Good Morning Everyone,
Its dark but dry outside here in Brackley at the moment.
My day will be spent in the building where I live , doing housework , and later watch the elite men's World Championship from Montreal on TV .
Health OK,
Take Care,
Mick
Good morning from a dry Bristol. The heavy dew is good for plants in the absence of rain. The birds seem to think it’s spring with amount of song. I hope they are not thinking having another clutch of eggs.
Yesterday, I had a rather busy morning. I had left foliage and vine with grapes from DD’s in a bucket of water. To my annoyance, a fox spilt the bucket, ate every last grape and dug up all y pots bar the most recently planted one. I had put powdered chilli on these.
I rescued what I could but mentioned it to DD on our WhatsApp. Bless her, she picked more grapes on the vine and brought it over to the church. It was very kind as she was very busy with Iris’ birthday dinner party - a grand affair organised by Iris and mostly prepared by her!
I took all the vegetation and vegetables (kindly donated by the local greengrocer) to church to arrange for our harvest festival today. It looks lovely. I’ll post photos in a moment.
I was very tired again so rested for most of the day - apart from doing some more Spanish homework.
I received a nice compliment from someone, who said that I was so active and “looked so young” (!) that people forgot my age!
Today, church harvest festival, then quiet afternoon.
I need to make more marmalade during the week, and then get all the vegetables home to make chutney. They are very time consuming to prepare but very quick to cook…
Have a blessed Sunday. Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩🦩
Good morning from s somerset, fingers crossed for a bit of rain later
My mojo is back and I feel more like myself, I don`t like being zonked but always listen to my body and I do nothing much if I need rest. Last nightI cleaned my kitchen, shined the surfaces and finished my dress
That dress is lovely on, only a viscose toile but I thought it would fit as I have made the top twice. The hem was problematic but manageable with the vintage device which I bought from the USA, called a pin-it. It is impossible to get a nice hem without a second person to help, for me the pin-it was worth every penny
The dress is cool and loose so will be perfect for future heatwaves. The pattern is the camber set by Merchant and Mills and today I plan to make a pattern for long sleeves and then cut it out in a warmer fabric and take off the added width I put on from the waist down. Good for autumn cool in a viyella I have taken from stash
My mojo might be back but I am not going to do anything silly, like cycling, for another week, I have healing to be getting on with and my immune system needs all the energy it can get. My garlic and onion sets have arrived and I will get those planted next week and need to cycle to get there
I cannot wait to eat proper food with a good texture and long for a piece of toasted sourdough with a very hot mug of tea. I think I will be having the same lunch as yesterday, based on pulped carrots, broccoli and some beans. I also want to get through the remaining 6 bananas and then no more. but that will take 6 days. They do affect my stomach unless I have them early when I am upright and moving
Mick you enjoy your day and I am pleased that your health is ok
Rosesandlilacs I felt for you yesterday when you spoke about your tooth problems. You are more than brave
Hello from Warwickshire, 3am start today, yawn, heading to Athens and Santorini today for 10 days, airport is very crowded.
Good morning everyone.
What a beautiful Harvest arrangement gM. 
Good morning from Malta where it’s cloudy at present but we are forecast a fine day with a high of 27°C.
I finally managed to get to the Post Office yesterday morning then took myself for a coffee before going home.
Watched a lot of tennis before the boys arrived for their sleepover.
Had them bathed and ready for bed in time to watch Alcaraz’s match against Fritz. They wanted to watch with me and were very interested in it. I’ll make tennis fans of them yet!😅
They went to bed at 9pm and were out like lights. I stayed watching tennis until midnight which was a mistake as two little voices were heard at 6.30am.
They are up, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready for another busy day. Nana not so much, just having my tea (not in bed🥱)
Lovely display grandMattie. Reminds me of school harvest festivals where we sang ‘We plough the fields and scatter ‘
I will be watching more of the Laver Cup later. Not sure what time my treasures will be picked up.
Wishing you all a happy Sunday.☀️
Good morning everyone from south Glos, it’s a chilly start here.
That display is lovely grandMattie, brings back childhood memories of Harvest festival and the church being beautifully decorated.
Sending love and hugs Karmalady, I honestly don’t think there’s anything worse than toothache 🤗 I love your new dress, you really are very talented.
Well, I think I have actually finished tidying the back garden! I am very happy with my efforts (albeit knackered) and as my gardener hasn’t been able to come I will start the front borders this week, a bit at a time. If I do an hour a day it’ll be done this week.
I do enjoy being outside and active so long as I take it steady. There isn’t any rush. DH will do the hedge, our new neighbour is very happy to help him.
