Swimming

Actually I'll just mention cos it's a nice memory for myself: J and Tim and Tim's sisters and cousins and Becky all swimming yesterday. Played piggy in the middle. Lady who owns pool sitting in shade in her wheelchair watching and  enjoying it. She's getting very frail, had had another fall.

Very hot.

Welcome to our world

Welcome little Prince George.

P gloating cos he said name would be George. George was my grandad's name. In J's class at primary school there were 4 Georges so obviously popular again.

Fingers quite painful so will have a little blogging break.

Exciting

So excited about news of Royal baby's imminent arrival. Feel for poor Kate though. Hopefully will soon be over.

Our future king or queen is about to be born. Wow.

J says it won't  be my king or queen cos I'll be too old. I suppose he's right.

Day out

Went round stately home and gardens today but we only lasted a few hours because so HOT. There was a whole line of people standing in shade by hedge eating ice creams so we joined them. We've joined English Heritage so can go back another time to finish looking round.

J still a bit under the weather. Don't suppose heat helps.

Had a break from heat yesterday - was quite cloudy and cool.

A couple from our old church turned up at new church. Were quite impacted by service and were telling me about their (very difficult) family problems. Prayed with them a bit. Poor things.

Still hot

Still HOT and they say will get hotter. Really haven't done much today except be slaughtered at Risk by J. He always wins.

J and I had a bit of a squabble last night. He thought I wasn't appreciating his help with the computer + he thinks I'm a bit deliberately obtuse when it comes to the computer + he doesn't understand why I don't 'have a life' and do things other people do like go out to work, meet friends etc + he's still feeling under the weather + pressure of school getting to him a bit + he's a teenager. 

He and P went to the cinema this afternoon - time to myself, bliss (not that I don't enjoy their company).

Ate a fig from our tree this morning - seriously yum. 

Sweltering

Still sweltering. last night in bed was lying there trying to expose as much of me as possible to cool air when 'neeoweeeee...' That's meant to be the sound of a gnat. Woke P up to kill it but he couldn't find it so had to sleep with sheet pulled up round my ears. (Talking of ears did you read in the paper about that woman who went to Peru and got a fly in her ear but thought nothing of it then got back to UK and had pain and a strange scratching noise in her ear. Maggots. She had maggots in her ear, threatening to eat through to her brain. Doctors managed to get them out which must have been a relief really). Anyway I wasn't being totally selfish by waking P up as, while gnat bites are annoying for me, he and J are quite allergic to them and their bites can swell up like eggs.

Just took Mavis and Blackie to vet. Three cats yowling and a dog barking all at once but also a box of really cute puppies. Blackie did ok. I sat with him in car with windows open while P and M went into Co-op.

Getting all blankets, throws and sleeping bags washed. There's a lot to be said for this weather. 

Can't believe it's the end of term already. J actually went to school today, said felt a bit better.

Still no sign of Royal baby. Don't envy Kate, being pregnant in this heat.

Still sooo hot

Soooo hot. Our house tends to be cool but at the moment it's getting quite warm in here.

P arranged tables for coffee morning in quite an artistic horse-shoe. There were flowers on each table (left over from a funeral but we weren't to tell anyone). It looked really nice. Some of the roses were interesting - white with purple edges.

Problem at coffee morning is it tends to split into 3 groups: elderly ladies, elderly men and those who don't fit into either. Mavis goes in the latter because she doesn't really do social skills (can't help it she's had a terrible life). I sit next to her as I don 't want her to sit on her own. It's fine when Becky comes but if not it can be just me and Mavis in the corner which isn't ideal for either of us. Village agent was there this morning who gets on well with Mavis.

This is probably all a bit boring to read.

So what's happening that's exciting? Dunno. J still ill. Hope to get him back to school tomorrow. P fixing trailer. Vegetables growing well. Have got loads of washing done and dry. Got some nice new feet-supporting sandals on ebay (brand new). Really comfy.

Took J for heart scan yesterday - nothing to worry about, just follow up from funny turn after cross country last year. In and out in under half an hour. Said it made him feel more ill. 

Last night in bed felt really close to God. Feel like He's about to do something in my life.

J sick again

Hot, hot, hot.

