Friday 17th July 2020

Another day for chores.

Finish putting the new cross trainer together.

Do some gardening.

Clear the driveway of vegetation.

Thing is, Jools had yoga first thing, she did not come back until half eight, then had a shower as she went swimming in the harbour after, then at two we had a slot at the tip so we could dispose of the old trainer. So not much time between to get much done.

Once she left for her class, I was left at home, rather dazed as I had slept in until ten past seven! Lazy get!

So, with a fresh coffee waiting for me downstairs, while Jools hopped in the car and was off.

Once she returned, and we had breakfast. And another coffee.

Shall we do the trainer? Jools asked.

Sigh.

Here's the thing: we got stuck last night in fixing the moving handles to the frame, following the instructions to the letter. I thought about it, and although the bars seemed slightly bent, what if we attach them at the bottom rather than the top, there might be more "play"?

Which is what we did, and as if by magic it worked. Jools sometime doubts I was an engineer as I am shit at DIY and fixing stuff. Sometimes I can.

So, it is put together, and we levelled the feet, so is all ready to go. Doesn't seem as robust as the old one, but we shall see. New regime begins on Sunday.

By that time it was lunchtime, so we eat bacon butties, with the bacon bought from Deal, and was very, very nice indeed.

I get the clippers out and tackle the jungle beside the drive. It got so overgrown we both managed so scrape one of the door mirrors on the side of the house to avoid the bushes. So, in Jedi-like sweeping motions the bamboo, fuchsia and budlia were laying on the drive. I bag the clippings up, then turn to the back garden and the lawnmeadow.

The wild carrot was running wild. Having spent several hours over the last two weeks pulling it up, I couldn't be bothered, so got the mower out to harvest the hay.

Of course, with my gammy arm/shoulder, pulling on the starting handle was tricky. But Jools helped. And the mower roared into live, in a cloud of blue smoke.

Half an hour later the meadow was cut. I rake the clippings into piles, will move them tomorrow, so seeds will drop to the soil before hand-bagging the clippings for collection on Friday. Almost I know what I was doing.

I make a fresh coffee and cut two very generous slices of tart for us to have sitting in the garden.

Man that is damn fine tart.

There is time for staying awake, writing and listening to the radio. But soon it is dinner time. We tell the time through meal times. Fish cakes, baby new potatoes and stir fry vegetables.

Yummy.

It was half seven, somehow. Just half an hour to wait for Gardener's World, but it is Monty-free this week. But in place of dogs, there are cats.

Which is nice.