It's been a really gloomy, miserable day today and the weather hasn't been much better either!
One humourous moment, though, was when Keith bought his sausage...which is really quite big! It's nicely curved and has a little string so he can wear it around his neck tomorrow night. I just hope he doesn't feel the need to nibble on it throughout the evening...
There was no time at all for a walk today as I was at work late with Sophie who did a couple of hours for us this evening. When we left at 6pm it was almost dark with heavy grey clouds and a gloomy mist so no glorious sunset for us, which would have brightened the day up a bit.
Mikey has an annoying cough at the moment - something he has every year at about this time. The season of sniffles is upon us and I just hope that I can manage to avoid catching anything!
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Wrong again!
Wednesday 13 October
Well, just after I posted about my adoption theory I was proved wrong! I looked at a later census and saw Ellen still living with her natural parents in London and working as a Barmaid! I have no idea who this Ellen Roche is but she's not my relative! Oh well! Back to the drawing board!
Back home in the evening Keith and I went for an amble into the village and had a look for some conkers. We didn't find any but we did have fun kicking up the leaves - oh the joys of Autumn! It was lovely to have a leisurely walk and see everyone else rushing about in their cars and it was a much needed moment of respite in an otherwise busy day!
Well, just after I posted about my adoption theory I was proved wrong! I looked at a later census and saw Ellen still living with her natural parents in London and working as a Barmaid! I have no idea who this Ellen Roche is but she's not my relative! Oh well! Back to the drawing board!
Back home in the evening Keith and I went for an amble into the village and had a look for some conkers. We didn't find any but we did have fun kicking up the leaves - oh the joys of Autumn! It was lovely to have a leisurely walk and see everyone else rushing about in their cars and it was a much needed moment of respite in an otherwise busy day!
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Tuesday 12 October and some more research...
I forgot to say that the birth certificate I'd ordered came in the post on Monday and on first sight looked to be the wrong one. Ellen's father was called John but on the certificate it said William. I was really disappointed and put it to one side but last night I spent more time looking at the birth records and I have a theory...it could be that Ellen was taken in by John and Eliza as they didn't have any other children in an age when most couples were having large families. Perhaps William was a brother or cousin as he was also born in Ireland? It could be that John and Eliza took Ellen in because William and his wife were unable to look after her? This is why it's so frustrating! I'd love to know the answers but it's very unlikely someone will be able to tell me the truth. John and Eliza never had any more children and on the 1911 census Eliza states that she had one child who died...Arrrghh!
I've been in contact with my Aunt to see if she knows any more and she's given me a phone number of her cousin who may have more information so it's great that I'm getting in touch with my living relatives in the search for more history.
Yesterday Keith and I went on the hunt for French berets as we're going to a Murder Mystery Evening on Friday and it has an "Allo Allo" theme. Keith is supposed to be a sausage seller and has to have bicycle clips tied around his trousers and has to carry a large sausage! Hmmmm! I'm going as a Resistance woman with a trench coat and beret...It's a good job the party is next door as I'd hate to think we had to travel any distance and, God forbid, the car broke down...!
I've been in contact with my Aunt to see if she knows any more and she's given me a phone number of her cousin who may have more information so it's great that I'm getting in touch with my living relatives in the search for more history.
Yesterday Keith and I went on the hunt for French berets as we're going to a Murder Mystery Evening on Friday and it has an "Allo Allo" theme. Keith is supposed to be a sausage seller and has to have bicycle clips tied around his trousers and has to carry a large sausage! Hmmmm! I'm going as a Resistance woman with a trench coat and beret...It's a good job the party is next door as I'd hate to think we had to travel any distance and, God forbid, the car broke down...!
Monday, 11 October 2010
A bit of frustration...
I arrived at work early this morning to meet the drain man but he turned up over an hour later than the time he gave me and I was beginning to think he'd forgotten! However, within an hour of him being at work, it was all sorted and we now have fully functioning loos, thank goodness!
Today has been busy, as usual, so no time at all for a walk, but I did manage to collect some more leaves for Mikey's collage. Sophie wanted me to print off a photo for her homework, but of course the printer was completely out of ink! Typical! We seem to be wallowing in homework at the moment. Mikey has five pieces due in early next week, and Sophie gets a huge amount most weekends, some of which is French and which means I'm gradually remembering my own studies from eons ago and realising that I haven't totally forgotten it all!
