WHEN WILL I LEARN?

So, what was going to be a lovely, relaxed day, has ended up being fractious and tense because I cannot say, " no" to Kevin. He knows perfectly well that he places his order by end of trading on Saturday, or he doesn't get a delivery until Monday. Of course, I have given in to him again and have even let him add to the lust as the day's gone on. I know I am stupid. I know he will never change unless I do something about it, so WHY can't I just say no?

Also, we had a pigeon fly into the girls room while I was in there. I won't describe the scene, but it was mayhem for a while.

NO SUNNDAY LIE IN...

... For me!!

Have had a massive baking session thanks to a late order from Kevin which I should have refused, but didn't. I know, James!! Don't tell me!

But now, we're going to Ponteland with. hoisting to have coffee/light lunch at the Parlour. Never been before, but Christina has been wanting us to go for ages, so I'm looking forward to sampling someone else's baking for a change!!

JAMES IS...

... Home already from the Stag Do he was on this weekend. He was always coming home early, but I felt so sorry for him this morning when he texted to say that the 20/20 cricket that they'd gone to yesterday was rained off, that they'd ended up in a casino that he'd hated and this morning's train was cancelled, leaving him to race across the station in Leeds to get on a different train that went to York where he had to change for Newcastle, but somehow got back half an hour earlier than he would have done on the original train!

Anyway he's home now, so can hopefully enjoy the rest of the weekend!!

CHRISTINA'S...

... Going to the races today. She's just getting ready now and looks absolutely stunning!! Too gorgeous for her own good really.

GOOD TO SEE JAMES...

...this morning. Always good company, nice and relaxed.

Must have been a pretty nasty accident by the garage at Fairmoor, because all traffic was being redirected up and around Hebron.

Two rubbish bits of post today. One from DVLA saying that the Mazda logbook won't be processed until 8th July, so won't be getting it for another week at least, and the other rejecting Charles's appeal against a parking ticket at the station that the attendant had actually torn up at the scene, so he'll be reappealing that!

I've got little to do today, so might let myself relax and watch the tennis!

MEETING JAMES...

... This morning for coffee. He's got a day off as it's one of his best mate's stag weekends and they're off to Leeds of all exotic places this afternoon. However,  encore he goes he's having his hair done and meeting his Mum for a catch up. Good!!  It's been too long since I saw him!!

CAKE DELIVERY...

... Went well. A little new era king over some of the potholes, but got the Turtles safely to Blyth with no damage to their storm drain!!

Picked up Grandma and took her to South Beach for fish and chips. I honestly don't know how these retired people manage to pack away so much food. I struggled with my fish and chips, but was very aware that I needed to leave room for ice cream, so maybe that was the problem.

Back home now. Got quiche in the oven. Caught up with baking to replace the order that went to Kevin's this morning. So it's looking like a fairly relaxed rest of the day!

GOING TO DELIVER...

... the Turtle cake this morning. It's going to one of my best customers over in Blyth. In fact I think I have made every birthday cake for her kids. She's having another one in the Autumn, so should be good for business for a while longer!! I really and truly think she is going to love the cake that we're taking today and even more importantly, her little boy will love it too. It's probably up there with my favourite five cakes, both the making of it and the end result. Check it out on facebook later this week. (For some reason, I can get photos to post on the blog at the moment!)

THE GARDEN...

... Looks amazing!

I went out pretty early on, went shopping, had coffee and my hair done and by the time I got back the back garden had been completely transformed from an overgrown wilderness to a beautiful area that you would actually want to spend time in.

I'm so glad they eventually turned up, because we would never have got it looking so good if we'd had to do it ourselves.

Feel much more relaxed about it now!!

HOORAAAAAAAAAY!!!

We have gardeners!! Loads of them! Must be four or five! Hopefully, by the end of the day we'll have a garden that looks respectable and that we can continue to maintain ourselves.

TEXT FROM GARDENER...

... Sorry for delay. Will be with you first thing tomorrow. 8am.


Hmmm. We'll see. But if I get up early and they DO to turn up I will be even more livid than I am now. (If that's possible.)

HERE WE ARE AGAIN!!

