Great news Anne. I was hanging around to see if you posted before I go to bed! I know from my own experience over Christmas, there are other viruses doing the rounds that might as well be Covid but yes, let’s blame yours on your wired bra! Sleep tight tonight! 😴

I’m off to bed feeling relieved myself because the next storm is now going to miss Cornwall although sadly, poor old Scotland and Ireland will be battered again.

Jackie 🥰

Wonderful news Anne. I have been hoping to hear from you. Now to figure out why you have been feeling unwell. Lots of RSV around here. I don’t know the exact symptoms for that, respiratory is all I know. Glad you will not be quarantined for an extended period.

I have been quite busy with little chores here today. I still cannot get that water valve to turn. I have treated it several times with a WD-40 look like product but have made no progress. Maybe it will be better tomorrow.

We have another snow/sleet storm arriving overnight. I hope we don’t receive much ice.

Back to emails and texts. Be safe everyone.

Lin🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

This is labeled as a teapot but I wonder if it is for serving coffee.

Hello Sneakers. I didn’t sleep well, probably due to watching the late news that had talk of possible all out war with Russia, then an awful dream that woke me up feeling sad because WWIII was about to begin! I got up and wandered for five minutes and discovered George sitting at the top of the stairs instead of the bottom of my bed so I must have been moving about in my sleep! We both went back to bed where George made a nest for himself while I snuggled under the duvet. I think I’ll avoid the news completely from now on and stick my head in the sand!

It’s a lot milder but still windy so the morning walk was round the block in drizzle which meant having to stand George in his bath of warm water when we got home to wash off the mud and muck. The huge branches of an oak I used to worry about walking under in windy weather are gone so I’m guessing they came down in the night! Just debris and chippings left in the road from a chainsaw. I drove to the next town for a hair appointment then did a big grocery shop on my way home. Prices are frightening so I’m being very careful in an effort to economise and also keep off the weight I lost. Tonight I have put a few logs on the fire in the snug but haven’t bothered with the multi fuel stove in my dining room. Just a wall heater to tick along at 18C. I have ordered more logs from the local farmer and after my hints that I wasn’t happy about the last order being very wet, I’m hoping he will be more thoughtful about what he delivers.

That pot could be for tea Lin as it has a similar shape to those found in the Middle East and North Africa. It’s certainly interesting. More snow for you last night? Keep safe and warm.

Anne, when I came back to England from Canada it took a while for me to feel it was the right decision but now, for all its terrible weather and political madness, it’s right for me. Of course, being one yourself, you know how we English love to complain about the weather but there’s a lot of humour mixed in! Opinions vary on why we are getting so many storms off the Atlantic. It could be El Niño that arrived in the Pacific last year and sends us bad weather but there again, as 2023 was the planet’s warmest year on record, the cool waters of the Atlantic that normally slow down storms from America are too warm so they skip across the top. Something like that! 🤔. So you are a wood pig? Did you know pigs are still being released into the New Forest by farmers, apparently to hoover up the acorns that can otherwise poison the ponies? A dangerous couple of months for dog walkers! I’m a hardworking, independent Ox that needs peace and quiet!!

Sandy, your bras sound similar to mine. The first pack I bought weren’t so good because they had little shape and I ended up flat chested. That was a learning experience!

My tv signal is not good tonight but I don’t think I’m missing anything. I have been watching a drama on our catch up channel called After the Flood that is produced by the company that created Happy Valley. Not as good and almost too complex but similar disfunctional family issues for the police woman, along with Yorkshire humour. Oh yes, and a new series of Call the Midwife.

An earlier night for me and hopefully more cheerful dreams!
Jackie 🥰

Big changes here. I think because of staff shortage and maybe to cut back on the numbers congregating for meals and thus increasing the Corvid risk, our original meals were rigid and communal at 8:30, 12:15 and 5:30, but now it’s a free-for-all of us to sit down whenever we feel like wandering in. Great news for me who was used to eating breakfast at 7. I don’t think I’ll be fed at that time, but at least I can go at 8. Sad though in a way. I’ll miss my teenage giggles with Bernie, and serious chats with Carolyn the one time geologist if we don’t arrive at the same time.

I had another lousy breathless night waking up at midnight. However the weather is improving tremendously so that will help. I believe it’s 2C today a vast improvement on minus 15 and one day -25C.

That poor, poor handyman LIN to get pneumonia AND Corvid. I doubt you will see him again in a working capacity. Here the provinces waste water after testing has double the content of Corvid from last year.

So, after an early breakfast I hope I can catch a nap.
See you all,
Anne.

