We have catapulted into autumn; temperatures have dropped- to 9 C last night; rain showers have been like stair rods; evenings have been the best & sunniest part of the day. Should I dig out the autumn duvets? I have even supped porridge and the Ladies went to the (free) Discovery Museum for a day to avoid rain and chill- surprisingly a day there was not long enough....
Still in Menorca mood we hosted a barbecue- I played boules & other garden games in my fleece; as the evening drew in we adjourned to the kitchen table for Cluedo- you will have gathered board games are our thing!
I thought I would take a photo of wor Jackie (Milburn of course) on the Boulevard especially for Menorcan P. who asked was he still on Northumberland Street- Hey up! St James's Park is silhouetted in the background!
We have looked like a weatherman and woman popping in and out to hangout/gather in holiday washing dependent on drizzly conditions. This intermittence has led to much reading- at last finished 'The Tenderness of Wolves'(so what was her name?), 'The Gift' by Cecilia Ahern (strange tale of Time) and '3rd Degree'(by James Patterson- not usually my type, very American cop, but quite intriguing). Now to Bookcross them........
We walked in showers around Horsley ; the hedgerows were laden with berries- rowan, elderberry, hips and haws; ash and sycamore keys are ready; acorns and conkers are littering the drove roads; leaves are colouring and falling. I was surprised at how some farmers have not harvested in cereal crops yet even though wheat, barley and rye ripened up so early this year. Autumn is the 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' so we went fruitpicking; damson and plum jam now adorn the garage shelves alongside the jars of summer fruit jams.
I admit we have done a lot of gallivanting of late; after meals out (Zizzi and Pizza Express give offers which are too good to ignore!!) No wonder the style speaker at Eslington Villa tried hard to ignore my plaintive attempts to catch her eye when the ladies went to 'How to Create a perfect body in 5 minutes with illusion' Harrumph!
We 3 made a snap decision to go to the Theatre Royal after lots of excellent reviews on 'The King and I'; brilliant especially Anna.
That reminds me (!?) the Pope has been to the UK. I can't warm to said Pope so have not seen anything about his trip- eeeh! Heathen! I think I expected so much real world 'fresh air' from the 1962's Vatican Council that John 23rd pulled on the Holy See lot- and Cardinal Ratzinger has closed the window (standing behind Pope John Paul too)........
I cannot write a blog without writing about the Great North Run- I love it - it makes me feel so proud- not just of Newcastle upon Tyne but of all those people who have personal reasons for tackling a half marathon. I feel so choked as I watch the 54 thousand runners stream over the Tyne Bridge as the Red Arrows streak the sky above. D2 was working on a breast cancer charity tent on the Leas alongside the stewards, masseurs, St John's Ambulance, teabrewers and sandwich makers who volunteer for this event; how many people from all over the world come to run this for so many charities- and the costumes of the funrunners- bananas and sunflowers, donkeys and Darth Vaders, Buzz LightYear and pink bras- wonderful! Many of the locals from South Shields come out with icepops and misting hose pipes on hot days, boiled sweets, orange slices etc.
PS When is a pumpkin ripe and ready to take off the plant? Anyone out there know?
Yes when is a pumpkin ripe?!?!
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