Today has been busy, as usual, so no time at all for a walk, but I did manage to collect some more leaves for Mikey's collage. Sophie wanted me to print off a photo for her homework, but of course the printer was completely out of ink! Typical! We seem to be wallowing in homework at the moment. Mikey has five pieces due in early next week, and Sophie gets a huge amount most weekends, some of which is French and which means I'm gradually remembering my own studies from eons ago and realising that I haven't totally forgotten it all!
Sunday, 10 October 2010
A restful weekend?
Today has been a tad stressful! Last night, Jenny our weekend Manager at work, phoned me to say that one of the toilets was blocked so I said we'd come in on Sunday morning to try and sort it out. At 9am Keith and I were driving into work and it was gorgeous...misty and sunny with a hint of warmth to come. We had a look at the loo, poured some caustic soda down to try and clear it and then went home to pick up the children as Sophie was working for us today for a couple of hours. We treated them to a MacDonald's breakfast and then went back to work to have another go at the loo, this time with customers on the premises who kept wanting to visit the facilities!
The caustic soda really hadn't worked so we drove off to Focus DIY to buy some more and whilst there we spotted a lethal looking plunger that was sure to do the job. Back at work, we tried the plunger and it seemed to work, the loo not filling as much as before, so after a while and using the soda again, we told Jenny to keep an eye on it and went home. Keith was suffering a bit because the soda had splashed on him and he wanted to get into the shower fast!
I drove off again to get the Sunday papers and when I arrived home Keith was mowing the lawn. By now it was an absolutely gorgeous day. Lured into the garden I couldn't resist dead-heading the geraniums and tidying up all the pots and plants. I hadn't had a shower earlier on and resembled a wild woman but I figured that another hour wouldn't make a difference to how I looked (like a madwoman, I bet!). By now it was getting on for 1pm and neither Keith or I had had any breakfast or lunch! I made a start on washing the conservatory windows which were covered in tiny bits of leaves, spider webs and dead ladybirds. Nature has truly taken over the garden in the last few weeks...there were snail and slug trails everywhere and spiders hanging from every bush...Ugh!
Remembering our lack of sustenance Keith went inside and made a pile of toast and we munched away contentedly in the kitchen, joined by Mikey who promptly dropped his plate on the floor, shattering it into tiny pieces and decorating the tiles with butter!
I lost my temper which led to a bit of a spat between Keith and I, but we were reunited in realising that Mikey's homework still had to be done...He did the maths while I started on the nature collage. Mikey sat at the computer and designed a poster...it took all of us about an hour to complete and it still isn't all finished!
I finally sat down at 3pm after having a much-needed shower, only to answer the phone a few minutes later to Jenny who said that the mens' toilets were now overflowing every time someone flushed the loo...
We went back into work and found the toilets overflowing with water so we had no choice but to close them off to the public and ask them to use our one disabled toilet, a bit of a nuisance as we were a bit busy! I called a drain man who had come out to us before and arranged to meet him at work early on Monday morning.
We arrived back home at about 5pm and I poured myself a large whisky and ginger ale! I think I deserved it! Keith and I had a few games of cards before I (yes...me!) cooked dinner. We'd planned to eat at lunchtime today but that obviously didn't happen and I'd said I would give Keith a rest from cooking. I have to say we had a delicous meal of roast lamb and all the trimmings and I received a resounding thumbs up!
The caustic soda really hadn't worked so we drove off to Focus DIY to buy some more and whilst there we spotted a lethal looking plunger that was sure to do the job. Back at work, we tried the plunger and it seemed to work, the loo not filling as much as before, so after a while and using the soda again, we told Jenny to keep an eye on it and went home. Keith was suffering a bit because the soda had splashed on him and he wanted to get into the shower fast!
I drove off again to get the Sunday papers and when I arrived home Keith was mowing the lawn. By now it was an absolutely gorgeous day. Lured into the garden I couldn't resist dead-heading the geraniums and tidying up all the pots and plants. I hadn't had a shower earlier on and resembled a wild woman but I figured that another hour wouldn't make a difference to how I looked (like a madwoman, I bet!). By now it was getting on for 1pm and neither Keith or I had had any breakfast or lunch! I made a start on washing the conservatory windows which were covered in tiny bits of leaves, spider webs and dead ladybirds. Nature has truly taken over the garden in the last few weeks...there were snail and slug trails everywhere and spiders hanging from every bush...Ugh!
Remembering our lack of sustenance Keith went inside and made a pile of toast and we munched away contentedly in the kitchen, joined by Mikey who promptly dropped his plate on the floor, shattering it into tiny pieces and decorating the tiles with butter!
