Fan of Heartbeat

Hello. Not a lot happening here today. The usual Monday morning Crafty Club, numbers down a bit, people must be busy with other things. This afternoon a friend came round and we had a coffee and natter. She comes to the village every week day during term time, to walk two dogs belonging to a teacher couple. They pay her to do this, as the dogs would be on their own too long otherwise. After that I did a Jade dog walk, that is the last one now, as her regular walker is back from his hols, and will take over tomorrow. Jade will be pleased, as Ken lets her off the lead to run in the fields. I have kept her on the lead as I don't want to be chasing after her if she decides not to come back.

I've got a bit hooked on watching the old Heartbeat shows on yoootooob. I love the Yorkshire setting, the characters, and the storylines. It's easy viewing, a little bit of drama with a splash of humour. The village of Goathland is used for the filming, I've been a couple of times, it's a lovely place, and great for walking. To all the blog readers outside the UK, Heartbeat is a glimpse into village life in the 1990's. Mind you, there seems to be quite a bit of crime going on, I'm sure it's not like that for real, ha ha. It's got the pub, a shop, a garage, a police station, farms and cottages.

I've found a short clip, it's one of five that goes behind the scenes. Have a look, and if you think you might like it, give one of the episodes a try. Each one lasts about 45 minutes. Let me know if you like it.



I'm going to get myself a mug of hot choccy and watch another one.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Mind your language

Hello. Isn't it sad that people of supposedly higher than average intelligence feel the need to use foul language when they feel strongly about something. Anger rears it's ugly head in many aspects of our lives these days. The media, including magazines, newspapers, TV, and internet, are all becoming littered with offensive, filthy mouthed swearing. What does this say about the person spewing these profanities? The message I am getting is that it reveals a lack of self control, a lack of anger management, and an inability to express oneself eloquently due to a limited vocabulary.

Keyboard warriors are the worst culprits. It's so easy to punch a few keys on a keyboard before putting your brain into gear, with no thought of how your words might be perceived by the millions out there reading it. Anger mixed with foul language is a toxic combination and belongs in a sewer.

I don't suppose the millions of trolls out there give a stuff about how many people they offend, they see swearing as cool, makes them feel big, gives them a buzz. Anonymous trolls hide behind their anonymity, they haven't the guts to put their names to the bile they spew. They are to be pitied.

Then there are the people who you wouldn't expect to be swearing, those that do put their names to their words. It comes as a bit of a surprise that those well known faces should compromise their position by allowing their anger to bubble up to such a degree that they are no longer in control of their fingers darting across the keyboard.

Mind you, woe betide anyone who dares to challenge the use of foul language, for on social media they can easily be deleted. Warning, when you challenge an angry person who is spewing offensive language, your comment will be dumped. Maybe not immediately, but go back at a later time and it will be gone.

Don't mess with an angry person, it's not worth the hassle. Ignore. Being angry makes them feel good. Leave the anger with them, it's their anger, not yours. Do not take any part of it. Keep calm, move on.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

PS. Please don't swear in your comments. Thank you.

Homebird

Hello. What a change in the weather again, no two days the same. Damp and drizzly and overcast. I did the Jade dog walk this morning, and was glad to get back into my comfortable house. After lunch I finished off the six bags I started the other day. The fabric is not bright and jazzy, but when I saw it at the Scrapstore I thought that will do nicely for bags. 

I was thinking the other day that I haven't been out in the evening for ages, except for the WI talk I did the other night. Can't remember the last time I got my glad rags on and painted the town red. I think town centres are to be avoided at night, they seem to be geared up for boozy youngsters partying. I am too old for that sort of thing. My social life is virtually nil.

I shall be going out next Saturday night however, been invited to a birthday party at a pub in the next village. My good friend Helen is celebrating her 50th, it will make a nice change. I won't be stopping long though, about an hour will be fine. There is a band and as you know I can't cope with noise, I also won't drink, have to drive home. 

