A day out to Hull

Wake at seven thirty, Norman has had a lie in, I give him his breakfast and then let him out in the garden for a pee. I make muesli with fresh fruit and coffee for breakfast and then struggle with my recalcitrant broadband service from BT. Every time the network gets busy it locks me out, the one downside to living in the country. Shower and dress and collect Dolly and Teddy shortly after nine for our walk on the Westwood. As soon as we get out of the car a huge black cloud appears from the Northwest and by the time we have left Newbegin Pits it is spitting with rain and threatening much worse. The dogs and I shelter under a large tree and after a few minutes the cloud had passed and we were able to continue our walk. I dropped Dolly and Teddy off about half past ten and was unable to cut the grass because of the rain. Fortunately I seem to be on the mend and Pip's garden, although overgrown, can wait another day. I have four books from Hull Central Library that are overdue and decide I will take them back today, there is a bus from Tickton at eleven, so I drive straight home, give Normy a drink and leave the Garden Room door open so he can get out if he needs to. The bus arrives at five past eleven and drops me off outside the Library an hour later. Once in the library I scan my returned books and then pay the fine of £3.20, before looking for something else to read. I try the usual suspects, AS Byatt, Hilary Mantel, Cormac McCarthy, Philip Roth without success and settle on two translations, one by a young Argentinian, Andreas Neuman, "Traveller of the Century", and one by a young German, Alliser Walser, "Mesmerized". Afterwards I buy a tea and a scone in the Library cafe and browse the newspapers before looking at relatively cheap TV's in Curry's and Tesco, 32 inch LCD with Freeview for about £160. There seem to be plenty in stock so if I decide to buy one I can drive in and pick one up. I haven't had a telly for almost two years and don't really miss the experience. My interest is purely prompted by the Olympics and the fact that I am struggling to get Sarah's old set to work. Whilst I am in town I lash out and replace the flip flops I left at Hornsea pool and buy a new miniature brolly to carry in my bum bag when I take the dogs out or go walking. Total expenditure, £4.50, brolly's last less than a month with me before I leave them behind or lose them, so I never spend more than a couple of quid on them. I arrive at the bus depot with fifteen minutes to spare before the five to three back to Tickton and buy a takeaway tea in a paper mug with a plastic top and then promptly scald my mouth when I try to drink it. It has cooled down to a drinkable temperature by the time the bus arrives and I manage to smuggle it past the driver and then sip from it most of the way home. When I get in Norman is ready for his dinner and so am I, having decided on the bus that pork steak, salad and French fries are the best combination for a quick meal from my fridge and freezer. Feeding Norman and myself simultaneously ensures that the greedy little sod isn't whining for my food after he has eaten his. I put the oven on and the hot plate, put the pork steak, (it says cook from frozen), in a frying pan and then add a
Sausage as the steak is on the meagre side, pop the fries in the oven and then dice some lettuce, spring onions, cucumber and tomato. Mix up a vinaigrette, toss the salad, slice and butter the rest of yesterday's baguette, pour myself a generous glass of vinho verde, make Norman's dog food and biscuits and when that is done, the meat and chips are ready. Norman gets his in the kitchen and I take mine out into the garden. Meat chips and tossed salad always pleases me, and I always have a dollop of mayonnaise with the chips. Despite my best efforts, Normy arrives just before I finish eating, but all he gets is the remains of the vinaigrette and some mayo. Us baby boomers, brought up during rationing, always clear our plates. After lunch/tea/dinner, take your pick! I make a mug of strong black Italian coffee and sit in the sun and try to figure out where I went wrong on last nights extreme killer sudoku. Eventually I rub it all out and start from scratch again. Before I get too far the phone rings and it's Pip, she wants me to take her garden shears back, because she wants to prune. I tell her that now that I am feeling better I will prune her hedges tomorrow and return her shears, which I inadvertently brought back to Tickton after I did her pruning a few weeks ago. Apparently she has spoken to Sarah, who, whilst trying to be helpful, suggested that Andrew did Cherry and I did his house down Copandale Road, that way neither of us would have to see our ex wives. After a ten minute rant about Andrew's wife and then me, she eventually calmed down and rung off. I refuse to lose my temper with her, as she thrives on conflict, but I wonder if taking her dogs out and looking after her garden isn't a mugs game. It just provides opportunities for conflict. However if I don't take the dogs out no one else will, though there is no reason why Andrew couldn't when he is home. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to cut the ties permanently. I will sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow. Afterwards I take Norman for his walk down Carr Lane to the bridge and back. Sarah says he is incontinent but I think she doesn't take him out after meals. In ten days I haven't had a problem with him. We get back around seven, it's a fine evening, but the weather is set to become unsettled from tomorrow afternoon, so I set too and mow my lawns and weed the beds, because tomorrow I will be pruning in Cherry. I wrap up at half past eight and make a
pot of tea and some rye toast with honey and then return to my puzzle until bedtime. I am feeling much stronger, there is still some phlegm and a cough but I seem to be on the mend at last. It will take the rest of the week to catch up on all the work that has had to be deferred.