Good Morning Thursday 22nd January 2026

Good morning from a mild damp Bristol. It was horror yesterday, wet and blustery, making one very wet.
The FAB cafe was incredibly well attended despite the weather. We were 27 in all, and a lot of the regulars weren’t there either. We are going to burst at the seams if we carry on increasing.
I had a Women’s guild meeting in the afternoon. The speaker talked about the old shops in the next village. Unfortunately, a) im new here so I have no emotional connection, b) dozed off as the lady’s voice was mostly droning…
I did, however, have a real surprise after I’d been home an hour or so. The new, temporary, agency “warden” called on me briefly. All the more surprising as she only works until 1pm; it was 4 pm. She seems very pleasant. I hope that she is efficient and gets to know the ropes quickly.
We are not an unpleasant bunch, just very, very tired of fighting for everything we should have, every repair, every missed appointment…
T’ai chi today, the my PCC man is going to repair it remotely, before I go to DD’s for dinner.
May all those with pain, sorrow and anxiety have a restful, easier day, especially fgtand md
Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩🦩

Good morning, Michael and all GNs. Still dark in South Yorkshire and very wet by the look of it.

I was very surprised to see a rather plump squirrel in my garden yesterday. I’ve lived in this house for fourteen years and have never seen one in the garden. He was sitting on top of a stone Buddha figure on the top lawn eating something. By the time I fetched my phone to take his picture he had scarpered!

Writers group was very productive yesterday but I must do something to improve my handwriting as once I have written something I struggle to read it back!

I will not be going out with the walking group this morning. It’s DD’s birthday today and I am going out for brunch with her and SiL and then they are off somewhere this afternoon. I usually call on my niece on Thursday but she rang to say that her little granddaughter will be there and she has had chickenpox since the weekend so I am going to give it a miss. I have had my shingles jab but am reluctant to take the chance.

The chiropodist is coming at eight, so I can’t linger too long over my coffee in bed this morning.

Have the best day you can folks!

Good morning from a dark and damp Black Country.

Thursday walking group this morning, more than likely in the rain, so it will be a shorter walk, with a stop at a local hostelry for coffee.

Managed to renew my Car Insurance, as Tesco had increased mine by almost £60. So found a quote with Aviva, for £15 less than I paid last year. Why do we have to do this every year?

I have ordered a delivery of Wiltshire Farm Foods for Mum on Friday Mick hopefully she will like them. I liked the fact they have veggies and can be cooked from frozen. Makes it easier for the Carer coming in every lunchtime. Although, when I ask Mum in the afternoon if the 'lady' had been today, she cannot remember, and always asks, 'what does she come for'? Her memory decline is so upsetting.

Wishing you all the best day possible, with special thoughts of FGT's and Marydoll

Good morning from s somerset, a lot more rain again today and a miserable grey sky

Thanks to the cheerleaders on here yesterday I actually set-to on Swedish death clearing of my paperwork. I feel so much better having done it, it took me 5 hours and I was shattered by the end. I now have a big basket of papers to shred

The downside was seeing the old prices and realising how much everything to do with insurances has gone up, it was staggering

Knitting today for DD birthday and will be imminently making another sourdough loaf, I am hoping that my starter is developing more muscle. It may happen today or it may be tomorrow

I am thinking about making a big vegetarian lasagne today, for ready meals to freeze. I have big jars of carlin peas and all the necessary ingredients plus milk to use up. I have done very well this month, getting through the food stores. Very necessary too with all the bills arriving this month and next

Have a good day

Morning from a wet S Hants, I’ve been absent as my hip dislocated again and am in hospital, due home today. It’s rather distressing and I’ve been rather down.
However, others far worse off, so I’ll wish you a pleasant day with thoughts to those climbing bigger mountains.
FGT
🦩🦩

Jax 💐

Good morning from Malta where it is still rather damp and gloomy looking with a high of 14°C.

What a busy day for you yesterday grandMattie. I’m glad the new warden visited and seems pleasant. Fingers crossed you won’t have to put up with any more annoyances.

Greyduster, I don’t think you can catch shingles from someone with chicken pox, it’s the other way around. You have to have had chicken pox to get shingles as it’s the dormant virus reactivating. I stand to be corrected! Happy birthday to your DD.🥳

Poor DGS2 was very poorly yesterday having vomited all the previous night. DD3 took leave to look after him. She was afraid I would catch it so didn’t ask me to step in, although I gladly would have done so. I think she got a shock seeing me so unwell with the flu, bless her.

Disappointing news from DD2 in the US. I had hoped all my children would be here for my 70th in July but unfortunately, due to DGD’s softball season starting, they won’t be able to make it. I understand as it’s an important year for DGD since she’s hoping to get a college scholarship on the strength of her softball playing. She’s very good apparently, so I wouldn’t want her to miss out on that.

