Saturday, 25 January 2020

It's Saturday Once More

Another week in Suffolk..................

No swimming again - I rang to check and the lady there told me the electrical surge had done more damage than first thought and parts for the pool heating were having to come from Belgium! They're hoping to be open next week but not definite, have to ring again.

The very windy weather 2 weeks ago had pushed over a small pollarded willow. It couldn't fall further because it was in the ditch but it was sticking out over the footpath that goes down the meadow. I texted BiL to see if he had a spare half hour and he had (that was a surprise!) so once again I cooked him dinner in return for chainsaw work......thank goodness he's not too far away. Hardly any useful wood from it as the biggest bits were only a couple of inches across.

I thought about going to the cinema to see the film 1917 (it was on in the afternoons in Stowmarket) but the temptation to stay at home and light the wood-burner was much greater!  I'll add it to my list of DVDs to borrow from the library when it's available.

All the logs that came from the trees cut down nearly two weeks ago are now stacked up on some pallets to dry and season reading for splitting sometime in the future. I couldn't get the ride on mower to start to use the trailer even after putting the battery on charge, so ended up using a wheelbarrow and carrying the rest one or two at a time - good exercise!
Got the mower to start in the end - so just hope it's the battery getting old and taking longer to charge up. It would take a VERY long time to cut all the grass here without it.

Tried out the car seat with eldest granddaughter - it's so blinkin' complicated, push this, pull that - they were simpler back when my lot were little - probably safer now but certainly more expensive. Anyway Florence and I went to see the sea at Aldeburgh - it was flat calm but grey and misty, we threw some stones in, looked at the huge seagulls, spoke to a fisherman ............the one who owns this boat below, although this picture is from Internet and obviously taken in summer - yesterday it was as damp and grey and foggy as everywhere else in Suffolk! He showed me what damage seals do to his nets.
Photo Borrowed From Beach website
 There are now so many seals coming to breed on the Norfolk coast  they are having to move south to find food. He said there will soon be no fish for him and the others who fish from these small boats.  Once there were about 300 young seals born around Norfolk coast each year, last year there were 5,000, because they are so protected............... but they are ruining the livelihood of local fishermen.

And Finally.....................
Anyone else been watching the Indoor bowls championship on TV last week? I was half watching on Friday afternoon but ended up turning off as there were so many people in the audience cough, cough coughing.  It sounded like a wonderful place for catching something nasty!

(plus a P.S. to my penfriend W on a windy Scottish Island, many thanks for the gift for grandchild number 4, it's beautiful- hope baby arrives soon, DiL is getting quite fed up)


This week I'm grateful for
  • Stacked wood for the future
  • The warmth from the wood burner on foggy damp days.
  • Seeing the sea on a grey day

Have a good weekend
Back Monday
Sue

31 comments:

  1. Morning Sue. How very satisfying to have all that wood. Love Aldeburgh, haven't been for a long time though. How interesting (and sad) about the fishermen and the seals....saving one thing messing up the lives of another. We don't think of that do we?

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    1. His nets had huge holes where the seals had got the fish. There are just two or three fishermen using those little boats at Aldeburgh now - soon there may be none

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  2. You need an engineering degree to fit my granddaughter's latest car seat. And a PhD to fold up her buggy.

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    1. I've got a buggy here too - son showed me how to do it but I bet I wont be able to unfold the thing if I need it - think I'll look out for a simpler one

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  3. Aldburgh is one of the places I hope to visit in May, fingers crossed. Must check out the parking first though!
    Would you be able to replace the battery on the mower?
    Have a lovely weekend.
    xx

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    1. Plenty of parking in Aldeburgh, free all down the street with paying car parks at each end.
      Yes I could replace the battery although hopefully now it's started once it should be OK ish for the summer

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  4. Sue, I have followed your blog for the last few years but have been unable to comment until I just altered my settings. How annoying is that!
    I just wanted to say how much I admire the way you are moving forward now and how much I enjoy your posts.