I’m planning a quiet day today, some housework needs doing but everything else can wait 😊
Best wishes to you all x
🌹
Good morning from a dark Leicestershire.
I was rudely awakened this morning by the lark going off. It has gone off again about 12 times since then. I bet the neighbours love us! Fortunately an engineer is on his way!
That’s a lovely display Mattie.
Wishing everyone the best day possible.
Not lark - alarm.
Good morning Michael and all GN's on a very dark and still morning in North Yorkshire. Not enough light to see even an outline of the tree so far. I am really struggling yet again after a horrible night and unfortunately both my legs are swollen at the moment, so all plans are off, and leg cossetting the major aim for the day!! The one thing I am determined to do is go to a harvest festival if at all possible.
Have been awake hours, in a lot of pain, and dont see why as having had a painful day, I did very little and nothing from my selection of things planned. Yesterday, struggling a lot, and it took a long time to even be able to get into the shower, but at least finally when I did , it helped with the pain threshold. I then ignored the washing up (couldnt think of standing in the kitchen) and not in the right mood to have a trying on session of clothes, so I eventually sallied forth on the yellow peril, to go for the Yorkshire post, and a few bits and pieces from the market and see a few friendly faces,
As I was getting ready to go, saw an envelope and picked it up and it put me in rather a flat spin! As I told you , had my eye test and they said I would get an appointment from the hospital. Well this was the appointment, - sent by post which at the moment is appalling service - and when I looked at it , it is an appointment for THIS monday morning!! As it is an eye appointment, I cannot of course drive myself, as there will be drops etc. At Upfront we have a car scheme, but you need to have time to organise it and they are only there week days, so it is something of a panic working out how to get there. Much more scary is the fact that it is such a quick appointment! At the moment, I know from other people, ordinary appointments are about up to 6 weeks time, and urgent appointments are about a fortnight, so to get one within a week is very scaring! As I only got it late, there is no one there to ring up to at least check up or anything, and the only positive idea I can have is that they had a sudden cancellation and fitted me in. However that is not at all soothing my anxiety, and coupled with my wretched back and legs, I am having little sleep and so far have not managed to find anyone who can take me, so today that is going to have to be my priority. I could ring and cancel and put it off, but of course, it wouldnt help matters either as having received this the worry is there anyway. It is too late to get hospital transport too as they need advanced warning, not asked for help for that morning, as they are not available until monday either!! I tried a couple of friends last night, but of course at such short notice they are already booked for various things and volunteer, so cant let other people down.
So when I can think in a calmer manner I must check on trains and buses to Middlesborough that would get me there in time for the appointment, but either of those are going to need a taxi to get me to the bus stop or station, as I just couldnt manage the walk there. I even drove on the yellow peril to my friend Nichola's house, but she was unfortunately out. Have sent her a text but no reply so she may be away. It is always sods law isnt it that just when you need help, it is at a time that your usual go to people are not available. It wont be helped by today being sunday, and many people off with family etc and harvest festival at various churches. Right now I just dont have any good ideas of where to try next, and the panic is rising, but that panic about getting there is helping to keep the major panic about why I have had such a quick appointment at bay!!Thankyou GN's for being there and letting me write about it. Oh how I miss my darling husband, who was such a soother of worries and had intelligent and clever ideas in such cases. I suppose at the worst I could get a taxi there, but that would be eyewateringly expensive. I have no idea of the cost as cant remember the last time I ever took a taxi and certainly not that far! Well I will see what I can come up with today.
After the shock of that letter, I shoved it in my bag, and my heart was racing rather as I got on the yellow peril and tried to think calmy about what I needed to get. Meandered along the market, it was sunny and a bit windy, so people were out in force enjoying the warm day, but very few looking where they were going, andso quite a bit of ringing my bicycle bell to warn them I was behind them etc. I got my yorkshire post and was pleased to land up at Cafe Nero and managed to just get a seat that I could sit reasonably comfortably in. The pavements had been very bumpy and coupled with the stress of the letter, my back was very painful, and tight. I tried breathing properly etc., but just could not relax at all, and in the beginning had to just sit until the queue had died down a bit before even being able to go and order my much needed coffee. However I did get myself ensconced in a chair, and was able to offer a couple with a dog a seat at my table, which they duly took, as especially when it is so busy, I feel it is a problem with the british, who never choose to sit at a table with anyone there, yet I only need one seat of the usual four. So I didnt feel I was taking up a whole table on a busy morning. I spent a long time there, looking up on my phone for any inspiration as to whom I might get in touch with for a lift on monday, and then reading my Yorkshire Post, being able to give a little pleasure to a gentleman with a walking frame at the next table, as I asked him if he followed sport, and when he said yes, was able to donate the sports page from my Yorkshire post. He seemed very pleased with that and when his wife appeared with his coffee , showed her the pages and told her he would be fine with his drink and the paper if she needed to go out to the stalls. So that was a little positive bit to the day. He said he was a rugby man and had played so we had a little talk about that, which diverted my attention for a little and then I returned to the paper and was pleased to sit in comfort.The cafe was extremely busy, with it being both a fine day and market day, but again we seemed to have all new staff, so that useful bit where they know what we regulars have wasnt there to help them and the queue got longer and longer as they had to ask all the questions to each person. However after a very busy half an hour they seemed to get the measure of the queue and then someone had time to be out and about collecting dirty cups and tidying up. Quite a baptism of fire for a new learner barista, who did well, and looks as though she will be an asset , if she stays here.