Another Tuesday, another anxious wait to see if any gardeners are going to turn up. Despite assurances that this will indeed be the day they finally arrive, I am becoming more convinced with each passing minute, that we are going to be let down yet again.

Charles has said that if they don't turn up today, we are going to have to tackle it ourselves and this fills me with horror. Don't get me wrong, I have always done the gardening. I was the one who transformed it in the first place. I not afraid of the work, but I am totally overwhelmed by the scale of it now.

I'm talking Triffids here! If we have to do it ourselves it is going to take us at least a week, together, every day, regardless of back-pain.

It's just too big a job to contemplate.

TOO WARM!!!

Glad I don't have,ich to do in the kitchen today!! It's so hot and sticky. Yuk!

Actually, it's interesting to note that, since Andrew from Radcliffes went on holiday last week, the system has completely ground to a halt! We usually know pretty much what Andrew is going to need and when he will need it. For the last week I haven't had a clue what's going on. So they haven't placed an order yet and won't be getting anything tomorrow at all. Not sure if they realise this yet!!!

GOOD TO SEE...

... Christina so relaxed and happy. She's with us again and is currently having a major clear out of her room and sorting out all her clothes. Always a good sign. It'll help her to feel more organised. She's bought storage boxes and has decided to buy new furniture that'll give her extra hanging space.

She went out last night with Sean and hasn't stopped talking about what a brilliant night she had! So pleased she enjoyed herself!

WONDER HOW...

... James Redpath and Stoddy are getting on today. They are running the equivalent of three marathons along the Wall. Absolutely bonkers, but I really hope they do it!

LOVELY MORNING!

Took some new asparagus tarts through to Jesmond, then called in at Gosforth on the way back, had coffee, went shopping, then stopped off at the cake decorating store on the way home.

Just done a little baking ready for Monday and am now looking forward to continuing work on the Turtles that I began yesterday.

Peter Rabbit can wait till tomorrow!

COWABUNGA!!

Yep! I'm going to be making Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles later on this afternoon. For a cake obviously!! Actually. I'm really looking forward to this one...

ONLY TO BE EXPECTED!

Last nights result. It was so predictable. Don't even feel disappointed about the score, just angry that , yet again, our footballers have failed to live up to their own hype.

The endless platitudes in that touching little film before kick off about how much it meant to their families and friends seem a bit hollow now.

Oh well, onwards and upwards...

... Les Bleus play tonight. Now there's a team I can get excited about!! Even if they lose, they'll still look good!!

BACK TO WORK!!

With a vengeance actually. Had to go and stock up on ingredients first thing. (Need to go again tomorrow, I've used so much stuff today!) I've baked from 10.30 until now (5.30) without a break and have made: three large quiche, huge strawberry shortcake (very fiddly and time consuming), two carrot cakes, a coffee and walnut cake, lemon drizzle cake, apple and cinnamon cake, Bakewell tarts, biscotti and two lardy cakes. I'm seriously KNACKERED right now, but still have to make another twelve quiche before Monday! Aaaargh!!!!

ON THE TRAIN...

... At Kings Cross, just waiting for the whistle to blow!  Oh there it goes now. That's good.

It's been a lovely day so far, but I'm pretty shattered now and can guarantee that I'll be dozing within minutes!

Doors have been slammed shut, final whistle, off we go...

WHAT AN...

... amazing day it's been. I'm not going to go into the detail because it's late and I'm tired, but everything has been so wonderful and I just want to say a huge thank you to the 'kids' for giving me such a wonderful present. I suppose the highlights were the hotel, the meal at Roux's and Les Mis, but all the little touches like the champagne in our suite and the birthday petit fours at the restaurant have just made it fabulous.

Tired but very happy!

SETTING OFF

For the station in a while. We're leaving the car at James and Claire's house, then have a taxi booked to get us into town.

Actually looking forward to breakfast on the train and a lazy time with my Kindle and a pile of magazines!

Well stocked up with tissues for Les Mis this evening!!

Thank you to Christina, James and Claire for making this happen. Such a treat!!

I GIVE UP!

No sign of a gardener this afternoon. Actually I'm furious. I thought it was sorted, a definite arrangement. There's been no rain to speak of during the past few days, so they can't blame that. Looks like we need to find someone else. The trouble is, at this time of the year, they're all fully booked. Grrrrrrrrrrr. So angry!

