Today I shall be Mainly...

[chinatyke]

... going to Nanning for 2 or 3 days. Family matters to sort out today and then hanging round my old haunts, might even get a pint and a few games of pool tomorrow! Going on the 7:40 am express train which is none stop from Pingguo to Nanning. Although it is designated 'express' we now call this "the slow train" because it isn't a high speed one. This is the Kunming-Nanning-Shanghai train and takes over 38 hours to complete the full journey. There are some long distance train journeys to be made in China, eg. Nanning to Urumqi train leaves daily at 8pm and takes 58.5 hours for the journey. I think that would be a challenge!

[Marilyn]

I bet it beats driving any day. 58 hours...hmm...might need to pack a face washer, a bag of food/water and clean knickers. Is that just a sit up seat or would you get a sleeper cabin for that?

[Stanley]

Sue, the Artisan Baker's malt loaves are a bit special aren't they. Glad it hit the spot.
China, and over here it can take that long to get a ticket....
I shall be in the shed putting this right.

[Sue]

Morning

Yesterday turned out nice, but cold. Today is forecast 9-10 degrees with a possibility of hail in the rain showers. Not my idea of fun in early October. I had a productive day with my art and then also managed to finish Briony’s bag. Photos to follow .Yoga was cancelled as the teacher was held up at work in her day job. In the evening I found out I has passed the two archeology assessments I had completed, both at distinction level, not 109% but still at distinction level. I do hate multiple choice questions, always have! I need to do some more background reading before I tackle the third assessment .

Today is dance exercise and then after a quick shower we are off to the garden centre as I want a flowering shrub for my patch of unproductive veggie patch. It grew nothing except potatoes and that was a poor crop, so I shall stick to growing veg in tubs and in the greenhouse which was far more successful. The tomatoes will see this week out, plus a couple of bags full to friends. I meant to bring you some Stanley but forgot them. I also need some white fly killer. I have been using the washing up liquid method but the white fly are still thriving on my plants in the conservatory. Then its our weekly lunch out in Todmorden, which may be our last for some time if they bring in the traffic light system of restrictions next week . This evening, I shall whats app Eve for our weekly chat. We both look forward to it. No doubt she will be in the kitchen raiding the fridge. An 11 year old swimmer needs a lot of feeding! I think that will be my day, though I may spend an hour sewing the fly zip on my new jeans. I need to get them finished as I am planning making a few little Christmas gifts on my machine

Have a good day everyone.

[Marilyn]

On the return leg of our walk we got a brilliant patch of sunshine and had a socially distanced chat with two neighbours. It was a pleasant half hour. Gosh it is good to catch up and chat with actual face to face humans!

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. As usual I am having a sit down after two and a half hours in the shed. Ye, I did some overtime because I could see the end of the parts for the parallel motion. It's been a successful and satisfying morning, I cam out of the shed in a far better mood than yesterday! Now for a wet walk (the rain had arrived by 7AM as forecast), breakfast and some posting on shed matters.

[Sue]

On the return leg of our walk we got a brilliant patch of sunshine and had a socially distanced chat with two neighbours. It was a pleasant half hour. Gosh it is good to catch up and chat with actual face to face humans!

I agree completely, I think I mentioned thst the other week, that I really miss chatting to people . Photos still won’t load. Its a problem at my end

[Stanley]

Here's today's crop of parts. I have all the bits made now, I have to make them pretty and then I can start building!

[Sue]

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[Marilyn]

Lovely bag. Gosh...if my Gran had given me something so special...

[Sue]

Lovely bag. Gosh...if my Gran had given me something so special...

Thank you, thats a kind thing to say Maz. My cousin showed me that the embroidery attachment of my machine does these fancy appliqués, so I looked to see what scraps I had and sent out feelers to see what are Bs favourite colours. She deserves something special she has had a tough few months and we hope she is coming out of the other side.

[Stanley]

Sue. Three pics demonstrating talent.....
Not sure about today, I can see an early shop looming and a busy morning. I may take a day off from the shed. Good place to have a breather!

