Ink

 Zoe was working from 9-6 today, so there was no imperative forcing me to get up early. That lulled me into a false sense of security lethargy, and so it was that 8:10 I was still in my PJs, reading the news. I realised the time and shot upstairs with the elegance and grace of a SpaceX(*) rocket. I completed my ablutions, dressed, and was out the door in 15 minutes. Ellie was in a strop when I arrived. She had wanted to wear her shorts, but today was too cold for that. Apparently, that was Mummy's fault... it is Spring, after all! She finally snapped out of it when we got her to school.

I headed off for my morning walk, then looped back home for breakfast. The morning was spent on a number of inconsequential tasks, and finishing the pile of ironing that Diane had started on yesterday.  As I sat back down, the phone rang, "This is (mumbled name) from HR at (mumbled company); please add my number to your WhatsApp so that I can talk to you about an opportunity" Click. I rang off.

The phone rang again. This time it was Zoe. "Da, could you print something for us on your big (A3) printer?" Mmmm, thinks I. I haven't fired that up for a year or so. Will it still have any usable ink? Does it work from the iMac running Sequoia? I went up to the study. The printer burst into life. It was visible to the iMac, but the ink had clearly dried up. New ink cartridges have been ordered and Sainsbury's will have to wait.

After lunch we had some Kindle time before I went off to collect Ellie from school. As usual, we stopped off at the park for a while and then she came home to tell Nana about her day, eat a snack, and read to Nana. I prepared an early dinner so she could go off with Ariana for a playdate. Zoe will collect her from Ariana's.

(*) Several of the recent SpaceX launches have blown up or ended in failure

Just ticking over

There was not a lot to report today. It was a bit grey when we got up to greet Ellie when she was dropped off. The cloud was high, and thin, but managed to keep the sun obscured for much of the early part of the day. Ellie was her usual chirpy self and at 8:30 we set off for school.

With Ellie delivered to the classroom door, Diane headed home and I set out for my walk. My audiobook was chatting away in my ears as I completed my usual circuits of the estate. I covered a fraction under 3 miles and went home for breakfast.

Diane spent much of the morning demolishing a pile of ironing. I got on with various chores and also ordered a further tabletop protector for our kitchen table. (We will have one for the table in its usual state, and another for when it is fully expanded).

I took a circuitous walk into the village, stopping to get my flowing locks trimmed. Then leaving the barbershop, I walked the long way home to get some more miles under my belt.

After lunch we had some Kindle time before I went to collect Ellie from school. We dropped her school bag in the kitchen and then went back out so she could have some time in the park.

Zoe came to collect Ellie at 16:30... leaving us time to get ready for the evening's Sonning Crew get together.

The Sonning Crew get together didn't quite work out. While we were getting ready, Diane was struck with some further gastric discomfort. Discretion, being the better part of valour, dictated that she didn't venture too far and so it was they she stayed home watching the TV while I went to celebrate Maureen's birthday with the rest of the Crew. We took the bus into Chichester, then settled down in the Giggling Squid for a very pleasant meal. We didn't linger long, and managed to grab a bus as soon as we left the restaurant. 

Hopefully, Di's problem will settle overnight.

Waxing, Not Waning

We had a very leisurely start to the day. I cascaded down the stairs at 7:20, and Diane joined me about an hour later. Coffee had been consumed, and the overnight news ingested. After a shower, I returned for breakfast and the "socials". 

When we finally stirred from the breakfast table, I stripped the protective cloth from the surface and opened the table to its full extent. I then used wood soap (I had never previously heard of wood soap) to give the table a deep clean. With the table clean, I then applied a beeswax polish to protect the surface. This took an hour or so as I applied it to the fully extended table and the supporting base. I was pleased when the job was done, but have to recognise this will be needed several times a year. We had to find a suitable surface protector for the table when it was both compressed and when it was expanded. I spent a stupid amount of time online trying to find suitable table protectors. I have managed to find what we need and ordered a cover for the fully extended table... the condensed table may need a "bespoke" solution, so I await a response from my email.

With the table done, I was about to head off for a walk, but we received a phone call from Zoe. She was having trouble pruning a plant in her front garden. I diverted from my initial route and sorted out the problem. (She hadn't understood the concept of a ratchet on the loppers.) Problem solved, I left her and went for my walk. My audiobook (a Jonathan Kellerman "Alex Delaware" novel) provided a running commentary as I wandered the neighbourhood.

Once home, my “to-do" list included moving our old kitchen table to Zoe's. It had already been disassembled. It was just a matter of transport and reassembly. With some help from Zoe, this was soon over and done with. The rest of the afternoon was spent sitting in the sun in the garden (and then the Orangery) before switching to Master Chef mode and preparing dinner.

Half a Rock

We had a (welcome) lazy start to the morning. I wandered down for a coffee and to read the overnight news. Some time later, Diane came down. This was the trigger for me to complete my morning ablutions and make myself look beautiful for the morning Zoom call.

The call followed the usual pattern, though the Orange Moron, Trump, seemed to feature on and off. I ended up reading a quote I had seen during the week:

"This constant lying is not aimed at making the people believe a lie, but at ensuring that no one believes anything anymore.

A people that can no longer distinguish between truth and lies cannot distinguish between right and wrong.

And such a people, deprived of the power to think and judge, is, without knowing and willing it, completely subjected to the rule of lies. With such a people, you can do whatever you want."

(This was from Hannah Arendt, German historian and philosopher).

Somehow, this seemed so appropriate to the state of US politics at present (and in no small way, our own, too).

The rest of the morning was spent doing a few chores and searching for a new pair of shoes. My current Clark's shoes are badly wearing at the heel and as it is a welded heel, cannot easily be repaired. I eventually found a pair that looked okay. I have ordered for them to be delivered to the local outlet in Chichester. I'll try them on there, and if I'm not happy, I'll get a refund.

Diane made the most of the gorgeous weather and spent a chunk of the day pottering and tidying in the garden.

I purchased a ticket for today's football match between Bognor Regis FC (The Rocks) and Folkestone Invicta. I walked along to the ground and grabbed a beer. (Note to self: do not ever order a "Neck Oil" IPA again). I managed a few mouthfuls, then left it on the bar.

I took my seat in the stands and watched the end of the warm-up, then there was a minute's silence in memory of a recently deceased fan, and the young girl from Cumbria who was hit by a car while on the training ground. Everybody stood still and bowed their heads. You could have heard a pin drop. It was most impressive and a lesson for many of the venues.

The game kicked off and Bognor went on the offensive immediately. They were soon pinned back, though and conceded a goal in the 13th minute. The conceded a second, straight from a corner a little while later. They finally clawed one back just before half-time. I left at half-time and walked home. The game was scrappy and I couldn't see there being much change. I was proved right. When I checked the final score, it had remained 1-2.

Mild

It was a mild night compared with the last week or so. I woke early to greet Ellie when she was dropped off. She was in a very chirpy mood and bounced into the house, said hello, then charged upstairs to see Nana. Grandpa was left to prepare her smoothie and her breakfast! When "the girls" came downstairs, I headed up for my shower and when I emerged I was informed that Ellie had forgotten her skin cream, and her books. Grandpa had to go fetch them! Meanwhile, Ellie completed her ablutions and got dressed. Then Grandpa was enlisted to listen while she read from her current books. I dropped her at school and then headed out for my usual walk. As I moved from circuit one to circuit two, Diane drove past on her way to Cardiac Rehab.

Back home I had breakfast and then captured the shopping list on the phone for later. When Diane got back, we headed off to Sainsbury's. It was just as well - we were out of milk, out of snacks for Ellie, and out of fruit. It seemed very busy today, but we had an opportunity to meet the new store manager, Jason, and the RSD, Natalie. It was a big shop today, big enough that we each took a trolley. This worked well, and we may employ the same approach again.

Once home, with everything put away, and lunch over, we settled for an hour in the Orangery with our Kindles. It started to rain just as we prepared to collect Ellie from school, but actually dried up by the time we left the house.

Zoe picked Ellie up at 16:30. She is off to a sleep-over with her "friend" Natalie this evening. This gives Zoe a quiet evening by herself... which is probably well overdue.

Book day

 We had an early start again this morning. It was foggy again, but the forecast expected it to lift during the morning. Ellie was dropped off and everything clicked into gear. The usual PE kit was not required this Thursday. It is World Book Day and like most schools, Ellie's class were entering into the spirit of the day by dressing as a character from a book or comic.

Most of her classmates seemed to plump for Harry Potter characters. Ellie was more traditional with a Little Red Riding Hood outfit. She looked as cute as a button.

We walked her to school, where her teacher was dressed as Wonder Woman, and as Diane headed home, I set off on my morning walk.

