Good Morning Tuesday 29th August 2023

Good morning Mick and all who follow. I was wide awake at 3am this morning yet again, can’t get up or the dog will think it’s morning and want to go out! So good to see that you are getting back to normal Mick.
Have a good day everyone, hugs for those who aren’t feeling so chipper today. I’ll pop back later and read everyone’s news.

Morning all from West Oxfordshire. Yippee, I slept until after 5 am. I must do a Waitrose shop today. I was too tired yesterday. I will start assembling ingredients for the Ch…..s cake. I’ve usually made it by now. Perhaps a trip to our local NT place and maybe their cream tea? I will make a prawn curry tonight - a recipe from an Australian cookbook I bought at Sydney airport. My friend who’s is suffering dreadfully from cancer is 80 today. I will pop round with a card and flowers but probably won’t be able to see her. Have a good day. I’m thinking of Urms and others..

Good morning, Mick, and all who follow. It’s still dark but dry here in Torbay.

I’m pleased to hear you’re gaining weight, Mick, which is a sure sign of how well you’re recovering.
It’s annoying when sleep eludes us, Oopsadaisy1. Hope you can catch up later.
I’ve never made a Christmas cake in my life, LLFL! But then I’m not a fan of fruit cake or many sweet things generally.

Yesterday stayed fine for the Late Summer Church Fayre but wasn’t wonderfully well supported. I think people preferred to spend a sunny day on the beach, which is understandable.

Today is my last visit to Props at the theatre as I’m off to Portsmouth tomorrow then France on Thursday. I have errands to complete today in preparation for that.

Thinking of those who are suffering illness or sadness. 🦩🥰🦩💐🦩

Good morning, a dry start here in the Cotswolds.
Two nice dog walks yesterday, she enjoyed being chased around by a young retriever in the field at the edge of the village.
Today I need to go into town, I haven’t visited Bath for 4 years now. I don’t have any enthusiasm but there’s a specific shop I need to go to. I will probably do park and ride because parking charges are ridiculous in the car parks.
Have a good day everyone 🌹

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently 11° and dry. Oopsadaisy I've been wide awake since half five and up a few times in the night. Lack of sleep is miserable. Ladyleftfieldlover I made a Christmas cake for years but ended up taking it into work as family don't eat fruit cake. Now I'm retired, I don't bother.
Childcare day today. My aunt is popping in for a coffee too, so I won't take dgs2 to the park, just to the swings and in the garden. The tradesman is calling on about eleven too so it'll be a busy house this morning. I'll drop off dgs1 at nursery and pick him up later as well. Tonight is chicken curry for dinner. Have a good day all.

Good morning all from Mallorca where the sun is rising.

Yesterday was glorious and we spent most of it reading by the pool. Today will most likely be a repeat as DH hasn’t quite recovered from his chest infection and doesn’t have the energy for much else.

Wishing everyone the best day possible, especially those going through troubled times.

Good morning from yet another grey day in Bristol.
DH loved fruit/Christmas cake. I used to make two - one for our Anniversary in October and the other for Christmas. He’d eat them mostly on his own, forgetting to offer me a slice when he did! CBA just for me, and SiL likes to make theirs.
Had a dreadful night was awake for about three hours in the early hours, managed an extra couple just now. I have a dreadful headache; I think I shall stop a new drug whose side effects are headaches.
Today, there is a meeting with the higher management and residents here. I’m not sure I’ll go (of course I shall) as I’m so angry at their incompetence and procrastination. I still don’t have written permission to start work on Monday, and I was ordered in an email on Friday not to do so until the bl…y thing has been issued. Don’t think the bathroom will be done this side of Christmas, or I fall through the floor!
All the best, Ash. Thinking of Urms, the sad and sick too.
Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩🦩🦩

