Golden October

Wake at half past six, Norman is restless to be out in the garden, as I let him out the day is just dawning but the sun is yet to rise. It looks like it will be a fine day. I make breakfast for the two of us and then drink coffee in the Garden Room, whilst listening to the news, or lack of it. It is party conference season and endless speculation amongst commentators clogs the airwaves. Shower, dress and collect Dolly and Teddy by half past nine for our walk on the Westwood. My night was not disturbed by coughing but the catarrh has turned a dark green. Not a good sign. The day is indeed fine, the wind has dropped and it is pleasantly mild, in fact, a lovely autumn morning. I have decided not to swim today, but to use the good weather to make headway with the pruning before seeing to Alice and Louis this afternoon. Everything seems to be moving more slowly as a consequence, and it is a pleasant feeling. When we get to Black Mill, I extend our walk and continue to the Western edge of the common before rounding a patch of gorse and then making our way back via the little copse of woodland at Newbald Pits. We arrive back in Cherry for eleven, there is water and biscuits out for the dogs and I make a pot of tea for myself before pruning two large cherry trees. One of the secrets of gardening as you get older, is never to tackle too much in one go. Consequently, I work my way round the trees in quarter sections, lopping off this years growth of branches, using an aluminium folding ladder to reach the higher limbs. After each section is cut, I pick up the fallen branches and break or cut them into smaller pieces, before putting them in the bin. By working this way, I avoid being faced with a huge clear up job at the end, and perhaps taxing myself beyond my strength. It also lends a gentle rhythm to the work, a pleasing unhurried cadence, that nevertheless gets the job done. I finish work at one o'clock and then drive to Morrisons with Norman, where I need to buy some more black pudding, some sausages and grated Mozarella for the Cannelloni that I intend to make with the rest of the Bolognese sauce. The shopping only takes a few minutes and leaves me time for a tea and scone before its time to drive into Beverley and collect Alice for her Orthodontal appointment. When we arrive at Beverley High School, I am informed that Alice checked out of school at lunch time, so I assume she has made her own way to the orthodontists. It is only a hundred yards from the school on the opposite side of the road, and Normy and I arrive ten minutes prior to her appointment. She isn't there and hasn't been in touch with them either. Nor does she answer her phone or respond to texts. At a quarter past two, five minutes after her appointed time, I set off back to Sarah's, in case she is there and meet her walking towards the surgery. Fortunately the dentist is running late and we keep the appointment. She had gone home for lunch and expected me to collect her there. Having no credit on her phone, she had let the battery run flat, hence the incommunicado! By the time we get back to Sarah's it is time to collect Louis, so I park opposite the police station and then walk down the lane past Bleach Yard Stables to St. Mary's primary school with Norman. Dogs are not allowed in the school, but I pick him up and carry him in anyway, someone comments, but I bluff it out and tell them he is a pyjama case! Louis wants to go to the swing park in Tickton before tea, so we stop and play for half an hour. There are lots of kids his age, but I end up having to push him on the swings, on the roundabouts and then have to climb the frame with him as well. By the time we get home at four thirty, I am knackered. Louis has his usual ante pasta and Norman has dog food with Bolognese sauce. Then it's time for his swimming lesson, and we arrive at the pool just in time. The same instructor is there as last week, her name is Debbie, I tell her to let me know if Louis gets out of line and I tell him I will kill him if he messes about again. The coercion and threats of extreme violence seem to work and he pays attention and makes good progress. Sarah arrives at a quarter to six and we watch Louis together until it is time for me to collect him and get him dressed again. The instructor confirms what I have seen, that Louis has been good and made great progress. Praise is in order and he seems pleased, but then asks if he can mess about next week seeing how he has been good today! I get home for half past six and make a pot of tea and some toast before settling down to read my book. I finish it at ten, eat a few biscuits and some cheese and then turn in around eleven.