Smelly bits

Hello. Any time I come across a minor problem it is my wish to solve it. I am of the opinion that all problems are solvable, if ideas are not forthcoming early on in the thought process, they will surely emerge later when almost all options have been dismissed. And so it is that I have put much thought into the solving of this problem. 

I mentioned that I cut my wash sponges in half, because they last longer, all well and good. You can use a whole sponge to clean the whole of your body, but that might not be very hygienic as the sponges become a tad smelly with use. So my idea of cutting them in half alleviates that problem because you can use half of it to wash the non smelly bits and the other half to wash the smelly bits, if you get my drift. 

Well that's solved that problem then. Well not quite. If the two halves look the same, how do you know which is the one designated for the smelly bits? Erm  I don't know. Could sniff them I suppose. I'm going to have to give this more thought. 

Brainwave, they need to have a mark that identifies which sponge is to be used for the corresponding parts of the body. Of course, why didn't I think of that before. So, with my permanent marker I have solved the problem. It all makes sense to me.

If you have any problems which you are struggling with, just ask me. It might just need a logical brain to come up with the answer. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Let's have a catch up.

Hello, I've been AWOL, apologies for my absence. Apart from not having much to say, I've been helping my friend Helen deliver her parish newsletters, and done some Bailey dog walks for Joyce, as she has needed to rest her leg. So all good stuff, lots of walking. 

I didn't see the super moon the other night, but last night there was very little cloud and it lit the back garden up nicely.

This morning it was at the front of the house at 7am, still visible, with a whisp of cloud floating by.

Hey, look what I found. Someone very kindly has bagged up all their spare apples and hung them on the railing for anyone to take. Thank you, I'll have one of those.

 Tonight I've made a big pan of broth and vegetables.

Soaked the Scotch Broth Mix overnight, and added carrots, potatoes, parsnips, an onion, the last bit of broccoli, and two apples. I used half the packet, which was as you can see 50p, it makes four large portions, or five not so large. This will put hairs on my chest, it's lovely, and very cheap. I will eat some more tomorrow, and freeze some.

I had a phone call from a local WI group, asking me to do a frugal money saving talk. I've booked them in for January. I haven't done one for ages, it will make a nice change.

Pussy cat rescue news. Someone contacted us about a stray kitten seen wandering at a caravan park. Sue and Janet went to have a look for it, and found it in a pond. The poor little might was half dead. The man who owned the place waded in and got it out. They had it checked at the vet. Luckily we had a spare pen for it, and now it is being looked after and making progress.

There are some new exhibitions starting soon at the Arts Centre, one of them sounds really good. It's called Radical Craft, Alternative ways of making. There is a tour with the Curator on Saturday, I'll go along to that. Someone has blogged about it here.

Has anyone found the videos by Graeme Stevenson on yoootooob?  He is an artist who travels around chatting to other artists about their work. Claire Bremner produces some stunning work, and demonstrates her techniques as she talks and paints. Have a look if you are an artist, or if you aren't. She makes it look so easy.



Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Hairbrained ideas.

Hello. I need to do something with my hair. It's hanging around my face, in my eyes, and annoying me so I clip it up out of the way. I only do this in the house though, it's not really a good style for a 67 year old woman to be showing off  walking around the streets. 

Wondering what to do next. It definitely needs a trim, but I am not keen on the mousy brown colour. I think blonde suits me better, or maybe I should go a little bit red, like the pic on the sidebar. I quite like that colour. Maybe I should go completely whacky bonkers and have it multicoloured. Or shave it off. Or be a punk. Or have a perm. I will think about it.  

I did my walk in the dark tonight, I wanted to see the big bright and shiny super moon. I caught a fleeting glimpse as it emerged briefly from behind the clouds. It was only a second or two. Bit disappointing really.

I'm going to watch a bit of tele now on yoootooob. Don't watch BBC iplayer any more, don't have a licence. Found some interesting programmes on Channel 4od yesterday. Three Grayson Perry programmes, watched them back to back while I was sewing.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Thanks for Nothing by Jack Dee. Book review.

Hello. Jack Dee always makes me titter so when I saw this book in the library I thought it would be an interesting read. I love his deadpan look, and his sarcastic observational comedy. It was first published in 2009, and covers his early life of disastrous day jobs, and finishes when he finally makes it as a paid stand up comedian on the comedy circuit. 

