Last flowering of Jude the Obscure

The second flush of roses look good. This is my favourite.

We went to town to get last minute stuff for the trip. I went into Fenwicks to buy a Moleskine notebook (I keep a paper journal) - and came out with a pair of grey nobbly culottes and a top in a pattern of various tones of grey. Under the bed till the winter.

I met Marion and we had a light lunch at Arlo in Jesmond as it is near the Oxfam bookshop she volunteers at. It was so busy with yummy mummies that we had to wait for a table even at 1.40, but the food was worth the wait. However the decor is all wood - no soft furnishings to soak up the babble- so we struggled to hear each other. We we added to the heightened noise level.

We had a lot of catching up to do as she's been at her house in France since just after we got back from our French trip. We gave each other some recommendations for a good read.