Thomas Day!

I've had a lovely day with Thomas, who has now perfected his spinning on his bottom, like a rotund top, retrieving balls from under the table & saying "p" words, though none that you would recognise.
Rain did threaten whilst we were out, but held off until after lunch. Thomas found the downpour very exciting, so much so that he didn't have an afternoon sleep, despite lots of cuddles & sweet-talk.
Home,all the jobs done & ready for the trip to Leatherhead to see J, G O & the twins tomorrow.
The mulberry tree in the garden has fruit fo
r the first time - red like raspberries.
I don't know what they taste like......yet.

The rains have come, briefly.

But not until 7.00pm, a real scorcher until then.
I went to play tennis but found the the LTA had taken over the club for the week for a junior tournament, so went to the gym instead.
After an iced latte at M&S & some impulse shopping on the end of sale rack (how about a shocking pink bra?), I bought travel guides for Scandanavia & Tallinn & came home.
Strangely, this took until 5.00pm.
The rain didn't manage to get my washing & I've eaten sensibly, so today has been a good day.
I am reading aj's copy of "I can make you slim" by Paul Mckenna. He has the same four points that I had, so I just have to get my head round them again to lose the offending bits.
I wish that I'd written it down!

WHEW, ANOTHER SCORCHER!

I've found the lower case key, what a relief!
I'm sitting in the conservatory, admiring the garden, having done everything possible to improve my appearance, short of spending money, awaiting the return of G, who "popped out" two hours ago, promising not to be long.
I have tickets for "Antiques for Everyone" at the NEC.
G is not interested, but I had hoped to make a brief visit, fitting it in with "The Whitacres & Shustoke Annual Show", this afternoon.

To this end, I got up at 6.00am to write a sermon for tomorrow: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like........"
My conclusion is that heaven is what you make it. I hope that this was divinely inspired.
A cabbage white butterfly has flown in to sit with me

.

Perhaps this is an omen.

Yesterday I had a lovely day at B&E's with T & KP.
They had just returned from holiday & T was very tired.
He opted for pic-nicking in the garden, rather than an intrepid trip to the park, & then a siesta .
KP smiled, chuckled & chattered all day until 5.00pm, when she nodded off in her buggy between the front door & the lounge, on returning from the park/playground.
T made a new friend, Sophie, at the park; KP climbed up/onto everything shoulder height or lower.
I arrived home by 9.30pm, in time to wake G up & serve him desert & coffee, before bed.

The pips! Noon & no sign of G.
I shall finish the ironing as this is the only job pending that will not cause me to get dirty or sweaty.
Enjoy the sunshine!

Whew, What a Scorcher!

Too tired to blog last night.
AJ & I played tennis in Rowntree Park in the sunshine - she hits a lot harder than me!
We then ventured to Wetherby for a tootle around, then McArthur Glen Outlet , before home for tea.
After a prawn salad I set off for home just after 7.00pm. G had just finished mowing the field when I got home, so we could snooze together on the settee before bed.

Today was T & J day (school holidays)
We walked to the park to play on the swings, etc, then on to M&S for ice creams & * "Dinner for two for £10" for tonight.
J is an expert ice cream eater, right down to removal of T's dummy, lick & then dummy replaced - not a dribble anywhere.
We did collage, read, made pipe-cleaner things, played football, ate (quite a lot) & snoozed.
All great fun.
G & I went for a walk around the reservoir before dinner, hence I fell asleep before the desert.

* I highly recommend these, only available from Thursdays onwards.
We had pork medallions with cider & apple sauce with scrummy green vegetables, followed by Belgium chocolate souffle, with a bottle of chardonnay, all for £10, rather than £18.
Only in UK.

On the road again.

Well, just off it actually, having arrived at AJ's at around 10.00am.
The weather is warm but overcast.
I say "warm" because the car thermometer registered 19 degrees.
I did have my doubts about this & turned the seat heater on full to gain a little comfort.
The M1 was very busy with lorries & people who get in front of you & don't go fast enough.
This is better than the 42 though, which has two lanes of trucks & no third lane of escape.

