What are you all up to
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Thanks Rocky. He was very obliging and sat very still! Obviously looking for his next meal.
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Just come in for a late lunch. I am outside grubbing around in beds as usual. Not as cold as I thought thankfully. Nice to see treasured plants coming back again, particularly after a very cold and icy spell. I GOG lots of lovely dahlias to grow this year for my birthday, loving these as they put on a good late show, and some can be used to fill gaps in pots.
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Been very grey here for the last few days so it was nice to see the sun make an appearance after lunch. I took the opportunity to take the screen cover off the van so it looks as if it's ready to go even if we aren't!!! No excuse now not to wash the van if we have a nice day.
Our first trip out since before Christmas (other than medical appointments) was to the garden centre. I like to buy pot grown bulbs which are often reduce at this time of year. Got a pot of snowdrops for £2.69, previously £8.99!!! Not sure who would pay that much for them? Also got a couple more pots of ‘Tête-à-tête’ Narcissus which grow about 6/8 inches high, also much reduced. I find it useful to plant them out now because I can see where the other bulbs are.
David
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Always pays to have a rummage in a reduced bin for plants. Providing they aren’t diseased, most things respond well to a bit of TLC. B&Q are notorious for wasting lots of plants. They simply don’t water pots enough, things crisp up, then they are reduced. All it needs is to dunk quite a few in water, and hey presto, cheap fillers. 😂
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Probably just happy that the water’s not stiff, look what happened to Bambi😂👍🏻
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To confirm the sharpness of Rufs pic, I can even make out the Flats next door to the Royal Corinthian YC. Stokes Bay brings back memories of my dinghy sailing days. The wind has been too cold for me to venture far today, just into the village for a paper and some milk. Yesterday was the same. We set out for Port Solent but the wind persuaded us to take a more sheltered route for our exercise.
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"I like to buy pot grown bulbs which are often reduce at this time of year. Got a pot of snowdrops for £2.69, previously £8.99!!! Not sure who would pay that much for them? Also got a couple more pots of ‘Tête-à-tête’ Narcissus which grow about 6/8 inches high"
I always plant up 3 bowls of hyacinth and 3 bowls of Tete-a-tete during august/september, which i leave in the dark in the garage until after we have taken the Christmas decs down and then bring them indoors, love the smell of hyancinth, when they have gone over i plant the bulbs out in the garden, we now have a brilliant display of hyacinth, daffodils which just mulitply year on year, and Tete-a-tete, rest of garden is down to shrubs which are all low maintenance so apart from cutting the grass i do very little, have a gardner come round every autumn to cut everything back, cant manage ladders anymore so he does all the high stuff.
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Yes we put pot grown hyacinths and daffys into garden. I love Spring for all the bulbs that come through.
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OH was just saying to DD the other day that she was feeling "weary".
On further investigation, as DD was worried about her Mum, she clarified that the lockdown was getting her down........no dates to make plans for.......no idea what we will be allowed to do and when.
Coming up on a year now since we entered the first lockdown, a year out of our lives when you are in your late 70s is a big loss, quite depressing.
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Yes, I agree, quite depressing. The first lockdown was bad enough, but this time round it’s becoming difficult, and has certainly taken its toll on some of us. When I retired (May 2019) I was looking forward to getting away a lot more, and was planning ahead for a month away in France in our new (June 2019) van, May 2020, which subsequently had to be shelved. It’s good that there’s now a way out, but I for one suspect that it’s going to take some time for some of us to get over this. Still, I’m looking forward to my first round of golf in a long time, on the 29th 🏌️♂️🙂
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"Still, I’m looking forward to my first round of golf in a long time, on the 29th 🏌️♂️🙂"
Never played golf but our municipal course is on the beach at Gilkicker and i walk the course normally twice a week with the pooch, will miss it when the golfers return
Not feeling depressed, walk, cycle, zoom, facetime almost every day. Put Zoom up on the TV sometimes log on Sat or Sun in the a.m. with daughter in Spain and just leave it up for a few hours, she has a school business account so you can be on as long as you like. It is like having her in the room
Spain will be a bit like the UK, locked down for Easter, they hope that by doing this they will be ok to open up fully for the summer, not ruled out flying out there later in the year, but have erased any thoughts of taking the caravan this year.
