Everything hurts

The day started well, laying in bed, Pearly the cat comes in, makes the weirdest sound, then starts hawking up. My hubby rushed up, Pearly ran down, but he just couldn’t get the front door open before the cat threw up in the hallway.  So that was a great start to the day.

From there, we got up and started decorating. I lost count of the number of times I was up and down the stairs taking books off the case and putting them out the way. Then the skirting, banisters, door frames, radiators and even the walls in places all got sugar-soaped clean. Then there was the sanding, filling, and taking down of the bookcase that was screwed to the wall. 

Then the glossing started.  I started with the bookcase, hubby started with the skirting and door frames upstairs.  The bookcase didn’t take as look as I was expecting, even though it’s a full floor to ceiling bookcase.  Glossing with a roller made it much easier.

Then I went to see where hubby was with the upstairs, and since he was still working his way around the landing, I started on the banisters – wow was that tricky.  We ended up meeting the brushes in the hallway. The phrase “urgh hair!” was repeated rather more often that you’d want, but still, it all got done and it looks much better and fresher for what we’ve got done.  Oddly, while I got gloss everything, I somehow managed not to get any in my hair – despite the amount of my hair that seemed to get into the gloss. 😊

Ceilings and walls tomorrow.

Now, we’ve stopped though – everything hurts. Arms, shoulders, back, legs, can feel it all. And more to finish tomorrow, so now’s for relaxing.

Spring-Autum

A few days ago we put two bird feeders up in the garden, a seed feeder in the tree and a peanut holder on a hook off the shed. We’ve been keeping an eye out for usage, and nothing, but today, it’s been like Springwatch out there.

There were loads of sparrows coming back and forth, digging into the seed feeder. Something falling to the grass with every peck. Then the Magpies were in pecking at the fallen seeds.

The only thing I haven’t seen is any of them going on the peanut feeder.  I am wondering if that’s in the wrong place. The corner it’s on means that it’s in the sun most of the day, and that might be putting the birds off. I really don’t know if that’s likely to affect the birds use of it or not.

Yesterday, started with me having to separate my cat and Ginge from fighting in the garden. Later on, I hear to lots of magpie noise and looked out to see my cat cowering by the fence, ears back staring up the garden.  When I looked that way, I saw the back of one of the neighbourhood black cats being attacked by a magpie. I just got up to open the door when the magpie flew off, the cat bolted over the back fence, just as the other neighbour’s door hit the fence and started barking.  Not surprisingly the cat ran in.

This afternoon, it started raining hard, so all wildlife has disappeared, and we’re more Autumnwatch than Springwatch.

Under

There’s no getting picture of her under the bed.

My cat is doing my nut in.

I work out in the conservatory, so apparently I’m her hooman doorman. So while I’m trying to work I’ll hear a her scratching up the mat to be let out or a plaintive wail to come in. I know it’s just reaching out to open a door and opening it, but when you’re having to do that every few minutes, especially when you’re in a Teams meeting, it gets annoying quick.

But that’s not all, she’s taken to sleeping under the bed, right under where my pillow are. Yes, that is right, UNDER the bed. The worst thing is that I only know this when I hear her walking over the underbed storage or get there or she starts purring or snoring.  Which is really not fun if you think you’re alone (my hubby works night some time) and suddenly you hear something moving under the bed.

In doing this, she also just stays there quietly when you call her.  I don’t know how often I’ve gone to the doors (front and/or back) calling the little minx at late hours for no response.  I don’t know how long she’s been doing this under the bed thing, but now I have even more places to look for her. Worst thing is it’s not easy to see her, so I have to get a directional lamp and pick up the mattress to know if she’s there.

The other day, it was early evening, but I’d gone to the bedroom early to work on my book, and I sat there believing the cat was out when I heard this soft snore. Yes, my cat snores.  Frighten the bloody life out of me, I had no idea she was there.

Still, at least she was safe.

Coward

Coward

I am a coward.

I know I have to contact work about returning, I’ve two weeks left on my sick note. But I can’t seem to bring myself to make the call. Thinking about even making the call leaves me feeling down, but it’s got to be done, I can’t put it off forever. Maybe tomorrow.

Another beautiful day outside, so I sat out for a while – in long sleeves, legs covered.  Didn’t stay out long for two reasons, the easterly gusts were surprisingly cold, and the screen was hard to see in the bridge light. The cat would out again – demanding belly rubs in the sun, she’s loving this weather. Still I go a bit of work done.

Went shopping – I swear the supermarket changes the way in each and every time I go down there, got really confused as to where I was supposed to go today, still I got in and got most of what I needed.  Still can’t get plain flour.  Been looking for that for weeks now. Want to make some choux buns but can’t without flour.

Just to assure the reader, it’s not only cakes I back. Yesterday was a fabulous roast lamb dinner, which left enough meat to have it cold with a salad today.  There’s still enough lamb left for sandwishes for tomorrows lunch too.  Not a lot goes to waste in this house.

 Broke a nail today – but it’s still longer than a normal bitten back length. And yes, still taking the multivitamins and I do feel better for that.

Spinach made Popeye stronger, what do I eat to make be brave enough to make that call?

