Oh the sun is shining and has been for a few days now and it is warm and oh thank goodness. We have had so much rain and cold that I honestly thought the summer would never arrive.
I have been busy so apologies again for my lack of posting. I did mention that my blogging would be much more sporadic these days but this is a bit too sporadic so here I go.
Well, first of all with the summer comes tennis and cricket and you all know how much I love both. Last week I went to Queen's Tennis with Felicity AKA the Other Grandma. I had to miss last year as my hip was disintegrating but now I have my new one it is ALL GO. We had good seats and the weather was wonderful and the grass was green and everyone at Queens is so welcoming and friendly. I love it.
We struck gold as that day we were there as Jack Draper, the new British No Uno was playing Carlos Alcaraz. Jack had just won his maiden ATP title the previous week and everyone was so happy for him. Nobody expected him to beat the Wimbledon and Queens Champion but we hoped he would do well. So when he won the first set and the crowd leapt to their feet and yelled (needless to say I was yelling louder than anybody else) we all assumed that he would end up losing in 3 sets. OK so he won and everyone went potty and it was all absolutely wonderful. Next day he was beaten by Tommy Paul, the eventual winner this year, who is more used to grass play than Alcaraz, but it was just great to be there.
I love people watching and Queens is a great place for this - there were so many lovely summer dresses and outfits on display all flowery and floats and so elegant. There was a lack of the Hooray Henry types there this year, I daresay they were all in the gin tent, just lots of good tennis fans having a good time.
BUT there is always one/two and this one/two was sitting in front of us. This couple came in, both in their fifties/sixties at a guess. The lady was smartly dressed but wearing a brown outfit of trousers and top that did nothing for her, with dyed red hair and very brown eyebrows. The husband had a droopy moustache and he just drooped all over. I know I am sounding dreadfully caustic by the way.
First match on court. The lady opened her make up bag and proceeded to accentuate eyebrows, put on eye shadow and lipstick, none of which was necessary as she already had a lot of powder etc already applied. She then put it all away and pulled out her phone and started scrolling. She did this throughout the entire match and not once did she look up. I am afraid that all of us in the row behind her got an attack of the giggles when we caught each other's eye. End of the match they went out.
Fast forward to the Draper/Alcaraz match and, once again, when it started out came the make up bag and then the phone. Totally oblivious to the fact that everyone around her was shrieking and screaming. She glanced up now and then and after the first set they got up and left never to be seen again.
I say, as I say each year when I witness this kind of behaviour, WHY? I know how much those seats cost so why bother?
A lovely lovely day though.
Drove home the next day and, natch, as I was on the North Circular, traffic was tedious and slow and when I was nearly home and wanted to turn on the road to Colchester, I spotted that two of those awful car carriers were in front of me and going at about 10 mph so I decided to hop off and go cross country. Found a winding B road and off I went. Got a bit lost but I knew I would hit a signpost soon and it was a simply gorgeous day and I did not really care. Found a way in the end.
While I was away I was having my bedroom decorated and came back to pristine white celing and paintwork and simply gawjus turquoise walls. Peeps blinked when they saw the colour I had chosen but it looks wonderful and so pleased with it. Before I went to London I spent two days clearing the room and on my return spent two days putting it right.
I am, therefore, doing nothing this week but lolling and watching tennis on the tv and reading Regency romances. Somebody recommended Mary Balogh to me and I simply love them. Have already got through about ten and plenty more to go.
I am in no mood for serious reading right now..
I hope you are all well and enjoying sun too.
