Orgnisational and Pattern matters.

It's the 27th tomorrow - arrival of the plasterer! Phew! One last job to do today and that's a second visit to the tip with the old carpet.
So.....27th Plasterer...later this week the radiator and bedstead are off to be sandblasted and painted...3rd November - decorator....17th November wardrobe arrives.
One thing I have tried not to do is clutter the other rooms in the house with stuff I've cleared - so once the plasterer has left I will make sure the other rooms are back to normal....then I can start on Jon's study. Tomorrow I will arrange the date with the plasterer and go from there.

Whilst looking on-line I noticed Next have some bargains in the clearance section - so I snapped up some curtains for £25. I have just ordered another pair - same price and have plans.....watch this space.

This is my O and P contributions for ABC Wednesday - which I missed last week as we've been so busy - celebrating 20 years of Jon's business - 2 business network functions, helping a friend get sorted with some hens and sorting out the room! Whilst my theme has been the garden I haven't had time to be honest - but the curtains are a botanical theme so that's good enough for me!

Sod's Law!

 

 

Every year something happens just before we go away. Whilst I am blessed with a technically minded, nay gifted engineer he has a day job.....a very important day job as he earns the pennies  by running his own engineering business. Last year he informed his customers he would be away for a week in June and they asked him to do work on various projects before we left......basically he has been busy ever since. Last week he told the same customers our plans and exactly the same thing has happened. Jon likes to keep Thursday free to get the motorbike ready, take the animals to their accommodation and sort the house out......so it looks as though he will be working right up until then. Even as I sit here on a lovely Sunday morning Jon is at the workshop. Tomorrow is a bank holiday - again Jon will most probably be at the workshop.

 

Yesterday as I emptied the dishwasher I felt a drop of water fall on my head. Looking up to the ceiling it was obvious all was not well. The bathroom is directly above the kitchen and to my horror I discovered the floor around the toilet was soaking wet. After various flushing of the toilet the dripping stopped but not entirely. We have put some newspaper down so we can monitor the drippings, but who needs this at this precise time?

 

As luck would have it we are having a new bathroom fitted on June 24th so we are winging it until then!

Neighbourhood Watch

 

 

"A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing."

The past few days have seen me more or less hibernating. My car is going nowhere - whilst the roads are clear we fear for the snow drifts which can come from nowhere in no time at all and turn a perfectly visible road into an extension of the ditches which run so dangerously close by. The North York Moors are an incredible landscape and drifts are always to be considered when out driving. Jon's workshop is only a mile away so he has walked to work a couple of days and I as stated have stayed at home.  

I do however pop into next door and see that Ted the Springer has some exercise along with his sister Gem.Our neighbour Emma works long hours at a local nursery so I always switch the heating on half an hour before she is due home and leave a light on. Much better than coming home to dark cold house.

Emma's adjoing neighbour keeps ducks and geese so whilst Ted and Gem are having a run round it is also pleasant to watch the ducks in the stream.

A few nights ago the weather was particularly bad and it took Jon several attempts to reverse the van up the drive. I had cooked a heartwarming casserole and the icing on the cake would have been a bottle of wine.....which we hadn't got........ a neighbour came over with a bottle of wine - so much appreciated after such a gruelling ordeal.

Normally I go walking with another neighbour, Anne. Whilst Bing is now able to go outside for a walk, the mounting amounts of road grit and salt at the sides of the road deem it unfit and dangerous to do so. Ann and I keep in touch daily - so when she asked me if I wanted to go shopping in their 4x4 I jumped at the chance. We didn't hang around in Guisborough and on returning home Malcolm, Ann's husband collected Jon from the workshop at 4pm, saving him another walk home.

Today, Jon managed to get to the workshop but the compound made it really difficult to manoevre the van. Jon parked up the van but needed help to get the snow dug out so he could reverse up to the doors in order to load some railway couplers which he needs to deliver asap. I turnrd to my mobile phone and contacted a couple of my pals from Slimming World who live near to Jon's workshop. Result - Claire's son Zak would help Jon out. Jon nipped home for another shovel and when he returned to the workshop Zak was waiting, with a shovel.

Neighbours.......we are truly blessed!

A treat!

