Seaside part 2

Ah, turned the iPad off and on again and now we seem to be  and running. So, let’s see if the photo of the bus shelter will appear!

After the post office I went up to say hello to the see and of course take pictures.

The next couple of photos were of the changing light and one with the sharp horizon and diffused by the light. Just thought it made for different shots.

One of the chemists had quite a tasteful jubilee display.

The buds on these plants were quite spectacular.

This afternoon I have done some cooking as we had a bit of a milk mountain. So made a rice pudding, a crumble and a pasta bake for dinner. Have been to see Sarah and David this evening to catch up on their news.

Feeling a bit weary now, but getting back to normal, whatever that is.

I do like to be beside the seaside!

Well, that’s odd, can’t seem to get the italic to press today so will stay with this! I went to the shop this morning as ai needed to get a birthday card and some wrapping paper. I wrapped a present ready to send and pottered around this morning, nothing too strenuous. After lunch I walked to the post office to get the package sent off. The bus stop over the road now has jubilee panels inside.

Now I can’t add pictures so this may be the shortest post yet. Will try to publish again and see if it will let me add a photo then.

No, really not playing ball tonight so will publish and see if I try another one and see if it will play!

Heading home

Anya collected me quite early this morning but I had been up a while and had time to chat to Margherita and Rose and make sure I had all my belongings! I had decided to buy tickets on the day and got separate ones at Peterborough and then at Doncaster. I took a photo of Mimi, Roses female cat as I had already posted one of Buddy. This one isn’t very sharp, but she loves being up high in that basket, 

Buddy annoys her and her can’t get up there!

I got the first train quite quickly and there was plenty of room for me and my case, which is always a bonus! On Doncaster station a man had the most adorable dog. He followed his master with the lead in his mouth, dropped the lead while we waited for the lift and then picked it up again when we started moving. When we arrived at the platform we wanted h the man took him to jump up on the chair and he waited as good as gold until the train came in, not getting down until he was told and the train had stopped. If only they were all like that!

The second journey was overcast and then wet!

I planned to go to the Vodafone shop in Hull as my phone hasn’t been charging properly for a while now so I wondered if the battery was dying. Because of that I had the charger in my bag and for the first time plugged it in on the train. When I was walking to the store I realised that I had removed the phone and left the charger plugged in on the train! The guy in Vodafone was great, looked at the settings etc and then tried the phone on one of their chargers and said it was working okay, he did comment that I hadn’t had a full charge for a couple of weeks. So, I bought a new charging cable and plug and the phone is now fully charged!

I was really so tired when I got home and feeling a bit low, but have unpacked and checked trees etc in the garden and feeling more relaxed now. I usually visit Sarah and David on Monday evenings but have told them I will go round tomorrow instead, and have also let the family group know that ai will not be at the session tomorrow. It has been a pretty full on and stressful week so just going to wind down a bit.

Home tomorrow?

At the time of writing ai am intending going home tomorrow and Anya will collect me in the morning and take me to the train station, but this isn’t set in stone, if there are any problems tonight that might change.I had a short walk to two different shops this morning, Margherita fancied a cream cake and they sometimes had those in a shop in one direction and Rose wanted some Vegan friendly fruit pastilles and they were in a shop in the other direction. Managed to get both, Margherita enjoyed her cake but sadly my one was ‘off’! Walking to Eldern this bed was full of nettles and sticky weeds. Quite odd as the public areas are kept nice in Hornsea by the council and volunteers. Then on the way to Herlington I have never seen so much sticky weed! I am allergic to it so glad it isn’t my job to clear it!

Some roses on the way back, a little prettier!

Rose cleaned out Heshe’s cage this afternoon, a vole she rescued from someone’s cat! He/she is usually hiding but is in the bath and visible while she is cleaning the cage. So a couple of pics!

Margherita and I have had another game of Scrabble this afternoon and we watch a fairly silly animated film which sent her to sleep, and I wasn’t far off!

We will get on with something to eat in a bit, then hopefully a trouble free night and I will be on my way home tomorrow.

No pics today😟

Not a long post today although it has been a pretty good day on the whole. I caught the bus into town this morning as I needed some toiletries and wanted to get some dry shampoo for Margherita. I saw Mike and we had a coffee and I had a sandwich and then just did the bit of shopping I needed and got the bus back. Rose was going out for the afternoon to meet a friend.

The commode was delivered today which will make things much easier at night at least and the district nurses are still coming in to do the injections,

Margherita and I had three games of Scrabble and ate naughty biscuits so a lovely afternoon and this evening we all watched ‘Heidi’ which was a delightful film which we all enjoyed.

Margherita seems to be walking a bit better each day which is positive, so hopefully things will continue improving.

I hope to head home soon but haven’t made any specific plans as things can quickly change.

Will endeavour to use the phone as a camera at least once tomorrow!

