A housesit, a paella and a safari

Paella weekend! With James, Fiona and Jenny

We are now at a Housesit in Bromsgrove, for little Millie cat, very cute, young and very pretty. Purrs a lot, but will also take a swipe for no obvious reason. Very happy that now it’s cooled down a bit she is spending time indoors with us, even sleeping on the bed last night. The other ‘pet’ here is the robot lawnmower, it brings itself out of its little house about 18.15 and drives randomly over the lawn for about three hours. Millie thinks it’s playing with her as she leaps about the lawn which is very funny. I did have a nose inside it’s house the other night, only to find a frog, that had also been having a nose at some point, only to find itself trapped by the mower as it returned to its charging station! It had obviously been there some time!

Cutie little Millie cat trying to keep cool in the heat

Walking along the canal to meet the others

Yesterday we met up with John and Brian W for a walk, and Keith that Brian has met down the pub, but is new to me. Turns our he lived just round the corner from me in Tring in the 80’s! What a very small world! The plan was to meet them in Barnt Green for breakfast and then walk back here. The train would have been quick and easy, but Brian wanted to use his bus pass, so we waited for a bus that never turned up, before dashing into the town centre to miss it there! They were about to start walking along the canal towards us, so we went to the canal to meet them! We then went to the Hanbury Turn for a few pints, and a cheese cob. It would have been sensible to leave them then and go back to Millie, about 20 minutes away, but no, we went with them to the Ladybird, by the station, about 35 minutes away, knowing we would also have to walk back! Much beer, much chat and 24,000 steps later we arrived back at the house, slightly wet, but having had a lovely day.

We'd walked 12 miles so deserved the half dozen or so afternoon pints! With Brian W, John and Keith

Rainbow Lorikeets having some nectar from Pauline 

Thursday, when it was very hot, we decided we’d take mum out. Though I say it myself I had an inspiration, we went to the West Midlands Safari Park, arrived early, borrowed a wheelchair so we could get to the lemurs and goats in the furthest corner, without mum overheating, before sitting in the car with the aircon on for the afternoon! We had a brilliant day, avoided the worst of the crowds by driving in the afternoon and avoided the horrible heat, except when I had to open the windows to feed the giraffes!

Its very amusing the way giraffes eat food from your hand

With the heat it felt like we were on a safari

The previous weekend had been our annual paella with Fiona and James, another lovely day, and part of a lovely weekend. We stayed over so we could all have a drink before walking into Leamington on the Sunday to see where the bowls had been taking place for the Commonwealth Games, and then watching the men’s cycling road race. Friends of Fi and James live right on the route, so we sat on the end of their drive watching the action. Brilliant. All rounded off with a Sunday tea club. More lovely food, chat and laughter.

Being in with the Lorikeets was the best place as it was air conditioned in there, a lovely escape from the heat

Jackies fabulous paella that she cooked for James, Fiona, us and Jenny

Oscar cat would have liked to try it too!

Apparently Brian may have had a few too many glasses of wine and sangria, much to the amusement of granddaughter Jenny

Kerbside seats for the Commonwealth Games cycle race through Warwick and Leamington Spa at James and Fionas friends house

Here they come now! It took them about 20 minutes to do one of the ten or so circuits, but as the race went on they spread out so much there were riders coming past almost continually. It was a lovely atmosphere with the police motorcycle riders waving and 'high fiving' spectators as they rode slowly by

Fiona and James' cat Oscar, who we'll be looking after in a couple of weeks while they go on holiday. There'll be more photos of him later...

But we've still got another week and a half of cutie Millie cat to go yet