Good morning from beneath the duvet in Foxyland. No idea about the weather, as it is barely light but it is dry.
I went to Oppenheimer yesterday afternoon/evening with a book group friend and her husband but will spare you the review! It was riveting though and I got home around 9.30 absolutely wide awake and way too wired to even think of going to bed after Foxy’s “bedtime” walkie round the block. So two slices of home baked bread and butter and a yogurt later I was still up and awake until after midnight.
Taking a friend out to lunch for her birthday (last week) - I think we might go to the pancake place in a Woburn Sands where I had a very nice goats cheese and honeyed walnut pancake last time I went. Then tonight I will be taking part in a family celebration of my BIL’s life on Zoom from Nova Scotia but ranging right across Canada, and as far as Australia, China, Scotland and me here. A new concept for me, I haven’t seen one nephew for 50 years, the other for perhaps 30 and my niece for at least 25. My sister is in a care home in NS with Alzheimer’s and the siblings who had flown or driven from Toronto and Ontario went to see her on Saturday to tell her . Not an easy time for them all.
It must be Autumn if 🎄 🎅 cake thoughts are in the air LLFL - I love the smell in the house when the cake is being baked!
With kind thoughts to all with sadness or illness to bear and wishes for a pleasant day to you all.

Good morning my friends it’s meant to be bright dry and sunny here on the east coast of Fife but who knows?
The weather is so confusing at the moment. That’s the usual dove cooing outside it’s really lovely to hear. I’m going to be so busy today my gardener is phoning, the bins are getting washed out and I’ve a friend popping in.
Have a good day everyone but take care C is still out there.

Good morning from an overcast NE but it is dry.
Never left the house yesterday, weather was poor anyway.
Caught up with TV and did some crosswords.
Today is SIL'S birthday but they are not dining out as most places are closed on a Monday and Tuesday. We will have a nice meal tomorrow after we have done the shopping.
I did a Waitrose wine order on Sunday, like to take advantage of their 25% off, no word yet on delivery.
Hoping Urmston is feeling a little better and thinking of others with health issues.

Good Morning all from Spain.
Good to hear your gaining weight Mick.

Oops 3 am is an awful time to be awake, somehow the Mediterranean lifestyle means I sleep much better.

Yesterday we did a wonderful mountain hike in the morning cool, it was not for the faint hearted, the path was a bit treacherous but we had our walking boots and sticks!
We were rewarded with a fabulous display from some Griffon Vultures they soared below us, they have an 8 foot wingspan!
It was a special moment.

We rewarded ourselves with cold beer afterwards in the little Andalusian village Zahara, it was beyond beautiful.

After an hours pool time we then hit Ronda, it is an incredible place, we walked for miles, had a glass of wine on the Ronda Parador terrace overlooking the gorge then had dinner at the Palacio de Hemingway.

Our hotel is truly perfect, they have thought of everything, you can make a hot drink at any time of day or night, there are fridges and freezers full of food and wine, you just take what you want and write it down, biscuits, fruit, tea and water are free, there are sun hats, umbrellas, binoculars and if you don’t want your room serviced you leave out a sign and then help yourself to a free glass of wine in return! Far more sensible.

Today I think it’s a hike to a cave with some ancient cave drawings, not as testing as yesterday I hope.

Yesterdays photographs of gorges and vultures don’t really do them justice so this is a very beautiful door in Ronda.

Good morning all from the Black country, theres a lot of early risers out there today I was woken by the bin men.
Made it to the garden centre yesterday but didn't stop for cake it was to busy and DH is trying to lose a bit of weight, unfortunately he only has to look at food to put weight on while I'm the opposite can eat what I like.
Today I think it's a trip to TK maxx a voucher is needed for friends birthday and I would like a new black handbag.
As usual thoughts with missing posters take care all enjoy your day whatever your plans and may you all find some ☀️

Morning Mick, morning All from an overcast corner of Somerset.

Mr C isn’t so chipper this week, he’s finding it hard to be positive. Today a ‘must do’ is the weekly INR test, the rest of the day is wait and see. I’ll remove some dust and hopefully do the same with some weeds, I’ll enjoy the latter much more than the former, the garden is my relaxation space.

Good luck with the meeting grandmattie. If your regional manager is there you may find them more responsive than your house manager, ours certainly is. Safe travels for tomorrow and Thursday ash, hope all is smooth. Hope todays celebration of a life goes well foxy, the pancake plan sounds delicious. You’ve made me think ladylfl, I opted out of cake baking last Christmas, it wasn’t the same, may dig out my Ma in Laws recipe but halve the quantities. Not until October though.

