Today I shall be Mainly...

[Wendyf]

Yummy!! I have purple sprouting broccoli at the moment which is almost as delicious!

I have never had success with that Wendy

Planted this time last year, it takes a while and a lot of caterpillar removal! Not something that would suit your normal pattern of planting on one visit and harvesting on the next.

[Sue]

Hmm yes don’t think it would work. Tried cauliflower once , that didn’t work either

[Stanley]

I meant what I said, the cash machine, ATM or whatever else it is called. i used one when they first appeared and it ate my card so I never bothered after that. I will never use the self-serve check outs as long as there is a human to patronise.
Cathy I don't know what EFTPOS means....
Aiming for the shed as usual but with varying amounts of success! Who cares? I am into slow and steady and plenty of rests in between!
Really enjoying this weather, Have ditched the Damart and the thick shirts!

[Cathy]

ATM - Automatic Teller Machine (cash machine, hole in the wall)
EFTPOS - Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale. Same card that your bank has given you for the ATM, that can also be used at the shop counter (Point of Sale). Insert card, choose debit or credit, enter PIN number.
Some small shops have £ amount limits.
(You can also use it to withdraw cash at Supermarkets . ).

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There is also Tap and Go, but someone else can explain that. Both safer than handling money at the moment

[Stanley]

Yes Cathy I knew all that but we simply have two different cards, one credit and one debit. I use the debit card for supermarket and butcher's shopping as it is immediate transfer and fairer for retailers.
Yesterday was the first time I had ever used the debit card in an ATM.

[Sue]

My goodness it was hot in our garden yesterday, 34 by 11.30 am and still 30 degrees by 6.00. I worked hard in the garden clearing the raspberry canes but it took hours keeping waiting for the shade, stopping for a brew, stopping for a beer and just plain stopping. Bob similarly was trying to cut the hedge. The raspberries are cleared and shooting nicely. Today I shall be Bobs barrow boy moving all the hedge cuttings and putting them round the raspberries.

After a shower, I struggled to find something appropriate to wear ( as so much for this time of year is at home in our loft) . I also did not do pilates as a) I was too tired and b) my track suite bottoms were far too warm. Thus I took a giant leap and ordered three T shirts, 2 pairs of linen trouser and a pair of pilates leggings from Amazon, from some one who would deliver from France. Fingers crossed that they fit. Delivery is sometime between 17-22 of April. Fingers crossed.

In the evening we had a zoom wine tasting session of the U3A wine group. It was 90 minutes of laughter and fun. We all sat and discussed the bottle of wine were drinking although there seemed less of that and more on the running commentary between the host and the member who failed to get on, plus lots more antics. It was such fun we have decided to meet up every Saturday evening instead of once a month.

Forecast today is much the same as yesterday and for the next 10 days, but a little cooler. There may be rain on Sunday night. All this out door stuff and we are looking like agricultural labourers with darkened skins. Thank goodness we had left several un opened bottles of sunscreen here. I don’t see a lot of sewing, jigsaws and book writing in the immediate future.

[Stanley]

Sue, it sounds like absolutely the best place you could be and the best activities! We're not getting anywhere near those temperatures here.
This morning I have failed miserably with the shed again but I am not bothered as it has been a morning of honest endeavour. I have cooked and mashed my carrots, built my chicken wing and veggie roast and got that cooking nicely for the last hour and a half. Then I went for a quick visit to the Co-op for the bits I missed yesterday (Sorry Wendy but there was no one in there first thing....)I have vacuumed and done a load of washing. One more task, empty the bin and have a sterile hand wash before going for a short walk on the Green. It's all go!

[plaques]

Probably a relaxing day in the garden. Just a Fatsia to relocate, which we moved 2 years ago and was put on hold til we found a better place. Then two berberis which will also need to be relocated. These are not little potting plants but full grown monsters. I'm beginning to think that there is some master plan to move the garden round by 10 degrees and two yards back just to keep me busy.

