Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Arrived all ok, 17 degrees and raining. Now there is a surprise...I don’t think. Off to see Roland this afternoon. He is in the local small hospital in the nursing home upstairs. Our neighbours visited the other day and said we were arriving today. He phoned at noon knowing we would have arrived by then.

[Wendyf]

I hope you find your friend in good health Sue. It's a nice day here, no rain and even a hint of sunshine!

[Stanley]

But dark and gloomy towards the end of the day. Cheer up Sue, you're 5C warmer than Rochdale!
Feet are smiling this morning, Susan gave me a full pedicure and foot oiling after an Epsom Salts soak. Such luxury! She says she enjoys doing feet, often does it at the care home. That suits me!
I have articles on the brain...

[Sue]

Today is set to be dry and sunny. A good day to get stuck into some veggie garden clearing. This evening and tomorrow is due to be stormy rain continuing until the weekend. I used yesterday afternoon to start cleaning the windows and window frames inside and windows outside( they fold inwards and are thus easy to clean) . I will do the rest whilst we are here and wash my voile curtains too. I like to get spring cleaning done at the end of the summer and autumn so I can enjoy the Spring out in the garden. I did all my cupboards before we went home in August. As the place will be shut up over winter it will stay clean , and my cleaning thoroughly now will keep the spiders numbers down.

Roland looked well, better than he had. As suspected he had not been well in the late summer, not eating properly and worrying about the enormity of his impending move. We think he fell because of this. He had stumbled a couple of times when he visited us in August and had been a little vague when talking. Yesterday he was a good colour and was his old self conversation wise. He is not able to stand on his leg for 6 weeks, we reckon that is another two to go. After that he will need physio before he can go home. As for home his move went ahead last week. His friend Nicole and his niece did all the packing and all the arrangements and arranged the removal last Wednesday. His son who only lives a few miles away and grown up grandchildren did nothing. We are shocked, we have met them and they helped when Roland had a new hip three years ago, although we did an awful lot too, doing his shopping and making meals for him The biggest shock is his niece. She was visiting yesterday as well and was very chatty with us. This is the lady who we had all the trouble with about the boundary lines of our property. She has really come to the fore helping with all the masses of paperwork, bills etc. She was not impressed with lack of family input, we are impressed with her.

Its past 8.00 am and still dark here. I really don’t like dark mornings and as the winter progresses it will be nearly 10.00 am before ot gets properly light. On that note I shall finish mt cup of tea and go and shower.

[Marilyn]

Families are funny things. Sometimes family members are told to "go away" by other, more forceful family members. So they "go away", thinking that is what the loved one at the centre of attention wants and to butt out will bring the loved one tranquility when they need it. Then they get sledged for not caring. They can't win.
Yep...families are funny things.

[Sue]

I understand what you are saying Maz but in this case we have known all members of the family for some 12-14 years. Roland is not the sort of person who would tell people to leave him alone etc. He is the nicest old man I have ever met. Good fun to chat to and has certainly looked after Bob and I over the years. The son close by has rarely called, the daughter in Paris regularly visits but she runs a business there which is difficult to leave. The local son is retired. The niece who we never really liked mainly because of the problems we have had with her as a landlord to next door and next door but one. Roland's deceased wife did not like her as she is rather brash and a dreadful flirt and gossip. His wife was a very quiet person. However it is the niece who we have seen visiting regularly over the years, usually when she called on one of her properties. Roland's lady friend cannot drive and lives in the next village. There are no taxis or public transport here so we did not know if she had managed to visit the hospital. As it happens it is the niece who has been taking her daily. I am pretty sure the niece has not told the family to stay away, it does not ring true for the situation as we know it. We think the family does not approve of Roland's new lady friend, a very nice caring lady who has all she needs and is not a gold digger but perhaps they think otherwise. We also understand the niece is actually a niece by marriage and not a blood relative. She has no need family- wise to care for Rolands needs at all. My main concern at the end of the day is Rolands happiness and well being, he has been like a father to us.

[Stanley]

Nowt so queer as folk.... Main thing is Roland is OK! Are voiles the same as nets? In the French navy "Baisser les Voiles" is the order to dip the mainsails in salute. The Grand Admiral of the French navy owned an estate that became a famous vineyard which produces Grand Crux wines and it became known as Beychevelle (corruption of the order) as all the naval ships saluted the admiral as they passed. Not many people know that.....
(One for the poetess David....)



I once helped to drink this very expensive 1964 vintage. There's a good story behind it.

