Summertime.... on hols (sort of)

Smitonius:

I should have put a (clothes) wash on, I should have done a bit of ironing, and I should have packed... but instead I spent the morning loading my music onto my new ipod nano (I didn't go into the Apple store to buy one, I actually went in to check the iphones... decided against one, but did not walk out empty handed: new headphones and a new ipod. Truth be told, I actually really need a pair of Summer shoes).

Why pack? I am off to Madrid tomorrow - research. But as the fishmonger in the market said this morning: I would feel sorry for you, but you will have to eat all that nice Spanish food. I know, it is tough. And so, having bought fish, what did I do? I was enticed into a local restaurant that was doing a one-off special menu: roast pig Sardinian style. Divine, but then, who can concentrate after such a lunch on a beautiful sunny afternoon? Not I, so I sit in the garden listening to the hose water the garden for me - sisss sisss sisss

So, whilst I sometimes worry about work and the future (Higher education is in flux and my role has been 'redefined' somewhat in the last couple of months), I don't think I can complain today of all days. Though, heck, I will have to get up early to iron whatever I can find, pack in the dark, spend far too long in transit... before I sit in a plaza somewhere in Madrid in the evening sun with a beer to prepare for the library on Tuesday.

PS: Sonata is off on hols.... visiting a small nephew in Leicester before arriving here... we will find ways of posting! In the meantime, enjoy Summer!

Strangers Bearing Gifts And A Spider On Stilts

Sonata:

Yesterday there was a Brocante in Deventer and I rushed off early to the station , put my bike downstairs in the Bike Parking , got engaged in conversation with the man behind the counter who'd repaired my brakes the day before and shot back up the stairs , now late and in full pinball mode .

At the ticket machine I was busy choosing type , date and destination , when I heard a voice behind me . "Mevrouw ? ..." but put off answering for a second before I ended up filling the details in wrong and was obliged to go somewhere totally different for the day . "Mevrouw ? " Yes? "Mevrouw ? " WHAT? . " Where are you going ? ".

I looked round to check for dog on string and and miscellaneous bag/lady person . No , she looked normal . "I'm going to Deventer , and I'm in rather a hurry " , I say briskly and carry on with my purchase . "Mevrouw , I have a ticket for you " By this stage I'm flapping my spare hand behind me trying to swat her away .

"Mevrouw , REALLY , I HAVE A FREE TICKET FOR YOU ", she finally bellowed .

And she did . A promotion from some perfume shop .

Deventer was full of nice surprises too .

It was astonishingly warm but the library was having a book sale in the cellar , so I cooled off nicely .

The whole town was full of people on stilts and I met a very friendly spider .

And I brought a few things home with me . Why ? What a silly question !!

Well , It Took A While ....

Sonata:

but Summer has finally arrived and we're not all wearing fifteen layers of woolies and a balaclava .

Everyone has moved outside . Little side streets are full of people with a cup of tea , a good book and dozing cat

The hollyhocks are looking lovely

The local open air Flea Market has started again

My summer curtains are growing nicely and there are tiny tomatoes already !!

Some enormous wild flower has settled in outside my front door in the middle of the calendulas , lavender and snapdragons and is wildly popular with bees . There's a lovely buzzzzzz every time I come home .

The two black swans from the City Farm are lending a much needed touch of glamour to the trip to the supermarket again

And just in time . On Friday the summer holidays begin ...!!!

A homeward treat....

Smitonius:

I treated myself to some flowers on the way home: look, white cornflowers and blue scabious (an unfortunate name for a flower - can't see it catch on for girls: 'Now, Scabious, hold my hand while we crosss the road').

I must say, I have really been enjoying reading who has spotted celebs:
Jane has served Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward in the V&A shop circa 1987 (they bought a poster of Sir John Gielgud).
Rachel has seen Labour politican Robin Cook (and then she wrote a good story about not recognizing Boby Robson - mind you, I doubt I would have)
Lesley has seen Sigourney Weaver! (that is cool, but she has a good story about her dad and the Rolling Stones)
Friko has seen Alan Bennet (and, so have I! Celebrity snap!)
Jinksy has seen Zoe Wanamaker (and so have I! Celebrity snap II - she was ... slightly worse for the wear ... in a Deli in Islington)
Monix has seen Frank Ifield (Who? I said, but my partner says he yodelled - hopefully not all over Monix).
Lovethose cupcakes has seen Lauren Bacall (now I AM ENVIOUS indeed).
Lucille has a knack of spotting nice men (e.g. Michael Palin and Alan Titchmarsh)
Marcheline has a fine list of American names, like Ray Liotta (but I think she has seen many more famous people but won't kiss and tell - she was a flight attendant!)