Wet Start to July

It is now July and raining again. I was sort of hopeful that July would be better that June but unfortunately it is not starting off that way. The forecast is for light showers for four out of the next five days but of course for Thursday, my next day off, the forecast is heavy showers.
I did cycle to work yesterday and really enjoyed it. Even the journey home was good and quick. It is much easier in daylight as I cross Glasgow Green but prefer to avoid it in the dark yet it does cut off a long detour. The idea of it helping me get fit and lose weight failed as I stopped on the way home and bough chips which we ate at home. Lovely supper 
I've just heard that I've got two days annual leave at the end of the month, combined with two days off I'll have four days off in a nice run. If the weather is good we might try to get away camping or go walking or even both.
There must have been some decent sunshine as there are now lots of red strawberries in the garden and a few raspberries that look nearly ready. I'm looking forward to eating them in the next few days.
I enjoyed watching some of the tennis from Wimbledon last night. I am not a tennis fan but got excited watching Andy Murray fight back and go on to win the match. I hope he wins again tomorrow.
I suppose I need to go back to work now but I'll probably look through some blogs and might even find some to comment on.

Almost the Last Day in June

Tomorrow will be the last day of June and the sun is shining. A few minutes ago the rain was pouring sown in a real downpour but now it is bright and sunny again. I'm at work but it is nice and quite so I have time to write this and contemplate life. I wonder what new and exciting things will happen in July. I know that my grandson will be one year old on the 24th so that will be a milestone is his life, he is walking now and really bright and so full of smiles. OK I'm biased but I'd hate to be any other way.
My garden is looking good, loads of strawberries ready to pick and lots more still green so it looks like a good crop this year. I'm thinking of putting a special bed for them in the greenhouse and trying to grow some early next year. I'm also relieved that the mint is starting to grow again, it was a mass of dead looking woody stems and I cut it right back last autumn and thought I'd killed it completely but it now seems to be recovering.
We've been out a few times in the past week; to a couple of classical concerts last weekends and jazz last Monday. All were great concerts and very enjoyable. I think we went twice to a local vegan restaurant and had their tappas, we both love tappas and it is so good to eat at Mono knowing that everything is good for us. We have also had a few barbeques as we are determined to catch as much good weather as possible.
I've been really lazy recently and used the bus to and from work each day as I've been doing 9.00 to 17.00 shifts it was easy to meet Anne after work. I am determined to get back on my bike tomorrow, I'll be working 13.00 to 21.00 shifts next week and cycling is a quicker way of getting home at that time and over next weekend avoids the busses that can be full of happy drunks. I enjoy cycling and find it a great way to keep fit. I've just checked my BMI and I'm a healthy weight. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/your_weight/bmiimperial_index.shtml ) I do not bother much but when I returned to cycling after many years I dropped my trouser waist size from feeling that 36 inch was too tight to fitting comfortably in a 34 inch. OK I think that is enough for today except to thank anyone who reads this for bothering to do so and also thanks everyone who has left a comment.

Long time away from here

It is absolutely ages since I wrote anything in here. I must have been too busy working to manage. I do tend to write these blogs at work when on a nice late shift. I've not done too many of them recently so that might explain my absence. In fact my late shifts are now not too late as they have been changed to run from 14:30 to 22:30 instead of the old 16:00 to midnight. I like the earlier shift as it means I get home the same day I started.
I really should be cycling to work but recently have been far too lazy and so have not bother with the bike but have used the bus. When I am working through the day it I good to use the bus and meet Anne after work, have a drink in Glasgow then travel home together. No excuses for not cycling to these late shifts so maybe tomorrow I will.
Other news is they my daughter plans to get married in October, always assuming her fiancé can get a visa sorted out. Not easy to enter and remain in the UK if you are black and born in Africa.
My garden is looking good. Loads of strawberries and tomatoes and a fair number of beans. The potato plants are looking big and healthy.
I need more time in the garden as well as other jobs to do around the house. I was off all day on Monday and I managed to roughcast round the vents and flue from the central heating boiler that I fitted last year. It took me as while to find a source of the right colour of roughcasting chips but it looks a good match now.
I'll finish this for now and will try to return and write more soon.
I've had a few nice comments about previous blogs, all are appreciated.

