Green green green

Green green green, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Flash floods

I set off in the car with my participant yesterday (8am early birds) . . on our way to a hospital apt in Oswestry on the A49. As we neared Hereford the sky turned black and it was almost impossible to drive through the rain. We stopped for a break and then carried on towards ludlow. The traffic had stopped there because the road was flooded. We drove through four deep parts and then decided to stop. . the next flooded part had 2 broken down lorries in it and 3 broken down cars. By this point I was feeling very stressed and worried that my participants car might break down and we would be stuck there for ages. We turned around and drove back through the floods. . and stopped by the side of the road to work out what to do next. We spoke to an old lady in a car and recommended that she turned around. . and a family in a 4x4 stopped to ask if we needed help. The traffic was tailed back for miles but we didnt see any police or fire engines. It was a bit like a disaster movie! We decided to head home and rearrange the apt for another time. We found out later that a man had died in Ludlow and we felt very grateful to have got home in one piece. Flash flooding is very scary.

Leylandii removed

Leylandii removed, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Let there be light.
The big leylandii and 2 other trees were removed this week from our garden and next doors border. It has made a big difference to the amount of light coming into the kitchen and the garden. We will hopefully transform the remaining stump into a woodcarving. . we have met a lady who can do it. . it will be good to have something like that in the garden.

Logs and chippings

Logs and chippings, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Lots of deer in the garden today

Lots of deer in the garden today, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Porthcawl

We went over to Porthcawl yesterday to see Dave and Jo and to meet 5 week old Marlene. It was lovely to see them. . Marlene is very lovely. We went to the pub and then watched the England v Italy game at home with Kate Ellie and Lewis. . there was lots of shouting at the tv and holding of heads in hands. . it was very disappointing. . again!!

It was another emotional few days in work last week.
On Thursday I received news that one of my participants had died after a short illness over the weekend. It was very sad news as she was such a vibrant, funny, colourful and interesting lady and I was very fond of her. We had been swimming together recently and tried a yoga class. . . we also spent lots of time together on the bus going to the post office to collect her pension. There was always laughter and stories. The funeral will be next week and her family would like people to wear bright and colourful clothes. They may drape her beautiful crochet blankets on the pews in the church.
I will miss her very much.

On Friday we were all called into the office again for an update on our jobs and the future. There was some good news for enablers but in the weeks ahead there will be difficult times as we hand over some of our participants to new service providers.

Talk Talk - FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH - 1986

Beautiful music.

Lavender

Lavender, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Day out with Mum

Day out with Mum, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Woodcarving

Woodcarving, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Mum visits

We had a lovely weekend with Mum. . Despite the heavy rain and my dodgy chicken casserole. We watched lots of Euro 2012 football, visited a local pub and local village fete, listened to a silver band, made and ate lots of scones with clotted cream and jam, visited the heritage centre and did some gardening. She headed back on the train on Monday and Jenny picked her up at the tram station in Manchester. We really appreciate her coming to stay with us.. at 79 she is doing well x

Elton John Versus Pnau - 'SAD'

"I used to know this old scarecrow...."

Retro Tony

Retro Tony, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

The Sounder (Wild Boar) by Pieter Daniel Dik

The Sounder (Wild Boar) by Pieter Daniel Dik, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

A group of boar is called a sounder. This oil painting from 1980 is beautiful.

Bumble bee and foxglove

Bumble bee and foxglove, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

It was a busy day yesterday.... cutting back the wisteria, mowing the lawn, weeding, working on the posts in the back garden.
The day got off to a very exciting start when we had our first ever sighting of wild boar at the top of the garden. We have waited 6 years to see them. We went out into the garden in our pyjamas... our neighbours were out there too.... but the boar ran away. Our neighbour said she counted 8. We later found evidence of boar activity in the field and in the woods.... big patches of churned over earth. We went out to look for them last night but there was no sign.

10.20pm at the summerhouse

10.20pm at the summerhouse, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Detail

Detail, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Posts

Posts, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

There was a break in the weather on Wed and we managed to get into the garden to make a start on the fencing. We have decided to fence off about a third of the garden from the deer...and to create an area where we can actually grow things....plants and vegetables. We still want to see the deer...it is always a magic moment when they pass through the garden and field.

Instagram is great.

Instagram is great., a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

The Jubilee Tea Party

The Jubilee Tea Party, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

It turned out to be a memorable weekend on the Isle of Man....with the Olympic Torch Relay arriving in Laxey and the Queens Diamond Jubilee Tea Party at Jim and Lisa's.
It was also the TT Races.... and our ferry over from liverpool was full to busting with bikers.
We had lots of fun with the kids and Viv was there too. Anwen was just starting to crawl and was getting over her chicken pox. Paul and Emma came over from their campsite to join in with the tea party.
It was a lovely double bank holiday weekend. x

Our DIY Olympic Torch

Our DIY Olympic Torch, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Iwan and Luke.... godchildren growing up fast x

Iwan and Luke.... godchildren growing up fast x, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.

Laxey Wheel

Laxey Wheel, a photo by Jillian DIxon on Flickr.