HI Neil,
So lovely to see you. I always miss you and wonder how you are when you aren’t posting. But great that you got to see the show. Hope you don’t catch what they had! And I’m glad you got home ok and that the trains weren’t cancelled with the winds. Ferocious in the garden but I kept working and came in around 9. Fabulous pics and I love the opulence of the ceiling and chandelier. Not many in. Did you take pics before it filled up?
Hope it lifted you a little. When we are in the depths of it not much helps, apart from time doing it’s thing and eventually making it a little easier to get through the day. Do you go out for walks, to the park or library? I find making the effort is the biggest challenge. Still haven’t been swimming. Must be weeks since I was there and left after 20 mins. There’s so little joy in doing anything myself. But you have your lovely friend and his phone call to look forward to. Sometimes I speak so little (only to Porsch) that having a proper conversation with my therapist feels very surreal. To hear my voice when I hardly use it now (doesn’t that sound weird!) is very strange. I don’t want this to be my life but it’s what I have. I do try to balance perspective with how things could be so much worse, enjoy what I have (my freedom, my garden etc) but it only goes so far. You’ll see from my post to Tina how I wanted to tell mam about the creep and then I realised she isn’t here and couldn’t make sense of it being real. It’s like being stuck in some alternative universe (what was that comedy about the spaceship and ‘H’ and the other two?) I still find comfort in getting chores done before I go into the garden. It was always a bother before mam. But now I’m thankful for anything that fills in time with a sense of purpose.
Keep popping in , even if it is to laugh at the creep and his behaviour. Mr Testosterone has been quiet lately. Still parking on the grass like he owns the street! I read something about the louder people are the more insecure. He is certainly insecure! Whereas the creep must have trained himself to be that quiet. I’m glad I’m not the only woman he watches but it was very creepy seeing him in action hiding behind his van (I could see his feet) watching a woman getting her stuff out of the car when she parked up and staying until she was out of sight. He only went to the van for a toolbox! I had to watch the cameras to see how long he’d been home without me being aware that he was there. I hate watching him. Can’t understand people who love spying. Neil, you could get some binoculars to see what everyone is up to! That would fill in some time!
Have you noticed how early it gets dark now on an evening? Freaked me out a bit. Not sure where this massive heatwave is for us but pleased it’s cooled down. Nothing can prepare a woman for the heat of menopause in a heatwave! Wouldn’t make a difference if I was wearing a fur coat with a wool catsuit underneath! At least you don’t have that to have to be concerned about. Mam didn’t seem to be bothered by it. I wish she was here for all my random questions. And news.
Keep popping in. Miss you when you don’t!
Lots of love xxx
Hi Christine
Yes will keep popping in when I can. In answer to your question- I always take my pics in the theatre as soon as I arrive at my seat then it is turned off until after the show. Wish a few more would! I havent seen it too much but some people get their phones out during a show which is not allowed but since covid people dont know how to behave!
Hope to post again soon.
Sending love and best wishes
Neil x
Hi Neil,
Sorry to hear you’ve not had a good week but glad you managed to enjoy your play x I did see it advertised when I was down last month and wondered why it would be like so nice to hear you enjoyed it x I remember staying at a hotel not far from the Old Vic with mum about 4 years ago and it is a lovely building from the outside so to inside especially the chandelier was lovely so thanks for posting x
I haven’t seen Grease for years…pretty sure Shane Ritchie was playing Danny last time I saw it so shows you how long ago that would have been 
x
You got anything planned for this week? I have nothing but work unfortunately but least it keeps me busy.
Hope you manage to stay on a more even keel this week but if you have a down day then remember we’re here if you wanna talk x
Thanks for posting the photos again, take care and much love 
x
Hello Christine
How are you both today?
I meant to get back to you yesterday but by the time everything has died down it was nearly midnight and my eyes weren’t focussing on what I was writing! I was cleaning non-stop yesterday. He was home, then his son was round with him all afternoon and then there was Zoe shedding her fur everywhere as they had her chasing round the living room. I dont mind cleaning after Zoe, she is a pet but I’m absolutely weary of clearing up anything else. It’s not normal “domestic” cleaning which you can understand needs doing, it’s stuff street-cleaners would clean up. I’ve begged him not to, but to no avail. Do you remember those Landau’s that go up and down the prom/seafront with a bucket on the back so they can pick up the horse manure as they go, well that is what I feel like.
