The Old Man's disasters - now and then

I’ve taken photos of our magnificent rhododendrons today, but they’re still in the camera. I may add them later. As some are now fading, even though others have unopened buds, I think they’re as good as they’re going to get. Of course, this being spring, it has been cold and wet today. Forecast is better for later in the week. I wonder if there's a garden at the hospital.

The week has been full. Tuesday, of course, was Guildford Writers. I had an idea to start a children's book with with some of the OM's exploits narrated. I will not necessarily include the time he lost the top of his finger at Boy Scouts' camp, or the day he got impaled on the railings at the railway in Wellington.

We had lunch out in Clandon, with friends on Wednesday last, and a trip to three garden centres the next day. We were going to get hanging baskets, but ended up buying a vacuum cleaner and a toaster. As one does. The old Dyson started making horrible noises, and in addition I cracked one of the plastic parts, which was too expensive to replace – bearing in mind it had reached the end of its natural life. We also got about a dozen New Guinea Busy Lizzies which replace the bulbs in our front bed.

During the weekend, we had the ProdigalD and OH here with GD2 and our new baby, GD4. She is getting to know us a little, now.

We went out for a long walk on Sunday afternoon, through our woods, then as I got weary and wanted to go home, we split up with the others, the OM, leading me and GD4 home - ostensibly – while the ProdigalD and spouse, and baby attached by harness, went off on the longer route. Something went wrong with OM’s mental compass, and we ended up with a three bar fence on one side, surrounded by stinging nettles, a barbed wire on the other, and a bog in the middle. We girls were convinced he had gone the wrong way, and eventually, we walked back through the stinging nettles and around the bog, and found the right way home – not long before the others returned.

Last night, with the family gone, I prepared a double sized meal – one for the freezer and one for tonight. I am hoping that M & I will cope somehow without too much help, but both the ProdigalD and the DIL have volunteered to come for a couple of days if needed. We will have extra help with cleaning and my cleaning lady is prepared to do extra hours on ironing and preparing veg, etc. I hope to report back, as soon as I can get back on the computer.

Last night, we watched the Dr Robert Winston personality test on BBC1, and M was undoubtedly shown to be an extrovert with minimal conscientiousness – a sure-fire recipe for accidents (e.g. his hand, recently and the other events, not so recently.) I on the other hand, am probably over-conscientious, and therefore much slower than he is, neurotic and introvert. As I prepare for my last catch up day at home, M will be buzzing off to the hospital to be discharged. Then, his fate will be to replace me as chief cook and bottle washer for the next six weeks.

Thanks to all my friends for good wishes and messages of support. I hope I will be able to back with you soon.