What? You mean, TODAY!

And so, from calling in on the way back from walking the dogs to make an appointment, to being relived of 12 inches of hair, 45 minutes! They had a free slot.

Too late to take some thinking time then?

A free day.

I feel as if I have been given a free day.

I have no Christmas plans to fulfill today.

I have no travelling or visiting planned today.

And finally, the golf courses have re-opened after the snows of December 1st and my husband is out for the day with his golfing buddies.

And so, what to do with my few hours of freedom?

I may wander in to town to sort out a hair appointment as I have yet to find a hairdresser since coming back from Spain. Apart from taking the scissors to my fringe every 6 weeks, my hair has not had attention since June and is in desperate need of something........anything!

I may take the dogs for a long walk to see if the canal has thawed with the above zero temperatures we have been experiencing over the last few days.

I should get into my study and give it a really good sorting out as it has become something of a dumping ground in the run up to Christmas and is not particularly conducive to positive work.

I may just chill with my new DS game which I an thoroughly enjoying - the latest Professor Layton - back to a par with the first, after a disappointing second game.

I may take my old DS games and trade them in for something totally new.

Oh, decisions, decisions.


Decision 1 made - dog walk along the canal. Cappuccino at the turn around and half an hour cleaning the mud off them when I get back.

Computers - a plus and a minus

My last laptop began to have serious problems with the display when we were still in Spain. The screen was often unreadable due to crazy lines all over it. It became totally unusable and Neil bought me a new one when we got back to the UK.

Since then the poorly laptop has remained stored away, waiting for a visit from my brother who was going to try and retrieve all my photos which I had stored on there.

This Christmas he's visited, and all my photos are now safely transferred onto this laptop and I have set myself a task for 2011. To sort them, file them, store them and not be at risk of losing them all again. I have hundreds and hundreds to go through, the downside of using a digital camera - they all download and I don't always delete the rubbish ones, or where I have taken several to get the best shot - I use the best shot as required but retain all the others as well - just incase!

And, the plus - the laptop is working perfectly when the battery is removed and used on mains power - a problem with Acer's apparently, battery problems have a strange effect on the computer! And so I have my large screen old laptop available to use again.

However, all this good news was balanced by the minus this Christmas - and all over a photo I tried to download to use on this blog. Along with the photo, I downloaded a virus. Suddenly there was lots of red warnings all over my screen and it took several hours to clean up my laptop, and I dread to think how long it would have taken if my brother had not been here to sort it for me.

I haven't had such a problem with a virus for about 3 years, but I do remember it would take me hours and hours trawling the internet looking for solutions and guidance.

And the really annoying thing is, I was downloading a photo I could so easily have taken myself!

A lesson to be learned!

Who else eats Christmas Cake and Cheese?

I have always eaten my fruit cake with cheese, and I assumed that it was something I started doing when a youngster, at home with my mum, dad and 2 older brothers.

So, imagine my surprise when my oldest brother, who is spending Christmas with us, expressed extreme amazement at such a combination this evening.

Where has he been?

So, do you eat cheese with your Christmas cake - or are we really weird 'up north?'

Happy Christmas.

Brandy has had a Happy Christmas, hope you have too!

A Christmas Past

My memory is not good. I have forgotten so much and other memories are very distorted but I have vague and fond memories of childhood Christmas's. Whether the memories are all from the same Christmas or a collage of many, I don't know, maybe my brother will correct me.

I remember 3 Christmas presents that were such mega-presents for me.

I know in 1968 I got my first record player - I know this because one of the singles I got with it was Herman Hermits' "Something is Happening", released that year. I also got the LP Sound Track to the "Sound of Music"

When I was young, there was a Christmas routine. We didn't go downstairs until Dad had lit the coal fire in the lounge, no such luxuries of central heating in those days. If it was cold enough outside there would be ice on the inside of my bedroom window and I would have to breath on the window to make a clear spot to see if it had snowed.

When we finally went downstairs, my brothers and I would each have a pile of presents on the large settee. One year I didn't have many, but outside there was a new bike for me. That was a Christmas I didn't want it to snow, otherwise I wouldn't be able to practice riding my new grown up Raleigh bike, in green. I wasn't allowed a bike until I was old and big enough to have a grown up one - it was to last me until I left home, so I must have been about 10 or 11. I was so thrilled that year.

