Weekend Starts Here
Normally don't blog on a Saturday, but up early so thought I'd check my email/comments, and you are all so kind keeping in touch it has inspired me to write a few words today. Later this morning the gas men come to fit the smart meters to the gas and electricity, this means both power will be off for up to 3 hours, so comp will be out of action. Must remember to fill hot water bottles and thermos flasks, keeping the c.h. on until they arrive so the house will have warmed up.
Went to the docs on Thursday, he said my heart was back to normal (beating), also my blood pressure down. I said I still felt my heart needed strengthening to enable me to cope with my daily activities and he was going to double up one of my meds anyway and said these would sort it out, then the heart would be strong enough to get rid of the water retention. After one day on these extra pills I really do feel a lot better (and 3 lbs lighter!!!). Don't have to see the doc again, but can phone him if I have any probs. Bit sad about that as I'd taken a real fancy to him and was hoping to have a regular check-up (like once every 3 weeks?). He's ever so nice, worth being ill for.
Quick reply to a few comments. Can't really afford to run a car Cheesepare, even though one of those SmartCars are very appealing. It would be pure luxury for me, and I'd probably find it cheaper to use taxis than run a car considering the amount of time I'd be out and about. Id decided to cancel my driving licence this year (it is due for renewal shortly), and maybe get a passport instead so that I could treat myself to a visit to our daughter's in Ireland now and again.
This year I intend concentrating on the garden, widening and curving some of the borders so they catch more sun and are more attractive to look at when in flower (at the moment one is so narrow it has only a small lilac tree at one end and an Acer the other. I see the lilac tree already is showing buds at the top of each of its stems, does that mean early flowering/early spring?
Regarding growing lemon trees from pips (a query from C.P), I wash these as soon as squeezed from a ripe lemon, the push one pip into a small (yogurt size) pot of warm soil, covering with the soil and also putting into a plastic bag or covered with half a plastic lemonade bottle (mini-greenhouse), THEN placing this on a shelf above a central heating radiator to keep it warm (or anywhere else warm). In a few weeks a shoot should appear, the plastic bag opened to allow fresh air in, and of course the soil kept moist with warm water, but still kept in the warmth, but given more light.
My pips grew to a good height, with pale green leaves and huge thorns (about 2" long) up the stem, between the leaves. Another branch grew from low down, and eventually I pinched out the top and then another stem grew from the side. However, it wasn't particularly attractive, and I understand it takes anything from 6 to 10 years before it will flower and bear fruit (maybe needs another for pollination), so when I forgot to water it and most of the lower leaves fell off, I threw it out.
If I wanted a lemon tree that bears fruit I would buy one already in flower/fruit, and just grew the pip to see if it would grow. Which it did. Wasn't much use otherwise.
Regarding pets. Still not sure what to do about that. Have to see how far my health improves before I make any major decision. At the moment am planning to do quite a bit of refurbishing around the house, maybe even manage to make an extra bedroom in our conservatory (for me), so that I can have guests to stay, and who knows - may even then be able to offer cookery courses for anyone who has a week-end to spare and are interested enough.
Regarding my meals. Was talking to my neighbour yesterday (she lost her husband nearly 2 years ago), and she initially felt as I do now - a guilty feeling when cooking a nice meal just for herself. Both of us were so used to putting our husbands first, they got all the treats, and so thinking about ourselves now causes us to have guilt feelings. My neighbour says she has got over this now, so does buy treats for herself, I've got to reach that level, and will not find it easy munching a cream slice knowing that it is what my B would have loved to have been given (and - it has to be said - often was, while I denied it to myself). \But, as has been said, I must eat properly and well to enable my health to improve. After 60 years of caring for B and family, perhaps it is time to start caring for myself. Just hard to get out of the habit of coming second (or last).
After going to the surgery on Thursday we drove round to a pizza parlour as I really fancied one, and have to say, just eating it I felt very naughty, a bit guilty (but not a lot), and really enjoyed the thrill of having something I hadn't had for years. Anyone else would think a pizza was a normal meal. Maybe it was having it made for me that gave me half the pleasure.
Very windy last night, and believe the weather it turning colder, maybe snow in our area (almost certainly in the Lake District), so this afternoon (gas men coming between noon and 5), seems we will have to snuggle up with hot water bottles and play canasta with the help of candle light. I could put a pan of soup on the hob to heat before noon, then when the power is turned off, keep it hot by standing it over six tea-lights (small candles) as these give off enough heat to boil water. Soup is more warming than a cup of tea/coffee.
Anyway, that's my blog for today, may blog tomorrow, but probably not - more likely my next will be on Monday. Have nothing planned for 2 weeks, so have time to sit down and relax although do have to arrange a meeting with the occupational therapist here one day soon. Also need some new shoes (have only one pair of summer shoes, the heels fell off my winter ones), so must get daughter to drive me to a shoe shop. Find it not easy walking at the best of times, so my shoes really have to be comfortable. Ordering by mail order has never worked. Always need to send them back.
