Author: Maggie Daniel

We did the second coat of painting in the bedroom. In the evening, for a change, we sat and watched a couple of programmes we had downloaded. We usually sit outside in the evenings as it is still very warm but the sand flies are a total nuisance.

We walked Rosie and then started mixing paint. It looked very pale in the pot, so added a bit more dye and when it was on the wall, I have to admit it looked a little darker than I intended but at least the wall will look clean! In between painting we noticed that Mal’s “interview” with Lincguide had been published. I have to say some of it was a little ‘tongue in cheek’ which is Mal’s usual style! I doubt many will realise that though.

In the evening I went to girlie Pizza night.

Now it is a little cooler Mal and I have started on our long list of jobs to do. We have had paint mixed before which never seems to come out the colour that has been promised. We found an easy solution, add our own dye. We found such dyes in Marshall’s and I started mixing the paint to the colour I wanted. Foolishly, I trusted the colours on the card that came with the syringe. I had not realised that the colours had faded in the shop, obviously by the sun, so as I started mixing, the hint of beige I wanted was turning pink! I hate pink walls and so the whole can has been dumped. Mal is not the tidiest of people at the best of times but without even touching a paint brush or roller, he managed to splash pink paint everywhere. Don’t ask me how. Back down to our local yapi for another can of white paint and a proper dye! By this time, having prepared the bedroom, I just couldn’t be bothered to start again!

Instead I gave Rosie a good brushing as she has a habit of scrambling about in the undergrowth when we are out walking. I then gave her a shower and she looked much improved, which the shower and the en suite didn’t after she had run around everywhere soaking wet.

I had a long email from Glenda and Garry, our friends in Tennessee and the past few years have not been good to Glenda health wise. We really hope Glenda that things are now improving and you are on the road to recovery.

Mal and I did more around the house, like Mal sealing windows that have never been fitted properly.

I also heard from my niece/god daughter, Julie, who is running 10K towards the end of October for Cancer charity. Just in case anyone would like to donate a couple of quid – CLICK HERE. Well done Julie!!

We had a surprise in the evening, friends of ours, Glenda and Garry, who live in Tennessee who we had lost contact with contacted Mal on Facebook. We haven’t seen them for 8 years. They stayed with us in the UK and we visited London and did the sights with them. We also took them to France, a really good day out until we arrived back at Dover and got stuck in the lift in the car park on the hottest day that summer. We were there for half an hour before the fire brigade arrived. I can tell you not all lifts have a trap door, ours didn’t! Plenty more adventures we shared. We are looking forward to being back in touch with them.

In the morning we ran Jill and Val to the airport as they were off for two weeks holiday in Turkey. On the way back we stopped at a new supermarket. It’s big clean and more choice but prices are around the same as locally.

In the afternoon we watched the Chelsea game.

We had a busy day gardening and also jobs around the house that have been left over summer.

Of course we watched the Man U match, a little disappointing!