One persons rubbish.

I am all about recycling. I put all tins, glass and plastics in a bag which get taken to the recycling bins at Sainsbury’s. I also use the compost bins in the arm for my vegetable peelings. If I can recycle it I will, I have even used the clothes bin at Sainsbury’s to get rid of clothing. So this morning I was amazed to see someone had been fly tipping rubbish which could not possibly go in the recycle bins.

Keith and I took a walk into the town so he could post of something he had sold on Ebay. We usually walk up through the Sainsbury car park, because it is quicker and on doing so we pass by the recycle bins. Well someone clearly had been fly tipping rubbish, which could not go into the bins provided for paper/card, plastics. tins, glass and clothing, so they just left it in the bags. On top of the bags were two stone garden ornaments.

A little girl.

Digging dog.

Both had been abandoned to who ever would either rescue them or end up breaking them. I thought well if they are there when we come back I will rehome them. We walked up into the town and did what we needed to do. On the way home low and behold the two ornaments were still there just waiting for someone to give them a loving home and so we have. They are now both happily standing in our garden.

What makes people dump rubbish where it is not allowed and why dump something like these ornaments??

It is a bit black over Bill’s mother’s. More rain on the way I think.

Wet weather and taking it easy.

Oh joy of joys, this weather is certainly watering the garden well, which of course saves me the job.

My Runner Beans are now seeing who can climb to the top of the canes first.

My Dwarf Beans are coming up really well, which is amazing because I only planted them a few days ago.

Lettuce will soon need thinning out.

Tomato plants are coming a long a treat.

There will be Strawberries me thinks this Summer mmmm.

Whilst the rain has been poring down, Keith has been taking things easy. Poor man cannot blow his nose for at least another week, so is stuffed up to the eyeballs. The sea spray he has been given seems to be helping with the cleaning of the nostrils and he can at last breath through both his nostrils when they are not bunged up. It actually helps if he lays down, otherwise his nose keeps running. Sneezing is still a problem, he has to do it through his mouth, which is noisy and could be messy. He could have opted not to have the operation, but I think in time he will appreciate having had it. Last night he went to bed at 9 pm and was a little unsettled throughout the night, which included snoring, so I did not get a huge amount of sleep. I sat up till 10.30 pm watching The American with George Clooney. I just as well have gone to bed, because it was not the best George Clooney film I have ever seen. Slow and boring come to mind.

Today has been a better day weather wise, so I went out with my camera. Photographs can be seen on my other BLOG. Whilst Keith took things easy, I got on with taking Paddy for his walk, then filling the water tank and emptying the toilet cassette. A woman’s work is never done.

Finally Home.

Yesterday (Thursday) I got up at 7.40 am, so a bit of a lie in after a disturbed night. Not even with Marmite keeping me company could I actually sleep all night, but hey ho. Up and the kettle went on and so did the news. I do like to know what is going on first thing in the morning.

After my breakfast Paddy got his walk and then he and Marmite got their breakfasts. Paddy is such a sweet boy, he sits in his bed and waits for his biscuits, but Marmite is so very vocal and she will not shut up until her food is in her dish. You can see who rules the boat between the pair of them.

I did a quick tidy of the boat and at 9.30 am my phone went off, telling me I had a voice mail, it turned out to be the sister from Keith’s ward, saying he was ready to come home (Hooray). So I dropped everything closed up the boat and did a speed walk to the hospital. Keith was sat ready and waiting for the off, free from his wadding moustache. His nose had stopped bleeding and the doctor was happy to come home, with some spray made from French sea water (I kid you not). I was wanting to get a taxi home, but Keith insisted he was fine and wanted to walk home, so we took a steady stroll back to the boat, where Paddy and Marmite were waiting by the back cabin doors to greet his home coming.

