Julie Huff

Tomorrow is the first rehearsal of my stage adaptation of the Rumer Godden book The Kitchen Madonna. A small thing in this world, but significant. Art by my collaborator Olia Vlasenko .

@ktboldy I am sorry to hear you are suffering so many losses. I too am battling both sticky weed and creeping Charlie. I found some asters under mine. Bonus for weeding. Best wishes for a peaceful rest of your bank holiday, our Memorial Day.

Not my Daily Diary  Saturday May 23rd 2026 #DementiaAwareness   I woke this morning feeling rested and refreshed after a good night’s sleep, but that soon changed when I looked down and saw Chris’s acrylic fingernails scattered all over the the duvet. It was clear she’d picked them all off during the night, yet when I asked her about it, she had absolutely no memory of doing anything of the sort. What really concerned me was that I slept right through it, I didn’t hear a single thing, not a movement or a sound. I don’t think she did it while fully awake, I'm sure she would have woken me. Thankfully, and the biggest relief of all is that she hadn’t hurt herself in any way, that’s all that really matters.  Chris settled back off to sleep again after that, and as I looked out, I could see it was another beautiful sunny day. I went out into the garden, which was exactly where I wanted to be. First job was watering all the trees in their pots,  they have such a simple way of telling you they’re thirsty, their leaves drooping gently as if to say “we need a drink!”. I gave them all a good soak, as the water soaked in, I could almost hear them whisper a quiet “thank you” back.  I know, it gets to you after a while  I’d planned to weed the bottom path next, but examining the right hand flowerbed, I saw sticky willy had taken over everywhere. It’s a weed, that feels sticky, it spreads aggressively and incredibly fast,  though thankfully it does pull away easily from plants and soil once you get hold of it. I cleared right back around our rhododendron, which was almost completely smothered by it, and was so pleased I did, tucked away underneath all that growth I found the two hydrangeas I planted last year, struggling to grow, hidden and choked back by the weed. I didn’t manage to finish the whole area today, but I’ve made a good start, and I’ll come back and finish this section tomorrow.  Later, we got ready to go out to "The Old Gate at Heathton", I was determined that today was the day I’d finally get my pint of Bathams! It was another lovely warm day, and when I got Chris up, she decided she wanted to wear one of her pretty floral dresses, she looked lovely, as always.  When we arrived, the pub was already busy, with plenty of people sitting outside making the most of the sunshine. I spotted familiar faces, Julie and Chris, who farm nearby, were taking a break and enjoying a drink, so we went over and joined them. Chris had a glass of wine, and I had my long awaited pint of Bathams, I’d waited all week for that moment, and it tasted even better than I’d remembered! We spent a really lovely hour chatting, Julie’s partner Chris is such an interesting man, with so many stories from his travels all over the world. Sammy, the landlady, was run off her feet as you’d expect, with it being a Bank Holiday weekend and with fabulous weather, trade is booming. She popped out briefly to say hello, and told us yesterday was just as busy, she worked ten solid hours without a break, but you’d never know it, she’s always so cheerful. I can't imagine what it must have been like for her partner, landlord Ben and his staff working in the kitchen under pressure in this heat.   Back home again, Chris slipped straight into her comfy onesie, and I kept dinner nice and simple tonight, pizza and chips, nothing fancy. We put a film on, A Song is Born, a 1959 Danny Kaye movie about the birth of jazz. I enjoyed what I saw of it, but it definitely wasn’t for Chris, it didn’t keep her attention at all, so we switched over to Château DIY, which is always a winner with her.  The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and watching regular TV, including Chris’s other favourite, Britain’s Got Talent Just as I was finishing writing this tonight, we received more heartbreaking news, our very dear and close friend Colin, who we’ve known and loved for 44 years, passed away last night Colin was a giant of a man in every way big in stature and heart Keith and Chris

@ktboldy Oh it turned out perfectly!

