Opened Jo’s Mother’s Day card, has pride of place on my chest of drawers. Louise put a message on WhatsApp to say my card was in Jersey!
Another sunny day but with a bit of cloud around, hope it’s not going to change. Talking of change, it’s sheet changing today. I can get the washing in and out using my new washing basket and peg basket – woohoo! It’s the little things …
I have used roaming too much today but past caring. I took the mats out of the bedroom and gave them a good beating and brushing but really need a hoover. Mike has finally completed the job of putting a louvered door back on a cupboard. It’s been defeating him for 2 days but he wouldn’t let it lie and he has finally found a solution by reversing a track. I know! Grit and determination will take that lad far. I’d have given up days ago.
And now we’re pruning the apple tree, or the bits of it we can reach anyway. I’m not actually doing anything, except pointing out the twigs and branches that need to come off because they are growing over one another. They poor tree is crowded out.
I’ve been beating a couple more rugs and now I am going to clear the veg patch ready for planting tomatoes today, because that’s all I’ve got. They were here in the shed, don’t know if they will take because I don’t know how old they are. Mike found some little pots so I’ve put in lettuce, courgettes and some flowers and lined them up at the front as it gets sun for most of the day.
Monday 23rd
Mike’s gone to the superU in Montmoreau to get lots of household things, and I’ve done the ironing, polished the furniture in the living room, something that hasn’t been done for a long time. I thought the cushion covers on the settees looked a bit manky so I’ve stripped one of them and the detritus underneath and down the sides was scary. No money though! Put one set of cushions in the machine to see what they turn out like. Should be ok, it’s from Ikea. Alliance Francaise emailed to say that they would run the conversation class through zoom. I hope we have the wifi by then (Wednesday) so I can join.
Mike was gone 3 hours. I was beginning to panic, terrible not having a phone each. I wish he had a PAYG one here. It turned out that he had been stopped by the police who didn’t believe him that he was going to the SuperU. They said he was going the wrong way and then called him a liar – in English! A police car followed him to the SuperU car park and then shot off.
He had to wait in a (very patient) queue for 1 hour, 15 mins before he could get in, and when he was let in there were only about 20 shoppers in there. That’s why it took so long. He got the lawnmower oil he needed and mowed the lower garden, while I planted peas, beans, parsley and cucumber seeds that Mike had bought this morning. Then we weeded the other smaller border and planted bulbs. He also bought some peony bulbs but we need to see what comes up before planting into the gaps.
It was quite easy to put the covers back on the settee cushions except that one of the zips is coming away so I have to repair it. TBH it doesn’t look much cleaner but I know it is. I’ll do the others tomorrow.
We waited for the Boris’s announcement at 8.30 pm UK time. What a shambles the man is. He was very undynamic and unconvincing, whereas Nicola Sturgeon, appearing afterwards (we get Scottish channels on account of the last owners), was very statespersonlike. No wooliness like BJ, which still left people wondering what the definitive instruction is. Nothing like – You will stay at home – like Scotland and the French, just mealy-mouthed exhortations with the vague threat of a fine.
The local gardener came to see us. He’s young and called Jeremy, works with his Dad, not cheap but everyone has him round here so that’s ok. He’s very much in demand and can start in a fortnight. He’s going to cut the hedges
Viv passed by and said hello. She’s a very pleasant person. Her niece has got a bug and self-isolating, and Roselle texted to say Lucy has a sore throat and fever so she’s isolated now.