Spring Nearly Here (Don't Hold Breath!)

Friday is here and the weekend is nigh - where on earth has the week gone? The pansies, despite being covered in a pile of snow in their hanging basket are now in flower and seem to be in pretty good condition giving some much needed colour to the drab landscape.

There are some people in the area whose snowdrops are showing already however the varieties I've seen are the very small type, whereas mine are still just spikes and although the flowers don't last long, they are most delightful to see.

This has been a busy week with meetings and work done and sadly my colleague has left work today to enjoy what I hope is a long, healthy and happy retirement. He took advantage of an enhanced early voluntary retirement thereby in effect saving someone from being made compulsorily redundant.

Spring is just around the corner though; have you noticed average temperatures have been exceeded with 12 degrees C this week? The fish in the ponds have had their first feed of wheatgerm (low protein) and the leaf nets have been taken off.

I've ordered seeds from Sutton Seeds for about 31 years now but as we move into the 21st Century, I don't use a catalogue any more and I don't buy seeds, I buy tiny small plants from their Internet site, already germinated and almost guaranteed successful growth. That however is pure lazy! I loved sowing seeds, pricking out and growing on, but there isn't enough hours in a day for me to do that now, but sadly it is a more expensive way to put flowers in the garden.

Today a book arrived from Amazon (another failing - ordering books on the Internet). It is 'The little Book of the Green Man' by Mike Harding (BBC Radio 2 host of folk music and comedian and entertainer). This was on the recommendation of good blogger friend Jarmara who had read my blog on the Green Man. What a little gem this book appears to be and I shall enjoy reading it I'm sure. Great choice Jarmara.

My mother (73) is due home tomorrow after having her second hip operation. She had the other one done last year. This hasn't been as straight forward and she'll take longer to recuperate, but then I would expect she would. She will be disappointed of course - she'll want to be running around like nobodies business, but it's time to slow down and take a more considered view of what she can do. Her wedding anniversary arrived while she was in hospital, so when she arrives home, a welcome home will include a few thoughts about their anniversary too.

Occasionally, I try to give you a list for the weekend to consider, this week, just a handful of favourite short poems with a hint of humour to get us going for the leisure days ahead...

My Father by Kaye Umansky

My father is a werewolf,
Right now, he's busy moulting.
He leaves his hairs on stairs and chairs.
It's really quite revolting.
And if my friends make comments
(for some of them are faddy),
I tell them it's the cat or dog.
I never say it's daddy.

An Invisible Man's Invisible Dog by Brian Patten

My invisible dog is not much fun.
I don't know if he's sad or glum.
I don't if, when I pat his head,
I'm really patting his bum instead.

Somewhere! by Ian Deal

Somewhere in the halls of wisdom
Lies the largest box.
Filled with all life's little mysteries
And my missing socks!

fr xmas' txt msg by Mike Harding

where r u? mrsx
lost. frx
where lost? mrsx
fi nu i wunt be lost. frx
nt funny. diner n'ly redi. mrsx
rudolph nose went out in fog. lost. frx
told u it ws goin dim!!! still fogi? mrsx
no - fog gone bt dunt recognise were am now. frx
describe. mrsx
big pointy stone things and camels. frx
u in egypt. mrsx
2morrow i sack rudolph. frx
i give dinner to elves. mrsx
i is sorry. frx
nt hlf as sorry as u will be!!! mrsx

Have a great weekend

Chat soon

Ta-ra.