TV or no TV, that is the question

Well it is hard to believe that this time last year we had snow. It is very mild here, outside temperature at present 52f, (at around 4pm); the flowers are all still blooming out at the front, mainly the fuchsias, other shrubs are still producing flowers. The pink osteospermum out at the back is flourishing, and the copper one is producing more flowers too.The roses are not quite as prolific, but still budding. There was quite a strong breeze this morning though, which had us arriving at church a tad dishevelled. I was wearing a short jacket over a short sleeved jumper.
This week had been a bit of a mixture, grey days, but also some sunshine. On Monday I did not achieve much, mainly some house work and washing. I popped up to see Daughter on Monday afternoon to reunite Grandson with shoe. She too had had a slow day, I suppose it could be the constant greyness, I am thinking of getting out my lightbox again. Perhaps as well I didn't sleep as well as I thought at the weekend.
Wednesday was my busiest day I suppose, I went off to Weight watchers, then rushed around Sainsbury's. I had had a request for babyminding, as Daughter had an appointment with the hygienist and the dentist. I had lost another half pound this week, and we had the leader explaining the 'enhanced' programme to us. Nothing too startling, but we can continue with the established propoints values if we wish. So far I have experimented,  a sort of mix and match. On Wednesday I picked up a sandwich in Sainsbury's so that I could eat at Daughter's. I was pretty hungry, only having had fruit for breakfast. It's amazing what tricks I get up to on weighing days. Always wearing the same clothes, I have even been known to weigh underwear to check which is lightest; having a light breakfast, going to the loo just before weighing, how sad am I?
 I made it to Daughter's having spent less with no browsing time.  I had only forgotten Weetabix, which along with a banana is one of my staple breakfasts.
I am afraid I ate the sandwich, much to Nathaniel's disgust, at least it didn't have cucumber in it. I was just poking about in Daughter's fridge to see what I could give him for lunch, as she had left no instructions, when she arrived back home. She took over Nat's lunch arrangements and after a short chat I headed home to unpack the shopping  Later that afternoon I started to assemble the kitchen cupboard. This is the one that spent a year in my boot. I had brought it indoors, unpacked it and moved it into the spare room, out of N's way. I armed myself with a screwdriver, my glasses, the screws, brackets, instructions etc and set about assembling it.  Oh boy, I kept losing the screwdriver, then the instructions, eventually I had the carcase together, but despite using the pre-drilled holes the top is not level or the edges, and one of the holes in the back is too small for the bracket. Husband has looked at it, and said he would like to have a go at it, but when is anyone's guess. I would like to get it up before Mum in Law's next visit, as she was asking me about it last weekend.
On Thursday I was just about on time to pick up Nathaniel. I discovered I need eyes in the back of my head. Husband has  a plastic storage box with stuff in it, including a laptop.  Nathaniel climbed into said box  and stood on the laptop in order to reach Grandad's radios and scanners, to press all of the buttons. However on Friday just as I reprimanded him, he toppled out of the box, no harm done, just hurt pride, but will he have learned his lesson?. He also loves the baby monitor which has stars on it and plays tunes. It seems nothing is now out of his reach. Although he can't quite reach the monitor now I have moved it to the window sill.
We went shopping for newspapers and Weetabix, and I took him to a playground near where Daughter used to live.All of the equipment was wet however, so we came back. He didn't fall asleep in the buggy. He had his  meal, during which he demonstrated how good he is getting with a fork.
He needed a nap after lunch, so I missed Women's Hour at church. Later, I did wonder whether I could get away with watching a DVD whilst he played, but as I switched the TV on the screen died. I tried again, still no joy.  I didn't think it could  have been the remote ,with which N had been playing, and I was right. Still, we had had it 10 years, it didn't owe us anything. We only watched videos on it anyway.
Nathaniel had eggybread and beans for tea and seemed to enjoy it.

Mmmm, beans!

