Monday 22nd April 2024

Monday, and back to work. And after the faff of getting up at half three last Monday, it was quite the luxury to lay in bed until six, or a little past before getting ready for the day ahead.

Jools is back to working five days a week, so she is enthused about that, feeling useful once again, but it means I will have to the house, and cats, to myself all week, every week, again.

While I was away, the wind shifted to the north, and it is from there it still blows, very much taking the warmth out of the spring sunshine and giving us air frosts in the evenings.

So, I need the heating on during the day, and plenty of warming brews too.

Work soon settles back into its usual patterns, with me reaching out to friends and colleagues, catching up on news and indeed, gossip.

I make myself lemon pasta for lunch, and resist the urge to have a glass or red to wash it down with.

My knee suggested an afternoon walk wasn't a good idea, but instead I got the mower out to shorn two areas of the lawnmeadow, areas that I don't seed with wildflowers; the area around the washing line, and where the bird seed falls from the feeders.

It only takes ten minutes, and another ten to collect the clippings. The male and female blackbirds are suggesting I stop there so they can check for works on the newly revealed soil.

In the hedge, a wren sings so sweetly..

Jools is off to aquafit, so just crumpets and brew for dinner, and she is off. I wash and tidy up, have a shower and so am ready for when the Middlesbrough v Leeds game kicks off at eight, with Leeds running out 3-4 winners in a very entertaining game.