@North East Quine I think the questioner stacked the deck against you by discounting your children.
Absolutely. No matter what else I may have done, I am constantly amazed at the two wonderful young people that I can call my daughter and my son. Nothing could ever come close. Mind you, in my amazement I am humbled: I don’t think “I did that.”
I would totally agree about NEQ's children - of course they're a Major Achievement! Not to mention her degree, her PhD, all the historical research stuff she does ... <notworthy>
For myself, I can't really say I've got any major achievements except marrying the man I loved, and staying happily married to him (not to mention him staying married to me) for 31 years until he died.
Any other achievements I may have are very minor - contributing my voice to sundry choirs without making a bollocks of things; landing a job that I really like; baking half-decent bread and getting poached eggs very nearly right ...
It's been a rather moist day in West Lothian; it wasn't quite wet enough to justify putting my hood up coming home from work, but it's p*ssing down now.
Supper was smoked-haddock fishcakes with lemony, garlicky greens.
I hope your recovery goes smoothly and quickly, @Telford.
I am a discombobulated Quine this morning. I got involved with a project in 2010 which I totally love. For various reasons it hit the buffers during Covid, but with an expectation that it would flourish again in the fullness of time. Since then I've been more-or-less single handedly caretakering the project, keeping it ticking over. It did hit a major milestone in 2023 whilst "ticking over." I always use "we" and "us" when talking about it, even though it's effectively now "me" and "I".
Last night I gave a Zoom talk on the project, and one of the questions was: Do you see this project as your life's work? Would you say that it's been your major life achievement, apart from your kids, of course?
I don't see it as my life's work, I see it as me keeping things ticking over. And I certainly don't see it as my "major life achievement"! I wanted to say "No, my major life achievement is..." but I've realised I don't have a "major life achievement"
I am discombobulated. What is my "life's work"? Why don't I have a "major life achievement"?
The NE Man is away for a couple of days, but when he comes back we have agreed that we'll sit down together while I show him what I'm doing, and how I do it, and we'll drill down into where I'd like to see it going, and how that might be achieved rather than just doing enough to keep it ticking over.
I think I've always assumed that at some point I would have a "major life achievement" but it hasn't happened yet.
Is it normal to hit 60 without a "major life achievement?"
North East Quine, full of existential angst
On a more positive note, I am meeting up with a friend today, which will be fun.
Would you mind if we had a thread on the subject?
FWIW, my "major life achievement" before super unexpected events in my late 50s was keeping the people around me going. It takes more of us than it does of them (visible talking heads!) to prop them up, handle paperwork and office tasks, keep the family on course, make sure they eat properly and get to the doc, etc. so they can (allegedly!) "do" the visible work. Which would never get done at all if we disappeared for even a week.
My "major life achievement"? Getting to my three-score-years-and-ten (almost) without descending from a loft to wreak violence on an asinine preacher. 😈
That's ambiguous! Do you mean that (a) that is your age and you avoided wreaking violence; or (b) that you have now past that age and eventually did give in to your emotions?
The former.
Other than that, as with @Piglet, I'd say marrying the love of my life and having nearly 20 years together.
My "major life achievement"? Getting to my three-score-years-and-ten (almost) without descending from a loft to wreak violence on an asinine preacher. 😈
I don't see why that requires descending from anything. A well-aimed missile from the organ loft could be remarkably effective without involving stairs.....
Well, the interview seemed to go OK - site tour, and fairly informal chat. Should find out next week when they've got the last two people in.
I really don't know what will happen if I don't get it, as I have no other irons in the fire at all. Nothing has been advertised in weeks that would be a sensible option, rather than an apply to keep the job centre quiet one.
Fingers crossed for a positive outcome @Sandemaniac .
A nice walk to and from Pilates this morning. I came back via the market where I had a look at the plant stalls but managed to resist buying anything. At the moment I think I need things to grew a bit more so I can see where there are gaps and what might look best in those gaps. I did mange to buy some bits and pieces in Boots and a bottle of wine from our local independent wine shop though.
While I was out my husband planted my Mother's Day acer. I hope it does OK as it's been very windy today and we don't have a lot of shelter in our garden.
I now intend to do not very much apart from cracking on with my knitting.
My "major life achievement"? Getting to my three-score-years-and-ten (almost) without descending from a loft to wreak violence on an asinine preacher. 😈
I don't see why that requires descending from anything. A well-aimed missile from the organ loft could be remarkably effective without involving stairs.....
