Design

The clouds were down low and it was generally wet as I left home this morning for a few hours in town, meeting up with a friend and then wandering around the shops. It was dry in town and though overcast, fairly warm. As I returned home however I hit the cloud layer once more and found the garden rather damp. So even if I had stayed home I wouldn't have been too tempted to get outside and garden. I didn't buy very much in town but I checked out the prices of feather duvets, super-king size, as the double duvet we currently have is a little lost on the new bed and if we didn't have a snugly throw as well there might be a few disagreements about who ends up with the duvet in the night. It turns out that the Internet is the best place and I've already ordered a new duvet and I am also checking out new covers which we need to get as well. I am now about to start filling in the official end of year school reports through our on-line pupil tracker which is suppos...

I took myself into town today. Friday is traditionally market day and although the cattle market closed some years ago on Fridays there is a general produce market in our covered Pannier Market with quite a few farmers' stalls selling small amounts of eggs, plants, vegetables, flowers and baking. This is the place where you can still hear the true North Devon accent with plenty of indrawn breaths and words like tis & dreckly . I enjoy shopping especially when I get plenty of bargains and today was a good day. In Primark which is cheap enough anyway I got some less than half-price fleece throws, good for keeping out the winter cold, and then I put an extra one in my basket to cut up to put on the chairs that the cats to sleep on in the conservatory. Easily washed and total cost £2. I also bought some imitation ugg type boots to use as next winter's slippers, £1 a pair and some short pjs for Pete which he had asked for and also happened to be in sale. I had a good wander...

My poor PC definitely is on a go slow so I've backed up all my reports which have been completed though I need to give them a read through in a day or two. I expect I'll think they're awful but they've taken 4 days and I've had enough for the moment. I had to go into town to visit the dental hygienist so I dropped in at a few shops on the way. One place was BJ's which is an offshoot of Brian Ford's. It is a big warehouse type of place like a hardware store with a surprisingly good garden centre and like Brian Ford's you can sometimes find some odd bargains. The first things that caught my eye were these little fluorescent jackets and leads in the pet dept. The bigger one is for a rabbit and the smaller one for a ferret. What can I say? I went out to the plant area to buy a plant for my class and saw a big bin of these sweet little terracotta saucers going for 1p each. Mmm I thought, I'm sure my children could do something with them and as Moth...

It's report writing day so I have ....... not been writing reports, apart from a bit of preparatory work in the morning. Instead I went into town, had a good browse around the shops, met a friend for coffee and did a few town jobs. I try and save up my jobs for one trip because apart from the cost of fuel it takes a big chunk of time. One thing I did was go to my medical centre and ask to be taken off my doctor's list and put on another doctor at the same practice. My old doctor hadn't done anything wrong but you don't feel she's that bothered (she sounds concerned but then gives you a prescription for something you are already taking and then when you point that out simply doubles the dose!) One funny thing there, while I was talking to the receptionist I glanced into the large open plan office to see a very large black cat sleeping on one of the office chairs. Apparently he's there every day. I didn't find out if he's actually theirs or someones hous...

A quick stroll around the garden revealed the first flowers on the winter flowering jasmine that grows by the kitchen window. Soon the bare green stems will be covered with small yellow flowers that will brighten up the grey wall. The countryside was back to being damp and green as I headed off to the dentist in the morning. He's put a temporary filling over the broken one but the whole filling will have to be taken out and replaced, I fear for the little tooth that is left. No signs of the mysterious bump in my mouth now but I moaned on about the various aches that I still have after he 'dealt' with them 6 months ago so he took some x-rays. Being only the poor people's NHS dentist you don't get the results of the x-rays straight away. Instead they phone you if you need treatment or as in my case let you know at your next appointment. Naturally they don't do week-end appointments so the first appointment they could find to fit in with my work is in 2 weeks...

Last night's rain has washed away all the snow and not surprisingly it is so much warmer. Linas and I escaped to town, a relief to drive along ice-free roads, to do some shopping. The River Taw looked very dirty with all the ice , mud and branches being swept downstream as the thaw continues. Town was heaving with eager shoppers but despite all the publicity about the bargains I only bought a diary (to record each day's photographs as I down (up?)load them onto my pc . and a pretty child's necklace and bracelet half-price at Monsoon. I intend to re-make the bracelet into some long dangly earrings and the necklace will be fun for school. Back home via the Co-op, lots of bargains, and the carpet warehouse to pick up some off-cuts to replace our downstairs hall carpet. It was quite old when we moved in 17 years ago and has become totally threadbare (and had a few cat mis - haps ). To get a single piece to fit the L-shaped space would have cost £70-£150 even at remnant pr...

