Beware: Holiday Post

Hello.

I hope you are not all fatigued by another holiday post. It is the season for them though and I am still too excited by mine to not mention it...endlessly to anyone who might listen.

When I first got back into work one of the first things I did was order passports, one a month. Then I thought about booking a city break somewhere for poor son and myself. Many years ago when he was little I had promised him a trip on Eurostar as we would see it each time we arrived back in London for a visit. But he mentioned he had been on loads of trains but never a plane. He said no more. But that widened the field of travel and I got to planning. The only problem was I love everywhere and could not narrow it down. Asking him he chose Moscow but we didn't time to get visas so his next choice was Berlin. 

It all ended up being rushed because my brother suddenly became free to dog sit the following weekend. So the plane tickets where quite dear but the hotel price made up for it. And the fact that I didn't have to worry about Susie was priceless.  

So with bags packed and measured...Ryanair is so picky...we were off. I felt totally out of my comfort zone probably due to the fact that the last time I flew my son had no teeth. In fact the last time I flew I booked it at a travel agents and did not even own a mobile phone. 

Berlin was amazing. 

Although it was extremely hot and crowded we enjoyed every minute. So much history to see in such a small time so we cherry picked our choices and worked through them. It only included one museum, the DDR museum gives a great overview of live in the communist state. It gradually gets darker as you go round and you learn about the inequalities and the Stasi.
So much is free to see and as you wander round you find pieces of the wall and checkpoints packed with info. I was very impressed in the way they do not cover the past up and are openly educating.

My son and I discovered a mutual love of just mingling into the city. Mooching around streets and shops, catching a bus and hoping it took us somewhere vaguely near the intended destination, using the U and S bahn, people watching whilst sheltering from the heat. Food played a big part especially with a teen boy in tow. Oh my excitement at shopping in a real German Aldi, sad I know. Kaiser was a great supermarket and encouraged healthy eating - my, did we have to search for the chocolate...found it though.

By the evening the temp dropped from the high 30's to a much more manageable heat and it was very relaxing sitting out at tables or benches at restaurants with a cold drink. It was much cheaper than I expected, I think our dearest meal was about 25 euros.

 



 

We especially enjoyed the Turkish quarter for walking and eating in. The canal area seems to attract quite a bohemian crowd but also families. In fact with the weather it put me in mind of a Mediterranean country especially with the unhurried manner the restaurateurs had. Especially when the accordion player turned up.



Look Rachel Bundesliga on the TV

 

I had better stop now but I'll be back with more if you don't mind as it has been a wonderful experience. Next stop Moscow hopefully, well maybe for his 18th next year - best get saving.

Take care x

Beautiful Berlin

Hello

Just back from a long weekend in Berlin. My first trip abroad in ages. It has been so exciting. Will be back to bore you soon x.

Sorry

Hello all

Didn't mean to be away this long, in fact did not mean to be away at all. My tablet had to be sent away for repair and even though I have had it back a while I was out of the habit I suppose. I really have some reading to do as well to catch up with you all.

It's been a time of not much happening really. School broke up, work carried on fine and my poor plants have been struggling. I have managed a little harvest but something is killing off the courgettes and I think the mange tout came out in sympathy. I am on for a good little crop of tomatoes though. They are looking well. Knew I did right to buy the sort that need no interference.

CATCH UP WITH PHOTOS

 Today's harvest

 Trying to reach the top bits

 Gluten free fun

Pretending to be by the seaside

Son turned 17

Take care all x

Reversing horror

Hello.

Nice day in the country my friend and I thought. Visit a mini bronze age henge and feel the peace. Which we did. There's going to be a but...can you sense it. To keep the mood going we thought we would visit a second one. Strewth. Half way up a very very steep tiny country lane it bent to the sharpest left turn I have ever faced. The car decided nope cannot manage that and came to a sulky stall. We rolled back. The handbrake decided nope cannot do that and let us roll. Now I can drive safely forward but get me reversing and it can go a little bit wrong. Ask the dry stone wall that the car's bumper kissed on the toilet stop.
We kept rolling and I kept steering...into bushes and more dry stone walls. In my defence the lane was about the width of my car, which is tiny. Rolling back we aimed for a little parking area we had spotted. I had to keep getting out of the hedges by roaring forward a little making the noise a rally car does. All the time praying that we did not meet another car going in either direction as it was a series of sharp bends.
What a relief it was to turn and go back to forwards driving.  Not going there again.

 

 

 

Take care x

The post I wanted to write

Hello all.