Jack talks about many of his unskilled jobs, including working in an artificial leg factory, delivering incontinence pads, waiting at tables and bar work. As I was reading it I could hear his voice in my head. He shares his views on everything, from personal trainers, boutique hotels, to people who hold their cutlery the wrong way. He is a brilliant story teller and made me laugh out loud.

At the back of the book, as usual, is the index page. A typical example of Jack humour, just two words. . You've got to laugh at that, haven't you.

It's a funny book if you like Jack Dee humour. You might like to look at this funny clip from yoootooob



Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Money matters

Hello. My Saturday musings. It's very easy to get into bad habits. Lapses of concentration, following the crowd, taking your eye off the ball, daydreaming, and drifting along in a robotic way can cause you lose track of the many alternative ways of doing things. There is a thin line between going on automatic pilot, and becoming obsessed. with sticking to how you have always done it.

My money saving efforts have become routine over the years, they are embedded in my personality. Being mindful of how much I spend and what I spend it on comes naturally. It takes no effort at all to take care of my needs first, and if there is anything left over, I have money for a few wants. This is how I have always done it.

I have a few food items on my needs list, and thankfully they are also good for me, like coffee, eggs, bananas,  vegetables, and cheese. Everything else is what I would like to eat, but could manage without it. My eating habits are generally very good, steering clear of anything that might do me harm. My self control while out and about near shops is very strong, I ignore all advertising and don't do impulse shopping.

So, my money management skills have held me in good stead, I am at the point where I can relax a little. I can afford to move a few of the wants into the needs category. But this is where I'm struggling. This line down the middle is not moving. My good habits of spending frugally are blocking my way, and are in danger of becoming bad habits.

An example. I have been putting the heating on for an hour or so, just to take the chill off. But, I still sit here with a dressing gown on over my clothes. Then I get hot and instead of taking the dressing gown off I  turn the heating off. I have it in my head that I don't need to spend money to keep warm.

Another example, I still save my bath water for flushing the toilet. I don't need to because I can afford to pay my water bill. But it doesn't seem right to pull the plug out and let it all go down the drain when it could be put to better use. And it doesn't seem right to flush fresh water down the loo when there is an abundance of grey water available.

Another example. I could afford to eat out, but I can't see the point in paying over the odds to sit in a noisy place and eat god knows what with other people, when I have delicious healthy food at home.

So you can see that my good habits are becoming a little bit restrictive in a way, and are in danger of becoming bad habits. Maybe I ought to be working towards becoming more flexible.

Last month I had a letter from my small private pension provider. Basically they would like to get rid of me out of their system. They offered me a lump sum, quite a sizable lump sum, to pay me off. I have been receiving a bit from them for the last ten years and it has been a nice little top up. Before I retired it was what kept me going, along with a couple of small jobs. I have had a word with my financial adviser, aka my best friend Carol, and I have come to the conclusion that as I hope to be alive in twenty years time, I would be losing out if I was to take the money and run. Hmmmm, I could splash out on some luxuries, or one big luxury, but I can't think of anything I need. I could probably spend it on the house, but that has never been a priority with me. It's still standing, is weatherproof, and it doesn't have to look like a show house. So, for now I will carry on as I have been doing and in ten years I will be the winner as I carry on receiving the pension.

It's 'orrible outside, raining. I will do my three miles later but it's not worth going anywhere else. So on with the sewing. Thanks for popping in, enjoy your Saturday. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Me, the artist :o)

Hello, a quickie tonight, I am falling asleep. I went to the Art Gallery with a couple of friends to the preview of the Open Exhibition. My one picture which was accepted. Sadly I did not win a prize. 

It was great chatting to some of the other artists. I met two people who did not have any pictures accepted, so I suppose I was lucky to get one in. I saw a few people I know, Michael Scrimshaw was there, he is the chappie with the dreadlocks who I go to see at the Ropewalk Open studios every September. The exhibition is on until February.

Heidi had her checkup this morning, the vet was pleased with her blood results. I suggested that we reduce her medication slightly, and Marion said that would be a good idea. So instead of having a full tablet every day, she will have one every alternate day, and half a tablet on the other days. I will monitor her behaviour to make sure she does not become tired.

