I think that’s the expression. Anyway, we had a great week with the grandchildren. I know I’m biased, but they are so good. They really entertain each other. Giggles all round. We have two three seater settees in the Swinton (don’t ask) and we put them close together facing each other. Three big blankets and they had a camp. Or an office sometimes. I thought their best memory would be The Deep, as they were fascinated by the sea creatures. But when we met mum and dad on Saturday they said the best bit was seeing Hop (film about the Easter Bunny) and the chinese in Mr Chu’s afterwards.

For the handover we met at the Rheged Centre, Penrith.

http://rheged.com/

Had a surprisingly good meal there, and sat in the sun while the kids played in the adventure playground. The previous week, we met in The Black Swan,

http://www.blackswanculgaith.co.uk/

and I was treated to a slapup meal for Mother’s Day. Life is good.

Monday now, and I have my usual New Week’s Resolutions. But this time I have a serious intention to slim. So has John. I’m just under 11st 7 and it’s too fat. I’m living in stretchy trousers. A while ago I went through all my clothes and put away the ones I can’t get in to. Well, I’m going to get into them soon. I don’t intend to buy a whole lot of new summer clothes when I have some perfectly good ones hanging up in the spare bedroom.

Still haven’t bought my sandals. Think I mentioned that the ones I live in are coming unstitched, so I’m having to wear smarter ones when going out in case they break. I did look for a replacement in Sheffield, but I don’t know the town well enough and couldn’t find a good shoe shop. In the end I bought a quite high pair of open toed heels, but I still need SANDALS. So that’s on my list, but probably not for this week.

John has ten clients this week. Think that’s the highest ever. He has two a day, so we can’t ‘do’ anything together. Well, I mean we can’t go out anywhere. Gardening is high on the agenda. At last I’ve got myself psyched up for it. I’ve cut all four grass sections and wed and fed them. John’s powerwashed the top patio, and weeded this section along the north side of the house that we never use, so are inclined to forget about it. The side along the south is used as garden access, and I have my eye on it. There’s a narrow strip of earth there, and there are some violets growing again, but the hebes seem to be dead. Nettles doing well though!

The gardeners have cleared one of the three slopes out the back, and I’ve gone for a yellow and red theme there. That’s cos there are orangey daylilies there already, also alstoemaria if it comes back, and I think some irises. A lovely creamy rose too. And at the back is a wisteria, so hopefully that will survive. There’s lots of muscari out at the moment. Daffodils on their last legs, but some nice tulips (although I don’t like tulips particularly) Anyway, when I said I’m going for a yellow and red theme I mean to have little bits of blue there too, as a contrast. I’ve bought and put in some baby daylilies in a gold colour, yellow potentilla and doronicum, and orange geums. Still need to put in some pulsillata and a white rock plant whose name escaped me at the moment.

This woman who’s meant to have really unusual plants in her nursery came round, and is meant to be bringing round ten to twelve shrubs to put in (she said perennials were hard work) but she hasn’t been back and that was well over a week ago, so she’s toast. I’ll get my own ordinary shrubs.

Well, yesterday I finally planted up two large tubs for outside the french windows. Centrepiece of butterfly plant (for the butterflies!) surrounded by three pinks (for the smell) and three trailing ivies. Think I might have crammed too much in. We shall see. Today, I need to finish weeding the veg plot (started it with the kids last week) and put in my King Edwards and Charlottes. Hope they behave better than Basil and Rosemary when they shared a bed.

Bye, foks. Will upload some photos soon.