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We are indeed pleased we have a new grandchild, but sad that, other on the one day we were there looking after Callum, we have not been able to hold him. The little ones grow and change so quickly, Callum was quite unsure of us after the first lockdown, had to be encouraged by his Mum to hug us, and that was only after 3 months, this time it will be longer, no mixing since Christmas even for childcare, and up here we still have no firm dates to look forward to.
Our other grandchildren are older, so we have not been able to visit them since.......was it October?.......as they were in a different tier from us.
We do not have any other family here, mine are all in Norway and OH is an only child, so outside contact has been very limited.
We have not been away in the van, and there is only so much DIY, gardening, TV watching and book reading you can do before it starts to get tedious.
Yes, we are glad to still be alive, but Is it so unreasonable to be feeling a bit weary? I suspect a lot of people are feeling that way!
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We have no family at all, Kj. It's just us and we're happy that way making our own entertainment and keeping going. Counting the days to freedom with joy but not weary, depressed or complaining 👍
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Kj, like you and OH we are also feeling a bit weary. Of course we are glad that we are still alive and that our children and grandchildren have all come through this without any problems.
Any normal year would see us in Lanzarote just now for 3 weeks, we look forward to that as we meet up with folk every year and have a good catch up. It kick starts our year. Something we worked hard for to enjoy in our retirement.
We have probably not suffered as much as some with not seeing our children/grandchildren. Not that we don't miss them, just that with them living 300 & 500 + miles from us we are more used to it, than those who live fairly close by.
We have kept busy throughout both lockdowns and when we could we did manage to get away in the van.
Its the age old issue for me in that I really miss the sun, winter isn't a good time for me in our British climate, so we usually escape to warmer climes as often as we can. This past winter has been hard because we can't and its been a proper cold winter.
I agree with you Kj, that as we have no dates yet as to when we can look forward, its not easy to keep feeling positive about things. That and 'other' things going on up here are a bit mood suppressing just now.
We have got plans in place and I am usually a glass half full person so only a temporary dip.
Our eldest son who is in the Army is off to America today on a 6 week exercise with lots of other forces personnel, I'm not happy/comfortably with it but there is nothing he or I can do about it. Maybe that's having an affect on me.
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The first lockdown, last year, was very difficult for me. I love spring best and wanted to get out and see, and smell, wild garlic, spring plants, wild bluebells and most of all spring lambs dancing in the fields. Apart from all the bad, sad news this lockdown has been a doddle for me. Happy to be in during the cold, wet weather. We can go just a little further now to start enjoying spring this year, and things are on the up. We know people who passed away with this so counting every day as a blessing. Looking forward to putting my arms around our grandchildren. And summer.
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"I am usually a glass half full person"
Hi TG, I think i can see what the problem is-you have too much blood in your alcohol system!
I cant imagine that there is anyone who has not had a bit of a down day but I think the tantilising prospect of some freedom just brings home how much we, the lucky ones, have missed.
We have been planning what we will do and I am in the good books as I have managed to get Jean booked to get her hair cut on the 16th-she has been doing mine but, despite my many offers, seems reluctant for me to reciprocate.
We then meet up with our best buddies for a week in the van, they have a MH but after the year we have had I am willing to overlook that.
Then its five days in a hotel near our youngest daughter to see her and the children who we have not seen since Boxing Day 2019.
Then its a two week club rally at Pentewan Beach with three lots of friends.
Sadly that's all so far, until another two weeks, in September, on a club rally at.....................Pentewan Beach!
We do this one every year with the June one being a 'just in case' booking as going abroad looked unlikely so glad we booked it.
This morning I have looked at hotels in Manchester, Blackburn and London all with the intention of visiting family and after cutting the grass, calling it a lawn would be a real exaggeration, I will be looking at options for July/August which may even be abroad depending on how things go.
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Next week in England we can meet up with someone else and enjoy a picnic or coffee with them outside.