I made a break for freedom today. The persistent low temperatures have kept us trapped by the snow and ice and there are no signs of a thaw yet. We are just unused to these sorts of conditions . It looked like my only way out would be to walk (6 miles). On my way up the hill I met Paul who gaily informed me that I would be able to drive my little micra on the road but when I saw the covering of ice I knew that wouldn't be a possibility. Walking seemed like a much safer option to me. It was only another mile of ice before the road became clear and easy to walk on. I was wearing my new walking boots, a bit of a risk as this was the first time I'd worn them so I did put plasters on my heels just in case and they were fine. It took me about an hour to walk the 3 miles to the main road during which time I was passed by 4 vehicles all going in the opposite direction. As I got to the main road a landrover came up behind me so I stuck my thumb out for a lift. Nearly got myself ru...

We have oil, HOORAY !! I'm trying not to think about the cost, 2 weeks ago it would have been £500, now it's nearly £800. We'll just have to be a bit more sparing with the heating. At least we know that the house will be warm for the next cold spell which is forecast for this Friday. Then we'll be back to snowy roads but as school finishes on Friday there is no great pressure to get into town (at least for me). I can hibernate indoors and try and make the place look festive for Christmas. This morning there was yet another heavy frost. (Photo from yesterday.) My poor little micra barely dragged itself up the hill. My wheels were spinning and we were mostly moving sideways. I didn't fancy having to slide backwards down the hill so I grimly hung on and somehow we juddered our way to the top. Needless to say the micra will be parked at the top of the hill for the rest of the week. I shot out of school this evening to get to the Post office before it shut. I was too...

We have HEAT. No oil delivery as yet, hopefully Monday, but Peter went out today and bought back some containers of oil and in a fit of extravagance has turned the heating on. Bliss - our bedroom is lovely and warm. The last remnants of snow lie by the side of our drive but the roads are completely clear. Only a few strips of snow remain in the countryside. It has been quite warm today but temperatures are set to drop later in the week. If not snow it will mean icy roads again. School continues for one more week and then we can hibernate at home for a while. You see all sorts in town. I didn't enjoy my shopping trip as much as usual because I was feeling so tired and it was quite crowded . Also I missed the Post Office by 15 mins . Fancy closing at midday on a Saturday. Some of my Christmas card might be a bit late. Sorry. One of the nice things about Barnstaple is that unlike many other towns there are a lot of small independent shops alongside the big chains that make most ...

It started to rain last night turning a lot of the snow to slush. I did go out (in my dressing gown & pjs ) to brush the slush from the path but by morning it had frozen turning the path into a skating rink so maybe that wasn't a good idea. These pictures were taken at 10.30 as we left for a day in town. Already the snow was becoming rather patchy though our north facing fields can hang onto their snow for quite a while. Going up the hill, ice all the way, we talked to someone on their way down who told us the main road was blocked just after the Muddiford turn-off so we went via Whitefield Hill. After driving over snowy back roads it was a relief to find hardly a scrap in town, just some rain. The High Street was filled with shoppers, a brass band was playing Christmas carols and everything was very festive. In Green Lanes (our small mall off the High Street ) there was a very cute Santa's grotto with these animatronic figures outside. The ponies tossed their heads an...

I maligned the seller of my baby Nikon yesterday when I said the lead for the charger was missing as I had already taken it out of the box. I think that I've made a good choice in getting another Nikon as the leads and the software are the same which saves a lot of bother. I haven't done more than point and shoot and the pictures are OK. I took this photo of the children's Taj Mahal pictures after I had covered up the pcs for the night. I really enjoy looking across the classroom at these lovely silhouettes and each one is different. After work I went across town to pick up some prescriptions from the pharmacy. (For overseas readers - Peter, being over 60 gets free prescriptions and I pay £7 per item per month.) I took the opportunity to call in at Lidls . This supermarket fits into the cheaper range but for me the attraction is the vast range of continental foods. This time of year it's like a German Christmas market with many kinds of gingerbread, stollen , marzip...

I took my camera back to the shop today. They're sending it back for repair. Supposedly it should only take 2 weeks but maybe they were just saying that. I did think about buying something small for the moment but nothing cheap caught my eye and £70 was too much to spend on a back-up. I was in town to meet my friend for coffee & cake which is always nice. Lime cheesecake today. I found one top in a charity shop but also bought a soft fluffy hooded top in sale in Millets (a camping shop), it was so me I couldn't not buy it. The teeming crowds were out buying for Christmas and the town lights are being switched on tomorrow. I collected Linas from the train station and drove him down to Ilfracombe for the opening of a skatepark there. Skateparks , especially free ones are few and far between which is silly as they provide a place where youngsters can burn off lots of energy without having to spend money. The skatepark is near the harbour so while Linas met old friends an...

It's been another shopping day, the sort I like - a relaxed meander round the shops unfettered by children or heavy bags. first port of call this morning was to donate a large bag of coats to a charity shop. We had a massive collection of coats, my thinking was that there should be enough coats for everyone to (possibly) get soaking wet outside doing some vital countrified activity and still have spare coats for all. Now there are only 2 of us at home there is no reason for such a collection. As it is there are still raincoats, spare raincoats, gardening coats and extra warm coats and a couple of spares for visitors. After lightening my load I then left one of my Ugg boots at the shoe menders for a bit of stretching across the toes, £5 they charge for that small job! By then it was time to meet up with my friend for coffee, cake and chat. As my taste buds are a bit dull with this cold I had some Banofee pie. I used the same reasoning later on when I bought some yoghurt covere...