Another year, we all went to stay with my Grandma in Middlesborough. I loved my Grandma's house and have wonderful memories of being there. We may have only gone the one Christmas, but I remember it as being many more.

This one Christmas I do remember I got my first watch. I felt so grown up. We had a big family Christmas dinner where all the grown-ups sat around the huge circular table and all the kids sat at card tables around the room.

These memories are precious to me and because I know there is so much I don't remember, I know these times must have been so special, even if the details have blurred somewhat over the years.

Last Working Day before Christmas

In a few hours I will be defrosting my car for the 5 minute drive to work for the last time before Christmas.

I had been expecting to work tomorrow too, but it seems the 3 people I work for are all finishing tonight for the holidays, so they suggested there would be no reason for me to work tomorrow either. Today will be my last day until the 4th January!

So, my Christmas holidays are starting a little earlier than planned. It gives me a few extra hours to chill out (and in -8c temperatures, there is little else we can do!) and open the mince pies early.

I have now had my contract extended until the 21st January, so I'm not into panic mode to find a new assignment just yet. That can wait until the New Year. I can't believe I've been there almost 6 months. When I signed on to do Temporary Contracts I thought I would be moving about from Company to Company covering holidays and illness, but this was my first assignment and I'm still there.

I do know that this year has seemed particularly bad for temping work. The agencies have been telling me that they've stuggled to keep their long term temps in back to back contracts for the first time in many years, so I do consider myself to be fortunate to have landed one that's been extended so much, but I do quite fancy a change now - just because I had been quite looking forward to new challenges. After being in my last job for 22 years, I did sometimes wonder what else was out there and thought temping would be a way of finding out - maybe the New Year will bring some variety.

Hey Ho.

Incase I don't get on here again for a few days, I wish you all

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS & A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

It's official, I am ready for Christmas.

I was all geared up at the end of November for an organised Christmas. My cards were bought and written, my annual letter to distant relatives was written and my present list was prepared ready to go shopping.

Then it snowed, and snowed and snowed and the entire area ground to a halt. The post didn't get collected or delivered, shopping was only possible on foot so we could only carry basic groceries and gift shopping had to wait.

After a week of snow life started to move again, I was back at work but we were challenged with a 4 inch slab of ice everywhere.

After a few more days the sun came out, the thermometer finally climbed above zero and the ice finally cleared.

The I came down with a flu bug. It settled on my chest and triggered my asthma because I had forgotten to get my flu jab. I had barely enough energy to get through the day let alone go shopping.

And every day Christmas got closer. My well intentioned 'I'll get everything ready early' had sadly slipped away.

In the background Neil was getting bits towards the Christmas dinner. We talked Turkey one day and the next, we had a Turkey Crown in the freezer big enough to feed 8-11 people. I foresee lots of Turkey curry after Christmas, there are only 3 of us for dinner.

We talked Christmas cake and one appeared, and so it continued. Wrapping paper and shiny ribbon magically appeared searching for presents to be wrapped around.

And still Christmas got closer.

Then Saturday arrived. I felt energised. I felt in the mood to shop. And off I went. We live 5 minutes walk from town, so I left the car at home so as to have to battle for a parking space, not to have to sit in traffic queues and not to have to pay the premium parking fees that have been in place for the last month to take advantage of the Christmas shoppers.

Neil stayed at home so I could wander and browse without feeling his impatience rising. I had such fun. I got everything and, as I'd been clever and bought light-weight presents, I walked home. I didn't even have to wait for Neil to battle the traffic to come and pick me up.

Saturday night saw the tree up and lit, the presents wrapped and labelled and me chilling infront of the tv with a glass of wine, finally feeling that officially, I was ready for Christmas.

It means I can enjoy this week. I have no urgent errands to run, I do not have to battle with shoppers. We collect our fresh veg from the local Farm shop on Thursday and I finish work Thursday evening not to return until Jan 4th.

I cannot remember feeling so relaxed about Christmas for many years.

I feel smug!

Me, Him and the Boys

Our Family Portrait

I have thousands of photos of the boys.

I have a fair amount of Neil

Apart from our wedding photos, we have very few of Neil & I together.

