Life is a minestrone as the song says - my new diary

teapot2

Spectacular lightening again last night after I went to bed, could see it through the curtains it was so bright but couldn't be bothered getting up to look. Very heavy rain as well. Today has been much cooler and the mist and drizzle has appeared since the late afternoon. Think it might be a thin duvet tonight instead of just an empty duvet cover.

This afternoon, I decided to walk to @sda as wanted some falafels and coriander. I don't like the pavement to there as its very narrow in parts with a wall all the way along. There are big lorries hurtling past and lots of cars coming from the nearby A road where its 70 MPH and not always slowing down to 30 so it doesn't feel very comfortable. My plan was to find a parallel route through a housing estate and then the woods, the reality was that I went round in a circle and ended up where I'd started pretty much - so the uncomfortable pavement it was. Return journey went much more to plan - more by luck than judgement so hopefully I could do that in reverse next time. Trouble is all the houses and streets look the same so its easy [for me] to get confused :o

I did get what I went for though and also used a voucher for a free coffee at the GC though I may also have had a bit of millionaires shortbread too :

Had a couple of catch up phone calls with friends which was good and had falafel salad for tea. I'll need to plant more radishes and salad leaves next week as the current batch are getting used up. The garden looks a bit worse for wear after all that rain and wind we had. Flowers are battered and falling over and some have lost all their petals

Karmacat

Do you have a smartphone with google maps on, teapot, and the data to use it outside the house? It's the only thing I use my phone for when I'm outside, apart from the odd phone call and text - its incredibly useful. Perhaps not in terms of woodland, actually, my software doesn't have a satellite view.



Hope your garden recovers.

beanielou

Have a happy Sunday:).

teapot2

Karmacat wrote: »

Do you have a smartphone with google maps on, teapot, and the data to use it outside the house? It's the only thing I use my phone for when I'm outside, apart from the odd phone call and text - its incredibly useful. Perhaps not in terms of woodland, actually, my software doesn't have a satellite view.



Hope your garden recovers.

Thanks KC, I have to admit that although I use my phone for lots of things, I've never used go-ogle maps and am one of those rare folk who still consult an A-Z :o

teapot2

Yesterday took a bus to a local market and farm shop. The weather was drizzly and misty and not many folk there at first. I got some fruit and salad stuff and had a wander round. There was a sudden very heavy downpour and then the weather cleared up. I felt sorry for the stall holders who aren't undercover as the rain was so heavy.

On the way home walking back from the bus stop I was obviously in the right place at the right time as there were dozens and dozens of painted lady butterflys everywhere including my garden. I read up on them when I got back and their journey and life cycle sounds amazing. They look so delicate but can fly at up to 30 miles an hour and travel from Africa to the Arctic reproducing as they go, so several generations make up that amazing journey.

I did some planning around finances yesterday and worked out what I might be able to budget and pay off in August - partly depends on whether I get paid reasonably quickly for bits of last months self employed work. I submitted my invoice for the biggest chunk over the weekend so fingers crossed it gets processed soon.

I need to pop out and get more fat balls from the pet shop where they are cheapest. Saw some in the GC priced at £9.99 for 12 :eek::eek:. Don't know if that was a pricing error but seems extortionate even though they were marketed as 'high energy'. The pet shop sells them at 6 for 90p . The birds are still eating lots and getting through a feeder a day of seeds and a couple of fat balls. No work today so will head out soon, in fact its a quiet week work wise

Karmacat

I didn't know that about the painted ladies! Butterflies are tough little things, aren't they

teapot2

Karmacat wrote: »

I didn't know that about the painted ladies! Butterflies are tough little things, aren't they

They are, though they look so delicate,,, I did the Butterfly Count for the first time yesterday.

teapot2

So, wrote my shopping list yesterday and left it on the table when I went out so consequently forgot bread and fat balls

This morning I made some strawberry and rhubarb jam - rhubarb was from the garden . I'll probably give a few jars away as I don't eat loads of jam but like making it!

Went out shopping again after lunch - with a list this time and got everything I needed plus 3 books from a charity shop which weren't on the list but are by fave authors

Cut the grass and did some weeding when I got back but loads more to do after the rain and warm weather. I've got a wee courgette flower coming and the bean plats are doing well.

A few surveys done today and I cashed in a £10 voucher for Lakeland. Even had a Ugov survey - first for ages.

beanielou

I have never made jam

Karmacat

YG! I haven't seen one in my inbox for weeks, I'd forgotten about them! Wonder what's going on, I have maybe 1000 points. I might faff about a bit this evening, log in and see if they send me something as a result.

I like jam I've even made it sometimes.