January Jottings

A day or so after Mum in law had gone home, I started getting cold symptoms. I probably picked up something form the grandchildren. We didn't do anything much on New Year's eve, I was late to bed because of the fireworks, but even they finished earlier than usual.
On new Year's Day someone from the church organised a walk but I was in no fit state to go. Husband went on his own. I developed a real hacking cough,and was feeling really rough.
I couldn't sleep through coughing, and one night came down and did all the puzzles in the newspaper, till eventually the coughing subsided, and I returned to bed at 4 am.
The weather has been variable, very cold, then very wet, or occasionally a bit milder. We've had some lovely sunny days, a couple of brief snow showers but nothing much.
I have concentrated on walking rather than bike riding, having been out a couple of times only since Christmas. Although we have ventured further than before. Husband has been out twice without me. The first time was when  had to go up to the post office to check the size of our Son's Birthday card. It began to rain as I started the walk, then got heavier, the rain was at my back. I did toy with the idea of getting the bus back down, but then it stopped. When I eventually got home, I was greeted by a very wet husband, who had started his bike ride before the rain came. We both had to change onto dry trousers,and my shoes took 3 days to dry.

Frozen canal, on a bike ride

'heron' looking as if it has been carved from tree

heron on canal bank

Real heron on tree, the other was a decoy! Some deterrent!

Our Son spent his Birthday this year visiting his Grandma, whom he hadn't seen for a while. I had given him his present a couple of weeks before.  Grandma was enchanted with Ethan, last time she saw him he wasn't walking.
It was on our Son's Birthday that I developed a sore throat and started  explosive sneezing. I had read an article called 'Whatever happened to the sick bed', which extolled the virtues of resting rather than soldiering on. I decided to put it into practice, no one would have wanted me in church with my noisy sneezes, and nose blowing, so I stayed put. This cold, coming on the heels of the hacking cough, somewhat poleaxed me anyway. I did try to get out for short walks whilst it was at it's worst, but my legs told me when I'd had enough. The night time coughing started again, but has now abated. I'm at the stuffed up, hoarse stage, now, and out and about, but husband now is in the full blown stage, so he stayed home this last Sunday. One of the ladies at church commented that we were rather like the old fashioned weather people, when one is out the other is in!
I forgot to mention that I got a letter dated 27th December, to say that the lady we used to visit in Chester, Ruby, had gone to be with the Lord in the early hours, she was 94, had had lots of falls and used to say she thought that God had forgotten her. She has now got her wish, and has joined her husband. the funeral was to be a private family one, so I didn't have to worry about taking my germs to others.
They were very good to me when we were in the church at Chester, as I was involved with Covenanters after the morning service, they had me at their home for lunch every Sunday, unless they were away. They also had many students there too, I have many happy memories of those days.

I've had difficulty in buying 1 litre bottles of thin bleach lately, the 2 litre bottles don't fit in my cupboard, and with little people around it can be hazardous to leave them in a corner. We had a trip to Berkhamsted, as I saw that Waitrose still did them, but the shelf was empty. Last Saturday, I ventured to the St Albans store, Eureka! I bought 3 bottles, 2 of which I will store in the spare garage. Having also bought my favourite yoghurts there, I parked in a long layby, ate my sandwich,and then decided to walk across the park into St Albans. I slipped on mud twice, but then managed to get into a good stride. Across the park, popped into the cafe, too long a queue for coffee, so pressed on. However having walked round the lake, and started up the hill to the Abbey, my legs began to object. I reflected I had no money spare to spend, so who needed the shops?

 I turned around, back into the park, round the rest of the lake, then up and across back to the car. It was sunny but bitterly cold, so I blew some cobwebs away. I worked out I had been walking for an hour, so drove home. I had a cup of coffee at home.

The park

I was about to doze off after a cup of coffee, when husband arrived home from his walk into town.
Earlier this month, I was cleaning  a bit of mould from the window frame in our bedroom and I notice that abit of the woodchip paper was torn, I've always undestood it was hard to remove, so though I'd just take it off round the window, ha! Once I started I couldn't stop, so now need to remove all the paper and redecorate. The room has so much furniture that we may have to move into a B&B  whist we repaint, happy days!