A very long day of marking, and almost 2 more weeks of this to go. I finished at 6pm and then made a lamb curry, as well as some baked egg custards to use some excess milk up.
Very lazy day here, including a longer than intended afternoon nap. Our son is home for what will hopefully be a celebratory weekend for various reasons which is lovely.
A lovely sunny and productive day here. Mr Heavenly is currently finishing the trims on the new wood floor in the hall (which he has done a lovely job on, it looks beautiful). I have finished my dissertation bibliography and footnotes, and have written the abstract, acknowledgments, etc. It just needs putting together with some formatting. I also need to add a final image but this needs a photograph; I have a framed picture of Bethlem Hospital (Bedlam), taken from an eighteenth century book, which I want to include in my middle chapter.
Today feels a bit like a continuation of my holiday as I caught the bus to the next town and attended a free midday choral concert in the recently renovated parish church, which also has excellent refreshment and toilet facilities! The music was good too.
On my return I stopped off at the local arts centre to see an exhibition of my town’s history, had interesting chats with the former owner of the building, the photographer of many of the exhibits, and the author of a booklet about local history.
Shortly I am popping over to my daughter to collect some eggs from her hens. She has been away so there will be plenty to spare. Tomorrow several nearby places have open gardens worth a visit, if the weather stays fine. 18 degrees outside, though the church was a bit chilly.
It was a wee bit chilly and trying to rain when I went along to deliver the bags of tablet to our stall at the street fair, but when I went past later on my way to the optician, it was really rather nice.
Still not warm (although there were a few people sitting outside one of the café/bars), but nice and sunny.
Eyes have been looked at and photographed, and groceries bought (the optician's is opposite Tesco's).
I ought to do some laundry, as there's a possible Shipmeet in Embra tomorrow and I might not have time or inclination afterwards.
The aforementioned sofa arrived at Casa Nen yesterday and is a delightful addition to our kitchen/family room, which is coming together really nicely. It needs a bit of bright colour now; we unpacked some of our pictures yesterday and will probably put at least one of them up in there.
Today I've been to a Women's Breakfast at a church in Nearby Town, where it was good to meet some new people as well as eat a breakfast I hadn't had to prepare myself. There were nearly 70 women there, far more than I'd anticipated. (There was also a Talk, about which the least said the better.)
On my return here, I headed into the garden and have spent the whole afternoon out there. It is ideal gardening weather for me: some sun, enough breeze to keep things comfortable and the hay fever not yet kicked in. I do enjoy being out there. Mr Nen has also been outside sorting his new double garage. This seems to have mainly involved getting most of the stuff out onto the drive and then putting it all back, but he assures me he's making progress.
I've also made a bit more progress unpacking the boxes in my study and was hoping to get all my books on the shelves by the end of today. This, however, is not going to happen as I'll need to start preparing tea soon. Stir fry, because Saturday.
Yesterday was our wedding anniversary, and tomorrow is my birthday so we went out for dinner with our son to the local posh restaurant and very nice it was too.
The rest of the day was fun as well as I was judging the best dressed costume at a Bridgeton themed tea party in the Town Hall this afternoon, which included a glass of prosecco and a chance to admire some very pretty frocks.
An interesting day. Swimming first thing, then our church Spring Fair (a lesser event than the Christmas one, but still busy with much moving of furniture afterwards). Shopping, home and a snooze, then this evening to a splendid and imaginative performance of "Under Milk Wood" by a wonderful, variously-abled cast. A brilliant production, a superb set, great acting and singing, a packed theatre - although I do have to say that, by the end, we felt a bit battered by Dylan Thomas's verbiage!
Avoiding Pancakes and Praise I went to another church in our group, but regretted it for several reasons, mainly because chaotic.
Then on to an Open Garden. The Patron of another of the churches in our parish has a minor stately home and occasionally opens his gardens for charity. They have seen better days, but I enjoyed my visit, though it did not include the huge conservatory for which it is famous.
We went to Aberglasney gardens yesterday.. It was really beautiful and had an excellent tearoom! Mid morning coffee and cakes were interrupted by a robin pinching cake crumbs from our plates.
I was glad I had worn sandals for the first time this year, but it’s been back to heavier clothes today as it’s not been so nice.
