What I did today

Its DH's birthday today and we have both really enjoyed it.

Three months ago DH had a micro-sleep on the motorway and that finally kicked him into going to the doctor because he was permanently tired and sleeping more and more during the day. I had told him some years ago that he had sleep apnea (when he keeps stopping breathing in the night and then briefly wakes to take big choking breathe), but he ignored me.

A week later he was confirmed with severe sleep apnea and given breathing apparatus to wear at night. It took just one night's proper sleep for him to wake the following morning the person he used to be years ago. Since then there has been no stopping him. He is busy catching up with several years of little jobs round the house. He is never happier than when he has a screwdriver in his hand. This morning I mentioned a possible change to a cupboard in the bathroom, talking about getting someone in. By lunchtime, he had been online, measured up and worked out how to do it himself.

I heard again the phrase that in the past has so often irritated me. 'Why pay someone to do it when I can do it myself'.

So as we had our birthday lunch. It was so nice to know that DH is again the man I married. He is now back in Duracell Bunny mode and I had a real giggle when I realised that next time we see him, DGS, will get the shock of his life when his grandpa joins the kickabout on the lawn.

I did a big bake for the freezer ,had the house to myself which is rare ..no GC ...very rare so thought I could fill a shelf or two with steak pies ,quiches ,scones and pancakes and a huge batch of apple sponges ..should have been apple pies but my daughter phoned while the apples were cooking and they ended up a bit pulpy .Not to worry my OH will eat them anyway .A wee visit from my son and his eldest ( thats new as the baby is just 2 weeks old) at teatime which is his normal routine as he pops in on his way back from work most days .Dinner came out of the freezer a lamb and cauliflower curry .Dishes done ,by hand I got rid of the dishwasher a long time ago as I quite enjoy washing dishes now I'll catch up with last nights Casualty while OH heads to the supermarket for catfood ...my kittens are eating me out of house an dhome ...lol

How wonderful for you annsixty, a good day indeed! I had a lie down this afternoon, cooked the first roast dinner for months, DD2 there too, dinner is always a hurdle for me!

Not an exciting day here, unless you count catching the two mice that our older cat brought in. It's nice that he can still catch them but, as half his teeth are missing, he has to gum them to death and we usually rescue them alive.

Church this morning - I'm the organist, which at least makes sure that my childhood piano lessons don't go to waste. Then the ironing, interrupted by 2 power cuts, the latter not that unusual here.

DH and I shared a chicken breast. Not a huge amount of meat but lots of nice veg and crisp roast potatoes. I'm now contemplating breaking out the raspberry gin I brought home from holiday....

Love raspberry gin, I was bought a bottle of small batch for my birthday.
In spite of being very old ( 82) I still love gin of any sort, good food and young people’s company.
Small portions of really well produced food is the best.

I've been a bit lazy today. Defrosted the freezer and did a bit of half hearted cleaning. We're off to a pub quiz now, which is always good fun.

Church this morning. Ironing this afternoon. We too shared a small chicken breast but had chips ? naughty. Now getting ready to watch the F1 racing having had a little drink ?. Glad you had a nice time with your DGD annie

Sorry ann I must have had too much plonk!

Spent the morning trying to convince DH that what he is going to do is for the best. I won't elaborate here.
Made lunch, washed up, and got out the crochet.
I'm now waiting for Antiques Road show to begin.

Annsixty how lovely that your DGD has moved in with you!

My achievement today is making the Christmas cake. I still use the recipe that Miss Knight, the Domestic Science teacher, gave us in 1962, and I still have the dog-eared notebook that I wrote in all those years ago.
Then I had two hours in the garden, weeding and dividing up perennials that have run amok over the last few years.

Just about to have a very exciting dinner. Baked potatoes with sausages & (homemade) coleslaw, followed by blackberry and apple singe pudding, made with the blackberries we picked yesterday.

Happy Birthday to Monica's DH! Annsixty, how lovely for you , having GD to stay.
Had a sore head after last night's celebrations (son's m.i.l.'s 65th Birthday). Stayed in bed most of the day except to pick up my car from the pub (neighbour gave me a lift).
Had couple of pieces of grilled chicken thighs with rice and yogurt.
Back to bed again......bliss !

Annsixty, 82 is not 'very old'. 92 is getting old, 102 is very old... imo

Thank you Anne for starting this thread.
Your granddaughter must love you very much. She is a very fortunate girl to have you looking after her.

Today, I opened up our church, (very early ?) the usual keyholder is on holiday, as is our Parish priest.
I then did a bit of admin and had a go at sorting the photocopier, (I love troubleshooting technical things), came to the conclusion it needed an engineer, so listed all the faults and left an example of what was wrong.
Tidied up after the service, procrastinated by chatting to everyone and anyone, sorted a few problems, then went to the shops.

I can't really carry much, but I saw a space right outside the freezer shop, where they do deals on cases of Pepsi Max. (and I had a coupon)
I foolishly stocked up, (can't resist a bargain) manouevered the trolley out of the shop towards my car.
What I didn't realise was that the pavement was on a slope, veering towards the main road, the (too) heavy trolley starting rolling towards my car and the road.
I started to make all these silly noises, as I tried to stop it! Ohhhhh, aahhh, oooh, oh no!, insterspersed with a croup like cough and some rude words. I felt such a fool.
At that point the rain started to come down in torrents and I was soaked, (no hood, showcasing my new yellow coatigan) I looked like a bedraggled scarecrow.
DH was not amused, as I'm not fit for things like that, he said I should have asked him to get them. I did, THREE WEEKS AGO!