I left and called in at Tesco for a couple of things and then drove up to my friends again to hope that she was at home, but no luck and no sound of the dogs barking so she was obviously out with them, so no help there. I came home and did very little. Just basics, putting shopping away and so forth. My intentions of starting on the ironing mountain was ignored and I just had radio 3 and 4 on to take my mind from all the thoughts of the hospital. There was for once quite a decent play, and of course the joy and soothing radio 3 where music does help to block worrying thoughts, and is definitely the "prescription" of choice for me whatever the problem is.
I tottered off to bed, ignoring the bag of clothes untried on, and attempted to go to sleep, but of course not much luck, so switched the light on and read for quite a while and so here I am now, having done so little physically yesterday, yet in such pain and struggling to move about. Infuriating! Still I will get to the shower asap and then check up on times of services at the various churches and make sure I am in good time for one of them. It will be both a joy and soothing and full of memories of my family stretching way back taking part, making bread, taking the best of what we have grown, sharing the relief of a harvest safely in. The best way to get through the day, and remind me that all things pass in the end.
I hope you enjoy your racing today Mick, that is one good thing about modern day life, is that you can have contact round the world with your interests, and find something to watch for a lot of the time. GrandMattie you seem to have had quite a time of it, everything looks lovely and I am sure the fox was grateful for his free meal too! Karmalady you do make some lovely things. You remind me of my mother, who was an excellent dressmaker and could turn her hand to any sewing whether by machine or hand. She even designed and made our coats when we were little, and could whistle up a dress at very short notice when needed. Not a skill I have, like to see well made clothes, and am fussy about matching seams etc, but knitting was more my forte, and would always try to get someone else to sew things up for me, as my sewing skills didnt match my knitting ones, and I was never satisfied with the quality of my own stitching. As for cutting things, give me a pair of secateurs and I will make a good job of pruning and cutting things in the garden, but dont let me near some expensive material! Speaking of which I think a time in the garden with the secateurs may be a good idea this morning. It can be a satisfying sight to see a border weed free and with any broken branches etc cleared off.
So time to get that kettle on for a much needed coffee and then the tentative effort to see if I can manage the shower, and improve the morning. Wishing you all a peaceful and pleasant day with something you enjoy to make your day.
Good morning from Shropshire.Raining and set to rain all day.
The weather was lovely yesterday for DGS’s birthday party.We had a lovely day celebrating with family and friends.
A quiet day at home today I hope.Some household jobs and admin to sort over the next couple of days.
A lovely harvest display grandMattie.
Wishing everyone the best day possible🦩🌻
Good morning all from a dull North Leicestershire.
I was dead impressed that you had a lark, dragonfly. That must be really annoying for you.
Not a lot happening here today. Singing in the park at lunchtime and then roast lamb at some point.
Have the best day possible everyone.
Madeleine could you go on facebook for help in getting to your appointment? There must be a community FB site for your area. We have one and if anyone needs help, they get it.
Morning all from West Oxfordshire. Rain is forecast.
We are meeting old friends later at our local NT property. It is the last weekend we can visit before they close until next Easter. We love it there but it is only open half the year. We will end the day with a cream tea in the cafe.
Have a good day everyone.
Good morning from South Lanarkshire where it’s dry and decidedly cooler.
Yesterday was fairly quiet, DS stayed overnight and leaves this morning. He and DH enjoyed quite a long walk together, their first since DH’s knee replacement surgery.
Today will be slightly busier as we are having a gathering in the church hall to say goodbye to our Priest who is being moved to another parish, he will be missed. I hope his replacement is as hard working and committed to the parish.
DD had been going to visit today but sadly she was feeling quite unwell, if she’s better today she will try to pop over.
I hope everyone has a good day.
