dumplings

 Looks like shite but my first homemade Chinese dumplings ...bloody lovely
In front of the art wall
My first sweet peas,
Nice to catch up with mates x

All is Well

Janet treated me to a new Ceanothus bush this afternoon
She knew just how fond I was of my ceanothus tree which was blown down a few winter's ago
It's a bright blue when in flower and will provide a colourful backdrop in the garden  next to Bluebell
I planted it at teatime
Nothing much has happened today
But it's been peaceful and comfortable and nice
I made a vlog a few minutes ago

The Garden

I'm not buying any more plants from today
That's a promise I intend to keep for myself .
The cleared areas in the cottage garden beyond the kitchen wall have been filled with rubekia, hydrangea, lavender and yellow achillea
I can afford no more.
The honeysuckle and trellis for the side of the shed will have to wait
Mary is chasing bees as sweet William used to do and Albert is watching me clean the garden umbrella with half shuttered uninterested eyes.
Mrs Trellis has given the garden her approval as she passed with Blue
" I understand your sister is to thank for the considerable improvement !" She said wryly
Word gets around

Borborygmi

I've just eaten my first meal in 24 hours
As a friend has just texted
" Things could go either way!!!"
I am reminded of my favourite medical term here
Borborygmi
It's a fantastic word
Bor-Bor-yg-mi
It means abnormal and loud bowel sounds 

What a great word
It pissing down today and I don't want to venture out more than a frenetic wriggle walk away from the nearest loo just in case!
Subsequently I'm a bit bored.
The girls have just been taken out by the sexy bearded dog walker and are all wet and doggy smelling

I have a lump of clay underneath the sink
I think I may start my chess set

My borborygmi is loud !
Am I gonna blow?

Favourite words please , the odder the better

Pain

A friend of mine shared that they were sexually abused as a child, just the other day.
His eyes were dark and pained , even though he was smiling
The comment was almost hidden within another comment on another subject but it was there and screamed within a sentence like an Opera singer's High B
I've heard many confessions like this before. Being a former Samaritan it was an almost commonplace event on the phone lines
But it was only a second such sharing I had ever received from a friend
And I paused for a moment
Thinking carefully on how to respond.
" That was a brave thing to share" I told him after the pause
He nodded and made light of everything so I asked if he wanted to talk about things
"Not now!" he told me firmly
And that's where we left it

There is so much pain hidden away in some people
The secret of it sometimes showing in their eyes

The Barmaid and The Squits

Winnie's squits resolved yesterday
Mine started yesterday,
No connection there but conincidence
Serendipity is not a word to used when your bowels are playing up
and you are never so vulnerable as a human when you have the squits

I'm annoyed
I'm annoyed because I will off work at least three days
and I don't get paid for days off sick

Luckily I had already booked the sexy bearded dog walker , so at least the girls have had a good walk.
I dare not venture too far from home
Yesterday I had a " bit of an incident " in the lane which necessitated a quick-sticks gallop for home and a hot bath!
I won't paint a further picture of the afternoon!

Today I'm a little washed out.
I slept too long yesterday and already today, I have cat napped on the couch whilst the dogs were out.
This afternoon I took an Imodium and took a chance to go out to buy dog food

Being ill, when single makes for self pity
Everyone wants someone to stroke your hair when you're poorly.

However the positive of today was a brief moment listening to radio four .
It was an arbitrary arts programme where some articulate Boffin was discussing art
The painting he was discussing was A Bar At The Follies Bergere by Manet, which I suddenly realised was the piece of art I was most impressed with on a visit to The Courtauld Gallery back in 2017
The Boffin explained the painting's possible meanings in relation to the power of the barmaid Suzon
As well as the power of women in general and it was lovely to have that " ah ha!" moment, albeit years later when I realised just how complicated the set up and the positioning were to Manet.
I enjoy looking deeper into things like I did when I studied film at Sheffield Hallam University

It's time I did some serious study again
But not today

Agapanthus

The white agapanthus sun burst

I was up early dealing with Winnie's " accidents in the night" and now the cottage smells of dettol and grass cuttings as the cottage windows are wide and open and welcoming.and the sound of the washing machine wafts down the lane with a purr.

It's a bright lovely morning.

The velvet voiced Linda has already sent out her weekly morale boosting Warden message and like any good leader would expect the replies have been making my phone wriggle with excitement as they come in

Happy Sunday one and all. It's a truly beautiful morning. I hope you're all well and that life is good in your part of the village. HUGE thank yous for your kindness and generosity - you are a wonderful bunch 💕🌈🤗 xxxxx

All seems well in the village, according to the warden replies anyhow .
There is a meeting in the village hall soon about the hall putting in for a drinks licence next week and work continues to obtain funding for the clearing of the village pond
Old Trevor rang me earlier  complaining that the binmen had taken his recycling bags.
I told him I had found them wedged in the fence and I would return them shortly
He wished me a good Sunday
There feels a change in the air , which I think Hattie sort of captured in her Warden reply to General Linda

"The outlying areas all quiet and we're all okay over here thank you lovely linda :) the world is slowly finding its way isn't it! Xx💞

Im going to visit a couple of friends later, but as the sun is shining and it's warm and comfortable  I'm off to plant foxgloves and salvia in the garden,

I note that the Ginger Bastard is sitting very erect  in the long grass of the old Church Yard. He is watching the cottage . Dotty and Albert are sunbathing on the path  and have no idea they are being watched
The white agapanthus I planted a couple of months ago has now started to flower with exuberant firework bursts blooms
They look quite magnificent against the dry stone wall

Counting Butterflies

Last night the Royal Opera House streamed the ballet Romeo And Juliet 
I missed it 
I had my third date with the same guy
He is an emotionally intelligent soul with a gift of the gab
He stayed over and enjoyed counting bufferfly species on the buddleia  in the front garden this morning over coffee
Gossip will be rife in this part of the village!
Tee hee

I'll catch up with the Ballet tonight on line
I so miss going in person