A's choice for a day out today, was Ollie's ocean world. On such a sunny summer day. Managed to negotiate to Play Shack, in Hedge End, so we could at least go on elsewhere for a picnic. Which we did, to Itchen Valley. We were there 2 Tuesdays in a row, for picnic lunches, this one just me and my little girl, she had the playpark to herself, mostly. Last week we took Granny Mary and met up with 4 of the NCT gang, a miracle as we only ever make 5 at most ( 1 moved away, 1 got super job doing clever things and travel). So, two days, both perfect sunshine and picnictastic.

The one good thing about the Play Shack is the sofas. I bought a copy of The Times, for a change, and read all of it while A made a friend and played with him. My neck has been hurting a lot more today, but it's my own stupid fault for spending 4 hours cleaning the kitchen (Washed the walls! Wiped out drawers! And threw away every lid without a plastic pot). If you come round you had better mention the clean kitchen. Although it doesn't last for long does it? Better come today. Neck pain might also be slightly linked to me getting all excited about the jet washer we have borrowed and insisting on having a go.

Have got through more fiction than lately, or kind of close to fiction. I am reading 'the diving bell and the butterfly' which isn't really fiction, but I don't know what you would call it. Other book on the go is 'Stories to make men out of boys' by Neil someone. Now, amazingly, a few weeks ago it was recommended to me, and I asked at the library, as it did not show up on the catalogue. They said they would put forward my suggestion to the buying panel. The next time I went in it was right there next to the counter! Now, that, along with weekly wheelie bin collection, is what us council tax payers expect! And leisure centres that don't smell of drains would be nice.

The book is full of stories about heroes, and mainly about seiges and wars and battles etc. I have read about Shackleton, Scott, Armstrong, Nelson, Zulu warriors, American Indians, the thin red line and the charge of the light brigade ( never understood that before - ouch! that guy really messed up bigtime). So, it is not fiction either is it, but maybe verging on legend. Have not got any nuggets to tell you, except be glad you are not a soldier in the Light Brigade. And if you are ever caught in a battle from the past, be one of the guys on the horses.