Ssssh!

Ssssh,  it's Wimbledon fortnight.

Pat

Pat's funeral was today. Afterwards the swimmers went to lunch at The Pheasant. Lots of shared memories. A happy occasion.

A big long line of everyone

In small stages! Amazing how one person's decisions ends up with this:

Mini toad in the holes

I first made toad in the hole at Gran's, using a recipe in the book she was given by her mother when she got married. The book now lives with Mum. Tonight we thought toad in the hole would make aa good quick dinner. However, having sold my Pyrex dishes recently, I didn't know what to do with the batter I'd just made...  Until I had the brainwave of making a hybrid Yorkshire pudding toad! The mini toads were fab and I think Gran would have liked the smaller portion size too.

Knowledge and Grace

Dear Gran,

Today was a glorious day. Our daughter and your 4th great grand daughter was born, completing our pigeon pair as you delightfully called it. She's the spitting image of Jake (and also an old Russian woman!) and the sad tinge on an otherwise joyous day is that you didn't get to meet her, though you did know she was coming.

I wanted to explain her name to you as it's full of little cryptic secrets that I think you would have liked. She's been born exactly halfway in between your and Peggy's birthday and whilst she didn't get to meet you, we wanted her to carry a part of each of you with her. To this end, Sophia is also the Greek word for wisdom, which is the key trait Kelsey and I associate with you, whilst Grace is the key characteristic for Peggy, so she carries both of your best traits with her.

She's a Forbes Wolfson (no hyphen) like Jake, which means that when she gets to school, we're probably going to register her as Sophia Grace Wolfson, so she doesn't have to explain the two surname thing as well as learn to write and spell both! Grace Me Guide is the Forbes family motto (from Scotland), so she'll carry both sides of her family with her as well.

I wish you'd been here to see her as I think she's gorgeous. I'll keep you posted with our little family's adventures on here as I know that you would have liked that. To start, here's a pic that I would have emailed you to savour till we saw you in person.

Ben

Sophie

Welcome! 

D'you know what ... Gran would without question have liked this wonderful news.

Stony Garden

Back in Stony here's a very English bit of planting.  Hope Mar would have approved.

Gran - and Pat - would have liked tthis

When we bought our Italian house and set about renovating it, Pat got Mar to tell her all about it, show photos and share the delight.

Then Pat sent us a cheque to buy something to help decorate the house, and this is what we bought.

Every day we plonk umbrellas or walking sticks in Pat's Pot.

Happy memory.

Birthday challenge

With Gran's birthday coming up this week, I challenge you all to do something  that reminds you of her to mark the day.

Max has suggested a marmite sandwich or watching Shaun the Sheep! To kick us off, Max and I played two rounds of clock patience before bedtime, a game Gran taught us both (with a 30 year time gap). He did so well in the first game that he only had two cards left and asked me to take a photo:

Max the author

The second published author in our house! Max's short story has been chosen for publication in a local anthology. 

French Open

Anyone else finding that they're paying more attention to Andy Murrary's progress in the French Open than previously...?!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/33010749

Haha! Snap! I took this photo and meant to post it before we went to Chicago. That one bud has now bloomed and several more have joined it! Beautiful.

Not so violent now...

... That two of the African violets are blooming beautifully on the windowsill.