Life!

Had a better night's sleep and got up at 7.30 had shower and breakfasted on porridge and banana again. Lovely sunny morning. Spent an hour catching up on blog then went down at 10 to wait for Amanda who was picking me up on her way back from doctors. She was delayed so listened to book in reception. When she came we went to Three Lions for a coffee then back to Son Ferrer to the market. Got an amazing pink fleece throw for €5 and some great cheese, pate and sausage to take home. Sun lovely and warm although a cool breeze. Had coffee and doughnuts when we got in and Amanda and Sam gave Bethany a bath. Sam went out in the evening to play darts and Amanda and I watched the second part of Silent Witness and I polished off the red wine!

Didn't sleep very well - tried music several times with mixed success - and inevitably woke later than intended 8.30. Got up leisurely with sun struggling to get through cloud. Made myself porridge with banana and tea. Had shower and cleared up then set off  at 10.10 to walk to Son Ferrer. Tried to follow maps and routes printed from Google plus information Amanda had given me on the drive back last night. Found the beach path and had pleasant walk along the sea front. Cloudy but mild and sea very calm. Magaluf not only deserted but looking run down and as if shops and restaurants have been closed for years! Hard to believe that it will be thriving again in a couple of months. Spent an hour investigating google routes which didn't work including two hills and a road with no pathway. Eventually turned on phone to see where I was and navigate back to main road where I picked up the path Amanda had pointed out and had a straightforward walk from then on to Son Ferrer. Arrived at A

Roger's anniversary.  Got up at 6.30 and had shower etc. had early breakfast and cleared up, got cases down and took suki for a quick walk round Wendell. Set off for Stansted at 8.35. Caught 607 as delayed by woman searching endlessly in her bag for her Oyster card. Terrible crush on Central line but eventually offered a seat. Didn't really clear until St. Paul's. As expected I was asked for the printed version of the train ticket at the barrier even though web site says show the text to them.  Luckily had saved the web page to view offline as there was no phone signal for internet access by barrier. Stansted express very quiet indeed and I was finally able to start my audio book Chess Men by Peter May. Loved it straightaway - I could listen to that Scottish accent all day. Straightforward getting through security at airport. Went to Boots to get sandwich, toiletries and cal pol etc then had a coddle at Starbucks. Sat on the floor because couldn't be bothered to get ign

Lorraine's birthday. Walked suki in Acton park in the morning. A nice day with sunshine. Got last minute things ready for Majorca. Put cross stitch into small plastic pocket and realised all hoops left in Devon so borrowed one of Lorraine's. Had poached eggs on marmite toast for lunch - eggs provided by work colleague of mike from hens running free in his garden. Delicious. Went to Tesco to get bread and milk for mike and then went to get stuff from pharmacy and Lebanese meal of rice meatballs and veg. Had this for dinner plus made up a plated meal for freezer. Went to choir separately as I wasn't going to the pub. Helped sort out Richard's outlook fields in the interval! Went straight home afterwards and threw clothes into the washing machine. Put them on tank to dry and went to bed. Another alcohol free day!

Walked suki in Acton park and actually enjoyed it. Lovely sunny morning.  Sorted out music on phone. Able to put on albums which wouldn't copy over - don't know if that is new computer or new phone software. Put on another Leonard Cohen album as good for sleeping! Took all photos off phone and downloaded Dropbox and Google drive to new computer - had been resisting this but decided was needed. Took some time to sync both folders!  Packed for Majorca. Went ringing with mike. New guy Martin crick turned up- very useful. Tony came too. Had a good practice and enjoyable time in pub. Malcolm and Martin both good company. Had diet coke. Alcohol free day!

