Milann’s mutterings through retirement

milann

I retrieved the birthday card from Royal Mail and had to pay £5 for the privilege. A relative had put a new stamp on but hadn’t left the barcode on…..no idea why. Anyway the upshot was I paid £5 for my birthday card. Not sure why they have perforations between the stamp and barcode 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ it certainly confused my elderly relative 😳
I had a lovely day yesterday. We went to a town I have been to a wedding but only walked from the car to the venue. Anyway we had a good old mooch around the town….used free coffee vouchers then visited a revamped mill about a 10 minute drive away. There are art exhibitions and shops there as well as a park, canal and historic village. We ended up back in the town at a place we’d sussed out to eat. I went straight bed when I got home as I was absolutely shattered. I think my busy week caught up with me.
A friend came around this morning for a cuppa and brought me a birthday present. I’ve been very spoilt. This afternoon I took myself outside and planted some bulbs in my garden tubs. I ended up falling over and have got a fantastic bruise on my leg….😂😂😂😂don’t ask 😂😂😂😂I’m just pleased none of the neighbours saw me. Luckily I didn’t hurt myself badly….i just missed the wall with my head 😳 I’ve had a lazy evening 👍

milann

Not sure where this week or so has gone. I’ve been busy….had a singing rehearsal for the event that’s hopefully taking place later this month. I have some practising to do….lots 😂😂 before Wednesday but I haven’t had chance yet. I prefer to be in on my own when this happens 😂😂- if you could hear my voice you’d understand why ☺️
Ive been trying to catch up on some spring cleaning - it’s getting there. But I’m a bit reluctant to do some of the things  I know need doing, as they’re part of my pre Christmas cleaning regime…..and I’m not that eager that I’m doing them twice 🤭
I went out with Dh a couple of times, making the most of our free bus travel. We headed to the big city close by to cash in on a £5 hotel choccy voucher for free chocolate. We did treat ourselves to a hot chocolate whilst there (they know exactly what they’re doing when they ply us with free vouchers ) It’s the only place I like a hot chocolate as I usually find them far too sweet but the 85% cocoa  one is delicious. Another day we ventured on the tram to see a building that has been restored to its former grandeur with a massive restoration programme. We weren’t disappointed, we had dinner out and headed home before the trams were too busy as it was a day of  bus strikes again. We stayed close to home whilst Storm Amy was doing her worse….there was a tree down not too far away but other than that we fared well. 

Although I’ve been out and about. I haven’t actually spent that much cash. I seem to have had quite a few free cakes from various loyalty schemes for my birthday……they’ve all been redeemed. I went into Lidl,  which I don’t actually go to very often and ended up with a free cake, free apple turnover and free shepherds pie 🤷🏻‍♀️I did have a free birthday cake voucher, but no idea why I got a shepherds pie or turn over…but I’m not knocking it 😁
I have tried a new medication this week at first it made a big difference and it made me realise how much the condition it treats was affecting me. Then 4 days in I started with horrendous side effects and had to stop taking them. I had an unexpected phone call from the chemist to see how I was getting on with the new treatment. I’ve never had this happen before. Anyway she agreed I should have stopped and told me to get back onto my GP as there are alternatives. So I got onto the website this morning, filled the form in and within minutes had a phone call back. The practice pharmacist will be phoning on Friday morning to discuss an alternative treatment. I wasn’t impressed with the new appointment triage scheme at my GPs but as I’ve used it- I have to admit I’ve had to eat my words and admit I am impressed. I’ve already seen a GP twice, had blood tests to confirm diagnosis so it’s only a matter of finding a treatment that agrees with me and I reckon a pharmacist can probably do that as well if not better than my GP. 

Not sure what I’m up to for the rest of the week, other than meeting a friend on Wednesday and having a final practice for the singing event. I’m hoping it’ll go ahead…..but still has to be confirmed by the headlining group 😳😳😳

beanielou

Hope you can get the medication sorted out. 

milann

I don’t seem to have stopped since I last posted. I ended up going for a walk with a friend on Monday….further than I usually do. I’ve paid for it since. My hip and ankle have objected and I haven’t been able to sleep properly. 

I went out for lunch with a friend both yesterday and today. Both days were lovely but not the best for my waistline or pocket. It was worth every penny and calorie though. We had a mooch around a local NT place this morning and there was an exhibition in the hall. A sound and light experience where you could lie on mattresses if you so desired. We sat on benches and could have happily nodded off whilst we were emerged into the experience 😂😂 There was no time limit as to how long you stayed in the exhibition and a member of staff says some people just lie there relaxing for hours 😂😂 

Earlier in the week I went into my little town to get Dd birthday card and token gift to post for her birthday next week. I haven’t been around town for a while and I quite enjoyed myself. I’ll give the  proper pressie to her when I see her in a couple of weeks. We usually try to see each other between both of our birthdays but it wasn’t to be this year with one thing or another….so a token it is, until I see her. 

