Drivers and Breathers

I hate wearing coats. In the winter I've got to, but at this time of year my outer-covering of choice is a jumper or hoodie. Which is fine unless it rains.

But it only rained on us a bit, and soon cleared. Still we're not as hardy as the Pobbles Swimmers.

I don't know if you can see the three tiny figures in the middle of the photo, in the sea, without wet suits.

I nearly didn't get there. Driving down our road I saw the sign that warned of grass-cutting but as I approached the blind corner I didn't expect to see a huge tractor on my side of the road reversing towards me. I had a brief moment of, "Waaah," because I wasn't even sure whether it was reversing or driving forward. (You know these tractors have huge bits of machinery in front and behind.) Then reversed. I'm not sure the driver could even see me. So I continued my drive a bit shaken.

Toby was very slightly less bouncy than usual on his walk. After I dropped him off and told Elder Son we concluded he had things on his mind. 

* * * * *

What else? The parcel reached its destination safely I'm pleased to say, and I am at peace with the 'email' situation. I decided of my own accord to let it go and move on. 

So I wore my hearing aids to Zac's on Tuesday as I'm always being teased for not wearing them. And what happens? I find myself sitting next to a man who breathes. I have nothing against him breathing but did he have to do it so loudly?

* * * * *

I dislike Halloween and never decorate but I saw this in the local shop when I called in and it was so cute I couldn't resist it.

Roofs and salopets

Should I make a point if in doing so I am being very girly?

I don't want to go into details so it's impossible for you to answer I know. Husband is in the gym at the moment; I shall consult him later. I feel it's important for the future but maybe I just have to forget about it. 

Ah well. 

We've just finished watching Showtrial on BBC. It's very good but I'm cross about the ending. What else? We're rewatching Modern Family and re-re-watching Big Bang.

Off to Zac's soon. The roofer was supposed to be coming today to do a temporary fix on the leaking roof but it's pouring with rain so he can't come. Is it very wrong to hope the roof might fall in and make our lives easier? That doesn't sound very logical does it, but trust me, it would help.

Salopets

Do you know what salopets are? I didn't.

I sent off my parcel on Monday. Yesterday had an email saying it would be delivered Wednesday, quickly followed by another email that said it would be delivered Tuesday. I let the recipient know.

This morning he contacted me, said the parcel hadn't arrived even though I'd had an email saying it had been delivered. I did the Tracking thing and sure enough there was a photo of it being delivered. 

I sent the photo to the recipient and asked if he recognised the place. He didn't.

I'm hoping the second email was a mistake and the parcel will arrive today.

Life is never simple, is it?

And I asked Husband to hurry back from the gym so I could rush off and he hasn't. He can make his own tea!

Way out, man

Is it possible to listen to Day Tripper without playing a bit of air guitar in the middle? I don't think so.

I've had a jolly morning making cake and butternut squash soup while jigging around to the Beatles. 

I wish I'd been a Wild Child. 

I missed out on such a lot being so shy. I never went out or did any of the things all the other girls of my age were doing. It's easy to blame my Mum for being too over-protective of me. She warned me about all the dangers out there to such an extent that I was terrified. 

I did have friends in school. Did they invite me to join them to go out and I refused, or didn't they invite me? The latter is more likely to be honest. Or maybe they invited me a few times and I said no. I don't remember.

I've never tried drugs or cigarettes, and I don't drink. Listening to Strawberry Fields made me wonder what it was like. Not powerful hallucinogenic drugs - I have much too much fear of being out of control for anything like that - but gently relaxing drugs. If there is such a thing. Just lying back and being completely chilled. 

* * * * *

My emailer is doing a digital detox for the rest of the month. Was it something I said? 

Quick update

Reply received.

I've had to eat a bag of Maltesers to calm down. Feels very slightly like bullying as other should-be recipients not included. I have replied cc-ing in others.

I wrote my reply then went away and thought about it. Took out some bits then asked Husband to go over it. He took out a bit more. In my reply I've apologised for any misunderstanding (which was on his part! - I didn't say that), have asked for clarification, and been quite positive. 

* * * * *

Had to go to the Post Office in Mumbles, and bought another three Christmas presents while I was in the village. I wish there was someone who collected unusual teapots because one of the charity shops has got loads of pretty ones. I am tempted to start collecting but then I tell myself:
a) you're meant to be decluttering;
b) think of the dusting.

A bit like this one

Getting your just reward

"I have to go to Blackpill to post a parcel."
Husband, "Are you walking there?"

The post office is literally ten minutes' walk away and I hadn't even considered it. I'm so used to jumping in the car to go anywhere although, to be fair, most places are quite a bit further away.

So I walked.

My reward?

The shop was closed for a week.

It's okay; you can laugh. I did.

Triathlon hero

Very proud of Younger Son for completing his first triathlon in Italy. His first for a number of years and the conditions were typically Welsh: wind, rain, waves, and strong currents making the swimming part especially difficult.

Sore arms?

There was a little part of me - okay, a big part - that was hoping my arms would be too sore to go to exercise class this morning.

I was fine. Sigh. My latest article for Gower Community Magazine is about exercise and bodies, and my love hate relationship. I'll share it when it's been published in November. Did I share my last one? Probably, but here it is again. Page 28. I've designed a little logo for the next one as the editor doesn't seem to be putting in titles, so I'll be easier to find!

