Windows

When our recent spell of wet, windy,   stormy weather started just before October we noticed that the big stained glass window had started to leak in places, leaving large puddles on the window sill.

We contacted the local stained glass craftsman who had fixed our other windows and he promised to come out as soon as there was a break in the weather.

Two months later and today we have a dry  reasonably bright day, although very cold. Fortunately he had a "window" in his schedule and as I type this  he is unloading his magic set, ready to start work.

The smaller window in my little office room also needs resealing so he will do that today too.

Hopefully we shall be watertight by this evening.  Just in time before the next band of rain arrives.

Small Pleasures

Yesterday was a day of little things that brought me joy.

After lunch we drove over the Mountain Road to visit some friends who live on the outskirts of Douglas.  We spent a pleasant hour drinking tea, eating shortbread and chatting. 

From there it was just a 10 minute drive to the hospital where I had an appointment at the Audiology Department.   A few weeks back I had messaged them asking if they offered Bluetooth enabled hearing aids on the NHS.  I was sent an appointment which I had assumed was for an assessment but when I got there I found they had new aids all ready and waiting for me. Just five minutes to plug them in,  recalibrate them and pair them with my mobile 'phone and voilà... I am connected!

The late afternoon drive home back over the Mountain Road was quite something with the setting sun turning the fluffy clouds orange and pink.

Just time for a quick spruce up before we trotted down to the bus station to catch the 5:30 to Peel, where we were meeting up with four friends for a meal at the Creek Inn.

Braised lamb shank and a glass or two of pinot grigio with lots of convivial conversation before catching the 9:45 bus for a comfortable ride back home.  The rain held off so no drenching on the walk back from the bus station.

Today I have been experimenting with my new hearing aids. I can now listen to voice calls on my 'phone and play soundtracks from videos and iplayer programmes directly into my hearing aids.

Oh the joys of hearing again.

Very Early Christmas Gift

P received a message from the elderly couple who live opposite the house where his father lived.

P had kept in contact with them after his dad's death and has helped them out with odd jobs around the house from time to time.

Joan told P that, as they usually go away for the month of December to visit family, she wanted to give us something before they left.

We popped over to see them today and she presented me with two rather pretty handmade gifts...

The lights in the little house and trees change colour and flicker gently.

She makes these to be sold in the Age Concern charity shop.

What a kind and thoughtful gesture.

These will brighten up the Church House this Yuletide.

Thursday

Not a very exciting day.

I had a routine hospital appointment which required me to attend the main hospital in Douglas.  To get there by bus would take around 2 hours so I asked my chauffeur to convey me there and wait for me in the car park.

It is only a half hour drive over the Snaefell Mountain Road route but it was very foggy up there.  Luckily(?)  there was a hearse four cars ahead so at least everyone had to drive reasonably sedately  rather than the breakneck boy racer speeds most of them do over that road.

My appointment only took 10 minutes so we drove via the village of Crosby to have a quick lunch (brie and cranberry toasties with good, strong coffee) and to do a shop at the small Co-Op store there.

The drive home via the west coast road is very scenic but I confess that I dozed off.

My chauffeur delivered me home safely and then made me  a cup of tea.

I am now about to tackle some knitting  - the first time I have wielded knitting needles in almost 40 years.

Blues And Twos (UPDATED)

We were just trudging walking back from the shops after lunch when the urgent sound of a police siren made itself known, getting rapidly louder as it neared us from behind.  A police transit van rushed past us at a great rate of knots, blue lights flashing, then turned abruptly into the road that we were about to take to get home.

By the time we reached the corner we could see two or three other police vehicles with lights flashing. They had effectively blocked the road from the turning we were going to take up to the next junction.  Several police officers were climbing out of their cars, some speaking into radios affixed to their shoulders, others checking equipment on their cumbersome "tool" belts.  

I thought it prudent to carry on up the main road and take the next turning to get home rather than intrude on this hive of activity but P was all for walking past so that he could have a good nosey.

I left him to it and carried on, but he evidently thought better of it and caught up with me instead.

There is as yet no mention of the incident on local media and we are both very curious to know what is going on, although I am not going to trot down there to take a look.

UPDATE:

It seems that a car had crashed into the Manx Utilities electrical fuse box at the side of the road.  Shocking!

What A Blow

Today has been extremely windy so far.

I walked into town for my morning shift at the charity shop and found that I had to battle against the headwind, barely able to stay upright let alone move forward.

