Monday, 29 July 2024

My Garden in July 2024

There's so much work to be done in the garden, mainly tidying, moving soil, bricks and wood. Most of it is being used in the construction of raised beds, compost bins and a cold frame. It hasn't stopped us using the garden and it hasn't stopped us growing a few things. What has slowed us down has been all the rain in terms of getting the work done and with the rain all the slugs and snails that have eaten their way through most of the things we have grown.

Most of the wood has been stored down the side of the house.

Not much to clear from here now the raised beds are built.

Peter will build a slated fence behind the raised beds to provide a screen for the water butt, the BBQ and the cushion box.

The raised beds are now in, so this soil is being sifted, the weeds will fill the council waste bin, the stones will be used in the paths and the soil will fill the beds. Once cleared this will be the area where the compost bins will be built and the cold frame will be assembled.

The garden has been used as a work station and there won't be any improvement here for a while yet, while the rest of the work takes place.

We're going to have to rethink when we dig this fir tree out and re lay the path as we've now where to put the soil other than levelling off the front the lawn, but we won't be doing that until the spring time, so for now, it's going to stay put.

I've repotted some herbs

I need to sort out drainage, the pots just filled with rain water and the seedlings were drowning.

I bought these trees at The Gardeners's World Show, they're doing very well in the pots by the shed, sheltered from the wind and they get a lot of sunlight and just the right amount of rain.

The front garden will be next years project.

The shrubs are really slow growing. I want to level the lawn off, there's quite a slope here, thinking of using bricks left over from the extension build and the soil from the soil from the back garden which will give the shrubs more nutrients and should help them grow quicker.

I'd like to continue the fencing down this boundary as the neighbour drives me mad with her plants over hanging our garden as she takes little care and the plants kill our grass, it'll have to be a lower fence so we can see to get off the drive, we struggle at the moment as she has let her shrubs grow quite high, it's a hazard as the school entrance is next to her house and kids are coming and going at times when I leave for work and arrive home.

The daisies have gone over now so they've been dug up and made room for the hydrangea and other plants.

The hanging basket is doing well, it will be restocked with winter plants when these ones finish flowering.

The Hollyhocks aren't very tall but at least they've flowed this year. I grew them from seeds I collected from ones growing wild during covid.

I seem to be growing more weeds than actual plants, there are climbers in here to cover the gates so I need to weed carefully and can't take the pots down to do it properly.

I need to replace this pot before the climber takes hold properly. Eventually we'll replace the gates with solid ones.

The cold frame has protected the chilis from the slugs and snails and we even have cucumbers growing.


The pumpkin has been lost though.

The herbs are growing well, as is the chard, that keeps reseeding itself.

The tomatoes are also doing well. They like being out the front of the house where they get the sun in the mornings and the evenings.

How is your garden doing in July?










 

Sunday, 28 July 2024

2024 Week 30 - One Daily Positive, Project 365 and A Selfie a Day.

July

204  Monday Up early, dressed and off to the out laws with grandson for 7.30am. DIL off to work. We had breakfast and spent a couple of hours with grandson showing me his toys at Nanny's house. Then off to the local shopping centre for a walk round and a coffee, back for lunch. Grandson had a sleep, DIL arrived back around 5pm we all had dinner and back home around 7pm. Son was away for the night. I walked the dogs, we watched some TV and I went to bed exhausted around 10pm.



205  Tuesday Up at 6.30am. Said goodbye to grandson who was in nursery for the day. I walked the dogs then caught the bus into town for a couple of hours. Did a bit of shopping, home to help out with some housework, watched some TV, cooked dinner ready for when everyone got home. Enjoyed the evening with grandson, we all walked the dogs. Did the ironing in the evening. Outlaws popped round to say bye. Bed around 10pm, fell straight to sleep.



206  Wednesday Everyone off to work and nursery. I walked the dogs, had breakfast then more housework upstairs, finished the ironing and spent the rest of the day reading and blogging. Had a couple of hours with grandson. Said my goodbyes, I'm back towards the end of August. Flight home at 8.20pm. We didn't get home till gone 11pm due to the M5 being closed with road works.



