A Family Weekend .

We have just returned from a most enjoyable weekend in Hampshire spent celebrating Vytas' 40th birthday.

We drove down on Saturday, past the last remnants of snow on the mountains and into the balmier climes of the home counties. It took us almost three hours to get to our planned 'half-way' stop at a service station this side of the Severn. It was raining so we sat in the car eating our cream cheese and smoked salmon bagels thinking up dramatic stories about the people hurrying past on their way into the service station. That had started after speculating about the owner of an expensive Merc parked in a disabled space (no blue badge of course). Let's just say I have a vivid imagination and my ideas would have made good film plot lines.

[All the photos in this post are from the party on Saturday evening. Above, the cake made by Sally.]

After our stop we still had a few more hours before arriving at Vytas and Sally's house in Whitchurch. Once we came off the M4 onto the dual carriageways we were surprised by the amount of traffic and the frantic speed at which everyone was driving. And by the number of deep potholes even in the main roads not to mention those in the motorway. 

Once we got there we helped load Vytas' car with food and drink for the party which he ferried round to the nearby venue. It was especially good to spend time with Romas before the party. He, along with a number of the other guests were staying at a local pub.

The party was held in a very smart modern community building which includes a library, in Whitchurch. Part of which is built over a stream with a glass panel set in the floor so that you can see the water underneath. There was a well stocked kitchen with everything needed for all sorts of functions and the main hall had an easily moved dividing wall. 

(Sally in the green dress and Vytas behind in a green shirt.) Vytas' friends had travelled from all over the country to help him celebrate with family. You wouldn't think it by the way they dress but most of them are scientists. (Or maybe you would.) It was a lovely party as it was more about chatting and having fun so the music was kept in the background until right at the end of the evening.

It was also great to catch up with our friends whom we have known since Rachel and Alex were born.

Later on after the children had been taken home we made a start on clearing up which for some reason included seeing how many helium balloons were needed to lift Vytas' plait. That was after we had played Pass The Parcel which had sweets and silly forfeits for the adults (not adult-themed I hasten to add).

After nearly all the clearing and cleaning had been done and we were waiting for a lady to come and collect the key some of the party goers danced in what I can only describe as a free-style fashion. And why not?

But the evening was not yet over and some of us walked to the nearby very old rabbit -warren style pub. The pub was open late as they had a band playing. Although their audience were obviously enjoying the performance the music was dire and very loud. We quickly opted to sit in the heated outside area to socialise for another hour or so.

I had wondered how we 'the parents', being of an older generation would fit in with Vytas and Sally's friends and if conversation would just be of the polite sort. But to our surprise we had so many things in common especially with the smaller group at the pub. For a start they were all active members of the Sealed Knot (Civil War re-enactment society). We took Vytas to his first muster when he was only 3 months old and were active members for a number of years before we moved out of London so there were plenty of stories to exchange and songs to sing. A couple of the guys at the party were Welsh speakers too so we had fun chatting and singing in Welsh. Vytas' friends are nearly all scientists and after chatting with several of the women (mustn't keep thinking of them as girls) who have had official diagnosis, it seems that most scientist are ND so we had a lot in common.

Clearing up after the party.

More tomorrow.

Still Wet.

A different sort of wet today, a pervading grey sea mist in milder conditions.

Off on a trip today, back soon.

 

Very Wet.

It was very grey this morning. I just about managed to drink my coffee outside before the first drops of rain sent me back indoors. For the rest of the day we've had extremely heavy showers interspersed with occasional brighter moments. By the time I got home the sea was looking quite wild which was lovely to watch from the comfort of an armchair.

At the stables I rode my lovely Tex again. Beforehand I had time to carry on with brushing out his wet mane. I've nearly reached his ears but there's still more mane flopped over on the other side.

In the lesson we did a lot of work in sitting trot plus for a lot of the time several of us rode without stirrups. Tex is so comfortable in the trot which made it easy so as usual I concentrated more on asking him to be on the bit. Each week he gets a bit better which is very satisfying.

The rain got so heavy that a young girl who was having a private lesson in the arena came in and rode in the school with Chloe who was teaching her, running by her side. We are used to avoiding each other so it didn't make a lot of difference to us.

 

At Morrisons they now have clematis in the garden section. I couldn't resist picking up two more and then when I noticed the 3 for 2 offer went and chose another one. 

Last week in Charlie's I advised a chap looking at the clematis that he would do better getting one from Morrisons. Okay the Charlie's one was a lot bigger but at £18 also a lot more expensive.

In town I donated yet another bag of stuff to the Climate shop where I bought three ring binders for Pete and a dark blue sheet to turn the boat into the sea for the carnival, for the grand price of £2.

