We didn't need a doggy bag today...

         Sat in the sun, waiting for our dinner to arrive. 

                      (This is the end of September, and in England too.)

       Some were more patient than others.

     He could see the next tables chips, he could smell the next tables chips, he was not allowed to go and eat the next tables chips.

  Patience is not his greatest asset.

     Sharing is far more up his street. 

 He was so exited when the waitress came our way with two huge plates of food.

     I am not talking about the dog here.

After eating we went for a walk, and only a walk, along the exercise track through a new, and very attractive housing estate in Lichfield.  

       No cars, they are only allowed at the back of the houses.  

Loads of grass, trees, tracks, play areas and space, what a wonderful place to bring up children.

     Back home and looking at the property prices....some of those beautiful houses were up to £600,000!

However, I'm sure we will go back again for another stroll and to shop in that beautiful Waitrose we found there.

The festival of thrift.....

     .....my birthday treat.

We all squashed in to the car and travelled all the way up to Darlington, just to see.....

    .....the biggest pig ever....

 

     .....from all angles.... 

      .....peruse the many interesting stalls.....just so many ideas and pretty things...

      Natter to the local policeman.....about bikes of all things.....it was lovely to hear all the Northern accents again......

      ......make a turban from an old shirt.....and a hair band as modelled by Nev....

         Trying on.....

      Giggling at the many entainers......and trying to keep out of the way of her and her bike...

     .......acquiring far too many items in the swap shop stalls 

(Sara Singh you have a lot to answer for)

      .......staring in amazement at some of the performers on stage.....

        Blurry, but scary too by Pete's reckoning.....

      And scoffing a whole Nutella crepe when you think no-one is watching......

         .....spotted you through my zoom lens Selina.   The food was yummy even if queues were huge....oh that lemon cake.....nom  nom nom.

        ........and even getting dressed up as a tap of all things.

Yes the festival of thrift really was good fun.

Just written 3 posts.....

       ......and lost them all!!!!!!

I hate blogging on iPad, this is exactly why I didn't post for so long over the summer.

I'm going to watch Eastenders while I calm down.

Then I'll have another go.

It's my birthday....happy birthday to me.....

I was cold when I came home tonight....

       .......looks like I wasn't the only one!

Eric's day off....

     ......when you pay as much as I did for a top of the range blender (aka ERIC) you have to get your use of him!

  Easy, he makes our breakfast juice, or smoothie, every morning and I enjoy it.  Darsh does his fair share of moaning....and don't even mention Ben's enthusiasm for a glass of bright green juice!

      But seeing as I haven't done any shopping and all I had was 2 apples out of the garden.....a day off it is then- and something else is needed for breakfast.

        Yesterday Eric helped to make rose-hip syrup....

    ....not quite tasting as it used to when I was a kid, but it was great fun picking a bag full of hips yesterday, and what am I going to do with 4 jars of the stuff?...Charlotte.....want to try making a rosehip cocktail?.... Sara.....it tastes like it would taste rather good  with vodka maybe?  I have even tried freezing a jar full...just to see what happens.....you understand.

   So, 2 windfall apples out of the garden, stewed, sweetened with rosehip syrup, wrapped in pastry and baked.

      Served hot, with frothy coffee.....

     ......for breakfast.

What a lousy photo, I must stop using the I-pad and been too lazy to go upstairs to get my camera.   

     It actually tasted far better than it looked, and is quite low in sugar, seeing I have as I have gained a diabetic husband who is not too good at looking at his diet and likes to fill up on fried food and take-aways.

      It is five minutes to twelve and Darsh has only just got up.  Even Joe got out of bed (mine, not his) earlier than that.  It is another beautiful day, and I plan to spend it in the garden.

     Got my chair ready, I might even do some digging. 

      Just noticed Emily peeping out from behind my chair, she has had it far too easy recently, it's been months since I hid her and made anybody jump.  Maybe Charlotte needs her to peep through the railings at the top of her stairs.....

      I don't quite know what he's waiting for, but seeing as we have a steady stream of windfalls....maybe he hasn't picked the safest spot.

    I  think he's hoping I am going to put some bird food on the bird table and he is waiting for bits that drop off.  If an apple falls he might get more than he bargained for! 

 If he reckons that the best place for my pastry is on the bird table, he deserves an apple or two on his head.

     Still plenty of colour in the garden.....

            .....and I just love this old, battered and rusty lamp that I picked up at a flea market way back at Easter.

    Those tomatoes need to get a move on and ripen up.

     Must try and get back into regular posts, I love having it as a photograph diary and realising that I actually do do quite a lot even when it feels like I don't do anything much at all.