A Day of a Boat

Today was a day of sailing (and parking up… but more on that later), there were no ports or excursions scheduled. We would just sail south towards Breisach. There was no particular imperative to get up and about, and after yesterday’s travel day, a lie-in seemed like a sensible idea. Yeah! Like that worked. I was awake before 7:00 and up soon after.

The first order of the day was to get yesterday’s blog post written. That is easy enough as I need no Internet connection to do the writing. I do, however, need a connection to include photos and publish. Getting an internet connection on this section of the route has been a significant challenge, and holding the connection has been a further challenge. Eventually, I managed to get connected but it was a very slow connection. This was not unique to the early morning. This poor connectivity has been a theme throughout the day, not just for us, but even the crew.

We went down for breakfast. It was the usual buffet of delights with an omelette station for those who wanted their eggs other than scrambled. I stuck with some smoked salmon and mackerel with some salad and bacon. Jane and Trevor soon joined us, and Carole and Ian turned up a while later. We sat and chatted for a while before retiring to the lounge where there was a briefing about the excursions for the rest of the week. After that dispersed, the gang headed for the top deck to sit in the sun, while I stayed put for a session called “Snapchat” explaining how to get the best out of the camera on your phone. I must say that people around me seemed to learn a great deal. I didn’t. It was interesting and well explained but I didn’t really learn anything new.

I went up on deck and sat with the others watching Germany sweep by as the boat ploughed onwards. We read we chatted, and we maintained our levels of hydration courtesy of a pop-up bar on deck. When we realised that it had been more than a few minutes since breakfast, we went back to the restaurant for lunch, then returned to the top deck for an afternoon in the sun (and shade). The temperature was in the high 20s, and it was delightful. The boat came to a halt in front of one of the big locks. It would appear that there was a boat stuck in the lock and we would have to wait. We waited. More boats joined the queue behind us. Nothing appeared to be happening. We sat and waited, and waited some more. After about 3 or 4 hours, the lock opened and we were finally on the move again.

By this point, the river was forming the border between Germany and France. On the starboard side, we had France, and on the port side, Germany. This section of the river seemed to be running through a more industrial area but it was not the most scenic or interesting of views. 

We went to a briefing on tomorrow’s excursion to Freiburg and then went to dinner. Diane chose the steak, and I selected an Indian lentil curry. After dinner, we sat and chatted until it was time for bed.

I had tried throughout the early evening to phone Zoe so we could speak with Ellie, but just couldn’t get an adequate connection to get through. We will have to try again tomorrow.

New Adventures

We were up at 6:00. It was destined to be a long day. The last items were packed away and the final lists checked off. After a single cup of tea and some breakfast, we waited for the driver to arrive. (Last year, he had phoned to confirm details the night before - this year we had heard nothing and were a little anxious, but he turned up 10 minutes ahead of schedule).

We climbed into the luxury 8-seater and he informed us we would be picking up another couple on the way to the airport. We set off and Google guided us through the countryside across to Borden for the other couple. Then it was up the A3 and M25 to Heathrow. We were soon checked in and met up with Jane and Trevor airside. We had about an hour to kill, so grabbed a coffee and then, on the way to the gate, some sandwiches and a drink for the flight. At the gate, we met with Carole and Ian, so the whole gang was back together.

The flight was uneventful and we were landing in Frankfurt an hour and ten minutes after take-off. The airport was almost empty and we had no trouble collecting our bags and finding our way to the meeting point where, after a few minutes, we were ushered onto our buses. The journey to Mainz seemed to hit every bit of traffic available and it took longer to get to Mainz than it had to fly to Frankfurt. We were soon offloaded and embarked on the Spirit of the Rhine, which will be our home for the next week. We went straight to the lounge to grab a long drink, while the staff took care of our luggage.

We all gathered for a safety briefing and then went for dinner. Before we started, I tried to call Zoe but she had just heard that Ellie had fallen and hurt herself, so was heading for the park. She called us back once Ellie had been rescued and they were back home. Ellie had a few scrapes on her leg and was feeling sorry for herself. A call with Nana made all the difference (sometimes Grandpa won’t do). The food was very good and whilst the rest of the gang went for a Pork Loin Wellington, I was more adventurous and had Wolf Fish with Black Noodles. I had no idea what Wolf fish was, but it turned out to be delicious and had a nice firm texture.

We chatted until 22:00 and then wandered up on deck to get some air before bed. It was so peaceful and still pleasantly warm. A perfect end to a long day.

Early

 For some stupid reason, I was wide awake by 5:15 and by 5:30 had conceded defeat and went downstairs for a coffee. I had a very quiet hour before Zoe turned up with Ellie. Ellie was subdued, having only just woken up, so she sat and had a cuddle with Grandpa before going upstairs to wake Nana. The sun was up the sky was blue, the forecast was good and so we bounced along the road to take Ellie to school.

After dropping her at the classroom, I went off for my morning walk. This gave me time to finish the audiobook I had been listening to and start a new one by a different author. I'm not far enough into the story to make any judgment yet, but it seems promising.

Once home, and with breakfast tucked away, we started on detailed preparation and packing for our forthcoming trip. Lists were consulted (and amended) and cases were packed. Cleaning was undertaken, and the bed was stripped.

After lunch, there was some time for the Kindle and some quiet time before collecting Ellie. She was in the Athletics after-school club, so we didn't need to collect her until 16:00. When she charged out of class, she was in full flow telling us about the athletics session and how they would be participating in a tournament in July. We managed to shepherd her home to Zoe's where we sat and waited for Zoe to come home. Diane got Ellie started on her homework, which she lapped up.

We came home for some dinner and will now finish our preparation for the morning.

Countdown

I was up soon after seven. I sat and enjoyed a coffee while reading the overnight news. Jasper was restless and soon indicated that I should open the door for him. Who was I to ignore the request?

Diane came down soon after eight, as I went up for my shower. With ablutions done and breakfast tucked away, we started to (subtly) get bits and pieces together. By mid-morning everything was set and Jasper was dropped into his carrier and we headed off to see the Cat Whisperer. Jasper has a Spa break arranged and we will make the most of the time to take a few days away ourselves.

Back home, I was able to get the suitcases down without causing undo feline stress. Cables were selected, battery boosters were charged, and plug adapters were prepared. The countdown (proper) was underway.

We had some Kindle time after lunch before I started on dinner. The centrepiece was lamb shanks and they were accompanied by most of the vegetables we had left in the fridge. There has been no walk today... but I may have emptied a can or two of beer.

Tickets

It was after 7:00 when I finally got up, having enjoyed a pleasant lie-in.  Coffee was brewed, overnight news consumed, and then I made tea for Diane who was moving around upstairs.

Nine o'clock saw the usual call with the cousins. There is a family lunch scheduled for a couple of weeks' time and I was asked to re-run my seat allocation programme with the new attendee list. (Which I have subsequently done). There was also some advice from Chris regarding visiting Basel (which we will do soon) and a discussion regarding river cruises and their cost.

After the call the morning was spent on a thousand and one little items that I wanted to clear; these included pressing some new trousers, recharging several battery packs, recharging the front door camera, cleaning the camera that overlooks the driveway, and loads of other bits and pieces.

After some lunch, I booked our railway tickets for the trip to London for the family lunch and then walked into Bognor Regis to collect the tickets from the station. It was a lovely afternoon for walking. ~The temperature was in the high teens and there was no breeze. Back home, an hour or so later, I settled down for a little Kindle time before retiring to the kitchen to make up a batch of curry. One portion was my supper and two further portions are tucked away in the freezer.

Pressing Matters

I was up early to greet Ellie when she was dropped off. She was barely conscious when she came in and needed a long cuddle from Grandpa before she had the energy to go upstairs for a cuddle with Nana. Once she was properly awake, everything kicked into gear. Breakfast, wash, dress, prepare for school and off we went.

I went for my usual walk after the drop-off and got home at about 9:30, just as Diane was about to go out to the hairdresser. I grabbed my usual breakfast and another coffee then started on a pile of ironing. There are items that will be needed for next week, so I waded into the pile. Diane arrived home when I was about halfway through, and with a cup of tea next to her, took over and cleared the backlog.

I went out for another walk before lunch. I was somewhat startled by the twist that was revealed in the audiobook I have been enjoying. It was completely unexpected and has tweaked my interest for the rest of the story.

After lunch, we had our usual Kindle time before going to collect Ellie from school. Being such a lovely warm afternoon, we stopped at the park for a while before bringing her home for a snack before she was collected by Zoe and taken home, ready for Pete to collect her for the weekend.

ForEx

I was up early for Ellie's drop-off just before 6:45. She had only just woken up and took a few minutes to burst into like. Once she was operating at full power, she exploded up the stairs to see Nana, while I prepared her smoothie and my own coffee. After the usual morning procedure, we walked her to school and left her in the classroom. Diane headed home and I set off for my morning walk.

