Before and after. Much more private, so I can garden in my nightclothes.

Fencing men, electricians - this is not Big Dave's idea of a peaceful existence.
Revenge will be exacted, I have no doubt.

Tomorrow fencing will commence at Sloven Gardens. And there won't be an epee, a rapier or a sabre in sight.
Big Dave is in for a shock when he realises that he's going to have to jump higher to visit his new friend next door.

'I hope you made a note,' I told my OH, 'of the fact that (a) I was wrong and (b) I admitted it, seeing as both are such rare occurrences.'

Missing the Sloven Cottage garden today, especially as I know that most of this bed has already been bulldozed by the new occupants.
Sob.

'What,' said Big Dave, staring (or maybe glaring), 'just WHAT are those CHILDREN still doing here at BREAKFAST time?'
The 6yo and the 4yo have stayed the night and he looks pretty offended.
#CatsOfTwitter

'I've got these lovely flowers for you, Ouma,' said the 4yo, waving a bunch of pink roses at me.
Then she laid them carefully into the trolley for me to pay for.
Still, her heart was in the right place.

Stinky Winky, Tipsy, Gaga, Poo - apparently I'm a little bit annoying when I call the Teletubbies this.

'Mmmm,' said Big Dave, tucking into his dinner yesterday. 'I love pilchards!'
'Oh FFS,' said Big Dave, turning his nose up at his dinner today. 'Who told you I like pilchards?!'
Any more of this, my lad, and you can move in with Mrs P next door.
#CatsOfTwitter

Would you look at this? Someone has designed the perfect tea towel for me.

Just a couple of weeks until Naked Gardening Day. Must warn the estate agents not to show anyone round the house next door on that particular day.

New oven mitts. Perfect for a slothful and slovenly person.

And home.
A sad day but a celebration of a wonderful person and a life lived well. Plus meeting lovely former colleagues who loved her too.
And a catch-up with friends yesterday who put me up for the night & the joy of meeting their new pup, who only wee'd on the floor twice.

Away to the Midlands for a funeral.
One of the finest teachers I ever worked with, remembered with great fondness by former students.
A hugely supportive colleague.
Someone I'm proud to have called my friend.
The world is poorer for losing her.

First episode of Blue Lights keeping up the high standards of the first series.
Brilliant writing, mix of humour, drama, pathos. Great acting and direction.
#BlueLights

Living the high life, here at Sloven Gardens. Trip to the tip first thing, followed by a visit to the supermarket on the way home.
Woo bloody hoo.
I can feel your envy from here.

I saw a young US serviceman interviewed in Iraq some yrs ago. His words stayed with me: he said that every time he took a life it diminished him as a person.
Thinking of that Aussie policewoman. Hoping she gets the support she needs.
#Sydney

So where did Big Dave, the Dirty Stop-Out get to for an hour and a half this evening?
'Probably visiting his girlfriend next door,' said my OH. 'He'll have pressed his nosy face against her window and she'll have let him in.'
The perfidious puss.

Judge a company not by whether things go wrong but by how they deal with things when they do.
And they've handled it very well, on a Saturday evening, already refunded the missing tree and resolved the issue over the others.
Impressed.

My trees have arrived. Wrapped in clingfilm & parcel tape, 2 autumnalis, no amanogawa, in poor condition.
Return them in the original packaging they say. As I've had to cut the clingfilm and tape, this is impossible. Returned them unused. How on earth does one 'use' a tree?