So Long. Farewell.

They say that all good things come to an end and to that end I’ve decided that this blog has had its day.

Blogging was instrumental in making me the writer I have become after initially starting this back in 2009 as an exercise in getting things off my chest and has gained me not only work but also online and real life friends and acquaintances. I adopted a cat through this blog who, some nearly seven years later, is regarding me as I write, balefully from the landing, have spoken to people in far flung places and have charted the progress of the urchins.

As with many things technology related, social media has now become my weapon of choice and once again I have made many connections through Instagram and Twitter – like minded people who make me think, laugh, commiserate and care and although many of them are ‘only’ in the ether I am glad of their company and opinion.

So thanks to all of you who’ve read the nonsense on here, have commented and have become friends. It’s been great fun and has finally given me a career that I am proud of. So long…

Well what else would it have been!

 

Family

We had the now not so small folk on Saturday for bike rides, a spot of lunch and much chat. They give me so much pleasure. With all of the awful things going on in the world we need to hang on to what’s simple, good and happy. And family is one of those things. Make the most of it.

 

Just Because…

…I do love a cardoon – not to do anything with but just to look at!

Blue

TG thinks I’m bonkers to grow these (from seed I might add) to do nothing in particular with but I just love them. In fact blue flowers in general….

Fab!

Fab. Just fab.

Summer Larks

What will I do when they don’t want to spend time with me anymore because it’s TOO BORING……

Thankfully that day at the moment seems a long time off!!

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

Long may it all last!

Summer (well what there was of it…)

Cowes

It was summer. No really, it was. The sun shone, there was no rain and we all moaned about how hot it was. So that was that then. In amongst the sunny days there has been the evidence of urchins who have been to visit. And learned to ride bikes.

Lessons

We had them to stay for a couple of days whilst their parents selfishly went away for a much deserved break!

Urchins

Slip sliding away

What larks we had…

Larks

End of the cone

A fun time was had by all. They then reappeared a week later…

Boys

And all was going swimmingly until some one (not the next one) was caught weeing in the pool…..

Washing basket swimming

Well, boys will be boys…

A Spot of Wimbles

The Day

I have to say that I have never been anywhere quite as snobby as Wimbledon. Admittedly, it’s not the outside bit but rather the member’s enclosure for which we had tickets that’s the snobby bit. TG had to be suited and booted (which he hates) and we only had second class tickets but we rose to the occasion and enjoyed an expensive sandwich and glass of wine at lunchtime…well it would have been rude not to have!

We had tickets for court 1 which was grand

Great seats

Taylor Fritz v Stan Wawrinka

But actually it was more thrilling to be on the outside courts and see the action close up

Scarily strong ladies

In action!

Winner

But inevitably, because this is England in the summer, rain stopped play…

Here comes the cover

And that was the end of that

Despite it being a 9 hour round trip for us it was a really good afternoon. A spot of tennis, a little drinkie and not a famous person to be seen…not even Cliff!

Gluttonous Gluts

Homegrown

There is nothing better than a glut in the veg and fruit beds. It allows for creativity in working out just what to do with those marrow sized courgettes or 50 lettuces which all need to be picked at the same time. Happily this weekend’s glut was several pounds of strawberries which the small people took great delight in picking and turning into a couple of pots of jam and a rather splendid strawberry cake.

Jammin’

I love to have them in the kitchen even though things can get a bit fraught at times with arguments about who is cracking the eggs…

Ready to cake!

Applying the strawberries

And the proud moment of near completion

Cheese!

And the inevitable conclusion

The remains

La Belle France

I do love France. I love the cafes, croissants, la langue, fabulous food, doorways, windows, shutters, markets, brocante, roses, faded hues, towns on rivers, straight trees, Tarte Breton, chateaux, Monetesque countryside, Muscadet, pre-dinner drinks in little bars, Brie, bread, big ripe red tomatoes, Leiseur salad dressing, French radishes, chatting in badly grammatical French, buying great memories in markets, cafe grande and much more besides. Lots of people have thought that I’m mad to love these disparate things over the years – but pah to them I say – it’s the small stuff that matters!

This is a small photo montage of this trip. Somewhere in between Rennes and Chateaubriant – La Bas Quibut – sort of Loireish. Lovely…

Chateuabriant

Pastoral

Fab roses

Redon

Redon

Redon

Forest

Pastoral ows

Many daisies

Le Bas Quibut

Le Bas Quibut

L’ile des Machines

The Elephant Nantes

The Elephant Nantes

L’ile des Machines

L’ile des Machines

The Elephant

Mouais

Mouais

Mouais

Mouais

Mouais

Mouais

Walkies

France – we shall return.

Selfies

 

Yes I am alive. But just stupidly busy. My lovely part time life has turned into a full time writing roller coaster but I’m not complaining. Not at all. To be able to do something that you love and get paid for it is fab. But doesn’t leave much room for anything else!

The urchins are of course always in evidence and the smallest girl child does love a selfie.. “Show me, show me,” she says and just loves to see herself captured on the phone. They make me smile. Because apart from all the madness in the world, it’s all really about family isn’t it.

Plenty of silliness. That’s the ticket!

 

 

Because who doesn’t love a donkey?

You’d have to be a hard hearted sort not to love a donkey wouldn’t you? With their woofly noses and long soft ears, not to mention their gentle dispositions they are a study in patience. For last Christmas we adopted three from the donkey sanctuary here on the sunny Isle – Daisy, Dylan and Doris and under instruction from Father Christmas they are duty bound to visit. Often.

The Urchins do like a donkey (thankfully) and like the café even more for endless chocolate cake and drinks so it’s a popular choice for a visit. And they have little Shetland ponies too…

It’s a grand spot, free to get in to and it’s got miles of muddy paths and space to run and test your wellies out in!

Great fun and then time to repair to the café for the aforementioned cake..

By the way and just in case you didn’t know, if you close your eyes then food tastes better. I leave you with Miss Phoenix demonstrating same…

Ah the logic of the three year old!