Saturday 8 February 2020

The First Week of February Was a Bit Different

Are Camellias usually in flower in Suffolk in the first week of February?
The flowers are slightly pinker than they look on the photo and never seem to last long before turning brown and falling off.
It's tucked in a corner between garage wall and fence but I was still surprised to see flowers. It's only my second spring with a Camellia and I can't remember when it flowered last year.

The swimming pool was open again after their 3 weeks shut due to the power surge. So it was good to get back in. My knee is still a bit painful doing breast stroke legs and I mentioned it to Clare the physio lady when I went for the follow-up. I'm signed off now but with it all being self referral and free I can go back anytime.

Willow was here one night and some days while Son and DiL were at hospital having Arthur. It's a joy to spend time with her as she's a happy and easy going little girl but Oh My! I'm left completely shattered afterwards.


How did Colin's Mum manage when she looked after Eldest daughter (aged 17 months) for several days when I produced son?..............6 days in hospital was the norm back then and Colin had to be at work .
Thinking about it..................she was only in her late 40's, she had Col's Dad and Brother in the house some of the time too and she was a natural born Nanna..... which I'm sure I'm not!
Oh how we all miss Colin.


This week I am grateful for
  • Safe arrival of a new grandson.
  • Precious time with youngest granddaughter
  • Back to swimming


Hope you all have a lovely weekend.
I think everyone knows about the windy weather due on  Sunday, so stay safe. I plan to actually get around to reading and commenting on blogs while staying safe indoors - unless the gales take the electric off again!

Back Monday
Sue

25 comments:

  1. I bet Florence had a wonderful time with you.
    Everything seems to be coming up early this year. I have the beginnings of mint, chives and oregano as well as the delphinium. Weird.
    And, finally, ((((hugs)))).
    xx

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  2. I think everyone says the same about looking after grand-children Sue! You are not alone . . . She looks a lovely little girl.

    My (well, it was mum's) Camelia normally flowers early enough - March - but everything is so forward this year. I even have water lily leaves coming out in my pond -but no sign of frogs or toads to spawn and they have been here in January before now. I also have some Aquilegia leaves several inches tall (but they are in a sheltered bed against a wall). The others are either absent or only just peeping through the soil. The wild ones have the sense to stay put.

    We are booked in for a Militaria Fair tomorrow, but we did say the weather might keep us away. It's Malvern Flea too and I had planned to drop K off and go on to that, but with my wrist and the weather, I think I shan't bother.

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  3. I could never understand my mother saying she loved seeing her grandchildren - and loved seeing them go home again. Now I am the same age, I understand completely!

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  4. Such a cheeky face. She's adorable. X

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  5. Willow looks a little beauty! I think it is the age thing which saps our energy. Grandchildren never seem to tire which is more than can be said of me! We often say that it's lovely to have them here but the red lights of the car taking them home can be very welcome..lol...

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  6. What a joy to spend some quality time with your adorable grandaughter, she has such a cheeky smile.

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  7. Glad You had a good time with Willow such a pretty little girl. My G.Neice had her second baby yesterday called Mollie I need to age a card today her baby blanket is already crochet.

    Yes the flowers are shooting up so quickly, my bleeding heart is quite tall.
    Pleased you went swimming it's good exercise.
    It was beautiful yesterday and hope this storm is not to bad.
    Have a nice weekend Sue and everyone else.
    Hazel c uk

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  8. It is lovely to have them and lovely to hand them back! My mum ended up with my elder daughter (18 months)for over a week when I went into hospital to have our younger daughter as we all got snowed in - me in the hospital, DH at home and daughter at my mum's. Took them a long time to recover!

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  9. They are hard work, but it's something we missed with our eldest grand-daughter when we lived in Wales. On the days we look after our youngest my husband leaves at 7am to pick her up, takes the eldest to school and brings the youngest back here to cause bedlam (lol) before taking her back in time to pick eldest up from school, stays there giving them their tea until our daughter gets home from work, stays a while and then gets back here about 7pm. So it's a long day for him, but he loves having the contact that we didn't have before. One positive thought is that they do grow up and that will be when we reminise (? spelling) about these days good or bad.

    Willow looks like a lot of fun.

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  10. Lovely little grand daughter you have there - make the most of it - she'll be getting married before you know it. (I have a great grand daughter that age now)

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  11. Hope your pool wasn't as busy as ours yesterday. It was a battle to get from one end to the other.

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  12. My Camellia is in flower too, in Lancashire. It does seem very variable, one year it flowered from November to March continuously.

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  13. Even a day spent with the grandkids is tiring, so you did well for a couple of days AND a night. They are lovely but it's nice to get our own space back isn't it. I agree too that it's easier to have the little kids around if there is a man (big kid) to help with the playing and entertaining. Alan is brilliant at this, as I guess Col was too.

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  14. I am in South Wales and my camellia has been in full bloom since January, a good three or four months earlier than usual.

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  15. Yes, caring for "Grands" is a hard job. No matter how lovely it is, and is supposed to be. Later life was not designed, to run after toddlers. -smile-

    Be safe, during your storm.

    We survived our Ice Storm, with power intact. But many, were not so lucky.

    ⛄ ☃ ⛄

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    1. I'm glad you got through an ice storm unscathed, luckily thats something we don't get in the UK

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  16. Yes, to the camellias flowering in Suffolk at this time, totally normal. My mum and dad always have them early in the year. Gorgeous.

    Keep safe tomorrow. It's still calm and quiet in Ipswich right now but it's on the way I'm sure!

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    1. Bet the town will be chaos as the Orwell bridge is sure to be shut

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  18. Willow has really grown. I'm glad you two had special time together as that is good for you both. When my grands were little they stayed every other weekend with us and although it wore us out we loved the special time.

    I'm glad to hear the pool is open! Enjoy your weekend and I hope the storm does not hit you too hard.

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  19. Congratulations with the new grandson! Willow is so cute, but I know they want a lot of attention at that age :) Lovely camellia flowers!

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  20. Congratulations on new grandson. I've not been reading regularly because youngest granddaughter was here from the 1/28th - 2/6th. Daughter was commuting to DC from here for her job which she tellecommutes to from Buffalo, NY normally. I can understand your exhaustion after keeping up with a 2.5 yr old.

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  21. What a cutie Willow is. I know what you mean about being shattered and I've got Mark here to help out but I'm still exhausted when Sienna has been. I think it's all the pretend play we have to do. I'd rather bake, stick or paint but she prefers to play make believe. Hope the family are all settling into their routine with baby Arthur. xx

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  22. Your camellia looks very healthy, mine is still in tight bud so not a flower due for quite a while yet.
    Willow does look enchanting, such a lovely smile.
    Hope you are ok in the storm today, its not nice!

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  23. Feb 9, 2020

    Hope all is well, after the storm.

    ❄ 🌕 ❄

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