Today it is cloudy, but forecast to be warm. Great news, as I have my book club coming to the Old Rectory for lunch. With dogs. So dogs galore! Then I have to pack. We are going to Scotland over the weekend to celebrate Peter Kennerley’s birthday – a big one.

Yesterday, the free concert and tea for Older People was a roaring success. The Chelsea Pensioners were absent as they had Founders’ Day, so we missed their scarlet jackets and polished war medals. Guy Johnston, the cellist, played some wonderful pieces and the audience were thrilled. Guy was the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2000. We are nearing our 6th anniversary of the concerts  and teas– 34 so far.

 

The event is driven by volunteers. There is a team in the morning that lay the tables for 500 guests – we average between 350 and 500 per concert – and make egg, cucumber and salmon sandwiches – 50 loaves worth. The doors open at 2.30pm. The concert begins at 3pm. Tea is served at 3.45pm; all the cakes are donated by members of HTB church.

I am in charge of clearing up. I have 4 teams: the cup team who use the industrial strength steamer; the cake-stand team who take them apart, wash and store them; the saucer team in the back kitchen who wash and store them in crates, and the rest is done in the sink at the back of the church. We finished in record time by 5.15pm.

I was tired by the time I caught the underground from South Kensington to Putney Bridge, which is five minutes from our front door. I collected Domino, our Italian greyhound, from Anna, who was babysitting him and drove straight on to the Old Rectory. The first thing I did when I arrived, was to walk around the garden and see the progress since Tuesday morning.

Sheer joy – as I spotted that the roses had exploded into life.

So I shall let the photos do the talking today.

 

I love the beauty of summer flowers.