Tuesday 22nd September

 Yesterday we signed off and paid the balance on our new kitchen. To be delivered in the week beginning 19th October in time for the fitter to start on the 26th. I hope that the extension will be ready!

We've had peace, but no physical progress on the extension yesterday and today, but a certain amount of texting and telephoning on my part has extracted the information that

The new radiator will be delivered tomorrow (not sure where to put it!)

The electrician will be back from holiday in time to start 'at the end of the week'

It's likely that the hup! team may perhaps possibly be able to install the big window 'later this week'.

So I shall wait and see... this whole project has been an exercise in patience!

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Going back to Sunday, we had a lovely walk with friends through Nymans Gardens. I didn't take any pictures, I was too busy looking at leaves and flowers and views... we spent some time watching a wren hopping through a flower border, invisible except when we caught a flickering of movement through the leaves. 

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I've not been keeping up the journal pictures, but here's one for today;

The short daily reflections on my CofE app are themed on National Retreat Week. Yesterday looked at 'Silence' and today was on 'Still'. 

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I finished reading the first Tim Sullivan book 'The Dentist', and also finished rereading Rosamund Pilcher's September. Now for 'Time's Testimony' by Lynda Gillard... 

Sunday 20th September - There's a wideness in God's mercy

The two readings in our zoom church this morning were firstly from the book of Jonah, not the whale bit but afterwards, when the people of Ninevah listened to Jonah and repented, and secondly from the New Testament, the parable of the vineyard where the owner paid the same daily rate to all the workers whether they had worked the whole day or just an hour or so.

Jonah was displeased with God, because he thought the people of Ninevah were so wicked that they should have got what was coming to them, and the workers in the vineyard who had put in a whole day's work were displeased because they thought they should have been given more money than the Johnny-come-lately lot.

But, as this hymn says,

'There's a wideness in God's mercy, like the wideness of the sea...'

Interestingly the leader of the service commented that she particularly liked the words of the second verse, just as I was thinking over how good the words of the last four lines are...

Which lines, I wonder, mean the most to you? 

Saturday 19th September - quiet day

 Such a contrast to yesterday;

We had tentative plans to go for a walk in the afternoon with friends but it was cold and grey. So we'll try again tomorrow afternoon as the weather looks more promising. We're due for a spell of warm sunny weather,  if you can believe it. An Indian summer...

BB got stuck into another jigsaw, we read our books, I sorted out yesterday's beef stew for freezing, just odds and ends of bits and pieces...

A domestic, stay-at-home day.

Friday 18th Friday - whirligig day...

 The extension team are nearing the end (apart from the big window, still waiting for the sill). They are just finishing off putting the lead on the roof.

Now we have to choose the colour for the external rendering... decisions, decisions...

And the plumber came and moved the down pipe from beside the door to the corner of what will be the kitchen. That neant out loo was unusable for about 4 hours... we had to make a quick dash to the nearby nature reserve, just 5 mins away by car, to sneakily use their their loos. Very conveniently for us they are in the courtyard area just outside the café! Nice and clean too! When we got back barely 20 minutes layer everything was reconnected again. Phew.

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Having missed a couple of days of ten-minute-journalism it was a bit of an effort to get going again;

I made a pot of tea, got out my art basket 

and set too...

We had fish pie for lunch yesterday and there was a bit leftover. So I had an excellent breakfast of a dollop of fish pie, fried in a pan with an egg and some tomatoes. Coffee, toast and marmalade to follow as well! A real treat.

Wednesday 16th September

By the time we started the car to drive to Winkworth Arboretum to meet the family for lunch, I think we both felt a bit as though we had been buffeted and tossed about with one thing and another. 

The building control inspector arrive as we were leaving,  but we just abandoned him! 

But, what a lovely, lovely time we had! We just walked round the easy flat route at the top of the valley, passing a bench made from reclaimed signposts;

Do zoom in and read the words

And another bench with carved ends

A couple our age had just sat down, but I asked if they would mind me taking a photograph of one end. They didn't need to move, but, all smiles got up for me to take the picture and settled back down. 

There were lots of benches along the path so that you could take advantage of the fantastic views across the valley;

We, BB and I, have been missing seeing into the distance, looking 'over the hills and far away'.

All the time we were catching up on each other's news,  even though it was only a week or so since we were last together. 

More chatting about this and that over lunch (pasties), a quick prowl in the shop (I had a number of cards to buy) and then it was time for me to go home. I think the others might have stayed to explore the rest of the site - we left them deciding what to do.

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The hup! installers said the building inspector was quite happy... good news.

And it may be that the missing window is delivered tomorrow... we shall see!

Tuesday 15th September - I am sooo tired

 From the effort....

....of staying calm... but I think I managed it for most of today...

