Hot and cold

Been a bit unwell - can't seem to shake off this cold. Yesterday I went out all bundled up in a polo-neck, coat and woolly scarf while everyone else was in t-shirts and summer dresses. Weather has been lovely - just like summer.

Solar heating still not fixed - man can't come until next Tuesday. He's made a career out of going round fixing leaking solar systems which says something I think. The real problem with ours is that it's a bit too efficient at producing hot water and when we're away and not using the water the pressure gets too high and a pipe springs a leak. What we need is a permanent solution to this. Or else we never go away.

J been on another uni trip today, well it was a day hosted by one uni but there were representatives from several others speaking. He wasn't at all impressed with host uni but says he picked up several tips about the application process and personal statement.

"What were they?" I asked.
"Can't remember. I know them but I can't remember them if you know what I mean."

No, actually I haven't the faintest clue what you mean.

Not complaining

My rib actually isn't all that bad - just uncomfortable to lie on that side. I'm  not going to complain about it because my friend's husband had a horrible accident and smashed 10-12 of his ribs and was air-lifted to Intensive Care and that's a major ouch. 

The moral is when you are using machinery don't wear loose clothing.

He said it felt like 10 minutes being whizzed round attached to the auger by his jumper.

Thankfully he is on the mend.

I'm also not complaining about my other aches and pains because I know several people who are going through chemo at the moment and I just really, really hope and pray that they're all going to be ok.

Wales

Well we've been in Wales, staying with my brother and family.

Great things about our trip:

• really easy journey there
• after the first day weather was nice and sunny
• three excellent services at wonderful Anglican church (P thinks vicar's wife is a distant relative!)
• celebrating my younger niece's 16th birthday
• amazing food cooked by my brother
• just enjoying being with my family
• coming second (to my older niece) in game of Risk - victory for the girls yay!
• P's amazing simnel cake
• neighbourhood hot cross bun contest
• seeing snowdrops, daffodils and primroses all out together
• having some interesting conversations with older niece's boyfriend, a politics student
• just relaxing in the garden listening to the birds singing

Some not so great things:

• all three of us having colds
• trailing the subtle fragrance of 'deep heat' round with me due to painful back (? due to wheelchair incident)
• having a slightly cracked rib - don't know how it happened
• simnel cake suffering a bit from tipping over on the journey
• eating too many hot cross buns
• just the occasional teenage tantrum
• traffic jams on way home resulting in 9 hour journey
• came home to house full of the smell of burning ethylene glycol - solar heating leaked again
• a little bit of a middle-age tantrum at having come home after 9 hour journey to stinky house and that solar heating's been nothing but trouble (P doesn't agree)
• Masterchef didn't record!

Pictures to follow (not of the tantrums)

It wasn't me who ate all the marzipan

I am feeling a bit exonerated here - P has found another packet of marzipan at the back of the cupboard. Thought I hadn't nibbled as much as he claimed I had.

Sadly the simnel cake got a bit singed - will have to be decapitated apostles.

He's been out with the chainsaw this morning as 3 of our neighbour's leylandii succumbed to the gales and one was in a very dangerous position. Thankfully the neighbour has decided to get the trees shortened as they're huge. One of them had fallen against one of their out-buildings.

Wish this wind would stop.

Marzipan mice

Think I hurt my leg or hip or something in the wheechair incident on Friday -think it's just a pulled muscle but in quite a lot of pain and feeling a bit wimpy. Just don't feel very well somehow. P and J have both got bad sniffles and are sitting around watching science programmes they recorded months ago.

The greenhouse which P had half put up was wrecked in the gales yesterday.

Suggested to P that we'd had 'marzipan mice' in the cupboard and that's why there's not enough to cover the simnel cake - nothing to do with me nibbling bits off now and then.

Bye Bye Blackie

I'll just mention that Mavis's cat Blackie has now gone wherever kitties go when they die. The vet phoned and warned us and we rushed round to comfort her:

"Is it too soon to get another cat?" she asked.

She's now got Cyril who's ginger and white, very friendly but spends a bit too much time out with his mates.

Easter Tea and Wheelchair Mishap

J said piano exam went ok except scales which went a bit wrong. Oh well just hoping he's got through. His pieces sounded very nice when he was practising in the waiting room. The candidates were all complaining that the piano in the exam room was a lot more sensitive than in the waiting room which threw them slightly. Musicians just have to put up with these things I suppose.

Has been distinctly cold here at times. P and J have both got the sniffles and J really not at all well today but at least it's now the holidays and he managed to get his 100% attendance certificate for the term - that's two terms in a row - yay! As quite a lot of next term will be study-leave hopefully he'll get the jackpot.

Yesterday P and I went to the 'Easter Tea' at the village school. The children did some dancing and were sooo cute. Haven't been into the school for ages, saw several people from old church, bought some cakes, Easter eggs and damson jam.

After a quick trip to the Co-op we went into town to get a birthday present for someone. I also wanted to pop into the Oxfam Shop to look at their fair trade eggs. The shop has quite a steep step, they will get a wheelchair ramp if you ask but P being an intrepid pusher never does although it is very tricky as the door opens inwards and won't stay open by itself. Anyway as he tipped me backwards to get up the step the wheelchair overbalanced and kept on tipping backwards until there I was with my head on the pavement and my legs in the air surrounded by a circle of concerned shoppers. In trying to let me down gently P cut his finger and I slightly strained my back but otherwise we were ok. Just really embarrassing though.