Lovely weather at the moment, warm & sunny today and the wind we've had the past few days has dropped (hoorah!).  Must get out into the garden, begonia tubers to dig up & store, tomato plants to get rid of, shrubs to move whilst the earth's still warm, lavender & hebes to prune, leaves to sweep up...

Talking of the garden...it's still blooming out there...

penstemon

rose

passionflower

Time for a whinge.....I had to ring the hospital in London for another appointment for Steve, she offered me 8.30 in the morning..."could we have a later time?"  Latest they can offer is 9.40 a.m.  "Do you have to come far?" she says, "Yes." sez I. 

So choices are:
1) get a rush hour train around 7.40 a.m., with the motorised scooter, remembering of course that we can't travel on the more convenient C2C into Fenchurch Street Station (even though they have a special wheelchair carriage 'cos they won't take motorised ones) but have to go into Liverpool Street Station on a train that WILL transport a motorised scooter but which barely has room for it - it takes up about a quarter of the lobby bit where the doors are.  And it's a real small one that dismantles into 4 pieces to go in the boot of the car.  Perhaps if I could find a big enough suitcase, I could drag it on as hand luggage.  Whilst supporting Steve with my other hand as he can't walk on his own.  IN THE RUSH HOUR!  (I speak from experience being a seasoned commuter).

                                                

2)  Ring her back for an early appointment and get a train around 6.30 a.m. thus avoiding the rush hour.  That'd mean we'd have to get up at 5.30 a.m. <shudder> 

3)  Book an overnight stay in a Travelodge disabled room like we did last time.  Although having just looked on the website, it's gone up from the £79 a night we paid in May to £109 a night.  Without breakfast!!!    Arrgh!

Change of subject....Strictly Come Dancing!  Last Saturday night we had:
Chelsee & Pasha doing a salsa - and very good it was too, great "armography" (judges' score 29).  She was wearing a lovely pair of fringed trousers which succeeded in taking the attention away from her pneumatic bouncing bosom (quite a feat).
Edwina & Vincent did a foxtrot, nice but too much faffing about to begin with. (score 19)
Audley & Natalie did a salsa, lots of energy and I love his smile.  (score 23)
Alex & James did a superb foxtrot, a couple of wobbles but so stylish & glamorous.  She was wearing a wonderful pink dress with lots of godets (panels like kick pleats but more of them) with red net underneath, a wonderful pink lipstick and had a wonderful curly Hollywood hairdo. (score 29)
Dan & Katya did a salsa, lots of great lifts but not much hip action on his part. (score 21)  He seems a bit arrogant, like he thinks he's great when actually he's alright but...
Lulu & Brendan performed a foxtrot, she was SO much better than last week, it was a lovely routine and she remembered it all.  Though she did tend to stare at eye-level into his chest rather than up into his face. (score 25)
Holly & Artem did an excellent salsa, she is very good but slightly ever-so restrained. (score 30)
Rory & Erin also did a salsa, lots of energy & shimmying but Rory's hip action was a bit limp. (score 22)
Robbie & Ola's foxtrot...WOW!  What a performance!  Very showbiz and really good footwork, shocked how good he was & pleased.  (score 29)
Anita & Robin did a wonderful salsa, she's just LOVING it, strange costume but I was up on my feet with them!  Superb!  (score 28)
Jason & Kristina did a very classy foxtrot, he's such a great performer, it was very well acted, he was in character from the start, before the start even! (score 33)  I'm very pleased for Kristina, in the past she's had the lumbering Joe Calzaghe (bless his cottons), John Sargent (less said the better) and Goldie (out first week if I remember rightly).  This year she's really lucked out!
Nancy & Anton did a salsa, she was kind of stomping about and throwing herself at Anton for the lifts, sort of climbing on him.  It was a rather amusing routine but I don't think it was supposed to be. (score 14)  I loved the VT from It Takes Two when Anton mentioned the coach to take everyone to... Blackpool I suppose..and Nancy says "a coach!  Oh no!" with a horrified expression on her face. LOL  Daaarling, I'm sure she only ever travels in a chaffeured limousine! 
Harry & Aliona did a lovely foxtrot, his footwork & leading were very good, but he was a bit hunched over - his posture needs work!  (score 27)  Aliona made some comment on It Takes Two about not taking any notice of the judges' comments - I thought it would come back to bite her and it did! Good ole Len!
Russell & Flavia did a salsa to Abba's Dancing Queen!  He got a standing ovation!  Len said he put the "boy" in "flamboyant"!  Excellent!

Edwina & Vincent were the couple voted off - shame, I'll miss Vincent.