Gunwharf

We had a quiet start to the day. There was no pressing need to get going, so we had a quiet breakfast. While Di went to get ready for the day, I fixed the mounting for the new vacuum cleaner to the wall in the "man cave".

We set off for Portsmouth. Di wanted some Skechers (sandals) and the outlet shop at Gunwharf Quays has a vast selection. It was a bit grey as we drove to the car park, but the sun was trying to break through, and it wasn't long before we had a lovely sunny morning. 

We started our trip with a gentle wander around the whole complex, so that we could see what was available. We stopped in at various stores that caught our eye. There was a Charles Tyrwhitt outlet where I ordered a couple of new shirts, and a Crew Clothing outlet where we found a jumper for Di and a polo shirt for me.

Eventually, we found our way into Skechers. There was a good selection of sandals, and Di found two pairs that she liked. After trying on a couple of sizes of each, a decision was made, and we walked out clutching two boxes.

After a phone call with Zoe, we went straight back to Skechers to find a pair of trainers for Ellie. The selection wasn't extensive in Ellie's size, but we found a pair that we thought she would like.

With the shopping done, we strolled around the site. Away from the main drag, it was quite tranquil.

"Surely, there must have been a suitable restaurant for lunch?" You may ask. 

Well, it's funny you should say that. We did, indeed, sit down in the sunshine outside The Old Customs House and ordered their fish and chips and a nice cool drink.

We sat and chatted and watched the world potter by. Eventually, we stirred ourselves and, after a final walk around the shopping centre, we returned to the car and drove home.

We had a quiet afternoon with our Kindles.

Sparky

 I was wide awake by 5:00, and managed to stay fairly still until 6:00 when I got up. I drank my coffee and read the papers, then as the time climbed towards seven, I took a tea to Diane and got washed and dressed. I needed to be decent as we had been informed by the electricity company that they wanted to adapt our controls to add an Isolator. The chappie turned up at 7:45, but sat in his van on a weekly "Teams" call before coming in to us at 8:15. He settled down to his job (with a cup of tea). I had to leave him to it; I had an appointment for a blood test I had to get to.

I arrived early for the blood test, but was seen early. With an arm empty of blood, I drove home and pulled onto the drive just as the electrician was driving off. In the house, everything was working again. Things had gone smoothly/

After some breakfast, I updated the accounts, then as Diane pottered, I went for a walk. A new Jonathan Kellerman novel was playing through my AirPods as I marched around the estate. As I started on the final straight towards home, I bumped into Ellie, who was out with her friends on her roller blades. We had a chat and a cuddle, then I left her to play and went home for some lunch.

During the afternoon, we managed some Kindle time, but that was curtailed as we had to take Ellie for her weekly appointment in Chichester. Dropping Ellie and Di near the centre, I turned back and drove to John Lewis to collect the vacuum cleaner we had ordered. While I waited for it to be retrieved from the stores, I met up with Lottie and had a chat. (Lottie works for John Lewis several days each week.) 

I went back to collect Di and Ellie, and, dropping Ellie off, we headed home for a quiet evening.

A Quiet Sunday (Mostly)

With the clocks leaping forward one hour overnight, I forced myself to stay in bed until 07:30. Even Jasper seemed to have coped with the change, and gave us an undisturbed night. It looked like a lovely sunny morning, and the day looked promising. I had a lazy start, deciding not to have an early walk, but to go out later. We sat and read the news over breakfast and eventually stirred ourselves into action. I worked through some domestic chores and some filing, while Di pottered upstairs.

Chores completed, I set off for my walk. Clearly, I had not left sufficient time for my coffee to percolate through, as I had to divert home to "check the plumbing" after my first loop. Satisfied that the plumbing was working, I resumed my walk and finished my current audiobook (a new one is already downloaded and lined up to start tomorrow).

After a spot of lunch, we went to sit in the Orangery and read our Kindles. It had clouded over, and it wasn't as warm out there as it had been last week. Before long, unforecast rain was beating on the roof. It didn't last for long, but it did lower the temperature further.

After dinner, we walked around to Zoe's. Today was Ellie's birthday. She had been at Pete's for the weekend and only arrived home late afternoon. When we arrived, we found Kim was already there, having spent part of the afternoon with them. Ellie was very excited at the prospect of some more presents! Wrapping paper was ripped from boxes, and chaos erupted as she dashed between her presents, or should I say "rolled" as she charged around on her new roller blades. The peace we had enjoyed earlier was shattered. Ellie's friend Poppy arrived, and soon after, Aryana. It was all getting a bit frantic. We said our goodbyes and left them to it.

