Today I've mostly bin...

[LAT]

Definitely very cuddly!

[Biscuit]

My daughter is finding it really hard. Surprisingly as she is a teacher and I thought that she would be OK. But she's only doing evenings so they are both pretty tired. Hopefully this weekend her oh is back and she will have more quality time

[Bunnylump]

...Stealing wild flowers from someone's field. Spraying my wellies purple. Covering a wooden arch in ivy and flowers. Erecting a gazebo in a fire pit at the scout camp.

I'm sure weddings used to be easier than this.

[LAT]

Does sound like a rather odd wedding. Was it fun?

Today I've been in London visiting gardens in the Open Garden Squares scheme this weekend. We concentrated on ones in the city, particularly in the Barbican area and some of the Inns of Court. Saw some very interesting gardens - lovely oases of calm which ordinarily you wouldn't expect to find.
Tired now as we walked miles!

[Bunnylump]

We were in London too, visiting the new Tate Modern extension. We also walked a long way down the river, so I'm completely exhausted! The building (which was what I actually went to see, rather than the art inside it) was amazing. However, although the design is incredible, it did strike me that the resulting space inside for the new galleries wasn't that well thought out!

We did enjoy looking at the giant spider and the "participation sculptures"!

[LAT]

We're off up there today as there is an exhibition I'm quite keen to see as well as having a look at the new building.

[LAT]

And annoyingly I have just discovered that the exhibition we wanted to see has recently finished so I'm now not sure if we will go.

[giraffe]

....busy. I haven't been around much lately because there has been a lot going on.

On Wednesday this week our eldest, known on here as Kingsley, graduated from Durham University with a 2:1 in Music. We had a lovely couple of days up there celebrating her success. She has a job to go to in September, working in a boarding school, doing mainly musical things.

Tomorrow Lally, our youngest, turns 17 so she has a weekend of driving lessons, spending Sunday coaching gymnastics in the morning , and a BBQ for her friends in the afternoon.

Our middle offspring, known to you lot as Fernando, has been causing more worry. A "bad back" which he has been struggling with for 6 months has recently been diagnosed as Hodgkins Lymphoma. He had an operation to remove a tumour from his spine a couple of weeks ago, and today had his first chemotherapy. We are told it is one of the most treatable cancers, but it has all come as a huge shock, and the last few weeks have been a constant round of hospital trips and medical appointments.

So puzzles have taken a back seat, and may have to for the foreseeable future.

[Bunnylump]

Firstly, as you know, I'm delighted about "Kingsley's" degree news. That's wonderful and well deserved. I didn't know she already had a job though! That's impressive, and I wish her well with it.

Please also wish Lally a very happy birthday.

Secondly, I've already spoken to you about "Fernando" - very worrying and unpleasant for him, but he's had the first stage of the treatment successfully, and he's young and otherwise healthy, so I'm sure he will have an excellent chance of a full recovery. Again, please send him my best wishes.

Finally, poor you! I expect you don't know which way is up at the moment! Sending you a big, virtual hug and lots of thoughts and best wishes. xx

[maisie ladybird]

Congratulations to Kingsley and a happy birthday to Lally. And wishing Fernando the very best for a full recovery xx

[chazzie]

What a mixed bag of emotions for you.

Sending congratulations to Kingsley and birthday greetings to Lally - hope the driving lessons go well.

Wishing Fernando all the very best in his recovery ....he and you will be in my thoughts.

[kathlyn]

Not been on for awhile and lots of new stuff on here.

Wishing Fernado well.
Congrats to Kingsley.
Happy Bithday to Lally. Which roads will she be out and about on?

Loved the puppy pic.

[giraffe]

Don't worry Kathlyn, it will be a while before she sets off in your direction!

Thank you all for your good wishes and to the management, who sent get well cards, they are much appreciated.

[chazzie]

....working flat out......you wouldnt believe I am leaving my job tomorrow having worked a 12 month notice period....and no one in place to handover to!!!!

[Bunnylump]

Oh my goodness! That's ridiculous! So are you just going to leave anyway?

[chazzie]

absolutely...we're going out to lunch to "celebrate" me leaving- and thinking it could be a long lunch!! Not planning on getting in too early tomorrow either....

[Bunnylump]

Well, in that case...enjoy yourself (and sod them!)

[Bunnylump]

The season of weird and whacky weddings continues... last night, we went to a wedding in a wood. They had tepees dotted around with various things in there, and the band (who were fabulous) performed in a TREE HOUSE!

[LAT]

You do get invited to some unusual weddings!

[SparkOut]

And LAT scores the 10,000th post in this thread