Nope, not much socializing happening here at the moment. My nights are spent in my comfortable living room, on my super comfortable second hand sofa, the whole suite cost me all of £50 from my friend who emigrated. A brilliant buy. Reading a book, listening to the radio, or watching something on yooootoooob, just me and my kitties. Trouble is, I put my feet up, and it doesn't take long for me to drop off to sleep. Reading always makes me drowsy. 

Bugsy has a choice of dinner as usual. Now what shall I eat first, Felix or Gourmet Gold. A quick lick of both and he goes for the milk. It's a good job he has, I've ground the tablet to a powder and mixed it in. I started by giving him the tablet whole but it was so stressful for both of us, it's easier to dissolve it in a drink. You should have seen him earlier on today, he scoffed every bit of his food. I reckon I will come downstairs in the morning and most of this will be gone. Only two more tablets left for tomorrow, then we'll see how he goes on after his medication has finished.

Right, time for relaxing on the sofa. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon
Toodle pip.

I love to go a wandering.......

Hello. The first sunny day we've had for a week or more, best get out there for a walk. I made a small pack up, only going to be out for about four hours, so just need something to keep me going. So, step out of my front door and go. I've posted this view before, the track goes along the bottom of a wood, with the river in the distance across the fields. 

Approaching the Industrial Estate I found a colourful plastic coated picture dumped in the hedgerow. Shame no one will see it there, let's put it on the fence. Very artistic I thought.

Oh dear, the car park of the vacant office block has been invaded by the travelling community. I thought they lived in caravans because they like travelling around. Making a mess as usual.

I followed the River Trent, there is a boat unloading at Flixborough wharf. Can't get close enough to read it's name, but if I go on the Marine Traffic web site it tells me that is is still moored now, it's name is Scanlark, it's flying the St Vincent Grenadines flag, and  it's gross tonnage is 1371. Have a look here for more details.

Further along the Trent I came across two more boats at Gunness Wharf.

H & S Fairness is a general cargo boat, flying the Netherlands flag. It was built in 2012, it's home port is Delfzijl, and it's overall length is 87.75 m. It arrived here at 32.35 last night.

Wilson Almeria is flying the Maltese flag, it's home port is Valletta. It was built in 2010. It arrived at 23.45 last night.

I bet you really wanted to know that information didn't you, ha ha. The Marine Traffic site is really interesting.

If you want to see where my yacht ILONA is, have a look here.  It is actually moored in London at the moment, at Marsh Wall, the Isle of Dogs. Perhaps I should go down there and see it again. I last saw it in 2012 when it was there for the Olympics.

Ooops, forgot, getting carried away, I'm supposed to be writing about my walk today. From Gunness, I took a track which is an old railway line, now for walking and cycling. It goes over the M181 close to the roundabout at the end of it. In the distance you can see the big Tesco store where I do my yellow sticker shopping.

Homeward bound now. I walked through the outskirts of Scunthorpe, taking the most direct route back. Leaving the houses behind I picked up a tarmac footpath, which led onto a rough track and through some fields. The sun is just disappearing over the horizon.

Coming into Flixborough village with three miles left to do, it was starting to get dark. As luck would have it, someone I know spotted me and stopped to ask if I want a lift. I gratefully said, yes please, he was going my way, so I hopped in. It was 5pm when I landed home. Checked the mileage on Bikehike, and it was 11 miles, so I'll add that to my total on the calendar, making it 62 up to date. Nice to get back into the swing of longer walks again. Must do more.

Pleased to report that Bugsy is doing well. The tablets he is on are making his poo really sloppy like oxtail soup. Other than that he is eating ok, and moaning when I haven't given him the right food. There was the option of taking him for another injection today, but I phoned the vet and said he is doing ok and doesn't need it.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Have a nice weekend.
Toodle pip

Mucky boots.

