Good Morning Friday

Good morning Mick and everyone. It's rained in Cheshire overnight and it's windy but the sky is blue. It will be an invigorating walk in the woods this morning, but it will blow the cobwebs away as the saying goes.

I took the car for a run yesterday and it started first time, I'm thinking of going to get plants to fill baskets and pots with colour so it will feel more normal about the place. I use a small nursery and she's got it well organised for social distancing I'm told.

Supermarket delivery this afternoon, so all the tarradiddle involved in dealing with that later, but very grateful to those bringing it to my door.

Yesterday my slightly belated birthday gift arrived from my DD and had a message printed on the container. It said 'celebrate each day as a new beginning' and that will be my mantra.

Stay safe and well. for all.

Good morning Mick. Hazy and breezy here in E Kent, still fairly warm though. Rain? If only!
Walking to farm shop this morning for my asparagus fix.
Our street market never actually closed. First wonderfully the flower stall, she also sells eggs. Remember the run on eggs? The the vegetable shop. Each week another stall seems to return. It makes a joyous scene in what is now a sad little town.
Stay apart/alert, stay safe. Have a good day y'all.

Good morning Mick and the GM team, from a cooler east London.

I was wondering whether I had enough salad stuff to last until our next grocery delivery on Monday. Now that the weather is cooler and the BBC’s Weather website seems to have changed its forecasts dramatically, I will rethink some of our meals for the remainder of the week.

Stuffed chicken breasts and a rice salad this evening.

Still waiting to learn what will be done about my wretched phone. I upgraded in March but didn’t immediately realise that when people phone me, I can’t hear them and they can’t hear me. I only learned this when my GP phoned me ...
After a certain amount of kerfuffle emptying the data, I returned it as requested. About 10 days later it was sent back to me, with exactly the same problem. I am now waiting to learn what the next steps are ... apart from considerable irritation.
I do, of course realise how trivial this is when compared with what other GNs are dealing with.

Have a pleasant day all, warmest wishes to those who need them and ‘let’s be careful out there’. ?

Sun’s up! ?
Good morning everyone from Malaga where it’s another gorgeous start to the day ?

I’m so glad we went into ‘our’ tapas bar yesterday! A few changes reminded us of the times. No condiments on the table (picking up and sharing is out), salt and pepper came in sachets with the tapas, menus had been printed on paper, handed out by waiters wearing masks and gloves and binned after perusal (not the usual shared, laminated ones).

Obviously no queuing in Spain - I like the cafe society in Europe where you just sit down, wait a while & are served at the table. We do too much queuing in the U.K.! As customers left the table top, sides, chairs and the arms of chairs were sprayed and wiped down. Very impressed. I suppose it’s in their best interests for this to work in the region, everyone being cautious and alert, in the hope that the virus numbers continue to decline and another sharp lockdown isn’t necessary.

It’s a lovely step back towards how things were, chatting to friends in the sunshine and eating a meal we hadn’t cooked ourselves - 14 March was the last time we ate a meal not cooked in the apartment!

Friday = steak night & Ribera at casa UG. ????

Hope Friday is good to us all. Keep safe everyone that’s the main thing. x

Good morning from a rather grey Teddington. Off to the tip again with another load of brambles from the allotment. Hope Gillybob has managed to get help with her problems.

Good morning, it has rained here in Leicestershire, not sure how much.

Must pack up Dexter’s things as he is going home tomorrow. We shall miss him - he gives us structure to our day.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Good Morning everyone. It has rained overnight (probably because I gave my pots a good soak) on Severnside and is now bright and warm.

Thank you all for the bee sting tips yesterday. I’ll try and remember but fingers crossed there won’t be (?) a next time.

I’ll venture out to the store later then back to finish my sewing and maybe sort out the printer. I messed it up yesterday.

It was nice to see BlueSaphire post yesterday and I haven’t seen vena11 on micks gm for a while.

Have a safe day all without too many worries ?

Morning Mick and All.

Grey, blue sky here in South Bucks.

Off to collect our prescriptions from Boots. Only 2 people allowed in the shop at once. One time I went a very nice assistant let me have a little browse around the shop, it was just lovely. The next time was very different. I was given strict instructions, told not to browse, was shouted at for walking back up an aisle. I had my mask and gloves on which makes it difficult to talk and I felt miserable as if I shouldn’t be there. Let’s hope I get the nice assistant today ?

Dexter going home! Progress indeed dragonfly. You’ll miss him but not all that angst and drama. It will seem empty and quiet without him but you won’t be worrying so.
?

I’m sure Dexter appreciates in his own way the care you gave him with his eye dragonfly.