The hup! installers did manage to get all the glass panels into the roof. No word yet on the likely delivery and installation of the remaining window, the huge triangular pane of fire-resistant opaque safety glass that has to come from France... it will be worth it, I say to myself (it had jolly well better be worth it, I mutter to myself!)

Finalising the kitchen and arranging delivery at the showroom this afternoon wasn't as easy as it might have been... but having come home and remeasured everything I think I'm confident we can go ahead on Monday...  and breathe...

I drew the journal while having my coffee this morning, and restored some calm with tea and biscuits when we got back from the kitchen showroom this afternoon. 

And the presents are wrapped to hand over tomorrow...

Now I'm sogging in front of the tv; the plan is to watch Sewing Bee (the final!), Celebrity  Masterchef, and then 'off to Bedfordshire' I'll go!

Saturday/Sunday 12th and 13th September

I was awake at half past four in the morning on Saturday,  which did not please me, but then I noticed the stars in the sky, and, could that possibly be a planet? I found my glasses and opened a curtain and twisted my head up to stare at Orion's belt and other stars until I became too uncomfortable and went back to bed. It's rare to be able to see the stars here, but the streetlight outside the window goes off at about 1am and there was no moon. 

I left the curtain open, although I couldn't see any stars when I was lying down. It was just nice to know they were there.

A thought that has come back to me today, a day of clouds and drizzle. We were very late going to bed because we watched the totally brilliant Last Night of the Proms right to the very end, and I've felt tired and bleh all day. 

We haven't been able to go out as I don't have any full oxygen cylinders left until after the delivery on Monday, so I have to stay home and use the mains powered oxygen supply. Otherwise a change of scene might have helped... but there's always the scenery in tv programmes, especially Paul Murton's gentle meanderings around Scotland. 

That's a good thought though about the sun and moon and stars always being there even when you can't see them. 

Like God, always there, no, I should say he's always here...

Thursday 10th September - it's quiet around here today

 We've no builders here today... no pots of tea to make...

BB had a trip to the dentist (prep work for a crown) and I taught two piano lessons, with lovely pieces as well.

His appointment was for 1145, which meant leaving at 1045 and not getting back until after 230... that meant a very late lunch. Luckily I had a COOK lamb tagine lurking in the freezer, which would microwave from frozen. I guess it was gone 3pm before we had lunch, both very hungry!

Do you remember when the illustrations in children's books often only had 2 colours? Like this!

Minimalist journalling today. 

Next-door's cat is very sad to find he is shut out of the new extension now that the doors and windows have all got glass in them.

I've been un-knitting and reknitting the square I finished yesterday.  I found a Serious Error in the final pattern row. Luckily this wasn't too far down, so it's finished again now. 

It's a good job I like knitting. And reading, which is also filling quite a lot of the day...

Wednesday 9th September - too much...

1Well, too many contractors, too many questions, too many decisions, too many unsatisfactory answers...

Our usual two hup! installers arrived, and continued doing whatever they were doing. I hadn't understood that the wrong size glass was delivered for two remaining glazed roof panels, so now we wait for delivery of the correct items, promised for Monday... 

They removed two fence panels so that they could finish the cladding on that side. They have replaced them with temporary screws as they will have to be removed at least twice more. I would have thought it might have been better to leave them out, but hey... they've gone back in now.

Now they've done all they can until the roof glass arrives so that's that until Monday. More delays...

Meanwhile the builder in charge of the next phase rolled up with a plumber to sort out underfloor pipes to connect a new radiator and the new sink in due course. Plus the new shower room...

Much perusal and head scratching over the plans... I want a shower that I could be wheeled into, if it comes to that as my lung function decreases, which does complicate things. There's time to sort this out.

At one point I was wondering out loud if it this was all a great mistake, but James-the-builder gave me a big grin and assured me that come Christmas I'd be thinking it was a really really good idea. 

Well, that's some kind of an end date to aim for...

More chocolate needed...

I had three, yes THREE separate knitted squares for the collaboration with Ang lying forlornly waiting for their partners. Today I finished knitting the twin for one of them, so that's a win...

And I'm trying to finish one of the several books I am reading before getting stuck into another Tim Sullivan (but I have started it, so that resolution has rather gone by the bye!) 

Tuesday 8th September - losing weight

 That's weight off my mind, not so much off my hips...

I got very little done yesterday and and today. Sue in Suffolk is partly responsible for this as she recommended a new-to-me murder mystery writer, Tim Sullivan. I went onto the libby library app, and borrowed one of his books, 'The Teacher', and that was the rest of the day gone. I didn't want to stop until I had finished!

Then, in response to yet another email from HMRC about sending in a self-assessment tax return, I took a grip on myself, pulled myself together, nade a pot of tea (actually BB made it for me) and knuckles down. (I think that's probably enough clichés for the moment).

