Memorandum Monday - barbeque?

This! This is why I am not fond of BBQ. Wherever I sit the smoke follows me. I once made a remark to Mr M about BBQ and he uses it frequently.
"The trouble with warm summer weekends," I said, "is that the air is redolent with the smell of BBQ"

I was thinking along the lines of having to ensure the washing was off the line and indoors before the first firelighter was stuffed into the charcoal but the word redolent struck home with him and he will mutter it as we pass the chiller cabinets in the supermarket with their special offer BBQ packs of meat and stuff.

We went out for a bit in the car on Saturday to see if we like it any more than we did on Monday. Everything is still in the wrong place and it is so small compared to the Sedona but that's what we have to stop doing - comparing - it doesn't bring satisfaction. Mr M is getting used to an engine half the size of the Sedona and I am getting used to him elbowing me in the arm every time he changes gear.

We texted Darling Daughter when we stopped to buy essentials like bread and butter and asked if we bought the stuff would she do the barby. S-i-L said he would cook so we bought the food and turned up at their house a little while later, when they came back from shopping.

Miss Boo was watching the Jackdaws on the Telecom building and trying to see where they were sneaking in and out. Blue-cat is waiting. He knows that all this smoke means food will be dropped and he might be 17 years old and as scrawney as a scrawney thing but he can move pretty darned quick when burger is falling to the floor.

I reinforced my knowledge that I really don't care for BBQ. I never used to mind when we were camping but these days I get no real pleasure in sitting in smoke to eat my dinner. I prefer a comfy chair with my feet up

My Thanks to Sian at FromHighInTheSky for inventing this meme to keep me writing

My ears are in Porthcawl

This is Mr M. We have been together for nearly 36 years and waaay, waaay back in 1980 during the course of a day out it seemed like every time I said something he would say "pardon?" or "I'm sorry I didn't hear what you said" or more often "Say that again!" and I would repeat myself until I finally had had enough and said
"Are you going DEAF!"
"No," he replied, "I am on my holidays here with you but my ears have gone on holiday too ... but they have gone to Porthcawl."
He scored a point for making me laugh out loud and this has been his get out of jail phrase for not hearing things ever since.
Today we were at the Venison Centre up in the Brecon Beacons, having a cuppa before we bought some venison sausages. When the tray was brought to our table there were two of those yummy little biscuits. I ate mine and then said "Can I eat your biscuit?"
Mr M gave me that look, the one in the picture, and said "Why do you need to get a skip?"*

* for the left pondian readers a skip is a dumpster

I promised you a - Donkey?

This is Woolly. Once I have the correct labels he will be on his way to the Donkey Sanctuary to be sold to raise funds.
This is the fourth attempt. The previous three all had something 'not quite right' I have shared them out between  three of the youngest grandchildren, the newest one had a teddy bear. I have got the hang of these here donks now. I will be sitting and watching TV and knitting until the weather gets too warm

Memorandum Monday - New Car!

New Car

Mr M showing off the size of his boot (That's trunk for my left pondian readers)

This weekend was emotional and tiring. We did the last of the clearing out of my beloved father-in-law's house prior to it being sold. This meant hiring a van to bring some of the stuff to our house and then take some over to a place in Bristol and then the rest to S-i-L in Gloucestershire.

My Youngest Son did the driving. As he drives huge artic trucks for a living it was easy for him to drive the luton van with a tail lift. By the time we got home I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. We sat down and went to bed early. YS discovered, after he had taken the van back and posted the keys into the security box that his wallet had fallen out of his pocket and was still in the van. He managed to be there when they opened on Monday and was able to get it back - PHEW

Sunday morning we took down shelves and vacuum cleaned and then put the welsh dresser together and filled it with all the stuff that was stacked in the corner. We went up the hill to the Bluefunnels for dinner - always a good time. The Lord Admiral was on tremendous form and we spent the evening laughing lots as we ate the most delicious dinner. Lady B loves a proper, traditional cooked dinner and to make sure that His Lordship doesn't do a glorious fry-up and stuff himself with leftovers the following day she piles it all onto a plate and Mr M brings it home. He then has a free extra dinner or two and I don't have to cook FTW!

