Sizzlin’ Sunday

Today’s the perfect day to get sizzlin’…first on the beach, then with the barbie. Unfortunately not for us. We’d to stay at home cos I’m suffering from pollen invasion. My eyes are so red, itchy, watery and swollen twice its size. Not a good look.

We did go out for the weekly shopping at Morissons. Then off to The Range to get a huge bag of compost. Hopefully, this will be my last bag. At Maplins, I bought Sunshine in a Jar. It’s in the garden under the glaring sun. Couldn’t wait to see if it works.

Spent the rest of the day pottering in the garden. I planted 4 more sunflowers, 2 begonias and sowed more pak choi. Later, I decided to make sushi. It tasted a bit bland cos it’s missing an ingredient, rice wine vinegar. Just doesn’t have that zing…

We got sizzlin’ yesterday.  We’d an early start to Bradgate Park cos we knew it is going to be full and also it’s going to be hot.  I wanted most was to have a dip in the River Lin which flows through the Park. It was lovely. The water was soo cold. I bet the visitors thought I’m a bit loco cos I kept on wading in the water.

 

I really missed the sea so I guess this is the best option. It was fun. Most of the visitors had their picnic beside the river. It’s like being on the beach. Some even had bikini tops…now who’s loco?

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was soo hot that the natives were cooling down in the shade.  We only saw them from a distance. As usual, the jackdaw were making themselves heard. We heard a peacock calling and realised that it was from the grounds of Lady Jane Grey ruins.  We checked it out but unfortunately it was locked. The grounds were opened later but we will be gone by then.

We left as the crowds were getting heavier. Along the way, we stopped at Groby Pool to check out the place.  The usual culprits : robin, Canada Geese, mallards, Greylags, and coots. Cormorants and herons were nesting on an island in the middle of the pool. We saw a splash of blue whizzing by. We also spotted several hybrids of ducks. Very strange but very pretty.

At home, I spent the evening falling asleep while watching the finals of the FA cup. Chelsea defeated Everton 2:1. Well-done.

Then it was the finals of Britain’s Got Talent. I only watched the finals to see what the hype’s all about. Ookay…I enjoyed the dance groups, the body popper kid and the sax guy. The rest is bearable. But as Susan Boyle said, “The best people won”. Congratulations, Diversity.

On Monday, we’d a birthday do was DB. Lots and lots of nibbles, and bubblies that last through lunch time. It was a chance to catch up with news and let our hair down. Happy birthday, DB.

I’m also soo excited cos we’d a visitor in the garden. I’ve got my own hedgehog which I’m going to call Pickles. As usual, before I close for the night, I’ll pop into the garden with a torchlight to hunt for slugs and snails. I met Pickles under the bird feeder enjoying whatever that had fallen onto the ground. I rushed upstairs and told Babe. By the time, we arrived with our cameras, he’d disappeared.

The next day, I was ready for him. Armed with a video camera, I tried to film him. You wouldn’t believed how fast he moved into the undergrowth. I think, I’ve paparazzied him too far. He wasn’t seen since. Please return Pickles. I promise I’ll never shove my camera under your nose again…

Then it was the UEFA Champions League finals. What a let down. What happened to Man United??? It was suppose to be a showpiece encounter. They were beaten 2:0 by Barcelona at the Studio Olimpico in Rome.

We have received a letter from the NHS regarding Swine Flu information. It contains a unique personal NHS number so that healthcare staff can have quick access to medical records. I guess they are expecting a possible future pandemic influenza. It coincides with the news that 44 pupils, parents and teachers linked to Welford Primary School in Birmingham have been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus. This took the total cases in the West Midlands to more than 50.

Take care and be safe.