Project 365 2022 Week 40-42 Day 275 -295 Another 3-week round-up – somehow I’ve been away on Saturdays recently so the post hasn’t been ready to publish on a weekly basis.

Sunday 2nd October – Day 275

Turned out to be quite a nice day weather-wise.  I went for a walk first thing and then had a quiet day at home tracking my friend as she ran the London Marathon.  The menfolk disappeared to a local model railway exhibition and got back just in time to track her last couple of miles with me.

Monday 3rd October – Day 276

Another sunny, but chilly day.  Pippi had the devil in her this morning and wouldn’t leave Brewster alone.

Tuesday 4th October – Day 277

Our EHICs expired yesterday so I needed to apply for the new UK version today.  Doesn’t negate the need for proper travel insurance but is good to have when travelling within the EU.

Do love our latest Lego acquisition from One More Brick that we bought on Saturday.

Wednesday 5th October – Day 278

You’d be forgiven for thinking that our apple tree produces the most amazing apples.  We get a lot but they are all minute – no idea why.

It was a day off spent doing jobs but I started the day at the dentist – how lucky am I!  At least that went ok and he’s happy not to refer me to a specialist at the moment.  I sorted some stuff out in the garage and donated a load of bits to my son’s old school.

Thursday 6th October – Day 279

Sunshine through the window.  I worked late to cover a meeting and didn’t leave the house today.

Friday 7th October – Day 280

I went for a walk around the block before work, and when I’d finished for the day I met up with a couple of friends for another walk around Stoke Wood.  It was just the tonic I needed right now.

Saturday 8th October – Day 281

I headed up to Derbyshire to spend the weekend with my bestie and the menfolk headed to a model railway exhibition. My friend and I had dinner in a local pub and when we left to walk home we were greeted by a stunning moon.  My phone pic doesn’t do it justice at all.

Sunday 9th October – Day 282

Pippi had been keeping the bed warm for me when I got home.

Monday 10th October – Day 283

We’ve had a real battle recently with my aunt’s care home funding, getting the right authority to pay, and getting a rebate for funds that we are owed. No one seems to do their job properly and it has been beyond frustrating.

Someone from her local authority finally called me back talking sense and we finally got one issue resolved. The mind boggles about the wasted public money if the standard of service we’ve experienced is the norm.

Throw the DWP into the mix and it’s been a world of ‘joy’.  After being cut off after 1 x 30 minutes on hold, I finally got through to someone who then told me they were only dealing with agreed callbacks.  Well, I’ve been cut off once by one of your colleagues after my first 30-minute wait, and I’ve been on hold for another 30 minutes now.  Oh ok, we can call you back, you need to be available anytime until 7.30 pm tonight.  Well, I did get a call back at 6.50 pm and the matter was resolved.  If they’d just sent a covering letter with the documents they’d returned to me I’d have been saved all the agro.

Just the care home headquarters to get sorted now.

I snapped a shot of the moon before I headed to bed.  Really should have got the tripod out, but it’ll do.

Tuesday 11th October – Day 284

A blue skies kind of day and once work was finished I headed into the garden to do some jobs including clearing a mass of leaves dumped across the garden by one of the trees behind our houses.  We’re still waiting for the council to confirm what they intend to do about the tree that now really overhangs our garden but is above head height.  As much as it’s lovely to see the birds, the tree is just too big now and apparently wasn’t one planted originally when the estate went up, so who knows how we ended up with a sycamore there.

Wednesday 12th October – Day 285

I’d got the shopping done first thing and headed over to Stowe to get some fresh air.  I’d planned to walk out to Wolfe’s Obelisk but spotted a footpath and decided to follow it for a while.  I knew I couldn’t go too far as I’d not taken water or lunch with me, but it gave me an idea for a future ramble.

Thursday 13th October – Day 286

After work, I was back out in the garden sorting some of the shrubs out front and back.  Pippi decided to give me a hand.

