Buffet lunch today.

Good evening.

Coffee Morning started an hour later this morning. 11am instead of 10am, and still I was late. Not to worry, they know me by now. 

The food was very nicely laid out on two tables. Afterwards there was a raffle with some really nice prizes to be won, then they finished off with two games of Bingo. 

I called in for a natter with Angela afterwards. Then came home. 

This afternoon I made some more bunting. 

Tonight I made a pan of soup with parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, and a leek. Very nice it is. Plenty for tomorrow. 

I have just checked the back garden, and the small hedgehog is here for some food. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Soooper soup

Good morning.

Here is a quick post before I get ready to go to the Coffee Morning. Yes, I will go today because there is a buffet laid on, and I put my name down weeks ago. I shall endeavour to stay out of people's way. I don't want to be picking up more germs. I will be first in line to select a few nibbles, then retreat to my isolated table in the corner of the room. 

This is a simple idea for a warming winter soup. I made the onion soup a day or two ago. It stretched to three portions stored in the fridge. Most of my soups are yellow because I add turmeric. Instead of breaking up a slice of bread, I like to cut a cheese and onion pastry roll into four pieces and lay it in the bottom of the bowl first. Cover over with soup and zap it in the microwave. It is blooooming loverly. You could use any type of shop bought pastry, sausage roll, pork pie, even a chipolata sausage or two from a tin. Let your imagination run riot. 

Now I must wash my hair. The sun is shining. Have a good day. Toodle pip.   ilona

Opting in or opting out.

Good evening. 

I went to the phone shop in Tesco this afternoon. The young man in there explained a few things about my new phone. I can't get rid of some of the features that I don't need, I just have to ignore them. Don't want to take photo's so ignore the camera. Don't need blue tooth connectivity, the phone stays tucked away in my bag when I am driving. I still have a lot of credit on it because I haven't needed to make any calls. He showed me how to scale down my list of contacts. Delete those who I have had no contact with for a long time. My sister doesn't speak to me. My nephew does not contact me. My auntie is dead, and an ex boyfriend is probably dead. Basically I have very few friends. I have a list written down at home if I want to contact anyone on the landline. 

My Christmas is sorted. Same as previous years. It's cancelled.  

I am going to start looking after myself a bit better. Today I bought some multivitamins with iron and B6. Some turmeric complex with ginger and black pepper supplements. Some calcium for the bones and teeth. Vitamin D for the immune system. 

That should do the trick.

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Following instructions

Good morning. 

I am not going to Chat and Craft this morning. I can sit here and do my crafting. I have just recorded a video and that will appear a bit later today. 

In the meantime, here is one to be going on with. It won't suit everybody so pass it by if you are not interested. 

The more I listen to David, the more sense he makes. What he is describing is playing out before our very eyes. Stop fighting each other. Stop hating each other. The enemy are are those who control the money. All western governments are in turmoil and are waiting for instructions about what to do next.

News just in. Two of the puppies have been found, again in Kent. They were stolen from a house in Suffolk. Still two more to be found. This has been shared two million times on facebook. Keep looking. 

Catch ya later. Toodle pip.   ilona

Give Santa a wave.

 Good evening.

The weather has been chuffin awful today. More rain. Only one thing to do, go shopping. £58 spent in Aldi. Look what I found, more cheese. They have a good selection of speciality cheeses in for Christmas. These are only £1 each. Slightly smaller than those I bought yesterday. Well stocked up now. 

Santa has been around the village today. The Rotary Club volunteers do this every year. They do a full week of towing the buggy around all the villages, raising money for local charities. The elves go door to door with their collecting buckets. 

Remember the big onion I bought from the Farm Shop last week. I made soup with it tonight. That was an eyewatering experience. 😭😭😭

Not long now to Christmas. Not long to the shortest day. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Spreading smiles.

Good evening.

Mission accomplished today. Walk to the Christmas Market at the Park and buy cheese. The rain held off until later in the afternoon so it brought a lot of people out. The cheese stall was very busy and almost ran out of my favourite truckles. These will do nicely. 

The Cheese Den attends lots of markets throughout Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Here is a list. 

They also have an online shop and will deliver to your door. 

There were craft stalls inside the Hall. My second mission was to buy a gift for the Secret Santa we will be holding at Crafty Club. You draw a name out of a hat and buy a Christmas Gift for that person. I browsed the indoor stalls and found the perfect present. It's a secret so not telling you what it is and who I will be giving it to. Apart from this one item I don't buy any other gifts. 

I found eight little girls to give the felt hearts to. They were all smiles. 

The heavens opened as I walked home. Luckily the brolly kept me mostly dry. I walked along the edge of the playing field and the sun came out behind me. Such  a brief but beautiful sight. 

