DH has died and MN Aunties are keeping things ticking over (Juan)

[TheWorldHasGoneToCake]

Just starting a new thread on Juan's orders. She'll be back when she feels up to it.

Thinking of her on Sunday/Monday as always.

That sounds like a very ambitious plan for the day. Good luck Willow

DS "slept in" until just before 7. Off to the cinema and then having a BBQ and I guess getting everything ready for the week.

Hope the sun shines on all the washing today. Check in tonight.

Morning all
Drama - is your bag packed and next to the front door, waiting to escape? Have a lovely week, hope the weather holds up for you :) Do some virtual shopping for me - I particularly like Covent Garden market and Camden Lock ( But I think there may be problems there, due to a fire)
Selena - 3 hours and a sit down is essential! I'm sort of hoping you managed to get some reading in.
Willow - that sounds full on - hope the cooker hunt goes well - are the sales all on.?
Cake yay, almost a sleep in! I haven't been to the cinema for years. - May have been 'UP' , which had me sobbing .....
Horse - I rather like being all alone at home - I become a right slob, and eat off my knee while reading :)
Well , I had a lovely evening last night, but DJ's are put on this earth to stop you from having a good natter with everyone - my ears are still ringing ..... This morning, we are off to have a sort of bedraggled brunch at the hotel some of the family are staying at before they head off back down south, so I think I had better put my Sunday roast on before we go, and it can be slow cooked pork when I get back, no fretting then.
Have a good day all
Thinking of Juan this Sunday , and hope Chasing is having a lovely time

Morning all.
drama thank you you are very kind to say that. Have a great escape go nad😀

Well 2/3 of big border weeded and 20 portucular put in and cyclamen in pots at gate. Cut down big weeds raked into a pile. Ds2 helped ds1 in big doo doo as never got up when told and discovered he just went straight on Xbox😠 I will swing for that boy yet!

Sunny but wind getting up and threatening rain. No fair got another load of washing to go out!
Will have a coffee and decide if it's safe to continue in garden 😀

Have a good day ladies.

It's done😀 small border looks very bare but LL wants to redo the garden so not spending money till I know what they are doing. Big border needs the gaps filling any suggestions? Been eating plump blueberries and alpine strawbs to keep me going 😀 all that rain was good for something apart from weeds😀 I dont think I will ever get my hands clean again!
Rain not far away.

Now for next on the list.

Portulaca !!! Stupid phone.

I had to Google that Willow, never heard of them They look colourful though, bet it looks lovely.

Hello

Movie was so much funnier than I thought it could be! Then went to the SA shop and got some goodies so feeling rather cheerful. Just going to take the week a day at a time.

Willow, that sounds like you got lots done! I'm not good with plants or gardening, but did just pick a yellow, round courgette to make as part of our tea.

Horse, I too love being home alone, such a rare treat!

Book, yes, why is the music so loud? Hope you had a good brunch and that your slow cooked food is lovely. We're doing BBQ and have moved the roast forwards to tomorrow.

Also thinking of juan on the Sunday (well every day really, but I know what you mean).

x

Horse they wered new to me to, very pretty flowers (2 different colours on one plant!) and spread so hopefull will fill up a large area Its all my aunts fault, whenever we go visit we invariably end up at Dobies....I cant resist

Am crosseyed looking at cookers. Every single one of them has a bad review or 2 about something. You would think manufacturers would just try to make a product that is 100% useful and works instead of 20 different ones that all have faults!

Cake what film did you see?

I like to be alone sometimes too, never happens in the evenings though. Would be nice if ex could take the kids for a weekend once in a while, I could do my own thing or go off for a night away, to the theatre or something. Hey ho, not happening anytime soon.

Must remember TKD tonight, we have missed it twice this week just busy doing other things and forgot. Blame holiday brain.

Despicable Me 3. DS was desperate to see it. I would like to see the new Stephen King one, but DH actively dislikes going to the cinema, so will wait for the DVD at least then I can hide behind a pillow

Sorry that your ex is so useless. Mine is useless in completely the opposite way...

Yes, Willow, I think I was moaning upthread about how cookers have gone backwards. No easy clean as standard, timers just basic.

