Yawn Yawn Wakey Wakey 2025

Good morning everybody. Sunny here though not yet hot. We're waiting for the dew to dry a bit before starting the overdue lawn mowing, which has been on hold since we got home. This is because OH cut a finger badly while in Scotland, and had to wait until yesterday to get the unwieldy bandage replaced by elastoplasts. He hates wearing gardening gloves, but I'll try to persuade him it would be a good idea... I'd have done the mowing, but I'm hopeless in the heat and he was unhappy about letting me do it for him. I'm normally allowed to barrow the grass to the compost heap, and cut the lawn edges.

That builder sounds very promising, @Goldenlily26 . Anyone with a registered business shouldn't be out to scam you, and fingers crossed he does a good job!
I echo the need for patience when applying for probate. I wish your children well, working through the paperwork involved - hopefully your ex left his affairs in reasonable order, which makes things easier.

Glad Cricket turned up safe and sound, @Ladybird4 . I'm sure cats don't know (or don't care?) how much we worry about them!

Thinking of you today @lizzie27 .

 

Good morning to you all!

Phew @Ladybird4 The little pickle - at least he is home and satiated!!

Bravo @Goldenlily26 to search for another quote. Isn't it funny how when you meet the right person, you know it? Won't be cheap, but hopefully reliable with a good after sales service! Good luck with the probate.

Lovely photos @Penny_Forthem Nice spot for a birthday.

Today is commemorated in the Pacific. My (late) Dad was a meterologist with the NZ Air Force and based in the Pacific on Norfolk and New Caledonia Islands among other spots but the Japanese didn't really get down that far. A neighbour in our first home purchase in Auckland, was a POW in Changi and had some stories to tell us - as you can imagine.

We were out at 7am this morning and there seem to be more and more dog walkers on the way. All good. Yes, I still see Mr Nasty and his yappy JR, but don't comment....much. Maybe a snigger just loud enough. Faffed around in the garden - picked a few "turning red" tomatoes which are taking a long time to ripen this year. Picked up some small peppers that had dropped off the plants and trimmed back an artichoke plant. I did some deadheading yesterday evening when I was watering.

Have a cool day folks!!

 

Morning folks. Just deciding what to do with the day now washing in/out and a bit of watering done.

A drought has been declared here, although no hosepipe ban, so feel I should be careful with watering. my main water butt is linked to one that, when overflows, feeds the pond so I’m reluctant to use all that because if/when rain comes it will need to over-fill before the pond receives any and that is super low - the lowest ever. Small fry. Nature will sort it.

I hope Friday is kind to you all.

 

41C expected here today so definitely not cool @Tui34. I have to go out and trim a clematis in the veg plot as, last night, OH was late going to put the chooks to bed and one decided she preferred to burrow under there rather than sleep in their shed. Took 3 of us to get her out and safely to bed. Foxes and stone martens have wrought havoc with neighbours' flocks.

Glad Cricket is home safe @Ladybird4. Of our pair it's Minstrel that goes out on night raids and stays out but always chatty when she comes in for cuddles and then food, in that order. i've just treated ours to a wee water fountain to help them stay hydrated. Cosmos loves it but Minstrel just looks at it and walks past.

Haven't been to the UK national memorial but in 2014 I persuaded OH to take a few days off work so we could go to Ypres for the 2014 Armistice Day memorial events. The one at the Menin Gate is held every night with different commemorations from different groups being laid. I'd been there for ANZAC day with an Oz friend who worked at the embassy in Brussels but OH had no idea how moving it would be, even on the eve.

We went to Tyne Kot for the 11th hour of the 11th. Hugely impressive and moving and I don't understand why anyone now thinks war is a way to solve problems, settle arguments or acquire land and resources unless you're a greedy psycopath. Mutually agrreable trade treaties are more effective and less expensive.

Those gardens look well cared for @Penny_Forthem but I'm with @Ladybird4 on topiary and bonzai. I hope you've both enjoyed his birthday treat.

Safe journey @lizzie27 and some comfort in the company of friends. I hope the Austin parade goes well.