Was just getting back into my blogging groove then last week I just had a week where my spare time was taken up in the garden and also fighting off headaches.
Everything is potted up and thriving in this lovely mix of sunshine and showers. The courgette seem to have a little influx of blackfly so have had a spray of tea tree oil. I've also remembered to feed the plants before they actually flag this year. So here's hoping for a productive time. I have to pass a nursery (plant sort) every time I drive to and from the school. It's a wonderfully calm and peaceful place especially at 8am. I wonder around aimlessly most times but this time I was on a mission. Jasmine. The smell is amazing and I really wanted one, this then led to a stock up of a few herbs that I haven't got. And of course I quick look in the bargain bin. I'm now the proud owner of a dwarf gage tree. All are planted in pots as I feel rather attached to my plants. I dread leaving the crab apple tree, another bargain bin find, it is magnificent and gives wonderful shelter for the birds as they check out the feeders. Oh and don't get me started on leaving my birds and the worry that the people who take over don't feed them.  Thing is I'm no closer to leaving yet, talk about unnecessary worrying.

When I was a carer my mum went into a care home for a while. It actually was 3 months in the end. An awful time that I can barely look back on without feeling the pain of that time. Being a sandwich carer your responsibilities are so split between such differing needs it can make a brain nearly implode. So it was decided I would have a rest. It was not a perfect solution even though the home was one of the best. I would visit all the time and could never settle at the idea of having other people look after her but home became a calmer place for my son and me.
My mum was an amazing person and always did her best in life. The dementia swallows up the person you know but the love never goes. Roles change and that is such a hard hard thing.
It came to a time when I then had to decide whether to make the respite permanent.  I've had some tough decisions but that was near to impossible for me. Leading up to that time my mum became ill and was hospitalised on the day I needed to decide by. Everyone involved held off and waited for us. Ten days later she died. I always feel that was her final gift to me letting me off the hardest decision that I really needed to make.
The timing then and since has always made me ponder. My son was due his music grading exam and he decided not to go so I went to the hospital. My mum died at the time the exam was due. That meant she went with her 3 children by her side and I saw that her end was peaceful and dignified.
Eventually I took a job I was not happy in and would come home and check out jobs. One stood out but payroll was listed so I did not bother. However the job would keep coming back into my mind and eventually I applied. It's the job I am now in and am happy with.

I'm not sure what this post means. I don't think it needs to mean anything really. It's life and we make our own conclusions. It's just what happened and with a mixture of a mother's love and timing I was spared an awful time.

Take care x

bees and Jasmine

Hello.

Been a lovely day today. Picked up some friends and we did a long dog walk, prob about 3.5 miles. Nice bit of exercise. 

New neighbours are currently building the largest garden climbing frame ever...it looks directly into my living room. Well until my little rescue crab apple tree grows a bit more. Sigh. O for a walled secret garden or a big field just for me.

I did some bee first aid today.

A nice sugary mixture for a grounded bee. Once he/she realised what was going on the little proboscis (is that right?) lapped it up. Then followed a lot of grooming like movements. Which I did video but I thought that might be overkill for you. Fascinating little creature. Little furry bum wiggled while the tiny segmented legs worked away. I checked a few minutes ago and there is no sign of my little bee. I am hoping he/she flew away. Apparently they have to wait for their abdomens to reach a certain temp if they have cooled down and then they can fly away.


Just wondering if anyone recognises this flower. I think it may be Jasmine. It is the most beautiful smell. When I was being driven around Cairo on a motorbike I was given mini flower garlands to wear with the same fragrance. No idea why...maybe I stunk ha.

Take care
x

Skipping away

Hello all.

Funny ol day. Sometimes I wake up in a panic similar to when I was unemployed. I have to talk myself round that things are on the up and calm down. The feeling does not last for long and it's usually on the mid week break I have due to being part time.
The only downside to work is that I do not move as much as this time last year and so I know a few extra pounds of weight have taken root. I would dog walk at least twice a day for quite a few hours. I also swam when I could afford it. I was determined to be busy and it kept my mind busy and kept the already mentioned panic away. Exercise is going to have to figure in my life and I am pondering it (whilst sat on me bum doing nothing).

Suse and I had a nice walk in a nearby country park today. It's a lovely place but I found I was totally distracted by cute goslings and the heronry. It is also full of Monkey Puzzle trees or Monkey Tail trees as I insisted they should be called when I was little. They are amazing up close oh and very sharp. There is a mulberry bush which always make me want to skip round it singing the nursery rhyme. If I ever had to do Dessert Islands Discs a few choices would be nursery rhymes as they bring back many memories of childhood. Due to my mum. One in particular that I could never remember all the way through was 'I had a little nut tree'. Even now I can hear my mum patiently reciting it to me. I also had to just check the title on google. Something I cannot remember but I remember so well - oddness.

x