last day of school

 The school Molly and George goes to had a picnic on Wednesday, their last day, parents were invited, the temperatures whilst still high were cooler than last week, here they are decorating cookies with their friends. The field was full of happy children and their families.

First and last day of reception year for Molly.

Will enjoyed his last day at school on Wednesday, he is tired and ready for the summer holidays, this relentless heat has been hard on the children. In September the children are being jumbled up, the school has helpfully allowed Will to have the same teacher, he does so well with her. George will have his reception teacher in September which will help him, Molly is going into George's old class room, so they are all feeling good.

Later I had a sleepover, another bedtime routine for me, we watched a movie first, both the little ones were tired and went to bed and slept well. Today was a six am start, George woke first. I'm going to struggle what day it is, it feels like a Saturday on Thursday. 

Cool for cats

 I do like these new chairs, she has popped a towel on each seat, I don't know why, they leave the doors open all day and into the evening, plenty of time for me to take naps when they are not in here.

My scratching post is now in a different place, easy for me to get to it, I do love using it. Yes they do have a carpet in the back of the garage, it was in the house when they moved in.

I spend loads of time in the veg section of the garden, so many hiding places and cool to lie on, all in the shade, I can sleep whenever I want to. I still can't get on the veg beds, the net cover around the sides are too good.

She has been trying to take my photo, I'm not a poser, she was muttering because she had to delete so many photos of my bum.

I'm managing to stay cool in this hot weather, I hardly ever go in the house, just in early evening to eat, she often puts a licky (a wonderful cat treat) in my bowl, she mixes it with loads of water, I eat that outside. I still pop to say goodnight, not every night, just when I'm not busy, it's the same in the mornings. 

I don't go into the garden next door so much the big cat Felix is very scary and chases me, they use a water pistol on him if he is in our garden, I still walk along the nice neighbours back fence it's behind their huge summer house, the dogs can't see me. They still don't know where I go, he has insisted I don't wear a camera.

I have not seen the little people recently, I do love to play with them, she has promised they will be here at the weekend, anther BBQ, strange cooking hot food outside on a hot day.

My title, it's a track from Squeeze, she plays them often, I quite like the music as well.

Splat

 I saw something similar on Instagram recently and thought it would be great for the little ones, we stopped using water balloons years ago, so much wasted plastics, I cut the sponges up into strips and tied them together with a small cable tie, add to a bucket of water and let the fun begin...

As you can see Molly and George loved playing, and got me very wet, we each had our own bucket of water, we slipped their shorts off before play, I can see them wanting to play every visit, mummy remembered to bring dry clothes. Lilly just kept out of their range, Grancha hid in the sunroom, mummy and Will stayed inside. So much laughter. 

My grapevine is growing, it's probably the only plant enjoying this extended heat wave, it's nice to know it's settled into its growing space. In the same bed my cucumbers are ripening, I get a couple each week, the tomatoes are behind, too much shade from the magnolia tree. 

All I do outside is water and deadhead the flowers, my gladioli are already going over, they are in a sunny spot, I want to move my 2 snowberry plants from the daisy bed, they can't be seen and are wasted in their current spot, hubby has given me a nice pot for them, later in the year I can add spring bulbs. Hubby has an hydrangea in his from garden suffering from the heat, he does not water his garden enough. I have cut back the thyme and sage in my big herb pot next to our seating area, I will move them into individual pots, I can then add to the compost in the big pot and replant the hydrangea, in hope I can save it, it gets morning sun and afternoon shade, I have a geum I can separate and underplant. I'm just waiting for rain before I start moving things.

My runner-beans are still rather ropey, they have started climbing up the poles, hopefully with the slightly lower temperatures they may catch up. I have tried a couple of times to sow lettuce, nothing is coming up, so I will get some small plants this week.

Today will be much the same as yesterday weather wise, just 26°, sounds hot, we have had over 30° for the past 10 days, so it does feel less oppressive, still no rain, now almost 6 weeks, we have had a few cloudy days, I've been looking online for pagan rituals to call for rain just joking. My waterbuts are all almost empty, I try and keep enough for the few plants I can't use tap water.

After the tennis

 Another great book, it hints at a secret 3 friends have from school, with flashbacks filling in details, the school grounds are sold for development, which is a deep worry to one of them, what should they do. Book 47 read this year.

I do like this author, he has interesting plots, you meet your ex girlfriend and have become a couple again, she has a huge secret and you are drawn in, loads of twists, a very clever written plot, I could not put it down. Book 48 read this year.

Another brilliant plot, very different, you are abducted and forced to live in a hut in the middle of a huge forest, already there is another woman, terrified of the men, how to escape and find your way home. Book 49 read this year.

Sunday we had the last slice of lemon cake, Monday we had a red velvet cupcake from Molly's batch. Midweek we had scones for a couple of days, I only have cream on one half. Hubby then made a marmalade cake, we do love home made cakes with our morning coffee.

Just 3 gladioli blooms this year, they are beautiful, sadly in this heat wave the flowers are not lasting long.

Hubby has always cooked from scratch, we eat very few process meals, I enjoy a slice of cake, it's rare we have scones and cream, I don't eat bread, we are eating salads everyday, often with my homegrown new potatoes and lettuce, the cucumbers and tomatoes are slower. 

I picked the little ones up from school on Tuesday, daughter was at Will's school, it was review day, his work as always was so good, it's a shame he's not enjoying school. Wednesday daughter and I had a day together, she wanted to thank me for helping recently, I don't need thanks, I believe it's part of being a mum, and I will help whilst I am still able. Today hubby is out all day, so I am home alone, a quick flick of the duster, as my mum would say and then reading, still too hot for much gardening, I do have a couple of small jobs I want to get done, once the temperature drops, it's almost 5 weeks without rain here, and none in the forecast next week. 

I have already received my all clear from the mammogram last week, I got an NHS text with a link to the electronic letter, such an easy way to get results, I checked my NHS portal and my blood and stool tests are no yet back, I do like being able to see my data, I don't always understand everything, a quick chat to practice nurse always fills in details. I do keep and eye on my cholesterol and pre diabetes status.