Day 52 & happy mail

I wasn't too good yesterday so I spent the day clearing my messy laptop and starting some knitting.  A preemie cardigan that doesn't look too difficult to do. . . . as I say knitting is not my forte so we will see . . . .

Today I have been forced to get up as there was a delivery by the postman from Julia Watts.  I attended a couple of workshops by her some time ago, she is on my wavelength and has the patience of Job!!  I now order from her website.
Back in January I decided I would try out using Alcohol Inks and bought some Yuppo paper in preparation. . . . yesterday I decided to buy the Alcohol Inks!!!

I rummaged through Julia's website, chose my colours and sent off the order.  Later on I watched the show on Hochanda and decided I wanted a couple of stamps, so placed another order.  I was very pleased actually as one of the stamps sold out on the show but Julia still had them on her site.  Buying them from Julia, I managed to save 10% and free postage . . . .  love saving money!!

Anyhows, today the inks have arrived!!!  How's that for service!!  Will have to have a play . . . .

Meanwhile outside in the sunshine . . .

The greenhouse is having work done to the inside (Thumb version!  Never noticed)

I think the tomatoes are calling for some attention!!  (without thumb version)

Day 50 and Colonel Tom's 100th Birthday - Go Tom Go!

Day 44 since my first symptom of covid-19 displayed

Day 38 since official lockdown.

Can you tell it's still raining!!  lol

I have sorted my post today, taken photos of my swaps, thanked folks and, hopefully, caught up to date with most online work.

All my Cardmaking Group have been thanked . . . The cards have only been shown online, we decided not to post as we weren't sure about delivery.


Noobie Swap

Colour Swap - Blue

Style Swap - Male

Technique Swap

Alphabet Swap - D. . . Dancing Pig

then there's my ATC Group.
I would show you the photos but Blogger wants to show them all different poses and I am not prepared to argue the point!!!

I am now about to sort out a list of all my swaps for May.  With the postal workers affected by this awful virus, the swap cards have to be created as quickly as possible in order to allow the longest delivery time . . . .  you understand?  Good!
I shall now go to silent mode . . .

BTW  It's still raining but someone still has to fetch the eggs . . . .










                                                                       

WOYWW #569

My thanks to Julia (see tab at top of page) for hosting another get together of deskers.

I am in the middle of sorting out past post (!)  All my post has been collected into one box and waited patiently for me to sort it.  I have managed to take photos and thank folks but that was it.  Now it needs to be filed . . . . . .
My Desk:

My unsorted post to the left and my sorted post to the right . . . .Just behind the ATCs & Coins box can be seen the last of my Charity kits, I purchase them from Christine and the cost goes to a different Charity each month.. . On the keyboard is a list I am compiling for Glitter and Glue . . . you may get the completed one today Margaret but don't hold your breath!!

I also have this morning's post to do as well . . . . Thank you Postie for carrying on working.

In other news . . . . it's still raining!! 
I am not complaining as it has perked up all the plants I have planted and re-potted over the last few days.

Thank you to all my visitors, over the last few weeks your comments have really cheered me up.  I will try again to visit as many Blogs as I can . . . .

Day 48 of Lockdown - mine

Day 42 since my first symptom of covid-19 displayed . . . . I have been out of the house once, no visitor has come inside.  DDN stands outside, regulation 2 metre distance!

Day 36 since official lockdown.

Just thought you would like a few random facts. . . .

It's raining . . . . did you guess?

So many choices on what to do today . . . . first off I have to find some ATCs sent to me at the end of March, looked everywhere but can't find them sooooo will have to dig deeper . . .

Cleared a load of received emails  . . . . am I the only one who reads and moves on leaving the emails sat in my inbox?  Surely not . . . .

The ATCs are not found but lots of other cards that need acknowledging were found . . . . March certainly knocked me out of kilter!

We're having a 'knockup' meal tonight, I have had a sort through in the freezer in the inside fridge, Liver Stroganoff, Mashed Potato and Mediterranean Vegetables. . . . doesn't sound too bad if you say it quick!!  lol

It will be followed with a bowl of fresh Strawberries and Cream . . . .

Then a binge watch of Thor . . . . . that's one and two I think . . . . late night . . . . .

The corner is cleared.....hurrah!!!!

Today's project is to plant the blue clematis!.  It is going right at the end of the fence which means that the corner will have to be cleared.

I have looked at this corner so many times over the last few years .... it never used to be like this . . . . but when you're ill that's all you can do . . . . look . . .

I waded in and cut back all the mint and other 'stuff', mainly weeds.  I removed the clematis, still in the pot in which it was bought, and disentangled the dratted yellow honeysuckle.  It has self rooted itself in between the house extensions . . . . wonder if I could self root myself . . . in Paris possibly?

