Tuesday 30 May 2017

Spiders

Normally, October and November is the time for our huge house spider season, or carpet runners as we call them.

However, at the moment, we seem to have a lot of more normal spiders traipsing around. There are the small, dark,  fast running spiders with short legs, hard to catch with a glass and even harder to keep in it whilst putting them outside. We think of them as the spider equivalent to greyhounds!

Then there are the half sized carpet runners, which at the moment seem to be zooming around each room. So far we have put out about 6 of them.

Finally there are the bigs ones that creep into the sinks and baths. I threw the remains of tea down the sink the other day and one ran out from underneath the bottom of the sink crockery protector. Sinks being on the whole curved, made it difficult to catch it but we did in the end. It obviously didn't appreciate its early morning tea shower.

Then there are the black and white jumping spiders, tidy but very versatile, loads of them. As of yet, the 'bean' spiders (the ones that seem to live on and in French and Runner beans) haven't made it inside but a few have over-wintered inside and have now been put outside.

Any one else got an influx?

Monday 29 May 2017

:) then :( and a quiet mandolin ....

Last week we celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. We had been out for a meal the day before and were looking forward to family for the bank holiday weekend.

Friday onwards everything went pear shaped. One family member began to feel ill then both were diverted due to an imminent parent bereavement. That sad event took place Saturday night at 8:15, and there is now, one lovely person less, in this troubled world.

Rest In Peace R., you and your mandolin will be greated missed.

Tuesday 23 May 2017

Thoughts...

Welcome to Yours Frugally via Bloglovin. My thoughts are with Manchester and its people today following the exlosion there last night. Other than that I am not going to comment except to say, you won't win, you will never break us or the rest of the world, Karma is waiting for you and paradise is not!

Friday 19 May 2017

I'm cold!

Blimey, it feels as though early spring has returned. Loads of rain and a cold wind has returned to this part of Norfolk. I thought I might have finished making soup for lunches, but no, some is certainly getting made today!

Herewith a shot of the front garden:
The poppies have flopped with the rain but it certainly looks better than just a few short weeks ago.

Not much else to say so have a lovely weekend everyone and I hope the weather is kind to you.

Wednesday 17 May 2017

Poor Andy Pandy...

It is so hard to watch someone you support being lack lustre and frustrated. Last nights match with Andy Murray against Fognini was of that vain, as in quite a few of his latest matches.

He played in almost total silence except at the end when he shouted "I can't move, why can't I move?"

Lack of movement was very apparent. Most drop shots by Fognini were left, reaching for out of reach shots were left etc. He would normally be chasing every ball, stretching for everything but he just couldn't, it was very odd.

He is most definately out of sorts. Ah well, Bedene did well initially against Novak, Kyle and Jamie are both playing today.

The rain has arrived which should enable me to get some much needed stakes into the ground to support drooping plants. Might have to think about spraying the tomatoes with Disprin to try and keep the blight at bay. I have done this for a few years now and it seems to work or else I have been very lucky.

Welcome to Hannah Coe via Bloglovin.

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Poppies and Iris

The front garden (and back) are now leaping into life and colour:
Aqualeiga, iris and poppies are in full bloom with the peony waiting in the background to flower shortly.

The tomatoes have been planted outside in the ground (protected by fleece for a few days), the climbing beans as well. Lettuce have taken, a few beetroot and radish, and carrots have decided to get going at last. The 4th set of peas have finally decided to make an appearance - yah!

Thursday 11 May 2017

That's better!

At long last, we have sunny weather. We sat outside on the patio yesterday afternoon and it got so hot we had to put the blind out to give us some shade!

I am having to keep topping up my front garden pond so the birds can drink safely from the edge rather than risking drowning in the middle of it.

More and more flowers are opening and it is starting to look very pretty.

In the back garden, the blueberries are in blossom and the birds are on their second lot of eggs in the bird box.

I have put on more more Year VII war diary. Hope you enjoy it. Not much more to go now.

Have a lovely weekend everyone and we are keeping our fingers crossed for some rain!!!

Tuesday 9 May 2017

Still blooming cold

In this part of the world! Freezing and high speed wind, low temperatures, little sun, no rain to speak of:) Must have been nice to be on the west part of our island just to feel and see the sun.

Tonight there is likely to be a frost here so everything is either lightly fleece wrapped, or more heavily wrapped, like the tomatoes.

So dry is the soil that nearly two water butts have been used to keep things alive. Judging by the weather alarm report on tv this morning, it may well be a drought year. We shall have to find the old pond pump, which we use for pumping the water from the bath, to the outside, into large containers to use around the garden for if/when the butts run dry.

Still eating soups for lunch and hot meals for tea. Weather is forecast to get a little better after Wednesday night, when hopefully, I can begin to keep the mini greenhouse open all night and acclimatise the tomatoes to outdoor conditions.

Welcome to the PB family via Bloglovin.


Thursday 4 May 2017

As per usual ...

For this year it would seem, we have a potentially nice day but with a biting cold wind - again!

This week, our walk was a constant battle into a head wind that penetrated our clothing slightly, despite having good walking gear on. We were dressed more for winter than spring. I am still wearing a winter jumper, and often hat and gloves when out walking each day.

It isn't really surprising that the vegetables are not at all happy. It looks like May, but feels more like March. The only difference is when the wind drops and the sun is actually out, that it feels quite warm.

The flowers in the front gravel garden are starting to appear. The columbine is ready to burst, the veronica is out and the little iris are just opening - a good sign, even if they are not that visible in the photograph below:
Soup for lunch again, and for the forseeable future methinks!


Wednesday 3 May 2017

Not a whitlow!

First of all, welcome to Janet Emery via Bloglovin.

For years, I had thought that those little painful splits you get near a fingernail were called whitlow's. Well, I found out the other day they weren't.

I had one forming on my thumb and went off to see what, if anything, could be done to alleviate it and came across this video: here.

You just have to get through the adverts etc - most annoying. Anyhow, it is one of the best explanations of what causes them and how to treat them, not using fingernail polish as some people suggest!

I duly found some Vaseline, smeared it into the painful cut, applied a plaster, both morning and night. By the second night, the pain had gone and the crack was closing. On the third morning the skin had sealed shut - wonderful.

He expalins if you do this asap, before the skin gets really open, you should be able to stop it in its tracks. Now I know the answer, I shall do it as soon as I notice it happening rather than when the crack is deep and painful.

Hope you find this information useful.


Tuesday 2 May 2017

Oh me of little faith!

I picked up my new glasses yesterday and wore the distance ones to watch tv last night. Goodness me, what a difference.

We were catching up with Versailles and the difference was like watching non-hd channels and hd versions. I could see minute details on the clothing, such was my delight, I found it difficult to follow the story!

Can't say I am comfortable with them on my nose for long periods of time, so may get the nose pads adjusted. Also don't like seeing the frames. As I have 3 months to buy a third pair for half price, I may go and get a frameless pair, and keep these as spares, we shall see.

I am long sighted and it had never occurred to me that it would deteriorate over time, well, you live and learn. Might also be able to play video games better without sitting closer to the tv.