Got up early and took Suki for a walk. Did the usual circuit. Monica let me off chiswick as they would have enough without me so took the opportunity to walk keys round to David for church sitting and got cards and paper to wrap cot blanket.  Put some photos of Bethany on to Flickr which Lorraine had. forwarded to me and sent a link to John.  Mike played organ. We went to Burnham Beeches when he got in and had a pleasant if squelchy walk with Suki. He had to change clothes when we got back. Suki found a new way of lying on mikes bed to maximise warmth from sun. Then mike went off to ring QP at Ealing and I finished off CDs for Jayne and wrapped cot blanket. 

Suki picked up by Emma at 11.30.  Mike went off to Barnes to learners practice. I did bit of ironing.  Went over to Barnes at 12 just as coffee shop closing. Mike played organ for 3 hours. I got baguette from Delice and a latte and ate it in Melville room then hoovered round. Then practiced stop pulling and page turning for Mike's outgoing voluntary. Spent the afternoon with the others preparing ringers tea. Kristen had cooked amazing chicken meatballs and thighs. I took some meatballs home for tomorrow's lunch. Everyone said it was best ringers tea they had ever had! Helped clear up then skipped the meeting and went home. Spent the evening copying Jayne's CDs to computer and downloading the album info before making a copy to send to Jayne. Had a red berry cider for a change. 

Malc's 65th birthday. Walked Suki to the vets via Bedford park. She let vet scrape tartar off her teeth! Impressive. Got back about 11 and did lots of email admin. Got tax disc for car. Ordered a couple of things for Lorraine's birthday. Ordered some cheese. Ordered some things from amazon plus some premature baby nappies for direct delivery to Amanda. Printed off all my travel documents, checked in on line and printed off boarding pass. Took suki out at 4. Mike on his way out to Barnes when I got back as practising the organ for surrey meeting tomorrow. I went to Tesco and bought vast amount of salad leaves and cherry tomatoes. Did ironing when I got back and then went to ringing. Got there at 7.40. Alley was there. I rang Glasgow a few times and some bob triples but nothing too taxing on wrists. Came straight home and made veg pasta with garlic and drank half bottle of red wine! Watched second part of silent witness. 

Mike went to work. My car picked up at 8 for service and mot. Took suki round Acton park - nice and sunny ( didn't last).  First day for a long time where no deadlines. No cross stitch deadline, no method to be practiced on Abel for a while and no music to be urgently learned. Did lots of email admin.  Tried to remove smell from bedroom carpet by using febreeze floor liquid and steam cleaner.  Steam cleaner initially wouldn't work but found some liquid des calmer and put some in the tank and that did the trick. Nearly gassed myself with steam from neat descaler. Changed the sheets on the bed. Had shower after walking suki in the afternoon and got ready to go out for supper with Pru and Caroline. Waited for car to be returned until 5.30 and then gave up and set off. Saw it go past as I was going up Dordrecht so ran back and got keys. Very crowded on tube and bus. Got to restaurant 20 mins late but they knew I would be. Had lovely meal with a couple of new dishes - pacanga and ba

Call to push came too late for me to get there on time and weather dodgy anyway so walked suki in southfields then walked up to St M&AA to put booking forms through parish office letterbox. Grilled salmon fillets with mash and carrots and cheese sauce for lunch. Spent afternoon practising Yorkshire on Abel.  Mike went to cumberlands. I went to guys to attempt Yorkshire on 5-6 with Mark Caroline and James. After several miserably short attempts where I was rubbish had one last go and rang two thirds of a peal before it all went pear shaped! About two hours and some of it really nice. Went for a drink at Azzuro. Got home just before Lorraine - had long nice chat with her and I had hot drink and coffee brandy. Lorraine had a small one too but couldn't drink it so I helped her out. She had been drinking champagne and then Prucia earlier. Mike came in about 1 am - having gone for a curry after pub!