I’ve got Milo dog today which is a nuisance really with the cat. Poor Winston has to lay low in the bedroom until Milo leaves which gets later and later!

I have tennis to watch at 9am. I didn’t get up at 3 to watch Djokovic even though I was wide awake. I’m not a fan.😄

I don’t like this Swedish death cleaning idea at all!. My children can earn their inheritance by clearing it themselves although I do try to keep the clutter down and have got rid of such a lot of stuff.

Hoping you all have a good day.🤗

Good morning all. It is seven degrees and cloudy in Kent.

Karmalady that was an impressively long session clearing paperwork. My goal is to have the house cleared of all unnecessary items by the autumn now as that means I can do little and often and still feel a sense of achievement each day.

Yesterday was a food shopping day. Made vegetable and chicken soup and roasted lots of veg for snacking food today. Happily I like the way re-heated veg turn soft when they are microwaved.

Today I have some babysitting to do for a two year dgs. Not sure how that will go as he only wants his parents at the moment.

Wishing everyone a good day.

Jax so sorry to see you’re back in dock. Get well soon.💐

Good morning from a still dark, but dry Sarthe, judging from the state of the cat, now indoors after his nocturnal wanderings!

I’m so sorry to hear about your hip dislocating again, JaxJacky. How frustrating for you. I hope you are soon home.

I’m pleased to hear you have a more caring warden, grandMattie, albeit only temporary.

Yesterday, I tackled the accumulation of ironing which is the one domestic task that olddudders can’t accomplish. Luckily, fewer Winter items require it.

No plans for today so I shall continue to enjoy a very light novel I’m reading for which the author, Chris Manby, did her research amongst some of our amateur theatre company!

Hope today is as good as possible for everyone, especially the unwell. 🦩🥰🦩💐🦩

Good morning from a dark, rainy, calm Cornwall.

A woman appeared at our craft session yesterday announcing loudly that she was the local Green Party candidate and acting as if she was in a council meeting. We are a gentle, thoughtful group with no-one who overrides anyone else until yesterday. Maybe she'll settle down but if she was trying to convert people it wasn't the way to go.

Afterwards I bussed to our general hospital and saw a lovely doctor at the dental surgery unit who is going to remove an embedded wisdom tooth root which keeps partying around my gum. She had the twinkliest face, obviously loved her job, and referring to my tooth she said 'It's doing its best to get out,' with a gentle smile. I don't mind dental work so will be glad to see it gone. The appointment was delayed but I crocheted in the waiting room and the staff were lovely and kept me posted and as usual I enjoyed the hospital atmosphere. A man also waiting to be seen was knitting, hooray.

Today a friend is coming round for coffee and pear cake, so no travelling for me.

So sorry about your hip Jaxjacky. I hope they can explain why it's happening.

Good morning from Sheffield

I’m so sorry about your hip JaxJacky, I hope that it settles down soon

I’ve only just woken up, making up for a few unwelcome early mornings

I watched the new film Nuremberg last night.
I thought it was very good , they did however show some extremely grafic film of the poor victims of the concentration camps ,which felt a bit gratuitous.
I felt as though they were used as entertainment. On the other hand the younger generation going to see the film may not realise the true horror of the holocaust . They were shocking images. I was a bit torn.

Anyway, family round for tea, they are having salmon for a treat.
Take care everyone

Good Morning everyone from a wet and dark south coast. It is still mild though supposed to get less so over the weekend.

Choir was hard work last night with a number of absentees including our MD. She should be back next week after taking time off for a family bereavement. We are fortunate to have an experienced MD of choirs, mainly retired but happy to be our stand in if needed. He is great fun and we all like him a lot. By 9.30pm though, after 2 hours of singing and learning new pieces, I am tired and always glad to finish then!

So sorry to hear you are back in Hospital Jax - must be so frustrating and probably painful? Can the medics fix your hip so it stays in place?

Special thoughts of FGTs and MD who are ploughing a hard furrow. Wishing them strength and fortitude in these difficult days.

Good morning from Cambridgeshire where it is 7 degrees and raining.

Yesterday after a difficult start to the day DGD2 managed another day in school. We take one day at a time.

Off to Pilates class this morning and meeting a friend for dinner in the pub tonight. No Swedish death cleaning here I will continue to plod through January.

Jax I’m so sorry to hear your news and hoping all will go well now 🤞

Wishing everyone a good day, take care, keep well 💐

Morning Mick, morning All from a seriously soggy corner of Somerset. A yellow warning for rain is in place, no sign of a dry day in the week ahead.

