Good Morning Saturday

Good morning Mick and all to come.
Feels a bit “warmer”this morning.
Some Online Pilates and a dog walk before my booked late shift today.
Have a good day everyone

Good morning from E Kent. I haven’t looked out yet so don’t know what the weather is like.
Something funny happened when I gave blood yesterday. The nurse commented, it’s your 72nd donation”. Wondering how she knew, I replied, yes, it’s usually very quick”. She looked puzzled and I realised that I had understood “70 second” donation. Quite a different kettle of fish!
Feeling quite chuffed. We discovered that my pension had been underpaid for about 10 years as it hadn’t been taken into account that DH had been paying my stamp - as was the norm when we married. Cue writing to DWP. After several months, letters, photocopies, phone calls, etc., I received a letter yesterday saying I was in line for a large back payment payable from 1 December. Also my pension payments are to be almost doubled! Trouble is I’ve got nothing to spend it on. ?
On this cheerful note, have a pain free day, happy day, stay safe.

Good early morning from Essex by the sea. It's too dark to see what's going on outside although I can hear the wind.
I've been awake since 5, lots of intrusive thoughts going around my head.
We have no plans today, just like yesterday, but will definitely go out walking to blow the cobwebs away.
Hugs and for anyone who needs them.
Have the best Saturday you can and stay safe everyone xx

Good Morning all from Severnside. A damp start today I could see as I pulled back the curtains.
Great pension news for you Mattie.
I started on my shoe swop over and ended by dumping them all on the floor. I bought several pairs of new sandals in the summer and they make some of the others look very shabby. I also found a new black pair of shoes I’d forgotten I bought. So, today I’m going to have a good sort out.

I hope you all have the best day you can ?

Good morning Mick and the GM team from east London where it’s still pitch dark!

Mmm a sausage sandwich Mick ... I’d like one too, please.
GrandMattie, how marvellous to have your pension underpayment rectified and your monthly figure adjusted UP! I hope you spend some happy time contemplating how you might spend it ...

We went to Timpsons yesterday for a clock battery, it is in a small unit attached to a very large Tesco. I had to wait in the car as I’m shielding, but I was musing as I waited how reassuringly old fashioned it was, to see a shop which cuts keys and repairs watches and heels shoes.
I remember Timpsons in the town where I grew up.

Hoping Marydoll, Cherry and MrGrammaretto all had a decent night.
Thinking of gillybob.

It’s film night and a takeaway for us tonight.
Hope everyone has a good day and ? to those facing challenges. ?

Good morning form a pitch dark north of Scotland. I am off out very early to pop a birthday card through a little friend’s door. I’d have gone yesterday but the wind and driving rain combined with the fact that the tennis was on kept me in. Tesco order arriving later with veggie sausages as today’s winter warmer. Christmas trees are on sale locally from today but I’d rather wait another couple of weeks and go on a midweek day. I’ll see the sunrise when I’m out on delivery.
Have the best day you can.

Good morning all.
It is quite scary how time is rushing by as I only seemed to read two days ago Nortsat
Posting that is was film night with a takeaway for them.
Very dark here in Stockport and my usual exciting day of staying in.
At least I stay safe.
Have the best day you can everyone.

Good morning from a calm and dry Torbay.

Sorry you had a short night Sar53. Not helpful but a walk is always a good plan, especially the chance to inhale sea air!

What happy news about your increased pension payments, grandMattie, even though it could be next year before you’ll have greater freedom for spending. I giggled about your 72nd blood doning misunderstanding!

Nortsat: Timpson's! Happy memories of my first high heels from them - brown suede! I was 15.

The saga of my car accident rumbles on. As the initial period of a fortnight for the car hire ends this Monday, I rang the body shop garage to check on progress. What a revelation! My car is still in the secure compound to which it was taken on the 8th November! No apology offered, just lame excuses about needing authorising to have it moved. When challenged about the lack of contact with me they replied they had had “problems with the internet” and that included the phone which is internet based. Odd that when it’s on the same exchange as my landline. My insurance company have been informed and are aware of the delay and monitoring closely. Apparently, Covid regulations have affected progress. Really?

Enough moaning! I can keep the hire car as long as necessary and, on reading the handbook, I’ve discovered it has heated seats which is comforting on achy joints!

Happy weekend to you kind people!

Good morning from Malta where it has been raining though not heavily. It might brighten up later.

Nothing on the agenda today apart from the tennis later.

