Friday Smiles 2025 #Week 22

 As we continue to find our feet in this country that has changed so much since we left it sixteen years ago, we both received our Freedom passes ( free travel passes for pensioners), so we decided to explore a little further. We went as far as Canary wharf and walked through the lovely Jubilee gardens where fountains tumbled over layered rocks between a variety of trees and grassy spaces. It was a little oasis in the middle of a busy area. 

Then we continued to Waterloo and walked from there over the bridge where we looked down on the vibrant restaurant area on the South Bank, and on to the Embankment on the other side . We sat and watched the Eye slowly revolving, and the Uber water taxis and other vessels travelling up and down the river.

We found ourselves some lunch and a much needed drink and made our way back home. Neither Chris nor I are used to so much walking so we needed a rest when we got in 

Tuesday was our first really wet day but we still walked to the far end of the High street to the "big Sainsbury's". There is a much smaller S.express just a few meters from the house, which is extremely convenient, but the big one carries a much wider range of goods. We both discovered that we need some better footwear for wet days, but it was a good walk all the same 

The rest of the week has been dry and mostly sunny so we have spent the afternoons sitting outside, knitting, sewing and chatting. Chris has done some more work in the garden, cutting down two overgrown shrubs, so there is a lot of debris to get rid of .

Most of the garden is grass and shrubs, but there are a few flowers fighting their way out. One is a shrub with long branches that were covered in buds. Since we have been here they have all opened together so the branches are smothered in white blossoms. As far as I can tell it is from the pyracantha family. The flowers won't last for long but the bees are loving it.

And today's flower is a peony. Lovely isn't it.

The bird app I am using has identified robin's near by every day and yesterday we spotted a pair of them. We think they may have a nest in a tree in the corner. They were very busy all afternoon so maybe they have babies to feed. They don't sit still for long but I did catch one on the swing-chair frame. Unfortunately the two cats who live here also have their eyes on it!

This afternoon we are meeting our new doctor and will hopefully get our repeat prescriptions sorted out . So I must close now and get ready. I will link up with Annie's Friday Smiles in the morning 

Friday Smiles 2025 # Week 21

My word, another week has flown by. We continue to work through document changes. Some officials need a lot of convincing that we are who we say we are, and we are living at the new address. However we are making progress. In a few days time I will have a British phone number though I shall hold onto the Spanish account for a while too, until I am certain of what it is linked too. I bought a new smart watch this week and it won't accept my registration on the app without a British phone number. Just another little frustration. But onwards and upwards.

We have had some lovely weather again this week so Chris tackled the front garden with my DIL and I doing what we could to help. It was very long grass with lots of ox-eyed daisies and Canterbury bells in it. It looked so pretty so I rescued a little bunch of daisies before they were all strimmed away. They are now sitting on the windowsill.

  The garden does look a lot tidier for its trim, but it is a lot for a busy family to look after .

But the back garden is a lawn of short grass with lots of little daisies, and one corner was kept as a meadow for the bees and other insects. That has daisies, buttercups and speedwell all over it and I am glad that bit was preserved. We have a large gazebo with lots of seating, and I spend much of my time out there. It is not as warm as Spain but I like to sit and enjoy the flowers and use my new app (Thank you Annie) to identify the birds I can hear. The most regular visitors are a pair of noisy magpies, and a parakeet. Just up the road is Crystal palace gardens, and there the trees have flocks of little green parakeets. I think the folk around here consider them to be as much pests as the pigeons.

One advantage to living here is the excellent public transport and the ease with which you can get into London, and travel around the city. We haven't been yet as we are waiting for our Freedom passes that will give us free travel. But tonight we are all going there to throw theatre to see The Mouse Trap. Despite its long run, I have never seen it. I love live theatre so I am looking forward to it. 

Now I will link up with Annie's Friday Smiles.