Round Up of Events

Hi Col, I know I've been AWOL quite a bit lately and I'm sorry.  Just one thing after another and no writing mojo to speak of.

Accident was five weeks ago now and while I'm still clicking, crunching and stiff, body wise, I'm more relaxed driving again and not such a nervous wreck, but still tense.

We've had glorious weather and it makes you feel amazing doesn't it?  Got to be the Vitamin D effect don't you think?

Physically, I'm creaking.  Stuff hurts.  Mentally, feel a bit bruised but trying to do the right things.

Work hasn't been terrible and I'm off for a week now so I'm very happy with the prospect of sleep and freedom.

Fast forward nine days and I'm back to work tomorrow.  I've had a brilliant and busy week; coffee catch ups, lunch with Don and Sheila, trip to the Zoo with baby great niece, (we saw baby elephant, baby monkey (which I would have gladly brought home,) baby rhino,) and countless other, grown up animals.  Must be fifteen years since I've been and it was amazing, they all had tons of space and seemed very happy.  Even brought back some school trip memories of eons ago.

I've had a couple of meals out, Chinese and Wagamama's with J&G.  J decided lovely waiter from Chinese (think he may have been Eastern European, quietly spoken, pleasant, inquisitive, he thought he had seen me around,) was flirting with me and after two glasses of wine was keen to pursue, but I managed to deflect, pretty sure he was way too young for me, even if I was interested.

Saturday morning and I'm spending my only free time with Bee while J&G are toiling in my front garden for me when who rolls up, but our old neighbours.

A date was set and on Thursday night, I collected Jan and drove into the country to where Mrs P and A were staying for the week.  It was a really special night.  Neither of them have changed and it was like being back 25 years ago.  The chat, the references, talk of Mum.  It was lovely.  It was a hot, hot night and while we didn't leave until almost 10pm, the sunset was glorious driving through the dusk on the way home.

Old friends really are golden.

We had one day playing in the garden with baby great niece because it was just too hot and at least there, we had some shade.

Pretty much the rest of the time was spent digging in the back garden, digging up old bulbs, digging up enormous tree roots, digging, digging, digging.  Did you know, when you hurl a spade into a root, a root of any size, large or pencil sized, it's like hitting concrete and you get a ricochet through your hand and up your arm?  I hurt in places I didn't know I had and my hands are soooo sore.

Did I tell you all of this started because my back garden fence needed support posts putting in?  J&G, like the super heroes they are, said they would mend my fence so that I didn't have to get a new one, but in the process, I had to have a dead enormous tree cut down, dig out 10ft long tree roots, completely wreck my already moss and dandelion ridden lawn, sieve soil, and on and on the list would go.  Jan keeps telling me it's going to look amazing and I believe her.  It's been a long time since it looked like a garden and not an overgrown green mass.  I can't wait to see the end result and to be able to "potter."  Until now, my experience of gardening has been; "to hack."

Jan and I have been joking for years that once Geoff retired, I would have a list as long as my arm of "handy man" jobs for him to complete for me.  There isn't a room that doesn't need something Col, it's quite depressing and daunting but I haven't done anything significant for years and so... here we are.  I really do think it will be a beautiful and peaceful oasis when everything is complete.