The Walking Wounded and a couple of misfits

We've been out today - M with a torn calf muscle and me with a cold. Yesterday, I wasn't sure I should contemplate visiting, but with decongestants and cough syrups I got through the day. I just hope I didn't infect the cousins we were visiting. It was a good fun day - lots of hilarity at the lunch - and that's why I wanted to go. My very discriminating cousin pleased me by saying how much she enjoyed Tainted Tree. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a piece of paper out to record what she said, but something about good characterisation and plot and a page turner.

Now I'm back the cold is streaming once more and I feel cold. Hope I'm better soon, as I am involved in two talks in the coming week. One with the Goldenford Girls is at the Deli in Farnborough on Thursday. In theory, there should have been a feature in the local press, but I don't know whether it got there or not.

I have planted a lovely azalea which Irene gave to me, right in the centre of the bed in front of the lounge window. Only problem is, the straggly foliage left from the bulbs doesn't look right with it. I've had a couple of sessions of removing the bulbs and putting them in a different area, where it will be OK to have a spring garden, because nothing else will follow it. I think I might add some more low growing azaleas to that bed.

In the background is the shrub, whose name wouldn't come to mind, but which now has its red leaves, though fading a little. It has looked absolutely right, surrounded by forget me nots. The name I've now found out is pieris. It's ideal for our sandy soil, but the photo below doesn't quite do it justice.

We also bought at Wisley, last week, a pink rhododendron - Pink Bells. I really wanted Pink Pearl, but they didn't have one, and I've been trying for a pink one for some time. Once planted, this looks miniscule amongst my more mature ones, but hopefully, it will gain stature.