Hi Jules,so glad you enjoyed your holiday it sounded wonderful and nice weather as well where did you stay ? was it for a week ? we have had some lovely weather for a change mowed my lawn ,had to water my plants for a couple of nights,but it has forecast rain for the weekend will have to see what happens I've nothing planned up to now.i know it's hard to get back into a routine again after a holiday but it does you good to have a change and do different things it's also good to look back at photos of a lovely holiday.im at my friends Thursday Friday I'm going into town  I need a few things haven't been for a few weeks I need a couple of birthday cards from the card factory they usually have a good choice so will go there first as it gets quite full .not sure what is happening at weekend I did go out last Sunday with the kids for Sunday dinner to a local pub so I might be doing my own this week.i had my lovely cat mojo put to sleep on Monday she had a growth on her jaw she has had it for a while but it was getting worse I didn't think it was fare to let her suffer any more,the house seems so empty now I've shed a few tears since .I'm sure there will be a lot more as time goes on ,I'm not getting any more animals it's awful when they leave you.im sure I will dog sit for my son's dog now mojo has gone . have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Already my holiday seems ages ago!  It was an 8day trip and I was staying  Nr Lenno on Lake Como.Just a beautiful area and the Italians are always so welcoming. Now have a few months to think about what I will do next year.

After a nice few days it has become a bit changeable here and today after a beautiful sunrise it turned cloudy and was raining when I went out earlier.  Now seems to be clearing up so will soon settle down to watch the tennis.  Lawn was mowed last week so will  not be doing it again just yet.  The birds and insects are still enjoying the areas I have left long but definitely a shortage of  butterflies  so far this summer.  My buddeias are begging to bloom all round the garden and my new rose had lots of buds on it when I returned from holiday so have been constantly dead heading to keep it going for as long as is possible.

Went into London for the day last week with my friend and we visited SuperBloom at the Tower of London before walking the Thames Path to nr. St Pauls so we could see the temporary sculpture exhibit 'Wild Table of Life' in Paternoster Squre.  We had lunch in Covent Garden and then went to see Life of Pi at the Wyndhams' Theatre. A fantastic production thoroughly enjoyed.and a lovely end to a very nice day out..  Nothing planned for the coming weekend but if the weather is dry will be out with my camera somewhere.  

Sorry you have had to have your beloved pet put to sleep but though hard it is the right thing to do when they are suffering. Once the children left home and my son took his pet reptile with him  we never had another pet as did not want the tie/expense.  The wild visitors to my garden are a lot easier to care for lol.

Hope you have a good weekend however you spend  your time.  Take care. Best regards  Jules x

Hi Jules, have heard lake Como is very nice I know it does seem after a couple of weeks that you never went away I feel the same when I go away sound as if you have had a busy time since you came back off holiday visiting the tower of London never heard of some of the places you went to ,the weather here has been changeable rain sun winds ,at the moment it is quite nice but it has forecast rain for the weekend,my son is away Monday to the lake District he his only going for a couple of nights with his dog lol he his going in a dog friendly hotel I'm sure he will find some nice walks they can do together. don't think I'm going anywhere up to now unless something crops up ,my daughter has a few days lined up next month July but her main holiday is September when they go to nice.i have a buddlia in my garden but it's not doing very well at the moment  I have a lot of flowers in my garden that attract butterfly's and bees but I haven't had many butterfly's up to now which is a shame I think a lot of species' are dying out I think a lot of it is man made  sad when you think about it .I'm at my community centre Monday for our game of bingo and raffle,not having sandwiches were having jacket potatoes with various fillings should be nice for a change .not sure what is happening at the weekend did my own dinner last week so might be going out Sunday (fingers crossed ) I'm still missing my mojo the house seems quite now I know she was only a cat but I miss her meowing every morning when I opened my kitchen blinds she would be sat on the fence waiting to come in I can't help looking at the fence when I open the blinds I've always loved animals some times I think there more of a comfort than humans, Have a lovely week  regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Hope your week has been good.  Weather here has been lovely so been doing a bit of gardening and keeping the few pots I have watered.  The new wild area at the end of the garden has really come to life and the new rose had lots of blooms but all finished now (unless it has a second flowering!).  Bird feeders are busy with fledglings and I had a surprise visitor, a juvenile Great Crested Woodpecker on the nut feeder.  Just about managed a couple of photos before it flew away. Pets are always missed as form a huge part of our lives.  We had a cat for nearly 13 years and though never a lap cat (accept when I was expecting my children) you definitely miss the company.

