Pottering about...

A clap of thunder woke me this morning and I could hear the steady sound of heavy rainfall. I tried to go back to sleep but I gave up at about 7am and went downstairs. It was still raining but after a while the skies cleared and the sun came out.

We all had a lazyish morning and then went down to Riverside to visit Boots and JD Sports where Keith bought Mike two new pairs of shorts. Sophie tried on some cycling shorts but later found out that they were men's swim shorts! They still looked good on her, though!

We called into Aldi to get some water but they had run out of the big packs of mineral water that we all drink, especially in this hot weather. I know we should really have tap water but I don't like the taste at all. We managed to get some loose bottles out of the chiller so we'll have to make do with them until we go shopping. After the unsettled weather we've had over the last few days it's set to be warm and sunny again, particularly at the weekend.

Our last stop was at Jones's where I bought two garden chairs and a log to burn at the weekend. I feel we haven't really sat out that much this summer, both because it's been very hot, but also because the garden has looked such a mess.

As it was now near the time to collect Mike from work, we decided to call in for a quick drink at The Windhover pub and we sat outside in the garden area, which was very pleasant indeed. Up above we enjoyed a "Florida" sky and when the sun came out it was very warm.

We had to wait a while for Mike to appear as he'd been taking down a marquee and when we arrived home I pottered about in the garden and did some overdue jobs. The Camellia that Mum had bought me needed repotting and I also put our orchid into a larger pot with some special compost I'd bought. Sophie and I also moved the pots on the smaller gravel garden about and tidied up all the shells and pebbles we'd found at the various beaches we've visited over the years. I was very pleased when we'd finished.

In the evening we all went to The Lamplighter for a meal. Keith and Mike enjoyed a beer that smelled very much like cats' pee to me! We chose nachos and garlic bread to start followed by the usual burgers and fish and chips to follow. We certainly didn't have room for dessert! It was then home to relax on the sofa with an old episode of Luther!

A walk in the woods...

I was in at work this morning and we were very busy! It didn't help when the computers and phones went down for half an hour, but the time did go quickly!

I went to get Mike from work and then it was home to get changed as Sophie, Keith and I went for a walk in Harlestone Firs. It wasn't quite the relaxing walk I had in mind, though, as Sophie is really worried about getting a job and we did our best to reassure her that it will all work out in the end! She still hasn't heard about the interview in London last week but she's in two minds about whether to take it if it's offered to her.

It's been dry today but not as hot, and being in the silent woods was lovely, despite the little bickerings going on between the three of us! We walked for about an hour and I loved the smell of the pine trees and the damp foliage. I dread to think what could have happened here when it was so dry if someone had dropped a cigarette! Luckily, the rain seemed to have dampened everything down a bit.

Before heading home we called into the garden centre and Keith treated us to an ice-cream. When we arrived home we found Mike's mates at the house so the three of us went into the conservatory to play a few games of cards. Tonight's dinner was supposed to have been cold meats and salad but Keith decided to cook a beef casserole with dumplings instead. I don't think it's turned that cold!

A foodie day!

The weather has well and truly broken as today has been grey, overcast, rainy and cool with barely any sunshine at all. The cooler temperatures are a relief, though, but it is forecast to be hotter again by next weekend.

Keith and I went to get the Sunday newspapers and called in to see Mum and Dad for a coffee. My Dad said his car has been playing up so we decided to drive it home and see for ourselves. My parents seemed a lot better this morning so that was a relief. I'm hoping that my Mum's medication has now been sorted out and that it's agreeing with her.

I suspected that the battery in my Dad's key fob needed replacing as it was difficult to open and close the car and it kept saying it didn't recognise the key. My Dad's Nissan has a stop/start button so you don't need to insert the key into anything so we replaced the battery (after seeing how to do it on YouTube!) and it worked a lot better. My Dad said the car kept stopping, but I have a feeling that's down to the driver as I suspect he thinks he's in an automatic, having driven those cars for the last thirty years, and perhaps has it in the wrong gear!

We took the car back and when we returned Sophie and I had a discussion about what to do today. The weather was certainly disappointing with a steady rainfall so going for a walk was not a good idea. In the end we settled for researching restaurants in San Francisco, Napa and Monterey which was very pleasant. To our delight we learned there's a Bubba Gump in Monterey! Some of the restaurants were very expensive and eating out in California doesn't look like it comes cheaply, so that's something to be aware of! However, a lot of the eateries had Happy Hour and Sophie and I talked about eating at lunchtime rather than at night, which suits me down to the ground. I don't like having a big meal late in the evening!

We also talked about recipes to cook over the coming Sundays and together we made a rice pudding for tonight's dessert. Neither of us were really keen about tonight's meal - Honeycomb Lasagne from a Co-op recipe. We sat and watched another episode of A Place in the Sun before making a start on the meal, but our hearts weren't really in it!

We had to lightly cook some lasagne sheets before rolling them up into little circles. Unfortunately, I bunged them all in the pan in a bundle so they all stuck together... we had great difficulty separating them so we could stand them up in an ovenproof dish! I'd been cooking the meat in a pasta sauce (we didn't make one from scratch, which was a bit disappointing) and we had to stand them all up before pouring the sauce over the top.

Not our effort, I hasten to add! How it should have looked!

I don't really know why we chose this recipe as I never eat lasagne and it was very simple to make (if you manage to separate the pasta!). If we ever do it again (which I doubt) I would just put the sheets of pasta into a shallow dish with hot water to soften them up.

However, the dish was edible but we used mild cheddar which was a mistake - a strong cheese would have been better! At least the rice pudding was good, though!

A bit of a tidy up!

I was at work again this Saturday but only until 2pm, so a shorter day. Sophie dropped me off and I worked with Sadie, which was great as we get on well and she even treated me to a coffee!

The morning and early afternoon passed very pleasantly and we had some nicely spaced calls. Keith came to pick me up at 2pm and as soon as we got home I decided to tidy up the back garden a little bit, as it was looking so dishevelled, dusty and dry.

We'd had a little bit of rain last night but certainly not enough to bring it all back to life! It's been a windy day today and as usual when this happens, we had a mound of leaves all around the back door so I swept them up, only to see another load take their place!

I "mowed" the lawn but the grass hadn't really grown, we just had long stalks that had been annoying me! I think I really just picked up a load of dead leaves from the lawn from the surrounding trees! However, it started to look a lot better and I cut back some dead and dying plants, watched closely by the robin who sat up on the branches of a tree. Just as I finished mowing, the heavens opened so I dashed inside and waited until it had stopped, before going back out again.

