Today I shall be Mainly...

[Tizer]

Stanley, if Marmalade Cottage is where your family are meeting on their `Progress' then I assume this is the one, which I found on a holiday cottages web site by putting its name plus Winster into Google. Toggling through the 19 photos on the site (I'm a nosy b*gger!) I noticed a familiar looking engine alongside the log burner!

[Stanley]

Clever! I've had a look and yes that's the one! Useful, I have sent the link to Margaret as she and Mick have never been there. I shall be keeping warm, looking after Jack, watching comms and doing a bit of watchmaking in the shed to keep myself on the rails.
Sue, Bob must have moved fast!

[Sue]

Oh he did Stanley, out all hours. It is only a temporary fence but he brought fast drying cement from England and put the end and corner and bracing posts in on Friday afternoon after we arrived. The soil is soggy so very easy to dig so he put in the remaining uprights on Saturday. These are not cemented as we may be removing them within a year. We had posts and fence netting from doing the original fence 12 years ago. He also cut through our existing fence to create a gate into the pathway created by the new fence. Saturday efternoon we went and bought tension pieces and wire and he strung those up. Then he unrolled the roll of mesh we had and attached that to the wires and posts, loosely. Sunday some more of the same. Monday we went to buy some more netting and then he completed the fence. Yesterday he completed fastening everything tightening wires etc.. as I was inside nursing my cold he could get on with it! Not that I would distract him it's just that we didn't do other things like shopping,,visiting people. We particularly wanted to keep away from our elderly friends as this has been a nasty cold.


A bit of cleaning today and off to St Malo after lunch.


Hope today works out Stanley. Thinking of you.

[Stanley]

No word as yet Sue.... I know I should be patient but Old Farts get frustrated very easily!
I shall attempt to have a normal day.... The Shed is a blessing. I can lose myself in there, all my frustrations drop away as I struggle with the tiny parts I have to make.....



I am at the stage where a 1/8" drill looks enormous!

[Sue]

Beautiful crossing but very very cold this morning. This was St Malo at 8.00 am English time taken from the boat cafeteria

[Stanley]

Having a rub down with an oily rag, putting on my 2000 acres in Norfolk outfit and going to see Janet.... That all Folks....

[Stanley]

Regrouping and digesting yesterday.... I shall enjoy a couple of hours in the shed, I missed it yesterday!

[Sue]

Taking Erin to dancing class as Claire has hurt her back again. I shall also be doing a fitting for Claire's cape which forms part of her wedding outfit. Then over the weekend I have the last of my Christmas presents to make. I have made quite a few this year.

Hope to get foreign parcels wrapped and the last of the cards written

[Marilyn]

You sound very organised, Sue. Lovely pic you posted too.

Lovely sunny day here ( about 28C). We went on a country drive and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Picked up some Crumbed Prawns and Chips from the seaside Chippy on the way home...enjoyed with a glass of Red...and watched a brilliant sunset.
All days should be like this. ( think I have caught the Sun a bit)

[Moh]

Envious Maz. need some hot sun. Got all cards written yesterday ready to post the foreign ones.
Spent a lovely morning listening to Len. Goodman's album Crooners & Swooners, it is brilliant and good value 3 CDs for £11, all the big bands, swing & jazz singers - many of my favourites on there.

[Wendyf]

Having a glass or two of red wine in front of the fire and listening to the best of the Eagles live (very loud). Love it when Joe Walsh joins in.

[Wendyf]

Just learnt how I can sit with my feet up and watch YouTube clips on the new TV with Google cast. I don't know how to stop it though......never mind.

[Marilyn]

( I'm an Eagles fan too)
We can do that on our TV too, Wendy...but it's mostly our kids who want to watch it. I've watched "Barlick" clips on there...

Good thing we had our country drive yesterday. Weather rather windy and grey today, with rain, though still warm enough for shorts and t-shirts.
We went for our walk early and avoided all large Gum Trees...this type of weather is when they tend to lose branches and crush folk. We seemed to be the only ones out and about...

[Stanley]

Wendy, I think I watch almost as much Youtube as TV, I can get it on the main TV as well via the smart TV apps.
Regrouping, I slept for seven hours last night, most unusual and I think a delayed reaction to Friday. I suspect it took more out of me than I thought. I shall be very kind to myself.....

