The Gold Post Box Edition

Sunday 21 Oct.

Having mentioned it in last week's episode I should really have posted the photo then but here it is in all its glory,  Trull's very own golden letter box!  Stunning isn't it?  And on the right is Deb Criddle with her gold and 2 silver Olympic medals.  I reckon that she has done really well and the achievement is even more impressive when you consider she has only one arm.

Moved the chilli plant from the kitchen window sill into the dining room.  The plant was getting too big for the kitchen and I'm hoping the less of a change in temperature from day to night will stop the blossom drop and we might get some more fruit.

Monday 22 Oct. 

Hannah forgot her keys today and so was locked out of the house until I got home.  Let her in then went back into town to pick up Mum from the weekly shopping in Sainsburys.  Felt rather tired and so flopped in front of the box for the rest of the evening.

Tuesday 23 Oct.

The good news today is that I have heard from the Nursing Home and Granddad went into hospital on Friday 19th for his exploratory and everything appears to be OK.  Just wish the Home had informed me when he was admitted.  Perhaps it was my fault for not asking the GP.  But at least the cancer has not returned.

Wednesday 24 Oct.

Saw Andrew today and asked him how Becky was doing.  She's just started at Musgrove.  I think she is finding it a little difficult, chucked in at the deep end in a new place, not knowing anyone or knowing her way around.  I'm sure she'll find her feet and will be happier and more confident as time passes.  They've already got her working 12 hour shifts!

Thursday 25 Oct.

Took Ray and Dee to hospital this afternoon.  Ray had to go in for a check up and Nev didn't have a car available.  Just as we arrived at Musgrove so did the air ambulance.  The landing spot is right in front of the main building and so we got a ring side seat watching the emergency services do there thing.

Found this picture of lightning and a volcano erupting.  Apparently it was taken in Chile which isn't too far from you right now.  Don't know how old it is but I thought you might like the expression of natural energy it portrays.

Friday 26 Oct.

Sabrina has got tickets to go and see the Rolling Stones at the O2 arena next month.  She is going with her Mum, its a shame she hasn't got a friend she can go with, but I expect her Mum is well pleased!  She tried to get them when they first went on sale but they had sold out within 7 minutes!  So we don't know how she got hold of them and she won't tell us how much she paid, which must mean she paid a lot for them!

It looks like Ray will be in hospital throughout the weekend while they do tests on him to find out exactly what the problem is.  Nev puts a brave face on it but I can tell he is more than a little worried, and from what he says, Dee is starting to show the signs of dementia.  My Dad said it to me and I'm saying it to you - DONT GET OLD - it sucks!  I don't think Granddad said "it sucks" - I added that bit to show that I am still "down with the kids!"

Saturday 27 Oct.

Woke up this morning with the tell tale pain in my big toe.  Another attack of gout, which got progressively worse during the day in the shop.  Looks like another trip to the doctor to get some more pills on Monday, hopefully I've got enough to last me through the weekend.  No red wine for me this evening!

Andrew came around to the shop this morning for the traditional Saturday bacon roll.  I asked him about which make of camera would be good for your needs.  He reckons anything Fuji is good value for money, will produce good photos and are easy to operate.  He did say though, that he wasn't sure if there was a branch of The London Camera Exchange in Puerto Maldonardo but the sale of Fuji cameras is worldwide.
Had KFC for tea.  Is there a MacDonalds in Puerto Madonardo?  Even if there isn't I bet you can buy bottles/cans of Coca Cola!
The outside temperature this morning going to work was just 1 degree C, burrrrrr!

Looking forward to your next blog update, no pressure, we know its difficult without having internet access on your doorstep.

Until next time...........

....To Saturday 20 Oct

Sunday 14 Oct.

A really nice sunny day saw me spending some time in the garden.  A poor harvest of courgettes, I think we got two and one marrow.  I guess the cats using the plot as a toilet didn't help.  I moved one of  the raised beds so they are all in a line now.

Nev came round with his ladders and we cleaned out the grass that was growing in the gutters.

