Porridge for Breakfast, The Ordinary Life of a TTP Survivor

September has been another wet month.  We had a tremendous rain storm last week and today Storm Agnes is just coming through with more strong winds and rain.  I suppose the garden is doing surprisingly well, considering the weather.   Agnes, also a Patron Saint of Gardeners,  amongst other things, is making herself known. As ever, when you look at individual plants,  they are standing up quite well.  We had thought we should be moving towards more drought tolerant plants last year.  Perhaps this year, it's a good job we didn't.  What will next year bring? Here are a few highlights from our September garden.   As often happens, at different times of the year,  there seems to be a colour theme in our garden.  September is the month of pink. John is making headway with the small greenhouse,  moved closer to the house. The Japanese Anemones continue to flower 😊. New to the garden, Pink Asters.   I hope these survive the ...

We walked with friends today, from Porlock to Porlock Weir and returned via the Saltmarsh.  They are good friends,  who have been enormously supportive.   We all agree that keeping fit is a must, and we all love to walk 😊. Parking by the Village Hall we followed the road for a short distance until a track branched off to the right.  Following the path, you walk through the woods, quite muddy at the moment and good waterproof boots are a must.  It was quite dank today, conkers littered the path but leaves are still clinging to the trees.  All that rain has doing something! The view, in places, is amazing.   I often find when I'm walking on rough tracks that I watch my feet more than my surroundings.  It's important you stop to look around you, and it's a great excuse to just take a moment.   There are slopes to climb! View over to Bossington Beach.  The bridge makes the path easier on very wet days!...

It's Friday, and I'm waiting patiently for my latest blood test results.  Although I no longer wait by the phone, the call comes through on my mobile, its impossible to put it completely out of your mind.   I've been trying to have my hospital blood results uploaded to an app.  It's more difficult to achieve than you would think.  I know, without doubt, that the phone would ring if something was wrong,  so waiting is not agonising,  but I would prefer not to wait.  I have some garden projects in mind but they are mostly on hold.  One involves moving my small greenhouse, and I know I need help with that.  The weather has been pretty awful, the ground is too wet at present,  it'll have to wait.    I've found things to do indoors on really wet days.  Wardrobe sorting to begin with, and then listing on Vinted.  I'll give the clothes a chance and then take them to a charity shop if not sold.  We've been to the ci...

I woke at 6ish this morning to the crashes and flashes of a thunder storm.   It was dark and I flicked the torch on my phone to find my slippers.  My husband was already awake too.   I went downstairs and made tea.  The rain was lashing down and I could hear it bouncing off our outhouse.  I awoke again about 9ish, the thunder was still rumbling around although I don't know if it was the same storm or a sequel.   I pulled the curtains back and saw water gushing passed our house.  The same thing had happened a few years ago, when a sluice on the top road became blocked.  We tried to phone Wessex Water but all lines were engaged.  Morrisons phoned, asking if we would be able to get to them to pick up our click and collect order (for some reason they had given us a £12 voucher if we ordered on line 🤷‍♀️.   We said we could and found our boots and long raincoats.   Checking outside again, we saw that the drain c...

My lovely husband, who drives me to all appointments and supports me in a 100 different ways, asked me to be his +1 at an event he really wanted to attend.   It's National Racehorse Week and a trainer's yard not far from where we live opened its gates to visitors this morning.   Horses are not my favourite animal,  they are huge, have four strong legs and a lot of teeth.  Still, how could I say no. Not only is Sandhill Racing Stables nearby, its also where our winner at  Newton Abbot is stabled.  We're not regular race goers, but it was a chance to see how well cared for they are.  The horses did indeed look extremely content and well cared for.  Not a grumpy horse in sight.  All the staff were happy to answer questions and were clearly very fond of their animals.   I know a lot of people are against horse racing,  but most animals work in one way or another,  and I feel sure that these horses are by no means bad...

The sun is shining but the temperature has cooled from that oppressive heat of the weekend.  Yesterday evening it was most definitely cooler, a sure sign that at this time of year the house spiders will decide to run amok.   What is with them!  I’m told it’s the males running around looking for females to mate with, but why do they need to do it indoors where I’m sitting, surely they could find some privacy. My mother always said ‘If you wish to live and thrive, let a spider run alive.’   I always remember that, and we never harm them, but they do go out of the window.   I’m not so terrified as I once was, but I really can’t relax when they seem to play What’s The Time Mr Wolf. Anyway, last night, just as I was settling down, two spiders decided to visit us.  My husband caught them and put them out, but I woke again later not wanting to go the bathroom incase I trod on one.   When I woke again in daylight I could barely open my eyes.  I think the ...

We decided that this we would use public transport instead of using the car this weekend.  As well as the stress, effort and petrol costs, ULEZ has been added to the cost.    Train tickets weren't cheap, we may try National Express next time  but we didn't have to drive.  Our journey started with a walk to the bus stop.  Not an effort you would think, steps are always positive, but we each had a backpack,  and I had another bag for all the bits I couldn't pack in it!  Snacks, water bottles,  a book, my ipad!  I still had to leave my hairdryer behind, so thats not a bonus.  We reached the bus stop and waited,  some old friends came by and stopped to chat, that is a bonus, wouldn't have seen them in the car.  The bus turned the corner,  we stepped forward,  put an arm out, and the bus sailed on by!  It was completely full, not even standing room.  We walked to another bus stop,  closer to where the r...

We're just back from a weekend in London.   Not the sights, but visiting family.  Life is faster for younger members of our family,  jobs, children, friends, traffic!  I did it all once upon a time, haha!   My life in Somerset is easier now.  My husband drove home, the M25 and A303 were slow, just almost constant congestion and road works.  We stopped twice for breaks and a need to stretch our legs.  It's a journey we make often.  Stopping at Stonehenge on the way out is always great.   We joined English Heritage because of it.  There's something about the place, something mystical.   Plus there's a car park, toilets (although they weren't so great this time), most of all a place to properly stretch your legs!   I love that so many different nationalities are visiting.  There are cars from all over Europe. Today is a stay at home day.  We'll catch up on the washing,  drink tea, and potter in t...