EASTER

Harry - Hat - Train


Jumping from a higher bed to a lower bed - the best game


The hunt is on


Who cares what the baskets look like as long as they have eggs in them


I can show you how to blow bubbles, Harry, cuz I'm really good at it

Charles V and the garden shed/studio

The paint on my garden room was wearing thin so I hired young Charles to paint it during the Easter break. He did a wonderful job. He is wearing one of his dad's old overalls and there is no mistaking his 'Gee-ness'. This has got me moving in the direction of clearing and sorting all my artsy stuff and before you know it, I will be producing masterpieces. Well, maybe not masterpieces but I will enjoy splashing paint around. Stay tuned.

More Garden

My garden is at its absolute best right now. The bluebells are glorious and many other plants are coming into bloom. The magnolia is finished but you saw that last time. We have had the driest April on record but I am holding off on the watering because I don't want to become a slave to the hosepipe and I don't want the garden to become artificially water dependent. Surely that has to be one of the advantages of living in England rather than southern California.

My garden

I took these pictures this morning. It's a beautiful day. Spring has sprung.

Adam

My little friend came over last evening to spend the night. I love having him here. He is good company even though he spends a good deal of the time on YouTube. He talks to the computer! We started the visit by going to KFC for supper. I haven't been there since the weight loss challenge started at the beginning of the year. I think I can excuse a quarterly visit.

Today is Mothering Sunday - Mother's Day in England. I'm going to the farm for tea. Ian and Judith are visiting at the moment so I'm having them here for lunch. I want them to see and admire my garden.

I feel the need to post some pictures but I need to take them first. Today is a good day to do that. Stay tuned.

The Best Volunteer Job

I spent Wed and Thu lying in bed in a good cause. Brookes nursing school has volunteers come in for the day to act as patients so the students can be tested on their skills. I have had my blood pressure taken about 50 times. It actually got down to 116/62 by the end of Wednesday. It usually runs high normal so this was good. I have a natural slow respiration rate so when one of the students seemed concerned I told her I do meditation and can easily go into a trance and hardly breathe at all so she mustn't worry but she said she would report it to her mentor. They gave us coffee and tea breaks and lunch. Lots of nice people too.

Be sure to check Jane's blog for a picture of the Marathon Man.

Three weeks is too long

I know, I have been very remiss with my blogging. It is partly due to not feeling very well and partly because I seem to go first to the WLC blog that I'm doing with my largish friends and relations. Anyway, here I am and I will start with a copy of the email I had this morning from Daniel. He ran the LA marathon on Sunday in pouring rain, gales and cold weather. What happened to LA? They should have come to Oxford. We had a beautiful day.


Hi Mum,
Thanks for the phone call yesterday. What a day! A rainstorm of Biblical proportions. I have never been so wet, so tired, and so cold as after I finished. But I feel pretty good today. There was a great moment when this Latino family was cheering at the road side. I think between Silver Lake and Hollywood. I had just run up two horrible hills downtown and was feeling pretty sorry for myself with 15 miles still to go. I had my name on my bib so I hear the Dad yelling, "Go Daniel, You Can Do It!" What an LA multicultural moment. Brought a tear to my eye and new resolve to my effort. The male cheerleaders and go-go dancers in West Hollywood didn't hurt either. Over 6,000 people didn't even finish so I am feeling pretty proud of my accomplishment, finishing a respectable 12,048. Not bad for a 46 year old geezer.
Talk to you soon.
Love,
Daniel

CONGRATULATIONS, WONDER BOY.