Time for bed.

G is asleep, having had an early morning, catching up on the Grand Prix/sleeping on the settee, followed by making good/painting windows inner parts, then off to Warwick to the dentist.
I've had an easy day - bathing, dossing, then going to Warwick with G to potter whilst he suffered.
We had coffee & a sandwich then went to MG to see Gina & the grandchildren - delightful, hectic & noisy.
We went via Bicester Garden Centre, which is marvellous.
We bought a climbing jasmine for G's new shed, a Camelia & a couple of other shrubs.

We got home at 8.00pm, just in time for the Church fundraising meeting.
This went well - we have the weekend of 24/25 Sept all planned out for the Harvest Celebration & a Mid- Advent weekend planned for 10/11 Dec - the church decorated with Christmas trees, serving teas with Christmas cake, ending with Evensong, with carols, Andrew willing.

I think I need to do some housework tomorrow.

Blustery.

Today is warm & very windy.
The decorator is here to paint the outside of the house.
He comes highly recommended & has worked really hard all day, despite the weather.
I played tennis for a couple of hours, which was challenging & great fun.
G has been doing jobs connected with the decorating, outside somewhere - he's just gone to DMP to take a thank- you letter to Colin & Lynne.
 We had a lovely weekend, the hotel looks great, at the top of the drive & was superb.
We drank Veuve Cliquot throughout, a fantastic 7 course taster menu in The Grill on Saturday evening, with matched wines & sommelier to explain them.
We spent Sunday morning in the park then back to lunch in the hotel with the rest of the family & grandchildren.
We got home by tea-time & slept off the excesses.
A taste of the high life!

I have the TV on & have already nodded off once - the effects of fresh air & exercise.
I must rescue the washing, put a second load out & do some housework before G catches me still sitting down - perhaps he'll be detained at DMP.
On TV this nerd is making horseradish vodka by steeping horseradish roots in vodka (surprise) for 3/4 weeks.
I have  horseradish roots in the laundry sink, I dug up in the field on Friday.


All of the grandchildren are now at school, I hope that they are all enjoying themselves & the school run is manageable.

TGIF

Actually, no, as it makes no difference to us retirees.
Everyday is a holiday, unlike the days of my family, who are so busy that they don't have a moment to comment on my blog.

Thomas came this morning, we played, he played football with G; asked if G was any good he replied, rather diplomatically, "he's not as good as me".
Th did some colouring whilst I did the last thank-you letters for Blyth hall & froggy notes inviting folk to come & decorate the church for the harvest on 24 Sept @ 10.00am, promising "refreshments & fun".
Th & I delivered a few of these, on foot before G took him to church where Maurice was working on the bells.
I prepared their lunch then changed to go to a funeral -that of Enid's husband, Peter, a lovely man who had spent the last 9 years in a wheelchair following heart problems.
The crem in Nuneaton has a glass wall & overlooks open fields - very peaceful.
The service was taken by a Reader, which made me think that I should offer my services here, if needed.
I am qualified but have always declined for fear of failure. 
The service lasted an hour, then back to a local sports club, grinding a wheel on the curb en route as the friends I was following executed a turn in the road & I followed.
Bother.
Home by 5.00pm with ideas of vacuuming whilst G was out, but settled for a nice cup of tea & watching the news.
A quiet evening, beef stir fry & poor TV.
Enjoy your weekends - ours is action-packed, starting with a stall at the NW flower Festival tomorrow morning. Bric-a-brac to load & damsons to pick first thing.

plums & damsons.

Chris & Jan joined us for dinner tonight, Jan brought her own as she has started a diet where the food is sent to you monthly.
It looked alright, but not as good as our calamari, prawn & scallop salad starter, followed by M&S sausage, new potatoes, sprouting & cauliflower cheese then poached damsons, plums & Maribelle's(?) with creme fraiche.
The Maribelle's are the little yellow plums that grow on the tree opposite the conservatory.
G has raked up barrow loads; today they were on sale in M&S for a vast amount so we decided to eat some.
They were all very good.
We also picked the best crop of pears from the tree on the West wall - large & luscious.

