St Peter and St Paul.

Well, they've bought some better weather with them, which is more than can be said for B on Friday - a good start to the day, then B and the deluge arrived together.
I now have two working mowers, the heating and hot water coming on and going off at sensible times, a Scottish chest removed to the garage en route to the saleroom and the furniture swapped over in the back two bedrooms (well, the bed settee swapped for the bed, which moves the study)
B is a miracle worker - obstacles swept aside and even the correct tools to hand - no knackered screw heads allowed!
I now need a desk, but no urgency as the decorator is coming to complete the changeover in a couple of weeks.
I shall enjoy the  space for a while.

I baked whilst much of this went on - two each of coffee, chocolate, carrot and Victoria sponge cakes, and a parkin, ready for Open Church this weekend, then went to meet the decorators at church, clean and lay up tables for the feast.
Yesterday I was up early to make six dozen scones and open up the church for 11.00am.
They was already a couple there, who were looking for a church to attend, had a chat and a cream tea.
A small number of interesting people called in during the day - many more expected today after the morning service for all four churches.
I was more than a little taken aback yesterday evening  to find a message on the answer machine telling me that there was a Baptism at 12.30pm, so church out of public use for a good hour!!!!!
The open weekend has been on the diary for six months - God moves in mysterious ways indeed.

I did pop across to The Griffin to put up posters - live music, an array of real ales and a good turnout - looked interesting.
I may go back for a sample today, between noon and 1.00pm!!
 

The rains came.

At last, it started to rain yesterday evening, whilst the "ladies" sat in the conservatory drinking wine and eating nibbles - I had a glass of Proseco and was merry, after the second ...............
The limitations brought on by not drinking very often, to build up a tolerance level!
A "cheap date" I was told recently, although I hope that that actually referred to the fact that I ate very little for lunch, and drank tonic water.
I was certainly very "proper" (a word used to describe me this week - strange), so it must have been a reference to the bill.
Anyway, the air feels fresh and the garden looks good for the watering.

I had a lazy day yesterday, waiting for a couple of visitors and watching tennis in the main.
I did clean the windows downstairs
I'd had a call from Muriel, a very elderly friend, asking me to visit her as she was back "home", staying with her son - I did that at tea-time, collected a couple of dozen eggs from the farm for todays baking marathon for the church open weekend, then put out glasses and laid up for the ladies wine.

I have numerous big bites on my upper arms and legs - mosquito repellent didn't work.
I must cover up to mow the lawns.
I'm sure I say that every time and then decide that I'll be alright.
To the kitchen!  

Come on Heather!

I will not be buying soup again for a long time - I bought Covent Garden Pea and mint and carrot, both of which should have been delicious.
On heating them up, both done on evenings when I'd been in the garden for too long, had a shower/bath and wanted something easy for dinner, a friend has phoned, the soup has boiled all over the cooker and it's taken longer to clean up the mess than it would have taken to cook a meal.
And the soups not so good after a good boil.
Stick to the fish/steak and salad!

Another lovely morning - played tennis yesterday, to Jan's for coffee with a mutual friend then back home for an hour or two of tennis before gardening until 8.30pm - it's looking really good from here.
I now take my watch off so have no idea of the time - usually an hour or two later than I think.
I mowed all the lawns (whilst the mower was in a good mood), tidied all of the "done" beds and the edges of the lawns to make mowing easier - took brambles and prizewinning nettles out of the hedges as they attack me mercilessly when I'm mowing.
A large bonfire waiting to be lit, when I have the nerve, a bucket of water, and the strength to manoeuvre a settee up the field - presently having respite by the stables.

Visitors both this morning and afternoon followed by the "Ladies Wine Evening" here this evening - all welcome as long as you're local and have a chilled bottle of proseco!
.  

Come on Andy!

Another glorious day, I'm sitting in the conservatory  watching the birds and a rogue squirrel that has realised that I've relented and filled the bird feeder with nuts again.
As it's early - up to let the chickens into the run, fill their feeder and water bowl and treat them to my date and walnut loaf - there are still long shadows across the lawn.
I'm trying to have a Paleo week, without bread as I'm going out to dinner on Saturday, and I'll have a greater choice of what to wear - I've put on half a stone since Christmas, friends all say that I look much better for it, then I see those amazing bodies at Wimbledon (women players, in the main), and realise that it looks good to be thin - not that I ever expect to look like Sharapova!

Yesterday I met Judith for coffee in Ventura Park - out of the Lotus and into the Merc 4x4, sublime to the ridiculous - to go to the local garden centre for the merc to have a shampoo and set whilst we drank coffee, then back to shop at M&S, where else!
M&S have a marvellous sale on - strictly for size 8s and 24s though.
Came home, watched tennis and did e mails and accounts.
I meant to work in the garden but I didn't get round to it - Jan came for tea and a giggle and I then spent hours analysing cousin JR's JS bills from last year to get some idea of the volume of goods that the carer was really buying for her family.
Can two people really get through 12 tins of Quality Street every month?
Perhaps they're used as currency in Haverhill.
The cat food is also something of a mystery.
At the bottom of each receipt it says:
"Based on price perception data, you can live for less than you thought at Sainsbury's"
I guess that the carer took this message to heart!

Whew, what a scorcher!

A long time since I've used that title, but today the weather has been perfect - an Enid Blyton summer day for having adventures in the great outdoors.
My biggest outdoor adventure was probably taking the family to see the badger sett, before they went home this evening, although I did mow the lawns again, in dress and sandals, seduced into doing it by the fact that the mower started  and sounded very healthy when I went to put it away, behind the children's jeep, after they had gone home - I shook the seeds and various other bits out of my clothes later.
It must be feeling it's age as it now seems to flag after half an hour and want a nap - obviously an elderly male!

A lovely day, prepared lunch, vacuumed (mainly to remove the fly corpses) and went to church, coffee, then on to hear the same service at OW, to work the CD player for the service, then home to finish the lunch.
Family here, seven of us in all, eating in the kitchen to be near the open garden doors - delightful.

Delivered cake to friends - becoming a habit - replaced the two metres of turf along the verge, removed by the farm implement coming out of the field opposite, couldn't repair the road surface that has been likewise damaged from here to the farm, then went to see Jan and Chris for a natter before bed.

Replaced my freeview box with the new one so now have no TV as there were fewer connections - obviously I discarded something vital.
Wimbledon tomorrow - help!!  

Flower pot.....cakes

I bought some silicone flower pot cake cases at Easter and eventually got round to using them today, cakes iced and decorated with a flower and presented to Jan on a silver serving dish - looked good!
M&M, in comparison, merely had a coffee cake, sprinkled with grated dark chocolate, the same as the one for tea here tomorrow.

I've made the most of the longest day by starting early - Coleshill for strawberries for the trifle and fuel for the mower, home to bake/cook, take in a Viyella dress that I bought last year in their sale, then off in the Lotus to deliver the baking.
This took much longer than intended, but it was warm!
I didn't get into the garden until after 4.30pm, then spent too long mowing around the trees and under the hedges with the little mower, until it got it's cord in a twist.
I abandoned it for the ride on, mowed outside, started the field, ran out of fuel, refilled and  as usual, it sulked, limped around for a while, with a lot of rests and died.
I swept the laundry and put them both away in the naughty corner, planted some dianthus (bargains from Morrisons) on the rockery and hollyhocks (grown by Jan from seeds given by Eliz) under the kitchen window, where Granny's grew.

I may look for new mowers on Monday - I'll buy a lottery ticket.
A really good day - even mastered the sewing machine - given me a taste for dressmaking again. 

Topless!

Today was a Lotus day - sun shining and very warm - brilliant!
Coffee at Planters Garden centre with a friend, being entertained watching standard rose bushes seemingly travelling around unaided as they were pushed on trolleys behind counters laden with flowers.
Easily entertained!
I went on to Ventura Park to M&S, by which time I needed another coffee, and JS to buy Sunday's lunch.
I stopped at Jan's on the way home and spent an hour sitting in/admiring her garden and nattering.
Not much else done as I was clean and pretty smart.
Delighted that the new chickens put themselves to bed tonight - last night only one went in, after a quarter of an hour of cajoling whilst my dinner burnt.
A good day all round, more to come and Wimbledon next week.
All I need now is some followers for my blog - I'll post some photos when I remember how.

Blow me.

Another self indulgent couple of days - perhaps I'm getting the idea of retirement at last or perhaps it's because the sun's shining.
Yesterday I visited a couple of friends in the morning, taking them cake - ensures a warm welcome!
Iw was lunchtime by the time I was home again, so I ate a piece of cake, before changing into old clothes and getting on with the garden.
I hacked/pruned away for a few hours to trim the pyracantha on the garage and house, the wisteria, ivy and odd bits of honeysuckle.
I weeded the area by the back door, then since it was only 7.30pm, I mowed the lawns around the house.
This was a bad idea as the hedges were full of biting insects and the first circuit is under the hedges - I'm bitten all over, to go with the scratches from the pyracantha.

This morning I did another couple of hours in the garden before showering and going to the hairdressers - half of Shustoke in there (well, two anyway)
Hair looks great so I'm reluctant to get under the hedges again as I'm meeting a friend for coffee in the morning.
I                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Foiled!

I was at the hairdressers this morning by 8.00am to be foiled, leaving a James Martin Madeira cake in the oven.
Apparently, my hair is now more interesting.
I then picked up a couple of friends to come home with me for coffee and cakes, along with a few more friends - a lovely, relaxing morning all round.
I made up by spending the afternoon in the garden, trimming edges of the top lawn - along the yard, by the factory and under the hedges - dirty and difficult.
For a change I started weeding the yard - about 2sq metres done in an hour and my knees stiff from kneeling.
I had some wonderful JS smoked salmon with salad in a Jewish pitta bread (named Hollylands) for dinner and have since drunk lots of coffee and eaten some cake - a Malteser cake, a twin to Th b'day cake yesterday.

I'm having an indulgent week - yesterday was tennis followed by a pedicure and wonderful pink toe nails.
Home to dress properly then off to Solihull for coffee in Pret and  shopping, before collecting J and Th from school.
After tea, the family came to celebrate Th birthday and share his Malteser cake, then JS and home by 8.00pm.  

On the road again!

I'm surprised that I haven't blogged since Tuesday, but went to Cambs to see JR on Wednesday, coming home on Thursday evening, having done a good deal of sorting out, mainly to clear a bedroom for myself as he now has two full time carers, the second in "my bedroom".
The new carers are doing a grand job - JR looking good and the house feeling like home again.

Friday, I met Jan for coffee in Solihull, had a facial and picked up J and Th from school - shopping didn't happen as I ran out of time.
I went in the Lotus, intending to tax it, but was thwarted by the queue in the Post Office, so just parked obscurely and taxed it on Saturday morning in Coleshill, when I went tot buy food.
I managed a good few hours in the garden after shopping - sorted the border on the side lawn, planted some more perennials and even the rhubarb.
Jan and Chris came to dinner - salad, baked salmon with asparagus and jersey potatoes, chocolate biscuit cake with ice cream, cheese - light until nearly 10.00pm, so we could see the mole hill that had appeared on the top lawn.
Bother.
By this morning there was a mole hill on the side lawn as well - Arthur to the rescue before it's a quarry like last year.

Today, church (Trinity Sunday) then lunch at Olwen's with some fascinating folk, including a jazz singer, who regaled us after lunch.
We made a good assault on a baked salmon, a fillet of beef and large dish of coronation chicken before visiting Maxstoke castle open day, returning for deserts, which were amazing.
Home early evening, intending to bake but distracted, so it will happen early tomorrow - Malteser cake for Th birthday, tomorrow and cakes for Tuesday's coffee and cake morning.
I have a new, interesting banana cake recipe - James Martin, my latest culinary hero.
I still have to read Saturday's telegraph!
I must ask T to show me how to download and post photos - I've forgotten.  

One man went....

mowing for about four hours - the lawns look better than ever after their raking a couple of weeks ago, followed by a  shorter cut today.
So inspired I trimmed the edges, tidied the  rockery, and lopped a pile of branches off the oak tree to let light in to the rockery.
By the time I'd cleared up and swept the yard it was 7.30pm  - in for a hot bath to get my back straight again.
a satisfying day, lots done.
 BT have put me on a cheaper tariff as I don't download stuff, and I'm getting a new freeview box.
we have an excellent new local free paper - The Coleshill Post.
I've written a couple of paragraphs about forthcoming events at church and e mailed them - perhaps I'll be in print!
Visiting JR tomorrow to check on his new carers - hope it doesn't rain.

Whit Monday

Always a holiday in the old days - still is in Denmark - the first of the summer, sometimes a week of partying -  Morris dancing, etc as it was a quiet time of the year on the farms - all done , for a week at least.
I celebrated by playing tennis, having lunch with "Nanny" and then collecting J and Th from school and cooking tea.
Home by 7.00pm to eat salad, watch TV, answer e mails and organise events for the next few months - Charles Hanson Valuation lunch in the autumn, ladies get together, with wine and nibbles, later this month.
A day in the garden tomorrow so I hope that the weather forecast is as inaccurate as usual.

Pentecost.

An inspiring e mail from Bishop Andrew this morning,  about Pentecost, just before I set off to church, an hour in advance of the Family Service.
I was laden with coloured card, felt and tissue paper in orange (courtesy of Le Crueset) and red to make a scene of the disciples at Pentecost, being licked by tongues of fire - the children to compose.
On to OW for 11.00am morning Prayer - I didn't need my sermon notes by then as I'd been through it so many times.
I came home and had my customary cappuccino followed by an almost customary nap - those services are hard work, then a salad.
By this time it was raining so the plan to mow the lawns was off and I had to settle for watching the first two sets of the French Open Final - brilliant!
I managed a couple of hours weeding and planting the rockery before the rains came again, just in time to watch the final game of the match.
I went to Sh to take Evening Prayer - only three of us so we settled for the Evening collect and a chat.
Home for a cheese omelette and Russian chocolates and an evening watching recorded TV - not very inspiring!
Some fascinating e mails, including a lunch invitation and a trip to Maxstoke castle for next Sunday - perfect, as I have a weekend free of commitments. 

Rhubarb.

At last I've bought the rhubarb plant that I've wanted for a while, thanks to the generosity of Bicester Garden Centre - I looked yesterday but couldn't find any then the \garden \centre sent me a voucher last night for £10, if I spent £25.
I went back again with greater determination, found a plant in a greenhouse - £10 - and bought some perennials to make up the balance.
Back home from a lovely week in Bicester looking after the family whilst e was away with work.
I've just returned, on foot, from supper with friends in the village, a little too much proseco so I'll go through tomorrow's services tomorrow morning, early!
 

Cezanne at the Ashmolean.

That's for tomorrow as I have a day to myself, between school runs.
I intend to complete the day by going to Communion at the Cathedral at 1.00pm
Monday was an inset day; T, KP and I went to Oxford on the top deck of the S5 from Pioneer Square.
We then did the walking tour from the tour guide - estimated to take two hours and take in a dozen or so of he most well known buildings - sounds dull, but was great fun, T and KP taking it in turns to check out the buildings and take a photo - very good photos actually.
Our route started at the Martyrs' Memorial  and proceeded down Cornmarket past St Michael's Tower (1000years old, originally part of the town wall) then past the golden arches to M&S, then back to the golden arches, aka MacDonalds, for lunch.
Suitably re-energised, we continued down to Christchurch, went through the meadow to Merton St, looked at the colleges and wound our way back to the Bodleian and Sheldonian and back to the bus stop by way of an ice cream shop.
T had a dental appointment at 3.30pm and KP swimming lessons at 4.30pm, then home to cook tea.
We all slept well

Weather has been great today - a good drying day, which I've made the most of - ironing still to do.
I multitasked and watched the French Open - the Sharipova match was 4-4 in the final set when I had to leave for school - I still don't know the result!
I hope the sun shines - better for waiting at bus stops!