A very special day

Every time I come back here I think I really should do it more often!  Anyway, today I have something to tell you that is actually quiet interesting.
On my mum's side of the family we have relatives in Canada. It's a long story about how I managed to make contact with them and introduce the East Coast family to their cousins on the West Coast that they didn't even know they had.  We have been e-mailing for a few years now and a few weeks ago, my mum's first cousin, Buzz (short for Robert) said that his grandaughter was graduating from St Andrew's University in Edinburgh (yes, that one!) and so he and two of his daughters were coming over for that and, long story short, they came to visit us yesterday.
This meant I had to tidy the house.  Those of you who know me will know what this means. (LOL)
They arrived at about 11.45 and we talked until 17.30, with pauses for tea, food, tea, more food and tea.  Isn't it funny how you feel like you've been best friends forever when you've only just met.
We swopped life stories, even managed to talk a bit about religion and politics, and I now have a lovely stack of Canadian magazines to read and some goodies for my Christmas hamper.
Having planned for both mum and OH to have a rest in the afternoon, neither of them wanted to.  I was amazed at how mum kept going all day and didn't even seem to get tired or uncomfortable, although she is a bit dozy this morning.  I must also pay tribute to OH who was a star and helped a lot with the housework beforehand and did his bit in keeping everyone entertained.  Quite a lot of the time there were three conversations on the go, we kept swopping talking partners so everyone got to know everyone.
It was a very special day, I think we all felt that and I really hope they will be able to come again before too long

Watch this space!

What with one thing and another ( that being my husband and my mother!) and this that and t’other, I have made a decision.  Those of you who know me will be amazed and mystified, but there it is. A decision!  And that decision is, that I am going to make an effort – a monumental effort – to blog more often and to start trying to sell a few crafty things and to push my Etsy and e-bay sales and to have lots of fun making things and to not mind too much if nobody ever buys anything.

But I need your advice.  Do I start a whole new crafty type blog and keep it separate from this one, or do I re-vamp this one.  My feeling is the latter, as I have a few followers here already and a mixture of my musings as well as my crafting might be more interesting.  What do you think?  There's my other blog too, which I used so I could post larger format photos. Maybe that’s the one I should use for the craft stuff.  You see, making one decision was enough for my poor little tired brain. So, what do you think?

Going, going, gone!

Today I did something I haven’t done for a very long time. I went to an auction.

Now, in a previous life, very many years ago, I used to do a little bit of buying and selling with a boyfriend. We did Antique Fairs to start with and then later had stands in a couple of Antique Centres. It was only a hobby and when we split up I carried on for a while, but it was too difficult trying to work full time and get out to auctions and fairs, especially when I took a day off and came back with nothing.

Recently I got the urge to start poking around in charity shops and antique places again and then my husband asked me to look out for a couple of things in the furniture line so I decided to go and have a look at our local weekly auction.  A couple of weeks ago I went to the Saturday viewing and left some bids but didn’t get anything. This week there was a little chest of drawers that was just the thing, plus a few boxes of bits and pieces that I had taken a fancy to so I went along this morning to try my luck.

I was impressed by my self-discipline.  I didn’t bid for anything that I hadn’t looked at first and I made myself a note of what certain figures turned into by the time the commission and VAT had been added.

There’s no fear of sneezing and finding you have just bought an oil painting – you have to register your name and address and prove your identity, and then they give you a big number on a laminated card which is how the auctioneer knows who to put the bid down to.  If he’s not sure (I’m saying he, because it was a he where I was, but there are, of course, lady auctioneers about too) then he will ask if you are bidding.

In my professional life I did bid for houses on behalf of clients a few times, because they were too nervous to do it themselves, so I was quite confident about that.

Anyway, I didn’t go mad, I didn’t go over my limits, so I didn’t get all the things I had hoped for, and, unfortunately, I didn’t get the piece of furniture which was what started this all off  in the first place.  I had a nice gap in the catalogue which meant I could go to the tea room for a bacon roll and a comfort break and a wander round the market stalls that they have in the grounds there.

Now I’ve got it home I’m wondering whether maybe I have made a bit of a mistake with some things, but it hasn’t cost me that much and it has been an interesting experience but I don’t think I will be doing it again for quite a while! 