Good morning everyone from a much cooler and wet Inverness. Hopefully it’ll brighten up a bit later and we will see some sunshine

Can’t think what I’m going to do today .... I’ve got a couple of online dance and exercise classes planned but that’s it. I’ll probably go for another local walk and see if I can find something new .... we’ve got another week here in Scotland before some lockdown measures are eased slightly so we need to be patient a bit longer ...

Bye to Dexter dragonfly I feel like I know him quite well now and all the problems he’s had - thanks for keeping us all updated, you’ve looked after him so well
The bar sounds very well organised urmstongran ? and I hope you eventually get your phone fixed norsat - technology can be so frustrating!

Hope everyone finds something to enjoy today and hugs to everyone with extra worries and struggles ?

Good morning Mick and All early risers ?

Dull, very breezy in Worcs. DH has taken waterproofs to golf just-in-case.

Dragonfly What? Your ‘foster dog‘ is actually going home. Great news! ?

Urstongran so glad you gave the cafe a try, what a treat to be out.

Beechnut be alert for those pesky bees, we have hordes of the ones I think are mason bees that burrow into the mortar of the house walls.

Yesterday brought a wonderful surprise to our door. A cream tea delivered from the Cornwall Hamper Company sent by my lovely sister for us to enjoy.
DH and I sat in the garden at 3 o’clock and had Cornish scones, Rodda clotted cream, strawberry jam and Cornish tea (6 teabags in the box).
As our annual trip to a cottage near Marazion is off, my sister thought it was the next best thing. Bless her.

Take care everyone and enjoy a safe day ?

Another glorious morning here in north Wales where I’ve slept in again so DH is bringing the chamberpot of tea for the sipping of while I catch up with all your busyness☕️

How lovely that meal in the bar Urmstongran! Oh to eat out and chat to whoever’s at the next table and just be sociable!

You will miss little Dexter, Dragonfly, but one less worry for you!

Stay safe and well everyone x

Good morning,Mick and all from a very breezy Glasgow.
It's a great day for putting a washing out, there is something so satisfying at seeing a full load of washing, flapping in the wind.
Small pleasures!

Urmstongran, thank you for your snapshot of life in unlocked Spain! I closed my eyes and imagined myself on a hot day, in a little bar having those Gambas! Bocherones would have been as enjoyable!
Enjoy!

We had good news yesterday. DD is planning a new wedding date, as restrictions are slowly being lifted. She had hoped to have it in our garden on 27th June, my husband's 70th birthday. It looks like she may have been a little premature, but it has given her something to focus on.

I will need to brush up my teaching skills. Schools are going back on a part time basis in August, week on, week off. DGD will be starting school in August, so I will be her teacher on the week she is not a school.
The stage I really disliked was Infants and I managed to avoid it for most of my career. No luck!, AâI shall have to brush up my skills. ?

I was pleased to hear that the Scottish Executive are looking at revising shielding advice. It has been recognised that this total lockdown has seriously impacted on the mental health of those shielding. A paper with revised advice is being written.
I await it with interest.

I have an exciting day ahead: a Tesco delivery and I think I will make empire biscuits. The tins are empty and I just didn't feel up to doing anything this week.

Dragonfly, good news about Dexter, although I'm sure you will miss him and you he. We had a set of reading books in school with a naughty dog, called Dexter. That is how I have always imagined him!.?.

Hoping for good news from Gilly and sending hugs to all my GN friends.
I sent a Hug in a pocket token to my DGD, not knowing DIL had sent one to us at the same time. I was in tears when I got it

Have the best day you can.

Good morning Mick and all x

Grey and overcast with a slight breeze and a definite drop of temperature here in S E Essex, hopefully our local beaches will be less busy today!

Phones norsat'seem to have a mind of their own!

dragonfly I expect you will really miss Dexter, he has been a big part of your life these last few months!

Urmstongran you are fortunate that life is beginning to return to normal in your part of Spain, so pleased for you and Mr,Um.

Mick it will be good for you when the markets you visit have your favourite stalls open again. A return to normality (all be it with social distancing )will be good.

Off to our local farm shop today, might get some plants to pot up whilst we are there. The fishermans wife delivered some beautiful fresh skate yesterday afternoon straight from the boat so that is our dinner for this evening.

Our little GC had a phone call from his class teacher yesterday he proudly told her that he could now peel potatoes and apples, was very good at sweeping up in GrandpaGravys garden and helping!

Let's hope that Marydoll has had a pain free night and that gillybob has managed to sort out B****y Barclays.

Keep safe and well folks?

Good morning everyone from Malta where the weather is similar to yours in Malaga, Urmstongran ?

I agree with you about sitting down and being served instead of struggling with your shopping whilst queuing, then trying to struggle with a tray. Not easy on one’s own.