Some 45 minutes later I arrived home for my breakfast and then set about manipulating old tables and spreadsheets to import them to my new Ninox database. This was interrupted when we walked over to Chris and Maureen's for a coffee.

We settled down with some good coffee and chatted for an hour or two. We were updated on their family and we reciprocated, then we talked about holidays, before finally turning our attention to their new home security system. As we are their emergency contact, we had to be aware of how to arm and disarm the system, and how to respond if the monitoring company calls. It all seemed fairly straightforward.

Back home, we grabbed some lunch before spending a quiet hour in the Orangery with our Kindles. I headed off to collect Ellie but was caught out by the high cloud that blocked the sun. The temperature dropped by several degrees and I regretted not wearing a jacket (or a thicker sweater).

We didn't manage to get our shopping today, so that will have to happen tomorrow.

Play Misty for me

There was no need for an early alarm this morning as Zoe had a day off. I was surprised when I opened the shutters to find it was really foggy outside. It was quite cool also, being only 4C. After my coffee and initial trawl through the overnight news, I went on around to Zoe's and joined the walk to school. The teacher took Zoe to one side to warn her that there had been some unpleasant online material involving some of Ellie's older friends. Zoe had also seen this and blocked them from all of Ellie's devices. It was good, however, that the school had been alert and warned us.

I headed off for my early walk before returning home for breakfast and to say goodbye to Di as she drove off to Angmering for Pilates. I spent the first part of the morning doing some admin, and reading up further on some database technology. I had to scratch the itch. Using Ninox, I started to populate a table with text from my household maintenance blog. I was pleased with the results and will now reflect on any further development.

I plugged my AirPods into my ears and set off for another walk. The fog was lifting, and by the time I approached home, the sun was out and it was getting quite warm.

After lunch we settled in the warmth of the Orangery with our Kindles for a while. Di then went to join Zoe and collect Ellie from school. I returned to the MacBook and continued to import small tracts of data into the Ninox database. If (and I do mean if) I decide to compel the household log, then I have a lot of work to do in order to get the existing data into a standard format that will allow me to do a bulk import.

Mining

It was another glorious start to the day. Crystal clear skies were glowing gold as the sun heaved itself above the eastern horizon. Ellie was dropped off as usual and we began the daily pre-school protocol. Once breakfast, ablutions, and the day's outfit were complete, Grandap had to participate in "let's play teachers". This involved randomly providing French translations of English words, counting in French, and identifying a French phrase Ellie had (mis)remembered from school. With that "class" done, we then went on to practise handwriting. This would have been particularly useful if it had been Ellie practising, but no, she was dictating and Grandpa had to practise.

Dropping her at school, I set off for my usual walk - starting a new audiobook as I went. Once home, I grabbed some breakfast and then headed off to get the bus into Chichester. As I stood at the bus stop, there was a honk of a horn, and Chris and Maureen pulled up alongside me to offer a lift. I arrived in Chichester earlier than expected and headed for the dentist. I settled down in the waiting room and dug out my Kindle. (Experience has taught me the hygienist is always running late). I was eventually called in, strapped to the chair, my glasses were removed, and she switched on her miners' lamp and various power tools. I assume she was in a bad mood today because she was absolutely brutal. Jabbing away at my gums with a pick, she seemed amazed that they started to bleed. I felt like pointing out that if she jabbed any part of my body like that, that too would bleed. Eventually, having auditioned for a remake of Marathon Man, I was released.

While I was being held hostage by the hygienist, Diane had taken Jasper to the vet to get his claws clipped. She arrived home just before me. She has been suffering a bit of discomfort and contacted the surgery. They could not accommodate her, so suggested she visit the Minor Injuries Unit at the Bognor War Memorial Hospital. I dropped her at the entrance and went home (not knowing how long she would be, I needed to be available to collect Ellie). As it happened, it was after 5 o'clock before Di called to say she was ready. We stopped off at the pharmacy on the way home, so she could start her course of tablets immediately.

Bits and Pieces

It had been a very cold night and the lawns and all the cars were covered in frost when I opened the shutters this morning. It was early and Ellie was still in her PJs when she was dropped off. Ellie dumped her stuff in the kitchen and charged upstairs to see Nana. Normal service had resumed and the usual morning protocols were followed.

With Ellie dropped at school, I headed out for my walk. I added an extra section to the usual route, enabling me to arrive home just as my audiobook finished. I had timed it to perfection. After some breakfast (and another coffee), I started on my list for the day. I had to clean stains, left by Jasper, on several carpets. This didn't take too long, and successfully returned the carpets to their normal colour. Next, I had to check and if necessary, re-pressurise the water tank for the central heating. The check was done quickly, and there was no further action required.

Diane had spent much of the weekend having a clear-out in her sewing room. Several large piles of books appeared at the bottom of the stairs, along with some large sacks of other odds and ends. I loaded them into the car and we took them to the charity shop. They were delighted with our donations, particularly as Diane had sorted the books by subject (craft) area.

Returning home, I updated the accounts and then returned to my education on Obsidian. I delved and played for several hours, but feel that I have got to grips with the tool and will certainly use it as an adjunct to my use of Apple Notes. When I finished educating myself, I managed about 30 minutes of Kindle time before leaving to collect Ellie from school. The sun was shining, completely unhindered by clouds, and whilst cool (9C) it was a glorious afternoon. I took Ellie to the park so she could let off some steam before coming home.

Zoe came along to collect Ellie soon after four o'clock.

Map

 I was awake before seven, but quite happy to lie still and allow my brain to reach working speed. I finally stirred when Jasper leapt onto the bed at seven-fifteen. As usual, coffee was the first order of the day, accompanied by a review of the overnight news. I was delighted to see the opprobrium that was heaped up on the moron Trump from all quarters. The guy is, however, a sociopath and immune to the criticism from others.

After breakfast, I headed out for a walk. The AirPods chatted away in my ears for an hour or so, getting to the climax of the current book. Even though I was out for well over an hour, there is still more of the story to be revealed. I may have to add an extra circuit to my morning walk tomorrow!

Back home, I delved further in Obsidian, the note-taking app I was looking at yesterday. The further I delve, the more impressed I am. I was particularly taken with the ability to "mind map" within the app. I only wish it had been available when I was still working and could really have exploited its power. I dug deeper, watching loads of relevant YouTube videos. The day was beginning to run away with me. I closed the MacBook and retired to the Orangery with my Kindle (soon to be joined by Diane). It was glorious outside, so the Orangery was very warm and cosy as we sat and read.

The alarm on my watch rang. It was time to start on dinner. This weekend saw me cook a pork joint (with crackling) with roasted carrots and roasted potatoes, along with green beans.

Take Note

We had a lazy start to the day. As I opened up the shutters, it was clear that it had been a very cold night. Frost covered the grass opposite, and cars were white with the icy crystals. It was 07:00 and that was a pleasant lie-in for me. Coffee was soon brewed, and I settled down with the news. It was, of course, dominated by the White House mugging of Zelensky by the moron Trump and his attack dog Vance. I have never been so embarrassed by the behaviour of a world leader. I feel deeply sorry for the many decent Americans who are equally appalled by their President. He is a bully and a thug, and has no understanding of what is going on in Ukraine. Thank God our Prime Minister is meeting with Zelensky today and can reinforce our support for his country in their defense of the invaders.

I had my usual call with the cousins.  The conversation ranged across several subjects, but obviously settled on the moron Trump. Nobody had a good word, or even a polite word for him. He is a pariah and may he be damned in the history books.

The rest of the morning was spent with some admin, and then a superficial attempt to tidy my study. Actually, the tidying didn't take too long and has made quite a difference... but I still have not found my spare pair of glasses.

Trudy and Ian knocked. They had come to collect a misdirected parcel. I couldn't invite them in as Diane was still in her nightwear. We did have a chat, however, and it was nice to see them. When they left, I went out for a walk. I had to collect Diane's meds on the way through, but that was a brief interruption to the audiobook and the walking route.

Much of the rest of the day was spent investigating a note-taking app called Obsidian. This looks immensely powerful, but is not, at first look, very intuitive. Several YouTube videos convinced me to persevere, and I eventually got it working and syncing between my iMac, iPad, and iPhone. Despite investing so much effort, I am still not sure how much I will use it, but there is a facility that would allow me to import (or backup) all of my Apple Notes into the app. I will probably play with it some more before deciding whether to keep it. What I do like is the ability to build and use tables more dynamically than Apple Notes, and also its internal cross-referencing and the graphic representation of the personal knowledge map that the notes represent.