OMG that creep is definitely not a full shilling is he? The only consolation is that others can now see glimpses of his true “poisonality”. You must jump for joy everytime you hear the van start off and he’s leaving for the day. It’s no life for you is it. At least if you both live in bungalows he hasn’t got an upstairs window to look down on you from. The would be a severe lack of privacy. You mention he’s always in his garden, is that because he’s a keen gardener or just likes faffing about? My next door neighbour is now off for 7weeks college holiday because he teachers IT but already he’s been banging his hammer so hard on the outside house wall I feel our walls shaking. I hope he goes out but he never does when he isn’t working.
Went to Asda this morning, about 8ish. I bought a hand fork and digger in the sale
I was going to get some hand shears ad they were reduced quite a bit but decided against it I only really tend to get 2 good year from them and they them end up collecting dust and rusting on the shed. I bought myself a glitter solar light got 88p. Can’t think why but it won’t break the bank. I saw a lovely aurora glass mini tealight holder but resisted as I have tons!
Well done with all that gardening and heavy manual work. I’m always in awe of what you’ve done. I’m going to have to see if I can dig out the roots of the weeds between the paving stones again before I can fill in the gaps but I’ll see if he goes out first. I have decided on a different craft idea so if I get any spare time later I might have a try and show you, not exactly a “big wow”, I know!
I understand you wanting to tell your Mam about things. No, you are very right, it doesn’t seem real. It just feels like "waiting’ but not really knowing what it is I am waiting for. On the other hand it feels like being a plant with shaky or non-existent roots. I do say the weirdest things. Like you say it’s unbelievably difficult when we are on the middle of dark cloud but on the better days just getting some thing’s done is a huge achievement and makes us feel much better when we can see what we’ve done.
On a much lighter note you really made me laugh when you said the older you get the more people annoy you! That is how I feel! You must be suffering from that “Grumpy Old Women” syndrome. I don’t think you are alone in that, definitely not.
Well I’ll go and see what’s what. Its deadly quiet when Zoe isn’t barking. I’m just trying to keep her away from the window as it’s postman time and then Amazon is round 3 times a day and she barks at them both like a don’t know what. She can hear the Amazon van in the next street. There mustnt be anything wrong with her ears as it’s an electric van !!
Much love you you both xx
Hi Neil
Love the photos. Got a overwhelming sense of deja vu with the white building. I can’t remember though if it’s the one I thought was quite an iconic building from your earlier photos going back a while now. I’m sure none of that sounded right but you probably can guess what I meant!
Spot on Neil because I have thought many a time that people (some not all), behave differently since Covid. People seem to have a bigger sense of self-entitlement and lack of inhibition than they did before.
Nice to hear you’ve got things booked into the Autumn. No “putting things off til tomorrow” for you!!
Much love. Xx
Hi Nick and Palou.
Hope things are going as well as can be expected for you both and that you are both well.
Much love xx
Hi Tina
I have posted the Old Vic before so you probably did remember from last time.
Such a beautiful building as Suzanne said in her post to me.
Going to see the Spiderman:Across The Spiderverse film on Wed just before the kids break up. Should be a cracker reading the brilliant reviews!
Sending love and best wishes
Neil x
Hi Tina,
I hate that you have all that cleaning to do and bro doesn’t give a damn. Did he treat your mam the same or is he doing what he couldn’t get away with before? Mentioning the promenade reminds me of South Shields with the old fashioned ‘tuggy boats’ where 2 sit in a bucket and you each pull on a rope to make it swing. Ancient things but great fun. Wonder if they’re still there. Can’t remember horses but I know there were donkey rides when I was little. Always felt sorry for them but they were well cared for from what I remember. Still no fun for them.
You are so right in me having a leap of excitement when I hear his van leaving. He was creping about this morn with his gardening tools (assume he’s a gardener but he works shifts so maybe’s not). Trouble is he can pop back home at any time or stay away longer than expected so not set hours for me to work by. If he had an upstairs window he’s prob have a massive telescope on my garden and cameras to record me. I wouldn’t go in the garden, ever! He certainly is a monster! When your IT neighbour is doing his banging just imagine how much worse it could be! I’d swap you mine for yours and even chat to the guy out of relief of getting rid of the creep. But I wouldn’t wish that on anyone and certainly wouldn’t do that to you. I literally have no privacy when he is at home because he lurks at his van when I’m trapped in my bedroom.
I have the council round Wed to look at the roof and do the work so I’ve been cutting back the overhanging rose on the roof and taking photos. I’ve discovered a hole at his roof for the rat to come out and then one at mine for it to come in. Must get disturbed when he gets up early and then it wakes me up. I have the piece of roof tile which looks like it has been cut and I’ll get the piece of cement out of the loft where it has been poked through. There’s a few tiles been lifted and other places where rats can get in if they tried. So I now have a mammoth task of moving all the rails in the loft and clearing the summer bags from that corner to see if there are any droppings. Trouble is the whole loft area is carpeted so it’s not an easy job. He has created so much work and stress because he has rats in his loft. I wonder if the council have talked to him about it. Probably not.