I was pleased with my efforts and at least it all looked a bit tidier than when I started. We just need several days of good rainfall now to bring it all back to life! I hoovered inside as the wind had blown in loads of little tiny brown leaves through the open windows and they covered the carpet in our bedroom and the en-suite floor. What a nuisance! I have a feeling they come from the ivy in our garden, but we get this every year and it's such a pain!

We continued to have showers all afternoon and into the evening and when Sophie arrived home we had a drink and watched A Place in the Sun, from Florida...where else! Although we're looking forward enormously to going to California next year, we still love the Sunshine State!

Tedious car journeys...

It's been another very warm and sultry day with thunderstorms forecast for tonight and into tomorrow. Work was OK and again, it was pleasantly busy with lots of bookings and people asking what time the swimming pools were open!

I left at 2pm, filled ET up with some petrol and headed home, only to find roadworks on the A43 and bin men driving slowly, which made for a tedious journey home! We sat and watched the Tour de France in the afternoon, which was very enjoyable as they were climbing in the Pyrenees and then had a stupendous descent at the end of the race! I was amazed at the speeds they were going down the mountain!

Mike wanted a lift to Moulton so we had another tedious journey, coming across tractors and horseboxes crawling along at a snail's pace. In Moulton, the main road through the village was closed because of roadworks so we dropped Mike off and headed home. By now we were seeing some lightning and hearing a distant boom of thunder so Keith asked for a lift to the pub. It was lovely to finally get home and relax!

Knock, knock!

Keith dropped me at work this morning because the car park was full on Monday and I was worried I wouldn't be able to get a parking space. However, things were back to normal so tomorrow I'll revert back to driving myself!

It was pleasantly busy today but very hot in the office. Temperatures today have been hovering around the 30c mark again and it's supposed to get hotter tomorrow!

Keith and Sophie came to collect me at 2pm and we drove to get Mike from work. He sped past us in a little golf buggy and looked like he was really enjoying his work. We waited for him and he emerged from a field covered in dust and looking very sweaty.

My car has been making a funny knocking noise so we dropped Mike off at home and went to see Rob the mechanic in Broughton. He wasn't there but his two men were and they put my car up onto the ramp so they could have a good look underneath. It was quite scary seeing my car from a totally different angle and I noticed some new scratches on the alloy wheels and on the back bumper...

One of the mechanics took my car for a quick test drive and then he put it up on the ramp again. They thought it might be one of the shock absorbers but said they looked fine. My car is due for its MOT at the end of August so they asked us to keep an eye on things and if it got worse to bring it back.

We drove back home and prayed for a good thunderstorm as the weather was so sultry and hot. It really did feel like we were in the Mediterranean! Mike went off to see his friends and I went and had a tepid bath as I really wanted to cool down a little bit. The sky cleared and we didn't get any rain so that was a disappointment. It would have been great to have had a shower!

There were only three of us for dinner of beef burgers with wedges. Unfortunately, the oven stopped working just as we were going to start everything so we had to cook the wedges in a frying pan after microwaving them for a little while. Luckily, we were going to grill the burgers anyway, but now Keith has to sort out the oven tomorrow!

Three give blood.

It was great to have a lazy start to the day and I sorted out a load of washing and did a few other chores. Mike wanted to go to Tesco this morning to get a new phone as his two year contract is up and his mobile is useless!

We all drove over and while Keith did a bit of shopping we sorted Mike out with a new iPhone 7 with lots of data. Hopefully, we'll now be able to get hold of him a lot more easily! It's now in his name and the monthly payments are down to him!

Back home we had some lunch and Sophie and I popped over to the post office in Brixworth to take some unwanted orders back. We indulged in an ice-cream and then it was home to do some ironing and clean downstairs. As we've had all the windows open, we've had lots of tiny little brown leaves come in and the conservatory needed a good hoover!

Once finished, I sat on the sofa with Keith and watched the Tour de France which was taking place in the Pyrenees. It was cloudy and misty there, but it's been another warm and sunny day here. The newspapers are now full of heatwave stories and the terrible wildfires in Greece that have killed about 80 people.

At 6pm Sophie, Mike and I trooped off to give blood. It was a busy session but by 7.30pm we were all done and driving home. Dinner tonight was soup and crusty bread - a bit too hot to eat, in my opinion, but after the expenses of the last few days we're trying to cut down a bit!

Graduation Day!

I received an email this morning saying the dress that I'd ordered had arrived so Keith and I hotfooted it over to the library in Brixworth to pick it up. I also bought some pastries in the Co-op and a load of batteries for my camera in the small hardware shop there.

It was then back home for breakfast and a morning of getting ready. It was very hot in the house so we had all the fans going to try and keep us cool. I have to say we all scrubbed up very well!

Luckily, Mike's new trousers had arrived yesterday but he hadn't tried them on until this morning! My dress was lovely and I felt very floaty in it! As usual, Sophie looked stunning in her new dress and shoes and I was enormously proud as they stood on the steps!

We made the short journey to the uni and found a car parking space near the entrance which was a real bonus as I'd been having nightmares about not being able to park and having to walk miles! We were directed to the library where Sophie collected her gown and I had high hopes as a covered walkway had been set up with beautiful flowers in planters.

Sophie collected her cap and gown and met some of her friends so there was much kissing and squealing as they all donned their robes! We then took some photos outside.

So proud of my children!

I was just so thankful it was a beautiful day and the sun was shining! However, it was a little too warm for my liking but I'd rather have had that than pouring rain and grey skies! Sophie got together with her friends and we took more photos.

Beautiful, and very smart!

I love this photo of Sophie and her friend, Brooke

Once the photos were over we trooped back inside and I bought some water. Once all her friends had arrived we took the shuttle bus down to the Derngate theatre where the ceremony was being held. As we had a little while to wait we had a drink in John Franklin's bar and sat with Sophie's good friend Madina. The girls enjoyed Prosecco while Keith and Mike sipped a cold lager. I stayed with sparkling water!

Just before the ceremony started, we said goodbye to Sophie and her friends and we went right up to the Upper Circle, somewhere I hardly ever sit if we go to the theatre so it was a bit of a shock as to how far away we were! I could see the stage and rows of seating and assumed that the graduates would be brought up in groups to sit there until they were called up.

However, this seating was for the good and worthy of the uni, including Richard Coles, the Chancellor who used to be in The Communards in the 1980s! He gave a short speech and I could see Sophie far below. First up was Earl Spencer's wife who was awarded a Fellowship of the university for her work with disadvantaged children.

