My garden in July and plans for August

I've really enjoyed gardening in July, finally all the hard work has paid off and now it's just regular mowing and light weeding, in the back garden at least. I still need to do an awful lot of work out the front.

All around Malvern there have been Hollyhocks growing. I'd really like to get some for next year for the front garden, any suggestions on where I can get them from?

The new border I dug is a little over crowded, but I've cut the shrubs back now and have beans growing up the canes and installed on obelisk for my second batch of peas. 

I was given a green house by a friend for my birthday. I've taken cutting from the Bay tree, which used to belong to my husbands grandmother and I've dug the strawberry plants up to put in there for next spring. The tomatoes are growing well and I have cucumber and pumpkins in flower

Family and friends have been sharing their harvests also. Mange tout from a friend and raspberries from my Daughter in Law.

I flavoured some gin with a raspberry infusion

Then ate the gin soaked raspberries with yogurt, they were delicious.

There's still a lot of work to do with the lawn, it's patchy and is really bumpy, but a good mow improves the look.

We've had our house rented out for the past 9 years, apart from major repairs from damage caused by tenants, something has been 'misplaced' after occupancy. Ladders, white goods and on this last tenancy, the lawn mower, lump hammer and some other tools. It would appear no one has a use for a scythe this days, including us.

I've managed to break a few tools that I purchased, but I only arrived in the UK during lockdown and only managed to purchase cheap equipment. I borrowed the neighbours mower before ordering one online and have since replaced the cheaper tools for more sturdier ones

I spent some time helping a friend out with her garden for the kids and created an area for a mud kitchen for the 3 year old twins. The twins helped with the weeding and digging while mum and dad worked.

I came home with a swing and a car for our grandchild, they will be dismantled and taken over on the weekend.

Jobs for August.

A friend dropped off half a tonne of rockery stone from her garden.

I need to tidy this area up and build a screen for the wheelie bins

This are had originally been reclaimed by the lawn which is 90% weed. This will be the third time I've dug deep and weeded. I'll be using the rockery stones to soften the corners.

Wood has been ordered for us to repair the shed, re clad, sand and paint. The weather for the rest of this week is looking good. I had it re felted during lockdown after the storms in January ripped the felt off and the rains in February were pouring through the roof.

I'm not sure if these up cycled cans will stay now. They were fun to do and did brighten up the garden.

Social Distanced Visits - My Sunday Photo

I'm rather enjoying the new way of life, getting creative to meet up with family and friends.

I hate shopping and anything that involves me being in side, other than the house, but if I'm honest I'd spend every minute of the day outdoors if I can.

Life in Dubai was lonely and isolating for me and the weather oppressive and I spent most of the time indoors under the air con, so I'm more than happy to be back in the UK, where even when it's raining I can be outside.

Apart from the neighbours and 2 friends who dropped things off for me before I got a car, the first person I met up with when we were allowed to meet one other in a public place was Natalie from @plutoniumsocks.

Next up was door step visits. My nephew and great nephew.

 Door step bacon butties.

Followed by garden visits.

Then meeting up with friends as venues start to re open.

 Bubbling with child 5.

Having other people in your home, but maintaining social distancing. Child 2 and his wife.

One Daily Positive - Week 31

The requirements for travel are changing often. We now have to have a covid free certificate to be able to fly back into Dubai. There are many places charging a small fortune and I have no idea if the UAE government would accept any of these. The response I get from Emirates is to contact a UK government lab to arrange the test. Do they mean the NHS? Currently they're only testing for people who have symptoms. I find it so frustrating when people in other countries just assume everything is done the same around the world.

Finally found a testing centre in Bristol that the UAE recognise, had to pay £120 each for the tests and then a long wait for an appointment date, has to be done within 48 hours of departure. The rules may change again by the time we fly, but that is the nature of a pandemic, sadly it likes to travel also.