The poor customers were almost blown over each time the door was opened and people were passing by in the street with their hair standing on end.

It was even worse on the walk back home. As I rounded the corner to walk up the main road, a sudden strong gust blew me over. Luckily I managed to grab hold of a lamppost to prevent myself from falling.

There were stray pieces of detritus swirling around and the sound of metal rattling angrily from various construction sites along the way. I half expected to be hit by falling roof slates, or worse.

I made it home safely but heard on the news that the road where I had my narrow escape had just been closed as the roof was being blown off the bus station.

Phew!

Yet Another Day Out

 We are becoming very adventurous these days. Just one exciting outing after another.

P had an early appointment this morning at the GP surgery for his Over-70s pneumonia and shingles jabs. One in each arm to spread the discomfort.  He was home in plenty of time for us to catch the 9:40 Douglas bound bus at the end of the road for a little trip to the Big City.

Due to our various pre-arranged appointments we knew that we would not get time for lunch so when we arrived we decided to go for brunch in The Caff, opposite the bus station.  A basic, no-frills place frequented by all different types of clientele - tradesmen, men in suits, young mums with tots and OAP wrinklies like us.  

We went for the Budget Breakfast - egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, hash browns and thick toast with a mug of good, strong coffee, all for £5.95 each.  

Suitably fortified we did our errands before my allocated appointment at the Vaccination Hub for my Autumn Booster jab at 12:15.  I arrived a little early expecting the usual long queues. I was the only patient there.  Literally, nobody else waiting either to be checked-in or in the jabbing cubicles. Amazing.  I was in and out in about three minutes. P was sitting on the bench in the shopping centre across the road and was quite surprised to see me out so soon.

We had plenty of time before his appointment at 1 p.m. at the sports injury clinic so we had a slow walk up the road and thought we would sit in the waiting room until he was due in. The physio heard us chatting outside and called us through as he had no other client at that time. P had his treatment and we were back out waiting at the bus stop in time for the 1:15 bus home.

We both dozed off on the journey.

Two old fogies, exhausted by all that excitement. 

We Went To A Party

 Our friend invited us to a little party to celebrate his 70th birthday last night.

He had hired the small restaurant in his village to host a private function for around 30 of us.  Free bar and food he said, so we opted to travel there and back by bus.  Fortunately, the party started at 6 p.m. which fitted in just right with our Sunday bus timetable as it is a 50-minute journey there and the buses only run every two hours.

We had a great evening with much talking and laughing.  The food was a hot buffet and there was plenty of fizz doing the rounds.

Our bus home was due to leave from outside the restaurant at 9:45 p.m. but the party was over by 9 pm and the restaurant staff were ready to close up.  There is nothing else open there at that time of night and we didn't fancy sitting in the dark and cold bus shelter for 45 minutes but a friend kindly offered to drop us off in Peel, the closest town, where we could wait somewhere warm to pick up the bus.  Our friend's brother was also planning to travel on the same bus as he lives in another village halfway between there and Ramsey.  The three of us waited comfortably in the little micro pub just a three minute walk from the Peel bus stop.  A little glass of something was in order, obviously.

There were only half a dozen other passengers on the bus so we had a warm, comfortable and peaceful ride home with just a brisk ten minute walk up the hill from the bus station to wake us up . 

A quiet day today, sitting inside watching the latest gales and rain batter the garden... again.

Hello Sun

 It is a gloriously sunny, mild morning today so I met my friend Barbara for a gentle stroll along the seafront and into the park for a coffee by the lake.

Not many people about early on. Probably all recovering after last night's big Bonfire Night party in the park.  Only two tables taken in the cafe when we arrived so a pleasantly peaceful chat until around 11 a.m. when the crowds suddenly appeared.

I walked with Barbara back to her flat then carried on along the south promenade, pausing briefly to capture the waves breaking against the seawall.

Now for a bacon sandwich and to potter about in the garden before this evening's rain arrives.

Happy days.

Friday

It must have been quite cold overnight as all the windows were damp with condensation this morning.  Looking up through the skylights above my bed in the early hours I could see a host of stars winking down at me and the bright moonlight illuminating the bedroom.

I was supposed to be helping out at the charity shop this morning but they had enough volunteers so I did some food shopping instead and came home early.

It is chilly now so I have switched on the heating and am wrapped around a mug of tea and a Crimbles Big Choc Macaroon.  

Luxury