Surprise!

I was having a potter in the garden and I found this beauty, sadly in need of a drink - but I didn’t know it was there, hiding behind a big azalea.

I didn’t have a walk today - I needed to make marmalade as we had none and Mr C does like his weekend treat of either a croissant or toast with marmalade. I had 2 grapefruit, 2 ordinary oranges and a couple of lemons. It is so many years since I made marmalade I needed to look up a recipe and this one was done in the microwave. Not a success. A low yield and high in labour hours. Still it tastes nice.

So by thectim3 that was done it was actually far too hot - 30 again in the garden, so perfect to lounge in the shade and read my book - Excellent Women by Barbara Pym. More Mapp and Lucia than Jane Austen but very enjoyable.

Chris came up for a drink at 5- with her own glass - so she put it halfway and I poured the vodka and tonic for her.

When she left we had an hour FaceTime with Chloe and Graham from Haringey which was lovely, though they are concerned as it looks like their part of London is as busy as it was before lockdown. Anna has gone to an Air BnB in Norfolk which I didn’t know was possible. I suppose people are just doing what they feel comfortable with now.

We are happy to be in the valley - I’m feeling less and less like going anywhere though we are making plans with Sheila and Mike to have a walk for Mr C’s birthday, halfway between them in Yorkshire and us in Northumberland. Oddly that’s Co. Durham.