For Keith it was feet up time for a while, whilst I sorted out something for lunch time. At 1.30 pm Mr Tesco came with our food delivery and we joked about anything missing. The gentleman said “You should be fine, but of course ring the number on the invoice should anything not be there). I unpacked the shopping and low and behold there were two items missing, Cat food and Cat litter. They were big enough so I should have noticed straight away they were not there, but I did not. So I immediately got on the phone to Tesco who said they would refund £10.99 to our account. Which was fine, I would go round to the pet store and get both items when needed. Within 10 minutes of making that phone call, my phone rang and it was the Tesco driver. He had found the two items. They had fallen down behind the empty trays. He offered to deliver them to me after he had finished his rounds, which would be just after 4 pm and he duly turned up at 4.15 pm with both items of which I was really pleased. Keith had an e-mail from Tesco to say they were refunding the full amount to our account, so he then had to e-mail them back to say, we had received our goods after all and now we wait for a reply to that e-mail.

After all the excitement of the day, we both put our feet up after dinner and watched the last of the Harry Potter films. After watching the film we were both ready for our bed and so into the land of nod we headed.

Girly night and long day.

Yesterday Tuesday, I went with hubby to the Day Surgery Unit for his Septoplasty operation. He had to be there for 1 pm and he would be second down to theatre. Due to the late time of his operation he was going to be kept in over night. Having done all the usual stuff about name, address, what they were going to be doing etc, he went down to theatre at 3.30 pm and I came home. I rang the hospital at 6.15 pm to find out how his operation went and was told it all went according to plan, no splints were needed and so he only had packing, which was good news. They would keep him in over night and he would be allowed out in the morning, or so I thought. With the news being good, I spent the evening with my neighbour and we had a really girly evening, chatting about anything and everything over a couple of glasses of wine. It was so lovely to be able to chat openly about any and relax after what had been a longish day. I got back to the boat at 11 pm and was so ready for my bed.

4 am came, so did 5.30 am and there I was wide awake, so there was only one thing to do. I got up made myself a cup of tea and then sat in bed watching “Good Morning Britain”. Now we normally watch the BBC 1 news, but I fancied a change and I quite enjoyed ITV3 for the news. By 6.30 am I was up and getting on with the days chores. I put the hoover round, then washed the floors. I got on with a bit of crocheting, because I am doing an order for a customer, so it was an ideal time to start on a pair of cushion covers.

8.30 am I rang the hospital to see what time I had to collect hubby, but the doctors had not seen him yet, so the sister said she would ring me back, but with no phone call by 10 am, I decided I would walk down to the hospital in time for visiting, which was from 11 am to 8 pm. I got there early so had a cup of tea in the cafe before going to the ward for 11 am. Hubby had had a poor night, no sleep and his nose kept bleeding. He told me he managed to turn his pudding Red. They had dressed his nose with a dressing which made him look like he had a huge white mustache, but it did the job of catching the blood until the doctor could see him. Lunchtime came and I went and had lunch down in the restaurant. Keith had some lunch on the ward and we waited for the doctor to come to say he could come home. I checked my phone and I had a voicemail, it was from my neighbour telling me our CO2 alarms were going off, so I rang her back and she came and collected me, so I could find out what was causing the problem. On returning to the boat, I checked everything over after switching the alarms off, but could not find the cause. The only thing I could think of it was very warm inside the boat with it being shut up, so maybe that triggered them. I will probably never find out. With the boat left open to allow air through, my neighbour kindly drove me back to the hospital and we once again waited. But as the day wore into the evening and his dressing seeping with blood, we became aware of the fact that he may not come home and this was confirmed at 4 pm by the sister. The doctor was still supposed to see Keith though after the clinics. I left Keith at 5 pm, because I needed to get back to the boat to feed mog and dog. On returning to the boat, I got on with painting some garden pots, fed the animals and walked the dog. I then went to the laundry to do a wash and as I had not heard from Keith, I rang him to be told he had not seen the doctor, but the bleeding seemed to have stopped.

We will not see what tomorrow brings. It never rains unless it pours for poor Keith.

Faces to blogs and gardening.

Yesterday (Saturday) another glorious day with wall to wall sunshine.

Marmite certainly took advantage of the sunshine and the mat I had put out to be crushed. Because she claimed it as her own, it did not get brushed until the sun began to go down.

Keith and I got on with a few jobs in the garden. We have a big problem with bindweed, so everyday we dig it up as it shows the first leaves. One day we will be rid of the stuff.

