24-Jun to 30-Jun 2012

Sun 24-Jun: Managed the first decent spell at the allotment for a week or so, a brief respite from kitchen decorating. After cleaning out the chicken coop and composting, at last rearranged the tray cabinets acquired from playschool last week. Here's the result... enough storage to ensure I never lose anything again plus so many spare trays there'll be no need to ever buy more. Plus effectively no loss of space in the greenhouse, since I still have a top for seedlings. Result!

Mon 25-Jun: Current fixation. Don't ask... I'm in enough trouble already!

Tue 26-Jun: Far too nice a day for sticking indoors decorating, so off we ambled on the 8 mile Houghton to Godmanchester walk, with lunch from Select Snacks eaten under the shade of a huge London plane tree in the Godmanchester water meadow. This is the view as we earlier ambled along Riverside Park, one of the few or possibly only parts of Huntingdon not blighted by appalling planning mistakes. One of it's best features, the old bridge, has the A14 flyover just yards away in the background (though it's been conveniently airbrushed out in this photo), and the whole town vibrates to the sound of A14 traffic. A snap from Huntingdon featured on the front cover of the book Crap Towns and some beautiful old houses were demolished to make way for the appalling inner ringroad. Somewhat ironic therefore that the planning department is located right in the centre of the mess they've created!

Wed 27-Jun: Sammy's been let out on solo expeditions to the nearby Co-op supermarket for some time and besides being convenient for Becky, it's also a source of amusement to see what he comes back with bought from his own money. This week it was a tin of cat food for the local moggie, previously a set of teaspoons. Today was Connor's first solo outing, let loose by Beth to scooter towards school, up the long path and to wait for me to meet him halfway at the park near Sammy's house. Of course Sammy and his mates George and Henry were patrolling the area and this image is when I first spotted them. So in addition to Connor popping across, Sammy now realises we're only a short distance further than the supermarket. Something tells me grandson visits are going to increase markedly from now on.

Thu 28-Jun: Another trip out to see if we could spot the appropriate waste bin and microwave for the new kitchen. After visits to Comet and Homebase, ambling around Dunelm I noticed this useful looking kitchen under sink storage, so took a snap to see if it would measure up for our kitchen. Apparently I'm not supposed to take photos in shops after being told off by the assistant at Norfolk Lavender in May. Things took a significant turn for the worse thereafter and we were soon back home, having bought nothing.

Fri 29-Jun: Been a while since I'd cleared the blanket weed from the allotment pond. Whilst catching up with the task, was sure I saw something move for cover that might have been a newt. Then surprise surprise, there was the newt lying suspended in the water. Who knows, maybe there are actually two!

Sat 30-Jun: Here's me and Connor sheltering under a tree avoiding a cloudburst during an evening wander and skateboarding session, Beth and Chris out on their sixth wedding anniversary meal. He was dressed OK, but not me... the shorts aren't visible. We took in a few hills and ended up at his request at the oak tree I used to take him to when he was tiny. During the walk he expressed how important it was to live life to the full, we discussed the merits of being buried in an expensive oak coffin as opposed to a cardboard box, and he described when he saw the tooth fairy once in his garden. Never a dull moment!