:: spring clean

I spent the weekend mainly doing DIY, gardening and housework. The lawn had its first mow of the year, mainly so I could sprinkle around some grass seed. It's from Canada, apparently that makes it extra tough. It had better be, if it's to compete against buttercup, moss, dandelion and dog pee. I planted a lavender bush in the front garden that I bought ages ago, but I haven't yet decided where to put a bunch of blue polyanthus and some pansies, which I got at a knock-down price at B&Q. I was there buying a pot of paint for my bedroom, a project for May, perhaps, when I might have some time.

On Monday I had a desultory go at buying something vaguely dressy for wearing to weddings (only a fortnight until Kate's ceilidh; the other one's in June) but didn't even try anything on. Frills and chiffon? Hmmm. I don't think so. I'm going to have a really good go at getting something on Saturday.

I'm still waiting to hear all about Pinky's investiture, hint hint. I'm sure it all went swimmingly and that you all had a lovely time at the party afterwards. Wish I could have been there!!

:: social whirl

In today's mail was an invitation to the wedding celebration of a couple I've never met. They're getting married in Las Vegas, but the dance is right here in Edinburgh. I'm going to go -- it's always interesting to meet new people. (It's the daughter of a colleague.)

I did a spot of gardening today, in between torrential rain and hailstorms. I really must do something about the front garden, it's a tip. The daphne is still hanging on in there, but it's frazzled-looking, and it's on a lean now too. I might dig it up and put it round the back in a pot. That will teach it to lean over!! The back is like a detention camp, home to a bunch of skinny, starved plants barely clinging to life. I was thinking I might put a row of pots round the front too -- surely I'd remember to water them! -- to brighten things up. But what I really need is more evergreens. It doesn't look too bad in summer, but it's too bare in the winter. Which is most of the year, let's face it.

The garlic's doing ok. And the Spanish bluebells too, they're flourishing.

On my day off I spent a bit of time going through my computer back-ups and looking at a lot of old writings and web projects. It was quite inspiring, so I think on my next days off I may have a go at a redesign.

Right now I'd better get on with my (paid) work.

:: Faye's away

Faye left this morning, heading for her new job caring for a very elderly chap, a former Oxford don. He's in his nineties and lives on the outskirts of the city. When Faye arrived here she only knew the general area he lived in, so we looked at a map of Oxford and decided one particular street looked nice -- near the open country, away from the ring road -- and lo and behold, that is indeed where she'll be living.

While she was here we did a bit of out-and-abouting. Went to see Pieces of April, which we both enjoyed, and had one whole day shopping for new clothes for me along Princes Street. Faye was determined not to buy anything herself, but couldn't resist a gorgeous pair of black brocade jeans on sale. I got boring work clothes mostly, but also some nice floppy linen trousers for summer.

I'm starting to plan my holidays: three weeks in September/October (with Pinky in France), then at least another three weeks in February/March (in New Zealand) next year. Awful bunch-up of hols, but cannot be avoided. In 2006 I swear I am going to take a fortnight in high summer season! Actually I probably won't -- I prefer to have holidays in spring and autumn when it's relatively quiet. I'd like to go to New York for a week in spring, or to somewhere in New England in the autumn.

Spring has definitely sprung here -- the weather's gone haywire and the lawn's started growing. Weeds, too. All my neighbours have been out busying themselves pruning and tidying and double-digging. Not me -- it's a jungle out there. A tiny pink cyclamen is blooming away madly and the big straggly purple-flowered thing in the rockery is budding. Loads of Spanish bluebells are coming up, despite my best efforts. The massacred rose hedge is showing signs of life -- I hope it will bush out, because I don't fancy having to grub it up and replace it. I don't know if I said, but Mrs Blacker grew it specifically to keep the paperboy from cutting across her front lawn. Hah!

:: thrillsville

Excitements in my street this week:

Dave and Diane painted a bright pink stripe around the bottom of their house. It's semi-detached and the neighbour's stripe is dull rust to tone in with the harling (roughcast). Diane was downcast; she thinks it's too bright. Dave likes it though: "I think it's quite gay!" "Very gay," was my opinion. But in a seaside kind of way. "Huh, I suppose we should stick pictures of boats to it," huffed Diane.

Meanwhile, the couple next door to Bridie have constructed two raised beds in their front garden. "And can you guess what they've gone and planted in them? Only potatoes!!" Potatoes in their front garden! What next.

In other news, I got my Ikea bookcases built without too much bother and they look fantastic. I ripped into a big scrubbing and decluttering exercise, and the place is looking spiffy.

Work: The top-secret project is that we have gone compact on Saturdays. We had all guessed by the time we were told. Teeny tiny little paper, much more work but fun. I've been appointed chief nag, which is why it's fun.

Faye's arriving on Saturday on a break between jobs. The last one didn't work out -- no phone signal, hardly any time off, persnicketty clients. Happily the agency is very understanding, so she'll be posted elsewhere without any bother. She's motoring up -- the train was going to cost some astronomical amount and the bus takes 12 hours. She's here until Tuesday.

:: pics

This isn't a great picture, but I took dozens trying to get the colour to show true and this is the closest I got.



Just to remind you, here's the old green.

:: greens

That was some week. I didn't do the bedroom in the end. I could have if I'd put my mind to it, but by Wednesday I was cream-crackered and couldn't even think about starting another room. I papered the dining room first -- not quiiiite as simple as I'd imagined, given there was no pattern-matching involved. Once that was pretty much done I cleared out the livingroom, threw plastic sheets over the sofa and chairs and started tearing off wallpaper.

It was at this point that Bertie barked at me. Yep, he was trying to tell me something, just like Lassie. "Are you mad? This is pointless. Where's my damned rug? I hate you!" He flounced off upstairs, where his bed was surrounded by dining chairs and sofa cushions. He flounced back down and did some more barking. By now I was lying on the plastic-covered sofa watching TV and eating olives and oat cakes. I'm surprised he didn't call the SSPCA.

After getting all the paper up (including incredibly fiddly bits around the windows and the gas fire), I took half a day off -- went out for drinks and a movie (Something's Gotta Give, 6 out of 10) with Fiona.

Next was the moment of truth: had I got the colour right?

Last year I painted the livingroom walls what I thought was a nice soft green. It turned out to be a nasty yellowy lime. When the sun poured in (which it does) it became fluorescent. Plus I still had the awful wallpaper underneath.


This doesn't do justice to the yellowness of the colour.

The new colour, whew, is much more to my liking. It's got a bluish caste; at first I thought it might be too blue. But it's perfect. In bright sunlight it fades out to a pale, fresh green. At night it darkens down somehow & is almost cosy. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

To Bertie's relief I've replaced all the livingroom furniture. My books are all still upstairs -- I haven't got the new shelves yet.