Sunshine

Today has been a good day, not terribly productive, but good.

Since the weather was so nice, I actually got around to sitting out in the garden.  It was lovely. I did some editing, I listened to some music, I message chatted with a mate about writing and I attended my first Zoom meeting – with a load of writers.

My cat may have forgiven me for putting Spot On on her.  She hates when I do that, doesn’t understand it’s for her benefit as much as mine.  For the last two days she’s been avoiding me, even refusing to come in the house if I’m too close to the open door. However, when I was outside in the sun, she was there demanding attention, strokes and belly rubs.

I also cooked a fabulous roast lamb dinner – meat virtually fell off the bone it was that tender. I do enjoy a gravy dinner.

Talking of cooking and tender, I forgot the sunscreen. Now my have two shinny hot and itchy shins.  Long sleeves saved my arms, a wide brimmed hat and glasses saved my face.  Nothing below the knee though, except now a far amount of sun burn and pain.  Still, it was a good day.

And no, I don’t like having my photo taken – not even by me.

Catday

Never mind the Moon, it’s been Catday today.

While editing today, I’ve seen all the usual subjects. My hubby and I have been discussing if Ginge is male or female, today I got the answer.  Ginge jumped over the 6 foot fence from the front to the back garden and spotted me in the conservatory. Clearly he figured out that I was ‘safely’ behind a closed door, and I was treated to a far too clear view of his bits – that is definitely a boy cat.

Shortly after, Ozzie appeared (see photo) he sat there for ages, the freak out bit was that shortly after, he started staring to the right of this picture. The reason that this is freaky is because there is NOTHING in that area except the corner of the brick work between the conservatory and house. But Ozzie was staring at it for minutes on end. I tapped the window at one point and he give me a quick glare before going back to glaring at the corner. Weird.

Eventually Ozzie got bored and wondered off, which was when I heard hissing. I turned around and saw two black cats, Ozzie and Collarless standing on the top of our back fence (another 6 foot fence) they were facing off, backs arched, tails fluffed. No idea how long they stayed there, I didn’t bother watching, but I also didn’t hear much in the way of hissing.

In fact, the only cat I didn’t see much of today, was mine, which I just found out was because she’s been upstairs sleeping all day.

Have kept up the multivitamins and done a load of chores today as well as editing – washing, cooking, ironing, changing the beds, taxiing my daughter to and from work. All in all a productive day.

Peeling

I like cooking. Well I like eating, so why wouldn’t I?

Thing is my hubby works shifts and I work a long way from home, usually he cooks for when I get in, that works if he’s on nights (leaves at 6pm) or off. If he’s on days (arrives at 8pm) I cook. 

Since I’m off, I’ve been doing more cooking, which is great. I’ve been menu planning, buying to needs and wasted next to nothing – except a bag of basa filets which I accidently left out when getting something else out to thaw. Mind those weren’t wasted, I cooked them, our cat had some, the rest went into the backgarden and the local wildlife had it away before morning. Local wildlife is currently Ozzie, Collarless, Ginge. Then there’s the birds.  A wood pigeon was in the front garden this morning – one so big, the cat thought twice about going out.  There are gulls, magpies, others, starlings that do murmurations so close to the house I’m worried, never mind the cat.

Anyway, back to cooking. 

I feel like I’ve peeled potatoes ever day for the last week. Yesterday I while peeling and took a big chunk off my nail. I’m a nail biter, but not so much while under less stress, so my nails have grown a couple of mm. Not that one, not now. Still at least it was a painless nail cut, not my flesh. By the way it was left hanging, didn’t get into the food.

Frankly, I’ve got to the point that if I have to peel one more bloody potato this week I am going to scream.  

Paella tomorrow. 

Oh, my hubby says he misses cooking, so he’s on kitchen duty from Wednesday.

Important Cat Business

Bellyrubs in action

I have a cat, and like most cats at the moment, she doesn’t know what to do with having a hooman home all day, apparently I’m messing with her important cat business.

Normally I come downstairs around 0645, but at the moment, with using sleep aids, I don’t get up until around 0800. So if my shift-working hubby isn’t getting up for/coming back from work, she has to wait. She doesn’t like waiting, she we’ve been getting morning visits, the cat getting on the bed, to stand on our chests and shout in our faces. That leads to the whole process of, feed her, demands bellyrubs (cat not hubby), demands for her to go out, and nothing hoomans want is allowed to get in the way.

Since I’ve been working on my book, I’m sitting at my desk in the conservatory.  That means the cat can see me from the garden, she has a ready-made door slave. It works like this:

• She comes to the door, shouts at me to come in.
• I let her in and close the door.
• She disappears into the kitchen, I hear her chomping on kibbles.
• She comes out, shouts/scratches the mat to go out.
• I let her out and close the door.
• Repeat between 5-10 minutes later.

Guess I could leave the door open, but the garden is north facing and doesn’t warm up well. I’m also not sure what the position is on keeping doors open with coronavirus.

So that’s been my day.  Except when the cat was complaining because I was putting clothes on the line to dry, apparently I was invading her territory, and she was not impressed. Still, she’ll be happy tonight when we let her and feed her. Then tomorrow we can do it all over again.