Hi Jules ,getting back to normal now after my holiday, I enjoyed the trip on the barge with my friendship group even the weather was !lovely ,we stopped off at a pub that is along the canal for a pub lunch. you sound very  busy at the moment visiting family and going out and about,I think it does you good to keep busy,how did the charity coffee morning go that your daughter organized hope it raised a lot of money  for charity.I havnt even thought about christmas yet it doesn't mean much to me now might just be me and my daughter for dinner as her partner spends the day with his mum.been my aerobics this morning and have just had George out it's a beautiful sunny day here I have had to take my jumper off and put a tee shirt on as I was sweating hope it stays like this for a few days, not got anything planned for the weekend I am supposed to be going to a 50 wedding anniversary Friday but I'm going on my own and I only know a few people that are going ,so I might chicken out and not go,or I might pluck up the courage and go for a few hours, my neighbour is a taxi driver so he said he will drop me off and pick me up.just going to make my self a cup of coffee have a nice weekend  regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Your barge trip with pub lunch sounded lovely.  I must say we are still enjoying great weather for the time of year and I have managed to get the garden how I want it for the colder months to come.  Mowing is a rarity still as ground so dry and grass slow growing (added bonus).  Over the past couple of weeks I have been digging over a couple of flower beds and getting rid of old/dead shrubs and will be planting bulbs in the newly prepared ground when they arrive.  Very pleased with the new bit of fencing but just wish my neighbours would get theirs back up (four panels taken down a month ago and still nothing replaced......not a pretty view!!

Had a lovely coffee and cake charity morning at my daughters on Friday.  Think over £100 raised but she was taking leftover cakes to the school as they also running an event so nothing went to waste.  My daughter in law drove us up and I went back to them for the afternoon and dinner. Very nice indeed. My weekend was a  busy one with family to me on Saturday and then on Sunday I was back at my sons for a spot of babysitting in the morning and then quality time spent with them again. 

Normal routine now resumed with gym visits and will go and see Mum today too. Back to work tomorrow.

Hope you decided to go to the 50th wedding anniversary event even if only for a short while.   Lovely to be invited to social events.  I have a free weekend coming up and then away to friends for a long weekend in mid month. Plenty to look forward to.

Hope you and the family are keeping okay and you have the opportunity to walk George whilst this good weather lasts.  Take care.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, went on my barge trip the weather was lovely and the pub lunch as well didn't get back home till about 3 30  so it past a nice day away.glad you had a nice charity day with your daughter raised some money  and had  some nice cake and coffee as well .the weather here is quite nice as well have mowed my lawn today and just tieded my borders up went to my friends for coffee  to day  instead of yesterday as she had to  work,took George out for a walk then  in for the day,I did go to my friends 50 wedding anniversary, the ladies  that were going with there husband's had saved me a seat,it was a good night Pauline my friend who's party it was was so shocked when she walked in the room and all her friends and relatives were there,as her husband had planned it all with out her knowing,three of her relatives had come all the way from Devon to surprise her. my neighbor picked me up at 10 0 clock but I'm glad I went,this weekend my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are coming to stop with me for a few days I have booked  a restaurant for Sunday lunch they are going to a funeral Monday they didn't know the person that has died they are just going to support  his younger brother then we are going out for the day Tuesday don't know where yet depends on the weather,before they go back Wednesday morning. have a nice weekend regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Hope you had a pleasant weekend with your in laws and enjoyed your Sunday lunch out. Hope the funeral goes as well as these things can.  Support at such times is invaluable.  It will be nice for them to have a day out tomorrow for you all to look forward to before they return home.

  Saturday was wet and windy here so apart from the gym I pottered doing housework.  Thankfully had seen the forecast and spent some time in the garden on Friday as well as doing all my weekly shop.  Sunday was lovely again so took the underground into London and went to a floral art exhibition in Covent Garden before walking to Holborn to get the next tube to Holland Park where I had a lovely stroll in the grounds and a quick lunch stop too.  When I got home my order of Amsterdam tulip bulbs had arrived so apart from a couple of dozen I will give to the children for their gardens, I have some planting to get on with (one long handled planting tool arrives!!); about 50 in total so will stagger the planting in the hope of a few weeks of Spring colour.

Had no plans for today but a friend has just messaged me with an invitation to coffee/shop outing so will meet her at the station later.  We used to work together but now have different shifts so always nice to catch up and the little town we are going to has a riverside walk which I am sure will be very pleasant as it is warming up again and dry.  Fingers crossed for some sunshine.  Amazing that the fire still not needed.

