Odds and ends from this late spring and early summer….

Ernest took part in a young people’s drama course, culminating in a performance in Winchester’s Theatre Royal (second from the left, below) and a prize for being the most engaged, which took us all by surprise. Later in June the sunshine singers also carried off a very entertaining Wind in the Willows; Ernest performing as Ratty with great conviction. Olive was an outstanding Stoat, and we look forward to her future contributions. Mrs Wearing-Green (and yes, she was wearing green!) deserves a medal!

By mid May James had discovered a ‘sleeping’ cricket ground within running district of his home, and with local help from a retired groundsman has reinforced the boundaries, mown and re-mown the outfield and summoned a range of former colleagues to help make good the pavilion. It seems that no-one can resist the romance of re-instating a lost village ground. All he needs now are working gang-mowers and more time! Alresford pond (from the Globe) and birthday party also figure in the slideshow

Meanwhile the other branch of the Tomlinson family were enjoying cricket at the Oval (18 May) and at the Utilita stadium (aka the Rose Bowl) at Southampton (2 June) and looking forward to a season following both the men’s and the women’s games

June was a demanding month. Not simply the garden, the allotment, or children pick-ups; but also the tragic and very sad loss of Frances, which left all of us shocked, and David’s family reeling.

The following week brought the most extraordinary meeting with Pia, my brother’s daughter, born in Tanzania, brought up with a sister by a Swedish couple, and educated at Uppsala University. She stayed with us for four days, visiting Borough Market (David), The Royal College of Surgeons (Ralph), Winchester and Alresford (Lucy and James); a special Andover supper (Hugh, Terry and Ruth); and Salisbury (Elizabeth Frink’s Walking Madonna and Magna Carta)

The photos above were taken in the Cloisters of New College in Oxford. Harry Potter’s Tree…. And those below in Salisbury’s water meadows (Constable’s viewpoint), and from the car as we passed Stonehenge

After taking Pia back to City Airport I imagined life would calm down. Lucy met me for another visit to Winchester Cathedral and Anthony Gormley’s wonderful statue as well as the unique Winchester Bible followed by a lunch helping me sort out so many mixed emotions. Lost Andrew; gained Pia….

David and Allan had long planned a vertical tasting of Mascarello wines from the Monprivato vineyard in Barolo and we were joined not only by Vicki and Donald, but also little Emily, who slept like an angel..

The weather had been unsettled, and in the popular mind, wet and cold, though the end of June brought hot spells and growing tension as the General Election on 4 July approached. As the polls had predicted, the Labour Party won a resounding victory to our great relief. The Basingstoke branch couldn’t keep up with the ‘Conservative Bingo’ game produced by the New European, as seats after seat were crossed off.

Our next excitement was an overnight stay on the Isle of Wight as guests of Jason and Jess in West Cowes. This involved a wonderful tasting, a walk, and an excellent lunch at the George at Yarmouth before returning to the mainland to find a pub in Southampton (the Titanic) to watch the semi-final of the Euros.

Having eventually tracked down the car and liberated it from the car park, we hurtled to Wherwell through the beautiful evening sunshine, listening to the football in extra time and to England’s win – having scored all five of their penalties… We arrived at the village hall on the dot of 20.00 for Sue’s and Robert’s party to celebrate their birthdays. A glut of seventies sounds…but only one Abba number!

Meanwhile the garden and the allotments have finally picked up and the growth is prolific and generous.

July was another very strange month… Hard on the heels of the busy weekend came Frances’ funeral in Salisbury Cathedral; a dreary drizzly day which fitted the mood of deep sadness. Erica and Catherine stayed with us; Hugh and James joined us in the Cathedral. We admired Jez’s and Jonny’s readings, wondered at John’s eulogy and June’s homily, and witnessed the sad procession of the family with their four little girls of descending size. And the West Door opened for Frances’s final departure…

David caught up with old friends and acquaintances at the reception afterwards in the Medieval Hall, including Roger and Margaret Burns, as the cars eventually returned from the Crematorium.

There quickly followed an overnight stay in London to catch up with friends whose new home is finally finished, and to join them as guests at Lincoln’s Inn’s Fine Wine Dinner. We managed a very quick ten minute rendezvous with Ralph and Louise at the Old White Horse pub behind Lincoln’s Inn Fields shortly before the dinner started.

Lunch the next day was in the yard behind Ebury Street at Wild By Tart before David and I caught a bus to the Garden Museum by Lambeth Bridge, to see Gardening Bohemia: Bloomsbury Women Outdoors. A strange and tired-looking exhibition but a useful reminder of a very different world a 100 years ago.

The next week was punctuated by gardening and lunches – with Andover friends, with a former colleague; a birthday tasting here with wine friends, and a concert in St Mary Bourne with Andover Chamber Choir, before we left for a holiday to celebrate David’s special birthday in Italy and Switzerland.