St. George's Day Old Boy

I was woken this morning by a kiss from Huffle and the words "Happy St. George's Day Old Boy!". He says this every St. George's Day, he doesn't think I'm old or a boy, he got it from the Major in Fawlty Towers apparently. He says it in a very English way. He wore a white shirt and a red tie to celebrate the day. He also rang this morning and said his secretary was buying Fish and Chips for the execs as it was a typical English dish. That means we all had to have them too.

Saw this, like it - very English for St George's Day

My favourite picture from The Telegraph today - Tulip fields in Berlin

I waited with the boys this morning, for the school bus. It was freezing. I had just got out of the shower and I wondered if my hair would freeze again. It didn't, but the bus driver shouted out of the window "Welcome to our Canadian Summer Mwoh Mwoh Mwoh". Cheeky monkey!!

Grandad, Grandma and I went to the Herb place today where we were promised a tour by the lady who gave us a talk at the Garden Club. On arrival I thought it didn't look much. Just a load of greenhouses or Poly Tunnels. Small car park, nothing grand from the outside. We walked in and the lady in question looked at us, smiled and said hello. It was obvious she either didn't recognise us or she had forgotten we were coming. I introduced myself and she remembered who we were. We all introduced ourselves and she started our tour by telling us all about the owners and how they started the business. They were German and came over here in 1949 and the only herb that Canada grew was Parsley. They established the business slowly bringing more and more herbs into the country.

One part of the place was set out ready for seminars and lectures and lots and lots of seeds, Another part was lined with hundreds of different herbs all alphabetical.

There was a part at the back that was not open to the public but she let us in so we could see what was happening. This was where the seeds were sown and the propagation was done.

After our tour she said we were free to have a good look around and when we had finished we could have tea together.

I picked up an aromatic Rose Pelargonium which I will grow inside as a pot plant. It smells beautiful and reminds me of Turkish Delight. I got a parsley to grow on the windowsill. A marshmallow (good for urinary infections and I am going to make it into a tea!). I told her about my bites and she suggested Yellow Yarrow (I have to make a tea, keep it in the fridge and apply it to the bites. She said if it didn't work, to go back and she would suggest something else. She also said that the more they bit, the more I would become immune!). I got an English Lavendar and a Rosemary (which will have to bought in before Winter as they are too tender here). I also bought a comfrey (good for healing bones and a very good fertiliser).

I thoroughly enjoyed it there. Walking around with all the different smells was lovely. I felt healed!!!!! Grandad wanted some seeds of the comfrey I bought but they didn't sell it and she suggested that he smuggled it back. She was very good with her advice and told him how to package it for the plane.

It snowed, rained, was windy, cold today. Not a very nice day.

Grandad dressed for the weather.

Is anyone convinced yet by this show of 'love'?

Grandma took a fancy to Justin Bieber

So we took our plants home and then headed off to the Mall. We had lunch there. Grandad changed his US Dollars for Canadian Dollars and we had a Tim Horton's lunch and tried his timbits. We had a look in a few shops and then Grandad went one way and Grandma and I went the other. We met up at 3pm and headed home in time for the boys getting off the bus.


I took Grandma and Grandad for a drive round village. I showed the parts we hadn't walked around yet. There were some new houses being built. They were very big. Reminded me of small chateaus. They were horrible. Why would anyone want a house soooo big with so little land attached and soooo close to other houses.

The kids both had their hearing and vision tests at school today (which we had to pay for!). Both passed (although I don't have written confirmation of Smallest's passes yet). In the UK Small was told he had colourblindness. (They also said I had it too although I have never believed it!). Small has been tested here and they said he doesn't have it. Strange!

Grandad and I went out and got Fish and Chips and Ice-cream (yes we do like ice-cream - well it is St George's Day!), took them home and ate them. Huffle got home in time for the ice-cream. He had his fish and chips at lunchtime and they had flags up.

After dinner we all played a game of Ghostly Galleon. A family favourite.

We read today that Britain will have a months rain in the next 72 hours. What happened to the drought?

Note: would like to mention that I whilst I am here writing this I am also sniffing my new geranium Rose plant. It is lovely.