Pattern

There really is a pattern to our days. I was up early to greet Ellie when she was dropped off. She burst into the house like a tiny tornado and, dumping her stuff in the kitchen, charged upstairs to see Nana. Grandpa was left in the kitchen to prepare her smoothie and her breakfast.

Diane was feeling a little fragile. She had some slight gastric discomfort. Though I was happy for her to help Ellie get washed and dressed, I insisted she stayed at home when it was time for the school run. Leaving Ellie at the classroom, I headed for my pre-breakfast walk in the bright sunshine. (It might have been bright and sunny, but there was a definite nip in the air.)

Diane would normally have gone to the cardiac rehab session on Friday. Today, that was not going to be an option. We stayed put and both got on with our admin during the morning. (Meanwhile, Zoe collected Ellie from school and took her to her appointment at the hospital for an ultrasound scan.)

After lunch, we settled in the warmth of the Orangery with our books until it was time to collect Ellie. Again, Diane stayed put while I went on the school run. We didn't spend too long at the park today. Pete was scheduled to collect Ellie, so I had to get her back for Zoe to collect and take home.

On Spec

We were up early for Ellie's drop-off. She was full of the joys of (the impending) Spring, and bounced into the house ready for some breakfast.  Once she was fed, washed, and dressed, we took her to school then headed home. I didn't take my early walk as I was going back out as soon as I had finished breakfast.

Diane had an appointment at the hairdresser, she was desperate to get her hair cut. I was going to the optician. I have been experiencing a few anomalies with my eyes recently. It was nothing serious, but I seemed to have trouble with fine focus, particularly first thing in the morning. I wanted it checked. With my AirPods screwed into my ears I walked to Sainsbury's (where SpecSavers have an implant). 

The opticians were very thorough and I had all of the usual tests, including the eye scan (which examines the back of the eye). We went through the results and I was given a clean bill of health. I do have incipient cataracts, but they have not changed since last year and there is no need to consider any intervention. My lens prescription had, however, changed. My short sight (which I have had since I was 11) seems to be improving! When the consultation was over, I chose a new frame to accommodate the new lenses prescribed by the optician. The appointment had lasted nearly an hour, but I felt relieved that they had not detected any problems and pleased with the care and attention I had received. I plugged my AirPods back in and walked home via a longer route.

The afternoon started in the wonderfully warm Orangery. The sun had been shining since first thing, and the Orangery was delightfully cosy. I consumed about half of another book before heading off to collect Ellie. (I left Diane in the peace, quiet, and warmth of the Orangery). Collecting Ellie, we headed for the park so that she could have a run around for a while. I sat chatting to one of the mums - a Canadian, by birth. As you would expect of a Canadian, she was charming.

Zoe collected Ellie at 16:30. We will see her again early in the morning.

Ink

There was no need for an alarm this morning. With Ellie staying overnight, we could get up a bit later. I was up first and sitting down with a coffee by the time Ellie and Diane stirred. We went through the usual morning procedure, though Zoe arrived in time to walk to school with us.

It was very wet. Though the dawn had been golden and bright, it was clear that rain was not far off. Indeed, by the time we left school, it was just starting. I had already decided that I wouldn't take my early morning walk, and it was just as well. Within a few minutes of getting home, the heavens opened. 

Diane had decided that after yesterday evening's jaunt to see Giovanni, she was not in the mood for Pilates today. As we both have appointments tomorrow morning, we completed the week's shopping list and raided Sainsbury's

Last night, Ellie asked me to print some song lyrics. The printer decided it didn't want to. The problem lay with the black ink cartridge, but it wasn't empty. The Canon printer will not eject a cartridge until it registers as empty. I gave up last night and resolved to return to the problem this morning. After watching a few YouTube videos, I found a workaround. The black cartridge has now been replaced, and everything seems to be working again. That was a relief.

It looks as if my cousin Liz's email address has been compromised. I received a strange email message from her. The text just didn't seem like her style, and on checking, the "Reply-to" address was wrong. I warned Jane (it turned out that she, too, had received the email) and contacted Liz's son, Rick. He was visiting Liz, so resolved to send out a warning email and get things fixed.

We settled down after lunch for some Kindle time. I should have gone for a walk, but it had started to rain again. It did clear up, but by then, I had lost the impetus, finished another book, and started yet another.

Another Journal

 It was foul, first thing. The rain was heavy, and as there was little or no wind, it just seemed to fall in sheets. We were up early so that Ellie could be dropped off. She was in a very chirpy mood and was eager to get back to school after the half-term break. We dropped her off at the usual time and headed straight home - I wasn't going walking while it was that wet!

Back home, I opened up the package that Zoe had brought around. It was the latest journal to add to our collection. I poured over the book as I was eating breakfast, and I must say that I am very pleased with the results.

With breakfast done, I delved into some admin tasks that had not been addressed while we were away. By the time the admin was cleared, the rain had stopped, and it was brightening up outside. I grabbed my fleece and my AirPods and headed out for a walk. I was only gone for about 45 minutes, but the third coffee I had consumed with breakfast was acting as an impetus to return home earlier than planned!

We had our usual Kindle time after lunch and then went to collect Ellie from school She wasn't very pleased when I said we would not be stopping at the park (despite the warm sunshine). Diane, Kim, and Zoe are going out to see Giovanni Pernice in Southsea this evening. I had to get back from school to prepare dinner for Diane and Zoe before they went to collect Kim. Diane, meanwhile, wanted to wash her hair and get ready for the outing.

Ellie is staying with us overnight and will obviously be Grandpa-sitting this evening.

Inset

I was up early, this time out of necessity, as Ellie was being dropped off on Zoe's way to work. So, at 6:45, Ellie burst into the house and ran straight upstairs to get into bed with Nana. I sat downstairs with my coffee, reading the news.

It is an INSET day. This means the kids don't go to school because the teachers are training, strategising, and preparing for the oncoming onslaught as the children return. It also means that grandparents have to step in and look after the children.

Ellie was very good and entertained herself for much of the morning. Once my bladder was under control, I went for a walk to collect Diane's medication from the pharmacy. With that tucked away, we all went to Sainsbury's to stock up on what we would need for the remainder of the week. We weren't there for too long, but we did manage to touch base with Zoe.

Back home, with some lunch sorted for each of us, Ellie then contacted a friend so they could go out and play during the afternoon. (Monitored by her GPS Watch, of course). I also headed back out. There was a card to post and some cream and chorizo to pick up (I had forgotten them earlier at Sainsbury's). The weather had dried up nicely, and it was too warm for my big leather jacket. By the time I got home at the end of my route, I was really quite warm.

Zoe collected Ellie at 16:30, and we settled down to dinner (salmon and prawn in a cream sauce with linguine).

Home

I was up early, as usual. Opening the curtains, I was presented with a pink, calm morning. This was not destined to last but was a super start to the day. 

Once Di was up and about we started to pack the last few items into our cases. I made a couple of trips to load the luggage into the car and grab the hotel bill.

We met up with Jane and Trevor over breakfast and sat chatting as the restaurant filled around us, and then started to empty again. Maybe it was time to move on.

We finished loading the car and instead of saying our goodbyes, we agreed to meet up at Mudeford Quay for a short walk before the drive home. It was only a 10-minute drive from the hotel.

By the time we arrived at Mudeford Quay, the sun had hidden itself behind high grey clouds and a stiff breeze was blowing along the coast. We walked away from the Quay to start with and then after about a kilometre, turned back on ourselves and this time walked down onto the quay from which we could see across the channel where Christchurch Harbour empties into the sea, across to the end of Mudeford Spit. As you can see from the photo, it was a bit bleak!

We said our goodbyes and headed off. We cut through the New Forest and picked up the Motorway. We were home in about 90 minutes.

Having unpacked, we had a quiet hour in the lounge before heading back out to collect Jasper from Mark (the Cat Whisperer). Mark insisted that we should not pay for this stay as Jasper is such a regular guest at the Cattery. We tried to argue, but he was having none of it.

Spit

I was up early - it must be the excitement of my birthday! I had a coffee while reading the news and then Diane came in and we settled down to open my cards and presents. I have been a very lucky boy! 

We went down to breakfast. Again, we loaded up for the day and as we were finishing, the staff brought me a Happy Birthday plate. I sent a picture of this to Ellie who thought it was funny. Once we were back in our room, I had a chat with Ellie (and Zoe) on the phone before we met up with Jane and Trevor in reception for today's adventure.

We drove the 2 miles to Hengistbury Head and put on our collective walking boots. It was mild, and the waves were thundering against the beach. The sun, however, was struggling to break through and it was certainly a lot brighter than the last couple of days. We made our way up to the top of the Hengistbury Head where we were afforded a fabulous view back along the beach towards Southbourne and Boscombe.

