What’s new?

A car!

Last week, I bought a new car. Not a new, new car, but a new-to-me car. I thought I would put it through it’s paces on Friday when I drove down to Oxford to continue on with the Thames Path Walk. However, as it turned out, we didn’t go.

Ann texted me late at night on Thursday to tell me that Nigel was on his way to hospital with suspected broken ribs. Oh, Lord! That wasn’t good news; we abandoned our plans as well as my intention to try out the new car out just then.

Instead, I spent a happy hour or two pottering in the garden – gleefully pulling up ivy that has been choking the hedge, and tinkering with the flowerbeds.

Today, however, I got to try the car out by driving down to Malvern to visit Richard and Jill. The car behaved like a car should, and my nervousness at driving a new-to-me car soon dissipated as I enjoyed the journey there and back.

It was a lovely day – the weather was particularly pleasant; the company was very good and the pub meal was excellent. I really enjoyed it all. Especially as I was able admire the décor and sofa that Richard and Jill have installed in their lounge. This included their beautiful collection of artwork.

I admired all the paintings in the lounge and the art work in every other room in the house. It was just as if I was visiting an art gallery – it was absolutely brilliant.

Not only that, but the ‘art gallery’ had ‘grounds’. After we got back from the pub, we had a wander through their very beautiful garden, which has been so well-designed and tended that it’s a pleasure to spend time in it.

Jill was generous, as ever, with plants that she’d extracted from her garden to give to me. I have come home with some orange Day Lilies, some Michaelmas Daisies and some Golden Rod. Not new, new plants, but new-to-me plants. Cool, eh?

What a lovely, lovely day. Still counting my blessings.

Take care everyone.