Bitten

Happy Birthday George ILLINGWORTH. Enjoy it doing your D of E bronze.

George, in shades, and a mate.

With extreme heat and scattered storms forecast, I hope the organisers are well prepared – safety issues etc.

I had another really good night allowing me to wake up, have brekkie and flex and sleep on. My back was still unreliable and painful at times.

I realised I needed to get out early with H due to the great heat forecast for here. Along with the possibility of a storm and all that that may bring. Ali phoned, and that delayed everything but H and I made it out. But later than I wished. We headed to Goring (yes!! No hold ups)so I could get some cash. We are not well endowed with cash points here, the next nearest is Wallingford, Waitrose. That requires paying a parking fee. Goring did the trick. I popped into GG which is just not the same anymore. Classy, yes, pricey, yes, but not the same.
There are small businesses round here that only take cash eg T’s Turkish barber, and the nice car wash man. So cash is essential at times.
H and I then drove to Ferry Lane Cholsey for a sort walk, where she could paddle. I had been heading for Gatehampton but the temperature had increased and there is little shade there.

H was in the water at every opportunity up to her tummy. I got bitten. Very bitten on my legs. Bitten by some nasty little jobsworth a of an invertebrate living in the long grass. I wasn’t walking in long grass so I guess they also had wings. They stung.

As we completed our stroll, I was stopped by a young lady who asked if I used to be a teacher. At Kingsclere . I could not very well deny it. When reminded, I remembered her as a shy youngster, greatly lacking in confidence ( and ability). But pleasant. Her confidence has grown and she is hoping to go to university to study nutrition. Good for you, Ellen. She had a rather lovely whippet and said she often goes to Cholsey slipway. It is a nice spot.

I returned with my list of jobs – water plants, remind myself how the Miele works, hang up the washing.
Finish icon. Relax.
Bonus- the grass seems to have calmed down! It’s about four days since I last mowed it and it is still short. Ish.

Well I ploughed my way through my list, which does not seem like much of a list, but I got the jobs, and others, done. By now it was well into the early afternoon. So T, skulking in bed, received a sandwich. And I parked my backside for a little downtime.
I enjoyed a long phone call with Brenda who is having a hard time at the moment- she is in a lot of pain and is awaiting an operation on her left knee. Driving is virtually impossible but she has relatives visiting next week who will look after her.

I made a frittata for tea, which T virtually ignored, despite my encouragement. Later I heard him toying with the contents of the fridge. He would not need to if he ate sensibly.

Tomorrow, we were supposed to be going to Neal and Anne’s for a Cambridge reunion but it has been cancelled due to Neal being ‘indisposed’. Probably as well in this heat.

We received a dose of rain this afternoon. The final shower was not that long and was heavy for about five minutes. Just enough to give the grass ideas about growing again. No storm though.

The coming week offers a forecast of high temperatures though there seems to be more than a hint of mugginess.

A few pics from the Roberts’ fabulous newly renovated home – only a couple of weeks and they will be in there! You can just see the new liner and the pool from the sitting room . Through the not renovated conservatory .

What a space!

Thought for the Day