March - 3 years is up!

Started the month with the knowledge and relief that it was now 3 years since my speed awareness course, so I would be eligible to take another (and avoid points and a fine) should I be in a similar situation again in the future.

Went over to Carolyn's on 2 March for the day, with Suki. We all had lunch round the newly acquired table (with dodgy legs) in the kitchen and played The Price is Right in the afternoon. Suki and I were whacked when we got home and I curled up front of the TV all evening. Mike was out from 8 am ringing, finishing with a QP in Benenden in the evening, and got in after midnight! He wasn't best pleased when my phone alarm woke him at 6.15 (I was in the shower so couldn't hear it to turn it off!)

Family Lunch

The two teams battle it out in the final of The Price is Right

Took Suki for a walk in Osterley Park for a change - making use of my NT membership which saved me the £7 parking fee! I had intended to do a long walk around the perimeter, but decided to explore the lakeside path first as I saw many people with their dogs off leads. I then ended up walking with a man who seemed keen to chat, and he told me lots of useful information about the place, and confirmed that it was ok to have the dog off the lead when away from the main house area. I ended up doing a shorter walk than intended, but it was very enjoyable and made a nice change from Acton park. Suki certainly seemed to enjoy it too. I checked out the Farm Shop too.

Carolyn, Lorraine and Ollie came over in the afternoon and stayed for a few hours which was fun.

Did all the stuff for the Middx report and sent out 23 new member packs. For some reason volunteered to be the report editor next year!

Linda and Dinos got married.

Framed the Winter Wolf and hung it with some of my others on the back bedroom wall.

Made Svetla a 60th birthday card - using recycled cross stitch

Bought a toaster for London - £8.93! Very pleased as I had been looking for ages for one which was under a tenner.

Had supper with Pru and Caroline - went to Azzurro because Cafe Rouge too full. Lovely meal of cheese garlic bread, penne arrabiatta and tiramasu - bought an extra bottle of wine to bring home with me.

Went to a couple of mindfulness sessions at St Nicks - provided an interesting insight into what mindfulness is, but definitely something to be done on my own not in a group (outside my comfort zone!).

Mike made wonderful pancakes on Shrove Tuesday - I had 5!

Gave up chocolate and alcohol for Lent - but ate far too many cakes!

Handbells: Rang a good handbell peal of 4xspliced called by Steve with Kath and Graham Firman at their house in Maidenhead (which is a well-pealed venue - 417 and counting!). Kath provided a nice light lunch afterwards too. Failed to get a peal of the same with me on 3-4 with Steve, Peter and Hamish, but we got half way and the ringing was good so it was encouraging. In Devon rang a peal of Kent and a peal of Bristol with David Maynard, but failed to get either a peal or quarter peal of Cornwall with the Wednesday night band. James and Ian came to our house for an attempt of Cambridge major - which failed. It was nice not to have to travel.

Devon: drove down early on Saturday 16th and went straight to Stover for a walk - then stayed in for the rest of the day watching the rugby (which was just as well as the weather was appalling by then). No 8 am service at Chudleigh as they were all away at Lee Abbey, and couldn't find another service I wanted to go to, so had a bit of a lie in! Jayne's birthday so had a nice chat with her via WhatsApp after ringing. Met Jackie for a walk round Parke and a coffee at the cafe. Fixed magnetic door catch to wayward kitchen door. Finished the Midsomer Murders project (watched every episode on recorder) and started on the DCI Banks series (26 programmes to watch). Plumber came again as heating still leaking - after fiddling around with the pipes discovered that the water container inside the boiler was loose - it needed securing properly in the jubilee clips! So ruined carpets and another £45 because he hadn't put it back together properly after the service in January! Definitely not using him again.

Washed all the dog bedding from the car - Suki thought I had brought it in for her to use in the utility room. Then the next day when it was all back in the car she found it all too comfortable and didn't want to get out of the car when we got back from our walk on the moor.

I came back to London for a pretty full on week to finish off the month. I had lunch with Jay on the way home at The Smithy - another lovely meal, this time of pesto pasta and we shared a treacle tart for dessert! Suki was incredibly well behaved with the barman and hardly murmured when he came near - most unusual. It was the Chiswick Ringers lunch on the Sunday - I had to leave early to go to Aldgate for a striking competition practice. I had the windows cleaned at last. I met Muffie for coffee at Osterley and we did a guided tour of the servants quarters which was very interesting - didn't leave much time for the coffee or anything else as I had to get back before Svetla left to give her her birthday card and present. I was so excited about giving it to her I forgot to pay her and had to do an online payment the next day! I went to the Middx committee meeting - which began with a half hour lockout! Monica and I went to the Cantanti Concert (a bit grim!). I bought a new microwave when ours suddenly went on the blink - tripping the kitchen ring - and then when I had installed the new one Mike took the back off the old one and found it was just a blown fuse inside which was easily replaced! So now I have two! The clocks went back which obviously didn't register with the Grande Maison cafe as it was in darkness and locked on Sunday morning, so I went for Parish Breakfast at St Mary's and had a croissant! Mike and I went for a walk in Osterley in the afternoon.

Walking: I went walking with Maryanne twice in that final week! The first one was the Pulpit Hill walk (5.69 m), with Mary and Kath, which I had struggled with the first time we did it - particularly with the steep downhills. It turned out to be much better this time because the ground was drier and less slippery and I was much fitter. Nevertheless I took my own diversion (my route is in green below) to avoid the really steep descent where we had clung to a fence all the way down, and this was very pleasant - a wide bridleway nice and flat. It was a beautiful day. We had a nice lunch in The Plough at Cadsden although they were a bit scatty with the food and both Mary and I had to request items that were missing from our meals.

The second one was the Piddington walk (6.87 m), with Kath and Madeleine, which included a couple of long uphill climbs. We were blessed with another beautiful day, if anything a bit too warm! Lunch was a long time coming in the Dashwood Arms afterwards, and I ended up taking my baguette home for supper and just eating the chips I had ordered.