Is anyone else having trouble with forget-me-nots? A flower I adore but, boy, this year they are giants! I decided to let them self-seed and grow and, because I haven’t done very much gardening this year (being a fair-weather gardener) the little blighters have taken full advantage of my neglect and the inclement, rainy weather to keep on growing!
Instead of looking all twee and pretty, they have grown to nearly 18 inches tall in some cases and have now gone to seed, with just a few hopeful flowers clinging on at the very ends of their stems. Looking awfully tatty, I’m afraid, and I’ve had to give them the chop.
And it’s not only the forget-me-nots. The ragged robin has gone bananas as well, having spread everywhere – as has the Phlox (which is about four feet tall) and the Sweet Cecily, which has bolted away and is nearly six feet tall. Heavens – not sure what I am going to do about it all.
As it happens, I spent a very happy hour or two out in the garden this evening after having whiled away the afternoon doing nothing very much at all. All the plants I bought are now bedded in, and I have even managed to pop the tomato plants into growbags. It’s a bit late, I know, but I am hopeful we’ll have a few nice, red tomatoes to eat before the autumn comes and we have to make green tomato chutney.
I finally came in at half-past nine. It was still light and I had thoroughly enjoyed myself. The only problem with it being half-past nine was that we hadn’t had any tea….. and I’m not even on a diet.
The day was bit topsy-turvy in that we were at the hospital this morning for one of John’s eye check-ups. We were there for almost three hours which was extended by the travelling time, to make it over four hours. It was all very helpful and interesting, but we were jaded by the time we came home – especially as I’d had to stand for a good part of the waiting time, as instructed by a fellow accompanier who pointed out the notice that said, ‘These seats are for patients ONLY’ and I didn’t dare sit down for fear of incurring his wrath.
In the car on the way back, I asked John if he fancied going to a pub later on for a meal. “Not right now, of course, because your eyes aren’t ready, but later, perhaps at about four o’clock?” He wasn’t sure. After all the eye drops that had been administered all he could think of was getting home for a cup of tea, so that’s what we did. “See how you feel in a couple of hours?” I suggested. Yes, maybe.
We didn’t go out in the end. John did some fiddling about on the computer to get his photos of the quad bike uploaded and then advertised it before he started investigating a change to our internet and TV programme provider. That’s another thing that gives me the collywobbles these days – change. I had a bit of a meltdown at the thought of changing the TV provider, but gave myself a proper talking to and reminded myself that change is good for us and keeps us young.
In the interests of keeping us young, I decided to go to the Co-op this afternoon to do a big shop. Now this is momentous because I haven’t physically done a big shop for over a year. My aim was to choose items that would contribute to our health and well-being and roll back the years, and I was going to pick ’em myself.
The shopping went well, and I even had a laugh. I overheard one of the shop assistants chatting to his colleague: “Would you like a Twirl, a Wispa and a Boost?” he asked. His colleague nodded eagerly. So the shop assistant ‘twirled’ around and said in a loud stage ‘whisper’, “You’re a great guy!” giving him a much-needed ‘boost’. Boom, Boom! All together now…..’groan’. It made me smile anyway.
So there we have it. Another day gone. Another day of feeling grateful for the NHS and the wonderful people who run it. We are in awe of them every time we make a visit to a hospital – each and every one of them giants in their field. I wonder how we are going to be able to keep it? Boris has plans to sell it off, doesn’t he? I shudder at the thought.
There will be some people who’ve needed the NHS today as a result of COVID, which has infected at least 6,048 people today, killed 13 in the community with it and 5 in hospitals on 6 & 7 June – and Manchester is on high alert right now.
Look after yourselves everyone – take that extra care so that COVID doesn’t walk into your homes and take you to a hospital near you. God bless.