Hope you put your new tools to good use and very well done for not buying the shears. I have very rusty shears. Can’t even open them! Just had a thud on my door. The creep is back but I couldn’t see who thudded. You said about people seeing him doing his creepiness in daylight but the people round here are just as odd or aggressive / anti social as he is. His mate believes whatever he has told her about what he says I am doing to him, that he is the victim of my behaviour towards him! When I told mam she said he must be frightened as he used the phrase ‘sexual harassment’ which I thought was odd, given that it is stalking which is a very different thing. So I can’t go back out there now to clear up the cuttings.
Do you have a tool for digging out the weeds at the front? I’ve been using a trowel where I can scoop long bits out and for smaller sections a very old metal camping peg does the trick. Once you start it’s very addictive. I’ve have an area prepped already and if he goes back out I might do that section. The long end panel isn’t set and still quite damp as under canvas overnight but I’m hoping it will dry out before the rain Tues. Just have to keep going at it until it’s finished. Will do the kitchen steps too.
You describe perfectly the feeling of waiting but not knowing what for and having no roots or foundation. Whatever security I had before has gone. I really do feel quite hollow and broken without her, not knowing what my purpose is now. I am no longer a daughter because she isn’t there. And being rejected by my family because of who I am makes me question why I am so hated. I know it is there hang up but to have lost a family because of mam going was never something I thought would happen. I think I’m still in shock. Had no clue they would turn on me.
It’s so annoying having to watch the cameras to see what the creep is doing but it’s necessary to catch him doing his creepy stuff. He is odd. Just watched him leave after coming home with bags of shopping to return again a minute later. He is not normal. And so very nosy. Having a good look at my roof because I was out there earlier with the camera. He either has cameras and is watching me or his mate next to him watches me all the time and tells him everything. I caught her watching me from her upstairs window when I was making a call in the car (awful reception in the house) and she didn’t even stop when I stared at her. She eventually put the light out but she still watched me. So between the two of them they are fueling his obsession. Oh to live in a normal world again! I used to get bored easily if I didn’t have a project on the go but I wish I could be bored now instead of living with a constant threat of being watched and gossiped about. It never stops. And now I have had to cut back new growth at the roof at the back she can see straight into my garden from her upstairs windows. I was hanging my washing out in position so it blocked her view. Might have to add a plastic ‘roof’ panel between the rook and pergola so she can’t spy on me. I know what it sounds like but I’ve caught her doing it and talking about me so I know what she is doing. If the creep didn’t have her joining in maybe’s he would have stopped by now.
He’s not left again so I have the joys of the loft this afternoon. He’ll be loitering and wondering what I’m doing. Very unnerving not being able to see him and how close he is to me even if I am in the loft. Wish mam could be here just to be with me. She’d like sitting in the garden and helping advise me. She has such a gentle manner, quiet and full of knowledge. Wish I was more like her. Wish I’d told her how I love who she is as a person.
Porsch is being quiet again. She is so clingy when she can’t see or hear me and starts her screaming. She’ll sit in the hall doing it when I’m in the bathroom. There’s only 4 rooms I could be in and yet she cries until I stop her. Driving me mad!
Think Zoe needs a playmate to keep her occupied. Have you considered getting another one? They say having two is easier as the pressure isn’t on you to have to entertain. But then there’s 2 of everything in cost too. Finding Porscha’s food very expensive as she only eats the gravy and not the meat but I can’t force her. Just glad she’s eating again.
Will make a start with the clothes now, moving all the rails and checking the wall for drill marks. I had laid paper down at the wall last time I heard him drilling so I had evidence to collect if he did it again. There’s such a lot of stuff up there but at least it’s organised and can be easily moved. Just want the rat situation to end. I have plug in air fresheners, sonic rat deterants, oils and vinegar. I can smell it every time I go in the kitchen as the hatch is open. At least if I get this sorted the rat will be back with the creep permanently.
Hope he’s at home when the council come round. I’ll be reminding them about what he has done to me and that it is an ongoing stressful situation. All the neighbours know but it’s good to remind them too. Just wish he’d move.
Whatever you get up to today hope you enjoy a little piece of it. Maybe’s you could train Zoe to help dig out the weeds! I can just imagine the fun she’d have and the clearing up for you!
