A day off.

And the first of many days off for BHP. I hope that he enjoys every one.
Today, we did not go to Wimbledon, we had to settle for watching the Sharapova/Lusicki match on TV.
It was a little disappointing, in fact it was pretty poor.
We watched Lusicki in the ladies doubles yesterday, partnered by Stosur, who was certainly the stronger player.
Be hopes that the final is a better game - perhaps we needed a Dane there to add some spice!

Anyway, we walked down to the river this morning,along & then around the town, stopping for coffee at M&S. There are some very nice shops, mostly for window shopping only, & lots of little galleries.
Since getting back to Paul's, we have done the front garden & planted it out (three pink geraniums in the window box!)
I can't think of anything to do, apart from watch more tennis.
We are meeting aj's entire family for dinner, at the local, this evening.
Should be fun.

Wonderful Wimbledon.

It was wonderful on Court 2 all day. The sun shone, no hint of rain, a pleasant crowd with little shouting &  some excellent   tennis.
We watched two mixed doubles, one ladies' doubles, one mens' doubles from yesterday & senior mens' doubles, with Pat Cash.
We didn't see the mens' quarter finals, but were updated with the scores at every change of end & could hear the cheering from the Centre Court, next door.
T & B should apply for tickets for 2012.
The 493 bus took us straight there on our bus passes, with a packed lunch in aj's bag, to avoid missing play/ paying a fortune for a sandwich.
Posh houses near by had rented out their front drives to hamburger stands.
I may do this at home next year to raise a little cash, either during Wimbledon fortnight or when Maxstoke castle is open.
Paul left a super meal in the fridge for us - salmon steaks, salad & strawberries, which we devoured when we got in at 10.oopm, whilst watching "You're Fired"
Aj thinks that G should apply for The Apprentice" next year & show these youngsters up.
Time for bed, I'll wake aj up.......
Pottering around Richmond & Kew Gardens tomorrow.

Well done Andy....

I hope that I will have to use that title three more times this week.
I only caught the first few games, watching with Thomas, who declared that he liked watching tennis.Otherwise I just caught the odd glimpse as we were in & out of the garden, but he didn't seem to have had a problem (Andy, not Thomas)
Today is the big day, down to London on the train to meet aj, then Wimbledon tomorrow, Court 2.
My first visit since I was a teenager. Aj & I drove down in the Imp & parked somewhere nearby - the days before "Hospitality", when you went for the tennis only, not the social scene.
William & Catherine were there yesterday, I was pleased to see the next generation of royals taking an interest. They do have the benefit of some pretty good seats & on Centre court.
I've watered the garden, dead-headed the pansies & started the ironing, all before 7.00am.
It will be an early night tonight, I guess!

Well done Andy.

A brilliant match yesterday, Andy Murray against the Croatian man mountain.
I've watched more of Wimbledon this year than ever before, a result of being at JR's, where we tend to sit down in the afternoons & evening matches due to the roof over the centre court.
I'm catching up on ratings & players so that I can hold a conversation with aj on the subject.
There have been some great matches so far, hopefully more to come, specifically on Court 2 on Wednesday!

The weather is strange, April in June; warm with showers, varying from light to storm force downpours.
We had quite heavy rain yesterday from tea-time, overnight, so the garden looks lush & green.
The washing, on the other hand, looks a little damp & dripping.
The trick is to get it in at the precise moment when it is drier than when it went out, before the rain starts again.
Not putting it out is not an option as nature intends that we hang wet things on a string in the garden to dry.
Nature before technology!

G is on a motorcycle course!
He wants to ride in Vietnam on his next visit, rather than ride pillion.
He does not want a bike!!!!

I am writing a sermon for tomorrow  - Romans 6, 12 - end. Miserable sinners.
Anyone else fond of Pelagius, who committed the first heresy of the early church by denying original sin.
It's more fun than it sounds, really!
I'd better finish it before I'm found playing!

Have a good weekend.

Points.

We have just returned home from Birmingham, where we went to the ballet at the Hippodrome - "Passion & Ecstacy", two modern ballets.
The first (20 min) was set toAllegri diversi by Rossini. It was very gentle & pretty.
The second was set to Carmina burana by Carl Orff, a morality tale following the fortunes of three Seminarians who reject their faith.
It was amazing!!!
I only wish that I hadn't nodded off briefly & missed the section about eating, with dancers in fat suits, & that T & Jessie could have seen it.
We had a Cantonese meal afterwards, then came home.
An excellent evening.

This morning I shopped in Kenilworth market - wonderful fruit & veg for a knockdown price.
To complete the day, we were home in time to see the end of "QT".
Bed time.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Home again.

