It turns out that the days have galloped past and I only have a single photo on my camera. The white wisteria, flowering beautifully this year.
The dog is still in his labrador-sized cone, lest he chew his itchy lump. The cockapoo size was too small, it turned out he could reach round the end of it so he has been banished into the big one. It doubles as a rain hood and sun bonnet.
The children are doing all the lockdown things. Magic is still big on the agenda and gymnastics has been added. Basketball is out of favour. Card games are in. March till September is quite a few months, no? But they are happy and getting on well together on the whole.
They've made the odd meal, which has been good. Just simple stuff, mainly salad for lunch and the odd cake. I wouldn't mind if they did more. Life skills and all that.
I did some work this morning then went into the sunny garden this afternoon and planted things. Spinach and radishes and spring onions and chard. Inside I have tomatoes, artichokes, courgettes and cucumbers. Then I sat in the sun with a good book. It was utter bliss for a moment, until the urchins discovered where I was. I shall aim for the same tomorrow.
I've been loving the lockdown walks. The weather's been so glorious and spring seems perfect this year. Maybe it's the good air and the knowledge that outside time is limited. The littlest boy and I have been walking in the golden evening sunshine, admiring all the pretty front gardens. Maybe everyone is spending a little more time on them than usual. He climbs trees and does parkour and I drag the dog around. He's slightly reluctant at times (dog, not boy). I'm hoping it's just because of the cone and not some sort of early-onset laziness.
I hope all is well at your end. Let me know how you're finding it all. CJ xx
I'd love to see a photo of darling Bertie in his sun bonnet! I was planting out my chard today too, along with beetroot and calabrese (never grown this before but I had some free seeds with a magazine and thought I'd give it a whirl). Your wisteria is beautiful; I don't think I've ever seen a white one before. What a shame your reading was interrupted so quickly. Fingers crossed that tomorrow's sneaky read is more successful! Take care. xx
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to hear from you again. Corralled at home, along with the dogs, I am hungry for human conversation, even of the virtual variety, and my heart lifted when I saw a new post from you. I too have been seduced into the garden by the sunshine, and warmth, and have also got trays of little seedlings on every flat surface in the house. Tomatoes, peppers, sweet peas. Newly-filled hanging baskets are dangling voluptuously out of harm's way, the plum tree is doing its spring thing, and I was even lulled into a false sense of security, and planted out some containers of violas and geraniums this morning. Unfortunately, the dogs silently removed all of the violas, and left them scattered, and decimated, in full view all over the ground, (while they ate the fresh compost), while my back was turned for five minutes, chatting over the fence to the man next door. I nearly fell off the steps when I saw the carnage, and sadly, my carefully cultivated public image will never quite be the same again, as I launched into a volley of language I don't think he thought I knew in his wildest dreams. It also started to rain, and thunder, which I saw as a Sign to remove myself from decent company at once, lest further demonstrations of godly outrage ensued. Ah well. Their own well signposted 'Dog's Digging Patch' had a deep hole in it, but I managed to resist the urge to put it to good use by casting myself into it, and decided that it would probably be better not to fill it with dogs either, but the temptation was there. I'm sick of lock-down. I want to escape. I'm starting to feel, and look, like one of the bad girls in 'Prisoner Cell Block H'. I've let myself go. I so have.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I had to look up 'parkour', and it occurs to me that I could maybe introduce it into my own repertoire : vaulting over the humungous ironing pile that I can't be wrestled into tackling, leaping the constantly jamming stair gates, then hitting the ground and recovering, with a sinuous forward roll, and swerving around suddenly static dogs, and their strategically placed tennis balls, just under my feet, with nonchalant ease. Perhaps I could finally emerge into the community, fitter, and stronger, and surely, as a consequence, leaner, as a result of such taxing agility, when this whole stay at home thing finally comes to an end. Or heavily bandaged. Possibly that.
Hope everyone out there is coping as well as they can, staying as safe as they can, and finding solace wherever it exists, in every little nook and cranny they can lay their hands on. This time won't last for ever, it really won't, and even a New Normal sounds pretty good to me, and will be much appreciated. Roll on summer, and take good care of yourselves, people.
Rather sad to find you don’t have a blog x
DeleteI think this shut down is going to actually be a good thing for us all. How many of us felt like - "Stop this merry-go-round, I want to get off!" about our overly scheduled lives? Mother Earth is happy and breathing a sigh of relief. I think a lot of us might very well decide not to go back to the over-busy-ness of things. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a blissful time. Once things go back to some type of new normal we will look back at these times with awe I think. Slow living is great. I've shaken most of my feelings of guilt and the pressure of constantly being up on my feet and delivering, producing, doing something. Just sitting on a bench reading or listening to a podcast and staring at the grass moving in the wind on the field is so fulfilling. Enjoy and make the best of it. We are 7 weeks in over here and decisions has just been made to start opening up as of Monday and then back to school part time on the 11th... We'll see how that goes. I got mixed feeling of relief and excitement and a pinch of concern... Are we ready?
ReplyDeleteI'm finding these times to be tough. We were caught mid house move, so half our things are in boxes , and we are surrounded by them. Filled with anxiety whilst being nagged by the man selling his house to us, as if we can help the situation. Venturing out to shops is traumatic, and I am scared about the cost of all this government spending to future generations, to say nothing of fretting about people dying. My only solace has been the "permitted exercise". No, not a happy bunny.
ReplyDeleteAll sounds perfect in your neck of the woods, apart from the cone but maybe even that is helping to ensure a zen-like calmness in everyone. All's well and much the same here. x
ReplyDeleteGood to know you and the boys are coping with the isolation. In some ways I think it is making us all find some new skills and that is a good thing. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI’m another that had to look up Parkour. Love the idea of slinking in and out jumping and running at speed. Very James Bond. Poor old Bertie with his colour, hopefully for not too much longer.
ReplyDeleteI’m guessing Spring is so beautiful this year because we have had the time to soak it all up; the sunshine has helped too.
Love the white wisteria. I’ve been noticing it more since you mentioned it although much more rare than the lilac variety. Hope you managed to evade the youngsters today and have a little more ‘me’ time. Enjoy. B x
*collar
DeleteLovely white wisteria, which I like but rarely see. Bert has me smiling as usual. It's been a wonderful spring thanks to the good weather.
ReplyDeleteI'm okay, and happily plotting on as usual. Take care. xx
When my boys are in the cone they won't even go outside to go potty unless I drag them. It must be a universal cone type of thing. Glad you are getting out and enjoying sunny days and evenings. Stay well and safe.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone is tending their allotments more too. Poor Bertie those collars are a real nuisance.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone is spending more time on their gardens and allotments - I know ours have never looked so good! Seems like you have been busy growing things too x
ReplyDeleteLots of garden pottering happening here too....I dash out whenever the sun shines because it's still a very off-and-on thing here yet.
ReplyDeletePoor Bertie....I'm sure his cone is very discouraging...our old rottweiler wouldn't move at all when she had her cone on (ear infections from wading in ponds)..she would sit in the middle of the room and quiver, poor soul. She wasn't the cleverest of dogs but she made up for it in sheer loveliness.
Glad to hear all are managing well....we're faring well also. Our Friday outings are a highlight of the week. Feels very simple and good and i rather love that. xoxo
On the whole, I find myself coping quite well, although I did have a wobble this morning when my son told me he's in hospital (kidneys rather than covid). Typical 21 year old - left it 24 hours before telling me. Am going to dig away the worry-tension on the allotment this afternoon.
ReplyDeleteI hope Bertie's cone is off by now and he is back to his normal bouncy self. Jack is reluctant to walk more than once a day at the moment, he agrees to a long walk but refuses to budge when a second walk is suggested. Glad you found some time to read in peace and quiet, such precious moments. I can'd decide what to read next and it makes me a little stressed. Yes, unbelievable. We are doing ok although we do seem to be a bit frayed around the edges. Same old faces all day long and all. Have a good weekend when it comes xx
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