Good Morning Thursday 13th November 2925

Good morning from Bristol.
It was very wet yesterday but still 19 people attended the FAB cafe which celebrated its first birthday. Very gratifying.
It helped that a new AgeUk tai chi class has started and the tutor is encouraging his pupils to come to coffee afterwards.
The library book group was equally busy. We discussed the latest Elizabeth Strout book. We all felt it was very bitty and no one felt they wanted to read another of her books.
Today, the usual tai chi class then dinner with DD and family.
Hugs to all especially fgt, md and all those with mountains to climb.
Carpe diem 🦩🦤🦩🦩🦩

Good morning Mick and grandMattie from another sopping wet day in north Wales - we have another three days of this☹️

Loved the pictures of socks and aurora, karma and Baubles - wish my knitting and photography skills were good enough to post…☹️

Some cleaning to be done at PG Towers today (the staff have a routine but do enjoy my supervisory skills…🤭 ) then sorting out my Christmas glass baubles wot I made in class - now they are worth a snapshot, watch this space!

🥂for all celebrations I may have missed and 💐 for those with not so cheery times, too many to list in case I miss someone - nothing worse than being left out x

Have a good day in spite of the ☔️ x

Good morning from Malta where a sunny day is forecast with a high of 23°C.

Yesterday I took Milo for a very long walk, a bit too long as my back was killing me by the end of it and I needed a couple of painkillers.

The internet technicians arrived an hour earlier than expected which was great as it was quite a long job taking nearly two hours.

The boys arrived around 3pm, DD3 took Milo home and then went for her facial so I took the boys up to our little local playground where they played happily with two other boys who were squirting a water pistol at each other.

It was lovely to see them all getting on together, the other boys were aged 6 and 8 but were very kind letting two little ones join in and there were a lot of giggles!

DD3 came for them at around 6pm and I rewarded myself with a glass of Prosecco after I’d tidied the chaos!

Had trouble keeping my eyes open watching the tennis. It was a bit of a boring match with a predictable result. Alcaraz is playing today so I will be watching with more enthusiasm!

My front steps need a good scrub so I will do that this morning as well as cleaning the bathrooms. Not very exciting is it but I’m just glad I’m able to do it really.

Hoping you all have a good day.☀️

Good morning from s somerset, sunny all day but then..... rain rain and more rain

Another mostly indoor day today, I have plenty to do, these socks won`t make themselves and I have also promised my dil a knitted top. I am knitting furiously but no hand aches, it must be the kind needles

I won`t be wasting the sun today, I will get outside at some stage

Have a good day

Good morning, damp and dark here in south Glos, yet more rain later 🤷🏼‍♀️
It was surprisingly mild yesterday, our early dog walk was uneventful albeit muddy as usual nowadays.
I had a morning and evening Zoom art tutorial, using pastels, I really enjoyed it. I’m very new to pastels but I like the effects you can achieve.
I don’t have anything much today, housework of course and probably some knitting. It’s DH’s birthday, I did say we’ll go out for lunch but he’s not keen which is a pity.
Hoping for some sunshine today.
Have a lovely day 🌹

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently 6° and raining again. Roses I like pastels too. Bellasnana it's always nice when the boys find friends!
Yesterday dgs2 had another unhappy start to nursery. I felt like a heel dragging him along as he shouted that he didn't want to go, he wanted to stay home with mummy. However he settled after cuddles from the nursery staff and had a good day. My new phone arrived and I set it up. Actually it mostly did it itself. I just need to sort the e-sim. You no longer need a wee plastic card apparently.
Today will be the last of my extra childcare days. I love those boys but I will be glad to have a quiet day tomorrow. Anyway it'll be picking up the boys, drop off at school and nursery, hoping for a peaceful transition this morning. Then back to tidy the kitchen and find out about the e-sim. Then later pick up from school and bring them back to my house where they will descend like locusts on my cupboards. Gammon for dinner tonight. Have a good day all.

