The Gift Voucher

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

When I was forced to give up work last month, through ill health, the team at the After School Club gave me a gift voucher that could be used at any Garden Centre. I can remember at the time I received it (very ungratefully, looking back) thinking that I wished I had the stamina and the energy to even do gardening.

However, on one of my daughter's recent visits, she took me to a very large garden centre that I seldom get to, these days.

It was one of those garden centres that sells many other things....... crafts, books, gadgets to name but a few, as well as thousands of indoor and outdoor plants and things to do with gardening. There were also small pets, but although I enjoyed looking at all the rabbits and equipment, I left that department hurriedly.

I decided on a gadget to help people to be able to weed and do gardening on their knees. There are huge handles on the sides of this low stool so that I can lever myself up. It means I can now get up without great discomfort.

If its turned the other way, it is a sturdy garden seat.

And when it is not being used at all, it folds down flat.

This little stool has given me a new lease of life.

I have also used it to do things like washing the kitchen/ bathroom floor.

It seems to have been the perfect gift, so I am really grateful to the after School Club.

The Garden Centre.

This was the post that was supposed to go in just before the bad news! It is about a trip we did in the holiday!

When it comes to entertaining children and taking them out for a few hours, many things are expensive. However we decided to go to a local garden centre as I had a few vouchers to spend from a Christmas present. It was a sunny day, though rather cold but we packed sandwiches & took drinks. We looked all round the plants and indoor store where there was a little pet corner and a fish house. The children thought it was a bit like going to the zoo and they were happy enough looking at these things and then running about up and down the walkways outside.

When they were hungry the girls found a lovely double seat on chains that swung back and forth and they had their sandwiches there while swinging. Sam and I sat on a bench nearby and started on ours. While we were eating a robin came very close to us. "Quick take a picture!" they all said. By the time I put my sandwiches down & fumbled in my bag for the camera, the robin shot off out of range and went into a green house. I thought I might catch it later and sure enough the cheeky rascal came for crumbs right next to our feet, but every time I pointed the camera at the bird, he flew away. This happened many times and I never did get a photo of it.

It did occur to me how naughty we were taking our own food and drink, when the cafeteria was open and selling the same things, but "beggars can't be choosers" as we keep telling the children when they ask for lots of things. Besides they really liked the picnic and nobody challenged us.

The pots did look lovely but I didn't think my tiny garden could possibly take another one, so I bought another small ornament for another little niche. My garden really is so small and it really made me smile when I thought of my recent post on a Tag, when I popped a picture from a local park on the post to brighten it up and several people said they thought my garden looked nice! In reality, it would have been swallowed up several times in that picture of the grass & trees!

On the way out, I treated the girls to a pretty butterfly each (fridge magnets) that they have stuck on many different sites, but never the fridge! They seemed very satisfied with their trip to the garden centre and Sam & I enjoyed it too.