[Sue]

Voiles are more of a light weight curtain than a net, certainly not net. Its a fine polyester which you can get in different colours . Ours are cream white and blue. The Bretons use then a lot rather than curtains as we know it, mainly because they can close the shutters or roller blinds if it is too hot or cold or dark. I hate closing the blinds when we are in the house, i feel entombed. Some of the older folk have half curtains made of net. These go across the bottom of the windows. Our house obviously had those as there are fixings for the short rods that hold them. The problem with the voiles is they act as a beautiful filter for small flies and dust. I usually wash them after the summer for that reason.

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We woke late today, 8.15, ie 7.15 English time, its so dark.

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

Listening to In Our Time, Melvyn Bragg's programme at 9AM. I love being exposed to those brains!
I wrote two articles yesterday for the BET. No day is wasted!
I might attempt the same today...... Once I am in the mood I like to take advantage of it.

[Sue]

Didn’t wake till 8.15 again and miracles it has stopped raining. It was torrential all day yesterday. I washed all 15 windows including their frames, inside and out and 13 pairs of voile curtains, the latter dried quickly over mezzanine banister and were back in place by 4.00 pm. Then i sat and knitted.

Bob was fitting the new electric towel rail in the en suite he finished over the summer. We bought it at home as it was half the price of the same one here.

Today is a little shopping, a little garden tidying if it isn‘t waterlogged, and perhaps some time on my Widdup book. I have a lovely crop of leeks but want to pick them nearer going home so we can take some home with us. It may be the last time we are allowed to do that. However I shall pick a couple today for some leek and potato soup for lunch. The weather forecast is not typical for the time of year. Usually sunny but at least its warm. Yesterdays 40% chance of rain was definitely 100%.

[Stanley]

Sounds like a good day Sue. Leek and potato soup sounds nice but is of course streng verboten!
I have started the day well by writing an article. I shan't attempt another, I want to get Jack walked and be back for Melvyn Bragg!

[Wendyf]

Sounds like a good day Sue. Leek and potato soup sounds nice but is of course streng verboten!
I have started the day well by writing an article. I shan't attempt another, I want to get Jack walked and be back for Melvyn Bragg!

Try leek and cauliflower instead Stanley with loads of cheese and thick cream!!

[Marilyn]

We like Caulifower Cheese Soup...

[Sue]

I might try that too Wendy. There was only one potato in the soup and 4 leeks. The overall is at least 4 portions so not much potato per person. Its fish with leek and cream sauce tonight. I did loads of veggie plot tidying and covering this morning before the rain arrived. Much more than expected. We have just been to visit Roland, he was very alert and chatty. So nice to see.

[Marilyn]

Windy as anything here today, but I have managed some gardening.

[Stanley]

That's a good idea Wendy, it's definitely becoming soup and stew weather. I might chance the cheese but I seem to remember at one time Cauliflower Cheese was automatic cold sore starter for me.
Getting colder here Maz, I went into the Crombie yesterday....
Shopping day.

[Big Kev]

Broccoli and stilton is one of my favourite soups.

[Sue]

And me Kev.

Nothing planned today. I may pull the remaining leeks bar the few we are taking home. We are at our English friends for a meal this evening . Its due to be dry this morning and the rain is back this afternoon.

[Marilyn]

Windy again! We had our usual walk, but it is not nice out there at all, so quiet pursuits indoors. I have some knitting on the go and also a book that is three quarters read. Pity I can't knit and read at the same time!

[Stanley]

Audio book Maz?
I shall start the day by cooking veggies and getting some mutton going in the slow cooker. It takes two days for it to cook and mature, you can't rush mutton!
Apart from that a bit of Co-op shopping...

[Sue]

Didn’t wake until 8.30 this morning, got back from our friends after midnight last night and being an 8 hours a night sort of girl I slept solid till after 8. Yesterday morning was a successful gardening morning but the rain came hard and heavy about 2.00.i froze some of my leeks, either diced for sauces or in rings for adding to other things. It was a good crop. I did a little of my oil painting later but got in a right mess tidying up, paint everywhere. Blue hands mainly!

Afterwards a tackled a bit of a 1500 piece jigsaw we have on the go, then showered before we went out as I smelt rather strongly of white spirit after my painting episode.

Today looks dry at the moment so I think we will be plodding on with the autumn tidy up before tge rain is back. Everything is very wet indeed and the soil like mud. I threw my gardening boots away as they leaked. They were an old pair of walking boots . I relegated my walking boots to gardening and discovered they leaked too, hey ho I think it will be wellies although I do dislike wearing them.

[Big Kev]

Booking a last minute couple of nights away at Alvaston Hall in Nantwich.
Booked at 3, in the hotel at 5. Dinner is at 6:30.
Lastminute.Kev

[Wendyf]

That's the way to do it!

[Big Kev]

Kerry Ellis was the 'turn' on at the hotel, not all the music was to my taste but she was very good.

http://kerryellis.com/