Usually one of us is behind the camera

So we thought it would be nice to have a proper photo of us all

I think it turned out quite nice.

Don't you?

Time to Open the Box

A few years ago my brother bought me a music box for Christmas. For 10 months of the year it sits on my sideboard, it's lid firmly shut and a decorative plate stands on top.

But, on December 1st the plate is moved elsewhere so that I can enjoy the wonderful scene inside.

And now, the scene is replicated outside our window - Christmas seems very close, I really must get around to doing some preparation for Christmas or it will be too late.

Hope you are all well ahead with your Christmas plans.

Total chaos for 3 days.

How do places like Canada and Sweden manage to function when snow falls? A few years ago, we went to Calgary in early February - the reason is not important today, but the scene when we landed was very similar to what we have experienced in the last few days - deep, deep snow. Their airport was open, their malls were open, traffic was moving, people went out.

It was apparent by 8am on Wednesday that large areas of the UK had already ground to a halt because of the snow. I was in one of those places. My car wasn't going anywhere, but I live close enough to walk to work in about 45 mins in deep snow. Before setting off, I rang to make sure I was needed in the office as, when we had left the day before, I knew it wouldn't take much more snow for the local key-holder not to be able to make it to work.

I'm glad I rang as the office was closed for the day.

I had a day off. If I don't work, I don't get paid - 3 weeks before Christmas is probably not the best time to find zero pay going into the bank, buy hey ho, 1 day won't hurt too much.

I hung up the phone and got changed for a 'stay at home day'. Our first challenge was to dig an area at the back of the house so the dogs could go out for a wee. The snow was already up to their stomachs and they were struggling to walk/jump through it.

And it was still snowing.

By mid-morning it was obvious this was not a normal snow-fall. We had the deepest snow seen in the UK for 30 years.

It was so beautiful and so crisp. The branches on the tall trees were weighed down by the amount of snow clinging to them, it was impossible to see where the road ended and the pavement began and cars were being abandoned all over the place. The local news began detailing all the schools that were closed, the buses that weren't running and the roads that were impassable. The area was seriously affected.

We decided we would take a walk with the dogs to see how it was to get around. Unlike last year in the Spanish mountains, we were close enough to shops to walk to them. We would not be snowed in like in Spain. Some of the neighbours with 4x4's had managed to get down the road and we could walk in their tracks - but getting from the house was a major achievement for the dogs, by now they could barely kangaroo jump through the snow, it wasl level with the tops of their backs. 

We managed to walk into town without too much problem. There were loads of people about, kids being pulled on sledges by thei- Mum's, shopping being pulled on sledges by shoppers, and everyone so much friendlier than normal. The adverse weather always seems to have this effect on us Brits.

By the time we got back home the dogs were shattered, it had taken a lot of effort for us to walk through some of the drifts, for them it was like us battling through 5ft of snow. Once de-snowballed, they slept for the rest of the day.

By night time we were seeing reports of the A57 road being closed a couple of miles from us. HGV's could not get up a hill and it was now clogged with wagon after wagon after wagon. It was to be closed for 3 days as abandoned vehicles hindered attempts to get the snow cleared. The A57 is a major road from the motorway to Worksop - closure would cause chaos.

Every news bulletin reminded us that we should not venture out in our cars unless it was vital. I even had text messages from our insurance company advising us ton take care in the snow. Our cars were going no-where. We had nowhere we needed to be. We were already at home, fortunate not to be one of the many stranded away from home because of cancelled trains and buses, and abandoned vehicles.

We awoke to more snow on Thursday morning. Our road was now a 3 inch thick slab of ice with 2 feet of snow along the pavements and I had another 'home day' as our office remained closed for a 2nd day. We spent the day digging out my car incase we needed to get anywhere. We walked to the shops to replenish our bread and milk supplies. We walked the dogs. And we stayed in. I took the opportunity to start writing my Christmas Cards, normally a job a put off until the last week before Christmas. The country remained at standstill.

Overnight, there had been no more snow. Friday saw things start to move again. The wagons on the A57 were finally freed and we had a snow plough down the road - which did nothing but smooth over the top of our 3 inch slab of ice. Friday was a 3rd 'home day' for me.