J says he's got labyrinthitis symptoms again so back in bed. Was hoping he'd make it to end of term, only 3 days to go :(

Saturday

Yesterday afternoon went to Gardening Society Show which we didn't enter this year. Fewer entries than normal, perhaps because of poor spring weather. Some of cookery entries didn't look very appetising - a couple of the judges' comments said 'pastry raw and filling raw'.

In evening went to Family House Group. Good time. Resident dog very boisterous - nearly knocked me over, kept trying to mate with people's legs (not mine thankfully) and several times put nose in food on table. He will be better once he's 'been done' apparently.

HOT!

Seriously HOT today. Church had stall at a fair so was helping as in scooting around giving out leaflets to people (not really my sort of thing). Went ok and loads of interest in stall but around midday the heat really got too much for me. We went home then P went back later but I didn't. This evening went swimming (as in me sitting in water) with J and Tim. Water lovely.

Wasn't sure pool would be open this year as lady who owns it has been quite ill. She phoned up the other day and said it was available. She was sitting in wheelchair in garden today. Had had another fall yesterday. Problem is her bathroom is quite narrow so when she falls in there it's hard to get her out.

It's been so wonderful being able to use the pool. Don't know how would have got J through childhood without it.

Baby names

Ok this is my guess for the royal baby.

I think it's a girl and will be called Elizabeth or possibly Charlotte.

Wonder what a boy would be called. Henry? Richard? George? Dunno.

I'm probably completely wrong.

Must be a hard decision for them, choosing a name. It will after all go down in history.

Exciting.

New game

There is this new game on the internet that J and I have been playing:  GeoGuessr, which is actually a really good game. You get put somewhere in the world, can be anywhere (as long as it's been google street-viewed) and have to work out where you are. It's very educational especially for someone like me who's a bit rubbishy at Geography. Last night my guess was only 9000 km away from where it should have been, probably as bad as you can get I suppose. Did have one which was 0.01 though. 

A few health issues

I have this problem at the moment, well ok I have several problems:

1. M.E. not any better.
2. Arthritis in fingers not any better.
3. Arthritis in toes getting worse - ouch.
4. Bone scan showed osteoporosis in spine worse, actually really quite bad. Hips haven't got any worse over last 4 years which is something I suppose. Which would I rather have: hips or a spine? I'm going to see a consultant anyway. Think I'd like a spine really. A nice intact healthy one.

Sooo...when people ask 'How are you?' what am I supposed to say?

Still, crazy as it may seem to some people, I believe God is going to heal me.

A huff in skates

Son got in a huff because I put a bit on facebook about him putting the laptop on his head. What I think is: if you don't want your mum posting on fb about you putting a laptop on your head then don't put a laptop on your head.

Actually, huff occurred while he was wearing ice-skates and resulted (accidentally) in P's shoe getting cut. Oh dear. P not very happy.

J doing well at skating by the way.

As for the washing up bowl, birds can carry Campylobacter and other diseases? Doesn't he know that?

Give me strength

Sometimes I wonder about the people with whom I live (as in husband and son).

Son: the other morning when I was still in bed I asked him to bring me the laptop. He returned carrying it on his head.

Hubs: thinks the bowl he uses to wash bird droppings off the car is ok to use as a washing up bowl when we go camping. No it's not!

Summer hols?

This morning was a lot cooler and quite cloudy but now (3 pm) it's hot again.

School holidays just around the corner. J has already accepted that he will have to work at English during hols. Just had email from head of languages saying she expects Year 10s to be doing three lots of 30 minute revision sessions each week over the summer. What? They have a speaking assessment a couple of weeks after going back in September so I supposed she's worried they'll have forgotten everything.

Honestly though I never did any work during the school summer holidays and I got a degree and had a career and all that. Suppose things are different now.

A hot day and a dead snake

There seems to be something missing in the afternoon now. 

Today it's HOT. Great for catching up on our backlog of washing. Almost too hot though. Actually must make some juice lollies.

Was just scooting up our drive with P when I said 'Is that a plastic snake?' No it wasn't, it was a real one but dead. An adder. A grass snake. Looked like it had been dropped by a bird. He's brought it into the house and photographed it. I'm a bit nervous about having it indoors cos what if it wasn't really dead, just unconscious and it wakes up and slithers off and hides somehwhere? He says don't be silly, if it was alive it's tongue would keep shooting in and out. Oh, ok.

