Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Beautiful morning, beautiful views, 4.2 miles in about 95 minutes, just enjoying the walk. Healey Dell looked so pretty with the trees changing colour. I ached on those stiles though after 3 yoga/pilates sessions this week . The first in nearly three weeks. It really gets my right hip. I know I am getting old though, I have had a letter about renewing my driving licence because of my impending birthday in January

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[Marilyn]

I've noticed on our daily walks I am a bit stiff at the start, then everything eases and I really enjoy it, then I ache a bit during the last ten minutes from home.
I felt crafty today and was itching to create something. I have a number of old wooden boxes that I have collected during the years. I choose the lidded box that holds all of my knitting needles, emptied it out, gave it a clean, painted it with two coats of black inside and out. Next stage is the marbling effect paint...then the polyurethane finishing coats. I'm not doing any more today. I will leave it overnight and "marble" it tomorrow'.
We had an air conditioner installed in our lounge today, with three men running about both inside and out. One of the guys was so tall, he had to dip his head in the doorways!
So it was frantic here this morning and now it's time for a quiet cuppa and some quiet time.
These knitting needles came all the way from Barnoldswick about 45 years ago. They were my Grandmothers.

[Stanley]

I've forgotten what 'ache' is. I think that's because I do it at low level all the time. I only recognise pain! Everything else is just 'feeling'. I'm pleased to say that at the moment I haven't got any.
Nice mail from Stuarts apologising for the delay in delivering my castings. One of the ones in my set was defective and they are waiting for a delivery from the foundry. So I can stop fretting.

[Big Kev]

We had an air conditioner installed in our lounge today, with three men running about both inside and out. One of the guys was so tall, he had to dip his head in the doorways!

Fairly normal for me, standard doorways are only 6ft 6in tall here...

[Stanley]

[Sue]

I've forgotten what 'ache' is. I think that's because I do it at low level all the time. I only recognise pain! Everything else is just 'feeling'. I'm pleased to say that at the moment I haven't got any.

I am active all the time but I find my activities vary considerably and in blocks so no yoga etc meant those stretching exercises are not done to the same extent. This week we have concentrated on arms and legs in most classes using resistance exercises, thus the muscles have been used in an unaccustomed way . These exercises are quite intense and you really feel it at the time, the residual effect lasts a few days. In fact yesterday I struggled to get over stiles as the same sets of muscles were working and still aching. After a couple of weeks I no longer notice any aches as my body has readjusted. However then when we go to France the intensive gardening there creates different aches as different muscles etc are used. The all round effect is a general allover muscle tone. I have lost inches over the last couple of years plus a small amount of weight and feel pretty fit.

Today is a sewing day, all other activities are on half term. I would like to go swimming but can’t because of my eye. It is however just a little pink now, there has been considerable improvement but not perfect.

[Marilyn]

Only a young fellow, but I would describe him as a "man mountain". I think I stood at his nipple height! ( lovely guy, and I mentioned to hubby that for a big fellow he moved like a Ninja...light on his feet and not the least bit clumsy...and obviously used to ducking through doorways. We have 2.7 ceilings but regular sized doors.)

[Stanley]

Glad your eye is slowly improving Sue. Look after it!
Maz, he can't half block the light out from a window....

[Marilyn]

I bet he gives the BEST cuddles, Stanley! How safe would a girl feel, being wrapped by a man mountain?

[Cathy]

As long as he has a flat tummy

[Tizer]

...or wears his corset!

[Cathy]

OK... flattish. Non of us are perfect

[Marilyn]

He would make a great fireman.

[Julie in Norfolk]

Today I shall be mainly planning for our weekend sojourn "up North". We are travelling to Blackburn on Saturday, on Sunday we are travelling on a Black 5 from Blackburn through to Sheffield and back, taking in a lot of Lancashire and Yorkshire scenery. We leave out at 09.05 from Blackburn and return at 20.26 to Preston. We travel back on Monday. The Blackburn area is where my grandad's family are from so we may go looking for some addresses.

[Marilyn]

Enjoy yourself Julie. Hope the weather holds for you.
I'm back to my painting. I've done the marble coat on the box, but it needs to stand for 24 hours now before the glaze.
Him-wot-always-has-an-opinion feels I was a bit heavy handed with the marbling. I tend to agree with him for once. I've found some other objects, boxes etc I would like to try ( including a terracotta lion!). So if I get a chance, some items may get a base coat. A birthday in the house today...but it's not me. (Febby turns 70)

[Cathy]

MR FEB from MISS JUNE

Have a great trip Julie, sounds lovely.

