As we arrived at the Gumstool Inn for supper, we both had the same idea, crazy or what?! We both leapt out of the car, dashed over the road to take photographs of this amazing combine harvester. It was a fabulous sight and another reason to smile.. ;-)
My antenna are working jolly well at the moment. Lots happened already this morning, and all before 7:30am! I awoke at 20 past 6 and sensed all was not quite right. I peeped next door and sure enough, Ginger was zzzzzzzzing still asleep. She had planned to get up at 5:30 and I somehow knew I hadn't heard her go. One eyelid opened and up she shot, into the shower and puzzled as to why her clock was set an hour earlier, hey ho, she was away by 7! I went back to bed and was lying dozing when I realised I could hear an unfamiliar noise... munch, munch, munch. Trouble at Mill...?! 4 COWS A MOOING...
Not ducks, not boys but cows wandering around the lake. First this direction, then the other, then something must have startled them because they were just didn't know which direction to run. I knew I'd taken that police patrol number for a reason. Well who else am I supposed to call? One quick phone call and very nice Mike said he'd deal with it. Thankfully, they finished munching their way around the lake, disappeared round the front of the mill, then someone came out and shooed them up the road! Just glad a car didn't come around the corner because they would certainly have had a chocolate milkshock!
I never fail to marvel at the view of my sweet slice of home. After last night, I really do get the feeling I live inside a nature reserve. The calm after the storm brings the family of mute swans to the side of the lake. It's 8:00am this morning and they are still asleep. The water is crashing down the slipway and the leaf-heavy boughs of the trees surrounding the lake are sitting heavy in the water. I'm so lucky. The view through my window is an awesome sight and I love it! x
Here's Weston Super Mare Pier, or what's left of it after it was burnt down today. It apparently took just one hour from the start of the blaze to being an inferno. It's now totally destroyed. A little slice of history - gone. I remember sitting on the end of the pier eating fish and chips. It's a good memory. Weston was renowned for it's beautiful Pier and it's sad to see such a great landmark disappear in a puff, or two of smoke.
I love going to Bath. It has a totally different feel to where I live and yet it's just down the road. The architecture is stunning and the place is full of surprises. I was just walking back to my car last night and there was a beautiful air balloon gracefully gliding over the roof tops of the circus. An awesome sight. I really enjoy the drive up Lansdowne, past the racecourse. The scenery is stunning and there were more air balloons taking advantage of what must have been, the best and sunniest day of the year so far.
Mauger Modern, one of my most favourite art galleries. The people there are just so friendly and here's a glimpse into the world of modern art at their Summer Preview Evening. The people visiting are as colourful as the Kia royale champagne cocktails. Jemma, the gallery manager (who is so lovely) introduced me to an art dealer. A lovely guy who she said really knows his stuff and has been buying art in Bath for a long, long time. The guy playing guitar on the mezzanine, just perfect. And you couldn't help notice the seriously older guy with the very strikingly slim and very young girl in the red dress, who I can only imagine was his niece! Money talks, hey... silly old fool!
I've done this before... you know when you recognise someone and wonder if they've served you in a restaurant, or you've met them with a group of friends? I was doing just that with a girl and guy last night. It was bugging me because I knew I'd seen them before, and low and behold, I had. On the tele! Jemma said she was an actress and that set my mind a whirring. I got as far as period dramas and this time, unlike my David Cameron moment, I decided to speak up and ask her. None other than Claudie Blakley! Yeah, I can hear you all going, WHO?! 
The two are photographed here together in Lark Rise. I also managed to capture them from the mezzanine so if you take a look in the earlier photo, they are standing with their backs to me right in the centre. Claudie is lovely. She said there are here in Bath filming another series of Lark Rise, along with a Christmas Special. Whoopee! Although I was glued to Cranford, I found that Lark Rise didn't capture my imagination enough for me to watch the first series. I guess, having met Claudie, I'll be taking a lot more interest in series 2! As for the Super Bad - I loved it!
