An Inkling

 That’s just how it started, an inkling that something was amiss…last week on Wednesday I went out for what should have been a very enjoyable ramble to RHS Rosemoor with picnic lunch avec daughters and two little boys. I just didn’t feel quite right and a headache seemed to threaten. On Thursday afternoon whilst at work the strobing aura came on. Luckily it was near the end of the day, and I had medication and sunglasses with me, still…Friday came and off I went into work feeling like someone had hit me over the head with a cricket bat. I don’t think in reality this had happened, but I decided to struggle through…We didn’t meet up with our friends in the evening as we quite often do. Too tired, exhausted even.

Then came the busy weekend of childcare and kitchen duties…Sunday evening I crashed on the sofa and slept. Monday morning a sore throat. I wanted to tick some jobs off of my lengthy list so after taking paracetamol kept plodding along followed by a short rest. Deciding I needed something extra I downed a dose of Ibuprofen for good measure. That enabled me to peg out in the welcome sunshine. After lunch I tackled hubbies daily work diary. Two days in my brain refused to carry on. The headache returned, body ached, sore throat returned, legs wobbling, and joints complaining. 

I hate being ill…I hate having to phone work but decided it was better to heads up them sooner rather than wait for the morning and give them a nasty surprise. 

Thank goodness for wood burners, logs already stacked by the fire, and also for a kind daughter who upon hearing my plight brought tea around ready cooked.

So now hubby is out on an emergency job and will be very late home, I can’t physically do much or concentrate, so am bored, and achey, and ever so slightly snotty!

Well that was last evening, today I’m up and dressed, feeling sorry for myself with zero energy.

I have a cat for company, a hot water bottle for warmth, really don’t want any noise or music, this body needs to rest a while.

Have just had some unsettling family news too, but for now we just have to wait, ah it never rains but it pours as they say…

Blessings, J. x

On A Monday

 So we’ve reached the last Monday in September, not sure quite how we’ve arrived here so soon but there’s absolutely nothing I can change or slow down.

Busy week ahead so I’ve been up since silly o’clock trying to speed through some of the week’s jobs. I now use an app called Opus One, and for me it works. I can break tasks down so they don’t appear quite so daunting.

We have had a logging weekend. This used to mean I assisted in hands on logging. However this weekend it’s found me very much in Grandma role, and feeder of many folks, so the Aga has been kept busy the entire time.

There has been fresh bread each day, ham sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, homemade tomato soup, our tomatoes but thankfully courtesy of eldest daughter. Roast turkey on Saturday evening and leftovers last night. I cheated on the afters. Diam cake, which I thought would be nicer than it was and a sticky toffee pudding. Flapjack form the Aga, and toffee crispy squares from youngest daughter. 

I normally have a little boy with me on a Monday, however his Daddy is home today, so until the scaffolding arrives in order for them to re-do their chimney, I have a reprieve for which I am ever so slightly grateful, lovely though he is I have whizzed through a few bits and have been rather enjoying a quiet cuppa.

I am wishing that my work life balance would equal out a little, staffing issues have meant it’s been a heavier load than it should be for several weeks. Ever hopeful that this will improve shortly as not sure how my body is able to keep going at the rate it has.

Anyway as the first load of washing will soon be ready to hang outside on this sunny day I’ll just leave you with a couple of pictures…

Lovely fresh bread, but a nightmare to cut!

My lovely steaming cup of tea, complete with illicit biscuit and sunshine…sheer bliss!

Until next time, blessings J. x

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful

 As the song goes, the weather outside is frightful, but hang on a minute, isn’t it September…yes of course, still September. With the last vestiges of Summer now fading in has come Autumn, and isn’t she in rather a hurry this year?

Back in August we did indeed manage to get away for a short break. One lovely day spent in Ironbridge, followed by an overnight stay, then onto the Black Country Living Museum. It was all just so lovely, and a wonderful way to spend my Birthday this year.

I was mistaken whilst at the Black Country Living Museum for someone who works there, apparently my shawl was a red herring, and seeing myself later in the mirror I suppose my longish floral dress, woollen shawl, and black lace up boots did rather give the impression I was somewhat living in the past. 

Anyway after that we headed up further North to visit our Son and his family, including granddaughter.

All in all it was a fantastic few days, which now do seem rather a long time ago. Hubby helped remove Sons’ conservatory and old kitchen whilst he was there, they are having major building works in a few weeks time. 

One small disappointment at the Living Museum, well two actually. Firstly I consciously decided not to take many photos, and instead was going to buy the souvenir book, however there wasn’t one, apparently they are in the process of having a new one printed. Of course we only realised this when on our way out of the attraction. Secondly we purchased a set of three packs of vintage style playing cards including Donkey, Old Maid, and Snap thinking they would be lovely to take back home and play with the boys. Wrong, they are a load of old rubbish and I’d have been disappointed to even have had them pop out of a cracker. Moving on the rest of the experience was a joy.

Back home, eldest daughter offered to wax our multitude of small beams in the living room that have remained unloved since we had them sandblasted before moving in. They now fit together more with the large beams we have.

Earlier in the Summer I washed our two sets of living room curtains and the door curtain. unfortunately they’ve just about come to the end of their useful life, the layers all shrinking at different rates over the many years they have been in service across three properties. Sat in a roll on our carpet is some curtain fabric, Along with some nap lining fabric. I need to get busy at the machine soon to shut out the darkening evenings, and hold onto our warmth.

I expect I am amongst some good company in having been feeling a little under the weather for a couple of days, rather achey and tired. Medication and a willingness to pace myself seem to be controlling it to some degree. Youngest was unfortunately really rather poorly for a few days last week and I had to go and assist with her little boy as she was really off her feet. Once a Mother I guess!

Two out of the three little boys next door are suffering to some degree too…and guess what, it’s Grandma day tomorrow!

Anyway, a roast isn’t going to roast itself, so I really need to set to and help it along a little. Just a few photos of Ironbridge and the Black Country Living Museum…

Until next time, blessings, J. x