Lots of love xxx
Evening 
Been catching up with the posts and seems a mixed bag on how we are all feeling x
@Tina19 I so wish your brother would stop being such a lazy pig and help you out. He’s quick enough to remind you that it’s house yet he treats it like a hotel x he should be feeling privileged that you are staying and helping with Zoe, house etc instead of taking you for granted. If any consolation we appreciate you and your wisdom xx
@christine51 enjoy the times when Creep leaves and what’s happening with the guy that parks on the grass? My next door neighbour is a nightmare for parking cause he has a keep, a huge work transit van, his partner has like a Volvo estate and that’s not including the damn caravan….he parks on the pavement so you can’t use it and the grass cause the car park is too small. Mum used to have such trouble getting round the car so much so that she started using the back door more. He’s not the type of person you can talk to either as remember a few years ago I had an argument with him and his mother came into my work and started attacking me in there!! Luckily my manager was there to chuck her out as I was going to deck her x luckily we’re all on better terms now so hopefully your neighbours will calm down x hoping Porscha feels more like her old self soon 
x
@NEILB72 how are you doing this week? Must know what you think of Spiderman as I saw a trailer for it and had to laugh in spite of myself as looked quite funny. Also very wise move going before the kids go on hols. Our schools have been broken up for a week already and the kids are every where and parents largely don’t seem to be able to say no these days lol x all my granny and mum has to do was ‘the look’, no words needed and I stopped lol x
Hope your friend phones tomorrow and that these days aren’t too heavy for you.
Take care and much love x
@Nick22 and @Palou hope you both are keeping well this week and have something to look forward to this week. Just remember to take care of yourselves xx
Hi Suzanne,
Hello! It’s always lovely to see you as I know how hard you work. Had to laugh at the mam coming into your work and getting chucked out! Lovely bunch! If that’s the mam there was never any hope for the son turning out any better. They’d fit right in round here. The buggar with the car continues to use the grass as his private parking space. Usually I wouldn’t even notice but it infuriates me because of the argument over using my bay (hasn’t done it again as he knows I will report him and he will be fined) and the fact that nobody is allowed to use the ‘communal landscaped area’ in front of the bungalows. So I will mention it to the council when they come round to inspect the roof and hopefully fill in the entire area under the eves so that the rats can’t get back in. Creep is out so I will be free to tell them everything, like him drilling again (the reason I have his rats from his loft when he gets up and disturbs them) and creeping about in the dark. Whatever his mate hears she will pass onto him. He knew I’d been taking pics of the roof when he got in from work as he looked up at my roof on camera which he never does. So anxiously waiting for them to turn up soon. Discovered he had moved his pile of tyres right next to my fence at the house. This is where he would climb onto his green bin and watch me through the window, and invite the woman who he was living with to come and have a look at me sewing! He clearly sees nothing at all wrong in his behaviour towards me. It is the sense of entitlement in people around here that I find baffling.
Love your pot of wild flowers. I have the yellow one and have been nurturing it to be well over 5 foot now (taller than me!). I’m hoping the seeds I scattered will come through next summer. Been working on my patio between showers and hope to get another patch cemented today as it will be raining at the weekend. Have the fence and trellises to finish too but that is a major headache because of the tangled rose stems and tree trunks I have to work around and when the creep is out. So after my roof is sealed (hoping they will use expanding foam like they did inside) I’ll be able to crack on.
Finally got a cheeky swim in after therapy yesterday, though it was only 20 mins because the swimming lessons were on. Could have gone in the outside pool but it wasn’t that warm and I’d had enough.
But now I’ve started again I hope to book up at the local pool tomorrow.
Porsch is doing well with her food, though she wastes so much by just eating the gravy (can’t force the meat down her). Discovered a few tablets spat out so am being extra vigilant about her swallowing the tablet. I know when she hasn’t because her poo isn’t black / very dark choc brown!). But she’s loving life in the garden and taking full advantage of me with her screaming!
Must dash as have to get ready and get the back gate open for the council peeps. They’re always lovely but it is still a very anxious thing for me. Mam always dealt with things and I’d disappear to my sisters and come back when they were finished. Wish she was here to help me.
Have you been watching the new murder drama with Timothy Spall? I find it incredible just how callous people can be. Started Monday at 9 on 1 if you wanted to catch up.
Bye for now hun and enjoy your Loch. Have you been doing the weeds through the gravel? Looks very well maintained to me. Makes my garden look wild!
