A Family BBQ and No Water

Small Tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae

We woke up on Saturday morning to find we were without water. So was the whole block. As, it turned out, so was the whole town!   How much we take for granted that we turn on a tap and clean water comes out.

All credit to Southern Water as they managed to find and fix the leak - which was quite obscure apparently, though it must also have been an immense one.  It was a good day to be going out to a family BBQ being held in a different town, in a different county - although we had to go without a shower... I had to scrub myself down with wet wipes.   The water was back on by the time we got back in the evening.

We hadn't seen Rob and Catherine's new house before, and were very impressed.  It is an end terrace, which gives them a couple of dormer windows on the side, and, very importantly, in the Home Counties, it gives them a 3 car garage plus extra parking space.   They have plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms - and a lovely walled garden. 

And they had water coming out of their taps!

We saw Linda, and Richard and Jenny and enchanting little daughter, and - big surprise this - the Thai Branch of the family, over on a visit sorting out his paperwork.   Catherine says that they plan to make the BBQ an annual event.

And Captain Butterfly, his camera, and myself spent some time in their sunny front garden which has a budleia bush that was buzzing with butterflies - Whites, Painted Ladies, Red Admirals, and I can't remember, so I will have to use my all-purpose buttterfly name: a Duke of Fritillary.  Actually it may have been a Tortoisehell.

Sunday was the meeting - very very good public talk about the Biblical view of headship - so different from the spirit promoted by "the world" and its media.   And please never forget that it is Satan who set the spirit of rebellion in the world and who promotes it strongly.

Jackie came round for supper Sunday evening:  Thai Chicken (courtesy of Cooks), rice, white and brown (for me). vegetable spring rolls (courtesy of Waitrose), followed by ice-cream with choc flakes for those able to have them (i.e. not me).  We had a good evening together, as we always have.   But for how much longer I now wonder?

I took Jean out on Monday morning, as Tuesday we were planning to have the day in Chichester.  And we had a good hour - got three warm welcomes, and were invited in. We got caught in two cloudbursts and we were soaked.  "What have you been doing?" asked the kind lady, as she helped us out of our sodden coats and made us cups of coffee.  Jean left the current magazine with her married daughter who was visiting too.  And I noticed her quietly looking through it and reading as we were talking.

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-no3-2019-sep-oct/sad-reality-of-death/

It is so well worth a read.