Friends, family and birds

This week went by quickly in a frenzy of gardening cutting hedges and doing the lawns, swimming, buying window box flowers and planting them out and talking to neighbours and friends.
Maheena came round on Thursday morning and we caught up with all the news, she always has a sense of humour and we find a lot of small things to laugh about. We walked around the garden, and she saw some Mind your own Business growing all over the place and asked if they needed roots.....I said "yeess" slowly, which made her laugh as she was wondering if they could be propagated from cuttings. She also saw our Salvia, (Hot Lips,) plant, smelled the leaves and said she thought it was the same as a plant that grows in Keroula which is considered sacred, as it has so many medicinal properties. Looking it up later I found that our plant was a relative of Sage and Mint, so it is hardly surprising.

Salty bought two live birds into the house through his cat door, on different days. Luckily I was there to take them from him, one of them looked dead, so I moved his legs and wings which seemed to be undamaged and went to lay him on a bush, and he flew out of my hand and away, and the second bird was quite lively and flew off as soon as I got him outside.

On Saturday we went to Borehamwood to get shopping and look at pet supplies, and thought we would have lunch at our favourite fish and chip restaurant. When we got there it was very busy, and we ended up sitting at a table with another couple. They were very interesting people, and we had a lively time talking of politics, religion, history and all manner of things. They had lived in the village of Elstree for years, both being very socially active in the community. I mentioned that I had been evacuated to Elstree during the war as a toddler, but could not remember which house I had been staying in. They said they would try to find this out for me, and were very keen that we should keep in touch.

We went home and tidied up as Lorraine and Pete were coming to stay overnight as they were going to a party in North London. When they arrived we had a couple of drinks and talked, but not for too long as we were all a bit tired, but it was fun seeing them.

Sunday, the weather still cold. Pete phoned, and I spoke to Lorraine too who liked the picture. Margaret phoned and chatted for a while, and both she and John are also feeling under the weather. I walked down to Edgware and got more medications for Mas, and marvelled at the shoppers out for a bargain still.

Monday, with frost thick like snow. Made a warming soup for lunch followed by a vitamin laden salad. I spoke to Diane for a while, and she was waiting at home for her radiator to be fixed. In the evening we watched a Poirot, but not a very good one as it did not have Captain Hastings or Miss Lemon in it, and it went on for too long. Mason also watched Michael Portillo talking about Guantanamo. The TV was being temperamental, losing sound, or not showing anything half way through a programme.

Salty has been going up the chimney again, and once more we have an attractive paw print pattern decorating the neutral carpets. Later noticed the paw print motif on the white dining room walls, no doubt Salty had been trying to catch the small rainbows thrown by the crystal hanging in the window.

Birthday visit

We were expecting Pete to come to stay, so Mas got in some shopping, and I made up the bed and generally tidied up the house in readiness. Mas lost his voice, and when Pete arrived he briefly joked that we had found Mason's mute button, and when his voice started coming back and he was whispering Pete said he sounded like a Mafioso.

We exchanged presents, then we had a sloe gin (courtesy of Pete, but next year I resolve to make some too,) before having a tasty meal of roast ribs and all the fixings. We later watched 'I love you to death' with Kevin Kline which Pete had not seen before, and is based on a true story, but is funny. After this Pete and Mas began to watch 'Batman Begins' while I cleared up.

It had been a nice day, apart from Mas having a sore throat.

Today we got up earlyish and had a relaxed breakfast together, listening to the music CD Lorraine had given me, which is very peaceful. Wynford called around bringing me a present that Glen had put aside for my birthday today. He told us the details of his mother's passing, and was extremely upset and sad.

Pete and Mas finished 'Batman Begins', and we had a nice turkey dinner together before Pete headed off home, taking the subdued painting I had done for Lorraine with him.

Not long afterwards Maheena called in bringing me a birthday present, and I had the chance to give her Varun's preset as it is his birthday today as well. We stayed talking for quite a while, Maheena very sad about Glen's passing too. When she left, Florence called and chatted too, and Diane as well. By this time I was feeling very tired, and Mas was feeling much worse.

