:: spring update

Ummmmmm.... As usual, I haven't been doing much.

The garden is a wreck, mainly due to the weather. But then this weekend (Easter) the weather hasn't been too bad and the garden is still a wreck. An attack of laziness, I'm afraid. I did tidy up out the back a bit, as it's almost nice enough out to breakfast outdoors, hurrah. And I potted up some lilies given to me by a friend I did some IT work for. The garlic has been trompled on a bit by a certain dog but is coming up nicely despite that.

The house is also a wreck, though not as much a wreck as next door - Frances has discovered an unexplained seepage above her front door, causing the wall to crumble away. Someone has checked out the plumbing and it seems ok, so now she's looking at the weeds growing out of the guttering and thinking maybe it's that. Mysterious that she's got no damp upstairs though. Touch wood, my place is at least structurally sound. Last year's leak from the header tank in the loft cracked the plaster skim on the wall in the hallway as it dried, but I can live with that. (And no, Frances' mystery damp isn't related to my leak - it's in a different spot altogether.)

Faye came to visit for a couple of days last week - she drove up overnight, having finished work at about 6pm on the Sunday, but got lost on the way up and ended up driving south again for an hour before realising her mistake. So she wisely stopped off at a hotel and continued in the morning. She's still looking for a job up here, no luck so far.

I've been on some lovely walks, got hailed on (Bertie is most baffled by hail - hey, who's throwing stones at us? stop it, it hurts!) and rained on, and on one glorious day slipped in fresh mud (while wiping away tears after being whipped in the face by a branch let slip by my neighbour, who was squelching up the path ahead of me) and actually slid a little ways downhill on my belly. My poor neighbour was mortified, but it was funny - I was giggling as I slid.

Another neighbour has a new puppy - a shar pei. I had to visit to meet it, because it's only just had its vaccination shots and isn't allowed out on the street. It's the cutest, sweetest pup, really adorable. She already has a chow chow and previously had akitas - she's keen on oriental breeds.

Speaking of unusual pets, I met a man taking his cat for a walk the other day! Luckily Bertie didn't spot it, so he had time to pick the cat up and I had time to get Bertie on the leash. The cat was very relaxed, but did give a warning growl when Bertie looked at it. He looked away again smartish - no way was he starting a fight! The man said the cat has already beaten up a doberman. Later on I spotted it sitting on the parcel shelf of his 4x4, a great big tabby with yellow eyes.

Bertie's in fine form - he's not had any accidents for a while now (touch wood). I did find a lump that worried me for a bit, but it's not gotten any bigger so the vet says it's probably ok. He certainly looks healthy, with a lovely sleek coat and the coldest, wettest nose around.

Work is fine - the new owners have been sacking people left and right but not in our department. Yet. I've never felt particularly secure, so after ten years on staff I'm used to worrying about being sacked!