Good Morning Wednesday 7th June 2023

Good morning from another grey chilly Suffolk.

Off to keep fit soon and having missed my 2 classes last week I feel the need of the exercise. I’ve agreed to do an additional piece of work this afternoon because of absences and yesterday was spent reading the necessary paperwork.

Reading about the gooseberry jam making and suggestion of adding a sprig of elder flowers reminded me of making elderflower syrup every year. I loved the smell in the kitchen as it seeped overnight with lots of lemon as well. The children thought it was very grown up served with sparkling water and called elderflower champagne.

Hope those with worries have as positive a day as possible.

Good morning from an overcast NE yet again.
The heating is on and I still have my bedsocks on.
Nothing got done yesterday as I had a dicky tummy and needed to stay close to the bathroom. Where did that come from, I have not left the house since Saturday?
DS is coming after work to take me shopping.
Good luck with the furniture assembly grandMattie.
Take care Mick, you should be separating yourself to avoid infection this close to your operation.

Good morning all from a cloudy Glasgow, where it is 11°C, with the possibility of rain. DH is refusing to use the hose, as part of his civic duty, so hopefully the garden will get a good soaking.

Mick, I do not wish to spoil your enjoyment, but please listen to all the advice here and be careful. You are putting yourself at risk of catching something before your surgery.

Belated condolences from me GrannySomerset.💐 What a wonderful friendship you had.

Grandmabatty, when we looked after Dollie, who was prone to chest infections and croup, I always caught, whatever she had. Yet when I was teaching, I rarely had a cold. I hope you feel better soon.

Yesterday turned out to be a particularly enjoyable day. We made a trip to Irvine harbourside, where it was very quiet and not too far from home. After a gentle stroll we had a lovely lunch in a little bistro, completed with three scoops of tablet ice cream, my second favourite after dulce de leche.
This is why my clothes don't fit!
Trying to find our way through Irvine, I spotted the XCESS Stock shop, a favourite of DD. I sent a selfie from outside, and listed my bargains, just to annoy her. It did! 🥴

Something very strange happened. We were in the Maritime Museum car park, when a man came in, saying he had been robbed, after leaving his car unlocked.
After telling the assistant, that a bag had been stolen from his car, containing his car keys, spare car key, house keys, garage keys and every key he owned, the assistant called the police.
We listened to a tale of woe, of how he was stranded and couldn't get back home or into his house.
As the assistant was phoning the police, he quietly left the shop.
To our surprise, he walked to a van, took out a key, unlocked it and got in, despite telling everyone, his car had been unlocked and he had no keys. He then drove off.
We think it was a scam, where he was looking for money to get home.

DH suggested we pop into to see Babydoll on the way home. DS replied that they were out and about and were planning on coming to visit us. Oh deep joy!
Baby is becoming so much more alert. A doctor's appointment is on the cards today for a check up, 🤞 after her initial problems and a hip scan booked for a few weeks time. She is being well looked after.
On our kitchen wall, I have a montage of family photos. DS took DIL a photo of my three children, when they were small. He pointed out DD, who was about six months at the time, she was Babydoll's double! Why did I not notice that.

I have a hairdresser's appointment today, thank goodness. My very thick hair is becoming unmanageable, but my dizzy spells, have made me reluctant to go, but I have reached the point, where it is a mess!

Enjoy your holiday, Oops, Cyprus is one of our favourite destinations.
Gave a good day, whatever your plans.

Morning from a sunny S Hants, apologies to those without! Good luck with your assembly challenge gMattie.
We don’t ever stop Oops but I hope you can switch off for a while and enjoy your holiday.
Farm shop at some point today, a walk, then I’ll sit out with a book.

Good morning everyone from a grey and overcast Northampton, but it is supposed to clear and hopefully there will be 🌞, but I am not holding my breath.

Had a good walk yesterday, followed by my visit to the dentist, where my lost filling was replaced - surprisingly at no cost, as it had fallen out very soon after it was done last time. The dentist tried a different matetial, and built it up in layers, to try and strengthen it. Was in the chair 20 minutes, instead of the usual five!