After church, I had a lovely day meeting up with Sicut Cervus, Worm in the Grass and Dafyd in Embra, where the service in the pub was a bit erratic, but the food good, the company excellent and the weather sunny but not too warm - just how I like it.
Snoozage when I got home, and pasta with Romesco sauce for supper.
We had a day at at Hever castle yesterday with Younger Son, DiL and the two youngest grandchildren - two little boys aged 5 & 9 . It was lovely to spend time with them as we haven't seen them since Christmas.
We gave the castle itself a miss, the adults having been round it before, and the boys much preferring to be outside. I don't think there was any corner of the garden that we didn't visit but for me, it was far too much walking, far too much sun, and far too little drinking water.
All worth it, but I could barely walk from the car to the house when we arrived home. I was glad to sit down with a large mug of 'tea'.
That sounds like a full-on day @Roseofsharon , glad it was all worth it. We last went to Hever Castle years ago when the Nenlets were young and there was jousting. It was great!
Here in Grey and Gusty Wiltshire, we went to the Breakfast Service and consumed coffee and cakes and enjoyed the short Family Service. I'm developing an affection for the place - a very pretty little building and a small but active congregation; the sermon was interrupted a couple of times with comments more helpful than the actual talk. The vicar's young daughter and I led the actions to Our God is a great big God at the front .
I am also perilously close to being added to the church cleaning rota.
Mr Nen left promptly to head to Fairly Nearby Town to support a friend who was leading the service at another church. I stayed on for the properly but informally-conducted Annual PCC meeting. This afternoon I put some concerted effort into reading the book for the local book group next Tuesday and caught up with a friend via WhatsApp video.
Then watched "Countryfile" and had roast chicken and white wine for tea, accompanied by that delightful feeling I've never got over of Sunday evening and no work tomorrow .
A busy one tomorrow - Mr Sainz Breeze is due to Oblige at an Early Hour and then two friends from where we used to live are coming for coffee and lunch.
Skived Church because Away At Rellies after pub dinner last night. Good few pints of decent cask ale* went down which was nice.
Didn't do much else. Owing to Being Out I hadn't defrosted the pork so swapped the roast for Tuesday's Quesadillas which means I'll be doing the roast on Tuesday. Still had to make chocolate pudding because Daughter Had Been Promised last week when I did rhubarb which she Does Not Eat.
Tomorrow is a Bad Day as it's my fortnightly day working in the office (boo!) as opposed to from home (hoorah!). This means wasting a couple of hours getting to and from work. I can make it a pleasant ride (it's 12-14 miles on the bike each way, depending on route, but this is Sheffield so hills) but I wouldn't usually choose to go on a bike ride at stupid o clock in the morning (about half seven), especially not carrying a laptop, change of clothes and lunch.
*"cask" is technically redundant as there is no other type of decent ale.
Thank you for the birthday wishes. It was rather a full on day as it was also a big Town Council event in which I was very much involved. I had a lovely time as various friends came along, and I also had a flying visit from my brother and wife, but it was all rather full-on. This evening we spent playing games at a friend's house. Her son and his partner have just announced they are having a baby. That made me feel rather old as I remember so clearly when he was born.
After the lovely weather yesterday, it seems to have decided it was only kidding about Spring, and today it was Not Warm. So much so in fact that I had to turn on the heater in my office.
I must have been working harder to send off the cold though, as I got everything done.
Supper was roasted veggies (the sort that come ready to cook from Tessie's), bulked out with orzo - something that's rapidly becoming a favourite carb.
Decidedly chilly here yesterday and today, and from the look of it, continuing cold throughout the rest of the week. We put the heating on for an hour both days, but don't want that to become a habit
Hope summer arrives soon, as we had an email from Octopus this morning to say they are putting our DD up at the start of June.
A much quieter day today apart from a quick visit to sort some stuff out with the Town Clerk in the Town Hall. I came home to a very nice lunch. My husband loves it when we cook fancy meals with our son, but we hadn't ha a chance to do it this weekend so they made a very interesting roast cauliflower salad with extra bits today. I chilled so much for the rest of the day I totally forgot it was my book club on zoom this evening.
