:: 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!