Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

My neck recovered during the day yesterday and today is back to normal. I can’t sleep with no pillow I just end up coughing all morning. In fact the Dr told me to raise the head of my bed on bricks too, but my asthma is nowhere near as bad now since I stopped work so the bricks have gone. I think it was aggrevated by all the dust in the old buildings, even though we hadn’t used chalk in years.

Today i have a three hour yoga session, plus a relaxation session in preparation for Christmas we were told. There appears to be a plan for food too

[Tizer]

Is that half an hour of yoga and two and a half hours for food, Sue?

[Stanley]

I'd forgotten the asthma Sue. Probably something to do with postural drainage. Funnily enough when you make a lot of mucus like I always have, it's a good thing. Everyone is different!
I shall be continuing the fight with my cutters! It's going to be one of the biggest jobs I have ever tackled but will be worth it in the end. I am not downhearted even though I had another failure yesterday. Onwards and upwards!

[Sue]

Is that half an hour of yoga and two and a half hours for food, Sue?

It was nearly three hours of yoga, followed by yogi type health teas and high protein rather sweet munchies. I don’t like sweet stuff very much or fruit teas so was glad to get home to a cuppa. We did an hour and a half of intense high speed free flow yoga, followed by about 10 minutes relaxation, 15 minutes reflexology and 15 minutes yogi breathing. Then we had about 15 minutes of slow yoga holding positions for three minutes, followed by about about 20 minutes total relaxation. I felt really good after it , chilled out all evening and slept like a log last night.

[Sue]

Today i need to go and buy some wrapping paper and Bobs Christmas present???
Then we are off to Nelson to pick up some model engineering bits for a neighbour in France, a light lunch out and over to Todmorden for French. Art tonight and finish packing for our very short trip to close the house dowm in Brittany. We are doing a bit of an English Christmas tea for the neighbours then almost immediately back home. Its chilly and damp over there and I would rather be in my snug English bungalow than a rambling old stone French house at this time of year. They either get long cool sunny days and really cold nights or continuous cold damp weather at this time of year, not much different from our own. In fact a lot of tbe region has snow forecast this week

[Marilyn]

You still make "a rambling old stone house in France" sound terribly romantic and appealing...even in Winter!

Tomorrow we have part of our front garden ripped out as a flat area to permanently park our little motor home. Up until now, it gets parked on our sloping driveway, as it is too high to fit in our garage.
I am not looking forward to saying goodbye to some of our plants, but it is the best solution.
( however...we had a quote from the man a fortnight ago...chased him for a date ( which was tomorrow) and have not heard a word from him since! But we find that is the way with any work we have done here. You have to chase them, sit on their chests and pin them down. We will only chase so far. If they don't want the work, we will find someone else! It must be the holiday atmosphere down here, but they aren't hungry for work. They can take a month to quote for digging a ditch ( then give a vague date they may turn up). Having lived in the city we are not used to this attitude. Tis the "country way"!)
I have forbidden my husband to chase him any more. So if he turns up tomorrow, we will be pleased. If not....he had his chance of work!

[Marilyn]

The man and his digger turned up late morning. Our front garden is no more. The conifers couldn't be saved, but they have sold an entire mini truck load of our Agapanthus to a third party. They are all loaded and about to go. ( no...we don't get the money for them, and truth be known they have probably charged us dump fees for them. But Febby wanted them gone. I was rather attached to them...)
Now they can get on with making the new parking area.
Looks like The Somme out there just now
The neighbours must think we have lost our marbles...

[Stanley]

Avoiding the shed, the less chance there is of knocking my finger the better! Puck of Pook's Hill I think........

[Sue]

Yoga this morning, Christmas lunch today with my old sewing group and a carol service tonight at the local Unitarian Church. I like to go to get into the true meaning of Christmas. It seems to have come round really fast since last year.

[Stanley]

I have given myself a 7 day sick note..... So I shall be being kind to myself with a book.....

[Sue]

I have developed a sore throat and a thick head , a cold is on its way I think. Walking this morning, followed by Walkers Christmas lunch, then a dash to Portsmouth to catch the evening ferry. I will miss another three lunches!

[Marilyn]

Gardened this morning until the rain set in. ( Darn...I had been enjoying myself too).
Now that the earthworks have finished, it is fun to start thinking about what to do next.
The loam for the new lawn has been spread, but we can't plant it yet while the Cockatoos are still here or they will come in their hundreds for a free lunch!
Some bright spark has walked all over the newly spread loam though. The hide of some nosey people! To come into our front garden and walk all over the place. What is wrong with folk?!
Can I borrow your electric fence Wendy? I'd love to give someone a good jolt.

