Catching up with friends

We had a fairly quiet Saturday doing our usual things. Pete called, and we talked about the skeleton illustration for his book.....later there were cartoons of small dapper skeletons all around me on the floor, I was trying to get the right attitude to match what I know of Skelton Yawngrave! Later I did some washing up , which is something I can do without thinking at all!

On Suday we sprang to attention after a long relaxed breakfast, as Diane was coming for an early lunch. Mason immediately began rewiring the TV and Video so that they no longer sit in a cupboard surrounded by flammable videos which they had for years, but beside the TV(temporarily). Needless to say this took twice the time that he had allowed for it. However Diane arrived on time, lunch a little later, and there was a lot to catch up on as we had not seen her for a long time. The weather remained unsettled, and later as Mas gave her a lift to the station for her journey home the rain began in ernest again.

Later Mex phoned and we got up to date with what has been going on which was very interesting. Unexpectedly Marion called in for several hours which was nice, but by the time she left we were so tired we could only stare at the walls and could hardly drag ourselves off to bed.

Back to our routine

On Wednesday and Thursday we did our routine things, shopping, housework and gardening and sending emails, and I am trying to go for a walk everyday. The weather has been grey and overcast all month, to see any sun we have to watch TV, so I hope it will all change soon and we will have a bright September. I took this photo as it makes such a bright picture.

Breakfast surprise, treatment delay and news from Peter.

The postman bought a surprise package as we were having an early breakfast. Our little granddaughter Clare sent me a handmade 'Get Well Soon' card, done very carefully with a long message from her and an attractive necklace enclosed. What a nice start to the day!

I got to the hospital, had my blood test and later saw the consultant. Unfortunately my blood platelet count is still too low, so I had to leave without the treatment, and now have another appointment for next Tuesday. My blood group is AB Rh D positive which probably denotes that I am a direct descendant of Genghis Khan.

I walked home from the station and had a late lunch with Mason and watched Diagnosis Murder, it is somehow reassuring to see familiar things. Pete phoned to say he was back home again, but had had a lovely holiday in Crete, swimming for about two hours a day and looking at all the fish while snorkeling, and that he was feeling very relaxed and well, and has some freelance work in the pipeline too.

Mas and I watched Pie in the Sky before going off to bed.

Toby to Brighton and back to our usual routines

On Sunday Toby, Mas and I had breakfast together, and Toby began getting his things out for his return to Brighton. Pete is on holiday, but it was thought sensible for Toby to stay at his house overnight as it is such a short journey to Gatwick airport, and there were threatened strikes for the Bank Holiday when Toby was due to return to Toronto. We took Toby to Stanmore station and bid him a sad farewell before going off and getting some shopping.
When we went back we put the house to order and relaxed for most of the day.

This morning Toby phoned from the airport to say that the planes seemed to be flying as normal. Mas spent most of the day gardening, although it was still grey and cloudy it did not rain. I did some gardening too, and vacuumed the house in case I should feel ill after the hospital treatment tomorrow and not feel like housework. The house seemed very quiet without Toby. we watched some TV before having an early night.

Lunch at The Fishery pub and poking around in Pinner

On Friday we had breakfast, and then lunch with Toby before he went off to town, and Mas and I did our usual things, but took a break in the afternoon and watched 'Diagnosis Murder' with Dick Van Dyke.

On Saturday Mas, Toby and I went off to The Fishery pub beside Elstree Reservoir and had lunch together. Afterwards Mas dropped us off in Pinner, and Toby and I walked around looking at everything; this area has lots of old Tudor buildings.
We walked to the church, but a service was in progress so we walked around the graveyard. We noticed that this man was buried in 1775, aged 118 years. Two surgeons were also buried there in the 1700s, so possibly this was a very healthy place to live in during those times.



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The church hall was displaying a local art exhibition. On the notice board was a statement that the four local churches are working together in harmony, despite being Catholic, Church of England, Methodist and Unitarian.























We had a coffee in the Cafe Rouge, sitting outside on the pavement, and talked for a long time. We then had a quick look in some of the Charity Shops before taking the bus back to Stanmore the scenic way.

Walking in Hampstead with Toby

After breakfast Toby and I went off to Hampstead, and left Mas in peace and quiet to sort various things out. We walked all around, up Flask Walk and eventually came out by The Old White Bear pub, and then went off in a different direction. We both really like the houses and architecture, but I was unable to decide which would be mine (if only I could afford to live there).

Later we went into The Flask Pub and had some very refreshing ginger beer and a tasty snack. It is a nice pub as there is a conservatory kind of glass roof which makes it very light and airy in the eating area.

When we left there, we headed down towards the Vale of Health and walked on the Heath for a while, in an area where children usually fly kites.

We left there and walked around Christchurch, and past the small school that my mother attended when she was a child, before heading back.

As we walked back we saw people swimming in the mixed bathing pond, and saw that the fairground people were setting up the Fair for the Bank Holiday on Monday.

