Feeling better

Day 55

I woke up feeling a lot better and with my tummy ache gone, probably because I hadn't eaten anything last night! I did find a box of IBS tablets in the back of the bathroom cabinet, and I'd taken two before I went to bed, so they may have helped as well. I think I'm going to have to cut down on wheat (I do eat a lot of bread and wheat products!) to see if that helps!

It was great to feel better and Sophie said I didn't have a "dark cloud" over me anymore! I made a baked nutty porridge for breakfast which was delicious and probably much better for me than cheese on toast! The weather today has been gorgeous again and temperatures have risen to about 14-15c. Not quite warm enough to sit in the garden, but perfect in the conservatory!

Sophie and I enjoyed our usual Sunday face-pack - today it was tomato and I could feel it tightening up my skin! In the afternoon I suggested to Sophie we go to Boots to get some more IBS tablets, and on the way, we decided to pop to the Daily Bread to see if they had a gluten-free loaf that I could have with dinner rather than the normal garlic bread we eat.

Disappointingly, Daily Bread was closed - perhaps it's just Sunday? - so we headed to a very busy Riverside where I bought some more Senocalm tablets. Afterwards, we went to Costa and I bought a bar of chocolate nuts to have as a makeshift lunch with a coffee. It's unbelievable how much food has wheat in it, so I hope that I haven't developed an intolerance to wheat? Perhaps I just eat too much of it!

Before going home we called in at Smith's Farm Shop and I bought some gluten-free crackers to have for lunch tomorrow, as well as some other goodies, including hot cross buns for Keith who doesn't have a problem with wheat!

Back home Sophie and I discussed dinner, which was the lasagne we should have had last night. I had prepared all the vegetables this morning (pepper, carrot, celery and onion) so we just had to do the actual cooking. Sophie cooked the veggies while I seared the mince in a hot frying pan. We then mixed everything together in our casserole dish, added a good glug of red wine and two cans of tomatoes and left it to simmer for an hour. This gave us the ideal chance to have another cocktail each (a Negroni and a Moscow Mule), play Scrabble, and munch on some delicious lentil crisps with salsa. Well, we hadn't had much lunch!

After the meat sauce had simmered for an hour, we assembled the lasagne with the pasta sheets, mozzarella and ricotta. We used the Hairy Bikers' recipe which didn't call for a Bechamel sauce. We popped the dish in the oven for fifty minutes and Sophie made garlic bread, which I was not going to eat!

The meal went down very well and there was enough leftover for Sophie's and Mike's lunch tomorrow. I took two Senocalm tablets as a precaution (I tried not to eat much pasta) and Keith and I watched Tomorrow Never Dies. We don't have many Bond films to go now and will definitely have watched them all by the time the new one is released!

Tummy troubles

Day 54

We awoke to a gorgeous day - beautifully Spring-like, with blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Our morning was fairly lazy and Sophie and I enjoyed cheese on toast whilst watching Saturday Kitchen Live. Just the way a weekend should begin!

Towards lunchtime, we motivated ourselves and went over to Tesco at Kettering. Sophie wanted to make Negronis later in the day so we bought a bottle of Campari, red Vermouth, Gin, Angostura Bitters and some crisps to enjoy with a game of Scrabble later. I needed to get some things for Mum and Dad as well but shopping on a Saturday is not a pleasant experience, and I said to Sophie that this is the last time we're going to go at the weekend as it's too busy.

We dropped off the things at the care home and spoke to Mum who was having lunch. My Dad is still not right but was better than the other day so that's a relief. I just wish he was able to come out and do some physiotherapy for his legs. I can't believe it's been a year since he broke his leg... and what a year it's been.

I wasn't feeling particularly well today, either, so we headed home and relaxed for a while. When it was acceptable to do so, Sophie made us both a Negroni and it was delicious! I love Campari anyway (it reminds me of Pollensa) and it was bliss to sit and play Scrabble while sipping on our cocktails.

Unfortunately, Sophie had some very hard letters to make a word with! We had a good game but I said to Sophie I really didn't feel like cooking lasgne tonight or eating it either. I had my horrible tummy ache back, and I do suspect I have IBS as I had cramps, which made me feel yukky. Keith was quite happy to forego dinner so Sophie and I went upstairs and watched A Place in the Sun lying on the bed. She found a curry in the freezer to have for her dinner, and Keith made himself an egg sandwich. I felt so guilty but there was no way I could have faced cooking lasagne from scratch this evening!

