"Have you lit that Beacon yet?"

Before anyone went to school or work, we Skyped the DotsDots. The kids are off from school all week. lizzieDotDot was out riding motorcycles! PDotDot had to run and pick up the baby. The LittledotDots were telling us about their holiday.

When I arrived at work this morning, everywhere was locked again. However, this time I knew that someone would turn up eventually, so I sat in the car, with my coffee, music and emailed my friend in the UK. They turned up about fifteen minutes later and I was told I would be working in the garden.

 

A bit of the garden I was working in. You walk in through a dry stone wall with a arch. There are plants all around the edge and a path round with loads of plants in the middle, with one side lined by beech trees. One side is lined by a dry hedge of prunings (which I would like to do here, maybe at the bottom of the garden).

I had to weed out grass, golden rod and strangling dog vine. (useful because I now know what they are). I moved an Hibiscus. Replanted a beech tree and repositioned some bulbs. I made a new path and the boys that work there added gravel. I added Duck poo to the garden. I forgot to take a photo of the finished garden. It looked lovely. I have one more Monday there and then when Moo is here I will change to Tuesdays. That way I can work in the garden with the owners Mother who is very knowledgeable and will teach me lots apparently. Looking forward to it. I came home with a clump of Oregano which I was allowed to dig up. I have also come home with a thorn in my thumb and a bump and bruise on my shin where I kicked the wheelbarrow (by mistake).

When I got home I Skyped Grandma. Cousin E was there, as was Grandad and Madamme Courvoisier. I was told off because I didn't know I was supposed to light a beacon for the Queen this evening! Oh sorry about that! I lit the citronella candle - hope that suffices your Majesty!

I decided to sweep the debris off the drive today which in fact took me an hour. Honestly, sweeping or shovelling - which is worse?

It doesn't look that bad from this photo but I managed to fill a huge sack.

After I did that I went and checked out the veg garden. Everything is coming through well. I planted two Kales. I have two cucumbers to plant but they will have to wait till the bed No3 is finished being filled. The soil at the Garden Centre is amazing. Really sandy and easy to use. Not like here. Claggy, clay - but things seem to be pushing through so it can't be that bad. Think I will bring some Duck Poo home next week to mulch the beds with, put some goodness into the soil. The owner says that he adds leaves to the beds every year, in fact people from this Hamlet donate bags of leaves and he uses it all.

Bed No1. Peppers, lettuce, beetroot, garlic, sweetcorn and peas.


I went into the cold room to get stuff for dinner and noticed a corn on the cob has been chewed - what now? Mouse? Chipmunk? Pixie? Wait till Huffle finds out!!!!!

Mrs Royal popped round and brought us a gift for helping at the Jubilee Party. Bless her.

A souvenir jubilee tin of tea and an English tin of Baked Beans. Thank you very much.

The boys came home, Skyped a friend and then one of their friends came round to see if the boys could play at their house. I went with them to check it was okay and left them there. Smallest got a football kicked in his face (not a hard one thankfully). I left them there and came home and made dinner.

Huffle came home and we all had dinner. The boys are watching TV, Huffle is catching up on the news and I am trying to wheedle this thorn out of my thumb, because if it is still in there when Moo comes, she'll gouge and gouge till my poor thumb has a hole all the way through!!!!!!

Huffle passed his exam today - what a clever boy.

Small had more EQAO tests - he was not happy. It was Math and Literacy.

The end of the Jubilee celebrations with fireworks over Buckingham palace. (telegraph).