Who would have thought anyone could be so excited about new reading glasses. I had a huge smile when they were fitted, amused the staff. It’s been 18 months since I could read print without strain and headache. A very happy soul - in spite of getting very wet.

A very upsetting call from our goddaughter came later. Mr C worries about the calls but I’d rather be up to date with her own ill health and the horrific care situation regarding our friend than be fearful of what might be

We’ll only venture as far as our neighbours today for our postponed coffee session. Their little dog usually keeps my lap warm the whole time, he’s a sweetie. The time will fly past. Back to sorting this afternoon. Not sure what. It was a couple of hours on photos yesterday. Long enough for me to sit still. Some admin first then it’s wait and see. Omelettes and salad for lunch, an easy one.

You must be more than fed up jax, I’m so sorry.

With thoughts to all finding life a challenge and a hope Thursday is gentle with us all.
.

Good morning Mick and all GN's on a very dark, but as far as I can tell dry morning here in North Yorkshire. No sound of wind either so far. I have put the washing on, with the optimistic hope that it might get out on the line before we get rain forecast for the afternoon, but wont hold my breath!

Well, not got a lot of energy, but thankfully feel I am beginning to get back to something like normal. Still coughing at times, but not those awful long bouts which you cant seem to stop. Yesterday, I got myself slowly together, made a shopping list of a few bits I needed and firstly went down to Strikes - our garden centre , which has a good cafe, and where I have a loyalty card , which is quite a good bargain, as you get 2 free coffees every month. I have just got to the last of the coffees to have before 31st January. Of course, the cafe is right down through the shop, so they naturally hope that you will be lured into spending money on items, but I am quite strong willed when I need to be, and my only destiny apart from the cafe is the rescue area.

So firstly enjoyed my coffee, after quite a hunt for a table. It was buzzing, as the weather has been so awful, and this was really the best day for some time, that many people were meeting up and enjoying getting out at last. Coffee was very good, and I did well in the sick bay, picking up 4 tatty looking primroses at 20p each and 6 cream pansies in a block for £1. They can be nursed back to health and I shall get them out asap, to at least give me a little colour in the garden. My reasoning is that, if the weather stays above freezing it will give my garden a head start, and if it freezes over again I havent lost a great deal of money.!

So cheered by my visit I decided to go to the supermarket and not attempt to go on the market at all. With nowhere to park on the high street and still feeling a bit shaky, I got to the supermarket, managed to get a disabled parking spot and took bags and got their buggy to go round the store. For once I did better than expected, and various bits and pieces I needed were actually available, so that I ended up with quite a lot of shopping, and included quite a lot of liquids, fruit juice and disinfectant etc., that I had to ask for help to get it all to the car, I couldnt carry it. By the time I got home, felt very tired and could only take one bag in with a couple of frozen things and veg etc. Couldnt manage to empty the car then , that had to wait until I had had a very necessary drink and a sit down for a while.

Then I checked some emails and did a little inside, before getting my act together and getting all the rest of the shopping carried in and all put away. That was quite enough effort and I had a rest and something to eat, before going to the whist drive. It was a good evening, although several of the usual people were missing, and one ladies husband is very ill with pneumonia we learnt, so were sorry to hear this. I had a very good first half, although with some rather odd hands, and the second half was not nearly as good. However did quite well overall and came third, so came home with my prize of 6 lovely free range eggs and a pack of bacon, so that was rather a good end to my evening. Felt extremely weary when I got back but cheered by having managed to get back to something like normal.

Today, I hope to get another lot of washing in , before I go to the womens group meeting. It is the lovely yoga lady coming today, and I look forward to that. She is a very calming presence and is also good at reminding you of poses, and has good suggestions if you are in pain , as to how you can modify something if necessary. It also definitely has an effect on the overall group . We quieten down and begin to breathe together as we follow her instructions. Several people have commented on the sense of peace and togetherness there is not only as we do the yoga, but even after she leaves. So I am looking forward to that today.

Fingers crossed, the great cleaning pair will be here this afternoon, so I must make sure that I have written down the little bits I need to ask their help with, apart from the usual stuff. A new jar of beetroot and an annoying disinfectant lid to be opened, as despite all my efforts I can get neither off myself. I used to be the person people asked to open things, and now the boot is on the other foot as they say!! So now I try to remember by putting them out on a stupid place, so that when you look at them and say why are they there? you then remember! Nothing planned for this afternoon or evening, so hope to end the day in a cleaner better stocked home.

