Category Archives: My Blog

Anything about my Blog which does not fit any of the other categories!

Today.

2 Replies

On this Day we Remember

******

As with all days this one comes around and it is now twenty four years ago, which seems unbelievable.  I think it will be a day eteched in everyone’s memories who witnessed this terrible thing on our TV’s.  Our hearts go out to all those who lost loved ones.

******

Yesterday was busy as I am trying to sort out all the paperwork for my current vehicle and for the new vehicle well new to me.  Years ago it was suggested that eventually paperwork would be a thing of the past and we would do everything on line but here we are in 2025 and I suspect we are still using the same amount of paper!  I once worked in an office where they actively encouraged no paper use at all and to be perfectly honest they seemed to use more paper than anywhere else I had worked!

I have been busy with work this morning and so am going to do my home jobs  done tomorrow.  The weekend is busy for DH with swimming and playing cars with the Boys (!) and I am hopefully getting on with quilting.  

Tomorrow is Book Club Friday and I have quite a few to show you and some thoughts on one particular Author, who is very popular at the moment and is everyhwere but I, well I will tell you tomorrow.  I may lose people over it but still! 🙂

It is getting cooler here, especially at night, although it is still warm in the day.  Autumn is starting to make itself known.  The other day when the windows were open a neighbour had a bonfire and the smell was wonderful and really reminded me that Autumn is here.  Because it has been very dry this Spring and Summer the leaves on the trees are already falling and the trees are turning already.  Although I do love all the seasons as they offer something different I think I love Autumn just that little bit more.

Coco is having withdrawal symptoms because the door is not open all day for her to run in and out!  If we get a nice day the door is still open but we have also been getting quite a bit of rain too which we do need.  She will soon be snoozing in her basket!!!!

Happy Thursday you lovely lot.  Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Whisper it……….Christmas!

2 Replies

I know we are only just into Autumn but I need to start sorting out some things for Christmas, especially as I am going to be laid up for six weeks!  Not strictly laid up but I won’t be able to be out and about like normal!  So I have started to get some things done.

I have already booked the Steam Train to see Santa as we needed a specific date so that is one thing off my list!  This week these have arrived;

The Christmas Cards!

I am not going to write them yet (!) as I can do them when I am back from my Op!   The next thing I need to plan is all the Christmas baking!  I have suggested that I buy the mince pies, Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding this year and so when I was shopping last week I got some mince pies for DH to try.  He was not impressed!!!!

The supermarket I shop at, Sainsburys, do their own range which is called “Taste the Difference” which is better than the basic range.  So I bought these last week and although DH said they were okay he preferred their basic ones!!!  So I will be buying some of those this week for him to try and if they are okay I will be ordering some each week and putting them in the freezer.  

Last year I did buy our Christmas Pudding from Fortnum & Mason and then we ended up with two so we had one and the other is in the cupboard for this year so that is already here and ticked off my list.  With regard to the cake that is going to be the trickiest.  Eldest loves the cake I make which I cover in Royal Icing.  DH loves the cake but not the icing, Youngest prefers the chocolate log I make and Partner does not like fruit cake at all. Fiancé being pregnant is off all things rich!  So if I get the Fortnum’s Christmas Cake it is fruit but it is covered in the fondant icing which none of us like!  However they may just have to put up with it for this year!

I have already bought a few Christmas presents when I have seen things during the year but again there will not be as many this year as I will not be able to get out and about.  Although you can buy anything on line now I still do like to go out and see things but we shall see.  I have ordered the Christmas paper though!!!!

I have quite a bit of storage now in Youngest’s room, so things will be going in there to be stored and I am keeping a list of things I have bought already and for whom, so I can keep track of things.  Of course it will be Gordon’s first Christmas and I have ordered him his own stocking from Etsy which is arriving on Saturday.  I need to sort out the animals presents too!

DH is already booking events for Christmas and a few have been confirmed.  There was one enquiry  for a Friday evening at the beginning of December but I had already booked tickets for DH and I to go and see Vivaldi by Candlelight that evening.  I have booked my hair and beauty appointments for December as they get booked up really quickly.  

It is not all Christmas though, we do have some lovely things coming up in the next few months too, although DH and I will not be going away for our Wedding Anniversary this year as I will have only just had my Op!  However I will be booking for next year!  We think we will be going away for a week with Coco at the end of February, beginning of March just for a week to decompress after Christmas & New Year.  

