Hi Syl

Hope your weekend was a good one. How lovely that you have another holiday to look forward to before the iwinter sets in.  Before children we always used to have our holidays in September as the temperature was more bearable if we were going abroad and usually cheaper too. Once they had grown up and in their late teens began holidaying with their friends we were again able to avoid the school holiday period.  Last couple of  years I have gone in June and will probably do so again next year as no one at work seems to pick then so easier to get leave agreed.

Had a good week off and had a good couple of days out.  Lovely day at Kew and then a rainy day on my birthday when I was in London, firstly visiting a Help for Heroes Creative Force exhibition and then just enjoying the area on foot including a visit to the Supreme Court, St James's and Green  Parks before treating myself to afternoon tea.

Saw my son and family yesterday when they came for lunch and am going out today with a friend who wanted to take me out to lunch for my birthday.  Once again popping into London as she has a restaurant in mind near Tower Bridge and we are going to have a wander around the St Katherine Docks area beforehand.  Just need to let the decorator in and do my gym session before meeting her at the station.

Decorating is going well with all plastering finished and the wall undercoated.so  with a bit of luck about a week left.  Really does not interfere too much as I can come and go and leave him to it and he always clears up at the end of day.  Have ordered the carpet and just need to give them a ring when it can be fitted to arrange a time to suit.

Did a good bit of gardening over the weekend now that the rain has softened the ground.  Mowed the lawn and dug over the borders.   Not too much colour now but at least its tidy.

Enjoy the coming week and take care.  Jules x

Hi Jules,glad you had a few days in London must be nice living that close as there is that much to do there ,and you managed to have lunch with a friend on your birthday,it's my birthday in a few week ,I am going out with my sister for my birthday as my son and daughter are in London that weekend , there is out door food stalls selling alsorts of food and drink they went last year and enjoyed it that much decided  to go again unfortunately  its the weekend of my birthday. I don't mind as I can go out with my sister. I have also been in my garden this week just making it look a  bit better and even managed to mow the lawn as well  . not been up to much this week went to the community centre for a meal and a game of a bingo  I won some shower gel and soap which I don't use so will take them to the charity shop I'm sure someone will  by them. I have had a cry this week sometimes I think I am going back  instead of forward or is it because  all my activities have stopped and I have more time to think about things. hopefully  I am out with my daughter over the weekend not sure where yet don't think the weather is that good though. enjoy the bank holiday  weekend regards syl x

Hi Syl,

I  have always lived in London (as a child) or in Greater London since I married and now that I get free travel iit is lovely being able to explore as and when I choose too either with a friend or very often just my camera for company.  Somewhat of a hobby these days to re-vist favourite places and/or just wandering and seeing what gems I can find. Spending my birthday on my own is not unusual and has the bonus of letting me choose what to do.  I did not want to work on it this year so booked it as leave!

Hope you are feeling a little better now but I think emotions just take us by surprise sometimes and a cry gives some release.  I am not generally a person that cries easily but both happy and sad times can now get me going and welcoming the latest grandchild was another tipping point. Hubby would have been delighted to see our son married and with his little family completed just like he had with our daughter. I often feel that I am 'being there' for both of us now so throw myself into enjoying family times.

A very quiet weekend for the Bank Holiday, just housework and gardening when the rain stops.  The decorator finished here on Friday and new carpet is coming on Thursday, thankfully just in time for my sister in law and daughter and family staying next weekend.  We are going to a joint 60th celebration for my daughter in law's parents on the Saturday and then I am taking all the family out for lunch on the Sunday as my sister in law turns 71 (she just thinks we are having lunch at home!!).Last time we were all together was Christmas 2017 so need to make the most of it.  The Monday would have been our 41st wedding anniversay so will be a time for reflection and good memories after his sister has left for the airport back home.

Today is supposed to be better than our very wet day yesterday so am going walking. Our gym is currently closed for a few days because of a fire in an adjoining property which caused smoke damage though thankfully no one hurt.  Keeping up to date via social media but know it has to be professionally cleaned and inspected before we can go back.

Hope you were able to catch up with your daughter and am sure the charity shop will be pleased to receive your unwanted bingo prize.  Have a peaceful week ahead and take care.  Jules x

Just a quick reply Syl to wish you a very happy birthday this weekend and enjoy that chinese with your sister. 

Will drop a longer line after my weekend (busy couple of weeks ahead as am working longer hours to help cover holiday leave.................been a long time since I worked a four day stretch ha ha).

Enjoy yourselves.  Jules x

Hi Syl

Hope you enjoyed your birthday meal with your sister and were spoilt on your special day.

Pleased to say the carpet is down, another project finished and very pleased with it all.  Now just waiting for the fencing company to come and do the work in the  back garden and that will almost be my lot for this year as far as house/garden maintenance is concerned.  Do have an issue with the guttering to sort out but need to get roofer's number from my builder!!

Had a lovely weekend celebrating with the family (daughter in law's parents 6oth birthdays and my sister in law 71st birthday on Sunday.  The latter flew back home this morning which left me with free time to take some flowers to hubby's resting place on what would have been our 41st wedding anniversary. Afterwards I went walking for three hours so plenty of time to enjoy the memories as well as the nature around me, helped of course with beautiful weather (just like on our wedding day).

Will visit my Mum tomorrow and then out with a friend on Thursday evening for a meal (handy as I am working a full day).  No firm plans for next weekend but there is a canal festival about an hour away that I may go to if the weather is good.

