Journal Weds 24th September 2025

Morning all. Up at 6.00am again with the bulldog who is now fed and sleeping. Figgles is having a luxurious spit wash on my feet and all is right with the world.

We’ve had the most lovely weekend with friends and family and are now just about recovered. Our friends drove from the Netherlands overnight to come and see us, which was above and beyond really, family got up at a ludicrous hour and as the planned ATC strikes were cancelled, arrived without a hitch. My friend arrived a few days earlier and is still here until Friday. It’s all been rather lovely.

Our plan was to have a mini beer-fest, like the ones we used to visit in Groningen in the Netherlands, and of course the one I used to love at Leeds Town Hall. I think we achieved it just about. We smoked a 7kg beef brisket on the Ninja which took not far off 24 hours. I made Mac and cheese and Jack Daniels beans. Theres still enough brisket, and brisket chilli in the freezer now to feed an army. We have laughed until my face hurt, there was some excellent garden conga-ing, which some of you will have seen the video of. We watched Wicked again and Grease II which has aged appallingly but was hilarious none the less.

As my 50th birthday celebrations rumble on like the Queen’s jubilee, the presents kept coming. I had an Alex Monroe necklace that I loved, a silver bee. The bee came off the jump ring and I intended to fix it. The bee got put “somewhere safe” and has since absolutely disappeared, which I’m still super sad about. I now have a beautiful Alex Monroe little gold watering can which I love, but as they didn’t deliver to France, this came over with Mike and Carla. I have some little tiny wooden treehouses to build that will sit in my massive houseplants, and a basket full of so many lovely things from the Netherlands that I can’t name them all. Then my friend and my husband have colluded, and between them, I am now not coming home from London with Craig as planned after our trip, but I’m hopping on a train to Wakefield and I have a ticket to Self Esteem’s homecoming gig in Sheffield. Very nearly did a big ugly cry.

In other not so exciting news, our pellet delivery arrived yesterday, and because who doesn’t want to stack 144 x 15kg bags in the cellar on holiday, Kelly helped me put it all away. We also lit the fire for the first time yesterday which I always enjoy. The septic tank emptying man is due tomorrow, then our septic tank fixing guy will sort out some remedial action to help with drainage.

The window installation is due to start on Monday but I dropped them a message yesterday to double check and they said they’d give me a call back which hasn’t happened yet, so who knows. If it’s a little later than planned then I don’t really mind it, as Craig is away this coming weekend so having him here to help move things would be useful.

Heading into Limoges today for some shopping and lunch with Kel, will report back.

TTFN,

V x

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“Create a vibrant and inviting featured image for a blog post titled “Mini Beer-Fest: Memories and Food Highlights.” The main subject should showcase a lively gathering scene with friends and family enjoying a backyard mini beer-fest. Include elements like a large smoked beef brisket on a stylish barbeque setup, bowls of mac and cheese, and rustic wooden tableware filled with various drinks. Capture the warmth of the late afternoon light, with sunlight filtering through trees, creating a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere. The style should be candid and joyful, evoking nostalgia for gatherings and celebrations. Use high resolution and ensure a highly detailed, sharp focus image to draw viewers in”.