I'm sitting watching Wimbledon - V Williams vs Date-Crum.
DC was 5-1 up when I came in with my lunch, she is now 5-6 down. Shame.
Where on Earth does Venus get those dresses? They do have a logo, a "U" perhaps.
It's a brilliant match, by the way. 

I've been with G to have his leg assessed this morning, he now waits for a date to go in for a day.
We looked at the local car showrooms, as futurists.
Nothing made me smile or dream, which is sad really.
The shopping highlight of the day was going to Ikea in Coventry, afterwards & buying a mountain of packets of beautiful paper serviettes, in toning colours, followed by jars of jam, flavours never found in JS.
G is out somewhere secret, in the Lotus, I have to buy some food, having run out of fresh things after a couple of days away, prepare dinner & iron.......after the tennis.
Murray is on next, I'll have to miss his first  two sets, which, I  am guessing, he will lose.

JR was well, enjoying being cared for.
We went out for lunch twice - low calorie main & a pudding. Toblerone cheesecake is pretty good.
 Must have a look at "Travelzoo's top 20", before VW catches up & ends the match.

Happy Fathers' Day.

We have celebrated with all of  G's offspring here with grandchildren.
We carried the scullery table through to add to the kitchen table & enjoyed (I hope) roast pork  (always a firm favorite....) followed by strawberries in a trifle, in a jelly & in a bowl.
This was followed by a couple of hours in the garden on bikes, tractor, bouncy castle, playing football & water fights - Thomas brought his gigantic Ben 10 water pistol, in order to "get Grandad".
He succeeded.
The kids all had a whale of a time.
I admit to only taking part in the "sitting on a garden bench" option.
We then replaced calories expended with scones, crumpets & chocolate cake.

The house is all back to normal, we have polished off the pink bubbly with nibbles, watched "Scott & Bailey", G is asleep, watching "Coast"!

The paper has pictures of Pandora's new bracelets - fine ply cotton friendship bracelets in nice colours.
Place orders with W, he was making such thing long before Pandora.
Blog a few, W.

Coast is in the Netherlands, in Freisland (never heard of it before)
The cows are black & white, Freisans!
My ignorance is limitless.
They are interviewing a "cow historian" - she's human.

I'm off to see JR tomorrow, leave G with some cold pork.    

Happy Birthday Thomas (&TB)

Thomas is four today.
Coincidentally, it is also my Father's birthday; he was born in 1909, so was born 102 years ago.
He always enjoyed his birthdays, presents & salmon followed by strawberries & cream for lunch.
Thomas was full of beans & obviously enjoyed his day, with his friends at nursery & then tea with his best friends & family.

I've gardened again today, digging the top bed. This does involve taking a break every hour or so as digging causes muscles in my back to get very hot, or that's what it feels like (I'm sounding like W here!)
It looks good - the border specifically, I can't see my back very well, but I think that it's probably alright as my front looks alright & it's the same age & has had similar treatment.

Question Time - Lord Forsyth is very good, sensible, well- balanced & well-informed, Alex Salmond is smug, aggravating & shallow.
Has he thought through the full implications of independence?

Thomas day tomorrow, up bright & early for a trip to the gym first.

I don't want to boast, but it is rare for the spellcheck to catch me out.
Beat that!

The tour that isn't.

We are going to see Peter Kay at The NEC tonight, a Christmas present from P & A.
It should be great fun.
In preparation I've played tennis this morning then cooked a proper lunch (chicken with a mountain of stir fried fresh vegetables), as dinner may not happen.
G has gone out so I'm cleaning upstairs, officially; I'm about to look at "Travelzoo" (brilliant travel site) to see if there's  a fantastic deal somewhere.
I have the TV on - Royal Ascot.
The Queen looks wonderful, in a bright pink hat.
Who is that minuscule commentator?
He must be a retired jockey.
We went to Royal Ascot some years ago - great hospitality, but the races were so quick, blink & you missed the horses going past. I could never be addicted.
Travelzoo, Dyson then a scrub-up!

Well done Andy.

Tennis this morning; I was rubbish. I put it down to the awful noise from the motorway & the lawnmower in the church yard. Poor concentration.
After lunch I cleaned the lounge, in order to feel less guilty about watching the tennis final from Queen's Club - Murray eventually beat Tsonga,  in his own inimitable way - almost losing, without winning a set, before getting going.
I did go out to garden before the end of the match & did some stirling work around the top lawn. (should that be "sterling"?), whilst G worked on the Lotus, now booked in for an MOT tomorrow.
We showered, had lasagne for dinner & then a fund raising meeting, for church, here.

