Good Morning Wednesday 14th February 2024

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Good morning from North Yorkshire. Grey and misty to start the day.
I had a lovely walk with a friend up on Sutton Bank yesterday. We watched a plane take off and land at the glider centre and traffic occasionally getting stuck on the road below. The bin men were on their rounds causing traffic to have to stop going down! We followed this with lunch in Thirsk.
History group was interesting with a talk by the woman who has updated Pevsner’s work on Yorkshire.
Today it’s coffee in town. It’s market day so may be busy. Have a good day everyone.

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently 2° and dreich. Wet and grey and cold. I'm glad to be home. Gingster your poor daughter.
Yesterday was a quieter day, relatively speaking. Both boys were quite tired. I had planned on taking them for a Macdonald's but dgs1 wanted a peanut butter sandwich instead which was easily accomplished. I had plenty of lentil soup for dgs2 and me. When dgs2 went for his nap, dgs1 just wanted to lie up on the couch with me watching Super Mario, his latest passion. He's very good at being quiet when dgs2 is sleeping.
Today I had a long lie until eight. Unheard of! Wednesday is my quiet day, so I'll potter about and visit mum this afternoon. I have some pancakes left- the boys didn't want any- so that'll do for later. Have a good day all

Good morning all from a dull Black country.
No childminding today the family are off to Harlech until Saturday, so will catch up with a bit of housework.
Enjoy your day everyone whatever your plans and may you all find some ☀️.

Good morning from a grey & gloomy Sefton where it is not actually raining at the moment.
I grew up in & around Wrexham Pantglas & am quite taken aback to hear it is possible to have a superb meal with champagne there. (But glad to hear you enjoyed it). Things have certainly changed since my childhood - admittedly some time ago ! Wrexham is having something of a renaissance these days with its Hollywood connections.
Yesterday's u3a morning session was all go but time passed quickly. My supposedly slow afternoon was equally busy - all my own fault as I kept finding things to do as in'I'll just do......I'll just finish ....'
Zoom exercise class then Pilates this morning. It's half term this week so we are not needed for childcare as our son & dil have made arrangements for the entire week.
Wishing you all a good day.

Lovely photos, Alygran - I love Sutton Bank!

Good morning Mick and all from a dull northwest coast.
I really enjoyed the music club yesterday and was in better singing voice than the week before when frogs invaded my performance.. glad I remembered the words to a rather fast wordy Elizabethan song too.
We have a new member with a lovely voice so that’s an asset to the club. I found my little sound effect machine in my joke box and used it when appropriate 😁

DD and DS have now left and I should tackle some housework but a lunchtime recital and folk club tonight beckon me out of the house. I haven’t the energy for fun and housework.
I’m sorry you missed your pancakes Mick, hope your test works out well and thoughts as always to those with troubles 🌺

Good morning everyone from a cloudy and damp Northampton, more showers forecast later.

My new washing machine arrived safely yesterday, the old one removed, and the new one plumbed in. Did a load of washing in it, as I had two weeks worth of towels to do. It is smaller than the old one dimension-wise, but has a bigger drum, and is much quieter.

While I was waiting for it to arrive I researched freezers, and ordered a new one for the garage, which will be delivered next week - I just have to defrost the old one, which I have just managed to empty. Have gone for an upright this time, as I got fed up with trying to reach into the depths of the old chest freezer!
Made pancakes after dinner, which were enjoyed with lemon and sugar and Cointreau.

Out to my neighbour's funeral at lunchtime today, then afterwards to the rugby club for the wake, which is being held in the same venue/room where I had DH's, memories.....

Shall be thinking of DH today, he always bought me red roses for Valentine's, and took me out for lunch.

Good morning from a grey, wet Lancashire. An easy journey yesterday (apart from hauling my suitcase up the stairs in the station). Don’t know why I stressed about it.
So lovely to have time with my only sister. We laughed, cried and made inroads into the wine.
Alygran I love Sutton Bank. We used to take the kids there in the 1970’s to watch the gliders.
Georgesgran I forget about the Arnison Centre when I think of shopping. I went to Technical College near there in the sixties.
No plans as yet for today we’ll go with the flow.
Thinking of those with worries. Hope today goes well everyone.

