Half way

 We caught the bus into Portsmouth, planning a short walk at Gunwharf Quays on Tuesday, forgetting the bus station forecourt was being replaced, so the busses were havoc, and it's the school holidays, so everywhere was very busy. Along the front was the best place to walk, most people were there for the shopping, we sat for ages watching the different Isle of Wight ferries come and go.

We went to the higher level and stopped for lunch at Pho, which is a restaurant selling Vietnamese street food, we both had noodles, which was brilliant for lunch. I love noodles, but never had them in this style, we will eat there again. The views from this level are great, in the top photo you can see through the harbour mouth and Isle of Wight beyond, here just hubby and I.

The spring bulbs are going on sale again, I have enough in our garden to have a good show for next spring, but I would like to repeat last years tub of tulips down infront of the greenhouse. Through the summer I have grown a beef tomato plant in the tub, it a really sunny spot, we purchased these two packs of tulips for our spring show.

 I'm not keen on replacing many things, these garden snips are used every day, the old pair was again blunt, so hubby sharpened them, he has done it many times but they still would not cut, and a clean cut is necessary in gardening. He got me a new pair, purchased from Amazon, he checked back on his purchase history and found he got the original pair 9 years ago, the new ones are identical, no design change.

I know very little about my family heritage, mum was born in the village where I grew up, dad in East London, though most of his family ended up in Somerset, so I got one of these DNA kits, I've sent it off, just waiting for the results, just for fun, hubby has done one as well. I have no desire to look into my family tree, just curiosity to know where we all come from.

On our recent visit hubby's sister gave me this old over-locker, it's quiet basic, which is probably better for me, she got it serviced before giving it to me, which was a delightful gesture. I now need to use it, it has been threaded, so that's one less thing to sort, it's not a machine I have used before, I can see many great uses, including making the seams on my cotton top.

It was nice to get away from the house on Tuesday, a more gentle visit, normally we have a long walk along the beach and into Old Portsmouth, when we are at home we talk family, being out are chats are about what and who we see, so very relaxing. 

I told my friend we were doing the DNA test, she laughed and said she had done one, her heritage came back strongly Irish, she was wondering if she should change her British passport, we will wait and see. 

I have lost myself in the garden this week, it's hard work as I am wanting to do most of it myself, asking hubby help with just lifting, there is something truly satisfying to work outside, come in for a shower after and sit and ponder on the work you have done. We did visit daughter's on Friday, so I could sort out three of her huge pots, these now have plants in, before there was just soil, all three children were home, so loads of cuddles, I was going to cut back her lavender, she has plants along her garage wall, but her MIL had spoken about doing it, so I left them. George again got upset as we were leaving, so he came home with us for a sleepover, he was a good boy, played cars most of the time, slept well, we will take him home soon, he is going to a BBQ this afternoon. 

Thank you for your kind comments, I grew up with a very strong mother, in a very different world, I can hear her voice in my head, 'pull yourself together', 'get on with it', and normally I can, but for a while I need to slow down, digest what is happening in both our families, hubby understands I am feeling very different and is very supportive.