The next thing - a fire pit

 The car had the service and repair done yesterday, all went well, it was perfectly straightforward with no drama or unexpected problems and was finished by the time the garage said it would be.  It also cost less than husband was expecting, happily.

So the ongoing work to change the garden to how we want it.....we had a stump in the middle of the smallest of the square gravel beds, where husband had cut off the horrible scruffy yucca type tree that was there.  Originally I'd thought about securing a plinth to the top of it, with a bird bath fixed to that.  I decided against that though - much as I'd like it, Betty wouldn't - she hates birds being in the garden, especially pigeons, and chases them away, she sees them as invaders.  So it seemed a bit daft to encourage them to come in.  So then I thought, what about a fire pit?  One that comes with a grill across it, so it can also be used as a barbecue, and with a spark guard or cover.  Husband really liked that idea too, so that's what we're going to have.  And since the car service/repair was so economical, husband offered to pay for the fire pit.  We're going to the caravan at the weekend, just for a day trip, we pass The Range on the way, one of my favourite shops.....they have a big display of fire pits/bbqs, so we may well get one there.

We need to bring some things back with us from the caravan, hence why we're going.  We have a spare garden parasol there, 2 in fact - we have a large gazebo we use there (we take it down over winter) so the parasols aren't really needed so will bring them both home.  The larger one will go over our garden seating area, the smaller one for Betty's lawn - which, incidentally, is settling down and bedding in very well, in fact it already looks as if the grass is growing.  We've still got the canes and string around it, we don't want Betty on it just yet.  We're continuing to water it twice a day for the next week or two, until we're sure it's properly rooted.  Husband will also bring his strimmer back from the caravan, ready for giving the new lawn the first cut in a few weeks - it's such a small area that the strimmer will cope with it just fine.

Thank you for all the comments, we couldn't have wished for a better place.  We popped to the supermarket for a small top up shop this morning and when we came out to put our bags in the car, I stopped to gaze up at the lovely view up on the hills above the town - sheep and cows grazing of course, but also deer in the deer park at the top.  I wonder how many shoppers actually notice the lovely scenery up above the supermarkets?  I'll try to remember to take a photo the next time we're there, we're so lucky to have all this beautiful scenery around us, and the beach we can actually see from the main road round the corner from our home.  Jane, you're right, knowing that we have a home for life is so reassuring.  And Sue, yes it did happen much quicker than we thought - years quicker, actually, considering the Council had told us originally that it could be 4 or 5 years before we got offered a place.  Scarlet, I love being at home now, I don't feel the need to keep going out, even though there are such nice places to go within a short distance.