Sunday 1st November 2015

Saturday

I wake up with the sound of the heating switching on, which means I have slept through right to seven, and I have gotten near to nine ours sleep, and I feel human again. In fact there is no trace of allergy at all, I am breathing clear and free, and although that is good news, I am struggling to think what could cause such extreme reactions. However, if it is the spay-on deodorant, I am on that and avoiding it from now on should make life a lot more bearable.

I hope.

Jools and I discuss how to limit the effects, but so little of the allergy makes sense, all we can do is try to handle it, and as I have always said, that as long as I can get six hours sleep at night, no matter how shitting I feel the next day, I can do a day's work, or a day's photography. Whatever is on the menu for the day!

On the menu for Saturday, at least at first, was shopping. So after coffee we drive off in the car into Deal to Sainsbury's. With just milk, bread and meat for sandwiches on the shopping list, we manage still to spend fifty quid, with several bottles of beer and cider finding their way into the trolley. As is the way.

Back home we have some fresh bread and jam before we turn to the main part of the day: gardening.

Over the past few months we have had plans which change on a daily basis, about planting new beds to attract insects and bugs come spring. Jools had ordered and received a large box of bulbs. And totting up the spacing required for the Fritillaria imperialis, we find we needed at least eight square metres of beds. We had thought of digging beds into the lawn, so in desperation, we decide to use some wooden collars Jools has bought from work, making them frames for some slightly raised beds. All we had to do was dig beds in the garden, maybe as many as six, and then we can plant.

So, cutting for first sod was a major step after months of talking, but once we got going, it all fell into place, with me digging and cutting the turf, and Jools getting the soil off the grass. And doing so we did four beds in under two hours, planting them. And creating a pattern which we continue on Sunday with two more beds.

And as if by magic, we were all done by twelve, which meant that after tidying up, making a brew and having a short cake each for lunch, it was time for the football on the radio. Liverpool at Chelski first off, and Liverpool deepening Jose's mood with a 3-1 win, and then Mad Jose blaming yet another plot against his team to make them lose. Madder than a box of frogs, but then just as gracelss one would expect when he had seen his teem outplayed, out-shot and out-scored by the better team. Still, easier to blame someone else.

And then I had to sit and sweat as Norwich played Citeh, in a game winch two years ago we lost 7-0. This time we matched them for most of the game, two dreadful errors by both keepers made it 1-1, and then another keeping howler by John Ruddy resulted in a penalty with two minutes to go, and the game was lost. Again.

But, in a cleaver move, in order to listen to the football and watch the rugby, I had the DAB radio down in the living room whilst I watched the cup final with no sound. It was a great ways to spend the afternoon. Once the game started, New Zealand were like a runaway truck, just flattening Australia, 14-3 up at half time. In the second, Oz rallied, but in the final quarter, The All Blacks just accelerated away in the most awesome display of power rugby I have seen to be the first team to win back to back world titles. A wonderful game to crown a fine tournament, England's early exit aside, of course.

I cook crispy duck pancakes for dinner; a kit from Sainsbury's, but still a nice change for the usual, we have more beer/cider to wash it down with before Jools takes to the sofa, not behind it, for Dr Who.