I just used my last stamp with the Queen's head on it. End of an era 😢 I was surprised how emotional I felt sticking the stamp on the card I was sending. The Queen was the person who pinned my father's OBE for his military service in the Korean War on his chest so she always made me think of him.
This morning I deposited Captain Pyjamas at school then came back via the market. My favourite fruit and veg stall had apricots. They were a bit damaged. They weren't regular sizes. They were cheap. They have now been turned into jam and though I say so myself, it is delicious.
I met up with some friends for lunch which was lovely, as was the walk along the path there. It used to be a railway line now a cycle and footpath. Lots more greenery than there was when I last walked it before Easter. This afternoon has been spent deciding what to wear for my trip to Germany tomorrow. I need formal and not so formal clothes and the weather isn't forecast to be great either.
I had an ominously unbusy day today, getting everything done, and even having time to do one of the cyber-security mini courses they send us every so often (which only arrived in my inbox yesterday).
I know it won't last, but it did make a nice change from the rather whelmed feeling I've had of late.
I cheated for supper and got a fish pie from Tessie's, which was surprisingly good. It could have done with some smoked fish in the mix, but not bad all the same.
Have felt bleah all day, so I left my pit late and at about 8pm told Mrs Sioni I could handle a nice risotto. Bless her, I had an excellent leek risotto and I feel able to face the world tomorrow. I’m so grateful to be married to such a good, willing cook.
Today I met two school friends for lunch. Two of us were at the same junior school, but all three at the same grammar school.
Aargh!
That has just reminded me that I have forgotten to send a birthday card to one of the two remaining schoolfriends I am supposedly in touch with.
It was in March
Today I met two school friends for lunch. Two of us were at the same junior school, but all three at the same grammar school.
Aargh!
That has just reminded me that I have forgotten to send a birthday card to one of the two remaining schoolfriends I am supposedly in touch with.
It was in March
Moonpig do a nice range of little treats you can send through the post with a message. 🙂
It's a busy week here in the Wilds of Wiltshire. I had a good time with my friends who visited on Monday, yesterday we had a couple that we're just getting to know over for tea and Nen-baked flapjack, and in the evening I went to the local book group for the first time. Today we are out to lunch with friends (a couple Mr Nen knew way back when in his youth group in Kent) and tomorrow we have a day back in Town Where We Used To Live as Mr Nen has a meeting and I'm taking the opportunity to catch up with some friends.
The sorting and unpacking of boxes continues very slowly but I keep reminding myself to be grateful it's happening. While it's awful to see All This Stuff piled up in boxes at least it is no longer squirrelled away in loft, drawers and cupboards and we can see what we're up against.
We too are about to begin the momentous challenge of moving!
A chap is coming tomorrow to do photographs etc and our house will hopefully soon be on the market.
Wish me luck as I will now be involved in high level negotiations with Husband Beaky about what needs disposing of and what we're going to keep.
We have very different approaches to such matters........
Do you know where you are moving to @MrsBeaky? I find the we're going to move lets find a new house bit exciting, and all the rest of it rather stressful. I have no intention of moving from here until I can no longer manage the stairs.
Glad you are settling in so well to your new place @nenya, and that the boxes are slowly being sorted through. After one move where things stayed in boxes for about three years we decided if we weren't in a rush to unpack it we probably didn't need it.
We're being picked up at 1.00 to head to the airport for a trip to Germany to visit our twin town. The flight isn't till this evening, but apparently it is going to take a time to get through security. The joys of Brexit.
We've just started looking @Sarasa so nothing definite yet. I find it a mixture of stressful and exciting. We know exactly what we want for what we think will be our last move which I hope will help!
We've just started looking @Sarasa so nothing definite yet. I find it a mixture of stressful and exciting. We know exactly what we want for what we think will be our last move which I hope will help!
Yes.
It's four years since we moved but I remember it well!
We too are about to begin the momentous challenge of moving!
A chap is coming tomorrow to do photographs etc and our house will hopefully soon be on the market.
Wish me luck as I will now be involved in high level negotiations with Husband Beaky about what needs disposing of and what we're going to keep.
We have very different approaches to such matters........
I am absolutely with you in solidarity and support, sister, and hope you find the whole moving thing less stressful than I have. Now that we are the other side of it the sorting continues to be stressful as Mr Nen and I also have different ideas about what can and cannot be disposed of . Do you think you will be moving area?