Before all of this horticultural activity, we had a morning at home, doing things, then went to Solihull for G to go to the bank whilst I bought food. 
I sorted out the wardrobes & took a large bag of clothes to the charity shop.
I should have spared a couple of pairs of jeans to return to M&S as they were giving tokens today only.
Never mind - my needs are small (scope here for sarcasm)
We settled for coffee in M&S & came home .
Time for bed.

Indian summer?

I think that this is an Arctic winter.
Today was cool & windy with the odd shower.
This isn't what early September should be like - back to school, sun comes out, we all know the pattern.
Anyway, I have been in the garden - picking damsons for Sue, who sells jam by her garden gate & gave the chutney for Blyth Hall & enough left for the ploughmans' lunches on 25 Sept.
I've tidied all of the garden around the yard, which I then swept - a barrow load of leaves & acorns.
G went to the hospital then mowed the lawns, painted the overlap bits on the back bedroom window, ate his dinner & took charge of the remote control.

We have taken advantage of our Telegraph subscription for the first time (apart from a free coffee in Debenhams in Oxford) & booked free tickets to see "Tinker, Tailor......."
I've just booked tickets for "Evita" at the Hippodrome, half price through Travelzoo.
Culture Vultures or what?

So much going on over the next couple of weeks, we shall need a holiday.

It's the Lotto rollover.
I'm not overly excited as I think that our ticket has run out - 4, 29 31, 35, 38, 48.
No big winner so I'll have to buy a ticket on Saturday. What would I do if I won?
I'd buy a big house on the coast & furnish it like a proper beach house.

Home, without Robin.

Aj & I have had a long weekend getting a little culture.
We met at Kings Cross on Saturday lunchtime, evaded the EDL protest & found our car to go to the Marriot Hotel on  East or West India Dock, aj & the driver knew which one) in bright sunshine.
After a potter we met the other three couples, none of whom knew what they had done to be a "Nissan winner"
Two had at least bought a Nissan recently.
Who cares.
We were plied with drink then taken to O2 to see "Batman" from a box, with bar & buffet dinner.
Pretty good show, circus & drama & a lot of posing by Batman.
Back to the VIP bar (no VIPs - B & R must have had an early night), then back to the hotel bar (posh) for more drinks.
I only managed two glasses of wine before tonic then coffee.
aj did much better!

Sunday I went to Uxbridge on the train to meet G & cousins for a great lunch at The Compleat Angler.
Highly recommended.
We went to P's at Richmond, to catch up with aj, then G home.

Monday we walked to Ham House, along the river, did the NT bit, then back to Richmond to shop & drink coffee, then back to P's to nap & cook dinner.
We watched the Ham House video before touring the garden as the house didn't open until 12.00.
This enabled us to answer the questions on the tour as the guide obviously hadn't seen the video or read the book. How to win friends........

Today we came /went home.
I'm getting the hang of this travelling on the train - aj gives me an Oyster card & I'm off.

I've just come in from an Alms Houses trustee meeting &  need a glass of wine - G didn't finish the bottle he opened yesterday.
E-mails done, washing & ironing done & bed changed, loads of damsons picked & taken to  an elderly jam maker. A little light housework & that's it for the week.
Really?
Perhaps I'll do a 16 hour fast as recommended by W. Miss breakfast.

Weather should be better tomorrow, gardening to do.

Watching a good programme about twins  bereaved on 9/11.

White Rabbits.

I know that it's the 3 Sept., but the first two days just disappeared.
We had a great time with all of the grandchildren, & spent Wed at the Safari Park with T & KP, before returning to Bicester.
Wed was not one of my better organised days - I forgot to let  the ladies know that I was unavailable for tennis, or B&E know that we were returning T & KP.
Whoop
I've been forgiven; the three ladies at tennis said they enjoyed the chat & the early return home.
That's dedication!

Yesterday I shopped for food in Solihull M&S rubbish anyway sale is over, thank goodness.
We had a fund raising meeting over afternoon tea, then the "old" KS folk came for a meal in the evening.
Most enjoyable - I felt quite athletic in such company.

Just getting organised to go to London to meet aj for her Nissan prize of  a visit to "The Batman Experience" at the O2, then overnight  in London, train tickets provided & cars to meet us at the other end.
Should be fun.
I only have to get from Euston to Kings Cross, which I've done before without alarming anyone.

Have a good weekend.

This computer keeps locking.
Is it my fault or is it trying to tell me that I should have an i pad?