In the doldrums

 It's another wet, windy and grey day, so depressing.  For tomorrow, although still showery, it is forecast to be a little bit brighter, thank goodness.

I really don't like going out in bad weather nowadays, I can't stand being outside when it's raining and the wind is lashing the rain into my face, so going for a walk, standing at a bus stop (buses were running about 40 mins late yesterday, with one journey being cut out altogether, according to locals on FB) or even going out in the garden to do a bit of tidying up is out of the question for me right now.  But....I'm so fed up with being stuck indoors with a grumpy husband who spends most days flat out in his recliner chair dozing, the TV playing to itself with all kinds of daytime rubbish on, the remote control clutched to his chest or fallen down the side of his chair so I can't even turn the damn thing off!  I suppose I could pull the plug out....If he's not got the TV on then he's sitting at his computer watching noisy reels of car crashes or drunk/drugged people arguing with police officers.  Even Betty has been moping around the past few days - I don't think she's unwell, she's just bored.  I do try to play with her a couple of times a day, to alleviate her boredom and give her a bit of stimulation.  

This morning I've done a washload and put it on the airer in the hallway - it's not even been drying in the car port lately, the weather's just been so grey and dismal and damp.  I've chopped a load of veg and put them in the slow cooker with a handful of pearl barley, with a can of mushroom soup and a packet of garlic mushroom sauce - still using up our stocks of UPF foods.  I mixed up a packet of white sourdough bread mix (yes more UPF) yesterday, adding some wholemeal flour and mixed seeds to it.  Left it overnight in the fridge to prove, this morning it was well risen and bubbly.  Once it got back to room temperature, I turned it out of the bowl, gave it a quick fold and shape, left for another half hour to rise again then baked it, just taken it out of the Ninja oven (which bakes bread beautifully) and it looks and smells lovely.  We'll have a couple of thick slices to dip into the veg stew tonight.

Husband took Betty out, both of them wearing their raincoats, for a short 10 min walk, then got back in his chair.  I've just asked him to hoover the lounge. ** He didn't go to the gym again this morning, citing his backache....I've told him yet again that lazing flat out in his recliner chair for hours is doing his back no good, he needs to get up and move, which is the medical advice nowadays.  

I've decided that tomorrow I'll pack some food (some of that bread, cheese and some salad bits) and a flask of tea and we - including Betty - can go out for a picnic up on the moors.  We'll most likely have to eat in the car, but at least we'll be outside.....a change of scenery will do all 3 of us good, we're all down in the doldrums.

** He hoovered the large rug in the middle of the lounge floor and that was it 😒