Today I've been mainly.........Vol. 5

Thanks Jeni - think I shall put it on hold as the torrents have stopped for the time being, although a friend rang to say if it got worse she would have to put a sand bag at her front door - and she lives at the top of the hill!

That's ok. Allways happy to help

harrigran it would be better if they hung on to your window's instead don't you think.?

So hot! Been in the jungle garden hacking away. All done, but knackered! We are not gardeners, so had most of it laid to shrubs and trees - foliage colour. I just do lovely baskets and pots. But my goodness, the shrubs etc have been rioting.

Now having a little rest before a lovely evening with friends at our local Gurkha restaurant. Must Hoover a little - later....

Gardening and making a veg. curry this morning, painting-sitting for a friend's art exhibition at a local Chateau this afternoon. Met an artist from Paris, two lovely chatty ladies who had pottered down from the nearby sheltered housing, and a retired English couple who had come over to help with their offspring's garden and had 'taken the afternoon off'! Don't blame them.

Funny old day; lots to sort out before leaving for Oz in 12 days time - picked up some of J's ashes from the funeral people which had to be sealed in a container like a large smarties tube to take out for DD2 so we can scatter them in Sydney Harbour - very surreal. So poor old J is to be in various parts of the world - he would have loved that!! Watched Wimbledon this evening with a friend who plied me with wine and food - so much so that I am now home and about to collapse in an alcoholic haze; at least the rain has stopped and it is still quite light and as the schools broke up for the hols today, lots of kids about making merry and probably about to let rip on the beach until the wee small hours

Odd weather today. Really warm first thing, then the rain came down in sheets but by the time I escaped from the CAB this afternoon, it was 27 degrees and cloudless. It's still warm now.

I scattered my husbands ashes in our old sailing ground, Torbay. I know the feeling!
By now, my husbands ashes could be mingling with yours!
Love and hugs to you my dear.

Jeni - If they have met up somewhere round the coast of the UK then I hope they're having a good old natter about all things boaty!!

Not quite so hot today, thank goodness. But what about those of you affected by all the rain yesterday? Hope everyone's OK!

I've been thinking of our friends in the North East where it sounds really horrendous. Hoping you are all safe and dry. Our little corner of Cheshire usually manages to escape extremes - touch wood, though it is now raining - again.

Well in my part of Newcastle I was lucky we live at the top of a hill, the front street was a raging torrent as the water made its way downhill. I have not ventured down to the village yet this morning but I would imagine that the houses on the river will again be flooded out.

We had just pulled up at the door back from the school run, the sky had that green hue and as we got out of the car the heavens opened and a spectacular thunder storm followed the DGC swung from being amazed to being terrified, (I am thankful that the storm had not arrived 15 minutes earlier as the whole primary school would have been caught in the school yard).

We lost our electric for a short while. It was so bad I rang my DD to warn her that the roads in surrounding areas were becoming impassible, she packed up and started to make her way home, 4 1/2 hours later, after being stranded on a piece of high ground where all surrounding roads were flooded, the fire brigade attended to pump away some of the water, and she was one of the lucky ones she got home.

Some people have not been as lucky as we have, I have friends who are in the process of the clean up after the ground floor of their property was flooded. Dh spent all last night helping to pump out their house and to clear the sewerage away.

Glad you escaped the worst of it, glass - but so sorry for those who have suffered from the flooding - that's really miserable.

Gally knowing men, I should think that's a cert. tight lines my dear!

Sneezing......
I feel like Captain Ignatious Alluitious Atcherson(A AA AAACHOO)

Who?

Yes,*Annika*, I too seem to have missed that one, who he?

He was a character in the Navy Lark played by Michael Bates . He was a naval captain who could not speak for sneezing. He suffered with hay fever( as I am doing so at the moment) .

Had lunch with GD1. She was very cheerful and pleased with her good results in the foundation course - looking forward to getting a degree next year. I have volunteered myself as a driver to move her from one student house to another on Monday, as long as I don't have to lift anything.

Very bright and very breezy down here in MK. Reminds me of summer in Wellington NZ, famed for its winds.
Today I am mainly..... preparing for my DS1 and DDIL and kids to arrive from OZ !!!! They have been in the air since early this morning our time - arriving dawn tomorrow.
Have just bought far too much food and need to stash it all

Better too much than not enough, jess. Have a great time with them all.

Just about to light the stove. It's none too warm here. Humidity so high I've had to use the tumble dryer a little just to make sure things 'dried' on overhead airers are dry enough to put away. Still, that's standard in summer here. One of the local streams has burst through its culvert again. My 83 year old neighbour says it has been doing that during every heavy rain period since she was a child! Modern engineering defeated, eh? Bet the Romans could have sorted it.

Just going to get ready to celebrate my nephew's First Class Honours - didn't he do well, especially as he was delivered at 28 weeks - his head was the size of a tennis ball , my sister was an ancient Mum! Another victory for the NHS.

The Rotary year ends on July 1st, and very one gets a new job (not the treasures and secretaries though, they are too important!) so, lots of lovely parties this week and next as we all "hand over."

A few more viewings this weekend; off we go again! (Repeats "My glass is half full..") Theseus now convinced we'll be here for Christmas 2013, but he's sort of laughing as he says it. Sort of.

Great news Jess - so pleased for you. How long are they staying?

ww - Indeed he did do well!