Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

I suspect I shall be ignoring everything else and sticking my nose into this which arrived yesterday.

[Marilyn]

Great idea. I would too.

[Stanley]

But at the same time I will not neglect Wolf Hall, I want to finish that before I plunge into Whitaker.

[Sue]

That surprised me Sue.... I hadn't got you marked down as a footie fan!
Watching out for Whitaker on the horizon, could be delivered today!
That article I never wrote yesterday?

We aren’t we were just trying to get through Rennes. There is no other direct route to the house. The ring road had a traffic jam with a 45 minute delay and rising by the minute so we tried to go through the centre not knowing there was a ‘big’ match.

Weather holding so far. Rain during the night but dry and warm during the day. It is muddy every where and the local river is in flood. As are all the fields. Yesterday evening we were invited to one of our neighbours for a coffee and a chat and she had invited our new direct neighbours so we could get to know them, which was nice. They are a young couple with children, who luckily for us like to keep a tidy garden. Its the neatest its been for 6 years and the offending garden shed which has obscured our lovely view for 10 years has been moved to the corner away from our fence. We are elated. The evening before we were invited to Rolands, our elderly neighbour . He was telling us he is 89 this month. Our other neighbours tell us he is showing his age and seems very tired a lot of the time. He was on good form with us but I noticed he repeated his questions a few times but as they say round here ‘ c’est normal.’

Today will be more garden tidying as I try to transfer the old compost heap by wheel barrow to the veggie gardens ready for rotivating and recovering them with weed inhibiting membrane tomorrow. The weather breaks on Tuesday. I need to move this heap to create a location for this year. The place we have been using for the last two years is a mini hill and needs to rot down. This barrowing is hard work, but yesterday evening I made a batch of hot cross buns so we can have just reward for our efforts

[Stanley]

A hot X bun fuelled wheelbarrow..... I like that.
I understand the football reference now Sue, thanks! (I was getting a bit worried.....)

[PanBiker]

We aren’t we were just trying to get through Rennes. There is no other direct route to the house. The ring road had a traffic jam with a 45 minute delay and rising by the minute so we tried to go through the centre not knowing there was a ‘big’ match.

Commiserations Sue, many years ago, 1998 to be precise we ended up "Centre Ville" but in Nantes, on World Cup Semi Final afternoon. Absolute mayhem, multiple waving arm gendarmes on all the junctions and roundabouts. Fully rammed car making our way to a Eurocamp tent around Concarneau from further up the Loire Valley, happy days. It was an evening match and I remember a very good night in the campsite bar which was rammed with Brits, Germans and French, jolly rivalry.

[Big Kev]

I'll see what value they put on mine before I make a decision, I may be able to buy something that doesn't need as much work doing to it

Still looking, the first bungalow we looked at needed far too much work and 'er indoors didn't feel right in it, that's that one off the list. Second one was better but way too small, I'd never have got the superking bed in the bedroom or the sofa in the lounge.

We had a rethink and researched the 'seaside' which involved a trip over to Cleveleys, plenty to choose from over there and ticked all the boxes but not sure how practical a move over there would be. It's closer to my office so I'd be OK but 'er indoors would need to find another job, more stressful than actually moving apparently

I was pleasantly surprised at the valuation on mine so will keep my eye on the Barlick housing market. A bungalow with off street parking would be the ideal but to find one I fitted in is out of my budget...

[Marilyn]

Don't rush the process, Big Kev. (I actually enjoy house hunting). The perfect one will pop up eventually.
The last three times we have bought houses, I have had "a front lounge" on my list. I still haven't got one!

[Stanley]

Maz is right Kev, It will come.....
I have a day off, no appointments with anyone so milk shopping, cooking and reading!

[Sue]

We hope to complete the preparations in the veggie plots today, plant potatoes and onions and get the rest covered. It starts raining tomorrow. Yesterday was a beautiful Spring day at 17.5 degrees.

I had a phone call from a friend telling me that I should go to a carboot sale in Guer, a town about 10 km away. A lady and her husband had a stall selling off the remains of their sewing shop which they have closed. There was fabric on the roll at 5 euros or 5.50 euros a metre. I bought several metres of different sorts. There were also sewing machine feet, needles, buttons, thread. I couldn’t get near enough to the cabinet to look at those. I am very pleased with my buys and could have spent much more.

