Held a tea party for J who is ninety today. Fourteen people came an everyone tucked in to scones with jam and cream, cakes, strawberries. I love to see people enjoying their food. J and her husband V who is ninety three or thereabouts walked here in the pouring rain which does not bother them. They have had a long and happy marriage, and seem to really like each other which is a wonderful thing.
I have seen several old friends in the last few days that I have not bumped into for some time, and it is very noticeable how all going a bit downhill: falling over in the kitchen, bad knees, hips, eyes, ears, and all getting much smaller, it is quite weird. They can`t work computers so they will not be upset by reading this. They must think the same about me anyway.

Had a beauitiful day yesterday in the garden: grubbing about in the earth, tidying up sheds,taking monumental piles of junk from said sheds to the dump, and I had expert help with the real gardening jobs from S and K, who did wonders in the front garden. Altogether perfect it was.
Indoors, there was an Embroidery Workshop doing Gold Thread work (so we had to be especially careful with the hoovering up afterwards) I love it when there is something creative going on here. It seems to generate more energy into the Meeting House.
In the evening, M, J, and I watched Britain`s Got Talent, my favourite TV show at present. I know it is all rigged and the judges are terrible, but there is something so appealing about the hopefulness of the performers, it often makes me cry.

I felt too rushed yesterday to write a proper blog about my holiday which was full of precious moments. The purpose of it in a way was to be together for Julia`s anniversary which was on 13th April, Easter Monday. It is four years now but she still seems so close, and when a group of us sat round the kitchen table reading favourite poems written by her, it was as if she was still speaking to us, as she had such a gift with words. There was a group of remarkable women who came to that Northumberland cottage over Easter and it was good to share our memories together.
I have to write a poem this afternoon, this blog is a bit of a delaying tactic. I have my writing group tomorrow. I am hoping that some inspiration will come. Possible topics: crossword puzzles which have been occupying my energies lately in a rather obsessive way, celebrity culture, which I find very interesting, or , on a more serious note, sorrow,which is not the same as grief or sadness, but is a more permanent state of mind when you lose someone close to you.

I got back from holiday on Friday afternoon and it has been one mad rush ever since I walked in the door of the Meeting House. I have lost count of the number of people who have eaten a meal at our table in the last two days, interspersed with me dashing into town on my bike for more milk, bread, bananas which all disappear as soon as I get them home. There were three B and B`s who all said they wanted the full monty for breakfast this morning, and at one time everyone always used to say primly` Oh cereal and toast is fine for me`
I have just dealt with about fifty emails, and every now and then I have to go in the garden and rake up another barrowful of magnolia petals. But the garden looks lovely with all the tulips coming out and bluebells, forgetme nots and cowslips coming up everywhere which I haven`t even planted.
Still, I had a good holiday, read two and a half novels, played innumerable games of scrabble, did crosswords, cycled in the most breathtaking countryside in Northumberland with beloved family and friends, ate too many Easter eggs (back on the diet tomorrow, or the next day) And also had the treat of a night with my brother and sister in law en route.
More of this blog later when I have raked up some more petals, they are thick on the lawn again.

Everyone comes into the house or garden and says Oh how beautiful the magnolia tree is. I take a rather jaundiced view as the petals fall thick and fast and have to be raked up twice a day, a couple of wheelbarrows full. If they are left on the grass they become slimy and the grass goes yellow.This morning I lost my spectacles as I was scooping up the petals and hunted high and low getting more and more desperate. S in the office came out to help. She stood by the compost heap and intoned three times "Saint Anne where are Vicky`s spectacles?" Immediately she spotted them amongst the cabbage stalks and mashed up magnolia. She said she learned this trick at her convent school.
I am going on holiday tomorrow and I feel I need a break. We have been innundated with bed and breakfasts and the resultant huge piles of laundry. Also my struggles with double duvet covers. But the people who come to stay are always so friendly and pleasant, so it feels worth the effort.

I spent yesterday in Brighton with a terrible streaming cold, trying hard not to spread it to everyone else as they are all off to Greece for D`s brothers wedding on Sunday. I was very torn as I wanted to stay for Tiger`s 5th birthday party with a puppet show by J and her impro group and parachute games with D. They always have such amazing birthday parties. But I really needed to be at the Meeting House as there were lots of things on here as well, including a meeting on Climate Change in the morning, and baby A`s christening in the afternoon. So I got up early and came home.
A big Russian contingent arrived (lots of kisses on three cheeks) and there were Japanese, Latvian, and Estonian ex residents ,as well as many English relatives and friends, and lots of children. We were all ready and waiting at 2.30pm, but the Russian Orthodox priest did not arrive! No response from a phone call, so after we waited for an hour and a half, we started on the tea which included Japanese sushi, caviare, Russian salad, salami sausage and an amazing assortment of home made cakes.
Eventually a very apologetic robed priest arrived (a lost diary, five children at home, thought it was next week etc) The ceremony was lovely, some of it in Russian, the baby was immersed in a big black bowl, annointed with myrrh, and his head was tonsured. There was incense wafting around which you don`t often find in a Quaker Meeting House. I found all the symbolism very moving. The baby looked angelic throughout, and very contented sitting on either his Latvian godmother`s or his Korean grandfather`s lap.
In the middle of it all. a Czech woman arrived wanting B and B for the night. I think she got a totally erroneous view of Quakerism. Anyway she is quite at home here now and is happily eating a supper of fish and chips with two of our other residents.