A wonderful sunrise here in the north of Scotland. I am not a lark but had to drop family at the railway station and was rewarded by A truly magnificent sky.
Communion later then, watching the tennis. Kindest thoughts to all.
Good morning everyone from mid Essex. Bright with high cloud so far. I think a dry day is forecast for us but who knows what it will actually do.
I did some more gardening yesterday but the garden is still so dry that it’s difficult to do anything much. I’m still watering new plants, one water butt is about three quarters full which is good. Hoping we’ll have some rain this week.
A lovely harvest display grandmattie. You will be busy making the chutney and marmalade this week. I hope Iris enjoyed her birthday dinner party.
susan it was lucky that your DGS’s birthday party was yesterday when it was sunny for the occasion!
dragonfly I hope you can get your alarm sorted out quickly, alarms are such a nuisance when they go off for no apparent reason.
Hoping it’s a good day for everyone and that those who are struggling find some relief.
Good morning all and we have some rain forecast sometime today 🤞.
Yesterday I managed to get my shopping done with my trolley and home again . Town was busy but I got everything I needed.
Today we have the family coming for a buffet lunch. Easy and relaxed .
I love your display for Harvest Festival GM it does indeed evoke memories of times past. Always a lovely time of year.
Poor you Madeleine. It must be so wearing to have so much pain all the time. You do so well. 💐
You too Marydoll 💐.
I hope you all have a ‘good’ day.
The engineer has assured me that the alarm will not have sounded outside as it was an internal fault. He is fixing it now. Such great service.
Good morning from a brightening northwest coast. The so called market in the next village was disappointing yesterday, consisting of about four stalls selling the usual candles and tat. Anyway I had a nice walk around the park there, a visit to a new bookshop which I hope does well and lunch in the park cafe. It was a beautiful mild sunny day.
The gardener has removed the dead box tree hedge in the front garden and it doesn’t look as bad as I expected, but look forward to it being replaced with laurel.
Housework today after an indifferent night and my DD arrives from the south for a few days tomorrow.
Thoughts to Madeleine and all🌺
Good Morning everyone from the central south coast where we have some cloud cover and are forecast light rain at some point.
I love the harvest arrangement GM and keep thinking of the harvest hymns which were so much a part of school and church life growing up.
DD is back from her conference in Zagreb and will video call this morning to tell me about it and check up on us too! The plumber will be here in the morning, to fit the new shower and on Thursday the stair lift is scheduled to be fitted.
There is something on the calendar for every day this week and we need to plan what we are going to do with the garden - and when.
Hope the plans we all have work out well and those with struggles of any kind have some relief. Take care GNs!
Good morning, Michael and all GNs from a cool, rather grey South Yorkshire. The harvest moon was huge and very clear last night and bang in the middle of my living room window. I got the big camera out - and both batteries were dead so sadly no photo☹️! My phone couldn’t do it justice.
I went out to buy cyclamen and some heathers at the local garden centre yesterday and while they had heathers they aren’t the type I wanted so I’ll go to a further one on Monday and get both those and the cyclamen. I had a garden tidy up and narrowly managed to avoid swallowing a wasp. We have a nest on the rockery wall and are still very active. One returning there collided with my top lip as I was passing. As I had my mouth slightly open at the time I consider that a narrow escape! Now it’s getting colder I hope they’ll go away very soon.
DD and SiL are coming for high tea today and I’ve decided to make a chicken and mushroom pie, with pineapple upside down pudding for afterwards. Both are my SiL’s favourite! Other than that, nothing much doing here.
Have the best day you can, folks!
Good morning from a grey and cloudy Black Country, where it was lovely and sunny yesterday.
Just last minute packing today, as we are off later this afternoon to a hotel near the Airport, ready for our flight tomorrow to Kos.
Wishing you all the best day possible.
Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently 13° and raining and breezy.
Madeleine that's a predicament for you. I hope you resolve it. GrandMattie I love your harvest display and I can hear 'They plough the fields and scatter'. Karma I'm glad you have your mojo back but don't overdo things!
Yesterday my mojo was working fairly well. I stripped the bed, washed and dried everything and remade the bed. I love a fresh bed. The polishing was done and also the hoovering. I cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen and refreshed the vases of flowers from last week. In the afternoon tesco delivered and that was sorted. I have started collecting sweets to make little bags for Halloween. Last year I had quite a number of wee visitors.
Today I intend to clean the windows and the floors. Dd is calling in at some point with carrot soup. I want to make steak and sausage casserole and a slow cooker pot of mince too. Lots for the freezer for busy or can't be bothered days. Have a good day all.
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