Monday 30th June

Earlyish start this morning. A really pleasant morning just watching the birds feeding and various other wildlife. Sadly still no sign of my mouse family. But Mr and Mrs Dove have made a welcome return.

Over the weekend C had her baby and they have called her Sara, so my 8 year old niece T has got a baby step sister. While we were out shopping at the weekend we picked up a wee gift to send up to Sara.

I've also finally got all of my outfit, including shoes, for the reunion on the 18th July.

Had to bury a grown up thrush this morning. Poor thing must have flown into the french doors while I was upstairs. The poor bird wasn't there before I went up, and I was gone a matter of minutes. Still at least she died instantly. Poor wee thing.

Spent the morning mending items of clothing and gernerally pottering around.

Made a couple of crumbles with the rhubarb bought at the weekend. Now just to find room in the freezer for them.

Several small wash loads on the new pink whirly gig line in the garden. Yep it is pink - Argos is doing a new "Pink Lady" range and I just had to buy the washing line. Quite fortunate the old whirly gig broke friday!!

Must sontact the solicitors re Mums' will sometimes this weekend as well as my cousins. Hopefully now the house is sold we can come to a satisfactory closing of Mums' estate.

Monday 23rd June 2008

Didn't get up until quite late this morning, well 9am. It's later than my early starts have been. Had a leisurely breakfast while watching a consumer programme on t.v.

Watched the birds fighting over the water bowl and seeds in the garden. A bit worried as I haven't seem my mouse family for a few days.

Noticed yesterday that the rose I planted in mums memory is breaking out of bud and it also has another 6 buds. This is its first full year and it has done me proud.



I also noticed that the rose bush on mum's grave, at the crematorium is also about to bloom. Must go up there again in a few days, with my camera, and take a photo. It would be lovely if it was still blooming for her birthday in July.

The rose I planted for nan has got one more bud on it left to flower, can't complain though I managed to get 3 rose buds cut and put in vases for a while.




Managed to wash the dog beds today – blimey I didn't realise how bad they were until after they were washed. They came out a lovely white rather than a dull grey they went in.

The vegetables in the garden are growing lovely now. I even have small beans growing on one of the bean plants I rescued from the slugs. I also notice another bean plant is recovering so maybe we will get a reasonable crop later.

The potatoes in the front garden will need digging up in the next week or so.

Tomorrow I have a few chores that must get done – prescription from Dr's, repot the small tomatoe plant, ironing pile to clear, small load of washing to do – making the most of the lovely weather. Clean the chairs outside so that I can sit out and have lunch on the patio.

Today I am thankful for my cats and their unconditional love, especially Amycat.

Tuesday 17th June 2008

Had a leisurely lay in, although when I did wake up I had a horrible sneezing fit. Hayfever season has started for me – ugh!!

Got a lovely surprise late this morning, a courier came with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers from D. 19 years ago today we were married in out local church. Thankfully the weather wasn't has hot today as it was then. We have been through some rough times but we are still together and sort of going strong!!

We had a leisurely day at a shopping centre in Essex and for a change I treated D to some new shirts. I am slowly weedling out his old t.shirts.

I also went a bit mad and had a small spend up on some more Yankee Candles.

Came home and found out we won't be getting the new car after all – oh well D said not to worry, he'll get a new one next year.

This evening D and I tried out our local Indian restaurant in the village. We chose to have the "all-you-can-eat" buffet and I would certainly recommend it to anyone. It was a thoroughly enjoyable meal and a lovely finish to a nice day.

Today I am thankfuly I have a good life, a good husband and good friends.

Sunday 15th June 2008

8.00am – Finally a normal time to get up – although it was helped a bit by two dogs jumping all over me.

Put some new bird feed in the various feeders for the birds in the garden. My gods it was like an invasion – birds from all directions. Mr Dove came, without Mrs Dove, and helped himself. And Baby Thrush appeared and had a nice feast. Then it was the turn of the starlings and sparrows – now they are greedy!!

Glorious summer day so I planted out a couple of rhubarb plants in the front garden, and then potted up the rest of the plants in their new homes. Am thinking about repotting the courgettes into much bigger pots – I'll think that one over.

Saturday 14th June 2008

Had a reasonable leisurely start to the morning – thankfully it wasn't 6.30am.

Sat and had a cuppa while listening to the radio, and D walked the dogs. Hoped it wouldn't rain which thankfully it didn't.

We went to Bexley just before lunch, where D bought his new car. Couldn't believe how long it took though – by the time we came out we had been in there for over 2 hours. But during this time D got himself a new car in silver, and a wee bit bigger than his one at the moment. So at the moment it is somewhere on a boat being shipped over. We pick it up in about 10 days time. Bet I don't get to drive this one either – he's had the one he's got at the moment for 3 years and I haven't driven it once. So the new one won't be any different. Maybe if I hadn't got my own car!!