Mason's birthday lunch at Sazios

Tania and Robert could not meet us for lunch, but sent a nice birthday card to Mas today; Robert is cramming for an exam. Toby , Mas and I decided to go to St. Albans even though the weather did not look promising to get our usual fruit and vegetables.

Toby bought a birthday lunch for us at Sazios, and we all ate rather too much, The waiter was being very friendly, and bought Mas some extra almond cookies, and when he knew it was Mason's birthday was joking about putting candles on them and singing 'Happy Birthday'. As we left the sun was shining.

Toby saw some of his friends in the evening, and Mas and I watched 'The Bill' and a double programme of 'Ghost Whisperer'.

Pete off to Crete and my hospital treatment delayed

We all had breakfast together, and Pete left to go back to Brighton, and Toby went into London to see an exhibition. Mas and I had a relaxed day, and later in the evening we watched 'New Tricks' with Toby.

Early on Tuesday morning I went to hospital to have a blood test, and saw the professor who was charming and reassuring. There was a hold up with the blood analysis, and I got talking to another lady called Judith who was interesting, while we waited together. Unfortunately my blood platelet count was too low, and my treatment was put off till next week, so I phoned Mas and came home at about 5pm , and felt tired after hanging around all day. If I had to have another delay I reasoned that this was a good time for it as I would not feel too tired for the week while Toby is here.

Toby came home having spent the day in London, and we had dinner together and talked about what he had seen and where he had been. Later we watched 'Pie in the Sky'. Pete left for Crete this morning, for a weeks holiday.

Sunday dinner with Hellboy

Peter and Toby arrived as planned, and we sat about talking which was fun and interesting. Mas made his gaucho soup with venison, followed by turkey and all the fixings. He had in mind that we would not all be together at Christmas, so he made this Christmassy dinner early! Dinner took a long time as each course was filled with conversations.

Later on we watched Hellboy together, perhaps not my first choice, but it was stylish and interesting, and it was fun to be watching together. we finished off by eating some fruit crumble before going to bed.

Conversations and creativity

On Friday my half brother Peter visited as arranged, and we spent a long time talking and sitting in the conservatory and eating biscuits. Later Mas made an early dinner which we enjoyed before Mas dropped Peter off at the station. Peter lives in London, and we sometimes meet there and walk around the city as he is very familiar with lots of interesting places to see; I am looking forward to doing more walking with him next year.

I got a card from Diane with information about meditation enclosed, and later I phoned her. She is off to Germany for a weeks holiday soon. I began a smallish painting, done in bluish shades and gold. This gave me great satisfaction as I am beginning to feel creative again after spending so much time in never never land!

Today I had a nice email from Betty, and finished my painting. Mas went off and got some shopping, and we had a quiet evening.

Interesting book present and visit from Margaret

We had breakfast and an early lunch before Toby left to go to Pete's in Brighton, and Mas and I had a quiet day and got on with various things that needed doing, Mas mostly working on his website, and my head is clear enough now to get back to knitting socks without finding myself knitting backwards all the time!

Later we watched two episodes of 'Ghost Whisperer' in the evening which is entertaining, but quite sentimental too.

On Thursday the postman called early and bought me a surprise parcel from Betty in Guernsey; she sent a book called 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' about Guernsey while under German Occupation during the war, it is written by Mary Ann Shaffer who is American. I am saving this book to read next week when I have to spend the day in hospital again, and am really looking forward to it.

Mas and I went out to Edgware early and then went to The Man in the Moon in Stanmore for a traditional breakfast, and some shopping. Mas then had to go off to the bank, and Margaret called round unexpectedly, and we caught up with most of the news till Mason came in again, and we had some tea and more talk.

In the evening we watched 'The Bill', and both went off to bed rather early.

Lunch at Letchmore Heath

Today I took the last pills for this session, so felt pleased that my mealtimes are not so set now. Toby, Mas and I went off to 'The Three Horseshoes' for lunch and a change of scene; I had a delicious ginger beer which was nice . The weather was quite extreme, very sunny and bright for about five minutes followed by cloudburst rain, and some thunder, with this pattern repeating itself for most of the day.

Back home again, and Toby explained the mysteries of his ipod, and I listened to some old recordings of Tony Hancock's 'Hancock's Half Hours' from the late 1950s; they are still funny today.

Toby left to go out, and got multiple photos of rainbows while walking down to Edgware. Later Mas and I watched 'Pie in the Sky.'

Unsettled weather and health

The weather at the weekend was very unsettled, windy and pouring with rain most of the time.
Pete spent an anxious weekend waiting to see his doctor as his blood pressure is unreasonably high, and Toby and I lurked around talking a great deal which was very nice , but not very blogworthy news.

Our huge dark red hollyhock plant got blown over and lay prone on the grass until Mas strung it up and supported it. Some of the Geraniums have got rust, and I know how they feel! Alex phoned, and he too has a bad back at the moment.

On Monday Pete saw the doctor who prescribed pills and a blood test, and Pete is feeling somewhat better now. Toby went off to London to visit various galleries, and Mas and I got more shopping in. In the evening we watched 'New Tricks' together after dinner.

