In the garden

After several days spent with curtains closed whilst flopped out in front of the rotating fan in my living room, it was slightly cooler today with a light breeze.  So as rain is forecast over the weekend, I decided that today was the day for mowing the lawns . . . . erm . . . meadows complete with leggy wildflowers. 

Of course, as soon as I had dragged the lawnmower from the depths of the garage, the sun came out again and the heatwave resumed. But I battled on, cut half the front lawn, emptied the grass box 3 times before sitting in the shade in an old camping chair stored in the garage. Phew! I was debating whether to phone a gardener to come and finish the job and trim the ever-expanding border shrubs; the postman will soon need a machete to reach the front door.  But after cooling down and regaining my breath, I finished the job - just the front lawn - and cleared up before retiring the lawnmower and garden waste bin back into the garage. Back lawn tomorrow?  Maybe? But it's so good to keep virtuously admiring my tidy, shorn lawn through the front window, knowing I've beaten the rain. Ha! 

AND  I've actually spoken to someone - a lady who walked past as I was toiling.  I must try to have more conversation; Benji isn't the best at it. 

I bought 2 Standars Fuchsias, but they are so top heavy that the slightest breeze kept blowing them over, so they are now standing in a redundant plastic storage chest, until they finish flowering and can be re-potted into large,heavy pots for next year. (Along with the Honeysuckle, Clematis Montana and the Salix Caprea Pendula Kilmarnock Willow Patio Tree.)  Crikey!  It's name is longer than the little tree!

Pretty Geraniums - many varieties

I love this shrub / tree? It appeared last year in entirely the wrong place but I decided to leave it until I knew what it was.  Still don't know but it's growing and growing. Goodness knows how big it will get. I cut a few sprays in home but the flowers fell quite quickly, so best left growing in future,I think.

Here it is again at the side of an Acer, planted in ericaceous compost - maybe the white shrub likes that soil?

I got quite excited when I saw this 'Garden Services' van pull up next door, because my neighbour had told me she was intending to have the ugly, dark conifer removed.  Yay!  But no - she changed her mind. 😞 It's still there.

And finally - a tidy lawn. Ta-da!

Blood test results; meeting a friend and enjoying a Grand Day Out.

 Well, I'm thrilled to bits!  I just rang the surgery and asked for the results of last week's blood tests - and everything except thyroid is very good; thyroid medication needs adjusting, that's all.  I am particularly pleased (over the moon in fact) with the HbA1c (blood sugar level) reading of '53 - good control' as I only control the diabetes by diet, not medication. I was dreading this reading as I have had no diabetic check-ups for 2 years.  And b r e a t h e.

I started my renewed lifestyle with a vengeance last Friday, meeting with a friend who was down in Cornwall  - we had wished for a dry day, after many rainy ones, but hadn't reckoned on the beginning of a heatwave.  She was staying in Paignton, Devon, so travelled to Cornwall by train; we had just over 5 hours together before she needed to catch her train back to her B&B.  I thought long and hard where to take her, wanting to show her the very best of my beloved county within reasonable distance of the railway station. I decided on Rame Head, which has spectacular views along the coast road which ultimately leads to the Coastguard Lookout.  

On Thursday afternoon, I arranged with Ben, the owner of the Cliff Top Cafe, for a takeaway lunch as I knew we'd stand no chance of finding a seat or table at this time of year; we collected that on our way through to the Rame Head parking area - only a dozen or so cars there, no caravans or motorhomes because the final part of the road is too narrow for big vehicles. In the car, I had two comfy folding chairs, a small table, a coolbox and as usual, my little camping stove, kettle, crockery, cutlery - and lots of water for Pat and myself as well as Benji. of course. 

We set up the chairs, put a bowl of chilled water down for Benji in the shade of the car and settled down to our picnic.  Prawns in Rose Marie sauce baguette for Pat, chicken, avocado and lettuce wrap for me, plus a chilled J2O Spritz each from the cool box.  A Galia melon was duly sliced up to make a refreshing dessert I can't remember the last picnic I had - it was lovely  and I must do it more often!  

After clearing away and re-packing the car we set out for a stroll along the coastal path; the wildflowers were a picture . . . but here I need to make a confession.  I had forgotten my camera so these photos are from a previous visit in May 2018, just to show how beautiful the wildflowers are that flourish on these exposed clifftops. 

