Join me in the Pokey

Hello my little chickadees

How are we all? Still being a lert? Come on now it’s the latest government by word and for goodness sake take some notice of it. We may not all agree with it but it’s there for a reason. So get over it. I can’t wait to go out in the garden and sit in my new oak swing seat. It’s a doozie and I love it. I can’t wait to sit in it with a glass of vino watching the sun go down. At the moment the winds are north easterly and far to cruel to sit out in, but we’ve been promised warmer weather next week. Whoop whoop.

Also a couple of random pictures of the garden taken over the last couple years.

The oak swing seat
from Home Plus

Circa a couple years ago

Daisy and Donald 

Cyril Squirrel

Fox with her cubs in my garden
Kitchen window view in case
I scared them

Day 55 Monday 11^th May

Any idea what real day were on I haven’t a clue? I’ve put Monday up here but that’s because it feels like a Friday. No I know it doesn’t make sense but I’m losing the plot.

Late riser this morning although I was awake at 6am for a wee I didn’t get up until late. So brekki was bacon sarnie with tomatoes. 

The weather is horrendous and windy. Keeping an eye on the garden. Posted my blog and it worked first time. Now that is a surprise

Did some housework but mostly lazed about. 

Afternoon sat wrapped in a blanket watching tv

Dinner steak and veggies

Watched Monarch of the Glen and caught up with tv. 

News rubbish

Went to bed at 9ish and read

Yep it was that boring a day so nighty night.

Day 56 Tuesday 12^th May

Woke at 6.25am stayed in my pit until just after 8am but I needed a cuppa. So down I went in my jim jams this time. I thought about a cuppa Earl Grey but that didn’t last too long. However for a change I did have chocolate chip Weetabix for brekkie. I like to surprise my stomach in the morning.

11am and I was at a Zoom meeting with SW which proved to be really interesting, and it was good to catch up; even virtually.

Lunch was a healthy salad with a tuna sanrnie and cup of chocolate and coconut green tea. Actually it really does take on the taste of both.

This afternoon I decided to carry on with my psychological thriller that I’m reading called The Reckoning Squad by Suzanne Burke. It’s very chilling and I’ve already got two in the frame but knowing our Soooz I’ll be wrong. It’s well worth picking up the eBook version or the paper back dependant on your preference. I prefer reading kindle because my hands are knackered with arfur and all the knobbly bits. – I’m just getting your little grey cells working there.

For dinner I decided on steak, salad and potatoes with wine

There was a TV catch up in evening but I don’t watch the government update much as it’s too depressing.

Early night for me so nighty night.

Wednesday 13th May

Day 57,000,965,000 in lockdown in pokey – or something similar.

Woke at 7.30am and got up at 9am as nothing urgent to do today.

Maybe I should add that I do get showered every day but the decision is the clothes to wear. It’s miserable outside and I can’t wait for the heat to start again.

This morning’s offering was egg on brown toast for brekkers. I like to give my stomach a surprise in these dour and dismal days of lock up or down, or whatever it is now.

My plan was to get the hoover out today and clear out upstairs again, but I changed my mind and washed the bedroom curtains from the window overlooking the back garden. This made the curtains overlooking the front garden seem scruffy so I did them as well. I hung them up damp and the creases fell out (sort of) so nice result.

I then did a bit of ironing and scared the life out of the iron board which fell down – honest! I had a quick sarnie for lunch with some salad bits. It’s so hard at times trying to keep up with this Slimming World malarkey, and I’m sure I don’t eat enough, therefore I store fat. Urgh. You can’t win.

I suddenly noticed that my hands are like carboard and yet I cream them regularly. It’s all this washing of the handies and sanitising after deliveries etc. Better to be safe than sorry though. Oh and update of the roots and moo-stache. Well the hair roots are coming through a dirty blonde grey still. (Who knew) I haven’t seen my natural blonde for years. The moo-stache? Well lets not talk about that. I SAID lets not talk about it. Can’t you see my hand is up? Talk to that.

Dinner was a jacket potato with salad and cottage cheese. I know it’s not everyone’s favourite but I don’t mind it.

I spent the evening reading my kindle with a cup of hot chocolate. What’s all that about? The wine bottle called to me but it eventually gave up and climbed back into the rack. Eventually I took the kindle to bed and snuggled under the duvet. This is an old house and it gets cold quickly, but I refuse to put the heating on. It’s May for goodness sake.

