A Retired Life: Begrudged blogging

Whilst I would love to see if my photos from my new camera actually decant satisfactorily, I want to delve into my book.

D3 and I are running (she is) and cycling (I am); it seems to ground the two of us- or maybe it is just the routine of it.

Our visitors have gone after a smashing weekend.

All the bridesmaids were together for a fitting and giggle.

A fajita/games night at D1 &C's was such a laugh- I must try to watch more television so I can do better at 'Logos'.

Friends came to stay and D3 was kind enough to take the 4 of us up to and from a surprise retirement party for mutual friends at Linden Hall; it is strange when the boot is on the other foot and your offspring can ferry you to places rather than you taxiing them! Wow! what a venue! plus super food, drinks and friends we hadn't seen for a while- what more could you want? Breakfast al fresco then more catch-up and coffee in the sun.

The only thing which marred the weekend was the flashing on and off of the 'interrogation' lights behind us for 2 nights; then eventually they stayed on after a midnight patio party and didn't go off for 24 hours; a 4a.m. wakeup call, then on the hour every hour, does nothing for my beauty sleep. It is like the evil eye piercing the darkness to see what is going on in our rooms.

The garden is looking better as we have cut clovered lawns and laid compost on the borders; lobelia cardinalis flashes scarlet in front of an Alnwick rose. Cosmos flowers float among feathery foliage while Rudbeckia attracts all sorts of insect life- but then so many of my plants (now anonymous because I can not remember what they are called!) are a-humming. Purply pink, chintzy hydrangeas are in full flower.

The patio pots are full of nasturtiums; they always remind me of childhood when we found caterpillar eggs on the backs of the leaves. Geraniums line the troughs while nearby fuschias hang from the baskets (and the book is getting the better of me - I am going to have to finish writing.....)