Work is busy which is a relief although we are still having ups and downs thanks to our Government and their “policies” which are all over the place at the moment, as well as the volatile situation generally.  I think we just need to keep our heads down and get on with things and ignore everything going on out there!

I hope you are all having a good week.  Next weekend DH is busy with a swimming event and then he and The Boys are doing some work on their own vehicles so I will hve two days of quilting time!  I am sure Coco will be helping. 

Hugs & Love Susie & Coco xx

Coco would normally be doing Coco’s Corner today but she is a bit tired again!

I Am Sure The Weeks Are Getting Shorter!

2 Replies

The evenings are definitely drawing in, but I am sure the weeks are getting shorter!  There are supposed to be seven days a week but they are absolutely flying by!   The weekend was really busy; DH, Eldest & Partner, Youngest & Fiancé and Little Man went to a truck show on Saturday.  The weather was great, warm but not too sunny as a lot of the exhibts were outside.  I did not go of course because of my hip, so I was doggy sitting Gordon and Coco. 

Friday DH and I had a busy day getting jobs done.  We have started sorting out the boxes from the attic which are now in the garage and getting rid of things and also giving things to the Boys!!  Hopefully it will be finished by the end of this year.  We also have the attic to tidy, but there is not too much in there now. 

Sunday DH, Eldest & I went to look at a new vehicle for me.   Well I say me but DH and The Boys all use it as well.  We had a good visit and it looked great so we are now in the process of sorting it out and hopefully I will have it by Friday of this week. 

©Universal Pictures

This weekend DH has his first swimming event of the new season but only for a few hours on Saturday and in the evening we are going to see the new Downton Abbey film at the cinema.  We have not been for ages, mainly because there has not been anything ,on we wanted to see, but this is only being shown at the cinema first so I thought we would have a date night.  Sunday will be nice again so I think we will be carrying on in the garage. 

We did do quite a lot of work in the garden and have gotten quite a few of the plants which needed trimming done.  We have arranged for the tree men to come at the end of October to trim the trees in the garden hopefully before the storms begin.  We did them about two years ago but they need doing again.  Our Roofer came to sort out the drain pipes last week and we asked him to go all over the roof to check it and he found one bit where a tile had slipped and it needed re-positioning and re-pointing which he did.  We are so glad he did because the next day you have never seen rain like it!  If we had not had that done we would have had water coming in!

This week is busy again with work of course and I have lots of home jobs to get done too, as well as a basket of ironing.  I am going to Eldest’s business on Wednesday to get work done there too and then Friday we are waiting for a delivery to arrive and then hopefully picking the car up.  

The other news we have in the family is that Youngest & Fiancé are expecting!  Yeah!  We are all so pleased for them.  The baby is due at the end of January 2026 and we had a Gender Reveal here a few weeks ago with just the family and they are expecting a little Girl!  Little Man’s face was a little disconcerted as he has, of course, two sisters and now will have a little girl cousin.  He will be surrounded!!!    Above is the table set waiting for everyone to arrive.  I made lasagne’s for dinner with salad and garlic bread and then we had cake .  They had got the smoke to reveal the Gender and it was very pink!!!!

Little Man in his highchair at lunch.

We are all so pleased for them and cannot wait to welcome the new arrival into the family.  

I will try and post everyday this week as I am slipping with things mainly due to the days flying by!!!!  I hope you lovely lot have a fantastic week.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Coco has had a slow day today in her basket next to my desk!

Hello Autumn!

2 Replies

Autumn!

“Don’t you love New York in the Fall?  It makes me want to buy school supplies.  I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”

Nora Ephron from my favourite Film “You’ve Got Mail”!

***********

Okay so can someone explain to me where this year has gone please? I cannot believe that it is September already and people are already starting to talk about Christmas and things are starting to appear in the shops even before Halloween!

However I must hold my hands up to having already booked the tickets for Great Central Railway to see Santa on the train with the children at Christmas!!  But if I had not booked already then we would not be able to get the date we like so I am guilty of already booking Christmas things!!!! We had a busy weekend getting the garden sorted and trimming a lot of the plants which have not been done for a while.  We also took out the Box plants that have been in for about twenty years but had developed Box blight.  We have arranged for a tree company to come round and trim the trees in the garden hopefully next week some time.  Our Roofer is coming tomorrow to check our roof and also clean out all the gutters and make sure everything is okay before Winter. We still have some small jobs to do in the garden.  Where the Box was we are going to dig it all over and put some compost in and perhaps plant some spring bulbs in and then in Spring put some new plants in. 