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

Keeping busy indoors.

Good evening. 

It's easier to record a ten minute video than take a load of photographs, edit them, then string together a jumble of words on a page. Video camera in hand, walk around, point it at stuff, waffle a few words, job done.  

I braved the cold this afternoon and went to the park to see how the Christmas Market setting up was coming together. Quite a lot of gazebo's were erected waiting for the occupation of stall holders to take place tomorrow morning. 

I needed to get out of the house, it's no good to shut yourself away inside a centrally heated house. Fresh air is what I needed. One week of coughing and sneezing is quite enough thank you very much. I almost lost my marbles and went to the doctors surgery in the village. Then had second thoughts. Not much point in that. There won't be any magic pills. Just keep eating and drinking, and sleeping. 

Have a good weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

It's good . . . . .

 . . . . . . . . . . to step back. 

It's good to take stock of your life. 

It's good to say 'no'.

It's good to claim your life for yourself.

I put this out on my yoootooob channel. No video, just this. 

Good morning. Trying to make sense of this crazy world is very time consuming, and pretty much pointless. What I say about the current situation is not going to make any difference whatsoever. I have my opinions, and I am sure many will agree with me, but things are developing exactly as they have always been planned. It's up to each and everyone to stay informed, to keep up, then get on with their own lives. December is a dormant month for me. I will be slowing down on the video content, and there may not be as many blog posts as usual. I will be back.

Hang on in there, hold the line. Follow the freedom train. The lies will keep coming thick and fast. Question everything. You know what the truth is.

Catch ya soon. Toodle pip. ilona

Watch the birdie.

 Good evening. 

It's been raining most of the day again. It's becoming very tedious now. There is no incentive to go out and come back like a drowned rat. I don't like December anyway. It would be good to hibernate and forget about it. 

I saw a pheasant in the neighbours garden yesterday. It looked very sad, just sat still, wondering where all it's mates had gone. Horrible men with guns no doubt. When I looked out of the window today I was very pleased to see it sat on the top of my hedge. Such gorgeous colours. Quick, grab the camera. 

My neighbour fills up the bird feeders in the corner of his garden, next to his shed. I just scatter my bird food all over the ground.  

The hedge has a solid flat top. I think these are mainly ground birds, but they don't seem to mind that the hedge can support their weight. 

It stayed around for a few minutes, made a new friend of one of the many pigeons that visits, then took flight over the wooden fence at the back and into Hazels garden. I hope it comes back.  

I have been let off Billy walking for a few days. Carol's son is here and he will do it. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Dressing up for Christmas.

Good evening. 

A few snaps from a walk to the park today. It was very cold, but at least it had stopped raining. Preparations are being made for the Christmas Market next weekend. Inside the walled garden are giant white tulips. 

The miniature railway was open for rides. Boys having fun with their chuff chuff. 

I went inside the hall to warm my frozen bones. A comfy easy chair next to a roaring log fire was a treat. 

The staircase always looks lovely at Christmas time. 

Plenty of festive plastic greenery. 

I am sure I saw these gift wrapped boxes last year. 

The tree looking magnificent as you enter by the front door. I wonder if they undress it at the close of Christmas, or do they have two big blokes to pick the whole thing up as it is and take it up into the loft as it is. 

Here's a little treat for you. A gentle video to watch. 

Sunday night is catching up with yoootooobers night. Fran and Rich are on the Gloucester and Sharpness canal. The video starts with an amazing starling murmuration.  

Thanks for popping in. See ya soon. Toodle pip.   ilona

Donation

 Good morning. 

Thirty days hath September, April, June and November. Do you remember that little rhyme. Repeating that was the only way I could remember how many days there are in the month. So hello December which begins tomorrow. 

It was the Christmas Fair in the Village Hall yesterday. I didn't go, but donated one of my pictures as a prize in the big raffle. I have been informed that the person who has it is delighted. It has gone to a good home. 

After all that rain yesterday it is now sunny so I am going for a walk to the Park.

Enjoy your Sunday. Toodle pip.   ilona

One of the good guys.

 

Dan Wootton

@danwootton

·

2m

Britain needs every outspoken patriot at this perilous moment in history. Yesterday we lost one of the very best. My good friend Peter Whittle devoted his life to saving his country, founding the New Culture Forum as a force in the fightback. His loss is devastating. RIP.

The New Culture Forum

@NewCultureForum

·

22m

It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Peter Whittle, founder and director of the New Culture Forum. Peter passed away yesterday evening surrounded by his loved ones. It is hard to overstate the impact Peter and the NCF have had on Britain’s cultural and political landscape since he founded the NCF twenty years ago. Peter’s courage, passion, integrity, wit and intellect inspired millions in Britain and around the world to think critically, challenge cultural orthodoxies, and champion free speech. The NCF will continue to honour Peter’s vision and values. Rest in peace,

@prwhittle

.

