Usual morning of emails and I’ve finally got some teaching timetables completed for next year.
This afternoon I repaired a favourite dress. It is a fair trade tea dress made from cotton lawn and I wear it regularly (I seldom keep nice things for special occasions!) so the cotton is beginning to get a bit thin. At the weekend a pocket caught on something and there was a big rip. Luckily the skirt is very full and the pattern bright and busy so mends can be hidden. I have sewn some very basic seams on the sewing machine to bring it back together.
What a lovely present @boogie. It'll be lovely seeing it flourish in your garden.
I headed off to Pilates this morning. It's the first time in ages that I've managed to go for a few weeks in a row. I've also booked for Friday and next Monday, so hopefully it'll do me some good.
The rest of the day has been taken up with sewing together a knitting project and sending emails back and forth about a contentious council project. Hopefully opposite sides will be able to sit down and discuss the facts, when all the rumours that have been circulating have been dismissed.
We had to head into Fairly Nearby Town this morning for some Necessary Errands but after these were achieved we went to the very nice garden centre, had lunch there and spent the garden vouchers that some people had kindly given us as moving/housewarming presents. I'll be getting up early tomorrow to do some jobs in the garden while it's cool. A lot of things are now looking tired and overgrown and needing some attention.
I've also finally found a Zumba class at the leisure centre in Nearby Town at a time that suits me. However, I can't book it yet as non-members can only book two days in advance :rolleyes: and as there are only seven places left I am not holding out a great deal of hope.
I hope the issue with the council gets sorted @Sarasa .
You must be a clever seamstress @Heavenlyannie ; it's great to be able to repair favourite garments.
Easy pasta for tea because (1) that's all there is in the cupboard and (2) I can't be bothered with anything else.
When my children were young I had a side business making custom children’s clothing so I am a confident seamstress. I can also make my own clothing and used to make re-enactment clothing, including various corsets and crinolines. I don’t have much time to sew these days and I’m hoping a gradual slide into retirement will change that.
Tea was halloumi and chick pea salad, with a plum and cinnamon smoothie.
TIL that aardvarks and anteaters are not closely related but share characteristics due to covergent evolution. Did you know that swifts are not related to swallows and martins, but are relatives of hummingbirds?? It blew my mind when I found that out. And toucans are effectively specialised tropical woodpeckers.
Aardvarks are in fact a member of a group of entirely African shrew/hedgehog-like creatures (not closely related to shrews); the closest relations to the group are hyraxes, sea cows, and elephants. Placental mammals split into four groups: elephants and aardvarks, etc; anteaters, sloths and armadillos; rodents and primates; and everything else. The rodents and primates are most closely related to the everything else; how the African group and the anteaters fit in we don't know.
The closest relatives of whales and dolphins are hippos. Whales are more closely related to cows than pigs and camels are.
Hummingbirds and swifts are highly adapted nightjars.
Toucans aren't exactly woodpeckers but are barbets, which are closely related to woodpeckers.
I don't have great hopes on the council issue @nenya, but I'm leaving it till tomorrow morning to send a couple more emails and hopefully the people involved can carry on disagreeing or not at their leisure. There is a meeting on said issue on Thursday, which I don't think will be a lot of fun.
On the other hand we went for a nice walk this evening. When we lived in London we had what we called the Surbiton loop a walk from our house through Surbiton and back via the river. Since moving here we haven't found anything similar, but we have recently discovered a loop which is an interesting mix of streets and country and this evening we did it for the second time. It'll be useless in winter as a bit of it would be very dark, but nice at this time of year.
I have not really worked out some of the nice walks around here; it is too hot to go in the daytime, for a start. When some friends of mine visited a few weeks back we found a walk I'd never been on before and I intend to revisit it in the fullness of time. Mr Nen has done a lot more local exploration, walking and running and on his bike, but he walks much more quickly than I do and Frustration Ensues :rolleyes: .
I made some very pleasing progress in the garden this morning. When Mr Nen waved at me from the window in the hope of Breakfast (not that he doesn't get his own, but it's nice to eat together) I realised how time had sped by and also, suddenly, how hot I was.
We have a spot where we sit for morning coffee, looking out on the front garden, and it was very satisfying to observe how much tidier it looks and what space I now have for introducing some summer colour.