Back home, I grabbed breakfast and completed this week's shopping list. We set off for Sainsbury's soon after Lottie arrived for the cleaning. Shopping seemed remarkably smooth today. Maybe the Zombies were having a week off, or the coffin bus was running late. I finished the Sainsbury's raid with a visit to the Foreign Exchange desk where I picked up some Euros for our forthcoming trip. From Sainsbury's, we looped around to Next and the pet shop, then headed home.

Once the shopping had been stowed away, Diane received an email to confirm that her prescription was ready for collection at the pharmacy. I took the opportunity to enjoy a second walk of the day and grabbed the meds. It's nice that the weather is now warm enough that I don't need a jacket when out and about.

After lunch, there was some Kindle time before I went to collect Ellie. We stopped off at the park for 20 minutes on the way home so that she could let off steam. She wasn't with us for too long before Zoe came to collect her.

Keep fetching the tablets

 I was up soon after 7:00 and sat reading the news with my coffee until Diane came down. After a shower, I wandered around to Zoe's to join the walk to school. With Ellie dropped off at the classroom, Zoe headed home and I went for my early morning walk. There had been rain overnight, but it was dry and warming up nicely as I walked and listened to my audiobook.

Back home, I had breakfast and got on with some chores and admin. Late morning, I set out for another walk so that I could pick up some meds for Diane as I passed through the village. As we are approaching a short vacation, it goes without saying that some of the meds have not been prescribed. I pointed out that we were going away, hence the "early" request for one of the tablets. The pharmacist immediately submitted an urgent request and assured us that she would email us when it had been filled.

We had a very quiet afternoon in the Orangery with our books. 

Zoe has been talking about going away with Ellie in the summer, so I spent some time looking for a suitable break for them (assuming Diane would travel with them). I sent her a suggestion, but have no idea whether it will pass muster.

Back in the Swing

 Today was the first day of the new school term. Zoe had arranged a late start so she could do the school drop-off and so, I didn't have to get up too early. I wandered downstairs soon after 7:00 and made a coffee then had a quiet hour or so before I needed to walk to Zoe's to join the school drop-off. Ellie wasn't quite as enthusiastic as usual, but was no problem. We left her at the classroom and Zoe headed off to work while I set off on my morning walk.

There was nothing specific on today's agenda. I did some admin and a few chores. I then logged on to my Stocks and Shares ISA and blew £50 buying up some fractional shares in Apple, Airbus, and Saab. They may be wise buys or complete failures, but either way, I have only gambled £50.

One thing I have been researching today is the use of a Red Bull eSim to give internet coverage over the maritime network while cruising. It seems significantly cheaper than the WiFi package available from P&O. I must see if I can find some user reviews to help evaluate whether it is suitable.

After lunch we had our usual Kindle time, which was interrupted by a delivery from WoolOvers - they had a discount over the weekend and we both made the most of it. At 15:00 we left to go and collect Ellie. We stopped off at the park, where she played with Neve until it was time to come home. Ellie was with us for dinner this evening but has just been collected by Zoe.

Chilling

 I was up early. There was no need for an early start, but not having slept much it seemed sensible to get going. Ellie was dropped off at 8:45 and we just pottered over breakfast and our various iPads. Finally, Ellie went up for a bath and hair wash (in preparation for a return to school tomorrow) and I retreated to my study to get on with various items of administrivia.

I was sorry to hear about the death of the Pope. He has been a liberal breath of fresh air and seemed to be a good and caring man. I hope his successor keeps up his moral trajectory.

Ellie was glued to the TV until lunchtime, but we switched it off for the afternoon. Ellie had some project work to complete on the subject of the rainforest. She was not in the mood for this and whined and sulked her way through the task. At least it got finished, and I have laminated it.

Diane spent the afternoon sitting on the floor with Ellie, playing games and doing some crafts. When Zoe turned up she was clutching 3 huge sides of salmon. They had been reduced, then reduced again, and eventually, we got the lot for about £25. The only problem I had was cutting them down into manageable sizes for freezing. Both freezers have a surfeit of salmon and we may not need to buy any more for several months. (Guess what we had for dinner).

Family

 I was up early. Once the coffee was brewing, I retrieved the beef from the fridge, lined a deep baking tray, placed the dry-rubbed beer into the tray, and covered it with the glaze I prepared yesterday. The oven was set at 130C, and the beef started its five-hour journey to our plates.  I then settled down with my coffee and the overnight news.

The morning was interspersed with bouts of activity... vegetables had to be prepared, a chicken needed roasting, and we prepared for the arrival of Kim, Jon, Zoe, and Ellie. When Kim and Jon did arrive, we had the chance to see Kim's new car (Peugeot 3008). I must say, it's very impressive and (as long as it's reliable) it should last her for quite a while.

I served up lunch. I wasn't totally happy with the beef. It was nice enough, but not as fall-apart tender as I had expected, and the dry rub had left it with a slight peppery flavour. The roast potatoes and roast carrots were excellent, however, and I managed to beat Jon (since there were potatoes left).

Everybody mucked in when it came to the clear-up and by late afternoon they had gone home.

We had a quiet evening, reflecting on how nice the day had been.

Eye of the Storm

 Today has been like the eye of a storm. Yesterday was busy and tomorrow will be busy, but today was more relaxed. I was up soon after 7:00 and Diane wasn't far behind me. We had a lazy breakfast before I settled down for my call with the cousins. There was nothing much to report, but I did recommend The Witchery (in Edinburgh) to Chris and Julia, who will be visiting early next month.

With the call finished, I cracked on with a few chores and Diane set about a pile of ironing. I took the opportunity to go for a walk. The sun was out, and as long as the wind was behind me, it was lovely and warm. When, however, I was walking into the wind it was really quite chilly. I walked about 5 miles, and it felt good after a couple of days when I was too busy.

My menu for tomorrow involves a Tom Kerridge recipe for beef short ribs. After a quick lunch, I made up the dry rub and completely coated the ribs before tucking them into a large sealed plastic container which will nestle in the fridge until tomorrow morning.

We managed to get some Kindle time in the afternoon, and dinner was a simple matter of eating some of yesterday's leftovers. After dinner, I made up the sauce/glaze that would coat the ribs while they cooked tomorrow. This is tucked in the bottom of the other fridge.

A Good Friday

 Knowing that we had visitors for lunch, I was up early. I didn't need to be, but I like to be prepared. After the usual coffee, porridge, and morning ablutions I started on my mental list of things to get done. Ellie was up early and immensely helpful throughout the morning. She was very excited that she would be seeing Cousin Louis later.

The first item only took a couple of minutes, but it was to open up the new kitchen table to its full extent - we would be using it in anger for the first time today. It was satisfying to see how much space it gave us... though we didn't have sufficient chairs to accommodate us all. As we had a buffet planned, this wasn't a problem as some could sit in the tub chairs at the other end of the room.

I started preparing the food. Salad vegetables were chopped and sliced, sealed, and stored in the fridge (which would have been much more successful if I had remembered to get them out and serve them at lunch, instead of leaving them in the fridge until we spotted them when clearing away later). I then made the sauce for some sticky chicken bites. This was a sweet sauce made with white wine vinegar, honey, sweet chilli sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce. I then prepared the "dredge" for the chicken pieces. Our guests arrived - Denise, Emma, Remi, Louis, Becky, Kim, and Jon.

As the morning progressed, everything came together. The chicken pieces were dredged and fried, the sauce reduced and started to thicken, and the chicken was mixed in and served. Southern-styled chicken was baked, pizzas were baked, and salmon and prawns in white wine and cream sauce were prepared as some linguine bubbled away. Everything was served up and we all tucked in. The various dishes seemed very popular and there was little left at the end of the afternoon.

Zoe arrived at the end of her shift, but in time to see everyone before they left. Eventually, the gathering broke up. Denise and the gang left to check into their holiday park in Pagham for the weekend. Zoe and Ellie left soon after. We loaded the dishwasher for the second or third time, then went to the Orangery for a quiet hour. When the dishwasher was finished, we stirred and finished clearing up and put on a final load in the dishwasher.

That was it. We were done for the day. It had been a really Good Friday. Now we have a quiet Saturday followed by hosting the immediate family for Sunday.

Little Tornado

I was up well before seven, but there was no particular imperative that drove the early start. We had a quiet breakfast, I did some admin and we prepared for the raid on Sainsbury's.

We had agreed to meet Zoe at the entrance to the store and Di would go off with one trolley to do our usual weekly shop while Zoe and I went off with another trolley to do the shop for the various family guests we have tomorrow and Sunday. Zoe and I finished first and I unloaded the trolley into the car. I returned to the fray, catching up with Dinae and joining in her raid. The car was full, but we still had to visit M&S to pick up a few items we preferred from their range. 