We then had a pleasant afternoon mooching in Bexleyheath. I picked up some more Yankee Candle wax tarts – Sparkling Lemon, French Vanilla, Good Morning and Home Sweet Home.

I also got "Eating for Victory", a book with repoductions of official second war instruction leaflets. And I think I have found the outfit to wear to my school reunion next month. I'll try it on and if it's ok I'll buy it next time I am near the shop.

Then the evening was spent doing nothing but watching a film together and catching up on a couple of Tivo'd House episodes.

Thursday 12th June 2008

Up early again 6.00am. Not sure I'm that keen on these early starts seeings as I'm not sleeping until midnight each night, and that's by going to bed at 11pm. I normally read until I start to fall asleep. Have tried going earlier but that seems to make it worse. Still I'll hopefully lie in next week as D has a week off so he won't be up and about early. Which also means Jet gets up too early and wakes me up by bouncing around with his favourite toy, a stuffed choggy.

Sat watching the birds feeding this morning in the early morning rain. It doesn't seem to deter them, although mousey hasn't been to feed this morning. Mr and Mrs Dove never came down earlier but I did seem them later during the day.

Hoping to plant the cabbage seedlings out. I have decided to plant them in the front garden – that should confuse the neighbours when they seem them growing.

I might plant a couple of rhubarb plants out the front too as I have a big enough gap between the recently planted Red Robin and the Forsythia. Now that will really worry the neighbours, although if I know them they will probably take it in their stride – know me from old!!

Mousey did come back this afternoon, and he had brought his family, Mrs Mouse and Baby mouse to feed on the bird feeder. It was lovely to watch them feeding. Then they went scuttling off to their home in the compost heap behind the forsythia bush at the back of the garden.

We have gained a new resident in the garden – a Wood Pigeon. I am now wondering if this is who is eating my poor bean seedlings. I am going to get some pea netting I think. Gods I never thought it was so fraught growing vegetables..lol

Absent garden birds..

An early start this morning. It wasn't intended to be early but Jet decided to bounce all over me. It's very difficult to sleep when you have 3 stone of dog bouncing around on the bed with his favourite toy!! Why can't he bounce over D I don't know, nope he would rather do it to me.. So I got up!

Washing will have to wait another day as the weather was forecast for another wettish day. It's now I regret not getting a combined dryer and washing machine. Who would believe it's June though. To tell you the truth it feels like Autumn!

Can't believe it's technically 6 paydays till Christmas as someone pointed out yesterday –where has the year gone?

We had a mini tragedy last weekend – Ollie caught a baby starling. Now I have no idea how he did this as he isn't the brightest of cats – he stares at the poor birds giving them a complex normally!! He came running into the house amid a lot of squawking. We investigated and found him at the top of the stairs with this starling in his mouth. After a bit of coaxing he did give it up to D – I think the lure of his food was too tempting!!! Anyway D took the bird outside and it flew off, but not after pecking D. Now there's gratitude for you!! I think I'm going to have to keep an eye on Ollie, he certainly seems to pack it all in during his hour excursions outside in the garden. So we've had birds, mice I wonder what the next prey will be – the frog!!

Wow all this rain has certainly made everything grow in the garden. I can't believe my veggies are so advanced – I had to transplant my tomatoes during the week. The rest of the veg was all transplanted at the weekend. Although my beans are providing a source of food to something – the leaves had all been eaten, darn slugs and snails!! Fingers crossed they grow as I have cut all offending leaves off.

Haven't seen Mr and Mrs Dove for a couple of days, wonder if she is nesting. Mr and Mrs Starling brought their babies down for a bath. I counted 7 baby starlings lined up on the fence all waiting for the bird bath.

I have seen two new additions in the garden, Mr and Mrs Wren and Mr and Mrs Coaltit. These are unusual to our garden but a welcome addition never the less.

While having my 2^nd cup of tea I pondered what to do today – I need to make some more cake and biscuits for the snacking tin, plus I have a lemon to use up. I also need to go through the downstairs cupboard and clear it out of the junk in there. Do I really want to do this? It really does need doing especially as we are climbing over gods knows what to get to the freezers.

I have spent the best part of the morning ironing, ugh!! I sent D off to do the shopping this morning so I could make a start on it.

Big Brother 9 has sstarted – oh my god I can't believe the contestants this year. They are certainly a motley crew. Still it makes compelling viewing, but I really must curb my viewing of it. The other night I didn't get to bed untill 3am!!