Sunday

I spend half my life being grumpy.  Yesterday was a case in point. 

I sped off to The Range quite early to buy bedding compost for the new plants but had forgotten that I would need £1 for a trolley (yeah yeah ~ my own fault).  The queues were ridiculously long too so I postponed the planting idea until today. 

My temper was not improved at the EU election Count in the afternoon. We zoomed through counting and were finished by 6.00 and then had to wait until 8.00 before we were able to leave. Lord!  I was so cross.  (also my own fault as I knew we had to be in line with the other countries but hadn't taken that into account)  In all honesty it wasn't really too bad though as I had nice chats with Da and Li who were also there and the table I was on was a jolly one so we had a good laugh while waiting for the clock.  

Home and looked at 'Britain's Most Historic Towns' documentary (Bristol yesterday) and 'Years and Years' which was good although a little disturbing.  


Today . . . .

. . . was actually GOOD!

An came round for coffee and so we could both do the online flight check-in for our trip to Berlin and to book our car parking.  I always have a good laugh with An.  She and I have completely different views about so many things but fortunately it never gets in the way of our friendship.  

Then I did manage to get some compost at the nursery as well as two lupins.  I really like lupins!  Then a quick lunch in the garden and a couple of hours planting and generally tidying up.  I have taken photos but will post later when the flowers have grown and will make more of a show.   

Hopefully I will get some knitting done this evening ~ I am lagging behind on a jumper which should have been for Rpie but he is growing at such a rate that it will have to be for his little sister now.  Heigh ho . . .

Back soon

Po x

Sunny Saturday

Photos
Started well this morning with a trip to Enfield to collect Dpip's photos ~ will show when I get my one up on the wall alongside Kezia, Jago, Cl and L.  I have a studio shoot for each grandchild when they are nine (although Dpip only just got in at the end of April and will be 10 on Monday!).  


New Hope

Went to the New Hope's Charity Garden Day.  The girls and I had been before yonks ago ~ when Frankie was still in a buggy!  New Hope is a Homeless Charity based in Watford and has been in existence for about 30 years although the garden event predates it.  I met Da there who had come with her daughter and two of the grandchildren and visiting family.  The local community choir were singing and there was lots to see: chickens (competing with the choir), gardens, plants and accessories to buy and tea and cakes to enjoy.  I missed out on the poetry readings as I wanted to get back home because Stella, Rpie and Npie were coming round.  Photo is of my plant haul for planting up tomorrow.


Coffee in the Shade

Stella came round with Rpie and Npie and we sat in the garden under the shade of the pine tree.  Rpie had milk and biscuits, played on the climbing frame and the swing and generally larked around with the little car and the football.  Npie was happy with anything to hand!

Stella and I had a couple of mugs of strong coffee and discussed the election, the state of the country, exams, the school system, Tennyson's 'Idylls of the King' and going to Paris.  

For some reason Rpie is obsessed with the idea of seeing the Eiffel Tower.  He was delighted to bring round and show me a rather large model of the tower which his uncle B had given him.  No-one seems to know where this yen to visit the tower has come from but the family are hoping to go on a day trip and I have wheedled an invite.  Yay!  I have never been to Paris.   

And then they went home, I tidied up a bit, listened to a podcast and read a bit of a very funny book called 'More Anguished English.  

Back soon

Po xx

Board games

Do you like board games?  And which ones do you play? 

Women's Group was a Ja's house on Wednesday evening.  I really enjoy the evenings when we are at Ja's as she always asks a question and it's interesting to hear everyone's answers.   And the board games were on the agenda this time.  

Lots of people named ones from our childhood: like 'snakes and ladders' and 'ludo' which were ones that our family played ~ although generally we played cards: rummy, Newmarket and sevens mainly.  But when I was ten and we had an afternoon of games at school to celebrate the end of the autumn term, someone brought in Monopoly ~ and I was hooked!