We got home and unpacked. We immediately realised that a bottle of gin still had its security cap on, and I had forgotten to pick up the pasta. After a quick call to Zoe (who was now working), I returned to the store sorted out the security cap and collected the pasta.

After a light (but late) lunch, we settled down for an hour or so of Kindle time before I started to prepare dinner. As I write, it is all finished and the dishwasher is on. A side of salmon is cooking in the oven ready for tomorrow.

Ellie (our little tornado) has just arrived, after a week with Pete. She's had a good time and will stay with us overnight as Zoe has a late finish and early start.

Snitch

 Soon after I came down for my morning coffee we had a shower of rain. It didn't last for more than a few minutes but it was the first rain we have had for a few weeks. More rain was forecast for 10 a.m. so I decided to defer my walk until later in the morning.

Much of the morning was spent preparing shopping lists to cover Friday's guests, and another for Sunday's guests and our usual weekly shop. We split the list in two, with the idea that we will work two separate trolleys when we raid Sainsbury's tomorrow.

I went for a nice walk. The sun was out, but a strong wind kept the temperature down. Indeed, I was glad to be wearing my leather jacket. I was surprised by how few people I saw in the hour or so that I was out - particularly as it is school holidays.

After lunch, we settled down for some Kindle time, but it was getting too hot for me in the Orangery. I decided that I would review the DashCam footage from our drive home yesterday. I didn't mention it in yesterday's blog, but as we drove into Chiddingfold, a small white van shot across the road in front of us and, had I been going any faster, I would have t-boned him. As it was, I had to slam on the brakes to avoid clipping his rear offside panel. Having found the footage, I was able to identify the type of van and read its number plate. The footage also showed that I was driving well below the speed limit. I decided to report the incident, so I uploaded the footage to the NextBase site, where it will be forwarded to Surrey Police. I don't expect anything will happen, but I felt a lot better for being a snitch and reporting it.

People who lunch

I was still stiff this morning. I must say that my back is taking a while to settle. It was a quiet start to the day, and we read the papers and social media over breakfast. Being the 15th, I performed my monthly check on the utility meters... I have been monitoring all of our electricity, gas, and water usage on a monthly basis since we moved in 10 years ago. The spreadsheet recording these readings helps me keep a strategic view of usage and easily allows me to compare the month with the same month in earlier years. It is clear that we used a bit more gas this winter than in previous years, but we did stay much warmer, thanks to the new heating system.

Soon after Lottie arrived to perform her weekly magic on the house, we left to drive up to Milford. We were meeting Jane and Trevor for lunch at The Refectory. The first part of the drive was wonderful, the roads seemingly devoid of traffic. When we reached Chiddingfold, however, we joined the back of a 2-mile stationary queue of traffic and just sat there, immobile for about 15 minutes. All of a sudden, the traffic started to flow, and we were on the move. We never found out what the delay had been. I guess it's one of those mysteries that scientists will puzzle over in years to come.

We pulled into the car park at The Refectory just before Jane and Trevor. We sat down and chatted over coffee, drinks, and lunch. We caught up on all the latest health news, family news, and general chit-chat. We also talked about the river cruises we all had planned for both this year and next. As we chatted, I noticed a famous actress (Victoria Hamilton) and her family arrive and sit at the next table but one. I think she was recognised by a lot of people, but being British, we all left her alone.

It was nearly 4 o'clock before we left. We had a good run home. As soon as we were in, I changed my shoes and went out for a walk; I had stiffened up in the restaurant and in the car and was in need of a good stretch. I wasn't out for long, but it did me the world of good.

Scans

I was still very stiff when I woke up. If anything, it was worse than yesterday but once I was moving about it settled somewhat. When Di came down for breakfast I went out for my early walk. It was delightfully sunny, but there was a nip in the air.

Back home, I settled down with my porridge and coffee and read the overnight social media (I had read the news when I first came downstairs). I eventually stirred myself. I had a few items on my "to-do" list. I started off with the accounts. This may seem like an almost daily activity but with so many different ways that criminals and scammers find to steal your money, I like to be right on top of every penny that leaves the accounts so I can spot any dodgy transaction immediately. With the accounts dealt with, I went up to my Study to do some scanning and filing. (I don't like paper, so I scan everything that needs to be kept, file it, back it up, and then shred the original). This took me a while as I had a backlog to clear.

With the admin complete, I walked into the village to get my haircut. The Barbers' Shop was quite busy and I had to wait for a while before a chair became free. The barber who cut my hair was new to the shop, but I was very pleased with the effort he made to make me look presentable.

This afternoon saw some Kindle time in the Orangery.

Stiff

Oh dear. I discovered during the night when I took a "bladder call" that my muscles had decided to go on strike after yesterday's exertions. My legs were stiff and painful and my back seemed almost locked in position. I returned to bed and went back to sleep until seven-ish. I struggled out of bed and made my way downstairs for some coffee. This was going to be an "interesting" day.

I had a quiet morning, trying not to bend too much and avoiding twisting at all costs. By late morning, the temerature had wrmed up nicely and I decided to go for a walk, hoping to loosen things up. A new audiobook was playing in my ears as I walked. My pace was a little slower than usual, but I was quite comfortable after a few minutes.

Back home I had just finished lunch when Zoe popped in to drop some clothes off for Ellie. She didn't stay for too long but it was nice to see her for a chat. We also heard from Kim. She has just bought a car to replace her current Fiesta. She needed an automatic gearbox for when her back plays up, so she has selected a Peugeot 3008, which she will pick up after Easter.

We had a quiet afternoon with our Kindles in the warmth of the Orangery and we have just finished dinner.

More Cobbles

 It was bright and sunny when I got up. Coffee kick-started my day as I read the overnight news.  Being Saturday, I had my usual call with the Empson cousins. It was a bit different with Simon here in England, rather than sweltering in Australia. The attendee list was curtailed by various trips (Sarah was on her way back from France),  events (rolly was at a sporting event), and sickness (Maggie has a sore throat and can't talk). It was the usual mix of chat with nothing particularly revealing emerging. 

Once the call was finished, I returned to the cobbles. I tried to lift one of the sacks to empty it. That was when I discovered that each sack weighed as much as a rhinoceros and was just as easy to manoeuvre, I dragged the sack and cut it open, tipping the cobbles onto the underlying stones before setting about them with a hose to remove all the sand and gravel that clung to them. Sack by sack I washed them and placed the cobbles in the bottom of the rill. We had overestimated and only used 5 out of the 8 sacks we had bought. The rill is looking good again and the cobbles provide an interesting mix of colours.

By the time I had finished, my hamstrings were groaning and I thought it would be a good idea to take a walk to help them relax. Well, that wasn't a huge success. The hamstrings gave me no discomfort, but I realised I was slightly twisted as I was walking and despite not having any pain, I could not straighten up. I cut the walk short. When I got home, I went up and (under nurse's orders) lay on the bed for an hour. This did seem to do the job and I continued with the day much as usual.

After some lunch, we settled down for some Kindle time in the warmth of the Orangery. I finished another book and started a new one.

After dinner, I went for another walk. This was far more comfortable. We had a quiet evening.

Cobbles

 I was, needlessly, awake early and downstairs making coffee before 7:00. Diane emerged a bit later and I went to perform my morning ablutions. As I was dressing, I heard Di talking and assumed she was on the phone with Zoe. She wasn't, Kim had been to surgery for a blood test and called in to see us on the way home. She was with us for about an hour and we had a lovely chat, catching up on the trials and tribulations of the night duties she had worked this week.

Once she was gone, I got on with some admin and a few chores before Diane went to the vet to pick up some meds for Jasper, and I went for a walk, stopping at the pharmacy for some meds for Diane. It was a lovely warm, cloudless day and I was quite hot by the time I arrived home.

We have a bit of a family gathering planned for next Friday, so we spent some time looking at our catering options. Eventually, we concluded that the easiest solution was to prepare everything ourselves. I started to develop a menu for the day.

After lunch, we settled down in the Orangery for some Kindle time. Mid-afternoon, Zoe and Ellie turned up (with Ellie's friend Natalie in tow) so that Ellie could give us a hug before going to Pete's for the next week. It was lovely to see her bouncy and well again after the illness at the start of the week.

After dinner, Wickes arrived with the cobbles we had ordered yesterday. The chappie offloaded them and took them around to the back garden for us. He has had a long day, starting at 07:00 he has reloaded his van 4 times and still has deliveries in Lancing, Worthing, and Midhurst this evening.

Plan B

 I woke naturally and pottered down for coffee just before 7:00. Di followed me down soon after, she had an appointment at the Doctor's at 9:00. SHe had her breakfast and headed to the Surgery, I got on with some chores before stopping for breakfast. There was no early walk this morning.

