What a busy week it has been, had no time to blog! It started off on Monday with a U3A walk. We went around Exceat and across the Cuckmere meanders along the South Downs Way. Started off at Litlington, a charming East Sussex village that I had never visited before. Then up some steep climbs and loads of steps (very good for my fitness!) to some fantastic views across the Alfriston valley. Descending down to the great little tea rooms where we had tea and a scone, then off homeward bound. Only 4.5 miles, that is as much as I want to do these days. Used to scoff at such short distances!

Tuesday was the main U3A meeting. Our speaker this month was a consultant rheumatologist – Ms Walker-Bone, a name which made us laugh. She was fluent, knowledgeable and extremely interesting, really knew her stuff.  Home for a quick bite, then off out again.

Wednesday was WI book group. We had read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, which I had read before. I wasn’t at all sure about this one. It has a twist in the middle that completely threw me out of the narrative thread. Not many enjoyed it.

Then in the evening, a pizza in the restaurant attached to the cinema, then a transmission beamed live from the RSC of Henry V. First time I had seen it and I was enthralled. It’s such a joy to see world class performers without having to go up to London or wherever to see them.

Thursday was sorting some family stuff for most of the day, and Friday was coffee with the girls, as usual, after a follow up appointment at my GP after a hip x-ray. It turns out I have mild arthritis in both hips and my lower back. Walking and  swimming were recommended. I walk a lot but don’t swim any longer as it hurts my neck now. Plus my GP was pleased that I do the gym and Pilates. Keep doing it he said, it’s even more important now to keep mobility. So I’ve been looking up hip opening exercises to keep as much movement as I can.

Today we went to the garden centre and I got some winter and spring cyclamen to plant amongst the ophiophogon (black grass). I’d put some snowdrops in there too at an earlier date. If they all grow, it should look really pretty. Got lots of narcissus of various types too.

DGD is coming tomorrow for a couple of days during half term, so we may well be planting those together. I may take her to Groombridge Place where they have loads of great stuff for kids, and some special stuff on for half term. They do it very well.

I’ll get DGD to make some cheesey toasties for her tea, and maybe some pea pancakes the next day. We’ll go down the woods and collect bits and pieces and make a collage with them and bits from around the house. I expect I’ll have to prise her off Minecraft to do any of these, she is a child of her time!

My diary has got so busy that I’m thinking of stopping a couple of things. It’s become difficult to fit in everything I need to do. I love everything tho and it’s going to be difficult to cut out anything!

Do you remember the Ovaltine I had that had gone solid that I was using in ice cream? I made some muffins with it in the week, with a very ripe banana. They didn’t come out very nice. The Ovaltine flavour wasn’t very strong, even tho I’d put a lot in, and the banana didn’t really work. Reluctant to give up on them completely, I tried cutting one in half and dolloping on some blackcurrant jam. Result – lovely! Hooray!