Happy St Andrew's Day.

G did his husbandly duty today, having avoided it since last Christmas.
He won't leave it that long again as it has taken most of the day & he got through six pairs of rubber gloves, added to that, the new wonder oven cleaner was nowhere near as good as the tried & tested one.
I did the only rational thing & went shopping, aiming to use all of my money off vouchers.
I started at Tesco in Knowle, using my £2 off voucher. I did not come out in an "anti- Tesco" rash & rediscovered a "real bakers" shop & bought real bread - we ate rosemary & raisin foccacia for dinner. It was delicious.
I used Telegraph vouchers in Lakeland & East, did M&S & used more vouchers in JS.
I had to return two bars of G&B butterscotch chocolate, which had a peculiar taste, to JS.
They refunded much more than I had paid as I only buy chocolate on special offer, & only eat it, in fact, if there is a "d" in the day.
I also shoplifted a silver polishing cloth, in error, as it had fallen between my shopping bags & I didn't find it until I unloaded tie shopping into the car.
I'm waiting for a knock at the door!

People were wittering on about the snow & getting home early. The shops were quite quiet.
Actually , there was hardly any snow, the roads were fine, apart from the lanes & the temperature was 0 degrees for most of the day.
People need to wear warm clothes, hats & gloves & get on with it, so there.
So many of our public buildings are too hot.
Why don't shops turn down the thermostat & put the staff in fleeces as the shoppers are wrapped up warmly & re too warm when in a shop.
Th kids were taking their blazers off in school on Tuesday when it was -2 degrees outside.
Ridiculous.
We must all give B thermal underwear for Christmas, or does he have some that he has overlooked?
I had coffee & cake in M&S today & made a nice rice pudding for dinner.
It's been a good day.
Spellcheck changes "foccacia" into "acacia". Strange. Is it misspelled?

Followed by a good Monday.

Last night was very cold again.
G came down & made a nice cup of tea, then we snuggled down to read for a while - I do wish that G wouldn't snore whilst reading!
School phoned at 8.10am, having sent a cover supervisor home, sick.
I got up quickly whilst G made some porridge & was there in time for the bell at 8.55am.
I had a good day - maths, english & IT. I really enjoy teaching maths, although the odd lesson with no opportunity to prepare materials is not ideal.
Add to this a very warm building, catching up on the news & a day's pay!
Great!!

Snow is forecast for tonight so visiting JR this week looks unlikely.
Yesterday's temperature readings, max/min were -1, -9 for Brum, 0, -8 for York, 1, -3 for Copenhagen.
I think we won that one.
Coleshill was in the news as one of the coldest places in the Midlands with -10 degrees.

Nordic fashions are very in, apparently - thick patterned tights & cardigans worn with chiffon skirts.
Not one for the well-built!

Take a leaf out of W's book & wear a hat - most of your body heat is lost through your head.

A pretty good Sunday.

Never think that prayers aren't answered.
An acre of leaves & a husband with a leaf clearing fetish.
Only one way out.
Snow.
A spattering on Friday night & ground frozen hard, leaves frozen to the ground.
Thank you, God.
The icing on the cake - heating failed at Shustoke church so the service was cancelled, hence a lie-in as only an 11 o'clock at Over Whitacre with both congregations together.
We went for a nice walk across the fields before lunch & then settled in front of a nice log fire to read the papers.
G cooked a chicken stir-fry for dinner, Strictly, Antiques Roadshow & Any Human Heart.

Last night was -6 degrees, today has been very cold & no doubt tonight will be equally cold - we shall leave the heating on low to save the house getting too cold. No doubt Denmark is - 60 degrees, so we shouldn't moan.

I really shan't mind if either of my readers chooses to comment.

Leave no leaves!

