All things quiet here. Well, I say that, but it's not that quiet, just not much worth blogging about really.

I have been busy sorting, typing and posting the new schedule for our local HE group for next term and using the list of outings and group meetings to sort out a brief schedule for our own work next term too.

One of our first group outings is to the local museum to view an exhibition on the Titanic and take part in a drama session which will highlight the different classes of people that travelled on the doomed liner. Ben and I went along this week to take a peek at the exhibition to see what's in store while Katie was away at a rather wet pony day at the riding school. Ben and I were really impressed with the displays and hands on activities. We especially liked the costume section where they displayed some of the beautiful outfits and dresses from the Titanic film which Ben had watched on TV a couple of weeks ago, so it was all fresh in his memory. As it all seems so interesting and thought provoking, we've decided to do a lapbook on the Titanic for our history project this term.

Alot more of my time has been spent pulling up never ending weeds, trimming hedges, digging up endless amounts of buried rubbish and shifting tonnes of rubble left over from fitting the bathroom, all to be shovelled into a skip. With every shovel load I kept thinking how awful it is to dump so much junk into the ground. When you think how many other people are filling skips with rubbish too, all to be dumped in the ground, that's a terrible thought. Now that the garden rubbish is sort of under control (although P mowed the grass today and created another three or four piles of cuttings) we will be able to start composting properly, but all the other rubbish was stuff that couldn't really be recycled. I did managed to shift a bundle of unbroken tiles on freecycle which pleased me, and the taker came from our village which made it alot easier!

While in the garden, Katie has been busy planting on some of the lovely flowers she and Ben sowed soon after we moved in. The packet of mixed seeds that they scattered next to the conservatory look lovely now, mainly poppies but there where some great French Marigolds itching to be moved to a better spot which she's now done. It was good to see them thriving as I remembered planting a large amount of these years ago only to find the snails and slugs had eaten the lot by the next morning! Katie is very keen on plants and trees and she brought home some house plants from her stay at my mum and dad's which she's now carefully potted into larger containers.

Ben did really well sawing this log. Later that evening we set up a small fire pit and had sausages and baked potatoes by candle light. Wish I'd taken a photo, it looked quite magical.

Other garden activity have been the flowering of our very small plot of potatoes, the first tub of carrots are looking fab and the three tomato plants which were planted straight into the ground are going berserk. No red ones yet, but there's plenty of green ones and loads of flowers too. Peppers are shooting up thanks to all the rain and there's a few little flowers on those as well. We have one pumpkin so far, but again, probably due to the rain there looks like plenty more are on the way. Our wonderful next door neighbour has planted two rows of lettuce and two more rows of carrots for us in our newly prepared veggie plot. Will keep you posted.

Can't wait to pull these ... not too sure when they'll be ready though, pretty new to all this.

During the short spell of sunshine (yes, we did have a few days of good weather) this little lady has been chasing us around the garden. She lives up the road and we don't know her name but we call her Kanda (after a house name), now shortened to Kan Kan. She's a breath of fresh air, very young and full of beans and she has us in fits of laughter with the pranks and mishaps she gets herself into. Two things she seems to enjoy doing are climbing up the poles of the trampoline which are covered with squashy plastic tubing (now also covered in holes) and hiding in undergrowth while you're busy gardening to periodically run out and jump on your back to terrify the life out of you. Luckily, being a youngster, the claws don't really come out to do any damage!

Mad puss, Kan Kan next to the pile of rubbish ready for shovelling into the skip.

Ben and I did some art using shaving foam and paint. The pictures have lasted really well (usually the shaving foam just rubs away) - very artistic.


I'll finish with the disaster of the week! Our car is blowing and juddering (due to something or other under the bonnet) and needs some serious work doing to it in the region of £500 + (depending on what the garage uncovers). Pretty p...d off as we spent a huge amount of money on the car just before we moved. I guess the poor old girl is ageing now (R reg), but there's no spare dosh in the kitty for a newer four wheeled friend just yet!

That's it - oh, take a peek at my ebay stuff (link on the side bar), you never know you might be interested. Thanks.