The people who owned this house before us did the "decluttering of the family home" move when they came here. Apparently the husband hired a skip and emptied the contents of their loft straight into it because "If you haven't used it for six months you can't need it." I said, "How about that then, Mr Nen?" and simply got The Look.
We had a nice lunch with friends and a walk with them through some very lovely countryside; we're now back and have an series of different online meetings which will take us through the evening until 9pm, by which time I might need a Stiff Drink.
Our last move was into Ms.C.'s childhood home. ( We inherited it when her father died.) Fortunately, we were moving into a larger space and did not need to downside. The only near tragedy was when the movers had difficulties moving our 8 foot high book cases into our living room. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Ms. C. and swearing (movers). Fortunately for me, I was away at a conference while the move ensued.
Originally posted by Sarasa: After one move where things stayed in boxes for about three years we decided if we weren't in a rush to unpack it we probably didn't need it.
When my father died, we discovered a box of stuff which he had taken from his late father's house when it was being cleared in 1996, and which he had not unpacked. It's still not been unpacked!
We too are about to begin the momentous challenge of moving!
A chap is coming tomorrow to do photographs etc and our house will hopefully soon be on the market.
Wish me luck as I will now be involved in high level negotiations with Husband Beaky about what needs disposing of and what we're going to keep.
We have very different approaches to such matters........
I am absolutely with you in solidarity and support, sister, and hope you find the whole moving thing less stressful than I have. Now that we are the other side of it the sorting continues to be stressful as Mr Nen and I also have different ideas about what can and cannot be disposed of . Do you think you will be moving area?
The people who owned this house before us did the "decluttering of the family home" move when they came here. Apparently the husband hired a skip and emptied the contents of their loft straight into it because "If you haven't used it for six months you can't need it." I said, "How about that then, Mr Nen?" and simply got The Look.
We had a nice lunch with friends and a walk with them through some very lovely countryside; we're now back and have an series of different online meetings which will take us through the evening until 9pm, by which time I might need a Stiff Drink.
Thanks Nenya
We are not moving area, we'll be staying in our beloved Chichester, down sizing for the second time. We moved into our current house 14 years ago and now want to future proof by going into something all on one level. This will be our fourth home in this beautiful city 😍
Originally posted by Sarasa: After one move where things stayed in boxes for about three years we decided if we weren't in a rush to unpack it we probably didn't need it.
When my father died, we discovered a box of stuff which he had taken from his late father's house when it was being cleared in 1996, and which he had not unpacked. It's still not been unpacked!
Joining in the chorus to wish Mrs Beaky good luck in your move! I totally agree about the mix of exciting and stressful.
Still not exactly warm, and intermittently wet here; the heavens opened at about half past four, but mercifully had more-or-less run out of rain by the time I left just after five.
Supper was the rest of the roasted veggies, supplemented with some prawns and bulked out with orzo.
A stair lift is a viable alternative to a home on one level. My parents had one.
I’ve done more than my fair share of house clearing. First, my parents’ house, three skips and much more. Then when we left our previous 5 bedroomed house which had a loft and basement, Mr Puzzler got rid of a huge amount of stuff but kept regretting it. Of course I got the blame, but in truth I did not make him get rid of anything. We chose to downsize.
When he died there was again a huge amount of stuff, which has now almost all gone. It’s taken three years. So now I need to sort my own clutter, but I am so glad we downsized when we did 12 years ago, ie when he was in good health. I am also so glad that we moved near to my adult children. Their support has been- and will be- invaluable.
Actually my son and my daughter both want to pop in tomorrow, at short notice. I was going to go out as I have no other commitments until 6pm, but I’d better not!
On the subject of lifts, friends have recently had a vertical lift installed. This was because the man was so tall that the mechanism couldn’t fit on the stairs.
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A very long day of marking, and almost 2 more weeks of this to go. I finished at 6pm and then made a lamb curry, as well as some baked egg custards to use some excess milk up.
On my return I stopped off at the local arts centre to see an exhibition of my town’s history, had interesting chats with the former owner of the building, the photographer of many of the exhibits, and the author of a booklet about local history.
