Around the Garden, Books & Records.

The garden is starting to look really pretty

The Rhododendrons are starting to flower and are looking gorgeous.

The one above and below are going to look spectacular when they fully open.

Just love this colour!

A frog was seen in the garden, but not anywhere near the pond!  No frog spawn again this year which was really disappointing.

The gooseberries are starting to form, although not quite as many this year as the container in which they grow was moved last year, and I don't think they are getting quite as much sun as they were.

Poppies 'popping' up again.

My first rose bush has started to bloom.

Just love the colour of our maple tree against the blue sky.  We had to give this tree quite a trim in the the other day.

The wisteria is looking fabulous, although unfortunately the neighbours get to see more of our plant than we do as it prefers flowering their side!

White lilac against my sewing studio.

My Dalmation beans are starting to grow, but nothing showing in the other pot, so might have to put some more beans in.

I've picked up a few books from the charity shops the last two or three weeks.

I want to get back into my painting again...that is the plan anyway.

I love the art work of Gordon Beningfield, so couldn't resist this book.

Some reading - have finished this book, and quite enjoyed it so when I saw some more by this author today I got those as well.

Absolutely LOVED this book.  

Some 'new' books to add to my 'To read' pile.

Adding to my collection of Peter May books, these are ones that I haven't got.  

I have also been building up my record collection and have added some 'new' records - at 79p each, they were a real bargain.

I've listened to all these records the last couple of days and they are great.  Wonderful listening.

Some new ultra light memory foam sole trainers.

On my desk:

Some cut lilacs that were flowering behind my studio so couldn't be seen.  

I hope everyone is enjoying good weather as it is here today.  It is absolutely lovely outside.  Now time for a cuppa and a bit of a read for a while before I get back to working around the house.

First Posting 2018!

Happy New Year to all!

I had planned to write this yesterday, but well best laid plans and all that....I'm full of good intentions and making plans, but don't always (often?) manage to follow through on them.

Each morning, once I have been up a while, had breakfast, cups of tea etc., I embark on my numerous exercises given to me by the physiotherapist.  There are now 19 to work through and I think it takes me about 40 minutes to complete them all.  I have been putting on a couple of old Shirley Bassey records I was given while I do them...one side takes me about half way through.  I need to dig out the rest of my records, they are tucked away in a cupboard somewhere...no good there, I can't listen to them hidden away!

The guinea pigs were cleaned out and had their nails clipped New Year's Eve, and the two rather 'long term' boarders have finally gone home to live with my son and his fiancee.  We took them up there late yesterday afternoon.  We enjoyed a nice evening with them and had a meal.    Seems strange to think that my eldest son will now no longer live at home.  Although I cleared his room back in June when he went back on board ship, the reality didn't really set in until late November when he arrived home and moved into his house.  Back to the guinea pigs though...I want to change the Caviary (aka shed) around this week, so will perhaps start that today perhaps tomorrow now.

I bought us a money jar at Sainsbury's last week, it was in the sales.  I actually bought two and gave one to my son and future dil for Christmas.  In hindsight I wish I'd bought three as I suddenly thought of another use for one after reading something on a blog, while I was 'cruising round blogisphere'.  Anyway our jar is going to be sealed and used for loose change and any extra we feel like putting in it over the course of the year and will be opened either just before Christmas or at the end of the year.  Not sure exactly when yet.  It will be interesting to see how much we manage to save.

Lots of people have a 'word for the year' and mine is going to be HEALING.  I really am determined to heal this year.  In many ways pain has dictated my life for far too long and has damaged me in more ways than one.  I am hoping that all the treatments I have been having and the exercises I do at home will eventually start to have a noticeable and definite effect.  So far the jury is still out, as I am still in a lot of pain most of the time, more so in the mornings, during the night and in the evenings.  Of course this has been a 'goal' of mine for the last almost ten years, but whilst there is still hope and all that jazz!

It is looking pretty grey, dull and dreary outside today. Actually it has been very wet ALL day today.  I might  did venture over to Hobbycraft to get some things I need to make my son a ring cushion for his wedding day which is in gasp, 11 days!  How did it come round so quickly?  He is organised, but am I?  I don't even have anything to wear, having put on weight over the course of last year due to increased inactivity because of the extra pains etc that have gone on over the last year.  I know I won't lose enough before the wedding, so have decided not to worry too much about it, as hopefully when I can increase my walking and mobility, the weight will return to what it should be. I loath to buy an outfit that I will only wear once though, so need to try and work out what to get that will get used again.

I faffed a little today with the coffee table display...

How is it 4 pm already??  I need to get a roast on so better get cracking with the preparations.  I also want to get in a practice session on my clarinet today and am fast running out of time.  It took me a lot longer to go to Hobbycraft today than I was expecting.  The traffic was terrible, and here I was thinking that the wet weather would keep people in!  

Well that was rather a rambling, disjointed post...I will try better next time!