There is some sort of machinery outside making a lot of noise but I can't see what it is for the trees. I am tempted to go out and have a look. 

Okay, it's a tractor and machine cutting down bushes on the other side of the island in front of our house.

You remember that email I wrote on Saturday morning? In it I used the phrase 'biting at the bit'. Late Saturday evening it struck me: it's 'champing at the bit' not biting. That's irritating me now. I might have to send another email correcting it! No reply from the main recipient yet though one of the ccs replied agreeing with what I said.

Bringing in the sheaves

When I was getting ready for church this morning I remembered it was Harvest. At least I had a vague recollection of a message that I think said that. So I drove to the shop and picked up some boxes of cereal - wheat and honey, perfect harvest gifts - for the collection for the local foodbank.

As I drove I began singing harvest songs. 'We plough the fields and scatter' came first followed by 'Bringing in the Sheaves, bringing in the sheaves'. Then I tried to remember the hymn we always sang in grammar school at harvest time. At first I could only remember 'Now thank we all our God', but I was sure there was one more specifically harvest themed. Then it came to me.

Come ye thankful people come, raise the song of harvest home.
All is safely gathered in ere the winter's storms begin.
God our maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied,
Come ye thankful people come, raise the song of harvest home.

I haven't sung that for 55 years and I could remember every word. I've said before, this is what is occupying all the space in my memory. I need to be able to delete and make room for what happened yesterday.

Note to self

There's a man who has been coming to Zac's now for a couple of months. He was looking for a small and friendly church so we told him about Monty's church. He was there sitting by himself when I arrived this morning so I sat next to him. A kindly gesture on my part, yes?

Except his name's Mike so now everybody in the church thinks he's my husband.

After being accused a couple of weeks ago of snuggling up to an 80-year-old man I resolve to never sit next to or near a man again.

Interestingly, in the passage from Timothy read today, Paul says widows under 60 should be encouraged to marry again otherwise their desires will get the better of them. Or words to that effect. Fortunately I am neither widow nor under 60.

I am aching a little though across the shoulders. I assume it's the after-effect of the flu jab. Other than that I seem okay. Then again it might have been being pulled by Louie Dog when GrandDaughter2 and I took him out yesterday!

The Halloween themed postbox topper we passed on our walk.

Jib jab

I arrived at the doctor's surgery at 8.40 this morning to find a queue of people halfway around the car park. Yes, we were all there for our covid and flu jabs. Reasonably quick all the same, and not as painful. The covid one was fine but the flu one made me squeak a little.

Husband was advised by the heart consultant not to have his jabs yet so it was just me. He has, however, had an appointment for an angiogram pre-assessment. Not for the angiogram itself, you understand. You wouldn't think he'd need a pre-assessment when he's been referred by a heart consultant but there you go. It seems the hospital they use for pre-planned angiograms is in a different health authority so maybe that's why. Its roof is also falling in, not that that is directly related. 

So I'm up and awake early this morning. I've used the time to compose a reply to the email that annoyed me so much. I think I've made my point in a reasonable tone of voice, while also expressing my hurt. I got Husband to check it before I sent it though. He only suggested I remove one line - "It seemed patronising" - because he said I'd already made my feelings clear in what I'd written. "It comes over as aggressive," he said. Yes, I want it to be! The anger is still not completely under control! I did remove it.

So now to sit back and wait for the replies. 

Though there won't be much sitting back today as I have GrandDaughter2 coming over to allow Daughter to work as Son-in-law is in Austria at a conference, lucky man. (Being in Austria rather than being at a conference.)

Definitely not a breeze

I saw something on social media yesterday that suggested the Northern Lights might be visible. Then when I got the clothes in off the line later on the sky was beginning to clear and I thought, "Could be a good night for viewing the aurora." Then I went to bed and forgot all about it.

This morning I got up to be faced with all the photos from local friends who'd seen it. I feel like the only person in the world who hasn't caught a glimpse yet. At least person who wants to and hasn't. Ah well.

Husband had a check-up appointment with the ear consultant this afternoon (all good, come back in four months) so while he was out I carried on with the garden clearing. I wish to make an official complaint.

Who on earth thought breeze block was a good name for something that should be called heavier-than-lead block? 

Who's in charge of these things? To whom should I direct my complaint?

And it's not as if I'm a lightweight. I regularly tote 15kg boxes of potatoes around in Zac's, without blinking an eyelid. Or straining a muscle. But I only managed to move one breeze block from one end of the garden to the other before thinking, "That's enough for today."

* * * * *

I was listening to a programme on the radio yesterday about laughing. An artist was creating a sound image of laughter by asking random people to step under her chuckle umbrella and laugh for her. It's quite hard to laugh on demand but laughing is infectious. Especially a baby's laugh. 

When I went to the Greek cafe last week I spent most of the time trying to get a baby to laugh. A random baby, belonging to strangers who just happened to be sitting behind me. A big smile was my reward.

Do you remember The Laughing Policeman? That was an infectious laugh too.

* * * * *

This was about the last rose stem on the bush and the blooms were too heavy so the stem had bent over so I picked it.