Competitions & Cooking

This morning was rather overcast but we still did a couple of hours gardening. I've put mulch down on one of our larger beds and around the pond. Mulch is amazing, it covers up a multitude of sins, keeps weeds down and because it's a contrast against the plant foliage it makes the plant stand out wonderfully - I love the stuff. However, I got through a huge bag today so might have to go and restock soon.

When we got our greenhouse there was a form in the pack inviting people to enter a photograph competition to win greenhouse accessories. I have sent in some pics of Peter and hope to win. I've emphasised Peter's height on our entry as I figured that as the winner's pics will be used for publicity - having a very tall guy in the image might help them to sell more 'high eave' greenhouses and therefore might give us a better chance of winning. That's my theory anyway!

The rest of the day I will be doing a bit of lawn weed killing - sorry daisies but you have to go!, using up some of our rhubarb in a crumble and chilling with my book - good old fashioned Sunday stuff I think.

Having spoken to my mum this morning she reliably informs me that it's going to be a heat wave next week, especially Tuesday - so get the sunscreen out folks!

Lateness, Lillies and Lounging

Got up about 7 O'clock this morning and mooched about downstairs for a bit - there was so much house work and gardening that needed doing it seemed somewhat daunting this morning. However come 3.30pm in the afternoon, as I am typing this, I have managed to get lots done and am going to treat myself to a couple of hours off lounging with my latest book after I have done a couple more things.

We were due a food shopping delivery between 12.00 and 1.00pm today but the driver was an hour late so we got an apology and a £10 voucher off next month's shop! Result! We don't mind at all if it's late for the very reason that Sainsburys are so generous with giving out their vouchers! I did feel sorry for the delivery guy though as he said he normally worked in Sainsbury's garage and had just been 'put on the vans' at the last minute as some people were off sick.

I have done a bit of thinning out of our pond today as the water lilly pads had taken over. Within minutes of me thinning out the pads, the beautiful lilly flowers started to open up because of the light being able to get to them - see picture above. Gardening is quite rewarding I find - even doing just little things seems to give big results. I also placed my new Gargoyle on his log - I think he looks very at home.

Peter had 'popped out' in the afternoon at 2 O'clock but didn't pop back in until 7.00pm so we had a late tea in front of a film The Manchurian Candidate - it was really quite good. Then there was just a little time to squeeze in a quick read of my latest book 'Nineteen Minutes' by Jodie Picout - I'm finding it quite gripping.

Annoying People, Good Friends & Gargoyles

I had arranged with a colleague to cover my phones so I could leave work a few minutes early but that didn't really happen. I had just shut my computer down, closed my window, locked everything and slung my bag over my shoulder when a guy came in waiving an urgent form in front of me. After I politely explained that there was no-one around to sign it, he kept twittering on about how urgent it was and could I write a note to leave for two different people in case they came back and could sign it. It was really annoying as he could see I was about to go and didn't apologise for holding me up. It was on the tip of my tongue to say “actually I have an urgent appointment to get to which you are delaying and if you had been more organised and got your form in on time we wouldn’t be standing here” but I bit my tongue.

Anyway, I wasn’t going for an urgent appointment – just to see to friends. We had a lovely time round at friend number one’s house – we drank copious amounts of tea, enjoyed a lovely strawberry pastry and recounted stories about what is happening with us - Carol's grandson, aged 4, had managed to fold himself into a garden chair and become trapped, Bridget's son's expedition to Mongolia to work, my lesson learnt about writing to the press and the unexpected consequences............. I always feel totally uplifted when I leave these couple of friends and I’m already looking forward to the next meeting when then they are coming over to mine.

When I got home Peter was busy moving barrow loads of soil from one part of our garden to another which is a job that has needed doing for a while so hooray to that man for tackling it. Before getting anything to eat we jumped into the car to go to B&Q as we needed some compost. I bought a garden ornament which I love but Peter hates. I am going to sit him on top of a log in our garden with lots of trailing greenery around him – oh so gothic.