I lost my temper which led to a bit of a spat between Keith and I, but we were reunited in realising that Mikey's homework still had to be done...He did the maths while I started on the nature collage. Mikey sat at the computer and designed a poster...it took all of us about an hour to complete and it still isn't all finished!
I finally sat down at 3pm after having a much-needed shower, only to answer the phone a few minutes later to Jenny who said that the mens' toilets were now overflowing every time someone flushed the loo...
We went back into work and found the toilets overflowing with water so we had no choice but to close them off to the public and ask them to use our one disabled toilet, a bit of a nuisance as we were a bit busy! I called a drain man who had come out to us before and arranged to meet him at work early on Monday morning.
We arrived back home at about 5pm and I poured myself a large whisky and ginger ale! I think I deserved it! Keith and I had a few games of cards before I (yes...me!) cooked dinner. We'd planned to eat at lunchtime today but that obviously didn't happen and I'd said I would give Keith a rest from cooking. I have to say we had a delicous meal of roast lamb and all the trimmings and I received a resounding thumbs up!
Saturday 9 October
We were promised a lovely weekend but yesterday was grey, damp and miserable. Again, the plan to get out into the garden was put on hold and instead, Sophie and I went to Boots to buy some essentials and then Beckworth Emporium to buy fat snax for the birds. While we were there we had a cup of hot chocolate each and a Boston Brownie, feeling a bit like imposters as everyone around us was having a full lunch.
Keith and I did manage a walk in the grey gloom, though, and I picked up some beautiful Autumn leaves for Mikey's homework collage. I thought that the sun would break through, but it remained grey and miserable all day, unfortunately.
In the evening Keith and I were ashamed to admit that we were in bed at 9.30pm, leaving the children downstairs watching a film. I'd been awake in the morning at 6am so I was absolutely deadbeat and fell asleep on the sofa, something I rarely do. I did have a good night's sleep, though!
Keith and I did manage a walk in the grey gloom, though, and I picked up some beautiful Autumn leaves for Mikey's homework collage. I thought that the sun would break through, but it remained grey and miserable all day, unfortunately.
In the evening Keith and I were ashamed to admit that we were in bed at 9.30pm, leaving the children downstairs watching a film. I'd been awake in the morning at 6am so I was absolutely deadbeat and fell asleep on the sofa, something I rarely do. I did have a good night's sleep, though!
Friday, 8 October 2010
Phew! It's Friday!
This week has been great but very, very busy. It really has passed in a blur and I'm looking forward to a restful weekend...I hope I get it!
Today has been typically Autumn - heavy fog and damp conditions but the weekend looks better. If it is, I MUST get out into the garden and do some tidying up, plus I need to buy some fat snacks for the birds who are eating everything I'm putting out for them. Our next door neighbours have seen rats in their gardens eating from the bird feeders but luckily we haven't seen any so far. Perhaps the cats have frightened them away, but seeing as we're surrounded on three sides by farmland, it's inevitable, I suppose. I'm hoping to get out for at least one walk over the weekend and maybe go around Pitsford again with Mikey on the bikes. He needs to make a collage as one of his pieces of homework so we'll have to go and collect leaves, berries and other naturey things for that.
I'm also hoping that my Great Great Grandmother's birth certificate will arrive in the post tomorrow and that it'll be the right one...I'll look a bit silly if it's not! That might then confirm her proper name and where she was born, so here's hoping.
The nights are really drawing in now and it's getting very gloomy at 6pm. Before long it'll be time to turn the clocks back but at least we'll get an extra hour in bed!
Today has been typically Autumn - heavy fog and damp conditions but the weekend looks better. If it is, I MUST get out into the garden and do some tidying up, plus I need to buy some fat snacks for the birds who are eating everything I'm putting out for them. Our next door neighbours have seen rats in their gardens eating from the bird feeders but luckily we haven't seen any so far. Perhaps the cats have frightened them away, but seeing as we're surrounded on three sides by farmland, it's inevitable, I suppose. I'm hoping to get out for at least one walk over the weekend and maybe go around Pitsford again with Mikey on the bikes. He needs to make a collage as one of his pieces of homework so we'll have to go and collect leaves, berries and other naturey things for that.
I'm also hoping that my Great Great Grandmother's birth certificate will arrive in the post tomorrow and that it'll be the right one...I'll look a bit silly if it's not! That might then confirm her proper name and where she was born, so here's hoping.
The nights are really drawing in now and it's getting very gloomy at 6pm. Before long it'll be time to turn the clocks back but at least we'll get an extra hour in bed!
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