Bits and Bobs

In an attempt to put off doing some gardening, I've decided to upload my photos from the past couple of months and arrange them into some vague resemblance of a post. Since my last appearance on here, we have miraculously managed to survive the apocalyptic heatwave(!), have been on various trips to see our girls and also a few theatre trips. I have done a bit of knitting, made progress on my crocheted 'Prague Blanket', been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease and am nearing the end of a course of steroids for said disease. The latter is a bit of a bummer (quite literally!), but that's life, worse things happen at sea etc., etc. Moving on: 

Tulips from our lovely neighbours for cat and house sitting whilst they were in the US. They also brought me a 'What Would Dolly Do?' candle and a bottle of maple syrup (delish!):

A trip into London for the Cavalry Memorial Parade in Hyde Park. L is a member of the Band of the Royal Yeomanry (Inns of Court and City Yeomanry). They have an emblem of a devil on their collars. Apparently, King George III asked who the band playing were as they were very good. On hearing that it was the Inns of Court Band, he commented 'Lawyers eh? The Devil's Own'. They immediately adopted the symbol! 

It was lovely hearing L play but very chilly and breezy waiting around. The pollen was also blowing off the plane trees, so we were very red of eye by the end of the day! Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh, was attending. I took an very poor photo of her below. You can just see her blue dress!

We met up with L after the ceremony and went for a Thai lunch. It was very yummy:

The following weekend, we set off to Bristol to see E's new flat. It is compact and bijou but very homely with her books, plants and artwork. The area is lovely with a beautiful park at the end of the street. We took her out for lunch at Koocha. It was delicious, but we over-ordered and came away with a doggy bag for E to have for supper. It was only when we arrived home that we found she had inadvertently left it on the back seat of our car. R enjoyed it very much!

They do a very nice rose hot chocolate!

Finishing my 'Vietnam Socks' (they were my travel knitting), made with West Yorkshire Spinners 'Nutcracker' yarn - a present from L the Christmas before last:

A trip to Montecute House with my friend, S, and her dog, A:

A walk and picnic at The Vyne:

Seeing Alan Ayckbourn's play at The New Era Theatre. It was very good, with minimal use of the prompter!

A further trip to Bristol to hear E's orchestra play Verdi's Requiem at The Beacon:

We dropped her off for a final rehearsal and then R and I went for a little wander around the harbourside. The 'Gurt Lush Choir' were excellent:

We had a mosy around M shed - basically, I needed the loo! We would have gone in to see the Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit exhibition but it was fully booked.

Walking along the river, we came across some sort of celebration involving a bride and 2 puppets with accompanying musicians. I asked an older lady taking photos what was going on. She replied that 3 years ago, her daughter (the one with the veil) had married the River Avon and they were celebrating her anniversary and drawing attention to the pollution in the river. I was rather proud of myself for managing to keep a straight face, especially as the girl's father was looking less than impressed by the whole shebang. I expressed congratulations and enquired if that made the river her son-in-law. She agreed and said that one of the puppets was her grandchild too. Each to their own as they say; they were having fun, not hurting anybody and focussing attention on water pollution. Who am I to judge?

R got his SS Great Britain fix - he's a big fan!

We met E after her rehearsal and popped into here for a pre-concert supper. I had a GF, vegan mooless moo pie with mash and minty, mushy peas. It was divine!

The concert was brilliant (sorry, a few of the following flyers aren't rotated!), and the percussionist managed to break the skin on his drum as he was beating it so hard!

An audience with Rich Hall at The Corn Exchange. We've seen him before and bits of it were a little samey. You couldn't blame him for a bit of repetition though, his tour schedule is punishing.

An evening out at Arlington Arts to hear a chap who does Ripper Tours in Whitechapel. It was fascinating, if a little shouty. We were on the front row and I think he is used to projecting to the back of a crowd!

Quite a dark photo of my finished 'Hobbiton Vest', made from 'Speckledy Green' alpaca yarn bought at Unravel in February. The buttons are made from driftwood, found on beaches on the Isle of Wight.

Finally, a mother and her newborn eating the garden! They appear at dusk and she stands still, looking aware but exhausted whilst her fawn does bedtime zoomies around the lawn!

Well, that's all for this month. I'm off for a cup of tea and then the garden awaits. I hope all is well in your corner.

Toodle pip for now. x