Good morning from a dark S E Essex.

I am off to Lakeside on my own today. I have a list of family to buy gifts for and another list of ideas for said gifts. DH will be staying in as I am expecting parcels after my afternoon internet shopping.

Only 41 days till the day, and I need to get a wriggle on…

Sending (((hugs))) to all our mornjng friends with illness or worries 🙋‍♀️

Morning Mick, morning All. Our corner of Somerset is forecast to be fine before several days of heavy rain.

Tasks completed yesterday with the addition of re-tuning the stubborn tv and sorting a computer glitch. It didn’t want to play nicely after a software upgrade. Telling our son later he asked what I’d done. My reply? I’ve no idea. His response? Why am I not surprised!

Perhaps a stroll along the river this morning. Mr C wants to finish his jigsaw at some point, I’ll head for a book I think. Some batch cooked chilli from the freezer will make for an easy day.

Best wishes to all. Have the best day possible everyone.

Good morning from South Lanarkshire where the rain is tipping down again.

No chance of seeing the aurora here. Yesterday DS’s eldest was telling me all about it as Daddy had woken her up to go outside to see the lights in the sky, it sounded so beautiful.

Grandmabatty when I collected my youngest GC from nursery yesterday he told me he didn’t like it and didn’t have any friends. When he had checked in yesterday morning he had put his Velcro name tag on the sad area of the feelings board. The staff told me he’d had a good day. Oh to be a fly on the wall.

I don’t have much planned today so will just potter.

Have the best day possible everyone.

Good morning from Shropshire.The rain has finally stopped for now and a dry day forecast🤞🏻

A quiet day until late afternoon when we will go over to DD1’s.DH is on childcare duty until SIL gets home from work while DD and I are off to Chester for a meal out and then to see Midsomer Murders on stage.

I hope your grandson has a better start today Grandmabatty.H never wants to go to school or anywhere for that matter.Tries everyday to stay at home but always enjoys it once he gets there.

Thoughts with all in pain or struggling in anyway and wishing everyone the best day possible🌻🦩

Good morning all and it’s so dark here in Essex. Up a bit earlier as I’m picking up DGD and taking her to school. Dd has a fluey cold and the traffic has been abysmal this week. They have to wait around for buses so I’ll attempt to get her to the gates in time .

Today I’ll shop and cook a shepherds pie for Dh tomorrow. I’m off to the theatre and ds1 will sit in with his dad.

School pick up and hopefully that’s it.

I haven’t even thought about Christmas shopping yet. We have so many birthdays November and December and I like to get those out of the way before the ‘big’ shop.

I hope all strugglers will find an easier day. 🥰

Good morning Mick and all GN's from a very dark North Yorkshire. Cant see anything from the window, but it doesnt feel too cold, and I cant hear rain, which is good as I want to get the bedding washed and on the line. Today our womens group are going to Barkers, our local quite posh store, which has a pleasant cafe with views out over the park at the end. So we are booked in for coffee and having a quiz and also arranging various bits about the organising of the hampers, and what we are doing and where in the next few weeks etc. I nearly forgot about it, but fortunately called in yesterday at Upfront, or I would have been arriving at our normal meeting place with no one there and not a clue where I was meant to be! I want to get a bit of shopping early and get the washing out with hopefully a chance of it drying while I am out. So it will be a more topsy turvy day, with me getting showered and dressed up, then returning in the afternoon to catch up on jobs I have left undone.

Yesterday was a bit wearying, but did tick off a few things. I did a bit of the never ending sorting of the dresser stuff, got shin beef from the freezer to make my favourite casserole with, cleared up and then it was off on the yellow peril to the market and shops. It was so mild that I didnt even have a coat on, but had my mac with me as a precaution. The market was busy and lots of people out and about. I am glad to see the market being used and appreciated . I managed to get my favourite bread from the shop, found the lovely Tesco chocolate ginger bisciuts , on a stall I visit who sometimes has good bargains. They had had some very good crackers - that you have with cheese etc - and I had gone for those but then saw the gingers and also have risked another christmas pudding to try. I do usually buy a christmas pudding but do not use it on this christmas but have one from last year. That usually works well as keeping it I find, makes it richer for storing.