I am trying not to sit down for too long as I spent yesterday gardening & playing tennis (with a little light shopping in there somewhere).
We abandoned the garden at 9.00pm & went in for dinner & to watch "Dragons' Den"(highly recommended)
I fell asleep, briefly, & then found that my agile, well-honed body had been replaced by that of an old woman, bent double & groaning with every slight movement.
I did manage to stagger to the kitchen for coffee & freshly baked banana cake - I do have G to serve - then read the blogs & checked flights to CPH, before falling asleep again.
The only way to beat the pain is to exercise, so I need to keep on the move.
Does anyone know of any drugs that will help?

Off for a walk, we may reach York if AJ doesn't play-up!
We are going to see "Mamma Mia" tonight.
By "tonight" I mean "early evening" so that we can see the film, eat & sleep, in that order.
It has a very good write-up in the York Press, so it must be good.
"One for the girls" according to G.

News Flash!!! "Mamma Mia" was great, a real giggle with the audience applauding - quite a lot of enthusiastic youngsters there along with the more mature fans.
You may note the hour.
We walked into York, had a lovely lunch at "The Piano & Pitcher", sitting in the sunshine by the river, & then went to the matinee, next door.
Watching "Ten Years Younger", with a glass of wine.
I shall be taking AJ around York, getting the locals to guess her age, tomorrow!

Sunday, Trinity 8.

What a weekend.
Yesterday we drove to Sussex to attend a memorial/internment of ashes service at St Mary's church, Ticehurst, for an old friend of G.
We drove on to Hastings, Eastbourne & along the coast to Brighton, before heading inland for Leatherhead to see J&G.
We were in half a mind to stay overnight on the coast, but kept going.
We had fish & chips from a Chinese takeaway in Leatherhead, having scarcely anything to eat all day, then drove home, arriving after midnight.
We had a slight lie-in this morning!
I went to church (late), washed, ironed & gardened with G, until we were both exhausted.
We have just eaten prawn & avocado salad with a bottle of rose.
Time for bed.

Home again.

I have been in Bournemouth since Wednesday morning, finishing the packing up & cleaning in readiness for the new owners/tenants.
J, G & family came on Wednesday afternoon, ready for a hospital check up for the twins on Thursday morning. O & I went to the beach & the park for the morning. The most spectacular sandcastles are being built on the beach at Boscombe, using trucks & cranes - O was very impressed.
I set off for home at 11.00am, planning to drive through the New Forest, stopping at Christchurch, Lymington & Lyndhurst en route.
There was heavy traffic going South, holiday traffic I presume - there was certainly plenty of room on Bournemouth beach for them.
Unfortunately there was heavy traffic going North as well by mid-afternoon so I didn't get home until 5.30pm; time for a bath before G came home.
We have been to Coleshill to the Balti restaurant for a meal, which was brill - prawn on puri, followed by a chicken dish with almond, coconut & mango.
Home for a Dramduie & G asleep on the settee.

Lymington.

I am tempted to post another pic of some controversial dish to get the comments going.

Toad in the hole?

I have topped 5000 hits - wow!

Thomas Tuesday.

A lovely sunny day today, just the weather for a trip to the park.
T spent a long time on the baby swings, a good vantage point for investigating all users of the park, especially dogs.

We had a good walk along the Stratford road, before returning home for lunch.
This was followed by a reading session, then football, allowing T to practice two of his new words, "ball & goal".
We have just over-eaten, salad with walnut bread followed by gammon with cauliflower cheese & new potatoes. scrummy. I forgot to mention the chocolate macaroons.

Early to bed, Bournemouth tomorrow for a short break.

Monday, funday.

My Monday is usually self-indulgent.

First thing I followed G to Tamworth to return the removal van, chatted to AJ, then went to Coleshill to play tennis for a couple of hours in the sunshine.

After doing a few chores I went to Solihull, parked at Morrisons, making a grand saving of £2, so went to M&S for a tea & a treat.
I bought a pair of chinos, which are either brill or "for wrinklies; I'm sure that W &/or B will put me right about them.
The downside of the free parking was, of course, that I had to shop at Morrisons.
I then went to the gym for a couple of hours, arriving home just before G.
We have had scampi, healthy chips & salad & a lazy evening, recovering from a long weekend.

PS The croc is called "Leatherhead". I think that this refers to his headgear.

Leatherhead or bust!