Jon is really busy at the moment...infact he has been busy since last June. January can be a sluggish month, businesswise but not for Jon Nesbitt Ltd. For those who dont know, Jon is a precision engineer and has his own workshop. The business is now in its 19th year - so proud of him I must say.

Today Jon had to go to collect some material from one of his customers and discuss what they wanted. I went along for the ride. We have a new shop nearby - a Marks & Spencer Simply Food. They do a really nice cup of tea - so Jon suggested we had a cuppa, (my kind of guy!)
He had a scone with clotted cream and jam, ( I had a mouthful! lush - but just a taste thank you!)
Whilst Jon finished his tea I had a quick visit round the shop and came across their current deal.
I dont like belly pork, but it is one of Jon's favourites.

Sorted!

A new Chapter!

Jon needed a new work's vehicle - it needed to be larger than the current one for weight/capacity reasons. We went along to the salesroom and I had my first sit in the VW Transporter. It seemed very large. Whilst it was Jon's decision and that decision was based on a business need I just felt it was a tad too big for me - considering my vehicle - the Toyota Hilux 4x4 was also a large one.

I suggested to Jon I got a run-around small car - suitable for my tootling about to the shops and also for my shopping expeditions with Mrs Nesbitt Senior. At the ripe old age of 82 a smaller car was more suited to her needs too. We started looking around for smaller cars - the Toyota will stay - such as the winters may deem necessary! One thought would be to tax the pick-up for 6 months of the year - but when we did our homework and found cars which are taxed at £20 a year we could tax the car all year, the pick-up just if we have a severe winter.

 

After weeks of research and haggling we came away Citroen C1 - 4 years old but with one previous owner a 60 year old gal who regularly had it serviced and who bought a new car every 4 years from the Citroen dealer in Sunderland. Low mileage too!£20 a year to tax and a top mileage to the gallon statistic! We collected the car last week and we have been thrilled with its performance and well impressed with the miles to the gallon - I think 56 was one day's average!

Next stop was Jon's work's van. With my car secured and bought it was ideal to use when shopping around for the best deals. By travelling to Preston we saved £1,000 from the price stated nearer to home.

 

We have plans for the transporter too - we plan to make modifications so we can spend the odd times away camping!!!!!  

Watch this space!

Views

 

This was the view at 5am Sunday morning from our hotel window. Jon was just getting the bike ready for our journey home.

 
 

A few minutes later as we were getting sorted the sun came out and gave us a couple of lovely images to take away.

 





 

We had a good journey  after a fantastic time in the Isle of Man. arriving home around 3pm.
Needless to say I have been busy sorting through our luggage and the house has been like a commercial laundry in an effort to get everything washed and dried. Typically the sun is shining today after raining all day yesterday when I was trying to dry everything.

So life is back to normal - Jon is very busy at work and I am just looking at the garden as it has grown so much whilst we have been away. Sadly all I can do right now is look and plan as both Jon and I have come down with a terrible cold, so my energy levels are quite low and all I can do is to take the "Day Nurse" capsules every 4 hours. I must say I think they are working but a couple more days should see me feeling my old self again.

In the meantime I am enjoying reading and eating oranges!

Watch this space!

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T is for....TT!

On Friday we set off for the Isle of Man and the 2012 TT Road Races. The next couple of days will be spent winding down and settling up Jon's business - always last minute jobs and subsequent invoices, getting the animals sorted for their respective places of holiday accommodation, tidying up the house and of course packing.

We are expecting good weather - we tend to take the sunshine whenever we go away on the motorbike - unless of course we travel with friends when it tends to rain - hence why we go away on our own.

Watch this space and watch out for us on TV! The Olympic torch is set to travel past the Grandstand on June 2nd. This just happens to be Jon's birthday and we have grandstand tickets!

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Keep up with the Nesbitt’s.

The weather is really wonderful here right now........so we have grabbed some time and headed out to warm skies on the motorbike, warm sands with the dogs and are enjoying a few rare days together!

Oh yes- and I have continued my keep FIT campaign - am swimming half a mile, walking 3 miles and doing a gym session MOST days! Yes - am pretty worn out on the whole!

Normal service will resume when the weather deteriorates...........wont be long then!

Foe more K adventures, follow the link in my sidebar!

S is for Shield!