Hope you enjoy your weekend, whatever the weather. TTFN.
Went to the docs on Thursday, he said my heart was back to normal (beating), also my blood pressure down. I said I still felt my heart needed strengthening to enable me to cope with my daily activities and he was going to double up one of my meds anyway and said these would sort it out, then the heart would be strong enough to get rid of the water retention. After one day on these extra pills I really do feel a lot better (and 3 lbs lighter!!!). Don't have to see the doc again, but can phone him if I have any probs. Bit sad about that as I'd taken a real fancy to him and was hoping to have a regular check-up (like once every 3 weeks?). He's ever so nice, worth being ill for.
Quick reply to a few comments. Can't really afford to run a car Cheesepare, even though one of those SmartCars are very appealing. It would be pure luxury for me, and I'd probably find it cheaper to use taxis than run a car considering the amount of time I'd be out and about. Id decided to cancel my driving licence this year (it is due for renewal shortly), and maybe get a passport instead so that I could treat myself to a visit to our daughter's in Ireland now and again.
This year I intend concentrating on the garden, widening and curving some of the borders so they catch more sun and are more attractive to look at when in flower (at the moment one is so narrow it has only a small lilac tree at one end and an Acer the other. I see the lilac tree already is showing buds at the top of each of its stems, does that mean early flowering/early spring?
Regarding growing lemon trees from pips (a query from C.P), I wash these as soon as squeezed from a ripe lemon, the push one pip into a small (yogurt size) pot of warm soil, covering with the soil and also putting into a plastic bag or covered with half a plastic lemonade bottle (mini-greenhouse), THEN placing this on a shelf above a central heating radiator to keep it warm (or anywhere else warm). In a few weeks a shoot should appear, the plastic bag opened to allow fresh air in, and of course the soil kept moist with warm water, but still kept in the warmth, but given more light.
My pips grew to a good height, with pale green leaves and huge thorns (about 2" long) up the stem, between the leaves. Another branch grew from low down, and eventually I pinched out the top and then another stem grew from the side. However, it wasn't particularly attractive, and I understand it takes anything from 6 to 10 years before it will flower and bear fruit (maybe needs another for pollination), so when I forgot to water it and most of the lower leaves fell off, I threw it out.
If I wanted a lemon tree that bears fruit I would buy one already in flower/fruit, and just grew the pip to see if it would grow. Which it did. Wasn't much use otherwise.
Regarding pets. Still not sure what to do about that. Have to see how far my health improves before I make any major decision. At the moment am planning to do quite a bit of refurbishing around the house, maybe even manage to make an extra bedroom in our conservatory (for me), so that I can have guests to stay, and who knows - may even then be able to offer cookery courses for anyone who has a week-end to spare and are interested enough.
Regarding my meals. Was talking to my neighbour yesterday (she lost her husband nearly 2 years ago), and she initially felt as I do now - a guilty feeling when cooking a nice meal just for herself. Both of us were so used to putting our husbands first, they got all the treats, and so thinking about ourselves now causes us to have guilt feelings. My neighbour says she has got over this now, so does buy treats for herself, I've got to reach that level, and will not find it easy munching a cream slice knowing that it is what my B would have loved to have been given (and - it has to be said - often was, while I denied it to myself). \But, as has been said, I must eat properly and well to enable my health to improve. After 60 years of caring for B and family, perhaps it is time to start caring for myself. Just hard to get out of the habit of coming second (or last).
After going to the surgery on Thursday we drove round to a pizza parlour as I really fancied one, and have to say, just eating it I felt very naughty, a bit guilty (but not a lot), and really enjoyed the thrill of having something I hadn't had for years. Anyone else would think a pizza was a normal meal. Maybe it was having it made for me that gave me half the pleasure.
Very windy last night, and believe the weather it turning colder, maybe snow in our area (almost certainly in the Lake District), so this afternoon (gas men coming between noon and 5), seems we will have to snuggle up with hot water bottles and play canasta with the help of candle light. I could put a pan of soup on the hob to heat before noon, then when the power is turned off, keep it hot by standing it over six tea-lights (small candles) as these give off enough heat to boil water. Soup is more warming than a cup of tea/coffee.
Anyway, that's my blog for today, may blog tomorrow, but probably not - more likely my next will be on Monday. Have nothing planned for 2 weeks, so have time to sit down and relax although do have to arrange a meeting with the occupational therapist here one day soon. Also need some new shoes (have only one pair of summer shoes, the heels fell off my winter ones), so must get daughter to drive me to a shoe shop. Find it not easy walking at the best of times, so my shoes really have to be comfortable. Ordering by mail order has never worked. Always need to send them back.
Hope you enjoy your weekend, whatever the weather. TTFN.
posted by Shirley at 9:27 am
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