Back for the Surgery, Di updated me, had a coffee, and we headed to Sainsbury's. We stopped at Wickes on the way. Di wanted some Scottish cobbles for the rill. We checked what they had and ordered 8 bags for delivery tomorrow. This triggered a return to the discussion we had earlier in the week. Wouldn't it be easier to shift things around if we had a sack barrow? Yes was the unanimous answer... we would stop at Screwfix on the way home, but first, we had to raid Sainsbury's. We had timed it badly, arriving just after the Zombie bus disgorged its cargo. The first few aisles were in a state of chaos, but as I powered through, I got ahead of the crowd and the rest of the shopping was trouble-free.

We stopped at Screwfix and collected a sack barrow which only took about 10 minutes to assemble (well, all I had to do was put the wheels on!)

I went out for a walk. I explored another route today. It was just a variation of one of my usual routes, but I explored a road I hadn't previously been down. It's nice to see how they all link up. I received a phone call from Zoe while walking. Could I help her dismantle the legs of her old table? I stopped off to see what was needed and agreed to return with tools after I had been home for lunch.

To dismantle the legs required a spanner of the right size to fit in a small recess and loosen a nut that would only turn about one-eighth of a turn at a time. Plan A was to bring my spanners, but Plan B was to bring my power saw. I returned to Zoe's and took one more look at the legs and the nut. Forget Plan A, Plan B it was! The saw made quick work of the legs and they have now been cut down into short lengths that can fit in the car for disposal.

Back home, brushing off sawdust, I settled in the Orangery and finished another book (that's 44 for the year so far).

Catching Up

 We had a lazy start to the morning. There was no imperative that demanded an early rise. I languished in bed until nearly 7:30 before stumbling downstairs for my first coffee. Once Diane emerged, I went to shower and then took a walk before breakfast. Several clouds disturbed the cerulean sky, and there was a chilly nip in the air despite the sun's attempt to warm things up.

Back home, I enjoyed my porridge while reading the overnight news and social media. With breakfast out of the way, it was down to work. I had a list of admin I wanted to clear during the morning. One by one, each task was ticked off my list, which took all morning.

As I was eating lunch, the doorbell rang. It was the delivery of the jumpers and shoes I had ordered on Monday.  I was impressed by the speed of the delivery as they had suggested 4-5 days - and it was here in 2.

After lunch I settled down in the Orangery with my Kindle, soon to be joined by Diane. We had a quiet couple of hours before Di went around to Zoe's to see how Ellie was coping and if she was feeling any better. (She was). When she arrived back, she reported that it was still nippy in the shade, despite the sun's attempts at warmth.

Tut, tut

 We were up early - we had a day out planned. Unfortunately, while we were getting ourselves ready, we heard from Zoe that Ellie was not well (serious hayfever and its side-effects) and she really wasn't well enough to come. It was a shame, I had planned for the start of the Easter holiday, as a day out in London. We wished her better, and decided that we would go anyway.

We boarded the 8:26 from Bognor Regis as it chugged up to Victoria. It was a quiet and pleasant trip until we arrived at Gatwick and then Croydon, where the train filled up with immensely noisy people. At Victoria, we dropped down to the District Line and eastwards to Whitechapel, where we changed onto the Elizabeth Line. Two stops later, we were at Custom House where we wandered down to the waterfront. The views across the Victoria Dock towards Canary Wharf and the O2 were quite impressive in the bright spring sunshine.

We had some time to spare, so we settled down at a waterfront cafe for some coffee and a pain au raisin. We then took a walk all along the side of the ExCel building by the dock. By the time we had returned to our starting point, we were spot-on for our timed entry to the Tutankhamun Exhibition Experience.

The exhibition really was an experience. It led us through the history of Egypt and the basic family tree of Tutankhamun and his short reign.

It then took us through the archaeological story that led to the discovery of his tomb and the treasure therein. There were contemporary photos from the discovery and the newspaper stories of the time. 

There was also a room containing replicas of some of the artifacts found in the tomb, including the famous mask and the sarcophagus. 

From there, we moved on to more historical context and then a 30-minute immersive video in a large 360-degree theatre. The images came alive all around us, telling the story of Egypt and King Tutankhamun. The graphics were quite stunning, and though I took some video clips, they hardly scratch the surface.

Leaving the theatre, we then moved on to a holographic presentation showing the mummification process and then on to a Virtual Reality (complete with headsets) that revealed some of the religious beliefs of the Pharaoh's journey into the afterlife. It was stunning. Fortunately, we were firmly seated during this, so there was no significant disorientation.

The last major immersive exhibit was another Virtual Reality. This was more adventurous as we had to move around in a virtual universe that was the Valley of the Kings. As we walked (Diane was tightly holding on to me), we were able to plunge down into the tombs, walk through Howard Carter's encampment, stride across the landscape and peer at all of the tombs that had been discovered. It was an incredible, if somewhat disorientating, experience.

Overall, we had been in the exhibition for over 2 hours. I had taken about 70 photos and videos. It had been well worth the money and was both entertaining and educational. It's a shame Ellie couldn't come with us.

We were hungry. We stopped at Tapa Tapa on our way back to Custom House. We enjoyed a few plates of tapas and a beer, then headed back across town to Victoria and the train home. We got in at 18:30. It had been a brilliant day.

Oops, I did it again

We had a quiet start to the day. After my first coffee and ablutions, I headed out for a walk (I hadn't managed any actual exercise during the weekend). There was a slight nip in the air, but it was bright, sunny, and cloud-free. By the time I arrived home, it was warming up nicely.

After some breakfast, we grabbed our gear and walked to the bus stop for a trip to Chichester. I had called Kim and she resolved to meet us in town at some point. We wandered along examining the various shops. One plane was to visit the recently opened WoolOvers shop. This turned out to be a bit of a damp squib for me. The shop only stocked ladies' clothes. Leaving there I took Di across the road to Clinkard's to look at some shoes that had caught my eye last week. I received the royal seal of approval and now have a very smart pair of shoes. We met up with Kim and continued to browse. We stopped at Hotter where I had rejected a pair of trainer-style shoes last week. I looked at them again and received the royal seal once more. They should be delivered at the end of the week.

We stopped at Crispin's for lunch. As usual,  there was a wide selection of fresh, tasty, and hearty food. We all chose well and enjoyed our lunch before moving on. Diane wanted to raid H&M for some clothes for Ellie, so we left there clutching armfuls of bargains. We bade Kim, adieu, and caught the bus home.

The afternoon was spent with our Kindles, in the warmth and comfort of the Orangery.

My phone pinged. It was Trevor. The new brochure for SAGA river cruises is out. He suggested we might like to look at a cruise along the Moselle for next year. Thirty minutes later it was booked and a deposit paid.

Attorney

We had a brilliant evening last night. Kim had recommended a show called "Last One Laughing". We thought we would give one episode a try and ended up watching the whole series back-to-back. It was probably the best Saturday evening's entertainment for many months.

We woke without external stimulus. For me, that meant 7:15, and for Di, it was closer to 8:00. There was no imperative that would drive us, but Di had an appointment with Zoe and Ellie to go shopping late morning.

I spent the morning and part of the afternoon dealing with some admin. We had to face facts and acknowledge that we are getting older and may not always have all of our marbles. To that end, there is a construct called a "Lasting Power of Attorney" that permits others to make decisions on our behalf, should we be unable to do so. There are two flavours of this, one that has access to financial and property affairs, and one that deals with health and care. I spent the morning and part of the afternoon preparing one of each each for Di, and another set for me. It went fairly smoothly, and I now have to get the various trusted parties to provide their signatures on the documents.

Zoe called. She wanted some muscle to help her move some plant pots to the front garden. I wandered around the corner and helped. Diane also wanted a shrub cut down and some of our own planters moved. That was soon accommodated.

Finally, we managed to sit down and enjoy the warm afternoon sunshine in a sheltered corner of the garden, before I returned to the kitchen to prepare a nice beef top rump roast for our dinner.

Pumping

Ellie slept through. Indeed, I was up, breakfasted, showered and had completed my call with the cousins before she emerged. Clearly, she was in need of a solid night's sleep. So that I didn't wake anyone, I skipped my morning Nespresso (the machine is noisy) for a coffee bag brew, and after my breakfast and shower, I took the cousins' call on the MacBook in the Orangery and garden, rather than my study. The sky was clear, and it was already pleasantly warm and quite comfortable sitting in the garden.

I had some admin to clear while Diane and Ellie started to review the various toys that had accumulated in the garage. While they were doing that, Kim and Jon arrived. Jon had brought an industrial wet vacuum cleaner with him. This was plugged in and switched on. In a couple of minutes, the rill was almost empty. It took a little while to scoop out the last remnants of water and debris, but the rill was finally clear. We left it for the afternoon, refilled it with clean water, and started the recirculating pump. Crystal clear water is now cycling through the rill.

