I’ve been on the vax again. Moved a sofa to the spare room and it was definitely due some TLC. It’s quite addictive when you start it. I need to do the pup’s rugs, but not today, need to pace myself.

I see so many accounts of people doing civic good online: litter picking, public path clearing, cleaning of signs & parks. Just makes me wonder when the councils stopped doing this and where all the money goes- it all used to be done & was paid for with less money - so what’s going on?

Well it was fun while it lasted, but I’m not pain free anymore 😭 Everything aches again! Not a clue why it went or how to recreate, but I’m working on it. Those of you who sleep properly and aren’t in agony all the time are really living the dream!

I’ve done a big brushing session of the puppy tonight. I’ve never seen so much fur come off a dog! Absolutely smothered the house and me in it, and I’m sure I could get a similar amount off her again tomorrow if I tried! It’s crazy. So hairy. They’re both overdue a groom, but too warm for it

I have been awake for hours- too warm! Not sure what happened here last night but it’s warmed up! Our warmest night yet and not a cool enough breeze from outside to help either. Ugh!

We just had a totally unforecasted downpour that is unlike your average! The pavements have almost evaporated the last of it already making it seem like a hallucination. So weird 10 mins of the hardest rain ever and then back to blue skies

I declare the rug clean enough. Because I can’t clean it any more 😅

Dear Lord! This has been the gift that keeps giving!!! My brother has decided he likes & wants this rug. Was given to me, used as a garden rug and recently a cover up for new floor. I thought it was a bit grubby. Wrong, it was pure filth. Water dark brown still after about 3 hours work! Kill me now!

I’m walking to the supermarket to get some carpet cleaner. I’m taking a chance mind, fair odds of gettting shat on by the circling seagulls

I hope everyone trapped under the heat dome has had a reprieve from it? It’s warm here today but as ever, cool breezes

I’ve bitten the bullet and bought a bigger tv. I’m sick of not being able to read the messages characters receive on their tiny phones on a maybe 43” screen on the other side of the room. Also have no aerial in this room so Freely seems to offer something extra for me. Excited for it to arrive!

Well, that’s the bed dismantled and up in the loft before the heat got to me! Have I peaked for the day? Who knows. I fear there’s a rug cleaning in the offing…

My 1.5 Tog duvet just arrived! We’ll be cool tonight!

The whole “they’re taxing money in ISA’s” headline has me so angry. No they aren’t. They’re taxing people who are trying to exploit a loophole in S&S ISA’s to get more money tax free than allowed. See - not actually controversial at all. But let’s hear more about what a monster Reeves is 😴😴😴

Goes without saying of course that although I’ve outlined a long list of jobs to be done, I’ve started to do a whole different set of jobs. Just because. It’s still a win though, because something is getting done.

Been out with some kitchen roll to wipe seagull poop off the car. Working smarter not harder here

Got a long old to do list that needs attention - bushes need digging out & lavenders planting in - bed in spare room needs dismantling & going to loft - spare sofa needs to go up to spare room - need to install a shelf on a dot & dab wall - railway sleeper needs digging into front garden…

Just a boy mourning his opportunity for morning walk. I was scared of rogue lightning when he popped out to the loo. We’re staying indoors until the sun has his hat on again!

Here comes the rain. Drizzle it is not! On the plus side, once it’s done it should make digging out the last of the bush roots a lot easier! The lavenders will love it too! I don’t water them at all

Hotter after the rain? Oh, I’m sure that’ll be delightful 😬😬

It’s getting dark out, feels oppressive too, which it hasn’t here for days. End of the world vibes 😬

Not loving the thunder. Been going hours like someone is moving the furniture upstairs. No rain.

Oh magic - just what we need

The heatwave here seems to have passed. I’d be shocked if it’s above 21° here. Mum is complaining she’s cold in the house already!

I love soup when it’s hot. I’m sure it’s not normal

Opened the front window and the back door. Dropped the temperature from 22.9 in the house to 20.4 and still going. It doesn’t bother me too much but the poor pooch needs a cooler house, so I’m running the risk of the fog monster coming to get me

Good morning! I’m awake but also feeling super snoozy! I thought I heard the fog horn, looked out onto the field and can confirm it’s dense fog out there!

We’re out of ice cream

Every morning lately I either forget the estrogen gel or the duloxetine. Some days, both! I’m probably beyond help

Well, we’ve got bare bushes in the front garden now, I think I dug 2 of them out but there wasn’t room in the bin for them anyway, so they can wait. Might be a job for tomorrow.

Have dug up a few of those out of control bushes in the garden but it’s now far too hot to be active and outside. Both ours & neighbours’ garden bins are almost full, so that’ll do for today I think.

Today, I have ambitions to dig some front garden. Tomorrow is garden bin day and we’ve a flower bed with ugly bushes in. I’ve been working on getting it cleared for a while.

So proud! My boy came home from his walk having successfully found the only mud in Sunderland. We hosed him down in the back garden!! He was terrified but was really good considering. Took 2 of us. I wish he were as scared of mud as he is of being washed!

My boy’s gone out early on his pack walk today. He was so excited when the van came for him! The heat is so hard when they expect routines

The car has just registered our temperature as 19° as I’ve pulled in. Just done a 5 mile drive inland and the thermometer peaked at 30.5°! That’s CRAZY

I think 27° here was a lie. At best 24, probably not even that. I’m not especially sad to be missing out though

Definitely peaked too soon, feel quite poorly so back in bed.

What a difference a day makes. It’s scorchio here today. Expected to reach 26, so we’re actively trying to manage the heat in the house for the pup. Today’s mission is sorting out the garage, but tbh, I think it calls for a nap and an ice cream

Pushed my steps and body today by at least 25% more than my usual. Let’s see how I’m faring tomorrow. I’d bloody love to be getting on top of the constant pain.

Just pushed my body on a lengthy dog walk. I suppose it will absolutely let me know if we’re getting a handle on this pain, or if it’s still a work in progress

Behold! The bin store!

How’s the heatwave going? Can report that it’s too chilly to work outside wearing a vest top & shorts here! Might need a hot chocolate to warm up!

Honestly, if you hate someone, get them a Keter bin store as a gift. It’s months of misery you’re bestowing upon them.

Well guys, almost 7 months into beginning the project and I’ve finally finished building the bin store! 🥳🍾🥂💃🏻

Ah poor Keir. If only he’d managed to communicate the good that has come of his tenure along the way. It may not have come to this. Not a great term, but clearly not the worst in the last decade either. He sounded a bit broken by it all. Hopefully onward & upwards for the UK now

I went to the podiatrist this week for some foot problems. She says ALL of my shoes aren’t wide enough for my feet. Not sure how and when this happened, but my feet seem to be spreading! Time to get shoe shopping…

My friend & I planned in January that when Golden Retriever Cafe came to a town near us, we’d go. Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. It’s available. I check date ok for her, then totally get caught up in kitchen chaos & forget to book. She queries if booked, nope & sold out 😭😭😭😭

Good morning! And happy summer solstice! We didn’t get up in the middle of the night to go to the beach. I bet it was busy though

Just a beautiful boy staging a sit in to protest against not going to the beach on this walk!

Been doing some jobs today. Bit of garden, bit of garden at other house, bit of fitting towel attachments to new radiators (awkward AF!) and now I have a headache. Potential afternoon nap in the offing.