Making progress

I went to the surgery this morning and organised my call back, the receptionist said she would leave a note to ask then to call me after nine to give me time to walk home and be there for Margherita to give them permission to talk to me. The lady doctor did not actually phone until lunch time, listened and said she would contact the hospital and get back to me. She did and said that someone would be coming to assess the situation, two lovely physios came who agreed things were far from ideal and have ordered some supplies and arranged for an extra career visit to start from Monday as I said I was hoping to go home. So slowly progress is being made.

I did go out and get a bit of shopping after they visited and then Margherita and I had a game of Scrabble while Rose had a soak in the bath, I did start the third Shetland book, but at them moment only a little reading sends me to sleep!

Not much more to report but Margherita has this picture up in her bedroom which I drew over twenty years ago, quite like it though so worth an airing!

I think it was copied from a book of portrait photographs from all around the world that I used to have.

That’s all for today.😊

Keeping going

Up very early so have stayed up since five, I am amazed I am not more tired than I am. The carer that came wasn’t quite as helpful as the one last night, but a nice enough lady who said she would see about us having a home assessment. Sadly we haven’t heard anything yet. She said that carers do not do injections and we thought about it but decided that we weren’t prepared to do it for Margherita and she could not manage it herself so I said I would take a walk to the surgery and try to get something sorted. I made my way to where the surgery used to be, but apparently it moved about twenty years ago! So had a longer walk but will know where to go next time, which happens to be tomorrow!  The receptionist was new, but really helpful, there was no one available to talk to but she made a note and checked she was directing it to the right person. I asked about a district nurse and she got me the number for them. When I got home I rang and found out that the carer yesterday had made the referral so a nurse came today and they will administer the injections every day now. So one step forward. The surgery phoned and I have to go early in the morning to request a phone call to get to talk to a doctor in an attempt to get some care sorted.

Margherita has slept a lot today, seems comfortable on the bed which is good. I have finished the second of the Shetland series of books, luckily I did bring the third one with me.

Anya made a surprise visit this evening had a chat with Margherita and then took me out for a while which was nice. We managed to get some sawdust for Rose and then had a lovely chai latte from Starbucks! Even saw a rainbow!

Watched a program with Margherita and Rose, and then got Margherita comfortable in bed. Heading there myself now.

Quite a day

Rose and I went to the shop quite early as we had deliveries coming and Margherita was due to be discharged today. We had done most of the preparation and had to wait on the mattress arriving to finish off. We chatted and Rose showed me the game she likes to play on her computer. 

Margherita came home this afternoon, she is not quite as good at getting around as we were told and the downstairs loo is ridiculously small and seemed impossible to access at first, but we worked round it. A very pleasant carer came in and is gong to ask for some equipment to make things a bit easier, so not quite as straightforward as we had hoped.

I went out for a short walk once the carer had been and posted some cards for Margherita. Took photos of the underpass which did have quite nice paintings, not so good now, and some flowers.

Bug and bed!

I slightly less hectic day today, Rose spotted this bug early on and we both took photos of it, very tiny and not one either of us had seen before. We do have things in common!

Mike arrived about ten and after a cuppa and chat helped got the old bed and a chair into the garden ready for collection last month and then one of the settees up into the bedroom. We did some general cleaning and Rose got some washing on the go, the new bed base didn’t arrive until early afternoon nd was in a surprisingly small box! It took a little while but Mike is good and it was soon in place. The mattress is due to arrive tomorrow.

Rose goes out to do a dog walk on Tuesdays and Mike and I caught the bus across to the Orton Centre. The bedding was quite old and I though new bedding would be nice for the new bed. Managed to get a quilt and duvet set, not a lot of choice but I think this one goes quite well. It is laid on the base until the mattress arrives!

We will have something to eat when Rose gets home and hopefully a reasonably relaxed evening as we have got this going more or less sorted now.

We don’t know what time Margherita will get home tomorrow, the change in the room and me being here will be a surprise for her!

Getting sorted

I came over to stay with Rose this morning, we did lots of measuring and trying to work out how to get a bed in their living room along with somewhere to sit, and if did seem like an impossible task. But by moving a cabinet into another room and thinking about what could be moved we begun to get a plan. Talked to the doctor, who is pleased with Margherita’s progress but will have a care program coming in to start with and arrange for physio to continue. We struggled actually ordering a new bed that will come in time but sorted that, fingers crossed! Also arranged for bulky furniture collection for things that need to go. Then we went to the Orton Centre had lunch and got some shopping. Loved this sign in the cafe!

We have done some cleaning and have Mike coming over to help out tomorrow.

I have a different cat on this bed!!

Onward and upward tomorrow.

Hello from Peterborough

Darren and I did go to the boot sale but I didn’t go to Burton Constable with him as we had originally planned. I bought a toilet seat but it is destined for the downstairs loo! I also got a street play at for cars that will be used at the family group. Darren got a few bits and we came straight home today as he was off to his archery meeting.