We have restaurants and hairdressers opening today but I can’t help feeling it is a bit premature. They have to adhere to strict cleaning routines and distancing, but I won’t be eating out any time soon. However, vain as I am, I’m risking having my roots done tomorrow! Definitely not ready to embrace the grey just yet.

I’m going to give my outdoor furniture a good scrubbing today. Everything is covered in dust, but it is nice enough to sit out so definitely need to get some elbow grease going.

Wishing you all as good a day as possible, hope you won’t miss Dexter too much, dragonfly . It is easy to get attached even if he has caused you a lot of extra worry.

Good morning from an overcast Suffolk coast. No wind yet but I think it will blow in later. We have planned a picnic today with our two neighbours. A place called Haylings Pond only 2 miles away and have never been there. Don’t even know how to get there. Really looking forward to it so hope the weather holds out for us. We have lived here (partime) for 20 years and holidayed her for 20 years so it’s about time we visited this local beauty spot.

Little pooch was groomed yesterday and looks like a sheared lamb. Nice and cool for her though.

Ventured out to our nearest Tesco - first time as we’ve been shopping our our small local store. No queue so straight in and had a pleasant shop stocking up on things we couldn’t get in our small store. When we came out the queue was round the car park. We timed it just right. Although it was midday.

Your tapas bar visit sounds lovely Urmstongran . What a nice change for you after all this time.

Puzzler your cream tea sounds delicious. What a lovely thoughtful sister.

Have a worry free day if you can. Best wishes to all ?

Good Morning from a dull and cool Fife, however the rain is not here as I thought it would be. It is DH birthday today and like so many will be having a quiet one, never mind we shall make the most of it. Made a Victoria Sponge yesterday with buttercream and jam filling so hopefully that will pass for his birthday cake. Have the boiler being serviced today, so Utility Room all clear and back door will be open to let him in/out with no contact, strange times right enough. I'm hoping today is as good as we can all make it. Thinking of those a bit down, we've all been there. Dreaming of better days. Keep your chin up.

Good morning from the NE where we had overnight rain.
Developed pains in my right hand last night so now both hands are painful, not sure how I am going to manage.
Yesterday was warm enough to sit in the garden, read novel and have drinks on the terrace.

Take care, stay safe.

Marydoll talking about teaching reminded me of the time I taught near Glasgow. I taught 46 12 year olds in the morning and 45 5 year olds in the afternoons. Fortunately it was only for a term!

Good morning folks from the Scottish Borders where it is blowing a hooley. I forgot to take the washing off the line but it's OK , it brought itself down. And I left the greenhouse open, all because we had a wonderful long video call from our NZ family and I had to do my 8yr old DGS' quiz .
There's an idea Marydoll let your DGD set the questions and do her schooling that way.

I feel a new excitement in the air on GN.
Dexter is well enough to go home!
Marydoll's DD has a new wedding date.
Urmston has been eating out.
Who knows we may get Gillybob's Friday girl soon.
I really hope we do.

I come on to check what day it is but I am enjoying living vicariously - so keep it up!.

My garden is better tended than it has ever been. Several friends have started to come and sit in it and have a chat as they don't need to go through the house. Just as well as the house has not been well attended.
Hope you all have a good day.

Good morning from the Shropshire borders where we had heavy rain overnight.Today it is very windy but looks like the sun is trying to come out.

We have finally finished rearranging,sorting and decorating our upstairs.It has only taken 12 years?it has taken lockdown for us to have the time to do it.We are just waiting for the carpet and new furniture for our bedroom now.

Dragonfly,you will miss Dexter and I’m sure he will miss you.I would love to see his reaction when he sees your daughter.When we have looked after DD’s dog when they have been on holiday he has always been happy with us but reaches a whole new level of happy when he sees them.He seems to sense when they are nearly here and goes crazy running in circles and then sitting by the gate waiting for them.??

Bellasnanna,I am the same as you.I haven’t been in a shop for eight weeks but if my hairdresser called and said she could do my roots,I would be there like a shot!

Today I am planning on cutting DH’s hair.Will report back tomorrow?

Marydoll,like you we will be looking after grandchildren when the schools go back.I don’t know if they are expecting us to teach?The boys are not school age but DGD will be starting in reception.She will be attending the school DH did his teacher training at many years ago.

Take care and stay safe everyone.

Good morning from an overcast Colchester. The breeze is picking up. Refreshing after yesterday's heat and humidity.
Changing the beds is today's highlight.

Morning all from a damp North Leicestershire. There are black clouds overhead too.

I was intending to do pots today as we had a delivery of herbs and Busy Lizzies from the nursery recommended by dragonfly.

I think I'll do some phone calls instead and then disinfect the Sainsbury's shop.

Had a fabulous video chat with Bertie, Persie and Wolfie yesterday but it does make me miss them.

Steak with stilton sauce this evening.

Take care everyone.