On my travels again

A fairly short entry today, I caught the 7.45 am but into Hull and had plenty of time to collect my tickets before catching the  rain to Doncaster.. I had an hour in Doncaster so walked to the shopping centre just next to the station. Very modern and worth a visit another time I think. The only photos today as well!

When I got back to the station the board said that my train had been cancelled. Brief panic and then to the information desk. The lady said I could catch the one before or the one after, but on the platform the announcer said that our tickets would be valid on the one after at 11.48 am. A bit more time to kill then when the train was arriving they didn’t appear to mention Peterborough as a stop. I raced back to the guard, and no it wasn’t stopping at Peterborough! Great, but a lady rail worker on the platform said I could catch the next one. Panic over and the eventual train wasn’t too crowded. Rachel and Skip were at the station when I arrived and had a quick cuppa with them before they took me over to Orton to see Margherita and Rose. Very nice time with them, showed them photos from the holiday thanks to the iPad and Margherita and I had a game of Scrabble. I caught the bus back and arrived at Rachel’s in time for us to go out to dinner at the Paul Pry. After that we relaxed and watched an episode of George Gently.

Service at Wassand Hall

This morning I was out early for a walk before I went to the shop. The sun was very bright on the sea so it is really difficult to take photos then as you just can't see what you are taking.

As you can see from that third off kilter one!
Walking back through the remembrance garden I took this picture of a sea of white daisies.

Back home to have breakfast and change and then to the shop. Not the best of mornings, very hot and between serving I spent about three hours trying to untangle a box full of necklaces and bangles.
This afternoon I sorted out the packing and then when Tina's meeting had finished we had coffee and cake at the garden centre and got some special hose for keeping flower beds watered. The front flower beds here don't get wet even when it rains as the house has really big eaves. I got some butterfly garden ornaments that were on offer.

This evening I went along with Tina to a Deanery songs of praise held in the grounds of Wassand Hall. A nice service and a new vicar was licensed at it as well. Took a few pics of the grounds as we were leaving.

Must have a proper visit there, opens infrequently and just during the summer. 
I watered the gardens and we had chicken and chips which was very nice. Early start tomorrow.

Cards and crows!

I didn’t walk early today but did walk to Freeport and back later on. I went and checked the garden, we have a nest of bees under the eaves  utility room and the noise is quite loud when you ar near them. Getting a pictur against the light was hard.

Apparently they are tree bees and unite harmless, they certainly take no notice of me when I am near them. I walked up to Freeport and had a coffee before the shops opened. The craft course was good, making a “shaker card”, which I had never done before. A bit fiddly but they are fun.

I went to the bed store and ordered a four foot bed to be delivered next week, that will be lower and bigger, more room for the cat! Tina and I had tried to get an answer at a house with pieces of wood for sale outside, on the way home there was somebody in so I purchased two, one will be for a number plate for the front garden as delivery men have trouble finding us! The man kindly dropped them off for me as I was already laden.

I was laden because Mags’s mum and some other lovely ladies have been knitting the vests and hats for the ‘fish and chip babies’. One had also made a lovely baby shawl.

 

When I got home I noticed crows with a baby in the garden, as I  have mentioned both Tina and I love the crows. Little did I think that a bit later, hearing a commotion and much crow calling, I would be rescuing the baby from the greenhouse! That was a challenge as it was under one fo the benches and flapping frantically with the parents shrieking outside! But all was well and the cats weren’t around at the time.

I decided to make another shaker card as Mags had given me a spare blank card. I made the inner lining with thick card rather that two pieces of craft foam sheets.

Watching the football now, did manage to get all the watering done before it started.

 

Back home and back in routine

I went out early for a walk, a house that I have passed before but now with roses all round it resembles a typical country cottage.

I walked up to the sea, not overly attractive or different today but good to glimpse it again.

Some flowers in the front garden, the second one is a bud of the first, and I am thrilled to see the se holly.

Some very tiny plug plants arrived when I was away that needed potting on. 

I went to get changed and have a drink and sit down before I got on with it. The cats had obviously made themselves at home when I was away, they looked very comfortable!

I went outside and set up an area in the shade to work.

Maybe a picture of the planted up results tomorrow.

When I went to the shop I saw these jars at a little shop that has all sorts of odds and ends. I thought they would be good to fill it sweets or mini mince pies as presents or for a bazaar.

A course at Freeport tomorrow, then probably more gardening. I have watered and dead headed today.

Two days worth, lots of travelling!

Yesterday morning I was out before seven again and this time I did walk round the lake again. It was bright and sunny but not so humid. Took some more pictures of th very lovely area around and across the lake.

The steam rising was quite atmospheric. Patty had asked me if I had seen the turtles, I was not lucky enough to see them basking in th water, but on this occasion, out in the centre was a solo turtle, only got one photo as it slipped back into the water. Was pleased with this one.

I took this last one as I was about to head black to the house.

Looking at the trees reminds me of a moment I forgot to relate the other day. I have seen a few dog walkers but nothing compared to home, but the other morning an animal raced across the road ahead of me and I thought .’that’s a big dog on the loose’, then the penny dropped that it had actually been a deer! 

Back to yesterday, I thought I would go in the pool before I finished packing but Rebecca beat me to it and she does about 200 laps, so I sat and watched her.

I did go in for a few laps when she had finished. Then I showered and finished packing. I went out for lunch with Lee and the children and we went to King Kone , and we had savoury not ice cream!

From there we went to Katonah where the girls and I did a bit of shopping, the guys found a shady spot as the day had become increasingly mor humid.

Lee and I set off for the airport just before three, the traffic was absolutely dreadful, made me feel really bad, I am hoping that his journey home was q lot better. He waited while I got checked in and I had to go through security.that rally is not fun, the lines are chaotic and even though you had to self register your passport you still had to walk in an endless snake to eventually be checked by a person anyway! So I didn’t have a lot of time to fill, the plane was late taking off because the crew had got caught in traffic. It was a good flight and the pilot made up the time. I walked to the station, the train was packed and I was crammed in with a man who appeared to b writing a book and eating some very smelly food! It left late and then got behind slow trains so it was about half an hour behind schedule by the time I got to York. Darren as waiting on the platform and we stopped for a drink on the way back here.

Tina has gone out but I had flowers waiting for me, and  lunch and milk in the fridge.

Tina has been watering the plants but it has been really hot and dry so some were looking in need of an extra drink. So I did some watering. The sweet peas and sunflowers have come on fabulously while I was away.

These both grown from seed so very pleasing. I am really not as tired as I should be as I doubt I have had an hours sleep in the last twenty seven hours!

The rain arrives for Rebecca’s birthday/graduation party!

I went for a walk again this morning, only half an hour or so but I have gone out every day. There are wild lilies on a lot of the verges, only just about to open.

I have also noticed a few of these stripy grasses, will try and find something similar for the garden at home.

Just a general ‘get ready’ day then as the day of the party had arrived. Lee, Kate, Mark and me went out for lunch and collected the ice for the cool buckets. I did sit out by the pool for a while and took a picture of the house and the pool from where I was sitting.

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The weather has been dry and lovely all week, today the forecast was for rain and storms at just about the time of the party, and sure enough it arrived.

But it stopped quite quickly and the guests gathered outside.

Then the storm arrived and it was pitch black outside, so everyone came in and pizza and snacks were enjoyed. The storm and rain passed and everyone went outside again.

Then it was cake time.

A group photo and a relaxing mom.

Well done Patty and Lee, a great success.