Creative stirrings and exhaustion

After a leisurely morning Toby left to go down to London, and Mas and I went to Edgware to get a few essential things. We had a quiet day, but lots of phone calls. The weather is really dreary and overcast if it is not raining, very strange for August.

I had a look at some of my paintings, and am now beginning to feel like doing some again. Perhaps something small scale and jewel like for a change. I would also like to have a go at marbling, but feel it would be so messy with bowls of water and oil based paint, that I had better try this in the garden later on. I can knit again, as my fingertips and thumbs have grown new skin now which is a relief.

Lela , Florence and Pete called. Toby returned and we had dinner before he went to meet his friend Danny who is down from Wales. Years ago Danny had a paper round, and would pass our house on his route, and would shout at Toby to wake up, as he passed, which annoyed Toby no end at the time.

I watched the spectacular opening of the Olympic Games with Mas on TV, but was feeling so tired by this time that I might as well have been watching an exploding ants' nest which is a shocking admission! And so to bed......zzzzzzz.

Lunch with Tania and Robert and the kindnes of strangers

We got up early, and Toby left to go to Cardiff to see friends. Mas and I had a nice drive to St. Albans and met Tania and Robert at our usual Thai restaurant. We had a lot to talk about, and had a really nice time. Afterwards we got some fresh fruit and vegetables and scampered off home again.

Pete called, and we watched 'The Bill', and I think 'Ghost Whisperer' by which time I felt fairly comatose and had to drag myself off to bed while I could still move.

On Thursday I did various things like getting a new road tax sticker for the car which cost £102 for our small car, and by mistake got on the wrong bus to go home, and went the scenic way to Edgware which took so long that I thought Mas would be beginning to worry about where I was. Walking back, I pounced on a a young gardener and asked if I could make a call on his mobile phone which I would pay him for; typically I had left mine at home. He was happy to oblige and would not take payment, and I left him grinning to himself after he told me he had done his good deed for the day. It is so reassuring to find goodness sometimes when all we hear on the news is disaster.

Toby arrived back from Cardiff, and we had a quiet evening.















This is one of the flies we saw at Wheathampstead, they were Banded Demoiselles, this one Pete photographed, all I could see where the black dots flying around!

Restful times.

On Monday Toby and I walked to Edgware, and got a couple of things from the shops. After lunch Manu, Lela and Rebecca phoned so I was busy chatting for a long time! Romy called, and it was so nice to hear her voice; luckily Toby walked into the house while she was still on the phone. Mas made a nice dinner and we heard about the things Toby had been looking at in London; he has been away so long he feels like a tourist now. Later we all watched 'New Tricks' which we enjoy on TV before turning in.

On Tuesday we all went off and had a pub lunch and got more shopping from Stanmore. Toby went off to London again in the afternoon, and I took it easy. Diane and Pat called and chatted too. I am still feeling quite well, just a bit tired.

Toby came back, we talked while we had dinner, and looked at his photographs while we had dinner, and later watched 'Pie in the Sky'. I am finding it quite difficult to sit in front of the TV for too long before feeling fidgety, I would generally rather listen to the radio while doing something else, but it is nice seeing some of these programmes which are old and mostly repeats.

Lunch at the Golden Elephant , Wheathampstead

Yesterday Pete arrived from Brighton, and we all set off to go to Wheathampstead for lunch at the Golden Elephant Thai restaurant which is inside a 400 year old former malt house.














We had a nice drive there through the countryside, despite the weather being very dreary, and we had a nice lunch together.

Afterwards we went for a short walk by the river, where some very large fish were spotted, and some fishermen were setting up for a bit of afternoon fishing. We saw rabbits scampering about, and some strange butterflies, but I could not get a close look at one. We did see some ponies, some looking like cartoon ones by Therwell. Then we came home and listened to old records for a while, chatting, and later Mas made a splendid rib dinner ; I think we all ate too much today. Mas also tried to take some photos of us, but we are not very good photographic subjects so I will not show them here! Pete left for Brighton after eight as he has an early appointment tomorrow.

Toby coming to stay, and Robert visiting

On Thursday we heard from Robert that he was going to a meeting in the morning, but would call in to see us as he would be driving back our way. Mas had also managed to get an appointment with the local doctor, who prescribed pills and said Mas needed an xray and blood tests, and we were looking forward to seeing Toby.

Toby arrived as planned, and we began catching up on all the news, then Robert arrived as well, and we heard that Tania has not been feeling very well. Afterwards we spent the rest of the day talking, and Mason made a nice celebration dinner too.

On Friday Toby and I walked to Edgware and I got Masons pills, while he went off for the blood tests and Xray. Later we had lunch at The man in the Moon, where Toby and Mas succumbed to the temptation of large desserts as well! Another day filled with talk, and then we watched a good Foyle's War episode on TVbefore going off to bed.

On Saturday Toby and I walked to the post office, but the weather was depressing and overcast most of the day. Mason's back is gradually feeling better thank goodness, but it is a slow business. I cannot believe how much better I am feeling now as well.