This morning Charlie and Blue came up to see me, Blue wanted to play, but I discouraged her as Charlie had been out all night and just wanted to wash and relax after his breakfast! My settee seemed inviting today.

I caught the bus into town as I had a package to get sent off, I also wanted to get a larger shoulder bag. I like the one I have but it gets a bit cramped with the camera, phone, purse and puzzle book! As I am due to go on the coach holiday next week I thought it would be a good plan to get a slightly roomier one. It is a nice dark green and I got it at reduced price in Pavers.

I had a voucher to get 5X points at Sainsbury's if I had a good spend. Darren took me in, we had lunch there as although Tina is a lot better today she didn't want to eat a proper meal this evening. I got the marzipan and ready to roll icing for the cakes and we stocked up on a lot of the big items like toilet rolls and of course cat food! My ankle and  knee have been particularly sore this afternoon so I varnished the back of the plaques and then sat on the settee with my feet up, listened to my new Billy Fury cd and sorted out the crochet blanket that I started ages ago!

More feet up and crochet for the rest of the evening I think.

Today I have been in as Tina isn't at all well and I wanted to be around in case she needed anything and to answer phone calls if necessary. I made the sandwiches for the Not Home Alone group and they were collected. I finished the scrapbook last night so got it parcelled up to send off later in the week. Had to make a box as I didn't have one the right size. I got all the plaques out and got on with the varnishing.

I turned one over so that hopefully you can see the difference.

While I had the varnish out I thought I would try and seal the little jigsaw. Moving it onto a piece of paper was a challenge it itself as it kept coming apart. Then I sprayed it with the glue spray that you use in quilting and then varnished it. I can pick it up now so will be able to mount it and hang it somewhere, won't take up much room!

A couple of weeks ago Tina and I saw what were labelled as ravens in the Halloween section at Sainsbury's. We both absolutely love crows because they are birds with real attitude. This was close enough for us!

A question for Mike, should I varnish both sides of the plaques?

Tina hasn't been very well today, she had stayed home and not gone into work. I hadn't had a good night myself and was a bit slow off the mark this morning. About 11.30 am I was going to catch the bus into town, it was raining hard but I have a waterproof coat now. In the end Darren said he would give me a lift in. When I had done what I went in for I had just missed a bus so thought I would try and walk back along Dean Road, have a rest and cuppa at Let it Brie, but it turns out that they don't open on a Monday. Anyway, with the help of the stick I managed to make my way home. In The Works I bought what was labelled a Micro Jigsaw. Very novel, in a tube, 150 pieces, I just had to buy one.

Having real trouble getting the photos on tonight, but will plod on.


As you can see, the pieces are tiny and to add to that they do not interlock, so touch one and move them all!

The edge done, I have put pens alongside to give an idea of size. Everything else I was going to do was put aside, it was amazing how long this little puzzle took, at one point Colonel arrived and I was trying to do it with him on my lap. Tina came up to sit with me for a while, she wanted to be near a loo just in case she was poorly again, but didn't want to be in bed. No toilet on the floor where their sitting room is so she sat with me and managed a cup of tea. Darren came up for a bit and put a couple of pieces in the puzzle.

When they went downstairs I plodded on and did manage to finish it, very cute!


Tina realised that she is on lunch duty for the Not Home Alone group tomorrow, so Darren and I went to Sainsbury's and got the necessary shopping in, we had fish and chips there too! Will try and do some scrapbook tonight, which was the original plan for today.

This morning I had the Teasmade set for 6 am and Darren and I were away to the boot sale by 7 am. Did make a flask for our first drink, but forgot my camera and phone, which was a real pity, as some fantastic skies, rainbows and low flying geese, would have had a field day. Literally as the boot sale is held in a field! We only had one item that sold for more than a pound, but we turned over a lot of items as we did keep the prices really low, we didn't want to bring anything home. Having said that, Tina has suggested that I stand the painted plaques on stands when they are done rather that try putting screws in to hang them. There were two plastic stands in one of our boxes and I had a different one at home. They will both do the trick.

I also kept three shells and the cutest little 'pretend' perfume bottle I have ever seen. Have taken the photo alongside a pound coin to give an idea of size.

We didn't buy anything though except for out sausage baps and cups of tea, and I got some grapes and a bag of these mini bananas!