Just as I arrived home, DS2 and partner arrived, a good excuse to sit and chat, after I had put everything in the freezer.
Unfortunately the freezer was full and there was no room for my 12 mint Cornetto cones. .
My stomach had obviouly ruled my head!

Just had a roast dinner, am now going for a soak in the bath and some steam and menthol crystals to shake this horrendous cough. I'm barking like a dog, but DH of course is barking louder, noticebox that he is! He thinks he has double pneumonia or some lethal, obscure virus, picked up on the plane back from Rome. He is a conspiracy theorist.
A really exciting day! I think not!!!

Enjoy your evening, all.

We have spent most of the day with our new little rescue dog that arrived from Romania yesterday.

She was settling in really well, though she is a scared little thing which is not surprising with what she had had to endure in her life. We were just congratulating ourselves on it all when she was stung by a wasp. She was terrified and in dreadful pain and now is frightened to go out in the garden and has started weeing in the house. Back to square one.

However, she is gorgeous and we will persevere gently and slowly and hope that her confidence will re build.

The other thing we have done today is celebrate my husband's 75th birthday. We couldn't go out because of the new dog but have had a nice day at home. He is very pleased because he has now outlived all his relatives.

That arrangement sounds lovely ann I'm sure she loves having a very young at heart Nan, which you are.

Sailing in the Thames Estuary for us. Although we could have done with some more wind as she's a heavy old girl and needs a good blow to really enjoy her.

Still, at least with the calm weather we were able to enjoy the champagne and delicious sea food. It was a thank you trip to everyone involved in the refit.

Ann,thank you for starting this thread and how lovely that your granddaughter has moved in with you.
We started today joining my family for breakfast at the local hotel where they all stayed last night after a meal to celebrate my younger daughters 30th birthday.Our DGD stayed with us last night as DD1 is at the end of her pregnancy and very tired.I had to go into town to buy new clothes for DGD as although we have pyjamas here we didn’t have any clothes suitable for today’s weather and she was really feeling the cold.Younger daughter and family came back to our house so the grandchildren could play then they went back to Stafford and we took Matilda home,
Doesn’t look much written down but we are exhausted!!?

How dare you be so organised Jane.
We have Christmas day lunch booked and have just e-mailed the menu to family so they can decide what they would like.
Making decisions about house sale and finding paperwork to take to solicitors tomorrow, doesn't seem like 25 years since we bought our second home, gone by in a flash.

I’ve been with my daughter for an MRI hopeful they don’t find any changes.

It’s been a year since my DH died yesterday, I’ve been looking through photos of happy days we had together trying to be grateful for days filled with laughter and happiness.

Oh tanith ? for you.

What a lovely thread annsixty thank you for starting it. Mick’s GM first thing and yours in an evening! Regardless of the reason why, you will adore having your sweetheart granddaughter stay with you for a while. You will, I’m sure, find comfort and laughter in one another’s company.

How wonderful MOnica to get your husband ‘back again’. I bet you have a lighter heart.

Marydoll as ever, you make me giggle! You and your escapades!

My day has been good. Did all I planned, took dad to the doctor, shopping, the pub and back to ours for a roast pork dinner. My mum died 18 months ago. She was 87y and my best friend. We shared some happy memories over a drink but I confess to feeling a little sad at the empty chair at the dining table as we ate.

I had a massive blitz on downstairs rooms while watching the rugby, as I am hosting a coffee morning for neighbours and ex-neighbours tomorrow. Washed the cushion covers. Got stuff ready for charity collection tomorrow. Then had a sit down with the Sunday papers and puzzle pages.
Just had pork chop, roast potatoes etc and a glass (or two!) of wine. Cheers!

Thank you all for joining in.
Monica how nice to have your husband back, what a result.
tanith hope all is well, to all celebrating birthdays, expecting new babies, house selling, welcoming new dogs and all the other things well done, fingers crossed all goes well and see you tomorrow evening.

harrigran I like crossing things off my list of things to do, before panic sets in! Making the cake was a pleasure this year - the new oven that I got last year cooks so evenly & predictably, gone are the days of having to move the cake around, or cover it with foil because it’s browned too quickly on the outside.
Your Christmas sounds lovely!

Tanith

Ann how wonderful for you to have your GD come to live with you and how great she wants to.

We have been over to the East Coast today where we have a small bungalow. We were only going to pick some tools up but some friends we'd not seen for many months asked if they could go with us. Had fish and chips for lunch then went for a ride round the town showing them all the places where we used to live, walked along the beach and friend and I even went for a paddle in the sea and finally had an ice cream sat on the prom ? Weather was lovely but the heavens opened on the way back. Perfick ?

It is so nice to see so many of us doing the little things in life that makes it so worth while, having a granddaughter with you, a scared puppy to nurture, a quiet day at home - and always something nice to eat.

Dh has told me that the local turkey farme has sent his brochure through, for me that is the signal to start to think about Christmas. I can now get the spread sheet out and start planning. How about blackberry gin annsixty, no sloes this year and this is what I make in sloe-less years.