Wishing you all the best day it can be.

Good morning from a dry Cornwall with some blue sky. Following your kind cat comments yesterday: he was fleeing another cat and he's young, huge and very fast. I suspect he was heading for his bed on the wide windowseat where he usually curls up on a blanket but couldn't stop. He and my daughter-in-law were in bed all day yesterday recovering (she has M.E. and was exhausted).

This morning I'm meeting a prayer group friend for coffee and some quiet time then back home for some very non-quiet time with my bouncy seven-year-old grandson who I'm informed wants to play with cornflour and/or to drill chunks of polystyrene. (My ideal Christmas cake would have two inches of marzipan all around it!)

Morning all from high cloud in S Hants, good to hear of your progress Mick.
How flipping frustrating gMattie I’m not surprised you’re cross, fingers crossed for progress today.
Quiz was tricky last night, not helped by the quizmaster changing the rules as he went, lack of prep.
Bathrooms to clean, phone calls to make and lunch with a friend is my day.
Enjoy yours 🦩🦩.

Morning all, it’s overcast here in S E Essex.

Sago your trip sounds fabulous, Ronda is one of my favourite places, along with your hotel.

I am off to the beach today to meet up with my younger sister and her children ( 7 & 12) as The Imps chicken pops are scabbed over I will take him along.

Thinking of Urmstongran and others with troubles or poorly

Have a good day folks 🙋‍♀️🦩

Good morning all from a cloudy Glasgow, where it is 11°C.
I'm another one, who has had an awful night, up every hour on the hour. This has now become the norm and I dread going to bed.

Glad to hear you are getting back to normal Mick.
Baubles, I hope your DH starts to feel better, chest infections are so debilitating, I used to get them on a regular basis, but prophylactic antibiotics for life have been a game changer,
GM, perhaps phone your GP and see if an alternative medication is possible.
Ash, good luck with your preparations!
Multi enjoy your busy day.

Sago, your holiday sounds idyllic. I'm also envious of your level of fitness? 💚
It prompted me to look up my friend's bodega. When she first met her husband, while studying in Seville, his family had a small bodega and he had dreams of developing it. He certainly has, I was most surprised at how it has grown.
He spoke no English and I remember the only words he knew and would call up from his apartment below, were ^ Come on baby light my fire!^ That was nearly fifty years ago. That visit started a life long affair with Spain.
Being a plain eater, my friend was concerned about what to feed me. Her boyfriend made me the most delicious paella I have ever tasted in my life ( including swordfish), I have been hooked on seafood ever since

Today we are off on our bus and train adventure to Ayr, I'm quite excited! I just hope I don't fall asleep on the train and snore! 😊
We will actually pass by Babydoll's back garden on the train!
The Italian restaurant we are visiting serves the most delicious honeycomb cheesecake, it will be the highlight of my day! The chef says the recipie is secret and refuses to share it!
Unfortunately showers are forecast, so I remembered I have a folding rain jacket, I haven't used in years. I searched everywhere, only to remember when I woke up, I had donated it to DD. 😔

I need summon up the energy to get a move on, I feel like a half shut knife!
Have a good day folks and of coursehugs for all, who are struggling.

Good morning from Shropshire.

We had a lovely day yesterday.It is always good taking a grandchild or two when we visit mum as she loves to see them and they entertain her.I have noticed a deterioration in her the last couple of visits, she is exhausted after a couple of hours.She is still doing her morning walk every day but she is looking very frail.She has had a letter asking her to go for a review at the drs but she is refusing to go.What are they going to do she said, put me down😩🙈

Today I have a hair appointment.DH is going to make a plum pie or plum crumble with the last of the plums he picked off mums tree yesterday.

