Gratification

Firstly, for those who stopped by and/or commented on my blip of Fiddlers Ferry yesterday - thank you. Your comments made it worth going out and driving round to find the perfect spot!!!

Today has been a gratifying day. I will pay for it dearly tomorrow though.

After whining yesterday, and frequently in the past few months, that our back garden looks like a s***hole, I got up off my backside today and did something about it - I think Jaxter's entry from yesterday inspired me.

So after 2 and a half hours in the glorious spring sunshine, with my trusty pitchfork and gardening gloves, I cleared 10 rubble bags full of dead plants, grasses and brambles/hawthorns/nettles from the garden. I also mowed the lawn and managed to use the shears to edge it up reasonably well too.

I perhaps shouldn't have chosen today to do this, as my lower back has been twinging since the middle of the week and this morning I was struggling, but it was sunny and the job needed doing...so I worked through the pain. Oh my god does it hurt now though. Glass of wine and a very hot both are coming my way soon.

James and I also managed to go out on a bike ride and have spent a lovely day together - he has been my little helper, bringing me a glass of fresh orange juice every half an hour or so (unprompted) and in between times, leaning out of his bedroom window, from his bunk bed, giving me a running commentary on the XBox game he was playing. He's been very chirpy and tactile this weekend, which has been just what I needed.

When we were out on our bike ride, I blipped this hideous fencing that has been up round what USED TO BE a perfectly lovely piece of grassed land, with lovely trees, opposite our road and our village green. It has been fenced like this for nearly 2 years now. Originally, the land was intended to be used for development, along with what is now our Village Green, and a disused and entensive building which used to be our local YMCA. However, the local residents objected to the loss of the field and put in for Village Green Status and we won. This scuppered the developers plans, so since then, the fencing has remained up (in some places, its fallen over), the land has grown over with weeds that are as tall as me, and the disused YMCA is becoming increasingly more derelict and disturbing as every day goes by. I am contemplating writing to the local council to find out what is happening, because it is an eyesore, and it does nothing for the appearance of our part of the estate - it just looks awful.

Have spent the lst hour writing a long email to the lady who will be leading the funeral service for my Aunty Pat this friday. We are having a Humanist service - non religious. So Thursday is the big drive down, with plans to meet my brother along the way and let him follow us as his sense of direction (or lack of it) is legendary! James is coming with me, and we will be staying till Sunday morning, so that we can have some family time together and visit some of our old haunts down there. I'm glad James will be with me - it will give me a focus, other than being upset.

Thats it. If I can stand up, I will be going for some wine. If not, I'll be sleeping in this chair.

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