Big School

       I  forgot to mention in my last post that my little Granddaughter has just started Big School and is perfectly happy with it. She is Daughter's youngest and a very easy child, she doesn't make demands, or not unreasonable ones. She is currently spending half the week with her Father, so he is taking her to school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. As I said before, it wouldn't be my cup of tea, but she seems happy enough with it. So that's my third grandchild off to school, with little Grandson now at school in Barcelona. The Barcelona crew were here for a week at the end of August, and we were lucky enough to have glorious weather while they were here. Somehow we all fitted in comfortably, with Grandson sleeping on a very comfy blow-up bed in with his Mum and Dad, but it emphasised to me that I have actually down-sized and I don't much like it! I really want another bedroom so that I can earn a bit of money and have more people to stay and something more to do with my time! Let me tell you (if you don't already know) retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Anyway, I'd better stop moaning and do something about it.
       I went to the movies this week, to see Downton Abbey, and of course I loved it. I could quite happily watch episodes of it every day, I suppose because it transports me into a world that is quite out of my comprehension. And it is so far removed from my life that I can slide gently into period bliss for an hour or so :))
       It's Autumn, officially, so we can expect "mists and mellow fruitfulness". I've started well by making some crab apple jelly (with rose hips and rose petals thrown in), which is a glorious colour and tastes divine, and I've optimistically taken pounds of pears from Daughter's garden and am planning to make pear and apple chutney too. I'm a bit short of jars to put it in, so will have to beg the neighbours for jars in return for some chutney.
       Before I forget, Son was 40 on 16th of this month. They had a wonderful celebration, at their apartment, with a Hawaian Barbeque in the garden, forty-odd guests and three cakes!!  Sad that I couldn't be there, but they had squeezed in as many friends as they could to stay for the occasion, and anyway I'm planning to go for a visit next month.
       What a thought though, I have a Son who is 40! I had sent a little package for his Birthday, but although I sent it tracked and carefully wrapped, it was over a week late and had been opened. By whom I don't  know, but half the contents were missing and presumably stolen by whoever opened it. Why? I didn't send anything valuable, just nice little stuff for his Birthday: a little book about the Spurs, some candles for his cake and a bar of chocolate. Two birthday cards, two bookmarks and two  tiny little unbirthday presents...how mean that anyone would  think it worth stealing..They could at least have put everything back and delivered it! Boo, shame on you.