heartshaped_box

It's so nice to meet up with some fellow Campers once in a while. I had

rikes and

adelate here for a brief weekend visit in between BTS shows(!). We filled the time pretty well, pootling about in the city for an hour or so before dinner at The Kimchi, and on Saturday a visit to Blickling Hall, where there was an exhibition of textiles as well as the usual business that comes with a stately home. The kitchen garden was lovely, absolutely stuffed with squashes of various kinds, sending their tendrils out in all directions. Also, lots of bees, which is always good to see.

On Sunday morning

rikes and I went for a look around the castle for a couple of hours. It really is very well laid out and with information at about three levels, sorta Here is what you are looking at, Here is a bit more of the history, Here are details. And an occasional glimpse of a dry sense of humour. The view from the battlements is excellent (though it rather depends which way you are looking), and there are maps of what it would have looked like in the 12th century. Some of the street names endure.

They also showed me quite a few BTS videos, which I have to admit are fun. Also, I want to do flying yoga now. I can see the appeal of the fandom, too, which sounds wonderfully friendly. However, I think I'm too old to get into boybands, especially when they look *so* young (even though they are apparently mostly in their thirties, it doesn't show!), but also, the learning curve to catch up is one which I don't think I have the dedication for. I mean. They are learning Korean! So never mind.

Fellow fans, even if we don't share a fandom any more, are always welcome! I like showing off Norwich. Also, there is frequently cake.

turps

I started my day seeing Saba had been to the Glasgow MCR show and had sent me Insta DM photos of a certain bassist she thought I'd enjoy seeing. No idea how she knew that....

But yeah, they were great to see, and great to get a Mikey fix :D Also, MCR performed Ambulance for the first time, so it was excellent to hear that live via various videos.

Bodhisitting didn't go as I expected on Friday. Well, it did to an extent in that we were there to nearly 1am which I had expected, but things for Kayleigh and Lucy were a bit of a clusterfuck.

Bodhi was no bother to look after, we took her out to get some stuff for tea, she ate, played, did a magic spell to try and make me move faster and asked why I had dusty toes ie, dry skin on my toes. Then finally fell asleep at 10pm.

At which point Kayleigh had messaged saying they were on their way back as she was in a load of pain and had to leave the concert after two songs. ( cut for medical stuff )

On a nicer note, we went to a cake shed yesterday. There are now four of them in the local area and by chance we passed the closest one to where we lived on Wednesday, but it was closed then. If you haven't heard of them, they're basically small sheds that are made to look pretty and placed outside private home. Then the home owners/bakers, bake cakes and stock them in the sheds for people to browse and buy on an honesty basis, though they do all have CCTV. It's all above board, with hygiene ratings etc and many have fridges inside so things like cheesecakes can be sold.

Anyway, the sheds only open on a weekend so yesterday we went to buy something. I got a white chocolate cookie and James a double choc cheesecake, and they were delicious. But, also a bit expensive so I can see the cake sheds being an occasional treat.

It's England v Mexico tonight and usually I'd be half watching the match, but no way will I be awake at 1am for kick-off. I do wonder how many people will take advantage of the pubs being allowed to stay open until 5am, and hope Corey doesn't have to work until then. What did amuse me this morning was an email and push notification from Greggs saying they're not selling their Mexican chicken range today. It's good publicity for them, but sucks for the people who want a tasty chicken sandwich.

pensnest

Do you remember the boob rabbits? An unsuccessful attempt at mail-ordered breast wrangling.

Well, I have found something miraculous, and I must share:it is truly the most comfortable bra I have ever owned. Happily I purchased three. They come from Conturve, which keeps popping up on my Instagram—I have a regrettable habit of clicking on Instagram ads, though I mostly refrain from actual purchasing. Anyway. I am a 40C or 38D or 42B, and the bra I got using the size charts fits beautifully, is very shapely, and I really don't notice it once it is on. Designed in England, made in China. So. Information for those in need.

*

Weather is much pleasanter this week, the kind of temperatures that can be dealt with by a summer dress or T-shirt and shorts, and by judicious use of curtains and window-opening. It appears there is more ridiculously hot weather ahead, but I shall count my blessings while I have them. I have harvested the first few delicious little courgettes, sweetcorns are burgeoning on their stalks, we have eaten a dozen or so mange tout pods, and there will be raspberries in tonight's fruit salad. Oh, and there are some tomatoes as well, including I think one I grew from the seeds of a fancy tomato I got at the local market. Though the beans are doing very little—only two appear to have germinated. Is it too late to sow more?

*

Air conditioning at the gym appears to be about par for Bannatynes, ie crap. I could hardly breathe in yesterday's Killer Yoga class, but happily, this morning's Tough Yoga was much more doable, and I could not actually wring out my headscarf afterwards.

*

It makes me happy when I see members of the Firefly cast working together. We are currently watching Resident Alien (Alan Tudyk is *so* good), in which Nathan Fillion plays #42.

