Nell is doing well following her spay operation. She is still clacking around in her buster collar, having accepted it as a new fashion accessory and weapon of destruction. Her surgery wound looks neat and clean and she has her energy back, although she is still careful when climbing on and off the sofa. Yesterday, I attached her to her long lead which is fixed to the washing line, so she could pootle around the garden as she was clearly growing bored with having to walk around attached to me by her lead.
The landscape surveyor appeared yesterday morning to make final measurements and undertake other important landscape stuff prior to us having our driveway block paved and the new fencing and gates installed. He was a nice chap - told me lots about his rescue Staffies. Hopefully, the work will start sometime in July. It will be disruptive for around a week but then these major building things usually are. But I am braced and ready, and keep telling myself it will look lovely when it’s completed and also save me a lot of weeding hours. Our wonderful neighbours have said we can park on their driveway for the duration. I think Don is secretly excited about being entertained by all the machinery and building work that will be going on.
Andy is enjoying his new car! He says the best thing about it so far is he can get Radio 4 Extra on the radio. We had to go and see a solicitor today (for good reasons - nothing sinister!) and it’s the first time I’ve been out for a drive in it. It is a good car! Very roomy and comfy. The old one was beginning to make me feel like there was a danger the bottom could drop out of it at any moment.
It was the Summer Solstice yesterday and for the first time in three years it didn’t rain on the day! I was able, then, to sit in the garden in the afternoon at the time of the actual Solstice moment (3.58 p.m) and do a little Solstice meditation, and think about what I hope to achieve in the next six months.
As I sat in the shade of a tree, with Nell under the chair chewing goodness knows what, probably a brick, a blackbird suddenly appeared and landed on the table next to me, less than 2 feet away! It cocked its head, and looked at me with its bright and beady yellow eye, then flew away, in a rather casual manner for a blackbird, up into the tree, where it sat and sang for a while as I continued my meditation.
Well! I took this as a sign, because generally the blackbirds in our garden scoot off in alarm if you walk within 30 feet of them. Curiosity piqued, I had a look up regarding the symbolism of blackbirds.
Apparently, a close encounter with a blackbird is a significant symbol for those on a spiritual pathway, a reminder to trust each day and know that each decision made will give more insight into the meaning of our existence and the paths we choose to take. It is thought that the blackbird is a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds, and a bringer of change and new beginnings. It is a reminder to pay attention to our intuition. Also, and this resonated especially with me, the blackbird is associated with Morgan Le Fay, sorceress and half-sister of King Arthur. I was obsessed with Morgan Le Fay when I was a teenager. Finally, the blackbird is a reminder that you have the power to create your own destiny, which links directly with the message of the Tarot!
Well, I thought. I’ll take that! Thank you, Mr Blackbird. Message received and understood.
Finally, there is a Tarot card called The Hermit. This, then, made me laugh…
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