No lockdown title at the moment, although we do still have curfew between 9pm and 6am, and aren't really supposed to travel across international borders unless it is really important. I said I would continue to do the odd blog - I'm going to try for Sunday afternoons, once I've done my afternoon's work.
The big news this week was of course that café, pub and restaurant terraces could open to customers outdoors - our local opened on Thursday (officially he could have opened on Wednesday, but it isn't one of his "days"), but we were tied up with work until 7:30pm, so our first indulgence was on Friday evening. Normality was restored and beer o'clock (or wine o'clock) was back!
Of course this had to be outdoors, and while there is a high roof over the terrace, that doesn't stop wind, and when it rains and there is wind, it doesn't stop rain much either, so we had to move tables. The showers currently are very localised, so while it was pelting it down with rain, there was also sunshine and therefore a rainbow, or even two!
This morning we spent at The Shack, hedge trimming, a bit of mowing, a lot of weeding, some potting on and some planting of seedlings, but probably the most important activity was getting the ropes installed for the hammock. And then we had to try it out - OMG! Really rather blissful, to lie in the hammock, swinging slightly, listening to the birds and the blasted wind in the leaves, because yes, that wind is still going. Cats also thought that this was pretty good, as whichever of us was in the hammock was also pretty horizontal and therefore unable to do much about being laid on and licked.
I also beat the bounds and found more bee orchids coming into flower - I'm quite pleased with this photo.
Finally, a serious bit. The past 18 months with Covid have been hard in many ways for many people. I guess John and I have got away with it pretty well, as we are fairly antisocial, and with our outdoor lifestyle and the gardens, have been able to be out and about without too many constraints. But we have been pretty limited in how far we can go and who we can see, and this was brought home rather brutally, with news that an old friend died during the week. I'd seen him in September 2019, and had planned to see him again in April or May 2020, when over for work, but of course that didn't happen, and in any case I wouldn't have been welcome because of the virus. But I have good memories of September 2019. Worse is that he was one of a pretty tight knit bunch of us that worked closely together in the early 90s, and at this time in normal circumstances, we would be able to get together, share stories, memories and a glass or three, and that most basic of human comforts, a hug or four. This blasted disease has deprived us of that comfort, and that is the same for so many families and groups of friends across Europe over the past months.
But looking forward, have a good week all!
Comments