At the weekend the family are out on Saturday at a Truck show and I am dog sitting Coco and Gordon.  Also hoping to get some quilting done and if not then reading.  May also be having a trip out on Sunday but more about that later.  

I hope you lovely lot are going to have a wonderful Week and Happy Autumn! 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Work & “Ber”!

3 Replies

Well we have been back home for almost two weeks and it was like we have never been on holiday!  It took me all of last week to catch up on our work and Eldest’s work and then home jobs, all the washing and ironing from holiday and then the first week back.  

I went back to our Opticians to get them to change the lenses in my glasses as I was not getting on well with the new style.  He did test my eyes again and I now have a problem with my left eye which he is referring me to the hospital for!  It may be that it could resolve itself or the hospital may not think it is a problem so I am keeping my fingers crossed 

Talking of Hospitals I have been today for my Pre-Op appointment!  I have got to now have my left hip replaced, having had the right one done in 2018.  It has been bad for a while and I started the process of getting it replaced in February last year and have been waiting since then.  This is one of the issues we have in the UK with our National Health.  We don’t pay per treatment/visit but we do pay via our taxes but since Covid when they got so behind on these types of operations and of course new people being added to the lists they are now behind.  I have been waiting eighteen months now and it will be another two months before I actually have the Op.  I am nervous about it but will be very thankful to get rid of the pain and taking pain medication every four hours.  Of course it looks like the Op will be end of October and then it is a six week recovery programme which takes me up to the first week of December!  That is going to be interesting getting everything done for Christmas!  I will not be able to drive until I have had my six week appointment after the Op so I will be relying on DH, The Boys and The Girls this year.  

We had a very busy weekend too.  Friday was Eldest’s Birthday and all the family were here for dinner and it was so nice we were able to eat outside.  Little Man had a great time helping Daddy open his gifts and then getting stuck in to Burger and chips for dinnerbut he loved the Birthday Cake best!  

The above picture was the day they arrived on holiday having got up at 3.00am to leave at 4.00am.  They all went back to sleep while Eldest drove and it was a good plan but they all had a snooze in the afternoon.  We did the same on the way back too leaving by 4.00am and got back home by 12.30pm having stopped for breakfast!  It was a busy weekend on the roads as it is the last few weeks of the school holidays so a lot of people were going away.

The above was on Eldest’s Birthday.  None of us get a look in when Grandad is around with Little Man, he absolutely loves to be with Grandad and be carried around doing things.  Here they  are sat on our steps into the garden!Eldest’s Birthday cake.  I did not make it.  I normally do but I am not able to stand and bake at the moment due to my hip being so painful.

We also had another busy family day on Sunday as well and again we were so lucky with the weather and were able to eat outside.

Monday here was the last Bank Holiday of the year and that has thrown the whole week out with work of course!  DH was with Eldest at the garage doing odd jobs and getting some things sorted for his new ramp going in.  He already has two large ramps and has now fitted a small one which when not in use goes into the floor.  This will be for jobs that just need a quick look and something small doing on them.

Eldest on the fork lift getting ready to take the delivery off the lorry.

Here is the ramp extended.

When not in use they go flush to the floor.

The mat on the desk is another present from us.

His Partner bought him this sign for the wall of the garage.

Here it is in place.

This weekend we are at home and although the weather is not very good we are trying to get the garden tidy.  DH managed to get the grass done last weekend, but we have some weeding to do and some of our plants need trimming.  

Next week begins the “Ber” months, which I think is a great description of the last four months of the year.  SeptemBER, OctoBER, NovemBER, DecemBER!   I do love all the seasons but I love this time of year Autumn going into Winter and of course Christmas at the end of it.  We have some great things coming up in the next few months which we are looking forward to.

If the weather does not ccooperate then we are planning on docing some home jobs inside and also carrying on with the decluttering that I began a few months ago.  I am still aiming to get it finished before the end of the year.

I hope you lovely lot are having a great end of summer and I will see you tomorrow.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Coco on night patrol!