The pancakes sound delicious foxy.I hope the celebration of life goes well💐

Have the best day you can everyone🌺🦩

Good morning all from the East Yorkshire countryside. It is overcast at the moment.
Up early today as we are returning home in time for me to go to my usual coffee morning. It will have a tinge of sadness as it will be the last one for one of our ladies. She and her husband are moving over to West Yorkshire to be closer to family. I was looking at cards last week to give her but teared up at the words like we will miss you as we certainly will. On the positive side she’s not that far away and we are all looking forward to meeting up again for lunches,shopping, theatre trips etc in her nearest big city.

Yesterday we went to a garden centre recommendation of another coffee lady. My word part of it has an antique/ bric a brac department. Boy it was like an Aladdins cave. There was everything under the sun in there coins,glassware,old toys you name it. I was surprised to see a lot of Denby pottery. The prices were reasonable too.

We also have a bit of a worry today as the family are due home from Spain. There flight is at 10 ish so will keep on eye on any updates. There was no info as yet on the airport website. He overheard someone in the bar last night say they’d been taken to the airport was there 8 hours then brought back and put in to another hotel overnight. The joys of travel and all that.

Have a good day everyone.

Good morning from Durham. It’s grey and overcast. Only a few miles away Harri but it was a glorious day here yesterday and I managed to get all of DD2’s laundry done, and the garden tidied too.
DD2, 40 yesterday is flying solo, checked in, but has over two hours to wait for an internal flight as she needs assistance, so I hope it all goes well. It means that I’ll have her little dog so I’m picking him up from her house to take to the groomers, then I’ll drop him off here while I meet my oldest friend for coffee. We met on our first day at work in 1970. A dog walk later and I’ll endeavor to keep him clean.
A short week, but unbelievably September in a few days. How time flies.
Best wishes to all. X

Good morning from a grey skied Colchester. Warm and dry until evening is the forecast.
It's Tuesday so I'm volunteering at the charity shop for the day.
Love to all 🦩 x

Good morning from a grey s somerset

My husband loved christmas cake, always had a piece with him on a cycle ride and nothing nicer with a cup of tea on a snowy day. I made a small one a few years ago and ended up quietly eating a small slice now and then but weight crept on. I miss my hm cake very much but fact of life, so no more

Nothing planned today, just to make that boiler service appointment and to buy a cinema ticket, the local cinema is re-starting, such a good thing and in walking distance

Have a good day

Good morning, Michael and all GNs from South Yorkshire where the sky is uniformally grey and cool! I cut my low box hedge yesterday with the shears and it wore me out and made my hands hurt. I have arthritis in my left thumb and that didn’t help. I thought about getting the hedge trimmer out but I didn’t want it to end looking like some ham fisted efforts at topiary! Today I will finish packing for tomorrow. Looks like being cool and damp weather clothing for the most part.
I like Christmas cake but not nearly as much as DH did - he used to make one every year using James Martin’s recipe. He used to “feed” them with whisky on a “a small one for you and large one for me” basis😁.
Have the best day you can folks.

Good morning Mick and all. It's a lovely sunny start on the Angus coast so I've got some washing in the machine ready to hang out before I go down to tai chi. And now there's a rather ominous-looking cloud over the drying green
That must have been a magnificent sight sago! (And that must have been some hike!!). Thank you for sharing your holiday journal with us.
Sorry to hear Mr C is having a not so good few days Corner. I suppose ups and downs are inevitable after such a big op, but difficult to bear.
Glad the cat is recovering*Mizuna*.
I hope the meeting yields some positive progress grandmattie. That manager sounds as if she really isn't up to the job.
I had a lovely time with DD and family in Perth yesterday, and it was a lovely sunny day too in the beautiful Fair City. Afterwards I tried for a bit of a wander round the shops but was too tired so got ahead of the rush hour in Dundee and was home in time for a brief commune with the goldfish in the pond before flopping for the evening.
Tomorrow Dancing GD wants to meet for lunch to update me on her first couple of days back at College - "soooo goooood" apparently 😉 - so we will also meet with my niece after my visit to the hairdresser.
This is the way my life goes - very little happens, then all of a sudden everything happens at once. I enjoy the busy-ness, but need the quiet times too.
Now off I must go and get ready for tai chi. I hope your cold is on its way out Urms - I love Himself's sense of humour regarding your enforced 'separation' 😊
Have a good day everyone x