Five Weeks

To a pre summer body, not a summer body of my youth, more a slimmer and healthier version of me now!

Five weeks to getting out and about again and wearing clothes with unforgiving  waistbands.

Can I do it, can I lose 8lbs in five weeks? Yes I can, but will I? I'm so used to wearing comfort clothes that don't remind me of my expanding waistline, so used to covering up with a coat for going to the supermarket, and so used to saying "Blow it, I'm not going anywhere and nobody is going to see me" as I tuck into chocolate, another pizza, Indian or MacDonalds, or reach for another biscuit or piece of cake. It's going to be difficult to break the habit of just eating without thinking.

The first thing I need to do is not buy these things. I started on Tuesday when I went shopping. 

Tesco are currently selling these oh so scrumptious eggs at 3 for £1

As a chocoholic I automatically picked up 9 to stock pile. Then I had a word with myself saying "No put them back". I did, and at the same time decided not to eat chocolate until Easter. Now all I have to do is stop eating all the other rubbish.

I'm going to need a lot of willpower.

~ Be safe and well ~

Polly x

Rufus' Diary

The vet who treated Buster sent this card and a packet of Forget Me Not seeds, 

which we thought was nice. It was hand written by him.

We will never forget dear Busty.

Polly misses him dreadfully. When we go for walks a song that's in her mind is "Just The Two of Us".

There's only one dinner to make, one food bowl to wash, only me to be hosed down when we return from a walk, only me to be brushed.

💖💖💖

What an assortment of weather we have had

Mild sunny blue sky days 

Crisp bright mornings. You can just hear the dripping sounds of the morning frost melting.

Floods

Snow

And lots of wind

Weather never seems to bother the horses

Just before Christmas the farmer had this bonfire to burn the excess branches from trees he had felled earlier in the year. I remember walking past it at a good distance and it felt lovely and warm. 

Polly has given up on the jigsaw, it's back in the box ready to go to a charity shop. 

She has finally finished the dolls house kitchen, I'm sure she will tell you about it soon.

Pretty seasonal blooms.

Daylight is extending by a few seconds each day.

Spring is just around the corner :-) 

~ Be safe and well ~

🐾 Rufus 🐾

Pisces February 19 - March 20

Miss Clair Voyant's horoscope for Pisces.

Sharing your Pisces birthday with, among a few million others, Sidney Poitier, Emily Blunt, Daniel Craig, Glenn Close and Michael Caine.

A bit about the personality

Gentle romantic Pisces are known for being one of the most empathetic of the zodiac signs, and they'll do whatever they can to make sure the people around them are happy. They're also artistic and use their vivid imaginations to think up ideas many others wouldn't. They are happy being alone, like sleeping and are into anything spiritual. They can be fearful, overly trusting and have a desire to escape reality, and can sometimes adopt the role of martyr in order to catch attention. Don't show off to a Pisces or criticise them, it won't go down well.

Pisces prediction 

The universe is kicking up some dust Pisces. As the moon cruises through energized Aries, this could be the prompt for you to get to work and explore some of your own resources and skill sets. Creativity is strong. You could have a sudden inspiration, perhaps influenced by a distant place. Don't be afraid to take time from your mundane chores to pursue this inspiration. 

Hard on the heels of Valentines Day romantic passion is high, seize the day with lots of intimate ideas.

The Ace of Pentacles is likely to find you enjoying new beginnings. You are likely to be feeling optimistic, upbeat, and hopeful about your future. Things should be going well. You could well be starting something new very soon, this could be in the realm of work or personally, either way, embrace it.

~ Be safe and well ~

Polly x

Lincoln

Lincoln is a Cathedral city in the East Midlands. It’s known for the medieval Cathedral, with early printed books in a Wren-designed library. Lincoln Castle houses a Victorian prison and a copy of the Magna Carta. The Museum of Lincolnshire Life has social history exhibits in Victorian barracks. The Collection is a museum displaying local archaeology. Nearby, the Usher Gallery has works by Turner and Lowry. The city is also home to the University of Lincoln and Bishop Grosseteste University. Rich in history and culture, unique boutique shopping and no shortage of wonderful places to eat, drink and stay it makes for a good day out or a few days mini break.

My friend M and I visited last October on a day trip with our favourite local coach company. 

On arrival we had the option of leaving the coach near the main shopping centre or staying

on board to travel up to the historical part of the city and walk down.

I'm glad we did, it's a very steep walk down, it would have been much harder the other way round.

