Unusual Substitute for a Human Cleaner

https://methodproducts.co.uk/products/antibacterial-bathroom-cleaner/

Lockdown Number 3 has meant that I am once again left without a cleaner. Unlike the first lockdown, the government guidelines stipulate that cleaners are allowed into the house. However, our cleaner decided to halt her services. I was and still am a little annoyed that she didn’t have the courtesy to inform me of her decision. I only found out when I texted her!

At this point in my life, I can’t cope without a cleaner. I just don’t have the energy. I haven’t found one cleaner who is open for business.

Anyway, I needed a cleaning product that is easy enough and something that is not pumped with chemicals. Before my health woes, I used to be addicted to powerful cleaning products but not anymore. Bleach was my favourite!

I came across Method’s anti bac bathroom cleaner and decided to try it. It smells wonderful and the whole house smells lovely after I have used it. It works well too.

I am missing the cleaner but I guess I just have to settle for Method’s Anti bac bathroom cleaner for now!

Great Big Hole!

Zap! That was the sound I heard. It was the middle of the night and I had no desire to get up and investigate, for if I got up that will be the end of my sleep. I will be as wide as an owl till the morning. It was the distinct sound of cloth tearing. What could that be? I heard it again in the early hours of the morning when I turned in bed. Mmmm…..

I started my investigation. as soon as I got up and it was over in literally 2 minutes! I discovered to my horror a great big hole in the bedsheet. As the Mhinisteir swiftly pointed out, it was on my side of the bed! The other day, when I changed the sheets there were no holes in them! I am puzzled. Anyway, time for a new set of sheets I suppose!

Books by my bedside

Currently I have got four books by my bedside table! I like to finish reading one book and then move on to the next but unusually I am reading all four at the moment!

Towards the end of Autumn, I started reading a book called “THE NARCISSIST TEST”. It is quite a heavy book so I am taking my time.

The second book which I started reading in December is a present from the Mhinisteir and is called “MELANIA AND ME”. It is about the friendship (if you can call that) between Melania Trump and her friend Stephanie Winston Wolkoff.

The third book which is the most interesting is called the “PARISIAN CHARM SCHOOL”.

The fourth and the final one is my Sunday book which I only read on Sundays! It is called “UNFINISHED AGENDA“. It is an autobiography of a clergyman called Lesslie Newbigin.

India

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My fascination with India started in the year 2003. We knew of a missionary family who were living in India. I had never visited India but I was fascinated by the stories that I used to hear from the wife of this missionary family. There appeared to be a vibrancy in that country. I developed a secret desire. To go and live in India! How is that possible if I have never even visited the country? For a start, I won’t be able to cope with the spicy food. I started reading blogs of British expats in India. Life in India sounded magical.

One day, the Mhinisteir told me that he had been asked to visit India on official business and would I go with him??? Did he even have to ask? It was a five day trip. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy my time there very much. Nothing to do with the country but I was cooped up in the hotel room for the five days as I wasn’t feeling very well. Food became a problem too. I remember ordering room service of just chips to satisfy my hunger. When the chips arrived, they were covered in black pepper! According to the young Indian server, the chips were far too bland to be eaten on its own!!!!!! I was so angry that I could have cried. Cultural Clash!

We moved to England. My fascination with India faded and then it disappeared or so I thought until a few weeks ago when the Mhinisteir decided that we were going to watch Jewel in the Crown. The fascination is back and I don’t know what to do!!!!

The Wedding at Cana

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The Lectionary reading for Sunday was from John 2 1:11. Referring to the Wedding at Cana where Jesus at the request of his mother, turns water into wine. This is the first sign that Jesus performed.

The 18th-century poet, Alexander Pope, described the moment when water turns into wine like this…. “The conscious water saw its Master and blushed.” 

What a beautiful description!

New Chair

The Vicarage Study has a new office chair. I must add that it is a very expensive one. This new chair replaces the dining chair that the Mhinisteir has been using for years!

