Hello, Friday......

Well.

I can safely say that doing pilates for the first time one day and following it with a more strenuous than usual aquarobics session the next day is not a really cool idea. Even when the aquarobics is followed by a gloriously relaxing session in the spa. Bubbles are wonderful things when they are accompanied by warm water and dim lighting.

One is finding moving a bit of a challenge today. Actually, one discovered moving was not an option when one rose from the chair to leave house group last night.

So maybe we will give marathon running, training for the 100m Olympic sprint, or entering the iron (wo)man thingy a miss for now. Oh, and moving at all.

Speaking of the Olympics..... What a farce this ticket application business is. I applied for 2 tickets in the ballot. I did not get them. I then get the chance to apply for random sports today. From 6am. You will be happy to know that every single ticket/event says "currently unavailable". Not that I was actually going to bother, which is just as well as it turns out, but I wanted to see what there was. You could only apply today if you applied last time and got nothing. That would be me. So we will go on holiday instead. Or watch on TV. But there are a great many really irate people in the country today.

 But there are other things to lighten the mood, of course, and here are some of the latest garden photos. I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me.

 This is one of the hanging baskets. There are 14 in the garden and one in the front of the house, next to the door. Partially obscuring the doorbell. Well, 2 of them in the garden at the back of the house have tumbling tomatoes in them, so they are not as pretty, but the tomatoes will be wonderful.

 One of the containers at the front door. See that green stuff up there on the top right? French beans. There is another one on the other side of the door. They grow beautifully in this really sunny spot. Doesn't everyone have beans growing at their front door? Why not?

 I just love this rose. I can't remember what it is called, but all those shades in the sunlight.... beautiful.

And the second of the lilies is flowering now. The yellow ones are out as well. I can't think why I didn't take a photo. I love lilies. There are about 40 in the garden. I did say I tend to overplant things, didn't I - you have NO idea how much I have crammed in. Forget all the rules for gardening. I do my own thing. If anyone says "Do you want any (insert random plant name)?" My response is "Yes, please!". Of course. And I squish it in somewhere. Or find another pot.

At this moment out there, there are big fat courgettes hanging over the edge of the pots, beans dangling from the plants, sunflowers climbing towards the sky, roses in bud and roses blooming, colour bursting out of the troughs and pots and beds of flowers, peas ripening on the vines, seeds popping their heads above the soil, lobelia and million bells cascading over the sides of baskets, lilies bursting open, cosmos growing tall and strong and waving their feathery heads about in the breeze, broad beans growing heavy, hostas growing ever bigger, lavender scenting the air as I brush past it, herbs on my finger tips as I crush a leaf or two to get the aroma, tomatoes appearing as the flowers die. And so much more. I sit under my apple tree, listening to the little birds, and watch the sunlight warming the soil, and I smile.

I know I talk too much about the garden.

I do believe there may be a chance of a BBQ this weekend, people. Apparently the weather is about to become summery again. The sun may be shining at the moment, but the rain will be here after lunch. Just as the tennis is due to start. But tomorrow, Sunday, Monday.... all will be good, and the TV actually had the numbers 30 on the chart for Sunday. A miracle. I had to put on the glasses to check I wasn't delusional.

Time to go and finish crocheting the new blanket for the lounge. In the summer colours. Just because I can.