Shortly I am popping over to my daughter to collect some eggs from her hens. She has been away so there will be plenty to spare. Tomorrow several nearby places have open gardens worth a visit, if the weather stays fine. 18 degrees outside, though the church was a bit chilly.
Still not warm (although there were a few people sitting outside one of the café/bars), but nice and sunny.
Eyes have been looked at and photographed, and groceries bought (the optician's is opposite Tesco's).
I ought to do some laundry, as there's a possible Shipmeet in Embra tomorrow and I might not have time or inclination afterwards.
Tablet is the ambrosia on which the McGods fed!
Today I've been to a Women's Breakfast at a church in Nearby Town, where it was good to meet some new people as well as eat a breakfast I hadn't had to prepare myself. There were nearly 70 women there, far more than I'd anticipated. (There was also a Talk, about which the least said the better.)
On my return here, I headed into the garden and have spent the whole afternoon out there. It is ideal gardening weather for me: some sun, enough breeze to keep things comfortable and the hay fever not yet kicked in. I do enjoy being out there. Mr Nen has also been outside sorting his new double garage. This seems to have mainly involved getting most of the stuff out onto the drive and then putting it all back, but he assures me he's making progress.
I've also made a bit more progress unpacking the boxes in my study and was hoping to get all my books on the shelves by the end of today. This, however, is not going to happen as I'll need to start preparing tea soon. Stir fry, because Saturday.
The rest of the day was fun as well as I was judging the best dressed costume at a Bridgeton themed tea party in the Town Hall this afternoon, which included a glass of prosecco and a chance to admire some very pretty frocks.
Avoiding Pancakes and Praise I went to another church in our group, but regretted it for several reasons, mainly because chaotic.
Then on to an Open Garden. The Patron of another of the churches in our parish has a minor stately home and occasionally opens his gardens for charity. They have seen better days, but I enjoyed my visit, though it did not include the huge conservatory for which it is famous.
I was glad I had worn sandals for the first time this year, but it’s been back to heavier clothes today as it’s not been so nice.
After church, I had a lovely day meeting up with Sicut Cervus, Worm in the Grass and Dafyd in Embra, where the service in the pub was a bit erratic, but the food good, the company excellent and the weather sunny but not too warm - just how I like it.
Snoozage when I got home, and pasta with Romesco sauce for supper.
We gave the castle itself a miss, the adults having been round it before, and the boys much preferring to be outside. I don't think there was any corner of the garden that we didn't visit but for me, it was far too much walking, far too much sun, and far too little drinking water.
All worth it, but I could barely walk from the car to the house when we arrived home. I was glad to sit down with a large mug of 'tea'.
Have felt rough today, but should be OK tomorrow.
Happy birthday @Sarasa .
Here in Grey and Gusty Wiltshire, we went to the Breakfast Service and consumed coffee and cakes and enjoyed the short Family Service. I'm developing an affection for the place - a very pretty little building and a small but active congregation; the sermon was interrupted a couple of times with comments more helpful than the actual talk. The vicar's young daughter and I led the actions to Our God is a great big God at the front
I am also perilously close to being added to the church cleaning rota.
Mr Nen left promptly to head to Fairly Nearby Town to support a friend who was leading the service at another church. I stayed on for the properly but informally-conducted Annual PCC meeting. This afternoon I put some concerted effort into reading the book for the local book group next Tuesday and caught up with a friend via WhatsApp video.
Then watched "Countryfile" and had roast chicken and white wine for tea, accompanied by that delightful feeling I've never got over of Sunday evening and no work tomorrow
A busy one tomorrow - Mr Sainz Breeze is due to Oblige at an Early Hour and then two friends from where we used to live are coming for coffee and lunch.
Didn't do much else. Owing to Being Out I hadn't defrosted the pork so swapped the roast for Tuesday's Quesadillas which means I'll be doing the roast on Tuesday. Still had to make chocolate pudding because Daughter Had Been Promised last week when I did rhubarb which she Does Not Eat.
Tomorrow is a Bad Day as it's my fortnightly day working in the office (boo!) as opposed to from home (hoorah!). This means wasting a couple of hours getting to and from work. I can make it a pleasant ride (it's 12-14 miles on the bike each way, depending on route, but this is Sheffield so hills) but I wouldn't usually choose to go on a bike ride at stupid o clock in the morning (about half seven), especially not carrying a laptop, change of clothes and lunch.