Simple things

It's funny how the very simple things can make you smile (and no, I am not talking about my husband although someone might want to make that comment - you know who you are) When I was a child and into my teens we didn't have a washing machine, and then we had a twin tub which was very heavy and unwieldy and when it went wrong we didn't replace it. So, washing day really was a job for the whole day, just like my nana used to do. She had to boil the copper first. We had to light the fire or put the immersion on, so that wasn't so bad. The sheets were the worst things, and they had to be done in the bath. So, I just love it when I get home from shopping and come into the house and hear the washing machine churning merrily away. That's the sort of multi-tasking I appreciate, doing the washing and the shopping at the same time. You young'uns, hah! don't know what hard work is etc etc mutter mutter.
By the way, if you didn't catch my Christmas/12th night ghost story, in my previous post, please do read it and offer me your sincere criticism

A story for 12th Night

It may or may not be Twelfth Night tonight. It seems there is some confusion. The Wikipedia entry is HERE if you want to read more.

I have been enjoying the sensory journey inspired and led by my friend over at Grethic's Grethicia and the deal was that those of us who felt inclined should submit a ghost story to end the party. This is mine

I fell in love with that apartment the moment I saw it. A huge open plan space on the top floor of what had been a flour mill. There were big windows with panoramic views across the river to the city and the previous owners had left several framed photographs of what it had looked like before the development.
I felt safe, being high above the street outside. I didn't want to leave. It was still warm enough some evenings to leave a window open in the bedroom and I could hear the faint sounds of cars and people passing by. Sometimes there would be a river boat with a crowd of revellers, noisier when they came back up river than when they had gone down. But they were far enough away to be a happy sound, not a disturbance.
It was only when the weather had turned colder that I realised that there were sounds inside as well. And smells. Things I had assumed were coming in from outside were still there. The first thing was a smell of coffee, early in the morning. It would wake me and for a moment I would forget that I was alone now. Once I even called out his name and when I realised he was not in the kitchen anymore I felt desolate. Then the lighting started to play up. I didn't really understand how it worked, it was almost as if you just had to think the lights on and off, although I'm sure there must have been a timer that I had set and forgotten about, or some sort of sensor. I seem to have forgotten so much about the details now. I liked to sit in the dark earlier in the evening and watch the lights coming on in the windows of offices and other buildings in the distance and see the headlamps and brake lights on the cars as the traffic built up on the main road. It was fascinating and I promised myself that one day I would get myself a pair of binoculars and see what I could see in some of those windows. Then as the nights drew in, the lights in the hall and dining room would come on before I wanted them too. I would turn them off again and then a few minutes later they would be back on.
I started to feel that I wasn't alone after all. Faint sounds began to encroach, a child laughing and the clinking of glasses, and I was sure that they were not coming from outside. The first real fright came when I went into the bedroom one night and I could hear breathing. It seemed to be coming from the direction of the bed but I couldn't put the light on. I stood very still, trying to filter out the increasingly loud beating of my own heart, my own breathing starting to keep time with what I could hear. Suddenly a bedside lamp glowed and I could see a child, her faced contorted with terror. We screamed together.
After that I began to see her more and more. In the bedroom at night, in the kitchen sometimes, especially when the smell of that coffee was strong. I found that if I could turn away before she looked at me then she disappeared, but if she noticed me then her face would change - although after a few days we stopped screaming at each other.
It all gets a bit vague after that but the thing that I will never forget is the day the priest came. I wasn't feeling very well and I suppose someone must have called him because they were worried about me, although I can't think now who that was. I was standing in the middle of the bedroom, the priest was by the door and the child was standing between me and the bed. The priest said some sort of prayer and then smiled. "Don't worry, my dear, I don't think she will bother you any more" My head started to spin and when I turned round the child was still there. She was smiling at the priest as though I was invisible. I looked at him again and realised that it was her he was smiling at, not me. Then I started to feel faint......

It's been a long time

Three months, more than that in fact! I am a failed blogger, my Twitter profile admits it so it must be true! But as I had the temerity to put this blog address on my Christmas letter I thought I'd better write something. Anyone who has been here before will know that I was determined only to write positive things and I am pleased to say that I can now do so, as my mum has been succesfully treated for breast cancer and my husband has come to terms with loosing an eye. Yes, I know, sounds awful doesn't it - but it has been an extraordinary 6 months and a steep learning curve on all sorts of levels and I think we have all emerged stronger for the experiences.
I didn't get round to making all my Christmas cards but I have done some and you can see a selection over at NC&NF (click HERE) if you want to.
At least I am a bit ahead of myself now and getting things done in good time. There are lots of cuttings in the little greeh house and maybe I will manage to keep them alive until Spring. This time last year we had been under a lot of snow for a month so that's something else to be grateful for. All in all life is pretty good. I hope it is for you too.