Lots of love xxx
Hi all,
I did it - got through the inspection and repairs with a panic attack but calmed down afterwards and was chatting away to the blokes doing the repairs like I always do (because I can’t stop chatting), telling them about the creep and my situation here. I was laughing saying that the younger one looked so bored, making a joke of it. The other one said he hopes my situation improves and that I find some peace. The both agreed it was nice chatting to someone who didn’t have a bad attitude towards them. I always thank the people doing the repairs. I’m always so grateful. Repairs are free as it is a rented council house. I can’t understand having an attitude about getting free work done. So I managed and am shattered now afterwards. There’s the intensity of the panic and then the absolute exhaustion when the adrenalin rush stops. So Porsch and I are going to have a nap now.
All the neighbours will have heard my conversation about the creep and his ongoing behaviour, why I am housed here and that I find people’s attitudes bizarre. The fact that he wasn’t punished and there is no closure for me just fuels the anxiety of living here. I added too that I’m not mental! and my anxiety is because of the stalking but that what the creep has done is real but that I could never prove it because I didn’t have cameras at the time. I also mentioned his mate believing whatever version he has given her so I hope she is questioning the whole thing and will stop with her attitude towards me. All I can do is shout about what has happened and hope to change peoples opinions of me and what he is doing to me.
It was funny when they had been in the loft to look at the wall to see if there were any drill marks (I knew there weren’t) and the bloke said ‘you have a lovely loft!’ (don’t hear that very often in conversation) but all they could do was fill in the holes we could see under the tiles. So I now have to listen for the rat trying to get in and check for the smell to see if it has been trapped inside and died. I’m just relieved that the job is done because I had to wait a while for them to come round. Such a stressful thing for me to do on my own. Mam would be proud!
Hope to see you all soon!
Lots of love xxx
Hi guys,
Just dropping in to share my anxiety about getting my fence panel in before the creep gets back as he went out very early so I have a window of opportunity. Going well and much simpler putting the fence panel directly onto the trellis that is already there. Taking pics as I go. Will be very pleased if I can get the post spikes in too and a real bonus if I get the posts in as well. Spurred on by my chat with the workmen yesterday as the info about the creep will be fresh in the minds of whoever heard it. His mate is being very quiet. Very stressful but I’m determined. Will transform the garden when it’s complete. Drill back on charge so I’m just waiting to get out there again. If I can do short bursts I can manage it. Had to cut some tree growth so more open to being watched until the trellises go up. Hope to get up early tomorrow again to complete it. Taking pics and will update you later.
Lots of love xxx
Hi all,
Creep is back and I didn’t know. Was wrestling with getting a fence panel between the tree and rose trunks, having created ‘legs’ with 2x2 in order to secure and fill the bottom half. So I had to quickly stuff the gap with plastic sheets and get back in the house in a panic. I loathe him! Could have had that finished if he’d not come back. He’s out there now chopping back everything he can with his power tools. So I have to listen to his noise even in the bedroom. Wonder what the reaction will be towards him after my conversation yesterday. But anyway he’s my pics so far:
Fence panel secured directly onto the trellis that was already put up previously, secured so the height matched.
The bit of trellis above the fence and next to the house will be used as a second layer of trellis for extra coverage next to the window which the creep used to watch me through. It will block my light but I’ll be able to open my curtains again and work by the window like I used to before he moved in. The ivy will be trained to cover the entire area and I might add another climber on top so I will have pretty flowers and fragrance.
So here’s the fence going in
onto the trellis,
using whatever I had to hand to secure the height until fixed.
Here it is from the other end.
Very pleased!
Trellis panel is old
but will create a thicker structure and hopefully be a bigger deterrent to stop him trying to see into my house.
And because there is a big gap between the old fence, trellis layer and the new fence it should last longer that just one panel.
Added lots of bits to secure it all together.
Can’t wait now to finish the job and get the whole area dug over, compost added from pots of bulbs and my shady plants in at last. The pressure will be off then to have to do major jobs, apart from the patio.
Also, I discovered the top pond is only leaking when the pump is on so I’ll have to adjust the head and the angle of the plastic waterfall tray. A massive relief to know there isn’t a split in the liner.
I’m ready for a nap now! Creep is at front of house but hiding from the camera. I know because it keeps buzzing but I can’t see him. I don’t enjoy watching him but am waiting to see of he’s going out again so I can have a tidy up. Had to cut some bits back in order to get the fence in. Was dreading doing it but it turned out to be very straight forward.
Glorious out there. Had to choose between the fence and cementing the patio. Glad I did the fence.
Hope you are all having a gentle day. Hope my Monty is back on Friday. Missed him last week but it was lovely seeing Carol’s beautiful garden.
Debbie, you’ll be counting down the hours now with your last day tomorrow before the summer hols. You’ll be free! Feels like this year has dragged but then I’m quite baffled at being back in summer again after all the work I did last year. Will be able to take it easier now in the garden when I get the fence and patio finished.