207  Thursday Slept till 8.30am. Went for coffee with my old student and her family and a colleague joined us from work. Wandered around the shops, home at 2.30pm. Did some gardening, watched TV, had a bath, attempted an early night and failed, slept in the back room, but up most of the night.


208 Friday Downstairs at 5am, caught up with blogging comments, washing on, watched TV. Went to Gloucester to buy a drive away awning, picked up child 1 and took her to do a food shop. Home by 4pm. Friend came round with chips for tea and we watched the Olympic opening ceremony.


209  Saturday Did some gardening in the morning and had a good tidy up outside, popped out for coffee to meet a friend and her mum. I went via the tip and surprised myself to still have white trousers after emptying several bags of rubble. Son, Dil and Granddaughter came for the evening and night. We had a BBQ and watched the Olympics.

210  Sunday Up early and off to the Welland Steam show for the day. We got home around 3pm, the weather was gorgeous, so paddling pool out. After tea, Son and Daughter in law went home leaving granddaughter with us for her first ever sleep over. After some painting, a bath, nails painted and several stories, she settled after one return to bed and was snoring within 30 minutes. In between watching the swimming we watered the garden, tidied up the toys and prepared for our camping trip in the morning.


Books read this week: Better left unsent - Lia Louis

Words written towards book: 0

Clothes bought: 0

On the blog this week: Things to do in the school holidays for teaching staff

What's made me happy this week:

The Merry go round, the new raised beds finished, seeing both grandchildren in the same week




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Friday, 26 July 2024

26th -28th July 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I had an unexpected and last minute trip to visit my Grandson  this week, he does make me laugh. 

When I was leaving to go home he said 'No Granny, no go on airplane, airplane for holiday, Granny go home on bus


We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 




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Friday, 19 July 2024

19th - 21st July 2024 Post Comment Love


Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

What a week?

First we've had lovely weather for the last week of term. A week of outdoor activities and today we're walking the Malvern Hills, a whole school tradition. Our 3rd son was a student at the school until 2010 and did this walk with some of the same teachers. I walk with a colleague and a group of students who need support. It's my 3rd walk. We have a lot of fun and there's an ice cream van we stop at on route. This year it finishes with a BBQ for staff back in school.

I had an interview for Year Leader post on Tuesday. I didn't get the job, but it was a great opportunity to show case what I am capable of and I was offered a job of delivering Alternative Provision and Tutoring English and Maths from September. It means I'll be working in the annexe over the road from the main site so I won't be working in the Learning Base anymore and will miss the wonderful team I've been with for the past 2 years, but there's still breaks and lunch times to catch up with and the usual Wednesday coffees and odd nights out.


We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 




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You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sunday, 14 July 2024

2024 Week 28 - One Daily Positive, Project 365 and A Selfie a Day.

July

190  Monday Email due today to hear if I've got an interview for year leader at the school where I'm currently employed. My stomach was in a knot all day. Nothing to lose, I'm leaving otherwise as my contract end in August. I was hopeful of an interview at least, as I'd had one for the same role at a different school earlier on in the year. Home from work and straight onto a zoom training call. Then an hours kip, got a migraine coming. Evening spent watching TV and blogging.


191  Tuesday Sports day postponed due to the weather, so I was able to catch up with some Autism assessments, before my job comes to an end. Into town after work for coffee with a friend and home to chill.


192  Wednesday Coffee after work with a friend. Peter has been working hard in the garden on the new raised beds. One in, just the water butt for the shed to put in the place and the second bed to build. He's building them using old scaffolding planks. 


193  Thursday A few things going on today. 7 years since my father died. 7 years since I met my wonderful friend Kath, who hugged me that night as I broke the news on the phone to Peter and 3 of our sons. She was a total stranger to us at that point. Then 3 years ago, our neighbour had a little girl, so something else nice to celebrate and after work I popped next door with her birthday gift. I also spent the morning in Hereford having a skin biopsy to confirm the type of cancer I have on my leg to ensure I get the right treatment so a bit of an up and down day.


