Egypt4u

Today I went AWOL! We went to France and Belgium via the Eurotunnel. It was a very early start and I didn't sleep at all last night so I'm now absolutely cream-crackered! We got back just after 5pm so an early night will take precedence I think.

Awe what a lovely looking tree, shame to having it stripped back but, needs must

The tree surgeons did a very good job, taking it back to where it had previously been pruned and leaving the cuts smooth.

Growth follows the knife as they say, so won't be long before it's catching up with the untrimmed side.

Today is a gardening day. I was going to go to the garden centre to get some more compost and some moss poles for the climbers but it will be crowded and closes early so i hope too go tomorrow.

My Stephanotis has sent out a 5ft long shoot over the last couple of weeks - sometimes I thought I could actually see it growing! It's reached the Mandevila and is starting to make itself too much at home. I'll have to unwind it today or I'll probably break it when I repot it. I have two, so am going to plant them in one big pot with as much of the wire loo[ that they are on removed as far as possible.

My hyacinths have just started to die back, so I'll move them out of my living room jungle. The daffodils died very quickly and now dried off. I've removed dozens of deadheads from my non-stop begonia - I bought it in flower a couple of months ago. The flowers are quite small but very abundant and it certainly lives up to it's name.

This year's kalanchoe plants are tiny but 3 of the 4 have finished flowering after 2 months - what good value they are. I'll let you know if these flower again like the ones I had last year - which are looking pretty straggly, but thriving.

Last but not least my only geranium which thrives on neglect from year to year has opened it's first flowers of the season looking more robust than usual.

Mad Dilys wrote:The tree surgeons did a very good job, taking it back to where it had previously been pruned and leaving the cuts smooth.

Growth follows the knife as they say, so won't be long before it's catching up with the untrimmed side.

Very true MD. I cut the large limb back many years ago and what I have now had cut back has grown since. In a few years all those stub ends will grow more but at least I can get one of my sons to keep them trimmed back. In years gone by we had two swings on that tree when the grandkids were small.

To date I have only used my scooter for very nearby trips such as to the mail box at the bottom of the road. I had intended to do my first more distant trip to Sainsburys today but drizzly weather put the lid on that.

There is a F1 GP this afternoon so I shall watch that. It is from a street circuit in Baku Azabaijan. I expect Roy will be watching Kiya if they get it transmitted, wherever he is right now.

As it was her birthday today I allowed my daughter to see the coop I was making for her, she was over the moon and kept bursting into tears of joy she was so excited by it. Had a rest day yesterday evening with a friend comming over for the evening, so it was a few laughs and watch TV with a nice bottle of Merlot, finished the weekend off by going out to Sunday lunch together at a local Carvery, all very pleasant. Will probably go to my daughters tomorrow and help lay the flags for under the chicken coop in her garden, its all go.

Yesterday was at the Gardening center and I bought one more pink peony. I have (I think) 3 red and 1 pink so now I'll have 2 pink ones. Have never quite cared for the white ones but might add one space permitting. Will see how they grow. This peony was actually shoved into an open spot as all the plants naturalize out there there was a perfect sized open spot full sun with nothing so now it'll sport a plant.

I also bought a green gooseberry (no thorns) and a black current bush. Wasn't too happy with the black current as when I tipped the entire pot to have it slide out the bush fell out. It was obviously just planted bare root so if it dies it'll be going back. Then I spent another 30 minutes or so pulling weeds - all those little tiny insidious weeds that seem to spread everywhere all over the place. At least I can now throw the weeds into a lawn waste recycle that the City just started in January. Prior to this we had to dispose of our own yard waste which was nothing sort of a real pain.

Going to head out for brekkie at the Pub, will finish up laundry and then pack the car for my sojourn to the States tomorrow. Having officially turned 65 I can now travel FREE on the Ferry (although I still have to pay for the car)

Yes Grandad I was watching not sure if Roy got to watch it as he is 7hours behind us & he is working 12 hour shifts.

I don't think Hamilton deserved that win

Kiya, What on earth was Ricciardo and Vestappen up to? Lunatics.

Vettel simply lost it and allowed Hamilton, Raikkonen and Perez to take the podium spots.

Hamilton as always drove a mature safe race and IMO deserved his win. Like him or loathe him he is the best driver on the track.

Lousy cold day today, 4 to 7 degrees. My CH comes on from 3 to 10pm, unless I override it. I think this year I have overridden it every day including today, when I got up.

To hell with the cost, I will not be cold.

Weird you speak of Ricciardo & Vestappen, I told Roy after the race 2 weeks ago I had a dream that night that 2 cars would collide with each other with the colours red & yellow, now check out these .....Ricciardo & Vestappen..... yes what were they up to crazy.

Yes if my driver Vettle didn't go wide at the corner he would have had the podium easy.....Ham was just a little bit lucky, no wonder he wasn't jumping for joy as he usually does.................I've no time for him really!!!!

Bit of a petrol head then, are you Kiya?

You share your fav Seb Vettle with my wife. I admit he is a nice guy. But credit to Ham who said, but for his puncture, his team mate Valteri should have won. He is a sport really

The weather has not improved, still raining, and bl**dy cold. I know where I would prefer still to be.

Who gets the blame for debris on the track? if it wasn't for that & his puncture Valteri could have made it.

Up here it's been a beautiful sunny day but cold

Ferry ride uneventful. Mainland was totally fogged in and I managed to get into the slowest Border crossing lane but made it a-ok here, saw the Dr and finished mega blood tests (waiting for results), shopped the rest of the day purchasing laundry & dishwasher soap (super exciting - not!)

Am going to head south tomorrow to Mt Vernon (Skagit Valley) to catch the tail end of the Tulip Festival. Am hoping the fields will still be in full bloom although the weather hasn't been terribly great for growing this spring.

Now to sleep. Getting up at 3:30am to catch a 5:15am Ferry isn't something I look forward to but doing it sure makes the day easier.

LLL, I hope you have a safe trip over the border but do you really go to the states to buy washing powder???
Hope the tulips are worth the trip.

@Grandad - Nah - I don't really come here to buy washing powder but it was on a super terrific sale at Fred Meyer Store (211 wash loads for $4.99 less 10% off as it was Seniors day - how could I resist).

So you bought a car load eh?

Annual trip to the garden centre this morning. Bought enough plants to fill the pots so I will give them a couple of weeks to acclimatise outside of the warm greenhouse then get busy. That is about as far as my gardening activity goes.

I must say though that the greenhouses did look splendid fully stocked with hundreds of thousands of every plant imaginable. This is purely a nursery with no frills or tea room etc. I didn't take any pics but this is their website.
http://www.meadowgrangenursery.co.uk/

Nothing like a mooch around a garden center to lift the spirits

@granddad...importing laundry soap is going to be my next latest greatest business endeavour!!

All the garden centers here are gorgeous and full to the top. Wish I could bring it home.

Is the same brand that much cheaper over the border LLL?

Today we are back to the old routine, taxi to Sainsburys for the weekly shopping. This afternoon I think I will re-pot my Amaryllis that seems to have revived. Need to leave the new plants another week or two before planting up. Still a chance of frost.

Sitting at the ferry terminal now waiting for the Queen of Coquitlam to arrive. It is a really old ferry but the Powers that be have taken the new big Ferries for the southern routes leaving us with 2 old Ferries that are quite a bit smaller.

Laundry soap on the Island for a same size container would be about 6 times the amount. This soap was on a big lost leader type sale as usually it would be about triple the price I paid.

Course no rain today. Soon the sun will be out. Not 1 tulip was seen due to crummy, as in raining weather. Guess I will get the blooms next year