off to Bath!

Joanna and I are heading off to Bath this weekend. Can't wait!

We're planning on visiting the Roman Baths, the Jane Austen Centre, the Postal Museum, Fashion Museum, Bath Abbey - where we hope to take part in carol-singing for shoppers on Saturday - and many more. Oh, and there's a German Christmas Market there all weekend as well. Like I said - can't wait!

My only hope is that it doesn't pour with rain the whole time. Cold, damp, wind, sunshine - they're all okay. Even the odd shower of rain would be fine because we can always pop into a shop but constant rain would be a real pain!

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to our wee trip and to not having to do any cooking or cleaning for a few days. Not that I do a lot at the best of times but the idea that someone else will be making my breakfast for me is fab! And we'll have to have our evening meals out each night too. Like I said - can't wait! :o)

first snow!

We live by the sea so we rarely get much snow so this was a bit of a surprise this morning. Oh, snow was forecast, but you know what weather forecasts are like - they don't often apply to where we are.

Anyway, here are some photos I took of our piddling amount of snow. Rosie wasn't too enamoured with it! :o)

sunset on the same day!

And less than 8½ hours later, we have the sunset!

sunrise in Kirkcaldy

I was upstairs washing my hair this morning when I happened to look out of the bedroom window and saw the sunrise. I rushed downstairs to get my camera because I knew it wouldn't last for longer than a few minutes.

So here is the view from our bedroom window at about 7.30am today.

yummmmmmmmmm!

For pudding on Sunday I made an apple cake tatin. It was loosely based on the Barefoot Contessa's plum cake tatin but I only used her caramel topping - 1 cup sugar & 1/3 cup water heated to 360º. I used apples instead of plums and I used an ordinary sponge mix - 6 oz butter, 6 oz sugar, 6 oz sugar and 3 eggs on the base. It was delish! :o)

no more poking!

I was at the Chiropractor today and I've not to go back! She is very pleased with how the glute muscle in my right leg/bum feels so she told me she doesn't need me to go back again. Fabulous!

I've not to go back to everything at full speed, though. She told me to take my time starting things like housework and hoovering up again and, if the muscle gets sore, to make sure I rest it. And, if that doesn't help, I've not to hesitate to go back for her to take another look but she doesn't think I'll need to. Fabulous!

So now I can stop feeling guilty about the amount of money it cost to get my muscle manipulated back to health. Douglas doesn't want me to feel guilty but I do. I mean, think of all the chocolate I could have bought with that money! :oD

just a few siggies

I was asked to make some special siggies today. 16 of them. I had such fun making them! Here they are:

a new boiler

Yesterday and today we had the plumber here to put in a new boiler. It's one of those condensing things so we don't need a hot water tank any more. Just turn on the hot tap, wait a wee minute and - hey presto - hot water.

It's going to be wonderful! Especially up in the bathroom where I used to put the hot tap on, sit on the loo and then, by the time I'd finished, the hot water was coming through.

Of course, he took the old boiler out yesterday but didn't hook the new one up until this morning. And, naturally, yesterday and today were the 2 coldest days we've had yet this autumn/winter! So, we were really cold last night but tonight, we are really toasty! In fact, we've had to turn the thermostat down it's so warm!

Now the worst bit is the dust that's over everything because he had to drill holes through the stone walls to get various pipes and chimneys outside. Fun! But at least it's warm fun! :oD

more leg-pulling

I was back at the chiropractor today to get more leg-pulling done. She is very pleased with the way things are going. She still worked really hard on the glute muscle in my right leg - I'm expecting to have bruises on my derriere! - as she says there are still some bits in there not right yet. It's painful as she does the work but I'd rather it was sore and made me better than not sore and it stay painful.

The difference she has made has been amazing. When I first went, I could cry with the pain I was feeling. See this photo for the proof of the pain in my eyes.

I've not to go back for more leg-pulling until next Wednesday - a big difference from the 2 times a week when I first went!

the marvels of technology!

We spoke to Debbie this morning via iChat. We saw her too - it's amazing what can be done with technology nowadays. Long gone are the days when you would arrive somewhere and send a postcard home saying "arrived safely" (which would probably arrive after you'd returned home!).

Anyway, the weather is good in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Debs is going out with her camera today so I expect we'll see some fab photos soon.

I am trying to make some sense of the leftovers from the explosion but don't seem to be getting anywhere fast. Oh well, I'll do what the back and leg muscles will allow and then stop for a rest.