[Sue]

Today I am still nursing my cold which now has shifted to my sinuses with full accompanying headache. However enough of me, let me brighten up your day.

As I said yesterday I had to go over to Claire's as she had hurt her back. I found her in a bad way, hardly able to move and with searing pain every time she did. So needless to say grandma rushed to the rescue and took over looking after two and a half year old Erin. First we went to ballet and despitevery precise instructions on the route I got lost, due to the existence of a mini roundabout or two or three or four! Having realised my mistake we back tracked with two minutes to spare. Walking at a two year olds pace would have made us late so I carried her( oh that hug, 'I love you grandma!' )

We arrived just on time but Erin did not want to leave me. It's a lovely class run by 4 teenagers about the age of16-18. They let parents stay so I did too. Erin sat on my knee for sometime doing the foot exercises but I eventually persuaded her to get on the floor and I thought my job was done. Oh no!

' come on grandma. Sit on the floor with me...'

Thus I must be the first 66 year old grandma to do the full ballet and tap session of a two year old. There I was with full winter gear on, thick coat, furry cardigan, polo neck jumper, hopping on one leg and doing pirouettes. Every time I tried to back out this little voice said come on grandma. I stretched my good feet and bad feet, did plies, bent forward to touch my toes. Sat with legs astride and leant to the left and then to the right. Made a diamond shape with my feet bent forward to smell them oh no I didn't no way could I do that. However I drew the line at being a wriggly worm slithering across the floor. At the end of the session the children were given a sweet. Erin sucked hers then took it out of her mouth and put it into mine because' you didn't get one grandma' the sweet fell on the floor at that point ( thank goodness)

Home we went to a cooked meal made by Bob who had arrived to take over looking after Claire when I was out. He went back home later.

So the afternoon progressed. We played football in the garden, planted a paper flower, played ghosts with an orange sheet, danced, cuddled and at three Erin announced she wanted a bath. I agreed this gave me a sit down activity...on the new toilet...whilst she played for 45 minutes. Under protest I lifted her out wrapped her in a towel, went into the lounge had a cuddle and the little love fell asleep for 90 minutes. Waking at 5.00.just as Daddy came in from work. This now bouncing child warmly dressed in pirate slippers nightie and dressing gown was set for another few hours of fun. I went home my mission accomplished. I bet Erin didn't go to bed early

I hope I don't get volunteered for ballet again next week. If so I will ensure I am more appropriately dressed. A little pink tutu seems to be the uniform. I wonder if I can make one in my size

[LizG]

Sounds like a lovely afternoon Sue. My body was aching in sympathy!! Please post photos of you in the pink tutu next week. I'm looking forward to it.

[Stanley]

Sounds like high risk activity to me! I always remember when Corrine Harrison, who taught at Springfield School at Earby, was laid low at home and on crutches. I asked her if she had been in a car crash and she said no, worse than that, she had torn the ligaments in her leg while showing the children how to 'Be a tree'! There comes a time Sue when it is a mistake to attempt to do the splits.....
I shall be doing far less strenuous things in the shed......

[Sue]

No splits Stanley, nothing more active than I do in Pilates each week, in fact less so. It was just the humour of the situation

[Stanley]

Thank God for that!

[PanBiker]

Back from our week in Derbyshire for my birthday and our Ruby Wedding and now catching up on a weeks worth of OG posts.

[Stanley]

Everyone is leaving Derbyshire!
I shall be having as normal a day as possible as I think about the Sisterhood flying out to Oz today. I've started well by putting a load of washing in! "Cleanliness is next to dirtiness". Then there is the small matter of the winding engine......

[Sue]

A sewing lesson this morning to try and sort out the draft of the cape for Claire. Followed by a Christmas lunch with my old sewing group that disbanded when our teacher became very ill and later died. This evening is a carol service at Hallfolds Church. A busy Christmassy day.

Yesterday I walked through the church yard of St Chads church in Rochdale to find itv busy filming. Apparently Christmas Eve carol service with Alud Jones is from there.

[Moh]

Tree up, outside lights up, Christmas cards posted, still have the ones to deliver but all ready. shopping list for Christmas food written out - never been so organised!!

[Stanley]

I had a roller coaster day yesterday and finished up emotionally drained. I shall be having a quiet day today, a bit of shed and a wait to hear that Janet is back in her own bed.

[Stanley]

Keeping dry. Waiting for word from Carine on Janet and doing a bit in the shed......