Perfect Sunday

Yesterday was such a very particularly lovely day. I took the morning service at a little chapel in Trimley St Martin. The original building was badly damaged in the hurricane that came in the 80s so it is a modern building now, with the most stunning stained glass window. One of my cousins and a friend of his came to the service too and then back for dinner and the timer on my oven worked, so we ate on time (Hurrah!) Then the daughter of one of my other cousins popped in with her husband and two boys and it was hugs all round and a cup of tea. After they went cousin no 1 did some very helpful bits of DIY for us while I took his friend for a walk. It was a day filled with love and fun and friendship and was just perfect from beginning to end

Trip to T&M

At the end of July I went for a look round the trial grounds of Thompson and Morgan A friend had the opportunity to get tickets for a private view, prior to their open weekend. Another friend came with us. Now I have known these two friends since we were 11, we were all at school together, but they hadn't seen each other since my 21st birthday party, which is a couple of years ago now (!)
It was lovely to see so many flowers all together and we all bought some very reasonably priced plants and we all talked and talked and talked and it was a lovely day. Everone was given a free packet of verbena seeds and a little blue verbascum plant - a new variety and quite expensive in the catalogue so I hope I can keep mine alive! When we got back to mine we all took some cuttings of each others plants too, so far most of mine are surviving! I took a lot of photos and some of them are over on the other blog, just click HERE

Days Out Part 2

Today was my birthday. By coincidence, it happened to be the day that my friend Heather over at Random Ramblings and I had made an appointment to have our feet nibbled by fishes. It's all the rage at the moment and there are a few places around where we live but I did a bit of ringing round and was impressed by the information I was given by a nice young lady at Beauty Rituals in Melton so that was where we decided to go. I was chauffeured in style by H in her nice new car. Although it is hidden away a bit on the Wilford Bridge Road business estate, the interior of the premises are very well done and we received a warm welcome. We had our feet checked briefly and then climbed onto a high bench - very comfortable though - and gently put our feet into the tank. We probably looked as though we were in great pain but it didn't hurt a bit. It tickled. It really REALLY TICKLED! But after a minute or two that wore off, well for most of the time, and then it was just a very pleasant pins and needly sort of feeling. I must say that I was surprised how nice it was and how nice my feet felt afterwards. Unfortunately H has tastier feet than mine so next time I shall go on my own. They have a salon and do various other things too so have a look at the web site. I think I shall be treating myself again
After that we went into Woodbridge for me to get the rest of my present from my husband. I had bought a skirt and was looking for some tops to go with it and found some - amazingly - so hubby is stumping up the cash, bless him. Then we went to the restaurant at The Riverside and had a lovely lunch. An enormous roasted red onion and goats cheese salad for me and a duck leg confit with noodles for H. We had some pre-prandial nibbles, sweet potato chips and crunchy broad beans with a sour cream and chilli jam dip. The puds looked lovely but we didn't have any room.

Days Out Part 1

This Monday it was a lovely day, the forecast was good, and so we decided to visit Stonham Barns and, more particularly Suffolk Owl Sanctuary . This is somewhere we used to go quite often but haven't been since we moved nearly 4 years ago. The place is very much the same except that, thankfully, the landlords have tidied up the paths etc a bit, so they are much easier to push the wheelchair across. There were some birds we hadn't seen before, like the first picture below which is a yellow headed caracara. It makes a lot of noise ALL the time.



There were two flying displays. The one at 12.30 was fairly well attended but when we went back for the 2.30 there was only us and three others so we were able to ask lots of questions and see the birds much closer to thyan usual.
The barn owl is called Cobweb. The owls are very focussed so if something distracts them it can be difficult to get them to come back into their display routine. On the other hand, they can be so fixed in the routine that - well, the story he told us was from when some yob broke in and let all the birds out. Most of them were retrieved but an owl was missing for a while, but then came back one night and started doing the routine on its own. The handler had been camping out in the hope it would come back so they did their display at three o'clock in the morning, reinforcing the birds attachement to the handler and, more importantly, the food source!