An odd day. Bright and sunny for the most part, but with sudden eruptions of very heavy showers. Up the back of 5 am, so dozing off in a chair about 12, dreaming that cracks were running round the top of the walls. Seriously considering running out of the house when wakened by the doorbell. Delivery of a case of wine which should last us, ooh, days.
Have got nothing done that I intended doing. I think it's all the heavy gardening catching up with me.
Church choir sang at a funeral today.
Going to Celtic Communion this evening.
Timings have meant rushed meals / indigestion.
It’s been a busy week so I am looking forward to free day tomorrow, and lunch with family on Sunday.
In other news, I spoke with a young ordinand this week who informed me there were NO ordinations in his diocese last year. And we wonder why vacancies take so long to fill.
My "major life achievement"? Getting to my three-score-years-and-ten (almost) without descending from a loft to wreak violence on an asinine preacher. 😈
I don't see why that requires descending from anything. A well-aimed missile from the organ loft could be remarkably effective without involving stairs.....
...as Weelkes could tell you!
That was my first thought too!
It's been, as Firenze observed, a mixed day meterologically; I made it to work without getting wet, but one of my colleagues who went out at lunchtime got drenched. Back to brilliant sunshine by the time I was coming home - almost too brilliant; even with my sun specs, I couldn't see a damn thing!
Work was v. busy; just as I thought I was getting sorted, L came in with half a dozen voice files. Luckily most of them weren't very big, so most of them were done by 5 o'clock - and she doesn't work on Mondays, so I can finish the last one then.
Having had supper of F&C, I'm going back to my appointed task of checking out decent hymns for Evensong. Some of the choir have expressed their lack of enthusiasm for the sort of Victorian pot-boiler that equates going to sleep with dying (I can sort of see where they're coming from there), so I'm flipping through the flipping awful orange book to see if there's anything a bit more uplifting. Obviously anything by K*ndr*ck is being swiftly discarded - if she wants that cr@p, she can put it on in the morning ...
The Orange Book does have a list of hymns suitable for evening services, though some are of the now we lay us down to die variety...
One obvious choice is The day thou gavest (St Clement), with its positive message about unceasing praise. Another is Hail, gladdening light (Sebaste - by Stainer)
How many hymns do you have at Evensong? One could be an Office Hymn, suited to the theme or liturgical season - when we had Evensong at Our Place, we had just the one hymn (immediately before the Psalm), as we morphed into Benediction after the Third Colic, and Benediction (as enny fule kno) has its own special hymns.
Mr Heavenly and I spent the afternoon moving my workstation into my new garden office and then sorting out several shelves ready to move them tomorrow. We want to get as much done as possible this weekend as lots of stuff is currently stored in the spare room and Master Heavenly the Younger wants to stay next weekend.
Takeaway this evening, a lovely Middle Eastern mezze of hot and cold dishes. We have some halva for dessert but I don’t have any room left.
We currently have house guests... quite high maintenance ones... so I am almost brain dead this evening and about to crawl into bed. Just thinking about what comfort-reading book I can take with me.
ETA: I hope there is good news for you next week @Sandemaniac .
Hope you find a good book @Nenya, and much as it is nice having guests getting away from them is good too.
Glad your new office is taking shape @Heavenlyannie.
We had a very nice evening watching the Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown with a bottle of wine.
BTW I really like The Day thou Gavest. There are a few hymns such as Hail, Queen of Heaven that really speak to my condition, as Quakers would say, though I haven't a clue as to why.
I am one monstrously pissed off piglet. Having spent the entire evening compiling a list of hymns on my Tablet (because buggered printer) I must have touched something and the whole ******* thing has disappeared into the ether.
I've run out of expletives.
In answer to BF, I started with the list at the back of the orange abomination, and then went pretty much right through it, until I had a list of maybe 20 or 30, listed with number, title and tune.
We usually have 4 hymns at Evensong, which imho is at least two too many.
That must have been so annoying (and we've all done it).
What you need to do is constantly "Save" your document, or have it on "Autosave" to OneDrive. But you probably know that already.
Or just use pen and paper ...
I agree about The Day Thou Gavest whose reference to "earth's proud empires" passing away doesn't just cock a snook at Victorian Brits who wanted to colour the world map red, but also at Mr Putin and Mr Trump.
