Sunday with Mum

Mum was coming today for lunch and we were having quiche, hasselback potatoes and a salad, except she very nearly didn't come because she had been out in the car on Saturday and not shut the door properly so over the course of a couple of days had drained the battery completely flat and she was in a right old state of panic.  I reminded her that with our car insurance comes Rescue Line and if she found the card they issue with all her details she could ring and they would send someone which they did,.  She didn't have to wait much longer than about 20 minutes or so and she was on her way up to us - a little later than planned but that was fine.

John and I made the quiche fresh this morning and with the leftover pastry John made some little cheese straws that were absolutely delicious.  He had been impressed by the ones which Sonia served us last night and there wasn't enough pastry left to do anything with so it was a great way to use it up.  He even took some across to Lakis and Argy to have with their morning coffee as we weren't going over today.  We had Ian the Window Film man coming to measure up for the three windows we had had replaced.  I take my hat off to him he always arrives looking cool and fresh in a perfectly laundered white shirt even though he is working in elevated temperatures particularly in places like our conservatory (well into the 40s today due to the heatwave we seem to be experiencing).

I cannot believe that just before Mum arrived we had another mini whirlwind type thing in the garden - this time we heard it before it arrived and were prepared with no crockery on the dining table and John and I holding onto the brollies.  The basil plants on the dining table took the hit today but we weren't too bothered about that.  Anyway as I say Mum arrived about an hour later than planned and we sat outside for lunch.  The quiche was a triumph although we panicked it wasn't going to cook in the middle - I think that was because I had rather overdone it with the cheese content but eventually it all set and was a bit like a soufflé as was so light and fluffy.  Mum had thought about going into the pool but she is a bit unsteady getting up and down the steps as we don't have a handrail so we just sat on the edge with our feet in the water keeping cool.

After Mum left I spent some time in the garden having a look at what needs to be cut back.  The hollyhock has just about finished flowering and has now become the home for a teeny tiny praying mantis which was hard to spot because it is about the same colour as the fading flowers!

I had the feeling that I was being watched and realised that Charlie was up on Brammall Lane keeping an eye on what I was up to.  He likes to have company and earlier in the day had been across to Lakis and Argy's sitting with them.  When they went out they wanted Charlie to come home but he wasn't interest so Argy actually had to walk across to our gate with Charlie following her.  He is becoming rather more confused and you can see from the photograph the difference between the left side and the right side of his face - his right side being the side which doesn't move as a result of him being knocked over.  This is now three or four years ago so whatever movement and feeling he has is all he is going to get now.

I have felt a little better today but my headache is still lingering - hopefully it will bugger off because tomorrow is our 31st wedding anniversary.