Best Evah

There have been some truly perfect days just lately where I have felt so elated I could barely contain myself. The best had to be Thursday, which gradually turned so hot that by the afternoon I was wearing a hat and sun screen.  But it hasn't only taken the sun's warmth to make me happy. Just being outdoors on a calm day when I could get stuck into gardening jobs has brought great contentment. On Friday Handyman Joe came to repair the burst copper pipe on one of the garden taps, and Hugo greeted him with absolute joy, a mate he hasn't seen for over a year. The minute Joe got out of his van Hugo was standing at the gate, crying and wagging his tail furiously. "I knew that oold buoy u'd remember me," he beamed as he cuddled the passionate black creature. When he'd finished the various jobs I had waiting for him he regaled me with yet another story about our shared, though ex in my case, GP. "I went in and toldy him me belly was hurting, and he told me to bend over. 'You're too fat' he said, and sat back in his chair beaming. What you going to do about it then, I asked, and he said, 'What do you want me to do about it?' And he sat there grinning." Another doctor told him he'd put on weight because he's given up smoking, and put him on a diet. The first doctor didn't ask him a single question about his general health. Oh dear. Perhaps that's why he's the only doctor you can get to see the same day that you call in, or even the same week. Not me though. I'd rather wait.

Back in the garden, I pumped out the murky pond and tidied up the various pot plants that live in it. No fewer than 29 newts, though possibly more, had to be rescued as the water turned to silt in the bottom of the pond, and then I set to with the power hose before adding the water from the butts and releasing the newts once more. Luckily there has been quite a bit of rain since but it's still only half full. Where is a downpour when you want one? I've added new trellis to where David suggested and tied the Graham Thomas into place, and clipped back the epimedium in the front. After that I couldn't stop, and went on to rake up the last of the mulched autumn leaves and trim back the helebores to better display their lovely flowers. Every day we've been forecast rain, but so far the afternoons have turned sunny and bright and I've been lured outside, hardly reluctant. There is much to do but I'm taking it all in my stride, not willing to rush but just do what I reasonably can. Leaves and blossom are sprouting everywhere, and in the fields and hedgerows skylarks and other small songbirds are flitting around busily assembling their nests. What a miracle that it never fails to happen.