May Day Weekend

Sunday was a very special day for one person in particular and I also should say for us too. My No 1 sister-in-law lives in a residential home due to an unpleasant illness. Some weeks ago she asked the home if they would be willing to take her from Redditch way to Leicestershire to hear her brother (Mr P) preach. Amazingly two of the staff gave up their Sunday off and volunteered to bring her over in a minibus. Her daughter came with her too. It was fantastic they bought her in a superb wheelchair that was strapped to the floor and also strapped across her torso. Should say she rarely ever goes out but somehow after a night of not sleeping (because she was so excited) she managed the journey and the service in church well. Then they all came back to our home for a cottage pie feast. Mr P managed to persuade one of our chickens to come into the house to be petted. The afternoon ended with Mr P playing a request on the piano. One very tired but very happy sister in law left - clutching some leftover chocolate buttons.  We cannot begin to thank the two staff enough for what they did because without them Sunday's visit could not have happened. THANK YOU.

Late afternoon come early evening I was able to achieve my first "TA DAH" moment. Have managed to complete the first chair pad. One down and another five to go!

OK all those of you with cats will now be screaming at me for having pom poms dangling but I don't have a cat, as Mr P is allergic to them. So I can have dangley pom poms if I want!

Hope when No 3's dog comes that she will not be bothered by them!












Having heard the weather forecast for Monday we decided to get going early and head off for a walk along the canal and River Soar, from Normanton.

I just love walking by water and especially if there are some boats. I don't know whether this infatuation with water stems from a childhood of living the furthest possible distance from any sea.

I think I drive my children mad with pictures of boats - but you just can't beat them.Ironically Mr P and myself  have walked numerous miles along the canals - even walked the Leeds to Liverpool canal, but we have never been on one! It is a dream that one day when we retire we'd like to take a year out and hire a barge, in France and meander our way down the country. Absorbing all the sun, countryside, wine, cheese and baguettes! Oh well back from dreams to today.

Hopefully it wouldn't be this one we'd be hiring! Appropriately named "Last Chance"!

Is this a barge or is it a house? Rather confusing!

Very typical English view from a canal side.











And then of course the rain did what it said it would do and started yet again! Ironically at the weekend there should have been a boat show at Loughborough but many boat people could not get there. Some because the rivers were flooded and others because the locks had been closed due to drought! What a crazy country we live in. I just must show you this final picture a good British couple picnicking regardless of the weather and see how their dog is tucked underneath the bench!