Party, party......

Not as wild as you may think, brother in law Peter's 80th birthday party yesterday, M and M's Diamond Wedding Anniversary party today.
I went down with P, A and family yesterday to Manningtree, which was great as it's a 3 hour journey which I would have found gruelling.
A lovely party with family and old friends, good to catch up and meet new people, some amazing 80 year olds amongst them.

Today was church followed by a rest then on to the next party.
Lots of great people and a good family party in the Tin Taberacle in Whitacre.
We helped clear up, as you do in village halls, then home for a nice cup of tea.
Now ready to watch "The Exotic Hotel Marigold", again - the best film I've seen in the last few years, as far as I remember.

What's happened to all of the e bay buyers this weekend?
Perhaps they're all waiting until tomorrow.
The little cutie was a great hit, soon to be off.

Tomorrow, we rest.

Isn't he a cutie!

Note the bit not yet "magicked"

Watch this space!

Fiat 126 for a wash and brush up!

A new family member, fostered rather than adopted as he will be on his way to the highest bidder after a good scrub behind the ears.
He arrived this morning and is really cute, really needing some TLC.
Hoping he will have a new home in a week or so, via my e bay account.

I'm then moving into bigger things with a vintage threshing machine for sale, to clear a space needed in a friends barn.

I see myself as connecting people with things that they want, but couldn't find.
Tomorrow, I see myself as mainly enjoying the delights of Lichfield - the Cathedral, Erasmus Darwin House and McDonalds lined up so far - with the grandchildren, before coming home to prepare an Italian meal together for the evening,  when B and E are coming to collect them.
Menus done, flags for decoration and the tree house decorated Italian style ready for aperatives - I hope they can manage the ladder before and after!
Lasagne and tiramisu to be constructed and the table laid before we go out.
Taking it in turn to be in charge.
Should be fun.

A Glitzy Birthday, again!

A houseful of grandchildren this week, two days spent mainly in the tree house, which has now been decorated, despite being a little lacking in walls and a section of roof yet to be fitted.

All great fun.

Elevenses and lunches served out there and dirties returned.

The girls have just had a pedicure - a visit from my friend Rosemary, a beautician, so very glitzy.

It's my birthday today, so relaxing in between times and wearing my new fuschia linen trousers, to feel good.

Two laying hide and seek, two writing book reviews, the cup cakes to be iced (two volunteers lined up)then afternoon tea.

K mowing the lawns.

AJ stopped off yesterday on her way back from DK via Luton Airport, so we did celebrate with a birthday breakfast together before she set off to relax before a tennis match this evening.

B joining us for dinner later, having made the cake!

Perhaps I'll make the icing, ready for the decorators, then watch "Flog It"!

St Alkmund's Vestry

Shrewsbury, has been an Italian restaurant for the last twenty years, apparently - La Lanterna.
We went there for lunch yesterday, which was brilliant!
A favourite of K's, tucked away under the church, as you may have guessed and a decorated vestry, so I felt "well at home"
We left here in blazing sunshine to deliver a heavy old haberdashery counter and kitchen figment to E's "soon to be opened" antique/retro shop in Shrewsbury.
There was a hefty friend there to help unload and my only help was in delivering a large chocolate cake to keep them going and to carry a few drawers into the shop.

By the time we had finished it was raining, a heavy shower that lasted all day.
Fortunately we had an umbrella, so pooled around, enjoying the architecture, a little shopping and a walk through the gardens/ where the remains of the Shrewsbury Show were being demolished.
Not home until 7.30, still full from lunch, so relaxed, tried to buy a pair of Ecco Off Road sandals, size 42 online as none in the shops.
Failed.
About to try again via Oxford shop.
Birthday cake to make and deliver to MW, Yesterday's "Royal Worcester Azure China supper service" e bay sale, to post, comestibles to buy, sermon to write and lunch to provide for team coming to build the tree house.
Please let the sun shine, or, at least, let it be a dry day.

Can one have too much of Marks and Spencer's?

I would have thought not, but, having spent yesterday having a fun day in Solihull with Jan and visited Ventura Park today, I may have seen enough of M&S for a while.
Then again.....
Yesterday we talked our way into Dugdale Court for a tour around the show retirement apartments.
Real wow factor and I was wearing the M&S T shirt bought with the £10 voucher they had given me for viewing last week.
I have since received another invitation through the post, but guess that they won't keep rewarding me.
Jan was very impressed and our friend Rosemary does the treatments in the Spa there, all very swish.

We went on to Solihull, coffee in Pret a Manger, then M&S, potter around, back to Pret for a snack, more shopping, M&S then home.
Pretty perfect day, talked all day, multi topics in every sentence and no complaints.
Why do men have to have prior warning of a change of topic?

I did somehow lose my M&S bag of clothes carefully selected and bought, Jan lost her wallpaper sample from Laura Ashley, but on return to M&S, they had been handed in.
Brilliant.
I did buy an amazing Max Mara silk suit, brown with poppies, now on e bay.

Today I eventually went to Dordon to return the wheel bearing to Eurocarparts, bought in Acocks Green last week, wrong ones supplied.
Sat av wouldn't take the postcode or street, so drove to Dordon and asked........ The one man who knew exactly where it is, right down to the third roundabout on Birch Coppice ....
I went on to Ventura Park to check if M&S there may have a Top to match the spicy brown patterned linen trousers I'd bought at M&S.
No luck, or in the other horrible dress shops that abound.
Obvious answer - I bought a pair of fuchsia linen trousers and will return the others.
Home via Jan & Chris'  to see Geoff the plumber and how the makeover's going?
It will be amazing......soon.

