Ginger Beer saves the day.

After a two staged breakfast and lots of chatting we all went off to the Man in the Moon for lunch which was nice, but it was noisy as there were several groups of people being very loud (as Toby said, they were like Orcs). Afterwards Mas went off to work on his computer and Toby and I went off to Hampstead.

Once in Hampstead we went to The Flask to have a ginger beer and ice as the weather was so hot and humid. http://www.theflaskhampstead.co.uk/history.htm We then walked over Parliament Hill Fields, and saw people springing from a diving board into one of the swimming ponds; the water was quite full of people. We stopped to watch a fierce looking dog playing gently and protectively with a baby. We walked through Kenwood and eventually came out on the Spaniard's Road.
We were walking along, but noticed a bus stop told us we were headed for Golders Green, so tuned round and walked back until we got to the Gate and someone confirmed we were walking the wrong way. All I can say is that the bus must be traveling to the right to get to the left! This must have added another couple of miles to our walk.
Once in Hampstead we had to have another ginger beer before returning to Edgware.

Toby arrives in the UK

Toby arrived from Toronto yesterday around 4.00am and went down to Pete's; I spoke to them later in the day.

My brother Peter came to see us, and we sat in the garden talking for a while before having lunch; the weather was very hot and humid, interspersed with sudden showers, but it was a nice change relaxing in the garden.
Later I walked Peter down to the station and saw him off before it got too late.


Today Mas had an appointment at the Royal Free Hospital at midday, but came back quite quickly. Toby arrived around 4.00pm, looking very well. We all had a lot to talk about, but managed to break off long enough to go to The Harvester pub at Mill Hill for an evening meal which we all enjoyed.

House cleaning and air clearing

I was woken yesterday morning by what sounded like hailstones bouncing against the window but what turned out to be lots of sparrows pecking on the bedroom window sill.
We spent all day shampooing carpets throughout the house as we had hired a cleaning machine, and then spent time tidying up again. Luckily the weather was so hot they all dried very quickly. After we had finished Manu called and chatted, and I talked to Florence and Diane.

Today as it is Saturday we went to St. Albans to shop at the market. Tania and Robert could not meet us for lunch, so for a change we went to The Peahen pub for a snack, but it was not as nice as the places we usually eat in. There was music and a large crowd in front of the Clock Tower as there were various groups in costume doing Morris dancing.

When we arrived home there was a prolonged thunder storm which cleared the air a bit as it has been so hot and humid lately.

Wedding Anniversary and other hazards

Yesterday we contacted the breakdown people and they took the car to the garage for us to be repaired, I went off for a session with the dental hygienist. Later I collected the car and so far it seems fine.

Today is our wedding anniversary, and we did not remember this until the evening. Mas went down to Victoria to meet a friend, and did my usual things. I went into the garden to do a bit of tidying up and found Salty guiltily looking at the collapsed washing line and all the laundry on the grass.

Later I went round to Myk and Marias' and walked with him to a local council meeting, me in my capacity as a seat filler, but Myk had various important matters to discuss; Jim was there too. I was quite surprised at how forthright everyone was, and there were one or two moments of pure comedy. Before long Mas arrived, and when a natural break occurred we left the proceedings leaving Myk to deal with the problem of the brown summer rats on everyone's behalf. We walked to Amarreta's and had a pizza and a glass of wine before repairing home.

Stubborn car and cuddly cat

We did our usual chores, and I did some gardening and filing which I hate to do. Later Mas had to go to the post office and suggested we go out for a coffee as a change of scene. After trying to start the car unsuccessfully a few times Ben appeared and looked at the car as well. He dropped us off at the post office and we did have a coffee out.

In the evening Mas made some nice vegetable soup, which we had with a glass of wine. Salty decided to honour us with his presence and for a change wanted to sit on my lap, so Mas took these photos to mark this unusual event.

Free fish and rose mysteries

I phoned Pete, and both he and Lorraine were feeling a bit under the weather. Mas and I planned to go to Borehamwood and get Salty some more of his food. Just as we were leaving home we met Myk who chatted with us for a while and bought us up to date with local current events.

Once in Borehamwood we went to the Golden Plaice and had a fish and chip lunch, and they gave us a cold fish for Salty, which he enjoyed later, and about four sausages! While we were having lunch the Borehamwood Carnival passed by, and I was sorry I had not got my camera.