The ceremony then began and they really rattled through all the graduates. We had been given books with all the names and the order they were graduating so we knew when to expect Sophie. It was all over in seconds! I didn't record or photograph her as I wanted to see her collect her certificate properly but I knew Mum and Dad were watching at home and they probably had the best view!

I felt very emotional when she went up but for me, the proudest bit about today, was how hard she'd worked over the three years and kept on going even when she found things difficult. I was so proud she'd gained a First.

The ceremony took an hour and then we were all reunited with our offspring. There was a surge of people waiting to board the shuttle buses and it was a very hot and uncomfortable journey back to the campus. Once there, Sophie took her cap and gown back and we went for a quick drink in the Student Union. She was hoping to meet up with more of her friends but some of them were absent, which was puzzling. I said it would have been great to have had a Graduates' Ball at the weekend so they could have all caught up with what everyone was doing, but in the end people just melted away and we decided to go home. It was all a bit of an anti-climax!

We'd booked a table this evening at The Tollemache Arms in Harrington for 7pm and invited Mum and Dad along and the plan had been to go straight there, but we all needed another shower, as it had been so hot and sweaty.

When I drove out of uni I realised it was rush hour - I had forgotten it was a Tuesday! We crawled slowly home, had showers and changed and arrived at the pub at 6.30pm, just enough time to have a drink in the lovely garden and wait for Mum and Dad to arrive.

There were lots of people enjoying the sunshine and sitting out in the warm evening air. At 7pm we went inside and met Mum and Dad coming through the front entrance as they'd booked a room at the nearby B&B for the night.

We had a lovely meal and my parents enjoyed seeing the photos we'd taken throughout the day. We enjoyed starters and main courses and Mum indulged in a dessert. It was great to see them relaxing and being out again!

It was great to sit and chat after such a hectic couple of days and I'm looking forward to having a bit of a lie-in and a lazy day tomorrow!

A quick trip to London...

I was at work this morning, but only for three hours as I'd taken some time off to accompany Sophie down to London, where she had an interview.

I'd been warned that the summer school holidays were busy and they were right! I had almost non-stop calls until I left at 11am, giving me very little chance to do any other admin work! Keith had dropped me off this morning and Sophie met me in the reception area at 11am as I'd put a top in the car to change into. We didn't have a lot of time so we went straight to the train station and caught the 11.50am service to Euston, which only stopped at Milton Keynes and Watford.

I'm always amazed at how quickly we can get down to our capital and today was no exception. Before we knew it we had arrived and we took two different underground lines to get to Hammersmith. It wasn't really the best day to travel to London as it was stiflingly hot and the tube was crowded. As we were early we headed to a nearby Caffe Nero and enjoyed cold drinks and chocolate rice cakes to keep us going! Sophie was becoming more and more nervous, but as she'd already spoken to the owner of the company on the phone, I just told her to relax and be herself.

Twenty minutes before her interview we walked to the offices and I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely the surroundings were, with little places to sit and relax. It wasn't far from the underground and nearby there were shops and restaurants.

Luckily, I was able to sit and wait in the reception area of the building while Sophie had her interview. She was a bit shocked to discover that three people were going to see her and they asked her all the usual interview questions, but the owner of the company, who she'd spoken to on the phone, kept interrogating her about the commute and asked if she would re-locate. I know Sophie wouldn't dream of it at the moment but she said it was only an hour on the train and they were quite flexible with the time of working.

She came back down to Reception looking a little disappointed and had reacted the same as I did when I went for the court usher job. She was particularly worried that they kept going on about the commute, as if Northampton was out in the back of beyond! I know that thousands of people commute down to London!

We made the decision to try and get back to Euston to catch a train before the peak travel kicked in, i.e. after 5pm. The underground seemed even hotter and I sat and melted as we chatted about the interview. We arrived at Euston at about 4.30pm but there were no trains going to Northampton before 5pm. We had no choice but to wait for the 7.15pm train.

Euston was teeming with people and it was hot and stuffy. There was no way we were going to sit it out there so we went outside and I googled a pub nearby, called The Crown and Anchor in Drummond Street. We finally managed to find it and were delighted to find that a) it was almost empty and b) that they were doing food.

We sat at a table by the open doors and enjoyed a very pleasant couple of hours drinking a toasted lager and eating a burger (Sophie) and sausage and mash (me) which were delicious. It was a much better way of passing the time rather than sitting in the hot, cramped and noisy station!

Back at Euston we waited to see which platform our train left from and then there was the usual mad stampede to get on. Luckily we managed to get seats across the aisle and at least the train was cooler! Before we knew it we were home and Keith was waiting to meet us. It was heaven to get home, have a cool shower and relax until bedtime!

Four go shopping...

This morning all of us made the trip to Rushden Lakes to look for a decent pair of trousers for Mike to wear to Sophie's Graduation ceremony on Tuesday.

We had to have some refreshments first, though, so we headed to M&S where we enjoyed coffees and sausage baps. I have to say the baps were absolutely delicious and the best I've had for ages! M&S food is very good!

Once re-fuelled, we popped into JD Sports as Mike had given his only pair of shorts to a homeless man on Friday night when he went into town with his mates. He wasn't allowed into a nightclub with shorts on so swapped them for a dodgy pair of trousers worn by a homeless busker! It could only happen to my son! Keith bought him two pairs of shorts, and a tee-shirt for Sophie, and then we headed to River Island where Mike tried on a pair of super skinny fit trousers that looked ridiculous on him! When is the fashion for ever tighter trousers going to end? As Mike has muscly legs, he looked like a twin pack of sausages! I predict a huge drop in fertility rates in a few years' time if all the young men persist in wearing skin-tight jeans and trousers!

Eventually we settled on a pair of electric blue slim fit trousers but they were a little long. We walked over to Next but their choice was dire, and House of Fraser (very expensive) so it was back to River Island. Mike said the waist was a little tight so I went over to the cash desk and asked if I could order them in a slightly larger waist, and a shorter leg to be delivered at home the next day. The girl serving was very sweet but I'm not sure she knew what she was doing and when the order went through it only came to £30, yet the trousers were £40 without the delivery charge on top... I had visions of the wrong trousers arriving on Monday and no chance to get another pair!

I was assured there was an online discount applied and Sophie gave me a River Island voucher for £10 so that was a bargain! I just hope they arrive now! We mooched around in Boots so Sophie could get some beauty aids and then it was time to go as by now the whole area was getting really busy.

The weather had turned cloudy and sultry and before we returned home we called in to see Mum and Dad and sat out in the garden. Keith and Mike helped them with their new hoover and we relieved them of an upright fan they no longer wanted. They must be mad to give away a perfectly good fan in this heatwave!