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    1. Hello,so pleased you found a way to get through to comment.I'm glad you enjoy reading too

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  5. My brother lives very close to Winterton in Norfolk and they walk on the beach to see the seals, glad you had a nice time with Florence.
    The sky looks very heavy in Stewkley, family are coming today, they want you see what on at the jumble sale, I am on the look out for wooden coat hangers to cover for the charity stall at Easter. Have a good weekend Sue and everyone.
    Hazel c uk

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    1. Hope the jumble sale is a good one and you find the coat hangers

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  6. Hi Sue, It's been damp, grey and foggy here too. It's now 9.30am and I have to have the light on it's so dark. Roll on the Spring.
    We love Aldeburgh too. We last went about 4 years ago when we went to see my Sister who lives in Woodbridge. You are in a lovely part of the world although it's a bit tricky to get there from where we live (all cross country) and G is finding it increasingly difficult to drive a distance with his neck problem. I might just have to rely on your lovely photos! Have a great weekend x

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    1. You are so right about traveling cross country, going anywhere south west from here involves the horrible M25 and takes hours.

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  7. We have been so lucky weather-wise up here in the Dales - sorry about your dismal stuff down there. But I do love the way you list the positive things that have given you pleasure over the week.

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  8. My friend and I took her baby grandson into town, neither of us could work out how to open the pushchair. So complicated. We went into John Lewis baby department and asked for help. The assistant opened it with a flourish, gosh we felt old and silly!

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  9. Better a closed pool than a cold pool. But why does it take any longer for parts to come from Belgium?

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  10. that's what I do, get films from our library, when they are available. _If_ I remember them!!!!! Should make a list, like you do!!!

    Seals have overpopulated, due to the *Eco Warriors*... And killing the business of the small fishermen. -sighhhh-

    Oh wow! So much coughing, that you had to turn off the program! Yes, a *perfect* place, to get sick...

    *•.¸ðŸ’›¸.•*

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    1. The coughing was driving me nuts! I should think it was very off putting to the men playing bowls

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  11. Woke up this morning to dense fog and my alerts said there were ground delays at LAX which is 4 miles away. That is very unusual these days. Back in the 70's it happened a lot and there were diversions.
    I had surgery last week so haven't gone out a lot, been watching a lot of documentaries and catching up on my reading. My attention span is quite limited due to pain.
    Coughing drives me nuts as well. I hit the cough syrup and warm liquids if I feel a tinge.
    Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. Mist and fog all around the world!

      Hope you get over the surgery and become pain-free very soon

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  12. A trip to the seaside, sounds wonderful.
    I'm off to the picture Tuesday to see Little Women with a friend.

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    1. That might be another for my borrow list as it sound too tear inducing to watch 'in public'!

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  13. I hope they get the pool repaired soon. I sure would not want to swim in cold water at this time of the year! I remember the difficulty with child car seats when my grandchildren were little. It is important they are safe but should not be too difficult to install so people will them properly.

    It is good to remind ourselves of the things we have to be grateful for. I love how you do that each week. Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

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    1. You need a technology degree to work out childrens equipment nowadays

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  14. nice beach in Aldeburgh. There are sea lions here in OR that take a bit out of salmon then it fish dies. Weird how they are protected and fish,,,,,not much. Glad you enjoyed your time with Florence. Have a bleesed weekend!

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    1. Thank you.
      There are all sorts of rules about how much fishermen are allowed to catch too but when their nets are damaged and lots of their catch half-eaten it makes things hard for them

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  15. I am finding that Saturdays seem to come faster each week.

    What a lovely list of things to be grateful for.

    God bless.

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    1. The weeks certainly fly by, I don't mind January disappearing but would like the summer months to be longer

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  16. So envious - although I live in Torbay, a wonderful coast on our doorstep (metaphorically speaking!) - I would love a trip to Aldeburgh, but it is almost 350 miles door-to-door. I love your Suffolk coast, it's so beautiful - Orford, the River Alde, Snape, Aldeburgh, Southwold, etc.
    Margaret P

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