So carried on in and out of the stalls, called at the bank and ended up , of course, arriving at cafe Nero, for a much needed coffee, where their latest little offering for paying on your phone app is this cracker that appears. When you open it, it is either a rubbish joke and you havent won, or you can win a free coffee, which is what I did, which added pleasure to the taste to know I hadnt paid for it!!

I am now happy to look at christmas windows and enjoy them. I get a chance to look at them more closely , being on the buggy, and some shops have made a real effort to decorate them and put some real effort and artistry to their work. Others seem to me to have just shoved as much as possible in their windows with endless labels suggesting that these things are absolutely the best present you could buy, with as far as I can see not the least connection to christmas, thoughts of people, or anything than wanting the most money from you that they can get. Anyway never mind I got the majority of stuff I needed, and returned home for a rest, before stashing all the stuff away and putting all the washing out to dry. Left the buggy uncovered and ready to go down to collect the washing. I made up the casserole which smelt lovely and put it on for a slow cook, sat down to let my back ease up a bit, thinking I must go down to see how the washing was doing , and promptly fell asleep. When I woke up it was raining, the buggy was soaking wet as I hadnt covered it up, and the washing had had a rain water rinse and was hardly any drier than when I had put it out. So will try again later today!!

I dont know about you, but I have a funny attitude to routine. Whilst some things are governed by others, such as what day the dustbin men come, or a group you go to, so your option is only to go or not go, I like to have , as the irish would say, a routine that I dont have to take any notice of!! When I am not feeling well or have a headache, the routine is great, as you can do things on almost automatic pilot, which allows your mind to slowly get to work, thinking about any extra or special things you want to do. Common sense tends to decide that obviously you would bake first and then sweep up not the other way around. So at home it is natural that much of the things you do are routine, but at the same time, I am always ready to throw away routine with gay abandon, if anything better comes along! At this time of year, the weather is definitely a routine breaker, as any sign of sunshine or a mild spell means that shoes are donned and out to enjoy whatever there is to enjoy, a bit of gardening if I can bend or walk about and if not a little ride in the car or on the buggy to enjoy the autumn colours. My little acer has been beautiful, wonderful colours but yesterday morning there was hardly a leaf left on it and think that by the end of the week , much of the trees locally will be bare. Winter trees are still lovely, where you can see their graceful outlines against the sky , and I love having this tree outside my window, and it gives me my information every morning, are the leaves out or falling, is there signs of spring etc and what are the squirrels and pigeons doing today. I enjoy visits into cities, love going to art galleries, museums and looking at architecture and often look up at roof level in towns and cities where you see wonderful carvings and gargoyles and all sorts worth looking at. But the countryside is my real love, and gives me so many delights with the changing scenery, the long views all the signs of the year moving along, which you can see without looking at a calendar, by seeing how the crops are doing, what fields are ploughed etc etc. So whilst I accepted that for health reasons, and to remain independant as long as possible I needed to live in a town, being in a quiet cul de sac, with lovely silver beech trees in the front and the neighbouring tree which I see from the back window from the other side of the fence, give me that country connection and I am grateful for them. The tree at the back is like my weathercock. I tell by the movement of the branches and which way it is swaying what is happening. I also sit here writing and watching the dawn arriving so even have a sense of time passing etc. Hope they never have to take the tree down!

Mick good to know that you have put on a little weight. For anyone else they would not want that but for you that is showing you are doing well and keeping going. Hope you have a good trip to Bicester. GrandMattie well done with the cafe, kept you busy no doubt. I wish there was a Tai Chi class near me. It looks the sort of thing I could do and would be calming having to keep your mind on your movements rather than your worries! Bellasnana well done getting your engineer there and stuff sorted. You sound as though you could do with a rest today after a busy day yesterday.

