Monday 2 Sep 2024 post begun 1039hrs BST

 

Right, let's get this out of the way first thing - I'm now 68 years old and ask, can I now claim to be pushing 70? 

 

ARGH! My microwave corn popping is still completely unsatisfactory (two years after working out how to do it without buying those bag thingies). I gave up yesterday and ordered an air popper. 

 

I love popcorn. Paul loves popcorn. I love Paul. I often wonder if Paul loves me because every damn time I pack and carefully label a box, he bloody unpacks it, scatters my carefully packed and labelled contents hither and yon. Because 'I needed a box just that size'.

 

Which he did in late August 2018 as we packed to move to this house - six years on and I still can't find the air popper. GRRR!

 

So yesterday whilst browsing my Amazon watch list those annoying 'Have you thought about...' and 'You might like...' pop-ups suddenly were not as annoying as the sales prompts were for air poppers. And I realised we don't snack on popcorn as often as we did 'at the old house' because using a huge Pyrex bowl and a silicone cover is not making my Golden Years as nice as I'd hoped and I longed for an air popper.

 

So. So I bought one, should be here tomorrow. Happy Six Year In The Downsizer Anniversary to me. Oh ok, and Mr Lost-the-air-popper. hmph

 

Speaking of the 'downsizer' -- WE MUST RIGHTSIZE!!

 

Trust me. A one bedroom-one bathroom home is TOO BLOODY SMALL for us. 

 

I've been secretly searching for a larger two bedroom (prefer a 3br if I'm honest). I've found two real contenders, one I know Paul would love and I could (grudgingly) make work, and one Paul would not like (at first, I know my husband and I know he would actually quite like this one after a week or so). 

 

I quite like the one Paul would not at first look. It is spacious, has an upstairs 'family bath' and a downstairs 'WC' (powder room to American readers), a decent kitchen and larder (pantry), sits on level ground surrounded by level ground, in a good tax band, close to transport links, and has a very good home report. Oh, and it is priced affordably. 

 

On an other topic, our cat is no longer safe to have crocheted cat blankets. I made him a beautiful 'whisky red' one a couple weeks ago and he has pulled several stitches thanks to his elderly inability to disengage his claws the way he could when younger. He's 19 now - close to 100 translated cat to human years - and while he still is quite surprisingly active for his age and consistently astonishes the vet at his six month checks (he goes twice a year since reaching age years), he is 'showing his age' in a few ways including having to have his noms pointed out to him (eyesight and sense of smell fading) and the previously mentioned increasing inability to retract his claws. I keep those claws well trimmed (he's an indoor cat after taking and killing a neighbour's parrot ten years ago, the vet thinks his robust health is owing to being kept indoors) but claws are claws and even blunt claws can do serious damage to crochet blankets. 

 

I'm digging through the scrap fabric box - it's time to make the cat a quilt blanket. It is Day2 of Autumn 2024 so I'd better get sewing! 

Speaking of Autumn, I think it came in a few weeks ago - the beech tree leaves are turning and beginning to drop, the Japanese Maples likewise turning (but no leaf drop just yet). Two weeks ago I had to turn on the heat and it has been running ever since with Paul's full approval despite the cost of gas heat threatened to go up next month. Autumn blankets (slightly lighter weight than winter ones) have been on the bed since the heat went on as the thermostat is set to lower at 10pm and rise again at 7am. 

Paul has fished his winter slipper boots out of the cupboard, my 'granny mocc' pair are likewise back on the job. 

I don't know if Winter '24-'25 is going to be early and harsh but judging by the early arrival of autumn this year, I've stocked in and begun the annual replenishment of crocheting autumn and winter weight yarn into blankets. No rush to finish blankets, the crochet seems to make my Essential Tremor less tremory so it is all a big win-win, that constant crocheting. 

The only drawback is the cost of post to the US where Fox and his wife are expecting Baby2 (a girl!) the middle of November. I hated not being able to send a hand-crocheted baby blanket for Baby1 three years ago and I am quietly fuming at the cost of post now I have a BabyGirl to make things for, dammit. 

Sigh. At least Amazon USA delivers. Baby1 turns 3yo in October and is getting a ceiling planetarium 'night light' for his birthday (still don't know what to send for Christmas but we'll figure it out in time:). Baby2 is getting Evenflo bottles and two jumbo boxes of newborn nappies (larger ones will be sent when the wee girl puts on some weight) plus winter weight sleep sacks for her 'Welcome to the world'.

 

I remember when Baby1 was born - I offered to send the bottles and sleep sacks but my dil wasn't enthusiastic, preferring those handy disposable plastic bag thingies and stating outright she hated sleep sacks. Also hated onesies and footie sleep suits. I think Fox has her on-board to avoid microplastics (hence glass bottles), and he thinks sleep sacks would make middle-of-the-night nappy changes a whole lot easier (well, yeah!). She didn't sound as unenthusiastic when I asked if she'd like the bottles and sacks, and then, FINALLY! FINALLY my dil actually came out and said what she really really really really needs - nappies in bulk:)

 

Yes, I am a happy Granny to have my dil letting me know what I can send to help her out:) She is such a sweetheart and such a great mother, I want to help any-every way I can to make her life easier.

Onwards into autumn and winter, God willing.