Field and Fen: Ken Follett

Here's the current knitting, gloves for the Ministry

To a background of this, very well read, out of my usual repertoire, and interesting, thanks for the recommendation, Mary Anne. It's not the title you suggested, but just a try with the same writer.

I finally got a walk again today, after rain had kept me home for a couple of days. It's surprising how soon your walking stamina decreases if you don't get out every day. No pictures, too busy keeping going and dealing with an icy wind when I wasn't in a sheltered section of the area. 

The storm beat down a couple of daffodils, so they're indoors now, scenting the air.

And I saw an idea that I hadn't thought of: cooking and freezing breakfasts ahead.  I do other meals all the time, but cook and freeze breakfast is new to me. The breakfast I went for is French toast, which I don't have the energy for cooking in the morning, and it's best set up the day before anyway.

Cinnamon, agave syrup, multi grain bread 

And I tested one with an afternoon pot of tea. This is a humble version of the gracious home YouTube channel, with rolling lawns and vistas and a dining room set up with log fire, fresh flowers on the table, and a gracious host.  

But it was fine, and now I have several breakfasts to microwave while the kettle boils. 

I've also been experimenting with a personal hearing amplifier, low budget hearing aids which just amplify sound without differentiating background from speech.

It's a kind of prequel to getting my hearing test soon, and I can, and probably will, return them.  Meanwhile I've learned a couple of things 

One is that if I get hearing aids at some point, the over the ear type won't work for me. Small ears, glasses and mask already hard to manage, and adding the ear hook is more than I have room for. This is something I hadn't thought of. 

So now I know that part. I've also found that fitting the plug bit to my small ear canal will take skill, judging from the lack of success with any of the three sizes provided in this set. 

And I now have experience of amplifying all sounds, a bit confusing, especially hearing my own voice while wearing them, very echoing. But I notice I do pick up more speech with amplifying, so there are advantages, too. 

The controls are tiny, not easy to operate, and definitely not while wearing them, because I can't tell whether I'm pushing the right part without seeing. The instructions say to adjust volume etc while wearing them, but that's not an option for this numb fingered user.

All in all, a useful intro to the notion of wearing something in my ears, that's new in itself, and worth a try.

Happy day everyone, and don't mumble!