Finding The Positive

I've done some gentle pottering in the garden, for its good and that of my soul, and though I'm a bit tired I'm not exhausted. I try not to think of how far ahead I would be if only I hadn't lost the best part of 10 weeks, and instead concentrate on what I do have. My neighbours, attached to me on one side, pointed out in conversation that they don't have sun and light in their house like I have, facing east and north as most of their rooms do, and I know that if I lived there I might as well curl up and die. As it is I have sun in most of my rooms, but especially my kitchen, all day long (provided it's shining of course) and the huge windows give me a vast view of the sky and trees across the lane. At night time, if I haven't closed the blinds, I stare out at Venus, and when the sky is clear the moon is a luminous companion. So those are a few positives to start with.

It's hedge cutting time, and the landscape is being transformed from shaggy to very neat. I've never been sure who owns the long hedge down the side of my garden, but between us the farmer and I have kept it trimmed, me lowering it by around 20 feet in my first year here, to let the evening light into the garden, and her cutting back the year's new growth in the autumn. Alys is a good neighbour, and considerate when managing her fields. Most of her workers are friendly and nice, but one of them is not, and he seems to be on hedge duty this year. As he worked his way in his tractor along the field beside me I went up to him, money in hand, to point out the new contours of my hedge and ask him to follow them. But he ignored me and drove on past me! I stood for a moment with my mouth open, then decided to try again the next time he came near. He must have expected this because he moved to another part of the land and didn't return. I know he will cut the hedge, but it changes in height at one point and I'd like it to remain so. He's a curmudgeonly man, though I always smile and greet him when I see him. I shall persist. I shall succeed.

Hugo is oblivious to my miniature trials, and wends his happy way through his day without a care in the world. Mealtimes are at the top of his agenda, followed swiftly by sleep. He eats breakfast at 8am, and then makes it very clear that he wants his supper between 3 and 4pm. I used to try to follow the timetable given me by the rescue people, but there's no point in insisting on an arbitrary schedule. Once he's had this second meal he goes into a deep, deep sleep that lasts until I tell him we're going walkies. Home again, he turns in for the night and goes out for the count again. He never demands more food, and once he's greeted me in the morning at 7ish he sleeps again until 8am. Extraordinary dog, a real couch potato. When he's awake he's lively and energetic, but it doesn't last long. He's no trouble at all, a solid, warm shape on the sofa beside me twitching and jerking, occasionally crying out as he dreams, undemanding, sweet natured and polite. If that's not a positive then I don't know what might count as one.