Married 15 years + 1 day.

And it don't seem a day too long, as the song goes.
15 years is crystal; we have two new wine glasses for everyday use & a mensa star cube to solve after a few glasses.
As I didn't manage to get the engraving right, I doubt that I will solve the mensa star - GC & GB became GC & CG???
Never mind, it's memorable & they gave me a great discount.

How come no-one ever comments on this blog?
Is it that boring?
W assures me that people do read it, but I never remember the number on the counter.

We have been visiting JR since Tuesday. We hired a Chevrolet Spark, which cost £180 for the week (I think that you may be able to buy one for little more)
It struggled on the inclines but did do away with the problem of worrying about speed cameras.
We left early to collect the Lotus & return Sparky to Erdington.
After a light lunch we collected the Volvo from the Ring of Bells, on payment of nearly £1800, & they didn't even clean it.
G was warmly welcomed & offered a chair, I asked if I might sit down as well, or was that reserved for men - I was wearing a black coat, so perhaps I was invisible.

A Thomas & Jessie day tomorrow (half term week) so we are planning an adventure.

A programme tonight about language/pronunciation, which may be good - sack that commentator who says "haitch", for a start! Pronunciation of words such as controversy, garage, mischievous........

The mystery of the grapes.

Back in business, as G explained so succinctly - all I know is that I couldn't sign in.
We had a lovely relaxed week with B & T, seeing places that we hadn't seen before, & having a list of "to visit later or again". G even took us to the restaurant in Kenilworth usually reserved for female business colleagues.
Ironbridge was really worth visiting & Coventry was much better than anticipated.
We did pop into the grounds of Bablake.
Aj came on Thursday evening to see T&B & stayed until this afternoon, so we have had a couple of shopping expeditions - a lot of chatting & not much buying.
Doesn't that sound like a perfect wife - out of the way for a while & cheap to run!
G has been on Primrose duty this weekend - they make a lovely couple!
Tomorrow we are visiting JR - a bit of sorting out to do & some tlc.
I have a stew cooking, ready to take, along with a dumpling kit & pudding.
A large pan of pears with lemon & cinnamon, is simmering next to them, ready for freezing.
A quiet eveninglined up, after I've done the ironing.
I'd better get on with it-drag myself away from a lovely log fire & the BBC news.

Strange article on Radio 4 about Facebook accounts contacting people from "the other side", when they have been left dormant when the person has died & the account left open as no-one else can close it.

All this fuss about children/teenagers picking spring onions.
haven't kids helped parents/earned pocket money like this for generations.
Surely it's mainly a problem if they should be in school at the time.
October half term was called "Potato picking week" when we were at school.
Social workers didn't remove all rural kids from their homes.

Back again!

After the shustoke.com domian had again gone wonky thanks to the crap admin at Breath who manage the forwarding we are now back in business. We had to re- register rather than just renew as it had lapsed which of course cost ££££!

Anyway, belated photos of B&T in Cov. attached

We had a good week despite the Volvo deciding to call time on it's clutch/flywheel which will doubtless be expensive to fix. Our replacement Chevrolet hire car is a bit of a buzzbox but is required due a JRB visit this week as well as the Cov and airport runs with B&T. Hey ho!!!

We had AJ and the Cornfields for dinner on Sat Graham having had a stoma after gut surgery earlier this year but looking well enough. g did 2 services yesterday after which we did some clearing up in the garden whilst AJ snoozed.

Brum.

Today we showed B&T the highlights of Birmingham - yes, it did take a whole day & we could have done more.
We drove in through the more colourful suburbs, via Kits Green & Bordesley.
We visited The Villa, & Aston Hall (closed), Soho House, home of Matthew Boulton then the Jewellery Quarter & the museum there, which was most interesting.
We parked at Brindley Place, lunched at Cafe Rouge then on to the ICC & down to St Philips Cathedral. This visit was brief as the only remarkable feature is the Burnes Jones leaded glass in the windows.
We checked out the better bits of The Bull Ring Centre then walked back to the car along New St & Corporation St.
We have dined on fish & chips with a fruity little Australian chardonnay.
The weather has been great - bright & sunny though cold. The only downside is that the clutch has developed a problem, to be sorted out tomorrow. Hopefully nothing too serious, as we hope to do Coventry & Solihull tomorrow.

Another World Heritage site ticked off.

Yes, today we visited Ironbridge - the Bliss Hill Museum, the bridge, the Gorge Museum & the Coalport Museum, each with shop & car park with charges.
The Blist Hill Museum was brilliant - rows of Victorian shops & workshops, cottages & gardens, a railway line & lots of steam engines.
We arrived home by 6.00pm, for a nice cup of Ceylon tea & coffee cake, the, after a break, we went for an Indian meal in Coleshill at The Indian Lounge.
We have had a great day & will sleep well.
photos follow when they can be uploaded!

Playmates.

T & B arrived yesterday morning, so we had a good day with lots of chatting & news to catch up on.
We went to Kenilworth where we had an early/Danish time lunch at The Cross, which was wonderful. eg I had bread with oil followed by smoked salmon with quails eggs/hot smoked salmon scotch eggs then waffle with banana ice cream, banana & caramel. Everything homemade.
We visited the castle - B knows more of the history than we do. Shame on us!
We were going on to Coventry, but ran out of time, so settled for home & a nice cup of tea then an M&S dinner & an early night.
Ironbridge today.