Not my Daily Diary  Friday, May 22nd, 2026 #DementiaAwareness  Chris wasn’t well at all last night, and she’d been awake ever since going to bed at midnight, with no sign of settling, so by 5.30 this morning I’d put Chateau DIY on the bedroom TV for her. I’ve known Chris drift off to sleep while watching TV in the morning before, so I hoped putting it on as dawn broke would help her rest.  It did work… but it took a whole hour! I spent that time with my head buried under the duvet, trying, and failing! to block out the sound. Eventually, though, Chris finally dropped off, and I soon followed suit. I woke again at 8 am to a beautiful bright morning, and I knew today was the day I wanted to finish the flower cart for Chris. We’d bought all the flowers a few days ago, and it was already 18°C first thing, the forecast said it was going to be very warm, it sounded like perfect weather for the job.  After a coffee, I sat and read through all the lovely, thoughtful comments on yesterday’s diary, especially the kind words about my tribute to Iain and Matthew, every message means so much, thank you all. Then I headed out into the sunshine… and for the first time this year, I was out in my shirt sleeves, no jumper needed at all! It felt absolutely wonderful.  There were plenty of flowers to arrange. The sign says it all,  and I wanted the display to be just right. I filled metal patterned jugs, tiny milk urns, and a couple of special pots we’d chosen for the cart with artificial flowers.  To keep everything on the cart, I tucked stones down among the stalks, and for extra security, I used cable ties, my favourite DIY tool. You really can’t beat them!  I’m so pleased with how it turned out, I think I found just the right balance of colours, and best of all, when Chris got up and saw it, she loved it too.  Because Chris spent most of the morning catching up on lost sleep, it helped me as it  gave me the perfect chance to get other jobs done, too. I got stuck into weeding, ready for our summer planting. It felt great to be productive while she rested peacefully.  Chris slept right through until after midday. We’d planned to pick up our friend Lin, who always joins us for our weekly shop, but I had to let her know we’d be late, there was no way I was going to disturb Chris when she was finally resting.  Today turned out to be the warmest day of the year so far, we hit 27°C by the afternoon, and I loved every minute of it.  We ended up heading to Morrisons much later than usual for our big grocery shop, and funnily enough, it turned out to be the best time to go! Parking was easy, and the aisles were nice and quiet, with no crowds or rushing at all.  When we got home, it was lovely and warm. We no longer need the fire on such a nice change. I unpacked everything, then cooked dinner: sausages, eggs, chips, and beans. While I was busy in the kitchen, Chris was in wonderful form, singing her heart out loud and clear to the tune of "There’s a Tavern in the Town, in The Town" it was a sheer joy to hear.  I’m so grateful for today. It was a quiet, gentle day, and I got so much done in the morning while Chris rested, just perfect.  Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend, wherever you are in the world. We’ve got a long weekend here, with a bank holiday on Monday, so lots more time to enjoy the sunshine.  Keith and Chris xx

@HWarlow I read them two years ago for the first time. I’m 66. Loved them!

Hello again Enid Blyton I had a super childhood we lived minutes way from fields trees and tracks. But although I was outside a lot I was a reader Loved these and the island, castle etc of adventure etc never the secret seven. The covers and illustrations by Eilleen Soper

@Alonso_GD I think it goes even deeper as some have mentioned, casting random indigenous tribe member for this very pivotal historical character is also wrong. Some people are still trying to see a very complex world through preschool level equities.

If I cast a white Pocahontas, I am erasing Powhatan culture, nobody will know about it If I cast Lupita Nyong'o to play Helen, people won't think Greek myths are culturally Kenyan or whatever White & Western is the epistemic norm, everyone knows it. This matters.

@peaklass1 That’s ok I’ll come get it

Just a little reminder and a note to those who are new to my account, that I have a beautiful hardback book of my photographs and words, 152 pages of the Peak District through the seasons, perfect for bringing a little peace to your day whenever needed. Price £24.95 + P&P. Sorry, UK delivery only. peaklass.com/product/a-quie…

@ktboldy Sending good thoughts your way.

