Good morning Mick and all GN's on a still, grey and chilly morning in North Yorkshire. Been up and about since 5, which was not how I wanted the day to start, but at least the washing is nearly finished, and as soon as it is a little lighter, will be off to peg it out, in the vague hope that it will actually dry a bit , despite no sign of wind at all! I am trying to have a catch up day, and who knows might even get something other than basics done today.
Had a very mixed day yesterday and physically rather paying for it today! My friend Peter came down complete with Moss (elderly collie dog) and various tools . The plan was for him to dig the next bit of the shambolic border out, trim the edges straight and get out the heavy weed stuff that I couldnt do myself. The rush is that the weather is turning cold of course, and as I no longer have a cold frame or greenhouse, the little plants in pots want to be put in the ground before they are killed off by the frost. We have quite a good offer on this week of a Restaurant week for a set price for 2 or 3 courses , which started after the covid situation to encourage people to go out and keep the places alive. So you have to be quite quick to book as places are limited. I find I rarely eat out in my own town, much more likely to eat at home, and there are one or two places that I have looked at or heard from others that their food was good. So I had offered to pay for lunch for us both, as a thankyou for all the gardening and coming down and giving me his time and help. So that was agreed, which meant for the first part of the day, we were in our scruff, he doing the heavy lifting, and me , ever the yorkshire woman, checking through the stuff dug out that no decent plants or bulbs were left in the soil. So to a visitor passing by , they would not be impressed by the amount done, but it is better to get a smaller bit really well sorted than miss stuff. So I can get some more planting done today, and now the worst is done I can keep up with the ordinary gardening, so also went over the previous bit and watered and checked plants. Moss was quite happy to sit on the grass watching everything that was happening, but quite happy to watch people go by. He rarely barks anyway, so there is no problem with other dogs.
Well we then quickly got washed and cleaned up a bit, and Moss had had his food and was quite happy to stay in the car, whilst we went into a restaurant which is mostly a fish place. I know they are good with their fish as they also have a fish and chip shop next door, but had not gone into the fine dining etc. Well I love things like fish curry, but on your own you cannot afford a great variety of different fish, so dont try to do that much here. Well a beautiful meal, where you could taste the fish quite clearly as it should through the curry. It was beautifully made and you could taste the fish was very fresh. A definite place to put on the map , but at normal prices it will have to be a birthday treat kind of place I am afraid! So then it was back for some coffee, and a little more work outside and then he had to get packed up as he was going out that night. He even took my very small fork on a long stem which is so old that the metal bit is wobbling about, and said he can drill through it and make a firmer job of it. So then it was a hasty clearing up and a coffee before swapping again to something civilised and off to the whist drive. A full crowd and very nice evening, despite not winning a sausage , but oh dear as I moved around I was getting slower and slower as my back and knees were seizing up from the work in the garden. Anyway it was all worth it, but there are things that I didnt get done indoors, and now even more ironing waiting my attention, but firstly I need to get the washing out and off for some basics, as right down on milk , and already have a little list of bits and pieces that I do need to get. Hopefully if the weather stays dry, once the basics are done, I will get outside and get the plants in and I need to definitely get the bulbs sorted, as they have been put off for far too long. Still, despite aches and pains, feel very pleased with this week so far after the awful time I had last week. I have managed to go to York, got something done in the garden, and fingers crossed am hoping to go and meet my son and family on saturday . I have already got presents for my son and partner and it will give me a chance to give them to them instead of risking posting them not to mention the cost! My son never received the expensive birthday card I had got him!! It will be good to see them and no doubt my grandson will have grown quite a bit. It seems a very long time since I had seen them. So not going to the womens group this morning, as I must try and catch up with myself. Oh wow they have Monty's Chardas being played at breakneck speed at the moment. Ah in the old days I would have got up and danced in time to the music! So the washer has stopped, it is a bit lighter but no sign of any breeze, but will put it out in any case.
I am going to go back and catch up with yesterdays posts and see what has been going on. GrandMattie hope you have a lovely holiday and that you can firmly tell the new manager that they will now have time to get the radiator sorted and in good working order for when you get back! Start as you mean to go on, polite but insistent that necessary jobs are done not just talked about and put off!! Perhaps you could contact all the tenants who have any problems and then you can write him out a list of the outstanding work that needs doing, send it recorded delivery, so that he cannot say he has not received it and then promptly disappear to Malta, perhaps sending a postcard the following week hoping that the work is progressing well! Bellasnana, very good that your bank is keeping their eye on things, quite reassuring in one way. Harrigran hope you have a better day today, In fact I wish everyone a pleasant and productive day with time to be kind to yourselves too.