Last Saturday, I got in my second batch of seeds - all sunflowers of different types which we hope will provide a nice show of cut flowers for Max and Inna’s wedding on August 3. I grow sunflowers every year, but I normally put them in a bit later for a show of colour in September. I’m getting these in early in the hope that we can have a good show a month earlier.
Lucy has also planted some in London and she was able to get hers started in their conservatory, so we have a back-up plan. Amazingly, my seeds have already started germinating and we’ve had them outside on warmer days to stop them growing too quickly. Hopefully, this weekend, I’ll be able to sow Cosmos, Cornflower and Nasturtiums.
On Sunday, we drove across to Kilworth House where Max and Inna will get married. It’s the first time I’d been there, so I was interested to see what it was like. It’s a large place, between Market Harborough and Lutterworth, with lots of mature redwoods in the grounds and a lovely large south-facing orangery (not sure if it was ever used for oranges) where the wedding and reception will be held. There’s a cellar room for the evening dance and lots of other space.
I shudder a little at the cost of being married these days. It’s a far cry from Northwich Register Office and a buffet at Lostock Club. We were there for a taster session to allow Max and Inna to choose the menu for the wedding breakfast, and Michael and Marina joined us so we were a party of six. I have to say the food was all very good, although it was the strangest dinner I’ve ever had. Each person had a different meal and we were to eat a small portion and then pass it on to the next, so that everyone tried everything.
So for starter, I had stilton and onion tart, chicken terrine, asparagus and feta, mushroom salad, hot smoked salmon and one thing I can’t remember. For main course, I had pork chop, steak, pasta, risotto, guinea fowl and one thing I can’t remember. For pudding, I had banoffe pie, chocolate mousse, mixed berry crumble, cheescake, cheese-board and one thing I can’t remember. Margaret took a picture of every dish and put them on Flickr!
It’s a good hour’s drive to Kilworth and on the hills to the east of Leicester in what would have been Rutland, there were still lots of deep snowdrifts lying next to the road. It’s amazing that it was so much worse just 20 miles away and the wind must have caused huge drifts. In places the snow was still two feet deep.
In the evening, it was a bike-fest on TV with MotoGP from Qatar and British Superbikes from Brands Hatch. Now I have Sky and Eurosport, it’s going to be hard finding any time at the weekend during the next six months.
On Tuesday, I had a doctor’s appointment to assess the result of the ultra-sound scan on my (ahem) lower abdomen. It wasn’t a big surprise (as the ultra-sound operator had shown me the best pictures). Andrew said I had about eight lumps, five of less than 2mm, but three bigger ones, including one of 35mm. He said he’d refer me to a specialist and I got an appointment through on Thursday for the following week.
My motorbike has been serviced and has a new MoT; and with an improvement in the weather and lighter nights, I’ve started riding to the station this week. It’s nice to be back on the bike and, with a new rear tyre instead of the illegal, squared-off rubber I had on previously, it turns in so much nicer. I only managed 800 miles last year, so I’m hoping for more use in 2013. Of course, as soon as I wheeled the bike out, it started raining, but I’ve managed to dodge the showers so far. I don’t mind it being wet on the way home because I can dry my oversuit overnight. If I get wet in the morning, it has to go into my panniers wet and would be horrible to put on to come home - all damp, cold and clammy.
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