It's bed time so I'll say goodnight. We'll catch up soon. Have a nice weekend.
Toodle pip.

Snuggly

Hello. Are you keeping warm, it's a bit chilly out there. If I keep my neck warm the rest of me usually stays warm as well. I often wear scarves, even in the house, but I remembered about this fleecy neck snuggly which I made a couple of years ago and dug it out of the cupboard. I posted about it, but I thought it's worth another mention because it's quick and easy to make, and someone else might like to have a go.  

All you need is a small childs fleecey top with a zip up the front. Mine was a hoodie, I bought it from a charity shop for 50p. It sits nicely around my neck, tucked inside my fleecy top. 

First I took the zip out, then cut across the middle off the garment under the armpits. I hemmed the two sides where the zip was, and hemmed the top. This one has two handy pockets, which could be used to hold a mobile phone, cash, or keys. I wrapped it around my neck and marked the places where the press studs needed to be.

Next I made a pair of fingerless gloves with the bottoms of the sleeves. Hem the cut edges, and put a few stitches between the thumb and first finger. They fit snugly round my wrists.

Keep a look out for a child's fleece in the charity shops, or maybe you have a child in the family who has outgrown theirs. Are you managing to keep warm?

I went to town this afternoon to collect two of my pictures from the Arts Centre. The third one is going to be in the Open Exhibition, which starts on Saturday and is on until February. I shall go tomorrow night for the preview.

Heidi is at the vet tomorrow morning, we need some more tablets, and they will be checking her blood count as well. She seems to be doing ok, she is quite lively and playful.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

How do you wash your feet in the shower?

Hello. Let's talk about skin, we have all got some. It's that stretchy stuff which covers our bodies. According to my Human Biology folder, (1962) page 81, the function of the skin forms a boundary between us and the environment, acting as a protective layer against friction, bacteria, water, heat, and cold. It also helps to keep our temperature constant in spite of changes in the temperature of our surroundings. Pretty clever eh!.

Here on page 79 is my diagram of the components which make up the different layers. 

Today, I scrubbed the skin all over my body while I soaked in the bath. These are the torture cleaning implements which I use. I like to remove all the dead skin. I start with my feet. Lying on my back I pull one knee up to my chin and work my way up the leg with this rough stone thing. The knee gets done, then the upper leg as far the bum cheek. Repeat the same procedure with the second leg. 

Then I swap to the sponge with the honeycomb rough side. I cut the sponge in half so it lasts twice as long. Still laid in the water I give the arms a good scrub, paying particular attention to the armpits. I then sit up and proceed to attack the upper body, front, neck, and around the sides as far as my arms will reach. When that's all done I stand up and do all the body parts which were previously below the water line, with the sponge.

How to reach the back, with a brush, so while still standing up I use this.

For a final rinse off I lie back down in the bath and have a bit of a swish about. All nice and clean, and the dead skin all removed. You may have noticed that I didn't mention my face. I wash my hair over the full bath of clean water, (no soap added), and wash my face, before I get in.

Now what I want to know is how can you give yourself a full body scrub in a shower? I had showers at the hotel, but all they entailed was a soapy sponge and reaching as far as my little arms could stretch to around the middle of my body. My back didn't get done, forgot to take the brush, but there was no way that I could balance on one leg on a slippery surface to scrub my feet and below my knees.

It baffles me when people say they they have a shower every day, which usually entails dispensing half a bottle of shower gel into the palm of your hands and smearing it around all the crevices of your body then rinsing it off. Unless you have got sandpaper on the palm of your hands, I don't call that getting properly clean. And how do you wash your feet in the shower, that's what I would like to know, especially when you have soap running down your face and have to keep your eyes clamped tight shut. Do you wobble about on one leg and hope you don't slip?

Shower cubicles are so darn small. Drop the soap and you have to bend down and go scrabbling about  for it. You have to remember where you put the towel when you reach for it with your eyes closed. You open the shower door and it's cold in the rest of the room so you try and dry yourself within the confines of the cubicle, or step out onto the bath mat and rub yourself like crazy before you freeze to death.

Give me a bath anytime so I can have a good soak and a good scrub to get rid of the dead skin, then I feel clean. Albert has the right idea.



Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Going round in circles

Hello. Thank you all so much for your comments on the previous post. I needed to write it down and explain why I didn't mention Rocky on here for a while. I wanted you to know that I didn't give up on him. Thank you for understanding.

Remember this experiment, slashing the fabric to expose the colours underneath. I saw the technique on a yoootooob video and had a go. Sandwich lots of scraps between two pieces of fabric. I chose to machine stitch in circles, it can be done in lines up and down. Then slash through the top fabric in between the stitching with a small pair of scissors and down into the layers, but not the bottom piece.

Look what it has turned into. 

 I have added lots of running stitches in different colours into the corners.

More running stitches in circles, with beads added. The centre is a circle of red felt with pearl and gold beads stitched into it. Hasn't come out very well in the picture but it looks nice.

I had a gold frame which someone gave me, it fits in there perfectly. Haven't put the glass in because it would squash the ruffles. 

It's turned out a lot better than I thought it would, not bad for an experiment. I'm rather chuffed with it.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

What really happened.

Hello. I have been waiting for the right time to tell this story, it's not going to be easy, but I'll try. I met a little dog about six years ago, his owners moved into a house up the street and I was walking past one day. There was no fencing around the back garden and there is a public path which runs between the houses there. The woman and her daughter and the little dog were out on the back garden. he came running towards me with his tail wagging, such a cute little face. I tried to engage them in conversation while fussing the dog, trying to make them feel welcome, and explaining that I walk dogs for people and would be happy to help out with walking their dog. They said I could, but the conversation was stilted, I felt they didn't really want to engage with me, I put it down to them being shy in a new neighbourhood. Maybe when they had made a few more contacts they would discover that this was a friendly place to live.

When I had a spare hour or two, or when I had another dog to take out, I went and knocked the door to ask if I could take Rocky out. Seemed sensible to take two dogs at the same time. The first few times the front door opened and I was given permission, but then when I went the next time, the front window opened by a couple of inches and I was told, yes I could take him out. After that they stopped answering the door or opening the window. I felt they weren't bothered one way or another, so I kept taking him out. He was always in a shed in the garden.

Not long after that they got some workmen to put a high wooden fence up, completely enclosing the back garden, access being through a door at the side of the house. Now the little dog was trapped, he couldn't see out, and no one could see him, apart from through one inch gaps between the boards. By this time I had noticed that he was always in the garden, day and night, with only a tumbledown shed to sleep in. It was also obvious that they hardly ever took him for a walk. I felt so sorry for him, it was like he was in a prison.

After they stopped answering the door to me I carried on taking him for walks, the gate wasn't locked so I assumed it was ok, they saw me coming and going. It was very strange to be taking someone's dog out when they didn't want to speak to me, but after a time I noticed that they weren't speaking to anyone else either, so maybe it wasn't just me they didn't like. They went back and forth in the car on the school run, the daughter was a teenager, but it was very rare to see them walk in the village. I did see them on the hills one day, a place where all dog walkers go. I had Rocky and another dog and was chatting to someone else with their dogs. I tried chatting to them and introduced them to my friend, but they weren't interested and walked on.

This set up carried on for a long time and I was becoming increasingly worried about Rocky being left on his own almost 24/7. I did what I could with giving him walks, and even taking him back home to give him a bowl of food. He ate it like he was very hungry. I had access to his garden through the side gate. They didn't put a lock on it, but I was always worried that they would get fed up with me and lock it to keep me out. They knew I was coming and going, but it was never locked. I always acknowledged them on the rare occasions when I did see them, either with a wave or a 'hello', wanting to not upset them so I could carry on walking Rocky.

The garden was like a jungle by the way, they never did any gardening, so the place must have been covered in his poo. He had access to his shed through a cat flap, basically a hole cut into the wood at ground level, next to the door, and covered with a piece of lino which he pushed to get in and out. The shed was full of rubbish, he didn't have a bed to sleep on, just piles of newspaper. The rain was getting in, everything was damp, and eventually the wind blew the window in. It's a wonder it didn't land on him. The mother was in the back garden one day when I went for him. I offered to repair the shed, said I had a piece of glass that would fit the window. I said I have a small cupboard which would make a dry place for his bed. All she said was, 'you don't have to do that', and, 'he needs fresh air'.

