Sun Two Days In A Row!

Regular Followers will know that we haven't seen too much of that big yellow thing up in the sky recently, but, hey, it's been sunny for two days in a row now.  Should I start to get excited do you think?!  Has summer finally arrived here in Devon?!

Exciting day for me, as it is the day of my first guest post over at Kristina's blog - because of the time difference, I don't know when it will actually appear to you, but it will definitely be there some time today, the 30th June!

Today is another special day, as it is Eli's third birthday, so I expect you will be seeing some photos of the little party that he will be having later on this afternoon!  We have bought him a little micro-scooter and I am sure that he will have great fun zooming around on it.

Those of you who have been following me for a while, will know that I love quotations and, on this sunny day, with not a cloud in the sky, here are a few that I have picked out for today.

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~James Dent

What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade. ~Gertrude Jekyll

A life without love is like a year without summer. ~Swedish Proverb

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

Enjoy your day my dear bloggy friends, whatever you might be up to and, whatever the weather is like in your little corner of the world, I hope that the sun is shining in your hearts.

Wordless Wednesday!

I'm Going To Shine Anyway! :)

It was a summer's day here yesterday. Wow! That was a surprise, seeing it was the 26th June! Today  my friends,  it is back to normal and we have dark and dreary again! BUT - I woke up this morning and decided that, even though the sun wasn't out, I was going to shine anyway!! Sounds like a good idea, dont you think?!

My two daughters and a group of their friends had a super weekend in Brighton, to celebrate daughter number 1's birthday, so we were looking after my eldest granddaughter and little Alfred! On Saturday we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4.  Now I had mixed feelings about this, because the reviews hadn't been good and it was said that Johnny Depp only agreed to make the film because Disney were to  pay him five million dollars!  I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the sequences with the mermaids were amazing. 

Johnny Depp with Penelope Cruz

Yesterday, it was a glorious day, so we headed off to a local seaside resort, as my granddaughter said that she had never played Crazy Golf before!  We had a super time together.  She really is such good company and, for some strange reason, seems to think that I'm really funny and is always falling about laughing!

We then went to have a little mooch around the shops, which teenagers love (alright then, I do as well!) and finished off in a Costa coffee shop, where I had a raspberry and white chocolate muffin - yum yum - whilst the granddaughter tucked into a chocolate mousse.

I have some news today, in that, on Thursday, I will be writing my first guest post. Eeeek!  My bloggy friend, Kristina from A Perfect Dose of Life, is in the throes of moving at the moment, so she asked me if I would be one of her guest bloggers.  "Of course", I said.  Then that feeling of dread kicks in, when you wonder what you have let yourself in for.

Anyway, I do hope that you will pop along to Kristina's Blog on the 30th and give me a little support!! 

Sunday Snaps!

Eli and Ruby on the wedding day.

(You haven't seen these before!).

A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together. Happy memories become treasures in the heart to pull out on the tough days of adulthood.

Sunshine Award

My friend, Claudia, at The Story, has very kindly given me an Award which I haven't actually seen before, and I thank her so much for thinking of me.   It's called The Sunshine Award.  I'm sure that Claudia would appreciate it if you popped over to say hi.  She has recently suffered an unfortunate accident whilst on an aeroplane, in that a lady sitting behind her in the plane was putting something in the overhead locker, and her bag dropped right onto poor Claudia's head.  She has been to the doctor and has a mild swelling on the brain, and has to take plenty of rest.  Claudia has been suffering from horrendous headaches ever since, and I am sure that we all hope that she will soon be fully recovered.

To take advantage of this Award, I have to tell you something about myself.  Well, in actual fact, I do have something quite funny (well, I thought it was funny!) that happened to me only yesterday.

An envelope arrived in the post addressed to myself and hubby, and I could see that it was a card.  When I opened it, this is what I found -

It was from the Head of Fundraising at the Children's Hospice South West, for which I do voluntary work.  Now then, she knows me very well, but, for some strange reason, she has sent me this card.  I'm sure you will all know that a Golden Wedding Anniversary represents 50 years of marriage so, even if I had got married at 20, that would make me 70 right now!!

