From snowdrops to violets

The village is well endowed with flowers, they grow in gardens, at the edges of the pavements and on any patch of grass around.

First it was snowdrops, growing in profusion. As they have started to die back, their place has been taken by daffodils, grape hyacinth and violets. In the grass near my bungalow there is a patch of white violets. The flowers make walking Beano an even greater pleasure.

My own garden is a disgrace, just lots of unkempt grass and moss. I can buy a lawn mower to manage the front lawn but I'm stumped when it comes to the grass in the back garden. It's far too lumpy to mow, I think it once had flower beds there as some parts are higher than others. I shall have to think hard about what to do, whatever it is it's going to be difficult.

Social group

I've just been to the Tuesday afternoon social group, I took Beano and he was an absolute star. He wandered around to greet a few people and then he lay on the floor and went to sleep, it's such a relief to know I can continue to attend.

They are organising a boat trip in a few weeks on the Kennet and Avon, where Steve and I had our boat and as I can take Beano I've signed up to go along.

Tomorrow morning it's tea and toast in the pub, so I will go to that as well, I've taken Beano there already a few times.

I'm determined to make the most of every opportunity that comes my way.

Old nuts.

My daughter went to the flat where I lived with Steve yesterday  to collect my last few belonging. There was just one box that Steve had claimed wouldn't fit in the car, it contained some kitchenware and the name plate I ordered for this place, Cuckoo's Rest. My grandchildren call me cuckoo so it seemed appropriate.

Unfortunately as Steve had been given plenty of notice of my daughter's visit he packed up a lot of stuff that he wanted to get rid of. So along with my stuff there was a lot of crap. I spent most of y'day evening and this morning sorting through it all. It includes a bag of nuts left from tge Christmas before last, a dog harness that is and always has been  too small for Beano, some CD's but no player. There is also a tangled nest of cables, I've no idea what they were for. This also gave Steve the opportunity to tell everyone how badly he's been treated especially as he claims my daughter took things from the flat that he had a sentimental attachment to!

Amongst other things there is a backpack, it's never been used so is in very good condition. When we first moved on to the boat there was a shopping trolley on board. Steve immediately threw it in the nearest bin, as he said we were too young to need a shopping trolley. As I did the bulk of the shopping I was not prepared to stagger along a muddy towpath with a piled high backpack. I purchased another shopping trolley a large one with three wheels either side that coped admirably with muddy towpaths. I still have it, it's still going strong.

Poor Beano

Apologies for the lack of posts.

It seems Beano has dementia, he's taken to howling if he's left alone.

 This will somewhat curtail my budding social life but I will do everything I can to keep him happy. He's been my comfort for the last 10 years so now I will be his.

He's slowing down and doesn't want to walk as far as he used to do so we wander around the village at a pace that suits him.

I'm still spoiling him as he is a funny little dog, he's my funny little dog.

D.I.V.O.R.C.E.

If you know the words, sing along, have I given you an earworm now?

I'm not currently planning on divorcing Steve although I have no objection if he decides he wants a divorce. He is more likely to want a divorce as he would like to remarry I'm sure. He is a few years younger than me and ever since his friend married a lady in her 50's he has wanted to do the same.

I see no point in lining a solicitor's  pocket for no good reason, Steve is due to inherit a reasonable sum of money at some point (if his family ever manage to stop arguing about it!) I'm not interested in taking money from Steve and as I said I will continue to pay the service charge for now to protect my credit rating.

I will discuss this with my family to see how they feel about it, Steve is not their father but I would like their opinions on this matter.

Why?

Why do I continue to pay the service charge for the flat I no longer live in?

Because I own the flat with Steve and if I didn't pay it, neither would he and I'd have a black mark against my credit rating. If Steve couldn't pay the bills on his own, he'd disappear and none of the bills would be paid.

There are 26 flats there and eight of them are for sale and one of them was for sale when we bought ours about three or four years ago.

I'm hoping that the flats will be upgraded eventually and will be more saleable. Currently Reading is awash with retirement flats. All I can do is wait and see what happens.

Every four weeks.

Every four weeks I receive my state pension, once my pension is in my account I move anything left from last month's pension into my savings account. Some months it gets moved back if I have a big expense. But mostly I manage to save enough to pay the service charge where I used to live.

Next I transfer some money to my daughter towards the mortgage payment for the bungalow. My only regular payments are the service charge for where Steve is living, for here it's water, insurance, electric, internet and the milk bill, these all come straight from my account. Other expenses are for food and the social events, £10 a week for two Autumn group meetings, at both there is food, enough so that I miss my next meal as I'm not hungry and £5 a month plus a raffle prize for the pensioner's  lunch and I don't eat another meal after that either.

I've spent a lot of money since I moved in on furniture, bedding and kitchen equipment.  I also bought a pair of shoes as mine are wearing out. I think I've got everything I need now so hopefully I can build my savings back up.