Got up reasonably early and got washing going. Two loads at 1 hour 12 mins each. During that time had breakfast and cleared away, ran Hoover round, emptied bins etc. when washing all done packed car and took suki to Parke for an hour - woodland and back by the river. Wearing my boots but could have done with wellies in parts. Boardwalk very icy and tricky to walk along. Then set off home. Got petrol at haldon. Struggled with tiredness towards the end. Got back at 3.30 after straightforward journey. Lorraine got in just after me. Unpacked car and put stuff away. Had cup of tea and took suki for quick walk round Wendell then caught up with email admin etc. Lorraine made supper of Mediterranean vegetables and rice which was lovely and gave me time to go through the music for rehearsal. Went separately to choir because of committee meeting. Meeting finished at 11 so went straight home. Pouring with rain. Had hot milky drink and coffee brandy. Went to sleep at midnight.

Got up slightly later as plumber coming. Had breakfast and cleared up and put coffee on. Stuart turned up at 9 and once he was set up I took suki out on the moor. Lovely sunny day again although strong cold wind on the tops. Walked from small car park rhs down to tramway and along Templar way then up the bridleway and up on to the col and cairn below black hill and back along the ridge. Lovely hour and a half walk and nicely sheltered from wind until the col. Then went to see Mary - arriving just in time for coffee - and stayed until lunchtime by which time it was lashing down with rain again. Had jacket potato for lunch. Stuart put heating on to test at 2 and went for a quick lunch. Lovely to feel the house getting warm at last. He and Jason (son) carried on with bits and pieces and finished at 5 pm. Total cost £1750. Paid him online immediately and then took suki for a walk around the block - le molay then up high street, posting a parcel to jayne's mum as we passed the post offi

Had slightly disturbed night but kept going quickly back to sleep again. Got up just after 6.30. Timer set for heater didn't work but the one for the heater in the bathroom did which was nice. Took suki to Parke for an hour at 7.30. Still dark but quickly got light. Then went ringing and to church. Helped Jean to communion rail! Traidcraft stall afterwards so stayed for coffee and spent a happy £20 on the stall. Then went home via Tesco to pick up more washing liquid in anticipation of finally being able to do some tomorrow when new boiler in. Had porridge for lunch having only had a banana for breakfast so good on calories. Wrote an email to mike and then did sewing - stitched the fleece to the back of the cot blanket and did the fraying to finish it at last.   About 4 by the time I got out with suki and absolutely lashing down with rain. Went to Parke and did short woodland circuit and back through the fields. Had intended to go to see Mary but we were both absolutely dripping we

Lovely morning - crisp and clear with blue skies and sunshine. Had really good night's sleep which made a nice change. Decided to have tea and porridge first and then go out on the moor when roads likely to be a bit less icy. Had a lovely walk - it was absolutely glorious up on the moor. Cold and clear with blue skies and sunshine. It was quite busy when I got there and even busier when I left at 11.30. Went from small car park round to black hill then over the next 4 tors towards Hay Tor until I picked up the very end of the tramway and then went back along the tramway all the way back to the car park. Finished cross stitch in the afternoon the. Went for walk in the plantation. Still light at 5 pm. Having difficulties with Morgan computer which keeps hanging following commodore update so spent some time updating and pruning the NetBoot to use instead. Then practiced Yorkshire on Abel for a whole before settling down with wine and veg pasta to watch some tv - watched Dave all night

Got up at 6.45 and set up heater in bathroom for ablutions. Planned to have high exercise low calorie day by going for long walk before having breakfast and thus leaving out one meal. Worked brilliantly and ended up with 1000 calories unused at the end of the day.  Icy outside so didn't use car for walk. Went up to Shaptor woods then walked down the track and back along Moretonhampstead road and up the first public footpath. This came out oppisite Dorothy's house so not really very useful but at least have ticked it off. Amazing view and sky from top of hill by wood. Low cloud over Bovey with clear moor visible above.  Walked back via hairdresser and made appointment to have hair cut - Ryan  suggested appointment in 20 mins so walked back with suki and fed her than went straight back out to hairdressers. Had hair cut short to shoulders - had intended to have short layers on top but was happy with the longer layers Ryan put in. Still felt it looked better with sides tied up when

