Sunday, October 09, 2011

Garden

Ever since we moved in we have hated the huge monstrosity between our garden and next door. It blocks out all the light and harbours more than one family of snails. 

Before photo

Next door started trimming their side back, so we started trimming our side and before we knew it we were talking to next door about getting rid of it completely.


We started removing some at the end of the garden and next door finished the job off during the week. 

It took us 10 trips to the tip the weekend to get rid of all of the debris but the garden looks so much open now. I can't believe how much space we've gained. Next door is going to help us put up some willow screening next weekend (well actually helping Ollie, as I will be at work). Then we just need to get rid of the flowerbed so we can actually have room to sit on the patio.



Hottest October since Record Breakers ended

We had one last weekend of glorious weather for the summer (or should I say one weekend of glorious weather in the summer). As Nigel was home we had arranged a couple of things with him and Sarah. The first was a night out in Croydon, our first since moving here 18 months ago. Sara and Keira joined us and we had a few drinks in Yates and then moved on to Reflex, the 80s nightclub. I must say, there are some very funny looking people who go out in Croydon on a Friday night! Still a great night was had by all and we danced until the wee hours of the morning. I must say that the evening was only marred by the lack of kebab shops open at 1:30 on a Saturday morning so I had to come home and make us all cheese on toast!

We were booked in to do a wine and wisdom on Saturday night in Faversham. We had planned to go down at lunch time and make the most of the weather in the pub garden. Unfortunately Nigel banned that idea as he said we would be in no fit state to answer the quiz questions. So after a rather yummy pub lunch we went for a 'walk'. This turned out to be a six mile hike across the Kent countryside. It was a bit hot but very enjoyable to be walking in the sunshine.

There was no food provided at the wine and wisdom so we had all organised a piece of dinner. We were the only table to turn up with a full 3 course meal, even if Paul misunderstood when we said we needed spoons for desert and we ended up with 2 spoons between 8 of us! 

The questions were aimed at people about 20 years older than us so needless to say we didn't do too well. We became the rowdy table in the corner instead. We didn't come last though, managing to languish mid table. A professional quiz team had managed to sneak past the invigilators and they won the Kentish apple juice, but were very ungracious, leaving as they picked up their prize and throwing their raffle prizes in the bin! How rude! If you don't want it at least throw it away at home!

New Fish

My tank was ready for fish a couple of weeks before my birthday. Ollie went and got the first ones from our local fish shop while I was at work as he had a day off.  He got 3 white Mollys and 2 Ottos.


The Mollys spent the first 2 weeks hiding in the log refusing to come out. They would only stick their noses out to eat whatever food fell their way.


We decided that part of their problem was the fact that they are community fish and they didn't really have a community. As the water levels were holding out ok, we went to get the next batch - 5 cherry barbs.



3 days after we brought them home one of the Mollys gave birth to more than 30 baby fishes. They were so very cute! I've never managed to breed fish before so it was a major shock! So far all of the babies have survived and a week later we had another smaller batch from the other female Molly. The tank is now completely overstocked and we had a third batch of babies last Thursday! Luckily the local fish shop has agreed to take them back - I just need to catch them! We're thinking that we may want to get a fish that will eat the fry if we have any more - the Mollys are supposed to eat their own fry but ours don't seem interested.

Brian is still very interested in the fish. He hasn't quite worked out a plan to get past the 'force field' yet though.

Liz and Nic's birthday party

Liz and Nic had a 50s themed party for their 30th birthdays. It was fun to see all the outfits and Ethan looked so cute dressed up just like his daddy!







I'm especially pleased with this last photo having played with the manual settings on the camera enough to take a half decent photo in really low light levels!

Birthday Party

It was my 30th Birthday in September and I had a bit of a party to celebrate. We hired a hall at the community centre by Mum and Dads. Lynn and Ian brought their speakers so I could play my own music and mum and I spent 2 days baking cakes and other goodies.




Gemma helped make a mountain of sandwiches that was far too many to be honest.



We all had a great evening dancing away. Sebastian, Harvey, Dylan, Zach and Ryan had fun playing with the balloons. Finley enjoyed his first ever party and slow dance with Granddad. We had a great time teaching Ethan and Niamh the moves to YMCA and Grease.