By now I was going more often, because of the appalling conditions he was living in, I noticed what food he had and how often it was replenished. There was a large plastic biscuit box with dried food in it, and a water bowl. Often when I went the water bowl was empty, and sometimes he hadn't touched the biscuits. The rain got in and the biscuits got wet and went mouldy, so proof that no one was going in to check. I found the shed crawling with slugs when it was wet and warm. They were in his food and water. I left one in his water bowl to see if they had moved it and refilled with fresh water. After four days it was still there, so I took a bottle of water and changed it.

I noticed that Rocky was occasionally limping on his front paw, and he had a red sore on his hind leg that was irritating him. I took him to my vet, and she diagnosed arthritis, and gave me some cream for the sore spot. After about a week it cleared up. I doubt it would have got treated if I hadn't seen it.

I took photo's because by this time I was thinking of making a report to the RSPCA. I also kept a diary of the times I visited, what I found, and the weather conditions. They hardly ever had him in the house, he was outside throughout the cold winter. The check cushion in the picture was one I made ages ago. Up till then he was sleeping on a plastic sled and newspaper. There was a lawnmower which was never used. One day it smelled very strongly of petrol, she had been tackling the garden with a strimmer. I feared for his safety.

The rain was getting in the roof on one side and running down the wall, and the wood was rotting at the bottom. The whole shed was leaning. It is still there now, but keeled over that far it is almost on it's side.

I was so angry that this little dog had to endure living in a dump with not much human interaction apart from the times I cared for him, it all came to a head in September 2012. They went out for several days, not the first time. I can see the house, I knew when the car was gone, so I brought him to my house. All they had done was to fill his food box to the brim with dried food and left him to it. They probably knew I would look after him, but why they couldn't ask me, I don't know. The car came back and I wondered how long it would be before they came to my door to ask for him back.

I rang the RSPCA to ask for help. I wanted them to go and see the people and check on Rocky, and tell them that his living conditions weren't acceptable. I went into great detail on the phone but they didn't want to know. I said I had him here with me, they said I should take him back. They only act on animals that are obviously malnourished or neglected or have been cruelly treated. Rocky wasn't malnourished because I had been feeding him. He was certainly neglected which I consider is a form of cruelty.

I waited and waited, and eventually the mother came in December and took him back. Hardly any words passed between us, all she said was, 'he's not your dog'. I was devastated. I wrote about it here and was criticized for my actions by one or two readers, which annoyed me because no one knew the whole story except me. There were parts I couldn't write about because I was never sure that they, mother and daughter, were not reading my blog. I was on tenderhooks all the time. Throughout the whole time I have known Rocky, before he came to live here and after, I have been worried that they would fall out with me big time and take him back.

I was in their bad books so I kept a low profile for a while, only going at night when I knew they would not be coming out of the house. I took treats for him, called his name through the fence and he would poke his nose out of the cat flap. I pushed dog treats and sausages through the gaps and he scoffed them. I didn't dare go into the garden for fear of being caught. It was heartbreaking and bloody annoying to think that they were tucked up in their warm house and this little dog was outside in the freezing cold winter.

In the January I plucked up courage to knock on their door. They could tell me to bog off, it was a chance I had to take, for Rocky's sake. Mother opened it a few inches. I asked if she was still mad with me, or could I take Rocky out again. She appeared to be ok with that, maybe I took her by surprise. She said I could take him out.

So the whole thing started again. Me taking him out for walks and putting him back. I didn't write here about what was going on,  because I didn't want a barrage of questions, and I didn't want to inflame the situation between me and them, in case they had found my blog.

So, now I had permission to walk Rocky, and we were regularly seen around the village. I skirted around the questions, one or two knew what had happened but there was no need for everyone to know. There was one incident which I will recall here. I got a phone call one day from my friend, he was in the club, and someone had brought Rocky in saying they had found him wandering on the hills by himself. They were asking if anyone knew who owned him. Of course my friend said yes, and I went to collect him. It was a mystery how he was that far from home, more than half a mile away. There was no sign of mother and daughter looking for him. I kept him for five days and took him back. A month or two later daughter happened to be outside their back door when I went for him. I said, that was a bit strange when he was found up on the hills, I wonder how he got there. She answered, 'he used to live on a farm and often went walkabout', she seemed to brush it off as not important. I have my theory. By this time it was obvious to me that they didn't want to care for him. He couldn't have found his way up there by himself.