Books for Cooks

Back to work this morning after a few days off. It was a rush to get out the door this morning: Monday's always seem to be bad as there are extra things to remember like putting the bin out and invariably getting more petrol for the week ahead. This morning it was a diversion to Tesco's recycling machine in which I deposited two huge bags of plastic cartons, milk cartons, tin foil and bottles. This time I earned 28 Tesco Clubcard points - woo hoo! As they say 'every little helps'.

The day pretty much flew at work - once I'd got through the hundred or so emails that had built up the day seemed to have gone.

A book I'd ordered arrived at work today - Sarah Raven's garden cookbook. At first glance it looks really good. It's aimed specifically at providing recipes for fruit and veg grown in the garden. I reminded Peter this evening that it's his side of the bargain to 'grow, grow, grow' and mine to cook up delicious things with the produce. I think the next thing to come into the kitchen will be rhubarb which seems to be growing like mad.

This evening I've done a bit of leaf raking up in the garden (stopping briefly to sit on the step with my rake to ponder the meaning of life, as one does) and now I'm relaxing in front of the Monday soaps as I'm pretty tired. God, if this is what staying up to 11.00pm on a Sunday night to watch a film does to me, there really is no hope!

Weekend Blog

Saturday

Today Peter had volunteered to stay at home whilst I went to the book sale and over to my friends for an early birthday celebration (her Birthday is on Sunday). Happy Birthday to future sister in law Anne for Saturday too. The reason he remained behind is my parents had offered to come over and help him put up a greenhouse. Peter groaned when I said they would be turning up at 8.00am - but fear not they actually arrived even earlier at 7.30am - good job we know them well and were up and ready!

Whilst the greenhouse trio got stuck in I swanned off to my book sale (purchasing lots of good reads) and then over to my friends for a leisurely lunch (picking up another friend on the way), followed by watching a DVD. At about 5.00pm I thought I'd better head on back and admire the handiwork of the day. I got back and work was still in progress - it had been a very tricky thing to erect. I busied myself by making tea and disappearing to Homebase to collect some concrete. The greenhouse was completed at 8.00pm - putting fragile pieces of glass into a flimsy frame is a obviously a nightmare (apparently even my dad swore a few times and I've never heard him swear in my life!)

Peter said the next day that he felt I should have been home sooner - I considered myself told off but did remind him that he did volunteer!

Sunday

Today we went up to the local boot sale and bought more books and plants. Then it was work, work, work in the garden. My contribution today was:-

Cutting up loads of tree branches
Creating tomato plant supports from surplus branches
Concreting in the greenhouse legs
Lugging breeze blocks & washing them off ready for painting for another garden project (Peter helped me with the lugging in the end as I was 'flagging' excuse the pun!

Mid afternoon a guy in an Australian hat came to the gate. Apparently a letter I had sent to the local Echo, re. my opposition to water fluoridation in the area, had been picked up by him (he also opposes it) and he had come round to ask me to leaflet drop the area and get involved with his campaign. I declined but said I would sign his petition to the local MP. I did try to explain to him that my letter was my personal view and not a call to arms for people to come round our house and start 'a group'. I don't know - I do like to voice my opinions but sometimes it does back fire I feel......

This evening there is not much on - just Top Gear, which Peter loves, and I don't mind for the humour - just don't like the serious car bits. Might try and stay awake for the comedy film 'Kinky Boots'.

Deliveries and Dining Out

A day off work today - what bliss, Peter didn't go into work until later this morning either as he is on a course this week.

The delivery guy I was waiting in for today, turned up at the time that I had hoped he would (what a miracle!). That meant I could go to the Post Office, nip to Sainsburys and then meet two friends for lunch at a lovely pub. I had goats cheese and pesto salad and a white wine spritzer - yum.

One of my friends, Sue, had to go back work at 2 O'clock but Carol doesn't work at present so we drove back to hers and talked for England, interspersed with making a fuss of her puppy, Daisy.

Before I knew it, it had gone 5 O'clock and it was time to head home.

This evening we are having a 'wildlife' night on the box and have watched a taped Springwatch special with Bill Oddie from the other night and we are watching another one with Gordon Buchanan tonight.