And so, today we have been out in the car for the first time. We have seen so many vehicles still abandoned, still hemmed in by 2 feet of snow. We have seen our grand daughter and got stuck in McDonald's carpark. Fortunately, there were 3 very helpful guys who pushed us clear. We have seen queues into the supermarket carpark only normally seen on Christmas Eve, we have seen the result of 3 days of chaos.

But, we are home now, we are settled in our cosy lounge with a nice hot cup of coffee from our coffee maker, the dogs snuggled up beside us.

And what film is on the TV?

Ice Age.....

I kid you not!

I don't want this to become a weather blog....

....but this is what we have this morning........

and it's still snowing.

Brandy woke me at 3am asking to go out. When I opened the door to the garden I had to break through a barrier of snow that came halfway up the door. Then I had to pick Brandy up and place him outside as he couldn't see where the doorstep was and seemed confused over what he could step onto.

He sank into snow that came level with the top of his back. Poor thing, he managed to find himself a spot to pee and then came straight back in.

It's good snowball snow, it sticks together really well, and so in the few minutes it had taken for Brandy to pee, he had managed to get covered in little snowballs all clinging to his fur. At 3.05am I was thawing him out with the hairdryer so he could to back to bed.

I think Neil has some serious digging out to do today.

I'm due in at work at 9am. Now that's going to be interesting!

A crunchy walk.

Yesterday saw us up and out early. We had places to go. We aren't normally out of the house by 7.30am on a Sunday - we are rarely out of bed by 7.30am on a Sunday - but this week, we had places to go.

I had allowed extra time to defrost the car. We needed it. Never have I been so glad the jag has heated seats - boy, it was cold yesterday.

As we finally drove off the drive, the car still steaming as the heated front screen, heated wing mirrors and heated rear screen all worked overtime in keeping the ice at bay, I looked at the temperature reading on the dashboard.

-13c

Yes, that's MINUS 13!

Boy, that's cold.

By the time we returned from our trip out, it had risen to -3. The sun was out, and nothing was melting. We decided we would wrap up warm and see if the dogs wanted to go for a walk through the fields. I'm not sure whether they feel the cold but they never show it, if they do.

So, gloves on, hats on, boots on - we set off on our long weekend-walk circuit. Through the estate to the park where the dogs ran like crazies through the snow, noses pushing down into it to get to the latest smells. 

Along the lane past the Rugby Club and round the back onto the playing field - again, the dogs ran like crazies through the snow. They just love it. We met several other dog owners wrapped up like Scott of the Antartic. All the dogs seemed to enjoy the snow. They were all running like crazies.

Up onto the banks of the canal, and suddenly it was so quiet - apart from the crunch. We were the only ones walking along the canal. For once, there were no fishermen there. I remembered I had seen a car leaving the space where the fishermen usually park as we had approached the canal. It was unusual for there to be no-one fishing at all. It was cold, but it was bright and sunny, the sky was clear and normally this attracts a couple of the hardier fishermen.

But there would be no fishing today. The canal was frozen over. Pieces of wood and branches had been thrown onto the canal by earlier walkers, testing how thick the ice was. Thick enough for the wood to sit on top of. Whether this was fishermen trying to break through to make their trip out on such a cold day worthwhile, or kids messing about, who knows - but the fish were staying well underground today.

There were signed of breaks in the ices, which had re-frozen, signs that a narrow boat had been along there earlier.

But as we walked along, there was no-one. No birds, no boats, no-one. Just us. And it was great. The only sound we could hear was the crunch of our boots through the frozen snow that fell yesterday.

The dogs dashed along the path, into the hedges and along the edge of the canal.  I prayed that they didn't get too close to the edge. Although the canal was frozen over, I was sure it wouldn't hold their weight if they slipped over the edge. Brinkley came close a couple of times, but managed to stay ashore.

Eventually we came to our path that led away from the canal and back to civilisation. Cars, people, birds, noise all gradually became part of our walk again. The peace of the canal left behind. A mug of hot soup waiting for us back at home. And brandy and brinkley asleep on the sofa, shattered after running like crazies for so long.

Happy Sunday!

Today we woke up to snow.

The UK had it's earliest snow for 17 years on Thursday - and now, they have included us in the party.