After my poor family had eaten their meagre dinner, we watched the first Mission Impossible film. Sophie spoke to Zain who has booked for them to go away in July, so that cheered my daughter up no end! Hopefully, by then, life can resume as normal!

Just pottering...

Day 53

Keith and I had a very lazy start to the day, but towards lunchtime we motivated ourselves, and while my husband ventured out into the garden to clear up the leaves and branches from Wednesday, I cleaned the house.

It's been beautiful weather today with sunshine, blue skies and mild temperatures. We both pottered about and did some jobs that needed doing, before going to get Mike from work. He was as muddy as ever but at least it's Friday and he has the weekend off!

Sophie came home at the earlier time of 4pm to take part in her weekly quiz, and I went and had a lovely soak in the bath. I still find it strange that Keith doesn't head off to the pub on a Friday evening! Dinner tonight was minestrone soup with garlic bread, and I had prepared all the vegetables earlier in the day. It was a lovely, healthy soup and contained nine vegetables! Sophie helped me sweat all the veggies down, before we added stock and let it simmer for about forty minutes. We then relaxed with a glass of wine before heating up the soup and adding pasta.

The pasta had soaked up a lot of the liquid so it was more like a thick broth, and with the crispy garlic bread, it was delicious. That's another one added to the list!

A little catch up.

 Day 52

It's been a beautiful day today, with plenty of sunshine and blue skies. Has Spring really sprung? 

Of course, this has drawn people out and when we got home from collecting Mike, I had a lovely chat with my friend Michelle who was on her way to posting a letter. I can't remember the last time we had time to talk so it was great to catch up for a little while in the sunshine. It was a bit cold, though, so maybe no casting off of clouts yet!

As expected, the conversation was mostly about the pandemic and I was pleased to hear that her husband is getting his jab on Saturday. I am very proud of the way the UK has conducted this mass vaccination programme!

Keith cooked dinner tonight and Iw as glad he did as my Mum phoned to say that my Dad wasn't very well, and had somehow lost the use of his left arm. We were both alarmed by this, and the possibility that he may have had a stroke? Mum said he hadn't really eaten all day so it could have been down to low blood sugar. I told her to keep me informed later on in the evening and she said that the carers were looking after him.

Just when I thought that our worries are nearly over, another pops its head up!

Garden plans!

Day 51

Keith and I had to pop to Tesco today to get some bits for my Mum and Dad. The weather was gorgeous and the car temperature was registering 19c! Probably not accurate, but it was great to see, and it's still only February!

We dropped the bag off, waved to my Mum from the car and then dropped into Costa on the way home as I fancied a coffee and something for breakfast. I am mightily fed up with toast! I chose a Flat White and a chocolate and almond croissant, which was delicious, and something I wouldn't normally go for. Keith and I sat in the car while I enjoyed my late breakfast, enjoying the sunshine and the warm breeze.

Back home I suggested to Keith that we cut down the trees in the back garden as they had grown enormously since last year. My poor husband had to balance on a ladder with heavy-duty pruning shears, a saw, and an electric saw to get rid of the tall branches. While he lopped them I gathered up all the wood and either cut it down or stored it behind the garage. Last year I made a little pile of branches for wildlife to shelter in, and I might do the same again this year.

It was lovely working in the sun, although it did cloud over a bit towards lunchtime. The robin was around a lot and was singing away in the trees, so that was lovely to hear. He's a bit more skittish than the other robins we've had over the years but he likes to be about if we're digging or clearing away weeds! Keith also cut back some bushes to give the grass a chance to grow and when it gets a bit warmer I'm planning on putting some grass seed down to cover the bare patches in the lawn.

We filled our own garden bin completely and then ventured down into the gravel garden to see what was happening down there. I wish we hadn't! Our Virginia Creeper was in a real sorry state and I think it's half-dead from where Keith cut it down a couple of years ago. He made a start on pulling it down and it didn't take long!

We agreed that as I will probably be off for the whole of March, we would sort this area out and tidy it up. If our plans for the kitchen go ahead, we will need to take down the trellis-work anyway (to make way for the new window), and I think the clematis has also had it. The Virginia Creeper and the Honeysuckle entwined within it have gone mad, and have taken over the end part of the garden so I think it's time for a change, and maybe a new seat so we can sit out here and enjoy the sunshine. The seat is rotten so that will definitely have to go!