G cleared leaves this morning whilst I visited a friend in a warm house & visited Shustoke School, to sort out arrangements for Christmas.
I had intended to drive to Kenilworth to shop & look in Waitrose, but when the paper arrived it advertised a coupon in tomorrow's paper for a free box of Duchy mince pies, at Waitrose.
I was obviously intended to go tomorrow.
I came home, got some lunch on & cleared leaves for well over an hour, to earn a pass-out for tomorrow.
I have since ironed the two loads of washing that I did this morning, prepared Sunday's sermon, cooked the dinner & watched "Foyles War".
Joan Collins just appeared briefly, being interviewed by that awful Piers Morgan.
She is 76 & looks terrific.

I went to Bicester on Wednesday evening & spent yesterday with KP, which was fun.
We walked to Bicester Village for lunch & a little light shopping, then home for a nice cup of tea.
I went to St Peter's church in Hall Green for 6.30pm, 6.40pm actually, to renew my Reader's Licence. The drive along the Stratford road, when I was already late, was horrendous & the church was totally hidden up a long drive.
Even the SATNAV gave up on it.
The church was empty & in darkness, more panic, until I spotted a very small congregation in a side - chapel.
All legal & above board again!

Some fantastic deals on Travelzoo, for those who need a holiday.
I'm too busy, or is that poor?

Snow on the way -wrap up warm & wear a hat.

Back at the chalk face.

School phoned yesterday to cancel me for tomorrow - a little unprofessional as I had been booked weeks ago, to cover for Souter, on union business.
This was offset by a call at 7.30am today, asking me to go in today, to cover for Souter.
I had a good day, but talking to the kids, it seems that Souter had been off all week, the temp from last year had been booked to cover for him, hence my cancellation for Wednesday.
Today, this guy was off, so they needed me.
Cheek.
One advantage was that I could visit Ventura Park, on the way home, for an M&S fix, including a cup of coffee..

G had a Thomas day.
We went to the Alms Houses trustee meeting tonight, came home & had an M&S Indian meal.
The lazy day yesterday seems to have paid dividends as I haven't fallen asleep yet.
Lots to do tomorrow; part of me hopes that school has to get me in again. I could say "No".

Cold tomorrow.
Winter draws on.

The girl with the waterproof tatoo.

Having a lazy day.
We came down early, had breakfast in our dressing gowns, then I went to have a soak in the bath as I couldn't decide what to do next.
I nodded off whilst reading, so my book is now drying on the bathroom radiator - hang on to that other copy, W, as this one is borrowed!
I did clean the downstairs windows before the bath, so I don't feel too guilty & I now have a great view from the kitchen sink!

We had a busy weekend - to Bicester to see T in "Jack & the Beanstalk", along with parents & grandparents - six supporters in all.
T was great; they all were, very confident & professional.
We had a lovely lunch at B & E's, had a wobble of T's first loose tooth & eventually came home via Coventry, seeing "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows"
It is rather long (21/2 hours) & a bit slow-moving, but excellent effects.

Yesterday, I went to church, then swept up leaves, using G's new trailer, which worked very well, cooked dinner. That doesn't sound much.
I wish I could say that I'd painted a picture or learnt a musical instrument or climbed Snowdon.
Perhaps I should re-evaluate.

Anticlimax.

I went to P & A's by 8.00am as P had a busy day at work, & walked J & T to school, then had a relaxing morning until it was time to collect Thomas at lunchtime.
I popped to M&S on the Stratford road to take advantage of their offer of champagne reduced from £30 to £10.
All 26 cases sold out shortly after opening, apparently.
Never mind.
Thomas was very tired after school, so we had a pretty relaxed afternoon as well.
G was off on the razzle overnight, so I was able to go to the M&S Cardholders event in Solihull, on the way home.
To say that the event was low-key, would be something of an understatement.
It was on the top floor, occupying a small area of the cafe.
On showing your invitation, you walked past a plate of broken biscuits, about five tables, with seating, to a buffet table with plates oh half mince pies, various other nibbles & plastic beakers containing about an inch of pink bubbly.
No expense spared there!
There were free make-up & manicures available - all booked up early on as there was only one girl doing each.
I feel a letter to M&S coming on.
G phoned while I was there. His event was cancelled as the airport was closed due to an accident on the runway, so his playmates were stranded somewhere 7 the whole region was clouded in thick fog.
We have enjoyed a quiet evening at home, watched another "Rebus" & are awaiting the adult bit of "Children in Need", particularly "Come dine with the Dragons".