Hello, mum and dad! I was searching for a photo with the two of you together. Not easy because most of the time, one of you has a camera in your hand! But I found one! Remember this moment...? It's one of the lovely Kati's photos from Dan & Jo's wedding and hey, I'd vote for you! Love you loads and miss you lots too xxx
These were taken a couple of months ago when Fi & Rob came to stay. Lovely aren't they? x
BIG MISTAKE!Why is it that you have already eaten half of something before you find the moldy bit! Eeeeeeeeeeek! ;-( x
FROM MY PHONE
That's a 12th of a year!Yesterday's flu diet was cake - yes, carrot and passion fruit cake, followed by an eccles cake with current overload! I don't fancy fruit so the closest I've come to getting my daily 5 is to have it in cake! Sound decision don't you think. This week I'm missing out on work - not visiting Fi and her scars - not seeing Naomi and not talking to anyone very much. You don't really notice the tone of your own voice until it changes. Sunday I was struggling to squeak at a high pitch and now my best voice is lower than usual. Best to keep my mouth shut really - not something I'm used to but I'm sure it won't be for much longer. Happy Wednesday to mum & dad & Kati in hot Hungary - Happy feeling better to Fi and Happy that this isn't your Flu Day to everyone else x
Hurrah to be ME! Today is the first day I've felt better than the day before in almost a week. That's got to be progress! Last week's sore throat has become this week's flu. I'm taking some 'me time' out so my little grey cells can regroup to save my body and soul from those dreaded flu bugs. "Take time to smell the flowers" as the lovely Donna Kooler would say to me when I was over in California. I rush around like a loon, I chase deadlines, never let people down, always keep my promises, try to be a good person and as a consequence, sometimes forget that life can expect too much sometimes. I think at that point, when I've used up all my realtime energy and most of my reserves, my body say 'hey, stop missy' and trips me up. The little voice in my head which always says 'I can...' changes to 'I can't...' and I need to step off the bus for just a short while and take time to watch the world go by for a change. I've just realised that's what holidays are for...
Thankfully NO, it's not a piece of my car! It's part of my brand spanking new DYSON! My apartment has now been dySONized within an inch of its life. Rich came for the weekend to visit the airshow (which for once in its entire history was cancelled!) so we shopped instead. We bought a dyson and a new set of very clever kitchen scales because frankly my old ones couldn't weigh toffee! I'm also now the proud owner of a freesat box too so I can view more than 4 rubbish channels.. lucky me! I can now view about 24 rubbish ones... well, not quite but at least I have some music channels to bop too and E4, WOW! We also got very close to buying one of those 'more cleverer than thou' circular hoovers that's computerised and just does it all by itself. A nice thought until you see the compartment for holding the dust. Believe me, it might hold one small fly, a spider, as long as half its legs have dropped off and 3 tiny bits of fluff - that's all! Hopeless when you have new carpets like I do that shed fluff like a molting afghan hound! So, to plan B and the swanky new ball Dyson, which frankly is Top Dog in my house now!
Another evening of entertainment comes to an end! Work hard and play hard is my motto for July! Me and Tash went first to the Ragged Cot. What a find... I didn't really say that did I, it was rubbish honestly and I won't be going there again because the delicious lamb, tasty baby carrots and delicious potato cake... was horrible! Honestly... ;-) We really enjoyed the cinema, again! There's so much to see at the moment so tonight it was Hancock.. great fun, very random. but good. I do enjoy our evenings out and I'll miss her when she goes off to uni... x
I love the experience of going to the theatre. ! I have a lot of admiration for performers who can memorise lines as they did last night. And being able to deliver them so that we, the audience, have any chance of working out what is going on, is a true skill. Involving the audience, as they did last night, helps. As does the humour that they injected into the play. I admit, I hadn't read it. I'm not a great scholar and although I wish I'd paid more attention in English Literature, I didn't. The Merchant of Venice was brilliantly executed and the simplicity of the set, along with the drama made this a good evening. I needed to read up on the bits I missed today, but that's all part of the enjoyment of a play that stretches my understanding. Georgina Rich as Portia...
Parents do go soft as they grow old. As those dashingly, handsome pups made themselves welcome in the garden of number 15, we all giggled to ourselves. Doggies in grandmas garden, shock, horror! And I mean Grandma Marie this time, not Mary! Years ago the conversation would have been about babies and kids. Not so now... it's about chickens, ferrets, dogs, kittens and crushed egg shells! i didn't know what they were talking about and I think it's better it stays that way! It was lovely to see my big sibs and as mum said, it was better than Christmas. Strangely enough, we didn't all see each other at Christmas because some of us had a wedding to go to... so it's official, July is the new Christmas! ;-) x
I had to take my little min to the garage today to get the tyres checked. As I parked on the forecourt, here's what I saw... now I want one... please... x
Here I am again with my brolly up because it's raining men! And, it's pouring down, that's why I'm still smiling! It was a tough day (he he) spent with Rob doing his Prescott Hill Climb. I was expecting a herd of 50-somethings with road cars but I was very wrong. There were some very pretty cars and I had a fab day. Rob managed to sneak me into lunch, which was fun and although the sun gave up on us after lunch, the driving didn't stop. I even got a ride up with the instructor, Russ, who is a very experienced driver. Wow, that was exhilarating! I managed to flutter my eye lashes at another instructor, Mark, who after the certificate giving, sneaked me a mug so i had a memento of this fabulous day. Now I want to have a turn... x
