Diary - Friday 30th April

[Caw1]

Well looks like I’m first for what is now yesterday!
It’s hard to believe that another month is coming to a close and what a month...
For us down south it’s been a dry month, a cold month on record since late 1800’s and more frosts...

The day started looking a bit mixed and still chilly in the shade!
We were up early as it was going to be a busy morning... our friend R whose chain saw OH had borrowed was coming round to do the very high bits of branch trimming for us... so before 9am we were in the garden putting up the tower in readiness...
Next was a FaceTime with our son in Oz... he said they’d been having a great deal of rain... more than usual. Their pool house is virtually finished and he took us down to have a look... I’m so proud of him for the job he’s made particularly the ceiling all wood panelling and every row is screw exactly in line! Don’t know where he gets his eye for detail! 😂😂.
R arrived so OH went off outside and I carried on chatting for a while...
Finally it was gone midday we said goodbye and I made the men a cuppa and went to look at their handy work... it makes such a difference and means the early morning sun will now come into the garden...
After lunch I decided to do the ironing which had been mounting up! I watched the sewing bee .... some of the caps were quite well made.. like others I think the challenge to remake garments ridiculous and breaks my heart to see quality fabric being ripped up and made into unwearable items... despite the judges thoughts... the final challenge turned out some reasonable items... but to make something that’s too small when you have the model there to fit it on is unforgivable in my book!
Phoned our friends in Cirencester and had a good chat... their Airbnb is getting very booked up which is lovely for them... hoping to go down mid June to stay for couple of nights...
phoned my friend M who works at Gatwick... she’s just had her whole flat redecorated and carpet ripped up and flooring put down... looks lovely... money she would have spent going to Oz to visit her Sister....
OH offered to cook dinner... just spaghetti so I readily agreed!
Watched last episode about Churchill and river cruise along the Hudson beautiful countryside and who would think just outside New York...
The end of a busy day and another month bites the dust...
Daughter and family away for three days staying near Glastonbury... happy memories for me around there, sadly Wookey Hole not opening until May 17th but Cheddar Gorge and a walk up to Glastonbury Tor is on the agenda along with visiting the Lions at Longleat!
Hope everyone else’s day was ok...

Caroline
 

[Roobarb]

Good to have the tree work completed Caroline, let the sunshine in as the song says! Well done to your son for making such a good job of the pool house. Hope you get your trip to Cirencester, a change of scenery would be great for you.

My day wasn't quite so busy but quite enjoyable:

A wet start to the day but by midday the sun was out. Had a walk over the bridge when the rain stopped and went down the lane at the other side. A short bit of road leads to the lane, just at the beginning of the lane there was a dead rabbit on the side, I wondered if it had been hit by a vehicle, I couldn't see any marks on it. Poor bunny. Further down I crossed the railway line and walked up through the woods and back across the field, everything is that bright green so typical of spring.

Art class on Zoom in the afternoon, we put some paint on our charcoal portraits, I enjoyed doing it and seeing how it developed. The time had flown by, my friend L phoned afterwards for a chat about it. We got on to talking about the Sewing Bee, had such a laugh about it. I'm sure the producers meant it to be entertaining but not quite in the way that caused our hilarity.

In the evening I had a long chat with my friend in Devon, it's about 18 months since I last saw her, it would be lovely to get together again but I don't know when that will happen, can only hope it's not too long.

[Ruskie]

You’re the opposite of us Caroline. We like our trees big and shady to keep the sun out, especially in summer. We’ve managed to cultivate a microclimate - it is degrees cooler when you walk through our front gate. However having spent some years in the UK I understand that you crave that sun to thaw you out after the long cold winter. 

Your son’s pool house sounds wonderful. He must have inherited that creativity from someone.  Yes, we have had a lot of rain, but it dries out quite quickly to the point that we really needed a good shower or two, which we had on Friday. I think some areas have had more than others. I had to put on the dog’s raincoat when I walked her in Friday afternoon (in the dark).

I’m looking forward to hearing about your progress with the portrait Roobarb, and of course we are all looking forward to seeing the finished work (your friend immortalised in acrylics).  I have a feeling that you will do an amazing job with this and be very happy with the result. I know that there can be a bit of a knack when it comes to portraits. A slightly different skill set required perhaps.

Dog sitting again for me on Friday. Fairly non eventful. A little rain, and grey skies which made it feel cooler than it was. Probably around 24/25 degrees. Lovely.

Quite tired so an early (for me) night - about 11pm. Of course I was still wide awake at midnight. 

[Viktoria]

Well, May Day today ,in days of yore my friends and I would be all dressed up,I in my mother’s wedding dress and some net curtains with a headdress and bouquet of crepe paper flowers ,a “ Maypole “made from someone’s broom handle  decorated with crepe paper ribbons and flowers .
Friends similarly dressed up. May Queen and attendants!
We knocked on doors in our close neighbourhood ,sang a little song and were given a few pennies .
These we spent on crisps and pop.
Little girls were doing likewise all over Manchester at least,.
An old May Day tradition.

As I have mentioned elsewhere horses were all adorned with rosettes and horse brasses.and paraded.That also happened on Empire day May 24th.

Well a bright but very cool day.
I asked a passing neighbour if he would post my postal vote ,my hip is stiff this morning ,was improving but perhaps did too much yesterday.

More Lily of the Valley coming up in a plant pot where I had put a cutting of Flowering currant last year!
I think there are goblins in my garden and not the imitation ones!
Some mystery plants appearing in the window boxes too,long tubular leaves like chives are ,but as far as I know chives never planted there!

Well no real news, hope every one is well , have a nice weekend .
Viktoria.

[louisa maud]

I don't usually have  much of   an impute  into the diary but I want to include my good news

My phone rang early today with  number  I  didn't recognise,  it was a person connected to my family tree by way of half sisters 1880 ish, apparently his relative is a genealogist by profession, that should be interesting,   she will be contacting  me, hopefully we can swap details,  not really got a brick wall with this side of the family but might uneath things I don't already know  or will  the genealogist  find out more from me!!, time will tell but  I  can't  wait

Louisa Maud

[Roobarb]

Ruskie, I'm glad you have such confidence in my abilities.    I think I'm making a good enough job of it as a portrait but whether it ends up looking like my friend is another matter! I've only done two portraits before, the first when I wasn't in a good frame of mind so my heart wasn't in it, the second was a self portrait but we had to use Brusho which made it even more challenging. Watch this space! 
24 degrees sounds lovely to me too.

An interesting tale of May days gone by Viktoria, I think the only thing most people associate with it these days is the extra bank holiday, such a shame.

LM, that's great news, how exciting.  I hope you find some interesting information from your connection.