Wishing you all a good day whatever you are doing.☀️

Morning everyone from a dark and windy north Wales where I’m enjoying the chamberpot of breakfast ☕️ tea, good and strong!

What serendipity GrandMattie- I love hearing things like that! And how marvellous to have a car with heated seats Ashcombe, even temporarily!

Hope your hip has settled in AnnSixty and you’re ready to trot once lockdown finishes in England - might you come to Wales again?

We’re popping to Conwy for brunch this morning- trying to support our independent cafes where we can and making the most of the freedom to do so whilst we can.

Will pop in later to read about your doings, hope they’re happy ? ones!

Good morning everyone from Inverness, it’s still dark but the forecast is for a cold dry day so I’ll probably be tidying up in the garden again later. Next week is the last garden bin collection as it’s stops over the winter, so I’d best get as much into it as I can!
Such good news about your pension payout grandmattie I hope you can plan some lovely things to spend it on soon?
Enjoy those heated seats Ashcombe a little touch of luxury and well deserved!
Hope everyone finds something to enjoy today and take care whatever the day brings ?

Good morning all and it feels warmer than yesterday.

Ashcombe - how frustrating for you to hear your car is still in the compound and hasn’t been touched. Life can be sooooo irritating can’t it. At least you have the hire car. ?.

granmattie what a lovely surprise re your pension. I’m sure you can think of something to spend it on that will give you some enjoyment or something to look forward to. A holiday maybe or something for your home. ?.

I’m, hopefully
, going to glimpse my Gd1 today as she is home from Uni and isn’t going back until after Christmas. What a disaster it’s all been. She’d only been there 3 weeks when she had to isolate fir 2 weeks, she’s never had a face to face lecture . She came home for a couple of days and then we went into lockdown, so couldn’t get back. Goodness knows what will happen after Christmas. Will the universities re open?

Wishing you all a peaceful and tranquil weekend. ???

Good morning everyone from a fairly dark windy day on the east coast of Fife. Good news my dh who was Mr Grumpy these last few days is recovering from his asthma symptoms after getting an antibiotic and steroids on Thursday from a very lovely locum gp. Mr Happy is most welcome . We’re both off this afternoon to collect a Christmas tree from b&q you can never gave enough festivities going on during these bleak times. Have a good day be kind to yourselves and others who are less fortunate smile everyone

Good Morning all from East Staffordshire where it is rather mild today.
DH has said he will take me on a bike ride this morning, his idea of morning is very different to mine, if it was me leading the ride, we would be done and back home by now. He is still asleep?
I will catch up on some TV whilst I wait!!
Mattie. Great news re the pension I am sure you will think of something to spend it on, Marydoll will be on soon, she will give you some ideas??
Have a great Saturday everyone and think about me at noon when I am struggling to keep up with DH (who doubles for Bradley Wiggins on two wheels) on my bike !!!
Smile folks it really is contagious, I am going to think of a three word sound bite for my advice to smile every day like Boris does?

Good morning all from dark and grey N Bucks.
I was “buzzing” late last night after a Zoom “immersive mystery experience” yesterday evening with my daughters and sons in law - a sort of murder mystery game but done via Zoom and using the Internet for the sleuthing, breaking passwords, hacking into emails etc. SIL 1 is a forensic accountant investigating dodgy corporate finance so it was very much his area but it was me who spotted the link between a name and Matthew Hopkins, the 17 th century Witchfinder General. It certainly got the little grey cells out of hibernation.
Quiet day today, must get on with the Afghan I am knitting for DD - possibly for Christmas ..... so I hope there is some good TV - but nothing with subtitles, as I can’t read and knit at the same time!
Wishing you all a pleasant Saturday.

So pleased your DH is feeling better Elizabeth1 enjoy your trip out later!

Good morning from an overcast NE.
More or less slept the night through although DH said I was having nightmares at 5am and thrashing about.
Delivery expected today, as it is a laptop we paid for next day delivery we didn't want it lying around a depot.
Beef stroganoff for lunch and maybe an episode of the Crown later.
Have the best weekend you can.

Good morning everyone from Malaga where we have white cloud cover. Our resident ducks are paddling around the large swimming pool!

So glad we made the most of yesterday and walked into Torremolinos in the sunshine ? We had lunch in a very buzzy bodega - I was happy enough indoors as we were given a corner table & the staff all wore masks. Good timing by us as half an hour later the locals were waiting for tables but at least they congregated outside with drinks at the barrels - either standing or perched on high stools.

