29th Febuary

So, it's the 29th today, a leap year. Doesn't that mean I get to ask someone to marry me? You know if I wasn't already married and he wasn't already married, I would ask this chap I know............. He is called Simon! LOL Today I would marry him again, some days....... Well we all get those days don't we?

I have been busy as always. Lots of housework and quite a bit of sewing too.  Yesterday I went to Stevenage with Coralie and the boys. I was able to drive up as I had the car. We spent the morning with my Dad which was very nice. The boys were very good. They like visiting their Great Grandad Alf. After lunch we went to see my Mum at the hospital for a while. No change there. 

It was a very long day with over 5 and half hours driving in total for me. The dogs had their legs crossed when I got back! Alfie had also shown his displeasure by ripping the stuffing out of his quilt. As always I came back with a car load of goodies from my Dad. This time I had a case of red wine, 10 jars of coffee, a case of Persil and he had very thoughtfully saved me 3 shirts and 2 of my Mum's old skirts. He remembered that I am now in the habit of saving all the fabric I can get. You never know when it may be useful.

Today, I drove to Sainsbury's. I thought I may as well make good use of the car. I needed fresh veg and a few other bits. I treated myself to some really nice shower gel and a cream bubble bath that were on half price. I see a nice hot bath, a glass of wine and a magazine in my near future! You know sometimes I take my Kindle in the bath. I have now put all my Kindle books on this iPad. I'm wondering how safe it will be to have an iPad in the bath? I suppose it depends how much of the red stuff one drinks!

The iPad is quite a steep learning curve for me. Having never used an Apple product and not being used to touch screen either it is very different. My mobile has touch screen but you know I hardly ever use my mobile and I never text on it. 

We were talking to my Dad about it yesterday as he is thinking of getting himself one. I said he would definitely need help initially as there is no instruction booklet. Coralie said he wouldn't need it as it is intuitive technology. Well it may be intuitive to those under 30 who have grown up with computers but I don't think it will be for a man in his eighties with no experience. 

I must admit that I found it odd not to have any instructions although I soon found my way around. You can download instructions of course but my Dad wouldn't have the first idea. I think if he would spend the time learning then an iPad could be wonderful for him. My worry is that he will  give up after a few days. He did that with his computer. Mind you when he got the computer was when my Mum was still at home and she would either get cross with him because she wasn't getting any attention,or she would continually interrupt him when he was trying to concentrate. If things had been different he may have got to grips with it.

I am loving my iPad so far although the issue with Multiply is annoying.  I can post a blog but without photos.  I can read blogs.  I cannot delete blogs that I do not wish to read from the inbox though which is really annoying.  I am going to have to do all that on the main PC. I have contacted Multiply support but have yet to get a reply. Apparently they need to make an app.  I am loving apps!  I have downloaded several.  I have facebook, ebay, stumble, good food, kindle and a few games so far!   I wish there were more hours in the day.

I want to get all my music back on my PC so I can have it on the iPad.  I lost all my music a few years ago when the previous Pc retired. I have still got loads that I want to set up on the iPad.  I have numerous sewing projects on the go.  I have got  lots of new books on my kindle, well iPad now, that I want to read.  I haven't done any family history research or any scrap booking for ages. I really need more hours in the day.  Thank goodness I don't work, I would never have time for anything. 

What else is new?  Let me think, oh, I am beginning to get birds in the garden.  So far I have seen blackbirds and sparrows investigating the food but today there was a blue tit.  I am so pleased.  At the far end of our garden there is an old bird box left behind by the previous people and there are birds going in and out there.  At first I thought they were sparrows which didn't make sense.  Simon said they are blue tits but I saw them again today when I was a bit closer and I think they are coal tits.  

I really must get an opticians appointment, my eyes are much worse.  A few years back I would have had no problem seeing exactly what kind of birds they are but now..... I was about 60 feet away and I thought they were sparrows!!!  The odd thing was that their behaviour looks like they are feeding young rather than nest building which is way too early. We have our own 2 boxes up now but it is too late I think for them to be taken up this year. 

The other bit of excitement is that there are sheep and lambs in the next field.  At least we think they are in the next field, we can't actually see it from the window.  They are not in the filed behind our house but they are very close as we can hear them really loudly when we are in the garden.  I am going to make time to go and see where they are. 

Ok, I need to go and do other stuff now.  My iPad has sent me an alert to remind me that I really should notify our bank that we have moved!!!! Simon is out in the garage sanding down all the wood for the mantel shelf over the fire place.  He has been working on that for a few weeks.  It is way more work than I realised.  Off to do change of address stuff now.