Thursday 2nd July 09

I put my clock out in the back garden in the sunshine when I got home from school. It also records the temperature as well. It didn't take long before it reached 120 degrees F, or 49.2 degrees C. I moved it to the shade and it is registering 98 degrees F at 4.42pm. What a scorcher!

Wednesday 1st July 09

First of the month means garden update. Took this first thing this morning before the sun came round. The poppies have all finished, but the lillies are still going strong. Not much colour this month.

Tuesday 30th June 09

Its been so hot today that I've had to get the fan out. I've had it directed at my feet to keep them cool whilst I sat knitting socks to keep them warm!

Monday 29th June 09

I didn't find what I was looking for at the garden centre, but I did see this lovely selection of clay pots.

Sunday 28th June 09

Harry was so pleased when the Engine Driver let him sit in the driving seat of this model engine to have his photo taken.

Saturday 27th June 09

Here is Sophie modelling the latest pair of socks.

Friday 26th June 09

This is the weather chart in my little classroom set for today. I think the heavens burst as the children were just getting to school. They were all absolutely drenched and we had to change them into PE kit until their uniforms were dry.

Thursday 25th June 09

I received this lovely wool in the post today. As you can see it came in a skein and so I had to get my old wool winder out of storage. This winder dates from the 1940's and is still stored in it's original box, with the instruction sheet.

Wednesday 24th June 09

I went for my check-up at the dentist this afternoon and had a nasty shock. I need two fillings and a crown. The dentist gave me this new form called a Personal Dental Treatment Plan which tells me exactly what I'm going to have done, and how much it's all going to cost.

Tuesday 23rd June 09

My sister got married today. She told me yesterday! She's been with her partner for 18 years and has always said that when she got married she would just go off and do it without any fuss, and that is what she did. She phoned me yesterday to invite me but it was too late for me to get off work for the ceremony, but I went round to her house and she had a lovely garden party with all her friends and neighbours this evening. That was only decided on yesterday too. She made her little bouquet from roses bought in M&S.

Monday 22nd June 09

It's the start of Wimbledon today, so got in the mood with Strawberries and Cream.

Sunday 21st June 09

Awaiting photo

Saturday 20th June 09

This statue of The Railwayman was erected in Eastleigh in 1995 as tribute to the prosperity that the railway works brought to the town.

Friday 19th June 09

I helped out at a toy and book sale after school today to help raise funds for a school in Uganda. I bought these books for £1.

Thursday 18th June 09

The socks are finished. I used a wool and bamboo mixture for these socks which should make them cool and hardwearing. The pattern is called Lacy Ribs. I managed to get the stripes matching as well, which I am really pleased aboiut.

Wednesday 17th June 09

Some memers of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra came to the school I was teaching in today. These are some of the more unusual instuments that they played for the children.

Tuesday 16th June 09

A few years ago my Dad did away with a few flower beds and borders in his garden to make it easier to mow the grass. Sarah, my daughter, was just moving into her house and took this rose and planted it. it was always one of Mum's favourites. It is now thriving and is lovely to think that this rose will survive for a few more years.

Monday 15th June 09

This is the pattern for the latest pair of socks I am knitting. I hate working from charts, but luckily this pattern comes with written instructions too.

Sunday 14th June 09

My daughter, Sarah, and I went to visit Cranbury Park today as it was open for the National Gardens Open Days. It is just down the road from us but I have never seen it as the grounds are only open one day a year. It hasn't got much planting, but is the most wonderful parkland imaginable. Such beautiful trees. This sun dial was designed and placed here by Sir Isaac Newton in 1720, when he lived here with his niece for the seven years before his death.

Saturday 13th June 09

This little lady brightens my day. My gorgeous granddaughter, Sophie.

Friday 12th June 09

My latest book, a novel about an Irish lad during the First World War. A very good read so far.

Thursday 11th June 09

This was the sky at 8.00 this morning. Not a cloud to be seen. My Mum used to say that if there was enough blue sky to make a pair of sailor's trousers then the day would be bright. There's enough to make a pair for the whole of the Royal Navy today!

Wednesday 10th June 09

I'm half way through the second sock for the first month of the Knit-a-long I have signed up for on Ravelry.

Tuesday 9th June 09

No, it's not my birthday, and this isn't mine. This week is Chocolate Week in school, when all the lessons are focused around chocolate. This was the amount of chocolate that greeted me in the class I took today. Some amazing work was produced, and all for the lure of a little cube of chocolate.

Monday 8th June 09

This Campanula Carpatica was given to me by my sister over 20 years ago. It used to be all along the low wall in my garden, but when I had my garden redesigned a few years ago, it was all pulled out. Luckily, some of it survived and it is re-establishing itself again. My sister now wants some of it back for her new garden.

Sunday 7th June 09

The Cordyline tree in my garden is out in flower. My husband brought this home from work about 15 years ago. It was in a little pot and I thought it would make an ideal structural patio plant. It kept growing so a couple of years later we planted it in the corner of the garden. It came up to about the middle rung of the fence then. It's now about 20 feet tall. The first time it flowered, about 7 years ago, it only had one flower, sticking out the top like a white Xmas tree. this year it has 12 flowers.

