Hi Alison,
I was just saying to Tina I had another fab day at the outdoor pool after therapy with my niece / nephew again. He’s back to school tomorrow. Poor thing! It’s going to be 32 so I hope he remembers his suncream. I made sure they were both covered in it today. I have different roles as an auntie - being mother with the important stuff (suncream, making sure he’s not kidnapped when I’m getting dressed by chatting through the door because he won’t be in the cubicle with me), team leader for games, motivating him to win, being a fun friend, chats about going back to school and hating it but then settling in and it being ok, asking what his best bit of the holiday was (haven’t seen him all summer). His reaction to Porcsh was wondering if I might like to get a dog to keep me company and make the house feel full again. It would feel like a betrayal to Porsch. Too soon. I have all her food, puppy training pads, cat box, medicines etc all lined up in the hall. Was going to take it all to the pet shop to donate to the rescue centre they work with but I chickened out. Might try again tomorrow.
I sat out for a little bit tonight, moved some pots around, fed the fox, sat with my friends’ cat (she let me stroke her, which was a real privalage as she’s quite wild). I heard a rustling in the leaves. Could have been my hedgehog. But it also could have been a rat! Couldn’t see as it was too dark.
Hope I can get some jobs done tomorrow in between washing my curtains. That’s if I don’t pass out! I really don’t do well in the heat at all. Hoping it will be too hot for the neighbours to be out. Will try doing little bits throughout the day. The jobs aren’t hard. It’s my anxiety creating the barrier about being out there. It’s because I know I will be watched / gossiped about. I wouldn’t have cared before my anxiety but it has such an impact now.
I have a thought for planting your bulbs. You can get a special tool to create the hole and it lifts out the clump of earth / lawn. You pop in the bulb and then cover with the piece you’ve just taken out. Looks quite easy. You could do it in batches. Bulbs always seem a big job but they aren’t when you get down to it. I still have all the pots to empty so I can collect and dry my bulbs. If I can reseed the lawn using the compost I have already collected I can make a start on the bulbs. Feels like I’m going round in circles thinking about what to do first.
You could get a camera to set up in the garden to capture your wildlife. I should check my cameras but I always forget. The camping man does that and it’s lovely seeing the badgers etc. I’ll have to check the hutch and see if there’s anything in there. Will clean out the green wheelie bin and fill that with hay to make a waterproof den for the fox for winter (lie it down with the lid propped open).
Your charity shop must be sweltering in this heat. I do miss hunting for treasure like I used to, and the car booties. They were a big part of my old life, before mam left. They will be on my list of ‘firsts’ as a return to my old life. I should really make a list of what I used to enjoy doing. Getting my bike sorted is another. When it cools down a bit I’ll go to the woods with my niece and her dogs.
OMG it’s hot. Going to settle down to a camping video. He’s such a happy soul. Always makes me smile.
Take care tomorrow in this heat. Will pop in and let you know if I actually get anything done with the garden. It’s driving me mad!
Lots of love xxx
Hi Christine,
Glad you managed to get to the pool for another swim with your niece & nephew, perfect weather for it. Your nephew’s suggestion of another pet is actually a good idea, but at the moment it is just too soon for you - maybe an idea for the future when you are feeling a bit better.
I am in awe of your determination to get your jobs done, especially in this heat. Reading you are planning on washing your curtains made me think that I must get my bedroom curtains washed, but will leave it until the weekend when I have a full day to tackle the job. It is a great shame for you that you are so anxious regarding your neighbours watching/gossiping about you that it has such an impact on you enjoying your garden.
Regarding the tool for planting bulbs; I have one, great bit of kit - only problem is that the ground is too hard. Will have to wait until it rains again to get them in - still have plenty of time.
We have had a fox wandering round our cul de sac in the past, not seen him for a while. Also once a deer was spotted running down the main road. We have a lot of green areas near us as well as a nature reserve within walking distance, Askham Bog. Not been there for a while, but must have a walk over when it is cooler.
Charity shop is hot, especially in the back where I am. I keep going outside & having a sit in the shade. When I got back in the car to come home the temp was 32, air con straight on. Love charity shops, have done for years. I got a lovely new dress yesterday, £1. Races again on Sunday so planning on wearing it then. Trying to get rid of some of my clothes at the moment as I am a bit of a hoarder.
