Weekend and meeting again

 Saturday the thermostat was fitted, so we took a run down to Girvan to check it.....working fine! 

Sat on the prom in the car watching Ailsa Craig play "now you see me , now you don't".....and drive back home...at least I went along the two different roads along the Girvan Valley!!

Sunday we were up and out early (ish!) and drove down to Cally Woods in the Cally Palace estate at Gatehouse of Fleet.

There we met friends that we haven't seen since 1996 when they left Garn Dolbenmaen, two years before we did!!

She used to childmind #3 and #4 in exchange for grazing for her Shetland sheep on my spare fields.

They were there with their two children, now 39 and 37 ( ?) and their dog, an English Setter who was itching to get going!

A good walk ensued..and we found a motte as well!!

Then to the Iron Brew café in Gatehouse for drinks and cakes and more talk!!

I had a short wander around the town with The Oily One...I need to get back there early one nice morning with the camera...

Back home through rain showers and time for a late lunch and relax.

Relax!

Sunrise looking like sunset

And the Oily One thinking of what we should do today...

 We had a visit to Nae Sae New in Mauchline...no Haynes manuals that he needed....and a couple of small but interesting and possibly useful hand tools for me.

Then to Ayr to pick up a thermostat for my car which he can fit tomorrow.

A modicum of fresh veg shopping for him to make supper.....

Which was roasted veges...small potatoes, some parsnip, yellow beetroot (thankyou garden) a couple of garlic bulbs (") and sections of a small white squash (seeds now saved) and steamed carrots and sprouts....my contribution to the meal...tomato mushroom garlic and olive sauce from the freezer!!

He has moved on from having three meals on his menu list fifteen years ago.. curry, pasta with tomato sauce and pizza!!

Celebration

 Happy whatever you celebrate ❤️

I started working on a block yesterday 

Pencil rubbing to check

Oops... forgot to take the shine off the block with fine Wet and Dry...

That's better!

I will print up some business cards in a minute using all the small blocks.

Good practice.  

I won't open any ink, just use the stamping ink pads...less mess to clean up !!

I had a few messages yesterday and one phone call.

Messages this morning..one friend visiting her mother on the Isle of Man has woken up with no voice after a night of coughing..a busy girl now having enforced rest!

Another friend is just back from a trip to NZ where a friend had a lovely wedding in Te Anau.

I might be getting a phone call today from another friend...

And hopefully the Oily One will be here... maybe tomorrow!!

It is all grey and damp out there...but it is forecast a bit better by midday, so a walk just might be in order.

One step forward....and chatting...

 I started working on some new designs yesterday, using drawing from older small sketchbooks...from 2019!!

The hole in the cardboard is the size of the small print block.

It got a bit late...only just started drawing on the lino...

The intention was to get on with it today....but I haven't got on with much atall! 

And then I delivered local cards after lunch and stopped for a chat at two places...then home and ended up chatting on messenger to my cousin in Maryland state, USA..for nearly an hour.....and then to Pirate's great niece in Kent for a while!!!

So no linowork tonight.

I'll put in as  good a session as I can manage on Duolingo....I have reached saying that something has just been done....and that I was doing something....this is beginning to stretch further than my school French from the 60s !!

I've invested in a yearly subscription to The Connexion as well..only €54....online English language French news'paper' with lots of interesting subjects including modern colloquialisms for learners!!

After the Solstice

 

Light on the first morning..

Thunder last night, and after breakfast the rain, hail, gales resumed outside 

I have no incentive to go out of the door, even between showers!!

Inspiration is lacking as well 

Back to a bit more tidying, in case the Oily One (aka son#1 and eldest offspring) does decide to come up from Wales and stay for a few days!!

Velodroming

 Much catching up over the past two days..and another to come..I hope to miss out on Sunday!

Helping my clubmate race as well...one bronze and one silver so far.

Pirate's elder daughter came over from Bristol..I had photos and papers and clothes for the three of them..we had a good couple of hours chatting.

Repeated again with a friend who used to be joint secretary of the allotment society in Cwmcarn, with me.

Then up to see son #3...and got fed supper and invited to stay overnight. Their son was staying over at his girlfriend's home, so there was a bed spare!

Son #1 came over this afternoon to the Velodrome and saw a lot of his contemporaries racing....he needs to do a lot more riding to get that fit!!

He fitted a new rear wiper on my car , then we went for a walk before I faced the traffic back to Somerset. That took an hour more than usual with traffic backed up over ten miles going down from Bristol, as a campervan had broken down in the middle lane of the motorway .

Rest and repeat tomorrow..and I am going to check the map for less congested roads....the main culprit is the roadworks on the new Severn bridge....

Visiting and gardening

 I went to Street today, with brother and an artist friend from Yeovil..

We went to see Eddie Daughton, a very tall and very talented..and very wise potter!

We talked for well over two hours...and could have gone on...but artist friend had to go to a teaching job.

Cosmic Chuckle.. although they didn't know each other...he had worked at the same college until 10 years ago...that she has just finishing working at!!

It is great talking with Eddie and his wife...about anything...and conversations range far and wide.

Just great.

Then this afternoon I have been weeding and cutting back brambles for brother...he is always too busy to garden and it had got a little jungly!! 

We always did end up gardening wherever we stayed...just carrying on 

His turn next as his meadow is due for its September trim.

Gardening and sewing and cat

 Today started with sewing 

And cat

After lunch, washing on the line as we now have sunshine and a stiff breeze after yet more rain this morning!

Then some weeding....

I would love a garden like this...but giving a hand is a good substitute!!

Garden envy...and genealogy ...and cat

 

I have garden envy....and daughter needs a hand!

More treats please!!

Indeg (named after one of their friends) is "un deg naw oed"...19 years old...and very vocal!!

I was catted....

Daughter has also had a breakthrough with genealogy...my 4x and 5x grandfathers were named Jean Florette...came from just south of Brittany...and for 150 years or more were going between London and France....and were Protestants....this is getting very interesting!!

Seems that I have Huguenot ancestors, not just Pirate.....