Later on (when we were adults) we used to hold Trivial Pursuit evenings with friends which was great fun ~ we laughed a lot and the wine flowed and altogether we had some very funny evenings indeed.  

There was one Christmas when 'The Game of Life' was all the go and one of the girls (they were both teenagers at this point) received it as a present.  It happened that that year Boogy's parents came for Christmas Day and we played one game.  One!!!

I almost lost the will to live!  It lasted about five hours ~ and it seemed like fifty five!  And I don't think we ever played it again.     

Stella and Rich introduced me to Carcassone which is another good one although I think I liked the very charming illustrations and playing pieces almost as much as I enjoyed the games.  

Another favourite ~ which I play with Stella, Rich, Kezia, J and Cl ~ is Codenames.  You play this in two teams, one against the other and I think it is my fave for the time being.  It's easier to play than to explain ~ not that it's complicated! ~ it's just that you need to see it!

And finally . . . the Exit Game.  Which is brilliant!  I tried to explain this game to friends but wasn't up to the job and made it sound very dull.  Which really it isn't!!  

So I won't even try to explain and I won't post an image because there are a variety of different scenarios (ha!).  I played with Stella, Kezia and Cl on Christmas Day and just loved it.  If you like puzzles and playing with a team then I think you would like this one.  

The EU Election 

I spent 16 hours yesterday at the polling station for the EU election.  I don't think anyone was very happy about having to hold this election it as we should by rights have left the EU by now and not need any MEPs.  The little team of three (including me) is very nice and despite everything (fairly low turnout) the day passed relatively quickly.  

Then back at the Town Hall this morning for verification of votes (just over two hours so not bad).  And back again on Sunday for the Count.  

The nice thing about the Town Hall stints is seeing people I used to work with and having a bit of a catch up.  And coffee with Da when it was all over was good too.  

Back soon

Po xx

Grandchildren . . .

Kim made me smile by asking if the grandchildren are in college yet.  Well not quite ~ although the three oldest are now taller than I am.  

Here is the bookcase in my sitting room with (from left to right:

The 3 Older Pies
J (now 14), C (now 13), Ke (now 16)

then:
The Pips
Dpip (10 next Monday), L (12), Kipip (now 7)

followed by:
Rpie  (now 3)

and finally:
Npie (born last September so almost 8 months)



I should ask the older ones if they would mind me using their 'real' names ~ they are unusual but not  (well apart from Ki) invented!  and much nicer than with the suffixes tagged on.  

That's all for now.

Back soon

Po x

Catching up ~ hahaha

I'm laughing because ~ probably! ~ more posts than any other are titled 'Catching up' or are at least the main thrust of that day's writing.

'Catching up' this time means (mainly) catching up on reading other blogs I like but also 'stuff' around the home and other activities ~ mostly enjoyable but some are very time consuming too.  

Last week was RIDICULOUS and the forthcoming one will be little better.  You would be forgiven for thinking that retirees have more time but in fact I am finding that the reverse is true.  Today I am:

• doing a little research on Tennyson and finding something to read from 'Idylls' for Tuesday's poetry goup
• preparing for a short (really short but nonetheless needs preparing!) talk at a study group on Wednesday
• writing another short piece for a newsletter (deadline Wednesday)
• reading up on what I need to do as a poll clerk on EU election day on Thursday ~ done it before so that's not too bad
• finishing a stitching project for an upcoming birthday
• sorting papers (aaarghh!)
• house work (aaarghh aaarghh!!)

Tomorrow I will probably be at the museum for a couple of hours (not sure yet ~ depends on other factors)

Dpip stayed last night (after the Cup Final ~ poor old Watford hammered 6 - 0) and we went to early mass this morning.  After that I was supposed to be helping at the Canal Festival but several gremlins made their way into the works and that had to be abandoned.  And I came home.

So why am I writing my first blog post for aeons and aeons?  Procrastination Pure and Simple.  

Best wishes to anyone who hasn't given up on this poor neglected blog.  

Back soon (crossed fingers)

Po x