Life!

Went to 8 am than skipped all the ringing and went home for some breakfast. Tried to put dad's cd on phone but it needs converting from .cda. Put video on phone and took memorial photo book with me and went off to crem, parked at crem and walked to ASDA.  Got there just before 10.30 and found John in the queue waiting for the doors to open. We had a cup of tea then bought some flowers and walked up to the crem. There was a lady official clearing out old flowers - huge number, probably because of recent Father's Day. Lots of space for our flowers. We watched the video and I put dad's photo on my flowers with the 3 poems on the back. Then we walked to the garden and laid roses on the ashes spot. Then John went off to catch the bus back to the hotel in kensington where he is staying with Gill and I went home. Had wrap with Lorraine's quorn dish for lunch then went to do church sitting. Caught the bus as it was outside when I came out the door. Mike popped in to church afte...

Mike went to Barnes, and Lorraine went to a festival at Clapham.  Lee came round to do garden, and within minutes the warm sunny day turned to torrential rain.  He did a lot of weeding and deadheading in the rain, then decided to give up and come back the next day.  Put rubbish in car and then the rain stopped, so he started again and finished everything except mowing the lawn, including removing the pond and filling the hole with compost.  Mike came in at 1.30 and we had pate and toast, then he went off to rehearsal and I did emails, personal admin, and brought blog up to date including photos - then realised that photos copied from Dropbox only appeared in blog if I was logged in to Dropbox!  So will need to go through and upload photos from computer.  Ho hum - more wasted time!! Took suki for a walk and then uploaded photos to blog. Phew! Went to chiswick choir concert - I am now a concession!. Monica had got seat right at the front which was excellent f...

Sorted out top drawer of chest of drawers and most of second drawer - leaving the main bike bits for Mike to sort.  Filled another black bag. Went ringing with Mike and watched the Andy Murray match on my iPad while they were ringing the QP.  Did quite a bit of ringing and went to the pub - had nachos all to myself!  Had small nightcap in bed.  Woke at 2 am with foxes screaming outside.  Couldn't get back to sleep - resorted to music and slept fitfully.

Had intended going to the summer fair, but ended up just sitting in the garden as the weather was so good.  In the morning did the Toby book walk again but came back across Hisley bridge and along the track to the car park, which avoided the sheep and the road.  Really enjoyable again.

Having stayed in London on Tuesday 10 June so that I could attend the meeting after choir rehearsal (but not the rehearsal!) I travelled down to Devon on Wednesday morning, arriving around lunch time.  There was a lovely cushion from Jayne on Uncle Frank's rocking chair which I loved. I spent an hour or so sorting out the bric a brac for the Summer Fair and then emailed the people that it was ready - they came round for it that evening.  It was good to get so much out of the cupboard. Then went for a walk in the plantation.  Got back just about the same time as Jayne and we had a nice mezze supper and red wine to celebrate the start of my "holiday". There was a tea party at Tracey House on  Thursday afternoon which was very well attended and a ve pleasant affair.  It was very hot but there seemed to be enough shade for everyone who wanted it.  I had a nice cream tea and also took some scones home with me.  There were a couple of stalls selling knick ...

I decided to make it up to Suki for having a fairly miserable afternoon yesterday, and I did this one from the dog walks book in Bovey Valley Woods which was so lovely I did it again the next day.  4 miles - 2 hours - shaded all the way and most of it by the river so plenty of water for Suki.  Great for a hot day such as we have been having! I was a bit disconcerted when half way round I realised the instructions said I had to cross a very very narrow bridge consisting of a tree trunk sawn in half!  Luckily there was a large well constructed new bridge in place when I got there, and the old bridge had been boarded off but was still there.  I wouldn't have fancied crossing it! The original tree trunk bridge! The original tree trunk bridge from the new bridge

We used my little pink barbecue for the first time on Friday evening (ringing at Woolborough was cancelled).  Did everything wrong such as putting the lid on while the coals were heating up (which ensured they didn't) and noticing I should have lined it with foil after I had lit it.  I made veg kebabs and had marinaded turkey steaks in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and garlic.  We ended up eating very late but the food was delicious.  We used it again the next evening with much more success - I had the coals lit at 6 and the food cooking nicely over hot ash by 6.45.  We used up the meat I had in the freezer - minted lamb kebabs and chicken lollipops, and again had veg kebabs. The food finally goes on! After the barbecue - candles and lights After the barbecue - fleece and jumper (and chocolate)