194  Friday It's been a long wait, but I finally got the news I've been waiting for, I've been given the opportunity to interview for year leader at the school I work at on Tuesday next week. I'm confident that I'll do my very best. It's been a long time since I've held a position like this, but if I don't try, I'll never know. Evening spent watching the TV, chilling out and a bit of a tidy round.


195  Saturday Headed off early for Newport to meet Rosie and Simon our twitter friends who we've met many times over the past 14 years for coffee. We then did a bit of shopping then over to Cwmbran to meet my nephew, his partner and our great niece who is now 9 months old. We've not seen her since she was a couple of weeks old. Next stop was a camp site for the night. We had electricity but no toilet or shower facilities, so the ports potty had its first outing. It was simple and easy to use and clean afterwards.


196  Sunday we slept in till 8am, the benefit of staying in a field in the middle of nowhere. Packed up and off to a friends for breakfast and a catch up. Stopped in Monmouth for coffee, then home to unpack and stick a load of washing on. I popped out for coffee with friends, then home to work on my presentation for Tuesday. We had dinner and watched the football, then off to bed.



Books read this week: 0

Words written towards book: 0

Clothes bought: 0

On the blog this week: Migraines and Medication

What's made me happy this week:

Camping and the first of the raised beds is in.

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Friday, 12 July 2024

12th - 14th July 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I had a biopsy yesterday on a patch of skin on my leg. I've had a lump on my shin for over two years, initially they thought it was Bowens disease a type of skin cancer that doesn't spread caused by over exposure from the sun or use of sun beds and lack of sun cream, common from when I was a child and lack of knowledge from the damage of UV rays. The treatment prescribed didn't work so the biopsy will identify the next course of treatment needed. The only worry I've had over it has been the itchiness which led me to go to the GP and get it checked out as advised when there is a change or something new on your skin.

In other news our first raised bed is done.


We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 




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Monday, 8 July 2024

Migraines and medication

I suffer with/from chronic migraines. This is defined as having headaches on at least 15 days per month. I've also been diagnosed with stabbing migraine.

They dominate and control my life.

There is no link with my menstrual cycle, food/drink, travel, lack of or too much sleep.

I know this because I keep a food diary, I haven't had a period for 3 years, they didn't worsen or improve being perimenopausal or being menopausal.

Over the past year I have found a concoction of tablets that will suppress a migraine when it breaks out. It is the first time that I have managed (with support from a new GP) to find something to treat myself at home with. Previously severe migraines have lasted 4-5 days and on occasions up to 9 days where I've had to go into hospital for treatment, these usually happen about once a year..

It involves paracetamol, triptan, aspirin and an anti sickness tablet. To be repeated after 2 hours if no improvement.

This is a record of the number of days since the start of the year I have taken the rescue meds, listed above. Highlighted in pink.

It is not the number of days I've had a migraine or a headache, just the days I've taken the meds, the headaches/migraines will have occurred on the days in-between also. I've also been taking 50mg of Topiramate daily as a preventative since my last hospital visit in November 2023.

The neurologist has booked a MRI and has increased my medication for the past 2 weeks to 100mg and as from today, it has increased to 150mg of Topiramate a day.

I've started to record the actual days of head pain now, not just the medication taken.

The increase of Topiramate has 4 months to take effect before I see the neurologist after my MRI, if it doesn't he'll be referring me to the QE Hospital in Birmingham for consideration of CGRP antagonists.

One of the possible causes for my migraines is stress. I have Chronic Migraines. I've had them my entire life. They drain me, they have a huge impact on my physical, emotional and mental well being. I have auras, I can feel one coming on. I can almost time when it is going to hit. I can hold it off with medication. not fully, it's still there. I can just about function to go to work, or to do things with the family, or get through the housework, or sort the bills, or drive the car, or cook the tea, but I can only manage any of this stuff at 50%. I can't be my usual cheery self. I can't answer a simple question at the same time. I can't slap a smile on my face and just get on with multi tasking. I can't just juggle several things at the same time. I'm short, I'm snappy, I get angry......I'm in bloody pain. 