As we walked it brightened up more, and eventually the sun broke through. At the end of the headland, we could look down across Mudeford Spit.

We wandered down the side of the hill and onto the spit. The sand was fine and soft and walking was hard going, but we turned onto the roadway that runs along the inside of the spit. This was a lot easier and it took us along to a small cafe where we stopped for a coffee.

After a comfort break, we headed back along the low-level path which led back to the car park (via the Visitor's Centre). We had been out for more than a couple of hours and it had been a super walk. The car park, was very full by the time we left, and people were still driving in to try and find spaces. We took a bit of a detour on the way back. We cut down along the overcliff through Southbourne and on towards Boscombe. I was just being inquisitive - there was no deep philosophical reason for the detour.

Back at the hotel, the sun was beating down and it seemed silly to sit inside. We grabbed a table and some sofas and sat by the river with a drink and a snack. It was glorious out there, but we did feel that we needed to move on and have another walk.

So it was that we dropped down onto the river path and walked back towards the old mill and the Priory. There were lots of walkers, and families making the most of the sunshine. We wove our way between them and walked the reverse route of that we took on Thursday.

As we walked past the Priory, Diane caught her toe in a pothole, made almost invisible by our sunglasses. She tripped and fell, but fortunately ended up in a flower bed rather than the path. Even though it was a softer landing, she has still ended up with some bruising. 

We moved on from this gravitational anomaly, and looped past the old castle keep and  back along the Convent Walk. Eventually, we found our way back to the hotel.

We had some quiet time in our room during which Kim called to wish me a happy birthday. We then went down to meet with Jane and Trevor in the bar before going through to dinner. The restaurant was very busy this evening and quite noisy. When Ellie phoned, it was impossible to hear her, even when I went to walk outside. It was nice that she called.

It has been a very special day, for which I am deeply grateful.

Matter of Trust

We may be on holiday, but my body clock is having none of it. I was wide awake soon after 6:00 and up by 6:30. Fortunately, our suite is large enough that I could go and shower in the second bathroom (furthest from our room) and thus, not disturb Diane. 

Showered and dressed, I raided the Nespresso for a coffee and settled down with the overnight news. It was some time before Di stirred and came seeking a cup of tea.

It was a grey start, but a lot brighter than yesterday. More to the point it wasn't raining (yet)!

We met Jane and Trevor in the restaurant for breakfast. We had been warned that it tends to fill up by 09:00, so arrived at 08:45. This worked perfectly. With more teas and coffees, and our selection from the breakfast menu, we were set for the day.

We had agreed to head across to Wimborne and visit Kingston Lacy. Diane and I had visited many years ago but had no clear recollection of the place. It was only a 45-minute drive from the hotel, with Trevor acting as the pilot (he really must get a proper uniform and cap, but we'll let that go for today).

As we arrived, Ellie called for a chat with Nana (and Grandpa) and asked us to send some photos. This was more easily said than done as there was almost no phone signal or WiFi around the property. We started the visit traditionally with a raid on the tea rooms for a morning coffee. Then we moved on into the house.

The house had been built for the Bankes family who had become prominent in the time of King Charles I. They originally lived at Corfe Castle, but after the siege during the Civil War, and the restoration of the monarchy, they built Kingston Lacy.

It went through several modifications and upgrades over the centuries and was finally given to the National Trust in 1981 on the death of the last Bankes who lived there. It was in a fairly poor state, but the treasures it housed included artworks by Titian, Rembrandt, Breugel, and many other famous artists. The donation came with the caveat that the whole collection had to remain (and thus could not be sold off for death duties or taxation).

We must have spent a couple of hours or more in the house. It really was a joy to visit. We stopped back in the tea rooms for a cream tea before heading back through the rain and murk to the hotel.

We had a quiet end to the afternoon and planned to meet up in the bar before dinner. 

Away the Lads

There was no reason to get up too early. It was wet and miserable and the forecast implied little change. We needed to get going but were not in any rush. We had some breakfast and I loaded the car. Then, just before 10:00, we set off towards Christchurch. 

The journey was slow, partly because of the weather, but mainly because of the roadworks along the M27. Nevertheless, we pulled into the car park at the hotel before 11:30. Our room was not ready - but we hadn't really expected it to be. We settled down in the lounge and had some coffee while watching the world spin by and the locals enjoy their morning get-together. There was a break in the rain, so I went to the car to get the luggage. As I walked out of the hotel, Jane and Trevor arrived. We all settled back down for some drinks and then some lunch.

Eventually, the rooms were available and we went up to our suite. We were surprised it has a spare bedroom, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a lounge dining room. It looks out over the River Stour and the Christchurch Marina. I must say, it is a splendid suite (even if the bed looks a bit small compared with ours).

Mid-afternoon the rain had almost stopped again, so we went out for a walk. We headed east along the river, passing an old mill and walking alongside a stream towards the town centre. We then looped back down towards the Priory.

I was surprised by the size of the Priory as we walked around the outside (we'll save the inside for another day). This photo had to be taken using the "panorama" setting on the camera to get the whole view).

When we arrived back at the hotel, the lounge was a bit noisy and busy so we invited Jane and Trevor up to our room for a cup of tea. It was the ideal end to the afternoon as it was quiet and relaxed.

We plan to meet up for a drink before dinner.

Into the Fold

We had a lazy start this morning. After some breakfast, I sat down to complete yesterday's blog. That got me thinking about the family tree, so I logged in to Ancestry to make a couple of updates and have a rootle about through some of the hints that had been stacked up for me.

Mid-morning, we headed for Sainsbury's. Diane had some clothing she wanted to exchange, and I had a few bits I wanted to pick up ready for our return on Sunday. Even though Zoe is on holiday this week, we still bumped into her in the store, but she was only shopping. (Ellie was out, playing with a friend). Zoe asked if I could give her a hand with a pinboard for Ellie when we got home. So it was that I walked around to Zoe's and with the help of both Zoe and the cat, Beau, I moved the pinboard from the lounge to Ellie's bedroom.

I have a thing about folding clothes efficiently for travel. I reviewed several YouTube videos and then set about selecting and folding the clothes I would take when we head off tomorrow for a short break. I had edited the selection of clothes several times and then I had to keep walking back and forth between my study (and the YouTube videos) and our bedroom (and the suitcase). In the end, I was very pleased with the techniques employed. With all of the clothes packed, I set about the personal electronics, chargers, and battery packs. I think Diane and I are both ready to get going tomorrow morning.

(As an aside, today would have been my Grandfather's 123rd birthday.)

Farewell

While we didn't get up earlier than usual, we did "get a bit of a wiggle on". We had planned to get on the road just after the rush hour. We were heading for Brentwood to say farewell to my cousin, Anne (Murphy) Warwicker. With the A29 closed at Shripney, we drove across to pick up Long Furlong and the A24. Though a longer route, it was pretty clear (being half-term) and was plain sailing from there. We arrived at Chalfont Hall Farm, where we were meeting up with Jane and Trevor in about 2 and a quarter hours.

We had a couple of hours to kill before the funeral, so we sat and chatted over coffee until it was time to leave. The Crematorium was only about a mile up the road, so we were there in a couple of minutes. Having parked, we mingled with cousins and friends. We chatted with Liz, Rick, Tina, Pete, Simon, Cary, and Grace. The service was short and a little "antiseptic", somehow lacking the emotional connection you might expect at the loss of the matriarch of that side of the family. I was also surprised that there was no contingent from the Murphy side of the family.

After the funeral, we gathered at the local golf club for a small reception. I chatted with Kerry, Anne's son, and his wife, who had both flown in from New Jersey. Diane and I circulated and chatted for a couple of hours, occasionally grazing at the buffet table.

We left at 16:00 and headed home. We decided to avoid the traffic chaos at the M25 junction and drove down to the A127, picking up the motorway at the next exit. This proved to be an easy route, but it only siphoned onto the motorway to get stuck in a jam further around. It was 18:40 before we got home and settled down for a quiet evening.

Girls Day Out

We were up early. We needed to be out the door by 7:30 so that we could collect Zoe and Ellie, and I could take them to the railway station. Everyone was ready on time and excited to get going. I dropped them in plenty of time for their 07:56 train to Victoria. Unfortunately, the journey itself didn't go smoothly. Signalling problems at Balham forced the girls to change trains at Gatwick. They arrived in London a bit later than planned but were able to grab the tube across to South Kensington.

Meanwhile, I stayed at home. I got in a pre-breakfast walk and then got on with some admin when breakfast was finished. Once everything was done, I drove down to West Fields and went for another walk along the promenade. Though the sun was bright, the east wind was bitingly cold. I walked up as far as Butlins and then swung around and headed back. It was a lot more comfortable walking with the wind behind me.

