Here and There

Just back from Preston, where I went to do a bit of delivery for my postal services company. Stayed at the Tickled Trout (honest!) which was fine, but I do wish that they hadn't begun stocking up the meeting rooms adjacent to my bedroom at one o'clock in the morning. I have to say, though, that when I challenged the night porter about this (dressing gown clad - me, not him!) he gave one of the best and most disarming (in its real sense) bits of customer service I've ever had - he charmingly agreed that I had a good point and that in my place he'd complain too, that he'd mentioned the noise his trolley made to the management several times but nothing had been done and that if I could just bear with him for 10 more minutes he'd be done. Try arguing with that approach.

The trip up tp Preston was interesting - a packed train, reservations indicators not working (in fact, before we left Euston the driver had to do a "total shutdown" otherwise we might not have left at all) and bedlam in the supposed quiet coach where I'd originally had a reservation. Well, it wasn't exactly bedlam, but sitting in front of me were two female teachers who were escorting a small school party. They had a loud and intrusive conversation from the moment they sat down, making loud mobile phone calls and watching videos on one of their phones with the sound turned up. Eventually, several quiet coach habitues remonstrated with them, only to be told that the teachers hadn't wanted to sit in the quiet coach, ergo it was fine for them to behave however they wished. There's a logic there somewhere. Fortunately, their pupils were much better behaved. Coming back was much better in a non-quiet coach which was much quieter than the quiet coach. Life's a funny old thing.

The landscape gardners have finished in the back garden and have done a fantastic job - new fence, new paving, new large brick planters and ...... a pond! It's slightly ornamental but is designed for wildlife and the local sparrows are already enjoying it. The solar fountain is due to arrive today (my postie called this morning to say it was in his box and he'd be delivering it later - bless you Amazon and bless you Royal Mail) and I'm off shopping for plants for it tomorrow. Once they're in I'll stick a picture on. I have to say it looks very good and the plants should make it look excellent. Wish I could say the same for the lawn, which is in a dreadful state because of both the drought and the fact that the gardners have been walking over it for several days.

I've harvested, dried and bagged my onions and have a few bits of planting to do - several basil plants and a butternut squash (which appeared long after I'd given up on it - its two siblings which I grew from seed saved from last year have been planted out for over three weeks) to plant out, and several varieties of summer seeds to plant (I do love an Oxford comma). However, it's just too hot at present for doing planty things, so it'll need to wait.

Oh, and I almost forgot - last week was my beautiful daughter Emily's 21st family party. 21 of us sat down for dinner (how apt) including a couple of Aussie cousins and a grand time was had by all. We went up to the Midlands, where lots of the family live, and had the event at the Marston Farm Hotel, who did us proud. Highly recommended.