In anticipation of getting my little study redecorated I went and ordered a new carpet this morning. Good job I did, as the shop, a small family firm, is closing next week for three weeks, so my timing was just right to book a date in mid August.
On the way home I stopped off at a small park which has beautiful trees of many species and is very well kept, with shady areas and plenty of seats. Sad memories though, as it was a place where Mr Puzzler was able to take short walks in his last few weeks of life, so I don’t go there very often now.
I have a jigsaw puzzle I need to finish and much tidying up to do as it is my turn to host my French conversation group on Friday. I’ve been preparing a variety of “ end of term” games linguistic activities.
We have arrived on the Côte d'Azur to stay with our chic friends for a week. We had underestimated just how chic they are - their apartment is a duplex right opposite the sea with a mountain view on the other side It’s hot here (29°) but not as hot as foie gras land where it is still 36°.
We went for a dip in the Mediterranean this morning, and then for a walk around the old town. Nappage is now due, and after that we shall go in the swimming pool (in our friends' building - did I mention they are very chic?)
Speaking seriously, we just returned from a lovely holiday in Brittany (two hotels, very different to each other but both excellent). A swimming pool would have been nice as it was 39 degrees; I didn't fancy swimming in the sea.
All of which reminds me of that delightful Jacques Tati film Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Monsieur Hulot's holiday)...
Cloudy but mild in Arkland the Grey, though They say we might get some Sun-Shine later. Pilates, because Tuesday, followed by a nice Brunch (cooked breakfast, with a large glass of red WINE) at our local cafe. It's run by some Sicilian ladies, so I bought some tasty lemon Cannoli for later...
Having also visited the Farmer Sea (to pick up the next two months' worth of legal drugs), and the Co-Op (to replenish the stock of Cider), I'm now intending to do nothing at all. Having spent most of yesterday doing nothing at all, I realise that I haven't quite finished yet...
@la vie en rouge We had a dirt cheap holiday on the Côte d’Azur about 45 years ago! Two days coach travel including a day in Paris on the way back, 13 nights in a tent half a mile from a beach. £180 for travel and “accommodation”, £250 spending money and we brought £20 home. Ah, those were the days.
Having spent most of yesterday doing nothing at all, I realise that I haven't quite finished yet...
Do you need any help? 😃
Sadly I don't have the luxury of Doing Nothing, so typing had to be done. Decently busy day, interspersed with an amble to Tessie's and followed by another nice amble home, by which time it was Very Warm, but not unpleasantly so.
My bag of groceries felt very heavy by the time I got home though.
Salads for supper again: I should be getting bored with them, but I don't really mind. It would be nice if Tessie's kept as good a selection of salads as M&S, but sadly they don't.
Eldest Beaky daughter and children are here from New Zealand.
Great fun is being had by all the cousins. On Friday we shall go to Dorset to spend a week, all of us together in a beautiful accessible venue for grandson Huxley's needs where more fun will, I'm sure, be had.
My heart is full.
That sounds lovely @MrsBeaky, I hope you all have a splendid time.
I've had a nice, fairly lazy day. I had my usual Tuesday admin meeting and a meeting with a guy who is filming a video about the 400 years of our town having a mayor. Looking forward to seeing what he makes of the footage.
Comments
Usual morning of emails and I’ve finally got some teaching timetables completed for next year.
This afternoon I repaired a favourite dress. It is a fair trade tea dress made from cotton lawn and I wear it regularly (I seldom keep nice things for special occasions!) so the cotton is beginning to get a bit thin. At the weekend a pocket caught on something and there was a big rip. Luckily the skirt is very full and the pattern bright and busy so mends can be hidden. I have sewn some very basic seams on the sewing machine to bring it back together.
I headed off to Pilates this morning. It's the first time in ages that I've managed to go for a few weeks in a row. I've also booked for Friday and next Monday, so hopefully it'll do me some good.
The rest of the day has been taken up with sewing together a knitting project and sending emails back and forth about a contentious council project. Hopefully opposite sides will be able to sit down and discuss the facts, when all the rumours that have been circulating have been dismissed.
We had to head into Fairly Nearby Town this morning for some Necessary Errands but after these were achieved we went to the very nice garden centre, had lunch there and spent the garden vouchers that some people had kindly given us as moving/housewarming presents. I'll be getting up early tomorrow to do some jobs in the garden while it's cool. A lot of things are now looking tired and overgrown and needing some attention.
