Young at Heart

Hello. The weather has been pretty crap today, but it didn't send me on a downer. I am feeling quite chipper actually. Crafty Club was good this morning, I did my usual larking about, which put a smile on everyone's face. Fits of laughter filled the room as I acted out the role of a model on a catwalk. I think they call it a runway these days. One of the ladies very kindly brought a couple of fleecy tops and a jacket for me to try on. No longer needed at her house, mine if they fit me. Of course I had to try them on and model them. Yep, they all did. My wardrobe is pretty full now, I don't need to buy any clothes for a long time. 

Coffee and chat at Angela's after. 

Home for lunch, it was another salad, much the same as yesterdays. 

This afternoon I made some more bunting, red and white, to use up a length of white ribbon I found in my bit box. 

Tonight I made a pan of veggie stew. Potato, swede, carrots, onion, and broccoli, with added Quorn pieces. It's chuffin lovely. Enough for two more days. 

I think some of you might like these Green Renaissance videos, I am certainly hooked on them, They have meaningful messages which remind me of how wonderful life is. This one is lovely, older people tell of how they are living their lives to the full. There are lessons for all of us here. The videos are beautifully filmed, and just the right length. Listening to their stories gives me hope that my own life will be as enriched as theirs.  

I'll give walking a miss tonight, it's raining. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Happy Sunday.

 Hello. So what have I been doing today. Enjoying myself. I went to Angela's this morning, to show her how to cut fabric with a rotary cutter on a mat. She hasn't got one and wanted to see how it worked. We cut some squares to make bunting. I don't think she was too impressed, it was too slow for her, so she carried on cutting her squares up with scissors. 

After Mayze took a liking to the pet beds I was making, I thought I had better make one just for her. The piece of patchwork I think I got it from the Scrapstore, if I remember correctly. Someone must have had a plan for a quilt but never got round to finishing it. I think Mayze approves. 

I am a bit fed up of sitting on the hard seat of this chair while Mayze has the best one, so I made a seat cushion. It's a whole lot better. Fabric from the Scrapstore, and a piece of wadding given to me. 

Not more bunting. I had a short piece of bias binding in a lilac colour, so I made a miniature bunting. It's 17 inches long. 

You don't see much black bunting about. I had some black ribbon, and some black sparkly fabric, perfect. I'm pleased with this. 

The fabric is stretchy so quite difficult to work with. You can't see the gold thread through it very well in the picture. 

Lunch was a salad, with a cheese and onion roll. 

Dinner was a plate of steamed vegetables with a drizzle of toasted sesame seed oil. 

This afternoon I had an hour in the garden, trimming back the hedges. 

It has been sunny today but I didn't get around to having a walk, so I'll go now. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

The DANGER of a Cashless Society

A new video out from Laura. A young lady with a lot of common sense. What has happened to her could happen to anybody. Be aware. 

It's a sunny Sunday morning, what shall I do today. Enjoy myself I think, and so should you. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Weekend entertainment.

It's the weekend, here is a lovely video from Daniel. He bought a plot of land in Ireland and is turning it into a small holding. His aim is to be completely self sufficient. He lives in a mobile home, is renovating a cottage, built a wooden cabin, has animals as pets, and grows all his own food. He doesn't post videos that often, but everyone is a little gem. 

I am busy in other places, fending off the trolls on my yoootooob channel :o) 

Enjoy your weekend. Toodle pip.   ilona

Three weeks.

 Another successful shopping trip last night. It was three weeks ago when I last went. I am getting the hang of this now, get everything I need in one big shop. No going here there and everywhere, picking up a few items at each place. I'm afraid there are some shops which have lost my custom. 

My £60 spend might seem a lot for one person, but there is cat food in there. My cats don't like Aldi's own food but they have offers of other makes,  Whiskas and Sheba, so I get these when they are in stock. 

You will see that I went through the checkout at 20.56, four minutes before they close. When I arrived there was no one in the shop, then two or three people arrived. We all spaced ourselves out. Some didn't buy very much and were soon gone. I held back and was the last one to leave. 

It's nice to come down in the morning and see a full fridge. Making the sweet treats last two weeks or more by cutting things in half worked well last time. A four pack of muffins lasts eight days. I had half of one last night with a drink. I have bought a six pack of cheese and onion crisps this time. Crisps are my downfall. I could scoff the lot in one sitting, so this is going to be a hard test to make them last. 

I am trying to limit my cheese intake because that can run away with me. I do like the West Country Vintage Cheddar, it's so moreish. I will move it into the treat category to make it last. 

I am partial to the Caramelised Onion Houmous. Dollops of it are a nice addition to a salad. To list some of the main things I bought this time. Watercress and rocket, green lentils, large eggs, bananas, spaghetti hoops, baked beans, baby beetroot, bran flakes, almond milk, seeded bread, apple juice, orange juice, rice pudding, mushrooms, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, cheese crackers, fig rolls, pasta salad, cucumber, brie cheese, Quorn nuggets, yoghurt, veggie burgers, banana milk shake. 