 

This is our shield, which we present at the Yorkshire Pork Pie, Sausage & Products Annual Competition - we did not receive it, we presented it!

For more info see my previous post and for ABC adventures see the link on my side bar.

No rest for the wicked!

The last few days have been very hectic! I had a wedding commission, a christmas card commission and a pork pie competition to prepare for!
The wedding commission is quite a new approach as the bride and groom live in Japan and the wedding party is taking place here in February - so the majority of invitations are e-mail format, even so I still wanted to make them special...more later. Christmas card commission is awaiting approval from the client so again will share this later.

Friday was spent getting ready for the Great Yorkshire Pork Pie Competition an annual event for our business. In the past I have gone for the day but this year we decided it was worth going on Saturday and attending the Yorkshire Federation Master Butcher's Annual Dinnerdance in the hotel and setting up first thing Sunday morning rather than clash there and back in one day...a good choice as you will later!

Ofcourse I wouldn't have done this alone - my friend Jill came with me, I was so appreciative of her help and support. Each year the organisers secure a good rate for Bed and Breakfast in the Cedar Court Hotel and I must say the room was wonderful. We set off lunchtime on Saturday and after a short coffee stop we checked in around 4pm. After a rest and a shower we had a drinks reception followed by the Dinner. It was a great night. The organiser is Robin Moule and he ensured we were on his table - definitely the best table in the hall - certainly not the quitest!!! lol!

After a lovely breakfast we made our way to the exhibition hall where the prestigious prizes awaited!

Amongst the host of trophies and shields was ours!!!!

The judging took place over a period of a few hours, during which time we caught up with customers and made new contacts.

The recipricant of our award! (Robin is taking the photograph) I will be receiving a copy shortly.
As the award ceremony came to a close it was noticeably foggy outside. Fortunately Jill had packed the van so we could make a speedy getaway. The fog persisted for the entire journey home but again, it was great to have company during such an ordeal.

Once home, after unpacking it was time for a welcome bath. Jon said "When you come out of the bath I'll show you your suprise!!!!" - needless to say whilst I was in the bath I was racking my brains thinking about what it could be! I came up with 2 possibilities - either the doors had arrived for the final kitchen cupboards or he had concreted the area near the patio doors in the lounge following the discovery of a damp area under the laminate floor.

It was the concrete!

This morning we received news that the kitchen doors have arrived!

Way hay!

Watch this space!

Kitchen Update!

Jon is very busy with his business right now, but he did take the time on Sunday afternoon to fit the new lights. He had to do a lot of work under the floorboards of the bedroom but it was all worth it.

The photographs are not accurate but will give a good idea of what it is looking like. The ceiling is white, not pink. The walls are Pale Hound, same as the snug.
The sink unit is being delivered on Thursday together with some doors and a corner unit, so we are very much nearly there.
We still have no taps - that will happen later this week but every day, in every way things get better and better.
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J is for Jon

Whilst the kitchen looks pretty much the same Jon has been doing lots of intricate work behind the scenes. The plumbing is now in place for the new sink which is being delivered next week. The electrics are sorted and a lot of repairs to pipes have been done too. This has taken Jon a few days to do, round the running of his business. Jon has plumbed in our original sink as a temporary measure .

I have a sink but no taps or running water - I have to use the outside tap for water but it is just outside the kitchen door. The dishwasher too is plumbed in. This is sufficient for what we need and keeps me focussed on how much better things will be once the kitchen is finished. Every day things get better and better! Tomorrow.........the kitchen is being painted! Can't wait!
Watch this space!

For more ABC fun visit the link on my sidebar.

V is for Vertigo!

If you have vertigo, your surroundings will appear to be moving vertically or horizontally, or you may feel that you are spinning.

The effect of vertigo may be slight and barely noticeable, or it may be so severe that you find it difficult to keep your balance and perform everyday tasks.


Phew! We are back and indeed I am identifying with some of the symptoms above! lol! As ever we had a wonderful time in the Isle of Man and I am in the process of sorting out my many photographs. Holidays are a wonderful tonic and it was good to have a break. We return home to pick up the gauntlet of DIY and have a time schedule to meet. Jon is busy at work and there seems so much to do.

I loved the excitement of the people on this ride at Douglas fair - not that you would get me up in one of these things - this is only one small part of the TT week - lots more going on which I will share later.

