Sad News!

Just having our breakfast today and the phone went. Vin hurried off to answer it and wasn't baack for a while so I knew it wasn't a rubbish call. It was a friend from down the road to say that her husband had died on Monday. He was a man that I spent years sharing a car with on our journey to our school in Kirkby. A real shame.

Jane has just rung up for a chat and said that the Estate Agent who are doing the arrangements for the house she has seen say that they will only do viewings if she deals with their mrtgage advisor. Her advisor says that it is a bit naughty but not illegal, unless they force you to go with them . She has made an appointment for Friday at four so will see what happens . It is a nice house near to one that she had fallen in love with before Christmas but just lost out on by a few thousand. She has a great deosit saved, done really well Bless her. 

Our Jessie woke her Daddy up at some ungodly hour this morning while it was still dark but he terned over and she gave up. Came back later miaowing so he got up then to feed her. talk about as cute as a cartload of monkey's!

Having a little rest now after all that hard work!

 

Brrrr!

It is like somebody has turned the thermostat down today. really cold this morning. We were up and at em early to prepare for the podiatry man the very nice Mark who arrived about ten to ten this morning. he is very regular actually, normally around half past nine or thereabouts.  Sometimes a bit earlier but more often than not a bit later. 

Jessie of course does her usual disapearing act when the vacuum cleaner gets going. Normally upstairs under Jane's bed which is her preferred spot.  She has a little safety spot where she goes off to when she is threatened by things like the doorbell or the vacuum! Or maybe a big marauding cat like Jack from next door. 

Start of another boring week really, nothing exciting to go to or visit. Even our little visit to Costa last week was low key with staff in masks and distancing, nowhere near as interesting as it used to be.  Tables wiped before you go in and wiped down when you have left, makes you feel like a leper!  Not much people watching because there is no-one there to watch!

All the news at the moment is of the students especially around some of the large University towns like manchester and Liverpool. Must admit I do feel for them, there was all the trouble over the exams, now they have made it to their universities and they are locked in because many of them have tested positive for the virus. Pictures on the news about students posting notices on their windows asking for food etc., good job they have parents some of them were seen to have driven miles to take food supplies to sons and daughters. Aaah!

 Is it safe yet? I might come out if it is. Everyone gone and all quiet again?

Numbers Rising Again!

Fears of a second wave are proving right at the moment,  students going to University and the result of that is certainly affecting some areas. Round here manchester and Liverpool seem to be badly hit with a lot of students from both universities being badly hit. Some of them are talking about online tutoring, don't know how that would work, can't see it happening for the practical courses anyway. They have had a tugh year, these present students, with the trouble over their A level exams it can't haave been easy.

Weather supposed to be coler this week with more Autumn touches. The trees are beginning to look a bit more colourful anyway and dropping leaves, but they were doing that in the summer with all of the dry weather. Next door have a load of scoffolding on the back of their house. not for them it is actually for the house adjoining theirs. Very sporadic work on it though, but as Vin says they are probably working on a couple of jobs at the same time. 

We are not planning to go out anywhere at the moment, with the rules to stay in where possible, and the fact that places are very much reduced, it would have been nice to go to Dobbies one of our little haunts, but maybe not at the moment. The free coffees do not tempt us at present either. 

Jessie is used to us being at home and is very attached to her daddy, as long as he is around she is happy. Blissfully aware thatanything is going on, and no masks toworry about. nice life really. 

Nice comfy place to sleep and a warm Daddy's lap to settle on and she is hapy!

 

Lockdown Again!

Sort of a lockdown. Kind of puts you off going out anywhere really, unless it seems if you are a student attending University. Pictures in the papers this morning of parties of young ones behaving as they used to before the virus happened. One photograph of a queue outside the Sainsbury's in Fallowfield which is not far from where our jane lives. Are they paqnic buying? Who knows.  Wouldn't like to be in the store with all that lot though!

Podiatry man yesterday morning, and Jessie did her usual trick of disappearing when the doorbell went. He still hasn't seen her yet.  He probably thinks we are a pair of soft old bats with an imaginary pet!! Today is an ordinary day with no appointments going on, although I did get a phone call from the surgery to go for another blood test in two weeks and to ring up in the middle of next week to get an appointment at litherland again. that's not a problem  at least it is easier to get to than Aintree. 

The Hotel over the road was opened yesterday. I was trying to look at a menu this morning but doesn't really seem to be one, not yet anyway at least not one I can read. Vin says he's seen one and it looks very expensive. There were some people milling around last night so  some interest anyhow. today  there are new rules that they must close at ten so that won't help. It all looks very nice anyway, they have had a big refurbishment and now looking very different from how it used to.

