At the front door

I have tubs of hostas leading to the door. They have all flowered and need deadheading. Next to them are a set of very cheerful pots of annuals. Considering they are north facing they do well.

In the middle of the annuals is a plant in waiting. It’s the white Japanese anemone that Margaret (across the road) bought in memory of Mum. She had tried to source a rose called Irene, with no success.

This morning I went to Hexham and registered with a different GP practice. Ours has changed so much in recent years that I felt the need to do this. It was a big decision.

There were three large forms to fill in.

Then I did the food shopping.

I was home for a quick turnaround then the drive to Newcastle to have lunch at Julie’s. There had been a major accident on the A69 west of here and all the traffic was rerouted via Chollerford Bridge. This is single file with traffic lights.

I sat for several minutes at the roundabout behind a driver who was waiting for a gap in the traffic from the right. We could have waited all day of course!

Eventually she did edge forward and we made it out of the jam man’s I made it to Julie’s to meet her friends from Darlington.

Meeting new people of mutual friends is fascinating. What did we all have in common? It was soon clear that politics would be very tricky. The sort of holidays we go on are poles apart, but they did their best to interest me in cruising.

Then we settled into the music of their youth. I listened and enjoyed this, but my passion for classical music at the time did not seem appropriate to mention.

Julie made a lovely meal and it was a very pleasant interlude.

The traffic was still struggling when I came home again.