Walking and gardening

 Danny visited today.  I took advantage of this fact and got him to plant the Cox's apple tree in the orchard.  I couldn't find the fold bar (with Tam?), had to borrow a spade from Chris (mine with Tam, along with my mattock) and we broke the rotten handle on the ancient mattock (probably pre WWII in vintage).  Ah well, the tree's in now and has a healthy covering of ancient muck heap, as do several more of the other fruit trees.  Just a couple more to do now.

Before he came, I went into town for my weekend paper, and got a card and gifts for Chris (birthday girl), and went round to hers with them.  Then I set to and pruned my Buddleias - one has died completely so will have to dig that out when I get the other mattock back. I pruned Jude the Obscure too, and hoiked up dead leaves of the Monbretias on the bank.  So it's a bit tidier, but my back is complaining now!

I've shucked some saved peas which were grown last year (Emma's) and will get those started in the greenhouse tomorrow.  That feels a positive step.

Dan and I had a walk too - just a couple of miles but at the speed he walks I almost had to jog-trot to keep up with him.  He did notice, and slowed down for me.  We saw one of the neighbours and I was able to ask how the funeral went yesterday (his aged m-in-law).  120 people there, in and outside our tiny church.  A good send off by anyone's standards.

I have had a couple of hours trying to count the blessed stitches for Peter Rabbit and have given myself a break from it.  Back to hand quilting this evening.

I nearly forgot - last night's talk was brilliant - exactly the topic to interest me (Celts to Christianity).  I was all fired up when I came home, and had managed to ask some intelligent questions.

I will reply to personals in the morning as tired now.

"I didn't want to think the cats might be eating you . . ."

 Well Marlene in Scotland, your tip about that Podcast seems to have worked a mini-miracle!  I slept so long last night I didn't wake up till 9.30!!! In fact, I was just making myself a cup of Earl Grey and my phone went - it was Tam, phoning to see if I was alright as I hadn't been on line/Messenger and she was worried I was dead.  In which case, the cats might after a few days, have to resort to eating me to stay alive!!!  Oh that did make me laugh!

I even have some energy this morning and despite the "2 deg - feels like - 6 deg!" on my computer weather check, I will take myself out for a walk.  Tam isn't coming for the weekend as she has come down with a nasty cold, so she is stuck at home saying "a picture" over and over as Rosie keeps pointing to the pictures on the walls (she was doing this last weekend and it sounded like she was saying "que?" like Manuel from Faulty Towers!) Rosie went to the child carer for the first time this week, a short taster session of 3 hours, and didn't cry when Tam left, was enjoying all the toys, and even slept! 

I have now been researching our itinerary for the holiday and will truly be walking in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia as we visit several Crusader Castles on our daily tours.  Now I am not so exhausted, a little excitement is starting to creep in. 

Danny is popping over tomorrow, which will be nice, and tonight I have a talk with the Heritage Society - Celtic to Christian by Dr Mike Williams.  Just up my street.  I will be wearing a mask though - daren't risk catching something nasty just before my holiday.

Walk on hold until I have found a couple of extra layers to wear as it is blardy perishing out there - they were right about it feeling like minus 6!

Where's my mojo gone?

 Gosh, I really DO need this holiday, as I have not a jot of energy.  Vacuumed round this morning and then had to rest before going to the Library, and looking for Rosie books for here in one of the charity shops.

Some books for Rosie, when she is here.  A good haul for just £3.

I slept better last night - many thanks to anon friend who posted about a podcast called Nothing Much Happens, which she said had helped her with her poor sleep.  Well, I have to say, I was very aware of my breathing slowing whilst I was listening - the woman's voice was very slow and soporific and it did seem to help. I only woke once (for the loo)  and then at around 6, my cat alarm clock went off!

 

I went to the Library too, and got these books (well the Brecon Gaols one was a renewal).  As I did the veg for my evening meal at breakfast time, I am now going to go and have yet another daytime nap . . ..

Exhausted - oh, and the holiday . . .

 I make no exaggeration when I write that I was awake for pretty much all of the night, and am absolutely wrung out and exhausted today. I know going out for a walk would be a good thing, or some gentle gardening, but it's all I can do to stay upright.  I have managed to strip (and after a sleep) remake my bed and did some ironing earlier on (but only to warm up). I watched a really good video from Nicola White Tideline Art, where she shared her other passion, going to car boot sales and fleamarkets, and her find of a little book of watercolours dated around and just after WW1.   The paintings were of the Scilly Isles and Nicola visited them, and paired up with another mudlarking friend who was a resident artist down there.  SO much archaeology - I remember a lecture at Uni where we were shown slides of a drowned landscape (Lyonesse?!) and stone walls reminiscent of the Dartmoor Reeves marching into the water, and aerial shots of dark areas which were stone burial chambers.  Now, I really WOULD love a holiday there . . .

Ah yes, my holiday.  I still cannot get myself excited about it - I still view it with  trepidation and anxiety. Lack of sleep definitely doesn't help me.  Once I'm there, I will love it, but I cannot even bring myself to look up any of the archaeology or places we are visiting.  This is very unlike me, but grief works in strange ways.  I must try and motivate myself and get a suitable suitcase down from the attic.  I need to get insect repellent (I ordered it after writing that).  Avon Skinsosoft is brilliant, and I need to get some wet-wipes for hand cleaning whilst out.