Not my Daily Diary Friday, May 15th, 2026 #DementiaAwareness   It’s been such an emotional week. Chris’s eldest sister, sadly, passed away last Monday, and I had been absolutely dreading telling Chris . When I finally broke the news, though, there were no big emotional outbursts at all,  life just seemed to carry on as normal. I found myself waiting, almost expecting, for that big release of grief to hit her later on. Wednesday was the first time it really came close. We were at choir in the afternoon when Chris leaned over to me and quietly asked, “has she really gone?” When I told her yes, she burst out crying, though Chris quickly pulled herself together and got herself under control.  But last evening, everything changed. Around 9 p.m., Chris turned to me and said, “I can’t believe I’ve lost another sister.” No sooner had she said it than Chris went into a non-epileptic fit, and then straight into another one. Afterwards, she couldn’t speak properly at all. Every word was a struggle, coming out with a terrible stutter. I’ve seen this happen before, and I knew it would pass after a few hours, but it’s always hard to watch.  What I wasn’t prepared for was the night we had afterwards. Chris just couldn’t settle. She was so deeply upset and distressed about losing her sister. She was in and out of bed so many times through the night. I tried everything,  holding her, hugging her, reassuring her, but nothing seemed to help or calm Chris. Then she became convinced that I wasn’t going to be here in the morning, that I would leave her. I told her over and over again that I loved her and wasn’t going anywhere, that I was staying right here, looking after her no matter what happened.  I’ve always believed that if you truly love and care for someone, looking after them isn’t a chore,  it’s just what you do. But last night, I really tested that belief. It was incredibly hard work, and by the end of it, I was completely drained, exhausted from lack of sleep, worn out from trying to console her, and emotionally spent.  Chris finally fell asleep from pure exhaustion around 8am. this morning. I lay beside her for another couple of hours, and I must have drifted off myself because when I woke up, it was already 10 o’clock. I carefully slid out of bed, trying my best not to disturb her while she slept. Once downstairs, I decided to do nothing, I was bone weary, but I did tidy up and put some washing in the machine.. doing nothing, never seems to be on the agenda. Chris woke about 12. She was OK now and had her voice back, but she couldn’t remember anything about the night, which was probably a good thing. We did our Friday big grocery shop at Morrisons supermarket, but my heart wasn't in it, but we did manage to get some Rhubarb stalks for Chris's sister Jacky, who wasn't able to get any yesterday. My good deed was done for the day we delivered the rhubarb, then headed home to unpack and cook. No cordon bleu cooking today, sausage egg, baked beans, and chips. The sausages are Cambridge sausages bought from our village butchers shop, they are a delicious traditional English pork sausage with a distinct fragrant flavour. I'm hoping for a restful evening and a good night's sleep, we shall see. Have a lovely weekend  Keith and Chris.

@staithesartist It’s also pretty kind to us newbies trying to learn perspective. I’ve studied this closely!

More progress on my #Staithes study. Deliberately going for a detailed realistic feel, because sometimes it is good to explore such skills. #oils #FabrianoPaper

@silverpebble Oh man. Geum is my kryptonite. Ive killed that lovely plant three years running. I don’t think it likes my latitude.

In bloom in the garden mid May, including cerinthe, cow parsley and a salmon-coloured geum which I love. As ever zoom in to the botanical details if you're strung out as plant fractals have been shown to dial down stress significantly. No tiny owl hidden in this photo but would you like more of those? 🦉🌿

@metroadlib This is why I keep a French press and an electric teapot on my bedside table.

it's raining outside....it's the perfect amount of almost cold ...my windows are open...I'm nestled in my bed with a dog on either side pinning me down....and HR thinks I'm supposed to be in the office in 20 mins. lol.

@ktboldy I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the reveal, from here in the Midwest US.