It got round to winter again, and I thought of a new routine. Not only would I take him for a walk during the daytime, but I would also go later on at night, when they were in bed, and bring him back to my house for the night, taking him back in the morning while they were on the school run. I knew they weren't checking on him very often so what was the point of him staying in that shed overnight.

That's how it went on for ages, it got to the point where he didn't want to go back there. It was heartbreaking for both of us but that's how it had to be for a while. I had him for as long as I dare, and made a point of taking him back and checking on his bed and food, so if they looked out of the window they would see me.

Then it came to the following winter, and I thought's what's the point of taking him back, by now I was sure they hadn't the slightest bit of interest in him. They knew what I was doing, yet still didn't want to speak to me. Again it was January, and freezing cold. I took him out and didn't take him back. This time I put a note through their door asking if it was ok for him to stay with me while the weather was cold, he needs to be indoors because his arthritis was bothering him. They didn't answer. I got some medication for him from the vet for his arthritis.

I kept on putting notes through their door every two or three weeks, up until Easter, giving them updates, telling them how he was, and asking them to tell me when they wanted me to bring him back. They never did reply, so I stopped posting them. The weeks turned into months, and turned into years. I had no communication from them at all. I was constantly worried that they might come and ask for him back at any time. This is going to be hard to believe but they actually saw us in the street a few times, we passed within feet of each other, and they looked the other way, totally ignoring us.

This is when I started writing about him again, when I was almost sure that they wouldn't want him back. People asked me if they had allowed him to live with me, a question I could not truthfully answer until now. As they haven't spoken to me or contacted me for almost four years, so I assumed they did not care about him.

My friends here in the village tell me that Rocky wouldn't have lived as long as he has in those conditions if I hadn't taken him out, and I tend to agree with them. I don't care what anyone thinks of me, I could not ignore that little dog, I couldn't leave him. He was on my mind every minute of the day, I had to do something for him, he deserved better. The only regrets I have is that I didn't remove him sooner. People who don't look after their pets make me so angry.

I miss Rocky every day, I don't think the pain will ever go away. I am now feeling emotionally drained, I hope you don't mind if I have a day off tomorrow.

Good memories.


Thanks for popping in.
Toodle pip

Watch fireworks from your armchair

Hello.
No need to go outside in the cold tonight to watch fireworks, stay snug and warm in your own house and watch this. They know how to do it in Orlando, I was there a while ago, it was chuffin brilliant.



You may wish to turn the sound down a bit, it's very loud.

Have a nice weekend. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Healthy eating for one.

Hello. It's been a week since I did that massive shop at Tesco. I was really low on food so had to stock up on almost everything. I still have lots left, mainly tins and frozen, but my fresh stuff is getting low again, so I went to Aldi today and did a small top up shop. I needed vegetables and salady stuff, and eggs, and bananas, and bread, and cheese, and more nuts, gotta have nuts. 

This is the lunch I had today. Mushrooms, tomato, cucumber, potato salad, pickled onions, brie cheese, Quorn sausage, and a cheese and onion crispy bake. Very nice it was too.

 Tonight was my usual steamed vegetables with a sprinkling of grated cheese. I could scoff broccoli every day, I love the taste of it. Still got some home grown beans in the freezer.

A leaflet came through the door the other day, from the church. It is a thank you card to show their appreciation for the support they get from the parishioners, and has a list of services for the following weeks. . Everyone gets one regardless of whether they go to church or not. A large part of the leaflet is taken up with a list of ten churchyard rules which go into great detail about what is and isn't acceptable regarding the decoration of graves. I think quite a few people will be upset by this because such a lot of things are not allowed. There is a detailed list, plastic flowers, pot plants, statues, garden ornaments, lights, windmills, pottery and glass, are just a few of the things.

I can't see the harm in a few plastic flowers, people can't afford to put expensive fresh flowers on their grave all the time, and if the relative is not able to visit on a regular basis, plastic flowers would be ideal. There are some people that have gone right over the top though, with their decorations. They are going to be mighty upset if they have to remove everything. I do think it is a bit harsh of the church, some of the rules are a bit over the top, there should be some wiggle room in some cases. There is a grave alongside the wall on the edge of the graveyard which is a small child. The mother has been coming almost every week for years to tend it. She takes the soft toys away for washing and brings them back, she adds cards for the child's birthday and Christmas, and swaps the old toys for new ones. I shall be very sad to see this go.

