Scorching Saturday

It is going to be a scorcher today in the South East, so they say and hotter tomorrow.  Not my kind of weather.  I like it pleasantly warm.  No doubt it will be very quiet as well because England are playing their next game in The World Cup later on today.  Come on boys, show us how you can really shine!

Nathan had a lovely Birthday.  He loves his farm and has already spent a long time playing with it.  We saw them for some of the day and then they went to the beach where Nathan was able to paddle in the sea and have a huge ice-cream.  He collected some shells which he gave to me yesterday, just ordinary seashells but they will be of great sentiment to me as they are the first gift he has ever "found"  for me himself.

Here are some pictures I am sharing with you:-

It is a very serious job opening presents.

This just gets better and better.

Shouldn't there be water in here?

Lovely candle, now, what should I wish for?

All the time this was going on, Daniel was enjoying himself with a new friend.  Well, not exactly new.  We bought the lamb when our late Pip was a puppy really to use as a prop for some photographs but Pip loved it and used to cuddle up to it (it has been washed since then).  So, we have had it a very long time.  Mike has been cleaning out the loft - well starting to clean it.  There is so much stuff up there.  We moved here from a much bigger property and kept as much as we could as we never knew if we would move again (we would if we could).  As another home purchase now is extremely unlikely not to say impossible, we thought it was high time a clearance was made.  Mike came across "Pip's" lamb and Daniel took to it straight away as you can see

He loved cuddling it and ringing the bell around its neck whilst he snuggled up with Daddy. 

Talking of Daniel, I would ask you all to send out loving thoughts for him and good wishes.  He has had a lot a health problems over the last few months which I have not written about on my journal.  The doctor decided that he needs to see a specialist and a hospital appointment has come through for him for this coming Thursday morning. We are all praying that his problems can be identified and sorted out quickly.  He will most certainly need blood tests to start with and this is not a pleasant experience for a baby. God bless him.

I have not been doing much lately - too hot.  I have been reading quite a lot and have sold several books (from the loft clearance) online.  Watering the garden seems endless.  Our lavendar is in full bloom at the moment in the front garden and the smell is wonderful

It is a shame though.  Normally the lavendar would be swarming with bees.  This year we have only seen about three.  The long winter and bad spring seems to have decimated them.  Likewise, butterflies.  We have not seen a single one in the garden this summer.  We even put up a butterfly "house"  You put in a mixture of sugar and water and it comes supplied with butterfly attractant which they are supposed to be unable to resist.  Nothing.  Such a pity, I love to see the butterflies flitting from flower to flower.  No ladybirds either.  The changing climate is most certainly affecting the insect population.

I am going to try and visit as many of your journals as possible this weekend.  However, I am not going to push things and as I have written before, it gets very hot where my computer is. When it gets unbearable, I retire to the bedroom where it is much cooler.  Also I want to watch the England match this afternoon.

So, taking all that into account, I am off to put some washing in the machine and have a tidy up whilst it is still relatively cool.

Have a lovely weekend everyone