Jam Jar Lanterns....

Work is really busy at the moment which is a bad thing. The good thing is I can do a lot of it at home which certainly cuts down the commute. Bedroom to kitchen table is nothing like a hour on the M60. Bad thing is I find home far too distracting and can always see little things that need my immediate attention that can interfere with the serious business of doing paid work.

So this morning I was up at 6, showered, shaved and breakfasted by 7 in time to start. I worked solidly until 1 30 pm by which time I'd accomplished everything I needed to. And that is spite of a call from a friend in deepest, rural Shropshire who'd dropped his iPod on the flagstone floor of their centuries old farmhouse (I'm not jealous) and wondered if he could send it to me to take into one of the Apple stores here. The little wheel thing is stuck apparently. All that took about 20 minutes. It's on it's way and I'll have to fit a trip to the Arndale or Trafford Centres into my busy schedule.

Work finished I found a couple of hours free to water the plants for my Dig The City Garden and get to Chorlton for a glass of wine before a meeting that starts at 4. I know! Afternoon drinking! But I have earned it and I deserve it.

I even found time to start my stained glass jam jar lanterns that are going to hang in the trees in my St Ann's Square garden. I did the 'lead" outlines today and will paint the colours on later when they dry. I must be very wicked because, at the moment there's no rest.

The plants are looking really good at the moment. I hope they haven’t peaked too soon. I’ll keep watering, feeding and deadheading and, hopefully, they will still look as good when Diamuid Gavin, no less, checks them out for judging. Who’d have thought that a gardener who has designed and built extraordinary gardens for Chelsea will be passing judgement on my efforts! Scared? You bet I am!