I had cooked a batch of sausages and bacon. We gathered at the garden table and tucked into bacon and sausage baps, soaking up the warm spring sunshine as we chatted. Zoe turned up to collect Ellie just after we finished.

Kim had brought her MacBook. She wanted me to read and (if necessary) edit the essay she has to submit at the end of the week. I was very impressed with the style and content and, frankly, could add no further value. I think she has done well.

By the end of the afternoon, we were on our own again. I shuffled indoors to cook a curry and prepare Diane's salmon. It had been a lovely day.

Writing

I was up early for Ellie's drop-off. She burst into the house, full of the joys of spring, and after giving me some breakfast instructions, charged upstairs to see Nana. Her chirpy mood lasted, and we deposited her at the classroom, eager to enjoy another day of school. Diane headed home for breakfast, and I went for my walk.

After breakfast, I set about some admin tasks. I have started to develop a document "Oh Shit, I'm Dead". This will, hopefully, provide the family with all they need to know to handle matters when I shuffle off this mortal coil. (Not that I'm planning on leaving anytime soon). The first task was to create a template that I could fill in over time. Then I had to try and dig out the details of the contacts that need to be informed at IBM and our pensions administrators. Emails were sent, and I await the response. Further sections and sub-sections were defined and embellished. It will take a while to finish it (and get it right).

While this was going on, Diane was on the phone to Pauline. I offered to bring her lunch, an evening meal, and even a duvet and pillow as time would demand. She declined but gave in when I offered tea. I made myself some lunch and went out for another walk. It was delightfully warm, and the sky was punctuated by a few high clouds. I didn't go far, but it was nice to get out and stretch my legs.

Back home, I settled down in the Orangery with my Kindle - soon to be joined by Diane. It was very hot in there - just as she likes it, but a little too warm for me. I managed to consume all but the last chapter of my latest book before we had to go and collect Ellie.

It will come as no surprise that we stopped at the park for her to run about, and then we headed home for a snack and drink before Zoe collected her. She will be back later as she is staying with us overnight to accommodate Zoe's early start tomorrow.

A Bit of a Change

 There was a bit of a change to the day's typical agenda. There was no need for an early start, but I did get up and clear the bathroom by a few minutes past seven. Diane had an early appointment with the hairdresser and I had agreed to provide the transport there and back. This meant that I would not be a participant in the school run. Despite that, I still found that I had to walk around to Zoes's to drop off some bits for Ellie's packed lunch.

I ran Diane to the hairdresser and came home for breakfast. Then I dug down into the admin that was required for the day - focussed on the data needed for the development of the latest Will. I also used the time to scan and file the data received from Saga regarding the river cruise.

Di called. She was finished at the hairdresser. I picked her up and went straight to Sainsbury's to complete the weekly shop. By midday, we were home and soon after, everything was stowed away. After lunch, I set out on a walk (after all, I had missed my usual morning ramble). Then, back home, I settled down for some Kindle time until Zoe, Ellie, and Diane returned from the school pickup.

Late in the afternoon, I sent copies of various documents to the legal consultant dealing with our Will. All of today's planned admin was complete, so I started on dinner while Di phoned and chatted with Denise.

Trust

Zoe had today off so there was no need for me to get up early. It was well after seven before I sprang out of bed and greeted the day. It was another cloudless morning, but the sun was still hiding beneath the rooftops. After some coffee, I wandered around to Zoe's for the morning trek to school and having left Ellie in class, set off for my morning walk.

Back home, I managed to finish breakfast before Zoe summoned me. She had a couple of trellises that she wanted mounted in the garden. I grabbed my drill, some screws, and saw and presented myself at the door. The trellis frames were too long, so I cut them down to the right size and then mounted them in the bottom corner of the garden. Then I helped Zoe move her desk back into the living room (we had moved it for Ellie's party).

We had a legal consultant call to see us at lunchtime. It was time to ensure our Wills were up to date and addressed our requirements. He was with us for a couple of hours but we received some excellent advice and have started the process of a major update to our Wills and Trusts.

Diane needed some meds from the pharmacy so I took this as an excuse to squeeze in another walk. By the time I arrived home, Diane had gone to collect Ellie with Zoe. I settled down with my Kindle for about fifteen minutes before they all trooped back and quiet time was at an end.

We have a river cruise scheduled in a few weeks. It was nice to receive all the boarding documents and itinerary through the post today. It starts the countdown.

Cured

 I was up early to greet Ellie as she was dropped off at 6:40. It was a crystal clear morning but the sun hadn't quite arrived at work yet. Ellie was looking sorry for herself and Zoe explained that she was complaining of a tummy ache (and had been since last night). Though I had prepared her breakfast, she wasn't interested and went upstairs to see Nana. It was a very quiet couple of hours but Nana had convinced her to try going to school. We walked her to the classroom and explained how she was feeling to the teacher and that we could be contacted if needed. 

Diane headed home and I set out for my morning walk. My accompaniment is a Jonathan Kellerman book featuring Alex Delaware. The book chatted away in my ear as I followed my usual morning route around the developments. Forty-five minutes later I arrived home and set about making some breakfast and reading the overnight news. By now, the sun was in full swing but a breeze prevented the temperature from climbing too high.

With a new month starting, I updated the accounts. I then returned to the installation task I had tried yesterday. The software package was installed, but some of its features (and ease of use) are still eluding me. Unlike yesterday, I have left it installed and will return to it later.

I went for another walk to clear my head and then returned for some lunch and to enjoy an hour with my Kindle before we collected Ellie. She had perked up during the day and bounced out of class asking if we could stop at the park on the way home. I think the school day distracted her and things have settled down.

Cloudless

It has been a cloudless day, and the spring sunshine has made it pleasantly warm.  Ellie was dropped off at the usual time, and we followed the usual morning procedure except for the addition of preparing Ellie's packed lunch. (She usually has cooked lunch, but this week she is opting for packed lunches). We walked her to school, and I set off on my morning walk. After yesterday's crash landing, walking was a little sore, but I ignited the discomfort.

Back home, we enjoyed breakfast, and Diane started hanging out the washing to dry in the sunshine. She had woken up with a sore throat, so I went for another walk to collect some throat lozenges for her. 

After lunch, we had some Kindle time before I went to collect Ellie. We (obviously) stopped at the park on the way back, but once home, she sat and read with Nana. While they were reading, I tried to install a combined software package on the MacBook. This was installed, but not in the way I wanted. I couldn't be bothered to faff about, and I didn't want to leave it partly installed. I deleted the package and reset the software before starting the preparation of dinner.

Clocks and Mothers

The clocks leapt forward overnight. We are now basking in British Summer Time instead of Greenwich Meantime. With a late night last night, we decided on a late start to the day. Well, it was virtually late since I got up at 8:00 BST (which was really 7:00 GMT), but I fooled myself into believing it was a lie-in. We lingered over breakfast and the news. 

I was just preparing to go out for a walk when Kim and Jon turned up. They had come to wish Diane a Happy Mothering Sunday and, while Jon and I kept Diane talking in the kitchen, Kim assembled a magical tea party in the orangery.

We settled down for a chat while drooling over the little cakes on the elaborate cake stand. We heard all about the proposed expansion of the business where Jon works and some of the projects they have on the go. They seem to be doing really well, and Jon is clearly loving it.

We migrated into the garden where we discussed the cleaning of the rill. Jon volunteered to borrow an industrial wet-and-dry vacuum from work and come along to help us drain the rill and clean it. It will certainly be a lot easier than using the hand pump we tried this week.

I went out for a walk when Kim and Jon had left and then settled down for some Kindle time alongside the preparation of the Sunday roast.

Zoe and Ellie dropped in to wish Nana a happy Mothering Sunday. Ellie was in a bit of a strop and was hiding in the footwell of the car. Grandpa went out to chat with her and calm her down. It didn't take long before she had returned to normal, and I sent her in to tell Nana and Mummy how much she loved them. Crisis averted.

I dozed off with my legs crossed. I was sitting in the kitchen. When I woke, I tried to stand up but hadn't realised my leg had gone to sleep. Ooops. I crashed to the floor in spectacular fashion and now feel as if I have bruised my hip and find it hard to walk upstairs. Stupid idiot.

Brighton

Today was Ellie's 8th birthday. She's with Pete this weekend, and I believe the plan was for him to take her to an adventure park called Knockhatch, somewhere near Hailsham. 

It was a bright, cloud-free start to the day.  I had my usual call with the cousins to start the morning, and it was nice to see Cate calling in from Kylesku in the far north of Scotland. The call followed the usual pattern, with suitable abuse being shared among all participants.

The rest of the morning was quiet, but immediately after lunch we hopped in the car and set off for Brighton. The SatNav had warned us of various delays and I selected one of its suggested routes. Almost as soon as we left, the SatNav recommended a change to the route and seemed to guide us into every tailback and set of roadworks that it could find in West Sussex. It even guided us into a dead-end street at one point.