Bicester tomorrow to see T in a starring role!

Sorry.

I didn't mean that comment, it shows me in a very poor light!
Having had to use a plug in mouse for twelve months, I now have to bang the old one pretty hard to get this contraption to work.
Is it me or is it this crap Packard Bell machine?

We have spent two days with JR, cooking, cheering & sorting the under the stairs cupboard.
There was an unusual jigsaw of "April", wearing tartan tights, only tartan tights.
Is this someone I should have recognised?
A good number of spiders will be settling down to their first night in the "Henry" bag.
A Thomas day tomorrow, coinciding with an invitation to M&S for their Christmas event, with drinks, nibbles & a £5 voucher to spend.
We may need to lunch at MacDonalds in order to fit it all in.

Grateful thanks to my commenters - another two non-readers!

Chill.

Well, we had the lie-in; G made porridge for breakfast at about 10.00am.
G put his new trailer together, with a number of innovations, then pottered in the garage.
I have pottered around the house, sorted out the odd cupboard & washed & ironed three loads of washing - not a bad drying day, whilst the sun was shining, despite the cold.
Another cold, wet & windy night is forecast, to be expected in November, I suppose.
We are going to see JR tomorrow, I've prepared a stew for lunch & made cakes for tea - the way to cheer any bachelor.

The news is all William & Kate - what a delight to have some cheerful news.
It's impossible not to compare the scene with Charles & Di, thirty years ago, especially as they have the same ring.
Kate appears much more self-assured than Diana, who was very shy & showed off the ring with clenched fists to hide her bitten nails.
A new fashion icon & a royal wedding in the spring should keep finance off the front page.

Other good news, healthy, low calorie, low fat chocolate - jaffa cakes, toffee crisp, muller yoghurt, aero chocolate mousse..........

Please feel free to comment - I suspect that No-one reads this anymore.
If nothing else, you can see how exciting your day has been compared to mine!

Home again.

Sitting by a nice big fire, having just watched "Rebus" - "Resurrection Men".
We've read the book, which was a better experience; Rebus is well cast, though.
We have just spent two days at Marsh Gibbon, looking after Oscar & the twins whilst J & G went to a wedding. They were great fun, cheerful & well behaved all weekend.
We work on the principle of keeping them interested & active all day to ensure a good night's sleep.
We picked them up on Saturday lunchtime & went to lunch at The Bure Farm - recommended by T for fish fingers /chicken thingies. We went on to Waddesdon, noted for the dragon's cave & wonderful playground. Home for tea, bath, Ben 10 & bed.
They woke at 8.00am.
Yesterday we played, inside & out, in the morning, then to Funkey Monkey after lunch - two hours of frantic activity whilst Granny had a cup of coffee & Grandad pottered around the shop.
Home to tea, bath, Ben 10 & bed.
We woke them at 8.00am, to get O ready for nursery. Unfortunately, he had a bad cough, so we settled for a quiet morning of reading & playing.
Grandad was a star.
Cold & foggy today, so we left when J & G returned at lunchtime, visiting the garden centre to buy G's Christmas present - a trailer for the mower. Hopefully this will enable every last leaf to be collected with the minimum of effort on my part!

We are starting healthy eating tomorrow in the hope of shaping up before Christmas & giving up fattening foods before the government increases the tax on empty calories & fat.
Apparently, Denmark has already raised the tax on chocolate - perhaps this will rob them of their top position in the Happiness League.

The house is very quiet now that W, MK & family, & especially aj have gone home.
A day off tomorrow, perhaps, even, a lie-in.