We've had a busy week with DIY and the house is finally feeling like our home again

My to do list: (got ignored last week)
Sort paperwork
Write up address book
Wash dog
Clean the windows, everyone is covered in cat snot
Tidy craft room/dumping ground
Sew bunting
Fix duvet
Clean spare room

208 Sunday The day spent ordering tools and DIY items needed for Peter to start work around the house, they arrive on Tuesday. Nothing else happened other than washing and watching TV.

209 Monday Up way too early, wet and cold outside. Sewed some bunting and tidied the craft room  The day end with a Sunday roast, I no longer care what day of the week it is anymore. Our kitchen door doesn't stay shut without a latch, we haven't been able to fond one on line to Peter removed the one from the dining room door, now the dining room door doesn't close without lifting the handle and we seem to spend all our time looking for the cat who hooks her paw round the frame to open the door.

210 Tuesday Tools etc arrived, Peter set about some DIY, I spent the day doing the tax return, sorting paperwork out and booking Covid tests so we can return to Dubai. Have sorted out birthdays, anniversaries and care package boxes all ready to post for events in late August and September before I travel to Dubai. I just seem to place paper son the floor so I can sort, then run out of time and just put them back on the desk again.

211 Wednesday Up at 3am, just couldn't sleep, sat and blogged. Mother in Law and Sister in Law came up for the morning to socially distance sit in the garden. In the afternoon Peter re grouted and re sealed our ensuite. We ordered new wood to re clad the shed.

212 Thursday I had a really good sleep, 9 hours and woke up feeling refreshed. Peter and I removed the internal doors, cut them to the new size for the carpets, sanded them down and I will be painting them in September. In between helping Peter I sorted out bills and paperwork and I cut some foam to size to re make Bob's dog bed which I made when he came to live with us 7 years ago. I made the cover with upholstery material which just needs the seams sewing back up.
Peter and I proving our point that the paper will set alight and doing it on a wooden table top isn't a good idea.

213 Friday Up at 4am Sorted through some more paperwork, made a few more online orders, cleaned the cat snot off the windows. Peter sanded down the outside table I was given early on in lockdown and stained it. We didn't find the heat too oppressive as there was a gentle cool breeze. In Dubai when the weather is hot, so is the wind. I completely forgot I'd made arrangements with my friend to visit today prior to Peter getting his flight, she brought me 1/2 ton of rocks for the garden. My new sewing machine arrived and Debbie and I drank wine and ate chips in the garden. Bob struggled with the heat today, Peter and I loved it.

214 Saturday Dog washed. To do list complete. Cleaned the spare room, fixed the duvet and sewed the dog bed up. All the paperwork is now sorted. The address book will get written up on my next flight as I doubt there will be any new movies to watch. I've started a new 'to do' list for next week. Peter cut and hung the new door for the dining room and painted it. Just the food delivery to sort and dinner to cook. Bob is grumpy in his old age, he hates being bathed, but he loves the rub down afterwards.

On the blog this week:

Collecting Peter from Heathrow Airport
A visit to Eastnor Castle with Bob - Dayoutwithmydog is now on Instagram

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Post Comment Love - 31st July - 2nd August 2020

At the end of the first week of Peter's visit and I'm pleased to say we're half way through our 2 week isolation and still happily married.

When I left Dubai on March 24th I posted this picture online.

A colleague of my husbands asked why we were smiling when we were going to be apart for an indefinite period of time. We both said it's because we didn't have to quarantine together.

Usually when we visit the UK I come for a month or two and Peter joins me for a week or two. He hits the ground running as we try to pack in as many visits with family and friends. He always wants to get jobs done in the flat we own, but this time we're back in our former family house and whilst I've done as much of the painting, cleaning and minor repairs, it's been great to have the time to just chill out, not charge around and for Peter to get the jobs done around the house.

We had to fill in forms online for permission to return to Dubai as residents before booking our flights. Peter returns on the 14th of August, I'm due to join him on the 18th for 3 weeks. New rules mean we now have to be tested before we can board the plane, rather than on arrival in Dubai. It's been a complicated and expensive process to find a lab that the UAE recognise and will provide a certificate for travel, costing £120 each. Still got 2 weeks to go, so who knows what else we'll be required to do before we can get home.