We got another sack of kibbles for Salty , but the pet shop were doing a session of dog photos for their owners so we were pleased to leave quickly to escape the noise, and that was just the pet owners!








The roses are very good this year. We have a rose mystery; we had a bush of white roses at the front of the garden, and a pink one at the side near the house. These roses seem to have changed places as where there was pink there are now white roses and where the whites used to be are now pink!

Injections and communications

I began doing my mistletoe injections again, and later put all the stuff back into the bathroom again. Pete is due home again today and I am glad the weather has settled down now. I called Florence and had a nice e mail back from Betty, and Pete phoned too. Mas spent most of the day on his computer and we watched the X Files and the Bill in the evening.

Today I refreshed a few more plants and re did a planter that had become root bound. We went swimming, then collected some shopping from Stanmore. My stupid computer is still behaving temperamentally and I could not send my usual Friday note to Romy, so phoned Toby; he was off to meet Romy for a birthday celebration dinner with a friend.

Stormy weather on Toby's birthday

Today is Toby’s birthday, and I managed to send him an e card before the computer began to be disobedient. Mas had gone out to meet a friend while I finished painting the bathroom, I got a headache and took some aspirin which I don’t usually. Later I lay down and watched the storm as the lightening began to flicker in the distance, gradually drawing closer. Strangely there was not much thunder with it, and I thought I saw one fork of lightening come from the earth and go upwards into the clouds, but I suppose my eyes were playing tricks.

Pete called from Guernsey and made me laugh with his attempts to get me some cosmetic cream that I had asked him to get for me. In the evening I tried to email Betty, but after four attempts, with the computer randomly checking it’s files and scanning everything and repeatedly switching itself off after a series of loud clicks I got so hot and annoyed I had to go off and eat ice cream for a while. Eventually I managed to send off the email to Betty.

No time for my guitar

Pete went to Guernsey on Monday, lucky thing! I mixed up yet another colour to repaint the coffee table in the conservatory which has become scruffy and scratched. Once I had finished painting it looked brand new again. This naturally led to a bit of plant re potting. It is terrible how I get led on from one thing to another and never get time to learn to play the guitar!


Today we were having breakfast Maheena called round with the news that her daughter has been awarded a place at the Henrietta Barnett School, which is what they had hoped for. I received a box of mistletoe medication, but as I wanted to be busy today did not take any, but started painting the bathroom and put on the first white coat of paint. Mas and I put all the things back in the shed as he had finished repairing it and had put up new shelves.

Lunch with Tania and Robert, swimming the next day.

I after the usual chores we drove off to St. Albans in lovely weather. We met Tania and Robert at Sazio’s for lunch; Tania is really enjoying her new job. We had a nice lunch, then wandered about the market, and got some shopping before we drove home.

Today I did some gardening, and we went swimming in the afternoon. I asked the life guard if he ever had to give the kiss of life or resuscitate any of the swimmers as the water was so cold, and he was joking about it, but did say that the temperature never reached 27°, which is the agreed minimum in the manifesto of the group that operates the leisure centre.

Mas went for a coffee with one of the neighbours, and I tried to catch up with my emails. Later I watched Last of the Summer Wine; how nice to escape for half an hour to a fantasy place where people are never rude or violent, and have lots of time for silliness and jokes.

Bruised but not beaten

I finished painting the cupboards, and we went swimming in the afternoon. I am beginning to wonder if gravity is suddenly getting stronger, or maybe I have been watching too many X Files, but this time a full bottle of shampoo fell onto my foot in the showers. Strangely my toe got a more spectacular bruise than when the sledgehammer fell on my other foot.

I sorted out some old photographs and Mas scanned them and sent them to Pete. It is sad looking at past photos, as so many of the people in them are no longer alive.

Today I had another hospital appointment, and the doctor formally told me that all recent tests were clear, and that I did not have to have another scan for six months.
On the way home I called into the library and took some books out. In the evening we watched a NCIS

Colour conundrums and chords

Yesterday we drove off to Watford Arches, to B&Q, to buy some more paint, namely the same colour we had painted the hall. We got this paint made up, then went to Curry's to look at fridges as ours has been leaking for some time. Mas having previously researched what we needed, we bought it with the promise that it would be delivered tomorrow.

Once home I painted the cupboards again as it has now become a habit. The paint was not the same as the hall colour!

