Natural England

There has barely been a spare minute over the last few weeks, but this evening Vicki is out, Max is relaxing after his last day of school (just exams left) and Martin returned from a business trip in time to join a friend sailing, so we had a quick and easy dinner and I found myself with an hour or so to spare.

After a couple of gorgeous weeks it turned milder this evening and a brisk walk in Harewood Forest beckoned. The nettles have grown to shoulder height in parts, bluebells have died back leaving open patches, the rape is richly yellow and pungent... and the wildlife abundant.

One hardly needs company in so full a landscape. Pheasants straggled across my path with their awkward gait, and everywhere I turned deer seemed to be grazing: I came across six separate groups in my hour's walk, including a lithe muntjack, some dappled deer and another with beautiful antlers which watched calmy until I was very close. One stretch of path was thick with coal-black slugs, shiny in their stillness, whilst rabbits bolted  on sight.

Most beautiful of all, a handsome Barn Owl swooped in a low circle barely feet from hy head, and later watched from a low stump as I followed the bark-strewn trail, smiling in pleasure.

England is indeed a most green and very pleasant land.

Mayday!

Well, I know it is a distress call, but it seemed appropriate for a period of silence on this blog which indicates the opposite in our May lives.

With the Queen's Diamond Jubilee just around the corner there has been masses of interest in Zigzag's Union Jack buntings, to the extent that we sold out half way through May. Our lovely Jubilee Buntings likewise sold fast and we have been fielding calls all month from people asking why they can no longer buy them. Suffice to say turnover for May has been the biggest ever, and the amount of time I have had to devote to friends and family has reflected this.

Max is already well into his GCSE's, taking them in his stride by unwinding (or is that procrastinating?) with computer games. The heat of the last week did not suit him, though for me it was absolute bliss to be able to have fresh salad lunches in the garden with Martin most days.

Speaking of which, big brother popped in on his way past, so we had an impromptu catch-up and lunch amidst the long grass (which Max kindly mowed the next day). Super to hear his plans, and to catch up on Matthew, who is now planning a long cycle challenge over the summer.

News from Australia had Jenny and family moving back to England, then delaying, now not: just when we were getting all excited about seeing them all again! You clearly have a wonderful life out there, Jenny, but don't forget there is an equally wonderful one here waiting for you any time you choose to return!

I will have to cut this short as the piano tuner is due to arrive at any moment. With no choir until September,  our director, Dale, had suggested we get together in a small group to have fun with some Tudor pieces, so a dozen of us assembled here one evening this week to enjoy the challenge. It was great fun on a warm and still evening to sing with friends, drink, nibble and chat, and I am hoping that if I get the piano tuned we may do it again.

Actually I have managed to fill the choir-shaped hole in my May pretty well, having spent a super day last weekend with Winchester Music Club.They had arranged a 'Come and Sing' Bach Magnificat at Winchester College's Music School, a great experience where I bumped into some old friends and made some new, enjoyed the grand piano accompanist and young professional soloists and all in all had an absorbing day.

I have also finished working for the local solicitor whom I was heping to our mutual benefit, just in time to grant me the spare hours needed for my own business. It was an interesting experience and I am more than ever impressed by the standard of care and personal attention that a small local business can offer private clients.

Vicki is still working at Stokes in between revision and a busy social whirl, which will only increase once A levels are over in a month. Max too has Prom to look forward to, plus a celebration end-of-season dinner with the Rugby Club this weekend, both events requiring smart dress. So another milestone has been reached as Martin took Max out last week to buy his first suit (followed by another trip for smart shoes, shirt, tie etc). Nothing turns a boy into a man like a dash of formality, and just as he serves his last few days in school uniform our wee lad is leaping to maturity.

Meanwhile Ben has been working hard at his dissertation project, having thought out and made a prototype of a new product for guitarists, for which I was able to send him a Confidentiality Agreement this week (nice to still have some uses!). He does not finish his degree until the end of July so still has a lot of work left to do, but it's great to see things coming together through his hard work.

Rosie has heard that she has a place on a leg of the Tall Ships race , so we are itching to hear more, but she has exams starting tomorrow so I guess has her mind on other things for now. Hardly any time really until exams are over and the summer holidays start for them all, but I do feel for them at this exams season.

Martin has been back and forth to Cambridge with his job, and has finally resigned from Longparish PC, having been obliged to miss several recent meetings. So no more phone calls about overgrown hedges from Lady x to field whilst cooking dinner...

Well the electricity has been on and off (mostly off) this morning, which is why I had to stop baking/sewing/printing etc and have used up the battery on this laptop. It appears to be back now so I must get on.

Au revoir.

How Rude

I was down on my hands and knees washing the kitchen floor listening to Radio 4's PM programme yesterday (as dinner cooked) and very nearly overturned a mucky bucket in frustration.

Genial host Eddie Mair was interviewing someone about something-or-other (I ought to remember what) and Eddie interrupted the good man to permit the live broadcast of a statement from Rebekah Brooks.

How very dare he? Why would he presume that listeners could not bear to wait a few minutes to hear what the former CEO of News International had to say in response to charges that she and her associates have conspired to pervert the cause of justice? Since when have we listened so avidly to predictable denials, when the case has yet to leave the starting-gates?