No definite plans coming up but when  my friend gets back from visiting her Dad for his birthday we will decide on where to go for our next outing.  I do have a coach trip (for the day) booked for middle of the month to Bristol Harbour Festival so looking forward to a day out sightseeing.

It is just coming up to 7.30 am so am now off out for a morning walk.  Take care and hope your son enjoyed his trip to the Lake District; a beautiful walking area which I would love to return to sometime. Best regards Jules x

Hi Jules,glad you have had some nice weather so you could get out in the garden ,the weather here has been mixed we have had a bit of rain  but it's been very dull not much. Sun at all it has forecast a sunny weekend so will see if it happens.my son enjoyed his few days away with is dog had some lovely walks he has took some lovely photos of the scenery and of course Mabel his dog is in all of them lol . he's off work tomorrow Friday he wants to go to a garden centre in Northwich so I'm going as well will pass a few hours away I've never been so it will be nice to go to a different one .it's nice to go out for the day on a coach what is the Bristol harbour festival ? I haven't got anything planned this year I might be going Chester zoo Monday as my daughter and her partner are off now for 2week he has had a bad back for a few days so it depends how he is , while there off they have booked a few days away here and there. went to the community centre Monday for our game of bingo raffle and some thing to eat, unfortunately the lady who does it has found a new job so no one else wants to do it so it was our last one so sad I've lost my friendship group  now my monthly bingo with my friends ,it's staying open till Christmas then it closes for good if they can't get funding for the jobs that need doing including roof repairs Which aren't cheap.im going to a carnival Saturday it's on our local park they have a fair and stalls selling all-sorts a dog show it supports the local community it's the first one since the pandemic so it will be nice to go and and have a wonder around they have floats as well with kids from different schools taking part I'm sure there will be a lot of people there.have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Hope you enjoyed the garden centre visit with your son last Friday. I always enjoy an amble round a different one and somehow always manage to come home with something!!  With the current very warm weather down here time in the garden has been mainly very early morning and evening time as I do  not get much shade until late afternoon.  Last couple of days we have hit 30degs so my walks are taking place between 7-9am and the wildflowers are beautiful in our various parks (Council increasing the areas year on year which is fabulous for the bees though still not seeing as many butterflies this year). I have never been to the Harbour Festival in Bristol but it is a celebration of the area's arts including music/theatre/circus which is mainly set in the harbour area. The website has given me an idea what to expect but, of course, when I booked it I did not know  there would be an extreme weather warning for such high temperatures.  Luckily the coach will have air con and I do not suffer with the heat too badly!!  Coach pick up is only 15mins walk away.  I will hopefully get some nice pictures of a different area for a change. 

Did you get to Chester Zoo?  I loved my visit there a few years ago when we took the eldest two grandchildren (adults were like big kids too!!).  Shame you are losing your social club meetings due to lack of staff and funding.  Hope you can find things to do/meet with friends instead.

