Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

" won’t mention it to the good looking man though, wouldn’t want him to get too big headed "
Come on Sue! He deserves a compliment occasionally!
I'd wear that shirt as well...... Very good cut Sue.
Not sure about the day yet. Let's see what the weather is like.

[Wendyf]

A job well done Maz!

[Stanley]

Getting a bit of shed in and this afternoon luxuriating in a foot bath and pedicure from Nurse Susan. The big bucket of Epsom Salts was a good buy.....

[Sue]

I carefully typed a message yesterday but its not here, I Must have forgotten to submit. Thanks all for your comments about the shirt, i was very pleased with it. It was certainly a steep learning curve.

Yesterday morning I had my annual blood test for sugar levels, plus a minor op on my head by the GP to remove an infected sebaceous cyst. It was a very quick operation but it meant no pilates or yoga yesterday or today. It was also difficult sleeping last night as I had to sleep in one position only so I did not lie on the stitches. No hair washing today, and no combing either on that side. I will feel a right mess. I spent the day writing my book. Today should be writing but it depends on the roads over to Todmorden.

Tuesday afternoon I helped clean out and set up the hospice shop at Bacup as it was flooded out last week. The cellar was 4 feet deep as it lies next to the river. All their stocks were lost. Normally the shop does not flood but there has been a new layout of the road and pavements. The pavement now slopes towards the shop door! The shop flooded, there was no electric and what didn’t get covered in dirty water went mouldy. What a mess! They are hoping to open today but I am not sure they will

[Stanley]

So many people affected by flooding Sue, I'll bet that was a dirty job! Hope your head heals quickly.
I have a medical day (See medical matters) and shopping. I might get an hour in the shed though.....



I'm struggling with tiny little parts......

[Sue]

My head is fine thanks Stanley. I slept well last night and can wash my hair with care this morning, that will get rid of the stuff they used to clean the wound etc.

As snow is forecast and because I don’t like making felt (wool fibres make me itch like fury) I am not going to craft. I shall do a little craft at home making two birthday cards, one for Claire and one for Erin. I am reminded by the snow this week that it snowed on the days they were both born. In fact is pretty nasty when Erin was born 6 years ago. Where did 6 years go?

Being Friday Bob and I shall go out for lunch. Our friends Wendy and Keith are still quite poorly, a very bad case of flu I think or some other nasty virus ( but not THE virus!) keith had to have the emergency GP the other night as he was so bad, bordering on pneumonia Wendy ended up in hospital for thorough checks a week ago due to extreme headaches and dizzy spells. We are keeping well away.

I did some more writing yesterday, but it was a day for tidying the format of previous chapters. More of the same this afternoon I think. This is hard work as I keep finding research I did nearly 20 years ago and want to use it so have to back track into finished chapters. I didn’t realise I had so many notes.

Yesterday I made contact with the widow of a cousin ( the son of John Widdup's Sister, Sarah). I hadn’t been in touch for over 10 years and wasn’t even sure if she was still alive. Anyway she has promised to send me some more specific information in response to my questions. I will then have all the information I need for the chapter on siblings. She was very pleased to hear from me and I have promised to send her copies of various chapters and will later send her the book.

[Marilyn]

Just got back from a lovely long walk in the sunshine...

[Stanley]

Sue, research never stops does it. You think you have got a straight edge and up pops another fact/set of facts. I cover myself by constantly telling my readers that evidence and the facts change so they should never trust anything I say 100%!
There is some nasty flu about and I do my best to avoid crowded venues. Shop early, wash your hands and cross your fingers!
Hoping for a bit of shed, but shopping and an article that is nagging me might get in the way. No more social commitments until the Diabetes Nurse on Wednesday....

[Sue]

Nothing planned today. Probably writing and wrapping a couple of birthday presents

Yesterday we caught the bus to Bacup to go and buy some mini quiches and apple tarts from our friend on the market for our usual Friday tea. Raining at home it was a real blizzard in Bacup and treacherous underfoot. I discovered my walking boots leak! I can’t complain I have had them years and years, a bargain buy in the sale at Winfields of Haslingden. We called in at the hospice shop and was pleased to see everything was functioning, back to normal, bought a couple of birthday cards for Claire and Erin, had a coffee at a nice little cafe and caught the bus back home.

