Lea Gardens

Lea Gardens is about 10 minutes away and during May and June is a stunning display of azaleas and rhododendrons. It only stays open for a couple of months of the year, but is well worth several trips during that period. Ann treated us to season tickets when she was here, so we've made the most of them and we've been a few times. It also has an excellent tea shop with superb cakes; another reason for frequent visits.

Today's Project.

Spent the day building a new saddle stand for Sue. Quite pleased with it.

This got the dogs going a bit as it swept low over the garden.

Our neighbours.

Boilers

We have a shiny new combi boiler. It became clear in the first few days of being here that the existing boiler was old, and very noisy. And probably very inefficient. So we decided to dip into our savings for a new one, and combi seemed the best choice because space is at a premium and taking out the old hot water tank would free up a bit of cupboard room.

The first guy that quoted dismissed out of hand the idea of putting it in the coal-hole/outside store. Not so the next, who seemed to treat it as a bit of a challenge. Putting it somewhere different to the old boiler would also mean that much of the work could be done without switching off and removing the old boiler. So although his quote was highest we decided to go with it.

It took three and a bit days to get a working boiler, including one overnight without any boiler at all - see Buzz hugging the wood-burner - and four days for it to be fully commissioned. So now we're nice and snug. We seem to be getting a steadier, more consistent heat in the house, partly perhaps because the wireless thermostat is in a more sensible place than the old one on the landing.

So now the tumble drier is where the old boiler was. This is a very small house and find somewhere to put everything we own is a bit like one of those puzzles with just one empty space, where you have to keep moving the empty space around until you complete the picture. But we're getting there.

Five Weeks

We've been here five weeks today.  It seems to have passed very quickly but at the same time, living in Leicester seems like an age ago. The variation in weather has been very striking - our neighbour Pete told us jokingly during the first week that the sun always shines in Whatstandwell, and it did seem to for the first couple of weeks. Sue got the lawn cut, and several times I had my lunch in the garden, enjoying the sun. I remember the walk in Bradford Dale when I was sure that Spring had arrived.  I also remember getting sunburned at Wembley last year at the Johnstones Paint Trophy final, which was on 25th March, so we are entitled to think that Spring is near.

But today Winter is back with a vengeance, with about 7cm of snow and more forecast.

Matlock Walk

Did a walk that started at Matlock, went up over High Tor, down into Matlock Bath, across the road up to the Heights of Abraham, and back to Matlock. Lots of ups and downs.

To Nottingham yesterday to make the Apple salesman in John Lewis very happy. We both bought fancy new Apple devices. Hence, dear reader, you are viewing the first IPad posting on this blog. We took the tram from the Phoenix park and ride; an excellent service, 45 mins from city centre to home.