A happy thread

How worrying Loopylou. Your friend must be distraught. So little detail still coming out of Tunisia. Hope you get some news soon. It is the not knowing that is the worst!

We had a happy time at GDs school summer fair. Her first. It brought back such lovely memories of her fathers child hood.

AND the sun's shining! x

I've often considered raised beds but I have a sloping garden. I hope you enjoy yours janerowena.

Well - me too. DD is in hospital today having yet another exploratory op to see what is wrong with her innards, DBH is off work with depression, we are all low because our best friend died a couple of weeks ago and we miss him, my bank account is heavily overdrawn because I wasn't expecting the expense of a funeral - travelling, accommodation, flowers etc. - and DS has just admitted to having been depressed and staying in bed for two months after xmas. So I feel really bad for not having picked that up. A little pause to make me think (after having just watched the awful news yet again) about any positive thing in my day is very welcome.

I am very happy that I managed to find a supplier of topsoil for my new raised beds, at only £35 per huge bag, delivered. I was starting to think some of them would be staying empty for quite a few years yet. I was surprised by how much such a small thing raised my spirits.

I cut my fringe, and it does actually look quite good.
<I am scraping the barrel of good news! But all in a good cause of loopylou and anyone else who needs diversion from lifes' troubles>

Singing to our French friends at the Battle of Waterloo enactment last weekend in Belgium"Waterloo, how does it feel to have won the war" whilst waving my St Andrew's flag. Seriously though they still seemed convinced Napoleon did. Excellent weekend though!

I was wondering if anyone on gransnet was personally affected.
Glad the thread is helping with diversion loopylou.
I hope you receive good news.

Well jingl I'm not I'm alright Jack
I'm not being self-satisfied or crass either.

Two relatives of BF are missing and haven't been heard from.
For me this thread brings a welcome diversion from helping her make phone calls etc.

Carry on all. I will butt out right now.

Either you see it or you don't. I don't want to spoil anyone's party.

Actually. I'm not sorry. (why did I say that?)

Just seems a bit "I'm alright Jack". Given the day it was started on. It was obviously in response to the news of yesterday. Crass. Sorry.

I for one like this thread. We were just watching the news and I felt so depressed, so I think this is a nice thing to do.

The sun is shining here today.
The garden looks lovely with lots of colour.
My sister and brother-in-law popped in to see us.
I went out early and bought myself some clothes for my summer holidays.
Tonight we are going out for a drink in the sunshine.

I don't feel self satisfied, just grateful when so many are going through hell.

It's unusually tranquil here at the moment. Adult GS who lives with me has gone off for the weekend and little GS is too busy attending parties to be here for his usual weekend sleepover. Plenty of time to get ready for my short break in South Wales on Monday.

granjura, how incredibly lucky you are to have an alpine meadow
(again!)

That's right Jud, of course there are dreadful things happening in the world, and the media makes sure we are all aware of these. We can feel sympathy for the people suffering, and some of us can share the loneliness they must feel, that doesn't mean we cannot enjoy what we have, and be grateful for it, sharing the small pleasures that please us.

That was in answer to Tegan's question.

Well for one thing, every day brings misery to many people's lives.

Chosing to spend a bit of time acknowledging the small blessings in this often troubled world of ours does not mean being insular.

Many of us on GN are grappling with problems of one kind or another and I know from my own experience that finding small enjoyments help.

Anyway, doesn't the bible say something about light in the darkness?

I have never heard of half of those flowers. Sounds lovely.
We have poppies around our way. I read somewhere that it is a good year for poppies.

Took a young UK + OZ couple to our local nature reserve- big limestone circle a bit like Malham Cove but bigger. The wild flowers were amazing: 1000s of wild astrantias and tall anemones, martagon lilies, king cups, alpine asters, monkshood, pyramidal orchids and lots of other orchids- and one very rare vanilla orchid- wow.

Why is it daft?

That's a bit daft jbf

jinglebellfrocks there is also a thread going about the awful happenings in Kuwait, Tunisia and France. This one was set up, I think, with the intention of trying to lift our spirits. If you notice, people are being grateful for the small but precious things we have.

I was a young adult and mother during the worst of the 'Troubles' here in N.Ireland. We were surrounded by death and destruction every day. Most people knew someone killed or injured by this awful descent into chaos. The only way to keep sane was to focus on our here and now and be grateful for any positives we could find. Insular? Well maybe. But life had to go on. Although our country was falling apart, quite literally, we had to feed, clothe and educate our children and protect them from danger so we couldn't fall apart too.

DD and DGS's here for the summer. 2 weeks gone and 8 to go. 5yr old in the garden with neighbours kids, 2yr old having a nap, DD shopping and me having a sit (and a rare look on here) before making a pud for a communal barbeque tonight with all the lovely neighbours. Perfect day !

Little pipistrelle bats swooping around my roof at daybreak, going back to bed. I love having the maternity unit in my roof.

Aw, lovely Nonnie!
My kids weren't much into dressing up.
But I see kids out playing in their princess dresses, and they look lovely!
The young boys and girls may as well get plenty of wear out of their outfits.
I havent seen a knight one before!