Lunch in the country

Friday. 3rd August

Tickets arrived this morning for the three shows we’ve booked at the Brunton. Booked tickets for “Catriona” in the Goth next week. Enjoyed my visit to Smeaton gardens with Chris, Ella and Mary. Seemed as if we were far out in the country as lots of sheep in our path and we even saw a deer in the distance.It’s an old walled Garden, with lovely herbaceous plants and apple trees, quinces, pears etc all round the walls. In the old greenhouses were grapes and what we thought might be apricots!. The tearoom was inside an old greenhouse, with oilcloth tablecloths and old fashioned tea sets.Pleasant homely atmosphere and delicious food

Washing machine repair man arrived just after I came home, so everything now under control. Helen arrived with Evelyn and her twins, Eilidh and Rowan. They are so pretty and talented, singing all kinds of songs. Couldn’t believe it when they started telling me about Pride and Prejudice, as they’re only eight. They haven’t read the books obviously, but they compared the characters in the two films with great enthusiasm.

Saw a colourful kite flying over the home.Not a big one, like those down on the links, but an ordinary child’s kite. Reminded me of the ones John used to make for the boys when they were wee. He made them perfectly of course, from garden canes borrowed from my dad, old pieces of brown paper, string and newspaper.My dad used to call them “draigons”. Lots of fun for all concerned.