Speaking of Workmen, there is a lot of building happening at work, and some lifts have been commandeered by them. The other day the lift I was waiting for finally came and inside were 4 or 5 Tradies, all decked out in their work gear and their tool bags etc. They were in a wrong lift, I stepped in feeling about 4 feet tall.... But how lucky was I

[Stanley]

Tell Dave many happies from me Maz.
I wonder if Kev has stopped blushing? You two are incorrigible.
Butcher's day and we have cold rain to remind us it's November!

[Sue]

Eye much much better.

Asthma clinic this morning, then art then the usual Friday lunch with friends. It was a strange day yesterday as my only normal activity was yoga at 8.00 pm. Thus I did washing, ironing, sewing, sitting, drinking tea, and did a little sewing experiment. I have never been happy with the finish of my buttonholes so after some research I tried three different methods. I Observed the results then washed the fabric and looked again.A successful little experiment so I think the buttonholes in Bobs shirt, when I get to them will have a more professional finish. Once a scientist always a scientist!

[Sue]

This came up on my Facebook page as a memory of 7 years ago today. What a coincidence this was exactly the same walk we did on Wednesday also, 30 th October. The colours were just as beautiful in Healey Dell. I love that place and not 400 yards from home.

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[Stanley]

Healey Dell was always a favourite of mine. If you search the site you'll find Peter Tatham refurbishing the viaduct.



Peter re-pointed the viaduct in 1984.

[Sue]

Not a job I would like! I do love the view from the top though.

[Stanley]

Not sure about programme for today yet.... A lot depends on the weather.

[Wendyf]

Singing Drifter's songs. What an enjoyable evening out we had in Colne yesterday, tea at The Crown Hotel which was excellent with an extensive menu of freshly cooked food about a third cheaper than the local pub. Four of us ate well and had wine for £48!
The Muni was packed with folk ready to have a great time and the Drifters were excellent and entertaining. Even I was up dancing at the end. Well worth the ticket price!

[Stanley]

I'm glad you enjoyed the Drifters and the night out Wendy. I often think I missed out on so much of the music of the 60s, my favourites are still classic Victorian ballads, it's what I was reared with. Mind you, I did get into Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac and Rainbow in a big way and still enjoy a bit of hard rock....
Watching F1 qualifying on catch up, on far too late for me! Reflecting on the fact that Hamilton is almost certain to end today with his sixth world championship. Quite an achievement!
Pottering in the shed in the hiatus while we wait for the foundry to finish my castings.
Otherwise looking after us both and enjoying the luxury of retirement and good food!

[Sue]

Busy day yesterday. We went over to Burnley cemetery to put flowers on Mums and Dads grave. In the first week of November we usually visit as it is the anniversary of the death of both of our Mums on the 4 th and Bobs Dad on the 8 th.

Then we went into Burnley to do a bit of shopping calling at Oakmount fabric shop for sewing supplies and a coffee in the lovely cafe there ( worth a visit for lunch if you are ever in Burnley. Its on Wiseman Street in the Weavers Triangle) On the way home we called at the pharmacist to collect a prescription for my asthma inhaler

After lunch I went into Rochdale to collect a couple of jumpers ordered from Marks and Spencers and had a photo done for my photoID for my new driving licence. Max Spielman do a nice photo with a digital camera, give you 4 copies cut to the right size and email tge i age so you have it for future use. I had a fun 10 minutes as they were trying to take a photo of a 17 year old for his passport. He kept smiling. We told him to think of horrid things like exam results or revising all afternoon. This just made him laugh more. I left on a high as no one believed my age when I said my photo was for my new licence as I was 70 in January. They wanted to know my secret. Good genes I think plus exercise. Back home I tackled Bobs shirt toile again. I just can’t get it to fit right.

My visit to the asthma clinic was another success on Friday. My results were so good the asthma nurse said I had the lungs of a healthy man. It must be all that talking I do. On a more serious note she discussed my eye, still a little pink then but now better, hence being brave enough for a photo ID yesterday! She told me to complain to the practice manager about the way I was dealt with last Friday. I don’t like doing this and said so ! However I did on the way out of the surgery. I explained that I could not complain about the care I received but could complain about the brick wall I met with the receptionist and lack of understanding about the situation . We had a long conversation all the pros and cons a d whys etc with a promise of more training for receptionists but I doubt much will change. I also left a message for my GP thanking him for his quick response to my needs and for the care a d treatment he gave me.

Today Claire and family are coming for an four before Erins swimming lesson at noon. This afternoon Bob is at his model engineering club and I shall sew or knit. My cardigan that I started in the summer in France is now nearly finished.