I’ve been a very bad and inattentive writer. I haven’t done any proper writing for ten days now. But I have reasons! And they are:
1) I got involved in a project organised by my workplace to take cream teas to the local old people’s homes as part of the 75th VE Day anniversary celebrations. Could anyone make something arty crafty to go into the cream tea parcels, along with the tea, scones, jam and cream, they said? I could make some lavender bags, I said. We’ll be sending out over 100 cream teas, they said. Okay, I said. I made 98 lavender bags before running out of lavender and losing the feeling in the end of my needle ‘n’ thread pushing finger...
...so I also made some of these. Cup of tea coasters...
This effort occupied several days. I have also been unfurloughed, so am back at work for two days a week. It has been bliss!
2) The rose bed, I have realised, is unlikely to be filled with roses before autumn, because I want to see the roses I am buying and not buy them via mail order. And I am not able to visit garden centres just yet. So, and because the seeds I sowed back at the end of March are beginning to climb out of their pots, the rose bed will become a temporary vegetable bed for this season. So I’ve given it another proper dig over, removing more roots and sodding crocosmia, and ivy from around the edges, and in the next day or two, it will be filled up with courgettes, leeks and squash á la butternut...
Today, I sowed some cavelo nero kale and some cucumbers, and potted on the chilli peppers.
3) Some concerted greenhouse building has been occurring. His Lordship Malarkey has been chief builder. I have been occasional glass propper-upper. And secretary, when we discovered some glass was missing from the order, which has brought greenhouse building to a halt. But the missing glass is being dispatched on Monday so hopefully it will be with us within a few days and we might have a completed greenhouse by next weekend. This is the current state of play...
4) I’ve been trying to be a good Gran and making an effort to keep in more regular touch with my granddaughters via the magic that is FaceTime.
And that is why I’ve not been writing. Other happenings have drawn away my attention. It happens.
But these things have made for life being full and good and cheering and hopeful for the future. And of course I shall be writing again soon because I am, at heart, a writer. A writer, gardener and maker of things.
1) I got involved in a project organised by my workplace to take cream teas to the local old people’s homes as part of the 75th VE Day anniversary celebrations. Could anyone make something arty crafty to go into the cream tea parcels, along with the tea, scones, jam and cream, they said? I could make some lavender bags, I said. We’ll be sending out over 100 cream teas, they said. Okay, I said. I made 98 lavender bags before running out of lavender and losing the feeling in the end of my needle ‘n’ thread pushing finger...
This effort occupied several days. I have also been unfurloughed, so am back at work for two days a week. It has been bliss!
2) The rose bed, I have realised, is unlikely to be filled with roses before autumn, because I want to see the roses I am buying and not buy them via mail order. And I am not able to visit garden centres just yet. So, and because the seeds I sowed back at the end of March are beginning to climb out of their pots, the rose bed will become a temporary vegetable bed for this season. So I’ve given it another proper dig over, removing more roots and sodding crocosmia, and ivy from around the edges, and in the next day or two, it will be filled up with courgettes, leeks and squash á la butternut...
3) Some concerted greenhouse building has been occurring. His Lordship Malarkey has been chief builder. I have been occasional glass propper-upper. And secretary, when we discovered some glass was missing from the order, which has brought greenhouse building to a halt. But the missing glass is being dispatched on Monday so hopefully it will be with us within a few days and we might have a completed greenhouse by next weekend. This is the current state of play...
And that is why I’ve not been writing. Other happenings have drawn away my attention. It happens.
But these things have made for life being full and good and cheering and hopeful for the future. And of course I shall be writing again soon because I am, at heart, a writer. A writer, gardener and maker of things.
Comments
Also love the little coasters.
Briony
x
KJ
Vera, I think after the first ten I developed a ‘knack!’
How lovely that you could join in a party, Aileen! Bunting and all! I enjoyed the BBC concert at Buckingham Palace - did you see it? Lovely singing and stories. (Definitely stock up your cupboards - there appeared to be a distinct lack of chocolate...)
Do you like the greenhouse, KJ? I’m so pleased we decided on wood rather than aluminium. Still waiting for the missing glass, but I’m sure it will arrive a soon as possible and then it won’t take long for us to complete the building.
KJ