Happy 4th of July!

2 Replies

Happy 4th Of July

To all of my American Friends & Followers, wishing you a very Happy 4th of July!

It is sunny and warm here today and much nicer than the extreme heat we have had this week, it is a true British summers day today.

Wimbledon has gotten a little better since my moan and I have seen some good matches, in between working of course.  Managed to get my home jobs done early and just now have a basket of ironing to do and I am up to date with my jobs before the weekend when I am babysitting Gordon!  

I have also got the two baby quilts completed and just about to wash them and then I will be able to show you them.  Still doing the bed quilt which is taking longer than expected but hoping to get quite a bit done on Sunday after our lunch.  I think I may also sneak a day this week to get it done, but don’t tell DH!!!!!!

Coco is really enjoying the weather and is out most of the time lying on the patio or in the garden.  This was last week just before her Airecut!!!

I will try and get some pictures of the weekend for you and whatever you are up to this weekend I hope you have a wonderful time. 

Hugs & Love, Susie, DH, Coco & Crew xxx

#TBT.

1 Reply

Well here in the UK we have made it to Thursday without falling with heat stroke, we are just not used to it!!!  It is a lot cooler today and very welcome and is supposed to be like this for the rest of the week.  Tonight for Carnival it is Wild, Wet & Wacky for the teenagers where they play silly games with water and foam!  Of course they would probably prefer it to be like Monday when it was very warm.  The two years The Boys competed they came home completely wet and frozen!  They were also dirty!  I made them both strip outside and I had a towl for them and made them both go straight up and have a hot shower!!!

Last night they were both helping DH at The Duck Race:

DH on the Bank commentating and Eldest in the brook.

Youngest at the finish Boom waiting to collect the ducks.

Waiting for the ducks to round the bend and almost lost his footing whilst collecting them!

 

Waiting to get in the brook and then sorting things out before the start.

My Boys – I love them to bits.  

And for #TBT here they are twenty one years ago on holiday in Scotland!  Eldest was 8 and Youngest was 4!

I did not get my home jobs done today so that will be for tomorrow now.  Carnival tomorrow is getting everything ready for Saturday but in the evening there is a Cake competition and Bike Race.  Saturday will be an early start for DH and I am dog sitting Gordon whilst they are busy helping out.  Sunday we are out for lunch which will be lovely. 

Happy Thursday you lovely lot.  Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

 

 

Wimbledon!

2 Replies

Well for those of you who have followed me for a while know I love tennis and in particular Wimbledon.  I have been very lucky to have attended The Championships three times, once when I was at school, once when Eldest was three and the third time for my 40th Birthday.  That day we did not see any tennis at all as it rained all day but we had a lovely day with lunch in The Wingfield Restaurant and sat watching the World go by.

The Championships began on Monday this week and for the first time in its 148 years they no longer have line judges.  This means that all calls are being done via the computerised sensors in the ground and there are no challenges to any of the calls.  I suppose the idea is to make the games quicker so they are not stopping and waiting for calls to be assessed or arguments over a call.  I have watched three matches so far and I can honestly say the games seem soulless.  

I am also not up to speed with a lot of the players in both the women and men’s draws now after several of the players, who have been on the tour for years retired.  Again I think this is making it very flat.  

Finally the woman who has taken over from the great Sue Barker who now helms the show for the BBC is dreadful.  For many reasons she as a person ticks a lot of the woke boxes that the BBC like, so she gets all these jobs.  However she has no idea about tennis and whenever she speaks about tennis or interviews anyone her comments are inane and she loves the sound of her own voice, thus very irritating!  She originally started her career commentating on horse racing.

I will continue to watch a few of the matches but it is such a shame as it really is a highlight of the summer for me.

I have been at Eldest’s today working but got kicked out earlier than normal as he and Youngest are helping DH tonight at the Duck Race!  Although we are not sure how the Ducks are going to manage to float as the water is quite low due to the heat!  I think they are going to need to be encouraged!

Today has been cooler than the last two, which is a relief for everyone and it is about the same for the rest of the week, especially when I have home jobs to do tomorrow and a few extra jobs to do on Friday.  Saturday I will be at home dog sitting and there may be some rain during the day which is typical.  Sunday we are out to lunch with Youngest & Fiancé.  Next week will be busy with work and that weekend The Boys are away for their weekend away and us Girls are going to have a girly weekend.  Hopefully the weather will be good for them.