[Stanley]

You little devil you! I can just see you, like a kid in a sweet shop!
I've done some cooking.... Jack's sausage and some for me as well. I've also put my last cuts of mutton in the slow cooker in cider with the usual suspects as regards condiments. I love that cooker, they can sit their arguing all day and will be falling off the bone by then. A wonderful start to a winter stew!

[Marilyn]

Sue...OMG...such is the stuff of dreams! Hubby would be standing by with a front end loader....

[Sue]

Sue...OMG...such is the stuff of dreams! Hubby would be standing by with a front end loader....

Absolutely I could have spent a fortune.

[Sue]

I've also put my last cuts of mutton in the slow cooker in cider with the usual suspects as regards condiments. I love that cooker, they can sit their arguing all day and will be falling off the bone by then. A wonderful start to a winter stew!

I love my slow cooker too, it will be on tomorrow with what ever meat I can find in the freezer. Its eating up time on this visit, apart from fish which I bought fresh on Saturday. We have or should I say had some rabbit. ( I roasted that yesterday and what is left will go in a stew) we have chicken legs and chicken breasts and some steak. There are probably other things lurking further down. Today its mince for a spaghetti bolognese or a chili. As its been like a Northern England summers day today ie 18 degrees and wall to wall sun, I think perhaps not chili. We are out on friday at friends, and will probably eat out on Sunday so I think we should manage quite well without having to buy much.

I am just taking a well earned rest following a shower before Roland arrives for evening aperitives. I have been in the garden for about 6 hours today and my body knows it. All jobs nearly done. Strawberry patch tidied as well and half my rhubarb patch. Just a couple of flower borders left and everything should be ship shape.

[Stanley]

Don't do too much Sue! I agree with everything you say about the cooker.
Main event today to remember is surgery at 10:30 for diabetes clinic...... I've done my BP for five days and it's fine.....

[Sue]

I won’t Stanley. The flower borders are bottom of the list and may not get done. Its a grey start to the morning, rain due by 1.00pm so what will get done will get done. Then its a bit of shopping and a session on my book on my laptop. Its certainly been nice getting outside for 4 days. No aches and pains this morning which is good

[Stanley]

Good. Have a look at Pennine Weather, it's a perfectly horrible morning here!

[Stanley]

Day off from appointments! I shall have a crack at the next article.....

[Sue]

Yesterday was wet and windy after 10.15 am, so a little progress on my book. Today we intend buying some bags of dried manure to spread around strawberries, rhubarb etc. This afternoon we are having a visit by some french friends. The sun is shining now but it promises to be a mixed day being at least about 11 degrees

[Stanley]

Sounds better than what we are having Sue. We are into a spell of wild wet weather.
I wrote the last article in the current series and had a look in the shed, nothing done but it's time I went back in there and finished Kev's cannon. Taking Jack to see the vet today might interfere with that.....
I've just remembered, I have some pension administration to do as well. Best get that sorted!

[Sue]

It was an April type day, sun and showers all day. The sun was warm but there was a bitterly cold wind. I managed most of what I had to do and left now with a 2 square metre patch to weed. The most dificult one in the garden. When its wet it is like a sandy clay, when its dry it is like concrete. It is the former at the moment so as I weed I am digging in lime and compost. One day it may have good soil...one day

This afternoon more writing I think, I am working through a chapter on John Widdups education starting with a little background history.


Oh yes we finished another jigsaw yesterday evening. We like to have one on the go. We started this one in mid August. It was a strange jigsaw. The picture on the box is not the picture you assemble . The picture shows a wedding group. The jigsaw is what the groom can see in front of him. It was fun to do especially when we got the hang of it.

[Stanley]

Sounds like 3 dimensional chess to me Sue.
I am fighting the council computers to access my Council Tax..... GRRRRRR!!!

[Sue]

Sounds like 3 dimensional chess to me Sue.

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[Stanley]

Looks like it too!
Shopping today and being kind to myself. I feel strangely delicate.....
Perhaps because I am still chasing the Council and it annoys me intensely!

[Sue]

A quiet day for me, all gardening done. We shall do a bit of shopping, I will get on with my book and we are out at friends for a meal this evening. Friday already!

I have a question Stanley. If John Widdup was born in July, when would he have started school. I presume it was when he was 5 in 1875. Would it have been straight away or at the start of the next term. Am I correct in assuming school holidays were similar to now, ie a long break in the summer returning in September after the main harvesting.