I exchanged a few messages with the girls during the day, and they seemed to have enjoyed the day. I will be going to collect them from the station soon. I'm looking forward to hearing all about the Natural History Museum from Ellie.

I spent a quiet afternoon in the warmth of the Orangery with my Kindle, finishing one book and starting another.

Palm Sunday

After an excellent night's sleep, I wandered downstairs for a coffee and to read the Sunday press. Several articles caught my eye and deserved a proper read, but in general, it was just a load of fluff. After a while, Diane wandered down. She had enjoyed a night without Jasper trying to share her pillow or wandering over her head.

Zoe popped in. She wanted to finalise the arrangements for tomorrow's trip. A few minor changes were made, and the schedule was brought forward by a couple of hours. Plans are now set in stone... and I will run the girls to the railway station at 07:30.

Once Zoe left, I set about one of those domestic chores I hated. I needed to change the water filter on the fridge water and ice dispenser. This never goes well. Today was no different. I took the old filter off the wall and tried to switch off the water. The screw would not turn without significant elbow grease. Finally, the water was switched off, and I tried to release the hose from the filter. This is a matter of compressing a valve and then pulling the hose. The valve would not compress with finger pressure, so I had to exert some mechanical pressure. I did this with my penknife, which slipped and cut the palm of my left hand. I went and got some kitchen roll to stem the bleeding. I returned to the filter. I freed the hoses from both ends and then fitted the new filter. The water was switched back on and sprayed everywhere. The water was switched off. I reseated the hoses and repeated the process. The result was the same. I continued to drip blood on the floor and may have uttered a few expletives under my breath. I tried one last time. This time, I exerted far more pressure when inserting the hoses. They slipped in much further. The water was switched on. There were no leaks. This job was done. (I have a box containing 3 more filters. I wrote a message on the box: "However hard you think you have pushed the hoses in, push even harder")

I went out for a walk at lunchtime. I didn't stray far, just three large circuits of my breakfast route. I was out for about an hour and felt much better for the exercise. Once home, I managed some Kindle time until I started on dinner preparation.

Tickets to Ride

After the usual coffee and time reading the news, I logged on for my Zoom call with the cousins. We had a good turnout today. The conversations were diverse and covered everything from the "best dog breed ever" to the weather in Norfolk and the location of Christchurch. (There was no consensus on the dog breed - though greyhounds got two votes.)

With the weekly call finished, we had to gather up Jasper (who was hiding under Ellie's bed) and scoop him into his carrier for the trip to Mark, the Cat Whisperer. We decided to give him a luxury spa break at the cattery for the week so that we could do as we pleased without having to worry about him. I must say that it always feels like a holiday has started when we drop him with Mark.

Zoe, Ellie, and Diane are planning to visit the Natural History Museum on Monday. I was tasked with sorting out the train times and tickets. I found a family deal (2 adults and a child) and booked that. To save time on Monday morning and reduce the stress, I decided I would walk into Bognor and collect the tickets in advance. I plugged my audiobook into my ears and set off. There were a few drops of rain, but it never amounted to anything. It took me just over an hour to get there and back, but at least there will be no panic on Monday morning.

While I had been out, Diane had started defrosting the freezer and then vacuumed the car. I had a light lunch while listening to the tintinnabulation of ice melting and dripping down through the shelves. With lunch out of the way, I started to prepare a batch of curry. Once properly underway, this could simmer away all afternoon.

We both retired to the lounge with our Kindles until it was time for me to finish the curry and cook Diane's salmon for dinner. The curry was delicious, and I have three more healthy portions tucked away, ready to nestle in the freezer when we switch it back on.

Bake Off

It is Valentine's Day, and Ellie's school has arranged a Valentine's Day Massacre Bake Off. I went around to walk to school with Zoe and Ellie. Zoe was carrying the cake that Ellie baked last night. I was holding her school bag, and Ellie was riding her bike. (It's nice to have your own Sherpas!). After the cakes had been handed in, we dropped Ellie at the classroom door, and I set off for my usual walk. I had realised why yesterday's walk was a little shorter than normal and returned to my regular circuit. I was particularly pleased when the solution to the locked-room murder in my current audiobook was revealed. It was very obscure, but I had actually worked out the "how", if not the "who", from very early on in the story.

After breakfast, I caught up on the accounts and then reviewed the excursions that have just been released for our spring river cruise. As I reviewed each offering, I checked with A.I. to see what recommendations it had for each location. Diane then went through the list, and we agreed on our selection. I passed our list on to Jane and Trevor and then completed our booking.

I went out for another walk at lunchtime. Diane needed some meds picking up from the pharmacy, so I looped through the village, allowing me to make the collection on the way through. It was at this point that I completed the audiobook, which ended very satisfactorily. Within a few seconds, the next book was lined up, and I found myself whizzed from Marlow in the last book, to Venice in the new book.

When I arrived home, I found there had been a delivery and the sweater that I had ordered earlier this week from "WoolOvers" in Burgess Hill had arrived. I quickly unpacked it and tried it on. I was very happy with it - and the fact that I have been able to drop from "L" to "M" was a bonus. I am delighted with the quality.

After lunch, I settled down in the Orangery for some Kindle time (with a book set in New York). Mid-afternoon, Diane went to join Zoe for the school pick-up. We are expecting a quiet end to the day, though Ellie will be at Pete's, so she may end up messaging Nana all evening.

Publish and be Damned

With Zoe on leave, we had another leisurely start. I wandered around to meet with her and Ellie at 8:20, then walked with them to school. There has been a great deal of chatter on social media regarding the homework that had been set for Ellie's class. I was delighted to hear that Ellie had completed it all - even if she may only be one of a few.

Leaving school, I waved Zoe goodbye and headed out for my morning walk. I followed the usual route, or at least I thought I had. Actually, I must have deviated somewhere, as I covered at least 500m less than yesterday. I must concentrate more on the route and a bit less on my book. 

With breakfast finished and the shopping list committed to the phone, we headed off to Sainsbury's. We were earlier than usual, but the store was still infested by shuffling morons. Despite this, we managed to complete the shopping in a sensible time. When we got home, Lottie was just finishing off. We quickly stashed the shopping away and got out of her way. Diane went to sort out some folders for a course she just started. I went to my study to complete the revision and edit for last year's journal. With that filed away, I logged on to my "Lulu" account and sent the journal off for printing.

The company with whom we have booked our forthcoming river cruise have just released their excursions for the trip. I spent a while looking through these and creating a small spreadsheet to help visualise the options and check for any overlaps. I'll actually review the details of the excursions in the next day or so, and decide which ones are worth taking.

The end of the afternoon was dedicated to Kindle time and my 20th book of the year.

Guttered

We had a quiet start to the day. After a coffee and catching up on the news, I walked to Zoe's to accompany her and Ellie to school. I then headed off for my early morning walk. I saw all the regulars as I walked my usual circuits of the estate: the dog walkers, the chap who fetched the newspaper, and the lady with a walking stick. After about 45 minutes, I headed home for breakfast.

The morning was occupied with a few bits of admin and another session reviewing and editing last year's journal. 

Kim, who has just started her new placement in the community, dropped by. She was with a nurse and heading out to do a home visit. We had had some mail delivered that was addressed to her, so she just popped in, grabbed it, and left again.

Chris rang the bell at lunchtime. He was having problems with his WiFi signal in the garden and came to ask about our Mesh. I explained it all and he went home to look at Amazon. Then it occurred to me that I still have my old BT Mesh, so I took it over and explained how to set it up. I'm not sure it will solve his problem, but it was worth a try.

As I walked back, our new neighbours were manhandling a huge ladder so they could clean their gutters. They knocked on our door and offered to clean the detritus from our gutter... so I leapt at the offer. We no longer have a small tree growing from the gutter above my study.

The afternoon saw a little more editing of the journal and then some Kindle time. Diane went with Zoe to collect Ellie - but they were then going to collect Beau from the vets.

Cardboard Cutout

With Zoe not starting work until 9, we had a lazy start to the day. After coffee, ablutions, and more coffee, I wandered around the corner to join the walk to school. With Ellie in class, I bade adieu to Zoe and set off for my walk. The weather app had informed me that it was only 2 degrees, but I must say that I thought it was quite mild; maybe it was the lack of wind.

Once home, I had breakfast and then, grabbing my box cutter, set about the packaging in which the kitchen table had been shipped. There was enough cardboard to build a small village. Cut by cut, the boxes were reduced to small squares of cardboard that would fit in the bin. The bin is now absolutely full.

