Friday, June 20, 2025

Friday Smiles 2025 # Week25

Well I didn't expect to sit in the garden in UK and say it's too hot! But these last few days have been enough to really sap our energy and even driven us indoors to find somewhere cooler.

Last Sunday I went to the morning service at my son's church, and we were given the opportunity to take a white rose from a basket and place it in a vase on the alter as a tribute to our fathers who are no longer with us for whatever reason.

After the service the family all, (except one who had to work), went up through Crystal palace park to have a Father's Day lunch together. There is a long row of market stalls selling all sorts of street food, so we mostly all chose something different, but my grandson Marcus and I both stopped at the Afghan food stall, though we chose different items from the menu. We had a nice chat while we waited our turn, and tried a few photos too.



See how lovely and green it is in the park, and there is a wide variety of trees. My son told me he has sometimes seen these trees just covered with a whole flock of green parakeets.

The food was excellent by the way and well worth the wait.

On Monday I had another appointment with the dermatologist department at Guy's hospital. As we came out of London Bridge station I took this photo of a statue that caught my eye.


I also took one of the ever changing city skyline, this time showing the Scalpel and the Walkie-talkie. There is so much building work going on around there, and every block seems to go higher than the last one. When you see some of the weird and wonderful shapes it makes you wonder what the architect was thinking about when they designed them. But it does all make for an interesting skyline.


On Tuesday we went to Bromley for Chris to visit anyone eye specialist. Bromley is a very busy, bustling town with lots of shops, a big pedestrianised plaza and several street sellers where I bought some great value fruit and salad items. I loved the big flower displays all along the street. This one is right outside the train station.

Chris has been doing a bit more work in the garden to help Jo out, first thing in the morning and later when it has cooled down a bit. I am happy to sit in the gazebo with my sewing, crochet or a book. I have made good progress with all my projects but I will wait to show those when I have a week with no photos.

There are two cats living here. They are both laid out by the sun and often spend the afternoons layed out by me in the shade, but by evening they are ready to chase little field mice round the garden, and watch the birds in the trees all around. A couple of times I have seen a fox in the undergrowth. They like to walk on an old trampoline at the back of the garden, and at night they sometimes come out to play in the gazebo, throwing the cushions around, and even curling up for a nap there.  The foxes and cats seem to have a mutual respect for each other.

This is Ghostie. She is nosey and more active.


And this is Severina. She is genetically smaller and has huge, round golden eyes. She keeps to herself more but is always around when it is tea time.


Jo likes her garden ornaments and bought three more little cuties this week. These hang in a row along the edge of the gazebo, and each has a tiny solar panel inside it so they all light up in the evenings. It is very pretty out here after dark.




And that is another week gone. We have a very busy weekend ahead but next week we will be starting a proper hunt for a house. Lots to look forward to. But for now it's I'll link up with Annie's Friday Smiles and see you all over there.




Friday, June 13, 2025

Friday Smiles 2025 # Week 24

This week got off to a good start with the visit on Friday from our good friends David and Darren. It is a year since we last saw them, when we were saying goodbye as they left Spain to return to UK. Now we are just a few streets away from them and it was as though we saw them all the time. We chatted all morning and the time just flew by. As they left they gave us an invitation to their wedding in the autumn, which we will do our best to attend.

On Saturday we had another visit to the theatre. This time we went to the Old Vic to see The Brightening Air. It was a sometimes funny and sometimes confused or sad, look at a dysfunctional Irish family in the 1980's, and what happened when some estranged family members came to visit them. We all enjoyed it and we had a great view from the front row of the upper circle. This set of photos was taken by my grandson who also came with us.


I had to add a picture of a rather splendid chandelier that hung from the centre of the ceiling.


On Tuesday Chris and I decided to go to Bromley, about half an hour away from here, as there is a good selection of shops there, only we got on the wrong bus, or didn't get off to change when we should have done, so we ended up in East Croydon. It was crowded out with very high rise bocks of offices and probably some flats, so we got on an express 'super loop' bus which took us to Bromley. We found the shop I wanted and both bought some new shoes. Then we grabbed a cup of tea and a pastry from a nice bakery, and caught a train back part way. And one more bus took us back home. We are so lucky to qualify for a freedom pass because we did all that travelling around for free.

The weather has been a bit hit and miss but it is warm today and I had a closer look at the rose bush in the garden. Ever since we arrived, each branch has been covered in tiny buds. Now they are opening and it's so pretty.


Hiding behind the gazebo is a fairly wild patch with white ox-eyed daisies and some lovely blue campanulas, or as I know them, wild Canterbury bells.


And speaking of the gazebo, here is a photo I snapped of my husband Chris and our daughter-in-law, both sitting out in it. Guess who seeks the sun and who craves. the shade!

The rest of the week has been taken up with yet more medical appointments. We certainly can't complain about the National health service so far.

And with that I had better wind up for this week and get ready to link up with Annie's Friday Smiles and ,publish in the morning.

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