Home again....

While G was away diving I took the opportunity to visit aj in York for a few days, then on to Cambridge to see JR, finally to Bicester for a night with B & E followed by a day with Thomas & KP. They had great fun, Jessie organised their games, after school, so I was redundant.

We are back to normal now.
G had a lift to Great Barr, where I picked him up this morning - 20 minutes to junction 7 then half an hour finding "The Scott Arms", in the dark.
G has slept, unintentionally, for much of the day; we had lunch at 4.00pm.
I can't think of any real news that he has missed this week, apart from the Chile miners.
Have I missed something?

Forecasters were right....

It has been a bright sunny day, as forecast.
I had a reasonable night's sleep, aided by aj's ibuprofen & painkillers, I had a sore knee & ankle this morning, but it is much better now, which is a good thing as I have to drive to Cambridge tomorrow, a three hour drive.
Aj did some pestering/market research in Acomb this morning whilst I limped around the shops & bought the components for a typical Yorkshire lunch - big baps & cooked meat.
After lunch we went to Wetherby for a potter around in the sunshine, then home for a nice cup of tea.
I collected the litter from the garden whilst aj completed her paperwork.
We had intended to see "Made in Dagenham", but couldn't be bothered.
Everything is shipshape; we are watching "Spooks" - I can never follow it, to be honest - too many double, triple & quadruple agents for me.
Bed time.

Bugger!

I am at aj's for a few days, to catch up on the gossip & to potter around York at leisure.
We pottered around York yesterday afternoon & again today, the main difference being that we had coffee in M&S today.
We slept well last night, despite aj's relaxed evening ( a two hour nap)
I went out of the front door earlier & slipped over on the mossy path, landing on my back with a foot twisted under me. It hasn't swollen but is rather sore & my knee is stiff.
My main concern is that I have a three hour drive to see JR on Tuesday so my right foot will be busy.
Any suggestions for a quick cure?
The weather has been good today, I had to remove my fleece & coat eventually. Apparently it reached 22 degrees down South. It may not last.
We hope to do Wetherby tomorrow.

Happy Anniversary B&E.

I cannot believe that it is ten years since B & E were married.
It was a wonderful day, although G made me wear a pair of granny shoes because he doesn't like sling-backs.
Red roses everywhere.

G& I have returned from a two night visit to JR, to cheer him up & help with some sorting out.
All was achieved successfully & we fitted in visits to Saffron Walden & Bury.
I have to take G to the station early tomorrow for the first leg of his diving holiday in the Red Sea, on a diving boat. Must get to bed.
Where do the days go to?

Wet, wet, wet, wet.....

I usually look at the weather forecast on the back page of the Telegraph as it's directly above the crossword, that I can't do.
I note that Birmingham & Copenhagen are similar for most of the summer, but at this time of year, maximum temperatures remain about the same, but minimum temperatures differ considerably: Saturday, B'ham 15, 12. Copenhagen, 13,7.
The cold, dark nights are on the way.
Yesterday was warm & sunny, we came home from The Harvest Supper at 10.00pm, still warm, no coats needed.Today it is p...ing down, & has been all morning.
The yard is flooded as are many of the local roads.
I'm wearing my tog 24 fleece & have put the heating on, despite G being in shirt sleeves.
There must be something wrong with him. Saying that, after his visit to the dentist yesterday, he had a night without painkillers & has slept peacefully in an armchair for an hour since I returned from church - he has missed a lot of sleep this week.
He is off on a liveaboard diving holiday on Friday, so needs a clean bill of health by then.

We were in Bicester yesterday & went to the NCT sale of baby/toddler goods.It is brilliantly organised & well supported. I bought a twin Maclaren buggy for £15. You can lift it without getting a hernia & it fits into the boot of a car without having it's wheels removed, making it significantly different from J & G's cross-country model.
We are reading the papers, with Antiques Roadshow on the TV. Will Reetone trainers really trim by posterior to a shapely size 8?
Even more worrying, the fat & sludge which Finish dishwasher tablets claim will pass through my dishwasher, really looks quite tasty - caramel with chunks.
I'd better do something worthwhile - ironing, a little light housework.......

You can put comments on this blog, in fact, please do, so I know that there's someone out there.

Happy Birthday W

Today is W's 36th birthday.
W is a delightful young man with a great sense of humour (genetic); I am very proud of him & his family.
I am only sorry that his rather small birthday present didn't arrive on time, so that he could open it on the day. Sorry.

I am home alone, having left G in Marsh Gibbon as I had a church meeting tonight.
He has a dental appointment tomorrow to find what is causing the pain he has suffered since his implant last Friday.
This results in me having eaten a poached egg for dinner& having full control of the remote control. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to much worth watching, let alone arguing over, anyway.
I pushed a different button on the phone, in error & found the phone book that I put in years ago, when it was new, which I thought it had forgotten, was still there. I had to phone aj to check that it was correct. It was!

I have just watched Paxman interview Russell Brand, done with great humour, considering that Brand is a vulgar, egotistical, loud-mouthed yob - just a personal view.

The news website that I referred to recently was BT Yahoo - I'm sure that it isn't that rarefied, just the news headlines.

Off to bed - another early morning run to Bicester.