I had a really bad night last night, I have no idea why, but when my knee is bad it is even worse during the night, and I really could not get into a position that was comfortable. I haven't been out today except for down to the local shop in an attempt to rest it a little. Don't usually get influenced by adverts but asked Darren and Tina to get me some Voltarol when they went to the shop. I will let you know if it is the miracle cure I have been searching for, but don't hold your breath!
I decided to make a chicken pie for dinner, if the local shop had stocked ready made pastry I would have weakened and bought some. Of late I have not had a lot of success with the pastry, well, it tasted okay but just fell to pieces when I was rolling it out so we have had a lot of 'patchwork pies'! Anyway, today it rolled out without a problem so will post a before and after just to prove it!
I started making decoupage cards for Christmas weeks ago, but what with moving, packing and pottery painting I haven't touched them for a while. Today I got back into it and have finished another five. While I was working my craft box appeared to grow a tail!!
I have finished over twenty cards now, so you never know, I may get them all done, but if not the charity shops have plenty of supplies.
Shock dance off in Strictly tonight, quite a few folk will be upset I think. Watching Blue Planet now.
We had all seen things in the auction that we liked and I was the nominated bidder! Darren dropped me off before it started and went off to park the car. He joined me for a while and went off to look at the item that he was interested in.We had a cuppa together before he went off to get his new glasses in town. I was sitting at an 18th century table, that would have come home with me if no one else had wanted it as I really loved it.
We all got some things and missed out on some. Having been there for about four hours I took a slow walk home. Darren had taken the smaller lots home and left me to carry on bidding. My knee was still really bad this morning after giving me a fair bit of trouble in the night. Tina and I had really liked a Japanese marquetry picture and Japanese pen drawing in one lot. The pen drawing is great as well but needs to be re-framed.
Darren suggested taking some stuff over to Hornsea and having tea there while we were out as Tina is away tonight. Amazing sunset on the way but just a couple of shots whilst in the car.
When we got to the house the alarm was going and we had no idea how to stop it, so we didn't hang around too long! The most expensive thing I bought today were two fantastic hanging baskets and their brackets. Took a picture of them by the new stairs but then had Darren hold them to give an idea of the size. Tina and I can both see them being a feature in the walled garden.
I also got a coal scuttle, photographed here with the companion set that I got at the boot sale a while ago. Couldn't get near the fireplace in my soon to be living room, I had wanted to photograph them there.
We went down to a great fish and chip shop near the front when we had unloaded. Then a drive home in the dark, including a detour, but still home in time for most of Strictly.
Also got a hall stand and a kitchen work unit but they have gone into storage.
This morning Tina took me into town so that I could go to the pool. There was a man and his son in there but I managed fine. The knee is bad today and it even hurt to kick to start with, but being in the water did ease it a little I asked about Darren and I cancelling out memberships there. I walked to the studio, had a coffee on the way because I was a bit early for the studio to be open. My squirrels had been fired and I am pleased with them. I couldn't bring the white one home as the tail hadn't been glazed so it will go in the kiln again.
I already had the grey one at home so took a picture of the black and red ones with the grey.
I have really enjoyed painting them. The hedgehog planters will go in the kiln next time.
Tina came and picked me up from the studio as she is away tomorrow and is interested in some auction items so we went to view. We always find things we like as we both tend to like old rather than modern stuff!
We came home as Tina had a computer man coming and we had another man coming to give an estimate for the removal. He is the guy that does the gardening at the vicarage, and as luck would have it he has a friend that erects greenhouses. When they had gone we took a trip to Dunelm's to look at curtains and poles. I got some curtains, but we are not sure that we put the measurements down correctly. The pole should be fine though! This was the pole I liked best, although none of them really jumped out at me.
It will be good to get something up in my living room as it is at the front and want to be able to close them when we start moving stuff in.
Tina has gone off for a training weekend, Darren has had training this week as well.
A quiet evening trying to ignore my knee I think.
This morning Darren and I left the house just before 7am, for Darren to drop me off at the vicarage before he headed off to his course.Took some sky pics from the car!