No I can't go to bed and lie down. it doesn't stop. I can't just switch it off. The light burns, the noise is amplified. I can hear lights buzzing like a vuvuzela in my ear, I can taste metal, I can smell toast. I get electric shocks whizzing around my body, the slightest touch from anyone is like I'm being stabbed. I'm not over reacting.

AND THIS ALL HAPPENS BEFORE THE MIGRAINE. THIS CAN LAST FOR 2-3 DAYS.

Then 2-3 days of pain in my head, like a brick is being hit non stop against my head. I want to smack my head against a wall. I want to rip my head open.

Then relief? NO. 2-3 days of a hangover, tiredness, dry eyes, confusion, I forget simple words like 'cup' I lose the ability to answer a simple question or I answer it in my head. I'm putting all my energy into functioning. Into going to work, into appearing sane and normal, into doing my job, into cooking a meal, into turning the washing machine on, into not looking or sounding weird when I order a coffee or speak to a friend. I'm also nauseous throughout the 3 stages.

So yes, I am stressed, I get depressed, sometimes I find myself crying, I'm exhausted, even when I sleep all night, even when I have a lazy day with no external stress. I'm not sad. 

The side effects of Topiramate at the moment as I increase the dose are the weirdest thing ever. I have this period twice a day within an hour of the meds where I feel drunk, my actions and brain aren't drunk but my body is. I've timed taking the tablets so it doesn't interfere with working. I have a silly grin on my face and feel uncoordinated, but actually everything works together. I also have whole body pins and needles that just come, stay for about 10 mins, then disappear. I've been told all of this is transient and it will settle in a week or two.

I've lost most of my taste, especially with fizzy drinks, they just taste flat and my mouth feels dry. I'm also extremely chilled out, almost switched off/tuned out from things. I can pay attention to what it going on, such as driving, but I've tuned out trival things, such as conversations, TV,/radio, background noises. I can hear them, but I've no interest in them.

I lost a stone in weight in the first 7 months of taking Topiramate and I have been keeping a record of my food intake on an app as I genuinely forget to eat a lot of the time and really don't feel hungry most of the time. I've gone back to meal planning to make sure I get enough of the right calories each day, as it's so easy to just not eat, when your brain tells you you're not hungry. I don't need to lose any more weight.

However at the moment I'm eating and eating lots. Seeking out savoury and sweet foods and drinking all the time. This is a sign a migraine is on the way, but until the auras start, I can't take the preventative as it won't work, I just have to keep a close eye on it and wait for the right moment.

There's no point going to bed and resting, the migraine will come regardless. 
There's no point lying down in a darkened room and resting when I get a migraine, the pain and length of the migraine follows a pattern.

Fingers crossed the new medication settles down and is effective and I can have some quality of life without pain.


Sunday, 7 July 2024

2024 Week 27 - One Daily Positive, Project 365 and A Selfie a Day.

July

I've been asked why I'm leaving my current job when I've got such a lovely bunch of people I work with. I'm not leaving by choice, my current contract comes to an end the end of August. however, there has been a development as the current year leader for year 7 has handed in her notice and I've applied for the position. Fingers crossed for me please.

The increase in meds for my migraines has the weirdest side effects. I'm now sleeping after the evening dose, but in the day time I'm so physically and mentally exhausted. My brain is struggling to function and I get this all over body tingling that randomly builds up until I feel like I'm receiving an electric shock, then it slowly subsides. It's a common side effect and it will settle in a month or so. It happened when I first went on the medication. I can manage about 8 hours of functioning then I just switch off and need to literally 'snap out of it' if anyone wants an answer out of me.

183  Monday After a day in work, I met Peter for coffee, did some gardening and spent 2 hours planning some work for interventions till the end of term supporting GCSE Macbeth. 