Not my Daily Diary Sunday 10th May 2026   Another glorious day has arrived, and I planned to finally finish our garden flower cart. I feel like people all over the world would be cheering right now, from the UK across to Europe, all the way to Australia, USA, Canada, and even India… “THANK THE LORD FOR THAT!” I’m sure writing about this project has taken longer than Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities," but there is great news! I have now sanded down the table top and given it three coats of a soft cream paint fittingly called eiderflower,  the perfect colour for something that will soon be full of nature’s beauty, even if they will be artificial   Chris lives with dementia, but one thing that never changes is her wonderful eye for order and neatness. She likes everything “shipshape and in its place”, and this morning, she pointed out dust on the landing table! It was true. Working on the cart every day has meant some household jobs have had to wait a while. Her reminder was what I needed, and soon enough, the dusters were out. It has to be done right away, or I will get constantly reminded about it.  Tomorrow we will be staying home waiting for the electrician, coming to finish work he first started a month ago! If he manages to complete everything early enough, I have a plan to choose the flowers to fill our cart. I can picture it already, just waiting to bring some early colour to our garden. I promise you won’t hear another word about the cart until the Grand Reveal!   We had no plans to go out today, so it was just the two of us enjoying a quiet, peaceful time at home. Later on, I decided to get creative in the kitchen. Looking through my recipe books, I found an American favourite, Buttermilk Chicken Wings with Southern Fried Potato Wedges. I adapted it to suit what we had, no deep fat fryer, so I cooked everything in the oven and used diced chicken as we didn’t have wings. Full of flavour, it was rich with smoked paprika, garlic, and black pepper. The spicy smell filled the kitchen and tasted absolutely delicious. We both enjoyed every mouthful   For dessert, I made homemade pancakes served with vanilla ice cream, Chris’s favourite! They do say the way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach, and I know this is so true. Nothing lights up her face more than seeing a warm, large, plate sized pancake with ice cream, and her smile makes every minute spent preparing it completely worthwhile  There wasn’t much worth watching on television this evening, which is a shame for a Sunday night. Thankfully, we found Mamma Mia! with Meryl Streep, it's such a lot of fun, perfect way to spend the evening.  Wishing everyone a lovely evening or wonderful day wherever you are in the world   Keith & Chris

@metroadlib stay at YEllowstone Winter Lodge . Highly recommend.

I genuinely think that if I ever had occasion to look at an American bison in the wild, I would lose it. I'd be like those weeping ppl in old MJ concert footage. They are such magnificent animals. Whales, manatees, elephants, bison. They all tug at my heartstrings.

@ElliottBlackwe3 Thinking of you pretty often. Many of us have been where you are. Zero notes. Cloud gazing is a great idea.

My Father has had a really bad day. Sometimes one needs to step back and watch clouds for a few minutes.