Hello. Fancied something different for my breakfast this morning, rather than the usual bran flakes, ground nuts, seeds, and fruit, and a banana. Twas half a tin of Value baked beans, 12p, two scrambled eggs, 28p, and two slices of seeded bread, 14p. Filled me up a treat, had a late lunch because I was still full at 1pm. 

Weather is still a bit murky, though not raining. I got my walk done before lunch today, and went a different route. The farmers are getting in the sugar beet. Two tractors trundling up and down the track and tipping them onto this pile.

I watched for a few minutes. I had a job once driving tractors through an auction, it was hilarious. I like tractors. I like JCB's as well. I had a go once at driving one at the JCB test site at Ashbourne in Derbyshire, they don't half bounce around. I imagine the suspension must have improved a lot since then.

Clever how that machine scoops up the roots and discards the tops of the plants. Wouldn't mind having a play with that monster. 

Coming back for another load, best get out the way.

 Oh heck, stuck up to the eyeballs in mud.

Moving on. Money saving tip. Are you coming to the end of your toothpaste? I bought the Colgate for 50p ages ago from Poundstretcher, it was on offer. It has lasted a while, I only put a squidgen on my brush, hate having a frothy mouth. Anyway, the new tube is a Tesco Value one, only 25p. It might be cheap but it has all the ingredients needed to clean teeth, and is accredited by the International Dental Health Foundation. I have used it in the past, it's perfectly fine, and the minty taste is not too strong, which I like. Give it a go, no need to pay silly prices for toothpaste.

Think that's about it. I'm making some more shopping bags, always something to do.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Does she ever stop talking!

Hello. Some smashing stories on yesterday's post, worth going back to see if any more have been added since you last looked. Thanks to all those who shared their inspiring stories of things not going according to plan, and how you have found a new direction. I applaud you all. 

The talk I did for the the WI last night went down really really well. One lady came to me afterwards and said what a rotten day she's had, and my talk was just what she needed. I was chuffed. The ladies were lovely, must have been about sixty of them. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned, the larger the audience the easier it is for me. I get my feedback by watching their reaction to my stories, that tells me where I should be going next. Whether to speed it up or slow it down. If they miss something they can always come and ask me later. 

I move about a lot, wandering up and down, using a lot of gesticulation. No point in standing there like a plank. My aim is to enlighten them about the joys of a frugal life, my good life on a pension, and  to make them laugh. I want them to go away chuckling to themselves. That certainly happened last night. 

I take some props with me in bags, then after the stories, I get them out and lay them on the tables, explaining a bit about my arts and crafts. I donated the last two of my shopping bags to the raffle, now I need to make some more, ha ha. After tea, the ladies come and have a closer look and ask questions. I hope I have inspired some of them to think about using recycled materials when they do their own crafting. 

There isn't a photo of me from last night, but I have found this old one from a few years ago when I did a talk at the Arts Centre at Caister. Showing the bag I made from Judo belts.

I popped to town yesterday to pay some bills into the bank, and to get some of Heidi's favourite cat food. She likes Sheba in the mini pouches. £1.50 from B & M. I had a look in the Age UK charity shop while I was passing. They sometimes have some lovely picture frames in there. No frames, but a rack full of recently donated jackets. Worth a look. Wow, spoilt for choice here. I chose these two. I really need to throw out some of the rags I am walking around in, ha ha. 

Nice eh! Good condition, hardly worn, zip up to the chin, pockets, just the job. The best part is they are only £1 each. I know, amazing isn't it. So lucky to have a £1 charity shop in our town. 

That's it folks. I've just remembered I should have picked up some magazines from Paul's house on the way back from the Jade dog walk. I had better go and get them now. My head would fall off if it wasn't screwed on.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

What are you going to be when you grow up.

Hello. I watched the first episode of Tina and Bobby on itv catch up last night, and was hoping for something similar to the Cilla story set in the 1960's. Sheridan Smith played a very credible Cilla Black, she seems to be able to turn her acting skills into any character she takes on.