I've a fondness for O, strength and stay, but only to the Dykes tune written for it. For reasons unfathomable the compilers of the NEH decided to have as their first tune Welwyn, another of those offerings which always prompts the thought "Why did he bother?" - even York Minster can't make it palatable.
We've had a productive morning. We made a start on sorting out the stuff in the auxiliary kitchen in the garage. A lot of it is stuff we don't use that often so deciding if we will keep it,charity shop it or take it to the dump. We then did some gardening. Things I thought were dead are coming back which is one advantage of getting down on my hands and knees to do a spot of weeding. My husband did some sorting out of pots and planting herbs. We now have quite a pile of stuff for the dump as some of the pots didn't survive the winter frosts, including some very pretty ones I've had for years.
I'm having a lazy afternoon while my husband is volunteering in our local museum and then we're off to a quiz night with friends from the Ramblers.
Well, you're entitled to feel a little virtuous...
A quiet day in Arkland, with (mostly) blue skies and Sun Shine. I had intended to do some Paint Ing on deck, but the need to stay as close to the loo as possible made this impractical (let the Reader understand). I'm feeling better (and emptier) now, and will catch up with some snoozage...
Ah well - never do today what you can put off until tomorrow, as they say.
I spent most of the morning doing things pertaining to garden maintenance. None of it was particularly strenuous, but got a bit distracted by sorting out bits & pieces from the shed (which leaks like a sieve and I am still expecting to fall down each time we have a bit of a storm) then trying to find homes elsewhere for said bits & pieces.
All of which aggravated the dizziness I am currently experiencing, and the aches & pains in my back, so I was done for by lunchtime. Just opened a tin of tuna and told Mr RoS to add whatever salad he could find in the fridge and went for a lie down.
Pleased to have got the various tasks done, but am a bit overwhelmed by what still needs doing before any actual gardening can take place.
Mr RoS took some nudging to get him out from his armchair, but eventually dealt with his carrot seedlings. I have refrained from inspecting them, I do not want to get further involved. I just hope the foxes or neighbouring cats do not discover the patch of diggable soil overnight.
We went to the market this morning in very agreeable sunshine, to get flowers and mussels. Moules frites this evening in honour of our new deep fat fryer, offered to us by my mother last week after the previous one gave up the ghost.
I have also spent the afternoon gardening, mostly weeding and hacking away at a giant sage plant that was taking over my whole plot. Captain Pyjamas helped me sow some carrot seeds, which was a bit more fun.
Sorry to hear you're not feeling 100%, RoS - hope you feel better v. soon!
What started out as quite a nice day has not improved; after lunch I'd arranged to get my trotters repainted, with a vague plan to amble down to Tessie's and get in some groceries, but by the time I came out of the talon salon it was raining and starting to get a bit blustrous, so I came home and dozed off on the sofa instead.
I had, however, bought a STEAK in the butcher's across the road; it's marinating happily and will be cooked and eaten forthwith.
Sadly, didn't see the eclipse this morning; I was at choir practice (followed by yet another meeting about How Things Should Be Done). <rolleyes>
I was vaguely aware that it got slightly duller at one point, but as it was cloudy, it wasn't really that obvious.
It's now p*ssing with rain and blowing a hoolie - March seems to be doing the opposite of what it's supposed to.
We went to the market this morning in very agreeable sunshine, to get flowers and mussels. Moules frites this evening in honour of our new deep fat fryer.
I spent a couple of seconds trying to work out how the hell you could deep fry moules before my brain caught up...
Just back from church. A less formal service of HC for Mothering Sunday. Well presented with lots of people participating, but all adults, not a single child. No longer a thing?
I am having an early lunch at my daughter’s house, then later, tea and cake at my son’s. The joy of living close to family.
N.B I couldn’t have done this when Mr Puzzler was alive. He didn’t do social occasions latterly, as problems with swallowing made it too difficult. Fortuitous too, as he didn’t like socialising anyway, though could disguise the fact well when it was necessary, something my family eventually came to understand.
Just back from post-church coffee. And I have spread general good cheer and mirth throughout the congregation. So I call that a win.
If I'd actually put my alarm clock forward and made it to the church service, people would not have been able to laugh at me turning up just in time for coffee. And people seemed to enjoy laughing at me, so I regard this as providential.
The only downside is that I missed what was described as an excellent sermon, and one of my favourite hymns, the Old One Hundredth.
