Hi Jules ,all went well at the dermatologist when I went on the Friday  it wasn't as bad it seemed to be disappearing she seems to think it was a burst blood vessel  that had probably  happened during the night its completely gone now.i went the garden centre bought some plants and compost as the soil in my garden isn't very good hopefully the plants will grow as I'm not very good with plants there good for butterflies and bees so I'm hoping they will grow and flower,glad you're getting out a bit more now and going to the gym again.i might go into town next Friday on the bus even though it has forecast rain for Friday will be nice to get on a bus after all this time.think my dementia group starts in may I'm just waiting for bill to txt me with the details for starting up again .not sure about my friendship group yet , one of my friends from the group died last week she had a fall and never recovered so sad I have known her for years we used to clean together as well ,she was one of the ladies who organised all our trips and when we went out she helped with everything,so I'm not sure what will happen now with the group ,were not even sure when the baths will open where we meet up as that is supposed to be having work done I have a feeling it could be the end of the year before it opens again will have to see what happens .on my own at weekend as my son is doing all his back garden up putting a pateo in my daughter and her partner are giving him a hand it's forecast a nice weekend so might potter about in the garden have a nice weekend regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Glad your appointment went okay; definitely better safe than sorry.  I always enjoy a garden centre visit and this week I popped into local Homebase Garden Dept and now have a new container full of daisies which should keep bees/insects happy  as well as adding to the 'container view' outside my patio doors. I have mowed the lawn this week and finally yesterday we had a decent period of rain which saved me the trouble of getting the watering can out again ha ha.  With night frosts still being threatened I still have seedlings indoors but really hope to be able to transfer them into the garden in the next few weeks.

So sorry to read your friend's death from a fall; tragic when these accidents happen and such a shock to relatives and friends.  

Have had a good week so far with several long walks, two with different friends and then a day out at Kew Gardens last Tuesday which was fantastic; so good to be back there after so long.   Being back a the gym three times a week has also been good and am booked in tomorrow and Sunday to round of this week.  On Saturday my daughter and my two grandsons are coming for the day so really looking forward to that.

Hope you have a good week.  Take care.  Jules x

Hi Jules ,glad your still enjoying your garden and buying plants for the bees and butterflies ,I have planted some as well I'm hoping they flower as I'm not much good  in the garden where plants are concerned.i have been into town this morning it was lovely to get on a bus and have a walk round the shops for a change,I even  saw a friend of mine with her husband I haven't seen them for 12 month so it was nice to have a chat with them I went about 9 o clock so there wasn't that many about came home quarter to eleven had a coffee with my neighbor then took George out for his walk.glad your stil enjoying your walks with your friends it's so good to get out especially when the weather is nice must be nice to enjoy Kew gardens I have seen it on the telly looks lovely .my son was supposed to be doing his garden at the weekend he has decided he would like a pateo he ordered a cement mixer and a circular saw but there was mix-up at the depot so not coming till next week he wasn't very pleased.hope you enjoy your day with your daughter and grandsons it's forecast a nice weekend here not sure if I'm doing anything might mow my lawn it has forecast rain for Monday typical while it's a bank holiday lol enjoy your week regards Syl x

Hi Jules,glad you enjoyed your time with your daughter and grandsons and the dog can't leave him out lol must be lovely to have a family of foxes in your garden don't think I  would go to bed as I would be watching them al night  nature is wonderful pity humans destroy it .my son never did anything in his garden as the delivery people got the wrong date so it's this week there bringing the cement mixer and tile cutter, trouble is the weather isn't good and he's supposed to be putting in a new kitchen for his sister ,so I'm not sure what s going to happen.as I'm e mailing you it's throwing it down did take George out  earlier on he has got a new playmate a 8 week old pup called toffee he's a spaniel like George and he's gorgeous George is getting used to him now bit but out at first I'm not sure if I will take him out when he's a bit older I would love to but I'm not sure if I could cope taking them  both out .I'm at my dementia group on the 17 may just to see what's happening when we start up properly on the 26 think we're doing a rota to start with . I went into town again Wednesday only to go spec savers as my hearing aid wasn't working I had put a new battery in  when I got there she put another one in and it worked I said typical she laughed and said it could have bee a faulty battery ,it's ok now have a lovely week hope the weather improves it's forecast rain here all week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Certainly a week of mixed weather and the garden is a bit behind as this time last year all my poppies were out. I only have one open with the rest tight buds still.  Need the sunshine back to warm things up. The foxes have spread their Den to include my neighbours (they are under his decking and he is thrilled as is his young grandson). I now know there are 6 cubs and it is wonderful watching their antics on the night camera.

I managed two walks with different friends last week and then as it was mild and warm on Friday I was in London by 9.30 and did my favourite three park walk (Holland Park, Kensington Palace Gardens and Hyde Park). Spent  nearly five hours there and walked over 10 miles over the whole day.  With more easing of restrictions due next week and hopefully the weather improving (roll on Summer) it feels that there is light at the end of this rather long tunnel.

