Life!

21 - 23 February 2020.  Based at Llechwen Hall Hotel , Pontypridd The day after returning from Devon I rang a handbell peal of Yorkshire with Steve, Muffie and Pete - I was fine all the way to the end and went haywire in the last half lead (again!). I must try to do something about that - or am I just getting old. It was really lovely to ring with Pete and Muffie again - all sorts of little things reminded me of the old days ringing with them. Dashed around in the afternoon - went to to Macken to get Monica's meat which I had offered to collect, bought lots of nuts and dates for Dinos to say thank you for mending our cuckoo clock again (it had given up the ghost after one too many hard pulls on the chain by Harry!) and got some flowers for Monica. Monica was having Suki for the weekend, so I took her up there about 5 pm and helped Monica move a bath panel upstairs. Back home for an hour's sit down in front of Tipping Point then off to Barnes with Mike to score a QP of Double No...

Thurs 13th Set off at 10.30 and arrived about 2. Reasonable journey. Listened to fourth protocol by John le carre all the way. Lost huge chunk of tooth on fruit pastille. Tempted to doze after a cup of tea but snapped out of it and ironed the guest bedding whilst watching tipping point and pointless. Took nearly 2 hours! Also cleaned the fridge - huge improvement. Practiced on Abel for hour and a half in the evening before watching death in paradise with one glass of wine. Fri 14th Had a nice relaxed start. Went up on the moor. Very windy and wetter than I had anticipated. I should have worn my waterproof trousers and I should have taken my walking stick as it was slippery in places. Suki walked for a short while and then I carried her in the backpack along to the summit at the end of the ridge and then down to the tramway. She walked all the way back to the car from there and seemed quite happy. Quite a long walk for her. Went to Trago and got a bin and some new taps. Weather ...

The day after we got back from Devon, Amanda and the kids went off to visit friends for a few days and then to stay with Carolyn, so we had some peace and quiet for a while. I got a lot of admin done - it is that time of the year when I have to get accounts and other stuff ready for Barnes AGM, and collect in subs from Southern Middx members, and collect in the forms from the Middx towers and from the other district secretaries and update the database, as well as sending out new member packs.  I seemed to be behind with it all as there hadn't been much chance to get started up until then. On the Sunday it was the Chiswick Ringers lunch at Monica's - and because Suki was having surgery the next day she was "nil by mouth" so we left her at home as we thought it was kinder (and safer!).  First one she has missed - she is usually the guest of honour!  I walked some of the way home afterwards - my step count had been hopeless so far this year and I needed to do somethin...