Stress Levels Rising

Nick and I went to the theatre last Friday to see 'All's Well That Ends Well' and then spent the rest of the weekend at home relaxing by the pool. Nick & Tom went golfing on Sunday afternoon and I had Krissy & Dorothy round for a glass or two of Pimms which was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.
We went round to Mary's for dinner on Wednesday night and then Tom had a ball game on Thursday which was quite exciting due to the weather more than anything else. A thunderstorm was brewing up in the distance and as the boys play with metal bats and we sit on metal bleachers we were wondering when the game was going to be called off as we listened to the thunder and watched the lightning flashes getting closer and closer. Eventually the parents just got up and started calling their children off the field and someone finally called the game to a close, then it was a mad dash back to the relative safety of our cars for the drive home as the storm raged around us. Scary stuff.
Tom had an end of year class party at the skating rink on Friday and seemed to enjoy himself, Dorothy and I certainly did, we sat chatting and giggling like schoolgirls for the whole afternoon, very funny.
Nick was home when we got back from school so we started some more sorting of clothes/toys/stuff into piles for packing. This was when my stress levels started rising. So we did that for a couple of hours then Emily came round to spend the night and come and watch Lily at her baton twirling recital, so we had a reprieve from the packing.
The girls did very well at the recital and they all looked like they had fun, afterwards it was a quick trip to Burger King to get some dinner for the kids and then home to a glass of wine/beer for the adults. Unfortunately Emily decided she wanted to go home, so after a quick call to Colleen I put my wine back in the fridge and drove halfway to Union Springs to meet up with her and hand over Emily.
Today, more sorting of stuff beckons and then we have a couple of farewell parties to go to.

Home in 6 weeks

Tom's team lost their game last Thursday, but won on Monday night and now have 10 baseball free days before the next game, joy.
One of our sitters, Jessica, graduated from college last week and invited us to her graduation ceremony on Friday night, so off we went to that and then we popped across the road to Leks for a Thai meal before home to bed.
On Saturday we just puttered around the house and then Nick & I were off to Ray & Kate's dressed up as 'Noemi Dooyou' - a french resistance fighter and 'Gee I Joe' - an American serviceman for an evening of murder, mystery and mayhem.

Amy 'Nurse D Gently', Kate 'Frau Nalott', Barbara 'Mimi D'anjou', Marie 'Julie Noted', Sian 'Liza Witheni' Sarah 'Noemi Dooyou'.

The chef 'Frank le offal' is Nik our other usual sitter, seen here along with Pete 'Herr Flick' , Tom 'Gerry Basher', Nick 'Gee I Joe', Ray 'Phil Le Girth'/sausage man' and Shaun 'Luc Overlair'. What a fun evening that was with crazy french, american and german accents and plenty double entendres, mostly relating to sausages, thank you Ray!

On Sunday we had a more genteel meal out at Tim & Deanna's. Tim cooked up the most delicious steak, along with baked potatoes and salad - just perfect. To round it off, Deanna had made her famous Strawberry Pie and proceeded to cut the most enormous slices for everyone. Well, it would have been rude not to clear my plate, needless to say I didn't eat anything else the rest of the day. Got home full up, tired but happy. A great weekend.

A nearly election free zone

Thought I would update the blog whilst I listen to the election results, the pundits are now changing from forecasting a hung parliament to a Conservative win, doesn't look like it to me but enough for now, on with the blog.
Tom won his ball game last Monday but lost the Thursday game, then on Friday it was his school play about Alabama history. It was great fun to watch with characters ranging from Creek Indians to Hank Williams, Rosa Parks to Mia Hamm. Tom played the part of Alexander McGillivray - son of a Scottish Trader and Creek Indian Princess, Sehoy. He was very good and projected his voice well and read his lines slowly and clearly.

Indian boy, Alexander McGillivray, Pushmataha, W.C. Handy & Jesse Owens!

Lily was off on a sleepover on Friday night but came home early Saturday morning with a slight fever and a sore throat, so she was off to bed and pretty much stayed there the rest of the day. In the evening we had a nice steak for dinner and then watched the new Dr Who. On Sunday Lily felt much better which was good as we were having guests for lunch. The lizard was an uninvited guest who hung around in the sun room, here he is on our flyscreen.

Whilst Sian enjoyed a quick weekend up at Niagara Falls we entertained Tom and the boys along with another couple, Justin & Amy. After Justin & Amy left the boys all went outside for a quick game of cricket before having a splash in the pool.

After tidying up and having a quick bite to eat it was off to bed before a new week began. Up early on Monday for boot camp and then onto the Master Gardeners Helpline to work for the morning (a requirement to complete the course). I can't say I enjoyed that very much but I have another shift to do this coming Monday :( The weather was bad so the phone lines were quite quiet, it also meant Tom's ball game was cancelled that evening.

I had my final morning volunteering at Lanark on Wednesday which was bittersweet, I have enjoyed it very much and shall especially miss Marie & Anne. It was the first time I had gone there without my camera and the girls held an impromptu party for me which included a delicious cake with 'Farewell Sarah' inscribed on it and Janet had made pineapple punch which was very welcome as it was a very hot day and we were all very thirsty. We borrowed a camera and did get some photos, now I am just awaiting on them being emailed to me, Marie if you are reading this please remember to send them to me. After that it was off out for lunch with Margaret to Hamburger King where I had a fabulous cheeseburger.

Today I had to take my car to get fixed as the aircon was refusing to work, when it's 90F outside the aircon is pretty important. Talking of temperatures I thoroughly depressed myself by looking at the 10 day forecast for St Andrews. A high of 55F to look forward to, checking out later in the month the average high for the end of May reaches the balmy heights of 62F - this is our current overnight low. Ho Hum. Note to self - do not focus on the weather, think of all the things you are looking forward to...family, friends, Fisher & Donaldson Bakery, The Vine Leaf Restaurant, Bovril, fish & chips, bacon butties, decent sausages, curry...mmmm yum yum, and not forgetting my garden and greenhouse, the Lade Braes, the beautiful (if slightly chilly) beach at West Sands and the noise of the jets from RAF Leuchars.