Today I had a lie in.
Yesterday I was up & off by 6.15am to collect Nick & continue down to Boscombe to help J,G & family to move.
G drove the big van to Poole to collect stored goods & Rob -(more muscle), then on to Boscombe, where we spent the day packing & loading.

O had a great time running around & unpacking boxes, so we had an hour on the beach in the sunshine, before lunch. I am always surprised at how few people there are on the beach, on a nice day, in the middle of the summer.
The twins were very good, feeding, cuddling & sleeping.

We arrived at Leatherhead by 8.00pm & did most of the unloading.

The flat is really nice& spacious.
AM & N arrived with plates, chairs, a wonderful Thai meal & a crate of cold beer & ginger beer, along with bread & milk .
Get AM to organise your next event, she is faultless!

I drove Nick home & then arrived home at 1.30 am, rather weary.
G stayed with AM & will be home later.
I have had a lazy day so far - I planned to cycle to the shop to buy a paper, but it was too late by the time I had decided how to carry it home.
I was going to garden, but I started this & then fell asleep.
I shall have a cup of tea & fetch the wheelbarrow........... enough of this lazing about!

Happy Birthday, P.

I'm home!
This morning we left home early, dropped J at nursery, MK & D at the hospital (the big house) in Roskilde, for more tests, me at the airport & then W went to work.
I had a good flight & G picked me up, went to Tamworth to collect a big van for tomorrow & then came home.
I have baked, washed, cleaned, shopped & been to see P to deliver the pressies from Denmark.
I will post the photos that are not too awful & then go to bed.

Young D was pink & cute this morning - the joy of being in the bosom of the family & having a caring big brother who pops a dummy (shuba) in your mouth whenever it is open.
J is sweet & giggly & so full of beans:

At the "English/ Japanese garden, with three grandparents:



On the lake with Farfar.

Admiring the carp.

Try the English - only used for The "do nots"

On the slide.

Driving the tractor.

Wouldn't you make a fuss if your mum put you in that sweater?

J loves peas - home grown!

Boat plans invited.

I didn't know weather to blog or start building an ark.
Did it rain this morning....yes, & for quite a bit of the afternoon as well.
J was very good company; he took a leisurely bath (which he has since denied.....nej), we drew, wrote, built towers, ran around chasing each other, watched "Teletubbies" & Ballamory" (of course) & eventually ventured to the supermarket, when the rain stopped.
It did start again before we got back.
We had toast & pate/chocolade for lunch, in large quantities.
J loves toast. He could "eat me under the table"
Only J & I know that he ate all of the toast & chocolade, I ate all of the toast & pate.
I ate mine with Russian salad, J had cucumber!
I pottered in the garden whilst he slept off his over-indulgence & we managed about 10 minutes in the garden on his bike before the next deluge.

T & B brought a wonderful meal over with them this evening, having been to see K & baby D.
D is now feeding well, a family trait, & may come home tomorrow - more news on "W's Little World"

Welcome to AJ's littl'un, Dick, & friend, who are arriving in Copenhagen tomorrow.
We may see them at some point.

I could have swum..............

Hi from Ringsted, very full of pizza & fine red wine.
G dropped me at East Midlands Airport t 1.00pm yesterday, for the 3.55pm flight with Sterling.
This was already listed as one & a half hours late, so I pottered, had a coffee & waited.
There was a cloudburst, hail & sleet so that the tarmac looked like the sea & those lucky enough to have flights to board, paddled to the planes & were drenched.
Our flight left some time after 5.30pm, flew for 40minutes, then flew back to EMA as we did not have permission to fly across London airspace.
We parked up, submitted new plans, refuelled & eventually left again, arriving at about 9.15pm (10.15 local time)
I was fortunate in sitting next to a charming, well-travelled middle-aged man who chatted for most of the time, secured a bottle of wine for me& saw me through airport.
W met me, J asleep in the car, having been pottering for 3 hours.
What a star!

Today, J & I have been out to play, feed the ducks & buy rye bread - all great fun.
We have been to see K & son - a little poppet, who should be home tomorrow - photo on W's Little World.

Henley Royal Regatta

"Dress code: men, status, women, expensive" I removed my hat at lunch (black straw)


Henley, with "oiks"


A gondola


This one went to Dunkirk.