Just to emphasise that these flowers appear in the Spring, not mid-July!

All other photographs were taken by Pat during our lovely day out.

Pat climbed up to St. Michael's chapel to enjoy the views from the top.  I watched from below!

There had to be one of Benji - it took several shots before Pat managed to get this one without him turning his head away!

Slicing the melon.

Walking up the slope from the Cliff Top Cafe, with St.Michael's church on Rame Head in the background.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Pat's company - I couldn't have wished for a better start to my resolution of getting out and about again, rather than Staying At Home as Boris demanded. I see from today's news that he's not so keen on doing that himself. 

We made it back to the station in good time for Pat to catch her train and I think we'd both had enough sun for one day. It was good to return home and switch the big fan on.  Benji fell fast asleep. stretched out on the floor and enjoying the cool air wafting over him.

The aftermath of enforced lockdown.

 Been nowhere; done nothing, therefore nothing to write about and the only photos show how well the weeds have grown in my garden. .  But all this time of obeying the Prime Minister's orders to 'Stay At Home' and 'Keep Your Distance' hasn't done me much good at all.  Yes, I might have avoided catching the dreaded Covid bug, but the rest of me seems to be falling to pieces.

Attempts to take Benji 'walkies' along the local lanes ended in failure when too many people wanted to stop and chat or fuss the cute little dog, while I worried about how close they were.  So I bundled him into the car and headed a little further afield.   Foiled again because every beach, every (formerly) secluded, quiet beauty spot was bursting with crowds of people.  So many, like thousands of holidaymakers have flooded into this little county, hoping to find the sun (ha !) which travel restrictions have denied them this year.  To make matters even worse, many have travelled down to Cornwall in their hastily bought Motorhomes or Caravans, then found that our very narrow and twisting lanes are almost impossible to negotiate in anything larger than a Mini. 

So my car has been parked on the drive out of harm's way and our world has been restricted to the house and garden.   Actually, lockdown hasn't been too bad for me; I like my own space and it's been a different kind of freedom, knowing that no-one would be calling unexpectedly and if I fancy lounging around in my dressing gown all day, then I can. My groceries came by weekly deliveries and I succumbed to online shopping.

 I could have sunbathed in my birthday suit, knowing I wouldn't have to answer the door to anyone.  (I didn't because I have neighbours!)  And I don't want to frighten the birds. So - although it has been quite frustrating, living in Cornwall yet not being able to even see the sea, it has been quite relaxing, enjoying the sunny days (there have been a few), the wonderful birdsong, seeming louder this year through the lack of traffic and as long as I kept the birdbath topped up I was free to sit and read in the garden with just a bit of weeding, dead-heading and occasional mowing of the 2 lawns. Not a lot of watering to be done - we've had plenty of rain, thanks very much, in gentle drizzle, torrential downpours and epic floods

But like I said, it's not been good for my health.  My FitBit has been redundant - it counts steps and there aren't many between the kitchen door, the garden chair and the bathroom.  All this time without any exercise - BAD! Muscles - GONE! Along with constant dull headaches (I never get headaches), dizzy spells and fatigue. The worry increased - have I caught Covid?  If it's not that, then what is wrong with me? So the tension mounts and the headaches increase in strength and numbers.

However, I sent off for some Covid Flow Test kits; used them, they're negative. The dizziness? I suspect my blood pressure medication could need changing or at least adjusting, so I've had blood tests (results next Monday. )  Fatigue?  I've realised that every time I eat bread, I can - and do - fall asleep in the chair, no matter what time of day.  Googled, as you do and searched online and found it's probably gluten intolerance.  Since switching to gluten-free foods, the sleepiness has almost stopped.  And because I've done something positive, the tension has eased, along with the headaches.  

The nurse 'tutted' when she realised I'd had no tests for almost 2 years, but in my defence I had assumed that with the Covid pandemic and the regular reminders not to put extra pressure on our doctors, it wouldn't be possible to ask for blood tests, etc.  But I was told that I should have arranged regular medication checks and blood tests. Ooops! 

So I now await the results and learn whether my diabetes, blood pressure and thyroid function is under control and hopefully that my forthcoming appointment for cataract removal can go ahead. There's light at the end of the tunnel at last.