I salute those who've got through this on their own.
It's not going to be the same so I think we'll have to embrace the "new."
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Last week we booked tickets and went to a Nat Trust property for a lovely walk. Our first afternoon properly out, a lovely afternoon, lovely weather and really lifted our spirits. However, OH shut his finger in the car door, nearly taking the top off it, it is now all bandaged up. I got stung on the leg by some weird insect, now, a week later, it is itching, red and the lower half of my leg is swollen right up and I am having to take tablets to reduce the swelling. It's scary out there!
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I admire you for using a hotel allanandnjean. We would so love to see our son and grandchildren who are 200 miles away and had thought of a few days in a local hotel (Premier Inn), but the thought of being with that many people and a different ’space’ fills me with worries. We could take the caravan somewhere local so that’s an option but the hotel is the usual method. I really must try to be less frightened of things I suppose but after the last year it’s hard! I think I’m suffering from lockdown release anxiety! Second jab in April perhaps I will be feel more confident then? Who knows?!🤞
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Agree Brue, it’s going to be different, no matter what. We have been fortunate really. Our time and income is our own, we haven’t had to work, and live somewhere that has given us plenty to do, and overall our weather is good, more sun than rain. Even looking after Mum hasn’t been too difficult this second lockdown, as we can all help. We managed two lovely holidays away last year, did everything we wanted to given the circumstances. Got plenty of stuff tentatively planned for this year, but won’t beat ourselves up if any of it doesn’t happen. The main thing for us, is that we are grateful all our family and friends have come through, not entirely unscathed, one has long Covid, others we haven’t seen in the flesh for months. But for us, it could have been far far worse, and we recognise this. On the plus side, got lots done in the house, and the garden has been a treasured retreat at times. Had I not had Mum to care for, I would have volunteered to help out with Covid jabbing or other things to help those who haven’t had as lucky a lockdown as us.
It will get better I am sure. The sheer joy of being able to meet up and share a meal with family and friends will be heaven, to get back out on the road and enjoy a different walk or cycle, to visit some of our favourite places again is on the horizon now, and I hope it happens for everyone. 😁1 -
Yes, we are glad to still be alive, but Is it so unreasonable to be feeling a bit weary? I suspect a lot of people are feeling that way!
Kj
Certainly not unreasonable in my view. The problem I have is lack of motivation to be inspired to do things and it worries me that even when we are free of all this that motivation might not return? It seems to me you have been kept reasonably busy during the various lockdowns even if you would have preferred to have been doing other things? I suppose in some way when life does return to some sort of normality it might encourage to try and get back to normal but I have that slight worry at the back of my mind that it might not. Later this year it is our 50th wedding anniversary but we have been unable to make any plans to celebrate as we don't know what the situation will be in October.
David
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I too have a worry about motivation David, we are starting to "put things off till another day" as there seems no point in rushing.
We have made some plans, for June, in the hope that this time we will actually be able to get away. Last year Our Easter trip was of course cancelled, then we had 2 more trips planned that also were cancelled due to local lockdowns at our planned destinations, and this year's hoped for Easter trip is of course also cancelled.
We have a few things to sort in the caravan, but I keep telling myself there is no hurry. Then it needs a service, but our dealer is not open at present. When they do, will they be able to fit us in will be the next problem. I presume they have been closed since before Christmas, so they will have a big backlog of servicing to catch up on.
Our van is getting on a bit now, 13 years old, just hope there will be no problems with it.
There will be lots other things to catch up on too, DD has had a load of oak boards lying in her hall since December, skirtings, facings and a window sill for the partly finished bedroom and bathroom, so those will take me some time to fix, plus 2 doors to hang, and wardrobes to assemble.
Then she has a roof that needs to be altered and fixed, by builders, so will need some help to pack up stuff and move furniture as the room below will need to be emptied.
And we need to get our bathroom refitted ......a shower instead of a bath before we fall over climbing in/out, plus all new everything else. Builders also have a backlog so who knows when that will happen, impossible at present to plan anything with certainty!
