Hi Jules,glad your daughter is feeling a bit better now the weather has cooled down, it's cooler here as well there on about banning hose pipes now as we could be heading for a drought the world really is in a bad place at the moment I'm not sure if it can be fixed.my decorating is done now  (the kids don't like it ) said it's too orange but it's to late now I'm having my carpet and three piece cleaned this weekend , going to look for some curtains with my daughter on Saturday hopefully I can find some that go with the orange paper lol .glad you enjoyed your time with your son and grandchildren then your daughter it's nice when you find time to visit them , hope you enjoy spending time with your aunt at Newmarket (is that where horse racing takes place )?. have been to my community centre today Thursday for something to eat with my friends only three of us has my other friend is still on holiday,we are changing our day from Thursday to Tuesday has our exercise class has changed days , fortunately the other ladies can come Tuesday so we can still all get together for something to eat .I'm hoping to cut my lawn some time over the weekend was going to do it today but we have had some rain so the grass is a bit wet hoping to go out Sunday for a bite to eat has we didn't make it last Sunday . have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Hope you have had a good week and got out on Sunday for lunch.  Only a few spots of rain seen around here and everything very dried up.  Even out local pond has shrunk to just a puddle in the middle. Pleased you got your decorating done how you like it.  As long as you are happy with the colour then that's all that matters.  Hope you managed to find some curtains to go with the new colour scheme.

Unfortunately we did not make it to see my Aunt (yes it is near where the horse racing takes place but she lives in a tiny village with no local railway station so if I were to go by train on my own would have to get a cab from Ely!).  I travelled up to MK on Friday as there was a rain strike on the Saturday.  My daughter was not at all well and still stuffering with anxiety attacks and could not face the drive.  I stayed the four days as planned and each day she was a little better so on the last morning she drove into the main shopping area and we managed to sort out the new shoes both my grandsons will need when they return to school at the beginning of September along with trainers.  We then popped in for a bit of lunch and she dropped me back to the station mid afternoon. It really is so upsetting for her as she does not, as yet, understand why this has suddenly hit her so hard.  Through our chats we identified a couple of triggers and hopefully she will, in time, once again learn to manage these with the GP's help and perhaps counselling if that becomes necessary. For now it is one day at a time and at least all her blood tests came back as satisfactory.  She has a scan appointment to attend I think in September so hopefully that rules out anything sinister.  A worry but then that's what Mum's do! She can just take one day at a time but the hot weather is not helping either.  She, the boys and dog are due to have their Summer break with me from next Monday for a few days so we will see if she can manage that visit.  We will have to re-arrange the trip to my aunt but she is very understanding and hoping to do this when my son in law is free and do the driving.

My lawn is dry and pretty brown so no mowing here required at the moment as just not growing.  With no rain in the forecast for the coming days it was no mow July and maybe no mow August too!!

Just back from my morning walk and it is now heading towards lunch so will go and get that sorted and then enjoy an afternoon watching the Commonwealth Games.  Take care of yourself and hope the coming week goes well for you.  Best regards  Jules xx

Hi Jules , sorry you didn't catch up with your aunt sometimes things happen that we can't control ,we have had some rain this week not enough really but at least the garden has had a bit of a soaki think we will have a hose pipe ban some time soon I do know some reservoirs round here are quite low . sorry your daughter is still not well with anxiety from what I know it's very hard to get to the bottom of some thing like that ,let's hope the doctor can get to the bottom of it I know antidepressants can help keeping busy can also play a part as well .I managed to get some curtains have taken them to my local market to have them taken up as they are too long , don't pick them up till next week my son will have to put them up for me over the weekend.i haven't done much this week not been to any of my activities as I have had a cough been sneezing but it hasn't come out has a cold feel a bit better today I'm glad as I am going to the community centre tomorrow Saturday there is a fun day on it's usually a good afternoon with music and food,then later on I'm going to my sons to dog sit it's his birthday Wednesday but a few of them are going to Manchester for something to eat don't think he will be to late back will have to see what happens . that's my Saturday taken up not sure what is happening at the weekend it has forecast nice weather don't think I'm doing anything though and sunshine next week as well more droughts lol have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Replying now so I do not forget!!  Daugther, two grandchildren and the dog arriving this morning. Supermarket shop done at 7 am and had already had breakfast in the garden by then!  Just spent an hour outside deadheading the buddleia; the flowers are just not lasting long at all with the prolonged dry spell and at least another 10days with no rain forecast down here. I think we will be spending a lot of time indoors as temperatures on the rise into the low 30s again this week.  Oh well at least no cooking to do as  I am on holiday too lol.  Air con restaurants and cafes will be our haunts for main meals till they go home on Friday.  Gives me a real break too.

My friend who had Covid finally tested negative after 11 days and hopes to be less tired in a week or so which will mean we can catch up on a day out somewhere.  I sent her flowers as she was fed up being cooped up indoors, confined to one room to protect her 96yr old Dad and her immune deficient husband (cancer in remission but not wanting to take any chances).