After finishing the gardening, it was time to get on with some more crocheting and this time it was a pale Green and White baby blanket to add to my growing stock. The table which the blanket is lying on was in need of a rub down and a re-varnish, so I got on and did that as well. Who ever varnished it before painted it with a dark staining varnish which covered up the wonderful Oak graining. I rubbed it down and painted a satin clear varnish on it, to being out the beautiful wood. Whilst doing this Sharon and Richard off of NB Oak Apple came and said “Hello”. They were looking to purchase a crochet blanket for their back cabin and I am going to make them some cushion covers to go with it. It was lovely to chat to them both later in the day and to hear all about their news and plans. I do so love putting faces and names together with their boats. Sharon has only recently started their blog, so please go and have a read and say “Hello”.

Later in the afternoon, we got to have our first BBQ on our pontoon. The BBQ was a freebie. Last year I visited a sanitary stations bins (Cannot remember where) and the BBQ was standing their asking for a new home. We believe it came from a hire boat, where the couple had bought it to have BBQ’s whilst on their holiday and by the looks of the BBQ they may have only used it once and then discarded it rather than carting it home. So it found a new home with us and is ideal for our mooring. Keith got the BBQ going and I prepared the burgers and rolls.

After dinner we had more visitors. This time it was Sue and Richard off of NB Indigo Dream. I pop into their blog from time to time and Sue and I chat on Twitter, so it was fantastic to meet them in the flesh. They had been in the arm with their boat whilst they went home, because Sue was poorly. But now back at the boat and feeling better, it was our chance to have a lovely natter, whilst enjoying the remainder of the sunshine. Hopefully we will see them next time when we are out cruising. A fabulous day.

Sunday morning and the sun was once again out and burning down on the roof of the back cabin. It was going to be another scorcher of a day. 11am we went off with friends from the arm to the Stratford Garden Centre. it was like being in a candy store. So many wonderful plants, pots and other lovely garden things, but we are on a tight budget at the moment, so we did have to watch the pennies. Keith wanted some plants for the rockery and I wanted a couple of Tomato plants and so that is what we bought, no more and no less, we were very good. Back at the boat, I made lunch and then we sat beneath our parasol out of the heat until we could get on the garden and plant the things we had bought at the garden centre. The two Tomato plants I have put in are Alicante and Money Maker, so I am hoping for a good crop.

It has been a great weekend and now we are sitting watching X Men 2. The heat of the day is now settling down and hopefully it will be cooler before bedtime.

Goodbye’s, gardening and varnishing.

Yesterday we said “Goodbye” to Christine and Richard on NB Mandalay. They had been in and then went off to Stratford and came back. They spent a few days moored behind us on one of the residential moorings, which was super. It is always such fun catching up with them both and of course I must not forget Rio their lovely Jacky. They certainly picked a good day to head off for Oxford.

Joy of  joy, Keith has an appointment for his nose operation. I only sent the deferment letter back two weeks ago, to get him back on the waiting list and we got a phone call on Tuesday offering him next Tuesday for his operation. Of course he said yes please. So we are in for a busy few days, because Friday he has his pre-operation appointment. Then Monday we have to go to the hospital to see Keith’s consultant about his MRI scan on his back. Fingers are crossed, we are hoping it is nothing serious. Then Tuesday he goes in for his nose operation and I should get him home on Wednesday all being well. Having it done early means he has the rest of the Summer to get himself back to normal.

Our new bird table is proving a huge hit with the local bird population. It took the Wood Pigeons a while to figure out how to get on to the table and there was I hoping to keep them off it.

The past two days have seen me varnishing. Yes I have my paint brush out again. The back cabin doors and the galley doors needed their yearly varnish, to help keep the weather out. Today was the second coat. I then got Keith to varnish the Castles on the doors in the back cabin.

I have been busy in the garden again.

Dwarf Beans In.

Carrots and Lettuce In.

Hollyhocks and Delphiniums In.

As you may be aware, I take lots of photographs of the flora and fauna along and around our canals, well I have found a good use for them. BLOG

The Saltisford Arm Trust are using some of them for their information boards.

Sorry not a good photograph due to the sunshine.

The boards not only give information about the wildlife, they also given information about the history of the canal and the arm and all about how locks work.

I am going to carry on with the photographs, so they can change the boards every now and again. Thank you to the trust for using my photographs.

