What have you done today?

Spent most of day looking after granddaughter which although I have two grandchildren I cannot be alone with eldest cos disabled and has to have constant carer with him but baby sister is 8 months and abs gorgeous, so enjoyed being a granny at last. Also my darling daughter over from oz for a week so we played babies together, son joined us later with grandson and we took dogs and babies for really long walk, heaven, massive shepherds pie and bed soon!

Went to Bathstore to change a fitting we had bought, then to DD's to find out if GS fancied a walk in the woods. He consulted his diary and found he couldn't fit us in to his busy social schedule ? (he was just off for a sleepover at a friend's house). DH and I walked the woods, had coffee at the sawmill and came home.

Painted the fence!

Met up with assorted Grans for coffee /lunch in jam packed Edinburgh. Much chat as usual and lovely to meet some far flung Grans!

Still cleaning decluttering sheds/garages etc (it's never ending):probably helped by the fact that I'm computer less (no idea why rubbish tablet is working, though). Daren't phone AOL or I'll end up doing nothing for hours. Strange thing is, catchup TV is working and that's usually what doesn't work. Caught up with all of series 7 Game of Thrones at DD's yesterday, which is probably why I'm questioning rights and wrongs throughout history. Would love to read your grannies writings re Cornwall, white wave. I love Cornwall in the way you love and think of the first person you fell madly in love with. Even though I haven't been back for years I can close my eyes and be there. I've cleaned all of the furniture that I want to paint at some point. Going to move inside for a while and do some clearing up in the living room whilst re watching Neil Olivers Vikings series which I'm finding absolutely fascinating.

Today, I am waiting for No. 2 daughter and her three youngest children ( 7 yr boy/12 &14yrs Girls) to arrive and take over my house for the next few days. Do love having them, but.............!!!!!! My other 14-year old GD who lives close by will come down to join us when they arrive, and her Mum will come over after work. Made an ENORMOUS Shepherds Pie yesterday ready for this evening.

Wrote a list of 3 important things I wanted to do today so I could have the satisfaction of crossing them off when completed. Did one of them and then enjoyed the sunshine ...

Got very, very fed up with GN.

Had a lovely afternoon with the grandchildren, 4 & 6. We ran along the footpaths through fields of tall sweetcorn (where there was no danger of anyone seeing me!), stopping to pick and eat blackberries at the side of one field. Then we went hunting for four leaf clover. DGS was delighted to be the first to find one - his first ever - and was even more delighted when he found one with five leaves. We sang as we returned up the hill through the sweetcorn, then we collected a few hazelnuts from the side of the lane below the house. Back at the house, the children helped me to pick cucumbers, beans, tomatoes and raspberries to take home with them later. Well, the ones that they didn't eat first! A good day

Bottled the last of the plums and gave the rest away! DH made 10 lbs of jam and with the 20 large Kilner jare of plums, that's us set for lots of puds over the winter

Thanks annsixty

Happy Birthday Greenfinch that sounds a lovely day.

It is my birthday today and I have had a lovely time after going to feed DD's cats( she is on holiday)and then taking garden rubbish to the tip with DH.We had a wildlife boat trip booked in Henley and so we had lunch at one of the villages en route. After having wrestled with the parking meter we had an ice cream and boarded the boat. The weather was perfect for a boat ride. What a lovely place Henley is..Now we are home and I am enjoying a Baileys. Bliss.

I woke up too early, so put the time to good use for once by washing my sofa cushion covers and curtains. Had to laugh at DH (once he emerged). I asked him to stand by while I balanced precariously on the windowsill in my dressing gown unhooking the very heavy curtains and he edged away ("in case you fall on top of me"). Yes, it would have been so much better if I'd crashed down on top on the solid wood chest instead. I've also given blood this afternoon - very slowly, apparently. And because of that I suppose I'd better just have the one G & T at the pub quiz later.

Cleared the patio of pots in readiness for painting the fence tomorrow as the weather forecast is good. It's stained sludge brown at the moment which does nothing for showing off the plants so I've bought a tin of Cuprinol Urban Slate and I'm good to go!!

Please don't rain.

Needed to buy some cream fabrics for a patchwork project so decided to use my Freedom Pass to go to John Lewis in Oxford St. DH decided to come too so we went off at 11 am. Got a lovely set of fat quarters but too early for lunch so decided to walk down Regents St and along Picadilly to Green Park where we bought sandwiches etc from M&S . Picnic lunch in Green Park and then walked on to Buckingham Palace and then walked along the Mall to Trafalgar Sq where we hopped a bus to the train station and home.
All it cost us was the £3.50 each for lunch and the £10 for the Fat Quarters! I love London!

Spent an hour reading this thread from beginning to end.
I'm on the computer waiting for the bathroom floor tiles to dry and then I'll collect my mop, put out new towels and go downstairs. DH is visiting a school friend in Bavaria and will go up a mountain tomorrow. I can no longer go with him - just too old I suppose. Somehow it creeps up on you.
This morning I took my frozen blackcurrent juice out of the freezer and made jam out of it. We live in a soft fruit growing area and me and DD2 buy 3 kilos black currents and I take one kilo.
My GDs went home at the weekend and I made up their beds this morning, hopefully they will come again soon.

Trying to be nice after yesterday! Helped DH cut a pyracantha hedge. The bloomin' clippings get stuck into the soles of your shoes and even into your feet. Now preparing a roast dinner for DD and her lot. We haven't seen them for nearly three weeks as they have been away. It will cheer me up no end. Your loft excursion sounds fascinating, Whitewave. Perhaps you could put some excepts on line - I, and I am sure others, would like to read them.

Been clearing out the loft and now sat surrounded by memorabilia of a Cornish Aunts memories - fascinating stuff as she wrote down memories of her childhood, what they ate what they wore etc. What they did in the summer for leisure etc.

tegan you'll recognise so much in her writings.

She described Grannies (my great grandmothers) Sunday best. I think it was Edwardian as she talked about leg of mutton sleeves, pinched waist beaded bodice etc. And black. I could actually kick myself as when my Aunt died I had to clear her house ☹️(She was childless) and found a black satin dress, but threw it out as i simply couldn't keep everything. I remember how small it was.

There is a lot of stuff that needs sorting so now I know what I shall be doing in the winter months.

I also found an autograph book (remember those?) of a cousin who died in her twenties of cancer.

Listened to Today, got up, let my dogs out and now eating breakfast

Well as it is 0354 hrs not a lot except keep hopping out of bed to put Germolene on all the bites I seem to have acquired out walking on Sunday! I had a tired, tetchy day yesterday. Hope it will be better today.

Walked the five and a half miles to DS's (where's that halo emoticon when you need it?) to look after two of the DGSs. Was looking forward to meeting their gorgeous new kitten, but ended up giving thanks when he took to his basket after three hours of peeling him off my ankle. I'll wear my wellies next time we go!

Got up, had breakfast and waited for tree surgeon. Wrong day apparently. He has us booked in for later in the week. Helped DH clear out a log store and move it to another part of the garden. Had steak for supper with courgette tempura chips. Excellent. Will do that again. Fell asleep watching University Challenge. More wood moving tomorrow ?

nightowl; bet your stable isn't as clean as my shed; I've even washed all the flowerpots! The house, however, looks as though it's been ransacked....

Cleaned the fish tank! Yay!