Stephanie and I love would love to know what you've been up to this week.

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Day Out With My Dog - Eastnor Castle

These days I don't go anywhere unless I can take my dog with me.

I'm please to say I'm finding the UK much more friendly towards dogs the Dubai is and also the weather here in the UK makes it possible to take Bob out for a walk everyday, even in the rain. In Dubai between May and October, the temps reach the high 40's and the dog can't be outside for more than a few minutes at a time.

Eastnor Castle near Ledbury, Herefordshire is dog friendly (on lead) and there are plenty of paths to follow for long or shorter walks, open fields and woodland areas.

Bob really enjoys water, I've invested in a longer lead for him so he can explore further but he has such bad recall, it could be hours before he comes back.

Despite the Covid restrictions, there was still plenty to do, not only for the dog, but for humans old and young. My mum was able to walk the paths as were the twins (pushing the buggy was hard in places)

Plenty of rest stops

Loads of open space to safely play and explore. Sadly dogs must remain on leads.

Booking in advance during Covid needed, entry £5 for adults and £3 for children. Dogs were free of charge.

The picnic site was well laid out, good service with the tea room and ice cream vendors and toilets lovely and clean.

I'm only a few miles down the road, but Eastnor isn't a place I'll be revisiting just with my dog. I don't need to pay £5 just to walk him. I will go there again though for a day out with picnic and friends.

One Daily Positive - Week 30 Meeting up with Peter

My whole life is all or nothing. After being apart from Peter since March 24th, we both got permission to travel in and out of Dubai, so I quickly arranged house/pet sitters to fly out to Dubai on August 18th for 3 weeks as I need to renew my visa, but first Peter arrived at Heathrow on Thursday and flies back on the 14th.

Peter and I will be isolating for 2 weeks. I will however still be walking the dog, but close to home. We've been social distancing on walks with Bob since we got him. As Peter hasn't been in the UK since February, we've decided to have social distanced garden visits with family and friends if they are comfortable with visiting us.

To do list:
Sort paperwork
Write up address book
Wash dog
Clean the windows, every one is covered in cat snot


201 Sunday Early start to the retail park to stock up on mums toiletries for the next 2-3 months ahead of her going home next week. I had a mini meltdown with lack of social distancing, regrouped in a coffee shop as it was empty then headed back out to the shops. Even popped into Next to pick up a few basic items, most of my clothes I brought with me are either threadbare or covered in paint and garden stains now. Dropped some flowers with a friend who has a family funeral tomorrow. I mowed the lawns, cleaned half the windows and cooked a roast and did a load of washing also, Bob had a walk, wasn't happy that it was only 20 mins instead of half the day.

202 Monday Spent the day in Monmouth looking after the twins and creating a mud kitchen, gardening and making space for their mum and dad to relax in. Both parents are working full time from home, with 3 year old twins, it's not easy. Peter finally got permission to return to Dubai after his flight to the UK.

203 Tuesday Dr's at 9.20am for blood tests. When I moved the furniture from the flat to the house, I had the double bed assembled in the guest room, thinking our bed would arrive in May, seeing as it's likely to be May 2021 now before it arrives, I spent the afternoon dismantling the double and the single and swopping room so I can have the 'big bed' to sleep in. Due to Peter's unexpected visit, mum and I have had to rethink her visit. She was due to go home next Tuesday, but wanted to see Peter and then isolate for 9 days at home, but we decided she should go home tomorrow and at least she'll be able to go out for walks. I assembled a wooden swing in the garden ready for our grandchild's visit on the weekend.

204 Took mum home via a visit to the bank. I then did a 2 week food shop for her, before the online shopping resumes. Home late, brought the washing in, walked Bob and to bed. This is the 2nd Covid test I've been sent for research purposes.