In my new kitchen, when (refusing to say if as now 2/3rds through the clear-out) it comes to pass will have a built-in double oven that is very easy clean, but not a man's idea of easy clean, ie scrub out after every use. The man at JL, trying vainly not to infer the slattern that I am, said that probably means Neff then.

After quite a nice morning, it is now raining. Friend and I were going to the last night of Lytham Festival but have just decided against it. Somehow waving a wet flag, drenched and trying to munch sodden sandwiches doesn't appeal. I do feel I'm a bit of a wimp and even a traitor as very British to grin and bear it, but I don't want pneumonia.

Hope everyone well, enjoying holidays, or just feeling OK. Especially Juan. 5 weeks today since my DH died, no wonder it's raining.

Cake we love Gru and his minions (and I love the adult stuff that goes over their heads ) Did you think the new 'head' was the 'spitting image' of Katy Hopkins? (Apparently she is based on some american woman but I immediately thought Katy )

OOh I have seen trailers for 'It' very scary. Loved the original but this is on a whole new level! Think I read the book in bed over 3 'reading in bed' nights when I was a teen, I remember finishing at 3am! Think I will wait for the dvd too and hold a few pillows too.

Have learned to live with exs idea of being an absent dad and his myriad of excuses (even the valid ones) of why he cant see/have kids. We get on fine, no problem with him being here but just wish he would take them out more than he does and DO something with them. Its possible he is expected to put his 'newer' family first

Oh hell, DS2 is roasting hot (but no temp) and feels cold, wrapped up in fleece on couch! Head full of cold, bunged up sniffling.
Why do I get the feeling that TKD is off the agenda tonight?

Fingers crossed

Oh Willow, poor him- and you. Hope soon better.

I'm useless at scary and sad films so better I don't go. No happy ending = no me. Oh dear, I am a wimp. But I don't care.

Thankfully my ex disappeared, though that caused huge problems re the divorce. No children. DH's ex, despite having remarried and with more children, did her best to make sure she caused havoc with any plans. So we just didn't say what intended doing until last minute. She tried to keep his 2 from our wedding too. 'I don't want him but no-one else going to have him' sort of thinking. Odd.

Oh no Willow, I hope he feels better soon.

I am just about to start making something to eat, we are having lovely burgers from our butchers and chips and salad (not much 'making' involved if I'm truthful but I am quite a lazy cook!)

I've had a lovely day; dog walking & coffee with friend this morning and buying plants this afternoon.

The weather has been gorgeous but clouding over now.

Hope everyone has had a good day too.

Evening all
weary slump in chair.
Day has been somewhat more filled than I expected. Went for brunch and stayed for hours ( glad I had put the meat in). It was lovely to see everyone , and all the little ones had a great time - there was a bouncy castle in the garden, along with a big piece of grass. 9 second cousins ( children of cousins, so I think thats right? ) from 8 weeks old to 9 and lots of adult cousins/siblings . Noisy ! DGS wanted to come home with us, so we brought him back with us. Everyone has now left, and we have the kitchen mess to clear up.
Cake - sounds like a good day - is it Despicable me with the minions in?
oh the plastic boxes without lids - I tend to find the lid, when I have binned the box. Or have a pile of lids that don't fit any of the boxes ...
Selena - positive thoughts now! Double ovens are good - DD1 has them , and they are incredibly useful, but I find their top one just a bit high for ease of taking something heavy out, so check you are comfortable with that. ( And I am quite tall!)
Willow - hope DS2 is okay , they always fall ill at night it seems. And well done on all the gardening. When you say you need to fill a big bare border, what sort of size, and is it bare in spots, or all of it?
Horse - that sounds like a lovely day.
Right - off to water everything, then a long hot soak in the bath for me .
Have a good evening all

We made it to TKD😀 his stomach has been making the most noisy rumblings all day but he doesn't feel sick hope it's just tween constant hunger.

Book its about 6' square but only a smallish gap needs filling. Have 'bushy' annuals, red hot poker's and few other tall stuff and smaller stuff in middle. Have a couple of hukeras about 3 feet apart with a gap inbetween that needs filling. Needs to be similar size and height. I saw a new hukera in dobies deep purple/black nearly got it 😀 have 3 thingamanobs (Xmas roses) in front of the space. Hope that makes sense
Sounds like you had a lovely day with family.