We returned to the tranquillity and peace of our own home.

Sucking Up

 I was awake early and downstairs preparing coffee by 6:15. There was no particular need to get up; I was just wide awake and getting fidgety. I read The Telegraph, Google News, and Apple News before starting on social media, as Diane came down for her tea. It looked like a gorgeous start to the day.

I had the usual Zoom call with the cousins. There was no overriding theme, but we did discuss quizzes, the price of fuel (call it the Trump dividend), how smug Tim felt, having an EV.

We have recently concluded that our vacuum cleaner does not really pick up the pet hair that Jasper deposits on the carpets. We spent a couple of hours researching alternative devices and reading the reviews. We even consulted AI. By late morning, we had made a decision, and a new vacuum cleaner was on order. We should be able to collect it from John Lewis after 15:00 tomorrow (though we may not bother until Monday or Tuesday).

With that sorted, I went out for my walk. I followed my usual route and listened to my audiobook. It was bright and sunny, and though there were clusters of clouds, they seemed to stay out of my way. When I arrived home, I made my lunch and, as I sat down, the heavens opened, and we had a downpour. We rushed out to bring in the washing, then settled for an afternoon in the Orangery. The weather alternated between bright sun and sharp showers. The Orangery was pleasantly warm, and it was a most comfortable afternoon.

I think I have mentioned before the "East at Home" curry pouches. Today, I used the Dhansak. I gently fried an onion until it caramelised, then added a chopped green pepper, some cashews, some chopped green beans, a chopped tomato, and some dried chillies. I let them continue to fry gently for a further 15 minutes before I added the pouch of dhansak.  I left this to simmer for 30 minutes while I cooked Diane's salmon. The resulting dish was sensational.

Forecast

 The forecast had suggested a dry, but windy day. Pah! So much for the forecast. It was miserably grey when I got up, though it was dry. We went to escort Ellie to school, as usual, only to find that her friend Poppy had enjoyed a sleepover last night. They were both very bubbly this morning, and they were eager to get into class.

After we dropped the girls off, Diane went home and prepared to go to her Cardiac Rehab, while I set off on my usual walk. My audiobook continued to enthral me. I walked for the usual 75 minutes or so, then returned for my breakfast and another coffee. 

After some admin, I went back out for another walk in the miserable dizzle that seemed to blanket the area. I picked up Di's meds at the Chemist's and then set out for home via the long route. 

After lunch, we had some Kindle time before I went to collect Ellie (leaving Di to rest after a hard week). As it's her birthday on Sunday, she was handing out sweets at the end of the school day. Being the end of the term, the kids were wildly excited to be done and ready for the Easter break.

I left Ellie at home ( she is off to Pete's for the weekend) and wandered home. The miserable drizzle had been unpleasant, but it was nice to get home and lock down the house for the evening.

My old school has an "Inspiration Day" coming up. They were looking for volunteers to talk about their careers. I dismissed it at first, then I started to wonder, and finally, after chatting with Diane, I volunteered to participate and talk about my working life. (Relaistically, they may not be in the slightest bit interested, but at least I have shown willing.)

What a Contrast

 What a contrast we had in the weather. After the rain, hail, and blustery winds of yesterday, we woke to a bright sunny morning which soon burnt off the overnight frost. I was up at my usual time, and Di came down soon after. When the clock ticked around to 8:20, we walked to Zoe's to accompany Ellie to school. The kids were all very "hyper" this morning. I felt sorry for the teachers who would have to control them. Leaving Ellie in class, Dii went home and I went for my walk. I'm about halfway through my current audiobook, and I'm enjoying it greatly.

Once home, with porridge and coffee inside me, we greeted Lottie, then gathered the bags to set off for our raid on Sainsbury's. We had the usual Zombie trouble, but I was chilled, and nobody got hurt!

After lunch, we sat in the Orangery with our Kindles before going to collect Ellie from school. We dropped her home to Zoe and then wandered home.

That's about it for today. Nothing of huge importance.

Hail and Sun

 After a night of heavy rain and strong winds, I was surprised to open up this morning and find the roads dry. There was cloud cover, but it was dry. Little did I know how it would change. By the time we were ready to collect Ellie to take her to school, it was raining, and the wind was very blustery. I had already decided that I would delay my walk, and that turned out to be a wise move.

Back home, we both sat down for breakfast. Di hadn't slept very well and decided to forego Pilates this week, so there was no rush. The rain stopped, the sun came out, and the wind dropped. I went for my walk, enjoying the bright sunshine, when there was a break in the clouds that scudded across the sky. It was growing dark again by the time I arrived home, and it soon started to rain again. This turned to hail before the sun came out again and dried everything. This was how it continued throughout the day.

