Other summer news

Being home, I finally got access to flour so managed to do some baking.

We were supposed to be down Cornwall for an amazing 3 week holiday. That did not happen. But I wanted a cream tea anyway so we made one and it was well worth it.

I also introduced mom and dad to my banana cake. I have had to make it 3 times since then. 

Other summer fun:

- lots of sitting in the back garden

- lots of cooking (I had to make the birthday dinners for both Dad and Craig)

- starting work

- arranging a new apartment (moving day is approaching!) 

- picnic evenings at Arley

- catching up with an old friend I haven't seen in 17 years!

I am looking forward to moving up to Scotland but it has been fun to be home. And I still have some time. :)

Playing with a puppy.

While I have been home, Kerry and Craig came over and brought their neighbours dog, Nuala. They just kidnap the dog whenever they want and she is gorgeous. She is a french bulldog-staffy cross she has the staffy smile and build and the french bulldog ears. She is a bundle of energy and so good natured. I got some photos though some are blurry - she doesn't sit still much! 

Happy. 

It was a good shot until she moved. 

Wightwick Manor

We also spent the day at Wighwick in the gardens. I love the house there but it was shut so we wondered around the gardens and had a picnic. Picnics seem to be the key to this summer.

The kitchen garden is great there. I would love to be able to grow veg like that. And they had seem lovely photos. I got some good bug and flower shots. (Dad got me flash gun and is going to teach me macro-photography. So I am practicing.)

Bee butt. 

Dudmaston

One of the days we went to Dudmaston Hall and had a walk around the grounds. (I'll have to go back another time to see the house.)

The woods are amazing and worth a visit. The trees are huge.

We walked the long way round and stopped and had a picnic at the side of the river furthest from the house. It was beautifully quiet and we sat and watched the ducks and dragon flies. 

Picnic! 

Seeing friends

I have also managed to do a social distance visit to some friends and my adorable little nieces. Well, Livvy didn't really social distance but she is so damn cute. (Ava just looked at my suspiciously the whole time.)

We took a nice walk around Himley with Livvy taking some very artistic shots on her camera and getting together a really collection of leaves and sticks. 

Canoeing the Severn

I haven't updated this for a while as my computer had to be sent back to apple to be prepared. So this is from a while back (And apologises for the formatting - blogspot has changed and is being a pain.)

A few weeks after leaving London dad and I went to Bridgnorth and spent the day canoeing down to Arley. It was one of these 31 degree days so nice to be chilling on the river but the few bits I did leave exposed did burn despite lots of sunscreen.

We paddled/drifted for a few hours - more drifting than paddling to be honest - before we stopped for lunch, which was further away than we expected. Dad was more than ready for a break.

Eventually we found the waving man who indicated a good place to spot. Normally there is a pub to stop at for lunch but this was pre-pub reopening so we had a packed lunch. But so we didn't feel like we were missing out we took some G&Ts. Mom had packed the lunch and had popped them in the freezer. And they were still frozen. 

Luckily they dethawed pretty feel in the sun after 10 mins.

 The only issue we had was we had booked a taxi from Arley at 3 thinking that was plenty of time. But we did more drifting than paddling. So when we got a call from the taxi driver, we were still quite a way the end point so had to paddle rather more vigorously than we had been so far. I hurt for a few days after that.