The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Tuesday 8 June

Outside my window... everything looks green. We've had rain since last night, on and off, and it makes everything look very green.

I am thinking... what I'll do tonight. I'd normally go and see B. but it's been a busy few days and my body is good at telling me that I need a bit of time to unwind. Or rather, maybe I'm getting better at recognising the signs. It's taking a bit of time to find a new routine now that I'm stuck behind the computer while the children are at school, and so far I haven't found much free time. So tonight is just for me.

I am thankful for... a lovely Sunday with B. last weekend. We went to look at a lorry, then drove to the coast and went for a swim, despite it being cloudy. We warmed up with egg, chips and ham and tea and coffee at the very old-fashioned beach cafe, then drove back home. It was lovely to have some time just to enjoy each other.

From the kitchen... have recently come very decadent Nutella and peanut butter cookies, and this afternoon it's going to be ciabatta pizza for lunch.

I am wearing... socks again. With the rain, the temperature has dropped too and when you sit still all day, it's my feet that get cold first.

I am creating... not a lot at the moment. I managed to knit a few rows during N's swimming lesson on Saturday and nothing since. My new car is very solid and I noticed last Sunday I can mapread without feeling nauseous. We're travelling quite a distance this weekend, so maybe I can knit a few rows then...

I am going... to see an old friend this weekend in Lancashire and I'm really looking forward to it.

I am reading... again nothing. I crawl into bed at 10.3o pm, drink my hot chocolate drink and read a couple of pages in the WeightWatchers magazine to keep me on the straight and narrow, and then fall asleep as soon as I set my radio to go off after 30 mins.

I am hoping... that my sweet pea will flower soon. They're growing really fast but I don't think there are any flowerbuds yet. Also, that the butternut squash will produce something - one leaf has been half eaten by something or other but the plant is growing.

I am hearing... raindrops on my conservatory roof. It's a plastic roof and in the rest of the house, you can't hear if it's raining unless it's raining really hard. In the conservatory, you can hear it drizzle.

Around the house... is lots of mud from two 8 year old boys' footsteps. N. had a PD day (teachers training day) yesterday so he had a friend over to stay for the day. Obviously 8 year old boys don't think to remove their (muddy) shoes before they run upstairs to play hide and seek...

One of my favourite things... is how well the cucumber plant is doing up on the landing at B's house. It's sitting under some large windows, it's very dry and warm up there and it loves it. Long tendrils and several mini cucumbers! O and the little rag doll that I bought from M&S on Saturday - yes, she was for me ;-)

A few plans for the rest of the week... trying to raise a bit more money for my ladies' tractor road run; a visit to Lancashire; trying to carve out a bit of me time...

A picture for thought I'm sharing...

The river Rijn close to where I lived for a couple of years. This was taken back in January I believe, during a very cold spell. One of my friends is moving to a house soon that they had built. I think that maybe it's time to go to Holland again...

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