Under House Arrest day 488

Friday.

Quiet day, it poured with rain, thankfully no storms to report. I did my pages and prepped my dyalog for the days I'm at work. What I do is come up with the images then stick them in, I actually write them on the day or at least make a note of anything specific that happens that I want to put in there and catch up on a Monday.

Then I cleared my desk all projects and tools put away. I had some new glue and glue sticks arrive yesterday, so I ousted some that's past it's best. 

Enjoyed watching some of the Olympics, I don't watch all of it but certain sports I don't mind. Seems like we've done quite well, but not perhaps in the areas we thought we should. 

Under House Arrest day 487

Thursday. 

We went into town, just because we could ( I won't forget those months when we couldn't, now when we feel like it we go out!) Just a gentle potter round, I bought new towels as I had Primark ones that frayed, this time I bought Wilko's ones. 

We went to The Roebuck for lunch, again just because we can. 

We bought a new toy for Willow, a ball chase thing, as usual you never know if she will play with it, but this time we put it down and off she went for a good 20 minutes or more. 

I got a parcel from Hermes (only a week late and three emails later) It was half open, nothing missing, but what looked like boot marks or tyre tracks on it. I swear they get worse. 

Under House Arrest day 486.

Wednesday.

Wash day, it looked dodgy out so this time Kev dried everything in the dryer, luckily because of the good weather last week it was mainly light stuff, the only heavy stuff was our uniforms. Towels etc he did last week. 

I got quite a bit done at the desk and up until the thunderstorm I was happy to create most of the day there. Obviously if you know me well you'll know I am scared of storms, mostly a learned reaction as my Mum was scared and passed that onto me, my Dad tried to get me to watch them with him but I was never keen. Then once I started dating Kev I got a bit better, braver, then one awful night after a gig we sheltered in a doorway as a storm raged. Kev was struck by lightning, it knocked him entirely through that door. His boots saved his life as they were solid rubber based. Now I am even worse, but if you stand next to someone as they are struck, you'll know why I'm the way I am. I am even worse if I'm outside and I try and avoid it if possible. People don't understand, but, I can't help my fear, you'd think Kev would be scared, but he remembers very little of it, he remembers going through the door and waking up in the ambulance after. 

The other thing today was our covid tests, both blood and nose and throat swabs the guy doing the testing rushed us a bit and I couldn't get enough blood for the sample. Neither could Kev. Usually, the Ladies that come are very relaxed about it all, but he was obviously on a mission.

That done, I then had to do something I haven't had to do for a long time, I've had to block someone on social media. They have been commenting on posts I've responded to, and been quite nasty. I didn't respond to the comments, but on reflection, I thought it best to block them. I don't want to drag other people into it, and as they are posting these comments on other peoples posts,  it had to be done. These people aren't bad, they are just not people I can trust.  Their recollection of events differs from mine, and I do not have to explain my decisions and choices to anyone anymore. If I cut you off, you probably handed me the scissors

Under House Arrest day 485

Tuesday.

We met Sue and Pete for lunch at The Gamston Lock. The food was good, apart from Sue's pie which wasn't as nice as last time she said. I get the feeling they get complacent if you go regularly. So maybe it's time to go somewhere else. 

When we left them we needed some shopping from Bridgeford so we went on the bus and got what we needed and came back. 

I did my pages and made a card using the atomic elements set of dies. 

Under House Arrest day 484

Monday.

We didn't sleep well due to Kev being bunged up and coughing. I got up with him and put some vapour rub on his back and chest which helped a little. We went to bed and eventually fell asleep until 7am. We had a chilled out day, I put some of the stuff I'd learned in the card making class on the weekend. We watched the Olympics highlights, amazed that we actually won a few Golds. Then Kev had the cricket on for the Hundreds. I don't mind it as it's fast paced like 20-20. My Vampire Nutcracker came, it looks just as stunning in real life. For now he is in the hall, but I might do some rearranging and he could end up in the living room. 

The paperwork for our trip to Hampton Court has come and we have the travel info and hotel details now. I'm looking forward to it now. 

Under House Arrest day 482/483

Saturday.

Work, managed a coffee club this morning with Charlotte in Maccys, not had chance to do one for a while and sit in, so that was a nice change. 

After work I watched a live Dyan class which will continue on Sunday evening. It's not always possible to catch a live class, I usually have to do them afterwards. 

