Monday 18th August 2025

Monday.

A day of tasks.

And not one for pictures. It was tea time, when we had a chippy tea, that I remembered to take a shot.

One and a half jumbo battered sausages and chips bought from the chippy round from Jen's and brought home as we escaped with our winnings.

The day began with coffee and then a session at the gym. I took the level down two notches so not to overheat. Once again the machine had me climbing hills on Costa Rica, but at least I finished the session.

Then to the tip with the second lots of bags, joining the queue of similar aged people doing the same stuff.

Then back home for breakfast and another coffee.

Jools went down town, while I had a shower, washed up and made myself look lovely.

Salad for lunch, then to Jen's to play cards.

We have a laugh, gently ribbing John as we play Meld. But its during Queenie that the real money is won and lost.

Jen has been on a long losing streak, and her money tin is nearly empty. Jools has won the run jackpot at least two weeks running, so our tin that was almost empty a month back, is now nearly full.

John said, Jenny and I have decided, Julie, you can't win again.

You win the jackpot by having a run of four cards, much harder than it sounds. And most weeks as the clock nears five we drop that to a run of three.

Yesterday, third hand in, I got a run of four, but didn't play it, so no cash. But an hour later, ten to five, the hand before we were going to drop the run to three, I get another run: Jen laid the ace of diamonds, and I lay 2, 3, 4 and 5. And several quid in pennies was mine.

And the lid no longer fits on our tin, and Jen's losing streak continues.

We get chips on the way home, and eat with cider/beer, and life is indeed good.

There was even football in the evening: Leeds v Everton, which Leeds won with a dodgy penalty in the last ten minutes.