[Stanley]

Sue. Hard luck, gargle with salt and water and lie close to a bottle of whisky......
Maz. Put notice up that it is sewage soil........
Finger has not dropped off....... Reading continues.

[Sue]

No cold but voice is a bit weak. Arrived in France safely. It was not our usual crossing, we didn’t board until 10.30 pm and we were up at 4.30 am for breakfast. Feeling tired!

12 degees and very very very wet, big puddles everywhere. I will not be venturing to the veggie plot today to see if we have sprouts , I may need to swim back


Its warmer outside than, the house is only 10 degrees, it will take some heating through. Permanent central heating and fire for a couple of days I think

[Stanley]

And plenty of ventilation to allow the inevitable condensation to get away!
Another day of looking after myself.....

[Sue]

We have two powerful dehumidifiers on the go. As well as drying the air they generate heat too. The sun is shining today so that will help warm things up.its about 4 degrees but no snow, unlike home

[Stanley]

When I was in Montreal in winter I found there was the opposite problem. All houses had a humidifier to put water into the air. The Arctic air was bone dry and all the furniture cracked as the wood shrank!
Doing no shed work again. Finger is doing well and I want it to continue like that!

[Sue]

No chance of that here Stanley, Brittany is a damp place in the winter, akin to Rochdale. It may be slightly warmer but the days in general look much the same.

I shall be preparing for our Christmas tea, this morning. Smoked salmon and ham sandwiches, pigs in blankets on sticks( good British sausages and bacon, totally unavailable here) . I made the mince pies yesterday, Bob has made and decorated the cake, nicely fed with brandy for the last few weeks. We have brought English cheeses, a variety thereof and English crackers to put it on. Lastly we have mulled wine and Christmas crackers to complete the festive spirit. i shall be practising translating and explaining the jokes oh yes chocolate yule log for the kids. I think there will be 9 adults, 4 young children and two teenagers, all french speaking only! A dictionary will be on hand.

Yesterday I picked and prepared about 3 pounds of sprouts from the garden. The plants are still producing heavily. I have had to pull the leeks and make soup with them as the stems were rotting in the sodden ground.

[Stanley]

I've broken a rule and am cooking steak and kidney with onions ready for the veggies on Sunday.....
Christmas food is restricted to steak butties for me and Susan on Boxing Day.

[Stanley]

Cooking, washing, and watching the snooker final! Any time in between filled by reading 'Rewards and Fairies'.

[Marilyn]

Made some Nutty Irish Cream Fudge this morning ( recipe on Australia allrecipes site)
Then I licked the bowls and spoons before washing up.
Then I felt quite perky...
Could be the Chocolate. Could be the Baileys!
I think it will be popular! Must hide it from Febby...

[Stanley]

Celebrating a dry pantry?
I shall be doing very little but confess I have this usrge to take the dressing off my finger! I have been patient long enough!

[Sue]

More visitors yesterday, my voice is holding out but weak still. Friends for a meal tonight. Our evening soiree with our neighbours was most successful, and they came armed with a chocolates and a dozen fresh eggs from assorted poutry. Don’t ask me which as I did not recognise the word. We were also given a clean and prepared rabbit. I haven’t eaten rabbit for years. We roasted half of it with herbs and garlic, tbe rest is frozen. There are enough left overs to make a stew when we are here next time, it was delicious but i must not tell the grandchildren!

Bob has been finishing the dividing wall for the ensuite in the main bedroom, it looks good. The ensuite remains an empty room, it will take time. Today is wet after a very wet night, tomorrow is more of the same but we have some Christmas shopping to do for French niceties. Home on Wednesday, hope the snow has gone for the drive home on Thursday.

Look after thst finger Stanley, I didn’t realise it was so bad

[Stanley]

"Look after that finger Stanley, I didn’t realise it was so bad"
I'm doing my best Sue.... Sam, the Practice Nurse said it was quite impressive.... I think she quite enjoyed the chance to do some serious wound dressing. Bottom line is that I was very lucky, no tendons or serious veins cut....

[plaques]

Being something of a professional victim of wound dressing your posting in 'Medical Matters' looks like some of the wound slough should be cleared off.
Another visit to 'Sam' is recommended. It all helps the healing process.