Struggles

I woke up in the very early hours with an intense itching on the outer rim of one ear, and realised I'd been bitten. Determined it wasn't going to happen again, I leapt out of bed, put the light on and proceeded to search the room for the culprit but could find nothing. By the time I'd settled myself back in bed I'd discovered that my ear wasn't the only affected area. Two huge patches above my knees and on either side were covered in raised welts and blisters, and one buttock was the same. An eyebrow had been attacked too, and so had the other ear. And there was a lump on my cheek. The itching which erupted so suddenly was unbearable. But what could have made these marks? It wasn't a mosquito, but more like I'd had bunches of stinging nettles rubbed across my skin. The blisters looked as if they had been tracked by something crawling randomly all over me. Horrible, it was, and so itchy I couldn't sleep. I went downstairs to make a cup of hot chocolate, and returned to my book for half an hour to try to distract myself from scratching before sleep overtook me again. The blisters were still there in the morning, but now there is barely a trace. A mystery.

I finally made it into Woodbridge for some essential but postponed shopping, and while I was there I collected several flowerpots from where they were stacked beside my friend's boat. She only wanted to keep one, and I agreed to take the others away. First I had to empty out the soil, and then carry them to the boot. But the car was parked several yards away, and a barrier prevented me bringing it closer. The men in the cafe didn't have a key, and so I slogged backwards and forwards half a dozen times labouring under the weight. I could scarcely believe it when, just before I left, I looked at the barrier and it wasn't locked at all, but came up in my hands. Next time rule out all possibilities before you act, my girl! I came home and immediately fell asleep on the sofa with Hugo curled around me. Knackered, I was, plum tuckered out. All I have to do now is get them out of the car.