I bought a fourpack of pear cider, but didn't need to. I have enough now to last until Christmas. I have noticed how much alcohol dehydrates me, gives me a fuzzy head, so I will be drinking a lot less of it from now on. Maybe one can every ten days or so. It's moved into the treat category, along with a cheap bottle of chardonnay. It's nice but I don't really need it. 

Now for breakfast. I will have spaghetti on toast, I have a half tin I opened yesterday to have with a microwaved spud. I will put an egg on it as well. 

Going shopping once every three weeks can be a bit of a challenge. It is very tempting to pop back to the shops when supplies are low on the third week, open the fridge door and there isn't a lot left. That's the time to use the tins and packets and dip into the freezer. 

Not sure what I am going to do with the rest of the day, we'll see how the weather pans out. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.  ilona 

Hare today gone tomorrow

 I was in two minds whether to go for a walk today. After a night of heavy rain, and a morning of drizzle, it was very dark. I didn't think it would clear up. Just before lunch it dried up, though there was still a threat of more rain, so at about 2pm I thought I would give it a go. I set off wearing a jacket to be ready in case it rained again. 

I sat on the bench, and the sun broke through the clouds. After that it got better and better. The jacket went into the rucksack. I carried on and it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon. 

I wondered if this hare would run away when it noticed I was standing watching it. No, it didn't. 

There's been a lot of hedge cutting going on. Not sure why two tractors are following each other both cutting the same hedge. It reminded me of the Dancing Diggers I saw once. JCB have a group of machines which do formation dancing to music. 

Coming back into the village past the playing field, I saw several groups of lads of different ages playing football. 

My neighbour was out walking her dog, so we stopped to chat. 

All is well here. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.  ilona

Pet beds as tested by Mayze

 The pet beds on the right are finished. The pet beds under Mayze are not finished. I want to get them done, but I haven't the heart to disturb her. Now I have to wait for her to wake up and make a move, which could be anytime in the next four hours. I think I will have to get on with something else. 

Catch ya later.  Toodle pip.  ilona

Coffee chat catch up.

Hello. Another busy day. Sewing, and more reading. It's easier and quicker to make a ten minute video, rather than spend an hour or two writing it all down. Besides, my brain is now turning to mush. 

Now I am going for a walk. I'll leave it with you. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip. 

Filling in the gaps.

 I am very tired, so here is a brief summary of what I did today. I did a bit more on this art project, added two strips of fabric in between the wool. 

I took my car to the garage for it's MOT test. It passed, I would have been very surprised if it hadn't. It's a good one. 

I wrote two cheques to send to two charities that I support, then I went to the Post Office in the church and posted them. 

I took a book back to the mobile library. It was ok, nothing to rave about. Stan had three more books for me in a brown carrier bag. I wasn't expecting any, I hadn't asked for any. They get them ready in the main library anyway, just in case I turn up at the van. If I don't go for a few weeks the books would be going backwards and forwards, until I did go. 

My utilities company asked for meter readings, so I read them and added them to my page on their web site. Ebico, a part of Robin Hood Energy,  has sold out to British Gas. This will be the last bill I get from them. BG has emailed me to say I will be on the same tariff. 

I found some green bias binding in a drawer, so I started to make more bunting. I need to make four more flags, I wasn't sure how many it needed. I will finish it tomorrow. 

I forgot to put the bin out tonight, I'll do it in the morning. I have only got one bag of rubbish, I will drop that in my neighbours bin. He is away tonight, so I will put his bin out instead of mine. 

Now it's bed time. Goodnight, and Toodle pip.  ilona

How Much Is Enough?

Hello. I've been to Crafty Club, had coffee and chat with Angela, and for a good part of the day I have been reading, and learning. I've saved some interesting web sites, and some videos, in my Favourites folder, so I can re visit them later to refresh my memory and dig deeper. They have some important messages and information. I feel like I have been back at school. 

I dropped on this video, and thought the message is so inspiring it is worth sharing. People talking about what is important to them, how to have a happy life with little money. Most of it mirrors my own feelings. I thought you might like it. 

There are other thought provoking videos posted by Green Renaissance. I think it's a good channel to look out for. I'm going to watch another one before I go to bed. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.    ilona

A warm and sunny walk, and a wet walk.

 I have added a bit more to this. I'm going to fill the gaps in between the wool with fabric. I made a sausage and filled it with batting, and stitched it to the woolly stripe above it and below it. 

The ground was wet this morning when I got up. The sky was grey and I thought we might be in for some more rain. But then it brightened up and the sun came out in the afternoon, so I went a walk. On the way back the clouds came over and the sun was hidden, but it didn't rain.