No lawn mowing here @Liriodendron as the grass is not growing. Just a few green weeds.

Have a satifying day everyone, whatever you're doing.

 

@lizzie27, I do hope that everything went smoothly today and what an amazing tribute it must have been seeing all those wonderful old cars forming the cortège. That strimmer man sounds like a real chancer @Goldenlily26. It has happened to me when someone has promised to turn up and didn't. In this day and age where most people have a mobile phone, a short text to explain delays or changes of mind is all that is needed for sheer politeness.

 

Hello all.

Forecast 40C this afternoon, though the outdoor shade thermometer says 33C. I felt like a limp lettuce having picking cooking apples in the veg garden area as they are falling off the trees, but they don't really look ripe yet and lots have insect holes. I've put them in the utility room fridge as they usually keep until spring there, gently ripening.

Watched a bit of TV. VJ day. My father was in Burma in the war, Royal Engineers.

 

It's been a very nice short break and we'd return. More personal (a lot smaller) than the Llanberis hotel and the views from our patio were stunning.
We left at 10, having decided to pick our pooches up before 12.30 (after which, we'd have been charged another day's boarding). For 20 miles or so, we were the only car on the road, which made for very pleasurable driving. Once we'd negotiated Bala and then turned off the A5, the road to Ruthin was, yet again, deserted. We made it in good time and were duly welcomed.
Then the fun started; we had to join the A55, where we ground to a halt. We inched to the next junction and took it, (I am like Dad and will not sit in queues!!) and so we came the 'scenic' route from there. Sitting with dogs in a hot car (even with air con) is not fun.
I'm afraid I had a snooze this afternoon!
Topiary is not my style, but the gardens were immaculate and the smell of jasmine outside our room was intense.



I've now caught up with your lives!

 

I love topiary, and also Japanese style gardens.
We headed out into the garden after breakfast, hoping there would be enough shade to do a few gentle tasks. However, it was already too hot to do much. I cleaned the bird baths and refilled them, and OH moved one of our cctv cameras to watch a suspected mouse hole on the edge of a pathway. Then we retreated indoors.
On our trip to the garden centre yesterday, I saw a very attractive set of table and four chairs in aluminium, reduced to almost half price. I showed it to OH, who agreed that it was nice and a bargain, but wasn’t sure we would use it much. ( And? So?)
Anyway, I spent last night wishing I’d bought it, so this afternoon, OH drove me back again. We looked at it again, OH raised no objections, so I’ve ordered it and it will be delivered on Monday!

While I was there, I also bought a coir liner for a hanging basket, plus some cyclamen and foliage. My current hanging basket has had a wonderful display of scarlet petunias since the spring, but all of a sudden, the leaves have started to yellow, and they are looking very scraggy. I’m not sure if I’ve over or under watered it, or maybe they are just coming to the end of their life span.
Still warm and sunny out. One of our local crow family is sitting on the grass with its mouth open and its wings spread out.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.

 

Hi everyone, just caught up.
@Penny_Forthem That second picture is a cloud pruned specimen, not simple topiary. Whether it's your thing or not you have to admire the skill and patience to produce something like that. Must have cost a small fortune to buy. Shame it's in a plastic bucket, needs to be in a suitable ceramic pot .

 

Good evening all. Been a stifling day today so I've not done a huge amount of gardening and the bulk of that was watering. I've managed to pick a lot of my tomatoes which are ripening now thanks to the heat. I did get all my hoodies washed too (I do not count them as coats! ) I had a text yesterday telling me that my niece and her husband are coming over from Oz at the beginning of September so that should be nice. My sis and I went out to their wedding in 2015 and we haven't seen them since then. Her husband is from Yorkshire. Signing out now so I'll say good night and see you all tomorrow.

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Evening everyone, thanks for your good wishes. I'm really ashamed to say that I was late getting to the funeral, entirely my fault, I just don't know where I lost the vital 10-15 mins. OH had gone earlier and texted to say he'd made such good time, he was an hour early so was waiting in our late friend's barn so I over relaxed and left later. Hit all the mid-day traffic in Bath which was a nightmare. Anyway, I slunk into the room in the nick of time and sat at the back wishing the floor would swallow me. Fortunately there were other people behind me, equally tardy. The ceremony, completely non-religious, went well, there were seven old Austins in the procession and the Chairman and several committee members also attended (some had had long journeys to get there which was impressive). It was such a hot day though.

