I heard last week of the death of someone who shared my life very closely for several years. Though we had lost touch, married, had our own families and drifted far, far apart, I was surprised at the shock and grief I felt on learning of his untimely end. He was only 48. He died over a year ago, and I didn't even know. Somehow, that made it worse. I wrote to his brother and his wife which eased me slightly, and I know we cannot keep in contact with everyone we meet on our journey through life. But this one I loved and lived with so he has left a space no-one else can fill. I know. Get over it. I will.
The brown dog is spayed, healed and happy. No more pups from her. We await the black dog's season with great interest. The poodle has a lady booked in for the weekend, and I have given the love-shack a vac. and polish in preparation for his wooing.
Went to see the boys last weekend, as the big boy had a birthday, and the baby boy forgot to take a coat back to University, and has been too busy to fetch one, and too mean to buy another. Therefore, through the snow, ice and rain, he has been very, very, very cold. We dropped off 4 overcoats for him on our way through Leicester, and took the big boy out for a birthday lunch to celebrate his 22nd anniversary. 22. Jeez.
I have just changed my car, two days prior to learning that the baby boy's Masters year will cost a hefty £9000 (no student finance for Masters), plus £6000 living-in at the Royal Agric. College, Cirencester. I may, perhaps, have delayed the car exchange for another year if I had realised the full extent of the cost of a further year at University and can now only shrug in the french manner and say 'c'est la vie'! He is very excited at the prospect of this further year of extremely intense study, so fingers crossed he can achieve the 2:1 he needs to take up the place.
I have a new tenant, after a protracted purchase and renovation of a tiny house in Louth. The neighbours have been somewhat difficult and truculent during the renovation process and it has been quite hard going. Am thinking that if I should ever be in a position to buy another letting property it had better be detached. Very detached. I do understand their fears regarding the prospect of being next door to a 'let' property. Hopefully things have now settled down, they have laid down their hackles, and can get on with their lives in the sure and certain knowledge that the house has not been let to a bunch of drug addicts or turned into a bawdy house.
The farmer is being tortured slowly and not-so-discreetly by a flock of pigeons. He has recruited some assistance in his pigeon clearing task, which involves shotguns and retrievers. He planted 40 acres of rapeseed in the Autumn. All that is left of the infant plants is tufts of skeletal greenery, pecked bare and de-hearted by the ravening hoards of pigeons. The birds roost in The Church trees adjacent to the land. They drop down for supper on their way home in the evenings, and stop for an early and convenient breakfast first thing every morning. They are driving the poor Farmer mad. The Agronomist says he has never seen a year like it for pigeon damage, and ours is some of his worst. Pigeon scaring kites, bangers, and shotguns all only provide a brief respite from the marauding. It looks like the crop will have to be abandoned, and the land seeded with a spring crop when the earth dries out somewhat. Those pigeons have eaten the baby boy's college fees....... Aarrgghhhh.
Happy Valentine's day my lovelies. X
A little pile of fandangoes, awaiting a creative moment
A series of photos, using steak and ribbon
snow, snow, snow, snow
1 comment:
Great post, You were lucky to have had the time with your sadly departed friend, cherish those moments, not the loss.
The passing of time..... Don't mention it, where does it go.
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