Found a huge dead rat by the tool shed door.  It must have been a good 10 inches long.  Vicious looking creature.

Came across this phot of Mum from our 25 Anniversary party.  I suspect it is not one of her favourite ones!  But the one below is better.  And only goes to show that you will always find us in the kitchen at parties!

Monday 15 Oct.

Bit of a non-day, in that we got up went to work and came home again with nothing much of note in between.  But did you know that Trull has a gold post box? It was painted gold to celebrate Debbie Criddle's (she lives in Trull) gold medal at the Para-Olympics.

Tuesday 16 Oct.

Mum did the weekly shopping today.  She left work at 2pm and called for a lift at 7pm!  She said she met up with Lorna and they went for a coffee.  Must have been a huge cup to last 5 hours!

Strong winds and heavy rains this evening.  This weather has stripped the leaves from the Virginia creeper which makes the outside of the house look very unkempt.

Wednesday 17 Oct.

Restocked the wine store, got a couple bottles of Spanish, a couple of Chilean and a couple of Australian, all reds of course.  Also got a case of Hoegaarden, a Belgian wheat beer which is my favourite tipple of choice at the moment.  More heavy rain this evening.

Sandy Cove Hotel

Thursday 18 Oct.

Andrew told us that he has booked up the Sandy Cove Hotel for the weekend of 24 Nov for the Snelly Brown Fish weekend of fun. This is the same place we went to last year.  Its right on the cliff top near Combe Martin with fabulous views across the bay.  Can't wait.  Rubbish picture, the resolution is so poor, but that's the place.

Da Sisters

Friday 19 Oct. 

A very good day in the shop, takings wise and I have tomorrow off.  Spent the evening in the shed burning off some more garden rubbish.  The pile doesn't seem to be getting any smaller.  Probably drank more wine than I should have and I think I got to bed around 3 ish!  Oooops, that'll be me in the dog house!

Me, Nev and Andrew getting Newted

Found this phot of "Da Sisters" also from the 25 Anniversary party.
And the one below is from early on in the evening at the Newt Festival

Saturday 20 Oct

Hannah thought I was late for work and gave me a shake at 0830 hrs.  But today is my day off and so I snoozed on for a healthy lie in eventually getting up around 1130!  (What a waste of a morning!)  I can confirm that I did drink far too much last evening.  It's not big and its not cleaver, but sometimes it just has to be done.  I guess it's just the way I'm put together. 

We might have to keep the phone calls a little briefer.  Just had the bill for the latest one and it is a little high.  But don't stop giving us a call when you fancy it we'll just have to cut the chat down a bit.

And there we are, another week done.

Autumn Has Arrived

Sunday 7 Oct

Thankfully the gout has eased overnight, the pills must be kicking in.  

Virginia Creeper going red

You can tell Autumn has arrived, the Virginia Creeper on the outside of the house has turned a lovely shade of red.
Mum caught this pic of a pigeon waiting for the squirrel to finish on the bird table.  I think we have 2 squirrels using the garden now.  One is very brave, I've seen him on the wooden fence by the kitchen door.
Lazy day today, ipad games and TV with my foot up (what a poor excuse!).

Spoke to the people today who were going to buy Granddad's bungalow.  Due to the fact that they haven't managed to sell their own place and that they will not get as much as they had hoped for they have decided to pull out.  So it looks like we'll have to put the place on the market after all.

Bird Table?

Monday 8 Oct

Got some bad news today.  Granddad may have a recurrence of his bladder cancer.  His doctor wants him to go into hospital for exploratory operation.  Got to say I am a little worried .  On top of all his other problems this is the last thing he needs.

Tuesday 9 Oct.

Rained all day.

Wednesday 10 Oct.

Harvested the beetroot .  A very poor crop this year.  For some reason the roots on the majority of the plants didn't swell. Carrots have done well though, we have been eating them for some weeks now and there is still plenty left.

Thursday 11 Oct.

Spent the evening in "Didyabringabeer", listening to the radio and some music.  An earful of Sea Sick Steve, its good stuff.  When it got dark I switched off the lights and lit a few t lights. Had a couple of glasses of wine and woke up in time to go to bed!  I really like it in the shed and for some reason it doesn't seem to get cold.  It made a nice change from sitting in front of the oggle goggle box and playing on the ipad.

