Brighton

I drove down yesterday morning in time to spend the afternoon strolling down the London Road enjoying the CHAV shops and buying a few things. It was hot and humid. I made supper for the girls and me and we had an early night. Sian took Harry to Socatots this morning while Alison and I went to a furniture shop to look at Scandinavian Stressless chairs. This is one of those silly complicated things which I will now attempt to describe in as few words as possible. When I was living in LA I had two of these chairs and they were wonderfully comfortable. Of course I left them behind so bought myself a new one here in UK. It was at least twice the price of the Amer ones and the one I chose has turned out to be not as comfortable. So, when I heard that the two in LA were no longer needed, I asked to have them shipped to me. It turns out that shipping them will cost over 1000 pounds GBS. Therefore, I decided to go to the local shop to have a look at what I might buy for that 1000 pounds were I to decide not to have the Amer ones shipped. Are you still with me? To help the decision making process I have asked Franky J. to take some pictures of the Amer ones and email them to me. I await the pictures. The chair that I found this morning that I would want to have costs 1500 pounds! Alison gave it the thumbs up. She tested it by sitting in it and knitting for twenty minutes or so. Stay tuned for the final decision.

Long time, no blog

I've been busy sorting my messed up psyche. It's in pretty good shape now so I'm baaack. Alison and Sian and The Fox came for the weekend and of course that was wonderful. Harry had many chances to practice his stair skills on my stairs because they are deep, they curve (shorter distance to fall) and they have carpet below for padding. The padding was not needed. He mastered those babies in short order. I think it helps that his legs are longer now.

The next big thing is attention to my little home. I had people in to give me quotes for new blinds in the back room, a new wood floor in the back room and all the way up through the kitchen. And finally, three kitchen people out to take a look and quote for a new kitchen. The blinds and floor quotes were good and I've accepted them. I await word from the kitchen people although one of them did say he thought it would be in the neighbourhood of 30,000 pounds. He was going to hand build it all and, I guess, sacrifice the bones of his first born for cabinet handles. Needless to say I won't be going down that route. Now I await the two who work for big firms and who, hopefully, will be quite a bit more down to earth. The whole process of floor and kitchen will be very disruptive but I've finally reached the point where I can face it. I shall throw myself upon the good will of friends and neighbours who will feed me during the upheaval.

I'm going to Brighton tomorrow. I am hoping that moving up to the toddler room won't have ruined Harry. I want him to stay exactly the way he is forever. Well, actually, he can start talking. Whose sense of humour will he have? That's the big unanswered question.

Rain, rain, rain

It has been raining steadily since Friday. I know, it's good for the garden but it's not good for me or my spirits. I've had a very bad week and a nice long walk today would have been good but I can't face doing it in the rain. I'm supposed to be doing something with Adam and Rosie this afternoon. I was going to take them to the bus museum but that might not work too well with this weather. I need to continue SHED-ing (see below) in the front bedroom. All those jewels still need sorting and I need a mirror.

Home Sweet Home

I have been spending most of today SHED-ing. This is the process where you get rid of everything you possibly can to make room for the flowering forth of the new you. I was working on the bedroom where I keep all my clothes and bits and bobs. I have so many jewels you wouldn’t believe it. There has been no shed ing yet in that department but at least half of it has to go. A load of knickers went into the rubbish but there were many that had hardly if ever, been worn so they are going to Oxfam. There is something both disgusting and pleasing about giving one’s knickers to Oxfam.

I walked over to Nancy’s today for a coffee. It was a very good thing to have done. I have had some problems lately which she helped me to sort my way through. I won’t go into the details because other people are involved. I spoke to Daniel last night and he said that Nancy is very bright and she has a good heart. He’s right.

I spoke to a man today who builds kitchens. He was recommended by Colin. He will be coming around to see what needs doing, to show me some pictures and give me a hint as to the cost. It will be a big job because the old red tile floor which is beyond fixing or cleaning will have to be jack hammered out of the way before they can begin. This is because I want to have a solid wood floor running from the far end of the big back room all the way through the kitchen and I want it to be all at the same level which it wouldn’t if they laid it over the existing tiles. Got it? The next step is to talk to the floor people. Obviously, once this starts, I will be blogging about it on a regular basis complete with pictures.

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!!