Diane had to drive to the vet to collect some more meds for Jasper. I took the opportunity to go for another walk and to post an anniversary card for Diane's niece and husband. My audiobook, the second book of the Marlow Murder Club series, chatted away in my ears as I walked a familiar loop. I was out for about 50 minutes and got home soon after Diane.

We had some Kindle time after lunch until it was time to collect Ellie. Diane went to meet Zoe, and they collected Ellie together. I went up to the study and did some more editing on last year's journal until it was time to start on dinner.

I suspect it will be a quiet evening this evening... and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 for the dreadful programmes they are currently broadcasting. Without them, we would never have found several really good series on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

To Do - Done

I was up early for Ellie's drop-off. She was in a particularly chirpy mood this morning and a joy to have around. It was cold and grey outside, but at least the overnight rain had stopped. There was a bit of a panic as we prepared for school. Her new shoes were a bit too big and had to be slightly padded to fit, but then she needed plasters on her heels so they wouldn't rub. Adjustments were completed, and we headed to school.

Diane went straight back home, and I went for my morning walk. I was only gone for about 45 minutes, but it was a nice start to the day. After breakfast, I worked through my mental "to do" list. The first item was a call to the supplier of the kitchen table to cancel the visit from their fitter this coming Friday. He was no longer needed. There was no problem, and they agreed to refund the £75. The next item on my agenda was to clean the paintwork at the front of the house. I wrapped up in my waterproofs, expecting to be dripped on as I progressed around the various surfaces. I used a floor mop to do a lot of the cleaning, and that worked pretty well, though I had to go over it with a cloth to get into the crevices. The next job was to fetch some cat litter from the pet store, and finally, I updated the accounts. It was a fruitful morning.

The afternoon saw some Kindle time before I walked to the school to collect Ellie. She was eager to get home so that she could finish her project on the Romans and the Leisure Time. I generated another AI image for her. This depicted a full amphitheatre with a gladiator battling a lion. This was printed and stuck onto the project. She plans to take this to school tomorrow.

Zoe came to collect Ellie. She only has a few hours in the store tomorrow morning, and then she has a week or so holiday.

Fixed it - The Law of Sod

We had a quiet start to the day. It was sunny when I came down for coffee, but that soon became overcast and damp. We were expecting Jan and John, but while awaiting their arrival, I returned to the final edit of last year’s journal. I managed to complete May and June, but will have to continue during the week.

When Jan and John arrived, having driven through some foul weather on the way down from Odiham, I made them some coffee. 

While waiting for the “brew,” I pointed out the new table and explained the problem we had with it not opening as it was meant to do. I explained that the idea was that you rotated the turntable under the base, and it peeled open and showed John how it would not budge. Only, it did. I had tried to rotate it the same way that I had tried dozens of times on Wednesday. This time, it worked perfectly. 

With no more ado (the coffee could wait), I opened it fully and completed the final assembly. We now have a perfectly functioning, expanding circular kitchen table. I must cancel the appointment I had made for the fitter next Friday.

After coffee, biscuits, and a catch-up on family news, we headed to Chichester for lunch. We had booked a table at Giggling Squid, though I hardly think a booking was necessary. When we arrived, there were only a couple of tables occupied. We lingered over our meals - Di and Jan had Thai Red Curry, John had Pork Cheeks, and I had a Butterfly Prawn Pad Thai. As usual, the food was both excellent and good value for money. When we finally stirred, we took a walk along East Street, then zigged into South Street and zagged into North Street. By this time, it was not only cold, but it was raining, and we were getting wet. We did an about-turn and headed back to the car.

Back home, seated at our new table, we chatted some more over cups of tea and plates of apple pie with custard. Jan and John left as the light was fading. We finished some clearing away, then settled down for a quiet evening.

(Today would have been my Dad’s and Peter's birthday; they would have been 99 today.)

Repairs

  I thought it was cold yesterday, but today it seemed colder. Possibly, it was the rain and dampness; possibly, it was the fact that the sky was so grey. Whatever the reason, it seemed very wintery. I had a lie-in this morning and didn't attack my first coffee until 7:30. Diane was still fast asleep and didn't emerge until after 8:00.

Once I was washed and dressed, I headed for my study, armed with another coffee and a bowl of porridge. I settled down at the computer to talk with the cousins over Zoom. Today's call was more informative than it was banter-filled. It was an interesting 40 minutes, and Ellie (who had popped in with Zoe) came into the study to say hello to everyone.

After the call, I settled down with the second proofread for last year's journal. I need to send it off for printing soon, so I must finish this second edit. I have got as far as May, but one or two more concerted sessions should complete the task.

As members of the Weald & Downland Museum, we had been informed that the barn where they film "The Repair Shop" would be open for visitors today. We put on our wet weather gear and headed for Singleton. We checked in at the entrance and, after a quick comfort break, walked out into the drizzle and down to the barn.

Visitors couldn't walk into the barn, but there was a barrier just inside that kept you in the dry, kept you away from the various work areas, but gave you a good view of the "set". There is no filming going on at present, but it will restart in May and run through until October. Apparently, they film for about 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

As we left the barn, I was intrigued by this old threshing machine that was stored outside, by the side of the barn. I would have liked to have found out more about it, but there didn't appear to be an information board.

We wandered back to the café where, being lunchtime, we stopped for a coffee and baguette. We timed it well. As we sat down, the rain intensified, and it looked pretty bleak for a while. By the time we had finished and were ready to move on, the rain had relented and given way to a light drizzle.

We took another walk through the main spine of the museum site. It would be nice to go back at least once when the weather isn't grey and wet! We headed home.

The afternoon was spent quietly with our Kindles... and a nice piece of passion fruit and lime sponge cake we had picked up at the museum.

Diane was too full for dinner tonight, but I managed to eat the last of my curries. I will have to cook another batch next week.

Cold wind

We had another gentle start to the day. After my morning coffee, I wandered to Zoe's and joined the walk to school with Ellie. It was bitterly cold today. The temperature didn't rise above 4°C, and there was a very cold wind. The weather app on the phone suggested the temperature felt like -6, and I wouldn't argue.

By the time I returned from my morning walk, Diane had already left for her Cardiac Rehab session. I settled down for breakfast, caught up on the accounts, and then called the company that supplied the new kitchen table. I explained the problem I was having in assembling it, and the chap put me on hold to go and discuss it with someone. A few minutes later, he said they would send someone out to assemble the table properly (for a mere £75). This seemed like a good deal, bearing in mind they are based in Leicester and on top of travel time, it is still likely to take them an hour to sort things out. I paid the money, and now we wait for next Friday when he is scheduled to arrive.

When Diane arrived home, I left her with a cup of tea while I drove into LA. Our water softener uses salt blocks in the regeneration process, and I had run out. I loaded the car with 12 bags - which should last about 15 months - and headed back home.

Early afternoon saw some Kindle time before I walked to school to collect Ellie. She was in a bit of a grump because a) they had given her the wrong lunch, and b) she wanted me to take her home to her house, and I had the effrontery to say no and took her to our house. She soon snapped out of it when she had enjoyed a cuddle with Nana.

Nothing special.

 We had another leisurely start as Zoe's shift didn't begin until 9, so she could walk Ellie to school first. After some coffee, I wandered around the corner to join the trek to school. Having dropped her off, I set out on my usual walk. Again, I broke tradition and walked clockwise rather than counter-clockwise. (I've always had a rebellious streak.) It was very bright and sunny with a crystal clear sky, but despite that, I was bitterly cold.

Back home, I had breakfast and finished the shopping list for today's raid on Sainsbury's. We seemed to arrive at what is usually the optimum time for zombie sightings, but they were strangely absent today. We had a very quick run around the store and then headed home. Once everything was unpacked, I set out for another walk to collect Diane's meds from the pharmacy on my circuit.

After some lunch, we made the most of the sunshine, which had been warming the Orangery nicely. We settled down with our Kindles and may have had a short nap in the warmth and comfort of the reclining sofas. At the appropriate time, I went to collect Ellie from school and took her to the park to let off steam before we went home to Diane. Ellie spent the time before dinner on her maths homework and then her reading. She's now watching funny cat videos while she waits for Zoe to collect her.

Weighing In

 Zoe had a day off, so there was no need to get up early. I had a lie-in for 10 minutes... and got up anyway. After some coffee and the morning ablutions, I walked around to perform my school escort duties. 

With Ellie dropped at school, I headed off for my walk. Within a few minutes, I had received a call from Zoe. Their long-awaited, unannounced compliance audit was taking place, so she was going to work, day off or not! I continued my walk, having stirred things up by looping the opposite way around the estate from my usual route. I like to live dangerously.

Back home, Diane was just leaving for Pilates as I settled down for breakfast. Then, after a few chores, I went back to my coding project. This occupied much of the morning, but I think it's now finished (though I may do a little more documentation).

