Hobbies and Crafts

Kandj, yes we have 5 grandchildren and three Great Grandchildren, daughters boys are Chris who is 29, Jeremy is 28 and Gregory is 25, first two married and fathers to Luke and Adam (Chris) and Inara (jeremy). Love them all to bits. I also have one Niece, three Great Nieces and two Great Great Nieces and two Great great nephews. In touch with them but don't see them as they live in London and have actually never seen the great greats. They are all lovely children though, Niece has mental health problems but the Great nieces are lovely girls and, despite a difficult childhood have turned out very well. Eldest great niece has not long qualified as a midwife despite being married with two girls, second eldest is training to be a paramedic, third is only 15, lives with her Dad and is still at school, lives near her nana (my sister and is a lovely girl. (potted family history). OH has various nieces and nephews but I won't go into that as theya re even more complicated!!!
:-D :-D

This morning we have had a red admiral and a Fritillery on the Buddleia I think a Pearl edge fritillary as that is the most common but they are so quick I am not sure.

We have just been to Dunelm, bought a replacement bath mat (non slip). It was marked as £5 but when we got to the till it was £7 She went back and checked and said it was on the wrong hook but she discounted it for me. Then we went to Homebase for brackets as OH was mending the wooden blue seat which is rotten. He wanted brackets but they were too expensive there. then we saw a bench wooden not coloured of course but reduced to £65 so we bought it, now he has put it together and it looks quite nice, although I did like the blue seat in that spot. However, he thinks he will still try and fix the old blue seat and we can put it somewhere else. So he still needs the brackets. Watch this space.

Our neighbours cat, or one of them, we call him Felix as he is like the Felix advert cat, was watching closely down the end of the garden, We thought he might sense a field mouse but hope it is not a rat!

Oh dear Vera, that sounds painful trapping your thumb in the car door. Poor you!
It does sound to be very bruised and no doubt will go different shades before long.
I'm sure you had wonderful time with the family in Nottingham and hope this hasn't spoiled the weekend memories for you. Did you see your Grandson's Gold Medal?

Ann, I remember Luke, Adam and their cousin Inara You are blessed with others.

What a shame that you missed taking a photograph of the five goldfinch Jane, it would have been such a good one. It is typical as it often happens like this.

I have taken the ground feeder and the seed/nut feeders from the tree as when I
was weeding at the weekend I saw a MOUSE in the shrubs! I need Thomas here!!

It certainly made me feel a bit sick and shaky for a short while Jane. Swelling is already going down and it doesn't feel all that painful now, so I don't think I need an X-ray. it is a lovely deep purple. I've got a corduroy shirt that would match it perfectly.

Even though it was raining I filled the seed feeder again and put out a home made fat cake and a few sparrows and starlings appeared for a feed. We also had a goldfinch drinking from the bird bath and OH and I both saw a very young thrush on the fence. It looked a bit wet and there was no sign of a parent bird. It fluttered down into the garden next door so I hope it is OK.

I haven't seen many butterflies either Ann. We've had a few meadow browns and a couple of red admirals but I haven't seen any peacocks or painted lady butterflies. We did have a large moth on the outside of one of our windows and OH took a photo. I am sure it was one of the hawk moths but need OH to put it on the computer so I can expand it and see a bit more detail before I can work out which hawkmoth.

PS It's still raining. Should I start building an ark?

Ouch Vera !!! That must have made your eyes water. Is it not worth having your thumb Xrayed ?

I have just seen 5 Goldfinch in the gutter .Just their little tails sticking out LOL They were either having a drink of rain water or finding insects . It could have been a lovely pic :-D, but as usual I didn't have the camera or phone with me :-S

Ouch! ouch! Vera, that was a silly thing to do,Trying to go too fast I guess. Hope the swelling goes down soon.

We still have the goldfinches and Great Tits plus one juvenile robin and one small older robin, quite a few sparrows as well and the usual collard doves of course. Have heard a blackbird but not seen it although I think a juvenile blackbird was in the garden a few days ago.

Anyone seen many butterflies. We have had sightings of Red Admirals, although not sure if we have seen one several times or more than one. Also have seen a couple of tortoiseshells. But no Peacocks and no others at all.

4.20pm Just seen either a Small Blue or a Holly Blue butterfly, small and just pain blue.

No birds around at all at the moment. I think the wind and rain are keeping them away....yes, it's raining again! However, the feeders are all empty so they must have come into the garden at some time, probably very early in the morning.

We were in Nottinghamshire at the weekend and saw loads and loads of jackdaws. We don't very often see them around here. When we got back yesterday afternoon it was raining so OH got our small suitcase out of the boot and I decided to gather up all the bits and bobs in the car and make a run for the front door. I removed everything from the car but I forgot to remove one thing - my thumb :-(. Having shut it in the door I am now trying to type with a thumb twice it's normal size and a startling shade of purple! My own fault and I think I have got away lightly as it is still as flexible as the swelling will allow, so I don't think I have done any real damage. I am just very cross with myself for being so stupid.

Kandj the grandchildren at M Keynes are bigger than me. James will be 21 this year and is a 6 footer. Sophie is 15 today and taller than me. Luke was four in July and Adam was one in February, Inara was one in June (she is walking quite well, Adam is walking a little bit).

Hubby and I watched in amazement yesterday as a small hedgehog was on the front
lawn. We used to feed a hedgehog very many years ago but it disappeared and we
haven't seen one since this afternoon. Don't they usually stay hiding until it is dark?

Ann, your grandson's will be getting bigger and good company now. I am guessing
that Luke is perhaps 4 ish now, lost track of his little brother's age though.