End of mortgage day! Checked on phone that endowment maturity had gone in. Amazing to see such a balance in the current account. Mike went to work. I packed car for Devon including the aquvac then went to pick up Susie to go for a walk with Maryanne. Started on Ashridge estate and did circular walk round Grand Union Canal. Lovely day and super walk although very muddy underfoot. Had nice lunch in Valiant Trooper in Aldbury - sausages, bubble and squeak, and homemade baked beans. Drove Susie back to Acton Central then got some petrol and set off for Devon. Got there at 6 to find boiler dead. Tried various things then rang plumber from The Cottage. He came straight ou (7pm) and discovered boiler casing full of water which had blown electrics. Decided to get new one -- he can do it on Monday. Put heater on in bedroom and stayed in there for the evening. Had jacket potato with cheese and opened a bottle of red wine. A little over cLorie goal despite long walk due to bag of sweets eaten on

Went up to convent to do pushing. Barney there and very badly behaved - leaping on to one of the ladies when we got to Chiswick House and nicking the bread show was holding for the ducks. Walked back via the pet shop and got a large cooked bone to try on suki. Soup and crumpets for lunch. Stitched first part of name in afternoon then took suki for a walk. Lorraine there when I got back which was lovely. Chatted constantly until time to leave for Guy's. Had very smooth journey for a nice change. Didn't get anywhere near scoring a peal and even failed to ring a QP -720 being the best we could do. Had nice meal at Côte afterwards. Had salad instead of frites with my steak so even stayed under calorie goal. Used vouchers from Clubcard so only had to pay £10 each. Went to bed with hot drink and last of orange brandy (bottle 1) plus a small coffee brandy.

Got up at 8 again and then spent an hour trying to sort out lack of internet access. Ended up chatting on line to BT who eventually advised that service provider had changed from today! Hence new router presumably. Mike didn't know how to contact his IT section and eventually found a number in Prague to ring! New router installed and internet access eventually restored about 11.  Very late taking Suki out and had to get back for mike's 11.30 conference call as expecting delivery of Henry. Absolutely lashing with rain and wind so just did quick round of Wendell. Of course sun came out after we got back.  Henry arrived in the afternoon after all that. Had Dahl soup for lunch with crumpets. Stuffed pasta with veg sauce for supper. Started cross stitching name on blanket. Went to choir in the evening. Good rehearsal and nice time in pub. Midnight by the time I went to sleep though.

Awake. Between 3 and 5 - resorting to Leonard Cohen in the end - so slept in till 8. Lashing rain and wind anyway so not good for going out with suki. Water coming in on extension side of wall too now.  At last back in the 10 zone after straying back to 11 over Christmas. Took suki out after breakfast at 10 by which time lovely blue skies and sunshine. Lots of flooding in park. Walked to chiswick to try and get glasses fixed as arm bent. They managed to straighten it a bit. Due to go for eye test in March so will probably manage till then. Went to Robert Dyas and got kettle and jar opener in the sale. Got bus back and picked up rolls from Munchies for lunch. Spent most of the rest of the day on admin and emails. Ordered new vacuum cleaner - Henry micro numatic. Alley came round for a lift to ringing at 6.45 so we arrived quite early. Enough people there to spare me too much ringing. Had bangers and mash in the pub but still below calorie count for the day. Bethany arrived by c-section

Walked suki and went to 8 am. Then usual circuit. Didn't need to ring at chiswick as they had 8 so went home early and cracked on with cross stitching the final block. Finished it at 9pm! Mike played organ. Had veg pasta for lunch, and Dahl soup for supper so good day for low calories. Mike went to choral evensong - choir full of professionals as Lizzie's birthday. Went to pub afterwards so only came in at 9.30. I finished off Dikmen. 