Friday 12 Oct.

Its "Double Denim Day" according to Absolute Radio, the preferred radio station in Imprints.  It was decided we would all wear 2 pieces of denim in the shop.  I even dug out my jeans and Nev loaned me a denim shirt.  Just a bit of fun, we took a photo and sent it in to Absolute hoping for a mention on the air waves.  But guess who didn't join in, yep you guessed it, the life and soul of nobody's party, she who goes by the name of Louisa!

The cutlery draw in the kitchen has collapsed.  I suspect we were cramming too much into it.  I think I have managed to repair it but I suspect it is more of a patch up job.  This isn't the first time it has broken.

Saturday 13 Oct.

Went on Facebook for the first time in ages this evening.  Posted a "Hello" and surprisingly got a load of replies.  Ended up having brief chats with people I haven't seen for ages.

My fingers have started to split again.  Really annoying, I thought I had solved this little problem by taking cod liver oil tablets.  I had wanted to have a strum on the guitar but the digits are just too sore.  Boo Hoo, sob sob!  

And there we have it for another week.

First week of October

Monday 1 Oct

Busy day in the shop.  It seems like Sabrina is allergic to Mondays, she called in sick today.  I think that makes it three Mondays in the last month where she hasn't come in for one reason or another.

The handle on my garden rake broke this evening. Shame, cos I wanted to do a bit of tidying in the garden.  The evenings are drawing in quite quickly now.  It's dark by 7:30.  Ah we'll, it's an excuse to put the job off to another day.

Tuesday 2 Oct

Happy Birthday to Becca, happy birthday to you.  Hope your having a wonderful day in the uloo.  Wish we could be there to celebrate with you.  Next time you check your bank account you should find a little something in there which we hope comes in u - seful.  Happy Birthday to Becca, Happy Birthday to you.  That's it, I've run out of endings that rhyme with oo.  T'was lovely to talk to you on the phone this evening.  Hope you had a fun filled day.

Spent a couple of hours this evening bringing the business accounts up to date.  Was important to do it because not only is it the end of month but also the end of a VAT quarter and we have to make a return to those men in the bowler hats in Whitehall.

Wednesday 3Oct

Chilli Plant

 I was looking at the chilli plant that Hannah and Matt got me and guess what - it seems we have a chilli growing.  There are lots of flowers which I hope means more fruits to come .  I've brought the plant into the kitchen from the shed as the night temperatures are getting a little cool now.  Can you see the fruit in the pic?  I am a bit worried because as you can see, something is eating the leaves but I can't see anything.  Perhaps a blast of fly spray may do the trick.

Here's one for you - Do green chillis stay green or do they go red if you leave them on the plant long enough? and do you get chillis growing in the wild in the Tampobata area?

Thursday 4 Oct

Was supposed to be going out for a curry with the boys tonight but Andrew had forgotten all about it and had already had his tea so we cancelled!  So instead I mended the rake and did a bit in the garden until it got dark.

Hannah with her Birthday T shirt from Becca

Friday 5 Oct

Woke up this morning with a touch of gout in my left big toe. It must be at least a month since the last attack. Thankfully I have some tablets left over from the last time, just got to wait for them to kick in.

Saturday 6 Oct

Its World Smile Day today?  (According to Google) Big grins all round please!  The latest blog from Peru arrived on the interweb, fantastic phots and a real insight to Becca's work out there.  Fascinating stuff.
Not a bad day in the shop.  Mum decided to do the weekly shop today.  Her routine of shopping on Thursday has been thrown out of kilter because she is working on Monday and Tuesday now.  The gout was pretty bad today, was difficult to drive.  Strictly Come Dancing has started again on the TV.  Its not so bad but would be far better if  Bruce Forsyth (nice to see you, to see you nice!) wasn't hosting.  I think he is getting a bit past it.

Soooooo, from us all here in Trull, Keeeeeeeeep Dancing!