We went home and I helped Sophie with her self-tanning treatment before Keith and I popped back over to Tesco to buy some cod for tonight, as Sophie and I were making fish burgers. I asked the fishmonger the best cut to buy and he recommended loin of cod, which set us back an astonishing £14 for four pieces! Keith made a face and muttered some more about all these fancy recipes costing a fortune!

The afternoon was spent trying to escape the heat and failing. It's forecast to get hotter on Tuesday and Wednesday and could even go over 30c again. Phew! I watered all our plants and gave them a liquid feed so hopefully that will keep them healthy!

The fish burgers tonight were a success but next time I think we'll take the plunge and shallow fry them as we baked them in the oven and the spicy flour dusting went a little soggy!

Saturday working

I've taken on some extra shifts over the summer, as now I will no longer be working at the school, I need some more days!

Sophie dropped me at work at 8.30am and I had a pleasant day working with Sue. The phone calls were well spaced out but we did have some difficult calls which made it a bit interesting! Sophie took three hours holiday (not that she wanted to) and picked me up at 4pm.

It's been a warm and sunny day with hazy sunshine and a fair amount of cloud. No sign of any rain, though! We returned home and relaxed and I looked at vineyards in the Napa Valley. Maybe I should take an extra suitcase with me to bring some wine home!

Keith had prepared a delicious Coq au Vin for dinner and it was lovely to eat proper vegetables and mashed potatoes for a change. We are all heartily fed up with salad!

After dinner we watched the excellent Keeping Faith and then it was off to bed as it had been a busy day!

An emotional afternoon!

Work was fine this morning - the problems with the computer had obviously been sorted and we had lots of bookings to deal with. When I got home, Sophie had made a banana and chocolate cake but it wasn't quite ready. It smelt delicious!

At school a group of Year 6 girls were going around and saying goodbye and crying! I signed the shirt of our favourite Year 6 girl and wished her good luck at her new school in September. Next year wouldn't have been the same without her or another Year 6 boy who are real characters, so I'm glad I won't be back. Replacements for Lisa and I still haven't been found and the parents of our after-school club children are getting a bit worried!

I was inundated with cards and chocolates from the children and Lisa, a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the staff of the school and gifts from the parents, which was lovely. I was delighted! We just had one child left at 5pm and as it was starting to rain a little bit I went and fetched my car and parked it outside of the school as I didn't want to carry all my stuff down in a raging downpour!

It actually didn't rain much at all, which was disappointing as we could have down with a really good soaking. We did get some thunder and lightning, though!

Before we took Mike and Keith to the pub, we enjoyed a slice of cake and then it was home to relax before we prepared dinner and went back to pick them up. After we'd eaten Sophie and I booked an Airbnb in San Francisco after we'd contacted the hosts about parking. They responded very quickly and seemed lovely so we took the plunge and booked. The house is near public transport so hopefully I won't have to drive every day!

Our green and pleasant land?

The Met Office published photos of the UK in May and July of this year to show how the drought has affected the greenery of our beautiful country. I have never seen the grass look so yellow and dry. I can vaguely remember the heatwave of 1976 when reservoirs dried up and the soil had huge cracks, but that was a long time ago!

We've put a big bowl of water out for the birds who love to drink from it and Bluie, our resident wood pigeon, loves to bathe in it as well, ruffling his feathers and strutting about!

We think that when it does rain, it's going to be horrendous as the ground is so dry it'll just run off. I expect floods!

The first of the goodbyes...

It's been another cloudy and muggy day and we're hoping to get some rain tomorrow afternoon as thunderstorms are forecast. Let's wait and see!

This morning was busy at work and the computers went down briefly which made things a bit difficult! We normally get a lot of ladies booking the Aqua Aerobics class for next Friday so we just had to take their names and hope that we were able to book them on! Luckily, after about half an hour, things returned to normal!

After work I called into the Co-op to buy some sweets for the children. Sophie wasn't home as she'd been called into work, but she'd had a phone interview this morning with a company based in London. When I texted her she'd said the interview had gone well and they wanted to see her in London next Monday! The day before she graduates! She was very pleased!

It was a hot afternoon in the playground and most of the children had gone home by 5pm, leaving my favourite little girl behind. It was a bit poignant as it was her last day with us and when her grandmother came to pick her up she'd brought chocolates and a potted plant, as well as a card! It was lovely and we had lots of hugs before she left. She uses the holiday playscheme where I work so hopefully I will see her there over the summer holidays!

As soon as we were finished I sped home to have a drink and relax and we watched an episode of Sharp Objects. Before we went to bed, Sophie and I looked at hotels and booked one in Napa. I'm so looking forward to a trip around the wineries!

A spontaneous decision!

For once, we didn't have to go anywhere today so it meant I could tackle some housework with Sophie. I was up early at 6.30am and watched the blackbird parents feeding their fat babies. The babies were almost bigger than their parents!

Our new recycling bin arrived this morning as even though we have a large wheelie bin, it was full and I knew we'd never fit in the rest of this week's bottles, cans and paper. I'd only ordered it last weekend so I was chuffed it had been delivered so quickly! We've taken to freezing our food leftovers now as there is no sign of this heatwave coming to an end any time soon!

I gave Mike's bedroom a thorough clean and changed his bedding and cleaned the rest of the house. Not a deep clean by any means, but it made me feel better to tackle the cobwebs and Sophie dusted for me, which helped a lot.

Today has been warm and sultry with a layer of cloud keeping the heat in. At After-School club Lisa had brought some sweets in and she hid them around the playground so the children could find them. Needless to say they were found and eaten within half an hour!

Back home we played cards in the conservatory (all of us, which was lovely!) and after dinner Sophie and I took the plunge and booked to go to California next May. We're visiting San Francisco for five nights, Napa for two nights and Monterey for three nights, and flying with Virgin who had excellent prices for their flights. We wanted Keith and Mike to come but Keith hates long flights and Mike wasn't keen on trying to save the money to go, so it's a girls' road trip! We're really looking forward to it and hoping to book an Airbnb in San Francisco, which will be a new experience!

A trip to the park.

We made our usual trek to the Weston Favell Centre this morning and on the way Keith called in to the Fishing Lodge at Pitsford to renew his nature reserve permit. He's determined to get back into walking, and if I'm off during the week, I can maybe go with him!

We bought some bits in Tesco (chocs for Lisa and a leaving card) and then drove down to Riverside where we visited Boots, and Next for a coffee in Costa. Sophie spotted some lovely shoes in the store and tried them on - they looked gorgeous and she preferred them to the shoes she'd originally bought for Graduation. As they were in the sale, and half price, she snapped them up!