A hen party, with thighs!

And........a race boat

That took care of yesterday, & was fantastic. Very "English" & gentile, overall.

I saw more boats yesterday than I have seen in the rest of my life, I think.

We left home early to avoid the traffic for Warwick races & Silverstone, arriving at Hambledon locks by 9.20am, having driven through lovely Oxfordshire countryside.
We boarded the Princess Marina along with five other couples & then cruised up & down the Thames for the remainder of the day, being extremely well fed, looked after & informed by a great chef & a very knowledgeable crew.

We munched our way through:

Coffee/ champagne/ bucks fizz, with brownies.

Champagne & canapes.

Lunch - beef, salad with scrummy new breads

Local cheeses.

Coffee & truffles

Afternoon tea

The sun shone all day & we arrived back just after 5.00pm tanned & relaxed.
We called in briefly at B & E's on the way home to leave a disposable camera for Tim to use at the carnival, tomorrow.

William has just phoned with the even more fantastic news that young M minor has just arrived, "with much puffing & pushing"
Not yet weighed, but k & DK are well.
Well done. Brilliant! Fantastic! The only call during the Ladies finals at Wimbledon!
W says that he has hands like his, but his face is still squashed & only resembles Winston Churchill at the moment.

Henley can't compete with that, but I'll put some photos on anyway.

Granny Helper.

I was granny helper at Bubbles, Tim's playgroup, this afternoon - a rare treat.
I drove to Tim's childminders in time to walk to Bubbles with the team of five.
I had a lovely afternoon, playing with the children & being sat on by two or three every time we settled on a mat. Tim made do with sitting on a bit of my leg.
Tim & KP were delightful; we played, went to the park/playground & drove the car. The latter involves all three of us sitting in the front seats changing CDs, Tim "naming that tune".
I bought fish & chips in Coleshill on the way home & we have chilled in front of the TV - an Abba programme about the "Mamma Mia" film which looks a hoot, with an fascinating cast. (Meryl Streep, Julie Waters, Piers Brosnan..........)

I haven't seen any tennis today but from today's results, there are some brilliant matches to come.

Well, Murray major is still in!

Short blog.
A lazy, indulgent day.
We are going to Henley on Friday, I was preparing for a touch of glamour with welly boots.
We read the invitation at breakfast, we board a launch at 10.30am & drink champagne & eat, with a good view of the racing for the rest of the day.
Smart dress, wellies not mentioned!
I played tennis, went to the gym for a swim & then shopped successfully for a black straw hat (not too large), a pair of smart sandals & a black "shrug". (garment with sleeves that covers the shoulders)
AJ phoned me with a Wimbledon report whilst I was out so that I got home in time for THE match.
I thought that AM played very well, he just wasn't good enough to beat Nadal. The follow on match on the BBC was Jamie Murray + partner winning their mixed doubles.
He's a bit of a wild card, with an amazing reach & a propensity for poaching.

I have done loads of washing & ironing & shortened a dress since getting home, in between play - I must be shrinking, it's all this standing up.
I shall go to bed & grow a little.

Murray's still in!

Well, he hasn't played today.
It has been suggested that it may rain tomorrow, so he could get another days grace/rest.
BBC 2 is not showing live matches at the moment, perhaps it is raining already, it is overcast here, after a lovely day.
I did see most of the Williams sisters' matches this afternoon at P&A's, so have "The One Show" on - Edwina Currie & Julian Clary.
My, how they have aged.
EC looks a real bag lady. Good. I never liked that woman from her days as a Birmingham councillor & could not believe John Major's lack of taste.

I have had a lovely day with Thomas, who is trying to work out the logistics of crawling.
The second leg is giving him problems at the moment - a sort of sleeping policeman that he cannot get over.

A storm has just started, thank goodness I opted to watch Wimbledon rather than garden when I got home. Unfortunately, G is mowing the lawns!
I am cooking a delicious chicken - not just..........but an M&S honey basted chicken.
We would have eaten it last night, but it is brown & I thought that it was cooked until I came to serve it.
We had pasta!
We are having new potatoes & stir fried artichokes with it, for a change.

Tennis in the morning, & then the garden, weather permitting.