How kind!

Why do boilers always break down on the coldest day of the year?

Last night there was an odd smell in the house, coming from the utility  - but not a gas smell.

Today I came home at lunchtime and the while house smelled odd - but not of gas.

The boiler was chugging away but the radiators were cold - there was a problem.

This afternoon the plumber came.

The pcb (printed circuit board) in the boiler was burning out - there was smoke coming off it when he removed it.

The boiler will not be fixed until tomorrow.

Tonight is forecast cold, frost, possible snow.

We have no hot water and just a gas fire for heat.

It brings back memories of our move to the mountains last year - and we survived weeks.

Tomorrow, the boiler should be fixed and we will have hot water and heating again.

Hopefully tonight will not be a 3 dog night, as we only have 2 dogs!

A Wii-Fit Age Record

I step on and it say 'Ouch!'

It weighs me and tells me I am over weight.

It gives me 2 quick challenges - one for my body and one for my mind and calculates my Wii-Fit Age.

Today I had to stand still for 30 seconds - strangely enough I managed to do that!

Then I had to remember whether the number in the centre was higher or lower than the number on the right - and react accordingly - not rocket science....

But it meant my Wii-Fit thinks I am incredible today and gave me an age of 23

Yippee!!!

Tomorrow, it will expect me to move and I will be 59 ...again!

Today a jogged for 2 minutes. I haven't jogged for 2 minutes since I ran for the bus to get to work 30 years ago. So, if nothing else, it is getting me to up my heart rate - and it doesn't feel like exercise.

Tomorrow, it tells me I am ready to go for a long jog - no idea how long that will be for - but I better protect against jogger's nipple - just incase!

I bought a new Coffee Machine

Well, if I'm going to have a coffee and a chat, I may as well have an enjoyable coffee.

And so I went out looking, with a budget in mind.....

And of course spent way over my budget.

But it does frothy coffee, it does hot chocolate, it does decaf.........

A little practice and I found out we have the perfect sized coffee mugs...

A little taste sampling and I found out that it makes great cappuccino's....

Now somehow a cup of instant just doesn't do it for me anymore......

This is my new little toy.....

Costa Coffee profits have just tumbled!

And Tassimo's have just gone through the roof!

Enjoy.

How old?????

We have started to use the Wii Fit on a regular basis.

It sets you a couple of challenges and then calculates your Wii Fit Age.

Day 1 - 53,  not bad for a 1st day.
Day 2 - 39
Day 3 - 59
Day 4 - 26

Yippee!  Can I stop now please.

Neil has broken a record today - the oldest Wii Fit Age - 73!!! Oooops.

I find the Yoga and balancing exercises the hardest, Hula-hooping and step aerobics are great fun and I do well at them.

However, heading the football - well, I've can't tell you how many football boots and Panda heads I have been hit by and how many footballs go sailing past!

If this is keeping fit in the privacy of my own home - I'm all for it.

It's great fun.

Just finished my first Kindle book.

This morning I finished my first Kindle book. I started reading Cecelia Ahern when she first wrote P.S. I Love You - and yes, the book is so much better than the film!

Since then, I have bought her follow up books and had them on the bookcase waiting for me to get back into reading mode. Having finally got there, I have now read 'If you could see me now'  'Thanks for the Memories' and 'The Book of Tomorrow' - if you like this type of book, then all are worth a read.

And so, I decided to continue working my way through her books and downloaded the 'Sample' book of 'The Gift'.

This allows you to read the first couple of chapters free, and if you decide you like the book you can buy the full book. If it's not your style, then you've not lost anything except the time taken to read a couple of chapters.

At first reading on the Kindle felt a little odd, although very easy to read and because I have a cover that opens like a book, you can actually hold it as if you had a book in your hand.

Because I had already read the first couple of chapters, I searched for the next chapter and picked up where I had left off, already knowing some of the characters.


Normally, when I read, I like to break off at the end of a chapter - and by flicking forward a few pages, can see how much I have left to read. On the Kindle, I  can do the same by page forwarding and back again. It takes a little longer but achieves the same result. Because you don't have the thickness of a book to be able to tell how far through the book you are, it has a gauge along the bottom of the screen that tells you what percentage of the book you have read, so you still know when you are half way through, or nearing the end.