Regular readers will know that anything that requires assembling almost always turns into a mini drama. No change on this occasion! For a start, the Mhinisteir was using the wrong screwdriver!!!

The Mhinisteir had ordered this chair in November 2020. As it was made to specification, we were told to expect delivery sometime in January 2021. The moment we entered into the new year, the Mhinisteir was getting excited/impatient. Thankfully, the chair arrived this week! Yay!

The Mhinisteir wanted to get stuck in immediately. I was a little hesitant as I wanted to be sure that we knew what we were doing in terms of assembling it. This chair is actually a gaming chair. It has excellent reviews from not only gamers but people from other walks of life.

The Mhinisteir spends a lot of his time in the study and especially now with umpteen zoom meetings, the dining chair was no longer suitable. I firmly believe in “too poor to buy cheap”.

Anyway, the paper instructions were fairly clear but thankfully there was a link to a youtube video which clarified any doubts. It took us two hours to assemble the chair. Boy, was I relieved when it was all over!

The Mhinisteir tells me that the chair is excellent and it is helping his back and posture.

Smize

I learnt a new word yesterday thanks to the Greek Prime Minister! The word is SMIZE. The meaning is to smile with your eyes. According to the Daily Telegraph, that was what he was doing behind his mask in that photo.

Vaccine Pose #Vaxxie

Yesterday, I got a rude shock when I opened my newspaper. Inside was a photograph of a masked man, shirt open to his navel, exposing a lot of his upper body, getting his Covid Vaccine. I don’t know whether it was this man’s almost semi nakedness or the fact that he was the Greek Prime Minister! If you have not already seen it, you can see the photo here. I do wonder why he couldn’t just roll up his sleeve like the rest!!!!!!!!!

The article was about how this is the latest trend sweeping social media, people posting photos of them getting the Vaccine. I am so embarrassed for them.

Maybe I shouldnt have been surprised when in the same article there was the photo of the ABC getting his jab too!!!!

Maskne

I have been suffering from horrible acne thanks to mask wearing! I never had acne as a teenager. It started in my thirties. I had to be on antibiotics for a very long time and thankfully it all cleared up after that. However since the Autumn, I’ve had a bad bout of acne. I didn’t have any trouble in the summer even though I was also using facemarks then.

Anyway, I was very embarrassed by the state of my skin. I couldn’t believe that people my age could get acne but I was encouraged to read online about a 65 year old woman with acne. I was very reluctant to see my GP and so decided to do a bit of research. I came across a French brand called La Roche Posay. Despite the price tag, I liked what I read about them. I went ahead and bought the necessary products for my skin. For the first month, I couldn’t see any difference even though the Mhinisteir claimed he did! I assumed he was just being polite!

Two months later, I can’t believe the transformation. My skin is ALMOST back to normal.

I am not liking the amount of time I spend applying these lotions and potions but it is definitely worth it.

Beautiful Postage Stamps

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Here in the Vicarage, occasionally, we receive letters from abroad. The envelopes that the letters come in usually have very beautiful stamps of their native flora, fauna and sometimes of their buildings and tourist spots. It made me wonder why here in the UK, our stamps are so unattractive. It never used to be like that. In the past, I used to look forward to letters in the post and would admire the stamps for a good few minutes before I opened the envelope. These days, I rarely receive a local envelope which has a beautiful stamp. It is always the plain blue (2nd class) or orange red (1st class) self adhesive stamp. I have tried buying stamps at the post office but I just get the same old plain ones. The only exception is at Christmas when we might get some Christmas themed stamps.

I am always writing to people and really want to use beautiful stamps to compliment the pretty envelopes that I use. I started trawling the Royal Mail website for beautiful stamps. For a start, they only offer free delivery for orders over £50 or more! Then I discovered that there are very few choices when it came to second class stamps. It was a choice between Coronation street and Roman Britain! I opted for the latter.

I have now received the stamps and am enjoying using them. I sincerely hope that the recipients will like these stamps as much as I do!