Retirement Life In The Week Ended 23rd February 2024
It’s been week five of playing host to Mum and Dad at our house but their bungalow purchase is finally progressing. Fingers crossed we might get back to a normality shortly when they move into their own home. Looking back I think the week has been rather productive. See if you agree!
What We’ve Booked
This is what my partner Paul did to his Eggs Benedict in our local ‘Spoons some months bag. He is a child. Anyway I found the perfect excuse to use it in a post this week as I’ve booked my NHS mammogram. I thought I’d mention it so all other ladies over 50 remember to get the test done. I got a reminder a few months back but then got stuck in Essex and couldn’t make an appointment.
Booking my three yearly titty squashing session also reminded Paul to ask our GP for a PSA test that screens for prostate issues including cancer. Unlike breast screening, men are not called automatically. Here’s a handy link from the NHS giving advice about testing and the procedure. He’s had the results back already and all his hidden boy bits are reassuringly normal.
What I’ve Bought
Apparently we don’t need any more seed for the allotment this year. So said Paul. But I beg to differ. I’ve just gone ahead and bought three packets from eBay.
The first was a sachet of Szechuan pepper seeds. They’re in the freezer as they have to be shocked into life with chilliness before planting. We’ll see if that works after I’ve sown them in about a month’s time.
The plants emerging in the royalty free picture from Pixabay portray my second seed purchase. They’re soy beans or edamame as they’re known on sushi stalls worldwide. A little tub has always seemed quite expensive but I buy them because they are delicious. I’m quite successful with bean growing so I’ll be happy if I get a glut to eat with a splash of oil and some salt. I know that they freeze well because I have a bag of them in the freezer from Sainsbury’s.
Finally I was watching ‘The Great British Menu’ this week, a programme where chefs compete to cook at a prestigious banquet. One of them chopped up a watermelon and dehydrated it. I thought that this was a wonderful idea so I’ve bought some seeds. I’m looking forward to experimenting with my fruit. What’s more the ground coverage on a melon plant is huge and it will cut down this year’s weeding.
What We’re Celebrating
Klaus the Knaus, our wonderful German left hand drive motorhome is thirty years old. He doesn’t look too bad at all as you can see here. This week he passed his MOT, not a bad achievement for such an old boy. What’s more there’s no advisories that warn of problems to come.
Once we’ve got the oldies sorted out and into their own home we’re looking forward to resuming our van adventures. With all body parts crossed we’re in the first stages of planning a trip to Italy in the autumn.
What I’ve Listened To
I watched this excerpt from a talk by Paul Selig, a channeler and was blown away by its beauty and relevance. There’s a particular wonder metaphor using ice floe in there and also wise insights into our equality. If I elaborated further I’d be creating a spoiler. Instead I really recommend that you listen to it!
How I’m Making Progress
My mosaicking is coming on thanks to a bout of blustery weather. As It’s been raining cats and dogs I’m not as keen as usual to go out. Here’s the amount of progress that I made by Sunday on my latest project, the first for over a year. Possibly by the end of next week I may have a completed house sign for my parent’s new home.
The wings have given me a bit of a conundrum. Initially I infilled them using slate that I gathered from a local beach. I thought that the glistening surface would mimic insect wings beautifully. However once glued down it turned to mush so I went back to the drawing board. I initially was going to use light grey glass tiles instead but opted for the gold one instead. I think it complements the colours of the bee’s head and body really well.
Where I’ve Been
Out out! The good news is that Mum, who has had three hospital admissions since the beginning of the year, is so much better. She’s finally getting her mojo back and seems to improve each day. All she needs is a helping hand up the stairs each evening as we lack sufficient bannisters. Otherwise she can put herself to bed
So on Saturday we left the ‘walking Nanna to bed’ chore to my son Louis. Paul and I popped down the hill to town for Brixham’s first ever comedy club night in the little town theatre just down the hill compered by Irishman Luke Honorraty in his rather natty beetle jumper. Our party of six were all pleased to discover that comedy nights are going to be a regular event.
We all loved Angelos Epithemiou but the menfolk weren’t so keen on Jen Brister as her humour relied on anecdotes of a feminine nature. However the girls in the party thought that she was brilliant and what’s more it gave us an opportunity to moan about just how unempathic our men were!
Disclaimer
This post contains links to companies and organisations just because I’m happy with the products or services that they supply or I’m spreading the word about what they do. There may also be affiliate links to Amazon for books and other items that I am personally recommending. If you decide to make a purchase from them, I might get a little bit of commission at no cost to you.