My daughter said, "well, there you are mum.  Perhaps you don't look as good as you thought you did!!"

I have e-mailed this kind lady (!), thanking her for the thought, and I am awaiting her reply, which should be interesting.  It really is such a strange incident, because our Anniversary isn't until the end of the year anyway, so where this has come from, goodness only knows.

I have to pass on this Award to 5 people, and I would like to give it to some new people, and these are :

dubgirl at Dreaming of A Cottage by the Sea.

Sush at First Do No Harm.

Orchid at Orchid's Daily Voice.

Susan at My Texas Gardens.

Retired English Teacher.

I can promise you that all of these blogs are absolutely delightful.

Now, as you know, I shouldn't even be here, so I am going to scoot!!

I'm so sorry, I forgot to tell you about the Charity Cream Tea that we held here on Tuesday afternoon, and some of you very kindly asked how it went.  Well, we woke up in the morning to heavy rain (yes, again!!), but by the afternoon, it had cleared and we had sunshine for the rest of the day.  Lots of people came along to support us and we raised just over £300, which we were very pleased with.  We had a trio of musicians playing in the garden, and it all went very well.  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take any photos, as I was too busy making cups of tea and spreading the scones with the strawberry jam and delicious Devon clotted cream!

From Me To You!

Midsummer's Eve

Well, believe it or not, tomorrow will be Midsummer's Day here in England.  That is a joke - right?!  Midsummer?? Summer hasn't even started yet in my little corner of the world.  It is still really chilly (people have actually got their central heating turned on in the evening!) and it's raining heavily as I look through the window to the rather soggy garden outside :(

Of course, we had twelve wonderful days back in April, when it really was beach weather every single day and, fortunately, the family were staying with us from France, so we took full advantage.  But was that it - was that our summer for the year?!  I shall live in hope that things will brighten very soon.

Also tomorrow is my Midsummer Cream Tea, which I am holding on behalf of Children's Hospice South West.  I don't think many people will be walking round the garden, unless another little miracle happens, as it did on the day of my daughter's wedding.  (We are still counting our blessings for the weather that day!).

Yesterday was number 1 daughter's birthday, and today would have been my dear mum's birthday.  She was actually born 100 years ago today! Happy birthday mum - we all still love and miss you every day.



Sunday Snaps And A Very Happy Birthday!

Today is the  birthday of someone who is very close to my heart.  Yes, it's daughter number 1's birthday today. 

"A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer". ~Author Unknown

"What the daughter does, the mother did". ~Jewish Proverb.  (She'll love that one. Hee Hee!).

"Daughters are like flowers, they fill the world with beauty, and sometimes attract pests". ~Author Unknown.  (True!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A LOVING AND CARING DAUGHTER.

I would like to wish all the dads out there a very happy Fathers Day.  I hope you get to be spoilt a little bit today!  Special mention, of course, to my own hubby on his special day.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend wherever you are.

That's It - These Are The Final Photos (Thank goodness for that I hear you cry!!!)

A Toast to the bridal couple, as we wish them both a long, happy and healthy future ahead of them.

Thank you so much for joining in the day with us and for all your generous and supportive comments.

Day 4!

My daughter's two stepsons, who were brought up by their dad, and live with them. And there's little Eli in his car seat!

Ruby Violet about to climb into the water feature!

My two gorgeous daughters.  Daughter Number 1 on the right took all the wedding photos.

Little Alfred, the French Bulldog, who was so good with all the people around.

I've just got four more pics to post for you tomorrow!

PLEASE DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO POP ACROSS AND LEAVE A COMMENT YET AGAIN!!

Are You Bored Yet?! Photos - Day Three.

I love this shot!

Ruby, the vintage camper van!

Moi enjoying my jam & cream scone!

Photos - Day Two!

Having the bouncing castle as well was such a good idea of my daughters - the children absolutely loved it and spent hours jumping around!