Good morning Mick and everyone from damp Carlisle where a showery day is forecast.
Yesterday was largely mild and sunny. I went out into the front garden in the morning to prune the roses, earlier in the year than I usually do but they have been putting out new leaves for a while. When I started on them I was unpleasantly surprised to find greenfly, big fat ones! We've not long since had some icy weather. I shall have to do something about them but it won't be chemical sprays.
Today I shall potter at various irregular cleaning and tidying jobs that need doing and continue looking at my bookshelves to see what else could be donated. After lunch, continue with de-rusting my Spanish and training my brain....

Sutton Bank....I remember it from the seventies. DH and I had bought our first caravan, very secondhand and heavy and towed by our secondhand just adequate car. DH was acquainted with Sutton Bank and was confident of tackling it with a slow and steady pace. All was well until we came up behind a very unconfident solo car driver, going even slower and occasionally coming to a near halt. My heart was in my mouth every time he did so and DH was cursing him. If we could keep going we would be OK but if he forced us to stop, we'd definitely not be able to get going again. Fortunately that didn't happen. I believe caravans are now banned from attempting it. Strangely, they are not, as far as I know now, banned from Hardknott Pass in the Lake District which is far worse. DH and I would never have tried, but others, caravan and lorries have, but that's another tale!

Have a good day everyone.

What a lovely post Whitewave - you are so aware of the nature all around you.

DH phoned AO to report the problem with our new induction cooker delivered last Wednesday and they have agreed to replace it next week. As the cooker itself is working fine we don’t mind waiting.

DGD3 was a delight on Monday. At 5 she is more tiring than her 2 year old brother as she requires more attention. We made cup cakes with Easter bunnies on, played with her playmobil zoo, built a Lego set and then started on her sewing kit. DGS2 who is 2 is actually more self sufficient. His turn was yesterday and he was in a good mood. He could hardly wait for nap time after lunch as he was moving out of the travel cot into a bed and was so excited. We took him to Waitrose as it was rainy. At 74 and 68 childcare definitely takes it out of us more than it used to. But it gives us a lot of pleasure.

Have a good day all.

Good morning from a wet Oxfordshire, due to be showery all day.
Dog day today so out for a walk later this morning. I have to cull the books from the garden cabin for the Charity shops, tidy it up and then take load of photos as once I get MzOops crates down there the Estate Agent won’t be able to take any photos. Then we have to drag her crates down, 2 of them are 2 feet tall and 3 feet long so they will soon take up all available space and , lucky me, her clothes will all soon follow, to be stored until she can move into her new house, whenever that will be.
I also have a tall stack of paper witch will be collected by a shredding company, but not until March, when the sacks come, they will have to go into a corner somewhere. This decluttering is like the Swedish Death Clean, tiring but effective.

I hope everyone manages to have a good day and my thoughts are with those who are unwell.

Good morning from a foggy NE.
DS is coming to take me shopping and we will have lunch out, we haven't booked so I hope the restaurant is not full with it being Valentine's day.
Had a message from SIL to say he is not coming to the UK for another week, he was due on Friday but has had to change his travel arrangements.
Binge watched One Day yesterday, enjoyed it.

Have the best day you can.

Good morning from a rather dreary mid Wales. Social day ahead today! Going to a friend's house for lunch where she's making me homemade veggie fajitas. She's half Cypriot and has her own business putting together herb and spice mixes because she said supermarket ones were rubbish, so looking forward to something very tasty! Later this afternoon a young friend of mine who adopted me as her Auntie is coming for tea with her family then having a sleepover after they've gone. Will be chaos but fun! Right, off to buy ingredients for a lasagne..Take care everyone and have the day you deserve 🤗

Slightly less gloomy than yesterday, when the lights were on all day but still dismal. Nothing special planned till this evening when we have an imposition of ashes service in the next village, so no excuse for not doing some necessary admin and sorting out. Still struggling to resolve the cat’s s reluctance to pee in her litter tray but she is otherwise a delight so must persevere.

Good morning Mick and all. It is grey and damp outside, and we have nothing planned, except a blood test for DH this afternoon.
I took myself into Reading on Monday, on the bus, as I had thought I would get all I needed in John Lewis' haberdashery dept. Oh oh wrong I was. The dept, has shrunk so much and they had nothing I needed. Even the fabric section seems to have almost disappeared. Reading itself was dismal, don't think I shall bother again, as I did get all I wanted in our little town!

