He's back!

He’s back! Three cheers! The Fox is all but over his cold. He finally seems to be behaving & sounding more like himself. He’s still snuffling & coughing a bit but that’s all. Fortunately I’ve not gone down with it. We can look forward to our weekend away with some enthusiasm.

We went along to the golf club yesterday, first time in nearly a fortnight. We were both surprised by how much we have missed it, despite rarely seeing anyone we know there except on the Friday afternoon when Geriatrics’ Corner continues its weekly meet. 

Part of the attraction is undoubtedly the wonderful bacon butties they make. The bacon is some of the finest I think I’ve ever tasted. We’re trying to find out the source so we can do our bacon buying at the same place.

But it isn’t just that. There is something very relaxing, peaceful, life-restoring, just looking out over the oh-so-green course on one side & the Lakeland fells across the Bay on the other side. Just outside the window, course direction, there is a hedge with loads of berries & a bird table. The hedge is always alive with birds. The ducks waddle around the practice putting green. The sheer beauty & peacefulness of the view fills us with wonder & an inner tranquillity. We’ve taken the decision we will be renewing our membership come the new year. Our 6 month trial period has convinced us both of the spiritual value of membership. I suspect if it was on the Heysham side of Morecambe we would go even more often the twice weekly visits we usually make.

The one cloud on the horizon is that I’ve felt the need to cut down on the alcohol. My stomach has started feeling very uncomfortable again. Monday night I had nearly four hours of lying in bed, thrashing around, unable to get comfortable. All was fine yesterday as I returned to an alcohol-free day. I’ve decided to just have a little alcohol at the weekends or in time of celebration for the time being. Little will be the operative word, just a glass, no more than two. With this in mind I’m once more back to soft drinks for now, but I anticipate having some wine with meals when we go off to Penrith.

One of the main points of going to Penrith, apart from the need for a break, is to go to an art exhibition of young Cumbrian artists. The artworks include sculptures, including some designed to be shown outside. We’re hoping to be inspired by something for our new garden. Even though we might not see just the right thing we’re hoping we may find an artist we could commission at a price we can afford or are willing to afford. We’ll see. It should be interesting anyway.

We were surprised the other evening when an envelope came through the door. It was from the landscape designer we had been talking to before we went off to France in September. Although he had clearly visited the garden in our absence – we found yellow lines drawn all over the patio area – and he had said he would phone & bring the designs around at the end of September, we had heard nothing more from him. I’d even rung to find him out what was happening. I’d left a message on his answerphone but he never rang back. We’d given up on him & decided to see if we could find another landscape designer. So you can imagine our surprise when this envelope arrived containing the new designs & a DVD. We’ve yet to discuss the changes or to try to operate the DVD, which is supposed to show a virtual 3D tour of the garden as it is proposed to be. However, on a casual look, we’re both feeling like he’s getting the idea of what we’re looking for. 

Last Wednesday, as we going to the hospital, we passed his vehicle. I suspect he recognised our car & had his memory jolted. Whatever the reason, we’re feeling more optimistic that the garden may eventually get done.