A Very Social Sunday...

..in fact a Social Weekend, if you consider we had J & I round last night, and I haven't done 'social' in quite a while......I didn't quite make it up in time for church this morning, so Clive went alone, but didn't hassle me for which I'm grateful. I got up (after blogging, doing a code word and a rather tricky sudoku) and did more cleaning and tidying whilst listening to Kate Rusby on very loud..just lvoe her.

Then we headed off to James' in Highgate where we had been invited for lunch..ended up making ourselves coffee and doing all his washing up while he ran someone home.......hmmm....after three quarters of an hour he reappeared and we walked to a local pub for lunch..and I paid! It was rammed, took an hour to get a rather inadequate and luke warm roast beef dinner with rock hard vegetables. I could do better for £9.95!! Still it is just round the corner from George Michael's house...I wasn't at all happy leaving the car parked on the road there....

We were invited to my God-Father's house for tea...haven't seen him for a couple of years...he was pleased to see us. He is very small, Ludwik, Polish, and must be about 4' 6" small, no really, and it is very funny to see James towering over him at 6' 4"!! He gave us cups of tea and platefuls of cakes, which he insisted we ate..I think we managed about three each before admitting defeat, and he was still offended there were some left....

We took James home, and left him feeling quite unwell, and came back to St Albans for Laa's best friend Amy's engagement party. This was in a trendy pub with loads of young people, a live band and a good vibe..a bit too good for Clive who was feeling his 60 years and just wanted to go home to bed. There was a buffet...lovely..but when I was offered a large slice of chocolate engagement cake, I did have to decline. Laura was keen to eat hers, so gave me her vodka and lemonade to hold while she ate it...unfortunately I managed to drink it all , didn't realise she wanted it back.....

By 10 to 10 Clive was fading fast so we left the party and came home....people were dancing to the band, I wanted to dance....but no, here I am tucked up with my laptop..oh well...night night.... oh Caroline is texting me I can't cope I think the vodka has gone to my head.....

Peaceful Saturday type thoughts....

Had a quiet but good day. C was working then doing things for his mum, so pretty much gone all day. I started by a dog walk with Jill and our two doggies, then spent the rest of the day pottering on my own, thinking my own thoughts and doing my own thing. I am really appreciating time alone now, rather than manically filling it. I listened to Jonathan Ross, who I like better on radio than TV, strangely. He played an old track by Bread, which contained the line, 'You're the only one I care enough to hurt about...' which took me back to the thoughts of yesterday's blog.

If you feel, care or love, then yes, you will get hurt. The only way not to get hurt is not to feel, not to care, not to love. So I guess I would rather go on getting hurt....but having a little protective lining round one is preferable to total rawness..I think I am growing an emotional skin again....still caring, but able to protect myself more.

I cleaned and tidied the kitchen, had lunch, went shopping then came back and did a bit of tidying in the front garden so as to be out in the sun. Such a busy day that I had to come in and lie on the sofa and sleep! Followed by a cup of tea and a couple of chocolate biscuits...

I invited Jill and Ian round tonight, the first bit of real socialising I have done for ages. Didn't cook, though, we got a lvoely Chinese takeaway, while I introduced them to the wonderful sound of Kate Rusby.

Now I am tucked up in bed feeling very, very tired, but able to celebrate a nice day...and some cleaning and tidying achieved too! Now C has got to come and stay.....

Evening reflection.....

..random thoughts....worked hard today..went swimming with R, but only did 10 lengths before coffee and chatting! Home to finish chocolate easter egg before a dog walk with Jill and Harry (and Sophie of course) in the evening spring sunshine. Look, they both waited patiently while Jill and I did a bit of shopping! (Little and Large, otherwise known as Sophie and Harry.)

Evening thought..how do you stop people from hurting you? Answer..take away the power they have to hurt you. How? Stop caring? Stop feeling? Care for yourself? Forgive them, for they know not what they do? Perhaps that's where God comes in, again..perhaps if you let God lvoe you, then when people let you down, it doesn't matter quite so much..because God will always love you, and never let you down....the thing is to remember that, even when you can't feel God.....like the story of the two sets of footprints in the sand. But God, look, you left me, there is only one set of footprints. Yes my child..that is when we hopped...

Come on and celebrate......

