Home again

We’re home!

I’m not sure if it was a good holiday though we have come back refreshed & more able to cope with things, which is possibly indicative of its success.

We got back to discover how the garden has flourished in our absence. The lawn is long. The irises are in flower. Pinky purple chive pompoms abound. The herbs already need cutting back a bit. The bare patch I’d cleared for planting some basil is covered over. The extra light provided by having so many trees cut down has enabled so many new ones to self-seed & start to appear.

Now that some of the plants are coming into flower, certainly into full greenness, I’m aware of how sorry I will be to see some of them go when the garden is re-laid.

So far we’ve heard no definite date for the return of the landscape team though we expect it to be soon.

We’re trying to catch up on things still. We’ve waded our way through correspondence. The washing is hanging up in the laundry room – it’s raining good English rain outside. Typical!

The saddest news is that my Cousin Ann, the one with kidney cancer, died last Friday. Now we are on alert awaiting the date of the funeral & a trip down to Stoke. We may go down for a few extra days, as her husband is in need of some support. We’re hoping his daughter will step in, but we have offered to come down, or be on the end of the phone, any time he wants us.

My other cousin with cancer (lung) is still hanging on, though it doesn’t sound as though it will be for much longer. Life is getting increasingly uncomfortable for her.

As for my cousin Pat (breast cancer), she still seems to be doing well & holding her own. She’s gained a leaky heart valve due to the chemo, but it isn’t so serious as to need an op to replace it.

So now we wait for the call. Meanwhile I will try to locate some accommodation for us in Stoke, so I’ll be able to phone to book instantly.