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Not much to report really, except that my little table weaving loom arrived today. I haven't been able to get at my wool to try it out yet, but will have a forage tomorrow. More rain's been falling, just for a change. I did manage to get out to the orchard yesterday and carry on with the clearing there. I sawed off 4 branches from an old willow tree that's in the way. It got very cold and poured with rain, so I went back and got into bed to warm up. Jim was tired and had already had a couple of hours. What a pair we are.
Had blood taken by the nurse in the morning for a check on my cholesterol and other things (3 vials taken). Did my ironing this afternoon. Cleaned out the conservatory which badly needed it. Jim's been sorting out his office upstairs and it's much better for him now. His back is much improved thankfully.
Watched Holby City tonight. Not too exciting. I've made Internet friends with a lesbian from Australia who's partner of many years has just left her so she's all boo hooey!
We had a funny old night and didn't go to bed until almost this morning, thus it was a late start to the day. Jim was feeling much better and brought me breakfast in bed, which was delightfully unexpected. Also a card saying 'thank you for looking after me'. Aaah.
Worked inside as it was so cold and wet out. Jim put the new knobs on the door and adjusted the ball catch. I spring cleaned the kitchen. A bit early but hey, it had to be done. I still have the floor to wash but apart from that, it's much better. Brought some more wood down in the wheelbarrow to the kitchen and put 2 loads in the barn to dry.
Watched Casualty and 'The One and Only' on tv, then pootled a bit on scrabulous. Jim's back inevitably hurt by the evening and he has slept most of it, having taken a strong painkiller. He made a lovely dinner first though. Roast pork (in the microwave), roast potatoes (also in the micro) and cauliflower with sauce.
So that's about it really. Short and sweet. I go to Suffolk on Friday and return Tuesday. Have lots of Jack cuddles. I've missed him so much.
It's absolutely tipping it down at the moment (12 midnight) and windy to boot! No change there then.
Up to glorious sunshine but white over with frost. Jim up first to light Stanley. I was ready to go back down to the orchard when Jim reminded me we were off on a shopping trip to get more peat blocks for Stanley and some food for the cats and us too. So, he being unable to drive at the moment, I had to go too. It was quite a fun day after a sticky start and we ambled around the big new Tesco on the outskirts of Limerick. Lots of bargains to be had too, especially in the fruit and veg, so we gathered up plenty. Best bargain was asparagus and we bought enough to make soup!
Drove along in the rain to Woody's to buy some wood to finish off the surround to the new door. It was so expensive Jim decided to leave it and try and fashion the bits he needed from some wood he already has. We did buy 2 knobs for the door though. Very useful! Also stopped at our usual MacDonald's for a coffee and a muffin (low cal). Very warming.
A visit to the pet superstore yielded many reduced toys for the cats and 2 food bowls. Back home then, driving in the dark and rain was hard as I had my contact lenses in. Shopping unpacked and away. The cats loved their new toys and wore themselves out playing with them. The most unsuccessful one was some red feathers with 2 bells attached. Very soon we had red feathers all over the floor as it disintegrated. Sandy obviously thought he was plucking a chicken!
That's about it. An evening of keeping warm, food and computers. I hope tomorrow is fine so I can continue with my orchard clearing.
Eventually made it to bed at 5am, having tried a crossword puzzle to get to sleep. Dropped off around 6 I think as it was getting light. Jim slept on the settee again. Can't wait to get back to normal. He'd had a really bad evening and was in a lot of pain again.
However, he has been better today and even cut some willow. He is selling cuttings on ebay as we have to cut the stuff anyway, so why not make a bit? Coaster17 is his name on ebay if you'd like to grow some willow cuttings. As the weather was at last clear with a bit of sunshine now and then, I went down to the orchard to carry on clearing the raspberry canes. The previous owner had obviously planted a couple of rows of them and over the years they have gone wild and cover a huge area. We have never actually stood on the area where they are as it was too prickly and overgrown. The raspberries are rather special in that the are apricot coloured! They taste the same as red ones, very weird.