Saturday 6th June 09

I went to my crop today, unloaded the car and then decided to move it away from the Lime trees, as I didn't want their sticky sap all over my lovely clean car. Car wouldn't start!!!!! A very nice man from the AA told me I needed a new battery, but he didn't have one and couldn't get any until Monday as the suppliers were closed for the weekend. Luckily, I scrap with a girl whose father-in-law owns an auto spares company, so she phoned her husband to pick a battery up for me and got me back on the road.

Friday 5th June 09

My eldest brother has been fishing and dropped off this Rainbow Trout for my tea. The fish doesn't look very happy, but I was. I baked it whole, in the oven for 35 mins with herbs and lemon and it tasted delicious. There's plenty left over to go with some salad for tomorrow.

Thursday 4th June 09

I went to vote in the European Parlimentary elections today. I was amazed at how long the ballot slip was. I was quite taken with the Roman Party, Ave! I wonder how many votes he will get.

Wednesday 3rd June 09

These towers of trailing geraniums have appeared on the streets of Eastleigh.

Tuesday 2nd June 09

Just couldn't resist taking a picture of my darling granddaughter Sophie enjoying her snack in her garden.

Monday 1st June 09

The first of the month means it's an update on the garden border. The lillies and poppies are out in all their glory but the foxgloves are nearly over.

Sunday 31st May 09

My latest read. The book I've just finished was a very serious one so felt I needed something a bit lighter.

Saturday 30th May 09

Watching TV this evening I realised I was dressed just right for Britain's Got Talent. I voted for the saxophone player who came third.

Friday 29th May 09

Finished my third pair of socks today. The yarn for this pair is a mixture of wool and bamboo which is wonderfully soft. I knitted them from the toe up with a short row toe and heel in a 3x1 rib and a tubular bind-off .

Thursday 28th May 09

These perennial scented Pinks were only £1 a pot today in a local shop. I'm sure I can find a spot for them in my little border.

Wednesday 27th May 09

The grandchildren came to play again today. Whilst Sophie had her nap, Harry and I played games. Harry was so pleased with himself when he beat me at 'Three in a Row'.

Tuesday 26th May 09

I went to a barbeque at a friend's house this evening. This morning the weather looked doubtful with lots of rain, but it cleared up this afternoon and we had sunshine, but a bit chilly in the wind.

Monday 25th May 09

Spring Bank Holiday Monday. Harry and Sophie came over for the day today, so as the weather was so kind we had a picnic lunch in the garden. The little dolly that Sophie is holding cost me 50p in a charity shop on Saturday. It never left her side all day. It shared her lunch, played with the Mega blocks and even had to have suncream on. One good buy!

Sunday 24th May 09

I went to the Farmer's Market in Chandler's Ford this morning. These cherry tomatoes looked so inviting, and they taste so sweet.

Saturday 23rd May 09

It's definately been ice-cream weather today. I hope it lasts all over the Bank Holiday.

Friday 22nd May 09

The postman brought me a parcel today containing a new book of socks for me to knit, and some lovely knitting yarn to go with it. How kind!

Thursday 21st May 09

The foxgloves are coming out in my garden, and I love the little speckles inside each 'glove'.

Wednesday 20th June 09

I went to Calais for the day with Dad. Every year his Regimental Association (King's R oyal Rifle Corps) hold a Service of Remembrance at the Green Jackets Calais War memorial to remember the Defence of Calais in May 1940, when his regiment were ordered to remain in Calais and hold it whilst the main body of the B.E.F. retreated to Dunkirque. By their refusal to surrender, they contained a large number of the enemy and enabled the Dunkirque perimeter to be established.

The bulk of the regiment were eventually captured and spent the rest of the war as POWs in Poland working down the coal mines.

Tuesday 19th May 09

I did cooking with my little class today. We made rock cakes.

Monday 18th May 09

The lilies have started to come out in my garden, but they are well and truly chewed by those darn critters that I so lovingly dispose of each day. My neighbour grew the plants from seed a few years ago and gave me a couple. Unfortunately, he lost all of his this winter, and so did another neighbour, but I've managed to keep mine.

Sunday 17th May 09

I've just finished knitting my second pair of socks. The wonderful thing about knitting socks is, that once you finish knitting there is no sewing up, only a tail of yarn to darn in and they are ready for wear. These ones are made with a cotton/wool/nylon mix so should be cool for the summer. Knitted from the toe up on five needles with a seamless toe and a short row heel.

Saturday 16th May 09

Guess what I've been doing today!

Friday 15th May 09

I often follow this little group up the road on my way to work. They are always so good holding each other's hands, and their little cereal box bags. They are just too cute!

Thursday 14th May 09

This cheeky snail tried to escape my daily collection off of my lilies, but he was not quick enough for me and he went over the back fence with his pals. I'm thinking of marking them with a spot of nail varnish to see if any of them have visited before!