Take care of yourself and hope George has been enjoying some of your walks.  Regards Jules x

Hi Jules, glad all your work is nearly  finished ,bet it looks nice now glad you had a nice weekend catching up with family ,I enjoyed my Chinese with my sister ,received a lovely bunch of flowers delivered to my door off the kids as they were in London for the weekend which they enjoyed , your three hour walk must have fetch some happy memories as well as sad ones it's nice to look back and remember the good times.the weather hasn't been to bad here have managed to take George out most days and even got to mow my lawn the wet weather  has brought it back to life again,my friendship group and my swimming aerobics  start again on Monday I'm swimming at 9 45 then straight to my friendship group at 10 luckily the  my friendship group meets in a room that belongs to the baths so all I have to do is go next door I'm looking forward to going back to both it seems ages since I went to both activities,then on the same day but night time I fly to spain  with my daughter so Monday is quite a busy day lol Hope you managed to get to the boat festival ,have a nice weekend will let you know  how I went on with my holiday when I get back regards syl x

Hi Syl

By the time you read this I hope you have had a lovely time away with your daughter.  A nice late holiday before the autumn/winter arrives.  Still good weather here with just a spot of drizzle on Wednesday but not enough to need a brolly on my way to work.Once again the garden is dry and very hard so not able to do much other than the regular dead heading etc.  Mext door are supposed to be replacing their fence and have taken old one down but so far only two panels put up with no sign of any work done in the last week or so.............getting used to seeing the disarray in their garden ha ha. Will be glad when their work done so the grandchildren can play outside when they visit (next door have a huge deep unprotected pond in their  garden so would need eyes in the  back of my head!!

Not been out much as have had extra hours at work to cover staff holidays but did manage an Indian meal with a friend last night which was nice. No firm plans this weekend other than to get my hair cut and perhaps visit the Artisan Market and History day event locally on Sunday.

Take care and no doubt you will enjoy having the routine of your clubs/activities to return to when you come back.  Jules x

Hi Jules, came back off holiday Tuesday ,had a lovely time the hotel ,food and staff  we're perfect ,even though the weather was not as good as it normally is this time of year we had a couple. of thunderstorms and torrential  rain as well,we did manage a couple of days of sunshine we managed a couple of hours on the beach which was nice and relaxing,also a few hours by the pool on another day,we went out and about on a few trips as well one of the trips was a day out in the Spanish countryside which was absolutely lovely,we were on a little train then a big train passing threw little villages we stopped and had tours and talks it was a lovely day out.on our last day we went into Palma for the day when we got back we couldn't get back into our room unfortunately my daughter had got our time wrong   for flying home she thought they were picking us up at 12 15 pm Tuesday it was 12 15 am we had to pack as soon as we got back and vacant the room they wouldn't even give us our evening meal they were going to charge us 40 pound to eat in the restaurant we declined ,but then we had 12 hours for the coach to pick us up,I had a right go at her for not checking the times proper,then to top it off the flight home was really choppy because of the wind,we were so clad when we landed everyone clapped.but at least we home safe and sound.back to normal now just sorting my washing out and cleaning up I'm out Monday with my friendship group we have got a canal trip on the local waterway then we stop off at a pub for lunch which is always nice.trying to get back to normal now after my holiday I always find it hard after a holiday to get back into a routine again but it's got to be done lol I would love to go back  to the same hotel  next year but I'm not sure my daughter would go again she likes going to different places.have a nice weekend regards syl x

Hi Syl

Sounds as though the holiday went well despite the mixed weather and that you managed to fit quite a lot into your week away.  I was in my teens the last time I visited there with my parents and the resort was in the  north and very peaceful!!  I probably would not recognise it now. You never know you may get to return, either with your daughter, a friend or by yourself now that you know your way around. My holiday next year will be to pastures new as far as the area is concerned though one of the day excursions is to Venice which I saw as a 13 year old.  With the colder weather soon approaching am looking forward to it already ha ha.

It seems strange having completed the projects on the house and finally had the new fencing (just three panels) fitted so I no longer have a view of my neighbours delapidated shed and come next Spring hope to have a splash of new colour once I get all the bulbs planted due to arrive from Amsterdam (ordered during my trip this year). Thankfully the bit of rain we had over the weekend will have softened the ground and later today the plan is to get the fork out and dig several areas over in readiness.

I had my daughter and family for an overnight stay Sat/Sun. Lovely to catch up with their news and I kept an eye on the boys as they were attending a 40th birthday party.  No hard work involved as they were both in bed by 8pm and did not get up until after 7 by which time I was already up and about. They left just before lunch on Sunday to go and visit their other Nanny on their way  back home. I will see my daughter again on Friday as she is holding a charity coffee morning and fingers crossed I will travel up with my daughter in law and my younger two grandchildfren to help out and enjoy 'cake' during the morning. Should it work out that my daughter in law cannot make the trip then I will hop on a train instead.  Am having the family again next  Saturday and then visiting my son and family on Sunday so pkenty of quality time with them all before things quiten down again.  With my work days filled with preparations for the Christmas season it is good to be able to relax and today I shall be going for a walk once my gym review is out of the way.

Hope you enjoyed the canal trip/pub lunch and that the weather was good for you.  I am sure the outing is a relaxing and pleasant one.  It always takes a little while to get back to usual routines when you have been away on holiday and I still miss that 'instant conversation' which is missing once you live alone.  Thank my lucky stars though that I can still enjoy getting out and about. No doubt I will be digging out the winter coat and boots all too soon though as their is a bit of a chilly feel in the air so the t shirts will have to be replaced with warmer wear.

Sorry this turned into a bit of a ramble.  Hope you keep well and that George is enjoying his walks with you now you are back. Take care.  Jules x