Angel Jem's City Cottage

I had to take a parcel to the Post Office. I parked at the block of shops and walked along, past the chip shop and the small convenience store and past the Hospice shop (they raise money for sick children) and in the window I saw a cute little dog, one I love and have a few of, but always look out for; A Radley Bag? In the Claire House shop? A Radley Bag??? How much? It's a good sized one, not massive, but middle-ish. Brown. It's probably called Tan or Rust or... HOW MUCH??? £20?? Is that all?? Do I need a bag (well, no, but does any woman need a bag who has a plastic carrier?) Do I want a bag? (well, duh, I'm female ) I have a few things this would go with; new brown boots, my green coat, my green tops, my chocolate coloured trousers. Yes, I could style myself up well. If I had a brown Radley bag. A brown  bag. All these thought processes took a couple of seconds. I was in, with the bag off the window shelf where it had been placed and on my shoulder. I teste...

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Dancing Groot: http://youtu.be/1GncYQHBJIw

We've been busy sprucing up the front;  power washing the block paving (apparently a power washer is really good for practising handwriting!) grey undercoat on the front door and garage before two coats of a dark red satin Weathershield paint called Monarch. The house is looking better, but like every time you do one small thing, now I'm looking at it thinking "I need to do the window sills. And the bell needs replacing. And don't the windows need a good wash...." Not to mention, I will need a new wreath for Christmas. Mistletoe, 40cm. Don't tell Mr AJ.

I write this staring out to see at the most amazing view. To the right is Yr Eifl , with a clear summit for once. To the left sits Port Dinllen , with the lights of the Ty Coch just beginning to show against a pale pink and baby blue sunset. The bright shades of red and purple may shine through later, as the sun wends its way slowly below the horizon but for now we have reached the gloaming. The colours of life have faded, the beach has emptied and the rabbits are growing braver, creeping further out across the field where, two years ago the cows chewed cud and stood, like live Damien Hirst exhibits, until the farmer fetched them in. The field is fallow at the moment, but signs that sheep were there earlier this summer can be seen. On the horizon I can see a faded violet outline, a mountain rising magically from the sea, a magical island like Avalon, but not mythical. This island is actual; a home for many people and a place of holiday rest and relaxation for others. In local term...

No long stories yet (if ever; it depends if I remember what I've been up to next week!) but just a few postcards of our hols so far. Criccieth; sunny but windy Nefyn Beach, not sunny and also windy Super Sarah; thank God for Pinterest!!

If we truly are all separated by six degrees of separation, then somebody out there knows somebody out there who knows somebody out there who stands a chance of knowing this family. They went to Shrewsbury Flower Show on Saturday 9th August this year. They came about 4pm and took the space in front of me that had previously been occupied by a nice family who had sat on their picnic blanket, watching the arena shoe and laughing delightedly at everything around them. They had young children so they left for tea, I think. We were all prepared for another nice family, picnic blanket in hand to move in when..... No!!! No, that's so not fair!!! We are seated on the ground, we are shorter by far than you with your picnic table, with your set of six chairs (only 4 were ever in use when we were there) and your own blanket on the ground where your children sat and stood and sat and stood all evening long. Actually, I don't mind children moving or talking or having fun i...

This weekend I took my three angelic children to Shrewsbury Flower Show. We've been before and it is really good, with a cracking range of entertainment and no need ever to go near the flowers. If you're a gardener you will  be so disappointed with my write up of the show. We passed through the flower tents, but the flowers are really not why we go.  We go for the showjumping; this year the younger Whittakers were out in force, so we saw George, James, Louise and Ellen Whittaker (she doesn't half get cross with her horses!) as well as Geoff Billington and Tim Stockdale.  We go for the atmosphere. This year's theme was 'The Show that Never Was', because the 1914 show got cancelled, naturally, and the organisers had gone to some trouble to make sure everything had a tinge of nostalgia. There was a fancy dress costume which this young girl and  her Nanny won. Seeing the people dressed up and wandering around was very interesting.  We go for the aren...

I have always been blessed since having children with a set of grandparents who will have the children on a sleepover. My Mum and Dad are old hands, with 10 grandchildren in total and very kindly, at least twice a year, take our three for a night, or two, or three. This week it was only two nights, long enough for a three day trip with my beloved. Here is the handsome man. I love him so much, but don't tell him that or he'll get big headed. We visited Royal Leamington Spa, a town barely detached from Warwick that we have never actually been to before. What a revelation! A really good shopping experience, with Travelodge and Premier Inn both conveniently taking up two old Spa hotels on the high street. It still bears signs of its past as a Spa centre. The water tap on the bridge pumps out salinated water from the spring, and the Pump Rooms nearby have colonnaded walks and space that now is used for functions but, in Regency times would have thrummed with the gossi...