We also popped into Wilco's and bought some varnish for the front and garage doors. That's my next job! We drove home via Brixworth where I picked up a parcel I'd ordered. I wanted a dress for Sophie's Graduation, but the one that arrived made me look pregnant! There were a couple of lovely tops in the order, though, so they made up for the disappointment.

Although the weather has been dry today, we've had a fair amount of cloud and at one point I did think we were going to get some rain. At work, we had about 10 children and one of the older girls kept asking Lisa if we could all go to the park again. Eventually, she was worn down so we went at about 4.30pm. We had three reception year children with us so we held their hands and walked the short distance to the playing fields.

There was a gaggle of Year 6 girls there already and our lot had a great time playing on the swings and slides. It made a difference for them and if I had my way we'd go several times a week! We got back to the school at 5.30pm to find a group of parents waiting for us. One of the teachers had locked up the school completely and had even put the security shutters down so we had to unlock everything to let the children get their bags. Within ten minutes they had all been collected and we hurriedly tidied up and locked the school again!

Keith and Sophie had walked to meet me and back home Sophie and I sat out in the garden with a drink and talked about going to San Francisco! My Mum, Dad and I had taken her when she was almost three years old and I said I'd love to go there again and have a cocktail at the Top of The Mark (Hopkins Hotel).

After dinner we had a stroll around the estate and I couldn't believe the state of our grass verges. Will they ever recover?!

An unexpected treat!

I wasn't looking forward to today, to be honest and had a feeling that we'd be busy at work booking children onto the summer holiday courses that we provide. I took my own car into work as Sophie and Keith were going to do a test drive to Rushden Lakes as Sophie was going there for a meal this evening with friends and taking Danni.

Work was actually very pleasant and although we did get a fair few calls, they were nicely spaced out! The time went past very quickly! I drove home at 2pm and had a chat with Sophie about jobs. She'd driven to Rushden Lakes and was fine with the journey.

At After-School Club we just had a handful of children and after playing outside for a while we went into the library and I suggested making papier mache heads. One of the older girls went and fetched balloons, glue and newspapers and we set about making them, but not before I'd had a silly moment and blew the balloons up before letting them go so they made rude noises! I did say that all the children should have made a papier mache head and then we could have given them to Lisa as a leaving present!

Back home I discovered that Sophie's friend had let her down and was going to drive herself so I suggested Keith and I take Sophie, and my husband then asked if I'd like to go for a meal while Sophie was out with friends? Most definitely! We tried to get in touch with Mike who was out and asked if he'd like to come as well, but in the end we had to leave him a note to say we'd gone out.

It was a gorgeous evening and we drove over to Rushden and dropped Sophie off at Pizza Express. Her friends were waiting outside so we waved goodbye and headed into Higham Ferrers as I'd found a pub called The Griffin which served food on Monday night and looked lovely. It was only five minutes from Rushden Lakes and we spotted what we thought was the pub in the main street and parked nearby. As we approached, though, we realised this pub was The Green Dragon, a pub we'd been into ages ago with some friends!

I used Google maps and we found it hidden behind a row of leafy trees a bit further down the main road. We'd completely missed it when we'd driven past! It was very quiet inside with just a handful of customers and we took a seat on a comfortable sofa and armchair near the conservatory and enjoyed our drinks. It was still very warm and after an initial pint of beer, Keith switched to lager!

We had a look at the menu and decided on the very reasonable Pub Classics choices. We both chose prawn cocktails to start and then I went for mussels for a main while Keith had fish and chips. We sat in the light and airy conservatory and the waitress provided two fans to keep us cool. A few people were eating outside in the courtyard garden.

The food was lovely and the bread in particular was delicious. We had a great meal and it was nice to relax and have a good chat. The bill - £44 - was another bonus! It's normally three times that! We left and headed back to Rushden Lakes with the intention of sitting by the lake until Sophie was finished but she texted me on the way to ask us to pick her up. We sat outside and marvelled at all the shops that, although closed, were brightly lit up. It did make me wonder how much their electricity bill is!

A feast of sport!

We went over to Tesco first thing this morning as Sophie wanted to get presents for her lecturers and we needed some shopping. It's also my Mum and Dad's Wedding Anniversary tomorrow so I bought them a bottle of Champagne and a Next voucher as they love shopping in there!

We called to see them on the way home and helped them move their heavy office chair out of the room to make way for the new one that had been delivered. My Dad had fallen over on Friday so that was a bit worrying and I said that he really needed to use a walking stick now whenever he goes out if the paths are uneven. The last thing he needs is another broken leg!

We went home and made a start on a "Reverse Trifle" we'd seen in a Co-op magazine. This was our dish for Sunday this week! We had to slice Swiss rolls, melt white chocolate and make a fruity jelly and then let everything set in the fridge until we were ready to make it.

Sophie also prepared our lunch of cold meats, new potatoes and salad and I hoovered. By 2pm we were ready to sit down and enjoy the tennis with a glass of Champagne! As Kevin Anderson had beaten Federer we were hoping for a really good game but he was very lacklustre in the first two sets. He came back a bit in the third, but Djokovic beat him in a tie-break so it was all over.

Keith went upstairs to watch the final of the World Cup and Sophie and I put the finishing touches to the trifle. It was enormous! I enjoyed it but I found it very sweet!

The strawberries are from our garden

We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing about with the fan on as it's been yet another warm and sultry day and I'm sure it became hotter as the day wore on. I went outside to water our plants and couldn't help giving our poor parched lawn a sprinkling. I could almost sense the relief as I sprayed the yellow grass with water!

Freshening up!

Keith was up early this morning and made a start on painting the porch over our front door. I was trying to watch The Affair but gave up as I felt guilty sitting there while he worked! It was really hot already and Keith was getting the full glare of the sun!

Sophie went off to work and I washed the back door in preparation to paint that as well. We then went to the tip with our old pillows and loads of plastic bottles from Mike's room. Our recycling bin is almost full and it was only emptied last Friday! I just hope it does all go to be recycled and not incinerated as I've been reading in the paper!

When we got home I made a start on the door as Keith had finished the porch but we were plagued with little black thunder flies. They made a beeline for the fresh paint and became stuck in it. Not a good look! However, I had no choice but to carry on and I did both sides of the door which now looks a lot better!