It's the weekend again, the weeks are flying by and it's getting colder. Nowt else to tell you so I'll buzz off. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Good news, and other stuff.

Hello. I've got a big smile on my face today, I went for the second part of my free health check at the surgery. My bloods have been checked and all seems well in that department. I weighed in at 59kg (9st 4lbs) and my height is 5'5". The print out says my ideal weight is 8st 13lbs, so I'll have to watch that I don't creep up a bit over winter. My blood pressure is 118/60, and my BMI is 21.67 kg/m. Pulse rate 76 bpm. There are some cholesterol readings, and she did explain to me what they mean, but I am still baffled. Nevertheless she said they are excellent. 

All the information fed into the computer gives a score. My risk of having a heart attack in the next ten years is 7.4%, which is below the score of 10.5% for a healthy person of the same sex, age, and ethnicity. My healthy heart age is 63. The nurse questioned me about diet, alcohol use, and exercise. She said, whatever you are doing, keep on doing it. So, I'm a little bit chuffed. Making an effort is hopefully paying off. 

I've put these two dollies side by side so you can see the size of the latest one. Little Polly dolly is 7.5 inches tall so will be ok for the Christmas tree. She is not bald at the back of her head, and I have put a narrow strip of plastic inside her body and head, and a bit more stuffing, so she isn't floppy. 

She's had some fillers in her lips, ha ha.

I've seen this small lizardy thing in my garden for must be over a year now. Not sure if there is only one, or whether there is a family. It was in a bowl of water outside the back door and I thought it was struggling to get out, so I fished it out. Cute isn't it. I have to be careful when I am walking about in the garden so I don't stand on it. I wonder if it will hibernate. 

Plenty of rocks for it to hide under. It moves very slow, does not run away and is easy to pick up. Off you go little lizard.

I forgot to include this map photo in my walking posts. It isn't very clear, but you can see how I fill in the lines with a marker pen for the different walks. When I check the mileage on bikehike.co.uk I trace out the lines with the mouse on the screen and it gives me a total.

A comment came in from Anon.......

Have you ever thought of collecting all your walking wanders up on a map/travel page? That way, if one was ever able to, they might be interested to duplicate some of your jaunts, and this would make it easier to hunt up the details/links..

Hello Anon. Thank you for your idea. Unfortunately I don't have time to do all that. It's the same reason why I don't write recipes, or give detailed instructions on how to make craft items. I write about quite a lot of topics on my blog, and will cover some of the basics with limited details, but can't spend more time on it, or I would never get anything else done. 

I suggest if anyone has a particular interest in something you goooooglie it, or go on yooootooob. There are specialist web sites/forums/blogs/ videos for just about any topic. Here is one for long distance walking.  And a link for the Ramblers. And the Walking Englishman. 

I've updated the latest mileage figures to come in, thanks for sending them. All is looking good, and I'm pleased to hear that a lot of you are feeling the benefits of regular exercise. keep it up. It's not just for one week, one month, or one year, it's forever. Look after your body.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Update on the Walking Group

Hello. As we are on the last straight towards the end of the Walk 1000 miles in one year challenge, I thought I would give you a condensed update taken from the original list. Click on the link above for the monthly scores. Thank you for updating and sharing your progress. From the original 64 who signed up, 43 are still on the list. I have deleted those who never really got off the ground. I don't like to give up on people too soon, but as I hadn't heard anything from them it added extra time for me to scroll through when updating. I suspect a few more have given up as I haven't heard anything from them since February. Or maybe they are still doing the challenge but just haven't told me.

Anyway, in no particular order, this is the state of play today. We have some who have already passed the 1000 mark, a fantastic effort, well done, you should be proud of yourselves. You can carry on to the end of the year if you like, to give you a grand total for the twelve months, or stop now, it's up to you.

