Normally, at this time of year, I’d be cursing the soggy clay as we run through the vines instead of trying not to break an ankle on the rock hard ground. With still no rain in sight, the lack of red and gold autumnal colours decorating the landscape is worrying. I had to use a pick axe the other day to create a hole in the garden for a bush I was replanting – quite a sight for passers by. Denis reckons it’s going to be a mild winter which might sound appealing for us humans but not for my poor fruit trees. And my Mimosa has started to flower again so we have to cut off all the blossom sadly to save its energy.
There is one positive about having warm weather, we are racing through all the outside jobs. Oh and I’m still wearing flip flops. The corner wall is just about finished and Lionel is bringing lots of donkey poo tomorrow to fill the planters underneath it, the only problem is that we can’t get the bougainvilla I wanted for one of them – because of the unseasonable season. My huge glass window now has a beautiful wood surround and I’ve finished whizzing around all the exterior ironmongery with my paintbrush. We’ve also been rather sneaky and nicked a few more bits of shrubbery from L’Horte – mostly jasmine but Denis did bring back a cactus which promptly bit me. The cactus that is. And just to add to the pain, I cut the same finger trying to open a vitamin capsule. I kid you not. It’s been a busy week. Mumo and I have spent most evenings going through The Book chapter by chapter, I’m pretty sure I could recite the whole thing by memory now, and I’ve downloaded loads of photos into a file so they can gone through, chosen and added to my opus by someone else. Here’s hoping I can get everything off for the final edits before Christmas – I’ll be glad to see the back of it.
It’s my birthday tomorrow. Again. I say again because I had a party last night, everyone needs a day after to recover before the work week recommences. Plenty of food this time and of course, the best company. My good friend Roy set up his stereo and speakers under the remis and I cleared the courtyard so we could all have a bit of a boogie under the stars. The whole place was decorated with twinkly lights, candles and lots and lots of comfy chairs. And like all the best parties, everyone had a wild time – in the kitchen. Mind you, it is a fabulous kitchen. Ah well, I’ll be on the wrong side of 50 tomorrow and it’ll probably snow…
“The kitchen is the most important place in any house. Visit your family, that’s where you’ll end up. Go to a party, that’s where everyone congregates” (Michelle Dockery)
Widow plus woofs 