June & July 2025 - Synopsis

It has been a bit mad lately.  

Naturally, and typically, this has all coincided with an increase in my work hours. 

I have been asked to cover some job elements of a colleague who has just departed on maternity leave.  The thing is, she controlled a lot of invoicing and timesheets / pay and suchlike.  As many of you know, I am not a figures person and it is not an area which is a forte!  I have written copious notes and laboriously follow the bullet points as I navigate the SAGE accounts system.  Just a tad stressful!

Incidentally I have been in the job just over six months and they increased my pay last week too.  I certainly wasn't expecting that.  NIce.

Therefore as there has been and is so much to think about, do and recover from, I am doing a succinct break down for June and July....

Florence:  See previous Blogs but basically ….Fabulous. Expensive. Hot.  20th wedding anniversary.

June & July Birthdays:   Five family birthdays and associated get-togethers – meals, coffees, brunches.

Local Volunteer:             St Peter’s Church Fete – plant stall volunteer. A hot and blustery day. (see previous Blog)

​www.obga.ox.ac.uk/guide-garden

Day in Oxford: Hottest day of the year [so far] ; visited Oxford’s Botanic Garden “The oldest botanic garden in the UK, and home to over 5,000 different plant species”. The Oxford Botanic Garden was founded in 1621; the Walled Garden dates from this time and the first greenhouse is over 300 years old (approx. 1733). Sir Henry Danvers, the first Earl of Danby, established it as a Physic Garden - collections of medicinal plants.

​Tim Minchin at Oxford’s New Theatre: Songs the World Will Never Hear.  Hottest Day of the Year - 32 degrees outside, 102 degrees in the Circle seats!! But an amazing show!

As per previous blog.

Friend’s Festival Party:  invited to a big birthday celebration but thwarted at the attempt to get there!  For some unknown reason all electricity to our cottage suddenly stopped.  This did not affect any other houses in the locality.  Subsequently we spent over twelve hours with three teams from the National Grid who were brilliant but ended up having to dig a big hole in the road to solve the problem.  The hole is still there and temporary traffic lights still in place!  Our name is mud!!

New Car!  When we came back from Australia we bought new [second hand - obvs] cars.  The small Yaris - with as much oomph as a toaster - was already on a downward struggle and we thought we would be able to replace it within a year or so.  Hmm....  so over six years later it was still limping along but heading for that scrap-yard in the sky!  Therefore, Paul has splashed out (-ish) on an old, but well-looked-after Audi TT and is enjoying it very much indeed!

Imminent:  Afternoon Tea - Garden Party:  in aid of various cancer charities as sponsored by the National Garden Scheme.  12th July 2025

JustGiving link

Up-coming:   

The Sparks: brothers Ron and Russell Mael are playing at The Halls at University of Wolverhampton on 19th July 2025 on their MAD! Tour.

Paul has been a fan for... decades!