Hmm that's a thought book as I'm only 5'5. Maybe one of the single slide under door type then. And if need grill use microwave one. Hmmm brain clicks slowly.

It's still pouring here and not very warm.

could have them side by side Selena if you have the room. As its your kitchen, just make sure they are positioned where you want them, not what the kitchen people think is where they should be IYSWIM.
Willow - heuchera ? how about erysimum - flowers over a long period , or a hardy geranium - eg Dilys or an evergreen ajuga reptans - there are loads more ... :) Well done for getting to theTKD !

Yes heucera I tried 3 times to get my phone to leave it alone then gave up! I have that geranium, just didnt know its name! I have something similar to the ajuga reptans, just a deeper purple so need something thats not purple/lilac. Will keep looking, thanks googling them came up with some other plants to consider.

Good morning all

Hope DS is feeling better Willow and well done for getting to TKD. Yes, the lady did look very much like Katie!

I'd love a double oven too, but we have a small kitchen with not enough room, nor the money to refit anyway. So many decisions Selena Can't believe it is 5 weeks already since DH died. How are you and DS doing?

Hope London is fun Drama

Horse that sounds like a perfect Sunday.

book what is going on in the allotment at the moment?

I'd best go shower. Two boys arriving at 8!

Morning all
well, it rained quite a lot overnight, but lovely and sunny now, so may put on a load of washing. Need to tidy up too - DGS does like to have every toy/game out , so I have a pile of boxes to put back tidily.
Can't really go to the allotment this morning, due to the rain , so thats an afternoon job. At the moment it is weed, weed, weed , weed , weed and keeping on top of harvesting stuff -cabbages/beans/broccoli/courgettes/carrots/sweetcorn just about ready. Lots of flowers to cut and deadhead .:)
At least DH got the grass cut at home .
Right , better get going .
Have a good Monday all - Drama - enjoy!

Hope you got all your weeding done book!

Survived the Monday. Got everything done on my list apart from hair appointments for children as they're shut on Mondays.

Going to go eat a roast chicken, stuffing, cucumber and mayo sandwich and then Eton mess piggy oink!!!

How was your days ladies? DH currently painting - as you do!

I'm doing OK mainly, thanks Cake, although I'm fairly sure DS struggles at times. I find telling people who don't know still brings tears but it's early days yet. I've had the chief hospice person here today concerning issues we had with one of her team (didn't communicate with me, didn't read DH's notes, suggested Rehab when he was in end of life care, drove him bananas with her inane 'yattering') and I think I held it together reasonably well (few squirts of Rescue Remedy may have helped!).

Had the electrician here today, as I thought, house needs completely rewiring. Gulp again. This means everything, like everywhere not just kitchen, has to be sorted and stacked somehow. The kitchen man assures me all will be done by Christmas at the VERY latest, the double oven will be at height to suit me (thanks for that tip book), he's enjoying playing with ideas and it will all be started when I go away for a week, so I'll avoid the worst of the banging and dust. Are those pink things flying in the blue yonder?

Hope all going well Drama - and the same for everyone else.

Evening all.

selena that's appalling hope she gets a stern warning and retraining. Gosh sounds like you are on a roll bit of an adventure with the kitchen am so jealous mine is the worst kitchen would love a big one.

cake oh don't mention haircuts I meant to do that Saturday and forgot. I am betting I cant get an appointment this week now.

Mixed day here. Went for food shop and other bits. Say with kids first and chatted about packed lunches for school. Need to get a clue as both.will be having them as can't afford to splash out £30+ a week! So aside from normal shop I got stuff to freeze for next week. Ds2 and I sorted out my titchy freezer and made room for all the school stuff😀 think I will 'lunch plan' to keep myself from panicking the night before 😀😀

Although it took him forever ds1 did do some laundry and hovered the house. Small steps😉
Need to get off my bum and make jam but Nadia is on tv and I have missed every episode so far.

Bucketing rain from later afternoon. Hope it rains itself out as want to go to Edinburgh tomorrow.

Have a nice pm ladies.
Thinking of juan too.