Get a grip woman!

Suffolk_lass

So yesterday we were supposed to be going to the dump (living the dream) first thing. I had not bargained for DH fiddling with motorcycles for nearly 2 hours first! By the time we went it was barely morning. Took 3 one-ton (by capacity, not weight) bags and decided to pop in to the local place where a garden place is adjacent to the SM - I did a bag of shopping while DH bought ten 40L of compost for £20. We left the trailer and car unattended for perhaps 10-15 minutes in total.

While the trailer was unattended it seems someone removed all four wheel nuts. On the way home the wheel fell off :eek: - we were on a blind bend on a v fast B-Road. A certain amount of faffing and me standing in the hail storm (perfect timing) flagging down people in a hurry, complete with my warning triangle allowed all the compost to be put in the car and two wheel nuts to be moved from the other wheel to get us home, safely (a lovely chap stopped and helped DH. DH did his impression of a jack, lifting the trailer, allowing the angel to replace the wheel. DH has made his back sore and neither Halfords or the Car Parts place he tried have any 10mm wheel nuts. So much for clearing the dump run first thing. No gardening other than removing germinating seeds from the airing cupboard as they start to show.

We had checked the tyre pressure last week so we knew all four nuts were in place then. If B&Q have run out it will be next weekend before they can be delivered.

Thank goodness there were no pedestrians or cyclists. I wonder if the thief/mischief maker (there were some Scallys in the car park on their bikes) thought about what might happen as the wheel flew off.

Just when we thought that was it, and while DH was out, trying to get wheel nuts, I was cold-called by someone claiming to be from a well-known charity. I did not believe them and sent them away. It seems they were checking for empty houses. 40 minutes later they had smashed the patio door of my next but one neighbour and stolen his car, ransacked their house and taken jewellery and sped off through the village.

I would like to say at least no-one was hurt but DH is sore and took painkillers that have knocked him out. It remains to be seen whether he is up to replacing my paving slabs I lifted to remove the weeds before the B-Hol weekend finishes :eek:

beanielou

What a horrid day.
Hope DH is ok.

Karmacat

OMG, that really is horrid how awful for you both. One act of vandalism/ attempted theft had so many consequences And then the cold call I don't like the sound of that

Hope you and DH are feeling okay today.

Suffolk_lass

Thank you both, we are OK (DH is sore but will be fine). Some of our older neighbours are really shaken by it and you can see their confidence evaporating

enthusiasticsaver

What an awful day for you and your neighbours. I sometimes wonder what sort of world we live in.

Starmummy

What a horrible day. People can be so lovely whereas others are just evil. It makes no sense at all to cause pain to others. I hope your neighbours are OK, I can't imagine how vulnerable they must feel right now.

SM

Suffolk_lass

Thanks everyone - an enforced absence from me as the Bank Holiday from Hell got worse with DH calling 111 for me on Sunday evening - apparently it warranted an ambulance which arrived in 15 minutes and after some on-site testing off we went to hospital, to be tested and observed. Nothing awful happened, I am now home and will be referred to a clinic for further investigations but it was a bit worrying, and we did lose our planned gardening weekend. 2 hourly blood-pressure and heart monitoring to ensure no escalation meant that by the time we got home on Monday evening, it was a quick supper and then bed - 7.30 for me and a solid 11 hours later I felt fine.

As I say, I felt fine when I got up yesterday so I walked 3 miles or so in 2 walks with friends and other people's dogs and spent the afternoon weeding on my knees (what a killer) - but much oxalis wood sorrel removed from path (more to go) there is a photo on this page here - mine spreads in the gravel drive by the car parking on it and francturing the spreading tendrils - then they put down quite deep roots - so much red carpet. It has to go (it is quite sneaky and invasive).

No idea about money this week as all focus is on the house and garden. This morning's rain means I must clear the spare bedroom and make up the bed as my Mum arrives next week for a week's stay - so the Charity Shop will be getting another of those giant bags of clothes as I have not needed any of the things I stashed in there yet - I will keep one or two t-shirts but that is all.

Anyway, I feel fit and well and am thankful for this, however messy my garden is!

Karmacat

SL, you poor thing! I'm glad you're home, anyway. That was a dreadful bank holiday

You've just introduced me to a great website with that link - not that I care about lawns as such, but good pictures of weeds, and a listing of related ones and lookalikes (best of all!) thats really good.

Do take care of yourself, I can hear that you feel really well, but *something* happened on Bank Holiday night ... and enjoy your mum's stay

Suffolk_lass

Right then! Tempting fate by doing another (living the dream trip - ) dump run this morning then I think it will be slash, burn and weed throughout the garden today. I made courgette soup and bought a garlic and herb cheese that was yummy stirred in with a tiny drop of cream for supper last night and there is lots left for on-the-go lunches this weekend.

We have been up since six and I can hear the first load of washing spinning and will be hanging it in the airing cupboard above my ungerminated seed pots and trays shortly - maybe the increase in humidity will nudge the seeds to finally germinate (lives in hope). I do have quite a few germinated for the plant sale next week. So much still to do ahead of that.

Mostly I shall be praying for good weather next weekend - the three weather apps I use, have at least removed the rain sign but projected forecasts are quite different and temperature could be 14-19c!

I really must do a schedule and a list, and before that, I really must get dressed...

Suffolk_lass

We spent the whole day gardening. A quick stop for soup in a rain-shower, we managed to fill four more weed bags! I have almost finished the front gravel path and have potted up a few aquilegia and lupins, as we will lose the bed with the ground elder in. I scraped all the spilled compost/soil off the crazy paving by the compost pallet-bins and weeded part of a nursery bed, all of a border, and most of the gravel paths between the raised veg beds. DH finished the gravel paths at the back and relaid the paving slbs for the bench to go on at the west end of the garden (a nice view).

We had lovely butcher's jumbo sausage with baby jersey potatoes and salad for supper and agreed an early night was a grown up choice and not an admission of defeat, even if it was Saturday. Both in bed and asleep by ten.

This morning, I am just pottering round on here before writing and printing check-lists and FAQ for the Open Gardens helpers and exhibiters. Will talk through the priorities and discuss the replacement hob with DH too.

I naively thought I might slow down a bit when I retired. You know, the odd exercise class and join a club or two. What-was-I-thinking?