The Murdoch fiasco is a tawdry sideshow which ought not to be granted the status of 'real' news. I think it unutterably rude to interrupt an interesting conversation on the premise that someone else's statement is more important.

Get a grip, Radio 4, and stop treating both listeners and interviewees as morons.

Ben is 21

Another belated birthday blog!

Rosie took my camera off to Oxford this week to take some pictures at the Ashmolean for her project (she had fun visiting a couple of friends up there and enjoyed a college formal amongst other things) so it is only now that I have it back: but in truth the pictures are not worth publishing. Taken in candle-light and without a flash, but they do at least mark the occasion.

Ben partied with friends in Guildford on Saturday, then caught a train back here on his birthday Sunday to enjoy a meal and presents, with the added pleasure of Granna and Grandad's presence. Due to Max's late match we decided to cancel the restaurant booking and Martin bought some enormous, gorgeous steaks from John Robinson in Stockbridge, renowned as the best butcher for miles around.

So it was with a champagne toast and dips around the kitchen table that we celebrated our firstborn's twenty-first, followed by steak n' chips cooked in style by Martin and served by candlelight in the garden room.

Ben opened his presents during a lull for digestive relief, and was chuffed with his coffee-machine, poster, ties, alcohol, lots-of-lolly, leather jacket and assorted electrical/guitar bits.

Rosie had made him a fantastic burger cake (sorry about the picture, Ben, maybe I should have cropped it), and Martin dug out the vintage port that Ben's godparents, Judeth and David, bought when he was christened for this exact occasion.

So there we have it: the wee man has grown older, wiser and taller but remains a lovely boy. Congratulations, Ben, and may you be healthy, happy and successful in all that you do.

Belated Birthday

Having a birthday just before Christmas means that December can be a little busy, with nothing to look forward to for the rest of the year. So Daddy and Mummy kindly agreed to delay my birthday treat this year and we had it this week!

M&D came to stay the night on Sunday so that Daddy could drive Mummy and I to catch an early train into London to visit the archives of The Lady magazine for some research. For once it was a grey and rainy day, but since we were on train/bus/tube or ensconced in the lovely old Lady offices for most of the day it barely bothered us, whilst making a great excuse for frequent stops for coffee and a natter.

We first popped into Harrods to freshen up and have a coffee, finding the new downstairs Cappucino Bar to be very comfortable (thought the whole shop was uncomfortably hot). I had hoped to find Zigzag's latest delivery of bunting in the Children's Dept, so we looked for a while, amazed at the sheer area dedicated to clothing one's little darlings (we did try to buy something from "Miss Grant" for Katy, but they started at £80).

A fortunate detour on the way out found us in the food halls, however, and there was our bunting, highlighting their Jubilee cupcakes, cakestands and British produce.

Then it was off by bus to The Lady, up past the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square, their grand buildings looking appealing even in the rain.

The archives were a treasure, hefty bound books of old editions, wonderful to go through looking for sketches and articles, and the advertisements and words of advice are fascinating. I shall have a lovely time sorting through the morsels I picked out, hopefully to good purpose, over the next little while.

When we eventually left Bedford Street it was clearly time for a cup of tea and biscuit, so after a quick wander around Covent Garden we took tea  in the elegant surroundings of Charing Cross Station Hotel, a fine place to catch up on family news.

By the time we walked across the Jubilee Bridge to Waterloo the evening was a-sparkle with colour, the rain had ceased and crowds had left. We came across the new bar and food garden set up for the UdderBelly Festival by the Southban Centre, a fairy-tale of wooden chalets and mushroom stools, with colourful lights and centred around a massive upside-down purple cow!

We indulged in a quick game before walking down past the magnificent London Eye (which I have come to love) and down an avenue of blossoming trees daintily picked out with fairy lights, which will soon overlook the new Jubilee Gardens now almost ready behind the hoardings.

After a heavy meal, too much alcohol and a late night before (I know, entirely self-inflicted) we had not eaten much, so after a quick toast and marmite we flopped pretty quickly to bed after Daddy had kindly picked us up once more from Basingstoke.

What a lovely way to spend a birthday treat, thank you SO much Mummy and Daddy for making it happen, it was an excellent break in a busy few weeks xx

Rugby Champoins!

Max's Under-16 squad have had a really successful season, and played their last match on Sunday to decide the Hampshire League First Division winners.

The coaches had organised a lengthy pre-match ritual, involving video training, pep talks, lunch and a coach to the venue, and it paid off as they arrived in fine form and made a blistering start. Granna and Grandad had made a special effort to get down to Havant to provide extra support, and were delighted to find proper stands where they could shelter from the April showers.

It was by all accounts a good win, Winchester scoring 17 in each half, with no score against them, suffiicient to secure their place as best in Hampshire. The coaches had brought along a banner and it was a proud squad and trainers who then posed for photographs.

Well done Max!

Birthdays Galore

The week after we got back from our Easter Holidays Martin and I went up to big brother's house in Rutland for a joint birthday celebration: he and his wife turned 50 this month, a great excuse to get together.

Jon and Sam were there and Mum and Dad, so we caught up with them, enjoyed a delicious Sunday Dinner and saw the boys, who are planning a fundraising bike ride from Lands End to John O'Groats in the summer holidays.

 The master of the house cooked a huge breakfast for us on Daddy's birthday morning, for once we were able to wish him a Happy Birthday on the day!

(Pictures removed by request: there were more!)