205 Thursday Got the car cleaned, collected the Tesco order, washed and put everything away. walked Bob, cleaned the house and then drove to Heathrow for 7pm to collect Peter who is here for the next 3 weeks. I drove the long route up the M5, M42, M40, M25 and M4 to Heathrow, parked at T3, which was closed and paid £4.50 to get back out, the trip took me 2 hours. Drove back the 'quick' route. Speed restrictions on the M4, the A419 through Swindon was closed, the entry lane to the M5 was shut at Gloucester and the M50 was closed also, the trip home took 4 hours.

206 Friday A lazy start to the day, full English breakfast, watched TV and just pottered around. Debbie joined us in the evening for chips and wine in the garden. Phone consultation with GP, he wants me to start a course of iron tablets despite me telling him I have an absorption problem and they haven't worked in the past, neither did iron infusions, he's referring my bone marrow biopsy results to a haematologist.

I now have a fully working kitchen tap and a sink that drains properly.

207 Saturday My Covid test came back negative. We made a list of the jobs needing doing around the house and order the tools and items needed to get them done. Child 2, 2a and 2b came round for the afternoon/evening. We adhered to social distancing outside apart from 30 mins in the dining room to eat with the outside door open.

On the blog this week:
My Sunday Photo - Why is this George V post box painted green?

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Heathrow Airport July 2020 - My Sunday Photo

I collected my husband from Heathrow Airport on July 23rd. We haven't seen each other since March 24th.

I arrived at Terminal 3, parked up and made my way towards Arrivals.

It was closed. Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport was closed. I thought it looked a bit emptier than I'd expected, but closed?

Emirates always fly in and out of T3, Hubbies flight ticket said T3, my ticket for August 18th says T3, my car parking is booked with T3. A quick google revealed I needed to be at T2. I had to pay £4.50 to get out the car park, then pay another £4.50 to go in and out of T2 car park.

I had a mini melt down getting out the lift as people just filed in and not holding back, I yelled at them to social distance. There's a clear one way system set up for the building and masks have to be worn from the car park onwards. Both these rules were broken by a few, but no one challenged them.

I did wonder if Peter would be able to recognise me whilst wearing a mask.

When I got in the car I had to remind him he could take his mask off, he's so used to wearing one all the time in Dubai when driving with someone else in the car.

We're now isolating together for 2 weeks, then a week of travelling around to see the family (social distanced) then I'm out to Dubai for 3 weeks to renew my visa, sell my car and close my bank accounts.

Post Comment Love - 24th -26th July 2020

I left Dubai on March 24th not knowing when I'd be returning or seeing my husband next. I obtained permission last week to fly into Dubai from Heathrow and after organising pet sitters, I arranged to fly home on August 18th.

Peter managed to get permission also so booked his flight and arrived in the UK yesterday. He's here till August 14th.

Dubai isn't on the none quarantine list, so he'll be staying home for 2 weeks. We've arranged a few family and close friend garden visits, which will all be socially distanced, then 3 week we'll be out and about walking Bob up the hills and visiting child 1 and child 5.

I've also got a long list of DIY jobs that I've been unable to do during lockdown, such as planing doors with the new carpets, putting up curtain rails and moving heavy garden pots.

Stephanie and I would love to know what you've been up to this week.

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Why is this post box in Malvern painted green? - My Sunday Photo

This post box catches my attention when I walk into town. It's out of service and it's painted green, although you can see flecks of red paint underneath.

Green was adopted as the standard colour for the early Victorian post boxes.

However GR is for the Reign of George V 1910-1936.

Basically I can't answer this question and I've googled extensively. 

The only possibility is that green boxes, usually without a slot are used for the local postman to store letters in on his round to save carrying them all together.

All I know for sure is that this post box isn't used anymore.

