Matinee Soiree

I had the coffee group at my house this morning. The weather was beautiful and we were able to sit outside. If anything, it was too hot in the sun. Lots of people roamed around the garden and Judith conducted a tour telling people what they were seeing. I would like to have an outdoor meal one day with tables and chairs on the lawn. It is too bad the weather is not predictable because a meal needs to be planned in advance. The garden, under Judith's hard work, has come along beautifully. We decided not to enter it in the open garden day this year because it is "a work in progress" according to Judith. We'll open it next year when it will be really magnificent.

Garden

Here are a couple of garden pictures. Everything is growing beautifully, even the potatoes. I also will have tomatoes, carrots, runner beans and onions (I think).




Judith and I have been taking the ugly chips to the tip and I even took two carloads myself on Sunday. The weather continued warm and sunny till last night. I awoke to the sound of rain. We need it now although I did buy more hosepipe yesterday. I also bought an electric saw because, unfortunately, the wisteria is encroaching badly on the exit space from the back door. It was planted over 50 years ago and is a beautiful specimen. I'm not getting rid of it altogether, just cutting off one of the main branches after flowering. I also started a garden map. I have so many new plants of which I know not the names. I'm going to turn into one of those old gnarled English garden women. Could be worse.

A beautiful weekend

It's 8:30 and the sun is shining through my back window. We are promised a beautiful sunny weekend. I shall continue moving the chips because Judith wants to plant a Victoria plum tree which she will espalier against the back wall (where the chips are now). Two other things for today are to carry on SHED-ing and go to the gym. I had two boozy dinner party evenings this past week and they have taken their toll. But first I have to go to Nigel's coffee morning. It is a Saturday fixture where I catch up with the neighbourhood. I'm having it here at my house next week and I'm hoping for good weather so that I can show off my garden.

SHED-ing II

I'm still sheding but I have had to divert my activity to the garden which has a huge pile of chippings from trees that were pruned two years ago. Judith, my gardening person, and I have been filling garden sacks with these chippings and driving them to the tip for dumping. They weigh a ton. I think we have made five trips of seven sacks each time and we are not finished. I also must say that it is Judith who shovels the chips into the sacks. I help with the loading of the car and the dumping at the tip. It's exhausting. It's a good thing I don't have to make my living as a labourer. I'd be on the bread line.

Speaking of bread, I am doing quite well at Fat Fighters. I gained four pounds while I was away in SA but I've lost it again. I still have ten pounds to go and I feel quite enthusiastic and hopeful. *Note to Anonymous* - you could try Sheding for weight loss but I think Tapping might be better. I know you were probably joking but I'm serious and I could help you with that over the phone. Bet you can't wait!

SHED-ing

Hi everyone, I'm SHED-ing. The process comes from a book that Alison gave me. Of course it's a self help book and its purpose is to "shed" all the old useless stuff in your life, physical, schedules and habits. I am going to approach the physical by dividing the house into rooms and taking them one at a time. So far I have done the front sitting room. Before starting this process, you have to decide on a goal to define your new life. Mine is creativity. You look at or pick up each object in the room to decide whether it will fit with your new self. One category she lists which suits me to a tee is bad furniture. I have several examples of that category. I took some half broken side tables to the tip today and I plan to continue in that vein. The most difficult room will be the back room with all the books and papers. I am leaving it to the end so that I can see some progress as I move along.

More pics

This is the lovely young man who took us on a tour of Soweto


Colleen and I in the shadow of Mandela


This speaks for itself


Here I am feeding the giraffe (not in the wild)


Ditto


Now I have posted nine pictures - only 520 to go!!

Pictures

Here am I getting up close with a couple of lion cubs. The full grown white lion was observed from the safety of the car. The zebra were in the visitors enclosure but not close enough to touch. The bats were in a belfry where we stopped for lunch inside Kruger game park.

Back to reality

I was two days back from South Africa and went to an all day Tapping class. Okay, you don't know what that is do you? So I'll tell you. It is a method for dealing with all sorts of problems, both physical and emotional. I heard about it from Jane Frances and was sufficiently intrigued to sign up. Essentially, it is some kind of weird way of defining a problem and then going through a tapping sequence on the meridian points while repeating a version of the problem with the addition of a self affirming phrase. Okay, you think I've lost my mind but I did a round of it on the pain in my right leg that has been bothering me for quite awhile and it had gone away by last night. So there! doubting Thomases. Next I'm going to work on my bad attitude. I love this crazy stuff. I'm even thinking of doing a little Past Life Regression. Don't worry. I have a firm grip on reality; I'm just having fun.

South Africa

Tomorrow is my last day. I will be back in the UK early on Thursday. Too much has happened for me to write about here. I'll do it when I get home and I'll have pictures then. I have taken about 400 pictures. I love my camera. I also love my inlaws. Excellent people. See you soon British friends and relations.