Growing up

This was a brilliant read, I have read almost all the DCI Roy Grace books set in Brighton, along side his cases there is the theme of his wife disappearing without trace. This book is Sandy his wife's story, why and how she disappeared, it is a good plot, well written. Book 18 read this year.

I have read this author before, this story is set in 2050, a police officer is sent to remote Scotland, was a death an accident or murder, many things have changed including the climate, can he work out what happened and why. Book 19 read this year.

It was Will's 8th birthday this week, we popped up with his gift and to share his birthday cake, most of his gifts are army related, he has wanted night vision goggles for ages and the modern uniform, we got him a body protection suit/ stab vest. 

Lilly has had her final jab and she is now chipped, so waiting a few more days and then she should get freedom in our back garden. We have booked for her to be spayed end of March, we don't want her to have kittens, her insurance is in place. The vet was very pleased with her growth and weight, last visit 3 weeks ago she was a bit smaller than expected.

I'm not sure why my hubby should ever speak to me again, I've had a thought said I, does it involve work for me says him, umm maybe says I, do you think the stair risers would look good white? So it seams he agrees, our stairs were added many years after our bungalow was built, they are solid type chipboard not natural wood, hubby is sure he can get them looking good and smooth, later we will get the steps carpeted.

It's been a hard week, my oldest brother, who has lived on his own for years, very independent, has been in hospital for almost a month, various ailments have been stabilized, he has dementia and has refused all medications, he has become angry with the lovely nursing staff. He has now been sent to a secure hospital for people with dementia, initially for 30 days, we have been told its unlikely he will leave, he is unable to care for himself and not capable to live with any of his siblings, he does not recognise any of us. Not a happy situation, the unit is good, he will get the care he needs, just feeling really sad.

Preparing to grow

 Hubby got this plant for our side door, we have a huge purple clematis growing one side, this is for the other side where there is very little space to plant this, so hopefully this small root will take, it is already growing. For now it's in the greenhouse allowing the top growth to grow stronger, it was purchased from Home bargains.

We popped to B&Q, I was very good and only got these two items, which is what I need, I have for years used chicken poo pellets, but with foxes in the garden next door, I stopped using them as I don't want them attracted to our garden because the pellets stink. 

I got these seed potatoes from B&M, there aren't many in the pack, which is perfect for us, I have just two bags to grow them, they are sat on my kitchen windowsill. 

My spring bulbs are beginning to bloom in their pots, the joy of having colour outside is immense at this time of year along with hellebores and cyclamen, the garden is looking cheery. I have loads of other pots with leaves growing a promise of more flowers to come.  

I do love this cider pot, I have had it ten years, with many different plants in it, now I keep spring bulbs and a fleabane daisy, which gives interest most of the year, it sits on the veg side of my middle fence, near our Magnolia tree which is visible from the sitting room. 

Friday was fun, Will had been to see The Mary Rose at Portsmouth and was full of stories, hubby and I each gave him £5 as a reward for a good report from his teacher, I do believe in rewarding hard work, as we know if you work to improve yourself it does reap rewards. We popped to a few different shops whilst we were in the area, did not get much just a few bits required. Later we both enjoyed our meal and shared a bottle of red wine, we watched 1 question on channel 4 with Claudia Winkleman, which we both enjoyed, it's a clever idea, one word with 16 possible meanings, contestants have just to find the correct answer, we were unsure on the 1st one, Eleven, but knew the 2nd, Brown.

Saturday was again a cold and grey day, hubby baked chocolate brownies, we walked to our local Co-op for some fruit and veg, the shop is not in the prescient. Afternoon was reading. Sunday hubby was out for the morning, so I lay in bed reading for ages, I did my nails and had a lovely lazy morning. I did some bits in the greenhouse, nothing exciting, I have a few new things already growing and loads doing well sheltered from the cold weather. 

Must be love

It's Valentines day, we are using our cards for the 5th year, hubby is happy these days to reuse cards to each other, he hated doing it at the start. We don't get gifts or over priced flowers and we don't go out. He has planned a nice meal for tonight thanks to a great meal deal at Tesco.

 Lilly is becoming a much bigger and braver cat, she has her moments where she hares around the house, she also has a love for my houseplants, she attacked my air plant one night, I managed to find it, it will recover from all the lower leaves being chewed off, for now I have moved it to a safe location, this is recovery row along with my spider plant and babies. 

My Christmas cactus is flowering again, I only ever water this plant, it loves the spot in the bathroom, nice to see pretty blooms on dull days.

We not seen daughter, her car has been playing up, it's settled now, problems started after she filled up, we think maybe something to do with that, she did not use her local garage. Wednesday evening I helped with bath and bed time for the two youngest, mummy went to Will's parent/teacher meeting, mostly good news, he is inclined to interact with those who disturb the class, he does not start anything, but stops and laughs at them, also he is slow on his maths, he can do it, just needs more encouragement to be confident, his teacher is going to find some pages for him to try at home.

I managed to give our bedroom and shower room and the downstairs bathroom a good clean this week, no where is dirty, but I have been avoiding corners for a while, I plan to do the kitchen next. 

Our car had it's MOT on Thursday, sailed through, we just needed two new tyres, we spent most of the day in town, we had lunch out and had homemade tomato soup later at home. 

Today we are meeting daughter and Will (inset day) to have coffee and cake at Dunelm, then into B&M for cat food. B&Q is close by, I would like to pop in there as well. It's just above freezing here this morning, very grey and very windy again. 

This weekend I hope to be in the garden, first real time this year, I want to cut dead bits back as the bulbs are coming through, I have bits to do in the greenhouse, and a general tidy up, I am still not going to start any seeds yet, I will put an order in for our local garden centre, they will deliver bags of compost, stone and other bits on a Friday night, I need fine seedling compost.

Just grey

This is the second book I've read by this author, it was a brilliant and clever plot, your little girl goes missing in London, so many twist, whilst not adding too many suspects, I could not put is down. Book 16 read  this year.

I love this author, DI Helen Grace, set in Southampton, as usual they are sent on a goose chase, wrong suspects, no clue how the crimes are linked. A good story, my only issue is, as I have said before, the strength she gives Helen Grace, allowing her always to make the chase and collar the criminals, this did end slightly different. Book 17 read this year. 

As you know I read loads, and in the past I've struggled to remember what I have read, I'm not good at reading a book the second time. So for years I have been using this small address book to list by authors title's I have read. 

I got this plant from Asda, I'm not planting it in the ground, I've popped it into a pot, in hope it grows to a nice plant, which I can use to fill a gap in my summer garden. If it works it's a cheap way of getting new plants. At this point I am waiting to see what has survived our wet winter.

It's been another grey week, the skies have not changed all week and still cold, thank goodness no rain, I have not gone out much, preferring to stay at home where it is warm. We did our big shop at Asda, getting all the bits we can't or won't get at Lidl's, we were good an did not add to many items not on our shopping list, the total spend was higher than expected, the food prices are rising quickly again.

We did get the 'free from' Easter eggs for Molly and George, neither can have dairy, I have plastic refillable eggs for their hunt in the garden, I have paper Easter bags which I got them last year half price. All three children and adults enjoy our Easter egg hunt. The free from items are getting better to find, Asda always have a good selection, which sell out fast. They will also have a new book each.