Hi Syl,

Just waved off my daughter and grandsons after being together for nearly a week (split between their home and mine).  It has been great having dry weather to be out and about in the local parks and eating out in various restaurants, Indian, Turkish, Harvester and Beefeater amongst them.  We did a few short dog walks as unfortunately just before we came back to mine their dog strained a leg whilst 'zooming around' and so needed to rest more than is usual.

Now very quiet and have got the washing on and thought I would catch up with e-mails before nipping out to the garden as the buddlieas need some dead heading. Tomorrow it will be back to routine with the gym and need to mow the lawn.

I am at my Son's on Sunday for my early birthday dinner with them and then on Monday out with my friend Margaret for the day at Walthamstow Wetlands.  Thankfully the weather looks promising for a good walk.  Neither of us have visited this area before so really looking forward to catching up along with my birthday celebration over lunch and/or dinner.

What a shame that the curry you had did not come up to expectations but good that you could catch up with friends.  Hope your son had a good birthday and that you also enjoyed the past week especially if the weather had improved and you could get out with George.  Take care . Jules xx

Hi Jules,glad you had a lovely time with your daughter and family especially eating in all those exotic restaurant s hope the dog is ok and his leg is alright now. hope you enjoyed time with your son for your early birthday dinner when is your birthday I have never aske I'm assuming it's in August  like my son's , the weather has been ok this week we have had a mixture of rain and showers I went into town Friday not been for a couple of weeks did some shopping , bought myself a couple of tops and a pair of summer trousers not bought myself anything for ages was nice to treat myself for a change,went in Costa for my usual coffee and teacake very nice.hope you have a nice day on Monday with your friend visiting the wetlands sounds as if you have some lovely places to visit near where you live .I went to a carnival on Saturday with my friends it's in a local park there is alsorts going on a fair stalls music a dog show  a steel band  a Scottish band as well, there's even a beer bus lol  it did rain but it didn't dampen the atmosphere think people were just glad to get out, it was cancelled last year because of the pandemic  I'm at the crem Tuesday as it's my dads annaversary going with my sister who I haven't seen in over 12month Thursday I am having smart meters fitted there coming in the morning will take about 2hours to fit Friday I am going to the community centre with my friends for a barbecue so a busy week which makes a change lol have a lovely week hope you have a nice birthday  regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Hope you have had a good week/weekend.  Weather is still not what you would call summery!!

My daughter, the dog and grandsons returned home last Friday and thankfully the dog appears much better and is now off medication and back to putting weight on his leg.  

I had a lovely roast lunch at my son's on Sunday and then an afternoon in the garden as it stayed dry.

My birthday was on 16th and I went out for the day with a friend and on our return met up with her husband for a pub meal so it was a lovely day.

Nice that you were able to go clothes shopping for yourself and I do feel like the town centres and high streets are beginning to see more footfall now.  I actually picked up some trousers from Sainsbury's whilst doing my weekly shop this morning and it felt good to be able to brouse again.

I am hoping to have a builder round this week to quote me for some work (previous visit was cancelled by him and they are very busy indeed). Fingers crossed the quote will be manageable and I can arrange a start date  though after many years  a few more weeks/months wont really matter!!

Quite warm in the garden this afternoon so have been planting a couple of end of season bargains and dead-heading the buddleia and roses.I try and do a bit every day  to keep on top of it.

No plans for the coming week apart from the gym.  My son and family are off to Minehead for a week on Saturday and if the weather holds I may get out for another decent day of walking.  Take care. Jules x

Hi jule,glad you enjoyed the day with your son and enjoyed your roast dinner it's Saturday morning and throwing it down I've just heard off my daughter on txt she has just landed in Poland for her friends wedding tomorrow Sunday she has gone on her own as her X let her down luckily her friend met her at the airport back in the UK Tuesday,also my son is at Chester races today as one of is friends  was 50 last Tuesday so the are celebrating with a day at the races (hope they have took plenty of money with them)lol I went to my barbecue Friday luckily it was a nice day so a lot of people were outside it was very nice we had a singer on plenty of nice food and a raffle.i won some smellies but put their back to raffle again.. hope you're builder comes ,my house could do with decorating but I just can't get motivated as it means all my furniture needs moving  normally when it needed it me and hubby would go on holiday and it was all done when we got back.im at a local pub Tuesday with my friends they do a lovely breakfast every morning  till 2 0 clock so we thought we would go there for a change instead of the community centre.hope your son enjoys  his week away it does you good to have a break especially if the weather is nice , one of my friends has just come back from Wales she went to visit her siblings and the rest of her family .not sure what I'm doing Sunday nothing planned  I've got a feeling I will be doing my own dinner enjoy your week the weather is supposed to be nice here next week fingers crossed regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Not sure where this week has gone but seem to have managed to fill my time quite nicely. Really not that summery with only occasional glimpses of the sun but at least it is good for walking/photography. The weather doesn't matter for my regular thrice weekly gym visits so exercise doing ok (just need to cut back the food now lol).

Hope your daughter enjoyed her friend's wedding and was lucky to be able to travel with all the covid issues still going on.  Nice that your son could help his friend celebrate a big birthday. Hope the luck was with them at the Chester races.

