another hectic week

No sooner had we emptied the dirty washing into the washing machine then it was Monday and back to work and then the 'fun' started, as eldest son found the company he works for had gone into receivership followed closely by next son's doing the same. A few sleepless nights for us all wondering how mortgages were going to be paid, new baby clothed and fed etc etc but two weeks on and everything is still all chugging along as normal. On the proverbial wing and a prayer but I guess life is like that at the moment for many.

The arrival of a grandaughter on 3 July was a surprise to all of us that decreed from the roof tops 'It'll be another boy!' Quite a surprise for all families involved. I have never had anything to do with girls and the colour pink so it looks like being a shock to the system. (Have lashed out on a brand new sewing machine - it does singing AND dancing in the intervals - honest! Had a lovely time in the material shop choosing patterns and materials)

Saturday 4th July PARTY NIGHT

Whilst we were recovering from the arrival of young Penny there was the annual summer street party to organise and many prayers went up in the hope that the weather would stay fine for the evening. Prayers were answered - and blessings abounded because this time theme was Tarts and Vicars and there were quite a few variations to that theme including a 'vicar' on a blow up horse - 'The Vicar on Dibley', the Pope arrived, a nun dressed from head to foot in white that from a certain angle opened to show a red body stocking, there were buddhists, Father Ted characters, Tartan vicars and an awful lot of local men that really got to grips with their inner tarts - I think they enjoyed themselves a little too much = the eyeliner, lipstick and false frontages all had to be compared and duly commented on as if they were judging stock in the market or the mechanical gubbins of a tractor. It was absolutely hilarious and some of them were still shedding glitter five days later.

We are lucky to have amonsgt our neighbours a fully qualified and registered children's enterainer who kept all the littlies engrossed in baloon scupltures, walking on stilts, unicycles and later does fire eating as a sideline.

The party went on as usual until dawn with the stragglers leaving at about 4:30am, then the fairies appear from 7am to fill bin bags and recycling boxes and by 8:30 the bonfire is re-stoked and some kind soul wanders about with orange juice and bacon sandwiches - the fairy was a tad late this time - couldn't get his eyeliner off!

On Sunday we went on an expedition to deliver some chickens to Bodran in North Wales. The directions she sent me were peppered with 'Well I think its that way' 'There might be another turning' etc etc. We havent got a sat nav so we got the trusty road atlas out and oft we jolly well went. No problem whatsoever - we were there in little over two hours - delivered said chickens and had a wander around their hillside estate with the pack of gorgeous dogs and the happy couple -( well they really, really are aren't they?) Eventually we decided to head for home and being so puffed up with how simple all this navigation business is we decided to follow Bodran's scooter route home. Dear God the woman is either brave or insane! It took us the best part of five hours. Parts of it were vertical with a sheer drop down to middle earth. I was shaking by the time we got home and collapsed into my bed to have nightmares all night about that road between Bala and Llangynog.

Then of course its Monday and back to work and ooooops bless my weary soul - havent done the weekend washing or ironing - havent got time - too much going on in the countryside for mundane jobs at the moment.

Helping out with granny duties now - entertaining a two year old by long walks around the village in the valley each evening. Two year old in his jim jams under a blanket - me wishing I was in mine as well! Then a story and a cup of milk - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Both of us!

Fruit picking today in the very heart of rural Shropshire at Wistanstow for a restful couple of hours, gooseberries, strawberries and raspberries whilst the crows argued in the treetops, a couple of butterflies danced in front of me and the perfume of the hedgerow flowers and the ripe fruit was indeed a heady mix. Rhubarb and ginger jam just finished, gooseberry and elderflower done, raspberry and strawberry tomorrow and then its back to the sewing machine manual - hell its a complicated looking contraption - nice man in the shop did give me 30 minutes tuition but I've been to bed since then - oh well!

I fell asleep to the sound of the rain yattering on the conservatory roof, thank goodness it wasnt the street party tonight.