...let us celebrate and sing.....well, steady on, maybe not so much singing..well in our hearts if not actually out loud..my challenge to you today is to see how much you have to celebrate and be thankful. (Yes, it's ok, you haven't gone to the wrong blog by mistake..the pills are working...) Like yesterday, I had six keen, wonderful new volunteers trained and ready to go a the end of the course. We had our usual celebration lunch. This is the first training course I have not run, cos my 'new' assistant ran it admirably instead. So I took the opportunity to celebrate that fact, and the fact that she has now been with me a year. So I bought her some flowers. Then, because my secretary is brill, and has been with me nearly four years, and she is dealing with elderly and sick parents, and trying to juggle everything, I bought her flowers too.

And I thought how lovely people are - sorry, lvoely - and thought that people I just knew, and liked, a couple of years ago, have truly become friends, no matter where they live, through the amazing power of the mobile phone and blog world. Friends I wouldn't have, or know so well. So I wish to celebrate that. So you see, I know I am not alone..could that be God trying to tell me that, in one of His Mysterious Ways?

Thank you my friends. Now go off today and find things to celebrate. They are all round you. Lvoe you.

Diet? What diet?

Whoever said I was on a diet? Oh, I did. Well, I will be after I have finished my yummy Easter Egg. And I am only having yoghurt for breakfast. And a sandwich for lunch. Oh, except for today when I met Rosemarie for lunch at a nice Italian near me (note to self, disabled access good, check.) and we shared a roast aubergine/courgette/pepper/tomato/garlic starter..delicious...then I had pasta carbonara...more delicious...

The only downside to the lunch was the fact that the little Italian waitress cried the whole time..we tried to ask her if she was ok, well she obviously wasn't, but didn't want to talk about it with a restaurant full of customers..she served the whole meal with red watery eyes, always on the verge of tears, and was hiding in corners when nobody was looking. We did want to sit her down and find out what was wrong. Some of you may remember a blog when I mentioned going out for a meal with a group of people, including DC, who flirted outrageously with the waitress all night, and kissed her when he paid the bill..the very same..do you think she is pining for him?

I really didn't need a meal tonight, so I didn't have one. I just had a banana..chopped up in a bowl..with a generous amount of evaporated milk. I told Laura ...she said, 'Mum, you get more like Winnie the Pooh every day....'

I gave Rosemarie a belated Lindt chocolate Easter bunny..yes I had it at home all week and hadn't eaten it! She e-mailed me to say the little bell round his neck had rung all the way home in the car. She has now become attached to him, and as a vegetarian, feels she can't eat him now. Oh dear.......

Feeling warm and humble.....

..warm from the lvoely comments made on my last blog...you are all much too nice, I don't deserve you...which is why I feel humble and small and grateful for such understanding friends, who don't judge me...well not in my blog anyway!!!
Last night, when curled up on sofa with doggie (both of us breaking the rules as we were alone...) I decided to watch something I had recorded recently, cos there was only cr*p on TV..so I watched 'An Officer and a Gentleman' which I haven't seen for years..not a good choice to watch when feeling emotional, I cried buckets at the happy ending, good job I was alone...... waited all day at work for Richard Gere to turn up and rescue me. He never did, damn him.

So busy at work with last year's accounts, this year's budget, last year's annual statistics, a possible funding cut by one of my core funders, a major audit pending from another core funder, and reports I have to write justifying the service we offer..never mind the visits I should be making. Have sent a questionnaire to every volunteer, referrer and person we support asking how our service helps...we have had such a high return back, and people's stories of their lives and how we have helped them I still find so moving, even after 5 years in this job. Yes, this is where I find God, in seeing how some people give freely of their time, to help others, and what a difference it makes. I can't share these stories, but I so want to. Hope I haven't said too much!

Anyway..the picture..out walking with Sophie, Jill and Harry tonight. Just had to take a photo of this bush in full blossom..it smelt beautiful too!

A Sunday night reflection...

In bed. Gone 11pm. Laptop on knees. Having my own space, since Clive went to work at an exhibition in Birmingham about 6.45 this morning (I heard the front door close!) and won't be back until Tuesday evening. Some 'me' time. Had breakfast in bed. Did the Sudoku. Read. Thought about going to church on my own as I haven't been for weeks. Somehow I didn't get up in time. Spent the morning at home listening to music and tidying my bedroom!

Went for a dog walk with friends this afternoon, another friend called in a for a cup of tea, then this evening, again, I have been on my own. Did what I wanted, ate what and when I wanted, watched TV. Cuddled up on the sofa with the dog.

