Here comes summer

On Monday of this week I pulled out a strip of my thyroxine tablets and realised that there were not as many as I thought. So my walk went via the surgery, then to Dunelm Mill, as I had cards to make, then to Sainsbury's and Homebase. The weather was still cold and very dull. Later I made an appointment to have my hair cut, then went off to a more local garden centre, and bought yet more plants. There seemed to be a dearth of blue, but I managed to find some in the Homebase garden centre. This gardening hobby costs a fortune, but it does make the place look brighter. I continued to redo all my front pots with patriotic colours, scattered some slug pellets around, and they are looking quite good.

I had several plants left over, but not much time to plant them. As I was taking the above pictures, a young woman passed the house, she had Auburn hair, but worn down, and a distinctive tattoo on her left arm. I was tempted to snap her, but at that moment she looked towards me. I would have liked to compare the tattoo to that which we have on the copy of the Birthday present thief. She must live locally. The hair colour was slightly deeper, but it is obviously recently touched up.

As I walked to the hairdresser near to town, I felt chilly, despite my light weight jacket, the cold wind was still around then, but the forecast was for heat. Afterwards I went into town to withdraw some money as I needed a £20 note. Would you believe that every cash machine I tried had only 10s? I drew money from 3 different accounts too! As I wandered through town, the sky cleared, the sun began to beat down, and I removed my jacket. I got the bus home, and went straight upstairs and changed into a skirt and t shirt. I put tights on as I wanted to look decent for my physio visit. 

 The village where the physio is had their bunting out, it all looked bright and festive. It's the sort of place where I often think I might like to live, but finding a property in our price range could be difficult. After my session she decided I didn't need to come any more, but she will leave my file open in case I have a flare up. Apparently this sort of thing lingers a bit in the late stages. I haven't had too many problems, and it will be nice to have Tuesday afternoons completely free. Then I was off to the big garden centre for yet another small water butt, I bought a few plants too, including a Winston Churchill fuchsia, as mine didn't survive winter. I also met a friend from the church we used to go to and had a long chat with her.

When I got home off came the tights, it was far too sticky. I worked a bit more on the pots, and had a look to see how much work there needs to be done on the back garden beds;-lots of weeding. The honeysuckle is doing well, as is the big ceanothus in the front. There were no aphids on the honeysuckle, but yesterday some had appeared on the lower growth. Will have to keep an eye on it as they wreak havoc if not sprayed

it's looking even better now

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I'd had a phone call from Daughter on Tuesday evening, a call to babysit whilst she went to the dentist, so my Wednesday was turned around a bit. At WW I hadn't lost or gained, but I stayed to the meeting where we discussed tracking. My tracking has been a bit haphazard lately. I had lost both bible notes and tracker, but have now located both.

Straight to Daughter's to babysit, then afterwards off home for a quick lunch, I got a bit side tracked trying to get some order in my card making box, had been trying to make cards and watch antiques road trip on Tuesday evening. Then I arrived a bit late at parent and toddler's almost demolishing the gatepost as I reversed into the parking area; there are workmen's vans all around, alterations being done to the old manse. The were not so many children there this week, and afterwards I headed off for Sainsbury's. I did the shopping and realised I had forgotten to collect my prescription. Off home via the surgery, then downstairs to the pharmacy. They didn't have one of my drugs, and I was alarmed when they said they would take some out of  someone else's made up prescription, to give to me. I was bit slow, I should have said I wasn't short of that drug, but I'd had a busy day and wasn't thinking straight. I would still have to return to collect the rest! I did rather veg out that evening.

On Thursday I collected Nathaniel, and he insisted on bringing 'baby'. Baby is a doll dressed in blue to get Nathaniel used to the idea of treating babies gently, because God willing, Nathaniel will have a baby brother or sister at the end of October.  However I'm not sure how much he understands 'gentle', as 'baby'; frequently ends up on the wrong side of  the safety gate in my doorway, and has been thrown a few times. Most of the time though he holds 'baby'; correctly and gives him a 'cuggle'. On our way to Sainsbury's to get some Oatso Simple for husband, which I had forgotten the previous day, I noticed he had his head right down. He was wearing a hat, but the sun was bothering him, so I found a pair of sunglasses which fasten with velcro, and he actually kept them on. We went to the small playground near where his parents used to live, and he spent some time on the swings and slide. 

He didn't protest too much when I put him back in the buggy for home, he ate a very good lunch, apart from the bits of salad, then off for a very long nap, which I appreciated. Whilst out I briefly phoned Mum In Law who was 88 that day. Afterwards he played happily till home time, I forgot the key to Daughter's, and when I arrived back here husband was just parking my car, so he came back up with me.

Baby cool

We enjoyed watching Nat's antics in the garden, whilst we chatted to Daughter, then home for some quiche, salad and jersey potatoes, followed by Strawberries and ice cream. Friday followed a similar pattern, but I remembered that I needed to collect the rest of my prescription, so went out via the pharmacy again. Nathaniel was wearing his new sandals, and there was a nice cool breeze to offset the hot sun.
 Yesterday husband and I walked to town for the first time in weeks. I had a sun hat on, but a sudden gust of wind took it right off my head. We got the bus back up, laden with shopping, then had a bit of a rest. It was getting quite late when I went out into the garden, I weeded a bit, then planted a bit, then had a tea break, eventually I had got a lot of plants in, so gave up for the evening. I rang both sisters, and Mum in law, as Daughter had decided last minute to go down for the day. That has really bucked Mum in Law up, she was thrilled to see Nat, and was taken out to lunch for her birthday.
Today being Whit Sunday, our pastor concentrated on preaching on the Holy Spirit. Our two new young ladies came again, and a few of us chatted to them after the service, they seem to feel at home, their friend who only came once, is quite poorly with a chest infection, so I promised to pray for her. I've had a busy week, but it's been productive, especially the pile of ironing I did when Nat took a nap on Friday. I must go, I need an early night. have a good week all.