Sunday as I type this it's 10.45 pm and I'm preparing for bed. The class tonight was excellent I picked up loads of useful ideas for my cards this year. 

Work was ok, busy towards the end and I must admit I'm tired now. I didn't sleep great last night my leg was painful, and that always impacts on my day after. 

Under House Arrest days 480/481

Thursday and Friday.

Thursday was again hot, more cloudy, but still warm. As I've said, these bungalows are well insulated they hold onto heat, so it still feels very warm from the days before residual heat. It was a do little day, I did my dyalog pages, and I had a couple of cards to make. Kev started with a head cold. So he is coughing and sneezing and bunged up. 

So we just chilled out, watched the hundred ( cricket, new format). My foot is swollen from the heat. So I am had a cold foot bath, and kept off it as much as I could. 

Friday. 

We decided to go back to Homesense, they have new stuff arriving all the time so we went to get more cups and a new fruit bowl. We also bought some marble coasters. So we walked there and back down by the canal then went to the TBI again for lunch. 

At least its cooler, and we enjoyed the walk. 

Under House Arrest day 479

Wednesday.

Wash day. An uneventful one for a change. Kev managed to get it done in relative peace. Makes a nice change. It was too hot to do much, I tried to rearrange my desk, and I did my pages, but that was it. I did my biking before it got too warm but gave yoga a miss. We did a lot of walking yesterday so it should even out across the week. 

My thought for today is never argue with someone who believes their own lies. I had an incident this week where someone I used to know tried to provoke me into replying to their comment on a mutual friends post by lying. It didn't work, sometimes you have to know when it's best not to respond.  

Under House Arrest day 478

Tuesday.

Another day in Hade's armpit. I am not made to survive these temperatures. I barely do daylight, heat adds another level of torture. 

I belong to a group of Halloween fans who scour the country looking for quality Halloween decor. When the shops put their collections out we alert each other with *code orange* warnings. TKMaxx and Homesense have started putting theirs out already, so we checked TKMaxx last week ( nothing!) So before the heat got too intense we went on the bus to the station then walked along the canal to Homesense. We went in and had a hunt around, we had almost given up, when Kev found the aisle, there was quite a bit, and I had to stay strong and stick to the two items. I had edited our collection by a couple of things last year, so I wanted to replace those. But it made my little dark heart happy to see so much lovely stuff, and I did get two new mugs to replace the cauldron ones that had started to lose their decoration. 

I bought Myrtle the girlie ghost for outside, she is metal, but when I got her home she found her home by the side of the radiator. The stack of boos as we have called the trio of cute ghosties, now live on the bookcase top above the "girls" directly opposite where we sit. I also bought a pen storage spinner, which is ideal for my desk. It's a sort of dusky lilac but as usual I have plans for it. When it cools down I'll rearrange my desk. 

We were going to shop at Castle Marina, but gave it a miss as we were worried about breaking our new items, so we got what we needed from the Tesco express and then got the bus back, we got off at Trent Bridge Inn for lunch, it's fast becoming our "local" as there isn't one in the village now, you can't count the Manvers as it's not a local pub anymore, more a gastropub... It was quiet in there just a few die-hard chaps, we still wore our masks and ordered from the app. We aren't buying into this "freedom" the numbers are rising and we are doing what we have continued to do throughout this pandemic to keep ourselves ( and others) safe. You have a choice, ours is to continue as we are. 

Under House Arrest day 477

Monday. 

OMG I like nice weather, but this is not nice, I feel like I'm being cooked alive. I don't like this, yes we have the air cooler, which is a big help but even that is struggling to keep the room comfortable. Our biggest problem is that we get the full sun all day being the end bungalow. Both of us are drinking so much water, Kev has perfected iced coffee and we are only eating salads. 

So today I exercised before the heat hit. Then we had a chill out day. Keeping the blinds drawn and windows open, just to latch level to minimise the bugs. 

Poor Willow keeps hidden during the day in the cool spot behind Kev's chair. She isn't eating much, but is drinking loads, bless her. 

And my thought for today is this quote on my dyalog Forgive and Forget? I am not Jesus, not do I have Alzheimers... 

Under House Arrest 476

Sunday. 

Blimey, it was even hotter, than the day before. We left the air con on for Willow on a timer so that it made the bungalow more bearable for her. 