I changed the bed, did some washing and generally tidied up so that it is a bit more welcoming when I return, I haven’t got a return ticket, it will depend on how it goes getting Margherita home and settled. I made sure the bird feeders were full and the bonsai trees and the tomato plants watered. The first foxglove is open in the front garden.

Tina took me into Hull to the station in good time for me to collect the tickets without rushing about. The journey was fine, both trains had space and I could even get my case stored without difficulty. One unsurprising photo!

Skip met me at the station and Rachel had a lovely dinner waiting for me. We are having a quiet evening. I am staying with Rose from tomorrow to help her get ready for Margherita’s return.

Some gardening and planning to travel!

I was a bit slow off the mark today but did get out into the garden for a while before and after lunch. Firstly I used the strimmer to neaten the grass paths and I transferred three small Canadian poppies into the garden from the walled garden. Then trimmed back some of the low hanging branches from copper beech, partly to stop having to walk through them and partly to let a bit more light get to the beds under it! I started n the area behind the beds by the wall that had always been a bit of a wilderness but I try not to let it get three foot high now!

I didn’t get finished, had a phone call from Rose with the latest news about my sister and decided I would go down and help her sort things out as they are going to send Margherita home and there has to be a bed downstairs. A lot to think about and organise and also the doctor is phoning Rose on Monday and I would like to be there and talk to her myself. But I am not thrilled at making last minute arrangements but the train is booked and the lift to the station and Rachel knows an unexpected visitor is arriving! When I was clearing away I took a couple of pics in the walled garden, I love the pink flowers on the dark leaves shrub.

By the back door the flower that I love at every stage is just bursting open. It eventually becomes a group of bell shoved flowers.

I have been starting to pack the case and been tidying up a bit, putting all the sewing stuff away and generally making it a bit more welcoming for when I get home.

So, blog from Peterborough tomorrow!

Not so busy today!

This morning I managed to get through to the hospital and was told that Margherita was okay and had breakfast, so she had obviously recovered reasonably from the anaesthetic ok. I did a couple of household chores and nipped to the shop to get lunch and was ready for Bel to pick me up at ten. She wanted to go to Freeport to get something to wear when her nephew and family come over to celebrate her ninetieth birthday in a couple of weeks. She hadn arrived by ten past ten so I tried phoning and then took a walk round to her house. She was fine, had been struggling to get her walker into the car as she manages better with that than on two sticks and it has a seat so she can have a rest when she needs it. She got some clothes she liked in the first shop, we did browse in a couple of others and then had a coffee before coming home. Took this pic because the plant caught my eye.

After lunch Tina gave me a lift to the sea front as I had some honesty plants I had lifted for Jean. I took a couple of shots and then took a slow walk the rest of the way.

Took this photo for Mike as I know how he loves pastel coloured houses, especially pink ones,

After tea I spent about an hour in the garden, making a start on clearing the weed and unwanted plant bonanza near the bird feeding area,

A lot still to do and unbelievable amounts of roots, but at least there won’t be huge ones to dig out for a while now!

Not planning on doing much else this evening.

Quite a busy day

The first job today was trying to get in touch with pensions dept to see if I could let them know that my sister is in hospital, she had mentioned it to Rose when she visited her yesterday and was anxious about it. That made Rose anxious as dealing with authority is way out of her comfort zone. Was answered by a very pleasant guy but although I had date of birth and when she was admitted I didn’t have her NI number. But he said I could deal with it on her behalf when I had it. So phoned Rose and then tried again, had to be in a queue for a while but got another delightful chap and we went through the form and he said that the one call would cover all the benefits being made aware. So Rose can relax a bit. Phoned the hospital to let Margherita know that it was sorted, nice guy again would have let me talk to her but she had already gone to theatre for her knee surgery. But he took a message.

After Ringtons had been I went to to the front garden for a while. No photos of what I did as it was removing the worst weeds and cutting stuff back that was hanging across the drive. The bin that was emptied on Tuesday is now full again! Did take a photo of the tamarix which will soon be at its best, and has a lovely amount of bloom.

The recycling bin was emptied today so a spent a bout half an hour breaking down a collection of massive boxes, that was the ultimate wrist challenge!

I went along the road to post a letter and great yarn bombing on the post box!

Got a bit of shopping on the way back, including there gorgeous crisps, well they are if you like seaweed!

After lunch I went out to turn the area where the pavers are going back and levelled it again and then carefully got the pavers back. In place, and they are fairly stable now!

I got another couple of rows attached to the patchwork and have decided on the layout for another four! Will have mad over a yard when they are attached!

I have started the second Shetland book by Ann Cleeves, really enjoyed the first one.

Will finish with a picture of the jigsaw that I completed yesterday evening. There is one piece missing if you look closely but Iam sure I will find it, I did knock the board once and had some bits on the floor.