HOW LATE...

... Is late afternoon? Should I still be anticipating the arrival of our gardeners, or should I have just given up all hope - again?

It's now five weeks since we first had the conversation with Robbie and the weeds that were triffid-like then are totally out of control now. I hope the price we agreed back then still stands and doesn't increase because of the additional work that is bound to be needed.

STILL....

... No gardeners in sight, but after I'd got my hopes up for first thing this morning Charles decides to inform me, after first telling me emphatically that he had had no communication from them at all, that the text he got last week (!) said they would be here late afternoon and back again tomorrow morning.  We will see...

SLEPT THROUGH ALL NIGHT

First time in ages. Don't think I've coughed at all. Have woken up feeling much better, so that cold is clearly on its way.

Now then, there's an outside chance that the gardener might come this morning! Not holding my breath but...

FATHER'S DAY

Brings back lots of bittersweet memories. We've got Christina and Graeme, James and Claire round. Christina brought an incredible buffet lunch with her and we're all feeling pretty stuffed right now.

Hannah left around lunchtime, having been with us since Friday. She's worked non-stop all the time she's been here, marking geography exam scripts. Don't think she'll be applying to do it again next year!

JUST BEEN INTO MORPETH...

And you would have thought we were in the week before Christmas. Not because of the weather, just because, I assume, people seem to have gone into party, festive, bonkers mode because of the World Cup. Parking was almost impossible, even before 10.00. The shops were crazily packed with customers stocking up on food like it's going out of fashion. Absolutely ridiculous. All I wanted was a couple of packs of bread rolls and some coffee beans and that took me two hours! I need to support our local shop more than I do. Charles reckons it's too expensive, but take petrol costs out of the equation and I don't reckon it'll cost that much more.

DIDN'T SLEEP MUCH!

Thanks to a hacking and extremely irritating cough. The sort of cough that gives you a headache because it's so fierce and actually strains your stomach muscles. ( maybe I should view it as a form of exercise!)

Feeling a bit rough to be honest.

Typically I got a huge order through fromCenturion, just when I'd finished for the week. They admitted they'd completely forgotten to place the order, but I've told them they will have to wait now until a week on Monday and that perhaps they need to think about placing a regular small order which I will always have ready for them and can be added to more easily. The thought of starting on 104 portions of quiche now is just something I don't want to contemplate! Anyway wether they decided to do that or not, if they're not happy, it's tough. Maybe in future they'll remember to place an order early in the week.

STILL IN BED!

Feeling lousy. Have had a bit of cold for a day or two, but it's now really developed into the full-on thing. Sore throat, streaming nose, hacking cough, headache... Just think I'll stay in bed for a while longer this morning.

GORGEOUS. MORNING!

Sunny, warm, just a light breeze to keep things pleasantly fresh...


... Shame I'm in the kitchen then!

FATHERS DAY THIS WEEKEND

Apparently. Not easy to remember that one now that our Dad's are no longer with us. Just have to remember them quietly, but then I still do that every day. I often have little imaginary conversations with him, or wonder how he would react to different situations.

How interesting it would be to hear his views on the Birmingham 'Trojan Horse' situation. I remember, way back in the sixties when I was very young and extremely naive, that during a faintly humorous conversation about the meaning of the word 'fanatics' he gave us his view, quite passionately, that the greatest threat to World peace would come from 'Islamic Fanatics' (his choice of phrase) I couldn't make sense of what he was saying at the time, but decades later, it would appear that he really did know what he was talking about.

I miss him so much. His sense of humour, his twinkling eyes, the smell of his pipe tobacco, his passion for justice, his eloquence. What a mixed bag of memories. But when all's said and done, he was just my Dad!

SO JAMES...

... I'm just wondering what made you think this evening would be good for the first BBQ of the year!! The forecasters appear to be getting increasingly concerned about 'damaging' rainfall! But, we're going to go ahead with it regardless!

BBQ ...

... tonight? Hmmm not looking too promising at the moment. Still, there's time for it to change!

