Good morning Mick and all GN's on a cold, breezy morning in North Yorkshire. Can see the outline of the tree, but closed the curtains again as there is such a chill breeze coming through. Up to now have been using a fleece blanket to wrap round so as not to have the heating on, but just have to accept that I must put the radiators on now, as it is too cold to sit up without them. Also my aches and pains are worse in the cold, and cannot move briskly to get warm these days!! Have had a wretched night , little sleep, and both my back and my right leg ached and nagged at me all night. If I had had a big enough knife last night I felt like just cutting my stupid leg off!! If it is not going to work and let me move faster, at least it wouldnt be there to add more pain!! Oh well, by the time I am able to move about and go and sit in my shower, warm water will help and when I have heard my Bach and had my coffee I might be less of a grump! Sorry to be such a moaner, but thanks GN for being here and allowing me to whinge to you and get it out of the system.
Lots of halloween decorations and well done shop windows, which does bring a bit of cheer to the high street, but I shall not be doing anything with pumpkins neither eating them , nor decorating them! I hope that the children enjoy making things and dressing up, but have to say , whilst I can see the fun , going to friends and grannies etc to show off their costumes, if they go with an adult, I think it is totally mad that we spend our time as parents and teachers warning children never to accept sweets from strangers or visit strangers houses, yet we are happy to let them go totally against these rules and go round , totally unsupervised, knocking on who knows whose doors and accepting sweets and sometimes money for fireworks etc etc. They get something positive out of something that they have been warned about, so who knows how this lets them behave? If they then meet someone in the street or in public and remember the face and that they gave them sweets, they will no longer see them as a stranger, and not think of this important rule. I hope that I am not being a spoilsport and I do think it is very good for children to speak to many adults and become happy to take part in any sort of meetings and occasions but surely safety is the most important thing, that we need to reinforce. Well sorry if I sound like a female Victor Meldrew, but it does concern me.
I am looking forward to bonfire night as I love the fireworks, especially the wonderful star bursts . However I dont like the big bangs which seem to have got louder over the past few years, which I think is unnecesary . Today am going to see a friend who has a dog, who is very frightened of the fireworks, and the problem is that whereas if there was the one night to deal with they could cope with that , but they are having irresponsible people letting off fireworks over the past few nights so the poor dog is very scared, and also with their higher hearing levels, hears more than humans, and there is very little you can do , but be with them, put the radio on to mask some of the sounds and just be there for them. It is a pity that they cannot have a law, where fireworks could not be bought before the week of the bonfire night. Responsible people would still get their fireworks and obviously could order and pay for them to be collected at the right time, and it would help to stop stupid people causing upsets and taking risks with unsupervised fireworks. I do not really want fireworks to be only allowed at big set ups, but do want things to be safer. Dear me I am being quite a misery this morning!
Well, hopefully today, I can get out in the car if I am not up to walking far . I want to enjoy the autumn leaves before the wind swirls them all off. I also intend to go to Thirsk to admire the wonderful work of the Yarnbombers with marvellous rememberance poppies and lovely tops of bollards knitted tops. They manage to be both respectful of the occasion and wonderful to admire their great efforts . Some are so intricate I wonder how they even devised the patterns to make such clever things. Lovely to admire such things and I do tell people how worthwhile they are to look at , and know that many people do visit to see them, which also brings in some trade for the shops and the cafes in the town. So today will have to be looking from the car for most of it, must remember to put my binoculars in, as they allow me to look closer at the things, but I used to enjoy walking round and looking at all of the many clever scenes. However I shall enjoy as much as I am able to look at and also award myself a coffee in Cafe Nero, so this will be an enjoyable trip to look forward to, and to encourage me to make the effort to get going soon.
Mick, hope you enjoy both your trip and your fish and chips. Great that your phone is working better than the old one. GrandMattie, good that someone has got onto the MP. Perhaps you could write out a time line, from the first time there was something going wrong and you informed the agent. If you can show the lengths you have all had to go through and the trouble you have had to take it will add weight to the situation and who knows maybe some sort of compensation (although I wouldnt hold my breath on that one) Karmalady you have my sympathies. I also have a pull out thing which is in need of sorting, but so far have managed to ignore it with thoughts of things that are more important, but the day cometh!
Well I am very cold, and too near the window, so time to stir my stumps and get into the shower and start the day properly. Wishing everyone a good day, and the chance to do something nice, whether that is curl up with a book and coffee, or meet friends or be with Mick and go for the fish and chips - which is increasingly seeming like a very good idea to me for today!!
. Safe travels sar. Good luck with the GP grandmab. Those biscuits are super bellasnana. Best wishes for your move aldom. 