Jessie was up on the bed very early this morning,  then went off. came back later when she really did want feeding.

I am hiding but will come out when really hngry then he will feed me!

More Blood !

Another blood test today, this time for the village surgery over the road. Seems that it couldn't be done at the hospital where i went for another one on Tuesday because the computers are not linked up! make it a l;ot easier if it was! The surgery told us to go to Litherand but when we thought about it we didn't know whether it was the Town hall or the Sefton Road one. So Vin rang up the sefton road one and was told we were not on the list so it must be the other one. Off we went to the Town Haall. Quite busy, everybody in masks, a sea of blue masks all over, horrible things they steam your glasses up, but needsmust i suppose. Waited a while then it appeared that we were not on their computer, but we had the letter, and Vin explained that he had rung up first and was told we were on their list so he put us on. Waited a while socially distancing of course then went in. Done and dusted in a few minutes and off home.

Just  got a phone call from somebody asking if i had been for my blood test? Sort of like Big Brother!

Jrssie was waiting in the middle room when we got home she probably has had a sleep and now wants more food!

 Always ready for a tasty little morsel! Or two!

Oooh An Outing!!

I needed to get a blood test done at Aintree for the renal people so off we went there yesterday. Parked outside the front of the elective care building and Vin got me up to the right floor, we both had temps taken, both fine then went along to the test. Both the regular girls on duty so got done quickly. Vin had left me to go and move the car if necessary  but it appeared that no-one was looking at them so he came back inside to the lifts. By this time I had come out from the lfts to find Vin standing there, just like last time. Touch of deja vu! Since it was a reasonable time we went along the by-pass and ended up at Costa in Freshfield and went in for our first Costa since March!!! Unbelievable. Tables all spread out,  and someone cleaning them down everytime a person leaves. Very nice coffees, I had my flat white, and Vin had a latte with hazelnut flavour syrup and soya milk. We enjoyed those. 

Home then to get changed and our lunch etc.,

Today he has gone off to Formby to get his hair cut if possible, and then on to Tesco. He has just rung up to say he had got it done. So that is good.  Now gone off to Tesco  to get the weekly shopping.

Jessie is behaving as normall trying to trip me up on  the stairs. Her little joke. 

I'll get you sometime.

 

Best Laid Plans!

Best laid plans indeed!  The original plan for today was to get my foot done by the ever reliable mark the podiatry man, and then go to Aintree to get my blood test done for the Aranesp/renal people.  However, a problem arose because Vin was looking at the Echo website and noticed there had been a bad car crash on the Ince Woods road and there was traffic congestion. Knowing the roads as we do that means the roads are usually snarled up for all the area around thaat.  So that has cobbled that idea and we will go on another day. I am already booked into the clinic at formby to get one done for the surgery over the road on Thursday at formby so it is a blood taking week at it turns out. 

Little Jessie came up to see her daddy very early this morning, when i say very early I do mean early, still dark. He said she got into a very comfy position on him  purring and everything and at one point was nuzzling his hand. Then she went off, didn't require feeding just had come for a cuddle. Aaah!  She did come back much later though and this time meant business wanting feeding this time, and when she wants food she is very deterined. Got her daddy wrapped round her little paws though and off he goes when demanded! Proper soft with her he is.

 Very  hard to resist! 

Somebody Wants Blood!

Sounds like the title of a thriller novel, but people are after my blood! Vin got a text this morning to ring the surgery to arrange a blood test to check up on a variety of levels. The other one is a renal one to be done at Aintree for the Aranesp , that crops up with mnotonous regularity! Ah well, what it is to be wanted. 

Otherwise everything quite quiet at the western front. Not a lot doing at all, and the lockdown continues with social gatherings cancelled for more than six people. There are worries about Christmas now, seems likely that families will not be able to have their gatherings. Doesn't bother us because we don't have a big family, but I can see how it would affect others. 

The Easyyo yoghurt arrived the other day so Vin made a pack up last night. Delivered very quickly actually, ordered on Saturday came on Wednesday. not bad going that.  lovetheir yoghurt, nice creamy greek style with honey flavour. best one.

Jessie is living her life in a social bubble,just me her daddy and her! She keeps happy, as long as she is fed and watered she is sorted!

 Best s3eat in the house says I !

Eye Eye!