Michelle Keegan plays Tina, wife of Bobby Moore, Lorne MacFadyen plays Bobby. I must say, I was a bit disappointed. Michelle left her role of Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street a while back to explore different roles and establish herself as a versatile actress. I didn't see the drama set in the army in which she played a squadie, 'Our Girl', I think it was called. Re inventing yourself each time you take on a different role must take quite a lot of effort, some can do it, but sometimes a little bit of the previous character is always there in the background.

I was hoping to see a brand new Michelle Keegan, giving it her all, and taking on a whole new personality. In the first episode I saw Tina Coronation Street, playing Tina the Footballers Wife. The script wasn't particularly enthralling either, the scenes were too short to encompass deep emotions, not allowing the actors to showcase their full potential. The producers/directors were in too much of a hurry to fit everything into the first episode. It didn't have me on the edge of my seat, and I am not chomping at the bit to see what comes next. I will watch, but only to see if the acting improves.

Anyway, that's bye the bye. It got me thinking about the different roles we all find ourselves in throughout our lives. When you think about it, we have to adapt to our circumstances, we have to keep up with whatever changes present themselves to us. Ok, so we don't have to switch from one character to another like actors do, there are longer periods of time in between our different roles. Quite often our roles do overlap, and for those expert multi taskers it shouldn't be too much of a problem when with practice they can jiggle two or three roles at the same time.

For years I defined myself as being a lorry driver, a woman working in a male dominated environment, I adapted to that role. Now that is in the past, I have a new role which I have created for myself. Yes, I harp back sometimes, the memories never go away, but we are all acting on a big stage or on a film set. We all have a role to play in the grand scheme of things. Finding the right pace on how fast we move on in life is all down to us as individual actors.

Michelle must have asked herself at some point if she wants a fairly secure job for life, by staying in Coronation Street, in the same way that say, a person working at the steelworks might want to work in the same place until retirement. Michelle chose to make changes and take a different direction, to explore new opportunities.

I was happy to stay in transport because of the variety, I had to adapt very quickly to driving all types of vehicles and deliver all kinds of loads, and work for lots of different companies. It gave me a buzz. Then the buzz died and I moved on.

Right some questions for you. Are you where you want to be, honestly? Can you see yourself doing something else? Will you be able to adapt? Will you be taking on new roles? Or would you like to stay where you are? There might be another role for me yet, something else might come my way. That's the exciting part of life, it evolves, new situations, never know what's around the corner.

I'll leave you with that thought. Bugsy has eaten overnight, and this morning. He seems a bit better. I have a WI frugal talk to do tonight, need to get my props ready for that.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Bills Bills Bills

Hello. And the bills are piling in this month. Vet, car MOT, petrol, and Tesco food, all on the credit card. Been on the phone today paying for car insurance. Meters have been read and the gas and electric bill have arrived. The water bill came last week and that has been paid. Next month will be the car road tax. A lot to go out all around the same time. Never mind, there is money in the bank to pay for it all.

Big hike in the gas bill for the last three months. Piddling small amount for the previous quarter, and £99 for this quarter. I've been treating us to some heat, although I have known previous winters far colder than this one. My excuse for spending a bit more? Bugsy needs to be warm. The electricity bill is slightly higher due to longer dark nights, need the lights on more. My supplier also sent out an annual summary which is quite useful. Based on the actual annual cost last year, the estimated costs for 2017 are £197 for gas, and £179 for electric. If I was on a monthly direct debit, which I'm not, it would be £31.50 a month. I can live with that.

I went to Crafty Club this morning, it was a good turn out, a new lady joined. I took Bugsy to see Marian the vet this afternoon. It's a drop in centre so no appointment required. I was a bit concerned that he had stopped eating again. She found a sore spot in his mouth so he has had an antibiotic shot, and something to stimulate his appetite. I have some tablets to give him over the next three days. Hope fully there will be some improvement soon.

