Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 3 June 2018

Good Morning. Overslept, as my OH left me sleeping as he went off early for his golf.

Good morning, LINDY- do you feel the benefit of the extra sleep or will it put you out of kilter?

ANNETTE- I've put 'All the light we cannot see' on my Kindle wish list. It will take a few months for the price to come right down, then I'll buy.

CRISY- The only way that I can visualise two acres of garden is to compare it with my brother's. He has one and a half acres and despite a ride on mower and a wife who is a very keen gardener, they do struggle to keep it looking good. Maybe it is all in the planting. My sister in law created the garden which was a field. She has made a rose garden in part of it which must be very labour intensive.

Another dry day here. Grass is yellowing a bit but I'm not at all worried having lived through the drought in that hot summer in Devon in 1970something. Our water was cut off and we had to collect from stand pipes twice a day. I learnt then that it is extremely hard to kill grass.....

Very true, Heather. I remember the mid seventies when it was so dry, our lawn went brown and yellow. We put our kitchen water on my most precious plants. But the lawns survived.

I feel better for my sleep, so maybe I needed it. Off to walk into the town this morning for errands and milk. Forgot to say, yesterday we heard voices over the fence, so my OH went out and spoke to our new neighbour, who was looking around with her daughter.  A widow who is downsizing from another part of town. She looks a little younger than us, but retired. She patted Bonnie as I galloped over to introduce myself and she seems very nice - phew!

Edit - but for some reason, she's not moving in until maybe August... maybe she needs to shed a lot of furniture and belongings.

Slept late!  Busy since breakfast, but expect to be free when OH mows.

Back earlier than I expected!  He’s mowing half this morning and other half after lunch.  Still haven’t worked out what neighbours are doing – hope it reaches a conclusion this weekend so we don’t miss it when we are away (their car is being loaded again for about the tenth time as I write this!)

Heather – sorry I muddled the Granddaughters – I had a feeling I might have done that.  They seem to come as a pair more often these days, so I forget the individual ones!  I remarked to Daughter that we’d be able to sit on the deck when things are coming out of the loft on Saturday; her reply was that she would be busy loading her car and anyway they were only coming to collect what GD wants!  That put me in my place!

Chrissy – looked up Esthwaite on a map last evening – had no idea there was a Water between Coniston Water and Windermere – although we have been through the area several times!  Just too far for a day trip, but maybe we can find accessible accommodation sometime in the future.

Annette – just haven’t had time to sit down and plan the Fife trip – will have to nominate days for seeing people and then see what’s left!  Probably making a return visit to the Deer Centre and maybe even to St Andrews Botanic, depending on the weather.

Linda – glad your OH met the new neighbour – it seems to be always the men who just happen to be in the garden at the right time.  I heard mine talking to someone again this morning, but don’t know who, and when I ask him he’ll probably have forgotten!

Think I shall venture out for my share of fresh air now – probably cut off the died-down bulbs in troughs.

OG - The Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock has excellent accessible accommodation if you ever fancy that area.  Great food as well.

Thanks, PAT.  I believe that is on Ullswater, in the northern Lake District.  I will check what they mean by "accessible".  Thanks.

Seen first baby Goldfinches today - being fed in the Willow Tree.

OG - I've stayed there several times.  They have sort of chalet rooms directly off the car park (that sounds awful, but I have peeped inside and they are really nice).  The hotel overlooks Ullswater - spectacular views to wake up to.

PAT - if we decide to go south rather than north later in the summer, I'll certainly phone them for details, thanks.

Just had another session in the garden - mostly tidying the plants around the deck, accompanied by various birds.

Chilly. No sign of promised rain. Still coughing, though less now have a brew from chemist.