Blog Anniversary

Let's pick up the summer hols at last Saturday.
One of the projects being undertaken in the dining room needed some cork tiles to help it come to completion. We decided to pop over to the other side of town where there are a few shops likely to stock such an item and combine it with a visit to a newly opened and quite fantastically redeveloped play park.
No cork tiles were purchased and within about 10 minutes S was in tears because things at the playground weren't going her way and was having a bit of a hissy fit. This isn't normally in her nature and so we concluded she was probably over tired and we cut the trip sort.

Sunday morning we were all up bright and early and headed of to the car boot.
Here I bought the cork tiles we needed (and a few more besides) and all for a £1.00. Cue happy face.
From the same lady I bought these ice skates.

I have seen lovely photos of skates used at Christmas time in door and window displays and seeing as she just wanted a £1.00 for them I snaffled those too.


I haven't spent much time on the computer this week and because of that I missed the 3 year anniversary of me starting this blog. The first photo I blogged was on 11th August and it was taken in this exact same spot at a local country park.

I had a bit of an emotional day Monday.

I was kind of expecting it to happen at some point, but it just leapt upon me on Monday. Whether it was going to the country park that topped it off but it's at this time 3 years ago we found out just how poor dad's health was and within a few short weeks we lost him.

Tuesday brought another emotional meltdown.

This time it wasn't from me.

It involved and Ipod and to be honest it's better best forgotten.

An afternoon spent down at the water's edge in Hamble with a bucket and crabbing line got us all out of the house.

Not a single crab was caught but the sun was out and ice creams were eaten and our spirits were refreshed.

I thought the parking for bicycles in the car park was very inventive.

What a day we had Wednesday.

Each month I receive an email from the county council informing me of exhibitions and talks, ideas for days out and details of cycle rides and walks to do. It was in the email I found deatils for a nature walk around Bishops Waltham. As it's not somewhere we've been before and is very local it was decided to head there.

We started at Bishop's Waltham Palace. The medieval remains are owned and maintianed by English Heritage and are free to visit. The Bishops and senior clergy of Winchester would stay here as they travlled through the diocese. Famous visitors include Henry V and Richard the Lionheart.

It was enjoyed for it's hide and seek qualities before we found our way to the central car park as this is where the walk starts.

We walked for about 45 minutes before we stopped for our picnic. We had read there were Highland cattle grazing in the fields but hadn't seen any until we went to the very next field. Most of them were sat in the shade offered by the trees at the edge of the field.

Then a little further on we came to the most lovely view. It was such a treat to be able to walk in such living countryside.

This field of wheat was divided in two and through the middle were lots of wild flowers, mostly pretty red poppies. You couldn't help but smile.

The very best view was saved until last.

We sat here for a while just gulping in the fresh air and savouring the summer sun.

That leaves us Thursday and Friday which have mostly been spent indoors.

A little decorating project finished, test match cricket listening andsome reading for us and friends over for both T and S.

This evening the plan (courtesy of T's idea) is to open some popcorn, get snuggly on the sofa and watch a movie. Sounds good to me.