Tuesday 22 May 2012
Woodpecker
Thursday 3 May 2012
Tuesday 1 May 2012
A week's diary
Monday.
Cold and wet forecast, but not too bad here, so I spent lots of time gardening - weeding, planting summer bulbs and weeding under red currant bush. I really need a fruit cage over that but can't see me getting one in a hurry. The blackbirds are so inventive at getting underneath my net curtain arrangement. Tidied greenhouse too, only one tray of seedlings is showing, very disappointing. Caught up on some computer jobs after lunch and before dinner. Felt like sleeping and wished I had later when spent most of the night coughing. Watched a DVD of J&A's 30th wedding outdoor party, about 13 years ago now, brought back memories. Then watched another one J had made of a TV prog about Hidcote and its history. Today I received permission to do the Rattigan play I'm 'directing' for the local Players, even though it's showing in London, which usually means one can't.
Tuesday.
Another morning in garden except for long phone call from Irish daughter, which conversely made me feel rather sad. Self-pity rears it's ugly head, whack it! Veggie bed is now ready for sowing - leeks cleared, garlic and chard still in, poles to mark out plots for different veg. Nothing straight; I'm not very good at straight. Afternoon went to bed and slept, did some emails, ordered 2 Tom Wrights. Then to a rehearsal of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' which was a complete read-through and too long at 1 1/2 hours for the short entertainment planned for the village Jubilee celebrations. HoF made dinner as he got hungry waiting. Leeks and bacon and cheese sauce successful, but he forgot all about potatoes! Miss P rang, wondering aloud about the next stage in her life. Tricky. I realise that at her age I didn't have to wonder, husband and babies precluded much choice in the matter. Started reading 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' for book group. Slept much better.
Wednesday.
I rather think we're enjoying the separate bedrooms we began when HoF broke his foot. He can watch rubbish TV, and I can knit or read or listen to radio in mine. Oh, dear. Today was a washout, so we had breakfast in his room together and watched Tom Wright speaking. Very good too. So no gardening and I spent nearly all day reading 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' which had a better ending than HoF had led me to expect. Friend M called, still in pain with her back. 'Look at all us old crocks,' she said. HoF did at last mend trim at base of stairs and repaint patches in stairwell. I did a brief Wheels run in afternoon. making dinner felt like an achievement. Sleep better, only one bout of coughing.
Thursday
Another soggy day and I'm still not right though I surely must be improving slowly. Showers eased enough for me to go out and sow a sample of all planned veg seed on plot. Maybe they'll grow, maybe they'll rot. Also took a bag of clothes to friend for work with women victims of domestic abuse. It's a great idea, a complete set of clothes in one bag for the women who often turn up with only what they're wearing. It's taken me a while to collect all the items needed. HoF worked on tidying bathroom decor with its flaky patches - so nice to have some of those jobs done. He scooted, and I walked, to Green, to get fish and veg from the vans that come weekly. I've been very thankful this week that we have those and village shops, because I haven't been able to face a Big Shop. Then to a prayer group meeting, just a few of us. Good to be together but we do seem to end up with a 'shopping list'. My germs make me feel so anti-social I nearly didn't go, but glad I did. Knitted in evening and considered 'Young Victoria' play which will go with the Rattigan. Worked out a way to divide it into sections so that we can do it as a plain reading and encourage others to have a go. Looked at my job list for the first time since we came home last Friday.
Friday
Rain again - no-one likes to complain with the drought situation, but the Teme is nearly at flood level. I felt well enough to face Tesco's and HoF wanted out, so we shopped. Back to lunch and keyboard, typing up the Victoria play to condense it without stage directions. In between typing sessions, took Mrs X from next village to surgery here, damp from the dripping thatch eaves of her cottage. Two huge poodles running wild in the village were causing havoc. In the evening HoF set me up in the sitting room with BT Vision and I watched four Gardeners' Worlds in a row. My gardening is so haphazard it's a wonder anything grows. And help, I've agreed to open it for village funds at the end of June!
