Grey skies?…Must be a Bank Holiday Weekend!!..

After a gorgeous run of sunny days, the forecast for the weekend was…rain! Friday started out with promise & after dropping the boys to school, I set about seeding the area that I had previously moved the outdoor toy chest from…& even rigged up a string of tin foil ‘windmills’ to stop the birds from eating all the seed!!  I plan to use a collection of terracotta pots, planted with summer colour, to disguise that manhole cover! 

Oh & Anna…the Chinese Lantern roots you sent me are shooting beautifully!!

I am also pleased with how my sweet peas are coming along…I can even see a few buds forming…

I have one of these planters on each side of the French Windows, so I’m looking forward to cutting plenty of blooms for the house.

The strawberry baskets are doing well too….plenty of flowers, so we should get a decent crop in a month or so.

I had hoped to get to work clearing the area known as ‘Fruit Corner’ which is seriously overgrown…& to prune back the Honeysuckle that has taken over the space along the side of the house! Once I’ve done this I can treat the fence with the green protective stain that the other two fences were done with three years ago…before my shoulder froze!!

   

 

 

 

But, the weather had other plans..just after midday the sky clouded over & the wind became very brisk!  So I packed away my gardening tools & returned the guinea pigs to the shelter of their hutch…they were not amused!

About this time, Lee went off to ‘Camp’ with a coach load of 8-9 year olds (& 3 other teachers!) to supervise the outdoor activities & sleep under canvas for two nights…in the rain!! 

Saturday started wet…& just got wetter! I used the opportunity to clear my ironing baskets & ruthlessly sort the boys wardrobes, pulling out any ‘too small’ or ‘out of favour’ items for the charity shop!  Anyone who knows me, knows I HATE ironing, so it is bliss to see the empty baskets sitting there!

In the evening I heard a clatter as both boys came running downstairs to report that there was a HUGE spider in the bath! Now, I am a bit  arachnophobic & if Lee had been here I would have deferred to him, but as he wasn’t I set off with glass & postcard in hand, expecting some monstrous creature with knee’s…believe me, we’ve had them that big here!! Instead I find this spindly thing…OK, so it’s leg span was as wide as the plughole, but other than that it was pretty weedy! Am I raising a couple of wimps or what?!!! 

I also clambered up into our loft to bring down my cases…YAY!!! Only a week to go!!…& I have actually started to sort out what to pack…a few garments are hanging on the hanging rail, ready to go into the case at the last minute!

I’ve put together my toiletries & have made a list of ‘things to do’ (I do love a good list!) & will be ticking things off as I go!!  I have included a pac-a-mac & a brolly as the 10 day forecast for Chicago says ‘RAIN!!!’…it will be like home form home!!

Yesterday was sunny, but cold & very windy, so I didn’t get out in the garden again! I was up at 6am & set about cleaning bathrooms, & once the boys were up, stripping beds & getting the laundry started! I read on Deb’s blog that when she goes on holiday she feels the urge to leave the house ship-shape, well I do too!…even though Lee & the boys will be here & I know that before day one is out, there will be crumbs everywhere, unmade beds & heaven only knows what in the bathrooms!!!

Lee arrived home last night & after a hot bath settled down gratefully into a comfortable bed!  He slept in till gone 11am this morning & although I was awake at 8am, I got myself a coffee & settled back into the pillows with my book! It is now almost 6pm & I’m still in my PJ’s, having watched three ‘Bank Holiday’ movies back-to-back on TV, since we ate breakfast…or should that be Brunch?!!…at noon! How decadent! Feels goo though! Once I’m done here I’m off to prepare our evening meal…a nice hot Chilli-con-carne!

The week ahead is Half Term, so I’m hoping the weather picks up a little. I have a hair appointment tomorrow & am meeting a friend for lunch in St Albans on Thursday. Add to that a couple of days out with the boys & the final countdown is going to fly by! I wonder if Chicago is prepared?!!

Thanks so much for dropping by…I hope everyone has a great week & that the sun decides to make an appearance, wherever you are! Be back soon!! :)