Sunday, 3rd July, 2022
Bright and sunny, warm morning. The garden is looking lovely at Breakfast but preparation is everything. We are going to be away in a week and then again in a month. All the plants will need watering regularly in the summer sun. I have been thinking about it for a while but only got around to sorting it out this morning.
Don’t you just love Amazon Prime in these situations? I placed an online order for these items at 7.30 am this morning and they will be delivered for free by 10.00 pm tonight.
In the 50 days since my hernia operation, I have walked 540 miles. Feeling quite fit and now have no sense of vulnerability where I was cut open.
And I would walk 500 miles
The Proclaimers
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
While I am still moving, I am still alive. I just can’t let it go. I hope I will never let it go. If I do, I will be dying … dead! I will let you know.
Monday, 4th July, 2022
Lovely, warm and sunny morning. Our garden developers arrive early and reverse their lorry down the drive.
The lawn that I’ve spent so much time and money on over the past 6 years will be removed in a matter of a few hours this morning.
I’m glad we’ve chosen a big, established organisation to do the work. It will cost around £7,000.00 but it will be money well spent in the long run. What am I going to do with my lawn mower and lawn raker?
Tuesday, 5th July, 2022
Warm – hot even – and humid, sunny day. The garden developers arrive early and set to work before it gets too hot. Stage 2 is laying down a weed barrier membrane and then putting on a Granite aggregate of fine milled stone and powder to bind it.
Tomorrow the carpet goes down here at the back and at the front of the house. Look forward to that. Whenever we have people working at the house, the initial stages are interesting. The middle stages are pleasing but, by the final stages, I just want them to finish and go. Give me my life back!
Wednesday, 6th July, 2022
A lovely warm and sunny morning gave way to a hot and humid afternoon. We have had lawn installers here for a third and final day. We are so pleased that we chose a large, national franchise – Easigrass – to do the work. The confident expertise of the installers is worth paying for.
Of course, this is a minor, micro level improvement set against the macro level changes going on in the country today. The Tory Government is in its valedictory stage. We have known for a few months that this was coming. We have known for a few weeks that it would be soon. We now know that it will be very soon … maybe hours, maybe days but it will be.
All those misguided voters, blindly supporting Johnson in the North of England of which he actually cares nothing, will be angry that their blithe fool of a Leader has been replaced but he will never be seen again.
It is likely that, the longer he clings on, the more chance the Opposition parties have of replacing him. Boris Johnson is the great Recruitment Sergeant of the Opposition.
Thursday, 7th July, 2022
Hot, humid but largely overcast day which produced hot sun in the later afternoon. We saw 24C/75F and enjoyed our walk. The first half of the day was delightfully filled with the deposing of the lunatic prime minister.
Boris Johnson, the criminal fantasist, has been forced to resign. It was inevitable but just as pleasing. It is likely that the Johnson leadership has tarnished and fatally damaged the Tory brand. The Labour Party is standing in the wings. We have to hope they get not one but two terms and feel confident enough to open negotiations to rejoin the EU.
Strange feeling to get up this morning and realise I don’t have to maintain the lawns. The front lawn is small but had to be mowed regularly. Never again.
As I did my 10 mile walk, I had contact from Kevin, John and Julie. All are getting on with their lives. Unlike Boris Johnson, their lives are not fractured and painful. If you put yourself out there you leave yourself open to such pain.
Friday, 8th July, 2022
Lovely, Mediterranean day of high temperatures, high humidity, azure blue skies and strong sunshine that took us to 27C/81F. Everywhere looks and smells and sounds wonderful. I spent the early morning watering all around the garden. It is against this backdrop that we are all celebrating the downfall of Johnson and the Tories. Things feel a whole lot better. College/University friends and Family sent me a host of cartoons/jokes/quotes/tweets about the improving political situation. I must have received this a dozen times in a dozen different forms:
We have finally found a home for a large portion of our savings and it is quite a relief in the eye of the inflationary storm. Inflation destroys money and I have worried about it for almost a year. It feels great to be sheltering it at least although no household will escape the pain of average fuel bills (Gas/Electricity) going to circa £3,300.00 per year. The state pension is around £9,600.00 per year. The thought of some old dear having to make the choice between freezing or paying out ⅓ of their income on fuel is quite appalling.
In Littlehampton Town their was a French market stall selling wonderful cheeses, saucisson, etc. To celebrate the day, the financial resolution, the political dissolution and the delicious sunshine, we bought Camembert and Morbier Saucisson and ate it for Lunch in the garden along with a bottle of Pol Roger champagne we’ve had in the wine cooler for a while.
I still did my 10 miles – in fact, I did 11 miles today – and haven’t missed a day for the past 57 days since restarting after my operation. Every day, I think, May be I’ll give it a miss today. but never do!
Saturday, 9th July, 2022
Hot night being followed by a very hot day. Had the fun of setting up the wi-fi remote controls for the air conditioning unit this morning on our smartphones. I enjoy this challenge.
The unit can be controlled for fan speed, temperature, oscillation, mode and timer/duration. What fun! The functions can also be voice-controlled using Google or Alexa type hubs. No need to get out of bed! It certainly makes sleeping easier. I checked the energy smart meter after a night time of use and it wasn’t significantly expensive at all.
Pauline is spending the morning harvesting, washing, chopping and freezing herbs from the garden. Piles of Oregano, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme, Rosemary and Parsley will be collected in the sunshine. Then she will attack the Basil plants and make huge proportions of Pesto. I have got the easy jobs of setting up the automatic watering systems ready for going to France next week.
We eat Dill and Basil more than any other herb because they go so well with fish. I have been planting out Dill plants grown from seed this morning. Hopefully, they will be available to harvest when we return from France. Cousin Sue has posted pictures of her southern French property after make-over this morning.
We were in Salles Lavalette only four years ago and miss it and the quaint French style. However, if I had to choose between southern France and Florida, I think I’d go for Florida year round. What do you think? Want to come?
I’ve uploaded our vaccine passports to the Tunnel crossing documentation to expedite our crossing. From our house to the tunnel it takes 1 hr 50 mins but current post-Brexit conditions extend that. We have to be at check-in 2 hrs before departure so we will set off at 6.30 am. on Tuesday. I will have to be up really early to get my walk done mainly before we go. It’s going to be lovely weather so I’ll be able to get some in when we arrive.