Hope your weekend went well and that this week lets  you get out with George and or family/friends.  I have two 'meet up walks' planned, one this afternoon and then again on Thursday. Might just grab a coffee along the way too.  Take care.  Jules x

Hi Jules ,I know what you mean about the weather it's been awful here as well took George out one day on the way back it started throwing it down by the time I got back we were both wet threw I had to take him in mine and dry him off.its been a bit better today I managed to scarify my lawn it looks better now as most of my front lawn is moss don't think it will need mowing now for a few weeks,must be lovely to live near London and see all the sights especially the parks I have only been a few times the kids were only young they wouldn't even remember  going ,I am watching the new program on Ch 5 about Kew gardens the first one was Thursday it looks as if it's going to be good ,went into town again Thursday as my hearing aids weren't working properly so had a appointment at spec savers hope there sorted now it does sound better , while I was in town had a walk in the market got my self some sausages ,then went Costa got a cappachino but I had to sit in the mall and drink it it's the first one for 12month it did taste good lol .I'm at my dementia group Monday just to discuss what were doing when we open up properly on the 26 may I'm looking forward to going and seeing everyone again .my son hasn't done much of his garden again because of the weather ,and he hasn't started his sister's kitchen yet hopefully it will get done this weekend (fingers crossed) have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

A busy week in and out of the garden between showers a couple of gym visits/walks and today my son and youngest grandson visited until just after lunch which was the first time since end of March; it felt really good to be able to get together again.

Another week of indifferent weather and not at all Springlike. However the garden has really benefitted and is lush, green and at last my beautiful red poppies are blooming.  I have also had regular visits for the robin parents who are feeding their second brood of the year.  The fox family continues to be entertaining for about an hour before dusk and it is great being able to share the footage on my Facebook page with family and friends.  Tonight my son is returning to try and do his own photo session as a far better camera than I do although I too have captured some lovely pictures which I will take forward as a real positive from these strange times.

My Italian holiday was, as expected, cancelled and I know hope to go in June 2022! I am relieved it is all sorted again and now look forward to better weather allowing me to enjoy the garden.  It will also give me longer to shed the lockdown pounds which, thankfully being back at the gym, have already begun to decrease with the first half stone almost achieved.  Getting weighed weekly has given me my focus back.

This weekend I will spend Sunday at my sons and my daughter and family are coming to join us with an early celebration of my grand-daughter's 5th birthday.  Her birthday is the following weekend and will be spent with her great grandma who shares her birthday and will turn 90.  Good times ahead.

Hope you enjoyed the meet up with the Dementia Club and can look forward to it getting back to regular meetings soon.

I expect your son is disappointed at the delay in the garden work due to the weather and also work on his sister's kitchen. No doubt all will get done in due course.

I did not see the Kew programme but hopefully will watch on catch up at some time.  TV has not been on that much to be honest as have been editing photos on the computer and chatting virtually with friends/family.

Well it is almost 2 p.m. so off to cook my lunch and as the sun is shining hope to spend time in the garden this afternoon.  Take care and have a good weekend.  Jules x

Hi Jules, hope you enjoyed time with your son and grandson I agree with you the weather has been awful at the moment nothing but rain as I'm e mailing you now it's throwing it down. the flowers I got from the garden centre are coming up now look quite nice hope they don't get water locked with all the rain. the meeting with my dementia group was ok but a few didn't turn up I start back on the 2nd of June I'm only doing every other week for now as we can only have so many in the room at once . my son hasn't done anything in his garden because of the weather,he did manage to do some jobs in his sister s kitchen he's there again at the weekend it's progressing bit by bit lol. I might go into town tomorrow Saturday  to get a bit of shopping and may be have a coffee in Costa I'm assuming we can sit in now it has forecast a dry day tomorrow ,I haven't heard anything about my friendship group I've got a feeling that we won't meet up again for a long time as the baths where we used to meet up is still closed its going to cost a lot of money to do the pool up and the council are arguing about the price .I'm out Sunday with the kids for Sunday lunch can't wait  it's a country pub we go there regularly they do a lovely Sunday dinner it will seem strange going out for dinner after all this time.glad your holiday is going ahead next year it's something to look forward to my friend is going away in July on a coach I didn't want to go so she booked to go on her own this was last year so this holiday is from last year.not sure if I will go anywhere might wait now till 2022 will wait and see what happens.not sure if I will take George out later but at least I'm going over to my friends for coffee later have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Well not much of an improvement in the weather so far!  The upside of all this rain is a very green and lush garden and my wildflowers are looking great and providing some perfume as well as the bees enjoying them during those sunny intervals.  Typically I bought myself a solar water feature for the garden.  Looks good but needs more sun to function properly.  In the meantime the birds are bathing in it and the foxes drink from it ha ha.

Not getting the long walks I would like but  three miles to do my essential shop and back today so at least stretched my legs.

Hope you enjoyed your Sunday lunch out.  I still have not eaten outside of family homes yet and not really in a rush to do so until the roadmap eases a bit more. I often used to have lunch out if I went shopping so maybe when I start non-essential shopping (physically in shops rather than online) I will take that next step. 

Had a lovely Sunday spent at my sons and made a change for someone else to cook the roast dinner and to have company too.  We had a mini celebration with cake for tea for my grand-daughters upcoming 5th birthday (next Sunday) and my son ran me home after we enjoyed watching the Formula 1 highlights together.  

Just gym visits planned every other day this week and a walk with a friend if the weather allows on Thursday.  Bank Holiday weekend weather looks a bit better so may be able to get the garden chair out!!  Enjoy your week ahead.  Jules x