It took an hour, but I managed it. And felt a weight off my mind... it was worth getting it over and done with. 

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No new photographs of the extension. After all, how can you photograph glazing in the windows? All the windows, apart from the two remaining rooflights and the big triangular end window. So I'm hoping they will be finished, as far as possible, by the end of the week. We don't have any idea of when the fireproof opaque end window will be delivered, so they will most likely have to come back sometime.

Monday 7th September - last night's Prom concert

 Last night's Royal Albert Hall Prom concert on BBC 4 was amazing. It actually took place on Saturday 5th, but was broadcast on television on the Sunday. After a delightful  overture by Louise Farrenc (born 1804, died 1875), Martha Argerich performed  Beethoven's 2nd piano concerto with such flair, expression, clarity, delicacy, brilliance, and control that it was mesmerising. 

Hard to believe she is 85 years old, giving her first performance (Beethoven's 1st Piano Concerto) 77 years ago when she was very young. She must have played all Beethoven's  concertos hundreds of times, and  she made it sound completely fresh.

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More progress on the extension, mostly some kind of external cladding and fascia boards. On Wednesday they will want to take down the garden fence so they can finish they can work on that side. Luckily our neighbours are quite happy about it. They just have hard-standing and flower pots so we don't have to worry about tramplng in their flower beds.

I'm sure my gladioli shouldn't be drooping downwards like this! Perhaps I should have changed the water...

Sunday 6th September - Living water

 This was the theme of today's zoom church service. 

We've experienced both drought and downpour these past weeks, although in a very minor way compared to the serious killer droughts and downpours elsewhere in the world.

I counted; we have seven taps in our house delivering hot or cold fresh clean water whenever we want; another privilege not to be taken for granted.

One of my husband's twice daily jobs from as soon as he was strong enough to work the handle was to pump the water from the spring to the water tank in the house. They were blessed with a reliable source of fresh water filtered through acres and acres of peat Moor above the house.

This was one of the pieces of music in the service;

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I've spent the afternoon sitting at a garden table in the shell of the new extension enjoying the fresh, if slightly chill air. I can't wait for the time when I can meet our friends for coffee, or tea, or meals even, properly protected from the elements and at the same time with good through ventilation to avoid any risk of respiratory infection. 

Or just sit, with the windows open, and look at our garden... 

(Very wobbly drawing on my tablet using free bamboo app and the stylus that came with the tablet)

Saturday 5th September - playing happy families...

But first, Friday;

But even before Friday, Thursday 

Which was a four 'event' day... I usually try and stick to a limit of three 'events' per day. But I syarted with a shower, which counts as an event because I find it quite tiring, then had a lovely piano session with a student in the morning (and also sorted out some music for another student).  

The hup! installation team had an interruption to their teabreak when the legs on their worktable, with both of them sitting on it, and the tea tray between them, suddenly snapped. Everything thing and everyone landed in a heap; the people were unheard but sadly my old Brown Betty teapot from university days did not. Ah well, at least it was only an old teapot that broke, and not and arm or a leg.

Followed by some time spent cooking; lunch, and loading the crock pot. Batch cooking counts as a relatively minor event. 

The architect, and then the electrician, and then the man who will be doing the external rendering all came round too, one after another...

Finally I had the regular weekly zoom with my lovely church group friends. Whew.

So it's not surprising that Friday was a low-energy day.

Today, however, has been a wonderful day. I drew the 10-minute journal in the morning,  before the 'children' - adults, now, of course, got here 

So the future box describes a future that was only a few hours away... I'd had a bit of a planning crisis the previous day when I realised I didn't have oat milk, or dairy-free ice-cream or biscuits in the house. Thank heavens for on-linecgrocery orders... I just placed an order for delivery this morning, adding in the usual weekly shop. Hence the ❤️ box!

We had lunch all together inside the extension - what fun! 

With garden furniture and a table cloth and place settings and no glazing in any doors or windows it felt like a curious mixture of inside and outside dining. 

It was a lovely way to christen the space - a family meal together as we used to. Even when the room is finished and glazed it will be easy to arrange good ventilation for meeting people indoors when it's wet outside. 

They have also sorted through a lot more of the stuff in their old bedrooms, some to take back this time, some to donate or throw, and the rest to keep. Progress!

The weather was sunny amd dry (if a bit breezy) all day, perfect, and a great improvement on yesterday's rain. 

Thursday 3rd September - homemade

After some underwhelming supermarket ready meals last month, and earlier this week, I'm trying to go back to more cooking from scratch. It's easier, too with the cooler weather.

