Reasons to be cheerful, the more bizarre the better, nothing soppy!!!

My GD2 got 91% in her university exam, even though she has been through a very stressful time. Her sister sold the car she won for NZ$18,000 which means she and her fiancé are well on the way to having the deposit for their first home in New Zealand. And the third sister had a brilliant school report and has chosen all the sciences, like the other two.
I have had loving pms on Facebook from nearly all my gc - I have set up a private group so I can send one message to all of them at the same time.
And, of course, the sun is shining and it is 33C and I am just about to go back in the Red Sea for another snorkel on the reef.
Life can be pretty good when you are retired!

They've all gone home

DGD1 (17) has just cleared the post holiday ironing! I do pay her, but oh, what bliss!

The first day in months that I haven't had to go anywhere or do anything other than cook tonight's meal, so instead of getting on with mending and ironing I have spent all day on the computer catching up with friends, the world in general and Ebay.

Better serve it up I suppose!

Just been for champagne afternoon tea with my daughter - her treat. Now for a little power nap!

The mountains of Saudi Arabia, across the Gulf of Aqaba, have just turned pink in the setting sun. Time for a G & T before dinner. Another lovely day of snorkelling in The Red Sea - there are now soft corals which are colonising part of the reef and move beautifully in the current.

Daughter and granddaughter came and took me and DH out for an impromptu Father's Day lunch !

....it gets better and better. Just read in the Observer that the latest fashion is to wear Nike Air Max trainers. I have boxes and boxes of them as I used to live in them before I switched to Pegasus. To hell with the fact that I switched because they hurt my feet, I've dug them out and, thus far the bunion is ok [although I've only had them on for two minutes].

Ripon Racecourse is lovely with all the flowers. Try to see the cathedral as well [do it for me; when we went there we didn't stop off to see the cathedral; I saw it on the telly and it's beautiful]. I lost track of when the tennis was on or off. Did you see Nanton win? People on the racing forums are still eulogising about him; some of us have been fans of his for years and we all think of each other when he runs. I saw him years ago walking round the beautiful tree lined pre parade ring at York and have loved him ever since; there' something about a grey .

I watched the racing from York today, when the tennis was rained awf! I think we can get to ripon in july...when we r up there.Looking forward to it.

I was in his fan club. If you got a camera out he used to stop and pose. I think that, next to my children, I loved him more than anything else in the world. Can't believe that it was all so long ago. I hurt inside when I think of him .

Tegan I once had the pleasure of meeting Desert Orchid at the Nantwich Show. Boy did that horse know he was a star, he lapped up all the attention to the manor born.

Oh and a guy phoned me today to say a picture of Desert Orchid that I'd taken to him to be framed was ready for collection. After a while I remembered that I had another picture of Dessie and hadn't seen it for ages [probably years]. Phoned him back and asked if he'd found another picture in the original frame behind the one I'd asked him to frame and he said yes there was [hurrah] and also a picture of Chatsworth [???? ???]. No idea what the picture of Chatsworth is so will look forward to seeing it next week.

One of my favourite horses, Nanton won a race at York today at the age of 11. Nanton fans all over the country have been celebrating [and crying and we've all got sore throats from shouting him home]. And none of us had a penny on him either.

Just had a facetime call from ds, with my two gc fighting to grin, shout hello nana, and plant kisses on my face

Hilda, Orlando was one of my greatest favourites as a child which is where I got my liking for marmalade cats. My first one had to be called Orlando; the second one was Sandy because I dreamt I had a ginger cat of that name!

A huge 'Six Dinner Sid fan' too. However, my favourite cats books were from my own childhood. Loved all the 'Orlando' books, everything about them - the wonderful illustrations and the naughty kittens...can even remember some of the names....think the little black male one was called 'Tinkle'.

The older woman who looks great in lycra wasn't at the gym at the same time as me!

When my logs have been delivered and then neatly stacked.

Gutters just been cleared and down pipes hosed clear. It's the little things in life.....

Parcel post has just been. DH emptied my Amazon wish list and I now have a box of books and DVDs

Met someone last night who has been doing family research and thinks we might be distantly related. She is black and we are white but apparently one of our ancestors owned property in Bermuda!

Steroids! Prescribed for asthma attack, now as high as a kite and in a strange euphoric state

Had a wonderful 24 hours with my two youngest gc, and as I was in a coma-like state, after the departure of the little one, the postman came with a lovely childrens book that I've won from Gransnet

Hip is so painful after yesterday's swimming that I can't do any gardening or housework. Slobbing instead.