By the time I got home I was, as usual worn out. I planted the clematis in the back garden, put a saucepan of apples on to stew, prepared a salad for supper and had a shower before finally crashing out with a big mug of tea.

Done.

It wasn't much of a surprise to look across the bay this morning and see snow on the mountains. Just a light layer which was gone by the afternoon.

This was about the only break in the clouds that let the sun light up the snow and the wisps of cloud forming in the valleys. For the rest of the day it has been grey with the kind of damp cold that gets into your bones.

I carried on sorting and cleaning the utility room and at last it is done. Peter seems to have given up on sorting the garage/ workshop so I may have to tackle that (for my own sanity) at some point but for now my spring cleaning is done. Now I can get on with much more interesting things like gardening and creative projects.

I will admit that unlike the other rooms which really are very tidy I moved some stuff which sits on the worktop and on top of the freezer making it look messier. It has had to go back for the time being. But I was taking the photo as part of a before and after series to go in a photobook so I wanted the room to look its best. 

2019, when the builder had already removed everything bar the old boiler. Both walls and the roof had to be replaced and when we moved in several years later there wasn't even an outside door.

Originally this had been a second kitchen but soon after Chick and his friends moved in (in the 1980s) they decided they were happy living communally. 

Off to disco aerobics in a while and that's my day done. Yesterday at choir there were only eleven of us and most of the songs were new to me. I was the only tenor so it had to be a very fast learning curve. I'm sure it's good for the brain.

Chilly.

It has been grey and very cold again today. For a while in the morning there were strong winds sending plants swaying and bin lids down the road after which things got much calmer. Now that it's night it has started to rain lightly so there may be ice by morning.

 

I had a baking session today and made cookies. I started with my basic recipe some of which I used to make ginger and dark chocolate cookies as I have both crystalized ginger and powdered ginger in the cupboard. I have to say they turned out to be rather tasty but then I love ginger. The rest I made into the usual peanut butter and chocolate chunk cookies which everyone likes.

I also managed to do some more tidying in the utility room. It's not completely organised but a lot better than it was.

I'm off to choir in a minute with plenty of warm clothes as the large village hall can be cold.

Off To The Zoo.

Despite a promise of sun we've had a thin layer of cloud all day that has kept things quite chilly. But at on the other hand it hasn't rained. 

Since it was at least dry I took myself down to the zoo for a spot of weeding. On my way I stopped to chat to a couple of women I know who were off to swim in the river. Rather them than me.

The first thing I did was to plant some ground cover sedums in 'my' gravel garden. I know it's too early to be transplanting stuff but there's plenty of the sedum at home and it's worth a try to see if it will establish nice and early in the year.

My main task was to go over the woodchip of the small play area removing every tiny weed (with their not so tiny roots) and turning over the woodchip in an effort to let it dry out. I have been promised that some of the new woodchip, which is in a pile off-site, will be brought down and put on top of the old woodchip.

I'd spotted some nettles beginning to grow by the bird enclosures, pulled them up and came across a tangle of bindweed roots trying to escape from the overgrown empty enclosure. At least they were easy to remove from the wet soil.

As I worked my way across the woodchip my thoughts turned to what was the large play area. At least I won't be needed to weed there. And of course I then had one of my ideas. If I weed some paths for children to run along through the weeds it would look a lot better until maybe one day some new equipment gets installed. And it wouldn't cost anything. I put my idea to the owner and he has given me the go-ahead. 

Now all I need to do is come up with a design, possibly incorporating the bare patches, remove the remaining wood and make the paths. That will be fun.

Since coming home I got my very muddy trousers washed and have done some more cleaning in the utility room. I'll do some knitting and then it will be time for Pilates.

Windy.

Wild and stormy today but despite the grey clouds not a lot of rain.

 

It was the perfect day to carry on with the spring cleaning. I have made good progress in the utility room which hopefully will be finished by the end of the week. I turfed out the cupboard under the sink, sorted and cleaned but I'm still wondering what to do with some things. We need the plumber to deal with a minor seep from the pipework when he comes to service the boiler. I've got a container underneath it to catch the water but that is probably the reason why the cupboard is ever so slightly damp. 

I've also cleaned the shelves and all the glass vases. I really don't need so many and at least one of the larger ones will go to the charity shop.

Later I needed to get out in the fresh air and went for a short walk down on the beach. On the way I met our neighbour and he told me they will be going to Plaka again too. They will be in the apartment above us for five days at the same time as we will be there. (There are only five apartments of varying sizes in two buildings.) 

I didn't spend too long on the beach as the wind has turned cold again and it was just beginning to spit.