'Retirees' lunch, and a decision on selling

Yesterday we met up with some ex-colleagues for lunch at their house.  Over the past two and a half years we have all, one by one, left work, and we are all adjusting to life after work.  We had a lovely time with them, and did a lot of catching up, comparing notes,  and admiring their garden (on my next visit I may ask for a cutting from their honeysuckle - it had the most wonderful scent) and very snazzy kitchen - there were some clever storage ideas which we may look into ourselves.  Hopefully we will be reciprocating their hospitality in a couple of weeks' time.

On the way home, we called into the estate agent and asked for the flat to be taken off the market.  This morning, before 9 o'clock, the 'for sale' sign had gone.  For some strange reason it has left us both feeling a little 'down' but we have no idea why.  We both agreed it was the sensible thing to do at this particular time, but I think perhaps we were both looking forward to the challenge of a new property.  However, we have made the decision together that now is just not the right time.  At the weekend I drew up a list of pros and cons for staying here, and the reasons to stay far outweighed the reasons against.  Why I seem to be focusing on the reasons against today, I don't know.  Human nature, perhaps. Anyway, things seem to be getting back into perspective this evening, and by tomorrow I shall be making all sorts of plans for ways we can optimise what we have here.  We did a little bit of measuring up in the spare bedroom earlier, and then got side-tracked with something else.

N felt the need to build today, so a quick trip to the timber-yard provided him with some battening to make some trellis.  We have uneven fencing on one side of the garden, and having cut back the hedging over the weekend, it seemed like a good time to tidy things up a little.  Half an hour measuring, sawing, painting and wielding hammer and nails, and the job was done.

It has certainly smartened that corner of the garden a little.  N has two more trellises to make, probably tomorrow.

The garden is starting to bloom.  The top bed has purple-leaved heucheras, red salvias and golden marigolds, and the clumps of coreopsis have just started producing yellow flowers.  They flower profusely all through the summer, and last year were quite glorious.

The bottom photo shows the grey-leaved stachys (bunnies' ears) which are just starting to produce tiny mauve flowers, with the violet flower spikes of veronica behind.  At the back of this little bed are two lavenders, which are also just starting to flower.  We had rain last night and it seemed to have brought all the plants on really well.

I made a quiche for dinner last night, and we finished it off for lunch today.  I have to say that I have finally 'cracked' pastry-making.  It always used to be tough, or a bit soggy, or too short, but a bit of determination has paid off.  I now know exactly how much cold water to add, to handle it as little as possible, and I leave it to rest for a good hour in the fridge before rolling out.  I blind-bake it for a little longer than I used to, and it seems that all these little tweaks have made the difference.  I am happy to say I can successfully make shortcrust pastry!  One small step in the right direction.