Very sad.

Ilona.

Relief, it's finished.

 Good evening.

That's a relief, the woolly artwork is finished. It seemed to go on for a long time, because I am easily distracted. The construction was rather complex. I had to go one step at a time. I don't use glue so everything had to be stitched on. First the circles onto a piece of gauze. Then trim the edges so that it wouldn't show when I stitched it onto the black felt. 

Once I had stretched the felt over the board, and laced it at the back, I had to put some stitches right through the whole thing from back to front, so once it was hanging vertical it wouldn't sag with the weight of it. It is 21.5 inches by 16.5 inches. 

It's been a bit dull today to photograph it. I find the kitchen floor works quite well because light comes in through two windows.

 

The colours look better on the photograph I did in the porch. 

I put an extra strip of board across where I was going to screw in the wire. The back is completely enclosed, with tiny stitches around the edge. 

Only one more job left to do. Go over it all with sellotape to remove the cat hairs. 

Well that's a relief. I am pleased with it. It has turned out just as imagined it. Now I can move on to the next project. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

At last they have got it.

Good evening. 

The Coffee Morning was well attended this morning. The last Wednesday in the month is when we have a bingo session and a raffle. An announcement was made from the people who run the club. Prices are going to have to go up starting in January. The money they charge does not cover the outgoing costs. It's very cheap, £1.50 for a coffee, plus 50p if you want a cake. Over the last few weeks I have started paying more. I take my own coffee in my own mug, so I only need hot water. 

I stood up and said my piece. Most people were in agreement when I said it's too cheap we need to pay more. This is a facility that we need to keep going. Two hours on a Wednesday morning. Come in from the cold, chat with your friends. I hand over £5 for the warmth and company. 

The raffle ticket seller came with her tickets. An announcement was made, that they didn't have many tickets left. Usually they sell them for £1 for a strip of five. But that only gives you one chance to win a prize. This morning they said it is £1 for each single ticket . For that you get one chance to win. This crazy way of selling raffle tickets has been going on for a long time. No wonder they are going through far too many tickets. 

I have said this many times before, what a waste of money. They should be sold singly for £1 each. At last they have taken notice. Hooooobloodyray. 

Another waste of money I have spoken about is the use of paper plates for one cake. I often give mine back and say use it again. It's still clean. They could save a lot of money if they just used a paper serviette for one small cake. Let's hope they take that money saving tip on board. 

Where is the common sense. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Trucking memories.

UKcheckpoints.info

Yesterday at 04:41 ·Rocked into Dover last November..

A joint operation with Border Force and Port of Dover Police uncovered a fully loaded HGV missing a wheel, hub and brakes during an inspection 
The driver admitted he’d lost the wheel two days earlier but had no idea where or when it happened. The vehicle was taken off the road and fully repaired before being released, making sure it was safe again.

This brings back memories. I had a big heavy lump on my stepframe trailer, to deliver to Ireland. Two of us travelling together, Mark was behind me. Suddenly he came on the cb radio and shouted for me to pull over and stop. There's something not right on your trailer. Luckily there was a layby just there that I could get into. He pulled in behind me. 

We both got out to have a look. A double set of wheels were missing on the nearside centre axle of the three axle trailer. No sign of them. If this happens while in transit they usually run away on their own. Could be anywhere. 

I dropped my trailer there and carried on to Pembroke Docks with Mark and his load following. We were due to load onto a boat that evening. At the docks Mark couldn't get on the boat because his load was too high. That meant staying there all night and getting the morning boat which could accommodate him.

I rang my boss, it was before we had mobile phones. Boss said go back to the trailer and they will send a tyre fitter out to me. Find the wheels and he will put them back on the now hanging on the ground axle. 

Mark came back with me and we looked for the wheels. We could only find one, they had run off into a wood somewhere. 

The tyre fitted came and said he could not attach one wheel, there needs to be two. He had a plan. Chains, hooks, and tensioners were deployed. Luckily in heavy haulage we always carried the equipment that we might need. 

Attach the chain to the opposite side of the trailer bed with a hook. Run it across to the other side, jack up the hanging axle and run the chain underneath it and take it back across the bed to to the other side. Another hook would hold it there after a tensioner was used to pull it tight. It lifted it enough so it wouldn't drag on the road.

I drove to the docks like that, about an hour away. Parked up next to Mark, and we both got on the boat in the morning. Then drove to the delivery point, and with both trailers unloaded we got the crane to lift mine up onto Marks. He piggybacked that back to the depot in Leicester, and I drove back solo. 

I doubt that an emergency like that would be easily solved now. 

Catch ya later.   ilona