The day was busy, and it passed quickly. 

At home Kev wasn't feeling so great again, hot weather doesn't agree with him at all and he went to bed. I watched Crimson Peak as I haven't watched it for ages. People didn't rate it as a movie when it came out, but I liked it. I loved the decaying house, and obviously Mr Hiddleston is a good bit of eye candy. 

 

Under House Arrest day 475

Saturday.

 Whew! What a scorcher! I like a nice day, but I think yesterday was practice day for hell... It even made me wish I wore white! 

Charlotte and I managed a coffee club in the morning the first one for about 12 months. She kindly lent me some sunglasses, I have my ray bans but I won't risk taking them to work. If they'll take a cheap rain coat from Primark out of the locker room, they'll take ray bans. 

When I got into work I bought some,  just to wear to and from. I couldn't believe they sell sunglasses, but not cases for them! I had to wrap them in my gloves to stop them from getting scratched until I got home and found a spare one. 

Under House Arrest day 474

Friday. We went into town, just to get out in the sunshine. We can't sit out in peace in the garden and it happens so infrequent that to sit indoors seems a waste. So we went for a trot round town and a picnic in the square.

Sushi and fruit were nothing too grand but it was lovely. 

We came home and made sure that the air con was maxed, and we drank a gallon of water. Yesterday I read about you shouldn't drink ice-cold water if you are very hot as it can cause your body to go into shock. I'd never heard of this and immediately checked ( as it was on Facebook and I always check because Facebook is a misinformation station) As it turns out, it is a fact, so peeps just be careful don't glug ice-cold water if you are really hot. Just let it come up to almost room temperature and then down it. 

Under House Arrest day 473

Thursday. 

We were going to go out, but changed our minds when we saw the forecast for Friday. It is supposed to be 26 to 27° so a better day to escape from the bungalow. Obviously we will leave the air con on for Willow, she is quite good at finding cool places to hide. 

So, I had a few chores to do, cards to finish and my page for today, in which I tried a shaped page for the first time. I'd first seen it done in one of Dyan's online classes. It's the picture below, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

Under House Arrest day 472

Wednesday. 

Glorious day for a wash day, it all went outside, we did the bed, we removed and packed away the duvet, and put the throw on the bed, just for that five am chill, when you need a cover but nothing heavy or thick. We sorted out the linen cupboard while we were at it. It's amazing what you hoard, old pillows, a broken electric blanket curtains we will never use from back in the days of the pub. All gone now thankfully. But you know my superpower is throwing stuff away the day before we need them. So we will see...

Once the chores and my exercise routines were done I settled down to some serious card making. Halloween and Christmas, I got a few done. More Halloween than Christmas for two reasons. One, I send more Halloween ones, two, I am hanging on until Dyan does her Christmas card class before I do too many. 

It's warm in the bungalow, but we have the air con on to combat it and I'm going to put the little fan in the bedroom tonight. It's quite powerful and quiet, for such a small unit. 

Under House Arrest day 471

Tuesday.

I woke up at around 6.30 am. My knee hurt and it was too warm, so I got up and read for a while until I was tired again and went back to bed. I eventually got back up again just before 9 am. 

Later we met Sue and Pete for lunch at the Gamston Lock. The food was lovely, we enjoy our catch-ups, and I don't think any of us will take them for granted again. 

After that we caught the bus into Bridgeford, as we needed some stuff from Iceland. We didn't hang around long. 

We watched a programme on real forensics, a subject I've found fascinating for years. I used to love CSI, but this as I said was real life in the UK, it followed the story of a woman who reported a workman for lewd behaviour. It was a painstaking process. In the end it resulted in the workman being prosecuted. 

Under House Arrest day 470

Monday.

We had a lie-in and managed until just past nine. 

Then we made a pact to just have a relaxed day. Which we did, I had a bit of a card making day, something of a novelty for me these days. I quite enjoyed it. Then in the late afternoon, I had a foot mask to shed some of the hard skin. 

All in all a typical Monday but, just what we needed. 

Under House Arrest day 469

Sunday.

Busy up until we went home really, I went to petrol for an hour. Always drama with me over there, the till point I was working on froze. Fantastic. Not. Even if it wasn't my fault I am certainly made to feel like it is. And then people wonder why I dislike going over there. 

I'm only going to say this once. We didn't win, football kicked us  in the gut again, mind you our lads didn't turn up in the second half, it was almost like we have one goal that'll do. They beat us on penalties, which it shouldn't have gone to. Never mind, all over now. They got us further than we have for a long time, but not good enough (or not nasty enough) against teams that pull, kick and throw themselves at the floor every tiny touch. Cheaters always win. 

 

Under House Arrest day 469

Saturday. 

I caught the earlier bus from Cotgrave as there are roadworks on the A52...

Last night going to cricket we got delayed and I was worried that this morning we might too, it's a delicate balance timing the two bus schedules.

It was busy, and I went over to petrol for an hour. The day was pleasant enough. 

My thoughts for today are this, people rarely take responsibility for their own actions. When things go wrong they will always blame others. If you are ever blamed for something you haven't done time will always expose liars. They convince themselves to the point that the "truth" is their version, but even the most deluded will eventually be found out. Might not be today, but it will come. 

Under House Arrest day 468

Friday.

It was a half decent day and we had high hopes for the 20-20 cricket at Trent Bridge late afternoon.

We went to the TBI earlier to eat before we went in. We did right going in early as by the time we left it had filled up dramatically. 

As usual we had found our seats and the heavens opened. We quickly ducked under the concourse to stay dry. 

It paid of in the end as the game when it did start was very good to say the least. Hayles ( despite being a twat when he is off the pitch) is stunning to watch. So worth waiting 

Under House Arrest day 467

Thursday.

I had a poor night sleep-wise, my knee was hurting, God knows why, so when I did eventually get comfy and drop off it was later when I woke up around nine. I stretched out with yoga and then used my reactive, but this time I used the tens pads attached to my knee for 15 minutes, then I did half an hour without, I rounded off with half an hour on the bike. It felt much better after that. 

That meant it was quite late on in the morning, by the time I got to my desk to make a card I needed to an my pages. 

I had a delivery from yodel a dress I had ordered. It was one I'd found to replace one I had some time ago at the pub, a basic throw on black dress, roomy and comfy. I lived in that one for year's, until one day I got bleach on it. I loved it so much I tried all sorts of things to hide the stains, before finally giving up and binning it. It's taken since then to find one similar. It's a decent material, neither too heavy nor too light, packs well, and looks good enough to go out in or relax at home. We all need at least one item of clothing that covers all the bases. I'm so happy to have found this one, I'm tempted to buy another as a backup! 

Under House Arrest day 466

Wednesday.

Wash day. As usual on our day someone else wanted to use the laundry after us so Kev rushed ours through to accommodate, he put some of ours outside, but the weather wasn't brilliant. So he then had to take it over to the dryer once the other person had done. 

He had a big sort out of his wardrobe and drawers as I had before the holiday. It's amazing what you accumulate. 

The big news of the night that England won the semi final against Denmark! I must admit I was shocked. We usually get beat on penalties but, it didn't even go to them. All my life England have come home before the postcards. It takes a global pandemic to get us to the final. It surely is the end of the world...

Under House day 465

Tuesday. 

Gritty, mizzly kind of day. Warm but overcast and very humid. We needed some shopping from town ( new hand towels) so we headed into town. 

We got what we needed and I came home. Kev had won a couple of pizzas from Papa Johns so he stayed in town ordered and picked those up and came home. I prefer pizza cold so, no great shakes there. He got the vegan ones with veg base so I could have some. Great for free just for entering a football pundit quiz. 

Under House Arrest day 464

Monday.

Sticky and sultry. They've finally cut the grass. I can't see the difference from the last team of cowboys, we had. I think they were fobbing us off with the story that we had new contractors who were going to pick up the cut grass. The front door still needs to be washed where the debris has flown and stuck to it. 

But after they had been and gone we had a letter through the door saying that the latest supervisor at the centre had gone. Jumped or pushed who knows, I know one thing, they don't keep them long. Staff turnover at Metropolitan must be horrendous. Mind you, it's not a job I could do, with some of the people they must have to deal with. We never really bother whoever is there, In the five years we've been here it's been minor things like the shower playing up once, or me falling in the bath. But I would imagine that some people are constantly complaining or in and out the office trying to find stuff out. Maybe that's why we don't keep anyone long! 