Now that I can see wot's wot, I took down a few of the bricks, cleared the back soil and rebuilt the wall, much neater now.  I planted the clematis and spread it over the 'netting', poor thing only had two shoots. . .  it will receive much more love and attention now.
I have back filled the little end wall and round the Euonymus with the soil from a couple of spent tomato pots, they're coming in very useful this year!  The half sack of chicken muck was put under and round the blue pine fir, another plant that has just about survived the lack of attention, all the dead has been trimmed away and it looks much happier.

BTW: while I'm in the back garden, PJ is out in the front garden trying to remove the couch grass.  DDC, PJ and I tackled all this some years back but the central corner was left.
I have tried to get someone to do it  . . . . but to no avail even if I offer to pay.  It's not a lot of area but very hard work which I know I cannot do so PJ made a start. 

He had cleared about a yard square then I received the phone call. . . he was not quite prone but close, his left leg had given way and he was sat on the ground. 
We managed to get him upright, (that's the time one could do with a neighbour) and through the house to sit in the back garden.  Cup of coffee and a book called for methinks!  lol
We sat watching the chickens, talking things over as one does . . . coffee and cake definitely helps!

I potted up some Aeoniums that I have, I overwinter them inside normally but some how the poor little green one had stayed outside. 
I found the pot with two rosettes and a load of weeds when I cleared the corner.  I fetched my black ones outside and potted them both up, they will sit on my theatre along with their 'friends' through the summer. 

Something to make me smile first thing in a morning!!


The really small pot contains some Ferns, minute ones which were growing in a wall when we were on holiday. . . . I don't know what it is called but it is tiny, black/green and really pretty.  I am pleased that it survived the winter, I was worried.

Tomorrow I hope to continue along the blue garden towards the pond.  Did you notice the blue fairies and the blue 'egg'?  They are just a few of the blue ornaments that we have acquired over the years. . . .

 

Garden day again....

Spending as much time in the garden as the weather allows and my body doesn't call time!!!
Managed to finish painting the fence and then dig over round the remaining plants.  I added some spent compost from last year's tomato pots and planted the new clematis.  One more to plant, supposedly a double blue, but I mulched with chicken muck so this will be a dirty job.
.

We had the pigeons messing around at the top of the garden, one was quite aggressive so we now have a pigeon with what looks like a broken wing.  He settled into the forsythia bush for the night, well hidden.
He came out this morning and flew/hopped into the chicken ranch.  He managed to sit on top of the hutch so I nipped in and left him some food and water, chasing the hens out  ha! ha!

He seems to be quite happy in there now so we presume tonight we will have seven chickens and a pigeon on the perch!!!  lol

I've pruned an old vicious blackberry back today, what a difference it has made to the garden, opened up some more of the shrubbery.

We managed to plant Olive into a pot so she might be a bit more happy, I don't think she enjoyed being in the corner by the Blueberries....time will tell.

The chickens loved checking to make sure she had all moved over and there were no worms or grubs left behind!!


The bushes round the perimeter of the garden come out in different coloured flowers as the Spring turns into summer.  The Forsythia is the first to show it's yellow flowers, quickly followed by the Ribes of which we have the red one, I hope to get a cutting of the pale pink one soon, both of these have now 'gone over' and waiting to be pruned.

The Lilac has pride of place at the top of the garden but is quickly being outshone by the Yellow Lilac which I am 'looking after' for a friend.


I noticed that the Wegalia is coming into flower, such a  pretty bush.

Another day or two over, lots of jobs done and really just one more to do - planting the blue clematis - but there is rain forecast ..... boo!hoo!  I shall have to go back to crafting I suppose!  lol

First day out ....Shopping

Today the project is to go to the warehouse and stock up again.  DDN came and fetched me and off we set. . . . masks and all!  Walter the Walker came with us as we didn't think I would be strong enough to walk round in one go.  I was so pleased he did as I used the seat part quite often.

On our way there we had to wait for a police van to go past, flashing lights etc. and noticed that there was quite a gathering of police cars and vans as we went past the large shopping centre at the Swan Island.  Thank goodness DDN was not shopping there today!!

When we arrived the queue was back to the underground car park - a long way believe me.  They wouldn't let us in so I sat on the walker and DDN went to join the queue . . . . way back out of sight.  Eventually I was called forward and then . . .  someone had to go to fetch DDN so that we could be let in next! 

Inside there was plenty of room to walk round without 'touching' anyone so we managed to get the trolley filled and to the checkouts quite quickly. . . .  The walker was invaluable as I sat quite often while DDN fetched what I wanted. 
At the checkouts we still had to wait so I sat on the walker again . . . .
We came out into blazing sunshine which was a shock as it was quite cool and overcast when we arrived.  We drove back home quite easily, no police rushing about and, after unloading the car, had fish & chips for lunch.  Another good day but I am certainly tired out so time to sit and sew!!   Tomorrow I must sort out the 'blue' garden's plants, the Clematis really need to be planted so that we can appreciate their blooms.