Hope everyone can do something they enjoy today amidst the list of need to do jobs. Take a leaf from my book and abandon your routine for a little while! Have a happy day everyone

Good morning all from a wet Glasgow, where it is 6°C.
Another restless night and of course it is a childcare day.

We are giving a gentle day, I'm very fatigued these days. I'm going run to the Doctor's for my prescriptions and leave BabyD with DH.
It is just too much of an effort to take her. There are eleven of them, so I'm going to drop off the script at the pharmacy and get them later at some point. Otherwise I will fret about how DH is coping and want to stay out for a short a time as possible.
I phoned yesterday to chase up the new medication, but they had only just received the prescription., so I'm not holding my breath that a script has been written.

After church yesterday, my plan was to do very little. I cannot put the finger on what is wronng with me, but both my RA and diverticulitis have flared up and I have a lot of pain.
It didn't work out that way. The P.P is still unwell after two surgeries within six weeks of each other an is in a lot of pain and unable to do a great deal.
He came looking for me, to ask if I could go and get some keys made, he required them urgently for a group, who needed them and some for the presbytery, as there were no spares (new external doors had recently been fitted.)

Off I trotted to find Timpson's closed. Grrr. I had a feeling it was only for a tea break or something, so wandered off to the card shop to look for a congratulations card for a former pupil.
She has graduated as a nurse and secured a job immediately. I have always kept in touch.
It was a wrong decision. I picked up several boxes of speciality chocolates for Christmas presents. I seem to have got a bit carried away.

Fortunately by the time I went back, Timsons was open. I spotted a lady getting photos printed and asked the salesman how it worked. He kindly helped me print one from my phone, which I needed one to put in a beautiful frame, for Babydoll"s parents, as Christmas present. So much easier than faffing about on my P.C Success, a good result!
However, I lost a favourite earring, a gift from Florence, bought by DH hand years ago. 😪

I must dash, BabyD will write a 1* review, if breakfast is not on the table. 🤣

Aldom, I keep meaning to wish you happiness in your new home.

Best wishes to all, especially the mountaineers.♥️

Good morning from a chilly W Kent. Off to art group this morning and then a change of routine as DH is out to lunch with old colleagues from long ago. I have decided to get on with the Christmas cards.
Best wishes

Good morning everyone from mid Essex, it’s quite mild, but cloudy and I think a dry day is forecast. I waited in all morning for a parcel to be delivered and it eventually arrived early afternoon. Then I was able to go and collect my prescription from the pharmacy and post some birthday cards. Vacuumed the stairs then wondered why my back ached!
I’ll change the duvet cover later this morning, which is always a struggle.
I’m doing a little Christmas shopping online, but I think most of my family will get cash or vouchers. The grandchildren haven’t decided what they’d like yet.
grandmattie how satisfying that the FAB cafe is well supported.

grandmabatty I hope your dgs2 goes into nursery happily today.

Thoughts as ever to those who are struggling for any reason, hopefully the day will be a little easier for you.
Have as good a day as is possible.

Morning all from West Oxfordshire.

I must get up soon as I’m off to Specsavers to collect my new long distances glasses. On my return there is ironing and I must sort out what I’m taking to Kew tomorrow. I’m driving up tomorrow to look after granddaughter until Monday. First OH and I are attending an Arts Society study day. We’ll go in separate cars so I can set off for Kew straight after the event. Elder son and his partner are driving up to Scotland to pick up the keys for the house they’re buying.

Have a good day everyone.

Good morning everyone from a cloudy and damp Northampton, rain forecast.

Shopping successfully completed yesterday morning, and I was home by lunchtime. Then decided to give all the cushion covers a freshen-up wash ready for my guests this evening. After that got the bus to see DGD1 on her 18th birthday and give her her presents - I gave her some money to buy premium bonds and also some ear-rings with sparkly stars on them, which she put on straight away. DD-out-law then arrived home from work, and gave me a lift home.

