Catching up

Norman slept in again this morning and it was a quarter to eight when we finally got up and I let him out into the garden. It is a fine, warm, morning the sky is cloudy but the wind has swung to the south making the air more humid than of late. I make myself a full English and give the dog some of his tinned meat, he sniffs at it and decides to wait for some of my sausage instead. I duly oblige and save one for him and after he has eaten this he deigns to eat some of his own breakfast. We adjourn to the Garden Room for coffee and to listen to the news, my broadband is on the blink again but it recovers when I reset the router. I feel fully recovered and after washing and dressing, pick Dolly and Teddy up and head to the Westwood. Once we are in the wood, I let the boys off, Teddy dashing off in pursuit of rabbits and Norman trotting along behind us sniffing the scents along the route with the air of a connoisseur of fine vintage wine. The sun burns off the cloud by the time we emerge onto the common and it is hot again. I swap Dolly and Teddy on the lead and we head for the shady bench by Black Mill. When we get there the Highland bullock is in possession of the seat but we squeeze him aside and sit down. Teddy has a good bark at him but he is impervious to Ted's bluster, and only shies away when I stroke his forehead. There are clouds streaming towards us from the southwest and once we have a little shade, we amble at Normy pace back to the car. When we arrive back at Cherry, Pip puts Dolly in her cage, whilst the two boys pop into the garden. I have been asked to weed the front of the house and take a pot of tea and a grouting knife and sit in the sun digging the weeds and moss out of the gaps between the paving stones. It's not the most exhilarating job in the world, but it is pleasant sat on my little camping stool in the warm sun, letting the work take its own pace and clearing up the debris as I go. It takes longer than I thought and it is two o'clock by the time I finish. After gathering up Norman we drive into Beverley, calling at the doctors, en route, to drop off a prescription and then carry on to the supermarket for a little shopping, finally arriving home about three. My lamb Kahari needs a bit longer in the slow cooker, so I make some Ryvita canapés, smoked cheese with Parma ham or Chorizo and a slice of pickled dill cucumber, with olives and roasted peppers on the side. A glass of Australian red wine helps it go down a treat. The trouble is the canapés are so moreish that I make a few more and have a second glass of red. After lunch I take a black coffee into the Garden Room and do a couple of puzzles until I feel sufficiently rested to start catching up on my neglected housework. By now it is nearly five o'clock and after clearing all the pots away and wiping down the kitchen, I mop the floor and then repeat the process in the bathroom, before taking the Garden Room furniture outside and then vacuum cleaning through the house. Norman is a little put out, because the clean up delays his usual dinner time, but happy enough once I serve up around half past seven. Then we take our walk down the lane, the little girls come over to pat him and tell us they are going on holiday in the morning. We walk as far as the bridge and then stop and pat the old, one eyed, Jack Russell at the stables on our way home. When we get in I make a pot of tea and take some oaties into the Garden Room, intending to read but I feel too tired, so just do a puzzle before going to bed about half past ten. My chest is just about clear and my energy levels have returned to normal, never the less I shall continue with my low sugar diet, at least until my holiday in Holland, as I don't want to risk a relapse. Perhaps I might swim tomorrow.