Mike sorted suki out and I went to Highbury for handbell peal. Rang nice peal of double Norwich with David mike Trimm and Chris O'Mahony. Had bread cheesecetc lunch with David. Caught 13.40 train home which ground to a halpt between Camden road and Kentish town due to loss of power on overhead lines. Sat on floor for a while then got a seat. Luckily had book on phone to read. About 4 pm we all got off via the driver's cab and walked along track to Kentish town station. Used map on phone to find underground station. Got home 5 pm! Mike didn't mention anything about it when I got in, nor even ask if I had got the peal. I had texted him to walk suki as I had assumed I wouldn't get back till after dark. Then discovered he had not had any lunch even though I had specifically suggested he get something in Barnes as I would be getting a light lunch at David's. Heated him up a Lahori and made Dahl soup at the same time for myself. Did huge amount of ironing in the evening a

Dreadful rain first thing so just took suki for short walk to Wendell and back via askew road. Sun and blue sky later. Rang handbell peal of Cambridge on 3-4 with Steve, Hamish and Margaret. Some of it quite good although I got quite distressed at one point with the effort of concentration. Weather appalling by the time we had finished. Had goose broth for lunch which had been cooking in the slow cooker since last night. Did cross stitch in the afternoon and carries on in the evening rather than go ringing. Finished the penultimate block.  Just one more and the name and date of birth to go. Mapped out pattern for the name and date ready for printing. Opened the Dikmen - really good. Possibly better for having laid down for a while. Litre bottle but with 3 nights to consume it should be ok. Went to bed and read for a while - started Prime Suspect. Have got kobo app on iPad now so can read it in bed on larger screen but still have it available on phone when out and about.

Mike went in to work and suki and I got a lift to sutton court road with him and went for a walk in chiswick house. Spent the morning at the computer catching up with admin. Had phone call from Jayne which was great and then had a call from Amanda which was also lovely. The baby is quite low and she is having mild contractions so they think she is going into slow labour and baby will come in next two weeks. Then had call from Malc - spent Christmas in Cyprus and had nice all inclusive hotel and warm weather! Practised Cambridge in the afternoon. Took suki out about 4 and got back just before mike came in. Wet and horrid by then so decided not to go out to eat as planned but to eat up left over Chinese and curry and drink beer. I started penultimate cross stitch block. Went to bed at 10 with hot drink and orange brandy.

Saw amazing fireworks in Dubai on tv so watched more on YouTube  http://youtu.be/C9kRCUny7RU . Had leisurely start - mike had a shower. Went to den ham at 10.30 and met Maryanne for walk. Supposed to be with Steve Mary Jim and viv but they had bottled out because of bad weather forecast. Mike dropped me and suki off and went to harefield and sat in car reading. It was a wet and muddy walk along the grand union canal towpath but wind was behind us and not too bad. Got to pub at 12.20 just as mike was getting out of car. The others arrived about 1. Had lovely lunch of smoked haddock and salmon fish cakes. Had waffle with cherries for pudding - although diet officially started again today. Now competing with gill how on app to each ten stone. Weather deteriorated through lunch and was appalling when we left so very glad we didn't have to walk back. Dropped Maryanne off at her car and got home about 3.45. Had shower and loaded office from jack's disc on to new computer - worked fin

Got up and had plenty of time to do breakfast, clear up and pack car. Set off just before 9.20. Got to ashwick at 11.20. Jay already there. She had ordnance survey map (which had seen better days) and I borrowed it and walked from tower to pub at doulting beacon while mike rang a QP.  Took me till 1.15 by which time they were getting worried about me! Very muddy so very glad I had brought some wellies. Had a few navigation problems but they were all overcome and I really enjoyed the walk. Had excellent veg lasagne with chips and garlic bread for lunch in the pub. Then mike went to knapsack farm a few yards down the road and rang QP of grandsire Triples on the mini ring.  I sat in car and had started to watch programme about canoeing down Everest on iPad when Margaret turned up with Tobias wanting to ring handbells - so we went back into the pub and rang some plain bob minor then kent and then stedman. Had suki on my wrist the whole time and she was rally good except when people in the