Ilona 890
Ellen Anderson 669
Lisa in Miami 886
Mrs LH 255
Frugal in the Valley 260
Vampire Heart 1153
Hilogene Oltman 567
Simplesista 876
Julie 691
Juhli 135
Janice C 1008
Laura Blackpool 1002 1111
Sue G 606
Hilde 943
Gillie 872
Cherie 827
Helen D 948 km
Shesewsyouknow 347
Jill 1018
Patricia 345
Jules 859
Sally C 808
Sonja 300
Pam 396
VickiEy 957
Amy in Florida 1777 walk/jog/cycl
Hazel 916
Annie 178
Tigerlove 159
Clynnestra 97
Momsav 781
Wanda 113
Lizzie L 247 walk/cycl
Laegalegle 217
Beachcomber 858
Solo Walker 285
Tracy 129
London Livin 271
Ann Ewart 93
Christine Neumann 692
Scarlett 995
Kay Schmitz 354
Wendy 756
Susan q 577

Some of you are so close, you will definitely finish it, possibly during November, but definitely by the end of the year. Don't worry if you are a bit behind, all kinds of things crop up which can knock you back a bit. The fact that you made a start and did your best is all credit to you.

Any challenge you take on will have it's ups and downs, the fact that this started on January the 1st made it more like a New Years Resolution. A burst of enthusiasm and you're all fired up to give it a go. It's just the same as giving up smoking, or trying to lose weight, or spend less, or save for an expensive item like a holiday or wedding.

Everybody has the idea of creating a new start in January, when in fact you can make a start at any time during the year. Telling yourself that you will do such and such, or give up or cut down is the easy part, it's keeping up the momentum that is hard. I have paced myself with this walking challenge, I'm a steady plodder and prefer to chip away at things rather than go hell for leather then experience burn out. Far better to lose a couple of pounds a month over a period of a year, rather than starve yourself for two months, then binge and put all the weight all back on again.

The key to any challenge is how long can you sustain it for. Looking at the long term to achieve the result you want can be daunting, it means you can often lose sight of your goal. Keeping that in your mind and focusing on the new you is imperative. Take your eye off the game and you can slip back down the slope. If this happens, pick yourself up and vow to do better.

A couple of people have asked, what next? It's looking like a new challenge is needed when this one has finished. I am hoping that some of you will be carrying on with your walking for health. I will always find an excuse to get out and walk. I will keep track of my miles by writing it on my calendar, maybe you could do the same.

I have things to do. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

A nice hotel

Hello and Good Evening. Before I start, I just want to say, this is not a sponsored post, I paid £177 for my three night stay at the Abbot Hall Hotel. I treated myself, this is my reward for saving my pennies on my day to day living expenses. Anyone can stay in a nice hotel if they budget their finances accordingly. If people prefer to spend their money on pubs, eating out, smoking, boozing, electronic gadgets, designer clothes, new sofas, flash cars, then that's their choice. Unless you are very rich and can buy anything you like, it's prudent to prioritize on what is important to you. 

I took a few pics while I was there, I'll show you around. The hotel is set in extensive grounds, plenty of room to amble around, up a long drive to the large car park, hidden well back off the very quiet road, surrounded by trees. Occasionally you get the sound of a train passing by, the railway station is close by. There is a swimming pool in a separate building, plus some log cabins at the side of the main hotel. I didn't photograph those.

A large, light and airy dining room with windows looking out onto the lawns. Table set for breakfast.

Help yourself to a buffet style breakfast with lots of choice. Over on the other table is a hotplate with the cooked items, which are prepared fresh and replenished as and when needed.

Beautiful interior, stairs off the entrance lobby, leading up to some of  the bedrooms.

Three spacious lounges with comfortable seating. Relax, chat, read, or watch the television. Wifi available in the lounge areas. If the weather is miserable just stay in the warm.  

Coffee and snacks are served in the conservatory next to reception. 

This is a great place to stay, follow the link here to check it out. I see they have a special offer from today, until the 21st of December, £39 per person per night, for B & B and evening meal, minimum of two nights. I think that's bloomin good value.

Christian Guild have five hotels in total around the country, this one plus Gloucestershire, Devon, Cornwall, and Derbyshire, and it looks like they all have the same offer of £39. I think I might give some of them a try.

Thank you to those who have updated their walking miles. Don't forget, it's the end of October, only two more months to go of the challenge. Some have already completed the 1000 miles, so well done to you. Let's have one more push and bump up those miles. Just because the weather is getting cooler, that's not an excuse for giving up. Wrap up and put extra clothes on.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip