Surprise...turn up the volume

Well - what do you think? Yes, I know it's probably a little to cultural for me, but I keep seeing that Radio 3 ad for the Haydn season and just loved the music, don't worry, if you scroll down far enough there's some Stevie Wonder as well - and there'll be others as something comes to mind.

Well, day off today. Slept until gone 7 - how wonderful was that? Decided to have a leisurely surf (web not water of course) before breakfast after John went to work, but had an interruption from my mobile which never rings, certainly at that time of day. It was John - 'I've forgotten to bring my glasses to work, can you ask number 1 son to bring them in?' I thought it was mean to wake him up so decided to take them myself - which broke my leisurely reverie.

I didn't rush - John said not to and, as I always do as he says, I took him at his word!

Came home and worked hard at being the domestic goddess, ironing, washing, cleaning, shopping. Number 1 son and girlfriend thought it would be nice to have a barbecue - had they not seen the weather forecast? Off we went to Sainsburys to buy the requisite burgers (Taste the Difference of course, darling), sausages & rolls - plus a skirt, can never have too many clothes can I?

Number 1 son and I went to town, I offered him lunch which he turned down, saying he thinks lunch out is a waste of money (boy has he changed over the last few years) so instead we went slightly out of town to buy more bird food and a new broom (just like Julie's :)) and home to have lunch - 2.30 by this time, unheard of for me to eat lunch so late, mind you made the day go really quick. Rounded the day off with sweeping the front doorstep and garden - very long overdue!

The computer man came round this evening to look at the PC which has been running like the proverbial three legged donkey for some weeks, apparently all the protection software installed is making it limp along rather than run. He installed something called Kaspersky which isn't a free programme but will hopefully solve the problem. We need a new CD drive plus the TV card installed isn't working so he will be back next week for that. We have been really lucky in finding him to look after things for us, nice local business man, nothing's too much trouble - highly recommended.

We eventually had our barbecue indoors, which was very tasty.

Number 2 son and girlfriend are now cooking their dinner, she starts her new job tomorrow and hopefully he will finalise the details for his as well - it would be really helpful if you could all keep your fingers crossed for them, please.

Weary Wednesday

I was just struggling to come up with a W to describe Wednesday when I realised just how tired I am! Damn hormones are wreaking havoc again, HRT pretty good but only for three weeks out of four, never mind I'm allowing myself a bit of a lie-in tomorrow and not going to work until after I've been to the dentist - I know how radical am I becoming, eh?

Work OK again today, had a lovely lunch break with Lisa (again, how radical to actually have a lunch break and not work through with a sandwich!)

Wednesday has become a tradition now for number 2 son & girlfriend to have dinner with us, poor L has spent the day at her new job today, she's just got her first hairdressing job after college, she came in about 6.30 and looked sooo tired - almost made me feel good! After a simple but delicious (is that one worn out yet??) dinner of Kievs, jacket potatoes and salad they trundled off to their other home - with L's parents, wouldn't surprise me if she slept all evening.

I can feel the beginnings of withdrawal because BGT is not on TV - however I am quite happy at the moment because Manchester United are currently losing 1-0 (that'll teach 'em for thrashing Arsenal!!!)

I stumbled across a great blog this evening http://insideaileighsheart.blogspot.com/ really made me (and Julie) chuckle - take a look, I'm sure it will brighten your day too!! I'm trying to get to grips with the clever ways of adding links, meanwhile please make do with good old copy & paste!

Soggy Sunday!

Yuk - what a horrible day, woke up to rain at about 6.30, became optimistic about 8.30 and got soaked getting the washing in at 11.30.

Never mind, tomatoes and dwarf beans have been planted in grow bags - not sure if the beans are supposed to be in grow bags but they're planted now. Number one son made 'wigwam' supports for the beans, which promptly blew over when the wind got up - may have to rethink that one!

I've treated myself to a laptop bag - designed to keep it tidy at home and to protect the lap from heat!

I have also become addicted to the Gardenhood app on Facebook - I know, I need to exercise restraint. Trouble is it doesn't happen fast enough for me, the plants need to grow overnight and you run out of money really quickly so it's a matter of waiting and being patient - strangely enough I can do that in the real garden, no problem.

Something I won't be doing is naked gardening as currently being demonstrated on BBC1 Countryfile! How very bizarre!