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There some sort of law about that Debsc but I hope you both get over your day out and can get ready for the next one.
We've made ourselves go out through the lockdown, booked garden visits to get a change of scenery and done lots of short walks locally.
I haven't set foot in a supermarket which is no great loss but I am missing just being able to go out on a whim without planning or booking anything. That will be might first enjoyment when things open up.
I'm loving looking at the occasional build up of dust in the house that no-one will see and our rather manic efforts at getting jobs done but I now feel we've done enough to make us feel ok about going away or doing other things.
One thing I will never do again is take on a Victorian chair upholstery project....the chair and I look at each other every day, if only it would just upholster itself....
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I try to be optimistic, 8 weeks thus far booked away in the caravan, in the UK, we have a family holiday cottage in Spain we may visit later in the year, although not too keen on the prospect of flying just yet.
Today had coffee and read the Sunday paper in the caravan, was freezing until the sun came round a bit so put the gas fire on, only because I am trying to use up what i thought would only be a small amount of gas left in the cylinder so i could replace before using the caravan next. Had to switch off as got to warm, still burning brightly, oh! well decorator starts next Thursday so may spend more time in the caravan so that we dont get in the way.
New addition to family, spaniel/pointer cross, daughters dog, supposedly, but children back at school next week, daughter full time nurse, dad doctor part time home worker, so you wont need 2 guesses as to who will be minding the puppy.
Love puppies so cant wait really 3 -
Nice pup rufs👍
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Not going anywhere during a long winter is normal for us, so life is very much as it always was. One thing I miss, and always have, is someone else planning what to eat. In days gone by this was alleviated occasionally by meals out. Every Sunday I make a vague meal plan for the week ahead, trying to be different to the week before. But there’s only so much variety and enthusiasm I can muster.
But today we took a step towards getting away - we bought a spare gas bottle! The empty one has been sitting on the step since last summer.
We won’t be going far - just down the fields, probably in April.
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Grey chilly start here for a change 🙈. Dog and I took ourselves off to the local estate, knew it would be mucky, but it is getting better, so had planned a dog bath on our return, she had definitely developed an odour of stale pond! Was a bit later than usual and saw a couple from a distance, thought they were neighbours but dismissed as they have an elderly dog, been so long since normal living 😉, I'd forgotten they got another a couple of years ago. They waved and waited so we had a lovely socially distanced walk. So nice to have a conversation!
We are both glass half or more full types but I'm finding it really hard this lockdown. One of us, has had lockdown lethargy from the first one 😱. After a year to get back on his feet, so to speak, the first lockdown hit was not too bad as decent weather etc. These later ones it's got tougher and tougher. Lack of social interaction has had big impact on OH, not that its acknowledged, and the 'it's good enough' and 'yeah soon' mantras are really annoying! So many things he used to do he wants to but shows no energy etc and really isn't up to it, but I can say nothing 🤐 nor can I do it alone with other things and trying to open a discussion about employing someone is very dodgy territory! I feel less and less motivated for even everyday tasks 😢. I'm still recovering from my jab as well, getting there, but nearly 3 weeks now!
Still have son and DIL's Christmas presents as they weren't bought to post. Not seen them since October, generally lots of telephone and video contact but not the same. Thought I could watch this grandchild grow from the earliest times, now hoping we can see it before its school age! Accepted daughter's distant pregnancy but had dates to meet the babies from early on. I've even had to post my knitted baby items....... Maybe that doesn't help? Also spent the last few days on OH Attendance Allowance forms, and you have to concentrate on the can't rather than the cans, which is depressing. I had to re-read all the reports, they kept nothing so you have to start from stratch 😱, and you can't help but re-live events that are best left as distant memories.
Anyway enough of that sun has broken through which definitely lifts the spirits. Onward and upward, things should start to improve and before long I can travel to stare at son and DIL, maybe meet my brother and SIL too not to mention friends .....
Brue at least you started your chair covering - I had a feeling I'd get to the stage you're at now with a couple of projects, so I didn't even start. Well done you will get there, and if you don't need it as a seat at the mo there's no pressure 😉
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