on the edge of one! We didn't get every piece out of that pack of course. That was clearly "My fault" - handyman says I should have made him get every piece out and hold it up to the missing apertures. Well, I needed to get back to Keith, who was mid-breakfast - and I told handyman the glass was delivered. I should have got HIM to check it. I think we have spare larger panes so may need to go and get one cut to size at Llandod. Update: All sorted as there was a spare amongst the other pack of broken glass. We have lift off!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I doubt I shall have him to do work again as he depresses me - yesterday he said he thought that the roof tiles were asbestos! Funny, we were under the impression they were slate . . . He said not to get anyone to work on it when it was dry, because there was a dust coming off them as he scraped the moss off. That was a real punch below the belt but then later he mentioned a couple of the "slates" being damaged so to keep an eye on them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I also had some more fabric delivered, having ordered some fat 1/4s and a metre of another fabric. They phoned yesterday to say they couldn't do one of them, so I asked for a substitute and it's fine. As it's warm and sunny this morning, I intend to get out in the garden, but then I really MUST get back to the quilt. I've not had a chance all week.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Danny, Emma and "I" are away for two days, returning Saturday. Of course, Keith has had a turn for the worse and was very wobbly last night and this morning, so I am praying I don't have problems getting him to bed. Talk about bad timing.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR8MqucwAqRVH1vP_04WSDG2Od1UcUA9xBNlTPYAwBw1diI4ltG-m8FkiqCgAvA35GPytqPBlDb-a__XkLaZUZM6My9rzDngfYhft5ueo7fB3WL2LUEGi8embB7bf18xO0jotugLNPlxGFSR9_TY4WwiqvEiNYXmAhmpoKETZW3Iv8eqK0MHYFOrhqVw/s4000/P1240125.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsR8MqucwAqRVH1vP_04WSDG2Od1UcUA9xBNlTPYAwBw1diI4ltG-m8FkiqCgAvA35GPytqPBlDb-a__XkLaZUZM6My9rzDngfYhft5ueo7fB3WL2LUEGi8embB7bf18xO0jotugLNPlxGFSR9_TY4WwiqvEiNYXmAhmpoKETZW3Iv8eqK0MHYFOrhqVw/w640-h360/P1240125.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I parked up to have a drink on the way back. A Herefordshire view.<br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One thing I forgot to mention buying at Malvern was a lovely yellow Hamamelis. It was only £15. I nearly bit his hand off -saw one the same size at the small garden centre yesterday and that was £45! I will get that planted today. Tesco's had their cut-price fruit trees in yesterday - £7 each or two for £12. I bought another Discovery apple tree. I also got some alpines and another red Gooseberry from the small garden centre. Off to plant up the steps shortly. </span></p>Bovey Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com20