Vera/Jane..... Goldfinch are pretty birds but we don't get them in our garden, but the
Chaffinch has become a regular and that is always a joy for us to sit and watch.

Our son lives in MK Jane we were visiting him and family, it is such a horrible journey from here that we don't go often. We used to get lost but know our way to them now. If we are going somewhere different we try and get the road numbers as the roads are built on a grid system. MK drivers are awful in general though, they drive so fast.

They are mucky creatures aren't they .We are always having to scrub ours out. The Woodpigeons seem to think they can use it as their loo as well as drink and have a bath :-S :-S

I finally got to see our Goldfinches on the Birdbath which was lovely.I usually just see them up on the roof.

Ann was your visit to Milton Keynes to stay with friends? We occasionally go to the big shopping centre there.It's only about 45 minutes from here.9 times out of 10 though we always get lost on the road system they have there :-S and often arrive with steam coming out of our ears LOL.

Looks like we could be in for a stormy night later on this evening.But saying that the last time we were forcast torrential rain and thunder it never happened ,so we will see.

I am just looking forward to some fresher air as I have had enough now of this hot muggy weather.It is so draining :-S The poor cat is moulting like mad and leaving great lumps of his fur everywhere ! He is looking a bit weary too LOL

Snap Vera...... great minds think alike, as I have also cleaned and refilled both
birdbaths this morning. Not a job that I enjoy doing either to be honest. All done now!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend in Milton Keynes Ann.

I have just been out to clean the bird bath again. What a disgusting mess :-|. I've scrubbed and sponged and hosed and it's a bit better. Not that the birds seem to mind...as I came out of the door to start on it there were two goldfinches having a drink. I stood and watched until they flew away. It was lovely to see them as we don't get a lot of goldfinches here.

I have never heard such a din Ann.It must have wokethe whole neighbourhood lol

Well you had right session at the Dentist. I hate those water spray things. The sucker never gets all the water out quick enough for my liking.But at least your teeth feel better now. You have now got me thinking I am due a check up soon :-S

I have a horrible feeling Thomas has gone off Rabbits and is now after the little birds :-(. I found the remains of one just outside the backdoor ,and he doing a lot of mooching around in the big hedge and hanging around under the tree where all the babies line up to be fed by the adults from the window feeder :-S :-S.

Hope your Son has a wonderful 50th :-D.. Wish I was 50 again.40 would be even better lol.

Ooh Jane, bet that was a racket. Still I would love to see them in our garden. I counted about 10 sparrows on the lawn first thing this morning, then when we were having breakfast there were birds everywhere, sparrowns, goldfinches, blue and great tits, two robins a blackbird. The rain must have encouraged the insects.

Well I had a dental appointment this morning, one of the dreaded deep cleaning sessions, about 4/5 (I lost count) injections top and bottom one side so a very frozen mouth for almost three hours. I hate having it done, it is so uncomfortable and there was so much water coming through the vacuum pipe thingy that I almost choked on it. Still it does seem that since I have been having it done every 6 months (besides costing me about £85 a time altogether for both sides my teeth have tightened up, they were starting to get a bit loose.

Anyway after lunch we went out to a garden centre as I wanted to get a voucher for part of son's 50th birthday present (His birthday is tomorrow and we are off to Milton Keynes for a couple of days). didn't buy any plants, so feeling virtuous now. Then, when we came back, with the surplus cucumber (they always all come at once), I made some cucumber relish, Just 6 small pots but it lasts ages and we still have some from last year.

So that was a busy day, including packing for the weekend.
:-D :-D

My ears are ringing in sympathy Jane. We used to get woodpeckers at our old house and their screech was so loud, a sort of maniacal laugh. I am jealous though. Woodpeckers are so attractive, particularly the green ones.

I don't know that neck of the wood Gwyn,but it sounded a wonderful family get together on the beach.
I am so glad we are not bothered by Seagulls pinching food .How bad mannered they are :-S

Talking of a racket Vera (your Starlings squabbling ) reminded me of this morning here.
Not Starlings .but a Parent Woodpecker and it 's 2 young .I had come downstairs really early today about 6.30 (early for me ) , let the cat out and then all hell let loose. He shot out he door through the fly screen and frightened of the adult Woody and young.
They flew up to a tree right near the house and the noise that the adult made was ear splitting !!!. It went on for so long. So long in fact that I had my OH looking out of our bedroom window and Son hanging out of his to see what the noise was all about My son said can't you shut that bl**dy bird up. As if I could do something !!!. Finally after about 15-20 the screeching stopped . The poor cat legged it back in for a bit of peace and quiet LOL

There was such a racket in the garden earlier that I went out to see what was happening. It was a group of starlings squabbling over the last of a home made fat cake.

Apart from them we are not seeing many birds at the moment, just the usual few sparrows and a couple of pigeons.

There are still a few tadpoles in the little pond but they aren't showing much sign of growing into froglets.

I spent much of my childhood and youth down on that beach or further along at Lee, under the much mourned tower.

It was great Ann and lovely to gather for a happy reason, after the sadness of the last year.
Ages ranged between 8 and.......mature (me ..Lol ) on the beach outside my sister's family beach hut.
It's ages since I have been there and was trying to get my bearings by locating Lee Tower, only to hear that it has long since gone...........

I did think of you as we passed H.M.S. Collingwood !

We did see a few black-headed gulls at a little distance along the beach later in the day, but they weren't bothering anyone.

I love Hillhead Gwyn. Will be in the area again mid August although we stay in Lee.

We have aggressive seagulls in Gloucester, but not as bad as the ones in Dorset and St Ives in Cornwall. Your family get together sounds lovely.