@ktboldy Oh wow, this looks planned. Spider-Man kismet

Not My Daily Diary Thursday, May 7th, 2026 Today’s entry is all about our special trip to The Ironworks Sculpture Park in Oswestry, Shropshire, organised through our Dementia Singing with Friends group.. Chris really wasn’t impressed about having to get up early, and let me know exactly what she thought! In her own wonderful grumpy style, she said we were “getting up at the crack of dawn just to visit a bloody ironworks," it might have sounded cross, but it actually made me laugh out loud. Truth be told, I probably didn’t get her up quite early enough, I just didn’t have the heart to wake her sooner! So getting both of us ready and packed to leave turned into a little bit of a rush, which I’m sure didn’t help her mood. Still, it was all just organised chaos, and we got there in the end. Weather wise, it wasn’t the brightest of days. The sky was filled with grey clouds, and there was a gentle breeze that carried quite a chill. Rain had been forecast for later in the afternoon, so I just kept my fingers crossed it would hold off and made sure we both wrapped up nice and warm before we set off. We arrived at the meeting point in Wombourne slightly early, only to discover we were actually amongst the last ones there! Standing in the queue to board the coach, you could really feel the buzz and excitement all around us, with everyone chatting happily about what we had planned for the day. Chris, however, was still far from convinced we were doing the right thing. We’d only travelled about 5 miles of the whole 54 mile journey when she started asking “are we nearly there yet?” Over and over. It made me smile. It took me straight back to being a child on family trips! After our journey up to Manchester a couple of weeks ago, I’d made myself a promise that we wouldn’t be doing any more long distance travel. But looking back, I know it isn’t always just about the challenges that come with dementia. Above everything else, we both still need to live our lives and enjoy new experiences. To help keep Chris happy and occupied for the rest of the way, the two of us sang all the old favourite songs together. We did try our best to keep our voices down so we wouldn’t disturb anyone else! It worked perfectly, though, and before we knew it, the journey had passed by really quickly. Right from the moment we arrived, the entrance is absolutely impressive, you are greeted straight away by an incredible 10metre tall Transformer robot standing proud and tall, it really sets the scene perfectly for what lies ahead. Every single piece here is crafted entirely from scrap metal and old machine parts. You can spot everything from gears and cogs to engine pieces, and metal sheets cleverly worked together. The talented people who design and build these magnificent creations are truly amazing. There are no pattern books or instruction manuals to follow, just pure imagination, skill, and hard work turning unwanted materials into spectacular works of art. We began our visit with a stop at the café to enjoy some lunch. We didn’t have to wait long at all for our food, and when it arrived, it was delicious and piping hot. We both really enjoyed every bite. It was just what we needed before we started exploring. Chris was in her wheelchair, but I have to say the paths throughout the whole site are so smoothly laid out and well maintained. It made pushing her an absolute pleasure. We spent a lovely two hours wandering around and taking everything in. It was such a fascinating afternoon to discover the sculptures. What really stood out was how perfectly proportioned every piece is, even though many are huge and tower above you. You can’t help but stand back and admire the detail and effort that has gone into every curve and joint. But the last words are said by Chris, "It's been a long day but a really good day." We hope everyone is having a lovely evening or day wherever you are. Keith & Chris ❤️

When I retired from 40 years of software, I started Cheeky Rabbit Puppet Co, using Pelham marionettes. Princess and the Pea. Way more fun.

@ktboldy To me Keith, it is a reminder to get up, do the right thing the right way, eat delicous food, recover from set backs, and live every moment. I’m grateful to listen when you have the time to write.

@julielhuff That makes it worth doing Julie. Thank you for that.

"Not My Daily Diary" A few weeks ago, I told you I was stopping my “Not my Daily Diary” because I was struggling to find a peaceful time to write it. My wife has dementia and she needs a lot of attention. That’s still very much the case, but I have to admit… I’ve really missed it. Since I stopped, I’ve lost a lot of motivation to get on with the jobs that I need to do. Chris has no interest in what I’m doing anymore, so everything feels like whatever I do it’s just for me, and that’s not enough to get me going. I’ve been struggling to get up in the mornings, staying in bed longer than I should, and only tackling the absolute essentials, often half-heartedly. That’s just not me. Chris and I have always worked as a team. I really miss her gentle pushing and encouragement to get things done. Writing the diary gave me structure and purpose. It set little daily goals and deadlines, and knowing so many of you were reading it motivated me to get up and keep going. Even though Chris wasn’t especially interested in what I was doing, she loved hearing me read out your comments. That was often the only time she’d ask what it was all about. I’ve started writing short diary entries again over the last few days, and I can already feel it helping. Even though the jobs seem to take forever, writing about them stops me cutting corners. It’s bringing back my old mindset: “If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly.” I’m sure there will be days when I regret starting again and feel like giving up, but right now, it feels like it does me far more good than harm. So… be prepared to be bored again! I’m reinstating the "Not my Daily Diary," and I really hope I’ll have the same kind of support and encouragement from you all that I had before. I’ll post today’s diary entry later this evening. Thank you all,  it means more it means more to me than you know.

@StephenShelle20 Still cool shot, the cloud reflecting in the water.

No sunshine today 😞

@hissgoescobra Supports the museum.

I think the Met Gala is ridiculous. With everything happening in the world it’s majestically trivial. Maybe I sound like a communist. I definitely am not. I don’t even know who these people are and I’m glad it’s that way.

@PeteFestersen point of contact?

Just donated this bike to Team Bike Rescue of Omaha making refurbished bikes available to kids in need. Thanks to my former City Council colleague Garry Gernandt for picking it up!