All the birds are bred in captivity. Some are bred from wild birds that have been injured and cannot survive in the wild but have a good life at the Sanctuary. It's the only bit of Stonham Barns that we really go to see. The shops seem to be much the same and the antique shop is closing down, which is a shame in a way although it did mean I was not tempted to spend any money ! We took a picnic too, that way we know we will be getting something we really like, although in hindsight, maybe chicken sandwiches was a bit tactless.




The picture above is of a very rare bird indeed. The Seldom Spotted Husband is a shy creature that prefers to hide under any available hat. Its mating call sounds like "isthereanycake"

And here's some more of the feathered variety

All change!

Life has been a bit complicated this last few weeks and I really had to wait until I was feeling more positive before I told you all about it. True to my brief of only posting positive posts I won't go into all the details of how OH managed to hurl himself out of his wheelchair at The Heath and damage his right eye sufficiently to make it unlikely that he will ever get the sight back. For the first couple of weeks I needed a spreadsheet to work out when all the drops and cream and antibiotics had to be down and I had to neglect my mum a bit, in spite of her own mini crisis which we will come to in a minute.

The decision has been made that OH will not drive anymore so I am going to sell my car and drive his instead. We need to use his because of the space in the boot for the wheelchair and the electric hoist but at the moment I still have to use my own car for my own purposes and only drive his when I am taking him somewhere, due to various laws about these things so there's a bit of sorting out to do before that change can take place. It means I shall have to get my personal auto-pilot reset to driving the automatic rather than the manual. At the moment when I drive the automatic I keep saying "don't change gear, don't change gear" and then when I get into mine I forget to change gear for a few minutes! That may make me look a bit of a nit-wit but trying to change gear in the automatic can do real damage.

It's going to mean quite a big change in our lives too as he has effectively wiped out what bit of independence he had and will be totally reliant on me to go out, so I shall have to make sure that appointments for me, mum and him co-ordinate!

Then, the day after it happened we got an offer on mum's flat. Those of you in the UK will know that the process of buying and selling property is more than a little complicated, and as it is what I used to do for part of my living, I know more than most what could go wrong before it is finalised. We have been trying to get her moved closer to us since last August but I am not counting any chickens

I have been quite overwhelmed by the amount of love and prayers coming our way. I have realised in a more meaningful way just how many friends I have gained since we moved here. I have 2 churches looking after me, and such good cousins and almost cousins. And I really have felt God with me and His support and guidance and we are already seeing how things could have been so much worse and so counting our blessings. We will be alright. OH is back to reading the paper at the weekend and doing the dishwasher all wrong just as he did before! There was a moment there when I could have turned my face to the wall but it didn't last.

Spring Clearing

No, that isn't a typo, the cleaning will come later!
On Thursday I spent most of the day at my mum's flat helping her to start sorting out some "stuff". Well, I say helping. What actually happened was I took all the "stuff" out of her wardrobe and airing cupboard and she watched and we decided what could go to the dump and what could go to the Hospice shop. Anyone reading this who doesn't know, we have a local Hospice named for St Elizabeth and they have charity shops around the area where they sell people's unwanted, or pre-loved items to raise funds. Anyway, I went there with mum's big shopping trolley stuffed to the gunnels and they got very excited about some plates. Then I stuffed the trolley again with things to go in my paper recycling bin and for hubby to take to the local tip.
So enthused was I by this that I decided the time had come for me and him to have a go at our garage on Friday. Quite a lot of rubbish, the discovery of things we forgot we'd got, some more for the shop and, as a reward, fish and chips from the chippy at the Heath for lunch. And I had a pineapple fritter as well. But then I had walked to the Heath and back twice as I'd already been there in the morning to go to the Post Office so I must have burnt a few of those calories off one way and another.
Today (Saturday) I am continuing the good work at home and tomorrow, after I have taken the service at Kirton, I shall be going to mum's and continuing there.
Mum and I are both hoarders so it has quite a liberating feel to be making spaces that are not immediately going to be filled up again!
In other news, we really, really need some rain here. The farmers are worried, the reservoirs are dropping and there have been grassland and heath fires across the UK like I have never seen before. The temperature has been way above the normal for this time of year and although 20 degrees plus is lovely, it's not doing the wild life any good at all. Wondering how my Canadian cousins are faring

A Great Honour!