Just another chilled day after our first weekend back, I had a couple of cards to make and I tried out my new stamps, dyalog is done. Air con is being used to it's max and that little fan that Anne bought me is a Godsend on my desk. Being the end bungalow means we get the lions share of the sun when it's out and because these places are so well insulated it hangs on to any heat. 

Under House Arrest day 463.

Sunday. 

Work was busy. A lot of blokes nursing hangovers thanks to the Football. But the day was ok, and went by quick enough. We got the buses ok too. 

I got home and did my revitive. Once I'd eaten and done that we settled down to watch Bram Stokers Dracula. I haven't watched it for a while, and it's good to see it again. It never bores me, like any of my favourite movies I can always watch them and get engrossed in them like the first time, and yes I still cry at the end when he gets killed. I don't see it as a horror movie, I see it as a gothic romance, and nothing makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up more than Prince Vlad whispering to Mina " I have crossed oceans of time to find you". It's even engraved on the silver plaque on my coffin jewellery box that Dean made me. 

Under House Arrest day 462

Saturday.

*rant alert*

I was talking about holidays as you do when it's your first day back after one. I've decided that I really don't like people who assume things. The conversation went something like this, "Oh I'm glad you had a nice time away, I wouldn't be content to just have a holiday in the UK, I need my holiday abroad, but I suppose what you've never had, you never miss"

I had neither the time not inclination to say different. But, actually love we have been abroad quite a lot. Here is the complete list for anyone who needs to know in the order in which we went 

France ( twice)

Portugal

Greece

Spain

Bahamas

Florida (three times)

Mauritius

Prague. 

Just because you don't know someone's history don't assume that they haven't had a life beforehand. 

We've had some lean years when we couldn't afford to go out for a cup of coffee, so we've seen both sides. But I never look down my nose at people who haven't been anywhere either, why should I, so by that token neither should you. Honestly some people need to stop wearing their arse as a hat! *rant over*

Under House Arrest day 461

Friday.

After all my usual things were done (exercise etc). I sorted out my work bag ready for work tomorrow and sorted my desk area out after making a couple of cards. I had a chill-out day. It's been a full-on time off so it's nice to relax a little I read an article recently about how guilty we are made to feel for not doing something all the time, and how now and again the most productive thing to do is nothing at all. I remember being at work full time and on my days off cramming in as much as possible. No wonder I was always so run down. I was burning out and didn't realise it was ok to just have time out with no plans. Even now I have to stop myself from planning too much, setting silly deadlines for myself like card making. Although I make a lot less now I can still catch myself thinking I need to batch make Halloween or Christmas ones. 

I need to start permitting myself to a day off now and then. A read, watch tv day, a do-nothing day. We all should. 

Under House Arrest 460.

Thursday.

I did all my usual stuff, yoga, biking and the revitive. Then I showered and did my dyalog pages. 

It went warm later in the day, but you can't sit out round here in peace, so we didn't bother. Plus the grass is long as the gardeners haven't been for weeks. They are apparently in the middle of changing contacts. This happened before, a couple of years back. It resembled a jungle and took them twice as long to sort it out. Anne and Joe have bought a mower and been doing their own. It worries me, at Joes age and his health issues he shouldn't be doing that sort of thing, bless him. He even offered to cut ours, but I would hate for him to be poorly from overexertion doing our garden. We'll wait, they'll do it eventually. The one's we had were cowboys anyway, so you can guess the next lot won't be any better. 

Under House Arrest day 459

Wednesday.

Covid study test day ( lab rat day as we call it!) They are taking blood samples now in order to see how our antibodies are doing now we've had both jabs. You have to do it yourself, they give you the kit and caboodle to do it but you have to stab a finger and squeeze the red stuff out like milking a cow. Mine flowed pretty well. Kev had to coax his out. 

I have a nice bruise on my finger. But if it helps and they can eradicate this awful plague I can do this. 

After we'd parted with the red stuff we needed some shopping so headed into town. I restocked my travel first aid kit ready for our next adventure with Sue and Pete. 

I also booked another holiday, for next year. We were looking for where to go and dropped on a great deal. After checking that they had a room with a walk-in shower, we went ahead and booked. The thing is if you book ahead like that you get a great deal, it gives you something to look forward to, and they all have covid cover. It's how I found the last one. We will be travelling with National Express again as it is a little less stressful than going by train for me. 

Later on I watched the Christmas in July release by Dyan, lovely stuff, and I can't wait until it arrives!