Setbacks

The plans for the bathroom renovations keep giving me grief. Yesterday I was all set to order the posh new bathroom only to find the large glass shower screen for the walk in shower cannot be fitted where I want it placing. This is a disaster and upsets all the rest of the plan and sent the whole project back to the drawing board. After consultation with Hubby we came up with a revised plan but this is dependant on new plumbing possibilities. So this morning I phoned my friendly plumber to come and give me some professional advice. Hopefully by tomorrow a rescue plan will be in place and I can go ahead with the ordering. Times getting close now to when all the fitting is scheduled.

Another Busy Week

The week since the morning of the peasoup fog has been clear, sunny and warm all the way. Summer clothes have eventually been dragged from the depth of the wardrobe. All the spring flowers are emerging in the garden. Daisy is taking herself out each morning and eating every leaf and grape put out for her and any thing else tasty she can find on her travel through the garden. At the rate she is devouring food this year she'll be another kilo by the time hibernation comes round again.

The renovation preparations continue. The kitchen has arrived. All flat packed and stacked in my conservatory, which is now out of action. The dishwasher and induction hob has been ordered. Tomorrow I will go and order the new shower room. After pouring over glossy catalogues all week I've managed to narrow down the contending products. I know the budget will be broken and possibly doubled on this. I still can't believe after all these years of saying we need a new kitchen and bathroom that it's actually happening. Although when it is happening I'll probably be wishing it wasn't. The logistic of being without a kitchen for some days is daunting to say the least. I hope the weathers good enough for barbecues!

Yesterday was an extremely busy day. First I dashed out to do some much needed grocery shopping and get food for a certain persons birthday bash. With the kids and their families expected I need a spread. Late morning we drove to Downtown at Grantham to look at ovens, lighting and bathroom related things. Disappointed we drove home empty handed. Nothing caught our eye. Once home I quickly prepared the food for the big man's birthday party.

I'm usually the family cake maker but yesterday Beccky made a stunningly yummy chocolate cake for her Grandad. It really was moreish. Chocolate heaven!

Miss G rescued Daisy from the garden where she and Little Caity-Rae were chasing round the fish pond like a pair of demented hounds. Ouch can't children squeal when they're having fun!

Ok, so who can do the best handstands and cartwheels? Very graceful. But I'm doing my best and I'm only two and a half and she's got a few years on me.

Cousins, uncles and a niece take a rest before getting their second wind.

Every one else is camera shy so that's your lot .

Sunday, a day of a much needed rest and sitting in the sun!!!! Well after the morning watching the London marathon followed by the Bahrain Grand Prix. Another win for Jenson Button. Three wins out of four races not bad. Lewis Hamilton managed a respectably fourth. It must be a disappointing season for him this year though after all his wins last year. A straight forward race this time not a rain drop or safety car in sight.

A Foggy Start

Fog is a cloud bank that is in contact with the ground. A Cloud may be considered partly fog; for example the part of a cloud that is suspended in the air above the ground is not considered fog, whereas the part of the cloud that comes in contact with the higher ground is considered fog. Fog is distinguished from mist only by its density, as expressed in the resulting decrease in visibility.

-wikipedia.

Misty mornings in spring are fairly usual. But peasoup fogs are not the norm on these spring mornings. Autumn yes, but not Spring. This morning was very still and foggy. Driving into the city this morning was eerie to say the least. Not a breath of wind rustled the branches of the trees. The stillness of emerging leaves shrouded in the grey blanketing fog in the trees above was a stark contrast to the queueing traffic trying to get into the city center. Was I mad? I had on a tee shirt a cardian and open toe sandals. The car told me the outside temperture was a measly 5.5 degrees. Just a few months ago I would be snuggled up in a warm winter snow coat in such a temperature.

We're still in Summer Mode

We've had another glorious day here in the Fens. Warm sun and blue skies all the day. Looking out my office window right now the sun has just set and the orange purple remains of the sunset on the horizon shines through the branches of the hornbeam's at the end of the garden. Their leaf buds almost open are silhouetted against the darkening sky.

The spell of warm weather has brought on the spring flowers and the pink Bleeding Hearts and the bright yellow Crown Imperial look particularly lovely. Unusually my front garden looks a mess at present.
No 1 Grandson dug a very large spiky phormium tenax out for me a couple of weeks ago and I haven't had the time to replant yet. It's a very dry and sunny patch so I think more lavenders and grasses are going in to replace the spiky monster.

I have a new order for a wedding cake again this year. I've plenty of time to sort it as its for a November wedding. Not a bad time of the year to wed. But I'm biased as ours is in November. This cake involves some bead work to be incorporated in the decoration design. My little Wedding Cake business seems to have naturally dwindled to about one a year. I must admit I'm not too unhappy about that. I'm now much less inclined to want to sit for hours making fiddly sugar flowers and the fingers are less dexterous nowadays.