I then cleaned the guttering and soffit over the driveway so the front of the house looks a lot cleaner. At 1pm we watched the hangover of the Men's Wimbledon Semi-Finals from yesterday with Nadal and Djokovic battling it out. I was surprised to see Djokovic win so now he faces a very tall Kevin Anderson in the Final tomorrow. I'm hoping for a good match!

I took Mike to Brixworth and came home to have a shower. Needless to say it's been very hot again today and after my shower I lay on the bed with the fan full on! Sophie came home from work all hot and sweaty as well and after a shower she ordered a Chinese takeaway for us. It's a real treat to have it delivered here as we can hardly get anyone to come out - I sometimes wonder what it must be like to live in a town and have everything on the doorstep!

At about 10.30pm we had a stroll up and down the road outside the house and we were amazed at the noise! I think the pub was having some kind of function as we could hear a live band and a little further down our road, there was a party going on. It was a beautiful still night so the sounds really carried!

Feeling hot, hot, hot!

Once again, Thursday and Friday have sort of blended into one with the days spent at work and the sun has continued to shine down, although it has been a bit cloudy first thing.

We watched an excellent new series on Thursday night called Keeping Faith, which is set in Wales. Sophie and I had tried to get into Picnic at Hanging Rock but after half an hour we'd given up, but after just five minutes of the Welsh drama we were hooked! We are also fans of the new Sharp Objects starring Amy Adams.

At work we've been taking lots of Funzone bookings as people organise their childcare for the school holidays. The girl I worked with on Thursday took a payment for over £1000! It's expensive business!

Both afternoons at After-School Club were spent in the playground as usual and I really won't be sorry when we break up next Friday. I've put myself down to work some extra shifts over the summer holidays but I will still have some days off and it'll be great to finish at 2pm and not have to go out again!

Keith and Sophie walked up to meet me on Friday evening and we sat outside the pub for five minutes before I headed home with my daughter for our glass of wine. We ate fishcakes for dinner, but my appetite was spoiled by the number of flies and wasps in the conservatory. Because we'd had the windows and doors open all day they had all flocked in and were hanging out and annoying us while we ate! Not an enjoyable experience!

Waiting about...

My Mum was seeing her Parkinsons nurse this morning at 11am so I said that I would be there to give her some support as she's been having some real problems with her medication lately. Sophie and I were meant to be seeing Gill for coffee but I postponed, and she understood completely. As she is looking forward to doing so many things over the next few weeks, we've arranged to meet up in August.

We went to Mum's house for 11am and waited and waited. While we were there we helped my parents fill in an Attendance Allowance form so that they can get help towards things like housework, as my Mum is finding it increasingly difficult to do some jobs around the house.

When it got to 12pm and we'd heard the nurse had been delayed we couldn't wait any longer as we needed to go to Tesco and I was hoping my car would be ready before I went to work. We reluctantly left and Sophie drove us over to Tesco where we bought some extras for dinner tonight (the big match!) and I put £25 worth of petrol in her car as we've had to use it while mine is being repaired.

When we got home and started lunch (leftover new potatoes fried and served with crusty bread and butter) the phone rang and it was the garage. Typical! We put the potatoes in the oven and Keith and I went to collect the car which looked fantastic! What a difference! They had done an amazing job on the horrible scratches so I was really pleased.

Back home we hurriedly ate lunch, then Keith went to get Mike in my car while I set off, half an hour later, in Sophie's car for the school. This evening the school was holding its end of term disco but we still had two little boys left at almost 6pm. We were all itching to get home to see England play Croatia in the World Cup semi-final!

We had a cold meats and salad dinner and paused the game while we ate. England had scored one goal before we sat down to eat but sadly, lost the game after extra time 2-1. Still, they did well and it was great that they reached the semi-finals. The final, on Sunday, will now be between France and Croatia.

Sophie and I did watch some of the match but we also went over and watered Sue and Paul's garden. It's been yet another warm and sunny day with no end to this drought in sight!

The Bickerings on tour...

It definitely felt cooler this morning but the heat is due to return again on Thursday. There is still no sign of any rain on the horizon, not even a cooling thunderstorm!

We took my car into Northampton this morning, to have the scratches on the two front bumpers repaired, and after we'd dropped it off we went on to Riverside to visit Sports Direct and Curry's. Sophie was looking for a pair of cycling shorts to wear with a big tee-shirt and we were also on the lookout for a new extractor hood for our oven as ours has almost disintegrated! Everything in our house is starting to fall apart! We had a quote yesterday to replace two panes of glass in the conservatory and the man gave us a price of £280! I'm sure that was inflated!

After looking at some beautiful American fridges in Curry's and wishing we had the space for one, we wandered back over to Costa and had a coffee and something to eat. We've all been a bit bad-tempered with each other this morning and the three of us had a little bicker which lasted most of the morning! However, the coffee in Costa put things right again so we drove off to the Weston Favell Centre, to visit the post office and to try and see my Mum and Dad who were there for an Opticians appointment. We came across them in Costa, had a brief chat and left to go to Jones's where we bought bird food (what else?) and other boring things such as drain cleaner and descaling liquid. Sometimes I really don't know how I can contain my excitement!

Back home I pottered about and noticed our strawberries were going a lovely shade of red. I just hope the birds don't get to them before we can eat them! Sophie took me to work (luckily Mike had managed to cadge a lift to Brixworth to see some friends) and we spent the afternoon in the playground where a lovely breeze cooled things down a little. It was quite nice sitting and gazing up at the sky dotted with fluffy white clouds and watching aeroplanes fly past. I just wished I was on one!

Sophie and Keith came to pick me up before 6pm and then it was home to get ready for the France-Belgium game. I couldn't decide who I wanted to win but France took the lead and held onto it for the rest of the match. We were going to barbecue but that's slightly difficult if, like us, you don't have one! We settled for grilling the burgers and cooking some sausages in the oven before enjoying them with new potatoes and salad!

A little cooler...

After a good night's sleep I felt a lot better and headed into work in the morning sunshine. Towards the end of my shift I had a meeting with Nicola and Sara and they explained they wanted us to be more active in securing members to boost income. I know this hasn't gone down that well with some of the other staff but I don't mind trying to enlist people to join. They can always say no!

At 2pm I sped home to see Sophie and enjoyed a slice of her banana and almond cake with some cold custard. Delicious! It felt too hot to walk to the park today and as we also had two little girls who do a French class until 4pm, it would have been too late anyway. We stuck to the shade and ensured the children who were playing in the sun had their hats on! By 5.30pm all the children had gone home so it was a lovely early night for us.

Sophie and I went over to water Sue and Paul's garden and we gazed out over the view. It felt a lot cooler in the evening and there was a lovely breeze blowing. What a relief!