Done loads of thinking, although I have shared my thoughts with no-one. In truth, this has been a tough week. I have not been too happy. But I am getting better, the bad times are not so frequent, and not so bad. I so looked forward to going away, but it was over so soon, and when you come back - hey, nothing's changed. Someone texted me 'Happy Easter! He is Risen!' on Easter Sunday morning when I was out walking and communing with nature..and I realised, with great sadness, that it didn't mean anything to me. There was a time when my whole life was my faith, my drama, my music, and the whole of Easter would have been based on planning services, leading worship or music: some years, leading the annual Good Friday Ecumenical service in the Abbey in St Albans. I have performed in, directed or written moving drama in the Abbey, or played in the music group. I have helped people worship and understand the real meaning of Easter. Now it has come and gone without touching me. I don't know anymore. I don't know where God is in my life.

There have been tears this week. Tears today. I need time and space alone to think and feel, without pretending I am ok. I will get there. This time last year I was in Bristol, taking care of my very ill dad. I still feel lost some weekends, this Friday evening I was lost, not having anywhere to go, not being needed, I didn't know what to do. Sometimes, having to get in the car and drive to Bristol and look after my mum and dad meant I didn't have to think about what to do, where to go, I just did.

Now I have to think....and too much thinking is not always good for me. I know I have good friends who really care for me, and I thank God for them - or rather I ought to..but sometimes, ultimately...you just feel alone.

A good song to end on.......

Tried out my night-time pic taking with my new phone, taking pictures of an excellent young band in a local pub. Considering it was quite dark, they haven't come out too badly! The history behind these pictures, for me, lies with the drummer! I tried hard to capture Simon, peeping out between the two lead vocalists/guitarists, I think you can see him (just) in the pic above right. Simon and the band he was with then, Carpathian Breed, won our Battle of the Bands competition. He and his friends were all school boys then! They were an excellent band, and well deserved to win.

Then, at a dinner party at my friend Jill's, one evening, a couple of years ago, I met a guy called Alan, we got talking, music was a common theme - he told me his son was in a band who had been in BoB: I experienced slight panic, was he going to be one of those parents who have a go at me cos their child's band didn't win? Believe me, it does happen, not only the teenagers rude to us, so are the parents! But happily Alan was able to tell me that his son was in the winning band - Simon! David and I met the band again when they asked us to do sound and lighting at one of their gigs a year later.

I met up with Alan socially now and again, and we were at his house for New Year, and met up with Simon and members of his new band, Legions of Filth! Alan played us a track, their first recording, and I was impressed. This is a new band, all the guys are at Uni, Simon is studying drumming at Brighton, but they come back to St Albans most weekends. I heard them at the pub a few months ago, and couldn't resist the chance to hear them again .

Alan is in two bands himself, is very musical, and joins the guys on some numbers on trombone, and although he was hiding behind the speakers, I managed to catch him on camera, playing the trombone!

I can't possibly describe their music - they are very very talented, amazing vocals, use of harmony, each song is surprising, every one is different, some quite moving and deep, some very funny..and rude!! They have one album out, which I bought last time I saw them. They are working on a new demo..listen out for them. They may shorten the name to Legions.

I went on my own, stood in the corner nursing an orange juice, but decided to invite a friend to join me, so texted Liz and she rang and had a listen to some of the gig! You are never alone with a mobile phone.

The world is my lobster..almost.....

Yes, it's a sat nav!!!!! My new baby..Clive surprised me by asking if I would like a sat nav for my birthday. He had researched them and found this tomtom go to be highly recommended. We attempted to look at one in the usual large stores, only to discover it was difficult to find a member of staff to serve you, and when you did, it was generally a spotty youth who didn't know anything about the items they were selling and couldn't answer any questions.(No offence to spotty youths. I hope none taken.)

Anyway, to cut a long story meduim, the week before we went away, Laura had the week off work, and with nothing much to do, and nobody else being about, she seemed to end up at my office rather a lot, round about lunchtime, and a great deal of eating and shopping went on, most days, actually. I also bored of her moaning about her and Mec missing houses, cos they are always sold by the time they see them, and I pointed out she hadn't actually registered with any agents, so I made her go into 6 over 2 days and register, and I sat quietly and didn't interfere! (for example: agent to Laura: This is a nice house.... me...oh, no Laura you don't want to live in that road (remember I visit all over St Albans as part of my job!) Laura..No thank you then... agent gives mother filthy look...) One agent was very nice and referred to me as Laura's sister. Don't trust his description of houses then.....

Anyway, on the day before my holiday, we were shopping (in my lunch hour) (and we went to look at a house quickly, this is such fun) and I remembered I still didn't have my sat nav, and I thought, why not, so went into D*xons and found a youth that did know his sat nav from his ipod, and I let him sell one to me.