I Wonder if Summer has Arrived

I've had a big attack of Blog Block recently. Either too busy or too tired or just couldn't be bothered. I'm fully recovered from my little hospital jaunt. Although it left me feeling extremely tired for some time after, plus I went down with a cold a week after my escape. No sign of the appointment for the further test they said I needed. I've been quietly hoping someone has forgotten to refere me for the appointment but I'm being nagged and bullied to remind someone to do it. I was supposed to go back to the Doc and tell him if the appointment didn't come through. Oh come on now, do I really have to go through a traumatic test to tell me I'm AOK!

It's Sunday and a beautiful warm sunny day. With glorious blue skies. We really should be somewhere like the sea side! But the Chinese Grand Prix kept us here this morning. I was having a rare unaccustomed sleep in when the other half suddenly scrambled out of bed, very early for him on a weekend. Awake and bleary eyed I staggered down stairs to get a cup of coffee to find him hogging the sofa watching the safety car chugging around the Chinese race track in the pouring rain. Oh deep joy!

I retired to my studio to do some more research. I never had any idea how much time planning a renovation for a small kitchen and even smaller bathroom would take up. I've umpteen lists that keep being revised. Hugh stacks of books and brochures and I've eye strain from reading stuff on the Internet. Simple, this aint. I dont think I'll go in for house renovations that the Tv programs make it all look simple

I've now bought the kitchen and its being delivered next Friday. I've now got the new flooring for the kitchen. I've sourced a hob and dishwasher. The cooker and microwave that will be built in are giving me a headache. I have to make sure the have the features I want but will fit in the cabinet I've bought.

The bathrooms given me even greater grief trying to find a shower cabinet big enough for me to shower comfortably that will fit into the small space I have. Then the basin and loo need to fit in the remaining space. I still need to find suitable flooring a radiator and storage cabinet.

All this needs to come within my slender budget. So expensive tastes and up to the minute technical products have to be carefully scrutinised to make sure they are really necessary. All these problems have to be resolved by mid May when Brother in Law Derek is coming down from Yorkshire to fit it all.

I managed a little time in the glorious sunshine today but only to go round the garden digging out the weeds that seem to pop up each time I turn around. It all needs a good sorting out. Seedlings and weedlings are popping up every where especially where they are not wanted. It got a little too hot this afternoon but after the cold long winter I wouldn't dare dream of complaining!

So now its time to have some tea before the first episode of the new series of 'Last of the Summer Wine ' comes on the Telly. Its the longest running sitcom on the TV. I loved it since it first appeared. OK See you.

Oh What a Week

The week promised much. Dave had booked his last week off for this financial year and we hoped to make a start on some preliminary clearing work for the planned renovations of the kitchen and bathroom as well as a trip to Yorkshire to see brother and sister in law.

Mothering Sunday
A lovely start to the week, the weather was sunny and pleasant. We picked up Miss G from her Dad’s and took her home to her Mum’s first before heading off to Toft a little village west of Bourne where we were booked in for Sunday lunch. Waiting at the Toft House Hotel was my Mum, my sister, brother in law and my two Nieces with their families. We had a lovely happy chatty time and the food was really good.
After a prolonged lunch we headed out to Haconby to my Niece Bev’s new house. The house is a large new, four bed roomed, spacious house in a secluded village setting and in a room over their double garage they run their constantly expanding little business.
Bev served up her usual outsize spread for tea and we had a noisy afternoon with more chat while the kids played around us.

Monday
Another nice sunny day. Dave sorted out the space in the garden for the bins and I emptied out the old dead fridge where I stored my cake making sugars and fruit. It needs to go to the tip. An uneventful day really but we got a few thing done.

Monday evening. Now thing begin to take a downwards turn. I go to bed but start to feel really ill. I toss and turn and can’t sleep well, I begin to vomit at about 5.30 in the morning. I'm cold and shivery. By morning I’m so wreaked and can hardly get out of bed.. We are supposed to be going to Yorkshire today. Dave rings to cancel. The pharmacist give him some medication for me to help stop the vomiting. It doesn’t stop until gone midday on Tuesday

Tuesday night is another bad night tossing and turning and by morning I’m still shattered. I get another shock,
Wednesday
I’ve had some internal bleeding. I’m a bit stunned, what do I do? With my family history of cancer I start to imagine the worst. OK, best thing, go and talk to the Doc then it’s on my records if it happens again.

The Doc’s new to me. Not my usual GP. I describe whats happened . He wants to know how I know the correct terminology! I tell him, so he takes me seriously now. After an embarrassing examination he agrees with me that There has been a significant bleed from somewhere.