We were woken to the sounds of a severe thunderstorm. Rumble after rumble and the electricity was cut off 6 times before finally being restored. One of the surges managed to get through the expensive surge protector, despite a lifetime guarantee there is a small sticker on the back which says it is not proof against lightening strikes! Our BT hub, phone and some of Peter's switches on his server set up have been burnt out. Luckily we have a spare phone (it was our new wireless phone that was destroyed), and due to our constant complaints about the pathetic broadband speed and phone line we were given a spare hub so Peter was able to restore the phone and internet . He's been out and bought some better surge protection too. The tv in the kitchen is also looking a bit strange so we'll have to have a go at adjusting the contrast before we can watch it. As well as heavy rain we were also bombarded with hailstones, here seen on the conservatory roof. Looking out at the dri...

Peter was off today doing boys' things - gig rowing on the river and then shooting at the range so I had a girlie morning wandering the shops and meeting my friend for coffee and cheese cake. I didn't buy that much, just some stuff so that my class can make sock puppets and a few things towards Christmas. As it's an even year I'm expecting all the boys to be here for Christmas Day so there's more to get ready and I'm trying to start early. I'm still getting a massive kick out of being able to try on size 12 clothes, it was a shame that the Per Una jeans weren't long enough, they would have been a great bargain from the charity shop. I did buy a pair of Adidas shorts and a white Nike top again from a charity shop. I do look in all the shops but even then I gravitate towards the sale rails. My thrifty nature I suppose. After yesterday's warmth I was hopeful for today but the mist and wind kept the sun away and the temperature down. Once back home I d...

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And today was SUNNY !! We've been promised a good week-end which is good as this is a Bank Holiday weekend and Romas and Vicky will be meeting up with all the others for a major muster (SK). I spent the afternoon in town and had a very civilised cappuccino and cake with my friend. I did ask to take a photo of the yummy selection of cakes but the baker/owner said no. As there are more of us at home I was able to take advantage of the end of day reductions at the pasty shop and bought 4 traditional pasties and 2 Thai chicken pasties (unusual but tasty). We have finally taken possession of our 'new' car, a Toyota Rav 4. This purchase was yet another example of the web of connections that exists in our lives here. Last year we were at a party next door when the girl who works at the stables mentioned that she was thinking about selling her Rav . (She just happens to be the grand-daughter of one of my WI friends and lives in a farm visible on the other side of the valley....

No luck with the Perseids last night, I went out at 11.30 and saw lots of clouds rushing across the sky but the high cloud blocked out any views. I even looked out of the window in the early hours of the morning but it was no better. I'll have to wait until next year. More conservatory cleaning this morning and then I popped into town to meet up with a friend. It was the perfect excuse to try out a patisserie type place that I've had my eye on for a while. Diet forgotten we maxed out on cappuccinos and Bailey's cheesecake with maltesers in, mmm . Later I was tempted by the ringing of a handbell announcing that all the pasties at Pasty Prezzo were £1. I gave in and bought 2 standard Cornish pasties (steak and veg) for our supper but resisted the offer of 6 pasties for £5. The pasty was very tasty but the pastry is sitting a bit heavily in my stomach which is unused to any fat so I've balanced it with a mug of mint tea. Grass and stones by the scree garden. I...

Right now I don't know whether to yell or cry, I'm so cross and upset at the same time. It's all to do with sorting out my back. It's a long saga which I won't bore you with but I thought I was going to cross the final hurdle today, instead I ( metaphorically ) fell flat on my face. Back in May, after 4 lots of day surgery I was told that I needed an operation on my spine. When I was finally told it would be happening in September it was the worst possible timing as I'm due to start some full-time work then and we can't afford for me to turn the work down. I spoke to a very sympathetic booking nurse explaining the situation and asking if there was any way I could have a cancellation anytime during the 6 weeks I'm home for the summer. The problem is that although one hospital doctor says I need the op his boss insists on seeing all patients for spinal ops before surgery can go ahead. The booking nurse managed to organise my pre -op visit over 2 weeks ago ...

Woke up this morning to lovely blue skies, it really felt as if I was on holidays. Oh Yeah, I am. It's been a bit cooler today but slightly sunnier. This morning I took another load of stuff down to the dump and came home with another mirror for the garden. Good value at £1. Day Lily by the pond. My afternoon was spent in town (after dropping off a couple of bags of clothes etc at a charity shop). No great bargains today though I did buy some very cheap fitted sheets (in sale) at Primark and then I went and bought the third saucepan to complete my set of stainless steel saucepans. I spent quite a while in Wilden's which is closing down so everything is half price. It's a shame as Wilden's is the old fashioned sort of hardware shop selling everything from tools to grass seed and where screws and nails could be bought by the small handful. Yesterday's evening light highlighting the astilbes . The diet is getting harder now. It was actually 1 1/2 lbs lost but I...