There's always one! I assumed that the relatively small congregation at St Pete's may have been caused by non-functioning alarm clocks ...
The small congregation meant that there were plenty of little posies for everyone though, so mine is brightening up my windowsill. Not that it actually needs brightening up, as it's a glorious day. I may make an Expotition out to Sainsburys/Argos later, as my hair dryer decided to die this morning, and my hair just doesn't function without one!
First world problems, I know ...
Supper will probably be courtesy of the Bamboo Inn, after Compline.
Low numbers at Our Place, too, and no children. As @Puzzler suggests, *Mothering Sunday* is perhaps no longer a thing...in other countries, where *Mothers Day* (if they have one) is a secular observance at some other time of year, today is simply Mid-Lent Sunday or Lent 4.
As at @Piglet's Place, there were posies enough for everyone.
ION, a very high tide today at Arkland the Inundated, but fortunately Neighbour M was able to move my car to a slightly safer spot - the water touched only the lower three inches or so of the wheels, so it should be OK.
The combination of a predicted high tide, and a fresh NW wind, means that we get most of the water. Later, it will return to Belgium, before visiting us again at 2am tomorrow, so the Environment Agency's flood warning is still valid.
Time to have a look in the fridge, to see what needs eating for Lunch!
‘Mothering Sunday’ has moved to next Saturday, when we will drive to York, have lunch with both Master Heavenlys, and bring the Younger home for Easter.
A busy weekend here. Yesterday we finished kitting out the shelves and desks in my office, and then we moved the computer stuff and fabric in (left hand side). I used to have a sewing business so I have lots of vintage fabric. Today we tackled the right hand side of the cabin, moving my sewing machines, electric spinning wheel and carder, and various fibres (including a whole Wensleydale fleece!). And Valerie my mannequin. There is still a lot of stuff covering the old office floor, including boxes of trims and bags of yarn, but that will have to be for another day as Mr Heavenly has now gone to visit his parents and church is this evening.
Lunch was the second half of a lemony courgette and goat’s cheese open pie I made yesterday. I’ve done some pottering and watering in the garden, to recover from the stress of moving everything.
How lovely @TheOrganist.
Not as many as usual at church at my place either. I'm not sure if anyone just turned up for the coffee as I dashed home to hang out the washing.
A lovely day here and I'm going to do some gardening shortly after having spent a couple of hours looking at planning applications ahead of a planning meeting on Wednesday.
As @Piglet observed, a bright and sunny day here - but blowy. I managed an hour or so in the garden in which I planted up four or five pots with the pansies I bought yesterday. The daffodils are in full cry and there's a scattering of red tulips. It's not what I'd call deep Spring yet.
Low numbers at Our Place, too, and no children. As @Puzzler suggests, *Mothering Sunday* is perhaps no longer a thing.
We did reasonably well for children and adults, although I know of at least one family who forgot to change their clocks. My experience though over many years is that Mothering Sunday sucks people out of church, whether children, parents or grandparents, especially if distance is a factor.
My wife was yesterday fuming that our son hadn't even sent her a birthday card when he turned up with both children (his wife had to work). I knew of course. They've gone now - quite a trek involving bus journeys at each end, a 3 hour train journey (extended due to engineering works) and half an hour on the Elizabeth Line.
Low numbers at Our Place, too, and no children. As @Puzzler suggests, *Mothering Sunday* is perhaps no longer a thing.
<snip>
My experience though over many years is that Mothering Sunday sucks people out of church, whether children, parents or grandparents, especially if distance is a factor.
<snip>
Yes, same here. At one time, we had a number of Cubs/Beavers, plus parents and/or grandparents in church on Mothering Sunday, but the loss of an enthusiastic Christian leader (army family), and then Covid, put paid to that.
Low numbers at Our Place, too, and no children. As @Puzzler suggests, *Mothering Sunday* is perhaps no longer a thing.
We did reasonably well for children and adults, although I know of at least one family who forgot to change their clocks. My experience though over many years is that Mothering Sunday sucks people out of church, whether children, parents or grandparents, especially if distance is a factor.
Mrs LB has long said she doesn't quite grasp why a day allegedly hers should involve being awake in time for children to do that "surprise" breakfast and cup of tea and still be out in time for church.
The clocks going forward the prior evening only adds to the insult, should you be inclined to think in this way.
What is this *in time for church* concept of which you speak?