We arrived at Trevor and Sue's just after 2 p.m., and after a quick chat, we walked the 150 yards to the care home where Jean now lives. I was amazed by how close it was. We were given the full tour of the facility and must admit that it was more like a top-class hotel than a car home. The facilities were stunning and included several lounges on each floor, several dining rooms, a coffee bar, a small shop, and even a hairdresser. It is clearly well run, and whilst expensive, it is a comfortable home with a family atmosphere for its residents.

Jean, who is now almost totally blind, walked back to S&T's with us and we settled down for some tea and a good chinwag. Sue spoke (ad nauseam) about their grandchildren and their progress at school and with their other activities. We also heard about their recent (somewhat disappointing) trip to Morrocco and their planned river cruise up the Danube.  

Time ticked by, and we piled into the car and drove around to the village (Patcham), where we had a table booked at "La Tana", their local Italian restaurant. I must say that considering it was tucked away, off the main areas of Brighton, it was superb. The decor was nice, the ambience was cosy, and the staff were delightful. Diane had some fresh sea bass in cream and lemon sauce, and I had some "Penne al pollo" (pasta cooked with chicken, peppers, garlic, onions, with cream and tomato sauce). We could not fault the food (not that we were trying to), it was excellent.

We drove Jean back to the care home and then settled down with Sue and Trevor for some more gossip before finally heading home. In contrast to the journey to Patcham, we had a fabulous run home, where we were greeted by Jasper, who had eaten all of the dinner that we had left out for him.

A Visit

It was raining when Ellie was dropped off this morning. The forecast for the morning suggested it would remain wet. We went through the usual morning rituals and as Ellie was ready early, she sat down and read to me for a while before we had to walk to school. Despite the forecast, the rain had almost stopped, and there was just a soft drizzle as we walked the 250m to school.

Leaving Ellie at the classroom (clutching a bag full of sweets for her classmates to celebrate her birthday), we wandered home for breakfast. (I was not walking this morning).

A few weeks back, I ordered some shoes from a store in Chichester. They phoned yesterday to say they had arrived. Originally, Di had volunteered to come in with me but was not in the mood this morning. I plugged Carl Sagan into my ears and waited for the bus. In Chichester, I zig-zagged to the shoe shop where I tried on the shoes. They were immensely comfortable, but the colour was a dreadful deep chocolate brown, which I don't think I would wear. I rejected the shoes, and they processed a refund. I moved on to several other shoe shops. There were some lovely shoes in one of them, but the wear-surface on the heel looked very thin, and my shoes take quite a battering. Another shop had some more suitable shoes, but they didn't fit well, or they were too flat (I like a proper heel). Trying several other stores, I made my way to the bus stop empty-handed. It had been an abortive trip.

After lunch, we had some Kindle time until Kim arrived. It was the last day of her recent University placement in the community, and she had managed to finish early. She wanted to come along and surprise Ellie at the school pick-up. Also, she had some birthday presents for her. We all had a lovely afternoon, and it was good to hear about Kim's progress at uni.

Zoe came to collect Ellie and get her home in time for Pete to collect her for the weekend.

A Normal Day

 It has been a very normal day. There has been little to report since I rolled out of bed at 6:30 to ensure I was ready to greet Ellie when she was dropped off. She was in a chirpy mood this morning and managed her ablutions without intervention or supervision from Nana. She even did her hair.

We dropped her at school, and Diane went home while I had a shorter walk than usual (only doing a single loop of my usual route). Back home, I finished breakfast and the usual review of overnight news, and then we drove into Shripney to do the weekly shopping. Lottie was finishing the cleaning when we got home, so we stowed the shopping quickly and made ourselves scarce.

After lunch, I went out for another walk, making sure I looped through the village so that I could collect Diane's meds from the Chemist as I passed. Then, back home, I managed an hour of Kindle time before we went to collect Ellie from school. She was just bursting with energy, so we stopped at the village green for her to run around and let off steam with her friends Bonnie and Edie.

Zoe collected Ellie soon after 16:30.

Replaced

It was a gentle start to the day. After some coffee, a wander through the press, and a shower, I walked to Zoe's to join the walk to school. Zoe took the opportunity to go into class to review Ellie's work (like we did yesterday). I left her to it and headed off for my morning walk. I added an extra loop into the route so that I could get some more of the Carl Sagan book. finished. I only wish I could remember a small fraction of what I have heard.

Back home, after a peek at social media, I started on a bit of research regarding the latest and greatest Linux distros. I chose Ubuntu (again) and started the download to create a bootable image. With the image clutched in my eager fingers, I tried to reset the book sequence for Siane's old laptop (Osprey). I tried everything, having resorted to looking up the process on Google. Nothing seemed to work. I did realise, however, that I already had a Linux image on the old laptop. I still wish to change it and install Ubuntu, but it can wait. I have no immediate need for it.

FedEx rang the doorbell. They delivered the replacement pool vacuum. I put it together and took it into the garden to try out. This one worked, though I'm not sure how effective it will be as it stirred up a lot of the detritus I was trying to vacuum up. I needed to wait for everything to settle to see how successful it was.

After some Kindle time, I went to meet Zoe at the school gates. We had a Parent/Teacher consultation scheduled. We settled down in the class (the seats are too low for an old bloke like me), and Ellie's teacher proceeded to tell us about her progress in English (reading, writing, and comprehension) and Maths. It is clear that Ellie is doing very well. I used the audio notes feature of my iPhone to record the whole session - this kept the audio but also transcribed the meeting. This was a lot easier than taking notes and meant that I could share it with Diane when I got home. (If you haven't tried this feature yet, it is well worth giving it a whirl to record important meetings).

Backups

There was a gentle start to the day (unlike yesterday). I went downstairs for some coffee and an initial trawl through the papers. When Diane emerged, I got dressed and headed off to Zoe's to take Ellie to school. There was no early morning walk, as Ellie had insisted on bringing her scooter to school. This meant that I had to take it back home for the day.

I settled down for breakfast and a more thorough reading of the overnight news. I then finally headed out for my walk. I chose a different route, heading to Shripney via the "Pre-14th Century Highwayway from Berstead to Shripney and the North". It is one of my favourite routes, and today, I only passed one other person and two cars in all the time I was out.

Back home, I retired to the study. (Diane was on the phone with her friend Marilyn). I spent some time researching several legal matters and contacting some providers of legal services. It is time that we updated our Wills and registered some Lasting Powers of Attorney. The process has started, and now I await contact.

With that done, I returned to the master photo library. I needed to update the automatic backup settings for the new year. (The overall library is tens of gigabytes, and checking the whole library every night would be stupid, so I just check the last two years each day for any changes I might have applied). This didn't take long, but it was good to know that it was now operational). On reviewing the backups, I realised my 5th copy of the master file was several years out of date. I manually applied all the missing updates. I must look into automating this for the future, but that can wait for another day.

We went to collect Ellie from school. As the class finished, we were able to go in and review the classwork that she had been doing during the year. It is clear that she is doing very well, but she really must improve her handwriting.

Communication Breakdown

There was a communication breakdown. The work rota Zoe had sent us said she was starting at 09:00... she wasn't, she had changed it and forgot to tell us. I was awake but lying in bed pondering the meaning of life and the universe when I heard a car pull up outside. The next thing I knew, Ellie was trying to come through the front door. I exploded out of bed and ran downstairs to unlock the door and get things going. Oh well, I can have a lie-in tomorrow.

I took Ellie to school and left her as she strode into class. I tapped my watch, screwed my AirPods into my ears, said "Good Morning" to Carl Sagan and set out on my pre-breakfast walk.

Back home, I finished breakfast and read the news before phoning the supplier of the device for cleaning the rill. Their operative took me through their checklist and exhausted the suggestions she had to hand. (In fact, I had tried every one of them). She took my phone number and said she would call back after talking to someone in the warehouse. An hour or so later, she called me back. They are flummoxed and will send out a replacement. That is a perfectly acceptable way to respond to our problem. Well done.

I buried myself in the study. I wanted to update my master photo library with all the photos taken since the last update. This did not go smoothly, and I was worried my code was the source of the problem (photos were being misfiled against the wrong dates). I went and grabbed some lunch so I could think it over. I re-read my code, and the logic seemed sound. I deleted all of the photos I had updated during the morning and then reapplied them in small batches so I could quickly check each batch. Everything ran perfectly, and the library is now intact. Tomorrow, I will check the backup rules to ensure 2025 photos are replicated in my other storage locations.

There was limited Kindle time this afternoon before we went to collect Zoe from school. She was with us for a while and started on her homework. Zoe has collected her, and she can finish the work at home.