Yesterday, for supper, I made some vegetable soup, just a chopped carrot, onion, stick of celery all softened in olive oil and then cooked in stock with a dollop of tomato puree and dried herbs. I  added a tin of butter beans (drained and rinsed). There was enough for two days, so I served half the veg and all the liquid and put the rest in the fridge. (Lunch was homemade spaghetti with roasted courgettes).

Today I added more tomato, and quite a decent amount of cooked chicken and we had it for lunch with baked potatoes. Supper was a crustless quiche with bubble and squeak. 

I'm very pleased to have used up the eggs and pancetta which were approaching their 'use by' dates, and the leftover potatoes as well! I've also cooked a crockpot-full of minced beef, again, at it's 'use-by' date, to freeze and use in various recipes. 

I am feeling so virtuous!

Today's 10-minute journal;

Yesterday I dealt with bills, etc. Today I tried out my 'keep it handy' container of watercolours, brushes, lidded jar of water, pen etc first to colour the picture,  and later just to fiddle around with. I reckon this setup might suit for a quick few minutes dabbling.

Later in the morning; the first piano session of the new academic year! Good fun for both of us.

A friend came round yesterday evening with a bunch of five of the biggest gladioli stems I have ever seen. They are on the hearth in front of the fireplace and are easily taller than the fire surround! They have started coming out.

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Nothing much to add to the extension progress. They have been very busy all day doing what I xalk 'invisible work', fixing things in place, adding extra screws, fastening things down, tiling the roof, ready for tomorrow. 

Wednesday 2nd September - rainy, but good day

I'm thinking of having a darkish green back wall to the extension; not too dark, not to light, not too yellowy,  not to blue... time to look at paint charts. This feels very daring... we've always ysed light colours. The kitchen units are a pale shell grey,  as I remember. 

The day was cool, even cold at times to people who have been softened upby heatwaves. Frequent showers of rain too. The hup! installers moved the garden table and chairs from the patio to inside the extension so they could sit in the dry for their tea breaks.

The builder, who will be taking on the next phase, turned up with a long ladder. A nice bit of exemplary teamwork, one 'hupper' holding the ladder, and another passing the soil pipe up meant that it was replaced in minutes. He stayed to talk to the huppers about mysterious subjects like 'first fix' and he'll be able to send the electrician round to start work while the huppers are here. The electric cabling will run in the channels round the walls.

The window and door frames have indeed gone in today, as I hoped, ready for glazing.

The panels either side of the French windows are hinged at the side, for opening, but are also hinged at the bottom to tilt inwards. Two of the glazed roof lights will also open and close.

Tuesday 1st day of Autumn - and I'm back...

 I wasn't my normal self yesterday, but I'm OK today.

Yesterday morning after I had swallowed my morning pills and as I was putting things back, I noticed an inconspicuous little yellow tablet lying among the bits and pieces on the table. How long had that been there? Since this morning,  of for several days? Should I take it, or not? Would I be under-medicated if I left it, or over-medicated if I took it? It was obe of the two steroid tablets I take every morning. 

I left it, and forgot about it. 

As the day wore on, I felt more and more peculiar, dizzy, shakey, breathless... not like me at all... then I remembered the time, several years ago, when I had been asked to try geadually reducing my steroid dose to see if I could manage on less. At 5mg, I had felt dizzy, shake, breathless... so clearly that had been today's tablet. An early night helped 'sleep off' the effects, and today I'm fine. Phew!

Sadly I had to cry off the home-group Communion featured in Sunday's 10 minute journal (complete with bonus quote - I'm drawing these in my Commonplace Book). The top left picture shows me measuring the square I had nearly finished, only to find it was nearly seven inches instead of six inches wide. Sigh.

But we've arranged another date in September. The month is filling up already. 

Here's yesterday's 

BB put in another stint of transferring old compost from the old bin (which is broken) to the new one. One more time should complete the job, We're in no hurry, as smothering the kitchen scraps in wormy compost must be helping the stuff to sort itself out after the summer drying out disaster.

You really do get what you pay for with convenience foods. We have been consistently underwhelmed by recent jar and ready meals. This M & S gastropods lasagne was a cut above - less of the gloopy generic tomato sauce flavour, less salty, less sweet, less oily. And more expensive. Still, it isn't as though we eat out very often, and this was still cheaper for the two of us than a pub meal for one.

With the cooler weather I have made meals from scratch more often and we do prefer them to ready meals. And that's just the taste!

Today's also comes with a bonus;

I'm wondering what on earth I'm going to do with all the 6" knitted squares I'll end up with. I fancy a patchwork jumper. There are patterns for boxy jumpers knitted from four rectangles sewn together, front, back, and the other two pieces folded into sleeves. Something like 48 squares should do it, but I don't think Ang will want to keep the collaboration going for FOUR YEARS!