Feeling wiped out!

I had a bad night's sleep and woke up feeling I'd been hit over the head with something heavy! I was also really hot and I'm getting a bit fed up with these temperatures now! Thank goodness it's set to get a bit cooler in the middle of next week!

Sophie and I went to get Mike from work again and today we had a clear run both ways...no arguments with horse riders, thankfully! I changed our bedding and did mounds of washing before popping to Tesco to get some beer for Keith and calling to see Mum and Dad who were enjoying the cool breeze in the garden.

After putting all the bedding back on (it smelt lovely) I spent the rest of the afternoon doing very little. I napped for quite a while and at 6pm Sophie woke me up to see if I wanted a drink. I had one G&T but that was it for me this evening! I felt absolutely wiped out for some reason and had no energy at all.

Sophie and Keith had made paella for dinner and I ate a bit but had no appetite either. I just wanted to go to sleep! While Soph and Mike washed up I watered the garden and was pleased to see my strawberry plant producing lots of little green fruit. I can't wait for them to ripen, hopefully by next Sunday when it's the Wimbledon final!

Needless to say, after dinner I decided to have an early night and I was in bed by 9pm!

Is it coming home?

Mike was working overtime today and started at 5am! Keith took him and then came straight back and went to bed. I really didn't blame him! I woke up at around 7am and was downstairs when Mike phoned at just after 8am to say he'd finished work for the day!

Sophie came with me to get him and on the way back home we came across three horses being ridden on the road. They had created an enormous tailback in both directions and a car a little way ahead had pulled out to overtake them and I think an argument had ensued. As he pulled back in, the riders of the three horses surrounded him so he couldn't drive off and I saw a lot of arm waving from one of the women riders. This meant the cars were held up in both directions until the riders let the car go!

We then had no choice but to follow the three horses as the oncoming traffic must have numbered over twenty cars. There was also a long line of cars behind us. Along the way there were several field entrances where the riders could have pulled in to let us all pass, but they just kept ambling on. Eventually, they crossed the road and the lead woman rider stood in the middle of the road until her two companions had crossed. As we passed I wound my window down and said to her that although I respected her right to ride her horse on the road, she could have at least pulled in to let the traffic pass. I was very polite but I was furious that they had disrupted the traffic on such a busy and fast road. Surely, it wasn't in the best interests of the horses? She went to say something, "Actually..." and I drove off but not before Sophie and Mike had made rude gestures as they were totally fed up with the whole situation! As we came to the junction at the end of the road we saw a police car pulling up so I'm not sure if someone had called them because of the hold-ups!

Back home we had breakfast and then I tackled some nasty little jobs that needed doing, namely washing out our food bins, which were full of maggots the other day and stank to high heaven! I washed them both out with boiling water and bleach and then lined them with newspaper. I'm just glad these bins are emptied every week! From now on, while it's so warm, we've decided to freeze the leftovers rather than put them in the bins in the heat!

At 3pm, just as England started their quarter-final match with Sweden, we left to pick up Sophie's friends, Daisy and Laura, as they were off to the theatre in Milton Keynes to see Love From A Stranger, the play we'd seen a few months ago at the Derngate. They wanted to have a meal at Bella Italia first so we drove to Milton Keynes and dropped them off in the theatre district. All the pubs were full of people watching the football and really they couldn't have chosen a worse day to see the play! Not that they knew that when they booked the tickets, and it is a miracle that England have done so well in the World Cup!

Keith and I decided to do some shopping before we had something to eat and we parked near John Lewis. There was some building work going on near the centre but we weren't sure what it was. I don't think, in the current economic climate, it will be more shops!

Keith wanted some shoes for Sophie's graduation so we had a look in Clark's as they had a sale on. Almost immediately I found a pair of black shoes with a velcro strap that could accommodate his feet if they swell a bit in the heat. They had been reduced to about £30 so they were a real bargain!

We wandered about for a while and had a coffee in Starbucks and a look around Waterstones before returning to the car. We'd booked to see the film Swimming With Men at about 7.30pm so we drove back over to Xscape and parked the car near the entrance. Keith suggested a quick drink before having a meal so we went into a pub called The Moon Under Water. By now, we knew that England had beaten Sweden 2-0 so the place was full of very happy English fans who were all singing and dancing., some of them wearing stupid curly red and white wigs!

We had a drink and then left to go to The Coal Grill and Bar next to the cinema. It was quieter than we expected and we sat by the "window" with a view of the escalators up to Cineworld! I ordered a glass of Chenin Blanc while Keith had a lager and I was disappointed to find my wine was warm when it arrived. I should have sent it back!

The food was OK and the experience was OK - it's not somewhere I'll eagerly head back to, but it was pleasant enough. I enjoyed a breaded chicken burger with salad, fries and coleslaw and Keith had the barbecue plate of pulled pork and beef brisket served with fries, flatbread and coleslaw. It was very hot, though and I thought longingly of the air-conditioned restaurants in Florida!

We headed upstairs to the cinema and we were the first to take our seats in the theatre. Although the film was new, not many people turned up to see it (no more than 25 I would have said) but as usual the bag crinklers all sat near us! How I yearn for a silent screening when no noisy bags of food or sweets are allowed!

The film was funny in places, and we did laugh several times, but it won't rate as one of my favourite films of all time! Afterwards we texted Sophie to let her know we were all done, and half an hour later the girls emerged from the theatre. We sped home, dropped them both off and returned to relax for half an hour before bed. It was still damn hot!

The sun shines down!

Thursday and Friday have been virtually identical so I'm blending them into one post! Work was busy on both mornings as I had extra work to do which made the time fly by. We spent Thursday afternoon out in the playground but it really was very hot and I don't know how our little group played cricket in the heat! Lisa and I stayed in the shade!

There is no end to this heatwave in sight and I said it would be really ironic if the weather broke at the end of term on the 20th July! I do sometimes think that the school holidays should be the last two weeks of June and the whole of July as August can be a tricky month, weatherwise, and it always feels a bit Autumnal to me. The children no longer help out with harvesting so surely it would make sense to have the holidays during the months with the best weather?

On Friday we stayed in the hall for an hour as it was really too warm to venture out, although we did go out for the end of the session. We were there right until the bitter end as one parent was running late and when I walked down to the pub Keith wasn't there, which was strange. Sophie called to ask where I was and said that Keith had decided to stay at home this evening. Bonus! When I got home Sophie and I popped over to Sue and Paul's house to put their bins back and had a long chat with a neighbour who was walking her dog, Lucy. She said she didn't like the heat but I think I've started to adapt!

