Yeah, we have internet, and a telephone....

     .....but only for a short while, cos the damage to our, and a good few others in our street, cables is somewhere under the road, so it has to be dug up at some point.

      However we are making the most of these late January days.  Sunday was so mild we took the camper van and the dog for a drive to Leamington Spa.  A town smaller than, but not too unlike Bath, with wide laid out streets, beautiful old houses and a rich history.  There are a lot of different, small independent shops and eateries, so we just wandered and enjoyed the smaller back-street areas.  eventually ending up in a little individual coffee shop for a coffee and lemon-cake.
    Even old Joe enjoyed a good walk, admiring lamposts and hedges while we looked homes and gardens!

     
         Took myself to the pictures yesterday, so pleased Darsh didn't go with me, it was the sort of film he hates, a simple story, no special effects, no violence and no blood, he would have snored for two full hours.
      "Brooklyn" a film I had heard nothing about, but just liked the sound of.  The car park was full, so I had to park some way out and run back expecting to miss the start of the film.  The cinema, like the car park was full, and I had difficulty finding a seat.  The start of the film was delayed as there was so many people trying to get in!  It just shows how popular these early morning showings are....and the cheap seat prices no doubt help.

         Afterwards, on my way back to the car, I found 20....20....ink pads all in different colours, for £3.  Usually they are couple of pounds each, I also found a pad of pretty papers for £3, and a new to me book for £1.  So my day was well and truly made!

        This morning the sun was out!!!!! so I have been in the garden, sweeping, snipping and tidying.  But as soon as the sun went in I was back inside pretty quick.  At least I went outside, the dog just stood on the warm side of the glass and wagged his tail at me, as soon as I opened the door he raced off back into his bed.

        This afternoon has been spent playing in my room, a bit of sewing and a bit of shuffling my pretty fabrics around "tidying".

yippee....

    ......my veg box has just arrived... the highlight of my day...Good Grief....what has life come to!!!

Joe has finally decided....

     ......that walks are no longer for him, he is happy to go to the gates of the playing field and that is IT.  No further!  So what do I do for my daily exercise?  Gardening is definitely out of the question for a good few weeks yet.....join the gym....walk on my own?   So this morning I've taken a walk and a wander down into Streetly village, a place of beauty parlours, silly priced dress shops and a couple of restaurants.  The best part was walking through, and admiring all the smart houses and just how many of them are having extensions and major alterations done.  Round here it it definitely preferable to improve rather than move, in fact I don't think I walked past a single house with a "For Sale" board up.
       By the time I got home, well after 11am, Joe was still in his bed and hadn't noticed I had gone, and Darsh was tearing his hair out cos BT have been in the phone box and we had lost phone and wifi connection.  Now the wifi is back (obviously) but the phone line is not, for around the 3rd time this year!
      So now I am making soup for lunch, and planning to a bit of sewing later on, and maybe another little look at the gym as well....maybe...maybe not...

             NOT a picture from today, but all the other blogs I read have pictures of snow ice or frost....
....not mine!

The best thing about this time of year......

         ......is the arrival of all the spring flowers in the shops....

 

       ......Mimosa, my mums favourite, I can smell these as soon as I walk into the room.  Bought them at a street stall in London at the weekend.  I've never really seen them for sale round here before.

       Even my old old Orchid is making an effort, look at his chewed leaf though.  The snails in the greenhouse got him when I put him out there for his summer holidays.  I thought my orchids would have been safe out there with having such thick tough leaves.  Obviously not.

 

      There's always one isn't there....

 

        ......despite watering it for the last 3 weeks there is still no sign of life in my pot.  Wondering if Selina, or Penny's is doing any better?

Winter Treats.....

......Hot chicken soup with sourdough bread....

  

             ........shiny red berries.....winter's jewels(at least till the birds see them)....

                .....the first Witch Hazel I have seen in flower this year.....

                 .... The bright blue skies and brilliant sunshine that means a frosty night is on it's way......

      We went to London to enjoy my Christmas Present from Sara and John......
      Tickets to see Matthew Bourne's "Sleeping Beauty" at Sadlers Wells Theatre.  It was just so good, dark, loud and incredibly mesmerising.  It finishes on Saturday, I think, and then it moves to.....Birmingham!!!!!
     Oh well...I am quite happy to go and see it again.....and this time I might even get Mr "Simply can't put this phone Down" to come with me....

The three of us....me, him and his phone.... spent the day wandering round and enjoying the sights of London.  At least I did, he would have only seen what was on the screen attached to his nose.....