Birmingham - UK

Paul, Denise & Jackie enjoying an after walk pint

Tuesday was the second meal out, we met up with Helen and Ian to walk Monty dog and stop at The Village pub in Moseley, lovely to catch up and a pleasant meal. Wednesday was a short walk around a nature reserve in Solihull with Denise and Paul that they only found in lockdown despite having lived there all their lives, followed by a pub lunch.

Brian's hearing aid. Can you see it?

Thursday we still couldn’t go to the gym (we can only go to our local between 11.00-12.00 when we get in free for being Birmingham residents) as Brian had an appointment for a hearing test. About time you may say, and so it is. Unsurprisingly his hearing is not very good in the 2-8 kHz range, where most speech happens, so he now has a pair of hearing aids, free on the NHS, along with their batteries. There was only one sort, but they look really good, in that they are barely noticeable. We can have the TV at a sensible volume, and in theory he can hear everything said, whether he listens or responds is yet to be confirmed!

Friday night curry with Phil, Sue, Ian and Helen

Friday we could finally go to the gym again, just as well, we were out again, with Helen and Ian and Phil and Sue for a pint and curry. Brian’s hearing aids must be good, it was about 10 minutes before Ian who was sitting next to him noticed. And he notices everything!

Friday afternoon had been taken up with food prep for our annual paella with Fiona and James. It’s fab to cook this for them as they really enjoy it, as do we. We had a fab day, I’d put wine in the fridge for a glass on our return, only to find it was 23.00 when we got back. How did that happen? That was the first hot day, I had considered cooking the paella outside till I saw where the BBQ was in relation to the sun!

Jackie's fabulous paella

Sunday was hotter, but that’s ok, Sunday papers before heading in to town to meet Crystal and Manu in the Chinese quarter for a “Sunday tea club” where Crystal picks and orders and we eat! Fab as ever, and again, lovely to catch up.

This week has been ridiculously hot, so apart from the gym (sounds horrendous I know, but it is air conditioned) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we’ve done very little. Sooty has obviously been very happy with this, though the conservatory has been too hot even for her, she is happy to have as much fuss as we’ll give her upstairs on the bed.

Tomorrow Abi is back so we are back to mum’s and the garden....when is this weather meant to break?

This is actually a photo inside the bag of all the paella ingredients before we set off. Paella in kit form!

With daughter Fiona, James and youngest granddaughter Jenny eating paella on a hot Saturday afternoon

Followed by a relaxi
ng chat through the afternoon and evening

This is Oscar drinking water from their pond. Surprisingly neither the cat nor the goldfish were interested in each other

It's even too hot for pigeons. This one soaking in the cool water. Did you know.... pigeons drink water by submerging their beaks in water, suck it up and swallow. As they don't have lips or tongues they cannot lap liquids and have no cheeks in which to store it, so they suck and swallow. We've noticed that ducks and chickens (and many other birds) fill their beaks with water and tilt their heads back to allow the water to flow down their throats, but pigeons have evolved in a different way

Soots being an observer while Brian goes through his exercise programme. She looked as though she was wondering what on earth was going on. The 8 minute HIIT programme is on the mobile and goes through each of the 35 second exercises, calling out when you're halfway. At one point, during 'burpees' (jump up in the air, hands down and jump feet backwards, do a press up, jump feet forwards and jump up again), which is quite an energy sapping routine, she had shuffled herself forwards and put her head on the phone. Unbeknown to me she had paused the programme in the middle, so I was on endless burpees. I realised after a short time (longer than I'd have liked), moved her and restarted it, carrying on with 25 seconds to go. Thanks Sooty!

A very unladylike Sooty snoozing on the bed with her back legs stretched either side of Jackie's arm

And sweet little Sooty cat looking after Teddy. She really is a little sweeetheart!