We arrived to see the garden maintenance man calling at the house and about to leave so we had to do a quick sprint for the last 100 yards. Not easy in walking boots carrying shopping. He was calling to give us an estimate for putting a new fence panel in the back garden where one blew away in the storm the other week ( he replaced it about an hour later) and to give us an estimate for taking some of the front garden up to widen the drive. Bob’s new car is slightly longer than the last and where he parks it sticks out and affects the access to the garage for mine.

After we had placed our tarts and mini quiches in the fridge we quickly walked back up the hill through the puddles to our local pub for lunch. If you don’t get there early or book the place is full most lunchtimes and every evening, but the weather must have kept people away yesterday. Good cold weather fodder, home made steak and kidney pudding and chips. Not our normal sort of meal but very welcome sat next to a roaring fire drying out. By this time my feet were squelching in my boots.

Back home I investigated my wet feet, more cold than wet I think despite two pairs of socks. I will try a bit of dubbin round the soles before I buy new. Then I finished a couple of loads of washing , continued with my research, and reformatting some of my chapters and It was 8.00 pm before I knew it!

[Marilyn]

I honestly think you need a day on the couch, Sue.

[Sue]

That was, we bussed, we shopped, we drank coffee, we bussed home, we ate, we sat, we watched TV, we ate again and drank wine!

[Stanley]

You posted about steak pudding just as I was having mine with mushy peas for breakfast. I've done my bit of essential shopping at the Co-op and given Jack his second walk, the rain is beginning to bate a bit. Then my second sleep.....

[Sue]

Enjoy Stanley

Well Maz I am sat on the couch wondering what to do. Birthday cards written , presents wrapped. Now having a cuppa, twiddling my thumbs, rather bored

[Marilyn]

A lot of outdoor sweeping for me, getting into crannies around pot plants etc. ( possibly not the best thing for my spine but I took frequent rest stops). Then I washed all the bird poo off outdoor benches. The cockatoos are plentiful again this year but should move on soon en mass. It is one of nature’s rhythms around here. Hundreds of them arrive on the same day, they stay 3 months and as soon as the little ones can fly, they disappear all on the same day.
We can have lunch outside today on clean seats!
News this morning that son and his girlfriend have parted company for the umpteenth time. ( just 2 weeks after their luxury cruise). I don’t know what is wrong with folk! It’s not as if they are youngsters!
Good news that the dog is still alive and managed a small slow walk in the park this morning though. ( that will be the next thing he will have to deal with).
Cockatoos outside or back fence...

[Stanley]

Not sure yet, too early. It won't be sweeping outside though, too bloody cold!

[chinatyke]

What a lovely place you live in, Maz.

[Marilyn]

Thanks China. We love it. Very quiet and peaceful, with the beach a short walk away too.

[Stanley]

I've always said that what Barlick needs to make it perfect is the Rock Island Line passing through the middle of the town and the Indian Ocean at Salterforth.....

[Cathy]

[Stanley]

So far this morning cooking for Jack and myself has soaked up all the time, now I take him out! Then breakfast.....

[Marilyn]

You are making excuses, Stanley. Get in that shed!

[Stanley]

Not so Maz, I have been busy all morning. Just taken Jack out in a biting strong wind, now for a warm up and breakfast then bed! Bugger the shed, I do not let it rule my life.

[Big Kev]

Doing an online training course and an exam, the joy.

[Cathy]

Feeling for you Big Kev.
Remember when (most) of the world worked 9 - 5 Mon - Fri. Maybe a Sat morning .
It seems that the world just doesn’t sleep these days.

[Sue]

Doing an online training course and an exam, the joy.

Hope its interesting.


Undecided today. Claire and Erin are here this morning, Bob is at model engineers this afternoon. I usually cook a batch of soup Sunday afternoons but I have done that. There is the washing to finish and the ironing to do. I am lost without any on going sewing