Dull

After the last 10 days or so, today's weather seemed particularly autumnal. It was dull, grey, and damp. We had a quiet morning. After breakfast and a wander through the news and social media sites, I went upstairs to my study. It had occurred to me that it was a long time since I had updated my master photo library.  On checking, it was at the beginning of December that I last performed the update. 

I downloaded all of the photos that had accumulated and started the import program. Several hundred were filed away, and a few were liusted as problematic. I will have to return and deal with these at a later date - I think I have found the common feature that caused the problem - it occurred to photos where I had used the AI features to remove an unwanted blemish or feature from the original.

We wandered around to Zoe's. I had to help her get the furniture back into the living room. This didn't take too long, but as always, handling large items of furniture was difficult. Once that was done, we let Ellie open the few presents we had brought with us. She was clearly tired from last night's sleep-over, but rallied at the thought of a few more presents.

We left Zoe and ellie to a quiet afternoon. Indeed, Zoe sent us a photo of Ellie asleep at the table, and later on the sofa. We had a bite of lunch and some Kindle time before I started preparation for tonight's dinner.

(As an aside, I opened a new email account with Proton Mail. This provided end to end security and is based in Switzerland (rather than the USA). I'm not sure how much use I will make of it, but thought it would be an interesting experiment).

Celebration Day

I was sitting in the kitchen, enjoying my morning coffee and debating whether I should go and get washed and dressed, yet. The iPad rang. It was Ellie; "Grandpa can you come around and help mummy empty the lounge ready for my party?" I guess that made my decision. I finished my coffee, completed my ablutions and walked around the corner. It didn't take too long, but we shifted the two parts of the sofa, the footstool, and the desk in the garage. Ellie vacuumed the detritus that had accumulated under the sofa, and I showed Zoe how to extend the dining table (which had been ours until recently).

I returned home for breakfast and then connected to the weekly Zoom call. This followed the usual mishmash of banter and news. One subject of interest was a recent BBC segment discussing Margate Football Club, which included clips of Francis (Uncle Frankie, as he's known at the club), Maggie, and Sharon.

DPD delivered a device that Di had ordered. This is similar to a huge bicycle pub and should create a vacuum to draw water from the rill and filter it. It was a bit of a devil to put together but looked "feasible" when complete. I took it out to the garden to try it. It didn't seem to work. The plunger went up and down as expected, but it didn't seem to create sufficient vacuum to draw the water in. I fiddled, I re-read the instructions, I took it apart, I reassembled it, I tried again. Nada. I followed this procedure again and again had no luck. On the instruction leaflet, there was a phone number to call. I called. Nada. They are closed at the weekend. It will have to wait until Monday.

With rain forecast over the next 24 hours, I took the opportunity to dig out the leaf vacuum and clear up all of the fallen leaves that had lingered on throughout the winter.  I managed to get two huge bags full in about 15 minutes. 

After some lunch and some Kindle time, we went around to Zoe's. A table had been booked at "Smith and Western" for her birthday treat. We had to take two cars to get us, Zoe, Ellie and her friends to Chichester. We were greeted by the cacophony of a busy "country and western" styled restaurant packed with various parties, all trying to be heard over the music. As birthday treats were delivered to various tables, the staff jangled triangles and beat tambourines while singing Happy Birthday. I should have brought ear defenders!

Despite the apparent chaos and noise, the food was very good. The girls all chose burgers or hot dogs from the children's menu. Zoe chose a New York burger, Diane had a club sandwich, and I had a rack of ribs. The helpings were generous, and the food was delicious. It was not "fine dining," but it was very good. I suspect that a lunchtime visit during the week would be a little less chaotic.

We all headed back to Zoe's to cut the cake and ensure everyone was sorted. It was almost noisier there than at the restaurant.

The girls put on their PJs and their special robes, and then Zoe cut the cake. Like the decorations, the theme for the cake was Wicked. This meant that half was green and half was pink. There was some debate over who wanted a slice of which colour. Nana and Grandpa headed home clutching slices of green cake!

Walking in our front door, we were greeted by Jasper. He had to wait. I was not doing anything until I had a glass of wine, and my ears had stopped ringing!

Equinox

Having had a brilliant day yesterday, with temperature in the high teens or low twenties, the equinox has turned out to be a bit "meh". It has been overcast throughout the day, and there has been a cool breeze. The forecast kept threatening rain, but it never amounted to anything.

We were up early for Ellie to be dropped off. It was "Red Nose Day", so the kids were able to go to school in their own clothes. Ellie was already dressed and had finished her breakfast before being dropped off. She was excited and eager to get to school. At least she was until she realised her new trainers were too tight and her jacket was mucky. We walked back to her house, and she selected different footwear and a denim jacket. All was well. We were ready for the day.

I didn't go for an early walk. My knees and hips had been a bit uncomfortable overnight, so I decided to wait until I had been moving about for a while before venturing off. We headed home for breakfast and when that was finished, I got on with some admin and then some research. The Obsidian note-taking platform was performing differently on the iPad from the way it runs on the MacBook. It was bugging me. A few YouTube videos later, I had the problem under control.

After lunch, we had the usual Kindle time before walking to school to collect Ellie. After a brief stop at the park, she came back for a snack and waited for Zoe to collect her.

Today is Kim and Jon's Wedding Anniversary - they've both been working so probably haven't had much opportunity to celebrate - but hopefully, they will make up for it over the weekend.

Tne Big Sing

 Ellie was dropped off at 07:40. She was already dressed, her hair was done, and she had finished breakfast. All she needed to do was clean her teeth. She was wired. Today, the class went to the local secondary school to participate in "The Big Sing", along with all of the other junior schools in the area. Ellie's class had been practising three songs which they would perform during the day. She couldn't wait to get going and kept coming into the kitchen to check the time to make sure we left as soon as it was feasible.

Dropping Ellie at class, we headed home for breakfast (I didn't have an early walk today). With breakfast done, we raided Sainsbiry's and M&S. We were much too early for the zombies, so we rattled around the store in no time. The reason for the early start was that Di had an appointment for a blood test and we wanted to ensure everything was done in plenty of time.

With Diane driving off to the surgery for her blood test, I waited to see Lottie leave and then went for my walk. The route had to include the village so that I could collect Diane's latest batch of meds. After lunch, we settled in the Orangery for some Kindle time. The sun was beating down, and I had opened the bi-fold doors so that we didn't overheat. With the equinox tomorrow, this bodes well for spring.

We collected Ellie from school, and it was clear that she had really enjoyed The Big Sing. We stopped off at the park on the way home so that she could let off some steam, and then headed home to give her a snack and Wait for Zoe to collect her.

Spring Sunshine

 Ellie didn't wake until 07:30, by which time I had been pottering around in the kitchen for half an hour. Coffee was made, her breakfast was made, and Diane's tea was ready. Zoe had forgotten to rest Ellie's alarm at home, so she woke unnecessarily early and knocked at the door well before 08:00. We walked Ellie to school and then, as Zoe headed home, I set off on my morning walk.

I had a few chores to clear when I had finished breakfast, the most important of which was to go and fetch some cat litter from the pet store. With that done, I settled down for a few bits of research and started arranging my next Band of Brothers lunch. The date was narrowed down after some activity on WhatsApp, and with a date set, I emailed the restaurant. I also emailed the full address list of the Brothers to get the date in the diaries and request their RSVPs.

Diane was summoned by Zoe and wandered around the corner to see what she wanted. I didn't expect her back for a while, so I set off for another walk to make the most of the cloudless sky and gentle spring warmth. Carl Sagan chatted away in my ears as I walked one of my familiar routes.

I grabbed some lunch when I got home, then settled down in the Orangery with my Kindle to enjoy a few hours of reading. Diane arrived back soon after I sat down, and once I had made her some tea and she had a snack, she joined me in the Orangery.

Tip

 It had been another cold night, but again the front of the house saw no frost, but the Orangery had a crystalline coating when I first came down. The sky was clear and as the sun ripped itself from its overnight blankets the temperature rose enough to dispatch the frost.

Zoe had a late start today, which meant we didn't need the early morning wake-up alarm. I was still up before seven, but it was out of choice rather than necessity. When I wandered to Zoe's, I was clutching some more printing for her and a copy of Ellie's family tree, going back 5 generations. (I could obviously go a lot further than that but limited it to a small print run).

After the school run, I headed off for my usual walk before returning home for breakfast. The first chore of the morning was an update to the accounts (they are always at their busiest at this time of the month). With the accounts out of the way, I decided to deal with the old printer, a very old computer, and other detritus that had been accumulating. I tried to book a slot at the local tip, but the website was down. In the end, I had to call West Sussex County Council to book a slot. The car was duly loaded, and I drove to the tip. The various operatives were immensely helpful, directing me to the correct containers and, in many cases, relieving me of the junk and taking it themselves.

