Tea For The Gardener.......

 
It started with Daughter saying "can you pop over with your strimmer dad please?" and of course he stayed to use it and her mower. Nice to see he had help. 

Walking round our garden I was pleased to see this yellow rose flowering as sisterS bought it for our silver wedding anniversary (25 years ago) and it had suffered behind the apple tree but seems happy to have been moved now. 

Lovely to see the first oriental poppy to open, there will be so many more in the next week or so. 

Red Rose Theatre has now announced the cast of this year's summer Shakespeare. Of course R is in it and I've already bought tickets.

Hubby and I were invited by our very good friendsN&T to join their quiz night team in support of the Great Horkesley WI. It was a good laugh and we came joint 3rd which isn't bad. 

 I'm now feeling old as I've had to renew my driving licence and cut up the current one! 

And even older now our twin granddaughters R and E have celebrated their 21st birthday (I never know if I should say birthday or birthdays?). 

Still my favourite photo of all time! 

A week mostly of gardening by Hubby and me pottering and a bit of ironing then joining him outside with regular tea supplies. He's also managed two bike rides and stopped talking about "selling his motorbike as he rarely gets to ride it" (that's winter talk I think).

Enjoy another Bank Holiday weekend.

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Sunny in May.....

 
Son and fiancé with their dog came for lunch on Sunday and they took advantage of our garden space to open their camper awning and give it a clean and we all sat outside for tea and cake. We had Daughter's dog for the day and the two hounds now get on together well. M picked up their dog and Son drove off home in plenty of time for me to get changed and head to the hospital for my annual CT Scan. It's very odd walking through a very empty part of the hospital on a Sunday evening, however a real pleasure to drive into a half empty car park. I warned the radiographer that my veins go into hiding so he didn't bother with either elbow and managed to get the cannula into the back of my hand, ouch! Glad to get that over with. 

Monday coffee morning back inside, sunny but far too windy for the garden. Such typically unpredictable May weather. 

Tuesday I spent quite a while repairing an amber bracelet for FriendT. Half the beads needed rethreading as the string had broken. Harder for me now as my right eye can't focus on tiny detail but I did it. She was thrilled to have it back fixed.

Making the most of a pleasant day Wednesday, Daughter invited us for lunch then out for a walk. We parked at Woolverstone and walked along the shore then mostly through fields with the river in view at all times, reaching The Butt and Oyster pub where I had a coffee and Hubby and Daughter had pints and the dog turned her nose up at the dog bowls of water left by the tables. 

We followed the same route back to the car and when I checked my phone the step counter showed 9,671 steps about 4.5 miles. 

Thursday was a laundry day, and it all got pegged outside and dry for the first time this year. 

Friday still a pleasant temperature and Hubby did lots of gardening. We both had a tea break by the pond and there was lots of starling noise from the trees, bushes and down on the grass. Baby starlings were very brave coming so close to us while investigating the pond, even walking over the netting to peck at the tiny bugs (I'm assuming).

Now a sad/confusing/frustrating story....... I've lost a sock (don't laugh this is serious). Before we went on holiday I cleared the laundry box and when putting it all away there was a shock without its partner! I didn't need them for Spain and knew it was in the house somewhere so thought it could wait. 

Looks lonely doesn't it? And these are my favourite, thickest, softest, fluffiest, comfiest, newest socks! Plus we are not sock losing people. I know some people always have odd socks floating around but we don't. 

I've checked in and around the washing machine. 

I've checked in and around the whole craft room where it would have been dried on the clothes horse. 

I've checked down the sleeves and inside the other clothes washed then. 

I'm baffled.  ???

So that's it for now, hope you have sunshine this weekend.

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Our History.......

 
We spent Saturday mostly watching TV, as I'm sure most of the UK did and possibly a fair chunk of the rest of the world did..... for the coronations of King Charles III and Queen Camila. History and pagentry!

I love all but the studio chatting stuff. Hubby's favourite is the military marching and parading and there were so many of taking part

Sunday was the day for our street party. Held on our shared drive as always. Both houses suitably flagged. Garage set up with food tables and the hot drinks table, urn plugged in, music and outside speakers in place. Wheely bins brought round.  Tables and chairs all over the drive. 

My nails and outfit were red, white and blue. 

And nearly all the neighbours came up to party with us (lots more arrived after I'd taken this pic). Between them the garage tables were heaving with shared food. 

I was thrilled when Daughter and R came to join the party. And our weather worries were totally squashed as the sun stayed out and it got really hot.

Everyone really enjoyed it, so much that the oldies insisted on having our usual coffee morning on Monday and again a lovely dry warm day so we all sat in the garden which meant neighboursT&S joined us (they haven't joined us inside as still covid nervous).

Wednesday evening the usual gang had dinner at The Dooley Inn then onto the Grosvenor pub, but first FriendsT&F met Hubby and I at friendsM&P to surprise them with thank you gifts for our Spanish holiday. It's friendM's apartment and she shares all that's in it and friendP did nearly all the driving. They were surprised and very pleased. I'd also got M some solar fairy lights as her balcony ones had died when we were in Spain and given her the book we'd talked about. 

Thursday we were dog sitting and just after midday we had to put her in the car to come with for my blood test. She moans a lot in the car so Hubby said he would give her a quick walk when I pop into the clinic. However on the way there there was thunder lightning and the heavens opened, very heavy rain and hail stones. Hubby dropped me off right by the front door then parked. He watched for me looking out of the door then drove forward to pick me up, and I still got soaked enough to need a change of clothes. 