Tina, I’ve been wondering how you’re getting on with the grouting out the front. And if you’ve been shopping for plant bargains? I’m hoping to get to Sainsburys soon (will do after a swim at the local pool which has become a bit of a thing now as I haven’t been for so long) to look at their plants. I know it’s summer but I got the Autumnal garden brochure through last week so I’m already thinking of winter pansies. Love pansies with their little faces.
Neil, hope you are feeling a little lighter and more upbeat with some sunshine. Going to rain at the weekend so make the most of it if you can.
Suzanne, I know you’ll be working hard but looking forward to pics of the Loch. Thought of you when I saw something about dinosaurs and the planet / evolution. You’re my first thought on anything nature related.
Beki, Hope you are doing fun things inbetween working form home. Looking forward to more swimming pics. I had a quick swim after therapy so it’s a start after not going for a while.
Nick, hope you are getting on well with the sorting and getting things over to your brothers house. Must be very stressful but you’re doing great! And just imagine sitting having a cuppa in the new place after all your hard work in getting there. How long is it now?
Palou, I know you pop in occasionally but I am always pleased to see you, and was very grateful for your kindness about Porsh. She’s doing well, still enjoying her garden and loving the renal treats I got in with the new food she likes. She does take advantage of me but I love her all the more for being who she is!
To everyone else I hope you are managing each day. Whatever you do is an achievement, however small. The struggle will always be ours but to win along the way is proof of our bravery and strength.
Wish mam could see what I’m doing. She’d be amazed! I can just imagine the praise! Makes me smile. And without tears for a change. I’m winning today and eager to keep going.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Christine.
Not been able to write much recently but I’m going to get as much jobs as I can sorted today and will come back later for a chat.
Much love xx
Hi Christine
I am glad to hear the workmen have been and gone and it wasn’t too bad for you, despite the panic. I can understand that they sometimes get bad feeling directed at them from tenants. Everyone seems to have this sense of self-entitlement nowadays. Its a case of I want it, and I don’t want to wait for it. Goodness alone knows where it’s all come from.
Love your efforts in the garden. Love how ingenious your ideas are. Its such a shame that he’s joined onto your bungalow. It would have been bad enough if he was nextdoor but with land inbetween but having his presence there is bound to get you down. Hopefully one day he’ll get arrested for something and then someone else can have the “pleasure” of his company.
I didn’t buy anything else in the reduced gardening section at Asda. I had to go in quickly this morning and most of the gardening tools were still there but I wasn’t tempted. Pity I can’t use that willpower on chocolate bars! I haven’t found a place to scatter these seeds yet from the box as I have to be careful with seeds and plants in case Zoe eats something she shouldn’t.
I’ve had so much clearing and tidying to do recently that I’ve only been finishing at midnight. Its not light duties feather dusting cleaning either it’s like cleaning a dirty shipyard out. I don’t want to help or gratitude but just for it not to be mucked up straight away after but that’s not going to happen so I’ll change the record now!
Been thinking what I could do as another craft. I do love mosaics but not the mucky and untidy bits so I went on Pinterest. Goodness me it’s like a crafter’s theme park on there isn’t it. I saw a few ideas where people had some mosaics but with old DVD’s and CD’s. So I just made a sample to see if it’s something I could do. I could hang it in the garden with the other suncatchers I have made. The holographic effect in the sun is really brilliant
I’ll add a photo.
Glad to hear Porsche is still managing the gravy. You are doing such a good job with her.
I think Emmerdale is going to start so I’ll watch it. If I watch it on catch-up my sense of time goes up in smoke for the rest of the night!
Catch you later and much love xx
This CD suncatcher is mounted on wood with a hoop to hang it in the garden.
Hi Christine,
I broke up from school today, tomorrow is a training day, I’ve done my 3 days for the year.
It has been very manic and busy at work the last two weeks, teachers are thinking about September. I’ve had so much to do, today I got into work half an hour early and stayed to way past my finish time, trying to get everything done.
There is a chance I might get my hospital appointment through for my knee replacement over the summer break and if that happens I won’t be back for the start of term. Managed to clear almost all my work, but a booklet arrived five minutes before I left and didn’t quite get my scanning done.
Always feels strange at the end of school year, it brings it home Doug is not here. We would be thinking and planning of what we were going to do over the long summer break. Today I just got home sat in the garden and sobbed. 
I was given flowers and two boxes of chocolates from different teachers which is always nice surprise.
I haven’t forgotten the valerian plant. In fact I saw some seeds on Amazon and ordered a packet for you and Suzanne. They arrived today from China. I hope they are valerian seeds and not something dodgy. They came just in a clear plastic bag, no picture or instructions all the writing was in Chinese, 
. I will post them to you both this week.
