Read the title as you like... did I strike a blow for independence, or was I unsuccessful?
This what I ended up with, so the overall result was a win!
A small table and chair now fill the space between the front door step and the bay window.
I've lifted the pot of pansies off the paving onto the table as well. That corner gets all the morning sun, and is usually sheltered from the wind. So I decided I would scandalise our very conventional road of fifties semidetached houses and bungalows by Sitting in the Front Garden with my morning coffee when possible! I haven't bought a purple dress and red hat to wear. One step at a time... although, thinking about it, there's that red hat I bought for my cousin's wedding...
I've long been envious of the way my Canadian friends talk about sitting on their porch enjoying the sun. I think this far more customary over there than over here. In American novels (think 'To kill a mocking bird') the families sit on the porch and greet the passers-by.
The sun doesn't reach out seating area in the back garden close by the house until late afternoon these days, so if I want to sit in the sunshine it has to be the front garden.
My plan was to go out of the back door, trailing my 30ft oxygen tube, and carry the lightweight table and chair up the drive as far as the lead would reach - about halfway. Then I went out of the front door, but - horrors! The lead wasn't quite long enough!
Just then a lad came along walking to the sixth-form college. Aha!
'Excuse me,' I called. He didn't heat he, never even noticed me! He was miles away, ears full of the sound of whatever his ear phones were filling them with!
BB came hurtling out of the front door... 'I thought I heard you call'. My independence came to a sudden end, and in fact I was very grateful as he accomplished in under 2 minutes what I had spent a while doing.
Tomorrow, if it is sunny, I shall be out there, with a cup of coffee and a magazine and a cheery 'good morning' for any dog walkers, joggers, fetching-the-milk-and-weekend-papers, and anyone else as they pass by. You have be warned!
I think that's a lovely idea. I've often thought it would be good to have a wide porch/stoop whatever, just to sit and maybe swing, chat to people, drink a mint julep, read a book. However, our British reserve would probably put me down as a 'nosy old bat'.
ReplyDeleteI'll see how I get on... I confess to a little trepidation!
DeleteWe actually don’t usually sit on the porch in the sun - it’s too hot. Other half tends to have cereal and coffee on the porch(at the front of the house) in the morning when the sun is on the back of the house and we used to sit out front in the evenings and chat to the next door neighbours but since they moved we rarely go out in the evenings.
ReplyDeleteYou must be missing the neighbours. I suppose as winter approaches the porch will be too cold for sitting out anyway
DeleteThat’s “yes” to both. All the porch and patio furniture is packed away in the shed until spring - just two lightweight chairs on the patio in case of a warm, sunny day. He did make it to the end of October for breakfast outside though.
DeleteRaining and windy here today so no chance of outside coffee in sun
DeleteI've always fancied a veranda..................
ReplyDeleteOh yes.... vines growing around it, swinging bench...
DeleteI'm dog sitting for the next few days and I shall take hat, gloves and a very warm jacket so I can sit on the porch. I shall be sheltered from the rain. I can watch the cattle in the field and wave to walkers on the long-distance footpath. Bliss. (Oh, and I shall have a blanket around my legs. Very granny-ish!)
ReplyDeleteBliss indeed! (I hope the blanket will be a traditional granny-square one 😉 to fit the scene!)
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