Empowered

I've been trying for weeks to contact our electrician. He must have noticed the desperate tone in my last message this morning, because he rang after lunch and said he would drop in later in the afternoon. We will finally have light and power in the shed - no more running the extension lead from the cracked and leaking external power socket (that he will also replace)

As a bonus, he will also replace the smoke alarm in the kitchen with a heaat sensor. This should cut down on the false alarms: two this evening because Mrs M was roasting squash, mushrooms and gnocchi to share with our guests - and no doubt some at breakfast tomorrow, if we have more than one round of toast. Turning off the alarm requires precision work from me with a 3 metre length of dowl held vertically to press the 'off' button. My stress levels will drop impressively if he fixes it

The green roof on the shed is having a good year. The electrician wondered aloud about ground-nesting birds. Our alkali soil is profoundly unsuitable for azelia (or is it a rhododendron? I'm never sure). Since we arrived 10 years ago, we have assumed this one is on its way out, as it looks sickly, straggly and weak. And every year its flowers amaze me

The bramley still has a few blossoms hanging on. The cold wind continues. Flowers are reluctant to bloom and then last a long time. Foxglove is from the genus Digitalis and yields a drug of the same name that is used to treat the heart condition I have, though I've never been prescribed it

The larger bird box under the eaves of the shed is hosting a great tit. She is highly cautious and will not return to it with a beak-full of food if we are nearby. When I was lying in the hammock (that one time!), she was relaxed and happy to come and go while I watched