Made pancake batter yesterday, but neither of us could eat any after supper, so it is still in the fridge.
Steaks are in the freezer for tonight, but seeing that Marydoll is making Spaghetti Vongole, perhaps she is reading and will post the recipe? 🤗 if you are up to it.
Best wishes to all who are feeling poorly.
Have a good day one and all.

And good morning one and all! Sorry about your pancakes Mick. It's a cauld dreich day here on the Angus coast today - I can't seem to get warm at all. That's why I loved Whitewave's post - that wander through the woods somehow felt so cosy and balmy!
Lovely photos Alygran - stunning views.
I had a lovely day yesterday with tai chi first and then my youngest granddaughter came for lunch. She's such a chatty young lady, and good company. She face-timed her mum while she was here, so all three of us had a blether together.
I have no plans for myself today - except to get warm!!
I'm so sorry that your poor DD has another battle to fight Gingster. I have no experience of it myself, but do know it's very painful and therefore debilitating.
Have the best day you can everyone x

Good morning Mick and All.

Another wet day in South Bucks, not complaining as I don’t want snow or ice.

For Valentine’s DH bought me a lovely chain bracelet that has the colour of petrol in water, if you know what I mean 🧐. I am taking him out to lunch today to a favourite cafe. He usually has pancakes with bacon and other delicious ingredients, but as he had pancakes last night he might make another choice.

In my haste to post, I totally forgot to say @50Whitewavemark2 what a beautiful post. Sounds glorious. We have lots of birds in our garden too and have three pairs of blackbirds and a pair of robins nesting in the hedges. Spring is springing!

Good morning from a very wet and grey East Midlands. A large box of chocolates and card from hubby for st Valentine’s Day. Another day on the road to recovery. So sad about Steve Wright. Always someone worse off than yourself.

For Auntie Flo. One of my favourite meals.

SPAGHETTI ALLE VONGOLE
2 1/4 lb of clams or jar of clams
12 1/3 oz of spaghetti
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
2 3/4 fl oz of white wine
1 handful of parsley, chopped
Asilia Sea Salt
SAVE RECIPE
PRINT RECIPE
SHOPPING LIST
Method
1
Clean the clams by leaving to soak in heavily salted water (it should be salty enough to taste like sea water) for 20 minutes. The clams will naturally filter out any grit and sand. If they are particularly sandy, repeat the process with a fresh batch of salted water. After this process, leave to soak in unsalted cold water for 10 minutes to rinse off any excess salt they have absorbed
2
Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until very al dente – about 2 minutes under the recommended cooking instructions
3
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid. Gently sauté the garlic slices and fresh chilli until soft but not coloured
4
Add the clams to the pan followed by the white wine. Turn up the heat and cover with a lid
5
Give the pan a shake every 20 seconds, the clams should be cooked after 2 minutes or so. Take the pan off the heat and discard any clams which haven’t opened, and any empty shells
6
When ready, drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Toss the spaghetti through the white wine and clam sauce until well-coated, adding some of the reserved cooking water if needed
7
Stir through the fresh parsley and leave for a minute or two for the pasta to absorb the flavours. Serve with a crisp glass of white wine

Good morning from Glasgow. Grey and drizzly here today, such a downer after yesterday’s sunny day.

I will be meeting up with DD1 and GD2 at our local riding school to watch today’s lesson for GD. Wrapping up well with a supply of coffee and biscuits as we sit in the chilly indoor school 🥶 it’s an outing 😃

I have taken note with the positioning of your twisted hazel Mizuna thank you.

I received a beautiful bouquet which DH had ordered online for our 50th valentine day together. ♥️

The pic I have posted is of our resident pair foxes. The best shot I could get without disturbing them as they sunbathed.

Hopefully a good day is ahead for all including those who continue getting through the day best you can.

Good middle of the night from NZ. Tomorrow is my last day here after a month. I've been reading your posts but not joined in.
I will miss my family a lot and the warm weather but I have had an amazing time.

See you soon on the other side of the world!

Lovely to hear from you Grammaretto. Your catch up with family in NZ has flown by. Pleased to hear you had such a good time together.

Haste ye back from your long journey home.

Safe journey home, Grammaretto.