I'm sure I'm not the first to comment that "you wait ages for a Bank Holiday then 4 turn up together". By the way, does that joke work in the US?
Anyway, today was May Day Bank Holiday, which is on the first Monday of May and which is a relatively new holiday, having been made an official holiday only in 1978. Of course, we had Good Friday and Easter Monday last week, plus the special holiday for the Royal Wedding this Friday and I guess a lot of people will actually be quite glad to get back to normal. Amazingly the weather, traditionally awful whenever the holidays fall, has been lovely.
Today my friend @easternsparkle came for coffee as I had promised her some plants from my little greenhouse. We had a very pleasant time, her, me and my OH, chatting cheerfully. And then came my great and unexpected (though secretly hoped for) honour. If you look at Her Blog
you will see that she is a quilter and sewer and crocheter, and she has been learning to make useful and beautiful little bags. And she gave me one ! And I love it.

As you can see, she knows I am a purple person and not that flowery so my bag is made from a wonderful abstract purple and black fabric which I have already scanned to make background paper for my hand made cards. Now I have been thinking all afternoon what I want to keep in it and I haven't quite decided yet

Late again!

As usual I have managed to finish a lovely warm winter crochet project just in time for the hot weather. Hey ho! Anyway, as my friend over at Loves2Crochet expressed an interest and I thought there might be one or two others who would like to see what I have been up to I have at long last taken some photos to show you.
It all started last year when I found a pattern for a thick jacket, made in a sort of rib pattern which is achieved by each row being worked round the post of the stitch in the previous row rather than into the top. Alternately behind and in front, then behind in the ones behind and in front of the ones in front, just ordinary trebles (or doubles if you are in the US)
This is what the jacket looks like. It isn't easy to take a picture of these things without a dummy but my husband refused to co-operate!




Then I looked at my stash of wool and decided to use up a lot of bits and bobs by making a sleeveless jacket in the same rib. I varied it by putting a wide band down each side at the front in the other direction, building the neck up a bit mandarin collar style and fixing with three HUGE buttons which I found in the Fabric8 shop in Felixstowe. More pics follow



Hope you are impressed Ha ha!

That's Life!

My life really has been just jotting along recently. I'm not complaining, it's all been quite relaxing and serene, although the weather has been unseasonally hot and dry so I have horrendous hay fever. We had a visit from a cousin of mine who I knew when we were children but have had only occasional contact with as adults. It was a bit like finding a long lost brother. I can't really explain in detail as it wouldn't be right to talk about things here which are personal to other people, but it was a really lovely day.
I am now planning on what to do on Friday. Sorry, but although I may just put the tele on to see what Kate's dress looks like I shan't be watching the wedding. I might do some weeding Ha Ha!

The Social Whirl

Life has been very busy and lots of fun this last week or so! I seem to have acquired a social life all of a sudden. Well, no, that's not quite true, it has been building up since we moved here, but everything happened at once, or so it appeared at the time.
Last Saturday (the 5th) I took the friend that I now call HeatherA to meet my mum. H wanted to go to a shop in Felixstowe that sells zips in every colour you can think of so that she could make some little quilted bags (more details HERE ) We had talked about her (she?) and mum meeting up so the opportunity was taken. Of course, all those horrid people on Twitter made comments about when to buy a hat, did mum ask her about her prospects etc, but we ignored them. We are just good friends. And our husbands will confirm that. After coffee at mum's and shopping we went to the Spa Pavilion and had a bacon sarnie for lunch and then a walk along the front where we got cold and wet because it rained. The Spa is a bit basic but the bacon is especially good and you can sit in a window and people watch, and see the sea. I still haven't got the necessary to download photos from my phone so HERE is a photo someone else took
On Monday my cousin Christine came to visit. She is the eldest daughter of my mum's sister JOAN
who passed away nearly 18 months ago. We also went to visit mum and did lots and lots of talking. This is us

Then in the evening I rang my friend Marion, who I have known for 45 years (!) and we talked for over an hour
On Tuesday I went for coffee in the morning to the friend I now call HeatherB. I met her at the service I took at the Seaton Road Methodist Church a couple of weeks ago. We have a lot in common and I hope our friendship will grow.
Then in the evening I made pancakes for me and hubby and two friends who both live on their own. They had both commented that it wasn't (in their opinions) worth making them for yourself only so I have invited them both each year to share with us, but this was the first time they were both free to come.
On Wednesday I didn't do much.
What it is to be popular!