Monday dawned suddenly for this writer. I dreamt that the lottery were ringing me to give me money and when I opened my eyes my phone was ringing! It was Mr M to tell me that YS was back in work after collecting his wallet. I got up then as I was wide awake. I promised myself that I would clear all the fabric stash and convert the surplus duvets and pillows into cushions so that by Christmas all that stuff will be used up or given away. I made six cushion covers and cushion pads for inside them and when I have sewn the buttons on I will take pictures and show you. Then it was time to go and collect our new (to us) car. That was great. Mr M spent the whole of the journey home doing the "What's that for?" game. Then we had to show Mummy and Miss Boo and Biker Boy and they all oohed and aahed in the right tone of voice. Now we are sleazing a little before bed

My thanks to Sian at FromHighInTheSky for inventing this meme and keeping me writing

Me on Monday - Late and tired

We spent the weekend looking at cars. We looked and looked in dealership after dealership.

I realised on Saturday night as we rested our weary feet that what we were looking for was either the car we have now - a KIa Sedona or, and this is the most likely a Jeep. We both really miss our Jeep and we look at vehicles and seek out features that are the same. Seats for large bottoms, space between the front and back seats for fat legs. A reasonable space in the back for shopping.

Did I learn anything? Yup. I definitely don't like cars that are low to the ground. I don't like cars that come to a point at the top because that triggers the claustrophobia. I really do want space in my vehicles and I would like to be able to drive it easily if I so choose before I have to renew my driving licence in September

The search continues

My thanks to Sian at FromHighInTheSky for inventing this meme to keep me writing

Memorandum Monday - Things can only get better

This is the face of a man who thought he was going home on Friday, then it was to be Saturday. Now it is Monday and our photographer is a bit afraid to point the camera at him.

Friday the ambulance crew were set to take him home when he just happened to say that it would be difficult to get him up the two flights of stairs because the furniture guys had not been able to get a sofa up the stairway. As they planned to use a stretcher you can just imagine the shocked silence that followed his statement.
There was discussion about using "the Chair" and someone to ensure his leg stayed straight. They contacted Social Services to see if there was somewhere else he could be until he can bend his leg again. They asked his age and because he is under 55 they cannot help him.

Today the suggestion is that they will try to get him up the stairs on an air mattress.

What do I take from this fiasco? I take that the government has very nearly broken the NHS sufficiently to be able to tell us it doesn't work and has to be privatised. The fact that his private health insurance through work doesn't cover this situation either just makes me aware of how much danger the population of this country is in. Am I angry? you bet I am. The NHS was started the year after I was born and has kept my whole family alive for nearly 70 years. Now the greed of a few very rich people is set to take this away. I think I have to unwrap my campaigning banners and set to work

My thanks to Sian at FromHighInTheSky for inventing this meme to keep me writing

Wicked Uncle Cliff - update

He probably won't thank me for showing him at less than his sartorial best but I am just so relieved to see him sitting up and taking notice.

He is hoping to go home today - although we still don't know the state of his flat after the fire in the building. Did I mention that before? NO? Oh, well, his landlord rang him to make sure he wasn't at home because the building was on fire! Not what you want to hear when you are lying in a hospital bed dazed and confused because none of this has ever happened to you before.

Anyhooo, he is recovering nicely so we have stepped the status down from Amber to black, situation normal.

Me on Monday - A bank holiday

Sometimes you learn things you don't want to be true. Wicked Uncle Cliff is in horsepiddle far away in darkest Surrey. He has separated the big muscle in his thigh from its anchors to his knee joint. He awaits surgery and will be immobilised in a cast for 8 weeks. The smile on his face tells us concerned people that he has no idea of the technical difficulties this will bring.
His flat is up two flights of stairs so how will he do that in a full cast? What about.... the lavatory, how will he manage? how will he keep clean?
Am I in worrying mode? Almost. But he lives on his own and has no close family.

I think it is the fact that I am so far away and I can't fix it.

All this has kind of knocked the whole weekend into a cocked hat. I can't remember what we did on Saturday - oh, we went the pretty way to the garden centre. Sunday I finished knitting a donkey and started sewing it together. That's it

My thanks to Sian at FromHighInTheSky for inventing this meme and keeping me writing