I hope you are having a good Wednesday, middle of the week. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

 

 

Friday Is Here!

2 Replies

Here is Blaze to be your Lucky Black Cat for Friday June 13th!

Well we have made it to the end of the week and as usual I don’t think my feet touched the ground!!!  I am still checking the weather forecast every few hours and they are still saying some rain for tomorrow but I really hope not! 

I forgot to show you Jayne’s Birthday gift bag.  I managed to find it, of course, on Amazon but really liked it!  She loved her gifts!

DH & I belong to 41 Club and Tangent, these are the Clubs you move into at certain ages from Round Table and Ladies Circle!  I must admit with work, home things, swimming and everything else happening we have not been to any of the meetings for a while.  However each year I do the Directory for Tangent with names and details in, the Programme for the year, Past Chairmen etc.  It is not a big job as most of the details do not change and then it is just adding a few things and setting the programme out.  It only takes me about half an hour to do and it is my contribution to the Club as I have not had chance to go to any of the meetings.  Anyway I got these lovely flowers from the ladies for doing them this year.  They have been on my desk now for over a week and I just love them.  I especially love the Hydrangea but we cannot grow them in our garden as they do not like our soil at all. 

I will remember to get some pictures of the table and things of tomorrow’s dinner and everyone of course.  Sunday will be clear up day and again get some jobs done around our home and in the garden, so that we are on top of everything.  The week after my Birthday it is the start of Carnival in the village and there have already been two events early in the months as it is 100 years of Carnival in the Village.  As I say I will be getting on with the decluttering whilst DH is out at events and especially on Carnival Day.  The week after the main Carnival Day DH, Eldest & Youngest are heading off South for the Goodwood “Festival of Speed” and again we are keeping everything crossed that they will have a lovely dry day.  Fiancé, Partner, Little Man and myself are all getting together on Saturday to have a Girly day and Fiancé is coming to stay with me with Gordon & Blaze.  Coco will have her friends here for the weekend.  Again I will try and get pictures.

DH has one swimming event on the calendar on the Sunday after my Birthday but I can get some more quilting done.  In a change to our usual format for the Swimming Club our Club Championships have had to move due to Country and Regional Events being put on in October and November when we would normally host them.  So this year they are going to be on July 19th & 20th!  This is going to seem really strange!  On the Saturday evening they are also going to have a Club BBQ for all the swimmers and their parents etc but I will not be going to that.  Then the weekend after that we go away and I cannot wait!  So looking forward to being away and I don’t care what the weather does!

I cannot believe how fast the weeks are flying by!

Have a wonderful weekend whatever you lovely lot are up to and I will see you back here on Monday. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Ladies Who Lunch Birthday Edition!

2 Replies

The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow is where Jayne and I had Afternoon Tea.  This is where we have been for the last few years for our Christmas meal, so we decided to go in summer for our Birthdays meal!  DH and I have been for Afternoon Tea before here and it was lovely so I was quite happy to recommend it to Jayne.

This is the main Restaurant above.

The view from our Table and although onto the car park the view beyond is towards Chatsworth House and the park.

We got to sit in the main restaurant for Tea rather than the garden room, which is in the white conservatory in the hotel picture.

Jayne & I both had tea to drink.  You get a plate of finger sandwiches and a warm sausage roll.  Then warm scones, one fruit one plain, with jam and clotted cream. Finally a selection of pastires for afterwards which Jayne and I took home as we were both full after the sandwiches and scones.

It was also a lovely warm day and sitting by the window looking out was great although we had to have the blind down after a while as it was getting very warm!  Jayne’s Birthday is tomorrow and she will be going out for dinner with her family.  All my family are coming here on mine a week on Friday and we are having a take-away!

Eldest’s Partner’s Birthday is Sunday so we are really looking forward to dinner at home on Saturday night with us all including Little Man.  I am still keeping everything crossed that we will be able to eat outside, but at the moment it has some rain here in the afternoon.  However you know that they are not very good at predicting these things and I am really hoping they are wrong!  I will remember to get pictures whether we are inside or out!

I hope you are all having a lovely Thursday. 

Hugs & Love Susie, Jayne & Coco xxxx