Eggtravagant!

I've taken my second day off from the usual round to deliver Easter eggs and have lunch out near Bicester.
I left home later than intended as I painted my toe nails purple - it does my ego good - then you have to wait until they're really dry before putting on shoes.
Clothing was difficult as it seemed that it should be a warm day, but the forecast was for a cool day - it was.
The outward journey was fine but the roads were very busy later so I chickened out and came home at tea time instead of visiting Kenilworth or Warwick, stopping at Meriden en route, for fish and chips for tea.
Pig!
The first time for well over a year and I only ate half of it.

I'm told that the flashing ads are cookies - never had so much trouble getting rid of cookies, ever1

Almost as good as it gets.

Me that is.
I played tennis this morning, then on to Dorridge for a facial, Solihull for coffee at Pret, a potter around the shops for an hour and then back to Coleshill for a trim and blow wave.
I did have to buy a dress and T shirt in East - it's a very old building in the High Street with a  wonderfully cosy, beamed upstairs with big changing rooms, where they put all older stock.
I really wanted a blue T shirt, the East one is lilac, so I had to go back to M&S to find a blue one, making me a little late at the hairdresser's - he forgave me!

I was home by 4.30pm, which gave me a couple of hours to finish preparing the Lent Course that I lead at the Meths this evening.
Severn Trent were installing a water meter at the end of the drive when I got home, a day early, as they were in the area and had time - have to start bathing with a friend!

I've since eaten a salad and am watching "Endeavour", which is my very favourite programme of the moment - the young Inspector Morse - recorded on Sunday.
A day out planned for tomorrow - no point having your hair done and spending the day in the garden.   

Three cheers for the National Trust.

NT membership must be one of the best bargains available for those with enough time to visit some of the wonderful properties available.
Today I took J and Th to meet E with T and KP at Upton House near Banbury.
The weather was glorious, the staff could not have been more helpful, enabling the children to enjoy a conducted tour of the house and then have great fun in the woods and the gardens for several hours.
There are many wonderful paintings and a great deal of fine porcelain which would be well worth a second visit.
We were home by 6.00pm to cook dinner - a homemade version of Mcnuggets and chips with salad - then a drawing session, some TV and bed.
I think that I may have been the first to nod off - all of that fresh air, exercise and driving following a pretty poor night's sleep.
I'm hoping that the glass of Benedictine will have helped tonight.

How can I get rid of the advertisements that are flashing over every page that I open? 

A day at the brewery.

Most enjoyable.
Coffee and brownies on arrival, flower arranging demo, buffet lunch, demo of an Easter table decoration and then the remainder of the afternoon spent making a similar one, with a fat candle and eggs.
I have spent longer arranging flowers today than I have spent in the last thirty years.
The result was really pleasing. It is presently in the centre of the dining table, well sprayed and hopefully will last until next week.
My daffodils in vases in the scullery and on the lounge hearth look equally as good.

How to make a palm cross.

The quandary of the day.
We are going to make them from strips of coloured thick paper during the family service.
I thought, naively, that I could undo an old one and Hey Presto!
Not as easy as that - they break up when unfolded.
T googled the above - some poor demonstrations, but after an hour b and I have it cracked, leaving the coffee table piled with brightly covered crosses of all sizes, made from the remains of failed attempts.
I'll practise tomorrow and hope to remember it on Sunday morning.

The lesser challenges were walking up to church with T and KP to open up for a wedding florist, who eventually arrived T 11.00pm.
I carried the laptop again so that t could sort out the technicalities of connecting it with the amplifier and loud speakers.
He managed well and even the CD player sounded so much better played through the speakers.
KP and I sorted through all of the service sheets and filed them accordingly - KP in her element.
We walked home to make special cup cakes for Mum and Dad - T, malteser, KP, lemon, all delicious.
We lunched on poached eggs then set off for Bicester, via Coleshill.
A glorious day again, a shame to be in the car really, but I think the they may have been pleased for the rest.
I shared their barbeque, in the kitchen, 15 degrees but feeling cool, then came home and to bed.

Muppets Most Wanted

Today we chilled - breakfast, the gym to use the pool and spa bath - T swam about 30 lengths, KP, 10 and I managed a fair few as well as being the support team for KP, as she was just out of her depth throughout.
We were in the water for bout an hour and a half, in total.
When showered and changed we went to Solihull to "The golden Arches" for lunch - sitting in the big armchairs by the window - beat that!
A potter around the shops, a visit to Maplins for a cable for T to connect the laptop to an amplifier in church and Gap for a treat.
We took the shopping back to the car and then went to the pictures to see...............
Not bad - perhaps a bit complex, but brilliant fireworks displays and credits.
Home for tea and a relaxing evening watching "Masterchef" - their favourite!
"Chilled" because no fixed times apart from the pictures - apparently this is a very quaint term.
Who cares!

I have this flashing box/ competition across the page - how do I delete it?

A new mower.

Last night I went to bed immediately after T and KP, exhausted.
Tonight I have managed to stay up for an hour or two after them, having had a surreptitious nap whilst watching "Masterchef", given away by waking up with a snort!

We've had a busy day, walking up to church round the lanes, to meet the managers from the Wedding Barns as they'd not seen it before and send bridal couples to local churches.
They kindly brought six bottles of Proseco for our Open Weekend at Easter, when we're serving wedding cake, bubbly and afternoon teas.
T sorted out the music for the Easter Open Weekend, which he'd downloaded onto my laptop, hence I carried it all the way. KP checked out the loo - the "worst she'd ever been in". She's been very lucky!
We walked home down the main road, the actual road, as it's closed for resurfacing, at some inconvenience as it's a main, busy thoroughfare.
We called in at the shop for sausage rolls, made by the local baker, remembered from a past visit.
After lunch we went in the garden, jeep, bikes and the mower out in the sunshine.
We did mow the lawns, using it as a training exercise for T, who realised that it was not as easy as driving the battery jeep, but got the hang of it eventually, with me "holding the bridle".
Tea - cold chicken, homemade chips and salad - and a relax before bed.
A great day with lots of fresh air and exercise, always a winner!

Big plans made for tomorrow.