It is a mobile sat nav , that you move from car to car, Clive's eyes lit up, now it wouldn't be that he really wanted one, would it??? We used it to go from home to our little hotel in the middle of shropshire, magic, no need for maps, took us straight there. Was good all weekend. Except when I programmed it to take us to Llanrhaedr to see Wales' highest water fall, and I offered to drive, cos Clive had driven at 20 miles an hour all morning - that is not an exaggeration, I was watching the speedo, and it nearly drove me mad, I could have walked quicker. It was Easter Sunday, and I felt like we were one of those Sunday driver people who didn't know how to get out of first gear.

So I took over driving, and Clive kindly told me how to drive, how to steer, pointed out the traffic lights, looked at the map and said he wouldn't have gone this way..I stopped the car and said, shall we follow the sat nav or will you read the map, I don't mind but I can't follow both. Clive agreed follow the sat nav, then continued to help me drive all the way. The sat nav said Llanrheadr clearly in its little window. I followed it dutifully until we drove into the little town of Bala and it said 'You have reached your destination.' Um....never mentioned Bala..wrong place.. something wrong here surely? Yes, said Clive, you have obviously programmed the sat nav wrong, what have you done, turn round here, mind the kerb, no not like that..oh why are you getting out of the car?

How stoooooopid do i feel........

I may have mentioned once or twice before on my blog, my intention to go up to the Big Town and go to a Steve Lawson gig, one of his regular monthly gigs at Darbucka's world music cafe. Every time I plan to go, something gets in the way, there is something else on that night I can't get out of, or as on one or two occasions, no-one else is free to come with me and at the last minute on a cold winter's night I can't be a****ed, or i forget or whatever.

But this month, I checked the website, and yes, there is a gig and yes, I am free. I plan to go. Alone or otherwise. I ask Laura if she wants to come. Not really her thing, and anyway she's going swimming. I ask James if he would like to come..he has other plans but I can tell he's tempted. I ask DC if he would like to come, and for once he is in London and able to spare the evening!

So I am excited and off we go to the gig...except when we stop to call up the web site on DC's laptop for the venue address, something makes me look twice at the date. 'What is today's date?' I ask. '20th' DC replies. 'Oh. Are you sure?' 'Yes,' (suspicion creeping in..) 'Why, when is the gig?' Pause. 'Yesterday.' I have to say I have been in a foul mood all day, started the day having a cry (but not for long) walked out of a meeting this afternoon cos I was losing the will to live, shouted at DC down the phone and then hung up on him, just because, and nearly decided not to go out cos I wasn't in the mood. DC generously still decided to risk accompanying me. So while I was being moody and offish, discovering I had missed the gig amused DC to the point of helpless laughter, or was it the pained look on my face as I tried to retain some sense of dignity. Then I gave up.

We went for a meal, a long talk and shared silly texts with Caroline. DC talked about the stresses of work and said, 'I feel like I am just using fingers to plug holes in the dyke.' I told him not to lower the tone......

Now I am home in bed. You know, one day I really will make it to a Steve Lawson gig.

Drum roll..here are the pics!

This is the front of the lovely country house hotel in Shropshire which was our home for three nights. It's called Pen-y-dyffryn , and was originally a Rectory before being turned into a hotel.

This is the hotel seen from across the valley - it is only just in Shropshire, Wales is 100 yards away!

Our room was one of four in the Coach House, a separate building just up the hill behind the main house. (Youc an see the hotel roof and upstairs window just to the right). And what about the view out of the door!...we had our own private terrace with table and chairs, direct access to the wonderful gardens, and the sun came roun d to face us in the evenings. Sophie dog can be seen trying to decide whether to come in or go out......she does that for hours.....

A view of the beautifully landscaped gardens ...once there, you really didn't feel the need to go anywhere else. Peaceful rolling hills, singing birds, the distant bleating of lambs...comfortable rooms, a lounge full of sofas and a roaring log fire in the evening..not to mention the wonderful food and service in the dining room...nothing was too much trouble, the staff were all friendly, helpful and well trained (as far away from Cheltenham as you could possibly get!!!!!),,Liz, I think I have found the next venue for you and S to visit for your next girlie break!!!

Nearly time...

..to take a break. Almost packed and ready. Off to Shropshire in the morning for an Easter break. To a nice hotel. With Clive. And Sophie. And a book of lovely walks. And books to read. Can't wait...have a good Easter, see you on my return, Monday night, or Tuesday morning. Complete with photographs taken with my new phone!

