Month: July 2026

If You Know, You Know!!! It’s bindweed, folks….

Many years ago, when it was early days of the blog, I used to share it with a small group of people I chatted to on Twitter. Anyone remember Twitter? Hmmm….

Well, anyway, there were several blogs that included me talking about my happy pottering in the garden. The happy pottering, at the time, was blighted with bloomin’ bindweed – and I told people so. So much so, that one of the Twitter ladies told me to ‘let it go’…… so I did. But d’you know what? Here I am again, banging on about the bloomin’ bindweed!

I spent a few happy hours in the garden this afternoon and early evening – snipping the lavender flowers that are now over, but still have that fabulous scent; dead-heading the roses; watering the pots; and finally, trying to rescue a dying hydrangea that I’ll very disappointed to lose if it dies, because it’s a cutting from John’s Dad’s plant that he gave me years ago.

And, of course, I spent many, many minutes battling the bindweed that is curling itself around absolutely everything. Curse the darned stuff!! You try and dig it out but break a bit of root off and there you are – a recipe for its multiplication. Grrrr…..

However, I understand that there is a silver lining to bindweed. Apparently, if you pull up as much as you can, dunk it under water for a week or two, you then have fertiliser water!! Yup! So that’s what I’m doing. And I’m hoping not to moan so much about it. Watch this space!

Anyway, lavender……. anyone want a little bunch?

My activities in the garden were a lovely follow-on after a very enjoyable trip to The National Memorial Arboretum. I went with the Midlands contingent of the College Crew – me, Lizzie, Sue D and Anita. We had a smashing time – appreciating the memorials, of course, and each others’ company. How blessed we are to have such friendship.

We took a little tour of the memorial gardens by land train and then as we arrived back, we were invited to each write a message on a painted stone, to commemorate our loved ones in memoriam, and place it on the ground where it will from part of a Sunrise Pebble Art.

Naturally, I laid one down for both John and Mum. Hehe – I put them on opposite sides of the square designated for this particular colour so that they don’t fight……..

And this is what it is going to look like….. my stones are in the middle, in ‘medium green’!

What a super day. Thank the Lord for such days as this.

Take care everyone. God bless.

Well, 50 years ago we were sweltering in tremendous heat. Ah yes, 1976! That was a year to remember. And, here we are in 2026, basking in the 34 to 36 degree heat that has once again swept our continent. Basking? Hmmm… maybe a bit of an exaggeration! It seems we’re mostly hunkering down and buying up all the fans we can lay our hands on!

Who’da thought it? In Ol’ Blighty? Heat? Us?

And has this chaleur changed my plans? You bet!! A couple of weeks ago I had a lovely weekend scheduled in London – Friday to Sunday at Nev and Jane’s. Ooh, I was so excited! We had tickets to the Marilyn Monroe Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery; a restaurant booked to meet up with George and Val; and tickets for the opera ‘Turandot’ in Holland Park. I was hopping about with excitement!

I think the weekend was thwarted from the off, though. My plan was to rush back on Sunday morning for my goddaughter Liz’s ordination at Coventry Cathedral at four o’clock. Ha! I think I know how it happened, but the upshot was that I’d got the date wrong. Ohhhh….. Saturday afternoon at four o’clock….. darn it! No opera for me then! Nev, bless him, was able to return the ticket and someone else bought it. Phew! No-one was out of pocket.

Okey-dokey – all set for one night then, instead. Nah….. it was too damned hot!!! I didn’t want to be poaching in the heat, so during the week I checked in with Nev: ‘What do you think about my visit on Friday, given that it’s going to be 36 degrees in London?’ He replied to tell me that it had been ‘very unpleasant in London in the last few days‘. Hmmm…. we postponed.

But I was very disappointed. This is the second time I’ve had to cancel my visit to Nev and Jane this year. Grr….

However, I share with you the fact that the time I actually did manage to visit them, in August 2025, I had a fabulous time! Having a bit of a writing block at the time, I never did share the photos and great excitement I felt during my visit. So, might as well do it now, eh?

At Lords, we had watched a bit of league cricket; Ann and Nigel came along too, so that was nice. It was the first time I’d visited the ground and I was thrilled to see, close-up, some of those players you only ever see on telly, such as Jofra Archer.

Before we arrived at the cricket ground, I had a little play on a certain zebra crossing in Abbey Road…..

We had a super visit to the roof garden at 120 Fenchurch Street as well – free to wander round among the plants and admire the London view – I seem to have lost the photos of the greenery on the roof, but here’s me in front of a spectacular gherkin instead.

We went on to the Leadenhall Market afterwards. That was amazing, too! Here are mine hosts, whom I’d hoped to see again this year, at said venue. Eeh…. we did have a good time!!

Meanwhile, back in Balsall Common in 2026, I made it to Liz’s ordination at the end of June. Despite the heat, the service was very poignant and, after she’d been ordained, Liz offered the cup of wine to us when we took communion. Sent shivers down my spine!

There was much grinning when we came out of the cathedral. We were unable to wipe the smiles off our faces following this amazing event. I was a very proud godmother.

I think Liz’s family felt the same! Grinning like Cheshire Cats they were…..

Take care everyone. God bless.