June, June , June

We have followed up all the visits to gardens by leaving ours to England's drought never thinking it would bucket while we were away and we'd return to a jungle!



The garden is full of roses- shrub roses, tea and peace roses (so old and gnarled that they should be replaced but I haven't the heart when they are so beautiful and so fragrant),climbers, ramblers .....


I need to cut back the first crop of the various types of geranium flowers so I can get a second flush.



There are clematis crawling along the fence.



The mock orange is heavy with blossom and heady with perfume.


I sometimes wonder why I planted these wild sweet peas- my parents had them and they were absolutely wild. (the plants not my parents!) I saw an exboyfriend in his mum's garden and when he said they were my parent's sweetpeas I was hooked- aagh! they are rampant now.



Somewhere in the heat of summer I managed to bake three wedding cakes; If you ever volunteer to (or get blackmailed to) make celebration cakes- herein lies a tip- think back to which of your friends have just had their offspring getting married- and check out to see if they might have cake tins to lend you! They are expensive to buy and my friend L. was only too willing to offer- but I'd already bought and baked.



The landing is once again littered with bedding and towels after a hilarious weekend- a hen party for about 20 of us! Our London and Leeds contingents saw Newcastle on Northumberland Plate day at the end of Race Week- which also meant the Town Moor was aglow with the Hoppings. Town was heaving!!!The bride carried out some daunting 'Dares', we made delicious cocktails,ate pizza, sang at the tops of our voices in a karaoke pod, and were given some real hospitality in Martha's. No wonder we all lay on the lawn in the glorious sunshine of Sunday morning and snoozed- absolutely 'pegged' out!!!!!!!!


I have sacrificed the second set and more? of Andy Murray's match (played in 40+ degrees) at Wimbledon to catch up on this blog tonight;of course C and I have been there watching Serena and Venus and drinking Pimms.......
June is almost over, it is late, my eyes are heavy and Wee Willie Winkie must be running through the town so I need to get to my bed but I still haven't told you the most exciting things......

I could write a book!

Oh the joys of sitting tucked away on the edge of the stage (and my thermals) hour after hour..... I have to say I have never laughed as much at the unintended fun of H1's drama group as they rehearse their panto/play; H1, as director, is tearing his hair out while I sit in the freezing, cold wings watching the 'behind the scenes' dramas...... The curtains that close when they shouldn't... the parents who ring up asking why their beloved offspring have been told to be quiet when others are onstage..... the thespians who are not in the wings ready to strut the boards as everyone hisses 'Where is so and so? and gazes at an empty stage... I could tell you more but I might spoil the plot for you. 'Park the Ark' is such a lark.

I do wonder how much fun they must have filming things like 'LarkRise to Candleford' ('my one weakness') and 'Mamma Mia'.

All this drama doesn't leave much time for other things- but the Ladies (yes that includes me!) went for afternoon tea at Jesmond Dene House on Monday for our annual 'Cheer up January doldrums' (but this year it was just into February) event; we have been before for Christmas lunches and January teas but I had had a couple of poor meals there with H1 so wasn't too keen- and others had heard mixed reports.... but Eslington Villas (of this year's Christmas meal) didn't do teas and Horton Grange's tea last year was poor so back to Jesmond; I dislike going because they automatically put a 10% or was it 15%? on the bill- so much for a discretionary charge so I had complained- and they remembered that and did not charge it to our bill when we paid this week. Actually the meal and whole event was very nice (though don't sit next to the windows in the lounge as they are draughty- why did we not remember that from last time?!) We did pay a tip as we decided the experience and service was well worth it.

H1 and I went to see Mel Gibson in 'Edge of Darkness'; an exciting film though a familiar plot; what was good was to know it was a BBC film.

H1 decided to listen to my pleas that if ever he was to buy me a Valentine gift- not to be fleeced by buying roses on the day- and he listened! What date is it?!!! He bought me beautiful red roses this week- I think I might marry the man!

I broke out of my WeightWatchers mould last night when out with friends for an Indian meal after 7 hours of rehearsals; today the diet starts yet again..