My roofer/builder did come along and has assessed work I would like to have done. Just need to wait for the quote now.  Fingers crossed it falls within my 'in mind' budget.  He has other contacts who he can get involved regarding clearance and asbestos removal and between us have decided that renovation rather than demolition will be the best way to move forward.  Thankfully the garage is detached at the bottom of the garden and only one skip will be required so not too much disruption for me. If I can go ahead with this I will have a lovely big space to store all my garden essentials and there will be no need to purchase garden storage.  The waiting hopefully soon be over and more plans can be made,

Today I have mowed the lawn, refilled all the bird feeders and started some pre-autumn planning and clearing.  Have some vouchers from the birthday to spend at a garden centre so am thinking of making up winter flowering pots to bring more colour at that time of the  year.

My son's week in Minehead ended up as a wasted journey.  They spent 7hrs on the road going there and back home again last Saturday as when they arrived the aunt told them she had been in direct contact with her son who had tested positive with Covid (apparently she did not think it would matter if they stayed anyway!!).  So a change of plan and they have been having days out close to home.  I was invited over on Tuesday and we went to the local PYO farm so have some lovely raspberries, blackberries and plums to enjoy. My son dropped me home once the grandchildren were in bed and stayed for a couple of hours to have a phototography session with the visiting foxes which was lovely to have shared experience.

I went out all day yesterday to a local nature reserve and as it borders the Grand Union Canal I also did a couple of miles walk along the towpath before catching the tube back home.  Apart from the gym on Saturday no plans for the bank holiday but weather permitting will get a walk in every day.  The sun has just put in an appearance (it's nearly 4 pm) so will take my book up the end of the garden whilst I get the opportunity.

HAve a good week.  Jules x

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Hi jules.i know times flies as you get older sorry your son had a wasted journey I bet he wasn't very pleased going all that way for nothing they did the right thing by not staying as you can't be to careful with this virus as it seems to be going up again now.my daughter enjoyed the wedding she had a lovely time even though she drank to much alcohol on the night time to much vodca and made her self sick ,she recovered in time for the next days celebrating as it carries on into the next day as well .she had all week off so we went marks Thursday got some shopping then we had coffee and a bacon balm in the café which was very nice  ,clad you enjoyed your nature walk as well as the grand Union canal , there is nothing better than having a walk in the country side it really does lift the spirits . it has been nice here all week I have mowed my lawns  and had George out as well, Tuesday I went to our local pub for breakfast it was really a nice change from going the community centre .I have been into town  this morning Friday just bought myself a new cardigan went into Costa I can't believe they didn't have any tea cakes or toast apparently  when there wagons are delivering there not on the  wagons I do know there is a shortage of certain foods in supermarkets .it's quite cloudy here at the moment I have had George out  am going over to my friends at 1for coffee it has forecast a nice weekend I bet there's thousands out Monday as it's the last bank holiday now till Christmas might be better staying put lol nothing planned anyway it's my birthday on the 1st September so might go out for a meal with the kids can't believe it 12 month since I was at the Safari park staying in the lodge with the lions .have a lovely week regards Syl x 

Hi Syl

Sounds like you had some nice social outings last week.  All good here at the moment although the weather is disappointing for the time of year.  Bank Holiday weekend passed in a flash even though I only did a couple of walks.  I also began the post summer clear up in the garden and am concentrating on the area beside the garage in the hope that I can develop this more if and when the garage work happens (quote still awaited as several trades will be involved and my roofer is overseeing it all!).

A new challenge for me begins today.I have signed up for a virtual walk 50 miles (or more) in 50 days. As I already go out most days this will be in the form of an extra walk every day and am tracking myself on my phone and then will submit results at the end of the challenge.  Today I went out before breakfast and did the challenge before coming home, having a cuppa and then walking for the pure pleasure of it.  Hope I can keep it up (big tube of Volterol to help soothe the sore hip lol).

A week of memories as tomorrow would have been my sister in law's birthday (she passed earlier this year) and then on the 3rd would have been my Wedding Anniversary so my challenge will take me via the crem to lay flowers before going to sit by the local lido and enjoy what nature offers (hope it's dry!).

No other plans so hope to get into the garden when I can and concentrate on planting for Autumn/Winter colour.   Take care and have a good week. Jules x

Hi jules.glad you had a nice week I didn't do anything bank holiday weekend even though the weather  was nice I enjoyed my outings  it's nice to get out and do something different for a change , hope you get your quotes and the work can start what are you having done?  I can't believe your walking 50 mile are you doing it for a charity? or because you enjoy walking  I do enjoy walking but I have my limit because of my lungs .it's nice remembering  loved ones time passes so quickly as you get older ,have had George out this morning it's dull here at the moment not had much sun this morning  but at least we haven't  had any rain all week.i am at my friends later for coffee , tonight I am going out with the kids for a Chinese meal for my birthday  thought we would go Friday instead of Wednesday which was my birthday it's a local restaurant  we have been there in the past but not been for a long time hope it's still as nice. tomorrow Saturday I am out with my friends at the community centre we have booked a afternoon tea so we are looking forward to that .not sure what I'm doing Sunday nothing planned at the moment  my son is off next week I am hoping he is going to do some of his garden he seems to have lost interest in it at the moment have a lovely week regards Syl x.

Hi Sylvia I lost my husband 9month ago it’s horrible I think of him all thr time I have 2 wonderful children I’m blessed but miss him so much take care annie x