Tuesday... WHOOPS FORGOT TO POST THIS LAST NIGHT!!!

First of all I would like to say that this is NOT my photograph - it is one I found on the internet and the reason that this is not my photograph is that the Bee Eaters are crafty little things and the minute I get my good camera out with the telephoto lens they have buggered off.  They have been back now for a couple of weeks I think - I could hear them but not see them as they have a distinctive sound and maybe then the bees were flying higher and now the birds have to come down in order to satisfy their appetites.  Either way once they leave that will mean Summer is really over although judging by the weather recently you would think that the case anyway - it is so unsettled.

It is an emotional time at the moment.  Dad's birthday is looming on Sunday and I have no idea what effect that is going to have - it is also John's birthday and for him celebrations will never be the same again because how ever hard it is to be upbeat it will always be tinged with a bit of sadness.

In Portholland today family members gathered to say their final goodbye to Dad's brother Doug who died in Canada a few months' back.  A small contingency from Canada managed to make the trip including Uncle Doug's ex-wife Aunty Vera who is herself in her 80s.  They have erected a plaque in his memory on our memorial bench and the three brothers; Ron, Doug and Viv are once again together side by side - it looked a grey and uninviting day but my cousin tells me that it was blustery and warm and I am so glad that for Nicole, Kevin and Aunty V it did not rain.

Returning to Dad and his birthday John and I went into Polis today to find something to put on the grave on Sunday.

Shortly after the funeral we put a beautiful osteospurmum there and, having removed the bottom of the flower pot, it has taken root and flowered for the last six months.  Today we chose a fabulous gerbera which was full of flowers and buds and we will do the same and remove the bottom of the flower pot and hopefully as the weather is now much cooler it will thrive until we are able to have a permanent memorial erected which will not now be until the winter is over so maybe to make the first anniversary since his passing.