Pleased you got your roof repaired and the council guys were nice to chat too, makes all the difference when they are friendly. Let’s hope that’s the last of your furry visitors. You made me smile when they admired your loft space.
You seem alot brighter, pleased Porsch is at least lapping the gravy up, and you got to go swimming again. Shame you couldn’t quite get your fence finished. Tomorrow is supposed to be a fairly dry day hopefully he will go to work early again and it will give you a chance to finish it. Glad you found the source of water loss in your pond, now you know you can fix it.
I’m so glad Wimbledon has finished, it took over everything for two weeks, loved to play tennis 
but don’t like watching it. At least the women’s football 
world cup is earlier in the morning and you know it’s over in 90 minutes. Hope Monty is on for you tomorrow.
Catch up with you again tomorrow, going to have an early night. I need to be up early tomorrow to go into town to do my food shopping as need to be back as going to lunch with a friend.
Speak soon
Sending love
Debbie x
Hi Christine:)
Glad to read you are getting back to your swimming despite having the Creep farting about x
Funny you should say that about me and evolution etc as mum and I used to always argue about evolution as she was a massive Darwin fan and I used to say to her that evolution was flawed so wrong and there was a missing link (you know the well published flaw of evolution) and she used to go tits at me and if I was really trying to wind her up I would remind her that the ‘69 moon landings were fake x
The Loch will be interesting this week as just been sent an email (along with all staff and volunteers as not that special lol) saying the the mother Osprey called NCO hasn’t been seen since last Saturday and they don’t know whether something has happened or if she’s pissed off over a month early leaving LM12 (the male) looking after the chicks (who are now fighting as they are like hangry teenagers) and he canna look for fish as there are intruding Osprey trying to take over the nest!! All very dramatic so will find out more on Sat and update you x
Getting my hair done tomorrow so will see why it turns out like 
x
Hope you feel the benefit of your swimming and hopefully you’ll get some bargains when you pop to Sainsburys x
Also laughed at thought of Porscha spitting out her pills…she can’t fool you lol but glad she’s being a bit more like herself x just wish Cal would stop being a wee prick as he keeps going behind the table which the bearded dragon sits on and if it moves and lands on him the both of them will be goners 
x
The weeds are doing my head in tbh as have no interest to keep removing them but the garden looks so much better when done so will do it when I’m off on hols in a couple of weeks time but bought a wee spade to help me x. Saw some bumblebees on my lavender tonight so was well chuffed x
Not heard of that Timothy Spall thing on tv so will check it out x
What are your plans for the weekend? Hoping you get out to the garden.
Away for a cuppa so will love you and leave you for to hht x
@NEILB72 just checking in to see how you are this week. Hope you’re doing ok and that you got to see Spiderman x
Take care and much love x
Hi Tina,
Wow! Love your mosaic with the cd’s. That will be glinting all over the place with the sun. You’ve done such a great job. Have you thought of learning to knit or crochet as a hobby? It’s very therapeutic with the repetition and rhythm. Mam taught me both when I was 3 ! I knitted my pandy a scarf and loved doing the centre bits for the granny squares of the massive camping blanket I have draped over the back of the sofa. Love the really massive cable knits on huge needles. Wool can be very expensive now. I remember collecting random large balls of wool from charity shops for 50p for my work. I now use lovecrafts online as they always have a sale on with a good collection of colours.
I honestly think you should stop cleaning up after your brother and use your time for creating things you enjoy. He doesn’t appreciate anything you do. Might take him a while to see the mess but he has to in order to value what you do. I know it’s easy to say and it would drive me mad living in mess. I just know that when you are crafting you are in a happy place. And I believe your mam would want you to do something you enjoy in your day. Still do dishes and general household chores but just refuse to clear up after your awful bro.
Thinking about your wild seeds and Zoe. Could you scatter them at the front where she doesn’t roam free? Or a large pot would work. Or a selection of smaller pots placed on top of the wall where she can’t get to them. There’s also a lot of crafting with wooden palettes for planters. Window boxes would be lovely. You could create a wild meadow on top of the wood pile store. Was watching a Garden Rescue tonight with Charlie Dimmock. She’s really quite scatty now. They used a huge pot as a focal point with succulents as the floral centre piece.
The creep was blasting his music again until early evening. I fell asleep for a couple of hours after doing the fence. I’m sure it’s the stress of having the creep getting away with what he’s done. But I know it could be so much worse. Watched an awful documentary about a man who set himself and his mother in law on fire because that was the worse thing he could do to punish his wife for leaving him. Horrific. I left everyone I knew when I left my ex but haven’t been able to create a new life because of my agoraphobia. It’s like being trapped. And that makes me a target. I can’t be the only one he’s watching and I hope he gets what he deserves one day. All I can do is shout very loudly about what he’s done to me.