Pottering!

A whole week since i last rambled here – but believe me we have been busy!
The Royal Wedding – I even put the flag out for the binmen! lol! (refuse collectors to our US friends!) The local council worked as normal so I gave them a couple of my sandwiches made specially for the day. Salmon & Cucumber and Roast Beef & Horseradish. Some neighbours popped in and we had Pimms & lemonade – how sophisticated I hear you comment! I thought the whole event was quite spectacular!

 
 
On Saturday we had the perfect excuse for a tootle over the Yorkshire Dales on the motorbike as we had to deliver an order to one of Jon’s customers. We travelled via Bedale, Leyburn, Hawes to Kirby Lonsdale and home via Harrogate. A great day!


On Sunday we tootled over to Grosmont Station. There is a gala on at the moment, so it was great to see some of the all time favourite steam trains – including Sir Nigel Gressley. Jon stood on the footplate when he was 10 years old so it brought back many memories.


We had been very busy in the garden that morning – the size of the bonfire indicates the amount of garden pruning we did!
 

Yesterday we spent more time in the garden but had another tootle out in the afternoon to buy a new radiator for the snug. It will be fit this week, along with the carpet.
Oh and guess what? I am off to see Take That on May 28th!
So that is what I have been pottering with – do you potter?
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ABC Wednesday….L is for…….laying in the sunshine!

ABC Wednesday time!

 

There’s nothing like a dust bath in the warm sunshine! Here you can see Ernest with May, having a cuddle! It always brings home to me how caged and battery hens miss out so much on an experience which all hens love. To see them, like this so happy and content always makes me smile.
The weather has been rather changeable but whenever we have a warm day the hens enjoy it so much.
Well, it is 3.34pm Tuesday and I have JUST finished the final wall paper stripping! Jon has some socket work to do, but my part is finally over and I can relax! Well not really – will be an early night for me as we are driving over to the Lakes tomorrow re Jon’s business – returning home tomorrow night - a long day but will take my camera along!
So – nearly time for the plasterer and I will be able to think about colours! Way hey!

Back soon!

Phew! It has been a hectic week - we had some excellent feedbck from the Pie Competition resulting in some new customers - appointments today regarding this - then tonight it is my exhibition which I have been working flat out for over a couple of weeks now - appologies for not getting round to visit many of you, I know you will understand! Looks like tonight should be well attended so will share more after the event!

Have a good weekend!

Business and Pleasure!

Monday morning – another week of fun in the Nesbitt Household! Breakfast for the hens – layers pellets, grit, oats and their favourite which is just cooking right now – rice! They tend to prefer rice with their meals now – ruined! I enjoy Monday morning especially after a good weekend which we certainly had!

It is that time of the year when many people have to start thinking of the C word! Butchers are amongst this group as C time is big business. I am sure you have noticed “Join our Christmas Club” notices in many butchers – a way to start saving up for the inevitable feeding of the 5,000 over the holiday period. One very popular item is the large pork pie – at Christmas they are made for special orders, 1lb, 2lb and gala sizes. As you know hubby Jon is a tool and mould maker and now is the time for the butchers to place any orders with him, in time for the Christmas demand.

Contacting and keeping in touch with our customers is my job and on Friday I spoke with new customers in Ingleton, a village in the Yorkshire Dales and one of our favourite routes. Incidentally it is this very route which we use when we make our annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Man each June, so what better excuse to call in yesterday.

We stopped for a picnic about 6 miles from Ingleton near Ribblesdale viaduct.

I took the picture below as the group of bikes looked really colourful against the blue sky.

In Ingleton once we had spoken with the butcher we had a cup of tea and a huge cake. We shared the cakes, Jon went for a huge strawberry creamcake and I chose a vanilla slice. Really one would have been quite enough shared, but no we had to indulge! It wasn’t a wise choice considering the route home! No sooner had we got back onto the motorbike and began to wind our way round the roads home did I feel a little green around the gills! Fortunately the feeling soon disappeared as I concentrated on the route home. We always like to return home via a different route so we came home via Skipton, Harrogate, Thirsk, Helmesley and over Blakey Moor – one of my favourites!

Ralph’s Cross – I know we are nearly home when we pass this!

A great day – 200 miles in all!

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