184 Tuesday Train into Worcester for Year 10 Geography field trip we walked round in two large groups completing a survey. Then the teachers met up for lunch which was really nice, while the students conducted questionaires. Peter met me in town for a coffee and to forward a parcel onto to our grandson, a gift from his uncle in Australia.


185 Wednesday Coffee after work with friends, I got home at 7.30pm. I turned down the job I was offered last week after looking at the contract. 40 hours worked over 4 days meant I'd be working 10 hour days and I would be expected to work at facilities within a 30 mile radius, plus additional hours with no extra pay when deemed necessary and no mention of TOIL, plus none of this was mentioned in the advert or at interview.

I'm being ignored.


186 Thursday Voting day. I'm conflicted. No one has told me where they're planning to get the money from to do all the things they're telling me they're going to do, so I voted in the best interest of me and my family, nothing tactical, nothing wasted. I spent the evening blogging and reported some plants.

Being ignored again.

187  Friday Home from work, did some tidying up, caught up with blog comments and did a couple of loads of washing, my underwear draw was empty. Chips and wine with friend in the evening.

I'm getting 'that look' again.

188  Saturday A lie in then into Worcester for the day for a mooch around the shops and lunch out and some shopping. Evening spent sorting out end of year gifts for students while Peter watched the football and I kept an eye on it and did some reading.

189  Sunday Day spent pottering around the house, reading, watching TV, dusting and hoovering the bedroom and popped out for coffee with friends. A chilled day.

Peter spent the day working on the raised flower beds.


Books read this week: Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

Words written towards book: 0

Clothes bought: £8 Primark Cheshire Cat Jumper and shorts.

On the blog this week: Days out in the camper van in June

What's made me happy this week: New government, home grown veg, chocolate treats, increase in migraine meds working, despite weirdest side effects, trifle and Alice in Wonderland.



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Friday, 5 July 2024

5th - 7th July 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

It feels like we've gone back into winter, it's been so cold this week, raincoats and jumpers back out the wardrobe. 

It hasn't deterred me from getting out in the garden though and potting out some herbs and separating the succulents out into various pots I've been accumulating over the years.

Peter has been busy in the garden with building raised beds and I persuaded him to paint them grey. I couldn't get him to go with the pinks and purples I'd originally wanted, but the grey will be a nice base to work from. Our new water butt arrived that will be connected to the summer house/man shed that will drip feed the raised beds and save me the hassle of the extra hose pipe length that needs attaching every time I want to water the pots in the back garden.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 




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Monday, 1 July 2024

June 2024 Days out in the camper van

We visited Brighton the middle of June to attend my Uncle's funeral.


We stayed at the Caravan and Motorhome Club just up from the Marina. If we're staying away for more than one night we like to be within walking distance of a town or on a bus route.

Our first pitch had no 3G signal but we just put up with it for the night as the following morning we had to pack up to drive to the crematorium and attend the wake afterwards. If we hadn't had to leave the site by car, we'd have just stayed and put up with it.

 The van looks so small in the pitch.


We haven't seen another Westfalia Ford Nugget conversion yet. All the vans we've seen as so different.

Our first pitch also had no evening sun, so we didn't sit outside for long.

I love the fact the roof pops at its highest at the back, where the kitchen is, it gives us so much more room than the vans with the kitchens along the side. Plus we get two sliding doors.

The day after the funeral, we caught the bus into Brighton and back and enjoyed a day exploring.



I also spent a night on my own in the Forest of Dean at the beginning of June. Once we got to grips with setting everything up and packing it all away, it is a one (wo)man job.

I travel with my milk brother and espresso machine so I can make a latte on the go.


We discovered this month that the grey water tank hadn't been emptying and we'd been driving around with a full tank, having mistaken it emptying with draining the fresh water tank before leaving the previous site.
It was easily remedied with a cable tie to push debris out the way. We discovered a snail shell in the tank. It was a dirty, smelly job. 




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