LOVELY. EVENING

With James and Claire. Very relaxed, got to hear all about their time in Ibiza, enjoyed a fab meal and great wine, although we all got pretty soaked just getting in and put of the car on the way there! Came home to watch. A lacklustre performance by England that hardly fills one with hope and eager anticipation, but, that aside, it was a really lovely evening. Thanks you two!

WELL...

... it IS raining, pretty heavily actually, but nothing like the monsoon conditions we were led to believe we would have, along with the worst hailstorms and thunder and lightening for decades. Bit of a let down really. I do enjoy a bit of dramatic weather!

LOOKING FORWARD TO...

... Dinner this evening at the Northumberland Arms with. James and Claire. It is, quite simply, my favourite eating place. Love the food, a. Kanye, decor - pretty much everything really. Feeling hungry already!

THEY'RE BACK!

James and Claire are home and have had a very relaxing holiday by all accounts. Pleased about that and relieved that they are safe and sound in Gosforth.

Sounds like the M5 won't be arriving in Fram until all the paperwork for the number plates is sorted. Annoyingly C  Harlem has managed to lose the registration document for the Merc, so that's causing further delay but it does mean that I'll drive it off the forecourt with my plates on it, so that's not a bad thing. To be honest, I've waited so long, a few more days is neither here nor there.

JAMES AND CLAIRE...

... will be home from the hols in Ibiza later on today. Not sure what time their flight gets in, but can't wait to see them over the weekend sometime. Seems ages since we saw them last!!

Very warm, humid but sunny day today, but expecting it to breakdown tomorrow. Grrrrr

Oh, and by the way, there's still been no sign of the gardener!! Seriously not impressed.

LULL BEFORE THE STORM!!

Apparently we (ie The Entire Country) are due for a hugely damaging storm on Saturday, with hailstones the size of golf balls and flash flooding just about anywhere. See what happens when I decide to get a convertible motor again!!

BOUGHT A NEW CAR TODAY!

Well, technically only put the deposit down, but it's as good as mine. MX5. I've been wanting one for ages, even if Dannymatt does think it's a hairdressers car! Mind you. When we left the house this morning I categorically stated that I would NOT be getting a silver one and that we had to look at a good few  effort I wS prepared to buy. So first car we saw, we went for.. And the colour is silver of course!!

NEVER AGAIN...

... Will I take Codeine Phosphate for any reason whatsoever. To be honest I have felt so ill today that the back pain that I was taking it for was almost preferable. I drove into Morpeth but probably shouldn't have done. I've felt faint and dizzy, hot and cold,  been nauseous all day, culminating in violent vomiting this afternoon. As for the back pain, that seems to be much easier, thank goodness.

A MONTH AGO...

.. We organised a gardener to come round and do the heavy weeding that has become a major issue, particularly in the back garden. Since then it's been one excuse after another and, suffice to say, the weeds have become completely rampant and there's no way I feel I could even begin to tackle it now. The last we heard, it would be TODAY that he finally got round here. Well, we'll see won't we?

KNACKERED!!

Haven't stopped all day despite having really nasty. Ack pain, the sort that tells you it can only get worse. I'm trying to gingerly move around the kitchen, doing all the careful lifting and turning, trying not to reach  up too much for stuff, because I know that it's on the verge of going into spasm and it's happened often enough for me to know exactly how awful that can be. So, I've managed to make the thirteen quiche, lemon drizzle, apple and sultana and carrot cakes, and the brownies and banana cupcakes that I intended to make when I started today, but it hasn't been easy!! Need a lie down now!! Carefully!!

CHARLES IS HOME...

... has eaten his dinner, filled the washing machine with his stuff from the weekend and is going out again in half an hour. Graham Parker is playing on the Toon PpRently.

So that leaves me with a machine full of washing to dry and iron. Great!

Oh, the migraine has cleared up - just left me feeling sore and wrung out.

BEEN TO MORPETH...

... For a coffee in the sunshine. Managed to find the bargain of the year so far - a duster coat at M and S reduced from £99 to £39. Obviously I had to bring it home with me.

However, annoyingly. The combination of sun, excitement over the coat and the tension of watching Cornwall in the counties cup (because of Chopper!) has meant that I have just started a migraine. So , no more typing for me, need a lie down for a while I think.