Got a bit delayed in posting Catherine’s Diary this week because of my tea towels making an appearance on ‘Steph’s Packed Lunch’ on Channel 4 last Wednesday. Deciding on what tea towels to take was easy; sorting them out onto their correct hangers when I got back was so difficult. But here I am, ready to post Catherine’s Diary (49) and as an apology I will use the tea towel that I was given by Steph as the ‘Headliner’. I am so glad that the apostrophe is in the correct place.
As usual, there were two letters last week, one to me with a note on the back of the envelop “Keep forgetting to use Tipex so it’s the usual suspects, squashed in words, probably ‘dots’ and ‘commas’ in the wrong places. Thank you Postal Workers”. The second envelope was to Isabella, the cat, from Tilly, Tinker, Blackie, Rupert and Bertie, a new friend “Good luck Isabella, you genius” because this envelope had a quiz in it
21 April 2021
Postal vote arrived, filled it in ready to post this afternoon. Trying to make an effort to do more walking, so I texted Sue and asked if she fancied a walk to Staple Tye, haven’t been there for a very long time. She said yes. Posted letters, postal vote and a card to Wendy; she’s 80 next Monday (she is entitled to an extra 25p on her State Pension!!). We went to Lidl and were in there for nearly an hour. Not really a Lidl person, just bought some salad stuff and a paper which has gone up 10p, now 80p. Thinking back to pre-decimal times, 16 shillings for a paper? On our way home, I met three people I used to work with, so that was a nice surprise.
Flopped on the settee when I arrived home, my back really ached. Amanda said I’m out of condition. In June, she said, “The treadmill for you”. I said ‘will I remember how to use it?’. She said ‘there’s always someone around to show you!‘
22 April 2021
Rested my back today, still aching. In the afternoon, I did hand washing and cat trays
23 April 2021
St George’s Day though we don’t really celebrate it, do we? Sue and I went to Church Langley Tesco, had to queue, traffic light system there. Buses are now two an hour. Arrived home at 2pm
24 April 2021
Arranged to meet Mary at Staple Tye, soon spotted her striking cardigan and hair colour. Mary treated me to a coffee. It was nice to catch up with a friend in the flesh, not seen each other for ages. I bought a couple of white rolls, makes a change from brown bread and Eccles cakes, a treat for Saturday. Walked home, fell asleep in the afternoon, all this walking and fresh air!
25 April 2021
Visit from Amanda and Wade with MacDonalds in tow! Nice to see them both, plus she ordered me a new feather duster with a bendy handle to get round corners, so Amanda says! I photographed it, and sent the pictures to family. (She certainly did that)
26 April 2021
I rang Wendy and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. She said she would rather be 70 instead of 80 years. I phoned a couple of people and did some hand washing
27 April 2021
Re-opening of the Rainbow Club. I walked there, really happy to meet up with more friends. Only 15 people allowed, masks on till you sat down. Tea and coffee, biscuits and a quiz which I found hard. I sent a duplicate to Isabella. Did she complete it? (She found it hard too). Mary bought me a clown that she had knitted. I love clowns, as under all that ‘make-up’ you can be anybody and do what you like. A very long time ago, I had a tiger’s face painted painted on my face. I even went to the Diet Class with it on!. Mary also gave me a bottle of sloe gin (still not opened) and some chocolates. I’m having a sweet week, which is unusual for me.
28 April 2021
Delivery day. Can’t remember anything else that day. Ah yes, Diary Number 48 was published. Waiting for my print-off
29 April 2021
The road in Moorfield is being re-surfaced. It’s not like the old days when you had the steam roller and thick tar bits you breathed in the smell of it and it cleared your chest. Nowadays, it’s like paste and they brush it along the road. Won’t be long before the pot holes appear again. ‘H Day’: haircut at 4.30pm. Oh what joy to have short hair again. I sent a text to Amanda and Barbara. Barbara asked for a ‘Selfie’. Never done one. (I did do one once, by mistake, on the new phone, didn’t know what I was doing). Well, what do I do? I turned the back of my phone to my chest, thinking that would do it, then I turned the phone at different angles, nothing. Had to admit defeat and ask Barbara how to do it, which she duly did. I got a congratulations from Barbara and a well done from Amanda. Now I’m trying to work out how to do a selfie with Tinker and me. Another item of the phone, I found out if I make a mistake, I know now how to delete it. It’s better than sending the message then send ‘error’ afterwards.
30 April 2021
Up early, going to Specsavers to get some ‘cords’ for my glasses. Cords go on my glasses so when I take them off, they’re still round my neck. I was so in advance of my chores I then went and did my re-cycling. As I came in, I thought I would get my keys and put them in my handbag. Well I must have had a total blackout as I don’t remember taking the keys to the kitchen and putting them on the hook, that I keep for my back door key. I searched everywhere, several times, couldn’t even retrace my footsteps. I was about to empty the bin in the kitchen, looked up and found my keys. What a relief, it really shook me up and I had the shakes. I do have a spare key, but I need to have my usual ones. Too much going on in my brain, not concentrating.
1 May 2021
Had a spurt on and mowed the front and back lawns. For some reason, I seem to have loads of daisies and dandelions. As usual, I apologise to the daisies for mowing their heads off but then next day they pop up again. It’s as if they are lying in wait for me. Some weeds I have also have a distinctive smell. We don’t seem to see buttercups these days.
3 May 2021
I’ve been a bit neglectful of Rupert these days (the teddy bear). He still sits opposite me, guards my handbag, mask and feather duster. We pass a silent word between us every day. Today we pulled the ‘wishbone’ and wished for the same thing. It’s very windy and it’s nice to have some rain as the earth is bone dry, though I don’t want too much
All the cats fed for the night and I’m off to bed. Cheerio for now.
Meet the new duster, clown and their friends!!
Virtual Tea Towel Museum 