It is quite impossible to get to church on Mothering Sunday, whether one is lucky enough to have a surprise breakfast (a nice lie-in doesn't fit too well with a 930am or 10am service), or to be taken out to lunch (even an 11am service is far too late, with lunch at 1pm or 2pm...).
One dear lady at Our Place was adamant that she needed the whole morning to get ready for lunch on Mothering Sunday.
And they all with one accord began to make excuse...
The grandsons decided to mark Mothering Sunday by coming out with a recognisable name - mine!
Aaah!!! ❤️❤️
There was no Sunday school at St Pete's today, which would account for the almost* complete lack of children.
* apart from a wee girl who was there with her father, and an adorable almost-toddler who was with his grandparents, and offered a running commentary on the sermon. ❤️
ETA - I'm going to call my hair dryer "Lazarus", as, following a spot of disfluffing with an old hairbrush, it has come back to life. So, no need to schlepp out to Argos, but just an amble to Tessie's in the sunshine. 🙂
At my church we were all invited to go and collect a small pot of primroses, to take to someone ( various suggestions offered: elderly mother/ neighbour with no children/ wife/ someone on their own- so very inclusive). There were a few to spare, so I collected a second, one for my daughter, one for my daughter-in-law, who both fed me well, including a plated up turkey dinner for tomorrow. I saw three grandchildren ( + one’s boyfriend), all so adult! A credit to their mothers, even W, the tricky one.
My friend J, a fellow organist, used to mark Mothering Sunday by taking herself off to Evensong at a cathedral while her husband and sons cooked dinner. As she said, time off and away from the oven to do what she wanted (as opposed to cooking for people glued to a screen showing Formula One/Rugby/Football) was just the ticket.
Comments
Absolutely. No matter what else I may have done, I am constantly amazed at the two wonderful young people that I can call my daughter and my son. Nothing could ever come close. Mind you, in my amazement I am humbled: I don’t think “I did that.”
For myself, I can't really say I've got any major achievements except marrying the man I loved, and staying happily married to him (not to mention him staying married to me) for 31 years until he died.
Any other achievements I may have are very minor - contributing my voice to sundry choirs without making a bollocks of things; landing a job that I really like; baking half-decent bread and getting poached eggs very nearly right ...
It's been a rather moist day in West Lothian; it wasn't quite wet enough to justify putting my hood up coming home from work, but it's p*ssing down now.
Supper was smoked-haddock fishcakes with lemony, garlicky greens.
Would you mind if we had a thread on the subject?
FWIW, my "major life achievement" before super unexpected events in my late 50s was keeping the people around me going. It takes more of us than it does of them (visible talking heads!) to prop them up, handle paperwork and office tasks, keep the family on course, make sure they eat properly and get to the doc, etc. so they can (allegedly!) "do" the visible work. Which would never get done at all if we disappeared for even a week.
The former.
Other than that, as with @Piglet, I'd say marrying the love of my life and having nearly 20 years together.
I don't see why that requires descending from anything. A well-aimed missile from the organ loft could be remarkably effective without involving stairs.....
Now if someone could invent a bullshit seeking missile...
I really don't know what will happen if I don't get it, as I have no other irons in the fire at all. Nothing has been advertised in weeks that would be a sensible option, rather than an apply to keep the job centre quiet one.
A nice walk to and from Pilates this morning. I came back via the market where I had a look at the plant stalls but managed to resist buying anything. At the moment I think I need things to grew a bit more so I can see where there are gaps and what might look best in those gaps. I did mange to buy some bits and pieces in Boots and a bottle of wine from our local independent wine shop though.
While I was out my husband planted my Mother's Day acer. I hope it does OK as it's been very windy today and we don't have a lot of shelter in our garden.
I now intend to do not very much apart from cracking on with my knitting.
...as Weelkes could tell you!
Have got nothing done that I intended doing. I think it's all the heavy gardening catching up with me.
Going to Celtic Communion this evening.
Timings have meant rushed meals / indigestion.
It’s been a busy week so I am looking forward to free day tomorrow, and lunch with family on Sunday.
In other news, I spoke with a young ordinand this week who informed me there were NO ordinations in his diocese last year. And we wonder why vacancies take so long to fill.
That was my first thought too!
It's been, as Firenze observed, a mixed day meterologically; I made it to work without getting wet, but one of my colleagues who went out at lunchtime got drenched. Back to brilliant sunshine by the time I was coming home - almost too brilliant; even with my sun specs, I couldn't see a damn thing!
