Colm Wilkinson and Enniskillen.

It was an odd weekend, warm, but incredibly wet. There was no doing anything in the garden but everything is growing apace. Sos was called to work on Friday night, and B was out at a sleep-over with a school-friend, which made the place startlingly quiet for a few hours.
Sos works in a florist shop in town when things get busy or they need a runner or a gofer. She fell into it by accident as she did her school work-experience there in 4th year, and because she was willing they’ve been calling on her ever since. It’s a great blessing for us as it means she can earn her own money for big things and we don’t have to either tell her ‘no’ or frantically try to dredge up extra. On Friday evening they were having a flower demonstration and needed an extra pair of hands, she had fun too!

Saturday I sewed, and did some indoor chores, like the ironing, well part of the ironing: I got bored and finished the Jill Mansell book (‘Sheer Mischief’) instead, then returned to the patchwork. The book was very entertaining, I’d recommend it. In the evening I went to a Concert by Colm Wilkinson. He sang in ‘Les Mis’ when it opened on Broadway, and for some time afterwards I think. We’ve several of his recordings. He was pretty entertaining, talk about the ultimate mad Irishman, and has quite the voice. I took a few photos but they didn’t come out very well.

Sunday was one of my ‘couldn’t wake up days’. Lucky it was Sunday as when they occur there is nothing I can do except sleep it off. An expenditure of too much nervous energy I think, but at least the girls are old enough for it to not be the inconvenience it once was. The Hub said I missed a good sermon on 2 Corinthians 12 v2-10: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ The Rector was in fine form, mind you, he is a good speaker and his sermons are always worth noting and considering. I got out the passage this evening and though Paul wrote those words as being applicable to himself, they are still so relevant, perhaps even more in present times of uncertainty. Paul says he can only boast about his own weakness because it is then that God’s power is most visible to others through him. Today, as I unfortunately started to slide again down into my own black pit (the Slough of Despond) I’m holding tight to the same words- ‘My grace is sufficient for you.’ It better be, Lord!

This morning Sos, B and I went to Enniskillen with Mum and Dad for a bit of an outing. There are always some things you can’t buy in the south, but can in the north, and Enniskillen is our nearest town across the border. It poured on and off all day there too. The girls had a lovely time pottering, and B got some unusual stickers for her card- making, as well as three books in the Bargain Bookshop. Sos got a smart top, she doesn’t ‘do’ books, I think she must be a changeling. Dad and I were finished first so we sat by the main door in the Erneside and watched the rain. He started the cryptic crossword in today’s paper (1. across: ‘a pop festival’….Fathers’ Day) and I supervised! He asked to borrow a pen, then told me it was no good because it would only knew the answers to four letter clues… There’s a quote from ‘Friends’ the girls love to use at me, I think it was said by Rachel: ‘I tried so hard not to turn into my Mother that I’ve turned into my Father!’ The girls say they only have to look at my Dad to know exactly the way I’ll be in another thirty years! Hmmm…

The Hub’s Mother is supposed to be coming to visit in October and our spare-room is still in the same condition that the builders left it three years ago. The Hub is getting a bit ansty so has been pricing sheds- well yes, I thought lawn-mower, garden equipment, camping stuff, and tools etc belonged in a spare room too, but he has this funny idea that they should be in a shed. It must be a Kenyan notion I suppose. Anyhow, after some discussion with various timber-merchants, and shed-sellers, he’s decided to build a shed and then clear the spare room. Well good luck to him, he’s about three months to do it: I’ll make the curtains nearer to October, I’m not getting excited just yet! I’ll not even measure the windows just yet!! I’m not a pessimist, I’m a realist!

I was playing with the camera and the panorama program, this is the view around the north and east of our house, as you can tell its a very built up area! I'm wondering if its come out inside out though as that blobby hill shouldn't be to the east. Ah well! It was fun!