A morning of light housework then an early lunch, then well-being cafe this afternoon.

Hopefully a fine day to us all.

Good Morning - another chilly one, although its supposed to be sunny this afternoon.

Cabin fever as I didn't go out yesterday, so will make it to the gym sometime. and the cupboard is getting bare.

Bests for poorlies and family poorlies, and enjoy outings, GN's.

PS. got serious gooseberry envy.

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders. Blimmin freezing here!
Yarn group today. What a change from last week's heat when we were eating ice creams in the sun.
My garden help is outside with a machine. I hope I have some meadow left.
Get well soon grandmabatty that's sad about your neighbour.
Have a lovely day everyone.

Good morning from another grey morning in W Kent. Had a happy day out with DD2 yesterday, a rare event now with her in full time work and teenage children. We went to a NT house something her family wouldn't particularly want to do and had a bit of lunch as well. Today I am meeting a DF at her house for tea, she is trying to sell but the market seems dead for her.
I also used to make gooseberry jam, just thinking of the lovely amber colour and yes elderberry added works well.
All the best.

Liberty until a couple of years ago, I made elderflower cordial every year, and elderberry syrup. This year the scent of elderflowers is everywhere here and I’m very tempted to make some cordial again. It’s far more delicious than anything you can buy in the shops.

Good morning from another grey day in Essex by the sea. Yesterday was cold, where is the sun.
A late start this morning after a long day yesterday. DH didn't get home til nearly 11 last night.
DD2 has an appointment with the Plastic Surgeon who operated on her face, fingers crossed all is still well.
A lazy day awaits here. Here's hoping you all have a great day xx

Good morning all from cloudy Harrogate- don’t know where summer has gone!
Good luck with your IKEA furniture GrandMattie. Glad H enjoyed school Susan
Good luck for your DH tomorrow Brook.
Today I believe we are off to Knaresborough market won’t be too crowded when there is no sun. I’m the afternoon I have a telephone check up on my COPD
Have the best day possible folks

Good morning from a dull West York's. My procedure went well yesterday so fingers crossed for a good result .
Oops enjoy your holiday .
Hope you feel better soon Grandmabatty ,&*Harrigran*have a good day all.

Hello everyone, it’s cloudy and cool here near Bath, not quite as chilly as yesterday. I am wondering if we’ve had our summer already!
I have a very quiet life, I am happy pottering in my garden, doing a bit of painting and walking my beautiful rescue dog.
This afternoon a friend has invited me for a cup of tea and cake, really looking forward to seeing her garden.
I hope you have a lovely day 🌹

Good morning all from a dull Co Armagh, looks like the end of our lovely weather .
Yesterday evening we had Confirmation in the local Chapel , 14 delightful youngsters are leaving primary school , off on the next part of their young lives in September
It was a lovely ceremony, the Bishop was very complimentary about the school choir . My youngest local Granddaughter was Confirmed, it was a very sunny evening with nice food rounded off the day
Her Brother took the opportunity to ‘ walk Gran home ‘ and introduce his girlfriend to the delights of a country walk 🙄
I managed to get a hug from a big hairy lad ! P

Good morning from a grey chilly south Perthshire where at least it's not quite so chilly as in the coast!
Yesterday evening's 'Night of Champions' at DGD3's school was excellent (alright, it was a bit long and therefore a bit boring 😉 as predicted by said DGD). Proceedings were broken by a BBQ where we all received a beefburger and a drink outside on a balmy June evening with the sun shining on the surrounding hills and mountains which we ate in the refectory.
NewMan's son's operation went well and more good reports this morning, so all very encouraging.
Loving all the talk of gooseberries - I had never realised they were so well-liked as I don't like them at all!
Oops enjoy Cyprus and the guaranteed sunshine. It will give you the strength to face the problems when you return and I'm sure it's a much-needed break.
What a sad story about your neighbour Grandmabatty, and tragic for her children. What a life they have led, poor little souls. I do hope it isn't a case of 'out of the frying pan into the fire' when it comes to the father. And I hope your poor little DGS2 is back to his bouncy self soon - and your cold clears up.
I hear teenage noises so I shall stop here as we are going round to the little village cafe for breakfast as a treat before I head back to the coast and my oodie.
Have a good day everyone x

Good morning, Mick and all. Another sunny day here in coastal West Sussex.

