Making The Most

I was all set to go into Woodbridge to buy a pond pump when I looked out of the window and gasped. It was a beautiful day, sunny and mild. Denise, I said to myself, for that is my name, Denise, why would you want to get into the car on a lovely day like this when you can get into the garden? So I ordered a pump online which will be delivered before Friday and for less than half the price of the local specialists, and out I went. There was so much to do, and I mean that in a nice way. The other day I had seen how Ruth had attached her skinny hose to her water butt, by means of Hoselock connectors, and the light went on in my head. So that was job number one, attaching lengths of hose to my four butts to drain the excess water away, and stop it leaking into the garden. In the summer it will be precious, and can be used to keep the pond topped up, but at this time of the year it's a nuisance. Once I'd done that I got out the powerhose and gave the car a once over to remove all the mud and muck that has accumulated over just one week. The powerhose has to be my favourite outside appliance, and as I eyed up the patio beyond the back door I noticed how plastered in mud it too is, the result of the many muddy male feet that have trudged up to my back door over the past several weeks, if you'll pardon the implication. So I attacked that too. The sun shone down brightly while I worked, and I gradually peeled off my protective layers.

It didn't stay warm for very long as the wind got up, but it continued to be sunny. I put the layers back on and cleared swathes of the front, cutting down dead Japanese anenomies, phlox and salvia. I even took several feet of growth off a large old rose tree which really needs chopping back to the ground, and will be in the spring. It's garden recycling day tomorrow so most of the rubbish will go.

In the evening I went to see Brooklyn, and having just finished reading the book for the second time I noticed every change that had been made. I hope Colm Toibin and Nick Hornby discussed the screenplay because it it altered the whole balance and flavour of the original. No spoilers, but the biggest laugh for me was when common tarty Dolores remarks at the boarding house dining table that there were an awful lot of fillums in Brooklyn, much more than in Cavan. "Isn't that funny," remarks Patty, the house wag. "Wouldn't you have thought it'd be the other way round."