Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Morning

Once the mist lifted yesterday we had a lovely day with clear blue skies, around about 13 to 14 degrees. We had a very nice lunch out and did the same walk as Saturday with a loop through the town and along the river.

Back at the house I had started sorting some cupboards in the morning which I continued in the afternoon. We don’t want to suddenly sell the house and have to start clearing things so we are trying to get rid of things we no longer use, and identify things we are keeping or giving away. So yesterday I cleared and sorted one kitchen cupboard, one large lounge cabinet, and one cocktail cabinet. I have 4 piles of assorted china and glasses

1. 4 boxes to go home and go to the Rochdale hospice shop there

2. 2 bags and 4 boxes for Emaüs charity ware house here.

3. Things here that we still use and want to keep and will make their way back home to Rochdale eventually ( when I have thrown some stuff away there)

4. The last pile is of things we use now but will stay here and be disposed of here one way or another.

The result is also lots of clean tidy cupboards and glass ware

We have a long way to go yet, this has been our second home for nearly 22 years.

Today we are going to the local DIY store for a few fixing bits and pieces for the gate and for a new dehumidifier. The latter is essential here especially after the house has been locked up all winter. The dehumidifier we had was my Dads, and he died 14 years ago so we couldn’t complain when we switched it on this visit and it promptly burnt out. Bob used to empty about 6 litres plus of water every day reducing a little over our stay here, so as you can see we need to replace it.

Today is due to be dry, cloudy and about 13 degrees. At the moment it is cool and very grey. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. Once again you demonstrate how well organised you are! Flitting is bad enough when it's inside the same town, it must be a nightmare flitting a second home.... I wish you well with the rest of it.
I have just been outside to bring the bin in after collection and it's a thoroughly nasty morning. significant cold rain mixed with sleet. I am so glad I shopped for veggies yesterday!

[Gloria]

Crikey that seems a lot of water Sue.

[Stanley]

Four pans on the hob here, veggie cooking is in full swing!

[Sue]

Crikey that seems a lot of water Sue.

Well I do have to dry the washing inside at this time of year and I do small loads daily to make it easier to find drying space, though the house on general does feel a bit cool and damp with very little sun to dry things out, same as home

[Stanley]

Veggie cooking is done and the hob is cooling down. When it does I shall clean it. Always a good point in the week. Ready now to welcome Bob tomorrow.....

[Stanley]

I want to be in good nick for Bob's visit today and so will not be going in the shed this morning. After second sleep I must go into Barlick to buy a selection of Hutchinson's pies.... Bob told me he wants a good pie but may not be here early enough to get to the shop before it closes. Once Mr Hutchinson has sold out he closes and that is usually around noon. I am so glad I did the main of my cooking yesterday!

[Sue]

Morning

It was a dreary day yesterday. We had a good trip to the bricolage (DIY store) buying buying the bits to fix the gate, the dehumidifier, a couple more strawberry plants and some traps for hornets. The latter sell out in the summer so its better to buy them when you see them. Bob spent the afternoon on the gate fixings and I finished the last bit of garden tidying. The soil was very wet indeed after the thunderstorm the other day. In the evening I did a nice relaxing zoom yoga class.

Today and the next 6 days are forecast full sun, today at 17 degrees. This morning I want to start preparing the soil for planting potatoes in the veggie patch, we plan to go out somewhere this afternoon. I uncovered the veggie garden yesterday to try to dry it out a bit before I dig in some organic matter. The soil here is un believably wet considering it has been covered all winter. We decided to add some bags of dried manure ( bought at the supermarket) this year as the productivity was very low last summer. We shall see if it works

Hope your forecast is better, have a good day all

[Stanley]

Yes Sue, we have a good forecast for the next week also. They're talking about 17C tomorrow.....

[Stanley]

I am aiming for an hour in the shed early doors and later, if the forecast is correct a walk and a sit on traffic duty! At some point I shell cook an extender of savoury cabbage and onion.....

[Stanley]

Back into the collar in the shed after the distractions of yesterday! Not trying to tear any trees up. Just finished the top and bottom faces of the base, Clean and parallel. Ready for hand work to take it forward. That's enough for this morning, now I shall have breakfast.