All this talk of the glories of gooseberries makes me feel even worse. I am not keen on gooseberries but we have several bushes at the allotment (not planted by us). Much of last year’s crop was still lingering in the freezer so I reluctantly got them out and started to make jam. Unlike all the energetic and efficient grans on here, it has taken me several days to gradually top and tail and boil up 1.5k of fruit and add sugar. It was still sitting in the maslin pan last night so before I went to bed I thought, I’ll just gently melt the sugar and then it will be ready for a quick boil and potting up in the morning. I know I turned off the heat and put a cover over the pot before going up to bed but I was woken an hour or so later by the smell of burnt sugar - the gas was still lit, very low but enough to have done the damage. I couldn’t face dealing with it so hoped I could rescue some liquid from the pan in the morning. DH came up with the tea this morning and said he tried to take the spoon out (which of course I had left in when I was stirring the sugar) and the ‘jam’ is completely solid. It is the revenge of the gooseberries and I am losing my mind 😨

Yesterday was one of these days - I went to a small local garden centre to see what they had to fill some gaps and I took so long wandering round and deciding what to have that when I headed to the shop with my basket the staff were just leaving. They’d checked the CCTV and didn’t see anyone - I must have been hiding! I had to leave my basket with them and will go and pay for my plants this morning. I had also planned to drop in at the library with two books to return and one request to pick up but when I got there I found I had left the books for return at home and had not replaced my library card back in my purse since returning from Scotland so had to whizz back home and return with books and card quickly, before they closed.

The gooseberry jam was the third thing so I am hoping I am safe today.

Intrepid Grandmattie, good luck with the IKEA furniture.
Karmalady, you sound like the person I would like to be - creative, organised etc - I live in hope.
Susan, that’s a clever granparenting ‘hack’!
Oops enjoy your holiday - your DD sounds as though she has made a good recovery.
Marydoll, it’s so good to hear that Babydoll is doing well 🥰

A good day to all and thoughts with those who are struggling.

Good morning Auntyflo and all x

Thank you GM, the elderflowers here have come and gone but I will keep enough berries in the freezer to make that jam early next year, sounds lovely. Just a note that I use the AFRC institute book, well used since the 70s and a large paperback

I should be finished by 12 and then nothing apart from reading and knitting. Good luck with the ikea stuff GM, very satisfying to build and nice that there are 2 of you to build it today

Good morning all. A cloudy start to the day, clearing now. Yesterday we went to Glasson Dock to see the avocets nesting there and have a lovely walk in the sunshine. It was so peaceful, sitting on the quayside eating ice cream. Not much planned for today other than a walk later,

Have a good day all 🌻🌻🌻

Thank you to Taichinan and Litterpicker for your amusing posts this morning, even though it wasn't funny at the time for the latter lady! I very much enjoyed reading both posts, ladies, because of your compelling style of writing.

Good morning Mick and all from a dull northwest coast. It might brighten up.
The music club went well and we had some new prospective members, a good turn out. I then shopped and had a nice walk.
Fell asleep in the chair in the evening which annoys me as I wanted to watch some tv 😁 Earlier had a chat with my 90 year old BIL in the south who says he is too frail now to travel and my SIL deperately wants a holiday…
I’m on the fence today whether to go to the lunchtime concert in town. It’s solo saxophone, which doesn’t really appeal.
Thoughts to all with troubles and will read through properly later.

Ash thank you so much for your comment. Quite made my day!

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Burnt gooseberry jam 😢😂

Eat your heart out, King Alfred! 🤣