Thanksgiving meal

We planned to go swimming today, but somehow the time ran away and all we seemed to do was to go round one supermarket after another. Having generally exhausted ourselves we stayed home, and started preparing for the Thanksgiving meal tomorrow, and made ourselves a nice dinner in the process.

Today we tidied up the house and began the preparations for the meal. Poppy and Ben arrived first, quickly followed by Tania and Robert. Although we had put snacks in the conservatory, everyone was drawn naturally to the fire and we had drinks and chatted until Lorraine and Pete arrived.

I had previosly laid the dining room table, and we had our Thanksgiving meal in soft lighting with candlelight and sparkling white wine, followed by the red wine, and chatted for several hours; it was a very nice evening.

Lorraine and Pete stayed overnight, and the next day we had a light breakfast of pancackes and coffee, and spent time talking. Lorraine showed us pictures of the unusual house she will be buying soon.

After they left Mas and I, feeling at a bit of a loose end, took ourselves off to The Man in the Moon for a roast Sunday dinner. In the afternoon I listened to the classic serial on the radio: ' Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,' by John Le Carré.

Christian sent pictures from Basel which is having a food market, and everything gearing up for Christmas. In the evening we watched New Ticks, but it was rather a depressing episode. And so to bed.

Fun flying visit and burglary

Pete phoned to say he and Lorraine would be calling in briefly before going to a wedding reception at Hatfield House, around 6.00 in the afternoon. They also planned to stay overnight and have breakfast with us before going back to Brighton.

I tidied up a bit, and they arrived as planned. We managed to have time to chat before they went off for the evening. Mas and I had dinner and watched TV until they returned. Then Mas made a sandwhich for them.

In the morning we had a light breakfast, just toast and coffee, but hung around talking for a while, and sorting out a few jars of jam for them to take. I tried to persuade Pete to take some of his books and old records, but he only took a couple of books back. They left before lunch as Lorraine's parents were visiting Brighton briefly.

When they left we felt at a bit of a loss, so went to Stanmore and got shopping, and had a Sunday lunch at The Man in the Moon which was very enjoyable.
Later that night we found out that the house next door, but one, had been burgled, probably when we were out. The robber had forced the front door and gone in that way!

Boewolf and Mexican meal

I spent the next few days feeling tired, but on Friday I managed to pull myself together, and we went off to get shopping and had lunch out then spent a little time clearing up the house which had become filled with cat toys and shredded pieces of paper. In the evening we watched Boewolf , but neither of us liked the animation that was used very much.

On Saturday we were expecting Pete and Lorraine, so I scrubbed and polished the kitten and got him standing to attention. Unfortunately Lorraine lost her case en route, so Mas took Pete and Lorraine to get a few replacements. Afterwards Mas made a huge Mexican meal which we enjoyed.

In the evening we watched a few Frasiers before going off to bed.

Visiting Pete in Brighton

On Saturday Mas had his yearly 'flu' shot before we went off to get shopping and have an early lunch in Stanmore. We watched a 'Midsomer Murders' in the evening. Toby phoned on Sunday, otherwise we just pottered about indoors as it was raining all day, and I did a bit more to Pete's skelly picture.

Nothing too exciting was going on until we went off to Brighton to visit Pete. Luckily the weather had changed completely and was bright and sunny, and the countryside, as we sped through it on the train looked lovely. We got to Pete's just before lunch time so we had time to meet Calliope and have a cup of tea and chat. Later we sauntered downtown to a Gourmet Burger Kitchen, and had a huge lunch, and afterwards had a short walk to the Mock Turtle which has wonderful cakes and is a very cosy interesting place.

Calliope

We returned to Pete's home and had a short rest before playing with his kitten a lot while Pete prepared dinner. Lorraine came round after work as planned; it was nice to meet her at last. Unfortunately Pete had a bad migraine so poor Lorraine took over the dinner which was very nice. Pete came back once his migraine fireworks had stopped, and we chatted for a while before Lorraine left and we went off to bed.