Hope you have a good week and have caught up with your children at some point.  Take care, best regards.  Jules x

Hi Jules hope you're enjoying time with your daughter and granchildren not forgetting the dog it's hot here as well will be glad when Monday comes it's forecast cooler temperatures and rain fingers crossed it does rain , were not on drought alert yet but I know in different parts of the country  it's really bad I think this is going to be the norm from now on its scary when you think about it .I haven't been to any of my activities again this week my cough a nd cold is a lot better now but I thought I would leave it  a nother week before going back .glad your friend is ok now after having COVID , my daughter didn't go to work last week as she tested positive for COVID she just felt a bit under the weather it's good that she can work from home .she feels ok now so is back in work three days which is normal since the pandemic started.my friend took me into town this morning as I had to pick some curtains up that had been altered I'm hoping my son will put them up for me over the weekend then I might think of having my kitchen painted it's not been done for years ,it's only small so it shouldn't take long .not sure what is happening over the weekend have a lovely week with your family  regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Thank  you I had a wonderful five days with my daughter and family visiting and whilst the weather was indeed hot, we managed well with early morning walks for the dog and playground/park visits for the children but most of al we had quality time in each others company.  Our main meal of the day was eaten out at local restaurants so I felt I was on holiday too.  A different place every day  with us each having a choice.  We even had a treat everyone shopping  morning and a visit to the garden centre (having the car meant I got the biggest treat for myself; a nice new garden chair (it has a little foldaway table attached and is very comfy). They went home Friday after lunch.  Saturday I was back at the gym and about to get back to routine. Then on Sunday my son's daughter took an awkward tumble indoors and my daughter in law fell down the stairs in the rush to reach her!!  Ambulance required and after a 3hr rate and me and her parents rallying to the cause both were taken to hospital.Thankfully my daughter in law whilst battered and bruised (she knocked herself out!!) had not done any other damage but a little concussed!  My grand-daughter's x ray showed a severe break to her elbow and the following morning she underwent keyhole sugery for 'pinning and repair'.  She was finally discharged at 8pm Monday and they are both recuperating back home.  Many plans in place were cancelled and re-arranged and my birthday treat (the last thing on my mind to be honest) will happen when time allows.  Just glad to have them back  home and in recovery.  My rescheduled coffee and cake with Margaret will now go ahead tomorrow morning.  As a family were were planning a Sunday meal last weekend to finalise arrangements for our Easter 2023 holiday.  Instead we had a zoom meeting online on my birthday and then it was all booked by the evening.  

Yesterday evening/night we finally saw a rain shower or two but today it is at the moment again sunny and bright though rain is again forecast.  I am happily sitting in the garden as a much more bearable 21degs.

Hope  you have had a good week and your new curtains are up and you are enjoying the newly decorated area and perhaps have planned the kitchen paint job too.  Take care of yourself.  All the best Jules xx

Hi Syl,

Hope you are having a good week.  I have been enjoying a less hectic week with just my normal gym sessions and daily walks.  Feels calmer being in my normal routine. I have not planned my main solo holiday yest.  The one I mentioned has been arranged for Easter and I will be going away with my son and the family (never turn down an invitation lol).  We will have a week in Fueteventura and will be lovely seeing the youngest two grandchildren enjoy their first holiday overseas. We  were away with Darcey in 2016 but she was only 8 weeks old then!!  I will probably wait until after Christmas until I decide on my main holiday as the one I had hoped to do is not available in the brochure for 2023 and so will look into other options in the coming months.

My daughter and family are in Devon this week and then next week I will be visiting for a few days to keep an eye on the grandchildren as my daughter has to be at work for two full days before the actual start of the school term.   I offered to go up so that my son in law did not have to use up precious annual leave. 

I have seen a couple of friends for coffee mornings in the past week and have begun to get some tidying up done in the back garden. With all this dry weather at least he lawn has not needed mowing for most of the summer ! Today I have to wait in for a delivery so will spend time in the front garden.  Just some deadheading and give the little conifer hedge a tidy .  With mainly ground cover planting it does not need a lot doing and it should be the last effort before autumn other than to prune the rose and cut back the buddleia once the flowers finish.  I think everything will be happening a bit earlier this year.  The foxes are still passing through the garden nightly and I get a lot of pleasure watching them on the night camera.each morning whilst I have breakfast.

Well not much other news so hope all is well with you and take care.  Best regards  Jules x

Hi Jules glad you having a bit of a break after your hectic few weeks with family ,it's nice to calm down and get back to normal lol .I have just had coffee with my neighbour she has a very hectic life always doing things for one of her daughters who has a hair dressers she also has 9 grandchildren who she does a lot of things for has well .I went to the community centre Wednesday night I did enjoy it there was a lovely buffet on every table the man who was singing and playing the guitar had a nice voice he was playing 60is 70 is music we even had a dance,we had a raffle to of the ladies on my table won , there thinking of having another one in October then maybe one round Christmas time .I bet your looking forward to going away with your son it's a place I've never been but it is supposed to be nice my friend is going to Lanzarote with her son that's another nice place I have been but it was a while ago now .clad your keeping a eye on the foxes must be nice keeping your eye on them so you know there ok ,I am hoping to mow my lawns at the weekend it has forecast a nice weekend and Monday which is a bank holiday I'm hoping to go out Sunday for dinner has we haven't been out for a couple of week hope you have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Quick response as off to visit my daughter for a few days.  Hope you got out for a meal on Sunday.  Pretty quiet here apart from doing my usual gym sessions and walks.  Today had a belated birthday lunch with my son and two grandchildren which was a lovely surprise as he phoned a couple of hours beforehand to see if I was free.  We spent a few hours together afterwards catching up too. Hoping to hear all about my daughter's family holiday (they got back from Bideford at the weekend).  Would have been our 45th wedding anniversary this weekend so will be good to  have some company before returning home and going to the crem to lay some flowers.  I am out in London with an old friend who is over from New Zealand at the beginning of next week so hoping the weather will be nice.

Managed to tidy the garden quite a bit over the past few days and today have mowed it (though not much to mow lol) and got rid of the long grass areas.  Was delighted to find some newts hiding under a water dish too.  Amazing what often goes unseen wildlife wise.  Have a good week and take care of yourself/ Best regards  Jules x