One Daily Positive - Week 29

Last week I noticed my iron levels have dropped. I can walk miles with Bob, do normal things around the house, hang out washing, hoovering etc and I've even mowed the lawns and done quite a bit of gardening, but when I climb the stairs, I have to have a lie down. I get dizzy, struggle to breathe and feel really tired. Phone consultation with the Doctor on Tuesday and blood tests next week.

Had a few moments at the start of the week that life was being very unfair to me. Apparently all I had to do was just ask and several friends/family members came to my rescue with pet and house sitting end of August for 3 weeks so I can travel to Dubai to see Peter. It's much easier now you don't have to apply for permission to leave there, just to return. Peter is looking into flights for the first week in August and will be required to self isolate in the UK for 2 weeks on arrival, he'll then stay for one further week to social distance visit the family. On arrival back in Dubai he will have to have a Covid test and isolate for 48 hours until the results come back. I will have to do the same when I get to Dubai and will have to isolate on my return to the UK.

Fingers crossed with Peter at home for 2 weeks, all the final DIY jobs I've been unable to do will be completed, such as putting up curtain poles, adjusting the doors after new carpets, changing electrical sockets, repairing the shed etc. Oh and it will be great to see him again after so long apart. I've got my approval through to return to Dubai, however I'll have to reapply as it's only valid for 21 days. Peter's is more complicated, to get back into Dubai he needs a letter from HR to state he has a job/home to go back to.


To do list:
Postcards of Kindness
Sort paperwork
Write up address book
Wash dog bedding
Wash dog
Clean the windows, every one is covered in cat snot

194 Sunday Washing on the line and a 6 mile dog walk around Malvern, a stop at the coffee shop and the afternoon spent writing #postcardsofkindness, cooking a roast and finishing off my jigsaw puzzle.

195 Monday House Woken early be a neighbour who forgot to put their wheelie bin out. Spent the day having a tidy round and a clean. Walked Bob and had an Estate Agent round in the afternoon for a valuation.

196 Tuesday Off early to Monmouth to collect Mum's prescription, dropped toilet roll tubes off with the Things, a jigsaw puzzle with a friend for her parents who are shielding, spent an hour in the garden with our grandchild and called in at a friends garden on the way home. All social distanced visits and all outdoors other than the chemist.

197 Wednesday Took Bob out for an early walk, decided to stop for a coffee at an independent coffee chain. I won't be going back there for many reason, mainly social distancing and them not being interested in storing customer information in case of an outbreak. I met a woman on out walking, we chatted and she invited me round anytime for a coffee. She wasn't in today, but her husband told me she hoped I would pop in, so I'll try again tomorrow afternoon. The rest of the day nothing happened, some blogging, tv, garden watered, bath and bed at 8pm.

I went for a walk without Bob, he wasn't happy.

198 Thursday Mum did her own shopping today in Waitrose, I shopped for the rest of the stuff needed. I'm planning and cooking all meals, mum just needs to let me know each week what she wants for breakfast, lunch, snacks and quantities. Spent the rest of the day doing nothing. The woman popped round here to say she was out this afternoon, but didn't want me to think I was being ignored so we've arranged coffee Saturday morning.

199 Friday I joined the National Trust this week and visited Croome with Bob. In the afternoon I baked cakes and dog biscuits. Wine and chips in the garden with Debbie in the evening. Washed all the dog bedding.

200 Saturday Early start with Bob into town and the post office, met up with the woman I met earlier this week for tea in the garden, had a lovely couple of hours. Came home and spent the afternoon in bed watching TV, reading and blogging. My chronic pain has flared up again this week and I'm struggling with my breathing, blood tests next week will let me know what's going on.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Malvern Abbey and Charles Darwin's Daughter, Annie.
My Garden in June
Why I'm choosing to go back into isolation

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Post Comment Love 17th -19th July 2020

Fingers crossed I'll know by the start of next week if my husband can come over to the UK for a visit. he has to get permission to return to Dubai at the end of his visit here, which is proving tricky at the moment as he needs a letter from the owner of the company in the UAE.