*

Apparently our neighbour has just bought an electric car, and is coming round to have a look at our charger. Splendid. They are becoming increasingly common among chorus members, too.

turps

James went back to work this morning after his long annual leave spell, so it's back to the usual routine.

We didn't end up doing any longer day trips while he was off, because it was just too hot but did still go out every day.

Thursday we drove to Barnard Castle. Plan was to get some eggs from the honesty farm shop, but sadly they still haven't recovered from bird flu, so no eggs. We did get to eat sitting in the sunshine outside the artisan bread shop we like. But, they'd changed it to more of an artisan farm shop, so the range of bread was smaller, so the sour dough I'd intended to buy was already sold out. James also managed to fall over while we were taking a photo on the moors. If you saw the photo I posted on insta, just before that he stepped back into a dip on the ground and fell on his backside. Thankfully, falling behind the car and not to the side where he would have rolled down the hillside. He was fine, though.

On the way back from Barney, I picked up a waste not fruit and veg box from Durham. As always, the contents were great, only one lemon this time! with the only thing that's caused a 'what the hell do I do with this? was the celeriac. So, if anyone has any tried and tested recipes for the stuff, let me know.

I also got a waste not lucky larder box for the first time. They only cost £5 and are well worth it with a selection of cupboard goods and tins. Just, all the stuff in it suited me and not James. For example, spicy sauces, peanut butter and a dark chocolate Easter egg, all stuff he doesn't eat. My wtf reaction in this box was the ketchup and mustard sauce in a tube. Apparently it comes out stripy, but I haven't felt adventurous enough to try.

Friday we went to Metro Centre to watch Disclosure Day, which I quite enjoyed. It was that day we found out that Primark sell a range of adult adaptive clothes which is great.

Saturday we were back at Metro Centre to watch Supergirl, and also check out what was happening at FanFest. They had quite a few characters available for photos and various sets and models, plus, trading stalls, so I enjoyed mooching around those. I was amused when I was in Costa and Ironman wandered in needing a drink. Seeing him standing at the counter ordering a frappe was surreal, but I was even more amused when he couldn't actually hold the frappe due to his costume, and a minion had to hold it for him.

We had quite a few photos taken and if you're interested you can see some of them on insta here.

As for Supergirl I enjoyed it and, ( big spoilers )

Yesterday i was supposed to Bodhisit on the afternoon so had made no plans beyond the usual grocery shopping. But Kayleigh developed a bug that kept her off work, so I wasn't needed in the end.

Today it was class, and Rosie introduced sumo weighted walks D: There were options just to do normal squats but she pointedly said anyone doing this for a long time should give the walks a try, and fine, I can take a hint. I also jumped today doing the chair burpees, admittedly, not far, but my feet left the ground. I'll take that win.

Corey travelled to Liverpool today so he can go to the MCR concert tomorrow. This makes me happy.

I have one day to decide if I want to sign for fandomgiftbasket. I must ponder tonight. I've also caught up on DW, but couldn't go right back so I've missed something you think I should see, link me.

pensnest

Let me sing in praise of the weather forecasts!

Seriously. When I was a child, the weather forecast was "Will it rain today?" and about 50% of the time it was wrong.

Now, I can look at my phone and have an hour-by-hour note of the likely temperature, and whether it's likely to rain during that hour. My phone will tell me that rain will start, or stop, in seven minutes' time and it does!

It has made things a lot more efficient. Not that everything is necessarily running better, but at least we know what to expect. Gritting lorries are out the night before the snow is due—round here, they work really well. (One of the benefits of living on a reasonably busy and useful road is that the road is kept clear.)

Hereabouts, there have been heat warnings. The London ambulance service prepped for an increase in calls because of the heat, cancelling meetings, putting managers onto vehicles and extra staff into the call centres. They were ready for the 50% increase in calls that came. My chorus has cancelled the concert we were due to sing yesterday evening, when it was forecast to be in the 30s (and, indeed, was—in fact it was 27C at 11pm, groan), and will be performing it in September instead.

We got 36 degrees yesterday afternoon. That's almost 97F. This was not pleasant, but we were assured that the hall where we go for our dancing lessons will be cooler, and it was. Not cool, but bearable, so we quickstepped and cha cha cha'd and drank a lot of water. I put a half-full bottle of water into the freezer first thing, and it kept our drink nice and cold.

Travelling to and from the dancing lesson was probably the pleasantest part of the day, being in the car with the air conditioning on. Aah, coolth. The evening and night were unpleasant. No draught to be had. Still, I have survived, to face today, which is expected to hit a maximum of 31C (now). Sigh.It's 28 degrees here in the craft room because the windows face south, except the double doors which are getting it from the west, and the skylight cannot be curtained. But I have painting that needs to be done, so here I am.

And I can plan. Because the weather forecast, these days, is incredibly good.

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