Chicken in oven, washing in and out, big mug of tea, what else could you need for complete contentment?

M1 roadworks.......

The journey to York took well over 2.5 hours due to the roadworks/50mph limit for most of the M1 bit that I needed, it usually takes 1.75 hours.
It was a joy to get onto the M18 and get a move on.
Arrived well before lunch, had coffee, lunch then AJ drove us to Acomb for a look around before catching the bus into York.
I spent my "Dugdale Court" M&S voucher +a bit, checked out shops and had tea in M&S to celebrate.
Back on the bus, dinner of steak and "New Tricks".
We guessed the end.
Dennis Waterman to be replaced by Larry Lamb.
Team of sad very old men who wouldn't worry anyone, being retired, one by one, and replaced with younger weirdos.

Today we went to Selby and pottered around the charity shops whilst enjoying the sunshine and listening to the foul language of the locals.
We visited AJ's favourite shops on the way home, having amassed a bag of bargains.
AJ went to play in a tennis match, I've gardened, clearing the side of the drive to make it about a metre wider and attacking the lawn, pulling out foot high plantains before mowing some of it.

Warning re automatic garage doors: AJ clicked the button to open the door before reaching the drive, unaware that I was just walking out of the garage, hence the door tried to close on me.
Shucks!
I did think that I'd cut my knee, having felt damp and seen a red stain on my shorts and leg.
On inspection, in the light, I had squashed a cherry.
Stain tasted OK.

Wether by tomorrow, then home.

Windsor 16.20

I have given up gambling.
Noble Peace came in second, costing me £10.
Otherwise, today has passed much too quickly with not enough done.
I didn't even get as far as putting my gardening clothes on.

Beautiful day, sheets and all towels washed, dried and back in situ, smelling wonderful.
Washing still on line and a swallow in the factory.
They are so good at swooping through doorways yet he ignores the big open door.
A robin managed to negotiate the passageways to get into the scullery for the second time this week, but let me open the window next to her.

Anything on TV worth watching or shall I have an early night and finish the Erica James novel that I'm finding second rate and very predictable?

"Noble Peace"

Whilst looking to see if today was the anniversary of anything noteworthy (I'm sure it is), I found this horse as favourite somewhere and feel that I should place a bid after perhaps consulting my accountant!

I've forgotten where and when it's running, so will need to check it out.

So today's big event will be me placing a bet on a horse.

Yesterday was filled with big events - Mary Sumner celebration, founder of The Mothers' Union.

This was a Godsend as I could preach on this rather than John 6, again and many of the congregations have been/are MU members and enjoyed the reminiscences and update.

It was also much less demanding than preaching on John 6, again.

This was followed by baptising the most delightful twin babies at church no 3.

They behaved pretty well, as did the church full of "those who love them".

A really uplifting occasion.

Home before 2.00pm to relax then prepare dinner, J and C coming, roast pork with stuffing, apple sauce, broad beans, baby carrots, purple sprouting, cauliflower and new potatoes, followed by B&j's cookie dough ice cream with fresh nectarines and wholemeal shortbread.

I'll work it off today, in the garden.

We then watched "Fake or Fortune", to see a wheeler dealer lose his £100,000 punt on a dodgy Chagall.

I was up early to enjoy the morning sitting in the conservatory and sorting out the calendar.

I have been pestered by a small fly, circling just above the floor around my legs, like a rampant shark.

It has bitten me three times and I now have murderous intent.

I know that they are necessary in the cycle of decay but, do they have to bite ?

With all of the world to fly in why do they queue up to fly around the conservatory the moment the door is opened and then head bang on the roof?

My lucky cat!

This is my lapis lazuli cat, a little damaged and short on ears but a beautiful colour - she doesn't photograph well!

I bought her in a charity furniture shop in Wales, on a shelf of tat, 4 items for a pound, and thought she may be old and certainly charming.

I have just sold her on an e bay auction for £12.45 + £3.30 p&p.

Not a great deal, but a very good return and good to know that she will be appreciated.

Since that sale , half an hour ago I have sold my roulette wheel with leather box of chips for more than twice what I paid for it at Hansons, and a Midwinter soup cup and plate, Mexicana pattern, if you are interested, for 4xcost, bought yesterday.

It may not make me a fortune, but is very pleasing.

Charitable recycling by connecting things of beauty with people who love them.

The following picture shows some other bargains from yesterday which I hope may have a similar future.

Can you recognise them?

I did buy six Stuart crystal sundae dishes (£2.99) that are so beautiful that I may have to keep them, at least for a while.

Yesterday was spent partly in Bromsgrove collecting car parts and breakfasting at a "greasy spoon"

Few spoons and little grease, but OK.

Today I visited Margaret in Coventry, we trained as Readers together 27 years ago.

After catching up on two years chatting we lunched at a local pub with her son, an archeologist.

Fascinating.

One chicken has gone awol tonight so have spent a while searching.

I hope she's in a tree.

Back to the grind tomorrow.

Answer to Q - 2 Stuart Woodchester and 2 Stuart Glengarry wine glasses, 80p each.

"Chicken Run"

Having been met by the chickens by the back door, I have to admit that they have made an escape route from the run.

The bricks are beating them at the moment, until the new wire goes in.

They see no barriers to their free ranging so I have to keep an eye on the porch at this time of year.

Yesterday I found them in the conservatory, freshly vacuumed and mopped, when I went in with baby Bethany and her Mum.

Bethany was enthralled, for the ten seconds it took to do the formal eviction!

A breezy Sunday morning.......

About to have breakfast before church, scrubbed up and ready for most eventualities.

My chickens do not realise that they are not elderly ladies in a senior living home.

Strange.