Blue Sky Day.

The weather has been absolutely lovely today. Bright blue skies and plenty of sunshine. Warm with a gentle breeze sufficient to dry the washing. The conservatory has had its windows open for the first time this year and Himself has sat out there in. his shirt sleeves toasty and warm. We had our lunch there and dozed in the heat until I decided I needed to mow the small lawn. The garden chap came today and relocated my washing line and edged some borders as well as digging out some stumps of shrubs that had been cut down.

As I mowed I noticed the butterflies – orange tips flitting between the purple flowers of Honesty and Aubretia, a small white winged one that was less choosy about the colour of the flowers, while fat furry bees buzzed their way from flower to flower. I was particularly pleased to see the bees dashing from one Broad Bean flower to another making sure each was pollinated and that I would get, fingers crossed, a good crop of beans. This morning the lawn sparkled diamond bright with myriad dew drops clinging to each blade of grass. The Alliums that I had transplanted whilst in bud had not gone droopy so I am hoping they will flourish in their new place and continue to bloom this year. If they don’t they will do so next year. I bought a small, or rather tiny, Magnolia from a supermarket over a year ago and it has languished in it minuscule pot ever since. I pondered where it should be planted but never really got round to doing so. Today I did. Yesterday I had transplanted a salvia from a pot to the border and now I have planted the Magnolia in the large pot. I need to water it in but Himself called and I forgot until now. April is a month of blossom and because of this I have included two pictures of the blossom in the garden.

Last night wasn’t too bad with only a few breaks in sleep. The carer came early and therefore it was somewhat fortuitous that I was up and dressed fairly early too. Himself is maudlin today, questioning why he can’t do things, annoyed that he can’t walk without a zimmer, angry that I am trying to help him. The district nurses came today too. They feel they have no need to come back and said the if I had any concerns I needed to contact the GP!! The physio service rang to arrange a visit but not until mid May. Himself is sceptical and questions why we need them at all. The daily grind is wearying – meals, cleaning, washing and trying to help when help is needed. In between trying to sort out a hair appointment, cancelling the dentist, trying to arrange for a home visit for the booster Covid jab, ordering a grocery delivery and wondering what on earth we should eat tonight. By the end of the day it feels like I have achieved very little unmet it has taken a day! Increasingly I wonder if I am cut out for this domestic routine – I am not very good at it!! The new bed might be here soon – a slightly enigmatic email told me that it would be “delivered in the next few days”. But when exactly? A friend will call with some bedding some time this week. Sounds strange but sadly she is clearing out her parent’s house and has found that her mother ordered several items that had never been used. I am happy to receive any contributions of this sort so that there isn’t a panic if it rains and the laundry isn’t dry.