*"cask" is technically redundant as there is no other type of decent ale.
I have a long day ahead, working til 9pm. Usual Monday morning admin, an afternoon of marking followed by a 2 hour lecture this evening.
I must have been working harder to send off the cold though, as I got everything done.
Supper was roasted veggies (the sort that come ready to cook from Tessie's), bulked out with orzo - something that's rapidly becoming a favourite carb.
Hope summer arrives soon, as we had an email from Octopus this morning to say they are putting our DD up at the start of June.
Yes, true 😁
I know it won't last, but it did make a nice change from the rather whelmed feeling I've had of late.
I cheated for supper and got a fish pie from Tessie's, which was surprisingly good. It could have done with some smoked fish in the mix, but not bad all the same.
Aargh!
That has just reminded me that I have forgotten to send a birthday card to one of the two remaining schoolfriends I am supposedly in touch with.
It was in March
Moonpig do a nice range of little treats you can send through the post with a message. 🙂
The sorting and unpacking of boxes continues very slowly but I keep reminding myself to be grateful it's happening. While it's awful to see All This Stuff piled up in boxes at least it is no longer squirrelled away in loft, drawers and cupboards and we can see what we're up against.
A chap is coming tomorrow to do photographs etc and our house will hopefully soon be on the market.
Wish me luck as I will now be involved in high level negotiations with Husband Beaky about what needs disposing of and what we're going to keep.
We have very different approaches to such matters........
Glad you are settling in so well to your new place @nenya, and that the boxes are slowly being sorted through. After one move where things stayed in boxes for about three years we decided if we weren't in a rush to unpack it we probably didn't need it.
We're being picked up at 1.00 to head to the airport for a trip to Germany to visit our twin town. The flight isn't till this evening, but apparently it is going to take a time to get through security. The joys of Brexit.
Yes.
It's four years since we moved but I remember it well!
I am absolutely with you in solidarity and support, sister, and hope you find the whole moving thing less stressful than I have. Now that we are the other side of it the sorting continues to be stressful as Mr Nen and I also have different ideas about what can and cannot be disposed of
The people who owned this house before us did the "decluttering of the family home" move when they came here. Apparently the husband hired a skip and emptied the contents of their loft straight into it because "If you haven't used it for six months you can't need it." I said, "How about that then, Mr Nen?" and simply got The Look.
We had a nice lunch with friends and a walk with them through some very lovely countryside; we're now back and have an series of different online meetings which will take us through the evening until 9pm, by which time I might need a Stiff Drink.
After one move where things stayed in boxes for about three years we decided if we weren't in a rush to unpack it we probably didn't need it.
When my father died, we discovered a box of stuff which he had taken from his late father's house when it was being cleared in 1996, and which he had not unpacked. It's still not been unpacked!
Thanks Nenya
We are not moving area, we'll be staying in our beloved Chichester, down sizing for the second time. We moved into our current house 14 years ago and now want to future proof by going into something all on one level. This will be our fourth home in this beautiful city 😍
That becomes an eccentric heirloom!
Still not exactly warm, and intermittently wet here; the heavens opened at about half past four, but mercifully had more-or-less run out of rain by the time I left just after five.
Supper was the rest of the roasted veggies, supplemented with some prawns and bulked out with orzo.
I’ve done more than my fair share of house clearing. First, my parents’ house, three skips and much more. Then when we left our previous 5 bedroomed house which had a loft and basement, Mr Puzzler got rid of a huge amount of stuff but kept regretting it. Of course I got the blame, but in truth I did not make him get rid of anything. We chose to downsize.
When he died there was again a huge amount of stuff, which has now almost all gone. It’s taken three years. So now I need to sort my own clutter, but I am so glad we downsized when we did 12 years ago, ie when he was in good health. I am also so glad that we moved near to my adult children. Their support has been- and will be- invaluable.
Actually my son and my daughter both want to pop in tomorrow, at short notice. I was going to go out as I have no other commitments until 6pm, but I’d better not!
In other news, it is a long weekend and we are off to the seaside. The weather is forecast to be wet, but such is life.