Tomorrow, as I am still off work, I hope to do a bit of gardening and read - please let it be sunny!

Rain & Coldplay

Pretty tired when I woke up this morning but; hey, at least it wasn't a hair wash day - I do so hate it when I have to wash and dry my hair and straighten it into some sort of style in the mornings - more often than not I end I putting it in a large hair grip and have done with it.

I went in extra early this morning to put in some extra time as I needed to ask the boss a big favour (some time off tomorrow morning). We have a delivery coming at home and like all things deliverable it is the "law of home deliveries" that a time can't be given and things have to be delivered on the most inconvenient day for the customer. Anyway, the boss agreed so that was a relief.

What has happened to the brief glimpse of summer we had? The forecast for the next 4days is rain, rain, rain. I'm seeing some friends over the next few days and I had visions of sitting outside cafe's in the sunshine but no such luck!

This evening the telly is messed up again because of football - BOO, but I have just seen 'Coldplay at the BBC' which was a concert played outside Broadcasting House - it was fab (all the Beeb office workers were hanging outside their office windows watching - wish stuff like that happened at my place of work!).

Anne, if you're reading this, there is a little jiffy bag parcel on it's way to you for Saturday - I only mention it as I know your postman is playing 'hide the post' at the moment - so look out for it!

Father's Day

I got up reasonably early this morning to do some preparation for lunch so when mum and dad came round it would be a case of turning the oven on and letting everything cook itself. Whilst we were waiting for them to come over we did some much needed weeding of the veg patch - if only our vegetables would grow with the same vigour as our weeds do!

Once the folks arrived me had lunch (minted lamb chops with buttered carrots and potatoes and lemon meringue pie with raspberries on the side) - it all worked pretty well I think. After lunch we went to visit two National Garden Scheme (NGS) gardens - one near Alton and one near Aylresford that were open in aid of charity. The first one was amazing - from the front it looked like a small house with probably a small garden at the back but when you went round the back 'wow' - the garden was reasonably large and was absolutely packed with lots of little paths which took you on winding routes to little enclosed areas, intespersed with beaufiful garden ornaments and potting sheds and greenhouses - I'm convinced there were more plants in there than at Kew - it was wonderful. Sadly there didn't seem to be many people looking round and it was obvious they had gone to lots of effort with lots of plant for sale and stacks of cakes and tea prepared. The next garden we went to was in the grounds of a very large 'stately home' style house - it was large and beautiful but obviously had the services of a gardener or two - I much preferred the efforts made by the owners of the first garden. After a cup of tea and a slice of cake we headed back just as it came on to rain, we were so lucky to have got round before it started.

Back at home we had tea and talked 'plants' with mum and dad. It's been a good day and I think mum and dad really enjoyed it which was the main purpose of the day. They left around 7 O'clock and Peter is now pottering around the garden, planting tomato plants I think, and I'm tidying up and catching up on computer stuff.

We shall chill out and watch 'Wild China' on the box this evening I think - a perfect end to a lovely day.

Busy Day

Gosh, what a busy day! First thing we set off for Portswood to 'Farm Foods' to get our fortnightly shop. Upon arrival in the town we were briefly confused by the high street being closed due to 'essential gas main works' - however, we found our way round the back streets and entered the town from the other side. We got everything we needed for fortnight (bar milk, fruit and yoghurt's) for £69.50 less £7.50 in vouchers we had to use - not bad at all!

I was telling Peter in the car about a TV programme I had seen where a guy - belonging to the 'Freegan' group regularly scavenged his local supermarket skip and found no end of perfect condition food in it that the supermarket had thrown out rather than reduce to sell to it's customers - it was scandalous really, the utter wastefulness of it. Peter said "are you honestly expecting us to go raiding bins now?", Well no, BUT if I knew a local supermarket of ours was throwing perfectly good food out I'd certainly have a look!

Anyway, we mooched around the many charity shops in the town and got some book and DVD bargains and then headed home.

