Is it summer?

After several days of clearing the garden shed, cleaning out the garage of empty packing cases left over from our return from Ibiza, planting a new shrub in the garden, feeding the lawn and finally buying some plants for the front of the house. What can it all mean?  I suppose that now I have started wearing shorts and layering on factor 50 to my head, I have to conclude,  it must be summer. 

The clincher must be cutting the grass every week which is now becoming lush and green and the fact that I seem to be thinking plants all the time.

As it’s summer, we have had a short break in Brighton with the obligatory meal at Indian Summer “the only Indian restaurant in Brighton”  We had lunch a few weeks ago at Chilli Pickle in Brighton another fine eatery which I cannot recommend highly enough.  We stayed at “One Broad Street” in the care of the ever humorous, helpful and Queen of Granola making, Ramola!! (and Mary who we have never met).  This is a fantastic little place just far enough away from the busy centre of Brighton and near enough to the sea to be perfect.  The rooms are bright and clean and full of little quirks that reflect the personalities of the owners of this B&B.  We love it there and plan a return visit in the not to distant future.

There was another “first” this visit to Brighton with a visit to the Brighton Pavilion and the current exhibition about the many hundreds of Indian Soldiers who  were treated there during the First World War when the Pavilion was used as a hospital.   I was a little disappointed by the rather small nature of the exhibition but it did have some excellent photographs and a short film showing King George V during a visit to the hospital and presenting a Victoria Cross to an Indian Army Officer, Jemadar (Lieutenant) Mir Dast of the 55th Coke's Rifles ( Frontier Force ).  He insisted on standing to attention to receive his medal despite being very weak after having been gassed.  Much of scene at the hospital was so similar to scenes today of our wounded soldiers recovering and rehabilitating at another “Brighton Pavilion”, Headly Court today.  History does have a habit of repeating itself doesn't it?  We still need the same “Help for Heroes” today!!