A Fairly Short Post Today,

we were both up early,

as Scott from Original Sash Windows was calling round, to give us a quote to replace our windows with new ones, draught proof ones I hasten to add! the building is over 100 years old, over time the windows have shrunk allowing cold draughts into the flat, so ones in the same style will be quoted for, but double gazed and with draught proof surrounds, after he left we had a lazy day, Diana busied herself around the flat and started preparing for her trip to Berlin with Kai and Wilma, a girls few days out, for myself I telephoned many friends I has not contacted for some time, I know covid is blamed for a lot, but here is one thing that was sort of unexpected, pre-covid we would all meet up, not necessarily all at the same time, but every so often, but after a couple of years of covid many of us just did not return to keeping to seeing each other every now and then, so I made more than a few telephone calls, and as you can imagine each one was quite long, as we all caught up with the latest news from our respective families.

Diana was on a late shift, so I did not drop her off until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, arriving home the usual Tipping Point and Outback Opal Hunters until my evening meal, after which I spent the evening with Robbie Cumming, it was a pleasant way to spend the evening as I watched,

 Canal Boat Diaries, image BBC it does what it says on the label, following Robbie Cumming, who offers a personal take on life aboard his narrowboat, the Naughty Lass, as he travels the network of canals in the UK it was surprisingly enjoyable, stopping off at villages, towns and pubs, aboard his narrowboat, the Naughty Lass, a number of episodes were being played back to back, I have mentioned this series before:

'I have watched many of them before and thoroughly enjoyed all of them, if you have time for a lazy trip along some of Britain's waterways, grab a coffee and relax watching Britain slowly drift past, the series is called Canal Boat Dairies, and is proving extremely popular, it is now in its 7th. series',

after which I watched a couple of YouTube videos about bird photography, I need every bit of help I can get! then just before 10.00 in the evening I was out to pick up Diana from work, arriving home a coffee and a chat as we watched a Bangers & Cash before Diana was off to bed, for myself one more Bangers before I too was off to bed.

A Fairly Short Post Today,

as first thing a representative of a double glazing company will be calling round, 

to measure our windows, they all need replacing with new units, the old ones have shrunk so much over the past 100+ years the draught through them in winter is costing a fortune in heating bills, back to Wednesday, I was off to town, I had a parcel to post, parcel posted back home I was again playing with the camera, next week we are going up to London to pick up a new 500mm telephoto lens, for our upcoming trip to RSPB Minsmere, in a few weeks time, in the evening a milk and a read, no sherry,

 as tonight I am out to the Beckenham Photographic Society, I entered a couple of prints last week for the last of this seasons print competition, and then I will be picking up Diana as she is on late shift, back to Wednesday, for this evening a few bits and pieces from our picnic yesterday, 'Cheers!', at the club I had a limited success, everyone is allowed to enter 2 prints, 

I entered this one, Punting on the River Cam, which received a Highly Recommended, 

and this one Art Week comes to Folkestone, which rather pleasingly received second place, next off to pick up Diana, arriving home we were just in time for a Have I Got A Bit More News For You, after which Diana was off to bed, for myself a Bangers & Cash, before I too was off to bed.

After Dropping Diana Off At Work,

I had a few things to do, 

a few telephone calls and emails to send and answer, then time to look at some of Lee's photographs, he is into astronomy, and considering where he lives, Sidcup, where there is a lot of light pollution I think he did remarkably well, firstly the Heart Nebula,

next the Sunflower Galaxy,

the moon of course!

and finally Jupiter and three of it's moons, next pick up Diana, arriving home we were then out,

walking from our home towards these, bluebells, we are hoping they are out in force, it was a glorious day, 

ladybirds were out a few in some of the vegetation in the verges, 

not far now, 

to Westgate Road,

where a lot of work was being undertaken, I hope the new road surface holds up in the rain and sun,

we were soon walking up Crab Hill,

taking photographs on the way, 

and into the wooded section of the park where the bluebells are, 

and they they were, hundreds of them, 

the problem was they looked so blue and densely packed from a distance, but getting close to them they were a tad spaced out, but never mind, at least they were in flower, 