Keith cooked a curry for dinner and then we retired to the lounge to sit in front of the fan and the open window. Sleeping has been a bit difficult at the moment as the upstairs of the house is really hot!

Time for a chop!

Sophie and I had a hairdresser's appointment at 10am this morning and it was great to sit and relax for a while and be pampered! I love having my hair washed and the girl who did it for me did a very good job!

I was told off for wearing my hair up in a ponytail, but the hairdresser made my hair look lovely when he'd finished. It was all shiny and the fringe was straight!

Before we went home we called into the Co-op and bought some foods for lunch as my parents were coming over. I can't remember the last time they'd been to the house and I wanted them to see Sophie's new bedroom and her graduation dress.

Back home we prepared lunch and I gave the downstairs rooms a quick hoover. We had a nice lunch and Mum and Dad loved Sophie's dress. She looked stunning and wore her new belt and shoes. I'm now just praying that on the day the weather will be beautiful. It would be so ironic if we have bad weather after the heatwave we're going through at the moment!

I had about half an hour to sit down after Mum and Dad had gone and it had become a lot hotter than this morning! We stayed outside in the playground for the whole of the after-school club session and today was the first day I felt uncomfortably hot. There was hardly any breeze and no clouds to soften the glare of the sun! Phew! It was lovely to get home and relax with a cold beer and the fan blowing on us!

An idyllic morning!

We discovered the source of the noise from last night this morning - the light fitting fell off in our bathroom and ended up in the bath! As the bath was directly over where I sit on the sofa, no wonder it made such a noise!

Sophie and I went to Rushden Lakes at 9am and had a quick coffee in M&S first. She needed to get some presents for her friends who she's seeing this Saturday. We went into Boots first and she bought some Soap and Glory toiletries, before venturing into Primark for some other little gifts.

In Accessorize she bought some jewellery and I treated myself to a new handbag! It had been reduced from £40 down to £20 so I was really pleased. My current bag is covered in pen marks for some reason and looks very scruffy!

We decided to eat lunch early and made our way to Wildwood as we were going to share a pizza. On the way we admired the view of the lake.

As you can see from the photos it's been another beautiful day and people were enjoying the sunshine, strolling by the water and eating outside. The temperature was alleviated a bit by a lovely breeze.

We were a bit too early for Wildwood so we took our bags back to the car and on the way back we were tempted into Wagamama. There was a chicken katsu curry on the menu and we decided to go there instead.

The restaurant was lovely and airy with views over the lake. We took a seat in a booth and had a good look at the menu, choosing the curry for our mains, accompanied by chicken gyoza and some fluffy beef buns as side orders.

The food was very good but we both said we preferred Akasaka for the curry. After finishing off a bottle of sparkling water and declining dessert (we were stuffed) we waddled off back to the car and drove over to Kettering.

Keith had trusted us to get dinner for tonight and tomorrow but we decided to have just a sandwich at home this evening after our large lunch. Keith was going to see Sileby play Northampton Town so wasn't eating. We bought Mike a Tesco Finest cottage pie and fish and veggies for tomorrow. In this heat we're finding it difficult to choose something to eat that's not too hot!

Work in the afternoon was OK and as usual we stayed outside for the whole of the session. The school has advertised both of our jobs now and they're paying more than we're on! How rude! They're even charging if the new people have children and giving a 50% discount! Even so, if the new staff have to take their child (or children) every day, it would still be a hefty amount!

In the evening Keith went to see his football match and Sophie and I watched a film - Call Me By Your Name. It was sooo slow!

An idyllic afternoon!

Work was OK this morning and Sheila gave me another job to do which made the time go by very quickly. I headed home at 2pm and had a chat with Sophie before dashing off to school where we decided to take the children to the park for a change.

We only had three with us today so it was an ideal time to go. We took some tortilla chips, a jar of salsa and a bag of apples with us as well as a bottle of orange squash. It didn't take us long to walk to the playing fields and I was amazed at how much equipment had been installed since I took Sophie and Mike there years ago! There were swings and monkey bars and a zip wire, which the children loved.

There were other children playing there as well and it was great to see families out enjoying the beautiful weather. I took a look at the area where an old manor house used to stand and the grass resembled straw!

We sat in the shade while the children ate their snack, played a bit more and then headed back to the shut-up school. One Mum was waiting for us but we had to wait almost another hour before a Dad arrived to pick up his two children.

I met Keith and Sophie near the pub and we all went home to relax and watch a little bit of Wimbledon, which started today. After dinner we sat in the cool garden for a while and then I enjoyed True Lies at 9pm which was a real treat!

However, at about 10pm I heard a crashing sound and wondered what on earth it was! Keith and Sophie hadn't heard anything, and I think Mike was wearing his headphones so hadn't heard the noise either. It was so worrying we went out of the estate and onto the road to see if there'd been an accident! It was very strange!

A little splurge on the garden!

After breakfast, Keith and I decided to tackle the outside of the conservatory (again) as the panes of glass looked filthy and dusty. I used a soft broom and hot soapy water while Keith used the mop. We rinsed the glass with the hose pipe and we were both really pleased with the results. At least they looked cleaner and the bird muck had all been removed!

The manic feeding by the birds seems to have slowed down a bit now, thank goodness but they love the water baths we put out for them! There's no sign of any rain on the horizon for at least another couple of weeks and the drought is really starting to affect some of the country now. There's a hosepipe ban in force in Northern Ireland and there have been wildfires on Saddleworth Moor in Lancashire which are still burning, probably due to the dry grass and vegetation in the area. The temperature today has hovered around the 30c mark, but we've enjoyed a nice breeze so it hasn't been too bad!

In the afternoon Sophie and I took my Mum to Beckworth for a cup of tea and a slice of cake (or a scone) and we were surprised to find there wasn't a queue. We sat outside in their conservatory and after we'd eaten we bought some plants for the garden. I bought some summer bedding plus a trailing strawberry plant and a cherry tomato so hopefully they will flourish in the warm weather. I also bought a couple of little glass lanterns for the gravel garden so we can see them when we eat at night.

New strawberry plant

As soon as we arrived home I potted up all the plants and then relaxed with Keith and Sophie by watching the last episode of Dale Winton's Florida Fly Drive. We briefly saw the sign for Yoder's but he didn't go there to eat, which was a shame!

For dinner this evening Sophie and I made chicken fajitas, from scratch. Sophie had already marinated the chicken this morning and had made salsa. We fried the vegetables and added the marinated chicken before rustling up a bowl of guacamole. It was all delicious and we'll never need to buy a jar or packet again!