I was delighted to read in the paper that there has been a problem in a care home in Weymouth with the free gift on Lurpack butter - the compressed compost with basil seeds looks very much like a small chocolate chip biscuit. I have to admit that I thought that it was a strange freebie, but read the instructions, soaked & planted it.

It seems that Kate will be on the front of the paper every day from now on, a welcome change from political news & so much better looking than Ed, Balls or Milliband!

The "Antiques Roadshow" did not materialise yesterday, neither did "Coast" as the Grand Prix was rained off & on until 10.30pm!!!!!!
That was five & a half hours of TV coverage!!!!
Why?????

Flushed with the Holy Spirit.

The first Pentecost (so called because it is 50 days since the passover) it was tongues of fire.
Today it was lashings of rain.
It has been wet & windy all day, 8 degrees outside at the moment.
We have the heating on & I've just made some rather special rock cakes, with lots of fruit & cherries, to have with a nice cup of tea, as a treat.
I have spent the afternoon reading the paper, watching "Four in a bed" & enjoying it. I don't even feel guilty as I worked very hard in the garden yesterday, tidying all of the borders & rockery & planting lots of begonias & lavender (things that rabbits don't eat)

It's even raining in Montreal so the Grand Prix will be starting behind a safety car, eventually.
An hour of TV coverage, David & Bernie looking at the track, occasionally finding someone to talk to, before the race starts & then 70+  laps.
Why can't they cut out the track staring bit & then find out who's fastest in, perhaps, 20 or even
30 laps?
Bernie says that we're in for "a magic treat".
More like two hours of repetition, if you ask me.

Any way, to get back to life in the fast lane...
I've earned my keep today by taking two Morning Prayer services - Sh & OW, with a baptism included at Sh, so a full house.
We had the wrong CD at OW, so every  hymn had the wrong music.
We settled for listening & the congregation naming the hymn as soon as they recognised it, then finding the number in the index.
Everyone found this great fun, perhaps I'll do it again!

The rain caused us to cancel plans to visit Plums farm & Maxstoke castle. Shame.
A nice bit of plaice for dinner  - still on the fish theme, followed by "The Antiques Roadshow"

Happy Birthday Prince Philip.

Well, I've found out how to get multiple comments - bring in some new characters to confuse folk & then post the explanation four times.

Having noticed that I didn't blog yesterday & not being able to recall doing anything, I'd decided that I must have slept through Thursday, but, having had a cup of coffee, it's come back to me - I did a blog but it wouldn't post, even when I saved it & rebooted, to take it by surprise.

I'll try it now, so blogs are in sequence.

It won't post, so this blog probably won't either - I'll carry on anyway!

Today was a Thomas day, I went to the gym whilst G did things in Solihull & odd jobs for P, before I collected Thomas from nursery & made lunch.

We then gardened for the rest of the day, Thomas in his gardening gloves, collecting twigs, stones & generally tidying up.

We collected Jessie, more gardening, then a late tea.

We collected a take-away on the way home (the usual), the first this year!

I still have indigestion!!

Time for bed.

Turbulant priest.

A new character for the soap - no less than the Archbishop of Canterbury.

What is he up to?

I'm sure that religion has a place in politics but he seems to be questioning the Governments right to govern - watch "Question Time" for varied manic comments.

We've had a relaxing day - to Coleshill for 9.00am for G's doctor's appointment, three hours early!

I did collect my Wimbledon tickets from the club secretary & take my blood pressure on the machine in the doctors' waiting room, as requested. The printer didn't work & you had to kneel on the floor as the chairs are welded in place. Nevertheless, all was well as my BP was a mere 122/79, which the receptionist made a note of for my records.

I cleaned the Church with Maurice, concentrating on the cobwebs & the windows as the spiders greatly outnumber the humans & make considerably more mess.

G made his second visit to the doctors.

We lunched on kippers & coleslaw so needed to rest a little before tackling the garden.

This involved falling asleep in the conservatory for a short time.

We both did.

Re-energised, we dug out one of the remaining two tree roots , digging masses of roots out of that border. We gave up on the last enormous root at about 6.30pm, having shifted the odd tonne of soil & axed about a dozen roots, due to a combination of tiredness, hunger & the threat of rain.

I had a soak in the bath & cooked dinner - salmon with root ginger & soy sauce with jasmine rice & petit pois, whilst G watched "Mega cities".

We watched the D of E programme (similar to the ITV one last week, but Fiona Bruce in place of Alan Titch).

Thomas day tomorrow so up & away to the gym whilst G does things in Solihull & then does jobs at P&A's.

Rain forecast for tomorrow - save watering the hanging tomatoes

Sunday is "Open Farm Day" as widely mentioned in "The Archers" (Brian is opening Home Farm this year to give David a break, at Brookfields)

Plums Farm is open in Coleshill & another farm in Knowle.

This does clash with Maxstoke castle open afternoon, we'll try to fit in both, after matins at Sh (with baptism) & OW, if time allows.

NW has open Gardens all weekend.

Spoilt for choice!

Get out & visit a farm, do a guided farm walk, ride in a trailer & feed a cow, this Sunday.

Tennis off.

Shame, I was looking forward to playing this morning, but only three available & raining - I'll catch up on-line & perhaps go for a run, now the rain has stopped.

I baptised Olivia Sophia Maria on Sunday lunchtime, I had taught her big sisters & so knew quite a few of the biggish congregation.

A very happy occasion.

Later I went to Bicester, in time for dinner, & had a day out with T & KP on Monday - train to Oxford then a walking tour, navigated by T, lunch at McD, ice cream at Thorntons & a little light shopping. We ventured as far as Gap - not only M&S nowadays!

We went to the brilliant garden centre where we bought fruit bushes, lavender & tomatoes in hanging baskets before tea.

G had sorted the Lotus, etc.

Yesterday we dug the border & planted the fruit bushes opposite the conservatory - they will give the pigeons purpose in life, it seems.

We went to Kathy Broads funeral at NW at mid-day -a very full church for such a sad occasion.

We went to Lea Marston Hotel afterwards for a while & met more of the family, some old school friends & many locals - a good do!

The fridge was like the Monty Python cheese shop - deficient in food, so I shopped at Ventura Park whilst G mowed.

Jenny & Brian came to dinner (greek salad, pan fried salmon with asparagus, home-made hollandaise, tender stem & Jersey royals, followed by strawberries, cream & ice cream, then cheese, chocolate cake & coffee)

We had a some years of catching up to do as they travel a good deal, Ethiopia was their last destination, which sounded fascinating.

They have 13 grandchildren!

Edwin & J have shared an employer, with similar shortcomings.

G has made coffee, very heavy rain is stopping me from gardening, running or putting out the washing, nothing to feel guilty about & no need to water the tomatoes!

Whew!

Up at 6.00am to prepare a pic-nic, then off to See Thomas & Jessie, for a day at The West Midlands Safari Park.
G did a great job of completing the tiling in P&A's downstairs loo, as the park doesn't open until 10.00am.
The first enclosure has white rhinos - a bit of a misnomer as far as I could see as they're black.They are enormous, however & put on a good show, meandering across the road.
It was a bit "Jurassic Park" - I would have not been at all surprised to go through the double gates into a new enclosure & see voloceraptors scampering about.
As it was we were delighted with the lions, cheetahs, tigers (normal & white), elephants, hippos, buffaloes.....
The drive took two hours, in hot sunshine & was remarkable.
We then had a pic-nic & walked through the more normal zoo-type bit of the park, avoiding the theme park bit.
We got back to P & A's at tea time, hot & thirsty.

We got home before 8.00pm & have dined on salad & tempura prawns with a bottle of rose.

Gardening, hairdressers &, hopefully, an evening out tomorrow.
A baptism to take on Sunday then a trip to Bicester.

Cooler weather "crawling down the North" sea tomorrow, so the man at the Beeb says.
Rubbish. It's going to stay hot.

Andy Murray on the way home then - the bit I saw was pretty impressive stuff anyway.

Thanks.

To the two commenters, even if they were scathing.
Today has been enjoyable, in the main, but less exciting than those of many of you jetsetters.
I played tennis this morning, then bought a cucumber & feta cheese at Tesco as I really fancied a Greek salad for lunch.
Hang the e coli!
It was a UK cucumber anyway, hence the migration to the dreaded Tesco - Co-op cucumbers were Dutch!! ( The e coli didn't come from the cucumbers anyway & Spain is going to war with Germany over the alegations)
I paid the CA money into the bank then delivered the paperwork to Water Orton, before coming home to lunch on the amazing afformentioned salad.
I have to admit to snoozing in the sun in the conservatory, after lunch, whilst looking for a holiday on Travelzoo.
I made up for this by joining G in the garden for a good two hours hard labour, before dinner.
The front looks pretty good.
We had a small meeting here at 8.00pmto discuss church fund raising, which was fruitfull.
We had to record The Apprentice & You're Fired, which we have just watched, whilst finishing off a bottle of wine.
Beat that!
The weasely Vince got his come-uppance, not before time.
Discuss.