It was a traditional Spanish menu - lots of fish, shellfish, tapas, etc. We were the only British in there (it was off the main tourist drag) and so I thoroughly enjoyed people watching! I don’t know whether it was so popular because ‘the weekend starts here’ mentality or because curfew means eating now has to be crammed into the afternoons.

We are meeting a couple of friends this afternoon for drinks at 3pm. We will get chucked out at 6pm! ??

Hope Saturday is good to us all. Wonderful surprise about the increase in your state pension grandMattie! Just a shame the government kept hold of it for 10 years. Keep safe everyone that’s the main thing. x

Good morning Mick and All.

Grey slightly warmer day in South Bucks.

Your sausage sarnie sounds delicious Mick. I think I will cook a full English for our supper tonight.

Well we are now over half way until we are released again in England. 2020 will go down as a very memorable year and all for the wrong reasons. Mustn’t get down as our wonderful scientists have developed a number of new vaccines.

I will be joining you Bellasnana for the tennis. ??

Good morning all from a wet Glasgow. I've been wakened for hours, when I had an angina attack about 4am. I have to admit to being a little anxious, as the last time I ended up in A&E at 4am on a Saturday morning! A feeling of déjà vu

Grandmattie, what great news for you! Its good to hear some happy news for a change. I hope you are going to treat yourself to something frivolous.
brook, I see there is a book festival in Inverness, are you doing anything connected to it?

Yesterday we went to see my little granddaughter to drop off her birthday present from us , my DD and DS2.
Some of you already know that my elder son refused to come to my daughter's wedding in August, when he decided his siblings were putting me at risk of death from Covid, by having a garden wedding. However, I have since realised, there was so many other underlying reasons for his awful behaviour.
Our punishment was cutting all of us out of his life, which of course meant we didn't see our beloved DGD.

On her birthday, we received a surprise video, so I tentatively asked if we could drop her presents off.
Yesterday afternoon, we stood in the rain outside his house, speaking to her. A bittersweet moment indeed, but he did seem to be softening a little. However, nothing will ever be the same, he has caused so much hurt and DH refuses to forgive him. I of course, trying to be peacemaker, am stuck in the middle. ?

We are in the first day of lockdown, so no visitors. I'm actually quite relieved. James Martin and the sewing machine beckon, I don't plan to do much!!!

Enjoy your day, whatever your plans.

Good morning all from a cloudy North Leicestershire. Some of the clouds are very dark so I expect we will get rain.

Our lovely village florist will deliver my flowers this morning and I will spend a lovely half hour or so arranging those.

I heard on the local news yesterday that the husband of a fellow volunteer has died of Covid. There is quite a sad air in the Lester house currently.

DS2 has still not recovered from his bout of Covid. He is still off work and finding that he needs to have a rest after even a short walk.

At least your pension is good news Mattie . Enjoy your last week in Spain, urmston. No wonder you were buzzing last night, Maw.

Pork in cider, cream and apple sauce for Supper. Cooked by a very talented young chef and delivered by her dad.

Take care everyone.

Good morning Mick and all. It is cloudy here on the S Welsh coast. We will go out for a short walk soon otherwise nothing else planned. Our phone isn't working so I couldn't ring the butcher yesterday, I'm sure there is something in the freezer for tomorrow, mushroom risotto tonight.
Good pension news grandMattie. I had a letter this week inviting me to apply for my state pension, which is due next March.
Hope everyone will have a decent Saturday, stay safe.

Good morning from a dry but breezy Derbyshire.

This morning we are collecting some posts and rails from the agricultural merchants to fence off the fruit trees at our field. The horses had broken the previous fence and eaten most of the apples! SIL has offered to do the job as knocking the posts in is a bit beyond us strength wise at the moment.

Later we'll watch the racing followed by the rugby then Strictly. Dinner will have to be something quick and easy!

Hope everyone has a good day.

Good morning from an overcast but mild south Cornwall. Great pension news grandmattie!

Had my hips x-rayed yesterday. The receptionist said: 'Do you have any symptoms of coronavirus?' Then, 'Have you been to Denmark recently?' He laughed and so did I.
Saw the x-rays, both hips are bone on bone, makes it easier to understand the pain.

Anyway, putting all that aside I've been up since 6 sorting the party room for my grandson and wrapping the pass the parcel, which he enjoys even at the age of (today) 11. Bless him.

Have the best Saturday possible, everyone.