I’ve Been Hiding

I’ve been hiding, keeping a low profile in the hills of mid Wales. Actually, it’s not been too bad as I had nothing to hide from except maybe the incessant heat and sun. What a summer we have had. Some days I felt as though I was trapped in a furnace, no escape and I couldn’t breathe. I do like sunny, summery days, but boy, it has been hot, hot, hot!

A Fine Coleus

I think it’s the first time in years we haven’t bought any plants or shrubs for the garden. They wouldn’t have survived. I miss the colour of a fine Coleus and it must have been an awful year for the ‘nursery owners’, sales must be down drastically. I know about global warming and some of the things we can do to help prevent it, but this year has even taken us by surprise. Every morning, waking to a bright blue sky and it remains that way, day after day, week after week and so on.

Rare Rain

Today, nearing the end of August, it has rained heavily, thunderstorms and dark for most of the day. A little like how lots of days used to be in summer. One of the jobs I had to do this year was to paint the garden fence I erected a few years ago. Normally, I would start in the morning, take my time, have a couple of hours lunch, mug of tea, more tea and even maybe a third mug, then go back out and finish off. Not on your nelly! I could do half an hour and before I evaporated, go and shelter in the safety of the kitchen. More tea. Then wait until early evening to paint a little more.

Eye Check

All in all it took a couple of months to paint both sides of a picket fence and small garden gate which I could have done in a day or so. I realised the other week that it has been probably 10 years since I had my eyes tested. Well, I had a reminder from the lovely DVLA that as I approach 70, I need to make sure I can see ok. Fair enough, so off we went to our local ‘Specsavers’ in the nearby town (25miles away) in Leominster.

New Bins

It always makes me laugh how they offer everyone a free eye test. It sounds wrong, because you normally want both eyes tested. I saw a nice man who was amazed that I hadn’t been tested for a decade. To be honest, I haven’t felt the need. My old glasses have been perfectly fine, apart from the screw that fell out of one of the arms. Anyway, I did the old chin on the thing in a darkened room, looked at the hot air balloon, had the puff of air blown in my eyes, then look up, look left, look right, look down, read this, read that blah blah blah. The nice man couldn’t believe it. My long sight was perfect, nothing wrong and he said my old glasses didn’t need changing! No sign of cataracts, nothing, almost perfect vision. Anyway, I did buy some new glasses, but I am so pleased I passed it all with flying colours.

Same Old Donkeys

With new glasses and a million books I have read since Christmas, I decided it was time to come out of hiding. I checked the news and see that the same one or two clowns are still creating havoc for billions of us the world over. I was hoping at least one of them would have disappeared by now. Ah well, maybe the blood moon that is happening will change everything for the better. We can only hope.

Short Break

We had a few days away in Aberystwyth just lately and of course the weather was lovely. Warm, but with the sea breeze, not furnace like. It’s only about 45 miles from where we live, but it was still a nice break with family. We stayed in a hotel which I have to say was absolutely fab. I can’t recommend it highly enough. A great choice of breakfast too. Here’s a link to the hotel: The Park Lodge Hotel.