Worth asking

I am a law abiding citizen. I was a lawyer. Not that the two are necessarily always mutually inclusive (LOL) Now I love to crochet and I find it a lot easier than knitting but I can (sort of ) knit too. So I was delighted with a book that I recently bought (not saying which one yet as am in negotiation with the publisher for a freebie to use as a giveaway) I thought that the patterns, which are for something small and cute, would be great for making and selling locally, but I was aware that there might be a copyright issue. I contacted the publisher and explained my dilemma and, amzingly, they said that, yes, I would have to pay a royalty one each item sold UNLESS I could make a label that credited the book, with a picture of the front cover and the publisher's website, then they would accept that in lieu. I am so glad I asked.

New Friends

I have had a really lovely morning.
For various and complicated reasons I haven't been taking services for a couple of years but at the end of last year I was transferred to my local Methodist Circuit and went back "on plan"
This morning I went to Seaton Road Methodist Church for the first time. Now I am one of those weird people who actually relishes going into new situations where I don't know anybody, so I was not nervous about that, but there is always that little bit of doubt about whether the service and sermon have come from the right place. There was a very warm welcome, everything went well and I even managed not to over run the hour (well almost) But I was quite overwhelmed by the reaction that I got afterwards. At least four people said that it had been very relevant to them, one gave me a great big hug and many people seemed genuinely uplifted. It is always so good when that happens because it tells me that God has been getting through - make no mistake, I know that I do not do this on my own, but it is so nice when there is a little bit extra confirmation.
And I made some new friends, Micheala, Liz and Heather, who will have to be known as Heather B, so you (and I) don't get mixed up with Heather A
I think the time has come for me to do a bit more so I am thinking I will offer one service a month from now on and see how it goes.

Ladies (and Gents) who lunch

Two posts for the price of one here. I have only just realised that I didn't tell you all about my little trip to Framlingham with Heather. I used to work there some years ago and was sorry to see one or two of my favourite shops are no longer in business, but we had a jolly good wander round and a long chat with the lady in the quilting/wool shop, whose name I have forgotten for the moment. We lunched HERE - The Crown. Heather had a wonderful looking scotch egg with a beautifully bright yellow yolk and I had hummus and flat bread. And then I had cheesecake while H watched and felt virtuous!

Then today me and hubby went HERE - Milsoms/Kesgrave Hall as it was our 19th wedding anniversary. I had done a reccy the day before and it scored pretty high on wheelchair friendliness. You can't book, but it wasn't crowded when we got there. I had Peking duck spring rolls with cucumber noodles and a spinach salad and himself had a hangar steak, which took a bit of chewing. This is no reflection on the chef, I hasten to add, but on his less than perfect dentures. For dessert he had spotted dick and ice cream and I had a dark chocolate fondant with blood orange sorbet. It lived up to expectations - several Twitter friends have been and recommended it. If I have one criticism it is that it was very noisy

It's his 80th birthday next month and we shall go again, if I can save up enough out of the housekeeping!

A lovely day

I have had a great time over the last couple of days. One of the very nice people I have met via Twitter and Facebook is Karen and, without boring you with the details, it was arranged for her to come to visit me and have a crochet lesson - which meant we were meeting in person for the very first time. Another friend called Pat who lives near me had also asked about learning to crochet so I asked her too. Then my cousin (actually I think she is first cousin once removed, anyway she is my cousin's daughter) Erica rang to say she had a free day and could she come to visit on that day.

So yesterday OH and I tidied the "public" rooms of our stately home and I cooked a big saucepan of vegetable soup (lots of peeling and chopping) brown rolls, white rolls and OH's white loaf (lots of kneading) stewed apple ( more chopping and peeling) stewed plums ( more chopping and stoning) and 2 cakes ( mixing, stirring, weighing) I slept well

Pat and Karen were here at 10:30 and after tea and cake the crochet lesson commenced They were both good students and we all got to know each other as we crocheted. Pat's husband arrived at 12.45 and I heated up the soup and was just serving up when Erica arrived so we all sat down to our lunch of soup, hand knitted rolls and stewed fruit and cream for afters. Then we discovered that Karen and Erica had both been to the same University only a year apart and probably lived in the same road while there!

Karen had to get away at 2, and almost did.

Pat and her OH left soon after - oh yes, he had brought their cute little dog Toby, another coincidence as one of Erica's sons is called Toby.

Then Erica and I bored my poor OH with family reminiscences and photos. She had brought a memory stick with some photos for me to look at but my PC is upstairs so I asked her to close her eyes as she made her way through the mess caused by me tidying downstairs. More tea, more cake and she left at 6.

PHEW!

So I made one new friend, got to know another newish friend better and caught up with an old friend. It was such fun!