Sorry!

I am feeling somewhat virtuous - and I therefore have to apologise in advance. This morning I spent four-and-a-half hours cleaning brass, copper and silver - using MASS which means that I do not have to clean the stuff again for six months. I also washed all the yellow dusters - on their own (I got caught once - never again!).  
I realise that many of my friends will be annoyed by this - but I had to tell someone. Socks was not amused, I can tell you. Richard and his Norwegian wife, Stine, are home later this week for a few days - I did not want him to think that standards have slipped. And I also did the brass step at the front door! I am taking the evening off.

I wish to be a glue-er!

These photographs tell it all! The new garden at St. Peter's is soon to have its very own mosaic - which, not unnaturally, will feature the keys of St. Peter. On Saturday 15th July a few of us assembled for a training afternoon in how to mosaic, The first shot shows us looking with some trepidation at the design. And the subsequent photographs depict us slowly getting the hang of things - sort of! Do join us next Saturday and Sunday - it will be fun and I have said that I wish to be a glue-er and not a cutter!

'As long as there are plans, there's life'.

I have finished a book this evening. I often have three or four books on the go at the same time - choosing which one to continue reading as the mood takes me. I bought 'The Secret Diary of Hendrik Green eighty-three-and-a-quarter-years-old' at Waterstones or was it Foyles about two months ago. It is a dairy written by Hendrik who lives in a care home outside Amsterdam. It is both amusing and sad, and in some ways a delightful read. He and seven others belong to the 'Old-but-not-dead-club' whose members arrange a day out every month, taking in turns to make the arrangements and keeping the details secret until the day. The book has been translated into thirty languages.

The last pages of the book carry this comment that 'as long as there are plans, there's life'. That rings so very true for me. I have to have plans as to what I am to be doing over the next few days or even weeks. I believe I annoy some people because I want to be clear just how they fit into my plans when the last thing they want to do is plan anything beyond the next few hours! But without a goal to aim for life would be dull, would it not?

Borough Market

To Borough Market to meet Michael for lunch. The two of us gathered first in the Cafe at Southwark Cathedral for coffee then we walked through the Market to the Market Porter - seen here with a glorious display of hanging baskets. We had lunch behind the widow on the far right - Shepherd's Pie with Green Vegetables and a glass or three of a delicious white wine followed by coffee. We reminisced about our times in Scouting, recalling many things that are best unwritten and some that are recorded for posterity. Happy days and good to meet up again. I bought strawberries from Chegworth Valley Farm's stall - freshly picked I was assured. They are in the fridge ready for Sunday lunch with Heather, Rob, Luke and Marlon. I must remember to take the chocolate Brazils I bought at Romford Market on Wednesday - these are in the fridge too! Heather likes these as did her Mum who bought them from the same stall over many years with Luke and Marlon in tow - and the lady always asks after the boys even today and cannot believe that they are grown up!

Tree down!

First, let me congratulate Redbridge Council. At about 8.30am today a resident telephoned the Council to advise that a cherry plum tree had blown down blocking the pavement in Spearpoint Gardens. Within an hour contractors arrived to start removing the tree - see photographs here. The two house owners into whose gardens the tree collapsed were very grateful. Excellent service - many thanks.

This occurred in the Shrubberies in Spearpoint Gardens, Aldborough Road North, outside numbers 45/46 (post code IG2 7SX). The tree outside 48 - seen in the fourth photograph - is the next one to come down by the look of things!

The problem is simple. These are cherry plum trees which have fruited extremely well this summer. Indeed I picked a bag full this morning from the fallen tree for jam making by the local church ladies and gents! But they make the tree very very top heavy - hence the fallen tree for the roots - as you will see - do not go down deep.

What is needed - URGENTLY please - is a survey of the trees and remedial action taken at the right time of the year.

I was unsure who to send this to so the Ward Councillors and the Leader are the recipients. I asked them top PLEASE PASS URGENTLY to the appropriate official. There are other trees on the main footway which could come down any day now - and fall on passers by including children on their way to the William Torbitt School. They need topping out, I would suggest - but let me now then you are coming and will get a gang out to pick the fruit!

Early morning shimmering sunshine

Sitting in the garden at 6.30am today with a cup of tea and Socks purring at my feet after he had breafasted, I enjoyed the morning sunshine gently shimmering over the rooftops and through the tall grasses in my bed where 'weeds are but wildflowers in the wrong place'. It was a moment to savour and enjoy. How wonderful is nature in its simplicity!

To wash or not to wash - that is the question!

Ironing! Forget tea-towels, for I am aware that this subject is likely to evoke a violent reaction amongst the ladies who do not iron their tea-towels (I have just ironed three, plus five handkerchiefs, but enough said about this.)

Shopping bags? The linen type that you take with you to save paying the 5p for a plastic carrier. I have three. One from Borough Market (large and strong linen); one from the Recycling Ladies of the London Borough of Redbridge (almost as strong, but smaller) and one from Aldeburgh in Suffolk (with sketches of the well-known haunts if that seaside town beloved of Yvonne; indeed I bought it for her on our last visit there). I took the latter to Broadway Market but the raspberries leaked from their plastic packing and I had wash with stain remover (what else?) so I did the other two at the same time. I iron these because when they come off the washing line they are creased and you cannot be seen in the town walking about with a creased shopping bag, can you? Do, do you wash shopping bags? And if not, why not - but I will still talk to you if you do not!