Busy week, flown past........

.....again. Main theme of the week was Bean's exam, GCSE English, in two papers. One exam,4 hours in total, probably not that much of a big deal for most families, but this was the first exam sat by her as a competely home educated person. She did fine, had few problems, and we are all looking forward to a good result! On the strength of a predicted pass in that, an interview and portfolio of written and art work, she has secured a place at college on a BTEC MMI (Media and Moving Image) course - I am very proud of her (yes, I've told her......:) So to all the doubting Thomases concerning home education - there you go! Now to get EJ organised - more of a challenge, methinks!

Also, was OH's birthday on Friday, so special tea of fillet steak, chips and trimmings, followed by hoem made lemon curd and cream birthday cake, chocolate and a bottle of rose.

OH and EJ are off out today at Cardiff arena, at the Monster Jam event - won't be back until about 2am; Bean and I have had Bacardi Breezer and just about to have pizza (half price yesterday in the shop!). We did a major job on the sitting room this afternoon, with a break for the village hall Fair Trade cafe in the middle - sitting room now respelndent in summer weight curtains and rug, with beautiful flowers and almost dust free, no stuff lying around and looks very nice. Wonder how long that will last? :0)

Barbara is still sitting tight on the eggs, so looking good for chicks later this month.

Next week's job is to send out the invites for the summer solstice do on 21st, so need to do some cards for that, aided and abetted by the rather talented Bean (wonder who she takes after?;) )

Today's pics are the roses I picked for the sitting room - I have always hankered after a real rose bowl, and found this lovely one down at the tip; the roses are Albertine and Zepherine Druin (the most beautiful scent, and thanks to The Plaited One* for the recommendation). Knitting is a waistcoat for me, done in lots of odds and ends of tweedy Shetland, Rowan and other yarns, in a Medieval Turkish sock pattern. The geranium is a trailing one I bought a couple of weeks ago, looks very beautiful against the green paint of the kitchen. The viola is very special - Irish Molly, the *most* beautiful bronzy/green colour - I've been after her for a couple of years, and I found it yesterday (not very cheap........) at one of my favourite garden centres locally, delighted to find it. Bonus is that it should make 3 - 4 plants if I divide it carefully.

Tomorrow's jobds are picking elderflowers and lots of them, and going to pick up a heated cupboard from Freecycle; it's been (home made) designed for a fermenting cupboard for wine, fitting 5 demi-johns, but I have my eye on it for a honey cupboard. The freshly jarred honey is put in there at a constant temperature (need to look that bit up!) to stop it crystalising and setting solid, so hopefully a useful addition to our stash and store of equipment.

It's a good life if you work at it!!

*The great Bob Flowerdew