After lunch, I took the opportunity to make the most of the glorious spring day and go out for another walk, and then we both settled down in the Orangery to read. There was no need to collect Ellie today. She was collected with a friend and taken to her house for a playdate. She is, however, staying with us overnight as Zoe wouldn't finish until 21:00.

Bits and Bobs

We had an early start so that Ellie could be dropped off. She was full of the joys of Spring and eager to remind us that it would be her birthday party this coming weekend. (Just like her mother!). We went through the usual morning rituals and then walked her to school, 

 After the drop-off, Dinae headed home for breakfast, and I set off for my early morning walk. The further I got in the Carl Sagan "Cosmos" audiobook, the more engrossed I became. This is a book for anyone with an inquiring mind and an interest in history, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and the "Cosmic fugue".  I have noticed that the original episodes of the TV series are available on YouTube and I will squirrel those away for a rainy day.

Back home, fully caffeinated and replete with the finest porridge oats, I set about an update to the accounts. While in an administrative frame of mind, I set about requesting the recycling run for our coffee pods. This process has improved significantly since my last request.

Having received the new tabletop protectors for our kitchen table, I had the opportunity to repurpose the old table protector, This was cut down into 6 placemats and a couple of mats for serving dishes. It all looks rather good. With that done and the clock ticking towards midday, I headed out for another short walk. i did a couple of loops of the estate, ticking off a few more kilometres.

After lunch, we settled down for a quiet hour with our Kindles before going to collect Ellie. Fortunately, she wasn't;t interested in going to the park today (it was a bit cold). She came out of class clutching another Start of the Week certificate,,, this one was for her enthusiasm and participation in mathematics, I asked her what she had been doing, and she explained they had been creating sequences of numbers and trying to determine the patterns in the sequences. Once she had given me an example, I realised they were discussing arithmetic progressions and took the opportunity to show her an example in a graph. She was genuinely interested, which made me very proud. (Maybe I should get her onto Carl Sagan and `Richard Feynman!)

Just Visiting

It had been very cold overnight, but there was no sign of frost out the front of the house. The Orangery roof, however, was white with the fractal patterns of ice crystals that form so readily on glass. We enjoyed a quiet breakfast and then prepared for a day out.

With Jaspers food-timers set, we hit the highways. The sky was blue, with the occasional daub of cloud to give depth to the picture. Traffic was light and we had a delightful drive up to Odiham to see Jan and John. It was still bright when we arrived, but there was more cloud hovering over North East Hampshire. We settled down for a coffee and some biscuits and started the usual organ recital and news update. It was good to hear that John was feeling a lot better and felt as if he had turned a corner in his recovery.

At lunchtime, we hopped into the car and drove to Hazeley Heath (near the Police College, at Hartly Wintney). We parked up and claimed our pre-booked table at "The Mutton", a gastro-pub that has just been the recipient of a prestigious award for dining in Hampshire. Being Sunday, we concentrated on the "roasts"; Diane and John both chose the lamb, and I had the beef. Jan decided on fish and chips. The food was delightful, and the service was exceptional. Whether it was worth the final total might be up for debate, but it was worth the opportunity to try it.

We returned to Jan and John's and sat back down with a cup of tea and some apple pie. We chatted for the rest of the afternoon, predominantly about family news. We left around 17:30 and, again, had a lovely and uneventful drive home.

Printing

 We had a leisurely start to the day. I had expected a hard overnight frost, but it didn't materialise. I sat down with my coffee and waited until I heard Diane stirring before making her tea and then heading up for my shower.

I had the usual call with my cousins, and was quick to tell Red Tim that I thought his man, Starmer, had played a blinder over the last couple of weeks. We also had to congratulate Sarah on her 50th Wedding Anniversary.

With the call over, I returned to the problem of Zoe's printing. In the end I concluded that Acrobat Reader Pro was the only certain way to achieve what I wanted. I downloaded the software on a 7-day free trial, but set it up so I could pay a monthly fee (which could be cancelled at any time). I don't have much use for this tiled poster printing so I suspect I will terminate the free trial before the cut-off. After several paper jams, the printing was completed and I rolled it up ready to take to Zoe.

 I plugged my AirPods into my ears and continued my education from Carl Sagan as I walked to Sainsbury's with the printing. I called for Zoe when I arrived and she took me up to the offices where I could lay out the printed sheets for her to tape together. With the printing delivered, I left Sainsbury's and walked to Bognor Regis railway station. I collected the tickets for our trip to London to see King Tut in April. I then took a quiet walk home. Overall it was a nice 5 mile circuit.

After some lunch, we settled down with our Kindles. I finished my current book and started the next. Zoe popped in briefly to collect a parcel, left with us by the postman knowing Zoe was at work.

Replaced

There was a very hard frost overnight.

Zoe called. Ellie was unwell and would not be going to school. She was dropped off with us soon after eight, and would stay with us until Pete could collect her - but he was at work this morning. It didn't really affect our plans as Diane had already decided not to go to Cardiac Rehab this week.

As I was looking through Facebook, I saw an advertisement for the Tutankhamen Experience, an exhibition being held for 14 weeks starting at the end of March. It seemed like an interesting event, so I have booked tickets for early April, so we can take Ellie up with us during the Easter holiday.

I took the opportunity to go for a walk. My new audiobook is "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan. I suspect this will accompany me for several weeks as I wander the highways and byways. I stopped in the village to return an Amazon parcel, then picked up Diane's meds from the pharmacy. I then headed home. I had hoped to take another walk after in the day, but didn't get the opportunity. I did, however, end up playing "snakes and ladders" and another board game (I can't remember the name) with Ellie.

Pete finished work at 14:00 and was here to collect Ellie before 15:00. She is staying with him for the weekend.

I had ordered a new A3 printer to replace the old Brother unit. This was delivered as I cooked dinner. It has a smaller footprint than the Brother, but it weighs several metric tonnes. It was an absolute beast to get out of the box and carry upstairs to install in the study. The setup was fairly easy. It connects to the home network via WiFi (not Ethernet cable) and once the ink cartridges were installed and the paper trays filled, everything burst into life. That is where the next problem arose.

The printing that Zoe had asked me to do was originally A0-size. In theory, you can print a large PDF file by tiling it over a number of sheets. (This is referred to as "Poster" printing). The problem is that this option seems to have disappeared from MacOS Preview... and indeed every other print facility I had. Apparently, Adobe had moved this from the standard Acrobat tools to the "Pro" tools and it was therefore deprecated in "Preview". I wouldn't be doing Zoe's printing tonight!

Lethargy and Clarity

 I was awake at 4:40 this morning. Though I didn't get up, I was wide awake and somehow managed to stay fairly still until 6:30 when I had to get up to be ready for Ellie. The temperature had dropped; it was a lot colder than the last week or so. Whilst the sun was shining its spotlight from the east, the west looked like the storm clouds of Mordor gathering, Ellie was dropped off and, after breakfast and her ablutions, came down to read to Grandpa before school.

We dropped her off at the classroom and headed home. There was no walk for me this morning; my excuse was the threatening weather and the need to complete our shop in time for me to collect my new glasses - (though laziness might be equally to blame). Back home, with more coffee and breakfast tucked away, I entered the week's shopping list onto the phone and we headed off to Sainsbury's. The shopping didn't take too long and I had time to stash it away in the car before returning to Specsavers to collect my new glasses. Considering the miniscule change in my prescription, I'm surprised by how much difference the new glasses have made. Things seem a lot clearer.

Once home, with the shopping stashed away, we made ourselves scarce while Lottie finished the cleaning downstairs. I took the opportunity to de-install the old Brother A3 printer. In case anyone was interested, I photographed the unit and advertised it on a local Facebook page. I'll give it a few days; if there is no interest, I'll take it to the recycling centre.

This afternoon saw some Kindle time before I went to collect Ellie. Despite the cold, she insisted we stop at the park on the way home. Once I had dragged her away from her friends, we headed back home where she enjoyed a snack before reading to Nana for a while.

Quiet,m So Quiet

It’s been a quiet day today. We didn’t have to get up early. Zoe had a day off, consequently I could go along and join the walk school after I had finished several coffees and read the newspapers. After the school walk, I headed off for my pre-breakfast walk as usual. I covered about 3 miles and by the time I got home I was ready for my porridge and another cup of coffee.

The morning was spent on inconsequentials: a little bit of admin, a few chores, but nothing serious. Around lunchtime, Diane set off for an appointment at the local doctors' surgery. When she returned, we had lunch and settled down in the Orangery to spend some time with our Kindles. I also finished my latest audiobook because I had got to the stage where I couldn’t leave it any longer to find out what had actually happened. We weren’t involved in Ellie‘s end of school pick up today. Zoe managed that and then took her into Bognor Regis to get some new shoes. 

Diane had a long telephone chat with Denise. It would appear that all is not sweetness and light in Buckingham at present. We have offered support, if required.