I left about 4 ish and detoured to the jewellers at Corsham @Ergates. I was born there but don't go back very often and never wanted to go back and live there. I bought a beautiful pair of silver pear shaped stud earrings for DIL set with a peridot stone and was pleased to find I liked the colour better in the flesh so to speak, a kind of limy green rather than emerald green. The jewellers are going to post them to DIL for me, fully insured and tracked which is a blessing.
Hope she likes them!

Got home at 5.30ish, drank more water and crashed into bed for a couple of hours, it's been a busy day. OH's exhaust came loose on the way home so a bungee strap came in handy. Another repair to be done!

That text was a nice surprise @Ladybird4, something to look forward to.

We've had two smaller sets of those aluminium chairs and tables @Ergates for several years now and they're still as good as new. I like them as they are light enough for me to pick up and move and they stay out all year round. The wind just whistles straight through them so they don't get knocked over either - always a plus in this windy garden.

I think we drove through Barmouth on our way up to stay at a little village hotel near Harlech just after Covid was easing . It looked very pretty but we didn't have time to stop unfortunately, it had taken us seven hours to get even that far so we cracked on.

 

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Good morning one and all. Oh @lizzie27, you must have felt terrible but at least you got there. The earrings sound lovely and I'm sure that your DIL will be delighted with them.
There is a nice breeze outside so maybe working in the garden won't be too bad at first. First job will be the watering of course. I can hear a very angry magpie in the tree at the bottom of the garden. I hope it isn't after the fledglings. Whatever comes your way today, I hope its only positive.

 

I've been out watering too @Ladybird4, before it gets too hot and cos I ran out of daylight yesterday. There's quite a breeze just now but it's already very warm and set to get to 40C later. No gardening then.

I have the thrilling prospect of sorting out the fridges now that one has died. OH thinks we can manage but I don't and think we need a new one.

Oops, @lizzie27, but the ear-rings sound lovely. I hope she likes them.

Stay cool everyone.

 

I managed to tie in the sweet peas and check out the greenhouse before it was too hot to stay outside. Picked a few more tomatoes, 3 runner beans and some apples. I had to lard myself with Anthisan when I came indoors because my legs were stung by stinging nettles. OOOOOOOh!

I agree about the casual way supposed business owners treat possible customers. They do not return enquiries or messages. Disposable like most other things today. I tried to find a home visit chiropodist a while ago, left 8 messages, and not one called back.

Found a message from "steps man" letting me know he had delivered his tools and the sleepers, hadn't wanted to disturb me so just stacked them and left. He hoped they weren't in my way. I didn't know he had even been round! They are coming sometime today to carry out the work.

It was very satisfying to be just around the corner when the feline from No1 tried to have a go at Poppy. I scared it away by shouting and waving my arms, then when I was in the greenhouse later, it came along to sit on Poppy's chair, so it had a second scare. I waited until it was about to turn the corner of the door to go inside, then jumped up and yelled at it. Although it runs away, it doesn't go far, stops and looks back at me as if to say, "How dare you! This is my patch now!" It has also taken to sitting on my front gate post. I wish I had an airgun to take a pop shot at it. A bit of a sting on its rump might dissuade it.

A tent has appeared on a piece of grass near No 1, I saw a couple of teenage boys so I assume they are the sons of the fiancée. The resident boyfriend gave an edict that the boys cannot stay in the house because it is too small. It is a tiny 2-up, 2-down cottage. It looks as if the boys are visiting their mother for a few days. Nice to know you are welcome.

I thought I had better be up and dressed in case the steps man arrives, so for me made an early start.
It is very windy already, overcast but still mild. I hope everyone is enjoying their visits, trips etc.

 

Oooops! Steps man has arrived with a friend so the job is going to be done. Yeah!¬