Jade dog walk when I came back from the vet. No sign of the regular walker yet, we don't know when he is coming back off his holidays.

Got to cut this short, need to go upstairs and spend some time with Heidi. She seems to be forever in the spare room, can't get her to come down and stay with us in the living room. She is a little bit subdued, I don't think she is feeling too good. I've had a word with Marian and we both think I should up her medication dose slightly, and go back to the original dose of one tablet per night. Her gums are not as pink as they should be, she is becoming a little bit anaemic again.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Just popping in.

Hello, howz ya doin. I'm just out of the bath, sweet smelling and scrubbed. 

I have an idea for the next picture, fragments of fabric laid out on a backing. There will be a lot of stitching.Who knows how it will end up. Something will happen as I am working on it. 

A 'no cook' dinner from yesterday. Love the mushroom pasta with pine nuts. Watercress, iceberg lettuce and potato salad. Quick and easy. 

And the dinner today was similar, two boiled eggs and broad bean and mint houmous. Delishus.

I did three hours of walking today, my three mile route three times, back to back. I felt like I wanted to do a bit extra, and set aside the afternoon for it, 2pm to 5pm. I think I might do that again.

Just a quick one tonight. Bugsy is wanting my attention, he can't get settled. He's been off his food again.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon
Toodle pip.

Slashing the grocery bill

Hello me hearties. It's a bright sunny morning, makes me want to go out. Makes me think of all those lovely walks I am going to do this year. I've got a spring in my step. 

My yellow sticker dash last night proved very fruitful, I got £24.82's worth of food for £6.20. Howzat for money saving. This little lot will last me a couple of weeks, along with other bits and bobs I bought, till receipt at the bottom. Quite a bit spent was for the cats, mainly Bugsy and his treats. 

There's diced onions, broccoli, cauliflower, spring onions, carrots, potatoes, rice noodles, egg noodles,  houmous, salad leaves, potato salad, watercress, mushroom pasta, brussels sprouts, pancakes, and a 30p cake. Gotta have a treat. 75% off most things. Of course a lot of it won't need cooking so a saving on gas will be made as well.

Everything here is all out of date as from midnight last night. I shall inspect my fridge 2 or 3 times a day, and will eat what will go off the quickest, first. After all the salady stuff, if I think I might not be able to eat the rest in time, I will cook the veg up into stews and freeze in margarine tubs. These are my ready meals.  

Yes, there's a bottle of plonk there, I am not doing dry January, my alcohol intake is very low, one bottle every 3 - 4 weeks, so why should I deprive myself of that. This weekend is Wine Weekend, the bottle will last four days. The meaty items and tuna, along with the cat food are treats for Bugsy.

This yellow sticker dash seems to be turning into a monthly ritual. In between times I sometimes pick up a bit from Aldi if I am in town, and buy a few items from the Discount stores, B & M, Home Bargains, and Poundstretcher. Occasionally I will call into the small Asda which is within walking distance, if I have 20 minutes to spare, and I will pick up a few oddments from the Cash and Carry as I drive past there on my way to town. Keeping my food bill low is really easy, I have it all organized, I know where to shop within my budget.

The places I don't go are Sainsburys, and Marks and Sparks,  far too expensive. Morrisons is at the other end of town so is the big Asda, I have no need to drive that far. I have looked in Farmfoods, the mainly freezer place, they don't have much that I would actually eat. We get a leaflet through the door every so often, there was only frozen veg and Quorn that I would actually eat, all the rest is processed, ready meals, full of sugar, junk. No thanks.

Anyway, I'm sure you have your favourite foods and places to shop, which will be different from mine, according to how many you shop for and what the rest of your family eat. I must say, shopping for one is very easy.

I'm off out now. Too nice to be in. Thanks for popping in, have a nice weekend.
Toodle pip

Painting the easy way.