Work was v. busy; just as I thought I was getting sorted, L came in with half a dozen voice files. Luckily most of them weren't very big, so most of them were done by 5 o'clock - and she doesn't work on Mondays, so I can finish the last one then.
Having had supper of F&C, I'm going back to my appointed task of checking out decent hymns for Evensong. Some of the choir have expressed their lack of enthusiasm for the sort of Victorian pot-boiler that equates going to sleep with dying (I can sort of see where they're coming from there), so I'm flipping through the flipping awful orange book to see if there's anything a bit more uplifting. Obviously anything by K*ndr*ck is being swiftly discarded - if she wants that cr@p, she can put it on in the morning ...
One obvious choice is The day thou gavest (St Clement), with its positive message about unceasing praise. Another is Hail, gladdening light (Sebaste - by Stainer)
How many hymns do you have at Evensong? One could be an Office Hymn, suited to the theme or liturgical season - when we had Evensong at Our Place, we had just the one hymn (immediately before the Psalm), as we morphed into Benediction after the Third Colic, and Benediction (as enny fule kno) has its own special hymns.
Here' s a lovely improvised postlude on St Clement, played by the Dutch organist, John Propitius:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDOs2Axxpsk
Takeaway this evening, a lovely Middle Eastern mezze of hot and cold dishes. We have some halva for dessert but I don’t have any room left.
ETA: I hope there is good news for you next week @Sandemaniac .
Glad your new office is taking shape @Heavenlyannie.
We had a very nice evening watching the Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown with a bottle of wine.
BTW I really like The Day thou Gavest. There are a few hymns such as Hail, Queen of Heaven that really speak to my condition, as Quakers would say, though I haven't a clue as to why.
I've run out of expletives.
In answer to BF, I started with the list at the back of the orange abomination, and then went pretty much right through it, until I had a list of maybe 20 or 30, listed with number, title and tune.
We usually have 4 hymns at Evensong, which imho is at least two too many.
Shame about the lost list, though.
What you need to do is constantly "Save" your document, or have it on "Autosave" to OneDrive. But you probably know that already.
Or just use pen and paper ...
I agree about The Day Thou Gavest whose reference to "earth's proud empires" passing away doesn't just cock a snook at Victorian Brits who wanted to colour the world map red, but also at Mr Putin and Mr Trump.
I'm having a lazy afternoon while my husband is volunteering in our local museum and then we're off to a quiz night with friends from the Ramblers.
Mind you, it's only a little lawn ...
A quiet day in Arkland, with (mostly) blue skies and Sun Shine. I had intended to do some Paint Ing on deck, but the need to stay as close to the loo as possible made this impractical (let the Reader understand). I'm feeling better (and emptier) now, and will catch up with some snoozage...
Ah well - never do today what you can put off until tomorrow, as they say.
All of which aggravated the dizziness I am currently experiencing, and the aches & pains in my back, so I was done for by lunchtime. Just opened a tin of tuna and told Mr RoS to add whatever salad he could find in the fridge and went for a lie down.
Pleased to have got the various tasks done, but am a bit overwhelmed by what still needs doing before any actual gardening can take place.
Mr RoS took some nudging to get him out from his armchair, but eventually dealt with his carrot seedlings. I have refrained from inspecting them, I do not want to get further involved. I just hope the foxes or neighbouring cats do not discover the patch of diggable soil overnight.
I have also spent the afternoon gardening, mostly weeding and hacking away at a giant sage plant that was taking over my whole plot. Captain Pyjamas helped me sow some carrot seeds, which was a bit more fun.
What started out as quite a nice day has not improved; after lunch I'd arranged to get my trotters repainted, with a vague plan to amble down to Tessie's and get in some groceries, but by the time I came out of the talon salon it was raining and starting to get a bit blustrous, so I came home and dozed off on the sofa instead.
I had, however, bought a STEAK in the butcher's across the road; it's marinating happily and will be cooked and eaten forthwith.
Sadly, didn't see the eclipse this morning; I was at choir practice (followed by yet another meeting about How Things Should Be Done). <rolleyes>
I was vaguely aware that it got slightly duller at one point, but as it was cloudy, it wasn't really that obvious.
It's now p*ssing with rain and blowing a hoolie - March seems to be doing the opposite of what it's supposed to.