Summer continues

What a great few days of warm weather recently. Loads more barbeques and lots of clearing and planting done in the garden. There are a few tomatoes growing in the greenhouse and hopefully they will be followed by a lot more over the next months. I was off for the weekend and enjoyed the two days off, in work for a late shift today then off again tomorrow.
The one minor glitch was that the wooden garden bench that I bought about six years ago has finally broken. I did think of fixing it but found that the side supports are rotten so it would be a waste of time. I've decided to build two stone piers and fix the slats across them. It should last for years and will not rot and it will be easy to pressure wash to get it clean when needed. The old bench will make good kindling for the chiminea. It will keep me busy for a few days anyway.

Great Week

Well a very interesting week. Great weather and so lots done in the garden and I'm working early shifts all week, starting at 07:15 and finishing at 15:15 so I get to enjoy the warm sunny evenings.
On Monday morning I got a text from my daughter; her partner proposed on Sunday evening so she is getting married. I have no further information but I am sure she will let me know as soon as she decides what she wants. It will be great to see her married and her partner is a great person and they both absolutely adore their son who is now nine months old.
Today is my wedding anniversary, four years today. We will meet after work and celebrate but not too much as I'm back here at 07:15 this morning 
Yesterday I fed my tomato plants, great when they have grown to a size that need feeding and I'm looking forward to eating some fresh fruit off them in the not too far distant future.
Yesterday we also went to B & Q and got more seeds so a plentiful supply of garden produce should be the result if the weather is kind to us this summer.

Summer at Last

Summer seems to have arrived at last. Yesterday was a bright and sunny day and we got loads done in the garden. I should really back track a few days to Wednesday when I bought some timber and also plastic guttering that I have fitted under the netting that covers our vegetable garden. Yesterday I transplanted all my strawberry plants into this guttering and filled up the odd gaps with compost. We hope that we will get a good load of strawberries and the birds and slugs will not be able to get at them. The patio area where we had the strawberry pots last year looks better and we will plant some nice flowers in pots to brighten it up a lot. We had a great barbeque and cooked this great mix We are planning to have the same again tonight.
Friday night we went to a free Jazz concert. It was Jazz on Radio Three and was at the new BBC headquarters in Glasgow, a great evening of music and vast quantities of free wine, we a couple of glasses each.
Saturday night we went to hear a local Scottish Guitar and Mandolin Orchestra perform with a similar orchestra from Berlin. A bit of a nightmare getting to the event as we missed to bus stop, my fault as I forgot to take a map so we sort of tried to guess the way. We ended up getting a taxi for the last part of the journey but coming home we found the right bus stop and managed to catch the last bus. The music was great and we really enjoyed hearing such a mass of stringed instruments, I think about 60 people on stage at one time.

An interesting week

Another blog by me. Interesting few days recently. Last week I had three days off and seemed to pack loads into them. The interesting things all started on Tuesday when we got our new kitchen and bathroom windows fitted. All nice clean white uPVC instead of rotten wood. No drafts and hinges that work. The bathroom is so bright that I keep thinking that the light has been left on.
Wednesday I was off and we did some shopping and all that sort of boring stuff.
Thursday we had out grandson all day, a nine month old little boy who is so lovely, peaceful and so happy.
Friday we went to see our cousins in Edinburgh. It was good to see them and we enjoyed a drink in Edinburgh before getting the buss home to Glasgow.
Yesterday I was working a late shift which suited me as I could get to church in the morning and work late that night.
Today is a bank Holiday Monday and once more I am working late. I managed to cut the grass and do a few other odd things round the house and garden before work. I'll finish at 11:30 so not too bad and I brought the car in today as it is easy to park.
Tomorrow and the rest of the week I'll be on my bike which will help build up my fitness.