Friday 14th October – Day 287

Haven’t seen squirrels along the back fence for ages but managed to snap this one as he scampered past this morning.

Saturday 15th October – Day 288

The OH took the day off and we headed up to Churnet Valley Railway for the first time for his early birthday treat. Unfortunately, the motorways were awful, the M42 was shut so we went across-country to the M6 and that was nose to tail which meant we arrived 8 minutes after the train had departed with a 3-hour wait for the next service.  Thankfully the weather was good so we went for a walk to explore the area and found the canal wharf basin and lime kilns.

The steam loco journey was lovely, a good two-hour round trip with beautiful scenery.  Worth the wait!

We opted for the M1 on the return journey and drove across-country again to join it.  It wasn’t to be the third time lucky as there was an accident on this motorway too.  We were all shattered by the time we got home.

Sunday 16th October – Day 289

We were shattered after yesterday’s adventure so we decided to have a home day and a roast dinner complete with braised red cabbage, which I just love!

Monday 17th October – Day 290

I had a telephone review with my Thyroid clinic consultant after work. We discussed my latest test results which have surprised everyone.  The result means no surgery for the time being but I’ll be having a bone density scan to check that there’s no sign of osteoporosis.  If that comes back clear then I’ll just have six monthly blood tests to keep an eye on things.  I will have to have an operation at some point but at the moment the health benefits aren’t great enough.  Good enough for me.

Captured the start of the sunset tonight.

Tuesday 18th October – Day 291

It was a lovely sunny day today, so once I’d finished work I went out into the garden to rake some of the sycamore leaves up that are falling from this tree.  I’ve now nearly filled our wheelie bin over the last week.  Wonder if I can charge the council to clear their leaves up?  Still waiting for them to come out and assess the overhanging branches we’ve complained about.

Wednesday 19th October – Day 292

Our special person was feeling well enough for a window visit so I popped over to see her for an hour.  She’s amazing but the reality of seeing where we are with things is hard to see.  She’s far braver than I am.

I’d decided to pop up to Upton House for a walk to clear my head but the gardens were shut because of the winds.  So I settled for lunch instead and then headed home.

My son’s school report awaited me.  A solid first half term in Year Eight.

Thursday 20th October – Day 293

I should just admit defeat, shouldn’t I? As I’m working I can see lots of yellow leaves fluttering to the ground.  The lawn will be totally yellow come the weekend.

Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister at 1.30 pm today.  Not a surprise after the chaos of the last few weeks but they’re already talking about Boris coming back.  Jesus, hasn’t he caused enough damage?  If only a general election was an actual possibility, although the time that would take away from actually dealing with the mess we are in doesn’t fill me with joy either.

We had a video call with my son’s form tutor this afternoon, not something that school did last year, so it was the first time to ‘meet’ her. She was very complimentary about my son, told me there was a real drive on attendance this year and I told her my son had probably only had 5-6 days out of school since he started in Nursery and a couple of those were down to Covid in July,

Friday 21st October – Day 294

 

A day of light showers and then torrential showers, one of which decided to arrive when I was trying to get home after work. Joy.  Luckily it was dry for my son when he came out of school on the last day of term. But it rained on and off all evening.

I needed to pick up Brewster’s flea treatment from the Vet.  There’s been a shortage for months now, I used to be able to get six months in one go, but now it’s only a month at a time.  Yet another Brexit issue no doubt.

Saturday 22nd October – Day 295

One of these cats is old and wise and knows to stay indoors as much as possible when the weather is bad, one of them is young and hasn’t grasped the fact that rain equals getting very wet.  She was adamant she was staying out in the rain when I went to bed last night, so she’s sleeping it off today.

It’s a year today since we lost our BIL and my SIL wanted us all to be together to celebrate his life so we’re off out later for a meal with all of the family and a few gin and tonics will be drunk in his honour.

What have you been up to recently?