First this....

I saw it in one of those magazines you get free with the Sunday papers. Full of things you always wanted, but just didn't know you did. Look at this! A 4 in 1 music centre - perfect for your entire audio collection - a turntable, sorry record deck, on top, a slot for tapes to the right, cds in front, and a built in radio. Solid wood! Only £99.99. I am so tempted....

then this....

..in the same magazine..the Pet Pavilion. It's wonderful! A little kennel for your wee doggy to keep warm and dry, but on a sunny day..a sun terrace!!!! Complete with little ladder to get up there. But this is the best feature..pointed out in the text, honestly, the little wooden carved safety rail to stop your pooch falling a whole 19" to the ground. Only £49.99! Do you think Sophie would like one?

Ok, I have to come clean....

..this week hasn't gone entirely to plan. Positive: I have not eaten so much chocolate, though I have consumed some...I didn't go swimming on Tuesday morning, but it was a conscious and positive decision, as I still got up at 7.30am and did some much needed housework instead. So I was still motivated and active, but also got the house that bit tidier..and boy does it need it....

Had counselling tonight..for two weeks running I have talked and not cried. I have been a relatively normal person in between too, no emotional traumas. I hope this is the beginning....and I will go swimming...soon...

Write one hundred lines....

I will not keep eating chocolate and making myself feel sick.
I will not keep eating large packs of M&Ms and making myself feel sick.
I will not keep buying large amounts of chocoalte and M&Ms which make me feel sick.
I am good for getting up at 7.30am this morning and walking the dog.
I am good for having yoghurt and fruit for breakfast.
Tomorrow morning I will get up at 7.30am and go for a swim before work.
I will not keep eating chocolate and maiking myself feel sick.

What a lvoely song to end on......

..a good way to end a weekend, to pop into an old St Albans pub and find a folk night in full swing..except that full swing might be overstating it...As D and I crossed the floor with our drinks and crisps to find a seat, a dozen pairs of eyes watched us, silently saying, 'Eeer, they're not from round 'ere then....' True, we weren't wearing checked shirts, sandals or beards (oh, one of us had a beard, I admit it...) then we worried about eating the crisps, because we imagined one crunch would have twelve pairs of lips mouthing 'Sshhhh' in our direction. We lasted for four songs before putting some money in the kitty and escaping into the night. I am used to such venues, but D was clearly having a panic attack, and saying it was the most hard-core folk venue he had ever set foot in, and how his leather coat had never seemed more out of place. Not to mention the audi.....

But it was the end of a good weekend - after doing some house work, which I still remembered how to do, taking the dog for a walk in the morning sunshine, I made it into town to buy a book, have coffee and croissants, gossip and a fun time.....

Also called in to see Laa and Mec in their little cottage for a cup of tea..then as I was settling for a lazy evening in front of the TV, my lovely friend Jacky rang and asked if she could come round, and of course she could, so we had coffee and chatted and caught up.....lvoely....

I had a good feeling about today too, it was a sunny Sunday and I had a meeting in Witney, near Oxford, about a world music festival with which I am involved...this meant over an hour's drive in the sun, listening to lvoely music and thinking thoughts...very unpressured. After the meeting, I stopped in Oxford services and weakened, having not eaten, and had a burger and fries..I promise, the first I've had in years..and yes, I weakened more and bought a packet of M&Ms to eat in the car.....more driving in the sun, more music, and a lvoley way of spending Sunday. You know, one of those days when you are very happy with your own company????

Then this evening a board meeting of a charity, where D and I are trustees and all has not been going well. I think I was polite in my contributions and didn't actually get violent with anyone. But the frustration drove me to insisting on going for an orange juice and a packet of crisps before going home. If I said something in the meeting, it was ignored, but when D made the same point ten minutes later, the Chair (male, of course,) would think it an important point and take it on board. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Still home now, time to calm down..have I got some chocolate somewhere? Oh, and I must take a picture for Liz..... hang on.....

Still not better yet.....

..keep taking the tablets.....

Well, it made Clive laugh....

..and he doesn't laugh easily. He laughed so much at this cartoon in the paper, and couldn't wait to show me. Then he laughed some more, cut it out of the paper and put it on the notice board in the kitchen. Personally, I can't see why it's funny.....

A good Friday...

Yes, it was a good day, after a mostly good week, except for Thursday when I started to wobble a bit in the evening....I think myself into a black hole sometimes, thinking and thinking, and knowing I should stop, because I feel depression like a black cloud descending...So after work I went and walked the dog and tried to let the spring evening lift my mood.

