Mon - Weds in the UK, 50,000 mile Service

What, you didn't miss me? I went to Worthing, where we still have a house in the UK for a full service! Not the car, me. The trouble was, I was sure I was due to go on Tuesday to Thursday. Jim kept asking me what time we needed to go as I was weeding away in the garden. Suddenly I realised he meant that day! I had to drop everything, come inside and have a wash and then Jim ran me to the airport. It's a good thing one of us is on the ball. The weather in Worthing was beautifully sunny with a light breeze. Now what do you think I did on the Monday afternoon? That's right, I sorted the garden. Much snipping and chopping ensued. It had all become very overgrown and fairly weedy too. This is a photo of the back garden as it was when we lived there:



It was a very small garden, so we had to pack the plants in!














We had a pond with fish, a little water feature with a small fountain, numerous hanging baskets, some with tomatoes in and others with flowers. There's even a greenhouse at the end of the garden










Since then, it's all got a bit out of control! I ended up with huge piles of garden waste so I bagged it all for Jim to take to the tip when he next comes over.

I was tired, so had an early night. Dentist was my first visit, at 8.30am. I leaped out of bed, rushed into the bathroom, washed, dressed then thought, 'it's a bit dark', re-checked the time and it was 4.30am!! I just lay on the bed and dozed until 8! What a fool. So, off to the dentist. All well there, then into town by bus (what a novelty) to go and visit the hearing aid shop. I had an appointment there at 11am. Full check up there and a new hearing test. My right ear has dipped very slightly at the top end of the hearing range, but nothing significant. The consultant thought the best thing for my type of hearing loss (I have otosclerosis) would be glasses, which have the hearing aids in the 'arms' and they sit on the bone behind the ear. We tried some out and I could certainly hear very well with them. Only one drawback, they cost £4,000!

My next appointment was with the doctor at 6.10pm, so I had the whole afternoon to myself. My hair looked a mess, the grey roots coming through, so I went and had my hair coloured. A proper pampering it was too. After that, a trip round the charity shops, of which there are many in Worthing. Ireland has hardly any at all, and I do miss them. I picked up all sorts of bargains and ended up a bit like a donkey carrying all the bags. I also took a few photos and had a walk along the sea front to the pier. Time was marching on by then, so I picked up a taxi, dropped off the shopping and headed to the doctors just in time.

All went well there too. It was a 'review' of my medication and it was basically 'keep taking the tablets'. It was a beautiful evening so I walked back home, which took about 45 minutes I guess. So that was my day done. I had bought some knitting needles and oddments of wool and knitted a couple of ATCs!! They're fun. Here are the photos I took on the Tuesday:




Along the sea front is The Old Coastguard House. The gate is rather tatty!











It's a lovely gate, but needs a touch of paint













This is one of my favourite sea front houses. It's so tiny. I'd like to buy it. The beach and sea are opposite. This was the old lifeboat station so Jim informs me.


















Worthing beach and pier. The tide was right out.









The beach in the other direction, a bit later on. It's all pebbles, as you can see! They get swept up into a big pile by the sea, then a tractor comes along and pushes them all back again!











A concrete bench on the promenade and a row of delicious Victorian and Edwardian houses. All very grand.












Another bench had this rather splendid lion for its arm

















Half a bench?










Then in the 70s and 80s the local council went mad and built this monstrosity. It's a car park with a bowling alley at the bottom. Hopefully it will be pulled down before too long.










Rather splendid lighting along the promenade













A back bencher looking out to sea!











These Chinese lanterns swung in the breeze



















I wonder whether this seagull ever caught his taxi?





















The clock tower in the shopping centre. At Christmas it's all lit up



















Some rather sad looking seating in Goring. Goring is a village that has grown and is now attached to Worthing. Look at the long evening shadows.















I had to laugh at this pet shop window in Goring. It looks as though everything has been thrown into it!









Someone has given this apple tree a very odd haircut! It looks like a cake.













I've often admired this splendid house, although it is now divided up into flats.



















A very fancy wrought iron gate with a wooden gate behind it to keep the garden from prying eyes. Shame.














Isn't this simple little sculpture delightful?



















The lilac is all out and looking stunning
















On Wednesday I tried to get hold of Jim's 2 girls. Ali was out for the day with her work colleagues so I didn't get to see Poppy and Jenny was full of cold, so I didn't get to see her either! Ah well, it was back out to the garden and more work there. My flight was a late one and I arrived at Shannon at approaching 11pm. Jim picked me up and home we went, catching up on the news as we drove.

It seems our old barn, adjacent to the cottage, is about falling down and it would be wise to take it down before it falls on the cottage! We have another, newer barn, so it's not a total disaster and will open up the views from the extension enormously. Every cloud...

That's it for today. I do hope you've enjoyed your little trip around Worthing, on the South Coast of England. I will blog about the garden tomorrow.