I am meeting a friend for a chat/cuppa today. It is her birthday over the weekend and will take her gift with me.  Will catch the tube and then we will walk to the lovely cafe at the Battle of Britain 'Bunker' which is just 10mins walk from her.  We have done the museum a few times but you can go to the cafe anytime without having to visit the exhibition. Apart from my coach trip no other plans for the weekend but looking forward to a haircut on Monday.  Take care of yourself Best regards. Jules x

Hi Jules,hope you enjoyed your trip to the harbour museum in Bristol and your catch up with your friend unfortunately we didn't get to Chester zoo as we thought it might be to hot and there isn't many places to shelter as it's mainly open ,we will get there eventually.went to the community centre Thursday just for a bite to eat we were told some company has bought the car park so in a couple of weeks time we are going to have to pay to park which I don't think is very fair especially when it's a charity centre .it's very hot here at the moment with the hottest days being Monday and Tuesday this country is never prepared for snow or the hot weather don't know what would happen if this was the norm like you I haven't seen many butterfly's this year and most of my flowers are for bees and butterflies,I did here on the news there doing a survey to ask people to count how many butterfly's they see in a certain time , haven't heard anything else so will have to keep my eyes open to see if it comes on again my daughter is away for a few days this week there going Cornwall in a lodge for a nice break before they go back work on Monday,my sister's partner is coming mine Monday to give me a quote to paint my living room and dining room it hasn't been done since hubby died it's desperate for a good painting . don't think I've got any plans for the weekend keep out of the sun  stay safe regards Syl x

Hi Jules ,sorry your daughter isn't well at the moment it's a worry when there not well especially if the heat caused problems ,it's cooled down here now we had to days of really hot weather very humid as well sorry all your activities were cancelled ,it's so typical of the UK were not prepared for anything unusual  .my dementia group was cancelled last week not because of the weather the lady that usually runs it was off and the other lady that takes over couldn't do it either so it was cancelled,went to the community centre as usual with my friends were not sure when it closes we think it will be before Christmas we won't have any where to go then shame as we enjoy the meals and the company of the others that go as well.my daughter and her partner enjoyed there few days away to Cornwall stayed at a lovely lodge but the weather wasn't as good had a few hours of rain and thunder storms as well , there both back in work monday.my sister's partner is coming mine Monday he his going to paint my living and dining room as it's all one hasn't been done since hubby died it's desperate for a new lick of paint my son is coming Sunday to move my furniture and put my TV up stairs ,he his coming with a friend so he said it will only take a couple of days with both of them doing it I haven't picked a colour yet for my main wall as I can't make my mind up will have to tell him Sunday so he can get the paint Monday morning .my friend goes away Sunday the one that I usually go with she is going to bogna Regis it has forecast a nice week I'm glad she didn't ask me as we went there before the pandemic.think I'm out Sunday for my dinner my daughter said seeing how it's her last day off before she goes back work we will go out have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Hope you are doing ok. A reasonably quiet week apart from a few walks with  my camera.  Best friend has Covid and isolating in her bedroom as had just picked up her elderly Dad from Wales to spend a few weeks with them.  Not the best of starts (though he had Covid last year but at 96 she will do all she can to avoid him getting it again!!). 

It will be a shame when your Community Club closes.  Perhaps you can have a few get-togethers at a local cafe/pub for those who would like an informal catch up.  Thereare a couple of dining clubs in my area but I am not in  need of them just yet lol. Have been online and sussed out a few more walking routes both local to me and in London so plans for future days out.

Hope the decorating is going well and will be lovely to have it all fresh looking.  What colour did you choose in the end?  Hope  you had a lovely time with your daughter for Sunday Dinner and found somewhere nice to eat.

I saw my Son and two grandchildren on Tuesday. They are having to split their annual leave during the school holidays and I will probably see a bit more of them than usual when he has them as gives him a break from home.  We all had lunch here and then it was a few hours of play before they went home.  Tomorrow I go to my daughters for a bit (she is doing quite well with the GP keeping an eye on her) and not planning too much at a time.  Now it's cooler it helps.  If everything works out ok then we are going to visit my elderly aunt who lives near Newmarket on Sunday and will probably have a fight over who pays the lunch bill!!  She is very independant and has a local garden centre cafe table booked for us all. Have a good week and take care. Best regards  Jules x