Sarah - Deirdre le Faye's book about Jane Austen has just arrived.  I am reading the chapter on Southampton, since I know it so well.  A shame that the house they rented in Castle Square, with its beautiful garden, which sounded absolutely lovely was long gone even before So'ton was so heavily bombed in WWII. I imagine it must have been fairly close to the Tudor House Museum in Upper Bugle Street.  It's lovely to think of them picnicking in the ruins of Netley Abbey when her brother Edward Knight and his family and crossing the Solent by boat to visit Hythe.  All places I know well of course.

Right, this won't do.  I must stir my stumps, as mum used to say - an expression which has survived hundreds of years (recorded in Elizabethan times).

Update: had a short but brisk walk.  Then went and got my hair trimmed in town.  There's a small hairdressers who are often busy, but weren't when I went past, so I went in to book a trim and she did me there and then, pensioners' rate! At least it won't look like I have cut it myself if I find I can't use my tongs in Jordan.  Sure Gabby has an adaptor if needed though.

A little bit of childhood never leaves us

 

I bought this for Rosie from a Charity Shop today (for when she is older of course).  I read these Brambly Hedge books to my girls, who loved them.  The detailed illustrations still lead me into a dream world of little Victorian mice, and wonderfully laid out kitchens and fully stocked larders, with more than a nod to Beatrix Potter's characters.  I could daydream my way through these stories still, about 6 years old in my head . . .

I took myself off to the Nursery near Crossgates, in the hope they would have some deep red Hellebores, but no such luck - colours were pale or a washed out deep red.  Instead I bought an Aubretia and these seeds above.  I need to re-sew the wild flower area by the orchard (hah, and plant my latest apple tree, the Cox, too).  I had a wander round the garden after I had been down the track to bring back my recycling boxes. It was good to get some fresh air in my lungs and to see what needed doing first in the tidying up plans.

I have decided not to go to my Quilting group this week as not feeling 100% (it's a long drive, about 100 miles round trip), and if it's not raining I need to be outside and tidy out in the garden.  

Tea tonight was a stir fry - I get the Aldi Oriental stir fry pack, a sweet chilli sauce and I added a big chicken breast as it's doing two meals.  I added a portion of rice and very tasty it was too.

Nothing much to report, and it was a resting and reading day yesterday.

P.S.  Finished another JD Kirk book today (read it flat out, as resting) and am now about to start on An Isolated Incident by him too.

I'm back sewing Peter Rabbit and have been greatly enjoying the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. I find it very comforting, and at the moment anything that brings me comfort is welcome.  

Tah dah . . .

 Of course, only at the end did I notice the error, but never mind, Gabby will just have to live with it, and it certainly doesn't make it any less warm!

Considering I only had a black and white design which I printed from t'internet, I did better than I expected! Light and dark were my only clues to how it was meant to look.  Haven't a clue what to call it - only a basic name like "Stepping up" comes to mind.

Of course, I had help whilst doing the binding . . . with yowls every time I tried to move the quilt to get on to the next bit.  The machine quilting was done by our Patchwork teacher Alex, so MANY thanks to her (something is going to be baked as a thank you . . .)

I couldn't even put it down on a chair back without Pippi deciding I had done this for her benefit . . .

Well, the car has gone down the road for an oil change and to have the glow plugs checked - I said as it had started every time since that little blip, perhaps they could just check the plugs as I didn't think it needed them . . .  Legs aching now after the several hills walked home - walking back in is a bit less of a grind, just one big hill.  

More of Tam's washing done - big stuff dry, so now it's Rosie's clothes.  She has found some lovely little things in the Aberystwyth charity shops.

Gabby popped in yesterday on her way back from a night away in an Air BnB in Church Stretton, and if I thought my legs tired today, they did a 10 mile walk climbing the Long Mynd, and Gabby's legs still felt like chewed string!  It was good to see her and I took advantage and got her to lug my Fair boxes away for me.

Today I am just having a tidy up - books and magazines everywhere - and an easy day.  Sewing this evening is back to Peter Rabbit again.  

Tea tonight is another helping of the tasteless Chilli I made last night, so I will have to liven it up a bit I think.  I cooked up two portions of brown rice, so just need to do green beans and broccoli to go with it.

A Jane Austen season

 Evening tv has been Jane Austen orientated this week.  iPlayer came up with a listing for a four part costume drama, "Miss Austen", which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then of course, I had to follow it up with dramatisations of Jane Austen's novels, so am enjoying Sense and Sensibility now.

With all the driving I've done recently, I have finally got through the 50 or so hours of Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Diana Gabaldon) and yesterday greatly enjoyed Poirot's Finest Cases yesterday, including Murder on the Orient Express and most of The Mysterious Affair at Styles when driving to Tam's and back.

The weather stayed mostly dry but cold and it was foggy through the mountains, so not much in the way of views.  I was glad to be of use - more washing up of course, sweeping the kitchen floor, keeping Rosie entertained, and tidying up the front garden which was littered with cut branches from when the scaffolding was put up for the roof repairs.  I came home laden with big bags of washing to do for Tam - they find it difficult to dry bedding on their small airer.

I popped into Charlies on the way home, as I needed a new incinerator for burning paper.  My last one was in two pieces, so I will need to get that moved today.  I had a tip, to put the incinerator under cover in between uses, as it won't rust through so readily then.  I was very good and walked by the display of deep red Hellebores as they were £14.99 each.  I will be able to get them cheaper from the garden centre near Crossgates.

I have been working steadily on blind-hemming the binding on Gabby's (huge) quilt. I will be glad when this has been done and I can get back to the Peter Rabbit x-stitch, which isn't so enveloping.  I was trying to sew the other night with Pippi in the middle of the quilt where it reached the floor!

It's the middle of the night and I need to try and get back to sleep now.