Malawi & More

  BigA got me an appt and funny card along with gifts I really wanted. Actual soup spoons and socks. Might not sound terribly romantic but I really wanted both. He wondered if we should spend the whole day together but I sent him off to his frisbee, he is often happier after some sport. As the sun was shining for what felt like the first time in months I got out in the garden for some weeding and muck spreading. The primroses are coming through and there was one happy daffodil, I sat with the sun on my face for a bit and breathed in the (kinda) fresh air. I made soup. I enjoyed the satisfaction of chores done and then got ready for our valentine night out. We went for a lovely meal at an Italian place neither of us had been to before. We suspect the waitress had been recently employed as she really didn't have a clue about the menu and got several things wrong, but we were too in love, just enjoying our 25th year of dating so it didn't matter and she was very sweet and apolog...

 My weekend started with prep for my evening of uni mates. There were 6 of us in the flat above the frame shop that we lived in in Norwich all those years ago and 5 of us who are still properly in touch. Laughing together was really lovely and we bemoaned the state of the world today and shared our various woes and rejoiced in the pride we have in our children (mine's the best one of course). There was a short stand with Steve and his missing glasses the next morning but all was well in the end!   We had a flying visit from Ma, and BigAwhipped up a lovely lunch and she did a bit of apple tree maintenance, my garden really wouldn't flourish quite so wonderfully without her help and guidance. I sang again on Sunday at the folk event and, as often happens, Edgar came to listen to it all and support and to my surprise and delight so did my husband. It's the first time he's heard me sing a solo in quite some time. I just did one song and still can't quite bring myself to...

BigA arranged for a little dinner party on Saturday, really lovely and a full range of chats. He made some very delicious food too. That was the most exciting part of my weekend and I mostly lost myself in rewatching Bridgeton. I did pop to see E to go over a song for the Folk singing this Sunday. That was nice.  A very good pal of mine tells me she's having a frugal year because, in no small part because she took so many wonderful holidays the year before. I'm not quite going to hit her 64 but it isn't long until my first weekend away with my mum and sister. Certainly the not drinking for a month has helped us be a little more frugal. I've even been trying to refresh my terrible GCSE french knowledge.  School was fine, a couple of year 7s thinking they could talk their way out of being caught truanting my lesson and calling year 9 students parents because their sons had got into a stage box in the lesson. They are not allowed to do that! Overall broadly fine.  I had a ...