Twenty for a pound, can't be bad. We reduced everything to 20 p when we had sold most of the stuff, and then to 10 p. Took a very small box of the remainder to the charity shop on the way home. I have sorted the money and put bags etc away. We made over 50 pound, which considering the prices was very good, but the bonus is that there is now no boot sale stuff littering up the dining room. I have been very achy today, so watched an episode of House before going down to sort out dinner. Will make a cup of tea now in readiness for the Strictly results show. Will just add a picture of one of the beautiful lilies.

This morning I caught the bus into town and bought a few bits and had a card to post off. Today I have sorted some more stuff for the boot sale tomorrow and got float money etc ready. I have done some washing and watered all the trees in the garden, especially the bonsai trees that dry out very quickly. Charlie and Blue spend a lot of time outside but Colonel rarely ventures out these days. He did spend quite a long time on the doorstep today, getting a bit of sun.

The kennel that Tina bought for Charlie has never been attractive to him, but Blue now spends a lot of time in there so it is not wasted!

The bonsai trees are looking much more autumnal than the full sized trees.

When I was doing the garden a couple of weeks back I draped the nasturtiums over fir bush, they seem to have settled into climbing now and look attractive.

There is a late flowering sea holly, the rest of the plant is dead!

I got quite a few pages of the scrapbook done this afternoon and then Darren and I went to collect his new laptop, then had some tea and did a bit of shopping at Sainsbury's. Saw this sign on a van at a car park, made me smile.

I have been sorting stuff out for Darren and I to take to the boot sale on Sunday. I need to start reducing stuff for moving next year some time. I wanted to go to B & Q as was going to get varnish for the plaques, a better hacksaw to cut down the stick which is too high for me and also to get a pasting table. We borrowed tables from the church last time but they are quite heavy and awkward to get into the car. Darren also wanted to look at computers as he is due a replacement and the shops are on the same road. Darren and Tina both came along and we had a sausage sandwich at The Mere. Darren walked round the lake while Tina and I fed the birds, mainly swans today and a Canada goose we refer to as Hopalong as it has a poorly leg. We made sure he got lots, and I had my stick to discourage others that were trying to get his food!!

A couple of shots of The Mere, not too much sign of Autumn yet, although it has turned pretty chilly today.

 I have started varnishing the plaques this afternoon, got more stuff ready for Sunday and also begun the scrapbook, so not a bad afternoon. Did watch one episode of House with my feet up as the ankle is quite painful today. I went to the local shop and used the stick which I shortened by a couple of inches, so it is better and puts less strain on my shoulder. Have I Got News For You is back tonight, one of my favourite programs.

Today Tina took me to the station so I could catch the 8.40 am train. I was off to Peterborough for the day to visit Ruby and Emmie, the two 96 year olds that I have known for a long time. Ruby was looking very frail last time I saw her and she doesn't have many visitors so I wanted to send a bit of time with her. Mike picked me up at the station and drove me over to Eye, I was there for midday and he was collecting me at 5 pm to go for a meal before my train home just after 7 pm. I had lunch with the ladies and then sat with them in the 'knit and natter' group. I even knitted a square to be made into a little bunny, very clever, may have to try one at home. Went to Ibrahimi's with Mike, they were very friendly and especially good tonight. I commented to the owner that there was no trifle (their trifle is out of this world lovely) he said sorry and smiled. While we were eating he came to the table and said that there was trifle now, he had been into the kitchen and got them to get some out! Mike took me to the station, I was in good time, as it turned out, in very good time as the train was running about twenty minutes late. Not good news as my gap to change trains was twenty minutes! As I sat on the station a goods train was pulling out, I don't see that many goods trains, not that i go looking for them!

And took a picture of the station at night, had plenty of time on my hands....

The journey was livened up by a man getting really shirty with the ticket inspector. He hadn't got a ticket, wasn't going to pay because the train was late, insisting it was later than it was. After about ten minutes and the guard saying he would be met by the transport police at York if he didn't buy a ticket, he did but was then saying the guard was worse than the Mafia!! Made the journey seem shorter. But did miss my connection by a few minutes. Because there wasn't another train to Scarborough for over an hour they put on a taxi from York for three of us, one for Malton and two of us for Scarborough. I called Darren and Tina and said I would get a taxi home from the station as I couldn't give them an eta. Was home about 10.15 pm, so a long day and for some reason travelling is very tiring.I bought a chunk of burr, sorry Mike, can't remember which wood, when we went to Snainton. Mike has cut it into slices for me and sanded them, my intention is to mount painted ceramics on them to make personalised plaques as presents.

I will get some good quality varnish as they are too lovely to use cheap and cheerful stuff. Late now, bed is calling before too long.