Folks, where are you coming from?

Something strange is going on, and my pageviews have consistently increased over the past two months, to the extent that there were almost 3,000 yesterday and my monthly tally is set to be more than double my previous highest.  And the views seem to be coming in through google, and from the USA.

It is quite unlike any spambot attack, and it is consistent, and growing, rather than random.

So, folks who are coming here through Google and who live in the US, what's the attraction?  Do tell, because I am intrigued!

Cooling down and gearing up

Thank goodness the heatwave has passed and we can breathe more easily - I am just not cut out for such searing temperatures.....today has been much cooler and fresher.  The garden is going mad, though, and despite collecting 9 courgettes from the plants last week, I have gathered another 8 tonight. It is that time of year when people are afraid to answer their door to me in case I am offering more courgettes - my courgette recipe folder is out and being well used!  The French beans are also laden with gorgeous green beans and the tomatoes in the greenhouse are ripening nicely.

The girls are off on their holidays with Grandypops a week on Monday, and so the preparations are beginning in earnest now......the cases, the shopping, the washing, the choosing....the slight panic!  They are getting a little excited now that the time is drawing nearer.  Dad's health isn't great and he will be getting another MOT at the doctor's next Friday to ensure that the doctor is happy that he is fit to go. Fingers crossed as he really loves his cruises and finds them so relaxing. I doubt he will get off the boat at all this time.

My hours at work are set to increase again, possibly in September, so I will be as good as full time. The YFG has realised that she will miss me, when the EFG returns to Abz and I am at work. She has admitted that the foreign girls were good company, so I think she will find that it takes a little getting used to; the year before the girls came, I was working the phone job and so I was here most of the time for her when she was out of school.  Mmmm. We'll have to see how that one goes in September: the EFG has her date set for her return, and her journey is all planned now.

Hope you are all doing well - I do keep an eye on most of the blogs when I stop for a cuppa now and again!  Love to you all xx

Melting

The YFG has just returned from two days on a Geography field trip, and there is a little sunburn on her shoulders, where there is a hand-shaped mark where the suncream did go and sunburn where it missed!  They were near Sheringham and Hunstanton on the north Norfolk coast, investigating coastal habitats  - ideal for this hot spell we are having.

The EFG and I had three hours in the garden last night, chatting, in the shade, eating our tea, and reading, enjoying the cool breeze.  I had the absolute bliss of washing my bed linen, it baking in the sun and then going straight back on the bed - and it smells g-l-o-r-i-o-u-s-l-y fresh and clean!  I'd do that every day if the weather would co-operate.

And today - it has been more of an indoorsy kind of day, hiding from the heat as much as we could, and just popping out as much as necessary. I've pottered in the garden tonight, watering the tomatoes, beans and courgettes so that they live through this heat.

I'm not particularly looking forward to going to bed tonight, as it seems that the overnight temperatures are likely to remain above 20 degrees.......and that is going to make for uncomfortable conditions. One of the neighbours has recommended opening the loft hatch and letting heat escape that way - but the girls thought that the number of spiders which would make their way down would outweigh the benefits, so we didn't try that.

Another chilled drink and another cool shower are in order before I try to get to sleep, I think.  At least we are not taxing the hot water system this week!

Facebook friends

As part of my bereavement support work, I have set up a Facebook group so that widows can chat with each other in a safe place.  The partner I am working with on this project has been clear that she would like this to be a Christian women's group, and I respect that. I am not sure that I won't expand into other groups in the future, though. If you are a Christian widow and would like to join the group, let me know in the comments [which I won't publish] and we'll go on from there.

It's HOT here today - Keep Cool and Carry on!

Quick catch up

• The YFG has left this morning for her Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition to Yorkshire. They are starting and finishing in Scarborough and it was an early start to leave the school at 6am, but they are looking forward to a MacDonald's breakfast on the way. She did load up with some porridge before she left, but the more calories she can take on board before they start, the better, I think: she doesn't have an awful lot of food in the pack for the four days, and I am sure she will have lost weight when she gets back!
• The weather is playing havoc with me keeping the weeds under control in the garden and I have given up!  All I am doing now is managing to keep the grass to a reasonable level......
• UJ has been away to the coast with my sister for a week, and we are looking forward to seeing him tomorrow and catching up with his news.
• The EFG helped collect donations at a Food bank drive in Tesco last week, and I worked the same thing in a different Tesco last Saturday morning - I am relieved to be able to say that both received very generous donations, and people were generally very supportive.
• My dad has had to have a chest x-ray. He's not doing brilliantly. We have to wait until he sees the doctor on Friday to get the results, but I am hoping that the doctor will advise him about the wisdom of the August cruise, as I really don't want them to go if he is not well enough.
• Work is going well, and I am still enjoying it........which is good!!  I am getting fed up of people telling me how tired I look, though, so I have had to invest in some proper make-up. Getting up at 4.30am this morning will not help matters, but I shall have an early night tonight. I am NOT tired!
• Much love to all of you who keep reading, now that posting is more sporadic. See you again later this week.