I'm having to be careful nipping in and out of places as my vertigo is back and sudden movements make me quite dizzy. 

Friday was a cousin's meetup day. We used to meet in London but that became a challenge with some of us not comfortable now to do all the walking and stairs on public transport and choosing somewhere to eat that's not too crowded or too expensive. So now we said we are happiest to travel to where the two oldest cousins live. It took Hubby and I over two hours (including a sat nav blunder Hubby made), it took my Nottingham cousin and her husband three hours drive each way and sisterS battled with public transport for nearly two hours coping and changing her route because of the rail strike. But it was so worth it. We all met at cousinS's favourite fish and chip restaurant (we were very late but they waited) then a car convoy back to CousinsB&A for tea cake and a lot more chat.  

Of course most of the chat was remembering the old days, family no longer with us and about the families we all have now. 

While talking about the Jewish East End we all grew up in sisterS and I were saying how we couldn't easily get deli food where we live, so cousinB promptly sent us home with doggy bags of challah and gefilte fish mmmmm.

And no visit ends without Hubby needing to fix something, this time it was the landlines phones for our hosts. 

Now a weekend of dog sitting. Enjoy whatever you have planned.

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Con Amigos..........

Saturday and we are still in Spain. Hubby and I stayed back in the morning as the girls were going to the market again and the boys were going back to the festival for the big parade. It was hot with a lot of walking and standing around. Hubby and I took the opportunity to have long showers while they were all out, not possible when six of us are sharing one bathroom. 

In the evening we all went to a really lovely steak house. I had the pork ribs and it was an enormous rack, I ate half and brought the other half back as it was far too good to leave behind. Always more drinking and chat when we get home and very very late bed times. 

Sunday afternoon we headed to Andy's Bar at Cabapino. Hubby drove us girls there as friendP and friendF fancied the hour and half walk there. Lunch on the beach, we all chose a good meal so we didn't need to have another in the evening. I had my share of this paella mmmmmm

Afterwards we walked across the sand to La Longa Bar to see Stelvis, he's a brilliant Elvis tribute act that we've seen quite a few times before. 

This little guy at the front kept us entertained too dancing away while his mum tried to sell jewellery at the tables.

Back at the apartment about 8pm-ish and a relax then out came the cheeses and crackers plus ham, olives and crisps, yesterday's ribs heated through were also appreciated. FriendP had a nap then suddenly woke to drag the boys down to David's Bar for a late night game of pool. 

Monday is a bank holiday here like it is at home. However, what we've never had at home is the sardine festival, we went to see the one in La Cala. The queue for the free sardines was about a mile long going round and round on itself

Here's a tiny part of it. We didn't queue, and this is what they were queuing for

And while they were all queueing we easily found a table at a nearby beach bar and had lunch there. Unfortunately friendP had to drop us off and go back home and because of the heavy traffic he didn't make it back in time to join us but did come back later to pick us up. He's a great taxi service. 

In the evening we went to a ranch looking place called Peña Al Galope. The eating area is basic/rustic, the scenery is stunning, the horses playing in the fields we looked down at were having fun and the food was so so good! 

Look at that view. Then a late night stop at David's Bar for their game of pool and so our driver can drink as we all walk back from there. 

Tuesday we went into Mejas

There was a board nearby explaining how well looked after the donkeys are and that they are council inspected regularly. 

Very attractively decorated steps and we saw plenty as Mijas is full of steps and steep slopes, quite tiring. 

We spent ages in this fantastic shop. So tempted to buy lots but we are travelling with just cabin bags so I just bought two garden wall planters as gifts, couldn't take a photo as they wrapped them so well. 

And for our last holiday dinner together we went to Antonio's where we could eat while listening and watching the waves on the rocks. FriendM knows all the best places to eat and apparently there are so many more than we could fit into our eight days. 

Wednesday was going home day so we spent till about 2pm packing, clearing up, stripping beds and eating up all the food that wouldn't keep once the fridge was turned off. Then returning the hire car and getting through the airports both ends went OK with all the usual waiting around and long queues we expect. Only real inconvenience was driving from Stanstead back to Ipswich as the whole journey was inundated with road works, miles of  cones and confusing diversions. We got home about 10:30pm.

Thursday started with me unpacking, and relief that the ceramics made it home in tact.

Hubby had booked for a guy to come to inspect and chat about cavity wall insulation. This house was done before we moved in, now 40 years later when it might have deteriorated and having made some structural changes where it would have fallen out he was keen to know what could be done to improve it. The guy drilled four holes and looked inside with a camera, then had a chat to Hubby. He thinks there will be a new government scheme in a few months that we could benefit from so will contact us when he knows more. 

While on holiday friendT said how she poaches eggs in the microwave, I tried it, it failed hahaha. Think it will take a few more experimental tries. 

In the afternoon Hubby also needed to take his car to have the windscreen replaced. Thankfully friendA gave him lifts back and forth so I didn't have to. 

They say holidays do you good and recharge your batteries, well our normal Thursday night virtual pub quiz seemed to prove that as we scored 47 out of 50, the highest we've ever done now it's just the two of us. 47 wow! 

Friday and Hubby and friendA managed to get the bunting up before the storms started, only just! 

So a weekend of watching the coronation on TV then having our own street party. So excuse me while I paint my nails red white and blue, then organise about tables and food and possible ways to shelter everyone if/when it rains. 

Enjoy your weekend.

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