“I have put a surprise recipe in the envelope for you to try, Barbara. The end is nigh, only three spinach balls left! Hooray! Thank you Postal Workers” was today’s message on the back of the envelope from Catherine. The recipe was Halloumi Burgers with Courgette and Onions. She knows how much I dislike Halloumi; there is an evil streak to my Aunt!! So today’s tea towel has to be the present from her daughter, Amanda, who has also tried to tempt me with Halloumi (they will never succeed!!!)
7 November 2020
“Cladding looks great, now waiting for the roofer to finish the smaller roof. Saturday evening Amanda came round and we had a Takeaway Chinese, my first, I think, since last year. Yes, it was delicious. Amanda stayed for a couple of hours, but had to get back to her cats, as Wade was working this Saturday. The fireworks have been horrendous this week. I was more frightened than the cats were. The ‘bomb’ ones are so loud. It was lovely seeing Amanda, plus I got some sausages they don’t like, some potatoes and, of course, a big box of cat food!
8 November 2020
Sunday, a quiet day, after giving Tilly, Tinker and Blackie their breakfast, I actually went back to bed for a couple of hours and watched ‘Blue Bloods’, love this series.
9 November 2020
Today, delivery day, Amanda had put a joint of beef in it. I can’t remember when I last bought a joint. Cats are in for a treat, they have cod fillets. I cooked a batch of mince meat for the freezer, dry-fried it on the lowest heat and promptly forgot all about it. Thank goodness for Tinker’s nose; she was incessantly sniffing the air. It wasn’t burnt, though they say that if you dry-fry for a very long time, it tastes better. These days you have to put a lot of flavourings in, for it to taste of anything!
I put the wrong wheelie bin out. Never done that before. Managed to change them in the nick of time. Watched Question Time, Matt Hancock was on, talking about the vaccine. I have no confidence in this man at all. Someone suggested he and Members of Parliament test the vaccine first but he declined, not in the age group to receive it first. I would want them to test it first, to make sure it’s ok.
10 November 2020
I seem to be back into baking. So far, I have made two honey and fruit loaf cakes. It’s dietary as there is no sugar or fat in it. Of course, when you slice it and smother it with butter, it’s no longer dietary! And I also made pastry for a meat pie, can’t remember when I last did that. Days are different now. I still do the usual things, cat trays, feeding myself and the cats. Amanda has been phoning twice a day, also a couple of people have phoned but I seem to have lost the art of conversation, that’s unusual for me! (Lockdown Number 2 does seem to be different this time. I think it’s because we have lost those things we love so much, twice now).
Watching a lot of television, even more than before, Christmas films at least twice a day. I did watch the documentary ‘The Frank Gardner Story’, how his life had changed after he was shot in Saudi Arabia. The other documentary I watched was ‘Inventing the Impossible, the Big Fix’, making lives easier for people who were severely disabled. A group of young people who are into electronics and who are enthusiastic about their work. They helped a youngster steer a boat with his eyes. It was amazing.
11 November 2020
Desperate time for Tinker this morning. She had her nose under her mat, pushing it along, looking for any old bits of food she had missed! I keep telling her she’s on a diet. I managed to let the hoover motivate me into hoovering. I did upstairs, looks ok, dust is still waiting to be dusted. We’ll get there. I have three more weeks till I can go out properly. It’s been a long week.
12 November 2020
Amanda’s Pilates Classes are doing very well on Zoom, very pleased for her. It’s lucky I haven’t got Zoom or else I’d be doing it! Amanda picked up my medication from Boots and has managed to get me some kitchen scissors from a supermarket, desperate for some. My old ones have had it. Also I would like a ‘timer’ as I keep forgetting I have stuff on the hob.
14 November 2020
I went down the shop and got my newspaper, came back, and I took couple of magazines down to Christine’s, posted them through the letterbox. Two walks in one day. Must be a record. Phone call from Wade. Roofer not coming as it’s raining. Might be this afternoon or Monday. I heard a noise outside and it was the man to do the roof. At that time it had stopped raining. I made him some tea and he got on with the job. Looking out of the bathroom window, the roof is really nice and smart.
At 1pm, Tinker and I decided to go for a nap, not feeling that well this week, a rest would do me good. Would like to say that Tinker takes up most of the bed. We had Lucozade and Fruit Pastilles, in case we felt peckish. At some point I must have fallen asleep. The phone rang, it was Christopher, so nice to hear from him. Broke up the afternoon.
I got Mr Sheen out of the cupboard and dusted the bookcase. My bookcase is my pride and joy, loads of cat ornaments on it, photo of Amanda and her dad, books of course and a snow globe that Amanda gave me years ago, a Santa scene and the tune ‘Santa’s coming to town”
15 November 2020
Out in the garden, sticking some plastic on the greenhouse with tape. The wind was suddenly so fierce, couldn’t wait to get back in the house. Then it just stopped. Very weird.
17 November 2020
Having breakfast and watching another Christmas movie, one I haven’t seen. They seem to repeat them all at weekends. Amanda phoned. She and Wade are going for a long walk around Harlow. They went via Sainsbury and bought Tilly 58 tins of cat food.
I had a funny dream last night. I was in a car going to my own funeral, Christopher was driving. Amanda was in the back seat. I was in the middle in my dressing gown, next to my coffin which was covered in hay. We were going to a field near Chelmsford, then I woke up. I told Amanda and she said I wouldn’t be going in my dressing gown anyway. I wonder what I will be wearing then!!!
PS: The joint of beef was delicious, just how I remembered it. Tinker, Tilly and Blackie enjoyed the last remnants of it. They are entitled to a treat now and again.
Thanks Catherine for today’s Diary. I know Lockdown Number 2 is difficult but Christmas movies do help!!
Virtual Tea Towel Museum 