British Summer time arrived this morning, hurray! I love all seasons, but after the battering by winds and rain that we have taken over the last few weeks I won't be sorry for the seasons to change and hope that Spring turns early this year into Summer. Steve will be pleased as today he has once again had to put back fence panels. Today has been glorious, windy but sunny, perfect for the walk along the prom that Steve and I took before dinner. It's now well after 7.00pm and its still daylight.
Tomorrow I'm seeing Sue, I met her at college in 1974 and we have remained good friends. Sue is mourning the death of her father who died nearly a month ago. His funeral isn't for another 3 days, because of bank holidays and a backlog at the crematorium it has taken all this time which is absolutely abominable. Its nearly eight years since my own father death but I feel Sue's pain. In their families sadness is joy as her eldest has just announced that she is to have Sue's first grandchild in November.
I saw my niece on Thursday, she had been visiting for a week over Easter. She spent time with her friends and stayed also with her grandmother. This 16 year old also met up with her father, but we are all sworn to secrecy, so that 'you know who' doesn't find out!!

My Easter memories are usually of warm spring days. Good Friday this year has been a day of all weathers. Four seasons in one day. Snow, hail, wind and at times warm sunshine. I drove back from Gosport in a snow shower this morning, the temperature gauge dropped from 6c to -0.5 in seconds. The sun came out for a while this afternoon, the wind was wild, I pegged the washing firmly on the line and fortunately it stayed in place. the smell of fresh washing that has been dried outsize is one of my favorite aroma's.
As with millions of other people Steve has spent this bank holiday decorating, painting doors and revamping the awful fire place in our sitting room which we inherited when we moved in almost 4 years ago. I'll post a before and after picture once it is finished.
My niece is arriving from Leeds for a few days, she will stay with my Mother. Today is her brother's 19th birthday and it would have been my Grandmother's 112th birthday. My sister has a new job as a receptionist in a hotel in Leeds, a change from hair dressing, I'm sure she will do well at it. Good Luck.
Matt has job interview tonight for a bar job, he is hoping to do two nights a week. Matt is enjoying his day job and last week was given a substantial pay rise, so I guess he is doing really well.
Ian is working on his research this weekend, he is off to Montpelier for a conference next weekend as well as going to Lisbon for a friends party. Katie his girlfriend is going with him, so I hope they have a nice time.
Work has been manic, were short staffed, we are working like crazy, its feeling uncomfortable as were not able to give everyone the time they deserve! I'm not yet sure if my extra hours will become permanent. I don't mind either way, but have asked to do them over three days, not four.

Its Sunday evening and nearly the end of my weeks leave. Its back to work on Tuesday. I have enjoyed my week off: a visit to Bedford where I saw friends and also Matt. Steve has spent a couple of days decorating our sitting room, its looking good, amazing what a coat of paint can do. Last night we went to our friend Stewart's 60th birthday. We had a great evening and a group came back here to have coffee or a drink. We didn't get to bed until 2.00am. When I got up I was relieved to find that the glass of Champagne that I accidentally threw up the newly painted wall hadn't marked it in any way. It would have been a different story had it been a glass of red wine.

I have been off line for nearly three weeks as my lap top has been away for repair. I'm glad to say it has now been returned, complete with new screen. The repair itself was done in a couple of days, the collection and delivery of the the PC proved difficult. I didn't realize how much I would miss my little machine.
The weekend before last we had a family get together to celebrate Dot's 80th birthday. Dot is Steve's aunt and great aunt to our children. Dot really is a great aunt and has been wonderful to all the family. Steve's Mother died when Ian was a baby and sadly she didn't get the opportunity to be a grandmother to her eight grandchildren. The children have been fortunate to have Dot as she has always been a special person in their lives. We gathered at Rebecca's house for the celebrations. Tacy and I shared in the preparation of Sunday lunch in Dot's honour and fifteen of us sat down to lunch. it was a testimony to Dot that everyone came. Dot is looking forward to her birthday present, a trip in a hot air balloon with a friend, quite an experience for an 80 year old, but actually Dot's birthday was actually only her 20th, because she was born on the 29th February!
I'm on annual leave this week and went to Bedford on Sunday to stay with Linda. Its a year since we went to Venice to celebrate Linda's 50th birthday, so on Monday night the thirteen of us who went on the trip and had a reunion and went out for an Italian meal. We had a great evening.
I saw Matt while I was there, he seems happy and is enjoying his job.
Steve is on leave for a couple of days and has said he is going to do some jobs around the house. We have just got back from the local DIY store, where we bought paint for the ceiling in our sitting room. Firstly Steve has to fill in the small hole in the artex where the bath leaked before he paints the ceiling. I know that this relatively small job will grow into something bigger, it always does. I have taken refuge in the bedroom and am making up for the time that I have missed on the computer recently.