Sunday at ours

It was my turn for Sunday lunch this week.  Mum had phoned yesterday to say that Dad had the signs of a cold and a hacking cough so wondered if they should stay at home.  I have had the cold, in fact I could be responsible for Dad feeling poorly, so them coming didn't make any difference health-wise and I had prepared the lunch yesterday so it was all ready.  I told her to see how they were both feeling this morning and let me know so that I could be prepared.  Mum rang first thing to say they were coming.

My attempts at bed-making are regularly thwarted - today it was Charlie who refused to move.  He has been out of sorts recently - can't really put our fingers on what exactly but he was always the piggie of the quartet eating his food as quickly as possible so that he could barge one of the others off of theirs - he hasn't done that recently - in fact he has been quite picky and rarely completes his bowl of food, leaving a little and wandering off much to Boris's delight.  Charlie also used to come in early in the morning and wreak havoc until we fed him - this is now Minnie's job - she comes in at around 5.30am and meow's ever-so plaintively in your ear until she gets a reaction - it is quite scarey to half open your eyes and come nose to nose with her staring back!  Charlie now comes in around 6.00am and settles down on the bed and goes to sleep.  He was very comfy on the bed this morning thank-you-very-much and I felt a bit rotten trying to move him so I didn't bother.   Stage one of bedmaking - under sheet tucked in, tick, throw laid out, tick - Charlie asleep, tick...

Stage two of bedmaking - pillows plumped, tick, sheet turned back, tick - Charlie asleep, tick...

Stage three of bedmaking - sheet and throw turned back, tick, cushions assembled, tick - Charlie asleep, tick.  He didn't move throughout the whole exercise and in fact remained there for several hours afterwards until his tummy woke him.  He has become a real home-bird (if that is possible for a cat) and Sharon says he hates it when we go out, when we are in he is with us nearly all day except when nature calls.

Minnie is also a lover of our bed and in particular the cushions that I have recently covered which she seems to have claimed as her own.  I don't mind really - we much prefer when we know where they are particularly at the moment when our neighbours have workmen renovating the house where Chivers, Minnie and Boris used to escape to and hide.  It is always a worry that one or other of them have got locked in somewhere where they used to be able to go in and out of freely.

Not having had much in the way of neighbours for the past few years the cats consider that most of the houses on the estate constitute their own play ground - now they are in for a bit of a shock as we will have more people around in the summer.  Fortunately for us they seem to be accepting of our animals so whilst not necessarily animal lovers they wont do them any harm.

So I eventually got the bed made and waited for Mum and Dad to arrive - the weather first thing had been calm and bright but then the wind got up so we weren't sure whether or not we would be able to eat outside.  The forecast for the next day or so is quite grim with storms due tomorrow which are tipped to include hail.  I remember this happening last year and poor Elaine losing a whole load of seedlings which just got pummeled to the ground by the force of the hail.

We did make it outside - in fact it was pretty warm and the wind manageable.  The meatloaf seemed to go down well and once again I managed to make some little roasties that Klaus would have been proud of!  The only problem with eating outside is the bloody flies - they are everywhere at the moment - I think recent wet weather has encouraged them and we hate them.

I am afraid I cheated with pudding today - buying an Iceland apple strudel from Paps - to be honest I couldn't make one as nice as that for the money and I know it is something that both Mum and Dad like.

We had played a game of Noms before lunch but subjected Dad to a game of partner whist which, after today, he has refused to play ever again.  To be fair on my last hand I never picked up a picture card so was never likely to score a trick - we were so far behind it was impossible anyway.

I have told Mum to keep me informed as to how Dad's cold progresses - he needs to be careful he doesn't get a problem with his chest having had pneumonia previously so probably has a weakness in that area.

We had a quiet afternoon after they had gone - catching up on the end of Marcella which scared the living daylights out of me in the end and left more questions unanswered than answered which I guess means it is open for another series - good!

We then moved on to an equally enthralling and baffling whodoneit - The Five which has been adapted from an Harlan Coben book and I like his books.  Two episodes in I am gripped and not least because the creepy music producer is played by the same brilliant actor Lee Boardman who played the creepy Jez Quigley in Corrie years ago.  He does that role sooooooo well!