And another thing

At weigh-in yesterday I'd lost two pounds. Slowly and steadily it's shifting.

Have just had one chocolate because I'm celebrating but honestly it's the first in ages.

What I did on a day that will go down in sporting history

This morning did the pre-Communion talk at church. Seriously scared but went ok. Then had monthly church lunch at pub up the road. About 20 of us there. Couple who got married back from honeymoon - in Egypt. Glad they left before trouble started.

Then popped in to 'old church' picnic. Chatted to quite a lot of people. Two new babies there. Aaah.

Then watched tennis...

ANDY DOES IT!

YES!!!

( I cried )

Trip to the vet and more tennis

This morning we took Mavis and her cat to the vet as it was time for Blackie's annual check-up. Now to some extent I like animals - I had a cat Mitzi, a dog Rusty and a large number of rodents (due to our inability to tell boy gerbils from girl gerbils it was actually a very large number of rodents) including dear Digger and Nibble my white bunny who sadly died in childbirth. I loved them all. The trouble is that since becoming a microbiologist I know too much about animals and germs.

I went into the vet's and said: 'I can't sit on those chairs they've got hair all over them.' and everyone looked at me like 'What is wrong with you?' I gingerly sat down and we waited.

Then this woman came in with a Yorkshire terrier puppy on her shoulder and everyone was oohing and aahing over it. Then she kissed it. On the lips.

Seriously, grossly, YUK. 

Turned out Blackie should have fasted for his blood test so we'll have to go back. Can't wait.

Afterwards we popped into the Co-Op quickly while Blackie filled the car with the stench of warm cat. 

'That took all morning,' I said as we got home.

The phone rang. 'I left my credit card in the Co-Op,' said Mavis.

After lunch which included our own lettuces and radishes P sorted out Mavis and I watched the ladies' semi-finals. Poor Flipkens. Second match between Lisicki and Radwanska brilliant.

The question is now: can Andy do it?

Quick Wash to the rescue

Our trusty Dyson washing machine gave up the ghost a few weeks ago and they no longer make the part we needed. We got a new Siemens and P and I have been debating which is better. He said the Dyson because, being the person who loads and unloads, he appreciated the larger door. I prefer the range of programmes on the Siemens. Anyway tonight, 20 minutes before we had to leave for his school concert, J announced:
 'I've run out of school shirts.'
15 minute Quick Wash to the rescue - shirts washed and drying in the evening sun and we still got to concert on time. Ha!

Concert really good. J playing steel pans. Several brilliant performances. Sad thing is may be J's last concert as the Head of Music is leaving and not sure if anyone will take over steel pans. Also this time next year he'll have officially left (although will be back for 6th form).

Where does the time go?

Family visit

My brother came to visit for a few days. Also my niece and her sort-of-cousin popped in. Nice to see them all.

Wimbledon excitement

Back to the subject of Wimbledon I turned it on last Wednesday afternoon to watch Blake versus Tomic and there were our friends Louise and Steve sitting in the front row! Could see them really well. They made a last minute decision to go so I didn't know they'd be there. Exciting.

Just for the record for  when I read this in future years this has been a really strange Wimbledon: Nadal, Federer, Sharapova and Serena Williams all out before the quarter finals. A lot of the players slipped and fell.

Today

Haven't been able to type recently as fingers achey and had eye-strain; latter probably due to spending last week and this simultaneously watching one tennis match on TV and one on the laptop. 

So relieved Andy got through this evening. Phew!

At coffee morning today. A bit sad as one lady who regularly attended died last week. She had been at 'old church' for years and years, since before my time. She had a liver transplant over 20 years ago and was amazing - doing loads of charity work, gardening, painting, holidays abroad etc. She had a hip replacement a few weeks ago and there were some complications but she had recovered well and was back home when she collapsed - her liver just gave up. Still I don't think she would have felt any pain.

This morning one of the ladies at coffee had a funny turn - got a pain in her back, went clammy and a bit confused. A bit scary really. They called a paramedic but we went home and left them to it and haven't heard outcome yet.

Man who runs it was back for a visit. Recovering well after his stroke but not back to his usual self.