[Stanley]

That sounds like a typical feminine ploy. But you will forgive her I know...

[Big Kev]

Working. I did break it up with a quick walk for some fresh air.

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[plaques]

Spooky. When I finally got to sit down at about 2-30. we sat looking at the white building at the junction of Standing Stone Lane & Whitemoor Lane. Reminiscing about coming down White More in an Bristol AC Cobra doing a ton. Never again, frightened the daylights out of me. Years ago I believe the house was owned by Skipper of the Burnley car sales firm. You can walk down the lane behind this house, I say lane more like a river bed, and come out near the Burwain yacht club. Nice round walk for you some day Kev.

[Stanley]

The wall on that lane is very old, next time you are up there have a look at it and also the Standing Stone in the old road bed beyond the bungalow.



The shire boundary stone behind the bungalow.

[Sue]

It was far too hot to work outside or even be outside yesterday afternoon as the temperature soared to 35 degrees. Bob decided to mend the fan in the oven because it had stopped working, then went to the barn and tried to repair an oil leak on the ride on mower and finally went to the workshop to work on pieces of railway. I finished putting the hedge cuttings round the top raspberry patch, then wrote long email letters to friends and did some sewing. At about 5.30 pm it clouded over and we had a sprinkling shower of rain accompanied by thunder and lightening. More of that forecast today but sunny now. If its not too hot I shall tackle the second fruit patch which has also been over run by weeds and field.

I continue to pick asparagus every other day

I feel some ordinary weeding coming on too. The flower beds that were tidied and weeded nearly 5 weeks ago are sprouting weeds.

I have an online yoga class at 11.30 am with my favourite yoga teacher...it could be energetic

Bob is on cooking duty today, he is BBQing Mint and garlic lamb ribs

Macron gives an update on our 4 week lockdown tomorrow evening, everyone expects it to become 6 weeks. I just think, whats another two weeks in the health and safety of the nations population.

Think positive, stay cheerful, keep busy, stay as safe and have as good a day /Easter as you can

[Stanley]

Morning Sue, you've been busy as usual! I can't match you and Bob, apart from spending 90 minutes in the shed this morning.We won't get anywhere near your temperatures, indeed tomorrow and Tuesday we are forecast to have single figures but then back to warmer later in the week.
Next item on our agenda is a short walk on the Green, breakfast and post on today's shed activities. Then guess what!

[Sue]

Busy body stops anxious mind Stanley. Our weather is also due to turn tomorrow but only down to mid teens temperatures during the day and thankfully cool nights

[Stanley]

We could have a frost here tomorrow Sue but no complaints, it's bright dry weather!
I think I'll get in the shed today, all the cooking, washing and cleaning is done. That's my intention anyway.

[Sue]

Morning all

I hope you all managed to have a good Easter, at least the weather was good a d even in isolation good weather is better than rain. It was extremely hot here again yesterday, but about 5.00 the wind whipped up and the cherry tree petals were falling and blowing round the garden like pink snow. We had heavy rain during the night, it was forecast and most welcome. We took the opportunity of the forecast to reseed the patches of lawn under the trees where I removed the ivy a couple of weeks ago.

I spent most of yesterday afternoon, just pottering, writing another long email to a friend and doing a bit of sewing. I fancied making the summer short sleeved top pattern my niece sent me, but on cutting it out realised the design was just not my style. So I recut my traced pattern using one of my sleeveless summer tops that I have here and hope to make it over the next couple of days where the weather forecast is mixed.

However after my pilates this morning I shall go and release our second raspberry plot from the field so we can finish disposing of the trimmings from the main hedge. There was an article in the local paper with suggestions on what to do with your green waste as the recycling centres are shut. We read it but learned nothing new.we were already doing everything it said.ie compost, shred, burn in small incinerators, put under hedges and bushes and use as mulch.

If it rains I may spend some time on my book, untouched since we came.

