more barmy than balmy

So here in Blighty we are not experiencing a balmy summer but we are experiencing a "barmy" summer which wasn't part of the plan. So what to do when the weather isn't playing ball......take up knitting......might as well make a start on hat and scarf collection for the autumn. My sis-in-law has being doing this and could be termed as slighty obsessive but then comes up with the cunning plan of a business which involves her passion for knitting and she has just launched a website selling all things knitting, www.cafeknit.com

Anyway back to the barmy summer, the only thing that seems to be benefiting from the rain are my tomatoes which seem to be doubling in size by the day, the only problem is they remain very green, I'll be looking for a recipe for fried green tomatoes at this rate. Over the garden fence the apples are also soaking up all the rain and doulbing in size, I can feel another scrumping expedition coming on!

oh I do like to be beside the seaside

My family have an annual get together in the summer over a weekend and the favorite meeting point is the seaside, suits everyone of every age, which is a pretty big acheivement as we are quite a large clan. So, having hired a very nice beach hut for the occasion, we all turned up with more provisions to see us through at least a week and the hope and prayers that the sun would shine. There is something very comforting about the Bristish seaside, it doesn't matter that the sun isn't shining or that it's blowing a force 6 gale we still get the deck chairs out, some of us still put the swim suits on and venture into the muddy looking ocean and kites are flown. All this was done and more, sausages were cooked, tea was drunk, cake was eaten and we all took to the beach for a game of cricket when the sun finally made an appearance. A day at the seaside, who needs St Tropez, Ibizia or the likes, give me Frinton on Sea anytime.