Off out yesterday to the eye screening clinic at Litherland Town Hall. The appointment was for 2.30 in the afternoon, this after the podiatrist in the morning. weather was a bit rainy so put a coat on, left at two o'clock thinking that would be plenty of time. Actually the traffic was terrible, one of the roads we use has had the traffic lanes altered and it has snarled everything up causing traffic delays. All definitely seems to be back to normal now, kids are back at school, and as we were passing one particular schol there were already buses waiting and this was only two o'clock! The kids hardly seem to be in school these days. Remember when the school day finished at four thirty? no more, seems to be about two thirty now!  So we hit school traffic going and then coming home as well. 

The eye screening went ok except for the fact that I had a coughing fit as i got in there!! The man said how long have you had that? i replied  only just now, he took the temp but that was fine so he carried on. Eye test first then the eye drops, worst part then back in for the photo part in twenty minutes. He kept saying keep you forehead on the bar, like I was a naughty schoolgirl! All done and out and home by around three to a lightlunch, yoghurt and crisps. 

Jessie waiting for us when we got home, probably wanted some food top up! and a cuddle from her Daddy!

 Little light conversation with her daddy! They do talk to each other, he is always chatting to her in the kitchen and she miows in return!

Monday Again!

Quite a grey day but not raining yet. If it is monday at the morning it is usually the podiatry visit, so it is up early to get organised. At least Vin gets us organised i just get ready. He was a bit later than usual today and didn't come till about half past ten, no idea why he is usually around half past nine, but no matter, we aren't going anywhere till this afternoon. 

We have an appointment at litherland Town Hall for a Diabetic eye screening, it is usually done either yearly or six months depending n what they want. The last one was booked for the eye clinic at Aintree, but it was slap bang in the middle of the pandemic so we cancelled that and the latest one is nearer home at our usual place which is handier. 

Vin went off to sainsbury's in Crosby yesterday which he said wasn't bad. He got some more things that we needed, , he was a bit worried about going in case they were working on the Little crosby road but apparently they weren't so it was all clear. 

On Saturday we got a lovely parcel from Ann in Australia. In it was the most beautiful album of all the photographs used in a slide show at John't funeral, some of which I hadn't seen for a long time, a lot of memories there. very pleased to receive that, it is absolutely lovely. 

Jessie of course did her usual disappearing act when the vacuum got going before the podiatry man came, under Jane's bed as she always does. Propwer scaredy cat. 

 I'm Off!  No time to wait!

Another Week!

here we are again! Another week done and over with. Covid still causing trouble, holiday destinations cancelled, shops closing, Costa dropping 1,500 jobs, because of low footfall these days. towns and cities apparently are far too quiet with workers preferring to work at home rather than commute out to work. There seems to be a movement to try to get people back to working but a reluctance to do so. Remains to be seen whether the winter will make a difference when people see their electric and heating bills rise!

The schools are back this week at varying times,  Vin said he saw a schoolboy yesterday in a blazer! that is a sight we haven't seen for an age.around about six months all in all. A long time! There has been a continual showing on the local news of the measures that schools are taking to safeguard children. what a change this year. Remains to be seen what will happen in the future.

Not a lot doing in our house this week, two appointments on Monday coming, the podiatry man due in the morning, and then a Diabetic eye screening in the afternoon. "We cancelled the last one which was way back in March at the eye clinic in Aintree because we didn't feel that was safe, it was right in the middle of the pandemic. this ne is at Litherland town hall where we have been before and is much closer and easier to get to. 

Jessie is still leading her lovely little life, she gets fed when she wants it finds a sleeping place when she wants one and wakes her Daddy up when she wants attention. Felt her on the bed this morning for a while in the pitch dark, and then she jumped off having failed to get him up and obeying her wishes!

Come on wake up sleepy head! I need my breakfast!

Hare's and Rabbits!

The first of September already! gosh where has the year gone, No doubt there will be a Christmas rush soon! 

Feels like Mnday today except that yesterday was a Bank Holiday so it is actually Tuesday, no doubt that will throw us out all week! My podiatry man came today instead of Monday, but it is back to normal next week. He dressed the toe put another dressing on it and covered that up, and he was gone by ten. He is quick when he gets here.  He still hasn't seen our Jessie, she does a disappearing act when the vacuum cleaner gets going, usually upstairs  to go under Jane's bed, she must feel safe there while there is a "stranger" in the house! None of our cats have liked the noise of the vacuum cleaner suppose it must be the loud noise down on the ground near to where they are. Poor Jessie!

One cat in hiding, nearly!