Diana getting close to them,

we followed the paths through the beds of them,

although it was a school holiday, we had the place pretty much to ourselves,

the tree root here reminded us both of the home of the Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow, 

somewhere in there a Robin is singing away, I had a wide angle lens with me, not a telephoto, 

by now we were hungry, 

so a picnic it was with sausage rolls, scotch eggs, pork pies, coleslaw and a potato salad, plus a sliced apple for dessert, 

did I mention a beer? behind me the crows, 

of all of the tables here, two crows stayed right by us ignoring everyone else, Diana said they recognised me from feeding them everyday on our windowsill, and they were giving me a guilt trip for not bringing any peanuts for them!

we started on our way home back past the mansion, arriving home Diana was so tired she had a few ZZZZ's before some evening television, tonight a real treat, 

Secret Gardens, a full review is here, a trailer for the programme is here, as Sir David Attenborough reaches 100 years old he presents a new series, from the blurb:

'Sir David Attenborough explores the hidden wildlife thriving in Britain’s gardens in a new five‑part series. Filmed in five contrasting gardens across the UK, the series uncovers the remarkable lives of the often charming, and sometimes daring, animals living just beyond our back doors'

absolutely fascinating, Diana and Myself like many thousands more, wishing we could live in the house where the first of the series was filmed, after the end of that, a Poirot before we were both off to bed.

I Spent The Day Playing,

with just two photographs,

this one taken at Kew Gardens, I kept thinking that top of the photograph was a bit to 'busy',

so a slight crop and a few other adjustments,

the other taken at our day out in Dymchurch, above out of the camera,

and after I played with it a tad, I will print both of them out tomorrow, after my evening meal, time for a film, tonight,

Marie Antoinette, whilst not a actual production of her real life, the sets and costumes were certainly a spot on for a colourful look at the French court at the times it was supposed to be set in, quite enjoyable, just before it finished Diana arrived home, so I will watch the rest of it at a later time, after a coffee and a chat it was time for a Midsomer Murder, one we had not watched for some time, next as Diana has another 05.00AM start we were off to bed.

We Were Out For Sunday Lunch,

Bob and Debbie kindly invited Rainham Steve, Kai, Diana and myself to their home,

Kai picked us up and we were away, 

and welcomed by Bailey,

the table nicely laid, 

Diana now has a new best friend!

Steve and myself made ourselves comfortable,

whilst the girls played with Bailey,

starters,

and a 'Cheers!', 

and another one, 

Diana and Kai, 

after our starters, 

it was play time for Diana, Kai and Bailey,

into the kitchen, were it was all happening, 

beef bourguignon and a chicken casserole, 

Kai starts us all off, 

Kai and Diana just about to tuck in,

lots of vegetables,

next Steve, 

and myself.

I had one of those strange glasses, it kept emptying!

after our meal, play time again,

then Bob poured the bubbly,

easy does it,

and 'Cheers!', from all of us,

then another treat for all of us, Steve being a master chef had prepared one of his delicious trifles, 

and Debbie had made a cheesecake, 

it was all delicious, 

we were all full to bursting, then Diana spotted something in the garden,

a outdoor jacuzzi, 

the water was so warm, 

I was tempted to dive in!

in the evening play time, this time for all of us with a double pack of UNO cards, briefly UNO is a classic, fast-paced matching card game for 2–10 players (ages 7+) where the goal is to be the first to get rid of all your cards. Players match cards by color or number, using special Action cards—Skip, Reverse, Draw Two, Wild, and Draw Four—to sabotage opponents. You must shout “UNO!” when one card remains, if not you have to pick up 2 cards,

it was such great fun for the 6 of us, 

Diana excelled in the forgetting to shout 'UNO' department, 

I was playing close to the chest, 

we played the night away, then time for Diana and Kai to make a move for home, Diana has a 05.00 AM start tomorrow, for the 4 of us cheese and biscuits, before Steve kindly offered to drive me home, many, many thanks to Bod and Debbie for inviting us over and for Steve making the trifle, arriving home Diana was having a snooze on the sofa, so a coke for Diana, for myself it was time for a spiced rum as we watched a Midsomer Murder before we were both off to bed.