Looking forward to the Chelsea Flower Show on TV this week - I keep promising myself a trip, I'm sure it's a fabulous day, maybe next year...

Oh Happy Day!

My dreams have come true - I am the proud owner of a new sparkling laptop! Little did John know that I had stood longingly at the weekend, trying to justify the expense - could use son's staff discount, plus Nectar card points but that would still leave me short... now I can sit beside him on the sofa Tweeting, Facebooking & blogging the evening away - pure bliss!

I sat at work today thinking that I'd love to spend my days writing creatively - used to love it at school, all those years ago, found it all quite easy. But then reality bites - it won't pay the bills will it? Now the laptop has arrived who knows!

Back to domestic matters and good news on the agricultural front - the peppers seem to have started to grow, my son was sooo pleased! I must say I was too - otherwise it would be a fiver down the drain!! And the grass is starting to green up as well, number 2 son proudly announced that it was due to the fact that he had drenched it to puddling last night.

That's all for now - need to investigate the rest of this beautiful machine!

Today & yesterday

Yesterday was fun! Day off work, planned to do the housework in the morning and to meet Julie in the afternoon for shopping.

Lovely start to the morning, cloudy sky - quite windy - decided to take a chance with hanging the washing out (I am obsessed with line drying washing). The inevitable happened, just get out of the shower to find a few spots of rain on the windows - nothing unusual there - it was so windy I thought it was bound to blow over, how wrong! Rushed out into the garden with flip-flops on - I had forgotten just how difficult it is to walk in the wet with flip-flops (even my classy gold coloured ones), managed to stay upright but got soaked and had to add to global warming with the tumble drier (I can't believe I've just written a whole paragraph about the laundry!!)

Both of my boys were home yesterday morning as well, number 1 son surfaced about 10.30 and proceeded to clean his room and the bathroom - yes, without being asked! Number 2 son arrives home at 8.30, goes back to bed and resurfaced about 11 -promptly sat on his backside moving only from the sofa to the PC when I vacated the chair! How different can two boys be? Bring on martyred mother, a role I have become very expert in, bemoaning the fact that my day off was spent doing housework etc - he finally swept the kitchen floor, bless him!

I left home in atrocious weather to meet Julie but we had a great time, I accomplished my mission of buying number 1 sons' girlfriends' birthday present - its a secret just in case she should ever stumble across my ramblings - plus a few other bits, including shoes that I will need to confess to at some time soon. Had a pleasant drive back to Julies' shouting obscenities at a young man in a BMW - Julie's idea, not mine (ouch - I felt that), had simple but delicious dinner together and then home to bed.

As you can see from the pics below I have spent most of the day gardening - strangely soothing I find, no opportunity for the mind chatter that gets in the way at other times. I feel quite satisfied with my achievements today - back aches but hey, just another ache to complain about!

Going to veg out now in front of the TV - Britain's Got Talent, but its also got dillusionists, coming up next - I wonder what tonight will give us??

I knew I shouldn't have started this...

Bank holiday Monday. The morning has been spent with my beloved, trying to find places that sell fires & fire surrounds ended up in B&Q (other DIY stores are available) - bargain! Half the price of the posh shops - only draw back is you have to fit them yourselves, hope the boys will be up for the challenge!

I'm really pleased that I have made my friend Julie famous (if only in her own mind) by mentioning her yesterday - see I've done it again so she's twice as famous!!! I don't know if anybody else will ever read what I'm writing - always wondered that with Twitter though and look at me now, I have conversations with people even though I only really know four of the people that I follow or who follow me! I also seem to have managed to attract some very dubious would-be (female) followers who tell me they're looking for love! Not to worry - the men at Twitter seem to be on to them.

It's a shame the weather is so miserable today - really grey skies and quite chilly - 'cos I really need to get out into the garden. We have decided to grow veg this year - only in pots so not too adventurous - watch this space for the progress. So far we have planted strawberries in one of those strawberry pots - loads of flowers so fingers crossed, lettuce, radishes and mini carrots. My son planted peppers but I fear that they may be doomed to fail as there are no signs of life after several weeks :(.

John has just made me a sandwich for my lunch - how thoughtful of him, as (if) you get to know me thorough this blog, you will find that I'm not always so kind about him (that doesn't include Julie 'cos she already knows!)

Time to knuckle down now and finish the ironing and other bits. Back to work tomorrow so must prepare myself mentally for the onslaught.