I would like to get it cut down a bit, and maybe put some more gravel down to make it look better. It's wild down there!

The sky clouded over in the afternoon, and Sophie came home at lunchtime, which was a bonus. She arrived just before we went to get Mike, and he was covered in mud again. He seemed very fed up with the work they're having to do which isn't greenskeeping at all, but more like hard manual labour.

In the afternoon I was delighted to receive my 2013 blog book from the publisher. This time it was perfect!

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

Day 50

It's been a very quiet and uneventful day today with not much to report at all! Keith and I both pottered about the house first thing and then, as it was such a lovely day, I went out and cleaned the inside of my car. 

The back footwell and seat, where Mike normally sits on the way home from work, were like a muddy field, so I spent a fair amount of time hoovering the carpets and shampooing the seats. There was a lovely breeze blowing, and it was very enjoyable to be outside in the mild air. Keith came out and helped - I don't think he could believe how dirty the back of the car was!

The time was getting on, so I left the mats to be hoovered later, and we went to get Mike from work. I took my Dad's car as the back seats were still damp from the cleaning and I don't think Mike would have appreciated getting a wet bottom! When he emerged from work, his trousers and boots were caked in mud again!

On my return, I finished everything and the inside of the car smelt lovely and clean. It won't last long but at least I tackled it!

Sophie came home a bit early today so that was a bonus! She went and did a workout in her bedroom, and then we caught up with the events of the day before she very kindly made dinner for us. Keith and I had prepared the chicken and the vegetables for our curry earlier in the day so she did the final cooking. The meal was delicious!

A "roadmap" out of lockdown - the beginning of the end?

Day 49

The weather this morning has been atrocious - really grey, cloudy skies and rain. It was mild, though, at about 10c, so that wasn't too bad! Keith and I went shopping and called into both Aldi and Tesco. As we were a little later today, the supermarkets were busy but it didn't take us long to get what we needed for the next few days.

We went to get Mike at 2pm and he was over half an hour late. He told us that his boss wanted him to stay a bit later, but didn't tell him until we were well on our way to pick him up, so that was annoying! We passed the time by watching the birds (especially a robin who was singing his heart out) and playing i-spy!

Back home I hoovered and tidied up downstairs, and noticed on my WhatsApp group that my manager had left a message about gyms re-opening... I had forgotten to watch the news! I tuned into Sky News and saw pictures being beamed from the Houses of Parliament.

Now, I hate the word "roadmap"... What's wrong with plan or timescale or schedule? As I watched there was a constant streaming of the news at the bottom of the screen and I was able to learn the following:

From 8 March schools will re-open and we can meet another person outside for a coffee or picnic. Care Home residents will be able to have a visit from one nominated person who will have undergone a test.

From 29 March we will be able to meet up to six people outdoors (or two households), which includes private gardens. Outdoor sports facilities, such as golf and tennis, will re-open.

From 12 April non-essential shops, hairdressers, beauty salons, gyms and libraries can re-open. Outdoor attractions such as zoos and theme parks can open. Hospitality venues can re-open but they can only serve people outdoors, for example, in pub gardens.

From 17 May most outdoor rules will be lifted, although gatherings of over 30 people will still be illegal. Indoor hospitality will re-open, such as indoor soft play and cinemas. Organised larger performances and sporting events taking place in indoor venues will be allowed (up to 1000 people) and outdoor venues (up to 4000 people). Up to 10000 people can attend very large venues. 17 May is the earliest date we can plan international travel.

And then the date we have all been waiting for - 21 June (the summer solstice). All social restrictions will be lifted and hopefully, life will return to some sort of normality. All the above applies to England only, which I always find a bit strange! I really do wonder if we're seeing the end of the United Kingdom?

Of course, all of this is dependent on the vaccines working, and no increase in infections or the NHS being overwhelmed as we saw back in January. I hate to say it, but we saw all this last year when we enjoyed some freedom in July, August and September. The difference this time, though, is the use of vaccines, and I'm hoping I will get mine before I go back to work.

Because of the travel rule, we contacted the owner of our Airbnb, and we've postponed our French break until the 2 April 2022, two years after we initially planned to go. He was more than happy for us to postpone and we thought it was the best idea - we really didn't want to book for September and be disappointed again!