Friday 5th May - Such a day, such a day

I think it is going to take a very long blog post to cover today, and yesterday, and probably the day before.

This morning was the dentist, a bit of a long morning, as Himself had over an hour's work finishing off replacing crowns and bridge work. I just had a check up. 

This new dentist just peers intently at my teeth, using special magnifying glasses and a bright narrow-beam light, barely poking at my teeth at all. After years of dentists scritching and scratching and picking at my teeth this is a welcome change!

do you remember that toothpaste advertisement on TV; 'no fillings today, Mum!'? Well that was me today!

Home, but no lunch as himself was still too numb to eat. But there were other excitements as we approached the drive. The entrance was blocked by a white delivery drive - hurrah - we were just in time to sign for a piece of tech (a new kindle reader) which Himself had ordered, before realising there was a very good risk that we would be out and unable to sign for it! That was a real distraction from lunch.

A further distraction was the arrival of a very snazzy rollator for my father.

  Which as you can see fits into the boot of our Fiat Panda with ease. We have unpacked it and set it up to take round on Sunday.

After that we put up the bunting. That makes five houses decorated so far at our end of the road - maybe more people will join in tomorrow.

While I had my phone with me I had a little walk round the garden; EVERYTHING that I sowed in the vegetable plot has come up! That is just so cheering. For some reason it is the broad beans (crimson flower again) that makes me the happiest. They look so eager and energetic, pushing through the soil.

The tulips are still bright and attractive; we are holding off dealing with the forget-me-nots which are very exuberant this year until they have finished flowering.

The 'nursery' is fairly well-stocked at the moment;

The salvia Armistead cuttings are in the 'holey' zippy greenhouse, having been moved from the newer zippy greenhouse to make room for french bean and borlotti bean seeds.

Here are three tomato plants, Gardener's Delight, Alicante and Beefy Beefsteak, and some herbs from the supermarket which will restock the herb garden in the next few days. 

Oh yes, every part of our rather small garden is labelled in my mind; the nursery, yard, vegetable, herb and woodland and wildlife gardens, the sunny border, shady border, lawn, container garden, lower patio and upper terrace... one day (in my dreams) I will have signs, like in a 'real' garden, directing the way to each area... and maybe the number of paces, as opposed to yards, to reach the destination...

I will post on the Cross Country Stitching Project another time - suffice it to say I have the idea for May clear in my mind and can start charting. Phew, because nearly a week has gone!

Thursday 4th May - and may the fourth be with you...

 There, that's got that out of the way, I don't it think matters that I've said it at the end of the day, unlike white rabbits which needs to be said first thing, or April Fools which need to be over and done with by noon?

Yesterday and today have been a bit chockablocka, tomorrow will be a visit to the dentist and as for Saturday, well we all know what Saturday will bring; 

an ultrasound scan on my gall bladder to decide if it is a polyp that showed up on the MRI scan way back in January,  or a gall stone. Either way nothing will need to be done, but it's good to know.

Oh yes, and the Coronation... how could I forget. I watched an astonishing programme about how the dress uniforms are made, in a British factory, using silk velvet from Spain, red woollen cloth from Yorkshire, and all the metalwork (buttons, cap badges and the shiny helmets) all made in Birmingham. There was a man, an armourer, moulding the helmet by hand using a machine that defies description 'there are only 2 people who know how to do this' he said, without pausing in the work.

We shall look out the bunting and drape it over bushes in the front garden tomorrow in readiness for The Day.

Tuesday 2nd May - Green Explosion

 I suppose the title is rather misleading - I am referring to the blossom on the apple tree at the bottom of the garden, and the way all the trees around where we live have suddenly burst into leaf, all at once, it seems. 

Last week there were just hints that this might happen; today - whoosh! Even the oaks have (belatedly, as always) realised that it's time to get a move on.

I foolishly attempted to cast a clout last week, but I have gone back to three layers of clothes as a matter of course. The difference is that I am slightly too warm when I settle in the sitting room in the morning, and then find myself coming to the boil when I am working or giving a music lesson at the back of the house in the afternoon!    