Today will be getting the house ready for my wine evening tonight, and also preparing the food. I also need to have a light meal ready for DD when she arrives after work. It is quite stressful and I shall be glad when it's over for another.year!

Wishing all a pleasant day.

Morning, we’ve had rain overnight in S Hants, but the day is forecast dry. I introduced MrJ to the library yesterday, he’s reverted back to reading one of the books I’ve borrowed after staring at the shelves for a while. The boiler was serviced in the morning and floors washed.
Today I'm not sure, he has a voluntary drive necessitating the use of my car and will be gone a while.
Happy Birthday MrR&L 🎂
I hope the poorlies have a better day.
FGT
🦩🦩

Good morning from another dull start to the day in Suffolk. We had a warm sunny day yesterday after a dull start yesterday so hoping for the same today.

I have my stretch class at 9.30am and then DH and I are going to see ‘Downton Abbey’ at the theatre in Lowestoft which shows films occasionally in the afternoon. My dear mother used to call them ‘Pensioners pictures’.Our dog wil spend the afternoon with neighbours. She could stay here but they love her and the feeling is mutual so we feel happier if she is having a good time as well as us!

Hope all have a good day.

Good morning from a wet NE, forecast is for it to continue all day.
Yesterday I did nothing other than read on my tablet and watch TV, pain in my hand continues and all tasks are difficult.
My friend in Cumbria rang in the sfternoon and we chatted for an hour. She is waiting for an operation and has had it rescheduled for the end of February. An operation on her skull that she has waited a year for and has to travel to Salford, not easy when you are 80 and have arthritis.
Another lazy day beckons.
Have a good day.

Good morning Mick and everyone from wet Carlisle, it's rained heavily all night.
Yesterday's car repair appointment was a waste of my time. After waiting an hour for them to start the work, they discovered the wrong part had been sent. It will be Friday now.
At least I made good inroads on my latest book whilst waiting and got a free coffee.
Home to more coffee and catnaps to get me through the rest of the day after my sleepless night. I did get much of the ironing done and then spent the afternoon mostly reading.
I managed to stay up to my usual bedtime and then slept in till nearly seven so I hope things are back to normal now.

Today will be mostly admin plus some photo editing and I am very near the end of my long book. If it does stop raining, I'll likely go for a walk. Incidentally, on one of my holiday days, I achieved 23000 steps...with no ill effects too. Unprecedented! Can't have done that for at least a decade and probably will be another before it's done again.

Wishing you all the best possible day.

Good morning, Michael and all GNs. The sun is shining in South Yorkshire at the moment and we should have a dry day. Yesterday afternoon was dire. Before it started to rain GS cut the top lawn for me. The grass was quite long. I only asked him to cut a swathe from the steps to the clothes dryer and left him to it, but when I went out again he’d cut it all. He also did a few other little jobs outside and then settled down to do his uni work. This week is his reading week. We cooked a steak dinner.

Nothing much planned today. A walk this morning and then I will go and order some new driving glasses with my new prescription.

Have the best day you can, folks.

Good morning all. Unrelentless rain and wind again today in Glasgow.

Hairdresser day which is more of a social event catching up with regulars over coffee. I have just realised today’s date, tick treatment due for my over dramatic cat so I will gown up later to perform the monthly major surgery of dropping some oil on the back of her neck! She will be in recovery for the rest of the day ignoring my profound apologies. 😼

Best wishes to all for a good day

Good morning from a brightish Torbay and it’s not raining ….yet!

Yesterday, our speaker regaled Wednesday Club with pictures and a fascinating talk about Indonesian wedding traditions. Her presentation style is warm and compelling and her talks are always informative and engaging.

Later our conductor had to run our rehearsal for the Bach B Minor Mass without our skilled accompanist who is unwell. It revealed how much we depend on the continuo in places! Only 10 days until our performance!

A good day is wished for all. 🦩🥰🦩💐🦩