I have to go to hospital straight away. OK Well, I didn’t expect that! What a pain.

Hospital
It’s a nightmare being a patient. Bloods from my non compliant veins but only after three sites had been probed. A two way drip inserted with fluids intravenously reluctantly dripping into my veins. The admission and assessment ward is busy. I send Dave home. Hospitals are his least favourite places. Two old ladies in the beds opposite both look as if they’ve been in the wars. Beds are found for them in appropriate wards. I’m left alone in the bay. I hear all the commotions along the corridor in the other bays.

The curtains are quickly whipped around my bed. A new patient is brought in. He’s 85, with dementia and noisy. Oh deep joy. ‘Darling you know I love you’ keeps booming out and echoing around the ward. Four nurses assemble to change him. I escape to the loo dragging the drip stand with me. I sit enthroned waiting for the noise of his shouting that still reaches me to subside. By 12.30am the staff have found me a bed on the Gastoenterology ward so to my great relief I’m trundled out and up three flight away from the mayhem.
Thursday
Will I manage to get home? No, ‘fraid not. My endoscopy’s not been booked. More intravenous fluids go up and a second line with IV meds. The Consultant with six junior doctors in tow arrives. More prodding and poking. He agrees I’m right I have had a significant bleed. He decides I need an urgent referral for an endoscopy.
Hurray! I can eat until tonight. This decision is quickly reversed. Fluids only, once more. I protest. They weaken and I get two weetabix, two chocolate biscuits and a cup of tea. For lunch! Then more 'Nil by Mouth'
You have to be an excellent sleeper to cope in hospital. The wind roars around the building leaking through the old single glazed crittal windows to gently waft the curtains. Shoes squeak and creak along tiled corridors. Nurses whisper to each other. Telephone bells ring. Trolley wheels rumble along. Call bell bleep out. The bed pan masher churns. The unmusical hacking coughs, groaning and snoring of the elderly inmates along the corridors penetrates our quite four bed bay. I want to go home to my nice comfortable quite bed.
Friday
By this time my blood pressures sky high. At last I have my endoscopy. They decide to give me an intravenous sedation for the procedure. Thank goodness. I’d never cope with just a spray in my throat. No source of bleeding is found. I told them I was a fraud. Now I have to have more tests. Oh no not that one. I helped Mum through that. It wasn’t pleasant. But at least I can go home. I’ll get an out patient appointment.
Saturday
Peace and quite at last. What a blessed night sleep. 9.30pm to 7am. Woke up twice turned over and went straight back to sleep. Just a bit shaky still but improving fast.

The First Day of Spring

Today is the first day of Spring. Hooray. It's a lovely sunny spring day just as it ought to be. With the clocks going forward next weekend it'll be goodbye winter blues. Well hopefully.

The lawn has had its first cut of the season today. The edges have been neatly trimmed. With all the spring flowers in the garden it 's looking quite pretty. More and more are emerging. I've spotted little blue cillia and mauve drumstick primulas today.

We don't seem to have had any frogs in the pond this spring. The last two springs they've arrived early, spawned then the eggs had been decimated by a severe late frost. The two grass snakes roaming the garden during the summer may also be responsible for scaring them away. They swallow them head first. It's quite bizare to see a snake with its mouth stretched around the body of a poor frog and its webbed feet sticking out.

Daisy our tortoise has finally emerged from her winter hibernation. We're not sure how long she's been awake. I haven't heard her scratching about her box trying to get out but she was wide awake when we lifted her out this afternoon.
After her annual luke warm bath, her shell is given a coat of oil to set her up for a summer of rooting around the garden and squashing the newly emerging plants. She had a turn in the garden and soaked up some of the afternoon sunshine. We always weigh and measure her before she hibernated and when she comes out. This spring she weighs 5 kgs about the same as when she went to sleep so she hasn't lost any weight over winter. Her shell from neck to tail measures 40 cms and her girth is 57.5 cms. She's getting to be a big girl and she plays havoc in my garden.

Many tortoise are anorexia for a while when they come out of winter hibernation. I tried tempting her with her favorite food of grapes and some little gem lettuce leaves but she wasn't interested yet. Here she is all spruced up and ignoring the treats in front of her.

We had some visitors this afternoon. Little Caity my great grand daughter with her Dad, Michael and her Nan and Grandad. Caity is two and a half and is fascinated by Daisy and the fish in the pond. Shes very chatty and speaks in clear sentences. Her favorite word at the moment is 'Why'

Poor Dave's taking a rest in the sunshine. He's exhausted after doing a spot of appliance moving this morning and lawn cutting this afternoon!