If I get absorbed into a book, I don't want to put it down and I wondered whether the Kindle would have the same effect. Would I get involved with a book and forget that I was reading an electronic gadget. I was hoping that I would.


Yesterday, I got just over halfway and the story was starting to gain pace.


This morning, I sat down with it again, and a couple of hours later, I finally closed the Kindle cover having finished the book.


Yes, I had become so absorbed in the story I didn't notice that I didn't have a real book. Yes, I had enjoyed the build up to the end, which I hadn't seen coming, and lost track of time - just as I used to when reading a real book.


And so, I am a Kindle convert.


I feel ready for a good crime novel now so I'm off to browse the Kindle store for a few samples and see which grabs me enough to buy it. And the beauty for me of buying it online? It's Neil's card that's linked to the Amazon account so I buy and he pays.

Now, you can't say fairer than that, can you?

I'm so proud of my hubby!

Hubby got his 1st Hole in One yesterday. I'm so pleased for him.  

I just want to go home!

Last Saturday the Rugby club at the end of the road was having a bonfire and firework evening. We already had plans to go to our friends in Sheffield, so I hadn't taken much notice of the adverts about it, but when I walked the dogs up to the canal on Saturday afternoon I did notice a rather large bonfire was ready to burn in the corner of the field, and there were a lot of fairground stalls in front of the clubhouse. 

It was going to be a big event.

We left at 5pm and there were a few people starting to make their way down past our house. There is parking for about 50 cars at the Rugby club and our road is a 'no through' road, although there is a gate that can be opened to allow cars to drive out the far side of the Rugby club, in emergency situations.

In anticipation of the louder fireworks that big displays tend to set off, we had decided we needed to be back by 8pm to make sure the dogs were OK. They don't seem bothered by fireworks, and if anything, they just bark at them - but we hadn't seen them deal with the really loud bangs.

After a couple of hours with our friends, watching fireworks in their garden and enjoying some bonfire night food and drink, we said our goodbyes and set off home.

We had noticed, on the way to our friends, that there were a lot of cars on the road - I think because it was a Saturday evening, and it wasn't raining, lots of people had decided to go to friends or formal bonfires. As we drove home, the roads were empty, and quicker than normal we were turning onto our road ...............

....... to be met with gridlock!

There were too many cars for the car park. There were cars parked on both sides of the road, the full length of the road, which had turned it into a one-way street. With no room in the car park and nowhere for people to turn round and come back - everything was stopped.

As I was behind the wheel, I suggested that Neil jump out and walk the 400 yards down to the house to be with the dogs, and I would wait and see what I could do about getting out of the traffic. Behind me was a police car and, having put his flashing lights on, he managed to get past me and 3 more cars to a side road, which had people also queuing to get out and up to the Rugby club.

It was chaos.

The police parked their car across the road, blocking it off. They directed the cars coming out of the side road to go away from the Rugby club to clear that junction and then they started to move us all along the side road towards town....

......and me away from my house!!!

'I just want to go home' I told the officer as I reached the road block.

'No one's going up there at the moment, you'll have to follow the traffic into town', he replied.

As I drove into town, I knew I would pass 2 car parks and I hoped I would be able to get into one of them and walk home, going back for my car later. No joy though, they were both completely mobbed. Finally, I was in town and suddenly, it was like I'd entered a ghost town. It was deserted - no people, no cars, no nothing.

It seemed the entire population of Worksop was busy trying to get to the bonfire party at the end of our road. I drove into the car park behind the shopping complex to find 2 other cars in a car park that would hold a few hundred, and only a 10 minute walk to the Rugby club - why, oh why had police not been directing people here from the beginning of the evening instead of allowing the chaos that they were now trying to sort out?

As I walked towards home, I joined a still large wave of people moving towards the rugby club and soon I reached the chaos of our road. A couple of minutes later I reached home, to find a strange car on our drive, trying to get back into the traffic, going against the flow.

'You won't be going anywhere soon, they've closed the road off' I told them.

'Oh. We don't live here', the young couple inside informed me.

'No, I know you don't - I do!' I replied. 'If you get desperate for the loo, knock on the door' I told them as I walked past them.

'Do you mean that?' the young lad shouted after me as I turned the key in the lock.