TGIF

We have just had moussaka followed by apple pie & blackberries for dinner, aj having arrived safely & the boys asleep.
We went to Solihull this morning, did a little shopping, then on to pick up Thomas from nursery. W & MK dropped J & DK off for lunch & the boys played for the afternoon whilst they shopped.
There was a lot of Ben 10, which was obviously great fun.J "wasn't sure" if Ben 10 was found in Denmark.
We're relaxing in front of a nice log fire.
W, MK & the boys go home tomorrow, aj is going to see some sons & we are going to Marsh Gibbon to look after O & the twins for the weekend - some packing to be done on all fronts.

CBBC

W, MK & family are the perfect house guests - they entertain us, help with the catering, go to bed early,get up early & have breakfast without us even hearing them.
Today J is having a day with Granny & Grandad.
We cleared leaves - J had the big green hands & made mountains of leaves & helped to fill the wheelbarrow.
We followed this with a bike ride to the reservoir to feed a multitude of ravenous ducks & geese, then home for lunch - bacon, sausage, egg & fried bread. All well deserved.
We have had a little rest, watching CBBC, G snoozing.
J & I are off to make a chocolate cake.

We had a lovely day in Bicester on Monday. E & KP took J, DK & me to "Funkey Monkeys", which they all loved, then back to B & E's for fish & chips.
Yesterday we had a day out at M&S. Bliss!

Tomorrow is forecast to be vile weatherwise.
We shall plan accordingly.
Today the weather is perfect, I can't really believe that it will change overnight.

Back to the mixing bowl!

Back again.

What a hectic week.
We worked hard catching up on housework & tidying the garden on Monday & Tuesday.
G did some hedge-cutting & we cleared the yard of about a ton of acorns & leaves.
The leaves have been more than replaced since then.
I went to B & E,s on Tuesday evening, KP & I spent Wednesday having a lovely quiet day together, pottering.
On Wednesday we went to see JR. We took him out a couple of times, had a couple of home cooked lunches & suppers & did a bit of tidying up, all of which he enjoyed.
We came home on Friday evening to prepare for W, KP & family's arrival, on Saturday.
We had a low key bonfire party in the evening, joined by B, E, T & KP.
J & DK were wowed by the fireworks - their first bonfire night; T mainly wanted to see them better by use of a torch!
Today I took Morning Prayer at NW. P, A, J & T came for lunch then we went to the playground to work it all off. Everyone, bar me, managed the assault course, even DK did the lower bits.

We have just watched the last episode of "Downton Abbey".
A disappointing ending as none of the ends were tied up - can't wait for the next series.
As it's not a novel, you can't catch up or get one step ahead.

What happened to the weekend?

With a real effort, I can remember the last few days.
On Friday G & I took Jessie & Thomas to the Ironbridge Museum.
We visited it last week with T & B & thought that the grandchildren would enjoy it as well.
They did, Jessie knew lots about the Victorians, G & I felt very much at home, & Thomas enjoyed looking at everyone & eating,

G went to the dive show at the NEC on Sat morning. I dropped him & then had a couple of hours shopping in Solihull before picking him up again.
We had friends for dinner in the evening, which lasted until after midnight, so the "Fall back" clocks change was a Godsend. Even so, we didn't get up until 10.00am - too late for church!
After a slow start we had a brunch (just a late breakfast, to be honest) then we caught up on jobs around the house & garden.
We went to Drayton Manor Park to the bonfire party at tea-time, had a potter around the Park, VIP seats with bar, for the fireworks & a nice supper in the Hamilton Suite.
A really nice evening, all in all.

We hve had a busy day doing "things".
My "things" included cleaning all of the inside glass along with lots of other dirty things.
G's included drains & gutters & cutting bits off defenceless plants. He provided a highlight by finding the scruumy chocolates that T & B had left for us, on their dressing table.
Shows the standard of housework around here.
J, G & family came at tea-time, on their way home from a weekend at DMP - three very tired little children who managed a few fairy cakes.