After lunch, I settled down and finished both my audiobook and my latest Kindle book. The phone rang. It was the delivery chappies informing me they would deliver our new table in the next 45 minutes. I sprang into action and dismantled the old table, removing it to the Orangery. 

The chappies turned up and brought the two boxes into the kitchen. It had been a long day for them. They left Leicester at 4 a.m. and made deliveries to Bournemouth, Southampton, and Portsmouth before coming here. Now, they have a long drive home in early evening traffic. 

I immediately started to look at the components and the assembly instructions. It was apparent that this would not be easy. It wasn't that it was a complicated process - there were only half a dozen steps. The main problem was the weight, which was similar to a WWII battleship. The base (hull?) was dragged out of its box and positioned. Packing screws were removed, and we were ready for the tabletop. This weighed the same as a modern aircraft carrier. Diane and I tried to position it - it was no good; it was much too heavy for her to help me manoeuvre. We called Zoe (who was home from work having achieved 100% compliance on the audit) and arranged for her to drop by when picking up Ellie. She duly arrived, and we fiddled, we faffed, we twisted, and we pulled. Eventually, we called it a day. The tabletop is in situ but not yet fixed, and so far, we haven't managed to find a way of extending the table the way it was designed. We have given up for tonight. This problem may need several sleeps and several phone calls. (It does look rather nice, though).

Fashionista

  Ellie bounced into the house at 6:40 this morning. She was in a great mood and looking forward to both her school trip and a planned playdate with a friend after school. It was only when she started to get dressed that clouds swept across her sunny disposition. She wanted her yellow PE t-shirt, but Zoe hadn't brought it to us. A strop began. I volunteered to collect the errant article and, after my shower, walked around to Zoe's to find it. Ellie had assured me it was on the table. It wasn't. I found it screwed up in her suitcase, brought it back home, and ironed it to make it presentable. A few minutes later, she came downstairs wearing something completely different!

We took her to school, and all the talk by the classroom door was about the day's trip to Fishbourne Roman Palace. The doors opened, and they swept in. I set off for my pre-breakfast walk.

Back home after breakfast, I cleared some room to flip the kitchen table upside down. (No, this wasn't a random act of impending senility.) We expect delivery of a new kitchen table tomorrow, and I had to work out how the old table could be dismantled. It turned out to be more straightforward than I had expected. It shouldn't take me long tomorrow (once I have an estimated delivery slot).

I returned to my coding exercise. I refined the code so that I could deal with several changes that were likely to happen. While I was coding, I also refined several existing routines in the program. It's really rather slick now.

After lunch, I set out for another walk. I took the route along the medieval highway to Shripney and then turned back when I reached the A29. I was so engrossed in my book when I arrived home that I swapped my usual Kindle time for some more "Audible" time.

We collected Ellie and her friend Edie from school but got very little from them by way of a review of the school trip. "It was great" was the sum total of the review. We'll try to elicit a more considered review tomorrow when she is by herself. The girls played in Ellie's bedroom and the Orangery until Zoe came to collect them. Peace reigns once more.

Routine

It was a routine day. We were up early to greet Ellie as she was dropped off. We gave her breakfast, and Nana oversaw the morning ablutions. Ellie then filled in the time before school with some iPad time.

Having dropped her at school, I headed off for my morning walk. The weather was cool and grey, but at least it was dry. The book that I'm listening to is becoming quite gripping. It's a strange volume that, had I tried to read it in print, I would probably have given up - but as an audiobook, it has managed to keep me hooked. (So much so that I have just downloaded another volume in the same series).

Back home, I finished breakfast and then caught up on the accounts. I then returned to my study and dabbled some more with some of the programming extensions. I'm not completely happy with the way the packaged version has been installed, and after much debate, I removed them all and will revisit the package components one by one.

After lunch, I had some Kindle time before going to collect Ellie. She had enjoyed her day but started to rebel towards the end of her homework. We will return to that tomorrow.

The IDE of February

We woke to a clear, cool, bright day - or at least it would be once the sun had started its day shift. We enjoyed a quiet breakfast as we read the overnight news and social media. There wasn't much on the agenda for the day.

I started by downloading an "Integrated Development Environment (IDE)", which gave me a more powerful editor for when I am developing code. With a specific plug-in, it understands the syntax of the language and is able to highlight errors as you type. It installed very easily, and I tried it out with great success. I also, as you would expect, documented what I had done so that I could replicate it if I needed to install it again.

By now, it was late morning and time for a walk. The sun was in total control of the firmament, and I should have headed to the beach. I didn't. I stuck to the neighbourhood as I listened to the next 90 minutes of my audiobook. I covered about 5 miles and felt quite smug when I arrived home. At this point, Diane was just putting on her boots to do a little tidying up in the garden.

I settled down with some lunch and then plonked myself down in the Orangery. The sun had warmed it up nicely, and it was incredibly comfortable as we both grabbed some Kindle time (and a short nap).

Extensions

 It was dull, grey, slightly damp, and chilly. At least it wasn't raining. Diane planned to meet with her friend, Kathie, and go across to Ardingly to attend the Quilt Show. I would be left in the care of Jasper. Diane left just as my weekly Zoom call with the cousins started. The call followed the usual pattern of banter and debate and left me with a grin on my face as the call ended.

After the call, I began a task to install some extensions to the ooRexx programming language that I use. I followed all of the instructions, and the installation went well. Everything appeared to work. Then, I realised that the extensions had been installed in a random directory rather than the core "/Applications" directory. I couldn't immediately see how to move it, so I sent up a flare on the relevant discussion forum.

While waiting for a response, I went out for my first walk of the new month. The audiobook kept me company as I wandered around the neighbourhood. I was out for about an hour or so, then settled down with some lunch. In the early afternoon, I sat in the lounge with my Kindle, but Jasper (with Diane out for the day) threw himself onto my lap and went to sleep.

When Jasper finally left, I returned to the computer and looked at the responses from the discussion forum. I (sort of) followed one set of instructions and, with a few tweaks, seem to have got it working how I want - though I need to do some more testing.

Diane arrived home around 18:00, having had a lovely day at the show. She has brought back a few small samples and (only) a square metre of fabric - remarkably restrained.

Audiobooks

There was a lot of rain overnight, and it was still pouring down when Ellie was dropped off. She was in a very chirpy mood this morning and seemed eager to get to school (which I heartily endorse). When we set off for the halls of academe, the rain was still thrashing down, and it was fortuitous that we had thought to put her boots on and carry her trainers in a plastic bag.

There was no early walk for me. I wasn't going to splash my way through the usual route, so I went straight home for breakfast. As I got in, Diane went off to her Cardiac Rehab session. I settled down with coffee, porridge, and the overnight news. I also switched on my audiobook and listened through to the end of "The Waiting" - what a book that was! I cannot recommend it highly enough, and I am frustrated that there is not (as yet) another book in that series.

The rain cleared up, and the sun poked its head nervously around the clouds. Diane arrived back, having had a good session, and I decided to chance the weather and get a walk under my belt. I stuck moderately close to home as I looped around the neighbourhood. This allowed me to make tracks for home should the weather break again. My new audiobook is called "The Medici Murders" by David Hewson, and it takes place in Venice.

As soon as I got home, I grabbed the keys and headed for Sainsbury's to pick up the items forgotten in yesterday's raid. After lunch, we settled in the Orangery with our Kindles until it was time to collect Ellie. She wasn't with us for too long before Zoe collected her. Ellie will be at Pete's for the weekend (with a new bed, which has her bubbling with expectation).

Shopping list - pah!

 I was downstairs enjoying my first coffee, having already cleaned the cat's litter tray, before Ellie stirred. The preschool process was triggered and ran smoothly. We marched out the door into the early morning sunshine and dropped Ellie in her classroom. Diane headed home, and I set out for my morning walk. The sky was slowly turning blue as the low sun rose in the sky, but it was still quite chilly. I completed my normal loops around the estate and then headed home for breakfast. (My audiobook is moving towards a climax, so I'm looking forward to my next walk.)

Back home, I had my breakfast and completed the shopping list for today's adventure among the Zombies as they shuffled aimlessly in Sainsbury's. I must have had a mental aberration as we managed to leave without a couple of items that were clearly on our list.

Lottie was just finishing up as we got home and unloaded the car.

After some lunch, I settled in the Orangery (the sun had made it very warm and comfortable) to grab some Kindle time. Diane received a message from the cat whisperer - he had some availability for Jasper during half-term. We grabbed it and immediately set about booking a few nights away in Christchurch. With the alert sent to Jane and Trevor, they too booked.

