What Katie Did

London PS

This comment from my Mum comes with the picture of Trafalgar Square and the memories it provoked. When I was in London recently, T Square was a building site, but here it is in all its glory

(courtesy of Wikimedia)

''The picture of Trafalgar Square brings back very happy memories. Firstly, take away the machinery and you will see the corner of the Square and Whitehall where stood Bravington's the jewellers. Your Dad and I bought our wedding ring there (£1    25) in 1944. We then went and sat in the first bench in St James Park opposite King Charles Steps without knowing that we were right where Churchill and the war cabinet spent time planning the war beneath the ground. We were on another plane, aged 19 years planning our wedding which is 65 years old this December.''

My Mum

I've seen the future .....

...... and it is festooned with bunting

 

 

so much fun to make

Even More London - the back yard garden

My garden is too big for me to manage and so is very overgrown and messy. Martha and Matt have a backyard full to bursting with wonderful flowers and veg! What an inspiration!

 

just look what they have done with their little space!

 

small is most defiantly beautiful - and productive and very satisfying!

More London

Martha and Matt live in Hackney near lovely little shops and markets, parks and the canal. So much to see and do. Martha and I explored on bikes, zipping here and there and finding treasures

 

so much to see

 

just the sort of places I love, lucky Martha loves them too - how did that happen?

and no trip to this part of the world would be complete without a pilgrimage to this place

small but beautifully formed.

no time to drool over ths though as M&M had booked our evening meal at this amazing place. Such exquisite tastes! I had courgette flowers stuffed with ricotta and aubergine with the most meltingly delicious sauce. No pictures of them, too busy eating - but look at the puddings - which one would you choose?

 

 

 

 

go on - which one would you have? Which one do you think I had?

Edited to add

well - all you meringue types - including my parents - hmmm - let me tell you all - the Berry Tart with Vanilla Custard was sublime

Lovely London

Back from nearly a week with my lovely Martha and Matt in London. I have had such a wonderful few days - walked miles and been totally spoiled by them - here is a flavour

Here we are reflected in the window of Liberty's - you have to make a pilgrimage to Liberty!

The Cloth House next, we had such a day - indulging all the way

Neals Yard for tea and some cheese

there is more... The British Museum where the ceiling is a work of art in itself

and where the Lewis Chessmen live,

made from whale and walrus bone and tusk, the inspiration for Noggin the Nog

Nelson in a bit of disarray as preparations for some big gathering are under way. More pictures tomorrow!

Summer

A sunset on my way home from a lovely evening making crafty things with friends

and a day of sunshine, sea and the best of friends

I can't imagine anything better

The Boys Are Back In Town

Followers of this blog will know that the elderly children are all flown away to pastures new. But every now and then, they come back and we love it and so does Poppy

just a short visit from John and an even shorter one from Owen

who is enjoying the colour coordinated effect of his leisure wear. His shoes created quite a stir in sleepy town Hexham!

Fatted calf was on the menu as usual - this time a tasty organic chicken did the job.

And the daughter I hear you ask? This time next week i will be on a train to London to complete the set! Can't wait!

Love and Marriage

I have been making hearts lately.
My friend Annie's daughter got married at the weekend and I was in charge of the pink cardboard hearts.
For the place cards
and to decorate places around the party venue with quotes of loveliness printed on. When we looked for these Love Quotes on the marvellous internet we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion - like this proverb

'Let your love be like the misty rains, coming softly, but flooding the river'

and this from Robert Browning

'Take away love and our earth is a tomb'
and
'There is no remedy for love but to love more' Thoreau

three of the thousands in the same vein.

But when I looked at quotes about Marriage, look what happened

'It's great being married - to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life'

and

'three rings of marriage are the engagement ring, the wedding ring and the suffering'

they were ALL like this. I was so sad reading them - 'marriage is not a word, it's a sentence - a life sentence' was another and the famous 'marriage is an institution but who wants to live in an institution?'

I am going to give the last word to the people who are in their 65th year of marriage - my Mum and Dad - what do you think?

Edited to add

The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return.

Excellent words and certainly true but we would add just one more word. Trust. Without it you have nothing. Thank you love for your kind words

from my Mum and Dad