I spent a couple of seconds trying to work out how the hell you could deep fry moules before my brain caught up...
I am having an early lunch at my daughter’s house, then later, tea and cake at my son’s. The joy of living close to family.
N.B I couldn’t have done this when Mr Puzzler was alive. He didn’t do social occasions latterly, as problems with swallowing made it too difficult. Fortuitous too, as he didn’t like socialising anyway, though could disguise the fact well when it was necessary, something my family eventually came to understand.
If I'd actually put my alarm clock forward and made it to the church service, people would not have been able to laugh at me turning up just in time for coffee. And people seemed to enjoy laughing at me, so I regard this as providential.
The only downside is that I missed what was described as an excellent sermon, and one of my favourite hymns, the Old One Hundredth.
North East Quine, ray of sunshine
The small congregation meant that there were plenty of little posies for everyone though, so mine is brightening up my windowsill. Not that it actually needs brightening up, as it's a glorious day. I may make an Expotition out to Sainsburys/Argos later, as my hair dryer decided to die this morning, and my hair just doesn't function without one!
First world problems, I know ...
Supper will probably be courtesy of the Bamboo Inn, after Compline.
As at @Piglet's Place, there were posies enough for everyone.
The combination of a predicted high tide, and a fresh NW wind, means that we get most of the water. Later, it will return to Belgium, before visiting us again at 2am tomorrow, so the Environment Agency's flood warning is still valid.
Time to have a look in the fridge, to see what needs eating for Lunch!
A busy weekend here. Yesterday we finished kitting out the shelves and desks in my office, and then we moved the computer stuff and fabric in (left hand side). I used to have a sewing business so I have lots of vintage fabric. Today we tackled the right hand side of the cabin, moving my sewing machines, electric spinning wheel and carder, and various fibres (including a whole Wensleydale fleece!). And Valerie my mannequin. There is still a lot of stuff covering the old office floor, including boxes of trims and bags of yarn, but that will have to be for another day as Mr Heavenly has now gone to visit his parents and church is this evening.
Lunch was the second half of a lemony courgette and goat’s cheese open pie I made yesterday. I’ve done some pottering and watering in the garden, to recover from the stress of moving everything.
Not as many as usual at church at my place either. I'm not sure if anyone just turned up for the coffee as I dashed home to hang out the washing.
A lovely day here and I'm going to do some gardening shortly after having spent a couple of hours looking at planning applications ahead of a planning meeting on Wednesday.
As @Piglet observed, a bright and sunny day here - but blowy. I managed an hour or so in the garden in which I planted up four or five pots with the pansies I bought yesterday. The daffodils are in full cry and there's a scattering of red tulips. It's not what I'd call deep Spring yet.
Schnitzel and mushrooms for dinner.
My wife was yesterday fuming that our son hadn't even sent her a birthday card when he turned up with both children (his wife had to work). I knew of course. They've gone now - quite a trek involving bus journeys at each end, a 3 hour train journey (extended due to engineering works) and half an hour on the Elizabeth Line.
Yes, same here. At one time, we had a number of Cubs/Beavers, plus parents and/or grandparents in church on Mothering Sunday, but the loss of an enthusiastic Christian leader (army family), and then Covid, put paid to that.
Mrs LB has long said she doesn't quite grasp why a day allegedly hers should involve being awake in time for children to do that "surprise" breakfast and cup of tea and still be out in time for church.
The clocks going forward the prior evening only adds to the insult, should you be inclined to think in this way.
It is quite impossible to get to church on Mothering Sunday, whether one is lucky enough to have a surprise breakfast (a nice lie-in doesn't fit too well with a 930am or 10am service), or to be taken out to lunch (even an 11am service is far too late, with lunch at 1pm or 2pm...).
One dear lady at Our Place was adamant that she needed the whole morning to get ready for lunch on Mothering Sunday.
And they all with one accord began to make excuse...
Aaah!!! ❤️❤️
There was no Sunday school at St Pete's today, which would account for the almost* complete lack of children.
* apart from a wee girl who was there with her father, and an adorable almost-toddler who was with his grandparents, and offered a running commentary on the sermon. ❤️
ETA - I'm going to call my hair dryer "Lazarus", as, following a spot of disfluffing with an old hairbrush, it has come back to life. So, no need to schlepp out to Argos, but just an amble to Tessie's in the sunshine. 🙂
And go against generations of entrenched British tradition?