Oh, by the way, I have decided not to apply for the 16 hour a week job. It would be much too restrictive . The aim is to begin to have a life of my own, not be dictated to by terms of employment Well, a girl can plan, anyway......

Off to bed now.....night all, sleep well xx

Agree with you about the lawn. I like green though so don't think I'd ever get rid of the lawn entirely, just making my borders wider. We have a terrible ant problem too - our lawn was never laid properly so that is part of the problem.

I have one of Geoff Hamilton's books - remember him? It is on Paradise Gardens - and I'm trying to make mine one. I saw some amazing planting schemes in Paris - they used different coloured lobelia interplanted with same colour tulips - made a very impressive display - and really cut down on weeds. No it wasn't a rant at all Lindy.

About time! Well done. You will be amazed at how busy you will be once you give up work.

I spent the first month of my retirement sorting out files and doing a general clear-out of the house (which continues). I then took a couple of courses, started a book group - and actually got to see friends again.

I now have one or two days a week 'free' but I find I am busy those days too.

Just take time out for yourself and DON'T commit to anything until you decide what you want to do - and what is best for you and your family!

Sorry Lindy, didn't mean to rant either

Morning all.

I will be making reservations for our 1 June meet-up at the end of next week.

If any of you CANNOT attend - or if anyone else wants to join us, please send me a PM asap. Thanks

Another lovely sunny day. Yes, I've been out photographing. Will probably stop over the weekend.

Have a good day everyone.

And you didn't!

I know it makes sense In the dim and distant past of a year ago, I did really try to retire. I actually loved the couple of months spent tidying up and going to galleries and the cinema, relaxing and meeting up with friends. Then for a number of reasons the old habit of work took hold....which does have its charms, if you love your job, as I do. The problem is that I simply don't have the energy now to do all the things I used to, so choices have to be made. And hopefully as a result, I will in future have more time for friends and family, as well as general interests!! It won't happen until the end of July, but I'm looking forward to it!

hello JJat

just to let you all know
hubbies surgery went well
all good,
bbs x

Hey Georgy

This is good news
Glad it went well

Does he have to stay in hospital
Or is it day surgery?
They seem increasingly keen on this lately

Anyway all the best to both of you

Good afternoon all, hope you're all well and enjoying the fine weather. Just wish this wind would turn around, still blowing a NE here.
I saw a newspaper heralding a heatwave for the bank holiday, but I just looked at the five day forecast and I don't consider 12-15c a heatwave, well not unless it's the middle of winter.

Pleased to hear o/h surgery went well georgy, lots of best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Remember nyannie's advice - NO BELL!

Time for yourself sounds like a good idea Lindy, doing the things you want to do rather than have to do.

How's your cold nyannie? Hope you're feeling better.

Garden wise, we have the best of both worlds.
At the front (which is level) we have a lawn with hebe's, viburnham and phormiums as a border and we've built a breakwater style bed on one corner that's filled with ornamental grasses and drifts of sea thrift in pink and white and a shingle path to the front door.

The back was on a slope so we did away with the uneven lawn which was constantly waterlogged and grew algae in wet weather and made it two levels with an upper terrace which is patio and decking steps down to a shingle level with a pergola. We have wide flower beds. Ferns and fatsia's on the shady side and sun loving evergreens on the other side. My favourite shrubs are the hydrangea's (just about the only thing that isn't evergreen) with their enormous mopheads and the oleander's. We have lots of pots in the summer filled with geraniums and pelargoniums and trailing lobelia.

I would love a summerhouse and wish we'd had that instead of the pergola, but I guess we learn by our mistakes.

O/h mows the lawn and actually prefers doing that than keeping the shingle free of weeds which now the fabric underneath has broken down is becoming a bit of a battle ground.
Noticed today that our bluebells are about to burst open, so pretty.

Hi Lena

What a wonderful picture you paint of your garden! It sounds really lovely ...and you are evidently very fond of it
I love hydrangeas too. They don't grow very easily here but we've managed to keep three alive and flowering. I don't know what it is about them that's so special....I guess they're big and bold and pretty at the same time (and I love the leaf colour too)....and they remind me a bit of London suburban gardens, where I have spent some of my happiest times
We also have pots with geraniums, and a little wall with a trench top where every year I plant antirrhinums and lobelia.
A recent development is that that we have painted the garden benches a sort of turquoise colour....I had my doubts to begin with, but they look lovely.

Now we just need the weather x

So pleased to hear your husband's surgery went well.

All good wishes for his speedy recovery - and remember do not give him an intercom or a bell. I spent my entire day running (walking) up and down stairs when my husband was ill - I made the mistake of giving him a bell.

Evening all....I quite like grass, its got a nice texture and feel to it, even if it is a bit untidy. I too love Daisys growing in my lawn.

Evening all.

I went to bed around 10 am this morning and only got up about 5.30 - guess I needed it.

Lena, your garden sounds fabulous - think you should do some garden design.

Still feel tired so think I will record the Politician's Husband and Nashville.

See you all tomorrow.

Thanks all
hubbie will be staying over night
this will give me time
to dismantle the house intercom system
don,t think we have any bells
so they don,t need to be hidden

just going back to visit him now
if i'm quick
i might make it in time, to eat his pudding
he doesn't know, but i saw that he had ordered,
the creme brulee

Morning all.

Hope all is well with your husband georgy and that he comes home very soon.

How is the flat hunting going with your son?

Gorgeous morning, just put laundry on. Have to change bed and then I'm back in it. My foot is killing me so will rest it.

Have a good day all.

He lives lol!!!


John James ‏@uk_JohnJames_oz 2h

Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip?

https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images...452eaadbc.jpeg

Lyrics from an Eminem song Lose Yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHswvopLf2Q

He's now tweeting supporters, which is nice. Last time he did this he was in the UK.....

Wow, what a start to the morning, don't put my laptop on this early very often.

Thanks so much CrazyChick for bringing this over. That is some profile pic.

Cryptic as ever, that's the John we know.
Has he made some big decision, or is that a reference to the fact he went into the BB house? Probably means nothing at all.

Lovely to see him tweeting his supporters.

I see the 'bring it uk' (something like that) has changed to
"You Wouldn't Read About It"
Melbourne

He's just watched Chatty Man, can he see that in Oz, is it a clue?

Sorry, where are my manners?
Good morning everyone, hope you're all fine. Weather's looking good for the bank holiday.

Wow!! Thanks Crazy Cryptic as ever, is our John.....and he can barely fit into that top!


Oh good......is he in the UK I wonder? John certainly knows how to whip up a storm by doing virtually nothing

Good morning Lena

Morning all

Well, what an unexpected development.......

(Remember the ?)

There's some great banter going on between John and Jonno over ownership of the vest he's wearing in his pic.

We need to watch Jonno's ebay account.

Priceless.

Just replied to you Lindy, wrong thread cos I'm in a hurry.

It's on the CT.

Thanks Lena. I'll take a look See the flurry he causes?

Hi guys!!

....couldn't resist!