We stopped off at the park with Ellie after collecting her from school. We didn't stay long as the sun was sinking behind the houses, and the temperature was dropping. Ellie wasn't with us for too long before Zoe came to collect her. We will be going to Zoe's to babysit later as she has to pop into work briefly to deliver a management message to the night staff.

Blood

  We had a gentle start to the day, even though Jasper had been practising an Oratorio since 5 o'clock. We prepared ourselves for the day with suitable infusions of coffee and tea, and I went to Zoe's to join the walk to school. Ellie was a bit tearful when she arrived - she was due to leave at lunchtime to go to the hospital for a blood test and was very nervous about it. She was soon swept into the classroom, and the school day began. I headed off for my pre-breakfast walk. It was bright, though not sunny, and it was quite cool. Perfect conditions for a pleasant walk.

I arrived back home just as Diane was getting ready to head to Angmering for her Pilates session. I tucked into my breakfast and, having cleared away, headed out for another walk. This was much longer than the earlier effort, and as I walked back, I stopped in the village for a haircut. I got back home a few minutes before Diane called to say she was on her way.

Diane had just enough time to have some lunch before Zoe arrived with Ellie and they all set off for St Richard's for Ellie's blood test. I spent a while writing some more code then settled down for some Kindle time.

Ellie (and the girls) were back in time for Ellie to go back to school and join the after-school dance class. She's coming back to stay with us overnight as Zoe has a 6 a.m. start tomorrow.

Eruption

  We were up early for Ellie. She was quite bubbly this morning but adamant that she wasn't hungry enough for breakfast. We left her to it. Once she was washed and ready for school, we returned to the poster she had been making for school on the subject of volcanoes. We finished some of the commentary and found some facts and more pictures to use later (when she got back from school).

It had only just stopped raining as we walked to school. The sky was still threatening, so I didn't take my usual walk. Back home, we had a quiet breakfast while reading the news and catching up on social media. Once everything had been cleared, I returned to my little coding project. After a couple of hours, it was all finished, and all the tests seemed to run successfully. It was a shame... now I'll have to find another little project to tickle the little grey cells.

In a gap between showers, I headed out for a walk. AirPods provided the commentary from my current audiobook as I looped around the estate and the lake a couple of times. I had to cut it short as the rain started again, but I managed about 45 minutes good exercise.

After lunch, we had a bit of Kindle time until we had to collect Ellie. Once home, and she had raided the fridge, she cracked on and finished the poster about Mt. Etna. Next time she is here (Thursday), she will probably return to the project on Roman leisure time.

Creeping up

Young Trevor tries to kid us that he's still much younger than the rest of us. Maybe so, but age is certainly creeping up on him, as he celebrates another birthday. He has so much to learn!

We were up early for the Ellie drop-off. She had a sore throat overnight and was a little hoarse when she first arrived, but that seemed to clear up a bit before we took her to school. Zoe phoned the surgery and managed to get an appointment for mid-morning.

I started my pre-breakfast walk in blue skies, bright sunshine, and a very cold wind. By the time I was halfway around my usual route, the skies had darkened and it started to rain quite heavily. I diverted from the usual route and headed home.

After some breakfast, I updated the accounts and then returned to my little coding project. That consumed a couple of hours and left me with a logic conundrum that will take some thought. I headed out for another walk. This time it was bladder pressure that caused me to divert and head home for lunch.

The afternoon saw some Kindle time before we went to collect Ellie from school. Back home (and out of the cold wind) she settled down to prepare a poster about an active volcano of her choice. She chose Mt.Etna, so we spent some time looking for suitable information online and printing it. Now that she has the facts, she can spend tomorrow (after school) completing the poster.

Not Going Out

 We had a very slow start to the day, lingering over breakfast and the overnight news.

The forecast was not good. We were expecting rain and high winds by late morning. In fact, they hit as we finished breakfast. There would be no walk today.

Diane returned to her sewing room for most of the day, and I returned to my study. I buried myself in the code I had been working on yesterday. Slowly, it started to emerge from the keyboard, and then I would change my approach and rework it again. This has consumed most of the day, but I am now happy with the changes I have made thus far. I still have two subroutines to rework, but they can wait for now.

Refactoring

There was no need for an early start. I wandered downstairs to consume the overnight news along with a coffee. Diane followed down a while later. It was a nice gentle start.

I had my weekly call with the cousins. There didn't seem to be a flow to the call nor a theme to the various ramblings this week. We did, however, get to talk briefly about the lunch being organised for May. This triggered my coding juices again. More about that in a minute.

It was a bright and sunny morning and looked ideal for walking. There were several items I had forgotten to pick up in Sainsbury's on Thursday, so I grabbed a shopping bag, plugged in my AirPods, and walked to Shripney. It was a lovely temperature for walking, and by sticking to the back roads, it was quiet enough to enjoy my book. With the shopping collected, I headed back. As I walked into the Crescent, Ellie called. She was out playing with her friend; we stopped for a chat before they carried on, and I returned home.

Diane was sewing in her sewing room, so I sat down in my study. My coding juices were flowing, and I wanted to improve on the program I had written earlier this week. I spent several hours refactoring the code and adopting some different techniques. I haven't finished, but I'm very satisfied with the progress.

After lunch, with Di still in her sewing room, I retired to the Orangery with my Kindle. It was fairly warm at first, but as the sun weakened behind some high clouds, the temperature dropped. I headed for the lounge and continued to read there until it was time to start on dinner.

Covered

We were up early to greet Ellie as she arrived. It was raining heavily and quite windy. Fortunately, we were spared the full fury of storm Éowyn, which has wreaked havoc in parts of the north. As the time for our walk to school drew near, I retrieved my waterproof trousers and jacket, and Ellie put on her boots and a large coat. We opened the door and discovered that the rain had just ceased. Doh! 

There was no walk again this morning. I headed straight home for breakfast and then waved Diane off to her Cardiac Rehab session. I retired to the study and finished the editing of the 2024 blogs. With that finished, I could concentrate on the process of sending it for printing.  This was more complex than previous years because "lulu.com" has replaced the tool that creates the book covers, and the new tool does not include a template like the one I used before. I tried their new tool but could not find a simple way of retrofitting my cover design with any certainty that the colours and fonts would match. In the end, I downloaded a cover from a previous year - which is a pdf file - and used Adobe Acrobat to edit the pdf. I uploaded the amended file, and everything looks okay. I will probably have one more editing session against the finished journal and then send it off for printing.

There was a short Kindle break this afternoon before we collected Ellie. Once she was home, she wanted to work with Nana on her project about Roman leisure time. She also informed us that she had to do a poster about volcanoes for next Wednesday. While Ellie and Nana worked on the Romans, I spent some time digging up some useful information about volcanoes. She can do the poster on Monday or Tuesday.

Romans

  We had an early start to greet Ellie when she was dropped off. She had only just woken up and took a few minutes to click into gear. As schooltime was approaching, I checked around: school bag, packed lunch, water bottle, trainers, coat - oops, she had left her coat at home and didn't have one here. I grabbed my jacket and walked around to get her coat - and as it turned out, just in time. By the time I was back home and Ellie was ready for school, the rain had started. In fact, by the time we got there, it was torrential. That put paid to my pre-breakfast walk.

Diane finished her breakfast and then headed off to the hairdresser. I stayed home and spent the morning researching some aspects of the ooRexx language, which I then coded to check that I had understood what I had read. I have another area I wish to research, and the weather forecast for the next few days implies that I may have plenty of time! If everything works how I suspect it will, I may rewrite the code I finished the other day, just as a mental exercise.

Lottie was here during the morning. This week, she was concentrating on upstairs while I hid at the kitchen table with my MacBook.

When Di got back (her hair looked lovely), we headed straight to Sainsbury's to do a belated weekly shop. It was a good time to shop. The zombies had all been collected and reburied somewhere. The shop was pleasantly quiet. We were in and out quickly, then settled back home for a bite to eat.

There wasn't any Kindle time, as I only had about 20 minutes before going to collect Ellie from school. When she got back, she settled with Nana to start preparing a project about what the Romans did in their leisure time. I helped with the odd bits of research and printing.

Coded

 There was no need to get up early, so we had a lie-in until 07:00. After coffee and a quick read-through of the news, I walked to Zoe's and walked to school with Ellie. I then headed off for my pre-breakfast walk. Soon after I got home, Diane left for her Pilates session in Angmering.

I stayed put and caught up on some domestic chores before catching up on the accounts. With the "must do" items cleared, I returned to my little software project. It took me until mid-afternoon to finish it, but I think it is now working and any further work I do will be for my own enjoyment.

There was a small Kindle break before the phone rang and Kim had a nice long chat and update with Diane.