When it came to getting him ready for home however, I could only find one shoe. Not again! I knew they were both in the house, I remember taking them off before his nap. I searched high and low, with no joy. I searched again, praying as I searched, suddenly I decided to check the nappy bag. There it was in the bottom! Well I certainly hadn't put it there! In the rush to get him home I forgot to pick up the key to Daughter's house. I phoned husband when I got there, he had passed and seen no lights on, so had gone home. He agreed to meet me in our garage area with the key, so I didn't have to get Nathaniel out of the car again. I eventually arrived back at Daughter's a few minutes before she arrived home.
On Friday we went for our walk from the paper shop round on to the canal bank, the tent on the opposite bank near the playing fields had gone, so whoever was camping out there has decided to move on, perhaps the nights got  a bit too cold. We went into the play area from the canal side, and the equipment was dry. there was another child a bit younger than Nathaniel in there, and he was so fascinated to see another child that he kept on turning his head whilst on the swing. I chatted to the young Mum that he was with for a while, he is only 1 year old. She told me how much she had to pay for nursery fees on the days her boy goes, so I am glad to be available to save the family some money.
Nathaniel was desperate to climb the steps of the slide but I dissuaded him, as I was sure he would slip through, but I put him on about half way up, and he managed a few good slides. The other little boy was by the plastic tunnel, and he soon showed Nathaniel what fun it was to crawl through.  I had to  carry him away in the end after several goes, his hands were filthy! Back home I gave him his lunch then a yoghurt, but soon noticed that his eyes were closing. between mouthfuls. The end effect was this:

Eating yoghurt is so tiring

So I took him upstairs and lowered him into the cot, he briefly woke up as I set the baby monitor, but not for long. He managed a good 2 and a quarter hours. I had a  short nap, then got on with some tidying.

 This time I had taken his shoes off and placed them on top of the shoe rack in the hall, so that when I came to dress him ready for home after tea, I knew exactly where they were. I was more organised, got him home earlier, and Grandad came for some play, although he refused to hide and shout Boo as he had for me the day before, (Nathaniel that is, not Grandad!) Daughter was home earlier too, and we chatted then came home for  a dinner of Mackerel, potatoes and peas.

On Saturday we took the old TV to the dump then set off  for Watford, where we bought a flat screen. There were a lot of people in the TV dept at John Lewis,I was astounded at how much some of the bigger TVs cost. J L have a collection service, so we did the rest of our shopping, then went back to their restaurant. M&S cafe had an enormous queue. We then just strolled over collected the TV and off to put it in the car, then home. I was very tired and trying to doze off whilst husband put the TV in its usual place, and connected the video player. He was hunting for the DVD remote, and making so much noise that I gave up on my doze, and started hunting through the toybox. Yes, it was in there. Well where else would you look with a toddler sometimes in the house?

He began watching the Steve Mcqueen collection DVD, the Sand Pebbles, which we had been halfway through before the other TV packed up. You can tell it is a 60s film as it had an intermission. The only time I have seen a film with an interval in recent years was when it was too hot in Scarborough, so we went to see Pirates II to keep cool. They had one reel and had to change halfway through.  The usherette even came out with ice creams, those were the days! I phoned my sister, cooked dinner, and settled down with the papers. I had a bad night, couldn't sleep, then when I did awoke coughing. My cattarh is bad, so after getting up, taking inhalers, making a cuppa, I took some cough mixture, going back to bed at 4.15 am. Husband's alarm started at about 5, but after that I slept till nearly 9.

Two good sermons at church and some good hymns, husband's tum was gyppy , so at the last minute he decide to say at home this evening, and downloaded a sermon from the internet instead. Quite a clear sky and  a cold evening, with fireworks nearby accompanying the sermon. Some folk obviously have money to burn. Only 4 weeks now till Christmas, I just wish I could work up some enthusiasm. Must go now as it's late and I need to sleep, have a good week all.