See you in the morning. Nighty nighty.

Day 58 Thursday 14^th May

I woke at some ungodly hour for a wee and noticed a reflection shinning on the ceiling. It turned out to be the solar lights reflecting their light from the garden. Phew. I eventually fell asleep again at … I have no idea, I was asleep right? Come on, get a grip.

I do know I woke up just after 6am though because I looked at my phone. It’s clap for the NHS tonight. Or is it the keyworkers, or carers? Does it really matter? They all deserve a clap, so I’ll be there.

I padded down stairs in my dressing gown and stuck the kettle on for a hot cuppa. It’s still so cold out there and we had a frost! What’s that all about? Brekkers today was a bacon and tomato sarnie. It was a bit like a builder’s breakfast and a mug of builder’s tea except I like mine a bit weaker.

I got the cleaner out today again, but couldn’t get motivated enough to use it so I checked on all the seedlings that are growing. The carrots are really taking off, as are the onion and spring onions. Finally, the peppers have popped their heads up to take a look around. They can all be planted outside soon.

I forgot to fill the bird feeders up this morning and it was so strange to see the array of different species of birds lining up on the fence scouting everywhere for just one seed. So, I put a coat on and went out to fill everything up. They all flew off of course squawking but a couple of the bigger braver birds stayed to see what I was doing. It was to their advantage of course as they got first dibs once I went inside.  I love my new sitting position by the window as I get to watch them all in secret.  They soon made short work of the seed everywhere, as I scatter it on the grass as well.

Whilst having lunch of savoury chicken rice, I contemplated my navel for fluff. No of course I didn’t but I bet you either went eww… not when you’re eating. What are you thinking. OR What did you find?

I put the tv on at 2pm and caught up with some films I’d recorded. That took me to around 6pm and I was getting peckish so I cooked dinner. Salmon with mash potatoes and veggies followed by a cornetto ice cream. I know but I needed the treat. And I syned it, which was about at least 65! It’s chocolate remember. 

At 8pm I went outside along with all my neighbours on their doorsteps to clap. It was freezing on our side of the road, so we didn’t stay as long as usual. I was pleased to get back inside to a hot drink. It was a quite evening of tv and a late glass of wine and then bed around 10pm. Nighty nighty.

Day 59 Friday 15^th May

I woke up at 08.30 this morning. I was surprised to see how light it was.  I don’t pull the curtains at the back of the house at night as I can lay in bed and watch the birds in the trees going about their business early morning. Oh and also normally I watch the sun rise. I was too late for all of that this morning. It did feel warmer though so I slipped on my dressing gown and made a cuppa rosy. Don’t start!! I decided on fried egg on toast with bacon tomatoes and mushrooms. Nom nom.

I spend the morning working on my computer and also updating this blog from yesterday. I did consider stopping doing them in case they were becoming boring but the general consensus seemed to be – No! keep doing them we like to know what you’re up to. Ok fair enough. I put a status up on FB saying … 

” I wonder how long it will be before the wildlife realise it was only a short reprieve” The air has been cleaner and the skies so blue. Then during a conversation with Phill Thorne on Radio Ashford I suddenly said I can’t wait for my window cleaner to return to work. Basically, that will mean another couple of cars on the road and back to the pollution again, so how selfish was that comment?

Lunch time now and it’s a salad sarnie with pink lemonade for a change. It was warmer this afternoon but I finally spent the rest of the day doing housework. I could be lying of course as you would never know! Actually I did do some so there, take that, and that.

Dinner time came around and I had a chicken stir fry with greek yoghurt 0% fat and veggies.  I got the kindle out during the evening as there was naff all on TV that I wanted to watch. I’d recorded one of my favourite programmes, Gardeners World to watch tomorrow.

I should finish this story I'm reading over the week end I reckon and then all will be revealed for me.

On a daily basis, I tune in to Wake up with Webbo and Phill Thorne. It’s a great local community station literally looking after the community. Webbo does his show from the studio from 6am until 11am all on his lonesome in a deserted building - at the moment - and then Phill takes over up until 2pm… From his spare bedroom which he’s turned into a studio because, like me, he’s shielding. How’s that for commitment. Also they promote me regularly as a local author. 

Here’s a link and it’s also on the web as well.

https://radioashford.com

https://radioashford.com

No poem this week, cos I don't feel like it okay? Maybe next week.

Laters Potaters