Coming back home, I involved myself in downloading my pictures to my blog, then watched the TV, and made myself think happier thoughts. I think it was a delayed reaction to the loveliness of last weekend, away among friends, so much anticipated, so much enjoyed, I was very relaxed and didn't get upset once!!!! so by Thursday the 'feel good' factor was wearing thin...

However, I woke up feeling ok this morning, and after a day in the office, met Rosemarie for a swim and I managed 18 lengths, before having a hot shower, then coffee and gossip, which is, after all, the purpose of the outing. We had a good talk and of course, a few laughs, and I say God bless good friends, and it's Saturday tomorrow....you never know, it might be fun.....

This is a test....

Right, I sat on the sofa last night with my new phone newly charged, and took my first picture. Now I have attached phone to lap top and hopefully transferred it. Here goes......


Oh, wow, that is amazing!!! Now, something else I must take a pic of....back soon......

Sorry, had to be done.....

Just to show you it's getting better!!!!!!

It's a mad world......

I know can't blog about my work..if only I could, so much to share, that is sad, exciting, challenging, rewarding..sometimes it does my head in, as they say..yesterday morning involved.... in no particular order, driving my lovely car..now a year old, still love it...sunshine, country side, children...some clean some not so clean......more children, a baby, more children, a dog, then another dog, a cat, a loud budgie, Cbeebie's on all Tvs, two cockateils, a mouse..tears...(not me!)..a variety of human problems...I arrived at the office and went straight to the church cafe next door for a quiet sit and a late breakfast involving a mug of coffee and two, yes two, toasted tea cakes and butter.

Good day..totally fed up of my phone, which has a crap camera, can't hear people on it and the battery holds about five minutes of charge. Thought it would take hours to make a decision, cos I don't do them well, but I wanted to look at the phone Liz has, as a starter, then the salesman whipped his out..his phone that is, keep it clean..why do I think about sex every two point four seconds??? Don't answer that..any way his phone was the same one and he said it was brilliant, so i thought, it must be a sign, I'll buy one, so I did, and now I am studying how to use it......

Off to a Power Point Level Two training day now..if only I could remember what I learned on level One......

The rumours of my incapacity....

..were much exaggerated! How could you take me so seriously? Did you really think a sore finger and a wheezy cough would stop me attending an Ops meeting?????? Oh ye of little faith...I had a great time. Friday evening saw me and DC booking into our hotel, along with D & M, and it was a slight improvement on the Travel Lodge, a class of its own, even if D&M were in the main house and our rooms were in the stables!!!! We got an out of season deal which made it cheaper than the Travel Lodge, and included a very fine breakfast....

Saturday brought us to the Ops meeting which passed peacefully enough, and we managed to get some work done , together with a little catching up on a personal level. Yes, my finger was very sore and displaying some alarming colours, so that the two doctors in attendance were keen to lance it with a needle and generally save my life. I was very reluctant to engage with this procedure, but then decided to accept on the grounds that their concern worried me. I asked the resident GP who thoughtfully had her medical bag in the car, if she would be happy to treat my finger, and she said yes she would. Lovely. Then I forgot, she forgot....and so I still had swollen and throbbing finger.

Happily, as I thought, it kind of took care of itself during Sunday, but as it was still red and sore and the red swelling was tracking round underneath the nail, I decided to do as I was told and seek medical advice. Sorry to bother you with a pathetic sore finger, I told the practice nurse on Monday morning. Mmmm she said, looking at it carefully. Could end up in blood poisoning if we don't treat it ....so now in addition to the inhaler in the mornings, I take the anti-depressants and large penicillin filled horse-pills. Never say I don't take care of myself.....

Saturday evening found us installed in a nearby pub having good food and drink, and relaxing with the few friends who had the stamina to stay over!

Sunday morning was very good....no rush to get up, a lazy breakfast, then a couple of hours in the residents lounge, drinking coffee and catching up with Liz who came in to round off the weekend in a leisurely manner. We had fun watching the crowds of over dressed locals coming in for Sunday lunch. The smell of roast beef and all the trimmings was so tempting..but sadly we had all eaten so much over the weekend, we couldn't face it.

At about half past two we thought we ought to head home, although it was tempting to stay..first we had a little walk around the grounds, befriending a few ducks and a couple of tame peacocks..unfortunately, although I took some pics, my camera phone is fairly crap, so I am relying on the lvoely Liz to provide the photographic evidence....