Jazz Sunday

On Sunday, as an early Mothering Sunday treat Mike and I joined our son, d-in-law, grandchildren, and the other grandparents at Moor Hall for a most enjoyable buffet lunch. The Martinique Jazz Band entertained us throughout, with some of the diners strutting their stuff on the dance floor after their meal. What a lovely idea S! Many thanks for arranging it all.

On Friday afternoon our youngest son A returned home after nearly two weeks in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, working on behalf of Birmingham Uni. It may sound all very exciting, but his trips abroad involve a lot of travelling, long working hours and very little time to look around the countries he visits. However, I get the impression that he is enjoying his work, and by now taking it all in his stride. It will be India next. Along with his fiancee E, he called in briefly on Sunday, after we'd returned from our meal, and told us a bit about his latest trip.

These past sunny and warm days have brought out the gardeners and plotters, minus their winter woollies too. Mike and I nipped down to the plot yesterday to fill up the bird feeder, and to add a couple more. One of the most important things was to check out my supply of coffee, tea and biscuits (need some more!) in the shed. I've put up two wigwams for the climbing (Alderman) peas, and the next job is to fill in the bean trench before erecting the rest of the wigwams for the beans, runners and French. The latest addition to my 'orchard', the 'Celeste' cherry, is already showing fattening buds. I think I could say now that the new growing season has begun and the allotment plots are ready for action. It's hard to believe, looking at the neat and pristine plots, that in a few weeks we will all be fighting to keep down the weeds. They are already keeping me busy in the garden. Weeding between the nearly-ready-to-flower tulips - a rather difficult annual job - is due to take place any day now. At home, the mini greenhouse, which I keep inside my main greenhouse during the winter, has been moved outside, and is filling up with those seedlings which need hardening off. I've had yet another good clear-out, and got rid of even more unnecessary garden related bits and bobs. Pots of lilies, overwintered under the shrubs have been tipped out and repotted, with any tiny bulblets (is that the correct term?) separated and replanted in a seed tray to grow on. Has anyone tried taking a trailer of rubbish to the tip since the new rules were enforced? If you haven't filled in the appropriate form in advance, and are prepared for a visit from an 'inspector' to check that you aren't running a business from home , then don't just turn up there - you'll be sent away. How much is this costing? I thought the Council was cutting costs.