Think positive, stay cheerful, keep busy, stay safe, and have as good a day as you can.

[Stanley]

"Think positive, stay cheerful, keep busy, stay safe, and have as good a day as you can."

You're an example to all of us. I actually did get in the shed for an hour, just come out and looking at the site before a short walk with Jack and breakfast. It's cloudy and chilly here Sue, yo are having far more interesting weather! We could do with a day of west winds and rain! Everything is so dry, the ground is cracking open and it's holding the grass back.

[Big Kev]

Not doing a lot. Back to work tomorrow so I'll get to sit in a different chair, tomorrow's highlight is the bin collection

[Sue]

"Think positive, stay cheerful, keep busy, stay safe, and have as good a day as you can."

You're an example to all of us.

A little comment Stanley but that means a lot to me, the fact that it is acknowledged that we are trying hard to make the best out of what could be a really bad situation. I won’t go into it here but it is a shame my brothers didn’t see it that way........ but I won’t go there, long story.

[Sue]

Not doing a lot. Back to work tomorrow so I'll get to sit in a different chair, tomorrow's highlight is the bin collection

[Stanley]

Sue, this is a really bad situation already and anyone who doesn't realises that is sleep walking. At the moment it's the lockdown that's getting everybody's attention but this will change as the crisis develops and the unexpected consequences kick in. Impossible to forecast because they are dark horses but be sure, exist and will pop up.
(There will be unexpected bonuses as well!)
Today I shall be making a bit more progress in the shed and perhaps a bit of writing.....
I shall also be looking for a way of getting some money for the tobacco stock I no longer need. It's expensive stuff and I have over £200 invested, if anyone has any suggestions I'd welcome them.

[Sue]

Well we are into a months extension here. What can I say, April 23 rd ferry cancelled.

I was a bit low when I heard but it is what it is. Life here will go on, its the new norm now. At least after that date Macron is talking about kids going back to creche and school and slowly coming back to normal over the summer. We have booked a ferry for the 12 May. Numbers here are still more than double UK for same population so will just have to be careful out shopping, it is our or should I say Bobs only contact with the outside world. We hardly see the neighbours at all these days. Laetitia, next door but two starts a new 6 month job today on the production line making tests. That puts it into perspective, at least 6 months . I would like to be home amongst my more normal hobbies and stuff . On the plus side, I have lost pounds in weight. I have never worked so physically hard in my life. 6 hours a day on average, 7 days a week, doing strenuous hard gardening. Today is back to ordinary weeding.

My brothers realise its a bad situation but imply that we don’t , and don’t understand their own predicaments, and are treating it as a summer holiday. They completely misunderstood my daily blog . I think they thought it was a snub to them, an I’m alright Jack. I explained the only way I can cope is by being cheerful and positive , and explained our real feelings and worries about being here, not least the hospital situation, and was hoping for their support. I didn’t get any so have stopped my daily message to them. Thats a week ago. I am still waiting for a message to ask if I am OK, as they haven't heard from me. No chance !

So , although it will be a little harder today I will

Think positive, try to stay cheerful, keep busy, stay safe and have as good a day as I can.

[Stanley]

I feel so sorry for your predicament with your brothers Sue. Blaming you for the fact you are locked into staying and assuming that it's a holiday is unfair but I don't see any point in trying to persuade them otherwise. Once people take a position like that it becomes the only truth and they will be deaf to anything you can say so I reckon you have done the best thing, stopping banging your head against a brick wall!
I love the thought of you getting fitter and losing weight! If that isn't a positive I don't know what is. Don't let that worry you. When you do eventually get back home, sandpapered down to a greyhound they might realise it wasn't a holiday! Best of luck to both of you.
I have had a good hour in the shed, amazing how much work there is in these four little castings. Now for a quick trot with Jack in the cold sunshine round the Green. Mind you it's going to be a little bit warmer than yesterday....

[Gloria]

Have you given up smoking Stanley? Noted the comment re selling your tobacco stash.