A Cold Lazy Saturday

I had a much better sleep last night and have felt more refreshed today. I think I'm finally beating the jet lag at last. I haven't ventured out today though except for a brief dash out into the garden, It's dry sunny and very cold outside with a harsh Artic wind. The sunrise this morning from my bedroom window was a n unbelievable brilliant red, not a good omen though if you believe the 'Old Wives Tales'

We're told to expect snow next week by the Met men. Since we had so much snow while we were in Canada I fully expect we'll have more dumped on us again. The early spring flowers below are defying the cold weather. They certainly cheer me up when I look out into the rather bleak garden. Well the flowers and the birds. The little robins been foraging for food around the garden. I see little flashes of his orange/red breast darting in and out of the bushes and I hear his loud, solo song during the night on my trek to the bathroom.

My lovely double snowdrops and wild self seeded primroses.

I decided today I should sort out my yarn stash. Pants (Nancylee) had packed it in a vacuum bag to make the pile smaller in my luggage.I tipped it all out onto the spare bed and added the stash I'd already accumulated. What a pile! It took a while to sort and packed it into ziplock bags to protect it. Now I need to make room for it in my office as it takes up three draws in the guest room. We've had a log fire today to insulate us from the creeping cold and save on gas of course. The resident 'log splitter' braved the chilly weather this afternoon and split another pile of logs ready to burn. You can't beat a log fire for warmth and ambience. Just a pity about the mess it can make.

Nearly Canadian Dave, the wood cutter!

The Jet Lag Continues

When I said yesterday that the jet lag was subsiding. I lied. Last night I managed just a measly three hours sleep. I did want to go swimming this morning but decided to go home after dropping Dave at work. I thought I could read and nap but I went the whole hog and went back to bed. And slept for another three hours. It's got me through the rest of the day though.

Unpacking two months worth of 'stuff' from suitcases takes a little time. The cases are now stowed away in the attic once more. The big problem that's troubling me now is finding room for all those new acquisition's (read clothes!) It's rather like stuffing a quart into a pint pot. They wont go. We need a radical rethink of wardrobe/draw space. I had a drastic turnout to charity shops a few months ago so that's not an option. We should have listened to me before we went to the 'shop till you drop' capital. I said we shouldn't buy more new clothes! Why didn't we listen? I still think the small bedroom should become a walk in wardrobe. Sorry G but you haven't been to stay with us for absolutely ages now and if you did you'd have to sleep in the 'big peoples' room. You don't mind. Good. Now what do I do with a spare bed? Oh I cant think this out now. I'm off to bed.
Goodnight.

The Jet lag is beginning to subside and I've not been quite so tired today. Got to get back into the thick of it tomorrow so I must set my alarm clock tonight as my bio clocks still not quite on British time yet!

We had the roofers in today so hopefully no more rain leaks now in our bedroom. Apparently there's a probability it had been leaking for a long time and maybe even since the house was built as the leak was due to some shoddy building. The felt on the roof where the window apex joins the roof was not wide enough. Or something like that!

We've been out furniture hunting today as we both need new comfortable chairs and a renovation in the lounge. I can't tell you how many chairs we tried out, but we eventually made a preliminary decision. The purchase will be delayed until I have the kitchen renovation well in hand. I think project managing that will be quite a challenge. The 'other half 'has fancy ideas and we only have a limited budget. Should be fun though. Mmmm........... or will it!

Haven't had the camera out today but was looking through the album. Thought you might like this one from ..............oh so long ago...............too long. But maybe I wasn't such a bad looking bird then. What was that about age and withering.........

Oh and I found this piece in the International News...............................

+Seven diners in northern Japan fell ill after eating blowfish testicles prepared in a restaurant not authorised to serve the poisonous delicacy.

The owner of the restaurant in Tsuruoka city, who is also the chef, had no license to serve blowfish and was being questioned on suspicion of professional negligence, police official Yoshihito Iwase said.

Blowfish, while extremely poisonous if not prepared properly, is considered a delicacy in Japan and is consumed by thrill-seeking gourmets.

I cant say I liked sushi when I tried it................... I like the idea even less now, Ive eaten Sharks fin, birds nest soup squid, Chickens feet, and all sorts of other dubious food considered delicacy but ............Poisonous blowfish testicles Uggg.. No way man!

Home Sweet Home

Well I'm back, not quite into the old routein yet. We needed a meal out last night. I'm very badly jet lagged today. I slept most of the afternoon but was still tired when I managed to pull myself back into the land of the living. I just hope I'm not up roaming the house again at three o'clock in the morning again.

It was bright sunshine when I arrived back in Heathrow, but this morning, Oh dear, grey skies and pouring rain. There's been quite a bit of rain recently as well as very cold temperatures. The pond is almost brimming over but the fish were up and swimming this morning , not skulking away at the bottom as they do when the weathers cold. The temperature this morning was about 6 degrees but it felt colder to me.

The warm snuggly coat I bought in Vancouver to cope with all the weeks of snow and below freezing temperatures (which the Canadians insist they never have on the lower mainland of Vancouver!) wasn't coping keeping me so warm for some reason this morning in the horrible cold rain.

Well I got my wish of a white Christmas. We had snow from December 12th and there were still heaps of unmelted snow lying when I left yesterday, or was it the day before! Apparently Nancy woke up to another sprinkling of the white stuff yesterday. That would be when I was in the air flying home.

Dave took me grocery shopping across at Hampton this morning. Needs must. The fridge was bare as I found out at 3am when I was starving hungry. A mug of horlick had to suffice.

My orchids are flowering their little socks off! The green cymbidium has three flower spikes with three more coming. The red one has three flowering spikes. There are snowdrops and crocus out in the garden. The daffodils are shooting up as well and the lenten roses are flowering away. Springs definitely on the way.
One thing I missed when I was in Canada were the little garden birds and their singing. The blue tits, great tits gold finches and green finches were all at the feeding stations this morning twittering away. Even the cheeky squirrel put in an appearance.

The wet weather has played havoc with our house roof. We've small damp patches on our bedroom ceiling where rain has penetrated. Dave hadn't noticed it as it's across my side of the bedroom. We've a Roofer coming tomorrow morning to look at the damage. Hope it's not too bad, but I've also notices long hair line cracks in the ceiling that were not there when we went away in early December. I suppose houses have to show their age as well!