Sunday 9 September 2018

Peak begonia













Spotted this pub yesterday which appears to have reached peak begonia. At home in the garden, things are waning, and I'm picking up windfalls every day. It's crumble season, although I think the apples and pears might have suffered a bit from the hot dry spell we had a few weeks ago. The pears in particular are on the small side and a bit, well, I don't know the horticultural term, but they're sad-looking.

Thank you for all of your good tooth wishes. It's on the mend I think, and I am eating proper food, although I wish I had more time to cook things. As ever, the weekday evenings seem to be a perpetual rush. But I am joining in with the fam now and not living on yoghurt and custard. Although I do like to just have a bowl of overnight oats instead when I cook them something non-veggie. Pretty much my favourite thing in fact, but probably not the most nutritious dinner. My appetite is just a bit jaded I think. Maybe from the iron tablets I've been taking, I'm not sure. It seems to be a bit of a vicious circle. The less healthy food I eat, the less I feel like eating it. I am needing to take myself in hand and give myself a stern talking to. Just as soon as I muster the energy.

The littlest boy and I took the dog for a walk yesterday afternoon and then to a dog-friendly cafe. Bertie hasn't really got the hang of Walking Nicely with a loose lead or of Sitting for long periods of time when he's away from home. On holiday he could go for hours on the beach without ever sitting down. But we persevere. In the top photo it appears that he is lying down quietly, but really it was a twenty-second interlude. Here is an outtake where I have him in more of a death-grip. We didn't stay long.


I spent the entire day today working hard in house and garden, and I'm absolutely worn out. Things are a little bit neater, but it does feel like the tip of the iceberg. I am trying not to worry too much about all the jobs though. There simply aren't enough hours in the day, so I'll do what I can and the rest won't be done and that's the way it will be. I shall learn to not get in a state about things in the wrong place and mess and untidyness, I shall. The biggest boy says to me, 'Mum, you are so NEAT'. He makes neat sound like a bad thing. I like neat. It's just the way I'm made. I do try to leave things unneat, but I just can't do it. A rod for my own back, I know. Sometimes I think people move things around just to torment me. Maybe I need hypnotherapy or something. Then people could leave a mess and I just wouldn't care. Wouldn't even notice. Of course the question is, would they notice? Probably, when they couldn't find their football socks or their pants weren't in the right place. It's tempting to try it and see.

Hope all is well out there with you and that your corner of the world is all neatness and order. Bertie says thank you for all your kind comments about his sausage trick. He is working on something new involving a hoop and a cushion. Watch this space.

16 comments:

  1. Our pears are disappointing too this year. We also have been chopping lots of apples to make crumbles.

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  2. I'm joining in with the pear theme, our pears are also sparse and smaller than usual. It has to be all that hot weather we had...I suppose it also means a pear shortage or a hike in prices at the supermarket.
    CJ, lovely to see you on your blog and I hope the iron tablets kick in soon, and you're feeling better. Anything to do with teeth is horrendous! You have my sympathies.
    As for neat, I used to be the queen of neat and like you couldn't let things slide, BUT, now I'm much more relaxed, it still irks me when the home is a mess but I get too worn out to keep topside of it all the time. And it's probably not as bad as you think you know.
    Have a good week.

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  3. Wow.. you and Bertie look like models on that gorgeous sofa! I wondered if this was your home. I'd love to see some home shots someday. I wish like heck that I was born with a neatness gene.. but I was not. I do like things looking tidy but it never seems to be. Oh well! Have fun this coming week. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  4. I love the flowers outside the pub and especially the ones in the boat, they certainly brighten up a space don't they. I'm glad to hear that you're on the mend I'm looking forward to seeing Bertie's new trick. I'm sure he's very pleased with all his achievements lately! :) xx Susan

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  5. Neatness and order, oh, sure...

    hahahahaha

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  6. Neatness. Hmm. Areas of our home are neat and the rest I try to do every few days but with dogs and the outdoors coming in it often doesn’t last long! I commiserate. I use spatone for iron- easier on the stomach and gets absorbed more quickly than tablets. Glad to hear the tooth is on the mend xx

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  7. A nice post and lovely pictures. I'm glad to read that you're feeling better. I like to think that I'm neat and tidy but I'm sure that's a bit of an illusion at times. Your pictures and comments about Bertie always make me smile. xx

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  8. I love the photo of the pub! I'd noticed that our apples are smaller this year but didn't put two and two together until reading your post. Now it makes sense. There are also more wasps than usual hanging around the windfalls - I hope you don't have the same problem. Though it sounds as though you'd be more likely than me to keep them all picked up!

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  9. Hi CJ, I am a first-time visitor who stopped in from Christina's, A Colourful Life, blog. I have enjoyed reading some of your previous posts and especially seeing the photos. And having just had my own dental visit today (mine was a replacement filling) glad yours was nothing serious. (By the way, it looks like you have a spam comment above.)

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  10. I'm sorry to hear of your tooth issues, what a pain (literally). I hope you're on the mend now. I have a dental cleaning at the end of the month, and I'm hoping there's nothing amiss in there. I've been trying so hard to be a good flosser, which is something I absolutely despise doing, so I really hope it's been enough for my dentist, who is a real taskmaster. I used to do the same in photos with my dog, I had him in a death grip in every one, it just looked like a big hug. There was one photo in particular when I was pregnant with my son where I had crouched down over the dog and he was rearing up against my belly; I decided it wasn't worth it to have a pretend-nice photo with the dog anymore!

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  11. I am right there with you.
    I cannot go to sleep if the house isn't picked up.
    Lovely photos too!!!

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  12. i really really try with neatness and order... but i just dont win :(
    that inn looks absolutely gorgeous.

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  13. I'm with you on the neat thing. My daughters used to call me 'neat freak'! Lovely to see photos of you and Bertie.

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  14. Yay! A lovely photo of you! I hate tooth issues, I'm glad you're on the mend and it doesn't require any great treatment/procedure. I think the general malaise with food is to be expected at times like these. I have it too, but because our household is so tired of cooking and eating the same things. Meal planning malaise ... yet again. LOL

    I WISH my son would tell me I'm so neat alas, it will never happen because it would be untrue.

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  15. I hope your energy returns soon. And I'm totally with you on the neat thing, which of course is nigh on impossible in a house full of boys.

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  16. I am also neat, but superficially so. I like tidy surfaces but am quite happy to shove everything inside a cupboard to achieve that, so I'm not sure what that says about me. Ziggy is hopeless in cafes or pubs, anywhere where there is food and people, his two favourite things. He never settles. I am beyond impressed with Bertie's sausage restraint in the previous post though. Not a chance with Ziggy. Not. A. Chance.

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