'Of course I do' I replied, and vanished inside.

Once inside the warmth of our house, mug of coffee in hand, I was able to watch the chaos continue from the comfort of our front room. After about 15 mins, I noticed the car in the drive reverse up to the house and the young girl get out - thinking they were going to take me up on my offer I went out to open the door to them, and just as I did I noticed the police had cleared the road up to our house.

'If you go now, it looks like you'll get out' - I told them, and in a flash, the young girl had shouted thanks, jumped in the car and they were gone.

Knowing there would be a similar chaos in reverse when the fireworks were finished, we settled down in front of the tv. Occasionally, we would go out into the garden and watch the fireworks for a while before feeling too cold to be out anymore.

Finally, at 10.30pm, it seemed most people had left the area, there were a few stragglers but nothing much to worry about, so we put the dogs in the back of Neil's car and drove the 5 minutes to town to collect my car which, by now, was all alone in the car park.

And so, Bonfire night was over for another year. Next year we have already vowed - we are going nowhere - nowhere, unless we can walk there, and walk back again.

Picture this: A settee, a rope and a 2nd floor apartment.

If you read my last post you may remember a reference to Neil having a task to carry out before we could go out with Cadey.

Recently we decided to replace the 2 seater recliner settee we have. It's taken a lot of knocks while we've been moving around so we thought we'd treat ourselves to a knew one. The 3 seater, although it has to be dismantled every time we move, has stood up to the moves much better so, we went back to the store we bought them both from so we could match the colour.

We had a choice of 2 styles that we liked and both preferred the same one.

And that was when the problems started.

The one we both liked is made by a different manufacturer and their burgandy is a completely different colour to what we have. Having made our choice, neither of us wanted to take 2nd choice, even if we could have it in the right colour.

We had a short conversation about whether we could live with non-matching colours and decided we couldn't - so decision made - we ordered the matching 3 seater settee as well.

They are due for delivery before Christmas so we then needed to find homes for our existing settees.

Enter one of Neil's sons who has recently taken a new apartment and has no furniture. And of course, he didn't want to be sitting on the floor until Christmas, so we decided we would let him have the 3 seater, which we don't sit on, and we will continue to use 2 seater and we have  the Conservatory furniture incase we have visitors.

Saturday morning, 4 of them loaded it up in a van and carried up 2 flights of stairs, through 3 doors upto the front door of the apartment.

And that was as far as it went. It didn't fit through the door!

There was no way of taking it apart more than it was.

And so, to plan B.

The apartment has a Juliet balcony and a pair of opening doors. And so, plan B was to tie a rope around it and lift it up the outside of the building, past the 2 apartments below and through the double doors.

And so, it's in. I just hope it doesn't have to come out again any time soon, and if it does, I don't think Neil wants to be anywhere nearby.

Just got to wait for the new ones to arrive now!

What a long, long day.

We had an early start yesterday as we were having Cadey from 8am until 2.30pm. Now, this is the longest we have looked after her on our own and so we had plans to keep her entertained.

When she arrived my first job was breakfast - bacon, spaghetti and toast, followed by yoghurt. This is, apparently, what she always has when she stays with her other Grandma - and it's non-negotiable. At 3 and a half, she knows her own mind.

Her other Grandma had sent over a small can of spaghetti, or so I was told, but it turned out to be macaroni cheese masquerading as spaghetti. I assumed this was an acceptable alternative and carried on. I was to find out some assumptions cannot be made.

Cadey decided to entertain herself by annoying the dogs while I set about cooking. The dogs cannot work out this little person that visits and before long I found myself cooking with a dog attached to each ankle as they tried to avoid her hugs.

Breakfast ready, Cadey pulled up a chair ready to tuck in, only to find our chairs are too low and her plate was almost above head height! We pinched a couple of the dogs cushions to lift her up enough for her mouth to be above the table and she set about her bacon with some urgency.

Before very long she was asking for her yoghurt - but the macaroni cheese remained untouched. She informed me it was too plain for her and she doesn't like it plain. Now, I need to find out the trick to making it 'un-plain' from her other Grandma as no matter what I suggested, the pseudo-spaghetti was not meeting her standards and I finally gave in and replaced it with her yoghurt!