Glad you managed to get your trip in yesterday Mick and hope you stay dry today. GrandMattie, fingers crossed that things seem to be improving. Not surprised your cafe is bursting at the seams, I would definitely be there if I lived nearby. Looks a good start with the warden too, so hope that this might be the beginning of a better relationship and improved timing of necessary work and jobs that need doing.
Hope the Tai Chi goes well. I have wanted to try that, but at the moment whenever I see a class it clashes with something else.Sods law! Greyduster , hope you have a good brunch and enjoy meeting up. I enjoy watching the squirrels here quite a lot as they use the fence as their highway to and from the tree. Unfortunately they are grey ones, we do have red squirrels up at the top of wensleydale, but sadly these days I cant go to see them as it is about a 20minute walk to get to their area. I used to see many red squirrels in the Lake district when I worked there for the National Trust. NannyJan how I agree with you, there is always so much hassle looking through quotes etc., but these days you cant afford to just accept a repeat from any contract. Life would be so much simpler if you could just have things to renew, and oh for a shop where you could trust the prices and not have to spend ages working out which size is the best value etc etc. People who win the lottery speak about buying a new car or whatever. I would just be happy to go into a shop and buy what I wanted without looking at the price or spending ages working out the best value! Perhaps that could be a new job for someone part time, where they go round the shops and supermarkets locally and have a list of say 20 of the most common items, and put the prices on a daily list that you could pay a small amount for. I would definitely be interested in something like that!

Well I wish everyone a positive and happy day today, that plans work out and you get to see someone special to you.

Good morning from the usual dark, wet Wiltshire. This weather is really getting me down. DH doesn’t seem to get as affected by the winter blues as I do. Forecast was for a better day weather wise until yesterday, when it became apparent it was not going to be.

Shopping trip to Wroughton today, M&S and Waitrose. Neither will be more than top up shops as I had Ocado yesterday. But I go stir crazy if I don’t get out enough. We brought some meals from Cook last week which are in the freezer.

I’m so very sorry your hip dislocated again Jax. I hope you are getting great care from the hospital. 💐

Have a good day everyone.

bellas, I had to laugh 😆 about your children earning their inheritance! (Sadly), I’ve already downsized twice, so very little is left for them to do…
madeleine, there are some excellent videos online if you look up Xi Gung. I suspect that it would suit you better than full on T’ai Chi.
jax, what a bummer. I hope that all goes well this time - 3rd time lucky!🍀

Good morning from another damp day in Kent. A day in I think, the gardener should come but we will wait to hear from him. I hope to clear a few books and generally tidy around.
So sorry about the hip Jax I hope it gets sorted out this time
Best wishes

Good morning all. It’s a dark, damp, dismal start to the day here in South Lanarkshire.

As DH was supposed to be admitted to hospital yesterday I had kept the diary almost clear so we have a few days with nothing planned. I should be using the time productively however I’m the queen of procrastination so not a lot was achieved yesterday and there may very well be more of the same again today.

Jax, I’m so sorry to hear that.

GrannyIvy, how stressful for your family, I hope your DGD has a good day.

Wishing everyone a good day especially those who are struggling one way or another.

Good morning it is slowly getting light here in S E Essex.

Thankfully after my massage and facial yesterday I have slept for 9 hours and feel so much better for it.

Bed changing and some washing today. The 10 ur old is sleeping over tonight, he has requested steak for dinner so his servants (us) will of course oblige.

Holding those with illness’s and worries in my thoughts and prayers today 🙏🏻

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently 7° and wet. Some large puddles on the road. madeleine you put me to shame with what you manage to do despite being in pain. karma well done on sorting out paperwork. That was a marathon!
Yesterday I didn't get to the school library as I felt rather dodgy. I did pick up my prescription in the afternoon and pottered about.
Last night wasn't a good night. Two lots of painkillers were required and therefore a disturbed night. Today I have a chiropodist appointment fairly early then I'll do a bit in the school library before heading home. Dinner will be beef olives in onion gravy. Have a good day all

Good morning everyone from Inverness, its a wet and windy start to the day
Just a bit of pottering at home this morning and then this afternoon I’m going to meet up with a group of ladies at the local garden centre. It’s a while since we’ve met so I’m looking forward to a good catch up
Jax hope you get home today and on the road to recovery again today ❤️
Sorry to hear you had a bad night grandmabatty I hope you get a rest today and tonight is better
Thinking of everyone with worries and struggles, hope today is gentle and take care all whatever the day brings 💐

Good morning from a drizzly. N.Bucks.
Jax 💐
I’m out all day. Art class this morning and Sewing group this afternoon. DH & I will call to see DGS2 and give him his birthday present as he will be in London tomorrow.
DD2 is coming to join us for dinner this evening.
Wishing all a good day especially those with worries or troubles.