Hello. That's another one finished, I think. I say I think because I'm not so sure that the frame is right, but it will stay like this for the time being. I found a frame yesterday at a charity shop for £1, which was the exact size I needed. It's a metallic gold and there isn't a mark on it. 

The paint is household emulsion from the sample pots, the black outlining done with a fine liner felt tip pen. I found a small Body Shop lip brush in my ancient makeup box, it was perfect for this job. Doubt I shall ever be using lippy again.

And this is the piece of fabric before I started. It's quite thick, like a heavy curtain fabric. Some of the colours only needed one coat, some two coats. 

I did think that a black frame would look good to give the colours extra vibrancy, so I stuck some tape around the edge. Not so sure now. I am now thinking paint the gold frame silver, that might give it a more modern style.

The picture size is 10 inches by 12 inches. I love it. Think I'm going to keep it.

The bad weather is here, snow this morning though it was gone within an hour of falling. It's still windy and cold. I might do the yellow sticker dash tonight, if I can be bothered. Need to fill the car with petrol as well.

Thanks for popping in, the weekend is here, enjoy, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Bums on softer seats

Hello. Two hours in the sweatshop and six cushions are finished. I will drop them into the church on Monday on my way to Crafty Club. Someone might recognize the fabric. Thank you blogger Brenda from the Boro, as you can see your donation makes very nice cushion covers. 

I found an easier way to shred the stuffing. Dear Rocky's brush does a better job than my fingers.

No snow yet, but it's raining now. Bugsy went off his food again, but is now back on it. He has just scoffed some tuna fish. He seems to like the spring water variety better.

I have a picture ready for framing. I had a frame in mind and made the picture a bit bigger, but after laying the glass on it and putting the frame on top, I will lose a lot of it around the edges. That would be a shame, so now I have to find a bigger frame or make one. I have some glass, I'm now going to look in my wood stash to see if I have anything suitable.

Barbara asked how am I getting on with my shampoo experiment. I've had 23 washes so far from a 440 mil bottle of Aldi shampoo costing 35p. I an not half way down the bottle yet, so it's looking like I will get around 50 from it. I'll let you know when it's finished.

Things to do. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Stretching the stuffing

Hello. It's all very well making something new out of something old, a bit of upcycling to help save the planet, make do and mend rather than buying new, but it can be a bit boring at times. Using old materials means there is some preparation to do. Things to take apart, and then rebuild. All this takes time, probably easier to  bin things and start afresh with something new. But you know me, I hate to throw anything away which might come in useful. 

My friend Bob came round a few weeks ago, he was on his way to the tip and thought he would call in to see if I wanted anything out of his car before it got dumped. Some good picture frames among other things. Three cushions which looked ok. They were a bit small and filled too fat with lumpy stuffing. I thought I would take them apart and could probably get six new cushions out of them. Not that I need any more cushions myself, but I have some spare fabric and I could make them for the church. 

So here I am pulling apart the lumpy wadges of what looks like wool that's come straight off the sheep, and shredding it into a less dense stuffing. Six cushions are made out of old sheets, and six covers are waiting to be sewn up. It's like a cushion making factory in here. What a flippin boring job. I'm sure it will be worth it in the end, the parishioners will get something soft to sit on. 

It's been blowing a hoolie all day here, the Humber Bridge is closed to high sided vehicles, as is the M62 bridge over the river further upstream. I walked Jade this morning, and checked on the Summer House while I had my boots on, before going back inside. I'm pleased to report that it's still standing, still solid, and the roof hasn't blown off. The water buckets are full so they are doing their job of catching the rainfall, trouble is they are too heavy to move, ha ha. A lot of the plants in the raised beds have survived so far, I put bulbs in a couple of months ago so it should be a good show for the spring and summer. Mind you it has forecast snow, so we'll see what happens after that.   

Time to make my dinner. I'll make a big pan of something or other with what I have got in, to last two or three days. It'll be chuck it in and see what happens. Can't be bothered to go shopping.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip