Walking by, up, on and over the Arrow.

Yesterday we planned a day off in Alcester, a very attractive little town with lovely walks down to the river, some interesting shops and a cafe by the church with good food.
K researched a walk by the river but neither of us could persuade the printer to produce a copy.
We went to the library and collected the brochures for walks in the locality before brunch in the cafe, then set off on a 4 mile walk across, along the river Arrow, past Cold Comfort Farm (really) and back into town.
Obviously, Alcester doesn't have a team of footpath volunteers as does Shustoke.
We saw only one sign all day, did a lot of back-tracking and covered well over the predicted mileage.
No problem really, Arrow church was lovely, but locked, with a well-maintained churchyard, and we found a beautiful mill pond, miles off the route.
We shopped at Waitrose and meandered home for plaice, new potatoes and sugar snaps.

I have spent nearly all of today preparing Sunday's sermon on John 6, 24 - 35.
I think it works, I hope so.
J and baby Bethany came round for a cup of tea, sitting in the sunshine in the garden, this afternoon, which may have helped.

I'm ready for bed!

Home Alone.

W, MK, J and DK left on Tuesday afternoon so the house seems very quiet.

DK had two orange legs after his operation on Sat, replacing the red and blue versions the previous week.

He was such a brave, cheerful little soul, racing J around the yard in his wheelchair, J on the bike, always flat out whatever the form of transport.

The whole family are now out of the country.

Today I almost finished the washing then started a blitz on the house, neglected for a couple of weeks.

I did' even finish downstairs as I cleaned the windows, buffed up the silver (having found that it really doesn't need more than a good rub, if not too tarnished) and put the odd thing on e bay, as I went along.

Very little e bay activity this weekend.

Is it just my things or is it that everyone's on holiday.

I've put my lovely oak chest of drawers on, which necessitated moving it to stand by the stable door, for a better backdrop, then washing it down.

Just had a bath and now in bed so I shouldn't be using this at all.

Some photos too post when I can find them.

Work in progress!

The tree house, just needs a floor, walls........

Visitors please come in work clothes!

Views from the Tree House.

And another.

The site manager/builder/designer had an accident yesterday so no progress.

He did not fall from the tree.

He kicked a solid chair leg whilst walking around the house barefoot and has a partially disconnected toe nail, now dressed and much less painful after a night's sleep.

Work will resume later.

The wood shed door, along with it's opening device (12 pulleys and 20m rope) are to be recycled.

A double whammy as anyone who has opened the wood shed will realise!

J and DK have both been up he ladder to check out progress, despite one of the four legs involved being in plaster.

Entertaining!

An answer in yesterday's Times crossword: amusement/hospitality.
Well it was the easy one, just finished.
I've just had to abandon the Code Breaker as I eventually batted a very annoying moth with it.
The problems of bed side lamps!

Anyway, entertaining the family today and for the next two weeks as DK has appointments at hospital.

Yesterday I was in Solihull, shopping and collecting J and Th from school, so the housework had to wait until today, not the best of days as it was very humid and warm with frequent showers.
Unfortunately, I overslept so it was a rush, but enough done, with K's help.
He works at a frantic pace.
All well, all asleep, but me.

Apparently, learning something new has many beneficial effects, one being that it improves memory.
I'll look for an Evening Class for September.
Any ideas?

Ghosts!

Or .......

Trying to protect the red currants until next week so that J and DK can eat them.

Some success.

Two days spent, largely outside, gardening and tidying - how many barrow loads of ivy can you possibly remove from one small piece of wall to prevent total loss of windows and spooky creeping up the roof?

A visit to Jeff at his nursery for the last bedding plants (begonias) and a selection to fill gaps on the rockery and border. Great to have an expert to advise as to what goes where regarding water and sunlight.

Some wonderfully coloured Euph........, look like fantastic lettuces, on the rockery, under the trees.

Rained overnight so all looks good.

Two church services this morning, no organist or warden at Sh so lots of enthusiasm and remember to take the milk and biscuits for coffee.

Just let out the chicks, done the ironing and ready to go back to bed with a cup of tea, yesterday's paper and my sermon to check (death of John the Baptist - you all know that one. Hard work!)

A day to spare.....

Spent, mainly, in the garden.

Chickens do like ice cream on a hot day - sorting out the freezer before MK sees it!

Rockery done, trees pruned, yard swept.

Herbs doing well!

Geraniums from Crofts Garden Centre, Shawbury. Brill.

The hole in my tyre, screw in from the other side???

How the day was spent........away from Wimbledon.

Sake bowls, gilded with images of the lucky gods - should be 7, but lovely.

Me - watching Andy win, even the third set!

A little e baying in the moments between shots.

Royal Doulton Metro wine glass, sadly, last one of a pair. Extortionate, but worth it!

Re-netted the red currants.

Admired the hanging baskets:

all of them!

Admire the greenhouse - floor to be completed, then door, then furnishings, then......winter cabbage?

Yesterday's news.

Guess!

Chicks spent the afternoon sitting on the bench, like two demure ladies.

They flew off when I went out to see them thinking of food.

Come on Andy!

Busy watching Wimbledon.
Does Andy have to have a crisis in every third set?

No blogging as ran out of time - three days in Bicester to pick up T and KP, followed by an open weekend in church, staying open whilst The Griffin (opposite) had its annual Beer Festival.
Lots of baking, two days in church serving teas to very nice, but not too many people.
Up at 4.00am last Monday to drive to Richmond to stay with P and N whilst visiting Wimbledon. AJ and I had seats on Court1 on Monday and saw three very good matches (I did sleep through one set, due to the early morning)
Back to Richmond by 9.00pm for dinner with N (P away)
We pottered around Richmond and Kingston on Tuesday and We'd morning, before I drove home, in time for an Alms Houses Trustee meeting with the residents.
Don't believe that all Alms Houses are occupied by dear old ladies.

Thursday was spent preparing for Friday, The Charles Hanson Valuation
Morning.
Loads of great food, up really early to clean the kitchen in OW Hall and set up, tables scrubbed and floral table cloths all round........
Charles was ill so another director came in his place, about 15 people came, several did not have coffee or refreshments, so no money taken from them.
The takings of £26.70 didn't even cover the cost of the hall, but we did have a good time and I took cake to friends and neighbours in the afternoon.
Today I caught up on housework, mainly cobwebs and flies built up over the last couple of weeks.
K glazed the greenhouse, which looks great.
This afternoon I prepared tomorrow's sermon (Mark 6, 1 - 13) with the TV on mute.
Shame about James Ward and Heather.
Didn't they do well!