hot, hot, hot

I have just realised that it is Tuesday and I have not written about the Cream Tea on Sunday. My fears were not realised. The garden was absolutely thronged with happy tea eaters and the sun shone beautifully. It was hectic in the kitchen with all us helpers grabbing teapots from each other and frantically whipping up yet another pint of cream. We had the most delectable cake selections, made by the wondrous Joan, the equally amazing moustachioed Gavin(n a resident) and dare I say it? me. It raised about £600 and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.
I think it is my happiest occupation: setting up things and giving large numbers of people nice food, not very intellectual or creative, and not such hard work as writing a poem.
I drove to Reading this morning and picked up my lovely grandson M who had just come back from Mexico, and needing to move all his stuff from his student lodgings. We talked non stop about all the amazing sights of Mexico, our families, and everything and I kept missing the turn offs at all the roundabouts, but it was a joy to see him back safe and sound
I wish it would bucket down with rain, I am fed up with watering the garden and the grass is going yellow.

The kitchen has been a scone factory for the past days ready for the Cream Tea in aid of Emmaus on Sunday. ( I have discovered that scones are improved by being frozen for a bit before being warmed up on the day) As usual I am tormented by the thought that no one will turn up or it will pour with rain, but there is also a picture in my mind of a glorious sunny afternoon, mounds of strawberries, with great bowls of cream and delicious scones, and every body having a lovely time.
Everbody keeps on about Wimbledon and assume that I know what they are talking about. I have never understood the rules of tennis, and have always been incapable of playing ball games, so I find it difficult to make an intelligent comment. I will be glad when its all over.

Brighton last Thursday and Friday as usual but it was good, as I had J and T and Jumble the dog with me on the A272 on the way there as J had come to Winchester to see her old school chums. We bought chips in Pulborough and munched them, such a treat. Then I went to see the film, `Looking for Eric `which I loved. It is all about how if you need help, you just ask your friends and they give it willingly. It was also about football which I am not really into but I do see how it gets you.
On Saturday, I went to London with my bike in the car and met up with son C and family. We all cycled by the Thames and watched a river pageant with people dressed up as Henry the eighth and others being rowed along to Hampton Court. While we were having our picnic on the river bank, I did a sort of quiz from the Guardian and asked my family what their earliest memory was. All, including me, remember being told off for doing something which we did not even realise was wrong. Isn`t it sad that we can`t remember the happy things first?

I went to the Parish garden party next door yesterday afternoon, so I had a nice ecumenical weekend, having been well Quakered the day before and on Sunday morning. We had a cracking tea and then Evensong in the garden with an electronic organ and three splendid hymns. There were two Bible stories, each about eating in the open air:the loaves and fishes one by the Sea of Gallilee and the one about manna from heaven. I thoroughly enjoyed it all, and also the conversations with lovely elderly women in their summer frocks and straw hats.
This morning I discovered a cupboard in the back kitchen full of food that was three years out of date, Jaffa cakes, pasta, cous cous, raisins, soup,lemonade, Oh masses of stuff and it was terrible having to throw it all away. It must have belonged to a long departed resident. The worst of it is that it may have been OK to eat some of it but I do not want to be the Warden of the meeting house responsible for an outbreak of food poisoning.

A very funny thing happened with this blog the other day. J borrowed my computer as his wasn`t working and he forgot to sign out. I wrote the last entry about Altzeimers etc and when I posted it, it came out as if from him on his choir blog so all members of his prestigious choir will be surprised to read my daft words about memory loss with his name under it!
We had a great gathering of Quakers from far and wide today. I started off bright and early moving chairs about in the parish Hall next door and switched on the tea urn, which boiled rather quickly and then set off the most earsplitting fire alarm at 8am. I phoned churchwardens and various members of the parish all to no avail,and pressed every nob on the control panel. Eventually I woke up one of the neighbours who came in his pyjamas and stopped it. Just as well it was not a real fire as no one took any action.
I always feel very safe and encouraged when I am with groups of serious Quakers, they have minds like razors, get straight to the point and they are warm hearted too.

Brain Fever

On the Today programme this morning they said there was a new test for Altzeimers which could detect it in the early stages. Just some simple questions they said. Give me an example? John Humphreys asked. `well name four creatures beginning with an S.` JH could only think of a sloth, so when I was swimming up and down the pool today, I went all through the alphabet to be on the safe side so I would have them ready if asked. It is a worry as several of my close friends have very wobbly memories and I suppose you don`t know if you are like it yourself.Just had my eyes tested. At my age, I seem to spend a lot of time keeping myself intact: hearing aids, chiropodist, swallowing pills as well as dentists etc. No wonder the country is going bankrupt.

I wish someone would tell me what poor Gordon Brown has actually done. As far as I know he has not claimed for any moats or pornographic videos, and he seems to be trying his best. He looks so miserable, my heart goes out to him.. I think I will write him a cheery letter. Or perhaps I won`t.
The weekend was dominated by cooking for a lot of people. I never know how many are going to stay for lunch after Meeting on the first Sunday of the month and this time we had two large tables and we ran out of jacket potatoes. Also there was a family lunch on Saturday, and more cooking today for tomorrow. Fortunately I like doing it. Next weekend we have a big gathering of Quakers so I will be stockpiling for a hearty tea, the Quakers do so love their teas.
I left the book that I am in the middle of, in Brighton and oh I feel so bereft.

I was a bit shocked that Gordon Brown was concerned about Susan Boyle after she got upset in Britains Got Talent. I think he should have more serious topics on his mind. Of course I watched it avidly myself. I was glad that Diversity won as they are such an enthusiastic group of chaps.
Te summer seems to be slipping away too fast, I can`t believe it is June already, and I keep reminding myself that it is my last June in Winchester, after fifty four years. On the other hand, I`m getting fed up with trudging up and down all the stairs in this house, and perhaps when I move I can start something entirely new, like birdwatching, except I`ve just remembered, my eyesight is poor.
I`ve taken to wearing my hearing aids again and conversation now sounds terrifyingly loud. I`ve also started swallowing six rosehip pills a day for my arthritis, (it is what they give to race horses)and I think there is some improvement.