A trip on the Kennet and Avon canal

I'm just home from a trip on the K&A on a horse drawn boat, Beano came with me and was well behaved mainly. He has been fed and is now asleep, I'm resting with a cold drink.

The trip was organised by the Autumn Group though not everyone went. I was given a lift by Pat along with another person that I didn't know.

It was a lovely and peaceful trip and the banks of the canal are very green though the water levels are low.

Pat had asked me to shorten a pair of jeans for her and I'd managed to do this in time to take them with me for her.

Tomorrow is a coffee morning so another excuse to go out and socialise.

I've decided to book a cleaner to help me keep on top of things, I really struggle with cobwebs as they are high up and difficult to see, I also struggle to clean my skirting boards as they are so low down. 

Smoking!

Once again I woke to the smell of cigarette smoke, I don't smoke, I never have. My windows are closed so I've no idea where the smell is coming from.

It seem to happen only occasionally but it is a bit disconcerting. My mother smoked heavily for many years and it was her habit of waving her hands around whilst smoking that put me off for life. I was forever being caught on my skin by the edge of her cigarettes. Not enough to cause a serious burn but enough to sting the sensitive skin of a small child.

Still it encouraged me to try harder to become independent as any request for help with tying shoelaces or buttoning a cardigan came with an added burn.

Keeping busy.

I've used up nearly all the yarn oddments I had making a blanket so I bought a box of yarns and half-made items from eBay.

The box arrived today and I've already had great fun sorting it. The box contained a mixture of half made items and balls of yarn. It also contained some knitted squares, these I have put to one side and I will sew them together. Next I will alternate between pulling the half-made items apart and making yet another crochet blanket with the full balls of yarn. There is enough to keep me busy for the rest of this year at least.

Sue in Suffolk, I have used those Velcro type hangers for all my small pictures, the ones I have left are larger and heavier and many have glass fronts to the frames.

Fairy lights.

I bought a few sets of fairy light to hang around the place, I gave one set to my granddaughter and kept the others for myself. I have a very sturdy set of steps with a hand rail so hopefully I won't break my neck when I attempt to hang them.

I had butterfly lights hanging in the boat but Steve hated them so they were left behind. The new lights I've bought include a set of ivy leaves, a set of butterflies, a set of coloured cotton balls and a set of coloured spikes. The ones I gave my granddaughter were small pink flowers.

I've also ordered some picture hooks so I'm hoping to get my pictures off the floor and hung on the walls. I have a large blank wall in my living room so most of them will go there.

It's gradually coming together

Backing away slowly.

I'm backing away slowly from some people who are getting on my tits.

This includes some of the people I know and some of the bloggers I usually follow regularly.

I won a competition at one of the the social clubs I attend, I know this was partly political as one member expects to win every week and people don't want to tackle her. So my entry won as I had provided the most items beginning with a certain letter. There was no prize, just a round of applause and a seething competitor who didn't win.

I'm also avoiding someone who I've realised is living in an alternative universe. I seem currently to be their favourite target for conversation. If I can't avoid them I do at least now know they be talking mainly ballrocks. I'm fortunate that I have a pretty good poker face, albeit slightly vacant. There is one lady I see in the village who seems to realise I'm not as stupid as I appear but she not dobbed me in so far.

I've stopped reading a couple of blogs as the bloggers are ranting on about politics and I'm not interested. I don't enjoy being ranted at about politics or religion. I have my own opinions on both but I don't expect other people to share my feelings.I stick to the 'you do you, I'll do me' way and so far it's worked.

Memories

When I walked Beano this morning we followed, at a safe distance, a couple of horses, there are a lot of stables around here. This brought back memories for me of staying in Cliftonville near Margate with my grandmother, we stayed with her sister Ivy.

ivy had a beautiful garden full of roses, her house was on a road that the seaside donkeys walked along to get to the beach. Every morning we all stood in the front room, each of us clutching a small spade and a canvas bag, watching for the donkeys.

As soon as they'd walked past we'd all rush out with our spades and bags and start collecting the donkey droppings. We had to be quick as there was great competition between the neighbours who all wanted to collect this gardeners gold.

Finally back on line.

What a pavlova I've had.

Sorry that what my son used to say instead of palaver.

I had to upgrade my phone as my old one would no longer support internet banking and I can't access my bank on my kindle.

I went to see a one act play on Saturday, The House With the Lights Still on" a local Amdram society presentation, it was very good, next month they are doing Calendar Girls.

I've been putting hedgehog food out in the evening, hoping to encourage them to visit. Y'day after putting the food out I spotted a neighbours cat, it was munching it's way through the hedgehog food!

Heyho, nemmind, as long as something is enjoying the food.