h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've had a great time over the last few days and have come to the conclusion that 'not working' suits me.

For starters, I no longer have that "Oh god, tomorrow's Monday" feeling in the pit of my stomach. And I don't feel so tired that I can't be ar*ed doing anything; my energy resources are much deeper.

I've been able to spend two days working in the garden - cutting back plants in the long herbaceous border, extending same border, potting-on some of last years seedlings, tidying the terrace, weeding - and at one point today I thought - "I'm really happy". I haven't felt like that in ages.

Tomorrow I'm going to plant some seeds - tagetes, nasturtium, sweet peas courgettes and runner beans for the potager. And some tall cosmos to plant around the "morning coffee" seat - they should provide a light screen through which to view the rest of the garden.
I also have some 'sow direct' mixed annuals in blues, oranges and yellows which I plan to plant in drifts - big fan of Christopher Lloyd's interesting plant and colour combinations.

I'm managing to go to the gym at least three times a week, sometimes four and, as long as I park myself next to someone in similar bad shape to myself and not one of the young gorgeous things, I really enjoy myself. Haven't lost much weight but the muscles on my legs and arms are slowly becoming discernible. Still got those bingo wings to eradicate though .

It looks as if I won't be working again until late May/early June - because of delays to the building works in the new practice. Bothered!
And my lovely new boss has put me on a very nice retainer to keep me going until we're in business again.

*sighs happily while ignoring ironing pile which has assumed Himalayan proportions.

It's good to hear happy/satisfactory news about friends.

I've only spent one hour in the garden today. I'm not very efficient, skipping from one thing to the next. But there are loads of nice sensations, from the different birds singing over the many smells to wondering about a small and busy beetle.

You know the author Gerald Durrell? (sp?) - or rather he is a zoologist but wrote a book called something like "My family has feathers, fins and shoes" - he is the brother of Lawrence Durrell, and his book about his family and the life on a Greek Island is both hilarious and educative of the lives of different species - including the humans.

Procrastination, theraphy and reviving energy is what garden work does for me. I also get my best headlines or 'red threads' for articles when I dig or weed. I don't smoke and get some exercise. (Yes, I didn't succeed to quit the fags this time around )

The sun will be shining again tomorrow and I plan to get more out. Saturday Sig. S and I spent all day practicing for and playing at a silverwedding. Got home at 04.30 and slept in today. So we 'missed' two beautifull days.

"My Family and Other Animals" - this was a favourite book of my childhood . I especially liked the names young Gerald gave things - the two dogs, Widdle and Puke, and his little boat The Bootle Bumtrinket .

I too am a bit of a butterfly in the garden - starting one thing and then becoming distracted by something else. Over the course of a few days I manage to achieve quite a bit - I just approach things like a horticultural jigsaw - a few bits at a time.

It really was lovely out there today - warm with only a very light breeze and the air was full of fat bumble bees noisily humming their way around the blossoms. We have a lot of birds also and I'm slowly learning their different songs - the robin is surprisingly dulcet and the pheasant sounds as if he needs an application of oil to his larynx.

I'm not a religious person but this speaks to me.......

"Kiss of the sun for pardon. Song of the birds for mirth. You're closer to God's heart in a garden than any place else on earth."
~ Dorothy Frances Gurney (1858-1932)

When we had my nephew staying last week I was reminded of your photo in Azahar's album - the one of you + small person, intent on watering. Young A is only just 2yrs old and refers to any liquid as 'juice' - he was delighted to find that he could turn the tap on the water butt and fill the watering can with juice - and didn't mind in the least that most of it went on his feet.

I hope you recover from your very late night and enjoy the Spring sun tomorrow.
Didn't realise you were musical as well as Sig S - what do you play?

Butterfly...jigsawpuzzle..

You have described how I approach most kind of chores. Sig. S. sometimes get desperate when I do half the dishwashing then move some stuff to the bedroom, in there I see something else that should be done, start on it, go back to the dishwashing, get distracted by something I hear in the radio, go into my office to jot something down, check hootoo, get absorbed in the discussions there/here ..a.s.o.

I've been singing and playing recorder since I was 10-11 years - in choirs and orchestras. Baroque music mostly but also all kinds of music composed for recorders. Then came the folkmusic - Donovan, Joan Baez - rock. I used the recorder when I played with my first husband and his brother in a singer/songwriter group in Dublin and London (they were Irish). Then there was a lapse of ten years when I had my first child, was under education, got divorced and moved in with 6 other people. After some years having moved to the outskirts of Copenhagen I took up the choir again and also sang in an amateur rockband where I met Sig. S. We had small kids and had to take turns in doing the music/staying home with the kids - he was in several bands, composed and so on.

Then 5-6 years ago we found out that we could do music together - again - and began playing Beatles music on recorder and guitar - very melodic. And the repertoire has grown with different countries' older and newer folksongs, rock ballads from the 60es and 70es, and for some years the kids have been old enough to stay home alone.

And now I'd better get started on an article

See you