Grateful

Thank you for comments.  Flis, how horrible to find a tick embedded in your tummy!  Gemma's P, yes Betty's hair is short but she does have a very thick coat, and around her neck she has an extremely thick collar of fur.  The tick on top of her head was quite easy to spot, the ones she's had on her neck haven't been visible at all, I've only found them by running my fingers through her fur, which I do every day just to be on the safe side.  Since we put her back on the medication from the vet the other day, the ticks have disappeared and no more to be found.  Thankfully.

This month we've had several unexpected expenses which have cost us a lot of money and left us short this month - well, all bills paid but nothing much left.  And have you noticed how much grocery prices have gone up?  Went shopping yesterday, just a small top up shop, but it cost nearly as much as a full week's shop used to cost me a few months ago.  Things haven't just gone up a few pence, it's 20 or 30p or even more, doubled in some cases.  E.g. the coffee I buy for myself (cappucino sachets) is nearly always on special offer at £1.50 or £2.00, now it's £2.98, full price.  I wasn't going to pay that so bought a cheaper own brand, but even that was £1.30, having previously been 99p. 

As we made the decision months ago to eat less meat and more vegetables or meat-free vegetarian meals, veg and fruit make up a large part of our shopping bill.  Thus I'm very glad that husband's back garden allotment is so productive, we're now getting our own home grown produce to eat every day, so that will start to cut down the shopping bill.  This week we've had peas, carrots, beetroot, courgettes, strawberries, blackcurrants and raspberries.  Will be having our first new potatoes tomorrow.  Still have cucumbers, tomatoes, French and runner beans and broad beans to come soon, followed later on in the year by leeks, purple sprouting broccoli and butternut squash, plus loads of apples, pears and blueberries.  Oh, and for the first time ever we actually have some Victoria plums, the tree has never fruited before.

We've decided to get rid of the blackcurrants and raspberries after this year (neighbours have said they'll have them).  It's only me who likes them really, husband doesn't, although he will eat them under sufferance.  After some discussion we've decided to have an apricot tree on a dwarf rootstock for next year, possibly a nectarine or peach as well.  And I'd like a lemon tree, probably in a pot.

Changing the subject, I need to have my hearing tested again, I know my hearing has deteriorated.  To be honest, though, I reckon it would actually be an advantage not to have to hear some people!  Or most of the news reports.  I do get fed up with having to constantly tell my husband that if he's talking to me from another room, I cannot hear him - he forgets ALL the time.  (Or maybe he doesn't! 😜).