Saturday
Discovered seed tray hidden by chair in conservatory and hey, all sprouted. So fetched the others in from the greenhouse to see if the same situation would be magic for them. Slight let up in the rain,cold and cloudy. Drove to Aston to visit K&B, the Clun flooded into the fields along the way.K is having gardening problems too but has lots of promising seedlings in his greenhouse. He uses a technique I've never seen before. A few runner bean stalks form last year, in pots of compost, are sprouting from the base.Their daughter plans to move nearer. It was lovely to see them and hear their accent: 'Ah, er's cummin.' Late afternoon went to History Society AGM. watched local archivist identifying folks' garden finds of fossils, rusty nails, interestingly shaped stones. Round here they could be Roman finds. Two people wanted to talk to me. One thinks my editorship of the local rag should provide more 'edge' - stir things up a bit. As the whole idea of the rag is currently under review by the PC, I don't think I'll be taking much notice of that. Another was my co-director as we need to get together to talk about these plays. Crossword, knitting, reading in the evening. Bedtimes are creeping later, and getting up likewise.
Sunday
Yet another wet day. Paul Damari, local weather guru, is talking about it continuing into June, which doesn't bode well for the Jubilee celebrations. Friend J collected HoF to go and hear the Bishop preach and I went into town for church. One member of the worship team seems to think that worship equals music and strums continuously; the preacher talked about how we need to find our significance. Oh, I'm getting old. Found I could sing again, though my ears are still a bit blocked. Finished crossword, and novel called 'Digging to America.' HoF has been thoroughly researching the world of Androids. The co-director came to dinner and we discussed how we would practically achieve our aim of having one play purely read and the other a rehearsed reading, in such a way, that others might feel they can have a turn at choosing a play. She's going to print out my reduced version. Later we watched film 'Of Gods and Men.' Very good.
Monday
Felt pretty perky when I woke up except for something sounding like a Manx ferry chuntering in my ear. Guess it's a bit of tinnitus. Did some ironing and emptied bins, and found my energy had all drained away. It actually stopped raining and was warm! Made my Ethiopian painting into birthday cards. HoF went out twice today, second time on his scooter, to mend someone's printer and help another with Picassa. I attacked my job list. Did what I could on one person's family tree (loaded with baronets and such, makes my ag labs look very humble) and emailed it off. Another was family info for a cousin. Asked a neighbour's son to come and mow the lawn for a small fee before the next deluge, as neither of us capable at the moment. In the evening went to singing practise. We are doing 'Singing in the Rain' for our turn at the Jubilee. Oh, how appropriate.
Cold and wet forecast, but not too bad here, so I spent lots of time gardening - weeding, planting summer bulbs and weeding under red currant bush. I really need a fruit cage over that but can't see me getting one in a hurry. The blackbirds are so inventive at getting underneath my net curtain arrangement. Tidied greenhouse too, only one tray of seedlings is showing, very disappointing. Caught up on some computer jobs after lunch and before dinner. Felt like sleeping and wished I had later when spent most of the night coughing. Watched a DVD of J&A's 30th wedding outdoor party, about 13 years ago now, brought back memories. Then watched another one J had made of a TV prog about Hidcote and its history. Today I received permission to do the Rattigan play I'm 'directing' for the local Players, even though it's showing in London, which usually means one can't.
Tuesday.
Another morning in garden except for long phone call from Irish daughter, which conversely made me feel rather sad. Self-pity rears it's ugly head, whack it! Veggie bed is now ready for sowing - leeks cleared, garlic and chard still in, poles to mark out plots for different veg. Nothing straight; I'm not very good at straight. Afternoon went to bed and slept, did some emails, ordered 2 Tom Wrights. Then to a rehearsal of 'The Importance of Being Earnest' which was a complete read-through and too long at 1 1/2 hours for the short entertainment planned for the village Jubilee celebrations. HoF made dinner as he got hungry waiting. Leeks and bacon and cheese sauce successful, but he forgot all about potatoes! Miss P rang, wondering aloud about the next stage in her life. Tricky. I realise that at her age I didn't have to wonder, husband and babies precluded much choice in the matter. Started reading 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' for book group. Slept much better.
Wednesday.
I rather think we're enjoying the separate bedrooms we began when HoF broke his foot. He can watch rubbish TV, and I can knit or read or listen to radio in mine. Oh, dear. Today was a washout, so we had breakfast in his room together and watched Tom Wright speaking. Very good too. So no gardening and I spent nearly all day reading 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' which had a better ending than HoF had led me to expect. Friend M called, still in pain with her back. 'Look at all us old crocks,' she said. HoF did at last mend trim at base of stairs and repaint patches in stairwell. I did a brief Wheels run in afternoon. making dinner felt like an achievement. Sleep better, only one bout of coughing.
Thursday
Another soggy day and I'm still not right though I surely must be improving slowly. Showers eased enough for me to go out and sow a sample of all planned veg seed on plot. Maybe they'll grow, maybe they'll rot. Also took a bag of clothes to friend for work with women victims of domestic abuse. It's a great idea, a complete set of clothes in one bag for the women who often turn up with only what they're wearing. It's taken me a while to collect all the items needed. HoF worked on tidying bathroom decor with its flaky patches - so nice to have some of those jobs done. He scooted, and I walked, to Green, to get fish and veg from the vans that come weekly. I've been very thankful this week that we have those and village shops, because I haven't been able to face a Big Shop. Then to a prayer group meeting, just a few of us. Good to be together but we do seem to end up with a 'shopping list'. My germs make me feel so anti-social I nearly didn't go, but glad I did. Knitted in evening and considered 'Young Victoria' play which will go with the Rattigan. Worked out a way to divide it into sections so that we can do it as a plain reading and encourage others to have a go. Looked at my job list for the first time since we came home last Friday.
Friday
Rain again - no-one likes to complain with the drought situation, but the Teme is nearly at flood level. I felt well enough to face Tesco's and HoF wanted out, so we shopped. Back to lunch and keyboard, typing up the Victoria play to condense it without stage directions. In between typing sessions, took Mrs X from next village to surgery here, damp from the dripping thatch eaves of her cottage. Two huge poodles running wild in the village were causing havoc. In the evening HoF set me up in the sitting room with BT Vision and I watched four Gardeners' Worlds in a row. My gardening is so haphazard it's a wonder anything grows. And help, I've agreed to open it for village funds at the end of June!
Saturday
Discovered seed tray hidden by chair in conservatory and hey, all sprouted. So fetched the others in from the greenhouse to see if the same situation would be magic for them. Slight let up in the rain,cold and cloudy. Drove to Aston to visit K&B, the Clun flooded into the fields along the way.K is having gardening problems too but has lots of promising seedlings in his greenhouse. He uses a technique I've never seen before. A few runner bean stalks form last year, in pots of compost, are sprouting from the base.Their daughter plans to move nearer. It was lovely to see them and hear their accent: 'Ah, er's cummin.' Late afternoon went to History Society AGM. watched local archivist identifying folks' garden finds of fossils, rusty nails, interestingly shaped stones. Round here they could be Roman finds. Two people wanted to talk to me. One thinks my editorship of the local rag should provide more 'edge' - stir things up a bit. As the whole idea of the rag is currently under review by the PC, I don't think I'll be taking much notice of that. Another was my co-director as we need to get together to talk about these plays. Crossword, knitting, reading in the evening. Bedtimes are creeping later, and getting up likewise.
Sunday
Yet another wet day. Paul Damari, local weather guru, is talking about it continuing into June, which doesn't bode well for the Jubilee celebrations. Friend J collected HoF to go and hear the Bishop preach and I went into town for church. One member of the worship team seems to think that worship equals music and strums continuously; the preacher talked about how we need to find our significance. Oh, I'm getting old. Found I could sing again, though my ears are still a bit blocked. Finished crossword, and novel called 'Digging to America.' HoF has been thoroughly researching the world of Androids. The co-director came to dinner and we discussed how we would practically achieve our aim of having one play purely read and the other a rehearsed reading, in such a way, that others might feel they can have a turn at choosing a play. She's going to print out my reduced version. Later we watched film 'Of Gods and Men.' Very good.
Monday
Felt pretty perky when I woke up except for something sounding like a Manx ferry chuntering in my ear. Guess it's a bit of tinnitus. Did some ironing and emptied bins, and found my energy had all drained away. It actually stopped raining and was warm! Made my Ethiopian painting into birthday cards. HoF went out twice today, second time on his scooter, to mend someone's printer and help another with Picassa. I attacked my job list. Did what I could on one person's family tree (loaded with baronets and such, makes my ag labs look very humble) and emailed it off. Another was family info for a cousin. Asked a neighbour's son to come and mow the lawn for a small fee before the next deluge, as neither of us capable at the moment. In the evening went to singing practise. We are doing 'Singing in the Rain' for our turn at the Jubilee. Oh, how appropriate.
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