[Sue]

Morrning

It was a beautiful day yesterday. Bob put on one gate in the morning. Its taking some time as the style of hinges don’t match the existing ones or shape of the gate posts, so its having to be redesigned. It will be worth it in the end. I prepared the soil for planting potatoes and did a bit of washing including a bed spread taking the opportunity of a nice day. All dried by tea time.

We had an early sandwich lunch sat in the garden under the not yet flowering wisteria then went out for the afternoon . We did a 4 mile return walk down the tow path of the river Oust to where it meets the Nantes Brest canal. There was no way to cross and walk back up the other side so it had to be a return walk. It was around 18 degrees and beautiful blue skies. It was about 4.15 when we got and then sat once again under the bare wisteria and had a beer. In the evening I did zoom pilates.

Today promises to be 19 plus degrees so we are off out for the day, the potatoes and other gate can wait for a day. I shall put the slow cooker on to do some braising steak then we are off to the coast to have a stroll along the shore somewhere and just enjoy the moment. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

I think you might have a good day for it Sue. We certainly have a good forecast here! We have full sun already. What a kind winter we have had!

[Stanley]

I shall have an hour in the shed first thing and after second sleep will have a walk and some traffic duty.

[Stanley]

Change of plan, I have spent far too long trying to understand what has happened to my copy of GIMP!
I shall have my breakfast and go back to bed....

[Sue]

Morning

It was a beautiful day reaching over 20 degrees. Our day at the coast was lovely. We arrived at low tide , and there is something rather nice about walking along an almost deserted beach on freshly exposed sand. We visited somewhere we had never been before , famous for mussels. As the rocks were exposed they were covered in these little shellfish, but I am sure the ones sold commercially are farmed at sea, though we saw no signs of them. It was so nice that we drove the hour plus back home with the roof of the car down

Today is a bit of domesticity, shopping, washing, potato planting and gate assembly but this evening we are at Joanne and Pauls for a meal. This is the last one at this house as despite not selling and having no viewers like us they have decided to move to their new bungalow at the end of the month. Its only 3 miles away but is walking distance to the local village rather than being out in the open countryside. The house they are selling is only a few years old, has all the environmental features you could think of except solar panels and still is not selling. Its a rubbish market at the moment.

Today is forecast 17 to 18 degrees and full sun. Have a good day all

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[Stanley]

That looks very therapeutic Sue after a Rochdale winter.... I hope you have as good a day today.

[Sue]

That looks very therapeutic Sue after a Rochdale winter.... I hope you have as good a day today.

It certainly was Stanley

[Stanley]

I shall not let the vagaries of Gimp get under my feet today. I shall definitely be in the shed for an hour working on my castings!
Later I need some milk, my meds from the pharmacy and I have a letter to post so a walk is indicated.

[Stanley]

This morning I spent half an hour doing hand filing and then polishing to get the base casting ready for fitting and painting. Now for breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

Another lovely day yesterday but with a chilly start . We did our shopping but need a few bits from a different supermarket in a different town so perhaps this morning. I finished planting potatoes and tidying the rhubarb patch so all that remain for me to do in the garden is to give all the roses and flowering shrubs a good feed. Bob will cut the lawn with the ride on mower. It has grown furiously this week

Bob has finished the gate apart from a bracing bar to the gatepost and a couple of bolts to hold it in place when open or closed. This evening we are out at the Chinese Buffet with Laetitia and family.

The forecast is another nice day but a bit cooler than 19 to 20 degrees. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Impressive gates Sue...... We don't have any sunshine yet but we hope to have a good day. I shall be off to the pharmacy as soon as they are open at 09:00.

[Sue]

Impressive gates Sue...... We don't have any sunshine yet but we hope to have a good day. I shall be off to the pharmacy as soon as they are open at 09:00.

Much improved on the broken wooden ones that really gave up last October despite regular surface treatment. They had become very warped and distorted with the constant wind and rains in the winter. We really like these, very french and not as expensive as we expected them to be. They came with a very impressive set of fixtures.

[Stanley]

[Stanley]

I shall do an hour in the shed on my castings and later on, after second sleep I shall roast a chicken to keep up the flow of protein into my manly frame.