I'm still on track to return to Dubai the end of August for 3 weeks, having (hopefully) secured pet sitters. My visa will expire if I don't return soon and I really need to see my dentist for maintenance on my dental implants. My permission to return to Dubai has been granted, however I will need to reapply as I applied too early and it's only valid for 21 days.

Both Peter and I will follow the rules for quarantine. Peter will spend 2 weeks in isolation in the UK after I collect him from Heathrow. My only time outside the house will be spent walking the dog and I'll happily have social distanced visits in our garden. On his return to Dubai there is screening, followed by a Covid test and isolation for 48 hours until the results come back. If all clear Peter can then carry on his normal day to life. These measures will also apply to me in reverse.

I've felt a bit in limbo this week due to all the variables and relying on others to confirm things etc. It's out of my control. Also to ensure I can go back to Dubai, I will be going back into isolation in 2 weeks, when my mother goes home, I'm also missing the quieter and simpler life I had when no one is making any demands on my time.


Stephanie and I would love to know what you've been up to this week.

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Why I'm choosing to go back into isolation

Since mum arrived a few weeks ago, I've been going out more, her shopping needs differ greatly to mine and going out once a fortnight to food shop is now weekly. I don't like it, I don't feel comfortable and my anxiety levels are increasing again. But I'm doing it, I'd just rather not.

This week I went to the chemist to collect her prescription, she'd been asking for me to pick up some cakes next time I shopped and requested new cotton hankies. The pharmacy counter is by the door in Superdrug, so I only need to go just inside. I could look through the window at Greggs and see they were out of fresh cream cakes and when I got to Peacocks, I did my own risk assessment, staff were masked, store was well laid out and there were no customers inside. I walked as far as the till and the assistant fetched the hankies. I wore a mask from entering the chemist until I finished in the final store.

There was no queue to Home Bargains so I decided to go in there and pick up the other bits and pieces I needed that I would normally get from Wilko when I did my next food shop in Waitrose on a Thursday. I entered the store, picked up one or two things from memory as I'd forgotten my list and left without half the stuff I needed, so I'll still have to go to Wilko on Thursday or leave it another week.

At the beginning of lockdown, I didn't have a car and couldn't get online food delivery for myself. Thankfully I managed to get regular slots for mum. So I'd go out with my trolley and try to shop for 7-10 days with some careful meal planning, once I got a car it was to the shop once a fortnight and a top up of milk the alternate week in the corner store. I carefully selected the 2 stores I shopped in, the social distancing was and is still being observed in there and I added Wilko to my list of places I was happy to visit.

I've made a couple of trips to poundland and poundstretcher on my weekly trip out, but used the supermarket nearby and I wasn't happy with the social distancing. I've been to B&M in Worcester when I've driven for a click and collect, justifying that I'm still actually only physically going into one shop that week.

I've been buying a take out coffee from an independent shop happily enough, but went to one of the chains and I felt uncomfortable. I'm slowly making a list of the places I won't be going back into even after this is all over.

Today I sat inside a different independent coffee shop. I wasn't asked for my details, staff didn't distance from one another and they were quite scathing about what they could and couldn't do. I drank my coffee, had my say about them. not asking for my details and I just won't return there.

It's become too easy to just do a bit more each time I go out. I don't like it, I don't want or need to do it, so after my mum returns to her own home in 2 weeks time. I'm going back into isolation and will only shop again once a fortnight, I will continue to take the dog for daily walks and am more than happy to continue my friday night wine dates with my friend, visit my grandchild and other son who live nearby and meet up with others within a 1 hour drive in open space only.

It's the only way I can guarantee I can remain Covid free, as to a lot of people because the shops are open, life is back to normal, just a little bit inconvenienced and the virus appears to have just gone away.

My aim is to keep well enough to travel to Dubai to see my husband in August and I'll have to isolate for 2 weeks when I get back anyway and I won't be able to walk the dog then. So I just need to stay away from too many other people and avoid indoor spaces till then.