After lunch, we sat in the Orangery with our Kindles. The sun had broken through often enough to warm it up nicely. We stayed put until it was time to collect Ellie from football. I was pleased to hear that, despite the weather, they had played outside. The girls were all bubbling and excited when they were dismissed, so the experience wasn't that traumatic.

We dropped Ellie off at home, Di sorted out the washing, and I dealt with the bins for the weekly collection. We then left them to their own devices and headed home for dinner.

Cold front

 I was up at my usual time. It was decidedly grey this morning, and though the temperature was higher, the wind had changed direction, and it felt significantly colder than the last few days. Following our normal schedule, we walked around to Zoe's to collect Ellie for school. She was very subdued. She clearly has an allergy to cut grass, and her face has erupted in little sub-surface spots. It makes her feel a bit self-conscious.

After dropping her off in class and explaining what was going on to her teacher, Di headed home and set off for my walk. I had not dressed for the weather and felt quite chilly, but it did, however, encourage me to up my usual pace. When I arrived home, Di explained that she was going to take Ellie (and Zoe) to the doctor to have Ellie's allergy checked. I stayed put, had my breakfast, and got on with several domestic chores.

Back from the doctor's, Di confirmed our diagnosis that it was an allergy to cut grass. An increased dose of her hay fever medicine has been recommended. I hope it works, as I well know how miserable hay fever can make you feel.

After lunch, we had some Kindle time until it was school pickup time. Today we had the opportunity to go into class to see the work the children have been doing in school. I went through Ellie's Geometry, Maths, and English workbooks. She is doing really well.

By late afternoon, rain set in. It hadn't been scheduled until 21:00, but decided to arrive several hours early. Rude!

Short cut

It was another glorious start to the day, but the forecast suggests that this is coming to an end over the next few days. I was up at 6:30, and Di came down at 7:00. The early morning followed the usual pattern, and by 8:20, we were walking to Zoe's to collect Ellie for school. She was feeling sore after yesterday's fall, and had some trouble getting enthused about walking to school. Despite this, she went into class without any trouble, and Di briefed her teacher about what had happened.

Di headed home while I set off on my morning walk. My audiobook chatted away in my ears as I lapped the estate. I was surprised that there were not more people about, but I did pass and greet several of my regulars.

Back home, I enjoyed breakfast and then set about my (short) to-do list. The accounts were updated, and I did some research into some technology options before calling a supplier for some details. While I was sorting this, Diane was catching up on some ironing and dealing with the laundry.

After lunch, there was Kindle time in the Orangery until we had to collect Ellie from school and take her to Chichester for her regular appointment. The traffic was dreadful, and we were in danger of not making the appointment on time. I remembered a shortcut that I had discovered several years ago when dropping Kim off in Chichester. I turned around and nipped up a side street onto the route. There were no further hold-ups, and we arrived right on time. By the time we left, an hour later, the hold-up had been cleared, and we whizzed straight through.

Grandpamedic

 It was another beautiful day. The overnight air frost had left a fractal landscape to decorate the Orangery roof, but it was soon dissipating in the bright sun. I rose at 6:30 and had a quiet 90 minutes before Diane was woken by her alarm. I washed, dressed and went out for my morning walk. An hour or so later, I returned home desperate for a coffee and a bowl of porridge.

The rest of the morning was fairly quiet. I spent much of it reviewing some videos and YouTube streams. Just after lunch, the phone rang. It was Zoe. Ellie was out with a friend, Poppy, at the other end of the estate and had fallen and cut her knees. (They had been out for a picnic with a couple of the young boys from their class). Poppy took Ellie back to her mum, who did some first aid and then called Zoe. I put on the blue flashing light and hurried around to collect Ellie and bring her home. I knocked on the door and announced the grandpamedic had arrived, and we bundled her into the car. She had certainly scuffed her knees, and they had bled profusely. She was feeling very sorry for herself.

When I got her back to Zoe's, Nana was just arriving to provide whatever TLC might be necessary. Ellie snuggled down on the sofa next to Zoe. She asked for the pouffe and put her legs up. What a pair they made, Ellie with both her legs up, and Zoe with her leg up. There won't be much dancing there this evening.

