Lazarus speaks…

I have had this godawful cold/virus for over a fortnight now and only in the last couple of days have I felt even borderline human (as opposed to the land based kin of a race of spluttering green slime monsters from the depths of the Mindanao trench). Keith’s been fairly poorly as well and betweenContinue reading “Lazarus speaks…”

Into the woods

We’ve had a well nigh perfect few weeks. Mostly it’s been lovely and sunny, but with enough dreary/wet days that I’ve actually managed to get a few indoors things done as well. A couple of damson deliveries from Judy have been turned to jam and curd (and in Keith’s case, vodka). The colour was soContinue reading “Into the woods”

Nature dudettes at large

When Lachlan was a small boy, much addicted to natural history programmes he declared that when he growed up he was doing to be a nature dude on the telly. With a late change of heart toward caring for the human species, a family vacancy for nature dudes has emerged. Over the last few weeksContinue reading “Nature dudettes at large”

Harvest Season

The harvesters are out at last. I can hear the faint thrum of the combines from two fields away and had to pull smartly onto the verge to let a huge beast of a machine get past a couple of days ago. In the way of farmers, I can get no consensus on whether itContinue reading “Harvest Season”

Cthulu emerges from the deep

A few hours ago found me trailing up the back stairs, naked , wet and festooned with pond slime (having deposited my Lara Croft pond clearing outfit straight in the washing machine). Needless to say Anne next door called to discuss tomorrow’s dining options. I did alert her to the parlous state of affairs, whatContinue reading “Cthulu emerges from the deep”

The Hipster Diaries #4 – Smartie free and smelling of roses

My mobility is coming on a treat. I’m down to one stick now and can generally manage without any sticks just pootling round the bedroom/bathroom. After days of the leg lifting exercise barely garnering a millimetre, I actually managed lift off today (twice so it was not a fluke). Having got myself rationed down toContinue reading “The Hipster Diaries #4 – Smartie free and smelling of roses”

Lights, camera, action…

Well we’ve been beavering away like nobody’s business the last week or so because Keith somehow managed to agree that the garden should feature on a Border TV slot. This seemed to me to fly somewhat in the face of my plans to eschew the efforts of an open day this year, but as heContinue reading “Lights, camera, action…”

May’s definitely out

It has been blisteringly hot over the last few weeks. For a very hairy dog, Lyra doesn’t actually seem to mind the sun, and will contentedly fry herself on the patio. However mum and I are both developing gardeners sunburn. Our weeding techniques must differ substantially as she is sporting a red nose and ruddyContinue reading “May’s definitely out”

Pins and needles

In a foolhardy moment some weeks ago I confidently declared to Lachlan that it would be no problem to recover the free sofa a friend of a friend (and as it turns out a cousin of another friend) had kindly donated – white being considered overly high risk for a young man with a dog.Continue reading “Pins and needles”

Not all doom and gloom

The news has gone, it seems, from pretty dispiriting to downright bizarre. I have taken to doom scrolling in bed before breakfast to see what fresh insanity has been unleashed. Lachlan, ever sanguine, is of the view that periodic bursts of bonkers are simply part of the human condition and, like goldfish, we have foundContinue reading “Not all doom and gloom”