The Cathedral

This lovely Tudor building houses the Tourist Information Centre

Halloween display in the Castle grounds

After visiting the Cathedral, Castle and Information Centre we

headed down the hill to the shops and food.

I would love to have had a look inside this house

There were lots of lovely eating places, I fancied a pasta dish but M wanted to  go to M&S,

she likes their jacket potatoes, it was very nice.

We then did what comes naturally - shopping, mostly in charity shops!

This one had some lovely displays

Running mannequin

We made our way down to the pick up point and had time for a hot chocolate

before boarding the coach for home.

We have mini breaks booked for March and April, I don't think the March one will go ahead,

I hope the April one does. Goodness me, we have to get the economy moving again soon.

~ Be safe and well ~

Polly x

The Dig

So many people told me how good The Dig is so last night I settled down to watch it. Oh my word everyone was right, it is absolutely delightful, with some wonderful actors/actresses. 

Ralph Fiennes: Basil Brown

Carey Mulligan: Edith Pretty

Lily James: Peggy Piggott

Monica Dolan: May Brown

Ken Stott: Charles Phillips

I'm a little bit in love with Ralph Fiennes.  

I have seen Monica Dolan in many dramas, she is a great actress.

Carey Mulligan beautifully crafted the role of Edith.

The story is based on an amazing archaeological find. 

On the eve of World War II, a British widow Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) hires self-taught archaeologist Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to dig up large burial mounds at her rural estate in Sutton Hoo because she had a “feeling” they would find something of note.

Working with a few assistants from the estate, Brown slowly excavates the more promising of the mounds which he thinks could be Anglo-Saxon rather than the most commonly held opinion of the Viking era. He uncovers iron rivets from a ship which could only make it the burial site of someone of tremendous importance such as a king. 

News of the discovery spreads and Cambridge archaeologist Charles Phillips arrives, declares the site to be of national importance and takes over the dig by order of the Office of Works. Brown is retained only to keep the site in order, but Edith intervenes and Basil resumes digging.

Phillips brings in a large team including Peggy Piggott who uncovers the first distinctively Anglo-Saxon artefact. He wants to send all the items to the British Museum but Edith, concerned about the possible war raids on London, asserts her rights, and an inquest confirms she is the owner of the ship and its priceless treasure. The items are kept safe in a London underground for the duration of the war.

Before her death Edith donated the treasure to the British Museum requesting that Brown be given recognition for his work. 

They were first exhibited nine years after Edith's death, with no mention of Brown. Only recently was he given full credit for his contribution and his name is now displayed permanently alongside Pretty's.  

I liked the way the film also dealt with the personal lives of the people involved in the dig, and the charming friendship Brown formed with Pretty's son Robert (beautifully acted by Archie Barnes), who was a keen amateur archaeologist.

Update

I felt fine after my covid vaccination until I went to bed. I had a headache and felt very hot, I didn't have a temperature but I was HOT, and I don't mean sexy hot!! it was uncomfortable hot, I didn't get much sleep. This morning I was tired and felt ill. I have spent the day on the sofa sleeping, drinking lots of water and tea and taking paracetamol. I'm pleased to say I am feeling much better now.

~ Be safe and well ~

Polly x

I had my first covid vaccination this afternoon. It was easy to arrange, I received a text on my phone, followed a link and chose a time slot. It was very well organised. There were several doctor's surgeries using one large surgery, we were checked in at the entrance, hand gelled, or as the hand gel man said, "put you through the sheep dip", moved along a corridor, into a room, jab and out through the back of the building. Job done.

In other news the jigsaw is driving me to distraction, it's very slow progress with the mountains.

Father Ted was a popular sitcom in the 90's. The surreal comedy featured three misfit priests. There's the dimwitted Father Dougal, Father Jack who lives for the simple pleasures of life (sleeping, drinking, and swearing), and Father Ted who tries to keep some kind of order in the house while at the same time trying to care for the good folk of  Craggy Island.

In one episode Father Dougal is doing a jigsaw, unable to connect the right pieces together he cuts bits off them until they fit where he wants them. Sometimes I feel like doing a Dougal!!  

At the moment I'm averaging 3 pieces a day. My daughter informed me that at this rate it would take 8 years to complete!! Obviously it won't, as I progress down to the more interesting areas I will forge ahead, and with that in mind I am moving from the mountains to the trees and down to the houses.

And elsewhere, ever the optimist I have booked another flight to Australia, same as last year but I added an extra week AND it was £200 cheaper than last year! Surely things will be better by the end of the year.

~ Be safe and well ~

Polly x