Party time

 The advantage of Ellie being eight, going on nine, is that her birthday party is a daytime affair. We were up at the usual time, but by nine o'clock we were driving to Zoe's to collect Zoe, Ellie and her friend Poppy, along with some party bags and a cake, to head for the party venue. Twenty minutes later, we were waiting outside "Tenpin" in Chichester for the doors to open. Though it is not Ellie's birthday until next weekend, she will be with Pete on the day, so Zoe had arranged a party for today.

We were ushered into the bowling alley and allocated a couple of lanes. Over the next 15 minutes, her friends turned up. At 10:00, it kicked off, and the kids (split into two groups of five) started to roll the bowls down the lanes. With many other parties going on simultaneously and the background music, it was really quite deafening. Over the next couple of hours, both lanes completed their games (Ellie came second), drank lots of squash, and ate lots of sweets.

I took Neve out for a walk when the noise was getting too much for her, but that little break was enough for her to return and finish the games, the cake, the pizza, and all of the other trimmings.

It would have been nice to get a group photo, but frankly, it was like herding cats. The best I could achieve was this photo (which didn't include Neve).

We packed up at midday and took the presents and the remains of the cake to the car. We were home in no time, dropping Zoe, Ellie and Poppy, then going home ourselves.

We settled in the Orangery for some Kindle time, but before long Zoe called, asking for Di to come and have a look at a rash that Ellie had developed. She went on round and concluded it was an allergy to grass. Zoe's neighbour had mown her lawn today.  After some TLC from Nana, she was okay and went out playing again. 

Di left them to it and has just come back for dinner. We are hoping for a quiet evening.

Visited

 I was up at 6:30 and was greeted by another stunning morning. The sun was shining, and no cloud dared sully the firmament. It was about 6 °C, but the temperature would quickly rise. After our usual morning preamble, we walked to Zoe's to escort Ellie to school. There was an initial drama over the shorts that she was going to wear, but after several changes, Ellie made a decision, and we set off for school.

I set off for my usual walk as Diane returned home for her breakfast. It was a gorgeous morning to be out walking, and I was tempted to just keep going, but my need for coffee and some porridge took precedence. 

Di spent the morning on the phone with Denise. I spent the time giving some consideration to the challenge that Zoe has been given. She has been asked to do some analysis and some research into the general subject of home deliveries. Whilst I don't know the details, I can advise her on how to go about handling a challenge like that. I spent the morning providing an outline for a "consulting" document that defines the problem, explains the approach taken, the participants, the solutions considered and so forth. Hopefully, that will provide a structure for her response.

Just as I finished, Kim arrived. She had a day off and wanted to catch up after missing Mother's Day because of work. She was with us for a good couple of hours, and it was nice to just sit and chat. When she left us, she went on to Zoe's to keep her company for a while. We retired to the Orangery with our Kindles until it was time to collect Ellie from dancing and take her home.

We are home now and have just finished dinner.

Bright and Clear

 I was up soon after 6:30. Coffee was taken, and the news was consumed. The day looked bright and clear. What more could you want? Diane pottered downstairs for a tea as I pottered up to complete my ablutions and dress.

We went to Zoe's to collect Ellie for the walk to school. As usual, we dropped her off in class, and Di went home while I set off on my morning walk. I was out long enough to complete another audiobook. When I arrived home, I had breakfast and completed this week's shopping list.

Lottie arrived just as we were preparing to go shopping. We, of course, stopped for a chat before setting off. Sainsbury's seemed to be the focus of a Zombie Apocalypse today. It wasn't the quantity of Zombies that was the issue; it was the mental acuity. With a huge amount of self-control, I managed to complete the shop without resorting to violence (as tempting as it was).

Back home, we unpacked the shopping and then stopped for some lunch before retiring to the Orangery to sit in the sun and consume the next chapters of our respective Kindles. We collected Ellie at the end of school, and I took her to the park so she could let off steam.

Spring

I know that it is still a few days until (astronomical) Spring starts, but today was a very fine dress rehearsal. The sun shone throughout the day, and it was delightfully warm. I had emerged from bed at 6:30 and started my day, as usual, with coffee and news. When Di came down for her tea, I went to shower and dress.

We walked to Zoe's to take Ellie to school. She was very chirpy this morning. As she charged into class, Di went home for breakfast and to head off to Pilates. I went for my usual walk. It was so nice walking in the morning sunshine, with just a light jacket. I arrived home about 75 minutes later and sat down for my breakfast.

The morning was spent with some domestic chores and then some admin. Nothing of note. When Di arrived back, we sat down for a light lunch and then sat in the Orangery to enjoy the sun and consume some more from our Kindles. We went to collect Ellie from football practise, then took her home.

All-in-all, an uneventful day.