After a snack of a microwaved potato with baked beans, I took Billy dog for a walk. The rain came down and we were able to stand in a bus shelter. When it eased off we carried on walking, But then it started again and we both got soaked. I'm glad I had a nice walk in the sunshine. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.  ilona

Apply now.

 Anyone in need of a job? Maybe this would suit you. 

Are you up for a challenge ?

We are looking for an exceptional, enthusiastic and highly motivated individual to Programme Manage the COVID Mass Vaccination Programme for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. Working with a range of partners, the key aim of the programme is to vaccinate the entire population (450,000) of Cwm Taf Morgannwg including all its health care workers as a key part of our response to the COVID pandemic. The programme will encompass the development and delivery of all aspects of a Mass Vaccination plan including: the patient journey, assets and infrastructure, workforce, vaccination programme, ICT, communication and engagement, all controlled within a robust programme management governance structure.

The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator and will be able to engage and negotiate with stakeholders at all levels within the organisation and partner organisations. A proven leader and expert programme and project manager you will demonstrate the ability to successfully lead teams, operate under pressure and deliver outcomes to meet the team and organisational targets.

In order to ensure professional support, resilience and a consistent approach the post will be based within the Programme Management Office of the Health Board.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Closing Date: 15/10/2020 

For further details / informal visits contact: 

Name: Michael Dickie

Job title: Head of PMO

Email address: Michael.Dickie@wales.nhs.uk

Telephone number: 07969 012543 

Link to NHS page. 

Toodle pip.   ilona

Stood up.

 Saturday again, and it's raining, so it will be a staying indoors kind of day. I have not done a late Aldi shop since Friday the 18th of September, and I don't need to go just yet, because Billy dogs mum has given me some fruit and vegetables. That will see me through the next few days, along with eating out of the freezer, and cupboard. I have some packets and tins to fall back on. I am not stockpiling anything. 

I set up a zooooomie thing on the computer because someone wanted to have a meeting with me. We had already had a telephone conversation, and now the researcher for ITV Productions, wanted to talk face to face, so to speak. Everything is virtual these days. A time and day was arranged, I waited, and waited, and she never showed. She might have had a good reason, but could have let me know. 

I find the concept of being stood up in the virtual world, very baffling. It's not like standing on a street corner and waiting for someone to show, or going to a meeting in a cafe or hotel lobby, hanging around in case the person is late, then giving up and going home. Sitting looking at a screen and thinking where are you, I am here waiting, is very odd. One hour later and the screen is still blank. 

Now what? My hair is done, I have put a nice top on, I know, I'll make a video and post it on yooootooob. After all, I had some notes, I was ready for the meeting, might as well make use of the prepping I had done. 

I have just made a start on this arty crafty piece. It's a chrome trivet I found in a skip. The wavy lines reminded me of the sea. I am wrapping shades of blue wool around the bars. I have a few ideas. We'll see how it develops. 

Mayze cat is snoring away on the chair next to me. Oscar cat is outside. He has been in for breakfast but will no doubt want to come back in for a second sitting, and might even stay a while. 

Weekends on the blog are usually quiet, and after the flurry of comments on the yoootooob channel, things have quietened down a bit there. Whatever you are doing enjoy yourself. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Coffee and chat. Moving on when the rug has been pulled from under you.

Hello. I thought it was about time that I did a video about money saving. A lot of people are going to lose their jobs and homes, if they haven't already. It is expected that the number of unemployed will reach four million. People will be bewildered, not knowing what to do next. I have put together a few ideas, I hope it is helpful. 

This afternoon I did a five mile walk, it was sunny, with a slight breeze, I really enjoyed it.

When I got back I had a bowl of stew, then took Billy a walk. The sun was going down and luckily I put my camera in my pocket, just in case it was a good one. It was. 

Thanks to the Walking Group for checking in on the previous post. You can add your comments at any time. 

Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.   ilona

Check in time for the Walking Group.

 Good morning, it's sunny outside, and it's the first day of October. Whoooopeeeee, a new month. We all know what that means, it's check in day for the International Walking Group members. Time flies, we are into Autumn already. 

So how have you all been doing? I look forward to reading your reports. Are you on target, or are you struggling to get motivated? It's a long time since we all made the commitment on January the first. Have we managed to stick with it and follow through, or have we got lost along the way? I want to know your story. 

My target was 1000 miles by the end of December, you may have a different target. I am pleased that I have reached 788 miles, which is more than the 750 mile target for nine months. 

I think sometimes that I could ease off a bit, but I tend to set aside time each day to go out for a walk, so if I didn't do it I would miss it. Now it is part of my day. I go at different times to do my local walks, and then I like to have a few days of going a bit further afield to explore pastures new, weather permitting. 

Pictures from the archives.

You can't beat a dose of nature. 

Thanks for your comments. Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip.  ilona