At least I managed to sleep last night, had a shower & went to bed with wet hair.
Really hope you manage to get some jobs done in your garden today.
Take care. Lots of love xx
Morning Tina
Warm wishes to you too.
Hope you managed to sleep last night. This weather really takes it out of us, doesn’t it. It is brutal if you are not a sun lover and can make you feel really ill.
I understand your comment to Christine regarding the “homesick” feeling, I get it too. But in my case it is wanting my old life back, to how it was before losing hubby. Unless people have struggled through what we have they will never understand it.
I hope that you have a better day today and look after yourself in this heat.
Love from, Alison xx
Hi Earlybird Alison !!
Dreading how hot it will be today. Agreed yeah, that’s what I mean about the “homesick”, it’s exactly like longing/yearning for your old life but not entirely knowing where it’s gone.
Have a safe day.
Xx
Hi Christine
I must have fell asleep just after I had written my post last night to you as i thought I saw you typing at the same time as me.
I’ll drop in soon for a proper reply as it’s quite hectic here in the morning!
Keep safe and much love
xx
Hi Tina
I am always an earlybird, usually between 4.30 & 5am. I don’t know what it is like to sleep in, people tell me about it but do not have a clue myself. 
Dreading the heat myself, just been out in the garden & it was lovely, so cool. Would be happy with that temperature all day. I am not a sun lover.
It is sometimes hard to believe that our old life has gone. My life was nothing special before, but it was enough for me. I would give anything to have it back & I know that is unrealistic. Sad really that I didn’t realise that was our best life & appreciate it more, but luckily we do not realise what is round the corner.
You have a safe day too & take care.
xx
Hi Christine
How have you been today.
I haven’t been out of the house to the garden more than 20mins all day. Had a positive start by hand washing at the crack of dawn then just seemed to lose momentum. I can’t really do that much anyway outside when it’s warmer than average as Zoe wants to sunbathe in it. I don’t think a long-haired GSD/Husky mix and 80odd degrees is a perfect combination. I don’t miss not having been out as there just seems to be people everywhere and it’s all just a bit overwhelming.
I hope you had the day you wanted Christine. That day out with your Niece and Nephew sounded so happy and revitalising. Just what you needed.
I’m just going to make some tea for myself as I’m on my own on a Wednesday then it might be cool enough to have a look in the garden.
I’ll catch up soon. Hope you had a lovely serene day.
xx
You are so right Alison. I don’t think any of us realise that we are in the best place in life there is for us personally until we aren’t. It’s not that we don’t appreciate it at the time it’s just we don’t foresee a time when it will be any different.
Hope the sun and heat didn’t finish you off
today.
xx
Hi Tina
You are right - we do not think our life will not carry on as we are used to. In some ways it is better that we do not realise.
The heat has just about finished me off today. Was in the kitchen, which is like an oven & then stupidly decided to hoover; at my age you would think I would know better! Anyway just had a shower & feel a bit cooler. Will have another shower before I go to bed. Just been out & watered parts of the garden with the hose pipe. Have a water but which has water in, but just could not cope with wandering round with the watering can.
Hope you are coping ok with the heat?
I am having a lazy evening, sat watching TV. Cannot summon up the energy to do much else.
xx
Hi Alison,
I was so busy yesterday making a start on the patio that I didn’t get back to post. But here’s what I did in the 32 degree heat! with the creep lurking (I blasted more garage tunes) and the neighbours on the other side too. So here’s what I did - emptied pots of spent compost (relocating it all into large tubs to use on the lawn as an ‘underlay’ for seeds, collected bulbs and dried them out (real shame so many have turned to mush, they were quite fabulous - tulips, hydrangeas, little tets and daffs). Had a good clean up of old bird seed and general debris, clearing the patio flagstones in order to move the big pots so they are ready to place behind the pond when I rake off the shingle. Topped and treated the big pond (loses so much water in the heat). Cleared bird feed debris from the feeding table so that is ready to extend the patio. Not looking forward to lifting and moving the stones though. Have cleared the area to grout and have ordered more cement. Lots of taking down curtains, washing and drying outside. I managed to rig up some ‘lines’ using long bamboos slotted through the arches going up the path. So a huge lot achieved to cross off my todo list. Felt so much better for being out there. And because I couldn’t here the bitchiness I was able to relax. I have never known such horrible people.
Been a busy bee inside today with the cleaning of the fishtank, a nasty job that usually takes 2 hours with a huge clean up afterwards, but because I was doing other things too the hose sprayed all over the wall, my textile hanging and the hanging behind the tank, over the sofa and floor. So it became a massive clean up and a 4 hour job! But I do have a clean house! More washing of nets and curtains. It’s still ongoing. Takes forever. It’s going to continue to be scorching over the weekend so you have lots of time to get your bedroom curtains done. Great opportunity and they dry quickly and you can get them back up to finish off. Still have mine to pop back up. Used my blackout blind last night for watching tv. Hope the creep couldn’t see me. Noticed him wandering along the street , bold as you like, white shirt unbuttoned (trying to be sexy I imagine! Massive fail!!!) just as I was repositioning the camera. He saw me and smirked. He is beyond vile.
You really need one of those cold water tanks (featured on the news to help people keep cool in the heat) in the back of the shop. You could flit about in your swimming cossie and a sarong and take a dip whenever you need to. I could imagine the creep buying binoculars if I did that in the garden. When I first moved in here I thought about getting an outdoor jacuzzi for summer. My sisters kids had a massive inflatable pool in their garden when they were little and I’d be lounging around whenever I went over there. Couldn’t do that here. I doubled in size when I had chemo treatment because I was given steroids. I was like a sumo wrestler! Still hard to lose the excessive, even with swimming.
Didn’t get to the pool today but I will tomorrow after my blood test. Hope my niece joins me but her boyfriend is off work so prob not. I’ll go anyway.
You are lucky being surrounded by greenery and wild nature. There are fields all around here but I don’t go walking or with my bike. That will be why there are so many foxes here. Haven’t seen or heard them in the back garden lately but the food is always demolished so something is having a good meal. I noticed more of my huge irises have been flattened. So something is making itself cosy over night. The garden really is parched as I’ve not been out at all with the hose. Don’t know when the last time was. I was laways so focused on doing the fence / trellis. Finally got it finished and then Porsch died. Wish I had not been so determined and used the time to just be with her.
Still haven’t dropped her food etc off to the pet shop. Might do that tomorrow on my way to the hospital. Will take her cage as well. If I ever got another pet I’d get a new one. But I can’t imagine having another pet to care for. Love the idea of fostering, like Becki. Something to think about. Could take a few as the garden is big enough to have them roaming around during the day.
Can’t believe you got a fabulous party dress for a pound. I really miss going out to the shops. Just not the same online. I loved going into Oxford Street, on to Carnaby and all the little boutiques. It was years ago. Loved going into Camden on a Sunday, mooching around the stalls, buying vinal, having some chinese, checking out the charity shops there. There was a fab one with really old techno and rave tunes on cassette for 50p. Stuff you couldn’t buy anymore. I really do miss my old life.
I absolutely love clothes and whenever I don’t wear something I use the fabric in my work. I used to have a big clear out every so often when I was younger and that went to charity. I read something about an actress having so many clothes she vowed to never buy another thing again because she was so aware of clothes going to landfill. Lots of people make quick cash on sites like Vinted. Much easier bagging it up and taking it with you when you go in. I was always quite curious about what went on in the back of charity shops, what treasures were hidden. I’d quite like to do that myself, volunteer, sorting stuff out.
Just looked on the weather for Sunday for you - a little cooler at 29. Hope you new dress is very light weight. And do you have a massive hat to go with it? I keep forgetting to wear mine in the garden.
Going to get another wash on. Might leave it out overnight. So freeing not having washing on radiators.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Tina,
You’ll see from my post just now to Alison how busy I’ve been in the garden (yesterday) and house (today), working on clearing the patio, emptying pots of old compost, drying bulbs (such a shame so many have gone to mush). I have an ‘underlay’ of compost on the lawn waiting for my seeds with compost ready to cover. I was blasting old garage tunes and was able to relax enough to stay out there, even though I was aware of being watched. Heat really is unbearable but I’ve just keep going, washing lots of curtains and nets. I think the electrolytes do replenish and give energy in the heat. I feel so knackered now that I’ve stopped! Still have under the sofa to clean. Can’t understand where all the dust comes from. Great balls of it. Been washing the rugs too. I always loved mams Spring Clean. Funny, because it always seemed to be in Autumn, ready for xmas. Having simple chores and lots of them makes the day go faster, or at least I have less time to think of mam and Porsch not being here.
Honestly Tina, I am not making this up. I noticed a bruise on the underside of my arm when I was tackling the unibrow I’ve been putting off doing. It is shaped like a paw print. I’ll try to get a pic. Makes no sense. Would make a fab tattoo if I could get one (could swell up like an elephant so can’t risk it after the lymph nodes were removed). What with this bruise and hearing her little happy sigh the other night I’m sure she is here and letting me know she is happy and with me forever.
Just noticed I have my dress on inside out! It’s a tent of a dress I made myself. Lovely and cool in this heat.
I have the fountains on, windows open, can’t hear the neighbours, so quite peaceful. It’s like a delusion or mirage. The creep is probably watching me through any gaps he can find in the fence! He was flouncing around with an open shirt when I fixing my camera after cleaning the tank. He smirked when he saw me. Of all the times for me to be at the window. He stopped blasting his music at least. He knows I’ll blast my own even louder.
The birds are faffing about in the canopy, settling down for bedtime. It’s already coming in dark. It’s so very still out there. I can only imagine how uncomfortable Zoe must be in this heat.
My friend has just popped round with a microwave meal for me and goats cheese. Not sure I’ll like the cheese but I’ll give it a go. Gave him Porscha’s cat box. He has 2 cats (after Robin died) so can make use of it. Will take the food and puppy training pads tomorrow and drop of at the pet shop for the animal rescue centre on my way to the hospital for my blood test, and a swim after.
Going to pop another was on (towels from the massive clean up after the hose sprayed everywhere!). The house is in chaos but I invited him in to see Porscha’s shrine. He agrees my bruise looks like a paw print and that Porsch is still here. He feels Robin is at home too.
How are you feeling now in the heat after your trip to the shops the other day? I’m dreading getting in the car tomorrow as I didn’t get the air con sorted. Thought I didn’t need to when the weather wasn’t really ‘summer hot’. My dress will be sticking to me! But I’ll have a swim again after in the outdoor pool. Something to look forward to.
Didn’t realise it was this late. Are you watching Eastenders? The Stacy / stalker storyline is worth watching. Brought a lot of stuff back with my ex. Unless it happens to someone it’s so easy to explain away / not believe / think stuff is too far fetched to be true. I’ve come a long way, making a new life for myself, gained independence despite my agoraphobia and panic attacks because of him. Just wish I could stop the fear.
Catch up later so I can get another wash on and get it out overnight. The one bonus to it being this hot.
Lots of love xxx
Hi Alison
Meant to pop in before now but you are not alone, the heat has almost finished me off too. It was raining at 7am when I was walking to the supermarket which was a relief but goodness me it didn’t take long for the sun to come out and the temperature to rise. I had the kitchen door open and just thought I know what to do I’ll just use the hover mower and mow the lawn. What an effort in the heat. I thought the saying goes “older and wiser” but I obviously didn’t get the memo about the wiser part!
Brace yourself for tomorrow Alison for more of the same I hear.
xx
Hi Christine
I was saying to Alison I was hoping to pop back earlier but I’m not managing this heat well together with always watching Zoe comes to no harm. I was having something to eat in the kitchen with my back turned thinking she is asleep in the cool of the shaded hallway but no, she’s got past me with the silence of a wispy shadow and is sunbathing against the back doorstep.
I had been to Asda at just gone 7am. It was raining and so pleasant. You know me for my bargains, I saw these lovely fluffy pink beach towels that had been £3.50 each but they’d been reduced to 30p each! I bought 3, don’t know why, not short of towels but for 30p each they would make good dusters cut and hemmed! I also noticed they had frozen Cheese & Chilli vegan sausages for 10p a box so bought a few of those. I just can’t resist a bargain!
Im often in awe of all that heavy stuff you do in the garden and I am sat here totally agog at what you’ve been up to today. I don’t know how you have done it, nor all the heavy shifting as I remember you saying you are quite slight in stature. You did make me laugh about the dress on inside out! Like an idiot I mowed the lawn and shouldn’t have done because I felt unwell afterwards again. I can do all kinds without having to give in but then out of the blue I’ll have palpitations and I’m convinced I will have a heart attack so too scared to carry on and so thats me done for the rest of the afternoon!
I am not looking forward to another day of this heat intensity. Zoe is attuned to every sound and is constantly barking. He’s told me not to open the windows because the sound of her barking reverberates around the road and she starts at 6.30am. So that means there is no air movent. I shouldn’t complain because she’s not a well dog with the hip dysplasia but the impossibly of trying to keep her quiet and out of trouble today has been sheer blood swear and tears.
It’s a shame you can’t have a tattoo of a paw print in memory Porsch. My Mum too had a huge cancer op and had lymphoedema. It’s a cruel side effect of the surgery but the cancer in itself is cruel too isn’t it. It must have been a comfort for you to have noticed it the bruise. It’s like she’s saying it’s ok to get stuck into the garden again as she’s around watching what you are doing. It’s nice when you get that feeling isn’t it that you aren’t alone even when you think otherwise.
Lucky you (not) having that image of your neighbour in his open to the waist shirt! He’s probably got a gold chain and grey chest hair but then I’m stereotyping there! He probably looks nothing like “Keeping up Appearance’s” Onslow".!
Well I hope tomorrow is manageable for us all. Supposed to be hot again. I have been struggling this week with things and this heat is proving to be the last straw.
Well I’ll say goodnight Christine and speak soon. xx
xx
Morning Christine,
I cannot believe all that you have managed to get done, I am in awe. Especially in this heat & with the creep lurking around. You must be totally shattered. I have to admit to not achieving much during the last couple of days. This weather just drains me.
I have had a bad couple of days. My really good friend, Bev, was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 weeks ago. Had the op to remove the lump 2 weeks ago today and they also took some lymph nodes. The surgeon rang her on Wednesday afternoon to tell her that the lymph nodes were cancerous. So she is having the op to remove them today. She is such a lovely woman and was with me throughout Rich’s illness. It has really upset me. I have downloaded 30+ inspirational cards/quotes to send her one every day. Already sent her one this morning, see below & bless her she replied. She should be at the hospital now. Hoping she can come home this afternoon/evening.
Already written myself a list of things to do today, day off. First job is wash bedding. Hopefully I can have a productive day.
Very cool here this morning & really misty, like an autumn day. Been out to photograph it, but photo does not really show how misty it is.
Saw my hedgehog last night, he shot off into the bushes - could hear him scurrying around for ages.
I have an adult sized paddling pool, but cannot summon the energy to drag it out & pump it up. Not sure it would fit into the shop though. Will have to settle for cool showers when I get home. When I got into the car yesterday afternoon the temp was 32.
The pet fostering sounds like a brilliant idea for you when you are ready to do it.
Photo of my dress, lightweight & floaty - not got a massive hat, we will be sat in the shade. If it gets too hot will probably come home, mum cannot cope with it.
The treasures in our charity shop are amazing, people have not idea what they are giving away. I love rooting through the bags. There are some times we get some awful stuff, really bad. Got a pair of men’s trousers earlier this week & I was looking them over - stained on the inside - urrgghhh. Put the whole bag in the recycling & washed & sterilised my hands straight away. We do not sell any electrical stuff. Yesterday someone donated a brand new Lakeland mini pancake maker & the boss said I could have it, so will be trying some pancakes out at some point. Cannot be bothered with Vinted, do not like posting things - too much hassle for me nowadays.
Feeling like I can gets lots of jobs done this morning, so going for a shower & will get on.
Hope you have a happy & productive day. And hope you manage to get to the pool.
Lots of love, xxx
Morning Tina
It is lovely here this morning, cool & misty - like an autumn day. Don’t think it will last though. Cannot believe you mowed the lawn in this heat, you were lucky you did not get heatstroke. Still I was pretty stupid hoovering while it was so hot. Plan on doing my jobs this morning before it heats up. Then will probably collapse onto the sofa in the afternoon.
I cannot believe all that Christine gets done in her garden during this heat - it would totally fell me. Not much shade in my garden when the sun is up.
You got some great bargains from Asda, beach towels for 30p!! And the cheese & chilli sausages sound lovely, 10p - wow. Enjoy.
Have a good day & take care.
xx
Hi Alison
I did a few months “work” one day a week for a while at the PDSA charity shop, going back more than 10 years ago now. One of the things that made me quite sad was the stuff people had donated in good faith and it got discarded to the bin because it didn’t fit in with the shop’s image. (Not like your gentleman’s stained trousers though I hasten to add!). My Husband could spend an entire day in those shops as he’d search for old sheet music and vinyl records etc. It always kind of saddened me as you could tell the goods that were donated from choice and those that had been donated as a result of painful circumstances. I do go in quite often if I’m in town but could easily become obsessed so have to behave myself! I think in some ways charity shop culture has changed in good ways and bad but definitely agree a out the potential of what can be found!
I hope your friend is ok to come home today. There is just no rhyme nor reason to things is there. It’s a lovely gesture to send her the supportive quotes.
Well I hope today is as ok for you as possible, all things considered.
xx
Hi Tina
My friend has texted me, she is the last person on the list - she is a bit upset, and she probably will not get home this evening. Sent her another quote. Poor girl will be getting fed up with my quotes over the next few weeks.
I work for a volunteer car service, taking people to doctors, hospital, hairdressers, etc. Been there about 5 years. I have always loved charity shops. I sometimes come home with far too much from their, then feel bad & try fill my boot up with things from my house. We do recycle unwearable clothes, shoes, etc & get paid for it. We help a lot of people in our shop, had a girl last week that had left an abusive relationship with her daughter - poor girl had nothing much, she did not have to pay for anything. And when the Ukrainian refugees came to the UK last year we opened one evening & let them have what they wanted free of charge. What makes me sad is when family clear a relative’s house & send their wedding & personal photos, I find that heart-breaking that family do not want them. Mind you it will happen in my house when I have gone. We have left everything to charity, family have not been kind to us over the years. 
I hope everything is ok for you today too Tina.
xx
Hiya Christine
Hope you are OK today?
If it was me after all that work I’d need 36hours to recharge my batteries!
Having a few struggles right now with one thing and another. We are all fretting over the wait for the biopsy results and he is saying he doesn’t feel like he will make his 50th next month. It’s Mum’s birthday tomorrow so we’ll be going to Church Yard but having to go separate and meet up as my Sister is likely to have Covid because her Partner has been off work with it.
Went to the Supermarket this morning at just after 7am. If I don’t go early I will put it off. Also as I’m up from 6.15am Zoe thinks it’s OK to stand there in the garden and bark at dangling telephone wires so if I go out I know she’ll just go to sleep whilst I am out for a few hours and the neighbours won’t be getting annoyed.
Can’t remember if I wrote about my “bargains” to Alison but I got another Beach Towel, a lovely bright yellow with rainbows for 45p when it should have been 5.50!, plus some more of those sausages (that I don’t even know if I like yet or not!). I bought Zoe 3 toys. I swear I’ve spent a small fortune on her this past week but if I don’t come home now from shopping with stuff she gives me the guilt face.
On my way home I saw Mum’s friend house has been put up for sale as she had gone into a care home. I don’t think she lived an extravagant life but she’s obviously having to sell to pay the care fees. It’s totally justifiable but the care system is so unfair on how they penalize those that have lived a life of scrimping and saving compared to those who have led their life of good times and squandering their benefit payments to simply be handed more perks. System is so unjust but that’s an age old problem I can’t see getting reviewed any time soon.
Well, after all that moaning I’ll have to go and get changed into my “indoor” gear as it would have been ideal to try some weeding depending on how hot it gets.
Take care in the heat I’d you are out and about anywhere today
xx
Hello Palou Nick and Neil.
Hope you are all managing the warm spell. Although it’s rather uncomfortable it wont be long before the tables turn and we are saying how cold we all are!! Hopefully we can all have a pleasant few days before the cooler weather moves in
xx
Hi everyone.
Thought I would post some pics of my’London day out yesterday .
First visited the Portrait Gallery . Havent been there since 2019 as it has been refurbished.
Attended a choral concert across the road in St Martins and then the main event was to see Grease at the Dominion Theatre. It was a pleasant surprise as so many reviews and comments have been bad but I liked it. Met a lot of the cast afterwards although Jason Donovan ( who was Teen Angel) didnt come out.
All in all a very good day and kept relatively cool, even on the train!
Sending love and best wishes to you all.
Neil x