Today the fridge was delivered by a cheery couple of men, and we installed it. I mixed a different paint colour and painted the cupboards again ( it has now become a daily addiction).
This time the colour is perfect! Mas got shopping and we watched another nutty episode of the X Files.

You may wonder how my guitar playing is coming along. I have reached the stage where I can play a chord, then have a cup of tea and work out where to place my fingers for the next one. There is definitely improvement!

No change of heart, only paint!

Wynford called round for coffee, as arranged, this morning, and told us all the romantic details of his engagement to Rupa. They have in fact been in love for seventeen years, and all their families and friends wish them well and are happy about their engagement.

Christiane called in briefly and gave me some leaflets, we were sorry she had to rush off.

Later Mas and I agreed that we could no longer stand the colour of the painted kitchen cupboards, and I said I would mix paints, and make one that matched the floor exactly, and repaint them tomorrow.

Today Glen came round at 11.00 and we talked of Wynford's engagement, and many, many, other things while having tea and biscuits. After lunch I painted the cupboards again in exactly the same colour as the floor; it looked awful.

Sallty was keeping a low profile, sleeping in an untidy wardrobe.

Three annoyances

Yesterday was one of those days! I found I had lost my credit card, after walking to the bank, so I walked home to make sure it was not somewhere there. Having searched the place endlessly, I walked back to the bank taking a different card so that I could get some money out, and the cash point swallowed that card. I was able to get some money out as I had taken my passport, but had to cancell both cards and order new ones. Grrrr!

Later I spoke to Pete and Tony called too, so the day ended on a good note.

Today I did some gardening and chores. Mas went out briefly, and while he was gone I dropped a sledge hammer onto my foot. I was still standing, wondering if all my bones had been turned to pulp when Mas came back, looked at me and made a cup of tea. Later I found I could still wiggle all my toes, so knew I was alright. Nevertheless, Mas took my library books back for me.

Anthroposophy before voting

This morning at breakfast I sneezed, almost fatally startling Mas, and causing me much mirth.

I had to go down to Euston today as I had an appointment to see my Anthroposophic doctor. I was surprised to see that hundreds of special bicycle racks have been installed by the station which seems a good idea. I saw my doctor and was prescribed more Iscador injections.

Walking back through Euston I was presented with a lime in connection with a drinks advertisement. I picked up a bit of shopping on the way home. Later I popped out to vote in the church hall just up the road, and ran into Myk and Maria and friends I had not seen for a long time. Maria was being very funny in a conversation about Madonna.

Mas and I watched the X Files whose plots seem to be getting more absurd by the day.

Chinese Lanterns and sedatives

I heard on the radio that over last weekend, which had been very warm, hundreds of orange lights were spotted in the sky over England and the continent. UFO spotters must have been disappointed when it was found to be lit up Chinese Lanterns that people had set off , no doubt the same kind that were sent up into the sky during Marion's party.

I had to have my last meal before 1.00pm as I am due to go to hospital for a procedure tomorrow and will be given sedatives. I am not good at fasting, but managed it.

I spoke to Diane who will be going for a cycling holiday in France soon. I also saw Wynford who got engaged over the weekend.

Today I went off to the hospital, arranging that Mas would come and collect me later. I was told that would not do, and he must be at the hospital while I was under sedation. I saw the surgeon and nurses, and was given a sedative, and the surgeon asked if it was beginning to work, I said no, then noticed that everything looked strange. The next thing that happened, as far as I was concerned, was a nurse adjusting the bed and bringing me tea and biscuits; I had been deeply asleep for an hour and felt completely refreshed. I was told that everything was completely normal.

Mas took me home, and we had a light meal and watched Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider, and when I went to bed I slept like a log; the best night's sleep all year.

Short Haired Bumble Bee and Best Dressed Lady

Last night I heard that the Short Haired Bumble Bee (Bombus Subterraneous) is being reintroduced to England, back to Kent. It was taken to New Zealand to help with the pollination of red clover, which was used as cattle fodder, more than 100 years ago. This bee lives underground, as its name suggests, and has a usefully long tongue, and looks as if it has just had a sharp haircut. It has been extinct here since 1988; let us hope it will survive.

We went shopping, and did lots of gardening today, and in the evening watched The Contract, with Morgan Freeman and John Cusak which was entertaining.

Poppy laughingly told us that when in Guernsey she was recently voted the best dressed lady at the races, and was on the front page of The Guernsey Press paper, and won a bottle of champagne.