SKI-er or Sk-ater. We know how to enjoy ourselves

pollypenny

We are off to the USA on Sunday to meet our new grandson and have loads of cwtches with number one, who is the Big Brother at 19 months.

As they have moved north, we also have a new area to explore.

donny-gal

Hi everyone
I was just thinking of you all when we were travelling back to the UK from Spain via France over the last two days. Decided to have a change of scenery from the usual route, and went up the Med coast and then across the Massif Central and the Millau Bridge. Hope you are OK and enjoying spending :rotfl::rotfl:
Droopsnout. Not seen you around for a while, have you been busy spending?
Current in North London visiting DS & Fianc!e, we have a wedding in April next year, and our 40th WA in November, but cannot decide what we wish to do for celebrating it. The rain is welcoming us back to the UK this morning!
Off in the caravan next, North Yorkshire, and Cornwall are on the
List, before returning to Spain in the autumn.
DG

margaretclare

It's not hard to get rid of money, is it?

Our recent holiday to the Western Isles/Highlands cost us roughly £2.5 grand. That doesn't include me going to Gretna Shopping Outlet Village on the way up and again on the way back!

Coming back, had Sunday lunch with eldest GD. She needed a new bed. So... Gran to the rescue.

Just back, accepted the pond man's quote and arranged with him to have the garden pond (now a mud puddle) completely re-done mid-August when the little frogs have left the pond. Another £2.5 grand.

Car needed 2 new front tyres. That was yesterday. Next week, car needs regular servicing and MOT.

On the way in to M&S Outlet store at Gretna the first time I was waylaid by some very persuasive salespeople and I've agreed to sponsor a Guide Dog puppy. Well, it's a good cause. I've recently been reassured by my local optometrist that I don't have AMD (age-related macular degeneration) which causes progressive blindness. I'm soooo thankful that I don't have it! I suppose people becoming blind was still on my mind when I met those 2 people from Guide Dogs for the Blind. Amazing the number of good causes there are which people rely on, which don't receive any official funding. Well, it's pennies really.

seven-day-weekend

I have just sponsored some bees!

http://www.foe.co.uk/what_we_do/the_bee_cause_home_map_39371.html?gclid=CLjcvdvN97cCFYXMtAodwwgAYA

And some frogs!
http://www.pondconservation.org.uk/

Our native wildlife is under threat and you can really help by having a wildlife garden (I know MargaretClare already has a wildlife pond). Even just a little corner helps.

The disappearance of bees affects our food crops, it is quite serious. Please consider sponsoring some bees (you get a free packet of bee-friendly plant seeds and some lovely info including a chart on how to identify the bees in your garden).

Please consider these two good causes, thanks ::)

margaretclare

Yes, I agree about the bees. And the hedgehogs. Where we go every year - I donate a prize at this event - the Presentation Day at Nottingham Trent University, what was Brackenhurst Agricultural College, has been doing some work into (a) hedgehogs and (b) bees.

Plant flowers that bees like. All the providers specify which these are - Suttons, Thompson and Morgan etc. Basically bees like native species like honeysuckle, and/or they need to be able to get into the flower, so the older varieties are best, not the highly-developed more showy ones. They tried this recently at Harrogate in the municipal flower displays - Sarah Raven was involved in that project.

Yes, we have a wildlife pond, but it has become a mud puddle because the liner has leaked. We're getting it completely re-done with a hard liner in a few weeks' time. It's an absolute delight to see the birds splashing and drinking in it. We know we raise a crop of young frogs every year, maybe toads and newts too, and they live in the bushes most of the year round. We also have a log-pile in a corner where a lot of creatures live. Just seen a bumble-bee on the sage flowers outside the bedroom window!

seven-day-weekend

We too have logs, leaves, nettles and various 'litter' around our garden as well as our two small wildlife ponds. We have many 'open' flowers, most of them native. The bees love blue and purple flowers, at the moment they are clamouring for the blue geraniums and the white wild rambling roses. We have actually seen quite a lot of bees, mostly solitary, but we have seen one or two colony bees as well .

We also have foxgloves and borage which they love. Oh and of course honeysuckle which smells beautiful too.

Our tadpoles are just beginning to get their legs and we have had our first damsel fly.

Next year we are planting a tiny square of 'meadow' in the front garden so that there is another habitat.

So much more interesting than manicured grass with stripes on. You can sit with a glass of wine and just watch the activity in your garden, as well as providing habitat for native wildlife.

You could just do this if you don't have much of a garden:

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefing_notes/bee_hotel.pdf

Or if you have the space: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/09/wildlife.conservation

Merrywidow

pollypenny wrote: »

We are off to the USA on Sunday to meet our new grandson and have loads of cwtches with number one, who is the Big Brother at 19 months.

As they have moved north, we also have a new area to explore.

Hi there Polly. I am still around and thought I would offer my congrats on your new grandson.

I have been a busy bee for the last year but use Facebook a lot of the time so some of our old friends know I am alive. Enjoy your trip talk more soon.:cool:

pollypenny

Good to hear from you, MW!

Don't think I'll need Gatwick weather reports any more! Direct flight from Manchester

We are not doing much exploring, more helping out. I forgot how tiring toddlers are.

I did have him doing tai chi with me today though, very funny.

pollypenny

OH is still miserable and grumpy over our big holiday to Vietnam!

We need to pay this week, but his attitude is really making me wish that I hadn't bothered!

He's spoiling the whole thing, although everyone we know who has been tell him how wonderful it is.

seven-day-weekend

Does he not want to go? Does he think it is a waste of money? Why is he grumpy?