I've also finally found a Zumba class at the leisure centre in Nearby Town at a time that suits me. However, I can't book it yet as non-members can only book two days in advance :rolleyes: and as there are only seven places left I am not holding out a great deal of hope.
I hope the issue with the council gets sorted @Sarasa .
You must be a clever seamstress @Heavenlyannie ; it's great to be able to repair favourite garments.
Easy pasta for tea because (1) that's all there is in the cupboard and (2) I can't be bothered with anything else.
Very warm in West Lothian today: it was apparently 24° as I was coming home after a very quiet day.
Salads for supper because heat.
Tea was halloumi and chick pea salad, with a plum and cinnamon smoothie.
The closest relatives of whales and dolphins are hippos. Whales are more closely related to cows than pigs and camels are.
Hummingbirds and swifts are highly adapted nightjars.
Toucans aren't exactly woodpeckers but are barbets, which are closely related to woodpeckers.
On the other hand we went for a nice walk this evening. When we lived in London we had what we called the Surbiton loop a walk from our house through Surbiton and back via the river. Since moving here we haven't found anything similar, but we have recently discovered a loop which is an interesting mix of streets and country and this evening we did it for the second time. It'll be useless in winter as a bit of it would be very dark, but nice at this time of year.
I have not really worked out some of the nice walks around here; it is too hot to go in the daytime, for a start. When some friends of mine visited a few weeks back we found a walk I'd never been on before and I intend to revisit it in the fullness of time. Mr Nen has done a lot more local exploration, walking and running and on his bike, but he walks much more quickly than I do and Frustration Ensues :rolleyes: .
I made some very pleasing progress in the garden this morning. When Mr Nen waved at me from the window in the hope of Breakfast (not that he doesn't get his own, but it's nice to eat together) I realised how time had sped by and also, suddenly, how hot I was.
We have a spot where we sit for morning coffee, looking out on the front garden, and it was very satisfying to observe how much tidier it looks and what space I now have for introducing some summer colour.
On the way home I stopped off at a small park which has beautiful trees of many species and is very well kept, with shady areas and plenty of seats. Sad memories though, as it was a place where Mr Puzzler was able to take short walks in his last few weeks of life, so I don’t go there very often now.
I have a jigsaw puzzle I need to finish and much tidying up to do as it is my turn to host my French conversation group on Friday. I’ve been preparing a variety of “ end of term” games linguistic activities.
We went for a dip in the Mediterranean this morning, and then for a walk around the old town. Nappage is now due, and after that we shall go in the swimming pool (in our friends' building - did I mention they are very chic?)
Speaking seriously, we just returned from a lovely holiday in Brittany (two hotels, very different to each other but both excellent). A swimming pool would have been nice as it was 39 degrees; I didn't fancy swimming in the sea.
Cloudy but mild in Arkland the Grey, though They say we might get some Sun-Shine later. Pilates, because Tuesday, followed by a nice Brunch (cooked breakfast, with a large glass of red WINE) at our local cafe. It's run by some Sicilian ladies, so I bought some tasty lemon Cannoli for later...
Having also visited the Farmer Sea (to pick up the next two months' worth of legal drugs), and the Co-Op (to replenish the stock of Cider), I'm now intending to do nothing at all. Having spent most of yesterday doing nothing at all, I realise that I haven't quite finished yet...
Sadly I don't have the luxury of Doing Nothing, so typing had to be done. Decently busy day, interspersed with an amble to Tessie's and followed by another nice amble home, by which time it was Very Warm, but not unpleasantly so.
My bag of groceries felt very heavy by the time I got home though.
Salads for supper again: I should be getting bored with them, but I don't really mind. It would be nice if Tessie's kept as good a selection of salads as M&S, but sadly they don't.
Great fun is being had by all the cousins. On Friday we shall go to Dorset to spend a week, all of us together in a beautiful accessible venue for grandson Huxley's needs where more fun will, I'm sure, be had.
My heart is full.
I've had a nice, fairly lazy day. I had my usual Tuesday admin meeting and a meeting with a guy who is filming a video about the 400 years of our town having a mayor. Looking forward to seeing what he makes of the footage.