Diary summary week ending 13th July 2024

[Jebber]

It has been a beautiful day here,  I haven't been outside but it's been quite comfortable indoors.  I keep the curtains and blinds closed in the front which faces east, with everything open at back, then changed them over when the sun moves round about lunchtime, it stops the house getting too hot.

Viktoria, a peacock butterfly flew in this morning and spent about an hour trying to find its way out again. I tried to get it to go the way it came in but I can't move quickly enough to have any effect. In the end it got stuck behind the closed curtains in the front room so I had to open them all up and open the windows. Still the silly thing flew backwards and forwards trying to get out through the centre pane which is fixed ignoring the big windows I had opened on each side. In the end I closed the curtains again and left it, when I looked sometime later it had gone.

Booked my Sainsbury’s delivery, as it's due to get hotter so I have ordered plenty of salad  and fruit.

After complaining about the television programmes last week, I couldn't believe it on Sunday, when looking for something to watch in the evening they had Andy Pandy starting at eight o'clock in the evening. Were they expecting all the very young children to be up at that time, or did they think it was what us oldies wanted to watch.

[louisa maud]

Jebber, you made me laugh about Andy Pandy.

When my twin brother and was young we often visited an  aunt in Mill  Hill NW   London,  she had a huge TV in a cupboard  as I remember and we would watch the programme  on their, by the time my parents could afford a TV  I was about 15, to old for Andy Pandy and Luby Loo

The car registered 35 degrees today but there was a breeze from time to time

LM.

[Viktoria]

Yes, a lovely day here too, hot but not really uncomfortable .
Just had fish and chips,very tasty but not really for such hot weather but son likes them.

Tried to explain to our Health Centre Pharmacist , a telephone appointment - that I was asking for advice re my fragile breaking hair and how much was in the upstairs vac,downstairs vac and little quick whizz around carpet sweeper!
He was useless and told me to go to the Chemists ‘ “ Ask the Pharmacist “——
well I thought, I am speaking to a Pharmacist now!
Honestly!

I am fed up with Wimbledon! So many programmes replaced for it.

Hope no one is adversely affected by the high temperatures .

Started to read a book I have had for years ,a present from s friend of my parents ,a very kind generous person .In 1948.
I treasure it ,a story of children and how they played and amused themselves
with very few toys ,but they did live in the countryside, just as I had done .
Told as if written by one of the children .
It is called -
“Dew on three grass”  by Eiluned Lewis. Mine is a Penguin edition .
I have read it so many times it is falling to bits.
It takes me back so many years - well 77.
Don’t suppose it is still available so many years after .I will look online.

Well how the weeks do fly by!
Talking of flying - a Peacock butterfly - so sad that they are so rare ,well any butterflies these days .
I had a bluebottle that even though everything was open  the stupid  thing just banged into the windows !


Cheerio folks ,thanks for the news .
Viktoria.

[Jebber]

I’m glad I amused you LM.  You would have been even more amused if you could have seen my 6fr husband  dressed up Andy Pandy. In our forties we were invited to a New Years Eve fancy dress party, someone loaned him Andy Pandy and Looby Loo costumes, at 5ft 10 ins I was far too tall to get into the Looby Loo costume, so my best friend at 5ft went as Looby Loo. I went as a punk rocker all coloured hair and safety pins and chains. We looked right idiots doing the conga up the High Street at midnight.

[ThrelfallYorky]

I oince made an "Andy Pandy" costume for my OH, complete with hat, for a fundraising Fancy Dress Day - all doing our normal jobs, but in silly outfits. 10.00 the night before I realised I'd not done one for myself, so I set about cannibalising a blue and white striped evening dress, and used that and the fabric left over from A-P to dress myself as Mrs Andy Pandy, nee Looby Loo!
Those two costumes went the rounds of loads of people over the next 15 years! Wonder where they are now?
TY

[louisa maud]

Oh boy  it is a hot  one today ,   been  to the audiology  department  at the hospital,   yesterday and today I can't  hear a thing, sent me to see if I can have my ears washed out, used to be syringing,  squeezes me in for Thursday next, feel as if I am locked into a box  oh well,  excuse  not to listen  to anyone but I have a funeral to go to plus I have helped to do a fund raiser at the church tomorrow,  I feel sympathetic  to anyonee   who  has hearing  problems.

Keep cool

LM

[KGarrad]

Weather pretty warm here, too! 27c forecast for tomorrow.
IoM record is 28.9c.

I have to be out tomorrow.
Handyman and plumber coming to replace my loo, and floorboards.

[Viktoria]

A glorious morning here ,up early to do housework before it gets too hot .

The nice young man who did all the gardens for me is coming to change  a few things so it will be much easier for me to manoeuvre the scooter in and out.
I mentioned my concern for my three little goldfish ,they need somewhere better shaded as whatever I do the water goes green very quickly - in a few days even after a thorough clean out and algae killing substances ,and I wanted to re- home them.
His Dad has a pond and he is coming at lunchtime to see them and hopefully to adopt them .
Then my herb raised bed can go where the raised pond is and the herb bed removed so the way is clear without complicated manoeuvres to get the scooter in its shed.
Phew.
Just seen a butterfly on my curtains ,trying to get out of the window, I did not recognise it so got the butterfly book and seemingly it was one that is not native,an American Buckeye.
One big spot on each forewing with a very small blue centre then a brown circle round it, then a yellow circle, two orange stripes and white dashes .
Then two smaller spots on each hind wing ,those blue centre with yellow edges. The main part of the wings dark brown.
With wings closed against the light the butterfly looked black.
It flew out when I just moved the curtain a little as the door was open,

Son off to head office today but is not up yet, will perhaps wait until evening when it is cooler.If so it will be bacon and eggs for tea as my Tesco order is not due until tomorrow!

Watered pots and containers yesterday evening but topped them up early this morning ,- a mystery- I grew poppies from seed,the big
oriental ones - But they have come up mauve with a deep purple inner edge to the centre of the petals,not really attractive ,bet they are opium poppies !

No white butterflies as yet today , but very small bee like insects gathering nectar from the poppies ,——- now then, just been to get the post and two white butterflies have flown in to the Verbena plants.

Time for another cuppa ,coffee this time .
Cheerio and hope the extreme heat does not affect anyone adversely .
Viktoria.

[Gillg]

A real scorcher yesterday and I had to do a bit of shopping in town, so dragged myself around, but got a lift back home, thank goodness.  I spent the rest of the day indoors watching tennis (sorry, Viktoria  ) and reading.  No housework done because of the heat, but today I have washed the two cellular blankets from our bed.  Yes, we are old-fashioned enough to prefer the flexibility of sheets and layers of blankets to the suffocation of duvets!  These blankets are very easy to wash and dry very quickly, so they, or maybe only one, will be back on the bed tonight.

Today is supposed to be the hottest day in our area, but I am singing tonight in a concert.  I hope we can all stand the heat in the village hall.   My husband is manning a stall in a park for the local festival all weekend, but luckily he has a gazebo for shade and is positioned under some trees.  We can only be thankful that it isn't wet and windy, I suppose.

Keep cool, everyone and drink lots of water.  I drank gallons yesterday! Don't forget the sunscreen and the hat.