Next on the 'to-do' list was feeding the dogs their breakfast. She loves to help with anything involving the dogs and she collected their bowls, helped spoon in the chicken and put both the dishes down for the dogs.

Breakfast over, we then got coats and boots on, put collars and leads on the dogs and took them for a walk in the park. I was careful not to go too far as I needed to conserve some energy - I had plans for later.

While we waited for Neil to come home from a job he was doing, Cadey decided she would like to watch a DVD. Oh dear, I wasn't sure our DVD collection included anything suitable for a 3 year old!

She kept pulling boxes out to my reply - no, sorry, that's for grown ups. Finally we got a couple I could play - Ice Age or Finding Nemo. As I looked for the remote, Cadey had the recorder turned on and the DVD in the machine......who needs remotes? I made a mental note to check cheap kids DVD's next time I'm on Amazon.

Finally, Neil arrived home and we could carry on with our plans for the day - a trip to the Butterfly farm. I'd looked forward to the day when we could take her there and I wasn't disappointed. We had a lovely time. We bought some fruit and veg pots to feed the goats,

we stroked a skunk and chased after the butterflies. When we got to the nocturnal house Cadey said she didn't want to go in 'cos of the dark but she was fascinated by the snakes outside. As she stood there looking at one that was moving,  

                          

 the keeper came over and told us he was about to get it out for a talk and if we wanted to wait a few minutes, we would be able to hold it.

I had no idea how Cadey would react to this but I gave Neil the camera, just incase. She sat and listened to what the keeper was saying and then, when he asked if she wanted to hold it, she held out her hands without hesitation.

As we continued to walk around Cadey started asking if we could go and see the pirates. I kept looking around to see what she meant, there were meerkats, owls, turkeys, ponies but nothing that would resemble a pirate. There were no kid's play areas that had pirate themes, and I was totally stumped.

Then she told me she needed the loo and so we headed for the toilets - passing the PARROTS - not pirates! How silly did I feel?

Finally, it was time to leave and we had one very happy little girl. The day had been as much fun as I had hoped. We were exhausted, looking after a 3 year old is not easy but we loved having a Grandma and Grandad day.

Can't wait for the next one.

Remember, remember the 5th of November......

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot
I see no reason why gunpowder season
Should ever be forgot.

An age old English tradition remembering Guy Fawkes.

As children, we had bonfires and fireworks in the back garden. Hot dogs and beefburgers with Jacket Potatoes cooked in the embers of the bonfire.

We had a coal fire in the lounge where Mum used to roast hot chestnuts on the coal shovel.

I'm not sure how my eldest brother used to feel about all this. After all, it's his birthday today. I'm not sure whether he liked having a bonfire party on his birthday every year or whether he would have liked a trip out for a change some years.

The morning after bonfire night always has a specific feel to it. There seems to be a smokiness hanging over to the morning and there's always the sticks from the rockets to find laying about in the garden.

These days people have fireworks, but rarely have bonfires in the back garden, they are left to the official functions, Health & Safety and all that.

Happy childhood memories,

Happy birthday Bruv!

Starting early with a New Year Resolution

While we were working on the house, concreting, fencing etc I was losing weight.

While I was retired I would spend hours walking the dogs and playing golf and I was losing weight.

Now I'm back at work, Neil is walking the dogs and playing golf and I am no longer losing weight.

The clocks going back mean it's dark when I get home from work so the dogs get a quick walk around the estate, not a leisurely walk along the canal.

I need to do something.

I'm not waiting for the New Year - I'm starting early.

 Today, this arrived.

It's not coming out of it's box until the weekend and I have time to play with it but at least the intent is there.

Hopefully by New Year, I will already be into the routine and it won't feel like a New Year's Resolution!

A new start.

I wish I could think of something really profound for the first post on my new blog - but I can't!

Instead I will start as I mean to continue - by letting my brain drive my fingers over the keyboard and being surprised by what I'm reading on screen.

Somedays, something will happen that prompts memories to share from way back, other days it will be something that happened that day. My new blog will be a mixture of topics, memories, happenings and thoughts - just the same type of chatter that would happen while having a coffee with a friend.

So join me for a coffee a couple of times a week and we'll have a catch up chat!