It was a lovely drive across. I was there by 8 am and chatted to the builders and painters and then got the steamer out and filled it as the water was going to be turned off for a couple of hours. I had looked up where the post office in Hornsea was last night, as I had one more package to send off, so set off to find it. These crows nest were very low, which I thought was unusual.
Hall Garth Park is huge, I had walked a way before I took these pictures, but it goes a long way, in fact to the vicarage and beyond.
I was a bit early so went into a cafe next to the post office and had a very nice sausage bap and a cup of tea, I hadn't had breakfast before we left home. this newspaper was there and the front page features Tina!
I called in at the town hall and got a map of Hornsea and bus timetables, very helpful and friendly people everywhere I went today. Walking back this great Morris car was outside the museum.
In the house the utility room had been stripped out on Monday and today units to match those in the kitchen were in place.
Tina's office is looking good in the blue, much better without that bright red wall.
I spent a couple of hours or so finishing off the wall scraping, the bits off the ceiling were bigger but the rest was small bits a rather tedious.
I went out for a bit then, had a nice cake and as I had the map decided to see if I could find my way to the mere.
It is huge, and when the ducks and geese spotted me with a bag they headed my way! Will take food next time.
It was a reasonable walk and my ankle was sore by the time I got back to the house.
I used the steamer when I got back to get the rest of the paper off of the ceiling. That was fun, hot water running down my arms and being careful not to get a face full of scalding steam!
After that I tried to get any small bits off the walls and ceiling and sanded the surface a bit to get rid of the loose paint etc. Now stripped so not sure what the next step will be.
In the garden what a clearance the man who has been keeping it under control has done.
Darren arrived just after 6 pm, had a cuppa and unloaded a few bits and then we came home. Tina had ordered pizza in so that was nice to come home to.
I have been to town twice today so making good use of the bus pass. I sold some shoes on Ebay and had packages to get sent off this morning. The bus stop is in front of a guest house, that was called Scarborough Fayre when it was still open. That always bring the song to mind for me, I really like it and hum it to myself while waiting for the bus to arrive. Anyway, the guest house has become more and more vandalised and in disrepair since we came here. The other day there was an alarm going off in there for about three days, must have been driving the neighbours crazy.
I got the packages sent off and got some supplies in for dinner this evening, had a meal with Darren as Tina is away.
My ankle has been less troublesome for a couple of days but my knee today was extremely painful. It still is really and does not want to bend at all. Went into town again this afternoon as I had an appointment to give blood. I have been eating spinach and drinking orange juice to try and improve my iron levels. I give blood at Westborough Methodist Church, a very striking building.
The spinach and orange juice worked, no problem at all with my iron levels, in fact I have never seen the drop of blood sink so quickly!
Bumped into Chris, a friend of Tina's and as it was about twenty five minutes before the bus came, she was catching the same one, we had a good old natter, which passed the time.
We could see the sunset had been amazing when on the bus and these next two pictures are as I was walking down our road on the way home.
Another couple out of the bedroom window.
Darren has gone out now but will chat to me later as we are planning for him to take me to Hornsea tomorrow on his way to work and collect me his way home. Providing the knee isn't too bad I should be about to do a lot more stripping and clearing in the downstairs toilet.
I walked up to the studio this morning, wore the Sketchers as I am still trying to get the joints used to them! Sandy was pleased I was willing to clean and fill the pots as they were very much in need of it as half term was busy last week. Then I got the two hedgehog planters out that I had bought at the pottery camp. They are bigger than I had remembered.
I had put a bit of base coat on the face of one of them, and then I covered them both with the skin tone as a base coat. They are finished, such as they are, I have mixed the colours so it is always going to be a surprise.
Sandy was happy to get in the picture!
I walked back via the cliff top, it was very cold and very grey, and the wind was catching the waves which I always think is lovely.
Sandy has been sorting through old sample pieces and I have back two of the plates I did when I was experimenting with Sharpie pens.
I have parcels to wrap as I have managed to sell some items on Ebay. Four people have paid up already so I can get parcels dispatched tomorrow.
I watched George Gently on catch up this afternoon, didn't know I would need the tissues, and he is DEAD!
The sky was watery but pretty earlier.
I am due to give blood tomorrow afternoon so hopefully my iron level will be acceptable.