We had a phone call asking us to take over care of SIL as her Dd is in hospital…..so we were there until late last night. And will be there again tomorrow.
I went to a singing practice yesterday….its all going ok…well know whether or not it’s going ahead fairly soon. Even if it doesn’t get the go ahead it has been good fun. 

I should be going to aqua this evening but I’ve cancelled as I’m shattered and will be heading up to bed early…..I think the NT experience relaxed me a tad too much 😂😂

beanielou

Sound & light experience sounds fantastic. I love a soundbath. 

milann

I revisited the NT place again yesterday with Dh. The autumnal colours were just beautiful…..I’m guessing a lot of the leaves will drop soon so we made the most of a spare couple of hours before heading to relatives. We didn’t visit the sound and light experience though….I suspect Dh would not have enjoyed it. 

We went to take relative out to the pub around her corner where she likes to eat. They do a pretty good midweek pensioner’s special. When we got there it was much busier than usual….I've never seen a place so crowded midweek. Anyway it was closed for a private function, a funeral From the photo on display a young man…..whoever he was had a great send off. The photo looked early 20s…..far too young…..he was certainly well thought of. Anyway we headed to spoons instead …..just made it in time for the afternoon offer.
Relative is very confused and has little enthusiasm for things….HOWEVER….get her in M&S and she comes to life 😂😂 we must have spent nearly 2 hours in a couple of aisles of the food section whilst she looked around the cakes….we cajoled her to the ready meal section to choose some meals and she kept gravitating back to the cakes. I did take several very large cakes out of her basket and put them back on the shelf and replace with smaller ones when she wasn’t looking. She didn’t notice and was thrilled when she filled her cupboards once home. From there we went to boots and B&M on the smaller retail unit near her house. It was gone 9 by the time we got back to her house and we left at 4. We must have travelled 2 miles at tops, eating en route to the big M&S stopping then calling at retail park on the way home. 😳😳😳 I understand why her Dd gets the shopping in for her 😳😳😳
I have bought some M&S decaf tea bags to try they’re much cheaper than the usual ones I buy that originate in White Rose county…..watch this space.
After several phone calls yesterday between GP pharmacist and myself - the upshot is I will get a phone call from a GP on Monday at 7.45 in the evening. So the whole pharmacist procedure was a bit of a waste of time 🤷🏻‍♀️
We’re heading to a seaside place later as there is a big firework extravaganza…..part of the Workd championships. Well eat at our favourite cafe and take our chairs to watch the displays…..its forecast dry so 🤞🤞🤞just hope it’s not too cold to sit around.

itsthelittlethings

I do love autumn colours too Milann. It’s my favourite season. I was on the bus yesterday going past the gardens and the trees were so beautiful. I too think I would enjoy a sound and light bath!

milann

It’s the little things…..we ended up at the NT place again. That’s 3 times in a week for me. We had Mr T vouchers that we used towards a meal yesterday and then went for another walk around the grounds this time, rather than the gardens. The trees were beautiful and I couldn’t resist kicking the leaves up 😂😂 We saw lots of deer……but there were big signs by one of the paths, unfortunately it was telling folk to stay to one side of the park as they were shooting 😳😳and I don’t mean with a camera. We didn’t hear anything so presumably it happens when the grounds are closed…..hope the deer read the signs too and stayed away. 😳 As we passed an old saw mill in the grounds there was a guided tour starting so we certainly got our moneys worth out of the NT membership this last week.
Today I’d arranged to go on an outing with some folk from the singing group. We travelled by train - about 45 minutes to a town in the Peak District. First stop was a tea shop for a cuppa then we’d booked a tour around the old town. It was very informative and although I’ve passed the buildings many times it was lovely to hear the history behind some of them…..especially the old hospital which I visited most days for 3 months in 1970s as my mum was in there. The plan was to go for a meal afterwards but I’d put my name forward for the singing event at a theatre near me backing for our guy who is the warm up act for a big group on there over the weekend. He put a last minute rehearsal on 🤬 so I ended up getting on the train home early whilst the others ate out. Dh picked me up at my end and we went out for a quick bite near the rehearsal place which was lovely and both of us ate for the cost of what I’d have paid. We’re still not sure if the event over weekend is going ahead….the plan was for us to rehearse then ask the main act if we could go on stage with our guy….just for the 1 night in his home town. Anyway….long story short. The group’s manager isn’t sure about the logistics of getting 40 of us on and off stage…..watch this space…negotiations were going on..I’ll be surprised if it happens. It’s been fun rehearsing anyway. 
Tomorrow I’m going around to a friends for dinner and then were heading into the big city near me and going to a show. Not sure what it’ll be like as we got quite cheap tickets. But it’s an evening out. It’s all been paid for in advance so feels like free entertainment 😀

On Friday I’m chilling 😂
Dh might be away for a couple of nights next week as he’s helping his old boss with a job in Bonnie Scotland. I think he’s looking forward to it. 

I’m planning doing some jobs about the house whilst he’s out of the way and then I’ll have a trip into the big city and visit my brother too.
I nipped into Lidl on my way home today and have qualified for a free veg item on my next visit. I need to check the app to see what is in the offer.