After I had finished sewing the seeds in our garden. I spent a couple of hours weeding the Arms raised beds. I like to do it once a week to keep the weeds at bay. I am not sure I am always winning, but people walking through the Arm like the beds so I must be doing something right.

Crocheting and the Menopause.

This Crocheting game is so addictive. Any wool I have I make something. I as given some lovely Pink wool and had some White wool left over from another blanket, so I got on with making another baby blanket, this time a pink one with its own flower, which I also made.

I am trying to build up a stock for the Saltisford Arm Gala Weekend, which is being held in September. If I can make enough stock, I hope to be able to donate some of the money raised to the trust.

 

New to my stock ate Mobile Phone pockets, these ones are for the new larger mobile phones. I hope to also make pockets for ipod as well.

May I make a request:

If you have any unwanted knitting wool (No ball to small), and are happy to donate it. I would be only to happy to use it for my crochet projects.

Of late the weather has been some what unpredictable, but my garden is beginning to blossom.

I already have flowers on my Strawberries and the plants I bought off of Ebay are coming along a treat.

My Potatoes in the container and garden are also thriving. My only concern are my Runner Beans which have been slow to get going, but I am keeping my fingers crossed they start to grow.

Now to the dear old Menopause. Geesh you would think after Seven Years it would have died a death and given up the ghost, but oh no not with me. Before Keith got poorly in January, I was complaining that my back and hips were painful and we put it down to the mattress. After Keith came home from hospital, we bought a new mattress. It certainly helped with Keith’s back issues, but my back and hip problems have gotten worse and now my shoulders, elbows and finger joints are suffering. I am putting it all down to the Menopause, because I know this sort of thing can happen. It has gotten so bad this past couple of weeks, I have made an appointment to see my GP on the 9th June. Yes the 9th June. I cannot get in to see her before this. Well I probably could if I ring up each morning to try and get an appointment, but when I have done this before for appointments, the phone line is always engaged and when you do eventually get through there are no appointments available. So I have booked my appointment online and will wait and see her. Until that day I am on pain relief to help me be more mobile. In the mornings I am so stiff. It takes a few hours before I actually feel like I can get on and do anything, which is not like me. The hot sweats seems to be worse as well at the moment. I would love to think I am coming to the end of this Menopause saga, but It feels like it is never ending. I know one day it will stop, but after Seven years it really is getting to be a chore. I do not want to go down the HRT route, so I soldier on.

News on Keith. He is pretty much back to his old self  health wise. He still needs to get his strength and stamina back, but only time can help with that. He is now looking at having his nose operation next week. He had a phone message left on his answering service from Warwick Hospital yesterday about an appointment for his nose operation. Keith rang back this afternoon, and they have one for him next Tuesday afternoon (20th May), so will definitely be an overnight stop for him. He also has to go to the hospital Friday for his MRSA. By having such an early operation he will have more time to recover and will be able to enjoy more of this summer recuperating. It will be a busy week for the hospital, because Monday he has to see the consultant about his MRI results for his back. I think he needs a season ticket for the hospital.

Stoke Bruerne Museum re-opens.

Looking forward to seeing the changes sometime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xelWkNWrEEA&feature=em-subs_digest

One good turn and all that.

Over the past few days we have had some lovely weather, which has meant I have gotten a lot of gardening done. The main issue with our new garden are the weeds. We have a lot of bind weed and it grows so quickly, so every day we go out and search for the signs it is coming up again and did it out root and all if possible. 

One of our neighbours very kindly made us a bird table to replace my feeding station, which has been good, but being cheap it is already going rusty. Our new super dooper bird table is fantastic and we absolutely love it. The post we have used to fix it to is a Calder and Hebble Spike, which we bought to do the locks when we had our other boat, but it never got used, because the locks were all in our favour, so we have found another use for it as we will not be taking Hadar up there because she is to long. So we have given it a new life. Keith drilled the holes in the post and bird table post and I banged the spike into the garden. I did not miss once with the sledge hammer :-). Spike in and table attached, I added some mug hooks to hang the feeders off. Now the birds just need to earn that this is a new luxury way of feeding. The Blue Tits were straight in on the feeders, but the Sparrows are much more cautious. I dare say within a  few days they will all be on it. I am hoping it will help keep the Magpie and Wood Pigeons off, because they are piggies when it comes to eating all the food.