Thursday Already!

Hello lovelies!  For the working gals and guys amongst us - it's nearly Friday!!  And that's a good enough reason for a huge smile in my book!

Have any of you developed webbed feet yet?!  The rain woke me several times again last night.  Slow, heavy, plodding rain which certainly meant business.  Never mind - just think of the good it's doing in our gardens and allotments.  I think the forecast at present is that the weekend is set to be fairly decent.  Time will tell!!  I hope it's at least dry - we have a skip arriving tomorrow so that we can finally clear the rubbish from the garden.  It will be nice not having to venture into Steptoe's yard all the time!  It's going to be a busy one but it will be so worth it!

I've had an unusually busy week this week with three nights worth of social events going on,  and this evening was the first night this week that I was able to get home before 6pm.  It's rare for me to be out so much in the week but as is usually the case,  my social life is akin to waiting for buses - nothing for ages then three events arrive together!!  

It's been an enjoyable few nights but boy was it blissful to get home at a reasonable time this evening and be able to chill out for a while.  For chill out read "eat dinner and zonk out in the chair with the laptop frequently becoming perilously close to sliding off my lap".

One of the girls at work has a birthday next week. As she will be away for her celebration, we decided to club together and get her some vouchers so that she could spend the cash on treats for her holiday.  I offered to pop into the Merry Hill (Hell) (big soul-less shopping) Centre on the way home from work to pick up the vouchers.  We had decided on Westfield vouchers as she would have the choice of being able to spend them in most of the shops in the Centre. 

Like most of the high street stores, Westfield gift vouchers now take on the form of  those new fangled 'credit cardalike' thingies.  I chose a suitable birthdayish card and envelope and ordered the card to be charged with the £30.00 we had collected.   I was not a happy bunny to be told that the £30.00 worth of gift card would actually cost me £32.00.

Why?

Apparently there is a £2.00 "activation charge".

What?!

I nearly told the assistant to stick the card where the sun don't shine.  Activation code indeed.  What a load of tosh!   It's a transaction charge more like.  

A whole two quid for the privilige of being able to spend money in their over priced shops.  The nerve of em!  That's one mistake I won't be making again.  I had to go with it on this occasion as I was up against the clock to get my bus home and simply didn't have time to faff around looking elsewhere.  robbinggits.com !!

Sorry about the lack of photos - I'm not sure that a photograph of a Gift Card would really be of much interest so here's a couple from my garden instead!!




The Johnsons Blue hardy geranium has been flowering it's little head off for weeks now




My 'Mother of Millions' rose has the sweetest appley scent and big peony like flowers.



We cut the ceanothus back quite hard last year but there is still a good flush of flowers on it.  The bees absolutely adore this plant.  When they were little, the kids used to call this the 'buzzy bush' because of the cacophony from the visiting insects.  They both used to give it a wide berth!  I love how the raindrop is caught suspended from the bottom of the bloom.

Shh...... the fairies are asleep....



Hydrangea Petiolaris - a climbing hydrangea with lovely lacey flowers - this has done well this year and is covered in blooms.


Until next time

Take care of you and yours


Much love

xxxx