After dumping the shopping it was off to Homebase where we bought a new patio set as we had a £25 voucher to use which ran out this weekend. It was a bit of a palaver getting the thing home as we could only get the table in the boot and not the chairs so Peter drove home with the table and dropped that off, whilst I sat on the chairs in the car park waiting for him to come and get me - well I certainly got a bit more of a tan - the car park was baking. Whilst struggling to get the stuff in the boot we encoutered a very annoying woman, who had parked next to us; she had got into the car to leave and loaded her children in the back and she could see we were struggling to get stuff into our car, but instead of moving off so we could get the side doors of our car open fully, she just sat there and lit up a leisurely cigarette and let the smoke waft into the back of the car all over her children who didn't even have their windows open - nice parent!

After a quick lunch we set to with gardening and housework (more frantically than usual as my parents are coming over tomorrow). We did a couple of hours before it started to rain - I don't think either of us were that disappointed as we were both pretty tired by then and welcomed the excuse to sit indoors for a bit.

During the evening we watched a DVD I'd bought of an Australian film called 'The Dish' about a remote satellite dish in Australia which was used by NASSA to pick up the signals of the moon landings. It was a lovely gentle film with lots of Aussie humour, we both really enjoyed it.

Catch Up Blog Again

Blimey 10 days since my last blog, I am slipping. Ok quick update on events over the last 10 days:-

Good Things
Well our garden/driveway works are finished and we are very pleased with how it looks and we are enjoying planting up flower beds to our own design (rather than what was here when we moved in 3 years ago).

I met a couple of ex. work friends last week for a Costa coffee and the weather was so glorious we sat at a table on the street watching the world go by - bliss. I could so get used to the cafe lifestyle.

We have arranged our holiday in Norfolk later in the year. Hooray.

I recently broke both of my pairs of glasses (which had originally cost me £200 each from Boots). Well there's no way I could afford that now so I purchased a pair from 'glassesdirect.co.uk' and they arrived today and they are brilliant - I just fed in my perscription details into their website - chose a design and they are so close to the design of my original pairs its unbelieveable, and the cost? £28 including postage, a glasses case and lenses tint. I shall not be purchasing at the high street rip off prices ever again that's for sure.

Not so good things
Peter had a fall down the stairs the other day and he has been complaining about a pain in his back side ever since (no, not me!). Anyway, I think he may have bruised his coxyx which can take ages to heal apparently - poor thing!

Some upheavels at work 'again' which I can't go into here - oh for some tranquility for a while!

We had our second hand stall up at Popham last Sunday and took a grand total of £6.25- not good.

Petrol prices are becoming a joke - I advise everyone to check out 'petrolprices.com' to find the cheepest prices in their area.

This evening I've been watering the garden and I'm getting settled to watch the finals of The Apprentice. I want Clare to win but reckon Leigh will - we shall see....................

Garden Fayre & Edward

Woke up this morning to rain - considering yesterday was so wonderful it was a surprise and I thought we wouldn't be able to go to the Solent Garden Fayre we had planned to attend. However, the weather cleared (although it was still very humid)so we went along and it was really good. It cost £3.50 to get in but for that you got a programme, a canvas bag and a bar of free trade chocolate :-). We wandered around the numerous plant stalls saying "that's nice, we'll have to come back for that later" but, of course, when later came we had forgotten which stall each of the plants we wanted was on. We found two easily enough but the third, a geranium with lovely patterned leaves, took several joint circuits of the grounds, one solo circuit by Peter and one solo circuit by me - I finally found it by visualising that I had seen the plant on a high shelf and just targeting the stalls with those type of shelves. I also purchased a rather handsome looking wooden duck at a craft stall -the stall owner was a bit of a joker and said "by the way, his name is Edward" -"ok...", I said; then came the punch line "cos his ed's made of wood" - oh dear.........

Once home we chilled out for a bit and I watched a film whilst Peter had a cat nap -after 45 mins he seemed energised and started attacking a flower bed with a pick axe - I'm convinced he's hiding some pep pills in his bedside cabinet you know.

Come 8.00pm I was flaked out and went to bed with a headache but by 9.00pm it had cleared and we both enjoyed watching the fabulous 'Wild China' on BBC 2. We have taped Jonathan Dimbleby's 'Russia' to watch later.