Holiday Highlights

I write this between loads of washing. We are currently having to pick our way through the piles of organised post holiday clothes that are grouped up in the hall trying to make their way to the washing machine.

So I have some down time between the holiday and going back to work on Monday, what better way to spend it than curled up on the couch with Husband watching formula 1 and surfing the net for ways to take our new holiday skills further.

I am not going to bore you with all the photos of blue skies, clear water, bottles of sun tan lotion etc etc. Just thought it might be worth running you through some of our holiday highlights!

Lesvos (pro-nounced Lesbos) is indeed a very popular destination for Ladies who prefer Ladies - we arrived during an International Womens Festival which might explain the high degree of same sex couples.  Have to confess I did think it was a bit of a myth but it would appear not.

It is also a popular destination for cats. I have been quietly working away at Husband on the merits of having a pet cat ourselves but the last fortnight might have changed even my cat loving mind. Being stared at by 6 sets of catty eyes while you eat is very disconcerting and makes for a difficult meal.

We went for a 9k run in the early afternoon. Madness you might think, given the high temperatures in the mid day, but it was a cool damp morning and not likely to get better with a storm forecast for later in the day. We thought we'd take advantage of the cooler temperature and be back before the lightening started to flash.

The route would take us up a hill where a radio mast was located but that would give us spectacular views of island.

We didn't make it to the top.

We very nearly did but the thunder and lightening was starting to build up, so rather than continue working our way up to a large metal structure we decided it would be best to make a hasty decent. By hasty I mean as quick as my legs would take me. We were running along roads that were 20 minutes earlier gravel/concrete but roads none the less. These were now clearly rivers- 3 inches of water at least, foot covering and worrying because you couldn't see where you were putting your foot- pot hole vs. solid ground!

Husband is now trying to work out quite how to put the fear of God into me when we are running back at home because the speed I was able to generate was according to him "very impressive compared to my normal speeds"

Neither of us got burnt and both of us had the most amazing time, with a couple of friends to help start the week off it was a much needed holiday in the sun.

Now to catch up on all those other blogs I have missed reading while I've been catching some late summer sun....

Keeping things alive

" I'm really sorry. It was all I could find"

Sigh and desperate looks shared...

" I am not sure I can do this. It's so pretty and we are effectively sending it to its death"

More desperate looks shared

"Oh well, I am sorry little orchid"

This was the conversation Lil B and her Husband were having at the boot of their car before bringing in a very pretty orchid as a present for me. 

I am not so good with the plants but I am making a conscious effort not to kill any. Not because I have a mean streak and like hacking to death helpless greenery but because I am not so green fingered. 

On the 24th of July Oli arrived and so far of the 10 tiny flowers she had she's only lost 6 and we are only 6 weeks into our relationship.This is new territory for me, plants in our family last days not weeks and now we are approaching "months" territory.

I have been on line and she is going to loose her flowers but I think I can get them to re-flower by cutting the stem. I am not going anywhere near her until all the flowers are gone and I have reconsulted the internet to make doubley sure I am not about to commit plant murder unnecessarily.

The thing is Lil B has the green fingers. And I want to have the green fingers - I have dreams of a garden with lots of flowers and veg and lush green grass for running around bare foot on. But I kill houseplants. So what kinds of carnage could I inflict on an actual garden?!?!

On Christmas Lil B and I got a Peace Lilly. You know the kind big green leaves one solitary white flower in the middle growing straight and proud on its own. Mine didn't make it to another Christmas, Lil B has cultivated hers to the point where I am sure she has more flower heads than big leaves. This was some years ago. 

We are selling our flat and thought some colour was in order. So Husband went out and bought the brightest funniest looking house plant he could find.

Hairy Cock Plant

I killed its brother in a fortnight. 

This replacement one is now in the "months" category.

Tonight a very dear friend brought round a Calla Lilly. 

I am now at 3 house plants, (I don't include the 2 cacti I have had since I was 17 and seem incapable of killing. I think they might be some sort of sad-masochist breed of plant) and am feeling the strain of their silent expectant hopes that they make it into the "years" category without too much drought or flooding.

I keep them separate from the cacti incase they tell these lovely new additions about the others that I have been incapable of keeping alive.