I didn’t manage to check in yesterday because I was again getting caught up with emails and messages about Mr Nasty and Rachel. Today is bleak with thick fog so I can barely see beyond the end of my garden! This meant a doggy walk round the block before driving to see Linda and catch up over coffee. She wants to lose weight so no cake but I didn’t mind because I don’t want to gain! The story around nasty bully just gets worse so when we think we have a plan of action more bizarre information turns up but we will get there!

At the moment my plans for the morning are to meet David in a layby then guide him to the local reservoir for a walk, then coffee. Having just let Betty into the garden, I see it is now foggy AND raining so something will need to change overnight but the forecast is for a sunny day so I’ll keep fingers and toes crossed. A few years ago I used to regularly walk George round the lake but I’m not sure he and Betty would want to manage a 3 mile stroll and Hattie definitely not, especially as she is overweight!

Lin, you are finding delightful teapots! I admire your patience when you found a pile of hard snow dumped at the end of your drive. I would have had something to say, although I doubt it would have made a difference other than make me feel better!

Sandy, your 98 year old friend sounds remarkable and I find people of that age that remain sprightly question the slightest change when most of us would be happy to have three quarters of their brain function! Wow, your dentist is also remarkable and kind to phone to see you were alright.

Anne, that’s great to lose the rigid mealtimes but Sandy is right, see if you can get some of your favourite people to agree times to meet, at least once a day.

Enjoy the rest of the day.
Jackie 🥰

Hello, Friday night and I am tired once again. I am working on cards but took a number of breaks for online classes. I did part of the line dance party this afternoon but didn’t know a lot of the dances and ended up on the wrong foot most of the time. 😄😄. Glad our cameras are disabled!

Jackie, I am sorry you lost your post. No need to try to answer my question. I do not want to waste your time. Glad you got a walk today. We are expecting some sunshine next week. The continuing gray is bleak and depressing. The only nice things today were the birds flitting around in a tree and a squirrel was out jumping on my deck. Funny!

Sandy, glad you got your hair done. Yeah! But I am sorry your friend has lost some of her memories. Wonderful that she appreciated your attention and gift. That must have made her day.

Anne, how are you feeling?

I need to get out there to pick up my mail.

Be safe everyone.

Lin🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

Hello, still dreary with a warming for heavy fog tonight and tomorrow morning. Visibility will be poor once again. Makes online church a good option.

I did a bit of laundry today. May do another load tomorrow. I have clean socks in the drawer again. The rest is hanging on the line in the basement.

Finished my 3 classes this morning. The schedule over the weekend have fewer options.

Sandy, no, I was only eligible for these classes this January as I changed insurance. The classes I attended some years ago were, at that time, free but it was a long drive. I checked out the Y later on but it was too expensive as were the local clubs. After Covid, the place a long drive way, charged for classes with a surcharge if you didn’t live in that suburb. I checked with a friend and she said when they open a new round or classes, people were signing in at midnight to get in and the place is elbow to elbow with people. Not for me thank you!

Very happy to have these options for free.

I need to get back to card assembly. They don’t magically finish themselves. 😂

Be safe everyone. Take care.

Lin 🙋🏼‍♀️
❤️❤️

Happy Sunday. Foggy here too AND cold so apart from a short walk this morning, then making sure the hens had food and water, I’ve stayed in. Read a magazine on beautiful homes in the UK, not that I can afford the renovations that have taken place in some, but it’s nice to dream!
Yesterday I took George and Betty to the moors and let George decide where to go and because he loves a cold breeze when his Winter coat is long, he ran to the top. Not many go that way when it’s cold so no one to talk to. My friend Christine dropped in with a box of eggs that her hens had laid but couldn’t stay long because neighbours had visitors who blocked our parking area and she had left her car on the track, blocking everyone!
I’ve invited Rachael to visit so I can assist her putting a complaint together about the bully’s behaviour then I’m planning to attend a council meeting Wednesday evening when the public are invited to ask questions. I can’t mention what happened to Rachael but have a few questions of my own.
Cauliflower cheese for my dinner this evening then see if I can persevere with Call the Midwife.

My exercise bike remains parked in a corner of my dining room since I walk every day. I only average 5,000 steps in the Winter but when I walked with David on Friday that was doubled. Amazing what a difference a sunny day makes!

Sandy, you are organised, looking for a restaurant for your Wake! I’ve left instructions for a get together in a local pub once my ashes are available then they can clamber on to the moors and throw me into the wind!

Lin, my downstairs loo started to misbehave yesterday when flushed. It kept trickling too much water into the cistern so I bravely removed the lid and fiddled with the plastic Ballcock, once I worked out which way to turn it. Now I just have to find that elusive plumber to disconnect the water into the one upstairs! Did you have luck with yours?

Time to light the wood burner in my snug then cook.

Enjoy the rest of Sunday and stay safe.
Jackie 🥰