Right had best get myself sorted.  Wishing you a good week.  Take care. Jules x

Hi Jules,had a lovely few days with my hubbies brother and his wife we had Sunday lunch at a local restaurant which was lovely,Monday they went to the funeral to support his brother then on the Tuesday we went to a national trust place called Dunham Massey ,it has its own grounds full of different types of deer a house and a old mill lovely day we had tea in the restaurant,they left for home on Wednesday morning, I always feel sad when they leave as I'm on  y own again, glad you enjoyed London and Covent garden ,you must have a big garden for all those bulbs they will look good when they all come out.the weather not to good here at the moment we have had a lot of rain it's been quite windy as well have managed to take George out  dodging the showers so we don't get wet.not got anything planned for the weekend,have got my community centre Monday with my friends for lunch and. bingo have a nice weekend regards Syl x

Hi Syl

It is lovely when you enjoy having company and getting out and about with them whether it be family or friends.  Home always seems a bit quiet for a few hours afterwards until you resume routine again. It sounds as though you made some nice memories whilst your inlaws were with  you.

I had an overnight stay Fri/Sat with long term friends of us both and though the weather was a mix of sunshine and showers we did have a lovely catch up and made out plans for our December visit and social night out so something to look forward to.  They are approaching their eighties and not quite so mobile as myself but they drove to the village centre and we had a wander around the shops and stopped for coffee and cake at lunchtime which was lovely.  Caught the train  back home late afternoon and am now debating how to spend today as it is raining heavily here.  A long walk seems to be off the cards so think I will go to the gym and perhaps the Farmers'Market locally before tackling a bit of housework.  Annoying as would love to be in the garden as I now have plenty of  bulbs to plant and the 'bulb planter' tool I ordered has come which should help!!   Still, perhaps the rain will soften up the ground a bit more.

Have a pleasant week and hopefully there will be some time to take George walkies as well as enjoying your Monday meet up with lunch and bingo...hope  you win.  Take care.  Jules xx

Hi Jules ,what a lovely  weekend you had staying with friends of you both, must fetch back memories of days gone by it's a pity the weather wasn't as good, the weather here at the moment is lovely. its just like spring all this week I have taken George out in the sunshine which is quite weird considering it's the middle of October,I have been out in the garden this week cutting things back and tidied the borders up as well.my son has been working from his this week ,as he is very busy at work,and his partners kids can be a  bit of a distraction so he thought he would get more work done at his,I went round yesterday for a quick cup of  coffee before he had to start work again.I'm having my flu jab tomorrow the receptionist rang to remind me about it so thought I had better get it done with. not got anything planned for the weekend up to now might catch the bus to town on Saturday ,not sure what I'm doing Sunday unless I go out with my daughter have a nice weekend  regards Syl x

Hi Jules, glad you enjoyed your trip to crocodiles of the world to be honest I ha e never heard of it ,the weather here has changed now it's gone cold and we have had a bit of rain. Went out with my daughter at the weekend only for Sunday dinner just the too of us has she has fell out with her partner again,to be honest I don't think they should be together as there always falling out.will have to wait and see what happens.I had a sad weekend did nothing but cry over the weekend,don't even know Why,took. my self off to town for a couple of hours,but to didn't make much difference, Monday I did a extra swimming aerobics class just to get out of the house for a hour  came home then took George out felt a bit better after,I have mowed my lawn as well also cut my roses back it looks better now.I'm hopping to go to a artisan market on Sunday with my daughter then maybe a bit of lunch somewhere then it's my community centre on Monday with my friends enjoy your weekend  regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Like you I had not heard of the World of Crocodiles either but as my grandson really loves them (and any stories about them) my daughter and son in law researched and this place came up. Thankfully only an hour away from us all hence the planned birthday visit. There are other reptiles and a few mammals there too,It was pretty busy so the man who founded it and now heads it charity status/conservation programme must be very proud. 

A nice weekend as once the early drizzle cleared on Saturday I went shopping into town and the gym before enjoying a lazy afternoon.  Had a message from my son to say he and the children were walking locally on Sunday morning and would I like to meet up.  So after my morning exercise I walked to their starting point (about 2 miles away) and then we went to off on a two hour stroll before dropping the kiddies back to my daughter in law and their other nanny (they had been running their home made cakes stall at the local athletics club where they run) whilst my son and I shopped for bird food supplies.  He dropped me home and it was a lovely way to spend a sunny but chilly morning. Will see my son again in a couple of weeks as he is taking me to a charity event (an audience with Chris Packham) as he bought tickets as part of my birthday present back in August.  

Its a shame that your daughter is once again having ups and downs in her relationship but at least she can come and share time with you which must lift both your spirits. Also sad to read that it was an emotional weekend for you but sometimes a good cry is what is needed to help us heal again and once you were back socialising with your Monday group and taking George out you felt a little better. Time spent alone and with the festive season approaching can certainly pull at the heartstrings as the memories flow. As my hubby travelled away on business, sometimes for weeks at a time, I am used to my own company but really miss that 'instant conversation' companionship brings.  This is probably why I go out so much!  Hope this week goes well for you and that you made it to the artisan market with your daughter.  I do enjoy strolling around such events.  Take care.  Jules x