The raspberries reached over to the fence with the field next door, owned by the farmer, Martin. Down the edge of the fence were many overgrown trees with dead and dying branches. It was great to be able to get to the trees and trim off necessary branches and I actually managed to clear right down to the end of the row before it started to get dark and dropped amazingly cold in a few minutes. My feet and hands were frozen and Jim, right on cue, brought me a coffee, which I used to warm my hands, then gathered up my tools and headed back inside, chilled to the bone.
The evening was spent lolling on the settee in front of the tv until now. I was cold and tired, but really enjoyed my day outside and rest this evening. Jim is still on the mend but seems to have picked up a cold now, probably from the doctor's surgery! You can't win.
Got up this morning and ready to go to the doctors clutching my letter about my cholesterol level of 7. It's a walk in system in the mornings and I waited 2 hours!! Ah well, it was warm and I read the breast cancer magazine cover to cover and was just into Good Housekeeping! It was the same doctor who had seen Jim so I think she was a bit confused to see me. She was quite reassuring and, given my lifestyle (apart from too much chocolate) she thought it might be hereditary. Also, when I had the blood test I wasn't asked to fast and I should do, so am in for a new blood sample to be taken next Tuesday to get proper analysed results, having fasted since 12 midnight the night before. Not even water! Mean or what? So we shall see. If it is high and doesn't go down, I can take a little pill a day to do the job. Sounds an excellent idea. Pass the chocolate please. Having said that, I have bought much fruit today and other thin making things as I want to lose weight before the Oz trip anyway.
I bought some Green Tea which was so disgusting it made me feel sick! Yuk. We did have an enjoyable dinner of jacket potatoes, smoked bbq salmon and salad. It was lovely. Unfortunately we did finish with a Xmas type pudding, never opened since Christmas. It's silly to throw it away so I had a small-ish portion. Can't starve all at once.
After the doctors I went to Aldi to get the usual supplies and some decent cat food. One item was sadly lacking in my endeavours, though, and that was money. Jim keeps most of it in his wallet and I only had a bit of small change. Neither Aldi nor Lidl take credit cards, so I prayed that Supersave did. Luckily, they saved the day. I did have a little till glitch in that one of my credit cards had expired, one I had no idea of the pin number but luckily the 3rd one worked. I was feeling quite stressed and had to have a coffee to recover!
It was freezing cold again and sleeted and rained on me, plus a biting wind. Horrid. I went to the library to find out info on women's groups, but it was closed. Typical. Tried the Family Resource Centre who are closed until either 14th or the 21st January, depending on which notice you read in the window. Irish or what?
I did pop into an art and craft shop which I hadn't noticed before and had a lovely chat with the lady in there. She had some woven baskets in the window and I asked if they were Peter Sheahan's. Indeed they were, the chap whose cottage we now live in. She was most interested in this as she used to live in Caher, quite near us. She also does framing which could prove useful in the future.
Oh, I also forgot to mention that I had a letter calling me up for jury service in Ennis, Ireland. I've only been here 5 minutes, yet I've been eligible in the UK for years but have never been called. Unfortunately it's when I am booked on a flight to go to the UK for a few days for a 60th birthday party and then a week afterwards we are off to Australia, so I've asked to be excused this time. I'd love to do it and hope they just push you down the list a bit then ask again.
When I eventually got home, Jim had brought down a barrow load of logs from by the top gate, but was still in a lot of pain. As the day progressed, he has regressed. He went upstairs to his little office but couldn't sit for any length of time and ended up laying on the floor then giving up and collapsing of the settee again. Oh woe.
Played a bit of scrabble on Facebook but didn't do too well. Crappy letters. BlackJack is on my knee purring adoringly but he does make it difficult to type, bashing my fingers with his head now and then. He is growing at last but still looks pretty small. Sandy, on the other hand, is huge!
Jim found a great website online today. A textile artist who also works with willow and re-cycled materials. A lovely gallery is on display and she has done some large works that hang from the ceiling like stalactites, which is something I've always wanted to do, but never had the space.
http://www.casholmes.textilearts.net/index.html Really worth a look.