Well done for resisting more bargains in Asda. I Have to do another shop again. Need to make more soup. Get so tired of eating the same thing. Treated myself to burgers with caramelised onion last time. Delicious with melted cheese in a toasty sandwich. Not great for my high colesterol. Really must try to do better. Would love some chocolate but munch on ice pops instead as they last longer and are probably less calories.
Hope the creep leaves very early so I can get the two spikes hammered in and posts fixed and screwed to secure the fence. Fridays are tricky. He could be off all day, come back lunchtime and go again or stay out until late. If I have my phone it will alert me to his return with the camera. So stressful. He’s cut more of the greenery away from the top of the fence so I am totally overlooked until the trellises go up. I only have 2 to do but have to secure the fence with the posts before that can happen. It will be strange getting the job finished as I started it ages ago now. Not sure if last year or at the start of this year. Will tidy away all the wood lying around. And I’m hoping the new neighbour will get a fence up behind mine but they haven’t so far. It’s so expensive. Even the fixings, screws and plastic ties cost a lot. But I have everything I need now to get it done.
Going to have an early night so I can get an early start. Not looking forward to hammering the spikes in with the heavy mallet. But it needs doing. Will take pics and pop in tomorrow when the creep arrives back.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Debbie,
I’m not at all surprised that you are thinking of Doug and all the things you would do together. You must be feeling very lost. But you have a wonderful family to enjoy over the summer. Will you all be going away somewhere? Mam and dad used to hire a cottage and explore new places in their retirement after they couldn’t manage the boat. I miss being on the water. Love watching programmes on barges and doing them up inside. Dad worked on the tugs when he was young and always wanted a boat of his won. I have such happy memories of being with mam and the family on holidays and weekends away, even if we just stayed in the marina.
I thought of you and your knee! when the news was on about the hospital strikes again. I do hope you get your op and don’t get put off. It’s great to know that you have help when you do get it done. You’ll feel like a new woman!
You must be very well liked to receive flowers and chocs from work! Nice that you are appreciated for everything you do. You’ll be missed when you leave. But I think having things in place to look forward to is key in getting you through the week. That way you can enjoy a rest on the days you aren’t busy. When I was chatting to the workmen it made me realise just how isolated I am. It must be so obvious to them how frustrated I am about the creep and that he’s got away with it. One of them hoped I find some peace after everything I’ve gone through. I was saying how I’m no victim and that my anxiety doesn’t make me one of the nutters belonging to this street! My therapist has to remind me every now and again that I am surrounded by oddballs because it is a high need housing situation. I do wonder if the creep has a record of his behaviour that they are aware of and not able to tell me. Hope I didn’t come across as being obsessed about getting revenge on him. I really do hope he crosses the wrong person one day and regrets it. Wonder if his family know what he is or if it’s his secret perversion.
Just looked up the valerian plant. Very pretty and I didn’t know it’s a delicious herb but was also used in ancient Greece and Rome for medicinal purposes. Very fragrant too. Not sure if I have that in the garden. I do have large white flower heads very similar and they remind me of being little. Looking forward to getting them. Thankyou. x
Hoping for an early start to crack on with the fence posts before creep gets home. If I can get both in and secured I’ll be winning! It’s been a massive battle of wills to get the fence and trellises up but I’m nearly there. Anything I do after this will be easy! Supposed to be having rain at the weekend so might be stuck indoors.
I completely missed the tennis this year. Too busy in the garden. Used to enjoy working with it on in the background. Seemed to be on all summer.
Hope you manage with the food shop. Can you not do it online and have it delivered? It’s so much easier once you get it sorted and can repeat your order again next time. I did it for mam over the phone but it was very stressful because she never seemed to see what I was seeing onscreen!
Enjoy your lunch tomorrow. It’s a fab start to your summer. Is there a club you could join to learn a new hobby, like outdoor bowls? I was always wondering how they got the grass so green and springy where we used to live. And does your church have special clubs on for the kids over the hols? Can’t remember if you told me already? You could put forward the garden project at church and make a start on digging out the plots ready for Autumn. Kids would love it. You could have massive pumpkin competitions next year and grow fruit veg for them to pick. My loganberry is producing a huge amount of fruit this year. Loves the trellis to climb along. Might get more that as I use it in my smoothies with milk and greek style yoghurt.
Will pop back tomorrow with pics if I get anything done. Enjoy your day x
Lots of love xxx