[Sue]

Morning

Well its a dark damp start to the day, and quite difficult to motivate myself to wake up properly. However we like to be at Bacup market for 8.30 am. We did little yesterday apart from my dance exercise, lunch out and trip to the garden centre, which was very quiet. Whilst there a film crew arrived, so not sure what that was about. There is a local TV production company based in or near Rochdale so perhaps they were using it as a film set. We spent some time watching the antics of a squirrel as it tried to overcome the various squirrel deterrents around our bird feeder. At one pont it took a flying leap from the wooden rose arch to land on the precarious ornate top of the feeder and successfully reached the peanuts once again. As a result of this clever activity I went online and found a spray chili based deterrent , which you spray on the food (and my garden bulbs too I think) . The squirrels don’t like the taste and eventually stop visiting....we hope

Otherwise today I shall be planting the Lavatera and Christmas Rose we bought at the garden centre , and any plants I may buy at the market this morning. I have a couple of mask modifications to do later as I have bought some aluminium nasal wires to place across the bridge of the mask. Hopefully it will stop my glasses steaming up . Then I shall take the day as it comes, probably sew my jeans or may be do a bit of my archaeology course, and I will speak to both Eve and Briony on whats app.

Have a good day everyone.

[Wendyf]

I've booked myself onto an 'autumn colours' watercolour course over 2 days...outdoors in Kelbrook Woods! Luckily they have a tipi with an open fire so we may be able to retreat from the weather in there.

[Stanley]

Morning You Two! As I forecast earlier, a myriad of small tasks and early shopping at the Co-op have eaten away at my morning. So no shed. I have just this minute sat down to get my breath before a walk and breakfast which is prepared and ready to go. It's amazing how you can blow a morning away but someone has to do it and I'm spot ball.
F1 Quali this evening and I have just heard Mark Kulansky on R4 talking about his New (March) publication, 'Salmon'. I enjoyed his book on Cod and so, you've guessed it, I ordered it. I'm a sucker for some books. I have his Salt as well but have just realised he has also written about Paper and Milk. I shall look at them sometime in the future!
So, I shall soak up the dire news for a few minutes and then go out in the rain for the third time this morning.
[PS. If you've never come across his books I recommend you look for them, he is very informative and readable.]

[Tizer]

One for Sue and Bob...
`'Bittersweet' farewell for Scotland's oldest miniature railway' LINK

[Marilyn]

Awwww...Sue...I just love Squirrels...

[Sue]

Awwww...Sue...I just love Squirrels...

So do I but we live in a wooded area there is plenty of food for them in the form of acorns. Little garden birds struggle in the winter. The squirrels certainly kept us amused . Mind you they are not the native red squirrels, if they were I would encourage them

[Marilyn]

About to head out on another bike ride - local coastline this time, through the town to the main jetty (pier) which sits at the end of the Main Street. Lovely sunny day and we will be comfortable in T-shirts. I keep meaning to sew pockets inside our high viz vests to hold house keys etc. I shall make that a priority this week.

[Stanley]

I shall be having an easy day, my back is grumbling.... Nothing serious. A bit of light shed and F1 this evening.

[Cathy]

Marilyn... some scenery pics, please.
Any whales about?

[Marilyn]

I don’t generally take my IPad on a bike ride, Cazza ( I’m worried I will stack the bike and break/write off the iPad! ). And I don’t take my mobile, as Dave takes his and one should be enough if we injure ourselves. We travel pretty light and only take essential things...
But I will take it next time, just for you.

[Cathy]

Ah, right, gotcha
But if you were to take some pics...
a panoramic video would be awesome

Here’s hoping .

[Sue]

Morning

Its a cold morning but could be a good day. I shall take the opportunity to change and wash the bedding as it should dry outside. Yesterday eventually turned out dry with intermittent sun but cold, so I managed to get my plants in the garden so I now have a nice display of winter pansies and cyclamen in view when we are sat in the conservatory. Its getting a bit chilly in there in the mornings now so we have set up an electric heater on a timer to warm things up before breakfast, but I don’t suppose we will get many more weeks out there except on very sunny days.

Today I have yoga at 10.30 am followed by a nice relaxing bath, but we hope to get a walk in later. I shall probably continue making my jeans as I made great progress with them yesterday, that will fill most of the day, but I also intend researching and finishing the next chapter of my archeology course whilst sitting

Have a good day everyone

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. So far this morning has been a cooking storm! I have hot and spicy chicken wings arguing gently in the oven with onions and chopped tomatoes enrobed (as they say....) in a sauce that was purely an exercise to use some ingredients that needed using so it has dried coconut, tahini, peanut butter and the usual condiments. I think it will be all right..... Carrots and cauliflower with peas are ready for putting in the fridge when it has cooled. So no shed this morning but more chance of getting in there in good time each morning.
Now for a walk on a cold dry morning, breakfast and Broadcasting House.