Baby has a name

My GKB was up and out of the house before I was out of bed today. I was wide awake at 5am and sound asleep when it was time to rise. He saw where the greengrocer had very cheap fruit today and didn't want to miss out, especially on the strawberries. It was all sitting on the bench when I went out for breakfast. I think we'll be enjoying strawberries and ice cream some time during the evening :)

It was a beautiful blue sky day last Saturday when five of us drove down to Gore for an Aglow leaders retreat. I'm no longer a leader but was invited to go, which was really nice. We had a lovely day enjoying each others company and eating lunch out on the deck. It was a bit breezy but warm and with a garden like this who cared? Not me:) During the course of the day I had some some personal insights which were then affirmed on Tuesday evening by a lady who hadn't been there and knew nothing about me. Very encouraging.

This is a beautiful garden with several 'rooms', the one at the very end of the section with seats and a swing :) Good fellowship, good teaching and good food! What more could you ask for.

And as per the post title, baby has a name. 

Lucia (with a soft c) Carolitta. Very pretty I think.

This is Lucia after her first bath - which didn't happen until after the cord had fallen off! Things have certainly changed since I had my babies :)

It's been very warm and wet in the past week or so and so the growth around about has been lush. This is down the side of our driveway. The foxgloves are looking a bit shabby because of the wind, which hasn't really let up though it isn't so strong as it was. We're hoping eldest daughter's partner is going to come and cut bushes and hedges back before too long.

 I'm slowly getting what I call my garden into shape for the holidays. With the wind has come the pollen and I can only be out in it for about twenty minutes at a time then need to come in. Hayfever is a real bummer. I blame my lovely wee maternal grandmother :) she used to get it too and spent most of spring and summer indoors due to not having the access to antihistamines that we have today.

On the domestic front I have finally got cracking on my Christmas cakes. We bought the ingredients a few weeks ago but I've only just got started today. This is the GF one for Jacqui. I think I'll need to buy a new cake pan though as this is not quite as big as the normal cake so is not so deep. I think it would be a nicer cake if it was deeper.

And that is about it for now. 

Keep smiling until next time and enjoy this Advent season.

Diana