Monday 1st May - Promising start to May, weather-wise

The weather looked pretty good today, apart from a short, fierce shower of rain...

Himself had gone for walk and to post the cross stitch parcel, so I rang him up to ask if he wanted a lift home as I knew he was wearing a showerproof, as opposed to waterproof jacket. It was very disconcerting to hear him answer the call from upstairs. Turns out he had returned, said 'hi', I had answered, all about fifteen minuted ago. Shows how much I was paying attention.

Coincidentally I tripped across this on another blog (spinsterstitcher.blogspot.com) this morning;

Indeed.

The Molly Clavering book - 'Mrs Lorimer's Quiet Summer' was so right for my current state of mind that I hunted to see if I had any more - yes, two, which I read last year, or maybe the year before. I vaguely remember the plots, but not enough to matter. So I have started 'Touch not the nettle' which is a little awkward, because the other one, 'Susan Settles Down' comes first. Am I bothered? Not really!

Our book club choice is 'The Instant', a memoir by Amy Liptrot. I have started it, and t is interesting, but not a 'light' read. A couple of pages, and my head is full of things that need thinking about. One of the other suggestions was Joan Bakewell's memoir 'The tick of two clocks' sounds much more the sort of thing that I would enjoy, and I will buy a copy anyway. 

Buying second hand books from the 'World of Books' website is my current pleasure, although I haven't failed to notice that when I send old books back to them (via ziffit) they give me pence, but charge me pounds when I buy them! (Fair enough though - staff, storage, postage....)

    

Sunday 30th April - And so to bed...

I forgot to post this post!!! 

Here endeth an eventful week... 

I have packaged up the cross stitch for April, but there was no rush to get it into a post box, as today is Sunday and tomorrow's a Bank Holiday.

We took my father for his covid booster this morning. They offered us the option of having it done in the car - what a brilliant idea! We sat in the car with doors and windows open to enjoy the sunshine and birdsong and in due course someone appeared with a tray of syringes going from one vehicle to the next. I asked if I could have one too (I hadn't booked, but am allowed a booster because I take immunosuppressant medicines) and she obligingly fetched the appropriate vaccine and did me as well. Unfortunately Himself is underage - irritating,  as it seems to me it would be a good idea for family members of people who are vulnerable to have boosters but hey, who can understand the machinations of The System? 

The whole process took less than an hour door to door.

Here endeth an eventful month; 

Tomorrow will be a new day, a new week and a new month. 

Saturday 29th April - seize the moment

I thought I'd best write a blog post NOW as I am in SUCH a good mood... what has caused this surge of happiness? 

Lots of small things;

1. We have changed the sheets on the bed. This is a major task in my eyes, all that pushing and pulling and lifting and shoving and raising a dust... but how lovely when it is done!

2. It is sunny, and warmer than yesterday. Could April have finally arrived?

3. I slept like a log last night. Oh, what a difference a good night's sleep makes!

4. My father has made and eaten a proper supper 2 days in a row; a small steak and kidney pudding both nights, with a snack pot of mango pieces one night and a pot of rice pudding  the other night. Half his problems, I suspect, were due to not eating enough, and skipping the evening meal. I have filled his fridge with easy meals, mango snack pots and rice pudding pots in the hope this will help.

5. He is also enthusiastic about the rollator I have ordered; I am hoping it will make getting out MUCH easier!

6. I am reading an old-fashioned but comfortable book; 'Mrs Lorimer's Quiet Summer' by Molly Clavering, set in 1951. It is like an earlier 'Miss Read' style of book, very gentle, amusing, all about the interwoven ups and downs of a large family, but with no great emotional heart-wringing, tensions, searing, wrenching scenes. Maybe even no murders, as a change from recent books?

 I'm hoping that Guy WILL marry RONA in the end, that Phyllis and George sort themselves out and save their marriage, and that Thomas's life will be improved if Mary takes Mrs Lorimer's advice and employs an efficient cook housekeeper to take over the running of the house... but there are still many chapters to go before I know for sure.